Pac-Man World Finally Arrives on PSN

This was one of my favourite games to play on my PlayStation One way back in the day. A pure joy and delight, I’m so happy that I can finally play it on my Vita on the go.

Released back in the autumn fall of 1999, Pac-Man World was one of the most colorful and eye catching game’s of the day. A great game that stood proudly beside my gaming delights that included Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy VII. I was so excited to play it back then, just as I want too, once again today.

There is this beautiful back catalogue of classic Namco titles on the PSN. Ranging from Tekken 2 to Klonoa to R4. However, Pac-Man World was the one I missed the most. It took so long to finally be re-released. A forgotten gem of the PS1 era. It was definitely worth the wait.

Those who’ve watched or played Bandai-Namco’s latest Pac-Venture, Pac-Man and The Ghostly Adventures, will feel right at home. Pac-Man World was the third Pac-Man platformer since 1984’s Pac-Land and 1994’s Pac-In-Time. Wow!

Now we celebrate the re-release of a classic. It’s a joy of a game and a steal at $5.99, now playable on the PS3, Vita and PSP. Heck, it even includes the original arcade game, fully emulated and playable. So you get the best of both world’s, one of the greatest arcade game’s of all time alongside of one of the best platformer’s.

Now all we need Bandai-Namco to do is re-release Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness and all those Namco Museum PS1 classics. ;)

Viva La Vita!

Finally. The PS Vita has sprung to life with a variety of new content, services and a new model to top it off. All of this is coming out, within the next several months.

Viva La Vita indeed.

Revealed at TGS last year, the second generation model of Vita will be coming to North America in “Spring” according to Sony. This new model features an LCD display (good-bye OLED *sniff*), Micro-USB connector (hooray!) for charging/data transfer, slimmer/lighter build (sweet!) and 1GB of internal memory (nice!). It will be available, bundled with Borderlands 2 and an 8GB memory card for $199.99.

When I first heard about this bundle, I screamed with joy for two reasons. First, I was just looking at possibly importing one of the new models and paying, of course, a crap load of money. I love my Vita. So to have the new model would be ultra-sweet. Now my importing days are over and I get to save a ton. Hooray!

Second, Sony just bundled their greatest handheld device with a killer app. Now there are no excuses, you have to get a Vita now. Borderlands is one of those franchises I got into late in the game. When the first game hit PS Plus as a free download, I gave it a shot and regretted not getting into this world earlier. Damn good game. Now the sequel is out in a “Game of The Year Edition” on the PS3 and with the Vita version coming out soon, you will be able to transfer your save across from one platform to another. Oh, joy! Joy! Joy!

On top of this great news, a bunch of new content has been unveiled. Including: The God of War Collection, The Sly Cooper Collection, Invizimals, The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead Season 2. Plus, PlayStation Now will be available very soon. This online service will allow you to “stream” PlayStation 3 games onto your handheld. OMG!

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… I love my Vita. I love it’s interaction with the PlayStation 4. My little girl was watching one of her favourite stories on the family TV but I wanted to play the new Tomb Raider instead. So, I fired up Remote Play and played it on the handheld. Oh Vita, thank you.

To have Sony give it a well deserved “shot in the arm” with new content, PS Now and a new model is fantastic. The platform deserves success and it deserves to have more users join the party. The ultimate companion piece to the PlayStation 4 appears to have a long and fruitful future.

Sony! Google! Apple! A Look At 3 Tablets From 2013

My little girl's first computer, is a tablet.

Mine was a desktop Commodore 64.

Times have changed.

2013 was a phenomenal year for tablets. Companies released a number of exceptional mobile tablets. Powerful, versatile and housing unique features, separating one from the other. Thank goodness! Previous years saw companies basically release the same tablet with a different brand name. It was a situation in which everyone bolted out a, "Hey look at us! We have a tablet like the iPad and we are a hell of a lot cheaper". However, 2013 was the year that changed everything.

So let's take a look 3 key tablets from 3 different manufactures from 2013. Oh snap! That is a lot of 3's in one sentence.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z

 I love Android. I love Sony's take on Android.

Sony advertises this tablet as featuring the best of all of Sony's innovations from software to hardware. It's very true.

They are Android's best manufacture. Their apps are slick. The Walkman app works like a charm. Their photo app works really, really good. Their editing tools from picture to video are all top of the line. These of course, are all free and pre-installed on the device. They all work really, really well.

Sony's Android OS experience is very nice stuff. Mini-apps can be run directly on the desktop from a web browser to a note taker, I found them to be extremely helpful. Launching any app can be quickly accomplished thanks to a quick launch button that can be accessed on any screen.

Hardware is where this tablet really shines. It's dust resistant and WATER PROOF. I put the WATER PROOF in CAPS because it's very important, especially when you have a toddler. Plus, I've played games, listened to music and surfed the internet in my tub because of this. It also includes a built in IR making it the best universal remote control in the universe for your television. What's this? It also includes NFC. Sweet! These are definitely huge selling points. The tablet is the thinest and lightest of it's 10.1" form factor. It really is beautiful to hold and look at.

The screen is awesome. A 1920 x 1200 display, powered by Sony's mobile Bravia 2 technology. It is sharp featuring incredible contrast and colours that are deep and rich.

Plus, it includes PlayStation Mobile and Dualshock 3 support for gaming. Hooray!

I love this tablet. It is my current favourite tablet. You get so much unique value for your money. Highly recommended!

Google Nexus 7 (2013)

The best tablet value for your money. Period.

If you want to stay on top of what Google is doing with the Android OS, this is the cheapest and easiest way to stay ahead of curve. KitKat 4.4 is available right now and every single Android update release will hit this device first.

The beautiful 7" display features a 1920 x 1200 resolution outputting more than 2.3 million pixels. Wow! External audio for the device is top of the line. Thanks to Fraunhofer, developers of the MP3 format and AAC Codec, have created a 5.1 surround sound experience direct from the tablet's stereo speakers. Impressive! Finally, a tablet that has phenomenal audio output.

Smooth, fast and compact, the Asus built device will cost you around $229, the cheapest tablet on this list and is typically on sale most of the time. I purchased a 32gb version for $50 cheaper than the retail price. Hunt around, look in flyers or online for deals.

Again, the best value for you money.

Apple iPad mini with Retina Display

Wow. You know why Apple is on top when you get one of these babies.

Beautiful. Elegant. Powerful.

The brand new iPad mini features a gorgeous Retina Display. The 7.9" display comes to life with an incredible 2048x1536 resolution. Nice! Plus, the same 64-bit processor that powers the brand new iPad and iPhone is in here. Hardware wise, Apple didn't skimp out on the mini because of it's small form factor. They where dead serious in making a very powerful, compact computer disguised as a tablet.

Of course, there is that App Store. Yep, that App Store is damn good. Apps and apps and apps. Everything is there and the pricing is awesome thanks to sales. The App Store dosen't even need a holiday to have a sale, some publisher will just start a sale in celebration of an app release and BOOM! Everyone jumps on board and there are sales non-stop. That's why I love the App Store.

We received this as a Christmas Gift and it is a delight for my baby girl. She loves playing with it, colouring, reading and watching her stories. My girl's first computer and it's a tablet. I have nostalgic memories of my C64 days growing up but damn, I have to admit, an Apple iPad Mini is a sweeter first time computer. ;)

Built tough, easy to use and runs like a charm.

If you've got the money, it's highly recommended!

* * * *

There you go. Three of the best tablets from 2013 that'll have you marching into 2014. If you pick one of these up, congratulations! You're in for a treat!

Goodbye 2013! Hello 2014!

It's been a long, long time since I've posted.

Life just throws you a curve ball and has you so busy that you have to put a few things to the side in order to carry on. Well, I hope that was the end of my blogging slump. In less than a 24 hours, it is a New Year. So let's get a blog crackin'! ;)

My last post was about Beyond: Two Souls. Oh, snap! That was a long time ago! Especially in the tech/gaming/entertainment/Sports/Nerd/Jock arena.

So what's happened since the last time I blogged?

The PlayStation 4 and X-Box One have launched, both too stellar success. Looks like console gaming is far, far from dead. The Saskatchewan Roughriders won a Grey Cup, which was pretty sweet. The Green Bay Packers battled the Chicago Bears to get into the play offs. What a war it was! Killzone: Shadow Fall came out and rocked my world, both on and offline. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was released. Sadly I wasn't able to see it in 48fps, I really wanted to. Pokemon X/Y and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds where released. I had to dust off my 3DS for those masterpieces! On the Vita, Tearaway, Runner 2, Terraria and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate have kept me busy, busy and more busy.

So 2013... Hmm... Elysium was cool. Summer 2013 movies felt lacking though. Gravity was probably the best thing I've seen all year. The Last of Us is easily "The Game of The Year". Killzone: Mercenary is my favourite "Shooter and Portable Game of The Year". Tearaway was my favourite "Platformer of The Year".

A whole bunch of Google, Apple and Microsoft stuff happened. I did get the new Nexus 7, which was a huge improvement since the first gen. I picked up the 32gb edition on a flash sale, it was discounted by 50 dollars. Nice! We got a Retina-Display iPad Mini for Christmas. Damn, it's good stuff! Microsoft's Surface Pro 2 came out, which I really want but I don't have deep pockets. :(

The best parts of 2013, are family.

My little girl will be turning 3 soon and she's the coolest! She loves Batman, Barbie, Astroboy, My Little Pony, Sonic The Hedgehog and she really just got into Teen Titans big time now. It's busy, tiring but its a heck of a lot of fun being a daddy! I made sure the first video game she ever played was Pac-Man. There. Good for me. ;) BTW, she loves the new Pac-Man cartoon The Ghostly Adventures. It's being made by people of my generation, so there are plenty of in-jokes and references to 80's pop culture which brings a smile to my face. Plus, it's pretty cool stuff. :)

Plus, I'm an Uncle finally! I can't wait to see my baby nephew and spoil him! He was literally just born a few days ago. I've seen pictures and he is beautiful, looks just like his mommy!

So long 2013! Here's to 2014!

Beyond: Two Souls - The Experience

If you're expecting Beyond to be like Heavy Rain, you're not getting it. If you're expecting a more traditional story/adventure driven game like The Walking Dead. Nope, you're not getting that either. I think we all can agree, we weren't expecting anything remote like an Uncharted or Killzone either.

Beyond: Two Souls feels more like Flower or Journey, except with a billion dollar budget. It's an experience, one very much worth taking.

Review scores have bounced from displeasure to pure joy. I don't know if there is a middle ground here. If anything, it has gamers and non-gamers, talking. They want to take the adventure and see what all the fuss is about. Plus, it dosen't hurt that Ellen Page is featured on the box art, advertising and promotion. She should be. It's her adventure and experience you're asked to partake on.

Much like Sandra Bullock in Gravity, Ellen Page delivers an amazing performance, featuring a narrative completely focused on her. She is awesome from youth to teenage years to adulthood, she is mesmerizing. Another Canadian actor joins the production, William Dafoe brings his seasoned acting chops with excellent results. I wasn't sure how much he would be in here, but I'm happy to say a lot and that's a good thing. Anything that William Dafoe is in, is guaranteed awesome.

Game creator David Cage, brings a seasoned director's vision with a narrative jumping from different points in Jodie's (Ellen Page) life. I found it a unique way to unfold the mystery of the young woman and her ghostly companion named Aiden. There is big action, oh yes. Action set pieces that you would expect on the cinematic big screen. However, it's those quiet, personal moments from playing with friends in a snow ball fight to her first kiss that pluck your heart strings and bring a fully realized character to life.

Yeah, it's worth checking out. I can't guarantee that you'll love it or hate it. However, I won't lie to you, it's one hell of a sweet ride.

Gravity Is A Triumph of Filmmaking

Have no fear. I won't spoil anything for you in this straight to the point post.

All I will mention about this film, is that it's the most successful mix of science fiction and genuine human storytelling. The awesome thrill a minute rollercoaster ride of space is only heightened by a very human story of fear, love, laughter and loss.

Sandra Bullock has to get her second Oscar for this performance. She is just as beautiful as the captured images of our heavenly blue planet.

You deserve a treat. So go treat yourself to Gravity.

Grand Theft Auto V Chit Chat

Well, this is more like it.

For all it's innovations, HD splendor, excellent writting and characters, GTA IV didn't feel complete. Plagued with pacing problems from gameplay to the narrative, it felt at times, like a drag. It's direct, awesome sequels The Lost and The Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony where implemented much more smoothly. I loved playing The Ballad, it was a blast to play and was the only title in that series I completed. Now GTA V is out and it's a hell of a lot better.

GTA V is about polish. Driving, fighting and shooting mechanics has been perfected. It feels so good. Oh yeah, there are planes to fly and real estate to purchase and stock markets to invest in and golf courses to conquer. Oh my!

Featuring 3 direct narrative protagonists, you switch between them in real time advancing the game and plot. It's done so fast, so smoothly. I'm far from completing the narrative. However, I don't want to end it. Its oh so good. I love these characters. I love this plot. I love this world.

Heck, I haven't even tried the online mode which I here, is just as compelling.