You know how some things just get to you? It could be the girl in the elevator blowing bubbles with her gum or the guy that is constantly smacking his lips over the telephone. Whatever it is, it is really annoying and most of the time it only seems to be you that's annoyed by it. I have to admit I'm easily annoyed by things or mostly things people do but what puts me over the edge is what people do to my stuff and the things I like. Here are three things that are a sure fire way to annoy me to death.
1. Breaking The Spine - Books are expensive and I am one of those pristine collectors so please don't take it personally when I refuse to lend one of my books to you, I don't even lend books to my mother. I love the way my book collection looks, all nice and neat in its alphabetized by publisher, by genre, and by title, and the way the spines look so crisp . . . but wait! What is that crease? Yes, broken spines for me is just as bad as writing on books (I don't do that either) and it annoys me so much that I have had to stop lending books to people because of it. It was either that or I would have had to replace every book that had a broken spine with a clean, unbroken replacement.
2. Sports Hats - I'm a huge Sharks fan so I understand why fans want to show off their love of the SJS. But when you are the one sitting behind a hat like the one pictured above which adds a foot onto the person's head, you start to get a little annoyed by the over-enthusiasm people can display. I love the Sharks too but please, could you get a normal hat like everyone else?
3. Disrespecting Classical Music - I love classical music and it's a love that is not widely shared in my circle of friends so most can't understand why I get so annoyed when I hear classical music used as background music in a restaurant or hotel lobby. You have to know the context of what classical music is and what it was used for. It's not like the pop songs that have been turned into TV jingles or the latest popular rock song that was used in a blockbuster movie soundtrack. Classical music was in its day the number one source of entertainment. It was not coupled together with some visual medium, unless it was an opera or ballet, and it was given full undivided attention. So I tend to get annoyed and even slightly offended when I hear Rachmaninov at the local Chinese restaurant because you wouldn't go to a Broadway show and read a book nor would you go to an art museum just to eat lunch. So just remember when Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 is playing, please refrain from disrespecting the music.
The addition of trophies for the PlayStation 3 has sparked quite a bit of debate whether they are worth the effort and why they are so sought after. I've been accused of being a trophy whore because I have two Demon's Souls platinum trophies (hey, my brother likes that game), accused of not being a "true" gamer because I didn't get those plats myself, and losing some gamer cred for plat-ing a kiddy game like Mini Ninjas. Though I don't consider myself a "whore" I do know that type of gamer, the one who rents every game they can get their hands on from movie games like Up to Hannah Montana - yes, they stoop that low and for what? A few digital trophies that only prove you have no life. But there is a plus side to trophies as well. I'm very proud of my $1 billion earned trophy from Mercenaries 2 not just because it took a long time to get but because I was one of the few who wasn't affected by the trophy glitch. Then there's finding all of the 350 Blast Shards in inFamous and I did that all without a guide. While I haven't quite made up my mind about trophies and there affect on games and gamers alike, I can give you some thoughts on two games that I have plat-ed and how earning those trophies affected the overall game experience.
How Trophies Ruin A Great Game: Heavy Rain - David Cage stated to G4TV that, "I would like people to play it once…because that’s life. Life you can only play once…I would like people to have this experience that way." Boy was he right, not only can you play through life once, you really should only play through Heavy Rain once because any more than that and it kills the magic of the game. That quote is exactly why I was surprised that the gold trophy "All Endings" was included in the requirements to earn the platinum for Heavy Rain. Going through all of the endings really poked a bunch of holes in what I considered a great story when I first played through the game. After my third playthrough I found that Heavy Rain wasn't nearly as great at storytelling than I thought and overall the "All Endings" trophy really destroyed my like for this game.Then there's the hidden trophy "Perfect Crime". I won't tell you what you have to do to get this trophy because it spoils so much of the story and once again ruins a generally great game. Unfortunately, many of the so called trophy whores that I know used an endings guide before they even played the game through once. Most guides recommended getting this trophy first and doing so results in spoiling what should have been a surprising twist to the game's ending.Overall the Heavy Rain trophies have destroyed what was an interesting and unique game. I'm actually really disappointed that I got the platinum for Heavy Rain because a little virtual trophy is not worth losing all of the good things I felt about the game. Now Heavy Rain has turned into another generic game for me, holding nothing special except a 100% on my trophy list.Some other games whose trophies ruin the experience are: Buzz: Quiz TV and Prince of Persia.
How Trophies Help A Great Game: Assassin's Creed 2 - Discovering the Assassins' Tombs, upgrading your Stronghold, intercepting a Borgia Courier, or pickpocketing the citizens of Italy - none of these are part of the main quest in Assassin's Creed 2 and most don't even have any benefit yet all are part of the trophies that you need to platinum Assassin's Creed 2 and all of them help to add to this great game. All of the trophies in Assassin's Creed 2 seem to serve a purpose whether it be introducing you to a new style of assassination or having you explore the various weapons that are available. What ever the case, I found myself enjoying the tasks I had to complete to earn the trophy and some even introduced me to techniques that I would not have otherwise known about. Then there are the 100 feathers scattered around the various districts of Italy. At first I dreaded the search for these feathers but I soon found that the search and the feathers themselves brought you to some of the best sights in the city. From the tall buildings that overlooked canals to exploring every inch of the massive church roof - as I searched for the feathers I was able to explore and experience so much of the detailed world in Assassin's Creed 2.Overall the Assassin's Creed 2 trophies helped to introduce you to sights, techniques, and areas that you might have missed if you had just played through the game. The Assassin's Creed 2 platinum is one that I truly enjoyed getting as it added to the experience of the game and gave it new depth.Some other games whose trophies help the experience are: Fallout 3 and inFamous.Whether you love or hate trophies, the fact is that they are here to stay. Hopefully more developers and publishers will take a cue from Assassin's Creed 2 and make the trophies more meaningful and use them as a way to introduce the little details in a game that might be overlooked and avoid trophies like Heavy Rain's which only hindered the game's flow. As the hunt for trophies continues, hopefully games and gamers alike won't lose the purpose in why we play games - to have fun exploring a new world.
As I sit with the Fallout 3 Artbook in hand trying to figure out what I want to write, I am still floored by the level of detail in this game's design and overall presentation. That's the keyword for Fallout 3 - detail. The detail of the map, the detail of the buildings, the detail found in every little nook and cranny of the 162+ locations you can discover in the Wastes. Out of all the games I have ever played, nothing compares to the level of detail that Fallout 3 brings.
You are the Lone Wanderer, born on Tuesday, July 13, 2258 to James and Catherine at the Jefferson Memorial. Your father raises you in Vault 101, teaching you basic skills like how to use your Pip-Boy 3000 and Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S.). Then, when you are 19 years old he leaves Vault 101 and you behind - and like any good child, you follow him. What ensues is a journey of discovery, adventure, and violence. You have the choice to travel to a nearby town to find information on your father, answer a distress radio signal, or just explore the wastes. Once you find yourself outside of Vault 101, you can go and do anything you want.Like all great Bethesda games the tutorial "level", in this case your time in Vault 101, is confined and well controlled. Once you've learned enough about the mechanics of the game, they release you into a very massive world equipped with the bare minimums and expect you to survive. Unlike the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, there are no discovered locations on your map when you begin. While Fallout 3 isn't as large as Oblivion, the fact that you have to travel everywhere on foot makes it feel ten times larger. 
One thing that makes Fallout 3 such an amazing adventure is its continuity. With so many main quests, side missions, and places to explore in any order you want - it would be easy to lose the feeling that everything is connected and exists in the same game world. Yet this game world is held together by subtle little details from the Eyebots that spread President Eden's pre-recorded messages across the Wastes to the remnants of companies like Vault-Tec Industries and Nuka Cola. There are also radio stations that broadcast the latest news and music, my favorite has to be Galaxy News Radio 103.8 with its host Three Dog and the great blend of 50s music. The various characters you run into on your journey also weave a tightly spun web of stories and details that help to keep you in the Fallout 3 world.With so many characters to meet, you will find that a few are willing to even help you on your journey. Some you can buy their help and others will freely offer it after you save them. Each companion character can be controlled through an awkward menu and given orders on how you wish them to fight. I found the companion characters to actually be more of a hindrance than a help. From randomly getting stuck in my house or their refusal to listen to my requests, I felt that the companion characters were unnecessary and ruined the feeling of isolation and solitude that grows as you explore the vast D.C. Wastes. For isolation and solitude are two of the great emotions that Fallout 3 creates as you play through the game. Being the Lone Wanderer in a world that resembles so much of ours yet in a state of disarray and decay is a feeling that makes this game so much more compelling.
While the gameplay is very similar to Oblivion, one major difference is V.A.T.S. and the use of Radiation. V.A.T.S. is similar to "bullet time" as it slows down time and allows you to select certain body parts of an enemy like the head or the leg. At first I thought V.A.T.S. would make the game too easy and take much of the gameplay out of players hands but I soon found that V.A.T.S. is a great gameplay mechanic and a truly enjoyable experience. While there are times it makes the game a bit easy, being able to cripple an enemy's arm to disarm them or shoot their legs to stop them from running adds a layer of strategy not found in Oblivion. Radiation poisoning also adds another layer of depth and replaces the magic level in Oblivion. Drink too much irradiated water or get to close to a "hot spot" and you will soon feel the affects of poisoning which can be cured for a price.Then there are the moral choices, almost every choice you make can be seen as good or evil. From saving a little boy who is being chased by raiders to killing a Megaton Settler for their weapon. The choice is up to you yet the consequences of that choice will be felt throughout the game. But there is a third choice - you can choose to do nothing. You can let a passing trader save the boy or allow a Mole Rat to maul the Settler to death and then loot his body. The ability to sit back and watch is a welcomed option since many games make you be either good or evil when we just want to be neutral. All of the choices can play for and against you: being too good will make some of the more sketchy characters dislike you, kill too many people and the townsfolk will attack you on sight, and being neutral keeps people from willingly helping you. Again, the choice is yours to do what you please.
With the Game of the Year Edition, the five downloadable add-ons are included. While all of them offer a new environment to explore like Alaska's snow covered mountains or a spaceship floating high above planet Earth - none truly add much to an already extensive game. Actually, I felt that the DLC ruined a bit of Fallout 3's continuity since all the little details that I loved so much were gone. There aren't any billboards or connections to other missions and you can't even listen to the radio while playing through the DLC. While the high level of detail can still be found in the DLC, I found that the continuity that existed throughout the main campaign was lost, making the DLC feel tacked on and loosely attached to the Fallout 3 World.Fallout 3 is not without its flaws from freezing problems to odd bugs and glitches, just remember to save often and have multiple save files on hand. The most common problem I found was the game freezing while I was in V.A.T.S. and was easily solved with me getting up for a drink or a snack and then returning to find that the game had worked its way through the problem. Another problem was solved by simply not switching weapons or using my Pip-Boy 3000 after I had fast traveled to a location, another task that seems to cause the game to freeze. Also, paying close attention to what I sell or repair helped me to avoid selling or using an item that was meant for a specific mission which the game will let you do on occasion.Detail and continuity breathe life into what at first appears to be a desolate world. The D.C. Wastes are vast and filled with many lifeless areas yet you will soon find that it only appears that way on the surface. From computer entries to audio recordings from people long since dead, Fallout 3 will slowly suck you into one of the most complete game worlds I have ever been to. A story about the loss of a father makes Fallout 3's story much more personal and compelling than Oblivion's common "save the world" storyline. With more choices and non-choices resembling real life scenarios and the fact that you can't play both sides of the fence also adds a strong emotional component to Fallout 3's world. A truly amazing journey that I have yet to find in any other game, Fallout 3 is an experience that should not be missed.
Qwarktastic Qwest!- Title: Fallout 3 (Game of the Year Edition)
- Developer: Bethesda Studios
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- ESRB: Mature
- Original Release Date: 10.28.08
- Original Platforms: PS3, PC, X360
- Re-Release Date: 10.13.09 (Game of the Year Edition)
- Re-Release Platforms: PS3, PC, X360 (Game of the Year Edition)
With a track record like Sucker Punch's, I was very excited about their first game to make it to a next-gen platform. Add in moral choices, parkour, open world gameplay, and electricity - it had me hyped up and expecting a Qwarktastic Qwest.
inFamous is an odd mixture of great ideas, gameplay, with poor character design, and a weak story. It's like eating a delicious cake that is only half baked. When you pop in the game for the first time, there is no menu, no "press start". You see a huge explosion then find yourself in the middle of a giant crater. As your protagonist, Cole, tries to figure out what has just happened, you get your first chance to learn the basics. You soon discover that you have some interesting "side-effects" from the blast - the ability to shoot electricity out of your hands. Soon the city is quarantined and social anarchy sweeps the land with gangs rising up to take control of the little resources left. And you, as the only super-powered dude in town get to save the city . . . or take control of it for yourself. Cool right?
Unfortunately, everything about inFamous seems on the weak side. The moral choices are simplistic, the characters are shallow, and every unlocked city district just looks like a clone of the last one. The only character that I somewhat liked was Cole who was just your average guy ending up in the wrong place. His "friends" on the other hand, I would have killed right off the bat if I could have. Enemies were predictable which made the battles dull. It also became exceedingly tedious when you are just trying to get from one side of town to the other, being constantly attacked felt like I was playing an RPG with its random battles.
One thing I really enjoyed about inFamous was the progression of your character and his powers. Cole starts off just getting familiar with his new found abilities but soon, you'll find that you can do a lot more than just shoot a couple of sparks out. From electric sticky bombs to sliding across power lines - Cole's powers grow to give you variety both in battles and in free roaming the city. They are also "unlocked" at a nice and even pace. You never feel like you have to level up your character to get a new power nor do you get new abilities before you've completely mastered the last one. The down side is that you really only need two or three of these abilities and then you can just skip using the rest.
Graphical glitches, repetitive missions, and dull surroundings ruin most of the good things about this game. inFamous is not a complete failure and I definitely enjoyed my time in Empire City yet this is Sucker Punch we are talking about. I was expecting a fully encompassing game like Uncharted - with a solid story, characters that felt real, and a setting that was both unique and visually stunning. inFamous's strong suit is its gameplay with Cole's abilities both in parkour and electricity. Unfortunately the game is also very easy, even on hard difficulty the game is like taking candy from a baby. With its $30 price tag, I would still recommend picking up inFamous if you haven't already played the game. For all of its flaws, it is still worth having in your collection. With inFamous 2 ready to hit store shelves in 2011, I'm expecting Sucker Punch to really shock me this time. With Naughty Dog, Ubisoft, Insomniac Games, and others using a poor start to launch amazing GotY quality sequels - I am expecting nothing less from an A list team like Sucker Punch.
Drekfully Disappointing!- Title: inFamous
- Developer: Sucker Punch
- Publisher: SCEA
- ESRB: Teen
- Original Release Date: 05.26.09
- Original Platform: PS3
With the Sharks top six forwards all coming back next season (Devin Setoguchi signed a one year contract), the only question left is how Wilson and McLellan plan on filling out the last two lines. I mentioned before that the three things on my wish list for the Sharks this year was a solid new goalie, a top four defenseman, and another strong forward. Looks like now all I will be wishing for is that defenseman with the Sharks close to reaching a deal with right winger Jamal Mayers from Calgary. So close in fact that both NHL.com and SJSharks.com already list him with San Jose even though the deal has yet to officially close. While Mayers isn't the 10-15 plus goalscorer that I was expecting, what he doesn't bring in scoring he brings in toughness. A physical defensive forward looks to help replace some of the grit lost with Malhotra. But the Sharks don't have to look at the free agency pool to find quality players to help round out the Sharks 2010-2011 team. With their affiliate in Worcester, the AHL team has been able to prepare their players to play in the big league. Jamie McGinn and Jason Demers are two notable past Worcester Sharks who have made it onto the San Jose bench. In 08-09 McGinn was one of the many "revolving door" players being sent back and forth from Worcester to San Jose and back again when need be. Worcester is in Massachusetts, literally on the other side of the country and over 3,000 miles away. I can't believe how well McGinn and the others played when you knew they spent the whole day on a plane and didn't even get the chance to practice with the team before the game began. Last season McGinn stayed permanently in San Jose, playing in 59 games and scoring 10 goals. That's pretty impressive considering his fourth line played less that 5 minutes a game.Defenseman Jason Demers just got a shiny new two year contract with the Sharks after his breakout rookie year last season. He played in 51 games, scored 4 goals, and more impressively assisted on 17 goals. Those numbers tied him in fourth among rookie defensemen for points, ranked him fourth in scoring among Sharks blueliners, and got him the PlayStation Rookie of the Year award. Considering he only played in 51 games, I can't wait to see what he can do with another 31+ games.Then there's Logan Couture (pictured above) who scored 5 goals in 25 games during his rookie year. He was one of seven soon to be sophomores chosen by NHL.com to have a breakout year next season (you can find the article by clicking the picture above). Pretty high praise for Couture and I'm expecting him to prove them right. While he isn't as fast as forwards like Marleau, he has a great precision that could make him into a pure goalscorer.If McGinn, Demers, and Couture think that they will automatically get some more ice time next season, they have another thing coming with so many other Worcester Sharks ready to prove themselves at training camp later this August. Some have already been seen in San Jose like Benn Ferriero, Ryan Vesce, and Derek Joslin. Others like Dwight Helminen, T. J. Trevelyan, and Nick Petrecki will be trying to make it up to San Jose for the first time. The Sharks definitely have a lot of up and coming talent both within their current team and from the guys in Worcester. With player run training camps and practices already going on down at Sharks Ice, the competition to earn one of the coveted spots on San Jose's bench will be fierce and fun to watch.
Even with the addition of Antero Niittymaki, there is no guarantee that he will be the starting goalie come October 8th. Last season's back-up goalie Thomas Greiss was already back from vacation and on the ice at the end of July. He knows there is an opportunity to play more this coming season (he only played 16 games in 09-10) and he is bound and determined to prove that he can do it. You also have the goalies from Worcester and the other Sharks affiliates. Tyson Sexsmith (pictured above) and Alex Stalock have already had serious looks from the Sharks staff and will probably turn some heads again. There is even some talk about Thomas Heemskerk and Harri Sateri joining in the fight even though they still play in Europe.So while I still don't have that top four defenseman I wanted, the Sharks are looking pretty sound up to this point. With some great prospects, this year's training camp looks to be very exciting as the countdown to the start of the 2010-2011 gets underway.
Year: Two
Season: Spring
Day: One
Today’s the big day! Celia and I am getting married today but first, I have some other business to attend to. Today marks the one year anniversary of me starting my life here at Hyde Farm. It’s been an amazing journey, I’ve learned a lot and have found that I can survive anything (even a typhoon) if I put my mind to it. Hiei and Miel are both celebrating their first birthday here on the farm. Even on special occasions like today, the farm never lets you take a day off so I hurriedly finished watering the crops, feeding the animals, and making sure everything was in order before I headed towards Vesta’s farm to meet Celia. Before our small ceremony, Vesta had some words for me and took me aside to speak with me. After a good tongue lashing about what would happen if I didn’t take care of Celia, she and I walked back towards the ceremony only to overhear Marlin begging Celia to try and change her mind. His plea seemed to fall on deaf ears and he dashed away towards the beach, not before giving me a glaring look. Vesta gave us some encouraging words, saying that Marlin has always been the moody type. Hopefully, after he cools off, we can still remain friends.
At the reception, everyone from town came to congratulate us and I mean everyone. Tim and Ruby came up and hugged us, expressing how happy they were for our happiness. Griffin brought drinks from the Blue Bar to help us celebrate and Muffy told Celia how lucky she was. Even Romana, Sebastian, and Lumina were there. Romana only had kind words and good advice for us. Sebastian offered to help us if we ever needed it and I thanked him for his generous offer. Lumina seemed to get very upset and ended up running away . . . that’s the second person to do that, I wonder what’s going on. Even Cody, the metal artist, and Daryl, the town’s resident crazy scientist, were there to congratulate us in their own ways. It was great to see all of Forget-Me-Not Valley giving us so much support. After talking with everyone and saying our goodbyes, Celia and I headed back to the farm to get settled in. Takakura met us at the Barn with congratulations of his own. He had attended the ceremony but didn’t attend the reception due to all the work on the farm. He handed us a letter that had been delivered to the farm and we found that it was Van expressing his apologies for not being able to attend and happy wishes for our future. And a happy future is all I can wish for in this coming year.
Time seemed to have moved forward by leaps and bounds. We have a new add-on to the house, making the bedroom big enough for three people because now Celia and I have a daughter named Yuko. She looks so much like Celia with the same color of brown for her hair and eyes. Yuko’s a toddler now and very active, enjoying walking around the farm and exploring the area. Hiei’s seemed to take a very strong liking to her and always keeps a watchful eye on her. A lot of other things have changed in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Nina passed away leaving Galen all alone. It is too sad; she was such a lovely lady. Galen ended up moving down to the open field across from Vesta’s Farm. A bunch of the men from town helped to build him a small house next to Nina’s grave that lay next to the large oak tree there.
A bunch of new people have moved into town as well. Dr. Hardy from the city, who used to come to visit every month, moved into Galen and Nina’s old house. He said that the city’s bustling pace was just too much more him now. A new house was built right next to Chris and Wally’s house and a new family has moved in. I was only able to meet Samantha, her husband and daughter were down by the beach exploring the rest of the town. You could definitely Samantha was from the city, stylishly dressed with her red hair wrapped up in a bun. I gave her a Toy Flower to welcome her to town and she accepted it with a wide smile. I ran into Hugh, Chris and Wally’s son, on my way back towards the farm and my, has he grown. He has gotten quite tall and can now outrun Wally in a race. Before starting the work for the day, I visited Nik, Nak, and Flak up by the North Pond and wish them a happy new year and to thank them for everything. Once I got back to the farm, it was already late in the morning and I had a lot of work to do. Because of the poor financial state of the farm, I had a lot of extra work to do. I quickly planted the Watermelon Seeds I had bought a few days and made sure to water them well.
I let Takakura have the day off; he deserved it after caring for the farm all on his own during the wedding reception. I took Yuko to help me feed the animals; she likes the Chickens but was scared of Miel and the others. I think she just needs to get used to their large size. After everyone was fed and taken care of, I headed up to wish Carter and Flora a happy new year. Once inside the Dig Site, I found that they had cleared a lot of space and it was almost double the size as last year. They had me promise to help them again this year with their excavation. I promised and told them that I would be back once I had the time to help them out. I stopped by Vesta’s as well to visit everyone there. Vesta asked how Celia was doing and I said that she was happy and enjoying life on the farm. I bought some Fertilizer and asked Vesta how Marlin was. She told me that he was still upset and that I probably should avoid him for a little while until he cools off. I took her advice, thanked her for the Fertilizer, and headed back towards the farm. After spreading the Fertilizer over the grass, I took some time to play with Yuko in the kitchen as Celia made dinner. I ended up staying up much later than usual which only means I’m going to have more work to do tomorrow with less time to do them in. Life on the farm never slows down, does it? But with a bright new year ahead of us, I’m glad that it doesn’t.
The second part of my "Holiday Rush" list is filled with more games than I probably will be able to play. While I am missing a lot of notable games (Medal of Honor, Hot Pursuit, Enslaved, and others) I just had to pass on many of them due to budget and time constraints. Other games have been moved to a "wait and see" list, depending on how reviews go I might go back and clean up some of the games I've missed. But so far, my list is pretty solid with the following rounding out the year.
Fallout New Vegas (10.19.10) - "For your country's sake today, for your sake tomorrow" - I am beyond excited for Fallout New Vegas! Not only is it named after my favorite city in the world but Fallout also features something else I'm really excited about - the NCR. Yes, the New California Republic is one of the major factions in Fallout New Vegas and hopefully I'll be able to join their cause and get one of their nifty flags to fly at my house. I'm pumped and ready to get back into the wastes, this time the wastes of my own backyard, and enjoy the journey ahead.
Time Crisis: Razing Storm (10.19.10) - The first game I thought about when Move was announced was a light gun game and a Time Crisis one at that. Well it looks like I'll be getting my wish as Razing Storm is specifically designed with Move in mind.
Vanquish (10.19.10) - Mikami is at it again with this Casshern inspired game that pits an American in a super-suit against a bunch of Russian robots. With Mikami's unique style, this game is sure to put the third-person shooter genre on its head.
Rock Band 3 (10.26.10) - This is the game I have been waiting for since I played my first plastic guitar. I finally get to put my 19 years of practice and experience to use in a video game as Rock Band 3 adds on the new keyboard peripheral. Pro mode also sounds like a great addition, actually teaching you something while you play. Who said educational games had to be boring?
Sims 3 (10.26.10) - Making its debut on this generation's consoles, Sims 3 for the PC scored great reviews and has been anticipated to do just as well with a controller in hand. Though no solid information has been given about multiplayer, I'm hopeful that they will bring in some co-op action to the Sims world.
L.A. Noire (11.01.10) - With Rockstar's big hit, Red Dead Redemption, still in my PS3 - I'm patiently waiting on more news about their next game - LA Noire. With only one trailer and a few screen shots on their official website, I'm skeptical that this game will actually see the light of day this year. None the less, it's still listed as a November release on most major retailers' websites. Either way, I'm definitely interested in seeing more of this game and what its dark secrets might hold for us.
Gran Turismo 5 (11.2.10) - Can this game look any better? With its promised new additions, GT5 is poised to dominate the racing world once again. Hopefully this time, I'll be able to pass the first license test.
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (11.16.10) - At first I was worried that Brotherhood would be DLC content charged at full price, similar to Super Street Fighter IV. But so far, it looks like Brotherhood is going to be as robust as AC2. The multiplayer is also amazingly intuitive, keeping what makes Assassin's Creed unique intact - stalk, chase, strike. I'm definitely looking forward to taking my assassination skills online.
LittleBigPlanet 2 (11.16.10) - With more tools and tricks in its bag, LBP2 looks to open up a whole new chapter in the Play, Create, Share genre. From top-down shooters to RTS games - there seems to be no limit to what you can create in LBP 2. While I doubt I'll join in the creative fun, I definitely will enjoy playing the other creations that will explode across LittleBigPlanet once the game hits this November.
Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (11.23.10) - From the team that made Folklore, Majin looks to bring the similarly unique style back to consoles this November. Sporting some ex-members of Team Ico, I'm curious to see how the AI partnership works out with the Majin. With Enslaved being very similar (at least in regards to the AI partner), it will be interesting to see how Majin fairs when it is released.
Spec Ops: The Line (12.31.10) - While I highly doubt that this game is coming out this holiday, I'm still crossing my fingers that I might be able to play it before the year is out. With its squad-based tactics and interesting use of sand - Spec Ops looks like it might bring something different to the overcrowded shooter genre.
As summer 2010 started to creep closer and closer, I was actually thinking that the number of holiday releases would be pretty small compared to last year's plethora of games. Yet, after I saw all that E3 had to offer, I found out how wrong I really was. So once again my "Holiday Rush" planning has started earlier than the last year, soon I think this might just be something I do every 6 months. But for now, here's what's on the agenda for this year's holiday rush.
Valkyria Chronicles II (08.31.10) - Unfortunately this year's PSP offerings are much slimmer than last year's, not even enough games to merit a separate list for my portable little buddy. Valkyria Chronicles II will probably be the most in-depth PSP game I'll get this year. With it's Anime stylings and tactical gameplay, this sequel to the PS3 game is said to be just as robust as it's predecessor.
Invizimals (10.12.10) - One of the few PSP games that uses the camera, Invizimals has been out in the rest of the world for quite some time and it's now just finally hitting Stateside. Geared towards a younger audience, Invizimals once again shows off Sony's obsession with augmented reality. 
Patapon 3 (11.01.10) - Patapon is an ingenious music game that makes it hard to put your PSP down once you get the "pata, pata, pon" going. I can't wait to see what the third iteration can bring to the table with it's added multiplayer element.
Mafia II (08.24.10) - With only 3 PSP games on my list, it's up to the PS3 to provide me with the majority of my gaming, and it looks like 2010 won't disappoint. Mafia II is my first game for the holiday rush, and while it doesn't look to be a GotY, I'm excited that I'll be able to go back to 50s Americana. 
Brunswick Pro Bowling (09.17.10) - With no announcement that High Velocity Bowling is going to get a Move compatibility patch, Brunswick Pro Bowling is my next option. Specifically built for Move, Brunswick is going to bring the serious side of bowling back into video games with its realistic physics and gameplay. Considering that they say it feels and plays like the real thing, it will be interesting to see how well my father does since he is a league bowler.
EyePet (09.17.10) - Another game already out in the world, EyePet is getting revved up to hit the NA territory with its newly added Move capabilities. While I usually say my main reason for getting EyePet is to have some games for Move, in reality I'm getting it because the dog/monkey is cute. I hope my own dog won't get too jealous of my EyePet when I pick it up later this September.
Kung Fu Rider (09.17.10) - Another Move title, Kung Fu Rider looks like Pain mixed with the Office. Zipping down the streets of Hong Kong on an office chair (and who knows what else) is zany and too crazy to pass on.
Spider-man: Shattered Dimensions (09.17.10) - With last year's great Batman game, my hopes for another good superhero game have been raised with Shattered Dimensions. Combining four different Spider-man universes (Amazing, Noir, 2099, and Ultimate) this mash-up of everything Spidey promises to keep true to the comics as well as bring a solid game to the table. I hope that this game can deliver and bring Spider-man back to the good side of video games.
Sports Champions (09.17.10) - Another game to be launched alongside of Move, I'm excited to really get to explore the depth of Move by playing table tennis, archery, and even beating a few people in the coliseum.
The Sly Collection (10.01.10) - While I already have all 3 Sly games on the PS2, I really want to pick up this collection to see Sucker Punch's work in HD plus the addition of 3D, Move support, and trophies doesn't hurt either.
Two Worlds II (10.05.10) - I'm slightly optimistic that this game might not completely suck and may, just maybe might be on par or at least near the level of Oblivion. With so many great things said about the first game there was an equal amount of negative comments, mostly complaining about controls and general gameplay mechanics. Southpeak has stated that they took what the gamers said to heart and worked on fixing all of the major problems while keeping the things gamers liked about Two Worlds intact. With a massive story to co-op and multiplayer - I'm crossing my fingers that Two Worlds II can deliver.
