Game Review ( Asphalt 4: Elite Racing - iPhone/iPod App )

A4:ER is - simply put - the best racing game from the app store. Even though the price is steep at $10, you will find more depth than any other racing game in there. I'll keep the review as short as possible. Basically, I'll tell you there are 9 different tracks, ranging from New York, Dubai, Los Angeles, Paris and so on, and 28 unlockable cars.

Graphics: 4.75/5 This is an iPod/iPhone and this thing has graphics better than those of the DS? Get out. The different tracks and cars look fantastic, and the frame rate pretty rarely drops. This game is gorgeous. Easily the best looking App I have, I'll tell you that.

Sound: 1/5 Turn. It. Off. I played less than half a race with the sound on before turning on my music. The drift sound is quite possibly the most annoying sound I've ever heard in my LIFE. The music and the like isn't necessarily bad, but it's just a lot better to be able to listen to your own music rather than a REEEEKWWWWEEEEEEE!!!! every three seconds when turning a corner. Gah! My ears are bleeding thinking about it.

Control: 3.75/5 There are three different ways to control. You can use the accelerometer ( Move iPod/iPhone side-to-side to steer ) tap ( Left side to go left, right side to go right. ) or steer using the on-screen steering wheel, which I only tried to use once but gave up because it just seemed pointless. One thing all three controls have in common are that your car is ALWAYS accelerating. Nothing to press to move, it happens automatically, which is actually pretty cool. My real beef with the controls are that none of the three work spectacularily well. Although the "tap" mode is best, it's still hard to control drifts and the like.

Fun: 3.75/5 When you first play A4:ER, you'll likely love it or hate it instantly. I for one loved it. But after playing all the tracks about four times over each, I realized that the game was $10 for a reason. It does have depth, ( 28 cars to unlock like I said, including some pretty good customizing ) but only about $10 worth. If you do buy this game, I recommend you really pace yourself, otherwise you're going to regret it. You'll fly through the game and realize that it wasn't worth $10. This game is great for Burnout/Need for Speed/Cruis'n U.S.A. fans, since it has features similar to those all in one, but it's just to easy to fly through. Sure, there's multiplayer, but it's seemingly impossible to find anyone that is playing online. I recommend, unless you really can't wait, getting Need for Speed from the App store, which is due out in November. Not to say A4:ER is incomplete, it just seems to be missing a few things, and it's sort of hard to really justify the $10 price tag.

3.75/5

Game Review ( Line Rider iRide - iPod/iPhone App )

What internet-using flash-game junky HASN'T played -- or at least heard of Line Rider? In case you haven't, in Line Rider you draw a track for the sled-dude ( Bosh, I believe is his name. ) and make him to basically whatever you want, including flips and jumps. You can also add scenery to the background, and whatever else you want. This flash game has come to the App Store.

Graphics: 1.5/5 Simple, and still not as good as the on-the-net version. The graphics look grainy, even though they are so simple. Doesn't matter, though, because you wouldn't buy this game based on graphics anyway.

Sound: 1.25/5 Just annoying - the sound should just die. I recommend simply listening to music... I'm not sure why sound was even added to the game.

Control: 1/5 This is where the game took a shit for me. Basically, there are two main drawing tools. One that draws straight lines, and another free-draw line drawer. When I was using the free-draw pen, it kept making straight lines, making it physically impossible to make even a simple loop. Worst controls ever.

Fun: 1.25/5 For me, I had zero fun with this. As a matter of fact, I deleted this app without backing it up, making me completely waste my $3. Line Rider was great on the computer, but I've found Line Rider iRide to be buggy buggy buggy. However, there is a "community" feature that allows you to upload and download other creator's tracks. Great idea, but I have no idea how it turned out, seeing as how I was so frustrated with the game I deleted it. Basically, this game is broken. Possibly just for me, seeing as how other people have it and love it, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless you want to take the risk. Buyer beware.

1.5/5

Hardware Review ( iPod Touch 8GB )

Although I got this awhile ago, I've been playing with it a LOT since. I've finally gotten around to writing a review... anyway, I finally got it. The iPod Touch 8GB, the same day the 2nd gen, 16GB, built-in-speaker-same-exact-price version came out... don't know why I didn't get that one.

Anyway, I'll start out with the look - sexy. Looks just like the first-gen iPhone, but it just doesn't make calls. ( Well, actually, there is a free "App" in the "App Store" that-- well, nevermind. ) The back of it does have the much hated ( at least by me ) chrome that gets scratched super easily. Transversely, however, the front is nearly impossible to scratch. I saw a YouTube video where a guy tried to scratch the screen with a box cutter to no avail. Being in disbelief, I tried something similar with a bottle cap - I'll just say the video is legit. It's hard to believe that this thing is that hard to scratch. It smudges easily, and a lot, but doesn't scratch.

Secondly, the features - several. Unless you have the 2nd-gen iPod Touch, you can download the "App Store" to your iPod Touch for a fee of $9.95. ( Unless you Jailbreak it - good luck though. Nearly bricked my iPod. ) Basically, the "App Store" features a whole lot of "Applications" made by people and companies, and there are literally thousands. Here you can find games, travel, education, entertainment, music, and a whole bunch of other apps. Although most of the good ones you have to pay for, they are generally pretty reasonable, and you get a good idea of how good an app really is just by reading a few reviews or trying the "Lite" version of the app, if there is one available. Once an app is downloaded, it will download to your - what I will call - homepage, where you can have several pages of apps. Also at the homepage is the other stuff. Music, videos, photos, settings, calender, contacts, among other things that come with the iPod upon purchasing. The most notable however, being Safari, which is the internet. And, if you are in a Wi-Fi hotspot with decent/good bandwidth, works very well for the most part. My only real complaint is that sometimes, for no reason, pages will lag, causing you to mess up your typing, and sometimes even throwing you back to the "home page" for no reason at all. That's actually just about my only biff with this iPod - the thing is great.

Basically, if you don't have an iPod or MP3 player by now, you shouldn't get this iPod Touch. Why? Because you should get the NEWER and BETTER iPod Touch that also costs $300 but has 16 GB instead of 8GB. I do however recommend you get a warranty, seeing as how Apple products seem to fail in the long run. ( I know they do for me, anyway. ) If you don't have a cell phone yet for any reason or need a new one, AND have the money to pay $70+ a month for it, get the new iPhone 3G which is essentially this, just with a phone, obviously.

4.75/5

Game Review ( Rock Band 2 - 360 )

Graphics: 4/5 Virtually no changes at all graphically - there are a few new venues and instruments and the like, but nothing else has really changed, which could or could not be a good thing.

Sound: 4.75/5 Most definitely the best soundtrack in any music game. AC/DC, Bob Dylan, Metallica and other well-known musicians are in this game. Also, ALL songs in the game are masters. While all that is fine and good, the soundtrack is far from perfect. It seems that for almost every great song there is a bad one stinking up the place. Overall though, there's no denying this really is quite an epic soundtrack.

Control: 5/5 "Rock Band is too easy"... How many times have you heard that? I don't think anyone will be saying that after playing through Rock Band 2. Songs like "Bodhisatvva" , "Pain Killer" , "Battery", and others, are truly insane. Those three particular songs are also equally as hard or harder on drums. Rock Band 2 also intruduces hammer-on chords, most notably in the song "Bodhisattva". This game will challenge even the well seasoned Guitar Hero and Rock Band veterans.

Fun: 4.75/5 Rock Band 2, for $60, is one hell of a good investment. You're getting over 80 songs for under a dollar each! Rock Band 2 is in a way, disappointing. For thing, the drum trainer is a joke for anyone that plays on expert... It could be very helpful for the noobs though. Basically, if you enjoyed Rock Band, you'll definitely love this game, too. However, one big letdown is the lack of any significant features. Besides drum trainer and battle of the bands mode, there isn't anythin really all that amazing added to this game that weren't in the original. Still, $60 for 80 plus songs makes this more than worth it. Oh, and don't forget to buy the new drums. (Review coming soon.)

4.5/5

Game Review ( Guitar Hero: Aerosmith - 360 )

Graphics: 4.25/5 Looking better than Guitar Hero III at least. The graphics look cleaner, and the animations are really good. There is still "clipping" though, which is somewhat annoying, but the game looks solid. The venues are also very nicely done.

Sound: 4.25/5 The soundtrack is pretty good in this one. Despite its name, GH:A doesn't have tracks EXCLUSIVELY from Aerosmith. There are some songs by Joe Perry ( Guitarist of Aerosmith ) The Clash, Stone Temple Pilots, among other bands. Still, most of the game does have Aerosmith tracks from back in the seventies to today.

Control: 4/5 Figures - you will likely notice a lot of these guitar expert tracks are made strictly to make them more difficult. It doesn't work, but you'll know what I mean when you see them. A lot of the songs, mostly earlier ones, have a lot of chord hopping, and other songs also have green + orange chords and just a lot of fret presses you would likely not see in a game made by Harmonix. Still, some of the charts are actually super fun. The main riff of "Walk This Way" is easy, but very fun to play.

Fun: 4.25/5 It's hard to say if this game's worth buying. If you are a HUGE Aerosmith nut, you've probably already bought it since it's been out for ~2 months. If you're not that big of an Aerosmith fan, it's better that you rent it. I beat the game in just about one sitting, five starring every song on expert except for one bonus song all in one attempt. The game is easy - quite a bit easier than Guitar Hero III. The achievements are also more reasonable in this game as well as opposed to Guitar Hero III which had some really bogus ones. I highly recommend this as a rental, whether you like Aerosmith or not, for the achievement points if you're a SCOREWHORE, or just for fun if you really like Guitar Hero.

4/5 ( You just likely won't be coming back to this game after you play each song through once or twice unless you really like Aerosmith. )

Game Review ( Cold Storage Map - Halo 3 - 360 )

Cold Storage was released today (7-7-8) for free from Bungie. But, it's not REALLY free unless you have the Heroic and Legendary map packs. Speaking of that, the Legendary Map Pack has gotten a price change. Instead of being 800 MSP, it's now 600.

I never played the original version of this map in Halo 1, so I can't do a comparison, but I can tell you that Cold Storage is not that great of a map. It is best for FFA fans ( I'm not one ) as opposed to players that prefer teams. Cold Storage is a pretty small map, with teleporters everywhere. The map includes a battle rifle, plasma rifle, sniper, shotgun, and the like in standard slayer mode. Cold Storage is a pretty decent map, overall. If you were thinking about getting the Legendary Map Pack, now is the time to do it. Heroic, Legendary and Cold Storage - 7 maps - for only 600 MSP if you're just getting them right now. One hell of a deal. Cold Storage isn't a bad map, but it isn't a good map - I can see why Bungie remade this map and made it free.

3.75/5

Game Review ( Legendary Map Pack - 360 )

These maps came out quite awhile ago, and I planned on waiting until they were free, but after hearing they won't be free ( at least for awhile ) I got them just today.

Avalanche: 4.25/5 Huge map, with man cannons to make it seem less small and help you travel, but - meh. There are vehicles at the spawns on this map, but - it's just not that great. Cool design, but too big, and not the most epic of battles. Avalanche isn't bad, but I thought it'd be a lot better than it actually is.

Black Out: 4.75/5 A remake of the classic Lock Out from Halo 2 - yeah, I bet you didn't know that. Black Out is a great map for Team Slayer as well as Team SWAT. Great map, and is actually better than the original map - wow.

Ghost Town: 4.5/5 A map many people thought would be terrible before the pack came out, but surprised most, including me. Ghost Town is a fantastic map. It's asymmetrical, ( If you don't know what that means get the hell out. ) and it just has a great look to it. It's medium size, and fun to play on. A lot of fun - great for most game modes.

For $10, you get these pretty damn good maps, a 3-month subscription to Bungie Pro ( Meh. If you don't know what that is, it doesn't matter. ) and the ability to finally play Team SWAT whenever you want. I must warn you, though, Team SWAT doesn't play the same was as in Halo 2 - it seems harder... for whatever reason... still, you can't really go wrong. I'd say buy it.

4.5/5

Drink Review ( Mountain Dew:Revolution )

Smell: 4/5 Smells a lot like Baja Blast from Taco Bell - not only smells like it, but... well you'll find out.

Color: 3.75/5 Almost looks like Baja Blast from Taco Bell, too. Really, Baja Blast just is a little more greenish.

Taste: 4.5/5 If you like Baja Blast, you'll way more than likely really love Revolution. Tastes almost identical, especially the aftertaste, but that isn't a bad thing - I think Baja Blast should quit being exclusive to Taco Bell and be sold in cans. Anyway, it's good - better than Super Nova, but not better than Voltage - looks like Voltage will win, and apparently, I'm not the only one that thinks so.

Drink Review ( Mountain Dew:Super Nova )

Smell: 4/5 Meh. Like Voltage, not much to smell... smells like normal Mountain Dew with a little bit of strawberry-melon in it.

Color: 3.75/5 A light pink color. Looks lame... it'd be better if it were a deep pink or neon.

Taste: 4.25/5 Not bad, but not fantastic. People say it tastes like garbage ( the aftertaste especially ) but I don't know what they're drinking. Super Nova is supposed to be strawberry-melon flavored, and it is just that. ( But I can't really taste the melon. ) Quite good, but nothing like Voltage.

Drink Review ( Mountain Dew:Voltage )

Smell: 4/5 Doesn't have that strong of a smell, much like the other "DEWmocracy" Mountain Dews. Faintly smells like the flavor, raspberry, but not much.

Color: 3.75/5 I'll likely give all three a 3.75/5 - all of them are faded colors. Voltage is a faded blue color.

Taste: 5/5 Most importantly, Voltage is very distinctive and probably the best dew of the three. Very strong raspberry flavor, with what almost has a cotton candy after taste or something... either way, definitely the best of the three.

Game Review ( Rock Band DLC 6/17 - 360 )

I probably won't bother reviewing DLC previous to this, but I'll review what comes out in the future - or try to.

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Hammerhead: 4.25/5 Great song to listen to, not amazing on guitar - actually pretty easy, but difficult on drums. I beat it after a few tries, and it is one unique and fun chart, but it's not spectacular. I'd say it's worth downloading, though.

Rock 'N' Roll Dream: 4.25/5 Only a buck, and it's worth it. Not a hard song by any means on drums or guitar ( Although the second solo is a bit tricky ) but it's well worth purchasing. The drums are an easy 100% on Expert, but just a lot of fun, and it's a great song, too.

Afterlife: 4.5/5 The one with the "impossible solo". Afterlife is quite challenging to the average Expert player on guitar - does that make sense? The solo will give many people fits if they don't know when to use their Overdrive. Most decent Expert players will probably average anywhere between 40-60% on this solo - so you had better have Overdrive. On drums, the quickquickquick double bass isn't troubled, but a lot of it is. Great song.

Critical Acclaim: 4.5/5 I really disliked this song at first, but it's amazing on guitar especially. The song is quite easy to FC if you can get the solo down, which is NOTHING compared to Afterlife's. The drums are also fun. Both A7X songs are worth downloading whether your a guitar or drum player. And, if you play both, it's even more of a better value.

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This weeks DLC gets a 4.5/5

Game Review ( FrontLines: Fuel of War - 360 )

Graphics: 4.75/5 Honestly, amazing. They didn't look too great in the demo for whatever reason, but the in-game graphics and the cutscenes are some of the best on the 360. The most unbelievable part is that there is virtually no lag offline. There are a few hiccups, but it's quite rare. Online though is a bit of a different story. While the game usually runs well, certain rooms and certain maps have some lag issues.

Sound: 4.5/5 Almost up to par with Call of Duty 4, but not quite. The vehicles and explosions sound great, even better than Bad Company.

Control: 4.75/5 The game controls arcade-like in a way, and the helicopters and vehicles for the most part control very well. The on-foot controls may take a bit of time because certain buttons are different than that of Call of Duty 4, but you should get it.

Fun: 4.5/5 The single player to me is probably the best part. The multiplayer is okay, but there are some seriously forgettable maps, not many people play the game online, and there are lag problems. FrontLines should definitely be rented just for the single player experience. And for you achievement whores, the game boasts some moderately easy achievements.

Game Review ( Battlefield: Bad Company DEMO - 360 )

Graphics: 4/5 Look good, very good, actually, but the frame rate just about ruins it. The demo is nearly unplayable, I'll tell you straight up. If the frame rate held up like it probably should, the game would be fantastic looking.

Sound: 4.25/5 Above average - the guns explosions and tanks are all great. Not as good as Call of Duty, but that's hard to stack up to.

Control: 3.75/5 Pretty much turned me off. The on-foot controls are quite simple, the tank controls are a little bizarre and take SOME getting used to, and I frankly think the helicopters are impossible to control. It will take me quite a bit of practice to get the flying down.

Fun: 4/5 This game has potential - the demo is quite fun, there are FSU environments, ( You should know what that means by now... ) and the game has a pretty nice atmosphere. This could give SOCOM: Confrontation a run for its money - some how - when it comes out for the PS3 later this year, but the framerate is ridiculous, and something needs to be done for this game to stand a chance as an elite FPS on the 360.

4/5

Game Review ( NASCAR '09 DEMO - 360 )

Graphics: 4.25/5 The game runs great, the cars and lighting are phenomenal, but the crashes are just lame... there are no flips, no fires, no realistic awesome smashes. The tracks look okay, and everything else is just meh. Not bad for a NASCAR game, though.

Sound: 3.5/5 No music during gameplay, and there are only a few songs on the tracklist. All you really here the whole game is the car accelerating and your pit crew telling you what's up.

Control: 4.5/5 Absolutely worlds better than the virtually NASCAR '08 from last year. You can actually drive with the stock controller - hurrah! Takes some getting used to, but you'll get it.

Fun: 4/5 What can I say, left turn, straight away, left turn... it is what it is - NASCAR, and it will likely appeal only to fans, but I must say, juding by the demo, it'll be a pretty good game.

Game Review ( Grand Theft Auto IV - 360 )

Graphics: 5/5 At first glance, the game looks pretty unimpressive, but quickly, the game grows on you and you'll appreciate it much more. The character models are good, the body movements are fantastic, the Ragdoll Body physics are great, the city is fantastic, there is little framerate drop even in online play, and the game looks absolutely stunning from a helicopter when you fly over the city. Grand Theft Auto IV may not look like the best 360 game straight up, but when you consider how much is put into this game, it really does look good.

Sound: 5/5 Easy 5/5, and one of the best sounding games ever. Radio stations and TV stations and characters with great dialogue for the most part. The game sounds great, of course. I can't think of one sound flaw in this game. The voiceovers don't impress everyone, but I think they are done quite well.

Control: 4.75/5 Very confusing when you first boot up the game, but quite easy to get down after a little while of playing. Many people have the car's new "realistic" controls. I actually like it better because, well, it's more realistic. It is frustrating at times, but it's not hard to get used to. The helicopters on the other hand, that's another story. They control well unless you're going fast - good luck landing one of those things. The new cover system and fighting system are pretty good, but not great. The cover system is actully somewhat useless, especially in online play, since players know where you are, and the fighting system is also flawed online because sometimes, although seldomly, headshots don't register.

Fun: 5/5 Are you surprised by the score? Of course not. The critics really gave this game what it deserves. GTAIV is definitely one of the best games of all-time. Sim-like gameplay, plus a great story, plus phenomenal multiplayer equals one great game. Although the game seems, and almost is, perfect, there are of course flaws. One thing for instance is the lack of being able to play co-op, which is a real downer. Still, the several different game modes will keep you occupied for months - or even years to come. If you are trying to find a reason to dislike this game, good luck, because just about anywhere you look, you will find greatness.

5/5

Game Review ( Mario Kart Wii - Wii )

Graphics: 4/5 From afar, the game looks pretty good. When up close, though, the character models are not very good, and actually look worse than the GameCube version. This game does look good for the most part though, and the fact that the framerate seems to drop very little, and there are 12 racers on the track this time around, is impressive.

Sound: 3.75/5 Tracks are the same for the retro tracks, which is nice to see, and of course new for the new tracks. People say the music is annoying - not really. The thing that really is annoying are the voiceovers. Every few seconds you will hear your character and all the others wailing out. It gets old in minutes. Most characters don't sound at all like they did in previous games. What's with Donkey Kong sounding like Scooby Doo?

Control: 4.5/5 Why people dislike the Wii Wheel, I'll never know, but I think it's great. It took a Grand Prix play to get used to it, and now I don't think I'd ever go use a GameCube controller for this game. There are other ways to play: Wii controller on the side ( Same thing as using the Wii Wheel ) , Wii+Nunchuck, Classic Controller, and GameCube controller. I only give this a 4.5 because there are times when I turn right or left on the Wii controller, but the character on screen goes the opposite way. Doesn't happen often, but it happens sometimes. Really though, the Wii Wheel is great.

Fun: 4.5/5 Mario Kart Wii may very well be the best game in the series despite a LOT of flaws. Tedious loops of character grunts, so-so graphics, unbelievably cheap A.I., and a lack of some really great retro tracks are just a few things that bug me about this game. There is online play, obviously, and it is fun, but not as fun as most people say it is. I definitely recommend getting this game simply because there are so few games as fun as this one on the Wii. This is arguably the Wii's best games available now - it certainly gives Super Smash Bros. Brawl a run for its money.

4.5/5

Game Review ( Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - DS )

Graphics: 4.5/5 CoD4 for the DS looks surprisingly good, and it suffers very little frame rate drops. There are also a lot of different and cool looking environments in the game. The character models look even better. One of the better looking DS games to date.

Sound: 4.25/5 People say it sounds great, I think it sound good. The guns sound good, but not like their real life counterparts, and the voice overs don't sound too great at all.

Control: 4.5/5 Along with Metroid Prime Hunters, this is the best and easiest to control shooters on the DS. This is how they should all be. You should be able to quickly learn these controls. They are effective and work well, although there are a few minor problems, like sprinting in to walls and the like because of the DS's D-pad. Other than that, well done.

Fun: 3.75/5 Sadly, CoD4 for the DS is worthy of nothing more than a rental - unless you have a few friends that have the game as well. The fact is, the single player is the only thing to this game unless you have friends to play with. After you're done with the campaign, there is no real reason to come back. The campaign is indeed fun, but it won't last forever. The single player has a similar story to the one in the 360 and PS3 versions of the game, but the experience is much different, as are the levels. This game could very well have been the best shooter on the DS if it had Wi-Fi, but sadly, it doesn't, leaving this shooter just another that falls short of being dubbed a gem.

3.75/5

Game Review ( Mario Party DS - DS )

Graphics: 4.5/5 They look very solid for a DS game, and certainly better than the N64 versions of the game. No drop in frame rate, and it overall looks very good.

Sound: 3.75/5 Grainy sounding Mario, Luigi, DK, Peach, Yoshi etc. = annoying. The game doesn't sound fantastic, it's just pretty average. Past games sounded better.

Control: 4/5 Obviously, Mario Party is known for its mini-games. On the DS, the microphone and touch screen are put into use, of course. Most games are exactly the same that involve the microphone, and some with the touch screen are the same too, just with different skins, but they are still enjoyable. The other minigames are played with the control pad.

Fun: 3.5/5 Mario Party DS is lacking a few things - Wi-Fi, more playable maps, and more characters, but it's a decent game. The minigames are quite fun, even though some are almost the same. Mario Party DS really doesn't feel like its own game, and just a minigame itself. I wouldn't recommend buying this game simply because it is lacking some things games on the N64 did have. Another problem I have with this game is its story mode. While it could be a nice addition, the story is lame and predictable, and if you fail in the story mode, you have to redo a whole 10 turn or more game. I would recommend this game if you are going on a road trip with (a) friend(s), because it's fun in groups, only playing a few games at a time, and can be played with one copy of the game.

3.5/5

Game Review ( Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack - 360 )

Released today is the much anticipated Variety Map Pack (VMP) the first, and possibly, the last map pack for the game. It features the maps Creek, China Town, Killhouse, and Broadcast. ( Killhouse can only be played in Free-for-All and Team Tactical, sadly. )

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Creek: 4.5/5 I really wanted to play this map, and it doesn't disappoint. While there are a lot of frustrating snipers, the map is well covered in weeds and trees to make it somewhat difficult to snipe. There is a hill, a broken down barn house, and a cool little cave you can walk into. Creek isn't the best map in the pack, but it is a lot of fun.

China Town: 4.75/5 "Most of the Call of Duty 4 maps are built from the ground up" - this isn't one of them. You'll notice right away, if you played Call of Duty 2, this looks just like Carentan, France from Call of Duty 2. Not a bad thing - it was one of the best maps - but it is VERY similar. The only difference is that it looks a lot prettier and, well, it's in China apparently. One of, if not the best, map of the four. Great for all modes of play.

Broadcast: 5/5 My favorite map of the four, definitely. Broadcast is quite similar to the "Charlie Don't Surf" mission of single player, and it's amazing to play online. It's inside the TV station, as well as outside. It doesn't look completely like the single player version, but different enough to see the difference. Everything about this map is great with a few problems - airstrikes and helicopters are only really about 20% effective, since about 80% of the map is indoors.

Killhouse: 4/5 I finally played Killhouse. I played it in a 2-on-3 private match, and I must say, it's really not that bad. It's a small map with an almost entirely open roof for good use of airstrikes and helicopters. It's definitely not as good as the others, but it is pretty fun.

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The VMP just comes down to this: $12.50 for one NEW map. Why do I saw this? It costs $12.50 for 1000 Microsoft Points through Xbox LIVE, Broadcast is essentially a map from single player with some subtle differences and new rooms, China Town is Carentan France from Call of Duty 2 with a new slap of skin on it, and Killhouse will probably get played by quite a few in actual game modes. Still, this is one of the best ways someone can spend ten bucks. You get three great maps that are probably better than any of the ones included in the game. ( Hah. Probably only saying that because I've played the on-disc maps so many times. ) Still, VMP adds a quartet of tasty maps that will only add to Call of Duty 4's seemingly endless online playability.

4.75/5

[5 for value. I make no sense.]

Game Review ( Burnout Paradise - 360 )

Graphics: 4.5/5 Good, but not amazing. The frame rate holds up, and I suppose the graphics are more impressive just given that. Also, there aren't any load times while driving around the huge city, unless you start a race or the sort.

Sound: 5/5 A decent soundtrack, but the real thing here that sounds great are the cars, yet again. A car going 200mph hearing opposing cars whip by sounds amazing yet again. Burnout always has great sound, anyway. No surprise here.

Control: 4.5/5 As with most next-gen racers, you use the triggers to drive. It's comfortable, and I wouldn't have it any other way. However, some things are just pointless. The ability to do stunts in this game such as barrel rolls and flat spins is quite lame.

Fun: 4.25/5 Everything is well above average in Paradise, but it just isn't as fun as previous games. The online play is set up the best by far, but the city just isn't as fun to drive around in as one would think, and there are little things about the game that will get on your nerves. ( Ex. Fail a race? Better drive back to the starting line. ) Still, Burnout Paradise is the first REAL Burnout next-gen game for the 360. Well worth a look for any racing fan.

4.25/5

Game Review ( 3/25 Rock Band DLC - 360 )

Half a week past release, and I'm sure you know by now, the Boston pack is up on Xbox LIVE! ( And more recently, PSN. ) My review. I'll try to make it as short as possible.

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Hitch a Ride: 4.5/5 I never heard of this Boston song before it was made DLC. ( Wasn't the biggest Boston fan. ) And didn't like it the first time I heard it, but it's a great song. It has a fantastic guitar solo, and the drums are fun, too. ( You'll be hearing that a lot. 5 of the 6 songs have relatively similar drumming charts. )

More Than a Feeling: 4.5/5 Another re-release, and a great one. MTaF was of course in Guitar Hero 1, and I'm glad to see it in Rock Band. A very easy but fun song on guitar, and of course, drums. I have heard it a lot over the years though and that's why it gets a 4.5. It'

Peace of Mind: 4.5/5 One of the harder drum songs in the pack, especially if you have a broken set. Yet another great song, by the way, on drums or guitar. Getting sick of hearing it? You'll hear it a few more times.

Rock and Roll Band: 4.75/5 Probably my favorite song of the six. Just really, really catchy lyrically, and the drums and guitar are, get this - fun. This song to me is quite underrated.

Smokin': 4.25/5 Of course, one of Boston's most popular songs, and it's here. Why rated lower than the others? First, I'm not the biggest fan of this song. Second, while I don't really care much, you play the organ during the "guitar solo". It's fun, it's challenging, but it's awkward. Also, the drums aren't too great on this song, although they are probably the most difficult.

Something About You: 4.5/5 As far as the song goes, I probably like it the least of the six, but it's very fun to play. (Surprised?) Fun on guitar and drums, and like other Boston songs, will have you singing along.

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Even though I'm sure you already have, BUY the Boston Pack. It is very well worth it. For $10 you get some of the best Boston songs, and virtually their entire debut album. By-far the best DLC to date - but I do have to say, and I'm not the only one to think this I'm sure, several of these songs sound quite similar to eachother.

4.75/5 ( Not really the average score, but as far as value, it's definitely worth $10.)

A Serious Review Drought

I haven't been posting many reviews recently, mostly because I've been playing games like Halo 2, ( Yes, 2. ) Rock Band, and Call of Duty 4. However, I should be reviewing some more in the near future. Those games include:

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (360)
Burnout Paradise (360)

A few older games, I know, but get over it. I'll probably start getting some DS games to review, too.

[47]

DVD Review ( Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Volume 4 )

Volume 4 is part 2 of the third season. ( Volume 5 is the final part. )

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The Ninja Sword of Nowhere: 4/5 Krang sends Shredder back to earth to get what he believes is an alien metal. The turtles buy the sword that Shredder is trying to get, and he tries to hunt them down.

20,000 Leaks Under the Sea: 4/5 Shredder tries to flood the sewers to kill the turtles, but he floods the entire city. The turtles attempt to get the water back into the ocean.

[*]Take Me to Your Leader: 4.5/5 The world goes into a deep freeze due to Krang's draining of the sun's energy. The turtles, without Leonardo, who believes he's not fit to be a leader, try to stop Shredder and Krang.

Four Musketurtles: 3.75/5 Leonardo believes he's a musketeer, and the other turtles with him try to prevent Shredder from getting a new founded gem that could power the Technodrome.

[*]Turtles, Turtles Everywhere: 4.5/5 Shredder has automated garbage trucks steal all of the turtles in the city. The TMNT try to get the automated garbage truck main robot to attack Shredder.

[*]Cowabunga Shredhead: 5/5 Shredder uses a duplicator to make holograms of the turtles. Rocksteady and Bebop mess up the program, turning Shredder's personality into Michelangelo's. The turtles mess with "Shredder"'s mind my saying Shredder and Michelangelo to play mind-tricks on him to confuse him, and ultimately, help them out.

[*]Invasion of the Turtle Snatchers: 4.5/5 Shredder tries to get his hands on new alien equipment after he finds out Rocksteady was captured my an alien spaceship. Meanwhile, Donatello gets sucked up by it too. Rocksteady and Donatello temporarily work together, but then are enemies once again. The aliens tell Donatello of a toy that must be dug back up from earth or it will be the end of the world.

Camera Bugged: 4/5 An alien from the planet of Polaris has a camera that eliminates whatever it captures on camera. Shredder and Krang get this camera, and intend to use it to eliminate the turtles.

Green with Jealousy: 4.75/5 Krang created a vile full of love potion that has all the turtles but Donatello in love with Irma. Donatello tries his best to reverse the spell.

Return of the Fly: 4/5 Baxter returns as his fly-self and decides to get revenge on both the turtles and Shredder.

Casey Jones: "Outlaw Hero": 4.25/5 The turtles meet Casey Jones, a law fighter that tries to keep law breakers in check. He soon takes the turtles side.

Mutagen Monster: 4.25/5 The turtles work to stop a mutated bull from wreaking too much havoc on the city.

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TMNT Volume 4 is a very solid section of the third season, but not nearly good as the previous. Many of the episodes are really average. Still, you gotta get this to be one step further in completing your TMNT collection on DVD.

4.25/5

Game Review ( SEGA Superstars Tennis - 360 )

Graphics: 4.5/5 Really looks good. Vibrant colors and drastically different looking stages. It's a shame the framerate drops like it does in ( If you can find a game ) multiplayer on LIVE.

Sound: 4.25/5 Same tedious grunts by characters such as AiAi will make others in the next room over think you're watching Asian porn. The music is pretty good, but reused on a few stages. Not bad, though.

Control: 3.75/5 Just way too simple as well as complicated - believe it. Hit X and A in different combinations to get off a different shot, and press LT or RT when you want to go into "Superstar Mode", where you hit balls differently than you would without it.

Fun: 3.5/5 Looks great, sounds good, but lacks the key ingredient for a good game - fun. Very few play this game on LIVE, and the single player is tedious as hell. The challenge mode is the same over and over again with a new skin slapped on the activity you need to complete. SEGA Superstars Tennis is well worth a rental, but certainly not a purchase.

3.5/5

Game Review ( 3/18 Rock Band DLC - 360 )

Blinded By Fear: 4.5/5 Fun song on guitar - impossible on Expert Drums. If you haven't seen the chart, look it up on YouTube.

D.O.A.: 4.5/5 The easiest song of the three all-around. Not terribly difficult at all on Expert drums, and the guitar isn't bad, either. Pretty good song, too.

Thrasher: 4.25/5 I like the song itself the least of the three, but it's still another challenge on guitar and drums - especially guitar. The constant strumming will have you sore in about 30-45 seconds.

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Even though I really didn't think I'd get this pack, I did - and no regrets. The songs are a challenge, and pretty good too, if you like the genre. I recommend getting for the challenge - or at least get one of them.

4.5/5

Game Review ( Brain Challenge - 360 Arcade )

Graphics: 3/5 Not much to speak of. They're just really average, and well under the 150 MB graphical limit.

Sound: 3/5 A simple tune in the background is basically all you hear, with the occasional "Good job!" thrown in there. Also average.

Control: 4/5 The stress games really make for some weird controls - but that's exactly the point. My only REAL problem with the controls is that the analog stick skips too far sometimes when you move it once. Besides that, everything is pretty simple and uncomplicated.

Fun: 3.75/5 Brain Challenge is probably not worth the $10. Definitely five, for sure, but $10 is pushing it. The game isn't bad, but the mini games aren't all interesting, and there aren't many features. The multi player is decent fun, if you can even connect to a room. I recommend getting it only if you haven't yet tried Brain Age or a game similar to this.

3.75/5

Game Review ( Super Smash Bros. Brawl Characters - Wii )

Since I have nothing else to do, I'll just review all of the characters from SSBB/5588, seeing as how I have them all already. ( I need to get laid, I know. ) If you don't know the hidden characters, don't read on. [I will go in alphabetical order.]

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Bowser: Bowser plays just like he did in Melee and virtually no differently. He remains one of the better, if not the best, heavier characters in Brawl. His fleeing abilities are really good, too, much better than Donkey Kong's. Obviously, though, Bowser suffers from lack of maneuverability because of his big size. 4.25/5

*#Captain Falcon: I haven't played TOO much with Captain Falcon, because I wasn't a fan of him in previous SSB games, but he's not that bad. He is surprisingly fast, and packs quite a punch. His fleeing isn't very good, though - pretty average. He is also one of the "Original Twelve", appearing in all three SSB games. Overall, he's a pretty average character with little to say about. 3.75/5

~Diddy Kong: Making his first appearance this time around is Diddy Kong, nephew of Donkey Kong. Diddy Kong is VERY underrated in Brawl. He has some solid speed, and a great Super Smash once you learn how to control it well. If you haven't played with him much, I highly recommend you start. He's a really great fighter and you may be as surprised as I was when I started playing with him consistently. 4.5/5

#Donkey Kong: Donkey Kong is one of my personal favorites, and a bit of a dark horse in the Brawl line-up. He, like Captain Falcon and many others, is one of the "Original Twelve". Donkey Kong is probably the best heavy-weight in Brawl. He hits quite quickly, and has some very powerful attacks. His Super Smash isn't that fantastic, but it gets better the more you use it. My favorite heavy-weight in Brawl, but is lacking some things. 4.5/5

*Falco: Falco Lombardi, member of Star Fox, is back again in Brawl. He plays in the same fashion as Fox - exactly the same - and is virtually no different. He is an absolute clone. However, I prefer Falco to Fox because - well, - I just do. 4.25/5

#Fox: Fox McLoud, leader of Star Fox, is back for a third time. Like stated above, he is the same character is Falco in just about every way. If you like playing as Falco, you should have no problem playing as Fox. 4.25/5

*Ganondorf: The antagonist of the Zelda series returns for a second time. He is much like Captain Falcon in that they have quite similar attacks. I can't say much else about him, seeing as how he is so similar. I must say, though, Ganondorf has a better Smash Move. 3.75/5

Ice Climbers: Nana and Bobo, the Ice Climbers, may well be my least favorite characters in Brawl and Melee. They don't move that fast, and they don't hit too hard. They only real positive thing about them is that they are small in size, making them harder to hit. Their Super Smash is pretty average, too. 3/5

~Ike: Ike is a character that, I must say, have played very little with. He's a pretty good character, but he reminds me of link and Marth. ( Probably because of his sword. ) I still prefer Toon Link to all the sword wielders in Brawl, though. 4/5

*#Jigglypuff: Yet another member of the "Original Twelve". I'm not too fond of Jigglypuff myself, but she (he?) is a pretty decent character. Best thing about him/her would have to be his/her flight ability - which is much like King Dedede's and Kirby's. One of my least favorite characters in Brawl. 3.5/5

~King Dedede: Here's another huge target - King Dedede is the biggest body in the game - bigger than both Bowser and D.K. Dedede has a good save maneuver, and his attacks are very powerful, but he moves slowly, and hits even slower. If you like raw power, though, he's your guy. 4.25/5

#Kirby: One of the more unique characters in the game. As you probably know by now, Kirby can suck-in any opponent and use his/her powers against him/her. Not all of the attacks, but the basic ones, and it's definitely a cool feature. Kirby also has a very useful escape maneuver. I, personally, don't care for Kirby - I like the more balanced fighters for the most part - but he's definitely different. 4/5

#Link: Link is one of the most popular characters in the series, and for good reason. He's pretty quick, and has some serious power. Link is my favorite swordsman in the series. Despite me not liking him much in the original SSB, he has grown on me, and turns out to be one of the best fighters to use when you're in a hole. 4.5/5

*~Lucario: Another Pokemon added to the list of fighters - can't complain. Lucario seems to be a bit like Mewtwo. Has some quick, tricky maneuvers, a similar flight ability, and some very similar attacks. If you liked playing as Mewtwo, you'll like Lucario. Also, he has a unique ability. When his damage against has gone up, his damage to goes up as well. Now that may make you use him more. 4.5/5

~Lucas: You probably haven't heard of Lucas and neither have I, but Lucas is from the Japanese-Only game Mother. Lucas is like Fox is to Falco - a nearly exact clone. There are subtle differences, but you likely won't notice them unless you play as him a lot. Lucas has some pretty good powerful attacks, but his flee-attack is very week. He only really has a double jump, and nothing else. If you use is B+^ attack while falling, and you practice, it is the best in the game, or at least one of the best. Lucas is definitely a solid character to use with practice. 4.25/5

*#Luigi: My favorite Mario Kart racer is back for a third time around. Luigi is quite a bit like Mario, but not as much as you'd think. Luigi has a drastically, and surprisingly, different Smash Move, which proves to be one of the most effective in the game. Luigi is definitely one of my favorite characters. 4.75/5

#Mario: Who DOESN'T know Mario? What would SSB be without Mario? Anyways, I think Mario is overrated. While he is almost perfectly balanced - solid attacks, decent flight attack - he just isn't entirely my type, or I just have bad luck with him. He is, or at least should be, though, the character or choice for SSB,SSBM, or SSBB noobs. 4/5

*Marth: Marth is back again to represent the Fire Emblem series. Like Ike and Link, he is a swordsman. I don't particularly care for Marth, but he is one hell of a fighter. He is quick, and has some super powerful attacks. Just because I rate him low, doesn't mean he's a bad fighter. In fact, he may just be the best no-one-ever-really-picks fighter in the game. 4/5

~Meta Knight: Yet another fighter from the Kirby series. Meta Knight turns out to be one of my favorite characters in Brawl. He has a solid escape maneuver, some really quick and powerful attacks, and a simple yet super effective Super Smash. Also, to top it all off, he's small in size making it a bit harder for objects to hit him. Great fighter, in my opinion. He truly has it all. 4.75/5

*Mr. Game & Watch: Well, look who's back - Mr. G&W. Game and Watch was the only character I wasn't able to unlock in Melee due to the difficulty of doing so, so after unlocking him in Brawl I was obviously excited. Mr. G&W is certainly the most unique looking of all the characters - he's 2D! He has some average speed, mustered up with some great power, and he has a pretty effective Super Smash. Another one of my favorite characters in the game. 5/5

*#Ness: That one kid from Earthbound is back - Ness. I never thought Ness was all that great, but after playing with Lucas, I started using Ness a bit, and he's not too bad. Like Lucas though, he's not REALLY my type. If you like Lucas, you like Ness, if you don't like Lucas, you won't like Ness. That's how it goes. 4.25/5

~Olimar: A familiar face - Olimar took part in the popular GameCube titles Pikmin and Pikmin 2. Olimar's main attacks are with, what else, Pikmin. Olimar is, overall, a pretty weak character. He isn't too strong, not too quick, and his escape combo is virtually useless. However, he has one of, if not the best, Smash Moves in the game, which kind of makes up for his lack of real fighting power. He's an okay character, but not of much interest or use to me. 3.25/5

Peach: One of the weaker characters in my opinion, is Peach. Her best feature is her jump technique, but that's all that's really decent about her. Her Final Smash isn't even much of an attack, and she isn't that quick or strong. It is realistic for her character, but she's not a good character for Brawl. 3/5

#Pikachu: Whoever doesn't know of Pikachu should be shot. This Pokemon is back again, and he plays the same way as before. A quick character that benefits from his small size. However, his only real great attack is his Thunder attack. His other moves and his Smash Move is disappointing. ( His Smash Move is quite similar to Sonic's) Pikachu's really a useless character unless you use him in Multi-Man Melee. 3.5/5

~Pit: Here's a character most people haven't probably heard of. Pit is from Kid Icarus from way back in the early Nintendo days. Pit sacrifices an ^+B attack for what proves to be the best flight technique in the game. Because of this, though, he lacks some serious power. Still, he's a pretty solid and unique character. 4/5

~Pokemon Trainer: As Pokemon Trainer, you don't actually play as him. You play as Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard - appearing in that order. That's right - three characters. Pokemon Trainer is one of my favorite fighters for that reason. There's speed in Squirtle, power in Charizard, and a good, even balance in Ivysaur. Also, the Smash Move, although similar to Mario's , Samus's and the like, is super effective and is sure to get at least one kill if located well. Great fighter, indeed. 4.75/5

*~R.O.B.: R.O.B. is probably one of the more random characters to be included into Brawl. He lacks several things. He's not super strong and can't stand up to the likes of Bowser and D.K. too well, and he's also not that fast. To make things even a bit worse, he doesn't have much range with the exception of his laser, which doesn't always work. With him lackin this badly, he should have a great Smash Move, but he doesn't. It's one of the worst in Brawl. R.O.B. should have probably been excluded from Brawl, but here he is. Not great, not good, but not bad. 3.5/5

#Samus: My most played character from the original SSB and SSBM is back and plays the same as ever. She has been toned down a bit. While she was super fast in the original SSB and SSBM, Samus has slowed down considerably in this game. However, Zero Suit Samus goes SUPER fast. (Review later.) Samus isn't what she once was in previous games in some ways, and it's hard to pick her when there are so many other better fighters to use. Still, I've used Samus for the most time in Brawl's. 4.5/5

*~Snake: Every gamer should know by now that Snake was put in Brawl - that was announced awhile back. Anyways, Snake doesn't disappoint in Brawl. He brings a mortar, homing rocket lancher, grenades, and mines. Because of this, he is a hard character to get used to. But if you do get used to him, he can be VERY effective. He has speed, power, and one of the best flight mechanisms in Brawl. 4.5/5

*~Sonic: As for Snake, you should know about Sonic by now. Sonic will very likely be one of the last few characters you will unlock in Brawl - and is it worth it? Sadly, the answer is no, not really. Sonic is byfar the fastest character in Brawl, and for good reason, but because of this, the player will have to practice quite a bit. Sonic also lacks any really strong attacks. You can control most of them, but they are still not very predictable. Third, his Smash Move is mediocre at best - it's much like Pikachu's. Fly around the stage in a super fast ball hitting opponents. It should be a one or two hit KO, right? It's not. It hits with 15%-18% force, and doesn't too often knock the opponent out of the ring. It's too bad Sonic isn't a better character. 4.25/5

*~Toon Link: Exactly like Young Link before him, Toon Link is an exact copy of Link with the slightly better edge because of his smaller size. When you do get Toon Link, though, you unlock one of the better stages in the game, Pirate Ship, which takes place on seas as if you were playing in The Windwaker. Toon Link is a good character, but not at all a different character from Link. 4.5/5

~Wario: It took two previous installments of SSB before Wario got into the Brawl, and it's about time. Wario is a heavyweight character that is seriously lacking any speed. His attacks, however, aren't for the most part. When built up enough, his fart attack will own anybody in close proximity. He also has an ^+B attack very similar to Samus's. If that's now enough, he can hop on his motorcycle and ride opponents out of the ring. Wario's Smash Move isn't the greatest, but it's not bad. He changes clothes and has amazing speed abilities, and his attacks are greatly powered up. He's a good character if you can tolerate his annoying "Wah-ha-ha!"s. 4.25/5

*~Wolf: Wolf is the second clone of Fox, people say. Falco first, now him. While he does seem a lot like Falco and Fox, there are also some great differences. For one, his blaster shoots much slower but does a lot more damage. Second, his ^+B attack doesn't take nearly as long and is equally as effective. He's not nearly as quick as Falco or Fox is, but it's worth it. Wolf is more my type - Fox and Falco are too spazzy. Definitely well worth getting. 4.75/5

#Yoshi: The last of the "Original Twelve" alphabetically is Yoshi. Like a few others from the original SSB, I'm not impressed by Yoshi. His flee attack isn't that great, and his attacks aren't either. He's really a character that will probably only be used by serious Yoshi fans. 3.5/5

Zelda/Sheik: Zelda/Sheik is back for a second time around, and is much better than Princess Peach. Zelda is better alone, but Sheik is better than both. They're Final Smash is exactly the same, Zelda's and Sheik's, but it doesn't really matter. They're a feared two-some. Better yet you can choose who you want to play as and change any time during a match like you could in Melee. 3.75/5

~Zero Suit Samus: You will use Z.S.S. after you use Samus's Smash Move, or before a match by pressing a combination of buttons. I don't care for her that much - Samus to be in her suit is much more effective. As Z.S.S., she's a bit like, yet another, Fox. Her Smash Move isn't a Smash Move at all, instead, she gets back on her armor and turns back into Samus. 3.75/5

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And that's it. My review/guide of all the characters. Overall, the roster is pretty solid, but there are a few duds in there.

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[*] An asterisk indicates the character must be unlocked.]
[~] A tilde indicates the character is new to the series.]
[#] A pound indicates the character is one of the "Original Twelve".]
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Game Review ( 3/11 Rock Band DLC - 360 )

Crush,Crush,Crush: 4.75/5 The only song of the three I had heard previous to it being on Rock Band. It's a good song, but it's a female vocalist, so some may not like it. Great song on drums, although easy.

Beethoven's C*** (A.K.A. "Beethoven's Cunt"): 4.5/5 A pretty good song created by the lead singer of System of a Down. Once again, great song for drums.

Shockwave: 4.75/5 Really a great song. One of the first new-age metal songs to be introduced to Rock Band. Challenging song on all levels, but well worth buying.

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All three of the songs this week are worth buying. Not only are they some of the best songs available for DLC, they are also only 80 MSP ($1) - just another reason to download them right away.

4.75/5

[[Value-wise, definitely a 5/5.]]

Game Review ( Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Wii )

Graphics: 4.75/5 SSBB looks pretty much like Super Smash Bros. Melee, with a bit more polish. The thing that is most amazing about this game graphically is how the framerate stands up. There is virtually zero lag. And with this game having the most action on the screen at once, it's nice to see. There are quite a few maps, too - all of which are unique and are great to play on for the most part.

Sound: 5/5 One of the best sounding games ever. SSBB has a great soundtrack with a lot of variety, and the in-game sounds never sounded better. The attacks and grunts of all the different characters is fantastic. Very well done.

Control: 4.75/5 Nintendo gives players the option to use a Wii remote, a Wii+Nunchuck combination, Classic controller, or GameCube controller to play SSBB. I, personally, use the GameCube controller, and the controls are the same as on SSBM. All of these combinations will give you the opportunity to play several different ways.

Fun: 5/5 SSBB may very well be the game of the year - at least for the Wii. SSBB has endless replay value. Fourteen unlockable characters, tournaments, online play, the Subspace Emissary, and MUCH more, will keep you playing for a long time. Subspace Emissary is definitely lacking, though, as it is very repetitive. However, the cutscenes are absolutely fantastic. If you liked Melee, you will definitely love Brawl. It has what Melee had and much more - more characters, stages, items, and fun. SSBB is the must-buy Wii game of the year.

5/5

Game Review ( 11/20 - 2/26 Rock Band DLC - 360 )

Reviewing each indivudual song and pack will take forever, so I'll do it quickly in one post - telling you which ones are most worth getting and which ones you should skip. From now on, though, I will review the DLC as it comes available. Since I already reviewed the 11/20 packs, I'll review the single songs.

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11/20
"Fortunate Son" - 4.25/5
"Juke Box Hero" - 4.5/5
"Bang a Gong (Get it On)" - 4/5
"My Sharona" - 5/5
"Cherry Bomb" - 2.75/5

11/27
David Bowie Pack 01 - 4.5/5

12/4
Black Sabbath Pack 01 - 4.25/5

12/11
Punk Pack 01 - 3.25/5

12/18
"My Iron Lung" - 3.75/5
"Brass In Pocket" - 4/5
"Buddy Holly" - 4.75/5

12/25
"Attack" - 3.75/5
"The Kill" - 4/5
"Dirty Little Secret" - 4.5/5
"Move Along" - 4.5/5
"Song With A Mission" - 4/5

1/1
"Gimme Three Steps" - 4.25/5
"Hard To Handle" - 4.25/5
"Limelight" - 5/5

1/8
"Die, Alright!" - 3.5/5
"Interstate Love Song" - 4.75/5
"The Number of the Beast" - 4.25/5

1/15
"Action" - 4/5
"Last Train to Clarksville" - 4/5
"All the Small Things" - 4.5/5

1/22
Oasis Pack 01 - 4.25/5

1/29
"Siva" - 4/5
"Working Man" - 5/5
"Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial)" - 4.25/5

February OXM
Harmonix Pack 01 - 4.25/5
-Note: These songs were only available for download via the OXM February 2008 disc.-

2/5
"Roam" - 3.5/5
"We Care a Lot" - 4.5/5
"Calling Dr. Love" - 4.5/5

2/12
(Arguably) Punk Pack 02 - 4.25/5

2/19
"Sex Type Thing" - 4.5/5
"El Scorcho" - 4.5/5
"Why Do You Love Me?" - 4.25/5

2/26
Nine Inch Nails Pack 01 - 4/5

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That's my review for the DLC up to this point. If you didn't read all of that, this is my quick list of what songs to get and which to stay away from.

Buy: "Juke Box Hero" , "My Sharona" , "David Bowie Pack 01" (Believe me, the songs grow on you.) , "Buddy Holly" , "Dirty Little Secret" , "Move Along" , "Limelight" , "Interstate Love Song" , "All the Small Things" , "Working Man" , "We Care a Lot" , "Calling Dr. Love" , "Sex Type Thing" , "El Scorcho"

(Songs "worth buying" are those with a 4.5 rating or higher.)
(Grand Total: $2.00 x 26 = $52.00 + $5.49 (David Bowie Pack 01) = $57.49)

DON'T Buy: "Cherry Bomb" , "Punk Pack 01" , "Die, Alright!" , "Roam"

(Songs "not worth buying" are those with a 3.5 rating or lower.)
(Grand Total: $2.00 x 3 = $6.00 + $5.49 (Punk Pack 01) = $11.49)
I just saved you $11.49. You're welcome.

Game Review ( Mass Effect - 360 )

Graphics: 4.5/5 I am being a bit generous here. While Mass Effect has some pretty damn good gameplay graphics, and a TON of great looking cut scenes, the game suffers often from framerate drops and random loading screens. Also, textures don't load up occasionally. Also, the graphics have a "fuzzy" look much like Rock Band. While it seems to fit better in Rock Band, it doesn't look too bad here.

Sound: 5/5 One of, if not the best, sounding games ever. Each and every gun sounds great, but that's nothing compared to the THOUSANDS of lines of dialogue in this game. Every character talks, including your character, Commander Shepherd, and every new alien, item, and planet you discover is read off by some dude. This game makes for a cinematic-like experience, thanks to the incredible sound.

Control: 4.5/5 Definitely unique. Coming from the creators of KotoR, Mass Effect has a similar fighting control, but it's actually a little bit better. The combat is over the shoulder much like Gears of War and GRAW. The controls are a bit funky at first, but you can have the ability of choosing how you want the aim assist to be - High, medium, or low. There are occasional glitches where you may get stuck, or buttons won't work correctly, ( most likely because of the lag ) but for the most part, it controls well, and isn't too difficult to learn either.

Fun: 4.75/5 Mass Effect is a game that should be experienced by any 360 owner. Mass Effect seems like a really long interactive movie that you don't ever want to end. Memorable characters, tons of options, and plentiful action - this is a must play for shooter and/or RPG fans. Describing this game to anyone wouldn't do it justice - you have to play it to believe it.

4.75/5

Game Review ( Surf's Up - 360 )

Graphics: 3/5 A decent looking game, but nothing spectacular. Average looking everything, with some nice looking levels, but it's just a subpar looking 360 game.

Sound: 4/5 Lines from the movie, clips from the movie, and some songs from bands like Simple Plan and the Plain White T's. Not bad at all.

Control: 2.75/5 Overly simplistic. The game consists of almost exclusively pressing the B button, with the occasional Y button press.

Fun: 2.75/5 I give this a 2.75 rating as an overall value rating. For a days worth of 950-1000 achievement points, it's one of the best "Achievement Whore" games as far as fun and ease of achievements. However, if you buy this game expecting good replayability, you're mistaken. The game is a joke and is no challenge at all. The only thing it really is is repetitive. Worth a quick rental, and nothing more.

2.75/5

Game Review ( Frontlines: Fuel of War - Demo - 360 )

Graphics: 3.25/5 Don't look that great, but graphics take a hit with 32 player online play. The models look okay, and the environments are "meh". The one thing that's really disturbing is the red "powder" blood. So N64...

Sound: 3.5/5 Pretty average. Sounds like garbage compared to Call of Duty 4, actually. The guns sound okay and there are decent voiceovers, but it's really nothing special.

Control: 3.75/5 Not only do the tanks and helicopters take awhile to get the controls down for, the controls of the infantrymen are weird too. LB to reload, RB to sprint - I constanly press the wrong buttons. Hard to get used to.

Fun: 4/5 F:FoW is actually a pretty decent game. It controls like most FPS's now-a-days. It reminds me of War Rock for the PC, as well as Battle Field for the PC. There are some problems with this game. For instance, there is a glitch where it's nearly impossible to get up some ladders in the game, and every automatic gun kills and shoots the same way. This game feels a lot like Halo and Call of Duty 4 combined into one. This game has some unique features, and is pretty fun. Not too sure if it will be worth the $60 asking price, but it will be worth quite a long rental from GameFly.

4/5

Game Review ( Beautiful Katamari - 360 )

First off I have to say, I TRIED to like this game, and just couldn't. I'm very aware that most people with completely disagree with me on this review.

Graphics: 3.25/5 They're a different style, it's colorful too, but I think it's bizarre and actually pretty ugly.

Sound: 2.5/5 The music is just annoying as all hell, and everything in this game you have to read - no voiceovers here.

Control: 2/5 It's very different indeed, but it's garbage. It takes getting used to, and it isn't worth it. I should be able to control the Katamari how I want, not just use the two sticks. Frustrating. Constantly get stuck in corners, too.

Fun: 3/5 This game COULD be fun if it had better sound and more tolerable controls. However, it doesn't, and this is just one trashy game - no matter how you look at it.

2.75/5

Game Review ( The Simpsons Game - 360 )

The Simpsons Game has been out for awhile, but I finally got it from GameFly - I must say it's a great game for a Simpsons fan.

Graphics: 4/5 While at first I was unimpressed, the graphics really aren't bad at all. The characters are in a full 3D look, that somewhat looks like cel-shading. The in-HD cut scenes throughout the game are really great and make this game even better - it's like watching a Simpsons episode, but playing it at the same time.

Sound: 5/5 Certainly the best thing about this game. The sound effects and music are all great, and there have to be at LEAST a few thousand lines from characters in this game. Most every character ever taking an appearance in the show can be seen in this game, whether it's in an "episode", or just walking around Springfield - you can also talk to them whenever you want.

Control: 3/5 Not as bad as people say, but still pretty damn bad. The camera can definitely be annoying at certain parts in the game when spaces are tight or you want to look at a certain part of the level, but it doesn't happen too often. I'd say the simplistic controls are probably more-so annoying than the camera. It controls like an average adventure game from five years ago.

Fun: 3.75/5 "The Simpsons Game" is a real great experience. The story is written very well, it's a fun game to get Achievements for, and it's a must-play for any Simpsons fan. You can walk around Springfield as much as you want at your pace, and walk into quite a few buildings around the city including the church, Moe's, Android's Dungeon (The comic book store), The Simpsons House, the Kwik-E-Mart, and more. The inside of the buildings look almost just like the show. It's a good game, but it could've been better. The tediousness of getting collectables gets frustratingly not worth it after only maybe an hour, there's no Xbox LIVE Co-Op, either. Still, it's a unique game, and you will find yourself playing spoofs of other games as well, such as Space Invaders, Gauntlet and Everquest. Flawed, and probably shouldn't be bought by anyone - no matter how big of a Simpsons nut you are - but it's well worth a rental and a lot of fun until you finish the game.

3.75/5

Game Review ( The Police Pack 01 - 360 Arcade )

Can't Stand Losing You: 4.75/5 Didn't care for it much at all at first, but it's a great song. Very easy on both guitar and drums, but fantastic song.

Synchronicity II: 4/5 Average song... it was already in Guitar Hero: Rock's the 80's, too. Easy on guitar and pretty easy on drums too.

Roxanne: 4.5/5 A classic. Easy on drums and guitar, though.

4.5/5

[All songs are master tracks.]

Game Review ( Queens of the Stoneage Pack 01 - 360 Arcade )

3's & 7's: 4.5/5 Great song, but it's also in Guitar Hero III. Difficult song on guitar, pretty easy on drums for the most part.

Little Sister: 4.75/5 Even better song. Hard on both guitar and drums...

Sick, Sick, Sick: 4.5/5 So trippy, but so catchy. Once again, hard on guitar and drums.

4.5/5

[All of these songs are master tracks.]

Game Review ( Metallica Pack 01 -360 Arcade )

The songs in this pack, with the exception of MAYBE "And Justice For All" are pretty damn hard on any instrument you play on. "Blackened" and "Ride the Lightning" are both very difficult on drums, and all three are quite a challenge on guitar. Still, for 440 MSP you're getting your moneys worth. The songs are all quite long, and they're all fun to play.

...And Justice For All: 5/5 Awesome song - it's really long too. A lot of fun on guitar and drums.

Blackened: 4.25/5 I can't beat this song on expert drums and it's the only song in Rock Band I haven't 5*ed yet on expert guitar. It's a good song, but the worst of the three.

Ride the Lightning: 4.5/5 I can't beat this song on expert drums either, although I haven't tried in awhile - the main section is pretty difficult.

4.5/5

[All of these songs are master tracks.]

Far Less Reviews This Year

I likely will be reviewing a lot less games this year just because I've been barely using my Gamefly. The only thing I've been doing is playing Call of Duty 4 and Rock Band. The only thing I'll be really posting up on a weekly basis will probably be Rock Band songs.

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Game Review ( Bankshot Billiards 2 - 360 Arcade )

After months of contemplating on whether or not to get this game, I finally did as the price dropped to 800 MSP.

Graphics: 3.75/5 Kept really simple. Everything looks great, but the fact that every game you play is on the same table is a little depressing.

Sound: 3.5/5 Average background music that occasionally drops out, like Uno. The balls hitting eachother sound great, of course.

Control: 4.5/5 Really very simple. It's basically Yahoo! Pool for your 360. You can turn on aim-assist or off - whatever you please.

Fun: 4/5 Bankshot Billiards is not nearly as bad as people make it seem. It's a lot of fun. Although I haven't even seen a game online, it's still a good single player game, and local multiplayer game. There are several modes, too. Including the traditional 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 14.1 Continuous, Golf, and even Trick Shots. If you like virtual pool games, this is well worth $10. It's not very deep, not many people play it on Live, and the leaderboards are completely messed up, but the game is a good time killer.

4/5

Game Review ( SpongeBob UnderPants - 360 Arcade )

Graphics: 4.5/5 One of the best looking XBLA games to date. It looks like the Spongebob games on the PS2; maybe a bit blander. Runs smooth most of the time, but the occasional hiccup can be frustrating and screw you over.

Sound: 3/5 At first it wasn't bad, but the characters constantly repeat themselves. The three levels all do have good background music, though. It sounds like the Mermain Man and Barnacle Boy theme for the Krusty Krab levels for instance.

Control: 3/5 Frustrating as all hell. Several times when I'd go to jump, I'd body slam. The hitting system seems broken, as I get what appears to be a direct hit on a jellyfish, and I randomly miss.

Fun: 3.75/5 Well, is it worth it? Probably not. For a huge Spongebob fan, or a little kid, this game would be great. For $10 you're getting a game you can actually "beat" in a day. However, if you want the achievements, you have to play three levels. Six times or more. To get all the achievements. Is it really worth it? SpongeBob UnderPants is a pretty decent game, a big surprise, but not really worth the 800 MSP.

3.75/5

Game Review ( Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - 360 )

Graphics: 5/5 One of the best looking games, ever. The framerate is unbelievable - there is no lag at all during single player. It's amazing that the game can look so good and run so smoothly. The only flaw is that the game lies. It runs at 600p. Still, looks fantastic.

Sound: 5/5 Call of Duty always sounds great, and this is the best one yet. The voiceover work is phenomenal like usual, as well as the explosions and guns. Music to my ears.

Control: 5/5 Controls like all the other CoD's on the 360. Works very well. Nothing to dislike here.

Fun: 5/5 This game absolutely deserves perfect 5's. The single player alone is almost worth the $60, even if you do beat it in one day. It has to be my favorite single player experience with a game ever. Online play is obviously the best part. The maps are all great, many being from the single player, you can have perks, rank up to get more guns and the like, and do challenges to get extra experience points to up your rank. Call of Duty 4 is definitely the game of the year - no question.

5/5

Game Review ( Bomberman - iPod Video )

Along with Phase, I downloaded Bomberman - mainly because the calculator version was getting a bit dated - and because the Xbox 360 version lacked the single player that Bomberman for the iPod has.

Graphics: 3.75/5 Very simple, but almost kind of ugly. It looks like a super nintendo game, and just doesn't look good. Still, it's a million times better looking and beyond the calculator version.

Sound: 3/5 This is why it's for the iPod. The Bomberman theme repeats and repeats as you play, and the bombs sound terrible when they explode.

Control: 3/5 If you played Pacman on the iPod, you'll be immedietely uncomfortable with this game. Instead of making hard clicks to move, you gently tap on the click wheel to do so. Because of this, believe me, you'll be dying and misplacing bombs several times.

Fun: 4/5 Regardless of the bad graphics and terrible sound and control, Bomberman for the iPod is still fun. It has single player on a few different stages, all of which look drastically different. The two minigames are also pretty fun, which include bowling and a bomb jumping game. Worth the $5 for a Bomberman fan.

3.75/5

Pros: Bomberman on the iPod! Mini games.
Cons: Bad graphics, sound, and controls. Lacking multiplayer.

Game Review ( Phase - iPod Video )

Coming straight from Harmonix is Phase, a new music game for the iPod. I saw this available on iTunes and immedietely charged my Mom's credit card. ( Sorry, it was worth it. ) In Phase, you can select any song you want, and how many ever you want, and put them into the game. Phase automatically makes a note track for you, and it is suprisingly accurate - there are even different difficulty levels. ( You can unlock more by playing Marathons, which are much like Set Lists in Rock Band. ) Phase looks simple, but it really isn't. You use the rewind, select, and forward buttons on the iPod to hit notes, and slide your thumb over the click wheel during certain sections to get extra points, essentially it's Phase's version of Star Power. My review.

Graphics: 4/5 Keeping it very simple, but very unique. Phase has 6 different "Journeys" (A.K.A. Venues) that you can play in. The notes and background objects come at you as if you're walking or driving into them - it's pretty cool. The only real problem I have is that there are a few times where the game will lag a bit and it will cause you to miss a note.

Sound: 5/5 How can it not be 5/5? It's your music. Also, there are a few Harmonix tracks in the game, which came to a pleasant surprise to me. Among the bands are Bang Camaro and Freezepop, with a few other bands, making for a total of 7 seven songs, most of which are fun to play.

Control: 4.5/5 The slide sections are sometimes hard to hit becuase the clickwheel might not recognize your thumb, but other than that, the controls are all fine and good.

Fun: 4.75/5 For $5, you're getting what is the best iPod game currently available. You can select any song in the world, put it on this game, and have a note track made for it. Most of the time, you are hitting notes on beat with the song, with the occasional random note thrown in there. You also play sections of different instrument in each song. Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Trumpet, whatever, you'll likely play each instrument in the song. There are even high score boards for each song, and marathon you play. Phase should definitely be downloaded by any fan of games from the music genre.

4.75/5

Pros: Play any song on your iPod. Cool "Journey"s. Addicting as hell.
Cons: Carpal Tunnel, anyone? Occasional lag. Obviously, no multiplayer, but still depressing.

Hardware Review ( Dynex 32'' 720p LCD HDTV )

I got this TV as an early Christmas present and it is one HELL of a TV. After using a tube TV to play my 360 on, I finally got this TV and I can now take full advantage of the 360's graphics. Everything about this TV is really spectacular. It has plenty of HD and other plug-ins in the back for a DVD player, CD player, 360, Wii, PS3, or anything else. The best thing about this TV has got to be the price. For about $550, you get a fantastic TV. The picture is disappointing on non-HD channels, but whether you're playing a 360 or PS3, the graphics will look absolutely amazing. I've read a lot of reviews criticizing the TV's sound - what? The sound is fine, it's just that it doesn't have a really LOUD max volume. My only real problem with it so far is that I have a dead pixel on it, but it's on the side of the screen, and is completely unnoticable unless you're TRYING to look for it.

Picture: 4.5/5 [Non HD channels actually look worse than on a Tube sometimes, but videogames look phenomenal.
Sound: 4.5/5 [Nothing wrong with it, although it is weak.]
Value: 5/5

4.75/5

UPDATE 11/26/11: I've noticed quite a few people have been searching the net for a review of this TV - so I've decided to update since this one is way outdated. Basically, I believe this TV is now about $300 at Best Buy now. The model is a bit newer, but it's all the same junk inside. I should note that a few months ago I noticed a bit of a shadow/screen-burn in the middle of my screen. Luckily, I got the warranty, so I recommend you do. Besides that, this TV is just about perfect. It doesn't look super fancy, but the screen looks just as good as the popular brand names out there.

Game Review ( Burnout Paradise DEMO - 360 )

Graphics: 4.5/5 The graphics look fantastic on Burnout Paradise with a rare occurance of a framerate drop - even online. While the game could probably look better, the fact that it runs as smooth as it does, there are few load times, and that the crashes are so detailed, it really doesn't matter. Burnout Paradise looks really impressive on the 360.

Sound: 5/5 Burnout has always been one of the best sounding games of its genre. The car's engines fire up like jets, the full-game will surely have a great soundtrack, and the crashes sound amazing.

Control: 4.25/5 There's not one thing with the controls, but Burnout has controlled the same for quite some time - it needs some zing. Controls fine and everything, but it's just almost too simple.

Fun: 4.25/5 The demo features very little. You can drive around Paradise City with no time limit ( Or so it seemed ) and you can play online. The modes are very restricted, only having you compete with three other people or friends, but it's pretty fun. Anyways - the full version of Paradise should be much more appealing when it's released early in January of next year. Speed demons should be quick to picking this one up, as I'm sure it won't disappoint.

4.5/5

Game Review ( Heroic Map Pack - 360 )

These "new" Halo 3 maps were just released today, and just for the hell of it, I decided to get them. (I say "new" because they were scrapped from the original game.)

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Foundry: 3.75/5 The worst map of the bunch and one of the worst in the game. Sure, it'd be fun for Forge users, but the default map is just lame. All it is is a warehouse full of boxes. You will find yourself getting shot in the back like crazy, and there are grenades flying everywhere. There's nowhere to go on this map. It's just deathmatch no matter what mode it is on Foundry.

Rat's Nest: 4.25/5 Sharing the name of the unpopular map from SOCOM 1 and 2, Rat's Nest is much like the campaign mode's Crow's Nest. Rat's nest is good for Capture the Flag, especially, and only decent for deathmatch games. Rat's Nest is a pretty big map. The outer edge of the map is all a track that you can use to transport around on vehicles. This is probably the most interesting part of the map. Especially when both teams have the flag and bump into eachother. It makes for an epic battle.

Standoff: 5/5 Standoff is easily the best new map, and probably the best map in Halo 3. Standoff is apparently a mix of Blood Gulch and Valhalla. To me, it has the landscape of Valhalla, and a bit of a High Ground look. Standoff is great on any mode, but it's absolutely perfect for Capture the Flag. Everything's great about this map.

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Halo 3's Heroic Map Pack should probably only be bought by the more hardcore Halo 3 players. For ten dollars, you're getting two pretty average maps, and one fantastic one that's basically a mix of two maps you already have. Still, I think most people that have Halo 3 will buy these maps just for extra variety.

4.25/5

DVD Review ( Full House: Season 4 )

-Reviews coming soon.-

Tigers '08 Batting Order

1.) Curtis Granderson - OF
2.) Placido Polanco - 2B
3.) Magglio Ordonez - OF
4.) Miguel Cabrera - OF
5.) Gary Sheffield - DH
6.) Carlos Guillen - 1B
7.) Ivan Rodriguez - C
8.) Edgar Renteria - SS
9.) Brandon Inge - 3B

I think the Tigers will keep Inge. I think they should. Pretty bad offensive player, but good defensive player, and the last player remaining of the 2003 Detroit Tigers. The Tigers will likely leave Cabrera in left field where he played quite a bit in Florida.

Cabrera, Willis, added to Tiger's line-up.

This is amazing news for Tiger's fans. The Detroit Tigers have gotten Miguel Cabrera (3B) and Dontrelle Willis (SP) for Mike Rabelo (C), Andrew Miller (SP), and (OF) Cameron Maybin. ( As well as other prospects. ) I have a lot of feelings about this trade. First, I'm not sure it was the best move getting rid of Miller - he was supposed to be a BIG deal I thought? Cameron Maybin is supposed to be a big deal too - at least the Tiger's kept Timo Perez. Dontrelle Willis is a good pitcher, but his '07 season wasn't good at all. He had an ERA over 5.00. Then again, he's changing leagues now. This makes me wonder - what's going to happen to Brandon Inge now? Will be be backup? Will he be traded for a player or cash? The Tigers are just having a fantastic off-season. It looks like they'll be the team to beat this year in the AL, or at least the AL Central. This baseball season can not come soon enough.

This is what the line-up should look like as of now.
1B: Carlos Guillen [Back-Up: Likely Gary Sheffield]
2B: Placido Polanco [Back-Up: I'd sure like to know - no Infante!]
SS: Edgar Renteria [Back-Up: Ramon Santiago]
3B: Miguel Cabrera [Back-Up: If he doesn't leave, Brandon Inge]
OF: Marcus Thames [Back-Up: Maybin is gone, as is Monroe, probably Perez or Jones]
OF: Curtis Granderson [Back-Up: Likely the new Jacque Jones]
OF: Magglio Ordonez [Back-Up: Likey Raburn]
DH: Gary Sheffield [Back-Up: Mags on semi offdays]
SP: Justin Verlander
SP: Jeremy Bonderman
SP: Kenny Rogers
SP: Dontrolle Willis
SP: Nate Robertson

The bullpen needs a little work, but the Tigers will be unbelievable this year - if their bullpen stays together, and they don't get injured.

Go Tigers!

Game Review ( Rock Band - 360 )

Finally! I've been waiting for this game ever since it was announced - Rock Band was just released yesterday and it was well worth the wait. This will be a lengthy review so. Don't kill yourself. Yet.

What is Rock Band? In case you've been living under a rock, or... in a coma for the past year, in Rock Band you can play guitar, drums, bass, or take the mike in your own virtual band with friends over your house or across the country - you can also play solo.

Graphics: 4.75/5 Extremely underrated graphics. At first glance, Rock Band seems to just be an average looking 360 game, but after you play awhile, you will discover a lot of things. The audience looks very good, the movements your bandmates do look fantastic, and the venues and colors and just everything going on at once looks great. It's like a music video. There is only one real flaw, and that's that the background seems to always lag. I'm not sure if it's actually lagging at all, or I'm just having seizures from the flashing lights, but it is kind of weird looking.

Sound: 5/5 Although there are some "meh" tracks, you have to think about the other instruments. While some songs may be terrible on drums for instance, but is a lot of fun on guitar. The littlest thing is probably what makes the sound get a 5/5. The fact that the fans sing along when you're playing really well is just really cool and adds to the experience. While Rock Band may not have the best soundtrack out of all of Harmonix's games when playing solo, when you're playing with a group of friends this is byfar the best.

Control: 5/5 It's kind of confusing to rate a game like this's controls. You can't really rate the control of the mike. You sing... it's based on how accurate you are. But as for the drums and guitar, that's a lot different. The guitar basically controls the same ( See review of the Stratocaster below ) it's just that the note window ( the time you can hit the notes ) is reduced. While Harmonix says it's harder to hit notes in this game than in Guitar Hero II, I'm not too sure. It seems about the same. The drums on the other hand are fantastic. ( See review of the drums below ) Any difficulty you play on, it feels like you're playing drums.

Fun: 4.75/5 Rock Band is just about near perfect. You can play career on guitar, vocals, or drums. ( Sorry bass players. ) While those three things are a lot of fun, after you play them, replay value is a concern. Sure, there is a total of ( I believe ) 60 songs, but some of them you just won't want to play unless you're with (a) friend(s). Beating all the careers will take you either a long time, or only a few days, depending on how often you play. Rock Band is essentially endless if you think about it. There's a TON of character customization to say the least, and there is downloadable content, which is supposed to be released every week. Multiplayer with friends ( Ahem. Band World Tour. ) is fun, but there is just one terribly annoying thing about it, and that is the fact that you will find yourself playing the same songs several times over, as it takes what seems like forever to actually play some new songs. When you first start off it's really not that bad, but after you do play, say, "In Bloom" 5 times in an hour, it does get rather annoying. I think Harmonix actually did this on purpose so that people would immedietely buy downloadable content, to be honest with you. Overall, it's hard to give Rock Band a 5/5 rating. It's basically 3 games in one - Drum Hero, Guitar Hero, and Karaoke Revolution. But like I said, the songs will likely get old fast, and unless you buy downloadable content, you may be getting a little bored of this game. Is it worth the $170? It's hard to say. If you have a lot of parties, definitely, if you tend to play alone, maybe not, unless you really want to play the drums. ( Which I already stated are addicting. )

4.75/5

Stratocaster: 4/5 It's about time. All I read up about this guitar is that it was pretty much mediocre. It's not MEDIOCRE, but it isn't fantastic. There are a lot of things that make this different than the Guitar Hero II or even the Guitar Hero III controller. Out of the three, the Stratocaster easily looks the most realistic. It has a longer neck, a gloss finish ( Basically the same as the Les Paul GHIII controller. ) and a "wooden" neck. Instead of having 5 buttons on the fretboard, there are 10. Five in the normal spots on top of the neck, and an additional 5 and the base, which are there for solos, apparently. While it's a really neat idea, you likely won't ever use the new fret buttons unless you're going for the "end bonus" on a song. About the frets, they look much different than past controllers. While others have the frets sticking out of the neck, the ones on the Stratocaster are in the neck to make it more "realistic", says Harmonix. While it does look cool, it feels weird, and it's hard to jump back and forth with chords and the like, and even do some solos, because you can't feel the button you're on. That reminds me - the first, third, and fifth buttons all have dots on them that you can faintly see and feel while playing. There really is no need for them, as you can barely feel them, but they're there, so get used to it. The Stratocaster has a whammy bar, of course, but this time around it's a bit longer. The most useless thing about this guitar is the effects switch. With it, you can change the sound of notes in-game - or can you? While I can change the sound... the sound doesn't change, making the effects switch completely useless, and aggrivating. I found myself hitting it with my pinky several times while playing. This brings me to the final part of the Strat review - the strum bar. The worst thing about the guitar. It makes it feel broken. Instead of being a triangle shape like on the GHII and GHIII controllers, this one is concave, with a little lip at the top. It felt weird at first, and still feels weird now. My fingers constantly slip off of this thing, and the fact that the strumbar doesn't click when you strum, is aggrivating, probably only because I was used to it with past controllers - new comers may not have a problem with it. And FINALLY, the guitar bundled with the game is wired. Okay! So that's it for the review of the guitar..

Drums: 5/5 An obvious 5/5. The drums have 4 different "drums" to hit, and there is a foot pedal to make them feel more like real drums. The drums look kind of cheap, but don't at all. The drums are easy to assemble, too. While there are said to be problems with the kick pedal breaking, I've yet to experience any problems with it, besides the fact that it's extremely sensitive. The only thing I'm not sure of about these drums is how durable they are. Sure they can take a beating now, but how about a year from now?

Microphone: 5/5 It has to be a 5/5 for this thing... it's just a microphone. A cool looking one though. It's black with a chrome head. It also says Rock Band on it. What do you do with this microphone?! You sing into it, and bang it on something during certain parts of songs. Not really my thing, but if you're a singer, you'll like it.

Game Review ( skate. - 360 )

Graphics: 4/5 Nothing too special here. The cutscenes don't look much better than the game itself, and the graphics aren't going to blow your mind. They look good, pretty decently next gen, and the levels are pretty big. One thing that really drags this game are the constant load times. When you fail an event, it has to reload, and while it doesn't take a long time, they are pretty frequent.

Sound: 5/5 EA does it again. The songs in this game are for the most part perfect for the game, although some songs have been in past Tony Hawk games. "Express Yourself" was bad enough in Tony Hawk. Blah. The voice overs are pretty good, and the skateboard sounds are excellent.

Control: 4.25/5 The "flick-it" feature is what makes this game so much different than the Tony Hawk series. With flick-it, you need to use the right stick to do all of the flip tricks in the game. It takes awhile to get used to, but once you learn the controls really well, nailing combos is really satisfying - and fun.

Fun: 4.5/5 I can see why this game got mixed reviews. I like it though. I didn't play too much online, but I played enough to see that there is a LOT of lag. You can upload videos and pictures to skate. TV, which is cool. There are a ton of cool levels in this game, too. skate. is a love it or hate it game if you ask me. This is a good step away from Tony Hawk's insanely unrealistic games. While the ability to edit your videos is cool, there aren't really enough options to get an angle you would probably want. We can only wait for a sequel - which could probably only be better than this.

4.5/5

DVD Review ( Seinfeld: Volume 8 )

Seinfeld: Volume 8 is of course the final Seinfeld DVD, and it was released fairly recently on November 6th. Here's my review

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[*] Indicates an "Epicsode"

[*]The Buttershave: 5/5 Kramer starts using butter to shave, and Newman acts semi-cannibalistic towards him; George is thought of as disabled at his new job.

[*]The Voice: 5/5 George's employeer finds out he's not actually disabled; Jerry makes a voice in reference to his girlfriend's stomach; Kramer hires an intern.

The Serenity Now: 4.25/5 Kramer installs a new screen door to his apartment; Elaine is kissed by Mr. Lippman's son.

[*]The Blood: 4.75/5 George combines sex, food, an TV in one; Jerry gets a little bit of Kramer.

The Junk Mail: 4/5 Kramer protests mail; Elaine meets a dream man while she's with Puddy; George's parents set him loose.

[*]The Merv Griffin Show: 5/5 Kramer sets up the Merv Griffen Show set in his apartment; George's girlfriend gets mad at him for running over pigeons; Jerry drugs his girlfriend to play with her Dad's classic toys.

The Slicer: 3.75/5 Kramer gets a new meat slicer which Elaine dings; Jerry tries to break up with his girlfriend; George tries to get taken out of a picture.

[*]The Betrayal: 4.5/5 Kramer tries to reverse a "drop dead" curse; Elaine flies to India for Sue Ellen's wedding.

The Apology: 4/5 George expects an apology; Jerry's girlfriend likes to walk around naked and Jerry gets sick of it; Kramer changes his daily routine.

[*]The Strike: 4.5/5 Kramer returns to his bagel job that he went on strike at 12 years earlier; Kramer gets interested in Festivus; Jerry, Elaine, and George go to a Chanukah party.

[*]The Dealership: 5/5 Jerry tries to get a car at a dealership via Puddy; Kramer and a salesman see how far they can drive a car on a single tank of gas; George gets mad at a meschanic for stealing his Twix bar.

[*]The Reverse Peephole: 4.5/5 Kramer and Newman reverse peepholes an apartment doors; Jerry goes without a wallet; George has to pay for a chair alone.

The Cartoon: 4.25/5 Elaine obsesses over a cartoon; Jerry is at odds with Susan's former roommate, Elaine and Kramer believe George's girlfriend looks like Jerry.

The Strong Box: 4/5 Jerry buys Jerry Lewis's cufflinks; Kramer gets a strongbox; George can't break up with his girlfriend.

[*]The Wizard: 4.5/5 Kramer runs for condo president in Florida; Elaine tries to find out her boyfriend's race; George lies to the Ross's about a house he has in Hampton.

The Burning: 4/5 Kramer gets ghonorreia; Elaine finds out Puddy is religious.

[*]The Bookstore: 4.5/5 George can't return a book he brought into the bathroom; Jerry covers for Uncle Leo after he steals a book from the bookstore.

[*]The Frogger: 4.5/5 George attempts to buy a Frogger machine; Elaine calls in sick to work to miss birthdays.

The Maid: 4.25/5 George tries to get a new nickname; Elaine gets messages from Kramer's fax.

[*]The Puerto Rican Day: 4.5/5 The gang leaves a Mets game early to beat traffic but get stuck in a parade.

[*]The Clip Show: 4.75/5 A clipshow reliving some of Seinfeld's greatest moments. A very well done clipshow.

The Finale: 4.25/5 I found the final episode a little disappointing. The gang ends up in jail after being convicted from not following a new good samaritan law in Massachusetts. They go to jail for a year. Not a bad episode, but it seems that a lot of characters were just thrown in the episode for little reason. Basically a clipshow, but with an actual meaning. Not a terrible ending, but a little bizarre.

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Well that's it. Seinfeld's over and done with. I think Seinfeld Season 9, though, was actually one of the, if not, the best seasons in its run. There were fantastic episodes all the way through. Sure, there were some super bizarre ones in there, but that may just be what made this season so fantastic. Any sitcom fan should pick this season up along with all the others. A pretty solid ending to a fantastic television series.

4.75/5

DVD Review ( Seinfeld: Volume 7 )

I thought I made this review a long time ago, apparently I didn't. Here it is - Seinfeld: Volume 7.

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[*] Indicates a "Season Great"

The Foundation: 3.75/5 George tries to forget about Susan's death; Kramer becomes a martial arts "expert"; Jerry goes back out with Mulva, A.K.A. Dolores.

The Soul Mate: 3.75/5 Kramer falls for Jerry's girlfriend and asks Newman for advice; Elaine decides she doesn't want a baby after her friends tell her to.

[*]The Bizzaro Jerry: 5/5 Elaine hangs out with a group of people that are the exact opposite of Jerry, Kramer, and George; Jerry dates a woman with "man hands".

The Little Kicks: 4.25/5 Elaine loses respect from co-workers for her bizarre dance moves; Kramer and Jerry go to the movies with a bootlegger.

The Package: 4/5 Jerry refuses to take a package from the mailman that has no return address on it.

The Fatigues: 4/5 Jerry finds out his girlfriend has a mentor; Elaine is in charge of firing a worker, but instead promotes him.

[*]The Checks: 4.75/5 Elaine realizes her boyfriend is obsessive; Kramer tells George carpet cleaners are part of a religious cult.

[*]The Chicken Roaster: 5/5 Kramer becomes addicted to Kenny Roger's Chicken, and hides it from Jerry; George tries to cheaply get a second date.

[*]The Abstinence: 4.5/5 Kramer takes up smoking; George's girlfriend can't have sex for six weeks;.

The Andrea Doria: 3.25/5 George looks forward to moving into an apartment, but an Andrea Doria survivor gets it; Kramer and Jerry use Newman's mail storage thingy mabobber.

[*]The Little Jerry: 5/5 Kramer gets a rooster and calls him "Little Jerry"; Elaine wants her boyfriend to grow out his hair; A store owner exposes Jerry's bounced check.

The Money: 3.75/5 Jerry's parents sell their Cadillac; George's parents say they're going to move to Florida, which the Seinfeld's object.

[*]The Comeback: 5/5 Elaine and Kramer discuss Employee's Choices at the video store; George tries to think of a comeback; Jerry buys a tennis racket he thinks was used by a pro.

The Van Buren Boys: 4.25/5 Everyone seems to have problems with Jerry's girlfriend; Kramer has a run-in with "The Van Buren Boys".

The Susie: 4/5 Elaine creates an alter-ego that people believe is real.

[*]The Pothole: 4.75/5 Jerry suffers realizing he's dating a girl that uses a tooth brush that has been in the toilet; Kramer adopts a highway.

The English Patient: 4/5 Elaine hates a movie everyone seems to love.

[*]The Nap: 5/5 George constructs a desk so that he can sleep at work; Jerry gets his kitchen redone; Kramer swims in the East River.

[*]The Yada Yada: 4.5/5 Jerry wonders why his Jewish dentist makes Jewish jokes; George's girlfriend constantly uses the phrase "Yada, Yada, Yada".

The Millenium: 4.25/5 Kramer prepares early for the new millennium; Elaine changes stores to shop at; Jerry learns his girlfriend's importance of speed-dial.

[*]The Muffin Tops: 4.5/5 Mr. Lippman steals Elaine's idea of a muffin top store; Jerry shaves his chest hair; George pretends to be a tourist.

The Summer of George: 4/5 Jerry and Kramer go to the Tony awards; George takes the summer off from work.

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Overall, I really disliked this season. I haven't watched the episodes for awhile, but a lot of them are very forgettable. My scores will likely change when I rewatch the season. This is probably one of the worst Seinfeld seasons ever, although it has some absolute classics, 10 of them to be exact. ( As far as "Season Greats" ) While there are quite a few slow/uninteresting episodes, there are some great episodes to spice the season up. Seinfel: Volume 7 is actually a disappointing DVD, but well worth buying to say the least.

4.25/5