New article up at Hubpages titled: Online Games: The Future of Gaming?

As the blog post title says, I have a new article up at Hubpages! Here's the link: http://winterfate.hubpages.com/_Winterfate/hub/Online-Games-The-Future-of-Gaming

Basically, I give my own personal reasons as to why online games are poised to become the future of video gaming (some would argue this is already the case!).

Also, I've been looking on the internet for ways to increase the traffic I get to this blog, to my Hubpages account and to my Twitter account. I'd like to say I've been getting positive results, but they've been mixed at best.

Also, since I can't help but mention it in every blog post: There's NINE DAYS left for the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening in North America (I'll be getting it in 10 days!). I think it goes without saying that you can expect me to write some articles about the game, given that I'm hyping so much about it. I also think it goes without saying that my priority is in actually playing the game and not writing about it. :P

So, I don't really have much else to report! Thanks for reading as usual!

Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)

-Winterfate

Path of Exile now in Open Beta!

For those of you in the crowd who haven't played a good action RPG in ages, Path of Exile may be for you. Developed by Grinding Gear Games (a New Zealand company), I feel PoE has the potential to dethrone Diablo 3 as the best ARPG of the world. Seriously, it has many features that Diablo 3 should have had, and people have been calling it a spiritual successor to Diablo 2 for quite a while. Here's some of the things that Path of Exile has that are unique among ARPGs:

• A passive skill tree with 1350 passive skills!
• A barter system for currency. You're not going to be grinding for gold. The items you grind for have inherent value since they can be used!
• Linked sockets and skill gems, meaning that your active skills are a function of the gems you have equipped, and support gems can modify said abilities. Contrast with nearly every other ARPG where classes get skills based on their job.
• Maps allow the player to create additional randomized dungeons with special enemies you won't be able to find in the main game.

I could go on, but you should check out my review at Hubpages: http://winterfate.hubpages.com/hub/Path-of-Exile-A-Review

If you're already playing Path of Exile, then perhaps you are better served by this link: http://winterfate.hubpages.com/hub/Path-of-Exile-Tips-and-Tricks-Helpful-Resources-for-the-Starting-Player

In any case, comments and feedback are appreciated!

In other news, 13 days until I can get Fire Emblem: Awakening! (12 days for the actual release; I'll be getting it a day late because of delivery/shipping date discrepancies in GameStop Puerto Rico...boo!)

Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)

-Winterfate