Mass Effect (PC)Just installed this game. I'm embarassed to admit that I have had it for some time but avoided it because I didn't think it was any good. Well, 20 minutes into the game and I'm glad I was wrong!

Demon's Souls (PS3)Just ordered this for $90. I bought the Chinese version, which is mostly in English. Expensive import game but it looks really good and I don't want to wait 3 months for the North American version. Hopefully it's good. Oh, and it's an Atlus game, so that is encouraging...

Like many guys, I have had a strange life-longinterest in World War 2. Here are some great WW2 games that made an impression on me:

Sniper Elite (PC)Great game. Difficult and bloody, but great.

Silent Storm (PC)Great game. Really fun squad based combat with a huge variety of WW2 weapons. The story is not historical, though (i.e. it's fantasy set in WW2...or at least alternative history).

Call of Duty 2 (PC)My favorite Call of Duty game by miles. I think it's the best WW2 first person shooter done in the arcade ****ever (when played with Lt. Spier's realism mod).

Death to Spies (PC)Fun in small doses. It's a Hitman or Thief or even Metal Gear/Splinter Cell stealth game set in WW2. So far so good.

Silent Hunter III (PC)This game is so good that it is insane such a game could exist. I really like SHIII. Have not had the chance to try many of the mods....or SHIV.

Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe (PC)Old school, but this one is my 2nd favorite WW2 flight sim. (Sorry, Sturmovik).

Aces of the Pacific (PC)Another old school game, but it stands as my favorte WW2 flight sim. Sturmovik is probably better...and I have not tried Aces High 2).

Hearts of Iron II (PC)There are probably 20 WW2 strategy games that I own. My problem is that I have a hard time enjoying WW2 strategy games. HOI2 is the WW2 strategy game that held my interest the longest.

Battleground Europe: World War II Online (PC)Now THIS is a game that every person with an interest in WW2 should try. It is a unique experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (PC)Great, great, great single player First Person Shooter. Not as epic or polished as Call of Duty 2, but it is something that ought to be played.

Well that's about it. I thought the Medal of Honor series were too Steven Spielbergish...felt too cliche and Hollywoodish, if that makes sense.

I couldn't stand Company of Heroes, probably because I'm not a big Real Time Strategy fan. Soldiers: Heroes of World War 2 was fun but too damn difficult.

I would really like to try WWII Battle Tanks: T-34 vs. Tiger (PC)

Panzer Command: Operation Winter Storm (PC) is a greatTurn Based Tactical Strategy WW2 game...tough, but good. Better than Theatre of War (PC)I think. I'm not sure, though.Theatre of War (PC)is Real Time and pretty good.

I would say I enjoyed Panzer Command more than either the Close Combat or Combat Mission series.

Just some random thoughts about WW2 games. Anyone have some others toinclude or any comments? Thanks.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 (PS2)

World of Warcraft (PC)

Ultima Online (PC)

BioShock (PC)

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC)

Guild Wars (PC)

GoldenEye 007 (N64)

The Legend of Zelda (NES)

Phantasy Star II (GEN)

688(I) Hunter/Killer (PC)

Red Baron (PC)

Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon (PC)

Street Fighter II (SNES)

Rock Band 2 (PS3)

Civilization (PC)

I've been playing games for nearly 3 decades...I have rated about 115 games on Gamespot...bought maybe 400 games in my life? Not sure...

These are the "Big 15" games that really made an impression on me from my childhood to the present. I could add some other games...there have been dozens of outstanding games that were important for subjective reasons.

But each of these games have a special place in my heart.

Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra (PS2)

Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2)

Shadow Hearts: Covenant (PS2)

.hack//G.U. vol. 3//Redemption (PS2)

Rogue Galaxy (PS2)

X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (PS2): Oops...should not have bought this one lol

6 used games...with trade in credit I didn't break the bank.

And, for the record, I REALLY ENJOY HAVING A BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE PS3 :)

And it's on YouTube!

DO NOT STOP listening until 1 minute 46 seconds into the song...it kicks a little butt at that point imo.

Starry Sky YEAH! Remix by Moonbug

My parents, God bless them, are too involved in my life.

I work with my dad in a family business, which is a wonderful and excellent and profitable business that I enjoy...

Yet my mom will stop by my house and do nice things like clean...however...I am in my 30s (!)

My dad will be on vacation for a while and then come back and feel like he has to manage me; as if I have not gotten better at my job while he is away.

If I had a wife, then I'm sure my parents would feel less need to "help" me as I officially would then become...not sure what word to describe it...less needing of help?

Of course, if I had a wife and children, then I would be begging formy parent's involvementto help raise my kids.

When I'm single...however...and working in close proximity to them...well...

Mothers worry about their sons. That is a law of the natural universe that I won't be able to change.

Dads like to give sage advice to their sons...another law of the universe that I won't be able to change.

So all in all I am blessed and grateful to have parents that love me. I just need to maintain my independence and identity as a separate entity...

First off, I made a rule that I wouldn't play games during the daytime. I have too much fun stuff going on to sit around in my house playing video games all day. Now, moving on:

Far Cry 2 (PC): My final verdict is that this game kind of sucks and I quit playing it. Video killed the radio star? Well, travel time and boring missions killed Far Cry 2.

Half-Life 2 (PC): My third attempt in as many years to finish this game. Every time I play it, the game is better. Easily among the top 5 most impressive games I have ever seen (across all systems).

Persona 3: FES (PS2): Just when I thought I was done, it pulled me back again. Persona games come down to two things: Establishing/leveling up Social Links, and knowing your enemies weaknesses.

Korsun Pocket (PC): For many years, I have wanted to be a wargamer. It just makes sense since one of my passions is military history (I even collect military firearms...if anyone is interested I will post a blog of my collection).

I'm actually still reading the manual, and from what I can tell, this game comes down to three things: Supply, Supply and Supply. My hope is that I will finally develop the knowledge base to become a grognard, and that Korsun Pocket will lead to me playing my white whale (Moby Dick reference...my greatest wargame ambition): War In The Pacific

Death to Spies (PC): Just got this for $10, and so far I am impressed with it. It's a cross between Hitman andSoldiers: Heroes of World War 2. It takes massive amounts of patience, though. Time will tell if I stick with it.

Other games: Panzer Command--Ithink I could really enjoy this tactical wargame but I'm focusing on Korsun Pocket first. Fable--I really don't like this game. It is relaxing and beautiful...in that sense it remindsme of Guild Wars...butGuild Wars was an excellent game. The cutscenes in Fable feel tedious now and it's just not the right time for me to play it...not sure if there will ever bea right time to play it for me. Counter Strike: Source--This is a game that people have been playing for years. Theproblem is thatI have played it off and on and just don't have the twitch reflexes to be any good at it. Killzone 2--I think this is a good game, but I just can't get to into the multiplayer because it takes a long time to get good at. I'm notenjoying Killzone 2 enough to get good at it.

Here are some facts about me:

1) I don't like broadcasting specific personal information over the internet

2) I like to write blog posts...but...occasionally I delve into personal issues that I regret writing about later (so I delete them)

3) I'm a single guy

4) I'm in my 30's

5) Currently, I live in a landlocked state in the United States

6) I'm a business person

7) I'm a Christian. Personally, that means to me that I believe Jesus is God (part of the Trinity) and that He loves me.

That's all I'm comfortable sharing on a blog. I like being anonymous on Gamespot, simply because sometimes business requires a person to be very public and it gets tiring some days.

Back to games:

I have been playing Far Cry 2 on my computer lately. I would say the developers gave us everything we wanted in a shooter: a sandbox, outstanding graphics, an unfamiliar setting, a varied arsenal and no censoring of violence/realistic language.

By avoiding the fantastic, though, Far Cry 2 feels sort of mundane. No magic (like in an Elder Scrolls sandbox game), no futuristic technology (Crysis, for example) and worst of all, no engaging side quests (Grand Theft Auto 4) or even a really compelling main story (Metal Gear Solid 4).

It's a great game, I think, but the "hook" of Far Cry 2 is...well, it kind of lacks a "hook". I would say the improvised tactics and unexpected moments--due to great physics (!), good AI and the lack of rules--provide the entertainment.

There is a saying I've heard about advertising: the cardinal sin of advertising is not to say something wrong, but rather, to be boring. Far Cry 2 comes close to "boring", but the strengths mentioned above (a chance to improvise and unexpected moments) save it...but just barely.

I tend to think of an "8" as a "great" game. These do not come along too often, at least for me personally.

I am not a professionally reviewer so I appreciate the fact that I can dock points from a game just because I dislike the art style, the setting, genre or if I'm just not in the mood for the game when I write the review.

This afternoon I've stumbled across my first standard, or "definition", of "8":

"8" = a game which I could/did play for 3 hours straight with no boredom setting in.

I'm also aware that this is an easy score to meet based on this definition alone, therefore I need to add a rule for the following instances:

When for reasons of a) drudgery in life, b) medication (don't ask), c) pre-existing hype or d) general novelty (that is, "newness") of a game, I can play a game of sub par quality for 3 hours.

This leads to the second test:

The Three Week Test: I have found that after about 3 weeks of initially playing a new game (I'm stuck on the number 3 today, apparently), I either:

1) Have played it through or nearly have (this would cause me to add points, usually to a "9")

2) I have fond memories of first playing the game and look forward to playing it again (points added).

3) I wonder what I was smoking when I bought the game (point loss).

The conclusion of this blog post is as follows: There are two types of games: Those that make an "8" first impression, and those that do not. Continued playing of the game will determine where it finally falls on the scale.

Again, I note for my own benefit, a 3 week cooling off period is well advised for the vast majority of games before I review them (I have regretted a number of reviews that I have written during a "honeymoon" period of hype/escapism/novelty/medication induced blurriness).