Hello everyone, I'm just wishing everyone Happy Holidays, and I hope you get the gift you always wanted.

I come home, and I find a 360 lying on the stairs. I wish all nice things waited for me on the stairs.

I knew for some time that I'd be getting one, but I wasn't sure of the circumstances that led to me getting one. Actually, it was through my brother's girlfriend that we now have a 360. So it's here, still in its box...I also got some games with it: Ridge Racer 6, Lego Star Wars, and the two pack-in games, Live Arcade Unplugged and GRAW.

I need some recommended games, so just throw them out there. If you want to know the types of games I like, just check my collection or my reviews. I already have my eye on Virtua Fighter 5, so there's no need to recommend that game to me. You can also recommend some Live Arcade games, too...now that I think about it, I can get Puzzle Quest, but I'm waiting for the PC version, and I already own the DS version. Anyway, fire away!

I picked up FFT for PSP two days ago. I haven't played much of it so far, so these are very early impressions, but they are significant.

First of all, the cutscenes really are impressive. I like the "sketchbook" look to it. The voice acting is not bad, either. The translation has been changed for the better, although you may or may not like the "Olde English" that's used. FFXII used it, and FFT uses it too, since they're both related. I haven't done any of the tavern quests yet, but I imagine the "I got a good feeling!" message was kicked to the curb. The character names have been changed significantly. Algus is now Argrath, for example. Many of the skill names have changed, too; some examples include the Squire's and Knights skills, which are now called "Fundaments" and "Arts of War" respectively.

One thing that was added to FFT that wasn't in the PS1 version is slowdown. Every time an action is made, for some reason the frame rate drops until the animation is finished. This happens even for simple effects like using a potion or casting a low-level spell. This causes the sound to go out of sync with what's happening on screen. I can only chalk up this problem to lazy programming, as the PSP is way more capable than the PS1 and the in-game graphics have not been improved at all.

The other issue is the sound. Both the SFX and music suffer because there's no reverb. Because that effect is missing, things don't sound as nice, even with headphones. In other words, the PS1 version actually sounds better even though the PSP is superior in every way. So yeah, lazy programming strikes again.

If you can overlook those two problems, you'll otherwise find the same great game that you fell in love with nine years ago. Sadly, I don't think I'll be able to try out the multiplayer because I don't know anyone with a copy of FFT. I don't want to write a review without trying out all the features, you know?

Wow, three consecutive blogs for three great puzzle games!

Picross DS is the first time I've played a game in the Picross series of games, but I'm glad I bought it. I haven't tried the online play yet, but from I read it sounds like a lot of fun. I like the fact that you can make your own puzzles, but you know that people are going to make...questionable...pictures (no one said the Internet was civilized). However, I hope that people will make some great pictures to solve; there are plenty of talented artists who can make great images. I'll do my best to make some cool stuff...I was thinking of making a Kirby picture, to start. I'm not sure how detailed I can make pics, but I'll just have to work within limitations.

If you don't own Picross DS, go get it. It only set me back $25 CDN, and you get a lot of value for your money.

The Nintendo DS is on a roll when it comes to puzzle games. First the excellent Puzzle Quest surprises everyone with its puzzle/RPG mechanics, and now we have a Wi-Fi game that's essentially Tetris Attack. I picked up Planet Puzzle League for that reason only--I can't say no to online Tetris Attack.

The stylus is so much better than using the D-pad. You can make some interesting chains that wouldn't be possible on a pad, and using the stylus is generally faster. The competition online is pretty fierce. I've won some games, but the games I lost, I lost hard. I had a huge garbage block dumped on me--it must have been at least nine rows tall. I think my opponent had a 20x chain or something like that...it was ridiculous!

Here's my friend code: 223441-369036. Post your friend code if you reply. See you online!

Holy crap, this game is good. Add this game to the list of great DS games.

I had to do a bit of searching for PQ, as my local EB Games didn't have the game (apparently they didn't receive their shipment). I found the game at Zellers, of all places. The search was worth it, though. Being a fan of puzzle games and RPGs, PQ seemed like a perfect fit, and it is, though it's a puzzle game first and foremost.

GameSpot's review of Puzzle Quest is a good read, but I disagree with the bit about not being able to discern the difference between mana gems, especially since there are symbols on the gems so you know what's what. I also disagree with the notion that it's easy to make a mistake swapping gems on the board--it isn't. Any mistakes made in this game is your own fault, plain and simple.

I hope we get more puzzle games like this. The developers are brilliant for producing a game like PQ, and I hope it sells well. It might be too soon to say this, but IMO PQ is definitely a contender for DS game of the year. The only thing the game lacks is WFC multiplayer, but a hopeful sequel will fix that problem, I'm sure. Ah well, at least there's the PC version...try out the demo here.

First off, happy new year.

WARNING: There are going to be SPOILERS in this blog, so if you haven't seen 24 Day 6 yet (it's not officially out yet), do not read this blog. I'll use spoiler tags so that you don't inadvertently read something that will ruin things for you. Whoever came up with spoiler tags is a genius.


***SPOILER***
If you're gonna reply to this blog, don't forget to mark SPOILERS with the [spoiler] tag. I recommend you go to the Shoryuken.com forums once season 6 officially kicks off, and participate in this thread. I guarantee you will laugh your ass off at the recaps of each episode.

Don't you just love getting a new piece of electronic equipment? I recently picked up a sleek LCD monitor. It's a Samsung SyncMaster 730B. Man, I love how clear everything is. You catch all kinds of details that you wouldn't see on a basic CRT monitor. The GameSpot site in particular looks a lot better. Now I can finally toss the piece of junk I was using before.

The only problem I have with the monitor is that it's really bright, so you have to turn the brightness way down (at least down to 50%). Also, it doesn't come with a DVI cable, even though it has a port for one. Ah well.

YAY new monitor.

Today is Canada Day, where us Canadians celebrate 139 years of its existence. It's too bad I have to work today, but extra pay doesn't hurt, I suppose. Happy Canada Day to everyone, and stay safe tonight!

That is all.

...Oh yeah, did you know I share the same birthday as artist M.C. Escher?

Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria is my #1 most-wanted game this year. This blog is basically gonna highlight all the stuff that you might've missed, especially if GameSpot is your main source of information. I'm disappointed that I have to go to other, non-English sites to get information on a game that stands the greatest chance of besting FFXII for RPG of the year. I'm serious...there's a lot of pics and videos that you've probably missed because GameSpot doesn't have them. So, here are the goods:

Official VP2 site (JPN): http://www.square-enix.co.jp/vp/vp2/index.html
You can find some battle vids here.

Two more battle videos: http://rpg-reich.de/main.php?site=news&id=2081

Video of the Dipan tragedy (Spoilers?): http://youtube.com/watch?v=MRDHtUTiqG4&search=Valkyrie%20profile

E3 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZJTWz20lAg&search=valkyrie%20profile

Lots of images: http://www.jeux-france.com/news15520_vp-2-l-intro-en-images.html

Scans

More Scans

Another Scan

More images: http://kingdomzeal.nulani.net/vpsilmeria/images.shtml

You can go here for some details about the game.

UPDATE: NEW Silmeria trailer + E3 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-_ibTRsp9A

UPDATE 2: Another Scan (A review?)

UPDATE 3: It's Brahms! http://up2.viploader.net/pic/src/viploader184480.jpg

UPDATE 4: Status screen pics

UPDATE 5: Fairly recent preview by Game Daily

UPDATE 6: Meet Dylan, Combat Tutorial (great music!), Intro, Boss Battle

UPDATE 7: English version of the intro: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sFc6s6uhYKY

Who's a fan of this genre? I love them to death, man. Honestly though, my movie collection needs to have more of these types of movies. I recently bought an old 80's movie Wheels on Meals starring Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. The reason why I decided to get this movie was because of this one scene. Absolutely amazing.

I also want Tom Yum Goong, starring Tony Jaa (Ong Bak). I want to import it, but I don't have a region-free DVD player and there doesn't appear to be any English subtitles at all in the versions that are out. At least Ong Bak had (terribly broken) English subtitles. I might be watching the movies for the action, but I still like to know what's going on. Here' s a really cool fight scene from the movie. And this here's the trailer.

If you have any recommended movies, let me know so I can increase my collection.

I recently finished my first user level, called Obstacle Course 1. I plan to make one stage for each of the bosses and Mega Man, and each stage will be designed around each of the character's skills. In my first stage, you play as Mega Man S, and the only other weapon you have is Hyper Bomb. The boss is the Party Ball.

Check out the stage, and leave your feedback here. Constructive criticism is welcome, as it will help me improve my level design.

Here's the ID number for the stage: 44204089-001
Enjoy!

I picked up a PSP today with Mega Man Powered Up (I'll get Maverick Hunter X later). I picked them up at Future Shop for a total of $320 CAD. They had an open-box Value Pack for $251, so I decided what the hell. The PSP is fine but I noticed two dead pixels that are only visible on a dark background. No biggie.

Now, Mega Man Powered Up is really something! Capcom really went all-out with this game. If they had just went with the newtype mode and old-school mode, I still would''ve been happy, but they went that extra mile, so to speak. The inclusion of the level editor is genius, as is the fact that you can share them with people online. I messed around with the editor a bit, and it seems you can make huge levels. I wish I could get right into creating levels, but you need to collect packs throughout the game. I guess that's OK, because it adds replayablity to the game. So far, MMPU is one of the best remakes ever produced, and other developers would do well to learn from what Capcom did right with the game. 2005 was an excellent year for Capcom, so here's hoping 2006 is more of the same.

Yeah, I couldn't think of a good "V" word to describe how great V for Vendetta is. I went down to Peterborough to visit a friend and we decided to see this movie (well, I decided to see it--she wanted to see Ultraviolet). I've never read the comic so I had no expectations, but I thought this movie was excellent. Hugo Weaving is the man!

Comic book movies have come a long way, don't you think? There's no shortage of them these days, but they're generally good (can't wait for X-Men 3). I can only hope that video game movies will improve with time. I've said it countless times already, but I feel that a Metal Gear movie has the best potential to be something special. The games already play out like a movie, anyway. Here's hoping!

I've been playing a bit of MGO lately, and I have to say that I'm having a blast playing it. My favourite mode is Capture Mission. Battles can get really tense when you're playing with other good players. I'm quickly starting to hate the Book, as it's super-effective in Capture Mission. I need to use the dive ability more or something.

I've played against some good players, but the one player that comes to mind is Kakashi. That guy is a beast and he's hard to kill. He's also annoying in a certain level (can't remember the name) because all he does is pick off other players with a sniper rifle, AND I CANNOT FIND A WAY TO REACH HIM!!! Ahem. I have to add that guy to my friend list, he's got some good tricks...

Anytime you're playing MGO, watch out for King9999.

So I'm stuck with an extra copy of the Dragon Quest VIII Symphonic Sutie soundtrack.

I emailed Play-Asia about this error and they told me that I can only get store credit for the disc, not a refund. I'm not confident enough to sell the CD on eBay (because it might not sell), and I'm not sure what I want to get from Play-Asia. I really just want my money back.

Right now I'm not sure what to do. Should I take my chances with eBay, or should I just pick something else from Play-Asia? If you suggest the latter, what should I get? I'm open to any soundtracks, movies, or games...check my game collection or my reviews if you want an idea of the kinds of games I like. Any Sega Saturn game suggestions would be great, as I need to beef up my collection.

Currently, I'm looking for a school that practices the traditonal martial art known as Goju-Ryu. So far, I've tried out one class at a local dojo, but they practice Shotokan. Frankly, I prefer the hard/soft movements and circular motions of Goju. Also, I'd like to stick to one martial art and just explore the depths of it. I might be in the minority these days, but something about learning multiple martial arts doesn't seem right. I guess it's one of those "Jack of all trades" kind of deals. I suppose learning all kinds of martial arts is great if you're into MMA competitions...I've participated in a few karate tournaments, and I'll probably stick to karate-only tourneys.

As for my quest to finding a dojo...I'm going to check out a place in Markham called Meibukai Karate Dojo when I'm off work for the week. Hopefully, this dojo will be the one I stick with! I really miss my old club, though...

If anyone has any leads for good schools that practice Goju Ryu, give me a shout!

Here are some Karate vids (not Goju-style) for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/?v=lrM-bK-vM1c
http://www.youtube.com/?v=eA0PHvaANqc
http://www.youtube.com/?v=rta0qUlxE5s

Today, I went out looking for Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition. I was surprised to learn that every store I went to didn't have it! There could only be two possibilities here: 1) Capcom shipped limited quantities; or 2) DMC3SE is a hot buy. So far, I went to four EB stores and Future Shop, and had no luck. There's still the local Best Buy and I guess Wal-Mart, but I don't know if they'll have any copies.

If you live in Ontario, Canada and you know where I could find a copy of the game, I would appreciate it if you could PM me or leave a comment.

Hey all, I thought I'd write a blog about some stuff that isn't related to video games. I picked up some new movies and a DVD set today: Riki-Oh, Lord of War, and Six Feet Under: the Fourth Season.

Riki-Oh
This is one of those "so bad, it's good" type of movies, but this movie is special because you can't really tell if it's trying to be serious or not. There are plenty of moments that don't make any sense whatsoever (I'm thinking of the scene with the dog right now), but that's part of what makes Riki-Oh so charming. I'm definitely going to watch it again with my brother and cousin--they're going to have fun just poking fun at every little detail, and there's plenty to work with.

Lord of War
I've seen lots of recommendations for this movie, and my purchase hasn't been a waste. Lord of War really does make you think. Just to be clear, this movie is not an action flick which I'm sure some people thought, but it's essential viewing. Can you really sell something that you know kills people and profit from it with a smile?

Six Feet Under: Fourth Season
This show is great. I don't watch many drama shows, but this one is great. I love the characters, and all the obligatory death scenes at the start of each episode are usually funny but tragic, and sometimes they factor in to the story. I haven't been following the series during their seasons because I don't have HBO and Showcase (a Canadian channel well-known for...stuff) is slow to pick them up. What I want to know is, how many guys actually watch this show? You usually hear about women watching drama shows, but this show appeals to men also.

Well, that's all from me for now. Oh yeah, are you watching 24: Day 5? Jack just seems to get more and more psycho by the hour. The really cool thing about 24 is that it's easy to get others hooked on it, like some kind of drug. Just give them the first disc of the first season, and watch them turn into Bauer fanatics. If they don't, give 'em the scissors!