Dead Space is Fantastic!

Yeah, you heard that right. The game is quite excellent. Don't believe me, well then read what I have to say about the PS3 version:

Dead Space Review

I also typed up a review for Silent Hill Homecoming if anyone is interested. Really I think the Homecoming review reads better even though I spent much longer on the Dead Space review. I've spent MUCH more time playing Homecoming than Dead Space at the moment.

I'm also trying to write up a guide for Dead Space but this one's going to take quite a while. I really should have done this on my first time through like I did with SH: Homecoming, since I was much more involved then. I'm using both the 360 and PS3 version to write different parts. Hopefully, I'll have the motivation to continue.

I'll be receiving Far Cry 2 soon, so I don't know if I'll have the willpower to stay focused on Dead Space for the next few weeks.

UPDATE: Just as an extra, check out this Silent Hill Homecoming video review made by a good friend from a forum that I frequent from time to time.

Silent Hill Homecoming Guide

I must admit, I was wrong. Because of the change in developers and many of the early screens I had seen, I had my doubts about Silent Hill Homecoming up to the very release date and until I placed it in my Xbox 360, but it really has impressed me. Bravo, Double Helix, Bravo! It has its problems and it is probably the least scariest Silent Hill, but it's a great addition to the series if you ask me, so I decided to do a little something for it.

Silent Hill Homecoming FAQ/Walkthrough by Berserker

I started up on this guide after playing it for about 10 minutes. I always feel that I do a better job on survival horrors while typing up the walkthrough portion on my first time through. I like to showcase my tension and feelings for the game in my writing and I think it works out much better on my first time through. This is not to say that the strategies are based on my first time through. I've been through it a second time and actually used my guide on guidance - that's a first!

If you're looking for this on GameFAQs then I probably won't post it up there until later this week. I want to have time to correct a few areas before it goes up on there.

What else, what else...

Oh yeah, new reviews are up for Infinite Undiscovery and Mega Man 9 if anyone is interested. Also, more importantly, I now only have 7 more challenge rooms left in Bionic Commando Rearmed. Oooo, it's getting so hard now!

Silent Hill Homecoming FAQ updates:

Update (10/16) - A new save point list was added to the List section. Many of the sections were beefed up quite a bit. The intro was redone a bit to match the survival horror mood I was in yesterday after beating the game for the fourth time. This should be up on GameFAQs later today also - just submitted it. Only the walkthrough and a few other sections are proofread so there are still plenty of typos in the guide I'm sure.

That about wraps it up. Other updates should be minor. I wouldn't count on an item list or game script this time around like I did with Origins. A game script would be kind of fun though.

Update (10/17) - A Weapon list is now up in the list section. A few typos have been destroyed and reborn as actual words and phrases also. Some typos still linger though, so email me if you notice one.

Update (10/20) - Ending 1 requirements were revised thanks to a reader. Squashed many of the typos in the Enemies section. The List section still has typos, I know, but I don't know when or if I'll get around to looking over it. Proofreading my own work is so very hard and boring. :(

Update (10/22) - All sections have been proofread, so all the typos are gone, no doubt. If not... I'll stretch the typo words until they break and all the little characters drain out.

Siam knife finisher description was added also. I only have a few finisher moves descriptions left to add now.

Update (11/03) - This update has been sitting on my comp for the past week really... Anyway, Siam knife finisher revised. A few glitch warnings added, one in the Sewers right before Siam fight and another in the Church before the plate puzzle.

Update (11/12) - Added a note about an image of Alex's father that can be seen through the cloth sheet in the basement before cutting the sheet - see added "Special Note" in the walkthrough during the first arrival in the basement of the Shepherd House for more info. Also added the finishing move for the Feral while equipped with the axe. A tip was added to the fight with the three Needlers and the Siam in the Main Drain Chamber of the Sewers. Another note was added to the Scarlet fight before the second battle with her.

If anyone can describe the Combat Knife/Ceremonial Dagger finishing move when fighting a Smog then please email me. It is the ONLY little detail left that I want to add for a complete guide.

Update (11/18) - Corrected a few mistakes here and these thanks to Rob. A new valuable health tip is now listed under the Health section in Basics. The Smog now has a Combat Knife/Ceremonial Dagger finisher description now as well thanks to a reader. I now dub Silent Hill Homecoming FAQ/Walkthrough by Berserker as finished! I'm still accepting additions though.

Resident Evil 5 TGS '08 trailer!

Don't. Play. ^That. Click on the link. Go to Gametrailers. Watch it in the highest resolution possible - oh, what the hell, just click here (HD) or here (SD). Have the volume up as high as it will go. If you're avoiding spoilers then don't watch it at all. Just know that it made my day.

There are times where I wish I could reach through my monitor and somehow grab a game and play it early no matter how much of a beta form it still is in. This game goes beyond that though... I just... wow.

March needs to here quickly. ...and I REALLY need to get an HDTV before then.[/RE fanboy explosion]

The Official North American RE5 Site is updated quite a bit also with new downloads, character profiles, etc.

UPDATE 1

There is also an Alternate Trailer on GameTrailers:

Alternate Trailer SD
Alternate Trailer HD

Thanks to Brian for pointing this out.

UPDATE 2

A New Resident Evil Degeneration trailer is now up!

Berserker is Coming Home!

I have been hot and heavy on Silent Hill Homecoming ever since its release last Wednesday and I must say, the game is much better than what I was expecting. While playing through my first time I have actually typed out a full walkthrough for it. I decided to start one up at the last second since I was highly entertained by the opening sequences. I have finished it in less than a week! A new record! But now I have to go back through and correct a lot of things so I probably won't have it up until sometimes next week hopefully. I'm still missing some of the Child's Drawings, Serums, and Photos at this point.

This is the first time I have ever had my own guide handy while going back through the game for a second playthrough, so hopefully this one will read very well! I am sort of forced into doing this since I didn't think the first time enemy strategies were that great. I've inserted more humor than normal but still didn't go overboard because I don't like it myself when guides do that.

Anyway, expect a guide with detailed combat explanations, enemy attack lists, dialogue choice lists and many other extra portions in the weeks to come. It should be like my Silent Hill Origins guide - I'm actually using it as a template. I probably won't do a game script this time. My VCR is broke... and sort of jammed too really... hasn't been used in a long time. Haha.

But anyway, yeah, I beat Homecoming yesterday and I'm quite surprised with how good the game was. There are a few areas that I didn't like, such as the boring Otherworld Hell Descent and the super aggressive enemies on the streets that I have difficulty running from, among a few other things, but overall, it's a real good addition to the Silent Hill franchise I think. It's interesting how they have managed to blend in elements from the movie with the game and not go overboard like I expected them to. Pyramid Head wasn't overused and the movie Nurses and other enemies seem to match the game well. Combat is pretty good too, but when trying to dodge, it's sort of hard to tell when an enemy is going to attack sometimes. They don't always give off a smooth warning signs before an attack. The Feral is a perfect example of this. I'm having problems going over his moves in the guide.

BC Rearmed and Vampire Rain:AS reviews

Bionic Commando Rearmed (Xbox 360) review

There is a copy of the review for the PS3 version on Gamers' Temple as well since the review compares them. They were scored the same since they both have their ups and down and come out about equal in my eyes.

I still play BCR all the time no matter how many times I grind my teeth at the difficulty. The overall polished gameplay keeps me coming back to it so very often no matter how much trial and error I go through. I really hope that the same level of commitment that went into this game is displayed in Bionic Commando for the next-gen systems. I'm really looking forward to that future title.

Has anyone finished all the challenge rooms? Mentally, I can only take about 2-4 per night with how difficult they get as I advance. I've finished up to around 25 so far last time I tried them. As indigo said in my last BCR post, they're quite addicting. Even though I am now up to the point where simply completing them is a major task, the thought to go back and try for a five-star ranking still lingers after each completion.

Vampire Rain: Altered Species review

Now this game surprised me. Based on all the reviews I had read, I was expecting one craptacular experience here, but I was pleasantly surprised to find an alright stealth game hidden within. The main flaw that I found to the game is the absurd violent reaction of the enemies. Once they spot your character, if you can't defeat them before they reach you then the game is over. Period. Nearly no redemption.

The game was overall mediocre, but I still think its worth a try if you're curious. The first few stages seemed the worst to me. Once I actually got some better weapons that helped me to actually defeat enemies the game got a bit better.

Resident Evil Fanart and Fan Videos

You might remember that, quite a while back, a long-time artist friend of mine, by the name of Spike, drew up some RE fanart as a request for my RE: Umbrella Chronicles guide. If you don't, well then humor me and pretend to remember.

Anyway, Spike now has up some colored pics of the panels for the poster on his deviant page.

Panel 1 - Chris, Jill and Rebecca VS Tyrant
Panel 2 - Billy and Rebecca VS Leeches
Panel 3 - HUNK's Escape
Panel 4 - Ada's Escape
Panel 5 - Jill and Carlos VS Nemesis
Panel 6 - Wesker VS Sergei


Also, if you want a sneak peak of the main story for Resident Evil 5 then view the video below by ShadowLeggy. I think it tosses in some good theories myself and the background music totally matches. :D



Be sure to check out the brilliance of this user's Resident Evil Excited REmake! also, as well as this person's other videos!

Soul Calbur IV review and a few updates

I don't want the review stretching the page tremendously, so I'm not going to post it here.

Soul Calibur IV review (Xbox 360)

Soul Calibur IV review (PS3)

They both read the exact same since it's a comparison review but the scores are slightly different. I felt that the Xbox 360 version was a bit better because of the less network errors and less overall lag while playing online. Both versions can be just as faulty while being played online however.

I forgot to mention in the review that the PS3 version has an extra install option that helps to reduce load times very slightly. When compared to each other, the PS3 loads just a bit faster. The install option for the PS3 is completely optional unlike some other games that I have played.

And last but not least, besides the SW: The Force Unleashed demo guide update, as mentioned below, I have also updated the following guides of mine: (the updates should appear on the linked sites later today)

Obscure: The Aftermath - New hacking puzzle added to chapter 2 (right after the first puzzle)
Soul Calibur Achievement Guide - New Voldo tactic for the Conqueror achievement.
Dead Rising Infinity Mode FAQ - this one's been needing an update for a LONG time, got tons of backed up email on it. More psychopath and survivor locations were added along with an extra shoutout to a person that typed out the .xls documents on IGN FAQs - be sure to check them out if you're interested.