Sweet victory! Moreno – 33 rushes for 188 yards and 3 TDs! I do not see UGA winning out and having a chance to represent the SEC East, but this victory is so nice that it really does not matter.
Go Dawgs!
Browsing Posts published in October, 2007
28-24 GA at the start of the 4th QTR. Too close for comfort, but an encouraging game. Georgia can pull the upset off if they do not get too conservative. Hunker down Dawgs! Hunker down!
This is the most fun I have had watching Georgia in a while. My wife just told me that GA had not won yet (gee, thanks a lot). I told her that GA has only won two of the 13+ years we have been married (1997 and 2004). Too few and far between.
Go Dawgs!
14-7 GA at the end of the 1st QTR. Good start for the Dawgs. I am loving the high intensity, but the penalties may come back to bite them if they go overboard.
Still a long way to go. Go Dawgs!
I decided to save any posting about the annual Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville, FL until after kickoff. FL owns the Dawgs, so any predictions for my beloved Bulldogs would come across as wishful thinking … overly optimistic to be sure.
This is the one game that Georgia fans want to win, but it is the one game that Georgia just does not seem capable of winning. Maybe, just maybe, having an off week is just want the doctor ordered.
Keeping my fingers crossed for a surprise upset. FL just turned the ball over on their first possession (10 mins into 1st QTR). I am going to go out on a limb and say if GA turns this gift into a TD, GA takes the game 23-17. If not, well, I do not want to think about another loss at the hands of the Gators.
When we lat met I complained that EA’s PS3 demos of NHL 08 and FIFA 08 were rather bland, short, and overall did not really help me make a purchasing decision. To me that is the purpose of these demos, and you would think the developers would do everything they can to hook you in and close the sale. Not so much with EA.
Thursday and Friday night I spent some quality time with the Sega Rally Revo and DiRT demos. Unlike NHL 08 and FIFA 08, these are really demos, not some crippled, watered down version of the game. I understand that developers cannot give too much away or they risk everyone playing the free version instead of going after the full retail copy. With that said, sports games are tricky because the developer needs to give players more than 4-5 minutes to “get into” the game.
Sega Rally Revo was just what I was expected; slip, sliding, on dirt. It has been a while since my Sega Rally days, but this is fine arcade racing. Sega gives us a couple of different tracks to try out (3 lap races) which was more than enough for me to think “nice and pretty, but I am not buying it for $59.99.” I keep writing about the prices of PS3 titles, but to me they are no longer impulse purchases. I cannot be the only one that feels this way, and if I am, I guess I should just quit my bitching. This one seems like a good way to waste a weekend (fun in small doses), but it is not going to hold me captive for very long.
DiRT is the complete opposite of Sega Rally Revo; no point in comparing the two, so I am not going to try to embarrass myself. The DiRT demo lets you try several styles of racing including some crazy ass fun in mud buggies (I forget the technical term), rally, and rally cross. The sense of speed is fantastic, and the wrecks are rather wicked. The mud buggy and rally cars handled differently, and the rally cars responded different depending upon the terrain. I do not like using shoulder buttons for racing (Sega Rally also required L2/R2 triggers), so hopefully the retail version allows you to configure the right analog stick for gas/brake responses.
I will pick up DiRT at some point. I have read a few reviews, seen the ads on TV, and watched plenty of videos, but playing the demo was enough to finally put me over the edge. My problem is going to be timing a purchase to line up with free time (it would suck if I do not actually have time to play).
I am running out of steam. It is 4AM, so hopefully I have represented myself well, without too many type-o’s (at least not more than you are accustomed to reading in my typically ramblings). I guess I could have simplified things by summarizing this post into a simple two line review. Sega Rally Revo and DiRT demos available for download at the Playstation Store. If you have not already done so, download them today!
As I have been working my way back into a steady diet of gaming, I have been pulling down the various demos available on the Playstaion Network. Sony and the various third party publishers are finally starting to get serious about the availability of PS3 demos. Or are they?
I have spent a decent amount of time with NHL 08 and FIFA 08 demos, and the common theme for both is that EA did not make the demos long enough to convince me one way or another to buy or avoid each title.
NHL 08 certainly looks pretty, but I have never been a fan of hockey, no matter how often I try, so something other than nice graphics has to convince me to make a purchase. I think the last hockey game I owned was the original Sony FaceOff game for the PSX, which was something like 2-3 kids ago. At any rate, I just cannot get into NHL 08. I probably just need to learn the controls (I am seriously lost on the ice), but the five minute timeline is just not long enough to get into any sort of rhythm. While I have won a few games, my scoring efforts seem to be a random act of luck, and defense is all CPU AI; I have no idea how to play defense.
Bottom line is that EA did not make the demo compelling enough for this sports fan (and sports gamer) that knows next to nothing about hockey. I have read that NHL 08 is a wonderful game, but I just do not see me picking this one up for $59.99. Not sure what I was really expecting, but I guess I was holding out hope that something was going to draw me in and to me to buy this game.
The FIFA 08 demo suffers the same fate as NHL 08. While I actually understand soccer, the four minute demo is much too short for me to make any sort of judgments. It sucks having to start over and over and over, just to try to figure out if I want to pick up the game. I guess having a short demo is better than not having any demos, but the FIFA demo is borderline not worth the effort.
FIFA 08 did not do anything to make me not pick it up, but the field seemed a little too narrow, I seemed to lose most one-on-one battles for possession. I hate it when games have AI that can do things I cannot, which is a trait for may EA Sports titles (to be fair, mostly thinking NCAA Football and Madden). Common tread this week has been controls; maybe I have to learn FIFA better before saying that the AI is doing some shady things, but I figured I would throw it out there.
I will probably wait a while on FIFA. Maybe read some reviews, check out some forums to see how the game is holding up. The bottom line is that I did not find anything compelling enough in the demo to make me feel like I have to buy this one right away.
It looks like current PS3 owners of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion can look forward to a stand alone Shivering Isles content disk in November.
This new retail product follows the October release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition (GotY) for PLAYSTATION®3 system, which includes the Shivering Isles expansion. Originally released in March 2006 for Windows and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and in March 2007 for PLAYSTATION®3 system, Oblivion has already earned countless awards from publications around the world and won numerous Game of the Year and RPG of the Year awards.
I am not sure if that is good news, a rip off, or just a sign that Bethesda Softworks (or whoever actually did the development for the PS3 version) cannot get content to work with PSN.
- Good News: I do not have to pay full retail for Oblivion GotY Edition just to get the Shivering Isles bonus content.
- Rip Off: I am sure it costs more to distribute a retail version, including packaging (case, manual, inserts, disk) compared to pure downloadable content from the PSN.
- Bad News: Is there some reason the developers could not offer the Shivering Isles expansion and other content via the Playstation Network (store)? What’s the problem here? Did the developers not plan for downloadable content and patches? Or did the developers decide it was not worth the effort? I thought downloadable content such as the SI expansion was the reason for PSN.
AS I have previously said, I have not played Oblivion as much as I would like to play it (same with many games), but it is a damn good game. I cannot find anything that indicates if the GotY version contains anything above and beyond the Shivering Isles. In other words, am I better off going with the original plus expansion, or am I better served if I go with the GotY version?
Go visit the gurus at ESPN and see how poorly Diamond Mind Basesball predicted the playoffs. Maybe we can put to rest the “most accurate” baseball game claims made by the DMB crowd.
All indications point to Conan being a fairly average gave for the PS3. I do think it is interesting to see the various search terms that are coming into the site “PS3 conan boobs” and “ps3 conan breast” seem to be favorites. I expect that we will see fairly low review scores from the various mainstream review sites, but we will see high reader scores. This one has instant cult classic all over it. A teenager’s wet dream come to life. Good stuff!
Speaking of good stuff, there really are a handful of games that I would love to pick up for the PS3, but this $59.99 price point thing pretty much sucks. Back in the old days, I would not hesitate to pick up Heavenly Sword, Conan, Oblivion Game of the Year Edition, FIFA, Ratchet & Clank, Sega Rally Revo, Skate, and DiRT. The $59.99 price point is making these purchases unrealistic; even if I sale them on eBay before the price (or demand) drops, I just no longer consider games priced at $59.99 realistic impulse purchases. On average we are talking about $160 more than I would have paid compared to the typical $39.99 PS2 game.
If Sony really wants to pick up some momentum, they should do something to get first party titles to $49.99 and third party titles to $54.99. Yes, I do think $5-10 will make a difference.
Coming to you live from the aeropuerto San Jose. This was a fairly short trip; arrived Monday around lunch, depart Wednesday afternoon, and make it home before midnight. Entertainment value on these business trips really depends on your traveling companions, and this trip was, let’s just say, not so much. I tend to avoid writing about work; my boss thinks I complain too much, and I certainly do not need to add any fuel for the HR department to use against me one day. So adios Costa Rica.
I finally got some decent use out of my PSP on the way down. I spent well over half of my time on the plane playing Star Wars Battlefront Renegade Squadron. It took me a while to get use to the controls (actually still getting use to them), but once I got the hang of ground combat, things improved in a hurry. I have been spending more time with the Instant Action mode, and it is a great way to waste some time. The CPU bots are OK; since I do not usually play this sort of game I have no way of really judging the AI, but I usually end up with the most kills and the fewest number of deaths. I guess once I master the controls, this could get boring in a hurry, but it is probably a good way to tune up for the online multiplayer mode. There is also a huge variety in the number of weapons, character types, and various things you can do (jetpack and rocket launchers are pretty cool).
It took me a while to get a handle on the space combat, but much like the ground mode, once you get the hang of things, the game really improves. I love playing with the TIE fighters, and I almost always use the weapon locking system to help smooth things out. I know there is another “advanced” control scheme option, which is supposed to be more complicated, and makes things way too difficult. If things get too easy or boring, I will have to give that a go.
I plan to spend some time with the single player campaign mode on the flight back, but for now, all good things must come to an end. I am almost out of battery power, so I am signing off.
Pura Vida!
I am not sure what to make of the Conan demo. On one hand, I guess I should be thankful that we are getting demos. On the other hand, let’s just say that I need to withhold judgment on this one for a little while.
Conan is pure hack and slash carnage. I cannot recall a game that has this much blood, guts, beheadings, dismemberments, and then some. If you want to see an M rated game; here you go.
Supposedly the game is going to have nudity, which is another reason for the M rating, and I am sure that some well rendered breast will help push a few copies. If the opening scene in the demo is any indication, we are in for a treat. When the scantily clad vixen asks Conan if he would “serve” a woman, his reply is classic “Service” smiles “Aye” Good stuff.
I have read comparisons to the God of War titles and Heavenly Sword, but I have played neither, and it has been a while since I owned a true hack and slash game. The demo seems a little rough around the edges, the graphics, while stylistic (Dark Horse comic book like), and are not really top notch for a PS3 title. I am sure that the Xbox 360 version will look tons better, because that is pretty much how all the ports work these days. It is just a damn shame that the developers do not hold this one back for another 4-6 weeks to pretty things up, and still make the holiday season.
This is a game I want to like. I enjoy Conan – from the Robert E. Howard novels to the Conan the Barbarian movie (a staple of all males my age). I am just not so sure about this game. I know there are going to be combos and some strategy involved with the fighting action, but I also know that I just mashed buttons in the demo. I do not need a game to see boobs, so that novelty will wear thin quickly. It is also hard to justify “trying something out” for a $59.99 price point, which for this gamer, makes a huge difference over the PS2 days of $39.99-49.99 games.
I play the Ratchet & Clank demo a handful of times last night. The game is simply amazing – from visuals, sound effects, weapon selection, enemies, to the right balance of platforming and shooting action. This game seems to have it all.
I am not sure how this demo is being received by long time fans of the series, but as a Ratchet & Clank first timer, I am very impressed. I always figured that this series was more or less for kids, and maybe that is the intent. For me it has been a long time since I played a platforming (with shooter elements … or maybe I have that reversed) that has made me smile this much. To me that is what gaming is all about.
I have to make sure time for this one because it looks to be fantastic!
Does anyone really think that QB play is what ails Atlanta? Byron Leftwich is not going to turn things around; these Falcons have far too many issues. The defense stinks, the offensive line has serious holes, there is no running game, the QBs are not mobile, and I could go on with all the official NFL statistical rankings. Why bother? I think ATL is ranked 20 or worse in all significant offensive and defensive categories. Try this one on for size: Falcons have been outscored 40-9 in the 4th quarter. No doubt about it, this team stinks.
These days I do not seem to have enough time for gaming, but today has been a good PS3 day. First up was Super Stardust HD, which continues to be a great Playstation Store purchase. The game is just a bowl full of old fashion shooter goodness fun, and in co-op mode with the kids, it is great entertainment.
It is nice to see so many demos showing up on the Playstation Store. I download Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, which looks wonderful and after about 30 minutes with the game, it is now on my purchase radar. I have never played a Ratchet game, but this thing is fun, and looks great on my TV. I will probably sell a few games to raise some funds for the game, but I could see this game becoming a system seller for fans of the series. Probably a pack-in title for Fall ‘08.
I am downloading the demo for FIFA 08 right now, and I plan to give the NBA and NHL demos a spin. I have never gotten into hockey games, but I keep reading great things about EA’s NHL 08. Sounds like the NBA games may not be worth a purchase (at least not at $60), but it is nice to be able to download demos and give them a whirl.
It looks likes I completely dropped the ball on Oblivion and did not time the price drop in conjunction with the release of the Oblivion Game of the Year Edition. Actually, I had no idea that a new version of Oblivion, complete with Shivering Isles, was scheduled to be released a few days ago. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is now priced at $29.99, which is an awesome deal; well worth your money if you are an RPG fan and have not played the PC or Xbox 360 versions. I have no idea if the Shivering Isles update/download is scheduled for release on the Playstation Store at some point down the road, but it would seem like a decent thing to do instead of making PS3 owners throw down another $60. Elder Scrolls IV is a great game, but as is so often the case these days, I never seem to have enough time to play. I am tempted to throw the game up on eBay to get something for it, and pick up the GOTY edition. The cheap ass gamer in me is screaming “No!” but something else keeps telling me that I should do the switch out even if it means that I am spending $90+ on the game (considering both versions and getting something in return for the original). Decisions, decisions, decisions.
A couple of threads at ps3forums about the GT5 Prologue Demo caught my eye:
This game looks amazing, but it is funny to read opinions at other sites because they seem to be all over the map. The Playstation brand has a huge Gran Turismo following; I wonder if this one is going to be enough to pick up PS3 sales. I am not sure if I am going to mess around with trying to setup a Japaneese account to get the download. I do not have enough time to play all the stuff mention above, so why force the issue.
Good gaming!
