I just got done with an amazing weekend at a small anime convention here in Milwaukee, apply named Anime Milwauke or AMKE. While the convention itself was amazing in its own right I can't help but be amazed at the detication of the fighting game crowd that shows up at all anime conventions. Marvel VS Capcom 3 just came the tuesday before the convention and already I saw people who have mastered the game is such a way that on lookers are entertained for hours just watching the silly thing.

I just tried my hand once at the game at the convention and got my butt handed to me in such away that I didn't feel like playing another video game the rest of the day. People at these conventions don't know what good sportmanship is. I typically play shooters, like Halo Reach and while online I expect to hear a good level of trash talking I wasn't expecting to hear it in person. I in fact didn't know where my curly mustache was...lol. How ever with the games being hogged by the semi profession quarter circlers I can't help but think that it is the degridation of the game itself. One of two things needed to happen.

One have a n00b area

Two have time limits for the games.

People don't want to play with people much higher level than them and are scared away from a great bonding event. I just hope this message doesn't fall on deaf ears to anyone who runs a good anime con.

Like most people I am happy to see that the NGP is a PSP with a second thumb stick and tons of features that the first one just lacked. Sony was smart enough to mention that it will support at least downloaded PSP games. This is great because while the first PSP didn't interest me enough to warrant a purchase the fact is that I might be interested in some of the games for the original PSP once I am on the new hardware.

My biggest issue is that this seems like it might be a PS3 Hand held, an amazing piece of hardware that will take a long time to grow into its own, and also growing pains that remove features mid way through it's life cycle. I would like to get this Sony product at release to protect myself from the removal of key features.

Is anyone else worried about this?

So I once considered myself an avid PC gamer. I had the latest hardware and kept up on everything that was surrounding PC gaming. Then I found myself unable to keep up with the hardware requried to play the games I wanted and thus I slowly shyed away from it. This also happened to be around 2002 when xbox live was just starting to come online. I soon became hooked on to Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. It was from that point on that my PC gaming nearly halted. I only invested into entry level rigs and hell right now I am writing this on a Macbook Pro

Well to be more acturate I am on a Macbook Pro running Windows 7. I have installed steam and found that there is plenty of games that this little 13" notebook can do. I have to say that I am very impressed with the numerous networks for gaming there are for PC. Steam is going to be my preferred one of choice, but I bet I will invest some time into Games for Windows LIVE.

I have started to play some more recent games and thus kicking myself in the ass for passing them up. I picked up TORUCHLIGHT tonight and dove head first and suddenly I realized that 4 hours have passed and I still wanted more. This simple Diablo clone is a diamond of a game. Charm and the right style of pick up and play that I love for when I am out and about with my MacBook. This is the style of game that I think is the best for moblie gaming its so simple to play but addicting and you can actually see a path not just a puzzle.

I plan on getting more in the PC gaming in 2010 and hopefully expand my horizons of gaming. PC gaming is very niche and it makes it hard to find big budget games any more, but I have learned that big budget and quality don't always go hand in hand. The bottom line is this. If you don't think you have the rig to run high end PC games DON'T, just try out games you can run, I am sure you will find more than one you will fall in love with.

Metal Gear Solid 4 is,
Well it is not a game as much as an interactive movie. The game can accurately be cut into halves when you count the cutscenes and the gameplay fill up an equal amount of the game, while both are extremely entertaining and rewarding for fans and new comers a like it really takes away what a game is. A game is a piece of interactive art, and while you have control of the camera and some aspects of the cutscenes its not a game at that point. It pulls the player out of the game and this is the core strength and weakness. It is because of this reason that I am giving 2 scores on this game.

Well moving on from the cut scenes we can focus on the excellent gameplay. The game excels at most points of the gameplay department. Shooting finally feels good, the stealth feels a little side tracked by the shooting this time around. The game feels like it is trying to show off the shooting mechanics, and this isn't really a problem unless you are trying avoid killing anyone in the game. More to the point there are spots where the game throws the stealth aspect out the window and puts the chill up your spine. Tentacles/Laughing Octopus and the Frog Attacks are just some of the more interest thriller story set pieces that you will come across. The end result is some of the most memorable moments in recent gaming history.

We move online for MGO. While this is the weakest point of the game its still something that will grow on you. The games stiff controls seem to be actually tailored for this game type. The overly complex shooter feels more along the lines of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter than Metal Gear Solid. The game has an excellent assortment of weapons and gametypes. Then in true Call of Duty 4 fashion, it has a talent system in which you can level up everything. Special abilities for communication and the ability to mod weapons as a nice little incentive to keep playing. I have to admit I was really disappointed at first the game grew on me. Now there are also something that is a big huge issue with the game:

1. You need to download a patch right away, reports have had this patch take hours. Mine took 20 mins
2. You need to sign up for a Konami ID account. Using the PS3 web browser and having to get E Mail confirmation this is a lengthy process.
3. You will have to pay for additional characters after your first.
4. You have to wait 100 hours before deleting a character and starting a new one
5. You need to be level 3 and have logged in 24 hours before you can start a clan.

These issues are serious enough not to over look. The game is great once you over look the shoty online support. But hell there is Xbox LIVE like Matchmaking.

While the game in a ton of menus, a ton of cutscenes, and a lot of head ache to get online. The core of the game is still one of the best reasons to get a PS3, installations are just a break for some MGS humor. The overall experience is rewarding and should not be missed. Despite all of this the flaws are just to big for me to over look.

MGS 4 For fans $60/$60
MGS 4 for non Fans of $50/60
(you will get about $50 of entertainment value out of this game.)

My project is shaping up nicely, just a small update on it for those who are interested in it.

The name will be EVO GAMER, rather than trying to do a gametrailers, ign, gamespot, etc. rip this site will be having a real time reviews.

At this point it will be directly tied into JUSTIN.TV but there is a twist since a lot of the audio will be piped into the computer with a capture unit. A chat invite on 360 or on X fire will get you on the show. The combine this with the real time chat provided by Justin.TV will allow for people to get a more personalized gaming site.

Next more community events, again broadcast on Justin.tv and embedded on the actual site will have everyone be a part of the action. Games planned for the on set of Evo Gamer is Warhawk and Halo 3 matches.

We will have podcasts, and standard videos as well.

At this point the site will not offer such things as a profile system. But Forums and more features are in the works.

If this project gets up off the ground and expands we will see about how to keep these features with larger groups

But since I said that might leave GT and got a few messages and comments expressing the concern of me leaving GT, I have decided not to. GT is my home and I will still have this as my main blog.

But stay tuned for more info on Evo Gamer

Well I have decided to follow a couple of friends to Gamespot form Gametrailers as the community is falling apart since they don't have enough mods. So rather than leave a site that I feel that I have help build I am just going to be using gamespot as my main forum site now. For those who might follow my blog you will find out that its a very opinionated blog, a very offensive blog at times, but always a fair blog. I try to include as much interesting content as possible.

please look for my first regular blog to start with in the next week or so.

There will also be some interesting details about a new project that I am launching that will hopefully be an answer to all the trolling problems of the gaming sites as of recent. Stay "tuned" in for that as well. Yes there is a hint there as well