Not surprisingly, being the emblem-hog that I am, I was recently upgraded from "Tagger Maker" to "Tagger Leader". I just got back into tagging and hope to soon reach the illustrious level of "Tagger King". I'm at about 700+ tags now, and I think it's somewhere around 1000 tags that you reach King, so I still have a little ways to go. Anyways, here is my shiny new emblem:

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Tagger Leader
Awarded to those who've extensively used the tagging system, enabling themselves and others to make it considerably easier to find certain content.

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This is a pretty decent looking emblem, but I think I liked the colors of "Tagger Maker" better. Oh well, just more motivation to make it to "Tagger King". For those of you fellow taggers out there, feel free to tag up my blogs and forum posts. Good luck on your quests to the top of the taggers totum.

It's official. Yesterday, May 30th, was my third GameSpot Anniversary. So as of midnight tonight, I have been a GameSpot member for 3 years. It's hard to believe that it has been that long, but at the same time, it seems like I've been using this site for much longer. Most of these past three years, though, I haven't actually been doing much GameSpotting. I was in college and checked the site infrequently, but now that I've graduated I am much more active. I should be around pretty regularly from now on, and I look forward to many more years here on GameSpot. Cheers! :D

Today I was given a new emblem for participating in GameSpot's Brian Bust Tournament for Total Access Members. I will shamelessly admit that the main reason I participated in the tournament was for the emblem, which I was beginning to think was never going to come. But at the same time, I figure that I'm paying for this Total Access, so I might as well reap the full benefits, right? Anyways, here is the emblem...

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I'll take "All Your Base Are Belong To Us" for $600, Rich.
This user demonstrated vast gaming knowledge by participating in Brain Bust, GameSpot's first trivia challenge. And knowing is half the battle!

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I really like this emblem, especially the comments. I wouldn't say I demonstrated "vast" knowledge, but I did demonstrate "some" knowledge since I answered at least a couple of questions correctly. However, I didn't even make it past the first round on First Person Shooters, which should have been my bread and butter. I love FPS's and play them all the time, but apparently I didn't played them enough, or pay enough attention when I did. No biggie though, I doubt I would have answered a single question right in Round 2 because it was all Role Playing Games, and I was never an RPG fan so I never played any.

"And knowing is half the battle!" is obviously a reference to the old school G.I. Joe cartoon show, which I grew up watching. "G.I. Joe! A Real American Hero! Yoooo JOE!" Ha ha! Anyways, thanks GameSpot for the new emblem, even if I didn't do much to earn it. 8)

As an avid guitar player and music lover, I decided I would try to compile what I believe to be the greatest guitar solos of all time. Now obviously this all opinion based, and opinions are like *ssholes, everybody's got one. So these are basically my favorite solos from the songs that I love. What's that you're asking? Why top 6? Well because I had more than 5, but not quite 10, and I wanted to include all 6. So without further ado, the following are, in my humble opinion, the Top 6 Guitar Solos of All Time...

#6 Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (solo by Slash)

This is basically the only reason I have a top 6 and not a top 5. Slash is an amazing guitar player, and this solo is easily one of his best. Despite the fact that most of the band, especially Slash, hated this song, it went on to become one of their biggest and most enduring hits. From the memorable riffs and chugging rhythm to the wail of Axl and the screeching precision of Slash's guitar solo, it's not hard to see why.

#5 Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb (solo by David Gilmour)

Pink Floyd is not a band necessarily known for its solos. They are more known for exploring boundaries both musically and psychologically. However, I believe Dave Gilmour to be a heavily underrated guitar player. This song about overdosing is easily one of the band's most haunting, and the solo is one of the main reasons why.

#4 Cream - Crossroads (solo by Eric Clapton)

Cream was the original power trio, led by one of the greatest guitar players of all time, and one of the few to make it out of the 60's alive. Clapton has had many memorable hits and solos over his lengthy career, but I believe this to be his best. "Clapton is God."

#3 Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (solo by Jimmy Page)

As cliche as this sounds, this song has to be on this list. Arguably one of the greatest songs of all time, from one of the greatest bands of all time, with one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Of course it's going to have one of the greatest solos of all time as well. No matter how many times I've heard this song, the solo still gives me goosebumbs.

#2 Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird (solo by Gary Rossington)

This is probably way more cliche than even putting Stairway on this list, but again, it has to be done as this guitar solo has become a thing of legend. It even made it onto Guitar Hero II...after they made fun of it in the first game. Gary Rossington is another highly underrated, under-appreciated, and generally unknown guitarist. Most people when they think of Skynyrd immediately think of Ronnie Van Zant, and then usually draw a blank when it comes to the rest of the band. Well Gary, this is my solute to you. This solo freaking RAWKS!

So if Stairway and Freebird are #3 and #2, what the hell is #1, right? Well, I had to give it to the greatest, of course...Mr. Jimi Hendrix.

#1 Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower (solo by Jimi)

Jimi had to be #1. HAD to be. He broke every rule, boundary, or preconception that anyone ever had about how a person could play the electric guitar. He played with his teeth, behind his head, with his thumb hanging over the fretboard due to his gigantic hands. The guy was flat out a freak of nature. Even the greatest guitarists of the time admitted they couldn't hold a candle to Jimi. There was never a guitar player like him prior to him being born, and highly doubt there will ever be another.

So there you have it, my Top 6 Guitar Solos of All Time, complete with links to where you can hear/watch them. I hope to be doing more lists and blog entries that are non-gaming related in the future. Games are great and all, but let's not forget the other pleasures in life. For now, I'm out to cash checks and pay bills. "Check ya later!"

12:00am - Start of Hour #4

Well, I just couldn't help myself. After three straight console games, I had to switch to the PC for some good old fashioned fragging in my favorite FPS and PC game of all time, Unreal Tournament. So I hopped onto irc.gameradius.org and joined #mlut for some Capture the Flag pick up games (CTF pugs). This is basically a place for other UT CTF players to sign up to play in a pug. Once ten people sign up, captains are selected, and teams are picked. There are multiple community UT servers that can be used for pugs and there are generally anywhere from 5 to 25 pugs a day.

Team #1: sLY PiTHoN m3ss Rutzy FuzzyLogic

Team #2: NANM Ezscabar Sonic barbo Woahday

1:30am - End of Hour #4 (+0.5)

Teams were picked and the server was chosen. The first captain picks the server and the second captain gets first map pick. NANM (aka NoAimNoMoves) picked CTF-NovemberCE105 and sLY picked a Dallas, Texas server for advantageous ping. (the lower your ping, the faster your connection and the easier it is to play online) This particular CTF map is known as a stalemate map due to its heavily defensive design. There is only one exit from the base and most of the powerups are in the flag room or general base area.

As such, this map remained at a score of 0-0 for most of the 20 minute regulation time. However, with about 5 minutes left, sLY made a flag run to the enemy front door where he was met by teammates PiTHoN and m3ss, who had the damage amplifier (that's me, the ampwhore). sLY gets cutdown by the enemy defense, but PiTHoN is there to make the pickup as m3ss covers him through middle and seals the base for the cap, putting Team #1 up 1-0. We managed to hold them off for the rest of regulation time and won the map 1-0.

On map 2, sLY picked CTF-Cynosure][LE105, a less popular map that has recently been added from the european UT scene. For some reason, our team just couldn't get it going on this map until late in the game after we finally switched around positions. Our lack of communication on defense lead to some early flag captures for our opponents, forcing us to push three and four players on offense to try and tie it up before OverTime. We managed to close the ga[ from 0-3 to 2-3, but we just couldn't get the equalizer in the final minutes and lost it 2-3. (Sorry no screenshot)

The TieBreaker was again their pick, and they selected CTF-McSwartzly][, an old staple map that's been around since the Quake days. It usually makes for fast-paced, action-packed games, but sadly our enemies were simply outmatched on this map. I played flag defense on this map and managed to hold the enemy attackers at bay pretty much all game, rarely letting flags out to middle. The few that did make it out were quickly cutdown by my teammates sLY, PiTHoN, and Rutzy. Meanwhile, sLY was running circles around the opposing defense, racking up a hat-trick (3 flag captures) before even half the map was over. Eventually, the opposing team left the server early, as it was clear the map/pug was over and it was already 1:35am. As such, I don't have a good screenshot of this map either. (I have one, but it only has 2 people in it.)

Things I Learned While Playing Unreal Tournament

- The translocator and the shock rifle are the best FPS weapons ever. EVER!

- Talking smack is not only allowed, it's encouraged. Hell, even the bots talk crap in this game. "You suck!" "Loser!" "Learn how to aim!" "Eat that!" "I'm on fire!" "My House!" & my personal favorite: "Ha ha ha!"

- Loque owns.

- Capture the Flag is the greatest FPS mod ever. EVER!

- I am guaranteed to kamikaze myself with rockets or dive into a lavapit at least once a map. At LEAST.

- Even after 6+ years of playing it, this is still some of the most fun I've ever had gaming. It's the multiplayer, baby!

So there you have it, the completion of Hour #4 and a half of my m3sstacular Gameathon, on my favorite 8 year old PC shooter, Unreal Tournament. As I already stated, despite its age, this is still an extremely fun game, and there is still a small community of diverse people who play it. I tried the later incarnations of Unreal (UT2k3 & UT2k4), but none of them held my attention like the original. I still have high hopes for UT3 though, as they are supposedly bringing the franchise back to its roots and making it more like UT. We'll see I guess. Until then, I'll continue to bust combos and cap flags in the best online multiplayer experience since Duke Nukem. "Let's Rock!"

11:00pm - Start of Hour #3

God of War II is my most recent video game purchase. When I first bought it I played it pretty regularly, but as finals and graduation approached, I started playing it less and less. So now it's time to get back to stomping armies of mythic monsters with everyone's favorite god, Kratos. I'm guesstimating that I've completed about 1/4 of the game so far, as right now I'm at the "Pathway to the Steeds". The first boss fight of the game was epic, as usual, as Kratos and I had to take down a gigantic Athena statue from the inside out, literally. There was also an entire flying level/sequence that took place on the back of a pegasus that was completely amazing. I can only hope that the game continues to get better from there.

12:00am - End of Hour #3

Well, I made some decent progress and I'm really loving this game. If I hadn't just played Manhunt, I might consider this the most brutal game ever, but I think Manhunt's executions are just a bit more brutal simply because they are happening to human beings rather than hideous beasts. GoWII still might be the bloodiest game out there, though, as gobs and gobs of it fly all over the place as you decorate with enemy body parts.

So I managed to make it through the whole "horse reigns" part, moving the island with the giant steeds. (which was really cool and original imo) Now I'm on "The Edge of Creation" and I'm freaking stuck. After crossing one gap with the R1 grappling hooks, I encounter some enemies and then another very large gap...but no grappling hooks. (at least none that I can see) There's a time-slowing statue to the right of the gap, though, so I know it must have something to do with it, but I just can't figure it out. Anyways, I'm out of time on this one, so I guess I'm going to have to consult the GameSpot GameGuide to figure it out. (I'm sure I'll slap myself once I see the answer.)

Things I Learned Playing God of War II

- This game is the very definition of button mashing. I honestly think I might have broken the square button on my controller. However, the fact that the gameplay is so simple, yet so amazingly fun, is a testament to its greatness.

- Kratos is one angry character. Really angry.

- I need a bigger/better television with a bigger/better stereo to play this game. For reals.

- Apparently, I also need the GameSpot Game Guide...just to get through this game. Kratos would be ashamed of me.

That's the end of Hour #3 of the Gameathon with God of War II. So far GoWII seems to be a worthy sequel, delivering much of the same smashmouth gameplay from the original, yet upping the ante and scaling up the size. Bigger is Better! The Gameathon is now three hours strong and still chuggin' along. We'll see where this non-stop gaming insanity takes me next. BYAH!

10:00pm - Start of Hour #2

I crave sustenance...Braaaaaains! Oh wait, this isn't Resident Evil...wrong game. I went and ate some steak and potatoes after finishing up with Guitar Hero II. (You can't go killing on an empty stomach, you know.) So now I should be good-to-go for the duration of the Gameathon, except for maybe bathroom and smoke breaks. Up next is Manhunt, a game I've had for quite some time but never really got far into it. I'm not really sure why though, as I love the stealth/action gameplay. It's very similar to the Metal Gear Solid series, which I'm a huge fan of, and the over-the-top violence is pretty entertaining at times as well. I guess there just wasn't enough of a storyline to really catch my interest. At the moment, I'm only on the second scene of the game called "Doorway to Hell", so lets bring on the brutality!

11:00pm - End of Hour #2

So I made it through the "Doorway to Hell" and onto the third chapter, the "Road to Ruin". On the way though, I suffocated a guy with a plastic bag and then introduced his nose to my knee. I also stabbed someone in the face with a shard of glass, busted a dude's skull open with a baseball bat, and impaled a guy in the spine with a crowbar...and remember, this is only the second level. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This game is BRUTAL. I didn't call it "the most violent video game ever to grace a console" for nothing!

If you haven't played or read up on this game, what I described are just some of the "executions" the player can perform by sneaking up behind gang members with different weapons. You hold down the (X) button and a meter appears above the enemy's head. The longer you hold (X) the more brutal the execution, and there are three levels for each weapon (white, yellow, and red being the worst of all).

The gameplay is pretty basic, but fun nonetheless. So far, it has basically amounted to me walking around a level until I encounter a baddie, or gang member. (Each level has its own unique game members. Right now I'm wasting "The Hoods".) Then, I get the gullible baddie to follow me as I run around corners, until I encounter a shadowy area that I can hide in. Once he catches up he will not see me in the shadows and just run right by, at which point he will usually stop and I can keep hiding or try to sneak in for the kill. This is when the game gets rather entertaining, as the enemies have a lot of corny, yet hilarious, things to say to you if you keep running and hiding from them. Of course, most of it is vulgarities and obscenities, but the stuff I found the funniest was the complaining:

- "I gotta take up jogging...or something."

- "No one. *pant* Said anyTHING. *pant* About running all night." :cry:

Things I Learned While Playing Manhunt

- Sneaking up on someone who is taking a piss is the best thing since sliced bread. :lol:

- I will never look at a plastic bag the same way again.

- Brian Cox was perfect for the voice of Starkweather. He sounds so freaking sadistic, yet completely hilarious at the same time. "Way to go, Cash. You're totaling these *ssholes." Ha ha ha! Cl4ssic lines and excellent voice acting.

- Messing with the gang members is almost as fun as killing them....almost.

- You have to play Manhunt in the dark. It's the only way to slay.

- If you end up in a fight with one of the baddies and he starts pleading for his life, DON'T be a softie. He will just get up and kill your sorry *ss anyways. (I know from experience now. Doh!) SHOW NO MERCY!

Thus concludes Hour #2 of the m3sstacular Gameathon with Manhunt. I highly recommend this game to anyone interested in stealth action gameplay with a bit of ultra-violence. Mark my words though, this game is NOT for the squeamish or the faint of heart. Buyer beware!

8:20pm - Start of Hour #1

Up first we have a game I bought recently but haven't really played a lot of: Guitar Hero II. I've currently made it through all of Easy and Medium modes, having five-starred all of the Easy songs and almost all of the Medium songs. (I think I need to get five stars on 3 or 4 more songs in Medium.) I'm about 3/4 of the way through Hard Mode now. So for the next hour, I think I'm just going to try to complete the rest of the songs in Hard, and perhaps try my hand at a few of the Expert tunes. However, I might just go back and try to five-star a few of the Medium/Hard songs if that gets too frustrating. For now though, it's time for some Furious Fretwork on "Carry Me Home". Here goes nothing...

9:20pm - End of Hour #1

Well, I tried to start out on Hard mode with "Carry Me Home" and got totally owned. So I switched back to Medium mode to get warmed up and try and five-star some songs I hadn't. I managed to five star two of the last three songs I had left: "Carry Me Home" and "Psychobilly Freakout". I tried three times to five-star the last one "Institutionalized" and just couldn't get it done before the hour was up. Oh well, time to move on. Despite not getting much completed, I did have a lot of fun and few revelations while I was at it. I'd like to share a few of those with you.

Things I Learned While Playing Guitar Hero II

- GH2's load-screen quotes are hilarious. Some of my favorites are: "Life is hard for musicians, but for drummers it's nearly impossible." and "A band is the dysfunctional family you choose." and of course, "Remember, NO STAIRWAY!" :D

- "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies is a weird song, but I guess it should be considering it's about being insane.

- Guitar Hero is really f***ing fun.

- If Guitar Hero had levels, I would be at Level 4 - Paper Boy.

- You have to play GH standing up. It's the only way to rock.

- Did I mention that Guitar Hero is fun? Because it really is.

Thus concludes Hour #1 of my m3sstacular Gameathon on Guitar Hero II. Up next, I will be playing the most violent video game ever to grace a console: Manhunt.

Having neglected my gaming for quite some time now, I've decided it's time for an old-fashioned, hardcore, all-night gameathon. To borrow part of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Friday, "It's Monday. I ain't got no job, and I ain't got sh*t to do." So I'm going to game it up for the duration of the evening and possibly into the wee hours of the morning. I haven't totally decided on what games I'm going to be playing, but I think I have my format.

Basically, each hour on the hour, I will choose a new game from my collection and play it non-stop. Regardless of my progress, I will then quit playing after the hour is up and choose a new game. Ideally, I'd like to see some serious progress in games that I've yet to finish, but depending on how things go, that probably won't happen. A few of the games that I have in mind are Guitar Hero II, Manhunt, Killzone, God of War II, Resident Evil 0, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, and pretty much all three of the PS2 Grand Theft Auto games.

So stay tuned as I will be posting a new blog entry about each new game every hour. Each update will include the last game played, a description of the progress made, as well as any comments I might have about each particular gaming experience. As the night wears on and the later it gets, I'm sure the entries will get more and more entertaining. If you have the time, try to keep up. If not, just kick back and enjoy as I game my brains out all night long.

Up first in Hour #1 of the m3sstacular Gameathon: Guitar Hero II.

Well, it's official. I can now consider myself a true GameSpotter, as I have completed GameSpot's equivalent of the Boston Marathon, Level 20 - Metal Slime. I now venture into unknown GS territory as a Rescue Ranger in Level 21. This is most certainly a reference to the Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers game on the NES, which was actually an incredibly fun 2D platformer, especially with two players. I still remember playing this game with my next-door neighbor as a kid. Anyways, it feels good to finally be done with Level 20. It's taken me the better part of a year to do it, but much of that time I was busy with school and wasn't really GameSpotting.