Spartans

Greetings nerds and lady nerds! Yes, its me. Again. I think I'll do something I haven't done in some time...a video game review! Let's get stuck in, shall we?

Recently I purchased and subsequently beat God of War: Ghost of Sparta for the PSP. This is the second of the God of War PSP games, and is made by Ready at Dawn Studios. It takes place between the first and second God of War games for the Playstation 2. A brief summary of the events of Ghost of Sparta are as follows: Kratos, having vanquished Ares, is now the new God of War, yet he is still plagued by visions of his past, most particularly of his brother Deimos, long presumed dead. Turns out, that's not really the case. And so, in typical Kratos fashion, he decides that the best way to make sense of these memories is to hack, slash, and murder his way to the truth, defying gods, monsters, and anyone else in his path. Along the way, Kratos discovers more about his destiny and his ultimate role in the games and machinations of the gods of Olympus...and to put it mildly, he's not too happy about it. He vows to destroy the gods for what they did to him and his family, and he won't stop until all of Olympus is consumed.

In terms of graphics, Ghost of Sparta looks pretty good. Granted, its on the PSP, but it takes full advantage of the processing power of the PSP and as such it looks alright. I would have preferred that the images be a little more crisp, but then I'm used to the graphics of say the 360 or PS3. That being said, Ghost of Sparta looks much better than the God of War: Chains of Olympus, the first God of War game on the PSP. The character models are rendered nicely, and you can actually see what the enemies look like, even on the small PSP screen. Kratos' facial animations are good and responsive, though they are all just variations of "rage". Because we are talking about the graphics of an older handheld game, I'm going to be a little more lenient in my scoring of the graphics and give it a 3/5. It looks good, but for someone used to the graphics of higher powered gaming machines, its still a little lackluster.

The gameplay in Ghost of Sparta is on par with the rest of the God of War games. Kratos is still a brutal combatant who uses devastating executions and merciless tactics on the myriad enemies who come after him. There are still puzzles and platforming elements in this game just like all the others, but they seem a little too easy. In general, its a lot of the same stuff in the original God of War games: more hacking and slashing, more puzzles, more platforming, and the obligatory sex minigame (which, I have to admit, is one of the best things about the God of War series). About the only changes in this game are the weapons and items that Kratos finds. One example is the Arms of Sparta, a spear and shield combo used by the Spartans in ancient Greece. As Kratos IS a Spartan, this makes perfect sense. I found myself using the Arms of Sparta a lot once I got them, mainly because it felt like something new and not the same Blades of Athena that Kratos always uses. Another example is Erinys' Bane, which is basically a black hole that you can throw around. I used this a lot too, because it was helpful and it was new. Other than the new weapons and items, and the new executions, its exactly the same as the other God of War games. I give Ghost of Sparta a 3.5/5 for gameplay.

The sound in Ghost of Sparta is...alright. Again, its a lot of the same as the other games, which is to be expected. Kratos' screams and yells and rage noises are still here, and done well enough for the small speakers of the PSP. The voices of all of the characters are the same as the other games, so that is at least a plus. The growls, snarls and screams of the monsters are also done well, and the music is as good as the other games. Not much innovation here either, but I guess there is not much to be changed with something that is already pretty good. I give Ghost of Sparta a 4/5 for sound.

In summary, Ghost of Sparta is a good addition to the God of War series, and I'd recommend giving it a shot. It does plug up a few holes in the story between the first two games, and it reveals more of Kratos' past for those who care about that sort of thing. I mainly play games for the story, so I thought it was good that they addressed these concerns. So if you've got a PSP, I'd recommend giving this game a try. You might be pleasantly surprised. As added incentive, there is also a God of War collection for the PS3 that contains all of the games, remastered and remade to take advantage of the processing power of the PS3, so if you don't have a PSP but have a PS3, then I'd get that. Until next time!

-P.S. I apologize for the rushed nature of this post, but I'm tired. Cut me some slack people! I kid.

The Heresy revealed

Greetings nerds and nerdettes, Jay here to once more dispense some nerdy reviews and advice! Let's get stuck in!

Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter is the final book in the beginning trilogy of the Horus Heresy series from the Black Library and it tells of the beginnings of the galaxy-shattering events of the Horus Heresy. And now a summary: Continuing on from the events of False Gods, Horus has recovered from his grievous wounds on the planet of Davin and is now leading his Legion towards the Istvaan system, along with some of his brother Legions, most notably the World Eaters, the Word Bearers, the Death Guard, and the Emperor's Children, ostensibly under the impression that they are there to quell a rebellion against the Emperor. As with the previous books, the "main character" is Garviel Loken, a Space Marine of the Sons of Horus who is suspicious of the changes taking place in his Chapter. Loken's fears are soon realized when after the rebellion is swiftly dealt with, Horus orders the virus bombing of Istvaan V, with many loyalist Legions still on it. The Legions loyal to Horus turn on their brother Legions and begin slaughtering them, an act of such utter betrayal that it is felt by the Emperor all the way back on Terra. As Loken watches helplessly, Horus orders the planet to be cleansed by virus bombs, while the Traitor Legions are given advance warning and shelter against the horrifying viral weapons. The remainder of the Loyalist Legions and the survivors of the rebellion are vaporized, and their psychic screams resound in the mind of the Emperor, who is utterly horrified that his favored son could betray him. Horus, however, was now completely devoted to Chaos and his sacrifice of the people and Astartes on Istvaan V cemented his service to them. Though some of the Loyalist Marines escape, the damage was done. With this done, Horus then turned his gaze towards his ultimate goal, thus beginning an era of war and strife throughout the whole galaxy: Terra.

As with the previous two books of The Horus Heresy, Galaxy in Flames is a fantastic book. Ben Counter is a great author and he does a superb job of introducing the Legions and primarchs who became the basis of the Chaos Legions. The thing I love about all of the different Legions is that they are all so different, with varied personalities and ideals and practices. The rich back story and lore of the Warhammer 40,000 universe is really exemplified in the Horus Heresy series and I love it because of this reason. Galaxy in Flames does a nice job of tying together the events of the previous two books and showing how they all fit together in the grand scheme of the Heresy proper. It is also worth noting that this is the book in which Horus finally succumbs to the lures of Chaos after battling with them in the previous two installments. So this opening trilogy not only deals with the beginnings of the Heresy, it also shows that no being, no matter how mighty and noble, is beyond corruption. Horus' eventual surrender to Chaos is made all the more heartbreaking by the fact that he corrupted his own brothers into joining him in his war against the Emperor, and in the name of his own hubris, countless millions of lives were ended. And lets not forget the fantastic battle sequences and the character development, easily on par with the previous books in the series. Galaxy in Flames is a great war novel and it is certainly among one of the best novels I've read in some time. If you have heeded my advice and read the previous two books, then there is no reason not to own Galaxy in Flames. If you have not done so, then I urge you to give these books a shot. You'll enjoy them, seriously. Galaxy in Flames gets 5 virus bombs out of 5. Until next time!

The Heresy takes root...

Greetings nerdlings! It's Jay, here for another exciting entry about nerdy things! Without further ado, lets get to it!

Continuing on the subject of Warhammer 40,000, False Gods by Graham McNeill is the second book in The Horus Heresy series and the second book in the beginning trilogy. As with Horus Rising, False Gods is written from the point of view of Garviel Loken, a Space Marine of the Luna Wolves Legion, later renamed the Sons of Horus. For those who did not read my review of Horus Rising, here's a quick recap: The Emperor of Mankind, after many years of fighting in the Great Crusade, has given the reins of power over the Legiones Astartes to his favored son Horus, who is given the title of Warmaster. However, the title of Warmaster weighs heavily on Horus as he battles the jealousy of his brother primarchs and his own feelings about being abandoned by his father. On the planet of Davin, Horus is grievously wounded and lies near death while his Legion looks on helplessly. In False Gods, the Sons of Horus must battle infighting while also defending their fallen primarch. Loken is meanwhile struggling with secrets and plots from within his own Legion, for he is a steadfast and loyal soldier who is devoted to the Imperial Truth. His brothers are engaged in secret societies and clandestine meetings and Loken strives to remain true to his own ideals and beliefs. While Horus lies in a deathless state, he must battle his own inner demons while simultaneously fending off the temptations of the gods of Chaos, aided by the whispers of the treasonous chaplain Erebus of the Word Bearers Legion. Eventually, after a great struggle, Horus emerges from his coma and rejoins his Legion, but something isn't quite right with the Warmaster. Once Horus rejoins his Legion, he immediately orders sweeping changes in the Legions, and then orders that the Sons of Horus travel to the planet where his master plan is to take place, and where the Heresy truly begins: Istvaan V.

False Gods is a fantastic addition to the mythos of Warhammer 40,000 and to the Horus Heresy as well. Graham McNeill is one of my favorite authors from the Black Library and his skill at writing is shown splendidly in this book. One of the things I love most about the Horus Heresy novels is that they don't just focus on one chapter or Legion, but tell the story from the point of view of several Legions. I had to leave out a lot of characters in my synopsis, but they are all integral to the story, and they all play their own parts in shaping the narrative. The thing with the Horus Heresy novels is that they are so complex that summarizing them is difficult, because there is so much going on in the background and the universe is so rich. Hopefully I did a decent job of it. Anyways, moving on. The battle sequences are stunningly rendered and they pull you in so that you feel as though you are right there in the midst of the action. As well, McNeill's portrayal of Horus as a beautiful, noble, yet tortured being is amazing. Horus strives to live up to his father's expectations of him, just as any son does, but his own pride and hubris lead to his eventual downfall at the hands of Chaos. The Chaos gods see Horus' flaws and exploit them, worming their way into his heart and corrupting him for their own goals and amusements. It is because of them that Horus begins to turn from the light of the God Emperor to embrace the darkness in his own soul. It is heartbreaking to see such a noble being fall so utterly. I really can't say anything more about this book other than you need to read it. If you've read Horus Rising, then you absolutely need to pick up this book. As with most trilogies, you really can't get the full impact unless you read the preceding books, so I urge you, readers, to go and pick up Horus Rising first, and once you are finished with that, go give False Gods a try. My solemn oath as a geek, you'll enjoy it. False Gods gets 5 primarchs out of 5.

The seeds of Heresy are sown...

Greetings nerds and nerdettes! I'm back for another exciting book review! But this time, I think I'll look to the future...40,000 years in the future to be precise. Yes, this is my first Warhammer 40K novel review, so without further ado, here it is:

Horus Rising by Dan Abnett is the first book in The Horus Heresy series from the Black Library, and it details the beginnings of one of the darkest periods in all of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It is the first chapter in the beginning trilogy of The Horus Heresy, though there are a great number of books after it detailing the fates of the other Legions while the Heresy was beginning. Without getting into too much detail I shall attempt to describe the beginnings of the Horus Heresy: In the beginning the Emperor of Mankind, ruler of the vast Imperium of Man, sought to bring the numerous worlds of the Imperium under his control. In order to do so, the Emperor realized he needed soldiers and commanders, for the task of bringing the numberless worlds to heel would require vast armies of loyal soldiers. To this end, He created the Primarchs, gene-sons of the Emperor, bred from his own flesh and blood. However, the Gods of Chaos had foreseen the extent of the Emperor's ambition, and sought to disrupt his plans by scattering the infant Primarchs to the far corners of the universe. The Emperor tried to stop them but succeeded in only altering the paths the infant Primarchs took, so that they at least landed on planets instead of being lost to the void forever. The Emperor then took what little of the Primarch project remained and created the Adeptes Astartes, or Space Marines, and went out to reunite His sons. After many long years, The Emperor succeeded in finally bringing His sons back to Him and reuniting them with the Legions sharing their blood and flesh. Horus Rising tells of the first and greatest of the Emperor's sons: the mighty Horus Lupercal, Warmaster of the Imperium of Man. The Emperor bestowed Horus with the title of Warmaster of the Legions and then retired back to Terra. Horus and his Legion, the Luna Wolves, were tasked with bringing the worlds of the Imperium under the Emperor's rule by any means necessary. Horus, however, began to question his father's choice to retire to Terra, and the Gods of Chaos saw this weakness and sought to exploit it. Thus began the corruption of the greatest of the Primarchs, and in the end, Horus' own hubris would bring about his downfall and the eventual betrayal of the Emperor, culminating in the seemingly endless struggle that came to be known as The Horus Heresy...

Horus Rising is a masterpiece and I consider it to be one of the best books ever written. Dan Abnett is a genius and is one of my favorite writers from the Black Library. The detail that he puts into each of his characters is staggering, and Horus himself is rendered in all the splendor befitting the first and greatest of the Emperor's sons. Horus is a complex being, proud and arrogant, yet compassionate and inspiring, and the love he inspires in his Legion and in all of the Legions of the Adeptes Astartes is nothing short of monumental, which makes his eventual fall from grace all the more poignant. To see such a magnificent being corrupted and debased by Chaos is nearly heart-breaking, and I really felt for Horus as he struggled with his duty to his father and his own morality. Horus truly loved the Emperor, more than anything in the universe, and the fact that he felt betrayed and wounded by his father leaving is made quite evident. Also, the staggering responsibility of being Warmaster of the Legions weighs heavily on Horus, and he struggles with it throughout the whole beginning trilogy. I wish I could say more about this book, because it is truly magnificent, but I find that words fail to encompass just how much this book changed me. Normally I recommend that my readers should go out and read the books I review, but Horus Rising is too good to merely recommend. Readers, I DEMAND that you go out and get this book. I give you my solemn oath as a gamer and a nerd that you will not be able to put it down. Horus Rising gets 5 chants of "For the Emperor!" out of 5.

By the time you see him, it's too late...

Greetings nerdlings! I'm back with another book review! Now hopefully you are all heeding my advice and checking out these books I have been reviewing, but if not, well, shame on you! This is going to be another quick review but I'll do my best to cram everything in.

Continuing in the theme of second books in great trilogies, Shadow King by Gav Thorpe is the second offering in the Sundering trilogy from the Black Library and is part of the Time of Legends series. Shadow King tells the story of Alith Anar, a prince of Ulthuan and resident of the kingdom of Nagarythe, which, if you recall, is the domain of Malekith, the protagonist from the first book in the Sundering trilogy. Alith is a carefree elven princeling who is devoted solely to hunting and to his family, until the war between Malekith and his mother Morathi over dominion of Nagarythe threatens to swallow his homeland of Elanardris whole. Alith and his family are staunch supporters of Malekith, and so they are forced to help the deposed prince regain his kingdom from Morathi's clutches. Yet despite all of the Anar's efforts, they are betrayed in the end by Malekith's forces, and Alith's entire family is slain, leaving him the sole surviving member of the Anar line. After that, Alith Anar swears vengeance upon the druchii, or dark elves, as the residents of Nagarythe under Malekith's command are known, and he takes on the title of Shadow King. Alith's brutal thirst for revenge leads him to slaughter the druchii wherever he can find them, and this quest leads him to the mysterious forest of Avelorn, where he is gifted with a bow blessed by Kurnous, the Hunter God, and Lileath, the Moon Goddess. With this bow in hand, Alith leads a devastating crusade against the druchii, culminating finally in a confrontation with Malekith himself. But just as Alith Anar is no longer the elf he once was, Malekith has changed as well...and his thirst for power may yet spell the end for the Shadow King...

As with all of the offerings from the Black Library, and from the Time of Legends series in particular, this is a superb book. The writing of Gav Thorpe is top-notch, and his characterization of Alith Anar as an individual wracked with guilt and consumed by thoughts of vengeance is nothing less of stellar. Alith's struggles against the druchii and his unreasoning hatred of the elves who took his family from him are rendered in amazing detail. The ongoing civil war between the druchii factions and how the Anars were caught in the middle was written in a spectacular fashion by Thorpe, who is one of the most prolific writers in all of the Black Libary. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in great fantasy or fans of the Warhammer universe. Shadow King gets 5 black-shafted arrows through the eye out of 5.

The Empire has been Formed!

Greetings everyone! HollowGeek back again with another book review! This may be a quick one, but I'll do my best to write a review worthy of your attentions. Let's get stuck in!

Empire by Graham McNeill is the second book in the Legend of Sigmar trilogy from the Black Library, in the Time of Legends series, and it deals with the early days of the fledgling Empire of Man under the rule of Sigmar Heldenhammer. For those of you who don't remember, Sigmar was the son of the chieftain of the Unberogen tribe, and after the events of Black Fire Pass and the decisive victory of the tribes of man against the rampaging hordes of Orcs, Sigmar's vision of a united Empire of Man is coming along nicely. Yet despite all of the progress Sigmar has achieved, the lands of Man are still not completely united. Enemies abound, and wild beasts still stalk the wilds unchecked and untamed. As if this wasn't bad enough, Sigmar learns of a massive Chaos invasion spreading from the North, intent on conquering the lands Sigmar has fought so hard to protect. Obviously, Sigmar wouldn't stand for this, so he and the leaders of the various tribes comprising the Empire band together to fend off the invading Chaos forces. The resulting conflict surely tested the men and women of the Empire to the max, and Sigmar would need every trick up his sleeve just to survive...

In the vein of the previous Time of Legends novels, Empire is a brilliant piece of literature. Now I may be biased in my opinion of it, but I love the Warhammer novels, and nearly everything from the Black Library has been superb. Graham McNeill does a wonderful job of making Sigmar very human, yet superhuman at the same time. He is not perfect by any means, and McNeill's writing really makes the reader feel for Sigmar as he is forced to go through these punishing trials that would have destroyed a lesser man many times over. Sigmar's true strength comes from his convictions, and his belief that he is destined to unite all of the people in his land into a great and mighty empire, and it is because of these beliefs that he is able to accomplish these seemingly impossible tasks. From slaying an Orc Warboss in Heldenhammer to slaying a hulking Bloodthirster in this book, Sigmar faces challenges that no ordinary man can overcome. McNeill's style of writing lends itself perfectly to the task of explaining how Sigmar has to get over crippling self-doubt and overwhelming odds in order to achieve his dream, and it is a lesson to the reader that no matter what happens, no matter how bleak a situation may look, there is always hope so long as you remain true to yourself and to your beliefs. If you've heeded my advice before and picked up Heldenhammer, then I thoroughly urge you to pick up Empire as well, for if you are anything like me, you have to know the ultimate fate of the protagonist of whatever book you are reading. Empire gets 5 raging Chaos berserkers out of 5.

Malekith: Rise of the Witch King

Greetings everyone, Jay here once again. After a rather depressing few days, I am back to dispense my knowledge of the nerdy and geeky, so let's have at it yes?

Malekith, written by Gav Thorpe, is the third installment of the always great Time of Legends series from the Black Library and is the first book in the Sundering trilogy. Malekith tells the tale of Prince Malekith of Nagarythe, elven prince of the isle of Ulthuan, and his rise and fall to the dark powers. A brief summary: Malekith was the son of Aenarion, the first Phoenix King of Ulthuan, and as such was expected to rise to take up the crown of the Phoenix King after his father's demise at the hands of daemons of Chaos. Aenarion and his wife Morathi, the Seer Queen ruled Ulthuan in a time of war, and as such they raised Malekith to be a warrior and a conqueror. Unfortunately, the assembled nobility of Ulthuan were loath to see another Naggarothi take up rule over the elves and as such they voted to elect Bel Shanaar, another elf prince, in Malekith's place as Phoenix King. This act heralded the beginning of Malekith's fall to darkness. Malekith departed Ulthuan and returned to Nagarythe and for nearly two hundred years he roamed the world expanding his own kingdom and forming alliances with other races, the dwarves first and foremost, whilst leaving his mother Morathi in charge of Nagarythe. Upon his return to his homeland, Malekith discovered that his mother had changed his kingdom into a dark place of blood and sacrifice to the dark gods, and was forced to battle his own people for control of his lands. However, Morathi's corrupting influence tainted Malekith's soul, and he hatched a plan to depose the Phoenix King and take his place as rightful ruler of Ulthuan. This was to end in tragedy for Malekith, however, and in his place, a new creature was born...a being of terrible might and unspeakable power...The Witch King of Ulthuan.

As with the previous books in the Time of Legends series, I was very impressed with Malekith. Gav Thorpe's writing style is superb, as is true with nearly all of the authors of the Black Library books. He really makes you feel as though you are living thousands of years in the past and actually interacting with the great characters in the series. Thorpe's portrayal of Malekith as a noble yet tortured individual who only longs to live up to his father's example and who believes himself to be the rightful rule of the elves is spot on, and I really did feel empathy towards Malekith. Though his mother was an evil and twisted sorceress, Malekith was at heart a truly noble, if arrogant, elf, and he truly only wanted to bring peace to the elven lands of Ulthuan, and it is because of these qualities that I found myself drawn into his story. Though Malekith is portrayed by the rest of the elves as cold and murderous, he is capable of great compassion and kindness, as he demonstrated when he befriended the High King of the dwarves Snorri Whitebeard. Malekith truly cared about Snorri, and his loss drove Malekith into the deepest depths of grief. Because of these events, and because of the warping influence of his mother and his own ambitions, Malekith's once proud and beautiful soul became blackened by a need for revenge and power, and these factors drove him to murdering Bel Shanaar and attempting to become the new Phoenix King. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of the Time of Legends series or for anyone looking for a great fantasy novel.

Musings

Hello everyone. Me again. In lieu of a more geek-centric post, I'd like to talk about something a little more serious...expectation. This may come across as kind of whiny, and for that I apologize, but I need to get this out. Ok, here goes. Recently, I went through a rather disappointing series of events in my personal life, which caused me to question what I was actually doing with my life and with my future. Now instead of mourning for a short period, as is normal and healthy, I instead threw myself wholeheartedly into finding a way to fix this problem. I went out and gave my resume to businesses and people and succeeded in finding a job. I went on tours of schools and found out about alternative programs to go into that would help me to have a career. I did research into more schools to apply to in order to further my education. I was feeling like I was at least being productive and trying to grow as a person. And then something happened today which shattered all of the good feelings and all of the hard work that I had done...and now I am back to feeling the desolation and grief that I thought I had gotten over. Now, I am not a brilliant man, but neither am I dumb. I work as hard as I can in school and in everything that I do. There is a saying that I have always tried to hold on to: "Hard work never goes unrewarded". This saying should hold true in every aspect of life; yet perversely, it seems that all of my hard work has availed to nothing. I have achieved little in life, apart from graduating from college. I have even begun to question whether or not I should continue being a nerd/geek. I know that it is unreasonable to think that I can completely get rid of the part of myself that is a nerd/geek, but at this point it seems as though I have little alternative. I try to be the best I can in all walks of my life: student, son, friend, and brother. Yet it seems that I have only succeeded in disappointing the people in my life that I care about. In the face of such odds, it is becoming harder and harder to get up in the morning and face the day. I know that I need to work even harder to succeed in this life, and to give more than I have in order to achieve my goals. I can't afford to feel sorry for myself, but it seems that there is something deficient about me. I'm tired, readers, so tired of feeling like the world has beaten me into the dirt. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, how much disappointment can one person take, before he or she just yells "ENOUGH" and gives up? I just need something to go right for a change....because it seems that nothing in my life has gone right. So that's it, my ranting and raving for the night is over. Please keep me in your thoughts, readers, because I need all the help I can get. Regular postings will begin again soon. Until next time.

Gears of War 3: It Ends Here

Greetings nerdlings! It's been some time since I did a video game review and I think we are past due for one, so here we go with one of my favorite games for 2011: Gears of War 3.

Gears of War 3 is the final installment in the immensely popular Gears of War series, developed by Microsoft Studios and Epic Games for the Xbox 360. Just like the previous two installments in the franchise, Gears of War 3 is packed with insane firefights and brutal combat with horrific alien monsters, and it is truly marvelous. The story of Gears of War 3 (now abbreviated as GoW3) is a direct continuation of the first two games. You play as Marcus Fenix, the quintessential badass marine of the COG and hero of the story, as you attempt to stop the Locust infestation on the world of Sera. In this game, however, the COG have been disbanded and you are left drifting on a ship with the remnants of the military, only this time you have more than just the Locust to worry about. Turns out the Locust have evolved into a new species known as the Lambent, and they are just as mean as their predecessors, if not more so. They also are highly explosive...but more on that later.

In terms of story, GoW3 does it right. The characters from the previous two games are still around, including Marcus, Anya, Dom, Baird, and my favorite, THE COLE-TRAIN (WHOOOOO!!!) Anyone who is familiar with the previous two Gears games knows how great these characters are, and it is a delight to see them back in the final installment. They are well fleshed out and compelling as ever, and the banter between these COG soldiers lightens the mood of an otherwise bleak game. The world is literally falling apart, and the characters of the story are just trying to find a way to survive. Toss in the fact that Marcus' father Adam, previously thought to be deceased, has resurfaced and the fact that he tells Marcus that he has a "cure" for the Locust problem, and all of a sudden you have a race against time to save Adam Fenix from the Queen of the Locust. The story is compelling and tense and it draws you in from the moment you start playing. That being said, I will add one small caveat, and that is this: unless you are a fan of the previous Gears games, you won't really care about the characters and the story as much as someone who has played the first two games, mainly because if you have played them, you are more emotionally invested in seeing what happens to the main characters. Still, as a fan of the Gears franchise, I give GoW3 a 5/5 for story.

Now on to the graphics. GoW3 takes full advantage of the processing power of the Xbox 360, and it looks even better than the previous installments. Character designs are crisp and detailed and the environments are equally stunning. From the giant oil tanker on which you start the game to the hidden hive of the Locust Queen, all of the environments are well rendered and intriguing. Some of my favorite locales were the COG outpost and the abandoned hotel, because they were compelling not only visually, but technically as well, meaning that they were fun to play. In terms of graphics, I give GoW3 a 5/5.

Gameplay in GoW3 remains largely unchanged, however. The COG soldiers still move exactly the same, still fire exactly the same, still run exactly the same. The only improvement is that there are new guns, which grant new execution methods. Despite the lack of originality in this department, I can't help but realize that if it works, then why fix it? Also, the whole "storm run" thing is kind of a trademark of the Gears series, as is the cover based shooting. Because of this, I am willing to be a little more forgiving. Regardless of the unchanged gameplay, GoW3 still remains a great game because of the environments you get to explore and the things that you get to do, including the enemies you have to fight. Once you get to the Lambent Berserker, you'll know what I mean. The other saving grace of GoW3 has to be the multiplayer. Vastly improved over the previous two games, it offers new game types and new achievements and goals to shoot for. My favorite of the new game types is Horde Mode and Beast Mode. Horde Mode pits you and three friends against increasingly difficult waves of Locust and Lambent enemies, and it is a blast to play. Beast Mode, on the other hand, is much like Horde Mode, except you play as Lambent and Locust yourself and attempt to slay the COG players. It is a refreshing change from the normal "soldiers versus monsters" game types. Because of the multiplayer alone, I give GoW3 a 4/5 for gameplay.

In closing, GoW3 is a fantastic game, and is worth buying just for the new multiplayer, as well as to see the end of the story. While it will appeal more to the hardcore Gears fans like myself than the common lay-gamer, I still think that people unfamiliar with the Gears series will enjoy it. I highly recommend this game to everyone who loves a good third-person shooter, and with the release of the new DLC "Raam's Shadow", there is even more to do once you complete the campaign. So I urge you to go out and purchase Gears of War 3. You'll like what you see. Until next time!

Bonus!

Hello everyone, Jay here! Bonus blog post (don't you all feel special)! I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about something that has been plaguing me for a long time: Being a geek in today's world. Now personally, I have noticed that there is still a stigma surrounding being a geek, despite the fact that most of the most successful people in the world are, in fact, geeks themselves. I have found that in my own life it is sometimes hard to balance the geeky side of yourself with the side that needs to be a responsible and productive member of society. The image of a nerd living in their parent's basement doesn't really hold up anymore. The fact is that most geeks/nerds/what have you are quite capable of living fully functional and productive lives. But recently I have experienced a number of events that has shaken my belief that I can be productive and successful and nerdy at the same time. These events have been disappointing in nature and have caused me to question whether or not I can really do what I have set out to do. The fact remains that to be successful in today's world, one must sacrifice a lot. This realization led to me believe that I could not be a geek and successful at the same time, and it was a monumental crisis. For as long as I can remember, I have been nerdy. It is a part of who and what I am. Yet despite all of the joy that being a geek has brought me, I am left to wonder whether or not I can continue to be as I am now. To that end, I realized that I needed to change. At first I thought that change would have to be the permanent death of my geeky side, but I am now beginning to understand that if I were to do that, to slay the geeky side of myself, then it would be almost like committing suicide. I would like to think that I don't have to resort to such drastic measures in order to be successful in this life, and I would like to think that somewhere out there someone else has either gone through or is currently going through what I have described here. Perhaps the answer is not to completely kill off your nerdy side, but instead to perhaps suppress it. Hell, if I could be successful whilst embracing my geeky side, then my current problems would be solved. So I pose this question to you all: Can a man be successful, whilst remaining true to his geeky self? And if so, how?

I'm back! With a vengeance.

Greetings fellow bloggers and readers! HollowGeek Jay here again, back after a year of hardship and turmoil, all of which is too heavy to get into. Besides, you're all here for the geeky and nerdy advice I dish out, and from now on I'll be more regular in my posts, that is a promise. And with that I think we'll get started on another book review. Strap in and lets do this!

Next in the series of Warhammer book reviews is the novel Heldenhammer by Graham McNeill. This novel is the first in The Legend of Sigmar trilogy, part of the Time of Legends series, and it deals with the rise of Sigmar Heldenhammer, the first Emperor of the Empire of Man. I shall attempt to summarize the book in as much detail as I can spare without spoiling too much. In the beginning however, Sigmar was the son of the chieftain of the Unberogen tribe, one of the many tribes scattered about the lands of the Warhammer mythos. Sigmar led a comfortable life, surrounded by friends and family, and going to war with the myriad beasts that threatened his way of life. This was not to be Sigmar's destiny, however, as events rapidly spiralled out of his control, beginning with the death of his friend Trinovantes, and culminating with the death of the love of Sigmar's life at the hands of Trinovantes' twin brother Gerreon. From that day on, Sigmar vowed to love no other and to devote himself to the lands of his people and to forge an Empire of Man that would last for ages.

Sigmar's rise from simple tribesman to Emperor was nothing less of meteoric, and he succeeded in uniting the various tribes of man under his banner, though in many cases it wasn't easy. Sigmar's dream of a united Empire of Man couldn't have come at a better time, as shortly after the tribes became united under Sigmar's rule, he learned of a vast Orc army that was heading towards Unberogen lands. Sigmar knew that he had to stop this army of murderous beasts in order to save his fledgling empire, or all of his people would die. Thus begins the rise of Sigmar Heldenhammer, Emperor, a man whose actions will change the fate of the world...forever.

I loved this book. Graham McNeill is one of the most prodigious authors in all of the Black Library, and there isn't a book he has written that I haven't loved. As you all know, I am a huge fantasy fan and McNeill delivers fantasy at its finest. The story of Sigmar is fascinating to me, because he is not perfect by any means. He is arrogant, wrathful, and brutal in his execution of his dream, and that is what I love about him. It is a story of his growth and evolution into the man he needs to be. McNeill does a wonderful job in introducing all the characters in the book by giving them all unique personalities and traits, and it is this rich backstory that draws the reader in and makes them care about each individual person. McNeill also does a great job in introducing a major threat in the form of the Orc army that forces Sigmar to reevaluate his priorities and to grow into the man who would one day be Emperor. The fight scenes in the book are so vivid and well written that you feel as though you are actually there in the midst of battle. In addition, the struggles that Sigmar has to go through in order to grow are very visceral, and I really felt sympathy for him. This is a very well written book and should be an example to those who are trying their hand at writing great fantasy.

In summary, Heldenhammer is another fantastic offering from the Black Library, and I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a great fantasy epic. Even people who are not familiar with the Warhammer world should pick this book up, for you won't be disappointed. And who knows, perhaps it will draw you in and make you a Warhammer nerd like myself. Also, the second and third books in this trilogy, entitled Empire and God King are out now, and further the story of Sigmar, so after you are done reading Heldenhammer, go out and buy those too. You won't be sorry you did. The Legend of Sigmar trilogy gets the HollowGeek seal of approval: 5 brutal hammer kills out of 5.