Halo Reach Mythbusters

I made a playlist for the Halo Reach Mythbusters. There are five episodes right now. It's very entertaining and  you can actually pick up some nice tactics from watching it.

Makeshift TV-Top Kinect Brace

The $30 stand for sitting your Kinect on top of your TV has a pretty steep price tag. It may be a fitting Christmas present, but I doubt if most people will be too excited about purchasing it right away. Having a Kinect a full two months before release, here is the cheap, sub $10 solution I came up with.

What you'll need:

3" corner brackets: You can buy these at Lowe's for $2 to $4 total.

3M picture hanging strips: Also available at Lowe's for a one stop shop.

Position both braces parallel to each other about an inch apart. Place a 3M strip perpendicularly across both braces, one strip at each end. Position the braces on the TV and adhere the other adhesive strips to the TV where the brace will be sitting. Now you have a Kinect stand to make do until you get the real, overpriced version.

Note: Since the braces are metal, be careful if you have your TV and Kinect running for too long. I'm not sure if the braces could get hot enough to damage the Kinect, but you can't be too sure. For this reason, I intend to get the official stand instead of sticking with my corner braces.

Ars Technica: Price of Gaming

A while back, I posted on the Price of Gaming over the years, and how prices have actually come down over time. Ars Technica just posted an article backing up my assertion.

It feels good to be vindicated.

Bioshock Infinite

Judging by this image from Bioshock Infinite, I'll be pretty happy with the ideals the new Bioshock will be offering a commentary on.

I Needed A Novice Mortar and Pestle

All they had were apprentice, journeyman and expert.

L4D2 Mutation: Four Swordsmen

The mutation this week for L4D2 is Four Swordsmen. Although, when I joined, 2 of us had katanas, and 2 had handguns. My first game, I thought the game was bugged because when we died, we started over. The mistake I made was assuming that it was a type of versus game, when really it's a campaign mutation. Now, here's what makes this mutation so cool: There are no common infected.

The only infected you fight are special infected, including tanks. And they come in packs of 4, not one at a time. It can get quite intense. Of course, without common infected, boomers are pretty worthless. When I played Swamp Fever and we were at the plantation, we had to fight off 2 tanks at once. Thank goodness for molotovs. But only 1 of us survived.

Earthbound/Mother 2

Earthbound (Mother 2 in Japan) is one of my favorite RPG's of all time. You play as Ness, a young boy who is gifted with psychic abilities. When a meteorite crashes beside his house in the quiet town of Onett, it is the beginning of Ness fulfilling a prophecy written on an apple. On the journey, Ness must befriend two other young boys and a girl who will accompany him in order to save the world from the evil Giygas.

Giygas is the embodiment of evil. He is practically evil itself. His very presence corrupts good people into raging lunatics. Friendly animals become ravenous, attacking at will. Monsters terrorize small towns. And when you make it to Giygas after traveling the world, you might expect to see a hideous monster. But no. He is without form. You cannot even grasp the true form of his attacks! The game flat-out tells you this while you're fighting him. Without spoiling the ending or boss fight for anyone who hasn't played this game, I will say that the final battle makes quite a bold statement in how evil must be defeated.

The dialogue throughout the game sets it apart from almost every other RPG I've played. It is humorous, witty, and enjoyable throughout.

And the music is fantastic. Check out this boss fight music if you want to hear just how great the soundtrack is:

http://starmen.net/mother2/music/044-%20Earthbound%20-%20Sanctuary%20Guardian.mp3

A Good Site for Game Reviews

xbox360achievements.org is one of the first sites I go to when looking for a review of a game. They are the only site I know of that factors the achievements into their rating. Achievements are part of the game and completionists will not want to buy a game with horrible or glitched achievements.
in reference to: Xbox360Achievements.org - Every Point Counts (view on Google Sidewiki)

Good Old Games

I love Good Old Games. Period. They sell DRM-free PC classics at very low prices. I noticed they have Earthworm Jim 1 & 2 together for $6. Compare that to Earthworm Jim HD for XBLA for $10, with 200 points of achievements included of course.

In the past, I bought Fallout 2 from them to hype myself up for Fallout 3's release. GOG is part nostalgia, and part just-great-gaming.

The Price of Gaming

With more Red Dead Redemption DLC being announced, and 3 of the 4 already priced, I was reminded earlier today about how expensive gaming is these days. Assuming you paid full price for RDR at launch and didn't take advantage of a pre-order offer which effectively lowered the price (such as how Amazon offered $20 off your next purchase), then you paid $60. Add in three $10 DLC and suddenly the amount you've paid for one game is $90. Pretty steep.

In mainstream gaming, one of the pricier consoles was the N64, which came out in 1996. The games themselves were priced higher than PS1 games because cartridges are more expensive to make than CD's. Some games were expensive even by today's standards. I specifically remember seeing games priced between $60 and $70. Games like Legend of Zelda broke that ceiling and went as high as $80. Of course, $80 spent in 1996 is more than $80 spent today because of inflation. So gaming was quite expensive.

But now it seems like we're returning to the old days of expensive gaming after a great run of high quality, more affordable gaming. Whereas you would spend $50 on a new PS1 or PS2 game, play it, and then resell it, now you pay for the game upfront, buy DLC, then resell the game. But any money spent on DLC is lost forever. You can't resell it. You can't let friends borrow it. And unless you plan on keeping that particular game forever, you can count on the DLC becoming a sunk cost at some point.

By now you're thinking, "But if I like a game, I don't mind paying a little more money to get even more out of a quality game." That's very true. And I myself don't complain when I eat a nice restaurant with good friends. That money is gone forever too. I can't resell my food after I've eaten it. It was all about the enjoyment of the experience.

But come on Rockstar. Zombies in Red Dead Redemption? Come on.

Red Dead Race Results

Bentok who lagged far behind for the majority of the race took first place after a momentous move in which he got 100% completion and won 3 consecutive free-for-all matches.

DropTheHammer secured second place only moments before the finish line, finally overcoming Abernasty who he had been trailing for weeks. Though he did not win the race, he did kill Brumas the Legendary Bear with a knife and a high place.

Abernasty, after leading for two thirds of the race was hindered by a week of no internet access, finishing third overall. This was devastating as he only had online achievements left. Abernasty had completely diminished the spirit of the other contestants with his massive lead and wholehearted devotion. The tables were turned, though when his own spirit was crushed by the unbearable wait of a telecommunications company.

In fourth, AoF Furious had a promising run, at one point holding third place. Fifth and six spots were filled by Rontok and AoF Techno respectively. Rontok got a very late start, but put forth an admirable run passing up Techno's good effort.

Hammer vs Brumas

After killing so many animals across New Austin, Mexico, and West Elizabeth, there seemed to be no animal that was even worthy of a hunter's efforts. Killing and skinning dozens of animals for their skins and meat was becoming too easy. I could easily provide food for my family, but the process was becoming boring. A hunter of my calibre needed a challenge.

I sought Lobo, the wolf. I heard that he was stalking Tall trees, so I figured I would stalk him. When I arrive, I take my time and observe my surroundings. Without warning, a black wolf attacked my horse from the side and killed it almost instantly, knocking me to the ground.

"Lobo..." I say as I pull out my buffalo rifle. He growls menacingly at me, showing his teeth as the moonlight makes his eyes glow white with hatred. Certainly he wants to be the only great hunter in Tall Trees.

Still picking myself off the ground, I shoot and hit his foot, and he strafes to his left to avoid my second shot. He starts to charge, but falls at my feet as I shoot him in the head and stain the snow red. I whistle for a new horse.

I head to Stillwater Creek to find Gordo, the legendary boar. On my way, I see a stagecoach under attack from bandits. I easily dispatch the outlaws and put an end to their theft of someone else's hard work. Moving on, I see a large boar, and he sees me. Without hesitation, I pull out my Carano Rifle, aim for his head, and fire twice for good measure. He falls over in defeat. As I walk to his corpse and skin him, I am trying to figure out how everyone else must be so weak as to consider this boar a legend. Still not satisfied, I talk to Bentok about how to make this challenge more interesting. He suggests that I take on Brumas the Bear with only my knife and wits.

That night after dark, I travel to Nekoti Rock to face the ultimate challenge. I look into the cave and spot him. He knows I'm there. He stomps out of the cave and the trees shake off their snow. I pull out my knife, ready for a fight to the death.

As Brumas charges, a man on a horse gets between Brumas and myself asking for help because his wife has been kidnapped.

"Get out of here you damn fool!" I yell at him. He leaves but somehow thinks I'm following him.

Brumas charges, and we run circles around each other trying to get the advantage. We take turns knocking each other further down the mountain side. Finally, a challenge. After a few swipes of his massive claws, I was hurting. Never had I fought such a worthy opponent. I knew that strength alone wouldn't save me. So I came up with a plan. I slid down the mountain, grabbing everything I could to slow my fall. Picking myself up, I taunt Brumas.

"Come and get me!" I scream as I stand with my arms straight up, challenging him. Enraged he charges down the hill, but he loses control and falls. Being crushed under his own weight from such a height, I knew I had won. I walk over and skin him, claiming everything salvageable as proof of my superior hunting skills.

10 under-appreciated things about John Marston

1. John Marston was the first to use gps in the wild west.
2. He forced evolution on the Buffalo. They didn't survive.
3. He loves animals so much, that if he accidentally runs over a dog while on his horse, he loses as much honor as if he killed a policeman.
4. John Marston can swim. It's just that the thousands of pounds of grizzly hide he's carrying in his pants pockets make him sink to the bottom.
5. John Marston is just a good ol' boy, never meanin' no harm.
6. His chilvary extends to ladies who have been dead for months.
7. He's so stealthy, people still call him by his name while wearing his bandana and they don't know it's him.
8. Time stands still when his hand is on his revolver.
9. John Marston's wife calls him "John Marston."
10. John Marston's rides into foreign lands are so epic, this song plays throughout the desert:

Never Thought I'd Trade in Games Again, But...

Gamestop was recently having a deal where you got a 150% of the normal trade in credit for used games. I dismissed the idea at first, since I only thought of the Xbox 360 games I would trade in, which happened to be none. But then I remembered all the Gamecube and PS2 games I had. And since selling them online would be slow, tedious, and not guaranteed to sell, I traded them in. My potential purchases were: Borderlands, Dead Space, Bayonetta, Mass Effect 1 and 2. However, ME1 was $30, so I wasn't going to do that at all. I decided to get Dead Space and one other game. Moments later, I almost made a huge mistake. I almost bought Bayonetta instead of Mass Effect 2.

Mass Effect 2 reminds me of how great games can be. The story is intense. The characters are interesting and unique. My favorite part so far? The battle system requires strategy. You can't just run and gun. You have to set up your squad to be well rounded because of the myriad of abilities that your opponents will have. It makes me want to pick up the original for the story, and if you import your character from the Mass Effect 1, many decisions you made will be reflected in the sequel. If you don't import a character, the game assumes that every time in ME1 you had a choice to kill someone, you killed them. Talk about game-changing decisions! And to think I almost bought a repetitive button-masher game instead of something with depth.

Important Exchange Rates

Here at Aeonian Samurai, we feel it is important to keep the community updated on current exchange rates between the most common currencies.

$1 = 1.25 Microsoft Points (used for gaming)
~$25-35 = 1 Scotch Dollar*

*1 Scotch Dollar is the equivalent of one 750ml bottle of fine Glenfiddich or Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

So the next time you think of spending US Dollars, remember the exchange rates to know what you're giving up in terms of MS Points and Scotch Dollars.

Red Dead Redemption Hype Week: Two Mules for Sister Sara

Our next movie for Red Dead Redemption Hype Week exemplifies the diversity of the Wild West. In other words, culture clash!

Hogan, your typical cowboy mercenary for hire, saves a woman being attacked by three drunks who would have otherwise killed her. Hogan is shocked when she comes back just a minute later dressed a nun! That's right. A nun in the lawless wild on a trip to help the Mexican revolutionaries fight off the French!

The cast of characters seems to be as diverse as the people we'll meet in Red Dead Redemption. Nothing says "Melting Pot" like the Western Frontier, and culture clash is certain to run rampant!

Red Dead Redemption Hype Week: 3:10 To Yuma

In anticipation of Red Dead Redemption, you can't miss the 2007 remake of the classic western, 3:10 to Yuma. There's no doubt that Red Dead has drawn a lot of inspiration from movies like this one. A rancher named Dan Evans (played by Christian Bale) needs to come up with enough money to avoid being driven off of his land by an encroaching railroad. It's him against a heartless tycoon and the situation seems hopeless until he crosses paths with the notorious outlaw, Ben Wade (Russell Crowe), who gets captured after a stagecoach robbery. Evans agrees to escort Wade to the town of Contention to catch the 3:10 to Yuma. He'll likely earn enough money to keep his family on the ranch, but the trip promises to be treacherous.

A story about a rancher risking his life for his family and an outlaw who you can't help but like - a perfect film to treat yourself to in anticipation of RDR. With the honor system of RDR, will you be Evans or Wade? Will you earn a living by helping ranchers herd cattle and escorting outlaws to jail? Or will you rob stage coaches and make a few bucks from looting those whom you've gunned down? Will you choose the path of the chivalrous gunslinger fighting to save his family? Or a notorious anti-hero who cares about nothing but revenge?

Red Dead Redemption Hype Week: Red Sun

Tonight's feature film for Red Dead Redemption Hype Week is director Terence Young's 1971 classic Red Sun starring Charles Bronson "as an outlaw named Link who teams up with Kuroda (Toshirô Mifune), a noble samurai warrior, to track down a jeweled sword that the Japanese ambassador gifted to the U.S. president. The unlikely pair travels across the American Southwest in search of Gauche (Alain Delon), who double-crossed Link and made off with the priceless weapon."

It's the old Honor-Among-Thieves theme throughout the movie. Link is a typical anti-hero outlaw train robber without honor, which suits him fine until he gets double-crossed by another outlaw without honor! It's fitting that Link and Kuroda, a Samurai whose entire life depends on finding the sword in 7 days or he will kill himself out of devotion to his master, pair up to try and find Gauche.

We're getting knee-deep in betrayal, robbery, and outlaws, and it's only two days into Red Dead Redemption Hype Week. Stay tuned as we move toward the classics that defined the genre: Spaghetti Westerns.

Red Dead Redemption Hype Week: The Quick and the Dead

In pre-celebration of Red Dead Redemption's release, what better way to roll out the blood red carpet than with a week of good old fashioned Western movies? Tonight's movie was The Quick and the Dead, starring Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, and Leonardo DeCaprio.

Ellen arrives in the Old West town of Redemption (what an appropriate name for this week!) seeking revenge for the murder of her sheriff father years ago by the town's tyrant, John Herod. The majority of the movie revolves around Herod's gun fight competition between the best gun fighters in the town. The brutal fighters include a super-skilled-gun-fighter-turned-preacher, an Indian who can't die by being shot, a suave card player who adds an ace to his deck when he kills someone, and a hired gun who finds killing purely business. The cinematography of the movie guarantees you'll get to see plenty of close ups of guns, faces, zooming in of guns, and zooming in of faces!

Let's see. A town called Redemption. A quest for revenge. A gun fighter competition. A tyrant mayor. This could turn out to be an exciting Red Dead Redemption Hype week!

Red Dead Redemption Achievement Race

The time is drawing nigh for another achievement race. Red Dead Redemption hits stores May 18. Anyone one interested in being in the achievement race simply needs to say so in the comment section of this post to register.

If you don't think you'll get the game on release day, feel free to register anyway. The game will take decent amount of time to complete, so you won't be at too much of a disadvantage. Plus it's all for fun anyway.

Now lets posse up and skin us some bears! That's one of the achievements, btw.