The Dante's Inferno demo has thrown me off. See, I read the Inferno about, hmm, 5 or 6 times. I really liked it. So when I learned that suddenly measly poet Dante was Kratos reborn I was a little disappointed. I really wanted to explore Hell via a video game, but I wanted it to be more like a puzzle solver, kind of like how The Inferno really was. The demo, however has left me wanting MORE. Although I still disagree, vehemently, with the portrayal of Dante Alegheri as a crusader who was strong enough to kill Death (would have been better as an original character) simply the visuals alone are enough to make me want to delve deper into Hell. I won't be buying this at 60 bucks, however, but maybe as a weekend rental or a bargain bin buy I would happily play this game. Whilst I never found a fondness for God of War I did really enjoy Conan, and that's what this makes me think of.

Bayonetta is like an anime come to life. I really want to play this game but I never played Devil May Cry, so I kind of suck at it. In my friend's hands, however, it became an exceedingly beautiful and chaotic game that was a sheer delight to watch. Again, I won't be paying full price but a weekend rental this is definately worth.

I'm closing in on the end of Assassin's Creed 2, which is both good and bad. I LOVE this game, but I really want to get back into Dragon Age. My PS3 problems also mean that I've lost save data on Uncharted 2, and UFC 2009, which makes me wanna play both again. I'm not sure if I lost Valkyria Chronicles but I sure wouldn't mind playing that again as well. I may even hit Red Faction once more.

Yakuza 2 is still on hold, which MUST be remedied. I've also still got Persona 3 on hold. I may have gone over my statute of memory limitations there... which sucks.

I hope all your holidaze are swell. I'll be getting The Saboteur and Way of the Samurai 3 so Ill review those early next year.

With the fantastic news that Yakuza 3 has a March 2010 release scheduled Stateside that means I either need to finish Assassin's Creed 2 quickly or puch it to the side and finish Yakuza 2.

Poor Dragon Age.

Finally spoke to a supervisor at Sony. They have agreed to fix the PS3 at no charge if their people say it was definately a firmware-caused problem. If they say it's not then they go ahead and charge my credit card the 149.99.

I'm 99% certain that it is the firmware that bricked this system. After all, it happened once before. But can I trust snarky Customer Service people to admit to their mistakes? There's no option for a second opinion; no backing out if they say it isn't firmware caused... it's all or nothing.

Should I (a) Do the deal. Trust in Sony to be honest. (b) Wait for the next Firmware update. It's probably gonna be a month or so. Doesn't hurt me to wait, I've already bought a second PS3. I just wanna fix it to sell it. (c) Offer my old PS3 as a Christmas gift to someone with the caveat that they must pay the 150 to fix it. (d) try to just sell it broken and see what I can get.

I need to sell it to pay on the new one I bought.

What do you think I should do and why?

I mentioned before about how my PS3 issues and the Uplay feature teamed up to eradicate my Assassin's Creed 2 save data and possibly mess up my Bonus Content code. I wrote Ubisoft and I've now received a reply.

The Unlock Code is apparently tied to my PSN ID. A brilliant decision compared to the idea to link the save data to a console. At any rate though, my ordeal is over in regards to that. Thanks to Ubisoft for the prompt reply and good news.

If you go back a couple of blogs you'll see my mournful tale of how PS3 Update 3.10 bricked my system. Well I've found another problem caused by this. Instead of paying Sony's Support Thugs have the price of a new PS3 to fix my flawed model I just bought a new one. I'm still negotiating with Sony over the repair of my old one.

I'm presently playing Assassin's Creed 2. I bought the Master Assassin's Edition, with the statuette and bonus materials... among which is a code for unlocking bonus maps in game.

AC2 also uses Ubisoft's newest toy Uplay. Uplay keeps track of your trophies and grants you bonus in game material for unlocking them. It's a neat idea, but it has a flaw. Uplay locks your game save. By that I mean you CANNOT copy it. You cannot back it up... even if you back up your whole system, which I did to move my profile from my old PS3 (named Circe) to my new PS3 Slim (named PS3 Slim Shady). The AC2 data was non transferrable and with it... my unlock codes.

Now, I don't have the card with the code anymore but it woudln't do me any good anyway because Ubisoft invalidates the code after one usage, i.e. it only works on a single console. This vexes me... I am vexed. That will not do.

I've emailed Ubisoft and written a rather polite letter explaining my situation. I let them know that in no way was this their fault. Actually I had already written them with the suggestion to tie their Uplay material to a gamesave or an HD instead of the actual console and they sent back a polite thank you and a reassurance that they actually consider all gamer feedback they receive.

Now I can only hope they're going to be nicer to me than Sony has been.

We're getting close to the end of the year. If I'm lucky I may get two more before New Year's; The Saboteur and Way of the Samurai 3, so I thought it a good time to recap what I've played this year. Not all of these were released in 2009 but they were all games I didn't play until this year.

Game- System- My Score: Synopsis = Updated Score

Assassin's Creed- Xbox 360 - 8.5 : I was late to the party but AC was really fun. I saw the repetitiveness everyone complained about but it really didn't bother me. = I'll leave this one at 8.5.

Assassin's Creed II- PS3 - 9.0 : Wow. A little slow out of the gate but the love for this game is now solidly in place. I preferred the setting in the first one but eveything else about this sequel is better. = This may end up with a 9.5 by the time I finish.

Baja: Edge of Control- Xbox 360 - 8.0 : Pure, hard fun. The most realistic off roader to date. This game is the only reason my 360 isn't sold yet. = 8.0 is fair.

Batman: Arkham Asylum- PS3 - 10.0 : I absolutely loved this game. What little shortcomings it had were forgiven by its absolute charm. = In retrospect I'll call it 9.5, but still awesome.

Blood Will Tell- PS2 - 10.0 : One of the best games I've ever played. If you haven't and you still have a PS2, get this game. Worth every penny. = This one deserves a 10, even though it had camera problems it more than made up for it.

Brutal Legend- PS3 - 8.5 : Great soundtrack, funny dialogue, but the RTS stage battles killed it for me. = 8.5 is still fair. This game was a great experience but it makes a fine rental.

Demon's Souls- PS3 - 8.0 : My review says it all: Die, Repeat. = I'm sticking by my 8.0.

Dragon Age: Origins- PS3 - 9.0 : This game feels more like real D&D than any game I've played before it. = It gets its 9.0 almost entirely on its gameplay and story. Don't look for graphics above a 7.0.

Heroes Over Europe- PS3 - 8.5 : Fun, fun, fun. Best arcade dogfighter ever. = I wouldn't go lower than an 8.0 for this.

ICO- PS2 - 9.5 : If video games are art this is the Mona Lisa. = St(y)le lifts it slightly above its famed successor. 9.5.

Mass Effect- Xbox 360 - 7.5 : Most overrated RPG ever. Lots of potential but terribly repetitive and surprisingly linear for the moral freedom you're given. = 7.5 is fair, if anything I'd go lower.

Prince of Persia- Xbox 360 - 8.5 : I missed the Sands of Time so I can't compare but I had a blast playing this beautiful game. = 8.5.

Prototype- Xbox 360 - 8.5 : It's not cerebral in any sense but this game was delightfully fun. = 8.5

Red Faction: Guerrilla- PS3 - 9.0 : Light on the actual story and character development. It would hae been better with some stealth thrown in. Best physics ever. = I was in love when I rated it. Now I'll call it 8.5.

Rise of the Argonauts- PS3 - 8.0 : This game is so underrated. It was Mass Effect done better... with a spear. = 8.0 but not for the graphics. Great story and wonderous dialogue tree grants this it's score.

Rugby 08- PS2 - 8.5 : Best Rugby to date. Waiting for an update. = 8.5

SCORE International Baja 1000- Xbox 360 - 7.5 : Fast, varied, and too easy. Very arcady. = I'll drop this to 7.0.

Shadow Complex- Xbox 360 - 5.0 : I just didn't get this. Flat out boring with a downright offensive storyline. = 5.0

Shadow of the Colossus- PS2 - 9.0 : The Dark Prince of gaming. SotC must be played, by everyone. = 9.0

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES- PS2 - 9.0 : Lots of fun but it kind of collapsed under its own weight. I didn't finish it. Still a great game though. = I'll back this down to 8.5.

Street Fighter IV- PS3 - 8.0 : I waited for this forever. To call it a disappointment is an understatement. With a fouled up SF EX control scheme this game was MADE to sell Madcatz peripherals. Peripherals that, by the way, have an almost 100% fail rate. I bought 4 stinking fightpads and all 4 were useless junk inside of 3 weeks. = Upon reflection I give this a 7.0. Beautiful, but critically flawed.

UFC 2009 Undisputed- PS3 - 9.5 : This is a really fun fighter. Great visuals and bloody as hell. The submission system needs work though. = Again, I was in love. 8.5.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune- PS3 - 9.0 : Another one I was late to the party to. UC1 blew me away. Its flaws were few and its pluses were too numerous to list. = 9.0

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves- PS3 - 10.0 : A perfect gaming experience. It was like being in a movie. I laughed, I jumped, it even made my nose hurt! = 10.0 I'd give it an 11 if I could.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010- PS3 - 5.0 : Another major disappointment. As a huge Create-A-Wrestler fan this was supposed to be my Jesus. Look up my review for details on why this game was not only a failure, but a lie. = 5.0

Yakuza 2- PS2 - 9.5 : Another of the best games I've ever played. Y2 improves the first one in a subtle, but undeniable manner. Love it. = 9.5. This one is just shy of perfect.

PS3 System Update 3.10 bricked my system. Apparently my model, a 40GB CECHGxx, is prone to this as Update 3.0 did the exact same thing to it while my friend's launch model 60GB CECHAxx has yet to experience a problem. When 3.0 hit my PS3 was still under warranty. They mailed me a box, I sent it to them, they fixed it all for free and mailed it back all within 2 weeks.

I was pleased.

The following is my present correspondance with Sony's customer support in regard to 3.10, an update REQUIRED by Sony, once again bricking my system.

Me: 3.10 bricked my system. Freezes during operation. First did it during a blu ray movie, then during Assassins Creed 2. Now it refuses to play ANY game or movie. It sometimes lists them, other times it fails to even read a disc in the drive. This is the SECOND time this has happened since I bought this system. Why does this keep happening? Didn't Sony get sued in a klass action suit over this? Can I expect a patch in the next few days due to the apparent high volume of these errors or will I have to pay and send off for a fix like Microsoft?

Sony: Hello Dalivus,

Thank you for writing us. I apologize your system isn't reading discs.

We apologize for the inconvenience and understand that you must be frustrated with this situation.

It seems as though your PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system may need to be serviced. Please visit our Online Service Request page for more information.

Regards,
Lisa U.

Me: Thanks Lisa,

I have a question: Since this, and even my last repair, were
caused by a system update will Sony perform this repair for free even though
I am now out of warranty? If not, why not since the system updates are
mandatory?

Thanks,

Dal

Sony: Hello Dalivus,

We apologize for any inconvenience you are having since the last update. Since you are out of warranty Sony will not do it for free. It will cost you $149.00 plus tax in the U.S. (Blah, blah, details on service agreement about how even though their updates are mandatory and can cause problems, they are not liable.)

Regards,
Mitch G

Me: Dear Mitch,

I own a 52 inch Bravia, 2 Sony DVD players, a Vaio laptop, a Sony
surround system, a Sony car stereo, a Playstation and a PS2, and an
old 32' Sony Wega. I was considering buying a PSP. If Sony made a breakfast
cereal I'd eat it. Are you really telling me that Sony is unwilling
to take responsibility for a problem routinely caused by its
mandatory updates?

Dal Morgan

Sony: Hello Dalivus,

We apologize for any inconvenience you are still going thru cause of the update, but the cost will be $149.00 plus tax.


Regards,
Mitch G

Me: Hello (B)itch,

Can you provide me with a phone number for a customer service supervisor? I have a hard time believing that someone with some discretionary power will truly wish to alienate such a loyal Sony customer...Dal Morgan

Thus it continues....

Also known as mandatory updates.

System Update 3.10 bricked my system.

This is the second time.

I've had my 360 a while. First I bought a Wii but my plan had always been to buy a 'real' next gen system. I chose the 360 Elite based on two factors; 1: DLC for GTA IV and 2: Smackdown Vs Raw 2008. This was a leap away from my beloved PS2 but I had recently bought a modified Xbox and I was pleased with its capabilities so I went with the 360. Unfortunatly I've never bought the DLC for GTA IV and SDVR 08 sucked.

I got my PS3 as an afterthought during the purchase of a 52" Sony Bravia. I was already spending so much on the tv the PS3's price didn't seem all that important. I specifically got it for the Blu-Ray, intending to keep most of my gaming on my 360 and for a while it went that way.

Eventually I sold my Wii because I never touched it anymore. Now my 360 is up for sale for the exact same reason. If you scroll back in my blog history you can find my full comparison between the two but the short of it is; in comparison the 360 can not stand against the PS3, it just can't. This is a completely fair contest because I own both and even bought the 360 first but regardless the reality is that I just don't play it anymore. Every new game I buy I choose PS3, often because of some exclusive content but also because I just trust the system more.

So here it is people: it's up on Craigslist locally but I've got an Xbox 360 Elite that has never RROD'd, 2 controllers, all cables, headset, Guitar Hero 3, Guitar Hero World Tour, Blitz II, Baja Edge of Control, and GTA IV and the entire Guitar Hero bandset including 3 guitars. I'm asking 500. Do I expect to really sell it for that? Well, not really. It works, I just never play it hence the price. If anyone is interested shoot me an email.

Yea, cheesy acronym GOTCHA, but it's not fiction. The PS3 http://www.gamespot.com/news/6240562.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;3is being put towork against child pornographers. Apparently the Cel Processor is well-suited to brute force password cracking and the people who brought you Folding @ home have now found a way for you to donate your idle processor's massive power to cracking the encryption on kiddie porn files.

Some people take exception of course; an invasion of privacy they say. Well I don't say this often, but this task is worth it. Now I'm as hentai as they come; open-minded, sexual deviant, whatever you wanna call me but those people, the sick... I hesitate to call them perverts because that gives perverts a bad name... these people are demons. Plain and non-religiously simple. If my PS3 can help catch even one of these degenrates then I feel good about it. I oppose wire-tapping for terrorism, I oppose traffic cameras, but when it comes to stopping child pornographers not only do I support their loss of privacy... I say drag the f**kers out of their house and shoot them in the back of the head.

Period.

Yep, you read that right. If you want to be impressed with graphics don't play Uncharted 2! I'm loving Dragon Age, but the graphics suck after playing Uncharted 2. I just picked up Assassin's Creed 2... but the graphics suck after playing Uncharted 2!

Xbots rejoice. Revel in the fact that your systems cannot run the game that will despoil future release's graphics!

October has been a whirlwind of gaming for me and as a result I've played some pretty fun games but the present moment finds my attention torn. I just soldiered through the rest of Brutal Legend (which was great, but mostly for the music) but now I've got 3 great games vying for my attention and Assassin's Creed 2 comes out next week!

First up is Yakuza 2. This game has one of the best stories I've ever seen in a video game. It's also got TONS to do. I really hate to delay on finishing it but there's practically dozens of hours packed into this game. In my opinion this was the last GREAT game for the PS2.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves may be the best overall game of all time. It has a perfect sense of excitement and total immersion. That said I am literally stopped at Chapter 25 of 26 because of Dragon Age: Origins. I will remedy that tomorrow though. Later I will play through it at least one more time and delve into the multiplayer, a component I normally despise. I'm eager to try cooperative, which is where MP needs to be focused.

Dragon Age: Origins will get a review later. Though I've played about 8 hours so far I want to wait for the experience to fully mature before I speak on it. That said my initial rating is 8.5. The graphics are a big disappointment coming off of UC2 but then again, what isn't? For what it is they're actually not bad. A little crude; fair to say the negative you've heard is pretty well accurate. Not at all like the beautiful movies that were released in advance. Also of note the main character is silent despite having a voice. You pick a voice and then the character never uses it. Why not have it like Mass Effect? It makes not sense. Despite all that though this game is totally engrossing. Much richer than Mass Effect by far in terms of culture and immersion. I can tell I'm going to wanna hang onto this one for a while and play through at least three times. Expect a review later.

Both Dragon Age and Yakuza stand threatened by Assassin's Creed 2 though. I may shelve that one for a few weeks just to give these other two a chance.

about how much of the profits made by sales of the Xbox 360 system are previous owners replacing their RROD'd machines?

We've all got favorite games from the past, games that we remember fondly and would love to play again but for whatever reason we just cannot; either the platform itself no longer exists or the quality just doesn't hold up any longer. Many games get sequels that do not deserve it. Here's my list of games I wish would get an update, remake, or simply port to the new generation. *Note: Klassic and Stile misspelled to get around Gamespot censorship*

1. Wing Commander: Privateer - Privateer was a pioneer in free will in video games. The premise was simple; you start out inheriting a basic transport and from there you can trade goods across the galaxy, take bounty or patrol jobs, and eventually become a pirate. There's a basic story that you can or cannot follow but the free-roam in Privateer was simply phenominal. Several attempts have been made to emulate this game, even a crappy Privateer 2, but all have failed. An updated Privateer would be a fantastic MMORPG, but even as a single-player adventure it would rock. I envision it as a 3rd person over-the-shoulder in port and a flight sim like the original once you are aboard your ship.

2. Uncharted Waters - The Koei Klassic was basically the same premise as Privateer, just set in the age of exploration. Again the possibilities are limitless in the free-roam category. With the graphics of East India Company and a focus on trade and exploration this game would be incredible. In Japan this series continues to enjoy popularity, even seeing release as an online MMORPG but with a PS3-built installment there would near limitless adventure.

3. Blackthorne - I cannot begin to understand why this awesome sidescroller/platformer has not yet received a full 3-D remake. Blackthorne was a revolutionary game with a great story and tight action. I can practically see it in my head; the rainy, apocalyptic setting, your people held in slavery by the grotesque Ka'Dra'Suul and you; a rogue prince with a shotgun, their only hope. As a 3rd person free roamer set to a heavy metal soundtrack a la Brutal Legendthis game would rule.

4. Golgo 13 - The world's greatest assassin deserves a remake. As an M rated title Golgo 13 would be a big hit, not only in Japan but here. Who wouldn't wanna play the oversexed ultimate bada55 assassin? G 13 for the NES was the first game I had sex in, maybe the first NES game that was ever possible in. As an adult adventure an open world G 13 would be a hit on the caliber of Metal Gear.

5. Rocky: Legends - Not the most realistic of boxing games Legends was nonetheless lots of fun. The game packed in tons of fighters from the Rocky universe and had smooth mechanics and a great career mode, even if you couldn't use anyone outside of the famous fighters. A new update would offer better graphics, an expanded roster, and hopefully keep the great career mode but allow you to take other fighters through it.

6. Rugby - EA made a couple of great games in Rugby 2006 and Rugby 2008, but so far no new installment has been made for this generation of consoles. Rugby is an incredibly popular sport worldwide if not in the US and I'm still surprised that one hasn't been made yet.

7. Baseball Stars - The greatest baseball game ever made holds that distinction not because of of its gameplay mechanics but because of its great customization levels. Eschewing real teams Stars had some teams of their own but where it really shined was building your own teams, picking their mascots and colors, and hiring and customizing your players. You picked their faces, their names, and built their stats. An updated Stars could feature a broader team builder and offer great multiplayer leagues.

8.Weaponlord - One of the bloodiest fighting games ever. Weaponlord was brutal beyond compare and featured hidden fatalities drenched in gore. Revamping it with Street Fighter IV-stile graphics and keeping it a side scroller would be cool, or even take it 3-D and give it a story making boss fights into the kind of battle the original game featured.

9. Gabriel Knight - There are simply not enough good detective games out there anymore. The Gabriel Knight games, especially Sins of the Father, were fantastic games. A new update would be a great free-roam mystery. Set in a living city like GTA IV's Liberty City would give it fantastic character and all new life.

10. The Immortal - The Immortal was a fantastic adventure where death lurked around every moment. You needed to be smart instead of strong to survive. With a setting like Demon's Souls a new Immortal could utilize an inventory system to create spells and potions to help solve the deadly puzzles of the game.

I'm sure you have your own lists of games to add and, to be honest, it's hard to restrict this list to ten. So developers, if you're out there reading, take a look at these games and the ones other readers add. We're fans, and we'd gladly pay for great reimaginings to great games of yesteryear.

Today I made the leap from a 40g PS3 to a 500 gig self-installed drive. The easy to google guides are all dead on; the process is monkey-simple and the only problem involved is the easily-stripped screws. All you need is a phillips head mini-screwdriver and a 2.5 inch Sata drive of your desired capacity. I purchased a Seagate 500gig with 5400 rpm and 8mb cache for 89.99 at Bestbuy. That left me with 465 gigs after the PS3 software took what it needed to run and 391 after I restored all my saves and such.

I is happy. =-)

Madcatz is a pathetic, inept company. Period. My first experience with Madcatz was a memory card for the Playstation; the first one. It boasted tons of space but what it SHOULD have said was "Move all your game saves here so we can delete them." My second experience was a Mouse peripheral for my PC. I was soured by Madcatz after the memory card experience but I thought "What harm can come from a Mouse?" The answer: None. The Mouse worked great. The Install Disk, however, contained the Ripper Virus, a nasty little program that lingered for 2 years disguising itself and screwing up .exe files by changing their name and extension and moving them. It took two trips to Best Buy to cure my PC of that little gem and quite a lot of money. So you can imagine my apprehension when SFIV hit and Madcatz had the peripherals in an exclusive arrangement. But, because SFIV is full of suck, it uses the EX control scheme which requires multiple button presses in tandem to do things as simple as a Taunt, let alone Ultras. I bought two of them though, the fightpads at 39.99 a pop. One broke immediately and like a fool I bought another one. All three have been repaired by Madcatz (after a lot of red tape) and one has been repaired TWICE. All three continue to FAIL. The EX configuration means that playing with the standard controller requires an advanced degree in Yoga so, in essence, without these crappy fightpads the game is simply unplayable. That totally sucks because I LOVE Street Figher. I love it so much that I was willing to forgive the changes they made to make this one more accessible to noobs. Last night all three fightpads failed spectacularlly. No combination of pad and sensor seemed to work. So I did what any sensible person would do. We played UFC 2009 instead. I really am thinking about just selling all of it. 3 fightpads and SFIV. No looking back.

Multiplayer is vastly overrated. Cooperative is one thing, but competitive multiplayer is ruined by hackers and cheaters to the point that the whole system is just broken. Irks me to see people complaining about games like The Last Guardian not having multiplayer. It's not SUPPOSED to have multiplayer. Like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus before it its a one player experience. That's the way its written. I'm starting to believe the whole buzz about Multiplayer exists solely because without XboxLive the entire Xbox experience would be overshadowed by the vastly superior PS3 console.

WTF? Why all the buzz and excitement over Natal and Sony's motion sensing wand? Haven't we, as gamers, all dismissed the Wii as a mere gimmick incapable of delivering the next-gen experience? It was neat, I loved mine... for about 5 months. Then it collected dust for another 8 months before I sold it. I have never looked back either. Wii games are below PS2 levels, as far as I'm concerned. I simply had no desire to play anything on the system except for Wii Sports which, frankly, got old. The Wii is a niche market toy for old people and children. Now that may be my opinion, but there's plenty of sales figures to back that up. The fact is that, while true gamers have bought the console as well, the Wii's strong numbers come due to significant sales to demographics that don't normally buy consoles. How many gamers, who have either the 360, the PS3, or both AND a Wii (PSWii60) actually still play their Wiis? How many keep them just for when their non-gamer friends come over? (Like I did for 8 months.) So what do they think Natal will do? Will you have Assisted Living Facilities finally experiencing the Red Ring of Death? Will Sony finally be able to market a Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon game to 8 year old girls who want to use a wand to defeat baddies? This is gimmick marketing, plain and simple. Just like with the wretched decision to shift the dashboard of the 360 to include Wii-like avatars it is two major gaming companies trying to capitalize on Nintendo's fluke. Face it: Nintendo just didn't have it. The Gamecube was such a niche machine marketed to children, trounced by both the Xbox and the PS2, that they had nothing to lose by pushing an inferior system. (Again, my opinion) The Wii can't hold a candle to the 360 or the PS3 in terms of rendering capacity or sheer power. The ONLY facet it has are neat little toy controllers that don't work 100% of the time and can be readily thrown into 2,500.00 dollar television screens. MS and Sony have already dumbed down their experiences with avatars to try and capture some of Nintendo's market but its not going to happen, fellas. The appeal of the Wii is that it's cheap and can be used by 6 year olds and 96 year olds. It's gaming for the gaming-handicapped. How many of you honestly want to spend a hundred dollars or more to stand up and pretend-steer your Grand Turismo 5 car around the track? How many want to see YOUR physical representation super-imposed Ralph Bakshi-style onto a rendered background? Mark my words: THIS IDEA SUCKS. It's a gimmick, nothing more.

This upcoming holiday season is going to be littered with Video Game hits. It's really an exciting time for gamers. Following is the list of Must-Haves that I'm watching.

October

13th
-Brutal Legend: Jack Black gives voice to this action/comedy about Eddie Riggs, the world's greatest roadie who, while tuning a guitar for a lame metal band, accidentally cuts his hand and dripps blood onto his belt buckle, which is actually a relic of Ormageddon; a God of the Metal Universe. Eddie is sucked into this alternate universe which looks like every cover of every Iron Maiden album... ever! Other voice talents include Ozzy Osbourn and Rob Halford of Judas Priest!

-Uncharted 2: Among Thieves: The sequel to the Uber-Hit Uncharted: Drake's Fortune about treasure hunter and Sir Francis Drake descendant Nathan Drake is once again going to bring Hollywood-stile (misspelled because of Gamespot censors) cinematics and tight gunplay back to the PS3. This time they've added a LOT to theenvironment and combat, including an Assassin's Creed-esque scaling ability.

-Way of the Samurai 3: The first two were masterpieces and this one looks to continue in the same vein. Super short adventures combined with a remarkable branching storyline means this game is a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book come to life. This incarnation adds subtle gestures, such as bowing, to the player controlled efforts; meaning if you neglect to do these things to the wrong people it can have an effect on the story! This is a samurai simulator!

20th
-Smackdown VS Raw 2010: SDvR 2006 was the last good year for wrestling games because after that year the games Create-A-Wrestler function was trimmed back and full of bugs. Well, after 3 years of ignoring us THQ finally listened! 2010 revolves around CAWS and they've even included a mode where you can control every aspect, down to dialogue, for an entire show and even an entire season! Fantasy Wrestling returns this October and whatcha gonna do, brother, when Create-A-Mania runs wild on youuuuuuuu... oooohhhh yeeeaaaaahhh!

27th
-Alpha Protocol: Billed as the Espionage RPG Alpha Protocol throws you into the shoes of a CIA agent and pretty much lets you go. With a dynamic dialogue tree that overshadows Mass Effect the levels of customization are off the hook! Want your agent to be a run-and-gun badass? How about a Stealth Ninja? Everything is possible in the ultimate Triple JB adventure! (James Bond, Jason Bourne, Jack Baur.)

November

17th
-Assassin's Creed 2: Assassin's Creed stands out as the finest piece of historical fiction ever to hit the consoles. Now Desmond Mile's ancestors' stories continue in the Italian Renassiance with new protagonist Ezio. Pretty much everything has been improved and the uncanny ties to real history have been preserved as well. AC2 looks to be another major hit.

December

8th
-The Saboteur: Loosely based on the real life WWII hero William Grover-Williams, this game features an Irishman living in Nazi-Occupied Paris, Sean Devlin. He's a racecar driver who joins the French Resistance. What really stands out about this game is the stile (misspelled because of Gamespot censors) The game starts in black-and-white (except for certain things like blood and Nazi flags) and as you slowly free more areas from Nazi control color slowly bleeds into thegame. It looks to be a beautiful, and bloody war drama.


To Be Announced 2010

-Red Dead Redemption: Perhaps the single most anticipated game in recent memory, Rockstar brings us the sequel to the rushed hit Red Dead Revolver, a rather linear piece of gaming overshadowed by its much more open (but also much shorter) rival Gun. RDR looks to eliminate that arguement by taking the entire game open world. With an amazingly realistic food chain that sees real desert animals ACTING like real desert animals, i.e. preying on each other, RDR puts you in the boots of John Marston, a former outlaw forced back into service by the U.S. Government in the twilight of the Cowboys. Everything seen so far screams Grand Theft Horse. This one is gonna be grand.

-Mafia II: While the first Mafia was eclipsed by the later released Godfather, this time around it looks like they've taken the time to get it right. Godfather 2 may have been lame but Mafia II will provide a full open world affair as you assume the role of Vito in his rise from nobody to made man beginning in the late 1940s.

-Enslaved: This retelling of the Chinese Klassic(misspelled because of Gamespot censors) "The Monkey King" stars Andy Serkis (Gollum) as Director, Voice, and Motion Capture of a free-living loner named Monkey, a wild-man protagonist living in post WWIII-Post WWIV New York long after most of humanity is just a memory. Monkey is captured by robotic slavers and meets Trip, a young girl who lives in a small community of surviving humans. Monkey, at Trip's direction, manages to cause the slave ship to crash but when he comes to Trip has fitted him with a bomb-like headpiece; leaving him enslaved to her! Trip uses Monkey's survival skills to guide her to her home against his will! In a tale that sounds similar to super-hit ICO Enslaved looks to be a thrilling story set in a post-apocalyptic world.