Happy April Fools everyone! If you haven't checked out the headlines yet, I highly recommend them, especially the Bioshock: Undersea Carnival Games one. lmao.

No april fools tho for me, I promise. Yesterday, I got to go to the Microsoft Store for the very first time and omg is it awesome! They have games for sooooooo cheap! I ended up getting Ninja Gaiden 2 and Halo Wars for 40 bucks total. I know Gamespot people, as a generality, don't like Microsoft but I like them a lot so getting to check out the visitors center was AWESOME!!! One of the highlights was that I got to see the Microsoft Surface machine in person. If you don't know what this is, it's basically a tabletop computer with multiple pressure pads so you can touch screen it in multiple places at once. It also interacts heavily with Bluetooth technology and can easily share data between phones, cameras or anything else that uses bluetooth. I got to see Virtual Earth in action on it and I got to edit a photo from my cell phone, just by placing my phone on the machine! Very cool stuff.

Finally, I'm going to see 12 Rounds tonight so I'll let you know what I think when I get back. Peace everyone!

Sorry about the long posting time, I'm still busy with work but i'm on spring break now so I thought i'd give you all a little update on what's been going on with me lately.

After a 7 hour drive yesterday, I finally made it home and i'm all rested up. As for gaming, I've finally finished the first Metal Gear Solid and I LOVED IT!! Great story and great gameplay made for a nice experience. Even nowadays, i'd highly recommend it even to ppl who don't normally like the stealth genre. I also started metal gear solid 2 before I left and it's pretty fun too. Not gonna lie, I don't like playing as someone other than Snake but the gameplay's still solid and i think i'll still have a lot of fun with it. Pretty awesome seeing Snake for the first time in actually decent graphics hahaha. Now that i'm home though, I don't have my ps2 available so i'll have to wait another week before I can play more. Instead, I've been playing my 360 games and have been having tons of fun with that too. I've been catching up with all the new Rock Band 2 music which is quite plentiful but overall a bit disappointing. My library's more than big enough already though so i'm satisfied. Also, I want to start Fable 2 although I doubt i'll finish it this week (since i do all the sidequest stuff). Finally, I bought Lost Odyssey but i'm not gonna start it until the summer since it's such a long game and I'm not gonna play it during the last month of the semester.

So that's been my experience the last few weeks. Hope everyone is well! Have an awesome spring :D

Currently Listening to: Dreamin' - Weezer

Hey everyone! It's been a while since my last blog. Turns out that my computer was dying on me and when I recovered enough to start writing that blog on Watchmen, the power cord AND the battery were both dead. So my normal laptop is boxed up and sitting next to me, waiting to be shipped back to HP and I'm now working on an old computer my dad sent me as a temporary replacement (it's got a 60GB hard drive and 1 gig of RAM X_x). The only real benefit to it is that it has XP on it instead of Vista but really, I'm just happy to have a working computer again, no matter how slow.

So, a lot has happened in the last week or so including me seeing Watchmen. Overall, it's a tough movie to review and to be honest, even after the week or so since i watched it, I still don't really know what to think. It's bizarre that's for sure. The first half of the movie can be extremely confusing to people who haven't read the graphic novel but it's not too much so as long as you stick with it. If you watch it and still don't understand, just know that the only older characters you even need to care about are the Silk Spectre and the Comedian. Otherwise, all the characters they introduce you to from the past are pointless lol. I'm also still confused on one main thing, do they actually have powers or not? Obviously dr. Manhatten (the blue guy for those of you who don't know) does but the rest of them just seem like really buffed up guys wearing suits. Anyway, back to the movie review, the second half of the movie is where the real entertainment lies. The fight scenes are awesome, the characters are interesting and the overall plot is pretty fascinating all together, especially knowing that the same man co-wrote V for Vendetta. The psychology is very interesting together. Very Neitsche-esque (hope I spelled the name right). Be warned though that the movie is extremely graphic in multiple ways and definitely should be rated R. The blue guy, dr. manhatten decides that for most of the movie, he doesn't need to wear ANYTHING at all and they are not shy about it. Also, there are a few sex scenes in it and the violence is almost Saw-like in gore. Ultimately though, I have to say, the movie was good and I'm glad I watched it. Sorry for a weird review, like I said at the beginning, I still am very confused on my thoughts of it lol.

A little bit of news too, along with watching Watchmen, I also went out and bought the graphic novels of both Watchmen and V for Vendetta. I'm only about an 8th of the way through Watchmen and haven't started V for Vendetta yet but both are very promising. I'll let you know my thoughts on both when I finish. Thanks for reading everyone! Peace!

So the Witcher is finally done. Great game and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys RPG's with a good storyline. There is a lot of talking but the characters are all pretty interesting and, with the Enhanced Edition now available, the translations and voice-overs are pretty great. You still might hate Kalkstein lol but i'm sure you'll get over it :P. To give a little more detail, The Witcher really is the ultimate choose-your-own-destiny game since it's usually not very obvious what is the "good" choice or "bad" choice. you'll be tempted to look at guides for every choice unless you get one thing embedded into your mind. It's not about being good or bad, it's about choices and consequences. Don't worry, no choice is game-breaking, it's usually just a matter of benefit now or benefit later kind of thing. You also need to pick alegiences and it's just what do you agree with. I highly recommend that you play this without a guide and that you simply make your own choices. the game will be much more rewarding that way. I may or may not write a review later, i'm not sure yet. But know that I do highly recommend it. Hopefully the console version will make it more available to you all.

Secondly, I'm finally getting to see Watchmen tonight!!! I'll let you all know what I thought about it later. Just so you know, last blog I got a comment saying that it's hard to follow if you haven't read the graphic novel. Well, I'll let you all know since I've never read it. Regardless, I plan on getting it soon but hopefully it won't ruin the movie since I haven't read it. Well, that's all for now. I've got to get going to a Japanese speech contest (which is even more boring than it sounds...) Peace my friends!

NOPE!!! I'm really close though. I'm in the epilogue and have only to walk up to the last boss and kick his butt. For those of you who played the game, I chose to stay neutral throughout. As for my choices, I killed the striga, chose Shani, took Alvin and ran, and i think that's all that's really important right? Anyway, i'll finish it up tonight since I'm off work tonight.

On a totally different note, I get to see Watchmen this Friday!!!! I'm so freakin excited, I can't even explain it. I have really high hopes for the movie and think it could be as good if not better than The Dark Knight. Really long though, I've heard estimates from 2:45 to 3:15 from different sources. I'll let you know what I think on Saturday (since i'm having an all-night game party afterwards so can't really post then :P) Peace friends!

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been absent these last few days. It's been a mixture of busy and just plain not having anything to say. I feel badly though that i've missed all your blogs so i'll try and catch up tomorrow. It's midnight here though and I've got to get up at 7 tomorrow for work (which is amazing!!! best job i've had by far). Good night all! i'll try and catch up with you tomorrow!

Unfortunately, this blog series is going to have to take another break for quite a while. I would love to continue it and have been having lots of fun writing it but with my new job and schoolwork piling up, I simply don't have the time required to write these very demanding blogs. If anyone else would like to take it up, I'd be happy to turn it over to you, otherwise, I will have to shelve the project until the beginning of April at the earliest. I apologize. Enjoy 2002!

10. Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast - PC/Xbox/GC

In the giant pile of Star Wars games, only a few good titles come to mind. The RPG hit, Knights of the Old Republic, The multiplayer frag-fest, Battlefront, you may even think of the fun Star Wars X-wing games back in the 90's. One title that's often overlooked, however, was the incredible Dark Forces/Jedi Knight series. While it started out only slightly over mediocrity, Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight truly revolutionized single player first person shooters. We are introduced to Kyle Katarn, one of the most memorable characters in Star Wars gaming lore. Finally, we make it to Jedi Outcast, the third game in the series and probably the best. If you missed it in 2002, it'd be hard to blame you, however, know that you're missing one of the best star wars games out there, not to mention one of the best first-person shooters from the last ten years.

9. Suikoden III - PS2

The Suikoden series at first glance looks like a standard Japanese-RPG series. It's got your standard heroic, slightly sexually-ambiguous main character with spiky, multi-colored hair. It's got your turn-based, random battle filled fighting system. But the main thing that sets Suikoden III apart from the others, is the great attention to detail. The world will suck you in, the storyline goes far beyond your standard save-the-world fare and most importantly, you will love it all. Instead of controlling one main character, you get to use three different people throughout the game, allowing you to see the political storyline unfold from three different perspectives. If you've watched many of the Gundam anime series, you'll understand a little more how this can eliminate good vs. evil and show the world for what it truly is. Throw in the standard 108 playable characters from the other Suikoden games and you've got one heckuva RPG on your hands.

8. Neverwinter Nights - PC

Neverwinter Nights is the other side of the coin from Suikoden III. If JRPG's aren't your thing and you are more into the DnD style RPG's such as Baldurs Gate or Icewind Dale, then Neverwinter Nights is the game for you this year. Enter the Forgotten Realms and move north from the Sea of Swords up to the freezing wastelands and you will find the anomaly that is Neverwinter. Heated by the river around it, Neverwinter literally has no winter season. Moving away from the setting, Neverwinter Nights comes with a very long campaign that's relatively accessible compared with some other DnD games. Along with that, you get full usage of the Aurora client (the same engine used to make all the Neverwinter Nights games and The Witcher) and a full Dungeon Master client to alter your games in real-time. If you enjoy DnD style RPG's or are just looking for something other than the standard fare, Neverwinter Nights is great.

7. Age of Mythology - PC

Several years after the last Age of Empires game was made, Age of Mythology was created to move the setting to ancient Greek, Egyptian and Nordic societies. While its expansion was mediocre at best, the original Age of Mythology was an incredible RTS that many saw as even better than the original Age of Empires games. Anyone familiar with RTS's at all won't be surprised by anything here except maybe at how high quality everything is. All the societies are very well balanced and graphically, the game looks very nice. The thing that really makes Age of Mythology is the god system. As you advance through the ages, you can align your society with various gods that grant you certain passive and active bonuses. Choosing your god can really make or break your campaign as you wage war literally against opposing gods. An epic scale makes this a great RTS that shouldn't be missed by fans.

6. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos - PC

While Age of Mythology is a great game, Warcraft III definitely manages to beat it for RTS fans. Any fantasy fan can appreciate the in-depth storyline that can easily beat anything else in the market even today. Also, the ability to level up units adds a sense of connection with each individual unit. You will think twice before sending leveled up units into a battle you know that it cannot win. Likewise, if you see scouting or raiding parties approaching your base, you can send your leaders in to level up and lead your troops to victory. Warcraft III will really change the way you think about RTS's.

5. Eternal Darkness: Sanities Requiem - GC

Eternal Darkness is something unique in the survival horror genre. Until now, the genre has truly been dominated by Resident Evil and Silent Hill, leaving most other games out to rot. Eternal Darkness showed that other games can penetrate that wall made by those two series. Ironically enough, it also came from the company that had never before produced an M game for their consoles. Eternal Darkness lets you play as several different characters, unfolding an adventure that has been going on for over 2000 years. Revolving around a girl who finds a tome in her grandfather's attic, Alexandra Roivas must end the horrors that her ancestors have unleashed.

4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - PS2

After releasing Grand Theft Auto 3, nobody thought that Rockstar, a company that never produced anything of real value before, would be able to pull off something amazing again. Everyone was extremely surprised when Vice City was released, arguably the beginning of the GTA legacy. After GTA 2 and 3, Rockstar decided to move away from Liberty City and explore one of the other cities available from the first game. They decide to move over San Andreas and instead focus on Vice City. The twist is that they decide to set the game in 1986. Rockstar does a great job of recreating a very realistic version of the real-life Miami as well as the 1980's culture. While Vice City is outdated now, at the time, this was the GTA game to play.

3. The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind - PC/Xbox

Completely pulling away from both DnD style RPG's and Japanese RPG's is the Elder Scrolls series, an amazing testament to what games can do. To date, Morrowind still contains one of the biggest gaming worlds ever made, easily taking an entire real-world day to cross the whole continent on foot. Fill this world with countless quests, guilds, dungeons and monsters and throw in one of the most detailed backstory for any video game world and you have one continent in the vast Elder Scrolls world. I don't think this game needs much description here, as I have a hard time believe that anyone has not played it, however if you haven't, either pick this one up or the sequel, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

2. Metroid Prime - GC

If you think of Metroid Prime as a first-person shooter, you may leave disappointed. Do not be fooled, even though it is the first Metroid game from a first-person perspective, it is still the same old, great Metroid we remember. The game takes place shortly after the very first Metroid game (or Metroid: Zero Mission) when Samus goes to Tallon IV to prevent space pirates from taking Phazon. She lands to find space pirates mining to the central core of the planet. You now have to explore the wasteland of Tallon IV to find out what happened to the planet and to prevent the disaster from spreading across the universe. The first in the Prime trilogy, Metroid Prime is easily one of the best Metroid games in existence. Just don't be fooled, Metroid Prime is an action/adventure game, not a first person shooter. Remember that, and it will provide you with a great metroid experience.

Katosepe's Game of the Year Award: 2002

•1. Kingdom Hearts - PS2

Yes everyone, I am a HUGE Kingdom Hearts fan so this was an easy choice for me. Kingdom Hearts marks one of the strangest partnerships in video game history. When the newly formed Square-Enix decided to make an RPG with Disney, people were skeptical. Disney wasn't exactly known for great games however Square-Enix was one of the most trusted developers in the industry. What was going to happen? Well, the result was Kingdom Hearts, a true mash-up of Final Fantasy characters in a Disney world. After a dark force envelopes his home world, Sora, along with Donald and Goofy, must traverse the universe, sealing the hearts of the worlds from darkness and look for Riku, Kairi and King Mickey. The gameplay is extremely accessible to anyone but I would recommend the hard difficulty to experienced gamers. The storyline is also very engrossing and will leave you begging for more. I swore that I would never buy Kingdom Hearts when it was first released however, after finally playing it when my friend forced it into my hands, I was hooked immediately and now, it remains one of my favorite series.

Katoesepe's Console of the Year Award: PC

After a severe lack of good PC games for the last two years, the good ol' computer makes quite the comeback in 2002, many of the games, very reminisce of the glory days. The first four games on the list all will bring gamers back to the days of Doom, Age of Empires, Baldur's Gate and other great PC games of old however with very new features that will entice new gamers in for some good times. Finally, the game that really makes the PC the winner in my book is The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. This game revolutionized RPG's for the world and created a whole new fan-base for gamers. This game showed me what RPG's can really do. And so, the award for best console of the year goes to the PC.

Honorable Mentions:

•· Metroid Fusion - GBA

•· Medal of Honor: Frontline - PS2

•· Medal of Honor: Allied Assault - PC

•· Panzer Dragoon Orta - Xbox

NOTE: Sorry about the long wait everyone, getting moved into my new dorm room took more out of me than I had expected. From here on out, every other day should be alright. Thanks for understanding!

This year was a major upset as far as the top 10 games go! It was the first year in history where handheld games definitely deserved a spot in the top 10. In fact, multiple games made it on my top 10 list for 2001 from the Game Boy Advance. I guess I should address this now, I think some people will strongly disagree not necessarily with the games I chose for the top 10 but the order I put them in. I'm gonna say this now, before we begin, I thought about the order of this list for a long time and I'm sticking with what I decided on. I'll explain as I go. Hopefully, I can convince you of my reasoning. Enjoy!

10. Max Payne (July 21, 2001) - PC

Max Payne's reputation has dropped significantly from when it was first released but, to be honest, I don't really know why. Many people see how you can get both Max Payne and its sequel for five dollars and instantly assume it's a terrible game. Honestly, though, you couldn't be farther from the truth. Max Payne is about a man who is framed for a crime and has to find the truth. While the concept isn't particularly original, the game sure is. It is the first game to utilize "Bullet-time", something that has been butchered beyond imagination since. Also, even though the basic concept has been done before, it hasn't ever been done quite like this. Max Payne is a great shooter that reminds us why we still play the bloated genre.

9. Conker's Bad Fur Day (March 4, 2001) - N64

I doubt there was anyone that expected anything out of this very adult-based game. Especially if you played the original Conker's Pocket Adventures for the Game Boy Color, this had to come as quite a shock. However, if you can bring yourself to play Bad Fur Day, despite the very bizarre concept, you'll find that it's actually quite good. Instead of just relying solely on the rather disgusting yet hilarious subject matter, Rare actually combined plenty of different genres and all of them are actually done pretty well. You have your shooting, your racing and your platforming segments filled to the brim with mini-games galore. All in all, if you enjoy any of these genres, Conker's Bad Fur Day is a good game for you. Just be warned, no matter how lewd you can be, Conker's probably worse. You have been warned!

8. ICO (September 21, 2001) - PS2

The first Playstation 2 game to make it onto the top 10 list, ICO is more than deserving. An incredibly hard game to find now, the simple fact that people hold on to this game is a testament how good it is. Oddly enough, ICO really doesn't try hard to get its point across. The gameplay is incredibly simple and is almost entirely one big escort mission. While this may turn off a lot of people right away, I'm here to tell you that this is actually fun. I hate escort missions more than anything else and yet, this game manages to make this daunting, tedious objective fun. The main way it does this is by making you truly like the characters. You will feel strongly for Ico and his newfound love, Yorda and it will make you want to escort them both to safety. The game's length, while short by normal standards, feels perfect for Ico. Any longer and it would have felt tedious yet it's long enough to give you a satisfying experience.

7. Grand Theft Auto 3 (October 22, 2001) - PS2

This is the first game on the list I think people will disagree with. The reason why I'm putting GTA3 so low on the list is because, honestly, I don't think that it really did anything that well. However, it's one of those games that everyone else loves so I couldn't, in good conscious, leave it off the list. Grand Theft Auto 3 was the series' first foray in 3D and it completely dumps the over-head camera from the past two games. Instead, it gives the player a third person perspective that really goes far in improving the graphical quality of the games. Instead of shooting little dots at other slightly bigger dots, you could now see the people you were shooting/running over/beating, giving the game a much more realistic feel to it. Other than the great graphics, Grand Theft Auto 3 is mostly praised for mixing together a wide variety of genres in a realistic fashion. Overall, Grand Theft Auto 3 has something for every gamer to enjoy.

6. Final Fantasy X (December 17, 2001) - PS2

Final Fantasy X was the first Final Fantasy game for the new generation of systems and it doesn't disappoint. The first thing you will notice is the beautiful graphics that Final Fantasy X has, truly delving in and exploiting the full power of the Playstation 2. However, FFX isn't just a graphical pleasure; it has one of the best storylines of any of the Final Fantasy games, delving into very deep territory and is no longer just good guy vs. bad guy. While the gameplay feels extremely linear and restricted compared to previous entries, the combat has been revamped to make up for the restrictions. Instead of simply becoming more powerful than your enemies, this game really promotes strategy and outthinking your opponents. While the beginning of the game can be rather easy, the second half becomes incredibly difficult, forcing you to find the bosses weak points instead of just mindlessly beating them with your swords. If you enjoy RPG's or are just looking for a good story, Final Fantasy X is a great game for you.

5. Golden Sun (November 11, 2001) - GBA

Golden Sun is the first handheld game to make it onto my lists and is one of the first games to break out of the handheld's restrictions. Originally, handheld games were decent but were usually only games you would play when you couldn't access a console or computer. I remember very clearly when I finally got it, forsaking my brand new Xbox so that I could finish Golden Sun. It has a great storyline and a really cool magic system. Instead of having magic based solely in your character, magic is now determined based on the Djinni you have equipped to your characters. Djinni are magical creatures you find throughout the game to boost your characters powers. Each person still has an inherent element that they are strongest in, but to an extent, you can mix and match Djinni to create characters with extraordinary abilities. As if this weren't enough, magic, called psynergy in the game, is not only used for battle but is also a very important aspect of the storyline and the puzzles you will face throughout the game. The game is followed up by its sequel, Golden Sun: the Lost Age, so beware of the cliffhanger ending.

4. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (November 12, 2001) - PS2

The sequel to the wildly popular Metal Gear Solid took three years to make its entrance. Although some of the fans were disappointed that Solid Snake played only a minor part in 2, the game was still an incredible achievement for Hideo Kojima and his team. Despite the incredible action experience you will undoubtedly receive from any of the Metal Gear Solid games, the true power behind the series is it's in-depth, complex plot that will leave you guessing. Gamespot even goes so far as to say, "As such, if you take just one thing away from this review, then it should be this: Do not let anyone reveal the plot of Metal Gear Solid 2 to you, whether intentionally or inadvertently, before you play the game yourself." To this, I completely agree. Fortunately for all of you who missed Metal Gear Solid before, Gamestop recently started up a Metal Gear Solid collection pack that has the first three games in the series packaged up for 30 bucks. An incredible deal if I've ever seen one. Trust me, I wouldn't be saying this if I weren't planning on getting it myself J.

3. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (June 10, 2001) - GBA

*sigh* Yes everyone, I did it. I put Castlevania: Circle of the Moon higher up than Metal Gear Solid 2, Final Fantasy X, and Grand Theft Auto 3. Plenty of people are going to be upset about this one, I'm sure but I'm confident in my decision. If you doubt me, you probably haven't played Circle of the Moon and if you still doubt me, then you probably just don't like Castlevania. Circle of the Moon was the first handheld Castlevania game and, in my opinion, the best one out there. The Sorrow games are definitely good but nothing compares to this incredible game. Honestly, I'd go so far as to say, if you played just one Castlevania game ever, make it this one. You won't be disappointed.

2. Halo: Combat Evolved (November 14, 2001) - Xbox

I want to firmly establish that I am actually NOT a Halo fanboy. I actually don't really like FPS multiplayer games. The reason Halo: Combat Evolved is my choice for number 2 game for 2001 is because it has the most replayability of any first person shooter I have ever played. I can't even tell you how many times I played through the entire campaign and I never once was bored with it. A great storyline that rivals many sci-fi novels supplements great gameplay that goes beyond 'grab the best weapon first', and the ability to play all of the single-player levels in co-op make Halo one of the best FPS's at the time. Also, many people may disagree, but I thought the vehicles were really fun and whenever we got a driving portion, I never wanted to be the gunner J.

Katosepe's Game of the Year Award: 2001

•1. Super Smash Bros. Melee (December 2, 2001) - GC

Despite some of the controversial placings for some of the games in this list, I think most will agree that Super Smash Bros. Melee deserves the number 1 spot. In my opinion, the Super Smash Bros series is the best multiplayer series in history. If you haven't played it before, there's either something wrong with you or you live out in the sticks. Either way, go out and pick up a copy of any of them. If you have any of the last three Nintendo consoles, there's one for you. You'll see why it's one of the best games out today.

Katosepe's Console of the Year Award: 2001 - Playstation 2

This year was when the sixth generation of consoles really got going (not counting the Sega Dreamcast :'( ). 3D has been mastered and games return their focus back to what's really important, the gameplay. However, along with this new focus on innovation, storylines also become significantly more important in video games. The Playstation 2 can really embody all of the innovations of 2001. Metal Gear Solid 2 shows how important a story can be to a game, even if it is an action game. Final Fantasy X shows the true graphical power of the Playstation 2. Finally, Grand Theft Auto 3 breaks genre restrictions and shows how multiple genres can be combined into something new and great. I think that the Playstation 2 really shined through this year and reinvented the gaming experience for 2001.

Honorable Mentions:

•· Devil May Cry (October 16, 2001) - PS2

•· Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages/Seasons (May 13, 2001) - GBC

•· Return to Castle Wolfenstein (November 20, 2001) - PC