New Halo Wars Content Announced

Fans of Ensemble Studios' Halo Wars will find some new content available today on the Marketplace. For 800 Microsoft Points you can download the Strategic Options add-on pack which adds three new modes to the multiplayer component of the game as well as some new achievements. The modes include Keepaway, which is a variation of capture the flag, Tug of War, and Reinforcement.

Xbox 360

According to numerous trendspotters the Xbox 360 is this holiday season's "it" gift. That doesn't come as any surprise with how well it is selling. Sony is going to really have step up with the PS3 and include some must have features that will make the millions of people who've bought an Xbox want to buy a PS3. Personally, I plan to get both.

Some more video game news

Square Enix is porting the popular Valkyrie Profile to the PSP, slated for release in Japan March 2. They are also developing a new Valkyrie Profile game for the PS2 to be released sometime in 2006. The new game takes place in the same world as the original only several hundred years later. Needless to say that fans of the origianl will find some familiar locations as well as new. It'll be interesting to see in which ways the world has evolved.

Acclaim is back. Former activision exec Howard Marks purchased the name soon after the company filed for bankruptsy in September of 2004. The new Acclaim is focusing on bringing over some popular MMOs from Asia.

Lastly, the Xbox 360's release in Japan was met with success. Sold out at an event location in half an hour.

Some news from the video game front

EA is being sued by someone claiming that they stole ideas from him. Go here to see the whole story.

According to eBay president and CEO Meg Whitman, 40,000 Xbox 360's have been sold on eBay.

Some modders have created a World of Warcraft patch that makes all female characters nude. Go here for the full story.

Final Fantasy XII

I bought Dragon Quest VIII yesterday and it included a playable demo of Final Fantasy XII. The graphics are awesome, the new battle system works surprisingly well and the AI for allies and enemies is great. I don't have the entire storyline but it takes place two years after some evil empire takes over and the main character is now trying to become a pirate. Of course there's also the matter of the evil empire and some princess.

Radiata Stories: Full Review

As promised, I finished the game and now here is the full review:

Okay, first things first: the story. Overall very solid, but sometimes confusing. Like the most recent Star Ocean you don't really know what's going on until the end. Even then it can be confusing. The story branches midway, and the only way to get the full story is to play both branches.

The character cast is huge. More than 100 characters can join you on your quest. I was a little disappointed that you don't actually get to play AS these characters. You can't even buy and equip new armor and weapons for them. They are strictly AI controlled. It does work, though. You CAN give them orders such as "Go Nuts!" and "Attack My Enemy", but mostly it's useless.

On the subject of weapons and armor: There are a lot to discover. Besides the ones that can be bought you can also discover various weapons scattered throughout Radiata. You also aren't stuck with one type of weapon. You can chose between one-handed swords, two-handed swords, axes and spears, as well as a bottle and an umbrella. Some armor will even change your appearance. You can be a robot, demon even a businessman.

Some of the later battles can become very difficult if you don't have the strongest possible weapon and armor. Buying the equipment can be difficult due to the cost of said items and the fact that money is difficult to acquire. Hardly any enemies drop more than a couple thousand Dagols.

Anyway, it was an enjoyable gaming experience overall and well worth the money.

Radiata Stories: First Impressions

I just purchased Radiata Stories today, but I've had the chance to sit down and play it for a few hours. My first impression of the game is good, the story line so far is solid, the graphics remind me of Star Ocean, understandable seeing as how it was developed by the same people. The main character, while likeable, seems to be a bit lacking in design. There aren't random battles, that's a plus, you can see and sometimes avoid enemies. Still, I'm only a short distance into the game and there remains a lot to see, so I will post the full review when I'm finished with the game.