My Blog Isn't Nearly This Interesting.

"Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face.

The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood, and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown.

The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout, "Save us!"...

...and I'll look down and whisper, "No."



For the unfamiliar, those are the opening lines of Alan Moore's landmark story Watchmen as documented in the journal of Rorschach, my favorite character in the book. I've had a copy of Watchmen sitting around for a while now, and decided it was time to finally dive into it two nights ago. After finishing it's quite easy to see why so many people hold it in such high regard; never before have I read something in the medium with such complexity and insight. I'd love to discuss certain points throughout the story, but I wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't had the chance to read it before.

Throughout my reading, my thoughts strayed to my Dad several times. He grew up a fan of comics, and helped feed my interest in them when I was younger. During a conversation we had a short time ago after I lent him my copy of Batman: Dark Knight Returns to read, he talked about how it was slightly disappointing to him in certain ways. He enjoyed the story, but he was bothered to some extent that it wasn't a tale likely to be easily stomached by a young kid. When he was growing up in the '60s comics were always aimed for a younger audience, free of the violence, language, and more adult themes often prevalent in the medium today. It was easy to see where he was coming from, but I grew up with comics that were sometimes darker in approach, so the oppressive atmosphere in Dark Knight Returns struck a different chord with him. As he pointed out, when he was growing up Batman wasn't quite the brooding, psychologically-troubled anti-hero he's often portrayed as today. I'm aware that that DKR was written over 20 years ago, but realize what era my Dad is coming from. And really, it's more of the change to a classic hero that my Dad wasn't fond of. As a huge fan of Sin City, violence, sex, and drugs in a graphic novel isn't anything new to him.

This all came to mind because I wondered what his reaction would be to Watchmen. It's a dark, often-depressing tale that lacks any character you can agree with entirely and count on to serve 'justice.' The mortality and wellness of the cast is a forefront issue, and they're constantly reminded of it throughout. Also, I couldn't help but feel that when they looked back on the past it was like looking back on the past of the comic industry. Times were more simple, with heroes fighting a more straightforward battle with their villans. Granted, it wasn't that straightforward, as the reader sees the darker side of things as well. To me it had, to an extent, the same feel as it does when I look back the origin of some of today's comic heroes, and I found it to be an interesting, if minor, parallel. My dad would enjoy reading such sections, and probably the entire book, but I know it would be a very different read than what he grew up with and loved.

To anyone with an interest in comics I recommend reading this, though I think the majority of fans have at this point. I love comics, but my spare time is often spent on other things, so there are plenty of classics I've never gotten around to. When I read something this spellbinding I have to stop and wonder why I don't pick up graphics novels more often.

If Only Life Was 2-D.

April 9 can't come soon enough. Need I say anything else?

March = Greek Month.

So, I'm a liar. Have I been keeping this updated? No. It's all due to self-deception and trickery. Hopefully I'll be able to outsmart myself in the future and push out posts like that old lady in the shoe did babies. Or...something. Onward.

I've spent the last week and a half in a Greek-induced stupor. I went to see 300 last Friday, which was fantastic. Seriously, if you haven't seen it yet you're doing yourself a disfavor. Drop the money to see it in a theater. It's worth it. The visuals are gorgeous, and between that and the thundering sounds of battle you just can't beat a massive screen and surround sound.

As if things couldn't get any better, God Of War II dropped on Tuesday, and I picked up a copy Wednesday to continue the saga of the pasty Spartan. Kratos was really pissed, lots of things died, and things generally did not fare well for the denizens of Olympus. Rarely do I play a game and stare in disbelief as on-screen actions shatter the boundaries of coolness. Did I say shatter? I meant destroy, dismember and crush between doors. Anyone who played the original will definitely remember how quickly, and on what a grand scale things started off. I think it's safe to say that GoW2 topped this with the opening battle between Kratos and the colossus of Rhodes. Take my word that it's an extremely epic beginning, and the rest of the game holds up extremely well after such an offering. I was extremely impressed with GoW2, and overall I think it even tops the first outing.

The solid combat system of the original returns here with some small tweaks and more polish. First off, players can now map a second weapon to R2 and switch at will between it and the blades. It was definitely a nod to Devil May Cry 3, even it only allows players to switch between two weapons at a time(DMC3 keeps all your weapons in the available cycle). It was a welcome addition to gameplay, but I still found myself always going back to the blades, just as I did in the original. Still, there are three weapons to pick up throughout the game, doubling the arsenal available in GoW. Even so, I still felt that I could get away with some mashing at certain points in the game. You can at certain points in any game, but anyone who has played titles such as DMC3 and Ninja Gaiden will understand that the combat here isn't quite as deep. Don't get me wrong, though. It's extremely good, takes skill, is fun, and feels great. I just wish I couldn't horizontal, horizontal, vertical my way to victory so often(a basic string that you have the entire game). Also, there are more attack animations this time around. While the same move will still function the same, it might display a different animation in killing two different enemies. The context-sensitive finishing moves have returned in full force, and definitely top anything present in the original.

The presentation is again through the roof. It puts that of most games to absolute shame. DMC3 may have a deeper combat system(which I prefer), but even with its extremely cool cutscenes, more in-depth story(than the rest of the DMC series, I mean), and dark locales, the presentation of the GoW series crushes it like a harpy under a Spartan sandal. I'm not saying I like GoW more overall, but enough can't be said for its presentation. Picking a favorite series would warrant another post entirely. It's something I just might consider, though it's been long enough since I picked up a DMC title that going back to one would be necessary first.

GoW2's story is fantastic, and you always feel like you're working towards your ultimate goal. I'm not going to delve into things here because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't played the game yet. The story tells another chapter, but the story is not finished yet. It was satisfying, but in the same way killing and sex is for Kratos. You get plenty, but you still want more.

Boss battles. They deserve their own paragraph to emphasize how incredibly well done they were. The original GoW only featured three boss fights, and while they were all great, it was something I really wanted more of. SCEA really listened to fans and added more this time around. A lot more. The game really feels strung together by boss fights, whereas in the first game they felt like a rare occurrence. Knowing I was in for more this time, I did have the nagging worry that they wouldn't be as well done as they previously were. Thankfully this worry was completely thrown aside as I played. Many of the boss fights are smaller, while bigger boss fights still numbered more than they did in the first. Whether bigger or smaller in scale, pretty much every single one was noteworthy. When I say smaller, though, don't take it as meaning they aren't as good as the larger fights. What I mean is that they simply aren't as big or as long as, say, the colossus battle. Or some others, considering how huge the colossus is. I'm going to leave it at that since boss fights are something players definitely don't need spoiled.

All in all, GoW2 is an incredible game, and a more-than-worthy follow-up to the original. It's definitely going to be a contender for GOTY, though considering the titles lined up for the year I'm fully looking forward to something else impressing me even more.

Could This Year Get Any Better?

So, I'm slightly behind on posting. I apologize for that,(I'm sure you were all broken up) as I honestly want to keep my blog updated. There sure isn't a shortage of post topics this year, even with us currently in the typical gaming season 'drought,' which hasn't exactly hit this year. While new releases that I actually want to play are generally sparse throughout the first quarter each year, I'm glad to say I don't even have the cash for everything I'd like to get my hands on. Realistically, I'd also like to point out that at this point I don't really need new releases. I want them, yes, but the list of last-gen games I still want to play is rather large.

If anyone has actually checked my sidebar they would've noticed that I picked up a copy of Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance for the Gamecube. My GC library isn't exactly huge, but it's composed of some of my favorite games. Even so, my GC sees a lot of use, and I needed something new to play. With that in mind I set out in search of something fresh. After considering my options it came down to either FE or Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. When I got the chance to stop in at EB a few days later they didn't have PM, but they did have a new copy of FE for just $15, so my decision was easy.

Since then FE:PoR has taken up quite a bit of my time. In just under two weeks I've put in around 24 hours, which isn't bad considering it isn't the only game I've been playing. Also, those familiar with the FE system will know that when one of your party members dies in battle, that's it. Phoenix Down? Yeah, right. Not here. Therefore, I've had to restart numerous battles, and the time spent doing that isn't included in my above playtime. I thought I might get frustrated with this system, but I've honestly been all right with it so far. Permanent death really causes you to think out your moves more, and it makes winning a battle that much more satisfying.

Also, FE is built on a system that requires no grinding at all. The game is based on chapters, each one containing one fight(or four, in one amazingly long chapter). Once you finish that fight you move onto the next chapter. There isn't even an option for you to grind. Now, that does take away the chance that you'll ever be over-leveled and able to pound your opponent into pulp, but I've strangely all right with that. This system gives each battle great significance in terms of gameplay and story. Every chapter features story segments both before and after a fight, so the player always has something to look forward to. The sheer amount of dialogue included in these segments is quite impressive. Voice acting would've been nice, but it's easy to see why they stuck with text. With all that said, here's to hoping that the difficulty doesn't ramp to a frustrating level in the last eight(of 28) chapters. I don't consider myself to be very good at SRPGs,(my experience with them is extremely limited) so I was geeked to see the easy difficulty option.

So, what does that have to do with this year, you ask? Well....not a whole lot, actually. So long as the rest of the FE experience goes well I'm going to pick up the sequel when it drops this summer. The Wii doesn't exactly have a great summer line-up yet, either, and that could be a huge saving grace.

This brings me to the original cause for my post. Atlus USA recently announced the acquisition of the publishing rights for Vanillaware's Odin Sphere, a sort of spiritual successor to Princess Crown. Don't worry, I hadn't heard of it until now, either. It did grace the Sega Saturn, after all. Why am I extremely excited, then?







That's why. It easily contains some of the most stunning 2D art I've ever seen included in any game, and in combination with some beautiful music I'm pretty much sold, even though knowledge of the gameplay is fairly limited, though it looks cool enough You can check out the trailer here.

I made sure to post the pictures first, as the YouTube'd trailer doesn't do the art proper justice. Atlus is really pushing this one, and I couldn't be happier. They already have the english site opened, and anyone familiar with Atlus knows they don't do that until their games are fairly close to release. Slated with a late spring release for both Japan and the US, it won't be all that long until I get my hands on it, then promptly drool all over my Dualshock. Hopefully this post gets the word out to someone who wasn't familiar with the game before, as titles like this really need all the support they can get. So many people are quick to shrug off 2D titles because....well, they're idiots, and I don't want to see Atlus stop localizing projects like these.

Now I'm looking forward to both Odin Sphere and Fire Emblem: Goddess Of Dawn, two games I wasn't even considering at the time of my games of '07 post. Really, how many more games can I handle? The DS is going to rape as well, as the announcement for the follow-up to Osu! Tatakae! Ouedan was just made last week. While I expect '07 DS announcements in the coming months, I wasn't exactly expecting to suddenly be looking forward to two more console titles so soon.

Vanillaware is also partially responsible for Grimgrimoire, an upcoming sidescrolling RPG/RTS they co-developed with Nippon Ichi. The gameplay looks crazy, and the art is amazing. I don't feel like uploading any more pictures, so you can just head over to the site and check it out. Here's to hoping someone decides to localize it. Because, you know, there isn't going to be anything to play this year.

Simply A Matter Of Taste?

Over 20 years ago Nintendo introduced two of its most prominent franchises with The Legend Of Zelda and Metroid. Both series rose to fame and haven't looked back since. However, the Zelda series has really stolen the limelight by this point. This post is discuss why this has happened. Both series share a similar depth of gameplay, but Zelda's popularity far outweighs that of our favorite female bounty hunter.

The Legend that started it all.

While both series feature adventure-styled gameplay, they still function quite differently. Zelda takes place in the kingdom of Hyrule and paints the picture of a lively world, full of talkative characters and interactive environments. I think this world is one of the numerous reasons that Zelda sits so high upon its deku throne. Hyrule's high-fantasy environment is easily accessible and friendly to fans. Link can traverse on foot or horseback to various locales and encounter a variety of indigenous people to interact with. From humans to zorras to gorons, almost anyone you talk to has something interesting to say and can lead to various sidequests. Walkings into Castle Town in many Zelda titles introduces jovial music and allows the player to witness NPCs interacting with each other, establishing a sense of community and the feeling that you're part of a world bigger than just Link and his quest.

Super Metroid still retains it's incredible atmosphere to this day, which is an amazing accomplishment.

Now, take a leap, or more likely, a ship, to the outer boundaries of the universe to planets such as Zebes, SR388, and Tallon IV and you're in for quite a different experience. As I said before, Metroid and Zelda may both offer an adventure experience, but both are completely unique. While Zelda offers a lively world full of people and their lives, full of both comedy and serious situations, Metroid offers alien planets full of biomechanical, hostile environments. Also, there aren't any friendly locals to talk about the weather with. Samus is generally on her own from start to finish, exploring in silence. The atmosphere varies from cold and uninviting to simply curious, but very rare is an area where you want to kick up your space boots and call it quits(Tallon Overworld[Metroid Prime] does it for me). I think Zelda has a wider appeal in this area, because dungeon crawls are broken up by friendly conversation and lightheartedness, whereas Metroid generally has a lonely, gloomy overtone.

However, I don't feel that the difference in atmosphere is the only reason Zelda is head and shoulders above Metroid in popularity. Take a look at their history and you'll see both shared a great deal of popularity in their early years. I wasn't able to take note of how they faired at the time, but it seems that up until the Nintendo 64 hit they were pretty even. Super Metroid is often regarded as not only the best Metroid title, but its been honored as number one on numerous games-of-all-time lists.

Ocarina Of Time cemented my position as a Zelda fan, and the series continues to grow a decade later.

When the N64 ushered in Nintendo's foray into 3D gaming, they pulled out all the stops and released Ocarina Of Time, oftern haralded as the best Zelda title of all time, which brought in a lot of new fans(myself included, as my Zelda experience had been fairly limited up until that point). OoT was an absolutely incredible experience, and the fact that it was in 3D made the Hyrule seem that much bigger. The biggest in-game world I had adventured through up until that point was in Super Metroid, and I remember being blown away by OoT.

As gamers continued to preach the wonders of OoT, Samus was noticeably absent. Her only apperance on the 64 was in Super Smash Bros., and that didn't give new players the Metroid experience. If Nintendo wasn't ready to make another Metroid game that soon because they were holding out for quality reasons, then you can't really complain. Regardless, the series was greatly missed on the 64. By the time Majora's Mask dropped, fans were frothing at the mouth to run around in green tights again, and Samus seemed all but forgotten. Mask brought another experience, while controversial, that is dear to many of today's gamers.

I can't help but geek a little everytime I see the title screen.

When Nintendo announced that Metroid Prime for the Gamecube would be done from a first-person perspective, it was pretty hard not to think that Nintendo was caring less and less about the franchise. Metroid worked perfect in a 2D environment, and the switch in dimensions and perspective seemed crazy. However, in the end, Retro Studios delivered an experience that surpassed all expectations. Prime was, and still is, almost perfect. Still, it seems as though the switch to first person has taken away its appeal from a certain crowd. Both Prime and Prime 2 performed well here, but did less-than-stellar in Japan. Apparently first-person titles make Japanese gamers sick, or so they say. Regardless, the Prime titles have a dedicated fan base, and Zelda's first appearance on the GC wasn't exactly standard fare, either.

Call it what you want, Windwaker was loved by critics and legions of fans alike.

Even with these numerous factors, I believe there's one other large factor that plays a part, atleast recently. Difficulty. For example, take a look at both series last major outtings, Prime 2 and Twilight Princess, both of which I've completed. In my first playthrough of Prime 2 I died countless times....fighting a mid-boss...early in the game. Not to mention the many other deaths I faced as I ventured across Aether, sodomizing the Ing horde along the way. It doesn't classify as a truly hard game on my list, but it surely was challenging. It's not the type of game you'd see many grade-schoolers playing; both the difficulty and oftentimes creepy atmosphere see to that.

The Twilight realm gameplay segments in Twilight Princess were instant classics due to the incredible atmosphere.

Twilight Princess, however, is another story. It's an amazing game. Heck, I think it's the best Zelda title I've ever played, but it wasn't difficult. Sure, it had plenty of clever puzzles and was truly epic in length(I clocked in around 42 hrs. to finish it), but I didn't die once the entire game. I fell off plenty of ledges and lost hearts, but the Prime titles have a very similar feature. What I'm talking about is an actual game over. I didn't really mind, but it would've been nice to have multiple difficulty settings to add to the replay value.

In the end I think multiple factors have contributed to Zelda's popularity over the Metroid series. It's not something that bothers me, as I'm a huge fan of both, but I've always questioned it to a certain extent. Zelda just has a wider appeal in terms of atmosphere, as a traditional fantasy setting it something everyone is familiar with, and character interaction helps out a lot as well. It's not a fault that Metroid lacks it. On the contrary, it's a factor that contributes to the overall atmosphere, but also one that not quite as many people enjoy. I'll be happy as long as both series continue to thrive, and hopefully we won't see anymore generation gaps in either series.

Sonic: The Good, The Meh, And The Ugly.

Ahhh, Sonic. Where to even start? Sonic was my first 'favorite' gaming series, I think. The Sega Genesis was the first console I ever owned, and Sonic 2 was my first game. That started a love for the series that hasn't subsided to this day.

Ah, the memories.

I spent countless hours playing Sonic 2, and attempting to collect every ring and chaos emerald surely attributed to starting me down the road to poor vision. The game never really got old to my brother and I, and we came up with all sorts of ridiculous ideas from playing it so much. The one that sticks with me the most is the dance we created in the sixth zone, Mystic Cave. If you've played the game, and you can remember the music, just imagine Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles looking up and bobbing down with the music. Ahh, the memories. Next to mind comes the Genesis freezing in the later levels and us yelling and screaming at it. Good times.

Sonic 3 eventually rolled in with it's mind-blowing opening sequence(hey, it was at the time) and the introduction of Knuckles. With Sonic 3 came an addiction possibly even greater than what Sonic 2 offered. The largest reason for this was the introduction of the multi-faceted multiplayer. Sure, there was multiplayer in Sonic 2, but it wasn't nearly this competative. The heated battles caused by the Time Trial mode was my big introduction to competative gaming. My brother and I were always up in arms about who was the best at each level, even though I ended up losing some because I would always rep a slower Tails in the face of his Sonic. However, I would throw down some Knuckles or a bit of Sonic when the situation was serious enough. The single player action was just as great, too. It was definitely easier than Sonic 2 was, but I welcomed that with open arms at the time(the end boss in Sonic 2 kicked my ass...a lot). I don't want to say it was a pushover, because it wasn't, but it didn't take all that long until I was ripping through it with ease. Also, one strange habit I came into with Sonic 3 was to make up my own lyrics for each song. And, to give you an idea of how much I played it, I still remember a lot of the lyrics to this day. Yeah, I'm a huge geek.

Originally meant to be one long, epic adventure, Sonic 3 and S&K was split into two due to time constraints.

Sonic and Knuckles dropped soon after with its attachable tech and neverending glory. Not only was it another great addition to the series, but it let players attach Sonic 3, and even Sonic 2, for a ton of new gameplay options. The only gripe I have with Sonic and Knuckles, and I'm sure many other Sonic fans feel me on this, is how incredibly annoying the second act of Sandopolis Zone was. I eventually made my way through it, but it's one of those times when you think the dev. team put it in just so it wouldn't get a perfect score. It was my childhood version of the skeleton archers from Ninja Gaiden. Aside from that, S&K was spectacular. From the one-on-one fight with Knuckles in Hidden Palace to the showdown with Mecha Sonic in Sky Sanctuary, S&K delivered an amazing game with an incredibly epic feel.

I'd also like to include the original Sonic title so no one has to leave me a comment asking why I left it out. I didn't get the chance to play the original until sometime after I had played the second, and while it was still really good, it just never held up against the other additions since it lacked the spin dash.

At this point of the post you're probably wondering exactly where I'm taking this. Hopefully everything you've read so far has gotten the point across that I've been a fan of the series since time immemorial. Since his glory days on the Genesis, Mario's one-time competitor has really had his ups and downs, leading to the series less-than-stellar standing with many gamers today. The reason for this is Sega's willingness to release a plethora of games in the Sonic universe without giving them a proper polishing. Or, you know, adding a core gameplay system that functions properly.

For example, Shadow The Hedgehog and Sonic Riders were released four months apart. Four. When two games suck that bad you really need to spread them out, but it seems that Sega was in the mood to throw a real shit-fest. They decided to really expose their fetish for it this past fall with the release of Sonic The Hedgehog on the 360. The title implied something big for the series, and I know I wasn't the only one excited before it released. Now, to be fair, I haven't played any of those three titles myself, and I'm just going by how they scored. However, they all scored extremely poor, and any redeeming points they could've had seemed to be outweighed by a number of negative aspects.

Sonic Team used to be synonymous with quality, but their reputation has suffered quite a bit the last few years. I think some of that has to do with some team members leaving, and the fact that they merged with United Game Artists a few years back, so their line-up is a bit different these days. Here's a quick comparison of what made them legendary, and what has really dealt a blow to that status.

- Sonic The Hedgehog(1991)
- Sonic The Hedgehog 2(1992
- Sonic The Hedgehog CD(1993)
- Sonic The Hedgehog 3(1994)
- Sonic And Knuckles(1994)
- NiGHTS Into Dreams(1996)
- Sonic Adventure(1998)
- Phantasy Star Online(2000)

Compare that to this.

- Sonic Heroes(2003)
- The Rub Rabbits(2005)
- Shadow The Hedgehog(2005)
- Sonic Riders(2006)
- Phantasy Star Universe(2006)
- Puyo Pop Fever 2(2006)
- Sonic The Hedgehog(2006)

As you can see, the newer titles don't exactly stack up to the earlier releases in the least. They're not all bad, but they aren't spectacular, either. Also, noticeably absent from the newer titles is Sonic Rush, which is definitely the best Sonic title released in several years. Rush, along the the Advance titles, was developed by the Osaka-based Dimps.

Sonic Team showed that it was possible to stick our blue hero into 3D and make it work.

Sonic Team hasn't really done anything positive with the franchise since Sonic Adventure 2 in 2001. This is where the pressure comes in. The Sonic Franchise is in need of a revival to show that it's capable of delivering another good 3D title. Due out on February 27 for the Wii is Sonic And The Secret Rings.

Secret Rings looks extremely promising so far, and one screen doesn't really do it justice.

Rings has a fixed camera that looks like it will avoid one of the big problems that has plagued recent Sonic titles. Also, all the video I've seen so far show off a great sense of speed that controls quite well(the Wiimote is held sideways during play). The arabian nights motiff adds a unique sense of style as well, letting it stand out from its brethren. While I don't want to get my hopes up too high in case things don't turn out as well as they look, it's hard not to geek in anticipation.

Sega really needs Rings to be succesful, and so far it looks like they're on the right track for the first time in a few years. Nostalgia is hitting hard at this point, so I think it's time to dust off the Genesis and show off my skills.

Also, I highly recommend any long-time fans of Sonic check out Hedgehog Heaven and Project Chaos, remixes of the soundtracks from Sonic 2, Sonic 3, and S&K. The original soundtracks owned, and I wasn't alone in that opinion.

"Innocence Has A Power Evil Cannot Imagine."

Go see it. Now. Pan's Labyrinth was one of the most emotional, amazing movies I've seen in a long time, and I can't recommend it enough. Rarely am I that enraptured with a movie, cringing and holding my breath throughout. I don't know what else to say because I don't want to ruin it for everyone, so I'll stop at that. If you have the chance to see it and don't, you're really missing out.



I'm on a roll. I saw Pan's Labyrinth on Saturday, and I just watched The Illusionist tonight. Both were awesome. Edward Norton's performance as Eisenheim was great, bringing incredible intensity to the screen. I honestly can't even remember at what point it was in theaters, and I'm really glad I got the chance to see it now.

It's surely fitting, so I'll end things with a bit of lyrical content.

"As an outcast I paced defeat
Seeking comfort in this painful retreat
Made an oracle against my will
Word spread of miraculous skills

Premonitions call my name
I once doubted them all when they came
Now I embrace it and I'll never be the same

Transfixed in the desert sands
Take a look at my once empty hand
See the rose that appears so real
Just like the one you saw in your dreams

Those who call me avatar
Know not what they're looking for
They just feed their flames with miracles
Just so you know
If you bathe within my light
You diminish your own might
The illusionist in everyone"

"The Illusionist" ~ Scar Symmetry

2007 - Basically The Second Coming.

As I have a lot fun doing a best of at the end of each year, it's also fun to compile a list of what I'm most looking forward to for the next year. This list isn't necessarily going to be what I think the best games are going to be, but rather what I'm most looking forward to(though it's the same thing in some cases). Also, this isn't in any particular order, as trying to determine one is more trouble than it's worth, and I'd end up seating certain titles lower just because they haven't been shown off to the public too much yet.

Games Of 2007

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots - PS3



My most anticipated game is for a console that I won't even own by the time it's released. Yeah, I'm not doing this in order, but as this is definitely my most anticipated game at the moment I figured I'd list it first. MGS4 is shaping up to be everything and more than I could have ever asked for from the story successor to MGS2. Though MGS3 was incredible, I've been waiting for the story to continue ever since I first saw the credits roll in MGS2 just over five years ago. Every trailer has left me breathless and with more questions, just like Kojima intended. I just hope I'll get to play it somewhere after it's released.

2. Halo 3 - Xbox 360



The first trailer, shown during the final E3 last year, was the perfect way to really kick off the hype. Every time a new video or piece of information is released I just get more and more excited. Here's to hoping that Bungie can outdo themselves with the final installment in the trilogy. At least we know it won't end with a whimper.

3. Bioshock - Xbox 360, PC



Talking about it doesn't do much good, as I'm of the opinion that one needs to really see what Irrational has created to understand just how amazing it's shaping up to be. It's incredibly atmospheric, and both the gameplay and story sound fantastic and really original.

4. Assassin's Creed - Xbox 360, PS3



I've been looking forward to this ever since I saw the first teaser. The crowd interaction and maneuverability alone have pretty much sold me on it. I'm not really doubting the action at this point, and the fact that that Ubisoft has been really uptight about some of the story elements has me excited.

5. Mass Effect - Xbox 360



I have no previous experience with Bioware's console games, but it looks like this will be a good place to start. Part one of what can only be a really, really long trilogy, some aspects of the game have been really, really impressive. Also, considering Bioware's track record, it's practically guaranteed to be an awesome time.

6. God Of War II - PS2



Even after hearing all the hype and praise, I didn't play the original until far after it was released, and I was floored when I did. Aside from the acursed towers that are hated by everyone who played the game, it was great. That's a small complaint, anyway. They weren't even as bad as the skeleton archers from Ninja Gaiden. The sequel seems to be bringing back everything good from the original and really upping everything. I can't wait to kill more innocents.

7. Super Mario Galaxy - Wii



Finally. I, along with the other plumber-loving gamers in the world, have been patiently awaiting for a more traditional sequel to Super Mario 64 for years, as Sunshine has never really appealed to me. Galaxy, however, sends me into a state of euphoria everytime I get another glimpse of it. To use entire planets as stepping stones is just awesome. Please, God, let this fall come quickly.

8. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Wii



While there hasn't been much info. released in the past couple months, it's still hard for me not to get excited over MP3. I'm a huge Metroid fan, and I loved the first two Prime titles. Retro Studios is basically incapable of doing anything wrong in my mind, except for the fact that they added long-winded fetch quests to the ends of both games. The new actions that have been implemented on the Wii look really immersive, and all other news so far has been pretty positive. Also, I'm glad to see Retro mixing things up some. Corruption will feature a stacking beam system like the Metroids of yore, and players will actually be able to travel to different planets via the ship. The only thing I'm worried about at this point is the dialogue. I love the silent, lonely feel of Metroid games. It plays a huge part in adding to the atmosphere when there isn't any spoken dialogue to break things up. To be fair, I'm also more than willing to have some faith in Retro to hold things down in that department. Also, Jennifer Hale is a fantastic voice actress, and I think she's more than capable of doing a good job. Also, I say a prayer each night at my Metroid shrine in hopes that MP3 will actually see a release by mid-summer.

"Oh great Chozo gods
Return thy armored saint by mid-year
So she may smite Ridley yet again

Oh money-loving Nintendo
Deliver us power ups by mid-summer
So we might bomb jump once more

Thy will be done
Space pirates be torn a new one
On Earth as it is on Zebes

Amen"

9. Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Wii



Never in my life did I expect to see the above fight taking place. Two great, if not my favorite, video game characters taking it to each other. I'm a big fan of the first two installments, and I can't begin to count the hours I've spent with them. With the release of Brawl this year I'll honestly need very little else to play. And if we actually do get a nice, online play setup, all will be right in the world. In the meantime I'm hopefully awaiting the announcement of a few more new characters. Nintendo needs to work out a deal to get Sonic in, if only to appease me(and the tons of other fans clamoring for it).

10. Lunar Knights - DS



A random screenshot doesn't too much for a DS game, so in case anyone is unfamiliar with LK, I recommend checking it out. I spent a good deal of last year anticipating it, only to have it eventually pushed back into '07. I can't complain much, though. It looks extremely promising, and it's great to see it putting both screens to good use. Instead of requiring actual sunlight like the Boktai series did, Lunar Knights instead uses the top screen to simulate a variety of weather conditions, letting games stay couped up in their rooms.

While I only listed ten titles here, there are many, many other games coming out this year with plenty of potential. Mike listed a number of games that I didn't, so feel free to check out his blog and see what else is dropping this year.

Best Of 2006.

Yeah, I'm lazy. What can I say? However, I wanted to make a best of 2006 list, and this is the best place to put it. My list is going to be broken down into multiple sections, and I'd list them ahead of time if I was even sure what they were all going to be. And....we're off!

Top 5 Video Games

To make things easier for me I'm only going to include games that I actually had the time to finish.

1. Gears Of War - Xbox 360

While my number one and two picks could virtually be a tie, I had to seperate them for the sake of this list, and I could probably change my mind on a whim. I gave it the nudge to number one because it has such high replay value in my mind. The campaign mode doesn't take too long to complete, and you instantly want to jump back in as soon as it ends.

2. The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess

I just finished it a couple days ago, and I can't even begin to imagine how much extra stuff I've skipped over. I haven't even gone fishing yet(aside from what's required to complete the story)!

3. Bleach DS: Souten ni Kakeru Unmei

I spent a ton of time playing it by myself, and that requires fairly addicting gameplay considering the genre. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel's release in February.

4. New Super Mario Bros.

We finally got a new 2D Mario game, and it was a blast. It turned out to be pretty easy, but still incredibly fun. I also ended spending a ton of time with it as I tried to collect the big coins in each stage, though I ultimately gave up at the beginning of the sixth world.

5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

The only reason this isn't higher on my list is because it's a technically not a new game, but a re-release with alterations and online play. This is the release the game originally deserved, but wasn't given to fans until early last year. Regardless, it was fantastic. The secondary camera is what the core game really needed, and it truly made the experience complete for me. Also, though I don't consider it when judging the game, the pre-order bonus for it was possibly the best ever, though Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin's cluster of awesome freebies sure gives it a run.

Honorable Mentions:

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin

While it wasn't as good as 2005's Dawn Of Sorrow, PoR still managed to provide plenty of enjoyment, but in the end it didn't quite living up to everything I was hoping for. It had some uninspired bosses and repetitive level design(some of the later portrait's resembled earlier ones). To be fair, it also had some extremely cool boss fights that helped make up for the lackluster ones, and it did feature some really cool level design in certain areas. Also, I felt there was some trouble in the new, two-character system. Having to enter the main menu every time I wanted switch spells with Charlotte became a pretty big annoyance after a while, as it was something I found myself doing fairly often. I still had a lot of fun with the game, and I appreciate Iga and co. trying to keep things fresh by adding the separate level design element, but I prefer the open-ended, large environment found in previous titles(starting with SoTN).

Tetris DS

I don't think I ever need another version of Tetris. It has the classic gameplay along with several new modes, and features Wi-Fi play. It's become a pretty big time sink for me, and it's hard to get away from considering you can just take it with you for whenever you have a few free minutes.

Some other titles that I've really been enjoying, especially FFXII, weren't included because I'm not finished with them yet, as I stated earlier. I have a pretty good feel for FFXII so far, as I'm just about 30 hrs. in, but I'll reserve judgement for when I actually finish it.

So, onward to the rest of the list.

Top Movies

It's honestly pretty difficult to remember all the new movies I saw this year, so I'm bound to leave something out.

1. Casino Royale

I've been a fan of Bond films for longer than I can remember, so I'm generally pretty psyched everytime a new one is released. However, my interest waned somewhat after the lackluster Die Another Day. I thought Brosnan played a pretty good Bond, but the plot sucked, and the film was disappointing in most aspects. After Daniel Craig was announced as the next bond, and that the next film would be based on Ian Flemming's Casino Royale,(with some updating) my interest started perking again. Any hopes I had been harboring were completely blown away when it hit theaters. Not only was it a good film, but easily one of the best Bond films I'd ever seen. Daniel Craig is perfect for the role, bringing back a more rugged, yet sophisticated Bond.

2. V For Vendetta

While I haven't read the graphic novel,(though I did finally obtain a copy) V was movie brilliance. It had me on edge the entire time with it's great main cast, dialogue, and intriguing story. Hugo Weaving really caught viewer's attentions everytime he spoke, helping, along with the rest of the cast, to make a great comic-to-movie experience.

3. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

I don't think I need to say too much here, as pretty much everyone saw it. It was pretty much what I was expecting,(though the story sure surprised) which isn't a bad thing at all. And anyone who saw it should understand why I'm really, really anticipating the sequel.

Top 10 Albums

1. Tyr - Ragnarok
2. Bal-Sagoth - The Cthonic Chronicles
3. Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side
4. Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress
5. Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage
6. The Faceless - Akeldama
7. Kalmah - The Black Waltz
8. Disarmonia Mundi - Mind Tricks
9. Diablo Swing Orchestra - The Butcher's Ballroom
10. Torchbearer - Warnaments

Honorable Mentions

Rhapsody Of Fire - Triumph Or Agony
Sleep Terror - Probing Tranquility

Up next are my picks for 2007.