I'm not at all a fan of this new GameSpot. I was already fairly inactive prior to the change, but now you can expect to not see me basically at all anymore. It's been a good nearly eight years, but I don't care for this heavily social approach to a game site. I don't care about almost anything on here anymore except for release dates, which I can discover elsewhere. So to anyone else still around, have fun with the new site.

Anyone who knows me knows that I've expressed my hatred for Capcom essentially getting rid of DMC by giving it to Ninja Theory. Recently, I played the demo for "DmC," and I have to say, it wasn't all bad. The biggest problem for me, and I think a lot of other people, is that this game's trying to be something that it just simply is not. This game is NOT DMC in anyway shape or form, however, that being said, it was a fun action game. The story, and a lot of the gameplay, is a bastardized version of real DMC. "Dante" and "Vergil" are best friends, and their mother was an angel, making them half-demon, half-angel. The gameplay is really a step back overall. Styles have been removed, and High Time/Launchers have been set to their own button. This is really a shame, however, it doesn't destroy the game.

What the Game Did Right
Completely customizable controls. This is where Capcom really dropped the ball on the HD Collection. You can set any button to whatever you want. This should be a standard in every action game.

"Push" and pull. Similar to Nero, "Dante" can pull enemies in, or bring himself to them. The major difference is that "Dante" can both "push" or pull any enemy, instead of Nero's Devil Bringer, which could only do whichever option was associated to that enemy. This opens you up for more combos.

New weapons. Dante never had three major weapons in my opinion: spear/lance, axe, and scythe. This "Dante" has "Rebellion" (by name only, not really Rebellion), Osiris, a scythe, and Arbiter, an axe. Each weapon is unique, having different roles. They aren't so different, however, that they don't string together, making them easy to combo into each other, which is the goal.

What the Game Did Wrong
Bastardized the story. It was painful to hear the characters use DMC terminology so... incorrectly.

Truly miserable dialogue. This was probably the worst dialogue I've ever heard in a game. Neither "Dante" nor the bosses can do any better than "F**k you." Dante was one of the best, most sarcastic comedians in video games. That, unfortunately, is long gone.

Not nearly as Stylish. Long story short, lack of, among other things, a taunt. Even at his best, this "Dante" can only be able as smooth as, and in fact, should open his mouth about as much as, DMC2 Dante.

No styles. Or Lock-On, for that matter. This is the biggest example of how this is not DMC, but an action game made in the image of DMC. Getting rid of styles is a major step back for the franchise. Also, the idea of putting the launchers as their own button, and removing lock-on is detrimental to the gameplay. This makes Lock-On + Forward + Melee attacks impossible, limiting the amount of possible techniques for each weapon, and oversimplifying gameplay. Plus, it's such a basic part of the controls; why would they remove it?

I just got my first platinum trophy. It's the first time I've ever cared about a trophy/achievement, I usually consider them to be pointless, but I had to get it for one of my favorite games. I plan to get the platinum for FFX HD when it comes out, as well.

So last I blogged, I had another semi-broken, pseudo-working PS3. Now, I've sacrificed backwards compatibility* for a brand new, slim, 160GB PS3. Luckily, to help break it in, Capcom's giving me something that I've been highly anticipating: DMC HD Collection. Now, although I'm disappointed with the game as a whole (to be discussed later), having DMC3: SE to play through again has been more than exciting. Only minor changes have been implemented, which in this case, is very, very good. Minuscule modifications, including having the back button switched to O, like most games, and some new taunts, for the better, but also the small edit of removing the ability to destroy the "Now Loading" text when it appeared. Since now the load times have been drastically cut (even playing the PS2 DMC3 cut the load times by a little bit, this is even shorter than that), so this isn't as big of a deal.

The thing that severely bothers me is the lack of controller customization for DMCs 1 & 2. Not only did they not add any button mapping, but they changed the original controls of DMC1 to accommodate for the senseless ones of DMC2. They even kept the "Type A," "Type B" set-up, only to fail. This is just plain laziness, or at the very least, a bold refusal to do work. I highly doubt that adding the function of allowing the player to set the controls (as in DMC3) would take much work, yet, it's absent from HD Collection. I dislike the controls so much, that this game to me is DMC3 "HD." The graphics aren't truly HD, which is fine in my opinion, but I know that some people won't be able to get past that. I refuse to struggle through DMCs 1 & 2 again with clunky controls, especially when Capcom had a perfect opportunity to fix it. That being said, me being the DMC3 fanboy that I am, DMC HD Collection still earns a 9 from me.

Also, I now have a new laptop, as opposed to my quickly dying previous one.

*PS2 games, for now, and on PS3.

So my (second) PS3 got "fixed" (AGAIN), and although now it's been cured of the YLOD (for the moment...), now there's no wireless connectivity. This means that not only can I not connect to the internet (via wired or wireless), but that in order to play, the controller must be plugged in at all times. I'm getting VERY sick of all of these PS3 problems, but at least FFXIII-2's fun...

Auron's Tornado hits twice. Dragon Fang is NOT his best Overdrive. I feel like I of all people would know that!

After an "eventful" day, to say the least, my PS3 is now YLOD-free. :D

My (second) PS3 got, as it's known, the "yellow light of death." I can easily get it repaired, but it's $80 that I was planning to use for Christmas. :( Apparently, you aren't even supposed to have PS3s on carpet. Wow.

Tomorrow (tech today), Bleach: Fade to Black comes out (dubbed), as well as Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, so it should be a great day.

Also, I pre-ordered DMC HD Collection.

Final Fantasy X, HD on PS3
Final Fantasy VII, PSN
Devil May Cry 3: SE, HD on PS3
Final Fantasy IX, PSN

It's a sign that all of these are on PS3, in at least one format aside from their original discs. :D