Hey people. Hope you're all doing good.

 
I know I said I'd do a video blog. That's still coming. Just need time to actually record it. I'm actually planning a little surprise for the opening... stay tuned.

Video games. I play those. Played a ton of Assassin's Creed II and, although the game is fantastic, I'm kinda burnt out on it. I haven't finished it yet but I'm taking a break from it for a while. I also played a bit of Left 4 Dead 2, which is a whole lot better than the first game. In fact, this is how the first game should have been. I'm up for some co-op if anyone's interested.

However, those aren't the games I've been playing lately. Monday night, I stopped by Future Shop to replace my Star Trek BluRay (it didn't contain the movie and had 2 special features disks) and, while there, I decided to grab 2 games: Band Hero and Lips #1 Hits. Those two purchases came out of nowhere. Lips #1 Hits is somewhat of an add-on for the original game, but it can also be played as a stand-alone game. I really enjoy the new visual style and the song list is absolutely amazing. I also downloaded some Christmas songs for the game, including one of my all-time favorites, Blue Christmas by Elvis. As for Band Hero, I really like the visual style and the gameplay, but the song list is a bit lacking. I'm not familiar with 50% of the tracks on there and couldn't give a crap about Taylor Swift (who has 3 songs in the game), but there still are some pretty good songs on there, including Kung Fu Fighting, Mr. Roboto and others. Although Lips is the better title here, both games are quite fun.

Only other game I might be getting before 2009 comes to a close is The Saboteur. Aside from that, nothing really tickles my fancy.

 Hey people. Hope you're doing well.

 
Well, it seems the Modern Warfare 2 storm has passed, leaving behind it shattered records and broken egos. Do any of you realize what happened just a short week ago? The world of video games made its presence felt, while Modern Warfare 2 sold 4.7 million copies in one day, with sales of $310 million, which made it the biggest entertainment launch in history. One. Day. And that's just counting sales from Canada, the US and the UK. No matter if you like the game or not, gamers everywhere should be proud of this accomplishment, as it sheds a very bright spotlight on the medium.

Naturally, I was one of the 4.7 million who snagged a copy upon its release. I spent the first 3 days playing online and, to be quite honest, I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Don't get me wrong, the structure of the multiplayer is absolutely incredible, with the multitude of perks and guns you earn while leveling up, and the vast selection of modes to play in. However, I feel that, for someone as horrible as me in online multiplayer games, there is no way I can get better. Now, I won't go throw the blame on snipers or campers or hackers or whatnot. The blame is solely on myself. You guys out there are so good that even if I played for 24 hours non-stop for the next 2 weeks, I would still be unable to compete at your level. Also, I do not have the patience or will to stick around and try to get better. I don't find dying every 3 seconds enjoyable, so I just decided to take my abysmal kill / death ratio and go home.

As for Modern Warfare 2's single player experience, there were some highs and some lows throughout the very short campaign. I played on Normal and finished it just over the 6-hour mark. To sum up the campaign without spoiling anything, let's just say that the story is very confusing and ambiguous, the plot is non-existent and the voice actors are horrible, while some of the scenes are brilliantly executed and breathtaking. I've played some games which had much better storylines and voice actors *coughUncharted2cough*. The other mode in the game, called Special Ops, allows you to replay certain missions from COD 4 and MW 2. The 2-player missions are fun to execute for the most part and add another layer to the online play, although I would've settled for co-op during the campaign over this.

Would I call Modern Warfare 2 a disappointment? Not at all, since I pretty much knew what to expect from the guys at Infinity Ward. However, I did let the hype bug bite me in the butt a little too hard. I'm not disappointed, but I'm not thoroughly satisfied either.

Now, onto Assassin's Creed II and Left 4 Dead 2. Oh, and would you guys be interested in the return of DBoy's Den? Just throwing that out there...

Later!

 I'm rather surprised at the amount of comments my Brütal Disappointment blog got, and I'm extremely surprised that most of them were in accordance with what I said. I honestly thought I was going to get demolished because of the harsh tone, but it turns out that didn't happen at all. Of course, thank you for your comments. Most of them were quite interesting.

Not long after I finished Brütal Legend, I started up another game, this one on the PlayStation 3. I hadn't played a game on that console since finishing InFamous way back in June. This time around, I played another PS3 exclusive called Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. I had no interest whatsoever in this game not too long ago, but after hearing my friends, both online and offline, give it praise and all the fantastic reviews it got, I decided to give it a try. Turns out the game is absolutely fantastic and it literally blew me away with its gorgeous graphics and breathtaking action cutscenes. Now, I haven't played the first installment in the series but I've heard that, even though it was quite good, there were some issues with the shooting mechanics and the amount of bullets an enemy could absorb before dying. Those issues aren't present in Uncharted 2, as mowing down enemies feels very satisfying instead of frustrating. The parkour is a big part of this game as well, as the mechanic feels just right and never really gets frustrating.

But the best parts of Uncharted 2 are its "Oh shit!" moments. There are a good amount of these moments, and many come to mind here. I won't spoil anything for you guys, but I will say that the game starts off with a huge bang and ends pretty much in the same jaw-dropping fashion. The story and voice acting are another great aspect of the game. I found myself chuckling often, especially at the dialog delivered by Nathan Drake, voiced to perfection by Nolan North. Uncharted 2 is another game that came out of nowhere and has become a huge favorite of mine for 2009. In fact, it has become a very, very strong contender for Game of the Year for me. This proves that Sony still have some good exclusives on their side, along with InFamous, Demon's Souls and Ratchet & Clank, amongst others. If you haven't checked it out already, please do so. You won't regret it.

Another game I've started playing is WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010. What attracted me to this year's game is the fact that you can create your own storylines, and also the ability to download created superstars, finishers, entrances, storylines and move sets, which has been a long time coming for the series. Although I am highly impressed with the storyline creator and the download service the game provides. I am less than impressed with the outdated graphics engine and the annoying glitches still present here. It boggles the mind to see how ugly some of the superstars, the Divas and the crowd look in today's high-standard consoles. Also, there is still some major problems with clipping and frame rate here, which hinder the overall experience. The gameplay itself, when you're wrestling an opponent, is downright boring. Hell, I'm actually forcing myself to go through the Road to WrestleMania stories just to see how they pan out. If this was a Vince McMahon simulator, where you'd control the WWE, create storylines, manage superstars and shows, as well as merchandise, it would be one hell of a game. Sadly, the wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainment is the problem here... as it is on the real-life shows as well.

DJ Hero and Forza Motorsport 3 are coming next week, and I'll be getting both of them. I honestly can't wait to try both of them out. I'll keep you updated on my impressions.

 Last night, I finished Brütal Legend, a game I got last Tuesday. After witnessing all of the tremendous amount of hype surrounding Tim Schafer's heavy metal epic, I was anxious to play through the campaign as superstar roadie Eddie Riggs. Sadly, after an hour or so into the main storyline, my anxiety turned into frustration and disappointment.

As I mentioned, the game starts off with a bang. In fact, if you've played the demo, you know exactly how the game starts off. The first couple of missions after that are pretty cool, as you'll go around fighting off General Lionwhyte's army, all the while recruiting headbangers and others to join your own army, known as Ironheade. The story moves along at a brisk and steady pace until you get to fight Lionwhyte himself. Shortly after that, it slows down to a crawl while you partake in strung-out real-time strategy battles against the Drowned Doom and, finally, Doviculus' army. Although the story is quite good, I felt it was sacrificed along the way for the game's shady gameplay, which seems quite uncharacteristic of Tim Schafer.

Let's talk about that gameplay aspect for a moment. Brütal Legend implements real-time strategy elements, action elements, sandbox elements, role-playing game elements, racing elements and fighting elements, but never quite succeeds at either one of those. It's good to have ambition, but sometimes it's also good to know your limits. The side missions are a total bore and very repetitive. However, I found myself completing each and every one of them (except for the hunting ones) so I could accumulate enough Fire Tributes to upgrade my stuff. Those upgrades would become useless once the RTS gameplay kicked in, which made the side missions seem like a waste of time in the end.

Thankfully, that's not all Brütal Legend has to offer. The game does a great job in paying its respects to heavy metal, as it features a solid soundtrack with over 100 metal songs, and the metal infused world of Bladehenge, where monuments were erected in tribute to the Gods of Metal. There's also the superb cast of characters, including Jack Black as the main protagonist, a surprisingly fluent Ozzy as the Guardian of Metal, Lemmy Kilmister as the Kill Master, Rob Halford as General Lionwhyte and the marvelous Tim Curry as Doviculus.

Hi folks! It's your friendly neighborhood DBoy here. Here's a little update on what I've been playing lately and what I'm about to play in the upcoming weeks.

First off, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2. I must say, I really enjoyed this one a whole lot, even though I kind of had my doubts about it. In fact, since the game has 2 different paths to choose from, either Iron Man's Pro-Registration side or Captain America's Anti-Registration side, I finished it twice. The story, which borrows heavily from the Civil War storyline from the comics, is actually quite good, although I've been told it strays quite a bit from the original story (which I haven't read). Even though you'll spend your time button-mashing through the game, it never gets old, especially with the new Fusions between Superheroes. However, some of the Fusions tend to repeat themselves, but that's to be expected when you have a roster of 24 Heroes to contend with.

M:UA 2 was only an appetizer for what's coming up in the next few weeks. Brütal Legend hits store shelves tomorrow, and I'll be sure to get my hands on that one. I'm also very interested in Uncharted 2, ever since I saw some videos for the game and the great reviews it's been getting. I haven't played the first game though, so I don't know how that'll affect my enjoyment of this one. Then, there's Forza 3, SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, DJ Hero and Lego Rock Band all coming out before the end of the month or in early November. Oh, and there's that other, lesser-known game coming out in November too... something about a sequel to a game called Modern Warfare... I'm not sure my wallet will withstand my spending spree, so that's why I'm working on Holidays. Worked on Labor Day and, today, for Canadian Thanksgiving. Gotta sacrifice myself for my games!

Last but certainly not least, and if you haven't already, check out EndSights.com and take a look at the redesign and some of the reviews, previews and news we have on there for you. Oh, and we're also selling merchandise now too. Cool, eh?

Catch ya later!

Hey guys. Long time no blog. Thought I'd let you know what's been happening with yours truly these past couple of weeks.

I've acquired a couple of games this past month. NHL 10 is, without a doubt, my favorite amongst these. Yes, I enjoy it even more than The Beatles: Rock Band. Surprising? Not quite. After I went through the Story mode and played some online with a couple of friends, the game got really old, really fast. I think the very limited track list (only 45 songs, plus All You Need Is Love that I downloaded) is to blame here. Now, I'm not saying the game is horrible, absolutely not. It's just very... limited for now. However, that's soon to change with the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as DLC in October, Rubber Soul in November, and Abbey Road in December. I guess it's a long-term love affair.

Back to NHL 10. The game is just freaking incredible. The one thing that stands out in this year's edition for me, aside from the subtle gameplay tweeks, board play and GM Mode, is the ambiance. The guys at EA Sports have done an incredible job recreating it. You actually feel like you're taking part in a good ol' hockey game, with fans bouncing out of their seats when the home team scores a goal, people banging on the glass when there's a big hit along the boards, the "oohs" and "aahs" when there's a great save or when a player hits the goal post. That's what makes this game so lifelike and spectacular this year. Once again, kudos to EA for another outstanding job.

I've also played some Halo 3: ODST. I completed the game on normal difficulty, by myself. I have to say that Bungie did a great job with this game. Once again, it's all about atmosphere. I loved the parts when I was playing as The Rookie, wandering alone in the dark streets of New Mombasa, trying to avoid (as much as possible) enemy platoons. The music blew my mind as well, such an immersive and profound score by Martin O'Donnell. As for when you get to play as other ODST, I didn't find those situations to be all that great. Yeah, they're fun to go through, but there's not a whole lot of meat on the bone here. I would have rather played as The Rookie the entire way through. Nonetheless, it's still a pretty good game and I'm always up for some Firefight or going through the campaign in co-op on Legendary.

Other games I've been playing include Lips, which is a surprisingly good game. The track list is quite good, and the fact that you can import songs directly from your PC or portable music device (ie iPod) into the game is very clever. There is a lot of potential behind this game, and I hope it gets pushed farther in future iterations. I've also completed Saints Row 2 for a second time, but this time around, I was playing co-op with Mr. Tony Smith. It was good fun, until the game started glitching out like crazy on us. It wasn't uncommon that my character would get stuck in vehicles or in a surface. That kind of took away from the enjoyment of the game. Mr. Smith and myself have now partaken in another co-op adventure. This time around, we're trying to go through Gears of War 2 on Insane (him) and Hardcore (me). We'll see where that leads us.

In conclusion, it looks like October is going to be another big month for video games. The ones I'm most definitely getting are DJ Hero, Brutal Legend, Borderlands and Forza 3. My poor wallet will hate me. Which games are you guys picking up next month?

Well, 09.09.09 has come and gone. Yes, I got it. Yes, I played it. Yes, the game itself is absolutely mind-blowing. However, I sit at my desk, writing this rant / blog to you right now instead of playing it. Why is that? Read on.

Wednesday, at lunch, I went to the closest video game store, which is about a 10-15 minute walk from my job to there, to purchase The Beatles: Rock Band.  That's around 20-30 minutes coming and going, which left me about 10-15 minutes to eat. Anyway, I get there, buy the game with a huge smile on my face and happiness in my heart, and then make my way back to work in time for some Subway. At the end of the day, I make my way home, eat some dinner, and get on the X360 to play some Beatles goodness.

After watching the wonderful intro movie, I plug in my Turtle Beach headset into my controller and, after a few minutes calibrating my audio and video, I'm ready to rock. After selecting the Story mode, the game then informs me that no microphone is connected. I find this kind of weird, since I just connected my headset to my controller. So, I unplug everything and plug it back in. Same message. After a few minutes of swearing at the game and my headset, I decide to go and browse Rock Band's forums on their website to see if there is any information on this type of problem.

I come upon a thread about it and, after reading on, my face drops. The joy I felt during the day turned into frustration and anger. It seems that Harmonix has decided to alienate people who used their headsets to sing in previous games by completely abolishing them. Now, only USB microphones, or the Lips wireless microphones, will work. I would love to meet the person who came up with this brilliant idea and slap the living hell out of him or her. Some might say "Well, you know, people who will buy this type of game will already have USB microphones, so why are you complaining?" After reading some of the other post on forums around the web, including this very site, I can tell you that this is not entirely true. A lot of people still use their headsets to sing in music games, including me, and when Harmonix pulls this type of stunt, they forget about us, about those who don't have the money to purchase the entire boxed set of instruments.  That, to me, is unacceptable.

Nonetheless, now I'm going to buy Lips just so I can get those wireless microphones so I can play The Beatles: Rock Band, which means I'll probably have to skip on a title I wanted to get this year because of that. Although I'm tremendously pissed about this entire situation, I still enjoyed my time on the guitar with the game and cannot wait to sing through the story mode. One thing's for sure, this little misstep will affect my final review of The Beatles: Rock Band for sure. Check back soon for that.

I'm a happy camper. I was lucky enough to try out my most anticipated game of 2009 this past Saturday night, The Beatles: Rock Band, 4 days before its official release. I wrote an article from my hands-on time with the game, which you can read on EndSights right here. You can take the opportunity to check out the coverage from PAX coming from the rest of the crew also, including some very insightful (no pun intended) chatter from the show in 2 podcasts they did. Great work guys!

In other news, I completed Batman: Arkham Asylum. Awesome game, and one of my favorites so far in 2009. Aside from completing the story, I also solved all of the Riddler's riddles and the mystery surrounding the Spirit of Arkham.

That's pretty much it. Have a great week everybody!

I purchased Batman: Arkham Asylum last week. Yes, it was an out-of-the-blue purchase on my part but, after playing through the game, it is one that I do not regret laying my hard-earned money down for. The game is absolutely magnificent. The combat is incredibly fluid and satisfying, especially when you get a good combo going and you sprawl a dozen of the Joker's henchmen on the floor. The stealth is also very well done and isn't aggravating like I thought it might be. Granted, I did get frustrated in some instances, but after thinking about which path I should take to defeat my enemies, it became thoroughly satisfying.

The story is interesting and keeps you hooked in from beginning to end. As for the voice acting, let's just say that Mark Hamill's rendition of the Joker steals the show. I never thought the man had it in him. I had little to no interest in the game at the start of the year but now, it has become one of my favorites. If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend you check it out.

Aside from Batman, I've been trying to finish Shadow Complex, another magnificent game. Yeah, I know, what am I waiting for, right? Well, let's just say that my attention has been mainly focused on the Dark Knight recently, hence why I'm still not done. I'm very close to the end however, so I should be done very shortly. I've also been rummaging through Stilwater once again, playing some co-op on Saints Row 2 with Mr. Tony Smith as my dastardly counterpart. I realized that co-op was extremely fun in this game, especially when you have a cool dude playing alongside you.

Last but certainly not least, my most anticipated game of 2009 is coming out in one week, and I cannot be more excited than I am right now. If you haven't guessed by now, and if my profile layout isn't tipping you off, that game is The Beatles: Rock Band. Just to crank up the hype machine up to 11, EA and Harmonix released the television commercial earlier this week and it is oh so very exquisite. It features some footage of The Beatles taken from their final photo shoot for the Abbey Road album interspersed with some "present time" footage of people dancing and walking along the famous Abbey Road zebra crossing. If you haven't seen it yet, here's the commercial.  
 

Have a great week and see you soon!

Yep, the title is derived from a Beatles song.  Here we go.

- I'm about half way through Shadow Complex.  I'm really liking it.  Although I was never a fan of Castlevania and Metroid, it really appeals to me.  The graphics are gorgeous and the action and exploring are portrayed in a really cool way.  If you haven't played this game yet, do so.  At $15, it is quite the steal.

- I'm also playing quite a bit of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10.  I've gotten much better at it since the last time I posted about the game.  I usually play around -6 or -7 every round now, which makes the game much more enjoyable than always being at the bottom of the leaderboards.  Tiger 10 remains one of my favorites of 2009 so far.

- Downloaded the demo for NHL 10 as well.  It showcases the new board play and fighting mechanics, which will add greatly to the overall game.  However, the biggest improvement, in my opinion, is the crowd and the atmosphere while you're playing a game.  When the home team scores a goal, the fans get up and cheer, they wave towels in the air, they chant the team's name and react to every big hit and so on.  It sounds and looks like a real hockey game now, and that's absolutely fantastic.  Can't wait for the game's release.

- Speaking of releases, September is shaping up to be a huge month for games as far as I'm concerned.  The Beatles: Rock Band on the 9th, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and NHL 10 on the 15th and finally Halo 3: ODST on the 22nd.  Seeing as the last retail game I bought was The Bigs 2 about a month ago, it'll be quite a change of pace.  I'm going to have to get my wallet ready for this impact.