Since it seems Rockstar aren't that concerned (if at all) with releasing the South Central DLC on to Xbox Live any time soon, I left myself contemplating another racing game purchase to kill the prolonged time. I brought myself to two contenders: Need for Speed Underground 2 and Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix. I had a tough time deciding which one I wanted to go with, because I wanted a game with great customization options and a good car list after the lackluster inclusions on Los Angeles (even after the DLC cars). Eventually my decision came to Midnight Club 3: DUB Remix strictly because it had more and better cars. After buying the Xbox version and finding out that the 360 doesn't support the original or Remix releases, I exchanged it for the PS2 version to play on my PS3 (backwards compatibility can never be convenient, can it?). Picking up on my last save, I've drug myself through about 10% more progress, finishing some races up in San Diego and starting some in Atlanta.

Too bad it's not that simple.

Recently I've been playing a lot more games from the last generation due to the lack of good, promising games. After Midnight Club Los Angeles, no game save for maybe Red Dead Redemption and Guitar Hero Metallica (if only to play "Disposable Heroes", "Whiplash" and "Master of Puppets") has thus far sparked my curiosity (hopefully BioShock 2 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 will entice me when we see some MOTION footage). From Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, to DBZ Budokai 2 & 3, Halo 1 (which I've held on to for a while but only recently played on co-op with my friend the other week) and now Midnight Club 3, I've been finding more of my time being spent on games that are about 3-5 years old; I feel like a semi-nostalgia gamer.

Unfortunately, not every game ages so well over time. While I'm fine with the occasional framerate die-out in Halo 1 during frantic firefights, Midnight Club 3 has shown that it's not one to be played years after its release. Allow me to break it down for you based on the past 20 or so races I've been in:

-The framerate can not keep up with half the action on-screen, not exactly helpful in a fast, frantic arcade racer

-It's easy to see the city style*s as derivative of one another (unlike Midnight Club 2, where you could easily and distinctively tell which city was which)

-The rain (which has become a part of half the races I've been in) literally ruins the handling on any vehicle you're driving

-The choppers...ugh...they handle so...so...horribly.

-Traffic (as with EVERY racing game) is awful and feels unnecessary when in a frantic race

-Racer AI is literally some of the worst, if not THE worst I can recall. Yeah, games like Need for Speed Undercover have AI that just lacks any skill or challenge, but the AI in this game is all over the place, crashing and speeding into everything (half the time you) without any second thought; it's like Burnout 3 all over again (and another reminder as to why I still say that it's the weakest in the series)

-Cops, as with the game's sequel, are annoying and unnecessary (but being able to buy cop cars for free is nice)

Yeah, this game hasn't exactly aged well at all. But I'm still going to persist since I just need another tuner-themed racing game to kill time until the South Central update comes (sorry Forza 2, my racing sim mood just isn't on now), if only to access every car and customize them how I see fit (though the customization system is a bit disappointing to me right now since I'm so used to the elaborate vinyl system in MCLA).

Our story today begins with a boy by the name of Johnny. Who is Johnny might you ask? He's just another proud, content gamer who plays it out of the convenience of available fun. Johnny owns an Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 and while he loves both, he primarily plays on his 360 since he's had it longer, has more friends on Xbox Live and is just more well-acquainted with it. About half a year ago, Johnny bought the then-latest game from developer Rockstar: Midnight Club Los Angeles. While Johnny wasn't too enthusiastic when he first played the game, it gradually grew on him, and eventually became one of his most frequently played titles; thanks to the huge amount of races and the customization options for the cars laid before him. In the midst of this racing and customizing bliss, Johnny heard that Rockstar was working on new downloadable content for the game, which would make a new map section available for free and a few new cars added to the garage; he's filled with excitement.

Days, weeks and months pass and in time, the downloadable content is given a release date. Johnny heads to the nearest Gamestop to purchase some Microsoft Points so he can have them ready for when the content is made available. But the day the content is supposed to be made available doesn't go as planned, as Johnny finds no such content put online. Confused, Johnny heads to his computer, and finds out that the content has been delayed a week. While at first upset, Johnny says to himself "well, I can wait another week" and goes on with his life. A week passes and Johnny once again checks Xbox Live for the content and still nothing is put up. Annoyed, he goes back to his computer and finds a statement from Rockstar saying that they "found a bug" and that the content would be delayed "only slightly." Johnny's amazed by Rockstar in this matter, and starts posting all sorts of derogatory and sarcastic remarks on internet forums about this issue.

But all this still wasn't enough to get on Johnny's nerves just yet. Before long, Johnny learns that the downloadable content had actually hit the Playstation 3's online store and found a video of a PS3 owner driving around in one of the new cars on YouTube. Johnny becomes even more infuriated, not just at the content being delayed or how Rockstar was being so vague and uncaring towards their customers, but how he was shelling out hard-earned money to his Xbox Live service AND on Microsoft Points to get the content when PS3 owners only had to pay for the content and they were driving and customizing away before his very eyes. Johnny begins to lose the respect he once had for Rockstar, still viewing them as lazy, procrastinating idiots who couldn't fix an issue that should've been addressed since before January, when the same content was supposedly let loose to download for free for a short time. Hoping to encourage Rockstar to get to work and resolve this unnecessary issue, Johnny proceeds to customizing a car speaking out about the content. The car can be viewed in the following links:

http://socialclub.rockstargames.com/RockstarWebServices/mcla/common/getsakeimage.ashx?pid=0&fileid=103979686

http://socialclub.rockstargames.com/RockstarWebServices/mcla/common/getsakeimage.ashx?pid=0&fileid=103979688

And now Johnny waits. Waiting for the promised content to arrive soon. Wanting something in compensation for the inconvenience, but realizing it will never happen. Waiting to at least get the word of when the content will be made available…if only for it to be delayed once again. And today Johnny will continue to wait, even during his grueling 4-12 shift at work tonight he'll still be waiting. Anxiously, impatiently and angrily.

Culprits: Microsoft/Rockstar Games

Where/When: Midnight Club Los Angeles (Xbox 360) since March 12

Crime: Procrastinating delays of the first DLC for the game.

Reasoning/Argument: Sheer absurdity, paying money for lousy quality/poor consumer service; "don't like any other games out now? You're SoL."

Feeding the Complaint Fire.

Alright, so unlike my Zune 30 back in high school which randomly got a bunch of defects that left me to just trash it, my Zune 80 gradually got defect after defect ("broken" battery icon-would die when it said there was at least 50% life left, sometimes freezing when choosing "play all" or "shuffle all", playing a "wish-wash-like" sound for a song or two from the beginning, etc.), so I wound up trashing that one as well (plus, I didn't have the money to buy a warranty when I purchased it about 8-10 months ago). Now, while I don't exactly have a good outlook on the Zune (especially given it's a Microsoft/Toshiba product), I've organized my files very well in the Zune software whereas on iTunes and WMP they're all over the place, so I guess the first player I'll be looking at is the Zune 120 or one of the smaller, iPod Nano-like versions. But I'd like to perhaps get a different player and experiment with something else. But of course, I'm not open to any player, so here are the requirements/preferences I have:

-At least 16 GB (when I had my Zune 80 I had about 11 GB of music but since I try getting into more bands/artists and buy/download more albums it's more than likely that number will increase within the coming months, so 20 GB or higher would be preferred).

-Preferred price of about $200. $200-$250 would be realistic and tolerable with my income, $300 is the most I'd be willing to shell out (especially since I intend to buy a warranty with whatever I choose).

-Good battery life, especially for audio playback (about 30 hours, but the more hours the better).

-Preferably no touch-screen (I just don't like the idea of navigating via a device's screen, that just screams smudges and device defects/issues to me).

-Confirmed to be reliable hardware at least (between going through 2 PS2's, 4 Xbox 360's, 3 computers and 2 Zunes I really don't feel like buying a product that will even eventually have defects on me; even though that's what warranties are supposed to cover I want to avoid any and all possible).

-Software doesn't, well, blow like iTunes and Zune (I've had my time with both software packages and didn't not like either).

But I'm open to anything really, but what I absolutely need is a fair amount of GB due to my music and video files. Fire the MP3's away.

Unlike my original intentions, I never got around to listening to the entire Dream Theater album Systematic Chaos until today (which happens to be my first album listen of theirs). While I never actually listened to it from start to finish per say, I had tried to over and over and only got up to "Prophets of War" before stopping (just lost interest by then after hearing the songs so many times). But today while driving I finally got around to listening to the last half of the album and all tracks (and things) considered, it's a solid album. I will say that the first and last two tracks (respectively) are the highlights of the album while the middle tracks don't leave much of an impression. It's a tough call, but I'd say "In the Presence of Enemies Part 1" and "The Ministry of Lost Souls" are fighting for my favorite track on the album.

Score: 3.5/5

I also went and bought an album at FYE today and for the first time since Saving Private Ryan (which I STILL have yet to see), I bought it without having had any prior viewing (or in this case, listening-due to the sample machines not working). What album was I so sure of liking that I just bought regardless? Heaven and Hell by Black Sabbath.

Now, the two reasons I bought the CD without any prior listening is because A) I saw Heaven and Hell live in August during the Metal Masters tour and boy did they put on an amazing show (nearly topped Judas Priest for my favorite performance, but Dio was easily the best vocalist of the four acts) and B) the album was relatively cheap for ($9.99, far less than the usualy $13.99-$17.99 of most CDs). That said, I have to mention that I might have made a mistake since this is my first full album listen to Black Sabbath (yup, become a metal fan for a few short years and it isn't until now that I hear an entire Sabbath album, and the one I pick is with Dio on vocals rather than Ozzy). But don't get the wrong idea, I really enjoyed this album and would have to say as far as impressions go, I got a good first album listen of Black Sabbath.

Like Systematic Chaos, it's a tough call for which song I enjoyed the most, but I keep going back and forth between "Children of the Sea" and the title track (maybe after a couple more listens I can come to a verdict on that). The only really weak track on this album in my opinion is "Walk Away", it just sounded too upbeat and different from the rest of the album to make it flow well or sound that great. As it stands though:

Score: 4/5

That'll be it for now.

Took me long enough, eh? But after finally putting in the time to beat the campaign, I'll say that it's a good, if not great game, but it's far from the mostly rave scores it's been getting. My main problem actually isn't with the story (which is simply weak and meager), but more so with the sluggish controls. While it's relatively easy to adapt to the way the game plays, a good number of firefights (namely the large scale ones) feel like they're meant to take advantage of the imprecise gameplay. Case in point, the last level in the game where Radec sends wave after wave of enemies after you (including troops with rocket launchers who you need to kill via ranged combat) is easily one of the worst designed levels I've played in any game (I was literally yelling in frustration so much I'm willing to seriously bet I woke a few neighbors up); it's right up there with the third act in MGS4 for worst level I've played in a game.

Another gripe with the game is that it shows bosses do not belong in first person shooters. Unless you consider Metroid Prime a shooter (I personally consider it a first person action game), the only decent boss battle I've seen in a FPS was the Scarab from Halo 3. Radec, the large flying sentry bots (forgot the exact name, APAC or something like that) and facing two heavies, none of which make for something even remotely close to good or fun.

That said, it was an overall good campaign. Very intense, engaging and tough to put down when it really sinks its hooks into you. I'm glad that I played the first game because I think that if I hadn't, then one of the few decent cutscene/story moments would've probably made me think to myself "pfft, whatever." Here'd be my breakdown based on the campaign:

Gameplay: 83

Graphics: 92

Sound: 97

Value: 78

Entertainment: 85

Pros:

-Intense, engaging gunplay and combat

-Carrying only one primary weapon encourages knowing how to use said gun well

-Excellent score and sound effects

-Very nice visuals; though not the best I've seen (maybe the fourth or fifth)

Cons:

-The dialogue...ugh...

-Story is just poor, unfulfilling negligible (what happened to Lugar and Hakka-or was that answered in Killzone: Liberation? Vague ending, characters are impossible to care for-the Helghan characters have a better personality than your squad, etc.)

-Controls (sensitivity) are hit or miss

-Some poorly designed and realized firefights

Overall: 84

It's funny that I play and enjoy Midnight Club: Los Angeles so much. While I anticipated Need for Speed Undercover to be superior, I've deemed it the worst game I've played (though never quite finished it). Even though Forza Motorsport has a lot more content, I like free roaming arcade games with an over exaggerated sense of speed. But the oddest reasons are that I play the game a lot more than I usually do (nowadays at least) yet the car list (especially the downloadable vehicles) is lacking and when I first played the game I wanted nothing more than to kill everyone in the Rockstar Games studio (okay, maybe not THAT bad).

But this is actually what I'm here for, to rant on how Rockstar seem to have lost their touch with good cars included in-game and now with downloadable content. First off, take a look at the list of vehicles they had on-disc (if you haven't seen it already):

2007 Ducati Monster S4R6
2007 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14
2006 Ducati 999R

1983 Volkwagen Golf GTI
1988 Volkswagen Scirocco
1975 Datsun 280Z
1998 Nissan 240SX
1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
2004 Ford SVT Focus
2006 Pontiac Solstice
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged
2006 Mazda RX8 "Shinka"
1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR
1995 Mazda RX7
2008 Volkswagen R32
2006 Nissan 350Z Roadster
1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec
2008 Audi RS4

2007 Chrysler 300C SRT-8
2008 Mercedes-Benz S600
2008 Mercedes-Benz S699 "Dub Edition"
2007 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG

1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
2008 Audi R8
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster
2006 Ford GT
Ford Shelby Cobra Concept
2006 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
2004 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster
2004 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster "Dub Edition"
2006 Saleen S7

1987 Buick Grand National GNX
1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS SS
1996 Chevrolet Impala SS
1979 Pontiac Firebird
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
2005 Ford Mustang GT Convertible
Chevrolet Camaro Concept
Dodge Challenger Concept
Dodge Charger SRT-8
Chevrolet Camaro Concept "Dub Edition"
Dodge Challenger Concept "Dub Edition"
2007 Chevrolet Camaro Z06
2008 Saleen S302 Extreme

Now, this might look like a pretty decent car list and, while the game and the cars look great the list is still lacking in quantity. Now, they're releasing nine more cars on March 12 with the South Central map expansion and, well, here it is for those who don't know:

2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG "Black"

2008 Range Rover Supercharged

2008 Range Rover Sport Supercharged

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

1963 Buick Riviera

1964 Chevrolet Impala

1965 Chevrolet Malibu

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle

1966 Pontiac GTO

Alright, before I get to the greatest, most obvious flaw with this entire car list (omissions), let's take a look at the on-disc car list. First off, I'll point out the cars I honestly feel we could've done without:

-All *DUB Edition*s of each car-The DUB Editions of the cars take up four slots and honestly, there isn't much point when you can barely customize them and it's not like they're drastically better, if better at all, than their standard counterparts.

-1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI

-1988 Vokswagen Scirocco (I don't think it's a bad starting car, but there are plenty of better options)

-1996 Chevrolet Impala SS (mostly just good for cop car knock-offs)

-2004 Ford Focus SVT

-2006 Pontiac Solstice (it's a decent, sporty car, but not a true performer)

-2007 Ducati Monster S4R6

-2007 Chrysler 300C SRT-8 (we already have the actual SRT-8 and this car doesn't even perform or look that good so...)

-2008 Audi RS4 (the only thing I liked about it was it was an alternative to use for my taxi-themed car)

-2006 Mercedes-Benz S600 (and they actually made a DUB Edition of this car...it's so ugly, even by Mercedes standards)

-1971 Lamborghini Miura SV (while it is old school Lamborghini there are plenty of other old school Lambo's that could've been chosen over it)

I know there will be some disagreements with what I'd take out, but from my pickings, that's 14 cars I honestly wouldn't have missed if excluded. Now, you might be wondering, what would I honestly put in each car's place? Well, I'll give you what I'd rather see (in order from my above list):

-2004 Pontiac GTO

-2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

-2005 Lexus IS300

-2001 Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT (this and the above four taking place of the DUB Edition cars)

-1963 Apollo 3500 GT

-1993 Acura Integra

-1970 El Camino

-2004 Renault Clio 2.0

-1997 Toyota Supra Twin Turbo (honestly, how do you NOT include this in a racing game with customization, especially AFTER downloadable content?)

-Any chopper motorcycle

-2003 Subaru WRX STi

-2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

-2005 Acura RSX

-1997 Dodge Viper GTS

But of course, I think we can all agree there are plenty of other cars that would have been better choices than the ones I feel we could've done without in the game. Yet to add insult to injury, the car list being made downloadable later this week is even more lackluster. First off, for the SUV choice, WHY THE RANGE ROVER? Honestly, if you're going to put an SUV in the game then put something like a Hummer H2 SUT (or better yet, the old school 2-door Hummer a la Gone in 60 Seconds remake-"snake"), Cadillac Escalade EXT or even a Ford Excursion. What's more, they're putting TWO versions of it in the downloadable pack (meaning any of the three to four vehicles I put above could've easily been included and we wouldn't have missed anything). The Mercedes they're adding isn't bad for the brand, but we honestly could've done with something else (since we already have a decent-looking Mercedes on-disc with the SL65 AMG) such as a Diablo, Viper, Ferrari or even a McLaren just to be impossibly hopeful. The muscle car selection is decent, though the Riviera, Malibu and Impala I'm not so keen on.

Alright, I just had to get that off my chest. I seriously hope Rockstar releases another, BETTER selection of downloadable cars soon after this one. I mean, if they said they were only releasing five cars for the upcoming downloadable content and the list was as follows:

-2001 Lamborghini 6.0 VT (or the '94 SE30)

-1997 Toyota Supra Twin Turbo

-1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT-500

-1993 Nissan 300ZX

-1976 Ford Gran Torino

I'd still be more excited than the one they're releasing now. Okay...I'm done.

So here we are, Killzone 2 has finally arrived in stores; with high anticipation everywhere you look in the gaming crowd. While I did a demo impressions blog not too long ago, I figured I'd give a bit of an "updated" (so to speak) impressions based on playing the first two to three levels in the game. Before doing so, however, I would just like to make it clear that while I never got around to playing Killzone: Liberation on the PSP, I did play the first Killzone on the PS2 (quite a bit I might add). Though the game had several faults (most of which were seemingly shameless glitches) it was still a decent, enjoyable shooter in my eyes. While the campaign had its moments, the multiplayer was where things would get really interesting (especially with the nice inclusion of bots) since firefights were the most intense there. However, I'd have to say what really made me enjoy the game were the weapons. There were plenty of firearms available, almost all of which had a secondary fire; and boy did this make things hectic, interesting and fun despite the glaring flaws.

Alright, now that we've gotten that little history lesson out of the way, on to the sequel.

The very first thing I have to mention about Killzone 2 is that the opening/intro cutscene with Visari delivering a speech was a great way to get my attention. As with its PS2 predecessor, it's very easy to get pumped up after the intro. The story, for what I've played thus far, is meeting what I've heard of it (unimpressive, uninteresting though not horrible). Just like the first game, Killzone 2's concept and intro have more depth and interest than the present storyline.

But Killzone 2 isn't here to offering a contemplative plot, it's here to be played and (hopefully) enjoyed. How has the game been holding up in this respect thus far? Fairly well; though not without some hindrances.

Probably the first aspect of the game that has to be mentioned is the visuals. There have been several, unanimous claims that this one of the best-looking games ever made. This is true...to a certain extent. What's more than evident is that this game is a real looker, with plenty of lovely graphical touches (such as the convincing animations, use of lighting effects, and the fade to black effect when near death) helping to sell the experience. However, I still stand by my statement in my demo impressions blog that this isn't the best-looking game I've played (though it's right up there). The award for best visuals in my book still has to go to Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, with amazing detail on every area and on the character models with plenty of colors to truly show its visual prowess even more. That said, the game still looks great, just not ground-breaking as many are insisting.

When talking about the game's sound, this is about as good as it gets...well, almost. The sound effects from guns, explosions and other war effects are very convincing and fit into the game's theme and style perfectly. As with its predecessor, the musical score is fittingly epic, amazing and when played, really leaves quite an impression. Voice acting is also solid and fitting, with the Helghast who've received noticeable alterations to their voices. Rather than sounding like an old, distorted recording of fascists, the Helghast almost have this suffering tone in their voices that's easiest to notice when they're near death. Sadly, what keeps the game from having perfect sound is the tongue-in-cheek and overall mediocre dialogue. The voice acting from your squad is solid and convincing, but the dialogue is what ultimately hinders it.

Though there's always more to a game than just its visuals and sound (for better or for worse). In Killzone 2's case, it's a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, the game's grittier, more realistic approach to gameplay and combat help make the experience constantly intense and really sell its war themed setting. However, this is also what holds the gameplay back. While combat is always intense, the heavier, more realistic feeling of control also makes the game feel rather slow and sluggish. It doesn't take long to adapt to the way the game plays and feels, though it can become tough to feel like you have as much control as you should (especially when being swarmed by waves of enemies in certain parts).

Another way in which the gameplay (or in this case, the gunplay) is a double-edged sword is with the weapons. In the first Killzone, nearly every weapon had a secondary fire to help make things more interesting. However, alternative fire has been completely removed in this game, which is disappointing but also means death by, say a grenade launcher from the ISA rifle or by a missile from the chaingun while online isn't a concern. The other aspect that's easy to find gripes with is how you can only carry one primary weapon and a sidearm (as opposed to being able to carry any three in the first game). While this doesn't always turn out to be a good design choice in the campaign it does ensure that whatever primary weapon you have you need to know how to use properly. What I really like about this design is that cuts down on the chances of online opponents using cheap weapon selections (eg. shotgun/sniper rifle combination, ugh...).

Speaking of the weapons, despite alterations being made and certain armaments (thus far at least) being left out, this game still has a shining point thanks to the weapons. The ISA assault rifle is arguably the most versatile and useful weapon that I've used, though the single-shot rifle is a worthy contender (and the Helghast rifle is actually pretty useful in-spite of the scope being removed). It can also be fun just to look at a gun and watch it reload, which for some reason is something that I always enjoy seeing in such games. Where I'm currently at I just got the flamethrower, which is just a joy to use and acts more realistically than other framethrowers I've seen in games (thanks to its range determined by what arc it's at).

In regards to the controls and how they play out, I have almost no qualms save for the Sixaxis moments feeling rather odd (I'm using the default control setting). There's no out of the ordinary gameplay aspects, though the execution of the controls simplicity is top-notch. Firing any weapon and watching an enemy respond and fall to it is quite satisfying and tossing a held grenade into a group of Helghast is joyous to say the least. Getting rid of timing/event specific controls such as only being able to melee and go over obstacles at certain points is more than welcome. But as with the rest of the game, melee attacks and jumping aren't quick and simple; they consume time and you have to be weary of how and when you use them. Caution is really the name of the game here which, given the game's style, I personally like. Though there are times the game will swarm you with opposition which doesn't exactly flow well with the sluggish controls (eg. facing two heavies, waves of standard Helghast troops and Higs simultaneously).

Finally, there's the enemy AI, which has received a huge overhaul from the game's PS2 predecessor. Enemies will use cover tactics very intelligently and, other than popping their heads out eventually (they'll usually blind-fire, peek out briefly and alternate before actually popping out for a clear shot), are very weary and aware of your presence. There haven't been too many alterations to the enemies, but the Higs are an interesting contrast to the safe, standard soldiers with their charging-at-you tactics (which is at first annoying but it does help liven the experience even more, adding to the intensity and need to be on the top of the situation at-hand).

Everything considered thus far, I'd say Killzone 2 is a solid, though flawed shooter. This game won't be cracking my favorites list anytime soon with the campaign if it's similar to the first two to three levels, but completion and online multiplayer rounds will be what ultimately decide whether I can give this game a full recommendation or not (since I'm quite torn as it stands).

First Impression Score: 83

Between playing Midnight Club: Los Angeles and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 alternatively, driving around in my car (while getting the occasional stare) and seeing some other cars out there that I get jealous over despite driving a more than decent car, it's fairly easy to start thinking about cars I'll never get to drive except in my dreams. So, I decided to compile a list of my ten dream cars and I have to say, this list was surprisingly harder than I thought it would be. But glance forth at the unattainable vehicles which I dream of even test driving:

10. 2002 Lotus Esprit

One of many coveted cars that has since been discontinued (as of 2004), the Lotus Esprit, in-spite of its little brother the Elise being Lotus' symbolic car the Esprit has been what I consider their finest vehicle. The car was fast, sleek and had a very simple design that actually managed to make it look a bit old school and a bit futuristic at the same time (well, that's what I see). The Esprit, one of the many cars that never should've been discontinued, but was.

9. 2001 Toyota AB Flug Supra S900

While the standard Toyota Supras have become fairly coveted vehicles on their own, I've been partial to this bigger, bulkier and meaner form of the Supra. Those who've played Midnight Club 2 to death such as myself would note the Saikou XS as the AB Flug Supra with some adjustments. What I love about this particular Supra is that it takes the tuner ****of the regular Supras and basically "Hulk-itizes" it, making it almost like the "Bully Supra" as I'd call it.

8. 1993 Nissan 300ZX

This car is a bit of a special case for making it on my list at all since at first the car either looks very casual or eye-catching. Similar to the Esprit, the 300ZX has this simple, sleek and somewhat futuristic kind of look to it that makes it almost instantly loveable. Despite the fact that they haven't been the most popular Nissan car produced, I've seen countless models in and out of my town, but the charm of this simple tuner has never worn off, and I even saw one in my school's parking lot and said "I hate whoever has that car."

7. 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR

I have to be honest and frank, I'm really not a fan of Mercedes (Benz) cars or any other luxury car; I just find them to be expensive, bloated wastes of metal that are supposed to be coveted vehicles but they wind up looking like little more than a casual car with a "hey, I've got so and so minor tweaks, therefore I'm worth more than your life" kind of appeal to it. However, if there's one car that Mercedes really took me by surprise with, it was the CLK GTR, which I first saw in my playthroughs of Hot Pursuit 2 when it came out. While the CLK GTR does have some of the cliche design aspects of other Mercedes cars it has this whole other, almost outlandish look to it that's just striking and fitting for the power this creature holds. Sleek and eye-catching, the CLK GTR assures it looks as fast as it is.

6. 1995 McLaren F1 LM

Here's a vehicle that pretty much any car lover would love to have in their garage, McLaren's much-coveted F1 LM. This car is pretty similar to the CLK-GTR in how it looks as fast as it is, but this one has more of a striking "your back will be glued to the seat when driving me" kind of appeal to it. While I have seen plenty of cars in real life this one of the few that I have yet to see drive even near me, and I doubt that day will come any time soon. Rare, fast and appropriately striking, the F1 LM is everything that meets the eye.

5. 1981 DeLorean DMC-12

Oh yeah, what car list is complete without the infamous Back To The Future car? I'm actually surprised how many people don't actually know this car by name, which is ironic since they say the car's name in the movies plenty of times. In production from only '81 to '83, the DeLorean may very well hold the record for car leaving behind the biggest impact in-spite of its short production period and supply. And what's interestingis is that on my way home from Astronomy on Wednesday night while waiting at a stop light I suddenly see a DeLorean drive by me in the opposite lane and my jaw just dropped as I said "HOLY ****".

4. 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

While this might be a fairly common car compared to most of the vehicles on my list that still doesn't detract from how great of a car I consider this to be. Plus, since I have a deep love for American muscle cars more than anything it should go without saying that even a regular car could and would be on my list. The Corvettes have definitely left behind a big legacy and still continue to do so, but none that have surfaced can top the Stringray from the 60's in my books. One stylistic change that I wasn't too fond of with the more recent Corvettes (well, compared to the older models) is how they had a fairly straight, bland design to them (though the new ZO6's aren't half bad), which is odd because one thing that I love about the Stingray is how it's got this curvy body that, combined with its muscle car attributes makes it a looker to compliment the loud monster waiting to be kicking into gear.

3. 1997 Dodge Viper GTS

Another curvy, powerful and loud car that's left behind a legacy and continues to do so is the Dodge Viper. But while the SRT models seem to really be selling the name well I've always preferred the more old-school look and curvature to the GTS models from the 90's. Another thing to love about the Viper is how rather than holding the regular Dodge logo it gets its own with the snake of the same name being used instead of the bull, which is a small but very nice touch. And while the red and white stripe Vipers seem to be the popular color scheme choice I've always been partial to the yellow and black stripe Viper (though the blue and white striped one in my picture is nice too).

2. 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30/2001 Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT

Alright, I'm kind of cheating here with two varying models of a similar brand of car, but I love both models so much that I can't decide which I like more. So my descriptions and thoughts will be pertaining to both models. Now, while the Murcielago might be considered Lamborghini's flagship and tour de force I've always viewed the Diablo as their ultimate creation. I mean, the name of the car is Diablo, how can you get more menacing than that? Not only that, but the Diablo models had the look and the strength/bite to match their name. These machines are HUGE and have so much power that it's impossible to not drop your jaw when even seeing one of these things just cruise. An awesome name, amazing looks and a raging beast lying underneath all help bring the Diablo this high on my dream cars list.

1. 1967 Shelby GT-500

While Eleanor and Gone In 60 Seconds are what I could simply leave you with for my reasoning, I think I do owe you a little as to why of all cars, THIS would be the one I'd take over them all. For one, this car is a beast. This car stays as true to the American muscle name as possible, with a monster lying in the heart of this 40+ year old monster that could even give many modern cars a run for their money. And two, this car is simply beautiful. While the old school American cars seem to lend towards a straight-up, menacing kind of look this one looks ferocious but also irresistably beautiful and elegant at the same time. With plenty of power and looks that match more than well enough, Eleanor is, without a shadow of a doubt, my ultimate dream car.

While I'm not too much of a Lamb of God fan, I decided after listening to a few samples to go and buy their new album Wrath and listen to it in my car (as opposed to listening to it in my headphones like I do for every other album before I play them in my car). My thoughts on this particular release?

Not too shabby. The sound is similar to Ashes of the Wake with some stylistic similarities to As The Palaces Burn simultaneously. This album is definitely best played on a great sound system to help get your blood pumping (which, combined with my car having more kick to it than most cars around where I live was a recipe for pure intensity). While there are some good and nice breaks in certain songs to keep things interesting here and there most of the album winds up sound very similar and thus creates a feeling of repetition. Though if you're in the mood to listen to a straight romp of intense music without pressing repeating a track or tracks, then this album will be a perfect fit for you. All told, Wrath is a solid, worthwhile album that should satisfy fans of the genre(s) and definitely be more than enough for Lamb of God fans.

4/5

I also decided to buy my first Dream Theater album with Wrath, which I decided to go with Systematic Chaos since it has "Constant Motion," which I enjoyed listening to while playing in Rock Band (though playing it is a different story). I'm almost half way through the CD and the first two tracks were simply beautiful, "Constant Motion" is a good listen as well but "The Dark Eternal Night" was a rather odd listen. I'll give you my full thoughts on the rest of the album in a review most likely this weekend.

Finally, this Friday brings two very different things into my life. First off is Killzone 2 finally comes out on Friday, which I'm very excited for after playing the demo a few times. However, I also have a math class from 8:15 to 10:45 the same morning and then a 2-12 shift at work as with every Friday as well as a 4-12 shift on Saturday like always. Talk about bittersweet.