First Blog- Games that I Plan to get

Ever since the release of Rock Band 2 back in mid september, the video game community has been literally bombarded with tons of stellar games.  Between survival horror stand outs like Silent Hill: Homecoming and Dead Space, to epic, free roaming, story driven titles like Fallout 3 and Fable 2.  With all these games and so many others in between its so hard to decide which to add my ever spanning collection, and which to leave by the wayside until the summer drought is upon us.  In honor of these great titles, i've composed a top ten list of the games that I want the most this holiday season, starting from 10 and working my way up to my number 1 most desired game.  So, without further adieu here is the aforementioned list.

After the countless number of crappy RTS ports to consoles, its time for a change in this genre that will finally make it a viable force in console gaming.  I believe that change has finally come in the form of Tom Clancy' s END WAR.  In a nutshell, this game looks to make the controlling your individual squads much more manageable with streamlined controls which should make the game a much more immersive experience than its older counterparts.  Not only that, but you also have the option of using actual voice commands to move your troops from point A to point B.  This works surprisingly well, with each squad given its name and squad number which when said along with a specific order such as "attack the enemy tanks" makes giving orders a breeze, though I would imagine that this will take a little getting used to.  Nevertheless, End War appears to be doing everything right, unlike other games in its genre, which have been met with broken control schemes and even worse gameplay mechanics.  End War looks to change all of that once it finally reaches the hands of eager consumers.

I've always been an avid hockey player.  Ever since middle school, I always enjoyed the thrill of going down the ice, with my sturdy wooden stick clenched tightly in both of my shaking, little hands, all the while controlling  a small, black puck with players coming at me from all sides trying to steal away the gaming winning goal.  I've always looked for this type of experience in a video game, but sadly, over the past couple years hockey games have become known for their sticky controls, and poor player animations which made playing a hockey game almost unthinkable.  That is until I saw NHL 09 for the first time.  From the fluid movement of each individual character, to the realistic cries of approval from the crowd as you scored the game winning goal, i knew that this game was unlike any other sports game I had encountered.  Between that and the truly epic Be A Pro Mode, which allows you to take your created character and play them through a local league, all the way up to the pros, with rewards for having so many goals and assists.  Once I finally get my hands on this jewel, I'll truly get as close as I can to ever playing in the NHL.  Until then, I'll have to be content with viewing these impressive screenshots.

Ever since the disappointment that was Peter Molyneux's Fable, I've been extremely skeptical of how this game would improve on what its older counterpart failed to live up to.  Well after reading several reviews, and marveling at these gorgeous screenshots, I have to say that this game has finally gotten me excited for a change.  Between having a truly life long campion in the form of a loyal hound, to the ability to have three marriage partners at the same time (both men and women), all of which you can have protected or unprotected sex with should you desire to have a household of little you's, or to be the most STD invested hero in the land.  These, and many other options appear to abound in Fable 2, and with promises that seem to be true this time around, its hard to go wrong with what this game is capable of.

After playing the decent console port of the first game, i have to say I was little underwhelmed by the games linear style, and outrageous story.  However, this time around, Ubisoft looks to improve on all of its faults with the stunning Far Cry 2.  No longer are you forced down a seemingly endless path of the luscious trees and deformed mutants.  Instead your journey takes place in the wide expanses of Africa, as any of the eight mercenaries you take to you're liking.  Missions can be completed in any order, and can be approached from any angle or attack style that you desire.  Also, the graphics have gone through a massive upgrade, with fire looking absolutely stunning as it burns through the African Savannah.  Finally, instead of just losing health when you get shot, you have the ability to manually heal your self by taking pliers and actually yanking the bullet out your wounded body to recover health.  I don't know about you, but with all these features combined with a huge environment to explore, its hard not to be enthusiastic about this game.

After putting hours upon hours into the last game in the series, its hard not to be excited about what this game is going to deliver in terms of multiplayer.  While it looks to be simply COD 4 done WWII style, it also adds something a little bit special which helps tell it apart from it older cousin.  First of all, its got vehicle combat, which was one of the minor essentials that was missing from last years title.  Also, the game has a wide variety of historical weaponry from the classic Thompson machine gun, to the newly introduced flamethrower, which seems to make dousing someone in flames particularly engaing.  Combine that with a strong multiplayer influence from the last game and a truely epic campaign which you can play alone or with a friend, and you got your self one helluva good game.

I've always been slightly interested in the Prince of Persia series, but for some reason I always find myself avoiding it and instead picking up another game which is not nearly as innovative.  But now, after seeing the new direction the series is taking, I have to say that this will finally be the time when I actually pick up one of these games.  Between new, cel-shaded and colorful art style, to its new climbing mechanics which seem very representative of what you could do in last years hit Assassin's Creed.  Also, instead fighting multiple enemies at once, you will find you're self facing only one enemy at a time in a more epic battle as opposed to several enemies that are easy to take down in one or two hits.  Finally, instead of fighting alone, you will have a partner and potential love interest to help you fight some of the tougher badies and scale certain obstacles which you couldn't do on your own.  This new, original new direction appears to be what the doctor ordered, and should prove quite immersive when it releases this december.

After the huge impact the first game had on the world back when it was originally released in November of 2006, it was hard not to get pumped for the next game in the series when it was revealed earlier this year.  While I did expect a sequel and huge amount hype to be behind this game, i didn't expect it to improve on all of the things it faltered on last year.  This time around, the story looks to be much more epic and emotional than in the last game, with Marcus Fenix and Delta squad attempting to hold off the horde as they approach their last home city.  Also, the game sports much larger locals and the scale of the battles look to be much larger in size as opposed to in the last game where you battles were only with a few enemies at a time.  Multiplayer looks to be much improved over last year, with a new mode called Horde, where you and up to 4 other friends take on wave after wave of oncoming enemies, each harder than the last.  With that comes more original maps, and enhanced versions of some familiar ones from the last game.  With all this stuff being put into one game, there isn't any doubt in my mind that Gear of War 2 will keep me hooked for a very long time 

Ever since Valve released Half-life back in 1998, they have been known for creating one of most gripping and immersive stories, that has ever been in a shooter.  Well, this time around story is taking a back seat to thousands of flesh eating zombies, and group of survivors who are constantly on the run from the mindless carnivores.  What makes this game different from all of the other, "shoot everything in sight" games, is the emphasis on teamwork.  For example if a comrade is being pined by a zombie and is unable to help themselves it is your mission to save them so they may return the favor for you.  Or say you partner is low on health and needs a med pack or risks certain death.  Do you give it to them or do you keep it for yourself?  Decisions like these turn a mindless shooter into a much immersive experience which requires you to watch out for yourself and for those around ou in hopes of escaping the infected city alive.  As said before, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of an engaging story, but in a game where you shoot wave after wave of the starving infected...how much story do you need?  In any case, this game looks to have almost limitless amounts of enjoyment between its intense single player campaign and its engaging cooperative multiplayer which should keep you hooked for months to come.

What has been said about this game that hasn't already been said.  Its got a huge world to explore, memorable characters to interact with, a huge array of weapons to create and find, hundreds of exploding bodies, and seamlessly limitless ways to customize your character.  Combine that with and epic story, which probably spans over 20 hours in the main quests alone, and you've got an almost perfect game which will keep you occupied for months and months to come.  Having said that though, I'm going to wait a couple of months before a pick this game up; because I know that once I start playing this highly anticipated game, that I won't be able to stop unless someone pries my cold dead fingers off of the controller.

Ever since the release of Rock Band 2 back in mid september, the video game community has been literally bombarded with tons of stellar games.  Between survival horror stand outs like Silent Hill: Homecoming and Dead Space, to epic, free roaming, story driven titles like Fallout 3 and Fable 2.  With all these games and so many others in between its so hard to decide which to add my ever spanning collection, and which to leave by the wayside until the summer drought is upon us.  In honor of these great titles, i've composed a top ten list of the games that I want the most this holiday season, starting from 10 and working my way up to my number 1 most desired game.  So, without further adieu here is the aforementioned list.

After the countless number of crappy RTS ports to consoles, its time for a change in this genre that will finally make it a viable force in console gaming.  I believe that change has finally come in the form of Tom Clancy' s END WAR.  In a nutshell, this game looks to make the controlling your individual squads much more manageable with streamlined controls which should make the game a much more immersive experience than its older counterparts.  Not only that, but you also have the option of using actual voice commands to move your troops from point A to point B.  This works surprisingly well, with each squad given its name and squad number which when said along with a specific order such as "attack the enemy tanks" makes giving orders a breeze, though I would imagine that this will take a little getting used to.  Nevertheless, End War appears to be doing everything right, unlike other games in its genre, which have been met with broken control schemes and even worse gameplay mechanics.  End War looks to change all of that once it finally reaches the hands of eager consumers.

I've always been an avid hockey player.  Ever since middle school, I always enjoyed the thrill of going down the ice, with my sturdy wooden stick clenched tightly in both of my shaking, little hands, all the while controlling  a small, black puck with players coming at me from all sides trying to steal away the gaming winning goal.  I've always looked for this type of experience in a video game, but sadly, over the past couple years hockey games have become known for their sticky controls, and poor player animations which made playing a hockey game almost unthinkable.  That is until I saw NHL 09 for the first time.  From the fluid movement of each individual character, to the realistic cries of approval from the crowd as you scored the game winning goal, i knew that this game was unlike any other sports game I had encountered.  Between that and the truly epic Be A Pro Mode, which allows you to take your created character and play them through a local league, all the way up to the pros, with rewards for having so many goals and assists.  Once I finally get my hands on this jewel, I'll truly get as close as I can to ever playing in the NHL.  Until then, I'll have to be content with viewing these impressive screenshots.

Ever since the disappointment that was Peter Molyneux's Fable, I've been extremely skeptical of how this game would improve on what its older counterpart failed to live up to.  Well after reading several reviews, and marveling at these gorgeous screenshots, I have to say that this game has finally gotten me excited for a change.  Between having a truly life long campion in the form of a loyal hound, to the ability to have three marriage partners at the same time (both men and women), all of which you can have protected or unprotected sex with should you desire to have a household of little you's, or to be the most STD invested hero in the land.  These, and many other options appear to abound in Fable 2, and with promises that seem to be true this time around, its hard to go wrong with what this game is capable of.

After playing the decent console port of the first game, i have to say I was little underwhelmed by the games linear style, and outrageous story.  However, this time around, Ubisoft looks to improve on all of its faults with the stunning Far Cry 2.  No longer are you forced down a seemingly endless path of the luscious trees and deformed mutants.  Instead your journey takes place in the wide expanses of Africa, as any of the eight mercenaries you take to you're liking.  Missions can be completed in any order, and can be approached from any angle or attack style that you desire.  Also, the graphics have gone through a massive upgrade, with fire looking absolutely stunning as it burns through the African Savannah.  Finally, instead of just losing health when you get shot, you have the ability to manually heal your self by taking pliers and actually yanking the bullet out your wounded body to recover health.  I don't know about you, but with all these features combined with a huge environment to explore, its hard not to be enthusiastic about this game.

After putting hours upon hours into the last game in the series, its hard not to be excited about what this game is going to deliver in terms of multiplayer.  While it looks to be simply COD 4 done WWII style, it also adds something a little bit special which helps tell it apart from it older cousin.  First of all, its got vehicle combat, which was one of the minor essentials that was missing from last years title.  Also, the game has a wide variety of historical weaponry from the classic Thompson machine gun, to the newly introduced flamethrower, which seems to make dousing someone in flames particularly engaing.  Combine that with a strong multiplayer influence from the last game and a truely epic campaign which you can play alone or with a friend, and you got your self one helluva good game.

I've always been slightly interested in the Prince of Persia series, but for some reason I always find myself avoiding it and instead picking up another game which is not nearly as innovative.  But now, after seeing the new direction the series is taking, I have to say that this will finally be the time when I actually pick up one of these games.  Between new, cel-shaded and colorful art style, to its new climbing mechanics which seem very representative of what you could do in last years hit Assassin's Creed.  Also, instead fighting multiple enemies at once, you will find you're self facing only one enemy at a time in a more epic battle as opposed to several enemies that are easy to take down in one or two hits.  Finally, instead of fighting alone, you will have a partner and potential love interest to help you fight some of the tougher badies and scale certain obstacles which you couldn't do on your own.  This new, original new direction appears to be what the doctor ordered, and should prove quite immersive when it releases this december.

After the huge impact the first game had on the world back when it was originally released in November of 2006, it was hard not to get pumped for the next game in the series when it was revealed earlier this year.  While I did expect a sequel and huge amount hype to be behind this game, i didn't expect it to improve on all of the things it faltered on last year.  This time around, the story looks to be much more epic and emotional than in the last game, with Marcus Fenix and Delta squad attempting to hold off the horde as they approach their last home city.  Also, the game sports much larger locals and the scale of the battles look to be much larger in size as opposed to in the last game where you battles were only with a few enemies at a time.  Multiplayer looks to be much improved over last year, with a new mode called Horde, where you and up to 4 other friends take on wave after wave of oncoming enemies, each harder than the last.  With that comes more original maps, and enhanced versions of some familiar ones from the last game.  With all this stuff being put into one game, there isn't any doubt in my mind that Gear of War 2 will keep me hooked for a very long time 

Ever since Valve released Half-life back in 1998, they have been known for creating one of most gripping and immersive stories, that has ever been in a shooter.  Well, this time around story is taking a back seat to thousands of flesh eating zombies, and group of survivors who are constantly on the run from the mindless carnivores.  What makes this game different from all of the other, "shoot everything in sight" games, is the emphasis on teamwork.  For example if a comrade is being pined by a zombie and is unable to help themselves it is your mission to save them so they may return the favor for you.  Or say you partner is low on health and needs a med pack or risks certain death.  Do you give it to them or do you keep it for yourself?  Decisions like these turn a mindless shooter into a much immersive experience which requires you to watch out for yourself and for those around ou in hopes of escaping the infected city alive.  As said before, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of an engaging story, but in a game where you shoot wave after wave of the starving infected...how much story do you need?  In any case, this game looks to have almost limitless amounts of enjoyment between its intense single player campaign and its engaging cooperative multiplayer which should keep you hooked for months to come.

What has been said about this game that hasn't already been said.  Its got a huge world to explore, memorable characters to interact with, a huge array of weapons to create and find, hundreds of exploding bodies, and seamlessly limitless ways to customize your character.  Combine that with and epic story, which probably spans over 20 hours in the main quests alone, and you've got an almost perfect game which will keep you occupied for months and months to come.  Having said that though, I'm going to wait a couple of months before a pick this game up; because I know that once I start playing this highly anticipated game, that I won't be able to stop unless someone pries my cold dead fingers off of the controller.

That looks like a pretty solid list. So far, Gears 2 is the only game I've played on the list and it's excellent. It's easily one of the best games of the year. I definitely need to try the Left 4 Dead demo (which I've only heard good things about), and I'm planning on playing several other games you have listed. Far Cry 2 is one that I'm particularly interested in. Well dude, I hope you're able to get your hands on all those games you want. Good luck.