PC vs. Console: Part 2

Two readers, Frosty (gamertag frostymelon) and John X (ub3rn006) weigh in on the console vs. PC debate.

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John X - With a PC, you can choose your components. Yeah, there are alot of people that go out to a certain site and pay a premium for a premade system. But with your PC enthusiast, you have tons of parts to pick and choose from. And there are new parts and upgrades to choose from coming out constantly. If you have the money, you can upgrade every month or so. If not, you can buy the previous generation (in PCs, a generation is around a couple of months. In consoles, a generation is a few years) at a discounted price. Because CPU and GPU manufacturers are always coming out with new products, the older products drive sharply down in cost especially in the used market which you can find being sold and traded on several forums websites. I buy nearly all of my PC components used or "OEM" which saves me a ton of money. With consoles, you buy what you buy and that's it. You're stuck with it for a number of years until a whole new console comes out. This has it's good points and bad points. For example. If you buy a brand new PC, 2 years down the road, there are going to be games that your PC simply can't keep up with anymore. While on the console, 2 years down the road the games are still made specifically for your console. Next was supposed to be the bad point. I can't really think of one.

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With PCs, the online community is huge and there are several games that have long time followers. In XBOX Live, there are a few games that retain a long following such as Halo 2, CoD 2, the Burnout Series. I dunno. At any given time, I can start CoD2 and see thousands of PC servers going on. Same for a large number of PC games. Plus, there are modded servers. The user community is able to make modifications to the games to make them better, more playable, more exciting, and sometimes suck more. I avoid the "suck" ones. Another point goes to the console for game compatibility because some companies hachoo *ubisoft* ahem...excuse me, make games for consoles and then make a poor attempt to try to port them to the PC. This results in a junk game on most PCs (unless all your stuff is a month or less old).

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Another point on pricing. While it feels like alot of money to dump on a new console every couple of years, 400 for an Xbox 360 isn't bad considering that since I bought my original Xbox, I've probably spent 2500 or more on my PC upgrades and component swaps. Personally I really enjoy both. I think my PC and my 360 are a gaming combo bonanza. I can't say that one is better than the other. The PC can be used for so many types of gaming. I mean obviously there are alot more PC games than 360 or PS3 games or for any other type of console ever made. Tons and tons of different genres. Basically, if you have the know how, anything you can do with a console you can do with a PC except play a few games that are console exclusive. On a console you plug it in and everything works (most of the time), but even nowadays using a console takes some know how. Unless you are talking about the Wii...heh.

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Frosty - I actually come out of the PC gaming world. The 360 is my first console since the old Sega Master days/daze (anyone remember the REAL Shadowrun?).

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I have likes/dislikes with a console. One of my big dislikes - the sluggish analog sticks...FRUSTRATING in a fast paced shooter, even with sensitivity pegged at the 'high' setting. I thought I could bring my PC skills over to the console...but, soon found out that it's tough to move over - I was even warned by my fellow PC gamers that I will end up hating the shooter on a console. The good news is that I am not quite at that point, but frustration is slowly eroding patience.

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I also don't like the fact that if something goes wrong with the console...there's not much I can do about. At least with a PC I can troubleshoot, and make my own repairs. The console...I have to deal with MS.

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Likes about the console - the fact that I can plop my rear down on in the recliner, click on, and game away. And, the 360 has gone beyond being just a gaming box, so it gives me a ton of options for the total entertainment package. The 360 library is starting to grow in depth, so I have/will have a ton of gaming options to choose from - shooter, RPG, RTS, arcade, etc. Again, I can get all of this by turning the console on, and tossing a game into the drive (or a d/l from XBLA).

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Following ub3rnoob and his post - the mod community. What a great addition to the PC gaming world. It's a shame that it doesn't (or can't?) spill into the console world, especially with titles such as Unreal Tournament being released over the summer. It's the mods that give the PC shooters a lot of life. I do not strictly play games on the console, I still toss in Q3A and game away...and I have no issue finding FULL rooms with Q3A, even this far down the road since it's release (still a great looking game, and great shooter). The reason for that is based around the mods and solid community that they built. So, when my frustration boils over from the console...I head over to the PC to help calm my nerves, and lower my blood pressure. And, up until my career started going full speed, I ran a computer hardware/software/overclocking review website, so stripping down a PC or adding components is second nature. Though, getting review product for free and going out to buy the hardware...two different scenario's...so the PC gets the occasional upgrade now. Another nice thing about the PC - free 'stuff'. A new map pack out for your favorite game? You'd just go to the companies website and d/l for free...but not on the console. I think a sad truth around this - we'll see this change on the PC side of life, too. A lot of companies are looking at what the console guys are doing, charging for this, that, and the other, and I think they realise that they can do the same for their PC games.

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...both have pluses, both have minuses...I think in order to meet the needs of a true gamer - you need to do a little of both.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Review: Shrek the Third

Shortest. Review. Ever. - "Shrek the Third" stinks, don't buy it. Only rent it if you're kid is a HUGE Shrek fan. I'm talking, kid-who-dresses-up-in-a-Shrek-costume-every-day-for-school huge. What's that?!? You want to know why?!? Fine!
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With apologies to Activision, this just isn't a good game. The graphics are last-gen. The game play is repetitive and dull, with endless button mashing and no variety to speak of, the camera is horrible, the game is too easy to beat, the celebrity sound-alikes are atrocious (only John Cleese?), and worst of all the Shrek humor we're all used to is non-existent. This game isn't even rated properly. "Shrek the Third" is rated E10+ for cartoon violence and crude humor but no child over the age of 10 would find this game even remotely interesting. A more appropriate rating would be E7 or E8, if only it existed. Save you're money and stay away from this game.
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Shrek the Third
Players: Two
Price: $29.99 - $49.99
Formats: Xbox 360. PS2, Wii, PC, DS, GBA
Category: Action
Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and older)
Grade: D
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Top 5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Shrek
1. First film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
2. The word Shrek comes from the Yiddish word that means "fear" or "terror".
3. Loosely based on the William Steig children's picture book of the same name.
4. Steven Spielberg originally wanted Bill Murray and Steve Martin to play Shrek and Donkey (Chris Farley was cast as the voice of Shrek but died before the film was completed so the role went to Mike Myers) but liked the finished product so much he changed his mind.
5. The Shrek line, "That'll do Donkey. That'll do." is a reference to the line, "That'll do pig. That'll do." from the movie "Babe".
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A coloradojoe podcast?!? - That's right, I said it. I'm doing a podcast. I'm not even sure what it is exactly but I'm doing one. Here's the deal, after talking to my brother and deciding we had waaay to much to say about far too many topics (video games, movies, tv, music, sports, other guy stuff) we decided it would be fun to do a podcast. I've submitted the first episode and its been accepted by iTunes so look for it soon. The first one is very short and doesn't include my brother (and to be honest, its a little dull because I recorded it at 12:30 at night and I was tired after 3 hours of trying to figure out how the stupid thing worked) but look for it on iTunes by Friday. We'll be doing new episodes once a week and I hope you'll subscribe. Once its available and you want to download it, enter "coloradojoe" in the search author or title box to find it. If you're still having trouble, email me.
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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Mole: World's most popular sport? Nahh!

Ronaldingoatemybaby - Today EA announced its cover boys for "FIFA 2008", set to be released this fall on the Xbox 360, PS2, PSP, PS3, DS, PC and Wii. Two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho will be front and center, flanked by Sergio "St. Louis" Ramos, Miroslav "Don't get too" Klose, Andreas "I need some toilet paper because" Ivanschitz, Tranquillo "Tequila" Barnetta, Florent "Don't shout so" Malouda or Frank "Barbeque" Ribery, depending on what country you live in. This naturally leads to one question? Why doesn't the 29th ranked U.S. team have someone on the cover? Maybe its because they stink and only me and 3 other guys in this country actually care about the sport. Personally, I'd settle for Liverpool great Steven Gerrard but that's just me.

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Filling up my speed dating card - After rejecting Majesco and Codemasters like Lindsay Lohan rejects Alcholics Anonymous, I set up my first E3 appointment today with Midway Games. My first questions to the Midway big wigs? When will we see NBA Jam and classic Spyhunter on Xbox Live Arcade and who came up with the brilliant Michael Vick/Mike Mexico dig in "Blitz: The League" and can I buy him a drink (if you have no idea what I'm talking about, google the name Ron Mexico)?

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Oops, I did it again - After an intial release date of May 8, "Halo 2" for the PC was supposed to come out this Tuesday. And it did, sort of. Microsoft officially moved the date back again to May 31 but some stores are selling it anyway. According to gamespot.com, "Halo 2" for the PC is available on shelves at Circuit City and can be purchased on its website. I guess if you've been anxiously awaiting "Halo 2" for the PC, you know where to go.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

PC vs. Console

See this beauty up here? This is the first system I ever played a video game on, the Atari 2600. I got one for Christmas as a kid when I lived in Germany. I have no idea how my Dad (he was in the Army) managed to get one but I loved it. The first night I had it, I played it for so long, the joystick gave me a giant blister on my left hand because I was gripping it so hard. When the home console craze faded out, I started playing games on an Apple IIe. I loved playing "Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One" and later "Jordan vs. Bird" on the Commodore 64. These are the early foundations of my love of gaming.

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Why do I bring this up? After reading some comments on my "Halo 3 Beta" post from my buddy Eli (an Associate Editor at GameDaily) and long time reader John X, I got to thinking about the difference between PC and console gamers. Both types of gamers view the video game industry very differently and you could find guys on both sides who think one is better than the other. I have my own view on where I think the future lies for both PC and consoles (and despite the fact that I do mostly console reviews, I enjoy both) but I really want to open this up to everybody, so here's what I'm looking for - a public debate on which is better, console gaming or PC gaming. Let's call it Point/Counterpoint. I imagine Eli, John X and a few others of you are more than willing to voice your opinion on PC gaming so what I need is a reader (Frosty? General?) who would be willing to take a console gaming stance.

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I seriously doubt this public debate will really give us a definitive answer on a long held argument, especially since gaming is a matter of personal preference, but at least it should be fun. Email me if you're up for this.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Review: Halo 3 Beta

You know we're in a gaming drought when the beta version of a game is the hottest thing for the next-gen consoles in the last 4 months. Of course when that beta is for the next Halo game, how can you not get excited. Here are a few things I noticed while playing through 20 multiplayer games in the last two days.

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The matchmaking setup looks new and fresh and has a significantly different functionality than the Halo 2 version. In the beta, the matches are limited to a maximum of six players and the games are Rumble Pit only for right now. Team Slayer, Team Skirmish and Big Team Battle will be available later. Besides looking aesthetically different, the menu offers a new Veto option. If players don't like the map or match type, a majority vote can change it. Once you're ready to play, gamers get matched up just like before but be prepared to wait, the load times were surprisingly long. When the other players have been selected, you can see other gamers rankings (1,7,15, etc.), but new to the ranking system is a military-style ranking ala Battlefield 2 (Corporal, Sargeant, etc). Its a little more accurate way of ranking someone because its two-tiered. The number ranking seems is representative of how many games you've played and done well (like the ranking system now) while the military designation is your skill in each individual game. Basically its the current ranking system done in a little more obvious way so that you and other gamers know how good you really are.

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Alright, alright enough about the menu. How is the game play? In a word - SWEET! The control layout is essentially the same but there are a few changes. The Right Button, and Left Button if you're going to go dual, is what you use to pick up and reload weapons and get into vehicles. The X button is now used for equipment like the Tripmine, Bubble Shield, Power Drain and Grav Lift (more on those in a sec). Its a little odd at first, especially the Equipment button, but once you get used to it its more intuitive than the previous layout.

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There are quite a few new toys to play with. The one new playable vehicle in the beta is the Mongoose, which is like an armored ATV that looks a lot like a one man Warthog. Its a blast to ride around in and gets you to places quickly but it offers no protection. You're a moving target because you can't shoot from it, so its only meant for quick transportation. The other weapons are (mostly) a lot of fun to experiment with. The Spartan Laser is devastating if you can time it right but its 5-second warm up can leave you vulnerable. The Machinegun Turret is very powerful but takes both hands and slows you down. My favorite weapons were the Spike Grenade and the Brute Spiker. As the name implies, when the Spike Grenade blows up metal spikes blast into anything near it. It is absolutely hilarious sticking one onto an unsuspecting gamer and watching them walk or stand around (because they can't see it), then get blown to bits. The Brute Spiker is nasty. It shoots metal spikes and when you dual wield it, you're almost unstoppable. It also has a blade at the end for a strong melee attack. I didn't get to try the MisslePod but I'm looking forward to it. My least favorite weapon is the Assault Rifle, which is what you spawn with. It doesn't do much damage, requires frequent reloading and after shooting the Brute Spiker, feels like shooting a BB gun.

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The equipment is fun to use but takes time to adjust to. The Bubble Shield is very cool and can block firearms and explosions but watch out! Enemies can still walk through it and thump you. The Grav Lift is almost like a homemade elevator. You throw it down like a grenade and it can push you (or a vehicle) straight up over a wall or up to a high ledge. The Power Drain's a little trickier. Its used to wipe out an enemy's shield, allowing you to kill him easier, but its range is pretty limited. The Trip Mine is also new, but I had a hard time finding it and nobody used it on me, so I'm not sure how useful it is yet.

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Three maps are available on the beta. I mostly played Highground (the laser tower is a great place to hole up) and a few times on Snowbound (don't go outside of the boundaries or you get shot by stationary turrets) but for some reason Valhalla never came up. Of the two I played, I enjoyed Highground best because of all the stealthy ways you can get around. Snowbound is much more wide open and has a few tunnels and shields that are fun to play with but sometimes you have to travel a ways to find people, especially in a 6-player only match. All of the weapons from Halo 2 were around (with the exception of the laser sword) but I did the notice cloaking shield didn't seem as effective as before.

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Despite some complaints I've heard about the beta's graphics not quite being next-gen, I was impressed. While the visual effects weren't truly next-gen, especially when compared to the highly touted trailer, the game looked crisp. The weapons, environments and Spartan's all looked more detailed than normal. And considering the game doesn't come out until late September, there's plenty of time too pretty the game up. The audio, however, was exceptional! All of the weapons had their own unique sound and the background noises (it was great hearing gunfire from far away so I could tell where people were) are particularly tight.

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A couple of other quick notes...the Saved Films, where you can save film of your game to watch later or send to friends is awesome. I sent one to my brother and he really got a kick out of it...There was some lag, which really surprised me considering the Halo series NEVER has any lag but hey, this is a Beta so I'm not too concerned.

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So after all of that, does the beta deliver? Absolutely! I'm more stoked than ever about Halo 3. I like the controller layout changes, the new maps are sweet (well, two of them anyway), the new weapons and equipment are fun to use, and the tightened up ranking system is a great improvement. I know you don't need any reminding, but you better reserve this game now. I mean right now...seriously! Get off your couch and put your money down! If you only buy one Xbox 360 game this year, this should be it.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

Master Chief vs. Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite is better than you and me - What does Jon "Napoleon Dynamite" Heder get to do that you and I don't? Besides hanging out with Pedro, hoarding tater tots and making millions of dollars for being a nerd...not that much. Oh yeah, he did get to go to the "Halo 3" red carpet premiere while you I were sitting at home watching TV.

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I apologize for my three day absence but while thousands of American's were taking advantage of the new "Halo 3" beta, which started Wednesday, I was out of town for work. And when did I leave town? Early Wednesday morning of course. I did manage to get up at 6am and jam my "Crackdown" disc into my Xbox 360, ready to enjoy 30-40 minutes of game time before I had to leave my house. Unfortunately, the "Crackdown" beta download was having some problems and I couldn't try it before I left! Gaah!!! Starting tomorrow (waaaay too tired to start tonight after getting home at 8pm) I'll be giving the beta a NFL combine-sized workout. Look for a post on Sunday. Be prepared to share your thoughts.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Review: Spider-Man 3

Halfway through “Spider-Man 3” the movie I was pretty happy. I was thinking to myself “Hey, this is pretty good. Its not Spider-Man 1 good but this is as good as Spidey 2”…then the last half of the movie happened and suddenly I’m watching that last crappy Batman with George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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Unfortunately “Spider-Man 3” the game feels the same way. At first it just feels good to be swinging through skyscrapers and thumping costumed goons again. But the longer you play the game, the more the problems with it get on your nerves until finally you’re initial excitement is gone.
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Does this mean the “Spider-Man 3” video game isn’t worth your time? Absolutely not, there’s a lot in this title, especially for us die-hard fans. But if you don’t have Spidey blinders on, the glitches in the game will make you angrier than J. Jonah Jameson.
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If you’ve played Spidey games before, you know what to expect in this version - swinging around town in a sandbox environment, choosing missions at your own leisure and stopping random crimes as you cruise around the city. The game ties loosely to the movie as Sandman, New Goblin (horrible name by the way) and Venom all make an appearance. Lizard, Scorpion and a few others show up as well. Pretty much what you’d expect, and that’s the problem.
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“Spider-Man 3” looks and plays almost exactly like “Spider-Man 2” with an almost identical combat system and, with the exception of the city, no visual upgrades to speak of. When my non-game-playing wife thinks they’re the same game, that’s not good. This isn’t a horrible thing because Spidey 2 was so good, but come on! This is supposed to be a next-gen title but the collision detection issues, poor looking character models and enemies that like to get stuck in walls give the game an unfinished feel.
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This isn’t to say that “Spider-Man 3” doesn’t have its strengths. The contextual mini-games (where gamers hit buttons that match up to activities onscreen, ala “God of War”) are a nice new addition, there’s a ton of content to play through (at least 25 hours worth), the audio is solid (Tobey Maguire, James Franco, JK Simmons Thomas Hayden Church and Topher Grace are all in the game) and swinging through the city never gets old. And again, you get to play as the greatest superhero ever.
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Still, just like the movie you’ll feel that something isn’t quite right, that something is missing. Whether you can see past these flaws depends on your point of view. For a man who once dressed as Spider-Man for Halloween for four straight years (and I’m saying if I was an adult or not during that time), I can overlook these flaws. For everyone else, it might be a giant Sandman-sized distraction that can’t be overcome.

Spider-Man 3
Cost: $29.99 - $69.99
Players: One
Formats: PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, PC, Wii, DS, GBA
Category: Super Hero Fighter
Rating: T (Teen)
Grade: C+ (B- for us webheads)

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And one more thing - The Halo 3 beta starts up at 6am tomorrow morning and I'm going to try get up right at 6 and try it out. Since I'm not a morning person, the word "try" is the key word in that last sentence. The odds I'll actually be able to do it? 50/50

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

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Quick update - Just got a late night email from my contacts at Microsoft letting me know that the release date for "Halo 3" will be September 25. There was also something about a new "Halo 3" Zune going on sale June 15 for $249 but who cares. I don't know anyone who owns one of those things anyway.

The Mole: Making it Rain

Grab an umbrella - After scrolling through some recently released screenshots of "PGR4" (see above) I had to look out my window to make sure I didn't need a raincoat. The new Dynamic Weather System is stunning and can really effect the outcome of a race. Running into an unexpected rain storm or snow flurries during the middle of a race (and dealing with the accompanying change in physics) should be a blast.

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"PGR4" also has a few other new features. The new career mode will offer gamers a more in-depth experience as fans will now be more actively involved. Drivers have their own fanbases that cheer them on and react to the action during the race. The Kudos system has also been revised. Drivers will now pump their fists when blowing by an opponent and in general display more emotion. A complete vehicle list hasn't been released yet but here are a few cars that have been confirmed.

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2004 TVR Sagaris
1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray
2005 Vanwall GPR V12

1993 Toyota Supra Turbo
2005 Gumpert Apollo
1997 Panoz GTR-1 Coupe
2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
1957 Maserati 250F

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I wanna rock - Sony "Guitar Hero 2" owners will be getting some love this summer with "Guitar Hero 2 Rocks the 80's," new content exclusively for the PS2 version of the game. Gamers will have access to new venues, new characters, new guitars and 30 new songs from one of my favorite music era's - the 1980's. Check out a few of the songs confirmed for "Rock the 80's" below, and I dare you not to think of "The 40 Year Old Virgin" when you see the last one.

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I Wanna Rock (by Twisted Sister)

I Ran (by Flock of Seagulls)

Round and Round (as made famous by Ratt)

I Want Candy (as made famous by Bow Wow Wow)

Metal Health (as made famous by Quiet Riot)

Holy Diver (as made famous by Dio)

Heat Of The Moment (as made famous by Asia)

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Etc... - Sega announced "Condemned 2: Bloodshot", the sequel to the popular psychological terror, first person action thriller "Condemned: Criminal Origins" will be released in early 2008 on both the Xbox 360 and PS3...the "Forza Motorsport 2" demo is available on Xbox Live..."Double Dragon" was released for XBLA this week...I was planning on running my "Spider-Man 3" review today but haven't had enough time with the game. Look for that early next week...AND FINALLY...as of this posting the "Halo 3" beta is only 3 days, 17 hours and 55 minutes away. Not that I check the counter at Bungie.net 4-5 times a day or anything.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Road to Santa Monica

E3 2007 is only two months away and as my buddy Dieter likes to say - I’m as happy as a little girl. The chance to see the hottest, yet-to-be-released titles, rub elbows with the worlds best gaming journalists, bow at the feet of Hideo Kojima and hear from each console maker how their latest creation will revolutionize the world of entertainment is too great of an opportunity to pass up.

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While going to a video game convention in southern California sounds better than Space Camp, just getting to E3 requires a lot of planning, hard work and money. Step one was getting an invitation to an event that is now media exclusive, pretty tough to come by for a guy who writes for a mid-sized paper so far from Cali. Thankfully Activision hooked me up, after a lot of begging and pleading.
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Step 2? Getting there. This sounds pretty simple but because I have to pay my own way, time and money become an issue. Time because I have to make arrangements for my kids, find someone to watch my dog Butters, bribe my brother to housesit and take time off of work. Money, because California is stupid expensive. I just booked my hotel last night and found out that the state of California has a 14% lodging tax! 14%!!! I can’t wait to pay for a $5 gallon of gas. Stupid Governator.

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Since I’ve been dropping so much coin anyway, my wife and I decided to make a little vacation out of this business trip. We’re heading out a day before and staying two days after the three day event. What will we do on the off days? I don’t know and I don’t care. If my wife is patient enough to let me drag her to LA while I go to a video game convention, we can do whatever she wants. What I do care about is maximizing my time during the event and people are already starting to try and fill up my day planner.

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So far I have received emails from Majesco (Bomberman and Bloodrayne series) and Codemasters (TOCA Touring Car series and Colin McRae Rally) and its not even June. Of course, I want to talk to the big guns. OXM’s Francesca Reyes and Paul Curthoys, Gamehead’s Geoff Keighley, PSM’s Chris Slate, Kojima (I’d crap my pants if I could swing that one), Microsoft’s Peter Moore, Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime, Rockstar’s Sam Houser, Shigeru Miyamoto (I’d need some Depends and a translator for that interview), G4’s Morgan Webb (Yowza!), EA’s Trip Hawkins, Major Nelson…the list goes on and on. Since I’m pushy, I’m sure I can nab one of those.
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Naturally the big three console makers are going to be holding their own press conferences off site, and they’re invite only as well. So I’ll need an invite on top of the invite I already have. I think I have a snowball’s chance in Phoenix of getting invited to Nintendo and Sony’s shindig. Nintendo has never shown me any love and I’ve dissed Sony a little too much and work for too small a paper for them to bother with me. But Microsoft? I think I’ve got a good shot at making that one.
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So what’s in it for you? Plenty. You’ll be right there with me the whole time. Not literally of course, but figuratively, that would be uncomfortable. In fact, this is better for you than it is for me since you don’t have to share a hotel room with me (I snore like a bear) and you don’t have to pay for anything. Although I will accept cash donations. You’ll be getting first hand reports from someone who’s just as much of a fan as a writer. I’ll be posting articles and pics everyday (I’m borrowing my brother’s digital camera, he just doesn’t know it yet) and since I come from a small paper in a relatively small town, maybe someone will pity me and give me a scoop.
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Well, someone better or I’m going to want my money back.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Mole: Put some spring in your step

Xbox Live Update - Tomorrow Microsoft will offer up its Spring update for Xbox Live. While game updates are frequent occurrences for Xbox 360 games (and 3 day waits after you've turned on a PS3 for its console update), Live updates don't happen all that often. So what will it mean for 360 gamers? A weekly Bill Gates video chat? A cool, new Cyberall theme? No, a few minor changes of course, but what Microsoft is touting most is its new (yawn!) instant messaging feature as the big new. Forgive me if I'm underwhelmed. Maybe its due to my age or the fact that I just don't text that much but I don't see this as that big a deal. I am looking forward to a few of the other changes this update will bring.

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- Chat via instant messenger with up to 20 contacts in a single conversation, and have up to six different conversations at the same time with people on PCs, mobile phones and other Xbox 360 consoles.
- Instant message while playing games, listening to music or watching movies or TV shows downloaded from Xbox LIVE Marketplace (If anybody did this while I'm watching a movie with them, I'd kick 'em)
- View at a glance if friends on Windows Live Messenger have gamertags and add them to a unified friends list. (Sounds interesting)
- Utilize the virtual keyboard on the Xbox 360 to text chat or connect a USB keyboard to the console. Launching later this summer, the Xbox 360 text-input device accessory will connect directly to the controller to support instant messaging. (What about using the keyboard for games?)

- On-screen pop-ups that immediately display the name and gamerscore value of a just accomplished Achievement, allowing gamers to see their progress without leaving or pausing the game. (Finally!)
- An even safer way to communicate through Xbox LIVE with enhanced family settings that enable different default settings for video chat and voice chat. (Lets get rid of those cursing punks on Halo2!)
- A new, standalone Xbox LIVE Marketplace blade houses all Xbox LIVE Marketplace content in one easy to navigate space.
- Xbox LIVE Arcade enhancements that showcase what games friends are playing directly from the friends list. Boasting about high scores, comparing progress and checking out leaderboards are all easier now as well. (Yes! I love arcade games.)
- Faster access to free, trial version of Xbox LIVE Arcade games through an improved Auto Downloads feature.
- The ability to fast-forward, pause and rewind video as it is being downloaded on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
- Owners can now set their consoles to turn off after downloading content from Xbox LIVE Marketplace to help save energy, and download speeds have been increased. (I'll use this.)

- A date with Jessica Biel for the 1 millionth download starting at 12am EST tonight.

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Okay, so maybe I made that last one up but you get the point. The best online service just keeps getting better. If only Cyberball was available on Xbox Live Arcade, then it would be almost as perfect as Jessica Biel.

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Review: Command and Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars

The year is 2047 and iPod’s have taken over the world as our human overlords. In order to keep running, the iPod army needs a precious crystal called Tiberium. This gives them a battery life of longer than 4 hours (we all know that 15 hour advertised battery life is a bunch of bunk). Humans are forced to mine this crystal which serves as fuel source and paradoxically as a devastating environmental hazard. But hope springs eternal as Sawyer from “Lost,” the guy who does the voice of Sam Fisher in “Splinter Cell,” the hot chick from “Battlestar Galactica,” and Lando Calrissian are fighting for humanity.

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Okay, so maybe that’s not quite the plot from “Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars” but its not that far off. All of the above listed actors - Josh Holloway, Michael Ironside, Tricia Helfer and Billy Dee Williams - do have significant roles in this fun game and while the storyline is a tad far fetched (and reeks of more environmental overtones than an Al Gore documentary) "C&C3" certainly is fascinating and really gets gamers engrossed in the latest offering from EA’s popular series.

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For the uninitiated, the “C&C” franchise is an RTS (real-time strategy) series that dates back to 1995. The original "Command and Conquer" was one of the very first RTS's (1992's "Dune 2: The Building of a Dynasty" is widely accepted as the first ever RTS game). In “C&C3” you play as a battlefield commander whose goal is to defeat opposing armies with your military might and superior strategizing skills. Gamers play as one of three factions – the more mainstream Global Defense Initiative, the underground Brotherhood of Nod (which sounds like something from a Monty Python movie) and later as the alien Scrin.
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Game play is standard RTS fare. Constructing bases, training a wide variety of combat units and battling your enemy to the point of extinction is what’s on the agenda. What makes “C&C3” different is the depth in which you do it.

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There are 35 different single-player missions to jump into, a wide range of powerful weapons to use, a sweet online component that’s almost a game by itself and the option to choose different AI playing styles. The game presentation is top notch, with beautiful graphics that will make you drool. Large vehicles look spectacular and menacing. Individual units are painstakingly detailed and even though they are small, move impressively. The game really shines during large battle sequences that fill the screen with smoke, lasers and explosions. Throw in the impressive cast with a fascinating story line (with 90 minutes of live action video) and an incredibly intuitive interface and you have one addicting game.

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Whether you’re new to the RTS genre or a longtime fan, you need to check this game out. It’s a blast to play and in this current dry season for hot new releases, it’ll keep you busy for a long time.
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Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Price: $49.99 – $59.99
Rating: T (Teen)
Category: Real Time Strategy
Players: 1-8 (8 online)
Formats: PC, Xbox 360
Grade: A
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Top 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Michael Ironside
(General Jack Granger in “C&C3” and voice of Sam Fisher)
1. Born Frederick Reginald Ironside in Toronto, Canada.
2. Makes guys heads explode in the 1981 sci-fi classic “Scanners”
3. Was a successful armwrestler in his teenage years.
4. Have I ever mentioned he played Jester in “Top Gun”?
5. Lost his left arm in two movies (“Starship Troopers”, “Total Recall”).

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Mole: Pikachu still makes money?

Pika-ching - Nintendo recently announced that Pokemon Diamond and Pearl have sold more than 1 million copies in the United States since their recent release. How the heck is this possible? In Japan? Sure, I get it. Those guys are nuts for this kind of garbage. But in the United States?!? I just don't get it. But I guess that's why I'm not rich. Maybe if I came up with one of the most annoying franchises of all time (that just so happened to sell 155 million copies since 1996) maybe I'd have more than $20 in my checking account. Or maybe I should quit putting money on the Nuggets during the playoffs. Its one of those of two.

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Ooops! - Remember that Marvel Ultimate Alliance content download I said was available a few weeks ago? Well evidently there were some problems with it that have now been fixed. Gamers can NOW download The Incredible Hulk, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, and Hawkeye in the Hero pack or get Magneto, Sabretooth, Venom and Doctor Doom in the villain pack. Each pack costs 500 points or you can get both for 800. Its overpriced and about 3 months late but if you're still into the game, it might be worth it.

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What?!? PS3 News?!? - Don't get too excited but Sony has recently put free demos for Ninja Gaiden Sigma and Virtua Tennis in the PlayStation store. If only they'd put a Pa Rappa the Rappa download up, then I might be interested.

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Etc. - EA Mythic recently announced that Warhammer Online has been delayed until first quarter 2008...An update for PS3's MotorStorm will be available in mid-May, it supposed to address issues with FAME rankings, buddy lists and matchmaking...If you haven't seen it yet, check out the trailer for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warefare. Its pretty sweet and moves the series into the modern age. http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=4735

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terry.terrones@gazette.com

The Rant: Spider-Man vs. Superman

"He (Marvel Comics publisher Martin Goodman) gave me 1,000 reasons why Spider-Man would never work. Nobody likes spiders; it sounds too much like Superman; and how could a teenager be a superhero? Then I told him I wanted the character to be a very human guy, someone who makes mistakes, who worries, who gets acne, has trouble with his girlfriend, things like that. (Goodman replied,) 'He's a hero! He's not an average man!' I said, "No, we make him an average man who happens to have super powers, that's what will make him good'. He told me I was crazy".
-Stan Lee, 1986
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I know what you're thinking. Isn't this a video game blog? Not today. Not with a Spidey movie and game coming out this Friday, it brings up too many powerful memories. Spider-Man has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, my friends and I would share Spidey comics and buy them on the cheap from wherever we could. Yard sales, swap meets and flea markets were the best places to find deals. Eventually I managed to get my hands on a compilation book that contained the first few issues that showed how Spidey got his powers, how he dealt with Uncle Ben's death and being an ostracized nerd at his high school in New York. It was addicting stuff then, as it is now, and just for the reasons that Stan Lee listed above. Spider-Man's everyman persona is different from almost every superhero in existence. Spidey is the epitome of the word underdog. A lovable loser who can't catch a break but manages to fight through incredible odds with an amazing combination of determination and heart. Isn't this the kind of person we can all relate to?
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This of course leads to the question - who is the best superhero ever? While Batman is certainly in the conversation the debate naturally comes down to Superman and Spider-Man. Sure there are plenty of other great heroes out there who you deserve some love. Almost everyone can relate to the Hulk's blinding rage and I've always found The Flash, Green Lantern, Wolverine and Iron Man fascinating. And while I never read a Wonder Woman comic, I sure did enjoy the TV show with Lynda Carter. Meow! But no one in the history of superheroes compares to the Man of Steel and the Wall Crawler. Which one is better? You already know my stance but allow me to prove it in.
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1. Superpowers - Superman is an omnipotent being with boundless powers. He can fly, has heat vision, freeze breath, can move with incredible speed, and is immune to just about everything except pretty green rocks. Spidey on the other hand can only climb walls, has great agility and strength and (in the comics anyway) can make web fluid by mixing chemicals together.
Edge: Spider-Man because eventually one of those radioactive spiders that I have biting me every week is going to work. The chances of me landing on another planet and gaining infinite powers? Zero.
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2. Love interest - The Man of Steel has Lois Lane, a fiery newspaper columnist and Lana Lang, a high school cheerleader. Peter Parker has been busy with Gwen Stacy, Betty Brant, Felicia Hardy, and Mary Jane Watson.
Edge: Spider-Man. Even though Kirsten Dunst is an even bigger wet blanket than Margot Kidder, Spidey is a George Clooney sized player compared to the Man of Steel.
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3. Backstory - Superman: Alien kid sent here by his parents because his planet was about to blow up. Spider-Man: High school kid bitten by a radioactive spider, driven to be a vigilante after letting the man that eventually would kill his uncle get away during a robbery.
Edge: Spider-Man. The current political regime is against illegal aliens making a living in our country, making Superman a lawbreaker.
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4. Biggest nemesis - Superman: Lex Luthor a bald, earthling with no superpowers and daddy issues who happens to be really, really smart. Spider-Man: The Green Goblin, a chemically altered freak with lots of toys. Think Barry Bonds on a hover board.
Edge: Spider-Man. The only bald people who should ever scare you are Sinead O'Connor and the lead singer of Midnight Oil.
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5. Biggest weakness - Superman: the aforementioned pretty green rocks. Spidey: Underwear that rides due to overly snug costume.
Edge: Spider-Man. A wedgie is a lot easier to overcome than severe allergies.
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6. Movie offerings - Superman: Five movies. Two good ones (Superman I, II), one so-so one (last years Superman Returns) and two that should never see the light of day again (Superman III, IV). Spidey: Two wildly popular movies starring Tobey Maguire that made a combined cagillion dollars.
Edge: Spider-Man. Any movie that can ruin a once great comedians career (Richard Pryor is Superman III) lowers the overall value of the franchise.
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So there you have it, when it comes right down to it the Man of Steel is no match for the Web Slinger. Sure Spidey might get his butt kicked in a straight up fight, but when it comes to who is the more likable hero, Spidey comes out on top.
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terry.terrones@gazette.com