Naughty Dog teasing Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception 11 months out...so wrong

I love Naughty Dog and the Uncharted series but dropping these little teaser videos is dirty. The game is 11 months away and it's looking this good. Drake and Sully are trying to escape a burning building somewhere in France. Watch:

Beautiful. See the details? Like the wallpaper peeling. And the lighting is fantastic as are the animations (like Nate actually side stepping a dead body). I can't wait to see Nathan in the desert. I know it's going to be visually as well as cinematically incredible. I can't wait to play it on my TV.

Besides the brilliant visual and amazing set pieces that accompany these games, they're just fun to play. The running and gunning, the platforming, and funny and realistic banter between characters. It all adds to the charm, fun, and overall brilliance of these games. The first game was really good and fun but the second game took it to whole other level. I expect the third to be even better.

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope everybody reading this has had a great Christmas. I know I have and am still having one.

Merry Christmas!!! :D

Thieving ass bitches

Know what I think of people who steal other people's property? They're worthless ass individuals who apparently can't get shit of their own so they feel the need to take things that others have paid for with their own money. I'm heated on the topic of thieves right now because, about a couple weeks ago, some bitch ass thief stole my iPod Touch at work. Yes, somebody I work with stole my iPod Touch right from under my nose. I say that because I was their the day/night it happened.

I actually made the mistake of leaving it in my back desk over a two day period when I was off. I thought for sure that somebody was going to take it. But, when I got there in the morning, it was still there. I noticed the battery was about dead so I turned it off and put it back in the desk with the intention to pick it up when I got off work. After I clocked out for the day, I went back to the desk and opened it up. My iPod wasn't where I left it. I searched all throughout that thing thinking maybe I misplaced it but I knew better. I knew exactly where I had put it and could even remember hearing the sound it made when I dropped it back in the desk that morning. Who the could have done? Who would have done it? I mean, really? Somebody I work with? There have been so many times in my life where my trust in people has taken hit after hit and now this happens. It makes me feel like I can't trust hardly anybody sometimes.

I don't have any real suspicions about who could have taken it. It could have been anybody there, I guess. I do have a little something. Right after I found out it was stolen, one of the girls I work with noticed me looking confused like I had lost something. She said "Jon, did you lose something"? I said "I didn't lose anything. My iPod Touch was stolen." As soon as I said that, one of our part-time grocery workers immediately started emptying out his pockets to let me know he wasn't the one who took it. I motioned toward him and said "I'm not accusing anybody, I'm just saying." Now, I didn't think anything of it at the time but isn't it a little bit odd that he automatically started emptying out his pockets right after I said my iPod had been stolen? Is it a case of "Doth protest too much"? I don't know. Even with my suspicions, I can't say anything. I have no proof and that raggedy ass place doesn't even have any cameras in the back. I know one thing, I won't be leaving anything that's worth anything lying around anywhere in that place.

One of the things I've found out about myself throughout life is that I like to learn lessons the hard way. This is just another one of those times.

My black friday/cyber monday goodies

I didn't go out for Black Friday this year. Two reasons: I had to work that morning and I didn't feel like getting out with all those damn fools this year. That didn't stop me from shopping online, though! I ended up ravaging Amazon and here's what I came up with:

• Star Ocean: The Last Hope International - A game I had no intention of buying but saw it for $29.99. Why not?
• Valkyria Chronicles 2 - I've been wanting to get this game because I loved the first one so much but I wanted to wait for a price drop because I'm a cheap bastard. Amazon had it for $19.99. BAM!
• Shutter Island (Blu-ray) - I loved the book and movie. The price was cut in half to $12.99. Yes, please!
• Super Street Fighter 4 - Another game I wouldn't have bought except...$14.99? *adds to cart*

A couple other things I bought that weren't technically during BF/CM but still got wicked deals on:

• Inception (Blu-ray) - LOVED this movie and would have bought it at regular price but was able to get it at $14.99 because of a credit. SCORE!!!
• Donkey Kong Country Returns - Bought this gem for just $14.57 because I had some video game credit. I win.

I pretty much gave myself an early Christmas. It wasn't all about me, though. Don't tell her but mom is going to have a new digital camera. Lord knows she needed a new one. The one she has now is about as big as this Kleenex box sitting beside me (I've had a cold).

Donkey Kong Country Returns: My first impressions

Remember back in the day when you used to be in school and you would think about getting home and playing video games? That's how I felt about Donkey Kong Country Returns today at work. I was thinking about how I was going to get home and play me some Donkey Kong! Being only the third Wii game I've played all year, I've got to hand it to Nintendo and Retro Studios. They've managed to bring all the charm and fun of the old Donkey Kong Country games into this new game and bring me back to being a (younger) kid again.

If you've played any of the DK games before then you know they're not about their stories. Somebody stole Donkey Kong's bananas. He wants them back. There's your story. There's a little bit more to it but that's really it. The basic formula is all here from platforming, collecting bananas, coins, rolling and jumping on baddies. While some fans might miss enemies like the Kremlins and a couple animal friends (the Rhino seems to be the only one back), the gameplay is top notch and the platforming is so fun. Also, mine carts are back! If there is one thing I miss it's Candy Kong. It's too bad Retro decided to leave her out and go for auto-saving instead.

We all know the Wii is underpowered (as Random J told us) but DKCR is a nice looking game and has terrific design and art style. Also, the controls work really well. I've just been using the Wii remote and nunchuk. You could turn the Wii remote sideways but I personally can't see why you would want to.

I've only been through the first two worlds but it's been a blast so far with some really cool moments already. The game is turning out to be quite difficult too. Good thing I'm able to stock up on them balloons.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

It was only a matter of time, right?

Video Games | Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception | VGA 10: Exclusive Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Now you know those sand effects are going to be on POINT! We all saw what snow looked like in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Naughty Dog knows their way around the PS3 hardware and I have no doubt Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception will be the best looking game the system has seen once it drops. I'm loving the new locale. Aside from the inevitable gorgeous graphics, stellar production and voice acting, I am hoping this game has a few new things as far as the gameplay goes. Also, the online was fun last game but I'm looking for ND to make it a lot better and more stable.

They might as well sign me up for pre-order right now.

Final Little Big Planet 2 box art

After being pushed back from November to January, some people might've been upset with Media Molecule. I don't really understand why. If game developers need more time to make a game better, then I'm all for it. My interest in this game just got reinvigorated with this box art.

How can you not love that face?