I'm still playing BlazBlue. My main character is still Nu according to my D-Card online, but I like Hakumen a lot more ever since I got good with him. He's my new favorite character in the series, and I use him more than any other character these days. Anyway, I made a new signature for myself here on Gamespot featuring Hakumen, and I think it looks even better than the Nu signature I made a couple blog posts back. It definitely looks unique and does his character justice, so I hope you guys like it!

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/346/hakumensignature.png

(In other news, I just leveled up on the site for the first time in what seems like a year.)

Well people, I've been here for 4 years starting today. I hope you all still love me even though I'm mostly on the Gamefaqs boards nowadays. This site's been good to me even though I have my minor quips (Not really with the community though). It's been fun seeing the site evolve over the years, and there's always intelligent (or semi- intelligent) conversation to be had on the forums. I'm sure I won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Anyway, if you want some cake then you'll have to knife fight with me for the last piece.

Since BlazBlue is my new lover, I made myself a new sig based on my main character: Nu. I'm no genius in photoshop, but I think I did a very capable job. I'm sure any fan of the game will appreciate how cool I made Nu look, so tell me what you think guys.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2875/nusignature.png

The title says it all. With 1,000 battles online and counting, my data card on BlazBlue pretty much spells out my love for this masterpiece of a fighting game. I've yet to be so engrossed by a fighting game yet in my entire life. This game is just so interesting, polished, and perfected that I can't put it down. I've even set aside the time to get my first Platinum trophy by playing the hell out of this game. I must admit, I never thought I would love this game quite as much as I do. I've played my fair share of fighting games in the past, but I never got as addicted to any of them like I do games in other genres, but that changed after some time spent with BlazBlue.

I think I understand why after all of this time spent playing. BlazBlue is not only just a great fighter at heart, but it has elements that are missing from every other fighter out there. The roster may be composed of 12 characters, but they are all unique in both fighting style and personality. However, for the first time in a fighting game I actually am enamored by each character's story as well as the universe in which this all takes place. That's right, BlazBlue may be the first fighting game to actually have an excellent story supported by intriguing and complex characters. This game isn't about a bunch of roid abusers fighting for a cash prize or some sort of secret power that everybody seems to know about despite it's mysteriousness. No, this game has thoughtful moments of genuine emotion and by the time you're already deep into the mythos, you actually begin to care about and be fascinated by the cast of characters that inhabit this unique world. Pretty crazy-sounding for a fighter, but no, BlazBlue is a true stand-out in this regard. But, that's not to say this game is a drama. It has it's funny and enjoyable moments too. Teach me, Ms. Litchi is perhaps the best way ever conceived to explain more about a game universe and it's history. As well, the voice acting really helps to bring out each character's personality and makes dialogue sequences enjoyable to watch. I am thoroughly impressed by what was accomplished in this game despite it being a fighter.

However, while the story is most enjoyable and well put together, the pure fighting also shines above most fighters. It's easy to just pick up and play for beginners, but there's so much more if you dedicate the time to understand the intricacies of each character. It's truly a blast when you master your first character and have an adrenaline-filled match with someone of equal or greater skill.

There's just so much packed into this game. I'm sorry for rambling, but BlazBlue has renewed my love for the fighter. Like I said in my previous blog post, every fighting game that is priced at $60 should be as polished and packed with content as BlazBlue. For the love of God, even if you're not that big of a fan for fighting games, at least give this one a try. Like I've said, it's the whole package and it breaks the mold of what fighting games are traditionally about. The story is there, the characters are there, the depth is there, and not a single dimension of this game is shallow or underwhelming, and the only roid abuser is Tager, so 11 out of 12 isn't bad!

As many of you hardened veterans know, Summer is usually the time when we are left to our own devices and must hobble together what entertainment we can get to hold us over until the games start coming out again. However, I found an oasis to keep me nice and hydrated. I've been diving into my pockets and have come back to find some games actually worth playing to keep me busy over summer.

Final Fantasy XII

Sure it's old and I beat it once before on a rental, but to see it for only $10 was a steal, plus I still had business to take care of. I played this game over again and enjoyed myself for awhile (I'm seemingly the only one on Earth who actually liked this game). I had some unfinished business to take care of with Omega MK XII and Yiazmat, the latter of which took about a week to defeat, but it was enjoyable all the same and very rewarding to finally put these bastards to rest.

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger

It's been awhile since I got my last fighting game, but this one stole my heart as soon as I watched my first video of it, so I just had to pick it up. Hell, I even have some of the music from this game on my iPod. It rekindled my love of the fighting genre with it's awesome characters and music, and damn, it even has an interesting story to boot. Every fighting game that is sold at $60 should be as polished and packed with content as this game. I'm still playing it even now, so it should help loads with the Summer drought.

Battlefield 1943

It's $15, it's Battlefield, what more could you ask for? The multiplayer is a blast, it keeps me busy and entertained, and the large maps are perfect for doing what I do best: Sniping. This one will keep me occupied for some time.

Infamous

Sure I beat it on the good side, but now it's time to fry some ass with red lightning. This game is a blast and currently my main squeeze, so it should keep me nurished with a steady supply of awesome. If you have a PS3, be sure to at least try this out before the winter starts clotting up the stores with big name titles.

So, I'm going to stay inside and avoid sun burns. I've got some great games, air conditioning, and some friends to enjoy them with. Yeah, I love the summer time. Batman: Arkham Asylum is right around the corner too.

Every once in awhile, even though I'm not too active on the site anymore (mostly on the main forums, but I look around the Gamefaqs forums a lot), I like to improve my profile with little slices of pure awesome. I get a new avatar here, a new signature there, and now, I just so happened to make another stroke of badass with my new banner. With a quick excursion into photoshop and some parts pulled from the double-page image in the new Bleach manga chapter, I have produced another crazy profile enhancement.

(SPOILERS AHEAD!)

The image I took was from the newest Bleach chapter titled "The Pride." In this chapter, Ichigo unleashes his power by dawning his hollow mask and then proceeds to show Ulquiorra who's boss by showing off how much more powerful he has become by blocking his Cero with one hand on his sword and even cracking Ulquiorra's sword. However, with the big climax, Ulquiorra rushes out of the dome of Las Noches and proclaims that he will now begin to kick Ichigo's ass by releasing his sword. So, the big cliffhanger is that we won't know who does the ass-kicking until the next chapter. I for one hope that Ichigo finally dawns that one mask seen in the Art page in the chapter "The Scar Mask". My theory is that Ulquiorra will beat Ichigo to a bloody pulp before Ichigo's hollow takes over him and shows him who's the real "King" by matching Ulquiorra or even being stronger than him. It would be great if Ichigo didn't interfere in the battle either and the whole battle is between Ulquiorra and Hollow Ichigo!

So anyway, my new banner is boss and you can all gawk at it for 5 minutes before I start charging.

Really good. I'm not just talking about graphics either. You see, there's not much coming out in February, so Killzone 2 pretty much stands on top of the charred corpses of the other, forgettable titles coming out. As well, it has a right to stand on top even if you contest that Street Fighter IV is coming out as well. I like Street Fighter, and I think the latest iteration is looking good, but it's pretty much a graphical upgrade with some new characters thrown into the mix, and while that may be true with a lot of fighters, Street Fighter IV is, in my eyes, an exception in that it isn't changing the formula at all. That's the charm of the game I suppose, but I guess I never really cherished it enough to desire it in a new shiny wrapping.

So anyway, I've got $60 to spend, and I've been eyeballing this game called Killzone 2. It's presentation is spectacular, its graphics are top notch and push the PS3 further than I've yet seen, and the gameplay looks fun to boot. I'm a sucker through and through for good graphics and the splendor your eyes can experience by looking at that hot sex known as high definition. But graphics don't make the game, they just add a little incentive because my eyes are dirty and they're pining for delicious pixels. The gameplay in Killzone 2 looks very fun as well. I understand what Guerilla was going for, and I must applaud them for their great work and attention to detail.

When you shoot someone, blood flies from the wound and they throttle back from the impact of the bullet. It's a sight to see especially if you happened to view that opera trailer which shows the game making love to itself because of just how awesome it is; and it knows it too (pardon the rampant use of sexy images). I'm truly blown away and I think it adds a considerable weight to the game not present in many shooters. Where one game displays a superhuman being shot at without him noticing a bullet just went through his chest, the enemies in this game act realistically, and it makes for an experience which is all the more fun when the levels are packed with Helghast just begging for a lead salad.

However, this game is even more than a brilliant graphical design and thrilling physics. The levels and even the story are looking good. Visari is one badass you don't want commanding your enemies, and his voice acting is believable and perhaps, at times, frightening. He feels very much like a futuristic Hitler and I'm curious to see where the Helghast end up on the black and white spectrum. I mean, when a character like his is so well made that he can display even a seemingly evil race of subhumans with glowing devil eyes as perhaps a downtrodden race of misunderstood, battle-scarred souls, you know the story is going to be good with moral battles thrown in amongst the fires and smoke.

So in conclusion, I've got a roll of quarters in my pocket for this game, and I also have some extra cash to burn, so I'll be picking this up day one. I have faith that the game will come together based on footage that I've seen and previews that I've read. It's shaping up to be quite a treat and I hope to see you online. I'm sure this game won't dissappoint.

I've recently added to my images by creating an album titled "Photoshop Works". Here you can find my artsy side at work with some cool wallpapers, some more information about my current banner, and my blog header's original picture and how I turned it from looking like a crappy scan into a fearsome and ridiculously awesome image (Although, at the time I didn't have the tools I have now nor the skill, so I'm probably going to go back soon and fix up the gun since it doesn't look perfect). So anyway, if you like my touch-ups and original works that I'll be creating and uploading every now and then, then feel free to ask me to work my magic and fix up a broken image of yours, and if I'm in the mood, create you an original picture!

Here's a link to that album if you're lazy as hell.

http://www.gamespot.com/users/Yazu13/view_album?id=tWdlW0EJLX-JRsdo

On a side note, I've updated my "About Me" information so you can get to know me a little better. Previously, I was acting secretive and withholding a lot of information, but at least now I have a short paragraph giving a peak into my life.

[EDIT] - Okay, I fixed up his gun some more to look more clean and smooth. It should load as my current blog header soon.

Hey guys, I haven't been too active in the community for awhile. I've still been posting on the forums (mostly game specific - as in gamefaqs boards), however, aside from that I haven't been active in unions and the like, but make no mistake, I still come to the site almost every day and probably post on some boards here and there.

Now then, onto what this post is really about. I've made a slight overhaul to my profile. Nothing too major, just a new user icon, profile image, a slight tweak of the visuals on my blog image, as well as a new banner which I made myself (No new sig). So unless you find these slight changes to look badass (which you probably will), it's just a little tweak to keep things fresh.

Tell me what you think!

P.S. If you're wondering how I got some of these pictures, I used a program called CaptureWiz Pro (Costs a little money to activate, but you could always do it the easy way) which can capture any image on the screen as well as a specific area of the picture in very high quality. I used this program to get that sweet new Light Yagami user icon (I did alter the image slightly to look more sinister; even though it's already pure evil), so if you're into photoshop and collecting images, that program's just what you need. Just search for it on Download.com.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/215916.html

(Video may contain spoilers, although I don't think it will spoil anything at all if you watch it.)

Here are my impressions

The game plays very smoothly. The transition from cutscene to actual gameplay is astounding and I'm incredibly impressed by the game's graphics and that they were actually able to render this game in cutscene quality the whole time to make these beautiful transitions possible. Also, the animation of the characters and Gekkos makes them feel like they're actually real.

The atmosphere of the game is clearly present even at the very start. Technology is advancing through the ages, and so is Snake. These new mini-metal gears are powerful and very intimidating, and it appears Snake will have a tough time in this new age of war.

Okay, so I know I haven't posted a blog post in a very long time, but don't hold it against me. I'm not here to deliver unto you a huge and biblical-sized entry however, I just want to give you a nice gift that I believe should be enjoyed by all who have yet to discover it. I've been listening to this band called The Pillows, and there music is phenomenal. Only, there's one thing about them: They're Japanese. I think only one of their songs is in English, and if you'll give them a chance and listen to their music, I don't believe you'll give a crap if they ever sing in English. So, while this isn't a triumphant return to blogging for me, I thought I'd just give you guys some good music to listen to for making my time here well worth the hours of surfing.

(Remember, you don't have to comprehend the music to understand it.)

http://www.imeem.com/people/CmOaiY/playlist/khuPye57/the_pillows_music_playlist/

(Be sure to listen to Plastic Flower, Carnival, Our Love and Peace, Last Dinosaur, and Bran-New Love Song!)

Although it hurts and may free up some space on your calendar for a work day, it's not entirely a bad thing.  This "thing" that I talk about is, of course, video game delays.  They come when you least expect them, and seamingly leave the void in your life unfulfilled for weeks, or even months at a time, but that grace period between the release of your most anticipated game and the time for extra development can assure the quality of the title is of the utmost polish.

Now, you may ask why I'm talking about this.  Well, Oblivion was delayed yet again (the one title that would make my Spring), and while it's only for another week, it still hurts.  However,  this probably isn't a bad thing.  Sure, I have to wait an extra week, but this delay could mean that Bethesda is working some of the few kinks left in the game out, so I'm going to try to be optimistic.

So, all in all, if you've been waiting tirelessly for the next game to zap you of a social life even further, only to find it delayed for an extra month, don't fret, this month could mean the difference between a great game that doesn't have a single problem in it, or a bug fest that freezes on the third level.  So, just be patient, you've probably already waited a year or two (I know I have), so what's another 7 days?

Now then, nothing left to do but wait..................................

Okay, I'm going to make this a brief entry. Virtua Fighter 5, so far, is an okay game. The graphics are awesome, and I'm sure once I get over the steep learning curve and start to be able to dish out the powerful techniques on instinct, it will become much more fun. However, I hope that's the case, because it's not quite as fun as I had hoped it to be. You see, I like fast fighting games, and currently, this game isn't very fast, and frankly, slow, but I did watch a video of 2 people fighting, and it was pretty fast (probably due to each player's skills) and looked like a lot of fun, so I'll give it some time and let it grow on me. Also, don't let anyone tell you this game is incredibly easy to get good at, because it isn't, plain and simple.

Also, it's pretty hard to get the hang of each character due to each of them having a ton of moves that don't require the same input of button presses as any other character. So it might take awhile for me to start using anyone other than Lion. (I'm starting to get pretty good with him)]

[EDIT] The game is starting to grow on me, and it's also becoming more fun, but I can see that this game will definitely be loads better as soon as I can get my lazy cousin out of his house to play me mono-a-mono.

The PS3 game pool is all dried up, and currently, I'm stuck playing PS2 games!  Although, While there's nothing wrong with a Final Fantasy XII here and there, as well as the upcoming God of War 2, I bought the PS3 to transition to the next generation, and what am I stuck with: Resistance: Fall of Man, which I already beat twice and got nearly done with superhuman mode on.  I mean, seriously, my PS3 is just collecting dust, and while it's February, the month which will see a buy-able game, and is also leading up to march, the end of the PS3's dry spell, it still seems as though I'll have to wait for so long to get my next tantalizing taste of next generation goodness.  Also, that buy-able game I was talking about doesn't even come out until the 20th, and it's a fighter (Virtua Fighter 5), so it probably won't last for very long unless it has an addictive mode like that adventure mode in Soul Calibur 3.

So, what will I do?  Will I just suck it up and try to milk some more hours out of some of my other games?  Or, possibly, just wait.  But, whatever it is that I'll do to quench my thirst for a good game and a little entertainment on the side, it's not going to be fun, I can tell you that.

Oh, wait!  I can go outside!

So, I wake up today, and what do I see: a new emblem!  But wait!  It's virtually identical to the other two vote emblems I have!  So, I guess all there is to say is "oh well".  I at least have another emblem, but if it turns out that this emblem is the emblem I get for voting in the 2006 reader's choice feature on this site, then I'm dissappointed in the creativity of the guys who make these things.  So, I guess that's about it.  It may be a short entry this time, but I guess I can update you on my progress for Final Fantasy XII:

Levels for Party:

Vaan: 71

Ashe: 71

Basche: 71

Fran: 12

Balthier: 20

Penelo: 12

Number of Espers Obtained: 10

Current Progression in Story: Going on to the sky fortress Bahamut and ready to finish the game.

Well, I haven't blogged in quite awhile (or at least from my standards), and the reason is thusly: I am hooked on Final Fantasy XII.  It's been awhile since I've delved into a new, great RPG, and if I know myself as well as I do, then once I start said RPG, I tend to play it for hours on end, and this just so happens to be the next Final Fantasy game, so I'm especially hooked.  I've been playing it non-stop, and have gotten pretty far with nearly 50 hours clocked in so far, and I'm still going.  It's a pretty fun game, and it's definitely apparent that Square Enix made it due to the overall quality of the game itself.  So, that's about it, but as just a little something extra, here's a progress report:

(Possible spoilers)

Vaan's Level - 48

Basch's Level - 48

Ashe's Level -  48

Fran's Level - 12

Balthier's Level - 9

Penelo's Level - 12

Current location and progress - Balfenheim Port after defeating Dr. Cid.

# of Espers received - 2

# of hunts completed - 20 (I think)

So far, things are going pretty great.  My PS3 is just about everything I expected it would be, however, there aren't that many killer apps for it yet.  Resistance: Fall of Man was really, really fun while it lasted, but I played it literally to death.  Now, I'm working on Fight Night Round 3 and Call of Duty 3, and so far they are pretty fun.  Fight Night Round 3 is far more fun than I thought it would be, but Call of Duty 3 is quite underwhelming. It has some glaring issues that bog the experience down (I'm constantly getting stuck on the environment), and while I havent experienced any major bugs, the overall experience just isn't what I expected from Call of Duty.  However, Fight Night Round 3 is pretty fun, especially on multiplayer.  Just the feeling and sensation of getting in the ring with a friend sitting next to you on the couch is great, and it also helps if he can make you really put your skills to the test! 

So, overall, my gaming experience with the PS3's somewhat limited library is going pretty fine, but February is definitely when things will start to pick up, so I guess I'll have to wait.

P.S. I know, this entry was really short, but I think I deserve a break every once in awhile, huh?

You heard me right.  Call it luck, call it a Christmas miracle, but whatever it was, it was perhaps the single most lucky thing that ever happened to me, and I have quite a tale to tell you!

Okay, I was in Clackamas doing some Christmas shopping just now while simultaneously checking stores to see if they had gotten any PS3s in stock.  So, I was driving past this Krispy Kreme shop on my way back home, and I was deciding whether or not I wanted a quick donut, but I decided a little too late and missed my turn, so I had to take a long route.  Now, after taking the long route, I happened upon an EB Games, so I figured I would just go inside and check the place out, but I didn't ask if they had a PS3 right off of the bat.  First, I played a little demo of Motorstorm for about 5-7 minutes, and then I walked up to the clerk and asked, not expecting anything, if they had a PS3 in stock, and what do you know, they had only one 20GB model left (That's all that they had and I was still really surprised, so I wasn't even a little picky).  So, after the sense of surprise wore off, I purchased it and was one happy camper.  The clerk even said I was lucky, and he also said that the store was going to close in about 10 minutes, so it just so happened that I was at the perfect place at the perfect time!

Pretty lucky huh?  I still can't believe it, and I can't help but laugh.  It was too coincidental, and it was one incredible stroke of luck if you ask me!

P.S. Don't forget about my last blog entry.

I don't know about you, but the gaming industry has some major quirks that need to be fixed, and while I don't know if that will happen, or even if it will escalate into the destruction of what we consider holy, one thing's for sure, the madness has to end!  So, now begins the countdown to the salvation of the gaming industry.

#5: In-game advertising

While a few ads here and there in sports games and other games that are actually supposed to have ads in them are okay, it gets downright despicable when games like Scarface are plagued by Bodog online casinos ads when Bodog wasn't even around in the 80's.  Also, another time paradox seems to take place in Battlefield 2142, where Pepsi and Intel plaster the battleground, and while I don't know if they will still be around that far ahead in the future, one thing is for sure, it's just another case of in-game advertising gone awry, and it has to be stopped.

#4: Paying for content that is already on the disc (unlockables)

Why would you pay $60 for a game that isn't even entirely there unless you shell out more cash for it?  The answer is plain and simple: you wouldn't.  This is yet another trend that needs to be taken out into the woods and shot.  I mean, you go to the store, pay what you think is all of the money you need to spend for the game in question, only to bring it home and find out that your pocket book will be hurting yet again.  Very sad indeed.

#3: False release dates

Nothing gets you more down in the dumps than the promise of the next best game to come out right in time for Christmas, only to find out that it's been pushed back 4 months.  This is yet another flaw plaguing the gaming industry.  When developers know they can get you excited about their new game by setting up an earlier than expected release date that they don't even know they can meet, they will do it in a heartbeat despite the fact that it probably won't happen, and I must say that is downright mean.

#2: Release day dearths

Just when you think you can get your hands on the next generation console of your dreams, with the promise of huge shipments looming over your head and dotting your dreams with the premonition that you will be able to walk right into a store on launch day casually and pick up your long-awaited reward, but instead you're left walking out of your house into sheer chaos, where if you happen to get one of the very few consoles out on the market, there is the the chance that you could be robbed or even shot for a gaming console that was once thought to be in large supply.  Launch day madness is only one spot below the apocalypse.

#1: Wasting funds and producing poor games

If you are a developing company, then you need to hear this one.  If you don't have the team, the time, and the tenacity to spend at least a good year and a half or two on your next game, then don't make a game; it's that simple.  If there's one thing that will drive this industry into a hole, it's the production of poor, glitchy, buggy, and flat-out bad games.  Come on developers, we know you have the ingenuity to make a game that will bring smiles to the faces of gamers and your company riches, so why don't you take the time to produce a good game that will actually sell?

I don't know what it is, but I haven't gotten off many blog entries as of late.  Normally, I write off at least four before the end of the month, but whether it be a lack of a topic to write about, or a classic case of blogger's block, I regret to see that I haven't kept up with my....ahem, "quota".  So, while there's nothing worthwhile to write about at the moment, I guess I can still keep you entertained with some unorthodox, miscellaneous junk.

So, as you may or may not know from one of my previous entries, I've been making "The mother of all reviews!", but sadly, I won't be able to post it until about March.  However, I suppose I can say that it is a review for a PS3 game, and it's going to be a great game.  Can you guess what it is?

Also, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to throw some more miscellaneous junk in for good measure, so below are some nice music videos of various things that you might or might not enjoy in no particular order (most likely being the former).

P.S. Some of these videos may contain innapropriate content or spoilers.

Hellsing - Fireproof

Hellsing - Stricken

Metal Gear Solid 3 - Best of You

Fullmetal Alchemist - It's Never Too Late

Kingdom Hearts 2 - A Better Version of Me

Resident Evil 4 - Down with the Sickness

Bleach - Hand of Blood

Bleach - Attack

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII - Redemption

Scryed - Overburdened (Make sure you watch this one!)

Naruto - So Far Away

Naruto - No Giving Up