septim

Everything I've heard is that the controls have been slightly refined, but it still retains that "floaty" feeling of the original. The fact that it's backwards compatible with LBP1 levels tells me that it probably feels more or less the exact same.
 
I feel the same way as you. I appreciate what it's trying so hard to do... but not enough to bother with it if the mechanics aren't there.

So a big, fake, dopey-looking helmet that breaks the in-game fiction and COMPLETELY OBSCURES the character's face during dialogue is some kind of incentive for the game?

I'll bet they get it fixed just in time for the Map DLC to hit PSN.

My first game system was during the 16-bit era. I knew I wanted a game system, but didn't really know the differences between a Genesis / SNES. My parents went to a Best Buy and they talked them into a Genesis.
 
Granted, the Genesis is a fucking awesome console, and I had a lot of great memories on it, but I can't help but feel a bit deprived of what is arguably the best system ever.

This semester I'll get off light because some professors actually get it and just post the readings in segments online.
 
Textbooks fucking blow.

$250 is high, but not quite dealbreaker high. 
 
My decision will hinge on launch titles and concrete battery information.

Dude... Totally impromptu over Xmas week they brought in a shitload of old games / systems and had a live show. I'm sure it was a total pain in the ass, they didn't need to do it, and to top it off they were probably all fucking exhausted from GOTY stuff. But they did it anyways, and it was awesome.
 
Stuff like that is what makes Whiskey great, and if anything they've only stepped it up as of late. Maybe you're not watching the live shows because that's where the magic is really.

Even 5 years ago it was fairly obvious that Oblivion was designed console-first. I'll be playing on the 360 for these reasons thrice; couch, projector, and achievements.

Basically EGM was a beloved magazine. This was before Game Informer had the credibility it now has. 1UP was the online branch which hosted a bunch of podcasts done by the editors of the magazine. 1UP Yours and GFW Radio were pioneers in game podcasting.
 
Their parent company Ziff Davis was bloated and in serious financial trouble. Most of the popular writers bailed before EGM was officially canceled. UGO bought the half-hearted remains. It was basically a clusterfuck of poor business decisions.

The next time I'll hear about this game is when it goes free to play. 
 
Then the last thing I'll hear is that the 360 port is canceled.