Fan Expo 2009: Videogame Cosplay - Part 1

Of course, what trip to a fan convention would be complete if we didn't take pictures of the cos-players. This is just a small part of the great costumes we found as Mike took over 600 pictures over the course of the day. I'll try to post all the videogame costumes we found as well as a few of my favorite non-videogame outfits over the course of the week.

Above: Nintendo Controller.

Custom design: Ash from Pokemon with Ash from Army of Darkness - Poor Mutilated Pikachu

Phantom Knight from Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

World of Warcraft - Tauren - Danced to "Do You Want to Date my Avatar? by the Guild"

Cortana from Halo Series

Link, Midna and Twilight King from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Two Master Chiefs from Halo Series - Cortana was just off to the side. Great threesome, no?

Cortana from Halo Series - She looks different than her hologram depicted her. *cough*

Master Chief from Halo Series - This must be what the Chief would look like in his retirement.

Stay tuned for more pictures from the Fan Expo floor and the Masquerade. Thanks to Mike from Attack This for taking and editing all these pictures for us.

Epic 8-Bit Bead Art- Super Mario Bros. Mural

Super Mario Perler Mural, originally uploaded by Redbeard Math Pirate.

I don't even want to think about how many blue beads are packed into this entire mural.

Redbeard Math Pirate must have spent hours upon hours putting together this incredible Super Mario Bros. mural for his living room. The mural is 9 boards wide x 8 boards high (roughly 4 feet wide) for a total of 72 individual boards.

He figures he used 60,000 beads to create this beads. God, that's a lot of beads.

Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: the Videogame

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
EA Games, EA Bright Light
Available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, Playstation 2 and PC

Hit movies and videogames seem to go hand in hand nowadays like clockwork. One would almost be surprised if some gaming company didn’t produce some sort of game to launch along aside each summer blockbuster which is why no one should be surprised that this reviewer is checking out the newest Harry Potter game from EA, especially since the latest instalment in the series hit theatres just a month ago.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on the Xbox 360 follows Harry into another year at Hogwarts School for Witch Craft and Wizardry as he deals with learning potions, joining the duelling club, playing Quidditch and fighting against Lord Voldemort .The main part of the game will take you through the storyline from the movie/book and will require you to finish mini games, fetch quests and more in order to progress further into the story. There are tons of side quests for you to take on like collecting badges or joining the duel club, but there is so much already in the main quest that you will have your hands full to begin with.

The game controls will take a bit to get use to as you must learn different button sequences to cast Harry’s spells. Once you get the hang of them, it is quite fun to toss different objects around the room using your levitation spell. Finding your way around Hogwarts School is a challenge in itself, so I suggest everyone take advantage of the in-game guide, Nearly Headless Nick, who will take you to your desired location.

Fans will be quite happy with how accurate EA’s team was at bringing the world of Harry Potter to live. The characters, though a little stiff around the edges, looked exactly like their real world movie counterparts and Hogwarts School was most impressive with its massive size and neat, little details like the moving stairs.

Even the voice acting was pretty good, considering that EA couldn’t secure the real actors to provide the voice-overs for the game. Almost all the characters sounded like the real actor from the movie which made the game, all the more enjoyable to play. Happily the game soundtrack was the same soundtrack from the new movie, so each game moment was enhanced by that magically Harry Potter theme plus a few new tunes.

Playing some of the past Harry Potter, I have to say this game was pretty overwhelming in terms of environment size and number of quests, but the quality is definitely there for your money, so I can certainly say that if you are a big Harry Potter fan, then this is the game for you. The plot leaves a few parts out from the book and the movie but it still gives you enough magic to make you feel like you’re part of Harry’s World.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Buy it!

Official Achievement/Trophy List for Brutal Legend

50 Achievements or 51 Trophies Total

360/PS3 Name
15/Bronze: Got a Car and a Date - Completed "Welcome to the Age of Metal"
15/Bronze: Start a Revolution - Completed "Exploited in the Bowels of Hell"
15/Bronze: Thick as a Baby's Arm - Completed "Lair of the Metal Queen"
15/Bronze: Hair Remover - Completed "Battle for Bladehenge"
15/Bronze: French Kiss Instructor - Completed "Pilgrimage of Screams"
15/Bronze: Chicks n' Booze n' Stuff - Completed "Sanctuary of Sin"
15/Bronze: Ran to the Hills - Completed "It's Raining Death"
15/Bronze: Fistfull of Fog - Completed "Dry Ice, Wet Graves"
15/Bronze: No More Tears - Completed "Sea of Black Tears"
25/Silver: Groupie Completed - Campaign mode on Easy
25/Silver: Roadie Completed - Campaign mode on Normal
25/Silver: Legend Completed - Campaign mode on Brutal
20/Bronze: Overkill Completed - all hunting secondary missions
20/Bronze: Squeal Like a Chicken - Completed all racing secondary missions
20/Bronze: Protector - Completed 20 ambush, outpost defense, or mortar secondary missions
50/Gold: Metal God - Achieved 100% completion on the stats screen
10/Bronze: Serpent Samaritan - Freed 40 Bound Serpents
15/Bronze: Serpent Spanker - Freed 80 Bound Serpents
25/Silver: Serpent Savior - Freed all 120 Bound Serpents
5/Bronze: One Hit Wonder - Purchased 1 upgrade in the Motor Forge
25/Silver: Loyal Customer - Purchased all upgrades in the Motor Forge
20/Bronze: Virtuoso - Learned all guitar solos
20/Bronze: Tourist - Viewed all vistas
20/Bronze: Now You Must Tell the Tale - Viewed all Legends
20/Bronze: Voices From Beyond - Unlocked all songs in the Mouth of Metal
20/Bronze: Flowerslave - Summoned all Motor Forges
10/Bronze: Practice Bloody Practice - Won an AI Stage Battle - any difficulty
20/Bronze: Iron Fist - Won an AI Stage Battle - Brütal difficulty
10/Bronze: Victör - Won a ranked multiplayer match
20/Silver: Subjügator - Won 10 ranked multiplayer matches
50/Gold: Cönquerer - Won 50 ranked multiplayer matches
20/Bronze: Master of the Flame - Double Teamed with every Ironheade unit
20/Bronze: Master of the Tear - Double Teamed with every Drowning Doom unit
20/Bronze: Master of the Blood - Double Teamed with every Tainted Coil unit
20/Bronze: Armchair General - Won a Stage Battle by yourself against the AI without attacking
30/Silver: Favored - Acquired 3,000 Fire Tributes
30/Silver: Sellout - Spent 250,000 fans - any mode
20/Bronze: Some Demon Flesh on your Bumper - Slayed 150 enemies with the Deuce - any mode
30/Silver: I've never touched an axe before - Personally smote 300 enemies - any mode
10/Bronze: Silence, groundwalker! - Gained 5 or more seconds of hang time in a single jump - any mode
15/Bronze: Six Degrees of Schafer*** - Played with or against another player who has this Achievement
15/Bronze: Ringleader - Trapped 15 enemies in one ring of fire with the Fire Baron's Double Team
15/Bronze: Painkiller - Killed 25 enemies with the grinder of one Rock Crusher
15/Bronze: Dollpocalypse - Hit 6 enemies with the explosion from a Brood's Double Team
15/Bronze: Euthanasia - Hit 15 enemies with one Agony Ball using the Pain Lifter's Double Team
15/Bronze: Death From Above - Killed 20 enemies with one Bleeding Death
15/Bronze: Coolest Thing Ever - Jumped over a Hextadon in the Deuce
15/Bronze: Beast Master -Rode every animal in the world
50/Silver: Boar Bather - Rode a Razorfire Boar into the Sea of Black Tears and live to tell the tale.
20/Bronze: Quill Tosser - Killed a Tollusk using only Ground Urchins
N/A/Platinum: Rock God - Got all PS3 trophies

*** The “Six Degrees of Schafer” Achievement/Trophy is rewarded when you play with or against Tim Schafer in Brutal Legend’s epic multiplayer mode. The achievement is also viral, meaning that once you play Tim (or someone who has played Tim), you then have the achievement, and then when you play someone else, they get it, and then when that person plays someone else, they get it, etc etc rinse, repeat…. Think of it like the flu, a heavy metal flu if you will…

So I got Dissidia: Final Fantasy Yesterday ....

Click on the image for a bigger version.

Sony Plans to Bring New Game Titles to Toronto Fan Expo

The official Playstation Blog has posted news that Sony Canada is bringing a bunch of new games with them to the Toronto Fan Expo this weekend for Canadian Gamers to take for a test run.

For the first test in Canada, gamers will be able to check out Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier on the PSP, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Buzz Quiz World, God of War III and Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time on the Playstation 3. All this will be available to check out at the Sony booth on the main floor.

Plus if you aren't stuck in line somewhere like say waiting to meet Bruce Campbell, you should head over the gaming industry panel which will feature Victor Lucas from Electric Playground, Matt Levitan from SCEC and Scott Jones from Crispy Gamer.

Prizes and swag will also be handed out at the Sony booth, so make sure to swing by often. You may walk away with some cool items.

Epic 8-Bit Art: Anyone Got a Tissue?

Staying original in the world of bead art is sometimes a hard game but artists like Lost Mitten never seem to fail to bring new ideas to the table.

This morning she posted her two newest creations: tissue box covers. Whether you want a small or standard size tissue box cover, she's got something to enhance the look of any gamer's ugly tissue box.

Choose from either a small Super Mario Bros. Coin box design for $20.00 plus shipping or a standard size Nintendo Controller design for $24.00 plus shipping. Both are available on Etsy now, but supplies are limited so hurry and get yours now.

[Via Lost Mitten's Etsy Store]

Love Hurts: Matching Gamer Tattoos

Ah, young gamers in love. Is there nothing sweeter?

Well, Getherpes, a female gamer from the Live Journal Girl Gamers Community recently show her massive love for her gamer boyfriend by getting a matching tattoo with him ... on the inside of her bottom lip.

Both of them got matching Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man tattoos as seen above. Now, I'm all for signs of affection but isn't jewelery or matching t-shirts just as good without all the pain?

[Via Live Journal, Girl Gamers]

Batman: Arkham Asylum Launch Trailer

So Batman: Arkham Asylum comes out today and after playing the amazing demo, I don't care how I get this game but I will get it.

I will get this game which might not be that hard considering the game is $38 for today only at places like Future Shop, Walmart and Best Buy.

Batman fans have been plagued with horrible game titles for decades now and besides the fun Lego Batman that came out last year, this is the first seriously good Batman to hit the consoles in a long time. Fans of the Dark Knight need to pick this up now and if you haven't played the demo and you own an Xbox 360 or PS3, then download it. You won't be disappointed.

Sneak peek of the Nuka Cola Quantum

Sneak peek of the Nuka Cola Quantum, originally uploaded by chrisfurniss.

Chris Furniss is still working away at his Fallout 3 cosplay. His newest addition to the whole outfit is Nuka Cola Quantum. He posted a sneak preview of the bottle today on his flickr page.

I can't wait to see the final product.

Do You Think They're Jealous?

Pirhana Plant, originally uploaded by redherring1up.

One of my fellow Bead Sprites Artists posted this picture on his flickr page recently and I just had to blog about it.

I made a piranha plant garden decoration too for my potted plants at home but seeing one with added teeth surrounding by venus fly traps is just such a neat picture.

I wonder if the plants feel somehow inadequate now?

Pixelated Creations - Inventory Clear-out Sale

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade PixelatedCreations.etsy.com

I'm having a sale over at my Etsy store to clear out my remaining inventory. Everything has been marked in the title with "SALE" and "NEW LOWER PRICE".

Check out all the items. They are shown above. I'm hoping to move out the rest of my old items to make room for a bunch of new stuff. Everything is already made and ready to ship out.

The Guild: Do You Want to Date My Avatar?

I only recently got into the online web show, The Guild staring Felicia Day, but I am totally hook and I can't wait for the new season to premiere. Til then though, here's the new music video from The Guild that premiered at Comic Con 2009, "Do You Want to Date My Avatar?"

For newbies to the series, you can watch the show on You Tube, Xbox Live for free or via the official website. I've been downloading it on Xbox Live which is probably the best way to watch it as you can watch the 2nd season in HD on your HDTV.

And I Want My Shells: Inglourious Plummers Trailer

Nintendo meets Tarantino in this cool parody of the new movie, Inglorious Bastards.

[Gamervision found via Technabob]

Ewww .... Zombie Cooties.

Created by The Oatmeal

Though I may have a fighting chance to survive a Zombie Apocalypse thanks to all those hours playing Resident Evil and now Nazi Zombie mode in Call of Duty: World at War, apparently if I get bit, I'll be biting your ass in less than 1 hour and 7 minutes.

So remember to shoot me quickly if a zombie ever gets a taste of my yummy human flesh.

[Via That's Girl Site]

Review: Ghostbusters: the Video Game

Ghostbusters: The Videogame
Atari, Terminal Reality
Available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS

They're the best. They're the beautiful. They're the only Ghostbusters and they're back in videogame form. Not since the 80s have we seen this band of wise-cracking, ghost-catching heroes and thankfully their return is a happy one full of great jokes, good graphics and lots of fun game play.

I’ll be the first to admit that most movie games suck but as soon as I booted up this game and heard that familiar Ghostbusters theme, I could help but let my fan girl feelings take over and melt all over this thing.

The game’s story continues on after the last movie with you playing as a new Ghostbusters recruit (no name & no voice) that has been hired to test out all the new equipment for the guys while out on assignment with them. Things have become pretty ghost infested in the city after a huge energy pulse was released from an object that the museum’s new Ivo Shandor exhibit (Ivo Shandor was the guy from the first movie that built Diana’s apartment building to be a gateway for Gozer). So you must help the Ghostbusters figure out the cause behind this new spiritual mayhem.

As a Ghostbusters, you get to do all the things a Ghostbusters does from using the proton pack to wrangle ghosts to using the PKE meter to detect the little suckers. Ghost catching is incredible hard as you have to wear the ghost down with your proton stream, then catch him in the stream to knock him around a bit more, and then finally you must pull him into the light of the ghost trap and hold him there until the trap sucks him in. It’s a long process but somehow fulfilling in a geeky way.

As the official new equipment tester, you will be given new proton packs and other toys to test out in the game as you proceed. You will also be given the chance to use the money you earn catching ghosts to upgrade this equipment in order to make your life easier with faster traps or stronger streams. Hidden curse objects are also available throughout the game which have no real affect on the game itself but make for a nice achievement on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in the end if you collect them all.

Almost everything in the game is destructible and you can view your damage costs in the main menu versus your earned money. There’s no need to worry about the damage you cause though because the city covers everything in the end anyway, so have at it in the name of ghostbusting. Busting makes me feel good!

The designers did a fabulous job on bringing back to life each character from the franchise with such accurate looking digital 3D versions of themselves. From each member of the Ghostbusters to the annoying Walter Peck, each character looks exactly as they did in the movies which is better than what they’ll look like in Ghostbusters 3, if that ever gets made. The ghosts used the in game had a unique artist style which gave each of them their own scary flair and haunting look.

Those fans of the original 1980s Ghostbusters movies will be happy to know that the original writers and cast had been brought back to oversee the creation of the game from start to finish which really added to making the whole game seem like a 3rd movie in the franchise as opposed to a crappy movie game. Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd who originally created and wrote the Ghostbusters’ screenplay were on deck to write the game’s script and ensure the game practically bled real ectoplasm. Even Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and William Atherton came on board to provide the voice for their original characters but some voice-overs like Murray’s seemed like they were phoned-in. Luckily for him, the jokes in the game were top notch and all bad acting was forgiven.

While the game’s plot may have you rolling your eyes a bit at its corniness, the effort made to tie it into the first movie is still pretty cool and I think fans of the films will enjoy the references. This truly was a great effort from everyone involved from the developers to the original cast and I can’t stress how great this game is. Fans of the series will love the trip down memory lane with the Ghostbusters and hopefully new players will be introduced to the one group of ghost hunters we always laugh with as opposed to laughed at.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Buy it!

Do Female Game Writers Gain Immediate Credibility?

Rhonda aka Devilicus recently asked me to answer some questions on the virtues of being a female game writer. Of course, I'm always eager to help out a fellow writer, so I spilled all my dirty little secrets about the supposed perks of being a girl gamer in the blogging biz.

You can check out the interview which includes Devilicus' views on the topic as well over at Epic Slant.

If Freeman was a Chick ...

The One Free "wo"Man by ~daydreamjunkie on deviantART

Another Pulse Cover: Who Ya Gonna Call?

I finally got another one of my reviews on the front page of the Pulse Niagara. The first time was with my Lego Batman review.

I will be posted my review for Ghostbusters: the Videogame on Monday.

A Farewell to Arms: Army of Darkness T-Shirt at Jinx

Even though I am a huge Bruce Campbell fan, I am yet to own a fine piece of clothing sporting his image. Problem is most t-shirts with his movies or Bruce on them are either guy t-shirts or they look like someone dropped them into a bucket of guts.

I tend to prefer my clothing a little less on the gory side.

Jinx.com revealed a new t-shirt design today that bares the sweet chin of Mr. Campbell in a nice cartoon image. Thank God, I've been saving up my Jinx.com gold for just such a special design like this.

There's a female (shown above) and male t-shirt design available and prices range from $17.99 to $20.99 depending on which size you grab.

Don't forget to check out all the other cool videogame designs from Jinx.com too.

Playstation Store Downloads for Thursday, August 6, 2009

Qore
Qore Annual Subscription: August 2009 ($24.99)
Qore: Presented by the PlayStation Network is a high-definition monthly interactive video production covering the world of PlayStation. Qore provides its audience with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to upcoming titles from both the SCE Worldwide Studios and third-party developers across the globe.
File size: 1.55 GB

Qore Episode 15: August 2009 ($2.99)
Episode 15 of Qore: Presented by the PlayStation Network transports viewers to the massively multiplayer battlefields of MAG, jumps into Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, rolls on with Katamari Forever and gets its kicks with Tekken 6.
File size: 1.55 GB

Downloadable Games
Crystal Defenders ($9.99)
Crystal Defenders is a defensive strategy game in which players deploy popular jobs from FINAL FANTASY Tactics A2, such as Black Mages and Soldiers, to fend off encroaching enemy hordes and prevent them from stealing their party’s crystals.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 52 MB

TV Show King ($9.99)
Confront friends and family in a TV quiz game show! Try to answer fun and challenging trivia questions, from the classics to original stumpers, spanning history, geography, literature, science, sports, and entertainment! Make it to the finals and see who can win the greatest amount of cash in one final, deciding duel. TV Show King will challenge your brain!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 220 MB

Game Demos
Rag Doll Kung Fu Demo
All the puppets were kung fu fighting! Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic is a unique party fighting game featuring hilarious, customizable kung fu puppets that deliver a sharp jab to the funny bone!
Rated E10+
File size: 669 MB

Batman: Arkham Asylum Demo
Experience a twisted and gritty adventure that takes you to the depths of ARKHAM ASYLUM.
Rated T
File size: 1.01 GB

Crystal Defenders Demo
Crystal Defenders is a defensive strategy game in which players deploy popular jobs from FINAL FANTASY Tactics A2, such as Black Mages and Soldiers, to fend off encroaching enemy hordes and prevent them from stealing their party’s crystals.
Rated E
File size: 32 MB

Worms Demo
The Worms are coming to PLAYSTATION 3, and this time they mean war! Battle up to three other players offline or online on one of six landscape themes, utilising a selection of classic Worms weaponry: from the famed Bazooka to the devastating Banana Bomb. With a fine selection of single player battles and plenty of ways to customise your annelid army, it’s a package sky-high on entertainment!
Rated E10+
File size: 45 MB

Add-on Game Content
Savage Moon Waldgeist Add-On ($4.99)
This action-packed tower defense strategy game takes you to distant planets where you must defend mining facilities from relentless Insectocyte monsters. Build towers in strategic locations to fend off the attackers, then use funds from kills and mining to build, upgrade, or research new weapons and technologies to strengthen your defenses. It will take equal parts skill and strategy to survive in Savage Moon.
File size: 117 KB

LittleBigPlanet inFamous Costumes Pack ($1.99)
Check out this new Sackboy costume inspired by Cole from inFAMOUS!
File size: 1.04 MB

Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 ($9.99)
Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 further expands the COD multiplayer experience with four new maps. Fight for ocean territory in “Battery,” defend Russia’s resources in “Revolution,” and battle through the dense city streets of “Breach.” Zombies return in “Der Riese” (Zombie Factory), a Nazi research facility featuring the weapon upgrading Pack A Punch Machine, teleporters, and 10 Trophies.
File size: 894 MB

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Old West Map Pack ($9.99)
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Old West Map Pack continues to expand the addictive CoJ multiplayer experience with four new maps. Players fight through the bloody battlefields of “Little Bighorn”, relive a famous gold theft in “Vulture Mine”, and attempt to shoot their way out of prison in “Fort Smith” and “Elmira Prison Camp.”
File size: 268 MB

Cross Edge Latest Technology Pack ($1.99)
Pick up this pack and outfit yourself with the latest gear!
File size: 111 KB

Cross Edge Pretty Little Pack ($1.99)
Pick up this pack and outfit yourself with the latest gear!
File size: 111 KB

Cross Edge Trial Edition Pack (free)
2500G, 500EP, 50PP, and 100TP MIGHT just help you survive Hard Mode.
File size: 111 KB

Cross Edge Additional Dungeon 4 (free)
Extend your adventure with this bonus dungeon!
File size: 111 KB

Cross Edge Enigma Synth Pack (2) (free)
Add a few extra items to your inventory with this free pack!
File size: 111 KB

Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires: Additional Music Set 3 (free)
Add these additional “Dynasty Warriors” music tracks to the game’s BGM Select screen.
File size: 18 MB

GTI Club Plus ($1.99)
Add four exciting new cars to the high speed arcade racer GTI Club+. The Abarth 500, the BMW Mini Cooper, the Peugeot 207 GT and the VW Polo GTI are four modern classics that suit the narrow, winding streets of the Cote D’Azure perfectly.
File size: 11 MB

Guitar Hero World Tour
For all song credits please visit www.guitarhero.com.

“Camel’s Night Out” by Eric Johnson ($1.99)
File size: 50 MB

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

“America”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Big Bottom”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Cups and Cakes”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“(Funky) Sex Farm”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Gimme Some Money”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Heavy Duty”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Hell Hole”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee)”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Creation”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Stonehenge”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
“Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)
Spinal Tap’s TAP TEN – ($17.99) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Spinal Tap’s TAP TEN. This pack includes “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight,” “Stonehenge,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Creation,” “Cups & Cakes,” “Gimme Some Money,” “Hell Hole,” “America,” “Heavy Duty,” “Big Bottom,” “(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee),” and “(Funky) Sex Farm” by Spinal Tap
File sizes: 11 MB – 36 MB (singles), 292 MB (track pack)

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 Cog Hill Golf & CC ($4.99)
Play like a pro on the course where the PGA’s Western Open is hosted every year. The signature hole is number 6, a long par 3 with a two-tiered green that slopes toward the front and is surrounded by six deep sand bunkers. Cog Hill has something to offer players at every level.
File size: 195 MB

Game Videos (free)
TV Show King Trailer (English, French and Spanish versions)
File sizes: 8.49 MB – 9.38 MB (SD)

Watchmen The End Is Nigh Part 2 Launch Trailer
File size: 63 MB (1080)

Watchmen The End Is Nigh Part 2 The Complete Experience Launch Trailer
File size: 69 MB (1080)

G Force The Video Game Trailer
File size: 88 MB (1080)

Mini Ninjas Futo Gameplay Trailer
File size: 50 MB (HD)

Mini Ninjas Futo Vignette
File size: 62 MB (HD

Mini Ninjas Shun Vignette
File size: 67 MB (HD)

Unbound Saga Between the Panels Issue 2
File size: 19 MB (SD)

Themes
College Football Themes (x5) (Arkansas, Clemson, Colorado, Illinois and Missouri) ($1.99 each)
File sizes: 4.61 MB – 5.28 MB

PlayStation Store for PSP
Downloadable Games
Dynasty Warriors ($14.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Dynasty Warriors transports you to the virtual battlefields of Ancient China to experience the thrill of fighting legions of ruthless enemy soldiers. Choose up to 42 characters, each wielding powerful weapons and lethal fighting skills.
ESRB Rated T
File size: 115 MB

Add-on Game Content
Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Musicians Wardrobe Add-On (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Style your musicians with cool new wardrobe pieces in this download pack. Get 5 new items to create more unique looks for the ultimate style for your dancers.
File size: 1.08 MB

Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Moment Maker Special Effects Add-On (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Pump-up your performance with new special effects for your Rock star Moments with this download pack. Get 5 new special effects to create even more cool Moments for your performances.
File size: 1.18 MB

Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Stage Prop Add-On (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Enhance your selection of rock star stage props with this download pack. Get 4 new stage pieces to create more custom looks and rock the stage for your fans.
File size: 1.05 MB

Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show Fashions Add-On (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Expand your wardrobe with exciting new looks in this download pack. Get 5 new fashions for Hannah and create even more rock star looks for the stage.
File size: 1.05 MB

Rock Band Unplugged (also available from PS3 storefront)
Build your Rock Band Unplugged library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

“Had a Dad”— Jane’s Addiction ($1.99)
“Renegade”— Styx ($1.99)
File sizes: 17 MB – 18 MB

Game Videos (free)
Unbound Saga: Between the Panels Issue 2
File size: 9.72 MB

I <3 My Coder Girl

To all the Coder Girls out there.

[Via Geekadelphia]

Assassin's Creed II: Master Assassin’s Edition

Ubisoft has released the details on the Assassin's Creed II: Master Assassin's Edition and its contents. The release date for this pretty set will be November 17, 2009 just in time for holiday shopping and it will be available for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

The set will include:

* Ezio collectable statue (8.5 inches tall)
* Exclusive in-game map: Santa Maria Dei Frari – Limited Edition Exclusive
* The Art of Assassin’s Creed II hard-covered art book
* Additional Bonus Disc includes:
- Behind the scenes of Assassin’s Creed II
- Assassin’s Creed II soundtrack
- And much more
* Premium Collectable Tin

The suggested retail price will be $89.99 but I'm not sure if that's US or Canadian dollars. Probably US.

Everything in the set is nice but all I would really want out of it would be the figure. It would go nicely with all my other videogame ones.

Hi Silicon Knights!

For those coming from the Silicon Knights Forums:

Sorry I didn't review Too Human sooner but I have a bad habit of not wanting to review the games I really love playing. Much like Fable 2 which I still haven't reviewed and yet I am still currently playing, I feel if I review it, then I have to stop playing it and move onto the next game.

I know its a horrible excuse but its my excuse.

I'm glad you all liked my review enough to talk about it though and I really do think that the other reviewers that gave it low reviews didn't give this game a fair chance.

I am mad that Dennis doesn't remember me though. Geez, you do a TV show with a guy and he can't even remember your name.

Missing Reviews: From Under the Game Pile

As many games as I review there are still plenty of great title that manage to get swept under the review pile over the course of my year and I hate to see them not get the once over that they deserve. While some of these titles have been out for a while I found them to be quite worth the time to check them out.

Too Human
Silicon Knights
Available on Xbox 360

Local St. Catharines game developers, Silicon Knights brought Too Human out last Fall and though it didn’t receive huge praise, I did find it to be an excellent title once you got past everyone else’s opinions on it. Honestly I can’t believe I didn’t review this title sooner but it just seemed to keep getting pushed back for other games and then I never got around to it.

Too Human is based on the Norse mythology and has you playing the role of Baldur, one of the Aesir, cybernetically enhanced humans which are seen as Gods to the humans they rule over. Baldur is tasked with protected his people from the sudden attacks of machine-like creatures that are feeding on human flesh. The game has the usual role-playing genre elements but includes some interest first time combat controls using the analog sticks and an item inventory that no one player could completely collect in just one play through.

I found the combination of technology and Norse mythology to be spectacular and the storyline that combined the various Norse Gods and Beowulf storyline was also gripping. While the combat took a bit of getting use to, I found the new use of the analog sticks for directional fighting moves was much easy for pulling off combo moves than most fighting systems I’ve used. Overall this is a beautiful game with an amazing storyline and since it was created by our hometown gaming studio, I think all local gamers should give it a chance.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Buy it!

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Electronic Arts, Pandemic Studios
Available for PC, Playstation 3, Playstation 2 and Xbox 360

It’s been more than 3 years between the Mercenaries games which would make you wonder if that’s too long to go before making a sequel. Luckily for Pandemic Studio, fun never gets old and that is exactly want you get with Mercenaries 2: World in Flames.

The game puts in the middle of a rebellion in the country of Venezuela, where oil has become the main focus of the conflict. While the government has tried to maintain control of the situation, there are a number of factions working within the country trying to take control as well. You can work with 5 of those factions: Universal Petroleum, the People's Liberation Army of Venezuela, the Chinese army, the Allied Nations, and the Rastafarian Pirates, each of whom will give you missions in order to get you in better with the main up and comer in the area, Ramon Solano.

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames was a great “bomb the f@#K out of everything” kind of game. Everything in the world can take damage and best of all; you can run over everything with your vehicles so no more tiny trees stopping your rampage of death. The game sets you up with an A.I. buddy in the game, but playing the game in co-op mode is much better and removes any little glitches you may find with your A.I. pal.

The wide variety of missions and weapons at your disposal make this a sweet game to play through alone or with a friend. Best of all, your choice of 3 different characters to play with makes each time you play through with a different character a new challenge. If you’ve a fan of games like Grand Theft Auto IV, then I definitely suggest checking out this open world game.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Buy it!

Raving Rabbids TV Party
Ubisoft, Ubisoft
Available for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS

If you’re looking for a goofy party game to play with your friends at your time drunken house party, then may I suggest adding the Rabbids to your guest list? Raving Rabbids TV Party is a goofy mini-game collection that will have you and your friends acting silly for hours on end.

After chasing Rayman to his home, an accident has caused the Rabbids to become trapped inside Rayman’s TV. It’s up to you to keep the new Rabbids TV station full of cool program by choosing from several mini games each day. The mini games range from B movie shooting galleries to American Idol parodied dance shows. All the games featured the classic Rabbids humour which is guaranteed to keep your party amused well into the night.

Unlike previous Rayman Rabbid games, this party game won’t force you to play all the games in the programming schedule, so you can just skip the harder mini games if you like. I found that playing this game with any remote other than your original Nintendo nunchuk and remote will make this game harder to complete, so don’t use any third party brands with it.

The controls are still not precise though even with the proper controllers. I honestly found that 75% of the games were pretty easy to pass but the rest were downright impassable. The Star Wars parody game is one that I remember to really hard and confusing in the controls. All and all, this is a great party game and one that I would recommend for family play and party nights.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Buy it!

It's Been One Long Crazy Journey

Feeling bored I decided to scan through all my old blog posts to read them and clean up anything like unused saved drafts. Working my way through all these posts from over three years of blogging made me realize just how long and crazy my blog days have been.

I started this blog to counter the negative tones in my job blog. I was really into watching G4techTV at the time and figured that gaming was probably the best hobby of mine to blog about.

My first post was on May 4, 2006 and it was titled "A Dying Nation of Nintendo Gamers". The post prediction was completely wrong which just proves I should never be a market trend predictor for a living.

Since that post, I have posted 1155 articles on my site which include 121 reviews and 350 videos. I still can't believe I played 121 games, let alone wrote that many reviews over 3 years. Obviously I know I've play more than 121 games in my lifetime but that number still makes you stop for a minute and think about all fictional characters I've probably killed in those 121 games alone.

Also over the 3 years I've worked for several gaming sites like Fan off, Destructoid, The BBPS, Gaygamer, Sugar Joy, and Red Assed Baboon. Today I work for Gamezebo and the Pulse Niagara, plus I write on a geek blog with my bf called Attack This.

I've met gaming celebrities like Tommy Tallarico, Victor Lucas, Kevin Pereira, Oliva Munn, Cliffy B and more during gaming events or online interviews. I think I even got a bit of fangirl drool on one or more of them too.

I've been only a few gaming events like Video Games Live, The Xbox & Sony Holiday Preview Events and the Fan Expo in Toronto, but they were still the best times I've had yet as a member of the gaming blogging community.

There has been bad times too through my blogging career like the crap with Kotaku, the passing of my Dad, and all the times I've had to quit writing jobs, but I press on never letting these things stop my little blog from continuing on.

I've been on TV three times for interviews and debates, both on CHCH TV and G4TV and even I admit I look like a nervous wreck all three times.

Somedays I feel I've had my 15 minutes and that my little blog has gone as far as it can, but other days I feel like this will never be all there is and I know I can go farther than this.

But whatever happens, I look back at it all and smile because I know that no matter what happens from here on out, I will always be proud of my little blog and what I've accomplished here.

[Picture created for me by Eric DeSantis]

How Do They Come Up With Those Pokemon Names?

Epic 8-Bit Art: Secret of Mana Snack Time

I discovered a sweet new artisan's group this week that's chalked full of gamer artists. The Autumn Society of Philadelphia, established in 2006, features artists from the Philly area. Two of my favorite artists, Jude Buffum and Doctor Octoroc are members of the group but today I'm posting a piece from artist, Potato Farm Girl.

Secret of Mana: Snack Time features the characters of Squaresoft's 1993 Secret of Mana RPG game for the SNES. A very nice piece.

OMG! It's like totally for Grrlz!

This is a screenshot from Sony's new website promoting the lilac PSP to female gamers. The kit comes with a lilac PSP and the Hanna Montana entertainment pack.

I know game companies are trying hard to figure out the best way to market to the female gamer but web addresses like girlzplaytoo and ad statements like OMG Lilac PSP! makes us what to hurl. We're not bubble-headed bimbos, Sony marketing team.

Don't get me wrong. Purple is nice and teenagers like Hanna Montana (though I'll never know why) but the rest is insulting. Tone is down and try making it about personalizing our PSP or something to fit our style, rather than making us women should like valley girls.

[Via Wonderland Blog]

Guitar Hero 5 Gets Sexy, Sexy - NSFW

If you're not sure what exactly your watching in this video, this is a new viral marketing video for Guitar Hero 5. The word flashing across the ladies and gentleman's censored bits are names of the songs from the game's new track list.

I personally love this video and think it was a creative way to grab the attention of potential buyers. They appealed to all genders with both women and a guy in there and they did a great job of spoofing the original music video, "Baby Baby Baby" by Make the Girl Dance. Plus nobody's goodies were shown, so no harm, no fowl.

Make The Girl Dance "Baby Baby Baby" ( official video )
Uploaded by placeblancherec. - See the latest featured music videos.

[Via Game|Life]

Sin to Win: The Future of EA's 7 Deadly Sin Contests

It seems like the public is just never going to let this thing die along with all the other lost souls in the circles of Hell.

So it seems a lot of people weren't happy with EA's Sin to Win contest, but hey, I wasn't one of them. I personally am just mad I wasn't at Comic Con 09 with a giant reason to take pictures of myself with hot costumed girls. I totally missed out. These people didn't and they looked like they had fun with the ladies. I'd also like to note all the lack of sexual harassment in those pictures. Not a tit or butt grab in one of them. There's even a picture with two costumed dudes in it.

Yep, I have no problem with EA and if I had it my way, I would have EA run the next contest at the Fan Expo in Toronto which is coming up in August. They are welcome to party it up in Canada. I even have some ideas for the new 7 deadly sins contest too.

Gluttony: Taking pictures of yourself while eating at the Fan Expo or taking a picture of a videogame costumed person while they eat at Fan Expo.

Wrath: Take angry pictures of costumed people fake fighting at the Fan Expo while you try to break it up. Bonus points if the angry costumed person is beating on you in the picture.

Sloth: Send in pictures of your friends or random people while sleeping in weird places at the Fan Expo. We've all seen one or two people sleeping in a line or in a hallway at these events, so these pictures are possible to get.

Greed: Prizes to the person with the biggest swag collection from Fan Expo or the coolest. Bonus points for all celebrity hair you collect.

Pride: You have to send in a convincing essay on why you are truly the biggest and best convention geek to go to Fan Expo with.

Envy: Just take pictures of all the cool stuff you wish you had and why you deserve that item. Pictures of costumed hotties will be accepted. The winner will be chosen based on the best explanation.

There you go, EA. Those are my ideas for some of your next contests and my offer to hit up the Fan Expo in Toronto, Canada for your next game promotion.

I'm all for any excuse to commit a little sin with you.