Blog Update

OK, I am going to have to post a short post now and then post E3 stuff after I get back from France (for the third time!)

Tomorrow, I set off for France by Eurostar with my friend. So I will be away again, then I get my GCSEs on the 21st then back to school in September. I have holiday snaps, but have not got round to putting them on Picasa, so tough if you were the slightest bit interested.

Personal update out the way, what gaming stuff do I have. That's what you were thinking. I got STALKER. I wanted to get it when it first came out, but it wouldn't run or fit on my old computer. So, having got a new computer, I thought great. Got it for my birthday. It doesn't work on my brand new straight out of the box £500 computer. The most bizzare problem. The disk works in other computers (A vista and my old computer) and my disk drive can read other DVDs. However, when I put the Stalker disk in, it groans for a few minutes then says "Please Insert Disk". A long (and possibly very expensive) phone call to Dell has not resolved it yet. In the mean time, I persuaded (read bullied) my Mum in to letting me install it on her laptop (a Vista XPS). It is a cracking game, difficult with survival a key element. You can't just go running and gunning, a) because you do not have the ammo and b) you have not the got the health or the arms to ever do it and live to tell your Stalking buddies about it. Besides, you also must fight the enviroment, which just refuses to lay down and die. I have not got very far, but I am so far loving every minute. Although, I am very relectutant to drop anything so I am constantly carrying too much causing my character to tire quicker.

While on my French exchange I got the chance to play on Gears of War (which I have played on before, but not to this extent) and it reminded me why it was such a fantastic game. It wasn't the bloody chainsaw gore (although that probably helped) but the fact the campaign is so damn amazing. It never ceases to be like a film. There is so much untold depth once you start turning the difficulty up and you can no longer run and chainsaw. The last act was my favourite, as when you are battling your way up the train, that is Gears of War at is's best. Cover, shoot, psuh forward and so on. As I result, I am now super looking forward to Gears of War 2.

Also got the chance to play on 2 less good games. Firstly, Vegas. Maybe because it is older than I think, but this game looked terrible. The models for the characters looked great, but then the buildings and surrondings looked terrible. Sometimes there would be a physics engine, other times everything would be brittle as a brick. The cover system, on the plus side, did allow you to feel very proffesinal. But, for the most part it was decidedly average.

Lost Planet was weirdly bad. Like, who would have a dead zone anyway. Ceartainly not when you are controling with joy sticks. For the un-initaited, the dead zone is an area in the middle of the screen where the character does not turn when the cross hair is moving about there. This feels slugging (which when on a 360 controller is really bad) and this was after Halo, so there really is no excuse. The game also looked terrible, and had possibly the worst intro level. You were fighting this boss, it wasn't hard, but if anything touched you, you died. No health. Randomly frustrating as there was little you could do except keep moving to the bit where you could beat it. On top of which, it had some of the worst acting/story line I have ever seen. Your body is found in one of these armoured suit things called VS. Then the character who finds you goes, with his tongue no where near his cheek, "If only there was someone who could pilot the VS" I laughed out loud. I don't think this was the intention.

Short update for now, but I am going to be writting one massive rant about Nintendo (they are slipping, fastly, out of my good books) a quick analysis of the console war as it stands at the moment, and my offical review of Brawl. This is going to be like my Halo 2 review, so Nintendo fanboys, watch out. Still not settled on the score, but as a sneak preview, I am torn between 7 and 9. Nothing in between.

----------------
Now playing: Blondie - Picture This
via FoxyTunes
Enjoy the rest of your summer/winter (if you are getting as bad weather as me at the momement.

Pre-3, Brawl Tourney and Other News

Well, I am going to France this weekend until next week, so it is looking like I am going to miss E3 this year, which is a shame as I was looking forward to finding out what Nintendo had to say. And Microsoft and Sony of course. Obviously, I will catch up on it when I get back, but here are my predictions for the big 3.

Nintendo:
I wish I knew. Seriously, they said they had 3 big announcements a while back, and we haven't heard anything since. It could be anything. I think we will hear about additional storage and voice chat, but on the game front, people are saying it could be Star Fox, Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing (that is where my money is) or perhaps a new FPS IP(Intellectual Property). (Talking of which, read below if you are interested in FPS's on the Wii... ) Hopefully there will be some news about the Forces Unleashed as well...

Micrsoft:
Big long speech about how amazing the 360 is. Then a big old price drop about the aforementioned amazing 360. Then they will talk about all the great games coming out. Namely Fable 2, Gears of War 2 (that's a big one) Fallout 3, EndWar, I could keep listing to be honest. Then they could shock everyone and announce a hand-held console. Or they might not.

Sony:
Brag about Blu-Ray, talk about MGS sales, have a big old demonstration of LittleBig planet, mention Home, drop the price significantly, again, talk about PSP 2. Which will have motion sensing, mutli-point touch screen and hey, maybe even 2 screens.

What am I looking forward to? Mainly Fable 2, Fallout 3 and Forces Unleashed, and a FPS that I will talk about below. Obviously, should be good to see Gears 2, but I think I know what to expect from that. I am also looking forward to what Nintendo's big announcements are going to be.

What is this FPS I have been talking about then? It goes by the name Conduit and it is not being released on the PS2, making it a Wii game built for the Wii. So obviously, this means better graphics, but when the developers start to say things like

"feels a lot more like they're making a 360/PS3 title than a Wii title"

It is difficult not to get excited. And then they release gameplay footage:

It's damn near impossible. And there will be a playable demo at E3.This, in their words, will revolutionize development for the Wii. 16 player online is the target, they also said they have taken inspiration from the best parts of uber successful shooters, like Halo, hopefully that means match making, party options, playlists, everything. The best part is, they are working with Nintendo to bring the best online experience possible. Stay tuned for more details.

A couple of posts ago I mentioned doing a massive Brawl tourney. Now the aim is to get 64 or 128 people signed up. Let me explain what this tourney is about:

I had this idea ages back when Brawl was coming out in the US, it has now finally arrived in the UK, so now is the time to do it.

It is basically a giant online tournament. We would get as many people as possible (64 or maybe even 128) and set out fixtures for each of the games. All of the games would abide by some set rules. We make sure that everyone can make the dates they need to at the start for the first round, then organise the next round based on who gets through.

Here is where it gets cool however. The matches would be Stock, but with a time limit of 3 minutes. Then, at the start, the most well equipped person to do this, films the match (saving the replay and then recording it with whatever means they have) Now while I know this is a Nintendo forum, I am assuming that some of you have played Halo 3. It would be similar to the service that Bungie offer. Each game would be recorded with the replay available, screen shots taken by the participants and all the data that is presented at the end of the match.

So like Halo, each match would have a page with all this information. Then each registered player would have a page which includes all of their stats (ie. total damage done over the whole tourney) as well as their screen shots, maybe some information about them and there current status in the tourney.

So obviously, this is going to need loads of people (64/128) so if you are interested, there is almost definitely space. You can sign up with a comment on this page (include your Brawl Code and Wii code), or on this forum or you can email me @thekileyenator@gmail.com

By pooling all my brawl contacts and some eariler registers, I have got a total 7 people, so we still have a long way to go, but I do believe this can happen.

Super Smash Rant

For everyone's information, my Brawl code is: 5069 - 5371 - 3115, if you add me, be sure to tell me your code. I play Samus.

Ok, so Brawl has come out in the Uk, I got it on launch day and I was considerably less hyped about it then than I was some months ago. Well done Nintendo. This post is a list of all the things that bug me, annoy me or are just plain right stupid.

Online is the biggest one. Why can't I do everything online with Friends? Surely I should be able to do tourney, Co-Op, rotation Special Brawl and custom stages. It is absurd. Why can I not send messages outside a game to my friends? Why am I only online when playing online, can't I be online when playing the campaign. Why isn't there stat tracking or leader boards. Why is the online better in Mario Kart, a 3+, than in Brawl, a 12+ and definitely hard core title. Why are there lag issues when this is the biggest game on the Wii? Why aren't there playlists (ie. for KO fest/ Stock etc)

Why on earth can I not use the point in the menus?! When you are choosing a character, you literally are moving a cursor ideal for a pointer. Did they just not work it out? Why can't it remember which name you use by default. Every time I have to select THK, JUST REMEMBER IT!

The subspace Embissary clearly cost a lot of development time to produce, just look at the fancy cut scenes. So why is it, for the large part, dull or frustrating. Some of the levels are fun, but why isn't it all? Because their level design, in some places, is non existent. Some times it is just really boring, like a flat path with one jump. Other times the controls, which are built for a button bashing fighter, just aren't up to the job of platformer. It isn't without it's positives, but I would have preferred if the development time had been spent on the online.

Why is the game still unbalanced? You have had years to craft these characters, you haven't added that much since Melee, surely balancing Snake wouldn't be too hard.

Unlockable content is fine, to a degree. But unlocking options?! That would be like if you had to play 5 hours on Halo to get the inverted control scheme.

Small gripe, but why are GC controllers players 1 before Wiimotes. Why can't I set the default to not be KO fest in Brawls.

Well, when all is said and done, it isn't as long as I thought it was going to be. Also, happy Bungie day for yesterday. I hope you all downloaded the map and played the playlist, I know I did. I got a Killtacular on Swords, was very happy. The map is one of my favourites from H2 (I think...) and any map with teleporters is always cool. Anyway, more posts to come. FK watchers, you will be pleased to know I have finally got my head round how it is going to fit together (well mostly)

And We Are Back

After a very long hiatus, Veteran Gamer is back. I have finished my GCSEs, I have Brawl (will post online code soon) I have a new computer, I have Xbox Live Gold, I have played the Civ Rev demo, development for FK has started and I love XNA.

Well during my break, I have lost all my readers, but hopefully I can claw them back. Until I have set up the Frozen Kangaroo website, some of the posts on this blog will be about that. I will be discussing XNA (which I love, have I mentioned that?), game design issues and hopefully revealing some art work.

Brawl is great! It might just be Meelee online, the subspace emissary may be poorly designed, the online may be lacking in featuers, but the tried and true gameplay will keep you coming back for more. However, SSBB is not out of the woods yet, like Halo 2, I am going to heavily critise a game despite knownig I will be playing on it for many years to come!

I am going to be trying to organise a BIG online tourney for Brawl, more details of that and how to sign up to come later when I have discussed it with a couple of other people to see if it can happen.

Is anyone else also hugely dissapointed with the weather at the moment? It just isn't acceptable.

Gaming news I should have posted about:
MGS has multiple cut scense that are 1h30+. I.e. the length of a feature length film
Creature Creator was released to get people excited for Spore; you have to buy it, curses to EA.
And probably lots else which I can't remember.

On the plus side, I may be getting a promo copy of Wall E curtosey of THQ, so it will be interesting to check that out. Yes, it is a game of a film, but just look how cute it is! I will be reviewing, if at all, the Xbox 360 version.

Upcoming posts:

• Super Smash Bro's Rant
• Super Smash Bro's Review
• Racing Games - What They Need to Do
• Exclusive details about FK

I hope you are all well and everything and having a lovely summer. Oh wait, you haven't finished!

April Fools!

Happy April Fools everybody! Unfortunately, I have not prepared something really cool to trick you all with, however, there are a couple of good ones I have seen. IGN's trailer for a Legend of Zelda movie is probably the best, Gamespots is amusing, I actually feel for Vic Davies one and was about to post a congratulations when I noticed Googles! If you have seen or heard of any good ones, please leave them as a comment.

I can't think of any major news item for this month, it being March. However, I have started the GDD for Frozen Kangaroo so, so far, it is going to plan. This month is my last full month at school (if you can call it full, I have a sort of easter holiday in a weeks time for 2 weeks) and then I go on study leave. During that time I will be revising, however, after June 12th, I will be free until September so expect news, reviews previews and Brawl.

As I mentioned, Fable 2 has an approximate release date of this autumn. The main thing to watch out for this month is GTA. In May there is WiiWare (complete with Gravitronix and Platachen Twist and Paint) and, with any luck, Super Smash Bro's Brawl.

Possibly the biggest news is I have a long term "loan" of one of my most favourite games I have never owned. The Elder Scrolls Oblivion. I was a bit worried that I would be under-amazed by the game as it came out some time ago, but it is as impressive as it was then. I am currently a high ranking member of the Mage's Guild, a warrior in the arena and not too far in to the main quest and I am loving it. I have a friend who got it at a similar time to me, he is being evil, having killed something like 100 people! There is so much to do that you could ignore trice the lack of polish the game has. And, if I am honest, there are unpolished elements, Co-Op would have been nice and some times the draw distance and frame rate is down right shoddy, but that doesn't change the fact that 2 years down the road it is still a very ambitious and highly impressive game.

For my Op-Ed tonight, I will be discussing what makes a "special" game and why they make me, at least, tingle just thinking about them. I will be using Oblivion, Metroid Prime and Civilization as case studies.

Release Dates

Play.com recently announced some UK release dates, most significantly, for Fable 2. Play.com slated the release date as May 30th. This sounds great to me, perhaps a little too near Brawl, but none the less, sounds good. Unfortunately, Lionhead Studios have denied this release date, saying it "is pure speculation". This is obviously disappointing, as the website implied the game would come out when leaves turn brown, ie. autumn. Still, at least it puts a bit of space between Fable and Brawl.

Or does it, a highly reputable source, has released he first realistic release date for Brawl. Tesco have said the release date will be the 1st of January 2020. So, I will be programming the countdown tonight!

On a side note, you may start noticing references to something called Frozen Kangaroo. This is a game that I am designing/developing (still very much in the designing stage). As a result, you will start to see more posts about game design, and references to Frozen Kangaroo will appear, you can use these to piece together the game, as I will not be releasing any official information till further down the line. You can see the first piece of concept art here. If you've got time, check the rest of his DeviantArt, it's good stuff and he will be the lead artist in FROZEN KANGAROO.

Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart Wii is coming out this Aprile exclusive to, as the name suggests, is exclusive to the Wii. I very much enjoyed Mario Kart Double Dash for the Gamecube as it was great fun in multiplayer and was very accessible to all markets. Surly this would make a perfect game for the Wii, as the whole point about Wii is the accessibility to different markets. I didn't think Mario Kart was perfect however, so here is a wish list of what I want to see improved upon in Mario Kart Wii

Non-Scripted Physics Engine
What made MK so much fun, was the fact that the game would get crazy. Karts would be flying every which way, slipping on bananas, going up jumps, speeding on boost-pads and chucking objects at each other. However, what detracted from the craziness was the linearity of the spinning and crashing. For those who have played the game, picture, when you get hit by a shell, instead of using the pre-animated spin, how you span depended on the incline of the track, the angle at which you were hit etc. Furthermore, with the inclusion of a true physics engine, when you crash in to other cars, there could be huge pile ups. One of the best things about Forza is, when you are racing at 200MPH, you slip and there is a huge pile up. However, in Forza, this is cool, but then, it is basically the end of the race and you have to restart because it is "realistic". In MK, however, there could be massive pile ups and then everyone just drives on.

Increase in Speed
Once again, this comes down to the crazy factor. It is a racing game, so make it possible to go really fast. Obviously, this makes it harder, so make it possible to tone up/down the speed depending on requirements. Sucessfully dodging shells in Double Dash was one of the personal highlights for me. It was a really nice feeling when you see a red shell coming towards you and then you drift just before it hits you and it crashes in to the opponent in front of you. That situation would be so much cooler if it were all taking place at 200MPH and when it hit the opponent in front of you, you would see him shoot behind you (as well as you being forced to doge him thanks to the aforementioned physics engine)

Online Multiplayer
This feature has been pretty much confirmed anyway, but, lets face it, as good as Double Dash Single player was, the multiplayer was where it's at. So, in line with the craziness, lets have lots of people online. For once, I am not at all fussed about lack of communication options or having to have friend codes. It really doesn't matter, maybe let us save fastest times, so people can try and beat them and ranks so non-gamers aren't playing gamers. However, aside from that, you don't need to talk to people while racing, you don't need to add them as a friend because races don't really allow you to pick out favourite opponents. Once again, this is an element that would be enhanced by increased speed and physics.

These features I believe are realistic. Obviously, this title is one Nintendo is going to make non-gamer friendly, but I don't think these features make it and less or more accessible, they just make it better. Obviously, I could ask for the ability to customise cars, or paint them, or have tournaments and leader boards and damage models. But all that isn't going to happen in a non-gamer friendly game. If you want that, play Forza. I will, assuming the reviews aren't terrible, be getting Mario Kart to quench my thirst till Brawl. For anyone who is confused about Brawl's release date, you are not alone. IGN says May 1st, as does Game. Gamespot on the other hand, says June 6th and Nintendo, the publisher and distributor, has not confirmed any release date. So, ignore anyone who says "They KNOW when it is coming out," just ignore them, because unless they occupy a high position at Nintendo, they don't

Super Smash Brothers Brawl Released in the US

Brawl has been released in America. Now just Europe and the rest of the world to go. While sales reports are yet to come in, both Gamespots and IGNs review of Nintendo's hotly anticipated fighter are up. They both give the game a 9.5, the highest score (bar perfect) While the reviews are not identical, they both have similar criticisms, mainly of the Subspace Emissary.

"...there are some[levels]--in particular the automatically scrolling ones--that the game could have done without"
"...as it is simply not as balanced or entertaining as the stages designed for multiple human opponents"

Despite this, the Subspace Emissary is just a bonus feature, and when it comes to the actual multiplayer, they do not have a bad word to say. They even declare all four controller options to be completely viable. Also, they say the online plays lag free, and, while you cannot play your own maps online, it doesn't really matter. You can also share photos, videos and stages online. I won't bore you will all the features, as thy are all listed on the Smash Bro's Dojo. It is suffice to say, this is my no. 1 anticipated game for 2008 and I physically don't know if I can wait. Maybe I should just buy an American Wii and play Brawl today. If you want to be excited about Brawl, read the two reviews, check the Dojo for photos from the American users and play Melee.

On a side note, I have set up my real Xbox Live account, what a load of fuss that was, and they expect you to pay for it! My ID: theTHK123, if you send a message saying you read my blog, I will accept you instantly! Current games: Halo and Forza but should be getting Fable and Merc 2 when they come out this year.

The Terrible Graphics Crysis

In this months Op-Ed, I will be looking at the effects of "Next Generation Graphics" and if we actually need them.

Many thanks to "my friend" whose, up till now, only use was owning a 360. Fortunately, after coming up with the frankly genius title, he will not be the first redundancy here at Veteran Gamer

Last month, I looked at online gaming. I suggested that online may detract from a game because the developers were focusing online. While I still feel this is true, in comparison to the damage the HD graphics can do, it is negligible and online comes with tangibly good benefits. With the exception of the Wii, all current generation consoles, PC included, are pushing the so called High Definition era. Titles built with the sole intention of wowing the user, such as Crysis and games that have physics engines that put real life to shame, such as the one in Burnout: Paradise. But can a thick layer of beauty really cover up for poor gameplay. Or is it even the cause, suffocating originality?

With an introduction like that, you might think I was just going to rant about graphics. I am, after all, a Wii owner. However, graphics, and I mean this term very generally as I include stunning physics engines (as it has similar pros and cons), are, when used to complement rather than dominate, a very powerful tool. For example, one of my criticisms of Mario Kart was, while the action is often crazy, the fact that all the spinning is pre-animated ruins the chaos and makes it feel scripted. On the flip side, when racing in Forza Motor Sport at 200MPH and you slightly slip, you swerve, knocking the other contestants and causing a huge, entirely spontaneous crash. The fact that you know this can happen adds to the tension of the game. Likewise, part of the reason Halo: Combat Evolved became so popular was the Warthog. The Warthog was fun because, when a grenade exploded next to you, you flew backwards. Which leads me on to my next point.

Good graphics can make a truly immersive game. It is difficult to feel like you are inside a game if you are constantly reminded of it's fictiousness by, say, huge artefacts where your allies head should be. Would the world of Talon IV been as interesting to explore if it had just used dull colours and repetitive corridors? Would Gears of War have won game of the year if the chainsaw animation wasn't quite so belivable? The reason is, most people play games to escape their own world, if they can trick themselves this new, improved world is real, they will enjoy it more and stay in it more. Furthermore, another key feature of modern games is exploration. There is no fun in exploration if there is nothing to find but bland, blurred textures. For example, in Assassins Creed, the first time you arrive at a city, it takes your breath away and makes your long journey worthwhile. This wouldn't be quite the same experience if all you could see was the city walls and a blurry tower behind it and then nothing but the horizon.

Let's take Forza Motor Sport as an example. While Forza Motor Sport 2 is not quite Burnout Paradise when it comes to dynamic damage models, when Forza first came out for the Xbox, it was leading the way in realistic damage models. If it just showed you in a little diagram that the front of your car had been ripped off, it wouldn't have been very satisfying. However, because you see your bumper fly off it makes you appreciate the crash. Once again, it immerses you in the gameplay. By making your car more real, you realise that your shocking driving has real consequences. Also, the detailed enviroments serve to place you inside the car. Finally, by, and you may start noticing recurring themes here, making the maps look real, the player wants to explore new tracks to see what there like and makes the world more real.

However, as the gaming industry has recently out-sized the movie industry, there is now a lot 0f money in this once frowned upon market. At first this sounds good, but as many Hollywood films conform to the same clichés and do not try to be inventive, the same is happening to the video game market. So, the big investors who can't really tell a Wii Remote from a PS3 controller and think the Xbox 360 is Microsofts first games console, come in and see that consoles are pushing good graphics. They demand graphics to be this good, and the developer tells them that it will cost X million amount of money. This means that, as investors do not want to risk such large quantities of money, they go with safe bets. Ie. tried and tested game types, like first person shooters. The effect of this is, when an original idea is dreampt up, it sounds too risky for the investors and they turn the game down. To summarize, because graphics are now a must for current gen gaming, games are expensive to produce, meaning high risk, innovative, games are turned down. All is not lost however, thanks to services like the Xbox Live Arcade, that is what next months article will be on.

Also, similar to the last point, decent graphics take a long time to produce. Because of the aforementioned money constraints, developers will be pushed to release the game as quickly as they can. This means, that other elements, such as gameplay, get rushed towards the end, almost as an afterthought. Once again, this is down to pressures of the developers to make HD graphics in a short period of time. Once again, XBLA can take away the need for fancy graphics and let the focus remain on core gameplay.

A point about PC's as well. By increasing the technical prowess for the game, you shrink your market. Take Crysis, you can buy a top of the range computer now, and you still will not be able to play Cryis the way it is meant to played. While people might say that they are prepared to make compromises, the whole point to Crysis, the reason it wasn't released on consoles, the reasons why the system specs are so high, is because the main selling point is to show the world "This is what our games can do". The side effect of this is, gamers such as myself, get turned off modern computer gaming sticking to the classics and turn to consoles for their HD fill.

When I was thinking of a game for this point, I actually found it very tricky. Not because there is a shortage of games that are entirly focused on graphics, but because I do not buy games that are like this. Instead of blabbing on about a game which my entire opinion is based on a single Gamespot review, I will instead comment on the market in general. Many people will be aware that games are much shorter than they used to be. Gears of War, as great as it is, comes in at under ten hours. Likewise, Call of Duty can be done in less than ten hours. Fortunately, these game's gameplay aren't suffering. However, you could argue that the reason why Assassin's Creed has such repetitive mission objectives is because they spent so long making the draw distance breath taking. The problem with all these examples in showing my point is, overall, I believe that they have benefited from the fancy graphics. If anyone has any examples of games that have genuinely suffered because the focus is entirely on the graphics, please leave a comment.

In conclusion, I think we are reaching a split in gaming. I think the games that appear to be being damaged by graphics, the truth is that the developers couldn't improve the gameplay and decided to spend the time making technically amazing graphics so they can still justify charging money f0r it. I also want to point out that I do still believe the reason why the market is flooded with traditional games rather than different games is down to, almost entirely, the huge cost associated with making a game for the HD Era. I do not think it is because humanity has finally ran out of innovative ideas. Furthermore, because graphics need to be so intricate, game length is suffering and I think that developers now need to find a happy balance. Finally, I think that realistic graphics are going to become less prominent because, lets face it, as realistic as Forza looks, it can't compete with the likes of Paradise which just look cool. It all comes down to why you play games, and because it is for entertainment, realism just doesn't have the same wow factor as it used to.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really appreciate all comments (which I will read out if I do the Podcast) Also if you have any tips on refining my style of writing or have a suggestion for a topic I can do, please post a remark.

Blog Update For February

Brawl has a release date! The 6th of June is supposedly the release date for Super Smash Bro's Brawl in Europe. On Gamespot, this is the listed release date, although, having said that, there has been no such mention on the Dojo. Furthermore, this is some what undermined by Game's website listing the release date as the 1st of May and Nintendo, the publisher of Brawl, refusing to confirm any of these release dates. Personally, I think it will come out 6th June, but that date is not set in stone just yet. It will probably be confirmed after the American release date (March24th)

Also, you will have noticed I have slightly spruced up the design. I hope you like the improvements. The next couple of months I will be working to put the Podcast together and hopeful securing some interviews for the blog. Then the focus will switch to the Flash Media Player - to play said podcasts and videos. Finally, when that is all done, I will hopefully have a proper server and I will build a forum. If you would like to secure your desired user name, because there will be so much demand, I will be setting up a form on the forum page in the coming months. Please do, as it will give me an idea of the no. of users. All you will need to do is write down your desired user name and your email address so I can contact you when the forum is being built.

GDC was this month. There was a very interesting video about Fable Two presented by Peter Molyneux. It really made me want to dig up my copy of Fable. It was a shame, as being English, no one got any of his ironic jokes, however, I still enjoyed it. One highlight was when he went to visit his husband and child (yes, he was female and had to be pregnant - [he apologised for there being no labour mini game) When he arrived, his child ran up to him and was like "Hey Mummy, your home!" Whereas, when he went up to his husband, he was cross that he had left him for so long. Then, his co-op partner just shot his husband. Peter then explained how that was it, game over for his husband. He could not and would not come back. When he went away adventuring, his child would be taken in to an orphanage. I may possibly be doing a 3 part feature, one a preview on F2, one discussing the Good/Bad decisions that make the heart of Fable and a third on something else.

Also, there was a video for the new Unreal Engine. Personal highlight was the "Block of meat we built" This was to demonstrate the soft body physics engine the new build will feature. Also, there were some cool water effects. The engine was demoed with the Gears of War protagonist. Talking of Gears of War, I purchased a copy for a friend on Ebay, so, if it turns up on Wednesday, I will be able to play on it for that evening.

Oh yes, there was a , albeit brief, trailer of Gears of War. Very cool and well worth checking out (All links are at the bottom of the post)

GDC, as good as it is now, will, like E3, change. This is because it is meant to be an academic event and, following the collapse of E3, it has become much more commercialised. I feel this is good, as I don't want another E3, however, the way they are securing this future is by banning all non-full time journalists. Meaning - I can't go.

Also, Civilization Revolutions has been put on indefinite hold for the Wii (not for the 360 or the PS3) This usually means cancelled, which will be a shame as the Wii is the console most suited to this title.

EA Bought 2K this month. 2K being the publisher of Civilization. While Sid doesn't seem to be too fussed, I am worried as EA has a habit of milking cows till they bleed, and even then. I can't count on all my fingers and toes the number of Sims titles there have been, for example. We will have to see where this partnership goes, because, between the two of them, they have quite a lot of every market cornered. The last big publisher is THQ and Sega maybe. Oh, and Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, but they don't count.

Op-Ed Article: Graphics Galore (title pending) I will be looking at the supposed "HD Era" and how good good graphics actually are. Can they be the icing on a cake or make up on a elephant? You will have to read tomorrow to find out.

Links

• UK Brawl Release Date (GS)
• UK Brawl Release Date(Game)
• Fable 2 Video (GS)
• Unreal Engine 2 (GS)
• Gears of War 2 Trailer(GS)
• Sid Meier Interview
  

Viva Pinata on Ebay

Just a quick post. Thought I would let you know, in a kind of VG reader exclusive, that I am selling Viva Pinata on ebay. You can bid on this item here. If you are interested please bid, or if you know anyone else who may be interested, please send the link to them. Any questions, you can always leave a comment!

Also, if anyone is interested, I am also selling a Rock Tumbler- Turns stones in to little gems. You can view that here.

Cloverfield and 28 Weeks Later

I went to go see Cloverfield at the weekend and wow, what a film it is. This film is amazing. As a testimony to this, when I went in, before the film started, it was quite a boisterous audience, however, when I left, when there is normally chat about the film, it was deadly silent. Cloverfield leads you into a false sense of security by showing a gentle humour 10 minute introduction about a party before throwing you in to the deep end. The deep end, as I will refer to it as, is amazing. The film takes elements out of so many great films and combines them perfectly. Obviously, the Hand-Cam comes from The Blair Witch Project, but "the Deep End" takes inspiration from films like Alien, 28 Days Later, King Kong and Godzilla among others. My only criticism is that the ending well, lacks ending. There was a place where I thought it was going to end, however, it didn't and the remaining 5 minutes of the film actually detracted from the entire film. However, considering there presence, I thought there was going to be something such as a mock CNN report on it "Ten Years On" to offer an explanation; which there wasn't. Despite that, I still highly recommend going to see it, although do suspend disbelief, because the camera they are using is amazing, the sound quality, picture quality and battery lift are absolutly outstanding!

Also last month, I managed to see 28 Weeks Later, a film I have wanted to see for quite some time. Is it any good, well, my comment for this film is much the same as it was to 28 Days Later. It starts fantastically, but then gradually degrades to senseless violence. Once again, the shots of an empty London are both creepy and effective, as are the panning shots showing people running away from "the Infected". The story is a little predictable. A highlight in the film for me was when you see an overgrown football pitch as it really adds to the sense of desertion. If you enjoyed 28 Days Later you should enjoy this, if you didn't you won't and if you haven't seen 28 Days Later, do so first as it is better.

Bonus Review!!!
No purchase necessary

I finished watching Green Wing for free on Virgin Media on demand; a fantastic service without a doubt. If you have VM, you can watch all of S1+2 of Green Wing on demand for free (under TV Choice>Comedy>G) If you can, do. It is probably my favourite comedy, out ranking even the Peep Show, and the ending so simply poetic and beautiful you could almost forget it is a bizarre comedy. If after watching the first episode you just thought it was weird, watch another one, because yes, it is weird, but you will get in to it. I would recommend this to anyone who isn't offended by a little nudity.

Medal of Honor 2: Heroes First Impressions

Some of you may have been aware that I got Medal of Honor for the Wii today. Yes. Medal of Honor. As in that clichéd WWII that's been around for too long.And no, I haven't taken leave of my senses. The reason I got Hereos is two fold. Firstly, it is meant to have a sweet control scheme - arguably the future of FPSs. But, more importantly, it has 32 player online. So, is the game any good. Well, as it turns out, I could have told you that before I got it.

Good parts:

• Sweet controls
• Neat, lagless online
• Some funky gimicks
• The arcade mode is fun

Bad parts:

• It is so MoH, it feels like it is taking the mic out of itself
• A couple of the gestures are fidly and annoying
• The single player is Medal of Honour

I will use the remainder of this post moaning about the fiddly gestures. After briefly stating: no matter what impression you get from this, my initial impressions are good, the online is worth the wait.

The first point of frustration is the melee, executed by chucking the Wiiremote an N/Chuck forwards. This is very difficult to do and will usually end up with you reloading, loosing your aim, loosing your sense of direction and completely missing the enemy. I imagine, however, it is quite realistic, because you do not see the British army melee-ing people left right and centre, however, coming from Halo, it feels an intrinsic part of killing someone! Fortunately, online you do not have to bother with this, as you can just press Z.

The next example, is the sniper rifle. To alter the zoom, you rotate the Wiiremote. Apart from the fact this is very fiddly when you are being shot and you are also trying to line up a head shot, it adds nothing to the game as to zoom in in real life does not involve putting the gun upside down. It is good to see EA using the Wiiremote, but like Super Monkey Ball, some of it feels hit a miss.

Finally, the shotgun requires you to "pump" the N/Chuck. For the first two shots you will forget completely and wonder why you aren't shooting. Then, there are, perhaps, four shots after you have worked it out where it is quite cool and is a really nice finishing touch when you kill someone. The problem is, the shotgun isn't very good, and having to pump after every shot, like the melee, just messes up your aim.

There are some good ones, like the grenade throw, where how you throw actually effects the course of the grenade and of course aiming with the pointer is great! Please buy this game, as it may encourage a real shooter and the multiplayer is genuine fun. Full review coming out in March hopefully.

Band Mashups

I just got a press release from THQ and this quote was too good to miss:

"Fighting with a sniper violin or flamethrower guitar is something gamers should definitely look forward to."

Apart from the fact this game will be rubbish and, another cheap Wii game, this game also perfectly sums up the decay in the video game world. However, I now WANT to see how a game with "Sniper Violins" can ever work. You can read the full press release here.

In other news, my Live trial has run out, so I should now be able to increase productivity, getting reviews of Galaxy, Enter the Matrix, Rock Start Presents Table Tennis, Halo 3 and Forza. I also have plans for the website how I can make it look a little more, well, snazzy.

The Importance of Being Online

My first Op-Ed article: How important is online?. I hope you enjoy it, I am working on my style and really appreciate any suggestions. Also, make sure you post your opinions, as they will be read out on the podcast next month! In this article, I will be discussing online and what it adds to and subtracts from games.

Online has, up until now, mainly something that PCs, and PCs only, do. Yes, the original Xbox connected to the internet, and technically so did the PS2, but even the Xbox was quite a lot of trouble to get it online and most games weren't even Live enabled. This has changed greatly in this generation. All current-generation consoles have online capabilities, in fact, I would go so far as to say, that online is what this generation is about. Great graphics barley make up half the market share, motion sensing is also about half the market share, but all 3 consoles, for better or for worse, have online. Not only this, but online is making stories for all 3 as well. Xbox Live has a massive reputation, obviously, but that isn't it, the PSN is trying to be a free, better version of Xbox Live and is one of Sonys main points to push. The Wii, also in the news about its online capabilities, namely how they are under-used, over-restricted and generally disappointing considering the Wii has built in Wi-fi. Finally, the PC's online is changing too, with Windows Live coming in to play, where some users are now paying for a service that used to be free. So to say online is at the forefront of gaming news would be a bit of an understatement, but how important is it really? Is it even a bad thing?

It is possible that online detracts from the games quality. As many of you will be aware, I recently purchased and completed Halo 3. I did so on the second to hardest difficultly, did not play it obsessively and managed to complete it in a matter of days (less than 5) For a game which has been in production for over 2 years, is that not a little short? If I had paid £40 for this game (as it happens, I managed to get it pre-owned) and did not have any intention of getting Live, I would be very disappointed with the game. While online may be very wide-spread, it isn't 100%. Some people could argue that, if you don't have online, you don't get Halo. I agree, but why should they miss out on a fantastic, albeit brief, game. Besides, it isn't just Halo. Call of Duty is another example (And I am sure Metal Gear Solid will be too) Some of this shortness can be attributed to the fact developers need to make amazing graphics or otherwise their title will just be shunned (that is what next months article will be on) However, I don't think it can be entirely responsible, as many of these games use pre-built engines anyway.

Also, as game developers are presuming the game is going to go online, they are delivering un-finished games. This used to be limited to PCs, where developers would just release a patch a month after launch. This was infuriating for the consumer, and when games are costing upwards of £40, it really isn't acceptable. That is not the worst of it, however. Some games take content out that had already been produced at the games launch to sell for more profits. Games aren't cheap, games are short, half the market is PAYING for online anyway, there really shouldn't be additional fees, particularly for horse armour.

That brings me on to my next point, cost. If assuming that you need online to enjoy a game to the full, you are going to need to spend some money. The 360 is the most guilty of this. If, firstly, doesn't have built in Wi-Fi. This is in itself shockingly bad, given that even the underpowered Wii does. But it gets worse, Microsoft charge £60 for the Wi-Fi card. It isn't a special card, it is a USB wireless adaptor, something that you can buy for PC for under £20 without going budget. It isn't even reliable, my friend has got through 4 since getting his 360 this Christmas. Surely Microsoft has taken enough of your money now? No, you have to pay for online. I mean, come on, that is ridiculous. Yes, Live is better than both the PSN and, obviously, the Wii, but £40 a year better? The truth is no, but it won't change because everyone, myself included, will keep buying it because they want to play their games online. It isn't just Microsoft who will rob you though, the PS3 has got a game coming out later this year BUILT around the idea of micro-transactions (Home)

Despite all that, online does have many good points too. The most obvious one is how it extends the game. Single player, no matter how long, will eventually get old, in theory, a decent evolving online game won't. Case in point: Halo. In 5 years time, Halo will still be a blast to play online. Offline multiplayer requires organisation, online doesn't Online means you can pick the game up for 5-10 minutes, play and go. Online means you can meet your friends online and be able to play them with out breaking commitments to other ties.

Also, many game developers will release more content after launch. Sometimes you will have to pay, sometimes you won't. It means that if they find something that isn't balanced, it can be fixed, increasing the longevity of the game. Halo periodically releases new maps that eventually become free. This, once again, keeps players coming back and helps to keep the game fresh. Yes, micro-transactions aren't cool, but if the content is right, then why not? You pay for games. I am not talking about horse armour, something I will never forgive Bethesda Studios for, but extra missions, new maps, different variants etc.

Finally, one of the key things about technology at the moment is user generated content. Take a look at any modern "Web 2.0" site. Post comments and write blog links are everywhere. Games are starting to embrace this, most obviously with things like Mii creation, but also more crucially things like screen shots and movies. Last generation, there were loads of movies created by fans using their favourite games, just search YouTube for Halo 2 Red Vs. Blue if you don't believe me. Or Halo Music Videos But this generation, things can get a little more advanced. With the ease of online, users can work together to make really good content. The online community is ready to embrace you.

So, do we need online? It definitely makes developers lazy, both with length of single player and bug fixing, but mulitplayer is usually the most fun element in a game and online multiplies that tenfold. I recently marked Metroid Prime 3: Corruption down for not having it. It would be, quite frankly, hypocritical to say no to online, as I just finished a Halo game online. However, one thing that might be possible if a developer was feeling really kind, and in some ways Metal Gear Solid is going to do this, is ship the offline portion on the disk having spent all the development time creating it. Then, because it will take a few months for everyone to complete, they develop the online portion and deliver it digitally. People who don't have online won't receive it, but it doesn't matter, because they won't be using it either. However, this won't happen as people are buying short games at full price. What I think we are going to see, however, is single player stuff being added later for a fee. Please leave your thoughts, comments and suggestions how I can make these articles better in the remarks button below.
----------------
Now playing: Oasis - The Importance Of Being Idle
^^D'ya get it?!
via FoxyTunes

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

System: Wii
Type: Shooter/Adventure/Platformer
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Story: 9/10
Multiplayer: n/a but it should be

Overall: 9/10

This was my most anticipated games for the Wii, Metroid Prime 1 was amazing. Except for the controls. The controls for this game look perfect. Surly this game is perfect. Unfortunately not, but it is still one of the best games I have ever played. This review will be written quite comparatively to Metroid Prime 1, if you haven't read my review or played on the game, I suggest you do.

The story in this game finishes the trilogy. While I don't want to give away the ending, it is average. It does leave the possibility of another Metroid, but doesn't seal it. The games first 3rd plays out much more like Halo with combat oriented, object driven first person shooting. This works well, thanks to the amazing control scheme. After that the game returns to its root and you are set loose on grand objectives and the entire system to explore and discover. The game is much more story driven than the first one, this is pulled off with some voice acting. Although I use the term "acting" loosely. At best, the voice acting is bearable, but most of the time it is clichéd and annoying. It is, to be fair, Nintendo's first attempt at voice acting, and shows why they shouldn't do it.

Graphically, the game looks great. However, if you compare them to Metroid 1, the only real difference is in the use of soft lighting. Skytown is beautiful, and Space Pirate Homeworld is creepy. Unfortunately, the games worlds aren't nearly as dramatic as they were in MP1. The game, like the first one, streams all the map to avoid loading times. Basically, when you shoot a door it takes a couple of seconds to open so it can load the next area. This works great, except sometimes it just takes too long. You can find yourself waiting upwards of 15 seconds for some doors to open. This really breaks up the fluidity of the game and is a real shame. The game does also experience the occasional latency, mainly when it is raining on the Space Pirate Homeworld and you are using your charge beam.

The game is the same audio treat it was in MP1, except with even better background music. The sounds are crisp and the music builds the tension perfectly with some truly memorable tunes. All of these tunes can be bought with credits that you collect throughout the game, see below. It is suffice to say, that I do listen to them as real background music and while I still think Zelda has a better sound track, it is still very good. Unfortunately, the beam rifle does not come though the Wii-remote, but this would probably get old quick, and get through your batteries quick.

The control scheme is obviously the main selling point of any Wii game, and this game is no exception. However, the difference between this game and every other Wii game, is it uses the Wiimote perfectly. It doesn't over use it, it doesn't simply replace buttons with wiggles, it , put simply, is perfect. Naturally, you point to aim, if you move towards the edge of the screen, Samus begins to turn. This may sound simple, but it works perfectly. This combined with the loose lock on, enabling you to strafe with independent aiming, provides a very fun and rewarding combat experience.

The game also has some gestures. One of the best is to do with the grapple beam, an item you acquire early on during your adventure. Basically, you lock on to an enemy, just the NChuck forwards then rip back to pull their shield off, opening them up for weapon fire. This action works well and is very rewarding. The game will also have you twisting, pushing and pulling the Wiimote to complete various actions throughout the galaxy. Most of the time, these work excellently and really serve to bring you inside the game. However, occasionally they feel gimmicky and sometimes you will have to repeat the action to get it to work. The control scheme, combined with a few other touches like a controller battery meter in your visor, make this game feel like a Wii game through and through, as opposed to Zelda, where it was more of an after thought.

One improvement the game has on MP1 is the Morph Ball puzzles. In Metroid Prime 1, they often felt like 2d puzzles that were begrudgingly converted in to 3D. This time round, the puzzles full embrace the 3D environment like the rest of the game. Also, because you receive all your power ups much more quickly, the puzzles quickly force you to use all of your abilities. As for the rest of the puzzles, they are on a par with MP1, usually scanning the item will be enough for you to solve it.

One of the things the game does that is very next generation-esque is achievements. they aren't actually called achievements and function a little differently, but the core concept is still there. You collect these things called credits. You can collect these credits in a number of different ways, depending on their colour. Some are very easy to collect, all you have to do is to scan a creature, others require a little bit more luck/skill, for example, clearing a certain area without loosing a single GF troop. Beating bosses also rewards you with credits. You can then purchase a number of things with these credits, including a screen shot taker, concept are, music and a little Mii thing to put in your space ship. Unfortunately, this system is undermined by two things. Firstly, it neither keeps track of how you got the credits nor how you have spent them, so their is no way of comparing with other people, and also most of the cool stuff requires you to get friend credits. These can only be got by having a wi-fi enabled friend with Corruption (a game without an online mode) to send you credits. This means that I have not been able to try out the screen shot taker or the Mii thing, as I don't have any friends who meet the requirements, and it is very infuriating.

Perhaps this games worst aspect is the lost potential. Obviously, the online is at the most forefront for critizim. The game NEEDED multiplayer. The campaign is short and lower replay value than MP1. The control scheme is more than responsive. The morph ball, if cleverly designed, could make an interesting dynamic (much like the Warthog in Halo). Skyworld among other areas, would make a fantastic map base. The Wii is online enabled. The list goes on. The lack of multiplayer will torment me for the rest of my life, as Metroid Prime has quickly become one of my favourite game series, and now it is over.

That is not the only lost potential in this game. Throughout the game, you have limited access to your ship. Some problems will require you to use your ship to do certain things and you can land you ship in designated places to save and fly to other locales. While this is a huge improvement on MP1, it should have been taken further. For example, there should have been bonus places to land your ship which weren't compulsory. Also, when you are flying, you watch a video of your space ship. Inside your space ship, if you get in to it without flying anywhere, there is a bunch of stuff to do, like health scans. It is all cool but pointless, the perfect thing to do whist waiting for the next area to load. Or even better, be able to look at the map. There are a number of other things in the game where you feel they should have been used more. None of these things are particularly important, but there are a number of things where you feel that with a little more effort, the great idea could be used to its full potential.

This is always going to be a tricky title to review. It is a great game in its own write, but the lost potential and the over standing superiority of Metroid Prime 1 do leave a some what dark shadow over this game. The game needed multiplayer, even if it was just offline. The control scheme is the first scheme to, in my opinion, rival, if not supersede, the mouse/keyboard combination. The accuracy allowed with the Wiiremote and easily accessible buttons with joystick make it perfect. This game isn't without flaws, not least the voice acting, but this is an amazing game which deserved far more press than it received. The story is good, the controls, and I really can't stress this enough, are fantastic and there is no reason not to get it. It is just such a shame considering the potential this game had.

Brawl is Mental

This has gone beyond a joke, anyone who thought Halo was big, should see the amount of stuff being put on to Brawl. The size of anticipation for this game is literally only rivalled by the sheer amount of content going in to it. In case you haven't been keeping up with Dojo updates, I suggest you read the latest post:Vault.

They filled up a huge post with one section of the menu. Also, on Friday, they announced the game would include Virtual Console demos (including Super Metroid!!!) I genuinely do no know how they can fit all this on one disk, or how I am going to be able to wait for this games, as of yet, unannounced release. Super Smash Bros' Brawl comes out in Japan on the 31st.

Also, just read a preview of The Forces Unleashed, mainly focusing on the 360 and PS3 versions. I don't know which console I am going to get this game on, as all the cool graphical and technical stuff on the 360 sounds awesome, but Wii Remote light-sabering sounds UNMISSABLE. I might actually end up getting both; ridiculous.

On a completly irrelevant note, I just finished my first proper website, a driving school in Thame. If you are considering learning to drive, I suggest you go with the Drive Masters: www.mgschoolofmotoring.co.uk If you have any suggestions or are interested in a website, email me @ thekileyenator@gmail.com

Moving Wallpaper and Long Road out of Eden

Sorry about not posting earlier as I have been...revising? Definitely not playing on Halo 3.

Moving Wallpaper - ITV 9:00PM Friday


Moving Wallpaper (and Echo Beach after) is a new ITV (?!) comedy. The idea is that Moving Wallpaper, on at 9:00pm every Friday, is a comedy about making a soap, and then Echo Beach, 9:30pm every Friday, is the soap they have created. Apart from the fact this is a refreshingly original idea, it is actually brilliantly executed. The comedy is genuinely funny, quite apart from "The Vivian Vyle Show" a BBC comedy that just wasn't funny. Also, as you would expect, there are little jokes in Moving Wallpaper which you notice in Echo Beach. Fortunately, these are not over used and really enhance the program. I don't watch a huge number of Soaps as I find them predictable, and while this is no different, I am enjoying watching it. As you can tell, I don't normally review TV programs, which is why that review isn't very good, but I do recommend watching this and, if you can, catch up on the previous episodes.



Long Road out of Eden - The Eagles
Once again, I don't normally review music CDs, but deal with it. The Eagles have recently got back together to produce this album and while no track is going to replace Hotel California, the album is surprisingly good. The music is very mixed, with some tracks being reminiscent of classic Eagles, others sound like country folk songs, some sound like charity singles and some are more boyband-esque. Highlights of the album are: "Long Road out of Eden" and "Busy Being Fabulous"

Brawl Delayed

The US and Japanese sites have stated that Brawl, the much anticipated forthcoming game for the Wii has been delayed. For Japan, the game will now come out in Jan 31st and for the US to March 9th. While there has been no mention of the UK release date, I imagine that we will get Brawl at the end of March. The notice says:

Due to delays in the completion of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, we’ve had to change the release date of the game to Sunday, March 9th.

I deeply apologize to the people who have looked forward to playing the game for so long and ask that you hold on just a little longer. Thank you for your patience.

On a side note, today's update features some breath taking graphics. The game has looked good up until now, but when I saw these, it made me think of LittleBig Planet, the graphically stunning and Nintendoesque PS3 exclusive coming out some time this year.

Also, Medal of Honour 2: Heroes, is coming out Feb 7th in the UK, after I have finished my first web design contract so I will hopefully getting that, as it will be after my Xbox Live subscription runs out.

Finally, I will be posting an unusual post in the coming days, it will contain a review of, get this, the new Eagles album, Long Road out of Eden. Even more unusual, a brief review of, get this too, an ITV comedy. Anyone who knows me, will know that I never watch ITV, so this has got to be pretty special. If I don't get it done by Friday, all I can say is, watch "Moving Wallpaper" and then "Echo Beach" afterwards.

On a side note, I emailed EA about my A levels I am going to take. Unfortunately, I was at first very frustrated by their website as it required me to first create an account, then specify System, Game, Issue, Sub issue and even more specific sub issue. Also, because my question was so obscure and nothing to do with Billing information on Alpha Centurai, I was expecting a reply saying this is not relevant. However, I have already got my email back and the person, who apparently didn't know, and gone to find out. On top of this, the answer was very infomative and has genuinely helped me. So EA, thumbs up!

Warning: Xbox Live is not a replacement for real life

The new site is online (as you will have noticed) however, it sucks (as you will have noticed) This was because, largely, I got an Xbox 360 which I have been playing quite a bit. I had planned to add the finishing touches between Christmas and New Year...which wasn't happening. So I decided to launch the bare bones site, but don't worry, upgrades will be coming at the end of this month. However, the site isn't just a fresh look, oh no, it is an entire change. This site will now provide:

• Podcast - This will take place on the last day of each month and (fingers crossed) the first one will be January 31st(toes crossed). Also, I should have two friends helping me host it, so you can look forward to hearing them for the first time. For those who are worried, this will not be on Blog Talk Radio as the quality was unacceptable and I never got any live listeners.
  
• News in Summary - Also at the end of each month, I will do a round up of the major news that month. This will include both topics I have covered, and ones I didn't have enough to write a whole post about (kind of like my Nintendo update a while back) It will also serve as my blog update, giving you news relating to this blog including updates to the website etc.
  
• Op-Ed - Op-Ed is a type of article that isn't simply reporting facts or even stating an opinion on a particular news story. It is a much more general article about, for example, game development. While I am not clever (on interesting) enough to do a whole blog dedicated to such articles, I will be doing one at the start of every month. Any interesting comments will then be read out on the Podcast at the end. If you are still unsure about what an Op(posit)-Ed(itorial) article is, read this blog, all his articles are Op-Eds'
• Indie Special - Every 3 months, I will cover a Indie developed game, ie. one not made by a huge publisher but created by a self employed hobbyist. This "special" will include a review of their game and an interview with the developer. If you are an Indie developer and you are looking for some extra publicity, please leave a comment and I will get back to you ASAP.

If anyone else has any suggestions for regular features, please leave a comment.

I have Halo 3, Forza Motorsport 2 and for a short time, Viva Piñata. Obviously reviews coming your way for the first two before the end of January, along with my Corruption review and hopefully my Galaxy review. All I can say about Halo is, wow the campaign is short. I interspersed playing on the campaign with both Forge and Forza and still completed it in like 4 days or something. On the plus side, there is only one level that reminded me of Halo 2 and most of the rest of the game was spectacular fun.

I also have Xbox Live (trial) If you want to add me, my name is, some what randomly, thktestaccount. When I come to buy Live subscription, it will change to thk123, so I personally recommend waiting, but if you really are that desperate! So what's Live like? Well after a very dodgy start, Live is amazing. It is loads of fun when you get in to a game and get talking to all your team and Big Team Battles are as amazing as ever. Plus, to make up for the Live down time, Microsoft are giving away a free Arcade game (yet to be announced)

Finally, while at a sleep over the other day, I managed, finally, to play on Chaos Theory's online portion. Before I played on it, I was really looking forward to it, it looked amazingly cool. If you haven't heard about it, I suggest looking up the concept in detail, but basically, one team plays as spies, who are under equipped and must sneak in to the map, locate and hold 3 different objectives to win. The other team, the Mercs, have loads of weapons but can't climb on stuff or jump, which makes an interesting and potentially well balanced sides. Unfortunately, and it may just be because I was unlucky, but the maps felt way to big for four players, most people played death match, where the spies are massively under powered and the Mercs never use any of the camera equipment they just flick lights on and go looking. Great idea, it is a shame the execution isn't so great. I will try it again at some point, but at the moment I am kind of obsessed with Forza and Halo.