So I'm back. After trying to find a new site, one that actually got traffic on the review, I figured I might as well just finish it all here and get the address out there. So starting this week will be new reviews. Mainly Xbox, Xbox 360 and DS games. Also, with E3 just around the corner, will be editorials on the game industry and the direction it can go. Email me at BoondockSaint862@yahoo.com if you want anything written in here or, for some awesome reason, want me to write for some magazine, internet site, book, the President or anything else.

Rainbow Six: Lockdown


I was a big fan of this franchise when it first came out. I played it on Nintendo 64 and the PC. I loved the strategy and I loved the pre-planning of the missions. With the new Rainbow Six games, starting with Rainbow Six 3, they just changed. Ubisoft bought Redstorm and they messed the whole forumla up. The series turned into an arcade shooter. I'm not saying they're bad games, they just weren't what they used to be. They didn't have the same feel and it took the strategy and planning out of the games.
OK, after saying this, let's get started on Rainbow Six: Lockdown. Well, it's an arcade shooter. Think Halo goes Rainbow. It's not a bad game. Single player wasn't that great and it seemed pretty easy. Sometimes the AI was a little off and they did some stupid, stupid stuff, both my guys and the bad guys. The sniper missions were just terrible. On most the stages I thought I shot all the guys. I got all the guys I saw then-BAM- Chavez is down. Who in the hell shot him? I don't know. I didn't see the freaking guy each time I played the stage. So, like I said, it's a not a bad single player game, it's just not the same thing as it was back when it first game out in the late 90's.
Multiplayer was pretty fun. I liked the idea of the PEC (leveling up your character every so often), except you had to play so much to get a substansial level. I played for several hours and only got to level 4 or so. So either I just suck extremely bad or there is a problem with the leveling system. Also the points. Why so much to change a freaking shirt or to add a hat? And body armor? You have to level up to buy that. I think the PEC was a little off balance and favored people who played more, but it's a good addition to the online aspect of the game I would like to see in other games, like Ghost Recon.
Bottom line, if you don't have a lot of time, don't waste it on a game that costs $50 and isn't that great. Spend your time playing Ghost Recon 2 online or the new Battlefield 2 for Xbox. I won't buy another Rainbow Six game until they go back to the way it was-planning waypoints in blueprints and more realistic. That's called fun.

Halo and Halo 2

Well, I'm sure these games have been reviewed and run in the ground, but I don't care. I'll do it anyway. Both these games are similar. Halo 2 brings in some new things, such as locations, characters, weapons and the best of all, online multiplayer.
When I first got my Xbox, I played Halo. It's a fairly short game, compared to other ones, but it's a great game. I played it for a while until I got to The Flood areas. I just don't like playing those guys. It wasn't a whole lot of fun for me. It's a game you can't save when you want, you'll have check points you do, so it's not a pick up and play game for 5 or 10 minutes and then put it down, but they check points are fairly close.
Halo 2 I played for the first 3 or sor levels, then The Flood came and I stopped. Damn flood. Multiplayer is the best aspect of the game. I've spent countless hours playing with friends online in team battles and rumble pits. It never loses it's fun. It might get repeatitive after a while, but you just change the options and you'll have a whole new game.
All in all, Halo 2 would be better worth your money. If you have Xbox Live, you'll spend most your time on there anyway. The single player games are extremely similar and they both have system link multiplayer, but you'll get more bang for your buck with number 2.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
and
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic-The Sith Lords



Well, sorry for the late post, but I had to finish the second game in this title before I could post. The reason for this is because both games are similar, I would compare the two of them so you can get the best of your time. Both games allow you to pick your side, be it light or dark. Both games put you as a Jedi and you get the fun toys that go with it and they both have pretty good stories, at least for video games. now keep in mind both these games are turn-based RPG's. I hate RPG's. I hate the turn based thing because I suck at it. These two games are different, though. It didn't have that turn based feel to it and it still had the action game feel to it.
KOTOR was an excellant game. I started it back in November when I got my Xbox and played a lot of it, about 5 hours, when I first got it. As I was playing those hours, I got bored with the game because I wanted what I thought I would start the game out with-lightsabers and force powers....but you don't. Several hours go by before you become a Jedi and get the force powers, which was a big turn off to me. So, I got frustrated by not being a Jedi and I quit the game for a while. I guess I wouldn't be much of a Jedi in real life, huh? Well, after I saw Episode III back in May, I went back into a Star Wars craze and picked back up playing KOTOR again. From where I stopped playing, I was not that far from becoming a Jedi. I became one and played light side all the way through. I played for a total of 43 or so hours, give or take an hour or so, and that was doing almost all side quest. I was hooked once I became a Jedi and I just couldn't put it down. The story is great and it was the better of the two games, story wise. It'll blow your mind at a time here and there. You'll only reach a level 20, so about level 7 prior to Jedi and then 13 level ups as a Jedi. I played the last few hours of the game not leveling up at all because I couldn't, which kinda sucked, but oh well. About once the game froze and I had to do about 20 minutes over again (I save a lot and recommend doing so). The frame rate was kinda slow in some areas, but it didn't ruin the game play. Just kinda nasty looking at it.
KOTOR 2 I started playing because it was a sequel to a game a loved. This game was not that bad. I would play KOTOR 1 over 2 again, but I don't have time for that. KOTOR 2 gives you more force powers, a different story of course and you can influence your team and turn them into Jedi's, if you wish. The bad frame rate is still there, and sometimes, it might be a bit worse. There were times when it was raining and I wasn't even fighting and it started to slow down. The new force powers, I would say, are mainly dark side based. I used almost the same force powers in KOTOR 1 and I did in KOTOR 2, so I didn't really dabble in force scream, choke, kill and whatever other ones. I leveled up to about level 28 or 29 with a max level of 30. Sure I was a tad bit upset I didn't get all the way to 30, but I didn't really need it. All the force powers I used, force wave, force storm, master heal, throw lightsaber and a couple others, were already maxed. In the end of the game, you don't really need anything else. I played for about 12 hours or so before I even got my lightsaber so that was a little disapointing, but at least I got it. Force powers you start to get right off the bat, so that was fun. I only played for about an hour or 2 and I started to get powers. I also liked the idea of turning my team into Jedi's. I turned about 3 or so into Jedi's (Bao-Dur, the Handmaiden and Visas was already one, but I made her light). There weren't as many lightsabers scattered through the game. In KOTOR 1, I had 50 at the end (ok that's a lie, but it was lot). But in KOTOR 2, I only had about 4-5. I got more as I went into the end of the game, but by then I couldn't have anyone else on the team except me. There were times in the game when I just wasn't into the story and it was hard for me to play. I played because I knew it would get better. It did, but not to what I expected.
The ending of 2 wasn't as good as 1. In 1 I had some bit of a closing, but in 2 as I was waiting to see the final scene, the credits came on. I could say a lot more, but for those who are anal about spoilers, I won't. I played both games light side based. I just can't be mean to people, even though they aren't real. Dark siders.....I would like to play just to see the story, but I don't have time. Light side you might not get enough money starting out, but in the end you'll have plenty. In KOTOR 2, you'll get to create things you need so money isn't as important.
In the end I would pick KOTOR 1 over 2. They both have their good points. 1 with the story and 2 with Jedi powers and team influence. I'm not saying 2 is a bad game. It's not by a long shot. I just think if you're short on time, but love the Star Wars world, KOTOR 1 would be your time better spent. If you have a lot of time, which I don't and this post isn't aimed at, go ahead and pick up KOTOR 2. You'll have a fun time for whichever one you choose. May the Force be with you.

This is not going to be much of a blog. All the blogs I've read are people whining about various things, their opinions that everyone should follow or some other take on life. This probably is all three of those-me whining about certain games and my opinions on those, which should be written in stone.
Now that the opening is out of the way, we can get to what is important...games. I might not always talk about games of the video sort, but that will be the focus. It's not for all people. Those who dress up as their favorite Final Fanstasy character or have a skin tone lighter than mine probably will want me burned at the stake for the things I'll say on here. This article, blog, newsletter, journal, Bible or whatever you want to call it is meant for the people who play videogames casually or when they can. I work 40+ hours a week, 10 hours a day, four days a week plus overtime, on the night shift. I do not have time to play 100's hours of games and still have a social life. Well, that's a lie. I don't have a social life anyway. I want to play the best games for the stories and for the fun. I don't want to play the same boss 40 different times or spend countless hours trying to figure out a puzzle. I want to get through the game with the precious time I have so I can get the full effect of the game. Sure I might put in a cheat code here and there on certain single player games (never cheat online, though), but it's so I can do what the devlopers wanted the buyer to do: play the game for a fun time.
Personally, spending hours upon hours running in circles pushing crates around to open up the secret door to get the magic wand to beat the boss that I'll play 40 times to beat isn't my idea of fun. So this will help the working and casual gamers alike find those games that they can play without having to worry about not seeing daylight for a week and getting fired. I'll review those games I think are good games that can be beat fairly easy, quickly or well worth it. Some of you might not agree with this I'm sure, but those of you who don't agree with this, don't you have to go dress up as a Final Fantasy character? More to come soon...