You really need to play this game with a controller, and that's coming from someone who prefers a mouse.  I've finished it twice with both endings and I honestly don't think I would have made it very far if I had stuck with a mouse.  A standard wired 360 controller works beautifully.

A couple things:

- Install the latest version of DSFix, google for the link as I am posting this from my phone.

- Mages have it really easy in this game, melee classes are much harder.  I've never played a ranged character so I can't comment either way.

- Get a good shield and learn to use it no matter which type of character you play.  A shield is absolutely vital to survive, along with investing in the stamina points to take hits.  Try and train yourself to drop your guard between attacks to regenerate it quickly.

- The game will allow you to wander into areas you may not be ready for, but that also allows you to also find good gear early on which can make things easier.

- To really take advantage of that, pick the Master Key when you create your character as it will get you in to some places early and open shortcuts in others.  I can think of a really great shield you can get within 5 minute of hitting Firelink Shrine.

- Keep an eye on your equipped weight, and unless you want to move like a lumbering giant keep it under 50%, or 25 if you want to roll and move really fast.  Remember you can carry an unlimited amount of stuff, it's only what you equip that matters.

- Every boss has a different set of attacks to learn, but one common thing I've noticed for the bigger opponents is to get in close under or behind for best results.  It's also very important to pay attention to the environment and how it can be best used to your advantage.

GOTY:  Assassins Creed III, without a doubt.  It's glitchy at times, but a blast to play and I really love the Revolutionary War as a backdrop.  I've read all the bitching and complaining, but really didn't have any of those problems.  Several people were screaming about one particular mission where you have to chase down a courier, to the point that I was dreading even attempting it.  I easily tackled the guy in less than a minute when I played first on 360.  It took about 10-20 seconds on PC, and I even managed to get the optional objective that time.  I honestly don't have a fucking clue why so many people had trouble with that.

RUNNER UP:  Borderlands 2, but it was pretty close.  I loved everything about the sequel; the new classes, gameplay changes, areas, enemies, humor, and bad ass system.  It ran a little long for me, as I didn't even finish all the side quests in the last area.  I was also disappointed that they didn't have more vehicles, I really wanted to try one of those bandit flyers dammit!

GOAT:  Diablo 3, hands down my biggest disappointment.  After playing it's predecessor on and off for 10 years, I was really psyched for this one.  Not sure what it was, but the game just didn't get its hooks in me.  I liked the new ability system, but didn't like how they dumbed it down.  Part of the allure of Diablo 2 was coming up with different builds, and this just isn't the same.  I did manage to finish it once, but lost interest after that.

$5 trillion is new debt that is.

Not that it matters, since you seem to live in fantasy land, but:

http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-05-22/commentary/31802270_1_spending-federal-budget-drunken-sailor

But I'm sure it's fine by you to spend a trillion dollars killing brown people in other countries, right?  You really will believe anything these assclowns say, won't you?  I mean, even your almighty FoxNews is calling bullshit.  How people like you get through a single day without hurting yourself or others is beyond me.

Glycerine#1600

It's in pristine condition and comes with an unused online pass.  I'm looking to finish up this weekend, so I'd like to line up a buyer.  $50 shipped, PM me it interested.

I've dabbled in a smattering of different characters over the last month:  32 Powertech, 21 Sith Sorcerer, 17 Sith Marauder, 12 Operative, 21 Scoundrel, and 20 Jedi Shadow

All of them have been fun to play, though the Bounty Hunter is probably still my favorite.  I'm not feeling the Operative and will probably start up another agent so I can go Sniper instead.  I'd also like to start a Trooper as well, but have put that on the back burner for now.  My major complaints:

- Ability to actually use the high res textures I've heard about, not just medium labeled as high
- Farther grass draw distance, seeing it pop in front of me even on max detail is annoying
- Shuttle point that goes straight back to my ship
- LFG system similar to WoW
- A UI that isn't so horribly outdated, really need more than 2 windows and ability to resize
- Quest items that can be triggered without having to drag them into the hotbar
- Something to do with commendations for earlier planets
- More varied quest design and flow that doesn't take every single class to the exact same areas
- Heroic or group space missions
- Ability to switch advanced classes for a price

I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of right now.  I've already got my money's worth, but still plan to subscribe.  Really enjoying the game and plan on sticking around for awhile to see where it goes from here.

Bizarre is preferring to not play with your friends.

Bizarre is trying to tell someone else how they should be playing their own system.  I know this may come as a shock to someone that is dependent on a 360 for all their social interaction, but there are people out there that *GASP* don't play anything multiplayer!   Can you believe that?  A few of my friends don't even HAVE an internet connection!  Oh the humanity!

Back on topic:  I would recommend Metal Gear Solid 4 if you liked the others, Heavy Rain, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, and Heavenly Sword.

Rune, 16 Sith Marauder on board my brand new ship.  Really loving the game so far, thinking about starting up a Bounty Hunter next.

I ended up going with FFXIII, just made it to chapter 4 today.  I'm bouncing between it and Metal Gear Solid 4, otherwise I'd probably be quite a bit farther.  One thing I'm doing different is actually taking the time to read all the backstory in the Data Log, which has really helped me understand more about what's going on in the story.

I played Eternal Sonta back when it was first released, but didn't get very far before burning out.  Not sure what it was, but for some reason I just didn't get into it.  I also have Infinite Undiscovery on 360 and The Last Remnant on PC, anyone have any thoughts on those two?

The linearity wasn't enough to make me quit playing, just a bit disappointing considering previous games.  I honestly was having a good time with it, just got sidetracked by something else and never got back to it.

Not much for the opinion of critics these days.  Since gaming has become more mainstream, I've found myself turning less to the so-called "pros" and more to actual real gamers like yourself who aren't just playing something to get a paycheck.  Tom Chick is a professional game reviewer, and his opinions are so jaded and ass backwards that I often wonder how anyone can take him seriously.

I've finally got the time for it, so I wanted to play through one of these.  I've had them both for awhile now, just can't decide which one to play through first.

Final Fantasy XIII - Played up to chapter 7 and then let it sit for over a year.  Really enjoyed it, but the linearity was a bit of a downer.  I plan on starting over because I don't remember much about the story or the ins and outs of the combat system.

White Knight Chronicles 2 - The plan is to play through the remastered version of 1 included, then import over once I'm done.  I haven't played it much past the first 15 minutes or so, but liked what I saw.

With Christmas coming I don't have the cash for anything new, so which would the GT crew recommend?

Finished the first two and loved every minute of it.  I have Brotherhood and was into it at first, but got sidetracked and now can't seem to get interested in it.  Revelations seemed like a quick cash in with added gameplay elements that didn't make sense.  Seriously, how did tower defense end up in an Assassins Creed game?  Admittedly I've never played it or read any reviews, so for all I know it may actually be good.

Finally settled on playing one character, so I've actually made some progress. I give you Lassider de Vez, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood and Thieve's Guild Master:



Overall I think they really knocked this one out of the park.  By far the best Elder Scrolls to date, over 30 hours in and I've barely even started the main quest.

[Spoiler]

Even on normal trying to run and gun the bosses without the right augs is very frustrating.  Grenades, mines, and the typhoon are for stealth/hacking builds, so make sure to stock up if that's how you intend to play.  If not, be prepared for frustration.

Here's how I managed on hard as a pacifist:

Boss 1

Spoiler for Hiden:

For the first boss I immediately grab cover behind the boxes as soon as the fight starts.  While he is shooting and walking forward I tossed out four frag mines, then ran up and hit him with the typhoon.  Even on hard that was enough to kill him.  You could probably substitute grenades or the explosive canisters.

Boss 2

Spoiler for Hiden:

The second boss fight is a breeze if you have dermal armor and EMP shielding.  Again, mines and grenades work wonders.  The stun gun will also stop her for a few seconds if you can get close enough.

Boss 3

Spoiler for Hiden:

The third boss is basically a repeat of the first:  grab cover, toss out mines and grenades until he's dead.  Or if you have the typhoon, stun him first then run up and let loose.  I think he is EMP shielded, so not sure if those work.

Final

Spoiler for Hiden:

I managed to talk the shut down code out of Darrow, so when the fight started I immediately ran to the center and disabled all the security.  After that I just opened up with my upgraded assault rifle, which was really the only time I used it.

[Spoiler]

Just finished on hard, managed to get both pacifist and no alarm achievements.

Spoiler for Hiden:

In the end I self destructed the facility, but went back and looked at two of the other endings.  Overall I think Darrow's would be the best.  I didn't get Sarif's because I never went and talked to him before the end.  Last two boss battles were a breeze with upgraded dermal armor and the typhoon.  For the third one I tossed out several frag mines, the hit him the typhoon.  The last boss was easy after using Darrow's shut down code and then blasting Zhou.

[Spoiler]

I'm probably 3/4 way on my hard/pacifist/no alarms run, which was my third restart by the way, and Steam says I have 37.2 hours.  On this game I have literally went everywhere I could go, took everything that wasn't bolted down, hacked every device (even tried to get every data store, but ended up missing a few here and there), and talked to just about everyone.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Just got back to Heng Sha for the second time.  I actually managed to save Malik without anyone getting killed, but damn if it didn't take quite a few reloads.  I tossed all my gas grenades, then ran around cloaked with the stun gun.  When the bot dropped I tossed an EMP and managed to drag one guard away from the explosion.  After it was all over I went around to each one and made sure they were knocked out and not dead. 

[Spoiler]

I've spent about 7 hours so far and absolutely love it.  Everything about this game oozes Deus Ex, it's obvious the designers are fans.  From hacking into people's computers and reading completely irrelevant e-mails, to uncovering hidden areas far off the beaten path, it's Deus Ex for 2011.  I ran across a cool little secret relating to a particular side quest:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Anyone find the little drug stash in the airducts at Sarif Industries?  There's a vent you can go through that takes you into an air shaft with a ladder, at the bottom of which is their stash and some other stuff.

Likewise, while attempting to complete it:

Spoiler for Hiden:

I didn't really look to see exactly which apartment building, so I broke into the first one I found by climbing up the fire escape.  I break into the first apartment I come across, hoping to find the evidence on his computer.  I hack into it fairly quickly, only to find an e-mail from some guy's brother asking how he likes his new place?  Uh whoops, looks like I got the wrong apartment.

So far no crashes or problems, just a tiny bit of slowdown when the loading icon pops up.  I'm running at 1920x1080 with all details maxed out.  I've got to echo the fact that the loadings times are pretty ridiculous though.  Hopefully that will be addressed with the first patch.  I've played through the first level twice now, once to get a feel for the game and then the second time to try a discreet approach.  I managed to make it through the entire first level without ever being spotted or killing anyone, but it's not something I plan on continuing.

Spoiler for Hiden:

I talked Zeke out of killing his hostage, but also let him go in the process.  Was anyone able to fight him and not get her killed?  I didn't even try it, probably will on the next run though.

For those on the fence, if you liked the first game then you absolutely must own this one.

Typical Pete, as always it's the game's fault that he sucks. 

Seriously though, it can be brutal when you first get out of the vault.  Once you get some decent gear things do get easier.  I did the MegaTon quests until I got the house, after that I used it as homebase and started working my way out into the wasteland.

I played about half way on 360 before trading it off, then picked up the GOTY version awhile later on PC.  I have to say the PC was vastly superior.  I managed to finish the main quest and have since started on the DLC.  Stick with it, even if you have to lower the difficulty all the way down.  It's an amazing game, no doubt about it.

I've been playing this almost obsessively for the last week.  I just wrapped up my first medium sized world and started a new large one.  I've already built a tower fortress and started on a mine going straight done to the bottom so I can mine hellstone and obsidian.  A very addictive game, can't wait to see where they take it from here.

Here's a shot of home base, along with the beginnings of the mine below:

Hopefully finishing up The Witcher, other than that it's Ultimate Alliance 2 and various fighting games with the kids.  If I have any extra time I'll try and squeeze some inFamous 2 in.

I really, really don't understand how people can call this game gorgeous. It looks like it could have been made several years ago, and it falls in the MMORPG-trap of level design (wide open spaces everywhere) that makes it feel even more empty and unrealistic.

Not sure what your problem is, but the game looks gorgeous to me.  I think you may be in the minority here, but to each his own.  Do you have the hi-res texture pack, plus all the settings maxed out?

The graphics fall apart both on a macro- and micro scale. Everything from the streets, to the towers, and even to the stairs all over the city (there are way too many small steps. It'd be really hard to walk fast, let alone run, up those stairs in real life. This is nitpicking, but it's also an example of the micro scale I mentioned above). Lighting is drab and flat despite the self-shadowing and otherwise fancy effects, and animations are stiff and lifeless.

It just feels like the technology is there, but the art design just doesn't live up to it. The only part of the graphics that impresses me so far is closeups of faces, and even then only if you ignore the hair.

Every time I read posts like this it makes me want to laugh, and I also have to disagree with you completely on all points.   Honestly, that crap is the same arm-chair game developer nonsense I see all over the Internet.  Again, you are certainly entitled to your opinion.  I've spent many hours with the game now, and having always been a stickler for near perfect graphics, I'll still say it's gorgeous to look at.

After the initial disappointment that it wasn't going to be just like the original, I finally came to my senses and realized it is Bioware and they have yet to do me wrong. So I picked up the PC version, then downloaded and installed the hi-res texture pack as well as the DLC. So far I'm really enjoying it, and the fact that it's drop dead gorgeous doesn't hurt. I was initially worried that the combat had devolved into a button mashing action affair, but color me surprised that it's not much different. I can still pause to give orders, and with auto attack I don't have to constantly click. Story and characters seem interesting so far, but I haven't played very far because I've started each class.  So far I think the mage is the most fun, even though I haven't even made it to the city yet with him.

I'm liking the new skill trees now, although at first I wasn't impressed.  I still don't like how they removed lockpicking as a skill, but oh well.  The combat abilities and spells I've used so far have all been useful, but I'm not keen on the cooldown levels for some of the spells.  The healing spell especially seems way too long.  I can use it once, but combat is almost always over before the cooldown resets.

Performance is pretty good in DX11, provided I use the beta drivers from NVidia. Using the latest release drivers gave me all kinds of problems, but everything fixed if I switched to DX9. Unfortunately it won't let you set the detail any higher than medium, so I bit the bullet and installed the beta drivers. Even still I can't quite crank the AA all the way up, but everything else is maxed out at 1920x1080 with no slowdown as of yet. I'm running an i7, 8GB, GTX 570.  Here are some screenshots of my characters; 1920x1080, 4xAA, 16xAS, all details  maxed:


Raistlyn is the mage, complete ass in every conversation and really doesn't care much for anyone but himself.


Lassider is my rogue, a wiseass who enjoys pointing out the obvious and is never short on wisecracks.


Rune is my warrior, always looks out for his friends and strives for the greater good

360 version pre-ordered.  I'll have to blow the dust off of my SF4 pad since it hasn't been touched in months.  Really looking forward to it, as MvC2 is one of my favorites.

Marvel vs Capcom 3 - 360

Have Gun Will Travel in Red Dead Redemption.  This was before they implemented the no-PvP Free Roam, so I had to constantly watch for the idiots that shoot at any player they see.  Getting one gang hideout done isn't too hard, but doing every hideout in one free roam session?  Not as easy as you would think.

You know my opinion on DR. I loved loved loved Dead Rising 2. It takes all the good that should have been in the first game and cranks it up to an 11. It's an absolute blast that I keep returning to just to try new things, find new survivors, and in general just have fun with.

Although I loved the first game, I couldn't agree more.  I still have the original on 360, but I don't think I could go back.  The sequel is so much better, it's no wonder Capcom bought the developer.

Well here my impressions of the Cataclysm expansion.   Not impressed.  
  For the people with established characters, there really isn't much to be excited about, leveling wise.  You can power level to the top level in very little time, compared to previous expansions.  Then all you have is end game.  I was hoping for more.

This is the same argument I've heard hardcore players make since the game launched, and it's still just as ignorant.  I don't think they get that Blizzard's core customer base are casual players.  I've never understood how they can power through all the content, barely taking breaks to sleep or eat, then bitch when  it's all over in a couple days or weeks.  

game starts at 85. leveling is a chore. glad i finished it in 2 days. heroics and such are much more fun.

+1  This has been the consensus since the game launched; the level cap has always been where the real game starts.  Leveling characters is fun, especially with how they've streamlined everything, but the end game is what I'm looking forward to.

[Red Dead Redemption]

Lots of good games this year, but Red Dead Redemption was clearly the best.  Huge open world, interesting story, memorable characters, tons of side content;  I could keep going about the multiplayer and amazing Undead Nightmare DLC, but there really is no need.

Runner up would be Dead Rising 2, with Mass Effect 2 a close third.

WoW, Cataclysm has really got me interested again.  My daughter and I are leveling blood elves together, just did Scholo and Mara last night, both of which are now low to mid 40s dungeons.

Also working on Assassin's Creed Brotherhood here and there.  If I can tear myself away from doing side missions I could probably finish the story.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

Loved the first two games, cannot wait for Brotherhood!

Definitely getting The Sly Collection, the kids and I are looking forward to playing all three games again.  Black Ops sounds interesting, but I think Call of Duty hit it's peak with Modern Warfare.

Just started playing the LE, mostly story mode.  So far it's interesting, especially since I'm just starting to actually learn the rules.  I'm happy to report that I've finally seen the light and can only play in turn-based mode.  Before I really didn't understand much that was happening, but I read up on the rules and realized that's not to way Blood Bowl works.

New Vegas

[Spoiler]

Played for a couple hours, only run into one bug (completely unresponsive AI on a baddie.  He just stood there while I filled him full of bullets).  Haven't had any crashes, but the frame rate is wildly inconsistent.  My rig (AMD Phenom X6 @ 2.6, 8GB RAM, GF GTS 250 1GB, Win 7 64) defaulted to the highest "ultra" settings.  Frame rate will be silky smooth half the time, then suddenly drop to single digits for no apparent reason.  Going to bump down some of the settings a bit and see if that helps at all.

I was having the same problem during one particular fight where lots of people were involved.  The frame rate had been smooth, then as soon as the fighting started it dropped like a rock.  I ended up turning off anti aliasing, which has helped reduce the stutter I was getting while moving the mouse to look hard in one direction or another.  I don't have a save from before, so I'm not sure if it would have helped or not.

Good impressions overall, after about 3-4 hours.  No crashes, one issue with crafting where I had to exit and go back in, other than it's been a pretty smooth ride so far.  Went with pretty much the same character type as before; bumped up Perception, Agility, Intelligence, & Luck to start.  I can't remember what traits I took; Good Natured was one, not sure about the other.  I tagged Guns, Security, and Science skills to start.  The first couple levels I focused on bumping up Repair, since it was so useful in the last game.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Just finished off the Powder Gang, with Ringo surviving to hand over a nice reward.  The only person I didn't manage to convince to help was Easy Pete, didn't have the explosives skill to convince him I could use it.  Apparently my explanation of "What's so hard?  You just light it and throw!" didn't instill any confidence.  Luckily they weren't difficult at all, save for the massive drop in frame rate I mentioned above.  Every time they'd get close, it would drop like a stone.  I'm amazed I made it through, as aiming was almost impossible.

Don't go to any of those, ever.  This would be mine:

1.  GamingTrend
2.  Gamers With Jobs
3.  Quartertothree
4.  EvilAvatar
5.  GameFaqs
6.  GameRankings
7.  IGN
8.  GameSpot
9.  Shacknews
10.  Fidgit

Picked it up this morning, even though I didn't plan on it at first.  Loved Fallout 3, but originally I was going to wait on New Vegas until a GoTY version came out.  After finally reading up on it, I couldn't stop myself.

Only managed to blaze through character creation and look around the first town a bit before quitting.  I'm getting a wisdom tooth pulled this morning, otherwise I'd still be playing.  Really looking forward to getting into it this afternoon.

Finally finished my first play through, S ending, level 42.  Really enjoyed the game, but the psychopaths were not nearly as good this time around.  I won't even mention the cheap as hell overtime boss battle.  Overall I liked the mechanics and setting of this one better, but the story and characters are not nearly as good as the first one.

[Spoiler]

Rage ... rising. Day 2 Case 4-1 boss battle question for anyone who's gotten past this point:

Spoiler for Hiden:

How do you defeat TK's sword wielding hoes at the Yucatan nightclub.

Spoiler for Hiden:

You only have to take down one, so pick and focus until she's down.  The defiler is good for this:  fire axe + sledge hammer

No control issues here, and as a vet of the first game I can definitely say I prefer the mouse and keyboard.  Only complaint would be having to shake the mouse to break free of a grapple, which also shakes the camera.

I just finished the 4-1 boss when I ran out of time on another case, so I restarted at level 26.  I've managed to breeze through the first parts with no problem, picking up every survivor and killing 3 psychopaths with plenty of time to spare.  Hopefully this will be my last one before I finish the story, but if not it's always extra PP.

Spoiler for Hiden:

I tamed the tiger this time instead of killing her.  There are 3 steaks laying close by, you give her each and her health with be full.  After that she becomes a normal survivor, so you can take her back to the safe house and give her to Katie as a present.  Lots of PP, plus it's pretty cool to watch a tiger rip through zombies and looters.

Once I heard it was a good port, it really was a no-brainer for me.  Live enabled, mouse and keyboard, plus much better visuals made it an easy choice.