Well people, Coffee and myself have been busy with RL at the moment, but we are really trying to get some more reviews up for you. Its difficult to find companies that you will review for and you’re just starting out. Hopefully we have something in the near future.

I got my review copy on Monday, and didn’t really get a chance to play until Wednesday but be assured the second I finish the game (I’m about 65% done) I will post my review!

And now, another Opinionated Review: More Opinion, Less Monsters.

So let’s be honest here, you must be living under a rock if haven’t seen or heard anything about Rockstar’s latest game, Grand Theft Auto IV. That being said you’ve also probably read reviews already, and nothing that I say will blow your socks off. But for those of you who haven’t, here goes:

Grand Theft Auto IV takes place in a redesigned Liberty City, differing heavily from it’s GTA and GTA III renditions. While this one resembles New York City much more closely than its GTA and GTA III counterparts, it is still different enough to not feel like True Crime: New York City (Thank God). Liberty City is a departure from the somewhat cartoony feel of San Andreas, Vice City, and the previous Liberty City incarnation, bringing a very realistic atmosphere to drive in (and shoot up). It is so realistic sometimes I find myself lost in the city doing nothing but people watching. I saw a man push another on the sidewalk, starting a fight, I dialed 911 and the police showed up, arrested both men, and then drove off.

Enough about this city already, what about the gameplay? While in no way perfect, GTA IV shines in almost every aspect. New to the series is the cover system, and while it doesn’t necessarily always work the exact way you want to, I think we can all agree that the game is better with it, than without it. Throught the game Niko did take cover in exactly the opposite place of where I intended him to take cover, however after getting used to the controls, the more I played the game the less he took cover where I didn’t want him to.

Another new addition to the game is the taxi system. While taxis have been in every single GTA, they have never been able to take you anywhere other than back to a failed mission from the hospital. They now can take you anywhere on the map (well okay, not anywhere) and come complete with awkward conversation. If talking to a strange cabby isn’t your thing, then you can skip to your destination for an extra charge. The taxi system works great and I found myself using it much more than I thought I would in the beginning.

But let’s be honest with ourselves, the game is called Grand Theft Auto, not Grand Taxi Taking, and boy does this game deliver on the Auto part of GTA. While there are less vehicles than San Andreas, you won’t notice. You’ll recognize the names, Banshee, Merit, Infernus, Stallion, the list goes on, but they have been greatly redone. Each car is highly has a highly detailed interior and exterior, and looks much more realistic than the cartoony counterparts from past GTA renditions. The new damage system is much better, from scraping a light post and losing some paint, to totally trashing a car by rolling it 5 times or more (thus getting the Achievement) at full speed while going off a stunt jump, I was totally amazed at the new damage models.

Another new key feature is the cell phone, while it may not be as fancy as the iPhone it does what a normal cell phone does, make calls, text message, and takes pictures. You can make and recieve calls, recieve text messages, and take pictures which you can send to contacts or upload to a police computer located within a cruiser. This all being said the majority of your cell phone usage will be recieving instructions, asking or being asked out on a date or to hang out, or recieving text messages that you don’t call *FILL IN GIRL(S) THAT YOU ARE DATING NAME(S) HERE* enough. The camera is really unused in most of the game, which is dissapointing seeing is that I thought of a lot of cool ways to use the camera. Calling random phone numbers whilst drunk in the game is almost as fun as doing it in real life.

One final new feature that I’ll touch on is the internet, and while I have yet to fully use it, I have visited several sites, from scam sites sent in emails, to the dating website, to the autoerotica website, to the famed www.whattheydontwantyoutoknow.com website, each is done with striking resembelence to the real world internet. However I did find it much easier to score with chicks on the in-game internet dating website than it would be in real life (No, I haven’t cyber-dated at all however the in game one all you had to do was hit a button to start dating a girl). One of my favorite sites was the Liberty Tree website, as its headlines and news articles correlated with what was going on in-game. Nothing like reading about yourself in the newspaper!

Of all the new features it’s great to see that Rockstar was able to not forget the classic mix of driving, shooting, and humor that made the first 8 games so enjoyable. There’s a rule that as a young male, the word penis never gets old, and man, there are a LOT of penis references in IV. The only thing that really keeps me from believing Liberty City is a real place and I am really there is the fact that all the advertisements are fake and most are sexually charged. That isn’t a bad thing though, if I found it too real I might go out and start killing people for real (That last one is obviously a lie, but was put in there for good ol Jack Thompson).

All in all, if you like previous GTA’s this one’s for you. It’s a restart of the whole series so even if you’re brand new to the franchise, you don’t need to play the first games ahead of time. The breakdown follows:

The Technical Stuff:
System(s) Played On: XBOX 360, Playstation 3
Display(s) used: 42″ Plasma set at 1080p, 32″ LCD set at 720p, 30″ CRT set at 480i

In Depth:
Graphics: 10/10
Rockstar really pushed each console to it’s limits in this area, and did suffer noticeable pop-in every now and then, but it is understandable. Not once on either system did I experience any framerate dips, even during intense firefights with multiple enemies.
Console Battle: PS3. While the 360’s native 720p resolution tops the PS3’s native 640p resolution, the PS3 gets the nod for better graphics due to less texture pop-in and better effects. When playing in SDTV mode the characters, while fully detailed, due suffer from smoothing issues that are inherent with SD.

Sound: 9/10
While the ambient sound was top-notch, the radio stations were very repetitive, I would hear the same song on the radio over and over again and would never hear other songs. For instance, Liberty Rock Radio was constantly playing Rocky Mountain Way (Joe Walsh), but for the duration of the whole game, in which I never switched off of LRR, I only heard 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins) four times.

The Idea:
Taking GTA to the next generation is what fans wanted, and that’s what they got. Instead of another rehash of GTA III (IE: Vice City and San Andreas), Rockstar really delivered on a whole new game worthy of being called Game of the Year 2008 right now, before 2008 ends.

Replayability: 10/10
The PS3 version got shivved in the stomach by Microsoft when they inked a deal with Rockstar to release exclusive episode DLC for the XBOX 360, but the replayability is extremely high as you can make different decisions throughout, and you can’t tell me you don’t want to play that bank robbery mission again with a straight face. The edition of multiplayer really (as with any game) keeps the replayability of the game high.
Console Battle: Xbox 360. Exclusive episodic content totally shoots the PS3 in the face in terms of replayability.

Multiplayer: 7/10
There are too many multiplayer modes for the amount of people that are on. Wait a few months and it will be a 10/10 when more people are playing online.

Console War: XBOX 360. Shorter load times, exclusive DLC, and achievements give the edge to the 360.

Overall: A+/10
That’s right, the game was so good, it blew off of one grading scale and onto a whole different one, garnering a rare A+ out of ten.

So wtf took you so long Ben: Well I wanted to play through the full game at least twice (Once on the 360 and once on the PS3) before I reviewed it, and because I have a real job and had to get the game well after reviewers got the game, it took this long. BTW I’m on my fourth playthrough right now.

Name: Destructor Professional Gaming Mat
Manufacture: Razer
Manufacture Interwebzite: http://www.razerzone.com
Type of Device: Mouse Surface
Manufacture Specifications:

Razer Fractal™ surface for high-precision gameplay
Optimized for both optical and laser gaming-grade mice
Ultra-wide size ideal for continuous, rapid swipes: 350mm (length) x 280mm (width) x 2.3mm (height)
Non-slip rubber base for firm grip on smooth surfaces
Includes a premium lightweight protective case

Alright! Its the third review! I can’t believe it! And now for something that just sits on your desk.

So we will review the Razer Destructor Professional Gaming Mat (aka mouse surface).

The thing that shocked me right off hand was the custom case for the mat. It like opening up a custom built sniper rifle case. There is a perfect cut out for it. The case itself is tough, it is similar to a laptop case and just and hard. And with the Razer’s 3 snake logo on the top, it gives the feel of 47’s Walther sniper case.

As for the mat itself, all I can say is wow! The first thing I noticed when I look at it is the shape, not only is it huge, its wide! It is a little over 13 inches long, it is a little over 11 inches wide, and .09 of an inch high. I purchased a Razer Copperhead about a year and a half ago (don’t quote me), and I still haven’t replaced the teflon feet on them and it slides around on this pad more then my current pad, just a 12″x12″ WoW!Pad
made by Microthin (Microthin.com). Compaired to the WoW!Pad the Destructor rangs supreme. The pad will not slide around my desk without me getting angry. The pad is also semi-ridgid and I had to literally tape my current mouse pad down because it kept sliding as I moved the mouse. How am I supposed to pwn your face with the pad doing that! The Destructor does not move, even if my hand happens to slide on it, the base is kick ass, its better then the cheap mouse pads that you buy in those office supply stores for $5 USD. As for the style is is pimpin’. I mean the colour is kick ass and sweet! It’s a dark gun metal grey, with the Destructor logo in the lower left hand corner and the Razer 3 snake logo in the upper right corner.

Comfort 10/10
Hey, I dont have to deal with pad moving around on me, and its lower section where your lower palm would be is cut out so that it doesn’t get in the way. Although no wrist rest, its good, and I do believe a wrist rest would just render it less usable, or even annoying.

Input 10/10
Come on! With something this bad ass that my mouse slides across the entire length of the mat with just the flick of a finger thats pwnage right there! It was designed right!

Output 10/10
With my ability to turn my DPI up to 2000, and then slide my mouse, my flight abilities have improved over BF2. I can turn to look faster at an enemy. This is the mat of your dreams!

Unique Features:
1) The carring Case -=- A nice addition to whip out at a LAN
2) The Size -=- I though my 12×12 was nice, but damn! Ya its only an inch more but its like the saying “Give a man an inch and they think they are a ruler.”
Its true! you will rule the opposition with pwnage.
3) Rubber base -=- This is by far the best base I have seen on a mouse. Everyone that I have used always end up slipping and having to reposition it back. There is no more slipping.

Cons:
Although the case is a nice feature that it comes with, if you think about it, just the mat itself would be more then sufficient, and have the mat an option when ordering.

Overall Score: 10/10

Developer: Tilted Mill Entertainment

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Gaming Style: Empire Building

Interwebzsite: http://simcitysocieties.ea.com/index.php

System Requirements:
Windows XP SP2, or Windows Vista, 1.7 GHz Intel CPU, or AMD XP 2100 processor, 512 MB RAM memory, 2.1 GB free hard disk drive space, 128 MB video card, DVD drive, DirectX 9.0-compatible video card. (Windows Vista requires a 2.4 GHz processor or equivalent and 1 GB RAM)

ESRB Rating: E10+

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So a couple of weeks ago, I was walking through my local Best Buy and happened to see that there was a new Sim City out, “Sim City: Societies.”

It is a revisited Sim City, although yes you attempt to make monies to build your city, its not to build it for profit, its to build it to make it more livable, or unlivable. You can rule with an iron fist, or as a “nice guy.”

The game is simple, keep your sims happy, or they will actually revolt against you. There are stunning graphics!
The water actually reflexes the building, and landscape!

You can check out some screenies here

What I find is nice about the game is that the interface is amazingly easy to work with. At first I was a little surprised because it wasn’t the normal Sim City type interface, of design a zone for businesses/home/corporations, you actually build the buildings themselves.
The buildings control different aspects of the game: productivity, prosperity, creativity, spirituality, authority, and knowledge. Each one of these counter acts one of the others, so to maintain a balanced city it takes planning, or you can just be a terrible leader and rule in an authoritarian fashion and be a Nazi of society.

There are awards you can attempt to receive by accomplishing certain feats such as having a medium city, with your city using 200 productivity and having a large percentage of the people happy, and the awards give you stats just as the buildings do. I have received “Sheriff” which gives me monies for the day, although not a lot it helps. Each award has its own characteristics to help your city just as the buildings do.

The buildings in Societies consist of house/living places, jobs, entertainment (venues), and scenery/decorations. They all play an important role in the game, house give places for your sims to live, so they can go get a job, to make you money, and if they
don’t like where they live because of the lack of entertainment or scenery they will revolt, thus not earn you any money.

Although this wasn’t developed by Maxis, the original makers of Sim City, there is still a nice feel for it. It does give a different spin to the game.

I found that the best strategy as in the originals, was to create power plants away from the city, to cut down on the smog. and section off businesses, homes/venues. It helps really well with happiness of your Sims.

I caused them to revolt today, I pushed them overboard on making me money… I placed too many Oil Refineries, and they got pissed revolted and shut it down. It lost me 1400 simoleons… totally pissed me off, that could have been a new house to make some more money

Although there were mixed reviews, I am disregarding them and going with what I say. Over all i think this game has nice features, like the graphics, but it is about a stones throw away from being like a true Sim City. I would rate this game overall a 7/10, just for the lack of actual difficulty, as in the other Sim City games.

OVERALL 7/10

The new City and Colour album came out February 12th, and I special ordered it, and now I have it.

I shall not lie, this is one of the best albums ever, from Dallas Green!
If any of you have listened to Dallas’ 2nd and/or 3rd albums “Serraville” and “Live and Rare” you will hear some songs from that on the new album, but there are times when the Live versions sound better at times, but then there is a twist to the melody, or beat and it makes the album version that much better.

There is a very deep twist to a very good song that was found on Serraville, “The Sleeping Sickness.” It was remade, with a catchy up beat tune and with an even greater twist, Gordon Downie, yes that’s right, THE lead singer of The Tragically Hip. With Downies extraordinary way to change a sad song is to a joyous song with not only the right way to choose his [Downies] extension to the normal lyrics and adding his own lyrics, but with the power of his voice.

The amazing transformation of loosing and lost from Dallas’ first Album “Sometimes” to this technically third album “Bring Me Your Love” is quaint and joyous, its as if something that was lost has been found, something that has been broken, has been fixed, something that was great has only become greater.

If you want something to easy your pains, ease your mind or just ease your soul, I highly recommend this album 100%. I am truly amazed on how much Dallas’ side project from Alexisonfire has changed.

This album includes twelve songs, and if you purchase it over iTunes there is a thirteenth “iTunes Exclusive” song. Unfortunately at the time I was not aware of the iTunes purchase, and am kicking myself for not purchasing it for the thirteenth free track.

I would highly recommend you listen to some songs before purchasing,
and none of these songs are downloadable. We want Dallas to keep making music.

And I have to say Dallas Green is by far my favorite singer ever, when I saw him in concert last year at The Grog Shop, when he was with AOF, and Moneen. it was cool! And he is so personable, and doesn’t look down upon anyone, he is one of the nicest people you could ever meet.

*brags about his ticket stub that has Dallas’, George’s, and Wade’s [of Alexisonfire] signature on it, and the shirt with the entire bands sigs on it*

Welcome to the First DemonCoffee Review!

We shall welcome ourselves, We are Oni and OutstandingCoffee, from pwned.com.
We want to inform the people of the interwebz of the new and upcomings of the
world of technology. We will attempt to review gaming devices, hardware, and
maybe even software, and not just limited to computers but we will attempt to
do audio and video, and maybe some gaming consoles also, and hell why not music
and movies! These are reviews aren’t they?

We assume the first post we can go ahead and let our future fans know a little
about us.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Peter “Oni” Rawding
http://www.pwned.com/Ichi_Oni

BLAH BLAH BLAH! This will be filled with useless info, but here it goes.

I was born in 1984 in Norman, Oklahoma (Go Sooners!), and have been into
electronics as long as I can remember. My parents owned a bar and two doors
down was an electronics repair shop that my little brother (he’s only 2 years
younger then me) and I used to hang at, and also next door was Toto’s Pizza :D.

I grew up on the original Atari that my dad bought my bro and I one day and,
grew up on pitfall. A couple years later my kick ass uncle bought us a NES,
and we never stopped playing the thing. We played Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
(all of them) but my brother still loves the Arcade one the best. I enjoyed
Dokie Dokie Panic! a.k.a. “Super Mario Brothers 2.”

After my family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, my brother and I started on the
N64, and the Playstation systems. We got our kicks from Syphon Filter, Metal Gear,
Gran Turismo 1 and 2, Mario 64, Perfect Dark 64, Goldeneye 64, and the unfortunate
Aerogauge.
It was also in Kansas City that I got my kicks checking out computers, and working
with them, although only in middle school, they were getting rid of some old Apple I’s
and I got a hold of it and ended up playing Lemmings, and when the HDD finally crapped
out I took the computer apart and looked inside.

My family later moved to Springfield, Ohio where I began my true interest in computers.
I bought my first brand new computer, a Gateway flex, and it was my first one that I
ended up modding (just swapping out the DVD-ROM drive that is still in my current computer,
with a CD burner).

After graduating from Springfield North High School, I moved to Erie, Pennsylvania for
a higher education of schooling at Gannon University. I was originally “Undecided” but
I chose pychology, then it changed to engineering, which I was getting bored with because
the classes were things I had learned in high school with Mr. “Chappy” Chapman.
I later changed to Computer and Information Sciences with a minor in Liberal Arts(Studies).
Also during college I was officially introduced to Dance Dance Revolution, and played it once
a week for 3 hour or so, now I’m down to about once a month.

I later quit Gannon with approximately a year left of schooling, and went to work in a
retail position, working with electronics as much as possible to keep up to date the
newest happenings of the world of technology

During this time I built my 1st and 2nd 100% custom built computer(s). Both running
AMDs and Nvidia graphics. The first was a Socket A Athlon XP, and the latter is now a Opteron 939.
The first Nvidia was a FX series, and now I am running a pair of 7600GT KO’s and further
OC’ed myself.

I am currently working on my 3rd build working around the Socket AM2 or AM2+ and still
Nvidia, either a later 8 Series (88xx GT or GTX) or a later 9 Series.

You can currently find me trolling the pwned.com ShoutBox, Facebook, and Myspace.

I am attempting to save monies and attend Fullsail hopefully by the end of the summer, or
at least the end of the year.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Ben “OutstandingCoffee” Brody
www.pwned.com/OutstandingCoffee

I’m not much for introductions, so excuse
me if I suck at this as much as Lola sucks that lollipop.

West of House
You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door.
There is a small mailbox here.
N
N
Climb Tree
Take Egg
D
S
E
Open Window
W
Take Bottle
W
Open Case
Take Sword
Take Lantern
E
U
Turn On Lantern
Take Rope
Turn Lantern Off
D
W
Move Rug
Open Trap Door
D
Turn Lantren on
I don’t know the word Lantren
Oh, No! You have walked into the slavering fangs of a lurking grue

If you understand that, then this is the start of a beautiful friendship, if not, tis ok
not everybody is a big of a geek as me.

I started gaming really early, playing such games as Sam and Max, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, and
many more Point and Click adventures, which were my favorite. I didn’t really get into console gaming until
the N64 came out. Sleepless nights of Perfect Dark, Goldeneye, and Super Smash Bro’s soon followed. Fast forward to May 2008, and my life is filled with sleepless nights of GTA IV, Call of Duty 4, and yes, still Battlefield 2.

I enjoy motorcycling, gaming, watching sports, all the guy stuff I guess. If you want to get to know me better
you can read my pwned profile, and can also reach me at y2k1994 on aim.