Dreamcast Stuff

Happy Halloween everyone!

Yesterday I received a package of Dreamcast stuff from PnP Games in Manitoba.



As you can see in the pics (sorry my camera is crap for focusing, you'll have to bear with me)

I got a couple of controllers and a stash of VMUs, all in their original packaging and still sealed! The VMUs even had their original batteries (as you maybe able to vaguely make out on the blue one (left it on the clock function for the pics)

Other big time Dreamcast fans will notice the controllers have the rare Blue Swirl logo. (Sega was sued by a company who used that logo, so they switched it up for the orange one) I was skeptical while ordering the controllers that they would infact have the blue swirl, I thought the store just threw that up in an effort to encourage buying, but when I saw the the blue box, my fear was put to rest. Either way, if you suffer from Nerdy tendancies to buy rare things, nows your chance to grab some brand new blue swirl DC controllers.

Fast shipping and items in great condition, Thanks PnP Games!

Check their online store ou here: http://www.pnpgames.com/
Or check them out on eBay

Forza 3 + A little dirt 2 rant to keep it entertaining.

Just got myself a copy of Forza 3 today. skip to "End dirt 2 rant" if you just want to read about Forza.

Personally Forza's presentation really does it for me (on top of the stuff I've listed below), it presents motor sports the way they should be presented, with respectability and prestige Not "YO DIS SHIT LIKE fAST AND DA FURIOUS YO! We b LIKE HAVING A BLOCK PARTY AND THEYS BITCHS ALL ROUDN" I've been to car meets. Unless incredibly attractive women are showing their cars, are there with their boyfriend, or being paid as a car models..They're absent.

By the way...Codemaster...Dirt 2? what the hell was that? Thats a perfect example of abandoning motor sport's pretense of respectability and giving way to skater culture and FnF block party-ism, let alone corporate sponsors that don't really have shit all to do with the game or subject. Yes, I know DC shoes sponsors drivers, but still, I do a lot of driving, skateboard shoes aren't really a good shoe to drive in. Also with the dumb emo-punk sketch art and stupid type font, I felt like Avril Lavigne was going to pop out and try to sell me a camera....

The other drivers... well I'm a long time rally fan, when things go bad in rally races you don't exactly hear "oh well...teehee guys, I guess I'm out." or in an occasion where two vehicles contact, "Dude, that like should not have happened" Codemasters, I want to hear German profanities extrude from the cockpit, not some pussy with his hat on sideways tell me I shouldn't have done that. And yeah...if they hit into you, they blame you for it. Dicks! put your hat on straight and "pull up your fucking pants!" - Dennis Leary.

---End dirt 2 Rant

Forza 3 review sans ranting:

I have to say I'm really impressed, Forza 2 became really tedious to play after awhile, it felt like I raced that "death adder" (or whatever the hell it was called) track about 30 times before I had the money to buy an soup up a faster car.....then I entered a new tournament and it had the death adder as the first race....wooo.

Graphically:

Visually Forza 3 is phenomenal. I would post some pics, but I'd recommend using google, try and find some nice big screenshots of it, that will give you the idea. (by the way, the game doesn't look so pretty on non HD TVs, keep that in mind).

Forza 3 seems to have a bit more variety of tracks, even in the early tournaments you enter. Naturally you start out with crappy cars (they make you choose a little low HP commuter hatchback right after giving you a nice introduction race with an Audi R8)
But before long you can afford a nice semi sports car and mod its ass inside and out.

Modify!:

Modification options in Forza 3 are incredible! Engine swaps, aspiration changes and even drive train swaps ( Rear wheel drive Type R mmmmm). Of course in addition all the other usual things, Air intake, exhaust, cams etc.

And when you buy performance parts for the car, you can custom set almost everything, even the tire pressure. Nice touch, might be a bit difficult for people that aren't all that into cars and tuning, but they have explanations of gearing, lowering, etc. Take the time to read them if you don't know what you're doing.

Cars:

A good library of cars is contained in Forza 3. I was expecting more (especially since you need to install about 2 GB of data to your HDD if you want the stuff on disc 2) But theres enough that you can find your niche, and they have Grand Nationals...and that just kicks ass. there are SUV's for some retarded reason... Sure SUVs are the flavour of ass wipes with way too much money, and they haul a good ass off the line, but seriously? Rally I can understand SUVs, but circuits + SUV = really lame.

Skill level:

Difficulty of the game is very customizable. A lot of assist options are given to the player, most of which are annoying as hell for seasoned racing game veterans. I started to get really pissed on the first race when my car was breaking for me like...it was actually breaking itself, which threw me off because I like a little slide in ma driving. But a trip to the assists menu can change all that and you can adjust the game to your skill level.

Bottom line:

A great racing title with lots to do. It will keep you busy till Gran Tourismo 5 comes out...or also when GT 5 comes out in case it sucks.

Halo ODST

ODST:...another halo?

I'm honestly not much of a halo fan. Halo 2 was a pretty big diassapointment for me.

However as a good friend and I are fond of going through games on co-op modes, so we've gone through evey halo game side by side. Which has been enjoyable, but short of co-op I've never had much fun with halo games. Multiplayer is infested with retards who can't use the god damn mute function on their mic. And of course, the loveable internet tough Guy (becuase talkin shit in person be dangerious yo!)

Anyway, general Halo whining aside,

ODST.....Well I don't really understand the point of ODST, With a story that doesn't really matter and full of annoying characters you just really don't give a shit about. Like the boyfriendy girlfriendy characters you're forced to listen to their exposition right off the bat, which is just down right crappy. The advertisement of space marines rushing through fire, blowing the crap out of stuff in all directions is toned down to some crap character interaction....thanks guys!

Changes:

The health pack thing is a change, and a change for the worse. Now instead of just beating it in a corner for a few seconds, you have to seek out giant port-o-potty looking things to grab a cylinder that heals you. We all know sitting in a corner to regen health is dumb, but the medical packs in games don't make any sense either, why mess with something that works? Its like going back to the dark days of videogaming, getting stuck at a checkpoint no where near a damn health pack.

I seem to remember hearing part of the philosophy behind ODST is that you're a Marine, not the master chief, in other words you're not some crazy ass warrior who regens shields by beating it in a corner for awhile after getting shot, and you can't carry redundant amounts of gear.
Well they kinda screwed that up, since you can still rip Heavy machine gun like weapons off their stands and run around with them. Probably because Halo fans would bitch too much if you couldn't do that.

Ammo seems to run out really really really fast. I switch weapons so much in that game I can't even remember what the hell I'm carrying with me. In the heat of a fight its just like "LOL PRESS Y TO SWITCH" ...oh uhh okay? didn't I just have 250 rounds 45 seconds ago? You try and pack the spartan laser or a good ol rocket launcher for tanks, but you have to end up dropping it to pick up something you can actually fight the grunts and brutes with.


Visually however, ODST kicks ass, Aside from one problem of the game starts out really dark, still, the game looks damn good. Pleasing to the eyes, and interesting urban environment to start off with too. Although the city is full of giant doors..which kinda ruins the "I'm in a city" feel.

Also, whats up with the 3d map? that really doesn't help.

Firefight mode: Hells Yea!

This is the most fun my friend and I had with ODST, there's a bunch of aliens, slaughter the shit out of them and don't stop till you die. Can't really describe it more than that, its fun, you kill a lot of aliens and die like a bad ass. Old man Nukem would be proud son.

Well, this is a pretty crap review to start out with. But I decided to throw up a new, more topical game to kick off my new blog. If you're a halo fan you're probably already writing a leet speech hate mail/comment to me.

Bottom line: If you're a big time halo fan, well...you probably already own ODST. If not, if you've had some enjoyment with the halo series, I'd recommend a rental, go through it with a friend, or just tear up aliens in firefight mode. Firefight mode kicks ass.

New Blog!

Hello everyone, well I've decided to follow through on a new blog.

Summer 2008 I created a blog with a similar name. I think I made two posts and forgot about it.

Now, for some reason I feel compelled to create a new blog, and actually follow it through this time.

So get ready everyone to hear another 20-something year old wanker object his opinions onto the internet!