Happy Cataclysm eve!

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Bottles of Mountain dew have begun flying off store shelves, as Hard-core gamers, and basement dwellers alike, have begun swooping into grocery stores all across the country! The reason? In anticipation of the midnight release of World of Warcrafts third expansion pack, Cataclysm of course!

Apparently, many WoW gamers have taken time off from work, and plan on staying up for a couple of days straight, so they can play through this expansion pack. Apparently, they never heard of taking your time and savoring something you enjoy.

Now, I am sure you all know what World of Warcraft is, unless of course you have been living under a rock without internet access for the past 7 years. So, I am not going to go into explaining what it is. Because you should know!

I don’t play WoW any more, so I am obviously not joining in the festivities. In fact, not only do I not play WoW anymore, but I honestly don’t know how the game can remain as popular as it is. Don’t get me wrong here people! I’m not saying the game is horrible, but what I am saying is the game is average! There’s nothing special about the game that other games don’t have! The only major plus for the game, is its simplicity. If you have never played an MMORPG, you could start playing WoW and not feel overwhelmed.

Here’s the thing though. The game get’s old. Sure, they release expansions, but what exactly is the point of the expansions? It’s the same stuff, with a different background. You will still find yourself fighting a monster, and collecting a number of their body parts. Sure, these monsters might be new, or they might be just recolored versions of old monster. You will then take these body parts to some person, who for some odd reason, wants to collect monster body parts, and in turn they will give you some experience and a piece of treasure.

You also of course get the level caps raised, so you can run around grinding on monster kills to get your level up, so you can get that next body part collecting quest being offered by that other person in the neighboring town!

After awhile, the routine get’s boring. For me, it took 3 years to realise that the game was boring as hell. They released their first expansion pack, and I admit it, I went for a midnight release! I was excited, I came home and started playing it, and then realised that I was doing the exact same crap I had spent the last 60 levels doing. So, I quit! I went checking out other MMORPGs, and discovered that all MMOs followed the same formula, however learned that many actually had entertaining stories, and offered more versatility in gameplay.

After discovering this, and moving on to better games, I asked myself why WoW continued to be so popular, and I never got an answer, until just right now. As I was writing this blog entry, the answer hit me! The reason WoW continues to be popular, is because it’s simple! Sure, it lacks depth, sure it lacks versatility and yea, it lacks a deep engrossing story, but it’s simple to play! Since the game is simple to begin playing, it attracts first time MMO gamers, who basically get their feet wet in this game, develop a character and then have spent so much time building this character up, that they don’t want to just let it go. So, when the next expansion comes out, they ignore the fact that it’s nothing new, and that’s it’s just the same old stuff repackaged in a shiny package.

I will admit though, the PvP in World of Warcraft, is the best I have experienced. No matter the MMO, none has come close to matching the balance and enjoyment that exists in World of Warcraft. Is PvP alone enough to warrant sticking through all the other crap? Maybe for some, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough for me to stick around.

Anyway, to all the people who continue to play WoW: Happy Cataclysm Eve!

TMNT Turtles in Time Reshelled

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Yesterday, on Xbox Live, Microsoft had a bit of a black friday sale on some of their arcade games, Some were really good prices, others not so much. Included in the good priced games, was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtles in Time Re-shelled, which originally is 800 Microsoft Points, but was lowered to 120 points yesterday.

Seeing as how I had 300 extra points after my recent DLC purchase, and seeing as how you can’t really do anything with 300 points normally, and seeing as how Turtles in Time was one of my favorite SNES titles back in the day, I went ahead and made the purchase.

After buying, and downloading the game I quickly began playing it. When I first started playing, I was flooded with nostalgic memories of my gaming yesteryears! That feeling of Nostalgia alone was worth it! I enjoyed it now, just as much as I enjoyed it then.

One thing to remember with this game, is that it’s a button masher. There’s not much to the game, other than smashing the buttons down, until the bad guy is K.O.’ed. That’s the whole basis of the game, that’s how games were back in the day! Games didn’t have huge epic storylines, they didn’t take days or weeks to finish. In fact, many games could be finished in one sitting. So, if you go into TMNT Turtles In Time, thinking you are going to be treated to a long epic story, that will give days of enjoyment, you would be wrong.

What you will get, is a classic gaming experience, with updated graphics and an hour or so of pure mindless bad guy thumping entertainment, that you can play through all by your lonesome, or with a buddy!

However, one of the things I like best about this game, is the new graphics! They are gorgeous! How gorgeous? Let me show you a picture containing a before and After screen, just so you can get an idea of the visual enhancement.

My only complaint, is that you can’t switch between old school classic graphics, and updated enhanced graphics. I mean, sure the new graphics are great, but sometimes, I like a full-blown retro gaming experience.

Going where no MMORPG has gone before!

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Star Trek: Online, is an MMORPG set in the Star Trek Universe, and it is one of, if not the best MMORPG I have ever played, and I have played them all. Granted, the enjoyment factor is increased if you are a fan of Star Trek, otherwise you might not enjoy it as much as someone who enjoys Star Trek.

The game has several cool features. Everything from ground combat to space combat, the fact that you get your own spaceship right at the start of the game, the fact that many star trek voices appear in the game, including Leonard Nimoy. However one of the best features of Star Trek Online is one, not quite out yet. It releases within the next couple months, and is currently in beta testing. The feature is UGC(User Generated Content), it allows us, the players, to make our own missions, to craft or own adventures, to tell our stories. It’s going to be pretty damn spiffy!

For those who might not be fully aware of what exactly Star Trek Online is, I will inform you. As I mentioned earlier, the game takes place in the Star Trek Prime Universe. What does Prime universe mean exactly? The Star Trek Prime universe is the universe where Kirk battled the Gorn, Where Picard met Q and in turn met the Borg and where the Borg created Locutus. The Prime universe is the universe you watched on TV, and saw in the movies. What of the recent movie you ask? The one by JJ Abrams? That’s apparently an alternate reality.

See, when Spock and Nero traveled back in time, and caused all those changes, they created an alternate reality.That’s the official statement anyway, and is even mentioned in the newer movie. So, since it became an alternate reality, it didn’t affect the prime timeline. Everything happened as it did before, there’s no change. Kirks father wasn’t killed at the moment of his birth, Vulcan was never destroyed and time continued as it always did. What did happen however, is everything that led up to the point of Nero and Spock traveling through time. In the Prime universe, Romulus was destroyed and Spock did vanish. After that however? Life went on.

That’s pretty much where you come in.

See? It’s all pretty simple, and it’s an incredible game, with a fantastic community. It doesn’t matter if you are into Role Play, Group Play or even Solo Play. This game suits all players.

Still not convinced? I’m going to do you a favor, If you are interested in giving Star Trek Online a play, just comment in here with your Email address, and I will send you a referral code. This will allow you to download the game, play through the tutorial and beyond. If you like it, just purchase the game, and continue your character where you left off.

Problem with Joes Adventure (Mafia II DLC)

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When I first heard the news that Mafia 2 was being released, I was drooling at the mouth. The screen shots, trailers and everything else seemed incredible! I pre-ordered the game, and loved it as I played it, but ultimately found the game way too short.

However, recently Mafia II has been releasing some Downloadable Content, which is adding extra missions, and more story. This of course is costing you extra, however after spending double the amount of the game on DLC, you end up with a game about as long as a regular game should be.

Obviously, I didn’t purchase any of the previous DLC for Mafia II, because while I like the idea of DLC, I hate when companies ship out a partial game and then fluff it up with DLC at extra cost, just so you can get what should have been included to begin with.

However, when Joes Adventures got released, I did have to buy it, because Joe was my favorite character. So, I bought it! I plopped down 800 Microsoft Points, and I began to download. After the download, I dusted off my Mafia II disc, plunked it in and began playing.

That’s when the problem occurred. After choosing to play Joes Adventures, choosing a save location and then picking a game difficulty setting, the game began to load, and load, and load. Basically, it would keep loading and not begin the game! This ticked me off, and I figured it might be a bug, and thought I would need to wait for a patch or something.

After waiting awhile, I began to get anxious, because I wanted to play what I had paid for. So, I tried clearing the cache of my xbox 360, and then tried playing the game, and associated DLC. After choosing the difficulty, it switched to loading, and then when I thought it was going to stick again, it loaded!

Bottom line: Clearing Cache seemed to do the trick, so if you are having problems with Joes Adventures, try that! It also speeds up some games, like Dragon Age, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Mass effect series, Fallout Series, and pretty much any game that relies heavily on DLC. So, it might be worth doing, even if you aren’t having problems with Joes Adventures or other Xbox 360 DLCs

Champions Online Going Free-2-Play?!

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As of the time of this writing, there are two Super Hero themed MMORPGs in existence. First, there is City of Heroes, and its expansion packs. Secondly, there is Champions Online. In the not too distant future, you will be able to add DC Universe Online to that list, but at the moment, it’s not currently available.

Out of the 2 currently available, my favorite is Champions Online. The graphics are outstanding, and the stories and play is fun and entertaining, plus it’s Solo friendly, and offers gamepad support, so you can play the game with an Xbox360/PC USB gamepad, which just so happens to me my preferred method of play!

As if all of that, wasn’t reason enough to play, Cryptic has decided to give you yet another reason to make Champions Online your preferred Super Hero MMORPG of choice. It’s going Free-2-Play! That’s right, Champions Online has decided to join in with all the other subscription based MMORPGs that have recently decided to go Free-2-Play. Which means, you will be able to enjoy this video game goodness free!

Will this change make me cancel my subscription and go to a free account? Hell no! The game is extremely enjoyable, and worth every cent I pay each month. I’m sure many of you will feel the same way I do after playing it as well.

I’ll see ya in world!

Saddling up yet Again

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On October 26th, Rockstar will be releasing its newest DLC for Their kick-ass western game Red Dead Redemption. What’s so important about this one you ask? Well, to begin this one adds a new single player adventure, so it’s not just dedicated to the online gamers, although it comes packed with new things for them too!

As if all that wasn’t enough, their new DLC will be jam-packed with Zombies! Meaning, you can spend this Halloween battling the undead as John Marston. It’s something to look forward to, and I am really psyched about this. Have a look at this commercial for it!

Yes, that does appear to be Bigfoot 21 seconds into the video!

Things change

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In that past, I have stated on numberous occasions how the PS3 and the Xbox 360 were both great systems. I still believe this to a degree as well. In terms of games, and exclusive titles, both systems are great in their own right, both systems are powerful and capable of producing some kick ass graphics. Both systems are power house consoles.

All of the above is true, however in terms of which system is better overall, my opinion has changed significantly. I now believe the PS3 overall to be better than the xbox 360. The reason for my change of opinion? Well, to be honest the 360 is unstable. I have owned 2 xbox 360s and both have suffered the notorious Red ring of Dead or as commonly referred to RROD.

Sure, systems break down, that’s to be expected, but the xbox 360 tends to break down it seems like, shortly after the warranty expires. It’s ridiculous! Does the PS3 have technical issues like this? Sure, but it doesn’t happen anywhere near as often as it does with the 360.  The idea that a system could break down as often as the 360 does is insane!

Will I dump my x360 in a garbage chute somewhere and stick solely to the PS3? Doubtful. I do have the 360 on an extended warranty through Square Trade, and will send it in there for repairs, but when it comes to getting new games, I will be sticking to the PS3 releases and am as of tonight cancelling my Xbox live account, and instead upgrading to Playstation Plus.

Basically? The 360 has gone from being the system of choice for me, to just being there. Sort of an after thought, or on the occasion that a nifty exclusive title comes out.

Batman: Arkham Asylum – Review

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The game Batman: Arkham Asylum has been out for a good while, not just a few months mind you, but a good couple years. You might now be wondering, Why has it taken me this long to review the game then. Well, the answer is simple; I hadn’t played it, nor did I have any intention of ever playing it. I just don’t usually play Batman games, primarily due to the curse that plagues Batman titles.

The reason I changed my mind on playing and reviewing the game? You see, at the time, I was under the impression that DC Universe Online was going to be released at the beginning of next month. So, I decided that in order to get ready for it, I would play through some games based on DC characters, however I would stick to current gen game consoles only. I started with Batman: Arkham Asylum, not because I had high hopes for the game, but because it was dirt cheap in the bargain bin of the local game store.

I brought the game home, and began playing. To my surprise, the game looked gorgeous, with fantastic voice acting. I was intrigued. I was surprisingly interested. In fact, I was so interested, that even after the DCUO delay was announced, I still continued to play.

The best part of the game, was the controls. It’s been a long time, since I have been able to play a game, and adapt to controls so easily. Plus, the fluid combat moves were incredible, and added to the realism, all the moves batman made while fighting, gave the appearance of a complex control setup, but kept it all very simple and easy to use.

Another aspect that I enjoyed was the voice acting, as mentioned earlier. The voices fit the characters, especially Mark Hamill who voices the joker. All the characters however have voice actors, perfect for their character that really brings them to life! Which is saying a lot, especially sue to the amount of characters in this game.

I loved everything about the game to be honest. Sure, the story was kind of cheesy and over the top, but that’s part of the charm of DC comics. Everything is unbelievable.

So, it looks like the Batman curse has been broken, and I am now eagerly looking forward to Batman: Arkham City!

Related Articles

• The Way You Played Batman: Arkham Asylum Made One Man Very Sad [ROcksteady Studios] (kotaku.com)
• BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM Sequel Gets Titled (geektyrant.com)
• Arkham City: Batman: Arkham Asylum sequel named (destructoid.com)

DCUO release pushed back

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As many of you know, I have been eagerly looking forward to the upcoming release of DC Universe Online, a Super-hero MMORPG from Sony Online Entertainment, that was scheduled to be released early next month. In fact, I went and subscribed to Champions Online to hold me over until that release date.

However, today my hopes, dreams and wishes were shattered! How so you ask? Well, SOE announced that the release date should be pushed back. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that releasing the game closer to Christmas would be the better choice anyway, that it would increase their sales, and in the long run benefit the gamers, since more people will have the game as christmas presents, and normally I would agree with you, but it’s not pushed back as a christmas release.

You see, the game has been pushed way back! The release date now, is March 31st, 2011! For those keeping track, that’s a long pushback, and a long wait. Long pushbacks make Shaide really unhappy. On the bright side, I suppose I still have Champions Online to keep me company for all those months that I now have to wait. Hopefully, the game will keep me interested until the end of march.

I suppose what worries me most, is when games start getting pushed back, they have a tendency to keep getting pushed back for years on end! Let’s not forget the Alan Wake and Splinter Cell: Conviction fiascos! I am really hoping however that this time the game will be released in March. Only time will tell however. Only time will tell.

Related Articles

• DC Universe Online Pushed To 2011 (multiplayerblog.mtv.com)
• DC Universe Online Delayed Into 2011, PS3 Collector’s Edition Announced (g4tv.com)
• “Sony Delays ‘DC Universe Online’” and related posts (forevergeek.com)

Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions – Review

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Marvel is my all time favorite Comic company. I also love most of the newer movies and games that have been released and based on Marvel properties. So, when I heard about the release of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, that was going to give you the ability to play, not just one spider-man, but 4 different spider-men from 4 different established marvel realities. Unfortunately, Zombie Spider-Man wasn’t one of the characters.

In any event, I picked the game up for the PS3, because I wanted to try and build my trophy list on that system. What kind of differences are their between the games on different platforms? Couldn’t tell you, but this review will be regarding the PS3 version.

The first thing I noticed was that the cutscenes were boring. They weren’t very animated, and I suppose this was done to reflect the Comic book history of the characters, but to me it was just a humdrum experience. Other than the cutscenes however, the games graphics were beatiful! The cartoony look gave just the right tone to the game, and helped put me in the proper mind set for the game.

One thing I found disappointing was, how different it was from previous Spider-Man titles. It wasn’t the same style or gameplay that I have grown to love and expect from a spidey game. Instead of the world being free-roam and sandbox, it has become very linear, and is broken down into “Levels”. Each level requires you to play a different spider-man, and battle baddies in a different location within their universe.

Maybe the gameplay format isn’t a big deal, but it’s what I have grown to expect, and to be honest; I am not thrilled with linear level based gameplay anymore, unless it gives you some sort of freedom.

I sincerely hope, that this isn’t what we can expect from future Spider-man titles. I hope, that after this release they will return to the normal sandbox style of gameplay and leave the linear level based gameplay behind.

Related Articles

• Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions Web-Slings Into Retailers (cinemablend.com)
• Shattered Dimensions’ Spidey swings in 4 worlds (sfgate.com)
• Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (guardian.co.uk)