I bought Kane & Lynch last week for the PC and I was really excited to play it to find out what the fuss was all about. Alas, I couldn't play it on my laptop cos it keeps bringing me back to the desktop for some reason. I don't understand it. My laptop is Windows Vista Home Premium and has NVIDIA GeForce 8400M in it. I used the SRL Test and they said I have OPTIMAL performance. Not recommended but optimal. So the biggest question is why can't I play it?!! Is it because of Vista? Must I downgrade it to XP or should I just return the game back and get the XBOX360 version instead?

I know many will disagree of me for purchasing Kane & Lynch but come on, this isn't about Jeff anymore. It's about your own taste. It's about what you feel is right. I feel I should give K&L a try cos I love the Hitman series quite a lot so this game should be good too. I managed to play the first stage and it was kinda cool, but the moment I reached the second stage, the part where Kane is teaching Lynch the basic stuff, the game stopped, brought me back to the desktop and gave an error message telling me that it has stopped working and Windows is looking for a solution. Bulls**t!!!

Fellow Gamespot users, should I downgrade my laptop to XP or should I return the game back and get the XBOX360 version instead?

Psykhophear

Ryan Davis too has fallen. He is leaving Gamespot for good like the rest of them all due to Jeff Gertsmann's rude departure. What a shame. I always thought Gamespot was a one big happy family company with lots of talented and remarkable people. But now the table has turned. What it appears to be a solid union company seems to be nothing more like Happy Tree Friends. They all appear to be cute and cuddly, but deep down inside there exist some sort of hatred, making the innocence turn into mass murdering killer clowns.

Okok, I'm just exaggerating :twisted:. I'm just sad to see all the key staff of Gamespot leaving so soon, mostly because of the ''undisclosed dispute''. I hope this disease will stop spreading before everyone starts turning into vampires, and in the end only one of them shall remain pure. He/she shall be the legend!

Gamespot please...make it stop!!!

PSYKHOPHEAR

A few weeks ago I watched the two Final Fantasy movies for the first time. I've never a big fan of the Final Fantasy games nor have I finished any of them so far, but I enjoyed watching both Advent Children and The Spirits Within. Advent Children simply looks amazing with its beautiful graphics and sound effects, but it was hard for me to appreciate the storyline since I've never played FF VII before. It was not too bad though as I was able to piece the plot together by studying the characters.

The Spirits Within was another mind-blowing movie. The CG was eye-watering, the voice acting was superb and the plot was actually pretty good. But I was surprised to find out that TSW was a big fat box office flop and Square Enix or Squaresoft or whatever the name is made a huge loss big time. I guess the fans were expecting the movie to have some fighting scenes and typical fantasy plots like in the series. But if you ask me, I believe it's like Akira in 3D. Sure, the ending could've been better but overall it's an amazing movie. I mean, the movie was written and directed by the FF creator himself, so how could the fans be disappointed with his creative input?

What about you guys? Did you like The Spirits Within? Tell me about it and give me your ratings for the movie. For me, I would say 8.0 (Plot: 7, Sounds: 9, Acting Qualities: 9, Replay Value: 7, Tilt: 8).

Regards,

Psykhophear

I started playing Manhunt last month and I just finished the game a few minutes ago and goodness, this game is incredibly sick and gruesome. Manhunt does have some style to it but it makes me wonder how retarded Rockstar can be by making this violent game. The developers probably led a poor and unhappy childhood and decided to make these games based on their experience. Heck, you'll never know. Their moms should be so proud of them I'm sure. It was fun at first killing enemies with three different execution levels, but later on you'll just grow numb to all the violence. I even felt like puking after playing with this for a while.

But anyway, it felt really good to finally kill the douchebag boss only known as Lionel Starkweather. It was cool and a relief to see him die in a fatality manner, but I was truly disappointed to see his appearance like some kinda junkie hippy. I was expecting to see Starkweather as a tall gentleman in fine suit and tie, but nope he was fat and ugly. The so-called hero James Earl Cash had the potential to be as cunning as Michael Myers but it was just too bad he was more of a druggie. The ending could've been better though. They should show what actually happen to Cash in the end like he quietly escaped and led a "peaceful" life in the beach or something. I hate short and pathetic ending.

Overall it's a cool game. Although I do believe Rockstar should be in prison for life for corrupting the world, but Manhunt is a cool game. Quite a hard game but nice.

Actual game rating: 8.2 (I think it's time Gamespot should bring back the old rating system now that Jeff Gerttsmann is no longer here. It's the least they could do before more employee starts leaving the site. Alex Navarro, come back!)

PSYKHO

I read in Wikipedia that Alex Navarro has left Gamespot. Is that true? I don't believe it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamespot

The first game I got is Geist for the Gamecube. Never heard of the game until I saw Gamespot's video review about it. Greg Kasavin really knows how to market video games. So anyway, it's a great fun and a nice addition for my Gamecube collection. The graphics may not be the best compare to other games but it has some interesting gameplay and styleto it which makes you want to play it til the end.

The next game I bought is Manhunt for the PS2, one of the most controversial video games ever made since Mortal Kombat. I was aware of its release when it was first launcedin 2003 but since I'm not a fan of GTA, it didn't occur to purchase it in the first place. Plus, the screenshots and front cover look so eerie and gritty at the time. But a few months ago, I watched yet another video review by Greg Kasavin and he actually encouraged me tofinally buy it. But I think watching my friend playing Manhunt 2 really made me curious of the game. I played it and its a whole lotta fun. It's like Hitman but more gruesome. Now Iknow why it isbanned in most countries.

Two great games all bought in one day. What more can I say?

PSYKHO

Wassup everybody? This is Psykho here to wish everyone Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I was planning to put an image in this blog but I didn't have the time to do so. But anyways, happy holidays everyone! May Santa Claus shall make your wishes come true and may 2008 will be another wonderful and more joyful yearfor all of us. Don't forget to vote for Best of 2007 in Gamespot.

Warmest Regards,

PSYKHO

"Who's Your Daddy?"

Bioshock is truly an amazing video game of 2007. I've never seen such outstanding graphics, gameplay, sound and replay value all squished in into one video game. It's simply the best FPS ever made since Doom 3. The Final Boss Fight was quite easy actually. As easy and disappointing as the final boss in Ninja Gaiden (XBOX). But nevertheless, I had a great time playing it from start to finish. It was fun to play around with customised weapons and plasmid powers, especially when you get the chance to become a Big Daddy yourself at the end of the game and you were to assist the Little Sisters at one point. I received the bad/evil ending cos I harvested a few Little Sisters in the process. Heh, couldn't resist. I want to play the game again and this time, I will not only gonna get the good ending, but also achieve as many achievement points as possible.

PSYKHO

Wow, I can't believe Gamespot fired one of their key staff Jeff Gertsmann. He's not really my favourite editor but to hear him got the boot instead of resigning from Gamespot it's like whoa! How did this happen? It seems he got fired because of his "harsh" review on Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. Heh, I knew something was seriously wrong with that rating. I was expecting to be at least 7.5 or so. 6.0 is a lil' too harsh after all those cool trailers and awesome game preview in the latest Button Mashing episode. I don't blame him though. That game has too much swearing and it suffers from weak control schemes. But still, Jeff should at least be lenient with Kane & Lynch and should give it a decent rating after all those high anticipation. Besides, Eidos paid a huge sum of money to advertise the game in Gamespot, so they have the right to be pissed.

I heard lots of Gamespot members are considering leaving the website soon. I'm still staying. I would've left a long ago after Greg Kasavin, my all-time favourite Gamespot Editor, left the site. But that's life. You win some. You lose some.

All the best Mr. Jefferson Gertsmann. You will be missed. At ease.

Regards,

PSYKHO

Last week, I watched Halloween movie, the remake of the 1978 masterpiece which was about a soft-spoken child named Michael Myers, who killed his family at a very tender age and was incarcerated to an asylum. He escaped fifteen years later and now hunts for his only living relative, his sister Laurie Strode. Not many people like this remake written and directed by horror-freak musician Rob Zombie, but I do. I thought it was great. This movie really explain a lot of stuff that was never mention in the previous Halloween movies like why did Michael Myers killed his family in the first place, why does he always wear that particular white mask and blue coveralls and why he never said a word for many years. The other thing I like about this movie is that it focuses a lot on Michael Myers alone. All its predecessors had it's focus on the victims, Dr. Loomis, the family, the cops, etc. Who cares about them man? Screw em! So my two thumbs up to you Rob Zombie for doing your thang!

After Halloween II, the developers tried to make this clear to everyone but failed miserably. All the sequels after Halloween IV were terrible (Although H20 was cool but Resurrection was crap). They were dragging the storyline too much and it gets to the point where you don't even know or care what the hell is going on. The developers got very lazy with the sequels and they just ran out of ideas. I mean come on man. Why doesn't anyone in the movies ever ask why Michael Myers always wear that white mask? What was the real motive behind the family killing thing and why is he such a goddamn juggernaut who can withstand millions of bullets and still lives? It really doesn't make any sense. They tried to explain that in Halloween 6 but however the curse and all those voodoo thing is really half-baked and lame.

Don't get me wrong. I like the Halloween movies, but when the series has too many sequels until the actual storyline becomes dried down, then something's seriously wrong. They dragged the series too much until Jamie Lee Curtis refused to participate anymore sequels and the late Donald Pleasance was too old and fragile to continue.

So after watching this movie I am pleased to see that all of my question have now been answered successfully (Except for that invulnerability crap. Why can't you just die, Michael? Go to hell!). Although the swearing and the sexual scenes were totally unnecessary at all, it's still ok. I really don't mind a sequel by Rob Zombie again but this time, let it be the last Halloween movie. Halloween Ressurection was never meant to be made, but those idiots did it anyways. Michael Myers should've died in H20 but nooo, they had to bring him back. Why? To make more money of course. But guess what? Resurrection is a flop so up yours, losers. Create a finale of Michael Myers so we can all watch him die for eternity. It's about time. God is sick and tired waiting for that douchebag to die.

Hitman movie is the second movie I watched recently. I'm a huge Hitman fan and I was anxious to see this movie myself. Overall it was good. Nothing spectacular or anything but quite decend. I was expecting to see a lot more deeper plot like his secret past in the laboratory and more missions but this movie is good enough. Critics didn't like this one but I do.

So there you have it. Two good movies that appealed to me but heavily criticized by the public. Heh. Strange world.

Regards,

PSYKHO