Need for Speed ProStreet Races

The PSP (PlayStation Portable) system version of Need for Speed ProStreet is a game that won’t feature any police chases. That’s because ProStreet is all about legal street racing. In addition, ProStreet features a number of technical developments, such as an advanced crash system and particle system. Mostly, the game revolves around track races, racing in designated tracks, instead of on the streets. Need for Speed ProStreet is the ultimate taste of the chaos and unbridled adrenaline of street racing. Pushing yourself and your car to the edge can lead to mistakes and this time those mistakes have consequences. Need for Speed ProStreet is your ultimate taste of the chaos and unbridled adrenaline of street racing.

Not only the accessibility and mobility that the Need for Speed ProStreet provide, but also two brand new in-game features, the Driver Persona and Driver Intuition. It allows you to tailor your driving experience to your ability and skill level using both tools. Furthermore, you can feel the thrill and greatness of driving 35 of the hottest cars available and the three of the most anticipated street racing cars that have yet to hit the North American market the 2009 Nissan GT-R, the 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 and the 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X. Let you take control of your journey by the all new driving features. You can choose from a variety of Driver personas to customize the race’s difficulty level to your skill set. It builds the ultimate battle and reputation against the world’s best street racers.

The Lord of the Ring, the Battle for Middle-earth II

"The Lord of Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II introduces players to new heroes, creatures, places and stories from Tolkien's fiction brought to life in the visual style of the films from New Line Cinema," said Mike Verdu, Executive Producer at EA LA. "The game combines a rich and wonderful world with innovations in real-time strategy game play to deliver the complete Middle-earth experience. This is the Middle-earth you've never seen."

On The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, players wage war in the Northern regions of Middle-earth where they can choose to assume command of the most storied civilizations in all of Middle-earth history - the Elven and Dwarven armies - or fight on the side of Evil with heroes and creatures that have never been seen in The Lord of the Rings™ films. Reprising his role as Lord Elrond, Hugo Weaving lends his voice to the game, helping to set the scene and tone for each mission.

Players can customize their experience by creating their own hero and building all new customized RTS units. Build landmark castles with fully customizable and upgradeable fortresses and walls or control the entire war with War of the Ring Mode; a high level “Risk” style meta-game on the Living World Map with all new strategic AI.

The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II PC game has release a special Collector’s Edition. For the first time ever, fans of The Lord of the Rings can see what goes into the making of a blockbuster PC game with the DVD release of The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II Collector’s Edition as well as experience exclusive in-game content. Both versions of the game are rated “T” for Teen.

Kingdom Hearts

At this time, I think most of the gamers and readers have figured it out by now that some turn-based RPG's are great and I’m so shocked when I watch the trailer of this game. Just look or search in Google for the most anticipated title for an example of Final Fantasy Versus. I am familiar that Final Fantasy Versus 13 will be one more RPG just like the other Final Fantasy's like Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus, being developed by the Kingdom Hearts groups, and I am kind of enjoyed Kingdom Hearts. Plus, I still get that great feeling in myself when I watch the FF13 trailer. I mean I feel that I’m on the screen and I’m sure this thing is a beauty. Mark my words, I will truthfully buy Final Fantasy Versus on this trailer alone. It's is very extraordinary. Just think the future floating weapon we handle or the next-generation cars, pods and other vehicles they used in the movie.

According to its staffs and developers, a completely self-determining story describing with special characters and a special visual design. Even though it is located inside very similar Final Fantasy XIII world, it is not related to any other entry within the collection and is thus neither an outcome nor a prequel to some openings in Fabula Nova Crystallis.

The leading character of Final Fantasy Versus XIII is a young male with dim bluish-silver hair and reddish eyes. But, the shades of both his eyes and his hair are changing during the battle, and Tetsuya Nomura has verified that the color transformations are both planned and important. It has been bear out that he is the final successor to the empire ruling above the very last realm to run Crystals. He tries to defend his kingdom next to intruders who look for to overcome the place and get the Crystals by force. Nomura has match up to the character's family to the modern Japanese mafia or also known as the Yakuza.

The "ProStreet"

“Propose and modify your sports car to excellence, then place it all on the road in hasty events around the globe”. That is the Need For Speed Pro Street, The latest version of NFS from EaGames where you can buy your car, put some decals, modify and make it one of a kind sports car ready for racing and drifting.

It is very difficult to become game maker in charge of launching a fresh game in a series each year. Most players don't want very similar game again and again, so far they're sad if the game strays faraway from the established procedure. Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) earns credit for giving us something special with Need for Speed ProStreet, but the latest direction of the series not succeeds to live up to the level of the preceding games. There's still an unyielding racing practice here, and the online platform of the Xbox 360 is pretty good; but the game's principle is unexciting and the in-game promotion is over the top. But for me, ProStreet is a new well-brought-up and inspired racing game.

Electronic Arts (EA) proclaimed that the smash hit Need for Speed creation is commencing a latest edition that takes the series in an innovative way. Need for Speed ProStreet is a revolutionary Need for Speed gaming wherein players are force to battle one-on-one next to the best road racers in a huge number of racing face-offs.

Like the other Need For Speed, the story consist of cop pursues, and unlock stages of the last two Need for Speed, ProStreet is a magnificent racing game. Plus a good online mode on the 360 and PS3, its only in fact unique feature is its quantity of promotion, which created an already unoriginal game experience even more bleak.

R-Rated Games Are Coming Out Into The Open

I am a true-blooded game buff. Name your game; chances are, I’m also addicted to it. But with the announcement that the Federal Government of Australia is considering updating the classification system for video games to include an R18+ rating, I don’t think I should be pleased.

A spokeswoman for the Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus, confirmed the issue of "whether or not to allow an R18+ classification" for games would be discussed by censorship ministers at the Standing Committee of attorneys-general meeting this coming Thursday. It will be the first time the issue is discussed since November 2005.

In Australia, video games have no adult classification. As such, any title that could not meet the MA15+ standard like those showcasing too much violence and sex are not allowed to be sold.

Claire Bowdler, a Classification Board spokesperson, said 18 games had been banned since 2001. Eight of the games had their bans lifted after they were modified and resubmitted, reported The Age. The most recent game to be axed by the board was the sci-fi themed shooting game Dark Sector, which was refused classification this month.

The Dark Sector contains graphic violence including "decapitation, dismemberment of limbs accompanied by large blood spurts, neck breaking spurts, neck breaking twists and exploded bodies with post-action twitching body parts”, the Board said.

Banned video games also include The League, Soldier of Fortune, Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, BMX XXX, and Reservoir Dogs. They reasons behind the banning include drug use, excessive violence, graffiti promotion, and sexual content.

Bond University associate professor Jeffrey Brand said the lack of an R18+ rating meant some games deserving of adult classification were being let through by the Classification Board as MA15+. And Australians who wanted to obtain banned games could easily source them from the internet or overseas, he said.

"These games are entering the marketplace despite the classification restriction, and so very often parents, who in some cases are the least savvy in the household about games, are unaware that this adult content exists," Brand noted.

I am happy to know there are still people concerned about the welfare of the young generation. "We would be opposed to the adoption of an R-rated category because we believe that research is pointing to the fact that these games actually do impact behavior and psychology more easily than a film," said Angela Conway, spokeswoman for the Australian Family Association.

Twisted Metal III

I know this game is like really old but I would never forget this game. The game is simple, pick a car and blow away everything in sight. Well, it's really not that easy as you are up against people driving vehicles with which can hurt you seriously.

Looking back now to the time when I used to play this on my PS1, I can't help but grin and recall the way I tried beating the daylights out of Minion, one of the bosses in the game.

TM III involves a lot of driving and shooting. As you have to do it with pinpoint accuracy, it's really exciting to see how far you can push yourself in keeping up with a faster enemy.

One of my favorite vehicles in Twisted Metal III is Sweet Tooth. This ice cream truck from hell is driven by an insane clown. Apart from Sweet Tooth, here are the other characters according to Wikipedia.

• Auger: yellow construction vehicle with a large drill driven by Buster Cobb.
• Axel: strange two-wheeled contraption, imprisoning the driver between the wheels.
• Club Kid: smiley face-covered Mini Cooper.
• Firestarter: hot-rod complete with a flame paintjob, driven by the pyromaniac Damien Coles.
• Flower Power: hippy car driven by environmentalist Amber Rose.
• Hammerhead: red monster truck (Jeep CJ) driven by Granny Dread.
• Mr. Grimm: red motorcycle with sidecar driven by the Grim Reaper.
• Outlaw: police car driven by both of the car's previous drivers (from the previous game of the series), brother and sister police officers, Buzz & Jamie Roberts.
• Roadkill: scraped-together car driven by Marcus Kane.
• Spectre: blue Dodge Viper driven by self-proclaimed ladies' man Lance Wylder.
• Thumper: purple lowrider driven by Bruce Cochrane.
• Warthog: military Humvee driven by the 107-year-old Captain Rogers.
• Darkside: boss of the Washington, D.C. stage. Black semi-truck driven by Mr. Ash. Darkside is a non-playable character unless a third-party cheat is utilized.
• Minion: boss of the London level. A green-armored tank driven by a large demon.
• Primeval: the final boss, on the Blimp level. He drives a large off-road vehicle. Primeval is a non-playable character except by using a third-party cheat, and is the only character so far who has yet to be accessed as a playable character in any future Twisted Metal series. He was called "Head Hunter" during production.

What’s New With NBA Live 2008?

Are you one of those NBA fanatics who eat, breathe and live basketball? I guess the perfect dose of cure for your madness is already here! The NBA Live 2008 game will definitely feed your basketball hunger. In this game, you will be the main man of the hardwood court with great moves highly outlined from NBA’s greatest players such as Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, LeBron James and Vince Carter to name a few.

So what’s new with the 2008 NBA Live game? I bet there are lots of surprises and features for all of us gamers… so check this out!

NBA Live 08 Features courtesy of Wikipedia.com:

• The game features Washington Wizard’s all-star shooting guard Gilbert Arenas on the cover.
  
• Commercials feature Gilbert Arenas and the #2 overall draft pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, Kevin Durant of the Seattle Supersonics.
  
• New features include "Go To Moves," "Hot Spots," "Quick Strike Ballhandling" and also "Own The Paint."
  
• Exclusive rights to FIBA players and 8 national teams (Argentina, China, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and the USA).
  
• First NBA game to be featured on the Wii console.
  
• The PC version of the game could be played online using Hamachi.
  
• "Freestyle Superstar" was removed from the game, as well as X-Factors.
  
• The PC version is not being accepted warmly for not having "next-gen" graphics, just like the PS2 system, unlike those in Xbox 360 and PS3.

Pro Street

One of the best racing games ever is Need for Speed. The popularity of the title is really evident in the fact that it is now on it s 11^th installment. And the latest is Need for Speed: ProStreet.

If you have already played the game, I'm sure that you are impressed with it. I mean, what you can expect but the best from this title eh. But for those who have not yet tried ProStreet, I would like to share with you some features of the game courtesy of Wikipedia.

According to the article about the game:

"There are 55 cars (60 in the collector's edition and 46 on PS2) from around 26 manufacturers included in ProStreet. Only eight of these are "super cars", (which are not to be confused with exotic cars) making them relatively rare, as in real life. There are also a number of unfinished cars that can be obtained through hex-editing. It has also been said that if you have decided to insert a car into the Game (For PC) via hex-editing, it will overwrite another car already in the game so you will have to be careful when adding more cars into the game." That's a lot to choose from eh? I am sure that you are now itching to get your hands on the game.

As for those who plays with the Xbox, here's some info for you: "EA has released a new Booster Pack for download on the PC and the PS3. The Xbox 360 pack is due out in mid-February due to the EA team wanting to take extra time to fix all the bugs found in the PS3 and PC versions. 2 Cars will be available with the Xbox 360 version of the Energizer Lithium pack and 14 super cars will be available via download on Xbox live."

Crash Team Racing

If hard core metal and classic songs gets irritating to the ears, there’s alternative music to light things up. It’s same as playing computer games. If we are fed up with bloody and adrenaline pumping plots, why don’t we try playing some feel good and light games such as the Crash Team Racing? Yup, this is one of my all-time favorite games!

The Crash Team Racing was introduced during the debut of the PS1 (Playstation 1). Crash Bandicoot Racing is a racing game published by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by Naughty Dog for PlayStation. Crash Team Racing is the fourth episode in the Crash Bandicoot video game series which started with Crash Bandicoot in 1996.

If you haven’t tried this one, I think it’s about time for you to start the adventure with the CTR. It’s fun... and it’s worth playing!

Game Daily Presents: Boobie Fest!

Whew! It's been almost two months since the last time I posted here. I'm kinda busy these past months upgrading my auto parts like Acura fenders, and now I'm back to give you guys the freshest updates and interesting articles about the gaming industry.

Anyway, browsing through Game Daily's website, I got bugged with this hot feature. Guys at Game Daily selected the boobie-licious characters of the several PC and console games as their "Babe of the Week." Check them out!

1. Christie Monteiro (Tekken 5)
Despite of her gracious Capoiera dancing moves along with her boobie weights, Christie doesn’t get tired after all. She even kicks some ass… well, it depends on the player if he focus on Christie's moves not on her sexy thingy.

2. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
Our beloved Lara Croft. We've seen her portrayed by Hollywood hottie Angelina Jolie and did some death defying stunts with her bouncing assets. How amazing!

3. Dead or Alive Girls
The Asian hotties! These anime-like girls really look awesome. According to Game Daily, "You don't need to go back to the first game to enjoy these girls' assets. Dead or Alive 4 for Xbox 360 features these girls (and their girls) in all their bouncing glory."

4. Rachel (Ninja Gaiden)
"The best part of Ninja Gaiden Sigma is playing as Rachel, though we're not sure how much that skimpy armor can protect her. From us."

5. Soul Calibur Girls
"Normally, oversized assets would get in the way of fast action sword fighting. However, the Soul Calibur girls prove otherwise, using their accentuated features to distract opponents."

6. Elexis Sinclaire (SiN)
After spreading a genetically mutating virus from her lab, what more can your ask for this evil boobie-licious hottie?

7. Mai Shiranui (Fatal Fury)
Another hard hitting babe. Mai Shiranui kicks ass when doing some high kicks and flips despite of the weights on her chest.

8. Tala (Darkwatch)
Creepy and sexy. These two words are the best adjectives to describe this vampiress from Darkwatch.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Preview

Although Sony and Polyphony Digital did not yet release the details of the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 Prologue game for the PlayStation 3, initial details from various websites continue to surface.

Surprisingly, demos of the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be available for download this holiday season. GT fans can get the game from PlayStation Network on the PlayStation 3. Sounds good eh?

According to a recent post from GT Channel, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will feature a total of seven new car models. They include the 2008 Lexus IS-F, 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2008 Mazda Atenza, 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR, 2008 Daihatsu OFC-1 and 2009 BMW 135i coupe. There are also numerous new race tracks in the game, but the demo will only allow players to use the Suzuka circuit.

Check out below for the other details of the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue demo version, according to PS3central.net.

• A first for the franchise, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue supports online racing with up to 16 drivers racing simultaneously on a beautifully rendered race track.
• Race 30 high-performance and exhaustively detailed cars, including vehicles from Ferrari, Lotus, Nissan and Mitsubishi.
• Race on five stunningly realistic tracks, including the Eiger Nordwand, the London City Track and Suzuka – then race them in reverse and with alternative routes.
• A new physics engine delivers next-generation vehicle handling. True to the heritage of the Gran Turismo franshise, this new physics engine provides unprecedented realism and authentic handling specific to each car.
• A new in-cockpit view provides a unique perspective for racers and features a customized dashboard for each of the cars in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
• All-new and improved opponent AI for a nail-biting race experience
• Access to Gran Turismo TV: a world of great motoring TV programming online through PLAYSTATION Network.
• My Garage is a personalized homepage feature with a friends list, chat functionality and personal game records to expand the interaction between car enthusiasts in the world of GT.
• Quick Tune facility allows you to adjust power, tires, suspension and much more.
• All in stunning High Definition at 1080p (race: 1080p-60fps, replay: 1080p-30fps)
• Photo Mode gives players the opportunity to photograph their car during the race where they can take advantage of zoom, depth of field and motion blur.

Watch out for this demo to be released anytime soon. Anyway, I wish Gran Turismo 5 Prologue could also feature Saab sports car models equipped with Saab wiper blade.

Most Controversial Games According to Yahoo!

While checking the web for some quality BMW catalytic converter, I bumped on this article from Yahoo! Check this out.

Ben Silverman, writer for Yahoo! Games also created his list of the most controversial console and computer games of all time. This is similar to GamesRadar.com's top 10 banned games I posted last June.

Anyway, check out Silverman's list of most controversial games.

Night Trap
(1992: Sega CD)
Well, this game is too "sexist or too violent", according to several groups. According to Silverman, " Senate hearings led by Joseph Lieberman called the game's content "sick" and "shameful," and while they inaccurately claimed that players were encouraged to trap and kill the unfortunate starlets the damage was done as the game was quickly yanked from retail shelves."

Mortal Kombat
(1992: Arcade)
Night Trap and this bloody gruesome game paved the way in developing the ESRB game industry ratings systems, and other similar organizations. Actually, Mortal Kombat is one of my fave games. This game was a big hit in the 1990s with its unique finishing moves like "Brutality", "Fatality", "Animality", and others. There are several versions of this game and I love each of them!

Doom
(1993: PC)
Whoa! The birth of first person shooting (FPS) games! This game is quite good enough for me without its lousy graphics. Anyway, Silverman also commented, "When fledgling developer id Software cobbled together the landmark Martian monster mash Doom back in 1993, they were simply building on the success of their previous game, Wolfenstein 3D. But Doom took off like a bat out of you-know-where, quickly becoming the most downloaded PC shareware program of the era."

SimCopter
(1996: PC)
Honestly, I am not familiar with this game. Let Silverman comment on this. He said: "Before Rockstar was scalded by Hot Coffee, sim developer Maxis was burned by Hot Guys In Speedos. Upset with what he considered unfair working conditions (i.e. too many hours, not enough margaritas), a SimCopter programmer named Jacques Servin decided to play a bit of a prank by making a few alterations to the game code just before it shipped: on certain dates, scads of shirtless male sprites (dubbed "himbos") would gather in great numbers to hug and kiss. When word of the unauthorized code leaked, sales skyrocketed and Servin was summarily fired. Where's the love?"

Postal
(1997: PC)
Shootout and killing spree! This game was banned in 13 countries with its violent contents. What could be more violent than shooting people with no reasons at all? Bang! You're dead.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
(2004: PS2)
Another freaky and violent game. Like Postal, player of GTA: San Andreas can kill innocent people with no reason. But the exciting and controversial thingy is... this game features some sex games by downloading the required patch or mod. Hhhhhhot.

Bully
(2006: PS2)
This game caused controversy among parents and educators. Bully was also developed by Rockstar games, same with GTA and contains violence and some sexuals themes. Is this imply that developers at Rockstar are... pervs? LOL!

Resistance: Fall of Man
(2006: PS3)
According to Silverman, "This well-received first person shooter was one of the few PS3 launch titles worth the price of admission and served as the troubled console's high point through much of its debut year."

BioShock
(2007: Xbox 360, PC)
"By all accounts, this unnerving first-person action game is a diamond, a commercial hit and a shoo-in for countless game of the year awards. A few notable issues plagued the game's launch but it's BioShock's central moral dilemma - whether or not to harvest "Little Sisters" for the precious material ADAM - that makes it a case study for Ethics majors," said Silverman.

Manhunt 2
(2007: PS2, Wii, PSP)
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Last but not the least, the infamous Manhunt 2! I definitely agree with Silverman that Manhunt 2 is the most controversial game. I mean this game stirred the industry when ESRB changed the rating from AO (Adults Only) to M (Mature). Manhunt 2 is also banned in several countries as it contains explicit violence. Again, thank Rockstar for developing this controversial game! Thumbs up! LOL!

Another Halo 3 Update

The biggest names from the hip-hop music industry including Lil Jon, E-40, Bonecrusher, Bobby Valentino, Fabo of D4L, Lil Scrappy, Ying Yang Twins and more had a chance to play Halo 3 with each other ahead of the game's official release on September 25th.

Halo 3, the much-awaited game of this year has already posted more than 1 million preorders in North America for the Xbox 360 gaming platform. Anyway, going back to these hip hop freaks, the artists got the Xbox 360 Special Edition Halo 3 Console with Zune - Halo 3 Edition that is why they are able to play the game. Hip hop and gaming website Konsole Kingz (www.konsolekingz.com) also introduced the game's publisher Microsoft to other well known hip hop artists like Big Boi of Outkast and Mr. Collipark. Konsole Kingz and Microsoft will also host a private Halo 3 party.

CJ Peters, CEO and founder of Konsole Kingz commented:
"We couldn't be happier with the industry's response to the Konsole Kingz - Halo 3 party. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry and growing fast. Our goal is to bring the influential world of hip-hop to the video game space; events like this are the start."

Big Boi also commented:
"My guys came through from Microsoft with some gifts. I got the brand new Halo 3 special edition Xbox 360. The biggest entertainment release ever! They told me the numbers for the first day opening, you won't believe it."

In addition, Bungie Studios and Microsoft also released some details about upcoming Halo 3 launch events in September 25. The two companies responsible for the game will conduct the Halo 3 "Midnight Madness" sale featuring four regional retail stores hosting the event across the U.S. including Best Buy in New York and Seattle, Miami, and GameStop in Los Angeles.

Buyers of the Halo 3 game can have a change to bring home some freebie items including:

* Halo Action Clix from WizKids
* Collectible trading cards from Topps
* Halo Ghosts of Onyx by Eric Nylund from Tor
* Frag Fest t-shirts from Mighty Fine
* Accessories and hats from Changes
* Messenger bags from Enmon Accessories
* Console sling bag and hardware organizers from BD&A
* Halo Graphic Novels published by Marvel
* 2008 Halo calendars from Trends International
* Halo Uprising Comic (issue one) from Marvel
* Halo soundtracks from Sumthing Else Music
* Weapon replicas from Master Replicas
* Zune Halo 3 edition from Microsoft
* Limited-edition figurines from the diorama created for the "Halo 3" ad campaign

Whew! September 2007 is really a Halo 3 month!

GameDaily's Top 10 Most Influential War Games

Bring on the tanks, warships, fighter planes, missiles, guns, and ammunitions. It is time to determine the most influential war-themed games of all time. And to do that, I need a help from GameDaily, one of the leading websites dedicated to the gaming industry.

GameDaily's staff compiled the hundreds of war video games out there and selected the top 10 most influential games among them. Here is the list along with a brief description from GameDaily.

#10 Herzon Zwei (Sega Genesis)
"Produced by the same team that made the Thunder Force shooting games, Zwei combines two styles into one engaging experience -- real-time strategy and solid shooting action."

#9 Company of Heroes (PC)
"THQ perfected the art of the RTS with Company of Heroes. In it, players direct their factions into specific sections, setting them up for combat and dominating the enemy any way they can."

#8 Romance of the Three Kingdoms & Dynasty Warriors
"Players dominate China between the second and third centuries, using smarts to keep their armies alive while also defending their territories."

#7 General Chaos (Sega Genesis)
"Up to four players choose sides and then fight it out using various soldiers, ranging from grenade-lobbying grunts to flame-thrower carrying bad-asses. Players new to the game can enroll in a Boot Camp mode, to learn the basics of combat."

#6 Gears of War (Xbox 360)
"In Gears of War, a fight breaks out between the well-armed Delta Squad and the nasty aliens, the Locust Horde."

#5 Resistance: Fall of Man (PlayStation 3)
"Sony rewrote World War II with the enthralling shooter Resistance: Fall of Man, introducing a deadly alien threat that replaces those evil Nazis."

#4 Medal of Honor (multi platform)
"EA's Medal of Honor series has only gotten better and better, culminating with this week's release of Medal of Honor: Airborne. This latest chapter looks intense, with players able to parachute right into enemy territory and complete missions any way they see fit."

#3 Call of Duty
"Not to be outdone by EA's Medal of Honor series, Activision struck a chord with its Call of Duty franchise. It got attention with Call of Duty 2 on the Xbox 360, one of the better games for the system's launch."

#2 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
"In this game, players take back Mexico during a crisis, averting nuclear terror and taking out plenty of opposition along the way."

#1 Combat (Atari, Atari 2600)
"Packed with the Atari 2600, Combat keeps things simple, with player versus player in an all-out fight for supremacy. Using planes and tanks through multiple variations, players find themselves utilizing a number of skills to get the precious kill."

Manhunt 2 Update

The Manhunt 2 is the most controversial video game nowadays. It was originally rated AO (Adults Only) by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and scheduled to be released in July 2007, but was suspended due to some rating controversies. As a result, the game's developer, Rockstar modified the game and rated and will be launched in the U.S. later this October. ESRB rated the game as M for Mature, and some institutions are not happy about this rating.

Take the Common Sense Media for instance. The institute's CEO, James Steyer has released a statement regarding ESRB's decision to change the rating of Manhunt 2 to M, from its original rating AO.

Check out what James Steyer's statement:

“While we have recognized the ESRB in the past for its positive efforts to increase parental awareness of video game ratings, we take serious issue with the board’s recent decision to reduce Rockstar Games’ Manhunt 2 from an AO rating to an M rating without providing any rationale for the change.

“By all available accounts, Manhunt 2 is the most brutally violent game ever produced for wide release, including intense, realistic scenes of mutilation and even castration. Unfortunately, given Rockstar’s history of creating and selling irresponsibly violent and graphic content – you need look no further than Grand Theft Auto and the infamous Hot Coffee incident for evidence – this isn’t a surprise. Parents have probably come to expect bad behavior from Rockstar – but they deserve better from the ESRB.

“It is clear that by lowering the rating, the ESRB has all but ensured that the game will be marketed and sold through channels popular with kids and teens – and, despite industry claims to the contrary, kids under 17 can and do purchase M-rated games. Before Manhunt 2 is released for sale, parents deserve an explanation – they need to know the facts about this grossly violent game before it goes on the market.

“By failing to explain their decision and, in turn, provide the transparency that consumers need if they are to trust the ESRB’s ratings, the board threatens to undermine a ratings system that has many positive aspects and that could serve as an important tool for parents.”

Whew! strong words from the Mr. Steyer. Anyway, I got to check for some Volvo window regulator on the web. Watch out for other Manhunt 2 and other gaming updates in this blog.

185,000 Peeps Visit 2007 GC

The Games Convention (GC), an annual event for the video gaming industry held in Leipzig Exhibition center in Germany once again broke the record for 2007 in terms of figures. The event gathered a total of 185,000 visitors with 503 exhibitors and over 3,300 journalists from 46 countries.

According to Josef Rahmen, Managing Director of the Leipziger Messe:
"The GC 2007 has exceeded all of our targets. A high degree of satisfaction can be seen, not only amongst exhibitors and trade visitors, but also amongst the general public. This result underscores once again why the GC, as Europe's leading fair in the industry, has an ideal home in Leipzig."

Peggy Schönbeck, GC Project Director also commented:
"I'm delighted that our new hall concept proved to be a success. The expansion of the GC Business Center, the new hall layout and the incorporation of the outdoor area all led to a marked increase in the quality of the fair experience. The expansion of the GC family area is a sign of our increased focus upon families. We have been supported in this by the industry itself, which is paying increasing attention to the field of Family Entertainment. The best proof of this is the rise in average age and growing number of female visitors."

GC not only showcase video games. The event also covers other fields like information and entertainment, hardware, and other information/entertainment softwares.

Olaf Wolters, Managing Director of German Federal Association for Interactive Entertainment Software concluded: "Once again, the GC 2007 was a successful, excellent fair. We achieved all of the objectives that we had set ourselves in advance. The new hall concept proved to be a success. Both trade visitors and private visitors found conditions improved by the increase in surface area and new layout of the halls. I am particularly pleased with the rise in interest in the GC family. Once again, the professional co-operation with the Leipziger Messe meant that our trade fair was even more of a success. I am highly satisfied with the result and look forward to welcoming people back to Leipzig next year."

In addition, the organizers of the event expect to draw more people next year. Well, I'll try to upgrade my Acura exhaust system while waiting for 2008 GC.

Speed Racer Game in Development

In connection with the upcoming Speed Racer movie directed by the Wachowski brothers, Warner Bros. Interactive has also announced that it will launch a Speed Racer game in 2008 that will be published in several gaming platforms including PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS. The game will be released during the premiere of the Speed Racer movie.

Warner Bros. said the game will allow players to play the role of the characters in the film and drive their signature car models. As expected, the game will feature some racing events that and the players' goal is to win every race, obviously. Well, I just wish I could drive a Saab sports car model equipped with Saab motor mount in this game. LOL!

Warner Bros. described the game as "car-fu style of action". Samantha Ryan, Warner development and production senior VP commented: "Speed Racer is an exceptionally creative property and teamed with the Wachowski brothers’ vision it makes for action-packed racing gameplay. The game will capture the intensity of the racing in the film to give gamers and movie fans a chance to take the wheel after they experience the film.”

Joel Silver, producer of the Speed Racer film also commented: “We are very excited about this natural extension from the Speed Racer film to the videogame. Larry and Andy are videogame fans themselves, so they believe that an interactive game is a key component to the entire Speed Racer experience."

As for me, I just cant wait to get my hands on PS2, insert the Speed Racer game, and start racing. Whoosh!

Ten Best Shooting Games of 2007

I'm a fan of first-person shooting (FPS) games. I mean it feels so damn great when you shoot your enemy's head (Whatever they may be. Aliens, humanoids, etc.) and tear their body apart with your bullets. Anyway, since FPS games are one of my fave game genre, let me share you something I got from browsing Game Daily's website (www.gamedaily.com).

Game Daily featured 10 of the best FPS games this 2007. Check them out!

Bioshock
"The spiritual successor the System Shock 2 takes players to an underwater city called Rapture, where science without restraint has run amok and the survivors have mutated themselves into abominations."

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
"Out of the past and into the present, Call of Duty moves past the World War II and heads straight into the War on Terror."

Crysis
"Gamers will finally be able to put their high-powered gaming computers to the test with the most technologically sophisticated game to come out in 2007. "

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
"Most were automatically sold on the fact that it's a new Quake game-related game."

Gears of War PC
"Xbox 360 players broke in Gears of War and made it a required game for the console system."

Halo 3
"Here's a game that needs absolutely no introduction. The story of the Master Chief and the war between humanity, the Covenant and the Flood that threatens to exterminate all life in the galaxy will be concluded."

Half-Life 2 - The Orange Box
"The orange box includes five games in one! This monster sized package includes the original Half-Life 2, Episodes 1 & 2, the highly anticipated Team Fortress 2."

Left4Dead
"Play as a team, and you might survive. Go at it alone and you'll die."

Medal of Honor: Airborne
"Call of Duty might have gone to modern times, but Medal of Honor isn't through with World War II just yet."

Unreal Tournament 3
"The third installment of the legendary Unreal Tournament franchise will be hitting the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, so there's no excuse to be left out of the online frag-fest."

So these are the 10 best FPS games according to Game Daily. Play some of these games if you want. Anyway, I got to go and look for GMC mud flap online.

Halo 3 Gains More Than 1 Million Preorders

The upcoming Halo 3 first-person shooter (FPS) game has already gained popularity even though the game has not yet been released in the market. In fact, the game is still under development from Bungie Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360 console platform. Halo 3 is the final chapter of the Halo game series. The Halo 3 will be officially launched in game shops all over the U.S., Canada, and Australia, on September 25, 2007, and in Europe in the following day.

The launch of this game is considered as the "entertainment event of the year." Why? It is because Microsoft Corp., the game's publisher has announced that there are more than 1 million preorders of Halo 3 in North America for the Xbox 360. Whoa! How's that? Anyway, this is just a mere commercial strategy done by game retailers to make their customers preorder the game in their store (make some money!).

Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop Corp said: "What we've experienced is nothing short of phenomenal. 'Halo 3' has eclipsed many previous records and will prove to be one of the must-have items of 2007."

Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy also said:
"The excitement for 'Halo 3' is incredible. From our preorders online and the buzz we're hearing in our stores, we know this release is going to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the year. We're thrilled to be able to bring it to our customers."

Halo 3 will roll out in retailers in three versions: Standard Edition, Limited Edition and the collectible Legendary Edition.

"This September, 'Halo 3' will push video game entertainment into the forefront of mainstream culture. Teaming up with some of the world's strongest and most recognizable brands is trailblazing new paths and cementing video games as big entertainment on par with major event films, and is a testament to the excitement and anticipation intrinsically linked to 'Halo 3.'" said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft.

Halo 3 could be one of the best selling video games of all time. Watch out till September to find out. While waiting for that, I think I have to find quality Alfa Romeo oxygen sensor on the web for my friend's car. Take some time to check this blog for other gaming updates.

Jackass Game Preview

Whoa! This is great. While browsing though Games Radar (www.gamesradar.com), I found this latest news that features an interview with the producer of the upcoming Jackass game for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable (PSP). I never someone would have an idea to create a game that is actually based on the Jackass TV series and movies. The game will also feature some of the well-known Jackass crew like Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Chris Pontius, Steve-O, Dave England, Ehren McGhehey, Preston Lacy, and Jason "Wee-Man" Acuña. But I don’t know if these freaks are all featured in the game. Maybe just some of them.

Anyway, check out this interview with Aaron Rigby, the producer of the forthcoming Jackass game.

Q: Where did the inspiration come from for the game?

Aaron Rigby: "The original series was the biggest inspiration. It was just crazy and creative. The way the Jackass crew had the show set up gave us the opportunity to draw from a huge amount of stunts."

Q: Is the game based in actual sketches or are they completely new?

Q: Was it very difficult to create a game based in a TV series that hasn't got any kind of story or screenplay?

Rigby: "Definitely. The story was pretty basic initially, but we got help from the Jackass cast to make it more authentic. It was their input that made the storyline work and their voices that added the credibility and humor to it."

Q: The big appeal of Jackass is the spontaneity. Do you think you have succeeded translating this into a videogame?

Rigby: "That was a real pain. In most games success is success, you either accomplished your goals or you didn't. Jackass doesn't work like that. The stunts in the show were just as good whether they accomplished what they set out to do or failed completely. That means that our goals in a stunt had to make sure that an entertaining failure worked just as well as a resounding success."

Watch out for other updates of the Jackass game on this blog. Got to check for new Toyota MR2 parts on the web so chill out! By the way, check out the image below. This could be featured on the Jackass gameplay soon. There is only one word that I could say about this.... "OUCH!!!"