Invictus

I'm about 6 hours into it, around the 4th Chapter I think. So far, I'm really enjoying it. The writing is really well characterized, especially with lots of slang from the period that doesn't feel like overkill or cheese. The visual style is very, very striking, as if you didn't know already...but seeing it in person, it's really a treat. Something else I really like about it is that the puzzles all have real-world logic. The best way I can describe this game to those who are interested, is it's sort-of like a serious Phoenix Wright, with more interactivity. If you like those games, chances are good you'll like Hotel Dusk. Two new reviews: IGN gives it a 7.9 http://ds.ign.com/articles/758/758329p1.html And Gamespot gives it an 8.2 http://www.gamespot.com/ds/adventure/hotel...e;picks;title;2

That was probably me who sent it, I also sent a couple Mii's (Sammy Davis Jr., Fred Sanford, etc). Also, you can always go back to your address book and change/add nicknames and Mii faces whenever you want. I'm still waiting for lots of you to appear in my address book, just so you all know.

Alright the Xenogears trolling ends now. Only a foolish fool would foolishly consider that trolling. Foolish fool, trollish troll, what's the difference? Oh yeah, one's a mod. ON TOPIC: I've been meaning to try the Phoenix Wright games. I really need to pick one up soon, but do they have much replay value? It seems like once you've played a case there wouldn't be much excitement to doing it again. That is true, the replay value is low, but the cases are well written enough and short enough in general (usually the longest case is around 8 hours, and that's when you don't know what you're doing) that going through again can be enjoyable just to see the story again and catch things you might have missed, but the fun of not knowing what's coming next is obviously gone. That said, if you like the idea behind the premise, you'll most likely enjoy the series because it does have some of the most wonderful characterization around.

I'm still stuck on the hard version of Jumpin' Jack Flash, although I haven't given it a try in awhile. I can only imagine what insane mode must be like.

Thanks Thoth and WWM, I decided to go for the gusto and picked up a wireless router. Unfortunately, my modem supplied by Shaw was around 10 years old or so, and wouldn't recognize the new router. So I had to go and get a new one of those, but now everything works like a charm.

Haha, I also couldn't finish the level in time, and I've given it a go at least 5 times. I'll make a level sometime soon....probably. P.S. Thanks, Thoth, you're awesome. Also, going with the wireless router thing...I've been considering it myself, as right now I have to use my DS Wifi dongle I got way back, and I can't leave that thing plugged in all the time. The LAN Adapter is another avenue, but I don't really want to spend the money on another system specific thing I might not use down the road. However, the idea of sensitive data flying through the air to be easily intercepted kind of scares me, with wires at least I know where the data is coming and going from. Urgh. EDIT: Question: Is it possible to have the wireless router send out a signal to my wireless devices (Wii, DS, etc) while still using a wired connection directly into my computer?

I even have the ill-fated harddrive in my fat PS2. I was a beta-tester for FFXI on PS2 and thus Square Enix provided me with the HDD and the game free of charge. Good times, were those.

I just finished Phoenix Wright: Justice For All. Excellent, excellent game...makes me a bit disappointed to think of how long we may have to wait for the 3rd to be brought over. The last case lasted an incredible amount of time, with many twists and turns. I can see why many consider it the best case in the series.

There's a Phoenix Wright manga, by the way. With original cases and stories. I know someone is translating it, and I have the first case already downloaded. About the third case: Well, a manga is a start, but I still think this could hit an audience as an animated television show, and it would hit a larger audience than a manga. Regardless, it's not a property I own so I can't do what I want with it, but hopefully Capcom will make an effort with it...considering they did so with Viewtiful Joe and I've heard rumors of a Devil May Cry show, it could happen. And I know what you mean about that, I hope in the new DS specific game they are making (GS4) that they ease up a bit on everything being so blasted context sensitive. The biggest issue I have with the games is that I know exactly the case I want to present, but due to the gameplay limitations you have to try to figure out the order in which they want it, as well as at what point to bring it up. It still bothers me to this day, but it doesn't lessen my enjoyment of the games as a whole.

I just started the 4th case myself, but yeah, it's definitely much harder than the first game. I got caught up big time in the 3rd case with something that took 75% of my life, so it's not surprising in the last case they have a make-or-break moment like that, especially considering what has been said so far in the case. I'm a bit disappointed there are no DS-specific features/cases like the 5th case in the first game, but it's still great to play another Phoenix Wright game. Something that really stands out in my mind...is in the 3rd case, Ever since I played the first game when it was first released on DS, I have always felt that Phoenix Wright would make an excellent animated show. Maybe it's just me, but it's something I think about a lot when I play.

It also has MoSys 1T-RAM, which is some of the priciest and fastest RAM available on the market.

I have to say though, that that game really is lacking in charm. Those designs are so awfully generic, and the entire PW series is based on incredibly memorable characters and wonderful writing. Without those things, it wouldn't be near the success that it is.

I know, but that's why I said it was kind of a no-brainer. The hardware will always be getting more efficient, but the generation after this coming one (PS4, Xbox 720, Wii 2timestwice) it's not going to be much different each generation, and that's where the current attitude of Sony's will fail. I don't want Sony to leave the console industry, as I believe competition is good, but it doesn't hurt for it to be a close race. If Sony has a failure with the PS3, that will leave them hungry for the PS4 and we'll see something truly special. You dig?

I mean in terms of hardware. Sony has done 2 things consistently in all 3 systems: They have pushed a relatively new format, and they've increased power. Pretty no-brainer stuff in terms of what to do. And the problem lies in that we're approaching a brick wall in terms of power, in fact, this may be the generation of that wall, but if not this, then the next for sure, when hardware power increases alone won't be enough. What will they do then? Developers already are complaining about the ballooning development time and costs due to the graphic demands the public now expects. Do you want a game to take 10 years to be developed in the future? Because that's where this road is headed, where people expect to see every eyelash and every pore on a characters face, and AI so complex it makes having friends play with you obsolete. And when and if a game takes 5-10 years to make, it gets harder to make a risky game that takes chances, because the people footing the bill have spent so much money and want to be GUARANTEED they will make that money back so they go to what worked before. And if Sony's big trick was having big-time exclusives, I think we can effectively assume those days are dwindling from all the recent announcements. Nintendo may be the only company that truly has big name exclusives in the future due to them developing their titles themselves.

The reason people are jumping all over it is the price, lets be honest here. Which makes sense I guess, if not for Sony's track record, which I'd think would give them some benefit of the doubt. That people were so easily willing to turn on the company that produced the 2 best gaming systems of all time, and basically saved the gaming world from Nintendo's bullshit, really says a lot about the character of the gaming populace. Maybe people just have short memories, which would also explain why Nintendo's tyranny (which was much, much worse than Sony's arrogance) while they were on top, is so conveniently forgotten these days. Yea, lets go back to the days of Nintendo ruling with an iron fist, things were so much better then. Yes, because Nintendo is the exact same company it was, under the exact same leadership, as 15 years ago. But you forget that Nintendo has already gone through this before, with people quickly forgetting all the positive things they've done and only going with the negative things, and abandoning ship. And then it was adapt and change strategies, or die. And they have adapted, very well so far. I think the DS proves this. I owned a playstation, I still own a playstation 2. I'm not denying they were great systems with quality libraries. But the fact is that Sony NEEDS to fail this time, because just like Nintendo after the SNES, they need to be humbled if they are to remain even remotely competetive in this industry, or they will be left behind doing the same old song and dance they have done for the past 3 generations.

Let's say that hypothetically, the only reason there are so many PS3's sitting on the shelf at stores IS because Sony is just shipping lots more. The problem with that is that is still hurting them. Going into a store and seeing a huge wall of PS3's sitting there and no Nintendo Wii's creates a certain kind of preconcieved notion that the PS3 is not desireable and the Wii is. It may not be true, but that's still the kind of feeling that may be arising. Look at how people have labeled Nintendo as "kiddy" or "Childish" because of their flagship titles. There were plenty of mature games on the gamecube: Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4, Eternal Darkness, etc. But because of that preconcieved notion of them being kiddy, they were hurt by it. As for people jumping all over it, Sony has invited this kind of attitude on themselves. If they weren't so insufferably arrogant and so prone to overhyping every stinking thing they do, people wouldn't be so eager to bring them down. It's called comeuppance. I guess people aren't willing to work 2nd jobs and take out new mortgages on their houses after all.

Link? I don't trust official numbers given by the company themselves, especially in the case of Sony. They have a bad habit of reporting units shipped as units sold. Just because the units have shipped to a store doesn't mean anything, look at all the "anecdotal" evidence (of which I have seen first hand) of PS3's sitting in stores unsold. Which is exactly the reason why those stories carry more weight than Anya and others want to admit.

I might be waiting for awhile. When there's a pre-order bonus I actually care about, sometimes I pre-order online because some of the clerks at my local EB have sticky fingers and the bonuses tend to "never arrive". And due to EB deciding to change their international shipper from FedEx (Usually within 1 day I would get my package from them) to UPS (whom I have had nothing but problems with, including them hiring a collection agency to come after me for a COD charge I already paid), it may be awhile. Also, for whatever reason, all packages shipped to me via UPS end up in Kentucky. Kentucky. Even when they're already IN Canada, they sometimes go back down to Kentucky when I track them. I'd love to know why.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xevious

Seems like Gabe Newell, head of Valve, doesn't like the PS3 so much. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138003 Supposedly from Game Informer magazine.

Don't know if anyone is looking forward to this game at all, but it looks really, really interesting. I love the animation style. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/awij/player.h...&height=430 Might take awhile to load, and this is the japanese version so expect plenty of engrish moments throughout the trailer.

Yeah, I couldn't resist pre-ordering for the stylus...even though I don't know how much I'll use it since it won't fit in the holder on the DS Lite. I also commented on your excellent Phoenix Wright cosplay costumes way back when you posted them.

I wonder what kind of punny name they'll give him in the English version. Speaking of Phoenix Wright, Justice For All is coming out very soon here in North America. I can't wait, I loved the original. Edit: A stupid typo.

I've sent out a few Mii's to people, if you see a "Jordan" or I send one to you, that's who you can use to represent me. I'm still waiting for my Beavis and Butthead, Andrew!

Unfortunately, you can't make playlists or anything. You get a list of all the tracks, and you can choose individual tracks to play, or random shuffle. But it's really not a big deal, it takes all of 4 seconds to change to another song if you want to go the individual route in the pause menu.