Massive Gears of War 2 Impressions

Kotaku has posted a couple of articles detailing their Gears of War 2 impressions in a more in-depth way. Up until now, people have avoided things such as spoilers and the like, but it seems that lips are loosening and keyboards are typing away.

The two articles in question are about GoW 2’s campaign and GoW 2’s Horde Mode. They’re definitely great reads, comparing the second game’s campaign to Empire Strikes Back (which is kind of awesome), and calling Horde Mode the brightest spot of the game’s multiplayer. If you liked the multiplayer in the first, that’s definitely good news.

Who else is getting feverish over GoW 2?

Source- Kotaku’s Campaign and Horde Impressions.

PS3 Mod Improves Load Times

Since I know some of you are into modding and the like, I thought I’d post this little find from Engadget, where it claims that the new Intel 80 GB X25-M SSD can boost your load times.

While this won’t help on those absolutely unbearable install times on games like MGS 4 and DMC 4, it’ll certainly help on demos you’ve downloaded and on already installed content. And that’s a start, no?

Unfortunately, this thing runs the price of a PS3 and a half at $600, but hey, to each his own.

Source- Engadget

Rumor: XBox “720” Will Be Forward Compatible?

Once again, a part of me frets in a major way that people are already bringing up the next generation so often. Especially hearing that they are testing and rumor leaking this info as well.

This one’s kind of interesting though. XBox Evolved is reporting that Microsoft is testing “forward compatibility” for their next console. What this means is basically that XBox 360 games will be playable in the console, but they will also be upgraded/enhanced by the new console’s powers.

Ideally, this would improve things like draw distance/ load times, all kinds of things. Now if it could only take the douches off of Live… Thoughts?

Source- XBox Evolved

Demo: End War

Has anyone had their eyes on Tom Clancy’s End War? Basically, it’s an RTS with a voice-command system, and it actually looks pretty cool. For those of you who’ve always wanted to pretend to be Patton, screaming orders at NPC vehicles and soldiers during a mock WWIII, this is your game.

I’m not sure how the voice command thing works as a whole, but hey, maybe I can try it out now that there’s a demo for download on XBox Live. Be sure to grab it and weigh in with your thoughts!

Source- Major Nelson

GameCop Vs LameCop #2

GameCop vs. LameCop is a feature where Anthony and I argue about video game issues, taking on the persona of either the GameCop or the LameCop as we do so. The GameCop has your best interests as gamers at heart, while the LameCop is just what he sounds like: a total loser.

This week, we tackle several issues including silent heroes, Playstation Home and Blizzard’s epic wtf weekend.

Continue reading GameCop Vs LameCop #2

O noz! Eddy Attacked by Leviathan Summon

So there might be a slight pause in how much I post for the next day or so (and there already has been) because last night, our water heater exploded and flooded my whole apartment. It got into the living room, the bedroom, everywhere.

All my stuff is ok for the most part, but the carpet is now pulled up and we had to move all of our furniture into different areas of the apartment. I’ll have some pictures up here at some point soon. In the meantime, I’ll post the feature I’ve written. I meant to have it up last night, but uh, yeah.

LBP: Final Fantasy VI, Terras Theme

Ah, more merry music-making from Little Big Planet. This time, the music is from Final Fantasy VI rather than X, which is a much better choice for nostalgia and awesome factor. I know it’s been stated a lot, but somehow it still seems appropriate- I’m dying to see what people do with the full release of this game.

Half Life 2 Episode 3 Still Far Away

And by “far away”, I mean 2010.

Though the wait between Half Life 2 and Episode One was about 2 years, Valve’s Doug Lombardi has said in an interview that the next installment of the epic storyline will probably take a little longer than that even before it’s ready to release. Episode 2 came out in 2007. So yeah, 2010 or thereabouts.

While this seems like a downer, he also hinted that they could be showing something new by the end of the year, after Left 4 Dead’s release. Fun stuff! So who is anxious for Episode Three?

Source- Shacknews

Dead Space Reviews Trickling In

For those of you interested in Dead Space and its crazy limb dismembering gameplay (in space no less!), some reviews are starting to drop in for the game’s release, which happens to be today.

So far, the reviews are really solid, ranging right around the B+ scale from several reviewers including IGN, 1Up and GameSpot. The consensus? Dead Space is the start of a great new franchise and is a suspenseful and chilling sci-fi tale with incredible audio and visual design that just happens to be a tad repetitive.

Not bad at all for the start of the holiday game barrage. Go check out the reviews if you’ve been considering this game.

Dead Space: Blood and Gore

More crazy videos out about Dead Space, this one highlighting the blood and gore you’ll be seeing when you play this game later this week. Watching these videos makes me want to play more and more, but like I’ve said before, I’m a little girl when it comes to scary games.

Fable II Gun and Swordplay

A new video is out showcasing some of the combat from the upcoming Fable II. I’m still very curious if this game can live up to all of the hype surrounding it, especially after the last one was considered such a letdown compared to all of the promises. I think I may ask my family for this one for Christmas, so I don’t spend my own money on it.

How about you guys? Who’s buying it?

WoW: Blizzard To Charge For Custom Characters?

Blizzard has taken masochism to a new extreme over this weekend. Never have I seen a company so content to drop nuclear bombs on itself in so short a time as they have, announcing to the world that yes, “We will take your money with us smiling to our graves”.

The newest in the trilogy of wtf-inducing news items is that World of Warcraft is about to get paid character customization in the future. Want to have a special hat that nobody else has? Need the newest leather boots to impress the ladies? It’s just like middle school again, only you’re paying a monthly fee.

Continue reading WoW: Blizzard To Charge For Custom Characters?

Trailer: Suikoden TierKreis for the DS

Suikoden III ranks among one of my favorite games of all time. It was a tremendous RPG with a great, unique story told from three different perspectives and had a huge cast of characters. I haven’t been crazy about a Suikoden game since then, but Suikoden TierKreis for the DS might just change that.

It seems like more and more traditional RPG’s are headed to the handhelds. This is totally ok with me, seeing as how it’s easy to pick up a handheld for a few minutes at a time and then be done with it. Did any of you guys play any of the other Suikoden games?

Why Do You Love Your Favorite Console?

With apologies to Episode III: Revenge of the Sith…

Console War! Sony and Microsoft are battered by the ruthless onslaught of the Nintendo Wii. There are exclusives on all sides. Fanboys are everywhere!

So even the most non-partisan gamer has a favorite console. I hate the console wars, but I prefer my PS3 to all others. Why do you guys like your console?

Continue reading Why Do You Love Your Favorite Console?

Today’s WTF: Future Battle.net Won’t Be Free

Come on, Blizzard. In just a few days, you’re tarnishing any street cred you may have gained through years of hard work and devotion to your fanbase.

You’ve now hit two massive WTF’s in just one short weekend. What’s the deal?

Apparently, during a BlizzCon panel, Diablo III director Jay Wilson said that Blizzard is looking to monetize Battle.net. Guess who’s paying for it? No, not Blizzard, silly fanboys. We all know that they’re so hard up for that green.

Continue reading Today’s WTF: Future Battle.net Won’t Be Free

Fallout 3: March to the Monument

Some new Fallout 3 gameplay videos have dropped courtesy of GameTrailers, featuring different locales, enemies and a variety of weapons. This video here is probably the most epic one, documenting a march to the Washington monument through apocalyptic streets and tons of cool big guns. Check it out.

New Releases: Dead Space and More

Well, that crazy Fall/Winter season that we’ve been anticipating must have totally snuck up on us. Did any of you know that Dead Space was dropping this Tuesday? I certainly missed that somehow.

After all of the cool things I’ve seen about this game, it’s nuts that its release has been kind of downplayed compared to other ones. I guess people are holding their breath about it. I mean, it is by EA after all.

And there’s actually more coming than that…

Continue reading New Releases: Dead Space and More

GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?

There comes a time in every gaming community’s young life where its members sit around a campfire and share about their personal gaming preferences. Since we don’t have a fire, and I’m afraid of face-to-face interactions with other humans, I thought the interwebz would be a good place for us to share what we enjoy about gaming.

In “Would You Rather’, I simply ask a series of questions, and you follow up with your responses. Give as much or as little explanation as you want with your answers. Unless they suck. In that case, you’re cut from life.

Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Would You Rather?

TGS: Fallout 3 Trailer

Ah, Fallout 3. That game that continues to tease me. I’m seriously terrified of buying this game because of what Oblivion did to me. Basically, I spent 25-30 hours just robbing houses. Seriously. Open world games just own me that bad. I get addicted to the most inane things.

If I get this one, there’s no telling what silly activity might sidetrack me from the hours of gameplay packed inside of it. Anywho, there’s a new trailer from TGS. Cool beans.