Slow gaming week, or just laziness?

I thought I would write something for all of my fan out there (thanks for reading, Dave).

This weeks been kind of a lull in gaming for me. I'm not sure why, but I lose interest every once in a while. Maybe it's the cold weather, wanting to spend more time with the family, or stress at work (or the mafia members sent over by certain game companies to make sure I don't say something stupid). Whatever it is, I've been taking a break from gaming. Not a complete break (Uncharted has been played a couple of times this week), but as close as a gamer can get.

I have been watching Planet Earth, a documentary from the Discovery Channel, on Blu-Ray, with my wife and son. I've been blown away by this hi definition documentary. The crystal clear camera shots combined with the locations make this a must watch for any Blu-Ray owner. It's got a boatload of nature and no human beings that are visible (except on the Yellow River in China). Breathtaking scenery and good writing make this a reason to get a Blu-Ray player. I am so impressed, I wish I could show everyone. Two words: WOW!!

Xbox Customer Support and my dead 360...

I was going to have a long explanation on how my 360's disk drive died, but I've decided to get to the point. It happened on Monday night while I was preparing to play Call of Duty 4. My first 360 died almost a year ago and I though I was a few weeks out of warranty on the refurbished unit that I had received. So I called Xbox customer support, fully expecting to argue with someone on the other line.

If anyone from Microsoft Customer Support is reading this, please get a different voice for your automated system. Automated Dave's voice is not soothing or helpful to people who are going through a video game crisis. Luckily, I got through the automated portion pretty quickly (after Auto Dave hung up on me once), and got to talk to a very nice lady named Keisha. I don't know if it's my phone voice or just luck, but I'm quite impressed with this lady's customer service skills. She didn't treat me like an idiot, was very easy to understand and didn't leave me on hold for a long time when looking up information. I am now waiting for the "coffin" to send my box into be repaired/replaced.

This doesn't mean that I'm not upset about having to send my 360 in for the 2nd time, I am. Playing on Friday nights with my friends is the stress reliever I need to get through the next week. I'm really going to miss the gaming. Keisha really helped with my anger and I hope she gets promoted or at least a hefty pay raise (I know it's her job, but she did it well and she should be thanked). This experience also allows me to invest some much needed time into my other console.

So I'm going to need some games to play on my PS3. The day after my box died I decided to cheer myself up by purchasing 2 PS3 games. I bought Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (which I loved when I rented it) and Warhawk (for my multiplayer needs). I played Warhawk a couple of times yesterday and really see the potential in this multiplayer only game. My first reaction to this game isn't favorable, but I'm willing to play more and get better at playing. I've also learned that I can play with friends on the same TV and online at the same time (which is great!) . It's a well thought out , multiplayer only, 3rd person shooter with vehicles and weapons galore. Hopefully I can play with some of the people on my friends list this weekend and get more proficient at it.

Hopefully I can become more Playstation friendly and be happy with the repair wait all at the same time. I'm still a big fan of the Xbox 360 and will try to think positive in this time of need. Again, Thank you to customer support expert Keisha and I hope you have a happy holiday season.

I need some advice...

Here's the deal: I have $60 to spend on a game, it's been there for a couple of weeks now. I've rented numerous games and have enjoyed quite a bit of them, but only one has jumped out at me (but none of them have killed me in my sleep either, that's a plus). That game is Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. I've had more fun playing this amazing single player adventure game than any other single player game during the last few months. I will own this game, eventually.

I also want to buy Warhawk for the PS3 and try out the awesomeness that it's supposed to be. And I get a Bluetooth headset, which is awesomeness in itself (and I'll get to insult people and pretend I'm talking on my cell phone). There is also Resistance: Fall of Man, which is, in theory, a good game also.

Maybe I should save my money and buy Rockband for the 360 (which is what most people will recommend), but I don't know. It'll be a lot of fun to rock out with friends and family, online and off. It is a possibility, yet expensive, yet fun, yet spendy, yet exciting, yet a lot of money. And then there is Scene It! Lights, Camera, Action for the 360 also. I love trivia games and really dug this at PAX. I don't have enough offline friends to play this on a regular basis, and that could be a problem.

So, what should I do? What should I buy? Should I eat a tube of toothpaste today? (probably not) Do farm animals secretly know how to talk when we're not around? (I say yes. Or was that a cartoon I saw?) I really don't know, and I need your help. Please comment with your suggestions. They'll be taken into considerations and a game will be bought in accordance with your advice (hopefully).