One of the greatest Hack and Slash series of all time that I discovered first in 2008 through Skorch82 video-walkthroughs is about to get its third installment. I did not know what to expect from it. I was a big fan of the Soul Reaver series and after I have watched two videos of Skorchs guide I knew that I am going to like the God of War games, too. In 2008 I made my PlayStation2 ready again and bought me the two parts of God of War that I missed. I played 5 hours per day and finished both games inside one single week and I was still screaming for more! God of War III will come and now I get the chance to replay this two epic stories again on my PlayStation3.

A short overview

There is no need to explain the story of the game because it would spoil too much. All you should know is that you play as Kratos – one of Spartans greatest Warlords – but his fate condemned him to serve the gods and to obey their orders in reverse for everything he once loved. Terrible nightmares dont let him sleep most of the time until Athena offers his soul peace after one final task:  He needs to destroy Ares – the god of war.

The God of War games are well known for their varied gameplay. Most of the time you will slaughter, tear up and kill enemies in a very brutal and bloody way. You collect orbs of different color to regain health, mana and to upgrade your blades and force wich you need to unlock while playing through the game and solving tricky puzzles. The games won a lot of prices, including “Game of the Year” honors from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and is listed in almost every Top Playstation 2 game ranking of admitted sites and magazines.

The game was re-released on the Playstation 3 this year in a Collectors Edition, featuring a trophy system and remastered for rendition in High Definition. I got it for 23 EUR in reverse for my Playstation 2 releases at GameStop and played it today. Lets see if the promotion campaign that promises “a much better experience of two greatest hits” is justified.

Collectors Edition

Lets get straight to the point: The Collectors Edition for PS3 is better as I have expected. You get both games, including all their features and mini games that were inside the original releases and every “Making of” episode + new “Making of” content can be found and viewed directly from the blue ray disk. The games itself were remastered f0r rendition in 720p HD. That means that every texture and model was edited and drawn again by hand to give the edges the look of a 2x AntiAliasing (AA cant be rendered by the PS3 graphics chip) and better sharpness. But there are still some weak points wich I dont like that much: All with the ingames engine premade cut scenes look as awful as they were in the original releases for the PS2. Only the animated videos beat their predecessor versions by far! The graphic inside the game looks a way better as before but always reminds you on the fact that the God of War games were first released on the PS2. Some textures look very blurry and misplaced, but this is what you need to accept if you buy a game that was mentioned to be played on a platform from the last console generation.

Please dont misunderstand me, the Collectors Edition is great and the games look really awesome and you can see that they put a lot of effort into the remastering. I only wish that they had put in a little bit more time into making it. The same goes for the trophies. I thought there were much more but until now I just see trophies for God of War I. The CE does not remove the old gameplay and the game’s atmosphere is still the greatest you will ever experience. God of War I and II are outstanding games that I really love to enjoy both a second time. It’s a dirty, brutal and violent world in wich Kratos lives and a MUST BUY for every fan and people who never had the chance to play the originals.

While there are three different collector’s editions of Assassin’s Creed II available around the world – one for the US, and two options elsewhere – only the Black Edition includes this Master Assassin figure of the game’s protagonist Ezio Auditore da Firenze. When I opened up the rather large Black Edition box, I was amazed to see that the figure took up just about the full height of it. This is a very large figure, standing at around 21.5cm (or just under 8.5 inches), and the detail is astounding. There are so many layers to Ezio’s outfit and each one has been crafted and painted with excellent attention to detail. Considering the size and quality of the figure, the rest of the Black Edition’s extra content (which I’ve covered in this post) and the cost of a game on its own, the value of the Black Edition is really incredible. The figure alone is worth the extra cost, and I couldn’t be happier that I decided to get this edition. This is easily the best videogame collector’s edition I’ve ever bought.

You can have a look at the “standard” Ezio figure here for comparison. They’re quite similar so I think that most people would be happy with either one, but for me the black cloak and extra armour and detailing really put the Master Assassin version ahead.

Assassin’s Creed II has just been released, and this morning I picked up my Black Edition. While the US received only one collector’s edition – called the Master Assassin’s Edition – other countries have been given the choice between two: the Black and White Editions. Here’s what they each include:

White Edition:
- one bonus mission
- Ezio figure

Master Assassin’s Edition
- two bonus missions
- Ezio figure
- hardcover art book
- DVD containing behind the scenes footage, soundtrack and mor

Black Edition
- three bonus missions
- rare Master Assassin version of the Ezio figure
- leather cover “conspiracy book” containing art and insight into the game
- DVD containing behind the scenes footage, soundtrack and mor

It’s clear that, with the most content and the rare figure, the Black Edition is the best collector’s edition of Assassin’s Creed II. It’s a shame that the US missed out, but at least they got more than the White Edition (which serves as a cheaper, yet still collectible alternative to the Black Edition in the countries where both are available). What’s strange though is that Ubisoft decided to call the US collector’s edition the “Master Assassin’s Edition”, but not include the Master Assassin version of the figure. In any case, it’s nice of them to show the international market some love with a superior edition and I’m very glad I got the Black Edition.

The Master Assassin figure is so good that it warrants its own post. Get a closer look at Ezio here.

The box is large and rather stylish.

Two sides of the box unfold to reveal the impressive figure within. The silver authenticity sticker on the bottom right gives the number of your copy. Mine is 00593.

Both the figure and the book are very nicely designed.

The "Conspiracy Book" contains concept art and some insight into the game.

There's plenty of nice art in the book.

The cover has a very nice leather finish with the game's logo engraved in.

The figure is large and very detailed.

Right now? No.

So, I have to write this now or I won’t get it written thanks to a little game I just got. You might have heard of it, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2?

I didn’t get the super awesome prestige editon, but lucky me, my friends did:

This thing was pretty huge. Normally, I’m not THAT impressed by Collector’s Edition stuff, but this was a fairly large box:

Yes, those are the Night Vision Goggles. The exact content includes:

-Night Vision Goggles

-Bust of MacTavish (I believe), to put the Night Vision Goggles on when you’re not using them to chump communists

-Art Book

-Metallic case with the game

-Call of Duty, the original game

But I have to admit, the bust and the Night Vision Goggles are worth it alone. I was getting to the point where I wished I had actually dropped the money to get the prestige edition, but oh well.

Anyway, it was a pain in the ass to open the box, apparently, and after about 20 minutes of messing with the box, screwdriving the battery plate open and finding double A batteries, we were all set… to look AWESOME:

And trust me, they really do work. The depth perception sucks, and I never did figure out how to cut out the double vision, but oh man was everything bright. I was really impressed at how well it worked. This is no cheap knockoff (well, it is, but it’s a LESS than cheap knockoff) and you definitely get your moneys worth. So far so good right?

Even if you don’t use the Goggles for late night tag, or dark raves… or for reading your morning paper… AT NIGHT, it still looks very awesome as a center piece at your kitchen table or something.

“Oh hey, what’s that?”

“Oh nothing, just my Night Vision Goggles… I use to hunt terrorist.”

The possibilities are endless:

Anyway, special thanks to Th3niz and Th3misterx for posing for my pictures. Unfortunately, I think I’ve created a monster, as I think they’ll be playing like this from now on:

These guys will hopefully be helping me with some content in the near future. For now, I have to go actually play this game, so my initial impressions and a sort of “mini” review will be coming soon, so stick around!

*mit dem Auge zuckt* Wie geil ist das denn!!!

Da…dada…da gibt es ab 20.11.09 ne Mega-ultra-ober-coole-wahnsinns-

Harry Potter 1 – 6 Collector’s Edition “Hogwarts Castle”-DVD-BOX

zu kaufen.

Enthält 7 Discs, inklusive Platzhalter für Harry Potter 7.1 und 7.2. –>(Ja sie haben vor den letzten Teil in zwei Filme zu splitten…so ein Quatsch, naja)
Kostet nur schlappe 214.99€ für die BlueRay-Version und 193,97€ für die normale. Ein Schnäppchen sozusagen. Ich hab leider schon alle Teile auf DVD, sonst wäre das schon lääängst auf meine Wunschzettel für den Weihnachtsmann.
Das sieht doch echt toll aus, wahnsinn…bin sprachlos….begeistert…entgeistert.

Now you can cherish the gemstones that were revealed in the Holy Bible with the Gemstones of the Holy Bible Collectors’ Edition gift set. This beautiful collection features 12 natural gemstones as they were recorded in the Book of Revelation in Chapter 21, from verses 19 and 20.  In that sacred text, the Bible lists the 12 stones linked to the 12 foundations of Heaven.   Each had their place in the Kingdom of Heaven and now they can find a place in your loving home.

The gemstones named in the Bible were among the most precious to ancient people and were revered for their rarity and beauty.  In addition to representing the foundations of Heaven, many believe the 12 stones are also linked to the 12 Apostles.   In the Gemstones of the Holy Bible Collector’s Edition gift set, they are  celebrated in a book shaped showcase jewelry box.  Each of the 12 stones has been cabochon cut into a rounded sphere and then lovingly hand placed into a white satin foundation plate.  Beneath the foundation plate, a full jewelry box is concealed so you can keep other treasures close at hand.

Gilded onto the white satin, the stone’s names shine brightly.  Included in the gift set is a pamphlet which contains yet more information on each one of the stones and its ties to the holy book.  Opposite the shimmering gemstones on a deep black background, the text which names the stones in the Bible from from the Book of Revelation shines in vibrant gold print.

A solid sterling silver cross pendant with solid silver chain is included with this lovely set. The pendant was uniquely designed for this beautiful collector’s edition in such a way that you can wear any one of the 12 stones in it as a center piece.  Just take one of the smooth stones, slip it into the center of the solid silver cross design and secure the beautiful bauble with the safety clip.   Each stone is interchangeable so you can showcase the Heaven stone of your choice in your everyday wardrobe while the others are displayed beautifully in the jewelry keepsake box.

Careful attention to detail has been given to ensure your Gemstones of the Holy Bible Collector’s Edition will not only be a loving gift, but also a treasured heirloom for years to come.   Get one for yourself and family and celebrate the Kingdom of Heaven every day of the year.

From The Book of Revelation

Chapter 21 Verses 19 and 20

“The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysophrase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.”

EA announced a Mass Effect 2 Collectors Edition that will be shipped in “limited quantity”. It will conatain a 48 page hardcover art book, the first issue of Mass Effect: Redemption comic and a bonus DVD with behind the scenes footage. All of that will be contained in the tin case pictured above.

Along with that, buyers of the collectors edition will recieve exclusive weapons and armour.

Priced at $59.99, the game will be released for both PC and Xbox 360 on the 29th of January in Europe (26th in NA).

From/De: EA/Bioware

BioWare Announces Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition

Special Edition Includes Exclusive Armor and Weapons, Comic Book, and Bonus Content

EDMONTON, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Recruit your crew and fight for the lost! Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that the internationally acclaimed Shooter RPG Mass Effect™ 2 will also be released as a Collectors’ Edition in limited quantities. Available on January 26 in North America (Jan 29 in EU) alongside the standard edition, the Collectors’ Edition of Mass Effect 2 comes in a premium, tin case and includes the full version of the game, a 48-page hardcover “Art of Mass Effect 2” book, Issue 1 of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book, and a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes and making-of videos. In addition, the Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will include unique in-game weapons and armor that can only be obtained by purchasing this version. With its larger-than-life hero Commander Shepard, intense shooter action, nuanced characters and a rich storyline, Mass Effect 2 is one of the most anticipated titles of 2010.

“We’re really excited to roll out this Collectors’ Edition featuring so many unique items, including special Collectors’ Edition armor and weapons and content that will surprise Mass Effect fans,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “The limited edition comic book and bonus DVD will really enhance and expand the overall Mass Effect 2 experience.”

The Mass Effect trilogy is an emotionally charged science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

Mass Effect 2 will be available on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. The Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will retail at an MSRP of $69.99 on Xbox 360 and $59.99 on PC. Mass Effect 2 assets are available at info.ea.com. Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/masseffect2. For more information on Mass Effect 2, go to http://masseffect.bioware.com/.

About BioWare

BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur’s Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™ and Mass Effect™. BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec) and Austin (Texas). BioWare’s announced projects include the dark heroic fantasy game Dragon Age: Origins, as well as Mass Effect 2™, the epic sequel to Mass Effect, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars®: The Old Republic™. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com; to join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA™, EA SPORTS™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

[CardCaptor Sakura- The Refurbishment Edition Volume 2. Bought on EBay.]

I wish Manga were made this way in America. Or at least, made this way and completed this way as a series *cough*FruitsBasketUltimate*cough*. This “Refurbishment Edition” or Deluxe Edition, as they’re most known as, is a hard cover manga which is almost twice the size of it’s normal tankoubon format and has colored chapter images. It’s literally the way manga SHOULD be seen.

I got this jewel on EBay along with several other volumes of it. Unfortunately, that was the last and final time I seen Refurbishment editions on EBay. There’s not much to say about it. It pretty much speaks for itself. The manga has a slip cover like a normal hardbound. On the back flap, there’s a Tomoyo Clow Card printed, exactly like the paper bookmark version that came with the original tankoubon. I love the Colored Chapter images. They really give this version a unique and fun twist. If I lived in Japan, I wouldn’t mind re buying the CardCaptor Sakura series just for these Deluxe Editions.

Comparing it to the original Japanese Release (right) and the American Second Release (left).

Back cover of the original Japanese Release (right) and the Refurbishment Edition (left). Spine of the Refurbishment (left) has the english ‘CardCaptor’ printed under the name while the original release (right) does not.

Quality of the pages aren’t improved, but the size is almost double.

However, the Colored Chapter Images are Wonderful:

Under the Dust Jacket/Slip Cover:

Back Flap:

I just got an e-mail from Gamestop (how they know my e-mail, I have not a clue, it’s not like I gave it to them… ha, ha, Gamestop joke) and it’s a very exciting e-mail… but it got me thinking about a trend that’s becoming much more prominent as real big wig games are getting ready to be released:

Mmmm, collectible.

For those of you who don’t trust me enough to click on that, it’s basically announcing the super mega awesome, $99.99 God of War III, the rip your face off edition.

I got excited… a replica of Pandora’s box?! Arts stuff! Other stuff!

But I dropped into my “ponder pose”… lately, companies have been really dishing hard on collector’s edition, and really expecting us to pay it!

And we are!

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a very simple solution. Don’t buy the collector’s edition.

But the problem with that is, the love for a game can go much deeper than monetary values.

Batman: Arkham Asylum was a great example of a game who’s potential and mark where both very strong. It was the cool Batman, the cool Joker, all wrapped up in a gritty and raw video game where you got to ACTUALLY play as the Dark Knight as you would imagine him when he’s out and about, saving lives. You got to experience a fantastic game, and in the process, they milked you for nearly $100 for extra stuff.

Is it all bad? Nah, that Batarang was mighty cool. But it makes me wonder sometimes if they’re taking it a bit too far.

Modern Warfare II, another gigantic release this month, decided to go mega ridiculous, and is putting out four different ways to buy Modern Warfare II:

Standard, Hardened, Veteran and Prestige.

Now, if by some stroke of chance you are not a gamer, and are going “hey, what’s the big deal?” let me go ahead and let you know what the big deal is.

The Prestige collector’s edition comes with Night Vision goggles. Real. Night. Vision. Goggles.

Wow.

But I’m sure they’re rushing to fill pre-orders of the Prestige mode, I swear it.

I think at some point, gamers will get fed up with the price of even the standard edition of games and just stop buying them… then we can go back to 40-50ish games.

I highly doubt that though. Even as I type this, I’m wondering when’s the best time to pre-order my $99.99 collector’s edition of God of War III.

Pandora’s Box!!

But if you really stop and think about it, it’s kind of sad that I’m paying as much for this game as I would for half a new PS3… throw on top of that the HD version of God of War I and God of War II and I basically paid for my system… again.

Now, actually talking about the game… I’m going to assume that receiving a Pandora’s Box as part of the collector’s edition means that it is important in some way to God of War III.

Mmmmm, can’t wait.

Let’s just hope they don’t announce, let’s see, a Super Street Fighter IV, Indestructible, Go for broke Edition, or a Devil May Cry 5, SS rank Edition, which comes with ALL previous Devil May Cry games… Or like, Deadspace II, so special an edition that no one even knew the game was already finished and ready to be shipped.

Because that would suck… sooooo badly for me.

Give it another decade, this will become an artifact of mythical proportions. Sony continues to stuff this franchise down our throats, but we give Kratos a pass because of his OG status. This sculpted collector’s replica of Pandora’s Box will package the God of War III game, artbook and a variety of exclusive downloads, which will most likely be available for free once the game releases. The downloads include the following:

- God of War: Unearthing the Legend Franchise Documentary
- Combat Arena containing an exclusive environment and seven challenges
- Premium Kratos Skin – Dominus
- God of War Trilogy Soundtrack (mp3 digital download).
- God of War: Blood and Metal EP

In other G.O.W. news, a demo of the game will be included in the God of War Collection this November and the Blu-ray release of District 9, December 29. Great movie btw! The G.O.W. III Ultimate Edition will go for $100.

Here are the scans France’s Magazine Fan 2. I translated Rob’s part of the interview for you guys so if you repost please source.

Q: What’s the difference between Twilight and New Moon?

First of all production isn’t the same at all. As far as images and lightning goes, both movies are very different, they weren’t filmed the same way. I’d also say that the story of New Moon is much darker and masculine. The atmosphere is a bit more aggressive, less romantic. We’re far from Twilight where the heart of the story was Edward and Bella meeting, the beginning of their relationship, their passion…

Q: How did your meeting with the New Moon Director go?

Very well! He’s a great guys. He didn’t come on set the first day and say “We’re changing everything!” He adapted to what we had already done and brought his own personal touch to our characters and to the story. It was nice to work with him, we liked his ideas from the start.

See the rest of the scans and the interview after the jump!

Q: Where did filming take place?

Always in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. We spent a few days in Italy also.

Q: Is Jacob the hero of New Moon?

Yes, this time he’s carrying the movie.

Q: Are you jealous?

Absolutely not, quite the opposite actually. I’m happy for him… and for me. I had much less pressure this time around, therefore I was much more relaxed.  No more stress. Having the lead role isn’t always easy to deal with. I was extremely nervous when we filmed Twilight. Now it’s Taylor’s turn, it’s great! (Laughs.)

Q: Has success gone to your head?

No, well I hope not! (laughs.) That being said, I’m not the same as I was when I started playing Edward. It’s normal, everyone changes.

Q: Have you gotten used to the craziness surrounding Twilight?

Not really… In each country, each city we go, to promote the movie, the reaction of the public is indescribable. Everyone yells and screams, there’s thousands of fans that wait for us at airports, hotels, restaurants… You can’t get used to that type of craziness, but you can’t fight it, because it wouldn’t change anything.

Q: What do you like the most about being an actor?

I like picking roles that are the opposite of what I am in real life. What’s most interesting is being able to express emotions and reactions in a movie that you couldn’t do in real life. It’s obviously the case for Twilight, but also for Little Ashes and Remember Me, the last movies I played in.

Q: Is it true that your coming to France soon?

Yes, I’m going to shoot Bel Ami, a new project. It should take place in January 2010. I can’t wait to be there and to come visit you.

Q: Did you know the book before taking the role?

Yes, Bel Ami is one of my favourite books. I know the story by heart. I’ll play the role of Georges Duroy, the main character. The script is great. I know that it’s going to be a great movie. I can’t wait to start filming.

Q: Have you ever wanted to quit anything?

There’s good and bad in every line of work. You have to know when to let go. I have to admit that at the beginning it drove me a bit crazy, but I realized that I couldn’t do anything. Anyways I spend the majority of my time on movie sets, not in the middle of sea of fans.

Scan source: Breaking Dawn France

U.S. Wii owners will only receive a limited edition T-shirt with a reservation of Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles, but look what Japan will have available…a limited edition of Darkside Chronicles. The on-rails sequel to Umbrella Chronicles will see a Japanese release on January 14, and will include a game soundtrack, promotional DVD and reversal sleeve marked at ¥8,390 (US$91). Sorry Capcom, a t-shirt won’t cut it for us stateside R.E. fanatics.

“THE DEVIL IN MARGE SIMPSON” lol hahahhaha

found the original cover of the PLAYBOY too.

オリジナルのプレイボーイの表紙も発見。

her gravure is like this below.

彼女のグラビアはこんな感じ。

We’ve got 4 copies pre-ordered, one is already gone. Should be in early next week, drop down and get a copy held. Check the description below to find out exactly what you’ll get.

5 Long years in the making, Flip finally has released Extremely Sorry. Everybody put it down for this video. Expect some raw, mind-bending skateboarding and incredible quality film making. Full parts from: Geoff Rowley, Mark Appleyard, David Gonzalez, Rodrigo Tx, Ali Boulala, Luan Oliveira, Bob Burnquist, Rune Glifberg, Tom Penny, Lance Mountain, and Shane Cross (RIP). Also featuring Louie Lopez, Curren Caples, Ben Nordberg, Willow, and more. The Flip team is consistently pushing skateboarding to new heights while keeping it core.

LTD Collector’s Edition includes: Extremely Sorry Edition Sk8 Dice, Vans Shoe Laces Extremely Sorry Edition, 3 sticker sheets, and collector’s edition packaging.

Approx. 53 minutes.

The video is sick and watching it on computer does not do it justice. So many great parts.

See what I mean? Watch this one with some friends at home on the flat screen.

Ah ha! So this is the real Aion update, and there is a looooot to update.

So where to start?

Let’s break this up into sections, and start from the beginning shall we?

The Beginning: Level 1-10

I really thought this was going to suck, considering I had already experienced most of what the game had to offer in these levels. I was wrong.

Something about the experience this time felt smoother. I re-made Howler on a server called Kaisinel, still Asmodian, and I definitely made him look sexier (no, for real.)

Yes, those are mutton chops.

As you can see, I still rolled a Warrior. I was still determined to be a Gladiator, since I had so much fun with it in beta.

And so began my journey. I of course bought the Collector’s Edition of Aion, so I had some good stuff to begin with. Of course, I didn’t have to go to the mail to get it, they brought it to me!

I thought that was pretty cool, but apparently it doesn’t happen with all items in the game… too bad eh?

Of course, the awesomeness occurred at level 10… I GOT MY WINGS! I also switched to Polearms, the staple of Gladiators everywhere, much better than sword and shield.

Oh chya. Well anyway, I already knew about all of that stuff, so level 1-10 was fairly uneventful.

The New Stuff: Level 10-20

This was were the magic began happening.

First off, I finally learned the importance of DP points. I received a DP skill from a quest, Explosion of Rage. I wondered why I couldn’t use it, then realized that the bar under my MP was the reason. Once that filled up by one, you could use the skill, which in my case was a very powerful, and very awesome pickup and slam to the ground.

There’s also this cool glow around your character when you gain DP, and it gets stronger for each level of DP you receive, up to 3 levels.

I also did not realize that my recoverable experience points (the dark blue area on my experience bar) could be regained at a soul healer, for a price. A fairly exorbitant price actually…

This time around, I also picked up a craft, two to be exact. At first I tried to grab as many as I could but as I leveled up my Armorsmithing, I realized that this was not going to be possible.

However, one of the best things they came up with in Aion was the work order!

Basically, it allows you to level up your craft without wasting your own mats. You also have a chance of receiving patterns or materials when you successfully complete the quest… much better than wasting mats on crap you won’t use just to level up your craft.

It actually made crafting a little bit more fun and useful, although it’s still boring as crap to sit there and craft something for two hours.

Anyway, I continued questing, mostly alone. There really wasn’t that much group stuff. There was disturbing female characters however:

Heh… Mumu Zoo. Although humorous, a very annoying quest. It wasn’t until a little later I was introduced to what I deem “open world instances.” Who knows if that’s the official name, that’s what I call it. You have to get a group of six together, as a group, and all the enemies take hits like enemies in instances in WoW (they’re elite.) The big difference is, it’s an actual area, so other groups can also be in the same area, at the same time, killing things. Kind of odd, however, Aion devs added in channels, so that it wouldn’t get to crowded. Bunch of groups killing things already? Switch channels.

The Good Stuff: Level 20-30

At 20, I switched up my UI to look like WoW’s interface. I did it mostly because of group play, as it’s easier to see my life and my group’s life when it’s set up like WoW’s interface.

Things start picking up in the low 20s, although leveling really sucked. It took a bit more grinding than normal, but at least the quests were becoming more diverse and story line driven, and the lore started to really take shape.

The quest above gives you a really important mechanic in your early 20s, what’s called Stigmas. Basically, they’re just moves you normally would not have, that you can slot in for a price, Stigma Shards, that drop later in the Abyss (discussed below.)

At 23, I made my first blue gear in crafting, my first blue gear ever really, if you don’t include the stuff I got from the collector’s edition.

First try too. It was very exciting for me, and unfortunately, I haven’t been able to replicate that luck since.

Anyway, big stuff started happening at 25. I was able to run another “open world instance,” Taran’s Cavern, and take on my first real boss of Aion. Pretty exciting stuff.

I also gained access to the much touted PvPvE area, the Abyss! This area, is seriously cool. There is no flying restriction, you can fly anywhere, and both Elyos and Asmodians inhabit this area, so you always run of risk of getting attacked from players.

You also are fighting the Balaur, the NPC race in Aion, which is where the E in PvPvE comes from. It’s very exhilarating, especially that you fly anywhere for as long as your wings can hold you up.

30 and beyond

So now I’m 31 currently, and I was able to put my Collector’s Edition wings on. Man do theses wings make collecting Aether Crystals in the sky so much easier, as it extends my flight time. They also look badass.

I also created some more green armor, that looks pretty awesome as well. I’m at a pretty good spot right now, still having fun, and can actually compete in PvP because of a Stigma called Ankle Snare. Now people can’t just run away from me all day, I can keep them in place for 10 seconds while I do some damage. Of course, this is so important that the Ankle Snare Stigma is very expensive in the Auction House. They go for around 200k, which is a lot for a Stigma. I was lucky enough to have one drop!

Anyway, my plans now are to try and do more PvP, as well as get to some new and exciting instances (actual instances, not open world instances.)

We shall see what happens!

In other gaming news, Fifa 10 coverage coming soon, as well as some Uncharted 2 stuff!

Need for Speed: Carbon, also known as NFS Carbon or NFSC is an Electronic Arts video game belonging to the Need for Speed series. It is the tenth instalment, preceded by Need for Speed: Most Wanted, succeeded by Need for Speed: ProStreet in release order and succeeded by Need For Speed: Undercover in chronological order. This was the first game to gain the PEGI Rating of 12+.

The PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and Game Boy Advance versions of the game are called Need For Speed Carbon: Own the City, and is set in a fictional city named Coast City with a significantly different storyline. This version features different AI abilities. In 2009, a version of Own the City was also released on the Zeebo as an embedded game, though it’s marketed as if it was the original Need for Speed: Carbon, creating some confusion as to which version was in fact released.

Download:

Part 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GUUDBCM0 [999 MB]
Part 2: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9N3AUYB6 [999 MB]
Part 3: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0ARGHBTE [999 MB]
Part 4: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TIQ6NAAT [999 MB]
Part 5: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SKV141B5 [25 MB]

An Australian retailer JB Hi-Fi have a listing for a Collector’s Edition of Conviction on their website. It includes a “Making Of” DVD, a Sam Fisher figurine, a comic, a free download of Chaos Theory for 360 owners and other exclusive in-game content.

Sound pretty cool, I just hope that the free download for Chaos Theory will also be available to PC users. Because everyone deserves to play that game, it’s the best in the franchise. And Ubisoft knows this. Why else would they include it in the Collector’s Edition? If all this is true that is.