Lazy Inspired, Diwali and Unimportant Updates

I am beginning to think that some people actually read what I jot down here, so here is me telling you what's happening all around (not that you would care much).

Starting off, Happy Diwali everyone; I know its kind of late, but I was busy traveling and then busy sleeping that travel off. By the way this was the third time in a row that I was not with my family on Diwali (which is like Hindu Christmas, so its a big deal), so if you were there, just know you had something special, and if you weren't, know you are not alone out there. Oh and by the way, all the elitist that keep on telling me that I should have a green and peaceful Diwali, we will talk when you have switched off your refrigerators and air-conditioners(believe me its taking a lot, keeping that to one line).

Happy Diwali

Okay first up, Vaultmix is back up. Yeah that's right, the site which was supposed to share my blogging load (and then conveniently shut down last month) is back up, and what more all my hard-Googled content is restored as well. This little phase where I thought I would lose all my work on the site because of the re-vamp, taught me a lesson, of backing up your work, especially if you are as lazy as me and probably won't replicate it anytime in the future. So I would be backing up all my blog work soon, as soon as I shake off the laziness from me. On a similar note, I would try to digitize all my stories for the nth time, and hopefully you would soon see them lying around somewhere.

Lessons apart, the site looks all kind of awesome and you should check it out as soon as possible.Gonna post a perma-link on this blog somewhere too, now that we seemed to have settled on a standard logo for the web site.I will be posting something that's been on my mind on it some time soon, so be sure to check that space, and give me some love.

The other thing that I have wanted to brag about for a while now is the fact that I have now officially crossed 10,000 G on my X-box. Reached the pretty figure of an exact 10,000 recently while playing Mass-Effect, and I need to confess that I didn't play for a few days just to keep that ideal number on my gamer-card. So yes I am kind of proud these days. Check out my history by clicking on my gamer-card on the right.

Moving on, I was thinking of starting a simple business of renting games out locally, since I don't really re-play any of my games, and I just hate the thought of selling them. Once again, I don't know how that is gonna work out, given my crazy level of laziness and freakish low duration of attention span. I have some other ideas fluttering about in my head, but right now I think this blog is probably the most committed I am gonna get to something/anything..

Oh and before I forget, my younger brother Ashish Chauhan, is off on his first of many Merchant Naval sail. So a big shout out to him, and bring home the moolah baby!!! And no matter how many countries you visit, or how much cash you rake in, I am still gonna beat you at cricket. Wish him luck, and he may bring an expensive gift for you from the gulf. Below is another lame attempt at a meme, and at iconizing something we  do a lot whenever we are together.

Forgive me if the gamer in you is feeling ripped off, but I am busy playing Mass-Effect these days, and I am sure you would prefer a bear ripping your head off than me writing a review for you. Also in other news, I have a life.

Signing off,

Ayush 'Kabel' Chauhan

The Gaming New Year

When the E-3 came out earlier this year, and I started this blog, it was all about building up the hype for the biggest games that were going to hit the streets. That hype is over and its show time now. With the holiday season almost upon us, the gaming world is coming face to face with what was promised to them almost 6 months before. While the year end is still some weeks away, I believe its safe to say that the 'Gaming New Year' is upon us. And so in proper Christmas tradition, I make up a list: a list of games that have come out or are coming out this year, a list of games that I would fight tooth and nail to own, a list that should define your future weeks too if you are a gamer. Since I really can't put these games into any kind of ranking, I am just going to place them in alphabetical order. So with further ado, my Christmas sock for this year.

Assassin's Creed 3:

When Ubisoft created Assassin's Creed as a Prince Of Persia rip-off, nobody would have imagined it would grow into a flagship franchise for the company or one of the most celebrated games of all time. With 4 proper canonical games and host of spin-offs, Assassin's Creed 3 is the magnum-opus for the game's protagonist Desmond. The game set in the most expansive setting yet (that of the American Revolution) was touted as the biggest and the best Assassin's Creed yet. I had a taste of Brotherhood on a PC sometime before, and earlier this year I played and loved Assassin's Creed 2, so I know what to expect when I get my hands on it. Its always fun to free run and meet historical figures and feel that you are playing an unknown part in shaping the world's history. While it maybe quite some time before I get my hand on the title (what with my meager pocket change), all that I have seen of the game have been impressive. Meanwhile, the game released last month on the 30th of October, and is now out there for you to decide. And just in case you are into video reviews, check out IGN's review below:

Far Cry 3:

Anybody who was a part of E-3, knew how much buzz the game has created. I have never played far-cry before, but it has always been because I was never in the right place on the right time. With the game looking as beautiful as it is, and the game's antagonist Vaas making the right(read wrong) kind of noises; I don't think lighting would be striking the same place for the third time. The game comes out on the 2nd of December this year, and after postponing its release date twice, lets just hope this Ubisoft biggy hits its target this time. Coming back to Vaas, Ubisoft recently released some live action videos based and tying up into Far-Cry 3 revolving around the character. While the expectation from the series was quite low, it's doing a decent job, and needless to say Vaas entertains. Check out the first episode of the series below:

Halo 4:

Yes, if you own a X-Box, there is no way in hell you haven't heard about this game. Its all over the X-Box Dashboard, its all over the internet, and come today(6th Of November) it will be all over the marketplace. I played the original Halo, way back during a college break, it wasn't mind blowing but it was okay (keep in mind I played this 2 years after its release) and I was enamored by Master-Chief. Almost 3 years after that I ended up playing Halo Reach (so I have now played the first game and the last, but none of the ones in between) during June-July and it was awesome. There are games you know (God Of War, Counter-Strike), which you need to play just once and you are hooked. Reach was that kind of a game. Maybe I am just overrun by all the hype the game is building(and its probably building more hype than all the other games combined) but if you think I am gonna buy the game just for nostalgia, you are so wrong.
Check out IGN' review of Halo-4 below:



On a completely different Halo related note, Halo has its own Live-Action series doing the rounds on the internet. The series known as "Forward Unto Dawn" is a prequel to the Human-Covenant war and has for the first time 'Master Chief' in a non-animated form. If that's not incentive enough for you maybe that Hunger Games girl(yeah she is in the series too; no big deal) would make you change your mind. Still unconvinced, check out the trailer below and decide for yourself. The series updates with new episodes each Friday both on You-tube and Halo Way point on the X-box.

WWE'13:

Given a choice, I would probably buy a WWE game every time over any other game that I don't own. Year after year ever since Here Comes The Pain, I have played and owned every single iteration of the franchise as it evolved from Smack Down to Smack down Vs. Raw to it current WWE avatar. With CM Punk on the cover, and the attitude era in the spotlight, only a fool would overlook this game. I have already written enough about the game and you can check it out here and hence I won't waste much space here. The game came out on the 30th of October this year and is already making waves all over the world, check out the IGN review below:



 Oh just a footnote before I leave you. Finished Borderlands finally. Don't think I would touch the game again but it was fun while it lasted. Also my room-mate has gone back to his hometown in pursuit of happiness, so while I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors, it also means I am back to playing single-player. This brings me to Mass-Effect. Now I have never played this X-Box marquee franchise, so when I saw a deal on the same on a web portal, I thought to myself why not. Would post a review soon, though I am not sure why anyone would read a review about a game that's about 5 years old. So anyways, while my adventures on Pandora have ended, the ones as Commander Shepard are just beginning, wish me luck.

Signing Off,

Ayush "Kabel" Chauhan