1up.com reports that tomorrow trophies and the internet will meet, marry and perhaps even grow to love each other. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173048

Well it’s out, the long-awaited, fanboy heralded, Sony first-party exclusive FPS is in stores. I picked up my copy on friday and have been having a good time with it. But after a lengthly multiplayer session on saturday I thought to myself, why all the craziness over this game? Does it look great? Sure. Does is sound incredible? No doubt. But what else does it do particularly well? Not much. The leveling system is fun but didn’t quite hook me like CoD4/WaW. One might ask is it fair to even compare them? Of course it is, one of the most hyped games in the last couple of years begs to be compared especially to other titles in the same genre.  The controls also take some time to get used to. The DS3 does its job when you are in the middle of a fire fight, but all too well. The controller rumbles so much it becomes hard to aim. That type of  realism is better suited for games that take place on Earth, not Helghan. The multiplayer modes are the usual fair and the ability to rotate them is a really nice touch. Please do not some of my small complaints give you the impression that I don’t like the game, I do.  However it just does not offer anything as fun or polished(control-wise) as CoD or Halo.  But in a world with DLC and patches, that can be remedied. All in all KZ2 has a future, it has not launched broken like another Sony exlusive, and chances are I will be there playing it.

Reviews should be coming soon..

He sees you

If there is a genre that MS has almost ignored(Banjo port doesn’t count) it’s platformers. MS has certainly not turned down any opportunity, that I am aware of, to provide gamers with twin-stick shooters but platformers are few and far between on XBLA. It is for that reason that I am looking forward to trying The Maw(developed by Twisted Pixel). You control an alien named Frank who is armed with a leash device of some sort and must attempt to guide the Maw through levels. The Maw is a cyclopsed blob-like creature. Sounds intersting doesn’t it? Sounds like a downloadble game for the other two current gen systems, doesn’t it? All the more reason to look out for it on Jan 21st.

Are you missing those wonderful 1up.com podcasts on your commute? Then check out Rebel FM @ http://www.eat-sleep-game.com

It was announced today that the Home beta would be available to the masses tommorrow(12/11). I have only been participating in the beta for a couple of weeks. Honestly, I have been skeptical of Home’s potential appeal for quite some time. My brief involvement in the beta has been  less than convincing, however this is where the rubber meets the road. When everyone has a chance to take Home out for a test drive it will interesting to see what sticks. For a console struggling to find an identity in terms of must-have exclusive games while pushing bluray movies, I don’t see how people spending time in Home helps to put either of the goals within striking distance(similar to MS selling movies while teaming with Netflix). I know one thing Sony needs to find a way to allow multiple people to play the arcade games in the bowling alley. That is one of the strangest design decisions I’ve seen. Home is in a weird place to me.

I have RE4 for every platform. So needless to say I am very excited about RE5. While some who are fans(or not) of RE4 may be quick to comment that the new iteration is merely a prettier version of the previous. My response to that is “Isn’t that all we needed?” But seriously though there are some new gameplay elements like a partner that is with you for the the entire game(as far as I know) and online/local co-op play. The tank controls are still there but slightly improved and the inventory can be managed in real-time. 2009 can’t get here soon enough.

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An Obama-themed platform game based on Super Mario World for the SNES. It can be played within a web browser at superobamaworld.com

I have 2 gripes with the NXE. One is that the visual friends list is too much for me with 99 people on my friends list. The second is that Netflix does not have Killer Klowns from Outer Space available for streaming. That actually has nothing to do with the NXE, so I guess I have one gripe.