We're Back Jack

After some time away Brian T. and I have felt the need for a comeback. Not like there was much to walk away from before, but everything has to start from somewhere. So after some discussion and contemplation we have both felt that the best approach to this blog would be if we went strictly retro. It isn't that we are against next gen gaming or anything like that, we just know that we do not have the resources to write reviews and give opinions on new releases. By the time we get our hands on a new game, play it, and review it; it is about 2 to 3 weeks after 100's of reviews of that same game have been written. At that point who would really want to read what we have to say, unless you just feel that we are amazing at what we have to say. That is why we think a retro blog is our best bet. Even though the games we will be talking about have long come and gone, they still hold that place in gaming history and for that should never be forgotten. Plus when it comes to retro gaming it is sometimes hard to find a game worth taking the time to play, so hopefully this blog can help with that matter.

Just in case anyone has that burning desire to know what happened and why we left the blog for almost a year, I will tell you. In December there was a major overhaul so to speak at the Mac (short for Maciano's where we work). Since then it has been continuing to get overhauled, but at least now it is a little more manageable. Brian T. has since moved back to Chicago. I guess to resume working as a male prostitute. He said that suburb cum just never tasted the same as it did back home. What that means I don't know but I'll just leave that one for you to ponder. Basically life just got in the way. We never stopped playing video games, its just that playing video games in the free time we had was more important then writing about video games. No offense to all 3 of our followers. Either way we have agreed to revisit this side project of ours and revamp it hopefully making it better than it was before.

-Brian R.

infinity ward and activision

So the big news this week is the shake-up over at Activision with Infinity Ward. In case you haven't been keeping up, earlier this week the heads of Infinity Ward, Vince Zampella and Jason West, were fired for apparent "insubordination" and "breach of fiduciary duty." Yesterday, the two former Infinity Ward heads filled a lawsuit against Activision for breach of contract, among other claims. Chances are you already know what's going on, so let's move on.

Activision. Electronic Arts. Ubisoft. What do three of the biggest publishers in the world have in common? They are notorious for over-saturating their market and killing off their most successful franchises. Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk, Medal of Honor, Prince of Persia, Madden, etc...the list goes on and on. These companies force developers to churn out yearly installments of their most successful games, as well as tons of spin-offs and DLC. Consumers get sick of the same shit over and over again (Madden), or they can't afford to keep up with the massive amount of micro-transactions to keep their games fun (Guitar Hero), or the game quality eventually just suffers from a poor development cycle (Tony Hawk).

EA used to take most of the flak for this behavior when their sports and fps titles were dominating the market. Now that EA has milked most of their franchises dry and sales are slipping, they're no longer the dominating force they seemed to be 5 - 8 years ago. Activision, pardon me, Activision-Blizzard is a fucking powerhouse right now thanks mostly to Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and World of Warcraft. Blizzard is fine...they've got WoW, they've got Diablo III coming out, and if all else fails, they can finally make a Starcraft sequel. But things aren't looking good on the Activision side of things. The Tony Hawk series is literally a joke at this point, people are finally starting to get burned out on Guitar Hero, and now they've lost Infinity Ward, the developer that FINALLY got the console FPS right (fuck you, Halo) with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. So what does this mean for Activision and the entire CoD franchise?

Well, for the time being, it means absolutely NOTHING. Treyarch is doing this year's installment of Call of Duty, and the map pack DLC for Modern Warfare 2 will still be developed by Infinity Ward for release this year. Next year, on the other hand, will probably see the downfall of CoD as Activision has stated that not only will they continue the main Call of Duty series, but they are going to start making non-FPS Call of Duty titles too, including an action/adventure title slated for 2011.

Basically Activision lost their best developer with IW...the guys who created Call of Duty, made it huge, re-invented it, then made it even bigger. Instead of slowing down and making sure they don't fuck up the series with sequels and offshoots, they are plowing right along sticking to their predictable release schedules. Right now Activision is just trying to push as many Call of Duty games out while the series is popular since they can sell titles based on the name alone. Inevitably, Activision will do what they do best and kill Call of Duty by over-saturating the market. In the mean time, Infinity Ward founders Zampalla and West will no-doubt move on and create a new FPS franchise under the umbrella of another major publisher. So fear not, you'll be back playing a new Infinity Ward title soon enough. Now, let's just hope that Treyarch can deliver a solid follow-up to World at War this fall, before Activision runs CoD into the ground.

-Brian T.

super street fighter: the movie!!!

I have nothing to say that is more important/awesome than what Brian R. posted below right now so I figured I'd throw this video up. Amongst all the new character announcements for Super Street Fighter 4, this little gem was posted over at Event Hubs earlier today and I thought I'd share it:

Anyway, tomorrow is Heavy Rain's release and all of a sudden I'm not sure if I'm going to pick it up immediately. I only say this because I just finished Mass Effect last week and Mass Effect 2 is looking more than a little tempting right now. Decisions, decisions...

-Brian T.

Dreamcast How To

If you read my last blog entry I talked about being able to play burned games on the Dreamcast. Just in case anyone is interested in doing it themselves I thought I would post links for everyone to get the ROMs, the program to burn the games, and a video tutorial on how to use it. This way you too can burn games for your Dreamcast and have access to over 250 titles, both domestic and import for your Dreamcast.

First we should start with where to download the ROMS (games). I use two places, both equally. They are both good except EMU Paradise has faster download speeds. Both though are through servers which allow for a steady, consistent, and safe download. WARNING: Be careful where you download ROMS from. There are a lot of bogus websites out there that claim to be ROM sites that do nothing more than infect you with a virus. It has happened to me and it just happened to Brian T. recently. So be careful and just go to the 2 sites that I have listed here.

EMUPARADISE
DCISOZONE.com

Once you have a game downloaded you will need to decompress the file. They come as a Rar file which is similar to a Zip file. There is a free program called WinRar which can be downloaded here. Just install it with the recommended settings.

After you have downloaded and installed WinRar you need to locate the ROM file in Window’s Explorer. Once you find it right click and pick “extract here”. Sometimes the CDI file will be directly extracted or sometimes it extracts sub RAR files that are numbered 01-?. If this is the case just right click on the first numbered RAR file and pick extract here again and then you will have your CDI file, which is the disc image of the game.

Now that you have the CDI file you need to burn it to a CD-R. Make sure it is a CD and not a DVD. There are several programs that you can use to burn disc images but the main one that I use is called Discjuggler, which only handles CDI files. It can be downloaded for free from here. Now this is only the demo version which gives you unlimited access to the program, but limits you to only being able to burn up to 700MB. This is fine because the CDI files never exceed that limit. When installing Discjuggler just do the recommended installation.

Now to setup and use Discjuggler you will need to watch this video tutorial. It will explain everything you need to know about burning the games to disc, which is relatively easy.


If you don’t like this video you can search youtube for a bunch of other videos with different ways to do it. I use this method because you change some settings under the advanced burn options, which is how I have always done it and haven’t had any problems with any games yet. But some people don’t change those options and say that the games work just fine too. I guess you can play around with it a little bit and figure out the method you like best.

Once that is complete you are ready to go. Sometimes if it does not self load you may need a boot disk. Just in case I placed the link here. I have never needed it yet but I have it just in case. Also you do need it to play imports. Enjoi.

-Brian R.

Lost and Found Again

As of late I have been struggling to find a good topic to blog about. One reason is because we are in the first quarter of the year and all of the big titles were just released for the holiday season. I will say that there are some big titles coming out in the next couple of months such as FFXIII, SSFIV, and Heavy Rain next week; but these last few months have been rather slow, at least for me. So I found this awesome website called Racketboy, which is a retro game site. Going through there must haves and undiscovered gems section for the Dreamcast I found a game called Cannon Spike. Basically it is a shoot-em-up that uses Capcom characters. I haven’t played it yet but I am soon and will review it then. Getting back on track, my purpose for this entry is simple and I will get to the point soon enough.

Basically after I saw that game on Racketboy I went to go and download the ROM. FYI if you have a Dreamcast that was built before October of 1999 you can download any ROM off of the internet, burn it to a CD-R, and put it in your Dreamcast and play it. If you have a console with a later build date all you need is a boot disk to play the game, which can be downloaded at the same site that you get the ROMs from. Anyhow as I scrolling through all of the games for the Dreamcast I kept seeing game after game that looks awesome as hell. And I thought to myself here I am complaining that I have nothing to play, yet there is a whole library of games for the Dreamcast that I have access to.

Long story short I went on a downloading spree and grabbed about 10 new games to try out for the Dreamcast. Unfortunately I did not get any blank CD-R’s until yesterday so I have not had an opportunity to play any of them. But the time is coming soon enough. So the point of everything is this. I was forced to go through my collection of games to find something to play because I wanted to play a game that had real purpose other than just killing people like in Modern Warfare. After doing so I was more than excited. You will be surprised if you went through your collection and realized how many games you probably have that you never finished, or maybe never played because it is part of a retro collection.

So what did I find? A fighter for the Saturn that I never played that Brian T. let me borrow, Knights of the Old Republic for the original Xbox that I started a long time ago and never finished, a booklet full of various Dreamcast games that I had downloaded and burned but never played, and Army of Two for the 360, which I borrowed from someone a long time ago and haven’t played yet. I guess it is just one of those out of sight out of mind things, because I keep all of my games in a cabinet, and usually the ones I am not playing are buried in the back behind the couple that I am playing and my controllers. What I need to do is convince my wife to let me build some media shelving so that way I can have everything out on display, which will hopefully keep it from going unforgotten. Take the time though to go through your collection of games and let me know if you find anything that you forgot about or never even finished or never played for that matter.

-Brian R.

the sega channel

Who remembers the Sega Channel? Chances are, very few of you. It was a service that was offered through your cable provider that basically gave you an endless rotation of fully playable Sega Genesis games via an attachment that resembled the 32X. Here's a picture I found of it that a very awesome dude somewhere took:Oh Sega, and your crazy Frankenstein experiments of the mid 90's...how I miss you. But focusing on the Sega Channel, I had it and it was fucking awesome.

Every month, there would be an average of 70 games available that you would just download and within minutes be able to play. Here's another lifted image that shows the main menu:
This was the shit to have. The Test Drives section was where you could play demos of games before they were released. Sometimes the full games were even available. Not only were games available to play before their release, but you could play imports as well. For example, until the release of the Sega Genesis Collection (PS2), Golden Axe 3 was never available in America...except for the Sega Channel, of course. As you can see from the image, most genres were represented so no matter what mood you were in, you could find a game you would want to play. Toward the end of the service, games were rotated even more frequently, giving you well over 100 different titles to choose from per month. Popular titles. Obscure titles. Exclusive titles. Every awesome game you remember for the Genesis plus every awesome game you've never even heard of was at your disposal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There were a few downsides though. You could really only play one RPG at a time because you could only have a single save file for ALL of the RPGs. This meant that if you wanted to play through Shining Force II and Phantasy Star III, you would have to beat them one at a time and within a month in case they weren't carried over from month to month. Hell, it was almost pointless to start an RPG at the end of the month because you never knew if it was going to stick around for another 30 days. The other major annoyance was that Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo and Mortal Kombat 3 for whatever reason, were both split into two games. For example, Mortal Kombat 3A would have half of the characters while Mortal Kombat 3B would have the other half. You could never play with a full roster in either game which almost made them pointless. There was also a cheats section that would list cheats, tips, and codes for games available that month but there was no way to choose the cheats you wanted to view. Instead, you had to sit and wait as they slowly scrolled across the screen. And if you missed a particularly long password you would have to wait until the list reset and started scrolling over again. But all in all these are minor nitpicks considering what I'm about to tell you could blow your mind.

It was only $13 a month. Yep, around 100 games per month including imports, demos, and unreleased games for only $13. Clearly the biggest sign the industry has changed, the Sega Channel would never be allowed to happen now. Now that the industry seems to be moving more and more toward micro-transactions and dlc, this would be considered charity. The Sega Channel cost $13 per month and offered damn near every single Genesis game available on The Virtual Console, Playstation Store, and Xbox Live Arcade combined. Unfortunately, the Sega Channel launched nationally only about a year and a half away from the release of the Saturn and the announcement that the Genesis was to be discontinued in 1995. This basically sealed the fate of this wonderful service and it was labeled a failure with only 150,000 total subscribers by the time Sega pulled the plug in '97. The Sega Channel was apparently available to over 20 million Americans with cable, but only 150,000 households subscribed. Insanity.

It's interesting to note as well that the Sega Channel laid the groundwork for Xbox Live. Sega used their experience with the Sega Channel to create the Netlink for the Saturn (that's a whole blog by itself). After the Netlink failed, Sega used that groundwork to create SegaNet, which laid the groundwork for Xbox Live. Anyway, somebody please tell me I'm not the only one who got to experience this wonderful part of video game history...

-Brian T.

360 Gamer POV on Heavy Rain

Finally the PS3 has an exclusive that can actually rival the competition. At least that is what it seems from playing the demo for Heavy Rain the other day. I have never played a game like this and really all I can say is that I was hooked and left wanting more. I am not going to go in to much detail because I think Brian T. did a good job at doing that, but I just wanted to briefly touch on my feelings about what is to come.

Being a person who heavily favors the 360 over the PS3, I found the controls to be a little difficult. Not so much as to how they were set up, but since a lot of the game is controlled by timed button pushing, it becomes a little difficult if you do not have the layout of the controller memorized. So I found myself hitting the wrong button from time to time but it was never a devastating problem. It is a little weird with some of the other button combinations but after a couple of tries it was fairly easy to pick up on.

I played through the Detective Shelby scenario 2 times and both times were different. Each time it started and ended the same; it was the content in the middle that was different. The first time I played through I angered the hooker and she would not talk to me about her son. It wasn’t because I was trying to anger her; it was just my inability to push the correct button. The second time through I again pissed her off but was able to lay a guilt trip on her at the last second, which got her to talk. I am pretty sure that if I played through a third time I can make her talk without any anger or any form of guilt, therefore giving one single scenario three possible forms of gameplay. Not to mention that once you get her to talk you begin to ask different questions depending on which button you push. If this were to follow suite with the first half of the scene, then you are looking at up to 6 different ways to play one particular scene, hypothetically of course.

This seems to make the replay of value of this game very high. Talking with Brian T. he said that in order to get the full experience it is recommended by Quantic Dream to play through the game a few times due to the changing content depending on how the game is played and because of alternate endings. The big question for me is; is it a buyer or renter? Well I can say that I am going to rent it through Gamefly first and give it some good playing time. If I absolutely need to have it I will eventually buy it, but I think that playing through it a few times will be more than enough to satisfy me. Later on I most likely will pick it up when the price is down to $20 or $30.

From a heavy 360 gamer this is definitely a game to play even though it is exclusive to the PS3. It may be difficult to pick up on the controls at first, but once you do I think that there will be no disappointment. After almost losing my PS3 I think it is time that I blow the dust off of it and give it the fair shake it deserves. Besides Heavy Rain, I know that I am getting Super Street Fighter IV (solely to kick Brian T.’s ass) and Final Fantasy XIII for the PS3 (only because the PS3 version is in 1080p and the 360 version is in 720p) this year. So at least I will have 3 games for the console compared to the many that I own for the 360. Comment and let us know what you all thought of the demo.

-Brian R.

Heavy Rain Demo Review

Heavy Rain has easily been one of the most anticipated games for the PS3 since it's debut showing at E3 in 2006. With it's release just 11 days away, Sony has finally released a demo to the general public on PSN. I just finished playing it, and I'm eager to write about it.First of all, this game is not going to appeal to a lot of people once they have a chance to sit down and play it. The game is essentially a playable movie where you control the most minute actions of whatever character you are playing as (there are four playable characters). Most games have you running and shooting things or flipping switches to advance the story and gameplay, but Heavy Rain instead has you do minor tasks like retrieve items from your pocket, knock on doors, and simply talk to people. It sounds silly, but the game does a good job at utilizing the controller to make you feel like somewhat of a puppeteer. Control can be especially disorienting at first since you have to hold R2 to walk while you guide yourself with the left analog stick. By the end of the demo I'd gotten a pretty solid grip on the controls, but I could still feel that they were going to take some getting used to...they're unique to say the least.

If you played Indigo Prophecy (PS2, XBOX), then you already have a good idea what this game is about. In fact, Heavy Rain already appears to almost be a sort of "re-imagining" of Indigo Prophecy. Besides the obvious gameplay and story/tone/theme similarities, there are smaller comparisons to be made like the measuring of rain (Heavy Rain) vs. snow (Indigo Prophecy) throughout the story. Those who played through Indigo Prophecy know that Quantic Dream dropped the ball with the second half, and it would appear as though they're trying to get it right this time around. And so far, I'd say they've succeeded. The entire point of this game is to get you wrapped up in an intense and completely bizarre story that consists of multiple entwining character paths. Don't bother trying to get an idea of what's going on from the trailers, this is a story so involved that playing through the two sequences available in the demo will still leave you with no real idea of what's happening. That's not a bad thing though, as things are interesting enough to keep you frantically curious as to what is going to happen next. Heavy Rain is a game that once you start, you're going to have no choice but to finish.

Of course the graphics are worth mentioning and yes, they are fantastic. You're not going to forget you're playing a video game, but the character models are very detailed. I must admit though, they're not as mind-blowing as I would have expected. The textures and character models are unbelievably detailed, but I honestly feel that facial movements, and hell most "movement" in the game, could have used a bit more work if they're really wanted to impress. I think that a more realistic physics engine would have complimented the realistic graphics better. Just a minor gripe, but those hoping that Heavy Rain would be a visual revolution for gaming are no doubt going to be a little let down. The rest of the production work is top-notch with a wonderfully subtle soundtrack and universally solid voice-work.

The demo lets you play as the grizzled, broken-down, asthma-inflicted detective Curt Shelby and drug-addicted FBI agent Norman Jayden as they pursue two completely separate paths while tracking a serial killer known as "The Origami Killer". Both characters offered very different experiences. Shelby's scenario has an action sequence that plays out very similarly to the action sequences from Indigo Prophecy. Fights mostly consist of attacking, blocking, and counterattacking via timed button presses and analog stick movements. It's definitely interesting and you can tell that the aim was for you to feel like you're "acting out" many of the actions through various controller uses. Jayden's scenario focused on the use of his special glasses and glove which give him the Terminator-style ability to analyze people and environmental objects while combing a murder scene for clues. For example, you can analyze DNA on an object and have full visual access to that person's "file" within the FBI's database. I actually enjoyed the investigating and exploring quite a bit, though pressing R1 constantly to scan the environment for clues will no doubt eventually get tiresome.

Unfortunately, the demo is fairly short, so that's about all there is to write about. If you can get into the controls, you'll get into Heavy Rain. Even if you don't get into the controls, you'll probably still be sucked in by the story and interesting cast of characters. This game is another definite try before you buy, so I recommend checking out the demo for yourself if you have the chance. I'm curious to hear what other people think about it, especially those who didn't know what to expect from Quantic Dream. As for me, I love story-driven games so this is a must-buy on the 23rd.

-Brian T.

Sega's Back

Last Thursday Sega dropped a huge bomb with their most recent announcement. I know that I am super psyched about it and just in case you are still in the dark about what is going on; it pertains to a blue blur, rings, emeralds, and side scrolling. If you haven’t guessed by now Sega is going back to their roots with Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Don’t reread the last sentence because you really read what you are thinking; a whole new Sonic in its original fun to play form. That’s right they finally realized that the Sonic franchise has been crap ever since they decided to venture into the world of 3D, so now we are getting a whole new classic Sonic game built from the ground up.

There is not a whole lot to go on yet. Everything I have found out is from the website for the game, which you can go to HERE. There is a short video with a blip of gameplay in it but other than that there is nothing more than some concept art and a news link. Other things that I do know are that it will be released in the summer and will be available on XBLA, PSN, and Wiiware. Also there is a 4th platform which is rumored to be the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad. The supposed story to this speculation is that there was an error on the website’s part that allowed you to see all of the platforms it will be available on, which now they only show the 3 consoles and a group of question marks. But if it is coming out on the PSN then most likely you will be able to play it on the PSP also, which is a bonus for me.

There is still a lot of time between now and summer, and already the anticipation is eating away at me. Growing up and still to this day Sonic the Hedgehog is one of my favorite games. Even though I know that most of the newer Sonic games are going to suck, I still get excited about them and usually get let down when I finally play them. Any newer Sonic game is no comparison to the enjoyment that I get with the first 3 Sonics and Sonic CD, and finally now we will have a chance to play a new Sonic game the way it is meant to be played.

-Brian R.

no objections here...

I love the Ace Attorney series. The Phoenix Wright trilogy of games is one of my favorites ever, and although Apollo Justice wasn't quite as awesome as I'd hoped for, my excitement level is maxed out as Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth is finally almost out on the DS. Like most of us in the U.S., I was first drawn to the series when the GBA Phoenix Wright titles were ported over to the DS. I thought it looked interesting and I really wanted to yell "Objection!" into the DS' mic (which I did once and then I immediately felt like an idiot). I grabbed the first game on a whim and quickly became a diehard fan of the series.

The new Edgeworth game coming out this month on the 16th completely changes the look and formula of the series and takes it in a new interesting direction. The problem with this series is that it's very difficult for me to recommend to people. As much as I find this style of game enjoyable, I know that anime-inspired courtroom drama/comedy adventure games aren't for everyone, especially when 90% of the gameplay is spent reading. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series, it's a definite try before you buy. Apparently Capcom agrees and you can play a demo of the new game right here:



-Brian T.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is Awesome

Finally I got another Nintendo Wii last week. Once again it wasn’t as easy as just walking in to the store and buying one. Well it was but only after a week of phone calls and searching online. I had the same problem the first time I got a Wii, except that time I found out Meijer had 50 of them in stock for Black Friday. So I stood in line from 8pm until 5am the next morning. I ended up having to leave because I got the flu and came down with a 103 degree fever while standing in line. My mom and wife got stuck waiting in line with my 6 month old son. Good times for them ;).

So after spending about $500 this time to get the system, 2 complete controller setups (one remote, one nun chuck, 2 motion pluses, and a classic controller), and a game; I am finally back on the wagon. What game is it you ask? Well let me tell you. It is Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, and boy have I enjoyed it every minute I can since I bought it. Hands down this is probably one of the best fighters that I have played in awhile.

I don’t even know how to convey the awesomeness of this game to you as a reader. So let’s begin with the presentation and looks of the game. Outstanding is a good way to describe it. It is comical and cartoony but not in a bad way. There is this 1970’s cartoon feel to it which is well suited for the overall game. Either way the colors are bright and fun and in some weird way it brings out the fun in the game instead of the seriousness that can come with fierce competition from other foes. Also you will find that you are not turned completely off by the music. Its soundtrack is tolerable in comparison to other Capcom soundtracks (SFIV) and at some points even enjoyable.

The button layout is simple but yet again well suited for this game like everything else. Like Brian T. said there are only 3 attack buttons. This is a great way to allow easier control of the characters making it possible to string together some devastating combos. The fighting style amongst the characters is unique to everyone allowing you to alter your gameplay dependent on who you are fighting with. There are endless hours of enjoyment with this game from mastering characters in arcade mode to cracking skulls online with the ultimate duo: Polimar and Casshan. Yeah that’s right that is my super head stomping team right there.

At first I was iffy about this game because it seemed slow and clownish, unlike other fighters that I was used to i.e. Marvel vs. Capcom and SFIV. But after a few rounds and some getting used to, the paced picked up and the graphics were more than appealing. This game is a definite one to own and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It definitely made the Wii worth owning again. Just in case you are all wondering the win loss record between Brian T. and I is 18-15, and I am the one with 18 wins.

-Brian R.

A Penny for your Thoughts

Yesterday my wife and I decided to rearrange our living room. We wall mounted the TV again and did it right by running all of the cords through the wall and ceiling. But when I moved my PS3 I heard something inside of it and I have caught my 2 year old son sticking stuff, mainly change, in the CD loading slot before. Already the anxiety had set in. I was so upset I picked up the PS3 and started shaking the shit out of it to try and get whatever it was out; real smart huh?

I then proceeded to turn it on for some idiotic reason and it turned on but you then heard this load grinding gears noise since whatever was in there had managed to lodge itself in the gears which spin the disc. I just kept thinking to myself over and over again that there is no way I am going to get this fixed or get a new one if it is totally broke. Now I am sure by now that someone reading this is thinking that I should have called Sony by now and set up to get it serviced. Well I did, but I was still uncertain of doing that at the moment because honestly my pocketbook can’t afford a $150 repair.

Finally I am at a point of no other options but to call Sony. After explaining everything to them, they basically tell me to take the console and throw it away if it is not working. Why you ask; because if you send anything in to be repaired and there is a foreign object in the bluray drive they will not repair the console and simply return it to you unfixed, still containing whatever it is that might be lodged in there. What, are you kidding me! How is it that it would cost more to me as a consumer to go and buy a new console as opposed to having the bluray drive replaced if it is unfixable? Were they trying to tell me that the bluray drive itself costs more than the whole PS3 unit as a whole? I doubt it, but like every retailer out there they see it as an opportunity to make me as the consumer go out and spend another $350 on a new PS3 instead of spending maybe $150 on repairing the one I already own. It is nothing more than a scam of a marketing ploy.

At this point I had no option but to try and fix it myself. What could it hurt, because even if I totally screwed it up I wouldn’t be out anything right? After some research on the internet and thanks to YouTube I found some good videos about dismantling the PS3 and the bluray drive. The hardest part was finding the necessary torque bolt to remove the initial screw to take the casing off the PS3. From there it was a breeze and luckily for you guys I took pictures.

This first picture is what the unit looks like with the outer casing removed.

Next you have to remove 7 screws to remove the inner casing that holds the CPU and bluray drive in place.

Here you can see the CPU and the bluray drive on the right. The bluray drive is not screwed in, so you can pick it up and disconnect the ribbon wire from the underside to completely remove it from the console.

Once that is out you need to flip it over and there you can see the motherboard for the bluray drive.

The next step is to unscrew the six screws on the bottom of the drive to remove the motherboard and the casing for the optical drive of the bluray player. Also you need to unhook all of the ribbon wires from the motherboard itself to completely remove it.

Once the casing is off you are left with the optical drive itself. At this point you are only 4 screws away from opening it entirely.

Now that it is opened you can clean the lens or remove a 1962 penny from your bluray drive, which may cause the gears of the drive to jam, whichever suites you best.

From here you just work in reverse to put everything back together.
Now mind you I have no computer repair experience at all. This is the first time I have ever done something like this and if I must say it was pretty easy. As long as you can follow directions you should not have a problem if you were in a similar situation. All together it took me about 30 minutes from start to finish, and now my PS3 is in full working order again. Long story short, I have a working PS3 again and I saved myself the cost of a new system. Thanks Sony for being a bunch of greedy a-holes and forcing me into a position to fix it myself.

-Brian R.

Side Note: My son was nowhere near my PS3 yesterday. So I have no idea how long that penny had been sitting in the bluray drive before it finally dislodged and caused some damage. It is kind of funny if you ask me, but if I had to guess it had been in there for at least a week while I was watching movies and playing LittleBigPlanet.

tatsunoko vs. capcom first impressions

I currently own 46 different fighting games. At one point or another, I've probably owned over 60, and I've played at least 100 different fighters. Today I picked up Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars for the Wii and can already say that it's a possible top 5 for me. Capcom fucking nailed it, plain and simple. Brian R. didn't think I'd be able to pull myself away from the game long enough to write anything about it, and he's kind of right. This game is way too much fun. While nothing can touch Capcom vs. SNK 2 for me (fact: best fighting game of all time), TvC is already blowing away even it's own competition.

First of all, this game looks great. If you have component cables, the first thing you'll probably notice when you start playing is that the graphics are all very bright, clean, and crisp. Capcom has a knack for taking advantage of the best aspects of the Wii (RE4, Okami, Zack & Wiki, etc.) and TvC is by far their best effort. If you don't have component cables, you can grab some from Amazon for 6 dollars shipped. The music has all been enjoyable and is definitely a step up from the weak Street Fighter 4 soundtrack. Animation is extremely fluid, as you would expect from a Capcom fighter. The presentation is superb, and shows yet again that developers can definitely get a lot out of the Wii if they actually try.

I've only played using the classic controller, but control is spot on with it. You'll quickly get used to the layout, which is stripped down and designed very simplistically. There are only 3 attack buttons, which may sound limited, but the simplified control scheme is definitely welcome considering you've got enough madness to worry about on screen without having to deal with the silly control options you have with the Wii (I know Brian R. and I aren't the only ones excited for these). Since this game was designed from the ground up for the Wii, this is one of the few Capcom fighters that doesn't make you feel like you're at a disadvantage if you aren't playing with an arcade stick, though they are available for purists. The remote/nunchuck option doesn't even look like it's worth trying, and I honestly feel that the Gamecube controller is the most poorly designed controller I've ever used, especially for fighters. Get a classic controller if you don't already have one.

Brian R. and I played at least 15 or 20 matches online tonight. As with every Wii game, the online is way more complicated then it should be, but it gets the job done. Matches were relatively lag-free and overall I'm really happy that the online isn't broken. I still cannot fathom how Nintendo could screw up the online for Super Smash Bros. Brawl so badly, but you finally wipe that memory clean because Capcom pulled through and has given us the best online experience we could hope for on the Wii. I hopped on for a few random ranked matches and was destroyed immediately by some dudes showing off their newly unlocked hidden characters. I guess I still have quite a bit of practicing to do. As a side note, there are some nice touches from SF4 like icons for online play.

Oh yeah, and I guess I should probably mention that this game is unbelievably FUN. I feel that in terms of gameplay, it blows Marvel vs. Capcom 2 out of the water. Trust me, it won't matter that you're probably not familiar with a huge portion of the cast; you won't be complaining about the lack of recognizable characters once you actually start playing as some of them. In fact, I honestly think that I prefer the overall selection of Tatsunoko fighters over the Capcom characters. Keep in mind that I have yet to unlock any of the hidden characters, but I'm really enjoying the interesting new cast. I played the original Japanese release last year, and this update is an improvement is every way, especially with the addition of 5 new characters and the subtraction of that fat fuck, Hakushon Daimao:


I also played through the arcade mode once and was very pleased. The post-match character dialogue is interesting, and if all the endings are anywhere near the quality that Ippatsuman's ending was, I'm literally excited to beat the game with every character. There is also a fun mini-game during the credits sequence which actually unlocks ANOTHER mini-game in the form of an old, arcade-style top down shooter.

But hey, guess what? Writing about this game is way less fun than actually playing it. And I'm assuming that reading about me playing it is even less fun. So go buy it and we can play together. My TvC friend code is: 2751-2516-5019.

-Brian T.

wii thoughts

While we cool down and head into the slow season for games, many of us are clamoring for all the big spring titles. And while everybody is bitching about Splinter Cell and Super Street Fighter 4 getting pushed back, chances are that you've overlooked at least a few solid gaming experiences in the past few months or are so focused on the big action titles coming out, that you're going to end up missing some of the smaller releases. Now is the time to catch up!

If you own a Wii, bust that shit out. I'm sure a lot of you look at the Wii like some sort of board game that you only take out when you've got friends or family over, while you rely on your PS3/360 for your "hardcore" games. If you're convinced that there aren't any single player experiences worth having on the Wii, you're not paying attention. No More Heroes 2 is out next week and if you like anime, hack-n-slash games, insane gore, or absurd humor, this game is for you. Chances are you didn't play the first one and missed out on one of the most unique titles of this generation. Then again, you probably also didn't play Madworld, Nights, Muramusa, Zack and Wiki or any other great Wii game that got lost under piles of 1st party Nintendo titles and 3rd party shovelware.

Unique gaming experiences clearly have nothing to do with technology so do yourself a favor and FINALLY play Okami if you haven't. Looking for an RPG? Get the new Phantom Brave. As I mentioned in my last blog, Nintendo are essentially the reason you've never heard of some of the best Wii titles. Even I forgot that Little King's Story came out last year and was apparently really, really good. Nintendo only cares about how well Mario, Zelda, and Metroid sell. They tend to treat the Wii as nothing more than a vessel for updates to their tried-and-true classics. That's why the Gamecube went under, and that's why the Wii is going under. Until it does though, there are plenty of overlooked gems on the console.

Also keep in mind that Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is out here in the U.S. next week and after spending a couple of days with the Japanese release I can definitely say this is a must-own for any fighting fan. I'm not familiar with 90% of the Tatsunoko characters, but this only made the game feel fresher. Plus the Tatsunoko side ended up being awesome (I'm looking at you, Yatterman). If you enjoy Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for more than just it's roster, you MUST own TvC. MvC2 is fun, and despite the high level of play potential, it is unbalanced and essentially feels less like a fighter than Capcom's previous vs. efforts. While TvC definitely has plenty of moments of insanity, the action is slightly slower then MvC2 and fans of traditional 1 on 1 fighters will find a perfect balance.While I'm still on the topic of upcoming Wii games, a reader mentioned Monster Hunter Tri. Both Brian R. and I have been looking into the Monster Hunter series after a co-worker started playing it nonstop on his PSP. I've been keeping an eye on Monster Hunter Tri since Capcom announced in 2007 that it was being moved from the PS3 to the Wii. Monster Hunter is a craze of Pokemon proportions sweeping Japan on the PSP, and while the original U.S. PS2 release of the first title was marred by poor online PS2 support, Capcom may very well strike gold and create a legitimate console MMORPG for the Wii.

The Wii has obviously been the biggest disappointment for a lot of hardcore gamers expecting a revolution in the way we play games. Hell, the fact that Nintendo changed the name from Revolution to "Wii" should have been our first warning that things weren't going to go smoothly. Still, like so many others, I stood in line on launch day, bought a Wii, played it a lot, and then...stopped. Luckily, because of Cheap Ass Gamer, I've been able to start catching up on some great titles for super cheap. Madworld for $13 shipped is a steal. Start there.

-Brian T.

Another Year, Another Chance for my PS3

Seeing the great debate beginning to brew over this next gen console subject, I can’t just sit on the sidelines and let this one go. If my opinion matters one bit I would say that next gen consoles overall have been a failure, but don’t take that out of context though. There are great games, enhanced graphics, and better game control; but if we look at the hardware associated with the Wii, PS3, and 360, we can see that there have been letdowns with all three systems.

Like Brian T. said the Wii is nothing more than a glorified GameCube. It is a GameCube with motion control. For a long time now I have felt that the Wii was nothing more than a test; a test to see how the public would accept a new form of gameplay. Unfortunately it is widely accepted by all demographics from young to old, to people who really don’t even play video games; therefore causing Nintendo to continue pushing this console. There also is a serious lack of quality software support for this system but yet I can guarantee that Nintendo is raking in the cash, and because of that there is no need on Nintendo’s part to change a thing at the moment.

Then we have the 360. Overall we are looking at a pretty good system. They have support through other social networking communities such as Facebook and Twitter, along with a great library of games. There online service is above average and you can see that paying for the service definitely makes it worth the $50 per year. What the system lacks is the dependent hardware to run the console. System hardware failures plague the console with the Red Rings of Death and the E74 error code. Like Brian T. said too, it is ridiculous to spend $300 - $400 on the system then have to go spend another $100 on a wireless network adapter to get online. You would think since networking technology is not advanced rocket science; it would be built in the system or made affordable at least, but once again the system makes money even with its flaws, so why change what in terms of profits is not broken.

Finally there is the PS3. Let me say I have been let down by this system from the time I got mine and more so then the latter two. One of the biggest disappointments for this system is the lack of software that is available for the system. If you need someone to blame for this you can thank Sony for not providing the training and information that was needed for these developers to program the games. I can see how these game developers did not want to spend the money to train programmers to write for this system when they could just release it on a more popular, easier to work with system like the 360. To this day I still do not own a PS3 game. There hasn’t been a game yet exclusive to the system that I feel I need to have, and if there is a game that is multi-platform I always get it for the 360. But before you can complain about the software I think it is only fair to look at the system itself. We are in the 4th generation with the PS3. If you go here you can see a chart of all the different PS3’s and what hardware they contained.

It’s seems to me the PS3 has taken steps back instead of moving forward to try and provide a better product to their consumers. Look at the 360 for example. They have increased their hard drive space, replaced their original processors with better ones, and added more services to system. The PS3 has removed the flash card reader, removed backwards compatibility, reduce the number of USB slots, and taken away the removable hard drive. So how do they justify the price of the system? Sure they increased the hard drive space, but they removed everything else. No wonder we have seen a price drop in recent months.

That is not all that lets me down with the PS3. The PS Network; now there is a joke if I’ve ever seen one. Sure it is free, but what do you gain by having a free service: lag, poor support, and limited connectivity. If I was partial solely to the PS3 I would be more than happy to pay for my online service to ensure excellent service. Also I need to mention Home. What a waste of time and effort there. If I wanted to participate in something of that nature I would go and play The Sims. At least that way I wouldn’t be subjected to endless advertising. Plus it is completely annoying trying to have a conversation because it is a pain in the ass to type everything when 95% of the people don’t have headsets. Tell me why is there no Bluetooth headset included with the system? This is similar to Microsoft not having Wi-Fi built in to the system. Why not include something that probably costs them pennies to make compared to the $100 it costs us to buy it. When is enough, enough?

Where are we left as gamers when the companies that we support seem to not really care to support their consumers? And it is not only Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony; it is the software companies that support the consoles too. If you read my earlier blog “Diamonds Last Forever” you can see how I talked about there being a lack of games on next gen consoles that take gaming to the next level. There are no revolutionary or breakthrough games on any of the 3 major consoles today. Gaming has reached a standstill in some respects. Hopefully with the introduction of Natal we will see a shift in gaming. We will see what next gen gaming should be and hopefully get everything we should be getting out of these consoles. I know though that a magic wand shaped like an ice cream cone will not be the answer to this. It will be yet another let down from Sony. Maybe they finally realized this and that is why the date has been pushed back so that way they can try and save some face. Let me know what you think and how you feel about today’s gaming companies.

-Brian R.

video game pms

I'm in a bad mood. I'm taking a break from the insanely frustrating process of trying to get my 360 online to set up a Live account. To keep it short, because of the layout of my house and electronics, I have to use Internet Connection Sharing through the PC in my room to get my 360 online which may require me to change my router's IP address which is way more work than it should be. Microsoft's greed once again finds a way to piss me off. I mean, seriously guys...the fucking Wii has built-in Wifi, yet I have to buy a $100 proprietary brand adapter to get the 360 to do this? FUCK YOU.

So Microsoft is on today's shit list for me, how about Sony? Well, it would appear that yesterday they delayed the release of their still-nameless motion controller. Am I mad about that? No, I don't really care...at all. All this did is remind me how stupid Sony has been this generation. Year after year they keep making mistakes from botched launches, to ridiculous amounts of PS3 upgrades/downgrades, to the completely useless PSP Go, to the hilariously underwhelming Playstation Home. The list goes on. Sony already has one failed peripheral on the market with the PS3 Eye. Why introduce another one that is just essentially another Wii remote controller?

I own a Wii, a PS3, and a 360. Everybody always argues which console is better, which has the best/worst games, etc. People are too quick to pledge allegiance to a console or company these days. Despite the success Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have all had over the past few years, I don't think any one of them has actually done a good job and provided an overall positive experience.

Nintendo beat the shit out of Sony and Microsoft this generation with a repackaged Gamecube. Creative, yet shrewd as hell, they found a way to offer a new twist on the last generation that ended up being a lot more fun than the competition offered at the time of it's launch. Unfortunately, Nintendo doesn't know the meaning of quality control and allowed their console to be overrun with shovelware because it kept units flying off the shelves. Because of this, many truly awesome Wii titles were lost in a sea of bullshit and suffered sales so poor that 3rd party developers are ceasing to make hardcore titles. And there's the mostly terrible online experience. And there's the failure to support external hard drives (the SD card update "solution" is bullshit). And Wii Motion Plus should technically be free for us suckers who paid $40 dollars for remotes that should have had 1:1 tracking in the first place. Sony is stupid, but Nintendo is greedy and oblivious.

Sony finally saw the PS3 come out on top last year. A handful of 1st party exclusives like Infamous and Uncharted 2 really gave the console some footing and developers are finally, kind of...mostly getting the hang of programming for the console. Other than those positives, you can refer to all the bullshit mistakes Sony has made in the paragraphs above. The motion controller will fail because everybody already owns a Nintendo Wii, and guess what? We're all bored with it. If Sony thinks they've got the sequel to the Wii on their hands, they are wrong. Find a way to fix support for the PS3 Eye and PSP Go before you rush another expensive piece of technology on the market...

I mentioned Nintendo being greedy, but obviously the greed crown really belongs to Microsoft. The 360 has had the steadiest level of success despite manufacturing hands-down, the absolute least reliable game console in the past 20 years. Many people own beat-up, dusty NES consoles that work better than their 360's. Microsoft's business model is obvious in the way they handle the 360. Moreso than any other console, it is a financial vacuum and they still aren't that reliable. But whatever, I've spent too much time writing this. I guess I should go figure out how I can get my Live account set up so I can throw some more cash at Microsoft...

-Brian T.

I don't ♥ Gamestop

Gamestop is a name that has become house hold in the world of gaming. They are everywhere and they have almost monopolized the video game market. I know that I shop at Gamestop or used to as of last week. It is impossible to not shop there especially if you are in the market for used merchandise, or what they refer to as “pre-owned.” I have finally been pushed over the top though with their unappreciative attitudes, over priced “used merchandise”, and under purchased trade-ins. Their sales tactics are more annoying then helpful and if you have a question about anything, don’t expect an answer given by a majority of the employees to be helpful.

My dislike for Gamestop has become so much that it has finally driven me to shop elsewhere unless it is unavoidable. By now as a gamer I am sure that you are aware of the fact that you can pre-purchase or reserve a title long before it is released. So then why is it then when I am in the process of reserving a game do I always get asked if I would like to reserve any other game? Obviously at this point I am well aware of their reservation process and if I had wanted to reserve any other games I would have done so from the start. So please don’t ask me. Then there is the pricing on the video games and I am not talking about new games, but their used crap. How is it that you are going to sell me a game for $5 less than if I were to purchase it new, but if I were to trade that same game in, for store credit mind you, you will only give me a fraction of that price. Here is a hypothetical situation just in case you are unfamiliar with their ridiculous rip-off policies. Brand new a game costs $59.99, used it is $54.99 but if I bought it new or used and went to trade it in for store credit; I would get $20 or $30 max. That is in some cases more than 100% profit and possibly even more if you consider the fact that I have to use that $20 or $30 in the store to purchase more stuff. It is not like it is cash in my pocket. What a fucking rip. These plus other little things here and there have become too much, but it wasn’t any of this that finally drove me over the top.

This type of shit I have dealt with for years now and tolerated. It wasn’t until recently that I was driven over the edge to the point where I said enough is enough. Long story short, I called Gamestop to see if Assassins Creed qualified for a promotion that was taking place. They said it did so I went to trade it in. When I got there I was told that it did not qualify and that I would get $5 for the trade in. After some back in forth arguing I was finally asked who I talked to. Luckily I got his name and bingo I got $20 for Assassins Creed (mind you I only paid $17.99 for it used from Gamestop, so essential now I got paid $3 to own and play the game for almost a year). After that the assistant manager that was ringing me up just completely lost his shit. He start banging the crap out of the keyboard on his computer, throwing the game I was trading in around plus the game that I was buying, followed by a long string of god damn its and Jesus Christ’s. Then it escalates to the point of the assistant manager reprimanding and belittling the employee in front of Brian T., two mothers and their kids, and myself. Now between you and me I didn’t give a shit about how he was reacting and if anything I was getting a good laugh from getting one over on them; but with my hate for Gamestop I saw yet another opportunity to get more out of them by complaining about this negative experience to their corporate office.

The next day I filed the complaint with their corporate headquarters. After sitting on hold for about 10 minutes I finally got through to someone and explained the whole story. Once again I was put on hold only to hear after about another 5 minutes of silence that my complaint will be filed to the district manager. So I wait, and after about a week with no response he finally calls me. Once again I explain my situation to him. He goes on to inform me that both employees were assistant managers who are in line to get their own stores in the next year and that their behavior was unacceptable. Thanks, I know or I wouldn’t have called. Then he continues to tell me that this situation was a great training experience for his employees. He finally goes on to end the conversation with and I quote, “Thank you for bringing this situation to my attention. We are handling this internally and using this information to better help employees learn how to better handle themselves. We appreciate having you as a Gamestop customer and look forward to your future business with us. Goodbye.” What the fuck is that bullshit? If I were to go out and ream a server in front of a table about a mistake I made, A. I would no longer have a customer and B. if I wanted to keep them as a customer I would need to basically give them the store with gift certificates and what have you. But what did I get; nothing more than a thanks have a nice day, and come buy more overpriced crap from us. Well thanks for letting me know that I am nothing more than a number to you and that you have zero care in your customers. Why would you when you are arrogant enough to think that if he doesn’t come back I will have 3 more behind him. Well I used to think like that and now with the dwindling economy and the increase in competition, I am wishing that I treated every customer like family instead of a paycheck.

Today there are more and more options when it comes to video game sales. There are the big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target, online stores such as eBay, Gamefly, and Amazon, and even new retailers similar to Gamestop, like Play-N-Trade and Gorilla Games. Amazon, Gamefly, and the new video game retailers all take in trades either for cash or credit like Gamestop, and now you can also purchase used games from Wal-Mart. Plus the extra benefit to Play-N-Trade and Amazon is that you are not limited to purchasing games and accessories for 3 systems (360, PS3, and Wii). You have access to everything video game related, anything from a NES game to a Sega Dreamcast VMU. Having those options makes shopping there that much more appealing. I should mention also that every where else’s deals, trade-in offers, and prices on just about everything are lower than anything that you can buy at Gamestop. With all this said it leaves me to say that I am done with Gamestop. The only way I would be compelled to step foot in that store again is if I were given a gift card. It is your choice if you want to continue to support Gamestop and their bullshit antics; but I would highly recommend that everyone start taking the time to shop elsewhere instead of trying to fill that instant gratification with Gamestop. Comment back and let me know what you think about Gamestop and if you too have had enough.

-Brian R.

Gamestop, Pawnshop

Nobody likes Gamestop. We all have our reasons, but at one point or another we all end up hating Gamestop. It could be the constant sales pitch from the moment you walk into the store until the moment your transaction ends. It could be the fact that 25% of floor and wall space in the store is not filled with games, but advertising and empty boxes for games that aren't out yet. It could be the dishonest or incompetent employees and managers out to get higher MSTs, Subs, and Reservs that don't know half as much as most of their shoppers. But we deal with it because we're lazy. And that is why Gamestop, the biggest video game pawn shop in the country, has achieved such a high level of success. I've begun to ween myself off of Gamestop, and I recommend you do the same.

Let's start with brick and mortar retail store alternatives. The majority of us don't have independent video game stores, but new franchise chains like Play and Trade and Gorilla Games are beginning to pop up. Brian R has actually looked into franchising a Play and Trade and received an e-mail detailing plans for expansion. What they have planned for the Chicagoland area is huge and gives the strong impression that they intend to be major competitors to Gamestop. Play and Trades are hit and miss though. Owners have full control over inventory, pricing, and trade-in value so your shopping experience can be different from store to store. One store may carry games as far back as Atari 2600 as well as imports, while another store may just have a similar inventory to the Gamestop down the street.

Of course there are major chains like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, etc. that are always options. As the electronics manager at a Target, as well as a former Gamestop employee, I can definitely say that if you are looking for a new release, you'll have an easier time getting it at Target. Gamestop always tries the hard pitch about reserving games to ensure you get a copy, but on average, Target will get 3 or 4 times as many copies of a game and bigger titles are replenished faster. You'd be surprised at some of the more obscure titles that arrive at the stores as well. RPGs and fighters get pushed out of the system fast and are often marked clearance before their first price drop so make sure you check the clearance endcaps.

This still leaves you with few other options than Gamestop to sell games through. There are a few Best Buy locations that used to give huge amounts of store credit for used games, but over the years, their trade-in values have evened out with Gamestop's. If you have a Disc Replay nearby, they tend to give you as much cash as Gamestop gives store credit for games. Other than that, when you do trade-in at Gamestop, be sure to check their promotions to make sure you get the most you can get. Oftentimes employees will not give you promotions because they either don't know about them, or don't know how to use them properly.

I tend to do a lot of my game shopping online. Besides having an unbeatable, endless selection, the best prices and trade-in values will be found online. I've been a member at Cheap Ass Gamer for the past 6 years and it's definitely the place to go for a comprehensive list of all the best video game deals online and in-store. eBay is usually the first stop for most games over a year or two old. Amazon and Gamefly are two excellent online retailers as well. Amazon gives bonuses for reserving games, so Gamestop isn't the only way to get your preorder bonuses. You don't have to be a Gamefly member to take advantage of their great sales either.

As for selling games, Amazon.com seems to give the most credit/cash. Prince of Persia for PS3 was worth $5 store credit at Gamestop, while Amazon gives $10 cash (via various convenient payment options). Selling games to Amazon and other online retailers is extremely easy. You type the game/dvd/cd you want to sell, they give you a value, you add it to your cart, they send you a shipping label, and then they send you the money upon receiving the package. And then of course, if you actually want to make the most money you can, you could stop being lazy and start using eBay.

Unfortunately, as many analysts and game journalists have predicted, video game retailers may eventually become obsolete as developers continue to push online distribution as a cheaper, easier alternative to retail. Eventually all of our games will come directly from the Playstation Store, the Xbox Live Marketplace, Steam, etc. and just go directly onto the massive hard drives future consoles will have. We'll also have hoverboards and be able to teleport and all of our guns will be lasers...you know, eventually. In the mean time, Gamestop remains the most popular video game retailer. I just figured I'd let you know there are a ton of other options.

-Brian T.

Tree Hugging Hippy Crap

I don’t know if anyone takes the time to actually read our blog but if you do kudos to you. So if you do then you probably remember a blog from about a month ago, give or take, that Brian T. wrote about in regards to a game on the PS Network titled Flower. For days all I heard at work was how amazing the game is and how I need to go buy it. Then he continues on to say that it is such an awesome game that he can’t even describe it to me that I should just go and buy it. So I did and let me say I am pissed that I wasted fucking $10.

Where should I start with this crap? First there is not excitement. You float around like a fairy traveling from flower to flower, and once you get to a flower I guess you use your magic fairy dust to make it bloom. Please note that one of the selling points for Brian T. was that every flower that opened there was the pluck of a guitar string. Wow talk about fun. Eventually you continue spreading fairy dust until you make the grand poomba of all blooming objects come to life, a tree. Second this game might be fun if you were 12 years old, had a vagina between your legs, and your room was painted pink and decorated with hello kitty fatheads. It’s fortunate for me that I have none of these things, making me have zero interest in this game. According to Brian T. you can find magic flowers in every level that will unlock trophies; but who the hell wants to keep floating around as a pedal of a flower for any given amount of time looking for the special magic flowers. Not me. I could barely choke my way through the first level from start to finish let alone waste anymore time looking for these mystical flowers hidden throughout the levels.

Even right now as I am writing this he is standing over my shoulder arguing with me about how “peaceful” the game is and that I am looking at it in the wrong light. Boo hoo because when I play a game there is nothing more peaceful then blowing some assholes head off with my ACR in Modern Warfare 2. I need some real action in a game, not this boring tree hugging waste of time that you get with Flower. I guess in order to enjoy this game you must either need be extremely stressed out and don’t want the aggravation of playing a real game, or you need to stoned, really stoned. Neither of those things happens for me. I can say that visually the game does look good, and it is probably the best use I have ever seen of the Sixaxis controller. But if you are looking for some real excitement in a game, I need to inform you that you won’t find it with Flower.

-Brian R.

dark void - self explanatory

So who's excited for Dark Void? Anyone? I'm going to guess that you're not. I know I'm not. Hell, even Capcom, the publisher of the game, isn't excited. Not only have they pushed the release date back right before releasing the demo, but they publicly stated in an interview with Kotaku that "Our experience...has demonstrated the difficulty of outsourcing the development of new titles to overseas companies." Because of the failure of Bionic Commando, and the impending failure of Dark Void, Capcom have stripped all original title development rights from their western studios and will only allow them to work on sequels, dlc, etc. while the Japanese teams handle new IPs. Wow...that's pretty harsh. I mean, Bionic Commando bombed pretty hard, but the fact that they've already given up on Dark Void before it's release is a huge statement...so how bad is this game?

The first thing I noticed upon starting the demo up is that the protagonist looks a lot like Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series. And then he talked...and guess what? They are voiced by the same fucking guy, Nolan North. Are you kidding me? Not only did they to create the most generic-looking guy they could, but they still found a way to make him look like Nathan Drake and, hell, just to seal the deal he even has the same voice. Smooth move...I'm sure no one will ever catch that. I probably don't even have to say it, but yes, they also have nearly identical personalities too. But let's move along to the gameplay.The above image looks like it could have been taken from Dead Space, another exaomple of this game's identity crisis. Dark Void actually focuses on both aerial combat and exploration, as well as Gears of War style "hide behind an obstruction and shoot until all the bad guys are dead" action. Flying around on your Rocketeer jetpack sucks. Aiming is even worse. It's not fun and I never feel like I'm flying...I feel like I'm floating wildly through the air. Nathan Drake/Dark Void guy can yell "whoo hoo!" as much as he wants, but there is nothing exciting about flying in this game. You'll be glad when you shoot down all the generic robot sentries out of sky so you can get on the ground and fight.

So when you're on the ground you have a big gun and you shoot aliens. I have nothing good to say about this aspect of the game either. The cover mechanic is pointless because the enemies are too retarded to pose a threat. Speaking of the enemies, for a second I thought I was playing a really shitty version of Metroid Prime 3. Yeah, if Metroid Prime on the Wii got raped by Gears of War, and then Warhawk for PS3 flew overhead and took a massive shit all over everything. That's pretty much how I would describe this game. I know it's just a demo, but why the fuck any developer would waste their time and money working on this uninspired garbage is beyond me. Make sure you don't make the same mistake.

-Brian T.

necro...phelia

So I just discovered something that I believe makes me a gigantic nerd as well as an out of control SF trivia fanatic. Unless you care about completely obscure Street Fighter trivia, you may as well stop reading now and wait for the next blog post. As for the rest of you, check this out...Necro from Street Fighter III originally made his first appearance in the awful Street Fighter offshoot that Capcom made called Street Fighter 2010. Proof:I actually spotted this while watching the hilarious new Angry Video Game Nerd review of Street Fighter 1 and Street Fighter 2010. Necro can be seen in action at the 12:17 mark throwing a crate at Ken. For those of you who've never heard of or played Street Fighter 2010, I'm sure the screenshot above doesn't make any sense. Real quick: This was a "sequel" to Street Fighter that starred Ken in a robotic Mega Man styled suit in a Mega Man styled platformer set in the future. Yeah...stupid, I know.

Anyway, I just figured I'd throw this up here because nobody seems to have made that connection before. Obviously the story in SF2010 is not canon to the SF universe, but it's still interesting to note the first appearance of a character that would take over 10 years to show up again. It's also yet another reason why I love Capcom and their dedication to fan service and self-referencing. Fuck, I'm a nerd.

-Brian T.