Sunday, April 30, 2006
The New Nintendo Console
Since I'm not the only one aghast at what Nintendo has done for their new console--for those of you not interested in the developments within the gaming industry, Nintendo has announced the name of their upcoming new console is "Wii" pronounced "We" is in "We are going to the movies," or "That baby has a tiny wee-wee." In an effort to Stop The Madness, I list some alternatives for how gamers can refer to the Wii Console, which still makes me giggle just saying it.
Courtesy of JH who posted on my GameAxis blog entry: That Nintendo Console.
I also offer up "The Nintendo" in honor of simpler days when kids would say to each other "You wanna' play Atar/Nintendo?" back in the 80's and 90's.
For Singapore, which is mad about acronyms even when they're actually longer to pronounce than the word itself, there is "Double-u, eye, eye console."
For people looking for something a little more politically incorrect, and considering they lost, something which, prophetically, may happen again with this generation of console wars, they can refer to it as "WWii" or "World War Two."
For the stubborn, there is also simply "The Revolution" since that's the name everyone is used to now. For dyslexics, it becomes "Iiw" or "Aiwah."
For old school gamers you can alternatively refer to it as the "Mario/Metroid/Zelda/F-Zero" Box, just pick your favorite. For the marketing oriented who now realize that Microsoft has wasted the 360 part of the Xbox 360's name, since that was their answer to the Nintendo Revolution and it's not even named that anymore, you can call it the Nintendo Z-Pentabox 720. On a related note, does this now mean that the Xbox 360, in order to stay current, must change it's name to Xbox Everyone, since Everyone is more "powerful" than "we"?
For the old school, there's always the good old fashioned, "Famicom," which, surprisingly, the more I think about it, the more I see this being a FAR more relevant name now than it was when the Famicom first debuted. And last, but not least, by far the EASIEST of all the new names to give it, "The Other Console," since everyone will KNOW you're not talking about the PS3 or Xbox Everyone.
Since I'm not the only one aghast at what Nintendo has done for their new console--for those of you not interested in the developments within the gaming industry, Nintendo has announced the name of their upcoming new console is "Wii" pronounced "We" is in "We are going to the movies," or "That baby has a tiny wee-wee." In an effort to Stop The Madness, I list some alternatives for how gamers can refer to the Wii Console, which still makes me giggle just saying it. Courtesy of JH who posted on my GameAxis blog entry: That Nintendo Console.
I also offer up "The Nintendo" in honor of simpler days when kids would say to each other "You wanna' play Atar/Nintendo?" back in the 80's and 90's.
For Singapore, which is mad about acronyms even when they're actually longer to pronounce than the word itself, there is "Double-u, eye, eye console."
For people looking for something a little more politically incorrect, and considering they lost, something which, prophetically, may happen again with this generation of console wars, they can refer to it as "WWii" or "World War Two."
For the stubborn, there is also simply "The Revolution" since that's the name everyone is used to now. For dyslexics, it becomes "Iiw" or "Aiwah."
For old school gamers you can alternatively refer to it as the "Mario/Metroid/Zelda/F-Zero" Box, just pick your favorite. For the marketing oriented who now realize that Microsoft has wasted the 360 part of the Xbox 360's name, since that was their answer to the Nintendo Revolution and it's not even named that anymore, you can call it the Nintendo Z-Pentabox 720. On a related note, does this now mean that the Xbox 360, in order to stay current, must change it's name to Xbox Everyone, since Everyone is more "powerful" than "we"?
For the old school, there's always the good old fashioned, "Famicom," which, surprisingly, the more I think about it, the more I see this being a FAR more relevant name now than it was when the Famicom first debuted. And last, but not least, by far the EASIEST of all the new names to give it, "The Other Console," since everyone will KNOW you're not talking about the PS3 or Xbox Everyone.
Labels: Games, Neat-O Gadgetry
Friday, April 28, 2006
The Review Post
First of all, my Silent Hill review is already up at GameAxis and available for viewing here.
And second of all, much to my surprise, I ended up finishing Tomb Raider: Legend last night, and so my thoughts on the game are ready to fly.
As a game, TRL is very solid and competently thought out, showing a real sense of craftsmanship in the controls and level design. The levels, strangely enough, while much better looking than their PS1 ancestors never seem to reach the same sense of scale. I'm thinking in particular of the massive Greek ruins that caused so many open mouths in 1996, while TRL sports nothing on quite that same level of scale.
On the other hand, the game does look great. Lara is finally looking recognizably human, rather than a massively stylized rendition of one, the environments are brimming with nice effects such as shafts of light streaming from the roofs of ruined tombs, and even little touches such as when Lara climbs out of the water after a swim, her skin is shiny with water, and her clothing is actually a shade darker to reflect the water absorption.
Lara's voice acting--as well as that of her allies and enemies--is another quality act. While some of the characters occasionally come off as seeming somewhat cliche, they are at least performed competently, with no bad voice acting anywhere. Keely Hawes, a British actress, does a fine job of giving the class and wit you'd expect from someone raised and educated as a Countess, but also manages to show the kind of fire and anger in Lara Croft that would make you believe that perhaps she really is tough enough to be a Tomb Raider despite her Genteel upbringing.
The controls are probably the one area where improvement has been desperately needed for years and it's finally happened. Although the camera control--as is true for nearly all 3D games--can occasionally get in the way or be a little difficult to "tame" the rest of the controls operate almost intuitively, letting you perform a huge range of complex moves quickly and easily. The addition of a "rhythm based" enhancement to movement (You tap the triangle button in time to Lara's moves) to increase the pace at which she swims, scales walls, or climbs ladders is nice touch for people that want to keep things moving and have the motor control to handle it. Levels--while not as expansive as previously mentioned--are still well thought out, and, unlike past Tomb Raider games, don't rely on the "fetch quest" of finding a door or lock at one end of a gigantic environment, being forced to retrieve an item at the far end, then having to navigate to another unlocking mechanism way out at the other end, only to have to drag yourself back through the massive environment once again just to finally pull the lever and open the door. Puzzles, while still requiring some thought, are usually self-contained, so if you can't seem to overcome an obstacle, it's not because you've forgotten something 2 kilometers back, you're just not seeing the solution built into the environment you're currently in, and that's a very, VERY welcome change.
On a story note, I'm happy to report that the story of this game is indeed pretty well done. Lara Croft--in a strange twist of irony--is becoming more and more human even as her cinematic counterpart Angelina Jolie becomes more and more unreal and superheroic with her feats of derring do. The story of Tomb Raider Legend is, surprisingly, but also obviously, once you think about it, the story of Lara Croft herself. The game actually takes a cue from a critical event mentioned in the offical Croft bios, the fact that she supposedly survived a plane crash in the Himalayas and how that experienced transformed her from mere dilettante to obsessed Tomb Raider. How that event, subsequent flash backs and a new adventure in the present tie all together gives a much clearer--and more sympathetic--picture of Lara Croft as a person rather than just a super hot badass with guns.
This is also where I have to lodge my largest complaint with the game. While as a pure gaming experience it is a joy to interact with from start to finish, that finish comes FAR too abruptly. It feels like just the train hit top speed, it ran into the side of the mountain and you are left shocked and not quite believing that it's over. It ends on what amounts to a cliff hanger (Which is annoying in itself) but also ends after less than ten hours of game play, and that is when you're taking your time. Dedicated, hardcore gamers that try and get through the game as quickly possible can finish the game in 5-6 hours. It can be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view, but the ride ends far too quickly. Just as it's getting really, really good, in fact.
So although it's incredibly short, it's an amazingly fun game. I actually have a kind of difficult time being able to reccomend it as a game to buy because of its short length, but if you're the sort of person that rents games, this is one that you HAVE to rent as it can be easily finished in a weekend. With any luck, Crystal Dynamics will be making an announcement about a new Tomb Raider game at the E3 for the PS2, since it's obvious this story is meant to be continued, and now that the engine is in place, all that really needs to be done is design new levels and get the voice actors and musicians in for another round. The foundation is there to quickly get the sequel and resolve story, and, by God, they'd BETTER resolve this story, because I really, REALLY need to know how this ends...
First of all, my Silent Hill review is already up at GameAxis and available for viewing here.
And second of all, much to my surprise, I ended up finishing Tomb Raider: Legend last night, and so my thoughts on the game are ready to fly.
As a game, TRL is very solid and competently thought out, showing a real sense of craftsmanship in the controls and level design. The levels, strangely enough, while much better looking than their PS1 ancestors never seem to reach the same sense of scale. I'm thinking in particular of the massive Greek ruins that caused so many open mouths in 1996, while TRL sports nothing on quite that same level of scale.On the other hand, the game does look great. Lara is finally looking recognizably human, rather than a massively stylized rendition of one, the environments are brimming with nice effects such as shafts of light streaming from the roofs of ruined tombs, and even little touches such as when Lara climbs out of the water after a swim, her skin is shiny with water, and her clothing is actually a shade darker to reflect the water absorption.
Lara's voice acting--as well as that of her allies and enemies--is another quality act. While some of the characters occasionally come off as seeming somewhat cliche, they are at least performed competently, with no bad voice acting anywhere. Keely Hawes, a British actress, does a fine job of giving the class and wit you'd expect from someone raised and educated as a Countess, but also manages to show the kind of fire and anger in Lara Croft that would make you believe that perhaps she really is tough enough to be a Tomb Raider despite her Genteel upbringing.
The controls are probably the one area where improvement has been desperately needed for years and it's finally happened. Although the camera control--as is true for nearly all 3D games--can occasionally get in the way or be a little difficult to "tame" the rest of the controls operate almost intuitively, letting you perform a huge range of complex moves quickly and easily. The addition of a "rhythm based" enhancement to movement (You tap the triangle button in time to Lara's moves) to increase the pace at which she swims, scales walls, or climbs ladders is nice touch for people that want to keep things moving and have the motor control to handle it. Levels--while not as expansive as previously mentioned--are still well thought out, and, unlike past Tomb Raider games, don't rely on the "fetch quest" of finding a door or lock at one end of a gigantic environment, being forced to retrieve an item at the far end, then having to navigate to another unlocking mechanism way out at the other end, only to have to drag yourself back through the massive environment once again just to finally pull the lever and open the door. Puzzles, while still requiring some thought, are usually self-contained, so if you can't seem to overcome an obstacle, it's not because you've forgotten something 2 kilometers back, you're just not seeing the solution built into the environment you're currently in, and that's a very, VERY welcome change.
On a story note, I'm happy to report that the story of this game is indeed pretty well done. Lara Croft--in a strange twist of irony--is becoming more and more human even as her cinematic counterpart Angelina Jolie becomes more and more unreal and superheroic with her feats of derring do. The story of Tomb Raider Legend is, surprisingly, but also obviously, once you think about it, the story of Lara Croft herself. The game actually takes a cue from a critical event mentioned in the offical Croft bios, the fact that she supposedly survived a plane crash in the Himalayas and how that experienced transformed her from mere dilettante to obsessed Tomb Raider. How that event, subsequent flash backs and a new adventure in the present tie all together gives a much clearer--and more sympathetic--picture of Lara Croft as a person rather than just a super hot badass with guns.
This is also where I have to lodge my largest complaint with the game. While as a pure gaming experience it is a joy to interact with from start to finish, that finish comes FAR too abruptly. It feels like just the train hit top speed, it ran into the side of the mountain and you are left shocked and not quite believing that it's over. It ends on what amounts to a cliff hanger (Which is annoying in itself) but also ends after less than ten hours of game play, and that is when you're taking your time. Dedicated, hardcore gamers that try and get through the game as quickly possible can finish the game in 5-6 hours. It can be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view, but the ride ends far too quickly. Just as it's getting really, really good, in fact.
So although it's incredibly short, it's an amazingly fun game. I actually have a kind of difficult time being able to reccomend it as a game to buy because of its short length, but if you're the sort of person that rents games, this is one that you HAVE to rent as it can be easily finished in a weekend. With any luck, Crystal Dynamics will be making an announcement about a new Tomb Raider game at the E3 for the PS2, since it's obvious this story is meant to be continued, and now that the engine is in place, all that really needs to be done is design new levels and get the voice actors and musicians in for another round. The foundation is there to quickly get the sequel and resolve story, and, by God, they'd BETTER resolve this story, because I really, REALLY need to know how this ends...
Labels: Games
Some Random Facts
I have now watched War of the Worlds, March of the Penguins and Domino, in that order. Of them all, it was the Penguins that was actually the coolest.
Tomb Raider Legend is shaping up to be a very good game, and a long awaited worthy successor to the original Playstation phenomenon. Since I'm not doing the review for GameAxis, I can post a capsule review of my own thoughts here, which I'll do once I've finished it.
The Wife and I just this rainy afternoon went down to a part of the neighborhood we never suspected held a small gallery of replica arms, including period firearms, blades from actual historical periods, and fantasy weapons which are either of original design, or inspired by various sources, such as The Lord of the Rings. Since the Wife is doing comics and other illustrations now, and since I'm writing Nowhere which involves the use of katanas (That is to say, the traditional blade used by Japanese Samurai) we now have something like this in the house.
I have already chased the cats around with it while muttering things like "YOU HAVE NO HONOR! DIE! HAAAAI!" and "EVIL SHALL PERISH BY MY BLADE!" and it's more fun that I had suspected. There is something incredibly cool about having a sword in your house...
I have now watched War of the Worlds, March of the Penguins and Domino, in that order. Of them all, it was the Penguins that was actually the coolest.
Tomb Raider Legend is shaping up to be a very good game, and a long awaited worthy successor to the original Playstation phenomenon. Since I'm not doing the review for GameAxis, I can post a capsule review of my own thoughts here, which I'll do once I've finished it.
The Wife and I just this rainy afternoon went down to a part of the neighborhood we never suspected held a small gallery of replica arms, including period firearms, blades from actual historical periods, and fantasy weapons which are either of original design, or inspired by various sources, such as The Lord of the Rings. Since the Wife is doing comics and other illustrations now, and since I'm writing Nowhere which involves the use of katanas (That is to say, the traditional blade used by Japanese Samurai) we now have something like this in the house.
I have already chased the cats around with it while muttering things like "YOU HAVE NO HONOR! DIE! HAAAAI!" and "EVIL SHALL PERISH BY MY BLADE!" and it's more fun that I had suspected. There is something incredibly cool about having a sword in your house...
Labels: Creating Comics, Games, Movies, My Life, Nowhere
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Welcome Back, Toby & Lara
It's a little belated, but I finally got my grubby mitts on her and brought 'er home today.
After the suck-age that was Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, Lara Croft has come back on every major gaming platform, with Tomb Raider: Legend courtesy of Toby Gard, the original creator who left Eidos and Lara after he didn't like the direction they were taking. Well he's back and now I'm going to catch up with the old gal and take her out to see what she's got.
It's a little belated, but I finally got my grubby mitts on her and brought 'er home today.
After the suck-age that was Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, Lara Croft has come back on every major gaming platform, with Tomb Raider: Legend courtesy of Toby Gard, the original creator who left Eidos and Lara after he didn't like the direction they were taking. Well he's back and now I'm going to catch up with the old gal and take her out to see what she's got.
Labels: Games
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
So I Managed To Watch It After All
That is to say, I stepped into the office this morning and a few minutes later was told that not only had Silent Hill arrived in Singapore, and not only had the censors not yet taken their scissors to the movie, but that the distributors, the Shaw Brothers company was going to be screening it in the private theater they had on the 13th floor of their office building and some lucky bastard from GameAxis was going to go and watch it with 'em.
Said lucky bastard being me.
I can't go into too many details since I'm still owing an official review for GameAxis itself,
but I will say this; fans of the game have nothing to complain about, it's so true to the look and feel of the game that it's positively unnerving. Unfortunately, fans of cinema in general will--and rightfully so--bash it for exactly these same reasons. But my God, as a huge admirer of the series, the geek in me has just gotta' marvel at how intensely true to the series Roger Avary and Chrisopher Gans were, even if it came at the expense of the plot, dialog and acting... Oh well.
When the review has been submitted and put up on the GameAxis website, I'll post a link here.
That is to say, I stepped into the office this morning and a few minutes later was told that not only had Silent Hill arrived in Singapore, and not only had the censors not yet taken their scissors to the movie, but that the distributors, the Shaw Brothers company was going to be screening it in the private theater they had on the 13th floor of their office building and some lucky bastard from GameAxis was going to go and watch it with 'em.
Said lucky bastard being me.
I can't go into too many details since I'm still owing an official review for GameAxis itself,
but I will say this; fans of the game have nothing to complain about, it's so true to the look and feel of the game that it's positively unnerving. Unfortunately, fans of cinema in general will--and rightfully so--bash it for exactly these same reasons. But my God, as a huge admirer of the series, the geek in me has just gotta' marvel at how intensely true to the series Roger Avary and Chrisopher Gans were, even if it came at the expense of the plot, dialog and acting... Oh well.
When the review has been submitted and put up on the GameAxis website, I'll post a link here.
Labels: Games, Journalism, Movies
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
The Most Horrible Comic Book Superhero Ever
I had one of those amazingly bad ideas that you know should never, ever do anything with, so I'm going to post it here and be done with it.
Somehow, while discussing that certain monthly event that only women experience that men will never be privy to, it suddenly occurred to me that this was a heroine, a super experience, and a super power that had never been exploited by comic books, which led me to the creation of:
Menstra: It's That Time Of The Month... FOR JUSTICE!
Menstra's story begins the way all noble defenders of justice do, with an origin story. Once love child of the 60's, a delightful but orphaned young woman by the name of Moon Flow finds herself caught out in the rain in the big city. Alone, lost and dejected, she retreats to an abandoned subway tunnel and realizes once she's high and dry that she has a terrifc case of the cramps on top of her usual menstrual period and goes looking for a bathroom.
She eventually finds an ancient row of stone cubicles dating back to the Greco-Menstro period and goes in, sitting down and realizing that she doesn't have anything with which to address her problem. As any girl is wont to do, she knocks on the wall to see if anyone is in the stall beside her. She gets an answer...
Mysterious Female Voice: Yes?
Moon Flow: Uh... This is really embarrassing, but...
MFV: Are you in need?
MF: Er... Yeah, I really, really am.
MFV: Then take this.
Under the stall a slim, elegant hand produces what seems to be an ordinary tampon except for the fact that it seems to buzz with palapable electricity and it glows blue. Beggars, however, cannot be choosers, and so Moon Flow gratefully accepts it and uses, which results in a lot of lightning and thunder and when it all clears, she finds herself transformed into a super heroic version of herself. There is a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Cate Blanchett stands before her swathed in robes.
MF: Leapin' Lizards and gosh patootie, who are you and what's happened to me?!?
MFV: I am the sorceress Periodora! And I bequeath unto you the power of Menstra!
MF: What's that?
P: When justice cries for redress and the time is right, you shall bleed for justice!
MF: What do you mean?
P: The enchanted tampon I have given you is the ONLY one you will ever need for the rest of your life! When you find that justice must flow and you need the power of Menstra, you have but to pull the string and it shall be yours!
MF: GOLLY!
Fast forward to several months later...
Menstra has made a name for herself as a crime fighter in the city! While on her monthly patrol, she spies some bank robbers!
Menstra: STOP, LAW BREAKERS!
Robber: Aw get lost, ya' dumb girl!
Menstra: You cannot stop the flow of JUSTICE!
Robber: What are you talking about?
The crowd of on lookers, familiar with this sight, begin to run, or simply to put umbrellas as Menstra stands with her legs further apart.
Robber: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!! OH MY GOD, I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, ONLY PLEASE, PLEASE STOP, OH GOD, OH GOD, OH GOD, I'M TRAUMATIZED! TRAUMATIZED!!
Menstra: The flow of justice will not be denied!
See? I told you it was a horrible idea.
I had one of those amazingly bad ideas that you know should never, ever do anything with, so I'm going to post it here and be done with it.
Somehow, while discussing that certain monthly event that only women experience that men will never be privy to, it suddenly occurred to me that this was a heroine, a super experience, and a super power that had never been exploited by comic books, which led me to the creation of:
Menstra: It's That Time Of The Month... FOR JUSTICE!
Menstra's story begins the way all noble defenders of justice do, with an origin story. Once love child of the 60's, a delightful but orphaned young woman by the name of Moon Flow finds herself caught out in the rain in the big city. Alone, lost and dejected, she retreats to an abandoned subway tunnel and realizes once she's high and dry that she has a terrifc case of the cramps on top of her usual menstrual period and goes looking for a bathroom.
She eventually finds an ancient row of stone cubicles dating back to the Greco-Menstro period and goes in, sitting down and realizing that she doesn't have anything with which to address her problem. As any girl is wont to do, she knocks on the wall to see if anyone is in the stall beside her. She gets an answer...
Mysterious Female Voice: Yes?
Moon Flow: Uh... This is really embarrassing, but...
MFV: Are you in need?
MF: Er... Yeah, I really, really am.
MFV: Then take this.
Under the stall a slim, elegant hand produces what seems to be an ordinary tampon except for the fact that it seems to buzz with palapable electricity and it glows blue. Beggars, however, cannot be choosers, and so Moon Flow gratefully accepts it and uses, which results in a lot of lightning and thunder and when it all clears, she finds herself transformed into a super heroic version of herself. There is a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Cate Blanchett stands before her swathed in robes.
MF: Leapin' Lizards and gosh patootie, who are you and what's happened to me?!?
MFV: I am the sorceress Periodora! And I bequeath unto you the power of Menstra!
MF: What's that?
P: When justice cries for redress and the time is right, you shall bleed for justice!
MF: What do you mean?
P: The enchanted tampon I have given you is the ONLY one you will ever need for the rest of your life! When you find that justice must flow and you need the power of Menstra, you have but to pull the string and it shall be yours!
MF: GOLLY!
Fast forward to several months later...
Menstra has made a name for herself as a crime fighter in the city! While on her monthly patrol, she spies some bank robbers!
Menstra: STOP, LAW BREAKERS!
Robber: Aw get lost, ya' dumb girl!
Menstra: You cannot stop the flow of JUSTICE!
Robber: What are you talking about?
The crowd of on lookers, familiar with this sight, begin to run, or simply to put umbrellas as Menstra stands with her legs further apart.
Robber: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!! OH MY GOD, I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, ONLY PLEASE, PLEASE STOP, OH GOD, OH GOD, OH GOD, I'M TRAUMATIZED! TRAUMATIZED!!
Menstra: The flow of justice will not be denied!
See? I told you it was a horrible idea.
Labels: Comics, Stupid Scripts
Monday, April 24, 2006
My Headfirst Crash Into The Generation Gap
I just realized that this current generation of people in their 20s-30s will probably be the last ones to say that they spent their youth without the ability to carry their entire music collection, that is, every single damn song they ever wanted upon their person in something that can fit comfortably in a bag or large pocket.
It amazes me to think that kids born these days will find the idea of not having ALL of your music instantly available to them on a whim to be about as inconceivable as not breathing oxygen.
Man, I'm old.
I just realized that this current generation of people in their 20s-30s will probably be the last ones to say that they spent their youth without the ability to carry their entire music collection, that is, every single damn song they ever wanted upon their person in something that can fit comfortably in a bag or large pocket.
It amazes me to think that kids born these days will find the idea of not having ALL of your music instantly available to them on a whim to be about as inconceivable as not breathing oxygen.
Man, I'm old.
Labels: Musing
Sunday, April 23, 2006
I'm Having A Monition
This was brought on by the observation that a premonition is the experience of predicting or seeing a future event before it has happened, which kind of let to the logical question, "If there's a PRE-monition, then can there be just plain old monitions?"
I think the answer to this is, yes, yes there are. In our own way, all of us are powerful psychics that are having monitions each and every moment.
With this knowledge now firmly in hand, I realize that we all have a responsibility to use our powerful gifts for the benefit of each other. Witness:
Me: Oh, my GOD!
Wife: What, what is it?
Me: I'm having a powerful monition right now!
Wife: Of what?
Me: I see... I see you! Looking at me, as I... wait, wait... it's coming to me... yes, looking at me as I talk about having a monition!
Wife: WOW! THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, HOW CAN YOU BE SO ACCURATE AND PRECISE!?!
Me: It's a gift. And now I'm having another monition.
Wife: Jeepers, creepers, what is it?
Me: I see... me... talking about having another monition, while you... yes, you listen.
Wife: That's so amazing.
Me: Ain't it, though?
This was brought on by the observation that a premonition is the experience of predicting or seeing a future event before it has happened, which kind of let to the logical question, "If there's a PRE-monition, then can there be just plain old monitions?"
I think the answer to this is, yes, yes there are. In our own way, all of us are powerful psychics that are having monitions each and every moment.
With this knowledge now firmly in hand, I realize that we all have a responsibility to use our powerful gifts for the benefit of each other. Witness:
Me: Oh, my GOD!
Wife: What, what is it?
Me: I'm having a powerful monition right now!
Wife: Of what?
Me: I see... I see you! Looking at me, as I... wait, wait... it's coming to me... yes, looking at me as I talk about having a monition!
Wife: WOW! THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, HOW CAN YOU BE SO ACCURATE AND PRECISE!?!
Me: It's a gift. And now I'm having another monition.
Wife: Jeepers, creepers, what is it?
Me: I see... me... talking about having another monition, while you... yes, you listen.
Wife: That's so amazing.
Me: Ain't it, though?
Labels: Stupid Scripts
Saturday, April 22, 2006
The Mother In Law's Birthday
In which Eurasian food was consumed, apple strudels were eaten, and there were long walks in the hot afternoon sun.
Other than that, the only other things I plan on doing today are getting more writing done in various things, including this blog, the other blog, the children's novel and the comic book-...
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I've started on a comic book. It's actually the Wife's idea, and one we've talked about on and off for the last couple of years, so the main story is actually "finished" in my head, it's just a matter of getting it all out now. I had stupidly begun writing the script in Microsoft Word until I realized I didn't have to anymore, since I now have a script writing program, something I didn't have access to a few years ago when this project was first thought up.
Anyway, it's called Nowhere, and... that's all I'm going to say about it at this point, really. I have no idea what's going to be done with it after I've written the first part, but at least it'll be in the world, and that's somethin'...
In which Eurasian food was consumed, apple strudels were eaten, and there were long walks in the hot afternoon sun.
Other than that, the only other things I plan on doing today are getting more writing done in various things, including this blog, the other blog, the children's novel and the comic book-...
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I've started on a comic book. It's actually the Wife's idea, and one we've talked about on and off for the last couple of years, so the main story is actually "finished" in my head, it's just a matter of getting it all out now. I had stupidly begun writing the script in Microsoft Word until I realized I didn't have to anymore, since I now have a script writing program, something I didn't have access to a few years ago when this project was first thought up.
Anyway, it's called Nowhere, and... that's all I'm going to say about it at this point, really. I have no idea what's going to be done with it after I've written the first part, but at least it'll be in the world, and that's somethin'...
Labels: Creating Comics, My Life, Nowhere
Friday, April 21, 2006
WHY?!?
When North America finally gets to enjoy what I hope will be the first really good movie based on a video game, that is...
Silent Hill, one of the most twisted, profoundly disturbing experiences in the history of gaming... And Singapore doesn't get it till FREAKIN' JUNE?!?
I've always thought this was an amazing game. It was one of those cathartic moments in gaming where I suddenly realized that gaming was going somewhere. It was also one of the first video games to really scare the hell out of me and make wary of going to bed, and in a strange sort of way, it was one of these weird elements that helped bring me and the Wife together since up until that point, she'd thought that video games were stupid, pointless exercises in reflexes with nothing really going on, and I said, "Oh, man, you've never played Silent Hill," and when I played through it with her, she got hooked.
Oh well... I guess when I DO finally get to see it, there will be a lengthy rant on her about the virtues/vices of the movie as both a movie and a crossover of a game series I am intimately familiar with and ferociously protective of...
When North America finally gets to enjoy what I hope will be the first really good movie based on a video game, that is...
Silent Hill, one of the most twisted, profoundly disturbing experiences in the history of gaming... And Singapore doesn't get it till FREAKIN' JUNE?!?
I've always thought this was an amazing game. It was one of those cathartic moments in gaming where I suddenly realized that gaming was going somewhere. It was also one of the first video games to really scare the hell out of me and make wary of going to bed, and in a strange sort of way, it was one of these weird elements that helped bring me and the Wife together since up until that point, she'd thought that video games were stupid, pointless exercises in reflexes with nothing really going on, and I said, "Oh, man, you've never played Silent Hill," and when I played through it with her, she got hooked.
Oh well... I guess when I DO finally get to see it, there will be a lengthy rant on her about the virtues/vices of the movie as both a movie and a crossover of a game series I am intimately familiar with and ferociously protective of...
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Razors Are Getting Too Masculine
A couple of days ago while shopping for groceries with the Wife, I noticed once again that razors put on sale, in particular the Gillette brand, have the most tremendously turbo-charged, super-testosterone injected, hyper masculine names. I mean, we're talking about a hunk of plastic that holds some sharp steel so you can remove pubic hair on your face. I'm sorry, but it's true. Something like that hardly deserves the Uber Male moniker "Mach 3 TURBO" Razor or "M3 Power NITRO!" It kind of got me to thinking about the only logical place this kind of aggressive marketing can go...
SCENE:
EXTERIOR. A BATTLEFIELD WITH SOLDIERS, NINJAS AND WRESTLERS ALL ATTACKING EACH OTHER.
A Wrestler stops pummeling a ninja to address the camera.
Wrestler: Hi! I'm a straight, heterosexual male that just happens to love greasing up and touching other men! Because I'm straight and will only touch other men when paid to do so, I only shave with THIS.
[He raises his hand and camera zooms in on THE ANNIHILATOR, a new razor blade]
Wrestler: After shaving my face and armpits with this, I really feel like a REAL MAN! But don't take my word for it, just ask this guy!
[A flamboyantly dressed hairdresser giggles and steps into frame]
Hairdresser: I was a gay as gay could be until I accidently shaved with the ANNIHILATOR! Now, I've decided to study to be a car mechanic, and I'm interested in girls! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go buy some 15 year old t-shirts with rips in them and get a barbecue going! Whoo hoo!
[A bald girl in army fatigues steps up. She holds a picture of what appears to be herself in a stunning evening gown, with lustrous blonde hair]
Bald Girl: I used to be an ordinary, beautiful, vivacious woman who was only interested in finding the right guy, until one morning, after a torrid affair with a rich executive, I needed to shave my legs and only the ANNIHILATOR was around to use! It turned me into a bull dyke lesbian and now I'm only interested in women, I hate dresses, and I'm going to join the army!
Voice Over: Yes, the ANNIHILATOR is the razor so masculine it can actually drastically realter your lifestyle and sexual orientation! Use it at your own risk! That is, unless you're AFRAID TO BE A REAL MAN!!
A couple of days ago while shopping for groceries with the Wife, I noticed once again that razors put on sale, in particular the Gillette brand, have the most tremendously turbo-charged, super-testosterone injected, hyper masculine names. I mean, we're talking about a hunk of plastic that holds some sharp steel so you can remove pubic hair on your face. I'm sorry, but it's true. Something like that hardly deserves the Uber Male moniker "Mach 3 TURBO" Razor or "M3 Power NITRO!" It kind of got me to thinking about the only logical place this kind of aggressive marketing can go...
SCENE:
EXTERIOR. A BATTLEFIELD WITH SOLDIERS, NINJAS AND WRESTLERS ALL ATTACKING EACH OTHER.
A Wrestler stops pummeling a ninja to address the camera.
Wrestler: Hi! I'm a straight, heterosexual male that just happens to love greasing up and touching other men! Because I'm straight and will only touch other men when paid to do so, I only shave with THIS.
[He raises his hand and camera zooms in on THE ANNIHILATOR, a new razor blade]
Wrestler: After shaving my face and armpits with this, I really feel like a REAL MAN! But don't take my word for it, just ask this guy!
[A flamboyantly dressed hairdresser giggles and steps into frame]
Hairdresser: I was a gay as gay could be until I accidently shaved with the ANNIHILATOR! Now, I've decided to study to be a car mechanic, and I'm interested in girls! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go buy some 15 year old t-shirts with rips in them and get a barbecue going! Whoo hoo!
[A bald girl in army fatigues steps up. She holds a picture of what appears to be herself in a stunning evening gown, with lustrous blonde hair]
Bald Girl: I used to be an ordinary, beautiful, vivacious woman who was only interested in finding the right guy, until one morning, after a torrid affair with a rich executive, I needed to shave my legs and only the ANNIHILATOR was around to use! It turned me into a bull dyke lesbian and now I'm only interested in women, I hate dresses, and I'm going to join the army!
Voice Over: Yes, the ANNIHILATOR is the razor so masculine it can actually drastically realter your lifestyle and sexual orientation! Use it at your own risk! That is, unless you're AFRAID TO BE A REAL MAN!!
Labels: Random Blargh, Stupid Scripts
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Showing Off The Wife
Because she is incredibly talented and I really like this picture.
The really cool part is we also have this in poster size.
Tomorrow: Razors and how they are waaaay too macho.
Because she is incredibly talented and I really like this picture.
The really cool part is we also have this in poster size.
Tomorrow: Razors and how they are waaaay too macho.
Labels: Artwork
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
It's The Wife's Birthday
So no post or remotely interesting things to do or say today.
So no post or remotely interesting things to do or say today.
Labels: Boring And Insipid Posts, Icky Couple Stuff
Monday, April 17, 2006
Stephen Chow Weekend
Okay so yesterday it turned out that the weekend was devoted to Stephen Chow as this ended up being the movie of the evening...
Yep. Shaolin Soccer. While it's a bit weird that the goalie was doing a cross dressing thing and wearing the outfit Uma Thurman wore in Kill Bill (KIDDING. Geez...) the movie sort of cemented for me the theory that perhaps Asian comedy, particuarly the stronger schools of cinema in Japan, Hong Kong and Korea, tends to be far less mean spirited than American comedy. For whatever reason the vast majority of American comedy tends to get its laughs by being cruel to its characters, whereas Asian comedy seems to like its characters and the laughs are usually gained from the way they overcome their obstacles.
Also, Asian comedy seems a little less reluctant to be emotional and even sincere. Like when the poor goal keeper is taking a pounding in Shaolin Soccer you actually feel bad for the guy, but that's because you see the punishment he's taking, and you see that despite it, he refuses to give up, he's willing to "take one for the team," and so despite the fact there's a ton of hilarity in somebody catching soccer balls that fly so fast they erupt into flames and cause concentric shockwaves to ripple out from the point of impact, there's also a certain nobility and dignity that's given to the characters, unlike an Austin Powers or Deuce Bigalow movie where you're not even sure whether you actually like the main character.
Okay so yesterday it turned out that the weekend was devoted to Stephen Chow as this ended up being the movie of the evening...
Yep. Shaolin Soccer. While it's a bit weird that the goalie was doing a cross dressing thing and wearing the outfit Uma Thurman wore in Kill Bill (KIDDING. Geez...) the movie sort of cemented for me the theory that perhaps Asian comedy, particuarly the stronger schools of cinema in Japan, Hong Kong and Korea, tends to be far less mean spirited than American comedy. For whatever reason the vast majority of American comedy tends to get its laughs by being cruel to its characters, whereas Asian comedy seems to like its characters and the laughs are usually gained from the way they overcome their obstacles.
Also, Asian comedy seems a little less reluctant to be emotional and even sincere. Like when the poor goal keeper is taking a pounding in Shaolin Soccer you actually feel bad for the guy, but that's because you see the punishment he's taking, and you see that despite it, he refuses to give up, he's willing to "take one for the team," and so despite the fact there's a ton of hilarity in somebody catching soccer balls that fly so fast they erupt into flames and cause concentric shockwaves to ripple out from the point of impact, there's also a certain nobility and dignity that's given to the characters, unlike an Austin Powers or Deuce Bigalow movie where you're not even sure whether you actually like the main character.
Labels: Movies
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Once Again I Am Completely Behind The Times
In the ongoing name of one of the Wife's jobs, there has been a sudden increase not only in the number of DVDs watched, but the fact that they are largely martial arts films. I've already written that we purchased Enter The Dragon a few weeks ago, but a couple of days ago we hit the local renter, known as Video-EZY, and picked up a slew of other chop socky films, so that she could look at the poses and use them as reference material. Among the old gems like Way of the Dragon (Which, amazingly, the Wife pointed out something I'd missed all these years where Bruce Lee with nunchaku and no special effects at all, knocks a knife out of mid-air as the guy is throwing is throwing it from one freakin' hand to the other!) we picked up a few other things that we'd heard about, but until now had remained blissfully spoiler-free about, with little to no expectations about what we were in for, which is something that I am increasingly starting to become a much, much bigger believer in. Somehow when you don't know about something and it turns out to be good, that makes the experience that much cooler. Unlike a trilogy of science fantasy movies that lived on the massive expectation its legendary previous trilogy created...
Anyway, the film in question is Stephen Chow's Kung-Fu Hustle. It's kind of a super-duper, steroid induced version of the kind of martial arts whackiness that Hong Kong used to pump out in the 90's. It's a strange, hybrid martial arts film like The Heroic Trio from that period that still had the requisite chop socky, but transformed it into something more than just historical action films or cop/gangster conflicts. Having only heard a few mentions here and there that this was a pretty good martial arts film, I was in no way prepared for just how insane and funny the actual film is. Drawing liberally both from Hong Kong cinematic history as well as Western, I was stunned into happy disbelief at references to everything from Bruce Lee's Way of the Dragon, to The Shining, to The Matrix.
Of course the other thing that's really cool about the film is how it has its own consistent, internal logic at work. What you see on screen is completely crazy in our reality, but in this parallel universe a couple of photon streams down from Universe-616, Newtonian physics turns a blind eye to Kung-Fu masters, and the action here is exactly the kind of thing that geeks have seen rendered only in the low frame count world of Japanese anime, or the super swirly lines of Chinese comics and Japanese manga. It's pretty obvious that in his own way, Stephen Chow was junkie of his particular pop culture, inhaling all the usual Hollywood influences while keeping a steady eye on what his own side of the Pacific pond was putting out. All of which results in a film that is stupefyingly, wonderfully crazy. It lacks the technical polish of Hollywood films, but I'll put this movie and its action sequences over the last two Matrix movies any day of the week.
In the ongoing name of one of the Wife's jobs, there has been a sudden increase not only in the number of DVDs watched, but the fact that they are largely martial arts films. I've already written that we purchased Enter The Dragon a few weeks ago, but a couple of days ago we hit the local renter, known as Video-EZY, and picked up a slew of other chop socky films, so that she could look at the poses and use them as reference material. Among the old gems like Way of the Dragon (Which, amazingly, the Wife pointed out something I'd missed all these years where Bruce Lee with nunchaku and no special effects at all, knocks a knife out of mid-air as the guy is throwing is throwing it from one freakin' hand to the other!) we picked up a few other things that we'd heard about, but until now had remained blissfully spoiler-free about, with little to no expectations about what we were in for, which is something that I am increasingly starting to become a much, much bigger believer in. Somehow when you don't know about something and it turns out to be good, that makes the experience that much cooler. Unlike a trilogy of science fantasy movies that lived on the massive expectation its legendary previous trilogy created...
Anyway, the film in question is Stephen Chow's Kung-Fu Hustle. It's kind of a super-duper, steroid induced version of the kind of martial arts whackiness that Hong Kong used to pump out in the 90's. It's a strange, hybrid martial arts film like The Heroic Trio from that period that still had the requisite chop socky, but transformed it into something more than just historical action films or cop/gangster conflicts. Having only heard a few mentions here and there that this was a pretty good martial arts film, I was in no way prepared for just how insane and funny the actual film is. Drawing liberally both from Hong Kong cinematic history as well as Western, I was stunned into happy disbelief at references to everything from Bruce Lee's Way of the Dragon, to The Shining, to The Matrix.
Of course the other thing that's really cool about the film is how it has its own consistent, internal logic at work. What you see on screen is completely crazy in our reality, but in this parallel universe a couple of photon streams down from Universe-616, Newtonian physics turns a blind eye to Kung-Fu masters, and the action here is exactly the kind of thing that geeks have seen rendered only in the low frame count world of Japanese anime, or the super swirly lines of Chinese comics and Japanese manga. It's pretty obvious that in his own way, Stephen Chow was junkie of his particular pop culture, inhaling all the usual Hollywood influences while keeping a steady eye on what his own side of the Pacific pond was putting out. All of which results in a film that is stupefyingly, wonderfully crazy. It lacks the technical polish of Hollywood films, but I'll put this movie and its action sequences over the last two Matrix movies any day of the week.
Time For More Struggling
I keep wondering whether writing a kid's book should entail sitting there and constantly "Remember to write it for kids" or just to trust that instinct and intuition and the unspoken knowledge that it's for younger readers will keep everything in line.
Oh well, back to writing and gaming...
I keep wondering whether writing a kid's book should entail sitting there and constantly "Remember to write it for kids" or just to trust that instinct and intuition and the unspoken knowledge that it's for younger readers will keep everything in line.
Oh well, back to writing and gaming...
Labels: Lost In Loveless, Novel Writing, Writing
Friday, April 14, 2006
Still sick
The problem with me getting colds is that they tend to linger for days, never so debilitating that I need to just crash at home, but just annoying enough that working becomes really hard what with all the runny noses and coughing and sneezing and such. Bah.
The problem with me getting colds is that they tend to linger for days, never so debilitating that I need to just crash at home, but just annoying enough that working becomes really hard what with all the runny noses and coughing and sneezing and such. Bah.
Labels: Boring And Insipid Posts
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
The Sniffles
Bah, I've come down with a cold.
I'm going to blame this on the GameAxis office, since various people were dropping in and out of work over the last week or so catching the latest fashionable virus. I'm guessing it's now my turn to be hip and trendy.
Oh well, time to sit in bed, constantly wipe my nose with Kleenex and play me some more Suikoden V...
Bah, I've come down with a cold.
I'm going to blame this on the GameAxis office, since various people were dropping in and out of work over the last week or so catching the latest fashionable virus. I'm guessing it's now my turn to be hip and trendy.
Oh well, time to sit in bed, constantly wipe my nose with Kleenex and play me some more Suikoden V...
Labels: My Life
How In The Sam Hill
Can you possibly have a World War II aerial combat game, complete with borderline offensive racial stereotypes insulting you over the radio and NOT have Japanese pilots screaming, "BANZAAAAAI!"
I mean really, if you're going to go with cliches anyway, you may as well go all the way...
Can you possibly have a World War II aerial combat game, complete with borderline offensive racial stereotypes insulting you over the radio and NOT have Japanese pilots screaming, "BANZAAAAAI!"
I mean really, if you're going to go with cliches anyway, you may as well go all the way...
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Always A Sign Your Article Won't Win A Pulitzer
You mention breast examinations and Joan of Arc as part of the same topic.
Don't ask. Just don't.
On the other hand, my Kingdom Hearts II review is view-able here.
You mention breast examinations and Joan of Arc as part of the same topic.
Don't ask. Just don't.
On the other hand, my Kingdom Hearts II review is view-able here.
Labels: Journalism
Monday, April 10, 2006
Why I Should Not Be In Product Design
Because my idea of a good litter for cats is "Shitty Kitty: For The Kitten That's Shittin'."
Because my idea of a good litter for cats is "Shitty Kitty: For The Kitten That's Shittin'."
Labels: Random Blargh
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Rumble Roses Quote Of The Day
Aigle, the Mongolian wrestling girl upon meeting Dixie Clemets, the big boned gal from Texas:
"Cowgirl have magnificent teats. But my sheep have MORE magnificent teats!"
Whoever came up with that was a freakin' GENIUS.
Aigle, the Mongolian wrestling girl upon meeting Dixie Clemets, the big boned gal from Texas:
"Cowgirl have magnificent teats. But my sheep have MORE magnificent teats!"
Whoever came up with that was a freakin' GENIUS.
Labels: Games
Saturday, April 08, 2006
More Comic Geekdom
I finally got this:
So I'm a happy camper.
If you're not familiar with who or what The Ultimates are, I'm going to be lazy and just cut n' paste the article I wrote for GameAxis which debuted in this month's free issue, so it's perfectly okay to include it here now:
This one is for the old timers who might have given up.
On another note, one of the reasons this works so well is because of the writer, Mark Millar. I really like Millar's stuff, but not in the same way I like Moore, or Gaiman. Millar, is kind of like what Claremont was, or Frank Miller is, a crafter of a compelling tale that isn't necessarily deep, or even emotionall affecting, but is one hell of a wild ride. He is the master of shock narrative, and does things that make you think, "No way, that can't happe- OH MY GOD, IT IS!!" and for that, I'm always going to enjoy him. He may not change my life, but DAMN if he doesn't tell a good story.
I finally got this:
So I'm a happy camper.
If you're not familiar with who or what The Ultimates are, I'm going to be lazy and just cut n' paste the article I wrote for GameAxis which debuted in this month's free issue, so it's perfectly okay to include it here now:
This one is for the old timers who might have given up.
I'll admit it, part of my malaise from comics stemmed from Marvel. I was never a big fan of Marvel comics growing up. Except for the—at the time fresh and surprising—angst of the X-Men, Marvel superheroes were simply impossible for me to care about. That's not to say that DC was the height of literary accomplishment, but at least they tried to reach for it. In particular amonst the more unimpressive titles in the Marvel line up of the 80's was their answer to DC's Justic League, the Avengers. The great heroes of Marvel, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and occasionally the Hulk teamed up fight criminals as a team, and generally bored me out of my skull when they did it.
The Ultimates have already been gathered into trade paperbacks. The first arc is in wide release with volume 1 Superhuman and Volume 2, Homeland Security already out. The first issues of Ultimates 2, Gods & Monsters is already available for sale, but as of March, only issue 10 of the comic is out, with a conclusion set for issue 12 in June.
On another note, one of the reasons this works so well is because of the writer, Mark Millar. I really like Millar's stuff, but not in the same way I like Moore, or Gaiman. Millar, is kind of like what Claremont was, or Frank Miller is, a crafter of a compelling tale that isn't necessarily deep, or even emotionall affecting, but is one hell of a wild ride. He is the master of shock narrative, and does things that make you think, "No way, that can't happe- OH MY GOD, IT IS!!" and for that, I'm always going to enjoy him. He may not change my life, but DAMN if he doesn't tell a good story.
Labels: Comics
Friday, April 07, 2006
Real, Ultimate Literature!
Now this guy I have to admire.
It's another one of those artifacts of the internet that online culture begins to accrete to, but I think most people know of Real Ultimate Power, quite possibly one of the funniest websites I have ever encountered, and a constant source of inspiration to me when it comes time to flip out and kill people. The site is essentially the fictional ravings of demented 10 year old Robert Hamburger and his opinions on Ninjas. Possibly even funnier than the actual website itself is the genuine hatemail that was sent by real people who were so angry that they actually threatened to kill what they believed to be an ignorant 10 year old child.
Well, imagine my surprise today then when I found this:
The part that really kills me about all this is the obvious care and knowledge of literature that the good people at Kinokuniya bookstore put into this. The Wife is working on a project that requires visual references of martial artists, so not only was this NOT found in the humor section, it was found in the sports section, specificually Martial Arts, specifically Karate/Ninjitsu.
Totally sweet.
Now this guy I have to admire.
It's another one of those artifacts of the internet that online culture begins to accrete to, but I think most people know of Real Ultimate Power, quite possibly one of the funniest websites I have ever encountered, and a constant source of inspiration to me when it comes time to flip out and kill people. The site is essentially the fictional ravings of demented 10 year old Robert Hamburger and his opinions on Ninjas. Possibly even funnier than the actual website itself is the genuine hatemail that was sent by real people who were so angry that they actually threatened to kill what they believed to be an ignorant 10 year old child.
Well, imagine my surprise today then when I found this:
The part that really kills me about all this is the obvious care and knowledge of literature that the good people at Kinokuniya bookstore put into this. The Wife is working on a project that requires visual references of martial artists, so not only was this NOT found in the humor section, it was found in the sports section, specificually Martial Arts, specifically Karate/Ninjitsu.
Totally sweet.
Labels: Books
Thursday, April 06, 2006
It's Done
I'll be starting my review on Kingdom Hearts II in the not too distant future, but in the meantime, the short version is:
Some gameplay mechanics improved, others got seriously dumbed down. This makes the majority of the game very, very easy, with the exception of some bosses, speaking of which...
A lot of boss fights are pretty gimmicky, falling back on a "God of War-lite" version of context sensitive special attacks, and many of them (In particular any Organization XIII bosses) rely on making the boss invincible and making you pick certain moments of vulnerability to attack. It feels like a cheap way to extend the length and pump up the difficulty of the some of these fights, because there were many times when I was able to move in and lay down some lethal combos only to have them bounce off because "vulnerable mode" hadn't kicked in yet. I didn't like the fact that I could dodge and twist like a son of a bitch and evade all that insane damage from the attacks only to be denied a legitimate strike because the game forced me to attack at certain points. If I had the ability to get in close to enough to hit, I should damn well be allowed to do some damage. I could understand this if it were one of those heavily armored type bosses that exposes a weak point only after you bust the armor up or dodge the incoming fire, but these are guys in black robes, I don't see a shield generator on them anywhere...
It did not surpass the first game in terms of story. I got closure, which was good, but somehow looking for Riku and Kairi just didn't quite seem to match the scale of fighting for the preservation of worlds against a tide of darkness. Also, there's no way a happy ending is going to match the pathos of the separation and sacrifice involved in the ending of the first game.
Oh well.
So yes, now posts will be a decent size again, although I WILL be continuing to play Suikoden V, though at a much more leisurely pace, in order to play a "perfect game" with all 108 characters recruited. After that, I'll either start on Kingdom Hearts II again as well to get the special ending for 100% completion, or, meet up with an old acquaintance, Lara Croft, and see how she's changed in the new Tomb Raider game.
I'll be starting my review on Kingdom Hearts II in the not too distant future, but in the meantime, the short version is:
Some gameplay mechanics improved, others got seriously dumbed down. This makes the majority of the game very, very easy, with the exception of some bosses, speaking of which...
A lot of boss fights are pretty gimmicky, falling back on a "God of War-lite" version of context sensitive special attacks, and many of them (In particular any Organization XIII bosses) rely on making the boss invincible and making you pick certain moments of vulnerability to attack. It feels like a cheap way to extend the length and pump up the difficulty of the some of these fights, because there were many times when I was able to move in and lay down some lethal combos only to have them bounce off because "vulnerable mode" hadn't kicked in yet. I didn't like the fact that I could dodge and twist like a son of a bitch and evade all that insane damage from the attacks only to be denied a legitimate strike because the game forced me to attack at certain points. If I had the ability to get in close to enough to hit, I should damn well be allowed to do some damage. I could understand this if it were one of those heavily armored type bosses that exposes a weak point only after you bust the armor up or dodge the incoming fire, but these are guys in black robes, I don't see a shield generator on them anywhere...
It did not surpass the first game in terms of story. I got closure, which was good, but somehow looking for Riku and Kairi just didn't quite seem to match the scale of fighting for the preservation of worlds against a tide of darkness. Also, there's no way a happy ending is going to match the pathos of the separation and sacrifice involved in the ending of the first game.
Oh well.
So yes, now posts will be a decent size again, although I WILL be continuing to play Suikoden V, though at a much more leisurely pace, in order to play a "perfect game" with all 108 characters recruited. After that, I'll either start on Kingdom Hearts II again as well to get the special ending for 100% completion, or, meet up with an old acquaintance, Lara Croft, and see how she's changed in the new Tomb Raider game.
Labels: Games
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Square-Enix: Masters Of Marketing
This is how insidious Squenix is.
After attaching myself to the characters and seeing them share quiet, simple moments of happiness, usually like this:
I come home today to find that after huge amounts of exposure to blue ice cream in the game, we now have this at home:
And it tastes surprisingly good. Plus it makes my heart strong and mighty so I can defeat the endless tides of Heartless while searching for incredibly naive but attractive jail-bait that any Homeland Security personnel like Brian Doyle would be happy to get acquainted with. Or something like that...
This is how insidious Squenix is.
After attaching myself to the characters and seeing them share quiet, simple moments of happiness, usually like this:
I come home today to find that after huge amounts of exposure to blue ice cream in the game, we now have this at home:
And it tastes surprisingly good. Plus it makes my heart strong and mighty so I can defeat the endless tides of Heartless while searching for incredibly naive but attractive jail-bait that any Homeland Security personnel like Brian Doyle would be happy to get acquainted with. Or something like that...
Labels: Games, Random Blargh
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Two Quick Kingdom Hearts II Observations
Running around in the MCP is so freakin' cool I could puke.
That fight in Hollow Bastion did things I didn't know the PS2 was capable of. Not since Aragorn's charge at the Orcs in the final half hour of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King have I watched one person wade into the mob like that and think, "Holy CRAP."
Running around in the MCP is so freakin' cool I could puke.
That fight in Hollow Bastion did things I didn't know the PS2 was capable of. Not since Aragorn's charge at the Orcs in the final half hour of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King have I watched one person wade into the mob like that and think, "Holy CRAP."
Labels: Boring And Insipid Posts, Games
Monday, April 03, 2006
Another Short Post
Because Kingdom Hearts is sucking up all my time...
Because Kingdom Hearts is sucking up all my time...
Labels: Boring And Insipid Posts
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Oops
Nearly forgot to make a post today.
Not there's anything to say, Kingdom Hearts 2 gaming continues. Sort of makes a good case for "Don't say anything if you really don't have anything to say," but heck at least no one can accuse me of not updating the blog. They're just incredibly terse, boring, uninteresting entries, but they're updated!
Nearly forgot to make a post today.
Not there's anything to say, Kingdom Hearts 2 gaming continues. Sort of makes a good case for "Don't say anything if you really don't have anything to say," but heck at least no one can accuse me of not updating the blog. They're just incredibly terse, boring, uninteresting entries, but they're updated!
Labels: Boring And Insipid Posts, Games
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