I finally got my 360. My husband and I went out at 10pm Monday night to the local Wal-Mart hoping to score him a 360 since we had already been told by EB that he would not be getting his on the 22nd. (See the blog entitled "Xbox 360 Preorder Woes" for the full story.) The backwoods Wal-Mart had come through for us in the past when it came to finding consoles/games that were hard to come by in the city (the Nintendo DS is a good example since it was sold out right after launch). However, when we arrived at Wal-Mart, there were already 75 people in line some of which had been there all day and the only 360s they had left were the Core packages (the $300 Harddrive-less 360). They had 4. Since neither of us were crazy about the two price points in the first place and we didn't want to give into Micro$oft's desire to sell all the accessories at a premium price to piecemeal a Core package into the Premium package, we opted to leave. In hindsight, it might have been easier just to buy the Core and deal with it. But we didn't. And at this time, the HDD add-on isn't even available.
So, we jetted on over to EB to do the midnight wait. We stood around very unhappy-like chatting with the store employees and the other 5 people who were also lucky enough to be getting a 360 at launch. Hanging out talking Harry Potter and DS games was entertaining as could be for someone who was standing on her feet for 2 hours waiting for midnight knowing she'd only be getting 4 hours of sleep that night before heading back to work. But midnight finally arrived and after collecting my 360, 2 360 tshirts, and a white EB Launch Event 360 bracelet (like the yellow Live Strong bracelets) we were home bound. It's funny. Even the store employees joked that Micro$oft should have spent less money on swag and more money on getting more 360s into the hands of gamers. Yeah.
Fast forward to today. Now that I've had the chance to play various games (yes, we've been sharing - something we aren't good at), I have to ask myself, "Is it worth $400?" Well, for the record, it's not my $400 that bought my 360. It was an early Christmas gift from someone else. In that respect, sure, waiting until midnight at EB to pick it up was worth it. I'm not sure that I'd have spent $400 of my own money on the 360 itself. I can't complain about having to buy the games. Speaking of games, we bought:
Kameo
Perfect Dark Zero - x2
Project Gotham Racing 3 - x2
Quake 4 - x2
Tony Hawk's American Wasteland
Obviously, the "x2" you see designates the games that we each have a copy of for Live play. And unfortunately, those second copies are currently still in their wrappers since my husband doesn't have "his" 360 yet. (Thanks again, Micro$haft). Anyway, about the games.
So far I'm really liking Tony Hawk, but then again, I've loved that series from its inception. Although I will admit that I abhor the THUG games and believe that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 was the pinnacle of the series. That said, I'm still enjoying THAW. The Classic Mode is the mode I've spent most time with. Off the top of my head, I lack a total of 4 goals before 100% completion. It's basically the best previous Tony Hawk levels thrown in for a welcomed diversion from Story Mode. The downfall of THAW for the 360 is that it is painfully obvious it was rushed for launch. In other words, it looks like crap. In fact, I've read from other reviewers that the Xbox/PS2 versions look better than the 360 version due to the game not being optimized for High Definition. Ah well. It's still fun even though the collision detection and level seams are ugly as all get out.
I haven't played Kameo yet as that was bought upon my husband's request, however I'm sure I'll try it at some point. PGR3 is awesome because it's, well, Project Gotham Racing. PGR2 is a Junkie-favorite, so 3 had a lot to live up to. So far, the single player campaign is as fun as ever. But I have noticed that the tracks themselves don't seem to be as fun as its predecessor. I haven't taken it on Live yet since we only have one 360 and we've mainly been experiencing it together, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.
Unlike THAW and its High Definition glitchyness, the same is not true of Quake 4. Talk about GORGEOUS! While I've been itching to take this game on Live, I've refrained for the time being. I've been entertaining myself with single player and I must say that of all the games I've seen thus far, this one by far takes the graphics cake. Id Software and their Doom 3 engine are just too freaking cool. The story is very immersive for a twitch-style game, but it certainly doesn't take away from the "shoot anything that moves" mentality; it only adds to the overall experience. It ought to be a blast on Live!!! I've noticed that the farther I progress, the framerate does take a dip here and there. Again, id only just released this game for the PC and with developers having only had the 360 development kits for a short few months, this things are to be expected with the first crop of games.
And then comes Perfect Dark Zero. Let me first preface my point by stating that I really only bought this game for multiplayer on Live, as I did not enjoy Perfect Dark on the N64. Rare hasn't done much to truly impress me since, well, I honestly don't remember ever truly being impressed by Rare. Sure, I played Goldeneye on the N64, but back then I wasn't into First Person Shooters. But other than Killer Instinct - and more specifically, Killer Instinct Gold - Rare's never been a stand-out developer to me like it is to so many other gamers. So, I wasn't expecting much in the area of multiplayer. PDZ does something that my favorite FPS (Unreal) does. It has the option to include bots - and very powerful, intelligently thinking bots at that. Again, I have not taken PDZ on Live yet either, but I'm here to say that I've spent the most time with PDZ (outside of THAW) than any other 360 game I bought. I'm impressed with multiplayer to say the least. It's like a cross between Halo: Combat Evolved's Slayer and Ghost Recon. Basically what that means is that it moves like Halo but has similar tactical aspects to Ghost Recon. I've read that some gamers have complained about the missing jump option, but honestly, I haven't missed it. In fact, I think it's one less thing you have to worry about. In place of a jump option, the developers have included a "Cover" option. It's pretty self explanatory, but basically it's a move that allows you to duck and cover by any surrounding object to better protect yourself from enemy fire. Personally, I haven't used that feature much either since it hasn't been a part of my fragging style, but I'm sure it'll come in handy in its own time.
As I type this, I'm watching my husband play Kameo and I must say, it's pretty and it appears to be very epic in its adventuring. Little cut scenes here and there really help push the cinematic feel along. Guess I should check this one out sooner rather than later, but from some of the troubles he's had with it doesn't give me much push to play it.
All in all, I'm pleased with the 360. The Dashboard update as well as the Live features (every game is Live Aware and can be tracked on xbox.com as well as in the Dashboard) are definitely top-notch. The addition of Achievements is one cool cookie, too. In fact, I'm so enamored with Achievements that it's gonna have to get its own blog entry. :P
Friday, November 25, 2005
Saturday, November 19, 2005
MeLt mY FaCe
Yusssssss! After a little warming up, I conquered Face-Melters in Medium tonight. Yes, I'm referring to Guitar Hero. Again. What can I say? The game is one of the greatest I've ever played. Ever. And I've been gaming for 24 years. Guitar Hero is without a doubt going in my D-Pad Junkies Best of 2005 Top 10 list.
One thing I have noticed is that the more I play, the better I get. It's just like any musical artist; you gotta practice to be good. Professional musicians probably play their songs thousands of times to perfect them. And then playing them live is even more practice. So, playing the game over and over definitely makes a difference.
Earlier in the week, I thought I'd never make it through Face-Melters. Thought I'd only be able to complete one song in the category - "Texas Flood." I had tried "Bark At the Moon" (arguably the hardest song in the game) and failed miserably with only making it 10% into the game before I got boo'd off stage. However, after taking a three night break from playing it (thanks to Mario Kart DS!), I decided to toy around with it tonight and see what I could accomplish. I went through the Face-Melters songs one after another and even made it through "Bark At the Moon" after only three tries!
I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm ready to try out Hard mode. I've still got a lot to improve on in Medium, but once upon a time, I feared Medium as much as I do Hard and Expert.
My face has been melted.
One thing I have noticed is that the more I play, the better I get. It's just like any musical artist; you gotta practice to be good. Professional musicians probably play their songs thousands of times to perfect them. And then playing them live is even more practice. So, playing the game over and over definitely makes a difference.
Earlier in the week, I thought I'd never make it through Face-Melters. Thought I'd only be able to complete one song in the category - "Texas Flood." I had tried "Bark At the Moon" (arguably the hardest song in the game) and failed miserably with only making it 10% into the game before I got boo'd off stage. However, after taking a three night break from playing it (thanks to Mario Kart DS!), I decided to toy around with it tonight and see what I could accomplish. I went through the Face-Melters songs one after another and even made it through "Bark At the Moon" after only three tries!
I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm ready to try out Hard mode. I've still got a lot to improve on in Medium, but once upon a time, I feared Medium as much as I do Hard and Expert.
My face has been melted.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Karting, 360, and Guitar Hero
Karting
Mario Kart DS and the Nintendo WiFi Connection (NWFC) are finally here. Do they live up to the hype? Yes. While getting everything set up to play on NWFC was not as easy and simple as Xbox Live, I was very impressed with the overall package. And really, there are no reasonable complaints when a free service goes this smoothly and is so much fun to play. Speaking of fun, Mario Kart DS is very exciting both online and off. I like how the game keeps track of my racing stats. I haven't had the opportunity to play with other D-Pad Junkies yet (other than my husband), but that should change soon as more and more Junkies get the game. If you like Mario Kart, this is the one to own. And it's the only one that is playable against gamers online - something we've all dreamed of.
360
I have in my possession 3 Xbox 360 games... but no 360 to play them on! The 360 launches on November 22, a mere 4 days away. While I am not hugely anticipating the 360 because I still believe it's too soon, I am feeling the excitement for a new console growing. Having games that I can't play reminds me of the PSP's release. I had multiple games for that system before its launch as well. That's the beauty of pre-ordering at a specialty game store; when the games come in, the customers get to pick up their games.
Guitar Hero
I'm slowly improving my skills enough to make it through the last class in Medium (Face-Melters). I started with Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Texas Flood." It's a great song by a great artist and it's a blast to play in Guitar Hero. This is one of those games that will forever bring joy to this gamer as it's a game that I can play for only a few minutes or hours. It's usually the latter because once I start, it's difficult to stop. The feeling of accomplishment when I nail a song (or at least as good as I can nail it) is so rewarding. I can't wait for a sequel! And if/when a sequel comes, I have but two separate requests: 1) more Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne songs (those totally rock!) and 2) and to have songs by AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones included.
Mario Kart DS and the Nintendo WiFi Connection (NWFC) are finally here. Do they live up to the hype? Yes. While getting everything set up to play on NWFC was not as easy and simple as Xbox Live, I was very impressed with the overall package. And really, there are no reasonable complaints when a free service goes this smoothly and is so much fun to play. Speaking of fun, Mario Kart DS is very exciting both online and off. I like how the game keeps track of my racing stats. I haven't had the opportunity to play with other D-Pad Junkies yet (other than my husband), but that should change soon as more and more Junkies get the game. If you like Mario Kart, this is the one to own. And it's the only one that is playable against gamers online - something we've all dreamed of.
360
I have in my possession 3 Xbox 360 games... but no 360 to play them on! The 360 launches on November 22, a mere 4 days away. While I am not hugely anticipating the 360 because I still believe it's too soon, I am feeling the excitement for a new console growing. Having games that I can't play reminds me of the PSP's release. I had multiple games for that system before its launch as well. That's the beauty of pre-ordering at a specialty game store; when the games come in, the customers get to pick up their games.
Guitar Hero
I'm slowly improving my skills enough to make it through the last class in Medium (Face-Melters). I started with Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Texas Flood." It's a great song by a great artist and it's a blast to play in Guitar Hero. This is one of those games that will forever bring joy to this gamer as it's a game that I can play for only a few minutes or hours. It's usually the latter because once I start, it's difficult to stop. The feeling of accomplishment when I nail a song (or at least as good as I can nail it) is so rewarding. I can't wait for a sequel! And if/when a sequel comes, I have but two separate requests: 1) more Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne songs (those totally rock!) and 2) and to have songs by AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones included.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Guitar Hero
I've got to blog about one of the greatest games I've played this generation. Or ever, for that matter. It's called Guitar Hero and it's for the Playstation 2. It's actually a bundled package that comes with both the game and the Guitar Hero SG guitar controller. I wasn't even planning on getting the game, but many of my friends kept talking about it and since it might be scarce down the road (like other music games), I figured what the hell. Needless to say, it's been one of the best impulse purchasing decisions I've ever made. My husband is even hooked. The publisher, RedOctane, is even releasing a separate guitar controller this month. I'm planning on buying one so that we can rock out together. It'll be a hit at family gatherings and parties for sure!
You don't even have to love music games to get a kick out of Guitar Hero. All you need is a love for good ole fashion rock n' roll, baby!!!11!!!!! Ever dream of being a rock god? Ever fantasized about replacing that air guitar with a real Gibson? Oh yeah. Well, now you can. But you'd better act fast. While this game may be a class-act and the recipient of many excellent reviews, music games don't usually hang around very long. Buy your Guitar Hero bundle today!
I'm currently 100% complete with Easy mode. And I've unlocked all six categories in Medium mode. I haven't quite mastered the last category of Medium yet. It's got unbelievable guitar hero tracks in there - Bark at the Moon, Texas Flood, etc. I thought Crossroads on Easy mode was difficult; Bark at the Moon's guitar solo is a monster! It's very difficult to a n00b guitar player such as myself. However, I'm very satisfied that I've at least opened all of the songs for Quick Play mode. Plus, I've gained enough money in Career that I was able to buy all of the Indie tracks to play.
So, as evidence, if you're even slightly into rock n' roll and have a Playstation 2, you owe it to yourself to check out this game. Remember me when you're rocking away to Crossroads by Cream.
To help the enticing along, here is a complete song list:
Audioslave "Cochise"
Boston "More than a Feeling"
Bad Religion "Infected"
Black Sabbath "Iron Man"
Blue Oyster Cult "Godzilla"
David Bowie "Ziggy Stardust"
Burning Brides "Heart Full of Black"
Cream "Crossroads"
Deep Purple "Smoke on the Water"
The Donnas "Take It Off"
The Exies "Hey You"
Franz Ferdinand "Take Me Out"
Helmet "Unsung"
Incubus "Stellar"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Judas Priest "You Got Another Thing Comin"
Jimi Hendrix "Spanish Castle Magic"
Megadeth "Symphony of Destruction"
Motorhead "Ace Of Spades"
Pantera "Cowboys from Hell"
Ozzy Osbourne "Bark at the Moon"
Queen "Killer Queen"
Queens of the Stone Age "No One Knows"
The Ramones "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Higher Ground"
Stevie Ray Vaughan "Texas Flood"
Sum 41 "Fat Lip"
White Zombie "Thunderkiss '65"
The Edgar Winter Group "Frankenstein"
ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man"
In addition, there will be 17 unlockable tracks from Indie Rock bands, which include:
Acro-Brats "Call Out"
Anarchy Club "Behind the Mask"
Artillery "The Breaking Wheel"
Count Zero "Sail Your Ship By"
Freezepop "Get Ready 2 Rokk"
Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives "Hey"
Made In Mexico "Farewell Myth"
Monkey Steals the Peach "Theme from Guitar Hero"
The Model Sons "The Story of My Love"
Shaimus "All of This"
The Bags "Caveman Rejoice"
Din "Fly on the Wall"
Drist "Decontrol"
The Slip "Even Rats"
The Upper Crust "Eureka! I Found Love"
Graveyard BBQ "Cheat on the Church"
Black Label Society "Fire It Up"
What are you waiting for? Get your copy of Guitar Hero today!
You don't even have to love music games to get a kick out of Guitar Hero. All you need is a love for good ole fashion rock n' roll, baby!!!11!!!!! Ever dream of being a rock god? Ever fantasized about replacing that air guitar with a real Gibson? Oh yeah. Well, now you can. But you'd better act fast. While this game may be a class-act and the recipient of many excellent reviews, music games don't usually hang around very long. Buy your Guitar Hero bundle today!
I'm currently 100% complete with Easy mode. And I've unlocked all six categories in Medium mode. I haven't quite mastered the last category of Medium yet. It's got unbelievable guitar hero tracks in there - Bark at the Moon, Texas Flood, etc. I thought Crossroads on Easy mode was difficult; Bark at the Moon's guitar solo is a monster! It's very difficult to a n00b guitar player such as myself. However, I'm very satisfied that I've at least opened all of the songs for Quick Play mode. Plus, I've gained enough money in Career that I was able to buy all of the Indie tracks to play.
So, as evidence, if you're even slightly into rock n' roll and have a Playstation 2, you owe it to yourself to check out this game. Remember me when you're rocking away to Crossroads by Cream.
To help the enticing along, here is a complete song list:
Audioslave "Cochise"
Boston "More than a Feeling"
Bad Religion "Infected"
Black Sabbath "Iron Man"
Blue Oyster Cult "Godzilla"
David Bowie "Ziggy Stardust"
Burning Brides "Heart Full of Black"
Cream "Crossroads"
Deep Purple "Smoke on the Water"
The Donnas "Take It Off"
The Exies "Hey You"
Franz Ferdinand "Take Me Out"
Helmet "Unsung"
Incubus "Stellar"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Judas Priest "You Got Another Thing Comin"
Jimi Hendrix "Spanish Castle Magic"
Megadeth "Symphony of Destruction"
Motorhead "Ace Of Spades"
Pantera "Cowboys from Hell"
Ozzy Osbourne "Bark at the Moon"
Queen "Killer Queen"
Queens of the Stone Age "No One Knows"
The Ramones "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Higher Ground"
Stevie Ray Vaughan "Texas Flood"
Sum 41 "Fat Lip"
White Zombie "Thunderkiss '65"
The Edgar Winter Group "Frankenstein"
ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man"
In addition, there will be 17 unlockable tracks from Indie Rock bands, which include:
Acro-Brats "Call Out"
Anarchy Club "Behind the Mask"
Artillery "The Breaking Wheel"
Count Zero "Sail Your Ship By"
Freezepop "Get Ready 2 Rokk"
Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives "Hey"
Made In Mexico "Farewell Myth"
Monkey Steals the Peach "Theme from Guitar Hero"
The Model Sons "The Story of My Love"
Shaimus "All of This"
The Bags "Caveman Rejoice"
Din "Fly on the Wall"
Drist "Decontrol"
The Slip "Even Rats"
The Upper Crust "Eureka! I Found Love"
Graveyard BBQ "Cheat on the Church"
Black Label Society "Fire It Up"
What are you waiting for? Get your copy of Guitar Hero today!
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Xbox 360 Preorder Woes
If M$ isn't careful, they're gonna botch the launch of the 360. History already shows us that consumers don't like supporting expensive consoles, and this expensive console has two skus to add to the confusion. Not to mention gamers are already bitter over hoping for a $300 price point only to hear the announcement that the "good" 360 will be $100 more. And never mind the fact that Japan is only getting one sku at $350 that includes the HDD, etc. compared to $400 for the U.S.
Oblivion has already been delayed until next year sometime and I fear a similar announcement for other top-tier 360 games is just around the corner even this close to the supposed launch date. To sum up my feelings about this, it makes me nervous. But it also makes me very happy it's not our $800 going toward two 360's (remember, we're getting ours as a Christmas gift). But over the past week, I've tried to heighten my excitement for the 360. I've actually grown a little more enthusiastic about it.
Fast forward to tonight when I go to EB to buy SW: Battlefront II. The store manager (who, btw, has taken very good care of us), pulls me to the side to "talk." Uh-oh. Seems M$ has made the announcement that they're cutting shipment allotments everywhere (probably due to their desire to launch in three separate countries within a short amount of time - what happened to a game company launching in its home country first???? Japan does it) and we will only be receiving one of our two fully-paid-for 360s on launch day. In fact, we'll be lucky to get our second 360 in EB's second shipment that could be as early as the Friday after Thanksgiving - but there is no guarantee. The only reason I should get one on launch day is because I preordered it back in May. Our second 360 wasn't preordered until August. And even though they are both fully paid for with an EB warranty each, we won't be bringing both home on launch.
What that means is, we'll keep the preorder at EB (the manager offered me cash back) and wait it out. Come launch day, we might check out the Walmart that's next door to EB and buy one there if they've got enough and then get our money back at EB. But if we can't find one, we'll just have to wait until EB gets one in for us. The manager also told me that M$ even stated that they will not allow EB to sell us two 360s under one account (how it's set up right now), so we'll have to transfer one of the 360s to Craig's name. The deal is, M$ doesn't want 360s showing up on ebay. Hey, I've got an idea (and the other EB employee agreed with me), produce enough 360s and that won't happen. All they've gotta do is look back at the PSP launch. Remember how they weren't selling for much on ebay (and still aren't)? That's because you could walk into any store on launch day and buy one, or two, or three. If M$ doesn't get enough 360s out for launch, ebayers will make a killing.
So, in a nutshell (too late, ha!), my already soured taste for the 360 is growing rotten. M$ needs to be careful about what they tout and promise, because they like to say that Sony promises the world and then doesn't deliver, but M$ certainly isn't perfect. M$ should at least allow those who've fully paid for their preorder to get a 360. I may be getting two 360s for free, but I've still got to buy the games. I went in to EB tonight planning on plopping down some $$$$ for our reserved games so that everything is paid in full before launch. After I got that news, I left with my 2 Battlefront II copies, a sad face, and a fuller wallet. And then went to Walmart to buy Metroid Prime Pinball and Star Wars III (take that, M$!). If it weren't for Xbox Live, I'd rid my personal life of all M$ products.... I've already dropped their Windows operating system (more on my new Apple PowerBook later!!!!).
Maybe a miracle will happen and they can get more shipments out than expected, but recent news stories are reporting the opposite. Oh well. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection debutes Nov 14 - a whole week before the 360 launch - and I foresee much of my Thanksgiving vacation being spent playing Mario Kart online with my husband, my buddy wporter and any other Junkie who can!!!
Oblivion has already been delayed until next year sometime and I fear a similar announcement for other top-tier 360 games is just around the corner even this close to the supposed launch date. To sum up my feelings about this, it makes me nervous. But it also makes me very happy it's not our $800 going toward two 360's (remember, we're getting ours as a Christmas gift). But over the past week, I've tried to heighten my excitement for the 360. I've actually grown a little more enthusiastic about it.
Fast forward to tonight when I go to EB to buy SW: Battlefront II. The store manager (who, btw, has taken very good care of us), pulls me to the side to "talk." Uh-oh. Seems M$ has made the announcement that they're cutting shipment allotments everywhere (probably due to their desire to launch in three separate countries within a short amount of time - what happened to a game company launching in its home country first???? Japan does it) and we will only be receiving one of our two fully-paid-for 360s on launch day. In fact, we'll be lucky to get our second 360 in EB's second shipment that could be as early as the Friday after Thanksgiving - but there is no guarantee. The only reason I should get one on launch day is because I preordered it back in May. Our second 360 wasn't preordered until August. And even though they are both fully paid for with an EB warranty each, we won't be bringing both home on launch.
What that means is, we'll keep the preorder at EB (the manager offered me cash back) and wait it out. Come launch day, we might check out the Walmart that's next door to EB and buy one there if they've got enough and then get our money back at EB. But if we can't find one, we'll just have to wait until EB gets one in for us. The manager also told me that M$ even stated that they will not allow EB to sell us two 360s under one account (how it's set up right now), so we'll have to transfer one of the 360s to Craig's name. The deal is, M$ doesn't want 360s showing up on ebay. Hey, I've got an idea (and the other EB employee agreed with me), produce enough 360s and that won't happen. All they've gotta do is look back at the PSP launch. Remember how they weren't selling for much on ebay (and still aren't)? That's because you could walk into any store on launch day and buy one, or two, or three. If M$ doesn't get enough 360s out for launch, ebayers will make a killing.
So, in a nutshell (too late, ha!), my already soured taste for the 360 is growing rotten. M$ needs to be careful about what they tout and promise, because they like to say that Sony promises the world and then doesn't deliver, but M$ certainly isn't perfect. M$ should at least allow those who've fully paid for their preorder to get a 360. I may be getting two 360s for free, but I've still got to buy the games. I went in to EB tonight planning on plopping down some $$$$ for our reserved games so that everything is paid in full before launch. After I got that news, I left with my 2 Battlefront II copies, a sad face, and a fuller wallet. And then went to Walmart to buy Metroid Prime Pinball and Star Wars III (take that, M$!). If it weren't for Xbox Live, I'd rid my personal life of all M$ products.... I've already dropped their Windows operating system (more on my new Apple PowerBook later!!!!).
Maybe a miracle will happen and they can get more shipments out than expected, but recent news stories are reporting the opposite. Oh well. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection debutes Nov 14 - a whole week before the 360 launch - and I foresee much of my Thanksgiving vacation being spent playing Mario Kart online with my husband, my buddy wporter and any other Junkie who can!!!
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
T.N.T. for the Brain
When I was thinking of a title for this entry my mind strayed to Enigma for some reason. I suppose it was because I was thinking about "therapy" and how mental therapy helps, well, our mentality. My mental health seems to be explosive with ideas at times, so the name of the Enigma song seemed appropriate.
Monday night I made an entry entitled "An Un-Lively Summer." It told the tale of how uninspired I was to play on Xbox Live as of late. While that is still partially true, I wanted to comment on last night's Junkie Live Nite. Wow. A few of us played Unreal Championship (yes, the original) and had a blast. It felt really nice to get my frag on in true Deathmatch style - ala Unreal style. There was also little to no lag at all, which helped even the fragging field. An old friend who I actually met in UC also stopped in to join us, too. But what felt really great were those few times I pulled out ahead of one of my friends - the Resident Junkie FPS King™ - SenFunkernickel. I give him that title since he's always had a natural talent at FPS and he's the one competitor that I base my own skill against. Well, him and my husband Voodoo. I was taught to play FPS by Voodoo, so it's only natural to want to outsmart him in our playing, haha. And I'm sure he'd say the same about me. Anyway, to say the least, the old school night of Unreal was good therapy.
It's funny. I'm not sure why I feel compelled to write entries in this digital diary all of a sudden. I need to get my rear in gear and finish two game reviews for DPJ that I've had sitting for months. *sigh* I just can't seem to get in a creative mood. Oh, and now DPJ has a blog feature built into our site. I think it's a great idea to offer that for our members, but now I'm in debate whether to use it and close Unreal Mentality, or perhaps use both. Time will tell. Until then, I am in search of some T.N.T. for my brain to jump start this creative slump I've been in.
Monday night I made an entry entitled "An Un-Lively Summer." It told the tale of how uninspired I was to play on Xbox Live as of late. While that is still partially true, I wanted to comment on last night's Junkie Live Nite. Wow. A few of us played Unreal Championship (yes, the original) and had a blast. It felt really nice to get my frag on in true Deathmatch style - ala Unreal style. There was also little to no lag at all, which helped even the fragging field. An old friend who I actually met in UC also stopped in to join us, too. But what felt really great were those few times I pulled out ahead of one of my friends - the Resident Junkie FPS King™ - SenFunkernickel. I give him that title since he's always had a natural talent at FPS and he's the one competitor that I base my own skill against. Well, him and my husband Voodoo. I was taught to play FPS by Voodoo, so it's only natural to want to outsmart him in our playing, haha. And I'm sure he'd say the same about me. Anyway, to say the least, the old school night of Unreal was good therapy.
It's funny. I'm not sure why I feel compelled to write entries in this digital diary all of a sudden. I need to get my rear in gear and finish two game reviews for DPJ that I've had sitting for months. *sigh* I just can't seem to get in a creative mood. Oh, and now DPJ has a blog feature built into our site. I think it's a great idea to offer that for our members, but now I'm in debate whether to use it and close Unreal Mentality, or perhaps use both. Time will tell. Until then, I am in search of some T.N.T. for my brain to jump start this creative slump I've been in.
Monday, September 19, 2005
An Un-Lively Summer
My friend SenFunkernickel is right. Employment is overrated. Well, to put it in my own words, full-time employment is overrated. Whoever came up with the idea of working 40+ hours a week and that being away from our families is okay, ought to have their heads examined. Add my two hour drive on top of that and it ain't pretty.
Back in June, my best friend MaujeRomo was going to be able to have Xbox Live for a good chunk of the summer. Unfortunately, she doesn't have it where she lives, so we were both looking forward to gaming with each other on Live for the summer. It all started out as planned. My husband and I went down to the Gulf to vacation with Mauje and her husband. Beaching it during the day and playing Halo at night. It all started when our vacation got cut short - short, as in after the first day - because one of our dogs got sick back home. Everything is fine with him, but it put a damper on my attitude having to spend my vacation at home instead of out somewhere. Fortunately, we were still gonna get to game with Mauje and her hubby for some of the summer. But then Hurricane Dennis came through the Gulf and forced my friend and her family back home. Bummer.
For those 2 short weeks that we got to play online games together, it was the greatest thing in the world. I mean, we talk, email, and/or chat online all the time. But there is something special about gaming together. We don't get to do it that often since we live so far apart, so we cherish the times we do get to enjoy it together. And I never imagined going back to normal - aka no online gaming for us together - would suck so bad. Basically, it helped add to an already work-induced Live funk.
I've had little desire to game on Live even though I've got a Friends List full of other gaming friends and a website full of friends who also play on Live. We still meet once a week for "Junkie Live Nite," but even that is not as exciting as it once was. And it's not because I don't like the guys who I game with. It's just that I got real bummed out this summer and I can't seem to come out of it. Work's been so hectic this summer that when I get home I'm mentally drained. And not having my best friend around to shoot (Halo 2, Ghost Recon 2, etc.) is a real bummer. Yes, I'm whining. It sucks.
In my separation from Live and multiplayer games, I've rediscovered the beauty of single player games. Handheld gaming has been my saving grace. I can sit outside and game, sit in front of the tv and game, game in the car (when not driving, of course), and sometimes even game during lunch at work. I don't feel tied down when playing on a handheld. The Nintendo DS is the greatest thing to happen to video games since the NES. But I'll save all that for another entry. This entry is all about the suckery of my summer. I really need some stress relief.
Back in June, my best friend MaujeRomo was going to be able to have Xbox Live for a good chunk of the summer. Unfortunately, she doesn't have it where she lives, so we were both looking forward to gaming with each other on Live for the summer. It all started out as planned. My husband and I went down to the Gulf to vacation with Mauje and her husband. Beaching it during the day and playing Halo at night. It all started when our vacation got cut short - short, as in after the first day - because one of our dogs got sick back home. Everything is fine with him, but it put a damper on my attitude having to spend my vacation at home instead of out somewhere. Fortunately, we were still gonna get to game with Mauje and her hubby for some of the summer. But then Hurricane Dennis came through the Gulf and forced my friend and her family back home. Bummer.
For those 2 short weeks that we got to play online games together, it was the greatest thing in the world. I mean, we talk, email, and/or chat online all the time. But there is something special about gaming together. We don't get to do it that often since we live so far apart, so we cherish the times we do get to enjoy it together. And I never imagined going back to normal - aka no online gaming for us together - would suck so bad. Basically, it helped add to an already work-induced Live funk.
I've had little desire to game on Live even though I've got a Friends List full of other gaming friends and a website full of friends who also play on Live. We still meet once a week for "Junkie Live Nite," but even that is not as exciting as it once was. And it's not because I don't like the guys who I game with. It's just that I got real bummed out this summer and I can't seem to come out of it. Work's been so hectic this summer that when I get home I'm mentally drained. And not having my best friend around to shoot (Halo 2, Ghost Recon 2, etc.) is a real bummer. Yes, I'm whining. It sucks.
In my separation from Live and multiplayer games, I've rediscovered the beauty of single player games. Handheld gaming has been my saving grace. I can sit outside and game, sit in front of the tv and game, game in the car (when not driving, of course), and sometimes even game during lunch at work. I don't feel tied down when playing on a handheld. The Nintendo DS is the greatest thing to happen to video games since the NES. But I'll save all that for another entry. This entry is all about the suckery of my summer. I really need some stress relief.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
40 > 15
So the new Halo 2 auto update and the new maps have been out for two weeks and one week respectively. I am just now dowloading the update and the *free* maps to try out. I played two whole games before jumping up, pissed off, and turning off my Xbox. Halo 2 seems to bring out the worst in the human race and it makes my blood pressure rise before a frag grenade can detonate at the feet of my Spartan adversary. Oh wait, the grenades are a little quicker and more powerful now, but you get the picture. Still, the latest update isn't anything to write home about. Some have said it plays like Halo:Combat Evolved. I say, "it's still no Halo." Ah well. That is what Unreal Championship 2 is for. Speaking of UC2, 40 is greater than 15, and I've got some more maps to master before hopefully competing in various ladders on Live. As for why I dislike Halo 2 so much... well, that is for a whole other post. ;)
Monday, April 18, 2005
Begin Fragging
Ooh no00Zz! It's an electronic diary! lol.
So what is "UNREAL MENTALITY?" It is the mentality of a gamer... me. So where did I get the unreal part? Well, I'm a gamer and I'm an Unreal fan. Have been since Unreal Championship on the Xbox, and more specifically, Xbox Live. With the release of Unreal Championship 2 - a game whose demo rocked my fragging fingers - I thought it appropriate to create a gaming journal for myself.
I'll post various gaming achievements here as well as any random thoughts I may have on the industry itself. Until then...
Get. Your. Fix. @ D-Pad Junkies.
So what is "UNREAL MENTALITY?" It is the mentality of a gamer... me. So where did I get the unreal part? Well, I'm a gamer and I'm an Unreal fan. Have been since Unreal Championship on the Xbox, and more specifically, Xbox Live. With the release of Unreal Championship 2 - a game whose demo rocked my fragging fingers - I thought it appropriate to create a gaming journal for myself.
I'll post various gaming achievements here as well as any random thoughts I may have on the industry itself. Until then...
Get. Your. Fix. @ D-Pad Junkies.
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