Fable II: Knothole Island Release Date and Media Update

There's big news spreading about the land of Albion, as Microsoft Game Studios and Lionhead Studios confirmed the release date of the anticipated DLC for Fable II entitled "Knothole Island."

Revealed in this press release, Fable II: Knothole Island will be released via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on January 13th and will retail for 800 Microsoft Points ($11.60).

Also on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, you'll now find Lionhead's 8th Video Diary which details the challenges they faced in finishing off Fable II, and then expanding it with Fable II: Knothold Isle. The Video Diary glimpses some of the added features, shops, and items that players can look forward to in the upcoming DLC.

Lionhead Studios has also released two new screenshots showing a hero all armoured up. You can check these and all other screenshots out right here.

Lastly, a reminder that an additional and more importantly, a _free_ content update will also be arriving for Fable II on January 13th. This free content update will gift players with several new items, and also allow players without Fable II: Knothole Island to play co-op games with those gamers that do purchase the upcoming DLC.

Diablo III Media Update #4

Not one to keep us waiting for too long, well, at least after they've announced a title, Blizzard Entertainment has once again released a Media Update for their upcoming action-RPG, Diablo III.

Head on over to the main site here and here to feast your eyes on four new pieces of artwork and five new screenshots respectively.

Three New Fallout 3: Operation Anchorage Screenshots

Earlier this week, Bethesda Softworks released three new screenshots from their upcoming Fallout 3 DLC entitled "Operation Anchorage."

You can check out the screenshots on the official site here, and at last check, Fallout 3: Operation Anchorage will be available on Xbox 360 and PC this January.

Halo Wars Demo Announced

Earlier this week at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show, Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson has reported that a demo for Halo Wars, Ensemble Studios' upcoming Xbox 360 exclusive RTS, will be arriving on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on February 5th.

This is excellent news, as I really want to try the game out before I decide on a purchase or not. I'm very, very particular about my RTS controls, even on a PC, and I want to make quite sure I like the set-up that Ensemble Studios will have implemented prior to deciding whether I want to get the game or not.

Halo Wars will be hitting shelves in North America on March 3rd.

I've Gained Karma

And not just in Fallout 3. Nearly a year ago, I reported that I found a lost credit card and was able to return it to its rightful owner safe and sound. Well, earlier this week, it happened again.

I was walking between office buildings and noticed something buried under the slush in front of me, and it turned out to be an American Express Card. The major difference this time, however, is that I happened to know the owner!

A few minutes later, I walked into his office, wished him a happy New Year, and passed him his card back, commenting that I figured he'd want this back. Needless to say he was quite relieved, as he thought his receptionist had accidentally mailed it out to someone.

It's little moments like these that make me a happy man.

You've gained Karma :D!

The Lord of the Rings: Conquest (Xbox 360) Demo Available

The latest upcoming game set within The Lord of the Rings franchise, entitled The Lord of the Rings: Conquest, saw the release of the game's demo via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace this past Friday.

Developed by Pandemic Studios, The Lord of the Rings: Conquest is a game much in the flavour of the Star Wars: Battlefront series, and casts players in epic battles seen in the films and beyond for the forces of good or evil.

The demo is presently an Xbox LIVE Gold member exclusive, and features the Single Player tutorial and Multiplayer. Note to access the Multiplayer features, even via Xbox LIVE, you _must_ have an EA account.

I gave the Single Player tutorial a try, and overall, I can't say that I was very impressed. It features the final battle of the War of the Last Alliance, and you begin with only one class, the Numenorian Swordsman. Graphically I found the game alright, and the audio was pure The Lord of the Rings (save for that really, really annoying tutorial narrator whom I wanted to stop talking more than anything), but the actual combat just seemed so bland and button-mashing basic. Even after you've unlocked additional classes, such as an Elven Archer, or even a Hero class, such as Isildur, the demo was just far too shallow to capture my interest.

Multiplayer wise, I didn't even give it a try. The fact that I needed an EA account was a complete turn off, and even though I have one, I haven't accessed it in years (assuming it hasn't been removed due to inactivity) and couldn't be bothered to dig out my login info.

Granted, I've never been a fan of Pandemic Studios, and if you are, you may really dig The Lord of the Rings: Conquest, but for me, this will be a rental at best.

Protecting your Personal Info from Xbox 360 Theft

One unfortunate aspect of the holiday season is the increase of thefts reported, and unfortunately, this also includes Xbox 360's.

Most people have their Xbox 360's set to Auto Sign-In for their Xbox LIVE accounts as a matter of convenience, however if the console is ever stolen, this will allow the thief to immediately log in with your account, impersonate you via Xbox LIVE and Windows Live Messenger (if you have it set up), and also charge Xbox LIVE memberships and Microsoft Point purchases to your credit card (again, assuming you've used your credit card on your console before).

This can lead to some very serious issues, and I recommend disabling Auto Sign-In and setting up a Pass Code on your account to protect yourself from the "what-if" situation.

1) Go to the Xbox 360 Guide by pressing the Xbox 360 Guide button, and go to the "Settings" Blade
2) Select "Profile"
3) Select "Auto Sign-in"
4) Check "Disabled" for Xbox LIVE and Windows Live Messenger
5) Return to the Xbox 360 Guide and select "Account Management"
6) Select "Xbox LIVE Pass Code"
7) Enter a Pass Code of button presses based on the displayed buttons from the Xbox 360 Controller

Now, when you want to sign in:

1) Turn on your Xbox 360 console
2) Go to the Xbox 360 Guide
3) Press "X" and select your Profile
4) Enter your Pass Code
5) From the Xbox 360 Guide, select "Friends" from the Home Blade (it has your Xbox LIVE account name)
6) Press "Y" to sign in to Windows Live Messenger
7) Enter your Windows Live ID password and do _not_ save it to your console


Also, if your console is ever stolen, immediately contact both the police and Xbox Support (1-800-4MY-XBOX) with the serial number. The serial number can be found on the back of your console.

You'll also want to notify Xbox Support of your console ID. This ID is unique to every Xbox 360 console, like a serial number, but more importantly, it's logged and checked when someone connects to Xbox LIVE. This means that if the thief happens to log into Xbox LIVE, either through your account or one they've created themselves, Microsoft will know, and may be able to trace the whereabouts of the console.

You can also ask Xbox Support to ban this console ID, which would prevent that Xbox 360 from ever accessing Xbox LIVE again via any account. I'm not sure if they can un-ban a console though, so in case it's ever recovered, you may want to use this as a last resort.

To find your console's ID:

1) Go to System Settings via the Xbox 360 Guide or My Xbox Channel
2) Select "Console Settings"
3) Select "System Info"
4) Your console's ID is in the top left

Again, while these tips may be more inconvenient during the short term, taking more time to log in to your Xbox 360, if your console is ever stolen, you can at least be rest assured that your credit card won't be the subject of fraud and you won't need to repair any damaged relations with your friends on Xbox LIVE and Windows Live Messenger when someone impersonates you and acts like a jerk to them.

Safe and happy gaming!

Updated 05/10/09:

Removing Your Credit Card Info from Your Xbox 360

It used to be that once you entered your credit card information into Xbox LIVE, either on the original Xbox or Xbox 360, it was there forever. While rare, this could lead to some very unfortunate security issues if your Xbox/Xbox 360 was ever stolen.

Thankfully, you can now remove any credit card from your Xbox Account.

1) Log in to your Xbox account at the official site.
2) Click in the top right where it says "My Xbox" and select "Manage Profile"
3) Select "Manage Payment Options."
4) You'll now be looking at a list of all credit cards associated with your account, including the option to remove them.

Personally, I recommend you remove all credit cards, and rely on Xbox LIVE Membership cards and Microsoft Point cards purchased from retail, but of course, it's your call.

Gears of War 2 Completed for the 3rd Time

I originally didn't plan on playing through Gears of War 2 for a third time this soon after completing my last play through, but a friend of mine on Xbox LIVE invited me to a Co-Op game, and I popped in as Dom and we battled the Locust Horde on Insane Difficulty. It took us about three days with gaming sessions of various lengths, but we finally completed the game.

Unlike Insane in Gears of War, the sequel's Insane difficulty really is nuts. It was hard! It was certainly fun and satisfying when the tactics and teamwork my friend and I were employing defeated a tough challenge, but it was also equally frustrating when one of us or both of us would die, and the inferior Checkpoint system would toss us a battle or so back.

Replaying the same sequences over, and over, and over again became real tedious and an exercise in frustration, though at least this only happened on several occasions.

It was great fun and an excellent experience this time around to really try out the Co-Op Campaign, to see what Epic Games designed right and what could be improved upon.

The use of team work was essential throughout, and this simply fostered good natured communication between both parties. This was especially true in the vehicle sequences where one person drove and the other operated the turrets. I was also fascinated to see how difficulty levels came into play.

In Gears of War 2, one player can be playing on one difficulty, while another plays on a different difficulty. When I first joined my friend about half-way through Act I, he was on Insane and I was on Hardcore, which helped make things a little easier for him. On our next play session, we both were playing on Insane for the duration of the Campaign, and then we went back to the beginning where I played on Insane and he on Casual simply so I could collect the Achievement.

This difficulty mixing is an excellent feature and kudos to Epic Games for implementing it, as it really allows two players of different skill levels to play the exact same game with one another and to have a great time.

Unfortunately, during this Co-Op experience, I also got to see what Epic Games did poorly. There were a lot of online glitches, including odd enemy placement, clipping issues, sync issues, and an annoying bug in the Act III vehicle sequence where every time we'd die, I'd often have to keep jamming on Right Trigger to rejoin the game after play resumed.

I also found individual death really annoying, and a great pacing killer. If I died, for example, but my friend was fine, we'd still be stuck loading the last Checkpoint. I personally found this ridiculous as it forced a tedious exercise upon us, and I believe Gears of War 2 would have greatly benefited from a re-spawning system; especially on those sections where you're forced to split up and can't properly help one another.

Still, overall, it was a great experience and loads of fun, and the banter my friend and I had over the plot's many conveniences (or lack-thereof) and plot holes made it all the more enjoyable. I highly recommend playing through Gears of War 2's Co-Op campaign with a good buddy. It's an excellent shooter and the teamwork certainly brings a great new dimension to the game play.

Now if only Epic Games could implement a real save system...

WALL-E (DVD) Review

WALL-E took our Movie of the Year for 2008 due to its touching nature and excellent animation. Such a simple and entertaining film the likes of which I haven't seen nor been entertained by in a long time, and of course, like all Hollywood films, it's now available to own on DVD.

I purchased the single disc DVD edition, and while the film is the same and thus I won't review it again (original WALL-E review found here), there are a few Bonus Features tossed in.

The first of which is Presto, the animated short that was shown before WALL-E's theatrical release and, in my opinion, it's the best of the Bonus Features. Presto features a magician who actually has in his possession two magic hats, putting your hand in one hat will cause it to come out the other. Thus, the magician can literally pull a rabbit out of an empty hat, but what happens when that rabbit is starving and won't cooperate until he's fed?

Presto features the same high quality animation we've come to expect from Pixar, but with much more of a traditional animated look as the whole short feels more like a classic cartoon, which I class as a good thing. There's loads of animated slapstick humour to be found, and Presto is simply an excellent short all around.

The next Bonus Feature is another animated short, BURN-E, whom we actually briefly glimpsed outside the Axiom during WALL-E. BURN-E is a repair bot, who's purpose is to perform maintenance on the outside of the Axiom's hull. In this instance, a running light is damaged and needs to be replaced, but thanks to the events involving WALL-E and EVE, this proves much more challenging than a routine maintenance detail.

I was overall less impressed with BURN-E than I was with Presto. While the animation was still top-notch, I just didn't find it hugely entertaining and thought it rather redundant and more of a marketing stint for the DVD. It's a short that's alright to watch, but if you miss it, you're not missing much.

Perhaps that's because it somewhat parallels the larger story of WALL-E and is lost in it's shadow, or perhaps I'm just being too picky, but BURN-E is not a short I can see myself watching again and again.

Lastly, we have two deleted scenes, complete with director intro and extro. They're interesting simply because both scenes are largely complete, and the first one was completely re-designed for the final version of the film, with a little role reversal happening.

Since Presto can be found for free online, the DVD's Bonus Features aren't enough to warrant a purchase, but the film itself certainly is. WALL-E is an exceptional film, and worthy of a place in anyone's DVD collection.

Happy New Year!

We here at Arbiter's Judgement would like to take a moment to wish you all a very safe and prosperous 2009!

2008 saw some great times. We had some excellent games, films, novels, and other crap. A lot of new friends were made and experiences had, and here's hoping to an even more exciting year ahead.

Thank you all for your increasing support during 2008, and we look forward to providing the same quality blogging in '09 for you, or wonderful readers.

Cheers!

Top 3 Games of the Year, 2008

After the excellent success the Xbox 360 saw in 2007, I didn't think it possible for 2008 to top it. We had some huge heavy weights released that year, including Mass Effect, Halo 3, and of course, BioShock. Strong titles, and the three games that were my main reason for purchasing an Xbox 360 to begin with.

Fortunately, 2008 proved to be a very strong year for gaming, despite my original low expectations. Whether you're a fan of shooters, RPGs, sports games, single player, multiplayer, or anything in-between, there was something for everyone and often covered via multiple platforms.

As the gaming industry itself further matures and grows, the general budget and quality of the games released, regardless of platform, is also raised, and with the results like what we've seen this year, it's no wonder that video games are now one of the most highly grossing entertainment mediums in the world.

Unlike previous years, where I specifically focused on just the top 3 titles for the Xbox or Xbox 360, this year I'm going to open it up to include all platforms. So, without further delay, let's end off 2008 with Arbiter's Judgement's Top 3 Games of the Year!


3) Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360) - Bigger, better, and more badass indeed, Gears of War 2 is the hugely anticipated sequel to the blockbuster original, and it delivers a great gameplay experience. Marcus and Delta Squad are back to once again protect humanity from the Locust Horde, and this time the Coalition of Ordered Governments is taking the fight to the heart of the enemy.

Gears of War 2 features the same excellent pop and gun gameplay and cover system from the original, only refined to even more precise levels. Unreal Engine 3 has been enhanced to provide us with one of the best looking games ever available, and the musical score is top notch. Epic Games even hired a professional writer to actually add some measure of story to the game this time around.

Unfortunately the more grandiose flare of Gears of War 2 also has a few severe cons, such as the issues that weren't corrected from the original game also being more bigger, badass, and frustrating than ever before. You will curse and swear over the horribly implemented Checkpoint system, and the game's shoddy turret sequences will leave you exasperated.

If you can ride these out, however, in both Campaign, multiplayer, or the newly featured Horde mode, Gears of War 2 is a must play and one of the killer games for the Xbox 360 this holiday season. Now, how do you like your toast, 'cause I like mine crispy!


2) Fallout 3 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC) - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Game of the Year Edition took my top spot as Game of the Year for 2007, so is it any surprise that Bethesda's next masterpiece, Fallout 3, should make an appearance on this list? I'd think not.

Ironically, I have yet to fully explore Fallout 3 myself, and thus this is my first entry into any year-end list that I have not personally experienced in full. The Staff, however, has completed the PC version of the game, and aside from several serious issues with LIVE's integration, he has nothing but praise for the game. His only other major gripe is that Fallout 3, sadly, comes to an end, but despite that logical eventuality, Fallout 3 provides an immersive and engrossing experience that's without question worth witnessing first hand.

I myself have recently picked up the Xbox 360 version of the game, and while I've only been able to play it for about 2 hours, I'm very impressed with what I've seen thus far, and I can't wait to properly sit down with and play through this epic.


1) Dead Space (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC) - I closed off my Dead Space review by stating that it is a "...masterpiece of the art form, and a new standard from which I'll judge many future titles." and after a second playthrough, this high compliment remains.

Dead Space is the single greatest game I've had the pleasure to play this year, and it came out of no where. It really is a sleeper hit, and the game that resembles one of my all time favourite classics, System Shock 2, with a greater degree of accuracy than any other game before it.

As Isaac Clarke, you're a simple engineer assigned to a maintenance team that's sent out to find and repair the damaged vessel, USG Ishimura. Upon arriving, a horror is unleashed, and Isaac is quickly separated from his colleagues and struggling to survive against hordes of undead known as Necromorphs.

While it sounds cheesy, Dead Space's story is very well done, and the game itself blends several genres beautifully together. From shooter, to RPG, to survival horror, Dead Space has all these elements, as well as some wonderful innovations of it's own (the zero-g sequences are great, as an example, and let's not forget being able to dismember your enemies). Combine this with some solid graphics and a truly exceptional sound mix, and it all culminates into an exceptional atmosphere that completely immerses the player in a realm of tension and horror.

Dead Space is a game that should not be missed, and thankfully, it's available on three excellent platforms so you really have no excuse. The game also takes anywhere between 15 to 20 hours to complete on a single play-through, and with the amount of upgradeable weapons available, there's plenty of replay value here.

With such a stunning and complete package, it is my pleasure to award Dead Space this year's Arbiter's Judgement Game of the Year.

Halo 3 Completed for the 6th Time

Ever since this past Summer, one of my best buds and I have slowly been making our way through Halo 3's Campaign via Co-Op on Legendary. Today, I finally completed what is my 6th play-through of the game's Campaign.

My bud and I played through Chapters 1 to 8, and I decided to tackle Chapter 9 myself, which I did without too much difficulty. It simply required me to a) take my time, b) use the Arbiter as a damage sponge, and c) run away a lot screaming like a sissy.

I'm also never playing on Legendary again. What an insanely challenging experience! There's no way I'm skilled enough to play through the game on Legendary solo. Perhaps if I really, really took my time, but I'm not that patient a man, and I have other things to kill.

Regardless, thanks to Bungie for making such an excellent video game trilogy, and with the completion of Halo 3 on Legendary, I've now collected the last of the game's Single Player Achievements.

Now please, finish up Halo 3: ODST, and then please do something to properly flesh out the Elites' storyline again. Woot!

PSP Sold. To the Staff

I've had my PlayStation Portable for about 3 months now, and when I look back, I realized that I've used it for about 9 to 10 hours overall. That's not a lot of time put into the device.

You see, I originally bought it for the crazy work schedule that I knew was coming; when I'd be working 15 hour days several days in a row and the PSP could've come in handy to stave off insanity. However it turned out I was so busy I never used it during those times once.

And of course, when I'm home, I have my Xbox 360. Don't get me wrong, the PSP is a great little hand-held, but I don't travel much, and it simply can't compete with a full fledged current generation console.

So I decided to sell it, and my buyer was none other than our very own staff. Since he's predominantly in England right now without his Xbox 360, he will be able to make excellent use of my now former PSP, and I hope it serves him well. And that he doesn't place it in the Bag of Doom. Seriously, you don't want to know what happens to things that go in the Bag of Doom. It never ends well, and Short Round never came out of there.

What I will really miss about my PSP is that deep red colour. Loved that deep red...

Gears of War 2 Completed for the Second Time

Finished Gears of War 2's Campaign for the second time this past Sunday, this time on Hardcore difficulty.

Nice action and roller coaster ride, but seriously, what is it with Epic's love of that horrible Checkpoint system? Seriously, why do I need to start a battle or so back if I end up dying, why can't it Checkpoint me before every major engagement? So much time lost replaying the same battles again and again and again. Retarded.

Overall though the gameplay itself is solid, and pulling off headshots is as fun as it was in Gears of War. Like the original, I found the Lancer and Longshot to be the best weapon combination throughout most of the game, but this time I favoured the Boltok more than the Snub. Also love the larger battles that were everywhere, especially against all the Reavers. For the most part, they're fun to fight.

Beautiful looking game to, I really like the enhancements done to the Unreal Engine 3, and I still think the sound track rocked. They have gotten better with story telling, but really, they do need to add a good bit more exposition. It can be done, but they need to be willing.

Halo 3: ODST Concept Art

In this week's short Weekly Update, Bungie Studios treats us to several great pieces of concept art from their upcoming stand-alone expansion, Halo 3: ODST.

Feast your eyes on these wonderful pics right here.

Top 3 Movies of the Year, 2008

2008 was a really strong year for films, specifically for comic book films, and this made selecting the top 3 films of 2008 a real challenge. However, I'm pleased with that statement simply because the silver screen hasn't been doing too well over the last few years with so many mediocre releases, and the fact that I needed to do a little deliberation hopefully points at stronger things to come.


3) Iron Man - What else can I say but Robert Downey Jr. simply charmed everyone with his excellent performance as Tony Stark. From pompous business man, we follow Stark as he gains a sense of mortality and becomes a hero.

After a horrible abduction, Stark slowly realizes the impact the weapons his company designs have on the world, and that his personal wealth has come at a great cost. He then sets about to change himself, to try and make the world a better, safer place, and the character transformation is done very, very well.

Iron Man is an excellent super hero film with action, character, and conflict, and it was an great precursor for the summer blockbuster season.


2) The Dark Knight - Which leads us of course to _the_ blockbuster of the year: The Dark Knight. Simply put, who didn't enjoy this roller coaster ride? The Dark Knight is considered one of the best super hero films ever made, and with very good reason. Not only is it a dark super hero film, but it features the realization of the single best super villain ever captured on film.

Ask anyone, and they'll readily agree that Heath Ledger's final performance as the Joker is a masterpiece, and nothing short of shear brilliance. Without any question, he carries the film with his charisma and sadistic pleasure, and the tragedy of it all is that there can never be a repeat performance.

The dark storyline, the excellent effects, and this key, brilliant performance all add up to bring us the action ride of the year.


1) Wall-E - So of course, if The Dark Knight is the ride of the summer, then how could it fall short of our top spot? Simple. He was outmaneuvered by the little trash compactor that stole our hearts.

Where as The Dark Knight entertained with action and the exceptional performance of the Joker, Wall-E presented us with such a wonderfully touching and simple experience, it provided the kind of attachment that The Dark Knight never could.

Roughly the first 30 minutes of Wall-E has no dialogue, and yet you can't help but be mesmerized by this simple little robot who's stuck trying to clean the planet up. Hundreds of years after humanity has left the planet due to pollution and waste, Wall-E is the last functioning robot tasked with cleaning up the Earth, and he goes about his task diligently. After being alone for so long, however, he's developed one little quirk: a personality.

Left alone for so long, once he finally meets another robot, the probe EVE, he falls in love and would follow her anywhere, whether he's wanted or not. The adventure that ensue's takes Wall-E above and beyond and is a recipe for pure entertainment and laughter.

Wall-E stands, in my opinion, as Pixar's best work to date, and it's with great pleasure that I award Wall-E Arbiter's Judgement's 2008 Movie of the Year.

Real Life Lancer Assault Rifle

Well, not a real Gears of War Lancer, but damn close enough to it. I don't know whether to be impressed or afraid, but some guy took an AR-15 and actually attached a modified chainsaw to it as a bayonet.

Seriously though, while this is cool in-game and makes a great signature weapon for the franchise, what would someone do with this in real life? How effective would it be in actual urban combat?

I'm guessing not very, but you can certainly check out this "Lancer" in action via the below video.



Creepy or uber awesome? You tell me. All I know is those pumpkins were innocent. And now they're gone. Gone forever :(.

Source.

How Return of the Jedi Should have Ended

If there is a God, this would have been the true ending to Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi.

Alas, religion is nothing more than an earthly bid for power, and so, this remains a fond fantasy from a more perfect world.

Top 3 Novels of the Year, 2008

One thing I certainly get to partake in every business day is a lot of reading. I have a rather lengthy commute to the office, and I've found no better way to occupy my time than by reading some solid fiction.

So, without further delay, here are my top 3 novels of 2008!


3) Gears of War: Aspho Fields - Karen Traviss is the mistress of military sci-fi, and her latest effort is no exception to that rule. The Gears of War franchise is instantly recognizable as one of the key names for the Xbox 360, but one thing the series has always lacked was a really in-depth story and character development. Gears of War: Aspho Fields changes all of that, as Traviss truly explores the characters of Delta Squad, where they came from who they are, and what allows them to hold it all together in this time of genocidal warfare.

An excellent prequel to Gears of War 2, Gears of War: Aspho Fields leads right into the game, and continually flashes back to an earlier conflict, a war often hinted at of but never explored in the games themselves, the Pendulum Wars.

The depth and focus of Gears of War: Aspho Fields does not disappoint, and any fan of the games will walk away with a new respect for Marcus and co.


2) Troy: Fall of Kings - Historical fiction is fast becoming my new favourite genre, and Troy: Fall of Kings embodies much of what makes the genre itself so epic. Legendary battles, powerful heroes, and honourable morality abound.

The war for Troy has begun, and the kings of the west and east of the Great Green clash for land, wealth, and power. Odysseus is forced to ally himself with the kings of the west, along with the legendary Achilles, and fighting with Troy are the champion Hektor and the dread Helikaon who commands his massive flagship, the Xanathos.

Being the final chapter of the Troy trilogy, everything ultimately comes to a close in Troy: Fall of Kings, however the way the legend is presented is fascinating, and it's done in a different fashion than many films I've previously seen. The only major flaw to the novel is that the series' author, David Gemmell, unfortunately passed away during it's writing, and his wife took over to complete his work. This was a monumental task as the Troy novels are full of great detail and are not short works, and it's obvious that much of the style is different in this final book, which leads to many important characters not receiving the ending that they deserve.

Regardless, Troy: Fall of Kings is an excellent novel, and the above discrepancy is easily excused given the circumstance, and thus it places in my number 2 spot for Novel of the Year.


1) Templar Trilogy - Standard of Honour - Jack Whyte is the author who enabled me to appreciate historical fiction, and his skills are just as strong now as they were when I first began reading his works just under three years ago.

His most recent trilogy focus on the Crusades, and specifically the rise and fall of the Templar knights. Standard of Honour, the middle book of the trilogy, takes place just after the Second Crusade when the armies of Christendom loose the Holy Land to the Saracen hordes under the brilliant command of the Sultan, Saladin. A new army is raised, and once again the St. Clair family is involved in the monumental events that take place as young Andre St. Clair, recently accepted into the lofty ranks of the Templar Knights, must confront the truths of politics and honour as he marches with the army of Richard the Lionheart.

Like its predecessor, Standard of Honour examines in detail the motives of the Church and the champions of Christianity, and it also contrasts them with those of the Muslim "infidels" in which the armies of Christ fight against. Standard of Honour is a novel that makes you think, makes you feel, and educates you all at the same time. It is a novel that truly examines the basic moral fabric of what honour is, what a man is, and how complicated most "simple" black and white situations really are.

With Standard of Honour, Jack Whyte has put together another literary masterpiece that should not be missed, and it is with great pleasure that I award this novel first place as Arbiter's Judgement's Novel of 2008.

WMD Revelation

My God, I've just come across a startling revelation. You've all heard of WMDs, who hasn't since America's declaration of War against Terror a few years back. The tragedy, of course, is that many brave and valiant men have lost their lives to the effort to keep America safe, and these losses are a hotly debated topic south of the border.

Back home however, all across North America, many other men, simple civilians, have lost themselves to the horror's of WMDs, and honestly, I'm not sure there's much we can do to help them. We can, however, work with our friends and loved ones to try and insure that no man is every harmed by another WMD again. It's not going to be easy, and it will take a lot of strong will and personal sacrifice, but in the end, I'm sure you'll agree that by being persistent, we can all avoid the inevitable Wedding, Marriage, Divorce that has ruined so many other lives.

So please, help discourage your friends from embracing the self-destructive paths of WMDs, help them avoid tying that knot and damning themselves to a life of doubt and misery forever. It's your honoury, manly duty.