Wow, November 14th was the last time I wrote in here. Things gor pretty busy in college and I guess I just couldnt find time. Well since then I have beat GTA:SA, but not 100%, just the missions. I just today I beat Goldeneye: Rogue Agent. Now, NFSU2 is the only new game I havent beat (not counting sports games). And since my car currently isnt running, and at college I only drive 1/7 days a week, there isnt much passion for cars anymore. Mostly basketball and Bond. Well, and school, but that isnt a passion just hassle.

I am anxiously awaiting EA's next endeavour into the 007 world with a game based on the 007 film From Russia With Love. This one will be good. No more crappy Rogue Agent stuff here I hope.

Well, I got to play San Andreas for a couple of hours today because my girlfriend didnt come over. All i have wanted for the past week is to get some good sit-down time with the game. However, I have been putting the controller back down in under an hour and feel frustrated. In order to continue I must build up my swimming attribute, but yet the game provides no fun in swimming. It is slow and there is nothing to do while swimming.

This makes me wonder if I will be playing this game after the holiday season. If i am getting bored now and have no will to build up my only chance of continuing the game I dont know if i will want to play anyways. I havent unlocked the third city and money is still a big issue, plus the jerks took away my ability to "gang war" and I still havent gotten it back. Ugh!

I am now waiting for Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, NFSU2, and GT4. Those will maybe rekindle my love for free-roaming "violence simulators."

Well, i have spent more time on GTA: SA lately. Specifically, I have spent more time on the missions. This is because I want to get back my ability to have gang wars. This was great and the privalege has been taken away from me, please come back.

I am ready for the new Goldeneye to come out. I dont want to wear out the playability of GTA:SA just yet.

I have just caught interest in the upcoming EA game "Goldeneye: Rogue Agent." I am a huge bond fan but for some reason this slipped under my radar. Probably because the GTA: SA radar blip was so big I couln't see anything else, LOL. Anyway, I hope EA knows what they are doing, some thoughts:

1. Goldeneye N64 was the best game for the N64, period. Not counting the copy with Perfect Dark. Can EA replicate this magic?

2. Everything or Nothing, with its 3rd person prespective captured the feel of a Bond movie perfectly, now they are moving back to FPS, risky.

3. Goldeneye N64 kicked butt because it had an awesome multiplayer mode, now anyone without a multitap/network adapter on the PS2 is going to be stuck with 2 players. That is still fun but cmon...I know you remember those all nighters with friends playing the "Complex" level over and over again.

4. I have seen the movies and read the previews, nothing seems THAT outstanding. It looks almost too futuristic and too chaotic at times.

5. I hope EA pulls it off. I will most likely buy it just because I love anything associated with 007. Back to GTA: SA now.

WARNING: POSSIBLE GAME SPOILERS:

Well, today I made time for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and boy was it worth it. I remeber a couple of days ago when i upgraded my respect and the game told me that I could now command a gang of up to 3 members. Interesting, so I tried everything to get these men and nothing worked. Well, today I did mission that required me to get a gang together. Now I am able to get my own Grove Street guys to follow me and watch my back. Cool. But theres more. Now my trusty map/radar has been updated with areas color-coded for which gang controls what. If i decide my gang needs more territory I go there and kill enough people to start a gang war! I I succeed then I get the territory. Sweet. More?!?! Yes more. If a gang decides they want it back they can initiate a gang war with me. FREAKING CRAZY! Well thats enough I am going to rest my eyes now.

Yes it is true. It has been more than 36 hours since I have played GTA: SA. I think I am going into denial. And if you are wondering why i dont just play it now, it is because by the time I start up the game I will have to leave again for a meeting with my college advisor. Ugh...I am playing it first thing when I come back though. I wil report in on my progress.

Well, I plunked down the $40 bucks for my new copy of NBA LIVE '05, played it nonstop for 4 weeks and now a new love has entered my life....GTA: San Andreas. I now have no time to fulfill my bball needs. College allows for a few hours of gaming a day, but GTA:SA easily dominates that time and my LIVE box is becoming a very good dust collector. And I am waiting on NCAA March Madness '05, but there is no way i can balance 2 bball games and a spankin' new Grand Theft Auto!

Hey everyone,

This is my first entry so bear with me while I get the hang of writing my daily "Gaming Experience" journal. Things might seem a little scatter-brained at first while I catch up on the last few days.

-Well, I go to Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL (which most of you have probably never heard of either). Macomb has about 10,000 residents and the only place to buy games is the local Mall (Super Wal-Mart) and the Big K. So, my first efforts of buying San Andreas came up short, in other words, the town was sold out. No Surprise! So I waited 3 days and headed back home which is close to Peoria, IL which has a plethora of gaming stores. 'Nough said, I got the game came back and played it 'till 4AM

-First thoughts on GTA:SA: The sound effects are great and the way the cars react is also better than Vice City. I dont know that that caught my attention first but it did. After playing the game for the next few hours I realized that Los Santos is so freakin' big that I had to pause the game every few minutes to figure out where I was headed. I wanted to uncover all of the Los Santos map before causing any mayhem. THIS GAME IS GREAT!

-Best Game Ever?: Ummmm...I would have to say yes. I would like someone who can name a game that appeals to such a wide audience but yet allows everyone to play it a different way. That said I have realized that after letting my drooling college buddies play GTA:SA, that the game is just as fun to watch as it is to play. This is because anyone who plays has a different approach to the game. Cause mayhem? Sure. Do missions? Just as fun. Drive around aimlessly tring to look at all the sites while finding the pimpest car and keep it spotless (ME!), why not? Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the best game out for any system of all time...PERIOD!

-GTA:SA Fan Club: My room has suddenly erupted into being the place to be on floor 13 of Thompson Hall. And I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I am the first guy on the florr to get my copy of San Andreas. Sure, whatever. I feel bad making my friends watch so I eventually let them play, but they dont want to give the controller back. When this happens I have to make up some bullcrap excuse to get them to leave the room, where then I just continue playing for another couple of hours.

-GTA 6, already?: Is it bad to already be anticipating the next GTA, which probably wont be out for a couple of years and on the next gen systems which are expected to retail for $500. Well, I am ready for it. Eventhough I am only 3.6% through San Andreas that doesnt stop my excitement for GTA 6: Macomb, IL. Just Joking! PEACE!