Game over for 2011, 2012 Got The Extra Life Now!!!!
First of all, I would like to thank you all who followed me this year, it was a great journey, let's continue so in the next year!!
Second, I wish you all a Happy New Year! Let's make 2012 a year to remember!
Now, let's move on to the New Year's Resolution!
In the upcoming year this blog will get some awesome new changes!
There will be more updates in a day, two post per day to be precise, 1 in the morning, 1 in the evening. If you want to know when, well, i can't help you there. I'm in the +2 GTS, so calculate yourself!
There will be more reviews considering mobile games and mobile gaming experience, something line the Xperia Play, how are games on it, for example, or the old Java games!
Also, more reviews about Systems, or OS to be precise, on which are games played on, like the Android, or iOS!
Next on, people have been sending me reviews about games that I have never heard about them, honestly! Those reviews will be published alongside mine, but with the name of the author under the title so the credit for the review will be going for them!
And the most important thing about the blog, it will get a new makeover soon too! Yes, this look is cool, but it feels like it's time to change (no Obama pun here)!
Oh yes, one more thing, the Wallpaper section will be updated soon with new pics, and the same goes for the FAN PICS too!
Whit this post, we end the 2011th level, and continue in the 2012th! Hope you find some extra lifes or gold coins in the upcoming year! But for now...
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL WHO HELPED ME WITH THIS BLOG, ONLY THANKS TO YOUR HELP I CAN CONTINUE AGAIN. THANK YOU ALL FOR SENDING ME YOUR OPINIONS AND REVIEWS ABOUT THE THINGS YOU LOVE! AS A TRIBUTE HERE IS A LIST OF ALL THE NAMES (NICKNAMES, ALIAS, USERNAMES) OF THE FANS WHO HELPED ME!
Ah the PSP Go, in recent hardware history I can't begin to think of another release that has created as much fighting within video game communities. Maybe the PS3, but even that didn't seem to have as much backlash, since most still agreed it was a good deal for all you were getting if you wanted that stuff. So is the PSP Go a raw deal? Or is this an example of a loud vocal minority raining on a products parade? Find out below.
DESIGN: When I wanted to get a PSP 1000 in 2006, I wanted it because I was looking to get an MP3 player, and I felt if I was going to spend a couple hundred, maybe it would be smart to look into getting one that did other things including play game. Well guess what? Its 2009 now and 3 PSPs later (1000 then a 2000, and then again 3000), and I own an iPOD. Why you ask? Because while I love the gaming on the PSP, the 1000 and even the 2000 models were much too large to effective be an MP3 player. I mean you can't really jog well with the old PSPs. Then from a portable media perspective, because the system was reliant on the Memory Stick Pro Duo, It couldn't effective store as much music as I would like.
Now this brings us to the PSPGo, which in terms of design is a dream, especially if you experienced the same issues as I did. The size of the unit has been decreased substantially to now when closed its slight longer than a deck of cards, or just a little bit larger than an iPHONE or iPOD Touch. Sony decided to incorporate a sliding screen that hides the gaming controls, similar there own Mylo device or a lot of high end Pocket PC Smartphones. The unit feels great in your hand, and is so much easier to carry around. A lot of people have complained in the past about how they don't carry their PSP because they have to “think” about it. That is no longer an issues with the Go, for the most part I find myself carrying it, without even thinking about it. The best thing I can tell you about the size is this, with my Go in one pocket, and my smartphone (HTC TATTOO) in the other, I could not tell which was which, and grabbed my Go to make a call. That is something that would NEVER happen with the old PSPs, unless you had a Zack Morris Saved By the Bell Phone.
There are some negatives for this size reduction that might be a deal breaker depending on who you are. First the screen has decreased from 4.3 to 3.8. Now while this decrease ends up only being 1cm or so, some people take issue with it. For the most part, while you can tell the screen is smaller if you're familiar with the past PSPs, it's not much of a difference. It is almost like comparing a 40” HDTV to a 37”. Sure the owners of the 40” can tell the difference but it's not a huge difference.
But the good thing is, the screen is the best PSP screen to date. Basically it has the brightness and color levels of the 3000 without the interlacing, and without the ghosting of the 2000.
Next the buttons on the unit. The buttons are actually a slight bit smaller and have a new layout that parallels Sony's own Dual Shock 3 Controller with the D-Pad and analog stick placement. If you're used to using the normal PSP, this new button layout may take some getting used to, but once you do it feels just as natural if not better.
The only issues some might have with the buttons are the following: The D-Pad now sits lower, so if you're a fighting game fan, while its better than the PSP 1000 was, it is not as good as the 2000/3000 models. Next is the placement of the L and R buttons. To me, the felt at little weird at first, and they don't seem to fit your hand placement as naturally as the old PSP, but for the most part they work well and I no longer have problems.
The Go now uses a propitiatory multifunction port and Sony's new M2 memory stick. This means that your old accessories will not work. Nothing new in the world of technology, but that the same time that doesn't make it any less annoying. The new port handles everything from USB syncing to AV output, the handheld includes one cable, but you'll probably want to buy another.
GAMES & MULTIMEDIA: Getting Games onto the Go is a love hate relation ship for some. There are three ways (four but don't tell) to get games, that all take you back to the same place.
1. Search for games on PSN and download the ones you want.
2. Buy a download card for the game you want at retail (if available) and download it from PSN when you get home.
3. Buy a download code from Amazon to download the game from PSN
4. Copy a legally backed up game from a PC to the PSP Go
The first three methods are depended on PSN, this is a gift and curse for some and should weigh heavily in your decision to buy a Go or Not. Not every PSP game is on PSN, and not every PSP game will EVER be on PSN. Going forward Sony has announced that first party releases (Socom, LittleBigPlanet, Jak and Daxter, etc..) will have have same day digital releases as retail. While third party games maybe released on the same day, a few days later during the weekly store update, or even months later. It all depends on the company. So if you're the type that only games on the PSP and constantly needs a new game, or loves to go to midnight launches for every game, the Go might not be for you. Every new game should at some point make it to PSN and most of the top old games, but if there is a game already released that you can't live without playing that is not on the store, or you want a new game and can't accept that is not released on the same day, the Go is probably not for you.
Also the pricing of games on PSN is a factor. The games can be the same as retail, less than retail, or more expensive than retail. And when I say retail, I'm talking about Manufacture Suggested Retail Priceor MSRP. So if you're like me when it comings to shopping, you know that if you do enough internet searching you can find almost anything cheaper than the MSRP, so the fact you can't do that with PSN might be a problem for some. Then also relating to the cheapness factor, you can't buy used games. For some this won't be a big deal, because they don't buy used or trade games anyway, but if you're one of those people who do, don't buy the Go.
Once you decide to purchase a game from PSN, you can download the game directly on the Go itself. Download the game via Media Go from your PC and transfer it to your PSP, or Download the game on your PS3 and transfer it to your PSP. I recommend the last two options, because downloading from the Go itself is very slow. Also since there is no kind of background downloading you can't do anything else with the system while downloading a game. The only time I would ever recommend downloading directly to the Go is if your downloading a game that is under 50MBs, or you're way from your main set up and have no other choice. Also if you're download is interrupted, you can't start where you left off, you have to start all over.
The Go has built in Wifi and Bluetooth for all your networking needs. With Wifi you can connect to the internet for gaming, or just simple web browsing. You can also connect to a PS3 for remote play, which will allow you to control and game on your PS3 via the PSP. Bluetooth is a welcome addition and one of the main reason I was excited about the Go. With Bluetooth you can connect to a headset for gaming or Skype calls, you can connect to a PS3 controller for gaming, and you can tether to a cellphone for downloading and surfing when Wifi isn't available. Connecting to a PS3 controller is a lot cooler than I thought it would be, when in use it even unlocks the multiplayer features of PS1 games. So you can easily connect your Go to the TV, then connect your controller for a console like experience.
For multimedia the Go's 16GBs of one board flash memory plus the option for additional expansion through the M2 make it a storage beast. Currently on my Go I have 28 Games (20 PSP, 2 Minis, 6 PS1), 18 Albums, 2 Movies, 6 TV shows, and a few pictures, and I STILL have over 1GB of memory left, and I still can add an M2 if I want. The Go is flexible enough to were I can truly replace my iPOD and PSP with one device, that incredibly portable.
The system comes with Sony's Media Go software. Which is designed to help you download game and store them between your Go and your PC. The software works well enough allowing you to import libraries already on your PC for quick drag and drop syncing of the Go. The system is slower than an iTunes when doing the same activities, but it works.
PERFORMANCE: I've had the Go for a while now, and I have to say for the most part I love it. The handheld is not perfect, but its exact what I would want out of a PSP redesign (that doesn't add anything compatibility breaking like dual sticks). The unit feels great in your hand and even better in your pocket.
A lot of people have asked about the units battery life. I have to say I'm very surprised on how good it is. It definitely last just as long as my 2000 with the stock battery did, if not longer. And that's with more heavy wifi use and bluetooth use. I easily get 5-6 hours with the volume at medium and the brightness at low, which with the new screen looks better than my 2000 ever did. Sure if you have the old units you could add the stamina battery or carry additional battery for added battery life, something you can't due with the Go due to is nonuser-replaceable battery. But that added additional bulk to the handheld making it less portable, and making it less likely I would bring it with me.
CONCLUSION: When it comes down to it, the Go is a Great handheld, but its clearly not meant for everyone. Its expensive and removed some consumer friendly features in order to fight piracy. But If you're like me and you love the PSP, but hate its size and UMDs and prefer digital downloads, or you want to reduce the number of devices you carry on a daily bases, "Go"for it (pun intended). The Go is pretty much what you wanted out of the PSP. Otherwise if you have any interest in used games, or being able to shop in bargain bins for deals, stick with the normal model.
Curently I have no idea about the intro... So be my guest and think something about it while I move on!
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CONTROLS: The Nintendo Wii, formerly known as the Revolution, is a system which has gained quite a bit of love from casual gamers probably as a result of its innovative controls. Indeed, the Wii is a prime example of Nintendo's efforts to draw in casual gamers as well as keep their ever loyal fans. Most noticeably would be the Wii Remote, more popularly known as the 'Wiimote', and its motion sensitive controls and wireless play. This is the closest to virtual reality in a gaming console any gaming company has ever been able to achieve-not counting the Virtual Boy, of course. This makes the Wii the ideal console to emulate sports-another reason why it was a genius idea on Nintendo's part to bundle in the Wii with Wii Sports.
There is a connector on the back of the Wiimote where you can plug in various additions-such as the Wii Nunchuck and Classic Controller to make up for the lack of buttons on the Wiimote. Again, that was a good move. Despite the transition from wired controllers to motion sensing controllers, game designers have still not truly comprehended the potential for games that motion sensitivity enables. Even so, the change from traditional controllers is welcome and will be appealing to people-but it can actually tire people out.
INTERFACE: Another area in where Nintendo did well. Each feature the Wii offers is divided into what are called 'channels'. Unlike its predecessors, the Wii offers functions other than just playing a game. You are capable of checking the news, finding what the weather is in your area as well as all over the world, and a Photo Channel where you can store your pictures you took with a SD memory card (the best part is that you have a built in Photoshop type of technology which enables you to add gaudy symbols and draw stuff on your pictures and other types of modifications). One can never forget the Shop Channel where you can buy games released by Nintendo from the olden days of pre-GameCube as well as download other channels and previews (there's even a Internet Channel!).
And of course, the most important channel to gamers, the Game Channel, where you play the game that you've inserted in the Wii. Among others would be the Message Board where you can write memos to yourself or letters to send to friends whose Friend Code you have registered on the Wii, a calendar, and the Mii Channel which lets you create your own Mii-avatars of yourself and whoever else you want to create/parody/make fun of. Those Miis will then walk around on a 'Plaza' and interact with each others or simply sleep. Those Miis can also be used to represent yourself in Wii Sports.
The Wii has a dozen of features presented on a clear white background that is easy on the eyes. The console obviously offers a varied selection of channels to indulge in. This fact is especially strengthened by the 48 channels available to use up with new previews/channels/games. This is an area where I doubt you will be disappointed with. You could easily spend hours using this system without playing a single game. Ironic, isn't it?
ONLINE PLAY: The online play is a feature Nintendo only recently started to take advantage of with the Nintendo DS portable system. Ever since, hardcore gamers have been demanding for more online play in games. The Wii DOES have online. Outside of games, the said console allows you to write letters to your friends as was said previously. However, the Wii relies on Wi-Fi connections to achieve whatever online functions a game offers. So those with Ethernet cables and no Wi-Fi hookups will be out of luck, unfortunately.
GRAPHICS: The visuals that the Wii offers are not up to par with the other next-gen. consoles, regretfully. Innovativeness over visuals, I suppose, is Nintendo's goal. The graphics are comparable to the PlayStation 2. They are far from being terrible, but could do some more work. As a result, this is the only reason why the immersion the controls offer isn't as complete as it could have been.
GAMES ON THE SYSTEM: When you first purchase the Wii, Wii Sports also comes with it. I attribute the craze for the said console with the populace's desire to emulate sports...without actually going outside and playing the actual sports. Hardcore gamers will get the Wii mainly for it's exclusives, because, if you've not noticed yet, Mario, Zelda, and Metroid are incredibly popular with gamers everywhere. This combined with the catchy controls, make for your favorite characters seen in a nearly whole new light, gameplay-wise. Even so, I would like to see some new faces pop up into the iconic crowd of gaming fame. Even so, the number of games it offers is sizable (including the games from the Virtual Console) and continues to grow.
VIRTUAL CONSOLE: The VC is part of the Shop Channel in which you can purchase games that are no longer available for sale as a result of their age. Since Nintendo has been around MUCH longer than Microsoft and Sony, their collection blows anything the X360 and PS3 has to offer out of the water. You purchase those gems with currency known as Wii Points. You can buy those points for 10.00 per 1000 points, which is a good deal if I may say so myself, as most N64 games are 1000 points, but are also the most sophisticated games on the VC (Think pioneer of 3-D graphics). Nintendo has been around for five generations of games consoles and three of them are available on the VC (NES, SNES, N64), as well as other consoles by other companies.
This channel gets updated with a few games every Monday. This significant part of the Wii is what the Classic Controller is for, you insert the CC in the Wiimote to play these games with a controller that resembles a generic controller. I love this feature as I got to play several classics I have heard so much about such as Super Metroid, Paper Mario, Star Fox 64, and the such. The graphics and gameplay might be so old that it is difficult for younger players to really enjoy it, but it is my most favorite feature of the Wii, nevertheless.
OVERALL: It is my belief that there is still so much more potential to be unlocked for the Wii by game developers especially FPS. Unfortunately, Nintendo isn't known for its FPS. The trove of retro games available for purchase and download is expansive. Although rare, it is cheap and addicting. The graphics are sub-par but nothing indistinguishable. The multiplayer connectivity is great but only if you have a Wi-Fi connection. The selection of features available to you is appealing as well. I also liked the fact that the Wii was able to play GameCube games. You have to purchase GameCube controllers, though. This console is totally worth your money, if just to see what the hype is all about. If nothing else, hype is something this game has in **** loads. Just in its first year(according to Next Gen. Wars.com), it milked thirteen million from the populous of the world. How could the Wii not catch the eye of even the most casual gamers? It's a sexy piece of hardware sure to be around for quite a long time.
OK, RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW TO EVEN START THE BEGINNING OF A POST, YET ALONE WRITE AN WHOLE REVIEW!
SO I'M STARTING A CONTEST. IF YOU LIKE, YOU COULD SEND ME YOUR REVIEWS AND OPINIONS ABOUT GAMES, NO MATER THE PLATFORM, IT COULD BE FROM CONSOLES, PC, EVEN MOBILE GAMES (yeah, the last category hasn't been that much lately), AND I WILL POST THEM HERE WITH YOUR NAMES AT THE BEGINNING SO THAT EVERYONE WILL KNOW WHO HELPED! SO HOW ABOUT IT?
There are certain games that serve as benchmarks for genres even years after their release. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim makes a compelling case that it could be the next game to do just that. The region of Skyrim is not only big on paper, but serves as an even bigger place to roam and to settle in to as the game is played. Without a doubt, there has never been a game as fully imagined as Skyrim.
The game places you in humble beginnings. You are, to no surprise for people familiar with the Elder Scrolls series, a prisoner when the game begins. Events unfold, a dragon tries to eat you, and suddenly you are a prisoner no more. This is where players will take note that Skyrim conducts itself a bit differently than previous Elder Scrolls series because the places you need to go to progress the story are nearby. Skyrim sets the tone early that it is going to be paying more attention to the main storyline than in previous games and it will lead you around for the first few hours of the game until you are well grounded and ready to take up your destiny. When the shackles come off, shackles that you won't even know you are wearing because the immersion never wavers, the game truly begins to shine.
The main storyline, like the other games in the series, is only the tip of the iceberg. It will continually bring you to new and exciting parts of the world if you follow it and from there the temptation to stray from the path is too great to resist. You don't have any reason to feel bad though, because while the dragons are the main objective of the game there are plenty of vampires, necromancers, and undead to slaughter to make the world a better place.
Like most games of the genre there will be simple fetch quests and missions with brief objectives. Befitting their nature, these tasks can be found in the “Miscellaneous” section of your quest log where only the barebones details are displayed such as “look for this” with a marker displayed on your map. Stories of greater importance, including the main storyline as well as major side stories such as the guild quests and several others of their type, get quests with as much description and background information as the main quest itself.
These quests can be viewed for sub-objectives at any time in the quest log to check your progress or looked at after completion if you want to reminisce about past conquests. There are nine major cities throughout the game that each have their own major storylines to work through that is completely independent of the dragons that are running amuck throughout the world. It all feels very natural when put together. The dragons are feared and could possibly signal the end of days, but that will not stop the civil war that is being waged for all of Skyrim, nor the many rebellions and fights for survival in the outermost reaches of the land.
It will be up to you to end the conflict one way or another. Perhaps the most interesting of these quests is the choice to either join the rebellion, the Stormcloaks, or to help the empire retain control. You will have a meaningful impact on the world with the choices laid out in front of you. The world is yours to shape how you please.
The game introduces a completely new style to level up your character: the Perk system. You gain experience towards the next level by taking action. Using magic, using weaponry, even things such as pickpocketing and successfully creating potions. Enemies dying and completing quests themselves do not give you experience, but it is the actions you take in completing them that reward you.
Unlike previous games you won't be restricted to just a few major skills that dictate how you gain levels. Once you gain a level you can place a point in one of Magicka, Hit Points, or Stamina which increases the pool of said stat by ten. You also gain one point to put into a perk of your choice. Perks increase the usefulness of one of your trees. For example, the first archery perk grants the player twenty percent more damage when using a bow. As you go further into a perk tree the advantages grow larger ranging from making spells more powerful to being able to create the best armor in the game with blacksmithing.
The perks are rather passive though and do not offer new abilities often; they merely augment the things you can already do. With that said they are another way to completely customize your character and make it unique. The level scaling from Oblivion has also been heavily reduced. While there are still some leveled pieces in the game, with the new perk system it no longer feels like a punishment to level up. While some powerful creatures will level with you the rewards of the deepest part of the perk trees ensure that those foes stand no chance against the power you will wield.
New to the game are the Dragon Shout abilities. Scattered throughout the games many dungeons are tablets that have on them words written in the dragon language for you to learn. Once learned the words are unlocked by spending a dragon soul, gained by defeating any dragon in the game, to grant you powerful abilities that can exceed anything else in the game in combat worth or utility. One shout freezes enemies in front of you solid for several seconds while another can be used to blow enemies, as well as hapless NPCs if you are so inclined, far away from you.
The combat is rewarding no matter what type of character you choose to create. If you put the time and effort in any type of combat will do your hard work justice. From destroying your enemies with lightning bolts, to summoning something to devour everything in sight, to a good ole hammer to the face, the combat allows you to feel empowered. There is no wrong way to build your character in this game and the combat reflects that well. You could play this game for hundreds of hours and never get bored of using the tools at your disposal.
Bethesda redid the graphics engine from Oblivion and this is evident from the start. The character models are much improved, with much more variety. However it is in the environments that Skyrim shines the brightest by not shining at all. The world of Skyrim has been coated with a very fine coat of dullness that makes the game much more beautiful and unique than anything else out there. Instead of trying to make everything glossy the world has a sense of coldness about it that perfectly matches the setting of the game. If you have a powerful machine to run the game at max settings you are not going to be disappointed by the visuals, which are bar none the best of any open world game to date.
There is one spot in the game where there is a roaring river and if you look at the river at just the right angle you can see a flowing undercurrent that is traveling the opposite direction of the prevailing current on top of the river. The little details like that are what set Skyrim apart graphically. Unfortunately there are several minor glitches and graphical issues that pop up now and then in an extended play through. Textures that will sometimes not quite be right even on the best settings. It is a very minor flaw and frankly one that almost has to be forgiven with all of the amazing art direction and technical prowess the game wields otherwise.
The immersion would not be complete if Skyrim did not offer a beautiful soundtrack to go along with the rest of the game. Fortunately there is no reason to worry about that because it has one of the most beautiful soundtracks to date. The music in the game is breathtaking and adds so much to the game. If you close your eyes in the middle of an open field, assuming a dragon doesn't swoop down to eat you, it is easy to forget you are playing a video game and not listening to a new take on classical themes. The music is almost always on point and along with much improved voice acting allows Skyrim to sound amazing at every turn.
Skyrim is not a perfect game, but it is as close as can be reasonably expected for such a massive game world. In time all of the issues for the PC version will either be patched away with minor fixes or mods will be created by the player base to enhance an already amazing game. The parts that make up Skyrim are good to great, but when everything comes together as it so often does in the game it creates an experience that is unforgettable.
If it is possible there is almost too much to do in this game, as it practically floods the map with dungeons, forts, and caves for you to explore and to clear out in the name of adventure and loot. If you were not a fan of previous entries in the series do not let that deter you from buying this game. It is leaps and bounds ahead of even the much heralded Oblivion in almost every way. If you are a fan of the series you have no excuse not to pick up this game and shout your way into history. There be dragons on the horizon; you alone spell their doom.
