Mobile test

Testing mobile blogging. If this works I might just start posting again.
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Assassins Creed II Lineage - Full Video

For those of you who missed it, the folks at Ubisoft made a live action prequel for Assassins Creed II and well... it's amazing! Beautifully crafted and directly tied to the new game this live action film sets up the story for the newly released title. Originally released in multiple episodes, below is the full length (30+ mins) version. Enjoy...

Borderlands DLC - ZOMBIES!!!

Not tired of killing Zombies just yet? Can't get enough undead fun? Well good because Borderlands is jumping on the Zombie band wagon with an all new DLC add-on. The download, titled The Zombie Island of Dr Ned, will be available on November 24th for both the PS3 and 360 and is expected to cost $10. This all new DLC will bring new locations, monsters, and missions with a very dark and creepy feel mixed with the classic Borderland humor we have come to love.

So what do you get for your 10 bucks? A pretty good bit as it turns out. Gearbox claims somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-10 hours of new gameplay along with new enemies, bosses and dungeons to explore.

Oh and in case your wondering, No, the level cap is not raised with this addition but I would be willing to bet that future downloads might be in the works. Perhaps we will see new expansions later down the road. Stay tuned.

Thanks to IGN.com for the screens and check out their Preview. It's a good read with lots of info.

Best Wal-Mart Ad Ever?

Well, I think so. Wal-Mart's newest 'fastest way to play' ad is one of the best yet. Featuring the same guys from the Madden ad earlier this year, this time they have just picked up a copy of Modern Warfare 2. Trash talking and hilarity ensue. This one had me rolling. Check it out...

Forza 3 - Final Verdict

Well, the guys at Turn 10 set out to develop the definitive simulation racer of this generation... So, were they successful? The answer is a resounding Yes. They managed to take all that was good about Forza 2 and add to it creating one of the best racing experiences ever. Fantastic cars, wonderful graphics, amazing physics and great tracks are just the start. This game is a deep and rewarding sim racer. Everything from the tuning/upgrade options to the robust custom paint program allow you to truly create an original one of a kind car. The cars in my garage are different from anyone else. I created them and they are unique to me. It's upgraded different, tuned different, drives different and looks different.

Being able to truly make your very own version of any car in the game adds a real sense of pride and ownership. It's very satisfying to make a car, take it online and beat the competition knowing that YOU made it. You took this stock car, upgraded, tuned, tweaked it and made it into a perfect racing machine. Then you took that car online and destroyed. It's really an almost surreal experience and you certainly get a greater sense of accomplishment then you would in a standard arcade style racer.

Of course that is exactly why I like sim racers. You win largely based on skill. Tuning aside, if you can't hack it on the track, your not going to win. In fact, I have beaten faster cars simply because I was able to drive the course better. Fortunately, Forza 3 has all the tools in place to help out the novice and turn him into a pro. From driving assists to the auto-upgrader, the average joe has all the tools needed to compete with the big dogs.

Now the best place to start is the Single Player portion of the game. It's a great place to get your bearings and begin your road to glory. A perfect place to test cars, learn tracks and generally get your feet wet. The Single Player mode is all about what they call 'Season Play' which is basically a streamlined (and better designed) version of the events from Forza 2. There are 6 seasons to play through and each one is longer and more difficult than the last. As you play through you'll earn both money, which is used to buy and fix up cars as well as experience which gifts you new cars with each level you progress.

Each season is filled with one main 'World Championship' event which you race every other week and many smaller weekly events in between. Now while the 'World Championship' events are set and mandatory the weekly events are of your choosing. As you start each week, you will get to choose a specific series you want to race for the next two weeks. These will also change based on what car you are driving. So, if you want to race 'A Class' races simply get in your 'A Class' car and select an event to race.

Note: One race takes up one full in-game day and races are usually spread out 2-3 days apart.

As you chug through the multiple seasons you will begin to learn the tracks and which cars are your favorite. You'll start to find out which cars are competitive in which classes and what the best driving lines are around the course, all of which will be invaluable when you take the game online later on. And trust me you'll want to play through a few seasons before you head online. With over 400 cars and 100 tracks you are going to need to spend some time getting to know the game before you jump into the deep end of the swimming pool.

To further help you on your way to becoming a Pro are the driving options mentioned earlier. The options include everything from the standard options you'd expect to full driving assists. Standard options include things like being able to select automatic or manual transmissions or turning on or off the traction control and stability control. These are the basics that the more seasoned drivers will tweak to their liking to get the car to handle and break like it should. But beginners can dive even deeper and mess with some of the more advanced assist options.

One such option is the driving/breaking line which tells you what line to take, when to accelerate as well as when to brake. Not good enough? No problem because you can also turn on the auto brake assist which will actually apply the brakes for you. With these assists on you can basically go around the track problem free. All you have to do is hold in the gas and follow the line. Perfect for the beginner trying to get a hang of the game and how it works. The only real problem (and this only really applies to the auto brake feature) is that it's not going to be quite as fast as a seasoned driver. You see, the computer will often break too much and error on the side of caution. After all the idea is to allow the user to make it all the way around the track and slower is safer.

Still it's a good starting point for most new comers and allows them to jump right in. My best advise is to use it as it's intended, which is as a learning tool. If you are someone who needs such assists, by all means use them. But as you practice and get better, start turning them off one by one (or at the very least the auto brake) until you are driving under your own power. In the end you'll be a better driver and faster around the track.

One more helpful tool is the "rewind" button which allows you to actually rewind the action if you make a mistake. This feature is a benefit for all users, regardless of skill. Even the best of the best will be using this bad boy. Mostly because it allows you to erase even the smallest error during the single player seasons (not available in online multiplayer matches). With the single press of a button you automatically rewind the action a couple 2-3 seconds at which point the game pauses and asks you if you want to continue from here or move back some more. Once you have reach the desired amount of rewind, simply select the continue button and off you go... again. Only this time with a better understand of what you need to correct in order to avoid whatever it was you messed up the first time. It's really great for when your learning a track for the first time and have no idea how to judge the corners. A truly priceless learning tool.

Of course once you learn what your doing and have some cars built up, it's time to try your hand at the online multiplayer portion of the game. Forza 3 shines just as brightly here as it does anywhere. Allowing players to put up their own custom rides against each other in the ultimate test of driving. You think the computer was tough on 'hard'? Try racing against a real person. There is no greater test of skill than lining up in a full room of real people from across the world and going a few rounds. How will you react? Can you keep up? All this and more is put to the test and it's a ton of fun.

You can also create private matches and race with your friends. Get together, check out each others cars and see who is the best around the track. And with tons of changeable settings you can custom make the race to your liking. Pretty much everything is available for you to mess with and tweak. Car classes, tracks, lap numbers, damage, collisions, assists, HP rating... you name it. The end result is an incredibly enjoyable online experience. It even has a party system so you can take your friends with you into public rooms.

At the end of the day, when you take into account all of the above, you have possibly the best racing simulator games ever made. Tons of cars, full customization, great tracks, wonderful physics, full damage molding... the list goes on and on. And that's not to say the game is without it's faults. I have experienced some minor audio glitches and some strange AI glitches when using the rewind feature (every now and then one of the AI car suddenly crashes into the wall for example) but the total package more than makes up for any of the minor flaws. Forza 3 has accomplished what it set out to do and has set the bar very high.

Final Verdict - 9.2/10

Gaming on a Budget - How to Spend Your Hard Earned Money

The holiday rush is almost upon upon us and games will be flowing like water. We just had games like Uncharted 2, Demons Soul's and Forza Motorsport 3 launch in the last few weeks and within the next three weeks a good number of top quality games will begin pouring out onto store shelves all over the country. Games like Modern Warfare 2, Assassins Creed 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Left 4 Dead 2 and many, many more! That is a lot of games hitting all at once. So many games, so little time (and in my case, so little money). So how do you decide what to play and when? Do you buy or rent? If you buy, do you buy them all? And if so, do you get them all as they are released or hold off and get one or two at a time? For me it is a combination of all of the above.

Sure everybody wants to get the new game as soon as it's released but that's just not always possible. Yes, you are going to have friends playing these games there is definitely that feeling of envy if your not one of them but unfortunately, not everyone can afford to buy every game (at least not right away). That is where a little planning and common sense will really help you out.

First off, let me say that I like buying and owning games. There is just something about it. I like having a collection and I never trade my copies after I am done. It's kind of like having a movie or music collection. There is a certain pride I take in a good collection of games. That said, I certainly can't afford to buy every game I want to play. So how do we get around this dilemma? Well there are two basic options... Rent a copy or Buy it later (at a used or reduced price).

To buy or not to buy?

Now, while I prefer to buy games I do rent some titles. Especially lately as money is a little tight. Plus, some games are just hard to justify spending $60 on. Generally speaking, games that fall into this category are single player only adventures. Games that offer little more than a 6-8 hour adventure are hard for me to to pony up for right out of the gate. Sure they might be great games but $60 for a few hours entertainment just doesn't seem worth it. Especially when there are plenty of titles out there vying for you attention. So my general philosophy is to let these games go for now and pick them up at a later date once the price drops (or pick them up as a rental). Sure you might not be playing on day 1 but you will still get to enjoy the game later and not feel like you got ripped off after finishing the game in one sitting.

Now some single player games are definitely worth $60. RPG's are a good example. Games that require you to spend 60+ hours to complete and can provide different experiences with multiple playthroughs are certainly worth the money but aside from hype, is there really any reason to pick it up right away? It not like the game is going to go bad sitting on the shelf. Why not pick it up later and save some money? Sometimes it's hard to convince yourself to wait but the game won't lose any of it's charm or quality over time. For me games like this can go either way just depending on what else is available at the time. A little self control can go a long way and if we are going to prioritize our gaming purchases we have to look at more than just value for money. So what is more important than value for money?

Value for money + a multiplayer experience

What I look for in a "must buy" title is a solid gaming experience and the endless hours that a good multiplayer game can offer. And it's not just about being able to play online but it's also about being online early and ahead of the curve. You see, games like Modern Warfare 2 not only provide great value for you dollar (more hours or gaming than I care to admit) but they also have a constantly evolving player base. Gamers that get better and better with every passing day. These are the guys you will be playing later down the road and if you want to be competitive (which I do), you want to get in early and really get to know the game. Not to mention the fact that your friends will be playing and getting better too. Nothing like playing catch up to all your friends because you waited a few months to pick it up. This can actually ruin the experience to some degree. You finally get the game only get get pwned every time you jump in a room. That's not much fun for anyone (except the guy pwning you).

So as I head into this holiday season you can bet that I will be looking at a lot of things before I purchase. And if you are like me and really need to prioritize your purchases the best advise I can give would be to take a good look at the games you are interested in before you buy. Don't just head out to the store because you think a game is going to be awesome. Take a look at the preview and reviews. How long is the game? Is there multiplayer? How long will I be playing this game? Of course a lot of it is personal opinion and how excited you are to play, but I really try to look at the big picture before I walk up to the counter and plop down 60 bones. It might be hard to pass up a really anticipated single player game but in the end you'll be a lot happier with your purchase.

Multiplayer and replay-value play the largest roles in my decision making but "to each his own" as they say. Find the most important features to YOU and prioritize based on those points. Be smart and do your research. Do that and you'll be all set.

Happy gaming!

Borderlands - Final Verdict

Good news everybody! I was able to get my hands on a copy of Borderlands a few days ago and have been playing it ever since. I must say that this game is a lot of fun, especially in Co-Op. It's not for everybody, but most of you are going to love it.

First off, this is one of those games that just has a good feel to it. It's not too serious and never tries to be. Right from the opening, with its stylized credits and great song choice, I was hooked. From there you are able to pick your character and get started on your quest... for guns! Not really, there is a story line... I think... Oh is that a new gun? But seriously when you boil down to it this game is about Shooting, Loot, Leveling and Guns. Mostly shooting things and guns!

It's not that the other things are not well done, but because the guns are so much fun to collect, swap and sell that you will spend a good deal of time looking for guns. So many variations and something better is always out there. And even more impressive is the fact that each gun feels different and has it's own drawbacks and benefits. You might find some with massive power and some with elemental effects. Each one feels unique and is different from the gun the guy next to you is carrying.

Speaking of the guy next to you... This game offer up to 4-Player drop-in/drop-out Co-Op gameplay. Oh yeah! And this is really the other key feature to making this game as good as it is. The game itself is a little on the dull side. The story and missions are all a little bland and boring after you have done a few. Each one is basically the same. Go here, kill this, collect that and return for your reward. But if you add in three of your friends, all that boredom melts away. In its place is a gang of crazy bandit killin' hombres. Battles are intense and looting is a free for all frenzy. Fortunately, if your playing with friends, you can go over who got what and drop items that are useful for your friends. Playing with randoms might not be quite as enjoyable but still should be an exciting experience.

The rest of the game is solid as well. Take graphics for example. The game is very nice looking. The cell-shaded graphics are clean and the overall art direction really fits with the tone of the game. Draw distance is impressive and the enemies and creatures are varied and original. Overall it is a very enjoyable place to spend most of your free time (and trust me, you will be spending plenty of time here).

Gameplay is also solid. The controls feel very familiar to anyone who is used to a FPS and they all feel right. Also, just as important, the game is fast paced and fluid. Something that is important when combining the Shooter genre with RPG (or any other genre). Shooters by nature are fast paced and you have to keep that feel if you want it to work. Fortunately, Borderlands was able to do just that. The end result is a game that is fun to play and controls the way you want it to.

Oh and there is other Loot too, not just guns. There is a wide variety Equipment Upgrades, Class Modifiers, Shields and Artifacts to collect as well. Frankly, each one is just as important as the gun you carry. The right combination of equipment and upgrades can take your 34 damage SMG and have it dealing 200+ per bullet. Crazy grenades the take damage from enemies and give it to you and your party. Shields the give off a shock wave when depleted and Artifacts that are class specific and permanently increase your player stats and abilities. All of which play a part in making your character the best it can be.

Which of course leads us to the final part of this equation. Leveling your character. Like many RPG's today, Borderlands uses a skill tree with three specific skill sets to upgrade. And like most RPG's you can't upgrade all of them. You will have to pick and choose which set of skills you want to invest in. And there is a lot of cool stuff to unlock and upgrade along the way to the level 50 cap. Fortunately, if you make a mistake or just want to try something else, you can reassign your skill points at any time. Simply find one of the "New-u" stations and for a fee (based on how much you have and it's not cheap) you can reassign the points and try a different path. Frankly, it's a nice addition and works well.

All in all, I really do recommend picking up a copy and giving it a shot (no pun intended). It's a solid game that is a lot of fun, especially with friends.

Final Verdict - 8.0/10