They are out there!

Good to see Zelda nerds out there! I immediately recognize the decal on the back of this vehicle. It made me smile.

Let's Play 003-Banjo Kazooie (Part 01) [480p]

Let's Play 001- Mario Kart 64

Perfect Dark Review

Perfect Dark. Wow there is just so much to talk about with this game from Rare made in 2000. It is the successor to Goldeneye 007, though not in storyline. I played this game to death while I was in middle school. If you like first person shooters and want to harken back to one of the greatest- look no further than the pair Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark.

The game was groundbreaking for its day, offering many features that were not seen until implemented by the developers. The first menu item allows access to the training grounds and a firing range where challenges can be completed to unlock stuff. Some of these challenges are very easy, while others are nearly impossible. Even I couldn’t finish every single one- though I got close. Playing the Carrington Institute section will teach you how to play the game.

There are 20 missions to play in this game- and each has 3 difficulty settings. Agent, Special Agent, and Perfect Agent. If you complete each mission on Perfect Agent, you unlock the Perfect Dark mode. This allows you to manually adjust the enemy’s health, accuracy and damage dealt. I have completed the game on both Agent and Special Agent modes, but I still have not legitimately completed the game on perfect agent. It isn’t easy.

Tons of guns are being introduced in this futuristic shooter- and each has two unique functions. For example, the Falcon is a standard 7 round pistol that can be used to fire the gun- or pistol whip which does not kill. Many are standard combat rifles with interesting secondary gimmicks. There is the laptop gun, which folds into a sentry- alien weaponry such as the Slayer and cheap Farsight XR-20, mines, grenades, a laser, explosives and the infamous D357-LX, which for all intents and purposes is the golden gun from Goldeneye 007. I’ve managed to shoot 5 computer characters in a row with that gun and killed every one of them with one shot.

The game follows Joanna Dark, an agent of the Carrington Institute as she infiltrates Datadyne Corporation after a scientist named ‘Dr. Carroll’ requests he be rescued from HQ. The plot unravels as you go along as it is revealed that Datadyne is not working alone. When Carrington calls in ‘friends’ to assist him the game gets interesting. Play the game to experience the full story. This is also the only game I know of in recent history that allows you to shoot at NSA shock troops. In a virtual world, of course. The NSA might not like it, Trent Easton might not like it, but you may get a buzz saying ‘heh, that guy was NSA’.

As you play you will discover multiple audio and visual options. Mono, Stereo and Surround Sound are supported- including a headphone mode for those that wish to use headphones. It’s useful when you want to play the game, hear the volume, but wish not to disturb others. If you have sensitive ears you can turn of the swearing- and even the blood. Paintball mode had to be unlocked in Goldeneye 007- in this game you can simply turn it on. 4:3 and 16:9 ratios are supported in both normal and widescreen modes. Hi Res textures are supported only through the graphics jumper pack for the Nintendo 64- and this game requires that you have it. You choose whether you want horizontal or vertical split screen for 2 player mode. If you want to play with two controllers that is possible as well with over 8 different mappings for you to choose from. I did not know about the 2 controller layout until writing up this review.

There are a wide range of in house cheats- meaning that you don’t need to hack the game in order to have fun. There is everything from big head mode to unlimited ammo- but some of the cheats are very hard to obtain. You either need to complete enough challenges in the Carrington Institute or you need to complete a particular mission on a particular difficulty in a short amount of time. I tried dozens of times back in the day to get unlimited ammo, no reloads and it was an absolute bitch.

The combat simulator is where this game is at. If you want first person shooter multiplayer for the Nintendo 64- this is where you want to get it. I have spent hundreds, possibly over a thousand- hours inside this combat simulator with friends and simulants. While I always chose to tweak my own rules in advanced mode- you can jump into presets very quickly if that is what you want to do. The simulator features 30 challenges ranging in piss easy to extremely hard. Complete them to unlock levels, weapons and other goodies to use in multiplayer. 

There are 14 presets you can load- from slow motion to rocket launchers. The quick start simplifies the advanced options and allows you to play versus simulants, versus other players- or both. There are different weapons sets to choose from- including custom sets available in the advanced setup. Get in, get dirty and keep playing through the quick setup. However- advanced setup is where the fun- and the pain- is.

Advanced setup lets you control everything from the rules of the game to the weapons sets to the stage to the simulants. There are six different ways to play in multiplayer- unadulterated combat, hold the briefcase, hacker central, pop a cap (which is a version of ‘tag, you’re it’), King of the Hill and capture the enemy case. You can speed up walking motion through the options, institute one hit kills, turn off scoring for making a kill, change the length of time one must hold the hill, no radar, no auto-aim, and highlights. There are 16 stages to choose from- including a random button.

Limits can be set on the game. You can play to a score of 10 or 10 minutes- whichever comes first. You can also play to a score of X only, or a time of X only to see who gets the highe

st score. If you need to, handicaps can be placed to help players who aren’t as good at the game- increasing their available health. There are six difficulties of simulants, ranging from piss easy to cheaters. Additionally there are 12 special simulants who excel at one particular goal- and they can be a pain in the ass if randomized into a game. To make them worse, you can change the difficulty on these special sims. Teams, individual player statistics and a plethora of other options make this one of the best multiplayer first person shooters ever created. This was all before Call of Duty boys and girls.

The game can also be played co-op with a second player. In addition, a counter-operative mode is featured. This means the 2^nd player is attempting to stop player 1- and if they die, they respawn into the body of another guard or non-player character. It’s a weird take on normal rules and it is a ton of fun.

At a retail price of $7 for the year of 2014, you would be out of your mind not to give this game a try and pick it up for your Nintendo 64 collection. It is one of the best games for the system and it will deliver hours upon hours of content and things to do before you get bored. When you get bored, introduce someone to the game and get back into the combat simulator all over again. While the game was criticized for its slightly choppy frame rate, it is a legendary title that deserves to be up there with the best of them. RGN gives this game a 93.8 out 100, making this game my 13^th best game of all time.

Retrolink USB N64 Controller

I've found it very difficult to emulate with a standard gamepad for the Nintendo 64. I can play perfect dark with a halo-esque control scheme, but the feeling isn't natural. Thus, I feel the only alternative is to get a USB enabled nintendo 64 controller- authorized or not. I found one by Retrolink and I'll be giving it a try. I will definitely post a review of it!

More Jultide Joy

Isn't this an amazing Zelda mural? Got it as a gift from my roommate.

RGN Presents POS Games 011- Adventures in the Magic Kingdom NES

Rad Racer for the NES

One of the hottest things during the 70s and 80s were red sports cars- and the young Square didn't disappoint in releasing a racer featuring such a car. Developed two years after Super Mario Bros. in 1987, Rad Racer was a very popular game in the United States that featured a Ferrari and a F1 racer that the player could choose between.

The gameplay mechanics are very simple. The player races down the track as fast as they can before the timer runs out. If the timer runs out, your engine is shut off and you are forced to coast until you hit a checkpoint. Hitting a checkpoint allots you more time to race. Many times you will simply coast right into the checkpoint, breathe a sigh of relief and keep going. However- if you are a millisecond too slow or crash too often before hitting the flag points, you will stop short- and it can get very annoying when that happens.

While well designed, if you run off the road, hit a sign or another car your vehicle immediately changes its coefficient of friction. For non-scientists, that means touching anything makes your car perform as if it were on a road of ice, lubricant and gravy. You can pretty much kiss the run goodbye after two collisions.

As much as I would like to discuss this game in detail- that is pretty much it. I think the checkpoints are too thinned out- but some people like sitting here all day making sure that the game doesn't get the best of them. While fun for an hour or so of gaming, there are a couple of other games for the NES I would rather be playing. Still, Rad Racer is a cult classic that some would say that my words are criminal. Rad Racer gets a 8.54/10, placing it at #84 on my best games of all time.

Rad Racer is copyright Square, 1987 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

More Extracted Information From A Link Between Worlds

Ok. I have some conjecture here. It will be highlighted in white to hide it. If you want to see it, highlight the text with your cursor. I took a look at Zelda Wiki and there are some glaring discrepancies between what I was read via Eiji Aonuma and what is being said across the internet.

The internet claims A Link Between Worlds is a SEQUEL to A Link to the Past. I remember reading somewhere that this game was a prequel to my greatest game of all time. They clocked Aonuma later saying that this was a sequel- and with in game dialogue referencing events in A Link to the Past- I would place this game after Link's Awakening, but we aren't sure whether they are before or after The Oracle games.

Timeline Placement
According to in game dialogue, 7 or so generations have passed since Link entered the dark world, slayed the evil demon Ganon (he comes back in Zelda I- that's not a spoiler.). That is about 250 years. As per Hyrule Historia- it is never clear whether Link is always a descendant of a previous Link- but we're pretty sure Zelda is always a descendant of the original Zelda that came from Skyloft. After all, the Hylians are descendants of Zelda and gain their powers through her. Though, at this point in the timeline their powers may be thinning out. They definitely begin to fade around the time of Zelda I. It isn't clear how much time occurs between A Link Between Worlds and Zelda I, or if some games fit between the two.

Familiar Dungeons; At Least on the Outside
There are some familiar, but different- dungeons in A Link Between Worlds. It appears that the tower of Hera still stands, the Lost Woods is still there- hell the overworld is almost a carbon copy of A Link to the Past- but new and slightly different. I think this adds a bit of authenticity to the distance between the games- but offers a fresh and new experience working with the flattening mechanic.

Characters
Just who the hell are some of these characters? it seems that they may be trying to pull another Twilight Princess here with two worlds- Hyrule and Lorule. Again, very funny Nintendo. The Dark World, which was reversed and purified after Ganon was destroyed has similar music to Lorule, though the relationship between the two so far ends right there- there is no established connection between the Dark World and Lorule.

The Zora return as enemies. Perhaps they went rogue after the fall of the Kingdom to Ganon during the Hero of Time era. There are new characters too- an unidentified wizard who... you make up your mind who he/she/it looks like. I have a fairly confident answer to that question. Who is this Ravio? they appear in the spoiler art along with a woman who appears to be Impa and a woman/girl we know is Zelda. But- on the flip side of the image is a darker world with a woman/girl of darker hair next to the wizard, who may or may not be the antagonist.

And then, the triforce. I thought it was just a cool graphic but apparently there is a counterpart to the all sacred triforce, playing on the yin/yang and two sides of the same coin idea. We have no idea what the darker counterpart is or what it does- but right now I might just call it the antiforce. Just because I can.

Then we have the return of Sahasrahla. We don't know if he has been living 250 years- albeit unlikely- or if he is a direct descendent. Hell, there isn't enough information to connect the two- it could be a guy named after Sahasrahla for all we know. Time will tell.



Even if more information comes out, I think this is enough to go on for now.

Well... Not Sure Why They Rotated It- A Link Between Worlds and More

Nintendo recently showed 8 minutes of their new Zelda game: A Link Between Worlds- and we know a bit more about it. I am interested in how they utilize the flat wall mechanic, though the world seems too familiar to the Hyrule from A Link to the Past. The "dark world", as promised has returned- but not in the way you think it does. Apparently the "alternative world" is a place called "Lorule". Very funny Nintendo.

We have no clue if Lorule is connected to the Sacred Realm or if either have anything to do with each other; other than the fact that they share the same basic music- Lorule being orchestrated for the 3Ds, of course.

Of interesting note is in the screenshot I took here. The temple of time area (or the ruins of) where the pedestal to the Master Sword is has been rotated right 90 degrees. What this means- I have no idea. I would venture there probably isn't any significance to the change- but the area is obviously shaped like the old Temple of Time layouts- a long corridor of a room connected to something octagonal or spherical where the pedestal is.

We know Nintendo has a knack for gameplay over story- but they shouldn't neglect either, in my opinion. While similar to A Link to the Past, new Zelda players that never got to play that title have a fresh experience with A Link Between Worlds.

I don't know if that Triforce symbol with the upside down version is relevant, but we know that items can be rented or purchased- they can be upgraded- and the Master Sword returns in this game. I'd prefer to have a larger library for this system before I shell hard earned money on it- but fortunate as I am at my age- I still get Yuletide gifts. I might have to ask for this and another game or two.

Generation 8 Will Be the Final Console Generation for Gaming

With Sony's announcement that they want to do more with Gaikai and make it available on other devices (that are not Sony's), coupled with Valve's announcement of its brand new SteamOS- it's not hard to figure out where gaming is headed.

We could be on the cusp of a revolution in video games.

Valve's SteamOS will be free and is based on Linux. It can be installed fresh on any custom machine- and just for the console gamers who don't want to be involved with computers- which is a sort of oxymoron since consoles are specialized computers- Valve will be releasing the Steam Box- a sort of console/computer that will run the SteamOS and allow you to play games made available through Steam. If Steam keeps its current policies- that means you can play offline too in the event of an internet service outage.

Steam is known for a fantastic selection of games from many developers who have some control over their prices. Additionally, older games are made cheaper and most titles are featured in some kind of special sale. In short, Valve is now rolling around in dough. Coupled with the Steam Workshop, many games will have custom add-ons that can probably be downloaded on the Steam Box (HINT: I am making a guess!). What's more- if I wanted to stream within my network from my computer to a set box which is connected to my TV- I might be able to do that.

Steam has been doing fairly well with PC Gaming- and they have been making strides to make your purchased games tradeable. One could argue that Steam is getting into the console market- but it is not. "Boxes" will be built that will run Linux and the OS yes, but those parts will be upgradeable for the future, and Valve has plans on making systems modular. So 10 years down the road if I want my Steam Box to play a new game that it can't handle, I can go out and buy a boxed graphics card as an upgrade, go home, take the old one out, put the new one in, recycle the old one, and wallah.

If console gamers bitch right now that taking hardware out to be replaced is too hard or inconvenient, especially if you are sliding one thing in and another out, you are cordially invited to get off this blog. In effect, you get a "box" that is upgradeable at certain points in the future instead of buying a completely new system and a new OS. And HEY! that new card you put in the box? it will play all of those older steam games too.

My god. o____o


These "boxes" sound an awful lot like a PERSONAL COMPUTER. That's because that's exactly what they are- just streamlined, made modular and running the Linux OS. I am sure in time the SteamOS will be able to play DVDs and internet browse, etc etc.

One OS to end them all, so to speak. This is why Sony has been moving forward with Gaikai and making their games available to a broader range of hardware- from phones to tablets and maybe to PCs. Console manufacturing can be a risky business when it comes to costs- and I am sure they won't mind focusing more attention on making better games and new IPs. It would be silly for SteamOS to not work on a range of hardware as well- and I am sure the intelligent folks at Valve already know that.

If Gaikai (which is streaming; SteamOS would probably be download) is moving and I can play it on my PC? game over for consoles. Game over. This leaves the ball in Nintendo and Microsoft's court. Do or die. Because competitive pricing (for the love of Heyzoos Kristobel I hope there isn't price fixing among platforms- Valve is known for cock blocking that) will spur growth in the market- with the addition of buttloads of potential DLC, streaming of retro games, etc- we could see a new golden age in gaming.

So what about intrusive DRM? If the OS companies and publishers give me more control over my purchased product and offer fair prices after time has passed, and/or allow me to trade my digital copy to another account, and keep up with a good Steam model- then I can accept that. But what has been going on for years- the constant authentication, the kinect 2.0 always listening and watching; the logins and accounts, cut that shit out but leave buying the game through the new OS in. Give me control over my product, but enough control in your hands to prevent piracy. You happy, I is happy. No more big brother; no more remembering log-in IDs, no more downloading distribution platforms for each and every developer. Let the OS platform handle it. Let the OS platform worry about becoming a name brand for video games- and the people will come- and they will browse- for good deals.

As long as gamers tell Microsoft and their constant online authentication to fuck off.

Nintendo Made Good Impressions; But They Aren't Leaving Empty Handed

Nintendo didn’t have a new console to unveil this year, but that didn’t stop them from making an appearance at E3. I’m excited for Nintendo’s first party games like Mario Kart 8, but that’s just the problem. It’s “Mario Kart 8”. As a retro gamer I don’t see a problem with popping in Super Mario Kart or Mario Kart Double Dash!. I have to admit that the 12 player online deal is pretty cool, but outside of that it isn’t something I’m willing to fork dough over for just yet. Don’t get me wrong- Nintendo made it look like a lot of fun- but I’d have to invite my adult pals over to play it, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.. though in college this game along with Dokapon was known to ruin relationships. Although Retro, the gaming studio behind Metroid Prime is back making a Donkey Kong sequel, it feels the same as Super Mario Kart- I’m going to wait.

The format of the latest Mario games is cool and well done, but it’s getting stale in my opinion. It does seem like a fun muitiplayer game though. You can never go wrong with a good Mario platformer though- I just wish I could get more than 15 hours out of one. While I have never played Pikmin, I know a buddy of mine is very excited about Pikmin 3 coming out. That’s an actual change I am very happy to see. Ditto on Bayonetta 2- if I recall correctly this is exclusive to the Wii U. If I were to pick up the Wii U in the future- I am probably going to look into getting this game. There was a secret trailer release of some game that looked like it combined Zone of the Enders and Monster Hunter- I’m definitely interested in that bit.

It’s always good to see Zelda in almost any form, except the CDI games. I like the look and UI changes to the Wind Waker HD remake, but as a hardcore Zelda fan this isn’t enough to get me to bite. I will tell you what is though- that new Zelda game coming out for the 3Ds- A Link to the Past 2. That’s enough for me to bite, and it helps that the 3Ds has a healthy selection of titles to choose from. I know we should really be discussing the Wii U here- but the 3Ds has some good stuff for it down the pipeline. I know quite a few people who are going to go bonkers over the new Pokemon X and Y games. Hell, I might even bite. I haven’t played a Pokemon game since Red/Blue/Yellow, so I might as well put that on my bucket list.

I really liked the look of Skylanders SWAP Force- and again it’s a 3Ds title. I am really excited about Sonic: Lost World though. It seems SEGA went retro on this one and took a playbook from Mario Galaxy in its unique level designs. And hell… you know what? It’s coming out on the 3Ds too. One place I think the Wii U really shines along with the Playstation 4 this year is there friendliness with indie developers. Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara peaked my interest- it looks like a remake of Golden Axe, but better. Depending on the price I’d give Shovel Knight a try too. 

It looks like Super Smash Bros was Nintendo’s trump card this E3- and for good reasons, the series is extremely popular. I’d be interested in getting at least one of the titles, and to make a safe bet I would probably pick up the 3Ds version. I know a lot of people that are going to be very happy about Mega Man joining the fray. Super Smash Bros. was kind of…. Ruined for me during college, however I am still willing to play the way it was meant to be played- with friends. It should be a lot of fun. 

I like what Nintendo has put down on the floor- their lineup isn’t as solid as the behemoth Sony, but they make dang good games and Nintendo is historically the best when it comes to 1^st party titles. I am sold on one thing however- and I wasn’t sold on it back in 2011 when I got to get my hands on a demo unit. For the Wii U- I’m really not that enthralled with it yet. I may look at it again at next year’s E3, but right now I’m looking at the food in the oven and it just isn’t ready yet. 

I am thinking about looking at buying a Wii U in either 2014 or 2015, with the latter more likely. As for the 3Ds, that baby is done and ready to enjoy. Nintendo has convinced me to get the handheld- not just for the Zelda game, but for a couple of other first party hits and third party ones as well. Good job Nintendo, you made a sale. My final verdict on E3's press conference? good. They have some exciting stuff in the pipeline, especially for the 3Ds. If you're like me and you're on the fence about something Nintendo, I say now is a good time to bite on the 3Ds, but give the Wii U a little more time in the oven. Hopefully the temperature wasn't set too low initially.

Post E3 Coverage: Final Thoughts on the Xbone

So let’s talk about the Xbox one. A few weeks ago Microsoft revealed their new “entertainment center experience” called the Xbox One and centered its focus around water coolers, television, sports and a real seal team dog. The response wasn’t too good for Microsoft, and they exclaimed high on the mountain top ‘we haven’t forgotten you, the core gamer’.

Recap: My Expectations

Let’s take a quick recap: as a gamer I expect content and value for the money I am putting out. I expect to put the game in and play it. I also expect companies to keep their hands off of the product I just purchased, after I purchase it. Those are the core tenants of my gameplay philosophy and my expectations for game publishers. 

Xbox Claims It’s the Wave of the Future

Microsoft (according to the Wall street Journal) claims that the Xbox One’s new technologies, which we will call “DRM”, are the wave of the future of gaming and that they “the DRM measures” are the reason you should be buying their console. That’s a pretty ballsy move, and after the Redmond Campus incident they didn’t have much of a choice here. CNET says that Microsoft has regained “gamer credit” with E3’s showing. While that may be true just for the author of that article, the rest of gamerdom as a whole seems to disagree with him. One thing is correct though: Microsoft said not one thing about the intrusive DRM at E3.

There’s just one problem. Microsoft wants to demand what the future will be (that’s nice), but gamerdom as a whole has already spoken negatively about the intrusive DRM and privacy breaking Kinect 2.0. Hey- some people who adore and love Microsoft won’t care and are willing to shell out the money for the shiny new box. I’m here to pick between the three consoles- because every generation I like to pick, at a minimum, one game console.

Indie Support

According to TGS, Microsoft really has not gained indie support- and that can spell disaster for sales. Other sources I have looked into state that Indie developers are raving about the Playstation 4, it’s friendliness to work with and the capabilities it presents to developers. TGS also commented that “this is what Microsoft needed in terms of gameplay”. I disagree- they needed console exclusives at E3, and most of the stuff showed there was CGI or multi-platformed games. 

You see- I have this awesome thing I am talking to right now through an integrated device known as a PC. For $500 I can get a machine that runs every single game in existence at a respectable framerate with room to upgrade in the future. One downside to consoles is that you are stuck with what you have until the next generation. There’s nothing mysterious or high tech about them- if you want that stuff you’ll have to look at high end gaming rigs, of which mine is not one. If It’s on the PC it’s going to run better and look better. Controller support is increasing for PC games. So…. If Metal Gear Solid V is on the PC or is a multi-plat game, for example, I’ll take a pass on Xbone.

Xbox Live Required

For the console to even work you’re going to need to pay a fee to Xbox Live to get the thing jump started. Just to update my games and for Microsoft to “authenticate” me, I’ve got to pay money. In addition, a new “reputation” system will come into play. Other players will be able to vote you up or down depending on if you play like a moron or not. I see this system being abused to the core and not a good idea in practice.

At ‘Authorized Retailers Only’

There will be no freedom to do what you want with your used games. You’ll be free to trade them into Gamestop, which is so far the only authorized retailer. No other information has been put out about that, but it is a fact that if you want to trade/sell games with your friends, or at all, you will only be able to do it once, and ONLY once, AND the person has to be on your friends list for more than 30 days. There will be no game rentals. Microsoft is exploring that option (which means they may or may not be looking into it).

Again, if they can come up with a competitive pricing model like Steam, then it isn’t such a big deal. However the industry’s track record has proven to be poor when publishers want $39.99 to $49.99 for used games that are five years old. Like I said previously, I won’t bite on that. Publishers will now dictate the sale of used games- and that’s going to open a whole lot of problems under First Sale Doctrine.

What’s the Kinect 2.0 Really For?

So what’s the dang camera for, anyways? Microsoft has not put out any exclusives that used motion controls let alone talked about them at great length. So what exactly is that camera for? It’s always watching and always listening. Contrary to what Microsoft has said, that “they” are the ‘stalwarts’ of privacy, I do not trust a corporation such as Microsoft to handle my private information.

With CISPA and government spying roaming around, and that’s a topic for another day, I am not about to trust Microsoft sharing private information with the government, the CIA, the NSA, or anyone relevant. Yes, they can do that with each other. Yes, it is unconstitutional. No, the majority of people don’t care. Microsoft also has a patent to charge pay-per-view from what the Kinect 2.0 sees. 

I don’t trust Microsoft to keep personally identifiable information secure. That information is open for Microsoft to misuse, or more practically- available to hackers, thieves, and corporations that want to sell me products. To top it all off- if Kinect doesn’t recognize someone in the room, they ask that person to identify themselves. The Kinect then stores that information, including if the person made a rude gesture.

Why You Should Really Buy a Console

The main reason you should buy any console is the availability of good titles, exclusives as well as, nowadays a network that allows you to play multiplayer games and download extra content/DLC through that Network. Microsoft wants to take it one step further to make you pay to get in the door, and pay to get your brick to work. That is an unacceptable practice.

Always online DRM has been implemented in Xbone. 

In order to “authenticate”, which is a fancy term for Microsoft checking that you aren’t pirating, you need to connect to the internet once every 24 hours, even for single player games. Failure to do so means your console is temporarily bricked until you authenticate. If you log onto a console not your own, you have to “authenticate” every hour.

So let’s conclude with my thoughts on the Xbone. It’s always on and always watching and listening. The Kinect 2.0 serves no other practical purpose. There is a requirement to be online once every 24 hours, you have to register your games through the console on the internet to authenticate, You can’t resell your game more than once, the camera stores personally identifiable information, you have to pay to get into the “online store” so to speak, let alone pay Xbox Live to even make the console work, and to top it all off- the games revealed at launch are multi-platformers available on other consoles. They then have the balls to ask me for $500 for this DRM ridden entertainment box.

This is an immediate no. I am still waiting to give the PS4 a chance though as I consider it and the Wii U for a console purchase. Overall I am disappointed with where companies such as Microsoft and Electronic Arts want to take the industry. Let them defy gamers at their own peril.