Hi guys,

It's been awhile since I've done a blog so it's good to be back to do a blog. Just recently I been around to local electronics stores to get a sense of what kind of HDTV is out there in the market. I'm looking to get an HDTV for my PS3 gaming needs and Blue Ray movies that I will be watching on the PS3. My budget is 1000 and I just wanted to get some recommendations or opinions on which HDTV I should be getting. I'm looking for either a 26" or 32" TV. So if any of you have any recommendations or tips on what I should go for I would appreciate any advice. Hope you are all doing well and thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Hey Guys,

First off I would like to appologize for the long leave of absence from this site. Between WoW and school I've been, well shall we say preoccupied?   Anyway I'm back tentatively for now and just want to update you guys on what's been going on in the gaming part of my life. Yesterday I went with my sister and stood in line for almost 3hrs in subzero tempurature outside Toys R Us to purchase a Wii. Yes yes I know, very foolish and crazy, and believe me I'm not the type to do these things, actually this is the very first time I stood in line like this for any of my systems. Normally I would wait 3-6 months until the hype is over and done with before getting a new system. However, my sister wanted to buy this so bad for her fiance who is into gaming as well that she asked me to come along with her. Of course I decided why not I might as well purchase the Wii while I'm waiting with her. So anyway to make a long story short we ended up getting the Wii (both of us) then I went over to Best Buy to buy The Twilight Princess for the Wii since Toys R Us sold out and what do I see? The PS3 60GB version. Let me tell you guys, I wasn't planning on buying 2 systems that day and certainly not the PS3 until later down the road (was shooting for late spring early summer), but the thrill of the moment got to me and I caved in so to speak. I purchased the PS3 along with Marvel Altimate Alliance and The Twilight Princess.  I was also convinced to spend another 100 bucks for a 2 year warranty because the PS3 had Blue Ray chip malfunctioning issues (the sales person told me so far only 10 since release of PS3) and I figured if I'm going to spend 700 bucks I might as well chip in another 100 to cover my a$$. Anyway I got home and tried both systems and so far I'm not dissappointed.  Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages but overall I'm quite pleased with my purchase.  I will have to spend more time on console gaming now that I've pretty much finished indulging myself with WoW (I've reached lv 70 with the expansion), which was an amazing experience that I will share with you guys some other time.  So anyways hope each and every one of you have been well and in good health. Catch you guys later I'm off to play some Final Fantasy XII.

Well folks, it's that time of year again. I just wanted to say to all of my friends here in GS and to those that frequently visit my blog posts, Merry Christmas and all the best to you and your families.  May your coming days be filled with joy and happiness.  Happy holidays everyone!

Just picked up Final Fantasy III for the DS last week and I have to say that I'm pretty excited about this game.  Unfortunately between WoW, FFXII and school (I've got exams upcoming) I have not the chance to check it out other than watching the opening movie.  From what I see so far it is well presented with both graphical and musical  appeal.  I'm running behind on alot of reviews including Okami which I still have to complete so I appologize for those that keep visiting my section to find that there is nothing new updated.  Additionally I am an officer over at the Alive by 85 Union so that has me busy somewhat as well.  Good news is that in about one month I will be finished my semester and will be on 3 weeks Christmas break to indulge you with my opinions and rants on game and game related material.  Until then as always be good and have fun.

Hi everyone,

I've played about 2 hours into FFXII and I thought I would share my first impressions of this game with you as some of you are anxious to hear my view of it.   The opening sequence is for lack of a better word breathtaking, I was held speachless and in awe of the presentation, and detail of the opening FMV sequence of this game. I will not give the details to prevent spoiling the game so from this point on I will only talk about what I think of the game so far in terms of story, music, graphics and gameplay. 

As I mentioned, the opening sequence and opening gameplay sequence is breathtaking and sets the story of the game.  The graphics of FFXII is exceptional and rich in both detail and colour.  I would go as far as to say that FFXII has pushed the limits of the PS2 capabilities in terms of graphics such that it playes out and looks like a nex-gen game.  Beautiful background scenery in addition to attention to detail gives the gamer the feeling of being there in Ivalice while playing.  The voice acting is supurb!  The voices thusfar in the game match the characters perfectly and with such energy and conviction in all the characters.  The music is as expected from the Final Fantasy franchise, compelling and epic, as it reflects the mood and the theme of the game.  I suspect that as I devulge further into the game I will be treated with a spectacular soundtrack.

The gameplay, although complex in some areas is very engaging and interactive.  There are as you know the gambit and license systems which allow you to preset the characters actions towards the enemy and equip and use magic and weapons respectively.  FFXII playes out like an MMO (which I recently have been exposed to for the first time in the form of WoW) and I am very comfortable with the way it plays out.  Initially I had reservations about the gameplay as I am used to the turn-based system, however playing WoWof late has prepared me for this style of gameplay and I must say that it is very liberating and exciting. 

In summary Final Fantasy XII has not disappointed me thus far and in fact I am very impressed with the attention and detail that has gone into the game.  This is apparent from the opening sequence and as soon as you play 30 min into the game.  You get a sense of effort and hard work that has gone into making this game and I am surely looking forward to completing the adventure.  Ivalace awates, so does my date with the PS2.  

Hey Everyone,

I just purchased World of Warcraft and this is my first MMORPG.  My cousin recently got this game and encouraged me to get it as well so we can play online. I was previously interested in this game and planned on getting it down the road, but I guess now is a good a time as any to play.   The only drawback is that 1. I'm still playing Okami. 2. Final Fantasy XII is out in less then 2 weeks. 3. Valkyrie Profile 2 is still sitting on my self to be played and 4. I'm in school.  All of these factors are going to make it really difficult for me to play this time consuming game, but I will try to manage my time.

Other than that this game looks amazing and I've already seen my cousin in action with his character and I have to say that I'm very impressed.  Anyone have experience with this game and if so could you share them with me? Let me know what you think and how this game has been for you.  Otherwise I cannot wait to check it out. I've already installed the game and set my account, I'm just downloading the current patch and should be done in about an hour.  Thaks for stopping by.

Hi everybody, I just want to share my thoughts on the PS3 release and the pre order campaign that has just taken place in the US and soon to be implemented in Canada. You know I've been a big fan of the Playstation product line and have always enjoyed the games that were released for this system be it the original Playstation or the Playstation 2. I haven't had any complaints with respect to the games and even have several games that I consider to be gems with the Playstation consoles. Then comes along the PS3.

Before I continue I want to stress that I am in no way a fanboy nor do I play games exclusively on the Playstation consoles. As most of you know I enjoy games from a variety of consoles and grew up with the Atari 2600. I appreciate each console for it's uniqueness and it's ability to deliver high quality games that provide me with endless hours of fun, excitement and challenge. I specifically believe in being open minded to exploring possibilities that take you down that road where you experience gaming from different perspectives and even enjoyed a PC game or two during my gaming years. I do admit that I have a preference to Sony and that as I grew older I saw Sony being the main provider of adult oriented gaming and games dealing with mature content and themes. So even though I played through Super Mario Bros, and the Zelda series (still enjoy them today) my preference is on mature themes and complex storylines involving epic content. I essentially turned to Sony as they have always continually provided this for me.

The PS3 was my main choice as a next gen console for obvious reasons. After looking through the line up of games that are being released for this system I was anticipating the PS3 with a sense of excitement and intrigue. Some of the titles that caught my attention were Assassins Creed, Heavenly Sword, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Metal Gear Solid 4 and of course my coveted Final Fantasy XIII. I was in awe by the graphics and the potential that some of these games had in bringing characters and plot alive, with rich texture and detail that can only be experienced through state of the art technology and graphical enhancements that the PS3 and other consoles of the next gen genre can offer. So needless to say I was very excited about the prospect of owning a PS3.

During this time I was actually contemplating whether or not to buy the PS3 at launch. I was considering the launch titles and thought to myself that it might not be worth buying the system prematurely due to the lack of launch titles being released for the system. I actually convinced myself to get the PS3 at or near launch having heard about Marvel Ultimate Alliance being released at launch (which looks very sweet) as I grew up with most of the super heroes in that game, namely Spiderman. So I decided to get the PS3 at launch along with the knowledge that Assassins Creed and Heavenly Sword were soon to follow in 2007. Then came the pre order mayhem that changed everything.

As you are aware EB Games and Gamespot in America have launched a pre order campaign for the PS3. Having also been aware that there is a limited number of PS3 consoles for each of these establishments and the fact that these pre orders sold out quick as hot cakes, I became discouraged in discovering that Canadian stores will only be receiving 40, 000 units out of the 400,000 units that the US is getting. With the fact that PS3 pre orders being sold quickly and the high probability that these units were being bought by potential ebayers looking to make a quick buck from the hype and shortage of production I became very realistic in terms of expecting a PS3 at launch. Then I sat down and thought about what was transpiring and the reality set in that it was not worth getting the PS3 at launch.

There are several reasons I'd like to share with you as to my logic behind my decision and most likely you already know this but bare with me. First off we have the production shortage that the PS3 is facing. We know that North America is receiving 400,000 units and that by the end of the year that number will be roughly a million units (still not enough to meet demand). We also know that Sony is having trouble manufacturing the blue ray diode that is to come with this system, hence the reason for the slow production. Having said this I spoke with one of the staff members at EB Games near my area and learned that the possibility of the PS3 having technical issues in their first batch is very high. This person informed me that because the PS3 has many components with respect to its blue ray, dvd, and cd capabilities there will be multiple lazers and electrical components in the thousands, and that more than likely because of the rushed production the PS3 will be hampered with technical issues. It would be a shame to invest 500-600 dollars on a system to end up with a model that is not refined when you can wait to have a superior finished product after the initial test batch. We've seen this with the Xbox 360 and we will see it with the PS3.

Taking into consideration these factors, plus the headache and aggravation of securing a PS3 at launch I found myself justifying the delay of my purchase of the PS3. I figured that it would be to my benefit to wait until the dust settles and the hype dies down before I purchase this system which will more than likely be after spring of 2007. By then Sony will hopefully have fixed technical issues (if indeed there are any), that supply and demand will not be an issue, and finally that the games that I want to play are available during the time I make the purchase. In the meantime I would be content with the games being released for the PS2 in combination with the Wii that I most definitely will be purchasing at launch. I am even interested in the games that the Xbox 360 is offering such as Blue Dragon, Bio Shock, and Odyssy. Having said that I just don't see ANY justification in purchasing the PS3 at launch and quite frankly I think that the system can wait for me and I can wait for the system.

I apologize for the lengthy discussion of this topic, and realize that I may be rehashing some obvious points but I needed to get this off my chest. For those killing yourselves getting the PS3 or for those that will be getting the system off Ebay at ludicrous prices I feel for you. A true gamer would have no need to rush to buy a system because it's the newest technology in the market. A gamer would enjoy games that are being released in the multiple consoles that are already available and wait for the opportune moment to purchase that next gen system. Thanks for your time and hope you are all doing well.

Hi everybody, I just finish playing and reviewing Ultimate G'nG for the PSP. It was such a fun game and I enjoyed it emensly as it brought back some nostalgic feelings. This game is visually stunning and very challenging. For those that get frustrated easily I would avoid this game, for those that love a good challenge try your hand at this game. Enjoy the review and as always let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

Ultimate G'nG Review: http://www.gamespot.com/psp/action/ghostsngoblins/player_review.html?id=370220

Hey everyone, just thought you might want to see what my game collection looks like so I've posted a picture of it.  Here are all my games from the Atari 2600, NES, SNES, PSOne, PS2, Game Cube, PSP and the DSLite. Looks like I need another shelf.  

Hey everyone, well I couldn't do it. I couldn't just wait to finish Okami so I had a peak to see how this game would start at least. Here is the opening movie for Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria and all I have to say is WOW. Very impressive, I played it until the first battle just to see how the game play mechanics would turn out and it didn't disappoint me that's for sure! Great start to a very promising game. So sit back and enjoy this movie and if it doesn't make you want to rush out to purchase the game then heck I did my best didn't I? Take it easy people.

~ Jirair

Just added Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria to my collection today. I've been waiting for this one to come out with high hopes as I'm a huge fan of the first game.  It's still in it's packaging and I probably won't get to it until after I finish Okami.  So far VP2 has been getting great reviews (an average of 8.4) and I'm just curious to see what GS will give it.  Anyway that's my 2 cents for today. Take care everyone.

~ Jirair 

I have noticed that many people are cleaning up their friend's list and with good reason too.  I do believe that a friend's list should consist of people that are keeping in touch with you in some way as well as you keeping in touch with them in return. When the lists becomes so massive that you forget who you have on it or worse yet when the blogs get displaced because you simply have too many people creating blogs that you are tracking on a consistant basis that's when you know you need to clean up. 

So having said that I would like to take the time to let everyone know that although I appreciate each and every one of you I will need to cut my list down in order to spend quality time with those that take the time to respond to my blogs and write to me.  Anyone that feels that they would like to remain on my list please reply to this blog and let me know. I will be cleaning my list next weekend so that should give many of you enough time to reply. Again I do appreciate each and every one of you and I'm only doing this to be fair to those that take the time to give me their time. As always be good and take care.

~ Jirair

Hi everyone, I've just finished Disgaea 2 and of course I've also written a review which can be found here:

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/disgaea2/player_review.html?id=365684

Overall it was a fun game and anyone that loves strategy RPGs should definitly check this one out.

Hey everyone, I just stopped by at my local EB Games and picked up Okami for the PS2.  This game looks absolutely beautiful. I've heard great things about it and GS has given it a 9.0. If you guys/girls haven't heard about this game I suggest checking it out as it is very original.  You play as a sun god, Amaterasu, in the form of a white wolf. The premise of this action adventure game is basically good vs evil. Okami boasts increadible japanese style graphics with mystical characters and an epic storyline. I'm looking forward to checking this game out as soon as I'm done with the ones I'm currently playing.  I'll be sure to let you know how it goes as usual, until then take care.

~ Jirair

Hi everyone, I just finished Xenosaga III and wrote a review of this game for those that are interested in reading it.  Here is the link:

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/xenosagaepisode3/player_review.html?id=360787

I just have to say one thing about this game, it is was absolutely amazing. I am thrilled to have gone through the series and satisfied with the way it ended. If you haven't tried this trilogy I strongly recommend it as it has one of the most fascinating plots amongst the RPG's out there. Very much an epic and will most certainly entertain the casual gamer. Let me know what you think of the review as I'm always trying to improve. Thanks.

~ Jirair

Hey everyone, I just thought I would share this amazing battle sequence from Xenosaga III involving KOS-MOS and T-elos. Just in case I am inserting a SPOILER WARNING so watch this movie at your own descretion. This battle sequence is one of the most impressive I have ever seen in a video game.  I'm about 10 hours into the game and it is getting more interesting and exhilerating as I play further into it. Enjoy this clip as it will be a teaser for those that haven't played the game yet and shows just has great the movie sequences are in Xenosaga III.