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Review: Limbo

 Xbox360Digest.com 

The Digest: After months of interviews, teaser You Tube clips, and all the hype and hoopla you can handle, one of the most anticipated Xbox Live Arcade releases of the summer has finally arrived and will absolutely blow your mind.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: July 21, 2010
PUBLISHER: Xbox Live Arcade
DEVELOPER: Playdead
PRICE: 1200 MS Points ($15)
GENRE: Platform, Puzzle, Adventure Game

Interview: John Nielson of J.Kenworthy Entertainment

For this project I was required to come up with interview questions for our assistant director to ask John Nielson of J.Kenworthy Entertainment.

Q: How much of the successes of your earlier titles went into the making of Ancients of Ooga?

The success of Clyde greatly inspired and affected the development of Ancients of Ooga. Ooga inherits some of Clyde’s same basic game mechanics as well as some game design theories we felt worked well for Clyde.

Q: Along those lines can you walk us through the thought process of how your team doesn’t just sit on your past success and do like so many other companies do and produce a lousy new title? How do you keep your team motivated to reach that ‘next level’?

For me the answer is seeing what we do as not only a business, but an art form to be pursued with passion and enthusiasm.  I see so many decisions being made by so many companies based solely on what is the safe bet or what will bring in fast cash.  I’m not saying that the desire to be financially successful is not one of our goals, but my theory has always been that if we focus on quality first and on creating the absolute best games we can even when it sometimes requires sacrificing some quick cash opportunities, in the end it will be recognized and create a solid base and a reputation for us as well as keep us in the habit of not taking sloppy shortcuts.

Link to Published Article

Indie Review: Old School Racer

Xbox 360 Digest.com

The Digest: Plain and simple, you will lose sleep over this fun and exciting dirt bike title from Riddlersoft.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: June 24, 2010
PUBLISHER: Riddlersoft
DEVELOPER: Riddlersoft
PRICE:  80 MS Points
GENRE:  Racing & Flying

Microsoft Claims Kinect Manufacturing Costs Around $150

Xbox 360 Digest.com
It seems Microsoft has had a close eye and a closer ear to what the internet community of gamers has been saying about their new motion capture hardware. According to a highly-trusted source that resides within the Microsoft development team; the Kinect's manufacturing costs are said to be close to or at about $150.00. Whether this "trusted source" of information is true or not it seems Microsoft is catching wind of the negative feedback gamers are unleashing on the web about the expensive investment.



It almost seems as if Microsoft is attempting to justify the high price tag by assuring gamers that the company isn't out for a higher markup but rather taking a hit to provide a new experience to its gamers.

Xbox 360 Digest Indie Review: Urban Space Squirrels

Xbox 360 Digest Indie Review


The Digest: This just might be the coolest bomb carrying, wall climbing, laser dodging squirrel you will ever come across.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: June 8, 2010
PUBLISHER: Duct Tape Anonymous Entertainment
DEVELOPER: University of Utah Entertainment Arts and Engineering program
PRICE:  80 MS Points
GENRE:  Puzzle & Platform

PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
Your mission is to lead this James Bondesque looking squirrel to safety while using your smarts to navigate through new stages and avoiding death at all costs.



2
You become transformed into a bomb totting squirrel with an attitude that extends far beyond his desire to escape the death trap that is Urban Space Squirrels.  Packed with four main levels and twenty stages, this game will have you addicted from the time you pick up the controller to the time you pass out from lack of sleep as a result.



The game starts off a little slow with the first few puzzles being fairly easy to complete to advance you to the next stage. Once you get a feel for the game the engine kicks in full gear and the stages becoming increasingly more difficult to surpass. Your mind and reaction time will be put to the ultimate test in order to avoid those annoying lasers and the fast moving land mines. As you find your self knocking down stages like a house of cards you will be rewarded with much needed upgrades. Some of these upgrades include extra bombs or even a nice claw to climb the walls faster than jumping around them. This is where the game starts to become very addictive and you won’t be able to put the controller down until you pass that next stage or achieve that next upgrade.

Now I have been a big fan of the platform games in the past but the one problem I have with all of them is I could never seem get over the hump of the death-by-poor-camera-coverage. Games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario 64, Earthworm Jim, or even the original NES Super Mario were all plagued by slow moving camera coverage. I can honestly say this is the first platform game that I have never had an issue with my character flying off screen and falling into a pit of death. The camera moves fluidly no matter how fast your new squirrel friend runs, falls, or jumps. He won’t ever be lost in your field of vision.



Can’t seem to figure out how to run, jump, or even use the bombs that magically fly out of the squirrel’s body? No worries, the game comes with a fun and interactive tutorial to show you how to handle your impressive new friend. No longer will you have to read long and boring scripts on how to move you character, rather the tutorials put you right into the feel of the game before actually starting your quest for escape.

That quest for freedom will have you stumbling across one of the many hilarious death sequences that are featured throughout the game. Whether it be death by strategically placed lasers or falling into a pit of mines, this is one of those added quirks that will have you deep in thought one minute to laughing hysterically the next. If you don't get anything out of this game in terms or enjoyment, remind your self that laughter is the best medicine and throw your little squirrel friend into on of those shiny lasers. It will be worth your time and effort! 



Conclusion: You can really tell a lot of thought went into this game from the impressive Photoshop/Illustrator work to the fluid game engine throughout. As I have said before this is truly one of those titles that the Indie Game genre is all about. You will love to hate this game simple because it will push your mind and reaction time to the absolute edge. It’s safe to say this is one of those titles that is definitely worth your full download.

PROS	CONS
- Highly Addictive - Very Professional Looking - Awesome Replay Value	- What are the Red Cards for? - Difficulty Spikes

Single Player: 5/5 | Multi-Player: N/A

Special thanks to Duct Tape Anonymous Entertainment for providing us with a copy of the game for review.

Hawks Jonathan Toews to Grace Cover of NHL11

 Xbox 360 Digest New Release

The Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews added to his list of accomplishments this summer by being selected to appear on the cover of EA Sports NHL 11. Just one week removed from winning the Conn Smythe Trophy and bringing the Stanley Cup back home to Chicago, Toews becomes the new poster boy for the highly anticipated game that will hit shelves September 14, 2010.



EA Sports usually waits until mid July to announce who will appear on the games cover but with E3 being bigger than ever this year and the Hawks winning the Cup, its only fitting to release the news early.



Toews becomes the second Chicago Blackhawk in a row to be featured on the games cover. Patrick Kane was selected for last years NHL 10.
 

Activision Adds Grammy-Award Winning Heavyweights

 Xbox 360 Digest New Announcement:

Activision kicked off E3 by announcing the addition of some well know and well respected recording artists to it's highly anticipated titles; Call of Duty: Black Ops, DJ Hero 2, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, and True Crime: Hong Kong.

Included in this list of popular musicians is multi-platinum R&B artists Usher, Rap superstar Eminem, recently reunited Soundgarden, N.E.R.D singer and producer Pharrell Williams, and David Guetta to name a few.

CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, stated the reasoning behind the companies new additions. "Activision's fall titles are set to give gamers an unparalleled musical experience. We have assembled an exceptionally talented roster of artists, many of whom have created exclusive or originally recorded tracks for our games. We are sure our titles will offer a variety of tracks that will appeal to our wide consumer base and delight the most passionate music and gaming fans."

Indie Review: Aah Little Atlantis

Xbox 360 Digest Review

The Digest: Finally a retro style Indie game that breaks the mold to follow its own path rather than walk in the shadow of our old friend Mario.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: April 6, 2010
PUBLISHER: Aah Games
DEVELOPER: Robert Swan
PRICE: 80 MS Points
GENRE: Puzzle & Strategy

Xbox 360 Digest: Splinter Cell: Conviction Review By: Patrick Tretina

 Xbox 360 Digest: Splinter Cell: Conviction Review-Facebook Page Post

 As impossible as it may seem Sam Fisher is back again for Splinter Cell Conviction and is as angrier than ever. 

From the moment you pick up the controller you can feel the rage running through Sam’s veins. His aggressiveness has not only been built into the dialogue and the story line but infused directly into the game play as well. Everything from the vicious takedowns to the erratic interrogation techniques are a clear indication that Sam is far from putting his daughter’s murder behind him.

The story is set three years after the conclusion of Splinter Cell: Double Agent where Sam’s daughter was brutally murdered with his government agency, Third Echelon, playing no part in attempting to find a suspect. 

Fisher is called out of retirement when new evidence surfaces about his daughter’s estranged killer. Lucky for Sam the new evidence leads to a prominent terrorists group who just so happens to be planning a major attack on our nation’s capital. To make matters worse Fisher has gone solo and will stop at nothing to find who murdered his little girl. 

The new Splinter Cell installment has proven to be far superior from its processors in many aspects. The game is played like that book you can’t put down and will have you spending all night in campaign mode until you beat it. The reason, no in-game loading screens to remind you to take your eyes off the screen to peer at the clock and realize its 4:45 in the morning. The game is also in constant action mode so you’re never sitting around waiting for lengthy dialogue clips to roll by. Instead, the cut-scenes are filled with enough action to keep you entertained and well informed, not to mention the maps are being loaded simultaneously while you’re drooling over the cut-scenes of the intense story line.

As promised the game is no longer plagued by sloth-like stealth techniques that use to take forever to kill a stationary enemy. This time around stealth is all about speed and intensity making Fisher’s kill’s all that more rewarding. 

Conviction also uses an all new in game cover mode which allows for more flexibility when lurking through the shadows to gain an edge on a room full of enemies. You are no longer stuck to one motion while pinned in cover, instead you have free reign to move quickly and easily when needed. The game will have you feeling like a stealthy bad-ass in no time. 

To compliment your newly acquired stealth-swag, is the all new interactive interrogations feature. Instead of watching cut-scenes of Fisher grilling his foes to submission, you become thrown directly into the art of interrogating. These fun moves are rather easy to pull off yet they maintain a unique dimension the Splinter Cell series has never seen before. 

Despite the single player campaign taking a little over 6 hours to complete, the game comes packed with a co-op campaign with completely different levels and missions. The co-op can be played on split screen or over Xbox Live as well. The developers have also added some bonus feature within the co-op that are well worth the time exploring. 

All in all Splinter Cell: Conviction is a ridiculous upgrade from the previous versions within the series. Then again I wasn’t much of a fan of the last Splinter Cell which might say a thing or two about my bias for the previous games. Never the less the new installment is definitely worth the price of admission or at least a spot atop your GameFly query. But then again you could go on with your boring life playing the same old game you’ve been playing for the past two years and not experience the phenomenon that is Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Indie Review: Mind’s Eye Jupiter – Episode 02

Xbox360Digest.com Review Done 6/6/2010

The Digest: Sometimes you just want to play a game that challenges your mind more than your reaction time. Not only will this strategic adventure game keep you entertained from start to finish but it will also have you wishing the developer would finish Episode 3 so you can feed your Indie game addiction.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: May 27, 2010
PUBLISHER: Domain of the Infinite
DEVELOPER: Travis Rogers
PRICE: 240 MS Points
GENRE: Action & Adventure

“Def Jam Rapstar” Set for Early October Release

Xbox 360 Digest.com

Hip Hop fans your prayers have been answered in the form of Def Jam RapStar. The first ever all Hip Hop music interaction game developed by 4mm Games allows users to rap to their favorite Hip Hop songs…finally.

For those who have played Rock Band or Band Hero and wished they could sing along to Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” or Drake’s “Best I Ever Had,” no longer have to wait and wish for that day to come. Konami Digital announced the release of Def Jam Rapstar for October 5, 2010 and just in time to spend this coming Fall rhyming to Tupac’s “Better Days” and Outcast’s “So Fresh, So Clean.”

The RapStar bundle will debut for $69.99 and include one wired microphone along with the game software.

Konami also announced the addition of seven songs to compliment the over 40 of Hip Hop’s greatest songs that will be available on release day.

Biz Markie – “Just A Friend”
Drake – “Best I Ever Had”
Ice Cube – “It Was A Good Day”
Outkast – “So Fresh, So Clean”
Pete Rock and CL Smooth – “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”
Redman and Method Man – “Da Rockwilder”
Salt-N-Pepa – “Push It”

NIU History:425- World War 2 MidTerm. Grade: 90/100. Professor:Lawless

Patrick Tretina

History 425: WWII

Midterm

Professor: Lawless

Question 1)

For years historians have attempted to explain a centralized aspect for the cause of World War 2. Many have firmly placed this main cause in the hands of Adolf Hitler and his actions within Nazi Germany. This central idea that Hitler was the main cause of WWII is the simple and quick answer to the question. The reality is, when looked at more in depth, the cause to WWII is much more complex than that.

In order to better understand the complex causes behind the Second World War we must first look at the causes of the First World War.

The four main causes that lead to the First World War can be directly linked to; Alliance between nations, Militarism, Nationalism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungry.

            During the late 19^th century most of Europe was engaged in political talks between nations in order to maintain a comfortable balance in power throughout. The Dual Alliance was signed on October 7, 1879, between Germany and Austria-Hungry. The treaty was to defend one another in case a Russian conflict broke out, since the Ottoman Empire was on the down turn and Austria-Hungry was in play for the Balkan Territory. The treaty also gave Germany support in case turmoil with France brewed over.  The treaty later included Italy as a counter measure to The Triple Entente Treaty between France, Britain, and Russia. The clear signs that war was on the horizon can clearly be seem by the massive divide in power between Russia, Britain, and France occupying one side and Germany, Austria-Hungry, and Italy occupying the other.

Militarism is another major factor to the cause of the First World War. With the result of the split between European nations, military buildup was becoming each government’s main priority. France and Germany both doubled their armies by the time the war broke out. The British launched the massive and most technological advanced HMS Dreadnought as a counter measure to Germanys rising Imperial Naval fleet. As a result of Germany and France building their military, it caused a domino effect throughout the remaining European powers to quickly follow suit. Just years before the war broke out, each nation had built up their military to such extend that the thought of a stand down rather than war was not an option.

            The third aspect of Nationalism as a support to the cause to WWI is a bit straight forward than the previous two aspects. Rather than expressing patriotic interest in ones country within their country, most of Europe and more importantly France and Germany wanted the interest of their country to extend far beyond the borders of their nation. They wanted all of Europe to believe in their centralized ideas that have, in their eyes, made their country so successful. Of course this idea cannot work within Europe at the time since most of the continent was complied of powerful nations in balance rather than one singular power to obtain this ideology. The lead to the conflict between Russia and Austria-Hungry in which Russia stated they were the protectors of all the Slovak people within Europe regardless of which government they call home or live by. This created turmoil within independent Serbia over Austrian-Hungry influence versus Russian influence. This would then lead Poland and Czechoslovakia to search for independence from Austria-Hungary rule. By 1914 most of Europe was torn by nationalism which would ultimately lead to the 4^th and most detrimental aspect of the cause to World War I.

            The spark that would light the fire to World War I would come at the hands of a 19 year a Serbian nationalist when he assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary.

The assassination of the Archduke and his wife were a result of a protest over Bosnia under Austria-Hungry rule since the Serbian’s wanted to take over and unite themselves with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Archduke also selected a Serbian national holiday to parade through Bosnia which also greatly upset the Serbian’s. The assassination would lead Austria-Hungry to declare war on Serbia, which then would require Russia to move in on Austria-Hungry because of their alliance. This would then give Germany the cause needed to declare war on Russia intern would cause France and Britain to declare war on Germany and the rest of Europe would follow through in their treaties officially starting “the War to End All Wars” in 1914.

            The main reason for this conflict can be traced back to Nationalism and the desire to be the central influence in Europe. The conflict cannot be particularly related to anyone single country since they were all engaged in Nationalist feuds from Germany and France to Austria-Hungry and Serbia. One can make the assumption that German and Britain’s race for arms is to blame for the main cause for World War I depending on which perspective you decide to take, but ultimately Nationalism was the primary reason behind the start of this war.  

            The lead up to World War I was very similar to the lead up to World War II since the Austria-Hungry occupation of Bosnia was the focal point to the start of the First World War through the assassination of the Archduke. The Germans military occupation of the Rhine Land, lead to the start of the Second World War through the breaking of the Versailles Treaty, which German was forced to sign because of their defeat in WWI. You could also make the connection that both wars were a fight for Nationalism in the sense the Second World War was a result of Hitler’s rise to power by spreading the ideas that German was wronged by the French and the First World War left them weak and humiliated in the eyes of the rest of the world’s powers. The main difference in how the two wars came about was the principal on which they were fought.

WWI was based on political ties and required nations to get involved because of signed treaties and allies being formed. WW II was based on Nazi German’s plan to expand its ideology to as many nations as possible and was initially started through the invasion of Poland after German assured them no invasion was imminent. You can also look at WWII as an extension of WW I, and can be linked the Treaty of Versailles being the spark that started the Second World War.

Question 2)

The two major contributing factors that ultimately lead German to the Second World War are the Paris Peace Conference and more importantly The Treaty of Versailles.

The Treaty of Versailles was signed exactly five-years after the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist, and marked the end to First World War. 

            The treaty would lay the ground work for peace between nations throughout all of Europe. In light of the Germans forced absence from the Paris Peace Conference, the Allies issued the Treaty of Versailles, which would be a mandatory document that required the immediate attention of German officials. The document was to be agreed on or else the Allies would be forced to invade and overthrow Germany as a result.  The purpose of the treaty was to ensure peace throughout Europe but clearly the intentions of the 400 page document tell a different story.

            As promised by the Allies, U.S President Woodrow Wilson and British Prime Minister David Lloyd George would implement their “Fourteen Points” as the foundation for the Treaty of Versailles. The Fourteen Points promoted everything from open diplomacy to absolute freedom of the seas. A public statement was given days before the Allies met with the central powers for the Treaty of Versailles. The specifics were released and ensured German and the remaining enemy powers of a neutral treaty that promised peace and equality.

            This however isn’t exactly how the meeting for treaty went about. The treaty did not include the Fourteen Points and made post-war peace an unimportant aspect within the document. The major issues contained in the lengthy document were not intended to promote peace but intended for German to pay for the war in more ways than one.  The German colonies were given to specific nations from the Allies side and were delegated by the newly formed League of Nations, which did not include German or Russia. The Lorraine and Alsace providences were to be returned to France as soon as the document was signed. Poland would be reestablished as a free and independent nation with full access to the sea without German interruption.  The most notable of the Treaty demands was German must accept “war Guilt,” which stated they must openly accept full responsibility for the war and any damages that resulted in from the war. The treaty also contained an article that stated German disarm, which required German to abide by military specifics which included; the demilitarization of the Rhine Land, military draft is forbidden, German army limited to 100,000 troops, German Navy and Air force to be reduced by 50 percent, many German officials are to be tried as war criminals, Manufacture of armored aircrafts, tanks, and vehicles are prohibited as well as a blockade of ships. To add insult to injury the Germans had to pay reparations of approximately 132 billion Reich-marks or $31.4 billion dollars.

            The most significant provision to the Treaty of Versailles would be the repaying of reparations which lead to the free fall in German economy and the first sighting of hyperinflation in 1920. The German’s now had to payback their debt in the form of goods and raw materials because their currency became worthless. The treaty outlined that German was responsible for the destruction of several coal mines within France, which intern required the Germans to supply them and parts of Italy with millions of tons of coal in a given year. The French also gain full control over the coal mining in German as a result of the treaty. These reparations resulted in poverty sweeping through the country and essentially the Germans for nothing more than to repay a debt from a war that lasted only 4 years.

            The Treaty of Versailles was largely important for which direction German would head for the next 100 years or so, since the debt would be repaid in full by 2025 if all demands were met. This type of repression is a perfect playing field for a radical group like the National Socialists to sprout up. Germany had no direction after the war and not to mention the rapidly declining economy. It’s quite comical how the Allies believed that by repressing the German people, by stripping them of all had would, they would succeed in delivering repayment for their actions. In fact this is what gave Hitler steam to rise to power and bring the National Socialists or the Nazi party to the front lines of German government. Hitler’s rises to power was based off encouraging nationalism throughout all of German and introduced the Volk or the idea of a pure Germany without flaws. Hitler used the oppression Germany was feeling, from the effect of the Versailles Treaty, to his advantage by spreading Nazi propaganda and this idea of a new post-WWI Germany. This idea that the Versailles Treat was the single factor in Hitler’s rise to power maybe a little farfetched, but the strong reality is that Hitler used the negative effects of the treaty to his advantage in order to rally the people to his side.

            It’s clear to see the nature of general attitudes of the British, France and the U.S during the time of war by what the Treaty of Versailles entailed. It obvious the treaty wasn’t enacted to promote peace and acceptance between the Allies and German. The attitudes are captured perfectly on each line of the 400 page treaty. The League of Nations knew exactly what they were doing when they created the document. If the intern was to promote peace then the aspects of the reparations would have been paid much less and over a longer period of time. The acceptance of “War Guilt” is a bit ridiculous and is the clearest example of the League of Nations overall intent with the treaty. Europe at the time, was ready to self destruct at any moment they were just waiting on who would blink first. We can see Frances opinion of German through the taking over of Germans mining production after they blame the Germans for their mines being demolished. We can also see Britain and the U.S.A’s feelings of German, with the complete demilitarizing and consolidations of troops. This is easy to see since the U.S and Britain have always been about protection of domestic soil when it comes to its enemies.

            The postwar settlement of 1919 was shaping out to be just a dangerous as the pre-war settlement of 1913. The Treaty of Versailles and the Paris Peace Conference only ignited the fire that was the radicals of the German people. Oppression following massive losses in a war can only lead to instability and a rise of non-traditional rule regardless of what part of the world we are speaking of. This could have very well happened anywhere in the world with the exception of Hitler’s view of “Volk” or a pure Germany. The tensions between France and German only heighten when the League of Nations threw the hammer down that was the Treaty of Versailles and all that it entailed. The Nazi propaganda mixed with the idea that the rest of the world was against them, was indeed a sign of much larger problems to come even much larger than the “War to End All Wars.”

Microsoft USB Drives to Hit Shelves April 6

Xbox360digest.com- By: Patrick Tretin-3/30/10

Video game retailer Gamestop, announces the release of the official Microsoft USB flash-drives, set to ship April 6.

The Microsoft-branded flash drives will come in two different sizes, an 8GB and 16GB. The USB drives not only come with a low amount of storage space but they will also feature a hefty price tag as well. The 8GB will retail for $39.99 and the 16GB will debut at $69.99.

Although the prices haven’t been set in stone, its unlikely Microsoft will budge on this one.

Perfect Dark Xbox Live Arcade Review

A trip down memory lane is just an Xbox Live-Marketplace click away. For the simple cost of 800 Microsoft points, Xbox live gold members can take a step back in time and relive the glory days of Perfect Dark.

  

Microsoft’s recent March 17^th release of the Nintendo 64 classic comes just in time before the highly anticipated release of Modern Warfare 2’s Stimulus Map pack sends everyone back to the depths of their basements.

Debuting nearly a decade ago on Nintendo 64, the first person shooter that revolutionizes gaming is back once again and with a few extras.  The most distinguished difference from the Xbox Live Arcade update in comparison to the original N64 version of Perfect Dark is the graphics. The visuals have been dramatically improved from the boxy Nintendo feel to a more smooth and professional look. No longer does our alien friend Elvis look like a kindergarten drawing but more like an extraterrestrial. The game play has also been spiced up with a dramatic increase in frame rate difference. Unlike back in the day, you can now go trigger happy in a room full of enemies without any frame rate lag appearing.  The game also features an online mode where you and seven of your friends can show off your dual pistol skills for all hours of the night. The online multiplayer mode also comes packed with a number of bots or computer controlled characters just in case you can’t round up enough people to play.

In light of the visual upgrades and the added online multiplayer mode, the game still remains as it was ten years ago. The animations and visual glitches remain the same from the goofy comments enemies make when pistol whipped to Johanna’s ability to speak with her mouth closed.  The hilarious quirks that made the game enjoyable from the enemies slow-motion rolls to their hideous aiming techniques will still make you laugh despite collecting 10 years of virtual dust.

The game will still have you running in circles trying to find the correct door to advance to the next level.  The elevators in dataDyne Central still don’t work properly and will take some patience when going from the main floor to the basement. Sadly you still can't murder important characters in game no matter how irrelevant they may seem. You may also find yourself unexpectedly failing missions because you accidently blew up some important scenery.  Yet, as the game progresses you will find yourself enjoying it just as much as you did when it was released in cartridge form and you had no choice but to use a wired controller.  

This classic remains true to its time but also remains timeless for those who use to enjoy long hours on the 64 bit system. With all the added features, visual improvements, 16 multiplayer maps, 7 game modes,  and 46 different weapons; Perfect Dark is sure to keep you as entertained as it did some ten years ago.   

Huskie wrestling loses to University of Northen Iowa

Publish Date:02/15/2010 By Patrick Tretina It wasn’t the reunion that NIU wrestling head coach Dave Grant had envisioned. NIU suffered a 36-0 pounding at the hands of Grant’s alma mater, University of Northern Iowa, Friday night. We just didn’t get it done,” Grant said. “From the start, we never got into a groove.” The Huskies opened the meet with a loss at the 133-pound weight class when NIU redshirt junior Tristen DeShazer fell 7-3 to the Panthers’ Ryan Jauch. DeShazer’s teammate, redshirt junior Vince Castillo, would grind out a tough match only to come up empty as he lost to UNI’s Charlie Ettelson. Things

Mike Greene NIU redshirt junior Tristen DeShazer on the bench after his defeat.

wouldn’t get any better for the Huskies.

NIU redshirt senior Dan Ruettiger wouldn’t fair well against Trent Washington, losing by major decision 14-6 at 149 pounds.

Even redshirt junior Bryan Deutsch would drop his match 21-5 by technical fall to UNI’s Tyson Reiner. Friday marked the first match Deutsch has dropped since Dec. 29. To add insult to injury, the loss also wipes away Deutsch’s eight-match winning streak.

The Huskies would drop their next six straight matches with John Odeen and Izzy Montemayor suffering one point defeats 3-2.

“We just didn’t bring it,” Grant said.

Friday's defeat marks NIU wrestling’s second straight loss dropping the team to 9-9 on the season with the final meet against MAC opponent Buffalo on Feb. 21.

“We [have to] pull it together and get right back into it for [Buffalo] next week,” Grant said.

Wrestling looks to build momentum as season ends

Publish Date:02/12/2010

By Patrick Tretina

An up and down season is nearing the end for the NIU wrestling team. Anticipation is building with the MAC tournament on the horizon, but the Huskies have another task in hand when Northern Iowa (7-12) comes to DeKalb tonight at 7 p.m. The Huskies (9-8, 1-3 MAC) return home after two road meets last weekend and are looking to build momentum with just two meets left before the tournament. “Our guys wrestled real hard in [practice] this week,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “We have been getting better and better with each week.” The Huskies are fresh off a 1-1 weekend where they took down Eastern Michigan and lost a close bout to sixth-ranked Central Michigan. Redshirt sophomore Bryan Deutsch looks to continue his impressive eight-match win streak at the 157-pound weight class and has a team-high 18-3 record on the season. Deutsch, who recently moved into the top 25 in the MAC, will square off against UNI’s redshirt senior Tyson Reiner who is working with a two match win streak of his own. Sophomore Izzy Montemayor has been impressive as of late coming off two straight pins with the exception of a loss by decision at the CMU meet. Montemayor will have a tough match ahead of him when he faces off against UNI’s Cruse Aarhus at the 125-pound weight class. Aarhus has won 10 straight with five coming by way of major decision. “Izzy had a close match with this guy last year,” Grant said. “It’s great opportunity for Izzy to wrestle a top 30 guy late in the season.” Grant, who is in his 14th season as head coach at NIU, will have a little extra incentive as his squad takes on his alma mater. “Traditionally they’re a good team that produces All-Americans,” Grant said. “It’s a great opportunity to have them here to use our home-court advantage.”

New Rudy, same story

Publish Date:02/11/2010

By Patrick Tretina

NIU wrestler Dan Ruettiger has always been proud of his hard work. Many just don’t realize it’s his family’s tradition. “His uncle is Rudy, you know,” said head coach Dave Grant. “Everyone calls him Rudy.” Grant is referring to Dan’s uncle, Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who was famously depicted by Sean Astin in the 1993 film “Rudy.” The younger Ruettiger was born into a family dominated by wrestling from the time he was a youngster. “Since I was little, wrestling has been a part of my life,” Ruettiger said. “My dad and four of his brothers wrestled and three of my mom’s brothers also wrestled, so I grew up around the sport.” The redshirt senior carries on the family tradition both with his nickname and impeccable work ethic, but doesn’t lean on the past to get by. “It’s not really a big deal to me,” Ruettiger said. “I am happy for my uncle, but I motivate myself.” Ruettiger quickly used his motivation to make a name for himself while wrestling for Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox. He earned four IHSA State Championship qualifiers and was named a high school All-American three times. After being redshirted to begin his freshman year, Ruettiger posted a 12-12 record at the 141-pound weight class. But Grant knew “Rudy” wouldn’t settle for a .500 season. “He made it all the way to the semi-finals his redshirt freshman year,” Grant said. “He beat the number one guy that year after having a rough year.” Ruettiger would go 10-5 his sophomore year before losing his starting position in early in his junior season. But much like his uncle, Ruettiger didn’t quit. He regained his position mid-season and posted his second consecutive 10-win season. “He was in wrestling shape mid-season,” Grant said. “Most guys would give up; Rudy was ready when his name was called, and he delivered.” Ruettiger’s final season at NIU was shaping out to be another uphill battle when he lost the Nov. 6th Wrestle Offs to teammate Steve Zimmerman. “I bring 100 percent,” Ruettiger said. “I don’t want to sell myself short and have any regrets after this season is over.” That work ethic paid off early in the season, when Zimmerman went down with an injury and Ruettiger’s named was called once again to regain his starting spot. “He’s got such a courageous attitude,” Grant said. “Once again, he kept at it.” Rudy has since kept his starting spot and hasn’t looked back, posting a 13-12 record with a team high four pins and eight wins by decision. “Dan’s a tremendous example of what is important in wrestling,” said assistant head coach Ryan Ludwig. “He’s got guts and that’s what it’s all about.” As Ruettiger’s NIU wrestling career nears an end, he took time to reflect on the last four years. “My road to becoming an NIU wrestler has been an emotional roller coaster ride,” he said. “I have had plenty of ups and downs. I have won some big tournaments, been a part of championship teams, and at times, I have questioned if I want to continue putting myself through the constant grind of this sport. But I did not want to quit and I don’t have any regrets. I want to finish off by accomplishing the goals I set for myself.”

NIU splits weekend meets with victory over Eastern Michigan and loss to No. 6 Central Michigan

Publish Date:02/08/2010

By Patrick Tretina

NIU wrestling was busy this weekend with two MAC road match-ups. The Huskies kicked off the weekend with a 21-15 win over Eastern Michigan Friday evening. “We got out to a pretty good start at 125 [pounds],” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “Our guys came out and they competed hard.” NIU sophomore Izzy Montemayor stormed out of the gate with a speedy pin of Eastern Michigan’s Greg Egbert in 3:24, marking his second straight victory by pin. “Izzy has been wrestling well lately,” Grant said. “He is really starting to come into his own.” The Huskies would drop the next match but follow up with four straight wins by redshirt juniors Vince Castillo and Bryan Deutsch. Castillo would extend his personal win streak to five by defeating EMU’s Corey Phillips at the 141-pound weight class while Deutsch would push his own win streak to seven with a victory over the Eagles’ Aaron Sulzer at 157-pounds. NIU’s redshirt sophomore Scott Penny would clinch the win for NIU with a dominate 11-4 decision over Josh Lewis. “We grinded out some good matches,” Grant said. On Sunday, the Huskies would make the trek from EMU to face off against No. 6 Central Michigan. Once again, Deutsch would get the team off on the right foot by dominating CMU’s Donnie Corby 6-1, extending his streak to eight. Zach Benzio would pick up right where Deutsch left off with a reversal in the third period to steal the win from the Chippewas’ Dillon Kern 9-8 at the 184-pound weight class. After early success, things got ugly quick for NIU as they lost the remainder of their bouts to fall to CMU 29-6. The Huskies’ loss to No. 6 Central Michigan put a blemish on what Grant otherwise considered a successful weekend. “It was a really good performance by our guys.” Grant said. “We were battling and that’s what you want to do this time of year.”

Huskies battle tough opponents as conference draws to a close

Publish Date:02/05/2010

By Patrick Tretina

A classic David versus Goliath matchup is on tap for the Huskies this weekend. NIU wrestling faces its final road test when it challenges MAC counterparts Eastern and Central Michigan this Friday and Sunday, respectfully. “This is a big weekend for us,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “With two MAC [meets], it’s going to have a big effect on the rankings.” Eastern Michigan is coming off a nice win against rival Buffalo placing them firmly in third place in the MAC standings heading into this weekend. But the Huskies’ biggest challenge will be Central Michigan, who is ranked No. 6 in the nation, holding an impressive 11-2 record with recent victories over No. 25 Old Dominion and No. 15 Virginia Tech. The Chippewas have six top 15-ranked wrestlers on their roster as well. Despite the tall task in hand, Grant remains confident. “We‘re not worried about that,” Grant said. “Our guys looked good this week.” The Huskies are riding a big win of their own. NIU is fresh off a 42-0 pounding of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville last Friday. Although the Huskies may not possess six ranked wrestlers, redshirt juniors Bryan Deutsch and Vince Castillo have performed well lately. Deutsch brings his impressive six-match winning streak to the table this weekend, facing off against Eastern Michigan’s Aaron Sulzer and Central Michigan’s No. 14 Steve Brown at the 157-pound weight class. Deutsch also grabbed runner-up for the MAC Wrestler of The Week with his 6-point rally to nab a 7-3 decision over Steve Ross of SIUE last Friday. Castillo was scratched from the lineup at the SIUE meet but will be back in action to test his four match win streak against Eastern Michigan’s Mike LeHolm (14-5) and Central Michigan’s Conor Beebe (15-6). “Our guys are focused and ready to take care of business,” Grant said. The Huskies are in the final stretch of their season and this weekend could determine who they face at the MAC tournament March 6-7.

Huskies muzzle the cougars in 42-0 shutout routing of SIU-Edwardsville

Publish Date:02/01/2010

By Patrick Tretina

Complete domination is the only phrase that can describe NIU’s wrestling performance Friday. The Huskies bounced back from three-straight losses with a huge 42-point shutout win against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville at the Convocation Center. Redshirt junior Pat McLemore kicked things off at the 141-pound weight class with a solid 6-3 win over SIUE’s Dillon Pousson. From there, the rout was on. Redshirt senior Dan Ruettiger exploded in the second match defeating Kyle Lowman 13-1 at the 149-pound weight class and ignited the packed crowd alongside him. Redshirt junior Bryan Deutsch would follow and push his match win-streak to six with a 7-3 win over Cougars’ sophomore Steve Ross. NIU’s John Odeen would follow suit with a dominate performance of his own, winning 17-2 over SIUE’s Lenny Kuspa. “It felt really good to get out there and not only win individually, but as a team,” Odeen said. “We have been working pretty hard with some bumps in the road, so it’s good to get a win like this.” The Huskies would also grab wins by pin fall from sophomore Izzy Montemayor and redshirt junior Scott Penny in 3:52 and 4:17, respectively. “I liked the way Izzy Montemayor came out and wrestled hard,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “I was really pleased.” NIU would round out the night with wins by Mason True, Zach Benzio, Dakota Greenhaw and Tristen DeShazer to complete the 10-match sweep of the Cougars. “Overall, it was a good performance from all our guys,” Grant said. “I was [also] very happy with Zach Benzio, he’s making strides and just getting better and better each week. It’s something we can build for next weekend when we go into Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.”

NIU Wrestling Article 1/25/10

NIU loses early lead to KSU

Publish Date:01/25/2010

By Patrick Tretina

NIU wrestling suffered another defeat Friday evening at the hands of No. 17 Kent State at the Convocation Center. The Huskies looked sharp out of the gate by grabbing three straight decisions to take a commanding 9-0 lead. Vince Castillo and Dan Ruettiger got NIU to a 6-0 lead quickly with 8-0 and 6-1 wins respectively before redshirt junior Bryan Deutsch kept his win streak alive by surviving a last second takedown effort to defeat No. 28 ranked Mallie Shuster 3-2 at the 157 weight class. “[Deutsch] has been giving solid hard-nosed performances,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “There’s nothing real flashy about him.” Grant also had much praise for Ruettiger. “Dan’s really made a big change in his style this year, just being grittier and going after guys from the start,” Grant said. NIU’s impressive start would come to an abrupt halt at the grip of Kent State’s Obie Simpson. “I was very concerned after the first three matches,” said Jim Andrassy, Kent State head coach. “We were wrestling very badly at that point, until Obie turned things around.” Simpson recorded a first period pin of NIU’s John Odeen, which would start Kent State on a seven-match 29-point rally to cement a 29-9 loss for the Huskies. The loss drops NIU to .500 for the year. “I was a little disappointed at how we wrestled at 197,” Grant said. “I thought we got sloppy and we didn’t keep our intensity up, but it was very encouraging to see our guys being physical and just getting after people.” Despite the Huskies recent struggles, Deutsch believes redemption is just around the corner . “These duals are important and will set you up for an easier MAC Tournament,” Deutsch said. “We wrestled well [Friday], but we lost. The MAC Tournament is where we will get them.”

NIU Wrestling Article 1/22/10

NIU returns to Convo against No. 17 Kent State

Publish Date:01/22/2010

By Patrick Tretina

NIU wrestling is back in action tonight at 7 p.m. at the Convocation as it matches up against Mid-American Conference contender No. 17 Kent State. NIU (7-6 overall, 0-1) finally returns home after a long weekend tour that included a trip to Ohio last Thursday and a series of bouts against Finday, Michigan State and Stanford at the Spartan duals last Saturday. But NIU’s homecoming is no cupcake against No. 17 Kent State (11-3). “They have a pretty good team,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “Their tough guys are at the 133, 184, and they have a top 30 guy at the 157 [weight class].” NIU’s Bryan Deutsch will be the one matched up against Kent State’s “top 30 guy” in No. 28 Mallie Shuster. Despite facing a tough opponent, the match will likely not be one-sided. Deutsch’s won a MAC Championship last season, has a 14-3 record this year, and he’s coming off a runner-up selection for the MAC Wrestler of the Week after going undefeated (4-0) at both the Ohio and the Michigan State Duals last week. “Bryan has beaten a lot of ranked guys,” Grant said. “He’s a solid, hard-nosed wrestler. He’s one of our better conditioned guys. We’re really pleased with him.” Redshirt junior Tristen DeShazer will be back in action tonight at the 133-pound weight class after a series of meets where he did not compete for undisclosed reasons. “Tristen’s looking good at 133 [tonight].” Grant said. The Huskies are looking to rebound quickly after opening the MAC with a loss. The team understands the importance of each meet within conference. “There are a lot of good teams in the MAC,” Grant said. “Its always very competitive [with] some heated battles. This is where we qualify for the State Championships.”

NIU Wrestling Article 1/19/10

NIU's struggles continues

Publish Date:01/19/2010

By Patrick Tretina

NIU wrestling continued its slide with a 1-2 performance Saturday. The Huskies (7-6) continued their recent struggles with a loss to both Michigan State, 28-6, and Stanford, 22-18, at the much anticipated Spartan Duals. Despite a losing effort, the Huskies had two impressive undefeated performances from juniors Vince Castillo at the 141-pound weight class and Bryan Deutsch in the 157 pound-weight class. Castillo knocked off Findlay’s Chris Andrews by pin in just over four minutes and followed up with two win-by-decision’s over Stanford’s Bret Baumbach and Michigan State’s Dan Osterman. Deutsch kicked off his impressive day by pinning Findlay’s Michael Lybarger in 6:43 followed by a dominant 6-0 win over Stanford’s Michael Kent and 10-9 over Michigan State’s Anthony Jones. “Our guys wrestled well,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “Our young guys really stepped up.” Redshirt sophomore Zach Taylor did exactly that with a solid 9-5 win-by-decision over Findlay’s Jan Steven Ulinski after suffering a 9-0 loss to Ohio’s Quentin Keyes on Jan. 14. “It was a real gutsy performance by our boys,” Grant said. This past weekend’s road trip drops the Huskies wrestling team to fifth place (7-6) in the MAC, just behind rival Eastern Michigan. The Huskies will be looking for redemption when they take the mat again Friday, Jan. 22 and play host to No. 14 Kent State at the Convocation Center. Kent State is coming off a 47-0 blowout win against Ashland College.

NIU look to pin a win against SIUE 1/29/10

Publish Date:01/29/2010

By Patrick Tretina

DeKALB | Conference meets haven’t gone well for the Huskies. NIU wrestling takes a break from MAC action tonight as it hosts Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center. In light of their recent struggles, the Huskies (7-7, 0-2 MAC) couldn’t be facing a better opponent in winless SIUE (0-11, 0-0 MVC). “We’ve got to concentrate and put out solid performances,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “We have to bring that same intensity as we would with MAC meets regardless.” The Huskies will look to rebound after three-straight losses to MAC rival No. 17 Kent State, Michigan State and University of Findlay. “We wrestled hard [in practice] this week,” Grant said. “We saw a glimpse of what we can do early in the Kent State duals.” Redshirt juniors Vince Castillo (15-3) and Bryan Deutsch (10-4) have been holding things together in the 141 and 157 pound weight classes, respectively, for the Huskies as of late. Castillo is on a four-match win-streak that started with a 4:05 pin against Findlay’s Chris Andrews and followed that up by out-scoring his remaining opponents 16-4. Deutsch brings his five-match win-streak to the table tonight, out-scoring his recent opponents 22-13 with an impressive last second holdout win against No. 28 ranked Mallie Shuster of Kent State last Friday. “Deutsch has been wrestling tough, and he really works hard,” Grant said. “He’s got a great attitude [and] we can really count on him to lead the team.” Despite the Cougars’ winless record, Grant isn’t concerned about the team’s past performances becoming a factor. “Our guys need to wrestle to the best of their ability,” Grant said. “We need to set the tempo for the rest of the meet early.”

Top Chicago Performance Shop Gives Back to Its Customers.

July 2, 10:02 AM-Downtown Chicago Events Examiner-Patrick Tretina

     Widely regarded as one of the top vehicle performance shops through out the Chicago land area, RC Autoworks held its 3rd annual customer appreciation meet last Sunday June 28th.

     Located just minutes outside of the city, RC Autoworks has been providing Chicago with superior quality in both vehicle performance upgrades and standard vehicle maintenance. The shop has been in operation since 2006 and is run by two local Chicago friends Brandon Hunter (Broadview, IL) and Robert “Bob” Reese (Bridgeview, IL). When asked what the purpose of the event was co-owner Brandon Hunter responded with “it’s to show our customers we value their business on a personal level. Plus it’s a lot fun to see our finished work months or even years after we have completed it.”

     The all day event included a showing of over 100 cars, 300 plus visitors, and a few sponsors taking much deserved pictures of both past and present work. When asked what the highlight of the event was, co-owner Bob had this to say “it was great, we had an excellent turn out. Good food, good people, and fast cars. What else could you ask for?” The event was clearly a great success with an array of import tuners from a burnt orange Honda NSX to a 300 horsepower Acura RSX.

     Long time customer and friend of the shop, Jamis Nelson (Chicago, IL) recalls the days events “it felt like a mini hot import nights, it was great. I can’t wait for next year.”

     RC Autoworks is located just off of Harlem Avenue right down 90th street. They specialize in everything from custom manifolds to full turbo setups and even your basic oil changes. Be sure to check out the real Hot Import Nights Saturday July 11 from 4PM to Midnight at Soldier Field, located just off the lake front.