I picked up Contact for the Nintendo DS yesterday and I'm enjoying it so far. It reminds me of Earthbound a bit. But I'm not writing this to talk about the game. I'm writing to talk about the back of the game box. It has, quite possibly, the best text for a box I've ever seen. Here it is:
Things you WON'T find in Contact: A dull moment. Normalcy. A guy with spikey hair and/or amnesia. Dramatic monologues. The same battles you've been fighting since the 16-bit era.
Things you WILL find in Contact: Monkeys. Cosmic terrorists. Powerful attack stickers. Fishing. Cooking. Humor. Fun with Nintendo Wi-Fi. Deeper meaning in life.* Costumes that increase your power and make you more fun to be around.
* Results may vary
Now, with a box like that, who wouldn't want to make Contact?
DrFish62 Blog
Turns Out, I'm a Noob
by DrFish62 on Comments
In my never-ending quest to procrastinate studying for an upcoming genetics exam, I finally decided to try out Oblivion on my 360. When I first bought the system, Oblivion came highly recommended and was one of the first games I bought. After a few races in Burnout Revenge and PGR3, I popped in Oblivion. I was thouroghly entertained during the training dungeon, although I wasn't quite sure what was going on. I'm a huge fan of Japanese RPGs, but Oblivion is the first Western RPG I've tried. I finished the dungeon, entered the Imperial City, saved my game, and went to bed for the night. The next day, when I tried turning on my 360, I was greeted with the red ring of death. I promptly exchanged my system at Best Buy. (I'd much rather pay them for their extended warranty than deal with mailing a console back to Microsoft.)
Since then, I've been reluctant to even put the game back into my 360, because I have an inkling that Oblivion is what killed my original console. Today, my desire to procrastinate overcame my reservations. I can always switch out a broken system at Best Buy again.
As it turns out, I suck. I have no idea what I'm doing in that game. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I originally played it, but it took me 20 minutes just to find my way back out of the city. I have no idea how to navigate the pause menus, and I was killed during my second encounter. I'd really love to get lost in this game for hours on end. It's too bad that I'm so horrible at it. I'll give it another go soon, but, for now, it's back to genetics...
Since then, I've been reluctant to even put the game back into my 360, because I have an inkling that Oblivion is what killed my original console. Today, my desire to procrastinate overcame my reservations. I can always switch out a broken system at Best Buy again.
As it turns out, I suck. I have no idea what I'm doing in that game. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I originally played it, but it took me 20 minutes just to find my way back out of the city. I have no idea how to navigate the pause menus, and I was killed during my second encounter. I'd really love to get lost in this game for hours on end. It's too bad that I'm so horrible at it. I'll give it another go soon, but, for now, it's back to genetics...
MK: Armageddon - Personal Impressions
by DrFish62 on Comments
Warning: These initial impressions contain very minor spoilers. However, nothing you read here will surprise you after your first 15 minutes with the game, and no plot details are given.
I really wanted to like this game. Not even 12 hours ago, I wrote a cautiously optimistic blog entry about Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, hoping that Greg Kasavin's impressions wouldn't reflect my own. Unfortunately, after an 8 hour MK marathon this afternoon, I am entirely underwhelmed by Midway's latest effort.
Most of my time this afternoon was spent in Konquest mode. Unlike most Mortal Kombat fans, I whole-heartedly enjoyed Shujinko's story exposition in Deception. It touched on every character's history, encouraged nonlinear exploration, and provided some much needed training for what had become an overly complex fighting system. I've heard many people say that Armageddon improves upon the previous formula by bringing the gameplay more in tune with Shaolin Monks and, if that were the case, I'd be all for it. Unfortunately, Armageddon's Konquest mode plays nothing like Shaolin Monks. It's far too linear and repetitive, the story pales in comparison to Deception's, and your character controls horribly.
I also seem to be in the minority in that I enjoyed Deception's Krypt system. It was a bit convoluted, but having multiple koin colors and not knowing what each coffin contained made it that much more enjoyable when I found something I liked. Not only is there fewer in-game kontent to unlock in Armageddon, but you know exactly what you're unlocking when you choose an item. That, coupled with the fact that you can earn koins during nearly every aspect of the game from Motor Kombat and Konquest to vs. CPU victories or successful dial-a-combos results in almost no motivation to play through Konquest mode (aside from unlocking the 4 characters that are only available through completing the quest).
Characters, moves, sounds, and backgrounds have all been recycled from previous games, which, in this case, was understandably expected. The Kreate-a-Fatality system, however, amounts to little more than manic button pressing, as nearly any combination of pushes results in some kind of fatality chain. Since they've already recycled so much content from the previous two games, I almost would've rather had Midway recycle the fatalities as well. Coupled with, rather than in place of, the Kreate-a-Fatality system, classic finishers would have added a lot of personality.
Part of what I enjoyed most about previous Mortal Kombat games was beating them with each character to see their storyline's hypothetical conclusion. Most titles in the series told these stories with unspoken text overlayed on interesting storyboards. Armageddon ditches the storyboards in favor of an animatic of your character sparring, much like Scorpion's early teaser trailer for Deadly Alliance. Text is sparse and, as a result, so is the game's entire plot. That, coupled with the fact that even Blaze's death sequence has been lifted directly from Onaga's in Deception, makes completing the game very unsatisfying.
Motor Kombat and Kreate-a-Fighter are nice add-ons for when friends come over. To be honest, though, I still prefer Puzzle Kombat. Since I bought the Premium Edition, UMK3 came bundled on the disk, and a second DVD was included with a History of Fatalities featurette. The video was interesting, but it defnitely felt tacked on. Ultimate MK3 is also a nice touch, but I have a feeling I'll end up liking the Xbox Live Arcade version better.
It's been ages since I've been passionate enough about a game to write a review. I'm always unsure if I have enough to say or if I know enough about the game's history to give an educated point of view. Hopefully, once I've had more time to explore the game, I'll be able to provide an objective critique. The way things are looking now, though, it'll be touch to hide my disappointment.
I really wanted to like this game. Not even 12 hours ago, I wrote a cautiously optimistic blog entry about Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, hoping that Greg Kasavin's impressions wouldn't reflect my own. Unfortunately, after an 8 hour MK marathon this afternoon, I am entirely underwhelmed by Midway's latest effort.
Most of my time this afternoon was spent in Konquest mode. Unlike most Mortal Kombat fans, I whole-heartedly enjoyed Shujinko's story exposition in Deception. It touched on every character's history, encouraged nonlinear exploration, and provided some much needed training for what had become an overly complex fighting system. I've heard many people say that Armageddon improves upon the previous formula by bringing the gameplay more in tune with Shaolin Monks and, if that were the case, I'd be all for it. Unfortunately, Armageddon's Konquest mode plays nothing like Shaolin Monks. It's far too linear and repetitive, the story pales in comparison to Deception's, and your character controls horribly.
I also seem to be in the minority in that I enjoyed Deception's Krypt system. It was a bit convoluted, but having multiple koin colors and not knowing what each coffin contained made it that much more enjoyable when I found something I liked. Not only is there fewer in-game kontent to unlock in Armageddon, but you know exactly what you're unlocking when you choose an item. That, coupled with the fact that you can earn koins during nearly every aspect of the game from Motor Kombat and Konquest to vs. CPU victories or successful dial-a-combos results in almost no motivation to play through Konquest mode (aside from unlocking the 4 characters that are only available through completing the quest).
Characters, moves, sounds, and backgrounds have all been recycled from previous games, which, in this case, was understandably expected. The Kreate-a-Fatality system, however, amounts to little more than manic button pressing, as nearly any combination of pushes results in some kind of fatality chain. Since they've already recycled so much content from the previous two games, I almost would've rather had Midway recycle the fatalities as well. Coupled with, rather than in place of, the Kreate-a-Fatality system, classic finishers would have added a lot of personality.
Part of what I enjoyed most about previous Mortal Kombat games was beating them with each character to see their storyline's hypothetical conclusion. Most titles in the series told these stories with unspoken text overlayed on interesting storyboards. Armageddon ditches the storyboards in favor of an animatic of your character sparring, much like Scorpion's early teaser trailer for Deadly Alliance. Text is sparse and, as a result, so is the game's entire plot. That, coupled with the fact that even Blaze's death sequence has been lifted directly from Onaga's in Deception, makes completing the game very unsatisfying.
Motor Kombat and Kreate-a-Fighter are nice add-ons for when friends come over. To be honest, though, I still prefer Puzzle Kombat. Since I bought the Premium Edition, UMK3 came bundled on the disk, and a second DVD was included with a History of Fatalities featurette. The video was interesting, but it defnitely felt tacked on. Ultimate MK3 is also a nice touch, but I have a feeling I'll end up liking the Xbox Live Arcade version better.
It's been ages since I've been passionate enough about a game to write a review. I'm always unsure if I have enough to say or if I know enough about the game's history to give an educated point of view. Hopefully, once I've had more time to explore the game, I'll be able to provide an objective critique. The way things are looking now, though, it'll be touch to hide my disappointment.
Mortal Monday
by DrFish62 on Comments
Little more than a decade ago, when arcades were still many game players' primary exposure to new titles, two series rose to supremacy in the fighting genre. Both Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter were equally responsible for my parents' quarter shortages, but, for me, Mortal Kombat was the clear victor. I was in my early teens, and the gratuitous blood, violence, and (what was then considered) realism appealed to me in ways that ludicrous legislation and sensational journalism appeal to Jack Thompson. Needless to say, Mortal Monday was a day I would not soon forget.Throughout its lifespan, the Mortal Kombat brand has had its ups (Mortal Kombat II, UMK3, Deadly Alliance) and downs (Special Forces, Mythologies, MK3). For every innovation Ed Boon and Co. introduced into the genre, like multiple fighting styles or fatalities, there seemed to be equal numbers of rehashes or titles that focused too greatly on quantity over quality. Unfortunately, it looks as though Armageddon will be grouped with the latter. The prospect of playing as any character from the franchise's history excites me today as much as it did with the announcement of Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Unfortunately, like Trilogy, Armageddon seems to be little more than a stop-gap measure to satiate fans of the series until a next generation title can be developed.
Perhaps my biggest disappointment, as Greg Kasavin astutely described in his recent review, is the game's new Kreate-a-Fatality feature. When I was first introduced to MK, it was the awesome character-exclusive fatalities that drew me in. I found myself performing each finisher on every character in the game, just to see how the animations looked on different opponents. The Kreate-a-Fatailty feature had the potential to engross me once again, but the glaring omission of character-exclusive finishers finished off my excitement (incredibly awful pun intended). What's left is a generic dial-a-fatality system in which every character has the same repertoire of moves that we've already seen in Deadly Alliance and Deception. Of course, I'll reserve judgment until I play the game (extensively) over the course of the week. The Kreate-a-Character system is promising, as is the improved Konquest mode.
It seems that Mortal Kombat has always been a love-it or hate-it franchise. Both its praise and criticism are equally justified. There's just something about the series that has always kept me coming back, moreso than any other title in the 2D or 3D fighting genres. I loathe the term fanboy. It's juvenile, unnecessary, and a sign that this industry and its fans need to mature beyond playground politics. But if there's one game, console, developer, or publisher to which I have been a loyal fan despite mounting criticism, it's Midway's Mortal Kombat.
Microsoft, the Internet, and You
by DrFish62 on Comments
When the Xbox 360 first launched, consumers were cautiously optimistic about its Xbox Live service. The original Xbox proved that Microsoft could offer an entertaining and reliable way to play video games online over a broadband connection. With its next generation system, Bill Gates and Co. promised a method of bringing additional game content, free demos, and other customizable tidbits to your console, all through the magical and mysterious world of the interweb.
And, for the most part, Microsoft delivered. Xbox Live Arcade is thriving, adding both new and classic titles to the market on a (somewhat) weekly basis. Reasonably priced content expansions are extending the life of some older retail releases. The plethora of free, downloadable game demos provide both an entertaining diversion for consumers and a sales boost for retailers. And there are plenty of people willing to shell out a buck or two for new pictures or themes to customize their console experience.
But this online marketplace is still in its experimental stages, and we're all participating in a public beta test of sorts. Those who were hesitant to "Jump In" and start spending a minimum of $25 on Microsoft Points are finding themselves justified in waiting. How many of us were horrified at the nickel-and-diming ploy of Oblivion's horse armor? And how many people were actually fooled by the bullet points on the back covers of games like Ridge Racer or Burnout Revenge that claimed additional downloads were available on Marketplace, only to later find that these "downloads" were simply tiny files that unlocked cars that were already in the game?
Microsoft also promised plenty of downloadable updates (because heaven forbid we call them patches) for previously released 360 titles. While games like Oblivion or Kameo have seen their fair share of improvements, there are many gamers using standard definition television sets who will never be able to read the text in Dead Rising, as Capcom has publicly stated that they have no plans for a patch.
One of the reasons consumers were skeptical during the launch of the 360 was because they feared that home consoles were becoming too much like personal computers. Many thought that the ability of developers to patch games post-release would lead to rushed or unfinished products entering the market. Take, for example, the crippling glitch in Dead or Alive 4 that erased all of the saved game files from your hard drive. Or, more recently, the broken multiplayer aspect of Saints Row that has players randomly disappearing and then reappearing in a different location. Would these mistakes have happened if developers didn't have the online crutch to lean on?
For all of the progress that Microsoft has made in the realm of online gaming, there have been just as many missteps along the way. While Sony and Nintendo have yet to prove their online mettle, at least they have Microsoft's foray to learn from. That being said, will people really pay for the recently announced Gran Turismo HD menu disk? Upwards of $600 for the full retail version of a game is a bit ludicrous. And, since Nintendo's Virtual Console is such a big selling point, are people willing to pay $20 for the classic controller and then an additional $5-$10 on games they probably already own on three other Nintendo platforms? One thing is sure. It'll be an interesting holiday season.
And, for the most part, Microsoft delivered. Xbox Live Arcade is thriving, adding both new and classic titles to the market on a (somewhat) weekly basis. Reasonably priced content expansions are extending the life of some older retail releases. The plethora of free, downloadable game demos provide both an entertaining diversion for consumers and a sales boost for retailers. And there are plenty of people willing to shell out a buck or two for new pictures or themes to customize their console experience.
But this online marketplace is still in its experimental stages, and we're all participating in a public beta test of sorts. Those who were hesitant to "Jump In" and start spending a minimum of $25 on Microsoft Points are finding themselves justified in waiting. How many of us were horrified at the nickel-and-diming ploy of Oblivion's horse armor? And how many people were actually fooled by the bullet points on the back covers of games like Ridge Racer or Burnout Revenge that claimed additional downloads were available on Marketplace, only to later find that these "downloads" were simply tiny files that unlocked cars that were already in the game?
Microsoft also promised plenty of downloadable updates (because heaven forbid we call them patches) for previously released 360 titles. While games like Oblivion or Kameo have seen their fair share of improvements, there are many gamers using standard definition television sets who will never be able to read the text in Dead Rising, as Capcom has publicly stated that they have no plans for a patch.
One of the reasons consumers were skeptical during the launch of the 360 was because they feared that home consoles were becoming too much like personal computers. Many thought that the ability of developers to patch games post-release would lead to rushed or unfinished products entering the market. Take, for example, the crippling glitch in Dead or Alive 4 that erased all of the saved game files from your hard drive. Or, more recently, the broken multiplayer aspect of Saints Row that has players randomly disappearing and then reappearing in a different location. Would these mistakes have happened if developers didn't have the online crutch to lean on?
For all of the progress that Microsoft has made in the realm of online gaming, there have been just as many missteps along the way. While Sony and Nintendo have yet to prove their online mettle, at least they have Microsoft's foray to learn from. That being said, will people really pay for the recently announced Gran Turismo HD menu disk? Upwards of $600 for the full retail version of a game is a bit ludicrous. And, since Nintendo's Virtual Console is such a big selling point, are people willing to pay $20 for the classic controller and then an additional $5-$10 on games they probably already own on three other Nintendo platforms? One thing is sure. It'll be an interesting holiday season.
Testing the Video Blog
by DrFish62 on Comments
I don't have a working webcam, nor do I really know how to use one, but I've been itching to try out the video feature since it was implemented. After scouring my computer for potential uploads, this is the only one I could find that would work. It was taken using the video feature on my digital camera, so the quality isn't amazing, but I'm working with what I have.
The video is a recent shot of my new nephew, Josh. I think he's a couple of months old in the video. You'll hear my voice saying something about taking video (I wonder if that's how I really sound). You'll also hear one of the weirdest laughs I've ever heard come out of my dad towards the end. It's only about 30 seconds long, so enjoy the cuteness.
[video=cHU7lTut5bsEsz_e]
The video is a recent shot of my new nephew, Josh. I think he's a couple of months old in the video. You'll hear my voice saying something about taking video (I wonder if that's how I really sound). You'll also hear one of the weirdest laughs I've ever heard come out of my dad towards the end. It's only about 30 seconds long, so enjoy the cuteness.
[video=cHU7lTut5bsEsz_e]
Insert Witty Wii Pun Here
by DrFish62 on Comments
It seems as though everyone has an opinion on Nintendo's latest press conference. Seeing as how I haven't written a blog entry in quite some time, I figured I'd put in my two cents. But I want that money back, folks. I'll need it to replace all the money I've shoveled into Nintendo's pockets this November.
The $249.99 price point doesn't bother me. As soon as they announced that it would be under $250, my handy-dandy marketing-speak to English dictionary told me that meant a penny under. What justifies the price for me, although I can understand how it wouldn't for others, is the Wii Sports pack-in. It's not a title I would've liked to have spent $50 on, but it's the perfect way for Nintendo to show off the systems capabilities. It's also a big draw for the so intensely sought after non-gamer, because retailers can tell the shopper that everything he needs is right there in the box.
Speaking of what's in the box, it appears that we're only getting one Wii-mote packed in. I guess I can understand that. The part that disappoints me is that a second, fully functional Wii-mote will fetch $60 ($40 for the controller and another $20 for the nunchuk). Granted, many of the games will be playable without the analog stick. But the whole thing smells a little nickle-and-dime-y to me.
I guess launching two days after the PS3 is neither here nor there when you consider the fact that Sony's systems are gauranteed to sell out regardless. Maybe Nintendo figured that distraught parents, upon getting into the store and hearing that there are no more PlayStations in stock, will opt for the cheaper Wii.
There've been a few changes to the launch line-up, and they're all fine by me. Twilight Princess, Trauma Center, and Rayman will keep me plenty busy until we see Mario Galaxy, WarioWare, and Metroid Prime later on. I'm still a bit skeptical about Red Steel, but it's definitely on my radar.
I was relieved that Nintendo opted for Microsoft's purchasing system rather than a subscription model. When I buy a game, I want to have it permanently. If it can't go up on my shelf, taking up residence on my memory card is better than renting space. The pricing seems fine, especially since it's right in line with Xbox Live Arcade titles. Hopefully they'll take a cue from Microsoft, releasing some classics with updated graphics, features, or online play.
Aside from that, the minor stuff doesn't bug me. I never cared about DVD playback in the first place, so I'm not disappointed that Nintendo nixed that idea. My 360 works just as well. I'm not sure how keen I am on the Mii Channel yet, but I have a feeling that's an aspect of the system better experienced first-hand. And I'm actually happy that they're only launching in one color. White matches my (still cracked) DS Lite, but not the rest of my entertainment system. Oh well. At least I'll be able to hide the censor bar better.
I've always said that I'd be there on launch day to get my Wii. Although, saying that I'm skeptical about the quality of launch hardware would be an understatement. My first Xbox 360 died within a week of purchase, my PSP had plenty of dead pixels, and my DS Lite's left hinge is still cracked (I really have to send that thing back to Nintendo). I'm still hoping that I won't have any problems with this one, though. Nintendo has yet to let me down in my nearly 20 years of game playing.
The $249.99 price point doesn't bother me. As soon as they announced that it would be under $250, my handy-dandy marketing-speak to English dictionary told me that meant a penny under. What justifies the price for me, although I can understand how it wouldn't for others, is the Wii Sports pack-in. It's not a title I would've liked to have spent $50 on, but it's the perfect way for Nintendo to show off the systems capabilities. It's also a big draw for the so intensely sought after non-gamer, because retailers can tell the shopper that everything he needs is right there in the box.
Speaking of what's in the box, it appears that we're only getting one Wii-mote packed in. I guess I can understand that. The part that disappoints me is that a second, fully functional Wii-mote will fetch $60 ($40 for the controller and another $20 for the nunchuk). Granted, many of the games will be playable without the analog stick. But the whole thing smells a little nickle-and-dime-y to me.
I guess launching two days after the PS3 is neither here nor there when you consider the fact that Sony's systems are gauranteed to sell out regardless. Maybe Nintendo figured that distraught parents, upon getting into the store and hearing that there are no more PlayStations in stock, will opt for the cheaper Wii.
There've been a few changes to the launch line-up, and they're all fine by me. Twilight Princess, Trauma Center, and Rayman will keep me plenty busy until we see Mario Galaxy, WarioWare, and Metroid Prime later on. I'm still a bit skeptical about Red Steel, but it's definitely on my radar.
I was relieved that Nintendo opted for Microsoft's purchasing system rather than a subscription model. When I buy a game, I want to have it permanently. If it can't go up on my shelf, taking up residence on my memory card is better than renting space. The pricing seems fine, especially since it's right in line with Xbox Live Arcade titles. Hopefully they'll take a cue from Microsoft, releasing some classics with updated graphics, features, or online play.
Aside from that, the minor stuff doesn't bug me. I never cared about DVD playback in the first place, so I'm not disappointed that Nintendo nixed that idea. My 360 works just as well. I'm not sure how keen I am on the Mii Channel yet, but I have a feeling that's an aspect of the system better experienced first-hand. And I'm actually happy that they're only launching in one color. White matches my (still cracked) DS Lite, but not the rest of my entertainment system. Oh well. At least I'll be able to hide the censor bar better.
I've always said that I'd be there on launch day to get my Wii. Although, saying that I'm skeptical about the quality of launch hardware would be an understatement. My first Xbox 360 died within a week of purchase, my PSP had plenty of dead pixels, and my DS Lite's left hinge is still cracked (I really have to send that thing back to Nintendo). I'm still hoping that I won't have any problems with this one, though. Nintendo has yet to let me down in my nearly 20 years of game playing.
I'm a Slacker
by DrFish62 on Comments
I seem to be getting behind on my GameSpot To-Do List again. I've been meaning to write a review for some time now, but I can't decide which game I'd like to cover. Perhaps it's because there hasn't really been a game I'm that passionate about for a while. I spend most of my game time playing Animal Crossing or Xbox Live Arcade while I wait for a few choice titles to be released. I've also been meaning to write a feature article, based on a quote from Miyamoto, on why people continue to play video games throughout adulthood. But I haven't had the time to get to that either.
I start classes again next week. I'll be finishing a Master's Degree this year before applying for medical school. I'll also be signing a lease this week, so at some point over the next few days, I'll have to move to my new apartment. Once I've done that, I won't have internet access for a little while, so I won't be online as often. I'm also not sure how much longer I'll be working in EMS. With classes starting, my schedule is filling up pretty quickly, and working in the ambulance just isn't as rewarding as it should be. It's become more about dealing with insurance companies than actually helping patients.
Anyway, I just wanted to give people a heads-up on my recent lack of activity. I'm glad to see Community Contributions still going strong. Also, I've been meaning to upload some user videos, but I really have no idea what to share. I have a webcam, so I could do a video blog, but I feel kinda weird doing that. I feel like my radiant sex appeal (see picture to the right) may throw viewers into a mad frenzy. And that wouldn't be pretty. I don't know how to capture any game footage, nor do I think anyone would be interested in seeing my gaming prowess. And I don't want to post commercials or TV show clips, because that's kinda random. So if you guys could throw any ideas over to me, I'd appreciate it. Till next time...
A Fond Farewell
by DrFish62 on Comments
Spoiler Warning: Self-indulgent, over-dramatic speech ahead. Refreshments will be served in the lobby following the production.
When I founded Community Contributions back in September, my intent was to create a union to spotlight individuals in GameSpot's community and their efforts to make visiting this site a more enjoyable experience. We tried to focus on intelligent forum discussion, editorial blog content, and GameSpot's player review system. Since then, for better or for worse, we've come to rely on the community's reviews for our bread and butter. It's been an absolute joy to serve as the union's leader during this growth period and help it become what it is today.
However, effective today, I am announcing my resignation as the leader of Community Contributions. A number of sudden changes in my personal life have kept me away from my duties here. Working in emergency medicine, my schedule is not necessarily my own. I'll be starting my final year of graduate coursework soon as well, and it would be unfair of me to remain in my current position as leader when my heart simply isn't in it anymore. It's been an honor and a pleasure, but I feel like I've lost sight of why I started Community Contributions in the first place. I encourage thoughtful forum discussion, yet I haven't meaningfully contributed in quite some time. I pour over player reviews on the site, yet I haven't written one myself in months. And I haven't written a meaningful blog entry or editorial for GamerWithin since last year. While I will remain on the CCU staff as an officer and ReviewSpotting author, I will be shifting my focus on GameSpot to my new duties as a site moderator and my personal goals for writing reviews and editorial content. Draqq_Zyxorian, our lead officer, will be taking my place as the leader of Community Contributions. The union would not be what it is today if it weren't for his tireless (and often sleepless) efforts.
I'd like to thank everyone who reads and contributes to ReviewSpotting each week. Our union thrives on your support, and I'm looking forward to watching it grow. We've got plenty of changes to the union and improvements for ReviewSpotting coming up, so be sure to stay tuned.
Friend Codes Galore
by DrFish62 on Comments
With some recent experience on Xbox Live, I've quickly come to the realization that I have absolutely no interest in playing online with people I've never met. It just isn't fun, and it's definitely not worth putting up with the constant barrage of racism, bigotry, and 10-year-old kids mouthing off. If you're interested in starting up a DS Wi-Fi or Xbox Live game with some actual intelligent conversation, be sure to check out this thread in the 100% DS Union and register your info. I'm looking forward to playing with people who understand the concept of sportsmanship.
Animal Crossing
Friend Code: 0086 5067 3340
Wi-Fi name: Brian
Town name: Kakariko
Activity: Very High
Fruit: Cherries
Mario Kart DS
Friend Code: 3780 1682 6732
Wi-Fi name: Brian
Snake: Never
Activity: Low
Metroid Prime: Hunters
Friend Code: 0559 0211 6768
Wi-Fi name: Brian
Preferred game type: N/A
Activity: Very Low
Tetris DS
Friend Code: 2026 8434 6235
Wi-Fi name: Brian
Activity: Low
As a side note, I'm also looking to get to know more people over Xbox Live to help out with some achievement points and cordial, casual gaming. If anyone reading this is interested, please PM me or send me a message over Live and introduce yourself. I'm interested in playing Prey, PGR3, Burnout, Ridge Racer, Uno, and DOA4.
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