Already known to be pimping the Android operating system and Playstation compatibility, they wanted to make sure you knew that after watching the green Android guy getting thumbs surgically attached for the much anticipated release.

Creepy, but funny:

I can't wait to get my hands on it, which is why today's news is even better.    Starting on February 2nd you can download the Beta version of Killzone 3 for free on the Playstation Network.    

All you people who have just been dying to see the disc in your hands can get the chance to play it for 2 weeks before you can buy it...   which means all you people sitting on the fence incapable of deciding whether you want to spend the $59.99 on it can also have the chance to check it out and see just how much better than Call of Duty: Black Ops it is (here's a hint, if it doesn't disconnect you 50 times a day, it's better).

Per the Playstation blog:

The Open Beta will offers exclusive early access to the MP05 ‘Frozen Dam’ multiplayer level from Killzone 3, including all three online multiplayer modes: Guerrilla Warfare, Warzone and Operations, along with the offline multiplayer mode, Botzone.

“Frozen Dam” is a sprawling asymmetrical map set in an old dam facility, the playing field in MP05 has been carefully tailored to fit each of the multiplayer modes. Here are the four multiplayer modes included with the Open Beta:

Guerrilla Warfare (16 players)

Guerrilla Warfare is a standalone multiplayer mode similar to classic Team Deathmatch: You and your teammates must try to kill as many of the opposing team as you can before the timer runs out. In this mode, only the downstream monitor houses and repair bay are accessible, giving the map a very frantic pace.

Warzone (24 players)
If you’ve played Killzone 2, you may already be familiar with Warzone. It’s a round-based multiplayer campaign that consists of five randomly ordered mini-missions. In this mode, the power house and penstocks directly under the dam are accessible as well, so there’s more room to come up with different strategies and approaches to your goal.

Operations (16 players)
Operations is a new multiplayer campaign which aims to deliver a more cinematic, story-based gameplay experience, similar to that of Killzone 3′s single-player mode. It consists of a sequence of linear mini-missions, in which the ISA must try to secure the docks and destroy the dam, while the Helghast must try to protect the dam facility.

Botzone (one player and up to 15 bots)
Botzone is an offline multiplayer mode ideal for those looking to get to grips with the controls, the weapons or the map layout before going up against live players. Each of the aforementioned multiplayer modes can be played offline, against CPU-controlled opponents.

I'm super excited, and you should be excited too.

So instead of getting mad about Activision screwing us Playstation owners over (yet again), limiting the release of the new Call of Duty map pack only to XBOX 360 users, you can hop on over to the PS Network and play this instead.   You almost wonder how many of their players the just turned into Killzone fans by screwing them out of the newest map packs for a month.   I almost wonder, who cares?  Sell your copies of Black Ops now while they're still fetching $40 used on eBay while you can.   That way 2/3 of the better game is already paid for when it does come out.

Taking down Evomap until the issue is resolved. Figured I'd follow rules before being asked to forcefully. 10-14 business days until we get an answer on how things will play out. Until then, development will continue for when we can offer our service once again.

I'm sure they'll be working on it...  just stinks in the meantime for all of us Evony junkies (someday I'll quit playing, just not today) who overly-rely on the site and its ability to track down the enemies who just ported away from us non-farmers.   If you ask me, Evony's just jealous they didn't come up with the tool first,  and figure out some way to make their users overpay for it (like everything else they implement into their game... "free forever").

Stupid Evony...   guess I won't be wasting any money on advanced teleports anytime soon.

You have to choose... the phone or the girlAs a Sprint user I'm hoping it'll make it's way over to that, but I'm certainly open to other providers if it does not...  so time to start kissing some ass Mr. and Mrs. Salesperson.    That's really all you'll have to do to get my business, since a Playstation smartphone sporting an Android system and slide-out Playstation portable gaming device based off of the PSP Go pretty much sells itself.    Like some need oxygen to breath, gamers will need this phone.

So why is it going to be so great?   You mean, BESIDES being both a PSP and a phone?   Sheesh... fine, here goes...    First of it'll sport the Android 3.0 system (also named Gingerbread), which isn't scheduled to release until March of 2011.   Since the rumor mill is putting a release of this PSPhone into at least April, it's a safe assumption that I won't be getting a new Playstation phone for my birthday (March 19th... so send me beer instead).    This will mean that not only will you be able to download and purchase add-ons from the Sony Marketplace, you'll also have access to the games in the Android Market as well, and for all those games you'll want lots of memory.

Not only will the Playstation Phone be sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 (a chip 200MHz faster than the G2) and 512MB of RAM, but it will also be flexing 1GB of ROM, which will come in handy when you're enjoying that 1280 x 760 resolution on an estimated 4" screen.   It will still sport the touch screen technologies (making it even better than any Playstation portable device you've ever played before) and full wi-fi.    Imagine adding friends you meet online to your contacts and chatting to them while beating them silly on your favorite portable.    Still no word on price yet, but it's best to go into buying it assuming it will be high.

The Playstation Phone:  Just another reason to celebrate Christmas in July.

THE BEST

Here is a rundown of some of the best games I stumbled upon this year:

10.  Gran Turismo 5:   Worth the wait, however it focuses too much on you hiring drivers to do the driving FOR you.   I prefer to win my own races, not tell somebody when to pace up or pace down.    "Hey buddy... go faster and win".   Where was that command?

9.  Civilization 5:   Could really use some work on its multiplayer.   It would be great if this game could take the place of Evony for me.   We'll see how they do the next time around.

8.  Super Mario Galaxy 2:    It was actually a bummer my Wii blew out after buying this.   This was a very impressive game, even better than the first one, which in itself speaks volumes.

7.  God of War III:   It was like a great game and lesson in Greek mythology all wrapped up into one.   A great fantasy game that allows you to utilize those few history lessons you stayed awake for in school.

6.  Red Dead Redemption:   Rockstar Games goes western and kills it.    Far exceeded what were my low expectations.   A must play for those who haven't done so already.

5.  Assassin's Creed - Brotherhood:   I wish I'd had more time to play this game, because the graphics alone earned it a top 10 spot.    I'll be looking to bum this game off of my buddy after he's beaten it and grown tired of it (however I said that with the last Assassin's Creed game, and I finally gave up waiting for him to grow bored of it and had to go buy my own...  I doubt my luck will improve with this series).

4.  Fallout - New Vegas:   Great, as predicted...  only better.   Some great additions and enjoyable mini-games that can only be expected in a Vegas-themed apocalyptic RPG.

3.  Uncharted 2 - Among Thieves:   Will likely win Game of the Year.   Excellent graphics, great story, wonderful gameplay...   not much to dislike about this game at all. 

2.  Pac Man Championship Edition:  Not only was it available now for a bargain price of $9.99, but it is perhaps the most addicting game I have played in a very long time.    This game showed me that the little yellow guy's still got it... and then some.

1.  Battlefield - Bad Company 2:   Made me feel stupid for buying Black Ops instead of this.    That will be the last time I make that mistake.

Keep in mind, I only own a Playstation 3, Wii (RIP) and the PC, so my lists tend to lack certain XBOX specific games (such as Halo Outreach, Super Meat Boy and Fable 3)...  so please keep the hate mail to a minimum.    I also tend to favor shooters over all others, so pardon my own personal biases.   

Knowing that, as crazy as it may sound...  I didn't include Call of Duty: Black Ops.    I actually had it at #10 until I realized I forgot about Uncharted 2...  so I bumped it.    The fact that they don't have fixed servers yet, causing players to lose connections when hosts frustratingly quit is not only stupid in my opinion, but grows awfully tiresome after it happens 20-some times in a row (yeah, that happened).

THE WORST

Now, since we've tackled all that was great with 2010, let's take a look at what were the most disappointing games of the past year:

5.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:   Not only a bad game, but horribly annoying.   Bought it for my kids...  oh, how I wish they would let me trade it in while it's still sporting a $10 value in store credit.  

4.  Medal of Honor:    A lot of hype only to be followed up with a lot of disappointment.    I only know 1 person who actually liked it, then I let him borrow my Call of Duty - Black Ops for a couple weeks.   After that became his new favorite, I knew he needed even more guidance.

3.  Star Wars - The Force Unleashed:   I loved the first one, but was irate over this one.   I beat this game in 1 day... ONE FRIGGIN' DAY...  and it would have been quicker had it not been for too many cut-scenes.   Afterwards I actually felt sorry for the people who bought the game, and especially those who purchase the special edition for $90 as opposed to renting it from Gamefly as I did.   It was like I was comparing them to starving kids in Africa.   Sad.

2.   Kick Ass:    I hate movie interpretations... but this one was just God-awful.    Got it on special via the Playstation Network.    Whoever approved this game for release should be water-boarded.

1.  Vancouver 2010:   Only 14 events, most of which you won't want to play again...  and more importantly:   No hockey and NO CURLING!    Don't buy it, no matter how dirt cheap it gets.

COMING IN 2011 

As the year winds to an end, we at the gaming section not only find time to reflect on the year that was, but also the year to come.    Here's what you need to keep an eye out for in 2011:

Batman - Arkham City:   Supposedly even better than the last one

Brink:   Yet another futuristic FPS (First Person Shooter)...   yippee!!

Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 3:   It has to be better than Black Ops... it just HAS to be

Crysis 2:  Killing aliens in the Big Apple

Dead Space 2:  Beware... I've seen reviews for this ranging in the 3-4 range (out of 10)

Diablo 3:  The classic hack-n-slash RPG returns bigger and more evil than ever

Doom 4:  C'mon... it's Doom

Duke Nukem 3:  C'mon... it's Duke Nukem

Dues Ex - The Human Revolution:   Been hyped for years, now let's see how it plays

Elder Scrolls 5:  Will it be even more massive then its predecessor?  Let's hope so!

F.3.A.R. (FEAR 3):  Shooting and the paranormal

Gears of War 3:   4 player Co-op... WOOT!   Awww...  only on XBOX?!   Weak!   

Guild Wars 2:   A great MMO, proven to be a winner.

Legend of Zelda - The Skyward Sword:  Even the worst Zelda games were great Zelda games

inFamous 2:  Some people loved it, and they'll likely love this one too

Killzone 3:   At the time, the last in the series had some of the best multiplayer features, so I hope this one takes a great experience and makes it even better.   This game was rebuilt from the ground up in 3D... it's gonna be awesome!

Little Big Planet 2:  Keeps the kids occupied for hours on end

Max Payne 3:   Worth renting I'm sure

Metal Gear Solid Rising:  I really don't care... but you might

Portal 2:  Looks trippy and puzzling... once just an add-on getting it's time to shine

Rage:   One of the most talked about games coming out of E3.   From the makers of Doom, yet another post-apocalyptic shooter where rabid mutants are your enemy.

Resistance 3:  Sorry folks... PS3 only (trade you this for Gears of War 3)

Star Wars - the Old Republic:  Because it's going MMO, so worth checking out

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon - Future Soldier:   Was supposed to be a top 2010 game, we'll see if it finds its way to the shelves next year

Twisted Metal:   Finally making it's way over to the Playstation 3... exclusively

Uncharted 3 - Drake's Deception:   You shouldn't own a PS3 if you're not excited about this one

A lawsuit against the developers of Lineage II is being allowed. The lawsuit claims that a player from Hawaii is so addicted that he's unable to function in daily life, and that NCSoft should pay damages because of the game's addictiveness. I'd like to suggest that Lineage II isn't nearly good enough for that to be plausible and maybe the guy's just suffering from run of the mill depression.

Speaking of which, psychiatrists in South Korea are prescribing drugs for Starcraft addiction. It sounds silly at first, but it makes sense to me. The "addiction" is incidental, I imagine, and merely symptomatic of deeper problems. Of course, the MRI scan of patients shown pictures of Zerglings might be taking it a little far.

Now that's just hilarious.    I wonder how many mothers out there are afraid of buying their kids these games out of fear they'll become digitally addicted to them?    Then again, another part of me wonders if the graphics are any cooler with the drugs.    

I may have to do some further, uh... "research".

Perhaps the most highly anticipated game of this century, the newest title in the Call of Duty series lives up to its hype and then some.   Many of the problems of the previous titles have been fixed and many of the greater qualities of the same have been improved on... drastically.

I started off the Modern Warfare 2 the way everybody should start off the game... in the single player campaign mode.    Only then will you truly appreciate the multiplayer levels the way I did, as many of them are implemented into those same multiplayer levels.    There is also the option to play a solo or co-op special ops levels where you can earn trophies and rewards, while practicing strategic gameplay that will improve your skills the other modes as well.   It's a new and wonderful addition to an already great game.

Single Player Campaign Mode

Captain "Soap" MacTavishIn the story mode, you play as two or three seperate characters, depending upon whether you choose to play the mature version, or the edited version which gives you the option of skipping one level some may consider to be "too disturbing" because it's fighting alongside the enemy as an undercover agent named Alexei Borodin (a.k.a. CIA Agent Joseph Allen... American) and randomly killing innocent civilians.  The other 2 playable characters, and written more into the main story are Private James Ramirez of the U.S. Army Rangers and Sargeant Gary Roach Sanderson of Task Force 141, the same task force that housed the original Modern Warfare characters Captain Price and now Captain Soap McTavish, the newest commanding officer for the 141.

Set 5 years after the last Modern Warfare, America is still facing an impending threat of nuclear war with Russia.   As followers of the previous villain, Ultranationalist Imran Zakhaev take control of Russia, a wayward undercover operation to capture new leader of the Ultranationalist Vladimir Makarov goes horribly wrong and the death of a CIA agent puts America to blame for a horrendous massacre on Russian soil.  

And so begins the surprise Russian invasion on America's east coast, focusing on battles in Virginia and Washington D.C.     In the battles the Americans swear their vengence on the capital of Russia, and the story continues on in Afghanistan and the Caucasus Mountain safehouse belonging to that of Vladimir Makarov, where apparent victory is assumed only to witness and ultimate betrayal followed by the death of 2 key characters.  

The story just gets better and the climax is heart pounding...  so if you haven't played it yet, stop what you're doing and get that single player knocked out already.   It's the type of game that's worth playing multiple times, just as much as the multiplayer and new Spec-Ops options are.

Multiplayer

The gameplay is fast and furious.   When I first played the online levels, I couldn't help but notice how much faster it seemed than the previous Call of Duty titles.   Given the fact I've been playing Call of Duty 5: World at War for a straight 2 months leading up to this release, it seemed like night and day difference between the two, but that wasn't the only difference...  not by a long shot.

Sergeant Simon "Ghost" RileyThe one thing that was missing in the multiplayer levels was of course the vehicles, which didn't pop up i the first Modern Warfare, but people seemed to like in the most recent World at War.   I don't personally don't miss the tank whores, however I must admit, I was hoping to scoot myself around on a snowmobile some more... who's with me on this?

However what Modern Warfare doesn't have is far outnumber by that which it does.   Not only do they improve on the kill streak rewards which were sported by an airstrike and helicopter attack in MW1 and artillery and rabid dogs in COD5, but now you are given many more options for rewards and the ability to unlock and customize that list as your levels progress.    You still have the UAV reward to scout out your enemies with 3 kills in a row, plus the original airstrike and chopper support, but you also get many other options as well as playable rewards.   Some of the better on that list are the calling in air drops which deliver random rewards, a harrier strike, the Pavelow heavy duty armored helicopter, a stealth bomber, the beloved AC130 (which was featured in one level in the previous Modern Warfare game), EMP destroying all enemy electronics and communications and the icing on the cake...  the tactical nuke, awarded with 25 kills in a row and automatically winning the game for the bomb-user's team (while killing every one of their enemies, teammates and self at the same time).    

Alongside killstreaks we are also introduced to deathstreaks.    These are perks you get after you've died numerous times in a row, kind of and added bonus to help the crippled...  like a closer parking spot, making your next try a little simpler.     The perk continues to be equipped until you achieve a kill.   They are Painkiller (10 seconds of juggernaut when you start), Copycat (which allows you to steak your killers loadout during the kill screen), Final Stand and Martyrdom (perks that were annoying as hell in the previous titles since they were constantly on, but not nearly as much now since they are limited only to those who repeatedly die).  It was well thought out and fits the game perfectly.

They also fixed a lot of the connection problems that were a headache on previous titles.   In the past, bad connections or a host leaving the game (sore losers/crybabies) would result in either crappy gameplay or the game lobby closing completely.    Now if you fall victim to one of the other, it will transfer the data to another player and switch hosts midgame.    There of course is a slight delay in the game, which is understandable, but if everything transfers okay you'll be back to killing in a matter of seconds.   Bravo Infinity Ward.

Levels, Weapons, Equipment, Attachments and Perks

As with the previous titles, your rankings still depend on your scores and XP you earn in your online battles.   You still get bonuses for milestones with every item and weapon, but you also get awards for obscure things as well.   You still have the same Prestige options when completing all 70 levels of multiplayer ranks, which takes a bit longer than previous titles, however the greatest thing in this newest game is that you don't completely lose everything you've accomplished simply by moving on to the next level of prestige.   They come in the form of titles for you character by unlocking specific challenges, such as "the Predator" by killing an entire enemy team with on predator missile, or "My Lil' Pwny" for getting 10 silenced kills after you prestige, or "the Perfectionist" by shooting an entire round from your sniper rifle into the enemy team without missing, and much, much, MUCH more. 

To see all titles and emblems click the photoAlong with titles to go with your name, you also can receive and keep emblems to coincide with your title, both of which will appear with your callsign on your opponents screen while you kill him over, and over, and over again.    Like the titles, they too are given for specific accomplishment, such as the rank badges you receive as you rank up, the 16-bit Captain Price for killing 10 enemies with no killstreak perks equipped (harder than it sounds), and the rotating nuclear emblems for accomplishing the nuke challenges.

It took much longer to complete one round of presitige than the previous titles did, but with it comes additional perks and challenges that weren't available had you not opted to prestige, something many people haven't done in the past due to the fact that they lost everything they earned.    Now with Modern Warfare 2 they have given you the reason to presitige.   I recommend you focus on particular weapons with each round of levels, maxing them out to their fullest as opposed to splitting a lot of time with countless weapons.    This way you'll be able to master particular weapons and unlock those perks, that way when you start over you have the rewards still and can focus instead on other weapons moving forward.   It really opens up the possibilities and gives you a reason to practice with more than just the weapons you grow fond of.   It makes you want to challenge yourself with the weapons that may not be as great as the ones you started with.    I'm currently mastering the UMP45, despite being tempted to do back to the dual P90's I fell in love with my first round through...  but I have to get that out of my head...  I still have 89 more headshots to get with the UMP before I've fully mastered that.

Along with weapons challenges, you also have the same equipment, grenade and killstreak challenges we've been accustomed to with past COD titles, but in Modern Warfare 2, just as we are given more or everything.   More equipment like throwing knives and tactical placement flares that allow you to respawn wherever you place them.   More weapons attachments like heartbeat sensors, thermal scopes and the akimbo feature allowing you to use dual handguns, shotguns, SMG's and more.  SO MUCH MORE.    Riot shields, blast shields, more weapons than you'll know what to do with, etc, etc, etc. 

You'll also have the option of tweaking your online player with certain perks that will give your character a certain advantage.   You'll still have the familiar perks like Marathon (longer ability to run), Steady Aim (for scoped weapons) and Stopping Power (for increased bullet damage)... but you'll also see many new ones like Scavenger (resupply from dead enemies), Bling (equip your weapons with 2 attachments as opposed to one), Hardline (award killstreaks one kill early), One Man Army (allowing you to switch your loadout to one of your others mid game), ninja and more.  

Rambo would be jealous.

The levels itself are also stunning and well thought out, and include their little seldom discovered sniper spots and areas of cover for the campers out there, and challenge the players not vertically as well as horizontally.    They currently have 16 levels to test your skills on, but given the way Call of Duty has become notorious for $9.99 add-ons for the game, giving you additional levels and extras...  don't be surprised if you see many more coming down the pipe.   Their add ons alone have become quite profitable. 

The only thing I found puzzling in the online mulitplayer was that it seemed to offer no rewards for any Capture the Flag games... which is too bad for me, because that tends to be one of the games I play the most.   Whether or not there are additional titles and emblems that can be unlocked will still remain to be seen, for I haven't witnessed any just yet, but the game is far from running out of rewards.     The list of trophies and bragging fodder seem rather endless 4 complete days into the game, as I've only unlocked 20-some percent of the single player and a couple of my titles and emblems pages are still completely blank, giving me something to shoot for....  literally.

Look for the name skinnydipinacid at a PS3 near you.    Add me if you see me, and feel free to ask about joining up with the clan punX...    you don't have to be great, just cool (Although greatness would be appreciated) and own a headset.   I've only found one that was missing a clan worthy of the add, but say you saw me on the BL Rag and you'll earn yourself some tasty brownie points.   If you're still looking for a final selling point:  you can type my clan's name upside down...   Xund.   Eh?   EHH?!   (It's kinda fun altering my clan tag upside down and back during the game lobby ;o)

Spec Ops

To be 100%, completely, unabashedly honest...   I haven't played it all... yet.   I'm still waiting for my little brother to hook up with me so we can polish off some of the levels that require two people in Co-op mode. HOWEVER, I have played a good enough percentage of the missions to tell you that this was an excellent addition to the game.    I've talked to numberous friends who are spending more time on them than they did the actual campaign, proving it's potential longevity.  

There are many tactical missions, some small, some large, and all provide a distinct challenge if you are trying to score the 3 star bonus, the highest awarded for each level.   Even the 2 star bonus is challenging for most.   It's best to start there, get a good feel for the levels, and then try to score the 3 star bonus once you've succeeded at that.     In all there are 69 total stars to be rewarded amongst 23 levels, adding much depth and time you'll spend playing this game.   A wonderful addition to the game.

NO ZOMBIES?!

EGADS!   Oh well, I wasn't really that die hard of a fan of it in the first place.   Besides... that was Call of Duty, not Modern Warfare, so it's not like I was expecting it anyway.  Although if you are looking for an exciting extra, give the museum a try in the level select area of Campaign Mode.    Remember:  Don't touch the red button (translation:  Push it!)

In Conclusion

A drastic improvement over what was once the game of the year...  Call of Duty 4, more commonly referred to now as Modern Warfare.    If this game doesn't win game of the year for 2009, I can't wait to find out what tops it... nor will I hesitate to play the one that tops, if it proves to exist.

There were still a few pesky annoyances in the online, such as getting killed by shots that appeared to miss, getting killed through 2 brick walls, other freaks of physics and my opponents' lag appearing to favor them again (which to be perfectly honest, it should be the other way around.   Why do those with great connections have to suffer for other peoples' crappy dial-up?), but that's easily ignored when you realize the overall greatness, and simply back out of the crappy games to join up with another game elsewhere.

I was also hoping to Modern Warfare adopt some of the abilities to host or modify your online game setting like other games, such as Killzone.     What Killzone lacked in gameplay, it made up for in it's matchmaking server.     It would have been nice to be able to opt to host a game so you wouldn't have to worry about another player who was hosting backing out and killing the game.    It also would have been great to limit your levels to small, medium or large.  

But I guess they're not Killzone are they?   They're Modern Warfare 2, and despite all the negatives,  the positives overwhelm the system.   They'll make you think twice about purchasing that MAG when it finally releases (I already have issues finding 18 people to connect with on a decent connection... I can't even imagine the headaches that will arise with 256).

(Want a sneak preview of the official review? Here you go...  it's frigging amazing)