Diary of a Gamer: It's Halloween

It's Halloween and that means it's time for Jack-O-Lanterns and Scary Games in my book.

First off I would like to share my own Jack-O-Lantern. It's my first time making a game character in my pumpkin and I would say for my first try it's not bad at all. Take a look.



So if you are looking to scare yourself tonight and want something different then the horror movie marathon then why not have a horror game marathon. To me a game is even scarier then a movie and I do love my horror movies. With a game you go at your own pace and I feel because you are the one making the decisions, that you feel more like you are the character. That the killer isn't coming after the young starlet on the screen that you are screaming at your tv to not go in the basement, THE KILLER IS IN THE BASEMENT!, but instead you feel the killer is coming after you. So you are the one deciding should I go in there? Is there a monster in there.

But here are my top 5 scary videogames to play this halloween.

5. Haunting Ground PS2

Picking the 5th one was hard because I knew I had to cut it off somewhere, but what game would hold it's spot. I decided to go with this game because it's not played like most survival horror games, as you will see there are a couple on my list that go away from the norm of survival horror games in some way. Decide to mix up the list a bit. In this game the only defense you have is to hide. You must search a mansion to find a way, which is like many survival horror games, but in this one you have no weapons, however you will eventually get a helpful, friendly dog who helps you get items and fend off enemies.

4. Fatal Frame PS2

A classic survival game with a twist. Based off of a couple Japanese myths you go in search of your brother in a haunted mansion with a camera as your only weapon. These enemies are different from most as they can chase you threw walls and objects.

3. Eternal Darkness for Gamecube

If this game is a giant mind fuck, then I don't know what is. The game worlds and storyline is creepy on it's own, but this game has a few more unique tricks up it's sleeve. It breaks the forth wall really making you believe that you just might be going insane. When your characters sanity goes down effects start happening such as the volume lowering with a volume bar entering on screen.

2. Resident Evil PSX

You knew this had to be on my list somewhere. Zombies are just creepy on themselves, then mix in some abnormal monsters in an abandoned mansion with a double crossing boss. The have some cheap scares that will make you jump out of your seat and even though the dialog is a bit cheesy at times, the story will keep you intrigued.

1. Silent Hill PSX

Even though I talk about Resident Evil a lot when I talk about horror games, but Silent Hill was the scariest game I've ever played. The world surrounding you quickly changes from a eerie ash falling atmosphere to a completely degrading world from the aftermath of a fire. The creatures you come across do not attack you in horde, but show up randomly sometimes giving you a warning and sometimes not. The game really messes with your head as you search for your missing daughter.

Diary of a Gamer: New Segment

Not so new seeing how I have already had none game review posts, but this way I can group them together and perhaps have a reason to update more.

So it's the Xmas Season. Pretty sad seeing how Halloween hasn't even come yet, but that complaint comes every year when stores start selling Xmas stuff next to the Halloween costumes. But this time also means that there are a lot of new and exciting game releases. The best games usually do come out around this time. So are there games that I'm looking forward to? Hell ya! Does this mean more reviews? Let's hope so, but my addiction of gaming leaves me to buy more games than I can keep up with. Which leaves even less time for reviews. Hense where I hope this segment will come in to pick up the slack.

A big release that just came out was Uncharted 2 for the PS3. I am already plugging away the hours. I'm half way through the story mode and am very pleased with what has come so far. The cut scenes are beautiful, the storyline is interesting, and the gameplay is amazing. And with the online multiplayer mode there is so much to do. I recommend the game fully, but if you want to wait a review might be coming.

Another big game coming out, this time for the Wii, is the New Super Mario Bros. which will bring you back to the gold old days of 2D gaming. This one peaks my interesting and I probably will end up picking it up sooner or later. If only it had online multiplayer as well.

Other releases are Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for the DS, and Activision and MTV Games have a bunch of new music games that have recently been released or are soon on there way. So this holiday season should be full of new and fun games for any gamer.

However there are more games on the horizon past the holiday season. Mario Galaxy 2 is coming out next year for the Wii, as well as Heavy Rain for the PS3 and Bayonetta for the PS3 and 360. And in the distant future Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep for the PSP and Final Fantasy XIII.

I'm most looking forward to the games for the PS3. I feel a lack of excitement for my Wii these days feeling like a lot of games aren't being designed with my type of games in mind. Though New Super Mario Bros. does look intriguing however I'm put off by the idea that the game can play itself when things get too tough for some to handle. Sure I don't have to use it, but it's the idea of what games are coming to these days.

Then there's Bayonetta, which looks like it could be fun, but the PS3 port hasn't been done well so far. Sure it's not released yet and Sega, who has already owned up for it's mistakes on the poor graphic quaility to the PS3 version, still has time to spruce it up to the 360 version's standards. The PS3 does have better graphic capability, it's time that multi-platform games use what the PS3 is capable of even if it's just to match the 360 version. If we are going to shell out $60 for a game we want the best it can be and not another Ghost Busters issue.

So if you are looking for a new game there are plenty of new releases and up and comings to pick up. Don't let all that holiday time go to waste!