I wouldn't mind having a 'gimped' Left4Dead2 if it were at least as violent as the first Left 4 Dead but the blood splatters are practically non-existant, no corpse piles. I mean I can live without the severed limbs and decapitations but from what I've seen it's actually LESS bloody and violent then the first game. It doesn't look 'MA" violent anymore in my book.

More violent and bloody games have made it through unscathed, I'll throw Ninja Gaiden 2 out there as an example - every confrontation ends with the area being soaked in blood and it's nearly impossible for you to kill a dude without something being cut off.

Honest to god it feels like they just do these bannings at random. As much as it'd suck because if they were I'm sure we'd have a lot more bannings and 'gimped' games but I wish they were at least consistant with their judgements.

Tl;dr? I feel Left 4 Dead 2's censorship is completely unjustifed given some of the other violent content that has made it through unscathed.

I won't be buying Left 4 Dead 2, not out of protest because I'm not naive enough to believe that would actually have any effect - I'm not buying it simply because a zombie game lacking all the blood and decapitations and splatters and gore that Left 4 Dead 2 lacks isn't a zombie game at all in my book - zombie apocalypses are meant to be bloody.

So Gamespots Fable 2 review. I don't have any complaints about the score. It's more or less what I expected. It's a fine score. Not a deterant in anyway.

What's kind of frustrating is the lack of a mention of Co-op.

Yes, I do see down the bottom there a little note stating when they played the patch for online co-op or whatever wasn't available. Fine. I don't CARE about online Co-op.

Incase you didn't realize though there is local Co-op which I wouldn't mind hearing about.

I've heard about it from other sources, so I get the gist but I would not have minded Gamespots weigh in on things but apparently they don't care to acknowledge the local Co-op which is almost as frustrating as when developers ignore local Co-op, which has happened a lot lately.

I can understand sort of not putting splitscreen in a lot of games these days.

Probably doesn't work so well. Thats why I bought the extra 360. Because at that point it seemed a lot of developers were abandoning the idea of splitscreen in favor of online and system link. I can get behind system link.

But then at somepoint some developers seemed to abandon the idea of system link as well. Like say in Mercernaries 2. That could have benifitted from System Link. But it wasn't there. I don't see how they can get away with not having some form of local multiplayer.

I do have the internet obviously. But my connection is seldom in any condition to play without lag or atleast with minimal lag.

And the person I game most with is my little bro. I should not have to be connected to the internet to play with someone thats sitting right next to me. It's rediculous.

One of my 360's red ringed.

Considering it did so just as a barrage of games was gonna hit, I'm extra annoyed.

That is all.

Howdy all. It's been a little while. I've pretty much migrated over to Giant Bomb. It's a tad more relaxed over there. And I'm very, very mellow myself. So I go where the mellow is.

Not to say I don't love spotting games, but I can't be everywhere at once. Though I do try. I watch On The Spot every week, when my crappy internet connection will allow it.

But enough about my web surfing habbits.

It's October! And theres a tonne of games coming out, some of which I've been saving up for for quite a while.

I've got Fallout 3, Fable 2 and Saints Row 2 preordered.

Fallout 3 looks great. Even if it does wind up being "Oblivion with guns" I won't whine too hard. I loved Oblivion! The Fallout series is great though so I hope it's done at least some justice.

Fable 2 looks like Fable. Which is terrific. Hopefully it's longer. The addition of Co-op helps. And local Co-op at that. Games like Mercs 2 and GTAIV sadden me with their lack of local co-op. If Splitscreens as dead a format as it's turning out to be then System Link has to be included. A complete lack of offline Co-op is just lazy.

And Saints Row 2. Last but definetely not least. In fact at the moment I'd say I was looking forward to it the most. Could be just cause it's coming out first though. System Link support helps. Co-op campaign helps. Games got a lot going for it. I loved the first Saints Row and this looks to be improving on it quite a lot in my eyes. Should be great.

There are other games coming out in the not too distant future that I'd also like to throw some money at.

Far Cry 2 looks more appealing everytime I see it. At first I had no interest but with every new preview, screenshot, gameplay footage well it just looks better.

Gears of War 2 comes out in November. Did I ever review the first one? I don't think I did. Might have to do that at some point. But another Gears! Looks like it'll be good. Pondering picking up two copies whenever I do get around to it for system linkage. I don't mind playing splitscreen but as I wound up buying that second Xbox I might as well get my moneys worth out of it.

Same with Left4Dead which looks neat.

Rock Band the first FINALLY comes out in early November.

I'll probably buy it.

I know a lot of Aussies are feeling screwed over when it comes to Rock Band and have pretty much boycotted the game. I know a lot of those will be picking up Guitar Hero 4 when it hits November. I'll only have enough moola for one of the games and Rock Bands my choice.

Guitar Hero 4 has a decent setlist and the instruments are undoubtably improved on Rock Bands. But save for a music editor which I probably wouldn't use GH4 looks much the same as RB anyway. And let me not forget Rock Bands DLC. Harmonix has been good at pushing out DLC and a great deal of it is of interest to me.

Guitar Hero 3 didn't get quite the same level of support.

Doesn't matter.

I'm sure I'll pick up GH4 sans instrument at some point in the future and enjoy both music games for whatever they offer.

Off I go for now.

Will no doubt hear from me next time I remember I have a blog here that's been woefully neglected.

I got a brand, spanking new computer. It's gonna cost me a bit over $2000 - paying around $127 a month over the next three years, but so far I'd say it was worth it. It comes with Vista, which so far I dont mind. Norton Antivirus though? Ehhh..

I'm sure it's doing a good job, but I cant do a damned thing without it going "Hey buddy. You sure you wanna install that? Could have viruses! Why dont you just play it safe and play some Solitaire! Everybody likes Solitaire!" So yes, a little annoying that.

Also have a big ass monitor now. It takes up half my desk. I had to take the friggin' top off of my desk to fit it on here. It's weird, everything being all being and stretched and.. Big. But it's neat. It'll just take getting used too.

I'm pleased with it.

I can run STALKER perfectly now, which with my last computer I couldnt even get running. If System Requirements Lab is accurate I should be a shoe in to run Age of Conan whenever I can find it, I'm looking forward to playing it. Theres a few other things that have come out I'd like to play - Crysis, if only to get a closer look at the graphics - Hellgate London - but aside from Age of Conan the games I'm really looking forward to playing - when they come out - are Spore and The Sims 3.

I've already tasted Spore with the creature editor demo and I'm liking it. I dont plan on purchasing the full creator before Spore comes out, I'd like to leave some suprises in there but until September I'll be playing around with what the demo has anyway. It seems pretty versatile and if you're creative enough that 25% of the creature parts you can play with in the demo should be enough to last until September..

Anyway. Just came here to brag about the computer. I'm happy.

Just watched the finals for the Gears of War Tournament held by Gamespot AU and it was good.

One minor complaint. Commentators. How about showing some form of excitement! It's gaming, not golf. By all means, discuss whatever strategies the competitors are employing, go in depth about map layout and the various weapons. Thats good stuff but do it with some enthusiasm! Hell if I was getting paid to commentate on game tournaments I'd be downright thrilled and I'm sure that'd come through on screen too.

Thats where US has AU beat. They commentate better. It doesn't bother me that I'll never be able to participate in their tournments, they're fun to watch and a good deal of what makes that fun is the commentary and their enthusiasm for the game.

Still, it was a first so I'm not going to be especially judgemental about it. Hopefully they'll iron out some problems when, if ever the next tournament rolls around. Who knows, hopefully by then my internet will be working okay and I might - pending on the game, naturally - be able to join in. That'd be neat.

I know I'm a bit of the mark here but I hope you've had a good Christmas and had found many games under ya tree.

I wish I found games under my tree. I literally only got clothes. Shame after I bought everyone else DVDs and other neat stuff but oh well. Better to give than receive right? Right?...

Been a while, yet again. Lets see... Last time I updated Halo was out, or coming out. Though I was ignoring Halo and Bioshock due to my World of Warcraft addiction, which has completely subsided, though thats not willingly, mind you. I had some account problems, long story short - I lost my damned character. And I'm not particular fond of the prospect of starting over. A shame, as I had actually made a couple of friends on there that I didn't mind playing with, but such is life.

Most recent game purchases would be Naruto: Rise of a Ninja and Guitar Hero 3. You can check my review of Naruto to get my thoughts on it, as for GH3 - it's like GH2 with a different setlist. It's a good game, but the tacked on battlemode completley sucks and that they'd make you play through it 3 times throughout the career mode is intolerable. Decent enough set list and the difficulty must've been pushed up some, as medium feels like hard - at least as far as speed goes. It plays as fast, just without the fifth button - which is fine by me. I wanted more challenge. But my blasted hand refuses to obey me when it comes to pressing the orange fret. So a sped up medium is welcome.

So November. Big releases this month. Assassins Creed and Mass Effect, both of which I have reserved - ordered and am eagerly waiting on. They both look to be good games. Thus far from what I've seen Mass Effects been getting great reviews, 9's and 10's across the board - but then theres not been that many reviews. As for Assassins Creed it seems folks are split right up the middle. You've got folks giving it 7's and 8's - saying it's a good, albeit flawed game. You've got folks like Gamespot here giving it 9's and 10's - praising it on pretty much everything except the camera, which is a point I'll ignore as I don't think theres been a 3rd person game ever that has had a camera I've actually thought was perfect.

All the same, regardless of reviews both games seem right up my alley and I'm sure I'll get my moneys worth and then some out of em.

Hey. Been a while since I've posted here and I'm bored so will give a quick update.

Things have been going decently, I guess. I've got into World of Warcraft, great fun it is too. Also gotten my little brother into the game so I'm not completely surrounded by strangers, though quite shockingly I've joined a guild and have actually managed to make myself socialable enough to enjoy it. For me this is a sort of breakthrough, as I don't like people period but I find myself becoming increasingly more tolerant of this group I play with - perhaps even tolerant enough to say I like them. So while some might shun the fact I've indulged myself constantly in World of Warcraft since purchasing it, well it's got it's positives.

I've also purchased Bioshock, though the timing could not have been worse what with my current WoW addiction, but it's given me something to do on those occasions where WoW is down or my internets been screwy. So yeah. I haven't played it more then a few hours, but I do love what I have played and perhaps my only niggle with the game would be it's ease. Not to say that it isn't challenging at all, because it is. I die frequently. But thanks to those regeneration chambers or whatever they call them in the game, dying isn't really an issue. You don't even have to activate them or anything, you just respawn at the nearest one upon death. Hit a challenging section and worst case sceneraio is you keep dying and just throwing yourself back into the fray until you've whittled their health down to nil.

Halo 3's set to release next week, so I'll be picking it up for sure. Being that it's a big name release I should be in no danger of my local retailer NOT picking it up as they tend to with some games. I played in the beta that came with the Crackdown game and I enjoyed every second of it. It's not reinventing the wheel by any means, but it's still damn fun.

It's been a while since I wrote anything here so figured I oughta do that. Things could be better. Mums been in and out of hospital pretty much since the start of the year, which isn't fun. Still more then a bit miserble over losing my girlfriend, the sucky part knowing that she still loves me and all that, but doesn't care for the long distance thing anymore and doesn't seem to care to help me fix that by bringing her here, despite the fact she said if we could raise the money she'd be here in a heartbeat. Just doesn't care to help.

Which I guess might be a blessing in disguise, as my Ma's upped my rent - gone from paying $100 a fortnight to $200. Which leaves me with $100 to just toy around with as I do. I'm a tad disapointed, but things have been tight money wise and I guess a roof over my head, food in my belly and a nice, fast connection for my computer is more important.

As for my gaming..

I bought Pokemon: Diamond around a week ago and have been playing pretty much every chance I get. It's been fun. Just need to get another DS so I can play with my bro, who bought Pearl recently. We did have another DS but it seems to have disapeared during the move to our new place, which isn't good.

Internet connections been alright. There was a period in which it'd only run at it's proper speed between 12:40am and 11:30am, which was odd and rather annoying as I'd seldom feel like staying up that late but it's been working properly now. Not the most reliable thing in the world.

Also been assigned an, I guess, social worker. Been seeing one on and off for a little while, but they found me a more permanate one. Shes basically meant to get me out of the house for a couple hours a week and get me doing things I'd generally avoid. Like going out of the house for a couple hours a week. Heh. Nah.. But it's been okay.

Mostly involved walking around randomly. Went to an art gallery. Saw some touristy attractions. Had lunch at the pub. Played 8ball. Helped cook dinner for the family. Hasn't been so bad, I guess.

Anyway, gonna head off. Hopefully won't be so long between entries next time, heh.