Episode 2.5

Matt Bortolino has made me realize just how much I really am pining for Half-Life 2: Episode 3. Research and Development is a new mod for HL:E2 that prompts the player to remember just how damned cool the physics can be in the Source Engine. Those of us wondering wtf is taking Valve so long to get Episode 3 out the door would do well to give this free mod a look.

R and D treats you to many different play styles all while never having the character pick up a gun. You might think it no fun to play through a HL2 mod without a gun, but you might be wrong. Each level and each puzzle is clever and thought provoking without being too hard (well, most of them aren't). Enemies still abound, and you have to dispose of them in order to progress, but the design of the game is such that you shall never miss the gun that you don't have.

The enviroments are well crafted and very nice to look at. Everything about the production of this free mod is so well done you will swear it of Valvian origins. It all culminates in a boss battle that makes me grin to think about even now, and not in a funny way either. More like a Holy-Crap-I-Can't-Believe-This-Is-So-Much-Fun grin. I won't spoil it for you, just play it and you'll understand why this will soon be the best single player HL2 mod you've ever played.

Still having a blast playing Lord of the Rings Online. Unable to choose between the Hunter or Minstrel class for main character, so I'll just play them both for now thank you.

Van out

*Edit* Holy crap!

Video Games | Command & Conquer 4 | Exclusive Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

At the press of a button...

Lord of the Rings Online has gotten it's hooks in me. Puttering around in the starter town before, pretending to play the game, I barely eclipsed the 12 hour mark in total playtime. Now, with over 50 hours banked, I am a new man about town in Bree Land.

Crafting isn't something I ever tried before. Or increasing my reputation. Or earning titles. Or accomplishing deeds. Now, it's difficult to imagine the game without these things. Since learning how to play the game...I find I actually enjoy the game much more than before. Combine this with a new $9.99/month subscription plan and you have a game I will be playing for a long time to come.

Work continues on the Left 4 Dead campaign at a tortoise's pace. Despite our best efforts though, we're nearly ready for a playtest of the first level. Our creative braintrust will be put to the test in an effort to make this campaign the creepiest one available from the community.

I'm playing LotRO and L4D with equal enthusiasm right now. I'm also on the lookout for a genuinely scary game right now. I snatched up the Penumbra trilogy when it was on sale via Steam. I installed Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth. Still haven't found anything that grabbed me the way Dead Space did. I still plan to play these games through to completion, but does anyone have a recommendation?

The lightsabers they have nowadays are kickass. The blade extends at the press of a button. I cannot find anything cooler than this simple concept.

Parting shots:
- I hit 400 hours played in L4D.
- There is NOTHING on tv right now.
- Valve's new format for installing custom campaigns in L4D is brilliant.
- poison ivy can grow in your backyard.
- Dam It! is the best custom campaign played thus far.

Van out.