Back in September our Xbox 360 finally kicked the bucket after nearly four years. Since the console was so old, we had to save up the cash for the $100 repair. Now, we knew this was worth the cost with the upcoming games so we jumped on it as soon as we could. The repair took a lot less time than we thought it would at just under two weeks from the time we shipped it. Also, the console we got back was not ours, which is exactly what we wanted to happen since again, ours was so old.

So it's been a couple weeks since we've had it back and I've gotten back in the swing of things with some Mirror's Edge action and Left 4 Dead's new Crash Course campaign. I'm racking up achievements and everything is going well until I get a little bored while my husband's rockin WoW. I go to put in a DVD and the console they sent us isn't designed for use in America! It doesn't play region 1 discs which means I cannot watch any of the hundred in my collection. Not even Death Note, why?!?

Why, why, why would you send me a console designed for use halfway around the world? Are you not thinking? The very nice customer service girl actually had the nerve to ask me if I tried the 4 discs I tested in a DVD player. My response of course, was "um, the 360 IS my dvd player". Anyway long story short I am waiting for a shipping label for repair number 2 and 360 number 3.

Gosh you piss me off Microsoft.

So as you all know our main console, a nearly 4 year old X-box 360, has died after many good times. We have run into a dilemma, the first part being that I am currently unemployed. And the Rhode Island economy is bad enough. It's already been a few months but I am confident something will come along.

Back to the subject at hand. With so many great games coming this holiday season (and 1Q 2010 of course) we don't know what to save up for first. Arkham Asylum is already out, and you can play Joker on the PS3????!!! Plus Wet finally comes out Tuesday. Plan A was to not only pay the $99 to repair the 360, but to also purchase a 360 Elite so we can have one in the bedroom. Plan B is to save up and finally get that PS3 as a joint holiday gift.

Any suggestions?

So just last week, my husband and I are rocking Left 4 Dead Survival mode hardcore when the game freezes up.:o Let me tell you right now, there is nothing like a graphics error for the first time in a four year relationship. Well, four years next month. A rash of tiny black and blue boxes grew across the screen and I nearly soiled myself, no joke. My husband carefully backs out. pause game, main menu, dashboard, restart console. Then we got the E-74 error message and made the call to Microsoft.

The warranty had been extended not only to 3 years from date of purchase, but they had also expanded the free repairs to E-74 and RROD. Unfortunately, my husband had gone out and bought his system the day it went on sale, so our only mistake was being loyal or perhaps, treating our system better than most. :x What made me mad was this: if you are going to acknowledge that this is a problem for which you are at fault (even in your shady, coded way) and you agree to repair scores of them for free, you should repair them all for free. I know mine lasted 11 months longer than the warranty, but that does NOT make the error my fault. I do acknowledge that for it lasting so long, I damn sure did get my money's worth, but there is no proof the error would have occurred had manufacturing went properly. It's the principle of the matter. I pick my battles and for my loyalty, our loyalty, I think we deserve some appreciation. For one, for all.

Sorry I haven't posted in quite a bit here.

Long story short, I lost my job. And in a state like RI where it's hard to get a job in a good economy, things haven't been looking up. However, this has opened the door for gaming a whole lot wider. I finally caved and started playing HALO 3. I like it, but the gameplay feels a bit clunky to me. It doesn't help that I have just come off finishing Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. BTW, I now know what true multiplayer is, because Modern Warfare is the TRUTH. Why don't we own this, seriously? To save money we have just cancelled Gamefly (choking back sobs). It's a good decision. It's a great thing we are out and proud geeks though, because he has like 10 friends he can borrow games from :D.

We also played a lot of Resident Evil 5. Who else thinks it's awesome that they finally changed the inventory system? It isn't perfect, not by a long shot. But they are showing they are listening. Next time around I think we can be confident that they'll get it right. The best part of the game is of course the zombies! The bosses were too easy as a whole but those zombies were sexy. A lot of variety this time around and each zombie is a completely different character. From the way they approach and attack to what they communicate to you before they do. Some of them scream, some of them just lunge silently, and all will try and duck or cover when you aim your weapon. Shoot a zombie in the hand, and next hit him in the shoulder. You will get two very different, very awesome reactions. There are also a lot of bonuses for those of use who get really into each game. The loot/treasure system is one of the most rewarding I have ever experienced. I still haven't found every emblem but trust, I will. I am such an achievement whore.

Until next time.

First off, Left 4 Dead: I currently have 885/1000 GP for the game, with four achievements left to complete. These are actually the only four that seem like it will actually take time and effort on my part. Let me get one thing straight with you guys: left 4 dead is not an easy game, I'm just pretty good at it. I got a group of friends that I play with a lot, including my husband, and we are pretty damned unstoppable. I've got a reckless streak as always but it's nice to have teammates that balance you out. I really want to get these achievements done in time for Left 4 Dead 2. We plan on getting that the day of release.

Sonic Unleashed is a terrible game. Terrible. I won't even waste my breath telling you why. Thank goodness for Gamefly or my husband may have actually spent money on it.

Speaking of gamefly next up is Farcry 2, which I just started today. I've completed the tutorial and a few missions past that point. I personally cannot stand the scenery, it reminds me too much of Honduras, where my mother lives. So unfortunately I will be avoiding running around as much as possible. I love the fact that there are many ways to get around, but the travel time itself is tedious. The game also has hints of repetitiveness but i haven't played enough to slap that label on. the graphics are great on the 40', no complaints there. Farcry 2 seems to have no plot. I know I have to kill Jackal but will I ever get and missions or objectives related to this at all? Ever? I guess I'll wait and see.

It's been a while my friends (or the one person who has actually read my blog :D ). I am proud to announce that I finally found every runner bag in Mirror's Edge, earning myself the Packrat achievement and 80 gp! I have to confess I did use a walkthrough for the final bag in chapter 5 (New Eden) but all the others were all me! On a side note I also got aaaand safe! for 30gp as well. I definitely love going back to old games after a while just to earn achievements. Sometimes a long break helps you get better at a game, you can look at things from a different perspective the second time around. Perhaps I'll go through Soul Calibur next, it's been a while since I've put real work into a fighting game. Then of course there is the always fun Unreal Tournament 3, which I am actually currently playing whenever I get the urge.

Until next time!

It looks like EA's very own Patrick Soderlund has confirmed that a "small team" is currently developing a sequel to Mirror's Edge. I for one am extremely excited at this news. I loved the original despite it's numerous flaws, and recognized immediately that there was potential for an absolutely mind blowing sequel.

The EA Games Europe VP confirmed that DICE was back on board as well, although there is no news regarding a release date. He also did not release any more details regarding the game plot or direction either. To my knowledge it has always been planned out as a trilogy, but it's just really exciting to get confirmation of at least one more title in the series.

I, for one, am extremely excited to see what they do. :D

I will not lie, I have no interest in Sony's motion controller prototype. Maybe I just haven't seen enough, so I will definitely be staying tuned. They were right on, stressing that it was a prototype early on in the presentation. It was also brilliant to show a range of games to exhibit the possibility of more complicated gameplay. I can't quite say there is something for everyone though, it's just too subject to change right now. And what is with the huge color-changing eye? I know it's essential to the gameplay but this isn't bedknobs & broomsticks. Right now I certainly see the spring release date getting pushed back at least once.

Let me start my next point off by saying I don't need 15 damn montages in one presentation. If I am watching the Sony press conference, I want to see games not just made for Sony consoles, but made by Sony as well. I know there are a lot of games but how many will be good? And no, Hannah Montana doesn't count. Sell me with your games, not the latest mass-production made for all systems. Games by other developers are certainly just as important but those aren't the ones that should sell your hardware. P.S., how many guitar hero titles do we need? Nothing changes.

BUT, I have to give it up to Sony because finally I really really want a PS3. The single reason I do not own one now is the price tag. I strongly believe that a console purchase should only be made if you are going to get your money's worth. Whether you buy or rent or trade there should be a slew of games you are going to try, not just a couple. Infamous oh man Infamous. That is a game I am interested in checking out a soon as possible. Nothing could do that as much justice as a go round on the 40' Bravia. Metal Gear Solid 4 looks like the adventure I was meant to play and with a 10.0 on Gamespot can I go wrong on this one? MAG is worth a shot just to experience things on such a grand scale, and shooters are this girl's favorite. Rockstar's latest contribution Agent should be badass. Now I need a release date! I've wanted to try the latest in the Resistance series since it came out late last year.

A few notes now. PSP Go wasn't sold for me, just like the PSP wasn't. Then again I am not really into portables. And PSN being free is awesome, but the cost of Xbox Live Gold is so low I don't even notice it. I have no idea why I didn't know it was free. And I am a poorly paid young professional :D . I don't know a thing about the God of war series, so I'll post on that when I have the research.

Next time: Why Nintendo, Why?

Been a while. What's up?

I'm not a Microsoft fangirl, I swear. Does that term even exist? As my husband says, go where the good games are. Period. And right now the good games are on the 360. That being said, congratulations to Sony for finally convincing my husband to get a PS3. I digress. Despite the disappointing lack of a live Milo demo, Project Natal and it's so-awesome-it's-creepy technology have convinced me this is the (possibly distant) future of gaming.


With the right mindset, no controller means no intimidation, even for mom. It's as simple as that. As evidenced by Abigail's basketball demo, it will open up the world of gaming to everyone. She was able to use her whole body to play the game, but at a level at which she was comfortable. Even triggering the game's power-ups was seamless. Oo another note, Peter Molyneaux is a genius. The facial expressions and mannerisms Milo can convey are astounding. There isn't a second's hesitation in any of the interaction between Milo and Claire, even if it was a pre-taped demonstration. She was even able to hand him a piece of paper! I must admit this blew my mind. I just hope that Microsoft gets it right the first time, instead of having to come back next year to introduce a fix to a problem that shouldn't have existed for "only" $19.99 (ahem).


There's a fantastic article by Peter Pachal you should read on dvice.com. One of my immediate concerns about Natal is how would the software adapt to the disabled. And Peter agrees. This may be controversial but eventually, it will need to be addressed. And more importantly what kind of games are we talking about? Will they pull off making it compatible with all titles? IS this possible with the current technology? MAN I wish I could have gone to E3, So many questions. Microsoft is taking the perfect approach by ensuring it will be compatible with all 360 systems.


Project Natal remains a mystery to me. There is no price or release date, and we do not have any details regarding name of the motion-sensing technology. They did show me just enough to keep me interested. The possibilities of what you can do are clearly endless. If they can use this with some of my favorite shooters, I am sold. Let's face it though: The reality of the situation is, Microsoft could really screw this up. It's anyone's game and early yet.

Most people I know bring a new game home and sit right down to play it (after assembling snacks of course). The general goal is to beat the game right then and there, and most seasoned gamers I know do this on a regular basis. Most do this on a conscious level and others don't realize they wanted it until after they had accomplished it. It's not necessarily about beating it as quickly as possible to make some leader board; it's simply about beating the game. The glory, my beloved achievements, learning the ropes to get to the multi-player. I personally like to take breaks, for a variety of reasons. I like to make sure I don't tire myself out so I can play to the best of my ability. Games are also a lot less frustrating when you can just take a short break to remind yourself it's a game. I love discussing game plots and commenting on the realism in games. I always have a better time making sense of things when I have a second opinion around. We are both appreciative of great graphics in a game as well and how real certain games can feel (Gear of War 2). I certainly feel that I have grown as a gamer due to this method of playing. My husband tells me that I work at any game I really like until I'm awesome at it, and I feel that's true. If you're about to pick up something that you're going to be running through solo, give it a shot. You will not be disappointed.