Chapter VII: Achievements of the Week 20-27 February

Do you remember last week when I spoke of how I wanted to improve the amount of gamerpoints I get each week?

Well I think that dream has died already.

Yes it's Friday and my weekly round-up of the achievements i've unlocked over the past week. Last time around I scored 160 gamerpoints, all exclusively to Saints Row 2. As I haven't played that game nearly enough this week, i'm concerned.

Anyway here we go:

21/02/09- Special Move Master (Street Fighter IV): Perform 100 Special Moves (10G)

21/02/09- Focus Master (Street Fighter IV): Perform 100 successful Focus Attacks (10G)

22/02/09- Light Seeds Finder (Prince of Persia): Congratulations, you have collected 100 Light Seeds (10G)

22/02/09- Fling yourself at it (FIFA09): Score with a diving header in a match (20G)

26/02/09- Crowd Pleasing Master (Street Fighter IV): Perform 10 Personal Actions (10G)

Total Gamerpoints: 60

Rubbish

Chapter VI: Street Fighter IV Review

So along with my achievements update every Friday (i'm dreading this week), Thursday's are looking to be a staple day for me to do a game review. I don't know how long this will last, after all I don't buy new games every week (maybe retrospective reviews?) But dammit, I will do my very best.

So this week's review is Street Fighter IV. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom for the arcades since 1999. As a background for the game, not much is really needed. It's Street Fighter. The ultimate fighting game. The series that really paved the way.

The game has been in my house for around two weeks and my first impression was that it is easy to get into, hard to master. Some people have complained that the game was not designed for noobs. I disagree. If you've never played it before, it's easy to choose Ryu, learn the basic kicks, punches and hadoukens and have fun. However, mastering the super and ultra combos is a different story.

They are hard, really hard. As I write this, I've never performed an ultra combo. I've tried but the controls are a ball ache. The XBox stick is not a good device to pull off moves. You have to be so precise with them, and obviously in arcade mode you don't have time to faff about. That's the main problem though in a very good game. If you're naturally good at games and fighting in particular, this is probably not a problem.

The graphics of the game are beautiful. The cartoon-like drawings of the characters look immense. It's stylish and really draws you in. The backgrounds react to elements of the battle, crates drop, water ripples and it's lovely to watch.

As for the characters, the usual gang are all there. There are new ones added, a fat ninja dude, a little girl, Bruce Lee. Most you have to unlock though.

Story-wise, there is very little. But why would you want that? You just want to hurt people. Although the back-stories given are done in beautiful anime style.

The modes are alright, I haven't been online yet in fear of being reduced to tears but i've heard positive things. Little amount of glitches, although expect to face Sagat as he is the character of choice i've heard.

Overall, I love this game. Sure i'm terrible at it but that's because it's me. This is the ultimate fighting game. Everyone should pick up a copy. Will Tekken 6 compete when it is released? Who knows. For it's genre this is a 10/10, generally, and only because of controls, it gets a 9.

Rating: 9/10

Gamerpoints achieved so far: 20/1000 (Pathetic)

Chapter V: It's Zero Punctuation Wednesday!

This blog has been around a couple of weeks now and hopefully you've pressed many google ads, marvelled at my cool collection and looked at the Linkometer to your right.

Especially the one that says Zero Punctuation.

Zero Punctuation is a series by Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw that you can find on www.escapistmagazine.com.

Every Wednesday at 5pm GMT you can find a new video as he bluntly reviews the latest and best games around.

The reviews are superb (not a word I throw around lightly) and frankly very funny. Definately check him out each week, although he does review all consoles games not just 360.

Just for you this weeks review of Fear 2 is embedded below.

Tomorrow will come a review. Prince of Persia or SFIV. I haven't decided yet. By all means comment on which you'd prefer. I'll try to better last weeks that's for sure. Tata. x

Chapter IV: Steet Fighter IV sells 2 million copies worldwide, is hard.

So I know what you're thinking.

James, that picture isn't Street Fighter IV, it's a man going Chuck Norris on a panda from some other game.

Correct.

Also, James, when are you going to give in to the Roman numeral naming of posts. How far can you go?!!

The answer I don't know.

But to rectify problem A and make you feel better. Here...


There happy?

So Capcom announced today that Street Fighter IV has sold over 2 million units worldwide since it was released. In Japan, the game sold out on its release week. It wasn't disclosed where else copies were sold but expect it to be top of this weeks UK XBox360 chart. So fighting beat 'em ups arn't dead after all! Hooray.

My friend and arch-nemesis Dan bought the game last week and my entire house has enjoyed Hadouken-ing the hell out of each other.

I was pretty good with standard Ryu at the beginning, kicking Sagat's teeth down his throught, throwing Guile around like he was nothing. However, after a while it became apparent kicks can't compete with Super and Ultra specials. So i'm rubbish...great.

Although, I did master Dhalsim. He takes hits like a little girl but he has stretchy legs wooo!

I shall review it shortly, along with Prince of Persia.

You bought SFIV? Have you mastered the controls? Are you sad like me? Comment below.

Chapter III.1: We Have A First...Kinda *Celebrate*

Just wanted to pop by to say that yesterdays post of the Whitest Kids U Know spoofing Call of Duty only made it onto Joystiq Sunday afternoon!!

Evidence below:


So there you go.

This little old blog had a first over the mighty Joystiq to which we look upon as a gaming blog deity!

Lets take a moment to glow in this slight achievement.

Everyone treat themselves to an ice cream.

Especially you Felicia Day, I owe you an ice cream. Any flavour you wish, just ask.

Chapter III: Whitest Kids U Know- Call of Duty

I know it is the weekend, and whilst I am busy perfecting Ryu in Street Fighter IV, this video should keep you occupied for all of 2 minutes.

It's a funny spoof on Call of Duty in a mini-series called 'Whitest Kids U Know'. If you enjoy this, you can see more videos of them on Youtube.

Thanks to Felicia Day for tweeting this in Twitter. I guess Twitter is useful after all.

Enjoy.

Chapter II: Achievements of the Week 13-20 February

As a continuous effort to try and improve myself on XBox360, each week I am going to highlight the achievements I have unlocked over the past week (Friday-Friday).

Now bear in mind I'm not an addictive gamer (other than Mario Kart Wii), so I don't believe it's ever going to be as amazing as some other hardcore gamers. But here's hoping each week I slightly improve.

So this weeks achievements:

16/02/09- Demolition Man (Saints Row 2): Completed all levels of Demolition Derby (15G)

16/02/09- Remind Me of the Babe (Saints Row 2): Defeated the Sons of Samedi (40G)

16/02/09- Pot Luck (Saints Row 2): Completed all Samedi missions in co-op (25G)

17/02/09- Do Not Talk About It (Saints Row 2): Completed all levels of Fight Club (15G)

18/02/09- Seppuku (Saints Row 2): Defeated the Ronin (40G)

18/02/09- Duelist (Saints Row 2): Completed all Ronin missions in co-op (25G)

Total Gamerpoints: 160

Chapter I: Saints Row 2 Review

So here it is, my first game review on this very blog. I am going to review the latest game bought into my collection a couple of weeks ago. If you haven't guessed you're stupid. It's Saints Row 2, duh.

Now to be honest I didn't play the first game. It kind of passed me by as when it was released I never owned an XBox360. A couple of times in the games store, I saw it cheap and pre-owned but never took the gamble. I've always been a GTA fan and it appeared like it was some terrible clone.

However, I was convinced (or maybe peer-pressured) into buying the game by my housemate Dan (who you will no doubt hear more about). He is a gaming addict, buys every game ever released and hates Mario Kart. He is effectively the villian of the piece.

The biggest reason I purchased the game was because of the on-line co-op mode, where I can system link with Dan and we can go through the campaign together (There is also the benefits of extra achievements for completing all missions co-op).

So the game itself.

Well it is set 5 years after the end of the first game where your character is apparently exploded or something. You are in a coma in jail when you finally awake and the character customisation begins.

The customisation itself is brilliant. You customise every aspect of your character from taunts to the delightful language setting. You can be American or English, and the English accent one is hilarious. Think posh cockney.

The game in comparison to GTA4 is so much more fun. The serious tone of GTA which at times hampered the game, is non-existant. This game is balls to wall fun. It's ridiculous in the plot and cut scenes.

The plot itself is wafer-thin, you resurrect the Saints and have to take down 3 gangs to take back the city. I haven't completed it yet but 2 gangs are done. To open up certain missions you have to do activities scattered around the map. These include things like 'Fight Club', 'Escort' and 'Demolition Derby'. Of course all aspects of open-world sandbox gameplay are included.

For me the music in this game is much much better than GTA4. Culture Club, The Rakes, Duran Duran are all there, including lots of Hip-Hop from artists I don't know.

Overall i've thoroughly enjoyed this game so far. Don't get me wrong GTA4 was awesome too, but at times it was boring and too serious for its own good. Definately pick up Saints Row 2 though if you have the cash and time, it's fun, unforgettable and ridiculous.

Rating: 8/10

Gamerpoints achieved so far: 170/1000

Prologue: The Birth

Picture courtesy of johnnyyanok.com

Welcome to my blog, thank you for reading, have a biscuit and make yourself comfortable.

Let me give you the prologue to this magical adventure we are about to endure:

I am a 20-year-old University student currently residing in Stoke-on-Trent, England. I bought my first XBox360 in September 2007. Before that I have previously owned a Super Nintendo, PS1 and PS2.

I originally had a Wii but after a month of playing Spider-man 3 and slowly destroying my wrists as I web-slinged across virtual New York, I traded in for a big boys console.

I enjoyed my XBox360 although even after I bought it, I hardly played it (Pro Evolution 6 & 7 on the PS2 held a higher perogative). Eventually though my sexy white mini-computer came into use with the release of GTA4.

In September 08, I finally joined XBox Live with the Gamertag 'ChocRaisin' (The story behind it, I was eating chocolate raisins at the time I was asked). Since then I haven't looked back.

That was until December 2008 when it died. The disk drive decided it didn't want to work and I was left console-less. In January 2009 though, I got a new arcade version (sticking my old hard drive on...I know genius), thankfully paid for by my father.

So here I am. The point of this blog is to highlight my trials and tribulations using this console. To be frank, I'm a rubbish gamer. It takes me ages to complete games and online I get killed very often (especially Call of Duty: World on War, but more on that another time).

So here's to me trying to get better at games, trying to up my gamerscore which you can see to your right and to become more respected in the gaming world.

Ciao.

P.S. Feel free to click those google ads a million times and earn me some money, I need it. x