Christmas has gone by and so has my birthday and I have reaped a great many rewards but first: I must apologize for my vicious abuse of the PS2 version of Resident Evil 4. The game doesn't suck, it is actually quite good and the extras are definitely worth my switch. The initial shock was mostly caused by the fact that the faces of your semi-human assailents didn't have the texture and depth that made them frightening and the water was gorgeous in the Gamecube version whereas here it was scaled down considerably but these nuisances aside, the game is still fabulous. Sorry, Capcom! Now, onto bigger and better things: my birthday got me an extra $100 to save up for an Xbox 360 (when the damn things become available) and from Christmas, I got approximately $200 worth of gift cards. I already had money saved in the bank and so I currently have $540 which will get me all that I want: the premium edition Xbox 360 package, an extra controller, and the Halo Triple Pack. I want Halo more than any other 360 title because I have never had an Xbox so I haven't had time to experience the joy of mowing down people in a Warthog so that comes first. Later, I hope to get Call of Duty 2, Perfect Dark Zero, and a Rechargeable Battery Pack. Also, for my video game haul for Christmas, I just tricked out my Gamecube with some classic titles like The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Hopefully before Christmas break ends, I can find an Xbox 360 and waste my life basking in its lime-green glory... hopefully.

I love Resident Evil 4 and when I was at my local Gamestop store I saw a Premium Edition Resident Evil 4 for Playstation 2. I looked on the back and thought the Prologue from BradyGames was a nice touch along with the laser cell photo and all the other junk but what really got my attention was the new weapons and Ada side missions. So, I traded in my Gamecube copy of Resident Evil 4, completely oblivious to the consequences. I had overestimated the Playstation 2's power and it was a fatal mistake... Now, lots of people are going to be pissed at me for arguing about the graphics of RE4 but I have to protest: the graphics are truly lower quality and definitely noticeable. Anyone who has played RE4 on the Gamecube will be so utterly stunned by the graphical downgrade that they will likely forfeit the PS2 version's extras for the superior graphics in the Gamecube version. The enemies aren't even scary anymore because there is a severe loss of shading or something on their faces that takes away the scary detail that had me running for cover in the Gamecube version. I scored Gamecube's RE4 at a remarkable 10.0 but the PS2's graphics are so terrible in comparison that its score is roughly an 8.5. I don't know if I will ever make it through the normal game to get to those coveted extras that I bought this version for. DON'T DISAPPOINT YOURSELF! IF YOU HAVE EVEN SEEN A SCREENSHOT FOR THE GAMECUBE VERSION, YOU WILL NEVER WANT TO TOUCH A PS2 CONTROLLER THAT IS HOOKED UP TO THIS GAME. I can't help it but I really have given up on Capcom for PS2. Hopefully, their works on PS3 will be better than the rehashed, downgraded RE4 junk for PS2. I want my money back... Damn, Capcom! Why couldn't you just release a Premium Edition for Gamecube so we faithful followers don't have to suffer through the mediocre PS2 adaptation? WHY?!? I remain angry and thoroughly disappointed.

I recently bought 3 new games, all for the grand total of $50 and all of them were brand new. I bought the Pure Evil 2-Pack ($30) and Super Mario Sunshine ($20). Super Mario Sunshine, being a Greatest Hits title and a Mario game, is fantastic and one of the most challenging platforming games I've ever played. The FLUDD pack is a nice addition to gameplay and makes a fun toy if you ever get bored of doing the episodes; the four different nozzles add some variety to the water using and two nozzles, in particular, I found myself being forced to use over and over again (not in a bad way): the hover nozzle is great for any occasion (floating over danger, spanning large gaps, attacking enemies from above, etc.) and the nozzle I use the most whereas the basic spray nozzle is required to beat just about every enemy or boss. One thing that I have got to compliment this game tremendously for is its water effects. The offshore water ripples and flows and has a certain shiny realism to it that actually got me staring at the water for about an hour. I could say that besides Myst on PC and a select few other titles, this is the best video game water I have ever seen. The controls are also something that is to be commended about this game. The only downfall I could find is that there is recycling of some of the minibosses that you fight in the levels (for example, in Ricco Harbor, if you ever fight a boss in this level, it is the tentacled Giant Blooper and the only changes are where you must go to fight it).

The Pure Evil 2-Pack is a collection of Resident Evil 0 and Resident Evil (the remakes/updates) for Gamecube. I bought this pack because RE4 knocked my socks off and I figured that the rest of the series had to be this good... I was wrong. Now, I'm not saying these games are bad but they are most definitely not on par with RE4 and here is why:

Title: Resident Evil 0 and Resident Evil

Good: the graphics are astounding, the music creates a creepy ambience to each room, the story is quite good and the dialogue is NOT terrible, the enemies are not rehashed (every zombie is somewhat different), the survival horror really sinks in which is something that I personally thought RE4 lacked, and the scares come at a good pace

Bad: the inventory works but, like in RE4, should be upgradeable (find a bigger backpack on train or something), RE0: the ability to drop items is a blessing and a curse (again RE4 should be taken into account with its much better inventory and key item management) because hiking back to find dropped items can be a little annoying

Ugly: the worst thing in both games is the mother trucking ink ribbons which are so aggravating: Capcom, the survival horror is already there, please don't punish us more!!! luckily, they wised up for RE4 and didn't have ink ribbons in it or I can guarantee that that game would have sucked and lost tons of sales (you can rejoice that they didn't kill the best game in the series... I guess), the controls, nuff said, I was really praying for just one scene in which I didn't have to think because the puzzles become relentless (sure they're inventive and challenging... very challenging, but I really was looking forward to a part where I would have to outsmart enemies or just mindlessly blast my way to freedom but it never came), RE: the itemboxes are a bit of a pain, having to hike to a save room to get that necessary item you need which gives RE0 a slight edge, and the most annoying element is in play here: Crimson Heads, a great idea that scares alot but they are a bit too strong (and is it ever explained why this only happens in RE or, for that matter, why it happens at all)

Title: Resident Evil 4

Good: pretty much everything, a damn near perfect game

Bad: some dialogue and acting is a bit cheesy, minor graphical glitches like when I climbed a ladder holding a rocket laucher and I stood up the back of the rocket launcher stuck out of my shoulder or how enemy weapons show through some wooden doors

Ugly: ARE YOU F**KING KIDDING ME?!? Go jump off a cliff this game can't possibly have an "ugly."

So, these games all have there problems but I definitely had and am still having fun with all three of them. If I had to recommend one, obviously I would tell you to get off your ass and make sure you have a copy of the Game of the Year, Resident Evil 4!

I've got my sweet copy of Resident Evil 4 and it is one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Now, let's be truthful here: there is no way that any child should ever see this game, let alone hold it in their hands. THIS IS A MATURE-RATED GAME and it absolutely deserves that rating. There is the occasional mild swearing but that is by far the least of parents worries.

Take this scenario (this actually happened while I played): You are in a rundown village with psychotic farmers and villagers pinning you down in an abandoned home. Creepy music starts up and you can hear the steady whirring of a chainsaw. You run over and push a cabinet in front of the windows and doors. The barricades immediately begin to shake and rattle and you hear glass smash and wood splinter. You pivot your character and see two men (one with a pitchfork, the other with a scythe) stumbling toward you and a woman (with a huge butcher knife) leaping through the shattered window. The first man reaches you when you are unprepared and slices you in the shoulder with his sharpened weapon. Blood spirts and sprays but now you are ready and shoot him in the leg with your pistol. You spin a harsh kick to his kneeling body and he's dead. But the other two are upon you, so you whip out combat knife and proceed to slash at their faces until they stumble. Then, you kick them to the floor and cut their downed bodies until they shudder and die. Now, you must retreat backwards up the stairs as you are being overwhelmed from all directions. At the top is a case with a shotgun in it, you break the glass and wheel around to face the onslaught. A man approaches fast and you precisely aim at his face with the 12-gauge. When you fire, his head disappears in a gory cloud of spraying blood and bone fragments and the neck continues to spirt blood for a while even with his body fallen on the floor. You pivot and look for an escape route and see a window. Too bad that it is broken with a ladder leading people in behind you... too bad you need to refill your shotgun... too bad that a chainsaw freak is inches from you... He slams the chainsaw into the side of your neck and players are left helpless to watch as Leon screams in pain... that is right before his head is lopped off and a pool of blood blots out the screen saying 'You Are Dead'.

Definitely not for children. But this showcases all the fun and fright you can have playing this game. The story is logical, the enemies are creepy (even if they aren't zombies), the music is eerie, the graphics are gorgeous, the gameplay is intuitive, but most importantly it controls like a dream. The over-the-shoulder aiming is spot-on and aiming is easy. The inventory may break up the action a little bit but no one's complaining. So enjoy this horrifically amazing game which is basically this: an NC-17 Splinter Cell; sans stealth and plus extreme blood and gore, faster pace, actual killing, creepy monsters, and... well actually the only thing about it like Splinter Cell is the controls... Umm... Bye?

I finally got MGS3... it is absolutely amazing! The new gameplay mechanics are perfectly implimented and it mixes indoor and outdoor stealth that never fails to entertain. The inclusion of many insider nudges is ingenius: the Zone of the Enders doll sitting on the desk inside the Scientist-filled Lab, a picture of the Metal Gear Model from MGS2, Revolver Ocelot gets his revolvers from Snake's advice and you do a Wild-West styled showoff across a canyon with him. Sceptics won't change their minds on the Metal Gear Solid Series because of this installment but fans of the series will only long for MGS4 more strongly (that's a compliment for the game, not an insult). If you need help at all, e-mail me with your questions and I should be able to answer them. I am at the point were I am in a jail in a facility where you must pose as an innocent scientist, so don't give me any FAQs for a part ahead of that. Other than that, I can also provide general strategies (curing, guns, guards, etc.).

I have done reasonably well with my Profile on EA's awesome game, Burnout 3. I have won a lot of the cars I just have a few Supers left to collect and get the Special Series so if you need advice or help, I'm your man. But the Burning Lap events have really gotten my temper burning: the things are way too effing hard to do. Although after a few hard hours of controller-throwing fury most will finally beat these monsters, the feeling of extreme accomplishment isn't there after so much trial and error. Another thing: in any of the timed events, since we are forced to watch the cinematically breathtaking crashes, could you have it in your heart to STOP the clock while we are watching these? Oh well... Don't take this the wrong way, though because if you do you will be missing out on an incredible experience. Since my birthday is on the 30th of this month (November), I decided to have a video game on my list of birthday gifts (Duh!) and what better timing but one of my most beloved games gets a sequel that is released within a week of my birthday. But, fearing that the popularity of the game would cause me to forfeit a copy, I did the right thing and rushed down to my local EB Games (sorry Gamestop but it was for the convenience of my parents) and pre-ordered it for a measly 5 bucks. You're probably fed up with the suspense I've been creating so I'll just come out and say it: I want, need, love, and must have Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. I'll surely be writing in another entry the day I get MGS3 or maybe even sooner if you guys are lucky.

I'm making progress in the right direction! Already at Level 2, I shall continue to populate the forums and other parts of the website so I can become just as good as all the others out there. This has been short and sweet but oh, so juicy.

Since this is my first day and I'm not a man of investment, I stick with the free version so really I am just looking around the site and trying to level up as quickly as possible in order to achieve an equivalent status to all the other people with the dough to be on Gamespot Complete. I have filled out all of my personals (besides this journal) and am going to procede to get to level 6 so that I can review games and have my opinion counted among yours. If you are reading this and thinking that I'm a beginner don't worry: although I wasn't around long enough to enjoy an NES or for that matter, a Dreamcast, I have still experienced up from the original Playstation. Currently, I am in possession of games into the double-digits and love playing them. The only thing now is to find some friends... (help)