Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

The game is looking pretty cool! Although using Civil War as a premise seems a bit "out of date" since it will be nearly 2 years since that story came out when the game releases (September 2009 now). None-the-less, hero vs hero can be pretty cool, and I did see some bad guys in there as well.

I enjoyed the first game, so I am sure this next one will also be fun to play. I hope it is a multi-player like the last one so that Craig and I can both play. So few games have that capability, which makes us sad.

To see more on the game, head to the Ultimate Alliance 2 site.

Not Donkey Kong King

Steve Wiebe (picutred), long-time competitive Donky Kong player from the Seattle area, was unable once again to beat the "reigning champion," Billy Mitchell's record at this year's big game event - E3.

The prize in the contest was $10,001, paid in quarters. According to the article on Yahoo! Games:
"But luck wasn't with Wiebe. After an early attempt was unexpectedly halted by a power cut, Wiebe won through to the game's infamous 22nd level, where a bug inevitably causes the game to generate a level with a time limit that's impossible to beat. Wiebe's final score was 989,400 -- just short of the existing record set by Billy Mitchell in 2007, which stands at 1,050,200"

The competition between these two came to the public's attention when it was captured in a documentary movie in 2007 called King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters. I recommend the movie if you are a video game fan or a fan of the underdog. It is available on DVD now. Once you see the movie you will know why I put "reigning champion" in quotation marks.

Poor Wiebe, he just can't seem to topple the reigning champion, and it's often due to bad luck. You are still a champ in my book, Steve! Keep on Playin'!!

Arkham Video Game

We have the PS3, and I am VERY MUCH looking forward to this game. Of course they pushed it back to around baby arrival time, so there may not be money nor time to play it for a bit, but we WILL play it at some point, I guarantee it.

The Sims 3 Videos

Sims 3 comes out in a bit over a week now - June 2. I have been a sims fan for a while, but I'm not sure if this version is a vast improvement over sims2, although the graphics do look MUCH better. Check out the videos, see what you think.

The Sims 3 Videos

For the latest info, check out www.TheSims3.com.

Wolverine Video Game

I'm back - found out I'm pregnant and resigned from job, all in a week. Yep, I'm nuts.

Anyway, I saw this trailer for the Wolverine Video Game, due out May 1 for all systems, and I thought it looked pretty good. I might just check it out via rental. I prefer hand-to-hand combat in games versus shooting, as I find I can never get the aim right or I'm killed off by the time I have the target in my sight.

What do you think?

Lego Batman Next Month

TGIF!!

Only a month now (9/23/08) until the Batman Lego game comes out. Looks like Craig and I will be fighting over who gets to use the PS3 - me for Lego Batman, Craig for Star Wars Force Unleashed.

And The Beat says that Batgirl will also be an available character in the game!



One of several trailers available for the game at Gametrailers.com

Batman Game

New Video Game news for Batman!! Edios Interactive is working on a Batman video game called Arkham Asylum. It is supposed to be dark & scary! A 3rd person fighting & adventure game.

We will see it in 2009 sometime for the next-gen gaming systems X-Box 360 and Playstation 3.

According to press releases, in the game Batman brings The Joker to Arkham, where Batman's baddies are waiting with a trap. Batman must fight his way out of the labyrinth to survive.

Paul Dini, who has been doing an AWESOME job writing Detective Comics, is said to have written for the game.

It sounds pretty darn awesome to me. The official web site for the game is here. The image at the top of the post is one scan from the game. Additional images from the game can be found here, at the Game Informer web site. It does look dark!

Finally - A New Computer

Finally at the end of last week the computer repair guy brought our computer back and functional. It is blazing fast compared to our 6 year old Dell system and has a ton more memory. The system, after rebates, cost us around $1350. Then we had to spend $400 to get it working. But still, for less than $2000 we've got a pretty advanced system.

We chose the pieces based on some research we did using computer builder magazines. We started with finding their recommendations for fast motherboards that weren't going to cost us an arm and a leg - motherboards that were the best performance for the dollar - and then built the rest off of that, trying to find the fastest compatible parts.

What have we got?

The case, pictured above, is an NZXT Tempest ATX Mid Tower - a large & pretty fun looking case that was quite affordable.

The Motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-EP35C-DS3R Intel

An Intel Core 2 QAuad Q Yorkfield processor

Our video card is the ASUYS EN9600 GT

Our RAM is made up of 4 Corsair Dominator 1 GB Dual Channel SDRAMs

We really cook with our Western Digital VelociRAptor 10000 RPM SATA Hard Drive. Sure it's only 300 GB, but with plenty of RAM we've got great speed with this - and we can always add more gigs internally or externally if we need it later.

We bought a Sony DVD/CD player/recorder.

We have a 750 W power supply so that there are plenty of plugs to connect anything else we throw into the system.

We had to put a firewire into it and wireless internet.

Then of course Windows Vista, Microsoft Office, and AVG anti-virus.

According to the computer repair guy, one of our biggest problems is that the Corsaire RAM doesn't work well with the Gigabyte motherboard - even though it is listed on the Gigabyte website as being compatible. The repair guy had to change up some voltages and things, underclocking the RAM slightly, to get the system to stabilize and use all of the RAM without crashing. But we've been using it now for a few days and other than finding that he wireless internet disconnects itself every time the system goes into sleep mode, we've found it to be a nice improvement over our old Dell.

We already bought a game for it - Civilizatin IV Gold Edition. Now we just have to figure out how to play it.

DC MMORPG

Ok, Ok, this is REALLY my last post about video games. But a day full of video game posts wouldn't be complete if I didn't give you the link where you can see screen shots from the upcoming DC MMORPG, would it?

Link here - check 'em out! Pretty cool.

Still no ETA on the game though. *sigh* MMORPG's always seem to take a LONG time and release well after initial dates are released.

Siren Game

OK, so now I'm on a video game kick. I don't know how it happened, but it did.

Anyway, I like horror video games. I played a crazy game on the PS2, well two games actually, Fatal Frame and Fatal Frame 2. Much like Siren: Blood Curse, it is a horror game crafted in Japan. The Japanese seem to make some scary games with great ambient noises. This one seems to be more of the same scaryness.

Here's the trailer.

It's for the PS 3 and is downloadable. I knew that these next gen systems would get more and more into the downloadable format, since they have pretty decent hard drives. It's nice because the games are slightly more expensive. But annoying because once you're done playing it you can't go and sell it to a game reseller.

If only I had time to play! Hopefully in the winter, when my weekends are less occupied.

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Watchmen Game

Wasn't my last post about video games too? Yes, I believe it was. Anyway...

Newsarama had a press release from Warner Brothers saying that they're creating a Watchmen video game, based largely upon the movie, that will come out in 2009.

Here are the details: It will be available for the top tier machines: XBox 360 & Playstation 3, and will be an "episodic downloadable game based on the film."

“We’re bringing the Watchmen universe to gamers in a distinct episodic game revealing action and combat for a great overall experience for fans,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The filmmakers have been extremely helpful in developing the high-quality game story and we are working to match the outstanding visual style of the film.” The videogame based on WATCHMEN will go beyond the film and delve into the characters, rivalries and challenges in a mature action-brawler. The game provides gamers with visceral superhero combat as urban vigilantes Rorschach and Nite Owl.

I want the Watchmen movie to be good. I want it to do well in the theater. Do I expect those things to happen, well, I think it looks good from the trailers, but I don't know that it will be a blockbuster in the theater. I also don't know how true to the graphic novel they can be using the standard 2 - 3 hours most movies are done in. The game could also be cool. But if people don't have interest in the movie they won't have interest in the game. It will be interesting to see what happens when this comes out!

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Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 - rumor no more

No longer is the Marvel Ultimate Alliance sequel a rumor or speculation. In the August issue of Game informer they discuss the game - and Newsarama.com covered it.


According to the 'rama column, it will have a Civil War theme. In fact, it will go from Secret War into Civil War, with some shortening of stories and slight revisions so that we can have Hulk and Thor in the game.

And new game play, "In addition to the confirmed longer, more directly-comics-based storyline, players will have a dynamic conversation system, with choices between “aggressive, defensive, or diplomatic” responses during conversation. Each style will take your team in a different direction. Similar to the team power-ups from the first game, new rewards will come your way depending on how you treat non playable characters. These will not be dependent on a set number of characters, either. You can use any playable characters at any time without losing any of your earned power-ups."

Confirmed characters so far are: Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Daredevil, Thor, Thing, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Hulk, and Iron Man, with more to come, as the game maker promises over 20 characters to be in the game.

Activision will have a booth at San Diego Comic Con this weekend, so there may be even more news on this game coming up.

I'm excited about this game. We played the first one and it was pretty cool. This new one sounds even better, and now that we have a "next gen" machine we should have access to even more characters. I'm almost tempted to find the cheat codes that will allow us to access all the characters right away.

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U.S.A. VS G.T.A.

Our big summer festival in Milwaukee, Summerfest, decided to ask the US Army to "tone down" their Virtual Army Experience by taking out scenes from the game portion of the presentation in which players ride on a Hum-V and shoot at enemy combatants. To see more information about the experience, click here. This game is available for purchase as well, and has been a big seller. It is rated "T" and as part of this experience people volunteer to play the game, which is enclosed in an area that isn't out in the open, so only those interested in the game can get to it. Still, a Summer festival that allows open containers of liquor and has a variety of heavy metal bands swearing day and night, is telling the Army that they can't have the full game play in their exhibit.

To make it even more interesting, in the arcade area, they have the Grand Theft Auto game, which is rated "M," available to be played. Now, I am not one of those people who criticize GTA. Heck, I've even played the game. But part of that game is to shoot people, including police officers, pick up hookers, and steal cars. This game was not shut down by Summerfest, nor was the arcade vendor asked to censor, id players for age verification, or remove the game from the arcade.

I find this quite upsetting that the marketing arm of a summer festival that would seem to support art and free speech telling the United States Army that they have to edit themselves while allowing things that are as much and more offensive to continue.

So somehow a portion of a Teen rated video game is more offensive than a Mature rated game. Somehow shooting enemy combatants within the context of war is more offensive than shooting cops. Quite the double standard we've set!

This isn't about weather or not you support George Bush or approve of the war.

It is about freedom. Freedom to decide for yourself if you want to play the Army game or not. Or GTA or not.

It is about equal representation - if you are going to censor, set standards and apply it to all. If you are going to allow freedom of expression then allow it for all.

To tell the United States Army to censor a presentation that no other city ANYWHERE, including Madison Wisconsin, has asked to have censored, on the weekend that we are preparing to celebrate the very freedom the Army obtained for us and continues to provide. Well, it's really pretty stupid.

I say GO ARMY!

Star Wars Fans - Time to get a Wii

The Wii lightsaber game that's been rumored for quite some time now is revealed:



Can you wait until November? Might want to get the Wii now and pre-order the game once you get the chance. We spent our money on the PS3, a TV upgrade, and a new computer, so no Wii for us - so I'll have to live vicariously through everyone else who gets the game and brags about how much fun it is.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Video Game

Rumor has it, according to Newsarama, that there's a second edition of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance video game coming -- and that it will be set in the world of the Marvel Civil War.

I guess that would mean good guys vs other good guys. Interesting.

The article says, "Players will take one side or the other, with over 20 characters to choose from. Fusing powers will be a new feature, building on the combo system seen in the previous game (and the X-Men Legends series). The example given is lightning webs, from fusing Spider-man and Storm’s abilities. The other characters mentioned in the release are Hulk, Wolverine, Venom, and the Human Torch."  It will of course be available for most systems, and if it's like the first one, the next gen system games will have more options than their predecessor systems' versions.

We had a blast with the last game - as I mentioned with the Indiana Jones lego game - there just aren't a lot of games that Craig and I can play together. I believe this will be one, just like the original version.  So not only will it be fun, but it's something people can do together, which is always fun when gaming.

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Game Time - Indiana Jones Lego

It's cute. It's fun. It's adventure. It's Indiana Jones. It's Legos. All in one great game.

There are few games that Craig & I can play together on the PS3, but this is one of them. We each get to play a fun Lego character from the movies. Right now we're on the second film, probably about 2/3 of the way through Temple of Doom.

If you've ever watched Invader Zim you might remember Zim's statement, "Destruction is Nice." We constantly say that while playing this game because there are so many things to smash up and get the rivet/treasure from. Each adventure includes a bit of the movie done Lego style at the beginning and end - where you see gestures and hear noises but there isn't any actual talking. That's what makes it so surprising when you finish a film and then the credits run for about 5 minutes with a dozen people credited for the voices.


The weather has been making watching TV difficult, since we have DirectTV - which has problems getting a signal in this kind of bad weather. So we've been getting some good playing time in. In fact Craig's loading it up now. So that will end this post.

I recommend the game - it is as good as the Star Wars one in terms of story, visual quality, fun and jokes. Check it out!

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Hulk Game

Check out the upcoming Incredible Hulk Game (tied into the movie, no doubt):



I think it looks like it could be pretty cool. The graphics are good anyway. The game play seems similar to the first Hulk Movie game, which wasn't bad but played too quickly.

Indiana Jones

This May's Indiana Jones movie should do very, very well at the box office. I am sure Craig and I will see it.

But the thing I'm most excited about - the Indiana Jones Lego video game. I played the Star Wars ones and they were so cute and fun. The Indiana Jones one looks great too (trailer). Hopefully it will come out right around the same time as the movie and not months later because I already want it now. The Lego video games are ingenious! Great for any age and any language. I believe the Batman one will be coming out sometime in the fall of this year - so it's possible that not one, but TWO awesome Lego games will release this year! *scream & dance with glee*

Star Wars Fans Rejoiced!

This is a lightsaber controller for the Wii. It is a third party accessory that is sure to be a HUGE hit, especially after the Star Wars: Force Unleashed comes out for the Wii in the spring. It is $31 plus shipping from play.com.

Details here
Buy here

Ghost Busters 3 - A video game

There's a Ghost Busters video game in the works - a shooter game of sorts, it looks like. They were saying it was GB3, but it looks like there are portions of GB & GB 2 in there too. Still cool!

See a sample here.