I’m counting the days for Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (which real fans simply refer to as… GRAW 2) hitting store shelves. It’s rare for me to get all excited over shooters — mainly because of the fact that, well… I usually suck at them (sup Halo 2. But when the original 360 release came out, I took a leap of faith and it was awesome! I never got around to completing the single-player campaign on hard (long story) but I plan on finishing the sequel from beginning to end.

Lock ‘n load

In case you haven’t head the news, GRAW 2 has gone gold, which means it won’t be long before hundreds of gamers will be putting aside their love for Gears of War, Halo 2 and [insert other addictive game here] in favor of this sweet, SWEET gem. Mark your calendars down because I’m only going to say this once: March 8th. There I said it…. now it’s your duty to make sure you pick up a copy on day one. Brush up on your skills because I intend to take some of you punks out on XBLA. That’s right — I’m talking trash; whaddya going to do about it?

But seriously… I’m told GRAW 2 will feature a co-op campaign mode this time around. That’s great news — we need more games that support co-op; MORE I say. Ubisoft released some new details about achievements — most of which will be online no doubt. I hope they’re actually C-O-O-L. Don’t give me anymore of this: play for 12 hours straight crap. I mean, who cares if you sat on your ass for the entire day? That’s not an achievement… it’s a cry for a help that you’ve lost touch with reality. Ok, I’m good now — remember… March 8th. See ya then.

So it looks like the next iterations of the PS3 are going to include a new solution to backwards compatibility. The only thing is, it doesn’t really sound like an improvement to me…

Here’s an excerpt from PS3IGN…

The current PS3 model that’s available for purchase in Asia and North America achieves backwards compatibility through hardware, as each unit includes the “Emotion Engine + Graphics Synthesizer” combination CPU and graphics chip that powers the slim model PS2. The European version of the hardware will not have this chip, SCEI confirmed today. To achieve backwards compatibility, the European model will rely on a combination of hardware and software. Sony is including hardware of some form that will take the place of the Graphics Synthesizer graphics chip. The Emotion Engine CPU functionality will be replicated entirely through software emulation.

More about the article can be found here

The cult favorite offers high definition alien action that makes it better than ever before. Alien Hominid HD from The Behemoth is a side-scrolling extraterrestrial experience like no other, and will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 0800 GMT (1 a.m. PST).

As a feisty yet adorable alien, gamers must fend off FBI agents to ensure their spaceship stays safe. With unique, hand-drawn characters and weapons, this award-winning title is the epitome of quirky humor and intergalactic fun. Sixteen levels, seven mini-games, and jump-in anytime multiplayer capability adds to the cosmic mayhem.

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I don’t know anymore how I feel about Hotel Dusk, other than the fact that I will finish the game soon, dammit. I am in Chapter ten now, which I have to imagine is just about near the end.

I’ve reached the point where I simply have to finish, of course, because I’ve gotten too far along to give up now. I have to admit that I am completely torn by it; on one hand, the nifty art style and point-to-move-your-guy-around mechanic has proven interesting enough. On the other hand, the whole concept of using the word “game” is a bit dubious. To be frank, it’s a story that incorporates a slight amount of puzzle solving as opposed to a traditional game.

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Isn’t she awesome??? I originally owned one similar to this, but on a MUCH smaller scale. Cassie surprised me with a belated b-day gift in the form of this “super size” version of Chun Li in her Third Strike awesomeness! It now proudly sits above my humble desktop area.

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