Score Setter's blog

My Name Is Score Setter, And I'm An Addict

2010-04-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Far be it from me to recommend you try crack, but have you heard of Bejeweled Blitz? It's a phenomenal, quickfire game distributed by Pop Cap through a dealer known as Facebook.

Bejeweled set a standard for match-three games a long while ago with its rapid pace, colorful gems, and pick-up-and-play style. Blitz takes it a little further by limiting games to one minute matches. Just one minute! It's always frantic playing against an ever-dwindling clock, but limiting it so much really narrows down the "just one more game" scope.

And fighting to be above your Facebook friends on the leaderboard is a big plus too. Allow me to brag with my screenshot above of my best score (note that it was before boosts were introduced). Ego turning off now: 25,000 isn't that bad of a score ::shrug::

-- "I mean, sending me down here to play games! Who does he calculate he is?"

I Wanna See Her Morph Ball

2010-04-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hot on the heels of my emulated defeat of Mother Brain, here are some amazing cosplay pics of bounty hunter Samus Aran. And before you think the title's sick, I meant it as a verb...or something just not sick, sicko.

Besides the famous Metroid killer, you can find some other serious cosplayers with some amazing outfits at Marcelo Colin's flickr page. Altaïr of Assassin's Creed, Hellboy, and some random Darth all make appearances.

-- "My name is Domino Harvey. I am a bounty hunter. You're probably wondering how a girl like me arrived here. What I say will determine whether or not I spend the rest of my life in prison."

Law-Abiding Engineer

2010-04-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

Did you see Law Abiding Citizen with Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx? Good flick. Well someone decided, "Hey, I think that film trailer needs more TF2!" And then you get Law Abiding Engineer.

I only caught eight of the nine classes showing up though. Where was Pyro? I think she could've played one of those females. But the Scout's death scene? I think he may have Bonk'd! his last victim.

-- "In my experience, Nick, lessons not learned in blood are soon forgotten."

Greatest Film I've Ever Seen...In Dutch

2010-04-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of Ben X? No, not the cartoon on Cartoon Network, Ben 10. It's a Dutch film based on a true story about a teenage boy with Asperger's Syndrome who tries to fight back against his bullies.

Aside from plot synopsis, this film touches social injustice and relates a story through the main character's only attachment to the real world: his online game, Archlord. The actual game wasn't well-received, but it was a useful tool in conveying the effects plaguing the young man's mind. I would never have thought to really love a film constantly displaying MMO graphics. And though I wonder if it relates as well to those who don't have my gaming experience, people were obviously affected enough to offer it up as Belgium's best candidate for the Academy Awards (though it didn't get nominated).

Anyway, I was tied to the character and was empathizing to his forlorn moments. Everything seemed well-constructed, and I couldn't be happier to have seen it. Chalk another one up for Netflix recommendations!

-- "I've never loved anything the way he loves music."

JRPG Redux Reduced: Synopsis Quest

2010-04-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

Want the killer without all the fluffity, puffity filler? Try ~~Fluffy Puff Marshmallows~~ Synopsis Quest! It's an old-school JRPG not concerned with epic storylines, treasured treasures, or XP grinding!

If you truncated a NES-style Final Fantasy into 25 mini-games spanning about 10 minutes, it wouldn't be better than this. It has humor, excitement, and very few times of frustration (see "Find the Sunken Treasure"). Just remember to have patience with some of them too; they can be stupid-easy if you just wait sometimes.

"Talk to the Princess" and "Act Like a Hero" are my favorites.

-- "The Princess will be up the stairs in the highest room in the tallest tower."

Just Cause I Can

2010-04-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

I've prematurely gushed over Just Cause 2 for a few months now and can now attest to the absolute fun I'm having with it. There's way too much to do, so it definitely feeds A.D.D. tendencies. Whilst flying to a location on the other side of the island, "Ooo hey, that boat looks fun!" or "Let's crash this into that bridge while climbing onto a car that's attached to another car!"

It's really that silly and features so much more than ever expected. And to get the hang of base jumping and seeing some other achievements, I've resorted to faithful YouTube sub miss ions (which also feeds A.D.D. tendencies). Which is how I found the video below.

Seriously silly.

-- "In 1945, peace broke out."

The Star Wars of Iceland

2010-04-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

Earth has a plethora of spectacular vistas and events to see, too many to witness in one lifetime. But having the internet helps, right? (You may want to mute that.) Tack on another instance of our amazing world: the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland.

It's simply phenomenal, and the captured images are astounding. I wanna be one of those photographers! But seriously, some of these images look like the emperor just died!

-- "And now, young Skywalker... you will die."

I Beat The Greatest Game Ever...Again

2010-04-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite game of all time? Gamers of my generation usually look back to the early days of Nintendo's dominance, and the game I usually pronounce as my fave stems from that era too: Super Metroid.

What's odd is I've never owned a Super Nintendo or beaten it on that system; all my play-throughs have been via emulator. The fidelity has always held up on keyboard compared to the controller counter-part. And I am still reminded why it's my go-to answer for that oft-asked geek question: What is your favorite game of all time?

-- "I've set my laser from stun to kill." "Oh, great. If anyone attacks we can blink em' to death."

Scott Pilgrim? Looks Fun!

2010-04-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

I never read the comic Scott Pilgrim, but the upcoming movie looks awesome! Michael Cera plays himself...with super powers. So that's kinda new. Also, the style in terms of video games' sound bites and references is pretty cool.

Now I understand why I've heard this coming up among some of my geek friends' conversations. Definitely heading to the theater for this.

-- "Give me a scotch. I'm starving."

Far From A Triumph

2010-04-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder about the origins of Aperture Science? Sure, it's a fictional company that creates ridiculous, fantastic technologies, but how did it come to be making GLaDOS and portal technology? Would you believe shower curtains?

Well until it's supposed destruction, Aperture Science seemed to be living the life of unethical experimentation and future world domination. Hopefully it hasn't been set back too far.

-- "If it isn't Leopard Boy and the Decepticons."

Coheed Surprise!

2010-04-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

I haven't really been paying attention to my favorite band of late. But thanks to some random friends, I found that Coheed & Cambria just released their newest album, Year of the Black Rainbow. And now I'm left waiting to drive to the store after work and buy it.

In the meantime I'll be checking out some of the songs and wondering where this new album's story fits in with the overall life & death of the fictional Coheed & Cambria.

-- "9, you shall protect the future."

Step Brothers Buddy Cop Movie

2010-04-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Will Ferrell movies tend to be hilarious. But would the addition of Mark Wahlberg and classic "buddy cop" trope (y'know, that old thang) continue the hilarity? Worse things have happened.

Other guys looks to add Ferrell's magic to the mix as he has the unwitting innocence of a cop who should not be, the unrelenting luck of scraping by ludicrous situations, and the uncommon impossibility of bagging Eva Mendes. Apparently humor is the one of the top things women look for in a man, right?

I've linked enough; enjoy the trailer below.

-- "His wristwatch thought the single Windsor made his neck look fat, but said nothing."

Children's Horror Book

2010-04-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of recent genre-mixing novels the likes of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, a new children's story is available to read online: Alien Vs. Pooh. Join Winnie the Pooh as he deals with facehuggers, and the 100 Acre Wood deals with the resulting mess. It's a bit disjunctive but full of disturbing images for a highly-regarded children's series making it well-apt to open up the new genre.

Although I'm not quite sure the children's section at the library is quite ready for this version of Christopher Robin.

-- "This box is full of stuff that almost killed me."

Next Generation of Music Gaming?

2010-04-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

This year's Game Developer's Conference didn't bring us a whole lot of exciting announcements. But an idea that I'm sure has been floating around the heads of many a guitar-playing gamer looks to be settling into place. Seven45 Studios is introducing a real guitar amongst the Rock Band Hero competition.

Power Gig: Rise of the Six-String looks to bridge the finger-gaps between video games and real-life rocking. It has real-life guitar players in their booth, so that must be true, right? It purports not to train someone into becoming a guitarist, but it has to include something for the would-be shredder. My only frets lie with the quality of guitar used to make it cost-effective and interface design & functionality of reading correct notes/button presses.

Plus, I can already imagine the great tuning and re-stringing mini games to come with it. "Ahhh, you broke a string. Time to go buy some over-priced ones at our online store and hope they don't break while you string it back up trying to beat the best time!"

-- "Loads of elevators play Celine Dion - that don't make it right."

I'm Right Here!

2010-04-06T11:33:00.000-07:00

Was away for a little over a week, but it wasn't a week of me being lazy (just kinda lazy). I was down in Mexico chillin' out, maxin', and relaxin' all cool. But no, there was no "b-ball."

My first time outside the States was amazing, only made so because of the infinitely great company I kept whilst there. She and I almost got swept into the sea by 10-foot waves, rode ATVs through the desert and on the beach, and rode a "banana boat" inflatable tube next to the rocky outcroppings of the southern tip of the Baja California. And there were free drinks at pool-side bars at our hotel. Simply fantastic!

Now to get back to this dull, dull, dull real world and lose myself in Mass Effect 2.

-- "I need a lift in your el truck-o to the next town-o!"

Massive Interest In MMOs I'll Never Play

2010-03-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

Along with Lego Universe, there's another upcoming MMO that's piqued my interest a few times: The Secret World. Unfortunately like the former, I probably will never get around to playing it. It's too much time I'd rather spend playing other games that actually end and whose mechanics evolve at a quicker pace. All that said, it's a promising, fresh experience in terms of MMO landscapes.

The Secret World takes place in a "What if?" realm within our own. Three mysterious factions (templars, illuminati, and the dragons) vie against each other to reclaim the fantasies and power of the underground, magical forces surrounding us all. The occult is true, Cthulhu and the Elder Ones are real, and the terrors are unimaginable. As with most MMOs, the scope seems tremendous and daunting.

And the first glimpse through the hidden doorways is being revealed in the first trailer. Enjoy.

Video Games | The Secret World

-- "Now quiet in the theater or its gonna get tragic. We're about to get taken to a dream world of magic."

The '42' of Burritos

2010-03-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard about Taco Bell's new Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, please edify and sate yourself the next time you're there. It is a delightful bazaar of bliss with the simplest of meat-cheese-tortilla combination upon which I can faithfully satisfy my gastronomical hungers. It embodies the essence of scrumtrulescence.

And it's only 89 cents!

-- "It tastes like... cheese sauce. Yum."

Gaming on my Amazon Kindle

2010-03-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

You read the title right; I said "Gaming"! The first purchase I made for a measly $1.99 was a small collection of sudoku puzzles that use the free wireless internet access and javascript. It was okay, but I felt a bit swindled when only getting 10 puzzles to try out (5 being on the Easy setting). Compare that to websudoku which has over 1 billion puzzles.

But as I was browsing around trying to change the screensaver images that come up featuring Jane Austen and other authors, I stumbled on a list of shortcut keys telling me my Kindle had a pre-installed version of Minesweeper! Loading that up rather quickly, I was elated to also find GoMoku, a Kindle version of popular pastime Go.

It's not much of a gaming sensation in any sense, but it's a nice respite during reading doldrums.

-- "Bastian made many other wishes, and had many other amazing adventures - before he finally returned to the ordinary world. But that's... another story."

The Science of Mass Effect 2

2010-03-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

Seeing what the scientists of today think about the science of tomorrow or other fictional 'verses is always fascinating. Will it be possible to make a lightsaber? How much of the Harry Potter world could be real? Or what about Syndrome's zero-point energy in Pixar's The Incredibles? Well now there's a short clip on Gametrailers featuring the science that goes into the Mass Effect universe.

The games, books, and comics all feature incredibly realized galaxies filled with starships, negative energy, and faster-than-light travel. But how much of this could actually come true? Give it maybe a couple of decades for an invisibility cloak and maybe a couple of centuries for something of the starship variety says the physicist in this clip featuring scenes from Mass Effect 2.

Video Games | GTTV Extended Cuts | The Science of Mass Effect 2

-- "Behold, the Underminer! I'm always beneath you, but nothing is beneath me!"

Lego My MMO

2010-03-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Though closed beta testers can't actually talk about their experiences within it, the Lego massively, multiplayer online game is open for an early look to some lucky masses. I'm signed up but haven't played more than a few minutes and made one character. The restrictive, available play times don't leave me much leeway, but who can really complain if they're given the option to play an unreleased game.

In the meantime enjoy this trailer for the game. Like most Lego ventures, it looks fun!

-- "I HATE coconut. Not the flavor, but the consistency."

Snort the Crackdown 2 Vidoc

2010-03-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

This forum wasn't around for me when I played the original Crackdown, so I'll just say right now, "I loved Crackdown." It was an unexpected hit (probably only so because of the Halo 3 beta attached to it) with the ridiculous premise of being some super-cop that could throw cars, jump buildings, and juggle enemies in the air for a long time with explosives. Amazing fun I can't wait to re-live in the upcoming sequel. This video documentary is rife with new co-op destruction and Scottish accents.

Crackdown 2 looks to expand on the sandbox super-romp with everyone's favorite villains, zombies!!! ::sigh:: That aside, it's going to be more of what came before and better. So it'll be sick when I can super-jump around the streets destroying bad guys in truly fantastic ways with 3 other friends on Xbox Live.

-- "Dead or alive, you're coming with me!"

Sushi? No. Sushi Cat? Yes.

2010-03-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

Having plenty of time to waste at a job in recent weeks, I've turned to internet gaming. Rather than enrich my mind with reading or expanding my metaphysical philosophies, I found Sushi Cat.

It's kind of like a slow Peggle where the object is to grab a fat kitty with a pair of chopsticks and drop it through a series of puzzles to vacuum in as much sushi as it can inhale. In terms of timesinks, it's not the worst thing you can do.

-- "Ohh, the anger sharks are swimming in my head!"

Rock Band the Thirde

2010-03-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

Harmonix casually let slip Rock Band 3 would be shipping this coming holiday season without a press release, a video, or any teaser tracks. The only thing noted: it will "innovate and revolutionize the music genre once again."

As long as it includes my Rock Band 1, Rock Band 2, Lego Rock Band, and all of my downloaded tracks, I'll be on board. The added expectation of updated interface functionality (Beatles: Rock Band already improved on #2's a ton) will have me planning a launch party, no question.

-- "Gimme a powerslide. Full throttle!"

PS3's Heavy Rain via YouTube

2010-03-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

Picture an interactive movie about a some slick sleuths in a perpetually rainy town and you have what the PS3 hopes is a great, exclusive new title, Heavy Rain.

I can't personally tell you if it has lived up to the hype, but thanks to a YouTube demonstration, I can play a bit of the ~~film~~ game without the console. If only they could put the whole game up there now...

-- "You haven't been around lately. I thought maybe you were an amnesia victim or something."

Blur Beta Battles! Better than Burnout?

2010-03-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, so Blur is a much different game style than the open-world structure of Burnout: Paradise, but the intense, edge-of-your-seat feel seems quite familiar. Take those feelings and mix in some Mario Kart mechanics; that's Blur (sans Song 2, of course). And it is a thrilling multiplayer, action racer.

I'd hesitate to call it innovative only because it uses familiar tropes of yesteryear games, but the style and design focus makes it stand out to me as another unlikely must-buy. Partying up with up to 10 friends and racing a few tracks is easy (though a private Xbox Live party can only hold 8?). The layout for modifying your experience (choosing cars/colors and modifications for the way you race) all seem well-refined for the beta.

My only hope is that a limited amount of track variation and gameplay types don't wear out fast. Thankfully, the experience-based system (like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) makes losing even a little fun. Which is good when a simple crash on the last lap can drop you from 3rd to near 20th in a matter of seconds.

-- "That was very good, Bishop. Remind me to make you an honorary blind person."

More Gushing Over Just Cause 2

2010-03-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

I've written before on how much I plan on loving the soon-to-be-mine Just Cause 2, and yet another video recently released for my viewing pleasure. Sure, I won't be getting the PC version on March 23rd, but I still want to gush a little more over the rippling waves, dynamic shadows, and accurately hazed-out landscapes.

Just be sure to wear a bib before hitting play.

-- "I always feel rejuvenated by a touch of adventure. For heaven's sake, don't you get any younger or I'll have to find a wet nurse."

20 Questions with Akinator

2010-03-05T06:10:00.000-08:00

Ever tried to stump one of the Internet's 20-questions robots? I remember these things from a long while ago but was recently introduced to Akinator, a web-djinn who knows everything!

The database seems pretty stout with many-an-obscure characters and people. A friend even tried to stump it with Thomas Pynchon; I'd never heard of him. But Akinator picked him out of a lineup of thousands with a few simple questions.

Thanks, Internet, for another waste of time!

-- "Oi! Ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck!"

DICE Awards

2010-03-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

Joystiq recently posted about the DICE Awards going down near Las Vegas. I checked out the Jay Mohr opening monologue and decided to watch the rest while I was at it. Best video game award show I've seen.

It was all about the developers with a lot of humor and homage to gaming greats. Crude though it may be, it had a lot of great moments. The categories seemed aptly filled and well-adapted for gaming today. Social Game of the Year with winner Farmville? You may not like the game, but it definitely holds some clout with 83 million monthly players. And the Action Game of the Year category was especially nice because it didn't allow Uncharted 2 in, AND it recognized some lesser-nominated games like Red Faction: Guerrilla and Prototype (both stupid-fun games).

-- "Yeah, well, uh, just keep your Power Gloves off her, pal, huh?"

Dragon Age & Amazon: Or Why I Didn't Get Mass Effect 2 on Day One

2010-03-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

I've pronounced my love for Amazon on more than one occasion. It helps to not pay full price, and no shipping fee/tax is always a plus. But in the waiting time for my next true love (Mass Effect 2), Bioware's other step-child came on sale and slipped into my gaming collection.

Dragon Age: Origins has been tempting me for awhile, and Amazon always finds a way into my wallet and makes me succumb to the temptation of low prices. The week before the most anticipated game of my life comes out, lightning deals strike and overthrow my willpower. At least the game isn't a disappointment. The graphics and combat mechanics aren't that enticing, but the stories are enthralling with your choices affecting the outcomes of huge events just enough to make you wonder "What if?"

Amazon, I hate you. (Don't believe the master; we loves you, Mistress!)

-- "You have the voice of an angel. Your voice is like a combination of Fergie and Jesus."

All the Music Games Give Unto Me

2009-10-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

I recently took notice of a trend concerning my music appreciation. Because of certain games, I have taken notice of or purchased music concerning those games.

Consider this, I would never have heard Gary Jules cover of Tears for Fears' Mad World if it were not for this Gears of War commercial. Jonathan Coulton would still be a mystery to me if it wasn't for his brilliant Still Alive at the end of Portal. I've also been introduced to others with included soundtracks from Beyond Good & Evil, the Orange Box set of games, and Mirror's Edge, which featured the same song (also titled Still Alive) mixed seven different ways.

I actually went out of my way to listen to the soundtracks from a few other games too. The soundtrack for GTA IV, Halo 3, and especially Halo 2. The second featured a few artists such as Breaking Benjamin, Hoobastank, and four compositions from Incubus. Plus I liked the games. I also purchased Jami Sieber's Hidden Sky album based only on hearing the music from 2008's Braid.

Some other interesting ventures bridging the gap between music & games also made their way to my playlist. You might smile at Weezer - The 8-bit Album's classic sound and familiar melodies of original nerdrock. On the flipside, there's The Ocarina of Rhyme; it's that Zelda game plus rap and not too bad overall.

All this and I haven't even listed all the music I've bought in Rock Band which lead me to purchasing a band's album. I already knew some bands before, like Disturbed's Indestructible and Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled album. But I got some other music based solely on what I heard in the game. The artists and albums include Lacuna Coil's Karmacode, The Material's Tomorrow, Paramore's Riot!, Bullet For My Valentine's Scream, Aim, Fire, and my most recent find, Tickle Me Pink's Madeline.

Harmonix makes mad cash from me and others like me...

-- "Dude, I service society by rocking, OK? I'm out there on the front lines liberating people with my music!"

Eye Spy With Mine Little Eye

2009-10-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

Much like a recent break from the blogosphere, I have recently traveled back into my once-and-always love of photography. It feels great to again be exploring and capturing some of the wonders on "God's green earth." There's not much else to say, but it seemed to be worth saying since it feels so right.

I even named my camera. It's Weblaine.

-- "Without you, today's emotions would be the scurf of yesterday's."

Actual Excitement at a Race Track? Quaint!

2009-10-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

It still seems surreal, but I found myself at the Anderson Speedway. I'm not into Nascar or watching the Indy 500, but it turned out to be a surprising treat.

I thought I was heading to a demolition derby at first, but my dreams of automobilic destruction were quickly dashed amongst the non-wreckage of the "figure 8" raceway. You may not get excited by that thought, but you should! The cars were zooming through the intersection in the middle and barely slowing down, even with opponents approaching. Picture your old, electric toy car raceway but without one of the tracks overpassing the other. It was intense.

And the final couple of races we saw yielded a couple of surprises too. The lead driver for one was pushed out of his lead by the 2nd place driver, so he rammed the back end of the other and almost tussled with fisticuffs shortly after. But the final race we witnessed top it all as cars, trucks, and vans all rolled onto the field with trailers towing boats, snowmobiles, and even a camper. It was pure mayhem as the trailers whipped around each turn inevitably toppling over or exploding into debris.

What a surprisingly fantastic time aside from the toe-curling cold.

-- "Well be careful, man. Be careful. Wear shoes in the house. Safety. Safety first, then teamwork."

I'm Gonna Play Just Cause 2 Just 'Cause

2009-10-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

I never played nor even heard of Just Cause for Xbox, but the upcoming sequel, aptly titled Just Cause 2, looks impressive. I meant to write about this first phenomenal video walkthrough awhile ago, but the release of this new video documentary really fanned the flames of my passion for this upcoming property.

I love for open-world games of late (see GTA IV, Prototype, and yet another romp through virtual New York City coming soon). And this one looks like it'll execute some interesting new tweaks, including all-important locomotion maneuvers with that sweet hookshot & stunt-chute combo! Not having played much of the original, it reminds me of what I hoped for in the original Far Cry, strictly considering the jungle atmosphere seen in the E3 demo.

If only the main character didn't look so...meh. It doesn't help that he's a constant hypocrisy as he kills, maims, and destroys whilst donning a massive, silver cross around his neck.

-- "Welcome...to the Fraternity. This gun you're holding belonged to your father; he could conduct a symphony orchestra with it."

The Nitty Bloody Gritty with the Half-Dollar Man

2009-10-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

I recently rented 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. I'm glad I only rented it.

It's not a horrible game, but it is definitely laughable. Seriously, I laughed out loud the first time I took a Hummer vehicle over a ramp only to have it explode. I giggled with glee as I pounded the taunt button only to hear the title character spew nonsensical curses at his enemies. And I chortled as he continued his massacre through the Middle East all for a priceless, bejeweled skull. Did I mention he was already strapped with grenades and pistol clips during his concert?

Nothing really makes sense during this absurd romp through foreign lands, but I don't care. The game is fun. It's not amazing, but it's adequately fantastic. It feels like just another 3rd-person shooter that satisfies with on-rails mechanics, loads of points for almost any action, and ludicrous, blown out of proportion gun-play & mayhem.

And if you like 50 Cent's music, the musical score is great...because it's just his tracks playing over & over & over in the background. Just don't expect much and you'll turn the game back into [insert rental store of choice] appeased.

-- "Time to nut up or shut up!"

Batman's No Longer At Home Washing His Tights

2009-10-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

It seems to be old news already. And if it isn't yet, please rectify that and purchase Batman: Arkham Asylum immediately. If all the hyperbole from other sites hasn't persuaded you yet, I doubt you've read anything about this game.

The first things you notice as you saunter through the asylum are the beautiful environment, the varied animations (the guards have different swaggers!), and the on-point voice acting. I'll admit most of my comics knowledge comes from their cartoons. So it was fantastic to hear Batman, the Joker, and Harley Quinn reprising their animated series roles.

Then you are thrown amongst the convicts and experiencing the fluidity of Batman's near-superhuman combat prowess. It didn't surprise me to find it started as a rhythm-action game instead. The flow of the combat translates well into the predator sections where you can use a form of quick stealth to knock out baddies using Batman's signature tricks of his unique trade (my favorites being sonic batarangs and ledge takedowns). The possibilities make for some fun mistakes...usually involving explosive gel.

Take away Batman from this game, and it is still amazing. Who would've thought a game based on such a well-known super hero would ever be considered for game of the year, because it will be. And if you'd like to hear a more encompassing discussion, I highly recommend the latest episode of Out of the Game with Shawn Elliot, Jeff Green, Robert Ashley, and N'Gai Croal. However, I actually think collecting all of the Riddler trophies was worth it for more than the achievement.

-- "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"

Careful of the Complex Shadows

2009-08-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

I thought my recent review of Shadow Complex for Xbox Live Arcade might actually be worthy of a re-post over here. If you don't wanna click through and read it at the 'Funk, I'll just let you know over here: it's amazing. It reminds me why I'd always say Super Metroid for the SNES is my favorite game of all time.

Loved it!

-- "I love you bro Montana."

Second Verse Same as the First

2009-08-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

In lieu of declaring my return, I'll just act like nothing happened (because it really didn't) and move on to the movies I've watched since then.

Jumper - I wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised. Say what you will, but it did create an alternate 'verse of possibility living amongst the now. Of course it was no realm of Harry Potter possibilities, but good enough. Also, Rachel Bilson is adorable.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated - I found this documentary about the film industry's rating system very intriguing. Its purpose isn't to just to see differences in NC-17 and R ratings; it also points out a bunch of hypocrisies and unveils some of the ludicrous secrets held close by the MPAA.

Visioneers - It was a complete lack of laugh-out-loud funny and teetering on the edge of serious drama amongst absurd circumstance. And it was interesting enough to see through to the end even though you may be hating some parts of it and/or falling asleep due to the sloth-like pace.

Primer - This one was kinda hard to keep up with as it tried to tackle time travel with existing physics. It attempted to baffle its audience with brilliance. And I totally didn't expect any twists it may or may not contain.

Finding Neverland - Further continuing my Marc Forster love (see Stranger Than Fiction), this movie pleased me throughout. The true-to-life adaptation about the conception of Peter Pan was well-received and worth the hype. I hope Freddie Highmore continues to grow as an actor through all these amazing films he's already been apart of before he even turned 18.

Coraline - I haven't read any Neil Gaiman, but it was definitely a creative world. The animation was stilted but good enough (just like Nightmare Before Christmas) and the design was fantastic. I just couldn't get engrossed in the story.

Horton Hears a Who! - I actually wasn't really familiar with this Seuss tale but felt like I'd be missing out if I hadn't seen it. It was entertaining enough to not be considered a waste of time. And though usually appreciating Jim Carrey's works, I didn't care for his voice-acting in this one. Steve Carrell's voice was trumpeted far above everyone else in this one.

Cowboy Bebop - The Movie - I've gotten used to and actually prefer the English dubbed series, so it was great to hear everyone again after some time since I'd seen the show. The only reason this was called "The Movie" was because the creators made it two hours long. It was really just a long episode, a good one but looong. It's worth it enough just to see Ein with a jack-o-lantern helmet on.

The Jacket - This was another movie of the "mindscrew" genre. So I naturally enjoyed it just for that aspect. But Adrien Brody was thrilling as he approached this schizophrenic role. If Stanley Kubrick directed a movie based on the books Slaughterhouse V and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, it would be a close approximation to this film.

The Godfather - I finally saw it, and yes, I really liked it.

-- "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

Battlefield

2009-07-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Without any other words, the Battlefield franchise comes to mind every time. How many times can Dice make this game and still make it good? Answer: Just about every time.

Thanks to the mess of great reviews, constant talk from friends about it, and me having a Gold account on XBL, I decided to get Battlefield 1943. The demo was all I needed to put me over the edge, as it iterates on 1942 with an updated game engine. I loved that game oh-so-long ago, and I'm loving it again, albeit in a few less maps and simplified skill sets.

It works perfectly for the Xbox platform outside of the Live issues it's had. The same feel I got from the original fills me with glee whilst running over hapless opponents in my jeep or cruising in my tank. The vehicles are what got me to fall in love with it originally, and I can see they kept that in mind for this most recent translation.

-- "You either give me what I need or this switch will stay on until they turn the power off for lack of payment on the bill."

Gunslinger, It's Been Far Too Long

2009-07-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Summer Movie Fest:

The new Star Trek - as great as everyone said...a month ago. It reaffirmed my solemn vows to love J.J. Abrams' works.

Terminator: Salvation - Good action and effects. I've never been into the Skynet stories before, and this didn't make me care more or less.

Cold Mountain - Maybe it was the fact that I watched this just coming home after a trip to Gettysburg, but this Civil War era drama was fantastic. And though Renee Zellweger was in it, the film didn't remotely pretend she was pretty. So thanks for that.

Lost in Translation - Been meaning to see this for years, but it didn't wow me as much as I hoped. Scarlett Johansson & Bill Murray were absolutely their characters, but the addition of Anna Faris definitely crippled the great cast (or I was just blinded by rage as always when hearing her voice).

Disturbia - I had heard surprisingly good things and hold no ill-will towards Mr. LaBoeuf like so many others. It was a decent thriller but nothing too enchanting past the thin coat of Hollywood gloss.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist - Michael Cera constantly reprises the same, typecast role he was meant to play, and it works here. The inclusion of absurd situations and increasingly offbeat characters rounds out a thoroughly enjoyable film about discovering love.

Son of Rambow - Have you heard of this? Thank you, Netflix, for suggesting such cool films I'd normally pass up completely. This quirky, British comedy ultimately ends with heartwarming flare much like Millions.

Definitely, Maybe - For being a love story starting in divorce, I didn't hate this completely. Ryan Reynolds and a "good" ending considering the travesty formulated over the previous hour saved this from being an utterly detestable film...oh, and the cute kid helped too.

L4YER CAKE - Much like Rambow I hadn't heard of this. It features Daniel Craig in a witty crime story á la Snatch (with less flair) that proved not all movies allow bad people to get away with despicable crimes.

And finally Seven Samurai - The epic 3.5 hour masterpiece from Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa didn't disappoint (it even includes an intermission). The only drawbacks on the constant bleating and prostrating of peasants.

-- "And now esteemed effendi, we feast."

Prototype Impressions @ IF; Movie Mayhem Mash-up Mix-em-up Coming Soon

2009-06-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

My prototypical review of Prototype is up over at InsulinFunk. I tried not to convey all of the hype I had but probably failed. Oh well, enjoy.

And I have a bunch of movie impressions I'll post up soon. I don't think Wes and the gang would appreciate my quick thoughts on all the films I watch as much as you two (three?) don't.

-- "One of these days, I'm really...going to let you teach that guy a lesson."

Insulin Funk Welcomes New Writer

2009-06-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm now lending my e-pen to the Funk. I'll still write here occasionally, but want to keep consistently writing anywhere really.

Anyway, here's a link to my first post. Check out the rest of the site if you haven't before too.

-- "I looked it up in the dictionary...it wasn't in there."

Rocktober Can't Come Soon Enough

2009-06-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

Brütal F'ing Legend.

If you haven't heard of this game yet, please edify yourself with the latest trailer then continue to headbang through this.

I don't know if you absolutely need to be into metal music at all, but it no doubt helps. The game looks to be full of an insane amount of fun and genuine laughs. Apparently it helps to have played some of Tim Schafer's, the game's designer, earlier games, but I have neglected them. Perhaps I'll take time to trounce through the Psychonauts realm later.

And I'm as stoked as anybody to play as Eddie Riggs, but I have some fears about the actual action of the game. Most of the trailers showcase the outrageous setting, the music and cameos, and the funny. Little action is showcased, so I'm wondering how repetitive and lackluster it may be.

I should be calmed by early interpretations from reviewers raving about its performance, so I'll just shut up for now and enjoy Ozzy and Halford alongside Mr. Black.

-- "You know, your clothes may say disco, but your eyes say rock 'n roll!"

Yet Another Bioware Win

2009-06-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

This week is the week of E3, so there's plenty of video game stories in which I have interest. But I can't help myself pointing to something I've lauded over before, even though it will spell my ultimate downfall into the MMO verse once more. Yes, I'm talking about The Old Republic...again.

With this first cinematic trailer, Bioware has given me better Star Wars in twenty mintues, er...less than four minutes (I've watched it five times already) than I've seen in the past 15 years. I stay on the fence for MMOs mainly because I know how much time I can ~~lose~~ invest in them. But with this latest unveiling of Bioware's plans, it all but solidifies my foray in their galaxy far, far away 40,000 years before Skywalker.

It'll still be interesting to see the balance of classes and how much I'll want to play something other than a Sith or Jedi master, but I'm can't deny the track record here. Plus the couple of bounty hunters in the movie look better than some of those jedi. And where I don't think the combat can pull off that dramatic effect, I'm hoping they get somewhere close to incorporating all the powers seamlessly into the saber-play.

-- "I know what's been troubling you. Listen to me. Don't continue to be a pawn of the Jedi Council."

Analog Games for Analectuals: Ra

2009-05-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

It's only the second in this posting series, but I played a couple new board games recently, the first being Ra. Ranked #25 on boardgamegeek, it's well worth the praise.

Its motif is obviously Egyptian, but doesn't really involve warmongering. The major mechanic is a constantly rotating bidding war for different ways to obtain points. Fitted with some equally clever negative pieces, the careful juxtaposition of bidding tokens is a key element to winning. Tokens aside, it plays sort of like Princes of Florence without restricted building codes. Intermixing a humanized randomization with the point value tokens for bidding (hard to explain unless you see it in action) is executed in brilliant fashion.

Really it's no surprise coming from such a talented game designer in Reiner Knizia (yes, another German). His ludography is astounding, a few of which I've had the pleasure of trying: Samurai, Lost Cities, and Tigris & Euphrates.

After trying Ra only once, I'm definitely looking forward to many more plays. Now if only I wouldn't have to go to Pennsylvania for the next time.

-- "Give my regards to King Tut, a**hole!"

Five-Fingered Feet

2009-05-27T21:18:00.001-07:00

It feels good when you think you've discovered something not quite popular yet. The Vibram Five Fingers shoes are definitely not something you see everyday. I bought a pair last week and have been enjoying them immensely thus far.

They're mainly meant for people who enjoy being barefoot regularly. I like walking around barefoot but wouldn't regularly do it only because I have generally cold feet. Thankfully, it's not a problem with these. Overall, they feel just like barefoot with a little extra protection. There's no fear of stepping on rocks or getting worn out quickly on pavement.

There is some getting used to them though. I did a small hike on some paths through a wooded area and random meadowy surroundings; it was nothing that made me feel too uncomfortable. The pads of my feet just weren't used to feeling so much more than normal. It did feel good to have the extra grip from the contour shape and my actual toes.

If you want a new pair of shoes and can find them near you (I had to go to Bloomington), try some on to feel for yourself. Plus if you have to do sock laundry too often or just dislike socks in general, they're a great boon. I've only had them 'em for a week, and they're already my prefer foot protector now.

-- "Come on. Don't make it weird."

Hiatus Over, Write-Time for Theatre

2009-05-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

Been a longer-than-usual break from the blog, so I have plenty of films from the vault to discuss. Surprisingly, there are a few really new ones in here this time. But leading the pack are a couple of early films from "The Master of Suspense," Alfred Hitchcock.

Saboteur was an okay work featuring convoluted character design and a fickle plot. Hitchcock still held it together, but you could tell it was early in his career with designs on the verge of greatness. Lifeboat kept afloat much better bereft of much setting beyond the sea itself. The characters were interesting. The story played out extremely. Although I'll still admit drifting off during some more drab scenes.

Atonement earned many accolades for its intriguing story, great character acting, and art direction/costume design (don't all those era pieces get points for costume enough?). And it was very interesting to see James McAvoy (of Wanted fame) in a completely different role. But this movie irritated me; I almost stopped watching after the idiot little sister did what makes the story interesting. I get it, but stories like that just piss me off.

Thankfully Stranger Than Fiction was a playful enough endeavor to atone for any lost time the previous film squandered. The casting felt natural and the story felt right, predictable though it may have been. Coming as no surprise, I discovered the director, Marc Forster, also helmed a few films I only recently delighted in: The Kite Runner and Quantum of Solace. Also of note is his foray into the zombie craze adapting Max Brooks' World War Z (still need to read this).

Finally, a couple movies added to my "Loved It" category: August Rush and Fanboys. August Rush chronicles an unfortunate orphan who reunites his star-crossed parents with the ever-present music surrounding his life. If you've ever dabbled in music creation or carry a great imagination, it's a must-see...also if you think Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore) is an awesome child actor.

Now Fanboys was a delicate, geeky treat. As a grown manchild who appreciates Star Wars in most of its facets, this comedy adventure tickled my funny bone in a way few films can. All the characters were outrageous, yet still grounded enough in reality to feel real. Trekkie and nerf-herding jokes abounded, and I couldn't have been happier. Plus Kristin Bell became even hotter somehow (and this even before her slave Leia outfit in the end) due to being in on such geekdom. Haven't done so in a long while, but I'll be buying this one.

-- "Nobody calls Han Solo a bitch!"

Wolverine or How a Game Surpasses the Movie

2009-05-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

The new Origins: Wolverine movie and video game just came out. I've heard varying opinions about the film from "extremely terrible" to "pretty cool if I didn't think too hard". Okay, that last one was me, but it was a fun flick. Though from what I've heard (and the little I played), the game is much better.

Like many kids my age, Wolverine has always been one of the coolest super heroes. He's the most brutal of the X-Men, yet he's still one of the good guys. And though I really didn't read a lot of comics, I understand his origins to be more like The Joker's: a mysterious quandary. So coupling all that with weird takes on Sabertooth (his also-regenerating brother) and other super-heroes, further fouls up this shredded look into ~~James'~~ Logan's past. But the action and effects were outstanding, save for the adamantium claws which somehow looked worse than the movie before.

Wolverine's universe is perfect for a video game: he decimates hordes of enemies, can actually take a few bullets without flinching, and conveniently regenerates his life force. The demo spans only the first level, but I hear the rest of the game is just as brutal with frantic, never-ending action. The word is favorable, so I'll likely rent it.

I think Marvel should stick with their up-and-coming Avengers movies instead of whoring out the X-Men. Or maybe just hire the talent producing Ironman, the newer Hulk, or what I'm sure will be an amazing Captain America film to do the other X-Men origin stories.

-- "Give me a scotch. I'm starving."

The Boomer: A Character Study

2009-05-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't about Mr. Esiason, Bengals fans. Thinking in between respawns of versus mode in Left 4 Dead, I pondered, "Who is/was the Boomer?" He's a puke-filled grenade with projection abilities rivaling little Linda Blair's, but what was he like before he turned and how did he gain such bile-bending talents?

He wasn't just a random, morbidly obese person turned zed shown by the 5 sizes too small shirt; at least he had the foreknowledge to wear sweat pants, amiright? He has no facial hair, so he could've been a child for all we know. With the presence of festering boils and a constant gurgle in his step, something just didn't agree with his zombie digestive system. He couldn't have just eaten too much human; I don't think that happens (plus Boomers wouldn't be such a rare spawn).

My first thought was he tried to eat other infected people when savory survivors were scarce. It would be an easy answer to his ultra-severe indigestion. Though why does the scent of his bile attract hordes of other zeds? That candied concoction wouldn't attract more zombies to the piñata party. But also why would the Boomer want to share the tasty treats if he had a problem with overeating anyway? Those hordes would also want to destroy the Boomer before he even was able to tag the survivors with his scent. He can't tag other zeds either, so it must be a combination of vomit + survivors; I imagine it's like cheese-covered broccoli for them.

This all relies on the presupposition that zombies eat humans, which doesn't seem the case in this zompacalyptic universe. It's an odd situation when nearly all other games recognize this tenant. The undead just wish for genocide in this case. The living can't be turned. There's no room for greed over food. It's just killing and hate, an even finer distillation of zombie culture.

Or I could be wrong. The Boomer could just be distraught and angry at himself for eating away his stress only to cause more. That's it! He's a new breed of suicidal zombie!

-- "I can understand the attraction, but I hate the clingy ones!"

Insurmountable Pile 'O Movies

2009-05-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

If I don't regularly post these massive, recently seen movies posts, the backlog will become too great. I'm even going to redact a couple flicks from this so the length isn't too extensive (still too many amassing).

First off the sad but great films: Life Is Beautiful and Kite Runner. La Vita was high-spirited and funny for the most part. I just had no idea about the presence of the concentration camp in the film, quelle surprise! The message was solid and kept a nice spin through the sad reality though. The Afghan tale was rather sad throughout but heavily grounded. 'Twas a beautiful and thought-provoking film very deserving of its accolades.

Now a pair of movies based in fighting/MMA: Never Back Down and Redbelt. The former was very close to what I thought it would be: an exaggerated (hopefully) high school experience fraught with teen angst and well-filmed action sequences. Onto my favorite of the two, Redbelt. It was more story-driven, focused on the essence and honor in fighting, and featured the always amazing Chiwetel Ejiofor (see Serenity).

As for comedies, let me present Be Kind Rewind and Darjeeling Limited. Jack Black and Mos Def together? Cheesy movie recreations? A film that doesn't take itself seriously? Yes, please! It was a delightful film that had me delving into the bonus features. I wasn't sure about Darjeeling; Wes Anderson can be hit and miss. Plus his style is rather dry (see Tenenbaums or Zissou). Jason Schwartzman surprisingly didn't deter my enjoyment, and the soundtrack was on par with Wes' other films (which is to say awesome).

Finally, an oldie and a recent unknown: Bullitt and RocknRolla. The oldie features classic Steve McQueen with car chases and no-nonsense police work; it was that and little else. I'm not saying it was bad...just okay. Guy Ritchie then brought his natural flare to what's supposed to be the first in a trilogy. I hadn't heard much about this, but Netflix thankfully recommended it. I think Ritchie basically makes the same movie over & over but better each time. The only thing this could've had to make it better would be Brad Pitt & Jason Statham.

-- "Instead of telling our young people to plan ahead, we should tell them to plan to be surprised."

Snippets of New Government Issue Joes

2009-05-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

A short new series has come out via Adult Swim that rocks a bit of nostalgia and a whole heap of unexpected death. G.I. Joe: Resolute introduces a new animation style with a story penned by noted comic writer Warren Ellis.

Resolute composes 11 episodes in about an hour for one complete story of the Joes versus Cobras. I liked G.I. Joe growing up, but I was never a huge fan; the nostalgia can only keep me interested for so long. This series relies little on rekindling past wonder and more on great action with focused zeal. The essence of the old cartoon is there, but the execution is so much better. It reminded me of the Clone Wars cartoon series by Genndy Tartakovsky.

The biggest highlight lies in the Joes' most notable character and resident mute: Snake Eyes. Just like you might hope, the story travels to the past in his training origins with Storm Shadow. Though not the penultimate outcome of the series, the confrontation between the ninjas steals the thunder from Cobra Cmdr. and Duke.

-- "I have traveled many miles and now have come disguised as a pimp to help you."

Biovalve

2009-04-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine two of the greatest game developers, Valve and Bioware, with different specializations, FPSs and RPGs, merging into one glorious amalgamation of awesomesauce? I can now.

With the help of Garry's Mod, Valve resources, and imagination I can guess was heftily inspired by Bioware RPGs, someone has concepted (yeah, I made that one up) out a Team Fortress 2 RPG. Seriously. I want.

Aside from actually becoming a reality, it's thrilling to think about. A lot of work as been put into it, and it gives a lot of creedence to the power of Valve's characters. Heavy story games such as role-playing games need detailed, in-depth characters, and this creation emphasizes just how possible it could be.

Again: I want.

-- "I will shoot you. And I know robot karate!"

Difference Between Speech and Action

2009-04-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

In another introspective, pondering piece, I'd like to skim the surface of badasses who quote the Bible. My recent delving into the Good Book aside, it's interesting to note how much more attention is paid to characters in stories who commit murders and atrocities yet speak Christian scripture like they actually follow its moral compass.

My interest was piqued while recently watching 3:10 to Yuma, with Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. Russell plays the outlaw Ben Wade who recognizes himself as a bad person, yet quotes the Bible on multiple occasions and prays with his just-as-despicable gang after a successful heist. He wasn't seeking out redemption; it was merely a dichotomous character study rife with hypocrisy. And I'm talking about it, so I'm only confirming its inherently interesting qualities.

I make the distinction based in redemption because this reminded me of Sam Jackson's character of Jules in Pulp Fiction. His path evolved with the help of his scripture orations, something wholly different from that of Wade.

My point may be moot because a story is not as interesting without such dissonant characters. It's only disconcerting to think the messages found in their source material is less impacting coming from those who may follow it more faithfully. With that, I'm forgoing my usual movie quote with a passage a friend pointed me toward recently...

-- "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things." Philippians 4:8

Why Zombies?

2009-04-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

The last few years have seen a zombie renaissance. The phenomenon has spread through movies, video games, comics, and books. And not just tongue-in-cheek survival guides, Jane Austen's world has seen an invasion into the undead dilettante psyche with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

I've been thinking about it, sans any research that has no doubt already laid out all of my ideas, and think I know why people enjoy confronting these ultimate antagonists. Zombies present the all-in-one, most evil beings. Their motives consist of finding living flesh and consuming, nothing else. This single-minded cannibalism is universally perceived as "not good".

By itself, this wouldn't be enough to set them apart from other unthinking, murderous human beings. But each one was once a living, breathing being. They are mirrors of the human condition. Their purely instinctual nature leaves them devoid of choice or the ability to think past their undying hunger. It's just easier to accept them as villains more than anything else; it's automatic. They even outrank Nazis, only because Nazis have choice, families, and the ability to feel emotion. Encountering a horde of un-fearing zeds would be intense to say the least.

There's gotta be more to this, but I've been done writing essays for awhile. I'll have to expound on it some other time.

-- "I only gamble with my life, never my money."

Faith's Flop of a Finale

2009-04-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

At the expense of not writing anything, I'd just like to say I finished Mirror's Edge today. Finished as much as the game can be for not having a real ending, that is.

As disappointing as the finish was, the game was great. The intensity of the chase and racing to the end of each chapter was exhilarating. I wasn't able to free my hands of the controls to hit Esc while escaping; I felt like I couldn't pause. I haven't felt that way except in games where I literally couldn't pause.

Good times.

-- "Remember, all I'm offering is the truth. Nothing more."

The Vertigo Is Unnerving

2009-04-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

I finally got Mirror's Edge for PC thanks to a $20 special on Amazon. I pretty much only buy games I know I'm gonna like, and it hasn't disappointed.

Detailed in a previous post, my choice for the PC version hasn't been a complete wash. Unfortunately, I can't get my 360 controller to work on my computer without an additional purchase. I'm "suffering" through with the mouse/keyboard, but it still feels good. And the PhysX feels really good. In reality it's not anything but a few loose cloths, transparent plastic draping, and ever-so glorious, shattering glass. All these details make thrilling chases feel even more spectacular.

If you can't tell, I'm enjoying the game. Though there are some disappointing features: the melee combat feels a bit off and the leeway, given in games such as Assassin's Creed or Prince of Persia, isn't nearly enough for long jumps and grabbing onto pipes. Adversely, there are two aspects I didn't expect to feel right at all: the shooting combat and Esurance cut sequences. Maybe it's the presence of a mouse, but the shooting seems just fine. And as cheesy as the cel-shading may be, the stylization fits with the rest of the game.

Playing without trying to obtain achievements has actually been a relief too. I love getting them on my 360, but the lack thereof frees me to not worry about how I could be playing instead of the way I like. It's like playing a new game with that old, retro love.

-- "That was the best vacation ever! I love our family."

The Hatchet Man's M.O.

2009-04-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

With the recent media teasers coming out for Assassin's Creed 2, I've delved back into the original to satiate my desire for that specific mix of parkour and bladecraft. I had been feeling the itch for awhile but was tipped over the edge by the look of the Italian Altair. If nothing else, it has drawn me away from my Peggle fetish.

It has felt just as good as it did the first time, though I've acclimated much faster this time. I first played it over a year ago, so none of it was still fresh in my mind. The controls aren't exact and help in certain parts, but I'm even more delighted by the news of being able to swim in the next iteration. Tip-toeing on dock poles doesn't auto-help as much as I'd like when insta-death is a minor misstep away.

This time through I'm killing all the templars and getting all the flags scattered about the maps. I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying it and how easy the templars are to kill (they seemed nigh-impossible last time I played). But overall, it's the same greatness I loved before.

Da Vinci's workshop, double wristblades, and Renaissance flair can't come soon enough. I can't wait to see more of Desmond and Lucy's story told unwind with Ezio, the ancestor with a vendetta, carving his way through the past.

-- "I don't pretend to be a man of the people. But I do try to be a man for the people."

Saving Winters' Privates

2009-04-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a readily available set of DVDs, I finally got around to watching the Band of Brothers mini-series. I knew it would be good; I loved Saving Pvt. Ryan.

I was afraid it would just feel like more of Ryan. I'm glad to say it was and wasn't. The cinematography, the attention to detail, and subtle music scores all felt very similar and just as great. And other than the training before D-Day, I wasn't finding much else too different that might otherwise blow my mind.

Until Part 9. The approach toward the end of the war in the final two parts was impeccable refinement and taste. It's weird to say taste when referring to the discovery of the Nazi death camps, but it's fitting. Nothing was shied away from, over-pronounced, or trivialized. I'm sure it all helps when your executive producer has tackled such subjects in Academy Award winning films, but it conveyed an extended look into the emotions from the brothers not yet seen.

The other obvious thing setting the brothers apart from Saving's 2.5 hour adventure was the testimonials. It added extended reality more so than just saying, "Based on a true story," and drives home what all those men sacrificed.

-- "Goldie, how many times have I told you guys that I don't want no horsing around on the airplane?"

Plenty of Jedi = Plenty of Bounty Hunters

2009-04-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

Bioware recently wrote about the Bounty Hunter class for their upcoming MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. From their purpose and design to their goals and inspirations, Bioware always has big aspirations for its games.

The developer is known for great games filled with great stories. Their character designs always outdo the rest with epic tales. It's hard to not sing praises about their games. However, I'm trying to be skeptical about their foray into the MMO genre. They sound like they want to change paradigms, something we've heard from many developers with delusions of grandeur. My interest is definitely piqued, especially with this write-up of the Bounty Hunter.

The Star Wars mythos has pivotal hunters throughout the plethora of stories and fan-fic with definitive characteristics. After hearing what The Old Republic plans to lend to the class, you can't help but feel giddy. I get to control a character with the power to take out a Jedi or Sith sans Force?

Le sigh. Like I said, I'm trying to remain skeptical, but Bioware never makes it easy on me (see Baldur's Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, and Mass Effect).

-- "Last night, Darth Vader came down from the planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't take Lorraine out that he'd melt my brain."

New York's Godzilla

2009-04-12T20:44:00.000-07:00

Can you guess which film my title refers to? From its inception, it is what J.J. Abrams wished to accomplish with Cloverfield. I was never into the big monster movies of the past or the new Godzilla adaptations, but this one had me intrigued the whole time.

Perhaps the first-person storytelling did it or the "mis en scene" atmosphere (eat that films professor that gave me a C), but Cloverfield struck a nerve so much I perused the special features on the DVD. I haven't done that in years with the exception of Serenity.

A lot more thought seemed put into this film than others (see any cheesy monster movie with a one name title). The creature had complete thoughts behind its motives and mobility. It felt very real amongst the survivors even in grandiose situations; the Statue of Liberty head was hilarious but impacts the panicked New Yorkers just like you might think.

I don't need sequels based on what I've seen, probably won't see it in theatres if one's made, but the mystery has left me still wanting more. It'll be in the queue.

-- "I wish I were big."

Left 4 Dead LARPing

2009-04-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

Would you consider LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) if it had a more zombie/survivor motif? Well good thing this has nothing to do with that.

Some fine photographers were fine enough to make a really fun public set of photographs on Flickr and get it highlighted on Kotaku. The set is called Left 5 Dead, the obvious sequel, and includes the original four survivors plus some random pirate (named Steve?). Aside from the ass-tastic 5th wheel, the set stands out due to the presence of purpose and action the game tends to convey.

But even more so is the use of what I perceive to be an up-and-coming photographic technique known as HDR. I only discovered it recently, but you basically take multiple shots of the same scene at different exposures and merge them to create enormous amounts of detail that wouldn't otherwise be there. Just look up HDR images after viewing the Flickr set to find some other fantastic examples.

I haven't created any yet, but I'll probably make a post about it once I find my inspiration for it.

-- "Hello, Mr. Fancypants. Well I've got news for you pal, you ain't leadin' but two things right now: Jack and s***...and Jack left town."

Long Enough Break

2009-04-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

I took a break. It's probably not the best thing to do when this is one of the most constructive things on my platter. But it was a break, and I have more topics in the queue now. First off: last weekend!

The Ship of Fools improv comedy troupe from Purdue University and the Andy Ober Orchestra put on their annual joint show in West Laffy. Having attended the previous two, I was glad my schedule didn't interfere with this show.

The Fools performed with splendid precision and nary a snag. It's always fun to see them put on a show, but they were genuinely on point that night. The subtleties are what please me most with them; you can look to the side to see the better performers adding quaint little tie-ins without stealing anyone's thunder.

The AOO was above par this year too. Adding a rarely seen fourth member, the quartet pleased the crowd with many new songs smattered with a couple golden oldies as well. You wouldn't know they only practiced together maybe five times a year. ::wink::

-- "I like to look for things no one else catches. I hate the way drivers never look at the road in old American movies."

Somewhere Across The Universe Skies Are Filled With Diamonds

2009-04-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

I've grown up a rather passive fan of The Beatles, and Across the Universe was a magnificent surprise. I had actually forgotten it was a musical based on their music, but it proved to be quite a trip, pun assuredly intended.

The film is set in the 60s pitting star-crossed lovers an ocean apart. Other members fill out the rest of the cast around them and eventually Come Together in New York's village scene. The other members happen to include likenesses of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. A couple of cameos by Bono and Eddie Izzard even guest in the lovefest.

From kismet to falling apart to inevitable re-intimacy, the overall plot is predictable though not to its detriment. What is nowhere near predictable are the visuals. They are a superb form of re-imagined storytelling paralleling the music and lives of the Revolution-ary Beatles. Even starting around the halfway point, there was a lot of psychadelic imagery. They fit so right with what I guess the band was trying to get across ending in the penultimate message "All You Need Is Love."

If you're a fan of the Beatles or liked Moulin Rouge, consider a Ticket to Ride Across the Universe. It will anything but A Hard Day's Night. I couldn't help myself.

-- "I'll come 'round sometime and get that squeak out of your door."

Sony Welcomes Mario to Generation Next

2009-04-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

Earlier today, Sony unveiled the clandestine location for Mario's next adventure: the Playstation 3. Miyamoto-san seems to have had a mid-life crisis taking his beloved plumber into a visually realistic world full of browns and greys.

Set to join the fray of frags, Super Mario Mayhem is touted to revolutionize the world of first-person shooters. Little imagery has been released, but I'm thinking the Super Mario Bros. movie with better animation, tougher A.I., and no Dennis Hopper as King Koopa. No doubt there'll be plasmid-like fireball-tossing action too!

And it will sell millions. And the PS3 won't need the price-cut everyone's been demanding. Parents will purchase them for their kids even with the Mature rating the game has already received.

Well done, Sony. HUGE SUCCESS!

-- "Remember, trust the fungus."

Double-O Quantum of Action

2009-03-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

I've never been a huge fan of the James Bond franchise, but I've felt compelled to see the recent ones due to the overwhelming reception of Daniel Craig. Enter Quantum of Solace.

One great thing about this endeavor is the focus on action and chases in particular. It starts with a car chase, shuffles to a rooftop run, splashes through the harbors of Haiti, and glides through a desert canyon. The gunplay and melee combat was rampant throughout. The film felt reminiscent of the Bourne trilogy, only with a heavier use of classic spy charm.

I was thinking too about Bond's unique source of refreshment or fuel: martinis and sex. He never runs out of energy, needs no sleep, and only looks exhausted if he hasn't partaken in one of the two for awhile. Not a horrible way to break up your day in between the dullness of killing and caring about as few people as possible.

As much as people rave about the Casino Royale remake, I preferred this second double-ought Craig movie instead. The constant action, many locations, and well-paced flow kept me entertained the entire time.

-- "Who took the jam outta your doughnut?"

Online Frustration #42

2009-03-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

Valve's Steam service can be compared and usually rates better than Xbox Live. In my experiences, Steam is basically the console equivalent for the PC without the constant hatespeech and annoying 12 year-old whiners. Oh, and Steam is free.

But one of the nit-picks I have with Steam is very easy to control on Live. On the Xbox, if you hear someone spouting off anything offensive, you can not only mute them, you can report/flag them to not be paired with them in random games. It also supposedly helps gets those people suspended with enough reports and lowers their reputations. It at least placated my anger while in the lobby of Halo 3.

Steam has no reporting to my knowledge. If they do, it's nowhere near as easy to find. And of course you can mute people's mics, but it has no effect on text. I don't see/hear it as often on the PC, but just two nights ago my eyes were welcomed into a TF2 match with, "f***ing f***** n***** b****". He wasn't kicked from the server and kept repeating himself. I felt impotent.

What bothers me more about seeing it rather than hearing is the feeling of intention. Typing all those hate-filled words seems to carry more emotion. With words it rolls off the tongue with unfortunate ease, but typing really punches it home.

The few times in my life where those words have crossed my lips have been shameful. And though I'm at a different point in my life, I could never imagine writing them down even then.

-- "Stop trying to hit me and hit me."

Worthy Illustrations or Lackluster Demonstrations?

2009-03-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

Of the recent demos on Xbox Live, they have generally proven what I expected going in. Whether it be a fun game worth renting but not owning or an example of second-rate game design, I've enjoyed some recent trials.

Wanted was a really fun, snarky movie and an equally enjoyable game. Weapons of Fate pulls off a third-person shooter as well as the next with some added bits of delight. Coming from a movie that introduced curving bullets, that's the first notable addition; it's executed with visual style and simple controls. Beyond that, the game evolves the Gears cover mechanic by stepping up the speed between obstacles with deftness and great visual cues. The rest of the game stays faithful to the film's dialogue and story complete with the difficulty setting entitled "Pussy."

The Vin Diesel outings both left with a sense of superhappyfuntime. The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is more goodness with better mechanics; just an evolution of what came before. It's what I expected and wanted. Now Wheelman doesn't demand too much attention, but it is good at what it does. Jampacked with racing, car stunts, and shooting, it's a compilation of off-the-wall antics, including Vin Diesel's character flying from one moving vehicle to the next to commandeer it. Seriously. But it doesn't apologize for such laughable features, it welcomes them without shame.

This next demo was supposed to be pure indulgence, but it was the least likable of the four I tried. Guitar Hero: Metallica is exactly like all the other Guitar Hero games before them, only I had never played drums or sang before. First off, the four playable songs in the demo were more than adequate with Seek and Destroy and Sad But True by Metallica, No Excuses by Alice In Chains, and Stone Cold Crazy by Queen (I know, too many italics). And the guitar interface was fine too. The drums seemed a bit clunky with harder to see lights but passable timing and combinations. It was the singing I couldn't stand. Compared to the instantly recognizable Rock Band format, it was a mess. I didn't know how to do well or how well I was even doing.

So much for wanting to try GH:WT now, Harmonix will continue to be my preference for interface design and color choice in rhythm gaming.

-- "Get out of my way, son. You're using my oxygen."

Fallout Finally Finished!

2009-03-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

It took me long enough to complete, yet I still hesitate to use that word. Fallout 3 is a huge game with vast stores of nooks & crannies; there's no way I completely discovered everything. But I did discover close to 140 locations and complete every main quest, so it's done for me until a future patch is released.

Why is this game so great? I've been thinking about it ever since the final credits rolled. The animations aren't amazing, the modeling's pretty rough, and the action can be rather slow. I didn't get to see the Enclave enough, killing the same types of enemies got very repetitive, and didn't even discover what "Well Rested" meant until I was already level 20. And the end was rather disappointing, no matter how much I wished it wouldn't be. So why did I and many others love it so much?

Plain and simple it has to be the interactivity with nearly everything and the ability to choose. I could've stayed out of people's locked houses, but I snuck inside anyway. I could've let that rabble-rousing ghoul sleep soundly, but I ended him after he denied doing things my way. Megaton could've remained a peaceful little stronghold with an undetonated nuclear sleeper hit, but there was no way I could refuse the strange man in the sunglasses.

I was always just hoping for a little more cinematic flare or something to surprise me like realtime geometry changing. I was kept waiting for a wall next to me to get blown out and some people to show some movement while speaking with them. If only they could walk around and move appendages more than facial twitches.

But the ending sequence was unbelievably awesome. Ever since I saw the iron giant below the citadel, I was hoping he'd get involved!

-- "Wow, my own giant robot! I am now the luckiest kid in America!"

A Mess O' Movies

2009-03-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

I'm just gonna get a bunch of recently seen movies out of the way to force myself from too many of these posts. Good or bad, I'm definitely making headway on my queues. Oh, and friend me if you have Netflix.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - A flick that piqued my interest with the always good Brad Pitt. I admit my man-crush; he's a great actor that chooses many different roles and pulls them all off. The film was slow-paced and thoughtful with some great additions in Casey Affleck and Sam Rockwell. Definitely worth a rental.

Henry Poole is Here - The preview for this had me expecting a comedy. Thankfully it wasn't too disappointing to find Luke Wilson in a contemplative depression as life presents him with a question of faith. Of course he fights against it, and of course he emerges with a fresh outlook and new found happiness. Check it out if you like films of this type but don't expect to laugh much.

Eagle Eye - It's a Shia LaBeouf movie, but I enjoyed it. I don't mind him really, but I hear about as many bad things for him as Keanu Reeves (I loved Constantine). Anyway, it was a competent thriller with a Fallout 3-esque plot mechanic.

The Golden Compass - It's weird to see some books-turned-movies when the allegory is so heavy. It was different than I expected in a good way, but the rest of the movie was just bad. I could tell they omitted a bunch from the book and rushed everywhere. I really expected to enjoy it, but I'll definitely pass on the sequel.

Grindhouse: Death Proof and Grindhouse: Planet Terror - I really didn't expect much from either of these. And what ties they have as being a double feature are only loosely related in the 70s film grain pervading throughout. I say this because Planet Terror was absolutely fantastic, and Death Proof is and will remain unfinished by mine eyes. The former featured a great zombie flick with ultraviolence, ultragore, and an overall campy atmosphere. I laughed outloud so often, covered the screen with my hand too many times, and still made it through with an overwhelming taste of awesomesauce in my mouth.

The first 20 minutes of the Tarantino half of Grindhouse had me wondering why I hadn't stopped it yet. It was full of neverending, pretentious Tarantino dialogue and a story I could never care about. I tried, but it lacked the Pulp of Quentin's usually deep Reservoir.

-- "Welcome back to the land of the living. Now pick up a shovel and get digging!"

Talkin Bout My G-G-Generation

2009-03-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Something just hit me while listening to the latest Platform Biased podcast, Three's Company. One of the hosts was talking about raising his son on a escalated schedule of old-school gaming. First, the NES for 3 months and his 5 favorite games, then the SNES for another 3 months and 5 more games, and so on until he's current.

It got me thinking about what systems I would choose to own if I could only own 1 system from each generation. My apologies if anything turns out factually inaccurate; I don't care.

Starting from the generation I came in:
What was available -- Atari 2600, Intellivision, too many others
What I had -- Intellivision
What I would choose now -- Atari...I hear too many great stories about people and their Ataris. It feels like I missed out on something huge.

The real first generation by most people's standards started with Nintendo:
What was available -- NES, Sega Master System, something else insignificant
What I had -- NES
What I would choose now -- NES...Of course the NES. It was the pivotal console gaming platform. If only my Mom hadn't sold it with all my games during a garage sale.

The pretender consoles start to die down as Sega and Nintendo reign:
What was available -- SNES, Sega Genesis, Atari holding on by a Lynx...or was it Jaguar?
What I had -- Sega Genesis
What I would choose now -- SNES...Resoundingly, I would choose the SNES. Based on all the games I played and obtained for emulators, I wish I had stayed on the Nintendo train.

Sony enters the fray as Nintendo continues ascension. Sega lapses:
What was available -- Sony Playstation, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn
What I had -- Saturn
What I would choose now -- Sony Playstation...It was the only system I owned a game for but never owned the system (Tony Hawk Pro Skater). I found some good games for Saturn, but I was bitten for the last time purchasing a system only because it came with games and the others didn't.

In which Microsoft claims gaming space, Sony gets cocky, and Nintendo turtles:
What was available -- Xbox, Playstation 2, and Gamecube (Dreamcast swansong)
What I had -- Xbox
What I would choose now -- Playstation 2...I loved my Xbox and Halo a bunch. But there are too many games coming from the largest gaming library I still want/need to play.

Duct tape, red rings, and little big things:
What is available -- Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3
What I have (had) -- Xbox 360 (gave away my Wii)

Of course this discounts the plethora of PC experiences over the years, handhelds, and systems only delusions would call big competitors (ahem, 3DO).

-- "Adventure, excitement...a Jedi craves not these things."

A Break in the Entertainment

2009-03-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

I've had a hard time writing the past few days because I didn't want to just keep updating about movies. And since I've kept myself from finishing Fallout 3 (I'm in Raven Rock), this'll be a non-entertainment related post for once. (P.S. This Ghostbusters scene freaked me out as a kid and kinda still does now.)

Have you ever filed for unemployment? I hope you never have to, because it's too much of a hassle. And I still haven't gotten my first check even. There are a bunch of mandatory workshops and such that may take longer than you need with information you already have. At least that's the way I felt this morning. It was more of an affirmation of the recent direction I've had than an enlightening help session.

That recent direction I'm referring to is getting my IT certifications, including A+, Network+, MCSA, and Security+. I like working with computers and having the ability to relocate anywhere in the country is nice. Not to mention it also feels like a firm foundation will be under my feet for once. Who knew I'd feel better going to a place I'm paying thousands of dollars to attend than in the office who'll give me free money and donuts.

What also helps is the great living arrangement I've been graciously invited into and the wonderful people of the small group of my church. I'm counting my blessings while hoping for the best in other areas that are playing catch-up.

And tomorrow, I'm returning to another movie post because I just watched something on my instant watch Netflix queue I freakin' loved!

-- "I was going to be a stand-up comedian."

Disappointing Decepticons and Sobering Saudi Representations

2009-03-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't played many games lately besides a quick visit to the World of Goo, the land of Peggle, and the rollin' landscape of Rock Band. I need to finish Fallout already, don't I?

A couple more movies I wanted to see eventually can now be marked off my list in the meantime. I finally watched Transformers against my better judgment. I had heard it wasn't that good and worth seeing as much as the last Indiana Jones movie, whatever it was called. Maybe it was because I had such low hopes going in, but I thought it was cool. I saw robots turn into vehicles and lots of explosions and general destruction. If anyone was wanting a great Transformers story: really? It's a cartoon turned toys turned animated movie turned worse toys turned movie. I don't expect G.I. Joe to vary from that formula. But where's my live-action Thundercats?

On to an actual great film: The Kingdom. It's another war-torn, Middle East relations film, and I didn't know what to expect. It was a fast ride with little-to-no slow bits. The dialogue was quick but not too confusing, although camera cues and acting generally keep you from guessing if the language was lost. What separates this movie from others is the equal points of view portrayed. There are people angry, grieving, and scared on all sides of the conflict, and it's handled with more tact than most. I liked this and The Rundown, but have yet to see Peter Berg's Hancock. I'm a little more optimistic about that one now.

-- "Does he know where Bin Laden is? That would be a huge promotion for me."

Mr. Fillion's a Great Foundation for Castle

2009-03-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

So I, like many people, started watching Dollhouse in hopes Joss Whedon's magic might extend into a new show. For the record, I haven't watched since the second episode. Well now I've started watching Castle thinking Nathan Fillion can keep that show from belly-flopping into a drained pool; it's more like a cannonball in the deep end.

Bad analogies aside, the show is awesome. I've watched the first two episodes so far and laughed at Nathan's ineffable charm and wit. The dialogue feels effortless, the cast fits well (no distracting, overcasted crutches), and the stories are interesting enough. Being another "cops with murder mystery" show, it relies more on the main characters' backgrounds and interactions between each other. And it feels like it should be doing just that.

Stana Katic, who apparently has been in quite a bit of TV before, is breaking out in this main role. She feels like Yvonne Strahovski from Chuck: a relative unknown fit really well into her respective character. Though Stana isn't reduced to a sex kitten prancing around in her underwear for practically no reason other than titillation, and Castle's better for it.

-- "You're the poster boy for friendly fire."

A Link to the Past

2009-03-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

I was looking through how many posts I had done (really not too many compared to the more consistent rate I've experienced lately) and thinking about how some of them have panned out. So this is an update.

I don't play Warhammer Online anymore. It faded away even before I started up WoW again. And even that's faded away now too. No inclinations to play any current MMOs right now.

Diablo III has no release date as of yet, I have yet to play Web of Shadows or Mirror's Edge, and I haven't even beaten Fallout 3. I've gotten closer as of the past month, but there's too much for me to explore. And Left 4 Dead is still freakin' amazing, but I haven't played much lately and won't consistently til the patch comes out soon. Prototype will come out this summer, and I still can't wait.

And the recently released scout update to TF2 definitely makes me feel more proud about my Halloween costume choice. I finally enjoy playing the class!

-- "I don't know about you guys, but we are the weirdest herd I've ever seen."

Tokin a Ride on the Pineapple Express

2009-03-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

This could easily become a blog just about the movies I watch; I'll try to limit myself. But I need to Pineapple Express myself (lame, I know).

First off, I've never smoked weed but have been around others who have occasionally or often. It's weird then that stoner comedies are so funny (Ali G Indahouse, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny are all in my collection among others). I used to watch Half-Baked almost every day for one whole summer. It must be something about stupid humor striking a chord so deep with me; I dunno.

So Pineapple Express finally emerged from my Netflix queue, and I enjoyed it as thoroughly as some seen above. James Franco was the surprising standout, pot dealer with great dialogue I can only assume was mostly improvisation. The same goes for Seth Rogen, but it wasn't a surprise. There were a lot of other characters and scenes over-dramatized, but again I refer you to which genre I'm talking about.

If you've enjoyed such films in the past or other Judd Apatow, "frat pack" movies, this one should be added to the long list. It really is a weird realization seeing how many of these movies I really liked and knowing it's a genre I prefer. I must be high.

-- "Well be careful, man. Be careful. Wear shoes in the house. Safety. Safety first, then teamwork."

The Punisher of Hellboy II

2009-03-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

So along with Watchmen this last Friday, I got around to watching two other comic hero movies in The Punisher and Hellboy II: The Golden Army. It was a themed weekend, but at least it wasn't Ghost Rider, right?

The Punisher was a lackluster affair with an okay idea, everything I had heard it to be. I didn't like the casting choice for Mr. Castle, the apartment friends were too ridiculous, and the tale didn't seem epic enough for a super hero movie. Why not someone with a more fantastic tale or nemeses? That said, John Travolta wasn't half-bad.

And Hellboy II, another comic film set aside as not so good and passable. I've never read any of these comics or watched the first flick a bunch, but I like the character of Hellboy a lot. Maybe it's Ron Perlman or maybe it's Guillermo's vision, but I like these stories of Hellboy. The second one was surprisingly good. It felt like a good sequel film nearly done with the origin story and fraught with an even bigger fight than before. The visuals were reflected in that too, though Selma Blair still seemed awkward (I'm afraid she will in every role).

I'm not sure which past, 2nd-rate comics movie will be next on the list, but these film s definitely have me excited.

-- "We figure abortion clinics are a good place to meet loose women."

Goo-balls! It's Fun to Say, and They're Fun to Play With!

2009-03-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

World of Goo was only $5 this past weekend on Steam, and I couldn't resist. Reviews have all been rather positive, and it's even received awards (see Outstanding Achievement in Game Design). A big discount on a critically acclaimed game? I was already salivating.

The World of Goo is a place full of fun levels and melodic music matched wonderfully with a distinct visual style; it's like a moving action comic from the mind of Tim Burton. And pair that with the sound effects from Worms: an aural delight.

The basic mechanics involve hooking together or tethering little balls of goo to each other to form towers, pyramids, or bridges and the like to transport said goo to a massive corporation. So really it's a physics-based builder with a heaping load of humor packed into a small package. But it can also be frustrating like any puzzle with simple mechanics and complex solutions; fast-stacking is not my favorite.

I can see why scores tend to be high for it. It's an above average game people of all types can grab hold of very quickly. I'd be interested to see a haptic version if it could ever happen and hope my fingers wouldn't get sticky.

-- "Self realization. I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates who said, 'I drank what?'"

Do You Really Know Your Online "Friends"?

2009-03-10T10:39:00.001-07:00

If you haven't already seen The Guild, you are a geek of some sort, or believe Felicia Day (a geek in her own right) is cute as a button, please go watch it all right now. They've had two internet TV seasons so far filled with funny writing, snappy editing/camerawork, and a cast perfect for each of their respective roles.

It is about Codex, the guild's healer, and the drama surrounding her online life as it sneaks its way into her real life. The interactions all revolve the guild, a task made easier due to the episode time being so succinct. It abounds with parody as each of the characters' lives reflect an exaggerated portion of not only the players in those types of games but by its nature the audience watching the show. But they're probably just distracted by the thought of pretty women understanding their world.

And once you're done with The Guild, continue to do yourself a favor and watch Felicia's other work in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog with Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, and NPH. It'll blow you away.

-- "I'm Moist. At my most badass, I make people want to take a shower."

Take Me Down to Paradise City

2009-03-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

Burnout: Paradise is a fabulous game. I'm a little late to the reintroduction and without Live Gold for the moment, but returning to it feels wonderful. And now with motorcycles!

I used to drive around Paradise City on a nightly basis about a year ago. I'm not usually into racing games, but this one is set apart from the rest. Not only is it known for crashing and destroying opponents, but this one added a new twist with the open-world aspect. You can explore the city on your own time outside of events. Then just pull up to any intersection for one of a number of event types including a regular Race, Marked Man (where you race to a location before being destroyed by some hit man cars), Burning Route (timed solo race to unlock an extra vehicle), Stunt Run (increasingly dangerous driving for record-breaking point totals of which I'm not too good), and the infuriatingly awesome Road Rage (destroy a multitude of opponents!).

Oh, and the online is indeed masterfully created. The drop-in/drop-out nature is great for quick challenges/races and easy group creation. I put more online hours into this game in the past than any other games I had. Yet I still have yet to try the online Road Rage or Marked Man late additions.

The motorcycles feel really good, but nothing too special from what I've seen offline. This resurgence into the Burnout world is definitely a hot addiction to my gameplay behaviors at the cost of my post-apocalyptic travels through the wastes of D.C.

-- "So when you say psychosomatic, you mean like he could start a fire with his thoughts?"

Rorshach, What Do You See?

2009-03-06T19:39:00.000-08:00

Have you seen Watchmen yet? I'm sure you must have what with the massive advertising campaign launched on every medium. I bet there's even some blood-stained, smiley-faced buttons waiting at the grocery store counter at this point.

The film was fantastic, for readers of the graphic novel and those with fresh eyes too from what I hear. The casting for each of the parts was particularly well done, with my personal favorites going to Rorshach and The Comedian (though this may be more for the hardass characters they played than just the acting since everyone was well played in their respective roles). The soundtrack was worked in rather well with the world and featured some choice songs (including Sound of Silence and All Along the Watchtower). The new ending wasn't too distracting since it reaches the same general outcome, although it was kind of disjunctive compared to the rest of the film. Can't quite place my finger on it right now, but my friend who hasn't finished the novel even felt it.

Some things of note besides those is the absence of smoking from Laurie. Smoking is used as a drama tool so often, it was an interesting choice to remove it when her character vows to quit often in the original. Also, kudos to Snyder for his sexual act and beauty portrayals again. The art during some of the love scenes conveys the emotions extremely well (whether it be during The Comedians attempted rape or within Archie in the night sky).

Overall, a grandeur IMAX experience save the stereotypical Comic Book Guy nearby snickering at weird times.

-- "I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked in here with ME!"

Analog Games for Analectuals: Puerto Rico

2009-03-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

I love board games. Mainly of Euro-design, but I've been known to sit down with the war games every now and then. The first game up for what I hope is a recurring segment is my favourite game ever: Puerto Rico. Oh, and feel free to use "analectuals;" just remember to cite me as the source with a link.

Puerto Rico is a strategic game for three to five players sans battle situations. At first, it looks like way too much to keep track of and organize, but it seems a lot simpler after a couple of rounds are simulated. And the strategies for winning, though sometimes complex, start to develop in your head after a couple games of playing. The goal may be to get the most points, but with three different outcomes to end the game, the opportunities can be overwhelming.

What I like is the switching of roles each player takes on every turn. The special abilities are granted to only the player who chooses it, but each person gets a chance to utilize that role's representative action (such as selling goods to the trading house). And because there are so many opportunities to advance your part of the island's economy, even those who aren't effectively winning feel a sense of accomplishment in raising a thriving society.

Ask me to play sometime, please. Because every time I get a chance to play, I want to play it even more!

-- "Oh good! My dog found the chainsaw!"

It's New to Me

2009-03-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

So on the behest of some friends, I have just started watching a now-defunct TV show, Jericho, and reading from George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. I want to chronicle my first thoughts and final thoughts as I journey into each varied setting.

First: Jericho. I resisted as best I could, but the promise of nuclear fallout in mid-America sounds fun, right? Plus, you and Katie were very persuasive. Though I'm not sure what it is about him, Skeet Ulrich irritates me. He's not up to Nicholas Cage levels, but his face & name are a deterrent before things even get started. Thankfully the story is intriguing enough, and the characters seem engaging and real. No one could truly predict what might happen in such a situation, but so far it all seems plausible.

A Game of Thrones is the first in a fantasy series world-renowned for its excellency. I've known about for years, but had yet to take the plunge into its storied depths. With the push of yet another friend, I decided it's high-time to start the epic saga of A Song of Ice and Fire. While the multiple perspectives/protagonists set me off at first, the style of writing hooked me, especially with the dialogue. "Come back to me after you've fathered a few bastards of your own," had me laugh out loud. I do have to set aside of lot of the information and names just to keep reading though. I fear if I initially try to sort out all the family namesakes and titles, I'd set it down indefinitely.

It feels good to have some new finite tales on my plate again, and it appears to be some good suggestions. So far.

-- "Lollipops. What we call cavities on a stick!"

And Now for Something Completely Different...

2009-03-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if you're familiar with Airborne, but it's something I've used for awhile now. I used to use the water-soluble tablets, and they work fine enough. But some time after, I was clued into on-the-go with lemon-lime flavor. It tastes great and much more of it naturally dissolves more in water. Who knows if it's great for me or if it works like a sugar pill? If it's a sugar pill, it's working well enough then.

So I was just at my local supermarket planning to get some more. They had the tablets but none of the on-the-go I prefer. I'd just go without for awhile longer than get the tablets, so I'm about to leave the section and checkout. However, I see a new Airborne product: Soft Chews (Caramel Apple flavored). Why not?

Well I have an answer now, and it's because they're disgusting. I was chewing one down thinking, "It's not the greatest, but it's good enough," trying to convince myself of their worth. When I couldn't choke them down quick enough or get rid of the acrid taste with water, I resolved to split it up a little bit to just swallow them outright. Why not stick with a tried & true flavor from before?

::le sigh::

-- "Mongo only pawn in game of life."

Movietime with "Something I Finally Got Around to Watching"

2009-02-27T19:58:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Netflix. It's allowed me to slowly get around to watching plenty of films I've wanted to see for awhile. This time it's The Departed, Domino, and Casino Royale (Daniel Craig edition). Also included will be the recently released The International and other rental Babylon A.D.

The Departed is one of those films everyone must see, from what I've heard. It won a bunch of awards and the hype was very high. Surprise, surprise: it was really good. The acting was superb and the story didn't drag on as much as I thought a Scorsese film would (see Gangs of New York). So it was definitely worth the watch even though cop dramas aren't high on my re-watch list.

Domino is the crazy Keira Knightley that came out in 2005 seeming to rid her of any innocence she may have portrayed until then. She's a bounty hunter with Mickey Rourke, and the film's got a lot of edge to it. The editing must've been hell for this one too, as it was really jumpy and kinda trippy too. I really enjoyed it despite Netflix not thinking I would and would enjoy rewatching it. Oh, it makes fun of 90210 a lot!

I enjoyed the new Casino Royale a lot more than I thought I would. I've never been huge into the James Bond stuff, but it was as fun as friends have suggested. And Daniel Craig's got the Peyton Manning-robot thing going on but with a much dreamier smile. I'm not gonna buy it, but I'll definitely add Quantum of Solace to my queue.

Ahhh, Clive Owen. How much fun it is to watch him portray the quirky action guy with loads of charisma. The International lended more of a story than most of his other films, and it delivered with great pacing and cinematography as well. Worthy of a rewatch for sure.

And finally, Babylon A.D. I'm a Vin Diesel fan; I admit it. I feel he's a good actor and an amazing action star. This is another sci-fi movie with a touch more ~~confusion~~ complexity. It kinda felt like The Fifth Element or Clive's Children of Men but with a mood in between the two. I hate to say it, but I could add this to my collection and be happy. It's not really Oscar-worthy, but fun movies rarely are.

-- "I don't even own a gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate a gun rack. What am I gonna do with a gun rack?"

Another Old Class Gets New Life

2009-02-25T19:47:00.000-08:00

The Team Fortress 2 Scout update is now live! I didn't want to re-post this picture, so I went with something different.

The Scout is the latest class to receive an update after the Heavy, Medic, and Pyro so far. It brings much needed new weapons earned through much needed new achievements (at least I love 'em). I've only earned the new Force-A-Nature sawed-off so far, but it adds a ton more fun already. I can't wait to earn the Sandman and the Energy Drink, properly titled "Bonk!"

Also in-tow comes a few maps too! Watchtower is an arena map that is very wide open and contains many thin planks to run along. It seems like a great addition to lumberyard for the arena and a fun map for snipers once all the scouts fade away. I haven't played Junction much yet, but I can already see the intended close-quarters and explosive nature of the map.

The one I've played most so far is my favorite: Egypt. The Dustbowl feel to this one means it'll be a new staple to many dedicated servers, and it deserves it from what I've witnessed.

Plus TF2 is $10 for a limited time...not that Steam doesn't offer many sales.

-- "When my brothers and I played cowboys and indians, I was always the Chinese railroad worker."

Something Short, New, and Different in Casting Pods

2009-02-24T18:59:00.001-08:00

On the behest of a dear friend (gametime?), I added another podcast to my growing iTunes pile of shame. It's called Arrive Having Eaten and is about...well, I'm not quite sure.

The subject matter seems to be as random in topics as what you could certainly guess. The improvisational nature of the show is refreshing amongst the mix of gamecasts to which I currently subscribe. The relationship between the two hosts works surprisingly well seeing as they have never met in RL (that's webspeak for "Real Life"). Ben has a ~~anal~~rapist wit causing me many bouts of laughter. And Erica's "straight-man" (for the most part) successfully grounds the conversations to make this show a worthy listen.

Overall, I'd give the two of them a basket of fried pickles and some french toast casserole...figuratively of course. I'm too lazy to cook, much less for other people. Geez, who do I think I am? A chef? Get off my back about signing up for culinary school. I'm done studying.

-- "I'm sorry, what was the question? I was distracted by the half-masticated cow rolling around in your wide-open trap."

Post-Apocalyptic Lovecraft

2009-02-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

I just got done traversing once again into the world of Fallout 3. 60 hours in, max level 20 for awhile, and still have yet to be halfway (what I think is halfway, don't really know for sure) through the main story. But just now I've experienced my favorite part of the game: an homage to H.P. Lovecraft, father of horror fiction.

Upon asking some people north of a fixture on the wastes known as "The Dunwich Building" (The Dunwich Horror being one of H.P.'s best short stories), a person tells me of the evil that resides there and warns me against the terror. Since it's a video game medium, the warning only stirs my curiosity the more. It's an old drill-bit sales company that apparently tested their product too far down in the earth beneath them. It's full of feral ghouls and tells its tale through a series of journal entries and audio recordings akin to Lovecraft's troubled narrators.

A son returned years later after the fallout to find remnants of his father who was looking for a book of some sort (perhaps the fabled Necronomicon), but finds only ghouls not to keen on feasting on his flesh. He is turning into one of them and losing his mind in the process. As time draws on, he calls out to some unknown elder being.

On approach of a cavernous chamber beneath the building, a scene of evil worship is laid open. The son, now completely ghoulified, and many other ghouls surround a stone obelisk inlaid with a tortured woman, skulls, and wrapped in thick vines.

Unlike a true Lovecraft story, your character doesn't go mad and join them or get devoured over a milennia at this point. Instead, you kill all of the ghouls, gain some karma, and find one more of the 20 bobbleheads. Must...have...more...

-- "There's children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads. They're busy building toys, and absolutely no one's dead."

Incredibad is Incredibly Good*

2009-02-19T08:37:00.000-08:00

*If you like the idea of Hip Hop plus Tenacious D.

The Lonely Island, consisting of some SNL cast members including Andy Samberg, has released an album called Incredibad. As noted in the excerpt, this album is very explicit in its language, yet satirical and comedic enough to keep me laughing throughout.

To get an idea if you'd like it, you can check out videos of some of the tracks beforehand like I did. With such classics like D*** in a Box, I'm on a Boat, and Natalie's Rap, it's hard to resist not purchasing the whole thing. Here's some others:

J*** in My Pants

We Like Sportz

Now I'm gonna go eat a bagel...like a boss.

-- "A fake ID works better than a Guy Fawkes mask."

Lost & Damned Male Nudity

2009-02-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

If I were to say the creators of Grand Theft Auto loved controversy, you'd probably agree. Their new downloadable content for GTA IV is The Lost & Damned out now, and it's sparking some new scintillating discussion.

It's been revealed the new story contains a cut-scene featuring full frontal, male nudity. For video coverage, Gamevideos has obliged (NSFW and slow loading). It's not really distasteful, but it definitely fits Rockstar's style. The GTA series was designed to be satirical and play on stereotypes. This latest foray into controversy is a play not only on the fear of nudity in America, but the even more evil and hypocritical view on male nudity.

If this was just some female nudity (a la The Witcher) it might be glossed over a bit more than this. Also note the lack of sexual connotation and how much emphasis is automatically associated between it and nudity.

You'll make your own opinions, but there seems to be too much anger toward the beauty of the naked form because people can't dissociate it from sex.

-- "George, why don't you and Burt take the lead on this? Why don't you put together kind of an Un-Pleasant Activities Committee?"

Xbox Live Community Games

2009-02-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

Not that many of you will care (due to lack of interest or lack of Xbox), but some community games have been released to the general public on Xbox Live. The community games are made by anyone who wants to make some neat, little games...and has purchased the $99 development kit. The best of those games (rated by others who have made the purchase) get released to the whole Xbox community.

I tried a couple of these trials and want to put down my thoughts. Artoon is a interesting platformer pitting an inkblob in different artistic worlds where he must pounce on platforms to paint them and unlock the the exit. The constant jumping and neat, stylized worlds made this one an okay, but not generally standout performance.

Colosseum consists of a player's choice of gladiator and fighting style in a ring with another fighter...like in ancient colosseums. Applicable name and good graphics, but the controls didn't seem to agree with me.

Weapon of Choice is a contra-esque, superfluous shooter that takes itself the opposite of seriously. The trial was really short, but if you liked Contra back in the day, you'd probably enjoy this. The next was Biology Battle, but it doesn't deserve its own paragraph because I'm not a fan of twin-stick shooters (see Geometry Wars).

The last one I tried is a game made by some fellow JPAGers. It deserves mention for that and being the most solid of the games played. The multiplayer looked like it could be interesting. I can't explain the mechanics, but it was like nothing I've ever played before. And it was also the best trial I played of the five (good length, good estimate of final product). You can check out their site here. I'm not a huge fan of puzzle games unfortunately.

-- "Silly caucasian girl likes to play with samurai swords."

Is Dollhouse Structurally Sound?

2009-02-15T19:27:00.000-08:00

The TV show Dollhouse premiered this past week with many a wary eye paying attention. After seeing a trailer some time ago, I wasn't that enthused. It seemed to be just another throwaway show I'd never make time to watch. But when a new series comes out from the creator of Firefly, my favorite series of all time, you need to pay attention.

Joss Whedon creates 'verses all his own (see Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly). The greatness in his works is the scope and detail that goes into his characters. So I'm giving Dollhouse the benefit of a doubt.

The first episode was intriguing, but not totally amazing. It's misogynistic to an extent, but leans on satire. The main character is Echo, played by Eliza Dushku. She's the biggest hurdle in letting me like the show more. She's not completely talentless, but there's some distraction keeping me from becoming engulfed in the ever-changing character.

But as I mentioned, it's intriguing. I'll watch it a few more times hoping for the wow-factor of Whedon to come forth.

-- "I'm sexy...I'm a scholar...people like me."

Fried Dill Chips

2009-02-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

So awhile ago, I had a hankering for fried sliced pickles (like the one's you can get at Scotty's Brewhouse). After looking up some recipes, I found one worth trying and made them yesterday.

They were easy enough to make once I got the oil cooking at a high temperature without boiling. And then after the first few, I got into the hang of letting them fry enough to be a dark brown instead of the early light browns.

I only got some hot spatter-batter on my fingers a few times, but it was tasty. The final product was even tastier, though a little unlike the restaurant. The pickles were still rather crisp, but the batter was not as much.

And the house still smells a bit like vegetable oil, but that will dissipate eventually, right?

-- "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"

Squad Castle Dos

2009-02-11T20:12:00.000-08:00

What would happen if we had a fast internet service back in the time of Atari 2600s? Could you imagine some of the online gaming possibilities? Maybe an online versus mode of Spy Hunter, playing Pong with someone from another country, or an MMO the likes of Elder Scrolls: Arena would've been made. Well how does an 8-bit Team Fortress 2 sound?

Introducing Gang Garrison 2. It's an awesome 2-D adaptation of a pinnacle for team-based multiplayer. The movement may not be too exact and jumping can be hard, but the nine classes still feel unique (the Spy, er Infiltrator, is even more fun to play). The other classes have been justly remade in the Runner, the Rocketman, the Firebug, the Detonator, the Overweight, the Constructor, the Rifleman, and also the Healer.

The homages are all over the small game, down to the loading screen using the "Faucet's" "Smoke" service. It's nice and kitchy to see games like this get some steam in their sails.

-- "You lost your money. You keep this up, you'll lose something else."

New Riddick Gameplay Footage!

2009-02-09T19:45:00.003-08:00

I can always look to Gametrailers for some inspiration, and today made me giddy with anticipation.

Starbreeze Studios has been hard at work with a followup to Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and making Assault on Dark Athena. It includes the original Xbox Butcher Bay updated for the 360 and adds more story and gameplay to the mix with Dark Athena.

Five new videos were released today and look great. The best of which is the melee gameplay vid. I played the first game a long while back and can attest to its surprising splendor. Starbreeze has quite a reputation to live up to now, and I really want to see them do well. Doing your best in some pretty tight situations doesn't bode well for many people, and they seem to have weathered some of them already.

-- "There's a new daddy in town. A discipline daddy."

Mod Rock...Band

2009-02-05T20:31:00.000-08:00

So awhile back, my Rock Band 2 drum kit start having some issues. It didn't prevent me playing because of cross-talk between the yellow & blue pad or the drum pedal not working. The red and green (and eventually yellow too) pads started forming rising bubbles in the middle. Maybe I should've followed the advice linked from the picture, but ended using some other methods.

To fix the bubbles, I eventually found a forum post (sorry, can't find the link to where) about taking the heads apart to reapply adhesive. So I got some adhesive caulk (heard super glue wasn't nearly good enough, though could've also tried epoxy) and pulled the plastic underpart from the rubber and the velcro-like surface between the two. Seeing the results a couple weeks after applying this method to the red pad, I adjusted the application when doing the green pad. Instead of not ripping the velcro-like surface all the way from the rubber, I only made an incision to the center and applied the adhesive mainly there. It didn't turn out nearly as well as I hoped. So with the green pad, I applied a very generous amount to the whole of the rubber underside before reapplying the velcro and then to the plastic head.

Now all that's great, but the bubble really returned to the red pad and just now appearing on the green pad after only a week. And with the yellow pad, I didn't want to rip anymore apart since it didn't ever really work on the red. So now I've resolved to just apply electrical tape to the surface of each head to flatten out bubbles. It works well enough and takes practically no time.

Also while opening up each one, I applied this coin mod (the video is lengthy, much like this post) to put nickels beneath and increase responsiveness. It's worked really well so far on the green & red pads, but the yellow (and presumably blue) didn't work out at all.

This is convoluted enough now.

-- "Lata, sweetheart."

Wishful Thinking

2009-02-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

I bet there are plenty of PS3 owners without 360's wanting some Xbox Live Arcade games available to them. Well soon there'll be some great games all exclusive to a Playstation Network I don't have.

Noby Noby Boy - I have as little clue as you do what's really going on in the attached video, but that's to be expected from the creators of Katamari Damacy. They definitely have a way of creating unique gaming experiences with a signature style. From previews I've heard, I bet I'd like it like I do Peggle.

Flower - How much do you expect from a game of this title? It looks like a fascinating, gorgeous game where your mind can just unwind. It's a successor to Flow from That Game Company including even more visual stimulation and looks to even have less game-ish qualities. No death. No time limit. Just relaxing in the breeze to its soothing sounds.

Fat Princess - The name of this game makes me think it's some crappy Nintendo trashware never worth playing, but it looks like a ton of fun. Think Team Fortress 2 capture the flag from a different perspective. The classes are a nice mix but not too much, although the inclusion of a resource-collecting class seems odd. I wonder if they thought of making them AI teammates at some point, but reconsidered. Anyway, follow the link to some recent walkthroughs of the gameplay. It looks like a lot of fun and generally full of win.

-- "Brothers don't shake hands. Brothers gotta hug!"

UFC 94

2009-02-01T10:59:00.000-08:00

So I've been into MMA (mixed martial arts) sports for over a year now and recently watched UFC 94 live on pay-per-view. Apart from the bar atmosphere complete with tons of smoke, it was a great night of fights. Only 5 of the 10 fights were televised, as all but the last two went to decisions and took up a lot of time. But the excitement was intense as usual when two warriors battle it out without surrendering/tapping out.

Starting the night out was Clay "The Carpenter" Guida vs. Nate Diaz. Guida is a fan favorite with his long hair, menacing scowl, and lively attitude. Because of his inconsistency at winning, he's considered a hurdle or litmus test for the 155-pound Lightweight Division. Nate Diaz tends to be a cocky showboat, so I'm not a huge fan of him though I recognize his very good skills, especially for being only 23 years old. But thankfully Clay edged out a split decision (two of the three referees scored him higher than the other contender).

Karo Parisyan, an Armenian Judo specialist, squeaked out an even closer split decision against a newcomer to the UFC in Dong Hyun Kim, a Korean Judo champion. My scorecard would've given it to Dong. The fight after with Stephan Bonnar, a season one veteran of the Ultimate Fighter series, and newcomer Jon Jones wasn't nearly as close with Jones winning impressively with a unanimous decision.

The next to last fight had me dancing in my seat as two undefeated Light Heavyweight contenders (205-pound division) fought for, presumably, a title shot against the recently crowned champion of "Sugar" Rashad Evans (king of the cocky showboats mentioned previously who unfortunately has backed it up). But this fight saw 13-0 Thiago Silva up against 13-0 and one of my new favorite fighters Lyoto Machida. Machida's superior striking eventually overwhelmed and knocked out Silva with one second remaining in the second round! Hopefully we'll see him repeat this performance against Rashad.

And the main event for the evening pit the Lightweight champion BJ Penn putting on some extra weight to fight the Welterweight (170-pound) champion Georges St. Pierre. BJ's astounding flexibility and Brazilian Jiujitsu mastery only served to delay the onslaught of GSP's takedowns and superior wrestling until the end of the fourth round when Penn's corner threw in the towel. Capping off the victory, Georges exited the ring with his signature backflip.

So it was a great night of fights, even promising better ones to come throughout the year with my personal favorite fighter Anderson Silva defending his Middleweight (185-pound) belt in the coming months.

-- "That guy's being awfully forward with that donkey."

Paul Blart: Or Why Kevin James Alone Cannot Save a Movie

2009-01-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

I had some misgivings about Paul Blart: Mall Cop before seeing it this past weekend. It seemed like one of those movies where the previews give us all the good stuff, only this one didn't even give us many of those.

It was a stinker (see attached). The movie is a long Segway commercial and public service announcement for hypoglycemia. The first part of the movie feels like Ben Stiller, complete self-deprecating drivel. And as for the rest, it has its funny moments if you can completely suspend your sense of reality. I give it about a year before it's made its way to the TBS "waste-away-watching-bad-comedies" lineup.

And hey, I've seen some great movies in Slumdog Millionaire and Gran Torino right before this. It's nice to keep things in perspective with "sucky" or "not good" movies, as my friend so eloquently calls them.

-- "All I got was that dumbass stick that sounds like it's raining. How come you got a wife?"

What Would You Do? Zombie Ed.

2009-01-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

It's not about Left 4 Dead. This time I wanna talk about The Walking Dead, a graphic novel series based in a post-zompocalyptic period. It doesn't involve magic or any super-heroes slowly saving the day against the zed hoard; it's a true to life simulation of what could happen.

The stories follow Rick, an officer of the law, who awakens from a coma with no family or friends around him inside a lifeless hospital. What follows are adventure stories detailing his survival and the constant struggle against fear and hopelessness.

The realities of a dark world are constantly constricting the living with the need for safety and survivors dying all around them. But the struggles slide between the survivors themselves as confrontations lead to murder and sometimes grotesquely detailed torture. It has its moments of comedy, as most great dramas do, but the "how are they going to survive this?" and "what will they do now?" moments drive these novels forward.

I'm in the middle of volume 7 of the series with number 8 already right behind it. The 10th volume is slated for August, and the author, Robert Kirkman, has no intention of stopping. Let's my hunger is sated whilst waiting for future volumes.

-- "Some people like to carry a rabbit's foot. I like to rock a pocket of puke."

My Lube for the Boob Tube

2009-01-27T07:42:00.000-08:00

A new season has started up for television, and way too much time will be spent watching great shows. A couple of J.J. Abrams ventures, the Nerd Herd, Hiro and the misfits, and Bruce Campbell return to suck the life right out of me for another semester of TV geekdom.

Fringe - The newest to join my lineup, Fringe was coined from "fringe sciences" meaning stuff that doesn't really exist but made believable enough to people so they question our own existence. It's kinda like the Harry Potter muggle world meets the wizarding world. But before I take this brilliant comparison any further, I'll make the particular distinction that Fringe involves someone dying and things being dissected...every episode.

Lost - The veteran joining in last week with its 5th season is Lost. I thought I might be able to stay away from this new season as the last season finale didn't leave me shreds wanting to know what happens next. (Un)Fortunately, the new episodes are good and filled with intention and purpose again. I feel the show is answering more questions without raising others, and it feels great to know an end is approaching even if time/space is unhinged.

Chuck - The unwitting spy that goes by the name of Charles Carmichael is returning with more geekpop-culture and gratuitous "SpikeTV" hotness and violence. The attractive women aside, this show would still be good because the characters are all written very well. The interaction between friends seems genuine and the spy stuff doesn't seem too over-the-top to take you out of the story. Plus Buster from Arrested Development, Tony Hale, and Jayne from Firefly, Adam Baldwin are starring alongside.

Heroes - Ah, the show I wish I could stop watching. Heroes definitely stumbled in its last season with some awkward writing and acting, but thankfully some people were killed off and good still prevailed. I write this more in anticipation of the next season which looks reminiscent of some X-Men stories where mutants are hunted down. I still like the show because it's the first to handle super heroes in a "real-life" manner and multiple, congruent character stories rather well. It may be losing its initial spark, but hopefully a proven, adaptable story will kickstart back to life.

Burn Notice - If you haven't heard about this show, it's because it's on USA. Suffice it to say it's just starting its 3rd season, and it's still phenomenal. The acting and casting have been spot on. And the action involved in the spy plots are full of twists, explosions, quick joint locks, gunplay, etc. Also hinted above, the geek cult-hero Bruce Campbell co-stars in one of his best roles ever. Everything is top-notch, and the main character is good-hearted to boot.

Hopefully nothing else really hooks me because there is enough to keep me clamoring for more right now. And don't even say Battlestar Galactica, I'll get to it someday.

-- "Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?"

The Prince Hath Returned

2009-01-22T17:50:00.000-08:00

The new Prince of Persia game is a current gen redressing of the entire franchise. It's not the same prince from The Sands of Time/Warrior Within/Two Thrones era, and it feels very fresh otherwise too. Just to be clear, I have only played the great, the magnificent, the stupendous Sands of Time Persian royalty game and not the other two (I heard they weren't nearly as stupendous and merely scoffed). But this new illustrative-style Prince seemed very intriguing.

The visuals are gorgeous. Just wanted to get that outta the way and move on.

The gameplay calls back to what made SoT so great without hourglass mechanic or constant flipping around during fights. The exploration and traipsing around through levels is tons of fun...if you don't mind the difficulty. It doesn't require expert timing or mediocre skills making sure to be looking in the exact direction for a jump. It's effortless. I say this loving what this game has done. It's great to pull off maneuvers so much you can engulf yourself in the fluid animation and stare slack-jawed at the painted landscapes all around you.

Do you remember the difficulty of the original Prince of Persia? Well take that and turn it around. It's nice to not feel so frustrated with a game every time you make a timing mistake and backtrack via a loading screen to your last save point.

The combat? Eh, has something that's good but not quite fully realized to it. The story? Well thought out and designed with care thankfully through dialogue between the pair of heroes. And that dialogue? Oh how snarky and hilarious it can be. The timing and actual discourse was a great addition to an already fantastic game.

-- "It's brilliant being depressed; you can behave as badly as you like."