Recently, Time Magazine released their "Top Ten Of 2008" lists. Naturally, a magazine of Time's stature is sure to release lists of quality films and gadgets and games. Well, I decided to look at their lists of video games, and ... well, let's break it down bit by bit, starting from 10 and going down to 1:
10) Spore
For what I feel is a completely non-understandable reason, people adore Spore. I played this game a little bit when it first came out on a roommate's computer... and so did he. So did everyone. In fact, the main thing I noticed about Spore was that, while it seemed innovative, it got really old really fast. People spent $50 on this game, played it for a week or two, and I haven't heard about it since. No one I know is playing it anymore, and I know a lot of people who spent money on it. This game is by far not worthy of even the last spot on a Top 10 list. To me, a game needs to last or leave a standing impression to be a Top 10er. However, this game is designed for repeat plays and no one is repeatedly playing it.
9) Field Runners
...what? An iPhone game? Really, Time Magazine? Out of all the games released this year, you felt that an iPhone game is worthy of a Top 10 list? What next, a Flash game?
8) Hunted Forever
...wow. Good going, Time. You put an iPhone game and a Flash game on your list. I almost have no real words for this. The only thing I can really think to say is that I completely agree that both of these games are better than Spore. But if you were going to put a game designed out of Flash, couldn't you have put something good on here like Castle Crashers? CC didn't make the list at all, and it is way more deserving than Hunted Forever. I'd like to put a bunch of REAL gamers in a room together, then ask them to raise their hands if they've heard of/played Field Runners and/or Hunted Forever. You know how many people would raise their hands, Time Magazine? Absolutely none of them.
7) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Ok, now while I do not agree that this game is a Top 10er, I can at least maybe see where Time is coming from. This game is a LOT of fun. I rented it, played through it, and had a great time. I would play through it again. It's got good graphics, good gameplay, a good story. Compared to what George Lucas is forcing (no pun intended) us to endure with his beloved Star Wars series, this is a breath of fresh air (I know someone out there actually enjoyed The Clone Wars, but I did not appreciate it one bit). I especially like the two climatic battle options. In fact, all of the boss battles are quite wonderfully cinematic. SW:TFU takes a page from games like God Of War and allows you to beat the crap out of your opponent, then go through a series of button combos in order to really demolish them in a pre-rendered destructothon. It's great. So maybe I would put this game near the end of my list... but probably not. Either way, at least this is a real game.
6) Dead Space
Dead Space is awesome. Does anyone else remember buying Resident Evil 4 when that first came out, then waiting up until Midnight and playing it with all the lights off in their room? No? That was just me? Well I did the same thing for Dead Space because it is essentially Resident Evil 4 in space, and it was awesome. I love Dead Space and I don't think enough people played it. The only thing that wasn't good about Dead Space was the final boss fight. The whole game is atmospheric and creepy and there are plenty of jump moments (if you play it properly at night with the lights out), but after all of that, you get to the end, fight the boss, and you're just wondering, "...wait, that's really it?" Luckily, I think the game is long enough and filled with enough possibilities that the rest of the game is fun enough to make up for a lacking final boss. I would highly recommend this game, and probably put it near the end of my personal Top 10 list.
5) Gears Of War 2
I have never been a fan of the Gears Of War series (can I call it that?). I played through the first game twice, and I had fun with it, but that was mostly because of who I was playing with. Playing it on my own... I just don't get the same out of it. I haven't even bothered to really try out the multiplayer option, only once or twice. That being said, I have not even played Gears Of War 2. I plan to, but I have not yet. I do not think I reserve the right to comment on it having not played it, so I won't. But, based on Nate's comments on the game, I can see why someone would put it on the list, and no matter whether or not I like the series or not, it's still a more legit choice than Field Runners and Hunted Forever.
4) Rock Band 2
This, in my humble opinion, is another goof up on Time Magazine's part. Rock Band 2? Really? What was so great an innovative about this game? It's Rock Band with new songs and screens. They added a few other nice little things in there, such as that option where you can't fail out of a song (in case you're playing with your father who just doesn't get the concept of pushing buttons after having played an actual guitar for several years), but this is no way a Top 10er, and this in no way should be so near the top. I like playing "Float On" just as much as the next guy, and I've seen the video with the Rock Band 2 Fog Machine, but come on. There are so many better games than this. It would appear that Time Magazine just looked at what games came out towards the end of the year, looked at what got good reviews, and made a list based on that. Oy. Stick to talking about "things that matter" and leave stuff like this for people like Nate and I who actually play video games.
3) LittleBigPlanet
I do not have a PS3. I have not played LittleBigPlanet. I do not have the right to make a comment. That being said, I feel this game would get old just like Spore got old. I could be wrong though.
2) Braid
This is an absolutely legitimate claim. While it's not a claim I would necessarily make, at least I can sit here and say, "Hmm... yeah. Yeah, that's a good decision." Braid was smart, fun, difficult, and all in a very simple design/premise. The settings were wonderful to look at. Rewinding time NEVER got old. I put this game on for people and said, "Solve the puzzle," and then laughed as they struggled just like I did. Beating this game made me feel pretty good inside. Braid was definitely a welcome breath of fresh air in the Arcade market. I do not like most of the Arcade games (I only own 4 (well, technically 5, but who cares about Fable II Pub Games?)), but this is one I bought without even trying based on what I had heard. It was by far one of the best games I played this year, and there is no doubt in my mind that Braidshould be on everyone's Top 10 list this year.
So now we have 10 through 2, so what could possibly be number 1? After going through that incredible list of (mostly) failure created by Time Magazine, what could possibly be the number 1 game of the year according to those (clearly) non-gamers? What is better than a game for your iPhone? The answer, my friends, is:
1) Grand Theft Auto IV
COME ON. This is the best game of the year? Hardly. The best game to come out this year was Fallout 3 without a doubt. Nothing was better. Nothing. Furthermore, GTAIV does not deserve to be on anyone's Top 10 list. This game was NOT that good. Sure, it was fun for the first week or so, but it's so damn repetitive. It got old just about as fast as Spore did! If you didn't beat it in the first week or so, good luck getting the energy to. That being said, I never made it through. I couldn't. I just can't handle it. There was no variety at all. One can be said that this argument could be made for a lot of games. For example, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is the same on every game through out every level just with a new background. However, THAT does not get old. It's fun to run around with a lightsaber and hack stuff up. Running around with a gun, stealing cars and shooting hookers on the other hand... this is now the FIFTH time we've been given this game. Aside from giving it an amazing graphical over haul, a new city, and new characters, couldn't they do anything else? No. They couldn't. Because there is nothing more to the Grand Theft Auto series. There never will be. And this, ultimately, will be the downfall of this section of Rockstar. Or maybe not. People are dumb.
So there you have it. Time Magazine's Top Ten Of 2008 that didn't include Fallout 3. I apologize for wasting your time, but I felt commentary was somewhat necessary. I hope that whenever Nate and I release our Top Ten lists, it will blow your mind. Or, at the very least, be better than this list. Actually, I have no doubt it will be better than this list. You know why? Because this list included a Flash game and an iPhone game and did not include Fallout 3.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
A Travesty Amongst Travesties
I do not often do favors for people unless I really know and/or like them. The odds of me just randomly doing a favor for someone I'm not that close with are slim... but there are the occasions where I will do them. Maybe it's just a good day, or maybe the stars are aligned correctly in the sky above. However, I'm beginning to think this is a horrible horrible idea that I will never ever do again because of the tragedy that has fallen.
You see, dear reader, one of my roommates recently got himself an XBOX360. He created himself a new account and asked me to transfer all of his old files to my memory card so he could have them. Now, while I understand that the files are non-transferable between accounts, but I decided to do it for him anyway. Why not? I pop in my memory card and begin to erase everything on it. It's all going fine until I get to the point where I need to erase my gamer tag from the memory card. No big deal, right? Well, in the words of Lex Luthor in that God awful Superman Returns movie, "WRONG!" A little thing popped up that asked if I wanted to delete just the gamer profile or the save games as well. I said, "Well, I want to make sure the memory card is clean, so let's erase it all." And just like that, in the blink of an eye, all my files were gone.
Now, the thing that upset me was I was erasing off of my MEMORY CARD, not my HARD DRIVE, but in saying that I wanted to delete files off my MEMORY CARD, I ended up erasing all the files on my HARD DRIVE. What?! In what cruel world does this make sense? Did my XBOX suddenly get morphed into a Bizarro XBOX where by erasing one thing, I erase another? Am me talk not good now? And there is no undo button. There is no reset, there is no recover, there is no saving from this. My files are gone and all the work I ever put into any game ever is gone. Vamoosh. Hasta la vista, baby. You've been terminated.
On the one hand, this is not that bad. This gives me a reason to go back and replay some games I haven't played in a while. Motivation and what not. That hand, for the record, is incredibly dumb, and I hate it. On the other hand, the logical hand, this is annoying beyond all belief. Take, for example, my save game in Marvel Ultimate Alliance. I have spent hours playing through that game and getting every little thing. Do you know how hard it is to unlock the Silver Surfer? Getting him is a pain in the ass, but I did it. I had all the best armors, I had all the characters, and everything was at a power level over 9000! Not literally, but if I'm using Dr. Doom, I am unbeatable. And I was 4 achievements away from having every achievement that game allowed. I don't want to do all that work again! I'm going to have to, but I don't want to! What about Mass Effect and Too Human? Those RPGs are designed so that when you beat the game once, you take your awesome character and try the game on a harder level. I had just begun to play through Mass Effect a second time, and I never finished my second play through of Too Human with Nate. And what about all those games that I rented so I could see if I liked them? Time Shift, Mortal Kombat Vs DCU, Mirror's Edge, etc? All of it is gone. I planned to buy these games and pick up doing were I left off. Now I start from scratch.
Boo to you, Microsoft. When I had a chat with my mother later that day about life, the universe, and everything, I casually mentioned that I was annoyed over this. She said that the XBOX is essentially a computer and should have a reset button. But it doesn't. The files are gone, and I wish to God there was some kind of undo button, or some way to back up your files in case of emergency (and I understand that that is what a memory card is for, but for suggesting that you are an ass). Oh, my poor poor files. My poor poor games. I no longer look at these boxes lined up in a row as accomplishments, but rather a series of trials I must once again put myself through. I am strongly considering selling some games now, games that I can not see myself playing through from the beginning again. Assassin's Creed, we had a good run, but do I really want to start over from the beginning right now? Dead Rising, you know I love running through the mall and cutting up zombies with a katana, but can I really take the time to start from nothing and go through all of it again? I could barely get myself through a second play through when I first got my own XBOX, how am I going to do it now?
Oh, woe is me, woe is me. This is something XBOX should look into. Some kind of back up system or save all button that will save poor suckers like me. Either that, or make the system smart enough to know that when I'm erasing my memory card, it doesn't mean to erase the hard drive too.
You see, dear reader, one of my roommates recently got himself an XBOX360. He created himself a new account and asked me to transfer all of his old files to my memory card so he could have them. Now, while I understand that the files are non-transferable between accounts, but I decided to do it for him anyway. Why not? I pop in my memory card and begin to erase everything on it. It's all going fine until I get to the point where I need to erase my gamer tag from the memory card. No big deal, right? Well, in the words of Lex Luthor in that God awful Superman Returns movie, "WRONG!" A little thing popped up that asked if I wanted to delete just the gamer profile or the save games as well. I said, "Well, I want to make sure the memory card is clean, so let's erase it all." And just like that, in the blink of an eye, all my files were gone.
Now, the thing that upset me was I was erasing off of my MEMORY CARD, not my HARD DRIVE, but in saying that I wanted to delete files off my MEMORY CARD, I ended up erasing all the files on my HARD DRIVE. What?! In what cruel world does this make sense? Did my XBOX suddenly get morphed into a Bizarro XBOX where by erasing one thing, I erase another? Am me talk not good now? And there is no undo button. There is no reset, there is no recover, there is no saving from this. My files are gone and all the work I ever put into any game ever is gone. Vamoosh. Hasta la vista, baby. You've been terminated.
On the one hand, this is not that bad. This gives me a reason to go back and replay some games I haven't played in a while. Motivation and what not. That hand, for the record, is incredibly dumb, and I hate it. On the other hand, the logical hand, this is annoying beyond all belief. Take, for example, my save game in Marvel Ultimate Alliance. I have spent hours playing through that game and getting every little thing. Do you know how hard it is to unlock the Silver Surfer? Getting him is a pain in the ass, but I did it. I had all the best armors, I had all the characters, and everything was at a power level over 9000! Not literally, but if I'm using Dr. Doom, I am unbeatable. And I was 4 achievements away from having every achievement that game allowed. I don't want to do all that work again! I'm going to have to, but I don't want to! What about Mass Effect and Too Human? Those RPGs are designed so that when you beat the game once, you take your awesome character and try the game on a harder level. I had just begun to play through Mass Effect a second time, and I never finished my second play through of Too Human with Nate. And what about all those games that I rented so I could see if I liked them? Time Shift, Mortal Kombat Vs DCU, Mirror's Edge, etc? All of it is gone. I planned to buy these games and pick up doing were I left off. Now I start from scratch.
Boo to you, Microsoft. When I had a chat with my mother later that day about life, the universe, and everything, I casually mentioned that I was annoyed over this. She said that the XBOX is essentially a computer and should have a reset button. But it doesn't. The files are gone, and I wish to God there was some kind of undo button, or some way to back up your files in case of emergency (and I understand that that is what a memory card is for, but for suggesting that you are an ass). Oh, my poor poor files. My poor poor games. I no longer look at these boxes lined up in a row as accomplishments, but rather a series of trials I must once again put myself through. I am strongly considering selling some games now, games that I can not see myself playing through from the beginning again. Assassin's Creed, we had a good run, but do I really want to start over from the beginning right now? Dead Rising, you know I love running through the mall and cutting up zombies with a katana, but can I really take the time to start from nothing and go through all of it again? I could barely get myself through a second play through when I first got my own XBOX, how am I going to do it now?
Oh, woe is me, woe is me. This is something XBOX should look into. Some kind of back up system or save all button that will save poor suckers like me. Either that, or make the system smart enough to know that when I'm erasing my memory card, it doesn't mean to erase the hard drive too.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
The Force Unleashed Review
Hardly the most recent game to come out but the one that I have had the chance to complete; a review for is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
After finishing TFU, a few goodies and costumes aside, I was left feeling satisfied (there it is right there, go buy the game). I've completed both the light and the dark side endings and either way the story is the best Star Wars video game story that I have encountered since Knights of the Old Republic. It was satisfying possibly in a way that only a Star Wars fan might understand.
The most thrilling parts were the story driven cut scenes and the overall length of the campaign. The campaign progressed nicely and I was never bored (frustrated possibly but bored, no). The cut scenes were breath taking and I felt like I was watching what should have been another Star Wars movie. The only thing I could have asked for were missions (levels) that looked exactly like these stunningly rendered cut scenes.
Most of these missions were ultimately satisfying all with boss fights at their ends. The only thing bad about the boss fights were that as soon as you figured out how to beat them, they were no longer a challenge. But until you were to figure out these magic formulas to beat these bosses most of the fights were long and obnoxiously difficult. After the long and arduous battle to ‘beat’ the boss the boss fights would end in a series of quick button presses (quick time events) and though most people might not find these as satisfying as some other method, I ultimately enjoyed them a great deal (though I am sure they do not hold up after more than one play through).
The only other real complaint I had with the game was the camera angles that the game sometimes forced one to use (again most often in boss fights). On an often enough occasion I found myself dead because of an obnoxious camera that forced me to stay in an area while someone was stabbing me in the back.
On quite the opposite side of all of these complaints this game does the best ever job of making you feel like a truly (and pardon my language here but it is the only way to describe it) bad ass Jedi. The only part where I felt like less than myself is when I had to face off against bubble shield wielding flamethrower guys (trust me, in retrospect, it is a funny thought). My only hope in those moments was the possibility of a huge rock that I could force throw at the guy with the hope that he would, at the most, fall over long enough for me to get up to him with my lightsaber. Okay really, enough with what annoyed me.
Another fantastic aspect of this game was that the levels were beautifully designed and I loved Starkiller. I have never seen such a beautifully rendered Star Wars game and as a whole it did the best job at making me feel like a Jedi or a Sith.
After seeing both endings there was no real reason for me to continue aside from some extra achievement grabbing and though I could not suggest a way to make this game more repayable (that is why I am not the designer of this game) that is a sad fact because as big of a Star Wars fan that I am I could not merit purchasing this game (yes, I know I said to go buy it earlier). If I want the extra gamerscore that I did not nab on the first rental, I'll just rent it again. This games lasting value is something akin to Assassin's Creed. So as a final note (and in closing) I thought that this was a fantastic addition to the Star Wars canon and despite the games flaws it still shines through as a memorable gaming experience.
7.5
After finishing TFU, a few goodies and costumes aside, I was left feeling satisfied (there it is right there, go buy the game). I've completed both the light and the dark side endings and either way the story is the best Star Wars video game story that I have encountered since Knights of the Old Republic. It was satisfying possibly in a way that only a Star Wars fan might understand.
The most thrilling parts were the story driven cut scenes and the overall length of the campaign. The campaign progressed nicely and I was never bored (frustrated possibly but bored, no). The cut scenes were breath taking and I felt like I was watching what should have been another Star Wars movie. The only thing I could have asked for were missions (levels) that looked exactly like these stunningly rendered cut scenes.
Most of these missions were ultimately satisfying all with boss fights at their ends. The only thing bad about the boss fights were that as soon as you figured out how to beat them, they were no longer a challenge. But until you were to figure out these magic formulas to beat these bosses most of the fights were long and obnoxiously difficult. After the long and arduous battle to ‘beat’ the boss the boss fights would end in a series of quick button presses (quick time events) and though most people might not find these as satisfying as some other method, I ultimately enjoyed them a great deal (though I am sure they do not hold up after more than one play through).
The only other real complaint I had with the game was the camera angles that the game sometimes forced one to use (again most often in boss fights). On an often enough occasion I found myself dead because of an obnoxious camera that forced me to stay in an area while someone was stabbing me in the back.
On quite the opposite side of all of these complaints this game does the best ever job of making you feel like a truly (and pardon my language here but it is the only way to describe it) bad ass Jedi. The only part where I felt like less than myself is when I had to face off against bubble shield wielding flamethrower guys (trust me, in retrospect, it is a funny thought). My only hope in those moments was the possibility of a huge rock that I could force throw at the guy with the hope that he would, at the most, fall over long enough for me to get up to him with my lightsaber. Okay really, enough with what annoyed me.
Another fantastic aspect of this game was that the levels were beautifully designed and I loved Starkiller. I have never seen such a beautifully rendered Star Wars game and as a whole it did the best job at making me feel like a Jedi or a Sith.
After seeing both endings there was no real reason for me to continue aside from some extra achievement grabbing and though I could not suggest a way to make this game more repayable (that is why I am not the designer of this game) that is a sad fact because as big of a Star Wars fan that I am I could not merit purchasing this game (yes, I know I said to go buy it earlier). If I want the extra gamerscore that I did not nab on the first rental, I'll just rent it again. This games lasting value is something akin to Assassin's Creed. So as a final note (and in closing) I thought that this was a fantastic addition to the Star Wars canon and despite the games flaws it still shines through as a memorable gaming experience.
7.5
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
360 Experience = Better Than Everyone Else?
At the time of this posting I only own one of the three major consoles and though I would have liked to pick up the PS3 or the Wii at some point finances have gotten in the way. At some point I am sure I will have the PS3 - probably to play Heavy Rain - but I honestly wonder if I should even bother (I did manage to hold out through all of the LittleBigPlanet hype). The only good thing that I hear about these systems are the rare good games that come out and only if they are working to begin with (again LittleBigPlanet).
This generality that has me avoiding buying a new console is all of the complaints that I hear about PS3 and Wii's interfaces. For example, I did not know, until today, that the patches for PS3 games take a long enough time that you can go make a sandwich but something I did know is that they release a system update for the console every couple of months or so. These updates to the console are not quick and they are, of course, required to play online. To myself it just sounds like a lot of annoyances that could probably be streamlined. For the games they could put more fixes in a less frequent patching process and for the system updates they could do the same thing.
Perhaps Sony could take a page out of Microsoft's book and hype up their new features but thinking about it now they did that for the in game XMB and well... is anyone still talking about how great of a feature that is to have. Instead everyone is always complaining about the next problem (whatever it may be). This could be a testament to how many issues that the PS3 is not addressing correctly or it could be the Internet complaining about everything all of the time, as they like to do from time to time.
Seeing as the Wii has far more wrong with it than just its interface (though it is hard to update the interface if you do not have enough free space) alone it becomes hard to complain about any one thing. For example, the Wii Speak peripheral could seemingly allow you to chat with friends while playing any game but as far as I am aware one can only use it in the Wii Speak channel or in Animal Crossing. While I am not surprised, you could see how this would make sense to have in games that encourage folks to play together. For myself, at this point, I would like to just borrow someones Wii for a month or so and just playall the few games that I would like to play.
In the end, I like the community that comes along with my Xbox and I know it is not going anywhere so I have nothing to worry about if I ever do pick up one of these other consoles.
This generality that has me avoiding buying a new console is all of the complaints that I hear about PS3 and Wii's interfaces. For example, I did not know, until today, that the patches for PS3 games take a long enough time that you can go make a sandwich but something I did know is that they release a system update for the console every couple of months or so. These updates to the console are not quick and they are, of course, required to play online. To myself it just sounds like a lot of annoyances that could probably be streamlined. For the games they could put more fixes in a less frequent patching process and for the system updates they could do the same thing.
Perhaps Sony could take a page out of Microsoft's book and hype up their new features but thinking about it now they did that for the in game XMB and well... is anyone still talking about how great of a feature that is to have. Instead everyone is always complaining about the next problem (whatever it may be). This could be a testament to how many issues that the PS3 is not addressing correctly or it could be the Internet complaining about everything all of the time, as they like to do from time to time.
Seeing as the Wii has far more wrong with it than just its interface (though it is hard to update the interface if you do not have enough free space) alone it becomes hard to complain about any one thing. For example, the Wii Speak peripheral could seemingly allow you to chat with friends while playing any game but as far as I am aware one can only use it in the Wii Speak channel or in Animal Crossing. While I am not surprised, you could see how this would make sense to have in games that encourage folks to play together. For myself, at this point, I would like to just borrow someones Wii for a month or so and just play
In the end, I like the community that comes along with my Xbox and I know it is not going anywhere so I have nothing to worry about if I ever do pick up one of these other consoles.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Game Review: Fallout 3
I have had a very busy day in which I spent most of my time in a car traveling from place to place. The purpose of all of this was to collect various items from various places in order to complete various quests. On one hand, my father needed me to get a 12 pack of beer, so I had to travel to the liquor store to buy it. On another hand, I had to go to the comic book store because Wednesday is new comic book day. On yet another hand, I had to go to a store to buy a gift for someone. And on yet ANOTHER hand, I had to hunt down some medicine for my mother. Eventually, all of these items will connect in my home to create a vast amount of rewards. This is real life.
And then there is Fallout 3.
I will start out by saying that there is no way that before playing this game, I wasn't biased. For starters, Bethesda is a great gaming company. For seconds, I am in love with almost anything post-apocalypse related. It intrigues me in so many different levels. I will see any movie and read any story if I am told it is based in a post-apocalyptic environment. That's literally all it takes. Add to the equation the fact that I loved Fallout 2 when I was younger (even if I could never beat it) and you have created a sure-fire win in my book.
The plot of Fallout 3 is simple: you live in one of the many vaults created by Vault-Tec as a result of a nuclear war. You're happy enough with your life down there until one day, your father (voiced by Liam Neeson) leaves the vault for an unknown reason. You follow him out into the Capitol Wasteland and are faced with limitless possibility. If you want to play the story, you can follow after your father, but you don't have to. You can merely travel around the world, picking up quests and odd jobs. People will ask for all sorts of things, such as spare parts or help saving their town from Super Mutants. The choice is yours, and what a wonderful set of choices it is.
This, in my humble opinion, is where Fallout 3 shines beyond shining. The world they have created is so beautiful and wondrous (in a morbid way). The second I stepped out of the Vault I was floored about how everything looked. There are mutated animals roaming around, people hunting you or just attacking you for the fun of it, wandering robots that were never turned off, and little floating bots broadcasting the glorious word of the Enclave and President Eden (amazingly voiced by Malcolm Macdowell). I remember the first thing that I did was go into a broken down school and fight off some Raiders with my sub-par equipment. I am still a little confused as to how I got out of there alive, but I was stunned. They took the game experience to a whole new level for me. I know some people call this game Oblivion 2.0, and I suppose that is partially true, but I think that Fallout 3 runs much better than Oblivion did. It's smooth and a little less chaotic, and it still manages to keep the basics of character creation from Fallout 2 which made that game such an individual experience to play.
One might think that an open ended game experience like that might be a little daunting, and that is very true. There are many locations in the game that one can visit, all with their own little stories which may or may not have anything to do with the main story of the game. There are numerous vaults, only three of which you ever actually need to enter. Quests are not a given and, outside of the story, not only do you have to find them by searching the Wasteland, you aren't guaranteed to win them. If you fail, that's it (unless you reload). Not only that, but even if you complete a mission the right way, it can still go wrong! I'll give you an example (possible spoiler ahead, but not really): there is a quest known as the Nuka-Cola Challenge. In this quest, you have to go get 30 bottles of Nuka-Cola for some broad out in the Wasteland with a fetish for the company. Living next door to her is some guy who wants to nail her, and he thinks that if you give him the Nuka-Cola, he'll finally be able to do so. I decided to give all my bottles to him (because I talked his price up with my speech), and once he had 30, he told me to come watch him put the moves on her. At this point, I completed the quest. Hoorah. I go outside of his house only to find that, in between his two second walk to the girl's house, he had encountered a giant scorpion, and I watched it kill him. (end spoiler) It's little things like that that make me happy. Granted, all quests have many ways to be solved, and I took some unorthodox methods in completely some of them, but that is by far and large my favorite outcome of any quest ever, and I think it says exactly what type of game Fallout 3 is.
So now you know what I love about it: everything. I truly adore the way the game runs, and I truly adore the experience I got out of it. I spent 53 and a half hours playing it and doing every little thing before I beat it, and the only reason I could afford to spend that much time on a game is because I do not have a job. After getting the game, I thought to myself how truly thankful I am that I am currently unemployed because it afforded me the time to really dive into this. Fallout 3 truly deserves the love and devotion you might put into a serious relationship, and if you are just getting into a serious relationship then stay away from Fallout 3. And I know exactly what people have as far as problems go in the game. Some people think it's too much of a leap from the style of game play in Fallout 2 that it's just not as fun. To this I wave my hand and say, "Pish posh. If anything, it is more fun!" I went back and replayed Fallout 2 in anticipation for the release of Fallout 3, and I found that while the basic elements of the game stood the test of time, the overall experience did not. I'm not penalizing it for graphics, but you have a 3D world that's 2D, and some things in the game are incredibly unclear. There were definite parts when I just was not sure what to do and had to ask the internet and my roommate (who had the game and had started before and was also consulting the internet for advice) on what to do. I legitimately think that Bethesda took the game and just made it all around better. Some people are also complaining about graphical glitches and freezes, but I only ever experienced one graphical glitch and I chalk that up to the fact that I play this game for 8 hour sits at a time. The XBOX is going to get hot and maybe get a little wonky after that.
So all in all, I think that if you don't play Fallout 3, and you are a fan of legit video gaming, then you are truly missing out. There is so much more I could say about this game, but if I did that then I'd probably be here 53 and a half hours explaining everything. This game comes with the highest stamp of approval I could ever give, and it has taken the spot for "All Time Favorite Game." I am going to be starting my second play through soon, and I'm going to be playing it in an all new way with a character who is truly the polar opposite of my last game, so I'm excited. But seriously - Fallout 3 is the only game you need this holiday season. There are other fun games out there, and I will review some, but all you really need is this.
The next review will probably be Mirror's Edge, so keep an eye out for that.
And then there is Fallout 3.
I will start out by saying that there is no way that before playing this game, I wasn't biased. For starters, Bethesda is a great gaming company. For seconds, I am in love with almost anything post-apocalypse related. It intrigues me in so many different levels. I will see any movie and read any story if I am told it is based in a post-apocalyptic environment. That's literally all it takes. Add to the equation the fact that I loved Fallout 2 when I was younger (even if I could never beat it) and you have created a sure-fire win in my book.
The plot of Fallout 3 is simple: you live in one of the many vaults created by Vault-Tec as a result of a nuclear war. You're happy enough with your life down there until one day, your father (voiced by Liam Neeson) leaves the vault for an unknown reason. You follow him out into the Capitol Wasteland and are faced with limitless possibility. If you want to play the story, you can follow after your father, but you don't have to. You can merely travel around the world, picking up quests and odd jobs. People will ask for all sorts of things, such as spare parts or help saving their town from Super Mutants. The choice is yours, and what a wonderful set of choices it is.
This, in my humble opinion, is where Fallout 3 shines beyond shining. The world they have created is so beautiful and wondrous (in a morbid way). The second I stepped out of the Vault I was floored about how everything looked. There are mutated animals roaming around, people hunting you or just attacking you for the fun of it, wandering robots that were never turned off, and little floating bots broadcasting the glorious word of the Enclave and President Eden (amazingly voiced by Malcolm Macdowell). I remember the first thing that I did was go into a broken down school and fight off some Raiders with my sub-par equipment. I am still a little confused as to how I got out of there alive, but I was stunned. They took the game experience to a whole new level for me. I know some people call this game Oblivion 2.0, and I suppose that is partially true, but I think that Fallout 3 runs much better than Oblivion did. It's smooth and a little less chaotic, and it still manages to keep the basics of character creation from Fallout 2 which made that game such an individual experience to play.
One might think that an open ended game experience like that might be a little daunting, and that is very true. There are many locations in the game that one can visit, all with their own little stories which may or may not have anything to do with the main story of the game. There are numerous vaults, only three of which you ever actually need to enter. Quests are not a given and, outside of the story, not only do you have to find them by searching the Wasteland, you aren't guaranteed to win them. If you fail, that's it (unless you reload). Not only that, but even if you complete a mission the right way, it can still go wrong! I'll give you an example (possible spoiler ahead, but not really): there is a quest known as the Nuka-Cola Challenge. In this quest, you have to go get 30 bottles of Nuka-Cola for some broad out in the Wasteland with a fetish for the company. Living next door to her is some guy who wants to nail her, and he thinks that if you give him the Nuka-Cola, he'll finally be able to do so. I decided to give all my bottles to him (because I talked his price up with my speech), and once he had 30, he told me to come watch him put the moves on her. At this point, I completed the quest. Hoorah. I go outside of his house only to find that, in between his two second walk to the girl's house, he had encountered a giant scorpion, and I watched it kill him. (end spoiler) It's little things like that that make me happy. Granted, all quests have many ways to be solved, and I took some unorthodox methods in completely some of them, but that is by far and large my favorite outcome of any quest ever, and I think it says exactly what type of game Fallout 3 is.
So now you know what I love about it: everything. I truly adore the way the game runs, and I truly adore the experience I got out of it. I spent 53 and a half hours playing it and doing every little thing before I beat it, and the only reason I could afford to spend that much time on a game is because I do not have a job. After getting the game, I thought to myself how truly thankful I am that I am currently unemployed because it afforded me the time to really dive into this. Fallout 3 truly deserves the love and devotion you might put into a serious relationship, and if you are just getting into a serious relationship then stay away from Fallout 3. And I know exactly what people have as far as problems go in the game. Some people think it's too much of a leap from the style of game play in Fallout 2 that it's just not as fun. To this I wave my hand and say, "Pish posh. If anything, it is more fun!" I went back and replayed Fallout 2 in anticipation for the release of Fallout 3, and I found that while the basic elements of the game stood the test of time, the overall experience did not. I'm not penalizing it for graphics, but you have a 3D world that's 2D, and some things in the game are incredibly unclear. There were definite parts when I just was not sure what to do and had to ask the internet and my roommate (who had the game and had started before and was also consulting the internet for advice) on what to do. I legitimately think that Bethesda took the game and just made it all around better. Some people are also complaining about graphical glitches and freezes, but I only ever experienced one graphical glitch and I chalk that up to the fact that I play this game for 8 hour sits at a time. The XBOX is going to get hot and maybe get a little wonky after that.
So all in all, I think that if you don't play Fallout 3, and you are a fan of legit video gaming, then you are truly missing out. There is so much more I could say about this game, but if I did that then I'd probably be here 53 and a half hours explaining everything. This game comes with the highest stamp of approval I could ever give, and it has taken the spot for "All Time Favorite Game." I am going to be starting my second play through soon, and I'm going to be playing it in an all new way with a character who is truly the polar opposite of my last game, so I'm excited. But seriously - Fallout 3 is the only game you need this holiday season. There are other fun games out there, and I will review some, but all you really need is this.
The next review will probably be Mirror's Edge, so keep an eye out for that.
Will NXE Cause More Red Rings?
I know that I have made the NXE the subject of the past few entries and at this point it seems that it is without end (my box is still in transit to Texas). Trust me the NXE will probably stop being the topic of conversation once I get my hands back on my box (I'll have had proper fiddling time). And since I find it the topic of my thoughts whenever I am thinking about my Xbox, subjects like the one titled above are often what I come up with.
I know that a question such as, "Will the NXE cause more red rings," is a loaded question (seeing as, insert event here, always causes the red ring for an unlucky bunch of people) but allow me to explain. The real question here is will the NXE improve upon the average user play time with the console? With features such as Netflix and Parties, will we be spending more time overall on the user experience that the NXE is here to provide -Microsoft certainly hopes so. Plus, with this amazing library of games to play (looking at you Fallout), you can only count on more time gaming this holiday than not.
But seeing as games are somewhat of a no brainer (that's you Left 4 Dead) let's concentrate on Netflix.
My co-author of this blog is obsessed with the Netflix feature. He has already watched 10 movies (using this feature) and counting as I write this entry. He is arguably equally obsessed with gaming as I am (his gamescore is what it is in a much shorter period of time than it took myself to achieve mine) and this feature alone has him spending hours more time on his box than he already does. This fact alone leads me to believe that user spent time will be increased, at least, by a person remotely interested in movies.
For those out there that are not avid movie fanatics do not pick up Scene It? Box Office Smash. But seriously, for those who are more into the playing together aspect of the Xbox Experience, parties were built for you. Hop into a party and have voice chat with your best [gaming] friends without being in any of the same games. Use it as a conference call tool while you are not even using your Xbox. Drag your party to the game you are playing. Whatever the instance you need group chat for, you can probably accomplish it. I believe that this feature will cause longer conversations, longer multiplayer sessions, and yes more overall time with the 360 console.
So yes the NXE will probably cause more red rings but of course we will never see any numbers to prove this (or at least anything remotely conclusive). The reason I say this is because it is only a matter of time before your next red ring. We as Xbox owners know that the 360 is a blessing (great games in great numbers) and a curse (well that goes without saying). When my Xbox returns from this long long journey it will only be a matter of time before it happens again. What game, what event? Only time will tell.
I know that a question such as, "Will the NXE cause more red rings," is a loaded question (seeing as, insert event here, always causes the red ring for an unlucky bunch of people) but allow me to explain. The real question here is will the NXE improve upon the average user play time with the console? With features such as Netflix and Parties, will we be spending more time overall on the user experience that the NXE is here to provide -Microsoft certainly hopes so. Plus, with this amazing library of games to play (looking at you Fallout), you can only count on more time gaming this holiday than not.
But seeing as games are somewhat of a no brainer (that's you Left 4 Dead) let's concentrate on Netflix.
My co-author of this blog is obsessed with the Netflix feature. He has already watched 10 movies (using this feature) and counting as I write this entry. He is arguably equally obsessed with gaming as I am (his gamescore is what it is in a much shorter period of time than it took myself to achieve mine) and this feature alone has him spending hours more time on his box than he already does. This fact alone leads me to believe that user spent time will be increased, at least, by a person remotely interested in movies.
For those out there that are not avid movie fanatics do not pick up Scene It? Box Office Smash. But seriously, for those who are more into the playing together aspect of the Xbox Experience, parties were built for you. Hop into a party and have voice chat with your best [gaming] friends without being in any of the same games. Use it as a conference call tool while you are not even using your Xbox. Drag your party to the game you are playing. Whatever the instance you need group chat for, you can probably accomplish it. I believe that this feature will cause longer conversations, longer multiplayer sessions, and yes more overall time with the 360 console.
So yes the NXE will probably cause more red rings but of course we will never see any numbers to prove this (or at least anything remotely conclusive). The reason I say this is because it is only a matter of time before your next red ring. We as Xbox owners know that the 360 is a blessing (great games in great numbers) and a curse (well that goes without saying). When my Xbox returns from this long long journey it will only be a matter of time before it happens again. What game, what event? Only time will tell.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Game Review: Penny Arcade Episode 2
I have a mild form of ADD, in that I don't actually have ADD but I will occasionally let my mind slip focus anyway. I know that I said the first thing I'd really write was an epic review of Fallout 3, but then I went ahead and beat Penny Arcade Episode 2 and decided that, since it was fresh in mind I should sit down and write my thoughts on that. So fresh are my thoughts on it that it is like plucking a ripe apple from the most fruitful tree, meaning that I just beat it and the credits are currently playing as I type this review.
However, I did read this morning that there will be Fallout 3 DLC, and that is incredibly exciting. 3 new quests, and only one taking place in the same continuity as the game. This is especially cool because, while I love the demolished DC ruins, I was thinking about how exciting it would be to see other cities in the new world Bethesda created for Fallout, and the other two will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Anchorage, Alaska respectively. While there is no word on how much it will cost, you can rest assured that I will pay no matter the price and, unlike with the DLC in Mass Effect, I promise that I will actually beat it!
So. On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness Episode 2. How did thee fare in the harsh reviewing system that is my nefarious and devious mind? I tend to charge games rather harshly, personally. While everyone was praising Gears of War and Far Cry, I was merely sitting on the sidelines and saying, "What's the big deal?" Grand Theft Auto IV remains unfinished because I quickly got tired of the game play style. I haven't even given Call Of Duty 4 a shot. However, a game like PAE2 earns my love and devotion while it seems to go unnoticed by most. I remember when the first installment came out and everyone seemed to love it. Unfortunately for the guys over at PA, they released their game at the worst possible time (against weeks filled with hot anticipated titles) and I fear that now this game has gone unnoticed. But not by I!
I played the original twice, once as a starkly mustachioed gentleman named Finnegan, and a second time to get all the achievements as an overweight and funny haired African American gentleman aptly named SirSwish. PAE2 allows you to import your previous character into the new game and it is with SirSwish that I decided to continue the tale. I feel this is the correct move because, as marvelous as Finnegan was, without a special attack called "Finnegan's Wake" I felt he was a wasted joke. SirSwish also had the max level and max Overkill bonuses allowed for in the previous game, so it was probably smart to start with him. PAE2 picks up almost exactly where the first left off, with SirSwish rebuilding his previously destroyed home. A cut scene shows what Gabe and Tycho have been up to, and they soon come for SirSwish, ruining his new home and recruiting him to once again help them solve a series of mysteries in order to stop a dark evil. Simple premise, complicated results. There is by far much more plot in this game, as well as resolution to most of the things brought up in PAE1. The two hands go in hand very well.
I'd like to start by talking about what I did not like. The first complaint I have is, "Wasn't this game supposed to be longer?" I beat the first game in a single sitting while my friend looked on. This game I took my time with, and I still beat it in less than 24 hours. This is upsetting to me. Granted, I will be playing it a second time (since, by beating it, I have unlocked Insane Mode, and playing through it normally makes it clear that the curious mind is going to have to play Insane Mode), but that doesn't excuse the amount of time it took me to beat it. I will take into the account that at the moment, I do not have a job, so I have all the time in the world to play the game, but that is also not an excuse for the game to be so short. The only excuse I will buy is that it is an XBOX Live Arcade game, but even then I would have liked a longer playing experience.
The next complaint I have is, "Why couldn't they fix the screen for those of us who don't have HDTVs?" This is a complaint I have for a lot of XBOX games (Dead Rising, anyone?), but I would really love to be able to read and see everything easily. There is a mild solution to this issue in the game with "Zoom Screen" option, in which I can pull the game's comic book panel towards me. This is not a proper fix it, though, because now portions of the game are cut off. Us poor and jobless folk would appreciate a more legitimate solution to this, please.
My third complaint is, "Why didn't they change the game play at all from the first game?" The only thing really different from the first game was the final boss (which I would also call fairly lack luster compared to the epic battle against Mimethulu at the end of the first game), but other than it's the same basic formula. You have basic attacks, special attacks, and items. The special attacks are new but not all that much better. The weapons are a little different, but still meh on the customization process. The items are new as well, but giving me a new type of grenade/bomb does not tide me over from wanting something more. With all of Tycho's talk about the dark arts, why can't we have some magic? I love shooting things and punching things, but can we have more than one weapon with the option for an upgrade for a character? One of the best things about RPGs is the ability to customize your player to suit your needs. We have the option of 3 new costumes in this game that give different perks, but that just doesn't cut it. I want Tycho to throw a fire ball at someone, and I want Gabe to have the option of using brass knuckles or perhaps the Right Hand of Doom (maybe even a cardboard tube?).
My final complaint is, "Why are the achievements so boring?" It really is not difficult to get 200 gamerscore on this game. Only one achievement actually takes time to get (which, of course, I did not get). The rest you can get by just playing the story or by looking at the achievement list. I liked how the first game had that horrific achievement "Silent, But Deadly" achievement, where you had to figure out an appropriate plan to beat the boss so you didn't use healing items. That mixed with "Immortal" (where you couldn't die) made for an interesting gaming experience. There is nothing like that in PAE2. I don't feel like I achieved much, even though I unlocked everything in the game possible. This is my smallest gripe with the game, of course, but still... come on, guys.
Now onto the things I like. I love the story: I mentioned this earlier, but it flows so well from the first game. There are also plenty of subplots to keep me intrigued and happy. There are 10 possible quests in the game, and having done them all, I can say that each one provides a great deal of pleasure to complete. This game thrives on it's ability to be story driven and it easily accomplishes that. I love the animation and graphics of the game: It's not too complicated and it's not to simple. It literally is perfect for the game. I love the character designs: I kind of want to shave my beard into mutton chops now because of Gabe, and that's not something I've wanted to do since I watched the X-Men movie and saw how awesome Hugh Jackman looked. I love the writing in the game: There are so many moments in the game where I burst out laughing. The Insane Asylum was definitely the highlight in exploring and reading every little thing (one crazy inmate believed himself to be the Prince of a town called Bel-Air) as well as finding little jokes that referenced lesser known subjects (did you know Eggplant Lincoln reached power level 10,000?). The dialogue between characters is hilarious, and this is where Tycho truly shines. He is a master wordsmith, I will give him that. He should get a writer's achievement or something to that extent.
So would I recommend PAE2? You're most definitely right I would. This is not the best game of the year nor is it a contender for that game, but if you played and liked the first one, then this is a worthy follow up. Even if you didn't play the first one, I'd say it's worth a play through (but why would you do that to yourself?). As I said earlier, I look forward to playing it a second time. Insane Mode looks promising, although it will be for another day. This is definitely not a game to forget about, though. The Penny Arcade series, when put all together, will make for quite a game. While I hope to see some more improvements in the next installment and more customization options, I understand I probably will not get it as that is not really the point of the game. I view my gripes as very minimal, although they appear to take up the bulk of the review. However, I really would stress that these do not deter from the game experience. Lame achievements? Big whoop. It is important to note a game's flaws in order to better appreciate what it excels at however, unless the game is perfect, which few games are.
On that note, it is time for me to kick back and watch another film on Netflix Instant Watch. Thank God for that.
However, I did read this morning that there will be Fallout 3 DLC, and that is incredibly exciting. 3 new quests, and only one taking place in the same continuity as the game. This is especially cool because, while I love the demolished DC ruins, I was thinking about how exciting it would be to see other cities in the new world Bethesda created for Fallout, and the other two will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Anchorage, Alaska respectively. While there is no word on how much it will cost, you can rest assured that I will pay no matter the price and, unlike with the DLC in Mass Effect, I promise that I will actually beat it!
So. On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness Episode 2. How did thee fare in the harsh reviewing system that is my nefarious and devious mind? I tend to charge games rather harshly, personally. While everyone was praising Gears of War and Far Cry, I was merely sitting on the sidelines and saying, "What's the big deal?" Grand Theft Auto IV remains unfinished because I quickly got tired of the game play style. I haven't even given Call Of Duty 4 a shot. However, a game like PAE2 earns my love and devotion while it seems to go unnoticed by most. I remember when the first installment came out and everyone seemed to love it. Unfortunately for the guys over at PA, they released their game at the worst possible time (against weeks filled with hot anticipated titles) and I fear that now this game has gone unnoticed. But not by I!
I played the original twice, once as a starkly mustachioed gentleman named Finnegan, and a second time to get all the achievements as an overweight and funny haired African American gentleman aptly named SirSwish. PAE2 allows you to import your previous character into the new game and it is with SirSwish that I decided to continue the tale. I feel this is the correct move because, as marvelous as Finnegan was, without a special attack called "Finnegan's Wake" I felt he was a wasted joke. SirSwish also had the max level and max Overkill bonuses allowed for in the previous game, so it was probably smart to start with him. PAE2 picks up almost exactly where the first left off, with SirSwish rebuilding his previously destroyed home. A cut scene shows what Gabe and Tycho have been up to, and they soon come for SirSwish, ruining his new home and recruiting him to once again help them solve a series of mysteries in order to stop a dark evil. Simple premise, complicated results. There is by far much more plot in this game, as well as resolution to most of the things brought up in PAE1. The two hands go in hand very well.
I'd like to start by talking about what I did not like. The first complaint I have is, "Wasn't this game supposed to be longer?" I beat the first game in a single sitting while my friend looked on. This game I took my time with, and I still beat it in less than 24 hours. This is upsetting to me. Granted, I will be playing it a second time (since, by beating it, I have unlocked Insane Mode, and playing through it normally makes it clear that the curious mind is going to have to play Insane Mode), but that doesn't excuse the amount of time it took me to beat it. I will take into the account that at the moment, I do not have a job, so I have all the time in the world to play the game, but that is also not an excuse for the game to be so short. The only excuse I will buy is that it is an XBOX Live Arcade game, but even then I would have liked a longer playing experience.
The next complaint I have is, "Why couldn't they fix the screen for those of us who don't have HDTVs?" This is a complaint I have for a lot of XBOX games (Dead Rising, anyone?), but I would really love to be able to read and see everything easily. There is a mild solution to this issue in the game with "Zoom Screen" option, in which I can pull the game's comic book panel towards me. This is not a proper fix it, though, because now portions of the game are cut off. Us poor and jobless folk would appreciate a more legitimate solution to this, please.
My third complaint is, "Why didn't they change the game play at all from the first game?" The only thing really different from the first game was the final boss (which I would also call fairly lack luster compared to the epic battle against Mimethulu at the end of the first game), but other than it's the same basic formula. You have basic attacks, special attacks, and items. The special attacks are new but not all that much better. The weapons are a little different, but still meh on the customization process. The items are new as well, but giving me a new type of grenade/bomb does not tide me over from wanting something more. With all of Tycho's talk about the dark arts, why can't we have some magic? I love shooting things and punching things, but can we have more than one weapon with the option for an upgrade for a character? One of the best things about RPGs is the ability to customize your player to suit your needs. We have the option of 3 new costumes in this game that give different perks, but that just doesn't cut it. I want Tycho to throw a fire ball at someone, and I want Gabe to have the option of using brass knuckles or perhaps the Right Hand of Doom (maybe even a cardboard tube?).
My final complaint is, "Why are the achievements so boring?" It really is not difficult to get 200 gamerscore on this game. Only one achievement actually takes time to get (which, of course, I did not get). The rest you can get by just playing the story or by looking at the achievement list. I liked how the first game had that horrific achievement "Silent, But Deadly" achievement, where you had to figure out an appropriate plan to beat the boss so you didn't use healing items. That mixed with "Immortal" (where you couldn't die) made for an interesting gaming experience. There is nothing like that in PAE2. I don't feel like I achieved much, even though I unlocked everything in the game possible. This is my smallest gripe with the game, of course, but still... come on, guys.
Now onto the things I like. I love the story: I mentioned this earlier, but it flows so well from the first game. There are also plenty of subplots to keep me intrigued and happy. There are 10 possible quests in the game, and having done them all, I can say that each one provides a great deal of pleasure to complete. This game thrives on it's ability to be story driven and it easily accomplishes that. I love the animation and graphics of the game: It's not too complicated and it's not to simple. It literally is perfect for the game. I love the character designs: I kind of want to shave my beard into mutton chops now because of Gabe, and that's not something I've wanted to do since I watched the X-Men movie and saw how awesome Hugh Jackman looked. I love the writing in the game: There are so many moments in the game where I burst out laughing. The Insane Asylum was definitely the highlight in exploring and reading every little thing (one crazy inmate believed himself to be the Prince of a town called Bel-Air) as well as finding little jokes that referenced lesser known subjects (did you know Eggplant Lincoln reached power level 10,000?). The dialogue between characters is hilarious, and this is where Tycho truly shines. He is a master wordsmith, I will give him that. He should get a writer's achievement or something to that extent.
So would I recommend PAE2? You're most definitely right I would. This is not the best game of the year nor is it a contender for that game, but if you played and liked the first one, then this is a worthy follow up. Even if you didn't play the first one, I'd say it's worth a play through (but why would you do that to yourself?). As I said earlier, I look forward to playing it a second time. Insane Mode looks promising, although it will be for another day. This is definitely not a game to forget about, though. The Penny Arcade series, when put all together, will make for quite a game. While I hope to see some more improvements in the next installment and more customization options, I understand I probably will not get it as that is not really the point of the game. I view my gripes as very minimal, although they appear to take up the bulk of the review. However, I really would stress that these do not deter from the game experience. Lame achievements? Big whoop. It is important to note a game's flaws in order to better appreciate what it excels at however, unless the game is perfect, which few games are.
On that note, it is time for me to kick back and watch another film on Netflix Instant Watch. Thank God for that.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Hello, faithful readers
Those who faithfully follow the writings contained in this digital tome will notice that, under contributors, two monikers appear. Up until now, you have the faithful writings of Nathanial. He has recently asked that I start contributing to his creation, and contribute I shall. However, I felt that before writing something of cohesive value, a brief paragraph introducing myself was in order. So greetings and salutations. My name is Matthew, and I will also be writing for you.
The popular topic of the moment is the NXE. I, for one, am not sure how I feel about this change so far. This is perhaps because like others, I do not believe I've taken full advantage of the abilities that it provides. Why, just today, I finally buckled down and purchased a Premium Theme (the Halo Wars theme, as I eagerly anticipate the arrival of this RTS experience). However, I have not deleted all of my 0 Achievement Score games, I have not participated in a party, and I have not installed any of my games to my hard drive. At most, I have created an avatar and allowed him to belch and spin his head around for a bit and, of course, taken full advantage of the Netflix addition. All this goes to show that I am not using this to the full potential even remotely.
However, I think that the NXE is a great thing. I love my avatar and I love looking at my friend's avatars. I currently have two costumes for him, one that looks like me and one that, according to Nate, looks nothing like anything I would ever wear (perhaps it was the monocle). I am really excited to put my avatar into games, and even gave it a shot in Kingdom For Keflings (which I did not care for). It's weird, but for some reason I just like looking at the menus now too. I'll scroll through all the menus looking at nothing in particular. It is possible that in this case I am merely like a cat being fascinated at the shiny prize in front of my eyes, but the NXE is incredibly visually appealing. There will always be lazy people like me who accept the changes put forth and just smile and nod at the little things, but it is important to note that Microsoft has even managed to capture my attention. I could have lived without the update, sure, but now that it's here, I definitely turn my XBOX on more often.
The other big thing for me is Netflix. Since getting Netflix on my XBOX, I have watched 10 movies and the entire fourth season of The Office. I have complaints about the quality of the video, but honestly, I feel that if you can push past the first five minutes of a film, your eyes will begin to adjust appropriately and it will no longer be an issue. The only movie I had difficulty watching was Paris, Je T'aime because the subtitles were a bit hard to read. At times it was because the subtitles were in white and against a bright background, but at other times it was simply because of the quality of the video. I wish this was something that would be corrected because I missed full lines of dialogue, but I doubt this will be fixed, and I am now apprehensive to watch foreign films because of this. However, I do have a normal Netflix account, so I could always just get a DVD if it bothered me that much. If I can offer some recommendations, however, I would say that it would be in everyone's best interest to take a look at the films Confessions Of A Superhero, Gone Baby Gone, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, and Being There. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to watch these movies and many more, so kudos to Microsoft and Netflix on a great idea for a partnership.
The only major complaint I have as of the moment is that, for whatever reason, I can no longer play Fable II easily. It constantly freezes and crashes. I am not sure if this is due to the NXE or not (as I can not see how the issue could correlate), but it is slightly aggravating as I have not yet beaten the game and would like to see one of the endings.
That just about wraps up my limited thoughts on the NXE. I feel that when I write, I will mostly contribute reviews of games. With that thought in mind, Penny Arcade Episode 2 calls to me to play it. I will, however, return at a later date to write my thoughts on Fallout 3, which I spent a total of 53 and a half hours playing and absolutely adoring. If I could date a video game, that game would be Fallout 3, and I will explain why soon.
The popular topic of the moment is the NXE. I, for one, am not sure how I feel about this change so far. This is perhaps because like others, I do not believe I've taken full advantage of the abilities that it provides. Why, just today, I finally buckled down and purchased a Premium Theme (the Halo Wars theme, as I eagerly anticipate the arrival of this RTS experience). However, I have not deleted all of my 0 Achievement Score games, I have not participated in a party, and I have not installed any of my games to my hard drive. At most, I have created an avatar and allowed him to belch and spin his head around for a bit and, of course, taken full advantage of the Netflix addition. All this goes to show that I am not using this to the full potential even remotely.
However, I think that the NXE is a great thing. I love my avatar and I love looking at my friend's avatars. I currently have two costumes for him, one that looks like me and one that, according to Nate, looks nothing like anything I would ever wear (perhaps it was the monocle). I am really excited to put my avatar into games, and even gave it a shot in Kingdom For Keflings (which I did not care for). It's weird, but for some reason I just like looking at the menus now too. I'll scroll through all the menus looking at nothing in particular. It is possible that in this case I am merely like a cat being fascinated at the shiny prize in front of my eyes, but the NXE is incredibly visually appealing. There will always be lazy people like me who accept the changes put forth and just smile and nod at the little things, but it is important to note that Microsoft has even managed to capture my attention. I could have lived without the update, sure, but now that it's here, I definitely turn my XBOX on more often.
The other big thing for me is Netflix. Since getting Netflix on my XBOX, I have watched 10 movies and the entire fourth season of The Office. I have complaints about the quality of the video, but honestly, I feel that if you can push past the first five minutes of a film, your eyes will begin to adjust appropriately and it will no longer be an issue. The only movie I had difficulty watching was Paris, Je T'aime because the subtitles were a bit hard to read. At times it was because the subtitles were in white and against a bright background, but at other times it was simply because of the quality of the video. I wish this was something that would be corrected because I missed full lines of dialogue, but I doubt this will be fixed, and I am now apprehensive to watch foreign films because of this. However, I do have a normal Netflix account, so I could always just get a DVD if it bothered me that much. If I can offer some recommendations, however, I would say that it would be in everyone's best interest to take a look at the films Confessions Of A Superhero, Gone Baby Gone, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, and Being There. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to watch these movies and many more, so kudos to Microsoft and Netflix on a great idea for a partnership.
The only major complaint I have as of the moment is that, for whatever reason, I can no longer play Fable II easily. It constantly freezes and crashes. I am not sure if this is due to the NXE or not (as I can not see how the issue could correlate), but it is slightly aggravating as I have not yet beaten the game and would like to see one of the endings.
That just about wraps up my limited thoughts on the NXE. I feel that when I write, I will mostly contribute reviews of games. With that thought in mind, Penny Arcade Episode 2 calls to me to play it. I will, however, return at a later date to write my thoughts on Fallout 3, which I spent a total of 53 and a half hours playing and absolutely adoring. If I could date a video game, that game would be Fallout 3, and I will explain why soon.
I Hope And Pray for the Xbox Brand
Every day I have my silent wishes for the Xbox brand. I hope that all of their decisions are the right ones and I cringe with every piece of bad PR. As I may or may not have said before, my Xbox is part of who I am and the games that I play. Over these past three years (more if you want to count the original Xbox) I have become Xbox's cheerleader, salesperson, and all around Xbox know how guy.
I make it my business to know the ins and outs of my console, for my benefit and for any others with questions.
The question of the NXE (pronounced 'nix-IE') being the right choice is one that comes to mind. I personally feel, along with many others, that the NXE was right choice. As the point has been driven home to its very death, the NXE has something to offer both of its audiences. The guide is built for the mainstay hardcore crowd, touting such features and zero gamerscore deletion and quick launch, and the cover-flow inspired dashboard is built for the up-and-coming casual crowd (avatars, pretty to look at, etc). The reason I feel that this is the right choice is because it really does not leave anyone alienated (unless you find yourself to be one of the irate, nit picky folk that just need to complain to hear yourselves complain). Everyone on my friends list has, shamefully or not, created an avatar (with the exception of one of my friends who was also the victim of a red ringing- without a back-up plan (as I had)- which always sucks). The only question 'left 2 see' is weather or not it will catch onto the casual crowd or not? Do you think that the Wii has already captured it completely with no intention of letting go or do you think that the Xbox can convert a few?
These things are honestly what I think/worry about and though I know I am not alone I do not want to believe that I am the only one rooting for the infinite life of the Xbox 360. So if by some chance you are reading this and are on the fence about buying an Xbox you have my full fledged support and I promise you that you will not regret your purchase.
I make it my business to know the ins and outs of my console, for my benefit and for any others with questions.
The question of the NXE (pronounced 'nix-IE') being the right choice is one that comes to mind. I personally feel, along with many others, that the NXE was right choice. As the point has been driven home to its very death, the NXE has something to offer both of its audiences. The guide is built for the mainstay hardcore crowd, touting such features and zero gamerscore deletion and quick launch, and the cover-flow inspired dashboard is built for the up-and-coming casual crowd (avatars, pretty to look at, etc). The reason I feel that this is the right choice is because it really does not leave anyone alienated (unless you find yourself to be one of the irate, nit picky folk that just need to complain to hear yourselves complain). Everyone on my friends list has, shamefully or not, created an avatar (with the exception of one of my friends who was also the victim of a red ringing- without a back-up plan (as I had)- which always sucks). The only question 'left 2 see' is weather or not it will catch onto the casual crowd or not? Do you think that the Wii has already captured it completely with no intention of letting go or do you think that the Xbox can convert a few?
These things are honestly what I think/worry about and though I know I am not alone I do not want to believe that I am the only one rooting for the infinite life of the Xbox 360. So if by some chance you are reading this and are on the fence about buying an Xbox you have my full fledged support and I promise you that you will not regret your purchase.
Friday, November 21, 2008
This Avatar... Ehem NXE Craze
Since the NXE (New Xbox Experience for those who do not already know) has launched, shipped, whatever you want to call it, I am feeling like I did when the 360 first shipped. I am checking everyone's avatars and scrutinizing them as I had been checking folks gamerscore when the 360 first launched. It feels like having a new console and it feels like being a new 360 gamer again.
A lot of things are the same but for the most part everything is new and moved around (which leads to a lot of playing and discovering). I enjoy hunting out all of the new features as I had already long since ferreted out all of the old features of the umm... Old Xbox Experience (OXE if you will). I have already deleted all of my zero gamerscore games and I made sure to fully pimp out that avatar (I have a purple hoodie).
The avatars, to myself and my friends, do not just feel like a kid thing. It has already become a wonder to see how close we can represent ourselves against ourreal life counterparts selves.
Though I haven't set up my Netflix account seeing as I do not yet have my own Xbox back I have found my favorite feature. In the end this feature will not make or break anyone's decision but that does not really matter seeing as it makes me happy. I love the new premium themes and not just because they are formatted to fit the NXE but because of the way that they theme my friends list (the kiddie one, not the one in the guide).
I really cannot say a bad thing about the NXE and the only features that I think that I want (the I can think of) in the future are:
- When I select a download from the web-based Marketplace, I want it to turn on my Xbox in low power mode and download my items (though I am not sure if this is possible).
- I want the option to drag my party with me into another game so I can skip the step of actually getting into the game and then sending out a party invite
These are really minor but I still would like to see the download thing happening.
And lastly here is the funniest thing that I have seen with Avatars so far and I wanted to thank Major Nelson for pointing it out to me.
A lot of things are the same but for the most part everything is new and moved around (which leads to a lot of playing and discovering). I enjoy hunting out all of the new features as I had already long since ferreted out all of the old features of the umm... Old Xbox Experience (OXE if you will). I have already deleted all of my zero gamerscore games and I made sure to fully pimp out that avatar (I have a purple hoodie).
The avatars, to myself and my friends, do not just feel like a kid thing. It has already become a wonder to see how close we can represent ourselves against our
Though I haven't set up my Netflix account seeing as I do not yet have my own Xbox back I have found my favorite feature. In the end this feature will not make or break anyone's decision but that does not really matter seeing as it makes me happy. I love the new premium themes and not just because they are formatted to fit the NXE but because of the way that they theme my friends list (the kiddie one, not the one in the guide).
I really cannot say a bad thing about the NXE and the only features that I think that I want (the I can think of) in the future are:
- When I select a download from the web-based Marketplace, I want it to turn on my Xbox in low power mode and download my items (though I am not sure if this is possible).
- I want the option to drag my party with me into another game so I can skip the step of actually getting into the game and then sending out a party invite
These are really minor but I still would like to see the download thing happening.
And lastly here is the funniest thing that I have seen with Avatars so far and I wanted to thank Major Nelson for pointing it out to me.
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Holiday Season
A good friend of mine probably had the better idea this holiday season; he played one or two games that he gave his full attention to while I have or will be trying to play five or six. The only game that I am not accepting less than the best from myself in is Fallout 3. I have to do every thing possible because it will be the title I go to last to play again (not because of the quality but because of the length and my related lack of time).
No other title makes you feel like you have to do so much in such a grand world (except for maybe Oblivion), but then again, in Oblivion, do you really feel like you are shaping the world around you? Naturally, Fallout 3 being the game that makes one feel like they are experiencing the most original concept would make it ultimate game of the year material. Possibly for some, but for myself, it is all about the raw fun, the laughs, and just the good times.
For me the game that brings the most fun is feeling like a tie. Between the dirty, dirty Horde mode (GOW2) and the overall re playable nature of Left 4 Dead I am left with a hard decision. I cannot tell you which one I'll play longer either. Only time is going to be able to tell on this one. But if there is one thing I can say about L4D that I cannot yet say about GOW, is that my wife is going to be playing L4D with myself and my good friends (that might be your decision there).
But it is not yet time for this decision because I haven't played Dead Space or Mirror's Edge yet. Hopefully I'll have squeezed them in there somehow by the end of this year otherwise I'll spend all of next year playing catch up once again (the likeliest of scenarios).
How about you? What are you playing/not playing? What are you playing now and what are you saving for later?
No other title makes you feel like you have to do so much in such a grand world (except for maybe Oblivion), but then again, in Oblivion, do you really feel like you are shaping the world around you? Naturally, Fallout 3 being the game that makes one feel like they are experiencing the most original concept would make it ultimate game of the year material. Possibly for some, but for myself, it is all about the raw fun, the laughs, and just the good times.
For me the game that brings the most fun is feeling like a tie. Between the dirty, dirty Horde mode (GOW2) and the overall re playable nature of Left 4 Dead I am left with a hard decision. I cannot tell you which one I'll play longer either. Only time is going to be able to tell on this one. But if there is one thing I can say about L4D that I cannot yet say about GOW, is that my wife is going to be playing L4D with myself and my good friends (that might be your decision there).
But it is not yet time for this decision because I haven't played Dead Space or Mirror's Edge yet. Hopefully I'll have squeezed them in there somehow by the end of this year otherwise I'll spend all of next year playing catch up once again (the likeliest of scenarios).
How about you? What are you playing/not playing? What are you playing now and what are you saving for later?
Friday, November 14, 2008
My 360 was Left 4 Dead
Post Retro dated for 11.13.2008
For the past two nights I have been enjoying/worshiping the Left 4 Dead demo. My friends and I started out on the normal difficulty level and quickly proceeded up to expert. Now keep in mind we are by no means experts. We found that on any other difficulty level that we were massacring the zombie apocalypse instead of the game actually feeling like an apocalypse. This is no discredit to the game because it is always fun (we just found solace in trying as hard as we could to not be butchered). I really cannot say enough good things about the great feelings that I came away from this demo with. I even got my wife to play with me and her greatest fear are zombies. The only thing I can recommend is to:
1. Bring friends (marketing does not lie here)
2. Do not play with your "good" friends from Halo who like to run amok and get themselves unmercifully torn to pieces by undead chunks who would like nothing more than to turn you into a bunch of undead chunks
Play. Massacre. Shoot Em' in the....[writer dragged away by zombie]
Today The Matrix invaded Fallout 3.
I had just lied to Dr. Zimmer about the Replicated Man (bleep-bloop) and left Rivet City to kill a few Talon assassins. I was in the middle of a fire fight with two of three Talons (the other one was questionably crouched by the wall) when as I was hit by a few assault rifle bullets. My screen became infected with, honestly what looked like, binary code. I could still relatively see where I was going but I had this putrid green color all over my screen. I thought, "Well my character must be infected with something," and so I went to the doctor (I only trust the one in Megaton). I asked him to cure me of all ailments and he cautiously did so. Finding that this did not work I thought, "Well maybe a good night's rest will do me some good." It did not, I was still sick with green and feeling worse than ever.
I decided to remove myself from the game and go back to the dashboard and when everything looked fine there I proceeded to boot Fallout 3 again. Same problem. All the menus were there and free from the binary green abomination but as soon as anything graphical was taking place I was Neo looking down that green hallway for the first time. I had honestly convinced myself that I had become so advanced that I could only see games in binary (I feel like I play that much). That was until I actually rebooted the Xbox and I was left with eleven different languages telling me that my Xbox had a system error.
Fun times.
1. Bring friends (marketing does not lie here)
2. Do not play with your "good" friends from Halo who like to run amok and get themselves unmercifully torn to pieces by undead chunks who would like nothing more than to turn you into a bunch of undead chunks
Play. Massacre. Shoot Em' in the....[writer dragged away by zombie]
Today The Matrix invaded Fallout 3.
I had just lied to Dr. Zimmer about the Replicated Man (bleep-bloop) and left Rivet City to kill a few Talon assassins. I was in the middle of a fire fight with two of three Talons (the other one was questionably crouched by the wall) when as I was hit by a few assault rifle bullets. My screen became infected with, honestly what looked like, binary code. I could still relatively see where I was going but I had this putrid green color all over my screen. I thought, "Well my character must be infected with something," and so I went to the doctor (I only trust the one in Megaton). I asked him to cure me of all ailments and he cautiously did so. Finding that this did not work I thought, "Well maybe a good night's rest will do me some good." It did not, I was still sick with green and feeling worse than ever.
I decided to remove myself from the game and go back to the dashboard and when everything looked fine there I proceeded to boot Fallout 3 again. Same problem. All the menus were there and free from the binary green abomination but as soon as anything graphical was taking place I was Neo looking down that green hallway for the first time. I had honestly convinced myself that I had become so advanced that I could only see games in binary (I feel like I play that much). That was until I actually rebooted the Xbox and I was left with eleven different languages telling me that my Xbox had a system error.
Fun times.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Gears of War 2
Having finished the campaign of the ever popular Gears of War 2, I let myself look at a couple of the reviews for the game.
The OXM review of GOW2 enraged me. The reviewer criticizes the story for basically being there, saying that it (and the boss fights) felt "hokey." At no point, well obviously, in my own opinion, did the story feel "hokey." I know that most of the boss fights felt like they were on vehicles and that they felt just downright difficult for no reason but last time I checked my dictionary that was not the definition of hokey. Not to mention the sloppily put spoiler warning in the middle of the review which was basically just that (an emboldening of the two words right before the description of the end boss battle). The review looked and felt last minute among this holidays stockpile of games. It was as if the reviewer said to himself, "Well it doesn't matter what I write in this review, everyone and their mother is going to buy this game anyway." In the end the review was downright lazy and it just did not look at the game on any of its merits (other than his glowing two paragraphs about the multiplayer that could have been written just based on the promises that it made before the game even shipped).
If you want a clear concise review of Gears, here it is:
Gears of War 2 accomplishes everything it set out to do. The whole game is bigger and more badass. Everything feels EPIC in scale and it is so much to the point that at some points you feel useless against this Locust Horde. The only real complaint that I had was that (and I played through first on Hardcore) on certain parts if I did not get just the right amount of bullets into an enemy I would fail that part of the mission (and have to do it over and over). The greatest accomplishment of the game is its story. Again the story is loose but this time it brings in the emotional side of the war. The last thing that I have to say about the game is that it shows that even through all of the "Hoo-rahs" that these soldiers still feel something about the world that they live in. And multiplayer... yeah that's good too (as if no one expected that).
The OXM review of GOW2 enraged me. The reviewer criticizes the story for basically being there, saying that it (and the boss fights) felt "hokey." At no point, well obviously, in my own opinion, did the story feel "hokey." I know that most of the boss fights felt like they were on vehicles and that they felt just downright difficult for no reason but last time I checked my dictionary that was not the definition of hokey. Not to mention the sloppily put spoiler warning in the middle of the review which was basically just that (an emboldening of the two words right before the description of the end boss battle). The review looked and felt last minute among this holidays stockpile of games. It was as if the reviewer said to himself, "Well it doesn't matter what I write in this review, everyone and their mother is going to buy this game anyway." In the end the review was downright lazy and it just did not look at the game on any of its merits (other than his glowing two paragraphs about the multiplayer that could have been written just based on the promises that it made before the game even shipped).
If you want a clear concise review of Gears, here it is:
Gears of War 2 accomplishes everything it set out to do. The whole game is bigger and more badass. Everything feels EPIC in scale and it is so much to the point that at some points you feel useless against this Locust Horde. The only real complaint that I had was that (and I played through first on Hardcore) on certain parts if I did not get just the right amount of bullets into an enemy I would fail that part of the mission (and have to do it over and over). The greatest accomplishment of the game is its story. Again the story is loose but this time it brings in the emotional side of the war. The last thing that I have to say about the game is that it shows that even through all of the "Hoo-rahs" that these soldiers still feel something about the world that they live in. And multiplayer... yeah that's good too (as if no one expected that).
Monday, May 12, 2008
It Merits A Post All of Its Own
And so my frustration ends as I beat the game. As an added bonus, in the credits, I found out that Iggy Pop does the DJ's voice on the the Liberty City Rock station. It was well worth it and though I am disappointed that two people I know personally beat it before me, the ending was just amazing.
Grand Theft Auto IV Ending (no spoilers)
Here is a rant if you ever heard one:
To start this off let's set the mood. I am enraged. I cannot beat the end part of Grand Theft Auto IV. I am having so many problems with it that it is not even funny. I am so close yet so far away. I have never had this problem with any game and though I keep on doing it over and over again and I know exactly what I am supposed to do and how I am supposed to execute it, I am still stuck right there (about an inch away from the end). I just finished trying about eight or nine times and as soon as I am done here I am going to try again. I had a vacation in which I was supposed to beat this game but I haven't yet. I return to work tonight. Who knows, if you are reading this I might have beat it. You might be able to hear me jump for joy depending on where you are in the world. F***. Don't ask where I am because like I said, I don't really need any help because I know, in theory, exactly what I am supposed to do. There are no hints or forums that have helped me which is probably why I am even more upset. Thanks for listening. I am going to go try and beat this part that is becoming the bane of my existence. F***, sometimes it just feels good to let that out. I know I only try to write coherent entries so I apologize for this one.
To start this off let's set the mood. I am enraged. I cannot beat the end part of Grand Theft Auto IV. I am having so many problems with it that it is not even funny. I am so close yet so far away. I have never had this problem with any game and though I keep on doing it over and over again and I know exactly what I am supposed to do and how I am supposed to execute it, I am still stuck right there (about an inch away from the end). I just finished trying about eight or nine times and as soon as I am done here I am going to try again. I had a vacation in which I was supposed to beat this game but I haven't yet. I return to work tonight. Who knows, if you are reading this I might have beat it. You might be able to hear me jump for joy depending on where you are in the world. F***. Don't ask where I am because like I said, I don't really need any help because I know, in theory, exactly what I am supposed to do. There are no hints or forums that have helped me which is probably why I am even more upset. Thanks for listening. I am going to go try and beat this part that is becoming the bane of my existence. F***, sometimes it just feels good to let that out. I know I only try to write coherent entries so I apologize for this one.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Mass Effect
I am currently finishing up with my second play through of Mass Effect. I have been enjoying it more than my first. Experiencing the story after the fact always allows a new perspective. I am also on a harder difficulty level as well as completing a far greater number of missions (like all of them). I fight all the "vehicle battles" on foot to gain more experience and my character currently lies at a whopping level 58 as a result. I am beginning to doubt that I will reach level 60 on this play through but with any luck the final two plot missions and the remainder of the side quests that need completing will fill in those two levels.
I have been thinking about how my character will fit into the second iteration and how promised mechanics will work. For example, when you begin a new game in Mass Effect on your second play through, you have to option to use your previous character (his/her, level/equipment, etcetera) with a "clean slate" and your Paragon and Renegade status cleared. I am wondering if in Mass Effect 2 your character will just carry the basic statistics like the current situation or that every decision that you have made in the first entry of the trilogy will really have the promised effect on the second and third game. So far this game has come through on everything that it has promised me so I am willing to believe that I will not be let down.
I have been thinking about how my character will fit into the second iteration and how promised mechanics will work. For example, when you begin a new game in Mass Effect on your second play through, you have to option to use your previous character (his/her, level/equipment, etcetera) with a "clean slate" and your Paragon and Renegade status cleared. I am wondering if in Mass Effect 2 your character will just carry the basic statistics like the current situation or that every decision that you have made in the first entry of the trilogy will really have the promised effect on the second and third game. So far this game has come through on everything that it has promised me so I am willing to believe that I will not be let down.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai
I have been playing an XNA Community demo for The Dishwasher for the past few days. It has a truly inspired design similar to Tim Burton/Roman Dirge/Edward Gorey. The way the game is designed excites and inspires me every time I play it. I am just playing the same levels over and over again yet I do not feel bored. This game makes me want to perfect the way I play. I have played it three days in row so far and I plan to play it the remaining 12 days that it is available to be played. Its fast paced game play and overall tight feel make it feel incredibly rewarding when you pull off a finishing move or just a spectacularly bloody kill.
Just looking through the locked menus one can see that when the game is finalized there will be a plethora of content available to be enjoyed. Having worked in food service, this game makes it feel that much better to be destroying those that anger you.
Lastly this game inspires me to create something of my own. Congrats James Silva, I cannot wait for this game to ship.
Just looking through the locked menus one can see that when the game is finalized there will be a plethora of content available to be enjoyed. Having worked in food service, this game makes it feel that much better to be destroying those that anger you.
Lastly this game inspires me to create something of my own. Congrats James Silva, I cannot wait for this game to ship.
Friday, September 7, 2007
New Blog Struggles
Yes, this is only my second "real" update, though I did promise a set schedule. Time has not been friendly to me lately and I have been working like a dog (though not on the blog). For the time being at least, until I get a handle on it, you can assume this blog will be updated once weekly. I am also still debating whether I will start doing individual posts on specific “larger ticket” items. I suppose I should not worry about my lack of updating at the moment though for I do not think I have many readers. Well on with the news.
In news that will break little hearts, but may break those of the hardcore, DevelopMag, has reported that there will be no Crackdown sequel despite the games success. The developer said that Microsoft took too long to say anything about a sequel, if they said anything at all. The developer is now working on a new project. Personally I would have been happy with a sequel to Crackdown because I enjoyed the game a great deal. Unfortunately I have not been able to play the game since the new content and achievements have come out but on a free day that I am not playing one of the many games that I need to catch up on, I may just play.
On Labor Day, here in the US, the Hidden Fronts Map Pack finally went free (everywhere of course). It really was a good marketing strategy for them to wait this long because basically all Gears of War gets now is one last punch before Halo 3 ships and KO’s the aforementioned GOW.
In Rapture there may be new Plasmids coming though, if I do not get teleportation, I doubt if I will really care or if it will make much of an impact (not that any BioShock news does not create waves). In other BioShock news the title update that got me exited when I booted up the game the other day does not much other than improve the stability of saved games. I am on my second run through of the game where I toned it down from hard (just to have fun and feel powerful) and have taken to harvesting Little Sisters this time through. I have died few times and I am greatly enjoying myself once again. I am enjoying looking at the plot from a new angle the most though.
The imminence of the perfect storm that is Halo 3 is beginning to reach its climax. Halo 3 is going to be available to play this Thursday night on IMAX as reported by the Microsoft GamerScoreBlog. Check Pontiac (as they are the sponsor) for more details). As soon as I found this out I signed myself up. I plan on showing up at least two hours early for that. In previously rumored news that was confirmed to be true, Master Chief a.k.a. Spartan 117 a.k.a. John was "unveiled," in a large event that took place on Monday, at Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas. It was said that it would probably tour the various locations so if, and when, it comes to New York, and you can count on the picture.
Another event I should be attended is the Rock Band tour. It comes to New York at the beginning of November and I will be there rocking out on guitar (the only thing I feel confident enough to try). I am stoked to start my own online band (no real band for me) or be a part of one. I need to at least master Guitar Hero II on Hard Mode first.
Speaking of the impossible (I’m not that good at GH2) a Shivering Isles standalone disc is being released alongside the GOTY edition. I still have not played Shivering Isles. Oblivion is quickly one of those many games that I have been struggling to finish.
It is not always sunny on the Xbox 360 however. It has recently been reported by Bloomberg.com that there is STILL no good news for the 360 in Japan. Dismal sales continue to plague the console in the Far East. The boys over at the X3F podcast wonder if the 360 will take a page out of the original Xbox’s playbook and just stop making games for the Japanese market. I find myself worried and wondering about the same thing.
Lastly, many people I know who own the Wii console are finding that their “gimmick” is wearing out and Nintendo is worried about “gamers” becoming complacent (via Joystiq). LAIR continues to be plagued by bad press while Sony fights the good, though failing, fight for its lost triple-A title. They went so far as to send a reviewers guide out many major sites (via IGN). I think now what Sony needs to worry about is their delay to Stranglehold and The Orange Box. A collector’s edition of Stranglehold does not do you much good if you cannot play it when your proverbial rivals can.
It was an interesting few days since my last update and as the holiday season approaches it will only get more weird and a lot more crazy.
In news that will break little hearts, but may break those of the hardcore, DevelopMag, has reported that there will be no Crackdown sequel despite the games success. The developer said that Microsoft took too long to say anything about a sequel, if they said anything at all. The developer is now working on a new project. Personally I would have been happy with a sequel to Crackdown because I enjoyed the game a great deal. Unfortunately I have not been able to play the game since the new content and achievements have come out but on a free day that I am not playing one of the many games that I need to catch up on, I may just play.
On Labor Day, here in the US, the Hidden Fronts Map Pack finally went free (everywhere of course). It really was a good marketing strategy for them to wait this long because basically all Gears of War gets now is one last punch before Halo 3 ships and KO’s the aforementioned GOW.
In Rapture there may be new Plasmids coming though, if I do not get teleportation, I doubt if I will really care or if it will make much of an impact (not that any BioShock news does not create waves). In other BioShock news the title update that got me exited when I booted up the game the other day does not much other than improve the stability of saved games. I am on my second run through of the game where I toned it down from hard (just to have fun and feel powerful) and have taken to harvesting Little Sisters this time through. I have died few times and I am greatly enjoying myself once again. I am enjoying looking at the plot from a new angle the most though.
The imminence of the perfect storm that is Halo 3 is beginning to reach its climax. Halo 3 is going to be available to play this Thursday night on IMAX as reported by the Microsoft GamerScoreBlog. Check Pontiac (as they are the sponsor) for more details). As soon as I found this out I signed myself up. I plan on showing up at least two hours early for that. In previously rumored news that was confirmed to be true, Master Chief a.k.a. Spartan 117 a.k.a. John was "unveiled," in a large event that took place on Monday, at Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas. It was said that it would probably tour the various locations so if, and when, it comes to New York, and you can count on the picture.
Another event I should be attended is the Rock Band tour. It comes to New York at the beginning of November and I will be there rocking out on guitar (the only thing I feel confident enough to try). I am stoked to start my own online band (no real band for me) or be a part of one. I need to at least master Guitar Hero II on Hard Mode first.
Speaking of the impossible (I’m not that good at GH2) a Shivering Isles standalone disc is being released alongside the GOTY edition. I still have not played Shivering Isles. Oblivion is quickly one of those many games that I have been struggling to finish.
It is not always sunny on the Xbox 360 however. It has recently been reported by Bloomberg.com that there is STILL no good news for the 360 in Japan. Dismal sales continue to plague the console in the Far East. The boys over at the X3F podcast wonder if the 360 will take a page out of the original Xbox’s playbook and just stop making games for the Japanese market. I find myself worried and wondering about the same thing.
Lastly, many people I know who own the Wii console are finding that their “gimmick” is wearing out and Nintendo is worried about “gamers” becoming complacent (via Joystiq). LAIR continues to be plagued by bad press while Sony fights the good, though failing, fight for its lost triple-A title. They went so far as to send a reviewers guide out many major sites (via IGN). I think now what Sony needs to worry about is their delay to Stranglehold and The Orange Box. A collector’s edition of Stranglehold does not do you much good if you cannot play it when your proverbial rivals can.
It was an interesting few days since my last update and as the holiday season approaches it will only get more weird and a lot more crazy.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Midnight Update Meets "Deadline"
My wallet suffers from this addiction I have. I have no money and all of it that I do have is invested in GameStop's stock. I am a Gamer. I just "recovered" some of my money from actually receiving BioShock but now all of my loose change is being pooled into my Legendary edition of Halo 3. I'd also like to pick up a new 360 with that pretty "useless" HDMI port. Can I have it painted green and gold like Halo 3? Not to mention that I need that chat pad and the HDMI audio adapter that does not come with the "poor-man's" 360. Over five-hundred hundred dollars in a few short weeks. I work for Starbucks not Microsoft. I'll be selling my old 360 so that will pay for half of it hopefully.
This holiday season is a bank breaker, more than just Halo 2, and I have an already broken bank account. Mass Effect, one of the games to own this holiday, now has a release date of November 20th and Bioware has always impressed me. When Jade Empire came out I was all about it though I never properly finished the game. Mass Effect might have to wait for me but I should be playing it sometime in the top half of next year. Another game I might eventually pick up again will be Small Arms but it might have to take a trip to my phone (one of the two I own). Team Xbox reported that it will be hitting various cell phone carriers this fall. Also on Team Xbox the new Simpsons game parodying Medal of Honor was posted. I fully enjoyed the trailer and I feel like the game will be everything that a good Simpsons game should be. When my bank account recovers I'll be pre-ordering next years blockbusters.
A sure fire blockbuster of next year will be Halo Wars whose high definition, ten minute, game trailer is on XBLM. I recall that when this was announced at last years E3 I was stoked but, though it could be the pre-Halo 3 lull (could it hardly be called a lull), I do not feel as excited as I feel I should be. Let this be known now, in Halo's heyday, I was the biggest fanboy I knew. Now, after Gears of War, I was not sure where I stood with the whole series (Halo). Then I played the beta. 'Nuff said. Still, I am not sure I want to play the proverbial "God" in the Halo Universe. Blockbuster? It is possible but it will be a tough call for me.
As the present is concerned I feel that Blue Dragon will erased from blockbuster status by Bioshock. Will I be right, only time will tell. Will TimeShift be erased by Halo 3? Maybe the news of a demo will alleviate that, though not for myself. I find myself playing less demos and instead following the hype machine and discovering sleeper hits that have since past their heyday. Speaking of "heyday", I am exited for Viva Pinata to come to DS. The only other game I am exited about, for DS, is Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
In gaming politics Jack Thompson is causing quite the ruckus about Manhunt 2 having its rating changed from AO to M. He proceeded to send several immature emails back and forth with the community manager of Manhunt. I got a laugh out of it.
That is all I have for you today. Until next time, keep gaming.
This holiday season is a bank breaker, more than just Halo 2, and I have an already broken bank account. Mass Effect, one of the games to own this holiday, now has a release date of November 20th and Bioware has always impressed me. When Jade Empire came out I was all about it though I never properly finished the game. Mass Effect might have to wait for me but I should be playing it sometime in the top half of next year. Another game I might eventually pick up again will be Small Arms but it might have to take a trip to my phone (one of the two I own). Team Xbox reported that it will be hitting various cell phone carriers this fall. Also on Team Xbox the new Simpsons game parodying Medal of Honor was posted. I fully enjoyed the trailer and I feel like the game will be everything that a good Simpsons game should be. When my bank account recovers I'll be pre-ordering next years blockbusters.
A sure fire blockbuster of next year will be Halo Wars whose high definition, ten minute, game trailer is on XBLM. I recall that when this was announced at last years E3 I was stoked but, though it could be the pre-Halo 3 lull (could it hardly be called a lull), I do not feel as excited as I feel I should be. Let this be known now, in Halo's heyday, I was the biggest fanboy I knew. Now, after Gears of War, I was not sure where I stood with the whole series (Halo). Then I played the beta. 'Nuff said. Still, I am not sure I want to play the proverbial "God" in the Halo Universe. Blockbuster? It is possible but it will be a tough call for me.
As the present is concerned I feel that Blue Dragon will erased from blockbuster status by Bioshock. Will I be right, only time will tell. Will TimeShift be erased by Halo 3? Maybe the news of a demo will alleviate that, though not for myself. I find myself playing less demos and instead following the hype machine and discovering sleeper hits that have since past their heyday. Speaking of "heyday", I am exited for Viva Pinata to come to DS. The only other game I am exited about, for DS, is Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
In gaming politics Jack Thompson is causing quite the ruckus about Manhunt 2 having its rating changed from AO to M. He proceeded to send several immature emails back and forth with the community manager of Manhunt. I got a laugh out of it.
That is all I have for you today. Until next time, keep gaming.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
My BioShock Experience
I began my trek through the world of Rapture last Tuesday morning. After picking up my limited edition the first thing GameStop opened, I rode the subway home taking pictures of the best limited edition I have laid eyes on (see previous post). When I finally crossed the threshold of my apartment I played for about 5-6 hours. I was decimated by Big Daddies galore and still kept coming back for more. I was part of Rapture and I needed to know all of its secrets. And Oh... what secrets were in store for me...
I continued to play during the week on and off, but still getting as much as I could in.
It came down to yesterday when I sat myself down determined to beat the game (day off). I made it to a point where I was sure I was at the end, but alas, I was not even close... I was at least 5 hours from the games climactic finish. I played for seven hours and had to stop. I later played for another half hour (much to my girlfriend's dismay).
But today was the day that the ending was in my grasp. It was cheesy but awesome and all in all this was one of the best games I have ever played. I really mean that when I say it, because although I consider myself a hardcore gamer, I can say, with all honesty, I do not know what I'll feel like playing tomorrow. I will definitely be giving it another run through but I need to give my brain a rest.
Lastly, if I had to give the game a review I would give it a 9.6. The loss of .4 comes from the ease of the respawn and the slightly cheesy ending.
I continued to play during the week on and off, but still getting as much as I could in.
It came down to yesterday when I sat myself down determined to beat the game (day off). I made it to a point where I was sure I was at the end, but alas, I was not even close... I was at least 5 hours from the games climactic finish. I played for seven hours and had to stop. I later played for another half hour (much to my girlfriend's dismay).
But today was the day that the ending was in my grasp. It was cheesy but awesome and all in all this was one of the best games I have ever played. I really mean that when I say it, because although I consider myself a hardcore gamer, I can say, with all honesty, I do not know what I'll feel like playing tomorrow. I will definitely be giving it another run through but I need to give my brain a rest.
Lastly, if I had to give the game a review I would give it a 9.6. The loss of .4 comes from the ease of the respawn and the slightly cheesy ending.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
big daddy comes home.
up close and personal.
even big daddies are made in china.
would you like some drill with that ouch?
lastly mr. bubbles says goodnight, because i promise you, it hurts.
check out bioshock, in stores now.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
my raging obsession.
i have an obsession with commercialism. this something that few know about me or at least i only perceive it as the few. my latest obsession is with the ongoing simpsons movie campaign that is everywhere. today i had burger king and felt even better about it than i normally do because the simpsons were plastered everywhere. this was much like my visit to a 7-eleven that was modeled like a quik-e-mart.
the current, or future, campaign that i am going to be obsessed with is the mass halo 3 coverage that will be everywhere. it will be in my 7-eleven, my burger king, mountain dew, etc. i have even considered purchasing a halo 3 xbox 360. i am exited and tantalized at every prospect. i want to pick up the halo 3 zune.
now the big thing here i am pointing out is i am a media whore and those ads that everyone ignores. those apply to me. i love em, well most of the time. most people get sick of it and say what is the point. people know about the simpsons and halo, why do i need it shoved in my face. i say because it is directed at people like me who will gobble it all up and buy it all. i love it through and through and i welcome more of it. bring it on baby.
the current, or future, campaign that i am going to be obsessed with is the mass halo 3 coverage that will be everywhere. it will be in my 7-eleven, my burger king, mountain dew, etc. i have even considered purchasing a halo 3 xbox 360. i am exited and tantalized at every prospect. i want to pick up the halo 3 zune.
now the big thing here i am pointing out is i am a media whore and those ads that everyone ignores. those apply to me. i love em, well most of the time. most people get sick of it and say what is the point. people know about the simpsons and halo, why do i need it shoved in my face. i say because it is directed at people like me who will gobble it all up and buy it all. i love it through and through and i welcome more of it. bring it on baby.
Friday, August 10, 2007
i am in for an enjoyable weekend of closing both days at work. i do not think i will be gaming much this weekend but that is alright i suppose... only time can tell i guess. i have been working hardcore on gears of war and not much else. i have been neglecting most of my other games though i really do want to play some others but i am determined to have most gears achievements before bioshock and halo 3 come out. the others i really want to play are prey (easy achievements and i never finished the story line). crackdown (new achievements). the darkness (i got discouraged when i went to the hard difficulty level and couldn't make it past the first level, and i am also waiting for the multiplayer fix). i am about as behind in gaming as i am in reading. i am reading currently, 'ladies and gentleman the bronx is burning.' and on my list to read is daywatch, harry potter, jonen vasquez graphic novels, the lovely bones, twilight watch, etc.
this has been an eventful year for me other than for music. music has come out this year but i don't feel overwhelmed by it as i did last year.
this has been an eventful year for me other than for music. music has come out this year but i don't feel overwhelmed by it as i did last year.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Halo 3 Media Onslaught
Halo 3 in your car, on your music device, in your soda, your Slurpee, and at your local Burger King. Master Chief burger anyone? Seriously is this getting ridiculous or what? Still though, it won't stop me from getting my mitts all over everything.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
superbad review?
when the minds of judd apatow and seth rogen come together you can only ever expect to leave the theater with cramps in your sides. while the laughs were not as numerous as in knocked up they were louder. it was comparable to when i saw the simpsons movie... the laughs were so loud, at times you could not even hear the dialogue. the movie was clever, witty, cute, but most of the time it was downright raunchy. it was a good time and i would recommend that when it hits theaters that everyone see it. i'll probably see it a second time.
maybe i'll review the everytime i die album next... who knows i don't know if i will pass judgement on it just yet. but i do like it... alot.
maybe i'll review the everytime i die album next... who knows i don't know if i will pass judgement on it just yet. but i do like it... alot.
Monday, July 30, 2007
alien hominid hd
this is a great little game on xbox live arcade and it can be very hard. those things aside, most will still want to play the game because of it's stylishness and beautiful hand drawn everything.
so i bring this game up even though i have had it forever because they recently patched it to fix the last 'glitched achievement'. the achievement that was messed up was the one where you had to collect all the hats in the game. i am down to the last three. two i know how to get and the last one i am not even sure because i do not know which one it is that i am missing. i have attempted to browse the forums and old walkthroughs for the game but i have had no luck. i'll update everyone when i have it which should be no later than tomorrow. hopefully.
so i bring this game up even though i have had it forever because they recently patched it to fix the last 'glitched achievement'. the achievement that was messed up was the one where you had to collect all the hats in the game. i am down to the last three. two i know how to get and the last one i am not even sure because i do not know which one it is that i am missing. i have attempted to browse the forums and old walkthroughs for the game but i have had no luck. i'll update everyone when i have it which should be no later than tomorrow. hopefully.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
this past weekend...
this weekend was something i was looking forward to for the past few weeks. it lived up to my expectations and exceeded them.
friday cindy and i woke up to catch the chinatown bus to maryland. it sucked at first because when we got on the bus it wasn't running so there was no ac. it soon cooled down after we got going but i was parched the entire trip because of a lack of water or anything else to drink. when we arrived it was incredibly hott. yes, that hot. we found whit and rick and headed to 7-eleven to get something to drink and then headed to whit's. kara got home and we all hung out going to the supermarket and best buy. that night we saw the simpson's movie and it was really amazing.
yesterday was great... i ate far too much and then drank far too much. i ate chipotle and some intense nachos. then it took me three beers to actually get buzzed (food soaks up alcohol). i got the new every time i die leak which is amazing... i am listening to it now. i made really good drunk friends with kara's girlfriend last night... drunk dancing doesn't really work. i also talked to matt and i do not really know what he even thought of that.
alright i am going to enjoy my last few hours in maryland... peace.
friday cindy and i woke up to catch the chinatown bus to maryland. it sucked at first because when we got on the bus it wasn't running so there was no ac. it soon cooled down after we got going but i was parched the entire trip because of a lack of water or anything else to drink. when we arrived it was incredibly hott. yes, that hot. we found whit and rick and headed to 7-eleven to get something to drink and then headed to whit's. kara got home and we all hung out going to the supermarket and best buy. that night we saw the simpson's movie and it was really amazing.
yesterday was great... i ate far too much and then drank far too much. i ate chipotle and some intense nachos. then it took me three beers to actually get buzzed (food soaks up alcohol). i got the new every time i die leak which is amazing... i am listening to it now. i made really good drunk friends with kara's girlfriend last night... drunk dancing doesn't really work. i also talked to matt and i do not really know what he even thought of that.
alright i am going to enjoy my last few hours in maryland... peace.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
sh*t happens.
i've started my training to become a shift supervisor and so far it has just been a bunch of reading of general things that i mostly knew. i was really bored today because of it even though i was only there for four hours. but that is really all there is to say about that.
so for the past week or so i have been on a real gears of war kick and it has been really insane. i have picked up some achievements in the game, some new and some old which is always fun. i am only expecting the new ones and i have also picked up two old which was a nice present. and that is it for that.
now for the icing on the cake. even though i do not live with family anymore i still get to hear about all the loveliness that goes on there. the newest, amazing, bit of information is that my brother has been arrested. arrested no less for beating the living shit out of someone. This reflects so well on me. Honestly, I just do not understand what I did right because for all intents and purposes my siblings and I are the ones who reflect to most poorly on my grandparents. I am so thrilled about this, but I am still happy that I am enjoying my life.
I have a beautiful girl who I plan on spending my life with. I have an amazing best friend. I have a new gay lover (lol, you know who you are). I have an arguably healthy hobby and I have a job that I love (it will let me go places, and it will make me the money I need to do what I need right now).
I love you all and I will speak with y'all later.
so for the past week or so i have been on a real gears of war kick and it has been really insane. i have picked up some achievements in the game, some new and some old which is always fun. i am only expecting the new ones and i have also picked up two old which was a nice present. and that is it for that.
now for the icing on the cake. even though i do not live with family anymore i still get to hear about all the loveliness that goes on there. the newest, amazing, bit of information is that my brother has been arrested. arrested no less for beating the living shit out of someone. This reflects so well on me. Honestly, I just do not understand what I did right because for all intents and purposes my siblings and I are the ones who reflect to most poorly on my grandparents. I am so thrilled about this, but I am still happy that I am enjoying my life.
I have a beautiful girl who I plan on spending my life with. I have an amazing best friend. I have a new gay lover (lol, you know who you are). I have an arguably healthy hobby and I have a job that I love (it will let me go places, and it will make me the money I need to do what I need right now).
I love you all and I will speak with y'all later.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
barcade.
last night was a good time, cindy and i actually drank and we were both very tipsy.
harry, cindy, valerie, and i went to the barcade and proceeded to drink a lot and at least harry and i played some games. it was tons o' fun and there is not much more to say about it other than hilarity ensuing.
there was drunk dialing, touching and lots of laughs. thank you everyone.
harry, cindy, valerie, and i went to the barcade and proceeded to drink a lot and at least harry and i played some games. it was tons o' fun and there is not much more to say about it other than hilarity ensuing.
there was drunk dialing, touching and lots of laughs. thank you everyone.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
buy teh haloz.
i always manage to create my blog entries at the most random times and they usually fall into the late hours of a day. tonight, for instance, i was working the closing shift until 11.30p which means that i do not get home for another hour. so being that i am home now: cindy is asleep and i need my wind-down time. i have to close again tomorrow night so... yeah.
other than that i have not really been up to all that much. i have been playing the normal amount of games if not a little bit more. i picked up lego star wars 2 for twenty bucks so the game and its achievements should keep me amused at least for a bit. i really have my heart set out on picking up the darkness but i do not think i will get to do that for at least another week. yesterday and today i was also playing a bit of gears and i enjoyed that quite a bit. i need to catch up with the rest of the community with that one. i should get to that before halo 3 drops. that will come a lot sooner than later.
but back to the world of the real...
i am on a program to promoted starting the week of the ninth so i am exited and nervous about that at the same time.
i think i am going to play a couple of games of uno on live and then collapse into sleep for a while.
other than that i have not really been up to all that much. i have been playing the normal amount of games if not a little bit more. i picked up lego star wars 2 for twenty bucks so the game and its achievements should keep me amused at least for a bit. i really have my heart set out on picking up the darkness but i do not think i will get to do that for at least another week. yesterday and today i was also playing a bit of gears and i enjoyed that quite a bit. i need to catch up with the rest of the community with that one. i should get to that before halo 3 drops. that will come a lot sooner than later.
but back to the world of the real...
i am on a program to promoted starting the week of the ninth so i am exited and nervous about that at the same time.
i think i am going to play a couple of games of uno on live and then collapse into sleep for a while.
Friday, June 15, 2007
hostel part II
after seeing hostel part II, as it is so cunningly titled, i am left
with the feeling of wanting to perpetually vomit. no, not the gore but
the deathly real way in which this part was presented just leaves the
stomach boiling in a very unpleasant way.
it was funny when the two girls "just couldn't take it anymore" and had
to leave the theater. eli roth is a genius of this variety and while
part I made me wonder, part II made me shiver with unpleasantries. bravo
sir your movie is a hit.
with the feeling of wanting to perpetually vomit. no, not the gore but
the deathly real way in which this part was presented just leaves the
stomach boiling in a very unpleasant way.
it was funny when the two girls "just couldn't take it anymore" and had
to leave the theater. eli roth is a genius of this variety and while
part I made me wonder, part II made me shiver with unpleasantries. bravo
sir your movie is a hit.
my obsession.
i have really just stood back and realized how much of my internet surfing is based around video games. from internet comics to all the latest game information, it is just nuts and that isn't to even mention my podcasts that i listen to. this isn't really a coordinated entry, just something is was observing.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
The Trials and Tribulations of My Job
i am beginning to find out where my alliances lie at my job. i am on the wrong side of the tracks heading for a big collision and i do not really want to be there to find out the outcome. my manager (whom i originally got along amazingly with) is now making me feel alienated (and i am not sure if it is her intention). i have always had complaints about the politics of working for starbucks but this is reaching a new plateau. i feel as though i am on the verge of panic attacks and it used to be that i just got upset and was able to push it aside. i am feeling pretty helpless because my aforementioned manager basically brushed aside my worries and attributed them to occasions that always take place. she told me there was nothing i could do and left my head swimming. i cannot honestly say how much of an issue it was though because the person i was complaining about was her...umm..."pet". well, if what i heard was true, there will be a good many people leaving my job and she will be one of those.
now i am to be promoted when my manager returns from her vacation and i am eager to see the outcome of what are likely to be another set of politics, rules and regulations (according to her).
now i am to be promoted when my manager returns from her vacation and i am eager to see the outcome of what are likely to be another set of politics, rules and regulations (according to her).
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
i am stuck contemplating how much of a disappointment i may or may not be to my parents. my parents and i obviously fall on different belief systems and have different definitions of what merits a meaningful existence. for all intents and purposes i think that they believe that i could do better with my life and they would rather i did that sooner rather than later. i believe and always have believed, even if it was in a roundabout way, that if you are not enjoying what you are doing then there is no good reason to continue doing it. as i mentioned before, though they have accepted it to the best of their ability, they are not ecstatic with all of my personal choices (or any of them). but coming around to why i found myself contemplating this is that my brother andy has been cutting school every single day. he is going to repeat the ninth grade and if history repeats itself then he will drop out, as ben did. but i found myself wondering if i was just the cause of it all because i decided that college was not for me at the moment anymore. should i be more distraught with myself? have i really done something so wrong? does everyone look down at me with judgment and disdain? i know a few who might but i think those who want me to be who i am do not.
Friday, June 1, 2007
there's a huge sense of entitlement that permeates our entire culture. the issue of our economic and sociological narcissistic indulgence begs a much larger question: How happy are we as a society? We should be happier now than we were during, say, the '50's (when the hell did they invent toilet paper? How bummed would you be if you had to wipe your ass with your hands? Super-Bummed). But we are one the of unhappiest civilizations in history. we may have more neuroses, depression and anxiety. we're bombarded with so many images, ideas and noise that we becomes desensitized to anything and everything. everything we want is immediately available to us, but nothing that we want is what we need.
~gabe saporta.
i think this is the best pessimism i have read in a while, but hey everyone hates this guy and i love him.
~gabe saporta.
i think this is the best pessimism i have read in a while, but hey everyone hates this guy and i love him.
Monday, May 7, 2007
this past weekend was full of good times. i saw plenty of bands at the bamboozle festival and got to "work" for the absolutepunk.net booth. it was quite fun and i would greatly enjoy doing it again if the opportunity arose again. it is possible for it to happen for warped tour so we will have to see. i always say, "we will see" and then look back on it only to discover that those things never happened. well this one is possible so yeah...
i saw many bands that i enjoyed greatly, saturday was packed full of them, and sunday was more of a day of discovering. i discovered three bands that i am very happy to have discovered. the matches, who i also met and love; four stories, who i do not know a lot about yet; and dear hunter, which i am currently listening to.
since the weekend not much has been going on, though i have had a few days off because of renovations at my job. it am looking forward to them although i did loose some hours this week. i'll live.
so this is a short entry of sorts just to ehh, update.
other notes:
spider-man 3 was amazing and i don't care what others think.
my cousin rebecca is awesome.
the matches are again, amazing.
i saw many bands that i enjoyed greatly, saturday was packed full of them, and sunday was more of a day of discovering. i discovered three bands that i am very happy to have discovered. the matches, who i also met and love; four stories, who i do not know a lot about yet; and dear hunter, which i am currently listening to.
since the weekend not much has been going on, though i have had a few days off because of renovations at my job. it am looking forward to them although i did loose some hours this week. i'll live.
so this is a short entry of sorts just to ehh, update.
other notes:
spider-man 3 was amazing and i don't care what others think.
my cousin rebecca is awesome.
the matches are again, amazing.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
the need to get back on track.
i am thinking about how well i used to be able to write or how well i used to think i could write. now though, the only practice i get is silly blogging. i look at what i write and find that it is so stagnant, stuttered and just generally bad. i want to return to the flow and style that i had. i did force a style on myself but i just have never known how to find my own niche. this is the hundreth time i have written or spoken about this and after the rant i always tell myself that i am going to write more often. what spurred it this time is that i want to write for a gaming website or a public gaming blog. i want to share my passions with people but i can never just find a way. this was the first time that i actually contacted someone about it and although i have not received any response yet i feel that as long as i keep putting myself out there i will get the response that i am looking for. i am not even looking to be paid for it but i want the day to day experience. i will get it as long as i want it. i love gaming too much to not get a response.
honestly, at this point, i am getting quite sick.
my yankees are doing quite awful and i cannot even bring myself to watch them right now because i want to cry. i guess this is the curse one gets stuck with liking a normally winning dynasty. i watched andy pettite pitch tonight until he looked like he was about ready to cry. he fell apart in the 5th inning and i don't even know how the game turned out. i think i need to start playing mlb 2k7 just so i can have them win. dear yankees it is now okay for you guys to start winning.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
after birthday experiences.
so things have been on a roller coaster lately. i have only one particularly low low but other than that it has been a fun ride. so, the day after my birthday was filled with foodshopping, seeing brand new, missing manchester orchestra :'-(, asking andy hull to play our wedding, him saying almost definitely, seeing geoff rickley, and being the only guy hanging out. yesterday was alright aside from the one majoe hiccup. a girl i work with had me so ticked off that i saw red and that is the only thing that needs to be said about that. i still have my job and everything and everything is in the process of being worked out. today was good and i saw cindy for lunch, i got my new slvr and i am on my way to pick her up. this is more of just an update than any new thoughts or intuition. sorry for my drab life? comments are open so leave them i like to know i'm loved.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
birthday unsurprize.
if am going to attempt to sleep i am going to need to dump my crap here before i do so. there are currently fifteen minutes left in my 22nd birthday and aside from these last few hours it shaped up to be another good one.
first though: the most overused question on one's birthday: how does it feel to be (insert age here)?
do people, including parents ask this because there is nothing better to ask or do they expect a new an inspired response that will seemingly blow them in to the next galaxy? no, i think not.
second: i meant to post this on my twitter but the most overused substance is not what one would consider a drug, it is, DUM DUM DUM: splenda.
so my birthday consisted of coming home from work last night at the very late hour of midnight only to be in a tiff with cindy who was actually asleep at the time (mind you this was all my fault so oh well). after i ended up waking her up she gave me some surprise birthday presents that are two complete graphic novels of jonen vasquez (invader zim). after seven hours of sleep we awoke and hung around till i went to work for a few hours. yes, i did indeed work on my birthday. after getting off of work cindy and i enjoyed a meal at cosi and went to see hot fuzz, but not before retrieving my forgotten comic at my job. the movie was great but what followed is the reason i suppose for this entry.
we were in virgin megastores only to browse some cds, video games, whatever. the ever controversial subject of my parents came up and bam!, i have not since spoken more than a few sentences and choice words to her since. i am currently sitting on this lovely hardwood floor typing as lightly as i can while cindy is what i am assume is attempting to snooze. from what i actually piece together from nothing is that i had no choice in this silence i just chose to actually go with it. i can not even be angry because i do not know how or do not want to know how to be angry about nothing.
living forever in spite is only for the truly wise or the truly stupid.
first though: the most overused question on one's birthday: how does it feel to be (insert age here)?
do people, including parents ask this because there is nothing better to ask or do they expect a new an inspired response that will seemingly blow them in to the next galaxy? no, i think not.
second: i meant to post this on my twitter but the most overused substance is not what one would consider a drug, it is, DUM DUM DUM: splenda.
so my birthday consisted of coming home from work last night at the very late hour of midnight only to be in a tiff with cindy who was actually asleep at the time (mind you this was all my fault so oh well). after i ended up waking her up she gave me some surprise birthday presents that are two complete graphic novels of jonen vasquez (invader zim). after seven hours of sleep we awoke and hung around till i went to work for a few hours. yes, i did indeed work on my birthday. after getting off of work cindy and i enjoyed a meal at cosi and went to see hot fuzz, but not before retrieving my forgotten comic at my job. the movie was great but what followed is the reason i suppose for this entry.
we were in virgin megastores only to browse some cds, video games, whatever. the ever controversial subject of my parents came up and bam!, i have not since spoken more than a few sentences and choice words to her since. i am currently sitting on this lovely hardwood floor typing as lightly as i can while cindy is what i am assume is attempting to snooze. from what i actually piece together from nothing is that i had no choice in this silence i just chose to actually go with it. i can not even be angry because i do not know how or do not want to know how to be angry about nothing.
living forever in spite is only for the truly wise or the truly stupid.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
nostalgia or something else?
last night i spent my evening with harry, kim and cindy. we saw the aqua teens movie and slept over. it was an incredibly good time and the movie was as funny as it was random. see it if you like the show, simple as that. the part of my morning that had me wanting to write this entry was after the pancakes we had for breakfast. breakfast was a good enough time that involved arguments over butter and who made better pancakes. naturally: the champion of all pancakes, me, won. so back to when i felt weird... i was putting my cell, sidekick, wallet and keys back into my pockets and i just stumbled on the thought process of feeling as though i were someone in a band on tour. i felt as if i were a guest but in a place where i slept for almost two months. it was interesting enough and i can definitely attest to the fact that i had no idea why i was feeling like that. but for now as usual everything is all good and cindy and i are on our way back to the apartment to shower up and such in case we feel like heading out to the city to hang around with the gang some more.
okay, so this entry feels a little scattered but it is just a recap of good night melted into a good day. and yes as usual i am feeling a little nostalgic and a little sad but it is an oxymoronic happy sad.
okay, so this entry feels a little scattered but it is just a recap of good night melted into a good day. and yes as usual i am feeling a little nostalgic and a little sad but it is an oxymoronic happy sad.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
lately.
as time has been passing by lately i have been using twitter to update what i have been up to. still though, there is something you can not get with micro-blogging: "true emotion," and a real feel of that persons personality. i do recommend twitter for just a generally habitual way of keeping your life updated to the outside world. it even has an option to remind you if you haven't updated in 24 hours.
i always imagine that my blogs should touch someone on some other level where they found my life truly interesting. i think that when i do update i tend to either drab it down or not update at all for lack of the idea striking me. should i be happy that i am not so strapped to my blogs? i always notice that i am not as hell bent on using my sidekick for everything with my female counterpart on the other side of me typing furiously as though she had no idea on how to do anything else other than use this silly device. but i do digress that if this device had any bit of the funtionality, for me, that my xbox does then hell would have already frozen over.
i recently, as by the way of today, read about the possibility of a zune cell phone type device that could update all its songs and such via wi-fi. maybe this option will be more viable for me than the iphone.
as my dear love sits next to me, still furiously typing i am thinking of how nice it will be to just lie in bed with her for the whole of tomorrow for the first time since we have been living with each other.
i love you cindy and i am thankful and grateful for every moment i get to spend with you.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
big dreams and playing make believe.
i have been reading a book called the secret, you may have heard of it. it is a really interesting and helpful read and i honestly believe its advice is meaningful, helpful, and most of all, real. i picked it up and wanted to write it off as some sort of cult but was intrigued enough by it so i bought it. so far it has been nothing but a help and given a more positive aspect of everything and has also given me the motivation by making me keep myself positive. as soon as i have found myself getting upset about something or even bored i modify my thinking in order to keep myself attracting positive things. now this could or could not make me sound like an absolute nut but i highly recommend it to anyone who feels like their soul needs a pick-me-up.
i am now going to begin working on what i hope will become a bigger project that i can even imagine at this point. it is going to be my gaming community within a gaming community. it will have clan based purposes for gears of war and halo and such and it will also be a place within the xbox community to create a more personable community and make it even more fun for gamers to meet other gamers. i am dreaming big and as long as i keep dreaming this way i can only go up. maybe a comic for the community, a forum of course, but most of all just for there to be people on your friends list that you always feel like playing with. i'll call it "P4PER M4N" because the idea i was stricken with was just to hand out flyers with this name on it to expand my gaming community.
i am now going to begin working on what i hope will become a bigger project that i can even imagine at this point. it is going to be my gaming community within a gaming community. it will have clan based purposes for gears of war and halo and such and it will also be a place within the xbox community to create a more personable community and make it even more fun for gamers to meet other gamers. i am dreaming big and as long as i keep dreaming this way i can only go up. maybe a comic for the community, a forum of course, but most of all just for there to be people on your friends list that you always feel like playing with. i'll call it "P4PER M4N" because the idea i was stricken with was just to hand out flyers with this name on it to expand my gaming community.
Friday, March 30, 2007
kitty.
so i picked up the kitty today and the whole experience has been fun. some sarcasm noted. the cat is awesome and loves attention and if you are near it, it doesn't specifically need attention but likes to be near you. the sarcasm i was hinting at was the train ride home where the kitty did not want to be in that box and kept meowing. i felt so bad. i decided to try and introduce the cat and the dog but after figuring out quickly that it wasn't a good idea i checked out some stuff online only to discover that they needed to be introduced slowly. apparently they need to get used to each other by smell first. it makes sense.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
valens.
this is a good song to randomly have in your head at work.
probably my second favorite of their songs.
--nate.avalanche
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
a nice longg day.
long needed two g's, trust me. i worked almost twelve hours and i wasn't
supposed to. yeah what the fuck i'm a whiner. haha and i have to open
tomorrow; i love running myself ragged at both ends.
supposed to. yeah what the fuck i'm a whiner. haha and i have to open
tomorrow; i love running myself ragged at both ends.
the black donnellys was amazing last night as usual but last night was
the best since the second episode. they really know how to work a lot of
magic with that show. it plays like my favorite movies do and i can
watch the episodes two and three times and love them just as much.
again if you haven't checked it out yet do that mondays @ ten.
so i talked more about a show than how exhausted i am. goodnight
homies.
--nate.avalanche
Sunday, March 25, 2007
retrospective conversations.
def. - those conversations in which are hard to come by or incredibly
thought provoking.
thought provoking.
i do not think there has been a shift that i have ever worked where it
never felt like i was working for a second. thoughts were equally on
comics and all propoganda related and tipped towards musical
inclinations. we talked about batman, texas is the reason, invader zim,
and the movielife.
my bone tattoo went over well.
on another topic i have been playing something other than crackdown for
the past day. alien hominid hd which is awesome in its every aspect.
this is a highly reccomended game to those who only even have a pc. it
was originally a flash based game (and rightfully still is) from the
fine people who run newgrounds.com. anyway check it out.
and now i am finally on the train and kudos to that because the
originally inspiring guitar strumming was beginning to drill into my
head.
--nate.avalanche
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