Shenmue Series My favorite story driven series of all time, Shenmue was a treat when I first saw it on the Dreamcast. Nothing makes you want to solve a mystery more than having some creep kill your father and steal from you. I loved wandering around the streets and talking to people, or doing the quick time events. Cool to be able to play old Sega games at the arcade, or fight random creeps using a style similar to Virtua Fighter. Bugged some people because it was so slow, to that I say, some games try to tell a story and get their point across by absorbing you in the world and characters. Shenmue 2 came out, I was doing jumping jacks in anticipation to finally see if the main character finally whoops Lan Di's ass, Bruce Lee style. People that have not played any of them, I won't say anything, Sega needs to make a third one, regardless of how slow it is, leave Sonic alone. Coolest thing about Shenmue is that some events play out in real time, you may not see everything the first time. My favorite scenes in the game always involved Ryo having to teach the bad guys a lesson, proving once again that you don't mess with someone who is nice and knows karate. Can literally run around for hours not doing anything and just taking the world in, for its time, Shenmue was a treat, it still looks good today. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Many people either hate stealth based games, or really love them, I can't get enough. Now Sam Fisher is like a disgruntled soldier, he also feels quite human in the way he talks and interacts with people and potential targets. I loved skulking around and dispatching bad guys without being seen, with so many different moves, this game really shows what being a shadowy badass is all about. Can only imagine the look of horror on the enemies faces when they get a knife to the back, then turn around in their last fleeting moments, only to see those green goggles slip back into darkness. Best thing about the game is that it took place in actual locations, it really felt like they did send the best man for the job. So cool to be able to look under doors before entering them, if you did see enemies, then you could plan your stealth based death plan to get rid of them. People are worried about Splinter Cell Conviction, I am not. Keep it in the stealth genre, don't have any stupid parts where Sam is mowing down everything in his path with an Uzi, it will be fantastic. My ultimate fantasy would be able to see Solid Snake and Sam Fisher infiltrate a compound together and dispatch the bad guys in their own ways. Worms Making your opponents pay with a bunch of 2D worms armed to the gills with weapons is a blast. Now how the game plays out is like this, you each take turns trying to destroy one another with some very creative weapons. I loved killing my opponents with flying sheep, or burrowing all my worms underground and firing on them from a place of safety. Can't get a much more fun party game if you tried, unless you go outside and tape fake weapons to actual worms and make them fight. Basically was getting my ass kicked left and right in this game when I first tried it, if you have a little patience, you really start to see the wonders of this little gem. Some people might be turned off to the cartoony graphics, if thats your only problem with the game, then why are you gaming in the first place? Putting some very needed bullets into my opponents worms was the best, watching them squirm in pain made laugh. Couldn't decide which Worms game to put up here, I love most of them, I just put Worms. Maybe if you have some time to kill in the near future, check these games out. Half-Life 2 My favorite parts of this game are using the Gravity Gun to dispatch all sorts of crazies. Now most people have played this game so I won't get into what its about, alot of people still have not played the original, I am looking at you younger gamers. It is worth taking a trip down memory lane to see why Half-Life 2 was high on many peoples wish lists. Characters are very cool in this game and Alex actually felt like a strong female helper, not just eye candy. Brought back alot of familiar enemies, plus a couple new ones for you to practice those new psychics on. Some very compelling story telling, plus Gordan Freeman is just an ordinary guy who won't be pushed around. Puzzles in the game are also quite good, just like in the first one, Valve knows how to make really good games. Cool T-shirt of the Half-Life logo, I can't find it in my room and I think I might of lost it, damn't. My hope is that the third one comes out somewhere down the road, Valve doesn't like to rush their games, the wait will be worth it. Beyond Good & Evil My hidden gem of a game, alot of people have not played it, I pity you for that. Now game involves a photographer named Jade who is in a state of turmoil involving aliens. Nobody really knew what to expect with a title like this, what the **** was it about. Creative game on so many levels and it really was a stellar platformer, I would put it ahead of Psychonauts, although I love that game to. Basically had a little bit of everything, action, stealth, ordering your teamates to attack, mainly a humanoid pig. Being able to take pictures in exchange for money was a great concept, they need to have that in more games damn't. Some very funny moments in this game, the story is very good in my opinion. Pissed me off that more gamers didn't give this game a chance, how are games supposed to expand their creative horizons if we turn our backs on them. Cool thing is that there will be a Beyond Good and Evil 2, maybe this time around people will take notice. Most people who beat the first one, we all know it leaves on a cliffhanger, lets hope the DomZ are finally put in their place. Resident Evil 4 My first true love of all things Resident Evil stem back to the old ones on the Ps1, this one was great as well. Now you play as Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil 2, your job is to save the presidents daughter who got kidnapped by a bunch of Las Plagas filled ********. It is way more action based than the other ones, I had mixed feelings on this. Cool to see Zombies that had weapons and use them on you with deadly force. Biggest complaint I have about this game is that it was not as scary as the other ones and they gave you way to much ammo. Some scary parts though, like the hedgemaze filled with those damn dogs, or the sewers with the invincible insects. Personally like the regenerators, not only was their music creepy, that heavy panting was disturbing. Cool to see Ada Wong again, as well as Wesker in the secret missions, Jack Krauser was a fantastic addition to the team of bad guys. Many people complain about Resident Evil 5, to be fair, its not really that great, I think Capcom should go back to the root of the series. Portal Most people have abused this game to a T, shut the **** up with the Cake is a lie, funny in the game, not when it comes out of your mouth. Now you use the portal gun to solve puzzles and escape from the science lab from hell. I love Glados who taughts you throughout the entire game, as well as encouraging you to finish to get some cake. Came into the world of portal expecting some clever puzzles, that is exactly what I got. Being able to think with portals took some time for me, when I finally figured out how to beat a room, I was like jesus, that was so damn simple. So bland in the environments, it really gives you that sense that you are alone with a crazy A.I. voice. Personally for me, you couldn't do better than laying down 20 dollars for the Orange Box, do it, do it now. Hotel Dusk Many DS owners have still not played this masterpiece. Now it plays out like a detective story, you will be using the DS stylus in creative ways, as well as the microphone. It has some really well fleshed out characters, talking to people feels just as natural as talking to people in real life. Can even anger the people in the game by making them mad, it might even lead you to never solving the mystery. Bring out alot of life in characters by the way they are drawn, they look like pencil drawings, it really feels natural in the way they look, I can't describe it. So if you are sick of playing Pokemon, or driving around with Mario and the gang, try this little gem on for size. Personally one of my favorite DS games because it really makes you rack your brain sometimes, its pretty original in some parts. Cool to see a Wii version of this game come out, make it happen nintendo, please. Shadow of the Colossus Man does the Playstation 2 kick ass, this game really shows you what it can do. Nothing will beat the first time I actually saw one of those giant beasts lurking on the horizon, feeling hopeless with my sword and bow. It involves saving a girl who you know nothing about, in fact, the main character is just called the wanderer. Kind of a bleak world, it makes you really want to figure out what happened to the inhabitants of this place. Bring down a bunch of Colossus's in what can only be described as epic, some of the best boss fights I have ever played. Sure did throw alot of gamers for a loop on how there are no enemies to fight, just a string of bosses, that makes it feel more bleak to me. People who made Ico also made this game, Kudos to them for taking a chance and making a final swan song for a great console. Can't even imagine another one, especially sense the graphics are so great in this one. Metal Gear Solid Series Many people have a Metal Gear solid game that they love above the others, for me its the first one and number 4. Nobody can deny the impact these games have had on the market as a whole, they are story driven games and what a story they tell. It involves the sneaking adventures of everybodys favorite chain smoking badass, Solid Snake. Characters in the games are always put first, thats what makes the series so damn good. Bring somebody into a debate on who their favorite character is, you will get alot of different answers, some people love Liquid Snake, others Revolver Ocelot. Bring up the old school baddies like Psycho Mantis, or Sniper Wolf, the list goes on. So much fun playing through the 4th one, I could care less about how long the cinema scenes are, I like alot of story in my games, the more the better. PS3 got Metal Gear Solid 4, that was enough to get me to buy it, well that and God Of War 3 and Little Big Planet. Crazy how this may be the last one, well with the exception of Peace Walker, I don't own a PSP. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Making my way through Street Fighter 4, one of my friends asked me if I had ever played Street Fighter Alpha 3. No I have not I said, is the game any good? I can't believe how kick ass the game really is, it feels so balanced and it just plays great. Can play most games on thought that you will only use certain characters, I was having fun with all the characters. Been beaten by other Street Fighters, this game is still very good and I ended up playing it for months on end after that. Street Fighter will always be my favorite fighting series, I also like alot of SNK fighting games as well. Putting fighting games on home consoles back in the day was almost always a bad idea to some degree, this one really shined on the Playstation and Dreamcast. Cammy is still hot. Hitman: Blood Money Maybe you are starting to see a trend of stealth based games on here, sorry about that. Never really had much interest in Hitman, I played the first one for about 20 minutes, then I just turned it off. It made so many improvements with Blood Money, that I was having a fantastic time running around as Agent 47. Could climb over more obstacles, the unarmed combat was better, using the bad guys as human shields is always fun. Better character animations, nothing beats chocking somebody from behind with a wire. Sort of follows the games of the past as far as story goes, I really didn't know the story that well to begin with so I see no complaints. Put that ****ty movie away of Hitman, that movie sucked, as a video game character he kicks ass. Can't wait to see the bald guy do some more damage. Wind Waker my Gamecube broke just recently, it made me reflect on all my favorite games, mainly Links badass Cel shaded adventure. Now I will get this out of the way right now, so the game is not very hard, yet most Zelda games that I have played are not very hard. It was great to see a cartoony version of Links world, it really made me remember the ones on the original nes and Super Nintendo. Creative puzzles and some really good music, plus the final boss fight was very epic, you get a sword in your head Ganon. Being able to sail around was fun as hell, plus the the main theme of the game was cool as well. So why did this game get alot of negative feedback, well mainly on the way it looks, I say that is retarded, don't judge by graphics. Pirates, sailing, bombs, secrets, heart pieces, boomerangs, what else do you need in a Zelda game. Can't wait for another Zelda game to look like this. Dark Cloud 2 Many of my friends have been badgering me to play this game, last month, I finally did. Never really played the first one that much, I was afraid to play the second one. I really feel like I missed out now, this game is a blast to play. Comb the landscape, crawling through randomly generated dungeons fighting bosses and reshaping the world around you. Basically playing as a young inventor who must save the world, the Playstation 2 is a gift from god. So cool about this game is the fact that you can level up your weapons, really makes it worth it to hold on to them. Pretty good story, its nothing you haven't seen before, it does a pretty good job of pulling you in. Can't wait for Dark Cloud 3. Fallout 3 My defense, yes I have played 1 and 2, I still like this game alot. No use in complaining about this game, it feels like Fallout, it has a very imaginative world, better than some generic fantasy backdrop. I love talking to people and getting weapons, stealing everything and anything, blowing the crap out of Super Mutants with Vats. Can literally walk around for hours just taking in the sights, when you do finally discover something, it kind of makes you excited. Bring along a helper to fight off the horror of the wastes, or you can go solo, the choice is yours. So cool to murder that Dave *******, or finding the alien weapon for the first time, or getting chased off by Death Claws. Put so many hours into this game and not even realize it, it is a really good buy, pick it up. Kind of partial to the Combat Shotgun and Sniper Rifle. Dead Space My time with this game was a scary one. Necromorphs wandering around the ship, ready to bite my face off was enough to take it a little slow. I haven't been this scared in a awhile, this is how you make a Survival Horror game, way to pull through EA. Can dispatch your enemies legs and arms off, forcing us to rethink the whole, aim for the head and win strategy, plus its great to see them come at you with no limbs, serves you right you freakish bastards. Best parts are the zero gravity, flying through the depths, solving puzzles, blowing up enemies in the vacuum of space. Sure is hard at times, this game actually made me not want to go further at times, hearing a distant scream, or the scuttle of something that wasn't human really put me on edge. Plasma Cutter is the best weapon I have seen in years, the main characters suit looks really cool. Can't believe they finally did the health bar right, its always on your back and easy to see. LittleBigPlanet My thoughts on what level I was going to make took forever. Now how creative can one person be, if you have seen some of the levels, people can be very creative. I think this has the best level editor ever, nothing else even comes close, even if you own a 360, you should really go out of your way to play it. Can pretty much do what ever you want, this is platforming at its best. Best opening theme ever, the music is really catchy, this game really is great at bringing people together. Some great times with this game, I think they are making one on the PSP as well, I don't know how thats going to go over. Plus the little sack boys can be designed as well, its cool to see how people think the little sack boys should look like. Come on down and make a level, I can't wait to play it. Mirror's Edge Mirror's Edge is one of those games that you have to be in the mood to play. Now you play as a young women named Faith, who just might be the fastest women on the planet. It takes place in first person and it really feels like your running around this strange and sterile looking place. Climb and swing, run up pipes and along buildings, every once in awhile you fall to your death, it really feels like your falling. Blast to play this type of game because it feels so fresh and new, I love when game developers take a chance, this was one of my favorite next gen games. Sort of cool to see a female character that doesn't need to be flashy in order to be a badass, now if only we could save Samus's dignity from that god damn Zero suit. Pretty fast paced and it makes me wonder what the future has in store for this type of game, its worth checking out if you haven't played it. Call it a night and I hope you enjoyed my little blog, lets cap it off with a little music.