Need for Speed: Shift Preview

Hello all. I had the opportunity to try out the new Need for Speed: Shift video game courtesy of Screwattack.com. Check out the blog I wrote, gameplay video, and interview with the online community manager.

http://screwattack.com/node/28515

Bioshock 2 Marketing Beach Event Jones Beach August 8 2009

For those that do not know, marketing has taken a new face. New innovative ways are being thought of to get a product's name out and generate interest. What 2K Marin, the developers of Bioshock 2, did was bring Rapture up from the sea so to speak. 2K Marin strategically went to beaches around the world, planting bottles and rocks from the Bioshock universe. I went to one of the beaches, which happened to be at Jones Beach. You should also know all these beach events happened at the time of sunrise. For Jones Beach on August 8th 2009, it was 5:56 am. Surprisngly around 30-40, mostly young people around 20-30, dressed for anything but a day at the beach came to check out what this mysterious and cryptic event was going to have. We eventually found our way to a small mountain of sand where marketing from 2K Marin were standing. On the ground around the hill were bottles of wine stuck in the ground. While they were bottles, they are made of plastic. When the cork is removed, there are three pamphelts inside. Two are for Electro-bolt and Decoy plasmids and the other is a double-sided advertisement for Rapture, the iconic underwater city from Bioshock. Someone else reported that they found a symbol painted under a rock. Though it was short, it was fun to be a part of this strange, yet unique marketing event.

For more info about the event, click here and here. These articles are courtesy of video game blog Kotaku. I am thankful to Kotaku for using some of my photos.

Resident Evil 5 Contest News Story

Resident 5 Contest

Click the above link and check out an "Arm and a Leg" to see my Resident Evil 5 contest news story.

An Alternative To Graduate School

http://www.thesomervillenews.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=302

Wrestlemania XXV Predictions

The biggest event of the year for the WWE Universe happens on Sunday. Our Stanley Cup, our Heisman Trophy, our... well you get the point. Wrestlemania rarely ever disappoints and this one will be no exception. Wrestlemania XXV promises to be night of great wrestling and entertainment.

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels in a Singles Match:
I think the Deadman will go from 16-0 to 17-0. I don’t see any plans to make Taker lose at a Wrestlemania anytime soon. While at first I was disappointed to hear this match booked, on account that the two have fought each other countless times, I have to say, the way the two have acted trying to intimidate the other has been absolutly excellent. The stakes of the match are great: Undertaker’s streak, HBK being beaten by the Undertaker. It should be an exciting bout.

Verdict: Undertaker

CM Punk vs. Kane vs. Mark Henry vs. Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Christian vs. Finlay in a Money in the Bank ladder match:
Wow. All of these superstars have their own fan base (yes, even Mark Henry.) I enjoy watching all of them (yes, even Mark Henry.) But I think MVP will be MITB. CM Punk already had it, Kane has no chance, I doubt Henry can even climb that ladder without breaking it, Benjamin despite having a great last name, always seems to get pushed but then reverts back to mid-card status, it is too early for Kofi Kingston, but I think but he will be a future winner, Vince doesn’t take kindly to Christian so it’s said, and Finlay is to busy training the newbies. This will be the year of MVP, with his recent US Title win, face turn, and inevitable push.
Verdict: Montel Vontavious Porter

Triple H (c) vs. Randy Orton in a Singles match for the WWE Championship:
Just like the Taker HBK match, I was originally skeptical of this one as HHH and RKO have fought each other numerous times. I originally thought HHH might take it, but with the new stipulation of disqualification and countout on HHH, I think RKO will take it. Then again, it could just be used to make it seem like the odds are stacked against HHH and he once again comes out looking like Superman. Something has to happen with the McMahon family. I don’t know what, but I feel something will go down.
Verdict: Randy Orton

Edge (c) vs. The Big Show vs. John Cena in a Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship:

This was a potential main event match ruined by a stupid love triangle angle. Barring that, I don’t think Show and Cena are worthy having the belt (ESPECIALLY CENA.) I hope Edge retains and then this love triangle BS is done with. I just had a thought. Imagine if Batista came out and turned heel by siding with Vickie Guerrero. I’m just sayin…
Verdict: Edge

25-Diva battle royal in which the winner will be crowned "Miss WrestleMania":
I honestly don’t care about this. The women’s division isn’t living up to what it could be. I remember the great matches with Lita, Ivory, Chyna, Sable and so many better divas.
Verdict: Don’t care, probably Gail Kim. I hope Santino gets in though and steals it.

Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy in a Extreme Rules match:
I had a feeling these two would fight at Wrestlemania. However I was hoping it was for the WWE Championship against each other. But alas no. I think the obvious winner will be Jeff Hardy. I just hope whoever loses isn’t kicked to the curb and forgotten. Hopefully both go to main event statuses.
Verdict: Jeff Hardy

The Colóns (Carlito and Primo) vs. John Morrison and The Miz in a Tag team: Lumberjack match to unify the WWE Tag Team Championship and World Tag Team Championship:
To be honest, I haven’t been paying too much to these two. Not out of disinterest, but they just have been under my radar. I think it’s a tough one to choose. But I’m foreseeing a breakup of the Colóns after they loose. Morrison & the Miz are both entertaining and they make a great tag team. It isn’t time for them to breakup yet.
Verdict: John Morrison and The Miz

John "Bradshaw" Layfield (c) vs. Rey Mysterio in a Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship:
Well this one started off without any fanfare. I didn’t even know there was still an Intercontinental Championship. I mean when was the last time it was defended by JBL. Regardless, I think Rey Mastreo will take it. Why? Because I want JBL to go back to announcing so why not have Mastreo retire him twice.
Verdict: Rey Mastreo

Chris Jericho vs. Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka (with Ric Flair) in a Handicap elimination match:
This will be the most exciting match for me, being the Jericho mark that I am. As it is, I will answer this prediction as a mark: Sometimes legends need to keep their mouths shut. Yes they are important to the business, but I don’t need to hear it every second. Good for them they attained that status. But I hope Jericho slaps their mouths shut.

Verdict: Chris Jericho

Getty Images Gallery Review - Itchy City Guide

http://www.itchybirmingham.co.uk/article.cfm/11/33/6821/London-City-Guide/article/Getty-Images-Gallery

An Arm and a Leg… and Heads and Torsos for a Trip to Africa

An Arm and a Leg… and Heads and Torsos for a Trip to Africa
By Andrew Benjamin

LONDON -- A trip to Africa would cost the average person an arm and a leg. In this case, it cost not only an arm and a leg, but heads and torsos. To promote the release of Resident Evil 5, Capcom held a treasure hunt, only the treasure was replaced with severed limbs. The people running the contest strategically placed heads, arms, legs and torsos throughout Trafalgar Square, which contestants found through cryptic clues in emails after registering. When a contestant found the body parts, they were asked to bring them to Westminster Bridge and scream “Kijuju,” the fictional African town where Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar face off against hordes of infected people. Each body part won the contestant points, with heads being the most at five. The contestant who had the most points would receive a free trip to Africa.


A representative of Capcom, who was on hand to declare a winner, confirmed that at least 100 people registered for the contest. Around 15 people showed up on the bridge carrying at least one body part. “We wanted to organize an event that would really give people a chance to be involved in the world that the game represents,” the spokesman for Capcom said. “We needed to do something that fitted in with the values of the game and was suitably horrific.” And indeed it was horrific. Not only were contestants carrying body parts in full view of the public, but the body parts also bled, leaving some contestants with messy clothes and hands. “The main thing is that everyone has had fun,” the spokesman said.


Even though it was a harmless contest, the possibility of police being tipped off was a concern. “It’s been a little bit worrying thinking about the police and people getting the wrong idea about the body parts,” the spokesman said. “We’ve done everything we can to make sure everyone doesn’t get the wrong idea.” Police and the House of Parliaments were not notified of the contest.


Regarding the possibility of a future contest for Resident Evil 6, the representative didn’t want to speculate. “I’m sure for every future release of Resident Evil more and more incredibly exciting things will happen to mark the release.”


The winner of the contest was Stephen Long, 26, from Finchley. He gathered four of his friends and woke up around 6a.m. They then headed to Trafalgar Square to search for the body parts. “It was a once in a life time opportunity and I was glad I was able to get my friends in on this,” Long said. “I really did not think we would win. It looked like such a different event that we would never be able to do anywhere else.” As the winner, he will be going off on a trip to Gambia for 7-10 days. Long was looking forward to one aspect of the trip. “I’ll be amazed at how hot it is.”


Eventually, two police officers did come by and ask the body parts be removed from public view.