Hey guys, I changed the title for my video blogs and its now called "Ten Minutes Of Gaming". Sorry about the quality, my father took my camera for spring break. Leave a comment if you can and enjoy :D

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My first "official" video blog. Sorry about the quality, I just wanted to upload as fast as I could. Enjoy!! Leave me some feedback! :)

This blog isn't about videogames, it's about what I do everyday to buy them, which is work. I currently work at a call center from a company known as PeoplePC, which is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that sells dial-up service at the moment. The call center is here in the Dominican Republic because it's a lot cheaper for PeoplePC to finance one here than in the US. So basically I sell dial-up service everyday to both Americans and Latin Americans who live in the US. I'm completely against what I do because I personally don't believe in dial-up but hey if it pays the "videogame bills" I'm all for it.

I get two kinds of customers each day:

Latin Americans: Most of my calls are in Spanish due to the fact that PeoplePC offers the cheapest internet in the US so we get a lot of calls from Latin Americans who have never used a computer before in their life. So I have to explain to them step by step what they need to do in order to get the service. At the beginning of every call, I always have to ask the customer "what version of Windows does your computer have?" 98% of them don't know what I'm talking about. One of them once answered "My windows is made of glass" suffice it to say, I had to put the customer on hold because I was laughing so hard. Most of them don't have phone lines so I can't sell them the service. Some even don't have a computer.......... so yeah.

Americans: 80% of these calls are sales but 95.5% of the English calls I get are from very rude people, especially when I make them spell out their last name and most of them say "ARE YOU DEAF!?!?!" and also when I ask for their credit card number they say "WHAT!?!? I'm not going to give you my credit card, you guys must be frauds, you think that I'm stupid!?!?!" And then there are some Americans that if they hear a hint of a Spanish accent from any of the sales agents, they explode and say "I want to talk to your supervisor!!" I've never had this problem before but a ton of my co-workers have. There was one time that a lady told me "Oh thank God an American!!" Right....

So let's recap: Americans are rude but they buy the service, Latin Americans are polite but most of them lack the necessary equipment to buy the service. Which one do I prefer? It all depends on the day really.

I don't have a steady schedule. I work five days a week with only two days off. Thing is, the two days come out each week completely random, for example, last week I had Sunday and Wednesday off but the week before that I had Thursday and Friday off. It kind of sucks but the good news is I only work mornings so I get the whole afternoon off to play some games and talk with the guys on Skype.

Well Gamespotters, this is what I do to get some money. Is it dull work? Not really since you never know what type of customer you'll get and besides my co-workers make my job a little bit more entertaining.

Oh and one more thing, if you call us, please be nice. :)

Ok Gamespot I need your help. I have enough money to order one more game on amazon.com and I’m having a bit of trouble choosing between either Saint’s Row for the 360 or the game of the year edition of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind for the PC.

The GOTY edition of Morrowind is only 18 bucks and it includes the original game and both expansions. Problem is that I just started playing Oblivion like a week ago and that game is HUGE so if I buy Morrowind, I won’t be able to play it all that much but I’m worried that the price for it might change and lose the opportunity to buy it at such a low price.

I would like to buy Saint’s Row because I love the GTA series and even though it’s a clone, I think it deserves a playthrough. This game currently costs 50 dollars. It’s a little bit expensive but I think it’s worth it. I have another reason why I want this game, it may sound silly but it would be nice to see my 360 collection increase by a total of 4 games if I buy it and increasing my gamer points would be awesome as well. I could also play it online with friends so the game seems to have some lasting value.

So this is where you guys come in, guns or swords?

Surprise surprise, I got Gears of War in the mail a week earlier than expected and that, my fellow gamespotters, is freaking awesome! :D. Now I know what I've been missing out on for the past few months on the 360. I gotta tell you guys, the Xbox 360 is probably the best investment I've ever made in my life, thanks to great games like Oblivion and Gears. Thank you Mr. Gates :)

Now for a few first impressions on Gears of War:

Cover System: The game's main attraction, is the best cover system I've ever seen in a videogame ever, it feels so fluid and the controls are really tight. You can duck for cover just about anywhere in the game.

Graphics: They're AWESOME!! especially at the beginning of Act 3 in the forest with all the rain pouring down on the squad and it looks damn right amazing.

Story: Ok so people complained about the story and I don't blame them since the game starts out right in the middle of the war with little to no explanation as to what the hell is going on. But the in-game speech given out by the characters is fun to listen to and you never know what those guys are gonna say, whether its to make fun of Baird or insult each other basically. Even though I don't know much about these guys, due to the fact that this game has no character development whatsoever, I can't help but feel like I've known them forever.

Active Reloading: This little award winning gamespot 2006 mechanic is a TON of fun to pull off, it really keeps you on your toes the whole time through a firefight especially with the sniper. It's the small things in life that counts.

Multiplayer: My gold membership expired a few days ago but thanks to zzzxx, I had the chance to give it a try with other fellow gamespotters including: EightBitWarrior, NeoJedi, TheWesker, Jimbo, Darrogamer, Capin131, zzzxx and VG Meatwad . I had a TON of fun!! It's kind of slow compared to Metal Gear Online (which I played over a 100 hours ) but it's still a great way to have fun with people you know. I'm actually not that bad, I managed to get a few kills here and there but obviously met my demise quite a few times.

With all that said, I give Gears of War two thumbs way up for my first impressions. I've made my way to Act 3 on casual in a single playthrough and I really don't feel like playing so much anymore because frankly.......I don't want the gore to end.

I only have 48 hours to play online but I will get my 12 month gold subscription in a couple of weeks (blame my country and amazon for that) so if anyone wants to play with me, be advised that I can't right now but I will soon enough. I'm anxious to try out the online co-op but I don't think people play that too much, oh well, I'll just have to force someone :)

Right when 2007 rolled up, I made a blog  about the games I missed back in 2006 and my new years resolution was to get back on track this year. Well, on the 360 front, I've made some progress since Oblivion and Gears were on the list of games that I didn't get to play and in a couple of weeks another game on the list will reach my hands: Dead Rising. I've never been so pumped for gaming like I am right now thanks to my beloved 360.

Well that's enough for now I think, see you guys later!

After playing the game for about 20 hours or so, I'm here to write down what I think are the pros and cons of Oblivion so far. I would write a full "impressions" blog but I just don't have the time right now....sorry.

Pros: HUGE world to explore, tons of NPC's, interesting quests, awesome melee combat, best physics I've seen on the 360 so far, weapons and armor are really detailed and look great, character customization seems limitless, immersive game, impressive AI, balanced difficulty setting, breathtaking outdoor environments, 200 hours of gameplay, you can make your own spells, enchantments and potions, tons of different books to read about the history of Tamriel, the game package includes a map of the province of Cyrodiil.

Cons: The random dungeons are a little bit repetitive, the persuasion mini game isn't fun, noticeable performance issues and bugs, some NPC's will have the same voice actor, the menu system takes a little getting used to, the hotkeys don't always work especially in the heat of battle, this game is not recommended for people who have a social life.

Even though Oblivion isn't perfect, it's definitely one of the most engrossing rpg's ever made and should not be missed by fans of the genre. I recommend it for people who enjoyed games like Diablo II and Neverwinter Nights.

Initial impressions score: 9/10

And the next champion of Cyrodiil is....

I had to start over like three times because I couldn't make up my mind as to what I was going to do with my character but I finally settled for this one:

Name: Orlandu

Job: Templar (Custom job)

Race: Redguard

Birthsign: The Warrior

Major Skills: Blade, block, armorer, heavy armor, alchemy, alteration, atheletics.

I'm currently in level 7 and I decided that i'm going to finish the main quest first before doing the sidequests, it just seems like the smart thing to do. This game is currently my favorite Xbox 360 title and I don't see that changing for awhile. Anyways, I'm off to kill some goblins, see you guys later!!

I just checked my postal service website and it seems that my copy of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is ready for pickup. Tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. , I'll be the happiest gamer alive. Why do you ask? Because this is the sole reason why I bought an Xbox 360 in the first place, just to play this excellent gem of a game. Greg Kasavin's review actually sold me microsoft's next gen console (Boy do I miss him :() and this will be my first official Xbox game that I own so it's pretty exciting coming from a guy who played PS2 and GC for 4 years straight.

If I don't get too sucked into the massive world that is Oblivion, then I'll try and write my first impressions on the game here on Gamespot so stay tuned for that!! :)

Gears of War update

It seems that my copy of Gears won't be shipped till March 13th. It's because I bought it from an Amazon user so it usually takes a little bit more time to get here. I just hope that I won't be too late to join the fragfests over on XBL. Gamespotters.....please wait for me!! :P

Glitchspot

I had to write this blog twice because Gamespot's evil twin brother, Glitchspot, decided to pull a prank on me. Lovely.

Hey Gamespot!! It's been awhile huh? Sorry that I haven't updated in like....forever. Work has been taking up some of my time and the Xbox 360 takes away the rest of if. I'm gonna write about what I've been up to gaming wise.

Xbox 360

So I got my 360 three weeks ago and the only games that I've been playing on it are Dead or Alive 4 and Perfect Dark Zero. I know what you're thinking, yeah they're pretty old games but I myself don't own a single 360 game yet, a friend of mine let me borrow these games from him. All the money I had went into buying the 360, I didn't have any left for games. But last Thursday I bought Oblivion on amazon and on Friday my brother bought Gears of War from amazon as well. So things are looking up!! I was getting very tired of playing DOA4 and PDZ. I also downloaded a bunch of demos to keep me busy for awhile. I have about 7 GB of demos alone. Can't wait to get my hands on Oblivion, it's practically the reason why I bought a 360 in the first place. I'll try and write some first impressions when I get it next week.

Points Report (First ever!!)

I currently have 305 points which I got from PDZ, DOA4 and Hexic. If you look in achieve360points.com/">www.achieve360points.com, getting points from these games is hard as hell. Just my luck. The hardest points were from beating the story mode with all characters in DOA4, which to me is one of the hardest 3-D fighting games I've ever played. I had to button mash through the whole thing and that last boss is as cheap as they come. The majority of the points in PDZ are from playing online like "play 100 Killcount games" or "1000 explosive kill", these are points that I won't get because I just don't have the time nor the patience. I'm looking forward to getting more points in the future.

Halo 2

A friend of mine let me borrow Halo 2 from him. I played through the campaign and loved it. Sure it's not the longest campaign in the world but to me it's short and sweet :).Although the abrupt ending really did slap me in the face like it did most people back in 2004 but it wasn't as shocking to me, obviously because I knew it was going to happen. The multiplayer is fun as hell!! I played a few 16 player team slayers with my brother on Live and it was a blast!! And the best part of it all is that it didn't lag.

I have a few gripes with the multiplayer though, like for instance I can't choose the map or the rules I want to play in, It's completely random unless you form up a party and frankly no one I know plays Halo 2 on Live anymore. Also the majority of the players are jerks. Yesterday I owned everyone on Ivory Tower with the Energy Sword and after the game this guy sends me a message saying "noob".....what a loser. I have a message for all you Halo 2 players: IT'S JUST A GAME!!! The good news is you can turn off all the voice chat in the match so I don't have to listen to players calling me "noob" all the time.

I bet the multiplayer is tons of fun with people you know on Live but I guess I'll have to wait for Halo 3 for that to happen.

Xbox Live Gold

My free trial ends on March 10 and I'll be getting Gears of War in the mail in about that same time. I tried to renew my subscription through Live but I can't do it because my credit card isn't from the US so it won't accept it. That is such bulls***. Microsoft has no love for us Latin America gamers who just want to buy points and subscriptions. The only solution to this problem is to buy a 3 month gold card on amazon which I intend to buy on the 15th when I get paid (woo hoo!). So I'll be able to play Gears of War with you Gamespotters sometime after March 20 so stay tuned for that!! I know its gonna be a little late but it would be really nice to play with some fellow Gamespotters.

I played DOA4 and PDZ with EightBitWarrior a few weeks back and to me, being new to the whole XBL experience, it was fun as hell!! Thanks 8-bit for playing these games with me even though you probably hate them. I appreciate it man :)

Well that's all that I have to say about my gaming life, if you guys want to play Halo 2 on XBL send me a friend request or a party invite and I'll be happy to play. I'll try and write more often. The 360 has consumed my life and I don't even have Oblivion yet, heh.

I have message for people who still don't have a 360: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?!?!?!

I have a brand spankin new Xbox 360!! :D

Anyone who wants to add me to their friends list send me an invite but don't forget to tell me who you are before doing so. First impression: THIS S*** IS AWESOME!!!

You can find my gamertag in my profile and I'll see you guys on Live.

Backlog Update

62 hours and over 1,000 encounters later, I managed to finally beat Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic RPG but I would only recommend it to the hardcore because of its length. I haven't even touched the sidequests.

Anyways, after scratching that game off my backlog list, I've decided to move on to Final Fantasy XII for the PS2. I'm already 10 hours into it and i'm loving it so far, although the beginning was a bit slower than other FF's in the series. My mouth was open throughout the entire opening sequence, it was just that amazing.

The other games in my backlog list are: Okami and Twilight Princess. I decided to skip Okami because i'm currently in a RPG mood and I don't think that I'll be playing Zelda for quite some time, I just never got into it.

Will It Work? Cancelled

A few days ago my phone rang and the person on the other side said "you got the job!" That's right folks, as of January 30th, I am a working man. Long story short: I just don't have the time anymore to film "Will It Work?"

I loved doing the videos and I want to thank everyone who left a comment and recommend both of them. I'll try and make some normal video blogs now and then. Thank you all for your support.

Gamespot Stole My Money

I don't feel like explaining the whole thing so I'll just copy/paste here the e-mail I sent them last week:

"Hello, I've just tried to sign for an annual subcription of a gamespot plus. I was asked my address, credit card Number and such. I clicked on confirm account, and an error page came up. I tried again, fix a field which I had left blank my mistake, and I get another error this time stating that my card was declined by the bank. Yet, I check my balance online and there's a charge from gamespot.com for US$19.99. I did not get a confirmatory email stating that my account had been created. My user name is tj_bernard@msn.com, which is also my email. Please notify me if the transaction did go thru and what step must be taken so that I can access my account."

A few hours later, they sent me an e-mail stating that they would reply within 72 hours. It's been almost a week now and I still haven't heard from them. This is an OUTRAGE!!

Most Anticipated Portable Games of 2007

I wrote a text blog a few days ago about the release of a remake version of Final Fantasy Tactics for the PSP. Not much news was given as to what this new version has to offer. I searched around the internet and found out that the game will include: brand new anime cutscenes, new jobs, new playable characters, a rumored online multiplayer and new items. This game just sealed the deal for me: I'm getting a PSP as soon as FFT comes out. Although no release date has been announced for the US. You can also find the trailer at youtube.com.

A sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance has been announced for the DS called Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Fuuketsu no Grimoire. Nothing is known about this game only that it was announced for a Japanese release. It'll surely make its way to the US.

I'm really excited about both these games! Definite must buys for me in 2007.

The World of Ivalice

Final Fantasy XII takes place in the world of Ivalice. This is the third time that Ivalice has appeared in an FF game. It was first introduced in Final Fantasy Tactics and then Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I couldn't help but notice the similarities between FFXII and FFTA:

1. Races: Bangaas and Vieras make a triumphant return into 3-D

2. Judges are back once again to bring injustice into the land.

3. A moogle named Montblanc aids you in FFTA in creating a brand new clan. In FFXII, the leader of the biggest clan in Rabanastre is none other than a moogle named Montblanc.

Because of these similiarites, I've started playing FFTA once again. I just love that game.

Well that's it for updates, I'll try and write a lot more text blogs in the future and maybe try to film a normal video blog.

Note: Please no FFXII spoilers. Thank you.