Freebies

Don't you just love them?
What do you mean you don't? Sorry you must of wandered onto the wrong page you freak.
But too those of you who said yes, surprisingly you're not in a small group. Everyone likes a good freebie once in a while. Be it those testers of cocktail sausages in the supermarket or that mix cd of that ramdom dude that's trying to get on the scene.

The latest freebies that I got was a T-Shirt for Left For Dead 2 and this cool pet that's for my avatar on the 360. Now I don't have a full picture of it yet but but if you look to the right of the page you'll see my 360 gamer card. Now take a look at my gamer pic. See that cute little yellow thing. That's my own little Cocobo =0D
I haven't given him a name yet but I will soon. Isn't he the cutest? And to make it even better I got him for free. I just wish I remembered how I did it. I really should write these things down somewhere.

Koobs

GF. I'm a Gamerscore Slut

If there is one thing I love in life, it is freebies. Which is what happened yesterday when I switched on my 360 yesterday. I was having a little look around seeing if there was anything new. Low and behold, I found a FREE game on the XBLA. So naturally I downloaded it right away without looking at the description. Heck the game is free, it has dinosaurs and it seem to be sponsored by Doritos, what could possibly go wrong? Well it made me a Gamerscore Hore. But that was the only bad thing. Over wise it a sound little game.
By the way, a Gamerscore Hoe (Hore, slut, [enter another word to describe someone who is sexually promiscuous here]) is someone who ONLY plays games to increase the Gamerscore. Not for the game itself. You can increase your score by doing little achievements throughout the game. The score doesn't do much, apart from giving you braggers rights on the game. I will admit that when I play a game that I like, I will go out of my way to try and get as many of the achievements as possible. But that's only because I'm a completenish (It's like OCD only for Video Games). By becoming a Gamerscore Hussy I feel slightly dirty. Points aren't meant to easy to get, but I did most of them in half an hour.

Any way let look pass the negative and talk more about the game itself.

Now this game is the winner of a competition called UnlockXbox. You literally came up with an idea and submit it. If it's good you get entered for the finals where a beta will be produced and the public voted on what they enjoyed the most.
The gameplay itself is easy to pick up but not so simple that you will get bored. Now the first game mode is to play as the the T-Rex and chase around the trucks before they finish their deliveries. Sounds easy and is easy, but by hell is it fun. You can flatten the city if you really want to and let your destructive nature lose.
But that's not all you can do, in the ultimate role reversal you can become the truck driver, where your aim is to make as many deliveries as possible before getting eaten. And it is as equally fun. I found a video clip of the gameplay in action. It not only shows how the game plays but also how good the graphics and sound is.

For a game that was free I wasn't excepting so much. And there is a multi-player mode as well which I haven't touched on yet. Actually I think I'll go and play that now. Toodles.
Your Gamerscore Skank, Ice Koobs

Meet my XMii. His called Ice Koobs as well.

Hi I'm Ice Koobs XMii. And I got couple of things that I would like to bring to your attention. First even though I'm a rip off of Nintendo's Miis, as you can see I'm far better. So neeehhh =0P

Ok ok. Sorry about that guys but it seems that my XMii has some personal issues that he needs to sort out. But I do have to admit that he does look cool. But anyway I got a couple of things to relay today.
As you might of guessed the first thing up on the table is the New Xbox Experience (A.K.A NXE).
I like it. Simple as that really. So what if they ripped off the Miis from Nintendo (XMiis as I like to call them) and also the open airy design of the Playstations menus. They at least do it with style and dare I say it, better then the originals do.
With the XMii I feel that I have better control over what my Avatar looks like. Even though there is the same selection of facial expressions (maybe more I've not gone and compared yet) there is also a choice of clothing and this seems to make a big difference.
The layout of the menus will take a little while for me to get use to but it just has a very clear and visualizing appealing feel to it. The disk copier is cool but you've got to keep the game in the disk drive regardless. But it does make your 360 so much quieter and it also means that if you have an older version that you are less likely to get any burn rings (no not that kind, the ones on your c.d you prev).

In other news, I've completed COD: W@W. Old news in a way 'cause I did the deed Tuesday evening. But I'm proud none the less. Now I've got time to dig into the multi-player section.
A couple of things that I've noticed about W@W so far.

• It does seem to be as glitchy as Window Me (and that was glitchy). At the end of the last American mission it would run the cut scene and I was just running around for nothing. Also once when I was on multiplayer I jumped into a tank and earned an Artillery strike. I went to call it but didn't want to waste it so canceled. When I left the tank I was stuck with the Artillery strike and couldn't pull out my gun.
• The enemy seem to be less trigger happy and more grenade happy. I think that I only die once, no make that twice, by gun shot. The rest of the time (about one hundred and fifty two times) was by grenades. Which is alright on normal mode, but on Hardened and Veteran one hit from a grenade is enough to take you out.
• It is addictive. I don't know why but I had to complete it.
• Even though at the beginning you don't feel much for the characters. I did start feeling sorry for Dimitri. Even at the end he has it hard.

So there you have it. I'm going back to join some multi player maddness now. If anyone wants to hit me up just send a friend request to the gamer tag "Ice Koobs" and just pop a massage that you've read my blog. Toddles.
Ice Koobs

It happens

Recently a fellow blogger lost his Xbox 360 to the dreaded fate known as the "Red Ring Of Death" (I'm STILL sorry to hear about it FartherK).
But then it reminded me of a time at the last MCM (yeah I know I'm still going on about it, but I'm really, really looking forward to it). But to cut a long story short, this is what I saw:


No your eyes aren't deceiving you. It really is the "The Red Three".
By the way, did you know that just because the lights are red doesn't mean your 360 is dead?
Well if it's the red three like above then it is. But the number and position of the lights could be displaying something far less sinister. One reason I know of is just that your console has overheated which is simple to fix.
I do have to say that I love my 360 and more then likely end up crying if I had to send it off for repair. Fingers crossed that it won't happen.
Ice Koobs

Banjo-Kazooie hits xbox earlier then I thought

Ok so its not Nuts and Bolts. But it still a classic. Like I said before I loved this game and even though I already have it. I might actually download it. It's becoming harder and harder to bring out the N64 and connect it up to the telly.
I just don't have the time to keep doing it nor do I have the space to leave it out.
Now seeing that this was going to be available on the XBox live market place (aka XBLA, short for XBox Live Arcade) , I went to see what else there was on offer.

Now I have had the following game for a while but I would always recommend it. And it's had a couple of good reviews by a fellow podcasters which you can download from here and a fellow blogger which you can find here.
Yep you've guessed it Super Street Puzzle II HD.

Chun-Li is even doing what I do in real life when I'm in a situation like this and crying her eyes outs.

Another game that is a little gem and I know will get looked over is Braid.

A novel take on the time bending platformer genre that also has gentle nods towards Mario. There is a level titled "JumpMan" where in the first part you have to clime up some platforms that look strangly familiar and even has a statue of a monkey on top. I wonder what game that was in based on?


Each level (or world as they are known as in game) has a different set of rules that effect how time works. The first two acts as tutorials preparing you for later stages, with the first introducing you to the basic physics (and if you do die the replay feature). Where the second introduces "time proof items". These need thing need a little more explanation to make sense.
Now let say you drop down a pit and can't get out. All you need to do is hit rewind and vola you're out of the pit. The only thing is, that any action you did while you where in said pit would also be rewinded. So if you kill a monster while down there, it would get resurrected. Or if you picked up a normal item, you would drop it. However. If the item is time proof, no matter how much you rewind, the item itself will not reset. Now in the beginning this leads to quite simple but brilliant puzzles. Lets take the pit example again. There is a time proof key which is needed to unlock a door. But it's at the bottom of the pit. What to do, what to do? Well it's easy. Jump down, pick up the key then rewind. As the key is time proof it will rewind out of the pit with you.
After this introduction to the basics each world has it's own set of rules that incorporate the originals tutorial rules. I won't go into too much detail because the whole fun of Braid is to find out and experiment with all the different rules.

So yeah that just a little take of some of the games available on XBLA, and I might post some more at a later date. Oh and sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors. I've just got in from work and I'm shattered. Don't worry I'm not going to post another photo of me asleep on the keyboard.
Ice Koobs

Rockers needed

Calling all budding guitarist, practicing drummers, groovy basses and rocking singers. I need to make a band. It's coming up to the semi-annual MCM Expo. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that I went to the last MCM in May and absolutely loved it. Here's a video from it if you haven't seen it already. Now the the big thing for me at this one is the fact that they are doing a Rock Band tournament.
The only downside for me is that you have to have four people. I've tried to to do a one man band and it didn't work. I might post the picture of the end result depending on how I feel. It was a bit of a mess in the end.
But seriously. I really want to enter this. Not even to win it. Just to say I did.
So does anyone want to join me. I know that a certain person is a great singer but I won't drop his name. Just in case his not comfortable to sing in public.
But I'm alright-ish at most of the instruments and don't mind which one I end up playing.
But I do play a mean Lead Guitar. Nudge Nudge Wink Wink.
So yeah. If you want to join and you are in London for the 26 of October send me an e-mail. You can see my address in the box to the right. Go on. You know you want to.
Ice Koobs

COD 4

Yeah I know I'm a bit behind with the times but I only just starting playing COD 4 again. And no, it's not about fishing. Call Of Duty 4 (as it is better known as) is a brilliant game. While the single player can be deemed as too short. There is loads of re-playability. Another thing that get me coming back for more is the multi-player.
Now before J starts trowing the abuse my way, the local multi-player is crap. But; the on-line is astounding. I think over all the time I've play it I had only one connection error. And I've had the game for almost a year now.
But yeah. If anyone has the game, a 360 and is on-line add me. I need the practice. I've now managed to only die 30 times in a game. Believe it or not I was worst.
Ice Koobs

Rare and thier rare releases

Oh Rare how I love you. Well more Loved.
Back in the good old days when you where Nintendo's bitch and known as RareWare you used to do so many good games.
GoldenEye, Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, Donkey Kong 64.
Oh god just thinking about them brings back good memories. Just jamming in my room playing games when I was meant to do homework. Those where the days. And that's only some of the games as well.
But ever since Microsoft bought them they just went crap. They only released one good game. Conker. Live and Reloaded. And that was only ok because it was a re-make of a game they made when they were in partnership with Nintendo, Conker's Bad Dur Day.


















All in all the games that have come out of Rare recently, where not crap, aren't anything to write home about.
Viva Pinata anyone? Nothing better then raising up some paper animal that are going to have the sweet knocked out of them. Or how about some Perfect Dark Zero. Zero was for originality btw.

I've just heard (well more taken notice) that they are planing to release a sequel to Banjo-Kazooie. I don't have a clue what to except. I loved the originals, I felt they really pushed the N64 to the limit. But I'm worried. Like I've just mentioned. It seems that the original Rareware crew either jump ship or just didn't put the same amount of effort into their games when the joint Microsoft.
They've already stepped away from the traditional platforming game by introducing some sort of vehicle building thingy. I'm not sure at all. But I do like the art direction they are going with it. Banjo always looked quite blocky in the N64 games. He still does now, but this time its on purpose, but this time he looks blocky outside of game play as well. Heres a piccy of a now and then both in game and out (it will properly explain it better then I will):





















Banjo and Kazooie on the box cover then... ...and how they look now.


I prefer Banjo back then but I like Kazooie as she is now (yes Kazooie was and is a girl). But the new design is explained by the developers as a necessity. Something how they wanted to keep the original style of the game. Well the original in game style. Again a piccy will better explain it:















Now I can see what they are getting at. I played the game more then looked at the box. And banjo was very blocky before. But that was to be excepted. What do you except with only so many polygons? Supposedly there are meant to be thousands of polygons on the new Banjo's left nose alone.
But here I am talking about the two banjo as if they are different ones. They are one and the same. The game is set 10 years after the last outing on N64. The same amount of time between releases in the real world. This also means that Rare can't do do there signature "Push back the release date" that they are famous of. Maybe that's why the games they have produced for Microsoft have been not the best they could of been.
Then again it could be just me.
I am and I'm not looking forward to this new incarnation of the Bird and Bear duo. I am because as I've said, I loved the originals. I'm not because of Rares latest track record. If it turns out to be good then one game I would like to see them re-do is Jet Force Gemini. But I'll talk more about that game in another post.
Ice Koobs

Everyone is doing it!!!

Can you believe it?
For prove that shooting pigeons is not that bad play GTA IV.
GTA has alway been known for having some sort of collectibles. Like the tags in GTA San Andreas. Well in number IV, guess what the collectible is. Given up yet?
You have to get pigeons. Well more shoot them anyway. Which means I've got the one up on everyone. I already have practice in the art of shooting flying rats.
I have to admit when I first heard the pigeon in the game I did think it was a pigeon outside my window again. So I jumped out of my seat, grabbed my B.B Gun and started looking for the foul feathered beasts. But there was none. Then I heard the cooing again. But this time from the t.v. Now at this point I had the feeling I was going crazy, that I was getting my comeuppance for all the shooting that I have done. But then I remembered. Why would the t.v be making the noise. If I was going loopy and fruity then I would just be hearing the sound from every where.
So I dived into the game once more. Not with the intent of helping Nico's cousin Roman, or for driving Little Jacob around. But with the intent to kill or at the very least find the source of that infernal "Cooing". After two minutes I found it. The little git was sitting on the roof over the entrance to "Perestroika". So there was me and the pigeon. Man and beast. I walked towards it. It did not fly away. I tried kicking it. Not only it not fly away it just cooed more. Then I got pissed took out my pistol and shoot it. That solved the problem. First I got a message saying "199 flying rats left in Liberty City" then my wanted level went up. I didn't understand why. Maybe Liberty City see the pigeon as a endangered species. Well I know one thing. It will be after I've taken out the other 199.
Check out this video at You Tube. It's virtually the same as what happened to me.
Ice Koobs

P.s I can get away with the gansta photo now.