[XBOX] STOLEN has Arrived!!

Hi gamers and collectors!

It was my birthday 3 days ago and as a gift from my relatives I was handed money. I'm guessing you know where all this money is going to, that's right you guessed it...More games!
So I have a lot of love for the XBOX, there are plenty of games that the system has that any XBOX owner should have. I've bought a handful so far, and the reason for the slow updates on the matter is that most of them were auctions :( however I did win nearly all of them, if not I did win them all.

So the first game I bought was STOLEN, no no no it's the title of the game, Stolen. It's a 3rd person stealth based game, doing moves like Catwoman and getting away with the goods. I haven't played through it yet but that was the first objective :P

When the game arrived, of course my OCD set in and looked all over it for defects. Knowing this game wouldn't be worth an extra dime I wasn't so fussed but the case had a huge gash in the front, you won't see it in the pictures because I changed the case over from another game. I later checked the manual, every single page to see if any pages were missing or damaged, all those checks past. Anyhow, I popped in the XBOX and it loads the game fine...

Just as I was taking the above picture I noticed a shiny scratch on the label side of the disc. Now any gamer would know the label side is where well the label is, but it's what the label holds underneath is important. So held the disc up to the light and I could see straight through the scratch :(. So maybe later on in the game it might start to stutter or not load at all. Good thing my XBOX is modified and a backup will fix this problem... As it's not an expensive title (Got it for $10) I'll let it slide as the disc still works fine...at the start that is. You'll see what I mean in the picture below...

More updates to come during the week!

Nintendo 64 hunting continues and HAPPY EASTER!!

Hi gamers!

First off, Happy Easter to you all! I bet many of you played a lot of games today ^^

It's been a few days since my last blog post, but only because I've been so bloody busy on my new shiny tablet :3. Well, I've only just gotten it, last Thursday. I should leave this tablet talk for next entry, thinking of reviewing it actually on my channel...
SO! What have I been up to besides that? Well I've been hunting Nintendo 64 stuff, and I mean hunting, I've got notepad++ open listing down games I need to recover what I used to own as a child, and even games I WANTED to own at that time.

As I've mentioned many times before I've always been into Arcade Racers, and that genre is usually 3rd party and what this means is, many games I'm looking for are either: Rare, Expensive, or horrible condition and off the top of my head, it's going to be a very slow process. Well that's part of the fun right?

Not all of this search can be done online, I'll have to ask around people I know and check every goodwill store there is locally. Too bad the weather has been pretty shitty, and actually my city has the worse -_-

Well that's what I've been doing lately, not much as I've quit my study and currently looking for work, oh that's the other thing but I guess you wouldn't want to read about that anyway. XD

Video Game Retailer GAME will be for sale soon!

Hi gamers!

Me personally this is great news! I hate the chain of GAME stores, as they're as useless as tits on a bull. I tell everyone not to buy anything from their stores as most of their staff are rude, customer service sucks and so do their terms & conditions.

This was featured news in the around the UK, and even so it's a UK based company, many people have disliked it as well.

GAME is having trouble keeping up the stocks, and they have two weeks to pay the rents. So now they're for sale.
There has been rumours that GAME will be sold to Gamestop (EB Games for Australia), and I hope they don't sell at all. Their stores suck! I just hope they close over here too.

If you're wondering why I hate GAME so god damn much, check out this story.

Source: MetroUK

Check all you Nintendo 64 cartridge tabs if you haven't recently!

Hi gamers,

10 minutes ago I opened my draw and wanted to check the condition of my Vigilante 8 cart, as I'm thinking of selling it and buying a boxed version however after see the cartridge was a bit warped I turned cart to the visible pin area to find the tabs underneath were starting to pop out on the right side [tweet], from what I can see without taking the cartridge apart is that the inner PCB is bending and causing the cart housing to pop open... Without the second tab in place there is no way to close the cartridge back up and remains open and unplayable (doesn't slide into my Nintendo 64). Until I buy a cartridge gamebit screwdriver I cannot see the full damage..

buckling pins and PCB/Broken tab

This game is an ex-rental as I bought it from EB Games many moons ago, and of course I avoid ex-rentals now. However from the time I bought it I had no problems until today. It's been sitting in my draw for years. What's causing this to happen? Is beyond me and how to prevent? I have no idea without pointing out the obvious.Which is why I've come to the conclusion that this can happen to other games as well.. Check your games over if you haven't recently!

Community 2012 Upcoming Game Release List

Hi gamers!

2012 has some sweet kick ass games coming up, it's time to strap in and start saving the cash! Just to make gamers squirm even more, here is a reference list and which platforms they will be available on:

I'm really looking forward to Carmageddon, Lollipop Chainsaw, Tomb Raider, Soul Caliber V, SSX, Tekken Tag 2, Street Fighter vs Tekken, Dead or Alive 5, Counter-Strike: GO and Ridge Racer: Unbound.
Well thought I'd shoot a list out I found and hope to make some of you spend more money than planned. :P Don't worry it happens to me a lot.

Local game store chains, take note!

Hi gamers!

As usual I go to local stores to find some current generation games here and there, I don't always buy current generation games but when I do it's a sequel or some interesting title that's been talked about a lot. Most my friends are not retro fans or as into retro gaming as I am, so a bit of current generation hangs around me. Take note that this up coming rant is going to be a *rant*, because I've got a lot of built up anger that's making my blood boil about local game store chains, yes like EB Games, GAME, and Gametraders also other retailing multi-stores like JB Hi-Fi.

Let's start off with this quality guarantee a lot of them say in their ads, bags, posters, magazines and what not. What exactly do they mean by this? They sell recent products that every other store sells and it's on their shelf? Or maybe it's got to do with how good their products are that stand out from their competitors... Well I think the last one takes the cake, however I beg to differ.
Not once have I bought a new or pre-owned game that is actually in acceptable condition, and I'm talking about cosmetically. I've seen a few game cases in EB that are scratched, torn, missing the plastic over the case, ripped inserts and the list goes on. Never have I seen these put into a scratch/dent bin, they're still on the shelf at full price, tossers.

Exactly where is this quality!? Now let alone buying a pre-owned game from any of the stores I mentioned above, the staff just don't understand that a Classics/Platinum goes in their own cases, NOT into a black label case you morons. I'm sorry, but if you accept a trade in with the incorrect disc, don't lay the blame on the customer, just refund the customer and stop making a scene about it. Also I should mention that, these experiences are also from my friends and people I know online. I just don't understand how getting a complete game is a taboo thing, once you hand over your cash it turns into store credit for THEIR mistake.. Wankers!

Not ALL stores and this doesn't happen ALL the time, but the problem seems to be with the staff.. They're obviously just not trained to understand that their products they have in the store should be cared for in a mature manner. I can accept bad quality games from Multi-Merch stores like K-mart (walmart), Target and other stores, but EB, and GAME!? They don't hire juniors and yet their products look like they do! Yet, I get turned down for every interview for their stores, and so do the rest of us.

The first thing people say to me when I mention this, is that "Staff get paid minimum wage... blah blah". So does every other man and his dog but you don't see every store you go to looking horrible and getting treated like your from space. Like I said, this doesn't happen ALL the time but when it does it's just plain annoying and needs to be addressed.

It's an on going problem and most likely it's here to stay, but I just had to get it off my chest once and for all. I think it's time Indie stores get back into the gaming store scene, I miss Gamerush, E2 and other great stores when I was younger..

Riiiiiiiiiiidge Racerrrr 6 finally found! Funny story behind this.

Hi gamers!

Today I didn't end up going to my study mainly because well... It was raining and I was pretty damn tired. Anyway after that class finished I got up and met my friends at the stores across the road, and as usual we got to each of the games and have a look at what they currently have, sometimes we get into long conversations with the staff since we're well known regulars.

After my friend was finished at the bank we went back to GAME for my friend to buy a copy of Rift, while waiting around this guy (who was there before us) was doing a trade in. My friend points out that one of the games was Ridge Racer 6, he was thinking "Ridge Racer - Hexigon, Ridge Racer - Hexigon" while the guy was talking to one of the staff members about how much they will give him for the games, the staff said they'd give him $4 for Ridge Racer 6 you heard right, $4! -- No no, I grabbed the game and told the owner I'll give you $10 for Ridge Racer 6. Right away it was mine, bad luck GAME stole your mark up :)

Just missing a few more Ridge Racer games mainly the ones for the Playstation, Ridge Racer V is currently being shipped :)

EDIT: I forgot to mention that when buying this game off the customer, I asked if he had change for $20 which he didn't. The staff over the counter grabbed change from his pocket and gave it to the other customer and me. Well everyone is happy :P

More game hunting tomorrow!! + some other buying news

Hi gamers!

Yes, it's that time again! Weekend starts tomorrow 20 minute trip downtown to find some games.. well what else would I be looking for? I know what you're thinking, settle down.

Maybe later :D

Anyway, quite a few games I'm actually on the look out for some of them are not that rare but games I miss.
I'll be looking for:

• Ridge Racer 7
• Burnout 3
• Burnout

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDDDGGGGGGGEEEEEE RACERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Also I'm searching for a PS2 Network Adapter, hopefully some second hand stores might have them worth a try.

After getting my refund from that asshole on eBay, I've been looking for some XBOX titles mainly because my selection is very small I think I have around 3-4 games I think...Yeah not much at all :(

As I was looking at some people's XBOX collections on my favourite fourm there are a few titles I've always overlooked. Bloodrayne for example is one I used to see a lot around stores, it's apparently a very good game, and extremely gory ^_^, also the sequel should get a mention too.
A few days back I bought Bloodrayne on XBOX, but it hasn't arrived yet, along with Wreckless.

   Some other games that are usually out for gimmick purposes like Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball I have to get, yeah I'm a fan of the DOA series, can you guess why? I'll leave that question with you.

Later on I'll talk about the XBOX a bit more, but for now have a nice night. 

Heavenly Sword search is over!

Hi gamers,

The night before I wrote a list of games I've wanted when I didn't own a Playstation 3.. One of those included 'Heavenly Sword'. I can recall reading about this game, and it having a unique feel and it was also featured on the Australia game show "Good Game".
I then downloaded the demo and loved it straight away, it felt a lot like N3 mass waves of enemies and long button combinations. This is my type of game!!

After class, a few friends of mine joined me to go looking for some games across the raod at the stores. A few places started clearing out a lot of the older games mainly used ones, also it's stock-take clearance as well. Went to GAME, JB Hi-Fi and EB Games (I'm limited to those 3 stores as the others are just shit), GAME had nothing as usual, although JB and EB have had pretty interesting titles on the shelves.
Anyway, looking every where for Heavenly Sword as looked down a few more racks and there it was! Well not quite.. I asked the guy if they had one used, he said there is but it's the last copy they had... yeah why not. Seeing that it was near perfect condition apart from the scratched cover $23 wasn't bad.

My thoughts on the game so far:

- The first chapter is very informative, introduces the main character Nariko and close friend? Kai.

- Graphics are very impressive even on 576i, I can't think of what it'd look like on 1080p!

- Controls are actually pretty good, uses the Sixaxis controller well nearly every button is used.

- I haven't learnt the HUD that well, it's too small for my liking. Could be the video settings.

- Character modelling looks fantastic, animation just as beautiful.

- Dislike there is no trophy support, apparently the producers of the game and SONY have parted ways.

I might talk more about this game in my next collection video at the end of this month. Stay tuned :)