The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The game will be out April 7th, 2009 and I actually played some of it already this year at Comic-con and it was great. There is a demo up now on Xbox live but it is only part the Dark Athena chapter, I however touched upon the Escape From Butcher Bay chapter at comic-con and loved it. It stays true to the old game but adds some great new gameplay elements to keep it fresh. Vin Diesel is working very hard on this game believe it or not, and he really seems like hes into video games and for that he definitely gets my respect. Chronicles of Riddick isn't just some bad movie-game its actually a great game with a very intriguing story that will keep players on the edge of their seat. Perhaps what makes Escape From Butcher Bay such a great experience is the fact that you are in prison for about 30% of the game, and that's an approach that has never really been taken before in video games. You will have to watch you're back, make alliances with inmates (who are far from trustworthy), acquire shanks, start prison fights, and most importantly: find a way to escape. To top it off once you complete Butcher Bay there is a whole other chapter to play which is said to be about a 12 hour experience making for about a 20+ hour game that has a mulitplayer component as well. As you can see I love this game and I obviously want it to do well so do yourself a favor and pick it up this April.

Durst isn't alone either, as it turns out all of the original band members will be participating in producing a brand new album together. This does include Wes Borland, the guitarist who is best known for his departure from LB after strongly disagreeing with the music they were producing. Fortunately the band members have set aside their differences and realized whats important, and that's making music. Durst and Borland have said in a joint statement to the public "We decided we were more disgusted and bored with the state of heavy popular music than we were with each other. Regardless of where our separate paths have taken us, we recognize there is a powerful and unique energy with this particular group of people we have not found anywhere else. This is why Limp Bizkit is back." Unfortunately Limp Bizkit will only be headlining in the Overseas Festival Circuit in Europe this Spring, so if you live Stateside you're gonna have to wait a bit. However right after the tour will they be starting on their new Album which I cant wait to hear. Critics will probably say that Limp Bizkit has lost it but you gotta have faith! \/


Faith - Limp Bizkit

Dawn of War II is a real-time strategy (RTS) game for the PC from developer Relic Entertainment, famous for their work on the original Dawn of War and their World War II themed RTS, Company of Heroes. Through these games, Relic has proven themselves more than capable of crafting a great game, and Dawn of War II is no exception.

Before I go any further, let me say this - DOWII does a lot of things differently from many other current RTS games. Things that, in my opinion, make the game more accessible for the casual player while focusing the gameplay on what matters most - combat.

1 - No base building
In most RTS games, the game begins with you controlling a couple of buildings, and having to build more buildings in order to produce soldiers, tanks, and planes - and then having to build better buildings to build better soldiers and tanks and planes and on and on and on and on. As you can tell, this can become pretty daunting, and ups the complexity level to unnecessary highs. After all, I thought I bought this game so I could play as a badass space soldier, not a construction site’s foreman.

2 - No Resource Gathering
In order to build the aforementioned buildings and the aforementioned soldiers, normally you’d have to gather resources - be it oil, electricity, space crystals, whatever. Not here. In the single player campaign you’ve got everything you need to get going, so there’s no bullshit about having to construct additional pylons to get on with the mission.

3 - Small Armies
Most RTS games will have you attempt to gather the most resources to build the most buildings so that you can build more dudes than the other guy and hopefully overwhelm them in sheer numbers. Basically, it turns into a digital pissing contest. DOWII instead has you control a small group of squads and have them strategically complete objectives and take out enemies in the most efficient way possible, without getting overwhelmed by having to handle a ton of units.

The game is set in space during the 41st millennium, full of humans and aliens all fighting for control over certain planets. The single-player campaign puts you in control of the Blood Ravens, a group of human space marines with voices like gravel and faces that look like they‘ve been hit with a hot bag of nickels. Basically, just like every badass in every other videogame you’ve ever played. Interestingly enough, the Dawn of War series actually stems from a tabletop role-playing game (Warhammer 40,000) with a very rich back story, so if you’re the type of person that gets engrossed in stories there’s plenty for you to enjoy. For the rest of us, it’s just a game where a bunch of dudes in space shoot at each other – and that’s enough for me.

As mentioned earlier, you control a small number of squads, and of these squads includes your avatar/hero character – the squad commander. As you take on this role of squad commander, it is your job to tell your squads where to move, what to attack, what to take cover behind, and what abilities to use. Not only do you just command, you also get to kick some serious ass – as your squad commander is able to take on such a large amount of enemies that it’s as if you‘re engaged in an interstellar tickle-fight as opposed to a war for humanity.

As far as your other squads go, you have a healthy assortment of different squads each with their own unique capabilities. You’ve got your heavy weapons guys, who can dish out a lot of firepower but move like turtles, your stealth squad that can turn invisible for brief periods but have armor like tissue paper, and your jump squad - dudes with jetpacks that can jump across the battlefield and slice up your enemies with their chainswords (chainsaw + sword, you get it right?).

Your squads aren’t invincible, however, and will occasionally die. But, since you have no means of creating any other units because of the lack of a base, Relic has come up with a new solution to your problem. During each mission, there are certain relay beacons you can capture. If some of your units die, you just have to capture a beacon to have additional units beamed in from space. And, if some of your more important units fall in combat (such as your squad commander), all you have to do is click on their body and wait for them to come back to life. Think of it as having your cursor give a nice shoulder-rub to your teammates, magically convincing them to continue to fight.

Although you’ve only got a select number of squads to choose from, the game offers its variety in the experience system and the wargear (a.k.a. loot) that you acquire as you play. Through playing missions, your squads earn experience which allows them to level up and get experience points. With these points, you allocate them towards upgrades in the amount of health they have, the damage they do, and also special traits and abilities – pretty standard fare for anyone whose every played a role-playing game. Wargear is usually a reward for completing a mission or is dropped at random by enemies and bosses, and comes in the form of weapons, armor, and special items like grenades or deployable turrets. Collecting wargear is a really enjoyable part of the game, and it’s always exciting to find out what cool stuff you’ve picked up at the end of a mission, then playing dress-up as you outfit your guys in the mission select screen.

Unfortunately, most of the missions you’ll be doing are pretty much the same. Move to a location on the map, murder everything in sight, and kill the boss. That’s right; this is an RTS with boss battles. Like any boss, they’ve got a ton of health that you and your squads have to work together to take down, but it usually proves to be a pretty shallow experience as most of the bosses can be defeated almost the same way (by shooting it a lot). The missions that do change up this formula from time to time are few and far between, so if you’re not too keen on the space-marine story then the campaign mode can get very dull very fast. Also, seeing as there is only one story yet four different races presented in the game, if you’re bored of playing as the Blood Ravens your only other option is multiplayer.

Multiplayer, while still very good in its own right, is a completely different ball game from the single player. In multiplayer you have the option to control the four races presented in the game. You can still kick it with the Humans, or you can try out the Orcs, the Eldar, and the Tyranids - each of which has their own unique and different squads/soldiers, which the game totally neglects to teach you. This can be very frustrating when wanting to play a new race, as you’ll need a lot of practice time playing against the computer before you’ve got the balls to jump online with real people. I’m not saying its impossible, but a tutorial would have been nice. The multiplayer uses a matchmaking system for you to find opponents, similar to the ones seen in Halo or Call of Duty. Most games can be completed in 10-30 minutes - which is perfect for those of us who don’t have 2 hours to sit in front of the computer to play one multiplayer match (like many other RTS games). One nice addition to the multiplayer is that it includes an army painter, which is a tool that allows you to customize the colors of your armor when you go into battle.

Remember when I said that there were no bases or resources in this game? I lied. Only in multiplayer does the dreaded base beast rear its ugly head, but it’s not too big of a deal. You’ve only got one building where everything is created, and you generate resources by capturing points on the map, so you don’t have to order a unit to make trips back and forth between the base and the resources to collect them. It doesn’t feel like a burden, though, as your base is always a click away and unit upgrades are easy to manage once you figure out what’s what.

The game isn’t without its problems however. Sometimes controlling your squads doesn’t feel as accurate as it should (I mean, c’mon, why would I ask you to take cover in FRONT of something?!). Multiplayer can also at times be unforgiving, because if you choose the wrong upgrade for a squad or build the wrong unit, that’s often the difference between winning and losing. Also, the repetitive campaign and voice acting does start to become grating after a while.

Considering everything that’s been said, this all might sound a bit too confusing for someone who isn’t a hardcore real-time strategy player. However, this game comes off as surprisingly easy to handle. The fewer number of squads makes it easier to manage, as you don‘t have hundreds of units to command all in different places across the map. Also, the lack of base building in single player means you can focus more on your squads without having to babysit a base. For the hardcore crowd, you may not get your fill on single player - but you’ll be coming back for the multiplayer. Each race is varied enough that it gives you a different feel for the game, and the maps and game types are fun and work well.

All in all, the game is a blast, and I recommend anyone that enjoyed the original Dawn of War or Company of Heroes to check it out. Also, I’d recommend this game for someone that wants to play an RTS, but doesn’t have years of experience watching videos on the internet of Koreans playing Starcraft. So, if the stale storyline and minor hiccups in gameplay can be overlooked, you’re going to have a great time with Dawn of War II.

The Good:

• Rorschach- Jackie Earle Hailey is Rorshach. His deep, menacing voice is just how I always imagined it, never sounding annoying and forced like Christian Bale's Batman. While I would have liked them to make Rorshach a bit bigger, they thankfully never show much of Hailey's small stature compared to other characters. Whenever Hailey is on the screen, he owns it and whenever he's not, you anxiously await when he will be.
  
• Dr. Manhattan- I was actually never really a fan of him in the books, coming off a bit too dry and robotic in my mind. Luckily Zach Snyder chose to keep Billy Crudup(The Mastercard commercial guy)'s voice for the character. Because of this, Dr. Manhattan comes across more as an innocent person losing touch with his humanity than an all powerful robot(he's not actually a robot).
  
• Action- The action in the film is done amazingly. Snyder, while still using his partial slow-mo technique, uses it much less than he did in 300. Fight scenes were extremely well done and really showed the abilities of the Watchmen characters. The fights were also extremely brutal, with many bones being broken in extremely gruesome ways. One scene in particular completely took me by surprise when I expected a simple fight involving a few punches and kicks like in the comic and was instead shown a bone crunching, wince inducing slug fest.
• Malin Akerman- She's naked. Enough said.
• Opening Title Sequence- One thing I generally don't like about movies is the opening credit sequence. I don't see the point in putting a viewer into the action, then taking them out of it just to watch a few names go by for two or three minutes. Apart from the Bond films, these scenes are just annoying and I find myself falling asleep before the movie has really began(I'm looking at you Spider-Man). Synder does a fantastic job, showing a montage of the superheroes history set to Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin". Without spending to much time with the history in the actual story, the audience is shown this world's alternate history with the heroes role and impact on it.
• Visuals- Amazing visuals. Everything from the buildings to the exploding Vietnamese looked great. The city itself almost seems like a character in the story, adding even more despair and darkness to the film. The glow of Dr. Manhattan looks phenomenal l, adding to his god like image as he glows in a calm blue light as everyone else in enveloped in darkness. Rorschach's mask is another very cool aspect of the movie, always changing to suit it's wearers feelings.
• Comic Loyalty- Snyder was religiously faithful to the comic, ripping entire sets of dialogue right from the pages. While Snyder and actors had stated they always kept multiple copies of the book around the set and regarded it as their bible, I didn't honestly expect them to follow the story so religously.
• The Ending- The ending of the book was one of the few things I had a problem with when I read it. After the entire book is spent trying to be somewhat realistic, the ending to the book I felt was just plain stupid and ridiculous. Snyder, with help from the original book's artist Dave Gibbons, has changed the ending of the film but thankfully its for the better. Before you begin crying, the end result is exactly the same, it is just the means in which that end came about that is different. The plan, as well as other character reactions to events that happen at the end, are much more realistic and filled with more emotion, while I feel the book's was a bit rushed.
  

The Bad:

• Not enough Comedian- The Comedian, whose death sparks the events of Watchmen, really wasn't in the film as much as I would hope. The Comedian, played extremely well by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, while a despicable character, he is also a great character and was explored much more in the comics. While a big part of the beginning and the catalyst for the events of the film, he quickly disappears and is never really shown again.
• Sally Jupiter- Her acting seemed a bit forced to me and I anxiously waited for her to be off the screen so we could get back to more exciting events.
  

The Ugly:

• Rorschach's Size- Luckily they didn't show him compared to others that frequently but when they did it was a bit jarring. One scene in particular looked like an old man being pounced on by an angry midget.
• The Mystery of the Killer- The opening fight scene, while very well done, doesn't hide the identity of the villain at all and gives away a huge part of the story.
  
• Lower Manhattan(The Meat Packing District)- Yes there is a lot of blue dick in this movie. Sometimes more than one on screen at once. It flops, it dangles, and while it isn't as frequent or gigantic as some would like you to believe, it is there a decent amount.

Conclusion:
Overall this movie is an amazing achievement and one that most people will enjoy. For a fan of the comic, the movie is like watching the pages come to life. Everything from the visuals to the acting was spot on and if it wasn't how I imagined it it was better. Watchmen is not a dumb movie and caters to a higher audience like the graphic novel did. Don't bring someone in who just wants to see a guy in a costume beat up bad guys and doesn't want a movie that will make you think. While it has action, it is more about who they are and why these characters do what they do. Some of these characters might fight crime and rescue people but do they really do it to be good or do they do it for the fame? The action? Sexual gratification? Or even scarier do they just like to hurt other people. It's a superhero movie for adults, not all ages like previous superhero films have been. Watchmen has been getting mixed reviews from critics, many either loving or hating it. It isn't a movie for everyone. That being said, the majority of people I know enjoyed it. Of the seven other people I saw it with, six of them loved it while one hated it. If you want a great movie with unique characters that makes you think, Watchmen is the movie for you. If not, Paul Blart: Mall Cop is still in theatres.

Final Grade: A

While the first few complaints could have just been explained away as the player not being any good, this video proves that yes there is in fact a lag in the game. You can't really notice the trigger lag with the naked eye but when slowed down, it is clearly visible. Some may feel this is barely anything to complain about but when playing online, a fraction of a second means the difference between a head shot and air. When aiming a gun at an enemy, no player should have to take into account a games lag in addition to lining up that shot. The lack of sensitivity in the joysticks is more visible and can turn a great game into a headache.

This calls into question many of the reviews that were rushed out by major review sites more than a month before the game came out. I'm not saying the game isn't good but I annoyed to find reviews knocking one game for its multiplayer but rushing another games review without even giving multiplayer a solid work through. Complaints began arising as soon as the game hit stores yet I haven't seen any review sites criticize it. Are major reviewers really playing the games long enough to know a game and all of its components or are they simply playing enough to get a feel and get that review out as fast as possible?

come to an end. Ever since T.O. arrived in Dallas, there was always controversy and jealousy between himself, Tony Romo, and Jason Witten. It seems that no matter where he plays, in San Fransisco, Phillie, or Dallas, on paper he makes his team a lot better, but his presence drastically brings the team morale and respect plummeting. Owner Jerry Jones has been fixated on the fact that spending money wins championships. He and the Washington Redskins are known for this, and the results tell the story. Dallas has not won a playoff game in over ten years. Washington struggles every year just to be in the mix. Recent history shows that drafting players and molding them, such as the Steelers, Giants, and Patriots, is the optimal route to go. T.O. is ranked second behind the legend Jerry Rice for most receiving TD's of all time. For a team to cut a player as skilled as Owens shows a lot about his character. Maybe Jerry Jones is finally coming to his senses as to wat the best formula for reaching the super bowl intails. As for Terrell, who knows where he will end up. The New York Jets are in dire need for a wide reciever, being as they are lacking the #1 big playmaking threat and their second wide-out is also a QB. Will discussions begin with the Giants if Plaxico gets sentenced to jail? He will most likely get signed before the NFL draft next month, so keep a close eye as this story unfolds.

Original Xbox Top Live Titles (based on UU’s)
1 Halo 2
2 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
3 Counter-Strike
4 Fable
5 Splinter Cell Chaos
6 Conker: Live Reloaded
7 Doom 3
8 Star Wars: Battlefront
9 Call of Duty 3
10 Burnout 3

Top Community Games NEW! (Full Versions purchased)
1 RC-AirSim
2 Aquarium HD
3 Bowling X
4 Miner Dig Deep
5 Rumble Massage
6 Remote Masseuse
7 DrumKit
8 TV Calibration
9 bricks4ever
10 Golden Royal Blackjack

1 1/2 stars? I would have never saw that one coming...Lets be serious though I bet just about everyone knew this movie was going to suck. What's really amusing is the video interview of the cast below. First off M.Bison is apparently Irish in this movie, so right then an there you should know this director had no idea what he was doing. It gets worse though because you have characters that bare no resemblance to their in game characters. Example:
Also I'm pretty sure the games most famous characters like Ryu, Ken, Guile, Sagat, Blanka etc. are not even in the movie. I understand the director was trying to go for the whole "origin of Street Fighter " but you just can't have a Street Fighter movie without these characters, I mean what the hell was this guy thinking when he did the cast. Going back to how funny the video interview is, it should be noted that at one point Chris Klien tells everyone to forget about the old Street Fighter movie and makes it seem like the Legend Of Chun Li is going to be pure box-office gold, its almost like he doesn't realize the movie he just made is complete trash. The funny thing is IGN says in their review that the old Street Fighter with Van Damme is actually a better movie. Mark my words you will feel embarrassed for these actors during the interview because they make it seem like they really believe in the movie they just made and they think they are staying true to the fans, but the truth is they have no idea what Street Fighter is about and they just look like a bunch of liars promoting their movie so they can make a quick buck. Damn this movie to the depths of video game movie hell I say, and make sure you never waste you're money or time on this piece of garbage, but do indulge yourself in a few laghs by checking out the video below.

I like how all of the Ulduar equipment share a similiar look and after a couple weeks of raiding your guild will probably look pretty cool.
Heres the pics.

With the introduction of Ulduar comes a brand new artifact weapon. Val'anyr, the Gavel of Ancient Kings, will be a mace formed from 40 "Fragments of Val'anyr, and will be available to paladins, priests, shamans, and druids. Here's a video of the unfinsihed Val'anyr model without the particle effects holding the ends together.


The Argent Tournament rewards have also been leaked and look pretty cool as well. New city specific tabards and mounts will add a pretty cool new look to players as they are able to represent their home city. I'm still pretty annoyed about the lifting of the restrictions for race specific mounts. I guess I'm the only one that liked to see a wide diversity of mounts instead of every player riding on a frostsaber. This is a tournament where you represent your home city, not someone elses. Humans should ride horses, blood elves chocobos, etc. But maybe I'm just racist.
Heres the pictures and specifics on those.

Finally, in the updated patch notes, mention of an underwater mount was mentioned in the form of an underwater ray. This, along with multiple new items for underwater breathing further hints at the new expansion being the Maelstrom, located between the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. It is still unknown however if the mission to acquire the sting ray will involve killing a well known animal expert.