GTA 4, completed

The story of the game, that is. It is almost impossible for me to hit 100% completion for the game; I have never done so for the past GTA games. I just have to say, I am totally satisfied with the game, and I do not regret one bit buying the PS3 for GTA 4. Review will be up shortly, but in the mean time, I shall head back to Liberty City to hunt down the remaining 100+ pigeons (the secret package rendition in GTA 4).

I'm so sorry I overlooked you

I've got to be honest with you - I was never familiar with the Playstation 3-exclusive title, LittleBigPlanet, prior to last Friday. I only knew it generated a lot of interest and went through a lot of delays since it was first unveiled in GDC 2007. It was only until I saw the few developer's walkthrough (courtesy of gametrailers) during Sony Gamers' Day 08 that the game started to attract my attention. My interest in the game grew over the course of the few minutes of walkthrough, and I started to dig out previous trailers of the game. That's when I chanced upon this 18 minute long introduction of the game during last year's GDC, and after watching it, all I can say is: I can't wait for October to come! It simply is that mind blowing. The only way to justify my reaction is to watch the clip for yourself. It's that good. Take note, when this clip was made, the game was only about 9 months into production, or so Media Molecule (the developer) claimed. Pretty impressive huh :)

Lost in translation

Happened to come across this article at Kotaku while I was taking a break from GTA IV. The author of the post, Ashcraft, was obviously displeased with Kojima's latest comments about the media distorting his words during interviews, and some of the examples Kojima mentioned seemed to be directed at Kotaku.

First I have to admit that I like Kojima, for his personality and also the fact that without him there will be no MGS. That said, I do not think I am biased when I say that Ashcraft's article has exactly illustrated Kojima's point. First, look at the title of the post: "Americans Brag, PS3 No Letdown, Kotaku is Wrong". Hmm, sounds pretty much like a sensationalized heading, isn't it? Next, the translation of the interview he has based his source on, came from a user of the Playstation board. Hmm, ever consider that what Kojima had said was not accurately translated in the first place? After all, the translator himself already stated clearly that the translation of the interview was not a complete one. So, Mr. Ashcraft, I ask you, did you even consider that? Did you make sure that that is exactly what Kojima had intended to say before posting it in Kotaku? At least you could have put a disclaimer together with your post stating that the translation may not be 100% accurate, right?

Grand Theft Auto IV: Afterthoughts

I shan't call this a review, since I am not even close to finishing the main story of GTA IV. However, I feel I have played enough to give a decent impression of the game, how it stands as compared to the previous GTAs.

First, I've got to state that I was playing the game on a SD TV (I need to make more money before I can get a HD TV, damn it!), but I'm still very impressed with what I saw. The graphics of GTA IV are obviously a notch above the previous installations. The big difference is that GTA 3, VC and SA had all sported cartoony graphics, whereas in GTA IV, the producers are clearly going for a more realistic look. Perhaps it's because of the new direction (realism) the game is heading, even the missions are less "insane" as compared to the past games. So far, I've yet to encounter any zany missions such as bombing/chasing stuffs with RC choppers, and the mission NPCs are more believable. Even the driving mechanic was tweaked to make it feel more realistic, as it is now more difficult to maneuver corners at high speeds.

Next up, on the main character, Niko Bellic. I'd say Niko is pretty likeable person, and personally I rank him second, just below Tommy Vercetti, whom I still feel is the best protagonist. I find myself agreeing with most of the reviewers when they said they are more emotionally attached to Niko, as he forced under circumstances to commit acts he is reluctant to do. However, there are some inconsistencies, as people who play the game will notice the fact that during some missions Niko seem more than willing to do dirty work for the sake of money. That said, all in all, Niko can be considered to be a "good" guy and I'm sure most GTA fans will not be disappointed as him being the main character of the game.

Finally, let me touch on the plot abit. I will try not to reveal too much spoilers, but man, is the plot good. Remember the last mission of SA when CJ chased Tenpenny down and indirectly killed him? The satisfaction you get when seeing that dickhead die? Well, I experienced satisfaction arguably of equal intensity as that as early as the first 5 hours into GTA IV. That is how good the plot is. It may be a tad similar to those typical Hollywood shows, but who cares so long the Hollywood shows that it is similar to are those of the AAA quality.

I shall give more insight to the game once I proceed further into the storyline and the gameplay. Till then, cya.

There are many parodies of real life in the game


I just love the subtle humor the producers put into the game


What is GTA without the flashy cool cars?

Wrath of the Lich King Preview

The guys over at MMO Champion have consolidated tons of information on the next World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. There will be lots of stuffs for those of you who are eagerly anticipating WotLK's release to read. Be sure to check out the 10 minute trailer of the game embedded below!

Wrath of the Lich King 10 Minutes Trailer from Boubouille on Vimeo.

Believe the hype

Unless you do not have internet access (then how would you be viewing my blog?), you probably would have noticed the biggest gaming news of the year so far -- the release of the long awaited game Grand Theft Auto IV. The game has gotten lots of coverage on both major gaming sites, and also in the mainstream news. Even Hollywood took notice of the game, for fear that the release of the game would affect the box office sales of the Iron Man movie which was out on the same week as the game. Even I got myself a Playstation 3 for this game.

Now that my exams have ended (this morning :D), I've started to play GTA 4, and my thoughts on the game so far? All I can say is, believe the hype. It is really that good. Review to come once I've played the game a bit more.

Half time

Bringing you gaming news during exams HT! (Actually it's more of 4/5 time, as I am left with only 1 more paper on Tuesday). I've succumbed to temptation and finally purchased what would complete my Playstation consoles collection yesterday. I proudly present you, the Playstation 3!



Finally! My Sony consoles collection is complete... for now!



Move up, ladies


That means I owe you guys 2 reviews now -- CC and GTA 4. This holiday is sure a busy one!