So I became a Microsoft fanboy on Tuesday and bought myself a Zune. Amongst all the criticism, all the bashing from people in the media and the trolls on the internet. I wanted an MP3 player plain and simple. I have never owned an iPod, my girlfriend has and I was unimpressed. It was a 2G Mini for all those that have to know which version, so you can defend Apple. I didn’t want what everyone else had, I saw some of the videos from the Zune team and it looked good. I walked my ass over to Target at lunch, picked one up and even got a $25 gift card.

I am just going to be honest throughout this whole thing, because that is all I can be. I am not biased towards Microsoft, though I do enjoy its operating systems, its network management tools and this is even being posted via LiveWriter. I will just run down some good and bad points. Here we go…

The Bad

• The Zune Software - Why do I need to install more software? WMP 11 was just released, why not make that the Zune software interface? The Zune software isn’t all that bad, but I hate having more crap to install. It is visually pleasing to look at and simple to get around. I wish it managed the Zune a little better though, it seems like it only syncs files to it. I wanted it to let me configure other aspects of the Zune, maybe not available in the players interface.
• Album Art - I have too many god damn MP3’s, though they are organized very well and tagged properly, I don’t have the album art for about 95% of the albums. I was hoping it would be easier to import that from within the Zune software. I tried it on a few albums and it seemed like it was hit or miss. Sometimes it wanted to re-tag every file in the album, other times it would just update the album art. I was hoping for an option to just grab the cover, doesn’t work like that.
• Lack of Options - The device lacks options. That was my very first thought after I turned it on. I wanted some more cinfiguration options on it. I figure they can add more stuff to it when updated firmware releases come out.
• Size - Though it doesn’t really bother me, it is kind of big. The person I went to Target with to grab thie Zune said it looked like a brick. This comming from someone who had a picture iPod. Now if I am not mistaken, the Zune is 0.2 ounces heavier and just slightly taller and thicker then the iPod. So, is it really that much bigger? No. I put this here because I am having trouble thinking of bad things to say about it.
• The Packaging - The giveaway carrying case and headphones are absolutely useless. I couldn’t put my Zune in the case without working at it. The headphones…are still in the little sleve they came in. I knew they were useless right away, like all headphones that come with music devices. The manual was absurd, might as well been in Spanish.

The Good

• The Interface - This thing looks very pretty. I will admit it isn’t perfect, but compared to any of the similar devices, it wins in my book. The screen is crisp, the pictures look nice and big, the videos look great and the album art adds a nice touch. For the iPod lovers, the lack of the turn-wheel will be a shock, but I think it is just as intuitive.
• Wifi - While I think it is rather stupid how Microsoft is touting to use the wifi, looking beyond that makes it a wonderful addition. So when someone mods the firmware and strips the 3 day/3 use limit, everyone will love this thing. Hopefully someone can add some Divx support as well, people are just to blind to see the usefulness of this.
• Personalization - Really what I mean is the ability to designate your own background picture. I know it really isn’t that amazing, but I absolutely love when I turn my Zune on and see a picture of the Anaheim Ducks’ ice surface, mid game. When I showed my friend the Zune after I played with it for a while, his first reaction was ‘Whoa’. He was talking about the picture.
• The Look and Feel - The screen is nice and big, the picture looks crisp and the colors are awesome. The anti-glare actually works too. My hands feel good around it, the buttons are placed well. The top layer of smoked plastic looks good too. It also feels really solid, you aren’t scared to be too careful with it, like it would brea or anything.
• It Works! - I haven’t had a single problem with this thing yet. The worst experience I have had is the album art and I will figure that out in do time so I don’t have to work too much at it.

The prophecy has come true…look what the hell Google has done!!!!

http://video.google.com/nhl.html

More on this after I get off of god damn work, get my hair cut and have a few drinks to let this settle in. Then I can actually sit down and plot this out in my head. Maybe a good dose of the 405 and some Blind Melon will help me think as well…

So we were promised a skill stick, a new way to control the player (stick movements, toe drags, power moves). New player movements, unbelievable goalie animations on saves and some realistic game play. Well, none of those happened, at least not on the PC. I don’t have an XBOX 360 to test the game on either. Here is my problem, when did the PC become the bitch of the gaming realm? Just because most computers don’t have a hi-def display, does not mean you need to rip all the special features you port to one platform. Do not push the 360 to me, my computer cost me more and it can do just as much.

So, lets talk about the actual game, because it is the best hockey game ever made to this point. I am a Ducks fan, so I was happy to see the new team design being represented in the game, it looks good. The other teams all look the same, so no big change in that department. Skating is a lot smoother and realistic, players actually crossover and skate the correct way when you push them one way or another. I am still waiting for the ability to skate backwards, either straddling the blueline, dragging the puck or just skating backwards with the puck.

Checking has improved, the animations are a little more realistic, but Chris Pronger still has a problem knocking Henrik Zediberg off the puck when he hits him along the boards…When I crosscheck someone, they better fall, especially if Pronger is the one doing it. The thing I know is still missing is the fisticuffs, how come when I rock a star player, his team doesn’t come to his aid after the whistle? Why, when I hit a player after the whistle, is there no team tussle? Too many high stick calls, tripping calls and other penalties resulting in back to back to back 5 on 3 powerplays. I will have to play with the sliders I guess.

The defense is a little better this time around and the goalies do seem to be as well. But, it is kind of sad that I can shut out three teams in a row, two of them being Dallas and Detroit. All while the difficulty level was set to the highest setting. Again, I think playing with the advanced sliders will help with that. But if Keith Carney catches up to Andy McDonald after skating backwards, crossing over and then charging after him, the AI needs a little help. It is unfair to never have breakaways because the defense is extremely fast. Also, when Scott Neidermayer is skating back to the opposite end after a bad pass and the forward from the other team beats him, even though I am using acceleration, we need more work.

So, the same problems that plagued NHL 06, plague this game. BUT, it looks prettier, right? I will sacrifice looks for better, more realistic game play. One day they will get it right, I am sure, but the hype on this game was incredible and I am disappointed.