So here is the processor guide instead. In their infinite wisdom, Intel decided to release several different socket types at the same time. Then there is AMD, who have their own set of processors and sockets just to make it even more fun.

The AMD vs Intel debate has been going on for decades and both have good arguments. Historically, AMD’s offerings ran cooler while Intel’s ran faster. Now they are pretty much on par in the mid range processor arena as far as performance with marginal difference in price. At the high end Intel leaves AMD in the dust. The recent Bulldozer processor group from AMD was intended to be an Intel killer but ended up being a miserable disappointment. While Intel recently announced the I7 3960 X processor based on Sandy Bridge technology which is blowing away all of the competition.

Cases and power supplies aren’t really specific and one can work pretty much as well as another similar one.

Processors are specific, so I am going to do my recommendations a bit different. With processors, and pretty much every other part in this guide, I am going to list recommendations for the pieces themselves instead of generic advice. Again I am going to link all my recommendations from Newegg.com but please don’t feel that you need to buy your parts from there

Gaming
For the gaming system there is a need for a strong high end processor, It does some of the work of rendering for the video card which affects the frame rate you see on the screen. And when it comes to gaming computers everything revolves around the frame rate. It is important to note that AMD purchased ATI which makes video cards. By doing that, AMD was able to fine tune the processor and graphics to work extremely well with each other. While an AMD video card will still work perfectly fine with an Intel processor there is a performance boost when both are used together. It has been rumored that Intel and Nvidia have a similar deal but it has not been confirmed.

There are 3 main choices here for processors and there are reasons behind each one.
Firstly there is the “I don’t care what it costs it has to be the fastest” .
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116491 Nerdgasm in a chip, this processor is the best of the best right now and it has a price to match. With 6 cores and hyper threading it has a logical 12 cores of power all pushing nearly 4.0 GHz stock. This is completely unnecessary but it will make the other geeks at that LAN party drool. This processor runs on a LGA 2011 socket. That will be important when deciding on a motherboard later.

Next there are the processors that perform well without forcing you to take out a second mortgage. I will be featuring both Intel and AMD in this category for those who like choice.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 is the Intel offering. It is a quad core processor that runs at 3.3 GHz and is unlocked. Being unlocked is important because that means it can be over clocked till your heart’s content. This runs on a LGA 1155 socket.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103960 is the AMD offering with 8 cores of 3.6 GHz of power. This is the Bulldozer based processor that was supposed to be the Intel killer. It was disappointing in that it could not beat the higher end Intel processors, but for the price it is still a good chip that will easily power anything tossed its way. Here we have a Socket AM3+

Home Theater
These processors don’t need to be powerhouses like the gaming systems. Because of the size restriction of the HTPC case it may not be a good idea to toss one of those chips into this type of system but if you went with a liquid cooling option it wouldn’t hurt anything.
For an Intel system http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115221 is a good choice. Low power consumption means low heat output which is nice for a system with limited room for heat sinks. Its still a dual core 3.0 GHz processor so you can actually use the computer for computer stuff as well. This uses a LGA 1156 socket.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103846 is a little more powerful than the Intel above at 3.2 GHz and it has a lower price. This is a really solid processor that is under taxed in a HTPC but for this price is well worth the addition. This one uses a Socket AM3

Server
Servers are a different animal all together. It’s hard to recommend a server processor without knowing its purpose. Domain controllers have different requirements from file servers and virtual servers open a whole new can or worms. I am going to generally assume the server will be used as a file server for this guide. That way I have a bit of direction and a file server can generally serve for other purposes as well in a pinch. Also a home server is generally a file server so files can be transferred between multiple computers inside the home easily. With that specification being made, on with the show!

Intel and AMD both make server specific processors Xeon for Intel and Opteron for AMD. These server specific processors are made of a higher quality because they are intended to run for decades. They are also priced like they are intended to run for decades. A general home server doesn’t need one of these processors but I’m going to throw them in there just in case.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211 is a completely viable choice from Intel. Unlike the newer Sandy Bridge processors it doesn’t have built in graphics but that’s not needed in a server anyway. This chip also allows for triple channel memory to be used. I’ll get into that a little more in depth later, but for now suffice it to say more channels is better. LGA 1366 socket
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115083

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113026 8 cores at 2.6 GHZ seems a little weak to me but the alternatives are either too expensive or even more underpowered. This uses a socket G34 Studio Studio computers will tax the processor more so than any other home system. The power needed to edit audio, video or even images is insane. Unlike gaming, where most of the burden is on the video card, there is no other part to take the majority of the burden off of the processor. Therefore the processors need to be extremely beefy.

No processor is excessive for these systems. Keep in mind this is for professional level editing. Any system can toss a YouTube video up. Here is where http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116491 would not be uncalled erfor. This thing was practically custom built for video editing. Massive power and the option for quad channel memory will definitely make a difference. The processor is expensive, but you will appreciate the time savings after your first movie. LGA 2011 again, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 is a good choice of the part of the world that doesn’t blow their nose with 100 dollar bills. It’s plenty fast, faster than most processors on the market, and can be over clocked extremely well. The built in graphics will also help a little. LGA1155 socket this time. As for AMD I would go with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103960. 8 cores at 3.6GHz each are perfect for this application. It has a good price and should outperform its Intel counterpart easily. This is a Socket AM3+ General I see a general computer as something that will not be obsolete in 10 minutes. It should be able to handle playing a game or two with a frame rate that doesn’t give you a headache and edit a picture without having time to take a shower before it’s rendered. From Intel I would go with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072.

Intel does make a I3 processor, but I am not a fan of the performance. That along with the price of an I5 there really is no need in goin with the lower processor. This sucker can rock, especially if it is over clocked and will not be outdated any time soon. LGA 1155 From AMD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727 is all the processor you need. Good over clocking with an unlocked chip if you want to do so, but if not its still a 3.4 GHz quad core processor which is plenty fast. Socket AM3 A note on over clocking Over clocking is when more power is pushed through a processor so it runs faster than advertized. Computer enthusiasts have been doing this for a very long time and it has become so mainstream now that many motherboard companies now offer over clocking tools built into their motherboards. Doing so is safe for the most part however heat is a concern. Processors shut down if too much heat is built up in them. If it gets too bad the processor can burn up. So if you are going to over clock your system, please be careful! Certified Geek"> is a pretty good Xeon option if you want to go that route. This has Sandy Bridge technology here but without the graphics so it is really nice. This chip employs the LGA 1155 socket.
From AMD we have http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103961. 8 cores, 3.1 GHZ and will definitely get the job done. Again these processors didn’t deliver on their promise but that doesn’t make them bad. This is designed to be a desktop system but will fully deliver in a home server where it will be utilized a little more probably bringing out more of its potential.

Personally I have never seen an Opteron chip used. In my opinion they are overpriced for their specs however if I had to choose I would go with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113026 8 cores at 2.6 GHZ seems a little weak to me but the alternatives are either too expensive or even more underpowered. This uses a socket G34.

Studio
Studio computers will tax the processor more so than any other home system. The power needed to edit audio, video or even images is insane. Unlike gaming, where most of the burden is on the video card, there is no other part to take the majority of the burden off of the processor. Therefore the processors need to be extremely beefy. No processor is excessive for these systems. Keep in mind this is for professional level editing. Any system can toss a YouTube video up.
Here is where http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116491 would not be uncalled erfor.

This thing was practically custom built for video editing. Massive power and the option for quad channel memory will definitely make a difference. The processor is expensive, but you will appreciate the time savings after your first movie. LGA 2011 again.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070 is a good choice of the part of the world that doesn’t blow their nose with 100 dollar bills. It’s plenty fast, faster than most processors on the market, and can be over clocked extremely well. The built in graphics will also help a little. LGA1155 socket this time.
As for AMD I would go with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103960. 8 cores at 3.6GHz each are perfect for this application. It has a good price and should outperform its Intel counterpart easily. This is a Socket AM3+

General
I see a general computer as something that will not be obsolete in 10 minutes. It should be able to handle playing a game or two with a frame rate that doesn’t give you a headache and edit a picture without having time to take a shower before it’s rendered.
From Intel I would go with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072. Intel does make a I3 processor, but I am not a fan of the performance. That along with the price of an I5 there really is no need in goin with the lower processor. This sucker can rock, especially if it is over clocked and will not be outdated any time soon. LGA 1155
From AMD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727 is all the processor you need. Good over clocking with an unlocked chip if you want to do so, but if not its still a 3.4 GHz quad core processor which is plenty fast. Socket AM3

A note on over clocking
Over clocking is when more power is pushed through a processor so it runs faster than advertized. Computer enthusiasts have been doing this for a very long time and it has become so mainstream now that many motherboard companies now offer over clocking tools built into their motherboards. Doing so is safe for the most part however heat is a concern. Processors shut down if too much heat is built up in them. If it gets too bad the processor can burn up. So if you are going to over clock your system, please be careful!

Certified Geek

With Feburary fast approaching- the sistah's have decided to be more organized. Ninja proclaimed first of the month to be " Game Release Day". Ninja also dishes out a steaming plate of Far Cry 3, while Panda talks about the long awaited release of Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Ninja tries not to kernel panic on this week's episode while Panda tries to make more sense than she normally does.

Oh here are the contenders for this week's title too!

I'm Too Strung Out On Confidence

That's Squeaky, Shiny Junk

How to Determine If You're a Game Snob

You Make Me Sound Like a Horrible Sister

I'm the Acid to Your Base

Ninja Temporarily Had a Buffer Underrun

Buddy, Can You Paradigm?

Never Name a Character After a Pastry -- It Makes Me Hungry

Meanwhile, In a Parallel Dimension...

Summer's Eve Is Always Looking For Free Advertising

You guys are in for a treat with ESH Podcast Episode 278: So What Else is On That List? A lot of Bitterness and Resentment

My personal favorite part of the original game was the ground combat.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a ton of fun to blast around inside of the warhawks and hover inside of enemy territory blasting missiles in their face, but there’s just something even more fun about being a tiny little person taking one of those giant jets down.  That same feeling is still quite prevalent in Starhawk, but replace the jet with a giant mech that can transform into a futuristic “Hawk” and you’ve got yourself one hell of a party.

The biggest new addition to the series is the build and battle system that they’ve implemented.  Either if you are killing enemy troops or staying near your base, you are constantly building up resources to create various fortifications for your team.  Each building requires an amount of rift energy that you gather as you either hang back at the base or kill enemy troops/buildings.  A good strategy, from what I’ve gathered thus far, is to get as many of the main buildings up at once and then add defensive ones afterwards.  The main buildings include stuff like the Hawk Hangar, Bunker and Razorback Garage which gives you access to vehicles and weapons.  Beyond that, other additions like sniper towers, walls and even an energy shield can be placed.  One of my personal favorite things about this system is that these things actually drop from the sky, so if there’s an enemy in your territory, you can take them out Wizard of Oz style.  It also adds a great new level of depth, especially when playing capture the flag.  If a team fortifies their defenses just right, it can be quite difficult to infiltrate their base.

The ground combat, though very similar to Warhawk, has been nicely polished.  I know it sounds a bit silly to be excited about, but you can now run.  The aiming system has also been improved by allowing you to lock onto targets without having to hold down the fire button.  The one-hit-kill knife system is still there, but they’ve made it feel a bit more sluggish, which I like because it makes it a little more difficult to get a kill and will hopefully help against people running around and spamming their knife.  Running someone down in the Razorback still feels great and they’ve done a great job of tightening those controls up since the last game.  When you die, you get the map option to respawn and it gives you a selectable green area based on what part of the map your team occupies.  The fun part is that you drop down in a pod which you can control on the way down so if an enemy is in your territory, you can take them out as you respawn.

The Hawk controls are fast and furious.  One second, you can be a lumbering mech looking down on the ants you blow away with rockets and if an immediate threat is posed, you can be a speedy jet in a split second.  The hovering mechanics have been removed and I can certainly see why, you can accomplish exactly what you need to as a mech the same way you could hovering in Warhawk.  The main difference is you can’t be locked-onto while in the mech form and while you’re significantly slower in that form, if you pull it off well, you can shapeshift in and out before they even knew what blasted their face off.

Keeping in mind that this is still a beta and subject to change at any moment, I am extremely pumped about this game.  I can’t wait to see what else this game has in store when it launches into retail on May 8th of this year.  If you have a Playstation Plus account, you need to go check this one out.

I am adding power supplies in with the case review for 2 simple reasons. There isn’t much to say about them and in a lot of cases they are sold pre assembled in the case. Power supplies are used for supplying power (incredible right?). Computers use DC or direct current electricity but the electricity out of the wall outlet is AC, alternating current. Power supplies act as converters with different ratings based on what the manufacturers say. There is no standard used between companies and it's based on what they want to say. Being as such, I like to go with numbers a little higher than what is absolutely needed just to be on the safe side. My recommendations reflect that.

For a gaming power supply you are going to want something big enough to push your video card (or cards). They drain a lot of juice so your power supply needs to be beefy enough to handle the demand. I would generally recommend something in the 800+ watt variety with modular cables. That should give you enough uumph to power anything you could throw at it. The modular cable design is extremely handy when trying to hide all those wires for a clean looking case. Personally, I have a 1350 watt power supply but that is just plain overkill to a ridiculous level.

Anything standard should do as far as power is concerned in a Home theater computer (HTPC). Look for something around the 600 watt area so it can push a video card strong enough to play a game or two if the mood strikes.

Servers are more concerned with stability rather than video systems. Still the power supply needs to be big enough to push several hard drives. Most dedicated server cases have room for 2 power supplies for redundancy which is pretty useful. The size of the power supply you need for a server is really dependant on the amount of drives you have in it. Anything under 8 can safely be run in a 500 watt unit, bump it up to 700 if you have more.

Studio computers can go with a power supply in the ballpark of 500 watt since they don’t have anything special or too power draining to work on.

For a generic computer, 500 watts will do everything you want it to, 600 watts will be a bit of overkill but not without precedent.

Certified Geek

A computer case is used to house the parts that make a computer work. Usually they are boxy looking and either stand up or lay on its side. A second and arguably more important job for the computer case is guiding the airflow through the computer thus keeping it cool. The case is the single biggest piece of cooling for a computer. And of course the colder a computer is the better it will work. Now there are several unusual cases out there. These are usually created by a community of “case modders” or people who create interesting and unusual cases to house their computers. If you want to see some of those interesting cases just Google computer case mod. For the purposes of this article however I am going to stick to the more standard cases sold commercially since I don’t usually consider cutting torches, band saws and arc welders as standard issue when building a computer.

In the intro, I laid out a few broad categories of computers, and knowing which category of computer you want is key in determining what type of case would be best for your situation. Furthermore, the type of case you get will determine other aspects of your build such as the size of the motherboard and video card you can use since the space is finite.

Gaming computers usually come in one of two flavors; you have your big ass full towers large enough to fit a small child, and your tiny LAN boxes. These are used for LAN parties where you want the power of a desktop computer in a small travel size. The full tower cases allow plenty of room for whatever goodies you want to toss in there and still give you enough room to tinker. A LAN box is barely large enough for a small motherboard, a decent graphics card and a fan, but they weigh next to nothing. Trust me lugging around your 75+ pound full tower case to a LAN party isn’t fun. Especially when your friends just watch and place bets of how far you will get rather than helping. Both types of cases for gaming machines generally have lots of lights designs and some styling to draw the eye since it will be seen. Personally I have a full tower Cooler Master Stacker 830. It is a monster of a case but well worth it once the tinkering begins.

For a Home theater (HTPC) computer you are going to look for a smaller case with good noise control since hearing a fan buzzing doesn’t make for the best TV watching experience. Noise reduction is key when looking for a home theater computer’s case however having something that also looks like it fits with the rest of your entertainment system should not be overlooked. There are several specialty home theater cases available that should get the job done.

With a server you will look for cooling and space. The server should not be seen so it does not have to look pretty. It does need to be big enough to hold a few hard drives and it needs to have amazing cooling properties. Servers tend to get really hot. Most companies have special rooms for their servers that are kept cold to help combat the heat, but for a single server that isn’t really necessary. Still good cooling is a key component to look for. Generally servers are in full tower cases, but that is all up in the air since all a computer needs to be classified as a server is a server version of an operating system on it. There are dedicated server cases out there that have some tweaks, but all in all it isn’t necessary.

I look at studio computers as "gaming computers lite" version. They need decent cooling but not as excessive as a gaming system. A cool looking case isn’t a bad idea but not necessary. All that is really needed is something with enough space to house your storage media since those files can get pretty crazy and something with noise reduction wouldn’t be a bad idea since that could interfere with audio editing. A good quality mid tower case should be perfect here.

If you are looking to just build a general computer there really aren’t any restrictions to what you can use. Anything will probably suit your needs, and a mid tower case will be more than adequate. Build quality will make installing the components easier, but even then after it's put together you probably won’t need to take it apart again so even that isn’t really a big deal.

Examples
Full tower gaming
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119234
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129100

LAN gaming
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129091
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112300

HTPC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163174
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112186

Server
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811102025
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144206

Studio
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

General
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119196
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119068

A note on my Examples.
I buy all my parts from Newegg.com. They have good customer support and fast shipping but they are not the only place to get your parts. Please shop around and go with what fits you best.

Certified Geek

Usually Mondays are filled with awesome. This isn't one of those days.
Don't be too sad about there not being a new morsel of goodness to start your week.

You want reasons? Well you can't handle the reasons!
ESH will be back on track next week...
so go forth and prosper.

Ever wanted to build your own computer? I'm here to help show you how.

The biggest issue in building a computer is planning. You need to know how much you want to spend and what you want your computer to be used for. The money is the easy part, generally we all know how much we can afford, the hard part is figuring out what you want your computer to do. There are several different ways computers can be used and each specialty has its own quirks. The broad spectrum consists of:

Gaming

Home Theater

Server

Studio

General computing

Gaming computers are usually the most expensive and most powerful home built machines with high end processors, lots of memory, a high end graphics card, and more recently special gaming network cards designed to reduce latency in online games. Gaming computers are designed to play computer games that can be rather demanding on systems pushing lesser machines beyond their limits. These systems don’t need a huge amount of storage space, however they do need to be able to store the games being played. As a side note, they tend to be a bit more dressed up visually with flashy stylish cases and LED lights.

Home Theater computers tend to be smaller systems with a more subdued exterior or something that can be completely hidden. A home theater computer is designed to act as a DVR and streaming media station that is hooked directly into your TV for viewing goodness. These tend to have huge storage capacity and a tuner card for flipping stations. However the processor, memory and graphics card don't need to be as powerful as a gaming machine since they aren't processing as much. And what is a good picture without great audio? There are some amazing audio cards options available that the home theater computer can take advantage of.

Servers have a wide range of options. Technically you can grab any computer toss a server operating system on it and call it a server but purpose built servers can make computing a lot easier and open up a world of opportunities in multi computer environments. With file servers you can store all your media or documents to access remotely. Domain controllers can manage logins across the entire network . They tend to have special processors designed just for servers and the most memory of any computer. Connectivity is also a key factor in servers since they tend to be kept by themselves and accessed remotely. Storage space is variable for servers depending on the roll and graphics is nearly nonexistent. However the key factor for a computer being deemed a server is all in the operating system.

Studio systems are designed to edit video, audio and images. As such they need a processor powerful enough and enough memory that can handle the encoding. Any computer can encode a video file given enough time, but studio computers are designed to minimize that time. A large amount of storage space is also a good idea since those raw files can be rather large. Along with moderate video and audio components so you can see and hear what you are creating but they don’t need to be top of the line.

A general computer is your basic run of the mill machine. It doesn’t have any of the specialties of the other systems but it doesn’t have any of the weaknesses either. A general computer will have an average processor, moderate ram, a decent amount of storage space an average graphics card, and some sort of audio device tossed in for good measure. These systems will not give you the highest FPS in Crysis or be able to store and play back the entire DBZ series (including movies) in full 1080p and Dolby 8.1 surround sound. They will not be able to calculate Pi to the 12 billionth decimal in less than 5 minutes, or edit your 2 hour remake of Star Wars Episode 1 without a lot of headaches and patience. They will be able to handle most anything thrown at them in day to day life and your bank account will thank you.

Now of course each of these categories aren’t set in stone. The beauty of building your own computer is you get to decide what’s in it and what it’s designed for. Want a bad ass gaming machine that can still edit and burn a dvd of that epic headshot you recorded in Modern Warfare 3? Go ahead! Want a home theater machine that doubles as the family PC? No problem. All it takes is planning, because without the planning you could very well be building a rather expensive paperweight.

Certified Geek

When Batman: Arkham Asylum launched, it was very quickly recognized as one of the best games based on a comic book.  For me, it was hard to imagine that the winning formula in this game could be improved upon in any significant way.  Thankfully, my neck was pinned to the curb by Batman: Arkham City as it demanded my approval.  Taking the awesome mechanics put into place by its predecessor and throwing them into a completely open world made all the difference.  While Arkham Asylum was open to an extent, it never even approached the amount of extra depth and life given to the game world.  Pair that with an amazing cast of voice actors and some fun tweaks to the fight system and you’ve got yourself one hell of a game.

Sometimes when you go into a game with really high expectations or hopes, it just leaves you disappointed when you finally play it.  This in no way describes how I felt about Dead Space 2.  As a big fan of the series, I went into this expecting it to blow my mind and it really did a great job.  The blood-pumping action of the first game gets a dose of steroids and then drinks an energy drink.  The creepiness of the original is still quite present and you even get a chance to revisit the decks of the Ishimura and relive a bit of your trauma.  They did an awesome job of expanding upon the story of the first game and they even throw you right in the middle of some things you only got to listen to audio logs about.  With a fun new multiplayer aspect, it even gave players more of a reason to keep coming back.

There will always be a special place in my heart for any title in the Legend of Zelda series.  With the Wii U on the horizon, Nintendo really needed to give devoted fans one last thing to be truly excited about.  What they delivered on was not just one of my favorite games of the year, but one of my favorite titles in the entire series.  The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is one of those games that anyone can pick up and have fun with, but a hardcore fan can dive into it and get a really deep experience.  The art style in the game paints a beautiful picture, pun intended, and really helps to immerse you in the world.  The story and characters are some of the series best and the motion controls  put most of games with a similar control scheme to shame.

Many games like to boast that playing them is akin to playing a movie.  None pull this off nearly as well as the Uncharted series.  Each scene in Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception keeps the pace and makes you feel like a part of the scene.  With twists and turns around every corner, a look into Nathan’s past and some amazing new characters, this game does not disappoint.  The gameplay has been tweaked in some fun ways, including improvement to the hand-to-hand combat system.  Honestly, in the previous games, I almost never opted to punch someone instead of just shooting, but they found a way, using an easy to learn combo system, to make it worth every knuckle sandwich.  The multiplayer mode is also back and better than ever thanks to some amazing new maps, characters and modes.

One of my favorite things about Portal was the fact that it didn’t get drawn out and worn thin.  That in mind, I was nervous about a full-length sequel in Portal 2.  What I really didn’t expect about this sequel was the number of amazingly well-developed characters there would be.  While GLaDOS is certainly a featured returning character, several others make appearances both in person and through audio logs.  The extra mechanics added by the various gels in the game make the puzzles that much more fun to solve and don’t overwhelm at all.  The co-op campaign is just as fun and much less frustrating than I thought it would be and offers some fun new twists to the puzzles.  The writing for the holds up to the impeccable standards that the first game offered.  While some throwbacks are certainly there, nothing feels tacked on or overused and it maintains its hilariously creepy vibe throughout the entirety of the campaign.

While all of these games had me grinning ear to ear, there was one that stood above the rest as my favorite for the entirety of 2011.  If there’s one thing that Nintendo always manages to do right, it’s make a Zelda game.  The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a testament to what can be accomplished when good thought is put into motion controls.  Never once while playing this game did I wish I was playing it with two analog sticks and some buttons.  This game dared to be different and couldn’t care less if you disagreed with it being so.  All of my favorite games in the series have been the ones that refused to stick to the formula and this is a great example of one that did just that.  The world is large and dynamic, the characters are interesting and fun to meet, the story is exciting and the gameplay is just plain fun.  Every game talked about here deserves to be someone’s favorite game of 2011, but mine is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

Today is just like every other Monday,and that means a new episode of the ESH Podcast will be available to all who desire it. Ninjasistah and Pandalcious decide to make this episode anime-esque
and packed it with as much anime as the girls could muster.

Ninja starts the show with Majikoi Oh! Samurai Girls

Pandalicious finishes up with some ramblings about Umineko No Naku Koro Ni. She talks about the anime as well as the visual novel she has been playing.
Whether the sistah's are debating the appropriate demographics of anime harems, or arguing how incest could be seen as a logical explanation for a story arc--it will always bring laughter.

So here is ESH Podcast 277: Never Tell the Lord of Purgatory That You're Bored.

Oh! and just in case you were curious here are the runner up titles for this week show:

A Very Special, Uh, Unique, Uh, Abnormal Episode

Subbed or Dubbed -- Now It's Your Pick

The Guy Spanks a General. Hijinks Ensue.

Peering Inside a Man's Being? There's an App for That

This Is Not the Yuno You Know

No, This Anime Is Not Part of Some Prince Trilogy

You Had Me All the Way Up To the Incest

The final pre-game candidate is an amazing first-person experience which reintroduces an iconic villain to the series and adds some amazing new features.  Obviously, I’m talking about the impressive first-person puzzler Portal 2.  You may, at this point, be wondering why there is an obvious Skyrim-esque void in this list.  With a playtime of about six hours thus far, I felt it a bit unfair to include it.  For the record, from what I’ve played of it, Skyrim was one of the best games I played last year.  Now, let’s travel back in time to 2007 when Valve gave the world the wonderful gift that was Portal.

If you told me that a puzzle game you can beat within about four hours would be among my favorite video games of all time before I played Portal, I would have called you crazy.  The thing is, sometimes it’s hard to strike a good balance with the different elements in a game.  You either end up with an awesome story that’s a chore to play or a fun game with very little pushing it forward.  At the risk of making an awful Goldy Locks reference here, Portal had a mixture that was just right.

A simple concept when you think about it, you’ve got a gun that shoots two different portals.  Once both are placed on a surface, you can travel from one to the other.  Add some creepy turret robots, a whole lot of deadly water and a strangely lovable cube and you’ve got a formula for an incredibly fun experience.  While all of these things made this game both mind-bending and thrilling, that is only one part of this perfect recipe.

Once again, like the rest of this title, the story seems pretty straightforward.  You are a test subject for the portal gun that is being led through a number of tests.  All of this seems fine as you go through each of the testing areas, but there’s something slightly off that you can’t quite put your finger on.  Just when you’re ready to accept the premise for what it is, you find a wall panel that is slightly askew, just enough for you to fit inside.  What you find are the scribblings of another test subject, driven to madness.

The atmosphere in the game is perfectly crafted to give you a sense of both the sterility of the test environment and the hidden insanity that lurks within.  The writing is some of the best I’ve ever experience in gaming and the voice work pulls it off in spades.  Sadly any concept, given enough time, can grow a little stale.  Portal does not offer that chance as it can be completed, depending on the speed in which you solve the puzzles, in one sitting.  It doesn’t feel like too much or too little and it doesn’t leave you feeling cheated.

WIth a game this amazing, I thought it would be impossible to properly craft a sequel that could live up to it.  Thankfully, I was dead wrong once again.  Portal 2 takes all of those concepts and brings them back.  It doesn’t rely on old tricks to win players over and introduces several fun new elements to the puzzles to keep things fresh.  It even features an awesome co-op mode which is almost as good as the single-player campaign.  If you haven’t gotten the chance to player either one of these games, do yourself a favor and get your hands on them immediately.  I’m not kidding, stop reading this and go.  Now!

It's a crushing realization. So, "what keeps you motivated to continually subject yourself to attending events like this?" you might ask. (You are so polite.) Why, all the new gadget announcements (like the one Razer made today) that restoreth my nerd soul and keep me trekking through Central Hall, when I really just want a Dove bar and a back rub.

Earlier today, Razer announced a prototype tablet device that they believe will change the mobile gaming world. They just might be on to something. Razer has always been know for turning out high performance gaming gear: easily customizable PC keyboards (Anansi), better-than-pin-point precision mice (Naga), and – to be frank – one of the better Xbox 360 controllers I've ever owned (Onza). Recently, Razer kicked the game up another level buy creating what they call "the world's first true gaming laptop" (the blade) which is just a dirty, sexy, beast of a machine. Go ahead and click that link. I'll wait until you get back to finish what I have to say.

That thing is just sick, isn't it? Now that we both had a second to nerd out about that gorgeous gaming machine neither of us will ever own in this reality, let's focus on a new device from Razer that isn't quite part of this reality either.

Mistress Fiona

Project Fiona announced today at CES in Las Vegas is a prototype tablet gaming rig that the fine (read amazeballs) development team at Razer have been showing off (and are open for developers to partner with to craft some fantastic gaming experiences with) today at their booth in South Hall 3. I'll give you the short list of why this device intrigues me. (Yes, me, the non-PC gamer.)

1. The device will have an Intel Core i7 processor
2. It promises to deliver Dolby 7.1 surround sound
3. It offers both multitouch and dual honest-to-god physical controllers

In this one prototype, Razer has addressed the complaints of many mid-level to hardcore gamers that demand more than what the current mobile gaming juggernauts can provide. Gamers outside of the casual group (and even some within the group) will tell you that on their current mobile devices' sound outright sucks. If the damned thing doesn't have any physical buttons it should, and if it does have buttons it doesn't have a touchscreen which makes it utterly useless. The really picky ones will mention that it doesn't have enough power to run better looking, faster/lengthier games...which is why they went back to PC gaming/their console. I will even admit that I have fallen into that last group myself a time or two, but what Razer offers with this new prototype is unadulterated power in an ultra-portable form.

If you still aren't very curious about the device, I'll ask you to remember that Project Fiona is estimated to release at a sub-$1000 price (mathematics proves $999.99 ≠ $1000.00), it will run a full-on "hybrid" PC environment, and feature a 1280x800 screen resolution.

I haven't been hands on with the device myself yet, but hope to put my little paws on it soon. Until I do, hit up the gallery and enjoy the nerdc0re photos.

Like I said, they just might be on to something.

For once I think Navi has a point...Oh and before I forget Watch Out!

It's that special time of the week where the sistahs come together and share their most treasured thoughts with the interwebs.

pffffft...I couldn't even keep a straight face as I typed that. So with that here comes the pipping hot fresh episode of the ESH.

This week's episode finally puts us in 2012 with some of Ninja and Panda's thoughts on the ever-glorious CES.

But before we get to the good bits--and trust me I'm going to give it to you-- I want to share with you guys the hilarity that was all of the titles that were in the running for next top ESH title.

Honorable Mentions for this week's episode:

I Like the Idea of Physics, I Just Can't Do It

I Have a Red Flag Flapping in the Breeze In the Back of My Mind

I Don't Like How Much Power You Have

You Should Be Exposed For the Chicken-Eating Ho Lover You Are

Bohemians! Hippies! People From California!

There's No More Room In the Bag of Sound -- It's Full of Sound

It's Like Matching Bras and Panties

That Was Going To Be an Amazing Podcast Title, But You Stopped Yourself

It's Been Dead More Than Two Years and the Word "Vista" Still Causes Laughter

Can you guys tell who said what? (I can-but I'd be cheating)

Now without further interruptions, here is ESH Podcast Episode 276: Things That Whrrr and Bzzzz and Brrrr

It's been almost four decades since we had a high-profiled silent movie the world's gone crazy over (Mel Brooks's classic Silent Movie), thanks in part to our film industry being laid brick by brick with a 100% ratio of talking in it. Michel Hazanavicius's The Artist, however, does more without words than just about every film released in 2011.

Taking place during the start of the talkies, The Artist focuses on two main characters. The first is George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent film star whose pictures are a hit all over the world. After the premiere of his latest film an aspiring actress by the name of Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) literally runs into George, and becomes an overnight sensation with the press before she even makes a movie debut. Peppy slowly rises to fame, hoping to one day work side-by-side with George again.

Two years later silent movies finds its end, being replaced by talking pictures. George, refusing to star in them, decides to go out and direct his own silent movie. The film opens the same day as Peppy's first talkie, and like it happened in real life gets trounced by it. Hit by the Great Depression George is forced to sell all his belongings, fire his butler Clifton (James Cromwell), and his forced to wallow in a talkative world with only his pride and dog (Uggie) in tact. Peppy's stardom continues to shine, but she and Clifton want to try everything they can to help the man who gave them what they needed to make themselves who they are.

As The Artist is practically silent from start to finish, it's up to pure direction to make the storytelling aspect work. Sure enough this sort of formula works, with raw emotion and expressions showcasing the true feelings of these characters. Joy, sadness, jealously, and anger are shown in its truest forms, all without the aid of the screams, laughter, and other sound effects we're used to hearing in just about every other movie out there. All that we're given is a beautiful soundtrack composed by Ludovic Bource, who just about perfects the way to create the right essence via music.

The cast dazzles on the screen from start to finish. Both Dujardin and Bejo are sure to become rising stars with their performances as George and Peppy. Their smiles, frowns, and actions showcase the true meaning of acting without uttering a single sound throughout the majority of the film. John Goodman brings out the frustrations of running a movie studio through his character Al Zimmer, while Cromwell plays the butler who loves his job too much to leave to a T. Of course you cannot talk about The Artist without mentioning Uggie's four-legged performance. His actions, cutesy emotions, and duties as the all-around lovable sidekick to our downtrodden hero are reason enough to have the Academy start handing out a trophy each year to the Best Animal Actor. (He did win the Palm Dog Award during the 2011 Cannes Film Festival for his performance, so it certainly hasn't gone unnoticed.)

Finally there is the pacing of the film. As soon as the credits roll you are instantly drawn into the world of The Artist. How the story is told is spectacular, and its usage of speech cards for many of the speaking parts and sounds is done with sheer brilliance. At times there will be regular sound effects, but they are used only to convey a sort of understanding of what is going on in the minds of certain characters. This is Hollywood storytelling like it once was, coming back to kick the face in of all the Chipwreckeds and Zookeepers for being the film abominations that they are.

The Artist serves as a reminder of why movies were made in the first place, reviving an art form that was once lost in an ocean of talkies. This is the type of film that dares to take something old, and make it new again. If anything, The Artist should be set as an example to moviemakers everywhere to show where they came from in the business, and why they do what they love to do. Leave the cell phones off, sit back, relax, and be engulfed in what can only be described as pure movie magic.

***** (out of five)

PS: Don't let the PG-13 fool you. This is a film that anyone of all ages can enjoy in its mostly silent, black & white, and 4:3 aspect ratio glory.

It’s easy to take a well-known franchise, slap a new backdrop on it and call it a sequel.  While the location, or should I say many locations, of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves are very different than the original, the upgrades made to the series only start there.  With boosts to graphics, controls, storyline, interactivity and replay value, Naughty Dog managed to hit it out of the park with Nathan Drake’s second adventure.

Believe it or not, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was not only my first PS3 game, it was the first title I ever owned that was in HD.  It was truly no slouch in the graphics department and featured some amazing water effects.  Hearing from a few folks who got their hands on Uncharted 2 early that the graphics were better than original, I was a bit skeptical.  After popping in the new game and picking my jaw up off the ground, I had to admit that the graphics were sharper and more polished by a wide margin.  Water effects were replaced with even more impressive snow effects and load times were reduced to almost zero.

In Drake’s Fortune, there were several great moments where you got to control Nathan during an intense action sequence.  Uncharted 2, on the other hand, only had one: the entire game.  The action flowed from one scene to the next and had you doing things like running away from a truck in an alley and having a shootout in a collapsing building.  The story blended so well with the action that it literally felt like you were playing an action movie.  Even the controls felt a lot more tight, which helps a lot while you’re climbing up a train that’s falling off a cliff.

A good multiplayer mode is hard to come by, especially in a game with such a solid single player offering.  Naughty Dog rose to the challenge with Among Thieves and created one that combines the fun gameplay of the main game with the customization and progression offered by some of the best multiplayer-focused games.

Approximately two years later, the game was followed by Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.  Continuing the trend by changing the venue and upping the ante yet again, the third installation in the series exceeds expectations yet again.  The story gives us a look at Drake’s past, the snow is replaced by desert sands and you get to run through a house that’s burning down.  The multiplayer makes a return as well with a lot of extra content and another chance to see a skeletal version of Sir Francis Drake running around with a machine gun.  Who could pass all that up?  I couldn’t, so it earns a spot as one of my favorite games of this year.  Check back soon for the final pre-game in my top five of 2011.  Happy new year!

What a great start to 2012 am I right?

Regardless, this latest episode takes us back to 2011. Yep we are already going back in time, because for the sisters, time traveling to the past is a regular occurrence). They had talked about this before- but hadn't really thought about it.

So they went about their business and devised a plan.
Both made a list, then they hit the web

That's right, We've put together our own award show for the Video games of 2011.

Here it is for your listening pleasure! ESH Podcast Episode 275: You Get An Award and You Get An Award.

Also bonus points for the person who catches on to my lil easter egg!

20. Asobi Seksu - Fluorescence

The duo of James Hanna and Yuki Chikudate have created another delicious blend of shoe-gazing dream pop that will have you feeling like you’re floating in the air. Tears will roll down your cheek as Yuki hits those high notes on such tracks as “Leave The Drummer Out There” and “Sighs.” Asobi Seksu have always put together albums that leave you feeling good, relaxed, and -- above all -- discovering your inner peace, and Fluorescence is no exception.

19. Flogging Molly - Speed of Darkness

When your punk music needs a strong traditional Celtic twist, Flogging Molly is always there to bring it to you. Their recent album once again shows off the lyrical talents of Dave King, from its sailing-inducing title track and the sad captain’s ballad “So Sail On” to the cries of battle in “Revolution.” After eleven years together Speed of Darkness proved that Flogging Molly are nowhere near slowing down, but rather outpacing their competition.

18. VERBAL - Visionair

It may not be as strong as when he teams with Taku Takahashi for their amazing m-flo duo, but VERBAL shows that he has the chops to create a strong rap album on his own. No worries for those wanting some of his better-known “LOVES” collaborations: he has brought along some friends in the forms of Lil Wayne, Namie Amuro, Nicki Minaj, and Drake for the ride. Visionair features such great club-worthy tracks like “BALL N BOUNCE,” “I WANT IT ALL,” and “Fall Out.” The album’s only crime: it wasn’t released outside of Asia (unless you did what I had to do and purchased it from an import site).

17. Cheeseburger - Another Big Night Down The Drain

With all due respect to LMFAO, the Brooklyn-based rockers have truly concocted Party Rock, especially with their opener “Party Song.” The celebration doesn’t stop there, with their track “Winner” making Charlie Sheen look like an epic failure, and the after-shenanigans cleanup “Roll Like That.” Cheeseburger also pulls a KISS and has a few one-night stands on the same album, with “Gina” being the bad girl in the bedroom and the heartbreaker named “Suzy.” Another Big Night Down The Drain is anything but its namesake, as it is the soundtrack to one of the greatest evenings of your life.

16. American Water - This Is Where It Ends

A new face in the local waters, American Water’s debut album will have you clamoring for more. With its mixture of alt-rock sounds and dream pop essence This Is Where It Ends is the type of album the Boston music scene’s been waiting for. From the acoustic “Sink or Swim” and the grungy “Old Best Friend” to the exciting “This Place Is Going Down” American Water have created an album that’s both catchy and noteworthy. Be on the lookout for this band somewhere down the line. Something tells me they might make their mark in some way or form.

Official Reverb Page

15. Evanescence - Evanescence

After being off our radars for half a decade, Amy Lee and her comrades returned, cranking the rock up tenfold. Its shockingly positive opener “What You Want” and “The Change” are a welcome remodeling to their formula, but Evanescence haven’t forgotten to break your hearts the heavy-hitting “Lost In Paradise.” Amy Lee’s voice hasn’t sound this great in years, being more mature than what was heard on the band’s first two albums. Evanescence’s self-titled return made sure that we didn’t forget what made them such a powerhouse of rock in the first place, but at the same time it showed what happens when they push the rock element further than ever before.

14. The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts

When this UK outfit releases a new album, you know there’ll be plenty of happiness pouring out of your speaker. The high school band-sounding “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.” and the magical girl-transforming “Secretary Song” are just the mere openers on this sound circus. Tracks like “Buy Nothing Day” and “The Running Rage” will have you jumping around for no apparent reason, a sure sign that the joy The Go! Team brings to the table are flowing ever-so freely through your body.

13. R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

It’s a shame that R.E.M. broke up this year, but at least they left us with one more great album. Its opener “Discoverer” showed that Michael Stipe’s voice hasn’t changed a bit in the band’s 30-year existence, while at the same time displays the band’s sense of maturity they developed from being together for so long. “ÜBerlin” could’ve been the hint of the band’s break-up, thanks to the lyrics regarding “flying on” and changing for the better. One can only imagine what would’ve been the next step in what was the best musical comeback last decade, and sadly that’s all we can do now. Be glad that Collapse Into Now exists, for it shows what made R.E.M. such a treasure in the music community.

12. Flash Bang Grenada - 10 Haters

The album Jay-Z and Kanye West wished they could’ve made. A collaboration between underground rappers Busdriver and Nocando the duo teleports, plays cops & robbers, and goes “Hyperbolic” with the legendary Del the Funky Homosapien. The vernacular they use is nothing short of sheer brilliance, and the beats -- while simplistic -- captures the truth that, in these hard-pressing times, less is truly more. Be sure to pass the “Moisturizer” around.

11. the pillows - Horn Again

After taking a year off from releasing anything, Hokkaido’s brightest stars return with a great collection of alt-rock tracks that are sure to put a smile on anybody’s face. A great blend of their best sounds from the 90s and 2000s this album once again proves why the pillows are the best band out of Japan. From its opener “Limp Tomorrow” to its fast-paced closer “Doggie Howl” Horn Again is a strong reminder of why we fell in love with them in the first place. Their “Brilliant Crown” might also be one of the most beautiful songs released in 2011.

Check out Part Two of the Top 20 list here on the Boston Bastard Brigade! Who knows? One of your favorites might just be on it.

Here is a reminder of just how gangsta the holiday season can be! Fo Sho!

This fragment of truth has been brought to you by: Boondocks. Keeping it real since 2005.

Originally being developed for the Gamecube, Nintendo swore that this was definitely coming to the aforementioned system even after their new motion controlled system was announced.  I also promised myself that no matter what happened, I was going to get the new game for the Gamecube.  Nintendo kept their promise, but since they released the game on the Wii first, I did not.  What can I say, I don't like waiting to play my Zelda games.

Being one of the launch titles for the Wii, Twilight Princess was among the first games I played for the system.  The motion controls for the game, while quite basic, did provide a fun level of immersion that hadn't been seen yet.  Looking back on it, most of it was waggling the Wii Remote back and forth like a moron, but it translated very well.  Aside from the sword, you could use your controller as a fishing pole, point it to aim arrows and it even made sounds.  My favorite thing, and I can't believe they didn't bring this back, was Link's ability to sheath his sword in a badass way after a fight if you put your sword away at the right time.  Another great new feature was Link being able to transform into a wolf.  It led to some interesting ways to look twice at a puzzle, because you never knew when the wolf form might be required to solve it.

After Wind Waker fans were foaming at the mouth for a darker and more adult Zelda experience.  It's clear that Nintendo was shooting very specifically for this with Twilight Princess.  I mean, come on, it's right there in the title staring you in the face.  With a grittier story and environment, they definitely pulled it off.  While still managing to retain the charm that all of the various iterations of Hyrule contain, this was quite possibly the darkest game in the series.  Even the soundtrack almost rings of Danny Elfman with many mischievous and mysterious tunes.  Not among them is the song playing during the fight with beast Ganon towards the end.  If you listen very carefully it sounds like “I’m a piggy” is being repeated over and over again.

For many, this game was a step too far back in the direction of being too formulaic, and I can certainly see where they are coming from.  If awesome is what they’re calling formulaic however, then sign me up every time.

This year, Nintendo took all the great things that have happened over the years with their system and have combined them into The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.  With perfected motion controls, an open world with great characters and a beautiful orchestrated soundtrack, it is certainly a contender for my favorite game of this year.

In this video I talk about the two currently running TV series Once Upon A Time and Grimm. Both shows are on different networks and each has its weaknesses and strengths. However I look at their origins, and have some thoughts about them.

So grab your beverage of choice and enjoy.

Can you smell the comedy? I can...and it's ripe for the...listening? (Yeah, I'm running with it) So grab your bev of choice and get your earholes ready for ESH Podcast Episode # 274: You Can't Tell a Video game by Its Trailer.