I recently posted my first review I've written in over a year and there is a few cobwebs there that are very noticeable. So the main apology will be towards the several typos made in it.  Word, for some reason, failed to pick these up until I reloaded the review in word this morning... I know they are there and I have fixed them... just a pitty you can't edit your reviews in GB yet...  This was written at about 11pm last night. I couldn't get to sleep so I thought I'd give it a crack.

Anyways everything aside have, read and leave feedback if you so wish

My work and Sony was kind enough to give me copy of Killzone 2 before it's release... now in my previous blog I did say that Killzone 2 didn't do much for me and whilst I am about halfway through the game my overall impression still hasn't changed dramatically, however, the full game is a much more enjoyable experience than the demo (you'd thought we'd have learnt by now considering Burnout Paradise).

Now I know that this is sorta sounding like a review and it probably is but given my work and my other commitments plus my lack of gaming time combined with an inkling to write something but not enough time to go in depth I think doing these sorta Blogviews from now on is the way to satisfy this craving of mine.  Anyway back to the game.

Now from a technical stand point there a some Amazing Lighting effects... explosions... smoke and stuff like that but the overall presentation of its environments and character models do leave a little bit to be desired... Sony might want to go back and use MGS4 as it flagship because that game was a complete technical achievement in all aspects of its presentation... at the end of the day MGS4 is much much sexier to look at.

Level Design... and this is where the game losses it for me... Concrete... more concrete.... warehouse... destroyed buildings... concrete... concrete... concrete.... F***ing concrete... so so so much concrete. I mean a typical shooter game now a days has that shiping yard or warehouse level imbeded in it and they are never really the strongest point of the game itself.  But when the whole game uses the same environment over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.  Now I have just hit a level where the environment changed a little bit but its a wasteland with more concrete aaaarrrrrhhhhhh.
Now whilst the online aspect isn't fully operational (which is funny cause there are a lot of reviews coming up saying the multiplayer is the bees knees but chances are they haven't played it online cause it's not working yet... I hate those reviewers) I jumped onto some bot matches and looked through the levels and here is my problem, number one there isn't a lot levels and number 2 all the levels look the same and guess which material occupys them the most.... that's right concrete.

The gameplay is its saving grace... first and foremost gameplay wise there is nothing new here when it comes to shooters it doesn't raise the bar by any means. It does however combine all the things that other shooters have done well in the past and execute those aspects and executes well. There as some exeellent and intense battle sequences which make you feel like you are apart of something bigger, but this feeling is lived far and few between most of the instances where you forced to solo off and do you thing Rambo style. So if you are looking for a revolutionary shooter experience Killzone 2 is not it.  If you are looking for a solid shooter, Killzone 2 will keep you happy.  The story itself is a bit mish mash which is disappointing considering the original Killzone did have a very interesting premise.

Overall Killzone 2 is a solid shooter, but combined with it's unispired level design and a sweet and sour technical presentation, doesn't give Killzone 2 the right to claim King of Shooters, but it can stand there with best of them.

Time for something new... again its been awhile.

I have had the pleasure of the last couple of weeks to sit back and play some games... it has been nice.
With no work it has been a much needed rest from what was one the most successful retail period in the industries history.

Just recently I finally finished the 2nd  Phoenix Wright Game and whilst it was still a very solid game, however, I felt let down by the ending(s) to the last case.
The bad ending (the one without the credits) had a amusing grammar mistake (there will be plenty in this blog I can asure you). The Good ending felt more like an escape from the his delima rather than a Turnabout.  I would like to know what others thought of this... for me it just didn't leave me satisfied.  But overall it was still a great game.  I am looking forward to the 3rd one, however, it could be a task to find as it was never released in Australia... They released the first 2 then released Apollo Justice, so I'll probably have to import it from somewhere at sometime.

Also played the Killzone 2 demo and from what I played I didn't see anything revolutionary to the genre.  it is a great shooter but it doesn't raise the bar in any aspect... it just does what others have done well (and others have done it well too).  Wasn't all too stoked about the graphics yes there is "Lens flare" but I still think that the HDR Lighting In the Source Engine is far and away much better.  And Again Warehouses, Concrete, Metal, Beach heads.  I have seen these all to much before.  Which is why I am very much enjoying Far Cry 2 at the moment.  So at this point I'll probably give Killzone 2 a miss.

I also finally played and finish Mirror's Edge and I must say that turning of runner's eye makes this game much much much more enjoyable and challenging.

Now to Dead Space.... O M G.  I might sound a little week in saying this but I have had to put it on the shelf for a little bit cause I just couldn't stomach the overall game.  I have been playing it on the hardest difficulty which had added to the intensity and immersion quite substantially, And now I'm being chassed around but a alien I can't kill.. when sliced me up I said "Stuff This".  It has been one favourite games of the holiday season but I just can't take it at the moment. :(

And lastly downloaded the NHL 3 on 3 for XBLA and that is a blast of fun... If anyone has this I would like to play online with some people... Ice hockey has little to no appreciation down here in AUS.

Anyway I'll leave it at that for now... Until next year

It could only take a sequel to the one of the best games available (Resident Evil 4) to cause me to blog a blog not blogged in a bloggin long time.

As many are aware the RE5 demo got released in Japan... that said it is accessible for all as many should be aware.

It has... unfortunately... received some negativity from most that have played... many using the statement "It is RE4 with a new coat of paint" (and a glossy, pretty, shiny coat at that). 

My question to you is... how can that be a bad thing? Do you try and fix what is not broke?

There are intentional design decissions made especially when it comes to the controls that add to the intensity of the gameplay.  Sure have a flying axe kill you from behind without you knowing that it is coming can be frustrating, but it keeps you on your toes, makes you second guess as to what you know and see compared to what really is, adding an intensity that many games fail to achieve.

No doubt though that the promised Gears style controls will invite many people reserved about the RE gameplay... but it is a SURVIVAL horror game not a running gun-hoe fire up the chainsaw, frag tag that bastard game by any stretch of the imgaination. But all the more power to ya anyway.

Having said that to all the nay-sayers out there, for those that are fans....YAY.  For the treat is co-op, and the treat tastes good, Who wants to play with me?

Anyway that'll do

For now. 

At a work conference that was recently held M$ were so kind to throw us a Fable 2 style party... with bar tab of course.  Fable 2 was there in force and whilst it is a game that even after playing, I want so badly, it was a conversation I had with one of the PR's that had me scratching my head.  I threw many questions at him mainly regarding the movie service hitting Australia and if M$ was still thinking about blu-ray support.  The latter I will reveal the answer to now.

Blu-ray isn't something that M$ isn't looking into at this time, nor will they ever, but then came an interesting comment... "who's to say that any usb external blu-ray device wouldn't work with the 360."  Now I know that when 360 launched that there was a roar from consumers about the lack of devices that would be accepted via usb and M$ listened. Since then numerous portable mp3 devices have become compatible as well as other devices.  Now whilst this may not be in place now, it only takes a dash update to allow this sort of feature, so if this is something that you still want, let M$ know, they have listened in the past.

Now to the movie service for AUS is ready to go as far as all the legalities of distribution is concerned so what is holding them back.  It is the fact that the average AUS internet user such as myself is on a download capped plan and the average of the caps AUS wide is around 15GB.  Now considering that a HD movie download can sometimes be as big as 5GB, the situation with the caps doesn't make the movie service very viable to either M$ or the consumer who wants it (I myself am on a 5GB peak limit).  So all I know is that M$ are continually working with phone companies like Optus and Telstra to remedy this problem.  So there is no set date for the service as yet. 

Just thought I'd report in after hearing some interesting news.

Had a customer come in to JB today wanting to price match a PS3 deal that EB had going, so following policy I chased up EB.  However, my conversation with them was little more informing than I first intended.  Explaining first and foremost that they are out of their 40gig PS3 sku and obviously (re)informing me of the 80gig soon to be released in AUS.  What was more interesting was the two prices they gave me, one was what we thought it would be originally be which is at current $699 then they gave another possible rrp of $649.  They also said they had heard that the 80gig is supposed to included the Dualshock 3 controller as well.

I'm not sure what has been confirmed by Sony AU all I know is that August 27 is the suppossed drop date for them.  I will be attending a work conference with JB, hoping that Sony will show up and provide a litte more info.

The main reason I am reporting this is cause I recieved my tax refund... and no doubt a PS3 will be one of the items I buy with it; considering that I have MGS4 and Heavenly Sword sitting stark in the cupboard.

And so it begins, with a movement of the figures and the tapping of keys, my Giant Bomb adventure begins.
I have been planning a new series (or issues) of blogs for the past few weeks and thought to myself, "what a great way to start something new, and start it on new blog".

It will be called "The Sensationalist", where I will anaylzing different areas of industry and brewing up some of my wildest theory's.  It will all be in the name of fun and opened up for discusion and some serious flamage from you, the Giant Bomb community.

My first Issue will look at the Sony 10 year LIfe cycle

I'M EXCITED (In the words of the late great Aussie icon Big Kev)

Cheers