Finally, Finally, I Have Returned. . .
Hey, I’m finally back with another entry! I apologize for not doing so sooner, but now that I’m a part of the U.S. Air Force, “free time” has become a rare commodity. Alas, the days when I could just laze around my bedroom, playing games and writing to my heart’s content - for the next four years, it seems those days are over.Speaking of which, Basic Training, from which I graduated just a mere five weeks ago, is not exactly an environment conducive for keeping up with the latest games. Actually, my mind boggles at the thought of catching up with all the holiday releases I missed during those weeks of pain. Yep, while I was being yelled at by my Training Instructor, doing push-ups and practicing drill (marching), you, my fellow readers, were sitting in the luxury of your homes playing some exquisite holiday titles. You guys got to experience the wonders of Shadow of the Colossus while I crawled through the mud, and got to direct your own films in The Movies while I scrubbed toilets and folded laundry. How I envy you people. . .
But I survived Basic and am now in Tech School, receiving technical instruction in the field of electronics. Life is a little less crazy here – I actually have a couple of hours to myself every night for non-military related pursuits – but my time is still limited. Nevertheless, I intend to continue following the gaming industry, updating the blog once a week with my humble analysis and thoughts on all things games. I’ll still discuss classic systems and titles (a lot of Airmen here at tech school actually prefer playing the older systems), and be happy to take suggestions from readers who want a particular topic explored.
As for 2006, it’s looking to be the year of transition many expected 2005 to be. The PS2 and the original Xbox are still going strong, while the Xbox 360 still has yet to prove itself. (Heck, stores are still struggling to meet customer orders from last year.) The DS and PSP war continues, with the DS still surprising critics with its unmatched popularity (and the newly redesigned model is rumored to be coming soon), although the PSP seems destined to narrow the gap, at least in America, with an inevitable price drop and (finally) some good games. (I’m telling you now, Megaman: Maverick Hunter X is awesome, as will be Megaman: Powered Up when it releases this March.) And then there’s the PS3 and the Nintendo Revolution, two upcoming systems that should be featured prominently at this year’s E3.
What games am I playing currently? Well, I’m rushing through Megaman X Collection, Pac-Man World 3, Ratchet Deadlocked and Shadow of the Colossus for the PS2, and Pac N’ Roll and Mario Kart for the DS. I’m contemplating purchasing Monkey Ball for the DS, and I assure you I will be snagging a copy of Super Princess Peach next week. I’ve already given Peach’s first game an import preview of sorts a while back, and I heartily recommend it to any Mario fan. It’s not quite in the same league as, say, Super Mario Bros. 3 or Yoshi’s Island, but it’s still a cute, fun adventure that has a surprisingly large amount of bonuses and extras included. Just don’t expect a tough challenge or a compelling story, because, well, there’s neither.
Well, time to run. Look for another update next weekend. Until next time. . .
posted by GamerDan @ 2/26/2006 02:42:00 PM
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