Lifted Reviews

Socom 4 Beta Impressions

2011-03-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

After about a week and a half with the beta all I have to say is zipper is back. Zipper interactive worked on the original SOCOM games for the PS2 and more recently MAG for the PS3. Don't get it wrong however, this is not the old SOCOM, it has been updated to keep up with all the facets of popular online shooters. It has a leveling up system that unlocks new guns, grenades, mines, claymores, and character models. Inside this system is one for each specific gun. This means that the more you use a gun the more attachments you unlock for it.

Continue after the break for more

Over the past week they have been rotating game modes which use both the old SOCOM rules, and updated rules to keep on par with new school shooters. This is a pleasant surprise because it offers a change of pace if needed and will please old and new fans of the franchise. One of the modes I am looking forward to that's not available in the beta is the cooperative mode, judging from the impressions of websites that have had access to this mode it is a lot of fun. You team up with some buddies and run through a variety of missions trying to complete objectives. No two missions are the same however, you can change the difficulty and enemies will not spawn in the same place to keep you on your toes.

Another impression I have is that the graphics are no slouch. Don't go in expecting to get Crysis or Killzone type graphics but it definitely works with the style of game. Lots of colour and good lighting provide you with a tense environment where you have to survey you location very well or you might get popped as you turn the corner.

A pleasant surprise from playing the beta is how well the PS Move Sharpshooter works with it. From playing Killzone 3 with the Sharpshooter I noticed a lot of lag and cursor drift, especially when the Move Wand would vibrate the target would bounce right off the screen. In SOCOM however you can tell that a lot of love was given to making sure that it not only works but is comfortable and enjoyable to use. Don't expect to pick up the Sharpshooter and start to pick off headshots left and right though. Inside the options you will find a variety of tweaking options to make sure it works the way you want. You can adjust the dead zone depending on how you are aiming (I.e zoomed in, down the sights) and you can also adjust how fast you turn and how sensitive the cursor is.

If I am having this much fun with beta I can't wait to try out the full game. If you have the chance to get into the beta it is highly reccomended and I look forward to playing with you. If you have any questions sound off in the comments below and I will answer. Thanks for reading

JF

Air Questo 2

2011-03-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

First up is a great pickup. The Air Questo 2 in Red. These are Nike Dunks but not like you've seen them before. They are made up of premium leather all over the shoe and include and overlay that covers the laces. They are definitely an eye catcher and probably one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. Check the pictures after the break.

These are needless to say not like any other dunk, completely original and one of my new favorites

And Im Back

2011-03-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

I have been sick for almost a month and a half now (Ulcers suck) but now I'm back with a couple big items. First up is the Air Questo 2s. These are shoes designed by ?uestlove himself, the drummer from the legendary group The Roots (If you haven't heard of them, which is doubtful. Do yourself a favor and check them out. The Next is a custom piece from Good Wood NYC. I will be rounding these out with a review of the brand new Crysis 2 and impressions from the Socom beta which both dropped yesterday. Big things coming up so stay tuned and always thanks for reading

JF

Killzone 3 Helghast Edition: Unboxing

2011-02-22T11:53:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,

I just got the brand new Killzone 3 Helghast Edition and I am unboxing it for you. Il have my review up for the full game soon.

PS Move Sharpshooter Unboxing

2011-02-19T12:30:00.000-08:00

Just picked up the Ps Move Sharpshooter from Bestbuy today. Its an rifle accessory that you put the Ps Move Motion and Nav controller in and use it just like a real rifle. Ive been using it with the Killzone 3 Demo and I have to say I am quite impressed with it, easy to use, comfortable and constructed very well.

Check out the video after the break

Killzone 3 Helghast Edition: First Unboxing Video – PlayStation Blog

2011-02-18T23:10:00.000-08:00

Killzone 3 Helghast Edition: First Unboxing Video – PlayStation Blog

Check it out the first unboxing of the Helghast Edition of Killzone 3. The game is looking to be top notch and this edition does it justice. I cant wait till tuesday. Check it out

Fresh In: North Skull Indian Piece and XL Jesus Piece

2011-02-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

Just in are two North Skull chains and pendants. One is a dark maple Indian head and the other is the XL Jesus Piece. When I first ordered I was stoked on the Indian head and its still sick, but I have to say the Jesus piece pops. For those who have not heard of North Skull, they are based out of the UK and they make wooden chains, pendants, and more recently bracelets. I am very impressed with the quality of the chains and pendants, they have a very nice feel and weight to them and are finished with a nice gloss. The chain is not to long or to short and hangs in the middle of your chest. I would definitely recommended these to someone looking for a piece that does not cost as much as a house and can be worn casual or step out when you need it. Check out pictures after the jump

Black Maple XL Jesus

Dark Maple Indian Piece

The 2 Pieces side by side

Shot of the Indian Piece from side.

Shot of Jesus Piece from side.

100% Real

Assassins Creed: Brotherhood-Final Thoughts

2011-02-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

Let's get this out of the way from the start, I love Assassins Creed. The first one left me with a bad taste in my mouth as I was out $60 and as left with a promise of what should of been. As it is with video games nowadays, you evolve and Assassins Creed did. The second installment was a vast improvement and my love was born. Brotherhood continues this tradition with a huge map, tons of content, characters you won't soon forget, and a rich multiplayer experience. The single player aspect of Brotherhood is full of new ideas, some work, some don't.

One of the most impressive things about this game is how many things there are to do. There is a lengthy single player campaign that involves missions, hidden treasures, races, along with building a stable of assassins you find throughout the city. One of my favorite things in this game is the city of Roma, it is beautiful, huge, vastly populated with a great deal of variation between the sections. By far one of the most enjoyable parts of the game is hunting down the hidden chests/feathers. The combat is still enjoyable and the new weapons add to this.

An addition that doesn't work for me is Ezio's ability to call in assassins to assist him when called upon. The problem I have with this is that it feels like a "win button". Many times I avoided using this ability, although it was more challenging many parts are still beatable without the help. When I was first introduced to this concept I did use it but found that it took some fun out of the game. There are examples in other games where this concept has been implemented better, such as in Splinter Cell: Conviction where you must complete hand to hand stealth kills to earn assassination credits. In Assassins Creed it makes the game easier, unlike in Splinter Cell where it steps up the challenge and forces you to use it which achieves a sort of cinematic event.

One of the better additions in this game is the multiplayer, which is unlike anything before it. It is clear after a couple sessions that Ubisoft put a lot of love and thought into it. The game modes are Wanted which is an everyone for themselves event. Alliance which pits 3 teams of 2 against each other. Manhunt sets 2 teams of 4 against each other with one team being the hunters and the other the hunted. In both these modes you are given a target whose portrait is in the upper right side of the screen. Underneath the portrait are red triangles that light up to indicate how many other assassins are after your target. On the left side of the screen are a number of blue triangles that light up to show how many people are targeting you. These are important to keep an eye on because you want to catch your target first while keeping an eye out for pursuers. It is important to note that your rank in game effects how many people will be targeting you, the higher your rank the more people after you.With the new DLC "Animus Project Update 2.0" brings a new map and a game mode Chest Capture which sets two teams of 3 against each other with one team being The Hunted and the other, The Protectors. This mode sees The Hunters trying to locate and steal chests from The Protectors. The Wanted and Alliance modes both have Advanced game types which up the number of NPCs on the map, amd ratchets down the radar ability. There is constant struggle you go through between trying to be sneaky or fast. The latter of the two is a deadly choice as you stick out like a sore thumb and will be easy prey for your hunter. There are also a tree of unlocks to get as you level up. Some of the unlocks are disguises, throwing knives, poisons, amd decoys among others. As I said before, this is a well thought out and executed addition.

In closing Assassins Creed: Brotherhood is an excellent addition to the series and will be a great addition to your collection. There is so much to do and enjoy, with more DLC coming down the pipe, that you will be playing this game for months to come.

This is a great game to kick off my reviews and I give it a resounding 9/10

JF

Fresh In: Air Jordan III Cement

2011-01-28T17:38:00.000-08:00

If you know anything about shoes or basketball, these need no introduction. The shoes that Micheal Jordan, The Greatest to Play the Game, wore in one of his best seasons playing proffesional basketball. These were the shoes that Spike Lee kicked off the "Mars vs. Mike" ad campaign with. These shoes are iconic in the shoe world, whether they are your favorite pair of Jordans or not, you have to respect the history behind this shoe, it was the first to use to iconic "Jumpman" logo and the first to use the Cement print. Pictures of these beauties below.

If anyone wants them and cant find them check out www.deadstock.ca

Your welcome!

Sony Announces the NGP

2011-01-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

Last night Sony held a press conference where the announced the successor to the PSP. Right now they are calling it the NGP and it looks to be a beast. It features a 5 inch OLED touch screen on the front, Dual analog sticks, two rear touch panels, a rear and front facing camera, and quad core processing. Do yourself a favour and keep an eye on this as im sure it will only keep getting better. Sony said it will be available for this holiday season, so start budgeting because you wont want to miss out on this.

NGP

This Just In: The Walking Dead: Omnibus III

2011-01-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

Fresh in from ups in my hands is the third omnibus in The Walking Dead series. This is issues 48-72 compiled into a giant beautiful hard cover collection. If you know what it is, it needs no introduction, proceed to *nerdgasm* If you aren't familiar with the graphic novel turned tv show, Our hero Rick wakes up in the hospital to find out that the world around him has turned into a zombie wonderland. Not wanting to give too much away, it is a very human and real approach to this genre. It deals with the struggles of the survivors, both emotionally and physically. If you have not had the chance to read this great piece of literature you are missing out. What are you doing reading this? Go out and get your hands on this dramatic, action packed, all around well written and drawn epic graphic novel.

Hard Cover Sleeve with Hard Cover Book

Covers of Issues included in Omnibus

Inside

Omnibus III and Omnibus II

Long Time

2011-01-23T13:11:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,

I've been away for a while, the holidays were very busy and I didn't have the time to update my blog. Now I back and ready to get gaming. Stay tuned.

JF

Setting the Tone

2010-11-28T15:21:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone,

My name is Joseph Ferraro, I'm 22, and I have been an avid gamer for as long as I cam remember. From that love of gaming was born a love for technology. So, I decided to start this blog to share that love and also to inform you with the latest news and announcements. I will ALWAYS be fair and concise when it comes to reviewing the latest releases. Speaking of which I will be kicking off this blog with a great release, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood. I have already written out my initial impressions and will have my full review out soon. Check out the post below to read my initial impressions.

Now Spinning-Assassins Creed:Brotherhood

2010-11-28T15:18:00.001-08:00

Having played the first two entries in the Assassins Creeds and watching what was arguably a tech demo in the first game to it blooming into an action packed, beautiful, and immersive game when the second one came out about a year ago. Now the third entry is out and so far it does not disappoint. They have successfully improved on almost every aspect, the mission variety, gameplay, and most notably is the graphics which have definitely received a generous amount of polish.

There are so many things to do in this game it can be a little overwhelming. When I first booted it up I played one story mission and then spent the next couple of hours trying to collect to many hidden chests, flags, and feathers around the enormous city of Rome. One of the more awe inspiring things to do is to climb the many high towers found around the city and synchronize those viewpoints which then in turn un fog the map.

When you add in the expansive and immersive multiplayer aspect along with the many single player story this game is jam-packed with content and lives up to the grade set by the first one. I have spent too much time talking about it and now I have to play. Il have a review out to you soon.

Thanks for reading