The Summer Vacation Report or: Why I Haven’t Posted in 4 Months

Salutations Readers,

First off, I’ll apologize for my extended absence. But, summertime is quite busy for me and my family. Lots of weekends outdoors can put a dent in the amount of time to play games or write about them. Also, my brother got me involved in a softball league that nabbed a normally free night from my schedule.  All these little things add up and cause things like this blog to get set on the back burner.  Sadly this blog is no stranger to a setback like this.

Now, I’m back to resume blogging and roll out more great content to my readers and friends. I’m unsure of the rate that new articles will be released, but I would rather post something than nothing at all.

The reason I decided to kick-start this now is the Extra Life 24 Hour Marathon.  I’m signed up and ready for October 15th!  I hope to raise some money for Children’s Miracle Network and specifically St. Louis Children’s Hospital.  Look for more information including how to get involved or donate in the next few weeks!  If you can’t wait that long, visit http://www.Extra-Life.org/participant/commandercody83 to make a donation.

Now that I’ve got all the big stuff out of the way, I want to talk about games for just a bit.  I’ve been playing a ton of games as usual.  I’ve managed to finish Call of Duty: Black Ops, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Tornado Outbreak, Rez HD, Transformers: War for Cybertron, Red Dead Redemption, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Duke Nukem Forever, Nail’d and now Crysis 2.  I’m also caught up on Fallout: New Vegas including all the DLC that has been released and the Hardcore achievement.

So obviously I’ve had the time to game, but writing a review or article might take up to three hours.  But now things are slowing down and the weather is cooling down.  So I’ll hopefully have more time to write and produce some fun stuff.

Thanks everyone around me for your continued love and support.

Cody

The Most Anticipated Games of 2011

Every year it seems the list of games released expands, yet my wallet doesn’t. 2010 was huge: Halo, Call of Duty, God of War 3, Red Dead Redemption, Fable 3, Fallout, and that’s just a tiny sampling.  What’s worse is that I haven’t even played half of the games I wanted to.  And by the looks of it 2011 will be crazy too.  The following is a list of games that I’m most excited for and a brief reason why.

Nintendo

Nintendo 3DS
Despite hating 3D technology and seeing few original games that interest me, I could see myself enjoying a bunch of older games like Metal Gear and Star Fox in 3D.  Glasses-free is also very cool.  Take that Sony!

Sony

Ico & Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection
Even though I’ve played Shadow of the Colossus before I could do it again and again.  It is easily in my top 10 games of all time.  I had always wanted to play Ico so now I could… in HD… if I had a PS3.

The Last Guardian
If Metal Gear Solid 4 wouldn’t make me buy a PS3 I didn’t think anything could.  That was until I saw the first trailer for The Last Guardian.  Wowee.  It was like someone took Shadow of the Colossus and exponentially increased its’ awesomeness to the power of cool.  Yeah.  You heard me.

Microsoft

Gears of War 3
I’m ready to finish the fight by chainsawing a ton of Locusts on the way.  Beast Mode also looks interesting.  This may be the only Gears multiplayer experience I stick with.

Ms. Splosion Man
I loved playing Splosion Man last year.  It was a great game that just needed a little work when it came to that horrible spiking difficulty.  I’m hoping for more of the same fun.

Off-Road Drive
This sounds like a unique 4X4 racing title that puts an emphasis on realism.  Low gears and winches all the way!  I love watching that kind of event of television and hopefully it tranfers well into gameplay.

Multiplatform

Batman: Arkham City
Usually I’m not one for superhero games, but I was impressed with Arkham Asylum. Big question: did we even need this game?

BRINK
Looks like Mirrors Edge and Borderlands made a baby and I want to adopt it.

Bulletstorm
I think Epic and People Can Fly are grooming a successor to Gears of War.

Child of Eden
I’m down for one of the most anticipated hardcore games for Kinect. Even if I hate Kinect and don’t plan to own one.

Crysis 2
Mega hit on PC, but can it take down Call of Duty or Halo atop the shooter genre?  I think we’ll be surprised.

Dead Space 2
Another solid single player game that is being fitted with multiplayer.  Though it could be a success being able to play both sides like Left 4 Dead.

Doom 4
If this doesn’t happen this year, please let the fans see something so we know it isn’t dead.

Duke Nukem Forever
I’ll take 8 copies of the most expensive version possible as a reward for Gearbox making this possible.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
I guess I should get crackin’ on playing Oblivion.  Even though I’m not a huge Elder Scrolls fan, Fallout has made me aware of Bethesda and I want to get into this series too.

Homefront
An interesting first-person shooter set in the not too distant future.  The story is coming from the co-writer of Apocalypse Now and the writer of Red Dawn.

I Am Alive
Eat your heart out 2012.  Crossing my fingers this doesn’t get canned.  Please survive.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
I’ve just gotten into fighting games again and I hope to get in on the ground floor here. I’m totally calling Iron Man right now.

Mass Effect 3
I loved Mass Effect and must make time to get through Mass Effect 2.  Just from the looks of the trailer shown at the Spike VGA’s I look forward to seeing how the story is wrapped up.

Metal Gear Solid: Rising
I remember when Kojima introduced Raiden in MGS: Sons of Liberty.  Now he’s really going to get his own game.  Looks promising.

Mortal Kombat
I still cannot believe this isn’t MK vs. Street Fighter.  Still, I’m excited for HD gore.

Portal 2
Valve you could charge double for this game and I’d rob my own mother to play it.

Rage
Don’t know if I’m more excited for the game or the engine it’s built on.  Unsure of the mashup of racing-shooter, but the apocalyptic nature has me ready for its release.

Red Faction: Armageddon
More destruction please.  Thanks.  That is all.