GXP Blog has been on facebook for a while, but until recently it’s fair to say that we haven’t really made much use of it. There’s also a GXP Blog twitter account, but at the moment I just don’t really have time to keep up on both. Facebook is ideal for short posts and discussions on all things related to the Xbox 360. It’s great as a sort of community area, similar to having an online forum.

At the moment I’ve been using it to post about xbox 360 game deals, such as cheap pre-orders and special offers. This is mainly focussed around the UK where I live, but there are many other reasons to join in the discussion such as:

• Posting Xbox 360 deals you’ve found
• Sharing pictures of high scores, funny game glitches or creative ideas
• Arranging gamerscore-boosting events with small groups
• Sharing your own gaming tips or posting a link to your youtube videos

Who knows, something you post may even make it onto the blog..? I think facebook is a great platform to engage in the Xbox gaming community. If you are interested, please go to https://www.facebook.com/gxpblog and click on the “like” button. I look forward to chatting with you

One of my main focuses has been catching up on some of my unfinished games. You know how it is, you get halfway through a great game, then another one is released that you just can’t wait to play, and before you know it, you’ve got a load of incomplete games that have you thinking “damn that was awesome.. why didn’t I finish it?”. I got Mass Effect 2 on release and that is still in it’s cellophane!

So, what games have I been playing lately…?

Resident Evil 5

I don’t consider myself a fan of survival horror games but this one really surprised me! I think mainly due to the co-op element. I always love games that you can experience with a friend. I just find them more fun. And what could be more fun than trying to survive a mad chainsaw-wielding zombie creature with limited ammo?

I also like how you can upgrade weapons and the search for hidden collectables. I’m working through this game pretty slowly at the moment, but am really enjoying spending the odd hour here and there working through it.

Darksiders

Darksiders is definitely one of those games where I thought “why did I stop playing this!?”. The graphic style is awesome, the characters are dark and interesting, and the story and gameplay really have me hooked! At first this game feels like a linear adventure game (a bit like crash bandicoot), but after about an hour it really opens up into a style of game similar to Zelda: Ocarina of Time. There’s loads of puzzles to solve, big bosses to fight, secrets to find and unlockables to upgrade your character. Great stuff!

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Those who have played online with me or have me on their friends list know that I’m an “achievement whore”. Not quite to the extent that I’m a completionist… I just don’t have the patience. But I love playing games and improving my gamerscore. I played Modern Warfare 1 and 2 online and didn’t really get into it. But, for some reason, Black Ops really pulled me in to the whole online multiplayer experience. Since Darksiders, I haven’t played this as much, but if I have some time to spare and some friends online, this is a game I get a lot of enjoyment from at the moment!

So, there’s a brief summary of where I’m up to at the moment and the sort of games I’ve been playing. There’s loads of new ones that I’m very eager to play (such as the new Deus Ex game), but for now I need to finish some oldies.

What games have you been playing, or feel you need to revisit and complete?

Here is a little update of where I’m up to…

The GXP Twitter Page
Somehow the GXP blog twitter page has acquired a total of 50 followers! I’m aware that there are plenty out there with well over 1000, but for me this still feels like quite an achievement. It’s nice to know that there are people out there interested in my blog and gaming opinions. So for all those of you who signed up (marketing spammers included) thank you.

Xbox 360 Games I’ve Been Playing
Since my last update I have been playing a LOT of Xbox 360 games. Is it an addiction? I’m not too sure. Whatever the reason, I have been having a lot of fun.
Some of the games I have been enjoying lately (in no particular order) are:

• Halo 3
• Halo Wars
• Left 4 Dead
• Gears of War 2
• Bionic Commando Rearmed
• Puzzle Quest
• Crystal Defenders
• Call of Duty 4
• Mass Effect
• Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
• Fifa 09
• Wallace and Gromit
• Prince of Persia
• Battle Fantasia
• Blue Dragon

Okay, I’ll stop there. That list is quite scary enough. I have been playing far too many games last month. Most recently I have been getting back into the Halo universe. Previously I felt the Halo franchise was a little too “cartoony” when compared to games like Gears of War and Rainbow Six, but after being lured into buying the Mythic Map Pack it has really pulled me in. So much so, that I have also downloaded the Legendary Map Pack and even purchased a book to read on my holiday next week. Mental!

My Gamerscore
The last time I posted about my gamerscore was back in February (I think.. I only did a quick search) with a total of 32,525 points. My total now is a score of 38,050 achievement points thanks mainly to Halo 3, Left 4 Dead, Call of Duty 4, and Fifa 09. Infact, as it was in February, it was probably due to a lot of other games I have forgotten about.. nevermind.

What’s Next?
So what now? Soon I will be posting about some of my E3 favourites (my most anticipated games), some of my recent favourite games, online co-op fun, and some other bits and bobs. Come back soon to see what’s new.

• Update you all on posts I am currently working on
• Update you all on recent posts I have made
• Post general comments about games I am currently playing
• Share links to exciting gaming news

As creating posts for this blog sometimes takes me quite a bit of time, twitter will provide me with a way of communicating with gxpblog.com followers without needing to create blog articles about smaller details (such as why I haven’t posted in a couple of days). For example, I still haven’t had the chance to finish my “game of the month” post from march. It’s close to being finished, but I don’t want to rush posts and affect the “quality”.

For those interested, you can access my twitter page here: http://twitter.com/gxpblog. If you get the time, please “follow” me to keep updated about this site.

I am always looking for feedback about this blog, how it can be improved, and how to easily keep updated when I post something new. If you have any comments, please feel free to leave them at the end of this article.

Thanks for reading

This blog will basically cover games that I have played, and tips/guides for games and consoles that I have come across (such as setting up networking and parental controls).

I will also try to cover tips on how to get/find the easiest xbox 360 achievements, and which games are the best to play or avoid.

Please check back often and let me know which posts you enjoy the most