Has anyone noticed that Christmas is coming so fast? There's already 2 days left. I dunno, but I can't wait. I got a game review for you in the meantime.

LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Developer: Japan Studios

Genre: 2D PuzzlePlatformer

System: PlayStation Portable

ESRB: Everyone

Content: Comic Mischief

Released: 2009

Anyone who has known the PlayStation line for many years, like myself, knows what LocoRoco is. It was a unique little platform game for Sony's PlayStation Portable system (or PSP) that has been critically acclaimed as being one of the most unique games of our time. It's also very cute, and you can't help but say "Awwww..." a few times while playing the game...even if you lose your dignity doing it in front of people. Because of its success, our friends at SCEA and Japan Studios gave us an interactive screensaver for the PlayStation 3, and a PSP sequel, which is the best in the franchise. Now yet again, we get another sequel for the PSP in less than a year since LocoRoco 2, and this time, it's harder than hell itself.

The red BuiBui, the opposite of the friendly blue MuiMui, are back and have taken the LocoRoco whilst they were sleeping. Because of this, the LocoRoco have to escape the BuiBui's gauntlet. Like always, you're tilting the stage with both L & R and jumping with L & R simutaneously to get to the end of the stage. The O button, which is normally used to split apart your LocoRoco and combine them into one is rarely used here in this installment. A new mechanic has been introduced, however. The "Boing" mechanic allows you to jum from wall to wall, and you can use the mechanic as a combo by jumping the whole way through, The only ways you'll lose the combo is by hitting spikes, getting caught by the evil Moja, or by pressing L & R too late.

In this installment, the scoring system is completely on-screen while playing, unlike the previous installments where your score appears at the end of each stage. You can increase the score by collecting berries, pickories (the game's currency), and increasing your "Boing" combo (the max being 100). If you use the "Boing" mechanic throughout the stage without messing up, as well as get all berries, pickories, and the hidden MuiMui (one hidden on each stage), each will add 100000 points to your score. However, you are given a time to beat before each level. Go over the given time, and your score will be halved at the end of the stage. The remaining time will add to your score at the end if you get to the end of the stage early, so go fast if you want your score to increase further.

In addition, you can compare your score with other players using the online leaderboard in infrastructure online mode, however you need a PlayStation Network account to do this. Then again, you need a PlayStation Network account to get this game anyway, as this is a PSN exclusive. Speaking of, you can also team up with 3 more friends via Ad-hoc mode (which is where you can connect to other PSPs within 30 feet) to beat the stages, which can also be a hassle if your friends never played a LocoRoco game to save their lives, so its better to play alone.

The game's difficulty is beyond any other LocoRoco game in existance. This game is the hardest one of them all, as you try to maneuver your LocoRoco through spikey death traps and endless pits, but the way it was done here, was absolutely cruel. You must be an expert at the LocoRoco series to get pass this one without a Game Over, which is what you'll get if you lose all your LocoRoco, otherwise, you'll get to the point where you want to smash your PSP into bits, or throw your PSP into a wall, which could result in your PSP being in bits as well as leaving a dent or a hole in your wall. Thankfully, I won't be doing either...

The graphics are the same as any other LocoRoco game. The visuals are reminicent of a flash game and retain their charm, however, you wouldn't be saying "Awwww..." that much like in the previous entries, as a lot of dialogue you'll say while playing this could nothing but gratuitous swearing or crying so badly, you'll be creating a waterfall on your face as your tears hit the PSP screen, because you can't get through a level. That's IF you're not an expert.

As for the sound effects and music, it's the same old LocoRoco-$tyle of songs and cartoony sound effects you'd be expecting. Instead of the MuiMui singing the stage songs, however, it's the BuiBui who are singing the songs, which sound like Satan's version of the Chipmunks.

Overall, the game is good, but it is challenging none the less. I would only recommend this to hardcore fans of the LocoRoco series and people who want a challenge. Otherwise, stick with LocoRoco or LocoRoco 2 if you want to maintain your sanity.

Overall:

7.5/10 PRETTY GOOD

Recently as many people may have seen Gamespot will soon be partnering with Raptr to use the application on the website, if you aren't sure what Raptr is it is a site that tracks your gaming times on both the PC and X Box 360, both with complete accuracy and also all achievements you earn, although you can track all games you play on any system too as long as you are honest, with how long you are actually playing them.

I used to be a user of Xfire but since I found out about this I switched right to it, since it also integrated all my hours from Xfire as one of the many things it does, what will this mean for Gamespot?

Well more than likely just fully integrating the two profiles together perhaps, it may make Gamespot profiles much better though to fully include all that information, just interested to see where it all goes.

I got PS3 already thanks to my dad, who bought it for me. I got myself 1 game, that is Assassin's Creed 2 and borrowed Grand Theft Auto IV from my cousin. I also bought HDMI cable for my HDTV.

I have so much fun with the system now and I have downloaded some demos into my PS3, like GT 5 Time Trial Challenge, FIFA 10, LBP and NBA 10.

Gotta go now, I just finished gaming with my PS3 and needed some rest and walk in my area... See ya

Don't you just love it when somebody says that they'll do something and they end up not delivering the goods? I know I do. In my last blog, I told you guys I'd do a video blog and, well, I didn't deliver. I'm sorry about that. Things have been hectic around the office and at home, with the Holidays just around the corner, that I haven't had the time nor the desire to do a DBoy's Den. However, I have some vacation time coming my way over the Holidays, and I'll do my best to make one.

Moving on to video games now. Just yesterday, I completed Assassin's Creed II. It took me a while to get through it, but it wasn't because I had a hard time with the game. I just took my time and did a lot of stuff on the side, like assassination missions and so on. I really enjoyed the game a whole lot. Everything within Assassin's Creed II is a huge improvement over the first game. The combat flows evenly and elegantly, as does the parkour, and the story and characters are a huge step up from the previous game. As for the ending, it's a lot let disappointing than in the first game. However, I found myself wondering where Ubisoft are going with the series after witnessing this somewhat eye-widening ending. Regardless, Assassin's Creed II is a fantastic game which you should check out, even if you didn't like the first game. It's a very strong contender for my Game of the Year, that's for sure.

The next games I'll be playing might surprise some of you. Actually, these are two games I've downloaded off of Xbox Live. One of them is a classic. The other one came out at the beginning of 2009 and is part of the Games on Demand. I purchased Indigo Prophecy and Red Faction: Guerrilla. Why those two games? I decided to get Indigo Prophecy after watching Giant Bomb's quick look on the game. Actually, I wanted to get that game a long time ago, but never got around to doing so. Also, with Heavy Rain coming in 2010 from the same developers (Quantic Dream), I thought now would be as good a time as any to check it out. As for Red Faction, I saw it on the Games on Demand service and decided to download it. Never got around to playing it in January, and I'd seen that a couple of people had been playing it lately, including GameSpot's own Kevin Van Ord. Should be quite fun destroying everything.

If you guys want to know what my Game of the Year will be, amongst other things, you're going to have to head on over to "that other website I write for" to get the lowdown. We're doing a Best of 2009 special over there, and I hope you guys will come on over and check it out. Also, I've asked for Borderlands for Christmas (hell, I didn't know what to ask for this year), so I might be playing that on Christmas day and afterwards. Add to that the video blog and I'll be a busy bee during the Holidays. Nonetheless, I hope to see you online during that time so we can get some gaming on together.

Have a safe and happy Holiday. See you guys soon.

If you are into old school adventure point and click style games such as the King's Quest series, this game will not disappoint. I purchased this game for 10$ from http://machinarium.net/blog/2009/12/16/amanita-design-christmas-pack-machinarium-samorost2-for-10-60-off/for a couple more days, it comes included with another adventure game from the same company called Samorost2 which I have not played yet. It took me about 6 hours to get through Machinarium and I enjoyed every minute, although it can be very challenging at times. Please, if you are at all interested in these types of games, give this a purchase and support an indie company that deserves your money.

edit: Also, it runs on almost any PC, mostly hand drawn 2D (awesome art **** with some light animation from the characters. And it comes with the soundtrack, which to me was unique and refreshing, I have it on my MP3 player!

Hey guys! Really quick blog tonight. You might have noticed that I haven't posted a blog for nearly a month and you might be wondering why that is. I've lost interest in blogging. I can't really say why, but I no longer have anything to talk about. I don't buy new games that often anymore and I don't like telling the internet every detail of my life, so there isn't much point in blogging anymore. I'm not leaving Gamespot, but blogs will be very infrequent from now on. I honestly miss those days when I could think of a blog topic just about every day. Maybe those days will come back one day. To finish this blog, I figured it would be nice to give one quick update. I'm level 63 in Modern Warfare 2 (no Prestige yet) and the game is still incredibly fun, even if it is annoying at times. I'm also quite happy because I've been getting some great grades in school. So I'll see you around when I'm ready to blog normally again. In the mean-time, check out my friends blogs. Thanks!

Tissueshoe

D_West

Rockstar Games has reportedly picked up the Tiger Woods endorsement and gaming franchise at a bargain price after EA Sports divorced itself of the young sports star in December, 2009. Rockstar will be developing Tiger Wood's golf titles exclusively in its new five-year deal. They have a lot of ideas for the franchise.

"We wanted to take (Tiger Woods PGA Tour) in a new direction," Rockstar spokesman Rodney Walker told us, "Golf is great and all, but we feel that we can take the best elements of the core game and combine them with the winning aspects of Bully, Leisure Suit Larry, and possibly a splash of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law."

In addition to existing statistics such as "approach" and "accuracy," players will be managing the personal life of their avatar. A new "PR Rating" system is being introduced, which will increase with game performance, allowing the gamer access to product endorsement deals and merchandising, achievements, swag for their character, and access to high-powered attorneys. Adding mistresses increases game performance stats such as accuracy, putting, and luck, but can significantly reduce the gamer's PR Rating.

While best-known for its Grand Theft Auto franchise, Rockstar Games is no stranger to sports games. Its title Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis won significant critical acclaim. The game is scheduled to release sometime in the third quarter of 2010.

No not an emo title.

Just curious, as everytime I am online, about 98% of my friends list are offline or AWOL.

Christmas soon...

I need advice, actually. I'm in the market for a quality digital camcorder and would like any and all suggestions from people that have them to give. I have two gift cards with $100 each left over from last Christmas, and I've been holding on to them forever because I wanted to use them on a "big" purchase and not just piss it away on movies or games.

So I came to the conclusion that a digital camcorder is something I could really use. I was in Best Buy earlier browsing and saw some models to get a feel for what's available. I talked to an employee as well but I'm not exactly comfortable with their knowledge since they basically don't "know" or have experience with the products other than re-iterating what you can already read on the little info cards next to each camera.

So that's why I'm turning to actual people that may know a little more about this topic. Basically what I'm looking for is something easy to use where I can upload videos to the 'Net (as the camera would double for me doing video blogs as well). Preferably HD capable, but it's not a necessity. Night vision mode would be cool to have as well, but again not necessary. I'm looking to stay around the $200-$250 range, and the most I can probably spend is $300 even though I wouldn't want to, but if it's a good deal I will.

So if you can help please leave your remarks or links so I can check them out. I'm also doing my own research so please don't think I'm just sitting back and wanting everyone else to do this for me. I need guidance as far as which brands are good, what features are preferred, etc. I've heard Canon makes some quality cameras. And there's Sony of course. It's a bit overwhelming especially when you're not familiar with all the current tech and that's basically where I need the bulk of the help.

Thanks!

Thanks to Homer Rabara for the image.

Hey guys! I'm bored so I decided to write another blog post. A lot has happen since my last blog, like I finally got a car. It's nothing fancy. It's a 1980 Ford Thunderbird. I can't drive it yet though. Something is wrong with the brakes. My dad told me what was wrong with them, but I don't know anything about cars so it was like he was speaking a foreign language, lulz.

I've been gaming quite a bit the past few months. I finally got around to playing the Gears of War series. I enjoyed both games. They are flawed, but fun. I also completed the NES cla ssic (Friggen Gamespot. ), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game. My only complaint with this game is that I bought a lousy copy! It's very fickle. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't, but it is almost twenty years old! I rented Modern Warfare 2 last week. I liked this game too, even though it's basically just like the first Modern Warfare. It's really more of the same. I'm currently playing Lego Rock Band. It has some genuinely funny moments, and a great but short song list. The Final Countdown and The Passenger FTW!!

I haven't seen a lot of the more recent movies at the box office. The last few I saw were Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Zombieland, and Extract. All three were excellent. I'm really looking forward to the DVDs. I think Cloudy is becoming one of my favorite movies, LULZ! I saw it three times at the theater. I just love its absurdist humor. Zombieland was badass. I only saw this movie once, so I'm especially excited for the DVD release. Even though it flopped at the box office, (It only played two weeks at my local theaters. I saw it both weeks! Lulz!) Extract is an excellent and hilarious film. I think its humor is almost too subtle for a lot of people. The only movie coming out soon that I really want to go see is Up in the Air. Though I'm keeping my eye out on some other movies, like Avatar.

I can't believe it's almost Christmas. Time has been going by super fast! I'm honestly not in the Christmas spirit. It just doesn't feel like Christmas to me. It seems like Halloween was just last week! Hopefully I'll feel more Christmassy once we got our tree and decorate the house…and watch Christmas Vacation. "SQUIRREL!!!"

Thanks for reading!

I do video game playthroughs and talk about gaming in general as well as anime, and movies!

username: Norad6

Click here to view my page!

Check out my portfolio site and check the links....thanks!

More than a year ago, I wrote this here in this very blog:

"A few friends and I built a site dedicated to games on the iPhone."

I was referring to a little iPhone gaming site we had built, called Slide To Play. There were four of us back then, with one guy doing the majority of the writing. Our pace was pretty leisurely, releasing a few reviews a week.

It's remained my side project, but over the past year, I've watched something amazing happen. The site started to get traffic. We then started to get some sponsors. Then we were able to get some freelancers, and were able to produce more content. And so on.

Well, the most gratifying event in our site's existence happened just yesterday, thanks to GameSpot. The announcement was made public that GameSpot is now covering mobile games, and editorial content, at least iPhone game reviews, is coming from none other than SlideToPlay!

I'll be honest. When I started building STP, and even after it launched, I didn't have an iPhone and didn't really plan on it. It didn't seem that important; I'm not an editor after all. But just a little exposure to some of the games on the system changed my mind. I got myself an iPhone and have been a believer in its gaming capabilities since! It can handle an intense combat flight sim in the form of FAST to flawless ports of old stand-bys like Myst and The Secret of Monkey Island or ports of great new games like Peggle or completely addictive simple pick-up-and-play games like Flight Control and Harbor Master and everything between.

I was a little skeptcal at first, but I gotta say, it's really hard to put down the iPhone: it doesn't hurt that it's always with me packaged into a phone I'd need all the time anyway.

Regardless, I'd just like to say thanks to GameSpot for giving us an opportunity to expose to a new audience all the cool things you can find on this platform! Keep an open mind and try it out!

for all you facebook users my facebook isFacebook | Austin Reedfeel free to add

Yup. I haven't been achievement [word that sounds like a mash up of horse and boring] for a long time, choosing instead to give a shot at playing video games for the simple love of playing them, something that has taken me nearly a year to rekindle.

Achievements became my primary goal. My 'next to get' game was no longer the best game out there, but rather the game with the easiest achievements, as rated by my peers on achieve360points.com. After a year or two of this, and tens of thousands of gamerscore, I realized that I actually did not enjoy playing video games any more. And this was in the height of last year's awesomeness, including Mass Effect, Gears 2, and Fallout 3. I would go through the motions with them, but not really enjoy my time playing. My biggest realization that I had a problem was when I went to PAX 08, and got little excitement from the expo hall, or from much of any of the show. '08 was the weakest year for me, because it was the year that I wasn't really into gaming, anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I still go out of my way to get additional achievements in a game, I don't think anyone with an over 50,000 gamerscore could say otherwise; but achievements aren't my main goal, anymore. After realizing my problem, and deciding that I wanted my gaming passion back, again, my first course of change was my Gamefly queue. Your 'Q' on Gamefly says a lot about your gaming style, and mine was absolutely LOADED with games (many from 2006, when achievements were generally easier to come by) with an achievement difficulty rating of 1. So many horrible sports games I HATE VIDEO GAME BASKETBALL, IT HASN'T BEEN GOOD SINCE THE DREAMCAST!!!

Now, I've been on the road to recovery for about 9-10 months, and feeling much better. I just finished up Godfather 2 in 3 days. It felt great working to take over neighborhoods, and overcoming the challenges presented within. I never would have put down 17 hours in 3 days during my [that mashup word, again] days. I'm also playing Shadow Complex, which is incredible! If you ever wanna bring back your classic love of games (not just your love of classic games!), play Shadow Complex (Xbox 360 XBLA). It's so amazing, I just want to play it constantly, and it only has 200 gamerscore potential!

So, I'm back, deal with it. (feels really good to be back)

Well guys, I'm back from my 3 week break and I think it's time to tell the story of where I've been for those who don't already know by reading Whitewolf725's blog or who have previously guessed...On 27th August, I flew alone on an 11 hour flight from London to San Francisco, California, where I was picked up at the airport by none other than Whitewolf herself

You see, for a long, long time now, us two have been close, and it's been no secret, we've openly flirted and had conversation after conversation in forums and blogs...but there was always a lot more going on than we let on, there was much more behind the flirting...we have just always kept ourselves to ourselves We PM'ed and emailed every single day, we sent each other mail through the post, we exchanged pictures and videos constantly, and we voice chatted and webcammed We've been through so much together and it's been quite a journey...A journey that took me all the way to California to finally meet Aylin but a journey that will not stop there...it still has a long way to go, because the 3 weeks we spent together proved to us both what we already believed...we are made for each other and can't see our futures with anyone else I've never believed in internet relationships, and neither did Aylin, but after this past 3 weeks, I am now a firm believer, because I indeed have found love A love that I was definitely not looking for, and a love that I no way expected to find on a video game site of all places...it just happened, so despite all the faults Gamespot has, I will always be thankful and remember it as the place I met Aylin

So what did we do? A hell of a lot! I won't got into it all cause no-one will read it...and I'm still jetlagged anyway But I spent two weeks at Aylins house where we visited San Francisco, Sausalito and Santa Cruz and we flew down to Los Angeles for the other week, staying in a hotel in Anaheim to visit the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks and a hotel in Universal City so we could visit Universal Studios and Hollywood...We really have had a blast together and have laughed a lot! To be honest, just being able to watch a movie together on the couch after all this time was a really amazing experience I knew we would get along and I never listened to the doubters, but our time together was better than even I could ever have imagined...This girl is perfect for me and I'm a lucky guy, thats for sure!

We have a tough time ahead of us, and having to say goodbye (for now) has made me feel worse than I've ever felt, but the amazing memories I have will keep me going till the next time we see each other, and there will definitely be a next time Once I've finished my last year at university, I have a big decision to make regarding my future, though in truth, that decision has already been made and I will make it happen no matter what I have to give up Aylin...Thank you for everything you've given me over this past year The last 3 weeks have been the best weeks of my entire life and I am already missing you like crazy! You are the most amazing person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, and like I said, I am so lucky that despite the distance between us, you have chosen me as the guy you want to be with You are funny, caring, loving, talented, not to mention, damn gorgeous and I love you and can't wait till you visit me in England so we can be together again Stay smiling cause I'll do everything I can to make this permanent Oh, and thank you for making me laugh harder than I've ever laughed before when you fell inside the trash can...funniest sight ever!

Well I guess I'll leave it there...There's so much I could say but the truth is out now Feel free to ask any questions if you have any I think you'll agree though that it's quite a story

By the way, what I said in my last blog still stands, I will continue to lead the Fraternity of Assassins for the time being and will be back to post in the next few days, I just need a bit of time to get my head back together.

See you round.

Dan.

I went to Darien Lake this weekend to go see Blink 182 in concert. While wondering in the park we saw Mark Hoppus, my friend asked if we could have a picture and he said yes! The rest is history:

Last week, I sat among friends and stared up at the stars. A meteor shower provided the "fireworks" for the evening, but simply laying on my back and looking upwards was enough. It harkened back to when I was a child and did the same from time to time, when I would simply look at the twinkling sky and marvel at its beauty. Back then, I wanted to hold the sky in my arms; to hold and breathe in its significance.

Obviously, that isn't going to happen, but it did remind me of the only game that put me back into that kind of frame of mind: Flower. Flower is a love song to the innate, simple beauty of the world that is so easily missed, especially as we continue to progress technologically. We're all consumed by the variety of different things that vie for our time: Bills that must be paid, relationships that must be tended to, education, careers, you name it.

But when I'm playing Flower,all those concerns melt away for a slight moment. No longer is my mind wandering off to the trivialities of the day that bring me unending pressure. It gives me a chance to stop and revert to a simpler time that we probably all remember when we were younger and didn't constantly worry about our appearance, our futures, and weren't so acutely aware of the world as it is. Instead, we're placed inside rolling hills with blades of grass swaying in the wind, with a bouquet of mult-colored flower petals sweeping through the air.

To maintain its credibility as a "video game", Flower does have a linear narrative, insofar as you have to complete certain objectives to progress into the next area. It is an unfortunate nod to video game conventions, one that was unavoidable to put in the game. Yet, Flower is at its best when you throw away the game's bow to video game convention and treat it simply as an open-world game. You're not interested in picking up the different flower petals that push you quickly into the next area, but you're gliding along the blades of grass, evoking that sense of freedom you feel when driving along the road, hand outside the door and feeling the wind brush against your hand.

You're free from your responsibilities and your fears, insulated from both within this virtual world. Perhaps there's a life lesson to take from navigating Flower without purpose: To be grateful that you're still flying, even if you're not progressing.

Kanon's finally patched!

btw got The Sims 3, Stranglehold, Wartech: Senko No Ronde, and the Harold And Kumar movies.

Not much else to say... other than how fanboys can die in hell along with Paris Hiltson, Lindsay Lohan, the Westboro Baptist Church, and Miley Cyrus's "career"