My Xbox 360 has Expired, let's have a moment of silence.....

Two nights ago, I decided to played Modern Warfare 2 on my 360--I've been playing on my buddies box.  Before I begin, I'm wondering how many of you have played the single player campaign? But, I digress, my Xbox360 is a launch day Arcade sku purchased on February 2006. Microsoft has done a tremendous job by penetrating a major market which was once dominated by Sony and now "Owned" by Nintendo.

Xbox LIVE ushered me into online gaming which to today "I Love it and truly appreciate it" "there nothing better." The seamless integration of a "simple friend invite" or the ability to instantaneously chat with anyone while playing any game "who would have thought to put such a feature into a gaming console." mind you, something PC gamers has grown accustom to..

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Does KillZone 2 offer the best online MP Experience?

Killzone 2 has been released into the wild to great reviews and huge sales. Guerilla Games mega hit has been hail as the graphic champ so far this generation with fanboies around the world shutting down servers(I have never experience any issues with the servers) by putting ungodly amount of hours into online MP. Many non-PS3 owners out there may be in a perplexed state of mind about how good is online MP in KillZone 2?...can it compete with Halo? Is Call of Duty 4/5 better than KillZone 2? What is all the hype about?

KillZone 2 online MP has officially shown developer around the industry that you can have spectacular graphic fidelity along side with no lag. KZ2 online MP maxes out at 32 players total online. What has overwhelm me about Guerilla Games brainchild is how GG was able to get as much chaos onscreen with absolutely no lag. I've read an article mentioning that they were server issues with KillZone 2 at the beginning, I personally have own the game since day one and have yet to experience any sort of LAG.

Besides having great dedicated servers, what KZ2 does that the rest has failed to do is translate single player campaign graphics to online MP. KillZone 2 looks just as good online as it does offline. There is more physics taking place online than any other game I have played so far this generation.

Not only the spectacular graphics that makes KillZone 2 so special, intense sound design and no lag issues, where KillZone 2 excels is in the statistics department. Your campaign has it's own stats and so does online MP. Being able to track almost everything:

-General Stats
-Kill ratio
-Kills per hour
-Kills
-Deaths
-Suicides
-Team Kills

-Game Statistics
-Games played
-Games Won
-Games won
-Games Draw
-Games played as ISA
-Games played as HGH

-Mission statistics
-Capture and Hold Points
-Search and Retrieve points
-Search and Destroy points
-Body count points
-Assassination points

That's just a few of the stats you can track, there is your Campaign stats & unlockables and all of this can be access from KillZone.com Many may dislike the fact that you have to unlock a fair amount of ribbons to level up in MP. But this ensure you put tons of hours into online MP to compete with everyone else.

So why is KillZone 2 the best online MP experience out there you ask, is it how polished the games plays, the spectacular graphics during online play, no LAG when there is pure and utter chaos being displayed or the need to continue to level up to be competitive. It's all of the above, Guerilla Games have put $30 million and endless amount of man hours into making KillZone 2 the best online MP experience out there money can buy and it screams in every facet of this excellent FPS.

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Can Video games surpass Movies in Storytelling ?

A few days ago, Star Ocean 4 designer Yoshinori Yamagishi ranted on about how video game storytelling could exceed books or film. Yesterday, it's Mad Max director George Miller. According to the filmmaker, "Games were the poor cousin to feature films when it came to storytelling but I think it's flipping. Games allow you be much more like a novelist." George Miller is currently teaming up with God of War II director Cory Barlog to make a Mad Max game.

Miller continues, "I'm curious how much you can engage with the characters through the game-play," "It's the opportunity to make a novel." George Miller has a great point with a few games this generation merging the power of storytelling and great graphics, with such games being Bioshock and Heavenly Sword.

Star Ocean 4 producer game developer Yoshinori Yamagishi thinks game storytelling can eventually superseded other mediums. According to Yoshinori, "But in a game developer's case we always have to think about how players might react to each depiction of a character or storyline, and that's the part we can't predict," Yamagishi continues. "Nevertheless we have to make these predictions to a certain degree, and incorporate this into our work." He adds that this is more of a challenge.

"But if we manage to get over this hurdle," Yamagishi says, "then I regard video games as a greater medium to provide people with deep emotional and exciting experiences."

Bioshock with it's great twist at the end has shown developers that an engaging spellbinding tale can be woven for a console if done right. Heavenly Sword for Sony PS3 also prove you can have complex acting in a game to drive it's story while merging advance graphics. Killzone 2 has used advance graphic and sound as a weapon of immersion. Video games is currently in it's infancy and has unlimited possibilities for growth and advancements, as technology evolves at the current pace Video Games one day will surpass movies and other mediums in it's ability to tell a story and engage it's audience.

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Bad Economy! Well you need a PS3

The current economic outlook does not look too good for many. With unemployment reaching levels not seen in decades, the DJIA falling faster than a TV child star career and every other house on your block on the verge of foreclosure. Why not invest in a Sony PS3. It may sound like the most ass backward move you can make when the world is on an economic meltdown of global proportions. But, I will try to outline the logic and reason for investing $399.99 plus tax in a Sony PS3 in such murky economic times.

If you are a gamer, casual or hardcore a PS3 should be considered as your console of choice. They are currently two cheaper alternatives besides the PS3 but as a gamer the PS3 is the one you should focus on. Sony has recently confirm MAG, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain and God of War III will be here before year end. If you are the impatience type KillZone 2 will be here in four days, StreetFighter IV has officially hit store shelves, and Infamous will be here just in time for the spring bloom.

Beside a great core of AAA exclusives here in the US and overseas in Japan, you have the ability to access your PSN all for free. Now, I understand you have to pay for broadband which can cost at least $50.00 a month. But, with such a rough economy you will not have to pay to play on your Sony PS3. You will not have to pay to access premium full game contents on the PSN. You will not pay to DL any movie of choice and store it on your HDD. You will not pay to use HOME as a meeting place to conduct business, casual social encounters or getting with friends to play a game of Warhawk.

It can cost you up to $9.75 per person to attend a movie, add popcorn candy and soft drinks you can easily spend sixty plus dollars. If you own a PS3 you can say "to hell with the movies" rent a blu-ray, DVD or if you are a little adventurous DL a movie to your PC and copy it to your PS3 HDD. You can also visit Hulu/YouTube/NewsFilter and many other site to view television shows, movies or porn online all for free. If by chance you have a Sony PSP you have a portable video player on the go. All your media content on your PS3 can be access by your PSP anywhere around the world as long as there is a Wifi connection. Did I mention this is done all for free?

Now say you hate movies and do not plan to buy, rent, or stream any movies to your shiny new PS3. And your idea of any games consist of two rocks, one egg and a donkey named Eddie. The PS3 still oozes with value. You can use your PS3 as a cheap PC alternative to browse the Internet, check the weather, read sports, or just kill time. Life with PlayStation will help feed your appetite for global news and weather and at the same time teach your young lings some geography or maybe yourself. If having unlimited access to the world news all for free does not float your boat you can help contribute to the Control of Membrane Fusion Mechanism by Lipid Composition: Predictions from Ensemble Molecular Dynamics(WTF) by using Sony Folding@home. With your new PS3, even if you are not a lover of movies and games you can still be well informed about the world events and weather while helping scientist of the world solves gods riddles.

Ok, if you do not like playing God, can't stand blu-rays(hurt your eyes), would shoot mother nature if you had a chance and thinks world events is chronicling of an impending doomsday. Do not worry there is still more shit you can do with your Sony PS3. You can display your photos all in glorious HD to your adoring friends or family members. With the addition of the new Gallery feature for the PSN, that helps you sort your pictures by smiles, age and many other random criteria. You can make your very own custom themes for your PS3.

So with 3d Blu-ray and 3D gaming on the horizon, AAA exclusives like Killzone 2, God of War III, Heavy Rain, MAG and inFamous due out this year, built in Wifi, upgradable HDD, free PSN, B/C older models, PSP connectivity, Movie storage and purchase on your HDD, Full premium games on PSN for purchase(no need to visit the local Wal-mart anymore),Life with PlayStation, the new PSN Gallery, HOME, Folding@home, free to play with friends online and the ability to talk to anyone around the world for free. Let's not forget a very will built reliable machine that will last you years. So what are you waiting for, head to your local pawn shop(best way to get old PS3 unit with B/C) or BestBuy and pick up a PS3 do your part to help stimulate the economy!

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Sony PS3 Japanese Domination inevitable in 2009

Sony's sales numbers in the the US are currently a bleak affair if you tend to believe the mainstream media. With the recent announcement of God of War III, MAG, Uncharted II and Heavy Rain all appearing before year end this will help Sony number's rebound in the US. The enviable price cut that is due to arrive in Spring 2009 or before the end of Summer 2009 will also help catapult Sony PS3 sales to adjust to the market.

Sony currently has a very strong lineup of exclusives in Japan that has appeared at the end of last year . Sony Japanese lineup is currently helping Sony gather market share they have losted. Beginning with White Knight Chronicles or "Shirokishi Monogatari: Inishie no Kodou" which was released December 25, 2008. WKC was released to average reviews and pretty good sale with over 330K units sold in Japan only.

The story of White Knight Chronicles begins in the kingdom of Balandor, where a princess's coming-of-age banquet is raided by an evil Corporation called Wizard. A boy called Leonard grabs the princess's hand and leads her to safety in the castle cellars, where he finds a strange suit of armor that transforms him into the White Knight – an ancient warrior with the strength to defeat the Wizard corporation forces. Leonard’s transformation into a mighty hero, the White Knight, is the beginning of a life-changing fantasy experience, fighting against the fiercest enemies

Demon Soul the second title in Sony's exclusive tsunami, was released January 26th 2009 with a mere 39K sales to date according to VGchartz. Demon's Souls is an action RPG which pits you against the forces of The Old One as you fight to save humanity from extinction. It's a darker version of Oblivion.

Next is Street Fighter IV released in Japan on February 12, 2009 for the Sony PS3 with 86K copies sold just in the first day in Japan only. Street Fighter IV biggest edge in Japan will be the fact you have the option to play online for FREE. And beside Street Fighter series is a Japanese icon. It's debatable which series is more convented in Japan Mario or Street Fighter?

Ryū ga Gotoku 3 from Sega aka Yakuza 3 will be released JP February 26,in Japan only. Ryū ga Gotoku 3 demo is currently on the Japanese PSN ready for download. Ryū ga Gotoku 3 takes a departure from the first two games with its choice of setting: instead of focusing on the gritty cityscape of Tokyo, it switches gears and sends Kiryu to the tropical island of Okinawa, where he runs a center for orphaned children with his adoptive daughter Haruka. Yakuza 3 will also have a tie in with numerous tanning salons throughout Japan.

With a steady stream of exclusives arriving in Japan Sony almost every month. Sony PS3 and Nintendo Wii is currently neck and neck with sales for all of 2009. The Nintendo Wii has a total of 21,008 total units shipped in Japan compared to Sony PS3 with 19,089 according to VGchartz and Xbox 360 with only 9,999 for all of 2009 so far. This does not take into account God of War III, Uncharted II and Heavy Rain which is all due to arrive by the end of this year.

Has the insane momentum that has propel the Wii in the Japan slowed down? And has Sony finally begin to recapture their strength in their "Home" turf? I guess we will have to wait unti the end of the year to see.

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Is Syphon Filter 5 "BBC" Secret Game?

On Feb. 4, Sony's Bend, Ore. studio posted a job, seeking a game tools programmer. Sony Bend, formerly known as Eidetec, has been the developer behind the entire Syphon Filter series. According to, PCB production credits SYPHON FILTER 5 - (Facial Mo-cap) – PLAYSTATION3- SONY BEND. PCB production is a digital creation company for interactive, animation, film, music, and television productions.

BBC journalist Darren Waters wrote back in February 24th 2007 about be witness to an ultra secret potential mega hit from Sony. Darren wrote:

"So what else was I shown? Well, I was shown a trailer for a game not due out till 2009 but was sworn to absolute secrecy. Apparently, Sony just wanted to give a glimpse of what the console will be capable of.

In fact, the game is such a secret that when I mentioned the game to Phil Harrison last week he was unsure at first whether even to admit the title existed. When I explained I had been shown it under strict Non Disclosure Agreement terms he looked relieved.

I don't mean to be a tease - all I can say is that I was left speechless. If the footage I was shown truly is "in game", as told to me by the Sony PR people, then we could be on the brink of a step change in what games consoles are capable of in terms of story-telling and immersion."

Syphon Filter series has been making its rounds on the PSP for the past few years. Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror was released on PSP March 2006 and was followed up with Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow released on October 2, 2007. Later in 2007 saw the release of Syphon Filter: Combat Ops.

The last time Syphon Filter saw the light on a Sony home console was Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain, which was the fourth entry for the series and first time on PS2.

Now, lets fast forward 5 years later, with 3D gaming looming right around the corner and super computers for game consoles. It's high time for Syphon Filter to make a glorious resounding come back. Xbox has Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid has gone all out blockbuster action movie. Sony stealth solution will be a genre evolution of stealth action with Syphon Filter for the PS3.

Sony's momentum is currently picking up in Japan and has began on a sour note in the states. With mega hits such as: KillZone 2, Uncharted 2, Ratchet & Clank 2, and God of War III all hitting within the next 12 months or less. Could we be seeing footage for Syphon Filter 5 at GDC 2009 or no later than E3 2009. I will place my bet that "BBC secret Game" is Syphon Filter 5. Plus Sony has some heavy shit planned just in time for firmware update 3.0 so why not make 2009 the year of mega blockbusters announcements.

Sidenote: The magic question would be when can we expect to see Syphon Filter 5 hit stores state side?

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Sony PS3 sales suffers in January

According to new figures by research group NPD, Sony's PlayStation 3 has seen a year-on-year decline in sales of 24.5 percent in January. Specifically, last year it sold 269,000 units, whilst this year it's 203,200. The PlayStation Portable suffered a very similar fate with a 25 percent drop, with sales of 101,200 from 264,200 the previous year.

In contrast, Microsoft's console sales grew 25.5 percent (up to 309,000 from 230,000), with Nintendo making an even bigger gain of 59.5 percent (up to 676,000 from 274,000).

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PS3 Ryu ga Gotoku 3 invades Tanning salons in Japan

Sony's PS3 Ryu ga Gotoku 3 from SEGA will hit Japan February 26. So the guy's from Sega has decided to Collaborate with 33 tanning salons nationwide, this will include the popular tanning salon franchise Sole with 29 stores. Tanning and Videogames only in Japan....
Source:[Dengekioonline]

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Why All the Hate for HipHop Gamer?

Yesterday, PlanetXbox360.com published a reader-submitted article titled "Why HipHopGamer.com is Ruining Games Journalism." Slapstic.com then reported "A Fair Look At HipHopGamer & N4G's Controversial Community" to help pure fuel on the fire. PlanetXbox360 has since deleted the article on "Why HipHopGamer.com is Ruining Games Journalism" you can read the article in full below:

I am not attacking the show that HipHopGamer produces or his love/passion for video games, the thing that bothers me is the way they have been going about getting attention from the gaming public. Posting stories over and over again with the only point being to get people arguing is not right, nor is copying other site's stories or posting untrue news. I have always thought his video show was original, something different; this new way to get traffic is not anything but annoying. I'm also hoping this is a "wake-up" to sites trying to use this tactic, HHG was only the one that I noticed doing it a lot recently; there are plenty others.

For the past couple weeks I have had to continually see one specific "site" ruin the blossoming reputation of N4G.com. That site is the one in the title of this article and I cannot bear to mention it by name again. It is ruining games journalism and for that I felt a calling to write about it, and hopefully garner some amount of attention towards the trash they call "news" or "gaming articles". I could easily spend the entirety of this post pointing out grammatical or spelling errors in the website's editorial content but that would be too easy. I could also point to a countless number of examples which prove their console biased and blatant fanboyism, too easy.

Everything they write is junk, posted with one purpose: to get a rise out of fanboys and push as much traffic as possible towards their "website" (quotations used for sarcastic purpose). In the past week I have watched as four or five articles shot to the front page of N4G, all approved by the same four brain-dead individuals and it makes me sick to my stomach. All four of these so-called articles were about the Xbox 360 over-heating, or dying, or being turned into an actual toilet. Please, I beg you not to ever visit their site for editorial content; the video "show" that the HipHopGamer produces is actually not that bad (it's his writers that suck at life); yet it is full of rumors and gossip.

The only other topic HHG.com was able to touch on was that Killzone 2 would actually destroy Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 in terms of sales and gameplay performance. Yet they have not played the game at all, other than the 10 minute demo (which I do admit is fantastic). Everything that spews off of their site smells of feces and reads like something a 7th grade middle-school teacher would find in their "slowest" student's notebook. Games journalism has made a lot of progress over the past couple years and people like this are only going to bring it down to an all new level of trash. Everything does not need to be an argument, or a fanboy discussion; news should only be considered such if it has factual backing, not conjecture and guess-work.

The community of N4G.com need to be more careful about what articles are approved for public view; we can stop this junk from going ever live. There are only two other solutions to this problem and either one is fine by me. First people need to stop giving this ridiculous joke of a website any attention, I went back and forth multiple times on whether or not to even post this article. If people stop paying attention to their grade-school content we may get lucky enough for the second possibility to happen; HHG goes away and never returns to so-called games journalism.

In conclusion I am just looking for people to recognize that there is a problem with "bloggers" acting as if they are actual gaming journalists and posting news as if it is a fact. The layperson may log onto N4G.com and see some piece of junk article that HHG has posted and take it as truth, while the whole time it was made up and posted for the sole purpose of gaining traffic numbers. I do not have any personal ill-feelings towards the HipHopGamer himself, like I said I like his videos however the junk news has to stop, please!

This article was submitted to PlanetXbox360.com by a reader and the view is not necessarily one represented by the staff of this website.

The article was then posted on N4G a user submitted video game blog(sidenote: N4G is a fucking joke run by idiots with a screw up agenda) the article was later labeled failed and removed from N4G. after about 24 hours and 214 comments later.

HipHopGamer.com is operated by an African American with a popular video blog called the HipHopGamer show. HHG.com usually posts all of their stories on N4G with flaming tag lines such as "Killzone 2 a Halo Killer?", "Killzone 2 is not a Halo Killer", "Does Sony need a Halo Killer?", "Will the PS3 be able to compete with the XBOX 360 in 2009", "2009, the year of the PS3", and "Will FUD be the Industry Standard in 2009?".

Some may see this as flame bait or fanboyish but the young man gets hits to his website and has acquired a loyal following. My biggest problem with the HATE HipHopGamer.com has received is because HHG.com is ran by a African American that has merged videogames with the HipHop culture. Writing and talking about videogames has always been a non-minority field where you rarely see and hear from any African Americans. "It's time for a Change"

Everyone has the right to provide there opinion on the world wide web and at the same time try to make a living and name fro themselves. If HipHop Gamer provides informative news about the videogame industry with a HipHop twist that the gaming public is not used to, does this deserve all the Hate? I will end my tirade with two quotes: "Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” Coretta Scott King and "It is better to be hated for who you are, than to be loved for someone you are not.”

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KillZone 2 Demo Impressions

The hype has grown to a feverish pitch for what may turn out to be this century's sickest thing since the "Spanish" influenza pandemic of 1918. KillZone 2 has officially went LIVE on EU PSN yesterday and will be on the US PSN Feb 28th 2009. If you do not have or need help to get an EU PSN account, it's very easy to set up your own EU PSN Account! KillZone 2 will truly change our misguided and bias knowledge of what a next generation FPS should be.

KillZone 2 demo experience is true next generation gaming at it's finest. Every aspect of KillZone 2 from visuals, sound and total feel is a remarkable technological feat. What's sad and dishearten is the demo will end in about 14mins the first time around and a lot quicker the second, third and fourth.

I will spare you with any backstory of KillZone 2 you can easily Google it. My current Media setup is a 30" Samsung Neo-Design DynaFlat HDTV Monitor 1080i HDCP compliant with my PS3 hooked up DVI-HDMI(DVI is an 8 bit RGB signal, while HDMI can be 8 bit RGB, or 8 bit, 10 bit, or 12 bit YCbCr.) Digital Sound is powered by a Sony 6.1 Dolby Digital receiver.

The reason I provided my specs for my experience with KillZone 2. I am not experiencing KillZone 2 to it's maximum impact. KillZone 2 native resolution is 1080i/720p and 7.1 Digital audio via HDMI. The audio in KillZone 2 provides some of the best sound effects in gaming lasting a mere 14mins. I have never personally experience weapons that flaunted sexy appeal since a little game by EA called "Black". I'm in love with the way Hollywood can make the barrage of bullets being emptied from a AK47 sound almost as sexy as two naked lesbians doing sign language. Guerrilla Games has achieved a level of audio immersion that will awake an industry it's fucking scary.

Being that I am an avid gamer at heart and fairly old school certain things appeal to me. The most important aspect for me is how does a game "feel". Are the controls precise, does it do what I want it to do, and do I feel like the person I am controlling. Many games has done this right, BioShock, Uncharted, Metal Gear Solid 4 just to name a few. As you sprint around Helghan making it rain bullets. Guerrilla was able to translate an eerier feel that I have rarely felt in any FPS. Your character moved as if there is weight attached to your movements. You could sense each foot impact on the ground as you run or walk, KillZone 2 controls excels and raises the bar for other FPS to follow.

The Graphics in KillZone 2 is nothing but holy mother of god spectacular. Everything you have heard online/offline is fucking right. It is! You have to play KillZone 2 to appreciate the technology being your experience. KillZone 2 is a true Hollywood interactive experience and Sony final answer to all that has question it's agenda as a gaming console. Finally Sony, has a game that will move consoles, emotions, expectations, and a generation.

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Resident Evil 5 Sony PS3 Demo Impressions

February 2009 is a great month to be a gamer and finally one of the heavy hitters for February has dropped a demo on Xbox LIVE and Sony Japanese PSN. First off I would like to mention I am a huge fan of the Resident Evil series.Resident Evil 5 is LIVE on Japanese PSN. According to, rumblings online it may hit EU PSN as soon as tomorrow and here in the US Thursday of this week. If you have not set up multiple regional accounts on your Sony PS3 ,I highly recommend you do so now!

After playing EA Dead Space for Xbox LIVE, I was extremely eager to give Resident Evil 5 a go. After downloading Resident Evil 5 this morning and playing the two levels that's in the demo offline. I have to say I am somewhat disturbed.

Resident Evil 5 graphics are very good, finally we get a HD Resident Evil. You begin either of the two stages in the demo with your female counterpart named Sheva Alomar who is an agent of the West African branch of the BSAA. While playing offline in single player mode. Sheva will be computer controlled, she will provide you with cover fire, assist you to get to out of reach platforms, revive you when you're injuried or you can swap items together. The AI for Sheva is good, she does a good job defending herself and reviving Chris when the end is near.

I did not have chance to play online, but you can see that playing with a friend for free can be a little more fun. What has disturb me about Resident Evil 5 is the controls. After playing Dead Space, you expect every next generation survival horror game to have a fairly competent control scheme. For some strange reason, controlling your character in Resident Evil feels like racing a Sherman tank in the desert. Yeah that bad, but if there's anything that will HURT Resident Evil 5 in future reviews would be the control scheme.

The control scheme for Resident Evil is the excact same as in Resident Evil 4 for Gamecube. Resident Evil 4 for Gamecube was a great experience at the time(2005). Fast forward four years later and add two super powerful next generation consoles, the controls feels antique. Chris Redfield feels slow unbearably slow, he turns slow, runs slow, and using your knife is a hideous affair. Aiming feels like a pain in the ass, when Chris Redfield runs around it's as bad if not worst than running in Fable II.

The controls for Resident Evil 5 could really make the entire game experience a frustrating affair. There are parts where you are swarm with enemies and to accurately target your foes was quite annoying. Sheva did a good enough job fighting and reviving me but Capcom should be reprimanded for dropping the ball on the control scheme on a once great franchise.

Sidenote: Resident Evil was always about survival horror and a few good scares for good measures. Resident Evil 5 looks and has the feel of a out right run and gun shooter. The full game maybe different, but from the demo, online video and pictures, it looks like much of Resident Evil 5 takes place in day light. How can we have a survival horror game that is mostly played in the day light in Africa? After playing the demo fro Resident Evil 5, I may consider this a rental first before I splurge $59.99 plus tax.

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Fanboy, Fan or Pitchman what's the difference?

Well, if you've been a avid reader of NanoGeekTech one thing may come to mind, damn this "MoFo" is a fanboy? But what really is a Fanboy? Are we all fanboies/girls at heart?

According to Wikipedia, a Fanboy is a term used to describe any individual who is devoted to a single subject in an emotional or fanatical manner, or to a single point of view within that subject, often to the point where it is considered an obsession.

A Pitchman is a man who makes a sales pitch: as a: one who sells merchandise on the streets or from a concession b: one who does radio or TV commercials, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

A Fan, aficionado, or supporter is someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking and enthusiasm for a sporting club, person (usually a celebrity), group of persons, company, product, work of art, idea, or trend. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fan base or fandom. They often show their enthusiasm by starting a fan club, holding fan conventions, creating fanzines, writing fan mail, or promoting the object of their interest and attention, sites Wikipedia.

If I prefer my Sony PS3 over a Nintendo Wii am I being a fanboy? "Maybe" But I also prefer Coke over Pepsi, NY Giants over the Redskins, Blue versus Yellow, a soft pillow versus a hard pillow, Summer versus Winter, money versus no money, Wordpress versus Blogspot, you get the point.

Fanboy is a term that is constantly spouted and dropped online for gamers who prefers a specific console or how passionately they defend their choice. One of the founding principle of any free society is the freedom of choice. We as gamers and people have a choice for the most part. What makes my choice better than yours? Nothing at all, it's all about perception.

So the bottom line I prefer my Sony PS3 over my Xbox 360 and a Craptendo Wii. Am I a fanboy, fan or pitchman?

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Am I cheap or am I being a Fanboy?

Resident Evil dropped on Xbox LIVE Tuesday of last week and will be on PSN February 5th. I currently own a launch day Xbox360(no RROD yet..as I knock on wood) and have been paying $49.99 every year since. Now this is my dilemma, I would love to get a chance to play Resident Evil 5 demo now, but my LIVE gold membership expired December 2007 .

If I want to play Resident Evil 5 now this moment, I will have to pay $29.99 to play a demo? Now, I understand that $29.99 gives me access to play games online with my friends and first dibs on all new demos. But why should I pay $29.99 per year to play with my friends? My Sony PS3 is free and I am very used to free. All Microsoft Window Live players play their counter-parts online for free. So why is Microsoft still charging to maximize your gaming experience online?

Microsoft Xbox 360 should be in the black in terms of turning a profit per console. So why still charge millions of gamers $29.99 to play online every year? Now I am very fortunate to own a PS3 which helps me tremendously to justify not renewing my Gold LIVE membership. I also understand that many may not have the chance to own a Sony PS3 and Microsoft 360.

I understand everyone needs to make money and that's why we all play this game of life. Microsoft will need to make Xbox LIVE free for all, Nintendo does it, Sony does it, and Microsoft does it with all of the PC gamers. If there is anything that will hurt the almighty Xbox 360 in the future it will be the charging for Xbox LIVE.

Now besides being charge for Xbox LIVE there is a heavy amount of micro transitions on LIVE market place. If you want to upgrade your theme or avatar your are charged, if you want to change your GamerTag you are charged, if you want to download the latest demo you need to pay $29.99 to become a Gold Member. If I am paying a premium price to game I should be able to get more price breaks on LIVE market place. Give me discounts on LIVE arcade games or maybe one free game per month. Give me discounts on all Video content. Give me a discount on all Netflix video. Give me more free choice for my avatar. You get the point, "WTF" do you get for $29.99 every year beside playing with a friend?

Sony PS3 PSN is free to play online with friends, to access HOME, photo gallery, change your Gamertag, use Life with Playstation access the Video store, get online, go to different regional stores all for free. Now I'll have to agree that Sony is very heavy on micro transitions but at least their main services are free. And you have the option to pay for it or continue to enjoy the reminding free services.

Seriously if you own a Sony PS3 and Xbox 360 why would you pay $29.99 per year to play videogames online?

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Sony's Gaming Division making Cash

Doomsday does not begin until 12/12/2012, but many in the mainstream media has declared Doomsday for Sony. To everyone surprise including me, Sony has actually posted a small Q3 profit and its game division has announced a 400 Million Yen profit.

Like pretty graphs click here for proof

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Dear Sony, I want to Love "HOME" but I just Can't!

Maybe it's just me, I was not a fan of the critically acclaim Mass Effect(personally the hype is not justified for this game"my opinion") and the first hour or so of Fallout 3 bored the shit out of me. So you what the hell does this have to do with Sony Home, well absolutely nothing. Just had to get that off my chest.

I have been anticipating Sony's virtual social space Home for the longest time, when I had the oppertunity to finally join the beta I was eager elated and pretty pumped. Now about two plus months later Sony's Home has dropped on PSN and at best, it's a mediocre experience.

I am trying hard maybe too hard to enjoy and see the value in Home. But every time, I boot up my Sony PS3 and hit the Home icon a slight quiver of excitement hits me until I start to explore and interact with Home.

If boredom was to be manifested into a virtual environment it would be called "Home". Yes, there are a few new rooms, Red Bull, Uncharted and Farcry 2. Besides Red Bull, there is no point to the Uncharted Home space and FarCry 2 Home space.

So what else does Sony have planned for "Home" besides EA Sports Complex(sounds interesting)will they do something amazing with firmware update 3.0 or would they milk the "beta title" to justify the mediocrity. At this moment there are a few things wrong with "Home". It lacks most of the features that was promised and it's a virtual bank for Sony(microtranstation anyone). See video below and you be the judge

GDC:2007 PS3 Home 'Features' HD

Where is my trophy room? Where are the third party "Home Spaces"? Can I have the ability to move faster in Home? Could we have faster loading times when traveling to and from different "Home Spaces" The problem with Home for me is it still feels dull and lifeless even with people running around doing the cabbage patch. it feels very "1999"

GDC:2007 PS3 Home 'Hall of Fame'

I know Home is supposed to be a virtual meeting place to meet new people and hang out with your current friends. Most of the people on my friend list does not even know Home exist(they are never "Home"). The virtual stores located in "Home" currently still have the same shit form the beta, nothing new,cool or exciting has yet to emerge.

Where is the ability to take content from my HDD and place it into my personal "Home space"? I know "Home" is a ginormous( I know this is not a work but add it to your vocab) endeavor and will take a while to come to full fruition, but Sony has been fiddling around with "home" for about three years now. And it still feels half ass.

Why not include new content with every new firmware update? Offer new animation for sale(.99) or allow your users to created new content and upload it to "Home". Where is a LittleBigPlanet Space? I would think you can and should be able to incorprate LBP into "Home" in very cool and unique ways. What is Sony waiting for? How about a Metal Gear Solid Space? Sony two biggest titles has no love in "Home" (Besides LBP ads) "WTF"

Sony "Home" has great potential and I hope Sony fulfills on their promise and dreams with "Home", but at the moment "Home" is filled with empty promises and unrealized dreams.

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What is Sony planning for firmware update 3.0?

First off, I would like to state I have no clue what Sony will be planning for the big "firmware update 3.0" but it would be interesting to let the speculation begin. I have been pondering this for a minute and it's an interesting position Sony could be in to make some game changing moves.

If you think about it, firmware update 3.0 in theory should be Sony's most defining evolution in it's hardware lifespan. Could be see 3D upgrade to watch Blu-ray movies in 3D a precursor to 3D games? As the economy continues it's rapid spiral towards "financial doomsday" Sony is feeling the pinch. Even though Blu-ray sales are doing good and Sony PS3 sales are still on a steady pace upwards, the PS3 gets it's ass kicked by the mainstream media and fanboies on a daily basis.

Going from King to pauper can be somewhat traumatic and sometimes tragic. Sony has to do something spectacular to garner some "ohhhs", "ahhhhhs" and most importantly increase interest in their brand. With KillZone2 right around the corner, and some great multi platform games within spitting distance 2009 looks like the year to unleash the beast with "firmware 3.0"
3.0 may arrive sometime this Fall of 2009 alongside the killer exclusive game lineup. I would love to see more game centric features added as part of firmware update 3.0, such as

-cross chat with friends.

-access the Internet browser while in game.

-PIP play game and or watch blu-ray at the same time.

-Customizable PSN interface. ie: make it easier to change icons, change start up sound form chime to your own music.

-Use my content on HDD or the PS3 Eyetoy to customize my PSN user icon.

-I will like to see a revamp PSN. Maybe integrated PSN into HOME ie: start your PS3 and it will greet you and you can also use your avatar to interact with start up menu.

-Access to any PS3 feature while in game without having to quit game.

-In game video chat using PIP

-Ability to play all video codec

-A better Adobe flash so I can listen to ESPN radio on my PS3

-Minority Report style interface with PSN start up menu.

No one knows for sure what Sony has planned for firmware update 3.0. There will be a great flood of hype and speculation about Sony's plans with "3.0". I'll have to say it will be interesting to see what Sony will do? Would they make a big deal out of 3.0 as a gaming changing aspect for the industry and the masses? Or would Sony do absolutely nothing and firmware 3.0 would just be released to help with the stability of the PS3. I believe there will be something game changing when firmware 3.0 is introduce how gaming changing only time and Sony will tell. What are your thoughts?

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Video Games sales KO DVD/Blu-ray sales in 2008

Video Games outpaced DVD/Blu-ray sales for the first time on a global scale in 2008. According to, Media Control GfK international game sales grew 20% in 2008, to $32 billion. Combined DVD/Blu-ray sales fell 6%, to $29 billion. You can very well bet "your left whatever" that Nintendo had a great hand in the pawange of DVD/Blu-ray.

GfK is also reporting, that game software will grow to 12% this year, to about $36 billion, while DVD and Blu-ray combined will decline another 4%. I will have to say looking at Sony's list of exclusives in 2009 and the cash machine they called the "Wii". It only makes sense that software sales will grow in 2009.

Even though Blu-ray sales may seem like it may be suffering. Blu-ray sales will more than double in 2009 hitting $2.9 billion, according to GkK.

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LittleBigPlanet Dominates AIAS' Interactive Awards Nominations

Sony's darling LittleBigPlanet is getting much deserved love from the AIAS Interactive Awards. Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet picked up a mind boggling 10 nominations, while Epic Games' Gears of War 2, Valve Software's Left 4 Dead, Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Bethesda Game Studios' Fallout 3, and Lionhead Studios' Fable II also picked up multiple nominations.

Quick list of nominees for the 2009 Interactive Achievement Awards follows:

Overall Game of the Year:

Fallout 3
* Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
* Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

Grand Theft Auto IV
* Publisher: Rockstar Games
* Developer: Rockstar North

Left 4 Dead
* Publisher: Valve Software
* Developer: Valve Software

LittleBigPlanet
* Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America
* Developer: Media Molecule

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
* Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
* Developer: Kojima Productions


Console Game of the Year:

Fallout 3
* Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
* Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

Gears of War 2
* Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
* Developer: Epic Games, Inc.

Grand Theft Auto IV
* Publisher: Rockstar Games
* Developer: Rockstar North

LittleBigPlanet
* Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America
* Developer: Media Molecule

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
* Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
* Developer: Kojima Productions


Outstanding Innovation in Gaming:

Braid
* Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
* Developer: Number None

Left 4 Dead
* Publisher: Valve Software
* Developer: Valve Software

LittleBigPlanet
* Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America
* Developer: Media Molecule

Spore
* Publisher: Electronic Arts
* Developer: Maxis

Wii Fit
* Publisher: Nintendo
* Developer: Nintendo

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Sony PS3 TV Advertising Needs Help ASAP

Sony has received constant flack and criticism from the online gaming media conglomerates and rabid fandrones of the gaming community for many things. Everything from, being too hard to develop for, cost of hardware is out of reach for the mass public, no AAA games, blu-ray sucks, PS3 has no B/C, and the only thing I agree with "Sony Television Advertising sucks ass through straws"

Sony recent waves of ads are simply terrible and mundane. Way back around the beginning of the new millennium(2001) Sega had a very amusing and great television ad campaign that Sony can learn from for SegaNet. Now, that Sega is no longer revelant in the console world could Sony still learn form them? Simple answer"yes".

-video after the jump:



The most recent PSN ad debuting the PSN Video Store is at the best blah. The ad is filled with contrite humor and there is nothing that makes you say "I want that PS3" or "I want to do that on my PS3" . I understand it can be fairly hard for Sony to find the right balance when making an attempt to explain a digital device that can do it all in HD and eventually 3D. But shit, Sony you need to try harder.



The next Sony PS3 ad shows off some actual in-game content with video footage. But the stupidest thing of it all, Sony show's you all the games videos on a white brick wall at night on the side of a building "WTF". This ad does nothing for any of the games being showcased. You cannot judge the quality of the games being showed, you could barley tell what games are being showed "WFT"



Sony ads does not excite, and this is a clear classic example of "when game ads go bad". If I was a gamer contemplating the purchase of a new next gen console and I saw Sony's ad for the first time. I would be some what dumbfounded about what they hell does a Sony PS3 has to offer me?

-Note to Sony: Please show gameplay footage of Sony AAA exclusives on anything else but the side of a fucking building at night!

-Note to Sony : Please show the games so people can see the high production value within advertised game!

-Note to Sony: Make the public want your shit and feel that they cannot live without it(Apple does a great job with its products), sprinkle a little excitement into your ads Sony "please for the love of God".



Sega is no longer making consoles but there's was one constant you will get out of their ads, how good the games look and owning a Sega console could be utter fun.

Sony has a long way to go to establishing a better perception of their mega console. This can be done by using many methods, with advertiser strapped for cash and willing to whore themselves to corporate America/Japan. Why not take advantage of the current economic climate and commission better high quality television ads.

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Sony PS3 Japanese Exclusive Preview

The Japanese PS3 owners has it good. The Japanese PSN store has about double the content of the US PSN Store. So I decided to do a little research and see what we will be missing here in the states.

Some of these games may never see the light of day here in the states, but being that the Sony PS3 is region free my friends we have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Japanese Exclusives after the jump.


Warriors Orochi Z

Warriors Orochi Z, known in Japan as Musō Orochi Z, is a 2009 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 3. WOZ is the third installment of the Warriors Orochi series, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. Warriors Orochi Z is set to be a combination of the first two games with more characters and stages on an updated gaming platform. The game will be released in Japan on March 12, 2009. Whether or not the game will be released in North America and Europe is currently unknown. No further details about the game have been revealed yet.



Release date(s) JP March 12, 2009

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger

Before the events of BlazBlue, humanity was on the the verge of extinction from the "Black Beast", a creature of Darkness. Hope came in the form of six heroes who wielded the power of magic. Together, the six heroes & humanity created "Armagus" a combination of Magic & Technology to defeat the Beast, which would be known as The First War of Magic.













Release Date JP Winter 2009


Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot 2

Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot 2 is the upcoming sequel to the game Steambot Chronicles (Bumpy Trot). It was officially announced that there would be a sequel on September 2006, at the Tokyo Game Show. It is currently in development by Irem Software Engineering.






Dark Cloud 3

Is a action role-playing game that is being developed by Level 5 exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It is expected to launch in Japan "around March 2009".


Ryū ga Gotoku 3

Is the fourth installment in the Yakuza video game series, developed and published by Sega. The game will be released in Japan on February 26, 2009, for the PlayStation 3 video game console. Unlike Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!, which was a spinoff, this latest installment will continue the adventures of Kazuma Kiryu from Yakuza and Yakuza 2. The game will take place both in fictional Kamuro-cho from the first two games and in Okinawa.

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