tutelsongo Blog

Why I'm looking forward to Black Ops 2

2012-11-07T00:01:00Z

If you were to ask me two weeks ago which games was I going to buy in the following holiday season my answer would have been Hitman: Absolution. That was it, just Hitman but suddenly Black Ops 2 caught my attention and the more I researched about the game the more interested I became.

Let me first write about my history with the Call of Duty franchise. The first time I ever played a COD game was the COD4 beta on Xbox360, I was instantly hooked. Of course I bought the full game when it was released and played the hell out of it (mile high club FTW!). Then I bought a copy of COD2 and in my opinion it's the hardest COD singleplayer on veteran difficulty(damn Dattle for Caen level). My next purchase was MW2 I figured "hey I liked 4 and 2 so let's give this one a try", something didn't click and I barely played it and wrote off the series after seeing the direction they were going (more "Michael Bay-ish"). I purchaed Black Ops because the cold war setting intrigued me and to play online with my buddies. I enjoyed Black Ops a lot, but after playing countless FPS games I was burnt out on shooters.The futuristic setting in BO2 didn't interest me at all so I barely paid any attention to the game, the few glimpses I caught of trailers look like a bunch of robots and crazy helicopters shooting each other.

The microwave turret to the right can also boil an egg in twenty places.

The team at Treyarch has always gotten a bad rap because they "took over" Call of Duty starting with COD3. However it is Treyarch who have taken big risks with the franchise from introducing vehicles to multiplayer to the ever popular zombies mode Treyarch isn't afraid to think outside the Infinity Ward box and yes those risks have had varying degrees of success. With BO2 Treyarch is at their most ambitious trying to appease a massive fan base while courting new players to join in and attempting to cement COD as one of the premiere competitive games available.

On the singleplayer front the developers have chosen to tell a story set in both the 1980's and 2025. The futuristic setting is used to create new weapons that are above and beyond what can be done today but still feel grounded in reality. But the biggest change to singleplayer is the addition of the Strike Force missions. These missions are sprinkled into the narrative of singlplayer and they provide the player with a sense of freedom not found in previous COD games. In this missions the player becomes an overseer of the action able to direct troops around and take control over any unit in the battlefield trying to succeed in various objectives. These mission will be crucial to the plot that Treyarch promises will have Multiple endings depending on character actions.

Multiplayer has received a mayor overhaul. Along the new maps and weapons BO2 features a different approach to classes and loadouts. Now anything that affects weapon performance is exclusively an attachment and anything that affects player statistics is a perk. For example faster reloads can only be obtained by equipping the fast mag attachment and things like stun resistance has to be obtained through the Tactical mask perk. On a side note the most annoying perk and attachment from previous games are no longer available; last stand and the grenade launcher (yay!). The killstreak system has been done away with and now you get rewards for your score, completing objectives and overall teamwork get you more points than being a lone wolf killer and therefore faster and more frequent access to scorestreaks. Last but not least is the "Pick 10" system you are no longer restrained to pick a primary, secondary, three perks etc. now you are given 10 allocation points for you to spend however you see fit and with the new wildcards you can rock two primary weapons or forgo primary weapons and enter the battlefield with just a secondary weapon and SIX perks. The combination possibilities are massive.

Lastly the Zombies mode has also undergone significant changes. Playercount has been doubled from the previous four to eight players. The traditional way to play zombies has been renamed "survival" while two new modes are introduced. "Tranzit" is a story driven zombie mode where you travel between levels. And finally "Grief" a mode where two teams of four player compete against each other while also fending off the zombie horde. The two human teams are NOT able to shoot each other but instead are encouraged to hamper the other team's survival chances or "grief" them.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops II is Treyarch's largest undertaking and along with the previously mentioned changes the developer has also promised improved weapon balance, better networking, hit detection and post launch support to name a few. I believe the team at Treyarch will be able to deliver on the promises made. Are you buying this game? What are your views on the COD games? Maybe we will face each other online. Comment below. Please keep asinine comments to a minimum beacuse as a wise men once said "If you have nothing smart to say don't say anything at all".

Did you know?

The theme song of Black Ops 2 is composed by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor who has worked on Quake.

Follow me on Twitter for random tweets @tutelsongo

Thanks for reading!

Character Evolution: Agent 47

2012-05-02T01:00:00Z

The protagonist of the Hitman video games is one of the most myterious and enigmatic main characters in gaming today. Distingushed by his bald head, barcode tattoo on the back of his head, black designer suit, pale complexion, cold demeanor and always carrying his trusty fiber wire and a pair of custom AMT Hardballers dubbed silverballers in the games. 47 is an imposing figure that strikes fear into the people in his prescence.

47 is a clone made from the DNA of four notorious worldwide criminals and from the scientist who directed the experiment, Dr. Ort-Meyer in an attempt to manufacture the perfect soldier. Genetically developed to be at the peak of human conditioning 47 also had weapons and combat training throught his life starting since he was but a child, 47 displays excellent aptitude in order to carry out his assingment.

Throught the series 47 has had a subtle but evident change in his personality. When he was a child, even though he was made to be a heartless killing machine he befriended a rabbit much to the displeasure of Dr. Ort-Meyer. The Dr. had a falling out with the other members of the project and arranged for 47 to escape in order to have him assassinate them. After completing his contracts 47 went after his "father" and antagonist Dr. Ort-Meyer himself. He found him in a secret lab under an asylum protected by a small army of clones, 47 killed the all and finally broke the neck of Ort-Meyer leaving behind any trace of him or the experiments.

On Hitman 2: Silent Assassin 47 shows remorse for what he's done and feels out of place in the world. Now living in a catholic church on Sicily 47 seeks guidance and atonement for his sins under the tutelage of friend and pastor Father Vittorio. After the father is kidnapped 47 is forced to return to his old ways in order to be able to find him. When the game end 47 has rescued Father Vittorio and he gives him a crucifix to keep as a simbol of the good in men, something the father sees in 47. However 47 leaves the crucifix behind deciding that there is no good in men and that he must seek peace within himself and choose his own path.

During the events of Hitman: Contracts, 47 was shot while leaving the scene of a job. He arrives at his hideout, bleeding out and starts hallucinating going back and forth between reality and his memories of various contracts previously carried out. He recovers just as the police are surrounding the building he is in. During this, 47 has an interesting monolouge about how "there's a bullet for everyone" and even if he dies he has to kill whoever knows his identity. Aftewards he flees to the airport where he is informed as to what happened that got him shot and how deep the conspiracy goes.

On Hitman: Blood Money the ICA the company 47 works for is under a severe treath by a rival company labeled "The Franchise" who has ties to powerful people in the US goverment and is looking to replicate the success of the Ort-Meyer cloning program, but in order to achieve that they need a bone marrow sample fro 47. After the ICA goes under, 47 assassinates the vice-president of the United States who was recently planted there by The Franchise and also kills the hitman they sent to murder the current president. He is seemingly betrayed and piosoned by his handler Diana and delivered to the Franchise to which she has defected. During 47's funeral Diana places his guns on his chest, applies an antidote to revive him from his chemically induced "death" and locks the gates of the premises so no one can escape. 47 wearing a white suit instead of his trademark black murders everyone present on the ceremony and lays low afterward.

Altough little is known at this point about the forthcoming Hitman: Absolution it seem IO Interactive is putting an emphasis on the story this time around and that 47 will be a central focus of the game.

Did You Know?

Agent 47 was desinged to look like David Bateson, the man who voiced him all the way up to blood money.

47's barcode tattoo's numbers are 640509-040147. His date of "birth" and his series, class and production number.

He made a cameo appearance on posters in Freedom Fighters, an IO developed game.

He often uses the name Tobias Rieper; a play on the words Grim Reaper common name for "death".

Thanks for Reading!

Comment Below.

Character Evolution: Sub-Zero/Noob Saibot

2012-04-25T19:36:00Z

The revenant Noob Saibot has gone from being a hidden opponent on Mortal Kombat 2 to one of the most popular characters (or is it kharacter?) in MK. His name is originated from spelling the last name of MK creators Ed Boon and Jon Tobias backwards. On Mortal Kombat: Deception it was revealed that he was once was the original Sub-Zero that competed in the first Mortal Kombat game.

In life, his name was Bi-Han and as an elite assassin for the Lin Kuei he received the codename Sub-Zero for his ability to control ice to the point where he could freeze opponents an abilty that he shares with his youger brother Kuai Liang. His attire is the traditional Lin Kuei attire with blue accents.

The Lin Kuei sent him on a mission to retrieve the map of elements in order to locate Shinnok's amulet in exchange Quan Chi would wipe out the rival Shirai Ryu clan of ninjas. On said mission he is confronted by Hanzo Hasashi of the Shirai Ryu clan who was also sent by Quan Chi. After a battle Sub-Zero murders Hasashi in cold blood(no pun intended) and deliver the map to Quan Chi just as he delivers the remains of the Shirai Ryu Grandmaster to the Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero then embarks on the quest to retrieve Shinnok's amulet where he is succesfull but he is ultimately betrayed by Shinnok and Quan Chi and escapes after thwarting their plans.

The Lin Kuei are later approached by the sorcerer Shang Tsung about recruiting Sub-Zero to participate in the Mortal Kombat tournament. During the tournament he is confronted and subsecuently killed by Hasashi now ressucitated by Quan Chi as the ninja spectre Scorpion. It was Quan Chi who also made Scorpion believe that Sub-Zero murdered his clan and family when in reality it was Quan all along.

On the following tournament he would make his debut as the wraith Noob Saibot appearing on the background watching as other competitors fought each other. After his defeat at the hands of Scorpion his soul descended into the netherrealm where the evil in his soul was enhanced by Quan Chi and he embraced his dark ways. He pledged allegiance to Shinnok and joined the brotherhood of shadow. Now his powers were based around his command of shadows and his appeareance was all black.

During the events of MK: Deception Noob, now by himself and serving no master, captured and reprogrammed the cyber ninja Smoke to become his servant, plotting to use his technology to create an army of cybernetically enhaced demons to command as he pleased. After the events in Armageddon and the reset of the timeline(MK 2011), when Quan Chi ressurected Noob he was not able to fully recruit Noob to his side. Therefore he was able to keep his free will. His fatalities are amongst the most brutal and graphic in the game.(look them up!)

Bi-Han holds the distinction of being the only combatant to have appeared in some capacity in every main Mortal Kombat game. Saibot is not used on his lifebar since Deception this is because Saibot is actually the name of his shadow. The way this character has been able to completely change his identity and still remain liked by the fanbase is remarkable. What will his scheming ways have in store for the MK universe?

Special Thanks to GIO member Rich for the pseudo request!

Thanks for reading!

Komment below!

Who should Kratos fight next?

2012-04-24T05:01:00Z

Warning: The following blog post contains explicit idiocy

The God Of War series is known for it's brutality, action and greek mythology inspiration. The series main character Kratos is famous for murdering in graphic and violent ways the characters he encounters. With the recent announcement of a new installment in the series titled God Of War: Ascension many are wondering who will Kratos face next. Taking into consideration that the series has taken their fair share of liberties with greek mythology I've compiled a list of worthy adversaries for Kratos to face.

Xena: Warrior Princess

Umm... How come you don't cut yourself holding that?

First introduced in the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys TV show Xena went on to star on a very succesfull spin off show based on her character. Xena posseses great fighting and acrobatic abilities. She uses a sword and a chakram and a tight leather dress(for armor I guess). She as well as kratos is seeking redemption from past wrongdoings, also she has a crazy battle cry.

Bubo

Urge to kill... Rising

I just want to see the freaking thing get destroyed... Anyway Bubo the mechanical mostrosity was to Perseus from the original Clash of the Titans as Navi is to Link in Ocarina of Time. It's annoyance far outweighted it's helpfulness. Kratos should take his time dismantling the little owl robot (maybe a scene like the one with Hercules in GOW3)

Autolycus

That guy doesn't have much time left(read below)

No, not the one in actual mythology. But instead the cooler Bruce Campbell version from the TV shows Xena and Hercules mentioned before. Autolycus is the self proclaimed "King Of Thieves" whose unortodox style and quick tounge always get him in trouble. He would prove to be a worthy match to Kratos as he can kill someone with an apricot instantly or if he needs information he uses a muffin (maybe he was stretching the truth a little bit).

Are there any other characters you want to see Kratos go against?

Do you realise you're not getting thie time wasted on this blog back?

Thanks For Reading!

Comment Below!

I'm on Twitter @tutelsongo

You know you're a gamer when...

2012-04-19T01:30:00Z

There are many types of gamers but a couple of quirks are common amongst people who clasify themselves as gamers. From casual to hardcore to retired gamers some people have done some of the following things (some are a little embarassing). The ones I've personally done will be marked with a *.

You know you're a gamer when...

When you hear the phrase "Russian national anthem" you think of the Tetris theme song.*
When you go to someone elses home and you notice the have games you have to discretely check out their library.*
At one point your ringtone was a game song.*(pao pao island_ Puzzle Bubble)
You have a blistered left thumb.*
Qualify a microwaveable snack (e.g. Hot pockets) and energy drinks as a full meal.
Postpone going to the bathroom for "one more match" but keep doing it over and over.*
Believe you have good aim even tough you've never fired a real gun.
You know what an ocarina is without ever taking music classes.
Believe that if any barrel or crate is shot, it will explode.
You know what "new game smell" is like.*
Can recite the Konami Code.*
Berated an in game character by doing something stupid.*("why would you jump into the lava Link")

Also you notice that the people in this picture are holding different controllers.

Which of the ones mentioned above have you done?

Do you have any other gaming related quirks?

Thanks for reading!

Comment Below!

I'm on Twitter @tutelsongo

Character Evolution: Albert Wesker

2012-04-18T02:35:00Z

Scientist, S.T.A.R.S. captain and world class jerk Albert Wesker has done a lot on his career. Wesker has gone through a lot of changes as the main antagoist of he Resident Evil series first I'll go trough his in game appearances chronologically and later his storyline separately because the Resident Evil canon has jumps back and forth more than a kangaroo on speed.

Some trademarks of Wesker are his slicked blonde hair, sunglasses (even at night and/or indoors) and in later games in the series red eyes.The first time we're introduced to Wesker(RE1) he is the captain of S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team. Sporting a black kevlar vest with a blue undershirt. In this game he for the most part is a silent if slightly detatched captain of alpha team appearing for brief scenes in the mansion. In the end his true intentions are revealed he was working with umbrella and he lured S.T.A.R.S. into the mansion in order to field test the latest umbrela B.O.W.s (bio-organic weapons) he developed. He is seemingly killed by his creation theTyrant.

I would take four years and two games before Wesker made his return in Resident Evil: Code Veronica in 2000. revealing that he was infected with a virus that revuved him from the Tyrant attack back in the mansion and also granted his super human speed, strenght and regenerative abilities. From Code Veronica onward every main game in the series the events were influenced by Wesker in some capacity. When he appears in other games he is aways wearing a completely black suit with a black turtleneck undershirt.

His next mayor appeareance would be in Resident Evil 5 where he served as the main antagonist. In this game Wesker wore a completely black leather attire with a black trenchcoat. In RE5 Wesker's master plan is revealed along with how far he is willing to go in order to reach his goals. He kept heroine Jill Valentine under the influence of a chemical in order to have as a personal bodyguard to attack Chris Redfield and planned to create a global outbreak of the ouroboros virus. Wesker finally meets his demise at the hands of Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar after an encounter inside a volcano.(Imho Jill deserved that kill).

Albert Wesker is actually the result of an experiment conducted by Oswell E. Spencer (the founder of umbrella) where intelectually superior children were treated with strains of viruses to further enhance their capabilities. It was Spencer's vision to have a utopian world of superhumans with him as their godlike leader a vision that was adopted by Albert. Even after his death his legacy is still felt, in the upcoming Resident Evil 6 his formerly unknown son will play a prominent role. His disregard towards human life as well as his traitorous ways have earned Wesker a position as an iconic figure in gaming. His cold demeanor and manipulatory skills make him an interesting character one that doesn't need to get his hands dirty in order to further his goals but always presents himself as a treath whenever he is present.

Thanks for reading!

Comment below!

I'm on twitter @tutelsongo

Too Far Gone

2012-04-16T23:35:00Z

Some things overstay their welcome and videgames are no different. Be it from declining quality or outdated concept some franchses just aren't getting the critical and commercial acclaim they once got and maybe it's time for their developers to consider them too far gone and put them down so to speak. Granted the following games do have their fans, however the general consensus is that these games just aren't what they used to be.

SIlent Hill

As a big horror fan it saddens me to admit that Silent Hill has gone from being one of the premiere horror franchises in the world to a bland uninspired shell of it's former self. Aftes the release of SH3 the series has struggled to find it's footing. SH4 was developed as a different game until later in development it was decided to slap on the SH moniker. The portable games have been met with indefference meanwhile the console releases are disjointed experiments trying to revitalize the franchise but failing to acomplish their goals be it from budget or time restraints.

Silent Hill clings to the survival horror genre altough the genre is no longer as appealing to he consumers.The last true succesful survival horror game so far has been Condemned(2005) and for the sequel Monolith overhauled the combat and pacing of the game (to varying degrees of success). Even Survival Horror pioneers like Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark have teaked their formulas in order to keep up with todays changing tastes.

Sonic

Oh Sonic the hedgehog how far you have fallen. Once the biggest name in gaming (opossite Mario of course) now one of the most groan inducing names in gaming. The shift to 3D wasn't kind to the blue blur to say the least but even after the recent resurgence of 2D gaming Sonic is still stuck to below average games. When your highest profile game is an olympic themed minigame title with your former rival(and you get second billing) something's wrong.

From an over abundance of annoying secondary characters to frustating gameplay mechanics and even cross species innuendo the sonic series have gone downhill ever since the Dreamcast days.The worst part is that every sonic game has at least one, albeit fleeting moment of brilliance where everything clicks and you're reminded of Sonic's past excellence almost as if Sega is torturing you by showing what could have been instead of what it is.

These franchises are among a few franchises that have lost that spark that made them interesting and refreshing years ago. Sometimes developers and publishers need to let sleeping dogs lie and stop tarnishing the name of beloved franchises.

Thanks for reading!

Comment please.

I'm on twitter @tutelsongo

Character Evolution: Ganondorf

2012-03-29T20:00:00Z

Reinvention is necesary for characters to remain relevant and avoid becoming stagnant. Being the main villain in one of the most well known and longest running franchises in gaming Ganondorf has undergone a series of changes to his image and his methods over the series. I'll focus on the human version of the charscter as opposed to the pig/sorcerer version because Ganon was never truly developed in the old school nes/snes games

First mentioned in A Link to the Past Ganondorf Dragmire made his on screen debut in the classic Ocarina of Time. Introduced as the Gerudo Prince of Thieves, Ganondorf pleads allegiance to the king of hyrule in order to later betray him and gain the triforce. His appearance is that of a tall muscular man with light leather armor and short red hair. Some of his constant features are his dark skin, red hair, imposing stature, yellow eyes and that he posesses the triforce of power.

After Link's seven year slumber, Gannondorf now tyranic ruler of hyrule is found on his chamber now rocking an awe inspiring mullet and a long red cape. Ganondorf now labeled as the Great King of Evil shows not only dexterity playing the organ but also that he's become a powerful sorcerer. Upon defeat Ganon swears revenge on Link and Zelda cursing their descendants as he is being sealed away in the sacred realm by the gods.

Prior to the Wind Waker Ganondorf escapes his imprisonment and attacks Hyrule causing the gods to flood Hyrule in order to now lock him away under the great sea. Ganon returns later now sporting a full beard and a long robe. This depiction of Ganon Is by far the most emotive explaining why he despises hylians so much. Craving the breezy wind of hyrule in contrast to the hot during daytime and freezing nightime desert wind. After manipulating Link to pull the weakened Master Sword from its pedestal in order to break the final seal of his curse Ganon unites the pieces of the triforce in order to be granted his wish. After engaging both Link and Zelda in battle dual weilding swords, ultmately he is defeated when Link drives the Master Sword into his forehead turning him to stone.

Twilight Princess is aestetically the darkest Zelda yet and the depiction of Ganondorf is the most sinister and ruthless so far presented. After being sentenced to execution Ganon uses his power to become immortal by normal means. This forces the sages to banish him to the twilight realm. When Ganon finally escapes the twilight realm now labeled as the Dark Lord his appearance is much more royal than before wearing an elaborate head ornament, metallic armor and wields the Sword of Sages; the very same sword that was once used in an attempt to kill him. After battling Link in a multi tiered battle that includes possesing Zelda, morphing into a beast, horseback riding and finally a one on one confrontation, after Ganon is impailed with the Master Sword he rises to his feet as the Triforce of power leaves him and he seemingly dies standing in the middle of the battlefield.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest villains, Gannondorf's success is partly due to Nintendo's ability to give the character a fresh coat of paint to each reincarnation. He's gone from a thief to a king to even becoming a godlike entity. Ever ambitious and malevolent Gannondorf remains an icon in gaming always leaving gamers wonderin when he will appear next and what new tricks he will have up his sleeve.

Leave feedback and comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Follow me on twitter @tutelsongo

Gameinformer did an episode of Spoiled! about Wind Waker which features Ganondorf here: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/09/26/spoiled-the-legend-of-zelda-wind-waker.aspx

"Bad" game endings and why they're to be respected.

2012-03-25T21:03:00Z

After all the controversy over the Mass Effect 3 ending I've been wondering about some franchises who have had debated endings. I won't mention the ending to Mass Effect because personally I haven't experienced it. During this generation of consoles production values have skyrocketed and video game narratives have grown accordingly . Consumers experience defined, complex, multilayered stories and after becoming emotionally attached to the main characters and their plight trought the course of one or multiple games the conclusion of the story arc is a critical moment to the experience. The following are two examples of games from the current generation whose endings have received mixed reactions. SPOILERS obiously.

Red Dead Redemption

After being wounded and left for dead, traveling from the U.S. to Mexico and back again and assassinating his former gangmates in order to receive a pardon and live an honest life with his wife and son away from danger therefore providing him a better way of life than his own; our protagonist John Marston is double crossed by his employer Agent Ross and is gunned down on his property while his familiy frantically escapes on horseback. But that's not the end of the story, years later his son Jack, now a young adult alone after his mothers death decides to track down Agent Ross and murder him in an act of vengeance. Let's get this out of the way; John Marston FAILED the one thing he really wished which was for his son to become a man of good never materialized, instead Jack followed in his footsteps nad became an outlaw.The actual execution of John Marston is a very unceremonious event he is later buried in a small grave next to his property.

Halo 3

Halo 3 was the final chapter of the trilogy that started on the original Xbox in 2001. In the end Master Chief defeated the covenant AND the gravemind when the halo was destroyed. But when he is making his exit he gets stranded on half of the ship drifting aimlessly in outer space. It is later show that the Chief is drifting into a planet.

Both the endings received their fair share of critisisms RDR because it felt undewhelming to some, also it was viewed by others as far too bleak . Halo, many felt played it safe and was uninspired taking into consideration it was the final chapter of the flagship franchise on the Xbox. Both these endings have their fans and detractors. However, they show two radical aproaches to finishing a story. Rockstar San Diego decided to go for the throat making a very intimate yet visceral ending, Bungie decide to deliver a more Epic and crowd pleasing finish to their narrative. Many people complained how after everything John Marston went trough it was unfair for his story to reach such a conclusion. On the other side of the spectrum gamers accused Bungie for not having the courage to kill off Master Chief after they tease it during the final moments.

Videogames allow us to experince the vision of the developers like no other medium in existence. Storytelling has become one of the main draws to gamers and a proper ending compliments the tone and aestethics of the game. In no medium has the ending been changed due to fan demand and Bioware seems to be on a crossroads wether or not alter the ending of Mass Effect 3 in order to please the fans.Personally the ending should remain as it is, whatever it is, they deserve the right to end the story they created however they choose to. How would fans react if Square altered the game and Aerith didn't die in FFVII or how bout Samus if was changed into a man on the original Metroid. Do you believe Bioware should change the ending? Should we agree to disagree with thier vision but respect their choices?

Feel free to comment below. Thanks for reading!

P.S. Hey I just opened a Twitter account! @tutelsongo

P.P.S. GI has done episodes of Spoiled! on both Red Dead Redemption and Mass Effect 3.

Red Dead Redemption: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/07/20/spoiled-red-dead-redemption.aspx

Mass Effect 3 : http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/03/27/spoiled-mass-effect-3.aspx

Fall 2011. The greatest or most disappointing lineup?

2011-12-13T16:30:00Z

Arguably this year's fall lineup has been the most hyped about lineup in recent years. Jam packed with sequels to some of the greatest blockbusters of this generation of consoles the expectations were the higher they've been since probably 2007. But were those expectations met?

This years crop of games have arrived and though setting sales records they also have been met with several critisisms. Some examples include:

Modern Warfare 3 has been called as just an expansion to MW2.
Skyrim has numerous problems with glitches and bugs in some cases rendering the game unplayable
Battlefield 3 has a subpar single player campaign that feel too close to what the competition is doing and graphics on consoles are underwhelming
Zelda Skyward Sword has a game breaking glitch that stops your progress
Uncharted 3 feels inferior to its predecessor
Gears of War 3's campaing does not answer the questions set up by it's previous instalments
Assassin's Creed Revelations has tacked on new features that hinder player enjoyment

(A thrilling conclusion or a very expensive map pack?)

This are all complaints commonly expressed by gamers. I am aware that disgruntled gamers are a lot more vocal that the average satisfied gamer, but during this season there has been a bigger manifestation than in previous ocasions. Also maybe this year due to the "larger than life" nature of some of this games maybe gamers are really putting them under a microscope.

(Does the scope and ambition of a game outweigh it's numerous technical flaws?)

Fall 2011 will go down in history as arguably the most anticipated lineup in history. But several cases can be made that it should be viewed under a different light. Sound off in the comments about your thoughts on this subject.

Thanks for reading!

A song for the Holidays.

2011-12-05T23:31:00Z

I feel like I should share this song with the rest of the GameInformer community. The following is a song performed by comedian Tim Minchin. To me at least it encompasses the most important aspect of the holiday season.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

I just want to wish to anyone, even if they do not partake in any form of celebration during this season, happy holidays and that may you spend this and many more holidays with the people you care for most in this world.

Great Television Shows You May Haven't Heard About

2011-11-30T01:34:00Z

The following are a couple of great television shows that don't have a strong prescence in the US, therefore you may not know exist. These shows have gathered a cult following and are all deserving of your attention. I personally do not watch that much TV. I usually watch shows that have ended and somehow have come to my attention. Anyway here's the list in cronological order:

The Adventures Of Brisco County Jr. (US. 1993)

Originally aired on FOX on 1993. The adventures of Brisco County Jr. is a hybrid of comedy, science fiction and of course western. Inspired by saturday morning serials it tell the story of Brisco County Jr (Bruce Campbell, The Evil Dead) a harvard educated bounty hunter following the trail of the band of criminals that murdered his father, legendary sheriff Brico County Sr. The series had very high production values and it shows, the cuality and variety of sets, costumes and props is top notch. The cast gives great performances all around from rival bounty hunter Lord Bowler to a possible ancestor to a certain rock and roll icon, the characters are all really unique. The series quiky sense of humor is what sets this series apart from any other show in existence. Seriously where else are you going to find a western that has a horse that can speak to Brisco, rockets, tanks, cowboy pirates(really), ghosts and a mystical orb to name a few of the zany elements of this series.

Spaced (UK. 1999)

If you are a fan of Shaun Of The Dead or Hot Fuzz you owe it to yourself to see this series. It aired on Channel 4 during 1999 and lasted for two seasons. It tells the story of Tim(Simon Pegg) and Daisy(Jessica Stevenson) two friends that decide to act as a couple in order to rent a flat thogether.Characterized by Edgar Wright's distinctive directing style, Spaced is well known for it's rapid fire humor and pop culture references. Everything from comic books, movies, music, video games and nightlife are all fodder to writers Pegg and Stevenson. This series has probably he weirdest ensemble of characters from Mike; Tim's millitary obsessed best friend to Brian; the awkward artist neighbor. This series can currently be watched fo free on Hulu. So there's no reason to miss it.

Epitafios (Argentina 2004)

This mystery/suspense thriller was a collaboration between HBO Latin America and Argentina. Released in 2004 Epitafios (epitaphs) is the story of a former detective and a psychiatrist that are tracking down a serial murderer who kills it's victims in very elaborate ways and always leaves an epitaph behind giving a vaugue clue on why he commited that particular murder. Being produced by HBO the crime scenes are all very disturbing and graphic. A new season was released on 2010 but I haven't had the chance to view it yet. The series has a Se7en like feel to it with the detective trying to find a motive to the murders and the killer being cocky about getting away with it.

Dead Set (UK 2008)

This british horror series aired on channel E4 during halloween week on 2008. The premise is simple; during the filming of reality series Big Brother the zombie apocalypse breaks out. The zombies depicted are inspired by the infected from 28 days later which means that they run, snarl and drool loke some form of frenzied animal. The characters altough well played thay will get under your skin but taht how they were written, after all they're the pampered cast of a reality series. The gore delivers in both cuality and cuantity. If you are into zombies you should give this series a try it is a well written, fast paced, blood soaked thrill ride.

The Inbetweeners (UK. 2008)

This british sitcom aired on E4 for three seasons and spawned a film released on 2011. The series is about the lives of four high school students and their neverending quest to get drunk, have fun and most of all, have sex. This series has the most fowl and raunchy language I've ever heard on a TV show. Seriously, watching this show should qualify as an introductory class to british slang, the characters are so fowlmouthed they even make up their own words in order to insult people or refer to female genitalia. The humor is extremely juvenile and the four main characters are thrust into some of the most awkward and embarassing situations I've ever seen. As mean spirited as some of the gags are in this series, all of that falls onto the boys, yet they maintain a level of charm you can't help but feel for them as they descend into increasingly weirder situations. Currently you can watch the full series for free on Youtube. Beware, viewer discretion advised as this series has a lot of disgusting humor from vomit to bodly fluids to mild male nudity and of course the aforementioned language. Recently MTV(ugh) announced they would be producing a remake of this series but I highly doubt that it will be remotely as funny as the original seeing as it is such an adult show. Highly Recommended.

So that's it! Enjoy these shows if you can and leave some feedback on the comments. Also recommend any shows you feel deserve a watch. Thanks for reading.

Batman: The Animated Series deserves a Blu Ray release.

2011-11-22T01:21:00Z

Seriously WB WTF?!? Batman: The Animated Series(BTAS) is reveered as one of the best animated shows of all time and by many (myself included) as the best interpretation of the Dark Knight outside of comics. What else does it need to proove in order to get the HD treatment it deserves?

Recently Disney has very succesfully released remastered versions of classic films they have developed. Some of those films are 40 to 50 years old and do look very impressive in their restored versions. Imagine how good a show like this would look. The shadows that play such an importat role in the presentation of this series would look crisp after cleaning up the picture and having deeper blacks. Also the orchestral score would sound amazing on a lossless track.

Do you believe that this show deserves an HD remastering? Are there any other tv shows you believe deserve this kind of treatment? Sound off in the comments.

Batman's sad because he wants to be in HD. Poor Thing.