Hope you've all been happily gaming! I got swept up with my new job and some other life issues so I let GS slide once again. I dusted off all my consoles today so I'm jumping back into gaming.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent

Hiding in broad daylight just doesn't work...

On one of my breaks at work I saw this game in the discount bin at a local drug store. It's been out for a while so it's about time I got it It's pretty good but I'm a bit bored with it now. Guess sneaking around gets old after a while. I should get around to beating it soon.

Best moment So Far: Dragging an enemy underwater through a sheet of ice.

Progress: Just beat the cruise ship mission.

Next Goal: Beat JBA H.Q III

Achievements:

Red Dead Redemption

Howdy.

I've been dying to get this game for a while now! I still haven't bought it, but a friend at work let me borrow it. I can't believe I waited so long to play this!! It got off to a bit of a slow start for me (rounding up cattle just didn't excite me ), but eventually the massive game world alone was enough to get me hooked. It's so easy to head off on towards the next mission and get side tracked by helping random people. I'm not letting myself play it again until I buy it. Otherwise my friend will never get it back

Best moment So far: Everything!!! (besides rounding up cattle )

Progress: Just finished raiding Fort Mercer with a machine gun.

Next Goal: Buy it.

Trophies:

Beware of Kittens!

In September, I picked up these two cute little guys from a friend here. My landlord let me get them even though my lease says no pets. They've been keeping me pretty busy destroying stuff in between their many naps but they're too cute to be mad at! I didn't even mind cleaning up all the wires on my computer since they love chewing on them for some reason... Everyone at work says they're abusing me since I'm covered with scratches

Here they are the day after I got them (8 months old). The black ones name is Thumper and the tan ones name is Stuart. Don't ask. I didn't name them

Here they are a few weeks ago. They grow so fast!

Here they are today and caught in the act of destroying my junk closet

I could ramble on a bit about work but I'm sure you guys don't want to here about lead free process design and surface mount PCB assembly

Have a good week guys! Feel free to point me in the direction of anything important I missed here over the last few months.

Quote of the Month: It is impossible to keep a straight face in the presence of one or more kittens. ~Cynthia E. Varnado

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 44 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Hope you've all be doing well! I've been extremely busy with work... (so same excuse as usual for not being around these past couple weeks ).

Multiplayer Madness in Liberty City

Started playing GTA IV online. Kind of sad, but this was the first game I've actually played online with my Xbox 360 It was fun at first, but it's obvious that this game has been out a while and I'm just starting out. Let's just say getting one-shotted all the time isn't exactly fun Not a whole lot of decent people to play with either. I actually got in more fights than I care to admit (mostly with the annoying "girls don't play video games"idiots ). On the plus side, my rep went up a couple stars and I did meet a few cool people. I'm definitely more of a solo gamer, but it's fun to tell off a few people every now and then. If any of you want to help me go for a few achievements let me know! Other than that, I'm done with this game until I get the two expansions.

New Achievements:

"Of course it's locked... It's always locked!"

Finally beat my second game of the year (after having it since Christmas): Uncharted 2! Love this game! Just the opening level alone was enough to get me hooked. I also loved Drake's sarcastic comments throughout the game. The ending was also really good. I've actually beaten the game 3 times (on normal, hard, and crushing) and I have all the single player trophies. I'm going online with it once I get a mic. Thanks to killerband55 for taking me into his clan. I'll be online soon!

New Trophies:

Almost beaten game #3...

I'm just about done with LOZ: Spirit Tracks. I'm almost ready to take on the final boss. Just one last thing to do in that annoying spirit tower Link has to go to after every dungeon. Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed with the new Zelda games. They have their fun moments and mechanics but are way too easy and sometimes repetitive (that Temple of the Ocean King place in Phantom Hourglass and now the Spirit Tower in Spirit Tracks). Going back to the same place over and over again isn't very exciting...

None other than King Koopa himself!

I've chosen Bowser as the winner for my All Time Greatest Villain bracket. I love that big Koopa guy! One of my earliest gaming memories was taking him on at the end of Yoshi's Island. You have to admire his tenacity as well. I mean what other villain could fail to kidnap the same princess over and over again, lose to a short fat plumber with a moustache, and still have the will to keep trying?

Other Stuff:

-I've snagged 3 new shiny GS emblems and gained a level since my last blog:

-Paying bills is a little more complicated than I thought so no new purchases. My 90 day newly hired period at work is almost over so I should be seeing bigger paychecks and new games soon 8)

Have a great week guys!

Quote of the Week: "Great, power's out, and a girl's trapped. I swear to God, if there's a zombie around the next corner..." - Nathan Drake, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 32 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

• 1. Put Your iTunes (or other music player) on Shuffle.
• 2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
• 3. You must write down the name of the song no matter how silly it sounds!
• 4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
• 5. Tag at least 10 friends.
• 6. Anyone tagged has to do the same, because fun pointlessness spreads like a virus.

And now you're all going to suffer through my taste in music

1. If someone says, "Is This Okay?" You Say:

• Dynamite - Taio Cruz [It's okay so light it up ]
  

2. How would you describe yourself?

• Whoa Is Me - Down With Webster [guess I think I'm Whoa ]
  

3. What do you like in a guy/girl?

• Ain't No Rest For The Wicked - Cage The Elephant [Borderlands commercial song]
  

4. How do you feel today?

• Bulletproof - La Roux [I wish I was 8)]
  

5. What Is Your Life's Purpose?

• Whatever - Godsmack [Guess I don't care...]
  

6. What is your motto?

• Love the Way You Lie - Eminem Feat. Rihanna [Actually if I'm burning, please don't just stand there and watch me ]
  

7. What do your friends think of you?

• Bad Influence - Pink [They probably do think that ]
  

8. What do you think of your parents?

• Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash [uh? My parents do like country music]
  

9. What do you think about very often?

• Forever - Red [Nope.. ]
  

10. What is 2+2?

• Take It Off - Ke$ha [ ]
  

11. What do you think of your best friend?

• Now You're Gone - Basshunter [I moved away from her so I do kind of miss my best friend]
  

12. What do you think of the person you like?

• Airplanes - B.O.B. Feat. Hayley Williams [Could really use a wish right now...]
  

13. What is your life story?

• Not Afraid - Eminem [That would have been awesome for #19 ]
  

14. What do you want to be when you grow up?

• Run This Town - Jay-Z Feat. Rihanna [I would like to run this place ]
  

15. What do you think of when you see the person you like?

• Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner [My ex did think everything was about him ]
  

16. What will you dance to at your wedding?

• Paper Airplanes - Ke$ha [No throwing rice at my wedding. Just paper airplanes insteaad ]
  

17. What will they play at your funeral?

• Girl With The Pretty Name - Sketch Williams [I love this song!]
  

18. What is your hobby/interest?

• Alcohol Blind - Drowning Pool [Love their new album]
  

19. What is your biggest fear?

• No Getting Over You - David Guetta Feat. Fergie [If I only knew back then...]
  

20. What is your biggest secret?

• The Crow and the Butterfly - Shinedown [Why would a crow chase a butterfly?]
  

21. What do you think of your friends?

• Memories - David Guetta Feat. Kid Cudi [Some crazy times ]
  

22. What will you put as the title?

• Riding Solo - Jason Derulo [I was singing this at work last week ]
  

Next victims to Gamespot's latest tagging virus:

• @hush404
• @HawkGamer2008
• @Soulless4now
• @zinoalex
• @SonicHomeboy
• @Platyphyllum
• @Bozanimal
• @David_lck
• @armyman_22
• @s84

You don't have to do it again if you've already done one.

Sorry, suffering from bloggers block so that's it. To sum up the past week:

-Pigeons are now extinct in Liberty City! Working on some of the multiplayer achievements but I'm terrible so it's going to be a while

-Forgot I need to start paying my student loan so no Red Dead Redemption this week

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 27 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Nothing personal just business... the statues of Liberty City put a hit out on you.

The last thing I have to do to get the 100% Complete achievement on GTA IV is hunt down 200 pigeons scattered in various locations across 3 different islands. Easy enough, huh? To make it worse they seem to be on the endangered species list because every time I shoot one every cop in the city comes after me. Only 160 more to go!

That's about it for gaming. I've been hunting about 10 pigeons per night then falling asleep. Well, except for this one other thing...

I promised myself I'd never do this...

It's bad... I never thought I do this! It's so not me. What was I thinking? Guess the pressure from people at work finally got to me. I'm serious you guys will probably think less of me after knowing this but I've got to tell someone:

Someone at work gave me a book to read last week. I hate reading but I thought I'd be nice and just read a few chapters. Well, that turned into the whole book and then she lent me the 3 other books in the series which I just finished yesterday. That's right... I'm now a Twilight fan Who thought sparkly vampires and werewolves could be so addicting.

No I haven't seen the movies (I will be though ). And I'm definitely not obsessed over it. Trust me! In fact, I'm dying to see this new movie @naci_lobo introduced me to on his blog today. Looks hilarious!

Sneaky emblems (Random Thoughts)

- Apparently, I earned two new emblems I had no idea I got (thanks for the PM Gamespot. I was getting ready to complain about not having the Best of E3 one and I forgot all about the boxart one)

- Exhausted from my new job. They've got me doing everthing from conference calls with customers, meetings, designing circuits, finding parts, and researching stuff. I'm learning a lot though.

- Picking up Red Dead Redemption next Friday. If you're wondering why I'm waiting until then, I get paid plus car payments are expensive

Of The Weeks

Song most stuck in my head this week:"Find true love the fairytale kind..."

Quote of the week: "The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more."

Have a great week guys! 8) All the best.

*No pigeons were harmed in the making of this blog. Well, virtual ones but they don't count.

**I could never really harm a feather on an actual pigeon (no matter what they did to my car). I even waited for a few to get off the road on my way to work.

If anyone else is hunting them I highly recommend this interactive map. I'm finding it very helpful. And no, it's not cheating. I'm not wasting weeks tracking pigeons on my own.

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 40 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Happy Canada Day weekend (and 4th of July to my American friends)! Let's just say the past few weeks have been a blur! As I mentioned in my previous blog, I was looking at an apartment for my new job I got in a small town. The day I saw it I took it. Then everything happened so fast I can barely remember it all.

Moving is about my least favourite thing to. Thankfully, this is only the second time I've had to do it. The first time was on a Friday the 13th and let's just say it's a bad day to move This time was better but I had to leave the city and return to the country which was hard for me to do.

Chapter 1: My First Test Drive!

The day after my last blog, my parents drove me 3 hours to check out the apartment I had my eye on. I instantly loved it! It's a two bedroom upstairs apartment which is a huge step up from my little basement bachelorette box I had in the city. It has a huge kitchen, a living room, a full bathroom, and two extra rooms I had no idea what to do with The best part is that it's $100 cheaper per month than the little apartment box I was in. So yeah, I was sold and I signed the lease that day. Now that I had a place to live, I needed a car to get to work so our next stop was the car dealership.

I've had my eye on a Chevy Cobalt so that's what I ended up getting. I took it for a test drive (just me so I guess the dealership trusts people) and ended up getting lost I was thinking about flooring it to Mexico but I eventually found my way back to the dealership. My parents said they thought I wasn't coming back and the owner was looking a little worried Two days later, I drove my new bundle of joy 3 hours home to the city. I also took out a few traffic cones at a construction site... Oops

Here's my new baby! It doesn't have all the amazing features it could but it's perfect for my first car. Took a while to get use to driving but I'm speeding just like everyone else now. 8)

Chapter 2: The Trials of Last Minute Packing.

Stupid me decided to pack the day before the movers came. This was also the day after my goodbye party so I was a tad hung over to top it all off I frantically threw stuff in boxes, wrapped up breakable stuff then threw them in boxes too. Then, to my horror, I ran out of boxes! So I threw stuff in garbage bags and crammed more stuff in my car (has a surprisingly big trunk). Then I realized my game collection still wasn't packed! This was the first time in my life I hated to be a gamer I was tired so I just went to sleep and set my alarm to wake up a few hours before the movers came. The next day, by some miracle, I found a box so I got most of my games in it. The rest went into a garbage bag and into my car. Garbage bags are totally underrated!

The movers came and I set off for my new little town. I was also sad to be leaving my old apartment. It wasn't much but I did live there for 3 years. The 3 hour drive was killer! Nothing but trees and gas stations. I had the radio cranked for most of the way. Alejandro and Love Drug came on like 5 times and were stuck in my head for a week after that I finally arrived and waited about a half hour for the moving guys to show up.

Chapter 3: I Need More Stuff...

The moving guys worked extremely fast! The cute one complemented me on my game collection and said he wanted to hook up my TV and play my games on the drive down Oh and My couch couldn't fit through the front door so they pulled it up to the roof without using anything and it was just two of them Once all my stuff was in, it only took up one room... So I had two huge empty ones. My landlord dropped by and jokingly told me I needed more stuff

Unfortunately, my cable and internet took a week and a half to get hooked up. They had to run a wire from across the street and I had to keep bugging them to show up For that week, I watched about 100 episodes of the Simpsons on DVD and explored my new town. And it just so happened to be E3 week so I missed out on all the new emblems once again... sigh.

Killer stairs that lead up to my apartment. It's fun dragging stuff up them...

The roof the two moving guys pulled the couch onto without any equipment. No idea how they did it

All my stuff from my old apartment fits into one room.

The view of the ocean about a minute walk from my apartment.

Standing in the same spot as the last picture but different angle.

***

I started my job about 2 weeks ago. It's the first job I've ever had that I like getting up for. I may have broke an expensive piece of equipment though, but I'll worry about that tomorrow My boss is really nice too. He let us work overtime last week so we could have Friday off to make it a 4 day weekend. I have lots of bills (now officially an adult )but I have some money to spend on games now! My hours are great too (9am-5pm Monday to Friday) so I will have lots of time to play them too.

Oh and I got a few more achievements on GTA IV but I'll do a more game related blog next time.

Thanks for reading and have a great week guys!

Quote of the Week: "Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home."

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 27 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Hope you've all been doing well! I noticed a few of you are taking a break from the site but I'm still here for once

Gaming Updates:

My Xbox 360 Lives!

I finally dusted off my Xbox 360 and connected it to Live for the first time in over two years! I was expecting it to take an hour to update but it only took like 5 minutes. I know this is old news to most of you, but I really love the new layout and avatars you can create. Here's mine:

My Gamerscore is kind of sad but I've gained about 400 points this week from Grand Theft Auto IV. Feel free to add me if you're friends with me on Gamespot. Just remind me who you are.

Second Game of 2010 - Grand Theft Auto IV

Finally, after having it since launch day, I beat Grand Theft Auto IV on Tuesday! The funny thing is that I was on the last mission when I stopped playing two years ago and didn't even know. I was totally shocked when I beat one mission Tuesday, and then the credits started rolling I'm really enjoying doing all the side stuff now for achievements. I also met one of the creepiest characters that I've ever seen on a video game doing the "No More Strangers" achievement: Eddie Low. Seriously, I've never been so freaked out by a character before. Some of the stuff he says is just plain disturbing.

I'm going to try and get all the achievements for this one. Not sure I can pull off the multiplayer ones but the single player ones don't seem too bad. I need to get the two expansions though. The hardest ones for me are going to be beating the game again in under 30 hours (I spent too much time playing around on my first play through), and getting 100% complete (I'm at 90% now). Right now I'm working on the stunt jumps.

New Achievements:

More Platinum - Assassin's Creed 2

I also got around to getting the last four PS3 trophies I needed for the platinum. It only took me ten minutes thanks to smoke bombs and Youtube Assassin's Creed 2 is the perfect example of how a sequel should be done! It improved upon all the problems that the first one had and added lots of fun new elements. I'm not sure if I want to get the 2 DLC episodes for it or not.

New Trophies:

---

The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks

Okay so Link's a train engineer now... Where does Nintendo come up with this stuff? Loving the game so far though although it is a bit too easy. Actually, I find all the new Zelda games too easy for some reason. I also don't like returning to the Spirit Tower after every dungeon, but it's not as bad as the Ocean King's Temple from Phantom Hourglass *shivers* I'm on my way to the third dungeon now.

Random Thoughts:

-Can't wait for E3. I'm really looking forward to any information on the new Wii Zelda.

-I really need to pick up Red Dead Redemption, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and about 100 other games I missed

-Still playing a bit of WoW even though I said I'd quit The main reason is I "forgot" to cancel my subscription and another payment came out so I might as well play it. Still unhappy with the pay to use content but I'm excited to see what Cataclysm does to the game.

-The Wii is my new dust collector (My Xbox 360 is happy it's not anymore ). I'm really disappointed with the game selection for the Wii. Beyond Zleda, Mario, and Metroid there isn't much. Nintendo needs some better 3rd party developers!

Life Updates:

College is over and army training is done until August so I've gone from incredibly busy to being bored out of my mind (that's why I got so much gaming done ). But I did find a job!! The bad news is it's in a town 3 hours away so I'm going to have to move. I really love the city I'm in now so it's going to be hard to leave. The town I'm moving to is pretty much the middle of nowhere too. I also might have to leave the army since there's no unit close by. It's better than having to move to Alberta like a lot of my friends had to though.

I hate it when things change but that's how life goes I guess. My parents are getting me a car since I'm going to need one where I'm moving to. It's going to be my first car so I'm really excited ( I drive like an old lady though )!!! I can also get a new computer and buy all the games I missed out on with my new job. That should keep my mind off missing the city. Plus with a car I can come back whenever I want!

My new boss is really nice so he is waiting for me to find a place to live before I have to start. I think I've found a great apartment though. I'm going to go see it tomorrow so hopefully I'll be all moved in and able to start work next week. Oh and my college graduation ceremony is coming up so that should be fun too

Thankfully it will be a busy week! I found out I like being busy more than being bored

***

Have a great week guys and thanks for reading! 8)

Quote of the Week: "Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine."

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 35 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Back in my day we didn't even have these fancy blogs or unions. We had to survive on forums alone and we liked it!

I know I disappear a lot (my level would probably be in th 50s if I didn't ) but something about this site keeps making me come back. I've met lots of interesting people too. So to all my GameSpot friends thank you for making this site awesome

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 28 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Video games have really taken a back seat in my life lately. To be honest I don't really enjoy them as much as I use to. World of Warcraft has turned into one big boring gear fest and Blizzard has started charging real money for in-game vanity items which really turns me off. Having pay to use content in a game that already has a monthly subscription fee is just plain greed. After my subscription ends I'm probably going to call it quits. All 3 of my consoles have become dust collectors too. I haven't even touched Assassin's Creed II since my last blog. At least my Xbox 360 has company now

You can keep your shiny $25 dollar space pony Blizzard. And ya know what? I'm keeping my $15 a month. We're through!! I can't believe I wasted my time on you... *sniff*

Does this mean I'm turning into non-gamer girl? I doubt it. I think I just don't have time for them. I finally got my project done so I'm a unofficial college graduate!! ("Unofficial" because they won't give me mah diploma until graduation in June. Always something... sigh) I've been job hunting and I have two interviews next week. With any luck I'll have my full time job soon! And when that happens I can stop worrying about finding a job and maybe, just maybe, I'll fall in love with video games again!

As for GameSpot, I'm going to try and kick my disappearing habit this time. And who knows, maybe reading about some games might peak my interest in them again. So yeah, I'll be lurking in your blogs again pretty soon

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 34 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Just wanted to pop in after another disappearance. 2010 is turning into an awesome year for me so far ( hope I didn't just jinx it ).

I've been focusing all my time on the college project I keep complaining about. It's about 80% done now!! I've got 26 pages of the 40 page report done, and the final circuit boards are almost ready to go. With any luck it will be finished in the next couple weeks, then it's job hunting time. I don't have enough for rent next month though, so I may have to live at school until it's done

Beat my first game of the year today: Assassin's Creed 2. Ubisoft really fixed all the repetitive problems the first one had. The ending and Subject 16's video really floored me! I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a story so much in a video game. I highly recommend it even if you hated the first one. Plus it's a great way to pick up some Italian words I'm planning to go for the platinum trophy now. Just need No Hitter, Messer Sandman, Sweeper, and Kleptomaniac.

Speaking of platinum, I also got my second platinum PS3 trophy for InFamous. Wasn't too hard, but I never want to see another blast shard or electric sticky grenade again.

See what I can do when World of Warcraft doesn't take up all my gaming time? I'll be moving on to Uncharted 2 once I'm bored with AC 2. Then, I swear, my Xbox 360 will be dusted off.

So yeah, having lots of fun gaming and doing lots of work on my project have kept me away for the site this time. Sorry I've been missing all your blogs too but I probably won't be around or another few weeks.

Quote of the Month: "Nulla e reale, tutto e lecito" - Ezio Auditore, Assassin's Creed II.

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 24 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Merry belated Christmas, Happy 2010, and whatever other holidays you celebrate! I hope you all had a safe and happy hoilday season!

I had a really great Christmas and birthday on the 24th! Although I do kind of feel old now that I'm 21. I didn't get everything I asked "Santa" for last blog (his car broke down and he had to pay over $1000 to get it fixed so I understand ), but I'm really happy with my haul this year. I got Assassin's Creed II, Uncharted II, and inFamous (all for the PS3). For my birthday, I got The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks.

I managed to beat inFamous on New Year's Eve giving me a grand total of 2 games beat in 2009. It was dangerously close to only being one so I'm happy. inFamous was amazing, and the ending was a real shocker! (bad pun, sorry) I beat the game as good first, and now I'm working on the evil side/collecting all the trophies. I kind of feel bad making Cole evil though

Since it's a new year, I've decided to make my own best and worst of 2009 blog. Looking back, 2009 turned out to be one of the fastest and most challenging years I can remember. Surgery, failing my project, being stuck in debt, getting my wisdom teeth out, and worst of all: an even more dismal gaming year than last year.

So without further adieu:

[Overall Best Game Played]

This is my favourite game of 2009. Since I only played a couple games this year, it wasn't exactly hard to pick the winner:

Resident Evil 5 - I really enjoyed the story, the action, and the graphics were just simply jaw dropping.

[Boss That Killed Me The Most]

That one boss who just wouldn't go down, and inspired the worst "hurl my controller at the TV moment" of 2009:

Ndseu, Resident Evil 5 - Sure, he's a pushover on easy/normal but try beating him on Veteran/Professional. A couple smacks with a light pole and a few annoying Majini rockets then it's game over.

[Best Game I Think I Missed Out On]

This is a tough one! 2009 was one of the best years for games and I never got a chance to play most of them:

Batman Arkham Asylum - With amazing scores, and everyone saying how fun it is, I feel like this is the best game I never got to play. I'm definitely getting it this year though

[Biggest Acomplishment]

I'd like to say it was graduating college (stupid project... ) but instead this award goes to my best gaming achievement of theyear:

Resident Evil 5 Platinum Trophy -I had to play through the game 3 times, and tons of Lickers lost their lives to raise enough money to upgrade everythig but I did it!

[Best Virtual Item]

Sure it's nothing but shiny pixels, but this award goes to may favourite in-game item of 2009:

Raven Lord Mount, World of Warcraft - I must have killed the boss that drops this at least 100 times but I finally got it in 2009.

[Most Annoying Enemy]

This enemy wasn't hard to beat by any means. This one enemy just had some annoying quality that got on my nerves the most last year:

Scrap Crab Spider thingys, inFamous – It doesn't take much to kill them but they can really get under your skin. They tend to scurry away and hide, then track you down after you've forgotten about them. Don't get me started on their rocket launcher wielding master though.

[Biggest Dust Collector]

This award sadly goes to the gaming console that was neglected the most last year. It's really not its fault, I just can't seem to find the time to play the poor thing...

Yep, it's my Xbox 360. Anyone who has me on Live will notice it's been over 2 years since I logged in. I vow to play it more in 2010. I just hope it doesn't go "Red Ring of Death" on me as its revenge.

[The "Just Plain Fun" Game of the Year]

This award goes to the game that I simply had the most fun playing. Blasting things, making decisions that effect the story, it was all just shockingly awesome:

inFamous. I could go on forever about how much fun it is to zap people with lighting and surf on power lines. Let's just say I had a blast!

***

I hope everyone has a great 2010! It's The Year of the Tiger so I have a feeling it'll be a good year

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 49 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Luckily this is a great time to relax, play games, eat ice cream (which feels awesome after you've had teeth removed!), and catch up on GameSpot stuff!

-Gaming Stuff-

Now Playing: I've dug out my DS (which is still the old "fat one" by the way ) and I've started playing Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga and The World Ends With You. These are two titles from my pile of games I need to beat from last blog. I'm not far enough into The World Ends With You to offer any opinions on it, but Superstar Saga is really fun! I love the sense of humor in it

Christmas Wish List: It's Dec. 1st which means it's Christmas in 25 days (oh and my birthday in 24 )! I can't afford any new games, but my parents said they'll get me some for Christmas! I've asked for 7 games but told them they only have to get me my top 4. Here's my list:

1. Banjo Tooie (N64)- Yes, the old Nintendo 64 version of it! I owned it a while ago but sold it. I loved the music and atmosphere in the game and would love to own it once again.
2. Assassin's Creed II (Xbox 360) - I enjoyed the first one despite it's major flaw: repetitiveness. Based on the reviews, it seems Ubisoft got the sequel right! They need to work on the commercials though
3. InFamous (PS3)- I've Heard nothing but good things about it!
4. Uncharted 2 - Haven't played the first one but oh well.
5. Batman Arkham Asylum (PS3)- Again, I've heard nothing but good things.
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)- I'm not a huge fan of shooting games but I've decided to give this one a try.
7. Dragon Age: Origins (PS3) - It's been a while since I've played a new RPG and this one looks awesome!

You'll notice that there are more PS3 versions of games on my list than Xbox 360 games. That's only because I want to try and have an even number of games for both Also, notice there's not a single Wii game on my list. That's mostly because I can't think of any Wii games worth getting this year... 2010 should be a great year for the Wii though (new Zelda, Mario, and Metroid! ).

-Life Stuff-

I'm taking a slight break from my project this week due to the pain where my wisdom teeth use to be I thought I'd explain how my project is going so far though. I won't bore anyone with details, but if you're considering a career in Electronics, here's some of the cool stuff you get to do!

Right now my partner and I have our first circuit board made (well I did this board but my partner has to do the next one ). It started out with a schematic, and then I had to make a board layout design with a computer program. After 2 days (and lots of frustration) here's what the finished layout design looked like:

Way harder to make than it looks like

I used this to create files for the machine that actually etches, drills, and cuts out the board from a special piece of cooper. Thankfully, the instructor made an easy to use guide on how to get all the files right (otherwise I would have been totally lost). Here's my board being created by the machine:

It took the machine about 6 hours to make my board. That means I had to sit there and stare at itmake the board for 6 hours. I took the pictures above mainly out of boredom. The machine also costs about $30,000 so I'm glad I didn't break it! Once the board was finished, my instructor told me to put it in liquid tin which will help me solder components to it:

My circuit board's nice relaxing "Tin Bath"

There were about a dozen warnings on the Liquid Tin bottle so I was a little scared using it. My instructor gave me gloves though. After I was done, he did one of his boards and took it out with his bare hands! All that's left is to solder the parts on to the board, then I can start testing it. It better work after all that!

So yeah, my project is slowly coming along. I still need to worry about that 40 page report once all the hands on stuff is done though.

***

My head hurts, my jaw hurts, and I really want to eat something solid! Other than that, I'm happy since it's my favourite month of the year!

Have an awesome week everyone!! 8)

Quote of the Week: "Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself." - Tom Wilson

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 37 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

I've returned from yet another one of my many disappearances from GameSpot (sorry it keeps happening ). I'm fully recovered from my surgery now so I've been really busy with my college project, plus I'm back at work now. I'm also broke at the moment... I can barely afford rent so buying new games isn't going to happen for a while. I guess that's the reason I haven't been on GS: I hate hearing about all the games I can't play.

Anyway, I see that tagging thing is back. I actually got tagged by david_lck over a month ago so this is a bit late Here are 10 facts about me:

1. Got my first platinum PS3 trophy for Resident Evil 5 on Nov. 9th! I ended up soloing Professional mode with the infinite Rocket Launcher. Special thanks to s0njas0n and Gamer_4_Fun for offering to team up for it though. If you guys still need my help, I'll try to be online more.

   

   

2. I'm addicted to Tim Hortons coffee. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's a popular coffee shop chain here in Canada. Seriously, I get pretty cranky if I don't have at least one a day....

   

3. I'm a huge procrastinator. That's probably the main reason I'm still stuck at college doing my project.

4. My all time favourite game is still the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. No other game has drawn me in so much.

5. I've been in the Canadian Army Reserves since Grade 11. In real life, I've fired two different types of machine guns, an assault rifle, a shotgun, thrown 4 live frag grenades, and done lots of other awesome stuff. It's the best part time job I can think of.

6. My favourite TV show is The Simpsons. They may have gone a little downhill over the years, but I still love watching the new episodes.

7. My ultimate dream is to own my own company. Then I can afford all the games I could ever want!

8. I love dogs and cats! I don't have any at my apartment but my parents have 5 cats and a dog.

9. I'm studying electronics in college. Once I finally get that project done, I'll be a technologist which is sort of like a level below engineer.

10. There are still 22 games in my collection I haven't beaten yet.

I'll tag some people that aren't around much anymore (if at all) just to end this thing : Xanthio, tyployt, and amward2001.

Well, that's all I feel like writing. I'll try to catch up on all the blogs I missed within a few days (told you I'm a procrastinator ).

Quote of the Week: "If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done." - Unknown

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 34 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

During these past few weeks I've been staying at my parents' house while I recover. All I've been doing is sleeping and playing World of Warcraft (to be fair, it's the only game I have here ). I'll probably be returning to my apartment on Tuesday so it's back to RE5 platinum hunting and, I guess, working on my senior project... maybe

-Gaming Updates-

World of Warcraft

Nightnova (Level 80, Night Elf Druid): Got the cool purple dragon mount!

Saayuko (Level 68, Orc Hunter): Have a full set of level 60 PVP armor and tamed a T-Rex type pet. I named him Patches as a "Family Guy" reference.

-Random Thoughts-

• Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all my fellow Canadians! I've always wondered why we celebrate it in October and people in the United States celebrate it in November, so I asked Google. Turns out our Thanksgivings are both for different reasons. In Canada, we're giving thanks to a bountiful harvest. In the United States, you guys celebrate the Pilgrims settling the new world. Either way, Turkey is involved, we just get ours first.

• Watching The Simpsons, Family Guy, and bad horror movies after you've had major abdominal surgery is not a good idea

• I found a great job opportunity I want to apply for as soon as I get my diploma. It's a private company that designs weapons for the Canadian Navy. Me being a woman in the Army Reserves just about tripled my chances of being hired! I need that project done now!!

• Summer is over! The scenery at my parents house is beautiful this time of year though. Well, at least until the leaves fall of the trees, then it gets pretty depressing because winter is coming.

Above is a picture of the field in front of my parents house.

There's a major river that runs in my parents backyard (they have 47 acres of property so it's a pretty huge backyard ).

***

Quote of The Week: "Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often." - Johnny Carson

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 47 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Just wanted to let everyone know that I won't be around for a while after today. I'm going to be having surgery tomorrow morning and I will be stuck in the hospital for a few days. I also have a 6-8 week recovery time after that, so I may or may not feel like coming on GameSpot.

On the bright side, at least I'll have tons of time to play games and work on my project while I recover

I'm actually terrified about having surgery. It's nothing too serious (the blood test results came back good ), but the thought of being put to sleep and not waking up really scares me Plus all those disclaimers about what could go wrong so I don't sue them didn't really help

Whenever I'm scared, I usually watch The Simpsons and it cheers me up.

At least my doctor is nothing like this guy

Hopefully, I'll see you guys next week. Have a great weekend everyone!

Quote of the Week x 5:

"Uhh the hip bone's connected to the something. The something's connected to the red thing. The red thing's connected to my wrist watch. Uh-oh." - Dr. Nick (while operating on Homer)

"Inflammable means flammable? What a country!" - Dr. Nick (after the explosion)

"What the hell is that?!" - Dr. Nick (just before Homer goes under the gas)

"Sir, calm down, you're going to give yourself skin failure. The symptoms you describe lead me to believe that you are suffering from bonus eruptus, a rare disorder in which the skeleton tries to jump out of the skin. The only way to stop it is through transdental electromicide. I'll need a golf cart motor and a thousand volt capacimator, stat!" - Dr. Nick

"One, two, three...Out like a light. *Bart screams* Oops, maybe if I fiddle with these knobs. Hey, I smell gas. Pleasant gas. Night night gas. (collapses)" - Dr. Nick

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 41 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

This is the last week of my work term at CTV. I'm probably going to run across the news set on my last day too since I didn't get a chance to be on TV. My arm was in the background during one newscast though! I'm hoping to get a good job reference so crashing the evening news might not be such a good idea.

I learned a lot though. College doesn't teach you all the hands-on stuff you learn on the job. My senior project might be easier now too since I'm more confident.

I also find out the results of my blood test on Wed. so I'm really scared

-Gaming Updates-

Resident Evil 5:

Two more trophies and I will finally have my first platinum! Unfortunately, they are probably two of the hardest trophies: beating the game on professional and fully upgrading all the weapons. Can't wait to move on though. I have a huge pile of other games to beat.

New Trophies:

(Silver)

Yep, this is going to be a short blog for once

Have a good week guys! This week is either going to be awesome or terrifying for me...

***

Quote of the Week x 2:

"80% of the final exam will be based on the one lecture you missed and the one book you didn't read"

"If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you have tried."

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 51 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

It's been a couple weeks since my last blog but I'm still around! I'm just suffering from Blogger's Block I guess I'm pretty busy with my work term, and there's also a bit of a heat wave going on right now. The temperature has been close to the high 30s all week, and all I feel like doing is sleeping on a beach...

To top it all off, Hurricane Bill has decided to take a trip to Atlantic Canada tomorrow. The city where I live is going to be hit worse than where my parents live, so I've decided to visit them for the weekend It shouldn't be too bad though. Mostly rain and wind but I'm guessing the power might go out.

-Gaming Stuff-

I didn't get a chance to hunt any more Resident Evil trophies (or even turn on my PS3 ) since my last blog. I played a bit of WoW, but that's about it for gaming progress. Hopefully when my work term is over, I'll have more gaming time.

PS3 Slim

I'm not very excited about Sony's new version of the PS3. I'm happy that more people are planning to buy a PS3 because of it, but it looks like I'm going to be stuck with the "fat" PS3 (deja vu of the PS2 ). I hate it when companies decide to make different versions of the same console!

Gaming Budget

Since I'm broke until I get my diploma and find a full time job (unpaid work terms don't pay bills unfortunately ), I'm going to try and clear some of the older games in my collection I've forgotten about, instead of buying new ones. I have quite a few (Donkey Kong 64, Resident Evil 0... the list goes on!), so that should keep me busy until I find a job.

-GameSpot Updates-

Leveled up to 29 - Radiant Silvergun. I also got my second new emblem of the year! I missed collecting emblems.

-Life Updates-

Tons of stuff going on! And it all seems to be happening at once...

First off, my work term at a local TV station is going awesome! I've been there for two weeks now and I've already fixed two broken TVs and a set of head phones. The TVs weren't essential or anything (I know they aren't going to trust the intern with anything vital ) but it gave me a sense of accomplishment by fixing them. My boss always buys me a coffee every morning too!

I was kind of worried I chose the wrong program in college, but if my full time job is anything like this, I know I'm on the right career path. I should also have a good chance of landing a job after I finally graduate. There is pressure for the industry to hire more women, so looks like I'm jumping into the job market at the right time. I'm the only woman in the Engineering Department at CTV right now too so I hope other places are the same.

My work term might get cut short though. Right now, I'm waiting on a blood test and should be getting surgery within the next 3 weeks. If that happens, I can't finish my work term. The blood test is to rule out something more serious so I'm kind of nervous about the results. My doctor said I shouldn't lose any sleep over it though. I also can't go back to work at the Army Reserves until after the surgery. That's another reason why my gaming budget is so tight I'm going to worry about my senior year project at college after all this is over. Then it's job hunting time... Then I have to get my wisdom teeth out.

Yeah, things are pretty crazy right now! I wish I didn't have this health issue in the middle of everything else, but I guess that's how life goes.

Have a great week! 8)

***

Quote of the Week: "Video games: The reason this generation of Americans is the best ever." - Homer Simpson

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 54 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

GG's Review #9

Read my review here.

I really enjoyed Resident Evil 5, but I was a tiny bit disappointed with it. Honestly, I was expecting more new features. Other than the new partner system and over the top action, it is pretty much the same as Resident Evil 4. The whole new direction of the RE series doesn't bother me though. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the old RE games, but I'm fine with the new action packed Resident Evil.

Let me know what you think of the review!

-Gaming Updates-

I've hunted down a copy of Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles from eBay. Turns out the seller lived 20 minutes away from me, so they offered to refund my shipping cost if I picked it up myself. Small world... I probably won't get a chance to play it for a while though.

Resident Evil 5

I'm a lot closer to getting the platinum trophy! I found all the treasure and BSAA emblems. I just have to beat the game on Professional, find/upgrade all the weapons, and get all the figures, then I'm home free! I might go for the DLC trophies too, but they aren't required for the platinum. Plus I'm really bad at the Mercenaries mini game

-Progress: Beat the game on Veteran. I'm currently trying to get a "S rank" on all chapters in Amateur, to get all the figures, before jumping into Professional.

-New Trophies:

(Bronze)

(Silver)

World of Warcraft

Uh, yeah... I started playing WoW again Patch 3.2 came out on Tuesday which changed a lot of things in the game. For one, you get experience in Battlegrounds (PVP places for you non-addicts ). I'm looking forward to leveling up my Orc Hunter, Saayuko, by just running Battlegrounds. She has been parked at 49 for over a year since I've only been doing PVP stuff. My level 80 druid has an awesome new kitty and bear form now. They also added a new battleground but I can't play it because my computer can't seem to handle it. I'm in serious need of an upgrade if my computer is struggling to play WoW.

-Progress: Leveling up my 49 hunter through Battlegrounds. My level 80 is just doing the new daily quests and I might try the new 5 man dungeon.

-Latest Achievement:

-GameSpot Updates-

I lost an emblem. It's probably because I've been reviewing more games, but I hope it's just a glitch. If not, I'll miss you Fish Bowl...

-Life Updates-

Great news!! My senior year project isn't due until the end of September now! It's quite a relief because we are no where near completed yet. Plus my partner and I both have other stuff going on in our lives at the moment.

I start my work term at a local TV station on Tuesday. Unfortunately, I don't get paid but my boss is awesome! He said if I saw anything that interested me, he could arrange for me to learn more about it. I'm going to see if I can sneak my way on TV He also said he will arrange for me to ride along in the satellite truck sometime when it goes out for news stories. He also has a jumble of wires for me to organize for one of the main computer servers. Not really looking forward to dealing with that...

For anyone in Atlantic Canada, if CTV goes off the air in the next 5 weeks, it's probably my fault

Monday, I have to get a MIR scan for my medical issue. I remember getting one when I was small, but I think it kind of freaked me out It's basically a tunnel thing rotating around you using a magnetic field to take pictures of your organs and stuff. I'm curious as to how it works since I have an Electronics background now After that, I should be closer to finding out when I have to get that surgery.

Yep, I've got a busy week ahead of me! Which is good because I started watching "All My Children" due to being bored this week (Did Kendall really shoot Stuart? )

Have an awesome week guys! 8)

Quote of the Week: "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 52 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Read my review here.

For those of you who don't know, this cute little adventure game kick started the career of everyone's favourite drunken squirrel, Conker. This game is pretty tame compared to Bad Fur Day and Live & Reloaded, but this was actually Rare's original plan for Conker. I'm glad they decided to go in a more radical direction though. Another "friendly" platformer for the N64 would have been overshadowed by better games (Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie, for example), just like this one is on the GBC.

Let me know what you think of the review! Any comments/feedback is appreciated

***

In other news, I'm pretty close to finishing RE5 on Veteran. I've been cruising through the chapters now that I've unlocked Chris's special weapon. This has also caused an inventory problem I never thought could happen in the RE games: too much ammo I still have quite a way to go before I get the platinum trophy though.

I've started working on the 40 page report for my college project, even though the project isn't even close to completed yet. My partner didn't have time to work on it this week (he has a wife and daughter plus a demanding job, so I guess it's understandable). I thought I could at least get the report started. So far, I've got half a page... Only 39 and a half more to go!

I'm a little worried we won't get it done before September. We're still in the designing stages and I want to have a working prototype by August 8th. I'm doing my work experience term on August 10th, so we can only work on it during weekends after that. Lucky for me, my partner has a Bachelor's Degree in programming, so I won't have to worry about that part of the project.

If there's one thing I've learned about designing electronics: whatever you design, it will never, ever, work on the first try and you should always plan at least a week of troubleshooting

***

Quote of the week: "If hard work was the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock." - Claude MacDonald

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 40 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

-Gaming Updates-

All of my gaming time has been devoted to Resident Evil 5. I beat it last Sunday so I've finally completed my first game of 2009! 8) I also want to organize my contacts for XBL and PSN since it's been a while since I brought my systems online.

Resident Evil 5:

Although I beat the game last Sunday, I've been playing it all week since I'm going for the platinum trophy. I really enjoyed the story, boss fights, and graphics. The new inventory system took a while to get use to (I still miss the game getting paused while I find the gun I'm looking for though ). Also having a partner by your side for the whole game was a new experience. I have to say I enjoyed Resident Evil 4 more though (and no, it's not because Ada and Leon were in it ).

-Progress: Beat the game on normal and I'm working on the Veteran difficulty trophy now. I'm on Chapter 3-1. Also, I died 31 times in the last part of Chapter 2 so I'm not looking forward to doing it again on Professional... sigh

-New Trophies:

(Bronze)

(Silver)

Xbox Live Gamertag and PSN ID:

I finally logged on to Xbox Live for the first time in about a year and a half I picked up a 12 + 1 month membership to Xbox Live so I should definitely be online more now. All of you who sent friend requests are long gone so let me know if you want me to add you. I only have a couple Xbox 360 games but I'll probably be playing GTA IV a lot since I haven't beaten it yet. I just recently started using my PS3 online. I only have two PS3 games, Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet, but feel free too add me. I haven't played multiplayer RE5 yet so I'd like to try it out. I can also dig out my Wii friend code.

Oh and if you do add me to XBL or PSN, let me know here (leave a comment or send a pm). I won't accept requests from random people.

Xbox Live Gamertag: AdaOwnz

PSN ID: Adawong15

Yes, I know I'm not very creative when coming up with names. My username on GameSpot is a great indication of this as well

-GameSpot Updates-

Leveled up finally! I've been here 5 years and I'm only level 28. That's what I get for disappearing so much Oh and if anyone hears anything about a new emblem please let me know. I want to start collecting them again.

I'm also working on a couple reviews since it's been ages since my last one.

-Life Updates-

My college senior project is coming along nicely. My partner and I are designing a system that tracks lost divers and helps the boat locate them. I won't bore you guys with the details but it uses trigonometry. Math doesn't seem so hard now that I'm using it for real life stuff When we're done, we have to present it to the academic chair of my program and write a 40 page report so there is still lots of work to be done.

Haven't heard anything new about the health issue. I have an appointment next week and I'm hoping to get a solid date on the surgery so I can plan college and work around it. My dentist is bugging me to get my wisdom teeth out now, but I want to wait until the other surgery is over. Too much stuff going on at once...

Well, that's all for now. Hope you guys have an awesome week!

Quote of the week: "Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog." - Doug Larson

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 53 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Oh and I can't believe I missed out on like 7 different emblems while I was gone

-Gaming Updates-

This year is actually turning out to be worse than last year in terms of gaming. It has been months since I picked up a controller actually... So far my total games beaten this year is: 0. My Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 have all turned into dust collectors. At least my Xbox 360 isn't the only one being abandoned anymore I have picked up a few new games though.

Resident Evil 5:

From what I played so far, it was definitely worth the wait. The atmosphere is great, the graphics are stunning, the storyline is immersive and the few boss fights I did were very innovative. Oh and chainsaw guy is even harder to kill this time. It strays even further from the cl@ssic Resident Evil formula but it really doesn't bother me. Games need to evolve and I'm happy with how it turned out.

-Progress: The last thing I remember doing was fighting in a dark cave with a lantern... (which was about 3 months ago). Bad memory, I know I will start playing it again soon.

-Trophies:

(Bronze)

(Silver)

Grand Theft Auto IV:

Nothing notable unfortunately. It's probably been over a year since I played it... sigh.

-Progress: Almost done with the main story. I think... Again, bad memory

-Achievements: Nothing new.

LittleBigPlanet:

The game I got for Christmas! It's a quirky little platformer that is one of the most unique games I've played in a while. I haven't played the multi player part of it yet though. Last time I played it was Dec 29th.

-Progress: I'm on the samurai level in single player.

-Trophies:

(Bronze)

World of Warcraft:

This game didn't get ditched like the rest of my collection (shocking I know). My main character is level 80. My guild was nice enough to take me on a couple Naxramas 10 runs and one Nax 25 run even though I suck at raiding. I've stopped playing it until the end of this month though. Lots of real life stuff to do and other games to catch up on.

-Progress: Nightnova: Level 80 and went on a few raids. I mostly just collect achievements and do daily quests.

-Latest Achievement:

I picked up GTA Chinatown Wars for the DS a few weeks ago. Haven't played much of it so I can't offer any opinions on it yet.

-GameSpot Updates-

I've been on this level for about a year now but if I don't disappear again I should level up soon. Still crushed I missed out on all the E3 emblems again this year...

I also missed me 5th year anniversary on GameSpot which happened in May. If you add up all the times I've disappeared I've only been active here for like 2 years at the most though

-Life Updates-

College: I should have my diploma now but I don't. I'm tying up a few loose ends in the summer then I will be able to get it in Sept. (I failed my senior year project cl@ss so I'm pretty much done after that's completed). I did pass the make up exam for the course I failed by 2% last blog. I will be doing a work experience term at a TV station in August so I'm looking forward to that. Hopefully I get some time on TV

Work: Still in the Army Reserves. I plan to stay in it even after I get my full time job. Did a few weeks training this summer but I got sent home a week early due to some health issues. Least I have more time to work on my college stuff.

Life: Everything is going well except for the health issues I mentioned above. I won't go into detail but my doctor doesn't think it is too serious. I have to go for a few appointments and probably end up getting surgery... (which I'm terrified of ). After that's over I have to get my wisdom teeth out. On the bright side, looks like I'll have lots of GameSpot and gaming time in the future

There I think I took up enough space now My next blog will be about getting my PSN ID, Gamertag, and Wii friend code in order. I believe it's been about 2 years since I logged into Xbox Live so anyone who's added me would be long gone. I haven't logged into my PS3 online thingy in a while either so I haven't added anyone to that yet.

Thanks for reading! 8)

Quote of the Last 6 Months: "Oh everything looks bad if you remember it." - Homer Simpson

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 54 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot