It is safe to say that one of the highs as well as lows of game sites like Gamespot is the reviews by the site its self. In a way reviews are good, they warn people that the game was disliked for so and so reason because of -insert reasons-, and that can be a real money saver no doubt. But...if you look at it in the sense of "How do I know I will feel the same?", reviews become useless, let me explain.

Lets look at big series like Final Fantasy, and Halo. Now it is pretty safe to say these two series always score high and are very much loved. But they are also very hated, some do only hate them because they think its "cool" to bash a top seller. But some also dislike them for the simple fact that...well...they just didn't like them...even though they get outstanding reviews...and the reason for that is very simple, it's not that the person has poor taste, it's because they don't care for the game...that's it.

If you have someone review a massive RPG like Final Fantasy, and they really like RPGs...there is a good chance it will get at least an 80-90% review, now have that RPG fan rate a shooter such as Halo, and they aren't a shooter fan...it might only get a 50-60%...they just aren't into shooters, and that is fair.

The reason reviews are so hard to trust...is you never know what that person truly enjoys really. Would you trust a review on God Of War, if the person didn't like action games and mainly liked sports games?. Would you trust a review on a sports title if the person was a RPG nut?...I doubt it, they don't have the same standards as you do. It's like saying "X flavor ice cream is better then Z flavor", it's your opinion but who is to say it is for everyone?.

I've seen reviews on titles that got awful scores, and yet I rented or borrowed the game...and enjoyed it, not saying it was a overall good game, but it was for me. Just like games like GTA get outstanding reviews across the board...but not all of us like GTA, a 100% means nothing if you simply don't care for that type of game.

Overall I just think it is important to try and get the feeling of a game yourself, and stop relying 100% on review sites, yes they are very helpful and can keep you away from trash, but if there is doubt in your mind about the review, why not find a way to at least test it out?.

You know it is amazing to sit back and just think about what all is coming out this year in the final months, as well as the first month or two of next year.

Diablo 3. Highly demanded game which will sell at least 8million units in its life span, people will return to PC gaming hardcore because of it (and another game I'm about to list). The Diablo games are just so fun because it is like having a RPG and MMO all in one due to its online game play.

StarCraft 2. This will break records pretty easy I think, expecting this to be the top selling PC game of the year (and next). Epic online play for hours on end, and an amazing story to keep us drawn in.

Modern Warfare 2. This will likely be the best shooter of the year, single playwise (though short, it packs a story), and it will have huge online battles for months...and months to come.

BioShock 2. Everyone I know seems to have loved the first, shooter fan or not. Lets hope for solid gameplay, massive powers, and nice big weapons like in the first one...also lets hope its fun to BE a Big Daddy.

Assassin's Creed 2. The first one was met with mixed reviews, everyone hoped for a more in-depth PoP, and what they got was a often fun, yet often buggy game. Lets take the beautiful world, the awesome kills...don't touch any of that...was perfect...now fix everything else....everything.

Left 4 Dead 2: Expect this bad boy to be eating up a lot of PC and 360 years time, massive co-op fun at it's best. L4D2 could be a sleeper hit this year, the 1st one was highly prasied, sold well...but I get the feeling that this one might be over looked.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. This bad boy is one of the games that Sony can proudly say "You're never going to touch this one on a 360", and they have every right to brag. The first one was epic, and the 2nd one looks even better...enjoy Ps3 owners, this one is for you and ONLY you.

These top sellers are coming out THIS YEAR during winter...but what about those "Late winter, early spring" games?.

Mass Effect 2. Expected early next year...this...this is my most wanted game of all time. I LOVED the 1st, can play it on hours on end, and love every minute of it...please let the 2nd be as good as the 1st.

God Of War 3. Another game that will never show on the 360, and this IS the biggest series that the playstation has ever had that never touched the Xbox/360. The 3rd will finish the series...Will be sad to see it go.

Bad Company 2. The funny/wacky FPS series...the first was for people who like a little humor with their guns, and it was good....the 2nd one should be great as well.

Overall. I just think that this really will be an amazing Q4 and Q1 for gaming...better then the past few ones without a doubt...get your wallets ready because it's going to hurt!

I've noticed over the past 2 gens that the console war has gotten more heated then ever before. It almost always seems to go back to the idea of "X stole the idea from Z", or "Z copied Y's idea!".


Now I've noticed something...how often do the companies, do the mug swinging?...when is the last time you read Sony saying everything Microsoft does they did first?. Did anyone FROM Nintendo call Sony's new magic wand a Wii-Mote rip-off?...nope. Because companies have a pretty clear understanding of "If it does well, expect others to follow".


Lets take a step back. The Sega CD add-on to the Sega Master Drive allowed it to be the first console to ever use a disc insted of a cartridge, this was way back in 1991...long before the Playstation was out and made the disc a hit. Now...does anyone remember Sega crying foul over it?. Sega ALSO released the first analog control for the Sega Saturn, later on the Playstation used that idea as well, and Sega didn't say anything about it.


Sony seen what Sega did, seen that it was a good idea, it didn't work out quite right so Sony fixed it, that is how a business works, people come up with NEW ideas every now and then, but for the most part, it is simply "Take team A's idea and change it around and make it our idea".


To me, it ALWAYS seems the fans of the companies are the ones with problems. I honestly believe that a large number of gamers don't understand what it takes to come up with a brand new idea 100% 1 of a kind. Look at the new Sony wand shown at E3, it is safe to say they got the idea via the Wii-mote, they simply changed around a few things about it so it works for them in their own way. Nintendo made a bold move releasing the Wii, everyone was mocking them and saying it would fail, now it has sold more consoles then the 360 and PS3 put together.


Overall I just believe that the companies could care less about if another company does something that is like what they did, that is how the world works, not just in gaming. If someone cried foul everytime someone came out with something new and said it was too much like another thing already out, we would still be living in a 1950's ish time. We can't keep bashing the companies because they follow a trend, god knows gamers have a habit of that as well. It's humen nature to try and fit in and have your own group, it is the same for console makers, as soon as someone takes a massive lead, the others want in on it, and figure the best way is do what is working for them...but with a twist.