Did You Know That...?!

Fans of Bill Nye the Science will appreciate the title, but I digress. I named it that because I was wondering if you all knew of some cool things that happened recently, like several hours ago. Ever wanted to play Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game? Well you can play it for free, but only for the next 36 hours! (From the time of this post, of course.) If you go to GOG.com you can get the whole game, DRM-free, plus extras! What kind of extras you're asking? Extras like wallpapers, a manual, Fallout bible, avatars, artworks, and a soundtrack! For free! Again, Free. Who doesn't like getting things for free? I've picked up my copy. GOG.com is also releasing more games, DRM-free, like Assassin's Creed, with many many extras! Soundtracks, art books, manuals, all those things you would expect in a collector's edition, for free!

But there's more!

Earlier today was the CD Projekt RED Group 2012 Spring Conference, (which you can go and watch the recorded video here.) Don't recognize that name? The Witcher. 'Nuff said. Haven't played it? Why not? I haven't, but I'm rectifying that as we speak. And now they've made it easier for you to play! It's coming to the Xbox360! Not just a port either, they've built it from the ground up for ultimate immersion. 'But, Megara, that game isn't new!' I hear you say. Well no, in fact last year The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings came out, but later this month, April 17th, the Enhanced Edition will be coming out! Already own the game? Don't worry, all the additions and new features will come to you in the form of a Free update! And you can pre-download starting the 11th of April. You're not going to have to purchase the game again, seriously, what a great company.

But you want to play The Witcher before you play the Enhanced Edition? Good idea, friend. You can buy it on Steam for only $9.99, for either PC or Mac! That's right, they've released a Mac version of it. It's a Hybrid version, meaning that if you have on your PC then you can play it on your Mac! Like me. That's right, I own a PC and a Mac, I don't take sides. You also don't need the newest Mac product to play it, it'll work on that iMac you bought three years ago!

There's also a contest like opportunity! The follows at CD Projeckt Red really value the input of the fans, and they want to send out 1000 review copies of The Witcher 2 Enhanced Edition for the Xbox360 out to the fans. That's right, you can write/record a review for them. Post the review on their Facebook wall, record it for your YouTube channel, post it up on your blog, however you want to get it our there, they want it. How do you enter for this chance? Go to TheWitcher.com/Review and fill out the short form with a few sentences about why they should send a copy to you. All you have to do it give them your name, and tell them a little about your gaming past, which can be really hard to cum up when Games are one of your passions, trust me. But you only have until the 9th of April! That's Monday! You don't have long! They're going to respond to every person who enters, just to let you know if you've been picked or not. How thoughtful.

Don't worry readers, even if we don't get the game from CD Projeckt Red to review, the game will be getting a review. That's how excited Antonio is for the Enhanced Edition, he already planned the review. Keep an eye out for him, for he shall soon be doing a game review overload of all the games he's played in the past two months. I'm not even ready for that. We've got things planned for the immediate future, including some TCPS podcast extras (some NSFW), and some Halo: Reach goodies. This should be exciting because we're getting in a pro player, and one that can't aim to save her life, and Antonio. Seriously, you're gonna wanna watch it, it's gonna be so stupid it's funny. Check it!

Time for Another Update

So, we're nearing the end of February, and things have been quiet around here, so that obviously means it's time for another update. Real life comes in at some of the most inconvenient times. Luckily though, no real important games came out, like The Darkness II, or Kingdom of Amalur Reckoning. Nothing like that. In lieu of updating with podcasts or blog posts, our YouTube page has been active with LP's, so you should check us out, (subscribe and stuff like that.) Worry not dear readers! We're coming back in March, with more video podcasts, and audio ones, too.

What's also coming out in March (hopefully)? The new Minecraft adventure map from NoxCrew! Paladin's Quest EP2, the sequel to the original Paladin's Quest. I (Megan) may or may not have some involvement with this map. You'll have to stay tuned won't you? Check them out on YT at NoxCrewPressents.

Soul Fantasy 52?

Christmas has come and gone, the 2011 game year is over and now we enter 2012. We're also entering one of the slowest release time of the year, but this week the video game industry dropped two games on us. Soul Calibur V and Final Fantasy XIII-2.

For Soul Calibur fans this gave new characters, and the incredibly nimble, and lady-stealing, assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, continuing in that tradition of guest characters. Most people aren't going to buy this game for the story, (the incredibly short story mode), but they will buy it for the new Critical edge system with which to beat their opponents with. I played through the story mode in about an hour, maybe more after getting trolled by the CPU. The story mode wasn't the first thing that I messed with though, I spent the first forty-five minutes of Soul Calibur V in the new character creation mode. You can change up the original character's clothing, skin color, hair, and give them tattoos, or make your own character using the 'soul', or fighting style, of one of the original characters of the game. I made two characters, one using the soul of newcomer Viola, and another using the soul of veteran Cervantes, and she is my favorite right now, (my character, not Cervantes, for he is a grumpy, used to be dead, pirate man, not a woman.) For those who will miss Sophitia don't worry, her weapons and fighting style live on through her two children, Patroklos, and Pyrrah, the main characters of the story line. I'll let you figure out what happens on your own though, and after you finish the story, go online and beat up some people. Online only please. It's a decent game well enough, coming from someone who rarely plays fighters.

Beyond all odds, Final Fantasy XIII-2 is going to be the bigger seller though, and we all know that's because it's got the words Fantasy and Final attached, and not in that order. Now, you can't lie to me, the first time you heard them announce this game with a 2 attached tot he end your thoughts went directly to FFX-2. You can't deny it. And we all hoped that it wasn't going to be like that game, we really did, but we also hoped that everything that was complained about in 13 would have changed a little. Good news, and maybe bad news? It's better than Final Fantasy X-2 (from first glances), but not everything was changed from Final Fantasy XIII. The Auto Battle feature is still there. Granted I'm not that far into it, (you can watch my progress on our YouTube channel, or clicking here CLICK), but I'm enjoying it. I enjoy the FF games, and I've only actually beaten two of them in my gaming career. I am intrigued by the story of this particular Fantasy of the 13th variety. How many time have you been asked "If it's Final Fantasy, how can there be thirteen of them?" I always reply, "There's more than that."

These two games will have to keep us satisfied, and occupied, for at least a little bit. That is until the 22nd of February when Sony releases their PSVita, and the half dozen games that will come out a week BEFORE the actual system does. Don't worry, we'll cover the Vita more later on. Something to think about though before then, do you know what Vita means? And I mean know what it means before you google it. Ten TCPS points if you knew!

Emotional Attachment to Virtual Adventure Seeking Avatars

**Strife's notes: This blog post contains spoilers for the 2008 game "Tales of Vesperia for the Xbox360. If you have any interest in the near future about playing this game and reading what seems to be a conclusion to a story arc or a plot twist, then skip this blog. I'll have another one posted up this weekend. This is more so a rant filled thrilling end to my all nighter of the game. ~Strife**

*Presses Start*

I am a story driven guy.

No matter what the game is, if a game has a pretty decent story, I'll play through until the end. If it has a great story, I'll play it religiously and won't play anything else until said game is finished.

Tales Of Vesperia is one of those games.

Let me go ahead and put out there that I love RPGs. Just as much as I love fighting games. A good RPG is hard to find and a great RPG is even harder. I love getting so involved with the characters and the experience. In a way, if a RPG is good, I get emotionally attached. Sometimes, it's not always a good thing.

Tales Of Vesperia is a JRPG that was released in August of 2008, and I'm just now experiencing the game for the first time. The music for the game is amazing, the graphics still stand up to today's standards and most importantly, The story (and events) aren't that bad. However, 14 hours in, I've run into a part that clashes with my emotional immersion. I've run into a part where Yuki (The Hero) is a man of questionable character. He breaks out of jail. He causes mischief. He beats up on the knights that are sent to capture them but never takes their lives. He saves people and generally knows right from wrong. Sounds like a guy to get behind, right? His snarky sarcastic take charge attitude really got me interested in him. So, like a good RPG, I'm involved with this character, right?



**SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS**


A good chunk into the story, you find out about a conspiracy that the head of a powerful council (Ragou)is doing to take over the lands and teamed up with people of less then stellar character to help pull this off. Now, of course, a boss battle takes place to fight the muscle of the two and defeat him. Ragou is captured and let go that night, due to some slick talking and pulling of his status. Here's where's things get tricky. Late that night, Ragou is on the bridge, talking and plotting his next move, and in a flash, Yuki appears and unsheathes his weapon. Ragou, unarmed and knowing no sorts of magic, pleads for his life. Yuki steps closer and when Ragou runs, he's struck down and killed. In cold blood.

I flash back to reality. Wait. That's totally NOT in that guy's agenda. He knows right and wrong, but killing someone who was unarmed? I know he was a dictator. In fact, there was an entire scene dedicated to what he's done. Stabbing in the back? I thought that was a total villain move. In total honesty, it was really close to me just turning the game off and walking away. I was so attached to Yuki that when something happened that seemed like it was out of character, it almost broke the game for me. It was that important.



**END SPOILERS**



In one of my favorite RPGs (one that we ironically did a podcast on), when the pretty big twist (If you've ever played it, you know which one I'm talking about) happens, I really did feel a sense of despair. At the end of it, I really did feel like we went on a time traveling adventure. None of the characters felt strange or did anything out of place. In one of the most popular RPGS of all time, a certain event was named the most shocking event in video game history. I knew grown teenage boys who cried when it happened. Heartbreaking indeed. In Dragon Age 2, There's a certain situation where if you make a decision based off your carelessness and lack of worry, someone departs the game in a pretty upsetting fashion. I really felt like I screw up royally and missed my noticeably missing character. I love being immersed in my games and almost to the point where I almost get mad when something happens that works for the game's sake but totally destroys anything that I imagined the character doing.

It's still sitting here paused. Granted, I could be totally off base. I could be making a big deal out of seemingly nothing. I'm unassumingly not that far in the game yet. However, that scene alone made such a deep impact on me that I have no choice but to continue and press start and hope that the character that I've been imagining playing out is the same virtual one on my screen.

Continue?

TCPS and The Internet

Specifically YouTube. You can listen and watch the podcasts on YouTube now! (Well, as soon as YouTube uploads and renders. If you've ever uploaded a video you feel the pain.) That's right, no need to download them from iTunes or Zune, or however you do it! Just wait for it to load in YouTube. Let it play int he background if it's an audio one. My point is you can get us on YouTube now, along with some more original videos that will showing up later this month, and more after the new year (when we aren't so busy working our retail setting jobs.)

Go ahead, click on the picture to take you to our youtube page. We do have some other videos there too. Let us know what you'd like to see. Click it. You know you want to.

Online Shenanigans

*Presses Start*

First off, Megan's on a roll, isn't she? Give her a hand! *claps*

Now to the good stuff.

Nowadays PSN and Xbox Live are a gamers second home. It makes you feel welcome. Accepted. Quaint. Playing online with millions of people across the world, making them all eat whatever you can dish out, it's a phenomenal experience that people around the world lose sleep over.

I can't stand it.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not a hermit, nor would I like my online systems disabled by any means. There are certain aspects of being online that I'm thankful for. I have friends everywhere that playing online is the only means of playing. However, I usually only play with friends. Not because I love my friends. Not because I love the netcode of the games.

It's because, by nature, human beings are assholes.

Playing online almost ruined my MVC3 playing because of the way people play (And still do) and it would get so frustrating and so ridiculous that the game that I waited to play for 10 years, I dropped in 2 months. It took a lot of convincing from friends to get back on the wagon and actually start playing, but now, I've limited it to just friends. I know we've all had that situation. Playing a game online just to run into that one person who needs to hit that instant win button. They make the game generally unendurable and maybe it's just my luck, but from Marvel to Madden to Modern Warfare, There's always that one.

On top of the online douchebaggery, The world wide web has never been the greatest place for competitive gaming. Some gamers will still get on with their dial up internet creating some of the slowest games ever. Lag is a terrible problem. It doesn't help the concentration when your game play looks like a slideshow. On top of all this, there are people to exploit this. Lag Switches are devices that temporarily disconnects you from the internet, and quickly connects you back. When happens, the person on the other end sees everything either in slow motion or catches the action in quick bursts, allowing the lag switcher to outmaneuver and do whatever is it to do to you to get the upper hand. It's a cheap way to get the win.

There's a ton more to talk about, like boosting, rapidfire, disconnecting, hacking, aimbots, exploits, etc, but then I'd be here all day. The main point that I'd like to bring up is there's nothing like having friends getting together and playing. Sure, I could play them online, but there's a certain feeling that you get when you've got your friends there. One of the best experiences I've had is getting friends together to play "X-Men Legends" when it dropped years ago. We were up all night, and then some. So much gaming. Same thing with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Multiplayer madness. Does anyone else remember Gauntlet? Get some friends and play some couch co-op! Go outside, make a friend so you can go back inside and be hermits. Besides, can you picture playing Mario Party 8 with a lag switcher? Geez.

Also, as a final note, back in May (or June?) , I made a post talking about Hollywood staying out of my video game movies. The post was sparked at the realization that they were making a Phoenix Wright movie. I blew it off, saying it was going to be dumb. The trailer was leaked on YouTube. I was wrong. It actually looks damn good. Go check it out. There's not many times I'm wrong about game movies. Hopefully, This will be enough to make me eat crow.

Continue?

Once upon a TCPS Holiday Guide

The holiday season is rapidly approaching and lots of people are thinking about gifts. Whether it be the person who's going out to buy them or the person being asked (or pestered) by their family for gift ideas because they can't come with something right away and they go through the same thing every year, and they're forced to make a- Sorry. Point is, it's the holidays. So what should you buy or want? Well, I Could give you a few ideas, but let me just run through some of the things that came out recently, so if you haven't picked them up yet, and you feel that you can wait until present opening time, you have something to tell those pestering persons of interest. (Also, I live in the US, so everything I state is based on availability and prices here.)

While the Nintendo 3DS didn't recently come out, it did get some awesome titles for it recently, and that enough should be enough to go out and pick up the handheld. If you're feeling lucky, or generous go and pick up one of the special editions or bundles. The new Flame Red bundle comes with Super Mario 3D Land, while a new Pearl Pink version has shown it's pretty face bundled with Nintendogs + cats. Of course there is the Cosmo Black Legend of Zelda Special Edition 3DS, detailed with gold art on the outside and gold buttons on the inside, and bundled with The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D. That's my personal favorite, but we've already clarified that I'm biased towards LoZ. You can pick all three of those up at your local GameStop(.com). (Please call ahead before you run in there saying TCPS told you so.) Walmart stores will have the Pink bundle, while you're local Target will be carrying The Pink and Red bundles. Both the Mario and Zelda 3DS Bundles will run you about $200, while the Pink puppy bundle will run you the regular price of $170.

But you're going to need something to play on your 3DS if you don't get a bundle! Well, just released is the new Mario Kart 7! Swim and Fly in this installment, and experience the fun that you know from the Mari Kart series. Also why not pick up some other Mario games, like Super Mario 3D Land, and the DS Mario games New Super Mario Bros, Super Mario 64, and many others. Not wanting to play as the courageous Link running around Hyrule in Ocarina of Time 3D? Got you covered. Do a freaking barrel roll in Star Fox 64, or spin dash into Egg Man in Sonic Generations. All of these games will run you between the sweet wallet spot of between $30 and $40. And don't forget to pick up those accessories for your games and handheld! You'll need a case to protect your pretty new 3DS, maybe a car charger, and a travel charging base if yo're gonna take it on the road. You might want to think about picking up a case to carry all of your games in to so you're not toting 10 to 15 big plastic cases with you in your bag. You'll need that space for the accessory to turn your 3DS into a controller for easier handling.

If we're gonna talk about Nintendo we can't forget the Wii. It's had some pretty good releases and so far the best selling release would have to be The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword. This isn't just my bias talking, it's gotten some amazing reviews. Nintendo really took advantage of their Wii MotionPlus with this game, and it's paid off. Again, if sword fighting isn't your dig why not take a break and dance with Just Dance 3, or maybe some fighting in WWE '12. Maybe Spyro is more your likes and you want to pick up some Skylanders. It's all there for the range of $30 to $70.

I know, you're really interested in the other consoles, right? Xbox 360 and Playstation 3? Yeah, they've had some amazing releases, too. Like Skyrim. If you haven't picked it up, and you think you can wait that long, go ahead and put that at the top of your list. Then when you open the gift and thank the person who bought it for you, tell the rest of your family and friends goodbye while you immerse yourself in a game that's going to easily last more than 90 hours. It was nice knowing you. Don't want to disappear for quite so long? Yeah, I don't blame you, (even if it is a really good game.) Why don't you ask for the newest installment in the AC series with Assassin's Creed Legacy. I hear that Ezio is older and searching for something, something that may or may not have to do with Altair. Just a hunch, I'm not actually sure. *ignores blatant AC ad playing in the background* Don't forget about Sonic, he's not just on the Wii and 3DS, and of course Batman Arkham City. New DLC coming out for that one. Or maybe you're more of a FPS person, yeah we've got you covered there, too. Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. You're welcome.

We can't forget the exclusives, like Kinect exclusives, or PS exclusives. Looking for fun for the whole family? Pick up Disneyland Adventures, seriously, I'm almost 24 and I kind of really want that game. Of course you can dance with the many dancing games, like Just Dance (1,2 or 3) The Black Eyed Peas Experience or Dance Central. Want to just kick back, or kick something? Kinect Sports season 2 is out, or kick some alien animals with Raving Rabbids Alive and Kicking. And the one Playstation 3 exclusive game worth buying is the next installment in the Uncharted franchise, Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception. Perfect for any Nolan North fan. Seriously, that guys voice gets around. Did you know he was in Marvel vs Capcom 3? No? Well go get that game, too!

Then for you PC players, you can pick most of the games mentioned above. Probably through Steam. Assassin's Creed Legacy, Sonic Generations, COD: Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Batman Arkham City, Saints Row The Third, Lord of the Rings: War in the North, and many many more. You could also play some Terraria and Minecraft which just came out with their own releases! Minecraft is official people, and Terraria is 1.1! You should think about picking up Bastion also, and maybe look into Trine and Trine 2.

Whatever you play this holiday you now have some idea on what to those gift hounds, and what to pick up for those that just have too much on their list, or too little. Whether you're going to stop at GameStop, Walmart, Target or Best Buy, at least you're not going to go in blind. Happy shopping all! Thank you for letting TCPS add a little more confusion into the busy season of shopping.