Finals and Zombies

Fellow Gamers,

Walking Dead

I apologize for not bringing you the latest and greatest in video game news recently. Unfortunately for me, I have been studying for my finals that are approaching shortly. However I almost have Red Dead Redemption and Dead Rising 2 beat. I have found that Dead Rising 2 is like playing through a movie, my roommate just stood and watched captivated as I played that game killing thousands of zombies and saving survivors. I'd also like to give a shoutout to Rich Johnson for borrowing me Assassin's Creed 2. I will have that beaten here shortly as I will have lots of free time, once these finals are over!

Anybody that is into zombies should check out the show "Walking Dead" on AMC. The first season just wrapped up, but you can watch episode one here. The first season is only six episodes long, but it was a great start to a great show!

NPH hosting VGA's

Fellow Gamers,

I now have a legitimate reason to watch Spike TV's Video Game Awards this year. Why you ask? Because the most legendary man in the world will be hosting, no it is not me... It is Neil Patrick Harris! This is going to be LEGEN... wait for it... DARY, LEGENDARY! Ok I might be going a little overboard here, I apologize. But as a fan of CBS's "How I Met Your Mother" and the musical "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog", this is like a dream come true. The VGA's will be airing this Saturday, December 11 at 8 p.m. I expect you all to suit up, and be watching.

P.S. If you haven't seen NPH in "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" then I highly recommend watching it. Felecia Day, from The Guild,and Nathan Fillion, from the series Firefly, are also in it.

Winnner of Ninja Gaiden 2

 Fellow Gamers,

I was having a hard time deciding how I would decide who the winner of Ninja Gaiden 2 would be this month, but being the nerd that I am I have found a fair way to pick the winner by rolling a d20. Since there are exactly 20 members on this page it makes perfect sense to me and is fair. Are you ready for this? * Rolling die * 16! The winner of this month's giveaway is Zachary. If you would like your prize please, email me at brudi07@gmail.

This brings me to next months giveaway for December. I will be giving away a copy of Tekken 6 for the 360. This month however you not only have to be a follower of my blog, but you also have to submit a short article of one of your recent gaming moments. It does not have to be anything special, I just want to generate a community here at Vidjagamers. Whoever wins will have their article featured on my site. Good luck!

Bloodline Champions Webcast

Fellow gamers,

I FRAPS'ed a game of Bloodline Champions today which is a PC game that is in beta. Bloodline is an arena style game that could be compared to a top down version of World of Warcraft arena. There are 3 different game modes; team deathmatch, capture the flag, and domination. Teams can be composed of 1 to 5 people per team. Currently there are 16 characters to select from with 4 different character types; tanks, healers, melee dps, and ranged dps.

I hope you enjoy the video!

Thanksgiving Break

Fellow Gamers,

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving, I know I did. Sorry that I have not posted in a while. I was busy enjoying my Thanksgiving break, as I'm sure all of you were doing as well. I did eat my fill of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes on Turkey Day. Instead of exercising it off I have at the gym, I have chosen to sit in front of a screen and play video games instead...

As of late I have been playing Red Dead Redemption. No, I have not been playing the zombie DLC. I still have to beat the main story first. I would say that I'm 4 or 5 hours in, but I'm not sure how long of a playtime the game has. I feel like I am helping people on side missions more than I am completing actual story missions. I did have serious problems with controlling the horse though, but after some words of wisdom from my friend Beard I beleive that I have found the correct way to steer the horse. Instead of pushing forward to move the horse forward, it is better just to tap the "A" button and and leave the control stick for steering left and right. I am very excited to beat this game and download the zombie DLC though. I have heard that it is one of the best DLC downloads on the market, and it's only 800 points!

Other than playing Red Dead I have been playing the Xbox Arcade game Super Meat Boy. I have just made it to World 5 "Rapture", and I must say that the levels are becoming exceedingly difficult. Plus as the gamer that I am I cannot continue to the next level unless I clear the level with an A+, which you can only achieve if you beat the level within a certain time limit. I have not attempted any of the dark world levels yet though. I am waiting until I finish all of the light levels before I go back through the dark levels.

For the PC I have been playing League of Legends. I am so close to getting to the 500 win mark, I believe that I am at 470 or so. I do own all of the champions now as of yesterday though when I bought Anivia. I really do enjoy playing as Anivia, I hear that she is one of the best casters in the game. I will have to play her a few more times to really feel her out. My first game with her I went 7-6-12. Which I thought was pretty decent considering I was in a solo side lane for most of the game and that our Twisted Fate fed their Miss Fortune in center lane. Their MF was 26-6-12. Pretty ridiculous. If any of you readers would like to add me my summoner name is "Demi".

Vidjagamers Website

Fellow gamers,

Vidjagamers now has a new site http://www.vidjagamers.com!

Don't fear though, I will still be posting content on here as well. I am trying to get a full business in swing. Slowly but surely I am getting there. Keep up the support and I will keep writing entertaining and informational content for your viewing pleasure.

Trademarkk'd Competitive Blog

Fellow gamers,

If you enjoy pwning noobs in competitive gaming or you are one of the people who enjoy being pwned, then I have a blog for you (aside from this one...). The new up and coming Trademarkk'd Blog.

Keep your eyes on this blog if you enjoy games like League of Legends, Call of Duty, and all sorts of other competitive games. Trademarkk will help you to improve your game, whether you are a nublet or a pro pwner!!1!one!!1! No QQ'ing please.

Trademarkk and I will be combining our efforts to help deliver the best in video game news to you (the gaming community), so keep your eye on these blogs.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Review

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2

Developor: CyberConnect2

Release Date: November 4, 2010 

By: Jared Weinfurtner

Edited by: Ben Rudi

Intro

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is the latest installment in the manga inspired Naruto series of games. If you are familiar with the Naruto games then you know that multiple games have been published and, multiple games have failed for this gaming franchise.  In 2008, Ban-Dai released the first Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm and was instantly a huge hit even among gamers who weren’t fans of the manga.  One could only hope that with the second game it could only get better. Thankfully it does, as a fan of the manga series and the last game, this game lived up to my expectations and more.

Story

This plot of this game picks up three years after Naruto had left the Hidden Leaf village with the legendary sannin ninja, Jiraya. This story picks up after his training was complete when Naruto returned to his home village. Soon after Naruto’s return the Hidden Sand village is attacked by a group of rogue ninja called Akatsuki. Akatsuki is after Gaara, the Kazekage, of the Hidden Sand village for the one tailed beast that he holds within him. As most fans know, Naruto also is in control of the nine tailed beast which Akatsuki will also be coming after.  In the story Naruto is still in searching for his lifelong friend and recently turned foe, Sasuke Uchiha. Following along with Naruto in the main campaign players will find themselves learning along with Naruto while he develops new attacks, as well as developing his sage mode.

Presentation

For those who are worried that the game deviates from the manga, you will be pleasantly surprised.  The game play as well as in-game cinematics, do an amazing job of following the manga’s plot.  Even the non-manga fans may find that after encountering many of the characters in this game that they will also start to feel a sense of emotion towards the characters and the story. You can expect battles in the story such as brothers fighting over which one is the stronger of the two, as well as students and their masters turning on each other and fighting to the death. There is never a real dull moment, even in the transitions to the next battle.

Graphics

Ultimate Jutsu's

One of the main draws of the game is the graphics alone. The character art is top quality and the fluidity of the animations, even while fighting is phenomenal. The characters are well animated and are on par if not better than their anime counterparts. Each of the characters Ultimate Jutsu techniques are a sight to behold, and it would be a shame not to see each characters Ultimate at least once. 

Gameplay

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a fighting game at its core. The game play is broken up into two types Ultimate Mission mode and Free Battle mode. Ultimate mission is where you will participate in fights that go hand-in-hand with the manga’s story arc. Free Battle mode is for playing out the battles that weren’t in the story as well as to fight against your friends. The fighting engine isn’t the most complex engine out there, but it does deliver a competitive casual fighting interface. During fights you are also able to call in support characters to help you do additional damage. In Ultimate Mission mode while you are not engaged in battles, you are free  to roam the Hidden Leaf village and purchase items as well as find hidden unlockables. You advance the story by talking to characters in the village that will initiate the fight sequences.

Lasting Appeal

The story line itself provides multiple hours of game play. Throughout the story mode, you will begin to unlock characters that are usable in Free Battle mode and Online Battle mode.  Towards the end of the game you will also begin to unlock “secret” characters as well as support characters.  Online Battle mode is a welcome addition to this game.  At first, the online mode was very shaky and lagged quite frequently, but with a patch they worked out all of the kinks and it now runs very smoothly. 

Summary

As for the game itself, I would consider it another great title within the series.  From the massive intense story line, to the ever changing multiplayer online play. For people who love reading the Naruto manga, people who love fighting games, or for people who just plain enjoy anime then this game is a must play.

Rating: 4.25 Ninja Stars out of 5

Bloodline Champions Beta Giveaway

Fellow Gamers,

Gameplay from Bloodline Champions

This is your day of lucky! I have in my possession two extra beta keys for the PC game, Bloodline Champions.

Bloodline Champions is a top-down, fast-paced, arena based game. If you have ever participated in any arena battles in World of Warcraft, then you will have a pretty good idea of the game. You can play solo matches or in teams of up to 5 players with three different game modes; deathmatch, domination, and capture the flag. If you would like to learn more about the game you can check out their site http://www.bloodlinechampions.com/.

I will be giving these keys to the first two people to comment on this post! Good luck!

League of Legends Irelia Podcast

Fellow gamers,

Irelia, the will of blades

I bring you news of the new League of Legends champion, Irelia, in the form of a narrated game session. In the podcast I walk you through my game with Irelia on the Twisted Treeline map. Hopefully you find the podcast informational as well as entertaining!

League of Legends Irelia Podcast 

I'm also posting Riot's spotlight video for her as well...

Fable 3 Review Coming

Fellow gamers,

Just beat Fable 3 this weekend. Put about 12 hours into the game. I will now be writing a full review this week and will hopefully have it posted sometime this week.

I will also be trying to get a review up of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood for the best resto druid on Ursin. You know who you are...

Black Ops Boycott

Fellow gamers,

Boycotting Black Ops!

I have decided that I am not going to purchase Call of Duty: Black Ops at its current price point. With the recent onslaught of top tiered games hitting store shelves this holiday season I find myself in a predicament. I am a poor college student, and with my limited income I have to pick and choose which of these games are worth my hard earned cash. I however don't believe that Black Ops is worth my $60. I know that Call of Duty is a college phenomenon, where every dorm room occupying the male halls will have CoD on their  televisions for the next 6 months, not mine though.

First off; Black Ops was made by Treyarch, which is the same team that made the less successful Call of Duty: World at War. This was my first indication that the game would not be as good as it's predecessor Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Now from what I hear, the story in Black Ops is top notch compared to the other campaigns in the Call of Duty series, which is definitely saying something. However paying $60 for a 4 hour experience is hardly worth it, I would much rather spend $10 and play Super Meat Boy for a 4 hour experience. I know that people don't buy Call of Duty games for the campaign, it's for the multiplayer...

The multiplayer from what I've heard is practically a replica of the other Call of Duty's multiplayer, with the exception of new maps. Yes, there are a few new game modes that you will get to experience, but in exchange they have also removed a few of the classic game modes as well. The leveling system has also been modified. No longer are you required to grind levels for hours on end to earn yourself that beloved AK-47, instead you earn money from your mulitplayer matches which you then use to buy only the guns and equipment that you want to use. While this may seem like a great idea at first since it seems to makes players equal at all levels, it also takes away from that feeling of accomplishment that you got when you reached level 40 and unlocked your M-16. Now players will just buy an M-16 immediately and never use any of the other weapons in the game.

I do like that Treyarch included zombies once again in their most recent title, but I just can't justify paying full price to pay full price for this game. Zombie mode on World at War felt like it was just tacked on at the end with no real thought and I can only imagine that it was the same time around as well. If ever I feel the need to get my fix of "modern warfare" anytime soon, I will probably be one of the few who will be occupying the MW2 servers, along with my fellow Black Ops boy-cotters! Viva la MW2!

Giveaway!

Vidjagamers is giving away a sealed copy of Ninja Gaiden 2 for the 360 at the end of the month of November to one lucky follower! I will be randomly selecting a follower from the site's follower list.

If you have been to this site and all and have not signed up, you should! It's easy to follow, just click the "follow" button in the right hand column and enter either a gmail, twitter, or yahoo account.

Good luck all!

Stupid Kinect

Fellow gamers,

Look how dumb these fools look...

I find it appalling that Microsoft and Sony just think that they can hop on the Nintendo bandwagon. I know that the Wii is making Nintendo a lot of money and dazzling all the casual gamers out there, but I didn't buy my 360 because I am a casual gamer I bought it because I want to play REAL games. I know that Mario, Metroid, and Zelda are all real games, and I'm not hating on them (they are actually some of my favorites), but I bought the 360 for CoD, Halo, and Rockstar games.

Now however Microsoft has decided that they would like a piece of the casual gamer pie as well, and I just don't see the point... Nintendo is already 3 years in the lead with motion controlled gaming. The press is trying to hype the Kinect, but they can't fool us actual gamers. The release craze will die just like it did with the Wii, and everyone who bought a Kinect day one will feel like all the fools who bought the EyeToy for the PS2. Microsoft can try all they want to push the Kinect on us, but I for one am not going to spend $150 for a gimmick. Plus for those of us who don't have the new 360 slim, we will have to plug the Kinect into a wall outlet to power it, as the old 360 was not made to be Kinect compatible.

Casual gamers can rejoice, however for the rest of us we will be enjoying Call of Duty: BlackOps very soon.

Thanks you so much for your support!

Dear Readers,

I would like to sincerely thank you for being such diligent followers! I quote a great man when I say, "When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead!" This is what I'm doing, I have now made $9.43 blogging!

Being awesome is exactly what all of you are doing for me. I am making money doing something I love, and it's all because of your support! All I can ask of you now is to keep on coming back to my site so that I can keep doing what I love to do, and in return I will continue to keep posting the best of the best of the best in video game news and reviews to keep you coming back.

Please just bookmark this blog and hop on once a day to check what's new!

My sincerest gratitude,
    - Ben Rudi -

Vidjagamers Vidcast Number Two

Finally, I have some free time. Minecraft, League of Legends, and WoW have loosed their holds on me just long enough to give you guys what you've all been waiting for... Vidjagamers Vidcast #2!!!

On this vidcast we are privelaged to have Todd Otto with us because he is an informative guy when it comes to Diablo 3, which is the topic for this cast. We talk, or at least Todd talks, about the new class the Demon Hunter and some of the new features of Diablo3, enjoy.

Mother kills baby over Farmville

Mother who killed her child over Farmville.

Mother kills baby over Farmville
I was just having this discussion with my friend while driving to school this morning, about why high school dropouts should not be allowed to procreate. Pictured to the right is Alexandra V. Tobias a 22 year old Jacksonville, Florida mother who shook her baby to death for interrupting her Farmville session. Alexandra has plead guilty to second degree murder. 

Alexandra told investigators she became angry after her 3-month-old baby started crying while she was playing FarmVille on Facebook. Tobias further explained to investigators that after she shook her baby once, she "smoked a cigarette to compose herself and then shook him again." She also said the baby may have hit his head during the shaking. 

Tobias now faces a potential sentence of life in prison, although state guidelines call for a sentence of 25 to 50 years. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for December. 


Killing an infant over Farmville is unfathomable... People in today's society need to learn where their priorities lie, and need to learn responsibility before they ever even fathom the idea of procreation. 

Original article found on 1up.com http://www.1up.com/news/mother-kills-baby-interrupting-farmville

Vidcast

I have a couple videos from last night's vidcast on youtube. I am still loading up all of them on there, but here's the links I have up.

Super Meat Boy Discussion
Super Scribblenauts Discussion

Hope you enjoy!

Now on Facebook

Vidjagamers now on Facebook!

I created a page on Facebook for vidjagamers Vidjagamers on Facebook! If you think you have what it takes to be a friend to this blog/podcast you should go there and "like" the page. With more followers I will be able to do more things with the vidjagamers community making this blog/podcast more interesting than a one legged zombie chasing after his source of nutrients, so tell your friends and let's get more followers!

Vidjagamers Podcast #2 will be recorded tonight. The format will follow:
Topic 1 - Games We've Been Playing
Topic 2 - Blizzcon 2010
Topic 3 - Upcoming Games

On a side note: I'd love to see more comments on posts, so don't feel shy to leave your creative and interesting responses below...

A Real Writer

It has come to my attention by my creative writing professor that one of my haiku's may be published in an upcoming literature magazine. My professor submitted the haiku to one of the magazine's that he submits his poems to. While he neglected to tell me which magazine he submitted it to, he did inform me that if it was published he'd make sure to get me a copy.

The haiku he's trying to get published is the same one that I posted on this blog a while back http://vidjagamers.blogspot.com/2010/10/fall-breeze.html. Just thought you all might like to know that I'm on my way to becoming a real writer, with real published work.

Psychonauts

I bought Psychonauts for the original Xbox from the 360's Games on Demand. The game was only 1200 Points and it's about 3.5 gigs. I started playing it this morning, and it's pretty fun. The story is very compelling so far and it's something fresh and new. The characters are whacky and are very humorous in a crazy way. I have been compelled to try and collect every collectible that I come across and that has kept me pretty preoccupied for the most part. When I finish the game, I'll try and get a review up.

Vidja Gamers Podcast Number 1

Episode 1 is up! I am putting up the unedited version, because I am too tired to edit it at this point. Enjoy!

Warning: Vulgarity and Cussing ensues
Vidja Gamers Episode 1

I am going to play some Halo and fall asleep now...

Podcasting!

Just bought a Samson CO1U recording microphone from Best Buy so that I can start podcasting! I am going to try and record a podcast tonight, and hopefully have it up by tonight or tomorrow. Joining me on the podcast will be one of my roommates and a couple of other friends.

The Samson C01U

The preferred format for tonight's the show will be:
- Discuss recent games we've been playing
- The recently released WoW 4.0 patch
- New games we are excited for

I'm going to try to keep the podcast within 45 minutes to an hour, and I'll be breaking it up into sections for easy listening. Wish me luck!

Limbo Review

Vidja Gamers Review: Limbo 

Developer: Playdead
Release Date: July 21, 2010

Cost: 1200 Microsoft Points

Thoughts

Limbo is a very dark game, and while it may look childish it has a very dark humor to it. The character you control is a child and he undergoes every visceral death scene imaginable. The death scenes in this game range from being crushed in between a bear trap, dismembered by monstrous spiders, impaled by spikes, being sliced in half by saws, and did I mention death by blowguns? 

Presentation

The story in Limbo is very vague, if there is even supposed to be a story. The game's description says that your character is uncertain of his sister's fate and so he enters limbo to find her. I would have had no idea that this was the actual story of the game if I had not read this description before playing it. Knowing the story behind the game has no impact on playing the game itself. Your character awakes in a forest setting and as you progress through the level you realize that things seem out of place, especially when you run into your first bear trap. While at first it appears the only inhabitants of Limbo are giant spiders you will soon find other humans who want you dead, which just adds to the mystery of this game. 

Graphics

Limbo has a very unique visual aesthetic and almost seems to be an art-form in itself. There are only two colors in the game; black and white. The color is contrast is done extremely well, and having only two colors adds even more to the game's puzzle elements, since traps blend in so well with the background. The background and foreground art changed throughout the game and add more depth to the game which make it seems like Limbo is it's own world. While the artwork may seem simple and the shading of the game even simpler, it is done with a polish that few other games can deliver.

Audio

The music in this game is amazing, or should I say “lack” of music. There are very few portions of this game where music plays and for the most part you will find yourself wandering through limbo in an eerie silence. The ambiance of the background sound effects, such as rain falling or a mine cart's wheels rolling on a track , add an even deeper level to this game on top of the great visuals. The world really seems to come to life, and I could feel the tension building in the game as the game progressed and the puzzles got harder, since the most distinguished noises in the game came from traps which would cause a cacophony of destruction.

Gameplay

At it's core Limbo is a platforming puzzle game. You progress through each of the 24 chapters in a linear fashion. Slowly making your way from one side of the stage to other while solving a myriad of puzzles along the way. Puzzles are solved by pulling objects through the level and with carefully timed jumps, as these are the only two actions that can be performed in the game. I must give forewarning to be prepared to die while trying to solve Limbo's puzzles, because you will be dieing frequently. Dieing in Limbo doesn't really have any harsh forms of punishment since the checkpoint system is done really well and you generally start at the beginning of the puzzle that you died at. The early puzzles in this game mainly involve spotting traps and avoiding them with well timed jumps, but at the end you will be using gravity switches that you will have to use to move boxes and yourself around the map so that you can reach higher areas. With a little patience and some quick reflexes you will have a great time solving this game's puzzles.

Summary

Limbo is a short game and will last the average person three to four hours, and while it's not a game that you'll be playing over and over I expect to replay it at least once more to collect the “secret eggs” hidden throughout the levels which unlock achievement points. Limbo is a game with simple design, a simple control scheme, but it delivers an elegant experience and I'd recommend it to anybody who would like to try something new on Xbox Live Arcade or anybody who loves a good challenge.

Rating 4.5 out of 5

To Buy or Not to Buy

Here's the dilemma... I want to buy Microsoft Points so that I can buy Limbo, but all through October if you spend 2400 Microsoft Points then Microsoft will reward you with 800 bonus points. Unfortunately you can't just buy 2400 points, Microsoft knows this too and is exploiting it in their marketing. Either I'll have to buy 1600 points plus the separate 800 points which is $40, or I have to buy the 4000 point package for $50. I'm leaning towards the 4000 points because then at least I'll have the extra points for when the next great arcade game comes out. I'm glad I had this conversation with myself...

You can expect a review for Limbo to be up before the end of this weekend!

Fall Breeze

I know this isn't a video game related post, but I wanted to post my Japanese haiku here.

Akikaze ya
tada tame tabi
hara ban

Fall breeze...
Free to travel
The evening fields

Halo: Reach Review

Many gamers that I know have had their best video game moments while playing Halo. I remember calling twelve of my friends over to my house. I remember making them haul over their television, Xbox, a copy of Halo, and multiple cases of Mountain Dew. I remember cramming all of us into one house strewn across multiple rooms and playing the original Halo for hours on end, all the while letting the mayhem and carnage ensue around me. This is what Halo: Reach does for me once again, minus hauling everything to one house thanks to the miracles of modern networking.

Halo: Reach is a prequel to the original Halo. No longer is Master Chief the only Spartan left in the universe, and although he doesn't make an appearance here, you'll learn to love this new Spartan group that you play through the campaign with. Enter Noble 6, this is your character in Halo: Reach, and he has been assigned to Noble squad. Over the course of the campaign, you and your companions from Noble squad will battle through a plethora of Covenant foes. Reach’s story arc spans ten chapters, which will typically take the average gamer eight to ten hours before the end credits, during which you will be pulled into what is in my mind the most epic of Halo's story-lines. As a longtime fan of the series, I can safely say that Reach’s finale ranks among the series’ best. I even shed a tear here and there, but I'll keep this review free of spoilers.

You will traverse a variety of areas across Reach, from mountain top cities to Covenant bases, and there are even a few missions that take place in space. The core shooter mechanics of the franchise haven’t changed all that much in Reach, but have been tweaked to near perfection. While Bungie has removed the possibility of dual wielding weapons, they have added a few new weapons to the Spartans arsenal. Among the new additions is the needle rifle, where three shots to one spot causes the needles to detonate. Another welcome addition to the series is the use of abilities. These perks found throughout the course of the campaign give Noble 6 special capabilities. You start out with the sprint modifier, but throughout the game you will find a multitude of abilities, from the capability to drop a bubble shield at will, to an armor lock-up that makes you impervious to all damage. While these abilities are on a cool down timer, they do come up regularly and can help turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Halo: Reach is the best looking Halo game to date. The action looks great and runs smooth. All of the Covenant costumes are really well done and makes them all feel different and unique for the most part in the campaign. The cut-scenes are well done, and will have you immersed into the story and have you wanting to know more about your companions on Noble team. Even better, you now have the option to customize the armor of Noble 6, and these changes are visible during both game play and cut-scenes. This helps to make you feel unique and different from the millions of other Spartans playing this game.

The sound in Halo: Reach is phenomenal as well. Hearing the explosions and bullets erupt around you makes this game almost feel realistic. The squad's dialogue is very well done, making you feel like your teammates are really talking to you. If you face or walk away from your teammates, their volume will decrease, causing you to move towards them again so that you can hear what they are saying to keep you involved in the action. The music for the cut-scenes, game menus, and title screen are all well orchestrated, which is nothing less than I'd expect from the audio team at Bungie. They did a great job delivering an audibly pleasing experience, and giving me a better sense of immersion than titles offered by other developers.

Multiplayer will definitely keep players coming back for more. This is a game people will be playing for months and months to come. Halo's multiplayer experience is really what this game is about. The game modes are really well done and before each round you and your fellow players get to vote on which map or game mode that you wish to partake in. The variety of game modes is enormous, and will keep things fresh and interesting for even veteran Halo players. Infection, a fan-favorite game mode in the series, makes its return here. Racing mode is a welcome addition, where you race an all-terrain vehicle through checkpoints while trying to maintain control of your unruly vehicle. If all that wasn't enough, you can also participate in Firefight once again.

Halo: Reach has a great story which breathes some fresh air into the Spartan story-arc by allowing you to play as someone other than Master Chief for once. The multiplayer game play will be bringing you back for months to come, and you will enjoy what these modes have to offer. I'm sure that this will be a game that will give me new stories to tell about how video games brought me and my friends closer than we ever wanted to be.

Ichi

This is a momentous occasion for myself. I have been wanting to start blogging about my one true passion for a long while now, and if it wasn't for my busy class schedule and the rigorous hours of vidja gaming I probably would have started this blog years ago. But now I'm making my presence on the internet known, even though nobody will probably ever read this. But I'm going to make the best of this either way. Expect my future posts to inform you all of what I've been playing in the virtual world as well as some snippets about anime, my second passion in life.

If I start ranting in here about games, I do apologize in advance. While I may love vidja games, I also hate them sometimes. Such as the game Limbo. I downloaded the trial for Xbox Live Arcade and while the game is aesthetically pleasing with it's simple color design with just different shades of black, it's puzzle elements were fraying my nerves! In this game you play as a young boy who for no apparent reason must walk through this dreary world by his lonesome and use his wits to solve gruesome puzzles. Seriously who hides a bear trap in the middle of a road!?! And what boy can't swim?!? And how did those spiders get so huge?!? Seriously who let Shelob out of her cave (LotR reference)!?! But in the end, I realized that I enjoyed this game, and I will probably buy it in the future...