Freedom |

Got the Logitech wireless controller. It's pretty good. Feels a little bulky, but the black and white buttons are much easier to reach than on the standard controller. I don't even have to move my thumb down, just press it with the inside of my knuckle. D-pad is crap. It gets diagonal too easy. Do not get this pad if you use the d-pad a lot. I can't even navigate the menus in Tony Hawk 2x with it. Baldur's Gate/Fallout menus have a problem too. Really, any menu that you can go horizontal and vertical at the same time. I wish I could turn turn my Xbox on from a distance.

I also tried a few games out.

Simpsons Hit and Run is awesome, funny stuff.

GTA controls WAY better on the Xbox. I hated it on the PS2, but I want it now. Cars still blow up too easy though. And you can't do much without the cops finding out. I'll get it when the price drops. As big as GTA is, most people who wanted it got it on the PS2. When a game is ported over a year after its initial release, the price doesn't stay up too long. I'll base my final decision on whether or not I can pass that stupid RC helicopter mission. That's where I gave up the first time around.

DDR Ultramix has some nice tracks. I spotted about half a dozen from DDRMAX2, but I'll still get it eventually. You can even add a few reverb effects and mess witht he mid, lows, and highs in the options. The dancers look a little creppy though.

I suck at SSX Tricky. I don't remember it being this hard on Xbox. I won the races I played, but never got to do any good tricks. Maybe it's the tracks I was playing. Oh well, I have until the 31st.

Never got to give Ridge Racer -- oops, R: Racing Evolution -- another try. But I will. Mark my words... I will.

Baldur's Gate II |

Played it for a little bit. When scrolling through spells and feats that use mana, it only goes through ones you actually have, no more scrolling through empty boxes. No crouching or lock on.

Someone traded in Simpsons Hit and Run (XB), so I'll be getting that. Also, a pre-Greatest Hit SSX Tricky for the PS2, which I hear, like NFS Hot Pursuit 2, is better than the Xbox version (though the difference isn't as dramatic). Hope someone trades in BG2 before the 31st. It's gonna be pretty hard to choose a third otherwise.

18 Games |

...this year so far. $350. Yikes. Can you say "fiend"? This sale neeeds to end fast.

Fallout first impressions. The rats are back. The rats from Baldur's Gate are back. I think they imported them directly from BG1. They look a little darker and muddier, like everything in this game. And not in a "it's a post apocalyptic future" kind of look. it's more of a "these textures are dark and muddy" kind of thing. You can equip any weapon you have, not just one melee and one ranged, like in BG1. You can load them up in your inventory, kinda like Deus Ex (1). You switch between them like you switched between spells in BG1, and just scroll through them. Very nice. These and the improvements I mentioned in yesterday's post better have made it into BG2. I'll find out today.

NFS Underground isn't that hot. Only 30 fps, and sometimes it drops below even that.

Even More Still Yet |

Someone traded in Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel already ($35). Wish I waited on the Need For Speed. But not much. It's really just like Baldur's Gate with a post-apocalypty coat. The interface is like the same with with a new skin. There seems to be a biger focus on ranged combat, with lock-on and dodging added. There's also a damage bar for the enemies. Hopefully they added all that in BD2. The elf and human in BD1 were too hard to use because of the lousy ranged control. Plus you always had to switch to a melee weapon to open the hundreds of barrels and crates, which was a huge pain. I know they at least have unlimited arrows in BD2. Arrow management sucked. The other two were Tony Hawk 2x ($0) and The Sims ($15). I hope no one trades in Baldur's Gate II before the 31st or I'll have to get that and two more.

Ratchet and Clank is getting better. I'm finally running into enemies I need to use weapons on. Still only a 7 though.

More Games! |

I really want to get a the Logitech Wireless controller for Xbox, but the batteries only last 50 hours. I'll go through that in a month easy.

Also, someone finally traded in NFS Underground ($35) for Xbox, so that pretty much made my desicion for me. Of course I had to take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 free deal. Got Midnight Club 2 ($30) and Freedom Fighters ($0). Midnight Club has awesome textures, but horrible car models and the cars feel like Hot Wheels. They feel weightless.

I should stop buying games now. I got enough to last me through next winter. Anxiously awaiting used Baldur's Gate II and Fallout for Xbox.

I finally get to use my Mini Drive in school tommorow! Yay! I'm a big dork! Yay! I peed in da pool! Yay!