Substance TV

The other night I’m in a party on Xbox LIVE. You know, shootin’ the breeze with a few friends, catching up on life, and seeing what’s new. I was playing a bit of Battlefield 1943 while the rest of the party was deep in Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer. Feeling like the third wheel, I asked the guys what other games they had. To my surprise, each of them responded with, “I only have Modern Warfare 2”.

What?

Of course one guy chimed in, as if to impress the others, “Well, I have NBA 2K7”. Wow. Great. Of course curiosity got the best of me. I asked, “What other games are you interested in?”. Each of them say in unison, “I really don’t care to buy any other games and mostly likely won’t”. They didn’t even have a simple Xbox LIVE arcade game. Nothing. Just Modern Warfare 2.

Let’s do that magical math dance and figure the least you would have to spend to get this setup.

Xbox 360 = $200 (base arcade system)
Modern Warfare 2 = $60 (new price)
Xbox LIVE = $50 (1 year access)

We’re talking about dropping at least $310 to buy the system, game, and online service. All this to play one game? Look, I could care less what others do with their money. This just doesn’t make sense. Why spend all this money for one game? I can think of a few dozen better ways to spend $310 on a single experience. Mind you, these gentleman have owned an Xbox 360 for a few years and have a considerable amount of disposable income (well at least two of them do). It’s like going to a fancy restaurant and getting the steak every time. You’d miss out on a wide array of other great dishes.

My plea to you: rent, borrow, demo, but somehow step out of your comfort zone and experience new games. Think outside of your preconceived notions. I would have missed out on an amazing series like Mass Effect had I not just tried it.

So go forth and try!

I know the premise of reviewing what amounts to a bunch of skins for your virtual shipmates is a tad ludicrous, but follow me on this one.

There is no denying I’m a sucker for anything Mass Effect 2, I mean I bought a book based on the game. That fact may make me a wee bit biased. The DLC includes one new costume for Jack, Thane, and the best of all, Garrus. Here’s my quick thoughts on each costume. Read the rest of this epic article! »

The hype machine for Sonic 4 was launched into a frenzy with the release of that infamous trailer. Since then, there has been much joy and much butt hurt. Digging through the interwebs, I stumbled upon the music for the level “Splash Hill Zone – Act 1″. I thought it was decent, but it didn’t impress me all that much. Take a listen for yourself and see what you think.

And would you believe it, but there are already remixes of this song. I knew I may be exposing my ears to some awful music. Try as I may, I couldn’t resist. I must say, I’m glad I went on this little musical adventure. A remixer (I guess that’s what you call them) by the name of geckoyamori posted a remix of this song but with a decidedly Sega Genesis flair to it. The arrangement and sound is leaps and bounds above the original. Just listen.

That is some seriously amazing stuff right there. He also has some amazing remixes of other songs from Mega Man and even a reinterpretation of Super Metroid with a Sega Genesis vibe.

geckoyamori’s 8 bit collective page
geckoyamori’s Youtube page

The God of War III Ultimate Edition is hard to come by these days, but thanks to the laziness of others, you may prosper. Many who pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition at Gamestop have not picked up their copies. After 48 hours, Gamestop is required to release these games to the general public. In a move that confuses and elates me, Gamestop has lowered the price of the Ultimate Edition from $100 to $80. We’re talking about a $20 price drop on a hard to find version of the game that’s a little over a week old. Huh?

But who cares. Now you can possibly get your grubby little hands on this sweet set. Here’s the scoop, the Ultimate Edition is not on Gamestop’s website, so forget about trying to do a store locator or find it online because you won’t. Call your nearest Gamestop and ask if they have any copies in. Make sure they actually check and ask if any pre-orders have not been picked up. If they have none, politely ask them to check their system for any copies at other Gamestops in the area. Take note of the stores showing the game in stock, but don’t take their word for it and go sprinting over there. Call each store up to make sure. Ask them to hold it back and take your happy self on down to pick it up.

For those who took advantage of the 50% trade in offer earlier this year, this is a supreme way to spend your leftover spoils. If you’re lucky, they may have saved back the pre-order bonus. Ask if they happen to have any around. They might just be swell enough to hand one over.

The sooner you call, the better your chances of scoring a copy so get to it! Happy hunting and enjoy.

I’ll admit it, I’m obsessed with Mass Effect 2. As the last name of the credits scrolled by, one all consuming thought entered my brain: ME WANT MORE! Even after investing 42 hours and pouring over every single mission and quest, the addiction couldn’t be satisfied.

I was a little more than excited when I heard about the Firewalker DLC coming March 23rd. While at the same time, I was worried. I loved the original Mass Effect, but let’s be honest, the Mako was a big brown smeared turd that made planet exploration a chore.

So is the Hammerhead a worthwhile addition to the Mass Effect world, or nothing more than a Mako with a new paint job? Read on to find out… Read the rest of this epic article! »

…but this remake of her song “Telephone” by a little duo called Pomplamoose does not.