If you’ve been anticipating the release of Final Fantasy XIII since you’ve heard of its inception then you don’t have to wait long anymore. The release of the game is bound to be one of the hottest launches in the videogame industry especially now that it has been announced that it will be heralded by an event.

On March 8, an event called the Final Fantasy XIII Experience will be celebrated in San Francisco. If you’re a hardcore fan of the entire Final Fantasy franchise then this is one event that you don’t want to miss.

Guests will have the chance to be the first ones to play the game. Trailers and artwork will also be featured in the event. You will also have the chance to meet the designers, developers and other creative masterminds behind the game. A raffle will also be held where lucky winners will receive various Final Fantasy prices.

Square Enix announced that 200 of its members will have the special opportunity to attend this event. On top of that, members that already have Bronze Tier memberships will have a chance to enter a special sweepstakes. 50 winners from the sweepstakes will have the chance to attend the actual launch party of the game.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was released last October and has sold over 2.5 million copies to date—an astounding feat for a videogame that has only been in the market for four months. Not only that, but the game has also received 15 nominations in what is considered the Oscars of videogames—the Interactive Achievement Awards.

Fans may know the game, but few of them know about the man behind the game—or rather, the woman. 45-year old Amy Hennig is the creative director over at Naughty Dog Studios which is a property of Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Hennig was actually an English Literature major in UC Berkeley. After graduating, Hennig started to attend film school. It was while she was studying film that she took a job in a videogame company in order to make ends meet. Little did she know that it was this job that would change her life forever. Hennig discovered that she was more interested in the gaming industry than in film. It wasn’t long before she dropped out of film school to focus on developing games on a full-time basis.

For a couple of years, Hennig worked hard for the company Electronic Arts, striving to prove herself to be a competent designer. Her hard work paid off in 1993 when a lead designer of one of the games quit and Hennig ended up as the replacement. Hennig’s first project is a game that perhaps many videogame fanatics remember, called Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City.

Now, with the whopping sales of Uncharted 2, it’s not hard to see that Hennig has come a long way.

With the most gorgeous graphics and top of the line hardware available, gamers can’t beat the PS3. With its dual function as a BluRay player, there’s no better gift for your tech geek this holiday season. If they already have a system, here are the best gifts to along with it.

Batman: Arkham Asylum: America’s favorite brooding crime fighter enters the depths of insanity in one of the year’s most critically acclaimed games. Fans of The Dark Knight will love this game, which pits Batman against the Joker (voiced by Star Wars’ Mark Hamill) and other iconic villains in the home of Gotham’s most insane evildoers. The story is gripping, the controls are tight and the overall experience is on par with the best of the caped crusader’s adventures.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves: The most wished-for PS3 game listed on Amazon.com. This stunning third-person adventure game follows fortune hunter Nick Drake as he is thrust back into the underground world of thieves he sought to leave behind. Crisp graphics, well-above-par voice work and a suspenseful story laced with twists make this a must-have for anyone with a PS3.

Rock Band 2: If you’re in the mood for something a little lighter, Rock Band 2 is the perfect party game. You and up to three friends can rock out the vocals, drums, guitar or bass on classic hits from today and yesteryear. It’s fun for single players, too: master songs on the expert level to unlock even more songs. Music comes from the likes of Journey, Modest Mouse, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park and Bob Dylan.

Energizer Power Charger: Never worry again about charging the batteries in your controller with this convenient charger system. The only downside to wireless controller is dealing with dying batteries, this charger completely eliminates that disadvantage. Charger dock can hold two controllers at once.

Do you ever wonder who writes the summaries and descriptions on the boxes of the videogames that you buy? Well, it’s no other than the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, also known as the ESRB.

Basically, it is the ESRB’s job to provide objective synopses, objectives and other game information in the game boxes and on their official website. However, ESRB’s objectivity was recently questioned when they released the summary of Dead or Alive: Paradise.

The folks over at ESRB seem to take an opinionated stand when it described DOA: Paradise as a creepy and raunchy game where players can watch scantily clad women frolicking at the beach. According to the review, the game also provides other activities where the player may attempt to win the favors of these women in hopes of getting closer to their company. The review also stopped short of bashing the game when it states that DOA: Paradise mostly involved “creepy voyeurism” and portraying women in an imprudent way.

Even though there are no laws that mandate ESRB to maintain objectivity in their reviews, the organization thought it would be better to just revise the whole thing. The newly revised description describes the game as strictly for mature players as it contains mature subject matter such as gambling, nudity and other sexual themes.

One thing everyone knows about Video Games: they cost a lot of money. A truly great video game library is often out of reach. Despite that, you want a collection that covers everything: casual games, multiplayer games, challenging games, and time consuming games. Follow the steps outlined below, and a great library of video games will be yours.

First, check your games for the following things, on a scale of 1-4:

1.    Replay Value – If you have played the entire game, how fun is it to play again?
2.    Multiplayer Value – How many players can play at once?
3.    Time Played – How much do you play it? For casual games, an hour is quite a bit. For an RPG, an hour is practically nothing.
4.    Contribution to Collection – if you have all of the Final Fantasy games, but don’t like FF-V, it doesn’t make sense to get rid of it.
5.    Total Enjoyment – how much do you, personally, like the game?

If a game comes out between 5 and 10, you can probably get rid of it (unless it got a 4 in one of these categories). When you get rid of a game, trade it in somewhere so you can use it to get other games you want.

When you go to buy games, keep the above criteria in mind. In addition, consider the following:

1.    How old is the game? If the game is new, it doesn’t make sense to buy now. Wait, and get it when the price gets cut.
2.    Have you played the game? If you haven’t, rating Time and Enjoyment is difficult. Talk to friends who have played, or borrow it.
3.    What niche in your library will the game fill? If you already have six multiplayer games, but only one casual game, take that into consideration.

LAN parties, for the uninitiated, are when a bunch of gamers get together and play videogames. They each bring a console and set them up in different rooms all over the house (although as many as 4 can play on each screen). They put in a game, most often a First Person Shooter, and play competitively.
 
 There are a few important things to remember when planning a LAN party:
 
 Always have the basics on hand: Dew, plates, cups, forks. Don’t forget to stock your bathrooms with toilet paper and soap.
 
 Ask your guests to contribute: include it with the invitation. “Please bring snacks, drinks, or dessert for this many people. Finger foods preferred.” This way, you don’t have to bring them yourself, and it significantly increases the variety of snack foods at the party. This is one of the great keys to a party’s success; how much food is available will directly affect how long you can play.
 
 If you plan on having the party for more than three or four hours, you should probably also ask people to pitch in for pizza.
 
 Make sure you have enough cables, plugs, and televisions for everyone. If you don’t, either get them or make sure that a few friends are bringing them. Few things bring a LAN party down faster than having six machines but only being able to connect four.
 
 Set aside time for getting set up. Between everyone finally showing up and the errors that will inevitably arise, expect an hour between your scheduled start time and when you actually start your first round.
 
 Last but not least, clean up. Make your home a place where everyone can relax and enjoy themselves, and don’t have to pull old pizza crusts out of the couch to sit down.
 
 Finally, have FUN!

In all parts of life people try to insinuate themselves, to pass themselves off as something they aren’t. Twenty years ago, this was most common with the “Jocks.” The “only” way to get a girl was to convince her that you were athletic and into sports. Now, though, the trend seems to have reversed. “Jocks” are seen as buffoons, and “Nerds” are the group that everyone wants to be part of.

As a result, if you are a gamer, you will run into a person from time to time that isn’t really a gamer but is trying to pass themselves off as one. While they may just be new, it is also possible they are either trying to get the girl, or trying to infiltrate the group for their own diabolical schemes. Either way, being able to determine whether he is a real gamer is an important skill.

First, check for mixed up terminology. Just as a fake Jock wouldn’t really know the difference between a goalie and a goal kicker, a fake gamer will have difficulty with the difference between an FPS and an RTS. This is the most common error.

If they pass the vocabulary test, ask them about their favorite games. Listen for different time periods: most gamers have an old game they loved, and a newer game they have recently discovered.

If you find yourself doubting at this point, fear not: more indicators exist.

Do they wear a sports jersey? Track pants? A Baseball cap? They’re probably fakes.

Do they drink Mountain Dew, crack jokes about different games, or rave about Firefly? They’re probably legit.

Do they talk about Sex and the City, what shoes they absolutely have to have, or which city has the best seafood? The jury is out, keep checking up on them.

Lame Video Games. Everyone has them. That one game you bought when you were 13, outgrew, and never seemed to be able to get rid of. That game your mom bought you so you could play it with your little brother. Those girly games your ex bought you a few years ago that have been collecting dust ever since you broke up. The game that looked awesome in the ads, but ended up being incredibly boring.
 
 Of course, you could just throw them away. But why? There are so many other options!
 
 The first place to check is your local game store. This is a great choice if you intend to buy more video games, as the trade-ins tend to use in-store credit, which means you have to spend it there. The game will be worth more if you have the original packaging, especially the instruction manual.
 
 The next place to go is Amazon. Most people don’t know it, but you can ship your old games to Amazon  and get an Amazon gift card in return. While this still isn’t cash, you can use the gift card for just about anything, from cheese packages to textbooks for school to a great gift for your special loved one. Best of all, they pay the shipping both ways.
 
 If neither of these places will accept it, check around online and at pawn shops to find the best deal you can get for it.
 
 If all else fails, and you can’t find a place to send it, try going to SwapTree.com, where you can put it on your list of currently existing titles. When someone requests it, they arrange a two, three, or four way trade to get you something in exchange.
 
 Or just throw it in the microwave and watch the fireworks!

One of the concerns surrounding gaming, particularly Computer and Video games, is the question of how much is too much. When is it time to drop the controller and go outside? How can you tell if your loved one is addicted? The following Danger Signs will help you know:
 
 1.    Conversation – Does the addict talk about the game as if it were real life? Do they obsess over it, talk about it constantly, and bring it up out of the blue?
 2.    Eyes – Look. If they seem bloodshot, strained, and out of focus, this could be a Danger Sign.
 3.    Truth and Lies – One of the major signs of addiction is whether they are honest about how much they play. Often, they lie to themselves, or feel guilty they wasted that much time. If this is the case, they will probably lie to you about it.
 4.    Uncaring or Unaware of Consequences – Drug Addicts will steal, assault people, and worse, just to get their fix. Game addicts often miss work, school, or other important functions, and then claim unawareness of the problem.
 5.    Sleep Disruption – Many gaming addicts will stay up very late in order to keep playing. They want to get to the next level, or defeat this boss, and it gets later and later. They finally get to bed hours later than they should.
 6.    Failing to Eat or Eating too much – Some gamers play so long they don’t bother getting a bite to eat. Others eat absently, snacking their way through day after day. Significant weight loss or gain as a result is a very telling Danger Sign.
 7.    Calloused Thumbs or Sore Wrists – These indicate extended, consistent use.
 Addiction is a serious problem. If you or a loved one is addicted to games, seek medical help.

Once upon a time, card games were trendy and interesting. Poker Tournaments took prime-time spots on ESPN. Blackjack was considered sexy. A new version of Uno came out yearly. Dozens of new card games came out of Europe’s game makers, often to great reviews.
 
 That was then.
 
 Now, a few short years later, poker has been relegated to the late night slots on ESPN3, below eating contests and thumb wrestling. Blackjack is only interesting on GSN, and they had to dress it up with sexy girls and trivia. The American game makers returned to their old standbys, eliminating their alternate versions. The Europeans refuse to design card games, stating design flaws and playability issues.
 
 Are Card Games a Dying Breed? What happened to our culture that brought such a rapid response from the Gaming industry? Will card games ever be developed again?
 
 Card Games have one advantage going for them that other games just can’t match: They handle large groups really, really, well. Most card games can cover at least 8 people, and many can go much higher – 10, 12, even 20. A typical board game maxes out at 4 or 6. This is the lifeline of card games, the only thing keeping them around.
 
 Card Games are, as a rule, inherently imbalanced. The luck of the draw is terribly random, and it tends to benefit one or two players far more than the rest. Over the course of dozens of hands this will eventually even out, but it makes the game frustrating.
 
 Ultimately, will card games last? Yes. They are playable in ways that other games are not, and some will never disappear. However, it seems the market is currently fully saturated with dozens of available games. Just don’t expect to see new designs for a few years.