Joining the Ranks

Joining the Ranks

So for those of you who for some reason read the blog but don't listen to or watch the show (there are those people?) my Xbox 36o finally gave me the RROD part two last Friday.  I got the dreaded E71 error while playing Fallout 3.  I talked about this on the show, how it had frozen once or twice in the past couple of weeks, but I didn't really think anything of it.  Apparently that was just the beginning.

Lucky for me, the 360 was nice enough (after trying a trick I found here) to let me actually finish Fallout 3.  It would literally freeze randomly all within two minutes or less for about a half-hour, no matter what I tried.  Once I gave it a few tries of holding the sync button down while turning it on, it actually let me get back into the game and stayed strong all the way through the end credits.  I suppose its fitting though.  If you know anything about the ending of Fallout 3 (I won't spoil it), you know that you aren't able to continue to play once you've beaten the game.  Perhaps my 360 was simply following along, since it won't even turn on at all now.

We had our second annual Wine & Wii party here last night, where a bunch of our friends get together to taste (or just outright drink) a lot of different wines and play videogames.  I had a little too much of the wine and never actually made it to the basement where the 360 and Wii were hooked up, but from what I'm told, they tried to play the 360 last night for some Guitar Hero, and it wouldn't even boot up.  Sad times, my friends.

Best case scenario:  Microsoft will repair it under some extended "We Suck at Manufacturing Hardware" warranty clause.  Worst case scenario:  We have to buy an Arcade or a used 360 and just swap the hard drive.  What it really means in the interim though, is that I'll start to really dive into that dozen-deep pile of games I got for Christmas for my PS2.  The only one I've really played so far is Need For Speed Underground.  Let me lay them out for you guys, and maybe you can recommend one for me to start with.  In fact, that's what I'll do.

Here's the list of PS2 games that I have that I need to play.  Remember that I am essentially a Playstation Virgin, so all PS2 games are pretty much going to be a new experience for me.  You guys post in the comments whichever one you think I should start with, and whichever gets recommended the most, that'll be the one.  Think of it as your job to start me off right.

Here ya go, the list:

Final Fantasy X

God of War

Grand Theft Auto III

Need For Speed: Underground (don't recommend this unless it's truly a better game to play than all of the others on this list)

Need For Speed: Underground 2

Ratchet: Deadlocked

Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Shadow of the Colossus

You've got a week.  When we tape again on Saturday for our post E3 show, I'll declare a winner then.  We'll probably hook you guys up with some swag for helping me out as well.

Game on!

-Phil