Time for a Break.

Hello and Welcome.

I just wanted to let you guys know, that we are going to take a break for a while.  There are lots of reasons,  Work, Health, The Holidays, (too many effing games to play.)  But don't worry, We will be back soon.  This is actually kind of hard for me to do even temporarily, but I think it will be for the better.

I am working on a plan for reimagining this blog.  The format we have now is a bit too constrictive to me.  I have found that I wanted to write about a number of different things, but since they didn't fit the mold, I postponed or never wrote on them.  Plus only once a day sometimes wasnt enough (or it was too much.).

I also will be working on a much nice Ascetic (and maybe new name!)  Don't worry though, the address will the same.

Anyway, my new years resolution is to make this place fun again (for me and you).  Thanks for everyone that has read this blog in the past few months, I have definitely been suprised at the number and randomness of people who have visited!  Thanks!

See ya in a few!
~K

[UPDATE] In the meantime, head over to Nate's Blog.  He posts on some of the same things we post here, but it is a slightly wider perspective than (mostly) video Games.

Unplugged Wednesday - Walking Dead

Hello and Welcome.

Well, I originally wanted to write about World War Z or the Zombie Survival Guide (both by Max Brooks), but I haven't read enough yet to give a good opinion on it (only to say that I love it, and it is a thinly veiled political commentary).  Instead, we are going to post a peice that Nate wrote on Walking Dead a while back.  Enjoy!

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Quick, name two things that are awesome. Zombies you say? I think I heard comics from somewhere in the back. Zombies and comics actually make the perfect match. First up, because I have to make a throwaway mention to the fantastic cover art, the Marvel Zombies comics are decent. The plot is funny and the art is really good, but there is really no substance beyond that. The zombie comic I'm here to talk about is one that I've been behind for about 2 or 3 years now: The Walking Dead.

All of the best zombie stories aren't just about zombies. The zombies are just a backdrop for the artist to build a canvas to tell the story of humans and the way they respond to fear or catastrophe, and The Walking Dead is extremely good at this. Yeah, there are some really great scenes of zombies getting their heads chopped off and people getting all eaten up, but the true strength of the series is the characters.

The story revolves around Rick, who was a police officer in a small Georgia town (yay) when he was shot and fell into a coma. When Rick wakes up, the dead have risen and his hospital and town have been overrun by zombies. Rick then leaves to head to Atlanta to (hopefully) find his wife and son. What follows is a fantastically well written survival story, not just of Rick, but of the people he encounters. They are constantly facing trouble within the pages, but this rarely comes from the zombies (at least later on). The survivors are forced to learn how to create their own society in a post-apocalyptic world, and the author (Robert Kirkman) does a great job in pulling all the difficulties together. Also, seeing as this is a comic, I cannot neglect the wonderful art style. The entire series is done in beautiful black and white that perfectly matches the mood of the writing.

Since I don't have a comic shop around here, I've been getting the series as it comes out in collected trade form and I'm up through Volume 8, so that's what I'm currently talking about. The series does a great job of changing everything each few issues (I don't want to spoil everything, since I think it would be a good idea for everyone who likes zombies to go ahead and pick this up). Pretty much all I'm trying to say here is that if you like zombies, this is some of the best stuff out there (outside of the two Max Brooks books - which will be discussed at some point soon, I should think), and you should be reading it.

New Release Tuesday: Left 4 Dead

Ever since I heard of its existence, I have been waiting to play Left 4 Dead. When the demo finally came out a few weeks back, I logged in and played the 30 minute piece nearly 20 times all the way through on all of the difficulty levels. Needless to say, when my copy arrived last week, I peed myself.

It must be said starting out that this game is not meant to be played single player. Although the AI characters do a great job of making smart decisions and healing you (and each other) when necessary, it is nowhere near as fun to play with the computer as it is to play with friends. Friends make mistakes (sometimes on purpose), and friends know how to communicate best with you.

Outside of the horde of regular zombies that you must fight your way past as you move to the rescue station or safe house, the game introduces 5 super zombies to make your journey that much more difficult. Smokers and Hunters are similar, in that they will lurk in the dark and try to either pounce on you (Hunters) or grab you with their tongue (Smokers) at that exact moment that you weren't paying attention and deal out some damage before your buddies can rescue you. Boomers will wait just around a corner just for the chance to either vomit on you, or be close enough that when you kill them, they explode on you. Outside of this being pretty disgusting, it also draws the horde directly to you and you have to fight them off while being temporarily blinded by the green gunk all over the screen.

The final two super zombies are complete bullet sinks and require a bit of work to get past. The Tank is exactly what he sound like - huge and nigh-unstoppable. He requires that everyone in the group focus on him until he drops, because if he gets close to anyone, there is little chance that they can get away without being injured in some capacity or another. Finally, the Witch is best left undisturbed. As soon as you start to hear crying, cut your lights off and keep your eyes open. If the Witch gets disturbed by you shooting next to her or your lights flashing on her, whoever did it, is incapacitated in one hit, and if everyone isn't fast enough to take her down after that, that person is dead.

Now, all of these super zombies (except the Witch) are controllable in the Versus mode, but since I haven't had enough time to sink into that mode, I can't comment much on it yet (I've been spending my time trying to survive the story modes).

Speaking of story, although it isn't necessary at all since all you do is try to survive from point A to point B and call in the rescue, Valve has done an awesome job with telling the story just through the environment. Any time I get to a safe house, I have to hang around for a good 5 minutes to read everything that is written on the walls. Sometimes it provides some hints for gameplay (like avoiding the witches), but largely it just gives the entire world some depth, as you read about people who couldn't wait any longer for a loved one or people who have left their theories on the time it takes to turn into a zombie.

Valve is all about making quality games, and Left 4 Dead is no exception. It is the best zombie game I've ever played.

Zombie Week.

Hello and welcome.

Well, We don't really have a good update for today. As Zombies!!! isn't out yet, nor is there any DLC for Left 4 Dead, and the GTA IV Zombies thing isn't official yet.

So, Just letting you know that it is zombie week here.  Hope you are looking forward to it!

 

Make sure you get a lot to eat this week, cause you are gonna need it to fight the invasion!

~K

Unplugged Wednesday - Holiday Gift Guide.

Hello and Welcome.

In light of all the holiday gift guides other websites are putting together, we totally think we can do better.

So here is our list of the 10 essential gifts for your nerd (or yourself for that matter). Click the Pictures of the names to see the websites.

Tender Rondo

Tender Rondo is a game from the Merchants of Cool. Features from the game are:

-- Action-RPG based on an anime that's already popular in Japan and is set to debut on the Cartoon Network in 2009.

-- Highly sensitive, highly reluctant teen hero: Rondo's sensitive emotions create special powers, which come in handy when the evil Joy Kill Korporation sends shock troops into his village. Rondo's kidnapped neighbors and relatives are drained of their emotions, which power a doomsday machine set to destroy the planet. Not if Rondo can help it.

-- Rondo's attacks are based on human emotions: Fear attacks are the yellow button (Y), rage attacks are the red button (B), sadness attacks are the blue button (X), and envy attacks, which strip the enemy of loot and weapons, are the green button (A).

-- The music is by legendary composer Hiroaki Kokotake-san, who promised in his contract to create "music of devastating beauty and tremendous power."

Covenant Energy Sword.

Do you have an angry 13 year old Halo 3 Nerd(or are you one)? Why not take out your aggression on your parents with this life size replica of the Covenant Energy Sword? Make sure your reticule turns red before you attack!

Electronic Drum Kit...Shirt

Have you ever felt that all that gorillia chest beating you do could be used to better use? Well know it can, with your very own Drum Kit...Shirt. Who needs Rockband when you can do this on the go?

Dismember Me Zombie

Are you feeling that Left 4 Dead isn't honing your skills well enough? Are you looking for a practical approach to the methods in the Zombie Survival Guide? Then check out this anatomically correct zombie doll.

Natural Harvest Cook Book.

Wow, just wow. I am so appalled by this, I can't even be funny. Check out the link... if you are brave...

The Manga Bible

For the uninitiated, Manga is the Japanese word for comics. This is the best way to trick young readers (or any Otaku) into reading the bible. No... Really... Its just a comic book... Look, there are plagues, wars, and look this dude rises from the dead. CLEARLY zombie.

Also, if the old testament isn't your style, try the Manga Messiah

Manga Guide to Databases

The Bible not your thing? Tired of your computer Science Database class? Does Database theory got you down? Well no more with the Manga Guide to Databases. Great gift for that extreme Nerd in your family. (*ahem*).

World Of Warcraft Night Elf Ears

Have you always wanted to be a night elf, blood elf, Orc, or Tauren? Then you should totally check out these prosthetic elf ears. All joking aside, on the right person, these look awesome (with the full costume of course. ;) ).

Tattoo Sleeves

Want to be cool and have tattoo sleeves, without all the bleeding and pain? Tattoo sleeves are the answer. Let me tell you, these work, I use them every time I go to a biker bar, just to toughen myself up a bit.


Well, that is it (sorry, only 9 items, not 10). For fun, imagine wearing all the apparel while reading the books, playing the game, and dismembering the zombie with the sword!

Good luck!

~k

New Release Tuesday - 360 NXE

Hello and Welcome!

Today we are going to talk about the New Xbox Experience. Ok, Ok, I know it isn't a game, but it will change how you interact with you 360 significantly.

My Avatar

Nate's Avatar

The NXE is set to drop tomorrow (Nov. 19) and will completely replace the 'Blades' that you currently see.

So, What do you get with the NXE? To me it is a combination of the Mii's from Wii, and Playstaion 3's (as of yet unreleased) Home.

The main features are:

Avatars - Mii like characters that represent your GamerTag. The design for the Avatars was done by Rare.

Netflix - For those of you who didn't by the Roku Media Player, you finally get your Netflix streamed to the 360.

Online Marketplace - Now you can buy your games for download on the Marketplace and they will start auto downloading! (exciting for me, hopefully they will have the demos as well.)

Party Mode - Lets you connect to 7 other people and share photos, vote and voice chat, play games (and watch your avatars respond to each other)

UPDATE: User Generated Content: With Microsoft's XNA users can now create, share and vote on user generated games! Look forward to Nerd Nats!

UPDATE 2: Oh yeah, you can also load a portion of you Games to the HDD for faster loading.

All in all it should be neat. We'll let you know our impressions after we play with it a bit.

~K

DLC Monday - Spore: Extra Limbs!

Hello and Welcome.

Are you ready to get back that Arm and Leg you paid for Spore?  Well EA decided to give you 24 for free!

Mega Man needs new arms

These free parts are part of the 3 patch to be released since the games initial release.  Its nice to see them giving something for free.  There were also a few minor bug fixes.  You can read more about the patch here.  They also added the ability to have unique screen names for each member of your house hold (now I don't have to share my wife's!)

Don't worry though,  EA isn't THAT nice.  They can't give you everything for free.   With the announcement of this patch, they also announced the Spore Creepy & Cute parts pack.  This game has been out for only two months and they are already releasing add-ons.   Seems they are going the same route as the Sims games.

The parts are 'Exoskeleton' arms and legs.   They will help give you creature that nice armored or skeletal look you had to force with the in game armor, or random parts.   Check out a montage of the parts below:

Anyway, I am off to create some new freaky creatures!  Stay tuned to my SporeCasts for more updates!

~K

Retro Thursday - MegaMan X4

Hello and Welcome.

This week's Retro Thursday we will talk about one of my Favorites: MegaMan X4.

 

X4 was the first entry on the PlayStation and brought with it a few new conventions.  For one, X and Zero grew a little taller, and had more of a contemporary anime look to their sprites. It also added anime cut-scenes to tell key parts of the 'story'.  The most notable feature however, is the ability to play the entire game as Zero.

X4 Opening Cinematic

Aside from these extra features, X4 was pretty much more of the same:  8 Maverick Bosses with the same weakness systems that made MegaMan great, X's upgradeable armor, and chargeable enemy weapons.

Despite all that, or maybe because of, this is my favorite MegaManX game.  Playing as X is fun as always, due to the ability to upgrade, but Playing the game again (or the first time) as Zero is where I got the most challenge and enjoyment.

Zero's arsenal consists of different sword attacks gleaned from defeated Mavericks.  All of these sword attacks are (obviously) melee attacks, so you can't attack from a safe distance like X.  It makes for a challenging and rewarding combat for sure.

X4 is available as part of the MegaMan X collection for PS2 and GameCube (it's probably less than $20 at your local game retailer).  The collection also has X1-3 and 5-6, plus two games that were released only in Japan.  I think it is MegaMan cart racing or something silly like that.

Anyway, pick it up, woop up on Sigma with Zero.  You won't be sorry.

~K

Unplugged Wednesday - Library Edition

Hello and Welcome.

Ok, so this weeks unplugged is actually the complete opposite. Its all about the Library being PLUGGED-IN.

Ok, before I even start on this.  WTF is this poster?  Oh my god, it looks like Gandalf the Purple, the love child of C-3PO and HK-47 (KOTOR),  and Generic Pink Hair Space Pirate Girl (Or maybe U-la-la's sister...).  Oh Wizards of the coast, you positively SLAY me.

The event is sponsored by the Wizards of the Coast and ILoveLibraries.Org.  It is set to contain a mix of Board and Video Games (Probably Magic the Gathering, and Magic Online...).

So, How do I feel about this?  Well, as a gamer I think it is exciting that gaming has reached such mainstream attention that Libraries are starting to pay attention.

On the other hand, as a well rounded individual I am not sure I like it.  I have always looked at my library as a quiet place I could go to study, read, or research without being distracted by my surroundings.  I can imagine someone coming into the library, seeing this event, and walking straight out of the door.

Of course, I assume this was an inevitable (and not necessarily recent) development considering the growth of the technology age and the internet.  First it was cd's, then Graphic Novels, then DVDS, and now Video Games.  Even my local library has a WEEKLY Wii Wednesday (Other branches have it on different nights, it is a rotating event) so this shouldn't be all that surprising.

There is another perspective to this as well.  This event will get people (and not just kids) into their libraries and see how libraries have adapted in the last 10 years.

For a list of participating libraries, try here.

So, get out of your mom's basement and check it out.  You might make a friend!

~K

New Release Tuesday - Wii Music

Hello and Welcome.

This week we are going to talk about why I don't play my with my Wii anymore. (what?)

Wii Music is the latest creation by famed Mario (and Zelda, Pikmin) creator Shigeru Miyamoto. However, lately Miyamoto has been content to create stuff that only really appeals to people who did not, on a regular basis, play much if any Video games at all. These things can really only be referred to as Software for the Wii, rather than the oft used moniker "Games". I am of course referring to things like Wii Fit and Wii Music.

Miyamoto, the Impresario of my cynicism

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying there is not a place for these "Casual Games". I mean, who am I to challenge Nintendo's right to print money. I just think that there should be a modicum of production value put in these games.

I tried variable ways of playing this game, and just found myself not enjoying any of it. I played by myself, improvising and Jamming out on songs left and right, but I wasn't having any fun. The main reason behind this is the HORRIBLE public domain set list (there are a few decent licensed songs.. but not many). Sure, there are a few good Nintendo classics: SMB Theme, Zelda theme. But forcing me to play Twinkle Twinkle little star 5 + times as a tutorial, and to unlock stuff in a word: Blows.

So, Its better in mutliplayer right? WRONG. Even if you are playing with someone with a remotely good sense of rythm and music theory, you still have to rely on their abilty to complement your own freestyling. And if they don't possess any of those skills? I might as well strap the WiiMotes to my dogs forheads and let them wrestle through "Yankee Doodle".

Ravi, losing his mind over Wii Music

Anyway, I am going to go play some RockBand. Angry Nerd out.

~k

DLC Monday: Mirror's Edge Demo

Over the past week, I've played through the Mirror's Edge demo about four times. Honestly, I don't think I'll buy the game (but that's more due to money constraints than liking it), but it's definitely a fun demo.

After breezing through the quick tutorial, you get to whet your appetite for parkour as you play through the first piece of the game. It's a fun ride, and it feels incredibly natural as you use the trigger buttons to bounce from wall to roof to ledge. The controls did take a moment for me to get used to, but once I started really running, it fit the game wonderfully. Once you get to the combat, I kind of felt like things fell apart. I know that you are encouraged to run rather than fight, but when you are required to encounter a baddie all I did was keep hitting the disarm button until I got it right. I'm sure there's more to it as you get better at playing the game, but that's really all I knew how to do at this point.

Since this is only about the demo, there isn't much else to talk about. I know I'm interested in playing more, but I don't know if it's worth the $60 (although definitely worth it when a price drop hits).

Unplugged Wednesday: The Stand (Comic series)

The Stand is a great book. I haven't read much Stephen King outside of The Dark Tower series, but when I read The Stand earlier this year, I found that I was missing out on a lot. However, this isn't about the original book, instead this is about the new comic book adaptation that Marvel Comics has begun to release. Sadly, since I do not have a good comic shop near me, I've only had the chance to read the first issue.

On the whole, it's a good adaptation. The art is good and it's not nearly as wordy as the book can be at times, but as I read the issue, I kept getting the feeling that I was missing something. Not that the plot is hard to follow or anything, I just really felt like it was turning out to be The Stand Lite.

I really think that instead of trying to retell the exact same story as the book, it would have been a bit more interesting for them to take the world that King established in the original novel and use that as a basis for starting different stories to tell. Who knows, that could be the plan down the line, but I didn't really feel like they were going to do that since the issue was basically the first few chapters of the book setting up the same group of characters for the same plotline.

All that grumbling aside, it's still a good read. I think it will be a good way to get people to read the original novel so that they can get all the extra details. Also, I have hope that in future issues they'll add in little bits that weren't in the book (maybe add in a few side stories or something). That's my hope anyway.

By the way, since today is the 5th of November, go read V for Vendetta tonight.

New Release Tuesday - Fallout 3

Hello and Welcome.

This will be our first entry in "Fallout" week (sorry for missing yesterday...).

So, lets talk a little bit about Fallout 3 shall we?

 

First, a brief history of Fallout.  Fallout was originally developed by Black Isle studios and Interplay, whose most notable games include the Baldur's Gate series..  The rights to Fallout 3 where sold to Bethesda (makers of The Elder Scrolls Games: Morrowind, and Oblivion being the most recent.)

The previous versions of Fallout where Isometric Turn-Based RPGS.  Fallout 3 takes the system used in Oblivion, the 1st and 3rd person perspective and twitch based action.  The new feature in Fallout 3's combat system that we didn't see in Oblivion is the V.A.T.S system.  The V.A.T.S. system allows you to spend a set amount of action points to target specific parts of your adversary's body: Head, Torso, right and left, arms and legs, as well as their weapon.  This typically ends in a the targeted body part exploding in a bloody mess.  One hilarious result of these explosions:  each piece of your enemy is searchable.  I found two pieces of armor, a gun, and some ammo in a jaw bone.  A JAW BONE.

V.A.T.S. in action

Other than the V.A.T.S. system, combat is inaccurate and annoying.  And don't even think about using the 3rd person view.  It is really only good for watching your character skate around D.C. and looking at his armor.  I find myself running out of ammo and switching to a crappy baseball bat, or board full of nails, which tends to do very little damage very slowly.  This means that I end up losing most of my health during each fight.  This further complicates my situation because I am always low on health items.  And the ones I DO have all increase my radiation levels significantly.

Visually, Fallout 3 exceeds Oblivion in most aspects.  I say most because there are no lush landscapes that you would expect in a fantasy game.  However, the level of detail in each ruinous city, town, and ravaged landscape is very impressive

The scope of this game is very ambitous.  With a total of 200 possible endings (though each only minor change from the previous) it should keep people (like me, who tends to get all or most of the endings in games like this) busy for a long time.  The endings are based on choices your character makes through out the game many with far reaching consequences, like setting off the nuclear device in the town of Megaton ( I did. ).

There are many things in the asthetic of Fallout 3 that reminds me of some other great First Person games recently.  The black humor of all the fallout games, but specifically the radio stations and music (which I love), remind me of Bioshock.  The open areas, and mutated enemies, and general lonliness of most areas reminds me of Half Life 2.

Though there are some negatives in Fallout 3, in general, my journey from vault 101 across the vast wastelands of post-WW3 Washington D.C. has been an enjoyable one.   If you enjoyed Oblivion, or Bioshock, you will love Fallout 3.

~K

Free Play Friday: Fable 2 Webgames

You want free stuff for your Hero in Fable 2, you say? Well that's easy, just head on over to Fable2.com and you can enjoy a couple quick games that will be pretty rewarding in the long run.

The first one isn't so much a game as it is an interactive play. As you work your way through, the little puppet gets to make a few good/evil choices that affect which prizes you wind up getting. I went through and did all the good choices and got a doll and some tattoos waiting for me when I went to a specific treasure chest in-game (the one in the Guild Hall, for those wondering). Outside of the fact that you get free prizes for your Hero, the play is actually really cool and looks exactly like it belongs within the world of Fable.

The second game, Chicken Kickin', is a pain in the ass. Maybe its just my stupid computer, but every time I try to do the game, either the meter loads funkily or I can't aim the chicken right, so I haven't won anything yet. I do know that if you can complete it (or get the target score anyway), you win a nice chicken suit and you can get the title of Chicken Chaser from the town crier for free as well. I'm going to keep trying every once in a while to get the suit from this game, but I won't put too much effort into it, it just winds up being way too frustrating I think.

The total items you can get from the website are: a book with the Feign Attack expression, a vial of pink dye, a 3 piece chicken suit, 2 Lionhead tattoos (one for face and one for body), and one Hero Doll.

Finally, even though you don't have to play a webgame for this one, according to Joystiq you can get the free Halo armor for your Hero that was supposed to be exclusive to the Collector's Edition of the game. Joystiq has the information on how to pick yours up here. I signed up, but it says it could take up to 10 days for it to come through, so mine hasn't arrived yet. Although, I did see it on my brother's Hero and I must say it looks pretty cool. However, my Hero will never wear it, because she just looks so awesome in her hot pants and rich woman's shirt.

Retro Thursday: Fable: The Lost Chapters

The first Fable came onto the scene in 2004 and barely a year later was rereleased with extra content and an extra island/ending for the story portion of the game. When I picked it up and began my playthrough, I found an incredibly enjoyable (although sometimes flawed) action -RPG experience.

The thing that really pushed the game along for me was the fact that the story was completely engaging. I loved the fact that you got to start out as a child (albeit not for too long), and then got to trace the child's journey through training and then work your way up to become the Hero of Albion. The big draw of the good/evil choice scenario was cool enough, but when you get to the main point of the game, all you have to do is make one choice that really effects what road you walk down to the end. I (like usual) went through the first time being a goody-two-shoes, but once I had completed the storyline, I went back and had some fun at the brothels just long enough to get back to neutral territory. It also helped that I would beat my wife until she would divorce me, then remarry her.

The battle system worked well enough, although I don't think I ever used a ranged weapon during my travels. Magic was definitely a plus to keep around, but I would never use, because I didn't want the white glowy all over me. I know it made sense to put that in as a consequence for using all that power, but I always wished that I had been able to use it the whole game and not worry about how nasty I'd look.

I also really loved the customization of hair and clothes. Being able to dress my dude up and walk through Bowerstone and see all the ladies fall for his manly awesomeness.... priceless. Again, the only gripe with this is that certain clothes added to your good/evilness, and I kind of wish it hadn't because I would want to wear the badassy assassin clothes, but I didn't want it to take away from my goodness. It's a small complaint, but I definitely felt it while playing.

Although I never felt that the game ever had everything working perfectly (I would always run into a stupid combat glitch or get stuck on a wall), it was definitely a wonderful play and completely set up a nice framework for Fable 2, which takes everything to the next level extremely well.

Unplugged Wednesday - Fables

Hello and Welcome.



Our third entry in Fable week is actually not related to the Fable series of games.  Today we are going to talk about the Vertigo Comic: Fables.

I have always been a big fan of alternate interpretations of classic stories.  Gregory MacGuire's Wicked series, The Looking Glass Wars (Alice in Wonderland), and even Stephen King's Dark Tower series to an extent.

Fables is exactly that.  It is the story of all the people and creatures of legend living in New York city (for the Human Fables) and upstate New York on the "Farm" (for those less than human Fables).

The Fables are in NYC because they were exiled from their lands by the "Adversary" as he systematically took over their lands with his evil army.  The human fable community is run by the Deputy Mayor, Snow White and her trusty sheriff Bigby "The Big Bad Wolf" who thanks to a glamour, has a human form.  Snow White, and the whole community, deal with any number of situations over the course of the books:  Murders, Revolutions, etc.

As far as the art goes, it is very detailed and vibrant at times, but still has a somewhat dated look (though I think that is the DC/Image style).  The stories within each arch are very interesting and deal with "Real" problems in the "Mundy" (their name for normal "Mundane" humans) world.  For example,  Rose Red (Snow White's forgotten sister) slept with Prince Charming (SW's husband) and now they are divorced.

The stories are also often humorous.  One of my Favorites:
Goldilocks to Papa Bear: "Do you think I share your son's bed only because is happens to be 'Just Right'"?
Papa Bear: "No, it's because papa's l'il boo bear is hung like a --"

Anyway, I definitely recommend Fables, if you are in to the alternate version types of stories.

And if you are REALLY into Fables, you might check out the spin-offs (I haven't):  Jack of Fables (no good Jack of the BeanStalk story), and 1001 Nights of Snowfall: a prequel to Fables.

~K

New Release Tuesday: Fable 2

Hello and Welcome.

For our second entry in Fable week we are going to talk about the newly released Fable 2.

Before I get started I just want to give you a list of the things I have done so far:

• Worked as a Blacksmith, Woodcutter, And Bartender, and Bounty Hunter
  
  
• Courted and Married "Jen the Barmaid"  who is described as "Good, Straight, Raunchy, and Unchaste"
• Bought my first house and made it our Marital home.
• Attempted to consummate my marriage by having Protected Sex with Jen (come on, she is a "Raunchy, Unchaste" BARMAID),  She didn't like that.
• Tried again, no protection, she went for that.
• She immediately got pregnant, and I immediately got an STD.  My character is now a poster child for Safe sex.
• "Accidentally" lightninged the 5 random people that walked into my home while I was looking at my baby.  The baby and wife got lightninged too.  Oops.
• Kicked 6 chickens.
• dyed my clothes and hair with "Red Letter Dye"
• Posed for multiple statues.
• Purchased numerous Shops and a few houses, and rented them all out.
  
  

Anyway, I loved the original Fable.  It was one of the gateway games I used to get my wife to play WOW. So I was obviously excited about Fable 2.

So, what is new about Fable 2?  For one it is significantly larger than its predecessor.  Peter Molyneux has been quoted as saying it is about 10 times as large as the original.  You now have the ability to choose your gender, something that Molyneux desperately wanted in the original.  Within that, as a female character you can become pregnant (and impregnate as a male, obviously) and have children who grow throughout the game. 

Another new addition to your 'family' is the dog.  The dog can be taught a number of skills (mostly tricks and expressions like your character), but the most notable skills are treasure finding, and combat.

In the previous Fable, your character would take quests to earn renown and gold.  In Fable 2, quests only net you renown.  To get gold, you must take one of the various jobs: Bartender, Woodcutter, Blacksmith, Assassin, Slaver, Slave Liberator, or Bounty hunter.

You may also purchase and rent real estate and shops.  With each piece of property, you can change the rent (or rates in a shops case) by a certain percentage.  You can also decorate your houses, etc, with finer furniture to make the basic rate (and selling price) higher.  Higher rates make you more corrupt, where as lower rates make you more pure.  Each piece of property you own pays you the specified rate every 5 minutes of real world time, even when your game is turned off.  Subsequently, your family(ies) deduct a certain amount of your income for household upkeep.

In the previous Fable, your character's apperance morphed as he progressed in age as well as based on whether he performed Good or Evil deeds.  In Fable 2, these features and others contribute to your appearance:

• Good or Evil
• Pure or Corrupt
• Wealth & Poverty
• Slim or Fat
• Young or Old

The hero's Skill, Will, and Strength attributes play also affect your appearance.  Strength makes the character more muscular, skill affects height, and magic gives the hero glowing blue veins.  Also, any combination of  the above extremes can be combined,  you can have a Good, yet corrupt Fat Cat, or a Pure, evil pauper.

The main reason that I was excited for Fable 2 was the concept of Offline, and Online Co-op.  I was excited to play this game with my wife, and with my friends.

Lionhead was unable to complete the online portion before going to print, however, a patch was available on Day 1 of launch to enable this feature.

Unfortunately, the Multiplayer still sucks.  Both locally and online.  I was really excited to have my hero traipse around in my Wife's world, as well as my friends causing havo... I mean joy, to all of their inhabitants... But no, I have to be one of 6 preset "Henchmen" (good, neutral, evil/Male, female).  Sure, I can import my Hero's abilities and experience as well as take home a portion of the gold and experience I recieve in my friends game.  But that is not enough.  Fable is a game of virtually limitless customization, but I can't show that off.  Bad form Lionhead, bad form.

There have also been a number of game breaking bugs, but I won't go into detail here.

These things aren't enough to destroy, or even tarnish past a certain part, my love for this game.  It is still a great game, I just hope they get these bugs fixed (before I find them) and enhance the Multiplayer.

Well, I am off to adventure in Albion.

:: Rude Gesture::

~K

DLC Monday: Pub Games.

Hello and Welcome.

Our first entry in Fable week will focus on the XBLA game:  Fable: Pub Games.

 

Pub Games was essentially a way to rack up gold in Fable 2 before the game came out.  It also offered 15 items that could be one from the tournaments in the game.  

There are 3 different games if Pub Games:  Keystone, Fortune's Tower, and Spinner box.

Each of these games offers numerous variations on the games and stakes as well as 5 tournaments per game, corresponding to your players star level.  The difference in a tournament game is you are betting against other "Players" and not just the house.

Keystone

Keystone is essentially a combination of Roulette and Craps.  You place primary bets on the "Arch Stones" around the top of the game prior to the game starting.  Before each dice roll you place inside bets on the Board, similar to the way you would place bets in Craps.

And that is what this game is: Craps.   Just like real Roulette or Craps, your odds of winning are painfully low.  I hate this game....

Anyway, the Prizes you win from the 5 levels of tournaments are:

• Plaits Hairstyle Card
• Dog Book: Backflip
• High Rollers Coat
• Potion of Will
• Championship Pistol

Fortune's Tower

 Fortune's Tower is essentially a type of solitaire (and probably exists in one of those 300 solitaire games collections...). After you make your bets, cards are placed one row at a time, starting with the face down "Tower" card and incrementing one card at a time for each subsequent row. Once a row is placed by the dealer, you have the option of taking the sum of that rows cards as your winnings. Sounds easy right? Well, if a card lines up with any card of the same number on the previous line the game ends and you loose your money.  Each deck has 4 "Hero" cards that can negate this effect if they are dealt in a row.  Also, the Tower Card will automatically be used the first time this happens.  If you make it to the last row without using your Tower card (hero cards are fine) you win the jackpot, which is the sum of ALL cards on the Table.

This game is by far my favorite because you actually have a chance at winning if you play it smart.

Ok, the five tournament items for Fortune's Tower are:

• Deepest Dark Chocolate
• Sleepmaster 3000 (its a bed, duh)
  
• Potion of Strength
• A Face Tatoo
• Championship Cutlass.

 Spinnerbox

Spinner Box is slots.  'nuff said.

The five tourney items are:

• Apple Pie
• Hat, Headband, and Mustache (its a book.)
• Body Tatoo
• Potion of Skill
• Mysterious Ring

Other than achievement points (like the 0 gamer-score "Fabled Financier") and some items there is not really any point to pub games ( you can play all these games in Fable 2) at this point.  You ESPECIALLY should not get Pub Games if you are planning on paying the 800 Microsoft Points ($10).  It came as a preorder bonus for Fable 2 (the only reason I have it. ;) )  and is definitely not worth $10 bucks...  I recommend hitting up your local Gamestop to see if they have any of the preorder cards left over(mine had like 15).

Other than that,  the concept of pub games is an interesting one.  The fact that a publisher would allow you to amass wealth in a game (as well as items)  BEFORE it is released is a bold concept (especially considering it shipped with numerous bugs that allowed you to cheat your way to wealth).  I guess it is the wave of the DLC future.

~K

This Week: Fable Week.

Hello and Welcome.

Just wanted to give you a preview of the week to come.  We are dedicating this week to all things Fable.

We will keep the same format as always, but everything will be related to Fable in some way.  It will be fun, so stay tuned.

For now, I will leave you with a few of the hilarious quotes I have heard so far in Fable 2:

"If you ask me, it's a great time to be alive. There's not even that much disease considering we never wash!"

"I heard the Guildmaster had the ability to talk to any hero at any time! Sounds kind of annoying to me."

"There are many conflicting legends as to whether or not the Hero of Oakvale killed the Guildmaster. It's said that the words, 'Your health is low' were carved into his forehead. "

There is a description on a love potion that says "60% of the time, it works everytime"

~K

Freeplay Friday - Sonny

Hello and Welcome.

The rate at which flash games are developing now astounds me.  Previously flash games where relegated to puzzle games like Chuzzle, or word games like Text Twist.  But now you can play full on FPS games or RPGs, and some of them are actually good!

Which brings us to our freeplay game of the week: Sonny.

Sonny is a Tactical RPG on the Kongregate site.  Kongregate is a collection of Flash games and a place for flash game developers to, well, congregate and share there stuff.   Kongregate also offers achievements(for you achievement whores)  and a slew of other features.  Plus it is free.

Sonny is bassically a loot whore game ala Diablo, but with turnbased RPG gameplay.  Sonny wakes up on a ship after a blind man resucitates him.  What Sonny doesn't even know about himself is, he is a zombie.  Nevertheless he proceeds to irradicate zombies, and zombie hunters alike.

Utilizing skill trees and attributes very similar again to Diablo, Sonny eventually learns a vast repitoire of skills that he can use in his skill loadout.

The main (simple) reason I like Sonny, is each piece of armor/weapon you find is clearly visible on your characters.

Sonny Battles

Despite being a flash game, sunny is fairly deep and offers many hours of game play.  Can't play it for many hours?  Well, like all good RPGs sunny utilizes a save game feature.  As long as you play from the same computer that is.

Sonny, and all the games on Kongregate, are free to play.  So what are you waiting for?

~K

Retro Thursday - Mother 3

A couple weeks back, I professed my love for Earthbound (or Mother 2) and although Mother 3 has been out in Japan since 2006 it was just last Friday when the English fan translation was finished and I could finally check it out for myself. Since Friday, I have logged about 12 hours into the game and have to say that (despite early misgivings) it is completely living up to my high expectations.

While Earthbound began in the middle of a representation of small town America and you gradually moved into larger and larger cities, Mother 3 begins in a town that has no concept of money and is one with the surrounding nature. Soon into the game, things begin to go sour, as people discover that guys wearing pigmasks have begun to experiment on the local wildlife in order to make "cooler animals." Fast forward 3 years (or 2 more chapters into the game) and the pigmasks have transformed the town into modern suburbia through the use of their Happy Boxes that the townspeople became addicted to. At my present point in the game, the way to save society and return it to a sense of normality is to retrieve the seven pins located throughout the world and release the dragon hidden inside for good.


Yeah, it's a pretty obvious statement - very similar to the one made in Earthbound, but the writing is really what makes it stand out. Without spoiling anything in the game, I have to say that the way certain events were scripted do a great job of expressing the emotions of the characters and give you that little tug at your heart that connects you to the characters and pushes you forward into the game if only so you can find closure alongside them. With this comes the same wacky sense of humor found in EB that keeps me grinning throughout the game (especially when you run into each of the Magypsies).

The combat in Mother 3 has the same interface as EB in that you don't ever see your characters performing actions through the battles, however there is one really cool addition. In each battle, if you are able to press the attack button at the correct time in beat with the background music, it allows your characters to attack multiple times and score more damage. This, however, this is incredibly hard to do - the highest combo I have achieved is only 4 hits, and that was with the backbeat turned up after hypnotizing the enemy. Maybe it just shows how bad I suck at music...

Altogether, Mother 3 is a great package that just feels good to play. Like all the best 16-bit rpgs, it sucks me back to a time of naivety and complete joy that came with playing video games. I guess the best thing that can be said about it is that every day since I've gotten it, I couldn't wait to get home from work and play more.

Unplugged Wednesday - Video Game Halloween costumes (Ok, its really cosplay..)

Hello and Welcome.

So this week, I thought we could talk about what everyone is going to be for Halloween.  I was thinking about going as something Video Game related so I started looking for Ideas.

Then I stumbled on this:

 

Wow, that is a pretty amazing costume.  MegaMan helmet, mega buster, THAT LIGHTS UP.   This kid is so awesome.

So I thought, Hey, I could do something like this right?  Just change the scale a bit, and it would work great.  And so I found this:

So it looks like Mega Man is out.  I mean, I don't want to look like this fool.  Maybe I will just carve my Pumpkin to look like Mega Man.

Ok, my list of Ideas right now are:

• Castle Crasher Knights 
• Gordon Freeman (Half Life, I would have to grow my beard back though...)
• King of All Cosmos (Katamari).
• Cervantes (Soul Calibur, ok it's just a glorified pirate....)

Those are what I have so far.  Any other Ideas?  Votes?

New Release Tuesday - My Japanese Coach

Hello and Welcome.

This week we are going to talk about a ... well, not really a game per se, but a piece of DS software:  My Japanese Coach.

I swear, the power of the Nintendo DS continues to amaze me.  Even before the Wii, Nintendo managed to create a device that transcends the common notion of gamer.  Considering that they have sold 81 MILLION DSes world wide up till now, I would say it is a pretty viable platform for anything.

So, now we have software on the DS that will help you to learn man languages: French, Spanish, Chinese, among others, and finally Japanese.

Being someone who took 2 years of Japanese in college and has been to japan numerous times, I was a little skeptical of this at first.  My main skepticism came from how the experience would be presented.  Would it be for those people whom knew no Japanese? People who knew just a little (I know some of you Anime watchers out there no SOME japanese...).  Or people who had formal training in the past?

Surprisingly there is enough here for all but the most fluent Nihongo speakers.

With a total of 100 scripted lessons (teaching grammar), then 945 more lessons of Vocab, this is a fairly fleshed out piece of software.

There is an initial "Placement" exam that allows you to skip up to 11 levels based on your proficiency.  For the unitiated, it starts of using "Romaji" or english characters, but by level 13 it is consitently using Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji for reading, and writing with Hiragana, and Katakana.

Lessons start with basic vocab and grammar and are completed by "Mastering" words and phrases.  To master these phrases you must play a number of games (Very much like Brain Age actually) that involve writing, listening, and even speaking.  There are also flashcard and memory style games, just to name a few.

Will this game make you fluent in japanese?  Far from it (though it might help study for the 4th (lowest) level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)).  But it will give you a great base to build your Japanese proficiency on.  As with any language (even your native), mastery comes from constant studying, practice, and every day speech.

Anyway, I plan on buying this for my wife, so she and I can talk bad about all those Gaijin around us.  Hopefully my friends *hinthint* will get it too so we can all talk to each other in this wonderful language.

Come on people, I need someone to practice with!  All that being said, I leave you with this:



I mean really, don't you want to know WHY they have these games?

~K

DLC Monday - Soul Calibur IV: Vader Vs. Yoda

ello and Welcome.

Alright, Finally some Soul Calibur 4 DLC that is not school girl uniforms...  That's right, Yoda for PS3 and Darth Vader for 360.

So for all you PS3 owners out there, congratulations.  The cheapest character in fighting game history is now at your disposal (next to Gon from tekken, Maybe.).

Each character will be available on Thursday for $5.  As much as I would enjoy playing Vadar, 5 bucks seems like a bit much for an aditional character.  Especially when the game itself costs $60.

Of course this seems to be a trend with DLC packs of late.  Charge 5 bucks for something that doesn't really change the game at all.  Instead it just changes how the game looks.  Mega Man 9 did it the with the Proto Man DLC, and more games are doing this type of thing.  Sure it isn't $3 horse armor, but it also doesn't add as much as something like the FREE bikes update to Burnout Paradise.

Ok, sure, Darth Vader has a different move set from the other characters, but at this point, hasn't everyone already chosen their character, or characters?  Sorry, I just have something against a company charging me an arm and a leg for a game, then the other arm for content that was ALREADY DEVELOPED when the game shipped.  But thats probably just my PC side talking, ignore him he gets a bit angry sometimes.

So, if you have SC4 and want these other characters, Check it out.

::rage quits::

~K

Freeplay Friday - Mega Man: The Power Battle

Hello and Welcome.

This FreePlay Friday is going to give relief to all of you stressing about Mega Man 9.  Get ready for some Mega Man : The Power Battle.

The Power Battle was originally released as an arcade game in Japan.  It was packaged as part of the Mega Man Anniversary Collection (along with its sequel) on the PS2 and GCN.

And now you can play it FREE on gametap.   It requires the Gametap client and a small download, but it is completely free once you get that set up.  And it runs on crappy machines like my laptop.

The Game itself is pretty simple.  Rather than progress through a long (sometimes frustrating) stage to fight the boss, you immediately fight the boss.  Plus you get unlimited continues and ressurect in battle with the boss at the same level of health, so it is pretty easy.  Think of it like an Anti-Mega Man 9.  If you get frustrated with MM9, boot it up and woop up on some Master Robots.

You can play as Mega Man, Proto Man, or Bass.   The style of the game looks just like Mega Man 7, and you can play 3 different worlds.  Mega Man 1-3, 4-6, and 7.  Each World has 6 Robot Masters from the Various games and  a Dr. Wiley stage at the end.

You still get the bosses power after a battle, and they can be used to defeat other bosses more easily.

I highly recommend a controller for this, as it is very difficult on the keyboard (carpal tunnel?).

So, give it a try and show those robot masters that you aren't afraid of them (just their hideouts....)

~K

Retro Thursday: Kingdom Hearts 2

[EDIT] Hi, Kent here.  I know KH2 isn't really that retro, but my internet was out, and Nate was kind enough to step up and throw something up here at the last minute.   Enjoy!! [\EDIT]

When I first heard about a game that was an amalgamation of Disney and Square franchises, I was so excited to check it out. But then I heard it was on Playstation 2, and as one of the only people who has never owned a PS2, I missed it... and then I missed the sequel. Now that I've borrowed my brother's PS2 (which enabled me to play through Shadow of the Colossus), I have the opportunity to play Kingdom Hearts 2. Before you say "what about the original?" I was told that I should just skip it for its crappy camera and just play the second. It did provide a few moments of having no idea what was going on, but I soon got a handle on the story (not that it really mattered, but more on that later) and continued on.

You begin the game as Roxas (who turns out to be Sora's Nobody) in Twilight Town... blah, blah, blah. It would be pointless to try to explain the story outside of: Sora has a Keyblade, Sora uses the Keyblade to seal worlds away from the Heartless, the worlds are Disney movies, Sora wants to find his friends Riku and Kairi. That's all you really need to know, because the main story really goes out the window everytime you go to a different world and you wind up just playing through plotlines of Disney movies with Goofy and Donald at your side (as a melee and mage character respectively).

It's pretty fun to play through the plots of certain movies that have good action -like Mulan or Lion King, but the Beauty and the Beast and Nightmare Before Christmas levels in particular got pretty tedious for me. Speaking of the action, it's basically a game of repeatedly pressing X and letting Sora do the combos for you and Donald or your other partner (based on the world) heal you when you get low. The combat got a bit boring, but was never really that hard until the last few bosses, where a couple of them were controller breakingly frustrating - nearly as bad as The Force Unleashed (click to read my thoughts on that).

But really, the whole reason to play the game is the interaction with all the familiar Disney characters (or Final Fantasy characters, if that's your thing). In this respect, I'll admit Kingdom Hearts does pretty well. It reeks of nostalgia everytime you enter into a familiar world and get to see and chat with all the characters within. Although, like I mentioned a little above, the Disney levels are pretty much coincidental to the plot as a whole and I really wish they could have worked it in a bit better. The only level that felt like it belonged within the story was the Disney Castle, and that's only because it was pretty much created to fit within the lore.

It was a fun game as a whole, definitely worth the current budget price, but my interest in the upcoming Kingdom Hearts titles really depends on how they work in the combat and story, seeing as those were the two things that felt a little lacking to me.

Unplugged Wednesday - Lost

Hello and Welcome.

I recently started watching the show LOST.  I have heard for years that is was a great show but never watched it because, lets be honest,  how good could a dramatic version of a reality TV show (Survivor) really be?

So, I added it to my netflix queue and it sat at the bottom for months.  Finally, after hearing the now defunct GFW Radio talk about the latest episode week after week, my wife and I decided to watch it.

So far I have watched almost through the end of season 2 (this in only a few weeks)  and I am already hooked.  The show thrives on coincidences and surprises.  The web that connects people just by the end of season 2 is pretty ridiculous.

Mysteries like the "Others"  and the Black Smoke beast keep you guessing as to what will happen next.   Plus they have a Hobbit.

Charlie Pace and Merry Brandybuck

So far my favorite character is John Locke.   Aside from being slightly obsessed with the island, Locke is an intelligent, multi-faceted character who more often than not has a great grip on what is going on in any situation.

If you aren't convinced enough to take a spot in your Netflix Queue or on your DVD shelf, you can watch the first 4 Seasons on ABC's website.  Just make sure you catch up before Season 5 starts in February!

~K

New Release Tuesday: Star Wars - The Force Unleashed

I was pretty excited when my brother-in-law said he'd let me borrow The Force Unleashed when he was done with it. This excitement lasted all the way through the first level, when I got to walk through Kashyyyk as Darth Vader and throw Wookiees from bridges to their death. The second level brings you into control of Vader's apprentice (who you find as a child in the first level), and from there things seem to go sour.

First of all, the combat is bad. When my character is facing a bad guy and I press X to attack him, the Apprentice should not turn around and attack at an explosive pod that causes him to lose half of his life bar. It would be funny if it happened only once, but its a continual problem. I was faced up against a rancor and pounding away at him, only to have the Apprentice decide that a flower was more dangerous and turned his back, allowing the rancor to pummel him from behind. Also the typical enemies can negate about 90% of your force powers, which takes away everything that makes being the Apprentice cool. Let me run down a typical combat encounter for you: press x 4 times... watch the Apprentice's lightsaber connect one of the four times... try Force Lightning... watch the enemy reflect/ignore the blast... get knocked over by the enemy.... get attacked on the ground and during the animation while you get up... die... scream expletives and throw controller into couch.... repeat.

Moving away from the combat, the camera has got its own set of issues. Take for example the time that I Force Pushed a door open and proceeded into the little room to get the hidden holocron, only to find myself stuck behind the same doors I had blown open, because the camera decided to move to a position that made them invisible. I had to Force Push another 10 times before the Apprentice magically jumped from the room back into the hallway. I also spend way too much time babying the camera, contiunually moving it into a position so that I can see what's going on around me (and yet it's still not enough to keep from being hit by unknown baddies that always lurk beyond view.

Before I get into the story, I have to admit that I am not finished with the game, I still have 3 missions left to accomplish. With that said, the story is pretty good so far. There hasn't been anything life-changing to come from it yet, but I understand that the ending is supposed to be pretty dang awesome. It's a pretty neat idea, giving Vader an apprentice to go around and hunt down the last few Jedi (I can believe that some escaped Order 66 - they are Jedi after all). I just hope that the obligatory choice between the Light Side and Dark Side that I sense coming never actually arrives. It would be nice to just continue on being a bad guy and not have to worry about making a choice that will affect the ending of the game (although I already know there will be).

To put this simply, if you are a Star Wars fan - rent or borrow this game first. You might find that everything I've said doesn't apply to you, then you can go ahead and buy it. Just be warned - it's not the greatest Jedi game out there, for that I suggest playing the Jedi Knight series (particularly Jedi Academy).

DLC Monday: Secret of Mana.

Hello and Welcome.

Ok, first, sorry for no free play friday, I was distracted....
 
Now, on to today.   You may be asking yourself, "Hey, isn't today MONDAY, and doesn't a game like Secret of Mana belong on Retro THURSDAY?"  Well, normally you would be right.  However, Nintendo's Virtual Console released Secret of Mana today!!!!!

Secret of Mana is a slightly different take on the classical square RPG.  It is an Action RPG (like Zelda)  which is playable by up to 3 characters.  You control either the "boy", "girl", or the magical "Sprite".

As you progress through the game you receive a number of different "Mana" weapons that can be upgraded into different forms throughout the game.  Most notable of these weapons is the "Mana Sword".  These weapons are the Boy's mainstays but are also used by the Girl and the Sprite.   The Girl also has defensive magic, were as the Sprite has Offensive magic.  Magic takes the form of  Elemental creatures who lend their powers to the other characters.

Square also implemented a lot of the SNES "Mode 7" graphics engine.  You see this alot in the world map navigation ( like Final Fantasy 6)  and even in some of the boss battles.

I really enjoy the music of Secret of Mana, it is a bit different from Nobuo Uematsu, or Yasunori Mitsuda's works, but it is still epic and really suits the mood of this game.

Epic Title Screen

Not really much else to say about this.  If you have a freind,or family member who loves zelda, or square games,  you should check this out on the Virtual Console.

The only draw back of the VC release... No online multiplayer.  I really hate you sometimes Nintendo, I really do.

Anyway, if you don't own the cart, I recommend it.  It's 800 points and well worth it.

~k

Retro Thursday: Earthbound

Earthbound (or Mother 2 if you want) is quite possibly my favorite game of all time. The gameplay is your typical Japanese RPG, complete with lots of grinding and semi-random encounters, but what really sets the game apart is the crazy awesome (and also just plain crazy) story.

Earthbound is a classic RPG on the SNES that takes place in a pretty modern world (unlike the swords and sorcery of other 16-bit RPGs), and in the game you take the role of the boy Ness, who soon learns that he is one of the chosen few who will save the world from teh evil Giygas. During your time in the game, you run into your friends who help you on your way Paula the psychic girl from Twoson, Jeff, the genius from Winters, and Poo the amazing from Dalaam. The four kids travel throughout their world collecting the 8 sounds from the Your Sanctuary locations into your Sound Stone in order to use the world's power to turn away Giygas' evil.

Your time in the world introduces you to awesome people like Everdred, the loveable thief in Twoson park, Master Belch the pile of goop who enslaved the Mr. Saturns of Saturn Valley, or even the hit band - the Runaway Five! Speaking of the Runaway Five, the music in Earthbound is wonderful. It's really odd and strange at times, but every bit of music fits in with its point within the game so well, that whenever I listen to songs from the soundtrack (pretty muc every day), I can imagine that part of the game vividly. Basically, what really makes Earthbound so wonderful is the characters. The conversations with even the random townspeople are good for a chuckle. It's a really well written (and translated game), that I like to pull out at least once a year and play through.

Now, all I have to do is pray that they release it on the Wii Virtual Console, or (like in my dreams) release it on DS with Mother 1 and 3.

Unplugged Wednesday: Y: the last Man.

Hello and welcome.

This week I am going to talk about a graphic novel series: Y: The last Man.

Published by VERTIGO (subsidary of DC) and Written by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra, the main artist.  Y tells the story of Yorick Brown, the last man on earth and his capuchin monkey Ampersand the last male mammal, after a plague wipes the earth of all male life.  Its less of a plague and more of a "Every male falls down and dies at once" event.  From there Yorick decides he has to find his girlfriend (almost fiancee) Beth.

Anything that has a post-apocalyptic, post-epidemic premise, almost always appeals to me.  I like the idea that we as humanity may be posed with a situation that doesn't fit into the constraints of Technology, or society as we know it.  It is really only in situations like this that the strength of our humanity will be proven (or most likely disproved).

That being said, the story in Y starts out strong, with a fair amount of struggle, and moral decisions for Yorick (which he usually makes, IMHO, the wrong choice.).  Quickly add in two female (obviously) companions, Extreme Feminist groups, and hot girl on girl action (a joke, small one) and the story takes off with a boom.

However, the story progresses over 10 books, and about 3 years and begins to lose focus as well as adding unneeded complexity to the story.  I mean, don't get me wrong, complexity is great when you do it well, but Y continues to add complexity just for the sake of complexity.

Still, Y is a worthwhile read.  I don't know that I would recommend buying it, but the art is good, the story decent.  So, if you have a friend with a copy, grab it, otherwise, check your library.

~K