This is the second installment in what I hope to be an ongoing series. I did not plan to do a second issue so soon however I got dozens of PM requesting it as well as possible recommendations throughout the weeks. I did follow up on some of the recommendations, but I'm still working on completing some of them.

I am fed up of seeing threads popping up on the Xbox 360 board about games with 'easy' achievements or games to easily 'boost' your gamerscore. I decided to take it upon myself and create a simple guide to help out those new and clueless users who are interested in boosting their gamerscore.

Games with Easy Xbox 360 Achievements part 1 can be found here

Now before I get started, I would like you all to please read the following:

1. Your gamerscore is just a number and means nothing other than bragging rights. You own nothing on the internet so remember this; you can have an extremely high gamerscore, then some jackass hacks and steals your Xbox live account. Xbox live support only gives you false hope, doesn't do anything and you loose everything (true story, it happened to me)

2. I do plan to write up more of these in the future, featuring 10 game at a time.

3. Recommendations are fine, however lists will be based on my experiences and mine alone. I will not include a game unless I have a certain amount of experience with it, so obviously if I have not played and completed the game, it will not be on the list. Simple.

4. This entry may contain some minor spoilers

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Need for Speed Most Wanted

This game does give you an easy 1000G, because all you have to do is just complete the storyline, but it's not for everyone. If you love achievements and racing/driving games, you'll really enjoy this game. Expect to spend 10 to 15 hours trying to rack up the full 1000G.

NBA Street Homecourt

The achievements in this game were easy and the game itself was very enjoyable even if you don't like basketball games. There are some online achievements that all add up 100G, however online is dead with this game so you'll have to max out with 900G. It really isn't all that difficult to 900G. One achievement requires you to replay the storymode for a second time and get to a certain level, but you wouldn't mind doing so because the game was a lot of fun. Expect to spend around 5 hours for the full 900G

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Oblivion may not the fastest game to get achievements in, but it is one of the easiest. It's hard to put an approximate time for aquiring all the achievements for this game because there is a lot to do in this huge expansive game. Just stick to all the guild quests and storyline and you should complete all 1000G in about 30 or 40 hours. Oblivion has two major expansion. Knights of the Nine doesn't contain any additional gamerscore, however Shivering Isles contains an extra 250G and it's just as easy to get like the main game. Simply play out Shivering Isles' storyline and you will gain the additional 250G in about 5 hours.
Note: In Shivering Isles after you finish the quest "The Cold Flame of Agnon" and begin the quest "Ritual of Accession" make an additional save file(s). You will be given a choice to be either Duke or Duchess, both unlocks a seperate achievement. Choose one then simply reload the game and choose the other one to unlock both achievements

Tomb Raider: Underworld

This game's achievements were fairly easy. Without trying you should be able to unlock around 700G in about 5 hours. You can follow the achievement details on your Xbox and use it as a guide to unlock the rest. There are some collection achievements for this game so you may need a guide for asistance if you plan to find them all.

Spiderman: Friend or Foe

This game contains some easy achievements, however to get some of them you may need the assistance of a guide. In order to unlock a whopping 125G for each of the 5 major areas in the game you will need to find all collectables and secrets in the area. This isn't as hard as it sounds. Once you do so, you will unlock 625G as well as the other 300G for doing specific things giving you a total of 925G at the end of game. The final and most difficult achievement is powering up all the characters in the game. It's a little time consuming. But if you replay the final level a few times, you should get enough points to upgrade everyone. In all a full 1000G for this game will take you between 5 to 7 hours

Prey

This game contains quite a number of online achievements, however online for this game is dead. An most likely you will not be getting any of them. The rest of achievements can be unlocked just by playing the storyline. There are however 3 seceret achievements worth 10G each. Just by playing the storyline, you will unlock 655G in about 5 to 10 hours. The game itself is really easy.

Surf's Up

If you plan to get the full 1000G in this game expect to spend around 5 to 10 hours on the game. If you want some quick easy achievements, you should be able to get around 800G in under 5 hours with little effort. Just follow the Xbox's achievement guidelines for the game.

Viva Pinata

The achievements in this game are really easy however they are a bit time consuming. You can probably unlock most of them without even trying, but there is an achievement that requires you to play the game for 50 hours. Just follow the achievement details in on your Xbox 360 and you should get the full 1000G without much effort.

Wanted: Weapons of Fate

A recent release. This game does have some easy achievements however getting the full 1000G will take some work. This game requires multiple playthroughs for the achievements. The game itself is really easy. Start your first playthrough on Normal difficulty. The difficulty achievements are stackable so you will also unlock the ones for easy. Storyline alone you will get a total of 300G at the end your first playthrough in no more than 4 hours, then you'll unlock the hard difficulty. Complete the game on hard (should take you no more than 3 hours) and you'll unlock a total of 290G at the end of the game. There are other achievements such as x number of kills, collectables and completing certain chapters with certain unlockable characters. In all you should get around 800G in no more than 10 hours. The game does contain 3 other modes (requiring you to replay the storyline each time again), completing each mode will give you 50G each. These modes are very difficult and very time consuming to complete.

Dash of Destruction

I decided to feature at least one Xbox Live Arcade title. This is a free download so it's free points. Just by playing this game from start to finish with both the Driver and the Dinosaur will rack up a total of 190G in about 15 minuites. The other 10G requires you to win a multiplayer game. Overall a quick and easy 200G

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Thanks for reading and I do appreciate feedback. The next one will be posted whenever I feel like it

Note: Fixed an error in Dash of Destruction. 'win an online game' was changed to 'win a multiplayer game'

Several days ago I picked up Star Ocean: The Last Hope. I've finished Resident Evil 5 (though I still play Mercenaries with friends) and I finished up Dark Athena as well. So far, I've got about 30 hours down now and a couple of things occurred to me while I was switching discs; to start, this is the first multi-disc game on the 360 that has really grabbed hold of me. The others (Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey) were both in gameplay and story/art design incapable of really capturing my sustained interest (which is to say nothing of the level grinding that is made requisite by overly-difficult bosses). The next thing I thought about was that both of those games are from Mistwalker, which momentarily depressed me; I had high hopes for the studio. I am not saying that their two games thus far resign them to the awful fate of making sub-par games, I merely say so to indicate that they are off to, by my tastes, something of a rocky start. Hopefully they'll find proper footing and turn into the studio they definitely have the on-hand talent to become.

Finally I wondered if, with improving technology, this might be the final generation of games to see multi-disc releases. On one hand, you have the 360 with it's DVD's more limited space, where some games have required it; they will likely use Blu-ray or another high volume format next gen assuming they don't do what I think they want to do, which is to go entirely digital. But on the other hand, will the next generation of consoles need multiple discs? Metal Gear Solid 4 filled the entirety of the medium upon which it was placed (dual layered Blu-ray disc). And the graphics, specifically the textures, could have been sharper if they'd had more space. I suppose it comes down to whatever kind of high volume disc will be used next gen and as far as that goes, I suppose I have no idea what's in store.

All this is simply to say that, regardless of whether multi-disc titles will stay or go the way of the Dodo, I always enjoyed them; they came from a simpler time - we didn't have any achievements to unlock, there was changing discs. They were the original mile markers of your progression through a title, and there's no denying the small swelling of pride you'd feel when a new screen came up reading, "Insert Disc 2, 3, 4..." Well, maybe now it's time to let all that go, technology permitting. We have achievements, trophies...but, truth be told, I think that few of those can really stand up to the little shot of satisfaction you'd receive when that unmarked achievement came to pass, even if it was only known by you.

I'm going to break my own rules with this one. Most likely, I won't be responding to comments. It's not that I don't appreciate the time you took to respond to the blog. However, concerning the following topic, I already know how I feel. What I want to see is how the rest of you feel about things. I'm just going to put it out there, and see what unfolds.

For years now, CAPCOM has been a staple of the gaming industry. From both the production and publishing side of the fence, they have offered up a large and varied number of games that span any number of genres, and have created some of the most critically acclaimed titles ever. Looking back, they present an impressive history. With titles such as Resident Evil, Megaman, or Street Fighter, it's easy to see how CAPCOM not only became a household name, but a name gamers have grown to trust in the decades since their creation.

Coming into the current generation, it seemed clear that CAPCOM was not content to rest upon its laurels. Despite mixed reactions to games like Dead Rising or Lost Planet ,a lot of us were eager to see what was coming down the pipeline next. The "next-gen" was off to a fantastic start, and CAPCOM seemed more than eager to help carry the momentum. What else could the creative genius behind such amazing titles offer us if they applied their experience to current hardware, and attempted to exceed today's tough standards?

That was then, however. That was at the re-birth of gaming, the doorway to new experiences and new applications of technology. At the beginning of all of this, it seemed that CAPCOM's place was secure. Whatever the standards, whatever the direction of the industry, they would be there, among the front runners. In the past few months however, a few cracks seem to have developed on that once proud visage. A debate seems to be raging, once again dividing gamers into more than a few camps. But this debate isn't over the merits of one console over another. Nor is it about the strength of one title over its counterparts.

In fact, this debate is over the actions of one of the cornerstones of the industry, a company that more than a few of us have let into our homes. This debate is over CAPCOM itself, and whether or not it has lost its way.

THE ISSUE AT HAND

Given the company's track record for providing quality entertainment,some of you can't help but wonder about CAPCOM's current attitude towards DLC or gaming in general. Many of you feel that the company is simply putting out their take on "horse armor," a weak, dispassionate offering designed only to soak a few extra bucks out of the populace.

New skins for Street Fighter characters are one thing. With or without them, the skins have no impact on the gameplay itself, but the five bucks you have to sink into RE5 for vs. play is another matter.You feel that such a feature, a feature that comes standard on most any other title you play, is just a cheap way to soak gamers for their hard-earned dollars; like selling a car but selling the steering wheel as an "add-on."

And CAPCOM's reaction to your criticism has been mystifying. Telling your customer base that what it thinks is ******** is simply bad business.

Some of you fall into another camp altogether. The notion in this camp is simple: if you don't want it, or if you have a problem with it, simply don't buy it. No one is forcing you, after all. These guys are in it to make money, so it should come as a surprise to no one that content might be a little on the weak side from time to time. This is what companies do, and you find no fault in their actions or decisions.

Regardless of where you stand on this issue, the truth remains that the debate is having an effect on how several gamers view CAPCOM. For a lot of you out there, the rose-colored glass has vanished, and you have been left wondering whether or not you can still trust this once proud giant. For others, you don't really see an issue at all. Whichever camp you belong to, it's time for you to sound off.

How do you weigh in on the issue of CAPCOM's treatment of DLC?

Does your current view make you worried/optimistic about future titles offered up by CAPCOM?

Do you plan on buying future titles from CAPCOM?

How do you feel about the statement made by Christian Svensson, claiming that complaints about vs. mode are ******** ?

Are you angry with CAPCOM's treatment of gamers? Or are you content with how things are going thus far?

Do you think CAPCOM is headed for failure?

As always, thanks for reading.

Well there are actually two answers for this:
1) A single digit; or
2) More than meets the eye.

If you have gotten this far and recovering from shock of the length of this blog (start scrolling) I presume that the answer 2 is definitely the better one of the two. So to appreciate the folks who supplying you with quality reviews and to those who would like an insight of what actually goes on when writing reviews I decided to spill out the beans of what's going on (in my head anyways) the life of a causal reviewer. I'm sure that there are many gamers out there having their own judgment of how games should be rated and that my friend is the beauty of community blogging, it's your choice of how things should pan out so strap on those jogging shoes and let's start.

The beginning:
To kick things off, I tell (write) you my version of why I choose the final score. Then I move on and provide some examples of my favourite track list friends and the reasons why I choose them (over many others). Take heed I will normally track a person who shows creativity and stick to their guns about rating games as I understand there will be games I thought really kicks some serious butt yet another person will state the opposite; yet I will praise them in their efforts of justifying their reasonings as there's absolutely nothing wrong voicing an opinion (as everyone got one).

To those who knows me (at least in cyberspace) probably noticed a blurb on the top of my blog – yes it's a description of how I perceive games from the top score of ten (a masterpiece and NOT a perfect score – more on that later) to a dismal one (you're fired). My overall score is based on Gamespot's previous rating system (i.e. gameplay, graphics, sounds, value and tilt). Take note: 'gameplay' and 'tilt' are weighted considerably heavier than 'graphics' and 'sounds' with 'value' the in-between.

By now you probably be starting to perspire but that's ok - it's good for you. So if you read my reviews, the rating format flows directly into the review itself: an opening paragraph (which usually has no bearing on the score itself), one to two paragraphs on gameplay (because of the heavier rating), one on graphics, one on sounds, one on value (can extend to two if I muddled in the multiplayer option hence the in-between score) and one on tilt (my personal feelings). Of course this is not set in concrete however it normally forms the base of my reviews.

Number crunching:
So the score goes like this and I'll use my latest review Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill as the example:

* Game score starts off as seven.
* Gameplay/tilt adjustment is 0.3 above and below seven; graphics and sounds adjustment is 0.1 and value 0.2.

* So in Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill I ranked gameplay a six (overall score 7 – 0.3 = 6.7);
* Graphics a five (6.7 – 0.2 = 6.5)
* Sounds eight (6.5 + 0.1 = 6.6)
* Value five (6.6 – 0.4 = 6.2)
* Tilt seven (6.2 – 0 = 6.2).
* Overall score 6.2 (well in Gamespot terms a six).

This is the old Gamespot way and I still love it but there are some changes in the way I interpret the scores particularly ten, seven and five.

Ten (a masterpiece): Ten for me is not the perfect score, it's a masterpiece. This means there maybe some extremely minor flaws but the overall sensation is truly a masterpiece. Think of it like Michelangelo's statue of David: minor flaws yet certainly a masterpiece. Sadly not one game got this score however some came very close (e.g. UT2004, Bioshock and Star Raiders to name a few).

Seven: This means not an average game but a game that whatever it promised it delivered (in a good way). A recent example was FEAR 2 (my score 7.9 – the higher end of seven). It promises suspension and action and it delivered; so there's nothing wrong with a seven as it delivered what it promises.

Five: My meaning is that 'Either a technical marvel yet a crappy game or an excellent game yet technically lowsy - take your pick'. An example of this is Instinct – technically hopeless yet a great game to play. Is that possible – yes as 'tilt' normally influence the score of five. In Instinct's example it had a tilt of nine which saved the game of being a complete mess whilst on the other side of the spectrum Caverns of Mars the tilt score of three influenced its score of 5.5 of being a technical marvel yet boooring to play (and my review showed it as well).

Right now I'll bet you are wishing this to end...and...so when reading my reviews, think of the above meanings before you submit your thoughts (i.e. thumbs up or down). Also considering the score is only a snapshot of the game, remember my additional meanings to ten, seven and particularly five. Here are some examples of my reviews getting a hammering but for a good reason?

Thumbs up from the community
* Hour of Victory (my score 2.5)
* You Are Empty (8.0)
* Starship Troopers (7.6)

Thumbs down from the community
* Tomb Raider (7.0)
* Red Faction (6.0). This is also a clear example of what not to do - that is letting your emotions dictating your reviews (but I'll keep it as a reminder to myself).

As you can see, even the rubbish games get a positive response however I have an inclination that fan boys attacked my Tomb Raider review instead of reading what I have to say as the vast majority of the negatives practically arrived overnight and remember what 'seven' means – it promised; it delivered. I thought at that time that my top 500 emblem is heading for the 'delete' button or get a warning about 'trolling' but thankfully not. Yet I look at as a sign of 'at least people viewed my review' instead of ignoring it. But the morale here is that if you like it then it's a top game (e.g. You Are Empty – I reckon it rocks regardless of what the vast majority said) but make sure you justify the means otherwise it can easily perceive as trolling.

Keeping going...

Community reviewers (the people I track):
Before I go on, please note that this is not a complete list but to demonstrate the different writing techniques and if you like them as well, post your recommendation. And to those below I have mentioned, if you guys want to be taken off for some reason let me know either on this blog or PM me.

Nightharvest: He uses the same rating scores (a.k.a. old Gamespot ratings) and uses a similar format to mine – another word: I can relate to his reviews and trust it with high respect and besides he also plays those dodgy games that no one reads about (nightharvest - you'll never walk alone).

ChristianKiss: Not sure what formula he uses however the majority of his scores are on 'higher' end to mine (a little generous..lol) but seriously, good reviews and even includes tips on beating the game (without spoiling the fun) and even uploads vids to get a better insight of the game. Lastly it's great to see another 'old school' gamer so look out for him if you enjoy old and new school gaming.

Fastpunk: Again like ChristianKiss I'm not sure how he bases his scores however one thing I envy with Fastpunk – he played all the games that I want to play so it will be damn cool to see what he had seen; and besides his reviews are well thought out plus on some occassions post a blog of up-and-coming games.

Joe714: A retired veteran (top 1000 emblem). His scores are on the 'higher' end however he has a knack of placing his personal feelings in his reviews with finesse. Entertaining to read without falling in the wayside and I really like his review on XIII (I'm glad I'm not the only one who thoroughly enjoyed this game as it deserves more praise).

Jepsen1977: Like one of his favourite games Thief: The Metal Age, he's to me is a silent assassin. Once he strikes, everyone listens and it's really entertaining to read the conversations with fastpunk. He's also an example of me respecting his views on games that I adore yet he'll give a 'meh' approach. An example of this is his Bioshock review (oh the pain) but I respect that and gave it a 'thumbs up' for his well thought out approach. Jepsen - if you are reading this, write more reviews!

Sequekhan: The new kid on the block for me. This guy improving with every review however what I like from him (which can be misunderstood by other readers) that all of his scores are ten. Like me, we have different meanings for ten: Sequekhan uses his own formula of the traditional 'thumbs up / down' approach. So a ten is a 'thumbs up' – another word must play. That, my friend I like: a fresh approach to scoring games (well that's the way I look at it).

As you can see, I have strong fingers as I'm still typing (I play Diablo you know - keep jogging), this is not a complete list however demonstrating the fact that different reviewers uses different approaches and as the old saying goes 'variety is a spice of life'. I'm sure that there are many reviewers out there uses their own 'personal touch' and if you are one of them, PM me; I'll track you back. Yet there are reviewers that very well be regarded as high quality however booore me to death as there's a lack of that personal touch or have the tendency to 'jump on the bandwagon': that is 'if everyone gives an eight then so do I' and their review doesn't really give an additional insight to what you have already read a million times before. Take heed that too much personal touches equates to fan boys (but there's nothing wrong with fan boys but do so in moderation – heck I'm a fan boy of UT2004).

Final stretch:
I hope this helps this age old question of 'So what's in a rating score anyway?' and by all means this is not a perfect babble. Don't take my word for granted however my aim is for the reader to be flexible and the writer to be logical - that said if you feel its right then it's definitely right – just make sure you add it somewhere in your profile/review of your intension though.


Game on, thank you for reading this and hit the showers - you deserve it.

8% Heiankyo Alien Azghouls (HAA)

Oh, and this happens to be my hundredth blog entry - sweet

And stop scrolling - this is the end...seriously.

Anyone who knows me or has witnessed my yearly quest to defeat Mike Tyson is no doubt aware of my undying love for the Punch-Out!! series. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out (I'm not typing !! after the name anymore) was, and still is, an awesome game. Its sequel, Super Punch-Out was enjoyable in its own right, but lacked the personality of the original. Now, after a 15-year layoff Nintendo is bringing Punch-Out back. When I heard the news I was excited, but that excitement quickly changed to fear as I thought of the many ways in which Nintendo might screw things up. The game was playable at this year's GDC, and I'm happy to report that things are looking good.

Dude, you haven't beaten me since I was in 4th grade.

Punch-Out has always been known for precise controls, and the Wii's motion controls are known for being anything but precise. You can throw a left with the Nunchuk and a right with the Wii Remote and they seem to work just fine here. There's even a yet-to-be-detailed control scheme that involves the balance board that can't possibly be fun. I don't care about any of that-I want my Punch-Out to involve a D-pad and two buttons thank you very much. Thankfully, Nintendo has delivered that as well. I stepped up to the kiosk, unplugged the Nunchuk, turned the remote sideways, and immediately began pummeling my old punching bag, Glass Joe.

Once I put Glass Joe to bed, it was time for Von Kaiser's nap. Of the game's 13 boxers, only one of them is new, and that's the third boxer, Disco Kid. Here's one thing you should know about me: I will never, ever lose to somebody named "Disco Kid" in anything; not horseshoes, Monopoly, speed dating...nothing. Both Kaiser and Joe had a few new moves in their arsenal that slowed me down a bit, but nothing too troublesome. The real challenge came in learning the moves and timing of a new boxer. I'll admit, Disco Kid did put me on the mat once, but once I learned to always dodge right, I was able to knock him out in the second round.

Now that I was 3-0 it was time for a title fight. Wait, what? There's a line of people behind me that want to play? Here's an idea for you: No! I had a date with destiny and destiny came in the form a 400-pound islander named King Hippo. There was no way in the world I was going to lose to King Hippo-even my sister can pummel King Hippo. All I had to do was dodge his slow punches, punch him in the face, and then punch him in his big belly when he tried to pull up his shorts. This worked out great until Hippo decided to smash by head with both of his hands at the same time-kind of like how Bear Hugger used to do it in Super Punch-Out. This took off a huge chunk of Little Mac's energy and threw off my timing, which caused me to get hit a few more times. Thankfully the round ended before I hit the mat.

When you see this move coming, it's time to duck.

Between rounds Doc gave me indispensable advice; something along the lines of "Don't get hit by that super-powerful punch, Mac!" I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention. I asked the QA tester who was standing next to me if I could get energy back, and he just smiled and said "That's something you'll need to find out for yourself." I hit a button in hopes that I could regain some energy, but it just skipped me ahead to the next round. I guess that wasn't the right button.

It turns out that I didn't need no stinkin' extra health because I came out and dominated the "King" in the second round. I learned his tell for the double-punch, figured out exactly when I needed to duck, and then promptly whooped him. Just like in the original, once he goes down he's not getting back up. I walked away before the referee (Sadly, it's not Mario) counted to 10. It wasn't until I was out of the Moscone Center that I realized I had forgotten to stick around to see if Little Mac jogs behind a bike-riding Doc after he wins the belt. I guess I'll have to be surprised when the game comes out.

As you can see in the trailer, Punch-Out looks great. I don't even have to qualify that with "for a Wii game." The artists have done a nice job making sure the boxers meet modern standards, while at the same time keeping them recognizable. Animation is top-notch, as well. Punches look and feel appropriately powerful, but despite the violence, the game maintains a lighthearted feel thanks to some over-the-top scenes. For example, when Disco Kid gets knocked out, he bounces around the ring like pinball and you even hear pinball sound effects in the background.

The game's animation is quite impressive.

Most everything about the new Punch-Out seems to be fantastic, but I do have one concern. I'm worried that the game is going to be a bit shallow and too easy. Granted, I'm a freak that can still beat the original Punch-Out, but I beat over 20% of the game (assuming that none of the 13 boxers appear twice, which is probably a bad assumption) the first time I played it on a crowded convention floor. I also have no idea if there are different difficulty settings (neither of the two previous games had the feature). There's also the multiplayer mode, which I didn't get to check out. I have a hard time envisioning that it's as fun as single-player, but I can't knock it until I try it.

There's a lot I still don't know about Punch-Out, but I know enough to do something that I rarely do for a game: I'll be pre-ordering it. Punch-Out hasn't let me down in the past and I don't think it's going to let me down now.

.....but it will not be an instant success from the get-go.

First things first, it's an awesome idea. Being able to stream your gaming and controlling it in real-time without any hassle is mind-blowing. It might even become the next generation of gaming. No more physical media. No more PC upgrading. All technical stuff will be done by the company itself. Only thing you need is a minimum internet speed of 1.5 Mbps and, for a monthly fee, you will be able to play your games (supposedly) lag-less. But I have a few concerns about this new product.

Pricing. Until now, they didn't mention anything about the pricing schemes. But there is certainly a monthly fee involved for this service. I've never been a fan of paying for a service that you can only use while you're online. It's different for the 360 because it's not mandatory and you can still enjoy your gaming locally. So how will the pricing be in related to content? Is it like getting cable TV, with a base subscription fee and additional fees for the games? Things might get even more annoying when you're forced to pay the monthly fee to be able to access and play the games you "bought". They will have you by the *insert men's manhood here*.

Internet stability. What about people who have a limited amount of Gb they can download/upload per month? It's not the same everywhere, but some providers only let you download a limited amount of data per month (cold hard truth). What about all the routine service checks that they must perform in the future? Also, what about if you're playing a very important part of the game or fighting against a boss and your internet refreshes/reboots/disconnects. Yes, it happens. But, these minor hicccups will hinder your gaming experience a lot if it happens often. Internet stability is a must if you want to enjoy this product.

Still, it looks like a fine system. A brilliant idea. Great for business. Another great step for the gaming industry as a whole. This service is (supposedly) piracy proof. Being able to completely throw PC upgrading out the window for a modem and a controller and in turn get better visuals, is every gamers dream.

It's normal to be skeptical when a new product arrives. Remember when they announced the Nintendo Wii? Yes, I was thinking the same thing (more or less).

But don't worry peeps, I'm no fortune teller. I'm just another gamer trying to figure out the possible effects this product will have on gaming in general. I'm still not done analyzing all the factors, but this system does look promising. Like a fellow writer mentioned: This product will not be a success from the get-go. But beyond all my ranting, I'm still secretly (well, not so secretly anymore) excited about this new product and what it will have to offer. I mean, being able to click on (aka Buy/Rent) a game and start playing it in less than a minute is nothing to sneeze at. Let's hope for the best.

Anyone feel the same way? What's your take on this new product?

OnLive -- the new tech unveiled at GDC that will let you stream games from a server to your cozy house without any bulky console hardware or child-threatening, razor sharp discs -- sounds insanely awesome up front. If what they claim is true -- that there will be minimal lag impacting your gameplay experience -- the technology really could give consoles a run for their money.

Actually, could it? As I read about this thing, with with every point of interest that make me giddy -- the potential to be piracy-proof (or at least as proof as you can get these days); complete abstraction and lowered costs of hardware; parity with in-store release dates (at least for the library on offer) -- there's at least one issue that makes me cast some doubt on OnLive's feasibility at this point in time. I'm not saying that it has no chance -- I just have some reservations, and would like to know more about a few things before we can actually say that consoles as we know them might be in danger.

OnLive sports a minimum requirement of a 1.5 Mbps internet connection for lag-free standard definition gameplay. Now, the only data I could pull up in my hurried Google search was this report that the average broadband speed in the United States sits at 2.3 Mbps as of August of 2008. Then there's this number from 2007 that more than one fifth of the population of both Canada and the United States. So, things aren't too shabby on that end. What I'd like to know, though -- besides what the up-to-date numbers are, of course -- is the breakout of connection speeds among those who play games (casual, hardcore, or otherwise). Do enough gaming folk have (or want and can afford) the necessary 1.5 Mbps connection? How much of that higher end (which brings the average up to 2.3) is for those who run small home businesses and/or have no desire to game? How many of those lacking the necessary connection speeds are those who demand an intense single-player experience? What will the growth of broadband penetration be like by the time the next generation of consoles comes around? Oh -- let's not forget about those Comcast data caps. How will those affect an OnLive subscriber, if at all?

I'm not going to call it on broadband penetration alone. I was one of the doubtful mob members who thought that Microsoft's reliance on broadband (i.e. no POTS modem), and the inability to get Xbox Live running for the first year of the original Xbox's existence, would prove to be that console's undoing. Look where Xbox Live is now. But that's why I also want to know where our culture -- as consumers and gaming aficionados -- stands, and where it will go. I want to know the division in the marketplace between those who still like holding a product in their hands versus those who hate clutter and welcome the 1's and 0's streaming over a network. Gamestop doesn't seem to be doing too shabbily. But then again, Steam doesn't exist on consoles, and the only high-profile, previously retail-only release that's also fully downloadable for consoles -- that I know of -- is Burnout Paradise (whoops, and Warhawk -- thanks confucioussayyo). (I'm sure there are a few others I'm missing.) That GTA IV: The Lost And The Damned DLC is actually available in retail stores as a boxed download code card further makes me wonder just how many people are (and will be) ready to be done with the retail experience for good.

This bit about culture also has to do with how much control we as consumers like to have over our product. A small somewhat-comparable example is the fact that I worry constantly that my Wii will break. Should this happen, I'll lose all access to my downloaded Virtual Console and Wii shop content because of the way they handle online accounts (or lack thereof). I have to go through Nintendo to re-download, whereas Xbox Live lets me re-download games I've wiped off my drive. Now, this isn't to say that OnLive will use the same methodology as Nintendo -- rather, I bring the Wii example up to show how little-to-no user control will hurt. If your internet connection goes kaput, or OnLive's network goes down for maintenance, you can't play anything. At least Steam has Offline Play mode, but even then, you actually have the game code stored on your hard drive. OnLive promises that you won't ever have to be bogged down with that... even if you want to. Y'know, sometimes having a clumsy hard drive is a good thing. So the question here is, how much control is afforded to the user?

All that noted, I'm still excited to see OnLive's working technology in the flesh. I think that the ability to push that amount of processor-intensive data with speeds enough to allow for real-time play can have great implications for eliminating lag in online multiplayer gaming, among other things. Imagine, in the next decade, having a portable gaming device that runs off of evolved OnLive technology -- wirelessly -- without waiting for full downloads or being restricted by hardware. Imagine OnLive becoming gaming platform limited only by the inputs of your currently-available hardware, allowing you to access your subscription from any appropriate device as long as you can log in (remember Microsoft's fabled Live Anywhere? Where'd that go... hmm!).

For now, it's all pie in the sky, and until we can get the answers to some important questions, OnLive's success is anything but guaranteed, or even possible. Maybe "success" to the OnLive team isn't mainstream exposure, but rather enough of a niche market to sustain its supposed low maintenance costs. I just hope it doesn't end up too far ahead of its time. There's too much cool factor in there for OnLive to fail before it's ever given the chance to spread its wings.

UPDATE: User comments have lead to more questions that people want answered.

dan543 and Firehawk998 -- How much will we have to pay?

NightmareCV -- Will it be able to host exclusives?

kenic and Kidvideo90 -- Are there any plans to launch outside North America? Japan has just over 60 Mbps, for instance.

I am fed up of seeing threads popping up on the Xbox 360 board about games with 'easy' achievements or games to easily 'boost' your gamerscore. I decided to take it upon myself and create a simple guide to help out those new and clueless users who are interested in boosting their gamerscore.

Now before I get started, I would like you all to please read the following:

1. Your gamerscore is just a number and means nothing other than bragging rights. You own nothing on the internet so remember this; you can have an extremely high gamerscore, then some jackass hacks and steals your Xbox live account. Xbox live support only gives you false hope, doesn't do anything and you loose everything (true story, it happened to me)

2. I do plan to write up more of these in the future, featuring 10 game at a time.

3. Recommendations are fine, however lists will be based on my experiences and mine alone. I will not include a game unless I have a certain amount of experience with it, so obviously if I have not played and completed the game, it will not be on the list. Simple.

4. This entry may contain some minor spoilers

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Avatar: The Last Airbender -- The Burning Earth

This game is the mother of easy achievements. It contains only 5 achievements and all of them are based on combo attacks. If done correctly, you can get full 1000GS in about 3 mins from the title screen (this includes loading time and cut-scenes). As soon as the game starts, simply run to the extreme left and blast the enemies with 'B' button. Try to blast them when they are lined up behind each other for additional hits and don't let them get too close to you. When you kill the first wave, a cut scene will play and another wave will attack. Repeat the above attacking pattern and you'll get to 50 hits in no time (which is the final combo hit achievement)
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NBA 2K6

This game contains 5 achievements. They are easy to get and you can get all achievements in a single game once you know what you are doing. You can get full 1000GS in no more than an hour. It may take inexperienced gamers a little longer, but don't expect to spend a long time to get all these achievements. I'm not going to explain how to get these, figure it out on your own or do your personal research. I will give you a hint, play around with the options and the game sliders to increase your team's potential.

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Lost: Via Domus

This game has an easy 1000GS, however to get them all you may need the assistance of guide. Most of the achievements are based or storyline or involves you taking certain pictures. The pictures are specific and can easily be missed. Even if you play this game through the first time and use a guide to assist you with the achievements second time round, expect to spend around 10 hours with this game.

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TMNT

This game contains a quick and easy 1000GS. The game itself is extremely easy. Just by completing the storyline, you'll get a whopping 920GS. Just meet the requirements for the remaining 2 achievements and 1000GS is easily yours. This game should take you no more than 5 hours.

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Fight Night Round 3

This game contains an easy 1000GS and you can be able to get it in about 5 hours if you tweek the options a bit. Basically all the achievements are earned by winning the sponsored events. Once you've created your player, purchase the illegal moves, Low blow and Elbow to the face. Go to the options lower the difficulty and turn illegal moves off. When fighting, spam your opponent with illegal blows and he should go down easily without much of a fight, even if their stats greatly surpass yours.

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BioShock

Bioshock contains some easy echievements and is one of the best games you'll be playing for achievements. By default it contains a total of 1100GS. Firstly you need to refer to an achievement list to get an idea of what needs to be done and do it. A certain ending will unlock 100GS and harvesting/saving every little sister will net you 40GS. Other achievements can be unlocked simply by fully researching all the enemies in the game, hacking things, upgrading weapons and plasmid/tonic tracks, creating ammo etc. You do have the ability to save almost anywhere in the game so replaying it on the hardest difficulty for that achievements may not be as difficult as other games. In all, if you get the best ending in the game, and follow the achievements from your Xbox360 or a list, you should get around 800GS in your first playthrough which should take you about 10 hours (maybe more depending on how much you explore).

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Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie

Just play the game from start to finish. At the end of certain chapters, you'll unlock achievements. All the achievements are based on the storyline and cannot be missed. Easy 1000GS for around 5 hours.

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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Hard Evidence

This game is an easy 1000GS. It has 5 achievements, worth 200GS a piece. The game itself has 5 episodes and the end of each episode, you'll unlock a 200GS achievement. In all it shouldn't take you more than 5 hours to complete this game and rack up all the achievements. The first episode will take you about an hour to complete, maybe more, as you get familiarize yourself with the gameplay elements. Once you do so, the other episodes will become extremely easy and completing them will be a breeze. However, it isn't recommended you skip the cut-scenes, because some of them will contain vital information and you may find yourself stuck in the game.

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Jumper: Griffin's Story

Jumper contains some easy achievements, however getting full 1000 will take some work and a lot of patience because this game is horrible. The game contains 20 achievements worth 50GS a piece. You can probably get at least 600GS easily during the course of game which will take you around 2 hours to complete. The other achievements will be fustrating and difficult to get such as the achievement for not dying during the game, which is almost impossible, because the second to last and last boss are brutally difficult. Still 2 hours with a crappy game for around 600GS isn't bad.

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Enchanted Arms

For all those of you obsessed with getting 1000GS for games you've played, this game is for you. This game contains a very easy 1000GS, however thy are a bit time consuming to get. This is an RPG, so on average, you'll spend about 40 hours with this one. All achievements are storyline based and unlock when bosses are defeated. Easy 1000GS, but it takes some time. Please take note: Before you enter the final area in the game, make multiple save files. You are given a choice before you battle Touya at the Ice Palace, the choice you make will affect the ending and only the best ending will give you a 150GS achievement

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Thank you for reading. I hope this helps some of you people. More to come in the future.

Edit 1: I updated Enchanted Arms. Thanks to Pfilosophy for jogging my memory. I forgot an achievement can be missed if a wrong choice is made.