The Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse - 9.8/10

It's review time! Today's item is the Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse, which I just purchased from Best Buy to go along with my brand-new gaming rig after reading plenty of good reviews on it, and it's been impressing me more than I expected.
So let's get started, shall we?


1. Design - 9.5/10
The Sidewinder has a quite exceptional design. It doesn't look too complicated, yet it is very visually pleasing, with the exhaust pipe-like thumb buttons and the lights trailing off the rear end.
The thumb buttons are located in the perfect spot to make them comfortable to use, and the vertical positioning of them makes them nice to rest your thumb on and easy to tell which is which. I find that they also designed them well enough that you can press them easily when you mean to, but I haven't accidentally pressed one yet.
The LED display is positioned between your thumb and first finger, and it's at the exact right angle to see it without having to move your head to look.
The only problem I have with the design is that the three buttons for "On-the-fly DPI switching" are placed in such a spot that, while it's still quick and very handy, however it does require moving one of your fingers - and a quick glance - to activate them.

2. Features - 10/10
I am incredibly impressed with both the numbers, and the quality of the features on this mouse.

The buttons on the mouse are expertly placed (aside from the DPI switching buttons), and the metal scroll wheel feels nice, works well, and is smooth to use.

The Sidewinder logo button that hides under your palm is well-designed. You'll never push it by mistake with your palm, and when pressed, it takes you to the "Games" folder of Windows. I'm not yet sure how to change that to bring up your mouse settings.




The custom weighting system is very cool. I was surprised at the differences it makes, and very quickly found the right weight for me. The tray stays in and won't get knocked out, and the release button on the bottom for it won't get pushed by mistake either. Excellently done.


The custom 'feet' allows you to control how easily the mouse slides across a surface. But it doesn't stop there - I set mine up to be easier to pivot (because I play a lot of First-Person Shooters), by placing the white one (least 'slippery') on the furthermost spot toward the back, followed by two gray ones (mid-slip) on the two in the center, and finally two black ones (the most 'slippery') as the front two. This increased my accuracy a surprising amount!




The mouse also comes with a small black box that serves as a storage unit for the spare 'feet' and weights. But that's not all - it serves a double function as a nice, hefty cable anchor! This also impressed me a lot.






The LED display is perfect for seeing the DPI setting you're on, as well as knowing that the macro recording is on, or the Quick Turn calibration is activated. It's an incredibly handy feature. I love it!

The macro-record button is also really cool, and really handy for the macro-users, however I don't have much to say about it, because I never use macros. (I find that it spoils the game.)

Software-wise, there's a long list of functions available for assignment, so you definitely won't be disappointed there. I'd like to point out four specific ones from that list (Which I don't have screenshots for yet, so please bear with my descriptions until I have a chance to edit the post and add screenshots!)
1. Quick Turn
This was especially impressive to me. It's really for players of First-Person games. Here's how it works: You assign the function to a button. Then, once you're in-game and set to the DPI setting you'll be on when you use this function, you hold down the button (at which point the LED display will let you know it's activated), then turn your character a full 360-degree turn. Let the button up after that. Then, when you press that button, your character will quickly spin around approximately 180 degrees (Not precisely, because that would make the advantage too great). This is perfect for quick, reflex moments! I love using it. :)
2. 3D Flip
3D Flip was the name given to the Windows 7 function that occurs when you hold the windows key, then press tab. It brings up a 3D list of panels depicting the windows you have open. Continuing to hold tab, you can then flip through. With the feature assigned to a button on the mouse, you can pres it once and the list stays up, then you can scroll through the list with the scroll wheel. I have it set to activate when I press the scroll wheel down.
3. Magnifier
I had the magnifier set up as the thumb button on my previous mouse, but it appears that the software for the Sidewinder enhances this magnifier. Aside from its regular functions, this magnifier, when already activated by a push of the assigned button, will allow you to move the mouse horizontally or vertically to adjust the size of the magnifier 'lens' if you hold the assigned button down. This made me smile when I discovered it.
4. Button Profiles
You can program your buttons to do one thing in one program, another thing in another program, and something different normally! When a program is open, the profile for it kicks in and it changes, so if you set the Magnifier to the top thumb button in normal mode, when you open Call of Duty, it won't conflict with having the melee attack set to the same button (Which I find it does. In-came hotkeys don't like when the magnifier is set to the same button, because the magnifier doesn't open when something full-screen is running.)

Function - 9/10
While I would like a wider range of DPI settings available, the mouse is very responsive, accurate, and all the functions work smoothly. The design is comfortable to my hand as well.

Price - 8.9/10
Despite how much less expensive it is than something in the Razer line of mice, $80-90 always seems like a lot to shell out for a mouse. But in my opinion, it's definitely worth it!

Overall - 9.8/10
I love this mouse, and I will never regret purchasing it. It's accurate, responsive, feature-packed, and excellently customizable. The Microsoft Sidewinder has changed how I game in some great ways. I love it!!

-Grynder

Portal

THE CAKE IS A LIE!!

This is the famous proclamation that is instantly associated with Valve's 2007 First-Person puzzle game Portal.
From a couple days ago until May 24th, Portal is free from Steam, to build extra hype for Portal 2, which has been announced.

Portal takes place in the Enrichment Center for Aperture Laboratories, also known as Aperture Science, which is the research corporation responsible for the creation of the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, also referred to as the Portal Gun.
The two characters are Chell, the silent, player-controlled protagonist, and GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System), a computer with artificial intelligence that monitors and directs the player. The only background information presented about Chell is given by GLaDOS; the credibility of these facts, such as Chell being adopted, an orphan, and having no friends, is questionable at BEST, as GLaDOS is a liar by her own admission.
As the game progresses, the player faces rooms of different difficulties, with a different combination of challenges in each room. The player controls one or both ends of the portal to get through them. The player is motivated by GLaDOS with the promises of cake upon completion of the 'tests'.
Partway through the game, GLaDOS takes a nasty turn, with challenges that have death risks. Also, at the end of the 19th challenge, GLaDOS directs the platform you're on into a fire, assuring you that the portal gun will not be harmed. Out of determination, you spot a way out. From there GLaDOS continuously speaks to you and taunts you, eventually turning to insulting you as you work your way to the main room where GLaDOS is located, and destroy it. The constant promises of cake cease and GLaDOS begins telling you that you missed the party and don't get any cake. The promises of cakes were obviously lies, leading to the proclamation, "The cake is a lie!" (Along with frequent scrawlings on the walls in blood saying so.)

I give Portal a 9.5/10, my only problem being that it's short - I finished it in under 4 hours. I love the genius uses of physics in combination with the portals. Portal is intriguing, and rather challenging. I liked it a lot. There are some twisted minds at Valve, and I hope they keep it up.


A representation of how the magnitude of linear momentum is conserved through portals. By jumping into the blue portal, the character is launched out of the orange portal and onto the platform on the right.


An advanced portal technique. The character builds up speed using two blue portals, to reach an otherwise unreachable area. The second blue portal is carefully created mid-air, after exiting the orange portal for the first time.

Grynder

Razer Naga MMO Gaming Mouse - 9.4/10

Design - 9.4/10
I really like the Razer line of mice. They're comfortable, and they look pretty awesome. The Razer Naga MMO mouse is probably the best looking one though, because the hotkey buttons on the left side add a bit more complexity to the look. It's incredibly comfortable, more so than I expected. The Naga is designed to be comfortable for long gaming sessions, which does your hand well on a particularly long quest with your guildies.

Function - 10/10
The Razer Naga is one of the only two gaming mice I've used, but I have to say it performs incredibly well. The 12 buttons on the left side (which access the number buttons above the letters on your keyboard, which you bind your spell/skill hotkeys to) respond so quickly, it blew me away when I used them. In addition, they're easy to tell where each button is and access them, without having to look at the mouse at all.

Price - 6/10
The price for the Naga is a bit hefty, at a good $100. (The Razer store charges only $80, but shipping charges will bring it up to about the same.) But I'd say it's worth the cost for such an excellent mouse.

Overall - 9.4/10
This mouse is perfect for an MMO gamer. No more reaching across the keyboard with your left hand to reach your spells/skills, that hand can be completely reserved for movement and opening interface windows.
The only problems I have with it is that it doesn't serve you immensely well for other game genres.

Grynder

Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare *SCREENSHOT*

So I was playing Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare online tonight. One match (in which I scored 36 kills, 6 assists, 17 deaths) made me happier than usual. The reason? Check out the photo below.

Note the words at the bottom: "You killed JUSTIN BIEBER." This made me grin every time it happened. >:)
.....It was a sweet headshot too. Oh, and yes, I do play as "John Casey." I changed to that name because it's fun. At least for a while. GO CHUCK! :D (Best tv show ever. Monday nights, on NBC. Hopefully they'll get a 4th season!)

Grynder

Dragon Age: Origins

So I FINALLY played Dragon Age: Origins last night. Did about 3 hours of the approximate 60 it takes to finish the game without the expansion. I have to say this is the most epic RPG EVER. I was purely astounded. The story is so detailed, the graphics are AMAZING, gameplay doesn't disappoint, and the Ogre Alpha I defeated alone (after forgetting to keep my party members' health up) was WICKED!! (Also with the Razer Naga MMOG mouse, it's even more astounding. Such responsive buttons, so comfortable.. I'm going to have to write a post about it too.)
I'm not sure exactly I have to say considering I only got 3 hours of it done, so I'll write another one further in.
Final note: This game is AMAZING. I'm awestruck.

Grynder

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Probably one of the most anticipated games of last year, and for good reason. Modern Warfare 2 is an incredible game. I picked it up on launch night after waiting in line in the cold for 2 hours (12 AM to 2 AM). The graphics are wicked, the gameplay is crazy, and the storyline picks up where Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare left off.
In addition, they added a Special Ops mode that gives you objectives on three difficulty levels in the maps from the campaign, which can be tackled alone or 2-player online. This was a smart move because not only does it give us a challenge (because yes, the Ops are difficult!), but it increases the playability and Replayability (Because there's only so much you can do in campaign mode, but you never have to play the Ops the same way!). It's provided me with so many hours of gameplay already, and it's not boring yet!
The multiplayer is decent, with more features than the previous Call of Duty games, though I found that they made such drastic changes to the multiplayer that it takes quite a long time to get used to. I dislike IWNet (As does everyone else, it seems), and I think it was a stupid idea to take out dedicated servers. I'm quite happy that Activision sacked Infinity Ward for it.
I also like how you can put a shotgun, machine pistol, etc. as your secondary weapon in a custom class in Modern Warfare 2, but that still doesn't make up for IWNet.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 earns a good 9.7 for single player, and a not-so-nice 7.8 for multiplayer in my books.

Grynder

Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare

Okay, so it's an older game, I know. However, I just got it (11 days ago), and thought I'd write a bit about it. This has to be one of the best FPS (First-Person Shooter) games I've played. The graphics are really nice, and the gameplay is nearly flawless (though I'd like a little more freedom in where I can go!). I'd recommend this to anyone who plays FPS games, easily.
In terms of single-player campaign, it's not quite as good as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (which I got on launch night), but that's to be expected. However, you eventually finish the campaign and you're thinking, "Now what?" That's when I switch to multiplayer.
Multiplayer. This is where it all goes down. Your skills, your strategies - everything is put to the test. One of the biggest reasons for that is how Call of Duty works in the first place. They don't use the Hitpoints system like older games such as Battlefield 1942. (It appears that the way they run it is becoming more of a standard - Battlefield Bad Company 2 (not sure about Battlefield Bad Company) also uses it. The more injured you get, the more red your vision gets. At a certain point, you're dead.
Anyway, this makes it a very difficult online experience, but it's really rewarding to see the diagonal "you're hitting him" marks with your crosshairs, and the little "+10" show up when you begin to get used to it, and can start rocking it. As a warning, something to be expected from any multiplayer shooter is that people tend to play for themselves. In other words they'll get in the way, and generally put less importance on the lives of their teammates, backing you up less (especially in Team Deathmatch mode).
The maps from the campaign (along with a few extras) are used in the multiplayer. They're well constructed, as well as fair (as in there's always a way someone could see you if they're in the right place - no matter where you are).
Overall, I'd give Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare a good 9.5/10. Excellent game.

Grynder