Video Games on TV

Well Spike TV is having their fourth annual Video Game Awards this Sunday December 9th. I haven't watched these awards in the past, but this year I have decided to check them out (likely days after on my TIVO). The reason I am interested though isn't to see who is going to win. I personally don't put a lot of stock in most awards shows because most of the time what really should win doesn't. My point in watching is to see what sort of production Spike pulls off. Since it is a show devoted to Video Games, my instincts tell me that it will be chalk full of corny clichéd punch lines and your standard stereo typical nerd fair.

Back when G4 was more about gaming, their shows were full of this type of nonsense that drastically degraded their product. Granted, I have watched my share of X-Play, but more because it was my best way to see games in action before they came out, not because I was enjoyed the show itself. The past few years however with the increasing quality of video podcasts, and websites centered around preview videos of games, I have seen no reason to watch G4 or any other show about video games on TV. Maybe, just maybe, Spike has learned from these mistakes and will provide a quality viewing experience more on par with the internet competition than the TV competition.

UPDATE: Long story short, I never watched the VGA Awards because my Comcast box decided to reset itself during the awards and my TIVO picked up a blank signal for two hours. I'm not sure if I should be mad at Comcast or thank them.....

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles

Despite being 14 years later than most Castlevania fans would have liked, Konami has finally brought its classic PC Engine vampire hunter to the masses. Why it took this long to get new life outside of Japan is up for debate, but it was worth the wait. Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP reveals the entire story of Richter Belmont. Included on the disc are a 3D remake of Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, the original 16-bit version and the follow up masterpiece Symphony of the Night.

Symphony alone is worth the price of admission, but it must be unlocked in the remake. This is not a bad thing however as it gives you even more reason to play at least part of Rondo of Blood, which is the classic Castlevania formula at its finest. Whether you are a Castlevania fan or not, if you own a PSP, you need to check this out. With three great games packed into one disc, this should really be a no-brainer. Go get it and thank me later.