Updates for Black Ops

Without a doubt, Call of Duty: Black Ops has been great, but there are still a number of things wrong with the game that seem to be aggravating players of all game types in the multi-player realm. Luckily Treyarch realizes these problems, unlike many games of the past, and are working to correct them even though they should have been dealt with before releasing the game anyway. CallofDuty.com has a full posting of the updates that will be taking effect to correct a lot of the issues, however there are still several that they are continually working on. Without a doubt the spawn system has been very troubling, particularly with the small maps, especially Nuketown, but this next update aims to take care of that problem. This and other problems are on the list from the Forum post addressing this update:


NOTE: This is for all consoles, I repeat, all consoles. I think its for the wii, but I'm not positive.

Hey gamers,
We are listening to you and we’ve been busy working on updates based on feedback from the community. We have already deployed a number of updates, and there will be many more to come. Stay tuned right here for all the latest info.
IN PROGRESS Title Update 4 is nearing the end of Phase 2 testing. Going into Phase 3 submissions on 12/6. Patching process: http://fb98197f.theseforums.com

Issues Addressed:*• Resolved several issues with parties getting disbanded unexpectedly.

• • Updated handling for UPnP-enabled routers to improve matchmaking conditions where users had strict or moderate NAT types. Also added in-game communications so that all players are aware of their NAT type in the Player Match party lobby.
• • Addressed issue that prevented the “Load MP by Default” option from saving when other specific option combinations were set.
• • Prevention of exploit that allowed players to keep custom classes and killstreaks after prestige.
• • Addressed an issue where Flak Jacket Pro would not always protect against ground fires left by Napalm Strikes.
• • Prevention of users losing their killstreak reward when switching classes at the start of a new round in round-based game modes.
• • Addressed an issue where the incorrect perks would appear when spectating another player under certain circumstances.
• • Added round start explosive delay to China Lake grenade launcher to give it the same round start limitations as other explosives.
• • Contracts will now reset when the player Prestiges.
• • Prevention of Valkyrie rocket exploding upon release under rare conditions.
• • Prevention of Gunship failing to give player full control under rare conditions.
• • Prevention of an issue where a player will get teleported outside the map boundaries under very specific circumstances.
• • Additional security measures to enhance detection and banning capabilities.
  
  Gameplay Tuning:
• • Limit the ability to re-roll supply drops using Hardline Pro to Care Packages only, no other killstreak drops.
• • Added a negative influencer to all spawn points to decrease the chances of spawning near an enemy. This will further improve spawning protection on top of previous updates.
• • Additional sound mix tuning for Ninja Pro users – increased ranges and volume of enemy footsteps, and removed player footstep sounds on concrete material types.
• • Increased headshot multipliers for sniper rifles. Sniper rifles with suppressors equipped will now always be ensured one-shot kill headshots.
• • Subtle increase in sniper rifle accuracy when scoping in.
• • Added a render delay to the red diamond player indicators that appear when controlling the Gunship, Valkyrie Rocket and Chopper Gunner. When a player first spawns, this will not appear for a period of time.
• • Additional minor reductions in knife lunge. 

For more updates be sure to visit The Call of Duty Wiki.

Optimus 7

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG. All opinions are 100% mine.

LG has launched its first Windows Phone 7 known as the LG Optimus 7  using the Windows operating system, designed to simplify what people do and how quickly they can do it. The Optimus 7 offers the same glance and go experience of the Windows Phone, but is combined with features offered only by LG . Share multimedia files with other digital devices and Hubs without having to access tons of menus and display videos and pictures or even play music without the hassle of any wires, directly on your tv. If you're thinking about going out, access real-time information about shopping, dining, entertainment and more with Scan Search, another great feature from LG, to make sure you get exactly what you're searching for. And when you are out, don't miss a moment with the 5mp camera and 720p HD video resolution, ideal for capturing video and photos and uploading them directly to any social media.  Enjoy a new era of entertainment with tons of features and simplicity with the ability to directly access your Xbox Live and Zune services, making entertainment more convenient. Check out the video below for all the great features the LG Optimus 7 has to offer.

 

What do Your Ties mean to you?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of MyTies. All opinions are 100% mine.

MyTies, the latest social networking system takes the ties that you have in your life, and makes them that much more personal while keeping your "ties" or groups that are specific to you, completely private. Releasing 11/3 for the iPhone, MyTies looks to revolutionize social networking for mobile devices in a way that provides safety that other social networks don't, while still allowing you the ability to completely customize your style and the people you interact with everyday. Through this new social network, you are able to not only stay in touch with friends, whether your around the corner or miles away, but even find them with an integrated gps that lets you know when friends are around ... if you want to be found of course. If you prefer to get away or just not let certain people know where you are or what you are doing, you can completely customize who gets to see your conversations with more customizable privacy settings ... because you most likely wouldn't find your college buddies chatting with your parents, and probably wouldn't want them to. The best part is the ability to group your contacts for easy messaging and deciding who gets to read which conversations. MyTies customization gives you more control over your social life so you don't accidently invite your boss to that party again...

Best of all this App is free at MyTies and you can get 20 more invites to connect with more family and friends with this code: myprivacy

Check out the free demo at MyTies.com and then download the app for free!

Reach

Halo: Reach turns out to be as good as Bungie has been claiming all along but as I play I can't help but feel that there is something still missing. Although this is a new chapter in the story, there really isn't any drastic difference than the other Halos. As a matter of fact, even in multiplayer the lack of creativity is showing with remakes of old, uncreative maps like Hemorrhage which is simply a different colored Blood Gulch. Don't get me wrong, the new Halo is a great game, great story line, and still great multiplayer with a slight new twist of classes, which has also already been done by many other games, but the lack of creativity seems to make Reach appear to be nothing more than a reach of desperation to stall while they think of something better. At least that is what I hope they are doing if they plan to keep an audience for their next release.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is just around the corner so be sure to get your pre-orders in. The new types of game play that are supposed to be released in Black Ops look promising but only time will tell.

Only 2 More Days

Only 2 days away from the epicness that is the newest installment of the classic Halo series, Halo: Reach. After the beta run, the bugs are said to be fixed and the release of the final game is just around the corner. If you have not pre-ordered yet, I sure hope you can still find a copy because this game is said to run out fast. Pre-order before its too late to make sure you don't miss a minute of the action.

Also fans of the classic Duke Nukem, be sure to stay posted as more updates about Duke Nukem being brought back to life in Duke Nukem Forever. All the older gamers are raving about this release so if you old enough to remember this game, check out the trailer and see what you think of the new Duke.

Resident Evil Fans

Resident Evil fans, as you know Resident Evil Extinction left us wondering what could possibly come next. What you may not know is that the question will be answered on September 10 with the release of Resident Evil Afterlife, the newest sequel to the Resident Evil series. Gamerz, especially those that loved playing Resident Evil, are geared up for this movie as Milla Jovovich continues to take it to the next level. Check out the trailer to see if you like the direction the Resident Evil series is going.

Black Ops Multiplayer Revealed

Activision has released the latest trailer on how multiplayer is going to look in Call of Duty: Black Ops, presented by Machinima. It is without a doubt living up to expectations adding tons of new features, weapons, and more to the already classic Call of Duty series. Although I cannot completely pinpoint what each feature is just yet, I can tell that they look effective and fun. Check out the trailer to see what I'm talking about.

Future Soldier

The new Ghost Recon just keeps looking better with every trailer. With all the work they put in these trailers, I hope they are making the game equally as exciting. Check out the latest from Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.

Starcraft 2 Finally Released

So it is finally here. The epicness that is Starcraft number 2. So far it is great with an equally awesome story line. Picked it up last night at midnight like many people did. Sorry for those that did the download plan since you could not play until 10am this morning, but I'm sure the wait was worth it. Anyway its a short post today as I am going to continue playing and I figure most people aren't going to read this because they are too busy playing as well. Anyway enjoy! If you don't have it yet, get it quick. Got mine from BestBuy and if you do so in the next couple days, you get a $10 reward certificate for your reward zone account.

Comic-Con New Halo: Reach Announcements

News is out about the latest work being done on the newest of the Halo series, Halo: Reach and it is only getting better. The firefight 2.0 is being updated to fix the glitches that were a problem in the beta. Not only that, they are adding even more new elements. The idea of Firefight is for Spartans to achieve missions against the Elites while the job of the Elites is to absolutely annoy the Spartans. Elites will be fighting beside NPCs as well as other players now in the new multiplayer game type. On top of the updated Firefight, Bungie released their newest epically huge map, Forge World. If you thought Blood Gulch was big, Forge World will blow your mind. Blood Gulch is actually incorporated within this map and only comprises about a quarter of its area. It will be important for Bungie to make sure they make the gametype for that map a good one so as players aren't bored like we were back in the days of Blood Gulch. Anyway, even more is being done so hopefully they will release more information so I can keep you updated.

Other game releases to stay up to date with:
Left 4 Dead 2 has released 3 new maps and Battlefield Bad Company 2 has released a new Onslaught Game Mode. Assassin's Creed 2 is Xbox's feature for Deal of the Week with great deals on add-ons and avatar items. Also keep an eye out for the new Halo: Reach Xbox console coming this Fall.

Unfortunately I do not have any videos for today so I am going to give you a little bit of Call of Duty action from youtube and Machinima where a dude gets a DOUBLE NUKE. Enjoy!

Finally pre-ordered Starcraft 2

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of AMPM. All opinions are 100% mine.

So on my way to pre-ordering Starcraft 2, I stopped at the ampm right before the BestBuy to get a snack and found that they have these secret menu items and they are unveiling them every week. The latest one is called the Chili Conquistador and is definitely my favorite. So I walked in for a snack and came out with a huge burger. I couldn't help myself, it looked really good, and it was. Chili is great to begin with but a Chili Burger, now that's just perfect. They will be adding new Secret Menu items every week and you can check them out on their facebook page by clicking the secret menu tab. My plan is to stop by there each week on my way to BestBuy or Gamestop as I check out some of the latest releases, and maybe make a few purchases, to try each new SecretMenu Creation. If you have had one of the SecretMenu items, go check out their facebook page to vote which you like best and visit anyway if you haven't tried any to see what looks good. Then on August 2nd, create your own secret menu concoction. On that day I will have to create my ultimate burger and sit back and play some Starcraft 2. Can't wait.

The Latest Call of Duty: Black Ops Trailer

It just keeps getting better! The latest trailer for Black Ops was released and the game looks like its getting better every time. My only question now is, how well will it sell with the competition from other first person shooters that are going to be releasing as well. With the new Medal of Honor on its way along with other shooters like Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Bulletstorm, Activision will be hard-pressed to make sure they get this game out before Christmas. Christmas sales from an early release date should give Call of Duty the advantage. After Christmas though, there is no telling what game will turn into the hot seller because they all look great so far from the trailers. Check out the latest Black Ops trailer and the other trailers to see how they compare.

Medal of Honor

The new Medal of Honor is set to release October 12 of this year for Xbox360, PS3, and PC. In fact, as a reward for buying the game, stores are also giving away beta keys for anyone who pre-orders this classic shooter game. Those that pre-order will be the first to test out the latest in first person shooters bringing back an old classic that is said to now be a good mix of Call of Duty and BattleField 2. Although the beta is only offering a limited selection of game modes, weapons, and maps, the game itself is suppose to be excellent. It is on my list of games to pre-order so as I can join the beta which began on June 21. Pre-order now to join in and check out the trailer to find out exclusive information on the limited edition of Medal of Honor.

FF XIV Announced

So Final Fantasy 14 has been annouced as the new online gameplay version of Final Fantasy. So far it has been mainly considered for PC and PS3 as it has been in the past but it is also being considered to be released for Xbox360 as well. It is likely to come out for Xbox360 considering the release of Final Fantasy 13 did as well as the last online Final Fantasy. So far not much has been said about the storyline behind this new world of Haiderin but new features, battle system, and more are sure to make this game an interesting part of the Final Fantasy series. A 2010 release date of September 30 is the optimistic time frame that Square Enix has proposed although they have not set an exact date for release. I doubt they will be able to meet such an optimistic date but we will see. A beta is set to be released in 2010 as well which I hope to catch to test out this game because I never bothered to play FFXI. Check out the trailer to see what you think.

Crazy C4 Kills on Modern Warfare 2

Just another good Call of Duty video to enjoy for today.

Second Rising of the Dead

Dead Rising 2 is set to come out September 28, 2010. Set several years after the Wilamette incident, Dead Rising 2 turns Fortune City into the newest zombie killing playground. Killing zombies is the name of the game for Chuck Greene, the character you will be playing when the onslaught begins. Capcom has invented tons of new ways to get creative for solving your zombie infestation problems. Gamers be advised, the first Dead Rising caused many RROD because of the Infinity mode where the save ability was disabled. If there is a game mode anything like this in the second one, you better keep an eye on your Xbox. Check out the trailer and see for yourself the new zombie killing methods that will be available.

Xbox360 vs Xbox360 Slim

Xbox has released a new version of the Xbox360 console. Similar to what Playstation did, Xbox has decided to slim down the bulkiness of their console. Although it wasn't ridiculously over-sized to begin with, they decided to revamp the model into a new console that really isn't a whole lot smaller. However the design of the system seems much cooler, it is the functionality that we hope has improved. The original xbox360 consoles were prone to overheating and continually got the RROD (Red Ring of Death) which basically meant your xbox was fried, although some people have managed to fix their own RROD problems in strange ways. While the new xbox360 is said to be very unlikely to receive the RROD, there are still skeptics who have their doubts, and for good reasons. While it is more energy efficient, energy efficiency tends to cause problems like lag or delay, as well as quality at times because that is generally the trade-off when trying to conserve energy. One nice thing about the new Xbox360 is the built in wireless connect-ability as apposed to the $100 add-on wireless adapter. The touch sensitive buttons are a nice touch to the design but as I said, the design really hasn't been condensed much which makes it hard to believe that the system has received much more than an exterior make-over. While I haven't seen how efficiently the system runs in terms of FPS and quality, my first impression is that is cool but more than likely not going to be worth the starting MSRP. I also find it unlikely that these will sell well with the other xbox360's currently on the market that are just as good in the eye of the consumer, not to mention that it is rumored that microsoft is looking to push a $50 price cut incentive on old xbox360 models to remove them from retailers. A price cut is going to be hard for most consumers to pass up who are actually in the market for an xbox console, let alone the people who will have no interest because they have a perfectly fine xbox360. I just wish they had included the wireless feature in the old models.

Some of you Know it as Natal

Originally, xbox has planned for there new gaming set up where you became the controller, similar to Wii, to be called Natal. A recent name change seemed in order upon their unveiling at the E3 convention changing its name to Kinect. This interesting new concept by microsoft seems to be revolutionizing gaming as we know it with tons of futuristic concepts already in place like voice controlled set ups, games where you are the only controller, and of course the new webcam that is being included to create a more personal feel reaching to millions across the globe. This new system allows the xbox to become more personally connected, recognizing you when you enter the room or approach the xbox. All of this is done with a small sensor box that attaches at the bottom of your tv that is designed to recognize every movement you make. While the say gameplay and functionality may vary, I am sure Kinect is far from free of glitches, but like Wii, it is a start to a very interesting movement for gaming and technology alike.

Web Camera Software

New professional security software works with
any webcamera, IP cameras, and major capture cards.

Security software

has become so complicated that the average
user who has been busy minding his store instead of pouring over electronics and online
know-how articles can be easily overwhelmed when it comes time to install or update his security system.


Fortunately, there is new professional surveillance software that simplifies much of the decision making.
You don't necessarily have to get rid of a working analog CCTV system in order to renew to a streaming
video that can be watched from any online connected pc or 3G phone. Video capture cards can digitally convert the
images for webcast. Until recently, there had been no real attempts to regulate the new Internet
cameras; every make and manufacturer functioned a little differently. And when you put webcams into the
join, using one application to control them all was cumbersome.



Professional surveillance software

is now available that will work for any camera
or Internet webcam and for most capture cards as well. You can supervise anything your movement
sensors are picking up at your home or firm while you can be half a globe away.
The software itself may not be easy, but it can get life simpler for you.

Broadcasting online video and audio from capture device
via webcamera server software

Security application

If you find yourself with a need to record surveillance video with a camera over an area,

webcamera
server application

may be the right choice for you. Using this application, it is possible to set up a
camera to detect movement and begin recording once it does.

Depending on your needs, the sights and sounds that are picked up by the camera may be stored on a hard drive, or if the captured video
needs to be accessible off-site, can be webcast using the server's streaming
function to a web site.

Depending on the quality of the webcam and the viewer's video card, the picture that is recorded may be as clear as a high-definition tv signal.
Using a setup like this, it is possible to provide a measure of surveillance for an area when
the economics of the situation do not justify hiring a security business or setting up a professional monitoring system.

This

do-it-yourself approach

can save money while not compromising on security.

I'm using webcamera software. I
can broadcast Online video to watch my home
from everywhere.

With my new

webcam software, I can run a streaming tv station
of my room visible online. This opens up a league
of possibilities, the surface of which has not even been scratched in today's world. I can use
this webcast for surveillance purposes, allowing me to see what's going on in my room
at any moment from a remote viewing station.

As long as I have the webcam
running and a remote station with Internet access, I can view the site.
With the software and the camera, I can change the settings to capture video,
sense movement (if I don't want to keep the webcam running at all times),
or use a combination of a live feed and recorded video to implement a protection
system that takes full advantage of new technology.

With a capture card,
I can easily transfer appropriate video and screenshots to use on
any pc.

With delicate data on my workstation
and expensive stuff in my home,
it only makes sense to have a security setup that I can monitor whenever I feel that my privacy
is being compromised. If I owned a small firm or lived with roommates, I couldn't imagine
living without it.

Darksiders

What was supposed to be an epic game, similar to God of War, turns out to be a dangerously close knock-off of a mix of games including Devil May Cry, Dark Sector, Prince of Persia, and even Zelda at some points. That aside, players give it an average of 4 out of 5 stars according to many prominent gaming sites. Playing as one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, you are out for vengeance against those who tricked you into starting the final confrontation between Heaven and hell. Each stage of battle is basically another level of hell, a dungeon that you must fight your way through to continually acquire pieces of the puzzle to who set you up. In a continued effort to restore balance you must constantly defeat dungeon bosses to set things straight. Personally I am yet to play this one but it is a game I hope to try soon as it seems very interesting and personally enjoyed the God of War. Check out the trailer and see what you think.

Newest Headset for WoW

Check out the newest headsets by Creative Labs specifically designed for World Of Warcraft. Be sure to grab the latest gaming mouse to go with it as well.

7.27.10

Starcraft release date is finally announced with an aired commercial. Check it out here and be sure to pre-order ASAP because this will sell quickly. Pre-order from BestBuy and get 500 bonus points to your reward zone account. If you don't have a reward zone account, 500 points is equivalent to a $10 gift card. So be sure to pre-order!

ZipZoomFly

ZipZoomFly, a great gaming equipment website, is currently having a big promotion for their Nvidia graphics cards. Purchase a GeForce GTX 465, 470, or 480 and you get a FREE copy of Just for Cause 2. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is currently building a PC of their own right now. Also be sure to check out the site for all your computer parts needs as well as tons of great games.

Very Cheap Computers Shop - www.gapindo.com

Get all your computer parts to build your own PC for a great price!

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Looking for a Good Deal on Your Gaming Equipment?

If you're looking for a good deal on your gaming equipment, head over to UnbeatableSale. Great site with amazing deals between 20-50% off of what you would normally pay. With both father's day and summer already upon us, don't hesitate to check out this site. Even get the latest games and accessories at a discount for your Xbox360, Playstation 3, or PC.

A Game for you and Your Significant Other

Check out this card game for you and your girlfriend/boyfriend if you are looking for a fun game that doesn't involve shooting or an RPG.

SeXy Playing Cards Game for Two - www.flavorshop.net

Check out the sexiest playing cards game for two at the FlavorShop.

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If that isn't your thing either then here's a cool online free arcade.

Free Golf Game onlin - cpapixel.dedicatednetworks.com

Bored at work? Check out this free online golf game.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Pack

So I purchased the resurgence map pack earlier today, yes I know I didn't get it the day it came out, I was busy with work. Anyway, the maps are definitely as cool as the trailer made them seem which is awesome. Usually epic trailers tend to let me down. But the resurgence map pack is definitely worth the 1200 microsoft points for anyone who is on the fence right now. If you don't believe me check out youtube for some of the latest gameplay. So far I have played Trailer Park, Fuel, and the classic strike, but am yet to see Vacant and the one I really want to play, Carnival. I came close to playing Carnival but the party was abandoning and I get sent to another party. At that point I was done trying to get Carnival and just turned off the Xbox. So if you haven't gotten the Resurgence Pack yet you better hop on board and learn these new maps. And check out the gameplay footage if you really aren't sure if you want to buy the map pack for the best game out for Xbox.

Western Digital Hard Drive - www.amazon.com

Check out Amazon to get all your gaming needs!

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Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel: Nintendo Wii - www.amazon.com

Order a qualifying game from Amazon.com and get $10 off a future video game purchase

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Black leather case for Apple iPad - www.amazon.com

Check out this unique design for a case for the new Apple iPad.

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Flip Ultra HD - www.amazon.com

Check out this pocket-sized HD camcorder with one-touch recording and zoom. Flip Ultra HD!

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Unfinished Business

Mafia Wars - Bangkok Episodes - apps.facebook.com

The Final Mafia Wars Bangkok episodes are live! Brought to you by the Zynga network. Check them out now!

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Modern Warfare 2: Resurgence Map Pack

So if you haven't already heard, COD: Modern Warfare 2 is releasing yet another Map Pack. They have been working quickly to get some brand new maps out for everyone to play including some old fan favorites from Call of Duty 4. Bringing back Strike and Vacant, this new map pack is going to bring back some good memories while creating some new ones with Carnival, Trailer Park, and Fuel. Get your microsoft points before this pack is released on June 3rd so you can start playing right away. Check out the new maps with this interview from Inside Xbox.

$10 Free Toward Gaming Purchase

Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel: Nintendo Wii - www.amazon.com

Order a qualifying game from Amazon.com and get $10 off a future video game purchase. Check out the games that qualify before the order expires. Your account will be credited the $10 about 2 days after your order.

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The Beta has Ended too Soon...

Unfortunately that is it for the Halo:Reach beta and the great action won't be seen again until its release on 09.14.10. If you haven't already I would be sure to pre-order because this is most likely going to be a quick seller. If the action ended all to quickly for you as well, check out this video which highlights the best and worst of the beta from player videos.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm

While Wrath of the Lich King didn't really interest me that much, the new expansion of WoW, Cataclysm, seems to be a nice new twist to the story and gameplay. With a very optimistic release date of November 1st, 2010, Blizzard has certainly set their standards high considering this is not the only task on their plates with the expected release of Starcraft 2 and the long awaited Diablo 3. While this release date is likely to be pushed back, I am still excited for this expansion that will change the class-race combinations, release two new classes that look a lot better than the overplayed Death Knight, as well as new dungeons and raids, and of course another great time leveling to the next level cap. At least its only 85 this time. What is sure to be interesting is the release of heroic style instances of the classics like deadmines and shadowfang keep. Actually tons of new features should make this expansion more exciting than the last but hopefully all this just doesn't become to overwhelming like the new secondary skill Archaeology and guild leveling system. Check out the video to see how Azeroth is being changed as well as some of the new features that are being thought up as we speak.

Starcraft 2

Blizzard is said to be releasing the long awaited Starcraft 2 sometime this fall. Despite multiple pushbacks on the release date by Blizzard already, I feel it is safe to say now that it will actually be released when they say it is due this fall. I have been checking out all of the great gameplay footage and trailers and I have got to say that every time I watch another one, I get that much more amped. At that point I break out Starcraft 1 and start playing again just to make myself think that I am already playing the new one so I can calm down. Check out the game footage and try to tell me you aren't just as amped as I am.

Be sure to check out the other parts to this footage as well:

Halo: Reach

So in the unlikely event that you haven't heard about Halo: Reach, here's the jist of it: It's Awesome! Frankly I didn't care for Halo 3 because I thought it got away from the classic concepts in Halo 2, not to mention the fact that the button layout for Halo 3 was absolutely annoying, especially when you tried to play some Call of Duty afterward. But Halo: Reach brings back that good classic Halo 2 feel with some really cool new features. If you don't have Halo: ODST to try the beta I suggest snagging it off a friend or even going out and buying it because ODST and Reach are both worth it. Halo: Reach brings some new features to the ball game such as playing as both Spartan and Elites. Unlike in Halo 3 multiplayer, whether you are Spartan or Elite really makes a difference now. Upon spawning you are given a choice of a types or classes to choose from that each has a special role to play in each of the game scenarios that is activated by the left bumper button. Spartans can choose from Jet packs, sprinting, and gaurd while Elites can choose invisibilty and diving (like sprinting). Depending on the game type as well, each role has a different assortment of guns such as the Grenadier, a Spartan class which now has a new grenade launcher type weapon. An unfortunate side effect of this design is the fact that Elites have a class which allows them to automatically start with one of the classic weapons that has really not changed much, but still scares everyone, the Energy Sword. Another great aspect of this game is the fact that they brought back the good old shield and health bars from Halo 1. While the scenarios have largely stayed the same so far, I'm sure they are planning to release some new game types on top of the ones that have already been shown like Invasion and Generator Defense. If you don't know what I am talking about its because you haven't seen enough of the game and need to stop reading this now and go check it out. If you seriously aren't convinced yet look at this montage to see some good classic carnage that never gets old.

Lost Planet 2

Released on Tuesday, Lost Planet 2 has a few disappointed. Although it looks like a great addition the previous one, LP2 offers some online play that is certainly up to date, but fails to solve the problems that had held back the first Lost Planet. Although the ideas and absoluting fascinating creatures and environments only got more interesting, the third person shooter layout is still as annoying as ever. I am still yet to understand why it was ever thought of but I guess enough people liked it. Anyway things only get worse from there. As you know Lost Planet has a habit of forcing you to sit through the long sequences that make the game visually thrilling, but after you've seen a couple of these sequences a few times, you tend to get bored. To top it off the story line is shaky at best, making you play through many different perspectives of the game. All negatives aside, I still think it is a great game if you don't mind wading through the thick boring parts, but I'll let you decide for yourself. If you haven't played it yet, check out the trailer, but don't be fooled by just how cool it looks.