So, SOCOM.

So the 1.3 patch for SOCOM: Confrontation came out today, and all I have to say is "Thank you Slant Six." Finally, FINALLY, SOCOM is fun to play. Though, I'll still never completely forgive them for releasing the game in such a bad condition. Even though I was never a really big SOCOM fan, I still felt like they betrayed the franchise. But I guess the redeemed themselves to an extent. So that will probably take up the majority of my multiplayer gaming time (well, that and Left4Dead and CoD: World at War now that I can actually refresh the server list!).

So my plan is to play through Uncharted, Battlefield: Bad Company, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, and Grand Theft Auto IV over the next couple of months (hopefully getting most of it out of the way before Killzone 2 comes out). Why? Trophies! I think I'll start with Uncharted today before I go to work. I don't plan on going for Platinum trophies right now for most of those games. I am really close to getting the Platinum in Burnout Paradise -- all I need to do is get my Burnout license and then send a Mugshot...though I don't have a camera yet. I'm also pretty sure the Platinum trophy for Uncharted is within my grasp, so I'll probably go for that too.

Speaking of work, it's really nice being able to go back and work at Fazzini's. The people there are fun to work with and I'm good at what I do. Everybody there loves the crap out of me too, which is good because it's a job I will be able to fall back on throughout my college career. That kind of job security is really nice these days. So when I'm not gaming I'll be working, and when I'm not working I'll be gaming. I'm not going to be able to go back to college until Fall of this year, so until then it's going to be nice a relaxing.

I also have a LittleBigPlanet level that I'm working on. It's nothing very innovative or crazy cool, but so far I think it's pretty well-done. I have absolutely no idea when I'll end up finishing it, as I just don't have the time with this "backlog" of mine (calling it a backlog is kind of a misnomer because I've already played all the games I need to play). By all rights I could have had it done so long ago, but I hit this wall for some reason and I haven't been able to get past it. Maybe playing more community levels will reignite my desire to get something of my own out there.

On a related note, the Metal Gear Solid pack that came out for LBP was absolutely fantastic. I recommend it to everyone. I didn't think that anything could make Metal Gear "cute," but this sure did. The premise behind it was great too: Liquid Ocelot had an auto-level creator that just made Trophy-whoring levels. Great stuff. I hope (and I'm sure) that LBP gets this kind of support in the future.

After some more thought, I've decided that I'm probably not going to end up buying another 360, despite the fact that I've said before that I will. I don't know, my PS3 and PC serve every gaming purpose I need. I don't feel like I'm missing out by not having a 360 (or a Wii, for that matter). I'm pretty satisfied. Don't get me wrong though, that's not a knock against either the 360 or the Wii (and if you know me you know that's not supposed to be a knock), it's just that I don't need either system.

To go further, I'm probably going to sell my DS, as the only thing I use that for is...Sudoku. Which I can easily live without. I'd say the same for my PSP, but for my birthday my brother got me a $20 PSN card, and with it I bought the LBP MGS add-on and two PS1 Classics: Destruction Derby and Crash Bandicoot. I put the PS1 Classics on my PSP, and now I use that thing all the time. It's fantastic! I look forward to buying Jet Moto when I get some more cash. Resistance: Retribution looks like it's going to be pretty sweet too, especially with the connectivity it'll have with Resistance 2 (which was discussed at Sony's CES press conference).

Christmas from my dad was delayed a bit (probably won't happen until the end of the month) because of taxes, college, expenses, etc. You know the deal. I've been thinking about what I want to get from him, and I think I want to get a 3G iPhone. AT&T apparently has a $100/month service plan that gives you unlimited EVERYTHING: internet use, text messages, etc. I'll probably get that (because I'll be able to afford it now that I' working yay!), and as a result I'll probably get fully addicted to Twitter. I already have an account (which is simply GlenHaupt), but it's not the most practical thing to update when you're just sitting at your computer (I can just hit up my Facebook status). When I'm on the go, though, a thought might pop into my head or I might see something interesting and want to spread it around, and Twitter is perfect for that!

I'll also be able to stalk people like Shawn Elliot and Adam Savage ENDLESSLY...

Now, onto sadder news. 1UP.com is a shell of its former self, and EGM is dead. This seriously sucks. First GFW magazine, now EGM and 1UP?! It sucks. I don't know what UGO was thinking. I can understand letting EGM go, but firing most of the great talent that made the 1UP network what it is? That was just a damn stupid thing to do. I loved 1UP. It didn't feel like every other gaming website. I felt more connected to the staff, more involved. However, I had always like the GFW staff the most (Shawn Elliot, Jeff Green, Ryan Scott, etc.), so the bulk of those guys leaving was hard, but now, with almost nobody left...it's sad. And EGM...besides Game Informer, EGM is the only other magazine I subscribe to. I mean, Game Informer is fine and all, but EGM was tops as far as gaming magazines are concerned. Such is life, I suppose.

But anyway, I hope they all get really great job soon, because they more than deserve it. Sorry to end on a ajor downer like this, but I need to hurry up and get my Uncharted on before my shift starts.

Oh, but before I do, Burn Notice! Coming back Jan. 22! Whoo!