XBox Love

I wrote a long blog last night, but somehow 1up deleted it. Pissed me off. I'm trying again, but this will be much shorter, in case it happens again.

I love my XBox. While most have forgotten about the original in lui of their shiny new 360s, I am still enjoying my big black box with the big green X on it.

I still play it almost every night. Granted, I got the XBox about the same year the 360 came out. So I was able to get a crapload of games at really cheap prices, new and used. Some bad, many very good. It seems very sad to me that the 360 did a half-assed job of emulating original XBox games. It's like Microsoft did not care that the XBox paved the way for the 360; that is was system better forgotten for 'bigger and better.'

I almost feel the XBox is like a latter day Dreamcast:both are excellent systems with quality games. Granted, I think XBox did last longer then the Dreamcast, which was around only a little more than two years. But the XBox didn't seem to last much longer.

Is it me, or have people forgotten what a trailblazer the XBox was? It was the first truly online system (although not the first. That was of course the Dreamcast.) It was also the first console to have a hard drive out of the box. Just two things that have become the pillars of this console generation.

I may get flak for this, but you guys can keep your 360 consoles that seem to be prone to burning out. I'm going to enjoy my still-working XBox (three years and counting) and play a little Far Cry. No achievements or leaderboards? Don't care.

Lookie what I got! Chaos Wars and EGM!!!

Chaos Wars for the PS2 and the first issue of the back from the dead EGM!!! Wheee!

Chaos Wars is a Gamestop only exclusive (I think.). It looked cool from previews and reviews, and best of all was only 10 bucks new! I managed to get the only copy left at the nearest Gamestop.

Haven't played it yet, but it seems interesting...a SRPG with characters from Gungrave, Shadow Hearts and various other Japanese series. I'm actually surprised this game made it over here, but I'm glad it did...games for the PS2 are slowing to a trickle, although that's to be expected. The system is close to 10 years old, after all.

I also got Lego Batman for the PS2 at Target. Normally don't care for the Lego games (they seem too childish), but I have played a little of the game and it's quite enjoyable. And it was on clearance for 5 bucks....can't complain about that! I also like the fact you can play as various Batman villains,albiet in cute lego form!

I am very happy that EGM is back. I got the first issue at the newstand, and although a subscription is only about 25 bucks, I'll wait until I'm working again. Which will be soon, I hope. The new EGM looks just as good, if not better, than it's last incarnation.

Below is a picture of the game and mag...I forgot to add Lego Batman (whoops!)

Two Great Artists Gone

Recently, two artists who dealt in fantasy passed away. One painted beautiful females and muscular barbarians with lifelike clarity, and another sang metal songs of the eternal battle of good verses evil.

Both men had a great influence on my imagination since I was young. I marveled at pictures that seemed so lifelike, even if they had dragons in them, that I could reach out and touch the scaly skin. A song called Sacred Heart become one of my favorite songs ever, with wizards and magic and a powerful talisman called the, curiously enough, sacred heart.

You may have known these artists, maybe not. It matters not; the passing of Frank Frazetta at 82, and of Ronnie James Dio at 67, affects me deeply. If you have ever loved fantasy or metal, or in my case both, the loss of these great artists is a saddening loss indeed.

Still, these great artists have left their own legacies behind:one in pictures, one in song. At least we will have those.

Rest in peace, Frank and Ronnie.