Phil's Video Game Blog

Vizio TV and TV Mount Review

2009-10-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

After having an ample time to get really see how these products have worked under everyday use I am finely telling you my pros and cons of these products.

First up the TV. I got a Vizio 32" 720P LCD, model VO320E. I ordered it from dell.com for $350 + tax. I have now seen this TV for less but at the time it was a pretty good deal. Over all the TV has a very good picture, and a few nice features. I have my 360 plugged into the second component, and every time I switch to it, it remembers to go straight to the 360. One thing lacking is that the remote does not have a button to switch to the VGA. Another draw back is the built in speakers. I find them to be rather lacking in the sound quality department. I do have it hooked up to another sound system so I do not use the built in speakers. The time is takes to change channels is a little slow, but it's not big enough to warrant not buying it. The one other thing that some might find annoying is the little Vizio logo is always glowing, when off, it glows orange when on it turns to white. I have the TV in my bedroom and the light does not bother me but it might bother others. In the end I would say it is a good HDTV, definitely worth what I paid for it.

Now for Dell.com
When I was ordering the TV I was also offered a free 6' HDMI cable (a $30 according to dell). Once I got my order confirmation I saw that I was charged for the cable. I called dell and they told me that they could not do anything until I received it. Once I got it I called again, got transferred all around and finely got to someone who could help me. In the end I was told that the website was wrong and that the free HDMI cable was supposed to have ended months ago. In the end I shipped the cable back to them and got a full refund. I still find it unacceptable that dell would not update something like this.

Lastly the TV mount
The TV mount from MountsandMore.com I got was a Peerless Paramount Universal Tilting LCD/Plasma Wall Mount. The TV mount feels well built and sturdy. It did take two people to put it up, so I would not recommend trying it by yourself. The way the mount tilts is nice. You can choose between a few preset angles or just set your own. The best thing about it is that you don't need any tools to adjust it. The ratchets that you loosen are attached to the mount, a nice touch. The biggest draw back is that it can be a little difficult to plug stuff into the back of the TV because it is so close to the wall, but if you tilt the TV it is okay. Another nice thing about the mount is that it's not too hard to take the TV off the wall. All it takes is a screw driver. It's not so easy that I would do it often, but it's not to much work if you want to move it to watch the Super Bowl.

Wanna buy a Xbox Live account?

2009-08-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

Want lots of gamersocore with out playing games to get it? Want a twitter account that already has a few 100 followers? Well if you do I have the site for you. It's called Assetize. It is a website where you can buy and sell different type of internet accounts. The list of accounts includes Xbox Live, PSN, twitter, plus other email and social networking sites. There really is no limit to what type of account you can sell. I think the idea of paying money for any type of account is just stupid. I am kind of surprised that this site is still around because I know that it is against Microsoft's TOS to transfer a Xbox Live account, and I am quite sure that it is the same way for many other sites who's accounts that are being bought and sold on this site. One problem with this site is that it could lead to a larger amount of account theft. But I'm not saying the site should be shut down, as long as the web sites do not have a problem with their accounts being sold. Then I see no reason why this site should be closed.

Thanks to Samir for the tip

Madden 10 Demo Impressions

2009-07-23T23:22:00.000-07:00

I just finished downloading and playing the Madden 10 demo. I have only played it once, but I can already see some of the problems from past years of Madden coming back again. The linemen don't play like real linemen, the defense doesn't really seem to be aware of where the ball is, and the graphics are not that much of an improvement, especially when you look at some of the pre-release screen shots. The one thing I did like was that they fixed the play calling screen. But I do find it funny that they are trying to sell that as a new feature in the game when it is very much the same as the play calling screen as Madden 99. The only reason it needed to be fixed was because they broke it. Looking at some of the other things that are supposed to be new and exciting was rather funny, like "make trades", or make-a-team. I remember making my own team in Madden 97, 13 years later and that is still supposed to be a new feature? The one thing I saw that did look a little promising was the ability to play in online leagues. That is something that could be fun and is also worthy of being added to Madden. I would like to play a retail copy of the game to see if has any other improvements. Sadly the demo only lets you play one game with one minute quarters.

Good Deal on Used Games

2009-07-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

Right now Hollywood Video is having a sale on all their used games, all games priced $30 and less are now $5. This is for Wii, PS3, and 360. I already picked up Grid, Burnout Paradise, End War, plus a few other games all for $5 each. This is going on at all Hollywood Video stores that do not have a Gamecrazy in them. For more info and a list of games people have found check out this Slickdeals.net thread.

The Future of this Blog

2009-07-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a little while but I'm back. I will be updating at least once a week. I will still focus on video games but will also talk about gadgets and anything else that I think would be worthy to be posted here. I will be reviewing any and all video game and technology related items I get my hands on. Speaking of which I must give a shout out to Mounts and More, a website that specializes in TV Mounts and Projector Mounts, who will be giving me a TV mount to review on this blog. If you have any ideas or anything they want to see on this blog in the future just leave me a comment below.

Pac-Man+Fashion=???

2008-10-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

Pac-Man has now been incorporated into fashion. Hit the link for more pictures.

Link, Via Dvice.com

Civilization IV: Colonization - My Thoughts

2008-09-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

I have been a long time Colonization fan. When I heard that they were remaking the game I was very excited, this was something I had been waiting for for a long time. The original Colonization was one of those games that was fun but also had some big time annoyances that hindered the experience. This remake has fixed all of those.

So far there are only two things that have been removed that I miss from the original game. The first is the “go-to” command. The other is when you tell your ships to head to the new world from Europe, you can't pull it back if you accidentally send the ship.

My only other complaints with the game is that the music is not as good as it was in Civ 4, and you can't make a colonist work if he has half a turn and it does not tell you this. The first time it happened to me I thought it was a glitch in the game.

Now for what I like, of which there is a lot.

Everything has been stream lined, you can load and unload cargo with 2 clicks of the mouse.

The way you get Founding Fathers is awesome. If you do lots of trading it will be easier to get economic founding fathers. Same if you are doing lots of fighting you will have an easier time getting military minded founding fathers.

The king has been made out to appear mean. The way he looks and the sound work together nicely

When you give into the king and kiss his ring, it makes you feel weak for giving into him.

The natives no longer randomly attack you. They also no longer attack every treasure wagon they see.

No DRM besides needing the disk to play, not even an install code.

The $29.99 price point is nice break.

Overall I think this is a very well done remake of the original game, if you were a fan of that this is a must buy game. If you have never played a Colonization game now would be a great time to try one out.

Civilization IV: Colonization Unboxing

2008-09-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

I just picked up Civilization IV: Colonization and did an unboxing video. I will post my thoughts of the game once I have had some more time with it.

Watch Youtube, Hulu on your PS3 Or 360

2008-08-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest problems with websites like Hulu.com are that the videos are stuck on your computer. That is no longer a problem with this little program called PlayOn. PlayOn is a small piece of software that you run a computer connected to the same network as your Ps3 or 360. Once it is installed it allows you to stream videos from Hulu, CBS, YouTube, or ESPN to your 360 or PS3. The only draw backs of this program is that it is still in beta, and that it's only free for 60 days after that it's $30.

Personally it only worked to stream videos from ESPN, but I'm sure if I worked on it a little I could get other sites to work. The video quality for ESPN is not very good but it's better then nothing. Installing it took no more then ten minutes. It's definitely something to keep an eye on to see what happens in the future.

[Found on TECKH]

Bungiegate

2008-07-18T00:41:00.000-07:00

As I was watching Microsoft's E3 Press conference what I found to be the biggest surprise was not something that was announced, but rather something that was not talked about. That would be Bungie's next game. All signs pointed to an E3 announcement, they talked about it on their podcast, they teased it on Bungie day, then even went so far to to start a count down for it. But it never happened. Soon after it was revealed that Microsoft pulled it from their press conference because they wanted to "save time." For some reason I really doubt Microsoft would pull such a things for the sake of time. I think there is more then what we are hearing. One reason could be that once Microsoft had seen what Sony and Nintendo announced they realized that they were the winners of E3 this year. They could have then decided to delay the announcement for a time when they needed it to take back the limelight from Sony or Nintendo. Another reason for this is that Bungie was not ready, now I know that this is a stretch, but let's say for some reason or another Bungie thought they were ready and then found out they need more time. Do they really want to deal with the backlash of teasing for an announcement then backing out because or there inability to provide. Or would it be better for Microsoft, a company that is already hated by many to take the fall and save face for Bungie. Either way I still wonder why Bungie, who "loves" us, and is independent would not make the announcement any way. I'll save the rant on Bungie's "love" for another time.

Well It Finally Happened

2008-07-18T00:35:00.000-07:00

My 360 has officially red ringed. First time with me as the owner, second time in the consoles life.

Free Microsoft Points

2008-07-13T01:04:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Sorry folks but they are all gone. Keep an eye out on my blog because I will post any time I find deals on Microsoft points or Xbox Live subscriptions.

Here is my first (and probably last) give away. Right now up for grabs I have 7 codes that are each worth 100 Microsoft Points. I know it's not much but maybe it will bump you up to that next level to get something you really want. To use one of the codes below visit http://points.microsoft.com, select "Redeem a Microsoft Points prepaid or promotion code"and then enter a code. You can only use one code per account. Once you have entered the code the points can be used on both Xbox Live and the Zune Marketplace. Please leave a comment to let me and others know when the codes have been taken.

MRKKV-7R3CW-XHB34-HQ76G-4WJJW
MTQ6J-CDR8D-44234-V94F6-KWD2J
MMG72-BXRHQ-B29H6-VQ8G6-77M8W
FB49F-RYT7W-F972F-FDBQH-R3JJW
TMVBK-6H8KY-MQD39-2PX72-GR7PJ
PBT6X-7YFB7-7JDFC-QY4WP-G68JW
G6BJB-WTQ8J-PMB3G-XQR7T-7PYCJ

Battlefield: Bad Company and Civ Rev

2008-06-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

The demo's for Civilization Revolution and Battlefield: Bad Company went live yesterday. Me being the demo lover that I am, download them as soon as I could. First I gave Civ Rev a shot.

The Civilization series will always have a place in my heart because it was one of the first games I ever played and I have always found hours upon hours of enjoyment from all games in the franchise. Civ Rev is Civilization's first try at a console release. The controls worked pretty well as far as I could tell from my very short time playing it. For some reason though I feel as if it did not do a very good job of capturing that, "one more turn..." that I have always felt from the other games in the series. I don't know what it was but it was lacking something, maybe it was I didn't spend enough time with it. One of the things that was done well is the removing of workers. On the PC they work fine, but all that micromanagement could become more of a chore when done on a console. If your new to the series, this might be a good way to give it a try without being flooded with to many new concepts. If you have played the games before, stick with the PC.

As for Battlefield: Bad Company, it's not great, it's fun, but it's not GOTY. One of the big features of the game is the destructible environments. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to shoot down trees with a .50 cal, now is your chance. Other then that it's Battlefield with a few new weapons, good not great. I wouldn't spend $60 on it, but then again, I'm cheap.

The Sims 2 Free Content

2008-04-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I picked up the Sims 2 from my local library. (Great place to get games by the way) After I had played it for a little while I decried to go online and look for more content. I was surprised by what I found. Most of the content for the Sims 2 is not free. While I was searching for free content I stumbled upon this site, paysites.mustbedestroyed.org and what I read there surprised me. When EA released the Sims 2 and it's content creator, in the license it says, "You may include materials created with the Tools & Materials on your personal noncommercial website for the noncommercial benefit of the fan community for EA's products." That means that any content released for the Sims 2 is free. EA of all the people, known for milking their games, and now someone else tries to do the same, EA says "No milk for you!" If you play the Sims 2 and want free content check out the booty which has tons of pay content for free. So if you do pay for Sims 2 content, STOP SUPPORTING THESE RATS!

Here is an official response from EA on this matter.

It's Spring Time

2008-03-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

It's spring and you all know what that means... Xbox 360 dashboard update! I'm surprised that nothing had really been said about it yet but it should be out some time in the next few months. Here are a few things I hope they add.

I love listening to music on my 360 while playing games but the controls need some help. I think to fix this Microsoft needs to add better in game controls. It would be much easier if all I had to do to change song was hold down a few buttons. Like make it so if you hold all the triggers and bumpers then the joysticks take control of the music.

Another thing that would be a nice addition to the system would be a way to change which controller port you are connected too. It can get really annoying because I always have my GH2 guitar plugged in and it gets annoying have to sign out with it then sign in with the controller I'm using. I just want a screen I can go to and move around which controller is connected where.

The last thing that I think would be nice for the 360 is to allow me to download podcast to my 360. They already have a great collection on the Zune marketplace so why not allow me to save them to my 360. And if your going to do that why not just put the whole market place on the 360. It already uses them same "currency" and ID.

Well that's what I'm hoping for, any one else have any ideas?

Free Stuff For Rainbow Six Veges 2

2008-03-20T23:11:00.001-07:00

According to TheHushedCasket.com If you want to unlock the Best Buy exclusive gun for Rainbow Six Veges, all you need to do is go to the main menu and then press and hold RB, then press Down, Down, Up, Up, X, B, X, B, Y, Up, Up, Y. I don't know if there is a way to get this to work on the PS3, if any knows how, leave a comment. Also if you want to unlock the Comcast map just pick extras from the main menu then go to "Comcast Gift" then enter "COMCAST FASTER" This should work on both 360 and PS3.

Meet NOM4D

2008-03-03T23:10:00.000-08:00

The long awaited Call of Duty 4 patch has finally been released. Along with the bug fixes to the game, it also added a new controller layout, called "NOM4D." The reason for this new controller scheme, is that, it was requested by a MLG gamer named "NOM4D." The reason why NOM4D requested this is that he has Arthrogryposis, which limits the control he has over his hands and feet. So when he plays video games he must use his face. I think it's really cool that Infinity Ward did this just for one guy. If you want to read more about NOM4D go to this post on GamerGirl.com, also here is a short news story about him.

The Console Wars are Over!

2008-02-07T23:36:00.000-08:00

Some one needs to let Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo know that the console wars are now over. None of the current gen systems can handle this new challenger, the Vii 2. Here is a review by youtube user ashens. You can see why Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are in so much trouble. Make sure you check out his channel for more reviews.

MacBook Air

2008-01-18T11:57:00.000-08:00

A few days ago at MacWorld Steve jobs reveled the next Macbook which is the MacBook Air. It's main feature is it's size. Well it claims to be the smallest laptop in the world, it is not. It is the smallest on the market at this point in time. My question is who is this going to be marketed at?

It cost to much with a list price of $1,799 for the average consumer who just needs the internet and word processing.

With the lack of a CD drive it would be unusable for a gamer. (I know you could use a virtual drive but with non-upgradeable 80 GB Hard drive, good luck.)

The other person this could be marketed at would be the business man. The problems with that are the lack a CD drive. The fact that it is a Mac and could have compatibility issues, also it's lack of ways to connect devices to it. The Mac Book air offers up five ways to connect to it. You get Blue tooth and wireless-N, ONE USB port, one 3.5mm mini jack, and a Micro-DVI port, which from my research looks like a new port created just for this laptop. If you want to connect any thing to this new port you must have the right adapter, if not tough luck.

The only person I could see actually buying this thing would be the Mac Fanboys.

Free Xbox Live Downloads

2007-12-02T14:33:00.000-08:00

Today when I was surfing Slickdeals.net, I found this post listing all the things free on Xbox Live Marketplace. The list doesn't include movie trailers, game videos or demos. All credit goes to WickedOne612 over at the Slickdeals forums. If you see anything wrong let me know and I will change it and pass it on to WickedOne612.

Xbox Live Arcade Games

Aegis Wing
Hexic HD (Comes Pre-loaded on HDD)
Totemball (Requires Live Vision Camera)
Yaris

Xbox Live Themes

Air Force Theme
Alpha Dog Theme
Axe Theme
Axe: Neutron Theme
Balls of Fury Theme
BBCA - Torchwood Theme
Blades of Glory - Blades of Glory Theme
Borat Theme Pack
Call of Duty 4 - Charlie Oscar Delta Theme Pack
Digital Entertainment - Mission: Impossible III Theme
Discovery Channel Theme
Disturbia Theme
Doritos Unlock Xbox Theme
E3 2007 Theme
ENTOURAGE Lifestyle Theme
Ford Sync Theme
Forza Motorsports 2 - Nissan Sentra SE-R Theme
Gears of War - Gears of War Multiplayer Map Pack 1 Theme
Gears of War LIVE is 5IVE Theme
Ghost Recon 2 LIVE is 5IVE Theme
Grand Theft Auto IV Theme 1
Halo 2 LIVE is 5IVE Theme
HP BlackBird 002 Theme
LG Mobile - LG Action Sports Theme
Live Earth Theme
Live Free or Die Hard Theme
MechAssault LIVE is 5IVE Theme
Mountain DEWmocracy Theme
Mr. Woodcock Theme
Nacho Libre Theme
NCAA March Madness 07 - Adam Morrison Theme
Next Theme
Ocean’s 13 Theme
Old Spice Experience Challenge Theme
Pathfinder Theme
Perfect Dark Zero - Rare Theme
Return to Castle Wolfenstein LIVE is 5IVE Theme
Rush Hour 3 Theme
Shark Week Theme
Shoot'em UP! Theme
Shooter Theme
Smokin’ Aces Theme
Sprite SubLYMONal Theme
T-Mobile Sidekick LX Theme
T-Mobile Theme
The Golden Compass Theme
The Reaping Theme
Verizon Action Hero Theme
Xbox LIVE is 5IVE Theme

Xbox Live Picture Packs

Air Force Picture Pack
Alpha Dog Picture Pack
Axe Picture Pack
Balls of Fury Picture Pack
BBCA - Torchwood Picture Pack
Blades of Glory Picture Pack
Borat DVD Picture Pack
Comic-Con 2007 Gamer Picture
Community Gamerpics Pack 01
Digital Entertainment - Mission: Impossible III Picture Pack
Discovery Channel Picture Pack
Disturbia Picture Pack
Doritos Unlock Xbox Picture Pack
E3 2007 Picture Pack
ENTOURAGE Lifestyle Picture Pack
Ford Sync Picture Pack
Forza Motorsports 2 - Nissan Sentra SE-R Gamer Picture
Grand Theft Auto IV Picture Pack 1
HP BlackBird 002 Picture Pack
LG Mobile - LG Action Sports Picture Pack
Live Earth Picture Pack
Live Free or Die Hard Picture Pack
LIVE is 5IVE Community Gamerpics - Pack 02 Picture
Mountain DEWmocracy Picture Pack
Mr. Woodcock Picture Pack
Nacho Libre Picture Pack
Next Picture Pack
Ocean’s 13 Picture Pack
Pathfinder Picture Pack
Rush Hour 3 Picture Pack
Shark Week Picture Pack
Shoot'em UP! Picture Pack
Shooter Picture Pack
Smokin’ Aces Gamer Picture Pack
Sprite SubLYMONAL Picture Pack
T-Mobile Picture Pack
T-Mobile Sidekick LX Picture Pack
The Golden Compass Picture Pack
The Outfit Picture Pack 2
The Reaping Picture Pack
Verizon Action Hero Picture Pack
Yaris Picture Pack

Xbox Live Arcade Downloadable Content

3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures: Lost Island
Band of Bugs Map Pack 2
EXIT - Additional Stage Pack 1
LUMINIES LIVE! - Heavenly Star Pack
Outpost Kaloki X - Bounty Hunter Scenario
Outpost Kaloki X - Fireworks Scenario
Outpost Kaloki X - The Swarm Scenario
Pinball FX - Buccaneer Table
UNO - UNO 35th Anniversary Theme Deck
Worms - Soundbank Pack 1
Worms - Space Landscape

Xbox Live Retail Games Downloadable Content

Ace Combat 6 - F/A-18 F-SCARFACE EMBLEM-
Ace Combat 6 - F-16C-SCARFACE EMBLEM-
Blue Dragon - Ultra Hard Mod
Bulletwitch - Mummy Costume
Bulletwitch - Pixie Costume
Bulletwitch - Schoolgirl Costume
Bulletwitch - Secretary Costume
Bulletwitch - White Witch
Burnout Revenge - Alienware Car
Burnout Revenge - Dolby Car
Burnout Revenge - Monster Car
Burnout Revenge - Plantronics Car
Burnout Revenge - Spike TV Car
Burnout Revenge - Xbox Live Car
Burnout Revenge - Yellowcard Car
Call of Duty 2: Bonus Map Pack
Call of Duty 3 Bonus Map “Champs”
Chromehounds - Assist Parts 01
Chromehounds - Color Pattern 02
Chromehounds - Heavy Arms 01
Chromehounds - Light Arms 02
Command and Conquer 3 - Ground Zero Map
Crackdown - Four-Play Pack
Crackdown - Free-For-All Pack
Dead Rising - Burgundy Wine Key
Dead Rising - Casual Key
Dead Rising - Coldhearted Snake Key
Dead Rising - Grandpa Key
Dead Rising - Man in Black Key
Dead Rising - Miami Nights Key
Dead Rising - Pink Paparazzi Key
Dead Rising - Round Shades Key
Dead Rising - Weekender Key
Dead Rising - Pure White Suit Key
Dead Rising - Stripe Key
Dead Rising - Accountant Key
F.E.A.R - Bonus Map Pack
F.E.A.R. - Control and Conquer All Map Pack
Forza Motorsports 2 - Nissan Tournament Pack
Forza Motorsports 2 - Seat Leon Coupra
Gears of War - Gears of War Multiplayer Map Pack 1
Gears of War - 'Hidden Fronts' Multiplayer Map Pack 2
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 - Throwback Pack
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 - Throwback Pack 2
Guitar Hero III - Boss Battle Track Pack
Guitar Hero III - Halo Theme MJOLNIR Mix
Kameo - Kameo Co-Op Pack
Kameo - Kameo Design-a-Skin Pack
Lost Planet - Battleground Map
Lost Planet - Map Pack #1
Lost Planet - Map Pack #2
Lost Planet - Map Pack #3
Lumines Live! - Heavenly Star Skin
Madden NFL 07 - AFC East Throwback Uniforms
Madden NFL 07 - AFC North Throwback Uniforms
Madden NFL 07 - AFC South Throwback Uniforms
Madden NFL 07 - AFC West Throwback Uniforms
Madden NFL 07 - NFC East Throwback Uniforms
Madden NFL 07 - NFC North Throwback Uniforms
Madden NFL 07 - NFC South Throwback Uniforms
Madden NFL 07 - NFC West Throwback Uniforms
Marvel Ultimate Alliance - Playable Character Teaser Pack
MLB 2K7 - Olympic Stadium
Naruto Rise of a Ninja - Japanese Voices
NBA Street Homecourt - Melo’s Cloverdale
NBA Street Homecourt - Rucker Park
NCAA Football 07 - Alt Uniforms - ACC
NCAA Football 07 - Alt Uniforms - Big 10, Pac 10, Notre Dame
NCAA Football 07 - Alt Uniforms - Big 12, WAC
NCAA Football 07 - Alt Uniforms - Big East, Conf. USA
NCAA Football 07 - Alt Uniforms - SEC, Mtn. West
Need for Speed Carbon - Dump Truck
Need for Speed Carbon - Fire Truck
Outpost Kaloki X - Bounty Hunter Scenario
Outpost Kaloki X - Fireworks Scenario
Outpost Kaloki X - The Swarm Scenario
Perfect Dark Zero - Map Pack Two
Prey - Becky
Prey - Elhuit
Prey - Elite
Prey - Gravity Labs
Prey - Hunter
Prey - Jen
Prey - Space Oddity
Prey - Topillogical
Prey - Tunnel Rat
PGR3 - Aston Martin V8 Vantage
PGR3 - Cadillac V-Series Collection
PGR3 - RUF R.K. Spyder
PROJECT SYLPHEED - 6 New Missions & Weapons + Leaderboards
Rainbow Six Vegas - Player's Pack: Black Edition
Rainbow Six Vegas - Player's Pack: Red Edition
Ridge Racer 6 - BARADUKE FIERA
Ridge Racer 6 - DRAGONSABER STARNOSE
Ridge Racer 6 - ELECTROSPHERE BAYONET
Ridge Racer 6 - KANTARIS PROPHETIE
Ridge Racer 6 - KILIK WILD GANG
Ridge Racer 6 - neucom ABILLE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key07 CL2 XEVIOUS FATALITA
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key08 CL2 SOLVALOU BISONTE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key09 CL2 POPKA MELTFIRE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key10 CL2 PAC-MAN EO
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key11 CL2 FINALLAP ESPERANZA
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key12 CL2 NENEKO RAGGIO
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key13 CL2 SHOOTAWAY HIJACK
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key14 CL3 HYPER KNIGHT FIERA
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key15 CL3 TOYPOP ABEILLE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key16 CL3 KLONOA PROPHETIE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key17 CL3 DRAGONSABER WILD GANG
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key18 CL3 SHOOTAWAY BAYONET
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key19 CL3 DRAGONSPIRIT STARNOSE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key20 CL4 NightRaven FATALITA
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key21 CL4 BARADUKE BISONTE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key22 CL4 DRAGONSPIRIT MELTFIRE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key23 CL4 XIAOYU EO
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key24 CL4 MITSURUGI ESPERANZA
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key25 CL4 MAPPY RAGGIO
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key26 CL4 WARPMAN HIJACK
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key27 SPC MITSURUGI ANGELUS
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key28 SPC GALAGA CRINALE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key29 SPC ANDORGENESIS ULTRANOVA
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key30 SPC PAC-MAN TERRAJIN
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key31 SPC neucom PRONZIONE
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key32 SPC ANDORGENESIS 490B
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key33 SPC ZASALAMEL G00
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key34 SPC DANVER BASS CRUISER
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key35 SPC NAMCO PAC-MAN
Ridge Racer 6 - Unlock Key36 SPC MONSTROUS
Saints Row - Exclusive Unkut Pack
Saints Row - The Ho Ho Ho Pack
Samurai Warriors 2 - Command List
Samurai Warriors 2 - Support List
Shadowrun - 1-800-Magic Episode 1
Shadowrun - 1-800-Magic Episode 2
Shadowrun - 1-800-Magic Episode 3
Shadowrun - 1-800-Magic Episode 4
Splinter Cell: Double Agent New Free Content
Test Drive Unlimited - 1971 Dodge Challenger RT
Test Drive Unlimited - Cadillac CTS-V
Test Drive Unlimited - Chevrolet Corvette C1 1957
Test Drive Unlimited - Free Holden Efijy Concept
Test Drive Unlimited - Launch Pack
Test Drive Unlimited - Lexus Collection Volume 2
Test Drive Unlimited - Lexus Collection Volume 3
Test Drive Unlimited - Lexus IS 350
Test Drive Unlimited - Saturn Curve
The Outfit - Collateral Damage Map Pack
The Outfit - Multiplayer Map: Arnhem Mayhem
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08 - Turnberry Golf Resort
Top Spin 2 - Top Spin 2 Downloadable Content 1
Top Spin 2 - Top Spin 2 Downloadable Content 2
Vampire Rain - VR Bonus Level 1
Vampire Rain - VR Bonus Level 2

Tired Of Guessing If a Game Will Work?

2007-11-07T22:43:00.000-08:00

If you like to play games on your PC but hate having to guess if a game will work, then I have a site you must check out. First you pick the game you want to try and then just let the site run a little java app and it will tell you if the game will work. It also tells you if you meet the recommended requirements for the game or just the minimum requirements. Here is the site.

Change to the Comments

2007-11-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

I have had to add a word picture verification to leave a comment because of a large increase in spam on my blog. Hopefully if I do this it should stop anymore spam from appearing on my blog. Sorry if this is a problem for you or if you miss seeing the spam.

The Future Of Halo

2007-10-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

I found this realy cool video about what is going to happen now that Halo 3 has been released.

Makers site: loadingreadyrun.com

Good Deal On Xbox Live

2007-09-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

13 Months of Xbox Live for $18.77 or $26.83 via Buy.com

There are two methods to get this deal:

Starting Price: $38.77

Google Checkout for first-time users:
1. Add item to cart
2. Checkout using Google Checkout (-$10) [make sure to select the free budget shipping and "No" to the magazine offers]
3. Fill out the magazine rejection rebate (-$10)
Final Cost: $18.77

Non-Google Checkout method:
1. Add item to cart
2. Add 5% coupon to cart (-$1.94)
3. Checkout using your method (can't be Google Checkout due to the 5% coupon) [make sure to select the free budget shipping and "No" to the magazine offers]
4. Fill out the magazine rejection rebate (-$10)
Final Cost: $26.83

New Halo 3 Ad

2007-09-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

A new Halo 3 ad has been leaked on to the internet. It is the sequal to the museum ad that was released a few days ago.

Gaming Podcasts

2007-09-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

I have recently started listening to some different gaming podcasts. I thought it would be good to make a post of all the different ones I listen to.

My favorite podcast is the one from Xbox360Fanboy. As the name would suggest they mainly focus on the Xbox 360 and news from Microsoft. New fancast (their term for podcast) are released every Monday.

The next one I always find my self waiting to download is Joystiq's podcast. This one is very much like that of Xbox 360 Fanboy, except that they talk about all gaming and not just Xbox 360. You can expect new content from the 'stiq every Friday.

The last podcast I listen too is that from CheapAssGamer. This podcast is quit different from the other two. In that one of the two people that are on the podcast lives in Japan. Also this podcast talks about deals in gaming. All new and old episodes can be found here, they are all hosted online so there is no need to download them.

8 Things Not To Do When Designing a Game

2007-08-19T13:11:00.001-07:00

Soren Johnson, lead designer of Civilization 4, has posted on his blog what he thinks is eight things not to do when making a game. If anyone would know about designing games I think Soren Johnson is very well qualified. Right now he has only posted the first four but it is still a very good read.

Update: The last four are up now.

Want to get a Xbox 360 for cheap?

2007-07-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Want to know how to get a Xbox 360 for cheap? ( This is legit, not one of those online scams.) First thing you need to to is buy a broken 360 from Ebay. You must make sure it has the Red Ring of Death, and that it's warranty sticker is still intact. Here is a link for what you should search for.

Now once you get your system all you have to do is call Microsoft at 1-800-4Myxbox (1800-469-9269) At first when you get an automated voice asking if you have a problem with your console, choose Xbox 360. Now when it asks you what the problem is say none of these. If you say Red Ring of Death, he will just tell you how you can try and fix it. After you say "none of these" he will give you another list. Just say "none of these" again, and then you will get put on hold for a real person. I had to wait about ten minutes to talk to a real person. Now just tell the person on the phone you have a broken 360, with the three red lights. They might want to know when you bought the 360. On the back of the 360 there is the date it was manufactured. Just tell them you bought it few months after that date. Just don't tell them you bought it off of Ebay. When they ask for the serial number just read it off. When I called they asked me what color the light on the power brick was, if they ask you this you must say "green" if not they will tell you the problem is with your power brick.

After you get done with the phone call you should have a box sent to you in the mail. When you get it just ship back the 360 and in a little while you should have a working 360. One other thing you must remember is that a lot of the systems on Ebay come with nothing but the console so that means you must go out and buy the power brick, av cable, and anything else you want for your console.

Over all it will take some time but will save you money and also gives you the chance to really choose what you want to buy. So you won't be forced into buying what Microsoft says you should buy.

I got my 360 for $80 off of Ebay. Throw in another $60 for all the cables and power brick, $40 for the hard drive and you are looking at under $200 for the entire system!

All-Pro 2K8

2007-07-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

As you might have heard a few years ago EA bought the rights to the NFL team and player names. Thus ending all forms of competition in the football genre of games. This year 2K games has released a new football game with out the NFL license. In the game you can create your own teams, and when you do this it gives you a code that if inputed on any other system it will give you that same team on that system. As of right now there are some teams that have been made, but I have a feeling it won't be long before all 32 teams have been made. Here are ~~four~~ 28 of them. If you have any more email me or leave a comment and I will add it to the list. There are some teams with more then one code, just use them both and pick which one you like best.

(Update)
I see their has been a little confusion on what these are. First off they are not put in by 2K. They are all made by other fans of the game. Also they are not perfect copies of the real teams but their pretty close. These were not made by me, I just found them on the internet and decided it would be a good thing to share. If one of them is yours and you want it removed, let me know.

New Orleans Saints:
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Washington Red Skins:
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Dallas Cowboys:
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
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Pittsburgh Steelers: 3zWFvGM3B7T4HmXTrahA8vMdtZ7kgmYWUdq9K
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Pittsburgh Steelers:
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Chicago Bears:
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Cleveland Browns:
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Baltimore Ravens:
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Indianapolis Colts:
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Seattle Seahawks:
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Philadelphia Eagles (might not work)
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New York Giants:
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bq2vj4YmRiPc

Jacksonville Jaguars:
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Jacksonville Jaguars
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New England Patriots:
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9r6kEnRoWMMc

Miami Dolphins:
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onkw3bg9d

Miami Dolphins:
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6bsNPW6rc

Kansas City Chiefs:
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oqiJebWc

Atlanta Falcons:
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5KebaZ2yc

Atlanta Falcons:
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zJbfjvj7QhCbc

Raiders:
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ooSGwbA5bc

Raiders:
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wRuSCD0fg9v7c

Detroit Lions:
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XZBEDksc

Denver Broncos
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Green Bay Packers:
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San Diego Chargers:
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San Francisco 49ers:
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Bqc8AU8cfc

Halo 3 and Halo Wars

2007-07-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

Last night at E3 Microsoft showed off two new videos, one of game play from the Halo RTS game "Halo Wars" and the other gave us a peek at the Halo 3 single player. Microsoft also announced that the "full catalog of Disney movies" will be available on their Xbox Live Marketplace. Other news is the release of a public beta exclusive to the Xbox 360 for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Here is the Halo Wars video.

Here is the other Halo video.

Anti-Anti-Gameing Rally

2007-06-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

The other day I Stumbled on this video about gamers and a rally held that tried to send out a message to the public. That message is that gamers are not all weird people that do nothing but play games until their minds have been zombiefied so that they go out and kill people. Gamers are the people that give you your coffee in the morning, gamers are the people that give you the mail. The point is that gamers are every where these days, some are more hardcore then others, but the gaming industry has become so big it is now one of the top forms of entertainment in western culture. It hasn't gotten this way because of a few people that sit in there parents basement and play games all day long. Here is the first part of the documentary, It was made by PBC Productions.

Here is part two.

Halo 3 Beta

2007-06-10T23:55:00.000-07:00

So as many of you know the halo 3 beta is ending tonight. I am sad to say that I did not get a chance to play the beta, but at the same time I will be all the more surprised on September 25. My reasoning for this post is what happened during the time the beta was active. You might have heard that people used some sort of a network glitch to get into custom games. Bungie why did you even have the code there to allow custom games. Why not just release the beta with out any of the text, menus, and even the options that were not used in the Matching Making part of the Beta. One other thing why did you (Bungie) leave in all the references to the Single player levels, why not replace the names of the levels with level 1, level 2... and that way the hackers would find out how many levels are in the game. And while your changing the names switch it so that they only find a reference too one level. After this Beta if in the final game there better not be any glitches in the game. Also why did you use Crackdown as a way in too the Beta. Ether let everyone in or make it exclusive. Don't force bunch of people to buy or rent a game just to play a DEMO of a game. It's a beta for crying out loud, you should want to get the most number of people as you can. But know this is Bungie, Microsoft's slave. I have to say from a business point of view it was genius. But I don't think that should be your goal. Your goal should to make a great game, if you do that then you should have no problem making money.

2007-04-13T00:02:00.001-07:00

Letter to Microsoft

2007-04-05T00:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Microsoft,
First off I have to say great start with the 360, but you getting close to messing it up. Why are you release a new 360 SKU? Your new system can not compete with the PS3, I see why you are releasing a new Hard drive, but why not just make all portable hard drives compatible with the 360. Or make a bigger one but ad it to the current SKU. If you think you must make a new SKU, put the new 65nm chip, HDMI 3.0, a larger hard drive and the HD-DVD drive. And let it all go for under $550. I know it's crazy but if you want to compete with the PS3 for the hard-core and Techies you gotta do it.
Next up Japan. All I can say is stop trying. It's a waste of money. The people over there are to loyal to Nintendo and Sony. It's easier to sell to first time buyers then to people that have bought a console from the same company for that last 3 consoles cycles. Focus all your resources on the US and Europe. You could maybe start thinking on China, it's only a matter of time before that market explodes.
I have to say I like what your doing with digital distribution. I think it's the wave of the future. I hope you stick by it for the long haul. One thing I think you should ad to the Video Marketplace is more Movies and T.V. shows obviously and maybe more of a Netflix way of rentals. Say $10 a month (twice that of Netflix) but say unlimited downloads per month. You have much less cost then Netflix because you don't have to pay for the DVDs or the shipping or anything else, just licensing.

Sexy Back

2006-12-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

I hate the original song but it's still kinda catchy. Here is a better version for all the Microsoft fanboys out there.

Review: America's Army: Rise of a soldier (Xbox)

2006-11-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I just got America's Army: Rise of a soldier from my friend the other day. I have only played though about half of the game and all I can say is that I am impressed. The graphics are what you would expect for a Xbox game. The only thing I didn't like was when the guys talk their body's move but there lips don't, not huge, just looks kinda weird. The sounds from the game are one of it's best assets, all the guns have there own unique sounds. You can tell what the enemy is shooting at you with just based on the sound of the gun. The gameplay is very fun. It's mainly team based, cause it's made by the army. But some times you are on your own. There are only two things I find wrong with this game. One the training you have to do is boring and kinda tedious. The other is that there is not to many missions to play. Once you have beaten the game you are left with the multiplayer. Which I have tried and it wasn't too bad. There just wasn't a whole lot of games to choose from and the ones that were there were hard to play in just because of the talent level of the other gamers.

Overall: 7 out of 10
Gameplay(cause that all that matters in my book) 9 out of 10

What This is

2006-11-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Phil's Video Game Blog (PVGB for short). On this blog I will review any video games I play, talk about what is happening in the video game industry, and post other video game related things I find on this wonderful thing we call the Internet.