- Elann2008
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Elann2008's blog
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4Dec 08
Homesick. If you have been following my blog, I moved out to Arizona from Los Angeles, and the only thing I can think about is my home back in Los Angeles. I don't think I can adapt to this new place. I miss home too much. Consider myself "homesick."
I talked about change. Sometimes change may not always be good. You have to weigh down the pros and cons. And, I dont think I thought it through. I haven't been able to sleep all night because all I can think of is home. My comfy bed, my gaming chair that probably still has my butt mark, and my cozy apartment. Boy, what did I do now? I traveled hundreds of miles only to disappointment myself. Sometimes, I think we take things for granted, and once we've lost something, you start to appreciate it more. When I thought of it, more and more, my Los Angeles home isn't so bad. Maybe it was just me. I'm going to mark this one up as a misfire. I'm going to head home and be with my family and friends. It's way too lonely out here and I'm feeling homesick.
- Posted Dec 4, 2008 4:54 am PT
- Category: N/A
- 6 Comments
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29Nov 08
In a few days, I will be departing for Arizona, leaving Los Angeles, my home of 18 years. I've always felt confined to my little box, and comfort zone, and I needed a new change in environment. This epiphany isnt just about changing where I live, it's also for business and economic reasons my family's future may very well depend on. Besides taking on a new career out there in Arizona, I plan on scouting the area, in terms of opening up a new business and possibly settling down one day. I'm just not "digging" Los Angeles anymore. Los Angeles' vibe is overrated. I don't mean to generalize or be bias, I'm not too fond of the people here in Los Angeles. People here aren't as friendly as they use to be. Most are too egotiscal, selfish, and self absorbed, fake, backstabbers, need I say more? "Hollywood." They're really not nice. Good friends are hard to come by in LA. And I just figured this out now?
Well, it's not too late to make a change. My flight leaves on Wednesday, December 3rd.What a great year to be a gamer. 2008 may have started out slow, but things really took off after the much anticipated releases of Grand Theft Auto IV and Metal Gear Solid 4. If that wasn't enough high quality gaming for you, the games of the Holidays were just around the corner. Honorable mentions include, Fallout 3, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, Dead Space, Call of Duty World at War, Warhammer Online, Crysis Warhead, Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Mirror's Edge, The Witcher Enhanced Edition, WOTLK, Spore, and many others.
My favorite picks:
Lost Odyssey: LO, in my eyes, kicked off the year for me. Fantastic JRPG, which seems to be lacking this year.. *cough Square-Enix cough* I loved the storyline, characters, old school turned based gameplay. It brought back a lot of Final Fantasy memories.. So I was thinking, since the original people who worked on the FF series left, do you think it took away the magic that Square once had? It seems without Hironobu Sakaguchi, Square-Enix has been dropping the ball on all their JRPGs.. or are people just sick of JRPGS nowadays? I remember at the beginning of the year, people were complaining about the the lack of JRPGS.. but now that we have tons at our disposal, people just stopped caring? Or JRPGs just get no love? Or maybe those JRPGs by SE just plain suck? Either way, bring on FF13 already.. Quit wasting time making other games and work on FF13..!
GTA IV: Being the first GTA game I ever played, I welcomed this mighty giant with very little expectations. The graphics were well done for a sandbox game, well-written dialogue, and engaging characters and storyline. Overall, GTA IV left me with a somewhat satisfying experience, due only to the mere fact that it lacked "things" to do after you completed the story mode. Surely, some will find jumping off a highway bridge on a motorcycle extremely amusing, but eventually, it gets old.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Probably the most anticipated release of the year, Hideo Kojima had fans dying in anticipation of this iconic franchise game. Having played previous MGS games in the series, I knew it was going to be a great game, but boy was I blown away by it's sheer variety and quality. Needless to say, graphics were top-notch, even going as far as defying the console's technology, and raising the bar for other PS3 games. As you would expect, the story was MGS at its best, along with a brilliant cast. What stuck out most to me were the controls, which seemed a lot more smoother and fluid. Camera angles were much improved, making controling Snake simple and easy. After everything's been said and done, I strongly feel MGS4 should win GOTY.
Gears of War 2: Cliffy B. promised a bigger, better, and more badass game, and boy did he deliver. I was blown away by the scope of the game. There were so much variety in the level design and interactivity. Basically, I went into every level, not expecting any of the stuff that Epic Games threw at me. I never imagined or pictured Gears of War 2 to be like this. GOW2 had you taking down Brumaks to riding them, choppin' down blood vessels of a sea monster, as well as invading the Queen's horde palace. There were so many things going on in the game, that there was always something new around the corner. And hints and clues that were left in GOW1 about Dom's Story surfaces in GOW2, and brings about closure for the story driven fans. Granted, I wish they revealed a little more backstory to the new characters Dizzy and Tai, Gears of War 2 improved on everything that was Gears of War. Controls were better, cover system was fluid, they introduced new sounds to the weapons, not to mention, better graphics, and everyone's favorite - Horde Mode. Now, Horde Mode was a surprise to me, having been disappointed that there wasn't 4-player co-op in the campaign mode. After hearing Epic Games totally dropped that idea, my Gears of War 2 fantasy went "poof." Pleasantly, horde mode is a blast. Its satisfying 4 player co-op gameplay, tackling the locust made online play fun, and it gave GOW2 a ton of replayability. I would have handed over my GOTY nod to Gears of War 2 had they implemented a 4-player co-op story mode. The rushed cliff-hanger ending came to a surprise. It left me saying "well, that was quick.." Well, Gears of War 3, will happen and they better put 4-player co-op in the campaign mode!
Dead Space (PC): Of all big hit titles, I found myself surprisingly hyped for Dead Space. Something about the atmosphere and the story really intrigued me. And the animated comics on gametrailers.com really brought about more hype. I really enjoyed those, btw. And then the animated movie! I was in Dead Space land, or ship rather. As much as I hate to compare games, (mind you blank vs blank thread creators out there
) Dead Space was like a cross between Resident Evil 4 and BioShock. If you don't believe me, play the game! In it's own right, it does many things different. It brings about cool weapons that were built to dissect and decapitate alien beasts. Well, actually, they were used by the miners or whatever as tools, but our protagonist, whipped it out and used it on those alien scum! Smart guy. Like BioShock, the atmosphere stood out the most, the cool weapons, and the story. The atmosphere along with the story, kept you engaged in the game, wondering what the hell would happen next. Along the way you're slicin' up aliens and stompin' em. And this is where the controls kinda bothered me. See, the guys over at EA made this game without a screen filled with UI. They turned it into some floating UI, which is great, to make the game more immersive. But the problem is, there were no hotkeys (that I knew of) for first aid kits, so as you can imagine, you're running away from aliens while pulling up the "floating" menu to use your aid kit. Kinda sucks to be you, doesn't it!? I own the PC port, so we kinda got shafted. The mouse is floaty, the graphics were better than the console version, but it didn't really utilize the power of the PC hardware. Other than that, it's a pretty great game. I wouldn't say a 9.0, but well between, 8.5-9.0. More like 8.7. Left 4 Dead (PC): What can I say? This game is all about fun and kickin' zombie a$$. I was hooked since Valve released the PC demo. I played it non-stop, and put about 20-30 hours on the demo alone. Graphics are sweet. It's suppose to be a modified source engine and it shows. On max settings, 1920x1200, L4D looks phenomenal on the PC. More importantly, it's 4-player co-op, zombie killin' fun. My only quam with L4D is the lack of content. The game shipped with only 4 movies, which contains 5 chapters or acts in each. Punch in the calculator, you have 20 chapters/acts. Not bad right? Well, L4D makes it so that playing alone isn't fun at all. Meaning, if you play alone with AI bots, it's boring. At least for me. And it's probably impossible to beat it on expert with AI bots. So you have to turn to online, which makes the experience so much more fun, granted, you get good players. There's almost no reason to play on Normal difficulty unless you're trying the game out for your first time. Most will jump right onto to advanced, and then quickly to expert later on. So far, I've completed the 4 movies on both advanced and expert, and I don't have much reason to play again, maybe just for a few achievements. I would have liked for a harder difficulty than expert. Perhaps, "Extreme Zombie" mode or something. Expert can be pretty tough, but after awhile, it starts to feel like advanced, if you know what I mean. Hopefully with Modders creating new levels, and making awesome mods, L4D will start to pick up again. At least for me. But it's really too bad this game only came with 4 movies, when it should have shipped with AT LEAST 5. And that's what probably set back L4D in terms of getting gamers who are on the fence about buying the game. Valve promised future DLC, and more for the PC version owners. So we'll see. Versus mode is quite fun, only when you play as the HORDE. Playing as the survivors is boring. And I have no clue why they made it so that you can chat to the opposing side, during the game! As a result, you have a lot of trash talking.. and it's kinda irritating, to say the least. Personally, I would have loved for L4D to have a story and dialogue, and maybe even some bosses. AI director is brilliant though. Each playthrough is different so things aren't predictable. To sum up L4D, FUN, but lasting appeal is surprisingly average due to the lack of content.
Call of Duty World at War (PC): Infinity Ward vs Treyarch. COD4 vs WAW. The ongoing debate. Well, for those on the fence about WAW, let me help you out. Call of Duty 4, a super successful modern warfare shooter that sold like hotcakes, will forever be in most gamer's minds. They can't get enough of the online play, and sadly enough, it even ended in some tragic events (boy who ran away from home, addicted to COD4). Nonetheless, COD4 was a refreshing new look to the military shooter genre. I, too, was sick and tired of all the WWII shooters out there. So COD4 came along, despite having a short campaign, made my day. Fantastic modern military shooter. Great single player mode, great online. And then came along World at War, by Treyarch. "Faces cringe." Well, you're wrong. WAW is a great game. Sure, it's not modern warfare, it's WWII, but a refreshing WWII shooter. Besides, MGS4 and GOW2, WAW is easily in my top 5 favorite games of 2008. WAW is action-packed from start to finish. Engaging storyline, character dialogue, and you're with a squad or NPC at all times. Personally, I enjoyed the Russian campaign a lot more than the American one. The Russian characters had more personality and the story and dialogue were so much better and well-written. WAW is very immersive, almost like a movie, and it's very interactive, while keeping you engaged and never bored. The WWII weapons aren't as fun to use as the modern warfare ones, but they're still fun to use. Flamethrower wasn't as fun as I imagined, and they're only good for burning out those bunkers. I wasn't a fan of the tank vehicle mission, but it's just a small bump in the road to an amazing game. If you have a nice PC rig, I would recommend getting it on the PC. On max settings, this game is BEAUTIFUL. And I wouldn't play it any other way. WAW is not one of those PC games dumbed down by the console version counterparts. It looks absolutely stunning. You can even see the reflection of the water off the bottom of your boots.
Crysis Warhead: Great game, like Crysis, with better missions, and more personality. Graphics aren't as great as Crysis, but close. Psycho makes for a great main character. Less jungle, more variety in levels.. is great. Dual-Wielding guns in Crysis isn't as great as imagined it would be. Vehicle levels are better than Crysis'.
Warhammer Online: Although fun at first, like other MMORPGs, it gets old, eventually. There are tons of c.l.a.s.s.e.s to choose from, Goblins are funny, and pvp is fun for a while. PVE content consists of quests and PQs, so don't expect to be able to fish in this game.. or do other PVE worldy things. There are professions but there isn't any incentive to work on them.. And earning Gold is easy, but you don't have many things to spend them on. WAR is for the pvp gamer. If you're looking for PVE, seriously, don't get it and stick to WOW or something else. Graphics are pretty when set on max settings. WOW has more of an artsy graphics quality, and WAR is more like other games you see around. So I can't really say WAR looks better. WOW has a different art-sy look and it's better optimized. WARhammer still has it's bugs and performance is still average. Sometimes RVR skirmishes are like a slideshow even on the beefiest rigs. Warhammer, is a nice change of pace if you're sick of WOW, or if you're looking to only PVP. Personally, I think WOW is better because of the PVE content, but don't forget that WOW has good PVP too.. although the rewards system isn't as great as WAR's. Getting to 40 is quite a task, but probably not as bad of a grind as getting from 1-60 on WOW. One of the things I noticed was that WAR isn't as social as WOW. You can solo the whole game in WAR and never talk to one human soul. As opposed to WOW, you're bound to make friends even if you don't go around looking for one. Guilds in WAR, are more like chatrooms. You talk and talk, but you never really do anything with each other, except for lvl 40 players. WOW was more interative and it encouraged team player.. to socialize, and build internet relationships. That's what I missed about WOW that wasn't in WAR, aside from the PVE aspect of it all. Like I said, WAR is for you if you're looking for a PVP focused MMO, or if you're sick of WOW.
Let's just say, I was hooked on WOW for a little over a year.. and I'm already getting bored of WAR in two months. There just isn't much to do while lvling from 1-40, and you find yourself just pvping.. PQ stages cant all be solo'ed but you'll find most PQ areas dead because of low population. Not all PQs are fun and engaging. They should make most of the final stages in PQs have big bosses. Armors look all the same.. so you're bound to run into another player that will have your armor and weapons.. hardly making your MMO experience unique. But one good thing is that, there is no elitest attitude. I may take a break from WAR, and come back when they make things more interesting and fun. But for now, I might just quit or play casually. Even though I already play casually.
I might even go back to WOW.. even though that might be dreadful mistake.
I'm not always playing single player games so MMORPGs are nice for downtime gaming. Games that I will buy: Prince of Persia (PC), Far Cry 2 (PC), Fable 2 (PC), Mirror's Edge (PC, Jan 09). There are rumors that Fable 2 (PC) has been confirmed. There are websites that say Fable 2 PC is already in development. One can only hope! This only means, Gears of War 2 will eventually see the light of day on the PC. Never say never.
What I'm looking forward to in 2009: Killzone 2, Resident Evil 5, Diablo 3, God of War 3, Halo ODST, to name a few.
I know it has been a LONG time since my last blog post (not that you guys care anyways). There are just a lot of things going on! And to post blogs, the mood has to be right, I say. Anyways, thanks for reading! I'll report back after I get situated in Arizona. People, buy Prince of Persia!

- Posted Nov 29, 2008 10:57 pm PT
- Category: N/A
- 4 Comments
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22Jul 08
Some of you may have already found out about Christian Bale's alleged assault on his mother and sister earlier this morning. This incident supposedly took place a few days before the premiere of "The Dark Knight" so that it wouldn't ruin the premiere and box office weekend numbers. The police would not reveal who the 34-year-old actor was that assaulted his mother and sister. The "34-year-old actor" was released on bail. No charges have been filed, yet.
After 10 years as a struggling actor, Christian Bale started breaking out in movies like the American Psycho, Reign of Fire, The Machinist, and the infamous Batman Begins and just a few days ago, The Dark Knight. I really hope these allegations are false and that they simply have the wrong guy and this is all some media circus act. As much as I would like to block this out of my mind, my favorite actor in the entire planet is a criminal? Not just your ordinary criminal, but someone who hits his mother and sister?! For Bale's sake, I really hope not. To be quite honest, I would never have thought that Bale would ever do such a thing. He was always the cool, quiet, calm and collected, type of person. A very private person, virtually never appearing in the media unless it has to do with a new movie he is promoting. I dont know what to say. I hope everything surfaces and they announce that they have the wrong guy and it was some media propanganda.
- Posted Jul 22, 2008 11:33 am PT
- Category: N/A
- 47 Comments
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7Jul 08
Hi guys. I wanted to get some opinions from the Gamespot friends community. Which do you think is the worst XBL community? I would have to say Gears of War. I had quite a few runs with Halo 3, Gears of War, Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty 4, Metal Gear Online, but nothing is worst than the Gears of War community. For the first time today, I witnessed a couple of guys on my team call an opponent a N*****. It is hard for me even to put the "N" there but you wouldnt know what I'm referring to. This went on for a while and I thought it would stop, but it didnt. So I left the match. I think it's a serious issue but unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it but file a compaint, and submit a player review. And the obvious choice would be to mute them. Dont get me wrong, Gears of War is my favorite multiplayer online but I feel like such a low-life playing amongst these random, obnoxious people. Don't you? Anyways, cast your votes for worst XBL Community.
My next topic steers its way into Gears of War again but not the original, I'm talking Gears of War 2. As you guys may know, Epic Games has been showing off the multiplayer quite a lot lately. And it seems to me, this time around we're going to see a huge emphasis on gameplay. You have your original gameplay mechanics mixed in with new and impressive moves. You can flip opponents over and curbstomp them in the face. When you're "downed" you can crawl to one of your teammates or to a cover position which I thought was the most noticeable new gameplay mechanic. I could imagine a lot of teabagging going on because of that, haha. We finally get a snow level and it's also featured as a map in the multiplayer. We have new characters, a more engaging storyline, and we have more badass weapons.
Aside from all of that, what would you like to see in Gears of War 2? Or what would like improved? Personally, I'd like for Epic Games to confirm 4-player co-op for the campaign mode. If they have, then I apologize. I haven't been really following up too much on it. But what I heard so far, is just a rumor but more than likely it will be because Cliff promised a badass game. I would to see more big boss fights. I cannot emphasize that enough. Big boss fights means a more nostalgic experience and guaranteed nirvana in 4-player co-op. Just imagine, you and three of your friends fighting big, baddass bosses? Ooooh man! Can you say Grub?! Before I end this discussion on Gears of War 2, I would like Epic Games to do away with Host Advantage. If they manage to take this out, we'll get less people complaining about Host Advantage and all that bologne. Last but not least, more level variety. As you well know, in the original Gears of War, we had a lot of levels that took you from building to building, mansion to underground caves. It was great, I'm not complaining but I would like to see more level varieties. So far, I have seen a snow level which is so awesome, and screenshots of other levels I can hardly describe at this point. Here's to an epic game in November.
July is the month to talk about. A new game perhaps? No, not really. So what is it? Well, there's E3 in Los Angeles. Some of you guys are wondering if I'm attending E3 this year because I live in Los Angeles. Sadly, no. I did go last year though.
So we have E3 in July. Which game are you looking foward to the most that you know will be there? Which game would you like to make a surprise appearance? Which game will steal the show? State your answers and discuss. I want you guys to talk in this thread. Some of you guys hardly deliver more than a sentence. I would love to hear from the Gamespot friends community. As for me, I'm looking foward to Too Human. Like I stated in my previous blog, I would love for Too Human to succeed. It still has a ton of potential and I hear the doubts, I do. Here's to hoping Silicon Knights will pull it off in August. Other honorable mentions include Fallout 3, Spore, Tomb Raider Underworld, Gears of War 2, Resistance 2, Little Big Planet, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed which Gamespot forgot about!
Fable 2, I could go on all day. I would like to see a follow-up with Prince of Persia, and games that disappeared off the map like Tiberium, BioShock 2, Crysis Warhead, Borderlands, Dead Space, and possibly Mass Effect 2? I can dream. I think Alan Wake is going to make a surprise appearance. I know that many people highly doubt it but I can dream. If Alan Wake shows up, I think E3 will literally blow up out of pure joy and excitement. Lastly, I think Fallout 3 will steal the show. I know, I know. Gamespot, IGN, nearly everyone is hyped for Fallout 3. They see the name Bethesda and they scream with glee. I dont blame them. To me, Fallout 3 is like Fable 2 set in a postapocalyptic world, but better. You have your trusty pal dogmeat (dog companion), a bobblehead Hawaii Chick, and some old broken record. Suprisingly enough, gamers cant get enough of postapocalyptic, end of world, doomsday video games. We love fantasy worlds. Yes we friggin do. Let the discussions begin.
- Posted Jul 7, 2008 4:21 pm PT
- Category: N/A
- 101 Comments
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5Jul 08
With E3 2008 just around the corner, Too Human by Silicon Knights has already been receiving not-so epic preview-reviews. What was suppose to be a Playstation One game turned out to be a 10-year delay video game slated exclusively for the Xbox 360. So you're probably wondering what was Silicon Knights doing in the past 10 years to deserve such criticism? Your guess is as good as mine. Shot down because of a bad camera, repetitive gameplay, and the lack of different enemy character models. I mean, what action game isn't repetitive? But with Too Human, you have RPG elements embedded into it, massive dungeon environments, and tons of lighting effects and explosions to make your eyes gleam. On top of that, Too Human promises hundreds of thousands of weapon variants that should take you hours and hours to search and collect throughout the entire game!
I really hope that Too Human does not disappoint. It already has been bashed because of its incredibly-long production time only to be boggled down by simple things like game camera. All I ask from Silicon Knights is to fix the camera. Please, please, fix the camera! If they do, this game will be AMAZING. The infamous studio has about a month to get out the kinks and bugs before releasing this mammoth of a game. Whether Too Human garners an average to solid score, I will still be purchasing this title on day one.
- Posted Jul 5, 2008 12:54 pm PT
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- 27 Comments
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3Jul 08
As you well know, there are several potential "big hit" titles this year. If you could pick one game this year, what would it be? As for me, I would have to pick Fable 2. As much as I would love to get my hands on Gears of War 2, Too Human, or the new Prince of Persia installment, I would love it more if I can dive into the world of Fable 2. From the looks of it, Fable 2 looks immersive with lush and highly detailed environments, and wonderful NPCs that embody this fantasty world. I know for sure that I'll be forever lost in its immersiveness. It is going to be one of those games that I'll be playing from hours on end.
- Posted Jul 3, 2008 3:03 pm PT
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- 26 Comments
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28Jun 08
Hi guys. I wanted to thank WalkingP for making banners for my profile page. What a nice guy.
He went out of his way to look for pictures and resize them perfectly to fit into my banner's section. Not only that, the banners are of high quality, with no stretching or blurr. It is nice to have someone like WalkingP that helps people out within the Gamespot community. I am not very tech savvy so it is nice to have someone who has the "know-how" and "how-to." The Prince of Persia banner you see above the blog section is one of his creations. I wanted to take the time to thank the man who is responsible for this artwork. Thank you WalkingP! - Posted Jun 28, 2008 7:33 am PT
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- 15 Comments
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20Jun 08
I didnt realize how much work is put into the gaming world. With today's technology that's growing at a rapid pace and competition in the marketplace, getting the best out of gaming can be chaotic. Recently, my PS3 just bombed on me. Everytime I turn on my PS3, there would be no video signal. Before you ask, I did everything humanly possible. I checked my HDMI cable if it was loose, my power cord, HDTV, everything. So, I find myself resetting my PS3 for the signal to detect. Ok, it works again. Great, NO. Here's the thing, once I turn off my PS3 and turn it back on, it does the same thing again. No Signal. And when I turned off my PS3 again, it doesnt turn off properly. Normally, the green light in the front is suppose to blink 5 times before it shuts off and turns red. In my case, it doesnt. It goes from green to red, instantly after pressing and holding the power button for 8-10 seconds. Normally, it only takes 1-2 seconds to turn off. So I've come to the conclusion that something is seriously wrong with my PS3. From now on, I'll never buy electronics off of Ebay. And believe me, I never have. If it werent for the 60GB model, I would have steered clear of eBay. I always buy my electronics new, solely because things like this will bound to happen. Had I waited for the MGS4 bundle, I would be sitting happy like a duck on the lake. But look at me, I'm more like a squirrel that got shot by a slingshot. Happy kid: 1. Squirrel: 0. Keep in mind, my warranty is up, because it's the 60GB model. The Sony rep said to take it into a repair shop but in my area, there isnt any. I called all over town and no one returned my phone calls, mainly because they probably dont have the "know-how" to fix one in the first place! So here I am, with a dud of a PS3. It's pretty much dead weight. Of all consoles, I didnt think the PS3 would poop out on me. Seriously. If anything, I thought my 360 would give up on me first. But after two perfect Xbox 360's, Microsoft still wins. Why two? Well I had a premium and I upgraded to an Elite and it wasnt because of RROD. Just a clean upgrade for more HDD space. So now, I lost all trust in Sony's product. I will forever be paranoid just like an Xbox 360 owner after experiencing RROD or some faulty disc drive error. Gaming is hard work. Harder than I thought. Not only do we shell out big bucks for these expensive machines but they die out on us. Sony says, they dont have any authorized dealers that can repair it for me... Lame.
I wanted to talk more about this topic other than my broken PS3. Gaming is really hard work. You have to buy this and that, in order for this and that to work and connect to this and that, blah blah, friggin, blah. I have more wires and cables than anyone known to man. Whatever happened to simplicity? PS3 requiring bluetooth headsets to be used as a mic/headset when they could just release their very own PS3 headset like Microsoft's? And dont get me started with composite, s-video, component, and hdmi cables that I seem to be spending a lot of my money on, so I could get Wii and PS2 games to look good. They're all gimmicks! None of the cables look significantly better than the other. Unless it's a still image of a comparsion, stood side by side, you cant even tell! The only time you can tell is when you go HD via HDMI cable. The difference from composite to s-video is slim to none. S-video to component, colors are richer, but picture seems to blurr out more than S-Video. Electronics are so complicated when it comes to gaming. I've gone through three new SDTVs I picked up for my Wii and PS2 games, and I had to return all of them. To spend your hard earned dollars for like a small ounce of SLIGHTLY (using that term loosely) better picture quality is crazy. I dont see the difference. When it comes to 480i games, I do not see one difference. I dont want to say it, but sometimes I regret buying the Wii, and I regret buying the PS3 60GB for backwards compatibility. I was less stressed out with my old setup. I was at peace with my games. Now, it's become an all out war and my OCD has taken over me, more than ever. I am one to pay attention to every detail, while in the end, it makes no difference at the end of the day. At least not anymore. Trying to make everything seem perfect in gaming has driven me mad. And I just recieved my new graphics card and PSU, so I hope I wont be running into any trouble with that. I can almost guarantee you, I will. I'm just the kind of person who doesnt have much luck with electronics. I always end up getting the short end of the stick. Thanks for reading.
Update:
Graphics card overheated. It was hot enough to heat up the earth. It made my computer turn off by itself to protect it from permanently damaging the CPU. Mind you, I was just installing it. I didnt even get to play any games yet. My power supply unit is working just fine with my computer right now. So I'm pretty sure it's my graphics card. Defective maybe? Sigh, I told you I have bad luck with electronics. Everytime I upgrade, I get whacked in the head with all this voodoo. First it's my PS3, my HDTV with a dead pixel, my SDTVs that didnt make any difference in picture quality except made it worst, and to top it off, Fedex dinged up my SDTV pretty bad. I am up to here with electronics. I feel so bad and depressed. All this work and money, for more headache. Sigh. I'll just crawl under a rock and play catch the worms. Screw new age technology!
Once again, ANOTHER update:
I found another dead pixel on my HDTV. I already called Circuit City and I'm taking it back today. It's within my 30 day return guarantee. I was going to live with the one dead pixel but TWO?! No way!
I lied, one more update:
Guitar Hero 3 wireless guitar will not detect motion when I swing my guitar in an upwards motion to get a rock meter boost. Yet another faulty electronic device.
- Posted Jun 20, 2008 8:42 pm PT
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- 33 Comments
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13Jun 08
Hey guys. By now, you should be bored of my recent post so I decided to give you guys an update on my gaming ventures. I just ordered Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (PS3), a new XFX Geforce 8800GT XXX Alpha Dog Edition graphics card, and Crysis the PC video game to go with it. I've been putting off buying GH3 for a while. My friends all have the PS3 but no Xbox 360.. so I went with the PS3 version. It comes with the wireless guitar and I'll be looking to customize the faceplate.
I wasnt going to get it but I thought what the hell, the guitar will look cool in my room, next to my acoustic guitar that I have neglected lately.
As for the graphics card, I picked it up for a knock-out price and I've been wanting to know what the fuss is about with Crysis. Honestly, I got it mainly for Spore and World of Warcraft. I'm planning to go back to the World of Warcraft, but I'm not quite set on the idea yet. I just might. Either way, the graphics card will boost up the video quality of my PC and media so it all works out nicely. I also made sure to have it shipped standard shipping so I have time to play MGS4 lol. I cant be bombarded with other temptations with MGS4, no siree! Oh, I bought some nice game posters and I'll be putting them up in frames when I get them in a few weeks. I'm going to turn this room into a game room for relaxation and fun. When I have guests like say my friends, they wont be so bored.
I have been working on my V-log and I should have it up tonight if I dont get confused with how to upload it and everything. I really need a tripod though. It's difficult to film without it. Thanks for reading guys. Catch ya later!
- Posted Jun 13, 2008 3:15 pm PT
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- 28 Comments
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12Jun 08
Hi guys. So I went to the Gamestop midnight release. Yeah I know, I missed out on Best Buy's David Hayter midnight signing in West Hollywood... Bad move.. but oh well. No regrets because I met some cool people and made some new friends. Friends that I may have not met if I went to the Best Buy location. I pre-ordered the standard edition but when it came time to midnight and the doors swung open, I started to reconsider upgrading to the limited edition. I knew the guy "Danny" at Gamestop and he happened to be there tonight working his late shift. I asked him if he still had any limited edition left and he asked the manager "Crystal" and she replied "yes." Odd enough, the other gamestop employee taking care of the line outside told me they were sold out and all pre-ordered. So, whadda ya know? With some hesitation, I said, "What the hell. I'll take the limited edition." Danny scanned it and boom, there ya go. Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition in hands. So I went back outside, happier than ever. I exchanged phone numbers and PSN names like a nerd.
And I was on my way out. On my way to the car, there was a guy and his buddy sitting, admiring the MGS4 Bundle they managed to get, without pre-ordering. There were only 4 MGS4 bundles left. And he happened to be the first in line. But as I was heading back to the car, the gamestop employee asked if anyone still wanted the MGS4 bundle, with only three people left in line and two at the cash register. If I had $500 to blow, I would have bought it but I didnt think it was necessary. Anyways, Walmart was giving the $100 gift card in addition to buying a Blu-ray player at full price, and this includes the MGS4 Bundle. So now. I'm sitting here, with MGS4 limited edition in the bag still, sitting on top of my desk, in front of my HDTV, as we speak. To open, or not to open. That is the question... You know.. This could be worth a lot 5-8 years from now. Brand-new, factory sealed. I can get a lot for this 6 months from now, let alone 5-8 years. What to do, what to do?! My dilemma. Personally, I would keep it. I wouldnt even sell it unless a rich guy offered me $20,000 or some outrageous figure. If I open this, it wont be so limited edition anymore. But if I dont, I will have to go to the store tomorrow and buy another one, or a standard edition one. Errr....this sucks. I am a collector so this matters to me. I'm sure some of you guys would be like, "Open the damn thing already!" Lol. And I could understand why, but at the same time, this is a limited edition Metal Gear Solid 4 game. I may never have, ever again, a sealed off MGS4 limited edition game. Hmm. I want to hear what you guys think. I'm not going to base my decision on your opinions but I'm curious. What would you do? That is the question. 

- Posted Jun 12, 2008 12:56 am PT
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- 28 Comments
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31May 08
Hi all. I was up all morning because I finally have a Saturday off. Once in a long time do I get to have one. I compiled a small list of upcoming games and their corresponding dates. I didnt list all the games but I did list the ones I thought would turn out to be excellent titles. Some are hyped, some are classic games revamped. Get ready to break open those piggy banks. As summer nears, the heat isnt the only thing that's going to be rising. Check this out.
PS3 & Xbox 360
Ninja Gaiden 2 - June 3, 2008.
Metal Gear Solid 4 - June 12, 2008.
Alone in the Dark - June 24, 2008.
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith - June 29, 2008.
Soul Calibur IV - July 29, 2008.
Too Human - August 12, 2008.
Tales of Vesperia - August 19, 2008.
Infinite Discovery - September 2, 2008.
Spore - September 7, 2008.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - September 16, 2008.
Silent Hill: Homecoming - September 30, 2008.
Bionic Commando - October 2008.
Fable 2 - October 1, 2008.
Halo Wars - October 1, 2008.
Fallout 3 - October 7, 2008.
Far Cry 2 - October 7, 2008.
Fracture - October 7, 2008.
Ghostbusters - October 21, 2008.
Guitar Hero: World Tour - October 27, 2008.
Dead Space - October 27, 2008.
Splinter Cell: Conviction - October 7, 2008.
Little Big Planet - October 7, 2008.
Gears of War 2 - November 3, 2008.
Tomb Raider Underworld - November 3, 2008.
Left 4 Dead - November 4, 2008.
Resistance 2 - November 4, 2008.
Mirror's Edge - November 11, 2008.
Tekken 6 - November 25, 2008.
PRINCE OF PERSIA - December 2008.
Final Fantasy Versus XIII - December 13, 2008.
Alan Wake - December 31, 2008. (LOL!)
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - Q4 2008.
Infamous - January 2, 2009.
Street Fighter IV - February 3, 2009.
Killzone 2 - February 24, 2009.
Eight Days - March 1, 2009.
God of War - March 2, 2009.
Prototype - April 1, 2009.
Resident Evil 5 - March 2009.PSP
Sony PSP God of War Bundle - June 3, 2008.
Space Invaders Extreme - June 17, 2008.
Secret Agent Clank - June 17, 2008.
Star Ocean: First Departure - September 30. 2008.
Star Ocean: Second Evolution - September 30, 2008.
Valhalla Knights 2 - September 30, 2008.
Elder Scrolls Travel: The Oblivion - TBA 2008.
Quantum of Solace - TBA 2008.
Samurai Showdown Anthology! - TBA 2008.Nintendo Wii
Rock Band Special Edition Bundle - June 22, 2008.
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon - July 8, 2008.
Order Up! - July 22, 2008.
Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility - July 29, 2008.
Rygar: The Battle of Argus - August 1, 2008.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - September 16, 2008.
Facebreaker - November 4, 2008.
Disaster: Day of Crisis - January 2, 2009.
Madworld - February 24, 2009.
Pilotwings - March 6, 2009.Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS Lite Metallic Rose - June 8, 2008.
Arkanoid - June 17, 2008.
Final Fantasy Tactics A2 OSG - June 18, 2008.
Top Spin 3 - June 23, 2008.
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 - July 1, 2008.
Final Fantasy IV OSG - July 14, 2008.
DS Lightsaber Stylus 2 Pack - July 25, 2008.
Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness - July 29, 2008.
Spore Creatures - September 7, 2008.
Dragon Quest IV - September 16, 2008.
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix - October 14, 2008.
de Blob - March 2, 2009*UPDATE*
Eight Days and Getaway productions has stopped but it doesnt mean they are canceled.
If I had to pick one game, it would be Prince of Persia. With God of War (PS3) following closely behind. A side of Too Human to go with that would be great!
- Posted May 31, 2008 4:24 am PT
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- 28 Comments
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30May 08
Hey guys. In preparation and much anticipation for the Metal Gear Solid 4 Bundle Pack, I have been shopping around for black label Sony Playstation 1 & 2 video games that I've played and haven't played. I'll be honest, I wasnt much of a Sony fan besides the Final Fantasy series. After playing Final Fantasy X and God of War, I quickly sold my PS2. I was a late bloomer and I picked up my PS2 later than everyone else and I got rid of it before anyone else too. I wish I didnt! With that regret pushed aside with redeemed hope, I have been on a tear for my quest to collect black label PS2 games. So far, I have picked up these great titles:
ICO
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP) - Black Label
Metal Gear Solid (PS1)
Shadow of the Colosus (factory sealed)
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Two Thrones
God of War
God of War 2 (factory sealed)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts 2
***UPDATE***
Shin Megami Tensei: PERSONA 3 FES
Final Fantasy XII: Collector's Edition
I just picked these up last night.
These are the games that I missed out on from the PS2. After I complete MGS4, I will go back and relive the days that I missed on the Sony Playstation 2. Hopefully, 5-10 years from now, these black label titles will be worth 5 times as much.
P.S. - I wanted to pick up Final Fantasy 7 but it was a whopping $70-150. It's so rare that people are slapping on a huge price tag for them. Ironically, the Metal Gear Solid PSone game cost as little as $10-50. I'll have to reconsider getting Final Fantasy 7 for now. It's still a pretty hefty price tag of a game!
- Posted May 30, 2008 8:56 pm PT
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- 9 Comments
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23May 08Coming soon...
- Posted May 23, 2008 1:39 pm PT
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- 7 Comments
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20May 08
The wait is almost over. I'm coming back soon. I'm looking at one to two days but no more than two days. Thank God for that. I'm getting paid Thursday so I should be able to pick up that HDTV I have had my eye on. I'll be sure to post up pics as soon as I have it all set up. I cant wait. These past two weeks has really tested my patience. No computer, no LCD HDTV, at home really sucks monkey balls. Not the video game okay.
There's a slight twist to this story. I'm getting this HDTV on sale for a fabulous price. And the HDTV is absolutely GORGEOUS. I've never seen an HDTV like this. And for its amazing price, it cannot be beat any time, and any place. The sale is going on for only this week and this week only - I think because of Memorial Day. I'm not sure if they will continue or have a new sale starting Monday.. So the sale ends this Saturday, according to the salesperson so I have to race against time. I would hate to hear that the sale is over tomorrow or Thursday. I'll be super bummed.
I recieved my Xbox 360 Elite game console yesterday along with a Halo Limited Edition Controller (sold separately), Art done by Todd McFarlane (pardon my spelling). I believe it's the same artist who created "Spawn." Well, he's a genius. As for my computer, I'm still waiting for it. It should be here Thursday. Then, I'll be really up and running.
I miss Xbox Live, I miss my Playstation 3, which I sold because I'm upgrading to the Metal Gear Solid 4 80GB Bundle (June 12th). I sold my Nintendo Wii (AGAIN!) because one of my co-workers has a son that wanted a Wii. It's also his son's birthday. I sold it for really really cheap. I wanted to help him out. He's a great dad. You should have seen the look on his face. He thanked me for selling it for such a great price. I threw in an SD Card, component cable, and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. He was stoked. His son doesnt know yet. It's a surprise. I'm happy that he's happy. That's all that matters. I'll get a Wii again sometime next month or July when I have more downtime.
I'm upgrading to 80GB PS3 because I really want backwards compatibility. I want to play God of War, God of War 2, Kindom Hearts 2, and Metal Gear Solid 3. Another great thing about the 80GB is that, I dont have to ugprade my HDD any more. 80GB is more than sufficient.
I really miss you guys and I miss writing on my blog. I still have to review "The Darkness." It's been weeks already, I know and I'm sorry! lol. I've been using the computer at my office occasionally. I wrote to Craigalan23 first chance I got. Lol. I'm about 60% sure I'll be back tomorrow, at least when it comes to gaming. But I should be fully up and running Thursday. Friday at the latest if I get struck by lightning and survive. Lol jk. That would knock me out for weeks. Goodbye Gamespot, HELLO Hospital Food!
So anyways, I really miss you guys and gals. Thanks for reading my pointless and boring blogs. I'll try to make them more interesting.
I'll see you guys soon. Take care!- Posted May 20, 2008 7:55 pm PT
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16May 08
Due to HDTV, Computer Desktop PC, and XBox 360 upgrades, I wont be online and/or gaming for the next two weeks. By the time I come back, it will be 12 days from Metal Gear Solid 4's release. Sneak Out, I should say. So have fun, avoid headshots, and have some more fun.
Take care and happy hunting. 
- Posted May 16, 2008 4:36 am PT
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- 5 Comments
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15May 08This blog calls on all dudes and dudettes. Anyone that owns and plays their Nintendo Wii on an HDTV, I need your help. So, I tried out my Nintendo Wii on my HDTV. I set the TV resolution in the Wii settings to EDTV or HDTV 480p, 16:9 Widescreen and it's hooked to 24k gold plated component cables. The result, a jaggy, serrated, fuzzy/blurry effect on my HDTV screen! I hear on the forums that the Wii doesnt really support HDTV and that people prefer to play on their SDTVs. Hmm. So why did they have settings enabled for HDTV 480p? Doesnt make any sense. I'm not complaining about the Wii's graphics. It looks great, I'm pointing out the picture quality. It's not even playable in my eyes. If Link's face zooms too far from the screen, he suddenly starts to look like a plate of spaghetti. Clearly, I didnt expect this from a next-gen system. You dont have to be the industry's leading giant in graphics but it would be nice to have some HDTV support. Why even put HDTV 480p in there if it's not going to display well in HDTV? It's misleading. Sure, I could be wrong. Maybe my HDTV is a bad model? It's funny because I've seen so many people playing their Wii's on an HDTV and it looked sharp. So why cant mine do the same? Frustrating.. Maybe I set it up wrong, somehow, someway.. but I dont see any error in my formula. If you guys have any advice, suggestions, please mention it. Thank you in advance.
- Posted May 15, 2008 10:20 pm PT
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- 5 Comments
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11May 08
Hey guys! I rented and watched a movie a few days ago and I fell in love with the movie. I'm one of the few men in the world that loves chick flix. Dont get me wrong, I love action movies, sci-fi, comedy, and so on, but my favorite would be chick flix, lol. This kind of movie really moves you and makes you think. It's intelligent and touching at the same time. It's real, or at least it feels real. It's something you definitely can relate to. So my favorite movie and soundtrack goes to "P.S. I Love You." This movie is so moving, touching, and heart-felt. Guys and gals will love it. Watch it with your girlfriend or boyfriend. I was watching this one with my friend from New York and we were balling man, lol. I think I loved the the movie more than she did. Hillary Swank gave a brilliant performance along with Gerard Butler (300 the movie) showed a ton of range with his surprising role. Kathy Bates (Misery) gave an impeccable performance as usual! She's one of my favorites. We both loved it. I took some time to check out the soundtrack to the movie, today. Needless to say, great soundtrack. Songs like "More Time" by Hardtobreathe were more upbeat and optimistic, to songs like "Everything We Had" by The Academy Is... which expressed regret, to "Same Mistake" by James Blunt. And my personal favorite, "Last Train Home" by Ryan Star. Great soundtrack and an even better movie to match. This is a movie you definitely need to go rent. I highly recommend it. And get the soundtrack too while you're at it, or at least a few of the songs (at the iTunes store).
On other news, my friend from New York came to visit me on Wednesday. We had a blast and I always enjoy her company. It's funny how we have so many things in common. We even laugh about it sometimes. She's just one of those gal pals that you dont want to cross that line with because you dont want to lose her. Better we stay friends forever. Hell, we even slept in the same bed. She doesnt mind even though she's a female. I offered her the bed and I said I would sleep on the couch but she said, sleep on the bed! As long as she didnt mind. We love late nights and movies so we kinda go well together. Anyways, she left yesterday and hopefully she'll be back in 3-6 months. Maybe I'll go to New York to visit her, who knows. I've always wanted to go there. That's all for tonight's news. Have a good one. Take care guys.
*Update*
P.S. I Love You - Top Rentals on iTunes!
- Posted May 11, 2008 10:42 pm PT
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- 20 Comments
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11May 08As some of you have known, I've been in the mood for some old-school gaming. I miss classic games like Super Mario 64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mega Man (and X series), Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy series, and the list goes on. It has been 15 years since I held my first NES controller and played my very first video game ever, Super Mario Bros 3 when I was only seven-years-old. It's still one of my favorite games of all-time. But if I had to name one, and only ONE favorite video game, I would have to give the crown to Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Never in my gaming career (laughs) where I was lost in a game fantasy world for hours on end. There was never a dull moment in LoZ: OoT as I was continued to be surprised. Every level was different and there was so much detail. Big boss fights were memorable, epic, and very entertaining. I never wanted this game to end as I kept treading on looking for new and bigger adventures. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time had one of the saddest endings in gaming history. I nearly shed a tear! Despite next-gen gaming and significant advancements in gameplay and graphics, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is still my favorite game of all-time. It will always hold a place in my gaming heart. What's your favorite video game of all-time? It can be as ancient as "Pong" or as current as Grand Theft Auto IV. You name it, you pick it, you decide.
- Posted May 11, 2008 4:30 pm PT
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- 21 Comments
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10May 08
Wow, just wow. That's all I have to say.
*Update*
I got so pumped up watching the Gears of War 2 gameplay trailer, I started playing Gears of War original on multiplayer and a bit of the single campaign on insane, no co-op. Gears of War is my favorite next-gen game to date. And I dont even want to think about Gears of War 2. It's going to be absolutely amazing. Gears of War already revolutionized the next-gen and set the standards to new heights. Now with Gears of War 2 just around the corner, Epic Games comes and makes an even better looking Gears of War game. They really set the example for the industry. There is no such thing as "half-assing" or slacking off at Epic Games studios. They really put some attitude into their work. I like that. So, big thumbs up to Gears of War 2. I cant wait to see more gameplay trailers in the upcoming months. Game on, guys.
- Posted May 10, 2008 7:38 pm PT
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- 17 Comments
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7May 08
Here's a list of my most anticipated games of the year.
1. Metal Gear Solid 4
2. Gears of War 2
3. Alan Wake (I can dream!)
4. Fallout 3
5. Fable 2
6. Too Human
7. Left 4 Dead
8. Battlefield: Bad Company
9. Ninja Gaiden 2
10. Halo Wars
11. Little Big Planet
12. Tales of Vesperia
13. Rise of the Argonauts
14. Bionic Commando
15. Far Cry 2
16. Alone in the Dark
17. Dead Space
18. Resistance 2
19. Project Origin
20. Tiberium
21. Brother's in Arms: Hell's Highway
22. Borderlands
23. Project Offset (working title)
24. Mirror's Edge
25. Silent Hill: Homecoming
26. White Knight Story
*Update*
27. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
28. Splinter Cell: Conviction
29. Eight Days
30. Heavy Rain
31. Wet
32. Spore
33. Prince of Persia
Please feel free to mention any game that I may have missed. If you have an anticipated title that is not on this list, mention that too. Thanks guys.
- Posted May 7, 2008 8:02 pm PT
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- 28 Comments
