And You Thought Hitler Had Problems!!!

That's right - I'm back, after a 3 month break (you'll notice my last post was on the 8th of June!). Anyway on my last post I showed how Hitler had took the news on being banned from Xbox Live - however if you thought Hitler had problems wait till you see this guy.

He was banned from Live after using an illegal copy of Halo 3 (Epsilon beta) when he went online with it. Unlike Hitler his console is not banned from Live forever, instead there is an expiry date on the ban (meaning once this date passes he can use Xbox Lives services again). So what is this date???? none other than 31/12/9999!


PS: It's nice to see Microsoft think Xbox Live will still be running in the year 9999!

Hitler Gets Banned!

With the recent strategy by Microsoft to ban modded Xbox 360's from Live - it seems that they might have made an enemy of Hitler. See the shocking footage below:

Microsoft Major Announcement!

When Microsoft revealed they would make a major announcement yesterday the Internet was soon alight with rumours of what this major news would be. Some thought it would be a Bio-Shock Demo, or perhaps confirmed news on Metal Gear Solid. However the news was actually Pacman related (to tie in with the Pacman Championship being held that day).
Now having said this would be major news I was at least expecting to hear that Ms. Pacman was actually just Pacman dressed up as a woman all along........however Microsoft let us down once again by announcing that today's Xbox Live Arcade game would be Pacman Championship Edition.

Master Chief On The Halo Beta

As you can probably imagine, we would expect Master Chief to be good at the Halo 3 Beta - after all he does this day in day out....doesn't he?

Warning: The following video includes strong language

Beta Post

Well this is my first post with my impressions of the Halo 3 Beta before my final impressions when the game launches.
First of all I have to confirm that my fears with regards to the graphics in the early pictures shown have turned out to be true (sorry folks but it's true), this game is no Gears of War in the looks department and is basically higher resolution Halo 2 graphics (ok that was a bit harsh but you get my point).
Luckily for Bungie it's not all about the graphics and the gameplay is still ace. Basically if you loved Halo 2 deathmatches (and lets face it who doesn't) you will love this.
However I still feel disappointed that the biggest title to ever be released on the 360 does not show off the 360's power. I hate to sound like a graphics whore, but imagine Halo 3 with graphics better or on par with Gears of War!
So now we must wait to see if Halo 3 single player returns to Halo 1 glory.....fingers crossed Bungie might have been keeping secret that the single player game uses a different engine to the multiplayer (eg. much better graphics).

Finish The Download!

The good news is that it appears the problem with Crackdown not allowing access to download the Halo 3 Beta has been fixed. I am currently downloading the demo as I type and yes you noticed the time stamp correct it is 6:28am (no I'm not sad, I start work at 7am.....ok I am sad, but only because I have to go to work!).

Halo 3 Wait-a!

It seems quite fitting that my last post (way back on 10th of April) was with regards to the Halo 3 Beta. However like most people today I am left waiting wondering when it will be released (although I can't really complain as anyone waiting for my site to update will have had a longer wait!.....or would that technically be less of a wait???). Anyway I'm glad I didn't take the day off work like a saddo (I'll save that for the 26th of September!).

Halo 3 Beta

The Halo 3 Beta has been officially dated - May 16th is the date to set in your calendars. I have also added a countdown to this site to help.

GTA Next Next Gen?

By now everyone in the world has seen the GTA 4 teaser trailer - if you haven't it is posted on this very site here. Anyway although this is the first next gen version of GTA to be released, in years to come could GTA look like this on a future console?

This video is actually a real life spoof of the trailer and is impressive work (and rather clever).

Achievement Unlocked

For any Xbox 360 gamer there is no sweeter sound than the achievement unlock sound byte that signals an increase in your gamerscore - however how annoying is it that to see exactly what you have achieved and the points gained can only be done via the guide button (interrupting your gaming).
This will all change with the new dash update, see a pic below that shows the new style achievement notification - it now tells you exactly what achievement you have unlocked and displays the gamer points given.

It's Good To Type

Following on from Wilkys post regarding the new dashboard update heading for the 360 - pictures have been released of the new mini keyboard add-on for the standard xbox 360 pads.

It attaches to the pad where the wired headsets used to go - but don't worry for all those users without a wireless headset, from the pictures below you can see it has another socket so you can still talk online.

This add-on makes sense with Microsoft pushing the new integrated messenger features over live. I'm just glad that the keyboard can be added to the pads all 360 owners already have rather than a totally new pad being required.

The Dream Machine?

CVG has an interesting article on the Sega Dreamcast which documents the rise and fall of this great console. Follow this link for the full story.

Mad World!

Oblivion was a game that I hated (granted I had hardly played it), so imagine my surprise when I suddenly found myself buying the expansion pack "Shivering Isles" which was recently released.
However the key word from the previous paragraph is "was" - as I now love Oblivion and believe it is worthy of it's status as a great game. So why the change of heart? Well I actually played the game, giving it more time than my first attempt and suddenly found it drawing me in, the same day I started to get into Oblivion I decided to buy the expansion pack - further enhancing my enjoyment of the game as I can now journey between the two worlds at leisure.
The title of the expansion is misleading as there is no snow or cold weather in sight - however instead you journey to a crazy world....or should that be "mad world" ruled by the most insane leader.
I recommend Oblivion to all and curse myself for ignoring this game for so long!

GTA 4

The title pretty much says it all. The teaser trailer for Grand Theft Auto 4 has been released. Like probably every website in the world - you can watch the video below:

PS3 Launch

Well the PS3 has launched in the UK last Friday and we could be forgiven into thinking NASA was behind their "Launch". Because as some of Nasa's launches into space, this one was screaming "Sony we have a problem". Today report shows that HMV in Brighton still has 50 out of their original 55 launch stock - selling a whopping 5 consoles!

Quick - by the time you get to the store they might have 51 PS3's left (due to someone returning the unwanted console!).

JetBack

Back on the 8th of Feb I posted a Blog regarding a rumour of a remake to JetPac coming to Xbox Live Arcade. Well the rumour has now been confirmed as reality and next Wednesday it will be released on the arcade for 400 Microsoft points. Official details of the game are below:

• Two versions of the game; Retro – The classic 1980s version. Refuelled – Rare’s 2007 remake of the classic Jetpac comes complete with entirely new hi-def graphics, menacing enemies, new smartbombs that produce an electromagnetic pulse, modernized weapon upgrades and updated gameplay for modern gamers
  
• 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points
  


• Completely updated graphical look of the game gives Xbox LIVE Arcade gamers a truly hi-def and in-depth gaming experience

Lets hope that my initial fears will be put to rest - or will we be playing hi-res spectrum graphics? (if there is the possibility of such a thing!)

Viewer Discretion Is Advised

The following uses the original Halo game to create a rather clever and quite amusing video. Special prize available to any reader of the site that can tell me how many times the A-Hole word is used throughout the vid!

Monkey Island - The Play!

Now I thought I was a Monkey Island fan, but these guys take it one step further - recreating the game in a real life play. Check out the video below for part 1 of the Monkey Island play.

Finish The Graphics

Halo 3's main game quote is "Finish The Fight" of course referring to ending the Halo trilogy, however as anyone who has seen the graphics on the screen shots previously released will know it looks in relation to Gears of War that they need to finish the graphics first!

That said the recent update on the Bungie website has stated that the graphics have come on a long way from previously shown. Microsoft/Bungie need to ensure that Halo 3 looks on par if not better than Gear of War to really show the power of the Xbox 360.

I really hope that they pull it off, as it would be a shame if the graphics just looked like a higher resolution from Halo 2. If Halo 3 lives up to it's expectations and the graphics are amazing I'm sure it will help finish the fight against Sony

It Was A Time Of War

With the imminent launch of the PS3 in the UK the console war is about to begin. Microsoft vs Sony vs Nintendo - Each will put their champions forward for the fight. Who will win?
At this point it's unsure, but check out the video below for an idea of the carnage instore:

Resident Wii-vil

It appears that my earlier blog post isn't the only news from Capcom today. Resident Evil is heading to the Nintendo Wii in a new game entitled Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. No further details regarding the game have been released, yet this news alone is enough to make some people wii their pants! (sorry)

PS3 May Cry

PS3 has lost another exclusive title - Devil May Cry 4 is now headed to the Xbox 360.

Although I'm not currently a fan of the series* - i'm sure a lot of PS3 fanboys are definitely crying right now (pun intended!).
* Probably only because I haven't played any of the games from the series - however something tells me I'll be playing this one :)

Monkey Island Spin Off

If like myself, you are a big fan of the point and click adventure games (especially Monkey Island) then you might be glad to hear about this.

Unfortunately there is no news that point and click adventures of old will be making a return (although expect a blog campaign soon!), however never fear because a homemade spin off of Monkey Island has been made called "Night of the Hermit" - this game features Herman from Monkey Island as it's main character.

Below is details regarding the story to the game:
It has now been 8 years since that pesky Guybrush left the Island. Herman has spent all of the money that he earned from that game, and things have started looking pretty bleak. Then one day a message in a bottle shows up, saying that his grandfather has died and left him his big mansion on Badger Island, somewhere in the Caribbean. So with visions of starting a new life, Herman packs his few belongings and sets out to claim his inheritance. But the thing about bottle mail is that it's slow, very slow. So by the time Herman gets to Badger Island, he finds that someone claimed the mansion years ago, and turned it into the sleazy Crippled Badger Motel. Herman decides to spend everything that he has left (which is 12 dollars, 45 cents, and some moss) for one night at the motel, determined to find a way to reclaim what is rightfully his. And this is his story.

If you want to download this game, you can for free at the creators website following this Link - Then click the game section and scroll down a few games until you see it!

Although I haven't played it yet I will be trying this out shortly!

Rsxl Returns!

After a long period of silence - Rsxl has returned to his blog. I'm sure my amazing return to Blogger would make a better movie than "Superman Returns" (to be fair that wouldn't be a hard challenge).

Anyway fears that I had been kidnapped can be put to rest.

So the reason for my absence???

Well I don't really have one, I guess my creative juices had stopped flowing....I'm hoping that dry period has now passed and that you continue to enjoy this site (what do you mean you never enjoyed it anyway???).

Microsoft Listen?

It seems that someone in Microsoft is listening. After numerous posts from myself regarding the state of Xbox Live Arcade, over the last few weeks I cannot complain. Alien Hominid was released (and although I'm not a fan of the game I can see it's appeal to others), then the next arcade release was Worms at the respectable price of 800 Microsoft points and it happened to not just be a port of a previous Worms game. Tomorrow another title is released (details of the title released can be found on Wilky's Blog using the link provided - so as not to steal his blog post) and is being put up at the excellent price of 400 Microsoft points (Cowabunga).

The game in question was an arcade favourite of mine when I was a kid and I spent a lot of money playing the game. I especially remember one family holiday where I was playing the game in the arcade in the area and almost got beat-up by some kids much older brother due to an alleged credit stealing on the game (which I want to go on record as saying it did not happen and I played as the same character the whole time) needless to say the said beating never happened, probably due to the much older brother realising I had obviously honed my ninja skills playing the game!*

Tomorrow will tell if the game has stood the test of time, however hopefully this is a continued sign of things to come and the new breed of Xbox Live Arcade titles.

So two clues in there in relation to the game being released, however as stated if you still have no clue follow this link.

*This is a true story, except for the ninja part.....actually I just think he was scared of me full stop!

G.R.A.W 2-short

I afraid to say that G.R.A.W 2 seems to be 2-short (get it "too short"). After not even playing the game for a day I have almost completed it- the only reason I haven't is that I had to force myself to come off so I could experience it longer. However this said the fact I had to force myself off the game shows that it is still an excellent game, and although it seems shorter than the first game as always the online aspects will keep this going for much longer with numerous options available.

Achievement Update Part 2

This is possibly my final update for the day. So since my last update I started gaming again around 12.55pm and was only slightly disturbed between 2.30pm - 3.05pm due to my fridge/freezer being fixed. Anyway since 3.05pm until 6.20pm I have been solid gaming. So what is my points increase since last post? Well I've increased my gamerscore by 110 points to 8294. So I've increased my score today by 155 points (which let me tell you is far removed from what I had planned) - so where did it all go wrong? Well instead of just focusing on my new game (Graw 2) I decided to try a mix of games. I guess in the end I wasn't ready for that intense focus to unlock the most achievement points, instead I was happy to try and gather some more orbs on crackdown and unlock some of the wacky achievements along with some other great games along the way.

Achievement Update Part 1

So straight after my previous post I booted up the 360 to start my day of achievements - suddenly a knock at the door (oh no I think as i realise my gaming has been interrupted). Anyway all was not lost - it was my copy of Graw 2 arriving (Thank you Postman Pat - not my postman's real name).
I quickly load up the game to start my mission gaining - I quickly unlock 5 achievements boosting my gamerscore by 45 points (new gamerscore 8184). Then at 9.59am exactly my mate Benwahwah comes online and challenges me to some online gaming (Suddenly I am faced with the types of choices Jack Bauer would have to make) anyway I decide to put aside my mission for some online action.
12.20pm: I quickly come offline from my online sessions to update my blog and get a quick bite to eat after I post this. In 2hr 21 minutes I have unlocked an extra 0 gamerpoints - however I did kick some major ass on Blitz the league!

Achievement Hunting

I've decided to set myself a bit of a challenge today - to increase my Xbox 360 gamerscore (which as I write this currently stands at 8139). Hopefully if I can pull myself away from the 360 long enough, I will document my progress on my blog.
Sorry this post is short and sweet but I've got some gaming to do!

The Saviour Of Xbox Live Arcade

Worms was released this morning on Xbox Live Arcade and I am pleased to say it was worth the wait. Worms has always been a game that would be suited to Xbox Live Arcade, and finally we have an arcade title that is brilliant and great value for money. Now regular readers of this site will know that my praising Xbox Live Arcade is a very rare thing and I honestly hope this is a sign of things to come as I really do love the Xbox 360 - I just don't always agree with the Live Arcade titles released!

The Real Ewok Story

Quotes from the film:

"The film George Lucas didn't want you to see"

"The dark side of the Ewoks"

"Hey you stole this from my Blog"

Ok so that last quote was actually in relation to this post on my blog. You see I normally like my blogs to be my creative spin on life, however I was checking out some other blogs today and stumbled across a site called "Quit Your Day Job" which created the above scenario and background story to the film.
So I hope in some small way my posting here will help others to stumble across their site.

Note: If the creators of this piece are offended by my posting here I will remove this section.

CO-OP Rising?

It seems rumours at the moment suggest that the platinum edition of Dead Rising will feature a new co-op mode bolted onto the game. That's right forget killing zombie in Willamette, instead you will face hoards of zombies in your local co-op supermarket!

Ok so I made that last bit up (but it would be cool right), however it is true that the platinum release of Dead Rising may feature 2 player co-operative zombie killing which fans of the game have been crying out for.

Now this feature I thought would have been held back for Dead Rising 2 - however it looks like Capcom want to thank the fans. So what does it mean for the like of myself that own the original game, will I have to buy the new version??? The answer it seems is no - instead if this feature is added then it appears that an update will be available on Live.....but at a price!

So now the debate starts on whether you would buy the new content which is just a co-op mode (not that this isn't a big thing) or do you disagre that new purchases of the game get the feature for free.

Either way I hope this turns out to be true as I have been looking for a good reason to go back and play the game.

The Sound Of Music.....

....explosions etc sound better in surround sound. Whenever I visit my good friend Wilky however I always think of the following clip (I wonder why???)

The Simpsons Movie

(Snazzy title eh!) - Anyway moving swiftly on, it seems like the age old question of "Is there a God"....sorry I mean "Will a Simpson's movie be any good?" will be answered on 27th of July.
Now Simpson's is the greatest TV show on earth - fingers crossed that the movie lives up to everyones expectations. Below is the trailer for the movie:

Lunar-tic Update

As promised in my previous post here is some pics of the lunar eclipse:
FULL MOON HALF MOON

TOTAL ECLIPSE!!!

Ok I admit I didn't actually take any pictures of the lunar eclipse (only because the pics my camera took were even worse than the above!).

Hope those in the area got to watch the real thing though.

Full Moon.....Half Moon.....

.....Total Eclipse!
Seems there is a total eclipse tonight - If I can get some pictures I'll post an update tomorrow.

Hardcore Diaries

Now I realise with a title like "Hardcore Diaries" that I might have some extra visitors to the site (perhaps via Google searches!) expecting to read some hardcore xxx rated action regarding yours truly (at this point anyone that actually knows me shudders in disgust - possible even saying "ewwwwwww"). Sorry to disappoint you (or should that be please you) by stating I am actually referring to Mick Foley's new book.

I'm sure anyone that has read Foley's previous two books, Mankind: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks & Foley is Good (surely a typo lol) will enjoy this book.
Foley provides a great incite into the world of wrestling and his personal life in a humorous way that keeps the reader wanting more.
I recommend anyone to buy this book - but don't just take my word for it as Mick Foley is also a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author.

Google Whack!

This is my first post in a few day (and my first post in March), so I better have something good to report. Well I have - my blog has made it onto Googles search engine.

Ok so this might not be as exciting to those reading this, but to myself this is truly a day to remember. So for those of you who do not have my site in your favourites list (why not???) you can type "Rsxl" in Google and my site will be listed. Although I haven't tried any other types of searches there is the possibility that the keywords "rubbish" and "mind numbing" might also work!.

Ten Things To Do.....

....in Crackdown. No doubt a lot of people will have tried doing some of these things in Crackdown (except perhaps the walking one), however it does give some fun ideas of things to try. One of my favourites involves the barrels (but I won't spoil the vid). Enjoy

Virtual Is The New Reality

During my blogs I have covered Microsoft's Live Arcade Games (in great detail!), briefly mentioned the PS3's equivalent to Live Arcade (Qbert anyone?) - so it only seems fitting to mention Nintendo's equivalent to Live Arcade (Virtual Console) to nicely finish the triangle of consoles (or should that be Tri-Force?).

The latest game to be announced heading for Nintendo's Virtual Console is "The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time" - which many believe is one of the greatest games of all time.

Anyone spot the difference between the 3 consoles downloadable games?
To be honest it is unfair to compare 1 game against the likes of Root Beer Tapper & Qbert...however on the other hand Zelda joins the likes of Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Super Mario World, Sonic The Hedgehog and many other Virtual Console titles so the immediate difference is noticeable.

To be fair to Microsoft and Sony this is mainly due to Nintendo's back catalogue of games which reads like a who's who list of gaming.

In my opinion Nintendo's service wins hands down, however the others do sometimes benefit from the online features.

Crackdown

As you can probably tell I struggled to come up with a fancy title for this post. That aside I'm wanting to post regarding Crackdown on the Xbox 360.

To be more precise the online co-op experience. What can I say it more than lived up to my expectations. Small niggles aside (with regards to the map for the 2nd player) this was a fun game and definitely more enjoyable in co-op (not that the single player isn't fun). You don't need to stick together with your partner, however obviously this has it's benefits in boss battles.

As you can expect from these type of games since GTA - you have the freedom to do what you want.

So whether you want to re-create the scene from Thelma and Louise or kill bad guys Arnie style - it's up to you!

Definitely one to get!

Who Would Have Thought BT Wouldn't Want You To Talk

I recently had a problem with my Xbox Live experiance where I was unable to have private chats with anyone or host games. The problem was actually with my BT Home Hub (imagine that from a company that used to say "It's good to talk").

Anyway for some reason my Hub had decided it wanted to be strict on my NAT settings (most likely from a recent update for the Hubs firmware). Long story short I was pointed to a great site that solved my problems in a few easy steps (cheers Wilky).

If you have a BT homehub and are having any problems check out this link, If you have any other problems with Xbox Live then follow this link to the main site page.

My First (and probably last) Video Posted On YouTube!

Well I finally decided to post a video on YouTube. You can view the video below (why you would want to is another question!).
WARNING: This video is neither funny or clever!

Xbox Dead Arcade.....

Regular readers of my blog will have probably gathered that I was eagerly waiting to see what game would be released on Xbox Live Arcade this week. To my shock Microsoft decided not to release a retro game.......probably only because they decided not to release any arcade game this week!

According to Major Nelsons Blog this was due to no games been in a ready state to release.

News informants for my site (a.k.a crazy people on the street) have provided me with top secret information with regards to what Microsoft claim will be "The greatest retro game ever released on xbox 360".

So what is this game?

None other than a conversion of the Atari 2600 version of "E.T - the extra terrestrial" (a.k.a the worst game in history).



This game was so bad they had to bury it in the desert (no lie!) and many felt the best thing about the game was the title screen (and that was only because they were held at gun point until they could think of an answer).


Get those Microsoft Points ready!

Paperboy Delivers!

"Extra extra read all about it" - I provided
a review of Paperboys online modes on Xbox Live Arcade, now I felt it was only right to review the single player game.
Despite my feelings towards Microsoft's continued releases of old retro games on Live Arcade I couldn't help but be drawn back into Paperboy.
When you unlock the full game (which I decided to do the other day - much to my own surprise) you get access to all 3 levels and the online functions.
So 3 levels doesn't sound like much, however the true skill comes in trying to survive each difficulty level for a whole week as each day it increases in difficulty. I remember now that in the good old days it was all about what felt like near impossible challenges to complete - which obviously increases the chance that you won't complete the game in a day.

Without a doubt Paperboy is hard, the increasing difficulty kind of reminded me of challenges Jigsaw makes his victims face in the Saw movies.
"I want to play a game".........
So the final verdict of Paperboy is that although there will be moments where you scream out at the telly due to an obstacle that stopped you in your perfect delivery streak - the game makes you want to try and try again. This is helped like most games in the challenge to unlock achievements. I applaud Paperboy for managing to stay a great game however if the online functions were better this would have elevated the game higher.
My advise - download the demo, if Easy Street doesn't get you hooked then this games not for you.

No Way Out!

As Wrestlemania fast approaches the stage (or should that be ring) is set for a spectacular battle at WWE's Pay Per View event No Way Out. The twist for the main event at No Way Out is that the challengers from Wrestlemania (HBK & Undertaker) must team up with the person they face for the belt at Wrestlemania (Cena & Batista). With so much on the line will they be able to successfully work as a team? Or will they use the opportunity to wear down the partner they will then go on to face at Wrestlemania?

Red Vs Blue

I urge anyone that does not watch the excellent web series "Red Vs Blue" to check it out.
Below is a sample of the humour to be found!

Join The Fight!

No this post isn't about Halo 3 - where the above quote is probably more known from at the moment. Instead I want to start a campaign to get Chu Chu Rocket released on Xbox Live Arcade. This would be a perfect game for Sega to release as an arcade title and could utilise Lives online options.

So do you agree that this would make an excellent arcade title? If so "Join the Fight"*

* Please note Rsxl is unsure how to start the fight and it definitely won't be as easy as purchasing a copy of Crackdown!

The Future Of Co-op......

.....and I don't mean the supermarket. Anyway I actually got to test out the full version of Paperboy on Xbox Live Arcade. The main difference between the demo version and the full version is the online features (some would argue the main difference is you have access to all the levels!) - the most exciting of which was the promise of co-operative play over Live.
This was the main feature of the game I was interested in testing. I was curious how exactly it would work - let me just say all my dreams with the co-op where shattered. The only difference to playing via co-op online is that you have the other persons name and score at the bottom right hand side of the screen - other than this there is no feeling of true co-op play.
Another sore point with the game is that if you want to play 2 player on the same console you require 2 control pads (now this seems to make sense doesn't it) however when playing 2 player you take turns in play - so why not provide the option to just swap pads???

So in closing I can confirm that the single player did not quite burst my bubble in terms of my childhood memories and is still quite a good game, however the new functions did not impress me and this would have been one of my main reasons for purchasing the game.

I wonder what the headlines say about Paperboys online features?

Is This a New Xbox Live Arcade Title?

As any regular readers of my blog will know I have had a bit of an issue with Microsoft's recent game releases on Xbox Live Arcade over the recent weeks. So is Qbert coming to the 360? The answer is no at the moment, however Qbert is actually being launched on the PS3's equivalent of Xbox Live Arcade and following Microsoft's lead they are excited that it is in high definition.

So looks like Sony also feel that old retro games are what gamers want.....so gamers is this true?

How To Save Money On Valentines Day

Here is a quick way to save some money on Valentines Day (perhaps towards that game your after!) and also give the more personal touch (otherwise known as the cheap skate touch).

Follow this LINK to a site that provides Valentines Cards for Nintendo lovers everywhere. An example of one of the cards available is shown below:

Microsoft Strikes Back

The Xbox Live Arcade title released this Wednesday has been confirmed to be Paperboy. Improvements have been promised in the way of co-op play either on the same console or over Xbox Live. Will this be the first Xbox Live Arcade title to change my mind about Microsofts plans for Live Arcade? Or will this be another title that bursts the bubble and spoils my fond childhood memories of the game!

In other news Microsoft is thinking about launching a 3.5 inch floppy drive to really help the release of retro gaming. A source at Microsoft was quoted as saying "The future of next gen gaming is in our past", however another employee Kyle Reese kept saying over and over "The future is not set".

Random Simpsons Quotes

From today every visitor to the site will be treated to different random quotes from the funniest cartoon in history...The Simpsons!

Random The Simpsons Quotes

Let The Countdown Begin.....

.....and I'm not talking about Channel 4's Countdown! The biggest PPV in Wrestling History is coming soon and I have added a countdown to the site. The countdown can be seen to the right of the page under my Gamertag.

Why Video Games Should Be Banned!

If ever there was a case that video games were polluting the minds of everyone this is it lol.
Follow this link to see why!

Blog-tastic!

It's not often I would direct someone away from my site to someone Else's blog, but in this case I'll make an exception. Below is a link to W1lkys blog who is a good mate of mine - so check it out!

Wilkys Blog

PS: Wilky if your reading this I expect the same lol.

Grand Theft Mario

What happens when two games collide? Watch the excellent video below to find out what happens when Mario takes a wrong turn to Vice City. I especially love the part with Yoshi. Special thanks to W1lky for showing me this.

RSXLive Arcade

Well this is my third post in relation to Xbox Live Arcade and I have decided that I can prove to Microsoft that anyone can release old retro games to play. So without further adue I present RSXLive Arcade and the first game available is none other than Frogger. I was thinking of implementing an "RSXL Points" service to play the game but decided these games should be available for free (perhaps something Microsoft should think about!).
Please enjoy the below (if that is possible!)

Snakes On A Bicycle???

Remember how we all laughed when we heard the title of the 2006 action film "Snake on a Plane".........

and remember how it spurred jokes about the sequel being called "Snakes on a Train". Well guess what........there is a "Snakes on a Train" movie (see poster below).

However this film is not a sequel to Snakes on a Plane, instead it was actually released around the same time to cash in on any hype around the film. Instead this is a usual B-Movie release that utilises most of the elements from the blockbuster film (and just incase you were unsure what that meant, it means there are Snakes and they are on a Train!).

Has Microsoft responded to my insult regarding Root Beer Tapper?

Current rumors suggest that Microsoft will release a Rare game on Xbox Live Arcade. By Rare I mean the developer Rare. So what is this game that will show people they don't just release old retro crap........none other that JetPac!

This might not become a reality but can you imagine those spectrum graphics in high definition.....if that happens I will take back everything I said about Xbox Live Arcade and Microsoft's strategy(and yes I'm being sarcastic!)

Lost Update

Well I've watched episode 7 of Lost Season 3 and I can confirm it was.....(drum roll please).....OK.
So what do I mean by "OK", well it was much better than the recent episodes of Lost and it carried the story arch well from the cliff hanger. Sawyer steals the show once again with his unique sense of humor. I'm not going to say anything to spoil the episode for those that haven't seen it yet, instead just stating that it is a typical Lost episode that reveal a little bit more back story but also poses more questions.

Lost And Found

Well Lost Season 3 returned to American TV last night after what seems like a year long break between episodes (the series took a break after episode 6 back on 11th August 2006), however we are promised that the remainder of the series will be shown without any further breaks. Over here in the UK things are picked up fairly quickly as Sky One is showing the remainder of the series starting on 11th of Feb.

So the question is "Does anybody still care?". My answer so far is yes, however I am starting to lose my patients with Lost as the show is dragging out the answers we all want to know. That said I looking forward to episode 7 and my continued watching of the show will remain on how good the rest of season 3 really is.

I will provide an update when I have watched the episode.

Beer Anyone?

Normally the response to the above question would be along the lines of Stone Cold saying "Hell Yeah", however the question in Microsoft's case is "WTF!" Let me explain, Microsoft's newest Xbox Live Arcade title is "Root Beer Tapper".




So while the entire Xbox community is waiting for Worms to be released we get this. I can almost hear commentator Jim Ross screaming "WHY MICROSOFT WHY!". I'm sorry I am into retro gaming but I do feel Microsoft needs to take a leaf out of Nintendo's strategy and release some more recent classic games to really push Xbox Live Arcade to it's full potential.

Obviously Xbox Live Arcade caters for numerous tastes in gaming and there may be many of you that welcome Root Beer Tapper with open arms.....however personally myself if I wanted to play the game I would use MAME on my PC and save myself buying Microsoft points....hell I could even get a real beer for cheaper and have more fun!

Ladies & Gentlemen.....

Wrestlemania is on its way and the main events have been announced. However there is only 1 wrestling event that I'm focused on at the minute and that is WWE Fantasy. Now ignore the first thing that enters your mind when you read WWE Fantasy - this is actually a fantasy league.
I currently have a personal league setup and yes folks I'm currently number 1 (no surprises there then!) although I do have some close competition from a new entry. However just a quick tip if your currently taking part in the event - it helps if you buy more than just Batista!
I will provide updates of the current progress and if anyone is interested in joining let me know.

Xbox 360 Achievement Generator

Ever wanted to create your own Xbox 360 achievements - well now you can. Knock yourself out creating achievements such as the above. Use the link below to try it out!

Achievement Unlocker

Update: Special acknowledgement for W1lky for giving me information on this site :)

This Blog Is Brought To You Via The Wii!

It's sunday and I am bored. So I wondered if I could post a blog using my nintendo wii - and guess what? You can! This took 6 minutes to complete!

Super Mario Reloaded

I just had to post this up. I seen this quite a while back and not only did it make me laugh but I was incredibly impressed with the effort this guy had gone to. Anway Below is the re-enactment of the best bit from "The Matrix Reloaded" using Mario etc......enjoy.

The Following Takes Place Between 3pm and 4pm

As some of you no doubt know the TV show "24" is currently showing it's sixth season (Day 6). With a seventh season (Day 7) no doubt in the making Jack Bauer will finally be able to quote "this was the worst week of my life!" - which true 24 fans will know is not quite true as each day does not carry on exactly where the last ended. Personally I always wondered if jack knows it's going to be a bad day when his alarm clock wakes him up by saying "The following takes place between 7am and 8am".

Unlike another American TV show I won't mention, 24 continues to deliver the goods and does not disappoint. This is definitely not a show you want to get Lost.....shit I said I wasn't going to mention that other show!

24 runs in real time and many people have claimed the show is unrealistic as it does not show Jack going to the toilet - well first of all I would just like to say "How many times do you want him to go to the toilet in one day?" and two that I think Jack is the master of choosing his moments and most likely takes his whizz in the 5 minute advert breaks - like we all do in real life (so how is this not true to life?).

Finally upon closing it has been announced that a 24 movie is in the pipeline, however breaking news suggests that Peter Jackson of Lord of The Ring fame is interested in directing the movie.
Apparently Mr Jackson feels this movie would enable him to beat his current 3hr+ movies record by being the first movie to last a full 24 hours. When also asked if the film would be broken up into parts like Kill Bill - Jackson laughed and said "Why would I kill Bill Buchanan?"

More news as this develops.

I'm Back!

That's right I'm back - like the family member you can't stop from visiting. Well it has been a hectic time that has stopped me posting for around 10 days - but never fear those times have past and the site lives on.

Hey just be glad this site isn't the TV show "Lost" as any true fan of the show will tell you if they only had to wait 10 days for the next update it would be a blessing!

This One's for you Benwah!

If ever there was a reason for Sega to bring out Shenmue 3 this is it!

And Now Over To Our Reporter On The Scene......

Could this be early footage of a live action Dead Rising movie? The answer is NO, instead it is a funny video that has a little fun with the main character.

Extreme Weather Update!

Earlier tonight I posted the news that it was snowing where I live, now I finally have some pictures of the extent of the snow:

and as everyone know when there is snow, the battle to get to the supermarket for that last loaf of bread is dangerous (see below):

Ok I admit I'm kidding, as predicted it's stopped snowing and I really don't think work is going to believe that the little patch of snow in the corner stopped me getting into work.....but I will still try.
Anyway the pictures are from the excellent Lost Planet on the Xbox 360. If only shopping for a loaf of bread was really this much fun!

It's Snowing!

Just as I was thinking the question "What could I possible post today?" My question is answered......Snow!
It is currently snowing where I live and like an excited kid I am running in to post this breaking news. I haven't posted any pics at present as to be honest there isn't much snow laying yet and it will most likely stop by the time I post this.....that said however everytime it snows you pray that maybe, just maybe it will snow good enough to get a free day off work!
I will post an update if anything develops (which I doubt it will!).

Otis Calling...

Back on the 19th of January I revealed that Dead Risings Frank West would be answering your questions for help. Well today Frank finally got a question - so it's time for "Frank, Help Me Frank Part 1".

Otis: Frank there's someone who needs help?

Frank: God Dammit Otis...Let me guess someone else needs me to hold their hand!

Otis: Not exactly - this is actually an attempt at a clever link to your new section on Rsxl's Blog site...and not a very good one I might add!

Frank: Get to the point Otis before I get eye strain from reading your text.

Otis: Well you received a question by email...

Frank: Wait a minute people have time to email me but not enough time to rescue me!

Otis: .......the question is "My girlfriend keeps biting my neck - what do I do?"

Frank: Have you not been watching me??? The answer is simple....and here are the ingredients you will need:

1 x Pie (any variety, however I prefer steak)

1 x Orange Juice (must be pure orange juice but can be with or without bits)

Mix the two ingredients in a blender and viola - you will be untouchable, making it impossible for your girlfriend to bite you.....although like the Linx effect this doesn't last forever.

To be honest this is a temporary solution - I think your girlfriend is a zombie, therefore to totally solve your problem you need to grab anything to hand and bash her head in.....my current favourite is using a wii remote while pretending it's a baseball bat!

Hope this helps

Otis: You are ****** up!

The End

Go Go Gadget!

Being a gadget man at heart I always like to keep up to date with the latest technology. Now I know Divx is not recent and neither are Divx Dvd Players, however up till now I have never got round to purchasing a player for upstairs. You see downstairs I tend to stream my media to the TV but upstairs was limited to Sky+ or DVDs. See the trouble with dvd's in this digital age is that for the last few years my dvd collection has dwindled as nearly everything I watch is either via Divx/Xvid files or on Sky itself - therefore bedtime viewing was limited.

Today I decided to change this and decided to purchase a cheap solution - a Bush Dvd Player with Divx/Xvid support. I bought it from Argos for £30 and wasn't expecting a lot for the price and most likely thought I would be returning under the 30 day money back guarantee.....how wrong I was. This player is excellent - straight out of the box it is region free (definitely a Brucie bonus as I can play my region 1 dvd of Terminator 2 which includes the hidden extra extended version) and it plays everything I have thrown at it so far and on different types of disc (cd-r, dvd-r, dvd+r etc). This is day one of being used but I can't see it changing - if it does I will post an update. In the meantime anyone looking for a good, cheap divx dvd player couldn't go wrong with this purchase.