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Doom, and some cheap games. - 2005-07-26
Yeah buddy. - 2005-07-25
Personally, I like my coffee cold. - 2005-07-20
Upcoming Release Dates of Interest - 2005-06-15
Perusing IGN, E3 2005 - 2005-05-31
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Doom, and some cheap games.
2005-07-26, 10:50 p.m.
Doom movie trailer. Watch it. Do it. Now.
Also, the other night I nabbed Auto Modellista for PS2, Enter the Matrix for Cube, and Sonic Mega Collection Plus for Xbox, for 5, 10 and 20 bucks respectively at Hastings.
Auto Modellista is a tragic case. It's like a really good looking cel-shaded Gran Turismo, but kinda fun. Until you try to play. The controls are just garbage. Believe the reviews.
Enter the Matrix I used to own, sold it, then kinda wanted it again for some reason. It got a lot of hype, but only slightly delivered. The on-rails vehicular levels are shit. The 3rd-person action is all right, I guess.
Sonic Mega Collection Plus is well worth the 20 bucks. The one on Xbox has all the Sonic games for Genesis and Game Gear, perfectly emulated. And here, you can save your progress in each game, sort of like a save-state function in an emulator. Extras include comic book scans and videos from the TV series. If you dig Sonic, this one's definitely worth it on Xbox.
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Yeah buddy.
2005-07-25, 6:04 p.m.
| English Genius You scored 92% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 93% Advanced, and 86% Expert! |
| You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!
Thank you so much for taking my test. I hope you enjoyed it! For the complete Answer Key, visit my blog: http://shortredhead78.blogspot.com/. |
My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
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| Link: The Commonly Confused Words Test written by shortredhead78 on Ok Cupid |
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Personally, I like my coffee cold.
2005-07-20, 8:30 p.m.
So I read this interview on IGN. They interview this guy, Democratic Asemblyman Leland Yee about the bill they want to put forward to heavily fine businesses caught selling games with a Mature or Adults Only ESRB rating to minors, in response to the whole "hot coffee" shit in San Andreas. Okay, whatever. I have no problem with that, maybe it'll make it more the parents' faults that their kids get their hands on the games they shouldn't. But a couple small items bugged the shit out of me in the interview.
1) "Not violent games in general, but the interactive violent games."
What exactly is the difference? Wouldn't a non-interactive game be a movie?
2) "The technology is in these games to train our children how to stalk, how to aim, how to pull the trigger, how to slice a head off, to maim or burn someone."
Yeah, 'cause I mean in reality, all you have to do is press a button, and people start dying. The only way someone actually learns that pressing a button makes people die is by joining the military. And shit, it's not like it's primal instinct in EVERY SINGLE FUCKING MEAT-EATING MAMMAL ON THE PLANET to stalk and/or maim something. And GOD FORFUCKINGBID they learn the hidden truth about their index fingers: that when you bend it the right way and wrap an insanely expensive firearm around it, it can KILL!
Fucking idiot. And now anytime someone says "hot coffee," like say in a restaurant or at Starbucks or whatever, someone's gonna start giggling. Because America is stupid.
I wonder if I can unlock this crap on the Xbox version...
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Upcoming Release Dates of Interest
2005-06-15, 3:18 p.m.
AKA, Reasons I will remain broke.
June
21 - Conker: Live & Reloaded (Xbox)
27 - Meteos (DS)
28 - Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (DS)
July
1 - Evil Dead: Regeneration (Xbox)
6 - Killer 7 (Cube)
12 - Nanostray (DS)
13 - Flipnic Ultimate Pinball (PS2)
19 - FlatOut (Xbox)
31 - City of the Dead (Xbox)
August
2 - Sonic Mega Collection 2 (Cube)
15 - Metal Slug 4 & 5 (Xbox)
22 - Metroid Prime: Hunters (DS)
September
1 - State of Emergency 2 (PS2)
October
3 - We Love Katamari (PS2)
11 - Cowboy Bebop (PS2)
TBA - Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects (Xbox)
TBA - Bully (Xbox)
November
7 - Mario Kart DS (DS)
9 - Advance Wars: Dual Strike (DS)
21 - Animal Crossing DS (DS)
TBA - Capcom CLassics Collection (PS2)
TBA - 007: From Russia With Love
TBA - Mega Man X Collection (PS2)
TBA - Ratchet: Deadlocked (PS2)
December
15 - The Warriors (Xbox)
TBA Fall
Samurai Shodown 5 (Xbox)
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Perusing IGN, E3 2005
2005-05-31, 6:54 p.m.
I typically hate when E3 rolls around, 'cause all the game sites turn to cover it for like a month instead of what's out right now. I don't really care about any of the next generation systems, because I won't be able to afford any of 'em when they come out, and won't be getting any of 'em for a long time.
From what I see in IGN's coverage on them though, all I will say is that if they're all gonna cost 300 bucks, I'm probably gonna end up going with Nintendo's Revolution. I don't need anymore MP3 players, CD players, or DVD players, for fuck's sake. Give me 300 bucks worth of gaming hardware, you morons. Backwards compatibility with the GameCube software and hardware is nice, because my Cube stuff remains some of the most fun games I own. Integrated wireless for the controllers is a real nice touch too. And the thing just looks damned slick.
The Xbox 360's backwards compatibility with Xbox games is apparently still unannounced. If it isn't, then just like current-gen systems, the new Xbox will be the last thing I buy. I'd like to get more than a year and a half out of that hulking behemoth before it starts collecting dust, and Fight Night 3 isn't enough to change my mind.
PS3's backwards compatibility all the way back to PS1 is a damned good thing. I'd like to see 'em work out a way to save all 3 formats' save files on one memory card though, but I doubt that'll ever happen as long as they make money on it. And ah... tell me that controller doesn't look like some kind of double-ended vibrator.
Now on to things you can afford!
In unsurprising news, Nintendo is rerereleasing the GameBoy Advance as the GameBoy Micro. And also unsurprising is the fact that I'll probably buy one at some point, 'cause I'm like that. At 4" long by 2" wide by less than 1" thick the thing's smaller than my cell phone (unfolded). It's not even 2 GBA carts wide, and barely 2 thick. With the DS and now this, at the rate they're going I'd expect a Game Watch version of the GBA by next year.
How not to review a game. Here, this moron basically says that the games on the Metal Slug 4 & 5 compilation are outdated and unoriginal, and the disc needed extras, over and over and over again. Doesn't really say anything about the games. Now while I do agree that you could probably fit all 5 Metal Slug titles onto one PS2 or Xbox disc (ooh, now that's an idea that makes me tingly), don't go talking shit about the games, aiight? That's just not right. Metal Slug tops my list of favorite arcade shooters (just over Ikari Warriors and Time Soldiers), you little worm. Just tell us about the games and why we should buy them. That's what you do, you sell products.
And finally, if my Xbox rejects Burnout Revenge like it does with Burnout 3... well... all is lost.
Star Wars, Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (Nintendo DS)
2005-05-27, 11:26 p.m.
Okay, so I guess I was back sooner than I thought. Memorial Day weekend is giving me a good opportunity to get things accomplished, and one of them is writing up the first review for this blog. Having just finished the game and seen the movie, it's all fresh in my mind.
Star Wars, Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith
Nintendo DS
Ubisoft, LucasArts
1-4 players
By now you know the story. 3 years after the Clone Wars begin, Jedi order destroyed in the Sith's quest to gain control of the galaxy, Anakin turning to the dark side and becoming Darth Vader. This game doesn't reveal any background stories or create new ones like other Star Wars games. Storywise, it plays out as a very vague summary of Episode 3, so as not to spoil anything major from the movie before it came out. So we'll skip a lengthy intro and get into the game.
Gameplay
This one will catch old-schoolers without a doubt. The primary game is presented as a 2D arcade-style brawler, from two selectable characters' points of view (Anakin and Obi-Wan, obviously). Each character has, for the most part, a different set of levels that intersect at the beginning and end of th egame. The usual rules apply; rapidly tapping attack will string out combos, various combinations of directions and the attack button pull off different moves, special attacks require a charged special meter. But some of the rules are tweaked to present a slightly fresh game. A block button lets you block attacks like hits and lasers, obviously, but hitting it at the right time can deflect the lasers back at enemies. It's possible to finish some levels without throwing any attacks yourself, and it becomes necessary in some boss battles. Special moves (Focus for Jedi, Fury for Sith) are earned after completing each major boss duel, and you can upgrade your attributes based on performance in each level. Speed, effective use of Jedi skills and uncovering hidden bonus icons give you more to work with, and allow you to upgrade and perfect your special moves and strength, as well as get a longer health and Jedi power meter. So it's sort of a brawler with very very slight RPG elements. The touch screen is really only used in the game to display special moves that are ready to use, and provide shortcut buttons. The same functions are pulled off by pressing different control combinations, so it's not really necessary or useful. Oddly enough, during the duels, which are the most major boss battles, these buttons disappear and are covered by a shot of the background of the current level. These moves are probably most needed here, so it's a little weird to hide the shortcuts.
A few extra levels not present in the GameBoy Advance version are in a fully 3D aerial/space flight engine, but they come in a scant 3 flavors: fly from A to B without killing yourself, destroy other attacking ships, or a combination of the two. They serve to interject the flight scenes Star Wars is commonly known for, and help round out the experience just a little bit. This engine is also used for the multiplayer mode, which allows for multi-card play up to 4 people, or one player versus 3 bots. The touch screen here is a bit more useful. The center displays the radar which works similar to the Rogue Squadron games in terms of X, Y ans Z axes. On the right is a button that toggles it to a score screen in multiplayer, and on the right is a slider that lets you switch shield power to forward, rear or centered. Sort of a cool setup that makes me secretly yearn for a portable Rogue Squadron. But that'll be our little secret. And if you tell anyone... I will come to your house and I will CUT you.
Graphics
The brawler levels are sort of a higher-res, higher detail version of the GBA game, which is to say they look pretty good. The characters are all drawn and animated rather well, and the fancy Jedi combat adds a certain flair that's lacking in other brawlers. The 3D engine is what holds my attention though. It holds a pretty good framerate, and pulls off some decent lighting on the ships. The explosions look cel-shaded, very similar to something from Wind Waker on the GameCube. It actually looks pretty cool. And hell, the first level starts with the classic Star Wars crawler intro. I haven't seen coolness like that since I first fired up Shadows of the Empire on the N64.
Audio
Sound is spectacular throughout. The extra space on the DS cart allows the creators to axe the GBA's MIDI renditions in favor of long digitized clips of John Williams' original soundtracks, and it comes out great on the DS speakers. I've had a couple people comment on how I must be having some sort of epic battle, without even seeing the game in action. Light sabers swinging and clashing, blasters firing, ship engines and lasers, everything sounds like it was lifted right from Skywalker Sound. It really makes every level, dogfight and duel that much more awesome.
Replay
Very slight, unless you know others with the game. The 1-player game offers nothing interest to those who finish it. Finishing Padawan (Easy) unlocks Master (Hard), which should be called "Frustrating As Fuck" since the enemies seem to do a lot more damage, and you only get one life. If you're anal about it you can go back and try to get 100% on each level, but all that yields, in the end, is fully upgraded Jedi skills. Multiplayer is actually fun, and defeating various bots in multiplayer makes their ships available to you to use. However, certain other ships can't be used as bots for some reason. I want to set up a long X-Wing/Millenium Falcon (me) vs. TIE Fighters (bots) skirmish, but I can't select TIEs as bots. I can only use a TIE as my own ship, and we all know how freakin' useless TIEs are. Why?! Regardless, you'll come back to multiplayer for the same reason you go back to the Rogue Squadron games: it's fun as hell.
conclusion
I gotta recommend this one to anyone who digs Star Wars, probably over the console versions even. It's a brawler with flair and a space flight game, and it all comes together in one enjoyable package. This kind of action is EXACTLY what the DS needs. It can be frustrating though, and it doesn't put the system's abilities entirely to use except in the sparse flight levels. Once you see and hear that classic intro though, all will be forgiven.
I'll give it an 8.5 out of 10.
Tips:
1) Duels come down to patterns. Once you figure out what's coming, you'll know when to block where, and that final duel on the hardest setting will be a breeze.
2) As mentioned before, in multiplayer, ships must be beaten as enemies before they can be used by you. A quick 5-kill battle is enough to net you that TIE Advanced you've always wanted.
3) Some skills are considerably more important to upgrade than others, so use those bonus points wisely. What's more important, upping your damage for 3 blows, or being able to kill a group of enemies from the other side of the screen?
4) Beating the game on Padawan unlocks Master. Beating the game on Master gives you an extra 50 bonus points... sort of useless since you've already beaten the game.
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