C Ronaldo to Real Madrid

More to come as the story is developing...
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Barca, Masche, Transfer Drama, oh my!

Yes I did it! Barca! Barca! Barca!

Argentinian little man, Javier Mascherano, Liverpool midfielder, crosser extraordinaire, may be joining the other little wizard soon. Terra is reporting that the Masche is inching closer to signing with the treble winning, Man U pounding, Chelsea dream crushers, Barcelona FC.

Will Liverpool fans be up and arms, as they are in Milan, for the departure of one of their better midfielders? A Yaya Toure departure might just be in the cards afterall, since Mascherano, now team captain of the Argentina National Team, plays a similiar position.

Dante's Inferno Critique too harsh...

Sexy Videogame Land blogger, writer, journalist, and drunken podcaster, Leigh Alexander, opened the gates of hell, actually, she critiques EA Visceral Game's Dante's Inferno for being, wait, she actually does not critique it all. Leigh only points to other sites, like Kotaku's Brian Crecente, First Wall Rebate and Chris Remo's posts successfully pulling apart the foundation of what the IP is based on. Very gory, yet insightful posts. (Visceral Game's are known for Dead Space, The Simpson's Game, James Bond, Lord of The Rings, Road Rash, and the 16 bit Strike Series.)

But are we not putting the cart in front of the horse a little bit?

The Dante's Inferno, the game not the poem, is not even out yet, as it may be possible, the story can change during any moment in a game's development cycle, especially if it is a cut scene heavy type of game (God of War, Devil May Cry series were) they may be pulling the wool over our eyes this entire time. It is too early to pass judgment. Or is it?

I will, of course, criticism aside, jump in the pool since it is all warm and filled with chlorine.

One of the core arguments is the usage of the literally work being done so freely, as without any historical and literal context, as being wrong, "anti-intellectual" and uninspiring. I do agree, using the term adaptation is fool hearty, a better term would of been interpretation, as this is Visceral Game's interpretation of Dante's Inferno. Boobies and all. It is possible, since the greek god shtick is taken, what other religions did the team at EA could of use for their God of War clone? Egyptian? Uto-Aztec? Maya? Inca? Catholicism! A Call of Onuris game sounds compelling, fighting a ton of demon like creatures with the pyramids as Giza as backdrop, it does not have to be historically accurate, does it? Since Ubisoft has that 3rd Crusade thing going on for them, doh!, they also took the Renaissance, a warrior poet fighting the legions of hell sounds cool and all.

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My wishes for the game are a bit different than the rest of us criticizing it, I would of like to have seen, the sins (demons, lust minions, babies) cast into hell were of videogame cliches, for example, when in the sixth circle of hell, a group of enemies will spawn behind the avatar and the camera or in the seventh circle we are shot by fireballs from an unseen enemy or in the eighth circle, death closets and shot kills! Do not forget grenade spamming, oh I hate that! That is how I imagine videogame Hell to be like, and to spoil the ending, instead of Lucifer chewing on the heads of the traitorous Brutus, Cassius and Judas it will instead be, Master Chief's, Mario's and Solid Snake's heads. Interpret that as any way you may!

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The God of War comparison is not fair, because no one held any type of criticism to its revenge story, but there may have been thought provoking commentary if it was named the as the classical, Virgil's Aeneid. It was not. Dante's Inferno may get skewered and grilled, not for creating a work on a classical poem, and missing the ironies that made the said poem so celebrated, but only because God of War 3, and Bayonetta seem so compelling.

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Brazil's playmaker Kaka to leave AC Milan for Real Madrid

In an effort to stay relevant in football, Real Madrid is poised to sign AC Milan and Braizilian playmaker extraordinaire Kaka for a hefty sum of £56 Million. If the reports turn out true, Real Madrid is restarting their bid to European domination by buying these Galaticos, players who are considered to the elite of football players of the world. Our only question at Latinogamer, who is next to go to los blancos?

Terra.com is reporting that the deal is done...

Where's my SOUL; Rock Band and Guitar Hero franchise off a step

When it comes music, the industry itself has been always driven either by good marketing or creative hustle.

Why has MTV Games/EA/Harmonix and Activision/Neversoft failed, once again, to address Soul Music and Latin American Music in their marquee franchises of Rock Band and Guitar Hero at E3?

Sony's Singstar has included a strong multicultural lineup in their song selections, do to SCEE being part of multilingual market, but when it comes to American publishers and developers they have failed to properly capture the other popular music genres.

Soul Music, R&B, Hip Hop, Mariachi, Banda, Cumbia, Rock en Espanol are huge music genres, with multimillion selling artists and albums, but Rock Band and Guitar Hero have included very little amount of songs in to their respective franchises.

The Music Game genre is growing, DJ Hero, Scratch and The Beatles, were recently announced at the videogame tradeshow E3, but there is still an absence.

Nintendo, please make a James Brown Wii Balance Board game. Thank you.

Left 4 Dead 2, Valve and the Tale of Two IPs

Earlier today at Microsoft's E3 Press Conference, Valve announced the sequel to their co-op zombie shooter, Left 4 Dead 2. PC Gamer has the exclusive print story and more details are bound to be announced at the EA Conference.

Valve has changed the way the way they support their IP's with the announcement of the sequel to Left 4 Dead.

I would say so, especially after the latest release of content to the popular online shooter, Team Fortress 2. Valve has released weapon add ons to almost every class, maps and even three new modes. With Left 4 Dead also received free content, the Survivor pack added two full campaigns of "Death Toll" and "Dead Air" for versus mode, as well as the survival game mode, where the survivors try to fight through endless waves of zombies. Why does the Left Four Dead 2 content, a year later of its' release,not added to the existing L4D?

The tale for Team Fortress 2, released in Nov 07, was a bit different, originally included in the Orange Box (Steam and retail) and later packaged as a solo sku, the free content received has trickled out of Valve for two years. If you add up all the content, Team Fortress 3 with updated visuals, could of been printed and released. Why do Left 4 Dead owners get the shaft, and also PC players who are accustomed to the free content of Valve, now have to pony up and pay for content that would been free? Considering one of the glaring issues reviewers and critics had for L4D as being too short.

How great will the backlash be?

Grand Theft Auto goes Latino...Why?

Rockstar Games, creator of the multi-selling Grand Theft Auto Series, have revealed their next installment, GTA "The Ballad of Gay Tony" including a fabulous glitter rainbow font.  Grand Theft Auto 4 received high praise  for its execution of the story and gameplay of Niko Bellic and its' portray of immigrant life in America and New York City.  Even one would say the tired old pun, " Is this our Citizen Kane moment?"  

On the eve of E3, "The Ballad of Gay Tony" has the gaming industry in a buzz tweeting, blogging and podcasting on the next episode of GTA will be.  As of know, it seems Microsoft's $50 million exclusivity deal with Rockstar for two episodic downloadable content was the smart choice.   The announcement has writers/journalists/bloggers praising Rockstars move to include a Latino/Hispanic lead and the word 'gay' in the main title.

Kotaku's Stephen Totilo remarks , "two parties managed to make May 26, 2009 a significant date for Latinos" (the White House announced a first Hispanic/Latino Judge to the Supreme Court that day) as Rockstar named a fictional lead of the new GTA episode.  Both of the news-makers are New York Puerto Ricans or Nuyoricans, and makes complete sense for Rockstar to include a Liberty City Puerto Ricans (Liberticans!) since Liberty City is a fictionalize New York City.  It seems, the writers of Rockstar Games did not try to pigeon hole Latino/Hispanic or Gay and Lesbians into Liberty City, why would they, if in New York why not Liberty City? 

Bitmob's Dan Hsu  applauds the developer with the byline, "Rockstar's Got Balls" including, "Quite impressed that Rockstar doesn't shy away from potentially controversial subject matters." Having a GTA story based on "Gay Tony" may have a share of controversy, to right wing pundits, but gay and lesbians may have a differing opinion if the character is portrayed in a stereotypical manner.  The title may be misleading, "Gay Tony" may not live a homosexual lifestyle, but because of his night life connections inherited the nickname (Latinos love to give weird nicknames).   

Tiny Dancer of Gaygamer.net questions Rockstar's motive, "First the 'Over the Rainbow' achievement in Bully and now our very own gay-titled DLC episode? Have gay gamers managed to charm their way into Rockstar's heart, or is it the love of controversy that beats beneath Rockstar's ample bosom?"  It is not Rockstar's first time to used a minority as a major protagonist; GTA "Vice City" an Italian American, GTA "San Andreas" an African American, GTA 4 an Eastern European, GTA "Chinatown Wars" an Asian American and now with GTA "Ballad of Gay Tony" a Latino/Hispanic or Puerto Rican.  Lest we not forget Rockstar's "Read Dead Revolver" which the protagonist was one of Native American descent.  Is it controversy what drives Rockstar or do they see the bigger picture, New York, historically, is a collection of different minorities living together, violently and peacefully.  

***In GTA 3 protagonist, I would argue, was a carte blanche protagonist meant for the player (you) to create their own story.***

Rockstar is an innovating developer in the videogame world, we all can agree, but is their motive to portray a different view on American life through their protagonists sincere or are they taking tried and true stereotypical minorities and placing them in the videogame fold?

   Rockstar's own founder details "Ballad of Gay Tony" as, "This episode's focus on high-end night life contrasts with the biker gangs portrayed in The Lost and Damned, whilst giving us a lot of new gameplay possibilities."  Their press releases reveals a bit of the plot, "players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price."  If the plot sounds familiar, it is, a movie that dealt with the same night life atmosphere scene was "Carlitos Way ", starring Al Pacino as retired Puerto Rican gangster trying to leave vice and crime behind him, with many scenes taking place at a night club.   

However, a day later, I am press to see significance.  Of course, the date is less significant to American Latino/Hispanics, since Judge Sonia Sotomayor has yet to be approved by the US Senate and no one outside of Rockstar has seen or played the protaganist Luis Lopez in "The Ballad of Gay Tony."  Latinos/Hispanics have given lukewarm response to Judge Sotomayor historical appointment to the Supreme Court .  

The Latino/Hispanic gaming community, however, will be up in arms if Luis Lopez is portrayed as a stereotypical hot blooded Latino lover, well, at least Luis Valdez will.  

As of now, all comments at Kotaku point to indifference.  

EA Sports Active; burning for a better beach body

After a night with Electronic Arts new sports title, EA Sports Active, is the game (or interactive workout video) recommendable to Wii Fit owners and DVD workout connoisseurs? Details below.

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First session was completed last night. I felt the burn, the day after sores, the blistered feet (usually thumbs from Team Fortress 2) but was the workout a greater value than walking your dog or jogging (mindlessly) on a treadmill? EA Sports Active will likely end up in a pile of Carmen Electra stripper, Taibo punching and P90x DVD videos. What does EASA offer that these videos do not? One simple caveat, there are times the game does not advance if you do not properly do the exercise.

It is like having a p.e. teacher yelling at you for being a dumb twitter twit for not doing one simple rep correctly. It is sixth grade all over again!

Keyword, patience, especially with the curls. If you do the movements to quickly or shake the Wii mote, it throws the game off. If you are patient and focus on the exercise (as a trainer would force someone to the exercise correctly!) the game registers it and you are on to your next rep. There was trouble with the lunges, inline skying and curls, but after a few tries, the work out was like a DVD exercise video (perspiration included). The gameplay mechanic of not letting the player advance before the excercise is done correctly is a buying reason over all of the DVD videos.

The Wii Fit balance board is supported, but there is no need to use one if one is aiming to do the EASA's 30 day workout regime.

As with all things that deals with getting fit, in shape, or rock hard abs, the game is as good as one makes it. Confusing? I know, but let me explain. The value of EASA will only be weighed agaisnt the effort of the user. If you are serious in losing weight, any DVD, any treadmill, any team sports activitiy and any gym of your choice will help you lose the weight, but the amount depends on you and only you. EASA does a good job on starting the path, but it is you who has to finish it.

A Daisy of a game; Sega brings pilates to the Wii

Latina Daisy Fuentes, a MTV icon of the fab eighties, once lover of Luis Miguel, is bringing pilates to the Nintendo Wii. The Cuban-Spanish-American icon will sculpt gamers bodies via the fine aspects of the popular German fitness program, "Daisy Fuentes Pilates" will be available Summer 09.

Publish by Sega, on the heels of EA Sports active, pilates is a popular fitness program that sells tons of dvds and books very well local gyms. If Sega can come to market at an affordable price point, look for this title to be on future NPD lists.

God of War 3 Top Five Gods that should be featured!

1. Phobos and Deimos (Fear and Dread) The sons of Ares will be on the warpath for revenge of the murdered father by the hands of Kratos


2. Enyo The Goddess of War, who else, wants to exact revenge on Kratos for the murder of her brother


3. Aphrodite Lover of the Fallen God of War Ares, mother of Phobos and Deimos, it seems Kratos has done to these gods what they have done to him, doing the exact opposite killing the lover, brother and father of their family


4. Hephaestus Scorn by the Gods married to Aphrodite but not loved by her, this maybe one of the only gods that may aid Kratos (besides the titans) that may help him on his quest to destroy Zeus 


5. Kratos's siblings - Nike, Bia and Zelus, will they stand agaisnt Zeus or betray Kratos