The Guildmasters

In recent weeks i’ve heard a lot of speculation about wether or not Sony will charge monthly fee for the Playstation Network.

My own thoughts on this is that I believe that would be pretty unfair, one the playstation network was one thing that kept Sony apart from other money hungry companies, Sony fans (especially myself) breathed a sigh of relief when signing up for PSN to find out it was free.

We know this could be a big extra profit for Sony should they go ahead with this idea but it isn’t necessary when you think about the amount they already make from game add-ons and so forth.

In the middle of a recession we are already switching to renting games instead of buying simply because we love playing the games but cannot afford them, you need to give something to loyal supporters that basically got you where you are.

I checked the playstation store out a few weeks ago and that great game fallout 3 had four add-ons, each was $9.99, that’s another $40 on top of the price of the game so you can’t tell me introducing yet another fee for PSN would be anything but pure greed and I never expected that from Sony.

When you visit PS Home you can already spend real cash at the virtual stores so there really is no need for a monthly fee, not to mention the amount of potential customers you’d lose by doing that.

For me there is nothing worse than paying for something every single month, I don’t like paying extra for add-ons on games i’ve already spent $50 or more on but without a doubt there is a market for it, even though I don’t like it i’ve bought add-ons myself.

Sony if your listening to your loyal fans that have stayed with you because you are the best ( i’ve had a ps1, ps2 and now ps3, as well as many other sony products) then please stay away from charging a monthly fee for PSN, it just makes sense from a business angle and from the view of playstation fans.

You can only get away with charging over and over again so long, sooner or later people are going to say enough is enough. You can’t get blood out of a stone people.

Well that’s my gripe for the day, and just in case a Sony man visits i’ll tell you this. I managed to talk all four of my sons out of buying the xbox360 and to go for the PS3, the deciding factor was simply the fee that microsoft charged for online game play, we struggled to afford the new systems and have to rent games before we buy so we don’t waste money, let’s face it who can afford to especially now, please bare that in mind when making your decision.

Feel free to add your pennies worth.

Tony

Hi again,
Time really gets away with me, been a while since my last post and that wasn’t my intention but with Christmas being such a hectic time of the year I just haven’t had the chance.

I will be posting some more new games over the coming days which are due for release in January and also give you all a heads up on new releases coming after that.

I haven’t had much time for playing much over Christmas although I did get to play a few hours on Madden NFL 10, it’s not my kind of game but if your a sports fan this game is probably as realistic as it gets.

I was talked into playing it with my son Eric who absolutely loves the game, there are loads of features in this game of american football, I just wish I could understand the game, especially the rules, it was good fun to play along with one of my boys though.

You can buy and sell players, upgrade them as you work your way through the leagues, there are mini challenges which can earn you extra points or players etc..

With me being a strictly RPG gamer it’s hard for me to give a sports game any credit at all so if I had fun playing this game then a sports fan would almost definitely want this one in their collection.

Well i’ll wish you all a happy new year and look forward to posting much more in the days and weeks to come. I will be frequenting PS Home as usual if anyone wants to pop over and have a game of poker so I will see you there.

Tony

I didn’t want to write a review on Assassins Creed 2 until I completed the game 100% which is the reason for the delay. Played on the PS3 system i’ve achieved 100% of the whole game including all trophies, collected all feathers and treasures, found all six assassins tombs and unlocked the extras from UPlay.

As always I started out by renting the game but by the fourth day playing I decided to pay the keep price because it was that good.

I’ve got to say this has been the most satisfying game since Resident Evil 5 and Oblivion, I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game and even when I only had 3 of the 100 feathers to find it didn’t become frustrating, I actually enjoyed travelling back over previously played areas taking my time trying to find them.

Playing Assassins Creed 2 has actually made me put the first one on my rental list as I never played that but I now want to play it just to find out how the previous story played out.

This is not a lengthy game, you could probably complete the main storyline quests in a few days, but this is one game that would actually make you feel like you cheated yourself if you didn’t complete everything, it is that kind of addictive play again and there are extra rewards for completing most of parts that are not essential, you don’t have to collect all 100 feathers but if you do you will be rewarded when you get 50 and again when you reach the 100 plus you’ll get the relevant trophy/achievement.

There is so much I want to tell about the game but it would definitely spoil it for those who haven’t had a chance to play this game yet.

Without spoiling any of the story I will say that there is some amazing graphics in this game, the buildings, the countryside, water, people are all very much as real as it gets when it comes to gaming.

There are a total of 22 weapons in the game all of which you’ll want to collect and show off in your villa, there are many different moves you can perform as an assassin such as a kill from below, a kill from above, a kill from a hiding position, disarming an enemy and using their weapon against them, you can steal money by pickpocketing in a crowd and even search dead bodies to recover items and money, you can throw your enemies bodies from high buildings or just hide them in haystacks or throw them in the water, you can dodge, run, walk, climb, jump, hang, throw knives, either singularly or multiple knives to kill two or more enemies at once and much more.

You can ride horses outside towns in the countryside, steal or borrow boats to travel the waterways and talking of riding horses, anyone who has played Oblivion and thought it was cool to ride a horse, horses are so lifelike in Assassins Creed 2 they make Oblivion’s horses look plastic ornaments, the movement is unreal, I spent nearly an hour riding when I first got on a horse and had to call everyone in the house in to check it out, the horse neigh’s, rears up, turns, gallops and will even throw you if you run into a crowd.

This is one of the few games I recommend buying and it’s one of the few that is actually worth the price.

If nothing else you should at least rent this one, I rent my games from gamefly and if you decide to pay the “keep” price it’s usually a little cheaper than buying from a game store, you can check my

gamefly review out here,

well worth it with rewards thrown in if you stay a member.

If you want to buy the game you can purchase it from amazon which I again recommend and I use myself. You can check my thoughts on

amazon here

.

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Hi all,
I’ve been messing around in the playstation home and for those who haven’t tried it out yet it’s pretty cool.

There is quite a lot to do there and more people than I expected hang out there, so what’s so special about playstation home?

First of all you have to create an account, it’s free (at the moment) and you just need an email address, it’s only for ps3 owners and it’s a fairly unique experience.

Once you sign up, you have to download the playstation home, then you will get your own crash pad which you can decorate to your liking, wallpaper, furniture, it’s all pretty basic to start but as you play games you can earn some cool stuff to put in your pad.

One of the things I did was play resident evil 5 and it gave me three of the character figures to put in my home at playstation home, they look pretty cool too, since then i’ve unlocked quite a bit of other stuff by playing games at playstation home.

There is a mall, theatre, bowling alley and much more, I even played a game of golf which won me a model boat and a t-shirt, not real, these are virtual products for your playstation home, there are tons of other ps3 owners there so most will have at least one thing in common, you can start your own club and buy upgrades for your playstation home, like a penthouse suite but these require real money.

Another cool thing is some items are rare and the latest news is that some of these rare items are actually being sold on ebay, a reaper outfit sold apparently for $66, how that works is you get redeem codes for certain things for playing certain games, the code is only redeemable once so if you want to sell your code you can, i’m not sure if it’s meant to be used like that but if it’s your code and you want to sell it you can make some money, cool eh?

I’m going to play some texas holdem poker at the EA sports section to try and win a bracelet for my apartment so if you want to pop over and try the playstation home out come and give it a go.

Oh yes and by the way, please forgive me if I don’t talk to you as I don’t have a headset or a keyboard for my ps3 yet so i’m not ignoring you ok? If I get enough people start to hang out at The Guildmasters then i’ll consider starting a club at playstation home, oh and another thing, you can even invite people back to your pad, how cool is that?

Pop on over and check it out, and if you notice me say hi, see you there.

Tony

Yes I knew you’d want to see the proof so here it is, computer choppers has come up with the ultimate gift, and this baby starts at around $5,000 and yes I did say starts.

I won’t complain no more about paying $400 for my PS3 , and in case your wondering i’m not affiliated with this company, just thought i’d show everyone this latest addition to gaming, I suppose there are some who would buy such a product, I don’t think I would be one of them even if I could afford it. It’s not going to play games any better, in fact if I owned something like that i’d keep it in a glass display case surrounded by lasers, lol.

Your thoughts on this one, please.

Tony

For those who are not aware of some of the newest releases for the PS3 and other systems i’ve decided to list some of the more popular/most anticipated or most highly scored in reviews, here are some of the ones that will sure to be big sellers over christmas and the new year.

First up is Army Of Two:The 40th Day, this is probably going to be extremely popular and even though it’s not in my own gaming genre it’s going to be a big seller, i’m sure the online participation will be huge, here is the overview:

Co-op is once again king as the Army of Two returns to take on a whole new enemy. When Shanghai is hit by an epic disaster, some might call it a case of wrong place, wrong time. For Salem and Rios, the warriors who make up the Army of Two, it’s a case of right place, wrong time for whoever’s responsible. Fight your way through a city under siege with a constant AI or co-op partner as you pursue the truth behind the disaster. New moves have been added to your co-op repertoire, giving you more ways to collaborate as you battle enemies and work to keep each other alive.

Next up is Darksiders,not available until the 5th January this one is on my rent list as I watched a trailer and it did look pretty awesome, here is the overview:




Enter a post-apocalyptic nightmare where evil forces have prematurely brought about the end of time. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, originally sent to destroy Earth, have been betrayed by their master and stripped of their powers. Play as War, the First Horseman, and undertake a ruthless quest for revenge on the back of your phantom steed, Ruin. Use a modern and mystical arsenal to fight through a world, created by legendary comic book artist Joe Madureira, that lives by the sword and looks so sharp you’d think it was carved by one.

Up next is a game that apparently has been having a lot of problems and delays but is now due to be released on December 8th the highly anticipated Silent Hill:Shattered Memories, available on the PS2, PSP and Wii, here is the overview:



Silent Hill cranks up the fear factor with Shattered Memories. This re-imagining of the franchise’s first chilling installment tracks your fears and alters the experience to prey on them. Harry Mason wakes up after a car accident to find his daughter missing. Use the Wiimote as a flashlight and cellphone as you roam Silent Hill’s snowy streets looking for clues. Answers lurk in the darkness, but so does something much more sinister. Soon demons will shadow your every move. Your choices influence the locations you’ll find and the enemies you’ll encounter, which the game – based on your actions – tailors to your deepest fears.

Another release for christmas is on the 7th December and another highly anticipated game called James Cameron’s Avatar, here is the overview:



Become the ultimate biological weapon in this game based on James Cameron’s tangled sci-fi epic. The giant RDA corporation wants to harvest a rare mineral from the planet Pandora. The only thing in the way is the Na’vi, a resilient native people. To get what it wants, RDA has created the ultimate weapon – the Avatar. Learn to control a genetic hybrid that fuses the DNA of a human soldier with the genes of a native. Venture deep into Pandora’s jungles as the tension between RDA and the Na’vi escalates to full-blown war. With your DNA entrenched on both sides of the conflict, you must choose where your allegiance lies.

Avatar is available on PS3,Wii,XBox 360 and Nintendo DS

Another game on my personal rental list is Saboteur, I know i’ve previously posted about this game but it’s definitely worth another mention, available from 7th Dec on PS3 and XBox 360, here is the overview:



When rough-and-tumble Irish mechanic Sean Devlin visits Paris, it isn’t the sights he’s after. He’s come to pick a fight. The Nazis have no idea what’s about to hit them in this stylized, open-world WWII action saga. Slip into the seedy 1940s Parisian underground and swagger your way to revenge as a hero who’s bold, brash, and truly excited about blowing things up. Work with the Resistance to undermine the Nazi efforts. Derail trains, implode buildings, and fight through occupied territory as if it were a barroom brawl on a grand scale. Just try not to get captured or shot; it really hurts your ability to enjoy the nightlife!

Lastly for today I thought this game deserved a mention, I was just reading up on it and had not heard about it until today so don’t hang me if it’s a no go, called Rogue Warrior and available from 2nd December on PS3 and XBox 360 sounds like it might be fun, here is the overview for Rogue Warrior:



The unthinkable has happened. War has erupted between North and South Korea. And you’re caught behind enemy lines. You’re outgunned, outnumbered, and completely cut off from friendly forces. Lead your team back over the South Korean border without alerting your North Korean enemy in team-based tactical combat. Whether you’re playing the single-player campaign, four-soldier co-op, or 24-person online multiplayer, you’ll enjoy complete freedom to take on objectives as battle demands. Maneuver through prison camps, shipyards, submarine depots, and other never-before-seen North Korean environments. The tactics and weapons have been developed and chosen in conjunction with real Navy SEALs, so the action is as real as it gets.

I have to mention that this game is by Bethesda so this could be extremely good seeing what their last games have been like.

Before I sign off with this post i’d like to mention again that Gamefly is definitely worth joining, my motto now is that “I play before I pay” because games are so expensive now, it just makes sense to rent, you really should check out my review on Gamefly here, the rewards and benefits far outway the reasons for buying games that turn out to be crap.

Here is the link to my gamefly review.

Sorry haven’t posted in a few days but i’ve started the walkthrough for Assassins Creed 2 which is going to take quite a while. I’ll be putting my own spin on it and attempt to give a very accurate walkthrough and also try and make it easy to follow so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks.

I’m also in the process of researching the latest RPG’s which are hitting the market from now until the new year and will be posting the best ones here so check back in a day or two, there are some excellent ones out already with some more on their way.

If your interested I saw an ad the other day that Target has the new PS3 250 gig but I cannot confirm that at this time, might be worth checking if your in or near a Target store though.

I’m writing walkthroughs in a forum which hasn’t been linked to the blog yet and i’m also thinking of throwing some games your way in the new year, or maybe some T-shirts, not sure yet so if you have any ideas i’m all ears.

That’s all for today, please post your thoughts, game experiences, what you’d like to see on The Guildmasters. I”m not necessarily looking for thousands of members, just trying to create a good gaming community where we can chat about our gaming experiences and a place to hang out and arrange some online play, a gaming site which is laid back, interesting, easy to relate to and to chat about what you really want to chat about as far as gaming goes.

Come on, join in, I don’t bite, unless you bite me first,lol

Tony