Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You*



*Only applicable to Mushroom Kingdom theaters near you

Thursday, August 20, 2009

GamesCom

There have been quite a few announcements at GamesCom in Cologne this year. Some interesting, others not so much for me, but regardless it has been impressive enough to almost rival E3 announcements. Almost. I don't feel it possesses the panache and spectacle of E3, or the density, although it certainly has brought more to bear than was anticipated on my part.

I figured I would put up some videos regarding said announcements, and give a little input along the way.

Alan Wake gameplay footage

I'm certainly not looking as forward to this as most as I'm not a survival horror fan. However seeing it in action finally is a thing of beauty, considering it originally debuted at E3 2005. I wish Remedy well on this one.

Diablo III footage

Love it or hate it, Diablo III is coming. As with any Blizzard game, I will get it, play it for a week, and never touch it again. Somehow, I'm okay with that.

Fable III teaser

Probably my most anticipated announcement. Ever since Theme Park, I will always buy what Peter Molyneux is selling, no matter how much he over-promises and under-delivers.

Dirt 2 trailer

I'm not a fan of rally racing, although unlike drift "racing", the first one to cross the finish line wins. That makes it real racing and therefore the sport gets my respect. Not my money though, Forza 3 has already won that bid in the racing genre this year.

Tony Hawk Ride vid

I haven't been a Tony Hawk fan since Tony Hawk 2. I personally think it will fail miserably. We already have enough peripherals, at least I do between the PC, Wii and Guitar Hero/Rock Band on the 360. If I get another one, it will be a Hori stick, not a crappy fake skateboard.

Dragon Age: Origins trailer

Bioware. RPG. Any questions?

Tekken 6 trailer

I have never been a Tekken fan. But I am a fighter fan, so I must have it by default.

Castlevania Lord of Shadows extended trailer

It's Castlevania hopefully done well for the first time in years. My fingers are crossed, I'm guessing yours are also.

So there you have it, some of the highlights and low-lights from GamesCom thus far. Thanks to Kotaku, Joystiq and 1up for making their videos embeddable. If you want to see more from GamesCom, Check out these sites:

Kotaku

Joystiq

1up

Giant Bomb

GamesRadar

Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Trust me, there is a lot more out there from the show, these are some great sites to get you started. As always, it's late, I am tired, so that's all you get for today kiddies. Perhaps some more nuggets will come your way tomorrow.

Last minute edit: I completely forgot about this, amongst others as well. But I am especially excited about this. Dante's Divine Comedy and I have had a long sordid history together, and finally seeing it in my favorite medium for entertainment could be impeccably awesome, or an abysmal failure. I'm hoping for the former.











As usual, I apologize for the large gap between the text and Giant Bomb video. I can't seem to find what needs to be changed in their default HTML for the vid, hence why I rarely embed their stuff.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

How Did I Miss This?


With the onslaught of info coming out of E3 earlier this year, I suppose I can forgive myself for missing this gem. Of course, it will be a terribly abysmal experience, but as an avid House fan it is still one I wont miss. It's like when I was a kid and the original TMNT game for the NES came out. It was horrendous, but I still played and loved every minute of it because it was the f''ing Turtles baby. In my thirties, House is my Ninja Turtles.





Sorry, but any excuse to post some House on here, is a good excuse.


Don't forget the 2-hour premier on Sept. 21st!!!



Tuesday, August 11, 2009

XBox Live! Update Info


Here is the info straight from the Microsoft press release for your perusal.

____________________________________________________________________

Updated August 11, 2009

One of the amazing things about the Xbox LIVE experience is that it’s always getting better. The latest Xbox LIVE Update truly cranks it up a notch – with features that improve your entertainment experience and give you new ways to express your individuality and connect with friends. With this update, you can download full Xbox 360® games and play them without a disc, and you and your friends will be able to party watch movies online through Netflix! Dress up your avatar to impress with premium props and branded apparel from fashion labels. And this update allows every piece of game content on Marketplace to be rated, so add your personal ratings and see what others think is cool. But that’s just the beginning. Check out all of the new features of the Xbox LIVE Update below.

Games on Demand
Enjoy the convenience of finding and buying new games right from the comfort of your own living room. Download a wide selection of full Xbox 360 games over Xbox LIVE. Games on Demand is now available for purchase on Xbox LIVE as part of the latest Xbox LIVE Update. You will be able to browse and purchase games through the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web starting August 13.

  • Shop- Games on Demand are found in the Game Marketplace and include a large library of favorite titles right from the start. More titles are added every Tuesday, so check back whenever you’re in the mood for a great new game.
  • Purchase - Purchase full games using Microsoft points or a credit card. Games are downloaded directly to your console (hard drive required), and your purchase history is stored by Xbox LIVE, meaning you can delete games and re-download them again if you run out of space.
  • Playing and Sharing - As with other LIVE content, your game license is linked to your Xbox LIVE account. Download your purchased games to any console you are logged into with your Gamertag, and anyone else can play on the console that your game was originally downloaded to. No physical disc is required to play these games!
  • Find Manuals - Game manuals can be viewed, downloaded, or printed from Xbox.com. Just locate your game in Web Marketplace and select “See Game Manual”.
Avatars

Avatars have seen lots of love! Check out the new Marketplace and Avatar Props. The Avatar Marketplace is now available on Xbox LIVE as part of the latest Xbox LIVE Update. You will be able to browse and purchase Avatar apparel through the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web starting August 13.

  • Avatar Props - Equip your avatar with animated items they can interact with and carry around.
  • Avatar Marketplace - Reflect your sense of style with the new Avatar Marketplace. Download and purchase premium items, including branded apparel from your favorite fashion labels and Xbox 360 games.
Netflix*
Now you can watch movies with your friends and find new movies to add to your Instant Queue without leaving your seat.
  • Party Watch - Catch a show with your friends! Bring your party into Netflix and watch a movie or TV show together. (Feature available with supported titles.)
  • Find Content Faster - Browse through New Releases and other genre lists based on the types of shows you’ve previously watched, all from the comfort of your couch.
  • Improved Playback Experience - Improvements have been made to ensure a better experience when adapting to changing network conditions.
  • Improved Presence - Richer information is now displayed in the Friends channel and in the Guide showing what you and your friends are watching.
Parties**

Everyone loves to Party! Check out the new and improved party reconnections and streamlined party invites.

  • Party Reconnections - If a user is disconnected from a party inadvertently, they will be automatically reconnected to the party without any user interaction.
  • Streamlined Party Invites - Invites are now just a click away! Never again will you have to navigate through multiple screens to get all your friends together.

Account Management
Been an Xbox LIVE member for a while? Check out some of the new features we've added just for you.

  • Gold Member Veterans - Been here long? Show it off! Anyone looking at your gamer card will now know how long you’ve been an Xbox LIVE Gold member. And who knows, there might be other perks for you, too. Thanks for sticking around!
  • Subscription Notification - If your Xbox LIVE subscription is about to run out, you will now be notified when you sign into Xbox LIVE. No more surprises the next time you hop in to frag your friends.
  • Fixing Invalid WLID's - If the Windows Live ID you provided has expired, you will now be prompted to update it the next time you sign into Xbox LIVE.

Account Recovery
Many changes have gone into the account recovery process to speed it up and to increase reliability.

Video Display Options
Various improvements have been made to make it easier for you to see your game in the highest resolution possible when using an HDMI connection.

  • Display Discovery - Override audio and/or video formats independent of the display's capabilities.
  • How It Works - By default, the console uses the information provided by the display (via its EDID) to determine the audio and video capabilities of the device. However, often the data is invalid or malformed, hence compatibility issues are encountered. When disabling display discovery, the EDID of the display is ignored, thereby enabling the audio and video settings to be overridden with the desired format regardless of display support.
  • Who Should Use It? - The Display Discovery feature is available for DVI and HDMI connections in the Display settings section of System Settings in the dashboard. Please note that Display Discovery should only be disabled if audio and/or video related compatibility issues are encountered, otherwise, the output quality may be compromised.
  • Monitor Support - Additional monitor resolutions are now available for HDMI connections.

User Ratings
User ratings help you find content that other people think is awesome!

  • How It Works - Every piece of game content on Marketplace can now be rated using a 5-star system. Just open up the details on what you want to rate and choose the Rate button. Each time you press the Rate button, you add one star to your personal rating.
  • Sort by Ratings - Find great games, demos, and more that you might have missed out on. Just visit Browse All in the Game Marketplace and click on “Top Rated” to see what everyone’s been talking about.
UI Improvements

Some parts of the dashboard have been slightly re-organized to make it easier to find the things you’re looking for.

  • Indie Games - We listened to our community and have decided to rename Xbox LIVE Community Games to Xbox LIVE Indie Games. This new name better represents the independent spirit of these titles. User ratings are also available for Indie Games, allowing you to share your rating for a game and use ratings from others to find great new games.
  • Achievement Browser - Launch a game directly from the Achievement browser making it even easier for you to max out your Gamerscore.
  • Achievement Tracking - A new All Games view inside the Profile panel includes a summary of Achievements earned across all the games played, and shows off all your completed games.
  • Achievements - Check out the changes to the Achievement browser while playing a game. It’s now much easier to read through all the achievements so you can rack up that Gamerscore.
  • Streamlined Navigation - New entry points in the Dashboard for Active Downloads, Redeem Code, Auto Sign-In (via Profile), Create Profile, and Recover Gamertag are included, so that these features are easier to find.
  • Voice Messages - When recording a voice message, a warning is now displayed if no audio is detected so you don’t accidentally send blank messages to your friends.

Console Settings
We’ve reorganized the Console Settings menu with fewer, more intuitive categories.

  • Memory - Time stamps now appear in the Memory Area. This is particularly handy when managing saved games.
  • Friends List Sorting - It’s now much easier to find your friends! Sort your friends list by Activity, Gamertag, or Online Status (default). Just press the Y button while you’re viewing the friends list in the Guide to change the sorting order.

New Experiences Coming
And we have new experiences coming all the time. This fall, Xbox LIVE will see the addition of the following new features as well:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Last.fm
  • Zune Video

Stay connected to Xbox LIVE to ensure you are getting the best gaming and entertainment experience. Xbox LIVE is where games, movies and friends connect. Aside from all of the great additions mentioned above, you’ll find free game demos so you can try before you buy, and tons of free videos, trailers and more. Plus you’ll have access to Game Add-ons like new songs and adventures to extend the life of your favorite games. What’s more, thousands of downloadable HD movies and TV episodes are available with the press of a button. Connect to Xbox LIVE today. It's free.

*Xbox LIVE Gold membership and Netflix unlimited subscription required. See Netflix Terms of Use for details about Netflix service.

**Xbox LIVE Gold Membership required.
____________________________________________________________________

So there you have it. Everything we expected, and nothing we didn't.

You can find the original HERE.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Where Do You Want To Go Today?

Understanding what our government is, and where we are headed, is explained quite well in this video.





"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
-George Santayana

This is ringing evermore truly in today's society. There was once a point in time when a majority of society could name government officials, scientists, explorers and the like, for they were yesteryear's rock stars. The current system is broken. The basics need to be retaught. Government is supposed to be hard, something no one wants to do. Only then will things get done. Today sadly, only a handful of people even care, because what good is the pursuit of life, liberty, freedom and knowledge, if you don't know who has won American Idol or Dancing With the Stars? A lack of interest will only lead to a lack of freedom.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Billium's Belated Review: Ghostbusters (XBox 360)


I recently received a few 360 titles for my birthday and Ghostbusters was most certainly first on my list to dive into. I have been a fan of the franchise since childhood. From the movies and cartoon spin-offs to the toys (I still have my proton pack and ghost trap) and all the horrid abominations that were referred to as "video games". Especially the Commie 64 version that plagued my nightmares, until recently that is.

Ghostbusters for the 360 and a virtually identical PS3 version, felt like a labor of love by the programmers as I played through. With the entire cast, minus Moranis and Weaver that is, reprising their respective roles, it was like a fanboys wet dream. It was voiced exceptionally well by video game standards with one minor exception. Don't get me wrong, I love Alyssa Milano, but she does not belong here. This is coming from someone who had a three year long Charmed addiction, and grew up watching Who's the Boss. She can't act. On the screen she has some very redeeming assets, but in digital form, not so much.

From a gameplay perspective, capturing ghosts was wonderfully fun. From crossing the streams to slamming a ghost into the trap, it felt very faithful to the source material. The controlls were also spot on and intuitive, and never hindered me whatsoever. The puzzle elements were not at all difficult, but they didn't seem squeezed in just to add gameplay either like some titles. Wandering around the firehouse is enjoyable to anyone familiar with the series. With nice little touches like Slimer displayed in a containment unit and the Vigo painting and his little quips. Everything really falls into place in that aspect. It is also an easy game to nitpick however.

The story is a bit uneven as are later level designs. The first few levels are pure fan service while later levels are a bit bland and unimaginative, which is disappointing considering where they could have taken it. Also, some of the dialog comes off a bit too cheesy. Though this may have a bit to do with Aykroid and Ramis penning a majority of the script. It's not bad, it just really oozes an 80's sensability.

All in all, if you are even moderately a fan of the Ghostbusters, it is certainly worth a playthrough, or three in my case. If not, there is still fun to be had if you're willing to look past a few blemishes in an otherwise wonderful title. I will certainly come back for more.

And now for something completely different:

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