I realized the other day that I am looking forward to a number of PS2 titles. Some that have yet to be released.

My next game I plan to pick up is Twisted Metal Head-On for the PS2. This version is an upgraded port of the PSP game with added levels that would have been in the sequel to Twisted Metal Black back in the day. I hear you can play as SweetTooth on foot in a minigame. David Jaffe, of God of War fame as well as Twisted Metal 1, 2, and Black(you know, the good ones!), is putting in a couple of extra features in the package as well. And you know how I dig those extra features! (See my blog on Contra 4!) All of this for the sweet price of $20. Side note: I think that's 7 games that were originally PSP games. Not sure what Sony's doing there. If they port God of War back to the PS2, I'll have lost tufts of hair from all of the confused scratching I've done.

Since my lovely wife got me Guitar Hero III for my PS2, I've been all excited at the prospect of being able to pick up this package - Guitar Hero 1 & 2 Dual Pack. Both games packed into one. Since I'm not a big fan of "micro-transactions", I had no interest in paying $5 for 3 songs on XBOX Live or the PS3 Store. Picking up this game should give me plenty of songs to rock out to. And if I run out, there's always Rock Band since the guitar controller is compatible.

Next up is SNK Arcade Vol. 1. This disc contains 16 arcade games that dominated arcades back in the day and garnered hordes of sweaty nerd money. Metal Slug, King of Fighters '94, King of the Monsters, Samurai Showdown, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, World Heroes, Sengoku. Half of the titles on this disc are available for download on Wii's Virtual Console. Each single game cost $9. There is no way this game could be more than $30. 16 X $9 >$30. What's really amazing is that back in the day these games were uber expensive to begin with and their rarity doubled the price at best. This release is a win in any book.

This next package reeks of awesomeness as well: Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection. It contains Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, and 3. And instead of some lame repackaging, they are actually the director's cut versions of MGS2: Substance and MGS3: Subsistence. Substance alone is worth the price because that disc is starting to get rare and costs around $30. Subsistence is great because it includes Metal Gear 1 and 2 that were released back in 1987. We're talking about 5 GREAT games for $35. Anyone that has yet to play these games should definitely consider this package. Anyone who has should consider getting this since it will pump them up for MGS 4 and encourage Konami to do this for their other series - Silent Hill, Castlevania, Contra?

In 2005, Microsoft dropped the original XBOX like an unwanted step child. Luckily for me, Sony is still supporting their biggest money maker. (Looks like the PS2 has outsold the PS3 for the 2nd straight Christmas in a row.) In fact Sony has a bit of history of supporting its older console for some time after its obsolescence. Like this generation, games were released on both the PS2 and the PS1 simultaneously for a while. AND some were exclusively PS1 games despite the PS2's rapidly growing popularity.

Case in point: After Final Fantasy Anthology (FF5 & FF6) sold pretty well at the end of PS1's lifecycle; they released Final Fantasy Chronicles (FF4 & Chrono Trigger) in 2001 and Final Fantasy Origins (FF1 & FF2) in 2003. 3 years after the PS2 was released and they were still making PS1 money.

I just can't bring myself to purchase a PS3. Especially now that the 80 GB models are leaving shelves and the new 40 GB NON- Backwards Compatible PS3s are replacing them. If all you have is a 40 GB PS3, then none of those games I mentioned in this blog can play on your system. What a drag Sony! Fix it!

Maybe, because of their stupid decision to gut the PS3 of BC features is one reason why PS2s are still selling like hot cakes. Heck, I'd buy a new PS2 Slimline model before I get a Non-BC PS3.

So, I finished up Castlevania Double Pack - two great games! I started thinking, "Man, I need to play the next game -Dawn of Sorrow." For some strange reason I decided to visit Konami's official website. "These guys make some pretty darn good Castlevania games, what else do they make aside from Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill? Oh yeah Contra 4."

I read up on the previews and videos and became VERY interested. I found out that in addition to all of the new content, story, and missions that makes up Contra 4, Konami was promoting it as the 20th Anniversary of the original. So this tiny DS cartridge also includes extra features like a Special Edition DVD, with interviews, concept art, short comic books, a series retrospective with original box art, and - to my amazement - unlockable NES versions of Contra and its sequel Super C. Sweet! This rocks because I've never owned any Contra game. Sure I've played some here and there, but I never had my own to play. You're telling me that I can have Contra 1, 2, and 4 with me wherever I go? That's how you get Mario's attention. Sign me up!

I immediately decided that this would be my next game purchase. For what I believe is the 1st time in my life, I want a brand new game, the day it comes out. Sure, I've bought new games before, but they had been out for a couple of months. It was always after reading reviews that I decided it was a worthy purchase. I'm actually quite content buying used games, since there are so many I never played. But, I've never found myself looking forward to a specific release date, so I could finally get my hands on a game. And honestly, I don't know how the rest of the gamers in the world get by with the waiting part. Every game I've ever gotten was immediately available. Now I have to wait? I'm gonna shoot someone in the face if I don't get that cartridge in my DS right now!

I was delighted to see Kotaku post this article last night. Konami Launches Manliest Game Site Ever For Contra 4 Follow the link in their article to see why the post is hilarious. The user comments are pretty funny too. "Hmm, that is indeed quite manly." "Wow, everything is introduced with an explosion, manly indeed!" "This makes me want to lift heavy things repetitively. Somebody spot me." "im gonna go punch a motorcycle!" "Holy Crap! Who's up for some shots of Diesel fuel?!" "I will never close the tab to this website, for fear that my computer will EXPLODE." Some chick wrote: "I feel like a grew a wang just from looking at the site." I thought this one was great: "Its about time that konami actually used MEN in their games and not just girls dressed as men. I'm looking at you Castlevania."

If I were to compare video games to popular music, you would have your "Beatles" Pop-Rock genre which are famous and everyone knows and enjoys - like Super Mario or Zelda. There would be Techno-Dance music for puzzle games. RPGs would be symphonic concert music. Hard Rock for the First-Person Shooters. Contra would be the equivalent of "Hair Metal" Rock. Guess what I listen to all the time...

Perhaps I'm in a "feel like writing" mood, but I felt like making a new blog post for some reason. I did try to make one a week or so back, but I foolishly pressed the "Back" button and didn't feel like starting over. I think it was some rant about the PS3.

After beating Final Fantasy IV Advance, I wanted to hop right into FF V. Then I realized that if I wanted to play the real FF III, I could since I now owned a DS. Plus I thought the rudimentary job system in FF III would prepare me for FF V, since I had no idea how to work with it. I must say so far that I'm not all that impressed with being able to switch or choose jobs. I kind of just want to go through the motions of the story and raise my character's stat levels to kick some butt. I went a good 10 hours in, but I stopped for some reason. I'm sure I'll pick it up again in another couple of days. I was quite impressed with the graphics of the DS game.

In all honesty I really just want to play FF VII. But I figured I should really knock out its predecessors, since they're pretty darn good (some say even better!) themselves. Also, since I'm so close to graduating college (Next May!) I figured I'd wait to start up a time consuming console game like FF VII until after I finish classes. Stick with portable stuff for now. There's plenty of excellent portable stuff...

Well one boring Saturday, my little boy and I decided to get out of the house. Naturally, I found myself at a Gamestop checking out games and prices, despite knowing exactly what the ones I want cost. I decided to pick up my October game even though it is still September. I made sure to pick one that would give me plenty of mileage since I have to wait until November for a new one. I decided upon The Castlevania Double Pack - Harmony of Dissonance and the sequel Aria of Sorrow for the GBA.

I just beat Harmony of Dissonance last night. I had read Gamespot's review, and I have to admit that it was pretty spot on. The game was much easier than its predecessor Circle of the Moon - a game I sang endless praises about earlier in my blog a while back. It was so easy to collect items and powerups, that I was almost disappointed. The boss battles were a cakewalk, and it wasn't long before my character was pretty much invincible. The last boss was a joke. Plus I had like a million potions in reserve, so I was really in no danger. The other thing Gamespot knocked it for was the music. And I'll agree with that too. The music was much more subtle or drearier than I needed. It wasn't bad, but I came from Circle of the Moon with a much better score.

Despite these problems the game was very enjoyable. I'm sure I'll give it another run through before moving on to make sure I've gotten as much from it as I can. Maybe try a harder setting than the default. After that I'll probably play something else for a while, assuming I'm not already deep into FF III, then I'll jump into Aria of Sorrow, which I hear is a definite improvement.

The GBA cartridge jutting out still bothers me though. And another complaint I heard which I think deserves some merit is the system only has 4 sound settings - Medium, Loud, Very Loud, and Mute. But those nifty headphones do help. I stll think the DS is wicked cool though! I was surprised to find that closing the system while you're playing a DS game puts it to Sleep Mode and can stay that way for several hundred hours without draining the battery. Nice. Reminds me of the good ole days when it was time for bed and the best solution for your game was to turn the TV off and pick it up in the morning.

Perhaps the longest blog I've ever written. Read on if you've got the time and patience...

My stance on current iterations of video game consoles has been somewhat "indifferent" in the past. Owning a PS2, a Gamecube, and a Gameboy Advance has left me quite satisfied as there are a number of gems on those systems. (Significantly more on the PS2!) And while I have always been content with what I have, part of me has been aching to try out the gems that are exclusive to Microsoft and its XBOX systems...

As of today, I am harboring very little interest in the PS3. First and foremost because of that $600 price point. (But there's been a price drop you say! ... while supplies last. - Thanks a lot Sony.) :roll: Secondly, at present there are few games that I'm interested in playing on that system. (Sure but more top tier games are coming! Like Metal Gear Solid 4, Devil May Cry 4, Final Fantasy XIII!!! - That's nice, but I think I'd like to catch up on their predecessors before diving into the sequels.) And third - my PS2 has so much life left and the humongous library the PS2 has is impressive. Honestly, I could see myself buying a PS2 Slim should my current one breakdown. Bottom line: the PS3 is not anywhere near my next purchase. Don't get me wrong though, if you are my rich second cousin-in-law twice removed and are looking for a good Christmas gift for me, a PS3 would be very nice!

As for Nintendo and their little Wii - Sorry, couldn't resist :P - I am much more interested. I like the fact that it's innovative and different. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo decided that HD graphics isn't that important to a lot of people. In fact, most don't even know their shiny new consoles are capable of true HD quality. :| But I will agree that significantly better graphics than its predecessor would have been a strong selling point for the Wii. At any rate, the price point (currently $250) is much more manageable for me, and to top it off they've got some quality 1st party titles and multiplayer games. And like the PS2, there are a number of games I've yet to play on the 'Cube anyways. Personally, I know I'm going to need to play Metroid Prime 3, but I don't need to play it tomorrow. I can wait for a price drop or two. Bottom line: I'd like a Wii, but unless my little Gamecube blows up tonight, it could be a while before I get around to grabbing one.

And next up is the elusive XBOX 360. I was always interested in getting this console. The primary reason was backwards compatibility. The opportunity to play those original XBOX games I never got the chance to as well as any new 360 games almost had me going out and getting one at launch. The one thing that kept me from doing so was a lack of money. :( ($400 is a lot for me.) And soon after launch, I discovered that very few games were backwards compatible. Luckily for me, Microsoft is well on their way to dissolving that problem almost two years after launch. Then to top it off the console has been under fire lately for being largely breakable. Fortunately, Microsoft is addressing the issue and the newer systems on the shelves should be more reliable. More good news came in the form of a $50 price drop. Bottom line: The XBOX 360 is sounding more and more like a really good idea. ;)

On to the handheld department - I must admit that even though the improvements are REALLY minor, that PSP Slim is very enticing. However, I still need more convincing before dropping $180 on the system, especially from the game department. PS2 hand-me-downs, remakes, puzzlers, and quirky Japanese games aren't enough to get me reaching for my wallet. However that upcoming God of War PSP game might get me to reconsider. Bottom line: I don't need a PSP today. Or tomorrow. Or next week for that matter. (Basically the same feeling for the PS3.)

And finally the Nintendo DS. Anyone keeping up with my blog knows that I do a lot of gaming on my broken Gambeboy Advance. In fact, I probably use Nintendo's older handheld the most. Its convenience is unparalleled. Especially for a college student with a full-time job and a family. The price of a DS ($130) is very affordable, and again the 1st party titles are excellent. The only thing the Nintendo DS lacks at the moment is some solid RPG titles. (Gonna need more than Final Fantasy III.) Backwards compatibility with the GBA is superb considering the list of GBA titles I've still yet to get my hands on. The fact that my GBA has a bum trigger button limits the games I can play. A Nintendo DS would solve that problem and provide years and years of good times. Bottom line: Nintendo DS + supermario-2000 = :D

Well, recently I came into a little extra money than I normally have available to me. And I thought it was time to pick up a new console. In fact my most recent blog saw me pondering to aquire an XBOX or an XBOX 360. Before long, my mind was made up and my eyes were set on the X360. My wife and I discussed making such a big purchase. Obviously, $350 is still pretty high for me. She convinced me to wait on getting that 360 until an inevitable price drop brought the system closer to our range of acceptance. But don't get me wrong, my wife is not pushy or controlling. She was very sweet about it, understanding of my passion for gaming. In fact, she convinced me to get a DS instead. I figured the price of the X360 had only one way to go, and I'm a very patient man. However, I am starting to wonder how much of her reasoning for a DS has to do with her own curiosity for the system. j/k :P

So, I went to the store and picked up a Black Onyx DS Lite. (We figured the black one would make it harder to see scratches and such.) I also picked up a 3-year extended warranty, a travel kit that included a car charger and retractable headphones (ooh that's special!), and my very first DS game: New Super Mario Bros. I can't believe it's been 15 years since we had a proper 2D sidescroller Mario game. After a little hands-on time, I must say I'm impressed and I'm looking forward to the other excellent DS titles.

What's more impressive, is the upgrade in graphics from the GBA SP. I am currently playing Final Fantasy IV Advance (about half-way through) and today I popped it into my DS and I was blown away by how much more crisp the edges and colors were. Needless to say, I am very happy with my purchases.

The only gripes I have are very minor. The first is that the Nintendo DS is obviously less portable than its predecessor, the GBA SP. Granted it's not huge or anything, but the SP could fit into my jeans if I needed to. I wouldn't even attempt that with the DS Lite. (Not to mention that first DS was huge!) I'm not asking for Nintendo DS 'Micro' or anything, I'm just disappointed that the convenience factor for me was shaved. The good part however is that inisde this "bigger" system is the hardware of an advanced Nintendo 64 in the palm of my hands. Nice!

The second gripe is about as silly as the one above. I guess I was under the impression that GBA cartridges would fit inside the DS. I was disappointed to find that the cartridge actually jutted out from the system:

I guess I always figured it would be like the GBA SP with the cartridge sliding neatly into the system:

The reason for my disappointment is twofold. 1) It does not fit into any DS case if a GBA cartridge is loaded into it. I imagine the majority of the games I'll be playing are GBA (at least for the time being). So it renders that little snazzy nylon case in that travel kit obsolete if I'm busy playing Final Fantasy IV. 2) I'm a little frightened at the prospect of damaging my DS or the GBA cartridge by simply carrying it around in my pocket or where ever with the cartridge jutting out the way it is. I feel like a well placed bump could lose me my GBA functionality lest I carry the DS and GBA cartridge separate. Any suggestions on that dear reader?

Anyway, other than those minor gripes, you can color me happy! The Nintendo DS Lite is a fascinating machine with huge future potential. While simultaneously improving my GBA library (i.e. killer graphics) and releasing more great titles every month, I think I'm going to have some good times with this system for several years to come.

P.S. Thank you Sweetheart!

Lately, I've been a little turned off about video game news. E3 has been going on and Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have been showing off their goods on their shiny new consoles. Since, I'm currently rolling with my PS2 and GC, I can't get all that excited about stuff coming to a store near you when I don't have the right system.

But in all the E3 buzz that's going on and churning digital ink on the web, I came across something that Gamespot missed. I usually check out Kotaku once a day and I found this little gem buried under all of the E3 news. Our friends at Microsoft got around to releasing another Backwards Compatibility update of over 50 XBOX games.

Granted most of them are pretty crap games, but there are a few good ones mixed in here and there. Burnout and the Project Gotham racing games are compatible as well as the regular and Game of the Year Editions of Elder Scrolls Morrowind. And once again, I don't think this is the last update either. So that's pretty good news!

For those that don't know me personally, I keep a list of games I want to play. Believe me when I tell you, this list is MASSIVE. When I look at the XBOX list, I am seeing that the majority of games are backwards compatible. In fact over 40 games are priced less than $10 at Gamestop (25 under $5!).

The problem is: I've been to Gamestop lately and I can see they are phasing out their XBOX stock to make room for X360 games. This means that all of those great prices are meaningless if I can only buy them used on eBay where people rack up the shipping to make a profit.

So I'm really starting to consider picking up an XBOX system, and I'm having trouble deciding which. Right now I could get a used XBOX for say $75. (Not bad considering a Gameboy Advance goes for $60.) I could get a used Premium X360 for $300-350.

Part of me is leaning towards the original XBOX since I really don't have a lot of money to be spending on gaming. I limit my game purchases to one game a month because A) that's what I can afford, and B) that's the only way I can justify that I don't waste money on gaming. So basically, I'm highly reluctant to drop a big load of cash on something I don't NEED. Buying the original will help me sleep at night because my wallet would still be mostly intact.

On the other hand, part of me sees the benefit of buying an X360 for many reasons A) XBOX has released a number of updates making it largely compatible with all of those old games I want to play, and B) if the mood struck me, I could go out and buy new games like Gears of War or Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Something tells me I am fairly determined to purchase one of these systems, SO if I'm going to be dropping money on this, why not get the bigger, better, more awesome one?

I had the same dilemma when I decided to get a Playstation - I could be content with a used PS1 or I could be more than content with a PS2. That day, I chose PS2. (Thanks a lot Mom!) Now I'm just wondering what choice I will make this time. Any suggestions?

So, yeah, sometimes I spend a lot of time on the internet. I'm sure it won't be long before the AMA makes that a mental disorder as well. I came across a solution to my concerns of missing great games of yesterday because Nintendo could not or would not take the time to bring all of those games to the Wii Virtual Console.

Before going any further, I think Nintendo is doing a great job with their Virtual Console (F-Zero X this week!), but at their current rate, they could not possibly release every game I wanted to take a stab at from their history before the Wii becomes obsolete. So as I stated in my last blog, I would attempt to play those games elsewhere. So I picked up a copy of Breath of Fire for my GBA. While I was playing it I came across news that Japan would be receiving BoF II on the Wii VC making it all the more likely to see a stateside release. But when? Months? Years? I'm ready to play this game (and many other SNES games) now.

Out of curiosity I visited a website that contained ROMs of video games. Clicking on the links I found BoF and BoF II quite easily. A five-second free download and the game is mine. Period. So I started to look around many websites and downloaded the corresponding emulators. As of today, I have NES, SNES, N64, and Sega MD emulators on my laptop and seriously every game worth playing on each respective console. I went out and bought a decent PC gamepad and I was slugging my way through Super Metroid instead of crossing my fingers and praying that Nintendo would show us some mercy and release it.

Now, I know that there are other options available to me. Like buying used games and systems on the internet. The downside to that is that first of all, I'd be making a lot of purchases that won't be gauranteed to work when I crack open my shipment. Cartridges have always been finnicky even when treated with care unlike say a PS2 disc or whatever. Then, there's the cost of buying these games. Let's see: Super Mario RPG=$50, Secret of Mana=$50, Yoshi's Island=$35, Super Mario All-Stars=$35, etc...

I would love more than anything to buy up these games and show friends my kickin' collection. Unfortunately, my apartment and refrigerator would be empty as I would have ran out of money for anything else. Not to mention that I allow myself one game a month. Before long I'd be sitting there thinking: Donkey Kong Country (1994) or Final Fantasy XII(2007)? Both great games, but how many people having not played either one would really choose DKC?

And believe it or not I do intend to spend money on Wii's Virtual Console. There's only one way to truly appreciate Super Mario World and Link to the Past, and it isn't on some aging laptop or tiny GBA screen. But with these emulators I have backup - especially for games that will not be coming to Wii VC. (Specifically developer Rare's Killer Instinct or Perfect Dark or Banjo Kazooie.) I'm sure Nintendo would rather I spend my money on actual Wii games like Twilight Princess, Super Paper Mario, and Resident Evil 4 anyways.

So think of me what you will fellow gamers. You might think that I'm going about it the wrong way, but I found a cheap and easy way to enjoy Nintendo and Sega's golden age of video games.

After beating God of War for the third time (what a great game!), I figured I needed to change to something a little less violent.  But instead, I dove straight into GTA: Liberty City Stories.  Since, I am still uncertain if I'm ever going to get a PSP, I figured I'd play it on my PS2. 

As a matter of fact, I have yet to play San Andreas.  So, I didn't notice the bad graphics as much as people who've already played the nicer looking game.  It was great to revisit Liberty City and take part in the events that would shape GTA III into the great game it is.  I'm looking forward to playing Vice City Stories now.  The soundtrack alone warrants a purchase for me. 

So now that I've beat that violent game as well, I was really in need of a lighter game - preferrably an old-school RPG.  So, I wound up with the original Breath of Fire for the GBA.  I always wanted to check out that series for something just a bit different from Final Fantasy. 

Back before I heard that the Wii was going to have something called the Virtual Console, I was very seriously considering getting a used Super Nintendo.  Then I heard the good news that SNES games were going to be made available.  I was thinking, "Problem solved."  After more than 6 months have passed, I'm beginning to realize that Nintendo may not be bringing back all of the titles I was looking to play.  Especially in the RPG department.  At that point I thought I'd play it safe and just pick up BoF I and II for the GBA. 

Three hours in, I'm digging on it.  And I even resurrected my broken GBA SP (see earlier post.)  Since it was an old GBA game, and an even older Super Nintendo game, I figured the controls wouldn't be so flashy and require the use of the Left Trigger button which no longer works.  Turns out, I was right.  (It's an RPG, the whole game is nothing but menus and text!) 

So, I'm putting my trusty old SP back into active duty, at least until I can acquire a DS.  It's nice to have my little handheld back in use.  Even if I am more or less squeezing the life out of my SP.  By now, I figure it was well worth the $60 I paid for it!

Ah finally, some good gaming news that pertains to me.  And less than a week after my Backwards Compatibility rant.  - That's odd?  Maybe I should complain more?

Microsoft finally got around to releasing another BC update.  31 titles have been added to the list.  Granted only 7 titles out of those 31 actually apply to my needs.  But hey, on the bright side that's over 25%!

We did get MechAssault 2, which is cool.  However I heard the first one was better.  But hey, I'll settle for what I can get.  They also made Unreal Championship 2 compatible.  I heard that one rocks way more than its predecessor.  - I wonder why they made the sequels compatible?  From my understanding the guys at MS working on BC have to figure out all the different engines publishers use in order to emulate them - hence the reason why we are seeing ilk next to gold on the BC list.  But wouldn't it make sense that if they conquered the more updated engines in certain series, making their predecessors compatible would be a cinch?  Who knows?  I'll reserve hope for the previous versions of MechAssault, Unreal Championship, and even Burnout.  (They did do something similar for the two Buffy games - releasing the two games out of order.)

Up next we got Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee.  That's good news.  Like I said before, I hope they get around to Stranger's Wrath.  The other XBOX exclusives now on BC that I've heard are top notch are Jet Set Radio Future, Panzer Dragoon Orta, and Phantom Dust.  As far as remaining XBOX only titles go, I'm still waiting for the Kingdom Under Fire and the Otogi series.  Still no word on Project Gotham. 

I was also very happy to see Mercenaries had been added to the list.  I rented that game for my PS2 when it came out, but I heard it looked better on the XBOX.  Since I knew I was going to buy it someday I was hoping I could play it on the 360 where it should look even shinier.  Thanks MS!  Now let's talk Morrowind and Brothers in Arms while we're at it.

The best part about this update is this:

"When asked if this would be the final backward compatibility update, a Microsoft representative told GameSpot that while there were no details to share yet, "don't expect this to be the final update.""

That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  The last BC update was 4 months ago with 31 games.  The one before that was 4 months before with 39 games.  I think it's safe to assume that there will be at least one more update with 30+ games.  Hopefully they'll knock out a few more on my list. 

Now I do not condone Console Fanboyism by any means.  (I think it's absurd!)  But today Microsoft just scored some points with me by releasing this update and promising another.  Right now the 360 is shaping up to be my first next-gen console.  :D

Lately, I've been playing God of War.  Gah, that game blew me away!  Almost everything about that game is superb!  I had read the reviews and heard everyone giving praise to how it was such a great game.  And while I think it's always best to not take reviews and opinions so seriously, but jeez!  That game was good!

It was better than good!  It was awesome!  The gameplay, the story, the music, the voicework, the graphics, the sets, the bosses!  Everything was just too awesome!  The production value for this game is just immense!  And to top it all off, after finishing the game, you get a ton of extra features that you would find on a movie's dvd!  The trailers, deleted levels, making of segments, hidden eggs, you name it!  I'm sitting there at home thinking to myself, "Wow, this is the way all games should be made and presented."  Let's just say that this game raised my standards of what to expect from future games being released. 

For the next couple of weeks, I'll be going back to try the harder difficulty levels, and find some of the stuff I missed playing the first time through.  (My wife tried the hardest setting, God Mode, and kicked some serious butt! - My eyes twinkled with love.  j/k :P)  I'm looking forward to the sequel that was recently released last month.  They say it's every bit as good as the first game.  - Bring it on!  I'll probably pick it up when it becomes a "Greatest Hits" title and starts selling for $20. 

'Til next time!

I must admit disappointment when I read this article from the GDC...  I might as well forget about Backwards Compatibility on the XBOX 360.  Especially considering that less than a third of the original XBOX games are compatible with the 360.  There are still a number of games that I really wanted to play.

Look, before I go any further I understand that everyone else is done with the XBOX and very few people care about backwards compatibility.  (Heck, Gamespot didn't even report this news!  And they report stuff like this.)  I mean it makes sense that if you buy a 360, you'd rather be playing Gears of War than KOTOR II.  I understand that.  But, I'm the type of guy who still plays PS1 games (and PS2 for that matter) because I arrived late to the scene.  I'd like to play Halo and Halo 2 before I move onto the third one.

Luckily, Microsoft realized at least that much because there are a good number of XBOX titles that are compatible.  Halo, Forza, Ninja Gaiden, Fable, KOTOR, Jade Empire, evrything Tom Clancy, just to name a few.  But there are quite a few more that I'd like to experience before moving on...

From my understanding, MechAssault was a pretty good mech series that was fun to play.  Those titles can only be found on XBOX.  Sure, I know there's a DS version and chances are high they'll make a 360 version soon, but I could go to Gamestop right now and pick up both titles for less than $10 combined - if they were compatible. 

While I do play Unreal Tournament on PC, I heard the Unreal Championship games were really worthwhile because of the new gameplay.  Again, hours of entertainment lost when both games combined would only cost $10 at Gamestop.  Again, XBOX exclusives.

Both Oddworld games are missing from the list as well - also an XBOX exclusive.  Stranger's Wrath was supposed to be pretty good.  Not to mention that there are a number of other worthwhile XBOX games that are exclusive as well:  Phantom Dust, Panzer Dragoon, Otogi, Kingdom Under Fire, Jet Set Radio. 

Microsoft did make Burnout 3 compatible, but what about the first two?  I'd like to see how the series progressed.  Do they expect me to suck it up and get the PS2 versions?  (No, they want me to forget about it and go buy Burnout Revenge "In Stores Now"!)   - Same scenario could be said for Project Gotham, except that's another XBOX exclusive.  Similarly, I think I'd enjoy Elder Scrolls Oblivion even more if I could see the difference from Morrowind which isn't on the list. 

Now I know the Brothers in Arms series is multiplatform.  But from what I gather the other console versions blow hard.  The PC version is supposed to be on par with the XBOX, but why would I need another WWII shooter on PC, we've already got excellent versions of Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, and Battlefield!  Not to mention the dozens of other multiplatform games that were superior on the XBOX to begin with.

... For the longest time, I was seriously considering getting a used XBOX.  But part of me has finally decided to forget about those games listed above and heed Micro$oft's will to get a 360.  I guess I just got used to the idea of my PS2 being more or less completely compatible.  (I hear even the NA PS3 has issues.)  Besides as I stated previously at the top of this blog, there are still a number of superb games that are compatible, and I should be thankful for at least that.  (Honestly, if it wasn't for those, I'd be in the process of ordering a used XBOX saying the 360 could wait). 

It's not like I'll be getting a 360 any time soon anyways.  I really can't see myself dropping $400 on a console - *gives "evil eye" to Sony*.  (I know there's a core version, but if you can't tell from this post, I'll be playing the old games, so I'm gonna need that hard drive.)  Maybe there will be a nice fat price drop soon that will sway me into stores.  And hopefully by the time I do get around to purchasing a 360, the backwards compatibility department will release at least one more update (there were only 3 last year) and maybe rectify a few of those titles I listed above. 

Here's hoping!