Rabid commentary on video games, movies and television.

Forgot to post this up on Sunday, I think the sleeping in threw me off course. I went to eGames on Saturday, which was somewhat less interesting than it was last year, due mostly to the fact that the games on show were already available in stores, and had been so for many days. I only ended up spending about two hours at the show catching up with people before going off to the Crown arcade to play Rambo and Street Fighter IV.

More than a review a day to complete before the end of the month, so I’m going to put my head down and disappear for a while.

Reviews
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (Nintendo DS) at Games On Net
NHL 09 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
NBA Live 09 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
NBA 2K9 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
LEGO Batman: The Videogame (PS3) at Games On Net

Features
The Warp Pipe: The Tin Anniversaries Part Three at Games On Net

The clean slate was short-lived, as I now have eight reviews on the run. eGames is this coming weekend too, so I need to have most of them done by then so I can be free to socialise. The release season basically ends on the 27th, and I’ll basically be taking the two months off after that to enjoy the remainder of my time in Melbourne by generally relaxing, doing touristy things and wiping out some DVD/Game backlog.

Reviews
Wario Land: The Shake Dimension (Wii) at Games On Net
Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway (PS3) at Games On Net
Fracture (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
Fable 2 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
Dead Space (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
Fallout 3 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net

Features
The Warp Pipe - The Tin Anniversaries Part Two

The current review backlog is finally complete, though the party ramps up again as early as tomorrow. I’m taking the afternoon off to read some magazines play some non-review games, and watch some movies with the other half when she returns from work.

Spent most of the week with Fallout 3. Certainly ended up a lot like Elder Scrolls in the wasteland.

Reviews
Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
Crysis Warhead (PC) at Games On Net
FIFA 09 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net

Features
The Warp Pipe - The Tin Anniversaries (Part One) at Games On Net

Just realised I didn’t write a post last week, and I don’t remember why.

I don’t think I’ve worked this hard for a while. 11 pieces in the last 14 days at a minimum of 1,200 words each. Yesterday was the first day in ages where I didn’t write anything, but I did make big inroads into Fable II. Got Dead Space sitting here as well, a few XBLA games, and one very popular RPG was meant to be here on Friday for a fast track review, but didn’t show up. So roughly 7 more pieces to write by the 31st.

Starting to get hot and sticky in Melbourne now. I do not like it.

Reviews
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Xbox 360) at Games on Net
Infinite Undiscovery (Xbox 360) at Games on Net

Features
The Warp Pipe - Twenty Years of the Sega Mega Drive (Part Two) at Games on Net
The Warp Pipe - The Game/Movie Problem at Games on Net

We decided this week that we’d be moving back to Queensland. Not an easy decision to make, but arguably the best of our options, and should certainly help us set up for the rest of our lives.

Tons of work to do, but I’m getting there. Six games on the whiteboard right now, with another two or three coming in this week. All need to be done by the 22nd for sanity reasons, as four more come out on the 23rd, and they’re all meant to be really good.

I think I need to iron out my time management issues. Certain pieces take far longer than expected, which has a bit of a flow on effect.

Reviews
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
TNA iMPACT (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
Spore (PC) at Games On Net

Features
The Warp Pipe - Twenty Years of the Sega Mega Drive (Part One) at Games On Net

The workload is high, as are the stress levels. House hunting is not a whole lot of fun, especially when the couple is undecided on their plans for the coming year. Seven reviews on the run at the moment, and a bunch of features that need to be written ASAP. Would rather just sit around and watch movies for a week.

Weight loss stalled during the week after I binged on junk food to counter depression. I’m completely over diet Coke, so that makes the whole campaign easier.

Reviews
Castle Crashers (XBLA) at Games On Net
Facebreaker (Xbox 360) at Games On Net

Features
The Warp Pipe - LucasArts: A Fall From Grace at Games On Net

First week of controlled eating has yielded a loss of 2kg. Still a ways to go.

Lots of work to be done, many annoyances prevent the working environment from being adequate.

Reviews
Madden NFL 09 (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
Bionic Commando Rearmed (XBLA) at Games On Net
Galaga Legions (XBLA) at Games On Net
The Last Guy (PSN) at Games On Net

Features
The Warp Pipe - 25 Random Video Game Facts IV at Games On Net

The first quarter-century is over. I spent the celebratory day working, followed by eating a nice pizza from a non-chain restaurant, and gorging myself on cheesecake. The unfortunate side effect was a new record weight, so we officially started dieting this morning with a bowl of Bran Flakes and All Bran.

The review wave hits with full force this Thursday. I’m still wrestling with my early month work, but should clear that out shortly. It’s harder for the online folk because we don’t have the luxury of lead time, though following statements from the editor this week, it sounds like we should.

Print media is dead, but the publishers refuse to acknowledge it, using the defibrillators of exclusives and long lead times to keep a weak pulse going.

Reviews
Soulcalibur IV (Xbox 360) at Games On Net
Braid Review (XBLA) at Games On Net
Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty (PSN) at Games On Net

Features
The Warp Pipe: Games of Q4, 2008 Part II at Games On Net

After 4 years, the 3200 was moved on, and the 8400 has slotted in in its place. New computers are fun, but backing up and transferring old data, and re-installing programs is a real drag, especially when there is work to be done.

Six reviews on the run now, plus Warp Pipes that need to be prepared in advance. The review backlog at GON must be insane, because only one review I published in August is live on the site.

Features
The Warp Pipe: Games of Q4, 2008 Part I

The Internode folks re-launched their site this week. Internode Games Network is now Games On Net, and it looks a lot more professional. Hopefully the improved look will be beneficial to all.

I have this problem where I start on a million different projects with all kinds of ambitions, and then drop them by the end of the week. Two projects keep recurring - the video games guide book (inspired by the Maltin movie guide), and a video game.

The former is easily doable - it’ll take 10 years, though. In that time I’d have to educate myself on about 15-20 years of “micro computers” such as the Sinclair range, Atari 8-bit and ST, Commodore 64 and Amiga, and so on.

The latter I could put together in under a year, but it’s really damn intimidating, even trying to use the most basic of tools. I’d love to do it all myself, but I suck at the art stuff (unless I use simplistic shapes). I have been looking at AGS as my first point of call - it’d be easy enough to get a game up and running with stick figures and simple backgrounds while learning more about the scripting side of things before moving onto anything ambitious.

I always have the worst timing with these little projects I want to work on. Right now we’re entering the thick of the review season; I’ve already got five on my plate, and need to make the most of the steady, high paying work flow that this time of the year grants. Yet I’m impatient and want everything now.

Features
The Warp Pipe - Most Wanted Remakes II at Games On Net