Jay-Z's New Music Video Young Forever

Now, Im a huge fan of Jay and I have been following his music videos for years. It does my heart good to see that not only has he matured and evolved musically, but his choice for videos and his songs have progressed tremendously.

BlazBlue Review (PS360)

At the beginning of this gen it seemed like the 2-D arcade fighter genre was all but dead. With Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s Playstation 3 looking to push the true power of High Definition graphics the last nail in the coffin of 2-D fighters looked like it had gone in.

However, Arc System Works (ASW) has somehow managed to revitalized what seemed to be a dying genre, in the form of BlazBlue a spiritual successor to ASW’s Guilty Gear Franchise.

Simply Amazing

In BlazBlue players are brought into a world that has somehow survived the apocalypse in the form of The Black Beast and

with the help of six heroes and their fusion of magic and technology called Armagus the world was saved from total destruction. Fast forward a number of years and the world has torn itself apart trying to get it’s hands on powerful Armagus’ and in the centre of the chaos is a young man by the name of Ragna The Blood-Edge who also has a very large bounty on his head.

For a fighter BlazBlue’s story is very difficult to understand at first and until the player beats the story of the initial characters and secret characters they won’t be able to unlock the True Ending which ties all these individual stories together and attempts to make sense of it all.

Aside from its very convoluted story BlazBlue shows off a very deep and rich fighting system. The system is slick, fast-paced and very combo-oriented. In fact if you are a fan of button-mashing prepare to get schooled by the various AI and players that utilize the combo system well.

As if the single-player mode wasn’t enough to satisfy your hunger BlazBlue boasts a serious online section that is both simple, satisfying and easy to use. There are several types of matches online ranging from Ranked matches to Player matches. The game also gives players a level-based card system that shows you everything on an online competitor. Things like Most used character, win/loss percentage, number of games played and numbers of games won/lost. While playing the game online I found that while the Xbox 360 version boasts a more steady online feed from Xbox Live the PS3 version is nothing to laugh at. During my play-through the only lag I experienced came from the introduction segment where there is a heavy lag but it steadies before the fight begins.

This Man Is Crazy

Visually BlazBlue is a stunning 2-D masterpiece. The character detail is both rich and enticing and the movements are quick, masterful and slick. The backgrounds are completely 3-D but they are used to compliment the 2-D sprites well. The only real problem I had with BlazBlue were some of the voices. While Patrick Seitz and David Vincent provided admiral jobs as Ragna and Jin respectively. I found myself cringing every characters Taokaka and Noel appeared on screen as they just either sound irritable or very uninspiring. However, unlike some of the VA the music in BlazBlue is stellar. You’ll find your self beating down (or getting a beat down) to some awesome heavy metal and J-Rock tracks.

The Legend Lives On

To me BlazBlue was an unexpected hit. It takes everything that made Guilty Gear great and transcends it while only struggling on some parts. Aside from some voice acting and a confusing and head scratching plot BlazBlue offers a unique yet familiar experience that will have 2-D fans and fight fans alike craving for more. Fans won’t go wrong with either system but I found the PS3’s D-pad less frustrating to use in comparison the 360’s. But really which ever version you get you wont go wrong and if you hurry you can get the Limited Edition version for the same price as the Regular Edition. Hurry Get This NOW!

Presentation: 8.7

Gameplay: 9

Value: 9.5

Overall: 9.1

Update

Sorry about the delay folks. Im having some site problems uploading some of the content of my reviews. Hopefully things will be back up to speed on Weds. In the mean time enjoy this funny video.

Celebs in NBA2k10

See More NBA 2K10 Screenshot at IGN.com

Now Play As Kanye West

Akim Burke For Much Music VJ Search

This Young Man Has The Talent and Personality To Be The Next VJ For Much Music. VOTE FOR AKIM BURKE @

http://vj.muchmusic.com/gallery/1090#gallery

Hot New Artist Of The Day

Reese Badda

NBA 2K10 Trailer

This Is For All You Basketball Fans.

-LL

This Game Looks Amazing. Expect A Review For It's Predecessor On Friday.

-LL

Kid Cudi, Relapse ,Batman and Uncharted In Coming->Oct 1st

On 10/01/09 We Will be posting a record breaking 4 Reviews. Two Music reviews,one for the Debut Album of Kid Cudi, one for Eminem's Relapse Album and Two Game reviews for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Batman: Arkham Asylum Standard and Collector's Edition.

-Lascelle Legend

Blueprint 3 REVIEW- Jay-Z (MUSIC)

10 Number 1 Albums/Maybe Now 11?

What does it mean to be Legendary? What does it mean to be at the top and never letting go? What does it mean to be the Michael Jordan of something? I may never know but a man who does know is Shawn Carter AKA Jay-Z. From his 1998 debut album Reasonable Doubt to his more recent work with 2007’s American Gangster, Jay-Z has established himself as the undisputed leader of Hip Hop. No matter what you say, whenever he speaks, rhymes or even does something more subtle everyone’s eyes are on Jay-Z.

Kanye West's Protege Kid Cudi Makes a Memorable Feature On The Fantastic Already Home

So of course, his latest body of work would be held to a standard that would cripple any other artist, but somehow, someway Jigga finds a way to absorb that pressure and turn it into something that will be talked about for years to come. Blueprint 3 (BP3) is Hova showing the world and the industry that just because you're older doesn’t mean you don’t have a voice.
With tracks like Thank You, D.O.A and Reminder Jay appropriately reminds listeners that he is not only the man who elevated Hip Hop to a level never imagined before but that he is also still the King of this rap game.

Jay-Z's New Protege J.Cole Did The Unthinkable....He Murdered Jay-Z On His Own Track.

In terms of production values. Well, except for one or two tracks, Jigga’s ears for beats are still the best in the industry. With the likes of Kanye West, No I.D. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland handling the lion’s share of the beat production there really isn’t a step or a mistake made on that side.

However, there are a couple of tracks that keep this from being a sure fire classic. My main gripe comes in the form of three tracks which would be Hate (Feat. Kanye), What We Talkin' About and Off That they really destroy and ruin the smooth atmosphere that the rest of the album tries to preserve and if they had been omitted, I would be reviewing a classic instead of a rather solid album.

With strong guest appearances from great artists like Kanye, Rihanna, Young Jeezy, Kid Cudi and Roc Nation newbie J.Cole, Hov is able to bring the heat for this album and may have his 11th straight number one album on the charts when 9/11 drops. One thing that is prevalent through the album is the single message that Hov beats into your head throughout the duration of this album. He’s the best at what he does and if you're not prepared to admit it then you just don’t know music.

It’s The R-O-C NATION


8.5/10

NEW REVIEW COMING THURSDAY WE ARE BACK TO WEEK-TO-WEEK REVIEWS

Hey Followers just here to inform you that Canadian-Gamer will be releasing our second review on the PS3/Xbox 360 Multiplatform, 2-D title BlazBlue. You're sure to enjoy it!

Metal Gear Solid 4-Review By Lascelle Legend

There's not much to be said about the Metal Gear Solid franchise that hasn't been said before. With each installment players are able to find themselves immersed in an experience that they will never forget. Somehow, someway series creator Hideo Kojima has found a way to take everything that we know and love about the Metal Gear series and elevate it to a new level. In Metal Gear Solid 4 players are given a totally new and rich experience that is different yet at the same time totally familiar. Veterans of the series will note that problems and complaints that have been brought about throughout the years, have been addressed and fixed in the most brilliant of ways. Gameplay, Story, Technical problems have all been eliminated in this latest installment and we thank Mr. Kojima and his team for taking our concerns into consideration.

Thats Actually A Chick

Presentation

In MGS4 players will find themselves in the shoes of Solid (Old) Snake as he completes his final mission. The assassination of his Twin brother Liquid Snake, who is now going by the name of Liquid Ocelot. Players will find that MGS4 has taken on a more Third Person Shooter type of gameplay but the essential stealth elements of the series are still there, only this time players now have the choice on how to approach a situation. Should I go in there like Solid Snake or should I go in as a commando? The story of MGS4 sets out to answer all of the questions that have ever been raised throughout the series history. Questions like "Why is Vamp still alive" "Who are The Patriots" "And for God's sake why is Solid Snake old?". However, it is recommended that players who are just jumping straight into MGS4 with no idea of it's extremely twisty and deep story should either go out and buy the past games in the recently released Essential Package,or watch the series history on one of the Youtube vids on our Video bar. One thing is for sure fans of the series will not be disappointed with how everything in the MGS universe plays out in this sequel.

Presentation: 10

The Game Looks and Plays Like This

Graphics

The visuals that accompany this masterpiece are simply brilliant. MGS4 is probably the most impressive looking game ON ANY console to date. The animations of the characters are life-like that you sometimes forget you're playing a game and not watching a live-action movie. In some areas the environments will have an effect on your camera. If you find yourself in a dusty area you will start seeing dust particles resting on the camera lenses. These visuals are nothing less then stunning as everything is so crisp and sharp that no still-image can do the game any justice whatsoever. To truly appreciate MGS4's beauty you have to experience it in motion.

Graphics: 10 

Sound

The soundtrack of MGS4 is probably the best I've ever heard in a game. Series composer and legend Harry Gregson-Williams makes an outstanding return to the series with some of his best work yet. The true beauty of the game's sound lies within its use of product placement. For some reason or another entertainment giant Apple has decided to include their Ipod and Imac products in this game. While the Macs remain unusable to the players, the ipod feature is totally customizable and enables the ability to listen to any MGS song in its entirety and enables them to build their own MGS-custom soundtrack. The voice acting is top-notch with David Hayter making a return to voice Snake's gravel-like voice with the rest of the VA cast meeting and in Christopher Randolph's (Otacon) case exceeding Hayter's standard. The one word to describe the talent in this game would have to either be exceptional or frightening.

Sound: 10

Use Cover or Guns Blazing YOUR CHOICE

Gameplay

One of the complaints that many had with the MGS series was that its gameplay mechanisms sometimes made it a chore to play. Most complaints were targeted toward the awkward camera and shooting aspects. To say the least the creative team behind the game have listened to critics and have revamped the gameplay in its entirety. While still being able to remember it's roots as a stealth game, MGS4 was able to take on some Third-Person shooter elements to increase the fun factor of its gameplay. Adopting a more over the shoulder aiming mechanism, the gun-battle segments of MGS4 have only intensified and as a result players will sometimes want to forego the stealth and opt for a round of Commando-like kills. 

Gameplay: 10

Boss Battles are EPIC

Lasting Appeal

When everything is said and done with the single player aspect of MGS4, players have the option of going through it again to try and get a better ranking from the game's ranking system and experience various Easter Eggs planted throughout the course of the game. Players can dive right into the online multiplayer of MGO which aside from a few hitches is as deep as any multiplayer experience available on the market that will keep you invested and entertained long after you're done with the Single Player adventure.

Lasting Appeal: 10

Give me your wallet!

In all honesty, I don't think you could get an understanding of how great an experience MGS4 is unless you try it out for yourself and see what all the hype is about. Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions have outdone themselves and every other developer this generation with MGS4. Play it, Love it, Live it, Experience it.

Presentation: 10

Graphics: 10

Gameplay: 10

Sound and Music: 10

Lasting Appeal: 10

Overall: 10/10

GO BUY IT NOW 

Welcome

Welcome to Canadian Gamer, A website dedicated to everything concerning Video Games. Here you will be able to find News, Tips, Tricks and Reviews on all things Gaming. Please come back again on Friday when I post the site's first review, which will be on the Playstation 3 exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4.

Thanks,

Lascelle Legend Head of  The Canadian Gamer Staff.