This is one of the hardest achievements available. Some would argue it's the hardest period. Today, I earned this achievement. Without a doubt it will stand as my most proud achievement I will ever have earned. I've played this game for around 200 hours and beaten it about 15 times, but this is the culmination of all my efforts.

I encourage all who love Ninja Gaiden 2 to strive for this goal. The journey is very challenging, but the reward is worth the effort.

And particularly you Major Nelson. You say you are finally going to make good on banning gamertags who have modded consoles for the purpose of playing pirated games. I hope so. I'll be watching to see you make good on it...

I posted a blog a few weeks ago about XBL users having modded consoles that play pirated games and how, even when reported directly to an XBL Moderator, nothing is done about it. I submitted it for an editorial here on GS. Funny thing is while that blog did not make the Soapbox, a blog where a user took pictures of a mock funeral for his RROD 360 and another blog where someone takes a retrospective look at launch title scores for the 360 makes the soapbox.

DOES ANYONE HERE AT GAMESPOT CARE ABOUT PIRACY??????????

First off, I truly hope this blog is noticed by a moderator here at Gamespot and they put it on the front page. Maybe then a moderator from Microsoft will notice it and take action. If not one of them, hopefully someone from a developr (EA, Epic, Sega, Capcom, etc.) will take note.

Like most users to this site who have an Xbox 360, my console has not been modded. I buy games off the shelf at local retailers at full price new, reduced price used. When a game is first released, I pick it up at the retailer just like most of us.

At this point, you might be wondering, "How does Microsoft encourage piracy?" Given their extensive experience in software and hardware, you would think they would be at the frontlines on the battle against software piracy. I believe it's reasonable to expect that everyone who has Xbox Live, myself included, understands that if a Microsoft moderator checks your account and finds...questionable material your account can be suspended or banned, and even your console can be banned from Xbox Live. A short time ago they made a seemingly definitive statement by banning gamercards who have used illegitimate means to gain gamerscore (StripclubDJ is the most famous ban). It would seem that since then Microsoft as stopped checking.

Case in point. I know three users who have modded consoles and use pirated games (gamertags shall remain anonymous). Two of them do not play games on Live before they are available at retail. The other basically is flipping the bird to Xbox moderators while they turn and walk away. This user began playing Gears of War 2 three weeks before release (at this time the game hasn't been released). Within one week this person beat the game up to Hardcore difficulty. I filed approximately 15-20 complaints on this individual for system tampering. I later reported this directly to the figurehead of Xbox Live, Major Nelson. In my message I identified the gamertag and identified the violations of a modded console and pirated software (specifically Gears 2). In the week that has passed since I reported the gamertag, this person is still playing on Live everyday.

Let me ask, what is the point of being anti-piracy, having a code of conduct, moderators, and a complaint system if there are people like this on Xbox Live everyday? Isn't Microsoft supporting piracy by being inactive toward pirates? Does this make the code of conduct and complaint system a joke? Microsoft, you clearly wanted your Xbox Live userbase to take you seriously with regard to conduct. This shows how little mind you pay to piracy. Step it up.

Although 2008 is fast drawing to a close, there are some games I cannot wait to get my hands on. Even though the announcements for big titles for 2009 have barely started, it also already holds promise. Let's take a look at my future addictions...

2008-

What more needs to be said about this one? Killer graphics, an improved cover system, new weapons and executions... This is a must-play for me.

After the f-bomb that was Sonic the Hedgehog for the 360, I'm a bit reserved about this one. It does look to be an improvement, minus the whole werehog beat-em-up aspect. It looks like a Sonic should look, bright, colorful, and fast. Now if the controls can keep up with the speed we might have the best 3D Sonic game since Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast back in 1999.

2009-

I've been playing Resident Evil since the original came out on the Saturn. I lost a bit of faith in the series with the release of titles like Code Veronica (no decapitation in a RE?!?!?!) and Survivor (read: AWFUL!), but then titles like Resident Evil GCN and Resident Evil 4 reminded us fans of what made this franchise so great in the first place- atmosphere and enemies. Resident Evil 5 looks to improve on what made RE4 so great- improved controls, gritty graphics, better story, large environments, more weapons... This looks to be one of those rare sequals that improves on the sequal before it...which should equal AWESOME!!!

Let's be honest here, there are other games that I have interest in. The games listed here are the games I intend to have the first day they're available. The list of games I have interest in and might pick up at a later date include-

Fable II

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Guitar Hero: World Tour

And lastly, two other games I hope to see come out in 2009-

Doom 4

Wolfenstein

So, nearly five months after we separated, my ex-wife and I are divorced. As anyone who has been in such a situation knows, the finality is a burden, but also a blessing. Our marriage began 8/7/06 and ended 5/27/08. So, where does an Xbox 360 play into this? She got me one as a wedding gift April of that year. Here's the irony- it also died on the day we divorced. Isn't that something else? My marriage and my wedding gift both end on the same day! Talk about coincidence. Honestly, I was more distraught about my 360 dying than getting a divorce. Perhaps that's because my 360 treated me better than she did? I could turn it on anytime I wanted (see also *creepy*), it didn't leave dirty dishes, clothes, and trash all over my apartment, it didn't argue with me, and it didn't treat me like trash. It gave me hundreds of hours of gaming goodness ranging from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night to Uno and everywhere in between. I made some good friends on Xbox Live. It was there whether I was in a great mood or wanted to punch someone in the throat. Ultimately, it even lasted longer than my marriage.

In closing, to my ex-wife, I hope you sober up and realize some of your potential. That and good luck meeting another dude who will put up with your crap like I did.

To my 360- rest in peace. You did good to last longer than my marriage.

I know many of us gamers have problems with titles for the aforementioned consoles costing $60 for standard releases and $70+ for special editions, etc. Most of us usually don't mind paying the extra money for a AAA title like a Gears of War, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, BioShock, Grand Theft Auto IV, etc. These titles have production values through the roof in all areas. Their graphics are amazing by any standard. Gameplay is either revolutionary or redefines that genre in some way. Music and sound effects are crisp with excellent recording methods utilized. Controls are spot-on and natural within the genre.

Ok, so if these companies (Epic Games, Infinity Ward, 2k, RockStar) know these titles will sell at astounding rates and they stand to make a substantial profit from this, why do they still charge the $60 price tag? Do they have to do this to offset the so-called cost of next-gen development and make a reasonable profit? Absolutely not. They charge that price because they know fans will pay it.

Take Grand Theft Auto IV for instance. Clearly, this is an amazing title. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions are the #1 and #2, respectively, games of all time on gamerankings.com. In one weeks sales of this title exceeded $500 million. Would it hurt RockStar games to have sold the title at $50? Maybe a few million, but when they've already made over $500 million, would it hurt them? Doubtful. How about Cliffy B buying a sports car with a six digit price tag? What about the consumer? While I also doubt they had complaints about paying $60 for the game, I doubt they would have complained if the game only cost them $50. Personally, I find this whole situation morally apprehensible. A company charges the standard price, knowing they will make massive profits off it. So while gamers like myself work 30+ hour weeks, live in an apartment, pay for everything themselves, drive a car with a four or five digit price tag, and attend a university full-time these big-wigs can buy more sport cars, live in larger and more luxurious dwellings, hire more domestic staff, and retire whenever they choose and still take vacations whenever they choose to wherever they choose for however long they choose. I know that creating games is their job, but why should I have to wait for the price for a title to come down because I can't afford it. Not everyone can afford to spend $60 on a game whenever it comes out. We have to budget.

Instead of charging $60 for a game because it's the norm, how about showing a little loyalty to the consumer. Perhaps we could buy more games if they were cheaper. Don't cut the quality, just the price tag. You'll still make more than enough profits from titles such as the aforementioned to offset selling them $10 cheaper. Who knows, you might even sell a few more because they are slightly more affordable to the average consumer such as myself who has to make sure all bills are paid, vehicles are running, they have clothes to wear, and food to eat. Putting us in a potential where we have to choose between a game and new clothes or eating is downright sickening.

Ok, yet another news article of brilliance. On March 19th, 2008, a Japanese man stabbed a man to death. The same gentleman went on a violent spree on March 23rd, 2008. He stabbed eight civilians at a local mall. Seven of them were seriously injured, and one died. Found in his bag was a copy of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and some cards from The Eye of Judgement. He is also known to be a fan of Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball, fighting games in general, and Final Fantasy.

The article found here shows an "expert" as stating that he learned of the weak point of the human body through fighting games since most of his victims were stabbed in the neck. Ok, seriously, GET OFF YOUR SORRY-ASSED SOAPBOX YOU IGNORANT, RAVING, BIASED, INCOMPETENT JACKASS!!! Video games do NOT explain violence. If they did, there would not be any violence in recorded history prior to the 1970s. Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't there been violence throughout all of human history? Individuals who act on violent behaviors such as this are clearly psychologically unstable/unhealthy. The criminal was even quoted by police stating, "I just wanted to see what it was like to kill. It could have been anyone." Yet, some "experts" quickly blame video games based purely on circumstantial evidence. Oh, shut the hell up already.

Here's an idea for these "experts." How about you do some research on the effects of violent media? Yes, younger individuals are more susceptible to acting out scenes or lyrics found in violent games, movies, and music. That said, those who have psychologically matured and are stable are generally able to discern between fantasy and reality and not act on violent impulses. Perhaps they should research the cathartic effects of violence on these healthy individuals. The research is out there. For those who are unfamiliar with the term cathartic, it means having a pacifying or calming effect on an individual, a mean of emotional purging. Perhaps that explains why we play so many shooters and violent films fascinate us so. We know that we should not act on violent impulses, so we seek a medium that allows us to safely express our aggression without acting out against others or committing such acts as mentioned above.

Bottom line- do your homework. Experts, of all individuals, should know to seek all available information before making a statement of conclusion. Perhaps these individual need to accept the fact that violence is a part of human behaviors. No single medium can explain acts of violence. Video games cannot explain this any more than they explain Columbine. The reality of the situation is that some individuals are simply unable to control and not act on violent impulses. Research even supports that violent media can prevent violent behaviors. How about looking some of it up before you blame media?

How about looking at the social and family structure of these individuals before assigning blame? Is there a history of substance, alcohol, physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional abuse? How about a previous psycological diagnosis? Family history of violence? Direct exposure to violence through non-family relationships or interactions?

Look for primary causes and positive correlations before trying to prove false positives and illusiory correlations.

These are my thoughts on the current state of Ninja Gaiden II-

Graphics: Thus far, they lack the visual impact Ninja Gaiden had on the Xbox. Even so, the character models and animations show impressive detail. Some of the environments, such as The Temple of Sacrifice, show great artistic detai and expanse. Little touches like the bodies, body parts, and gore remaining on screen are nice. My only concerns at this are point the occassional frame-rate drop and the final layers of visual polish.

Sound: Ryu's battle cries return with all their power and several new ones have been added. Sounds effects should be top notch as well. Weapons have a great sound when impact is made, whether it be a blade slicing through flesh or the tonfa bashing in the skull of a Black Spider Ninja. Little English voice work has been displayed thus far, but what is available is solid. The music will likely be the least impressive aspect of the audio. That said, it should be enjoyable.

Control: The control should be as tight as the prequel and improved. Combat looks very fluid and deliberate. Ryu appears to handle quite smoothly. My concern here is how the camera will control, especially in small areas, and its consequences on movement and combat.

Gameplay: Once again, story will likely take a backseat to action. The combat looks deeper, faster, and more fluid than before. Hopefully platforming will be kept to ninja-appropriate situations. Fights should be engaging every time. Bosses should be huge, powerful abominations that require skill to topple (read: no spamming Flying Swallow or Flock of Swallows or spamming Ninpo).

Overall award expectations: Bloodthirsty, Great Sound Effects, Oh Snap!, Great Boss Fights, Sharp Control, Outstanding Gameplay, Superior Animation, Sharp Control, Great Sequel, Sucks You In, Technically Proficient Graphics.

Estimated GameSpot score- 9.5

In 2007 I played several great titles. For my DS I picked up Sonic Rush Adventure. For the Wii, Sonic and the Secret Rings and Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. For the Xbox: Ninja Gaiden Black. For my 360: BioShock, Uno, Halo 3, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Doom (classics never die). Even though I didn't get to play as many games as I would like, it was still a fantastic year.

So, what do I have to look forward to in 2008? In a word- lots. My Wii will be seeing Super Smash Bros Brawl (I have over 300 hours on Melee). My PSP is seeing God of War: Chains of Olympus. My DS will be seeing Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword and should be playing a new Castlevania before the year is over, along with Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. My 360 is deep and hard in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It will be playing Ninja Gaiden II and Gears of War 2, and hopefully Resident Evil 5 comes out this year. I also hope to buy Condemned 2: Bloodshot before the year ends.

Yes, I have no PS3, nor do I intend to buy one. Ever. I've never owned a Sony console. I will mention some of the big titles the PS3 will or should see this year that are system exclusives: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot, Resistance 2, and possibly God of War III. If I owned a PS3 I would have played: Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Resistance: Fall of Man, and Heavenly Sword.

No matter what your hardware of choice is, there are some stellar titles that have already been releases (GoW:CoO, SSBB), some that we as gamers are hoping to be released this year (RE5), some that we are hoping meet their release date and aren't pushed back to 2009 (Ninja Gaiden II), and other that meet release dates (NGDS, Condemned 2). Make a list folks- it's gonna be another great year of gaming!

Ok, I'm going to bash the hell out of my ex-wife here and make a prime example of her. We separated the first of the year due to "irreconciliable differences" after three and one-half years together. That's the polite way of putting it. She is supposed to be on an anti-depressant but isn't. She is orally fixated (read: takes pleasure in eating, smoking, or other activities that relate to objects being placed in the mouth). She is a pathological liar (for those who are unfamiliar with the term, it means lies consistently with no regard for the other person, circumstances, or consequences, or reality). Even if the truth is staring her in the face through physical reality (tangible objects) or she is being quoted, she still lies. She has the potential to become an alcoholic. Last I knew she was smoking marijuana. She can be defined in Freudian terms as neurotic (excessive use of defense mechanisms). Her perception of reality is completely inaccurate (why the hell else would she lie all the damn time and use drugs and alcohol?). She is, in short, a total loser. Twenty years old, failed marriage, drug user, pathological liar, obsessive-compulsive/depressed, lives at home with parents, no job (hence they pay her bills, which equals approximately $700/month), and lacks any ambition. Funny thing is, she tries to blame me. I am a full-time college student in my senior year working two jobs. I have my own apartment, two bank accounts, and almost complete financial independence (my mother pays for my car insurance and helps me out if I need it). One of my jobs is a state job which has random drug testing so sobriety is critical.

The point? The woman I married was a sweet young woman with ambition to teach at a high school or college level. She did not drink, let alone smoke pot. She was not a pathological liar. She had a job and a home shared with one other person. So what happened? She fell in with the wrong crowd. The woman she ran with is a known man-hater and drug user. She allowed herself to change, which has cost her a great price. Her job, independence, marriage, and quality of life, have all either been lost of suffered. Bottom line- we truly only presume we know somebody. How much we know them is up to many factors (them, ourselves, and what others want us to know about them). If you truly do know somebody, be thankful. It can save you great psychological and emotional pain.

The more I think about this, the sicker it makes me. I recently finished training for a job working with children with psychological/ emotional problems. This is a great service. It provides a home, food, education, and stability for these children. The problem is the food. There is a registered dietitian that makes the menu. The local college provides the food. Heresay is that the food, per child per meal, costs $13!!! I can go to Applebees and have a steak meal, drink, and tip for little more than that! That food provided, as many who have had to live on campus know, isn't worth that. Burnt pizza, tomato soup, grilled cheese, bagged salad mix, and cartons of milk... $13 PER MEAL!!!!!!! Why does the facility pay that much? They're on the land owned by the campus and have no choice if they want to keep their location. What a bunch of garbage of the higher-ups in the college to do that!!! Hell, they don't even go by the menu they are given about 50% of the time. Those kids are there for help. Colleges are supposed to help us reach our potential (at a price of course). Why aren't they doing more to help those kids? Why are they draining funds from the facility? One child eating three squares a day equals $39. There are approximately 26 kids there. In one years time that equals $14,235! At 26 children that equals a RIDICULOUS $370,110 PER YEAR!!!!!!! Who spends $14, 235 on food in a year? Who makes $370,110 in a year? And the college has the audacity to charge the prices it does?! Garbage... Disgusting...

Ok, this is something I seriously do not understand nor do I agree with. The suppossed so-called "costs of next-gen development." Sounds like a sorry excuse to justify an increased price tag. I can sort of understand this in the case of titles built from the ground up exclusively for next-gen that take advantage of the hardware (Ratchet & Clank Future, Gears of War, Halo 3).Unfortunately, there are too many games that justify this and charge the full price of $60 even though the title clearly does not take advantage of the hardware (Sonic the Hedgehog). Something even worse- a title appears on XB360 or PS3 and PC. The console versions are priced at $60 and the PC at $50. It's the exact same damn game so what gives the developer/publisher the right to charge the extra $10? Games guilty of this travesty include, but are not limited to: BioShock, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Unreal Tournament III, Gears of War, and ShadowRun. The games look almost, if not, exactly the same, run the same, and the only significant difference is the controls (controller vs. keyboard and mouse). So why is the PC version cheaper to develop for if the exact same damn thing appears on a console? As bad as this looks, it gets worse. The biggest insult and load of crap is when games are ported to XB360 or PS3. I'm looking dead on at F.E.A.R. This shooter was released approximately 2 years ago for the PC for $50. Over one year later it is ported to the 360 and PS3 and given a $60 price tag. Seriously, WTF?!?!?! The only difference other than controls is some new features such as dual-wielding, areas, and either Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. At the time of this titles port to consoles its PC version was priced at $30. Twice the price for a game over one year old? BS. I don't care what garbage Microsoft, Sony, or other companies throw at you to get you to believe they have to charge you $60 per game. They're full of crap. If I'm spending $60 on one game it has to be AMAZING. Top notch production values, graphics, single-player, sound, controls, replayability, a console exclusive, and preferably free DLC and multiplayer. Otherwise the game is overpriced and we, the consumer, are being ripped off.