In Deck (The countdown to Fallout 3 edition)

due to the wonders of release date shipping, (thanks amazon) i'll be playing Fallout 3 at this time tomorrow. needless to say, i'm very excited to get my hands on this one. but, until then, i've been playing some other stuff in the meantime:

PAIN

ah, pain. my go to game. the trophies are fucking hard, but i love playing you. flinging sid, my punk rocker avatar, into a tilt-a-whurl is more fun then it should be. and with the adding of the Hoff coming next month as well as a new envirment, the movie studio, pain will be getting played more in between major gaming sessions.

GTA 4

well, the trophy patch is live and i've started up a new GTA4 game to get some trophies. unlike alot of people, i don't really mind starting a new game to check out the trophies. most of the games that trophies aren't retroative, (uncharted, GTA4, burnout paradise) i really like playing the first time. so don't mind having a reason to play them again. whatever. some people care, i guess. anyway, i've got a whopping three so far. and with all the zombies roaming the online matches, it's going to get played alot more in the near future.

Resident Evil 4

i let a friend borrow this for a while. like three months. he beat it twice and played the separate ways side story. he's really hyped for RE5. he's plotting to get a PS3 or a 360 to play it. he doesn't have that long to wait. much like bioshock and fallout 3, RE5 will be out before you know it. in the meantime, i started back up with RE4 at my last save. the end boss was easier because of my mine launcher and the fact that i've played through the game three times already, so money wasn't a problem......like whoa. (dustin will get that) i can't believe that after all this time, this game is STILL this fun. i guess shooting zombies never really gets old.

BURNOUT PARADISE

my trophy hunt was going slow on this one. then, it just exploded. i think i got six in one online session. it took a while to get a good crew to play some modes rather then just drive around and wreck each other. the online gameplay is as fun as the offline game. my game is set to a 24 hour time frame, where at night, the game plays at night. so, when i play after work, it's a blur of car grinding each other in to walls and oncoming traffic. god, love that game. can't wait to see what Criterion comes up with next.


CALL OF DUTY 4

i started up again with COD4, only to revisit my fumbling with my newly unlocked shotguns. i fucking suck at using them and i get shot in the face when i use them. i'm around level 38 and it's going well. i'm still having a good time with the game. i wonder if there is going to be new playlists coming or new downloadable content after world at war comes out. COD4 and GTA4 are still selling well and i think it would be smart to keep it going if people are stil playing. and people are still playing. i'm still playing off and on between playing new releases. on a side note, i really like the way the resistance 2 beta has aped the experiance points and leveling system of COD4 and added it's own twists to it. i'll post my thoughts about the beta soon.



fallout is coming to my house as we speak.

J.

BREAKING: i'm in the Resistance 2 beta!

well, when it rains, it pours. a few weeks ago, i got into the LittleBigPlanet beta.....for three days. it was fun, but it was for three days. i've gotten into other betas (warhawk and home.....for better of worse) with plenty of time to jump in and dick around with it. i just would have liked to play around there. oh well. next week for me.

in the meantime, the resistance 2 beta opened up to us mere mortals and after work, i checked my email and i'm in. i'm currently dl'ing the app, so in a few days, i'll have more on the good fight. until then, check out the new resistance 2 website. it looks alot like bungie's site. that's not a bad thing, really.


J.

Don't Hassle the Hoff

Instead, send him careening through billboards and whatever else you can as David Hasslehoff will be a playable (or just plain hurtable) character in the upcoming PAIN expansion for PS3. Come on now, don't tell me that his career after Knight Rider doesn't make you want to do something bad to him! As you can see, The 'Hoff is no Gunther, but at least now you can maim him for ruining your happy childhood memories by putting out horrible Euro-Pop garbage!

DoomStein

Games that need to be remade Vol. 2, CAPCOM EDITION: Magic Sword

Awhile back, J kicked off a feature looking at games that should be remade and made available on WiiWare, XBLA and/or PSN, starting it off with Blaster Master. Well, we have discussed it and have come up with a few we’d like to talk about. So for my first look at games to be remade, I’m choosing not one game, but a plethora, all from Capcom. Capcom’s probably my favorite game developer next to Nintendo, and for good reason; they’ve put out many memorable games over the years. With the great success of Bionic Commando Rearmed, the anticipation of Street Fighter II HD and Mega Man 9, along with new installments of the 1941 and Commando series already available to download, Capcom has gone on record to say they’re definitely looking into resurrecting other forgotten franchises and doing other remakes. Obviously, they have a virtual gold mine to unearth with their back catalog. A rumor has already been reported that Strider is a possibility for such a comeback. So let’s take a look at some other really good possibilities, shall we? Keep in mind I’m looking at games that need remakes, not games that have had recent sequels or remakes (Mega Man, Ghosts n’ Goblins, etc). Since there’s so many great Capcom games to re-visit, this will be a multi-part series, and hopefully J and Dustin will be chipping in.

Magic Sword

A side-scrolling beat-em-up with a couple extra touches that made it stand out from the pack, 1990's Magic Sword is a game that has been burned into my psyche since I was a kid. What sets Magic Sword apart from the pack is the ability to rescue partners in jail cells. After they are freed, they travel by your side, adding their unique skills to your own. There are eight types of partners to assist you: Amazon, Caveman, Thief, Priest, Wizard, Ninja, Lizardman and Knight and their abilities level up the longer you keep them. Partners can be switched out by freeing more characters from jail—provided you have keys. There are traps and monsters abound, items with special purposes (like a gold ring that will tame an evil Lizardman to your side) some interesting bosses and two player co-op adds to the fun. With unlimited continues on a console version, it’s long but not hard to make it to the end, and it’s a blast.

I’ve dreamed for years of a remake of the game coming out in 3D on modern consoles. But probably a side-scrolling remake in HD would work great too. Updates to the visuals and soundtrack (which is excellent) would be a good start. Online and offline co-op would be a must, as it’s not as much fun scaling the massive tower without a friend. It would be good if Capcom could add combos to the attacks and RPG elements, like stat level ups for both players and partners from grinding, similar to the Metroid-style Castlevania games. Another idea would be to have a choice of which stats to upgrade, a la Castle Crashers. Additionally, a little more variety among bosses and enemies would be nice. There are a diverse amount of enemies, but with dozens of floors, they start to repeat. I think that a speed run mode would work well in this game too. DLC like Mega Man 9’s, such as additional modes and characters, could also work well for those wanting to go all out.

Capcom has re-released the game on Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 on PS2 and Xbox and Capcom Classics Collection Remixed for PSP. Clearly they haven’t forgotten about it, though as much as I want it, I doubt it would be high on their remake list. I’m sure I’m one of the few gamers who views Magic Sword as one of their favorite Capcom games.

Look for more Capcom remake wish list installments soon!

Max

CONFIRMED: Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams Coming for PS3 and 360!

this video popped up when some lucky ass got the PS3 version early and beat it. seems that when you beat the game, one of the unlockables is this trailer for Bioshock 2:



pretty sweet deal right? 2K released a statement about it the trailer:

BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams is part of a prequel and at the same time is a sequel, so you’re kind of close on the interpretation of the trailer. The rising replica of Rapture can represent something to do with this or something part of a bigger surprise that everyone has to wait and see to play. -2K Marin Developer Charles Shechbeck

i haven't played the first Bioshock yet. now the next one coming......fuck.

J.

The Smackdown - possible new segment

i play online games. i dig them. as a socially retarded person, it's cool to play games with people even if i can't play with the few friends i have. granted that now mr. wood has a PS3 now. (you NEED to get warhawk/SOCOM and/or COD4 stein!) one of the basic tenants of online games is that 1) people get really competitive and 2) people talk alot of shit over the internet when they know that they can't be held to what they say. so as i was cruising the youtube, as i often do, i've found a few videos of some interesting things that you can find only in online gaming.


i call it "the smackdown," dedicated to the anonymous trash talkers. in the first installment, the classic "who did better" post-game discussion that we've all had to sit through before the next round. this one is one i watch alot. it gets broken down to a science. note the dissing of colleges, hacking and modding, repeating disses, stat checking, blaming Canada, being differently able, vocab lessons and ACT scores.


part 1


part 2


let me know what you think.

J.

reminder: SOCOM Confrontation is out today

SOCOM is one of those games i suck at but still enjoy playing. even back in the PS2/ SOCOM 2 days, i sucked ass. i'd get shot in the first 2 minutes of the game and have to sit out the rest of the 30 plus minute game. it was a drag.


fortunately for players like me, you can choose to play severs with respawn and try to avenge your death. and it comes out today on PSN and is already out in box form. again, i really like that sony has a number of online only games that are basically setup the same way, but are very different games.


now, how about those trophies?


J.

My (brief) LittleBigPlanet impressions

i played the fuck out of the LBP beta. for three days, i played most of the player created levels and i can clearly say that this game is every bit of the system seller that people are making it out to be. granted that i didn't get to start my "ice climbers from hell" level, (i'll write about that later, possibly with illustrations) but seeing the levels that people have made, i'm floored by the scope of the designs. the remaking of other games that i've seen (silent hill, GTA4, resident evil to name a few. you've likely seen the shadow of the colossus level) is nothing short of an epic win.

the simple interface is likely to not bury new gamers in alot of menus. the opening is very well done and the tutorial is one of the most interesting ways to walk new players through the ins and outs of the game. i liked that the walkthrough levels weren't too long that you started getting antsy, wondering "when am i going to get the level making part?" it's paced very well. and again, if the levels that were made in the beta are any indication of the stuff you can make in the game, i can't wait to see the community surrounding the game blow the fuck up.

in a holiday season where the two hardcore based gaming companies (aka the losers) are softening up their outlook a tad to cut into some of that nintendo money. microsoft's approach isn't bad, it just seems out of place for the people who they marketed the system to in the first place. the 360 is suppose to be the anti-wii console, right? now, in November, you can have a simpler, if not XMB-like interface and deformed versions of master chief and the gears of war guys dancing around in the corner of your games when you get an achievement. (i'm guessing)

where as sony seems to have a better way to bridge the gap to the big black monolith: a game that, at it's basis, is a game that's aimed at kids, but can be as complex as you want it to be. and with the community tools sounding like it will rival bungie's support of the halo games and being made with pop in/pop out off and online mutliplayer, this game is going to have legs. despite how many people keep trying to write off the PS3, this is going to be a really great time to have/buy one. and LBP is a big reason for that.



for even more info, as if you didn't know almost everything about it, go to media molecule's website.


J.

Best news of the week.

so, i've been gone to Columbus, oh to work for my school for the weekend. it was a long weekend too. geez. it was a good time though, but i'm glad to be done with it. so i'm back to posting news about video games when i should be sleeping or studying anatomy.

so, cruising the internets of the first time in a few days, i ran into to this. if true, is the best news possible for fighting gamers. if for some reason you don't know about this game, i won't go in to a huge amount of time about it. other then it's one of the best ideas for a fighting game. loads of great characters on both ends. a 3 on 3 tag mechanic that makes for an insane amount of action. ok, i really won't go into more detail. go here to learn your ass about my unbeatable Strider/Cable/B.B. Hood team.

if you're like me, you've seen the fucking ridiculous ebay prices for Marvel vs Capcom 2. this option is the best possible solution for gamers that are tired of waiting for Capcom to get of their ass and put out Super Street Fighter HD Turbo Hyper Mega Super Duper Remix.

no word on if this is a "remaking" or a port of the PS2 game. either would be awesome. as someone that had the PS2 version once upon a time, a port would be fine with me. more on this soon......hopefully.


J.

Best news of the week.

so, i've been gone to Columbus, oh to work for my school for the weekend. it was a long weekend too. geez. it was a good time though, but i'm glad to be done with it. so i'm back to posting news about video games when i should be sleeping or studying anatomy.

so, cruising the internets of the first time in a few days, i ran into to this. if true, is the best news possible for fighting gamers. if for some reason you don't know about this game, i won't go in to a huge amount of time about it. other then it's one of the best ideas for a fighting game. loads of great characters on both ends. a 3 on 3 tag mechanic that makes for an insane amount of action. ok, i really won't go into more detail. go here to learn your ass about my unbeatable Strider/Cable/B.B. Hood team.

if you're like me, you've seen the fucking ridiculous ebay prices for Marvel vs Capcom 2. this option is the best possible solution for gamers that are tired of waiting for Capcom to get of their ass and put out Super Street Fighter HD Turbo Hyper Mega Super Duper Remix.

no word on if this is a "remaking" or a port of the PS2 game. either would be awesome. as someone that had the PS2 version once upon a time, a port would be fine with me. more on this soon......hopefully.

Lotsa Reasons I’m Stoked about the Wii Right Now

I can’t post about my 360 anymore—and it better not give me any more reason to. So while Dustin and J are happily in the PS3 club, and I’m overcoming the bitterness of 360 problems galore, I’m looking more to Maureen’s and my Wii, our “first child” (we actually call it that, as it was the first thing, let alone game console, that we bought together), with a list of why I’m excited about it and will be playing it increasingly over the coming weeks and months.

• No More Heroes 2! - I’ve just come back to the original and am still wrapping it up, but I’m thrilled there’s more assassination adventures ahead. Suda 51 wanted to do a sequel, and while the over-the-top gore fest for Wii only received a lukewarm reception (at least in sales), I’m stoked to see Travis Touchdown back in action, becoming the franchise character he deserves to be. More laser sword fighting and toilet squat saving? Yes please!

  
  



• SIN & PUNISHMENT 2!!! – Sequel to one of my favorite games ever. I think I said enough about it here and here. October 2nd, 2008 will go down in history as not just the day Biden handed Palin her ass in the VP debate, but the day my dream of more Sin & Punishment Treasure goodness came true.


• Nintendo Club coming to North America by year’s end – Oh hell yes, finally we can get some good swag outta buying Nintendo Wii (and DS) games, much like Japan does. Gamers in the know of the Nintendo Club have always cast a jealous eye to the East, but now we’re going to get some excellent goodies. At least we better get stuff that’s comparable to all the treats Japan’s Nintendo Club has sent out. This will be a really effective way to strengthen Nintendo’s customer loyalty a great deal.


• The chance of Monster Hunter 3 coming Stateside – I know the other Monster Hunter games haven’t received the biggest reception in North America, but the third one should definitely come over here, mainly because it’s an opportunity to fill the gaps in the Wii’s lacking core library. A cool game like Monster Hunter could gain attention with the few offerings for hardcore gamers. Hopefully, the reportedly clunky controls will get tweaked a bit before the game’s release.


• A Punch-Out!! remake! - I loved Punch-Out and loved Super Punch-Out even more. It is not a franchise that has deserved to languish as much as it has. But now with Wii-motion (AKA “waggle”) on the scene, it’s a perfect time to bring it back. Yeah, so far it looks to me a straight remake of the original, and I’m hoping for new characters (maybe a versus mode, a la Wii Sports' Boxing), but look at this way: I’m in my 30’s now and played Punch-Out as a kid on the NES, even in the arcade. Kids today have no idea who Little Mac, King Hippo or Bald Bull are. If this is what it takes to get the franchise going again, I’m all for it. Plus, I know I’ll have fun with it no matter what—especially punching the croissants and loaves of French bread outta Glass Joe. Sure it doesn’t make sense, but does it have to? It’s awesome!

  
  




• Mad World – Thank goodness for Platinum Games, former members of the beloved & brilliant Clover Studio. Clover made some of the best action games ever, and Platinum looks to continue down this path. Mad World looks great, almost a combination of Clover’s own God Hand and Frank Miller’s gritty Sin City (both comics & film). It is uber violence that even puts No More Heroes to shame with its sadism and unflinching chainsaw beat-‘em-up action. I don’t know when this is coming out, but it’s not soon enough.


• Animal Crossing City Folk – I have no illusion that City Folk is anything more than just another rehash of pretty much the same game. Still, I love Animal Crossing, from designing super hero clothes for my characters to growing orchards upon orchards or just decorating my house. The big reason I’m excited is that I’m sure Dustin and his fiancée, Rose are going to get it and we’ll be chatting it up as we visit each other’s towns. Maureen is reluctant to try it, but I’m hoping she’ll become an addict like me after she gives it a chance.


• Rygar: Battle of Argus – Yeah, I know it is basically the PS2 game all over again, with a couple of improvements, motion controls, and an anime-ized makeover for Rygar. Thing is, I never played much of the PS2 version, and what I did play, I loved. Rygar is a great franchise, and I liked him in the arcade and on the NES in my younger days. It’s almost kinda cool that the excellent PS2 game is getting a makeover for a new audience. Plus, an action game can’t hurt the Wii lineup.


• Games I’ve ordered – I ordered Wario Land Shake It and Sambo De Amigo from Super-Fly Comics & Games. They’re having some problems with their distributor, but I’m happy to wait for now (gives me a chance to save up!). Wario looks like great fun and Samba is an old friend made new again.


• Games I’m playing – I’ve been delving into Wii Okami and returning to No More Heroes, plus I’ve just received a great amount of games back from my niece and nephew, including Super Mario Galaxy. I’m going to be sinking time in all three, as well as polishing Sin & Punishment skills on the VC.


• Wii Fit – I can’t find it anywhere, but my sister got it for her family and I’m hoping to play it with them. Also, hopefully I can score a copy for Xmas. It will be good to do some low impact exercises, lose a little weight, and help establish a healthier lifestyle, things the game has allegedly done for many people.


• House of the Dead: Overkill – I nearly forgot to mention this one. House of the Dead 2 was the reason I bought my Dreamcast (a Japanese one no less with guns made by Sega), and I still play it on my Wii on the House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return. I thought that House of the Dead 4 might come to Wii after playing its gun-shaking control in the arcades. Instead it turns out that there’s now a brand new House of the Dead game, and it looks fucking phenomenal. Maybe I’m sold on the game because of its Grindhouse-like trailer, but from the trailer, one can see that revolvers are used in one scene, automatics in another. This would make it the first HOTD game with weapon switching in the arcade mode. It also looks like a prequel (again, with the 70’s feel of the trailer). It drops in February, and I know Dustin is really stoked about this one too.



• Greater Wii suppy – More supply means more people with Wiis. My buddy Aaron went hunting one yesterday and found one at the first place he looked, so I look forward to playing Smash Bros online with him. I’m also happy that people who have wanted to have one forever will finally have a better chance of landing one.


• My Wii has never broken down on me – Had it since launch. It’s locked up a couple times, but nothing console killing. I've transported it all over the place, including Super-Fly Comics & Games for "Free Wii Play" days where customers can come in and play. Still, it's shown no wear and tear from this. Recent posts made by me should indicate why this is so exciting to me...


• I’ve only had to call Nintendo’s Customer Service Line once regarding the Wii - and it was about a controller connectivity issue, which the automated troubleshooting tips provided a fix for.

I know that’s more than enough to be excited about, but the Wii has been a great system, and I’m happy to see so many great things in the pipeline for it. It’s also nice to look at it and respect the hardware, despite lack of HD (not that I have an HDTV), as being reliable and capable of yielding so much fun.

Max

Yet Another Xbox 360 Disaster: A Cautionary Tale

Go figure. Just after I thought I’d called the Xbox 360 support line on the phone for a last time and posted about how great everything was now with my 360, something else pops up and gets me ready to rip out what little hair I have left. I came home exhausted from a sleep-deprived two midterm day at school yesterday and my brother is urging me to play GTA IV with him, so we can round up a couple of our old friends and have some laugh-tastic times. I had the 360 packed up in the car in a bag designed to carry consoles (at least sturdy ones) to take it over to Aaron’s for his Rock Band shindig. Aaron wouldn’t be out of class for awhile, so I had gone home. Despite being ready to drop dead, I hooked up my 360 and popped in GTA IV to play with my bro. Then I hear chugging and clicking and then the console freezes. I restart the system a few times and it freezes every time I try to load up the game. I tried a couple other games and they worked fine.

So I took the GTA IV disc out and looked at the bottom of it. Scratched into the surface was a perfect circle, with a couple circular lines around it. So next thing I know, I’m calling 1-800-4-MY-XBOX again for probably the tenth time in the past four weeks. The agent I got denied ever hearing about the 360 causing scratches in games; then suggested it was because my surround sound system (which I don’t have) caused the system to “bump” causing the scratch; she told me to contact “Rock Band” (“You mean Rockstar?” I corrected) to see if they’d replace the game; after that, she said I should try the game on other consoles and if it didn’t work send it in for repair; finally, she pushed me over the edge by saying “We don’t have anything to do with games.”

“Lady, the damn 360 SCRATCHED MY GAME! Don’t tell me you don’t have anything to do with it!!!”

Well, that didn’t get me anywhere fast. I wasn’t calling to see if Microsoft would replace my game; I was calling to see what the problem was, so I didn’t do the same thing again. I didn’t have my 360 on its side, I didn’t move the console with the game in it. The agent told me if I was going to take my 360 anywhere again “to carry it like a baby.” O-K. Talking to Aaron later, he has had similar experiences with discs, by not centering the disc in the tray—something that I very well may have done, considering I was so tired.

So I dunno. I love my 360, but I’ve had just about enough problems. Talking to J about it, he says my stories are just another reason why he doesn’t want to even try getting a 360. Another friend I email back and forth with was planning getting an Xbox 360, but I may have scared him off at this point. Hopefully, there’s someone out there reading and to this person I say: Yes, the 360 is a great system, but I have had more headaches with it than any other game console I’ve had in my life. Additionally, the XBOX support line has OK customer service, but it pales in comparison to the quality, above-and-beyond customer service I’ve received from Nintendo over the years. Bottom line, folks: you buy a 360, you better get an extended warranty with it!

The story has a happy ending though. My brother, who bought me GTA IV for my birthday in May, went out and got me another copy last night after we couldn’t resurface the disc, so by night’s end, we were creating the mayhem he’d been craving to do with me all week.

So c’mon Xbox 360, you’ve given me enough fucking trouble for a lifetime. Let’s just call it even and be friends again. I want to post about something else other than every fucking nightmare you’ve given me, like TGS, Soul Calibur IV and Capcom games that should be remade. So please, 360, settle the fuck down!

Max

Tokyo Game Show - Sony side

TGS is on and here are some interesting things from the sony side of the floor:

- new firmware 2.5 coming next week. rumors that the home public beta will be started are around. whether or not that happens remains to be seen. as someone that's in the beta already, i am unaffected. i can say that the beta was updated with the addition of the first "themed" room, the uncharted room. it's cool.

and that's all i'm saying. you could be finding out about it soon enough.

- PSP plus feature connects your PSP to your PS3 to give it dualshock 3 POWER. however, the only game that the feature will allow players to use the DS3 controller is the new PSP shooter, Resistance Retribution.

this should be a backwards compatible tech that would make playing some older PSP classics alot easier. like GTA:LCS, silent hill origins, burnout......well, almost all action/shooting/driving games on the PSP. let's hope.

- new LittleBigPlanet costumes are awesome! looks like along with god of war and heavenly sword goodness, we'll get to buy old snake from MGS4 and Sephiroth from final fantasy 7. hell, i just got into the LBP beta and i'd spend 3 bucks on an old snake sackboy. one would wonder who else is coming down the line.

- tekken 6 will NOT come to the PS3. but, tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion, an updated version of the arcade game. new items, new playable characters and whatnot. it's different then the 360 version, i guess. it'll be out fall next year.

off topic: there's word of a sega vs. capcom fighting game coming soon. it's not marvel vs. capcom 3, but hey, it's getting closer. mega man vs. sonic? alex kidd vs. strider? i'm there.

more on the way later today.


J.

Tokyo Game Show Update

It's 1:30 in the morning and I should really be in bed right now, but I just finished an engrish paper and went to check out joytiq be fore I went to bed. What did I see? Halo 3 Recon, No More Heros 2, a March 12th release date for Resindent Evil 5, the new Xbox 360 dashboard comes out november 19th.. and thats only the first page!!! Dammit, looks like I'm not sleeping before work and school tommorow!
DoomStein

Things are Back to Better than Normal in 360 Land…

So I have my Xbox 360 back after the red ring of death affair, and figured out the issue with the cords. Since then, I’ve been working with the XBOX Customer Support line on finally trying to get my 360 hooked up to my computer. I’ve probably spent about three hours with them on the phone on different calls being told different things to solve this problem, and I still hadn’t figured it out. Additionally, I wasn’t able to connect to LIVE after my last phone session with them telling me to tinker with my PC. However, last Saturday night after another call, I decided to do some online surfing on the issue, and resolved it (at last!) by surfing various forums and finding out about a wonderful program called TVersity which hooked up my PC and 360 lickity split.

After that, I called Microsoft again and found out how to transfer the licenses on my downloaded games and content so that my LIVE account wouldn’t need to be signed in to play them (and therefore, Maureen could play the downloaded Beautiful Katamari levels she’s been dying to play since just before the red rings of death hit). That’s fixed now and everything is finally back to normal; better than normal now because of the PC hookup.

So all’s well in Xbox 360 land… At least here. I guess my friend Aaron’s 360 is starting to lock up. A lot. He’s the last guy I know who has a 360 and has not to have red rings of death. I’m sure they’re not far off for him. So while we’re all hooked up, he wants to borrow our 360 for his next Rock Band party…

I know I’ve been updating the blog with every step of the 360 madness I’ve been having, but hey, isn’t that what a blog is for?

Max

BREAKING: i'm in the LittleBigPlanet beta....for three days

i got an email last night around the time i was posting my Gaming Update. it seems that the Playstation Underground had thanked me for being in the club by sending me a LBP beta code. now, i'm hyped to try the game that looks to be one of the biggest games this x-mas. but, really? three days before it's over? i don't think that i'll be able to draw up and produce my 'ice climbers from hell" level in three while figuring out how to put levels together. i am going to check out the levels that people have made already to get some ideas.

more later.



J.

In Deck

Alrighty then, its been 5 days since I got the ps3, 4 days worth of having it hooked up, and 3 days worth of barely getting to play it. I say barely getting to play it because of the time constrained, sleep depriving life of being a working student. Between homework, projects, and work you don't get a lot of time to do the fun things that you love so much. So here's my short take of my PS3 experience so far.

PAIN
So far, so painful (in a good way). I can't describe how much fun the game is and how easy it is to get a laugh out of. The 3 of us (my fiancee Rose, her son Gabe, and I) spent a couple hours jettisoning the poor little bastard avatar guy into the downtown area and rolling on the floor as grandmas got yanked into the subway and subsequently blasted right back out. Indeed it is a blast for the masochist in everyone.

MOTORSTORM
Well, we didn't get to play too much of the actual races in the game 'cuz Gabe thought it would be more fun to ride a dirt bike around and kersplode it into every wall and oncoming vehicle. Despite the fact we weren't playing the game the way it was meant to be played, the graphics were indeed awesome and the track deformation was definitely impressive.

MGS4
Here is where a majority of my solo game playtime was focused (which only turned out to be an hour and a half or so). Out of the hour and a half or so I had the game in the system, I think that I only played the game for about 30 minutes or so. A lot of the time was involved with the install, loading between levels, and watching cut scenes (being the lengthiest). The install time i figured would have helped to take the pain away from the loading in the game, but it still takes a moment or so. Nothing hatefull like the early PS2 days, but still a little annoying. Now I have heard some people complain about the length of MGS cinematics in the past, but its to be expected at this point. At least the cuts seem to be done mainly with in game graphics, and damn do they look good. I don't really mind them that much since I'm eager to see the last remnant of the MGS storyline (even though I missed MGS3 entirely). The gameplay is spot on with what I expect so far and the innovative new tools at Snakes disposal are fun to boot. I just made it to Drebin last night and the weapons trading aspect of the game sounds like it should be interesting, but I'll just have to wait 'till I get to implement it to see for myself. So far, I'm loving it and its brand of fucked up humor (including all the fake commercials packed into the game, like the Drill Sargent Workout program.)

That's all I have time for now, got to get to work at 6, which is creeping up really fast.

DoomStein, Out!

Gaming Update (Bioshock demo version)

so, after a week of having a strained muscle in my arm for a better part of the week, i managed to play some games. with my fellow blogger, Woodstein, acquiring a PS3, i hope to pepper my gaming updates stories of dustin having my back in resistance or COD4 while i talk the mad shit. maybe.....

here's what's been up:


NOT playing Call of Duty 4


since i got COD4 from amazon.com, i've played it almost everyday. it's a great game. the constant online shooting never gets old. even if you're playing creek for the fourth time, it's still fun and there is always some asshole sniping me from the waterfall. bastards......
but...

i haven't played it in a week and change. why? well.........

WIPEOUT HD

i love racing games. love them. so, took a chance on the sony based future racer. and jusus, is this one great. the beginning starts slow. getting you used to the controlls and the racing style. the presentation is just steller. those with HDTVs need to buy this game! looking at you, dustin. i'm not geep into it, but i plan on getting some more playtime in this week on my days off work. i haven't played anyonline yet. more about that later. a $60 game for $20? possiblly the best deal of the season if you're PS3 affiliated.

i have gone crazy on the photo mode. i'll post some sometime soon.


BURNOUT PARADISE

trophy hunting in burnout is not very hard. it's pretty fun busting out billboards and gates. i'm not so good at the flatspins or barrel rolls. i've set alot of records. only for them to be broken at some point in the middle of the night. (i have my game on a 24 hour scale. so, when i play, around 11pm after work, it's night out.) again, i haven't played online too much. i'll have to remedy that soon. i still can't believe that burnout has so much to offer for free.

THE BIOSHOCK DEMO

ok. it's the big day. i FINALLY get to play bioshock. sure. you all have played and beaten it already and you're all sick of it now, but damnit, i haven't played it and i really want to. so, after downloading the demo and playing it a few times, i can say this: 1. the game plays just like the 360 version. i remember the splicers jumping for the pools of water as you torch them with the incinerate plasmid. it's the same...mostly. 2. the game doesn't look as sharp as the other versions. now 2k knows that this is something that pisses of PS3 owners and they are working hard to bunp up the graphics before the release date of Oct 21th. but, this sounds alot like things PS3 owners have heard before. i really hope they get it together because i really want to get into this, even though i already know the story ends.

either way, i've pre-ordered Fallout 3 from amazon.com and i'll get it the day it comes out. sweet deal.


J.

New Stuff (for me anyways)

Just thought I would let everyone know that I just picked up a super sweet 80 gb MetalGearSolid 4 PS3 for $299 at Kmart. I had to through it in layway for a couple of weeks, but now I finally have one. Now if I only didn't have so much damned homework to do, I could actually play it and give my impressions. I'll post later when I get the time to do anything other than spend an hour setting it up and waiting through update after update after update to finish downloading and installing.

DoomStein

Gaming Update Prologue (Bioshock demo version)

topics for the next post:

- playing Burnout Paradise, Pixel Junk Eden and Wipeout HD for trophies.

- my lack of COD4 time.

- the beginning of the month of hell.

- GTA4 getting trophies?!?!? i have to play through again?

- and, oh yeah, THE BIOSHOCK DEMO!!!


J.

Sin & Punishment 2 UPDATE!!!

UPDATE: As I hoped and predicted, Sin & Punishment 2 has been confirmed for a North American release sometime in 2009 and will be published by Nintendo. Apparently, Nintendo was unsure about this at first as the original was never a full retail title over here, but the sales of the Virtual Console release helped them decide to do the right thing and bring the sequel over (I feel like raising my arms into the air and yelling “WE DID IT!!!” Stephen Colbert style). Also, motion controlled aiming was confirmed. We’re in for a treat, shooter fans.

Here’s a look at the teaser trailer, showing jet pack fighting, an underwater level and much of the same craziness, with main character Saki fighting both Ruffian monsters and military forces—this time without the poofy pants:

Yeah, lots of other great stuff was announced (tons of games, including a long overdue new Punch Out!!, a new fricking DS model plus Club Nintendo finally coming to North America by the end of the year—fucking finally!), but for me, S&P2 is where the excitement lies. I definitely will be playing the original extensively in the very near future. If you haven’t downloaded Sin & Punishment yet on your Wii, now’s the time to see what it’s all about!

Max

HOLY MIND READING, BATMAN!!!!!11@!2!

i was in the middle of writting another
"Games that need to be Remade" article. Max and i had been talking about doing multiple Capcom games for the site. i picked Strider. a game that's begging to be remade for this current-gen and, i think, could make for an great downloadable title. i got home from work and barly missed the debates, but checked 1up.com and saw that quartermann had heard something about a certain game maybe getting remade.

i'm starting to wonder if there is some kind of tap on my phone. how could Capcom know about my wishes? oh yeah..........


J.

Sin & Punishment 2!!!

Of course, the big news last night is about Nintendo introducing its new iteration of the DS, the DSi, complete with thinner design, two cameras, music playback and no GBA slot. But what I am excited about are the game announcements Nintendo made during the conference--particularly one about a sequel about a little game I love, Sin & Punishment.

One of the last N64 games, the original was only released on Virtual Console in North America, but it was designed for the US all along. When asked if Treasure was interested in a Wii sequel to S&P with motion controls in an interview with Treasure’s president months back in Nintendo Power, the response was Treasure would “love to make that game.” Well, now it’s coming to fruition. Hopefully, a North America release will be announced by NOA in their press event going on today and tomorrow, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be. I don’t have time to carry on about the original game (I’ve got class in the next 15 minutes), but needless to say, it is one of the most awesome games I have ever played.

From screens taken from to my old crew at Nintendo World Report (with thanks), we can see that the game looks like more of the same shooting and boss craziness, but this time it seems there are jetpack levels! Wow. I really hope that aiming is controlled by aiming the Wii-remote (believe me, the game is made for such a configuration!).

Also announced were Wii remakes of the first Klonoa and the original Pikmin, a new Punch-Out game (could the rumors about the balance board being used for it be true?), a Wii-sequel to the DS game, Trace Memory and new installments of Wario Ware and Mario & Luigi for the DS.

All I have time left to say is that I’m stoked as hell and my day is officially made. It’s taken eight years, but Sin & Punishment is finally getting the sequel it deserves!!! With all my Xbox 360 craziness (don't even get me started about what's going on with it now) and these exciting announcements from Nintendo, Wii is set to be my most played console again in 2009!

Max