Speaking of ways in which Microsoft plans to send my entire family and me to the poorhouse this winter, what do you guys think about the fact that they are raising the yearly Xbox Live Gold Membership fee up to $60?
I have to be honest, but to me $5 a month isn't such a bad deal for all the content you get (and all the content you will be getting with Hulu, ESPN, and whatever else they have coming). Maybe I've just been brainwashed by the system, but I don't think we are getting such a bad deal, especially when you compare it to PSN *blech*.
How about you? Agree? Disagree? PS3 Fanboy (Giang)?
UPDATE! I just received an email from Paul Olson at 3G Studios saying that he saw this blog post and is offering his assistance to help me get in the game. Now THAT is customer service! I am now a fan of 3G, and you should be, too. (Full email after the break).
Yes, I view Facebook as a legitimate gaming platform, and yes, I was genuinely excited to play the first true Facebook FPS, Brave Arms. I even went as far as signing up early in order to secure my gamertag (Ender - rekkanize). However, the game launched a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to play one single second of it because it constantly tells me that I need to install a browser extension (on all three browsers I've tried), and even though I have downloaded them multiple times, it still won't let me get past the character creation screen.
I have spent probably a total of 30 minutes trying to get into this game to no avail. This defeats the purpose of a Facebook game. They are supposed to be easy and accessible and so far, this is neither nor.
P.S. Brave Arms, I still want to play you, so please fix yourself. Thanks.
Today I met N'Gai Croal while I was getting my usual lunch salad from Ralph's in Marina del Rey. I've always really respected his work and it was awesome to meet him. Super nice guy, too.
Did you see the new mulitplayer vid for Call of Duty: Black Ops? (oooh, I just thought of a new name formy porn-game. Let me go put that in really quick...)
Ok, I'm back. Anyways, check it out, it looks pretty sweet. Overall it seems very familiar, but there are some cool looking new weapons, especially the explosive RC car and the also-explosive crossbow. The best part comes at the very end though, when it shows a new video editing feature. Freaking finally.
I would like you to create a porn-based, Kinect-enabled RPG where players take on the role of an up-and-coming young stud, humping his way through the turbulent adult film industry.
I think it should be called "Call of Booty: Modern Whorefare." I will also accept "Biocock."
If you guys have any more ideas for game features or perhaps another name, leave it in the comments.
As you may have heard on this week's podcast, I managed to get my grubby mitts on an extra download code for a copy of the recently released Alan Wake DLC pack, "The Signal". You may also have heard that I have decided to give this code away to one lucky reader, in the form of a competition.
However, there is a catch though, and you'll need to do something to earn the download code, and that something is this:
Leave a comment on this post containing your best Alan Wake related haiku poem.
Here are the rules:
1. It MUST be a proper haiku poem. See here for guidance. 2. It MUST be Alan Wake related. 3. As this is a European region code, the code will only work on European Xboxes. Therefore, entrants MUST be from Europe/the UK.
Other than that, you're free to be as creative as you please. Your entry can be as funny or as serious as you want, just try to be original. Also, this competition is supposed to be a bit of fun, SO GO NUTS, have a good time, and I wish you all good luck!
Continuing this years Summer Of Arcade promotion, this week sees the release of Hydro Thunder Hurricane on XBLA. The game will release today, July 28th, and will cost 1200MSP.
We here at The Easy Mode don't know a huge amount about this game, other than the fact that it's a sequel to arcade game Hydro Thunder, a powerboat racing game which was later released on Dreamcast, Playstation and Nintendo 64. However, the game looks like it'll be in the same vein as the F-Zero and Wipeout games, and could be a lot of fun, and it should be worth checking out the demo when it lands. For an idea of what to expect, check out the video below.
We have a mixed bag of downloadable titles this week, and coming solely to PSN this week is Landit Bandit, a 3D helicopter game which looks a little bit like Crazy Taxi with helicopters. And flying land sharks(?!?). Whatever! The game is set to release on PSN on July 13th, for $9.99 US, and you can find a video for it after the break.
We also have a game that is coming exclusively to XBLA this week, but don't get too excited; it's just Deadliest Warrior: The Game. Ever wondered who would win in a fight between an pirate and a ninja? No? Oh well, me neither! The game will cost 800MSP, and is set to release on July 14th. The game will be coming to PSN at a later date, though no date has been given, and again, you can find a trailer after the break.
The big game this week, which is set to release on both PSN and XBLA is Deathspank. The brain-child of Monkey Island creator, Ron Gilbert, Deathspank has been described as a cross between Diablo and Monkey Island. The game is very tongue-in-cheek, and looks like it could be a lot of fun; I mean, what other game lets you use "Unicorn Poop" (which apparently tastes like innocence) as a weapon? Deathspank is set to release on PSN on July 13th, for $14.99 US, and is set to land on XBLA on July 14th, for the price of 1200MSP. Trailer, break, you know the drill.
If you haven't played the Xbox Live Indie game Try Not To Fart, stop what you're doing right this second and go play it. I actually woke up my wife, who was sleeping in another room, this morning because I was laughing so hard. I swear to god, please go play it right now.
I don't want to tell you too much about the game in order to avoid ruining the surprise, but I will say that you play a guy who is placed in various social situations where you simply just try not to fart. There is a free demo with four levels, and the full version is 80 points, which I'm downloading as we speak.
I don't want to speak to soon, but it may be GOTY in July here.
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If you haven't played the Xbox Live Indie game Try Not To Fart, stop what you're doing right this second and go play it. I actually woke up my wife, who was sleeping in another room, this morning because I was laughing so hard. I swear to god, please go play it right now.
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account!