Soul Calibur IV Overrated?

Gamespot recently released their video review of Soul Calibur IV for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3:


They seem to really like it and 1up.com gave the game an A.

However, from my experience with Soul Calibur II for the Gamecube, I felt that this series is way overrated. The Gamespot review said that the only draw for SCIV is the new online content, so I don't think that is a good enough reason to purchase a game.

Maybe it's just that I like to jump a lot in my fighting games and in Soul Calibur you are uncomfortably stuck to the ground which makes it not very enjoyable for me, but I did not like it.

Can someone please tell me what the appeal is from a game that is too reliant on item-based combat and customization?

Review - The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

9.0 out of 10

If it is not already dreadfully obvious, I am a huge Zelda fan and imagine my excitement when I was able to finally play the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass on my new Zelda-style DS.

Well it has been a while, but I finally sat down and completed the game so here is the review.

First and foremost, Phantom Hourglass is very different from nearly every other game within the series strictly because of the unique capabilities of the Nintendo DS.

The game is basically controlled entirely by using the bottom touch screen and your trusty stylist by placing the stylist in the direction you want Link to walk, drawing a line between you and your enemies to slash your sword, and drawing a path for your boomerang amongst other things.

Needless to say, this transition is rather difficult to manage at first, especially if you are a long time fan of the series.

I found it difficult to walk across the screen, let alone solve complex puzzles, but after a couple of hours I was feeling more comfortable with the control scheme and found that the left and right head buttons where vital when calling up your equipped items.

Nevertheless, this adventure is a direct sequel to the Gamecube title The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The story begins when Tetra/Zelda and her pirate crew encounter a ghost ship and Tetra falls captive to the ship and is pursued by none other than Link himself.

This transports you to another sea-filled world where you search for Tetra and the fiendish ghost ship.

Later you receive the phantom hourglass which allows you to traverse the the Temple of the Ocean King which came under siege by the game's antagonist Bellum.

The sands of the hour glass tick away as you explore the temple and can only be stopped when stepping into these lighted areas that save you from losing your time and your life.

To make matters worse there are various "phantom knights" throughout the temple that act as watchmen. These knights cannot be killed until the very end of the game and force you to sneak across the temple a la Solid Snake.

In the temple, you find various sea charts that allow you to travel to the four areas of Phantom Hourglass via your boat sailed by the treasure-greedy captain Linebeck.

Therefore, you must return to the Temple of the Ocean King numerous times and traveling deeper each visit thanks to your newly discovered items from each subsequent temple and added time to your hourglass thanks to dispatched temple bosses.

This means that you must travel though the same floors of the temple, sneak past the same phantom knights, and solve the same puzzles over and over and over again!

This is easily the most annoying aspect of any Zelda title to date!

You can't even save and quit your game while in the temple without being forced to return from the temple entrance.

Also, the musical score hardly changes with each town, temple, and cave leaving a very bland and generic feeling everywhere you go. Very disappointing from a series known for its fantastic musical scores and themed temples.

Traveling sequences on your ship often feels as dull as they did in Wind Waker and customization does not add an value to the experience.

You are given the option to search for treasure using a claw and engaging in a capture sequence. While the claw dives deeper you have to avoid hitting sea creatures or else your claw is destroyed. The controls for these sequences are not very well polished because you have to slide a devise across the bottom of the touch screen and moving it up and down to make the claw descend or ascend faster or slower. Just plain bad!

Having noted the game's faults, many aspects of Phantom Hourglass are simply outstanding.

After the initial learning curve, the unique capabilities of the DS seem to be a perfect match for the ingenuity we are used to from the series. The touch screen and microphone capabilities of the DS work wonderfully with the many gadgets in the game as well and the option to write on your map provides some new depth and leaves needless memorization in the past.

The cinematic sequences are fantastic for the Nintendo DS and provide a uniquely cinematic feel to the handheld genre.

Phantom Hourglass also brings a much need update to the classic 2D presentation. Much in the same way that New Super Mario Bros. showed us how a 2D plateformer with 3D masking can rejuvenate the genre, Phantom Hourglass does the same with Zelda's classic overhead view.

This is something that could translate well to the Wii.

Bottom line, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass has some of the most creative boss sequences in the series and utilizes the full capabilities of the DS in nearly every way. This is one fantastic presentation from a series that keeps reminding us just why we love video games in the first place.

Gameplay videos from Comic Con 08

When gamers think about Comic Con, they don't exactly connect it with video games.

However, there are a few that show up every once and a while.

Here are a few videos featuring gameplay from upcoming games.

Prince of Persia

Gameplay looks great, but this doesn't show us much more than a battle we have already seen in the trailer from E3. However, this video comes with a shaky camera and 15 seconds of the back of some guys head!


Ghostbusters

I ain't afraid of no ghost, but I am a little worried that this may be a movie-to-video game flop. The visuals look nice with rag doll physics. Plus, it looks like you don't die very easily as well!

Also, just in case you missed it, here's the E3 trailer:


DC Universe Online

I hope the game isn't this boring.


Dead Space

This one looks both beautiful and terrifying - especially with those phantom hands on the left side of the screen!


Lord of the Rings Conquest

Looks like a new Lord of the Rings game where you are given the ability to fight for either good or evil. Isn't it a little late for a Lord of the Rings game?

E3 2008 Trailer:

Pork Invaders - John McCain's Online Flash Game

Who says politicians don't know games?

Here's a game from the McCain camp about pork barrel spending:

Yeah, you veto that unnecessary funding!

Now all we need is an Obama Pac-Man style game called Diplomacy-Man.

New Little Big Planet Trailer

Just look how versatile this game can be:

Vote for your favorite game from E3 2008

Hello everyone, this is just a reminder for everyone to vote for their favorite game from E3 2008 to the right of this page.

There were a lot of great games and if your favorite isn't on the list, leave a comment and it will be shortly!

Nintendo Controllers In Jeopardy After Recent Lawsuit

A story out of bloomberg.com recently reported that Nintendo has lost a $21 million patent-infringement suit.

A patent held by Anascape Ltd. covers the rights to a "...certain configuration of the remote to control six types of motions at the same time."

For some reason this does not include the Wii remote or Nunchuk attachment, but does affect the Wii Classic controller, WaveBird wireless controller for the Gamecube, as well as the Gamecube controller itself.

This could mean that these products would have to be pulled from selves if Nintendo does not appeal this decision in a Federal Circuit Court - which they are already planning.

Interestingly enough the original patent held by Anascape Ltd. was lisenced by Sony in 2004 and Microsoft settled in a similar case in May.

It looks like the console war just got a little dirtier.

E3 2008 Dead Space Trailer

If this trailer for EA's new survival-horror title doesn't freak you out, there's something wrong:

Prepared to be frightened October 21, 2008.

Fallout 3 Gameplay Trailer

This trailer seems to show a lot of menu swapping and some RPG-ish elements for your character including HP, Experience Points, and Skills.

Ah, who doesn't love killing enemies with a teddy bear?

Video Game Art

An article in USA Today identified video game concept art as slowly becoming a legitimate form of art.

The "Into the Pixel" Exhibit at this year's E3 was aimed at highlighting how video game concept art could be hailed as literal works of art.

USA Today has a page of some of the submissions from the exhibit which you can view from following this link.

However, I have seen other concept art that are more artistically inclined than some of these submissions. The God of War, Assassin's Creed, Devil May Cry, and Final Fantasy series' each have beautiful concept art as well.

This is one step closer to identifying video games as an art form.

Review - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

9.5 out of 10

Not often enough does the work in any medium transcend the barriers and laws foreboding others within its realm and reach a level clearly and unarguably known as art.

That is where a masterpiece is born.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is one such masterpiece.

MGS4 is a masterpiece in visual display, sound design, music quality, and overall mastery in storytelling.

This is not a standalone story however, but a culmination of one of the greatest video game franchises to ever be released. This is the final chapter of that epic saga, because of such, one of the most unique experiences I have ever encountered.

Never before has there been such as well-crafted video game franchise have a definitive end and having that knowledge, I literally felt anxiety about playing and completing this game.

I would purposefully limit my time playing - and at times to once a week. I simply did not want the journey to end.

Nevertheless, I completed the saga 20+ years in the making and I have found that this is truly a masterpiece worthy as a work of art.

However, the merit of this title can only be judged within the constraints in which it was created: a video game.

All too quickly do we forget that this is first and foremost a video game and should judged as such. It is far from perfect and even falters where its predecessors shined so brilliantly.

As I have said before, all games within the Metal Gear Solid franchise have been about the overall experience and not just simply gameplay, and MGS4 takes this to an extreme.

If we only viewed this game as an interactive film, it would truly be hailed as one of the greatest ever made because MGS4's presentation is second to none and truly inspires its viewers.

Director and Producer Hideo Kojima unveils a final chapter that wraps up every loose end and resolves every question you had from the series - However, the gameplay suffers because of it.

Sneaking missions are overly generic, feel overdone, and are simply an inconvenience between bouts of spectacular cinematic sequences.

The environments are rich and vivid and range from a war-felt Middle Eastern surrounding to a nostalgic walk through some of the series' classic locals.

However, little is done with these areas aside from simply traversing from point A to point B. Highly uninspired and disappointing from a series that previously provided unique and imaginative gameplay sequences.

The boss battles also seem to lack the same charm of previous titles. There is little imagination aside from the latter battles. Nevertheless, much like the rest of the title, these sequences are rendered masterfully and with pizazz. You will re-encounter one of the cleverest boss battles in video game history in one of these epic struggles.

One area where MGS4 stands up its predecessors is the realm of the cathartic impact you have as a player. Some of the game's more well-designed sequences toward the latter half of the game really make you feel the pain and agony that Snake faces. The shear feeling of desperation, fatigue, and suffering is unparalleled. These unique sensations add another dimension of connection you feel with the game itself.

The full integration of cinematic sequences and gameplay take you from one to the other seamlessly helps to bring the two halves together, but one seems to be more well thought out and polished than the other. That is the greatest dissappointment in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Throughout my journey into MGS4 I kept hoping for more from the gameplay, but was disappointed in every one of the five chapters encompassing the game.

Having said that, MGS4 uniquely brings some of the most diverse settings of any video game to date. Each chapter provides a new locale which really brings a sense of scope to the title. All of this made possible to each chapter being individually installed on the Playstation 3's hard drive.

This is also a title so graphically intense and massive that it could simply not be reproduced on any other console.

This means that this is a crowning achievement of the Playstation 3's capabilities and is a definitive exclusive title.

Is it system seller? Would you purchase a $400+ machine for one game?

Once again, it is the experience of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots that make this a masterpiece for electronic media and perhaps the only one of its kind for this generation of consoles.

This title is filled with some of the most deep and complex characters in video game history with an equally deep and enriching story to match. However, the story in MGS4 is only as good as its predecessors because there is little by way of new developments in this title, only the tying of loose ends.

This is where I reiterate my initial point I made in my preview-review: DO NOT PLAY THIS GAME IF YOU HAVE NEVER PLAYED ANY OTHER METAL GEAR SOLID TITLE.

This would only dilute the experience, and being privy to the franchise's past titles enriches the experience as a feeling of "being in on" the whole story.

I simply did not want it to end and was thankfully surprised with the finale especially with the final ending which had eliminated my preconceptions to how Snake's fate would stand.

The finale itself is an incredibly long venture with as many possible ending points that it rivals that of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and rightly so.

This marks one of the only solid endings in any franchise and one of the few that should simply never end.

No need to fear as I did, it is a happy ending and I felt satisfied with my time with Solid Snake and crew.

This work of art should only be recreated in the eyes of other game developers, but the limitations of the standards of its medium is it's only downfall.

Congratulations Mr. Kojima for a job well done.

New Halo Wars Trailer

Here is a new trailer to the upcoming strategy title "Halo Wars:"

Yet more evidence that this continuation of the blockbuster franchise just might be Master Chief-less.

New Killzone 2 Trailer

Checkout the new trailer for Killzone 2 that looks to be more the same that we have seen so far:

This is finally scheduled for release February 2009 which is ridiculous when you realize that this game was first shown at year ago at E3 2007 and now it still won't be available this Fall.

Activision Rocks Out

Activision hasn't been shy about their titles this E3. They have a pretty impressive line-up that gives new meaning to the phrase, "if you got it flaunt it."

Here are a few videos of their killer showing at E3:


Guitar Hero World Tour

This thing sounds absolutely amazing. The new functionality with the guitar breaths new life to the now class peripheral. Also, the drum set seems to be an imrpovment from the Rock Band set. Also, the create a rocker and create a song modes look to add a new dimension of customization to the game that you can share across the globe.


Wolfenstein

This is defiantly a teaser, but it looks to be a next-gen revival of the original FPS.


Call of Duty: World At War

This trailer was previously released, but showcases the follow-up to one of the best games of last year.


Quantum of Solace

It's hard to tell of this is a FPS or perhaps a Third-first crossover title like Gears of War or Metal Gear Solid. I could see where "sneaking" missions would somewhat suit the 00 Agent.


Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

This more mature and dramatic looking Spider-Man title looks to involve the alien symbiont in some way.


Singularity

Definitely a teaser. There is an air of mystery surrounding this title, let hope to hear more soon.

Wii Music Trailer

It was announced earlier today and now is you chance to see the first trailer for Wii Music:

Podcast - E3 2008 Sony Press Conference Reactions

Listen to what I have to say about Sony's showing at E3 2008:

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E3 2008 Sony Press Conference

Here is the complete run down of Sony's press conference at E3 2008.

Jack Tretton welcomes the crowd. Explains Sony's 10-year vision. Announces Blu-Ray victory once again. "Playstation in 2008 is all about software." PS3 has more exclusives than any other console.

"2008 is the year of the Playstation 3."

Resistance 2 video. City scape gameplay video featuring a huge monster, incredible visuals, and an interesting environment. In this installment you fight in the United States in 1953. Features 8-player co-op and 60-player online matches. Finally, a new Resistance 2 trailer. Release date not set.

User generated content discussion leads to Little Big Planet. A special level of Little Big Planet was used as the business presentation. Incredibly innovative. Greatest Hits titles will cost $29.99 including titles such as Resistance, Assassin's Creed, and Ninja Gaiden.

Little Big Planet coming in October.

Playstation 2 will still be supported with 130+ titles this year.

Buzz titles announced for PSP and PS3.

New Lego Batman Playstation 2 bundle for $149.99.

Playstation Network update. Global sign-on for the PC to allow chatting with PSN friends.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty announced for download from the Playstation Network. The new installment will be shorter and call to more puzzle solving. Available this summer for $14.99.

Playstation Network preview featuring Ratchet and Clank Future, Crash Commando, Fat Princess, and others.

Gran Truismo TV featuring automotive content through the Playstation Network and Gran Turismo 5. Pay-per-view content from events across the globe. Starting August 1, 2008.

Playstation HOME. "Seeing great progress." New video about Playstation HOME. HOME includes living game spaces that reflect various titles. No release date.

Sony, FOX, Warner, Disney, Paramount, etc. studios are announced as addition to the Playstation Network. Television shows also can be purchased or rented. This content can be downloaded on the PS3, then moved to the PSP! This content available today.

PSP update. Two entertainment packs announced: one including Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, a PSP, Memory Stick, National Treasure 2 UMD, and a PSN voucher. Also, Resistance title announced for PSP. Resistance: Retribution coming Spring 2009.

PSP highlights of Star Wars: the Force Unleashed, Madden 09, LocoRoco 2, NBA 09 the Inside, Star Dust, Lego Batman, Patapon 2, Buzz Master Quiz, and Valkryia Chronicles.

Playstation 3 integration with Google. Allowing you to record content and place on youtube. Life with Playstation partnership available next month. Sony Online Entertainment including more content for Playstation 3.

DC Universe Online announced. In this title you can create your own super hero or super villain and integrate them into the DC Universe fighting along side Batman, Superman, and other DC heroes.

An 80 GB Playstation 3 announced for $399.99 featuring all of the content of the 40 GB coming in September.

Software recap including: Little Big Planet, Motor Storm, Metal Gear Solid 4, Quantum of Solace, Socom, Ghostbusters, Soul Calibur IV, Resistance 2, The agency, Naruto, Mirror's Edge, Resident Evil 5, SingStar, Guitar Hero World Tour, NBA 09 the Inside, Buzz Quiz TV, and Killzone 2.

God of War 3 teaser trailer for PS3. No gameplay footage.

inFamous announced as a super hero title from the folks who brought us Sly Cooper. This almost looks like The Force Unleashed. Release Spring 2009.

MAG: Massive Action Game announced. 256 player battles online. Broken into 8-player squads using a ranking and leadership systems. On-going campaigns. Trailer shown. The trailer doesn't give any clue if this is a first-person shooter or strategy or possibly third-person.

Podcast - Nintendo Press Conference Response

Take a listen to my response to Nintendo's lack luster showing at E3:

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E3 2008 Nintendo Press Conference

Ten minutes into the conference.

Shaun White's Snowboarding announced using the Wii Fit Balance Board. Available "at year's end."

Nintendo President - Satoru Iwata - addresses the audience. Expands on how Nintendo's innovation has expanded the gaming industry. Reiterates that Nintendo is destroying the psychological barriers between gamers and non-gamers.

Animal Crossing: City Folk announced for the Wii. Including a city landscape where you can visit an auction, a "happy room academy," visit a fashion designer, a beauty salon, and a post office to write letters and send pictures to the Wii message board. WiiSpeak addition, which is pretty much a microphone attachment to the Wii sensor where you can speak with friends on other Wii consoles. Your town and world can then be shared with other Wii users in an integrative community.

Reggie Fils-Aime takes the stage! Announces $5 billion in revenue in the US alone. DS sales nearing 100 million systems. Three new games to announce.

Star Wars the Clone Wars. Based on the new film to be released this August. Using the Wii remote and Nunchuk as lightsabers.

Rayman Raving Rabbits TV Party. What a title. It looks to utilize the Wii remote Nunchuk and Wii Fit balancing board.

Call of Duty: World at War. Using the Wii blaster attachment and a co-op mode.

All of which should be available this Fall.

Increased growth in female gamers for the DS.

Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades announced for the DS. Players can song share the different versions of the game between DS users.

Spore Creatures coming to the DS. You create your own creature in this title. You can also share your creature with your DS friends.

Pokeman Rangers Shadows of Almia coming November, 10 2008.

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars coming to DS this Winter. Set in Liberty City.

DS integration with airports to scroll information about the surrounding area.

DS at the ball park!

DS in the kitchen. An electronic cookbook coming to the DS in November.

Transforming to a portable device to a "natural companion."

Wii remote attachment. Wii Motion Plus. This will make the Wii remote more responsive to ever slight movement.

Wii Sports Resort will utilize and package with the Wii Motion Plus. Attachment demonstration with playing Frisbee with a dog looks incredible realistic. Reggie shows us jet skies by using the Wii remote and Nunchuk as the two different throttles. Sword dueling. Holding the Wii remote with both hands, the range in motion is reflective in real time. Other activities will reflect a beach-front resort. Launches next Spring.

Wii Music announced. Utilizing the various Wii peripherals to act as musical instruments. Such as the Wii remote, Nunchuk, and balancing board as drums and the Wii remote itself as a saxophone. The Wii seems to play music for you by simply pushing buttons at will. You be able to play 50 different instruments be moving your body and having no skill involved. The different instruments dictate the different motions you must make in order to play the instruments such as holding the Wii remote and Nunchuk far apart and strum the Wii remote to play your very own virtual guitar. You can ever conduct your own orchestra or choir. You can create a music video with various players playing different instruments to create your own song. We saw this in action with a live performance of the Super Mario theme song. They weren't very good. But still very cool.

Final Fantasy XIII E3 2008 Trailer

Here is the full trailer of Final Fantasy XIII unveiled earlier at the Microsoft press conference.

EA's Mirror's Edge

Take a look at what looks like to be the first ever, first person plateformer.

These visuals look outstanding and hopefully the gameplay will follow suit.



Also, look at the 5 min demonstration of the game in real time.

Podcast - E3 2008 Microsoft Press Conference Reactions and Thoughts

Listen to my podcast below for reactions to Microsoft's press conference at E3 2008!

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E3 2008 Microsoft Press Conference

Here is the run down on some of the content and news from Microsoft's E3 2008 press conference:

New gameplay video of Fallout 3 in action.

Resident Evil 5 release date is officially March 13, 2009.

New Fable 2 trailer with slow-motion poop. This game will show how you progress from a child to an adult. Also, character and environment morphs with your actions and is unique for each player. It will release October 2008.

New Gears of War 2 trailer. Two-player cooperative gameplay showing outstanding visuals of a crumbling city while fighting through numerous enemies. It will also include a "Hoard mode" where 5 players can take out waves of enemies at a time. Gears of World 2 will release worldwide November 7, 2008.

Microsoft touts Xbox 360 and Xbox Live as the leader in the gaming industry. NBC and Universal studios added to Xbox Live on-demand content.

Announcement of the "New Xbox Experience" an massive software update to the Xbox 360. Including a My Xbox option, new avatars - which will be included in-game like Nintendo's Mii, an Xbox Live avatar community via picture and content sharing via a party system, Interactive content through Xbox Live Primetime meaning that you can play with friends on tv game show titles such as 1 vs. 100.

A new Geometry Wars title revealed for the Xbox Live Arcade as well as a sequel to Galaga called Galaga Legions.

Portal: Still Alive announced as a world exclusive for the Xbox Live Arcade this fall as well as a new South Park title.

Xbox Live partnership with Netflix. Allowing you to download your Netflix content to your Xbox 360 and even share your movies with your friends in your party.


Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts trailer showing how you will be able to use and create vehicles. The original Banjo-Kazooie will be available on Xbox Live this Fall.

New Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise trailer.

New Scene It: Box Office Smash trailer.

You're in the Movies announced. A new motion-censor title where you have to physically move to complete various tasks from running while attached to a bungee cord, swatting wasps, and dancing. Your motions are then complied into a movie. Sounds and looks interesting to say the least.

Guitar Hero: World Tour News. Exclusive content will be available for the Xbox Live. Metallica music content will release for download in Guitar Hero simultaneously with their album release.

Lips announced. Allowing you to connect your Zune or iPod to allow you to sing from music tracks in your library using a wireless microphone that is also motion sensitive.

RockBand 2 will be debuting exclusively for the Xbox 360 this September. However, that doesn't mean that it will be only available for the Xbox 360. RockBand 2 will feature a new Guns and Roses track, Bob Dylan tracks, and ACDC tracks. Original tracks from RockBand and downloadable tracks will be compatible in RockBand 2 to integrate with RockBand 2's all new modes.

Square-Enix information and upate. Infinite Undiscovery will be available on September 2, 2008 exclusively for the Xbox 360. Star Ocean: A Last Hope will be avaliable Spring 2009. The Last Remnant will available November 20, 2008.

Final Fantasy XIII annouced for Xbox 360.

New Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Trailer

The trailer of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed shows that this September release will be more story driven than originally thought:

10 Reasons Why PS3 Update v2.41 Sucks

The last time I posted information about Sony's v2.40 update I received some criticism from users on digg.com.

The original update was supposed to give Playstation 3 owners access to in-game XMB and a new trophy system in an attempt to counter/copy Microsoft's Xbox Live functions.

Now, after Sony's initial blunder with its v2.40 release, they finally released v2.41 Monday.

After finally installing the update I can say with certainty that it is incredibly lame and almost completely useless considering the hype surrounding the update.

Here are just ten reasons why this update totally sucks:

1. You have to end your game to browse the internet.

2. You have to end your game to visit the Playstation Network Store.

3. You have to end your game to watch a video or trailer.

4. You have to end your game to look at a picture.

5. You have to end your game to adjust any settings.

6. Accessing the XMB will freeze the loading process while playing a game.

7. Accessing the XMB doesn't even pause your game for you.

8. No games are compatible with the trophy function as of yet and only a few will be compatible.

9. Nothing with the XMB has changed aside from the trophy option - which is blank - and some prompts to end and/or eject your game.

10. The only thing it is useful for is to see which of your friends is online when you are in-game, chat with them, and...oh, the date and time are in the upper right-hand corner.


There you have it, Sony's grand addition for Playstation 3 users is a gigantic bust because you have to end your game to access any content anyway, so there is no use in having in-game functionality in the first place.

Also, Sony better support their trophy rating system or else that will be another monumental flop for PS3 users.

15 E3 08 Predictions and Anticipations

With E3 just around the corner, lets take a look at some predictions and highly anticipated announcements on the hottest games for this year and beyond.


Gears of War 2 - We should hear about more info on the hugely anticipated third-person shooter for the Xbox 360.

Final Fantasy XIII - Come on, how long has it been since this title was first announced and we have heard little to no information on it as of yet?

Big announcement from the Guitar Hero and Rock Star camp - We already know about Rock Star 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour, but I am hoping we hear some more info on something new to the genre or perhaps a "Beatles" title.

Nintendo Handheld Upgrade - I have a feeling that Nintendo is either going to announce an upgrade to the DS or perhaps unveil a whole new handheld system.

HOME - When is Sony going to finally release it's "Second Life" plateform on the Playstation Network?

New to the Halo Series - Microsoft needs to release more info about it's hugely popular Halo series and what direction we will likely see it in the future.

New Zelda Title - With Nintendo's track record, it is likely they may announce a new Zelda title for the Wii and/or DS so that we can all get our hopes up for the inevitable 2011 release.

Little Big Planet - Along with HOME, Sony needs to release more info on the highly anticipated create-your-own plateformer.

Call of Duty: World at War - A new trailer was just released, but we want to finally see this game released.

Banjo-Kazooie - Microsoft needs to wow everyone with some concrete info on this title in order to show the public just how versatile their console can be.

The Next Big (BLANK) For the Wii - Just as Wii Fit was Nintendo's big announcement for the Wii last year, I am wondering what they have up their sleeves for this year's E3.

SPORE - With its release nearing, I am wondering what info we will receive about Will Wright's Spore.

Xbox Live Expansion - Last year they focused on downloadable content for Xbox Live such as movies, what will they have in-store for us this year?

Kingdom Hearts 3 - It is about time for SquareEnix to release some information on the next installment of the Kingdom Hearts series, but for what console?

Perhaps...a new console - It is far to early for any of the big three to release a new console, but you never know what they have in-store of us. This could be a big E3!

Podcast - Review: Mario Kart Wii

8.5 out of 10

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Pros
Best course design in the series
Old School tracks are a nice plus
Content to unlock keeps you playing
Team play is a great addition

Cons
Wii Wheel is hard to get used to
Level of difficulty can be frustrating
More multiplayer content would be nice
Wii Wheel motion controls are not very responsive

Happy 4th of July

Hello everyone and happy Independence Day to everyone in the United States.

In-between your hours of relaxation by the pool or grill, take a moment to enjoy your freedom by expressing your right to the freedom of gaming.

VGF - Video Game Freedom - is about YOUR freedom from mainstream sources of gaming news and reviews.

This info is directly from a gamer just LIKE YOU and I am always looking from any comments that you can give about VGF or any content you want to see or add to VGF!!!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Playstation 2.40 update delayed, how to redownload v2.36

In an embarrassing display, the Playstation 3 firmware update version 2.40 was removed from the Playstation Network just hours after its launch yesterday.

Gamespot reported that Sony had to remove the update, which is supposed to finally bring gamers in-game XMB and trophy accomplishments, after various calls and complaints that the update had caused instability when loading games.

Sony has yet to publically address the issue and reports came from all three versions of the console.

This has to be embarssing for Sony and it has to frustrate gamers.

Nevertheless, if you did download the update, you should probably log onto Sony's Playstation 3 update site and redownload the version 2.36 update by visiting their download page or by clicking the direct link HERE.

From there you will want to place the file in a folder called UPDATE which should be within another folder called PS3 and put that on a flashdrive to insert in your Playstation 3.



I was unable to update my system last night and now I know why. Be sure to check back when I am finally able to download Version 2.40 when it is rereleased.