Just random thoughts and maybe a quick game review.

• 8Dec 09

  Bored at work #21.

  A year and a half ago, I got myself a used PSP. Sadly, the good games list was short and I was thru them quite quickly. After that I used it for videos. I did try some of the better new games as they came out but simply put, the thing lacks good games. I finally put it away nearly a year ago but this past weekend, I busted it out again to see if I'd have any better luck. I didn't find any of the new firmware features to be worth the extra megs but whatever. The first game I tried was Little Big Planet. Now I must say I'm not a fan of the game for the PS3 for reasons I won't go into. And, the PSP version is no different. I guess I just don't find a side scrolling platform jumper to be very fun in this era. I'm sure kids love the thing but then again, they think Mario is fresh. Hah

  I ended up playing more of those 'minis' then any actual game which I find very sad. Think one was called Blast Off which was fun but I was already done with it in a couple hours of casual playing. The next was a type of tower defense game which wasn't bad but very limited in details and options. I went thru IGN and Gamespots recent reviews of PSP games and it's just ugly. If you remove the ports which are generally the best rated games on the thing, you are left with a bunch of average games. Like 2008, seems 2009 was no better for the PSP. Yes, the DS has a lot of bad games also but they also have more games that are worth a shot plus all the odd ball games and puzzle games. Simply put, I should've sold the PSP instead of the DS. Then again, the resale value of a DS is much higher than a PSP. Oh well, I hope 2010 will have some decent games for the PSP.

  Moving on to WoW, my free 7 days is over and I'm not going to renew. Within a hour of logging in for the first time in 9-10 months, I found out that they added no new content besides some instances. No new zones, no new factions, or anything that could be done solo. Yup, people still like to solo in a MMO and while some other MMO's try to provide content for them, WoW simply ignores them. I've done everything possible in WoW that I can do solo like factions, trade skills, quests, ect ect. I don't find doing it over and over with other toons enjoyable so I'm left with nothing.

  Even with a old WoW friend and another friend doing a trial, just not enough to meet that monthly fee. My friend thought so as well. That and he has plenty of games on the Xbox 360 to play. Oh well, I did scratch the itch and it ended up not costing me a thing. No knock on WoW which I think is a great value for new people but there still isn't much to do in that game after you been around the block a couple times.

  I'm still hoping that I get in the Star Trek Online closed beta or later on the open. I'm hoping for quite a bit of solo content and from what I heard, it should have plenty.

  Moving on to the Xbox 360, talk about a back log of games I have. Borderlands ate up about all the gaming time I've had for the past two months. I've been trying to decide the past two days on which game to play next. There are so many good games to choose from that I'm pulling a Farve and waffling! Add to the fact that I'm wanting to play the Fable II DLC and sheesh, I'll never get caught up. Which isn't a bad thing after all. More games to play means getting more and more value out of my 360.

  Anyway, winter is here so woot for the cold weather, booooo for the sleet and snow. The Ultimate Fighter final episode this past Saturday was awesome! Each fight was great and I'm happy that Roy won. Sure he isn't exactly the ideal fighter but he is fun to watch. Sadly, I'm not thrilled with the next season's coaches. Thou, I think it would be hard to top the last season, besides the QQing Rampage, it was awesome from start to finish.

  • Posted Dec 8, 2009 11:19 am PT
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• 1Dec 09

  Bored at work #20.

  I don't care what people say, if you played WoW at a hardcore level and was good at it then there is simply no way you can totally rid yourself of that game. I won't go into my history but it started in 2005 so I have plenty of knowledge of the whole thing. I last played 10 months ago and for the last few weeks, I've had that feeling, urge, itch, or whatever you want to call it to go back. Not to go back just full tilt but poke around and see if there is something worth coming back for. My main con about the game has always been the fee and the lack of solo content. I've done my share of heroic pugs so I've done my best to keep myself busy. There is simply not enough solo quests to do at 80. I've always wished they'd put in a 1-2 player instance system. They could make the loot a bit lower then 5mans or use a badge system that they love so much.

  Anyway, Blizzard is offering 7 free days to old accounts so last night I gave it a go. I must say I don't like what they did to the warlocks. They removed all the skill in how you do the dots and now you can't have unstable affliction with immolate at the same time, thats a huge wtf. Sure, you didn't use both for normal stuff but for bosses it was nice to have more dots. So, you just put on 3-4 dots and just spam bolts, not exactly hard. Once I got pass that, I was even more sad that they've barely done anything in the 10 months I've been gone. One lousy faction that is a real annoying grind. No new areas and just a bunch of instances and raids, oh boy. The new badges are nice and about time they reward the non-raiders with good loot. I did do some ToC which wasn't bad at all and the loot is actually decent.

  So, not much to hold people who weren't happy with the lack of content and the price the last time they quit. But, as with any MMO, one thing that can make you play is friends. I've had this one WoW friend for nearly three years. Lets just say he is committed to this game. Anyway, he got on last night and seen me and about busted a walnut. Funny how we just picked up like we always do. A little catching up and bam, doing instances like the old days. So, can friends keep me playing... time will tell.

  The Borderlands' DLC is great and showssigns that the series will always be fun. I expect it and UFC Undisputed to win quite a few awards at the end of the year.

  Funny thing this past Turkey weekend. All my young 6-10yr old nieces and nephews all have DS's and all were playing average games at best but loved it. Their parents have no idea about games and only check the age rating. A couple of them also have a Wii or will be getting a Wii and again, their parents buy the shovelware that gamers laugh at but kids and causals just eat up. Anyone who thinks that the Nintendo system's have anything on the main two are kidding themselves. It gets the sales because kids whine and parents don't care. Personally, I know three people who had a Wii. One was sold and the other two sit and collect dust while they play a Xbox 360. Funny, we got a console thats under engineered, the Wii. Another that is over engineered, the PS3. And finally, one that took the best route, the Xbox 360 which will win this generation for gamers.

  Sorry about that, told myself that I don't care about that stuff no more but eh one more time won't work. I still enjoying reading some of the really bad and clueless posts by the PS3 suckers but you simply can't help them. It's almost like the people who say guns are baaaaaaad but have nothing to back them up. Don't QQ in your soup too much.

  • Posted Dec 1, 2009 11:33 am PT
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• 23Nov 09

  Bored at work #19.

  Simply put, MW2 is a MP game with a solo story thrown in so it'll sucker in a few more buyers. I found the story so far fetched, so impossible, and so full ofobviousmoments that it simply distracted me from the game play. This really didn't help since the game was very short for a AAA game and just so limited. There is zero replay value, not even for a single mission like the AC130 in the first game. Sure the Predator Drone missles are nice but they are nothing compared to the AC130 guns. Why they didn't include many levels of that is beyond me. It was simply the best part of the first game. No doubt there will be a third game in the series but if the second game is any indication on where the series is headed, it's going to be just more of the same and quite boring for us who enjoy the solo bits more then MP. Yeah, it has the co-op mode but it's just more of the same. Thou at least it has a AC130 mission which requires two people, lame. And whats up with allowing system link for MP but not co-op? So the one mode where it affects other people (boosting) is allowed but not the one that is for two people? Just another flaw in a long list.

  If you look back, you can see a post where I compared MW2 and Borderlands features and Borderlands easily won. Now that both are out and I've played both, Borderlands is easily the best new IP of the year and top 3 overall while MW2 is Top 20. I've had many friends play both and all give the nod to Borderlands. The biggest complaints about MW2 is the story and that the gameplay just feels like the first one but with better visuals. Anyway, MW2 will steal quite a few awards this year due to just it's name and hype which shows how bad the industry does the rewards. Really sickens me. I mean come on, Borderland's story is four times longer and the DLC that is coming out tomorrow is the same length as MW2's story, how is it that MW2 is even in the same class?

  Anyway, MW2 is gone from my machine andI shall never see it again. Borderlands is still going strong for me and my friends. We are very excited for the first DLC tomorrow. You have no idea how happy we are with Borderlands, I mean we never buy DLC except maybe once a year. It truely is the game we have been waiting for.

  Speaking of DLC, I plan on getting Fable 2's two DLC for xmas. I know I'm quite late in getting them but stuff changes and I change my style. I'm still going by the completion of a game motto but I'm a little more open with my rule. I mean with Borderlands, I gotta be since I've been playing that since it came out. So, I got Forza 3 going and I did have Enchanted Arms going but I simply couldn't stand it anymore and had to put it back until some point in the future. After I play Borderlands DLC a bit and after Turkey, I might play Assassin's Creed 2. I tried the first one on the PC and didn't care for it at all but from what I seen, this game seems to have fixed the issues.

  In other news, got a 29g fish tank for tropical fish. Still breaking it in which is a slow process but looking forward to when it's full stock. It's my first tank since I was a kid so brings back some good memories. Going to my parent's for Turkey and the whole family will be there. Going to bring a Xbox 360 so my brother and I can play. It's also good kid control.

  • Posted Nov 23, 2009 8:56 am PT
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