Eternal Sonata (360) - SHort Review

I had been curious about this title for sometime. Actually it was on Gamespot that I first spotted it. But to find it on a bargain bin (JB HiFi for all you Australian gamers) for only $29 was a treat!

 

You play the part of a group of adventurers in a world that has been dreamed up by Chopin who is on his deathbed at a tragically young age. From the very get go you'll be in love with the amazingly lush detail that has been pumped into this title. This kind of game seems to be only possible by Japanese game designers it plays more like a cartoon with lenghty cut scenes (my controller timed out on one of them!) and gourgeous landscapes that carry the story line from start to end.

 

It's only downfall are the documentary like interludes that give you an insight into Chopin's tragic short life that break up the pace of the game. It's fuelled by lushes visuals, an engaging combat system that utilises light and shadow to give the player more to think about during battles. Plus it's voice acting won't leave you wanting to hit the mute button. My only critisism is that the game is very much linear. But this may appeal to the more casual gamer. It still has enough to amuse the more harden RPG'er considering the lack of turn based RPG's on the market today.

What's Your Rep?

Just curious to know if you have looked at your own Xbox Live rep yet? You should! It's a great insight into what people think of you! At the moment... I am apparently a potty mouthed git who can't stand losing. Well... it doesn't state that in so many words but here's my report:

 

Negative Feedback

Bad Language: 40%

Unsportman Conduct: 60%

 

Well so what! If I don't like F*&%ing like losing and I make sure they know it.. I'm only proving that I am in fact human! LOL

 

Top Ten Xbox 360 Titles

Here are my top 10 games played on my Xbox 360 according to www.360voice.com which has been tracking my gaming habits since almost day one of owning the Microsoft console:

 

1) Halo 3 (77 days)

2) NHL 07 (32 days)

3) Pinball FX (30 days)

4) PGR 3 (27 days)

5) Bejewelled 2 (22 days)

6) UNO (21 days)

7) Puzzle Quest (21 days)

8) Blue Dragon (20 days)

9) Bankshot Billiards (18 days)

10) Dead or Alive 4 (17 days)

 

There's no surprise at Halo 3 being at the top. Heck my old Xbox was also known as the Halo console. But one of the big surprises is that half of the games in that list are Xbox Live Arcade titles. Downloads. Paid downloads I may add. But it shows the success of Microsoft's Live Arcade platform. But lately the titles being released on the XLA platform have been crud. But some decen, higher quality stuff is on the horizon. Especially with Capcom launching some re-polished arcade titles. Is anyone else in the games industry taking notes?

Long Time No Blog

Just filling the void that has been the past month or so since my last blog entry here on the MSN Spaces. First thing first… I'm now beating my brother in his Xbox Gamerscore. Yes I cheated a bit… or did I? I found King Kong for $20. What does that mean? An easy 1000 points straight up! So now that Wayne is aware of the new development in the whole Gamerscore situation I'm waiting for his gaming onslaught. I've also got him tracking his score on www.360voice.com along with Futumbi (Owen) so this is going to get interesting!

Indoor Cricket

Blackout are doing damn well. Three rounds into the new season and three wins. Last game was an especially good one for me. I took out the three stars from the other guys mainly due to a freaky catch I took up the back towards the end of a match we were well and truly winning. I had been hard on myself for a six that had gotten past me a few overs before hand. In hindsight… there was probably no chance of me catching it. But it just fuelled me with determination to not allow more go through. So when the same batsman launched his attack to the back twine I was on the ready. I took a three step lunge to my right and with my right arm out stretched took a diving one handed catch which left me tangled up in the back nets! Damn shame that our games aren't being taped sometimes!

So this new found enthusiasm has got me wanting to get www.blackouthouse.com back into shape again. I want to get the site automatically updating itself. Trouble is that I am simply not nerdy enough to work out the nuts and bolts on how to get it to happen. I like what the NRL have done with their site and that has helped motivate me to get something similar happening.

Footy

I love my cricket. But I also love the league! So I guess I am served all year round. I've been busy organising the Footy Tipping for work. But it's been disappointing. I sent emails out to ALL New South Wales and Queensland branches inviting people to join up. I also sent out faxes to said locations as well. We are registering less players this season than last. Not sure what one has to do. We are using www.oztips.com for the first time. This means no more weekly dramas of emailing out to all the guys. Less stress and pressure on yours truly so I can get other stuff done now.

Work

Not happy at all where I am. When I say where I am I am referring to where I am in my career. I need to change but changing a career after more than 10 years in the one industry (9 of those years in Europcar) is daunting. Maybe a holiday is in order. I have a few options but nothing is a gift. I'll need to work for it.

Family

I'll be having the father in law staying over for a month. This is good news but will also be… somewhat awkward for me. But I have offered to have him stay with us as he is family of cause. The other half doesn't want to travel for so long by plane. I was surprised to hear this as I figured it would have been the other way around. I'm looking forward to showing him this great city of ours and the car will be getting a good work out with lots of day trips being planned!

Europcar Footy Tipping Comp (2008)

 

UPDATE: This season you'll be registering your tips with www.oztips.com and I am pleased to announce that Europcar has allowed access to the site from our work PC's! Now... no excuses for handing in late tips! Best of luck guys!

Get Real Jetstar

As a fairly regular traveller and as someone who has worked in the airport enviroment for the past 8 years I was disgusted to see how Jetstar has shirked their duties and attempted to fob off their customers onto Sydney Airport officials after their flights out missed the 11pm curfew time. Bad weather or not, if there are signs that the airline were going to have customers stranded (some probably miles from home) at a closed terminal which sometimes is home to rats as big as cats then they should have a policy to provide emergency accomodation. If they don't feel it's their duty or obligation they should do it anyway and seek compensation from Sydney Airport authorities later. Throwing people with their luggage onto the pavement or leaving them to fend for themselves as staff run for their cars to get home is not something the public will tolerate.

 

I have been in their situation both as a customer and as a staff member. I understand perfectly well that after 10 plus hours you wanna bail and go home. But even in my job, if we know of a customer who is on a delayed flight, providing that the customer did the right thingand gave us that flight number, we will wait till as long as necesary. We proved this way back in 2001 when Ansett went bust and had staff that stayed till 2am to help with stranded customers.

 

I just think Jetstar needs an uppercut for this one.

 

The End of "Kevin" 07

2007 is just about done with. Time to reflect back on a year that was and make bigger, bolder plans for 2008. It's not going to be hard to name my personal highlight for the year gone by. Buying a townhouse with my wife along with a new car doesn't happen without leaving an impact on your life. My whole outlook on life has been totally changed with this recent event. I no longer even really think to buy new Xbox titles. I no longer think to lounge around the place on my days off. Everything I do now has to contribute in some way, shape or form to the "family". I use quotation marks as I am more use to a family being a mother, father and some brat kids. But I guess our cat, Foo Foo, more than makes up for the void of not having kids.

 

Anyone reading this who is renting should really look into diving into buying an place of their own now before the price hike hits like we think it will now with the change of government. There is a great deal of satisfaction of putting your feet up under a roof in your name!

 

To all my mates and pals who congratulated us on our new place I'd just like to say a big big thank you to you all! The house warming party was a great success. The BBQ was my personal highlight from that day! Yutang and myself hope that 2008 will be full of many more BBQ's and get togethers. We hope that the coming year will bring great news to you all and that you kick all your goals you aim for!

 

Cheers!