Apparently I Was Good This Year

As a complete shock to me, as I'm sure it is to you, I did not recieve a lump of coal for Christmas this year. On the contrary I recieved some very nice gifts from the Video Game Santa. Now all I need is the time to play all of them. Here is a quick list of the games and their descriptions and why I'm am so looking forward to playing them in the upcoming weeks.

Left 4 Dead (Xbox 360) It's the zombie apocolypse, bring friends! I've played this game for just a short time since I've been back from New Year's and it's just awesome. You are running around a destroyed city with three buddies and shooting everything that moves. And let me tell you when I mean you are shooting, I mean you are shooting every single thing that moves with every single bullet you can find. After playing the game for 30 minutes, the 30YOFiance came out of the bedroom and said, "All I hear in that game is gunfire and screaming." Awesome!

Guitar Hero World Tour (Wii)

As you may already know, The 30 Year-old Gamer's 30 Year-old Girlfriend has now become the 30 Year-old Fiance. The game we love to play the most, is Guitar Hero World Tour. We love to rock out and our band that we started "The New Hotness" is all about the rock. This game has 81 originally recorded tracks from the original artisits. It has plenty to offer with plenty variety. If you loved the original, you will love this one.

Fable 2 (Xbox 360)

Here's a game that I think may steal the show. It's a role playing game that has gotten rave reviews including Game of the Year from G4TV, but I'm not really one that relies on other's opinions. It starts like a typical Disney movie. You know, young kid, terrible tragedy that will define his whole life. Normally it will scar a kid for life, but since you are controlling the kid your actions will define if it does or not. If only real life were so easy.

Super Monkey Ball (Wii)

This is just a fun happy game that is relaxing and fun to play with others. That is until the stupid monkey doesn't go where you want it to. Then the game become an excercise in restraint, as in restraining yourself from throwing the Wiimote into the center of your very large TV. However when everything is going smoothly, the game is a lot of fun to play, and I can't wait to have a few beers and having at it.

As the weeks go by, I'll give you more in depth stories with these games. I do love playing them and look forward to getting to play them in depth as the weather gets colder and colder.

Until next time,

- The 30 Year-old Gamer

Nintendo has got to be pissed!

Have you checked out my gamertag at the top of this blog lately? That is my Xbox 360 gamertag which is basically like a gamer business card. It tells you my name, what games I've played recently, and my achievement points, which is like a running score of achievements from each game I've played (hint: over 10 thousand is a lot for a casual gamer, but is nothing compared to a real hard core gamer). Now the real question is how did I get my Nintendo Wii Avatar as my picture for my Xbox 360 gamertag? I didn't. That's my new Xbox 360 Avatar.

A couple weeks ago the Xbox 360 gave every single customer a free gift. They gave us the "New Xbox Experience", also known as NXE. The NXE is nothing more than a polished up version of the Xbox operating system. When you turn on the Xbox, the menu system that you see before you start off in a game has been completely overhauled. Instead of a sterile menu system full of tabs, it's now a smooth scrolling exciting list of choices. But there is more to it than just polish, there is some serious muscle behind this as well.

One of the biggest new options available to Xbox users is the availability to stream NetFlix movies right to your Xbox with your NetFlix account. It's crazy easy to use and the movies come out great, the only downside is the choice of movies available to you. Don't expect to stream the new IronMan movie, because it isn't there. But if you want to see the 5 year old Pursuit of Happiness, then you are in luck. The other main feature, as you can see above, is Xbox new inclusion of Avatars, and Nintendo has to be pretty pissed off.

This is just a complete and blatent rip off of the Nintendo Mii's. You create these avatars the exact same way you created the Nintendo Mii's and they look identical as well. But what is really going to piss off Nintendo is the Microsoft will implement these avatars much better than Nintendo ever will. From the very beginning they already put the avatars into existing video games that you can play against other avatars across the globe. You wanna jump into a game of Uno with you avatar? No problem, I'll meet you there with my avatar and drop a "draw four" card right on your head. I've even heard that they are coming out with an Xbox version of the game show "1 vs 100" where your avatar goes up against 100 other avatars from around the globe. Just awesome! Also, when Microsoft has special events, they will release customizable attaire for your avatar. Want your avatar to wear a special Gears of War 2 shirt? No problem, it's available for a limited time.

You know what the best part of the New Xbox Experience is? It was completely free and no one asked for it. Microsoft just rewarded it's loyal customers with this new functionality because they felt like keeping ahead of the curve. Playstation 3 is coming out with it's version of the NXE called "Home". We'll see if it holds up, because right now Xbox has set the bar pretty high by ripping off Nintendo completely. They took Nintendo's innovation and improved upon it and implemented it better than Nintendo ever could hope for.

I for one, love it.

Until next time,

- The 30 Year-old Gamer

'Tis the Season Shopping Guide

Last week was Thanksgiving and I hope you all had a great one. However, that holiday is behind us and we now have to start looking toward the upcoming holidays. It may seem surprising, but we don't have much time to go and grab our gifts for our loved ones. There are only three weeks before Christmas. So, I'm sure that you are already getting gift ideas for all of those gamers out there in your lives. If you are very unfamiliar with what is out there, then let the 30 Year-old Gamer help you out a bit with this very quick holiday gaming guide.

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 has a great amount of games available to it this year. This list can go on and on, and you really can't go wrong with any of the new releases. This season has some of the best games I can ever remember. But let me just hit some of the big hitters here.

Gears of War 2 - I've talked about this game at length in my last blog. The game is excellent, but it's very violent, graphic, and has major adult language. Keep this in mind for the person you are getting it for. If they aren't of age, then pass on this game. Trust me, it's violent.

Left 4 Dead - Talking about violent, and you're probably talking about Left 4 Dead. The game starts in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. The world is over taken by the undead and you and three buddies are all that are left. Your only job in this game is to survive. The game plays like a bad B Horror movie, but that is this game's charm. The game play is excellent and there is nothing quite like playing with three friends and screaming at them to come back and help you as a horde of zombies pin you down to eat you alive. And if your friends are anything like mine...they'll leave you there to die. Thanks buddies!

Fable 2 - This is an excellent Role Playing Game that is for all ages. It plays out like a Disney game where the main character has tragedy strike him at an early age and the rest of the game is just a challenge and adventure. But what separates this game from the rest is that your decisions in this game really affect your character and the outcome. If you are a dick, you become a dick in the game. You want to go evil, go evil my friend. You want to play the hero, then play the hero. It's all up to you, and it's all good.

Fallout 3 - This is another Role Playing Game but it's definitely more adult than Fable 2. This game takes place in a post-nuclear holocaust Washington DC. The visuals of running around the DC wasteland is fantastic. The game is created by same people who created Oblivion: The Elder Scrolls, which is by far my favorite RPG of all time. And I don't usually play RPGs. They just aren't my type of game. However, Oblivion was so good, that I could definitely saddle up for one more adventure in a DC wasteland. Sign me up.

Nintendo Wii

Wii Fit - Nintendo didn't really release many games this year, but the ones they did are all family friendly and most are pretty good. The biggest one they released was easily Wii Fit. Here is a game that comes with a balance board and has you go through some major exercises in an effort to actually get the gamer in you into the best shape you've ever been in. From everything I've heard, this game really kicks your ass too. So if you like the exercise tapes in the living room kind of workout then this is definitely for you.

Mario Kart Wii - It strikes me as kind of funny that there are still Wii owners out there who don't own this game. What are you kidding me? This is the best game on the Nintendo Wii. It's simply the most fun you can have on the Wii without playing Wii Sports. It plays like all of the other Mario Kart games, it's simple for everyone to learn, and is a blast for all ages and all gamers out there. Without a doubt, it's a must buy.

Playstation 3

Little Big Planet - PS3 had sort of a tough year. It never really met its full expectations and only have a few console specific titles that are must buys. Little Big Planet is definitely one of them. It's the unique game of the year. You control mini sock puppets that you create and with the help of friends try to get through a map that is created by real life gamers as well. As they come up with more devilish and sadistic ways to have your sock puppets stumble as they get to their goal, the game get funner and funner. Great for everyone and a must own PS3 title.

Resistance 2 - This is PS3's version of Gears of War 2. If the game is half as good as GOW2 then it is an absolute must own. But again, like GOW2, this game is adult and meant for adults only. If you have little kiddies out there, have them play Little Big Planet instead.

Multi-Console

Madden 09 - Simply the greatest football game ever created. But have no doubt, this game is realistic and realistically hard. You will need to know a lot about football, offensive schemes, defensive packages, and strategy if you hope to have any success during the season in this game. Madden features great graphics and commentary and if you are a football fan, then this game is like crack it's so addictive. John Madden brought his A Game to this game.

Rock Band 2 - How can we talk about the holidays without the biggest games of the season, Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero? Rock Band 2 is the sequel to last year's monster smash. The good news is that if you bought last year's huge game with the drums and guitars, you won't have to repurchase the instruments. All you need this time around is the video game which features an incredible play list and downloadable content (for extra money of course) that will keep the entire family happy until next Christmas.

Guitar Hero World Tour - Guitar Hero realized it got it's ass kicked last year and didn't want to go that route again, so they came up with their own instrument package with a drum set (where did they get that idea from?). If you just want to play with the guitar that you got from last year's game, no worries, you can. You don't need the whole instrument package to play the game. However you will be missing out, because who doesn't want to do a drum solo? Either way, regardless which game you decide on, both Guitar Hero and Rock Band are can't misses and I'm sure both companies will be raking in the dough this Christmas.

Regardless of what games you choose from the above list, I'm sure the gamer in your life will love it. And they will think that you are a very knowledgeable and informed gamer, when in reality all you did was just do a little web blogging. Happy Holidays!

Until next time,

- The 30 Year-old Gamer

All Geared Up!

Tomorrow will mark the one week anniversary of the release of Gears of War 2. It's a hallmark event. I'm so in love with this freaking game I think I might pick up flowers on the way home tomorrow and give them to it. But before I get into the game and my ridiculous obsession with it, let me first back up by telling you about it.

Gears of War plays like a modified first person shooter. You spend most of the time running around in a third person perspective (camera behind the main character), but when you get into combat you can zoom into a first person perspective (camera inside the main character's head) for more accurate shooting. This whole process works very smoothly. This of this game like a brother to Halo 3. And if Halo 3 is the honor student of the family going to an Ivy League college, then Gears of War is the older badder brother who joined a motorcycle gang that runs guns to Mexico.

Make no mistake, this game is not for the kiddies. It's for all of the 30 year old kids out there who still get a kick out of ridiculous violence.

The story is basic, but it works well. There are a bunch of monsters called Locust that come from underground and are wiping out humanity. You play a bad ass named Marcus Fenix who is a cross between John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and The Rock. He fights in the army and is a one man wrecking crew. The story is about the humans taking the fight to the Locust and there are cool plot twists and enough story to keep you interested throughout the game.

But the true joy of the game is the combat itself. It plays almost exactly like the first game where you have to hide "in cover" behind walls and debris to protect yourself from enemy fire. And there will be plenty of enemy fire. There are a lot of enemies and they are all tougher and smarter than the first game. The weapons you get to defeat them vary from flamethrowers to grenades, and from bow and arrows to sniper rifles. Of course the star of the show is the main weapon which is called the Lancer. It's a heavy machine gun with a chainsaw for a bayonet. If an enemy gets too close then just rev that baby up and cut the guy in half.

I've played the game about half way through the story mode, and it's very well done. The game does a great job of pulling you in and out of the game and into cinematics very well. You feel from the very beginning that you are in for one hell of a highly produced ride, and it doesn't disappoint. The characters and voice acting is great. And the visuals of the game are of course some of the best on the system. But the bottom line is the game is just a ton of fun to play.

Oh and there's the online multiplayer, which is just as much fun if not more so than the story line. Playing online actually takes some real strategy. You just can't run around and shoot everything that moves or you will die a quick gruesome death. They've added plenty of new modes and each of them is excellent.

I actually picked up the Limited Edition version of the game. It's $10 more and comes with some fun features like a behind the scenes disk and picture book. But to be honest, I spent the extra ten bucks for the bigger box. This game is excellent and deserves the extra recognition on my shelf with my other games. Don't get me wrong, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a great game, but it's no Gears of War 2, and no one walking into my house should ever confuse the two, and thanks to this box, no one ever will.

Until next time,

- The 30 Year-old Gamer

Politics and Video Games

Today is Election Day for this great country of ours and it's a day that I've always enjoyed. It's a day where as Americans we put our voices to work and we show the entire world it is possible for us to elect a leader without bloodshed. It's truly a time where we can be proud to be an American and I hope all of you out there do go out and vote today. Now, I'm not here to talk about politics, and that's a good thing. There are enough of those people out there. I'm here to talk about video games. However, it is possible to talk about both.

Now video games are not a major political issue, nor should they be. There are plenty of other issues that are facing the world that are just a bit more important. However, the major issues that are facing the world do affect the world of video game directly. Specifically, the economic crisis that is facing the nation.

Right now it can be said that we are in the middle of a recession. The only question is whether it will be a minor or major one. Regardless of the answer, the impacts will directly affect the video game world. It can be said that independent smaller companies have created some of the best original video games ever. Whether it was Goldeneye created by Rare, Half-Life created by Valve, or Grand Theft Auto created by Take Two, it is the independent creative smaller developers that have led to some of the most break through video games we enjoy.

However, in this current economic crisis, it's these companies that are most at risk. It costs a lot of money to develop a video game. There development and production costs, as well as marketing and distribution costs. If a game is not completely proven with an embedded customer fan base, it may have a hard time securing financing for development. That leaves these smaller companies out in the cold.

Looking toward next year specifically, I feel that we will see more and more big company video games. It will be more Electronic Arts and Activision. It will be more Guitar Hero and Rock Band titles and spin offs. It will be more Madden and NFL Head Coach. And if it doesn't turn around quickly expect to see titles like Halo: The Early Master Chief Years and Gears of War: The Cole Train Chronicles. It will be more retread of old games than anything you've ever seen.

So whoever gets elected today, listen closely to their policies to help the smaller and mid-size companies. If these companies don't receive some relief, the next 18 months could be some real bad times in the video game industry.

Until next time,

- The 30 Year Old Gamer