Well here I go again trying to plead with people that are reviewing games, including gamespot to be more unbiased in their reviews. Don't get all fired up yet I haven't given the reasons why I would make that comment.

If you are all fired up, that brings me to my first point don't review when your angry. What I mean is that you shouldn't being ticked off about all the things they didn't do and look for the things they did do. I find a lot of reviews just point to all they stuff they thought was going to be in the game but was left out. When the general public never even saw the preview build. They had no idea that it was supposed to have certain power ups or the ability to fly so to base a review on what noone even knew was going to be in the game is just plain wrong. I do want to point out that this is the smallest problem so you won't see it that often, but it is out there.

The latest of the mistakes I see reviewers making is based on my previous post about next-gen verse current-gen. I believe they are the ones that coined the phrase - a port. I hate this term more then any term in a review. They act like the overhaul in the graphics isn't enough. The main change to the Xbox and the 360 is the GRAPHICS so if the graphics are better then it's a step up. They ask for next-gen gaming...ok so you have online play and achievement awards, but that's not enough they want new gameplay. Do they really want new gameplay...just look at some of the reviews for FIFA 07 on the 360 with its new gameplay its gotten the worst review of any FIFA game ever. Apparently innovation isn't awarded unless your Nintendo. This brings me to the last point and really the reason for this post.

The main mistake I think a lot of reviewers make is they compare all systems. I don't really care if this game is like the PS2 game because I didn't buy it for the PS2 I bought it for the Xbox so I want to know how it stacks up against other Xbox games. They spur the console wars, and then step back and giggle while ever one fights. They'll even throw the PC into the battle...just look at the latest review for F.E.A.R on the 360. It didn't get the same prop's that the PC got simply because it's the same game as it was on the PC...which means that it's a biased review. The bias is that they have already played the game. They do the same thing with each system. I actually saw a preview for a 360 game that they said is playing like a "PS2 RPG" I didn't know if that was meant to be a compliment or an insult because weren't the PS2 RPG's good? I can also tell when games are docked one or two extra points based on the system they are on. The worst is the PSP, which gets hammered by reviews because its compared to the PS2 not the DS. They act like people can just carry around a PS2 in their pocket. Its not given points for being portable it's actually docked points. Nintendo is given points simply on it's name. You don't believe me look at some of the crappy titles for the Gamecube and how great the reviews are. They didn't do any comparisons to other systems when it came to Metroid...anyone who has played Halo or Timesplitters can tell you that Metroid isn't that great. The games on the DS aren't even in the same league as some of the PSP  games, but you'll never see them compare the two...because the DS has a touch screen? Don't get me wrong I like Nintendo and their innovations, but they shouldn't be playing favorites. You want to base your reviews on other systems then do it or don't do it, but this biased crap needs to stop. A good review just looks at Gameplay, Graphics, Sound, Value, and Tilt based on that system alone not every system ever made. The only time I should see a comparison between systems is in the little "BEST" box in the Vital stats, or add another section in the reviews that's based on all systems..a "Comparison Review" section.

The point is stop the biased reviews.

The 360 has given me a new addiction, and maybe like a drug user I want to protect that addiction so keep that in mind while you read this.

The 360 games are not mere ports of the Xbox game they are upgrades. They have new content, maybe not much, but even the addition of advance lighting effects is still a welcome change. They all get the "achievement award" upgrade were now each major accomplishment is recorded for all the world to see. Does that warrant the extra 10 bucks? I would say yes. Lets look at my other favorite system the PC.

When you buy a game for the PC and you have a 4 year old system it is not going to run all the advanced effects. You have to go out and spend another 1,000 bucks to get all the neat looking graphics. In the case of the Xbox and 360 you are only talking another 10 bucks, and even if it is the same gameplay you still get the benefits of the better graphics, online stuff, and achievements.

For those that have forgotten what a "port" is. It's when you take a game from one system and create it for another system. Normally, its the bigger better system that gets the full treatment and then all the other little guys underneath get a hacked up crappy version of the same game. The 360 is the bigger better system so why is it considered a "port" when it gets a game, and not the other way around. It's only a matter of time before the 360 is the system of choice so until then stop thinking of games that are on both systems as a "port" and think of it as what it is an "upgrade"!

I really got into online play when I was heavy into the FPS, but over time I've started to wish that I knew some of these people. Sure, its good to have some strangers to play against, but I do want some of my family and friends to fight along side or against. Connecting with friends and family should be easy, but for me it just isn't.

I'm not the kind of person that you can count on to be online at a certain time. I jump on and off at random times. This creates a problem for those people that want to play online with me. They too follow the same random times for being online so for the most  part we never get a chance to meet up.

I find myself enoying being offline more now, just working my way through a single player mode. The Xbox 360 stores my achievements so that it's not all done invane. My family and friends that own a 360, which right now aren't many, will get to see what I've been up to. The PC should try the same concept. It's actually a surpising great feature.

So where are you spending most of your time online or off?

I suppose this is a good problem, but I have a variety of games that I'm wanting to get in the next few months. The issue is which one am I going to get the most out of. Should I just rent it and not buy it?

The Xbox 360 has Ghost Recon, Fight Night, Elders Scroll, and Burnout. While I think I'll get the most out of Fight Night, because I love boxing games. Burnout might actually edge it out just because I can play online against my brother. Ghost Recon should be an obvious choice, but I have such a hard time with console FPS. Elders Scroll would give me plenty to do while I wait for Dead Rising and Saint's Row, but it's the type of game I have to wait for a review because I can see it having some serious issues. Anytime you try to pack that much content into a game you are going to have hick-ups.

The other consoles and the PC have the same problem. I prefer to build my Xbox 360 games library before going back to buy anything for them. I'm at the point where all the old console games should cost 20 bucks or less, and if not I'm not buying it. The PC right now is really just letting everyone pass them buy. I do want Heroes of Might and Magic V, but other than that they haven't done anything new or exciting.

Truthfully, reviews are my main deciding factor. When or if Gamespot says Ghost Recon is a must have, which to me means a score of 8-10, then I'll go out and buy it.

So what game are you buying next month?

I'm an action junky. I can admit that. This naturally makes me found of FPS, sports games, and an occasional action RPG.

I don't like the requirements of most Japanese style RPG's where you have to read and then read some more and then a little more and maybe you get to fight. I just couldn't take the building plot. This isn't a freakin' movie it's a game. I want to play the movie not watch the movie. But in the last few weeks I've learned to appreciate the story style of these RPG's.

I'm going to give credit where credit is due, the turn-based game. Yes, I saw some screenshots of Heroes of Might and Magic V and thought I would try out HoMM IV. I was really aggravated with the slow stupid style of the game, but I kept playing. The more I played the more I was hooked. I actually started to look forward to HoMM V. I even tried Civ IV, but I think I went to far with that one since I nearly drove myself away from the turn-based genre playing that. The problem with that one is that you don't do much of anything, but I won't spend my time writing a review of that game when this is about Japanese RPG's. The point is that the slower style of gameplay brought me down a notch or two. It got me to appreciate a slower plodding style of gameplay.

I like to try games that have gotten really good reviews so I added Dragon Quest VII to my Gamefly que I had my standard response to this game. "Crap another Final Fartsy spin-off." It may be sacrilege to make any negative comment about Final Fantasy, but I don't like them - any of them. They don't have enough action for my taste. Now imagine my shock when I got into Dragon Quest and actually liked it. No, it's not any different then any other Japanese RPG, it's basically the same, but I was still into the slower style of the gameplay. I appreciated the opportunity to chose my attack or spell or whatever. I could understand why people like this style of game. Sure, you have to be a slower person, not in the head, but in the style of play where you choose each action and instead of the knee-jerk response like in a FPS.

I went as far so to go and buy Dark Cloud 2 since it was one of the RPG fanboys that I know favorite game. I'm playing that one now and it's a nice combination of action RPG and standard Final Fantasy RPG.

I'm going to play these games for a few weeks so lets see how well it goes. Does it have the staying power or am I go to get bogged down and bored? Stay tuned to find out.