Not so long ago, on a laptop not too far away...

...Was a Gamer by the name of Valhalla who was interested in a new MMORPG. Whilst stacking shelves at work, he came across a case that interested him, one by the name of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Excited, he asked his colleagues about it until one, by the name of Dave, was able to tell him more. This is where the adventure begins, the adventure through the galaxies...

It was on December 20th that Dave and I planned to buy SWTOR and play it together that night. However, tragedy decided to take a lead role and destroy my plans - my card went missing. Without my debit card I could do nothing. Distraught, I was unable to buy the game and play the glorious thing that is SWTOR. Depressed, I spent the evening imagining what I could be missing, and the day after I was able to venture into work and pick up what was rightfully mine. Finally, I had what I wanted most.

I spent the whole night exploring the game, getting the feel for my character and messing around, generally killing some bad guys. I have to say, I was pretty damn impressed by the graphics and character customisation. When I started the game my jaw literally hit the floor when the cinematic started. I mean, seriously, it was just fantastic. I was overcome with joy that my hard-earned money had not been wasted. It took me a moment to recover from the sheer fantastical-ness that was the opening, but when I was over it I was right on my character. I decided to be a good-guy Smuggler (and plan to turn to the Dark Side), and went with the best 'race' - Cyborg. Yeah, I look freaking awesome and there is nothing you can say to disprove that. Nothing. The character editing was top notch, almost on par with Skyrim. I could edit face shape, tone, detail, scarring, hair style, markings, Cyborg parts...it is just so vast. It took me quite some time to decide on the perfect character, but I think Mikal turned out just right (as I've already pointed out). Take a look.

"I'll be back"

After an awesome classic Star Wars intro (music and slanted writing included) I was thrown into a new world filled with top graphics. In fact, it was only today that I turned the graphics up to high. Mind blown, once again. I did a few starter quests, getting used to my new UI (which is very similar to WoW), getting a feel for the way gameplay worked and what not. It was kinda irritating that my ship was nicked at the very beginning of the game. I mean honestly, that's MY ship. I even named it. So, once I stopped chuckling at the way my little Cyborg moved I got more serious and started getting my head into the game. It was surprisingly easy to do. The thing is, when you enter cinematic mode (which is pretty much every time you talk to a quest giver or receiver) you are able to choose how your character responds to the NPC. They can be rude, polite, flirtatious, indifferent, you name it and your character can probably turn down that path.

Dark Side points (or Light Side if you're going that way) are there to demonstrate how far you're going towards one side of the force. In my case it's Dark side because I'm actually kinda evil. To protect a woman I didn't really like I slaughtered a load of men that were supposed to be my allies. Why? well, because I could. That act earned me 50 Dark Side points and I was only level 3. Talk about rebellious, soon I'll be going against my whole faction.

The only downside is the respawn. If you want to be revived where you died you may have to wait for over ten minutes, depending on how many times you've been revived beforehand. either way, it's a pain in the backside, especially when your respawn point is quite far away.

I'm still exploring the game really, getting to grips with the whole thing, but I'm determined to find my starship and save it from the bastard that stole her. I really loved that ship. So far, I'm really enjoying SWTOR, and it's going to be a struggle to pay for both this and WoW, but I tell you it will be worth it. I assure you.

Keep watching for more SWTOR updates, for as I get further through the game, the more adventure updates you'll be getting from me.

Happy New Year!

- Valhalla

Stay for a while and listen....

Hey Tanky here again…..

But, OH MY G…….

What’s that?
YES!
















DIABLO III!




I’d like for us to take the time to reminisce about one of the gaming industrys much loved RPG titles as it is reborn.

It all started on December 31^st, 1996, When a dark fantasy/ Horror themed game called Diablo was released by Blizzard Entertainment after being painstakingly developed by Blizzard North.

Set in a fictional kingdom (But, still with many similarities to our our) of Khanduras, Located in the world of Sanctuary, Diablo see’s the player take on the role of a protagonist (a choice of three classes is available Rogue/Warrior and Mage) trying to fight back the Lord of Terror, Diablo and his invading forces of evil.(One of which being one of my most loved characters of a game ‘The Butcher’ and his proclamation upon your arrival “ AHHH FRESH MEAT!”)

Beneath your starting location of Tristram, Your character ventures through sixteen levels of dungeons before ultimately ending it in a face of with Diablo himself.

This feature to me also acted as a way to perform systematic desensitisation on the player as each level becomes increasing more gory and disturbing the more you proceed. (however this may just be a biased view of a psychology student)


after selling over 2.5 million copies Blizzard true to the form we know and love today, Followed 4 years later with the even more groundbreaking and adored sequal Diablo II


Diablo II followed in the same steps as its predecessor (albeit a lot less horror orientated than the first) and was a direct sequel to Diablo, Landing itself as one of the most popular games of the year 2000! – With the addition of new character classes which featured Paladin, Amazon, Barbarian, Necromancer and sorceress (with a further class Druid being added with the expansion later on).

Changing the pace from purely fighting Diablo and his minions (which is plain to see would have got old way too soon), Diablo II takes a different approach and is split up into four ‘ACTS’ (each following a predetermined path and quest list).

Again the players assume the role of the protagonist hacking and slashing monster after monster throughout a vast wilderness and dungeons in order to level up with the added bonus of hiring mercenaries to help you in battle.

At the end of every act there is a substantially boosted boss monster to fight, in addition to this Blizzard have also included two prime evils brother Mephisto and Diablo (boss monsters for acts 3 & 4), two lesser evils Andariel and Duriel (boss monsters for acts 1 &2) and with a later edition of the expansion set Diablo II : Lord Of Destruction the final Prime evil is introduced Baal (boss monster for act 5)

Through Diablo II the player learns the truth of the corruption of Santuary and the story of the soulstones (from which Diablo released Mephisto and Baal)

            And thus, This leads me to finally get to talk about why were all here (the icing on the cake if you will), Diablo III.

The first thing I would like to talk about is the new list character classes available for the player to choose from in Diablo II and these are Witch Doctor, Barbarian, Monk, Demon Hunter and Wizard (Why change the format that worked so well in Diablo II I hear you say), Well the answer to that simply is the catastrophes that followed the defeat of the three prime evils basically destroyed anyone who was in their path and the only reason the Barbarians escaped is because they fled to the mountains.



The second thing is not necessarily the best choice in my eyes, But a bold statement to where Blizzard want only gaming to go and this is the implementation of auctions houses. (two to be exact)

One will be a place where players can spend in-game gold and another where players can buy and sell virtual items with one and other for real-world money.

 Blizzard followed the announcement of this feature on August 1^st 2011 by stating that nearly everything that drops in-game (including gold :S), Can be bought or sold directly to players through the auction house system. (However the real-world auction will not be available to player who chose to play Hardcore ‘Only one life, no resurrection’)

Thankyou for reading J…

 Diablo

 Baal

 Mephisto

 Andariel

 Duriel

 New Classes

 Real Currency Trade

World Map

Guest Blogger!

Merry Christmas, readers, today we have a guest blogger! Take a look, we quite like him.


Hey, Tanky here. I guess a good opener would be to explain who I am (I'll try to sound as if I don’t love myself too much). I’m the latest competition winner Nathan Davidson and I thought that as these guys have rewarded me for merely following their concise adventures into the electronic world of gaming (wasn't really that hard, the trick is too be a closet nerd like myself who cant openly talk about these things with college friends without getting funny looks).

Tanky

So, I'm going to go into depth about my recent influx of overly enjoyed gaming since I started again a few months back, kick started by one of the most anticipated games of 2011!, (yes, you've probably already guessed it by now) SKYRIM!

With merely a few hours before release my girlfriend announces that “I don’t want you to have to wait until Christmas to play Skyrim”, Which to any gamer, Is like a dream come true, So never the less I began my adventures and in no less than 48 hours the main quest, the dark brotherhood and the thieves guild were finished. Due to an added feature known as ‘Shouts’ and the fact all games are becoming ever more user friendly (known to us gamers as ‘being easier’), I found my adventures in Skyrim more fluid and there was very little in the way (other than a few puzzles that anyone with the cognitive strength of a slug could figure out). But, I would like to continue this post by adding the many aspects of the game I have enjoyed…

Lycanthropy
(the werewolf curse)

(best bonus) Immunity to disease including the most annoying of the Elder Scrolls universe Sanguinare Vampiris (the vampire curse).
(Bonuses while in beast form) Increased melee damage with a range of +5 to +60 when in beast form depending on level.
Increased dexterity with the opportunity to run on all fours in beast form.


Shouts
(the utterance of words of power and the resulting effect)

On completion of the game you now get to use 2 very useful shouts when in a stcky situation such as being cornered…
Call Dragon- Od (snow) – Ah (Hunter) – Viing (Wing) “Odahviing! Hear my voice and come forth. I summon you in my time of need.” This summons the dragon Odahviing (aka Alduin’s sidekick) to help you in battle.
Call Of Valor- Hun (Hero) – Kaal (Champion) – Zoor (Legend) Each level of this shouts summons a different hero of Sovngarde (The ones that banished Alduin into the future). Hun – Gormlaith Golden-Hilt (who wields bows/sword/shields and shouts) Hun, Kaal – Felldir The Old (Who wields a Great sword and a number of damage inflicting shouts) Hun, Kaal, Zoor – Hakon One-Eye (who wields a Battle Axe and uses Melee Shouts)

Mining

Although this may seem like a pointless nod of appreciation to other fantasy veterans such as the ever popular but underrated Runescape or the classic and the modern MMORPG versions of Warcraft. Mining has become a useful tool in Skyrim due to two simple facts, The mines are everywhere and Pickaxes are light to carry (Which basically makes this like finding a ten pound note on your way to earn money. A HAPPY BONUS). This was the contributing factor to why I was probably one of the first people I know to achieve the 100,000 gold achievement on my Xbox 360. Along with this goes the ability to smelt your ore into bars, and in turn create items to sell for a higher price. Your patience really does pay off in Skyrim.

Cooking

Throughout my journeys in Skyrim, I discovered my favourite recipes for a useful item and through the most un-used skill at my disposal, Cooking. The Two I would like to share with you are:

Elswyr Fondue
(Ale,Eidar Cheese Wheel, Moon Sugar) Which fortifies magicka 100/12m and regenerates magicka 25%/12m
Horker Stew
(Garlic, Horker Meat, Lavender, Tomato) Which restores 15 health and 15 stamina and also regenerates health 1/12m


Now for a little summary of the ever popular and my favourite aspect of the elder scrolls games, The Dark Brotherhood. again filled with deception, plot twists and this time …. brace yourself… YOU MEET THE NIGHT MOTHER AND WORK DIRECTLY FOR HER!
For those of you that wish to seek this quest line the first meeting that may occur is by a small farm North of Whiterun, The meeting is strange your are confronted on your journey by a weird man, who talks like a psychopath and is dressed accordingly in a medieval court jesters apparel and his carriage (WHICH HARBOURS THE NIGHT MOTHERS BODY).

That is all for today.

PEACE

Pokémon and Nobunaga’s Ambition

(I was going to do a Christmas post today but when I heard this I was way too excited and postponed Christmas, sorry (this isn’t the first time I’ve threatened Christmas))

This is the new Pokémon game we have all been waiting for. A whole new concept, a whole new perspective and a whole new generation.

Forget starting at the beginning as a young boy or girl moving to a new town and beginning a new adventure by saving your local professor, in this game, you are a Japanese Warlord and it is set in a feudal Japan, you are trying to gain territory and become omnipotent.  

Ash is replaced with the roguishly handsome (not my words) Nobunaga and his Zekrom. You’ll have the Pokémon from our much loved games and series mixed with Nobunaga’s Ambition  (I can’t be bothered to keep writing this so from now on it is NA) gameplay. From this they came up with the imaginative title Pokémon and Nobunaga’s Ambition.

NA is a 28 year old strategy game with several sequels and remakes (available on NES, Gameboy, SNES and WII).

This game will only be available on Nintendo DS but hey most Pokémon lovers are 12 year olds and have DS’ anyway. But for those of you who do not yet have a DS, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? Pokémon is only available on DS and online and the online version is nowhere near as awesome as the DS game. So get your butts of the sofa, unglue your eyes from your High Resolution laptop screens and get down to your local Game or Gamestation and get yourself a DS.

Here’s a little something for you to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKOn0hjxymM&feature=player_embedded

Just kidding, I’m sure most of you can’t understand Japanese, those of you who can I commend you. In my case, I only understand small amounts of Japanese so translating this was close to impossible and there is nothing yet in English so either spend ages attempting to translate this in google translate or just be patient and wait for the English one.

Fa-la-la-la-la la-ogri-la

Deck the halls with ugly Orc heads, Fa-la-la-la-la la-ogri-la! Yes, it's that time again - Winter Veil has arrived in Azeroth once again and Great Father Winter has appeared in Ironforge and Orgrimmar (/cheers) ready to give out gifts and quests. Are you ready to complete all the achievements of Winter Veil in order to gain the title of Merrymaker? I am, I really am.

It's my second Christmas in Azeroth, last Christmas I wasn't really bothered by achievements and the like, but this year I am READY to kick some backside and earn my new title. I think it's fitting. Today, Azeroth was covered in Winter Veil trees, decorated with love, people dressed in red and green outfits an s the delicious smell that is gingerbread cookies and eggnog. Yes, Winter Veil is a time for all Azerothians to come together and share the peaceful, joyous occasion that is Winter Veil.



When I logged on today I was eager to meet Great Father Winter yet again and accept quest from him. Of course, coming home late from work I could only get on at 23:00, and so didn't get much time to play. Regardless, I carried on, flying off to Ironforge in search of the jolly old man.It was a quick trip on the Deeprun tram, a Gnome decided to jump on the same carriage as me (must to my distaste) and although I was irritated I waved to him in greeting. He didn't wave back.. Once the tram stopped at the entrance to Ironforge, I was quick to get off and through the portal before mounting my flying horse and speeding off to the tree that stood behind Great Father Winter outside the Ironforge bank.

The first quest that the bringer of winter Veil asked me to complete was one that required me bringing him five gingerbread cookies and a glass of ice cold milk (I could totally go for some milk right now). Rather than spend time cooking them myself, I bought them fresh from the auction house for an unholy amount of gold. Seriously, it was a lot. I brought the necessary food-stuffs to Great Father Winter and he devoured them happily. As a reward I was given a present that contained...thread. Great present, really. My spirits were later lifted by a parcel from Great Father Winter in my inbox that contained some cheese, candy canes and other tasty treats. That made it all better.

I planned on completing three achievements today - 'Scrooge', 'With a little Helper from my friends' and 'Tis the season'. Much easier than it sounds, I tell you. I was going to get all three done...I managed a grand total of one. Record numbers, I know. I'm blaming it on sleepiness and lack of concentration. That's exactly the reason, nothing else.

Dalaran toy shop

'Scrooge' was easy peasy, no problem. All I had to do was hurl a snowball at Muradin Bronzebeard and BAM, achievement. Whilst many would have quaked with fear at the thought of pelting him with snow, I relished in it. striding up to this throne I stood right in front of his face and just slammed it into him, laughing all the way. It was a nice, easy achievement that required little effort and the humiliation of an NPC. Poor guy.

I've always liked reading lore in Azeroth

The next one was quite a bit harder. 'With a little Helper from my friends' requires me to transform into a Gnome (outside Ironforge) and then gaining 50 honourable kills. I managed eight today. eight in lord knows how many Battlegrounds. I humiliated myself in that hideous Gnome costume for nothing. However, next time will be better. Next time I will be prepared and ready to take the enemy DOWN. I think I could, depending on the BG....

Feel da power

'Tis the Season' should have been the easiest of them all. I had two pieces of Winter clothing from last year, but I was missing the hat. Much to my irritation, this quest required me wearing three pieces of Winter clothing whilst I ate the mince meat pie-cake. Even the auction house had no hats for me. Hanging my head low, I sulked for a little while, knowing that the only one who could help me was my Guild Master, and he was offline. I even wished him goodnight. I was kinda bummed about that fact, I really wanted to complete it tonight. The quests were still fun to do though, I really enjoy getting achievements when I can, and as a level 85 the only things to do are get kick ass armour and gain all the achievements possible.

I really like Christmas, here on Earth. For once, everyone seems happy and is able to get along - fighting appears reduced. Whether it is or not, I don't know, but I'd like to think that way. Food, family and the odd gift, that's what Christmas is all about, mainly the first two of course. In Azeroth, Winter Veil seems to have the same effect. Players seem less snappy and harsh with each other, and seem to get along with each other a lot better than usual. A short poem comes to mind when I think of this. "Christmas comes but once a year, and when it come it brings good cheer." I have to say that this is a very true point.

Join us again on Saturday fir an incredibly exciting post...you'll have to wait and see what it's about. We'll be doing more on Christmas in MMO/MMORPG's, so keep your eyes peeled and don't be afraid to check back.

Merry Christmas!

Temple Run??

Hi guys.

So I’ve been really busy lately as my English teacher was sent to hospital so I had to write an essay that wasn’t due until January and was very complex, it needed to be in this week. So it’s been crazy and Valhalla has been doing a lot of work, big thanks to him, in return I promised I’d write tonight’s post alone but as usual little Titus has somehow managed to get Valhalla involved again. Praise to Mighty Valhalla.

Next week we have a Christmas special planned for you (this is honestly exciting me despite the fact that I’m a total Scrooge when it comes to Christmas).

We also have the December competition which I hope all of you are looking forward to (us not so much, it costs money).

What would you originals say if we brought back follower Saturday after Christmas? I think it’s a great idea seeing as there is more of you now so we are more likely to get a suggestion (which we didn’t get many of last time, I think it was about 2).

On a note of complete randomness, I found a game for iPhone, iPad and iTouch users which totally sucks but is also totally awesome in the most qwfully addictive way. So if you are looking for a game to entertain you while your bosses back is turned at work or under the desk where your teacher cant see then I suggest ‘Temple Run’ or the likes, as this game has had me playing it endlessly since last Friday, any spare minute, and I mean ANY, I have automatically begun to play it. There is a small clique, me and two of my peers who literally cannot put the game down, although I suck and have to get them to reach my objectives for me. The graphics are standard for a game like this and it’s somewhat unimaginative but it gets 10 out of 10 for addictiveness. If I find any game more addictive I will make sure to let you know. Although I don't think that the wallpapers you can unlock are what every 18 year old wants this Christmas.

Sorry tonight’s post is so short, I’m really short on time and despite Valhalla’s attempts to help I think he fell asleep again, he’s not well, I don’t blame him, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that sick, although it also means that I don’t get the Boltgun Metal paint I needed to borrow to paint my Orcs.

FUS RO...

Here's another update from a very irritated and miffed Valhalla. I planned on tonight's Skyrim adventure being peaceful and with as little stress as possible. Yeah, like I ever get what I want in games. Tonight was the total opposite of everything I wanted. It was filled with fury, stress and disappointment. Tonight was the worst night of Skyrim ever experienced. You know what makes it worse? My laptop killed ALL the screen I took and so it's a pictureless post. I'll find those pictures, I will. I'm sorry about the lack of screenshots.

I woke up in a warm bed in Whiterun, ready to conquer all that stood in my path. I was able to purchase both a house and horse, and did so rather quickly. I decorated my home with every piece of furniture imaginable and my servant-slave-woman moved in with me (she has a weird habit of sitting in my bedroom). Everything seemed alright at this point, I had everything I wanted, had purchased my horse and was well on my way to success. What could go wrong? I tell you that a lot can go wrong.

I realized that I hadn't yet returned the Golden Claw and figured that I should probably take a trip down to Riverwood to deliver that to its rightful owner. Dragging my woman, Lydia, along with me we travelled back to the little village Hadvar had take me to not so long ago. It was actually quite nice going back to that place, with it's little houses and care-free villagers. However, determined to get on with my main quest I had to hurry my delivery up and so gave the Golden Claw back without delay. He actually seemed quite surprised that I was returning it. I wasn't sure if I should be offended or amused. Once that was returned I was eager to get to the Grey Beards that were waiting for me. I hopped onto my horse and began riding towards my destination as fast as I could.

Lydia and I were pretty underwhelmed by the enemies we encountered - the wild dogs weren't much of a threat. It was only when we came to a forked road that we encountered our most difficult enemy yet. Galloping up the fork, I was expecting to face something when I saw the little steps. However, I was not expecting to face something quite as horrific as what I saw. I hit 'save' just before I attacked the giant troll that stood before me, and I really should have saved a little earlier. The troll took me out in one hit, taking me under the jaw with his massive great club. I fell limp and broken to the ground, and the game went to load at my last save place - right before the beast hit me. There was no escape, for several minutes the beast just kept killing me, my body landing in a different way each time. Unable to escape and angered by what was happening I was forced to start from the autosave - Riverwood. Yay, back here again. Well, at least I know where to save next time and that I should avoid the trolls.

Overcoming my irritation I began my journey again, chatting to an enthusiastic cook on my way, something that certainly lightened my spirits. I was feeling more confident about this one, and made sure to avoid the trolls, killing only the wild dogs that nipped at my horse's legs. As I trotted along the path I heard a chilling roar and the ground shook beneath me. looking into the sky, I saw a massive great dragon swooping through the sky and blotting out the sun with its enormous wings. I was not impressed. Not wanting to run into it, I galloped away, ignoring the cries for help from frightened revellers. Well, I ignored them for a moment. The hero within me rose up and forced me to dismount and see what was up. By the time I reached them they were happily drinking again and offering me mead - which I declined. As there was no more trouble I continued on my way.

It took a while, but I reached my destination eventually. After reaching the little town that was home to the Grey Beards I was expecting them to be sitting in a little wooden hut smoking pipes around an open fire, hot soup in their hands. No, of course not, they're at the top of the seven THOUSAND steps. With a heavy sigh, I dropped my horse at the mountain base and began to climb the seven thousand steps, Lydia following close behind me. We were attacked by wild dogs several times, but nothing prepared me for what was at the top. I saved the game just as a giant yeti-troll came bounding towards me (this situation feels strangely familiar). What happened next? Yes, it killed me and I was stuck in the loop of death again. Filled with Rage, I had to open the autosave at Riverwood, starting my journey all over again.

I was not a happy bunny. I was, in fact, filled with indescribable rage and spitting poisoned tacks. Muttering and mumbling, I got some new and better armour from the smithy before starting all over again, my slave woman trailing behind me. This time, the game froze and I had to take ten to calm down before starting up again. when I did start up again, everything seemed to be running smoothly...until a dragon came and jumped on top of me, snapping me up in his jaws without me being able to do a thing. I could have taken the dragon if he hadn't caught me by surprise. Serious.

With the dragon out of the way (meaning I went back to my last save...not Riverwood), I was able to return to the seven thousand steps and climb them all over again. This time I was a lot more calculated when it came to the yeti-troll, and after several failed attempts I decided to leave Lydia with the monsters and leg it past it, never looking back...you never look back. It worked, and whilst I should have felt bad for leaving my woman behind, I felt nothing and continued on my way. She did not sound impressed when she caught up with me, I may have to watch myself when I'm asleep tonight. Regardless, we finally made it to the Grey Beards, and I have never been happier to see an ominous looking tower in my life. slowly, we climbed the stairs.

The guys inside were very welcoming. They made me shout at them, which felt amazing and impressed them. Convinced I was a Dragonborn, they taught me the second part of my relentless shout (Ro) and also taught me Whirlwind. I really took to those funny little priests, they were very polite and respectful of me. Eager to continue working on me, they gave me a quest to complete, and I happily accepted.

Fellow adventurers, that it where I left off - outside the fortress staring at the sunset with Lydia. Next time, my adventure will continue, hopefully with less problems than before.

Marvel Attack!

It's a cold and blustery Tuesday in early December. On days like this there's nothing better than sitting down in a comfy chair and watching a good film or flicking through and interesting novel. Curled up in front of the fire, something hot to drink in your hand, it's hard to resist. Or, you could be like Titus and I - cold and slumped in front of the computers typing.

So, on this bitter and icy night, we figure that you might be looking for something good to watch or maybe something to skim over absent-mindedly - that's why we've brought you this post. Here, you will find a little review on Thor and some exciting news regarding Marvel comics that might just get you running over to that comic collection you have hidden under your bed.


Thor

Selfish, young, reckless and disrespectful are only some of the words that could be used to describe the young Thunder god, Thor. Son of Odin, king of the gods, it is Thor's destiny to one day take his place. However, during the ceremony that would name Thor King, three Frost Giants (the age old enemy of the gods) slip into Asgard and attempt to steal an artefact that once belonged to them, interrupting the ceremony meaning that Thor does not become King. Enraged by the fact that Frost Giants would dare to attack Asgard, Thor swears to destroy them, much to his father's annoyance. Blinded by vanity and selfish desire, Thor takes his friends to the home of the Frost Giants and nearly gets them all killed. Heartbroken and angry, Odin banishes his son to the mortal realm where he will be forced to suffer. As Thor falls into the mortal realm known as Midgard (Earth), Odin places a spell on Thor's hammer before throwing it after his son.

You can keep pulling that hammer. Yes...yes you can...

Thor is alone on Earth and no one believes he is the god of Thunder. However, he is quick to find some new companions that will aid him on his quest, even if they aren't so sure about his sanity. In order for Thor's hammer to return to him and for him to be able to return home he must learn to put others before himself and rid himself of his reckless, vain and selfish qualities.

 Little does Thor know that whilst he struggles with himself on Earth, his brother, Loki, is planning on taking over all of Asgard so that he may become King of the Gods. It's up to Thor, with the help of is new found mortal friends as well as his old companions, to stop his brother before it's too late and the nine worlds are put out of order forever. Not only this, but Loki has a few secrets of his own...

Power will be mine!

Of course, the comic and the film differ in various areas - most notably that Thor does not take on the alias of Donald Blake (although the character is mentioned a few times in the film). However, the character of Thor in the comic and the one in the film are pretty similar in the case of actions and reaction. The only thing that differs massively is the language, but that's a minor point.

I don't want to ruin the film for you, so I won't give anymore of the plot away. Persoanlly, I give this film a 10/10 for acting, fun, light heartedness, great story and decent effects.


Before we jump over to Titus' exciting news, a quick question...do you agree with this interpretation of Nick Fury? This is the Nick Fury that has been used in the recent Marvel films and will be used in the Avengers next year compared with the original Fury. What do you guys think?

Comic mania...

The date of the Avengers is getting sooner every day and they have now released information that there will be a new comic beginning in April, ‘Avengers vs X-men’. The biggest names in Marvel have been brought together to create this thing of awesomeness, throwing them in the ring together to see which will come out on top.

Obviously the main point of this post is Thor but I couldn’t resist revealing this exciting news and seeing the response for it. I don’t know about you but I’m totally stuck for a side to back, on the one hand there is Wolverine, Storm, Professor X, Cyclopes and the others, whilst on the other there is Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man and so much more. It’s like pitting the gods against one another and saying, 'so do you back Athene or do you back Ares?' (Well, it is for me anyway.)

The original

This comic will be running fortnightly and is written by 5 of the top Marvel writers; Matt Fraction, Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, Brian Michael Bendis and Jason Aaron.

It’s one of those questions that so many people want to know the answer to: who would win? And so many people have predetermined what side they are on. There is only one way to find out how it really happens.

Are you Team Avenger or Team X-men?

What does one team have that the other doesn’t?

More information at:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/story/2011-12-06/avengers-x-men-marvel-2012-series/51672646/1

So, whether you plan on watching a film or reading an old favourite, we think you should chose something Marvel related to lighten your evening.

WoW Adverts

You know what, I posted this on Saturday. However, I went to check everything out today and what did I find? This was a draft. I was pretty irritated. So, I figured I should hit the publish button after writing this little note explaining why this post is so darn late.

Valhalla

Hey there, everyone. A little post today - something light and refreshing for you all. The new Chuck Norris World of Warcraft advert was released not long ago, and so I thought it might be fun to stick up a load of WoW ads that contain famous people such as Ozzy Osbourne and Mr. T. Sit back, relax and enjoy these thirty second ads. Happy viewing, guys!

It was the best glitch in the world...

Here's another of Valhalla's WoW updates. I know, I haven't done one in a while, but to be honest nothing much has happened recently. My internet connection is so poor that I can't even do Heroic dungeons or raids. Yes, it really does suck. So, I do what I can with what I have and I make do with what's available to me. I'm not a huge fan of PvP, I much prefer the whole PvE thing, but as I can't do anything other than Battlegrounds, I have little choice by to start up PvP. As a result, I've been working hard to build a season 10 armour set so that I can at least do a decent job when it comes to kicking Horde ass (you heard me, I'm Alliance. Come at me, Hordie). All I've really been up to is the usually trotting along the snowy roads of Azeroth. I figured you guys might like to know what I've been doing in Azeroth, so here it goes. 

I've only been able to play properly today and yesterday, every other time I've only been able to log on for a half hour or so before more homework has to be done or some such abomination. Wednesday and Thursday night, however, was reserved for some hardcore Warcrafting. With Patch 4.3 downloading, I grabbed myself a mug of warm milk (yeah, totally manly) and sat myself down, knowing that I wouldn't be moving for quite some time. This, is Wednesday night with Findor.

I logged on, excited about chatting with my guild again. Well, I say chatting, but they don't really talk to me much, I guess it's because I'm new to the guild, they don't really seem to care. My old guild was much better for chatting (but they didn't like me much), but you have to make do with what you have. I said a merry good evening to my guild and received some grumbled "hi"'s in response. They went back to nattering about other things pretty fast. I decided that tonight was a night for gear gathering, and although I knew that I'd probably only get one piece that evening, I was determined. After all, the fact that I can't do Heroics and such means that my Item Level is a mere 341, which is pretty poor for a level 85. As a result, I started queueing up for random BG's, ready to slaughter some enemy players. I worked long and hard, but I was finally able to afford the best helmet I've ever had. Just look at it - the definition of awesome. 

Anyway, I just wanted to show off my new helmet as I'm rather proud of it. Now to get to what this post is all about - the best glitch in the world. 

Yesterday, I went to the Ruins of Gilneas. As a regular victim of lag, I was bound to experience difficulties at some point in the evening. As my friend and I were flying to Gilneas I was suddenly hit by a massive wave of lag that lasted several minutes. After a little while I was sure that the lag was gone and things were back to normal - after all I could message other players and the like - so I continued on my way. When I reached Gilneas I dismounted so that I could enjoy the city and explore the ruins further - it's like the ancient history of Azeroth. It was then that something strange began to happen. Aspect of the Cheetah wasn't activated, yet I was running incredibly fast and my arms were bent in an odd manner. I found it amusing and ignored what was happening. It was only when my character jumped that I realized something was up. I hit the spacebar and all of a sudden I began to fly. I was flying without a mount. I mean, my mount was activated by it wasn't visible. It felt amazing, swimming through the sky, floating around the abandoned buildings. It certainly was the best glitch in the world and my favourite. 

After a while, I got bored and decided to log out. When I logged back in I was all the way back at Ironforge. Turns out that the game hadn't even registered my arrival at Gilneas. No matter, it was such an awesome thing to happen that I felt I should share it with you guys. Here are some pictures of me flying through the skies of Gilneas. 

As a side note, I plan on creating a beginners guide to WoW on the blog, something brief yet helpful to new players. Also, look out for the Gamers Dictionary which is currently under development and will always be added to. Hope you guys enjoyed the mini update, our next post is on Saturday so stay tuned! 

X-men movie

Hey there ladies and gentlemen (mostly gentlemen).

Tonight me and Valhalla (I think I’m going to start shortening it to Val., despite his many protests, let me know what you think) wanted to do a post on all the fantastic Marvel movies that have been coming out lately as the latest one will be here soon. Who here is excited about ‘The Avengers’? I think me and Val. are both extremely excited. I was upset when ‘Captain America’ came out as Val. had promised to come and watch it with me but every time we planned it he cancelled on me (all his excuses were valid and forgivable….:( but it also means I haven’t been able to see it yet). It came out recently on DVD and as soon as I am able to get to town that will be the first thing I buy.

Tonight, Val. supposedly left me his part of the post in our blog email account drafts box but I’ve been through the whole thing and it’s empty and I left my laptop at college so tonight’s post is a bit late again (you’re probably thinking, ‘so how is he sending us this?’ well, my smart muffins, I managed to convince my reluctant mother that it would be a good idea to let me use her desktop (which incidentally is better than my laptop) for a short period of time, and this is all I have time to supply at this hour as she was adamant that I get to bed as soon as I can for college tomorrow and the rescue of my laptop, she seems to have forgotten that I am, in fact, 18).

I thought that I would be cool to at least do a brief review on my favourite Marvel movie so far.

To date, my favourite has been X-men. Yeah I know, not exactly similar to the comics (they could at least have made the costumes SIMILAR, poor Wolverine, missing out on his yellow and blue and getting instead a plain blue x-men, rubber, one-piece).

Despite it’s dissimilarities to the original I would like to examine the movie as something separate to any comic.

I am a HUGE fan of X-men and regardless of the movies lack of respect I thought it was a pretty amazing movie.

I thought the actors were impressive, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine was pretty darn cool, James Marsden as Cyclops (If I was gay James would be my man crush), loved it. I loved Halle Berry as Storm, she was pretty awesome and of course totally hot in her cat-suit, even Professor X was awesome, Patrick Stewart was perfect. Enough about the actors.

I thought the school was well done, the filming, the acting…let’s just say that I have watched that movie more times than I can count on my hands and probably toes together.

I will have to leave you with this brief post tonight as I am falling asleep at my desk and I have a performance tomorrow night so I must be awake.