About This Blog.......

I have to tell you, running iGamer will probably decrease the amount of posts I make on this blog. I'm thinking of bringing back staff thoughts, but I realize that they are pretty useless while we have staff blogs. I won't be deleting staff blogs, but I'm not sure what to do with them either.

Month of August: What am I Playing

I am currently playing:

Bioshock - 1st time

Wii Sports Resort - 1st time

Splinter Cell Double Agent - 2nd Playthrough

The Orange Box (Portal Advanced Levels) - 1st time

Trials HD - 1st time

Skate 2 - Occasionally, just fool around

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 - Online only

Fallout 3 Review Coming Soon, Plus Trials HD Demo Day Impressions

Appearing on iGamer soon is my review of Fallout 3 and my Demo Day Impression of Trials HD. A little late to the party, yes? I know, but I finally rented it, so now I need to release my input.

We Need More Arcade Titles Like Shadow Complex

I was watching this GameSpot movie and I was totally ENTHRALLED! It's everything Bionic Commando: Re Armed should have been, but was not. Combining 2D-3D and pure 3D action sequences and animations seamlessly. Just take a look:
Note: Also watch for Trials HD. If you've ever loved one of those online dirtbike physics games, this ones for you!

PSS: The video won't embed right on my blog, so just follow this link:

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/shadowcomplex/news.html?sid=6213545&om_act=convert&om_clk=picks&tag=picks;title;1

XBL Avatars Don't Suck As Much Anymore

It has been recently announced by M$ that XBL avatars will have, with the next system update, the ability to receive clothes when you complete in game tasks. Like achievements, but more aesthetically pleasing. If I had any hope of getting a Master Chief suit on that worthless collection of pixels, I would be hoping for it right now.

Kratos in Soul Callyburr 4. WTF, Did I Read That Right?

A PSP SC game is scheduled to come out soon, I'm sure you know. The people who played "Tekken: Dark Resurrection" (like me) are pretty hyped over its release. Actually, scratch that, if you even OWN a PSP you are hyped up about this game because the Playstation Portable has had a game lineup thus far of four words: steaming pile of - okay guys, I'm trying to keep this G rated. A content warning in front of my blog would scare away half my potential audience. But fill in the blanks, you imaginative people! edit: better go change that last post....

Anyway, the PSP hasn't had a great track record of great games. Their are notable exceptions (Patapon, the GTA titles, some other PSP exsclusives that I don't remember anything about), but I don't think they are enough of masterpiece to buy the damn thing for. Oops, there I go again.

But SC 4 was just so good. So good that when I tried to write an iGamer review of it, I realized that I was wasting time I could be actually playing the game. Now I can play SC anywhere! Hooray me!

Or perhaps not.

They put fricking Kratos in a fricking SC game. And its not nearly as awesome as I thought it would be. Just check the video:


Yeah, WHAT WAS THAT? That wasn't Kratos.
"Drown in the depths of Hades"
Kratos would just rip off your head. The video doesn't even have any blood in it. Kratos is the god of war, you would expect maybe a disemboweling, or a permanent disfigurement of some sort. Death would probably be the norm. Or you would be wishing for it.

So what is this monstrosity that calls itself Kratos?

It's the T rated version, thats what it is. Everthing that made the god is gone, except for his clothes (if you can call them that) and his weapon/weapons. They needed to make the game T rated, so they brought Kratos down with it. Its just another victim to American consumerism and morality. Sony wanted to make more money, so they sold out one of their best assets and made him something that he's not.

Why can't they make it like SC 4? The Star Wars characters felt a little goofy in the game, but they didn't change their personas one bit. In fact, with the exception of the apprentice, all their dialougue and mannerisms were almost ripped directly from the beloved films they call home.

They can't do that with Kratos

He rips peoples heads of and does numerous things that defy even the most twisted imagination. He had a partially nude, heavily implied sex scene in his last PSP endeavor. Bandai Namco would never put that in a T rated game. But does it make it any better that they put the same guy in a T rated game? I could just as easily go to his wikipedia page and read about all his misdeeds, and go to YouTube to see them in action. The character is from a mature game meant for mature people. Why are you putting it in a kids game?

To think that Talim could even scratch the god of war anyway is a rant for another day...

Just Checkin in......

Yes, I have not had a post in awhile. Sue me. I've been too busy playing Dead Rising. Picked it up, bargain price, thats how I've spent the past few days. So this is kind of an update post, dare I call it that.

UPDATE:

1. Cameron: You stole my idea! You took your playlist and put it in the exact same place as mine and everything! Even the fact that you have one is stealing my thunder!

I'm just kidding Cameron. But seriously? Why copy my exact style? It's not flattery at all.

2: What have I been up to lately? I think this pretty much explains it:

Yes I have been creating YouTube video projects. They are VERY time consuming but SOOOO rewarding I must say.

http://www.youtube.com/user/13marquartc#play/uploads/8/5pdxA1YZoZg for more



So thats basically it. I HOPE to post more BUT that does not mean I WILL post more. I will TRY.

Chris' Semester Without Video Games: Week 3

Sorry for the late post!

I suddenly find myself thinking about games more and more often. In my head. My circumstances, however, seem to changing more and more. For instance, I got hooked on a site called prize rebel (it really works!). After I got enough points, I received a code for a 1 month Runescape membership. So I have that to keep me occupied. But I also ordered Rainbow Six Vegas 2 from the same site, and my inability to play it when it is delivered is frustrating me. Also, over the past week (probably from playing the iPhone game) I have seemingly developed a craving to play Assasin's Creed. This doesn't help the equation much at all. Also, there are numerous upcoming games that I want, but I must save up for my Dragon Boat World Championships in Praque. Stay tuned for week 4, and see all the continuing drama and build up!

NOTE: Due to my unsuccessful attempts, I won't be doing anything concerning binaural beats. I will leave the post up, but don't expect any updates.

Also, if you would like to use Prize Rebel, please use my referral link!

Chris' Semester Without Video Games: Week 2

Hello again. I'm at week two of my semester without video games. Temporary effects? Yes. Any developing mental symptoms/disorders? No. I have noticed however that I've been thinking about games more often. When I realize I can't play them, I revert to a "bout 3 minute emotional slump". I don't think this experience will be emotionally scarring or anything. I just watched Borat (best movie ever), which lifted my spirits somewhat. Can't always get what you want, but I certainly get what I need. Anyway, see you at week 3!

Above: My moms new car. It will be the car I learn to drive on. Hopefully....

A New Feature! - Your Brain on Binareal Beats

Hello loyal readers. I have recently read about a device called "Binareal Beats". This type of music can cause deep meditation and is often used to invoke a lucid dream (you know your dreaming, and hence can control your dreams). This effect is created by creating brain wave frequencies different than those naturally created in sleep. This tells your brain that it is in fact, dreaming.

Armed with this new found info and a couple Binareal lucid dream MP3s, I will sleep each night. Obviously, I'll sleep. But I will also keep on the look out for any and all "lucid dreams" and each time something strange occurs, I will blog it here immediately. So in addition to the previous feature that I am running every weekend until June 20, I will also be doing this one. Hooray, more added stress.

Would you like to try Binareal Beats? How about Lucid Dreaming?

Dreams: The Comprehensive Guide - Start Here

Lucid Dreaming MP3s - (Right click save link as to download tracks. You must register first)

Lucid Dreaming (WikiHow) - Additional Lucid Dreaming Preparations and Tips

Other Dream Uses for Binaural Beats - Additional Effects of Binaural Beats (Scroll Down)

Check back occasionally for my lucid dreaming progress!

Email pwnagepal@gmail.com with questions......

Duke Nukem Forever Dies Along With 3D Realms - But We Have Gameplay!

Yes, after 12 years of waiting, Duke Nukem forever has finally become vaporware, along with its developer 3D Realms. It was inevitable, really. A dev however, took it upon himself to release a gameplay video of some of the now dead product. And I must say, THE GAME LOOKS AMAZING! I've never seen anything as cool looking as this game. Below (or above) this text you will find the gameplay video. Please note that THIS VIDEO IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES! There is light nudity, and much language to be had. Not to mention violence. But If you care to take a look, then look. And etch it into your mind. We need Valve or someone to pick this game up!

Chris' Semester Without Video Games: The Shocking Feature

I have not been the best student, for most of my school career. But recently, my parents have decided to step up to the plate and take away things (about time!). I recently had a choice: Keep my iPod Touch, or be able to play all my consoles. I think I'm supposed to be diagnosed with dementia, because I chose the iPod over my games! Now I'm stuck with it. So in order to make it a learning experience, I've decided to craft this feature. I have until June 20th. I will blog every Saturday (if not, then Sunday) about my continually decreasing mental state. If that does indeed happen. Anyhow, I'll see you at week 2!

I got locked out of my blog!

Sorry for the extreme lack of posts! Blogger f'ed up and my blog dissapeared from my account! I resolved the problem, but that's no consolation for you, the reader. In addition, I haven't thought about this blog very much, because I've been so overwhelmed with schoolwork. So to make up for my/ Blogger's stupidity, I will try to post twice as much. Maybe even reaching 2 posts a day. But that would make me seem like I have no life wouldn't it? Oh well, thats not really much of a change...

Amazon's New Game Trade-in Service Will Fail?!

I have been reading up on Gamespot, and apparently found that "analysts" think that Amazon's new mail in used games trade in service will fail.

I Don't Agree

II am one who has been ripped off by gamestop on numerous occasions by their trade in system. They too think it will fail. I think that they have gotten desperate over this and want to reassure consumers. How can you reassure consumers when you gleefully take their Just Bought Yesterday "used" copy of Halo Wars, give them $3, put a "new" sticker on it, and sell it for $60. How can they do that? Do they have a soul? No, but apparently they just made a lot of money off of you.

Image Caption: Note Crackdown on the bottom right right shelf to the left. Way underappreciated. And cheap too. BUY IT!

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't go to game stop (and after reading the aforementioned confessions of a game store clerk article, I don't think that the clerks at least are cold hearted bastards). They do have some good prices, assuming you want to take a second mortgage out on your house, or want to wait 2 years to get COD 5. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm just not one of those people. I just like to ask myself questions like "Hmmm, why is Halo 2 still $40 in 2009?".

I do however, still get some good deals on games elsewhere. I got Mercs 2 and Soul Calibur 4 for $40 at Circuit City. I feel bad for the people that didn't get there before the good games were gone, which took a few weeks. I also got N+ for PSP for a little overpriced (think $10) $15 at Best Buy. I do go over to Gamestop occasionally to pick up and armful of original Xbox gems, before I'm eventually forced to scout for them online. They're selling the there for mostly $5 a piece, and I got some good ones. And thats okay. But never trade your games in there! Reader be warned!

Banjo Kazooie iGamer Review

Game: Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

Game Studio: Rare

System: Xbox 360 Exclusive

Players: 1

ESRB Rating E10+

Online Multiplayer: Yes

Achievement Difficulty: Easy - Mild

Reviewer: Chris

iGamer Rating: 8.4/10

What comes to your mind when you think of a bear and and bird in a backpack? Not Mario or Luigi, unless your a crazed fanboy. But if you played the old Banjo Kazooie games, you would think of, well, Banjo Kazooie.

Recently, I have gone to the local Blockbuster numerous times. Last time I picked up (the horrible, in my opinion) Midnight Club Los Angeles. I had cheated myself once again, because every time I went there, I had promised myself that I would rent Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. And I didn’t. Until now.

From the time I downloaded the demo off Xbox Live, I knew that it was special. I fell in love with the in depth vehicle creator, and the HD cartoon visuals. I had played Rares previous titles, like Grabbed by the Ghoulies, and Viva Pinata, both of which were underated masterpieces. So that what was the motivation to keep me playing, and I was rewarded.

Banjo Kazooie was a series of classic platforming games for the N64 and some other Nintendo console that I cant remember at the moment. But this is different from its predecessors. The new Banjo Kazooie actually makes fun of its ancestors and their platforming methods.

The reason why is that BKNB is a vehicle centered game. Running around on foot will get you nowhere fast. Instead, in one of the many game globe worlds, you can use vehicles that YOU created. From the ground up or just modifiying an exisitng vehicle blueprint, its only limited by your imagination. I happened to make a vehicle that was a jet car, boat, airplane, hovercraft, submarine, and rocket ship, all in one vehicle. This kind of scheming isn’t required, but there are some game mechanics centered around this area. For instance, a challange asks you to lift a physics enabled (this game has a very robust physics system) object a certain distance above the ground. If you don’t have a blueprint for this type of vehicle, you must make one. And there are more than one way to accomplish this, just like everything in BKNB. An example is when I had to take part in a hurdle race. I didn’t have any vehicles with springs on the bottom to jump over (everyone else used this kind of vehicle), and that made me realize a loop hole. The checkpoints you must pass through are located a few feet above the hurdles, usually to accomadate the ensuing jump. But I decided “screw that” and brought a plane in to fly over all the hurldles and through every checkpoint. Just as my fuel gauge reached empty, I passed the finish line. Minutes before anyone else I might add. This is an example of the open ended mission structure that permeates throughout this game. Its a very cool idea.

The story in Banjo Kazooie isn’t that important, unless your a hardcore fan. LOG, the lord of games (parodies the mechanics and cliches of various games) finds Banjo and Kazooie up near their home. There hahs not been much of a demand for video game heros lately (darn master chief), so the duo have gotten fat and lazy, eating pizza and playing video games all day. They see Grunty, their old nemesis who seems to have lost her head. LOG, disgusted with such incompetance, designs a competition, stating that their current state is in no shape for a full fledged retail game. The rest, is how you play it.

The physics in BKNB are important. Important is an understatment. Their importance out lusters every star in the sky, and the sun. Basically, the game is built on the stuff. If you thought Half Life 2 was the physic heaviest game, think again. You will use them to take items around the hub world, showdown town. You will use them to fly, swim, jump, boat, and drive. You will use them in every challenge. But that doesn’t mean they work that well.

No, in fact sometimes the physics can be quite the hassle. Not that they are whack, no they are realistic alright. Thats where the problem lies. It’s frusturating when you get a physics object halfway across the map in a race, only for it to slip from your grasp, and then having to start over. Much frusturation outside of challenges is narrowly avoided by having Kazooies wrench be able to pick up any physics enabled object. It can be done by getting near an object, waiting till it’s gold highlighted, then pressing the right trigger. This works well, in most cases. However, when trying to load up an item from town into the cart you are given, objects only want to get snapped into the middle by an automatic placement system. Basically everything gets put into the same spot on the cart and the system will not be swayed. This is especially annoying when I tried to put a jiggy (gold puzzle piece) onto the cart with a game globe (sphererical sphere). The jiggy only wanted to go ontop of the game globes exact location. This led to it sliding of the game globe and out of the cart. This is nearly topped only by the fact that when you try to bring a jiggy into town, the cops (oddly enough, are mostly pigs) think its smuggling. Its one of the focuses of the game, so you will be doing it a lot. Therefore, on top of the already wonky cart physics, the cops will ram into your vehicle, sending poor Mr. Jiggy and co. what seems like eons away. But satisfiyingly enough, if you destroy a cop car, you get an achievment appropriately named “Fuzz Off!”.

Physics aside, one of the great things Xbox 360 owners get to enjoy with Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, is just the pure beauty of the game. The rating and art style suggest a young target audience, but I can’t see anyone younger than 10 getting through even a third of the availible challenges. Anway, it has a very stylized, Viva Pinata esque, HD cartoon look. Its kind of hard to describe. If you have played Viva Pinata, then you would know, just thinker a way larger scale.

Besides looking like that underrated classic, Banjo Kazooie NB offers very stylized, sometimes downright incredible, creative level design. The levels are huge. And the amount of detail in each is enough by itself to justify there only being six of them. One of the most creative ones, is called the LOGbox 720. That right there shows how creative it is. It parodies both the 360 and Rare’s other creations by having spinning Viva Pinata and Banjo Kazooie game discs inside. Others, such as Nutty Acres, are huge open worlds where you can really put your inventions to the test. It just boggles the mind how Rare managed to spread all this detail into these huge worlds.

The reason which makes this game so accessible is most likely its down to earth vehicle creation system. To create vehicles, you go to Mumbo’s motors. To get vehicle parts, one way is to find hidden vehicle crates all over Showdown Town. The parts range from jet engines to just plain absurd things, like a freezer or an egg gun. Speaking of guns, if you wanna use that “open ended mission structure” in a race against hapless, weaponless, racers, then go ahead. It actually worked pretty well, I beat the first Grunty boss battle in 12 seconds that way.

The online play in Nuts and Bolts, from what I hear, is okay. I didn’t get a chance to try it because my Xbox Live connection wasn’t working straight through my rental period (lucky me). Apparantly, you can race with vehicles you make, invite friends to test vehicles with you, and send vehicle blueprints to said friends. This is as robust as many gamers may have hoped. Racing online can be fun, but the physics problems that are present even in single player races, are even more so online. Its pretty shallow, even if I did have my live then, I would stick to single player.

A problem people have been experiancing with this game is that the text is unreadably small on standard definition tvs. Luckily, I just narowly avoided this, having just got a 720p capable HDTV. But Rare does not plan on releasing a patch, so all the SDTVs are kinda screwed on this one. But I don’t watch the cutscenes anyway.

Overall, Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts is a fun game, that looks like a kiddie game, but its not, and it has lots of depth and creative options. Yeah all that. Also, the replay value is very high, but maybe not from the very beggining. You can try a challenge a different way the second time around.

8.5/10 -

Good:

• Beautiful look
• Large levels
• Many creative options
• High replay value

Bad:

• Shallow multiplayer
• Physics are wonky at times
• Cops get very annoying, very fast

Ugly:

• Still no voice acting! Maybe its tradition, but in this day and age!

Reviewers commentary: iGamer doesn’t usually write its own reviews, it just gives links to the usual IGN or GameSpot ones. So to make up for it, I make these reviews very long. That combined with the fact that we are usually penniless to get new games. That would also account for the fact that my reviews are of games that came out awhile ago. But anyway, assuming I get around to it, I may to a review on Skate 2. But I’d rather not think about it right now. So good night, I’m going to sleep, its almost 1 AM and a school day tomorrow.

- Rock out, Chris

My Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts Review

My Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts review should be coming soon on iGamer!

http://www.igamersite.co.nr/

I'll probably repost it here in case you don't want to scroll through lots of news to get to it.

No Rage in 09?!

It seems ID recently confirmed that their open world game "Rage" will not make a debut on consoles this year. It's not expected to arrive until at least 2010. I hadn't really been following this game but the fact that the world has to wait for an ID game is definitely noteworthy.

This doesn't come as a shock to me personally. Brutal Legend was almost lost, until it got picked up by EA, whom I think can do something fairly decent with it. There was another game that was lost, but its name escapes me.

I think as developers take on more ambitious and complex projects, more games will be canceled and lost somewhere between. There are also lots of games that should have been lost (*cough* Two Worlds *cough*)

Wii: A Pile of Shovelware

The Nintendo Wii. It has galaxy, brawl, twilight princess, and so on so forth. But it has a burgeoning dark side too. One that threatens to bring the Wii to its knees. That is the blasphemy that is shovelware. And the Wii is full of it.

It prints money, but is it blood money?

I remeber reading somewhere about the Xbox 360 and PS3 having more higher rated titles than the Wii alone. Not to hard to believe either, when I see games like ninjabreadman (cool title though) and the latest hannah monscandal stocking the walls. The bad thing is: people buy these games. They don't do their homework. I have an entire routine before I go and spend anything on any game. Grandmas think "Oh, he likes Shrek. Lets get him the Shrek game" or "He sure needs a YBOX paddle". Really, if you don't believe me, then check out GamesRadar's feature Confessions of a Video Game Store Clerk. Prepare to be appalled. Theres so much crap out there. The average person spends something like 67% of their time on the internetz sorting through crap to find what they need. Retail Stores are nowhere near conveniant. At least the internetz has the courtesy to hide such materials from us.

Obama Cursing Remix

While searching the depths of YouTube (okay, I didn't have to go that far), I stumbled upon this. It's president Barack Obama: Cursing. Yes, that is his actual voice. He recorded an audiobook years ago and it would appear as if it wasn't G rated on the language. Neither is this video, so little kids, beware!

Welcome to My Blog!

I, Chris, on March 5 2009, have been bequeathed this blog by my boss, Drew. I hope that this will be a good writing exercise for me, and a fun read for you (although it will probably just add to the corruption that is the internetz). Look here for my personal thoughts, mostly regarding gaming, but whatcha gonna do?


God save us all, and we may deliver this unholiness back down to the devil himself.