Unlike Mila Kunis...

Everyone knows who Mila Kunis is. She used to play one of the annoying characters in That 70's Show and she seems to be mistaken as an actress since she always seem to be able to get herself into quite a number of roles. Unlike DVDs and Blu-ray discs ruined by Mila Kunis however, it seems like Ni No Kuni, with its Wrath of the White Witch subtitle, the supposedly good PlayStation 3 role playing game is not easily available at my local retailers. I do want to play this game because I do enjoy previous efforts by developer Level-5 with Dark Cloud 2 being their masterpiece and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King trailing behind it. Also, I'd like to support games that actually make use of the PS3 tech because the game does look quite good compared to a majority of games being released on the console. And they want to release the PlayStation 4? So silly. When are they going to learn that it's not about the tech but it's always about the developer's creativity and art-style? Why is Rez still so timelessly beautiful now when wireframe graphics technique was used to make the game? Yes, I am still hot about that hilarious PS4 announcement but let's get back to the main discussion: I found it baffling that more than a month after the game's official release, Ni no Kuni is not available for purchase in my area. I will say that I didn't check my local GameStop - I will never ever go back there. The game is indeed available to be downloaded from the PlayStation Network Store... It's as if Sony is limiting the number of retail copies and is insisting that people buy this digitally so that they can make more money but then, they are still shying away from the idea of full digital distribution for the PS4. Mind boggling!

"Soon after the release of the PS4, I began asking developers what they want for the PS5."

- Mark Cerny, PlayStation Meeting 2018

Update Note: 03/05/2013 - The game was finally available over the weekend at my favorite electronic store and I did pick it up immediately.

Games Played 02/18/2013 - 02/24/2013

- 02/18/2013 -

Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3

League of Legends - PC

Sine Mora - PC

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

- 02/19/2013 -

Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3

League of Legends - PC

- 02/20/2013 -

Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3

League of Legends - PC

- 02/21/2013 -

Capcom Classics Collection: Volume 1 - X-Box

Dragon Ball Z: Shinbutohden - SegaSaturn

Guild Wars 2 - PC

League of Legends - PC

Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei - SegaSaturn

Sonic & All-Stars Racing; Transformed - PC

Sega Ages: Castle of Illusion & Quackshot - SegaSaturn

- 02/22/2013 -

Guild Wars 2 - PC

Gradius V - PlayStation 2

League of Legends - PC

Need for Speed: Most Wanted - PC

New Super Mario Bros. U - Wii U

- 02/23/2013 -

Guild Wars 2 - PC

- 02/24/2013 -

As you have  noticed from the previous day, I only got a chance to play one game before I fell ill. So ill that I couldn't even play anything else for almost two days. I was recovering all weekend and thankfully I am well again today.

Screenshot of the Week:

The new DLC track is awesome but... where's the Shiny World soundtrack?!

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transfromed ( Personal Computer)

Valentine's Day 2013 Story

Something really hot happened during Valentine's Day last week. The spouse and I had just returned from a delicious, romantic dinner at our favorite sushi restaurant and we went straight into the bedroom... No, not the bedroom actually for it was the Game Room! The spouse then instructed me to go to amazon.com and pick several games that I would like to have. Today, those games have arrived and what makes this particular group induction significant besides the fact that these games are Valentine's Day gifts  from the spouse is the fact that one of them is a Wii U game. What? So it took close to 3 months before I got myself another Wii U game. You got to pick up the speed Nintendo and deliver us some quality video games that could have released on the old Wii console...

The spouse gets the foo-foo stuff and I get the games.

Even My Hun is Doing It

I got a very interesting home project to complete this week! I am tasked to hook up the rogue computer we have in the hallway on the second floor to the 56" DLP my spouse uses in the living room. Previously, this is the computer that we would allow visiting family members to use but then I stopped that "public access" when I discovered the nasty viruses left behind that almost crippled the poor thing! Apparently, after seeing the crazy things I could do with the PC and the big screen displays all these years, particularly the freedom of watching Hulu and other web shows, the spouse is finally convinced and is now excited about the prospect of accessing the computer for Internet fun in the living room without going to our second floor office. In case you were born in the 1800s, the modern PC can be connected to modern displays for quite some time now and it doesn't require you to time travel nor does it require a Steam Box - Valve, stop wasting your time making one of those, just continue building on that Big Picture Mode. I hope to be able to get everything ready for the spouse by the end of the week. What are you waiting for? Hook up that darn PC to your HDTV and experience awesome PC gaming on the big screen already!

Would you allow me to upgrade the OS from Vista to 7 hun?

PS4 Announcement is a Comedy Show

As I am watching this live broadcast of the PlayStation Meeting 2013, I couldn't help laughing at how funny this whole thing is... With developers and Sony speakers claiming that they couldn't make these new games until the arrival of the PlayStation 4 because you know what's going to happen 5 years from now: They will say again that the developers are limited by tech before and that they could only make the games of their dreams with the PlayStation 5. I will tell you one thing though, I do like the whole plan to enable play of all previous PlayStation games on a plethora of devices but I am going to approach that fishy promise with caution. Does it mean we have to buy them all again? Is it a subscription service? Do we have to own a PS4 to be able to accomplish that? I have no interest in the PS4 until that whole thing is clear.

Don't worry, this guy will start working on the PS5 as soon as the PS4 comes out...

Sony Softening the Death Blow

With the violent early destruction of everything we love about the PlayStation 3 that would come from the suspected announcement of a new console by Sony tomorrow, Sony actually had the nerve bribing us to be on their side! That's right, I was happily playing Final Fantasy XIII on my PS3 tonight when all of a sudden, a message came from Sony thanking me for being a loyal PlayStation Network fan and with it, included a voucher for $10 PSN Store credit. I like getting free games, no doubt about that, but we all know that this is not about honoring the support that we have given Sony for the PS3 itself. It's just a pitiful attempt to justify them killing off the PS3 early if they decided to move on with the unveiling of the new console. How disgusting...

We are about ready to kill off the console. Here's $10 for your troubles!

Games Played 02/11/2013 - 02/17/2013

- 02/11/2013 -
Diablo III - PC
Eschatos - X-Box 360
League of Legends - PC
Sonic & All Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

- 02/12/2013 -
League of Legends - PC
Mario Kart 7 - 3DS
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

- 02/13/2013 -
League of Legends - PC
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor - Wii
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

- 02/14/2013 -
Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3
League of Legends - PC
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor - Wii

- 02/15/2013 -
Eschatos - X-Box 360
League of Legends - PC

- 02/16/2013 -
League of Legends - PC
Sine Mora - PC

- 02/17/2013 -
League of Legends - PC
Sine Mora - PC
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC


Screenshot of the Week:

What is sexier than Ulala's cheesy pose? That loop-the-loop in the far distance.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed (Personal Computer)

Yearly Gaming Analysis: 2012

2012 was a year of pleasant surprises. Who knew that I would actually get into iOS gaming via my iPad 2 only to discover the plethora of incredible games available for the platform? I would never have guessed that the PlayStation Vita would become a part of my Game Library but it did happen. The spouse and I could never agree on expanding the family until we welcomed Yoshi into our lives and that decision was definitely the most important and life-changing one made last year that truly enhances my existence outside of gaming.

There was that one constant gaming force that never seem to run out fuel after all these years by the name of League of Legends for the Personal Computer. As you will see later in this report, it was the most played game of 2012 and was pretty much light years ahead of the other titles in my Game Library in terms of play frequency. Though it's obvious that my love for this game knows no limit, I will choose a different game to highlight as my favorite PC game for 2012. But if you are one of those individuals who have not played this game, you are really missing out. Sign up for your free summoner profile by clicking here and start playing the game. The best thing about LoL? It is 100% free to play. The fact that LoL is the most played title across all platforms over the past 3 years for me should tell you how incredible this game truly is.

This analysis will include all games that were inducted in 2012, even if the games were released prior to that year. The brackets shown in the number counts signify the difference between 2011 and 2012. I hope you will find this report informative and an entertaining read.

---HANDHELDS---

iPAD

Total Year Inductions: 78 (+78)

NINTENDO DS

Total Year Inductions: 9 (+6)

NINTENDO 3DS

Total Year Inductions: 9 (+6)

PLAYSTATION PORTABLE

Total Year Inductions: 4 (+3)

PLAYSTATION VITA:

Total Year Inductions: 6 (+6)

Favorite Game of the Year:

Super Stardust Delta

Developer: Housemarque
Induction Date: 11/03/2012

A game the makes that low resolution OLED screen look good.

The funny thing about this is that an iOS game would have taken that honor if I didn't have the Vita. It's quite obvious that 2012 was the least exciting year when it comes to the handhelds. Still, that doesn't mean that Super Stardust Delta got picked by default because it certainly very deserving of its prominence. Super Stardust on the PlayStation 3 is still the best digital download game for the system and this sequel builds upon the same addictive meteor-busting mechanics with better graphics, a more balanced weapon system, and even nastier end planet bosses. The only thing bewildering about it is the fact that it should have been released on the PS3 itself already.

Disappointment of the Year:

I wished that there were more great games that I could pick up for my Vita, that's for sure. Things are getting a little scary for the ironically named handheld and I sense an impending doom. Oh well, at least I will be able to play plenty of PlayStation Portable games on it.

---WII BRAND---

NINTENDO WII

Total Year Inductions: 12 (+9)

WII U

Total Year Induction: 1 (+1)

Favorite Game of the Year:

Fortune Street

Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.

Induction Date: 10/13/2012

Things are happy and prosperous... to the winner that is!

Wii games didn't get much playtime last year but the most memorable one out of the bunch was indeed Fortune Street. It's a Monopoly-inspired board game featuring Nintendo and Square Enix characters. Of course it's not even close to Culdcept quality but it was the only Wii game I got last year that actually accrued some actual play time. Many would argue that The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles really spiced up 2012 for the console but I didn't find the time to invest in them since they both couldn't grab on to me like this game did.

Disappointment of the Year:

The official death of the Nintendo Wii. Technology doesn't make the game: It's all about creativity. I have several great examples of this. First, Shadow of the Colossus on the PlayStation 2. The PS2 had no business running a game that ambitious but it did. I didn't see any technical shortcomings. I only saw the bravery of those involved in creating that game and the artistic beauty that came out of it. Second, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. It still remains as the best looking game Nintendo has ever made thus far and it was a Nintendo GameCube game! Nothing on the Wii looked that good, not even The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword! Lastly, the Wii U. Yeah, the Wii U is more powerful than the Wii, we all know that, and from all that crazy tech that we got they made... New Super Mario Bros. U? Even Nintendo Land doesn't look all that impressive. The same goes with all the third party releases.

---PERSONAL COMPUTER---

Total Year Inductions: 254 (+131)

Favorite Game of the Year:
Diablo III
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Induction Date: 05/15/2012

Now with PVP.

The hate surrounding this game is rather monumental but I personally do not have a problem with Diablo III. It's certainly not perfect but it doesn't have to be for it to be fun. Of course it helps that the game is the best looking action role playing dungeon crawler to date - it makes Torchlight II looked like something made 10 years ago - but the distinct classes with their awesome skills and abilities encouraged me to play trhough the game over and over again. The auction house is a cool addition to the game but to me, nothing beats actually finding those rare drops myself even if it means that it may take me like... forever perhaps? Still, I did spend a lot of in-game gold to purchase those armor dyes from the AH however... Got to keep my characters color-coordinated.

Disappointment of the Year:

Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit

Developer: Arkedo

Induction Date: 10/29/2012

The early screenshots and video footage of this game looked zany, crazy, fast-paced, insane, and perhaps even potentially brilliant. The premise... So deliciously evil! The bunny prince of hell, Ash, got his scandalous, embarrassing secret exposed to 100 denizens of hell so you get to control him exacting revenge upon those poor souls. The random, stylish violence that Ash enacts upon his targets are often time nonsensical but they are always pretty darn funny. Unfortunately, that is the only fun thing about this game. Running around the 2D levels gets boring very fast because there's little to do besides trying to get to the next target to kill. Since not all of them feature epic battle to the death unlike something like say Shadow of the Colossus where each encounter is majestic, the sense of real accomplishment is not really there. It's a shame because I really do want to love this game because of its silly sense of humor and tasty high definition 2D graphics but how could I when the simplicity put me to sleep every time I attempted to continue playing the game.

---THE PLAYSTATION BRAND---

PLAYSTATION 2

Total Year Inductions: 3 (+1)

PLAYSTATION 3

Total Year Inductions: 36 (-9)

Favorite Game of the Year:

Guardians of Middle-earth

Developer: Monolith Productions

Induction Date: 12/05/2012

We need more guardians... A lot more!

A multiplayer online battle arena on a console you say and it's actually playable? Yes, this game is a miracle for sure though I really do think it could have been a lot better than what we are presented with. To get the most enjoyment out of this game however you do have to make sure that you play against the bots, whether alone or with other players, to unlock all the characters as well as the advanced items to equip them with so that you will be competitive once you actually play against other players. I tried the matchmaking game a couple of times and it was obvious that this game would match you with anyone available even if they are of higher rank so save the annoyance and frustration and just enjoy the game until you are ready for that. GoMe is a significant console release because it proves that MOBA is possible on the console. The next console MOBA developer should remember one thing though: add keyboard and mouse support to help with the game's overall design and playability. Just because it's on the console, it doesn't mean we can't have mouse and keyboard support when it's appropriate. It's like saying PC games shouldn't use game controllers for games that would play better using them and I will always mark the person who says such a thing as mentally-challenged or in other word, an idiot.

Disappointment of the Year:

Actually, 2012 was a good year for the PS3 so I don't have anything negative to say about the console. I actually love how the PS3 got a lot of light gun shooting games like The House of the Dead and Resident Evil Chronicles series last year thanks to the Move controller and I surely hope that we get to see more of them before this awesome console gets abandoned by Sony. I really think that the PS3 could last another 5 years or even another 10. Well, the possibility that 2012 may be one of the final years of the PS3 is actually rather disappointing.

---X-BOX 360---

Total Year Inductions: 14 (+1)

Favorite Game of the Year:

Eschatos

Developer: Qute Corporation

Induction Date: 11/05/2012

A Wonder Price for something quite wonderful.

Year after year after year after year, the 360 is only made significant in my gaming life thanks to the help of Japanese shoot-'em-ups. If the developers of these fine games could just tell me that they will start making their games available cross-platform, well, I can then just eliminate the possibility of ever owning the next gaming console from Microsoft. While a game like Sine Mora offers a prominent technological leap as well as an unusually high production value for the genre, Eschatos is easily the superior game thanks to its faster yet somewhat offbeat pace. The weird camera angles and those crazy UFOs help in giving the game a more distinctive flavor as well. Eschatos is an exciting deviation from your usual Cave affair, that's for sure.

Disappointment of the Year:

While the PS3 had a pretty interesting 2012, things were somewhat uneventful on the 360. I do find it very disappointing that Microsoft still hasn't abolish that requirement of paying money to access online multiplayer. It's a disgusting, outdated practice. If only there were enough LIVE Gold subscribers out there who would stop their subscriptions cold turkey like I did two years ago. That would be the only way to force Microsoft to change their filthy ways...

---INTERESTING TIDBITS---

MOST PLAYED GAMES OF THE YEAR:
Games that have been played for 10 days or more within the year:

Diablo III did put up a good fight but it was still no match for LoL.

TOTAL NUMBER OF GAMES PLAYED: 437 (+123)
15.4% of the entire Game Library as of 02/15/2013

TOTAL NUMBER OF GAMES INDUCTED: 426 (+233)
15% of the entire Game Library as of 02/15/2013

HOLD ON TIGHT TO YOUR PC THIS YEAR AND HAPPY GAMING!

So Tired of New Consoles

It is believed that Sony will shamelessly reveal their new console on the 20th of this month before the PlayStation 3 itself could even be utilized to its maxed potential. As I have laid out in details before, I am so tired of it all. So when I saw Sony advertised the announcement on Twitter, I just couldn't help myself.

My view of the future is certainly a more positive and a brighter one.

Cass Skin Shedding Action

After playing a lengthy session of League of Legends on the Personal Computer tonight, I was trying to decide on the next game to play when suddenly I heard some crazy loud noise from my screen. I thought maybe a web ad had popped up because I was also doing some Internet browsing but then I realized that it actually sounded like a firecracker. When I looked at my LoL client, I saw this:

Woah!!!

I was so excited of course because that Jade Fang Cassiopeia skin is pretty darn hot! LoL is having a Chinese New Year inspired celebration at the moment and with that, a number of new Chinese inspired champion skins have just been released and that Jade Fang Cass is one of them! We were playing some ranked games tonight and we didn't have much success but of course, that didn't bother me so much. The only thing that bothers me in this game are rude people but of course, this is a very generous, friendly gesture from my fellow summoner Lady Gogo. I'm going to join a blind pick Proving Grounds and use the skin tonight!

The only champion I have with 3 alternate skins!

Games Played 02/04/2013 - 02/10/2013

- 02/04/2013 -

Eschatos - X-Box 360

Fable: The Journey - X-Box 360

Guardians of Middle-earth - PlayStation 3

League of Legends - PC

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

- 02/05/2013 -

Guardians of Middle-earth - PlayStation 3

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

- 02/06/2013 -

Child of Eden - X-Box 360

Guardians of Middle-earth - PlayStation 3

Street Fighter x Tekken - PC

- 02/07/2013 -

Eschatos - X-Box 360

Deathsmiles IIX - X-Box 360

Guardians of Middle-earth - PlayStation 3

Singstar Digital - PlayStation 3

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection - PlayStation 3

- 02/08/2013 -

Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3

Guardians of Middle-earth - PlayStation 3

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - PC

- 02/09/2013 -

Guardians of Middle-earth - PlayStation 3

Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3

Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition - PlayStation 3

- 02/10/2013 -

Anarchy Reigns - PlayStation 3
Final Fantasy XIII - PlayStation 3

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition - PlayStation 3

Screenshot of the Week:

That is indeed the perfect description of yours truly. Yup.

Dual Screen Wallpaper Perfection?

Ever since I propped up my previous 52" LCD as the second monitor for my Personal Computer, I have been on the lookout for a great dual screen wallpaper with the dimension of 3840 x 1080. It was indeed a frustrating search for there were not that many that look even remotely decent. A friend of mine did assist me in finding a cool looking anime wallpaper that was definitely the best looking one until of course I got a little creative and started experimenting with image combinations. My original dream was to have an Ikaruga wallpaper with Shinra on my left screen and Kagari on my right but I just couldn't find high resolution images of both to play around with. Then, I recall that one stunning image of Kirsten Dunst in a wedding gown from the movie Melancholia and the result? I can't stop staring at my screens... So I believe this is truly a success!

What's better than Kirsten Dunst? Double the Kirsten Dunst!

A Cheap Mirror Has Cracks

Ah, mirror tracks. They should be included in all racing games to increase their replay value. All the developers have to do is reverse the graphics assets of those tracks while maintaining the proper controls and it's all good to go. They do have to remember however to not mess with the actual player-controlled vehicles...

I got caught playing as Danica Patrick again! Oh no!

Final Fantasy XIII Rerun

I have finally built up enough courage to play Final Fantasy XIII for the PlayStation 3 again. As you may already know, I played the game a while back and almost got so close to the end when my PS3 unit suddenly died, taking the save file with it. It's always hard to replay a Japanese role playing game because they are normally a one play-through deal but I do love FFXIII story and even though I already started playing its sequel - the one that I couldn't finish as I returned it early when I was giving GameFly another shot - I feel strongly about replaying XIII from the beginning. I am broadcasting my play-through on my twitch.tv channel so feel free to stop by to give me a much needed words of encouragement to keep going until the end! In other news...

The spouse finally got us a SodaStream. Oh yum!

Unlockable Character Fail

I love Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed on my Personal Computer. It's certainly the best kart racer I have ever played. So this morning, I was working on unlocking many of the game's characters via the World Tour mode where you have to complete missions via branching maps to get to the locked characters. I already unlocked Samba de Amigo and was really looking forward to get a super cool Sega character that will make me weep but instead, the next character I was rewarded with was... Danica Patrick?!

Despite what it says on screen, you failed.

Not only is it Danica Patrick but it is Danica Patrick PLUS her GoDaddy.com sponsorship! So out of all the possible female Sega characters, we know there are plenty, who can get squeezed into the game, we get Danica Patrick instead. It was bad enough that the out of place Wreck-It Ralph is in here and now this? If I didn't love this game so much, I would have stopped playing...

Capcom Apologizes, PC Gamers Win

After seemingly abandoning the development of the awesome Street Fighter x Tekken on the Personal Computer with almost a non-release of important updates, like the additional 12 characters for the game, Capcom apologized for their disrespectful ways last week and today... The 12 characters can be purchased for a mere $5! Yes, you heard me right. $5. Yes, having a gaming PC is something that every gamer should do. Sure, get the consoles, but as I have specifically written about before, game primarily on the PC - you get cheaper games and they are also the best version of those games... It's worth it!

First it was Sega, and now, Capcom. Apology accepted y'all!

Elgato: PVR Like a Ninja

I have always wanted a personal video recorder for my consoles and for a long time, the good options either wanted to hijack a PCI slot in my Personal Computer or a significant amount of space on my entertainment center. Also, most of them are restricted to component cables and to think about managing those around what is already a messy situation in my Game Room because I have so many game devices hooked up to my receiver made me extremely dizzy. Then early last year, I heard about the Elgato Game Capture HD: a surprisingly small, 2.9" x 1.0" x 4.3" oh my galaxy, USB-powered device that actually takes in an HDMI cable and I was excited. I finally have the device installed in my Game Room and it is so much fun to use.

Never judge a PVR by its size.

Basically, all you have to do is connect an HDMI cable into the device and connect another from the device into your display. You also have to connect a USB cable from the device into your PC. Though the EGCHD can only record up to 1080p 30fps capture, it will pass-through 1080p 60fps without any delay! You can record 60fps at 720p. The captured video looks great and you can mess around with the options to get to a quality compromise if hard drive space is an issue for you. Since the video feed from the PlayStation 3 is HDCP-protected, you do have to connect a special D-Terminal cable between the console and the EGCHD. Don't worry though, you will still get your 1080p pass-through though I will say that the image fidelity is somewhat affected where the video looks a little softer. Now the EGCHD will work if you have everything hooked up to the receiver, except for the PS3 video as I specified before mind you. This is definitely the best way to use the EGCHD because you will still be able to enjoy all the digital sound decoding before sending the same information to the EGCHD and having it downscale the sound to stereo for capture purposes.

Can you find the Elgato Game Capture HD?

The actual capture software must be downloaded from the official website and it is easy to use and self-explanatory. The coolest thing about the software here is that it was recently updated with twitch.tv streaming up to 720p. The software can also be used as a capture camera for XSplit and even the free streaming software that I am using now called Open Broadcaster Software. Though the stream itself looks pretty darn incredible and can be done up to 5 Mbps if you have a speedy ISP, I am not able to stream at 60 frames per second neither using its own software nor through the OBS. From what I understood however, this may be addressed in a future update and that is certainly exciting news. [Update 12/21/2013 - I am now able to stream 60fps games properly as long as I set the console output to 720p. This didn't work when I wrote the review so this may have been enabled sometime between then and now.]

Oh there you are! Out of the way from everything else!

My initial interest in recording console gameplay with this device - I use Fraps and Dxtory for my PC games in case you were wondering - was to record fun gameplay from my gaming sessions but that has turned into streaming my console games on my twitch.tv channel. My consoles are probably thanking the EGCHD because I am playing them more. I have been streaming a lot of PC games just for my personal enjoyment and now, the consoles can join in on the fun. Whether you are interested in recording console gameplay or streaming it or both, the Elgato Game Capture HD should be on the top of your list because it does not rudely intrude upon your gaming space while delivering a surprisingly remarkable PVR performance.

RATING: 4 out of 5

Games Played 01/28/2013 - 02/03/2013

- 01/28/2013 -
Hitman: Absolution - PC
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - PC
League of Legends - PC
Strikers 1945 Plus Portable - PSP

- 01/29/2013 -
Bejeweled 3 - PC
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - PC
Sega Genesis & Mega Drive Classics - PC

- 01/30/2013 -
Jetpack Joyride - Vita
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - PC

- 01/31/2013 -
Jetpack Joyride - Vita
League of Legends - PC
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC

- 02/01/2013 -
After Burner Climax - X-Box 360
Eschatos - X-Box 360
Ikaruga - X-Box 360
Jetpack Joyride - Vita

- 02/02/2013 -
Eschatos - X-Box 360
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor - Wii
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC
Titan Quest - PC

- 02/03/2013 -
Eschatos - X-Box 360
ESPGaluda II Black Label - X-Box 360
Lollipop Chainsaw - X-Box 360
Rhythm Heaven - Wii
Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed - PC


Screenshot of the Week:

Sumo Digital want to remind  us that Sega is forever awesome.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed (Personal Computer)

Back That Thing Up: Trucker-Style

I hate backing up to park my car. Reverse parking is something that I avoid because it just takes a while for me to get it right. I hate parallel parking worse though but that is another story for another time. Yesterday, the spouse and I went grocery shopping and like usual, to help with carrying the groceries into the house, I would back up into our driveway. Usually it would take 3 or more times for me to adjust the car to have it properly parked but I was able to do it on the first go! It was an enlightening moment for me because such an accomplishment was an impossibility before. Then earlier today, I backed up up into my driveway again and the same thing happened. I knew that I did a lot of backing-up in Euro Truck Simulator 2 for the Personal Computer but I would never imagine that this would have an impact on my life outside of gaming. Too bad the game doesn't require me to parallel park my truck and whatever it is hauling...

All that hard work, including driving in the middle of the night, has finally paid off?

Don't Get Cross-Eyed

I have completed the dual big screen display setup for my Personal Computer in the Game Room. I actually like the way the two screens look next to each other even though it is obvious that my old LCD just cannot match the image fidelity of my new display. I have never used multiple display setups with my PC in the past and apparently, I have been missing out on the fun! Earlier today, I was watching a League of Legends tournament stream on one display, in full screen, while chatting with a friend on Steam and browsing the Internet on the other! I suppose I could accomplish this with using one monitor and my iPad but we are talking about two epic big screen televisions here! I'm liking it!

It was a bit awkward at first but my eyes are accustomed to them now.

Double Display? What Does It Mean?

When I got my new 56" display not too long ago, I decided not to sell my previous 52" display that was starting to show its age. I actually offered to set up the display in the living room for the spouse but apparently, the spouse rather keep another hand-me-down, an old DLP that I used previously for gaming because ts has a larger size of 56". I explained to the spouse that the DLP is plagued with overscan and that my 52" LCD will no longer cut the edges of the video feed. That argument was not convincing enough so I have now found a different use for the display - as a second screen for my Personal Computer in my Game Room. I wonder why I didn't think of this before. I did a test run and the dual screen setup is great! I can even stream on one screen and watch that very stream or something else on the other. All it takes now for me is to move some furniture around so that both screen will be on the same level. I may do this tomorrow. I will post a picture of the setup once everything is complete!

Double the big screen! Delicious?