Finally, after a rather lengthy wait, DMC 4 is released and I got myself a copy for my PS3.

As always, before I purchase a game, I would like to look at all the trailers, vids, pics and reviews available anywhere. This game is no different. Not because I have doubts but is something I just like to do. I've already concluded that I will definitely enjoy DMC4 so no matter what the review says, it won't change my mind. I just like to read the reviews to catch a sneak peek at the game-play, the level designs etc...

As I was reading through the reviews, all had mention that the PS3 version of DMC4 will have a 20 minutes install time! Although all had pointed out, the wait for the instalment will not ruin your game and experience but it was rather a shock.

Well, after the wait of the 20 minutes instalment time and to be honest, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be since during the entire process of the instalment, there's text and pictures from DMC 1 to 3 to recap you on the history and story of what happened before DMC4. Although the information do repeats itself but is not that bad at all. So, with the instalment finish and the pre-game trailer done, I hit New Game icon and start my Demon hunting adventure.

AS you may or may not know, in DMC4, the main guy is not quite Dante but a new demon slayer called Nero. Nero is a cool character, the first cut-scene shows that in which it depicted how Nero in many ways can match Dante's abilities. But of course, Dante is still one step ahead. And when you done finish watching the duel, your long to play Dante in next-gen format increases but you don't, you play as Nero and you have to pursuit Dante, the legend himself. However, Nero is not disappointing at all. No, far from it.

Nero has one huge exciting ability, is called the Devil Bringer. Consider this as Dante's 'Devil Trigger'. With this new ability, Nero can use his right arm to pretty much do everything. You can grab enemies when the are just out of range from your sword or when you close enough, you can use it to slam the demons on the ground which both mentioned also works in mid-air (very handy). You can even use it to obtain unreachable orbs or items, use it travel from one place to another, solve puzzles and even deliver devastating blows to the bosses. See what I mean when I say this Devil Bringer right hand of Nero can do everything! :P

Of course, as fun and essential as 'Devil Bringer' is, Nero like Dante have a firearm call 'Blue Rose' and a trusty Sword called 'Red Queen. They are just as important as previous DMC games but this time with the Devil Bringer, you can really mix things up and really cause some trouble. Also, one thing worth mentioning is Nero's sword, Red Queen , has another function - It can charge up to increase its power when striking (And the way the sword charges up is very different from any previous weapon charges from any games. Something you have to witness and experience yourself) . There are 3 levels and when you get the time, is best to charge up the Red Rose then streak the demon. However, with each successful strike, one level will be deducted meaning three powerful strikes is all you allow to have but is worth it.

I have yet to play Dante in DMC 4 yet but right now, Nero is very impressive and have the potential to replace Dante in the future. However, I still have mighty faith on Dante's game-play abilities. The Devil trigger which Nero haven't got, the beautiful twin firearms Dante's got and his Anti-hero coolness which Nero still lacks. I expect nothing less from Dante when compared to Nero. :)

Nero's mission (game-play) is just as same as any DMC games and by no means that's a bad thing. No. Far from it. The missions, the hack n'slash is still amazing and will test your abilities and your timing. If you just button mash, it will only get you through to emm... maybe 4 missions before you have to learn the combos, study the enemy, evade, mix things up to get maximum style points and use the orbs you earned for something else than Health boost. There's also the occasional puzzles which isn't too hard but helps to break the action up within the game and the secret missions which will definitely test how well you know your game. All adds to your enjoyment and experience.

The animations is smooth, Nero deliver his blows will grace and precisions. The enemies are the same and when they die, they burst into many orbs is always a great slight even back in the glory days of DMC1. The graphics have been improved but still have the distinctive DMC feel and look. level designs are always grand and stunning.

So, add it all to together, you'll have a great picture at almost every frame during your play-through. :P

However the camera is still a bit on the strange side just like other DMC games. Some times it let you control the angle but most of the time, it will be fixed which can limit your vision. Not a great thing when there's some enemies approaching or that you are trying to do some serious plat-forming.

Still... Whether Capcom kept this horrible camera system because it is DMC tradition or they really like fixed camera angles due to it gives that movie-feeling, I don't know? But this old school approach of camera angle is definitely 'out' and in some situation it just don't work. Capcom, if you are reading this. Sort it out.

The strange camera angle may have you curse a bit but not enough to destroy your full enjoyment.

DMC 4 is definitely an exciting game. You Don't need to be a DMC veteran to enjoy this title. No, so go out and get it now. :P The game has great actions, great cut-scenes, great game-play ability, great boss fight and I am really enjoying it.

However, for the DMC vet, Nero is hogging all the limelight and Dante still a no show at the moment. As impressive as Nero is, at the end, I may fear that Nero had got the job done and replace Dante and inherit the Devil May Cry demon slaying business. With Dante being jobless will there be a spin off called Dante May Cry lol only joking. Well... I still have a long way to go and only time will tell whether Nero is Dante's replacement for real. After all, even Kojima want to kill Solid Snake and start fresh, may be the DMC (Dante) creator wants to start fresh in the next-gen career as well? who knows? :P Well, I am sure you had enough of me...

Until next time. :P

(next blog: DMC4 completed)

Signs... We see it every day. The most common sign we see probably will be 'No Smoking'. That sign is clear and make sense - However, some, I mean many isn't. The list below are genuine signs containing examples of cr*p English which are either badly written or hilariously nonsensical.

1) PLEASE GO SLOWLY ROUND BEND

2) PARKING FOR DRIVE-THRU SERVICE ONLY (Why the hell do I want to park? I am a drive-thu)

3) ANIMALS DRIVE VERY SLOWLY (:P)

4) WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

5) AFTER TES BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD

6) CAUTION AUTOMATIC DOOR PUSH TO OPERATE (LOL)

7) WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE THE SIGN THE RIVER IS UNDER WATER

8 ) AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT

9) WE PROVIDE THE LOWEST PRICES AND WORKMANSHIP

10) THIS DOOR IS NOT TO BE USE AS AN EXIT OR AN ENTRANCE (this sign is post it in where I work LOL)

11) CAUTION: WATER ON ROAD DURING RAIN (DUH)

12) GBH FITNESS CLUB

13) BABY AND GARAGE SALE (O_o)

14) PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID (Now that;s nice)

15) FOOTPATH UNSUITABLE FOR PEDESTRIANS

16) IT IS FORBIDDEN TO DROP HITCHHIKERS ON THE MOTORWAY

17) BOTTOMLESS PIT 65 FEET DEEP (OMG)

18 ) SHEEP, PLEASE KEEP DOGS UNDER CONTROL (can sheep do that?)

Anyway... Until next time. :)

In 2008, there will be many, many great and 'would-be' iconic games coming out. Titles such as MGS4, GTA IV, HAZE, Devil May Cry 4, GT5, Burnout Paradise etc... They all show their promises. They all show they might be able to stood against the test of time. However, the more I think about the latest games coming out on Next-gen consoles, I find myself looking back at some of the truly iconic games of our time. And they are not in any particular order. Oh, feel free to add your own. :P

1. ICO and Shadow of the Colossus -

ICO and Shadow of the Colossus really opens up my horizon in gaming. Almost entirely bereft of plot and cut-scenes, yet somehow they manage to be more emotionally engaging and compelling than any other game you care to mention. This is due mainly to the beautiful, ethereal visuals and thrilling orchestral soundtrack. Then of course, the innovative game-play which is so captivating. Innovative gaming at it best. Truly unforgettable titles.

2. Metal Gear Solid -

With out this game, I wouldn't be into gaming as much as I am today. The godfather of stealth game. A truly adult adventure, the game managed to reproduce Bond-style better than any 007 game to date. The cinematic pushed the PS to its limit and the sneaking stealth play revolutionised the genre and the industry. MGS showed us was it like to be in a Hollywood blockbuster thriller. Shown the best way to be suspenseful is by using atmosphere well. Shown us what original game-play/boss fight means (Mantis fight). Shown us what huge plot twist really means and how it can add to the entire experience. Seriously, without MGS, games would be allot different today.

3. Shenmue -

One of the Dreamcast's finest hours, Shenmue is among only a few games that can best be described as 'art' (other such as Ico, SotC, Okami). Taking on the role of Ryo, players are thrown into a world where you decide your own path and shape your own destiny. The environments are brought to life through beautiful visuals and a sweeping soundtrack. The player is granted a lot freedom; you can play the game at whatever pace you like. Doesn't this remind you of another great title. :P

4. GoldenEye -

A tie-in based on the Bond adventure? Normally this is a recipe for disaster, or at least a recipe for an average game. GoldenEye broke all the rules by being a smash hit with Bond fanatics and also offering unsurpassed game-play for everyone else. The game followed the story of the movie closely and all the locations were faithfully reproduced. the one-player game was brilliant, but it's the multi-player that GoldenEye will be remembered for. There are other iconic FPS, like Doom but this one really does it for me.

5. Final Fantasy VII -

That Final Fantasy VII is one of the only games on this list to come with a spoiler warning speaks volumes about how strong its story was. Right? Wrong. Ask anyone to recall the game's story and only ardent fans will be able to untangle the messy tale of the life stream, Mako reactors and the Jenova project that birthed Sephiroth. Instead - and now is the time to engage your spoiler alarms gentlemen/ladies - it was Aeris' death that has preserved Final Fantasy VII's place in gaming's unspoken hall of fame. Having seen their relationship with Cloud gently blossom and your dependence on Aeris as the healer slowly increase, her sudden death was an unexpected jolt that broke RPG convention. If the various stories we've heard are to be believed, it's one of the few twists that actually made gamers cry.

Yet Aeris' death shouldn't detract from FF VII's main achievement elsewhere - namely, it was the first RPG to successfully bridge the gap from 16-bit to 32-bit and brought the niche genre kicking and screaming into the western mainstream. The production values hadn't been matched by anything else at the time and, along with the brilliant way you could create Materia combinations, its popularity quickly soared. The purists argue that Locke's story in FF VI was more engaging, while Squall and Rinos's protracted love Story in FF VIII. it doesn't matter. Final Fantasy VII provided RPGs with a much-needed jolt in the arm and gave us one of gaming's all time iconic images. Job done.

6. Zelda: Link to the Past -

We're not at all surprised that Link's most memorable adventure (at least in my eyes) appears on this list - at least one friend of mine cites it as the defining game of his childhood, with others nodding their approval. Certainly, the SNES helped take out Hyrulian hero to new heights by taking what had already proved a huge success (the original Zelda formula, as opposed to the side scrolling approach of the sequel) and making it... well, more.

For starter, there's a proper story - complete with side-quest and table-turning twists, and whereas before you were never given any true indication of where to go or what to do, Link To the Past hangs together better in terms of sheer logical progression.

Of course, it's so beautifully vibrant, packed into a world full of character and life, and that fact that it takes advantage of the SNES's abilities makes a big difference too. From zooming around the map in Mode 7 to the incredibly elaborate (for the time) bosses, not to mention the way the game teases areas that you can't reach before rewarding you with new and interesting items that allow you to progress - the game is a delight to behold.

7. Street Fighter II Turbo -

Occasionally when a company has a great deal of success with a videogame, sequels are rushed out almost immediately. But that was not the case when Street Fighter II hit big. Oh no, instead, Capcom began tweaking the game and attempting to improve on perfection. Street Fighter II Turbo is the best of these upgrades, offering yet more characters to go with all the originals. As well as the new additions, the game now plays much faster than it ever did and there's also an all-new colour scheme throughout as well. Underneath all of this, the original intense game-play remains and I completely lost count of how many coins I wasted on this back in the arcade day. Of course, it wasn't wasted money.

8. Super Mario World

As a launch game for the SNES, Nintendo really couldn't have done much better than Super Mario World. And that's not just because it heralded the return of Mario, who had taken on the role of being 'the face of videogames' at the time with great pleasure indeed, I'd be more inclined to point out how the game was easy to get into, challenging enough to test players to their limits and had enough levels, bosses and secrets to keep you playing for a long, long time. Nintendo's genius was already well catalogued... but it took Super Mario World to prove it to a wider audience.

Of course, the actual action of the game isn't exactly original, especially given the previous success of Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES - platform jumping, enemy stomping and Bowser beating are all very much the order of the day, although I hardly going to complain about that.

However, Super Mario World manages to combine some more detailed landscapes and interesting new faces (including the first ever appearance from Nintendo regular Yoshi - which means 'happy' in Japanese) with the capable effects of the SNES to create an even more absorbing game. And naturally, it's a massive mountain to climb too; finishing the game might not take that long (although it's certainly long enough) but finding all 96 'exits' and seeing everything is incredibly hard. Still, the challenge is certainly worth the effort. Just don't mention the word Tubular to me, or I will be liable to run away screaming.

9. Daytona USA

Daytona USA came to two separate Sega consoles - the Saturn and the Dreamcast - and remains one of its most loved racers. The game is noted for the intelligence of fellow drivers who react to not only to your driver but also other computer-controlled foes as they all jostle for the best position. While in order to win the race you'll have to avoid them, one of my best memories of the game is the multiple car pile-ups - I'd like to say that I can smile as I speed past the lumps of metal, but normally I'm in amongst the debris myself. :P Fantastic.

10. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Ah... thought I never going to put Sonic on the list? Well, you're wrong and here it is. Sega's prickly blue mascot returns for his second dose of high-speed plat forming nonsense, this time he's accompanied by a new hero, Miles 'Tails' Prower. Game-play is essentially the same as that of the original Sonic title - the story sees Dr Robotnik, once again trying to take over the world, this time by turning cute little animals into robots. Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails must restore peace by collecting all the chaos emeralds while also storing rings. Bigger than the first game, it also introduces a two-player option, where you can race against each other. One of the Mega Drive's greatest titles, Sonic's legend was firmly cemented here in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

11. Tetris

You can't really talk about iconic games without any mention of this great classic. A simple but devilishly addictive puzzler. Tetris the Game Boy version will be the most widely revered, but it can also be seen as a major contributor to the success of the console. The greatest Russian export since vodka, the rotating block title is remembered for its ace soundtrack and its unbeatable game-play - there are few who couldn't hum the classic theme and even fewer who have not gone to bed with images of bricks falling through their minds. No? Okay just me then. :P

12. Tomb Raider

One of the games that helped shift the original Playstation, Lara Croft's debut adventure ushered in a new era of 'Girl Power' as our heroine travelled the world grabbing ancient treasures. Before the series was diluted with rushed and unimpressive sequels (although the latest one did get back to form), Lara did actually spend her time raiding tombs and the puzzles were ingenious and tricky. In terms of its influence over the genre and a million substandard adventures since, Tomb Raider was arguably the last generation's most iconic title.

What a way to start of my first blog in 2008 with the Rank Snake Eaterrrrrrr. lol. :P

I love the MGS series, now, with such a ranking title, I don't want no other but sadly, I can't stay at level 32 forever.

Well, I will enjoy it while it last. :P

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone. :D

Now in Chinese:

新年快樂!

Merry Christmas everybody. In Chinese now:

聖誕節快樂!

In Japanese now:

メリークリスマス!

:P

I was once level 31 and looking forward to be level 32 with the ranking of 'Snake Eater'... Well, now? I am back at level 2 and so are many other members on my friends list!!

If GS doesn't reload my original Level (31 that is)... looks like I'll have to start all over. Please don't let this happen. :(

I just thought to blog it to mark this day for remembrance. lol. :P

When you read, it is not necessary to look at every letter of a word to know what the word is; you don't even have to see the word in detail, as you know by its shape and length and by its context (the meaning of the rest of the sentence in which it appears) what it is. To speed-read you have to be able to scan the lines you are reading. The brain soon learns which words are the important ones and also learns to take in several words together.

to speed up your reading, run your figure along beneath each line you read. Gradually increase the speed of your figer and you'll find your reading speeds up too. Don't hurry this, though, or you just won't take in what you're reading (like what you're doing now... :P Kidding).

To progress your speed-reading, use a newspaper, as columns are narrower than book pages. Draw a line right down the centre of a colum. Now try to read each line of words without moving your eyes from the beginning to the end of the line but by looking at its centre. You'll find that, with practice, your eyes are taking in a complete line at a time - and if you continue, you'll find that your brain starts doing the same and you can fully understand what you're reading. After a while don't draw the line and you'll soon be able to read a newspaper column just by running your eyes down the centre.

Avoid saying the owrds to yourself, and going back over something you've just read. Doing so will slow you down.

Have fun with it. It should help with reading long post or blog. lol. :P

Stunning animation

Lifelike emotion

High-definition range lighting

Hyper realistic water

A vibrant living environment

The list above is what Uncharted do best and what makes Uncharted so unique. Within the first few minutes, the graphic in Uncharted really had my jaw dropped. By the time I was in the jungle and firefighting the goons, there's nothing I can really complain with Uncharted. It is a solid game. If I have to pick one bad thing about Uncharted well, I guess it would be lack of innovation in game-play but with what it does, it does it well. So, there's no point nit-picking. :P

The pacing of the game is excellent... Great mix of Action, exploration with a hint of puzzles.

Using a variety of environmental elements for cover, shoot enemies off of moving vehicles in high speed chases never gets dull.Using an array of hand-to-hand fighting moves to put your enemy off balance. Anything from haymaker punches to running drop-kicks are fantastic to pull off. Although the hand to hand combat is not too reliable when there's more than two people you'll have to fight. :P

The exploration isn't asking too much and the puzzle that came along with it isn't challenging enough but it has been put to good use which does add to the your enjoyment and satisfaction with the game. When you're in for explorations or puzzle solving, is time when you unlock and witness abit of the storyline. It puts meaning to why your here and why you're fighting those people. And sometime after a hefty firefight, is good to know you can relax and do something else in the game.

I haven't finish the game yet and I expect that I have quite far to go but I am enjoying every step along the way. :D

Update: The last one wasn't too well written and the impression is well, not upto my satisfaction. So, I've made some changes. :P

Yeah, a new blog....:P

Well... After a long wait, finally, Uncharted is officially out in the UK today. Going to pick it up now. :P

Thanks for everyone who had posted in my previous blog.

I will be blogging about my experience with Uncharted as soon as I have a chance to play it.

:D