Microsoft seeks macro acquisition

The big news this week in the technology world deals with Microsoft's bid to purchase Internet giant Yahoo. The Redmond based behemoth has reportedly offered $44.6 billion dollars for the company.

The addition of Yahoo would give Microsoft a much needed boost in the war against Google, the current king of online advertising and searching.

You can read the full story on Yahoo News(Oh the Irony!)

Devil May Cry 4

Devil May Cry 4 will be released this week on the 360 and PS3. Capcom's hack-and-slash phenomenon is the first major release of the year, and is definitely worth checking out.

A demo is available on both consoles for people to check out the game before they commit to the $60 asking price. I leave you with a video of someone playing through the demo.

Reaching the next level

This week marks the first video game related podcast on The Chanticleer Web site. Matt McRae and myself aim to discuss games on all platforms. The first episode features the Wii, and how the party game has shaped it's lineup in a big way. We also touch on some of the games you will be playing the first half of this year including Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii Fit. Be sure to check it out here .

GTApril

Rockstar Games announced this week that Grand Theft Auto 4 will be released on April 29, 2008. April 29th just happens to be the last day of final exams at our great university. A heck of a way to open up the summer vacation I must say.

Several sites were given the opportunity to play an upgraded version of the game last week. Many people walked away impressed as it seems Rockstar has done their job of fixing the big issues that were present when the press last got a whirl at the game in October. GTA4 is set to be the biggest multi-platform game of the year, and the coming months should be exciting as we see the final product take shape.

Help Wanted

I am currently in the process of writing a story about MMORPGs and their impact on college students. If you or somebody that you know is addicted to World of Warcraft or any other MMO game, I would love to discuss it with you. The goal of this story is not to single out or embarrass anyone. I simply want to show the effects of the games, and how we can help people that dedicate their lives to playing them. Send me an e-mail and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Red Ring of Despair

I was hoping to begin the year talking about the many games I had played over the Christmas holiday. Unfortunately, my 360 became victim to the Red Ring of Death curse that has become a nationwide problem. I wrote up a small description for gamers who are unaware of what exactly I am talking about for The Anniston Star's technology blog, Pushing Buttons. I have included it below, and I hope that next week I can share some impressions of the games I missed.

If you’re like me, coming home to your favorite video game console can be one of the best ways to relieve the stress of a long day at work/school. For many Xbox 360 owners, however, starting up that system only adds to the stress. A console malfunction dubbed the “Red Ring of Death” has taken the life of thousands of Xbox 360 consoles with no end in sight.

Many 360 gamers have experienced the dreaded “Red Ring of Death” while booting Microsoft’s latest console. The problem, which is indicated by three flashing red lights on the system’s “Ring of Light,” is the result of the Xbox 360 unit overheating. At this point the console is essentially dead and must be exchanged at the store of purchase(barring warranty life), or sent off to Microsoft for repairs.

Microsoft initially stated the problem was a rare one, but changed their stance last July by extending the limited warranty on the console to 3 years. This extended warranty applies only to Xbox 360 systems that suffer the “Red Ring of Death.” Microsoft claims that repairing the consoles will cost them over $1 billion.

Many retailers, such as the popular video game store GameStop, will only offer refurbished units in exchange for a faulty Xbox 360 under store warranty. These stores simply cannot afford to replace broken 360 consoles with brand new systems.

The “Red Ring of Death” has become quite the phenomenon in the video game world. YouTube is filled with videos regarding the problem, with the majority featuring a humorous take on an otherwise disappointing situation. One of the more popular videos features a band by the name of Distended Warranty. Their song, “Red Ring of Death,” is a hilarious look at the process of sending the unit to Microsoft.



Successfully starting the Xbox 360 can be a game of its own. Be sure to take a big breath before you press that power button the next time.

Almost...but not quite

This weeks Chanticleer features my top 10 games of the year list. The year of the dolphin was filled with tons of great games, and so many terrific titles did not make the list. In todays update, I want to list several more quality games from 2007 that should not be missed.

Playstation 3

Heavenly Sword: Heavenly Sword is a brilliant Ninja Gaiden clone that features beautiful graphics and fantastic combat control. The games downfall lies in length, but give Heavenly Sword a rental this holiday season. You'll be glad you did.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction: Ratchet & Clank make their PS3 debut in a big way. Insomniac delivered a strong quality title that fans of the series would be crazy to miss.

Xbox 360

Crackdown: Crackdown took sandbox style gameplay to the next level when it released back in Feburary. Another short but sweet game, Crackdown promoted user metagames to extend replay value. The game is my absolute favorite cooperative experience of the year.

Nintendo Wii

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition: One of the greatest games of 2005, Resident Evil 4 returns to the Nintendo Wii complete with an updated control scheme. Capcom's thirller serves as one of the greatest games on Nintendo's newest console, and also gives the system a strong mature rated title.

Gamers have many reasons to be thankful

With Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching, the concept of giving thanks to those you appreciate becomes very important. In this entry, I want to give my thanks to a few people that made this year in gaming so special. The year started off rocky, but amazing fall lineups turned the tide and made this one of the most memorable times for gaming in history.




First of all, I want to thank the shotgun. First-person-shooter games took the gaming world by storm this year, and it's all thanks to our double-barreled friend. Bioshock, Halo 3, Crysis, The Orange Box and Call of Duty 4 are all examples of games that will be talked about generations into the future. Shooter fans really had no time to rest this year, and now have the ammo they need to keep them busy until next Thanksgiving.



My next round of applause goes to the goomba. No matter how many times I stomp on your head you come back to make me smile. Smiling was about all I could do while playing the newest entry in the goomba... I mean Mario series. Super Mario Galaxy takes platforming to a new level with intricate level design and the fan-service that Nintendo die-hards crave to see. The game is personally my favorite release of the year, which is quite an honor considering all of the quality games that came out.



A big, enormous, mega-sized applause goes to developer Agetec for bringing Fire Pro Wrestling Returns to the US. In a world filled to the brim with horrible wrestling games, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns delivers exactly what grappling fans want and then some. Japanese gamers (and American importers) have had the luxury of playing the game for over 15 years now. Agetec did the right thing, and hopefully the game will generate enough sales to make their good deed payoff.



Realtime Worlds makes me thankful for games that encourage cooperative gameplay. The studio created quite a buzz with Crackdown earlier this year, which featured full online cooperative. RTW took coop one step further by allowing each player to be anywhere in the city at anytime. Many coop games of old forced players to stick together, which limited what you could do. The result was one of the best multiplayer games this generation, and proof that cooperative games need to feature online play.

In addition to the above category, a small thanks to the Halo 3 beta for helping to generate hype for Crackdown. The Halo beta was made available to anyone that purchased Crackdown, and that sold plenty of copies to people that did not know what the hell they were buying. So thanks Halo, you made a lot of people realize what they could have been missing.



Finally, I want to thank Rockstar Games for delaying Grand Theft Auto IV to March of 2008. This year was so packed with games that we needed something to be pushed back, and our friends over the pond obliged. Thank you Rockstar, and please fix all of the framerate problems that were evident in early builds of the game. Please?

There are many reasons for gamers to have a smile on their face this holiday season. The Thanksgiving break will allow us all to catch up on our growing backlogs, or enjoy some of the past hits that we cannot stop thinking about. Happy Thanksgiving and happy gaming.

Shoot to the stars

Today is a big day for Wii owners across the nation as Super Mario Galaxy is now on store shelves. Galaxy is the first big Wii game to hit the console since its release last November. The game boasts visuals that push Nintendo's console to a new level, as well as the fantastic gameplay you would expect from a Mario title.

The atmosphere of the game is unlike anything you have experienced from a previous Mario game. The space setting forces you to deal with the law of gravity in addition to the standard Mario enemies.

The aspect of the game that I am most excited about is the return of popular power-ups like the fire flower. Super Mario 3 was known for the many transformation items that you could get, and that ultimately kept the game fresh during future replays. The return of the airships also have me giddy.

The Nintendo World Store in New York had a Galaxy release celebration last night. Thousands of people attended the event, which gave gamers the first opportunity to buy the critically acclaimed game. Event goers also got plenty of free swag to make their trip worthwhile.

Check out The Chanticleer over the next few weeks for the final verdict on Super Mario Galaxy. Until then, check out the opening to the game.

Hidden gems are the best

I am excited for the next week for two main reasons. First and foremost, the release of Super Mario Galaxy will rock the gaming world with the platform goodness that we all love. I will talk all about Super Mario Galaxy in next weeks blog.

This week is dedicated to the other reason I can't wait for November 12th to arrive, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns for Playstation 2.

Fire Pro Wrestling, created by Spike, is one of the most enjoyable series of games I have ever played. The series began in 1989 with the release of Fire Pro Wrestling Combination Tag for the PC Engine. Fire Pro has gained the support of the japanese gaming audience with each installment, but only two games have reached the United States (Fire Pro Wresting 1 and 2 for the Gameboy Advance).

The game features 2-d graphics that look decades old, but don't count the title out because of visuals. Fire Pro features the best gameplay, the most incredible animations and the deepest customization options of any wrestling game to date. It also boasts the biggest roster of wrestlers in a game; featuring around a dozen federations to choose from.

Final Fire Pro Wrestling marks the return of the series to American shores, and at a budget price of 20 dollars to boot. I urge any fan of wrestling or fighting games to give it a shot. The graphics might be simple, but the gameplay delivers in spades.

And that is what really matters.

Below is the Agetec(the US translator) trailer of Final Fire Pro Wrestling.