# posted by Chronodin @ 6:17 PM
 
I finally finished Xenosaga: Episode III!

Heck, for that matter, I finally finished a Xeno-anything game! Took me four games to do it, but doggone it, I did it. It's strange, really, because the Xeno series of one of my favorites of any game series (I'm including Xenogears in that series). But for whatever reason, I have just never quite been able to finish them. Got to the last stage on Xenosaga Episode I and Xenogears, and about 2/3 of the way through Episode II, but that's about it. I resolved to finish this one before starting Final Fantasy XII which came out today, though, and I've now succeeded in my task. Final Fantasy XII is sitting, unopened, in my Gamestop bag in the other room, and unfortunately will have to stay there until tonight when I get back from community band. Oh well. It was worth it, the ending of XS3 was nothing short of spectacular, so if I had to beat only one of the Xeno games, this would be the one to do it.

Speaking of Final Fantasy XII, I glossed over Gamespy's review of the game, and saw this, their normal "Pros" and "Cons" section:

Pros: Every aspect of the game is individually impressive, the combined overall impression is even better; incorporates original ideas but remains true to its name and genre expectations.

Cons: Distinctive story and art direction may lack universal appeal; makes major changes to what many see as a proven formula; falls short of completely transcending or redefining RPGs.

Now hold on just a minute... so it's a good thing that the game incorporates new ideas but stays true to what makes it a Final Fantasy game, but it's bad that the game makes major changes to what many see as a proven formula, and it's also bad that it falls short of completely transcending or redefining RPGs.

Isn't that like three self-contradictory sentences in one? If those are the guidelines Gamespy is judging this game by, then there's no possible way it could not have some downfalls. And sure, in a way that's true, but let's be realistic here. If they hadn't changed things, some people would complain that it's the same old junk over and over again, but since they did, people will complain that it's "not a true Final Fantasy game." I suppose it's true that you can't please everyone, but this should be taken into consideration and not held against it in a review from a major gaming website.

And the other con they have... "Distinctive story and art direction may lack universal appeal..."

Can you name even one game that does have so-called "universal" appeal? Go ahead, I dare you to try to think of ONE. That's basically saying, "This game is not the greatest game ever made, the game-to-end-all-games, so we're counting that as one of its faults."

Sigh.

Well, at least Gamespy redeemed itself a little with its "Scariest Moments in Gaming" article from the other day. I have to admit, the Eternal Darkness moment is one that really got me.

-Chronodin  1 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 11:36 AM
 
I didn't originally intend for this to be the Halloween post, especially since Halloween is tomorrow, but as luck would have it, I've come across a few links that are creepy or scary for whatever reason... mostly creepy, though.

But hey, that counts, doesn't it?

Well, first off, if you haven't seen the new creepy PS3 commercial, go right ahead. I actually saw this one on TV, so they are airing it. And to go along with it is this equally-creepy magazine cover. The headline sure makes me feel better about myself. And finally, you can look at those while wearing these shoes or listening to this music, made by some weird string instrument thing.

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• People already standing in line to pre-order PS3 - Sigh. (note: this was from the other day, I believe a day or two before the pre-orders happened, which was, I think, yesterday. Ah well.)
  
• Halo 3 details emerge - Maybe?
• Wired likes Nintendo - Interesting to read their takes on the DS Lite and the Wii.
• Just white Wii's for now - Y'know, I think if they were all offered I'd probably get the white one anyway.
• CNet Video preview of Wii - I always dig other looks at this.
• Last minute Halloween costume ideas: Video game edition - Pro Wrestling referee, here I come!
• Shenmue III campaign! - If this actually worked, I'd be the happiest man alive.
• New 360 game case design - Not a huge thing, but kinda cool.
• New Wii promo trailer - One of the better ones I've seen, showing a good number of different games.
• Awesome Edge magazine cover - A stark contrast to that other one up there.
  

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• Phase Toy - This music generator might be the coolest thing I've ever seen.
• Make your MacBook cooler - This is something MacBook users (such as myself) could definitely use.
• Flying Carpet patent refused - Aww.
• Video game exhibition - Wasn't sure if this should be under Gaming Links or not, but it is kind of one of those things that could be for non-gamers, too, so here is where I put it. Kinda neat.
• LineRider... now with an Undo button - Just what this thing needed!
• Scribble - Fun Connect the Dots-type games.

Remix of the Day: "Revisiting the Ruins" by Patrick Burns, from Donkey Kong Land - Again, don't know the source material, but this is a pretty mellow, jazzy remix that's nice and easy on the ears.

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 9:12 PM
 
Look to the left... games!

What do you think about where it's located? Taking up too much of the sidebar? Would they be better on their own, separate "Games" page?

Tell me what you think!

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 11:15 AM
 
Holy update today. I didn't realize how many links I had built up! Most of them gaming, yes, but some pretty interesting regular ones as well that you'd do well to give your undivided attention. Undivided, you hear me?

But before that, you should also mosey your way over to my remixes page, where I've updated a number of them on there, but most noticeably, the Mega Man 2 remix has been completely overhauled. Being one of my first remixes, it still wasn't done as well as some of my more recent remixes, but I'm quite happy with how it is now. And feel free to let me know what you think of it! Either via e-mail or commenting below.

And one last thing: I played the demo King's Quest IX-- err, The Silver Lining, as it were --that I linked to the other day. What I see is a ton of potential... but the demo is still very much beta. Some awesome things going on, some gorgeous graphics, but the game is by no means near final. The demo at least; I'm under the assumption that this was an earlier version used in the pitch to Vivendi for them to be allowed to continue production.

And only three days until Final Fantasy XII!!!

Now, onto the links!

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• Meteos: Disney Magic Edition - Though I didn't get the original Meteos until well after it was released, I really liked it, and it sounds like this version is going to be a big improvement over the original.
• Buy a PS3, get Talladega Nights free - eBay purchases as well?
• PS3 won't enhance PS1/PS2 games - They chose to keep them as they were?
• Guitar Hero II Bonus Songs! - And one of them is... are you ready for this?... Trogdor!!!
• Sony not able to make PS3 shipments? - More bad news...
• Game not over for Halo movie - Microsoft's not giving up.
• Jack Thompson to be held in contempt? - He's got it coming, you gotta admit that.
• Guy in pizza suit plays double-necked Guitar Hero - Ok, I'll bite... why a pizza suit?
• TV Wii-mote turned into game controller - A controller that is actually a tv remote made into a controller that... ahh, I'm so confused!
• Custom Guitar Hero controller given away by EB Games at tournament - Ooooh.
• Best Buy Wii display - So you'll know what to look for.
• Capcom release budget Resident Evil and Devil May Cry collections - These are a couple of great deals.
• 24 things you need to know about the PS3 - Some good, some bad.
• 360 not doing as well as it should - I think the biggest problem for this is lack of must-have games. There haven't been any that have convinced me to cross over... yet.
• Trying to buy Bully - The funniest part of this is that the kid's name is Paudric. Tee hee.
• Best Buy locking out employees from buying PS3 - Only a rumor, but this is kinda lousy for them if true.
• Final Fantasy VI Advance details - And THIS game I've been looking forward to even more than FFIVA and FFVA! In fact, the Japanese website is open, though it could stand to have some music.
• Wii launch guide - A pretty neat resource.
• EA charges for everything - Like tutorial videos... so if you don't know how to play the game, that's no proble, just cough up some more cash! Pretty sad, really... like EA needs the money.
• Toys 'R' Us going to take Wii and PS3 preorders - If you missed it at Gamestop, you're gonna get another shot, with more consoles per store this time, it seems.
• Red Steel hands-on - Yes, I know I've linked to several of these before, but I really want this game to be good, and this preview has a lot of good things to say about the game.
• Rayman Raving Rabbids hands-on - Another of these, too, that's really making me want this game.
• The 50 Worst Game Titles Ever - I was relieved to NOT see any Xenosaga games on there.
• From A to Wii: B - Browser - I actually would love to use the Wii's browser. There are times when I want to browse the net but am just pooped and would love to sit on my nice, comfy recliner and browse away. Not to mention some of the other uses he lists.
• Nintendo's Fatal Success - The only thing funnier than this work of sarcasm is the number of people leaving comments that think this article is serious. Sigh.
• Metal Slug "Wii Control" - Hmm, neat... five different control schemes available for this game.
• Guitar Hero II being sold very early at some places - !
• WoW Blood Elves can ride chocobos?? - I would get the expansion JUST to get a chocobo.
• Xbox shoes - I think they're kinda nifty, if not a bit simple.
• PS3 Cell Processor commercial - Okay! A positive link for Sony... see, I told you I'd post any I came across! This is a quite impressive commercial showing the PS3's processing power.
• Official wireless guitar controller! - I actually picked up the Tac Freedom Flying V thing whatever it's called... I had trouble with it, including the orange button tending to stick, and was not impressed. I returned it the same day. Here's an official one, though, which once again gives me hope!

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• Free Hugs - Interesting campaign, kinda touching.
• David Blaine? - This is a hilarious David Blaine parody (strong language).
• Changing New York - This is a series of photos in pairs, one from earlier in the 20th century and another from recent years, and what I've basically learned is that New York has gotten boring in 60 years.
• Working Transformers costumes - Ahh! I only have a week to get one!
• CD + microwave + tesla coil - I want to try this now... once I'm sure I'm not going to burn my house down or summon a spawn of Satan or something.
• Virtual helmet - I know what I want for Christmas!
• Random Word Generator - Why not?
• Interview with Masi Oka - Heroes is probably the best show on TV right now, as far as I'm concerned. This is an interview with everyone's favorite character on the show... Hiro, of course.
• Scott Adams remaps his brain - Sounds strange, I know, but apparently he developed a condition which prevented him from speaking normally, and he was able to "convince" his brain to do it again. Very inspiring, not a long read, check it out.
• Descent into Alzheimer's - This guy has Alzheimer's, and he began painting self-portraits of himself regularly, and you can see the changes as the disease progressed. The story is interesting, but it really hits you when you actually look at the paintings themselves.
• Make your own Jackson Pollock painting - Don't know who that is? Click, you'll understand.
• What DVD Jon's iPod crack means for you - Referring to the crack on Apple's DRM for songs bought on iTunes.
  

Remix of the Day: "Skull Castle Live" by Chronodin, from Mega Man 2 - Of course. :)

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 8:26 AM
 
I'm fairly certain I mentioned about the fan-made sequel to the King's Quest games... King's Quest IX: The Silver Lining. It drew attention not only because of how well-made it seems to be but because there was a brief time when we weren't sure if Vivendi Universal (who owns the Sierra brand and all its trademarks) would allow it to be made... and then, something unbelievable happened.

They supported the project.

Support for fan-based projects like these (outside of PC games where mods are more often than not encouraged) is extremely rare, and the fact that they're allowing this game to be made (with some slight changes they requested... slight as far as I'm aware, at least) is pretty remarkable, and scores Vivendi a point in my book.

Anyway, I happened to think about it, not having heard anything about the game in quite a while, and I checked out their webpage, and lo and behold, a public demo is available! And has been available since July 30, but I totally missed it. If you, too, missed it, check it out! I haven't been able to download it yet, as I'm not home on my own computer, but I most certainly will this evening, and will post my thoughts about it then. In the meantime, there is also a trailer available, a Making Of... video and some music for your auditory perusal.

Now if only Chrono Trigger: Resurrection had such luck. :/ Take notes, Square Enix!

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 3:51 PM
 
It really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the PS3 is costing Sony a lot of money.  I hate always being the bearer of bad news in regards to Sony's ubercomputer they call a console, but... it's there, y'know?

Incidently, it amazes me that some people still have faith in the PS3.  If Nintendo ran into HALF the problems Sony has been having, would people have had ANY faith that their new system would be a success?  Probably not.  Instead, it's been almost nothing but positive news about Nintendo's console, and yet there are still people that complain about the one bad thing it has going for it: it's not as powerful as the other two.  It's like people act as if the Wii is taking a step backwards graphically.

The fact is, it isn't.  It IS a step forward, just not the leap Xbox and Sony are making.  And honestly, other than pumping more, more, more into the new systems, the only major difference is high-def.  So really what we are seeing is a split in the types of game consoles:  You've got the Wii, which is... uh... whatever you'd want to categorize it as, and then you have your high-def graphically-impressive systems.

And speaking of those two, I haven't seen anything from the PS3 that I don't think the 360 could do.  In fact, I've even heard some reports that the 360 is actually the more powerful of the two, but I can't confirm that.  In either case, all the PS3 has going for it is a few select titles, like Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII.  But they're both a long ways off, and if the PS3 suffers between now and then as much as I think it's going to, I don't think it's out of the question that both Konami and Square-Enix are going to release these games on both PS3 and 360 -- they've both already got OTHER games for the 360, which shows they're supporting it as well.  And if the PS3 loses those two, well, I don't know how many other people it'll affect, but it'll pretty much seal the deal for me, I can tell you that.

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• Wii: Wins and Losses - Matt Casamassina hits the nail on the head again.
• Red Steel hands-on - Another one of these.
• Interview about Madden for Wii - I wasn't sure before, but I want to try this game now.
• Twilight Princess for Gamecube what? - Looks like TP for GC in Australia through EB Games only, online only, and only one shipment, FYI... that's a lot of only's.  And abbreviations, IMO.
• SIXAXIS controller battery non-replaceable - This in regards to the worst name for a controller ever.  Nevermind that the plural of the word isn't "axis" but "axes" (pronounced ack-seez).
• Aluminum-paneled wireless controllers - Hmm, I wouldn't mind getting one of these.
• PS3's downloadable games confirmed - And if I see a news story about any games people care about announced, I'll post that too.
• The Portable Gamers' Manifesto - I have a man-bag too. :(
• Preview of Rayman Raving Rabbids - I wasn't terribly excited about this game before, but I am now.
• Nintendo controller DS Lite case - I want one of these! But I don't want to take the time to make it...
• A Wii Adventure - This is an extremely well-made fan video detailing Wii gameplay using characters from The Wind Waker.  This is worth checking out!
• Translating Zelda - Hyrulean apparently IS a real language... kinda. But it can be translated.
• NexGen Wars - Well... doesn't tell us much NOW, but it WILL once the PS3 and Wii have been out for a little while!
• Shadow of the Colossus statue - This is incredibly cool.  Not $119.90 cool, but, hey, cool nonetheless.
• Crysis screenshots - This game's graphics are UNBELIEVABLE.
• Super Mario Bros. 2 in ten minutes - What? Why haven't I linked to more speed runs?  Time to fix that!
• The Ugly History of CSS Hitboxes - Never played the game myself, but I heard about these complaints.
• Homemade Wii ad - This would be awesome if it were a real ad.
  

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• Linerider jumps the shark - I think I linked to Linerider before... here's a particularly entertaining video someone made using it.
• Football game brawl - Here's a video of a big fight breaking between Miami University and FIU... wow, is all I can say.
• Top ten best ghost photographs - I made the mistake of reading this page late at night just before going to bed.  Yeah.
  
• Halo movie in flux - Microsoft asking too much money?  Never!
• Jim Butcher interview - I'm a huge fan of his Dresden Files books, interesting interview, and the books are TOTALLY worth checking out.
• Video game pumpkin art - This is in Other Links because you don't need to be a gamer to get a kick out of these.
• New Wii Experience videos - Three more added. EDIT: I put this originally under gaming links, but then I realized that this is exactly the kind of thing non-gamers should watch.  So, yeah.  Speaking of which....
  

I think I mentioned it before, but not a lot of links to put in the Other Links category, and I'd like to have stuff here to appeal to the non-gamers out there, my girlfriend being one of them... ahem.  Now I'll wait and see if she says anything to me about this, which will tell me if she actually reads my webpage or not. ;) In any case, if you have anything interesting, do send it my way!  A few of you already do, but don't hesitate!

Remix of the Day: "How Much Longer" by tekcoh_top, from Final Fantasy X - This is a very pretty acoustic guitar rendition of some music from Final Fantasy X.  I don't recognize the source just from listening to it, but a good remix nonetheless.

-Chronodin
 0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 9:43 AM
 


That's from Devil May Cry 4, for the Playstation 3. I really should find that more interesting, but for some reason, I don't. Sure, the graphics are gorgeous, but if you've played any of the previous DMC's, this one doesn't look like much more... at least, not from this footage. I just kinda think that when you have a sequel like this, especially on a powerful new system, you have an opportunity to make it really stand out, to make it really do something that past games couldn't do, and it doesn't look like they're doing that. It looks just like they took the same old engine, maybe a few new moves, upped the graphics, put a bow on it and sent it on its merry way.

Capcom, you make some great games, but I want more!

Maybe that's why I'm more excited for, say, Wii Sports than I am for Devil May Cry 4. Because Wii Sports is something we haven't done before. It says, "Sure, these graphics aren't too bad, but you're here for the gameplay, aren't you? Of course you are."

Now, there ARE times when for a sequel I'm happy if they just improve the graphics, a few new gameplay things here and there, but keep things more or less the same gameplay-wise. Smash Bros. is an example of that. I'm fine if they don't change the basic engine for Smash Bros. Brawl. They didn't going from the original Smash Bros. to Melee, just improved the graphics and sound, few new gameplay things and some new moves and characters. That was enough to make me happy, not to mention everyone else that played Melee. Devil May Cry, on the other hand... well, while the original and the third one WERE good games (I never played the second, but heard it was the runt of the series), let's just say that when a game feels repetitive within the same game, maybe you might want to consider changing it a bit for the sequels.

Just sayin'.

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• How Nintendo will save the video game industry - "When I was your age, our controllers only had TWO buttons! And we liked it that way!"
• The Playstation claw - I think they forgot to include this one in Gray's Anatomy (the book, not the TV show, hence the spelling of "gray").
  

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• Police cruiser crash - Well, it's not the one doing the crashing, but... oh, just watch it.
• Balloon Shower - Super slow-motion video of a water balloon hitting some guy in the head. Really cool.
• How much is a link worth? - Apparently, $33 on this site. :)
• New element discovered - For what it's worth...
• Godzilla invades the Mushroom Kingdom - Need I say more?

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 8:49 PM
 
What's Wrong with the Games Industry

I think this article is kind of important for a couple of reasons, but one being that it says something about the business mentality of companies today, not just video game developers. The good thing is that they seem to be spelling out their own demise, leaving room for a better, more efficient and effective industry.

There's no question from anyone who has heard reports from "the inside" of large video game developers and publishers. Horror stories, many of them. The business is a ruthless one, albeit still one occupied by a lot of people who truly love what they do, thankfully. Unfortunately, it's also occupied by a lot of people who don't share that same love, or, as it seems, much intelligence to go along with the lack of love.

The video games industry is still quite young, relatively speaking, but it might finally be coming into its own. It seemed to get a little too large too quickly for its own good and is now facing the recoil from that growth.

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• Wired reviews Bully - Not quite the moral-degrading game the media and Jack Thompson expected, eh?
• NES quiz - This is kinda hard, actually.
• EB Games with limited Wii pre-orders - Better hope not...
• Television Wiimote - I want one!
• Japan: Wii hits TV - And stupidity hits the internet. Surprise!
• Trailer for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for Wii - It looks impressive; I was skeptical given what I'd read so far.
• Judge OK's Bully - There's a shocker.
• Comcast gives up on G4 - I'm torn. While I think the channel overall is junk anymore, there are some shows that I did like, such as X-Play and Cinematech. Plus I'd really like to see a GOOD all-video games station. Or, heck, I'd like to see Tech TV back the way it was before G4 butted in.
  
• Wii First Experiences - A great way to see how normal people react to playing the Wii for the first time (as opposed to pre-scripted commercials and whatnot), particularly the non-gamers.
• Guitar Hero 2 videos: Miserlou and Beast and the Harlot - Two of the more sadistic selections Harmonix decided to include in the new Guitar Hero. They both kind of make Bark at the Moon pale in comparison.
• Final Fantasy V Advance hands-on - It looks like Square-Enix fixed some of the technical problems that FFIV Advance had, thankfully.
• Red Steel interview - Insight as to why some decisions about the game were made as they were, and they make a lot of sense.
  

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• eBay: Toast without Jesus - WHY HAVE PEOPLE BID ON THIS??
• Dove evolution - Shows how a model goes from her normal look to how you see her on a billboard.
• "Music Box" - Not sure how else to describe this, but it's a completely fascinating experiment in music, graphics and mathematics. You just have to see it.
• What art is hiding on your microchip? - The ultimate Where's Waldo... literally.
  
• "My weekend in Vegas" - Nothing like watching a billionaire put his elbow through an original Picasso painting. Nope.
• I'm not a look-a-like - These people look like twins, but aren't related.

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 1:11 PM
 
Here's an article on why Final Fantasy VI is such an awesome game, and I tend to agree.

There were just so many things done right with this game... the characters, the storyline, and the music... oh, the music! I have so many fond memories of FF6. I really don't believe that any Final Fantasy game has really been able to top it since, not even Final Fantasy VII. As you could probably guess, I'm very eagerly awaiting the GBA remake, but it's still a little ways off. It can't get here soon enough!

Speaking of which, neither can Final Fantasy XII, which I'm ALSO really excited for. In fact I pre-ordered mine just today. And did you hear that New York City apparently made yesterday (October 11) Final Fantasy XII Day? I guess they would have made October 31 FFXII day if it weren't for something about that day being taken already.

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• Wii retail details: markup and endcaps - Gives you an idea of what to expect, and how much the stores are making from these.
• Wii Sports hands-on - Looks like this is going to be a lot of fun.
• Metroidvania Gaiden: Zelda II - If you don't get that title, eh, don't worry about it... I had to post this, though, because I'm (one of the few, I'm afraid) in the "Zelda II is awesome" camp.
• Online video game atlas: NES - Woah...
• Red Steel looking very good - I really hope so.
• Wii travel case - Hm, doesn't look as bad as the website seems to think it is.
• Nintendo's weapon of mass destruction - Yet another interesting look.
• TWO million Wii consoles?? - That's, uh, a lot of Wii's.
• VG Cats: Vegenomics - Why vegetables, I don't know.
• Capcom to dissolve Clover Studios - Uh, WHY??
• Official Guitar Hero II tracklist - Hooray!
  

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• Awesome Metroid fanart - Excellent drawing.
• Elevator floor illusion - Heh, cool.
• Lincoln portrait made from pennies - This guy has more patience than I do, but this is neat.
• MIT sketch board - This is awesome... some impressive technology here, and tons of potential.
• Mr. T reveals why he pities fools - Just in case you were wondering.
• Super slow-mo slap - Here's what a slap to the face looks like in extreme slow motion. Ouch.
  

Remix of the Day: "Fillmore Freestyle" by McVaffe, from Actraiser - This one's a classic.

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 7:16 PM
 
Let's see if Blogger decides to work a little better for me today, hmm?

Regarding this article featuring Matt Casamassina's take on Madden for Wii (I avoided a dangerous pun there, just so you know)... he says that the game is "not gimmicky", which is good. Gimmicky seems to be the downfall of a lot of games when there's a new technology, *cough-DS-cough*. For example: it seems that the best games for the DS are the ones that aren't designed with technology first... Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow minimizes the touch screen's use, and Mario Kart barely even acknowledges the stylus. Kirby's Cursed Canvas or whatever it was called was kind of fun, but it wasn't a great game, and I believe that is because of its reliance on the DS' gimmick. There are a few others like that, and not that the stylus is a BAD thing (Wario Ware is one of the best uses of it), but you get the idea.

And this proposed bill, if passed, will force ESRB to play games completely. 1up makes it pretty clear why a bill like this is more or less impossible. Here's another article. My suggestion is impose a fine on publishers and/or developers if content is discovered post-release that changes the rating. I figure if you make the fine severe enough then the developers will have incentive to not things slip by.

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• Wii ethernet kit coming - Good for those of you without wi-fi.
• So you've decided to buy a Wii? - For those of you who haven't bought a Nintendo system before, or in a long time. Or, basically, it's an overview of just about everything you need to know about the Wii as far as its role in the console wars.
• PS3 has heating problems? - Uh oh.
• Xbox 360 laptop - Found this link from the PS3 heating page.
• 13 Oblivion mods that should not have been - In other words, mods that should have already been in the game, not had to be added later as modifications. Even if you're not into Oblivion (which I'm not but would like to be), it's an interesting read.
• 38 Guitar Hero 2 songs accidentally revealed by MTV - Alas, I still don't know most of these, but it's exciting nonetheless, particularly for the ones I DO know.
• Ubisoft supporting the Wii - And apparently counting on it to help them fend off Electronic Arts.
• Gamestop announces PS3 pre-order details - Only 8 per store? Ouch...
  

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• Katamari-Traveler's Insurance commercial - Very entertaining commercial... hmm, I really should play one of the Katamari games...
• Big League Chew: Then and Now - Why would anyone make pages like this? Better yet, why would anyone link to it on their website? It boggles the mind.
• Grand Illusions - The nod to Styx caught my attention originally but the site overall is really cool.
• Missing 'a' found in Armstrong's moon quote - So he DID say it.
• Make MP3s sound better than CDs? - If this is for real...
• Animator vs. Animation - I think I've seen this one before, but don't remember if I've linked it or not. Either way, it's pretty awesome.
• Street Fighter: The later years - Funny movie, but I want to see part 2 now!
• Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue - Wow, I remember watching this in elementary school. It was awesome back then, just cause it had all the different cartoon characters in the same show. Although it was intended to keep us away from drugs and alcohol, it apparently didn't work, because I never knew that was the point of it until seeing this again like 15 years later. (And it says early 90's, but I'm thinking this is late 80's... just sayin'.)
• AllofMp3.com speaks out against the US - An interesting debate.
• Google buys YouTube: Official! - Like the old addage goes... if you can't beat 'em, buy 'em!
• Telemarketer's nightmare - I've heard some other things similar to this, but this has to be one of my favorites.

Remix of the Day: "Milagro Del Demonio" by The Orichalcon, from Final Doom - Don't know the original tune, but I really like this remix nonetheless.

-Chronodin  0 comments links to this post   

# posted by Chronodin @ 11:12 AM
 
Hey all, another busy week, but I've got a lot of links ready to go.  Here's just a handful of them, with more to come either later today or tomorrow!

White Knight Story HD trailer

Tycho really said it best: That's how you sell us a Playstation 3 (I'm paraphrasing... his version was more colorful). But this game does look very good and seems to really make battles look and (hopefully) feel like a real swordfight. You'll have to watch for yourselves; it's a little tough to tell exactly how much control the player has, but it looks like the game has a great deal of potential.

The PS3 is still way too freakin' expensive, though.

.:[ Gaming Links ]:.

• Reality Check: A Decade of Nintendo 64 - Has it really been 10 years?  Ahh, the memories...
• New Banjo-Kazooie trailer - No overwhelming amount of gameplay in that trailer, but it's entertaining nonetheless.
• Square-Enix's take on next-gen consoles - See what they have to say about who they're supporting.
• Final Fantasy XII Impressions - Good things to say about this game.
• Wii ad in Edge - Sheesh, talk about straight to the point.
• Final Fantasy VI Advance screenshots - Hmm... don't see a graphical improvement yet, but FF6 was such a leap above the previous SNES Final Fantasy's, it doesn't need the improvement.  We'll see, though.
• Remembering the SNES - I love little trips down memory lane like this.  All of these were great games, though I was surprised (pleasantly, albeit) to see Soul Blazer on the list, and not Actraiser.  Soul Blazer was an oft-overlooked little gem, I must say.
• Wii up-close and personal - Interesting up-close (duh) look at the Wii hardware.
• Call of Duty Wii impressions - I know, I know, so much stuff about the Wii... I can't help it!  It's INTERESTING!  Anywho, if you're INTERESTED in Call of Duty, read on.  I wasn't sure before, but I'm more excited for it now.
• How the Wii was born - Another interesting look at Nintendo's upcoming system.
• Super Swing Golf preview - I suck at golf, so this simplified version for the Wii is perfect for golf-amateurs like me, but it looks like even pros might enjoy it.
• Alan Wake preview - Game looks creepy but awesome.
• Famitsu readers say PS3 is too expensive - Good news for Nintendo, though.

.:[ Other Links ]:.

• Mega Man graffiti - This is beautiful.
• Don't Download This Song - Oh, Weird Al, you never cease to entertain.
• Neave.tv - Interesting concept... like a constant YouTube feed.  It IS pretty neat but I'm not sure just how visually appealing it is.
• Fire suppressors destroyed by fire - Irony raises its head once again.
• "Futures" - Strange music video, but kinda cool.
• Temple of Nod case mod - I'm not familiar with the source material (it's from a Command and
  Conquer game which I didn't play) but this case is AWESOME.
• Photos of an atomic blast - REALLY neat.
• Photo of Space Shuttle Atlantic crossing in front of the sun - Another cool photo.
• The Escapist - "I'm Evil" - Intriguing article about Online Guerilla Marketers, or OGMs... the
  guys that go to forums and pose as normal posters with the intent of
  eventually convincing people to buy his employers' products.
• New Cedar Point ride: "Maverick" - Gah! I was just there a couple months ago, and they didn't have this! >:(

Remix of the Day: "Chromatic Acoustics" by Retlaf, from Mega Man 3

You probably noticed a slightly different format in the links this week. I decided that since a good number of those links were about gaming that they deserved their own separate section. Notice that some game-related links like the Mega Man graffiti and the case mod are in "Other Links" because they're pretty neat even if you aren't into gaming. Plus, that
way, if you aren't really that interested in gaming (perish the thought!) then you can skip to the non-gaming links with no problem!

-Chronodin
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# posted by Chronodin @ 12:00 PM
 
Busy week. :/ Apologies, but here are some links, and a remix!

.:[ Links ]:.

• Clinton speaks his mind - I knew I liked this guy.  Clinton doesn't take any crap from Fox's Chris Wallace.
• Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories remake - So Japan is getting a 2-DVD director's cut version of Kingdom Hearts II that comes with a complete PS2 remake of Chain of Memories, the GBA Kingdom Hearts game that takes place between KH1 and 2.  It doesn't say anything about a US release, but let's hope one isn't far behind!
• "A Digital Man" - Computer animation of Rush's drummer playing "YYZ".  The creator of this video did a great job making this, not to mention, 1) it's a cool song, and 2) it's on Guitar Hero 2. :D
• Little Superstar - Uhhhhh...
• Car of the future? - I believe I linked to a video regarding this car (or maybe its predecessor?), but all it did was show a few clips of the car in motion.  This video is from some British television show where they report just what's so special about this car, and if what the one guy says is true, that these could be common in 10 to 20 years time, then this is a very exciting prospect.
• People disappointed in PS3's lack of rumble support - This just in, straight from the "Sun shines during the day, but generally dark at night" department.
• Britain became an island in 24 hours? - "That's it, we've had it, we're taking our kingdom and leaving."
• Teddy bear slaughters 2,500 trout - There's a headline you don't see everyday.

Remix of the Day: "Antimatter" by Beatdrop, from Chrono Trigger

-Chronodin
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