Beckett Gaming

We’ve been updating several of our Web sites over the past few months. Our Web designers recently finished the layouts. Let me know what you think of them. I’ll take any comments or suggestions. This is the message I recently posted on the main Beckett.com Web sites: 

We’ve updated several our Beckett Gaming Web sites with brand new message boards. Here’s a list of links to all of them. Check them out and leave a comment or two.

Beckett Cheat Codes Magazine Message Boards

Beckett Magic The Gathering Message Boards

Beckett Pokemon Unofficial Collector Message Boards

Beckett Anime & Manga Message Boards

Neopets The Official Magazine Message Boards

 Thanks! 

- Doug Kale 

God of War 2 (M = Mature 17+)

REVIEWER #1

I had the privilege of sampling an advanced copy of the much anticipated PS2 release of God of War II, and I assure you it lived up to expectations.  The second installment to one of the most popular PS2 titles starts out right where it left off with Kratos installed as the ruling minion of the blade.  From step one you are thrown into a battle scene with a giant Colossus type figure who in a multitude of scenes tries to smash you to dust.  The brutal attacks are just as gory as the last game and will surely please the mob scene for this title.  PlayStation kept the controls consistent with the first game making the progression into this new chapter in the saga of Kratos a breeze.  The gameplay is slightly limited due to the restrictions on the console, and I would love to have seen what they could have accomplished on the PS3 or 360 platforms.  Game play is also constrained by not being able to rotate a full 360 degrees with the main character.  Due to this going backwards into areas you have already been through is a bit difficult, and at times feels like you are running blindly into sections.  I would give this game a 9 out of 10 overall.

- Brett Robertson

—————————————————————-

REVIEWER #2

The graphics and sound were awesome.
It’s a lot of fun decapitating bad dudes and watching them explode into pieces. The Colossus is very cool when he comes alive and you’re forced to face him. I thought it was cool how you have to power up the cattapult to launch yourself onto the Colossus.
Overall, God of War 2 was very fun to play and deserves a 9 rating out of 10.

- Eric Knagg

—————————————————————-

REVIEWER #3

I definitely have to agree with Brett and Eric. This game rocks! I was blown away by the strength of the Spartan warrior Kratos. He takes on hundreds of men that are coming at him in every direction and slices and dices them into pieces. You can also see him pick the guys up and smash them down to the ground with incredible force. He jumps onto ledges, rocks and windows, climbs ladders and walls, swings Spider-Man style, swims deep in water and does so many other things as well. The biggest test was Kratos taking on the huge Colossus marble statue dude. WOW! That is by far one of the coolest areas I’ve ever seen in a video game. The only negative side to the game was not being able to turn a 360 when Kratos is searching the rooms in the buildings. Other than that, this game is a MUST BUY for anyone (17+) with a PS2 or PS3 system. I give God of War II a 9 out of 10!

- Doug Kale, Editorial Director

Pick up a copy of Beckett Cheat Codes magazine at your local newsstand.

The past few weeks have been kind of crazy at the Beckett Media offices. We just finished working on the newest issue of Cheat Codes. This issue features WarioWare on the cover and a review inside. Plus we have some Reviews, Previews and Cheat Codes for some of the hottest games around such as Lost Planet, MotorStorm, Rogue Galaxy, Diddy Kong, and  many others. I’ve been playing the new Diddy Kong game for DS and once again, those geniuses at Nintendo have scored another winner. If you like any of those Super Mario or Donkey Kong-type games, you’ll probably like this one as well. I know I did. You can race or go on an adventure in either a little mini race car, airplane or bumber car. It’s way cool!

We just finished working on the newest issue of Beckett Magic the Gathering and I have to say, this issue featuring this Tiger/humanoid creature on the cover is awesome. This creature is in the hot new Magic set called Planar Chaos. You’ll need to check it out to see what I mean.

Next, we just finished a brand new publication called eSports. This magazine highlights the world of competitive video gaming and is powered by those avid gamers at GotFrag.com. Players who earn money playing video games such as Halo 2, Counter-Strike and Quake are all featured in this new bi-monthly magazine. Yes, you can actually make money playing these games. What to find out more about it??? Look for the magazine on newsstand in the middle of March. Or you go directly to our Web site to read more about it: http://www.beckett.com/hotzone.

ALSO– Some very big news. If you currently have a Fan web site of your own and truly enjoy the Beckett Magazines, you can now place a Special Beckett link of your favorite magazine onto your Web site. For complete details, go to own our web site and look to the left or right side of our homepages. There you’ll see a link that says Fan Site Kit. Click that on and then copy the HTML code to your site. It’s that easy! 

Our newest issue of Beckett Pokemon magazine will be highlighting the new Pokemon DS games -Diamond and Pearl, plus a look at all of those Legendary Pokemon. You can watch for this issue the second week in March.

-Doug Kale 

Anime fans will be glad to know that a new InuYasha video game has just arrived for the Nintendo DS system. I played it this past week and it definitely brought back memories. Whether you’re a fan of the InuYasha anime series or manga you’re going to enjoy this new game. My complete review of it will be inside the next issue of Beckett CHEAT CODES magazine, on sale Feb.28. By the way, we’re also giving away a PS3 60 GB system inside this issue as well!!!

For anyone reading our gaming blogs,  let us know what you think of these products as well. Plus, what would you like to see us talk about here? You can comment here or send us an e-mail at games@beckett.com

- Doug Kale

Hey! Has anyone heard about a new game coming out called Blue Dragon? This game was released in Japan for the Xbox 360 system and sold like crazy. It was the first big game to drive the sales up for XBOX 360 in Japan. Blue Dragon was created by two very big names in Japan: Final Fantasy creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama! Can you say “Wholey Sushi?!?!” It could become a big hit in the U.S. too! There will be a preview of the game in the next issue of Beckett Cheat Codes magazine. Look for it on sale Feb.28.

Are you counting your pennies? You better be! I just heard that the U.S. Mint might soon be stopping the production of the U.S. pennies because the copper to produce them is now worth more than the penny itself. If this happens all of those pennies could be worth 5 times it’s original value. WOW! You know the saying - A penny saved is a penny earned? It should be, A penny saved is… hey wait a minute, put these pennies in my Money Market Fund or my Stock Funds or… you know what I mean. It’s crazy!

Anyone watch American Idol last night? It was in Memphis,Tenn. Hey there were some pretty damn good singers on there! One guy named Sundance Head… he sounds too good to be true. Simon said something like he’ll give Taylor a run for his money. WOW! Could be a great year for Idol fans!!! Don’t tell anyone this but, I’ve watched every season and almost every episode of American Idol since it first started. Oh yeah! 

-Doug Kale

It’s been a crazy week… we’re finishing up the next issue of Neopets The Official Magazine. But right behind it is Beckett Cheat Codes and Beckett Magic The Gathering. For those of you interested in Neopets and love to play those online Neopets games, you’re going to really enjoy this next issue. It’s our Special Gaming issue of the year. Plus, we’ve included an Exclusive Neopets Board Game in the middle of this issue. It comes complete with the board and cardboard pieces. Pretty awesome!!

The next issue of Beckett Cheat Codes is going to include lots of new games for the next-gen consoles (Wii, X360 and PS3). Speaking of Wii has anyone played Rayman Raving Rabbids??? The game is hilarious and addicting! I love the part when Rayman disco dances while you’re lazer shooting all of those crazy Rabbids. Plus, the submarine-plunger shooting game is also a ton of fun! Can you tell I like this game? Okay, so for those of you who have a Nintendo DS and don’t have Yoshi’s Island DS, you need to get it. This game is becoming as popular as the New Super Mario Bros game. It’s hard to stop playing it!

OKay, Magic The Gathering fans! What’s cooking for Magic??? Well, Planar Chaos is about to be released and we have a ton of coverage on the new set. It’s the second in the Time Spiral card block and it’s looking like a real winner! This next issue of Beckett Magic The Gathering magazine is going to include an interview with a big name Pro player and a few additional surprises. You’ll have to wait for the issue to come out!

That’s it for now… getting back to work… see ya later…

 -Doug Kale