My semester has finally come to an end after I finished my Sociolinguistics paper yesterday. This semester has got to be the most headache inducing semester so far, with tons of assignments to submit in such tight due dates, and presentations galore.

Now, for some games...there were three games that I bought in the last few weeks, and I have not even touched them because I was busy occupied with my finals. 

Dead Space and Far Cry 2, and Yakuza 2 that I got for my PS2.(Yes, I still play the PS2, waiting for the current gens to get real cheap someday)

I think I'll finish Hell's Highway first, which I left installed in my PC at home months ago.

Happy holidays everyone. :D

Haven't got time to blog for the time being, I'm in my fifth semester so assignments are piling up as I type this blog entry. Haven't got time for gaming either, but I'm saving up for Warhead. (Though I doubt I can play it till late October)

Just found out GTA IV is coming to pc. Yay. Can't say i'm surprised. I remembered Biggest Loser raving in the forums weeks ago about how it's not coming to the pc.

Take that.

I won't be blogging enthusiastically at the moment. I'll be back foruming actively, perhaps by October.

Just an update. See you guys sometime soon.

When I bought my XFX 8800GTS sometime ago, I got a free copy of Company of Heroes, and experimented it on my then new graphics card. The first few levels of the campaign were very good, and I find myself hooked. But as the game progresses, it got frustratingly difficult, and the fact that I haven't been playing any RTS games for quite some time definitely did not help. (My last RTS was Age of Mythology, which was ages ago)

I tried, and tried, harder each time, but to no avail. The frustration got to me......and I uninstalled the game. (I got it for free I don't care if I finish it or not lol)

Yesterday I installed the game again, with hope that it'll be different this time around.

I almost forgot how enjoyable this game was, how compelling the presentation was, and how hectic the battles were.

And how freaking hard it was.......and it still is.:evil:

Everything that Bioware churn out is gold. Mass Effect is a perfect example of how an RPG should be done. Nice combat, graphics, score, voice acting and most importantly, for an RPG, an engaging storyline that is sublimely written.

I've never played a game where I felt so much pressure in making decisions. It really felt like the fate of humanity is in my hands, and after completing it, I noticed that this is the first game where I truly feel like a hero. I made the right choices, and got an ending that is satisfying, very satisfying. Complimented my earlier actions. I spent my month-old allowance money to get this gem, and I feel that it's worth all that trouble getting a copy.

It felt like watching Star Wars Episode 6. A fitting end to a marvelous game.

This game made me miss Knights of the Old Republic by the way. Might be replaying it soon...hehe. If I can find the game's box case.

I just finished Lost Planet. I thought it was a good game, entertaining, though I don't like the game's punishing difficulty at times, and the controls can be cumbersome. An 8 out of 10 for me.

I'm currently waiting for Mass Effect for PC. It's out I know, but I'll wait till they fix the SecuRom thingy. And June's coming soon, I'm going to Indonesia for a holiday.

I still wish I have a PS3, just to play MGS4. I've always played MGS games at the time of release, so this time it'll be different.

:cry:

Sometime ago, I was at my college and we had to do a report assignment. We had to pick a subject that will have flexibility when we conduct our discussions. So my group mates (who are also my dear housemates) and me brainstormed on what topic that'll pique everyone's interest.

And they had to pick the subject that I steer very, very, VERY far away from.

VIOLENCE IN VIDEOGAMES.

The sky turned black for months. No matter how hard i tried I couldn't convince them "I can't do this, I've been gaming all my life!". So I agreed and I the fact that these people don't play games don't help. They just bashed on games randomly. Imagine, these people called the Halo 3 a game with violent and SADISTIC imagery.......yes.

And they listed The Sims 2. (of course i took that out)

So the presentation day came, and we presented our report. Many of my fellow classmates(some whom are my gaming buddies looked at me gleefully as I paraded myself as the walking irony and contradiction.

They asked questions like "..but sir GTA4 is not violent..." and many more annoying ones. BUT. I parried them all, and for a while I thought I was Jack Thompson, renouncing gaming like it was the devil itself.

And I got an A. I can't believe it either. Yep.

I have always been fascinated with video games, since i was little I've always had a console and consistantly being a pc gamer. Ive had the genesis, the playstation, and the playstation 2, and i admit i became quite a fanboy.

I hated nintendo when i had the genesis, claming it was the better of all the consoles. I was always proud of the shinobi series, and felt even prouder when my friends opted to play my genesis than a neigbour's SNES.

So was the PS and PS2 era. "Be damned you N64 owners, you may have better graphics, but we have the bigger library of games!" Me talking, about 9 years ago. In the PS2 case, i was laughing at my friends who owned the ill fated Dreamcast . I admit it was a good console, but being a fanboy i simply blindfolded myself and told myself that the PS2 is worth holding on to.

And yes, i was right. The domination went on, and again i laughed at my uncle who owns an xbox, and my cousin who owned the Gamecube.

Years passed, and things have gone fairly slow for the aging PS2. Basically the xbox and the GC is officially dead. And the PS2's time will come soon.

Now finally after 6 years of owning Sony's monster console, I need to make the choice again. Being 19 today, I've grown quite a lot and i admit, i hate the fanboyism that was in me. I shed it out, and now i'm looking at the next gens.

Phew.

Not the Wii. I dont like their idea of focusing on casual gaming. I dont hate Nintendo, but its just that i prefer an evolution in consoles, and not a step backwards going back to basics, and slapping it with new control schemes. I wanna see HD, HDR lighting, new visual artistry (I admit i am a graphics whore) not like something ive seen before on my PS2.

The 360 and the PS3.

Equally powerful. One is older than the other. One has blu ray, which perhaps is for the future (assuming that blu ray might do well) and an ending to my beloved Metal Gear Solid series. One has better performances in most multiplatform games, and has Mass Effect.

I like the 360, i really do. Though i've been an ardent supporter of Sony, but this has been a fantastic year for the 360. This and last year. Just look at the games. Halo looks very promising, and again, Mass Effect, nuff said.

But I wanna see what happens to Snake. I loved the series, the characters, and the games have given me many great and memorable moments. Ocelot's torture, Gray Fox, the sniper battles, REX, Raiden, and of course, big boss' tragic end. And now, Solid Snake is dying, Kojima promised to tie up some loose ends...and im short of cash to get both consoles.

I have only a few days left till October comes.

Ok...take a deep breath...and choose.

(To Be Continued)