"Too Human" Review - Xbox 360

Too Human could very well be the poster child for the negative effects of over-hyping a video game. Too often we gamers and the people who supply us with information become so obsessed with the possibilities a game represents that we lose sight of reality. An exciting and eagerly awaited game is built up to impossibly high standards that only a few games in a hundred manage to meet. We want so badly for a game to be everything we hoped that we lose sight of what it is, which in this case is a very decent title with its share of issues; nothing more, nothing less.

The unusually long game development time for Too Human has created its share of difficulties concerning both the over-hyping of the title as well as the core of the game itself. Originally scheduled for release on the original Playstation, the title found its way to the GameCube following a partnership between Silicon Knights and Nintendo, and finally ended its long journey on Microsoft's Xbox 360. The time allotted to the development of an average game is typically more than enough to allow for the over-hyping of said game, but in this case I believe the incredibly long development time as well as the multiple platform changes for the title attributed to this game's hyper-hyping. The game simply sat too long in the imaginations of gamers worldwide.

I personally cannot blame those who wanted this title to be great; the game has some really interesting concepts. The dual-analog melee combat has incredible potential for those willing to take time to learn its particulars. Once well-equipped and versed in the particulars of the game's combat system, a player can truly begin to feel godly while facing his foes. Though at first unsure of the depth of combat I found in the game's opening, this gamer was soon sliding gracefully from enemy to enemy swords-a-blur. Few things about this title are as satisfying as wading confidently into a group of twenty enemies and emerging practically untouched with some cool new items to check out.

The game offers some reasonably fun character progression featuring a wealth of class and spec combinations which lead to many different play styles. The loot drops are frequent and satisfying, and despite the fact that you will pick up some items that you cannot use on your character, they can always be traded to a friend for something you want in the game's online co-op multiplayer. Furthermore, you are given the option of breaking down items that you do not need anywhere in the game into hard currency which you will then use to buy or craft new items. The gear is really quite satisfying to collect and craft, and this is one of the game's strong points.

The game is, of course, not without its problems. As earlier stated, the game was originally planned for development on the Playstation, and in some ways it shows. The character models are somewhat blocky-looking (especially the faces), and some of the game's environments are somewhat bland. The story attempts an interesting mixture of futuristic technology (including cybernetics), and Norse mythology. While this may sound cool to some, the theme seems somewhat forced. While the story itself is thankfully fairly simple, some of the ideas and statements made me cringe, such as AI-controlled human allies saying things like "where in the Helheim are we?" The game is also sadly somewhat short, but despite playing through the main story twice in my four days with the game, I was eager to play again.

There are a few other small compliments and gripes which could be bestowed upon this title, but I think we all get the picture: What we have here is a fun game that is more than adequate entertainment. It has issues, yes, but what game doesn't? My recommendation is to give this game a fair shake. Even the most remote areas of the country have access to game rentals these days, so you need not invest a full $60 just to find out if the game suits you. Who knows? You may really enjoy it.

My score: 7.5/10

AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday she regrets the U.S. relied on flawed intelligence as the basis for going to war in Iraq and took partial responsibility for mismanaging the post-invasion occupation.

Best Gold Farming Guide Wow Review

Are you searching for the best gold farming guide Wow? Every World of Warcraft player will need to know how to farm gold in Wow quickly since it is a very important resource for anyone, whether they belong to the Alliance or Horde. In the game, players can farm for silver, bronze and gold in many areas, and I have discovered some of the best spots for getting gold with some gold farming guides for Wow that I have read on the internet.

1. Using Challenges, Quests And The Auction House To Accumulate Gold

The best gold farming guides on the web will highlight to you which items, skills and weapons you will need to use to complete your quests and kill the enemies that you will encounter on the way. These enemies may drop other items other than gold, like blues, elements, potion recipes and even world drop epics. You can either choose to keep them to help you further down in the game, or you can sell them at the Auction House for maximum gold with the right strategies.

With the items that you get after killing the monsters, you should use effective Auction House strategies to make a handsome profit from the items. Knowing the right prices and taking advantage to trade at the right prices can guarantee you a lot of Wow gold consistently.

2. What Are Wow Gold Farming Guides All About?

Most Wow gold farming guides are written by experienced players who have tested and discovered the fastest methods to make World of Warcraft gold. However, you should also beware as I have purchased some guides before that are written by complete newbies.

It is best that you read some reviews of people who have used the guides before you decide to try any of them. You can check out the website link below to read the best Wow gold making guide that I have used to make lots of Wow gold fast.

Are you looking for the best gold farming guide for Wow? You can read the author's review of the Top 5 Wow Gold Making Guides at http://www.review-best.com/wow-gold-guides.htm before downloading one!

Learn how you can earn up to 250 Gold per hour or more and get a FREE Gold-Making Course!

AP - Leave it to La Scala to generate as much drama offstage as on.

Online Gaming Popularity Surge

Online gaming has become quite a popular pastime. Many internet users flock to online gaming sites in order to play their favorite games. Gaming sites offer action, card, casino, and arcade games, among others, that keep players fascinated throughout their entire visit. Popular games, such as Abba the Fox and the Adventures of Bob Blob, can be played online, and you have the option to play against friends. In fact, many new friends have been made via gaming sites, as there are thousands of people who share the same interests playing daily.

Finding a good gaming site is not that difficult. You simply need to determine what games you are most interested in and find a site that offers those games. Incidentally, there are some sites which offer practically every game that you can imagine. Finding a site that offers multiple games is a benefit as it saves you time in toggling back and forth between sites. You simply set up your gaming account, and you are ready to play all your favorites in one place.

Choosing a gaming site that offers a forum is also very beneficial. Forums are a wonderful way to interact with others, ask questions, and seek or offer advice. If you are playing a specific game, and you run up against a confusing level or problem, then you can simply head to the forum to ask experienced players how to defeat the level. It is not difficult to find a good gaming site. The main thing to look for is the quality and quantity of the games offered on the site, and of course, a forum to seek help when you need it.

So has online gaming replaced the ever popular Wiis and Playstations? Highly doubtful. Just look at the Christmas lists for this year alone. With the new Halo 3 and Guitar Hero games so popular, it is very unlikely that online gaming with completely replace the consoles that we all know and love. Actually online gaming is not meant to be a replacement, only a way to interact with others who share the same passions for specific games, and a great way to meet friends and kick some proverbial butt in some great rooms. The best part is that you do not have to know a lot about these specific games in order to be caught up in the excitement. You can get lots of help from the forums or guides along the way and soon be one of the many that enjoy professional gamer status all while sitting in the comfort of your home or office. Of course, if you are playing from work, just be sure that you boss doesn't catch you. Hiding your gaming addiction from coworkers is a whole different topic altogether.

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AP - Beverly Garland, the B-movie actress who starred in 1950s cult hits like "Swamp Women" and "Not of This Earth" and who went on to play Fred MacMurray's TV wife on "My Three Sons," has died. She was 82.

Technology in Heart Surgeries

If you are in need of cardiothoracic surgery there are places using the latest in technology that help speed up your recover and improve your chances of less trauma to your body. The name of this technology is the da Vinci robot and it is one of the latest developments in surgical technology. This robot does not operate on you like R2D2 could. It doesn't have any computing power with which to think on its own. It is more of an extension of the surgeon's arms and allows the surgeon to be very precise. Surgeons are very good at what they do and many have extremely fine motor skills but it is hard to be as precise as a robot can be. The robot doesn't move unless you move it. It doesn't shake unless there is an earthquake and it doesn't have any second doubts. With this precision comes a few benefits.

One is the size of the incision. A smaller incision results in less blood loss and less trauma to the operation site on the body. This often results in a quicker recovery time and less scarring. These incisions can also save the patient from the pain and trauma of sternotomy and rib spreading and allows the incisions to be made on the side of the body. This type of robotic heart surgery also may result in less risk of infection, less blood loss and need for blood transfusions, a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, considerably less pain and scarring and a quicker return to normal activities. The long term survival rate may also be improved. Some forms of robotic surgery also have other advantages.

One common use of the da Vinci robot is to repair the mitral valve as an alternative to open heart surgery. This operation allows the surgeon to use very small incisions and have unparalleled precision to repair the valve while possibly increasing the likelihood of success without using artificial valves. There is a great deal of information on this topic that is available for those who may be candidates for this type of surgery. Repair to the valve is preferable in many cases and may provide you with many significant advantages as compared to having the valve replaced with and artificial valve. Some of these advantages may include not having to take life-long blood thinners, less need for a reoperation, reduced risk of some surgical complications, improved heart function and a higher probably of a long term survival rate. Some studies show that the da Vince robotic operating system may allow surgeons to complete as much as fifty percent more repairs to the valve than they could using an open surgical approach. As with any surgery these benefits cannot be guaranteed even though using the da Vinci robot is considered safe and effective, it may not be appropriate for every individual.

If you are a potential candidate for cardiothoracic surgery then you may want to consider checking with your doctor to see if using the da Vinci robot is an alternative for you. Robotic heart surgery may be an incredible advantage in some surgeries both today and in the future.

AP - At a suburban Goodwill store on Friday, Theresa Settles selected a large, black comforter to warm her family until she can raise the money to turn the gas heat back on. A petite woman approached, her face obscured by dark sunglasses and a wrapped winter scarf, and handed Settles two $100 bills stamped with the words "secret Santa." "The only condition," she said, "is that you do something nice for someone. Pass it on."