Dead Space, Fallout 3, Fable II, FIFA 09, NBA 09, World at War, Lich King, Web of Shadows, MK vs DC...*pauses to catch breath*

Seriously. That's too many games. Too many really, really, really good games. Dead Space wasnt even on my horizon until I saw GameSpot's review and the hubub on it's forums. Fallout III is a game I've been eagerly anticipating since I played the second version way back in 2000, as a tender 12 year old.

And no not that Mile High Club. No, after consuming much of my gaming life I finally beat Call of Duty 4's Mile High Club achievement on Veteran difficulty. Let me tell you, that's one of the hardest things gaming I've ever done. That level is a monster. So many enemies, so little time. But it was worth it. Partly because it gave me the achievement for beating the game on Veteran difficulty (Surprisingly easy, aside from No Fighting in the War Room) and also gave me 980 points for the game...one lousy achievement away from having scored my first 10000-point game. Ah, good times.

On the flip side of Call of Duty, I reached level 55 in multiplayer for the second time. I usually only play Free-for-All or Mercenary team deathmatch so it took a little while. I'm still shocked on how well a class with the M-16 paired with an ACOG scope does in just about every scenario. If you add stopping power to that sucker, you've got something that can usually kill a non-Juggernaut player with one burst. Add steady aim, and the thing's a beast in close quarters, too. Plus, depending on what you like to do in the game, you can get three frags, three 'special' grenades, or even claymores.

I also discovered the great fun of messing around with the Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle. I know, I know the gun is WAY overused (Every time I see someone using that thing with an ACOG scope on Vacancy or Showdown I twitch) but man is it fun to use on a level like Backlot or Strike.

In other gaming news, I've been playing quite a bit of PES 2008 for the PC. It's not the prettiest soccer game around, or the most detailed (I think there's only two 'official' teams: Newcastle and Tottenham), or have the best commentary, but man is the gameplay compelling. The AI is wicked, compared to FIFA's (Although if you want a superb 'football' game made by EA try Euro 2008. It's damn good). They'll bog you down in midfield, snuff out your best attacking players, give up realistic fouls (Again unlike FIFA where you can play an entire game without a foul or have 10 in the space of a half). And perhaps best of all, the Master League incredibly deep. I own five soccer games from this generation alone, and the Master League is the best of the bunch. I how love how it'll take a minimum of three seasons to reach it, how you're stuck with C and B list stars as your team gains more popularity and how the transfer market is FAR more realistic. I just wish the computer would realistically make changes to their sides...the beauty of the Master League is that it requires you to deepen your squad depending on your success (Fatigue is much more of the half-assed thing it is in FIFA) but apparently it's only a rule you have to play by.

I cant believe it's been March of 2007 since I blogged here. A pity. I'll be around here much more, especially with the gaming market's annual explosion that is the Fall. See ya round.

Eight weeks until four months of freedom and I figured now is the best time to create my Summer Vacation To-do-List. Half of you are probably wondering why I'd create my to-do list in March and the other half probably dont care. No worries. I'll explain. See, long ago in the hot summer of 2000, my best friend and I made a solemn vow: To beat every game we owned. And we failed. Miserably. This might be partly because we started in July, and because the N64 never tracked your achievements as meticuously as the 360 does, but my original point stands. For the last six summers, various friends and loved ones and I have tried and failed. Last year, I got my 360 so I was understandably distracted. But this summer there are absolutely no excuses. College ends almost insanely early (April 20th) and doesnt start up again till late August so I'll have four months to unlock every Achievement my little 360 has. Every single one. There will be no middle ground: Pass or fail, victory or defeat.

And so the point of this blog starts to come clear. This is not so much a vow as it is a gameplan. See, in order to convince my small brain that it has to do something I need to write that "thing" in stone months beforehand. If I dont, I'll blow it off. So there. Let's get started:

I have 9 XBox 360 games

FIFA 2006 World Cup (500/1000)

FIFA 07 (100/10000)

Gears of War (110/1000)

Splinter Cell Double Agent (260/1000)

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfrighter (530/1000)

Madden 07 (40/1000)

College Hoops 2k7(20/1000)

Gun (560/1000)

So as you can see, I have my work cut out. Yikes. And some of these achievements are darn near implausible. GRAW lists an one as "Being ontop of the world leaderboard." So, hopefully, come mid-June I'll be the only person actually playing GRAW. And I can wrangle an hidden Achievement. Or not. Guess we'll see.

My question to you, my fellow gamers: If you have a 360 how much do you care about Achievements? Are they bragging rights (As they are with me) or just items or personal pride? Or do you not care at all?

Drop me a comment.