Life becomes busy around the holidays, and reasons to get into the Christmas spirit just pile up. So I've taken up knitting and now I have a half-made beautiful beanie.

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When I got my chance to play Fable 2, I have to say it was everything I was promised. It is a complete and refreshing change from the usual serving of first person shooters I receive monthly. Its constant humor and accessible game controls make this game a must buy if you don't have it already. But there were things that just made me feel it wasn't complete. Not in the sense that more could be done, but that more really can't be done with such a title.

I suppose you could say it got too easy. It was fun while it lasted, but after 2-3 plays through, there really isn't much to do except go online and hope your friends who are playing it haven't beaten it yet so you can help their storyline.

Before I mentioned I would include various other aspects of Fable 2 in part 2 of this review, but I really don't have enough time to cover it all. And frankly I'm not too sure how many people really care. So in this part, I'll only cover the online mode aswell as the final score.


I feel online mode wasn't very well thought out. Multiplayer mode on a single console is great when you only have one screen. However, not being able to control your own camera, or bring your own clothes and weapons over for that matter, really does make it get dull. It feels to me like they rushed the online for release and just left it as is once they got it there.



All in all I believe this game deserves a 3 out of 4. Still a fantastic game, but not quite up to par with X-Play's given title "Game of the Year."

So I was watching G4TV last week and they just happened to call out Fable 2 as Game of the Year.








































What?











Wow. Fable 2 is a fun and refreshing game and all, but I wouldn't say that is the best game of the entire year. I have to say I was worked up about it myself, but there are alot of other games that really are fantastic and give Peter Molyneux a run for his money.

Is this all because Peter Molyneux was the only big-wig X-Play could get to come on the show? Well Kevin Pereira called out Adam Sessler on this choice of GOTY and he responded with a reason that basically explains how unique and refreshing Fable 2 is, but not really why it's better than Fallout 3 or GTA 4. Or hell, Banjo Kazooie for that matter.

You can see the debate here:

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/691706/Adam_vs_Kevin_Over_Game_of_the_Year.html


In light of the situation, my memory forgets to serve me and it just occured to me that I never really finished the Fable 2 review I wrote so long ago. So in a few minutes, I'm going to post a follow-up on that with my final score of Fable 2.

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Well I finally updated to the NXE since I didn't get the chance before I left for 3 weeks. I heard from a few sources of people just getting randomly banned by the wave of mighty ban. I was happy to see I wasn't a victim, and now I'm sailing smooth on my new dashboard. =D

In other news completely unrelated.. well almost; I have almost successfully turned my iPod touch into a Pipboy 3000.

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What began as a short thanksgiving weekend vacation turned into a 3 week visit with family. I've been meaning to update for the longest time, but I've had absolutely no internet access for the past 3 straight weeks. In that time I've finished about three games give or take a mission or two. I really want to try and catch up on all the reviews I planned on making before.

I can't really promise a whole lot since I still have other things needed to be done, but I can at least tell you the few I've become addicted to and completely ransacked for all they're worth.

-Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts: Complete and utter infatuation with the vehicle builder

-Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare: I'm about a year late but all I have to say is pure perfection.

-Fallout 3: Life Engulfer. I've spent the most time on this, and I am still not near 100% anything. Not even 50%. Well maybe 60%, but definitely not 75%. Utter addiction to pretty much the same thing that hooked me in Oblivion, wide open spaces to explore and dip my toes into.


One thing I HAVE had access to is the Giant Bombcast. Don't ask me how, I just did. It and Fallout 3 are the two things that have kept me alive for the past 3 weeks. I hope I can dive into Mirror's Edge, Left 4 Dead, Dead Space, and maybe Far Cry 2 or Saint's Row 2. With all I need to catch up on outside of gaming, I am going to have to multitask. A LOT.

WHOOT! Banjo FINALLY came in the mail. Well, it looks like a nice long weekend of nuts and bolts. =P

Also, over this past week I pretty much went through horror with a third party seller from Amazon.com. I ordered a 1st Gen iPod touch for $149.00 + $10.00 shipping from a guy named Shopping Space. Well long story short, I got this iPod touch clone.


Direct Link

The box it came in was slightly different. It looked like the original iPod touch box. I'll provide pictures below. Well I got pissed after I called the guy and he refused a refund, so I hung up on him. Immediatly afterwards he got spooked and tried calling us back for some sort of a deal where we would return it to him. The man spoke about 5% English and had no common sense whatsoever. Eventually I got my refund for 149.00, but no shipping and no money for shipping back to him. So I'm not sending anything to him until I do. (atleast that's Amazon's policy.)

I think he found out we won't ship until he pays up, so he ended up threatening me with a "dispute". Very poorly worded. Here's what he said after I hung up on him after a very poorly handled phone call:

"dear friend we was talking on the phone but some how you line cut any way i am more than happy to give you refund i put my own pictur and description amazon did not show it up and in a mater in a few minuts people start buying i did not look at it on amazon because i depend on the program i get from amazon and next day i com back home ho ever boaght somthing just drop it in the mail i thgink people they like it and i accept the price because it do everything like ipod in cheap price thats all you dont lik it shipp it back to me and a i issue refund to you just let me now to send refund thanks and sorry for the miss understanding issue"


And here's what he sent after he found out I told Amazon I won't send anything back without a full refund and shipping both ways:

"dear friend i put a refund for after when you talk to me on the phone you understand me wrong and i left a message on your phone explaining to you so please ship this item by tomorrow withe traking number email it to or i open a dispute against you"


Well with what money I got back from him, I went out to Best Buy and just bought a new iPod touch 1st Gen for 209.99. I was sick of the grief and headache.

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Direct Link

I went to see this on Friday. I can't say it was as good as Sexdrive, but it was still funny and enjoyable. When I first saw the trailer, I thought it might be a bit of a kid's movie. But it's reassuring when Seann William Scott drops the F-Bomb right at the beginning of the movie. =P


Oh by the way, Giant Bomb's weekly Bombcast is online now. http://www.giantbomb.com/podcast/

Oh em gee. This game has completely addicted me to it. I cannot WAIT for the full release... I've even gone as far as to use this exploit:


Direct Link

The only words that can describe it is pure fun and playful. Don't let the fact that you use vehicles make you think this drives away from its core. It is still completely Banjo Kazooie all the way.

Full review coming after its release(Unless Newegg sends it early ).


First Impression: WIN!




Oh yeah, speaking of Win.....

Direct Link

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This game is beautiful. Rockstar didn't skimp one bit as far as visuals go in Midnight Club LA. Controls are very similar to Midnight Club 3, but they failed to leave in minor features like the hand break on the A button.

I really like the free race ability they give you. In most racing games you may come across, they'll have certain streets blocked off for a particular tracked race. But with MC LA, you'll find yourself laying out your own race in the harder races. This can be a good thing and a bad thing, depending on how well you can memorize the roads.

I feel I was skimped when I brought the game home and opened it. Right into the VERY FIRST cutscene, the voices just cut out half way through. I figured my disc might be bad, so I returned it only to find the same problem again. This happens in just about every single cutscene I watch, so I ended up turning on the subtitles just to understand what's going on.

Other than that minor glitch, this game is very highly polished from what I can see after only 3 hours.


First Impression: Fast

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Well it took nearly a month, but I finally went to see it today. I have to say I was completely surprised at how absolutely hilarious it was. Sometimes you can say certain movies just might go over the edge with raunchiness (not really), and some are just too prudish. Sex Drive really has a perfect balance of wholesome comedy and just downright nasty comedy. (that's not a bad thing)

I have to say I was laughing the entire time through, especially at the beginning and every single scene Seth Green was in.

But is it better than Superbad? Well... no. But Superbad isn't better than Sex Drive either! Although its jokes aren't nearly as dirty throughout the entire movie, it is still equally enjoyable. Go watch nao.