Does anybody else see a very creepy Natal tie-in here?

@Dr Durdon: While I think it is stupid for Australia to ban a violent game for being violent (when it does not try and hide the fact), I am pretty certain that describing this as a violation of consumer rights is inaccurate.

@Cookie: I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you. While I feel that games should have something, however meager, for me to have 'fun' with, I appreciate a solid story that strives for something more. Silent Hill 2, BioShock, Dead Space... all games that while I got tremendous satisfaction from playing I wouldn't…

@Cookie: People get hung up on the word 'games' in video games and expect them to be fun.

@deanbmmv: I have an 8-yr old PC. It mostly blows. I bought TF2 for $2.49 during that 4-hr sale or whatever a few months back, but it runs like crap on my machine.

@neo177117: And you'll go to what, the Wii? Or the PC? Those will be the options you have left.

@dracosummoner: Thank you. I've often see arguments presented in the fashion Tre_Green did above (I'm not sure I can nicely phrase what I think of it at the moment). I have rarely seen such an eloquent reply.

@sudo rm reality.exe: Man you had me going until I read Haze. I must have worked too hard today or something.

@Patient: The blending comes from her magically summoning this technological creation I believe.

@Ursus-Veritas: You don't know what's in that pouch. What the fuck is a Joey anyway?

@VenomIreland: Not funny.

@Asbestos_Underwear: All the Spartans are using Marathon, Lightweight, and Commando Pro.

@Patient: I think people get too hung up on the word fantasy. Final Fantasy has always blended technological advancements and bare elements of high fantasy (magic, mythical beings, etc...). These screenshots pose nothing completely new, just a different take on a reliable formula.

@DocSeuss: With respect to your first point about Riccitello, I would agree. EA of late has managed to shift their once shitty, assembly-line style of production onto Activision (probably not on purpose) and has refocused a bit putting out some very solid work. I still love me some Dead Space and Mirror's Edge. They…

@Vecha: One more Month: Yeah, I haven't had a chance to try the demo out, but I was hoping to see how the control scheme works on it. I've not had a moment to look around much, but the few 'impressions' I've seen on blogs have not mentioned it much.

I think for Tony Hawk's final entry in video games he should just do a big game with all the mechanics (revert, manual, etc...) that were added, none of the stupid story bullshit (Bam Margera bowling from a factory?), and give us all of the levels free to play and retuned for those mechanics in mind (for example,…

@puffa469: Well of course. Because skin color suggests that you are diverse. You know, as opposed to who you actually are instead.

@Nowell: Ugh, absolutely. I almost sent hateful letters to Dice when I got to a few points (the server room in the shard and some parking garage thing I think). Too many people with machine guns and gear with a very small window for disarm and I can be killed while disarming. It all makes some sense, but it does not…

@Kobun: Seriously. If they want these to be even more popular they would have had multiple variants of each pet.

@D-K, Anarchist: Heh, glad to help. I am always a little wary of sharing Maddox's thoughts with folks I don't know, but I could not resist this time. :)