The week of E3 is awesome, but man is there a lot of information to keep up on. Not sure how the reporters do it! I can barely do it as a reader and I doubt I do it all that successfully.

Also, the smaller stories always seem to get lost and bogged down under the big announcements, demos and so forth. There's no way that this can really change I don't think and E3 is a good thing for the Industry, but its really too bad that smaller, still interesting stories get missed. I mean, missed by the reader that is. Overlooked and rather skipped over for the big things.

Yeah at some point it probably will be in one form or another. Either it will be released now in whatever current form it is in, and maybe pushed to the community to finish it. Or it will be picked up by someone and finished with the "true heart of duke" in its resemblance.

Perhaps it could also be released as a game without Duke, but a Duke like character.

No matter what it is, I think we will see something eventually regarding it. And in our hands to be able to play it.

I prefer to buy new games. And most of the time I do. Though sadly as a college student, I don't have the funds to continue to buy new games without turning over the ones I do not plan to play anymore. I would much rather just create a collection of games but at the $60 price point I just can't do that. With the knowledge that I can buy a new game at $60 and two months later turn around and sell it for $40 or perhaps more, it is really helpful.

I rarely sell to GameStop, I only do if I can take advantage of their various trade-in % bonuses that they have from time to time. Then sometimes I will trade in to them, or if its a really old game that isn't even worth attempting to sell online. Most of the time I use Amazon, but I don't think GameStop is the devil as some people say. I think it does help a lot of people.

I think that if used games were not sold, the amount of new copies sold would actually decrease. It certainly wouldn't increase in my opinion anyway.

Since lists seem to be all the rage, especially in the last couple days I decided I would jump on the bandwagon with a list. So here is my Top 30 Movies list.

30. Serenity
An unusual choice I realize, however when I saw this movie I had no idea what it was or where it came from. So I assumed it was just another Sci-Fi flop. I very pleasantly surprised and this is a very well done movie and for that reason, I included it.







29. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
When I first made this list, I thought this would would be higher on my list. It is for sure an incredible movie and a rarity where the third in a Trilogy is the best (though they were all magnificent) the Return of the King is worthy in any best movies list.







28. The Dark Knight
I wouldn't be shocked if people argue that this should be higher on the list. It is a tremendous movie no doubt, and the performance by Heath Ledger is legendary.






27. Million Dollar Baby
This is a tough movie to watch with an ending that is memorable, uplifting and incredibly sad. Clint Eastwood I would argue has only gotten better with age. He is a master in front of and behind the camera.








26. Das Boot
A great Submarine movie that I hope a lot of people reading this post have seen yet wouldn't be surprised if they have not. So if you have not seen this flick, you need to do so as soon as you can.








25. The Bourne Ultimatum
An example of pure excellence in action movies. The entire Bourne trilogy is incredible but this one hit heights the other two didn't come close to. I would admit that it is probably best you see the other two (or read the books!) before seeing this one, but this one gives you tremendous action scenes while blending in the rest of the story and wrapping it up nicely.







24. Swordfish
With a cast like this (Halle Berry, John Travolta, Hugh Jackman and Don Cheadle) what could possibly go wrong?








23. Blood Diamond
Leondardo DiCaprio has become an incredible actor in my book. This can be a very brutal movie as it focuses on the diamond trade in Africa, but if you can stomach such a thing, this is a movie that is so worth your time. Not to mention that Djimon Hounsou plays yet another incredible supporting actor role.





22. Pearl Harbor
The event that sent America in World War II, this movie retells that horrific day in brutal detail. It is a movie of great loss and sadness, yet at the same time, tremendous courage. It is a wonderful movie that should always be remembered.







21. To Kill a Mockingbird
Though I would say the book is probably even better, this movie is something that no one should miss. Ever. Its important in so many ways.








20. Pursuit of Happiness
Will Smith has gone from rapper, to Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, to action movie star and now to incredible performances in outstanding movies of struggle and perserverance. This movie is moving, and I think it is very worthy of a spot on a "Top Movie" list.







19. Braveheart
Braveheart is a movie that is telling. It is brutal but it is something that everyone needs to see. A story that can't go unseen, this is just a wonderful movie.








18. Chicago
I am not usually into musicals, but Chicago just caught be off-guard. This is a great film that may be one of those that you think you wont like yet you will walk away in awe and in realization that you love it.








17. Caddyshack
Comedy at its finest. Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray round out this fun, amazing film. In my opinion, most comedy movies today are just plain stupid. Caddyshack however was made before the time of the ridiculous comedy we see today and is an absolute masterpiece. It never stops till the credits roll, and by then you are probably in pain from laughter.







16. L.A. Confidential
A "who done it" that is plot-twisting and very, very engaging. Yet another movie with an incredible cast; Kevin Spacey, Russel Crowe, Guy Pearce, and Danny DeVito are just a few.








15. Lawrence of Arabia
The story of T.E. Lawrence is a very long movie, but worth every minute. I would hope that at some point in your life, that everyone reading this post would see this movie.








14. Wall-E
Pixar is an incredible production company, and I would have to say that not one of their films really dissapoints. Though I would argue that Wall-E may just be their pinnacle of success. This movie was charming, beautiful looking and carried a much deeper message than anything they have done before. It is meaningful to today and will be forever to come. Though Pixar will gone on for much time to come, I don't know if they will ever hit the magnitude that they did with this incredible animated film.






13. It's a Wonderful Life
A story of love, loss, and perseverance. This film delights every time one watches it and should be in everyone's library. It carries with it a message that will always be relevant and meaningful.








12. 2001: A Space Odyssey
If you do not know what I mean by "Monolith" then you are missing one of the greatest movies ever made.








11. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The best western ever made. Clint Eastwood at his best in western films, this is one that should not be overlooked. Its fun, its gritty and most of all, it includes the good, the bad and the ugly!








10. Casablanca
As the tagline on IMDb says"They had a date with fate in Casablanca!" This is a great movie that can't be missed and is very enjoyable.








9. Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back built on the greatness that the first film created. It was the height of the Star Wars films. George Lucas had more money to work with and hadn't lost the greatness that was in his mind at the time yet. He created a Star Wars film with loss, darkness, frightening revelations and hope all the while keeping it lighthearted.







8. Schindler's List
Hard to watch, hard to talk about, in the end this is one that should not be missed by any single person. The horrors that Jews faced during the World War II and Nazi Germany were all too real and this film is one about that time period that really, must not be missed.







7. Apocalypse Now
The best movie about Vietnam is much different than one would expect. This movie can be disturbing, graphic and is very telling on how man could truly lose his mind in more than one way. A movie that needs to be seen no matter whether or not you can stomach it.








6. Citizen Kane
A movie made for its relevancy, which is still relevant today. Orson Welles made a masterpiece that was revolutionary for its time. Yet it still holds up today as one of the greatest movies. I know some tend to shy away from old movies, but this is an example of how grave of mistake that can be.







5. The Last King of Scotland
This movie can get incredibly brutal, yet tells the story of the Ugandan dictator in a way that makes this such an incredible movie. I would suggest it to everyone, but it does get really graphic at times and realize not everyone can stomach such things. If you can though, this film is just plain outstanding.







4. Blade Runner
Blade Runner in my opinion is the best example of Science Fiction portrayed on film. Its different, its gritty, its magnificent. Harrison Ford is a great actor, yet I think this is his best performance. This really is Sci-Fi at its best and is so worth every second of your time.







3. The Godfather
Up there on most every "Top Movies List" The Godfather really is that good. If you haven't seen this incredible film with Marlon Brando I don't know what you are smoking. This is leaps and bounds above every other single crime syndicate movie ever created. Hell, this movie created the genre in many ways.







2. The Usual Suspects
Perhaps an unusual choice, the Usual Suspects is a movie of amazing twists, turns and realizations. Kevin Spacey makes this movie a masterpiece. This is not your typical movie and although it may be one of those movies that is truly its greatest only the first time you see it, it is an absolutely amazing first time viewing and you sure to notice things you didn't on the many multiple watches afterward.







1. Gladiator
First of all I realize that this film is not as revolutionary or moving as many of the ones I have put leading up to it. Gladiator however, is a truly epic film. In both the scope of the movie itself and the story that it presents. Russel Crowe puts on one of his best performances that cemented him in my mind as one of the best actors of our modern times. This film is an marvelous example of rising and falling, courage, hope, love, pain, and most of all loss. Though I know many will disagree with me that this is the best movie, and perhaps it is not, but there is no doubt that it is an incredible example of superb film making. I enjoyed this film so much on so many levels, it is the only one that throughout the entire making of this list I knew precisely where I was putting it.

Stories have the chance to up a games level of quality quite well. Yet many developers overlook it quite easily or if they get it right, they get other aspects of the game wrong thus making the greatly crafted story something many people gloss over. When thinking of our current gen games with great stories there are six that come right to mind. The problem however, all but one have drawbacks and thus their stories have been disappointingly overlooked by many.

Lost Odyssey - A truly epic adventure story. Engaging and catchy dialogue present themselves in this game literature gem. The addition of short "Dream" stories are a very exciting factor for any game story lover's dreams. The problem, specifically with these dream stories is that they are written text you must read on your screen. Not really the interactive feel that a video game should be portraying. As far as the actual game, it is a tradition JRPG for the most part, which turns many people off. Thus missing many people who may care about a good gripping story.

Mass Effect - A space-opera with an excellent story. Its intriguing, inspires wonder and adventure as well as engulfing you with in-game "movie-like" presentation of the dialogue scenes. As far as stories go, BioWare (no shock here really) crafted a masterpiece. Yet technical flaws weigh it down. Texture popping, lack of auto-saves, horrible vehicle controls, and 10 second elevator rides in your own ship certainly are not appealing. These drawbacks turned back many people who were on the fence. They may love a great story but don't want to go through technical hiccups, which is a recognizable argument.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - This was a game that could have reinvigerated Star Wars games. It had such potential, and the writing certainly paid off. It offers a Star Wars story that is worthy of being an actual Star Wars story. It however was plauged with dissapointing gameplay and combat choices. What should have been a Star Wars game that everyone got engrossed into the story, was instead overlooked and nailed as a dissapointment.

Fallout 3 - An incredible game in many ways, the main story is a sinker. But the writing and story throughout the missions, thus being the "short stories" was very well done. A type of humor that may not be for everyone, the writing was at least well done and one can recognize that. But by being plauged by a main quest that goes down, and other gameplay issues such as not being able to continue in the world after you have completed the game, plague what could have been a great outlet for a great story in a well done universe.

Grand Theft Auto IV - For the first half of this very well done game, you think they have gotten the story right. Its engaging, gripping and gritty. What someone would call in a book review as a "page turner." This unfortuneatley doesn't hold up through the entire experience and is an example of another sinker. They crafted an incredible world, and did write a decent story in the end, but when the first half is just SO much better than the second half.. its a story that just can't hold up. The potential was there, but yet again problems persist and the story is missed and/or deteriorated.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Perhaps the one example of a game in the current generation that just got it right. The story is compelling and very well done. InfinityWard wrote a story that you really end up actually caring about the characters, and coming from a first person shooter that really is saying a lot. There are heart wrenching moments, moments of anger, as well as feelings of "awesomeness" that were conveyed during the gameplay that could not have been done if the story was not in place how it was. Arguably one of the best shooters of the current generation, the story here is inredible. Because it is a piece in an overall very well done puzzle, it reached the audiences that a good story in a game really should. Unlike the others who wrote a good story yet didn't match up in other areas, Modern Warfare proved that a good story is a crucial component in making a good game.

So what is attempting to be said here? Story is an aspect that many people overlook. Many would say perhaps that it is because "many people just do not care about the story in a video game." This couldn't be farther the truth. Everyone likes an engaging story (perhaps not every type of story, but a good story nonetheless) and what is failing to be done is to put a great story into the medium of video games in a way that would be accessible for all those who play games. A great story can't necessarily make or break a game. As there are examples of very popular games that do not have a good story. On the flip side, there are the games that have a story worthy of recognition that are not well done on the other fronts, and thus are bad games. So even though a great story is not the end all be all, it is the key in making a game just that much better. Therefore stories in games need to improve to really hit that level of greatness that we all want our games to hit.