Kids

I dont understand why people have kids. Seriously. Think about it: the best part of being an adult is the freedom to do what you want and make your own choices (most of the time). The worst part of being an adult is the responsibilities that come with it (having to work, supporting yourself/your family, pay bills, etc.). When you have kids, you lose pretty much all of that freedom, while exponentially gaining more responsibility. By the time you get your freedom back, you're ready to retire and have lost the best years of your life. All for kids that, while you're raising them, will resent you and constantly argue with you and make you miserable and have no concept of what you gave up to bring their ungrateful souls into the world until they're much older (yes Mom, I know I did this too, and I'm sorry). Why do people do this to themselves? All so that this cycle can repeat over and over again?

My Top 15 Episodes of South Park

After going through every episode of South Park (through season 13) in order for the last year and a half, I decided that it would be a fun idea to pick out my favorite episodes. Below is a list of my 15 favorite episodes (in order), followed by some honorable mentions. It was really hard to pick favorites: I originally was only going to do a top 10, but I had to go with 15 because I didn't feel right weeding anymore out. Also, I did rank them 1-15 (from most favorite to least favorite), but many of these episodes could easily be changed in the order either way. Also, I have not seen any episodes from season 14 (the current season) yet, so none of these could be included in the list. And so, with all that in mind, here are my favorite 15 episodes of South Park:


1. Chinpokomon (Season 3)

As someone who admittedly was totally obsessed with Pokemon as a kid, this episode automatically got a special place in my heart just because of its subject matter. But it's the two Japanese men in the episode that really make this the funniest episode of South Park to me.

2. Make Love, Not Warcraft (Season 10)

Perhaps the most well known episode, this one is a brilliant parody of World of Warcraft, and Blizzard (the company who created WoW) contributed to help make the episode. A truly hilarious episode from start to finish.

3. Trapped in the Closet (Season 9)

This episode exposes and mocks Scientology for what it really is (a scam), and features Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Nicole Kidman, and funniest of all, R. Kelly (none of which are actually voiced by the real person, obviously).

4. Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy (Season 10)

Ike (a kindergartner) gets involved romantically with his teacher (who happens to be a young, attractive woman), but no one in society seems to mind because it's a female teacher. The police, on being informed of this, joke that they should award him the "luckiest little boy in the world award." This episode also rips Dog the bounty hunter, and features the catchphrase "Nice."

5. Go God Go (parts I and XII) (Season 10)

While many South Park episodes rip various religions, the South Park creators once again show a sense of equality (of making fun of everything) by poking fun at atheism. The episode centers around Cartman and the lengths he goes to to try to acquire a Nintendo Wii without having to wait for it to come out. Also parodies the old TV sci-fi show "Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century."

6. Canada on Strike (Season 12)

The country of Canada decides to go on strike to teach the world a lesson about respecting them. I personally love any time Canadians are portrayed on South Park, and this one also has the famous YouTube battle scene.

7. Christian Rock Hard (Season 7)

Realizing that it's easier to make it in the Christian music industry than in the Mainstream, Cartman decides to start a Christian worship band to win a bet with Kyle that he can get a platinum album first. Also makes fun of celebrity musicians complaining that downloading music illegally is greatly hurting them financially.

8. Scott Tenorman Must Die (Season 5)

Cartman will go to any lengths to get a back at an older boy who has been constantly tricking him. Also features an appearance by Radiohead (actually voiced by themselves).

9. Simpsons Already Did It (Season 6)

Butters, aka Professor Chaos, tries to devise evil schemes to spread chaos throughout South Park, but every time he thinks of something, he realizes it's already been done on an episode of the Simpsons. The boys are also afraid they may have accidentally killed one of their teachers. Features the short but funny "Sea People" song.

10. Night of the Living Homeless (Season 11)

More and more homeless people start showing up in South Park begging for "change" (like loose coins). This problem soon grows to epic proportions.

11. Fishsticks (Season 13)

Jimmy (with the "help" of Cartman) invents the greatest joke in the history of the world, which everyone loves except for Kanye West, who becomes very angry and eventually even questions his own identity because he doesn't understand it. Also rips on Carlos Mencia and features a hilarious song.

12. All About Mormons? (Season 7)

When Stan meets a new Mormon family that has just moved into town, he learns all about the history and roots of Mormonism.

13. The Red Badge of Gayness (Season 3)

Cartman makes a bet with the other boys that this year he can get the South to win in the yearly South Park civil war reenactment.

14. Fat Camp (Season 4)

Because he is overweight, Cartman is sent to fat camp, while the boys learn that Kenny will do anything for money. Also contains "The Prostitute Song" by Chef (featuring James Taylor), which is my favorite Chef song of all time.

15. 4th Grade (Season 4)

The boys and their classmates, which have all now gone on to fourth grade, wish they could go back to third grade, while their new teacher tries to figure out how to control and communicate to them. Features the song "Third Grade" by Eric Cartmen.



Honorable Mentions:

-Gnomes (Season 2)

Step 1: Steal Underpants.
Step 2: ?
Step 3: Profit.

-Rainforest Schmainforest (Season 3)

An episode featuring the voice of Jennifer Aniston as a class teacher that makes fun of empty-hearted activism just for the sake of being seen as an "activist."

-Cartmanland (Season 5)

After inheriting a huge amount of money, Cartman buys his own amusement park that only he is allowed to go to.

-The New Terrance and Phillip Trailer (Season 6)

This episode gets an honorable mention because of the Russel Crowe show "Fightin' Round the World."

-Douche & Turd (Season 9)

Stan tries to abstain from voting for the new school mascot, but P. Diddy and his "Vote or Die" campaign have other ideas.


Almost every episode of South Park is a good episode, but these are the best of the best (to me). I would love to hear your opinions on my list, as I'm sure some people will disagree with me about what I did or did not include. I welcome any comments/feedback, and would love to see what your favorite episodes of South Park are. Thanks!

Review: Heavy Rain (PS3)

Heavy Rain is a PS3 exclusive that differs from most current video games in that it is better described as an interactive movie or drama than a traditional video game. The game focuses heavily on characters and story, and there is no "game over" like traditional games.

Quick Facts:

Platform: PS3
Genre: Interactive drama
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date (NA): February 23, 2010
Rating: M


I have mixed feelings about Heavy Rain, as will be documented in the next few paragraphs. The game came out back in late February, but I just finally got a chance to play through it now. Overall, I was actually a little disappointed with the game. I've followed the game a lot since well before it was released, so I pretty much knew what I was getting into. So with that in mind, I wouldn't say it was a bad game, but it definitely didn't exceed my expectations from what I had seen like I was hoping it would. The majority of the media reviews were pretty positive, but I would say I'm somewhere more neutral on my feelings towards this game.

On the plus side, the graphics in the cutscenes were amazing, and the story was decent, but I still didn't feel that it was captivating enough for a game that is almost completely based on story and not gameplay. As for the actual non-cutscene gameplay (aka walking around between action-packed cutscenes trying to figure out how to trigger the next one), most of it was awkward and could be boring and confusing at times, and the walking around controls were pretty bad.

Also, on a very negative note, the voice acting was some of the worst I've ever heard in a recent game. Many of the main characters are voiced by French (or other European) people trying to fake American accents, and you can really tell how awful it is at some points. This game is almost completely based on its story and characters and all happens in a present-day American city (Philadelphia, to be precise), so to have the characters have terrible fake American accents really ruined the setting and mood of the game (which is supposed to be very dark). They sound ridiculous. This game is basically an interactive movie, so imagine a movie trying to be serious where most of the cast are French but are pretending to be American and doing really bad accents. Yeah, it would pretty much destroy many of the scenes that are supposed to be serious, and it did the exact same thing in this game.

The story itself wasn't bad. Your actions can determine what happens in the game, and there are many different endings that can be seen depending on what happens in your unique playthrough. Overall though, I have a feeling many of the people got similar endings. Unless you were trying to get your characters killed off on purpose, most of the parts were pretty simple in keeping your person alive and advancing the story in the best possible direction (where everyone survives at the end). The story itself (which I wont mention in detail here) was pretty good for a video game, but like I said before, for a video game that bases itself almost completely on story, it still wasn't amazing. I guess a good way to put it is that even though I liked the story in Heavy Rain, I've played other games with better stories and characters that also had good gameplay to go along with it, which Heavy Rain (for the most part) did not. That basically summarizes my overall feelings towards the majority of the game.

Also, the game isn't very long (it took me around 8-9 hours to beat), so keep that in mind when you see the price tag. A lot of people online say it has great re-playability because you can try to see all the different endings and decisions, but honestly, once I had beaten it I had very little desire to go through it again anytime soon (and I did enjoy it the first time around). I guess that will vary by person though.

With that in mind, there are some good things about the game, and you have to give Quantic Dream and Sony props for trying something new and different in a market that is definitely over-crowded with genres like shooters or RPGs. That is certainly a redeeming quality for Heavy Rain: even though it's only a decent game on its own, it was refreshing to play something different for a change. That's probably the best thing Heavy Rain has going for it.

In Summary:

Pros: decent story, great cutscene graphics, something different than most games

Cons: horrible voice acting, bad non-cutscene gameplay, fairly short game to pay full retail price for


Heavy Rain is best described as an interactive drama that is both innovative and different, but Quantic Dream has a lot of work to do before they perfect the formula that started they with this game (and somewhat with Indigo Prophecy).


Final Score: 3 out of 5

What I'm Playing (5/17/10)

Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Halo: Reach Beta, Super Paper Mario.

What I'm Playing (5/9/10)

Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Halo: Reach Beta, Heavy Rain, and Warcraft III (mostly Dota).

What I'm Playing (4/26/10)

Left 4 Dead 2, Super Mario Galaxy, Monster Hunter Tri, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.

The Greatest Games of All-Time (according to Metacritic)

When I'm looking for reviews on games, I always immediately go to Metacritic. For anyone who doesn't know, Metacritic is a website that takes most (if not all) of the major reviews of a game (and other forms of media) and averages them out to one score so that you can get a sense of how good the game without having to go through every review yourself. While it's not perfect, it's the best I've found on the internet, and I think for the most part it does give a good generalization of how a game is.

Recently I was curious about what Metacritic considered the best games ever made, so I did some research and organizing and compiled this list based solely on Metacritic's scores. A few notes:

- Only games on PSOne/N64 console generation and later were included, because that's as far back as Metacritic goes.
- These are all the games that have a 96 rating or higher. While anything 90 or above is considered a great score, I wanted to find the best of the best and not make this list too long.
- There are no games represented from any handheld systems, but this is only because there were no ratings higher than 95 for any handheld games.
- I also didn't include any Dreamcast games. I'm not really sure why I did this, maybe it's because it died so fast and because I dont think I ever actually played one or saw one being played. Maybe that's unfair of me, but if you really want to know go check out Metacritic's Dreamcast Section.
- I will make categories based on the Metacritic ratings (99 through 96), and within each category I will give the name of the game, which system it had the rating for, the year it was released, and any personal thoughts about the game.
- If the game came out for more than one system and the ratings were the same for each system, both will be included next to its title. If the game made the list for one system but not for another (i.e. if a game rated lower on one system than another), that system will not be included in the listing.
- Games in the same score category will be listed from newest to oldest by release date.

So, here's the list! Take a look through and see what you have/haven't played, and what you agree/disagree with.



The 99's

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - N64, 1998
I've only played a little of this game, but I've heard from lots of people that it's their favorite game ever. If you put stock in Metacritic's scores though, you have to crown this game king, seeing as it stands alone atop the charts as the only 99 out of every game rated.


The 98's

Grand Theft Auto IV - 360/PS3, 2008
I have this game and have played some of it. I bought it because of all the hype around it and the great ratings, but personally, I'm not a big fan. The game got boring pretty quick for me, it was too repetitive and slow, and the combat wasn't very good either. Open world sandbox games usually aren't my thing. That being said, I can understand why so many people love it and how it really raised the bar for its genre. It's not often a game does that.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - PSOne, 2000
I may or may not have played this game. There are so many of them it's hard for me to remember which is which. I'm not a big fan of skating games, but I understand why people like them. This must have been an amazing game when it came out.


The 97's

Super Mario Galaxy - Wii, 2007
I've actually been playing this a lot lately (in preparation for Galaxy 2), and I have to say that it's probably my favorite 3D platforming game of all time. The gameplay and levels are great, and I really love the soundtrack too. I'm glad to finally see a game I like on this list.

Metroid Prime - GameCube, 2002
Have only played a little of this one, but it seemed cool, and I can only imagine it was really cool for its time.

Halo: Combat Evolved - Xbox, 2001
I think I've pretty well documented on here how much I love this game. Glad to see it on the list.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 - PS2, 2001
Man, people must have really loved these games. Was 3 that much different than 2? It only came out a year later, but I guess the difference in going from PSOne to PS2 was probably large. How did I miss this skating game craze as a kid?

Grand Theft Auto III - PS2, 2001
I've heard this is a great game, and that it was as amazing in its time as GTA IV was a couple of years ago.

Perfect Dark - N64, 2000
Played this a lot as a kid, and have actually been playing the remake that just came out for Xbox. It's still a lot of fun to play.


The 96's

Mass Effect 2 - 360, 2010
A fairly recent game (came out in the end of January this year) that is one of my favorite games of all time. The only game to come out this year (so far) to have a 96 or better rating.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - PS3, 2009
The only game to come out in 2009 to have a 96+ rating. Also a very good game and a PS3 exclusive.

The Orange Box - 360/PC, 2007
One of the best values in gaming history. Includes Half-Life 2, its expansions, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. I'm sure I've talked about it on here before. A PS3 version of this was released, but didn't score as well as 360 and PC.

Bioshock - 360/PC, 2007
Another great game I love. Came out right around the same time as The Orange Box, and also had a PS3 version which didn't score as well.

Out of the Park Baseball 2007 - PC, 2007
Never heard of this game before now. I think it was a baseball sim; must have been pretty good.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - GameCube, 2006
Have only played a little of this on the Wii. This might be blasphemous to say, but I've never really been able to get into any Zelda games, new or old. Interestingly, you'll notice "Wii" is not included along with GameCube for this game - the Wii version scored slightly lower at a 95, and thus barely missed this list. Interesting.

Resident Evil 4 - GameCube/PS2, 2005
A great survival-horror/action game, probably the best of the series. I've really enjoyed what I've played of this game. This was also later released for Wii, but that version, while highly rated, barely fell short of this list.

Half-Life 2 - PC, 2004
My favorite shooter of all-time. Pretty sure I've lauded it on here enough though.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - GameCube, 2003
A Zelda game I've never played. Probably wouldn't have liked it anyway.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - PS2, 2001
Never played it. I've heard that the Metal Gear Solid series is good if you can get into it (and you like stealth games).

Half-Life - PC, 1998
Have played a little of it, and though it is very outdated (it's almost 12 years old now), I can still tell it was a very well made game.

Gran Turismo - PSOne, 1998
Never played this series before. Not really a fan of realistic racing games. Gran Turismo 5 is supposed to come out later this year for PS3 though.

Tekken 3 - PSOne, 1998
Also not really a fan of fighting games, especially ones that are really hard and complicated like Tekken.

GoldenEye 007 - N64, 1997
The first really popular shooter on a console, this game still has a huge following today. I remember playing it as a kid and thinking it was amazing. I've always been a Bond fan, too.


So there's the list. If I had to pick a winner of video games based off of this it would have to be Zelda (or Link... whatever), although Tony Hawk and GTA would be up there too. Feel free to let me know what you think of this and what your personal experiences with these games were. I always look forward to any comments/input!

What I'm Playing (4/18/10)

Super Mario Galaxy, Cave Story (WiiWare), Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and God of War III (I beat it two weeks ago, but I figured I'd put it on the list). Looking forward to Monster Hunter Tri, which will be released on Tuesday.

Big Pouch To Give Up Owning You; Boner McBonesteen Puts Music Career On Hold Indefinite-lee

Big Pouch To Give Up Owning You

As you may or may not be aware, Big Pouch has owned you for some time now. Yes, you, the person reading this right now. It's not just you though. Big Pouch has owned many people for a very long time. After bestowing so much ownage upon so many people indiscriminately, Big Pouch decided to call it quits today. "I've just owned so many people for so long," says Big Pouch, "it's really getting exhausting. I mean, I've owned you, I've owned your mother... I really feel I've reached my potential in the ownage category." What this means for the broader ownage economy still remains a mystery, but owniologists and bracketologists everywhere agree that in the next few months we will see a dramatic change in the politics of ownage. "I mean, Big Pouch, he was like the judge, jury, and executioner of ownage. He was the king," one expert said. "Him stepping down is like... well, let's just say things are about to get crazy."

So what's next for Big Pouch, now that he's no longer owning you? "Yo? What the hell?" Big Pouch responded to our question, "I'm trying to think. Here's the thing... now that I'm done owning people I've really started to notice the simpler things in life. It's a real sense of freedom I've never known before, not owning everyone I have or haven't ever met. I'm not sure exactly what I'll do now, but I think I might try to lease some people. I mean, I've already owned a lot, so yeah, maybe I'll lease you, and your mother from now on."


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Boner McBonesteen Puts Music Career On Hold Indefinite-lee

On the heels of the tragic accident that recentlee befell Lee Brewer, Boner McBonesteen made the shocking announcement today that he is going to put his music career on hold indefinitely to pursue other goals and do what he referred to as "soul-searching." "I've just been chasing after and boning Lee Brewer for so long now, I've forgotten what's really important in life. Like the children... and Lee Brewer." During a press conference yesterday in which he addressed the media and hordes of fans, McBonesteen announced his plans to open a new charity center in New York City named "The Boner McBonesteen Charity Center For Kids Who Have Been Hit By Cars," or TBMCCFKWHBHBC for short. "This [TBMCCFKWHBHBC] is a place where kids can come when they've been, you know, hit by cars and stuff."

Boner McBonesteen is best known for his triple platinum single "I'm Going to Bone Lee Brewer," and his quadruple platinum single "I Just Boned Lee Brewer," so he certainly has the money to start such a charity foundation. Only time will tell both if it will be succesful, and when he will eventually make his triumphant return to the recording industry. Boner McBonesteen's Facebook Fan Page can be found here, where you can listen (for free) to both of his hit singles, and see some videos and pictures of the superstar as well.


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Also, this just in:

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!!!

Of course Big Pouch still owns you. Please.

Games I'm Excited For

Since I finished my "Greatest Games of the Decade" awhile ago, I thought I'd do something new for an article: list and discuss some games that haven't come out yet that I'm excited for. Most of these games are coming out sometime this year, although there are a few that are still uncertain or are coming out in 2011. This will be broken down into two categories: "Games I'm Really Excited For", and "Games I'm Somewhat Excited For". These will be listed in no particular order in their respective categories.


- Games I'm Really Excited For

These are the games I'm really, really looking forward to, and have either already pre-ordered or will most likely pre-order once an official release date is given.


1. Fallout: New Vegas



Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: RPG/First-Person Action
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date (NA): Fall 2010

If you like Fallout 3, you'll probably like this game. This game promises to be very similar to Fallout 3, but with slightly tweaked and improved gameplay, and a whole new story, location, and characters. Obsidian is developing the game using the main Fallout 3 engine, but they've said they have made some improvements to make V.A.T.S. and other things work better. Obsidian is known for having good story and dialogue in their games, so that coupled with Fallout 3's gameplay should be really good. No official release date has been given yet, but look for it in fall (most likely November) later this year.


2. Brink



Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: FPS
Developer: Splash Damage
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date (NA): Fall 2010

Brink looks like it's going to be a very creative and original FPS. One part Call of Duty, one part Mirror's Edge, one part Battlefield, one part Team Fortress 2, one part Quake, and one part modern art (which I usually dont like, but it looks cool here). The story seems original and the gameplay definitely looks fresh and exciting. Hopefully Splash Damage can pull it off and start off a new IP with a great new game. Look for it this fall (probably September or October)


3. Rage



Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: FPS/Racing
Developer: id Software
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date (NA): TBA 2010

A post-apocalyptic FPS from the makers of the Doom games. An asteroid hit earth and now everyone who's left is doing whatever it takes to survive. This game also has racing elements, with inspiration taken from racing games such as the Burnout series. Not many details have been released yet, and the lack of any new information makes me think that this game might not be out in 2010 at all. It's just a hunch right now, but dont be surprised if this one gets pushed back to 2011.


4. Super Mario Galaxy 2



Platform: Wii
Genre: 3D Platformer
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date (NA): May 23, 2010

The follow-up to the smash hit Super Mario Galaxy, this game finds Mario once again cruising through space, but with some new features. The big one is the inclusion of everyone's favorite little green dinosaur, Yoshi. This might not sound like much, but it actually adds a lot of cool gameplay elements. Now I just have to finish the first one by May 23!


5. Portal 2



Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox 360
Genre: 3D Puzzle/First Person Action
Developer: Valve
Publisher: Valve
Release Date (NA): Holiday 2010

The sequel to the surprisingly popular Portal should finally be arriving this year. Unlike the first Portal, which came packaged with the Orange Box and was only a few hours long, this one will be a full retail game by itself. GLaDOS, Chell, and the Aperture Science Labs all return, along with much more. Portal 2 should be out before Christmas (probably sometime in November). You can pretty much count on this game being a HUGE SUCESS.


6. Batman: Arkham Asylum 2



Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: Third Person Action/Adventure, Stealth
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Publisher: Eidos Interactive/Warner Bros.
Release Date (NA): TBA

This one is probably still a ways off, but I loved the first game and am really looking forward to what Rocksteady is going to do with second one. Hopefully they will find the right balance of adding enough new stuff for it to feel fresh, but not taking it too far from its roots. And please, no Robin (even though rumors are he's going to be in it).


7. Rock Band 3



Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2
Genre: Music/Rhythm
Developer: Harmonix
Publisher: MTV Games
Release (NA): Holiday 2010

Besides the fact that there will probably be 60+ new songs that come with this (hopefully some good ones), I have a feeling that we'll see the three-part harmony feature from Beatles Rock Band make its way into this game for many of the songs. That is especially great for parties, because now you can have 6 people playing instead of just 4. Hopefully we'll some other cool new features too besides just new songs and harmonies.


8. Half-Life 2: Episode 3/Half-Life 3



Platform (unconfirmed): PC, Xbox 360, Mac
Genre: FPS, Puzzle
Developer: Valve
Publisher: Valve
Release Date (NA): Valve has just confirmed it will probably be out by 2030... just kidding. Sometime in 2011 (hopefully).

Fans have been waiting for this game for what seems like forever now. Although it is still technically "Half-Life 2: Episode 3," the fact that it's been in development for so long has led some people to believe that it has become a full game and Valve will eventually announce that it is now just Half-Life 3. Either way, it should be great.



- Games I'm Somewhat Excited For:

These are games I am still looking forward to, but for some reason have some reservations about. Whether or not I get most of these games will depend on the reviews and whether or not my friends get them (if the game contains multiplayer).


Fable III

Platform: Xbox 360, PC
Genre: Third Person Action/Adventure, RPG
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date (NA): Holiday 2010

Fable games have a history of getting my hopes up pre-release, and then disappointing me once I play them. Fable II, while not a bad game, definitely did this to me. But, like clockwork, when I start to read about some of the stuff that will be in Fable III, I start to get excited about it. It will also most likely include some Natal support, which should be interesting.


Alpha Protocol

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Obisidian Entertainment
Publisher: SEGA
Release Date (NA): June 1, 2010

This game has been delayed several times, but it looks to finally be coming out in June. It's a spy-RPG set in modern times with real time combat. It looks like it will have a lot of customization options for you character too, from how he looks to what kind of skills he has. Hopefully all the delay time will pay off and this game will show everyone what Obsidian is capable of if given enough time to properly finish a game.


Alan Wake

Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Third Person Action/Adventure, "Psychological Thriller"
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date (NA): May 18, 2010

Another game that has been years in the making with plenty of delays. I'm not quite sure what to make of this one. It looks like an action/horror game with a good story. I'll wait for the reviews on this one, but I hope it does well.


Monster Hunter 3 (or Tri)

Platform: Wii
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date (NA): April 20, 2010

This game has been out for a while in Japan, and it has sold really well there and done well critically too. You and up to 3 friends (online) basically run around and hunt giant monsters in all sorts of environments. Once killed, you can use parts of the monster to upgrade your equipment if you desire. It is an RPG too, so you also level up and have skills and stuff like that (from what I understand). People love it in Japan, so it'll be interesting to see how it does over here. Assuming it gets good reviews, I'm hoping some of my friends might get it too, since most of them have Wiis that they never use.


Halo: Reach

Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: FPS
Developer: Bungie
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date (NA): Fall 2010 (probably around September)

I'm a bit divided on this game. It's a Halo game, so of course I'm going to get it, and some of the new things they've shown look kind of cool. But the multiplayer trailer looks a lot like Halo 3 with just those new things. Hopefully I'll see I'm wrong in the beta coming in May, but I already payed $60 for a Halo game that wasn't worth that much (ODST), and I'm hoping I wont have to do it again.


Metroid: Other M

Platform: Wii
Genre: From what I understand, a mix of 2D Platforming/Action, 3D Action, and FPS
Developer: Project M (a mix of Team Ninja and Nintendo)
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date (NA): June 27, 2010

Another game I'm not quite sure what to expect from. A mix of several genres, a lot of the game is played like a classic 2D Metroid game, while other parts are 3D third-person combat that supposedly feels a lot like Ninja Gaiden. This game is still much of a mystery, but I'll be keeping an eye on it.


Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2

Platform (unconfirmed): Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii
Genre: Third Person Action
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
Release Date (NA): TBA

I had mixed feelings about the first one, but overall liked it. The gameplay and graphics were great, and it's always a blast to be a jedi. Hopefully this game will keep those good parts while improving on them and other parts. Some multiplayer game modes would be nice too.


Crackdown 2

Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Third Person Action, Sandbox
Developer: Ruffian Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date (NA): July 6, 2010

The first Crackdown was a lot of fun, and this one looks like it's going to improve on it in every way. The campaign is being designed so up to 4 players can play through the whole thing together, and there is also going to be online multiplayer (things like deathmatch, etc.) All the previews of this game seem to be very positive so far. Whether or not I get this will depend on if any of my friends do, since (even though you can play through it by yourself) it sounds like they're really designing it with co-op in mind.


Singularity

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: FPS
Developer: Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Release Date (NA): Summer 2010

Another game that's been delayed several times, it has a cool concept but everything will depend how it's executed within the game. This game gives you a device that lets you control time in either direction (forward or backward) on objects. For instance, if you come to a bridge that's out, you can rewind time on it to a time when it was once still serviceable. Or you can fast forward time on your enemies to turn them to dust and ash. Apparently you'll be able to do this to lots of stuff in the game. The concept sounds really cool, but we'll see how well it works. Raven's last FPS, Wolfenstien (2009), wasn't that great, and FPS shooters that have tried to let you control time (think Timeshift) haven't usually worked that well. We'll see though.


Dead Space 2

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: Third Person Shooter, Survival/Horror
Developer: Visceral Games
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date (NA): Late 2010-Early 2011

I only played a little of the first one, but what I played I really enjoyed. While there still aren't a lot of details on this game yet, it will apparently focus a little more on action and a little less on horror (though it still should be scary). Also, there is going to be a multiplayer mode, though they haven't given any details on that yet though. Hopefully it will be a versus mode like L4D. How cool would it be to have 4 engineers have to fight off players playing as necromorphs?


Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii (all through DLC)
Genre: 2D Platformer
Developer: Dimps, Team Sonic
Publisher: SEGA
Release Date (NA): Summer 2010 (for the first episode)

Sonic 4 is finally coming through 3 downloadable episodes, the first of which comes this summer. The original Sonic games for the Sega Genesis are still amazing and really fun to play, and it looks like for Sonic 4 they've gone back to their roots, only with really pretty HD graphics this time (unless you're playing on a Wii). This game will only be available through the Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Store, and WiiWare, and (as stated before) will be broken up into 3 "episodes". Hopefully this will finally be the good Sonic game everyone's been waiting so long for (the last several 3D Sonic games have sucked).



Well, those are the games I'm excited for as of March 2010. Thanks for reading, and hopefully you've gotten some ideas for games you might plan on getting later this year (and even into 2011). As always, I love getting comments, and if you were to make your own list on a blog or something, I would love to read it. Also, I reserve the right to add games to this list if I think of them later or if someone points one out to me I forgot. Thanks!

Sup, Pouch?

Mmm. Now I'm all up in your email.

Review: Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

"Not Enough of a Good Thing"




I was obviously a big fan of Dragon Age: Origins (seeing as it was my favorite game from the year 2009), so I was very excited when they announced there would be an expansion pack not too far into the year. Unfortunately, this was not nearly the expansion pack I had hoped for, especially given the untypical high price.

Quick Facts:

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: RPG
Developer: Bioware
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date (NA): March 16, 2010
Rating: M


To be blunt, this expansion is only mediocre, which would be okay for some games, but I had much higher hopes for a game I loved as much as Dragon Age. Also, I feel the $39.99 price tag (which is unusually high for an expansion pack) is not justified by the content (both in quantity and quality) found in the expansion. The expansion is not terrible, but it is definitely lacking many of qualities that made the original title such a great game. While short and underwhelming, Awakening also is not nearly as engrossing or enticing as the original game, and yet costs 2/3 of the original title's price.

*Minor spoilers are ahead if you haven't finished the original game (by which I mean Dragon Age: Origins; there are no spoilers for the expansion I'm currently reviewing), read on at your own risk*


The main plot of Awakening is that even though you ending the blight by killing the archdemon, the darkspawn have not all retreated back underground. Something is keeping them here attacking the surface, even though the blight should be over. Also, they seem to be gaining an intelligence that they had never possessed before, which makes them even more dangerous. While this story has potential, the execution which the game carries it out is not great. You can either create a new character or import your character from the original game. You start at the same spot for both options, there is no new origin story for a new Grey Warden character. Also, if you import your character from the original, regardless of what happened at the end of that game, you come in alone. It doesn't matter if you had a dog imprinted on you, or if you told your love interest you would stay by their side, the only thing that carries over from the original is (most of) your inventory and stats. A few decisions from your game may carry over, but these are usually insignificant, and the game is mainly streamlined so that every player will have almost the same experience.

The story's execution is only okay, and besides the new story, there's not much else that comes with this expansion pack. The level cap does rise a little, and there are a few new specialization classes/skills which can at least be interesting. There is a new cast of party members, and while they all have their moments, because the expansion is so short there really isn't enough time to get to know them like you could with the characters in Origins. And, without spoiling anything, I found the ending to be very abrupt and unfulfilling, which (come to think of it) is a great way to summarize the game as a whole.

While this review has had a mostly negative tone, there are some good things. Like I said, the story has potential to be great, it's just not fleshed out enough. There are also a few things, like running the justice system of your land, that were interesting and really took me back to Baldur's Gate II. And, even though the gameplay hasn't changed much, that's okay with me because I loved the original so much. My main complaint with Awakening is that it feels rushed: there isn't enough content in it, and the content that is there is decent but would have benefitted from having more time and more content to go with it. The lack of quantity itself affects the quality of the stuff that is there, if that makes sense.

My recommendation would be to wait on this. It's not a bad expansion pack, but (especially when the price is considered) it's not great either. If the price tag had been lower, say $25-$30 (instead of $40), then I think this would have been a more positive review. Chances are if you loved Dragon Age as much as me and some of my friends did then you already have it; but if you did enjoy Dragon Age and you haven't bought this yet then I would say to wait a while until it drops by at least $10.

In Summary:

Pros: The story and characters have a lot of potential, the gameplay is slightly tweaked and improved and great as ever (assuming you liked Dragon Age: Origins), you can import your character from the original and keep most of your stuff, some interesting side quests.

Cons: The story and characters (as mentioned above) aren't given enough time to develop and be fleshed out, other side quests are short or just plain uninteresting, lack of content for such a high price point, visually many of the areas look the same - it looks like they're recycling scenery, abrupt and unfulfilling ending, overall feels rushed.


FINAL SCORE: 3 out of 5





Note: All reviews on this site are solely the subjective opinion of the author. If you disagree with my review please feel free to post in a polite manner and state your opinion. I welcome respectful discussion on my blog and would love to get feedback on my review and also read yours. Thanks!

What I'm Playing (3/15/10)

Battlefield: Bad Company 2, MW2, MLB 10 The Show, and Borderlands.

What I'm Playing (2/28/10)

I've been playing a lot of stuff lately. The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (XBLA), Borderlands (finally beat my first playthrough), Castle Crashers, MW2, CoD: WaW, Halo 3 (mostly the "Action Sack" online playlist), and I just beat Plants vs. Zombies on my iPod. I also finally tried the God of War III demo on PS3 and it was amazing. Cant wait for that game.

The Greatest Games of the Decade: The Year 2009

Finally! Here is the last entry in my Greatest Games of the Decade series (though some people do it differently, for the purpose of this I counted the decade as 2000-2009). It's been a fun ride (at least for me) looking back at some of my favorite games of the last ten years, and I hope you enjoyed it too and maybe even got something out of it.

2009 ended only two months ago, so many of the games from that year are ones I still play or even still have yet to play. My favorite game from 2009 is a game that I put a lot of time into, and have even started new playthroughs with different characters after I beat it.





Dragon Age: Origins

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: RPG
Developer: Bioware
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date (NA): November 3, 2009
Rating: M


Another amazing RPG by Bioware (almost all of whose games made my lists), this is a long but incredibly worthwhile journey in a fantasy, Lord of the Rings-esque setting. Like Bioware's other games, the story and characters are all great, and the world they created for the game is very good as well. I dont want to post any spoilers here (especially because this game hasn't even been out that long), but let's just say that the way you interact with other characters (especially the ones in your group) and how your actions affect what they do is incredible. Bioware has said that this game is a "spiritual successor" to the Baldur's Gate series (Baldur's Gate II being my favorite game of all time), and they are correct in saying that. Playing this game took me back to when I was playing Baldur's Gate II and I remembered what it was like to control a character whose actions really matter and affect the other people and world around him (Mass Effect 2 does an even better job of this, but that game will have to wait for the Greatest Games of 2010).

As for the other aspects of the game, the graphics are good, though many of the facial models aren't anything special (especially on the console versions). I really enjoyed the soundtrack, and the dialog and voice acting is all top notch. The combat is more turn-based and slow paced (like the Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and KotoR series), which I dont mind, but some people who aren't used to it may not like it. They do a good job of adding in lots of special moves you can perform during battle to give it more of an action-game type of feel. Character creation is great, and each race and class has their own "origin story," which means they start the game in a completely different area of the world with a different story of what's happening around them. This adds a lot of replayability to the game and actually made me want to make every different type of character just so I could play through their origin story. As always, leveling your guy is fun, and each class (Mage, Warrior, and Thief) has 4 different speciality classes you unlock once you reach a certain level, which adds a lot of customization to what kind of character you want to play.

There has also already been a good amount of DLC for this game, and an expansion pack is on the way next month. I would definitely recommend this game to any RPG fan who has enjoyed any of Bioware's previous titles. The PC version is slightly superior to the console version (mostly in that you can control the camera angle of the game), so if you have a computer that can run it you I suggest you get it for that. If not though, the console versions are still excellent (I have the game for my 360, and I still loved it).


Honorable Mentions:

Madworld (Wii)- One of the most mature games I've played, and it's on the Wii! What are the odds? Anyway, this is a third-person brawler that is a lot of fun. It also uses the motion controls very well, which is rare for games on the Wii. The graphics and art style are also very unique and cool too. This game did well critically but unfortunately sold very poorly.

Red Faction: Guerrilla (360, PS3, PC)- A good third-person action/sandbox style game, but what really made this game special was the physics engine it ran on. You could destroy pretty much anything in the game. Seriously. Buildings could be taken down piece by piece, floor by floor, however you wanted. Not just some buildings. Any building. This really makes the game a blast to play; even if you're not doing missions it's fun to just run around blowing stuff up.

Wii Sports Resort (Wii)- Basically Wii Sports 2 (but with a lot more games), this game comes with a lot of fun mini-games that take advantage of the Wii's motion controls. This game was also the first to use Wii-Motion Plus, which is an attachment that adds additional sensors to the remote that lets it pick up your movements much better. If you enjoyed Wii Sports, you'll like this game too.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (360, PS3, PC)- Not only the best Batman game I've ever played, but also the best superhero game. If you want to know more about why I liked this game, check out my review here.

The Beatles: Rock Band (360, PS3, Wii)- I will admit my bias right away: the Beatles are my favorite band of all-time, and have been since I was a kid. So I obviously loved all the songs in the game. What makes this game so great though is not just the music, but the way they really captured the spirit of the Beatles in a game. The art direction and graphics are great. Often times I've done poorly playing because I stopped looking at what color notes to play in order to watch the "dreamscapes" (background images) that go on while the song is playing. Also, the addition of three part harmonies for singing really added an extra element to the game that allows more people to play (especially at parties). If your friends can sing well, it actually works very well too. I hope to see Rock Band 3 and any following Rock Band games add that in too.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)- So much has been said about this game that there's really nothing left for me to say here. It won almost every Game of the Year award for 2009. Everything about it is great. If you have a PS3 and haven't at least checked this game out yet, then you dont deserve to have said PS3 (I'm looking at you, David Slaght).

Demon's Souls (PS3)- Another great PS3 exclusive, you really have to play this game to understand what makes it so great. It's a third-person action game in a very dark fantasy setting that is incredibly challenging but still a lot of fun. There are some really cool multiplayer elements that make this game stand out as well. If you have a PS3 and are looking for a challenge, definitely check this game out.

Borderlands (360, PS3, PC)- A great mix of first-person shooter and RPG. The people who design the game refer to it as a RPS (role-playing shooter), which is a pretty accurate description. The shooting/combat feels great (it's very similar to Call of Duty), and the role-playing elements are fun and helpful while not being overly complicated. The art direction and graphics are really cool and unique too. This game is really meant to play co-op with friends, but even by yourself it's still fun to play.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360, PS3, PC)- Another game that there is nothing left to say about. If somehow you haven't heard much about this game (which is doubtful), you can check out my review here.


Biggest Disappointment:

The Conduit (Wii)- For most of my other "Biggest Disappointment" sections, I usually start off by saying that this game wasn't terrible, it just didn't live up to my expectations. That is not the case here. The Conduit is a pretty terrible game. In retrospect I'm not sure why my expectations were so high, as most games on the Wii not made by Nintendo usually suck. But still, The Conduit holds a special place in my heart as a game that failed me miserably. Live and learn, I guess. Also, if you want more detail on why The Conduit sucks so bad, check out my review here.


Well, that's all of them. The last ten years of my gaming experience in a nutshell. From looking at the lists, it seems to me that as time goes on developers start to more clearly see what makes a good game and what doesn't, which is why we see more and more good games every year, and less really terrible ones. To anyone reading this- I hope you enjoyed these posts and maybe even took something from them. As always, feel free to comment and post your own opinions. Now that I'm done this series, I'm not sure what I'm going to do next, if anything. I'll probably still do reviews and the like once in a while, but if you have any ideas for anything else you'd like to see feel free to let me know. Thanks!

What I'm Playing (2/15/10)

Bioshock 2 (both single player and multiplayer), the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 demo and A Kingdom for Keflings (which I finally beat). I also just started a 30 day challenge on EA Sports Active on the Wii, because I need to get some exercise.

Bioshock 2 Prediction

I am not very far into Bioshock 2 (as of typing this I am in Pauper's Drop), but I am making a prediction about the story right now: Eleanor (the little girl who you think is your daughter and is bonded to you) is actually the bad guy and she is pitting you, Lamb, and everyone else against each other for her own purposes. I have read absolutely no spoilers, and this is my prediction. I'm putting it here right now so that if it turns out to be true I can brag about how I guessed it only a few hours into the game.

The Greatest Games of the Decade: The Year 2008

So, it's been a while since I posted my 2007 entry. A long while. It's a new year now, but I intend to finish the Greatest Games of the Decade nonetheless. For anyone who reads this, my apologizes for the delay. In 2007 we had a lot of good games, and 2008, while perhaps not as packed with great games as 2007 (which is regarded as the best year for video games ever by many people in the gaming industry) there are still several really good games that came out in 2008. The winner for best game though is a game that I (along with many, many other people) put a lot of time into:





Fallout 3

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: RPG/First Person Action
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date (NA): October 28, 2008
Rating: M


As of right now, Fallout 3 is the best open world game I've ever played, and one of my all-time favorites. The graphics and and the art direction are amazing, as is the sound and soundtrack. The world in which the game takes place (a post-nuclear-war Washington D.C.) is incredibly well crafted and filled with adventure for those brave enough to go exploring. At its base the game engine is the same as Oblivion's, but it has been improved upon immensily. There are tons of different kinds of weapons, from everything to guns, rocket launchers, grenades, melee weapons, and even devices that shoot nuclear bombs. For the most part, they all work well too. The VATS combat system is a welcome addition because even though the real-time combat is improved over Oblivion's, it's still not as good as a top-tier FPS. VATS lets the game take on a more RPG feel in combat while still keeping the cool weapons and tactical elements of the first-person gameplay.

Like I said before, the world is incredibly well-crafted. It is a large open world, and yet almost everywhere you go you find something interesting, whether it's a location, enemies, other people, items, or pieces that add into the story. The characters, while not the best or most memorable, keep the story moving and are certainly an improvement over Oblivion. The voice acting is very good, as Liam Neeson does a good job as your father and Three-Dog is a funny and somewhat helpful guide to the Wasteland. The game's main story is solid, if not amazing. But that's only part of the allure of Fallout 3; you can do the main story how and when you want, but there's just so much else to go see and explore in the world, including many, many side quests. And like I said before, even just running around exploring can keep you busy and throughly entertained for endless hours in this game.

Also, with the benefit of hindsight, on the whole the DLC that came out for this game afterwards is very good. When I talk about a "greatest game of the year", that includes any expansions that eventually came out for it, so I factor all five DLC packs into this. The two that stand out as superb are "Broken Steel" and "Point Lookout". "Broken Steel" allows you to keep playing after the end of the main story (which you couldn't do originally, the game actually ended), and also raises the level cap from 20 to 30. It also somewhat finishes up the main plot-line. "Point Lookout" takes you to a beach in Maryland, and is structured like a small open world itself with various quests. The other three, "Operation Anchorage", "The Pitt", and "Mothership Zeta" are largely combat-focused, but are still worth playing and will give some extra loot and experience to your guy.

That all being said, if you still haven't purchased this game but want to eventually, I would definitely recommend getting the GOTY (Game of the Year) edition. It has the game and all 5 DLC packs all on one disc. The main game itself is a lot cheaper now, but by the time you wind up purchasing all the DLC (which you're going to want to do), you'll have spent more money than if you had just bought the GOTY to begin with.


Honorable Mentions:

Tom Clancy's Rainbow SIx: Vegas 2 (360, PS3, PC)- A well made tactical FPS that has you hunting down terrorists in Las Vegas. The level-up system works a lot like CoD 4, but you gain experience for your guy throughout every mode, which I really liked. Terrorist hunt is also a lot of fun.

Call of Duty: World at War (360, PS3, PC)- Nazi Zombies!!! Would be a decent game without that mode, but the introduction of that really gave it an edge in my book. If you want to know more about my feelings on this game, you can check out my reveiw here.

Dead Space (360, PS3, PC)- A terrifying third-person shooter that also has solid and very fun gameplay mechanics.

Braid (360, PS3, PC)- A very fun and challenging puzzle game. It's not a full game, hence why it's only available through download and doesn't cost much. Definitely worth taking the time to play though.

World of Goo (Wii, PC)- Another puzzle/arcade game (like Braid) that is challenging but very fun.

Little Big Planet (PS3)- A very original game in a genre (platformer) where up until this point there wasn't much originality for a while. Sackboy has got to be the cutest video game character ever (and I dont use that term very often), and while the basic gameplay is a lot of fun, it's the online creation tools and level sharing that have given this game a life-span and following that's still going strong.

Mirror Edge (360, PS3, PC)- This game has its fair share of issue, but having played it for a while I'll give it the benefit of the doubt just based on originality. Jumping and being able to do parkour all over a city is a lot of fun, and the controls for that are pretty good (especially considering it's from a first-person point of view). The combat isn't great, but that's not the point of this game. Hopefully the sequel (if it ever gets made) will take all the new things this game tried and really perfect them.

Left 4 Dead (360, PC)- An amazing zombie shooter with great (maybe the best) co-op play. Lots of fun and great to play with friends. The fact that you can play as the zombies (and it works really well) is icing on the cake.

Mario Kart Wii (Wii)- An awesome mix of classic and new Mario Kart action. As much as I still love the original Super Nintendo Mario Kart and the N64 one, I have to say that this is the best. There are lots of different characters and karts/motorcycles to choose from, the levels are all designed great (with some of the best levels from past Mario Karts thrown in too), and the controls and action are tight as ever. Also, they added a few new elements like drafting and the drift-boost that make it a little more strategic. Throw in good online multiplayer (which is rare on the Wii), and you've got a really fun game.

(Special thanks to Mike Pouch for his help with some of the games on this list.)


Biggest Disappointment:

Fable II (360)- In a year with a lot of new IP and a few big releases, this is the only one I had high hopes for that really disappointed me. Like I said in last year's post with Halo 3, this isn't a terrible game. I guess it's mediocre. But I was expecting so much more, especially with all the stuff Peter Molyneux was saying before launch (you think I would've learned my lesson from the first Fable). I enjoyed the first game; I knew it wasn't perfect but at the time (especially on Xbox) it was one of the better RPGs around. The second one really didn't improve much for me. The combat was bland, the level-up system was okay but nothing special, the realty/economy system was a joke, character customization was pretty weak, and it turned out having a dog wasn't all it was cracked up to be pre-release. I completely lost interest in the story less than halfway in, and dont even get me started on the ending. Suffice to say, as far as I'm concerned this is one of the worst (if not the worst) ending to a video game I've ever seen (the only other one I can think of that would be up there is Halo 3). Not only does it not tell a good story, the characters are all largely forgettable. And the DLC that came out afterward was all a waste of time and money too. And let's not forget the awesome "co-op" mode and what a joke/lie that turned out to be.


So that's the list for 2008. For some reason I feel like I'm forgetting some games in my "Honorable Mentions" list, so I reserve the right to add to this list if I think of something else. That being said, please feel free to comment and let me know if you think I forgot a game, you might be right!

What I'm Playing (2/6/10)

I beat Mass Effect 2 a couple of days ago, and I had been playing that exclusively since I got it (at release). Since then, I've been playing Borderlands, Assassin's Creed II, Dragon Age: Origins, and Left 4 Dead 2. Also a little Warcraft III over Battle.net.

What I'm Playing (1/18/10)

Mass Effect (beating the game again so I can import my character into the upcoming Mass Effect 2), and a little bit of Nazi Zombies (CoD: WaW) and Borderlands. I also played Killzone 2 online for the first time a couple of days ago (I just got it for Christmas), and it was different than what I'm used to from online shooters, but overall I think I liked it.

What I'm Playing (1/5/10)

Dragon Age: Origins. And until I beat it (which should finally be today), that is all I've been playing and all I will play.