On 07/11/2009, marks my time of being on GameSpot for 6 years!

Although we have not reached that date yet, I am making this blog now as I may not have the time to do so on that day. Before I start the blog, I would like to point out that although it says "Member since: Nov 7, 2004", that is actually incorrect. I joined GameSpot the year before, meaning that the Member since data should actually be Nov 7 2003. I have tried to get this fixed, but unfortunately, it is not possible. The same problem also occurs on my GameFAQs account. It states "Account Created Thursday, July 7, 2005 1:09 PM", which is definitely wrong, as I joined GameFAQs before GameSpot (this was back years ago when your account was not universal between CNET sites, so you would have to create an account separately to use for each site). I then made an account on GameSpot shortly after I made an account on GameFAQs, which I think was more or less on the same day, I honestly can't remember. I just know I joined both sides in early November 2003. Although, I didn't start using the boards on the sites until about a year after I joined them; along with GameFAQs doing something major that involved accounts at around that time (I can't remember now what it was), I believe those two factors are probably what caused this glitch.

Now with that out of the way, let's get onto the main blog!

So, I have (nearly) been on GameSpot/GameFAQs for 6 years! It feels unbelievable to me that I have actually been around for this long, but what's more unbelievable is that there are other users on the site that are still active today, and that have been around even longer than I have. I'm sure for someone who has only been around on GameSpot for less than a year, is probably wondering how we do it, and my answer to that is: I simply don't know myself...

I mean, why do I still bother coming on to GameSpot/GameFAQs? When I first joined the sites, I only used them for news and cheats on games, and that was it. To do what I originally wanted to do with the sites wouldn't take very long also, but somehow, I came across the boards on the sites, and ever since then, I have spent loads of time on them. While today I'm not as active as I used to be back when I first discovered the boards on the sites, I am still relatively active.

I also find it interesting to point out that when I was first on the site, I only bothered with game-specific boards on GameFAQs. Now, I usually post more on support boards, such as How to GameSpot. I do still use the boards on GameSpot for social purposes, such as Off Topic Discussion and the unions I am a member of, but I would say on average, I post more on support boards than on social boards. I think that tends to happen to quite a lot of users, as on social boards, the discussions you would find on them, experienced users such as myself have seen and answered so many times, that they are just no longer interesting to us.

In relation to that, one of the highlights of 2009 is actually the closing of Super Sayians United, a union that I have been apart of for years, and the only union I was an Officer of for a long time. I and dbz345 (Leader of SSU) found that while DragonBall Z (what the union was based on) is still (somehow...) around, but the death of SSU was more because the union was not getting any new members, and any new members the union did get, they didn't stay for long as the topics they would have made simply would not interest the users in the union that have been around ever since the union had started. Also, the decline of DBZ, with thanks going to the poor quality of games of the series being made and the live action movie of DBZ (which was, to be honest, offensive to any fan, be it casual even, of DBZ), SSU simply could not be maintained anymore, and with no regret, the only solution to ending the chronic suffering of the union was to close it, sadly.

On a more positive highlight of 2009 though, is my recognition of being a Greeter on How to GameSpot, with the official title being GameSpot Ranger. You can see the picture of the emblem and its description in 'My Emblems'. That was indeed very nice, and unexpected of the GameSpot staff, and was very much appreciated by me, and I am sure by the other Rangers.

In terms of games however, this year has been disappointing. The games I bought this year (which I can remember) are:

Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires: This was disappointing. You can see my review on the game to find out why, but I can sum it up with my Tag Line (of my review), Where's the strategy?

Overlord 2: Again, disappointing... I expected a lot more. For a game that had such diversity in allies, enemies, lands the player can go to etc. Overlord 2 severely lacked this by solely concentrating on just the Romans as the main enemies of the game. I also found the story to be boring, and did not like the gameplay much, as I found it was incompatible with the terrible clunky controls the game had retained from its predecessor, in which the controls for the game was acceptable as the gameplay wasn't too fast or needing of such precision, unlike Overlord 2.

Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition: I bought this recently and I am very happy with my purchase. I haven't got too far into the game, for the simple reason I am having far too much fun messing around in the game. I have to say, that in a way, this game is almost like Grand Theft Auto, except substituting the fancy locations in GTA for utter Wastelands, that contain nothing more than debris and ruins. Even for the empty landscapes in Fallout 3, they are by no means safe, and are actually very dangerous if you're not careful. I get killed by wandering Raiders all the time.

Although, the game is more like Bioshock, in terms of the story and setting, in which the setting is futuristic, combined with 1950s music playing throughout the game, creates an eerie setting.

Anyway, I suppose I better end this blog now. I may make another blog if I can think of anything else to add, but this is pretty much it I think. If anyone has read this entire blog, do give yourself a pat on the back, as this was a very long blog that took me about an hour or so to type up.

Now, I better get back to playing Fallout 3...