Chapter 33: 797 days later...

Hmm.

I'm really not sure how to start this post since its been 2 years, 2 months and 6 days since my last update.

I guess an explanation would be a good place.

This blog was created back in 2009 as part of a university module I was on. Suffice to say this blog got me a good mark. But once the module had ended, I abandoned it and left it to rot.

Which is all a shame really.

Looking back now, it isn't that bad. It had some solid ideas and some good posts. Sure there's some poor phrasing, and a LOT of grammatical errors (something I fear will never leave me), but overall I did enjoy writing on here.

I found the blog a few weeks back and since then have had the itch to get back to writing. I decided to clean the place up a bit by updating the sidebar and changing some of the colour scheme, all ready for a glorious return.

However, something was bothering me, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Until yesterday.

The problem is that the overall theme of the blog was that I was new to online gaming and writing my experiences as I went. Two years on, that isn't the case. I am no longer a casual gamer, but a fully-fledged member of the hardcore fraternity.

So for me, it loses the USP that hopefully made it much more interesting than the standard gaming blog.

So for now, i'm in a quandry.

Do I return to this blog, changing the theme (including the awful banner) and go from there?

Or do I start afresh making a broader, more accessible blog; one that covers gaming, movies, TV and other areas of entertainment?

I've been mulling this over now for a few hours and i'm still not sure. I may have to sleep on it.

So for now I bid you adieu. I may return full-time, or I may simply post a farewell and a link to my new blog.

Either way, I promise it will take less than 797 days for me to post again.

Chapter 32: The Pull of Multiplayer...A Ruling Addiction

- credit plynoi

In the past couple of days i've been pondering the appeal of online multiplayer.

After all, 8 months ago I didn't have XBox Live and my life seemed a little less pre-occupied and my personality a lot less addictive.

Now it's all changed.

The past 2 weeks, since Easter really (or Map Pack 1), i've been pretty hooked as you are all aware on Call of Duty: World at War.

Now a number of problems come from this.

One, I can't keep writing about playing CoD on this blog all the time as it is boring to you.

Two, what do I really achieve from it all?

I mean so far since October i've clocked up 2 days, 3 hours of gametime on one game. And for what?

At level 65 you reach prestige and get a secret achievment of 0 gamerpoints (why?), other than that, nothing. You don't gain anything, you earn nothing. You just keep going.

The truth is though, it's fun.

After a while, you can kill all the AI in the world and it will get well mundane.

But online, every game is different. Sure it's frustrating. Really frustrating. Horrid in fact.

Especially when you're clearly facing people with no lives who absolutely destroy you at every turn.

But playing with friends, teaming up, unleashing hell, that's awesome.

So awesome that i've been thinking of expanding my online gaming past CoD and Halo 3. Maybe Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (backwards I know but it's still very popular) or Gears of War 2 (haven't played either but all the kids are down with it).

So yeah, something to think about today.

Better than watching the Budget....Am I Right?

Chapter 31: Reasons why Batman: Arkham Asylum Will Rule

- credit berbercarpet

So I promised a blog post and I will deliver.

Be warned, i've just finished playing 5 straight hours of Call of Duty: World at War so my brain is frazzled.

Basically as I've said before June is a great month for XBox games. The Ghostbusters game is released but also Batman: Arkham Asylum.

And Eidos have promised it will be the best Batman game EVER!

It looks awesome. The plot revolves around the Joker trapping Batman in Arkham Asylum and the caped crusader having to go round and kick butt. All the voices come from the Animated Series and the gameplay involves stealth and action. Imagine Metal Gear Solid combined with erm Batman.

Below are two preview videos that have been released about some of the villians in the game. Remember when Bane was in Batman & Robin the movie and sucked? Well Bane in this game looks badass!!!!!

He broke Batman's back in the comics and he looks like he could destroy him here too. There's also one of Harley Quinn who I've never truly appreciated but they slutted her out so that's cool. Enjoy.

Chapter 30: A Part Update/ A Part Review/ A Part Achievements of the Week 10-17 April

- credit chrisjohnbeckett

Steady yourselves people, the title didn't lie.

This is a HUGE update on all things going on with me and my blog. Again I apologise for lack of updates lately, but I have work to do. Work I don't do. Work I continuously struggle to complete.

So let's give you a run-down of all things going on XBox-wise with moi, the blog master.

I am continuing my quest to play as much Call of Duty: World at War whilst at the same time lowering my kill/death ratio as much as humanely possible. It sucks. I'm down to 0.83. Now I know a lot of you may be thinking i'm whining about nothing, but within my group circle, the prestigious K/D Spread is seen as a sign of excellance.

Without it, I am nothing but a mere n00b.

Apart from that I have moved on to a new game. Mr. Dan, my esteemed colleague and housemate has lent me the Robert Ludlem's The Bourne Conspiracy game.

So here comes the review part of this post.

After playing it for an hour last night, i'm quite torn on how much I like this game. On the one hand, it's an awesome movie tie-in that really gives you a sense of being Jason Bourne. The story is mainly taken from the Bourne Identity and the fight scenes are well choreagraphed.

On the other hand, the game is massively flawed. Those said fights, whilst cool at first, soon become repetative and boring, only split up by Bourne's different takedown maneuvers.

The targetting, aiming and shooting systems are all crap. Do you remember Bourne in the trilogy going around with a shotgun picking off baddies like a pissed John McClane? No? Me neither. It happens in this game.

I understand you can't just have Bourne stealth kicking ass through the whole game and some gunplay splits it up. But Bourne only used a gun when required in the films because he rocked the shizz at hand-to-hand. He didn't blow guys heads off at will.

So that's what i've got so far.

Rating: 7/10

Gamerpoints achieved so far: 35/1000


And finally, the gamerpoints for this week.

I would split this up into a seperate post. But again, there isn't many gamerpoints and i'm in the rhythm right now.

16/04/2009- Dangerous Beginning (The Bourne Conspiracy): Completed Dangerous Beginning (15G)

16/04/2009- Homebody (The Bourne Conspiracy): Collected 5 passports (5G)

16/04/2009- Shipyard Infiltration (The Bourne Conspiracy): Completed Shipyard Infiltration (15G)

Total Gamerpoints: 35

Gamerpoints review so far:

• 13-20 Feb: 160
• 20-27 Feb: 60
• 27-6 March: 270
• 6-13 March: 35
• 13-20 March: 530
• 20-27 March: 45
• 27-3 April: 0
• 3-10 April: 25
• 10-17 April: 35

So as you can see we're improving each week. So that's good news.

Anyway, that is the end of my mega super update. I promise more content will be added over the weekend and I won't neglect. Honest.

As normal, comment below with anything you want. As long as it's not mean.

Chapter 29: Achievements of the Week 3-10 April

- credit dullhunk

So here is the belated run-down of this week's XBox achievements. After last week's rather unimpressive 0 gamerpoints, you'll be pleased to be informed that I have achieved something, yay!

It's not a lot, but it will do.

Please bear in mind when judging me that I have been trying to do work this week. Also i've spent the majority of the week back in love with the Call of Duty: World at War multiplayer and trying my best (and failing) to improve my kill/death ratio and own the n00bs.

Oh and credit Scott Thomas with this first achievement. He got it after I tried for about 3 months, so kudos to him. It was a joyous moment.

04/04/2009- Bend it like a pro (Fifa09): Score from a free kick in a match (15G)

10/04/2009- The Gipson Curse (Fifa09): Go into an online match after choosing your own arena player (10G)

Total Gamerpoints: 25

Gamerpoints review so far:

• 13-20 Feb: 160
• 20-27 Feb: 60
• 27-6 March: 270
• 6-13 March: 35
• 13-20 March: 530
• 20-27 March: 45
• 27-3 April: 0
• 3-10 April: 25
  

Chapter 28: War, What Is It Good For? Lowering K/D Ratios But Pwning N00bs.

- credit tonyolm

Just been playing Call of Duty: World at War again on multiplayer with Dan.

One great mode one should play if they ever get the chance is the War mode. It's awesome, basically it's 6 vs 6 and you have to capture flags. It's all out carnage. Brutal but brilliant.

A lot more thought tactically has to go into it than in the Team Deathmatch mode (which is the most popular).

I've certainly had a gay old time on there.

Check it out. Here is a video of the gameplay. Tis not the best quality but going on Youtube and looking for the war mode springs up a ridiculous amount of Nazi zombie videos. And who wants to see that?

EDIT: Just watched the video with the volume up. That is not me narrating. One, i'm not American. Two, i'm nowhere near as good as this guy.

Chapter 25: Those N00bs Can't Touch This

- credit brava_67

Just wanted to pop by to tell you this small tale from last night.

Basically, i've never been very good at Call of Duty: World at War. Online after almost 4-5 months of gameplay i'm still only level 52. I have yet to reach prestige.

Out of my 12 friends who play the game, I have one of the worst K/D spreads (kills to death ratio), it sits at 0.84 at time of writing.

But yesterday me and Dan decided to play some COD for the first time in over a month. And frankly, I rawked it.

For some reason, I had a great session. Either the game has become infested with n00bs, or the break has done me good.

I have yet to download the DLC for Map Pack 1 (although I've read that it has reached over 1 million downloads, read more on that here), but I have played the free day Makin download and it's pretty good.

On the Upheavel map though came my greatest game of COD ever. 20 kills, only 2 deaths. I released the dogs, they pwned 7 guys, it was glorious.

It may not seem like a huge achievement for most, but for me it is enough to tell you all about right now.

Note: How did you like my cool internet lingo?

Also, new Zero Punctuation today at 5pm GMT, check the linkometer to find your way there.

Chapter 24: A Total Lack Of Inspiration

- credit Shaymus022

I keep complaining that things have been slow on this blog in the past few weeks. Those days of daily updates have long since disappeared. Partly, I have had other stuff to do (writing scripts, watching How I Met Your Mother). Partly, i'm inherently lazy all the time.

But I think mainly it's because I have a total lack of inspiration to play my 360 right now. Well, that isn't exactly true, I have nothing to play on my 360 that inspires me.

I had a great February where me and Dan bought Saints Row 2 and played through that and all in all it was an awesome game. Then I had Prince of Persia to finish which I really got into towards the end (until that lame ending).

Now, I have nothing I really want to play. I started GTA4 last Thursday and whilst it is a good game, I found Saints Row 2 more fun. Maybe I need to get into it more. Right now i'm on those missions where you're still setting the scene. Niko is beating up Albanians and we get crappy cutscenes at the taxi rank with Borat accents.

I play FIFA09 regularly but there isn't much to report on a blog about that other than when it decided to punk me and pretend it was broken last week.

Looking forward, June will be a great gaming month with Ghostbusters and Arkham Asylum coming out a week apart. Plus it's my 21st and I think i'm going to get a Nintendo DS and be cool like the other 75 million DS owners in the world.

But for now there is a void. I could play Gears of War 1 & 2, since i've never played either game. But I don't want too. I could play one of the million zombie games Dan owns. But zombies are lame. I could play Halo Wars. But then i'd be like my friend Richard who has left behind his social life for playing Rome: Total War or Empire or whatever it is called, i'm not really sure. Plus i'm not a huge fan of those games.

I could buy the new maps for Call of Duty:WaW but right now I can't afford rent, let alone DLC.

I have been lent Beautiful Katamari, (I have placed a review below for you, if you like, click the link and buy it for only a tenner), but after only one play i'm not feeling it yet. I don't know whether it is my kind of game.

So i'm stuck playing Mario Kart (still awesome, will never tire of it) and Crayon Physics Deluxe (google it if you don't know).

I'm going to see what Dan has in his collection later. I'm going to find a new game, hopefully. For now, i'll rant and rave at you at my small little problem. Because it's my blog....and I can.

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.