Today I saw a post on the gaming site, Kotaku, on how to get decent customer service from Xbox. Essentially it’s a two tiered system and if you work it right you can get someone helpful on the phone in a more timely fashion. You can read the article here. I had the same experience with Xbox customer service when I was having trouble getting my wireless connection to work. The first person I called barely knew what a 360 was and when I tried back with a reference number I talked to another person that told me exactly what to do. I think the first person you talk to reads something from a sheet and that fixes 90 percent of the calls they get but if you have a real problem that person can’t help you so get rid of him as soon as you can, get a reference number and try back on the second number.
I mentioned earlier that I was going to play and review Mass Effect and I just haven’t had the time to do it. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to after my most recent purchase…
GTA IV
Like several million other people I bought Grand Theft Auto IV. I didn’t purchase it the day it came out because I had to buy a lawnmower the weekend before. I had to wait until Friday to get my copy of the game. I’ve had two nice sessions in Liberty City so far and it’s been fun. It may even be possible that the storyline could be as deep as the humor on the radio. To me the radio stations with all the social commentary (sometimes directed at the person holding the controller) trumped the plot of the main storyline. This time, the Russian immigrant Nico, might be a character for which you feel empathy. Take that, Jack Thompson!
It does seem to me that the false hysteria surrounding this franchise has calmed down a lot. This is the fourth version of the game and Western civilization is still going strong so maybe this manufactured concern over Hollywood and video games destroying our youth is starting to receive the attention it deserves: none. I lived through the PMRC and their anti heavy metal crusade and that died out. Then came Marilyn Manson and then adult video games. Before all that it was women wanting to vote and wear pants in public. It all passes and this will also.
As far as children, do you know what I had to do before the casher at Gamestop would sell me the game? I had to show her my identification. If there are kids playing this game they are playing it because their parents are allowing them to play it. If you think this game causes problems in children then maybe you should be addressing their parents and not the makers of the game. Of course, addressing the parents will just make parents mad at you but if you condemn those that make the game then you get all kinds of attention and the gaming industry takes heat from the media. It’s the perfect crime.
Driving Around
You know what was really fun? Driving around after I was tired of main story. I don’t know of any other video game that has offered me so much enjoyment outside of the main story (other than multiplayer, course). Just tooling around town looking for big jumps is fun. Stopping and looking around at the environment is fun. Hitting other cars and hearing the driver curse at you is funny. Finding that big stunt jump and hitting it successfully is satisfying.
Multiplayer
OK, I had to try the multiplayer and it is completely off the hook. I recommend the game called GTA Race. It’s a road race inside a city…with guns a-blazing. It’s ridiculous but with 15 other players it’s the most fun you’ll ever have by yourself. What I found unique about the road races was when you wrecked your car you didn’t respawn in your car like most racing games. here you respawn next to a worthless scooter which you have to drive to a car parked along the road which you climb into and drive off. Of course you have to get to this car without getting run over or shot by one of your opponents. You can also attempt to hijack another player’s car. I don’t know if I have ever laughed that much playing online. Each time I have played this particular online game there has been at least one player that isn’t even trying to win. He just climbs out of his vehicle and stands on the sidewalk shooting at other competitors as they drive by. I hate those guys.
