So F*cked Up

Excuse the vulgar title today, but I felt the choice of wording best describes my present mindset. I've been trying to keep as much of my troubles out of this blog, hoping to keep it gaming related and just away from whatever the real world decided to toss my way.

But alas, that hope has been all but shattered.

For starters, my uncle passed away during the early hours of December 29th (yesterday). He had been battling cancer for much of this year and things took a turn for the worst during this past month or so. I'll admit that while we weren't all that close, it is extremely difficult to think of things without him around. I guess the best way I can put it is he was like a piece of the whole puzzle and now things are further incomplete then before.

Does that make sense? I cannot judge for myself at this point, my brain is clouded to put things mildly.

To top matters off, my girlfriend and I missed out on our friend's wedding today. Talk about feeling so far down in the dumps, you start to smell the shit floating around.

So while the New Year approaches, we won't be celebrating but rather, we'll be preparing to head home for a funeral. God, that line is just so goddamn depressing to read... almost as bad as it is to write it out here.

Here's hoping 2008 will be a year of perfect health and good fortune...

Rock Band

So tonight my girlfriend and I went out and did the unthinkable, something neither of us expected to do considering how this holiday season turned out for us (As far as gaming is concerned). While we didn't pick up Guitar Hero 3 and we dodged the idea of actually picking up a Dance Revolution game, we did get something else...

Yup, we went out and bought Rock Band for XBox 360 tonight.

It was completely by chance, neither of us even knew the bundle set was released (we were going off of the release date on Gamestop.com, which said Jaunary 2nd).

And yup, I will never, ever, make a reasonable living as a singer or a drummer or even a guitar player. I am just that damn terrible at this stuff. Well maybe I can get away as a singer in this game, I mean you don't actually have to sing the words...

Well, I guess I shall return to the drum set and continue to pound away and miss colored bar after colored bar... such is the life of a tone deaf 'rock star.'

Observations and Revelations

Upon further investigation, I've come to the realization that my life, as I know it, is a sad and strange existence. No, I'm not going to sit here and throw myself a pity party (though a party sounds fun), just stating a few things likely for my own notation, if nothing else. Anyway, to get back to the subject at hand, take today for an example.

After getting home from work today, I get online and check my e-mail. Sounds normal so far right? Well I go through my regular mail and then into the junk mail, which is never, ever short of being full of crap. But what is this? Amongst the mass is something that catches my eye and I am sucked into it like the Millennium Falcon was when it flew too close to the Death Star (dork, noted).

What drew my attention? Was it free money? Or maybe a free trip? No on both counts.

So what was it really? An e-mail had arrived to let me know that Rebirth (Korean Manga series) volume 21 was going to be released on January 2nd!!! I was freaking excited to read it and after reading the volume's description (Desh becomes king of the vampires and he learns how to defeat his eternal enemy and one time friend, Kal, the God of Light, but at a steep cost!), was far beyond eager to read it for myself!!

Do you see what I'm saying? Here I am, getting excited over a comic!

Ok, alright... I'll come clean by saying I'll likely remain a dork until the day I die. No conforming here folks, no siree. I cannot explain how thankful I am to be with a girl who is as big a dork as I am or else I'd either be single right now or confined within a living hell.

Well now, after spelling it all out I really do not feel all that bad now. I guess writing that out was much more helpful then even I believed. Which brings me to my next subject of interest...

So I watched Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween and let me say that I actually enjoyed it. I didn't laugh or think anything was funny and it actually had me fully believing that Michael Myers is truly a psychopath. It was worth the rent and I am even considering on buying the DVD, which says a lot because I am a firm believer that Horror movies was dead and buried.

Which makes me hope, somehow, that maybe Rob Zombie will be picked up to save the Friday the 13th series because it damn sure needs to be! As I mentioned before, Jason X = Total shit.

And now it is time for me to watch yet another movie, this time it's going to be Shaun of the Dead, which I enjoyed. I still do believe Hot Fuzz was funnier, but I cannot deny that Shaun did have more then a fair share of funnies itself.

Consideration of a Random Sort

After hours of thought and consideration, I can absolutely say that I haven't the slightest clue as to why I am writing this post right now. Truth be told, it is about 1am right now and I cannot sleep and it is Christmas morning of all things.

So with that in mind, I shall spew a random dose of whatever enters my mind. Sounds like a good plan doesn't it?

Work was actually fun yesterday, I think in due part because we generally was working stress free. I wish all Mondays worked out this way...

Just watched The Simpsons Movie last night and it was considerably better then I expected it to be. Needless to say, I'd consider buying the DVD, though I don't know if that is a good way to judge something or not...

My eyes are burning...

It took me 3 tries to type out that last thought...

I had some how convinced myself that today was a great day to go out and buy one of the Dance Revolution games. On the other hand, everybody was closed by the time I got off of work. Is it a sign?

Note to self: I can't dance...

Note to self #2: My leg hurts...

Ya know, Japanese have some very interesting things when it comes down to snacks. Two of which comes to my mind right now:

1. Tahitian Vanilla Pockey Sticks
2. Milk & Cookies Kitkats

The only sad thing about it is the fact that, to my understanding, is most of these flavors are only available for a limited amount of time.

Is it a good or bad thing if the phrase "JP ONRY!!!" pops into my head (thanks to FFXI) whenever a Japanese person or persons asks me a question?

Old people in busy grocery stores = Extremely long day.

Why has it been raining so dang much lately? And I wonder if this means we are still in a "drought"?

When ordering Chinese food, do Chinese people understand the term "mild"? I am beginning to think not...

Pizza Hut pizza is OK, but their service absolutely blows.

My shoe has a hole in it. Great.

My mom informed me that, thanks to the rains back home, my turtle (which I had since I was about 6 years old) has escaped. Again. Hope the little guy is OK, where ever he might be...

Puppies = Cute.

Puppies trying to chew each other's heads off = Cuter.

I can't believe how much random crap is floating through my head!

I didn't reserve Rock Band. Hmmm....

I want to play Oblivion, but I am just too lazy to put the time and effort into it....

Apparently the new Aliens vs. Predator movie is being released tomorrow. Err... today... Hope it is better then the last one, because that bugger sucked and bad (in my own opinion)!

I rented the remade Halloween movie (by Rob Zombie)... hope that is worth it...

Jason X = Funniest "horror" movie EVER. I think...

Getting sleepy...

Weird thing I just noticed earlier... why is my occupation Accounting? Oh wait, I can account for... umm... the amount of ice cream I've ate? Couldn't Blogger stick me with a better occupation? Say, maybe... World Dominator? Or how about Universal King of All? That's catchy...

Running out of brain power....

I think I'll...

I'll....

Watch a movie.

Marry Christmas to anyone and everyone that reads this blog and this post!!!

Still Alive

I know I have been slacking off lately, in terms of writing here as often as I once did. One little, extraordinarily minor goal I've had was to out write myself, in comparison to what I did at this time last year. I had reached that goal more often then not, but I've been having a bitch of a time in trying to keep up the pace.

Alas, work has now fully overtaken my soul and I am now truly amongst the walking dead. I now mindlessly pursue cerebral matter.

And I drag my feet and drool.

Why does that sound like getting old? Well, maybe except the part about cerebral matter. Then again, old people do like to eat soft stuff so...

Yes, over the course of this past month, I happily report to all that I have indeed lost my mind. Who knows what sort of state of mind I will have, once these Holiday times have come and gone. Hopefully I will be able to salvage at least a small fraction of sanity, for the sake of those around me.

In other news, I've picked up the complete series of Trinity Blood and I've liked it, more or less, so far. One thing I will comment about it is the feeling as though I am watching Trigun all over again. It does have a very similar feel to them, which isn't entirely a bad thing.

One last thing here and this sort of ties into my previous post, is about games. Or the inability to find certain games during this holiday season.

So I gave up on trying to buy a Wii (for now) and instead, set my sights on stuff I believed to be easier to find. With that said, I wanted to pick up Guitar Hero 3 for XBox 360 and guess what? NO SUCH LUCK! It was even more a happy moment when I looked up Rock Band and found out that the 360 version (with the mic, drums and stuff) won't be out until January of 2008!

Needless to say, I think if it was the intent of the video game industry to stop me from buying their stuff, I can confidently say this without a shadow of a doubt in my mind:

They succeeded.

No Wii...

I'll share a little known fact with you all right here, right now. I guess this could even qualify as my own dirty little secret, if you look at it that way. So what is this life changing, world stopping, mythical secret that I am hiding?

Well, to clear the air... it isn't that HUGE (or even mythical), but rather a wish that has not been fulfilled. It does involve video games and, if you paid any attention to the title of this blog, you'd known right off the bat that I am talking about a Nintendo Wii.

Truth be told, I didn't want an XBox 360 or a PS3. All I wanted was a Wii, just to be able to play Legend of Zelda. Did it happen? Hell no. Everyone was, and remains, sold out.

So is this Christmas a happy one? I suppose so. Am I satisfied? Sort of, no. I mean come on! I thought maybe Nintendo was just milking the popularity (or are they really still?) of their newest system, just to unload at Holiday time. But even that has not happened and it leaves me wondering...

If you know your shit is popular, why can't you figure out a way to help meet the demand? Oh wait, that builds hype and anticipation. Not to mention the fact that this allows those eBay selling punks a chance to snap up more systems so they can sell it at an even more ridiculous price then game stores already are.

Wow, I just went from feeling joke-y to pissed off in about a time frame of about 5 minutes. Scary...

Too Much Free Time

This is my first post using a new internet browser and I think I do like it more then Internet Explorer. What in the world am I talking about? Well, I recently installed Firefox and just the amount of options and things that can be done with it is nothing short of impressive in my opinion.

Anyway, today's entry is titled "Too Much Free Time" because I think I have just a little much of that right now. I've even surprised myself by writing to friends I haven't written to (or seen) in about 5 years now. It felt good to get replies too, just knowing that hey! I wasn't all that invisible in high school helps. Then again, it makes me feel a little worse, due to my lack of communication with them over the years.

Just a random thought aloud: If you know a friend is getting married, but you never receive a formal invitation (no card or whatever people send as an invitation), is it a person's duty to call up said person for such (it is what they've stated on their little website for the occasion)? Is it wrong to believe that it isn't my duty to get myself actually "invited"?

Taking a short detour from reality for a moment, I found myself scouring the internet one night, many months ago and happened upon a little hunting into the world of cosplay. I don't take part in any of it, but it is interesting to see to what extremes a person goes to get the look down. A perfect example is posted here today or so I believe.

Pictured above (don't recall if there was a name) is a cosplay guy as Sephiroth. To me, this guy got the look down pretty damn good and I even had to take a second and third look to be sure if it was indeed an actual person or if maybe it was something else. Just amazing...

And now back to the sorry life of a... whoops, dramatics going wild!

Nah, I'm not aiming for an entire episode of drama or anything of the sort. I just hate certain times of the day because my mind tends to wander about and when that happens, I begin to think about all sorts of things.

Life being one of it.

I think 2008 is going to be the year I finally turn things around and make right what I should have so many years ago. One thing I'd definitely want is to try my hardest to not waste another day, to make it all count towards something. Be it work or life or whatever it is that I am doing for that matter. I guess it takes the realization that I am going to be 24 years old and at this point in life, I am just running around in a circle and basically going nowhere.

Second random thought of the evening: The weather still sucks and I am still sick.

What I think I could use right now is a distraction and the only thing I can come up with is another rousing session of Assassin's Creed. I've been working on getting better at counter-kills with use of the hidden blade. Besides that, there are flags to find and Templars to hunt. Plus a thousand guards that have an IQ of a walnut.

Yes folks, fun times indeed...

2AM Thoughts

I just wanted to make a quick post here and toss out a few thoughts and comments about a few things. I'd usually try to give this more thought, but being sick and hurting just doesn't leave all that much space to be comfortable. But that is another story for another time...

Anyway!

Here comes my bullet points of doom! Hey, don't laugh... this is serious business! In any case, here we go...

• Mass Effect: What I love so much about this game is how it is entirely a new game, yet feels (and plays) just like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. One thing that is different about the game play, in comparison to KotOR are the fights itself. Rather then just clicking on an enemy and watch your character swing away, you actually get into the fight. Fun.
  
  
• Call of Duty 4: So I played through the story mode on regular difficulty and man was I getting my ass handed to me lol. Nevertheless, it is a fun game and I enjoyed the hell out of it while it lasted.
  
  
• The Golden Compass: Despite what my girlfriend believes, I still think of this movie like another Eragon in that it tried to pack it so much and just didn't have enough time to make good with it all. Tack onto that the cliffhanger, no, the cut-off ending and man... it just doesn't pan out too well.
  
  
• Fire Pro Wrestling Returns: Going into this game, I understood that it wasn't going to be anything like a WWE game. But man, the graphics alone in this beast is like an insult to the PS2. How bad you ask? It looks like it was brought up from the depths of the SNES days. What is worst, the damned game just isn't even fun! Thank god it was so cheap!
  
  
• Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess: Whole new expansion, new jobs... same dull, boring game. I was tempted to buy this for maybe about a few days, back when the new jobs were announced, but that faded and quick. I mean come on, can I justify to myself on spending $30 for more end game content I cannot use!? Hell F'N NO.
  

And that is it for me folks, for today at the very least or for yesterday or something. This is slightly a confusing mess, but anyway... maybe I will write again later today about who knows what. I'm sure I'll come up with something before long, maybe even before I lay my head down for more sleep this morning.
Oh and one quick and final thought, I don't remember if I've ever mentioned this before, but god I love the soundtrack for FFVII: Advent Children. Just an all around great, solid mix of music that I enjoy today, even after listening to it over and over again...
Funny little fact: The second ending song for FFVII: AC titled "Calling" was a song I originally hated and never listened to at all. It wasn't until I started working at my present job that I took a liking to it, because at the time they had played that song, among others that I recognized from games (1000 Words *FFX2*, Eyes on Me *FF8*) and anime (Fullmetal Alchemist, Inu-Yasha).
You can't imagine how sad I was when this music was taken off for some odd Japanese music. Actually, I think it was traditional Japanese music, because I remember my grandma listening to stuff that sounded like it. Poor singers sounded like the were in pain... but traditional beats out Japanese nursery rhymes any day! Dear god, someone shred that CD!

Variety Pack of Thoughts...

So amid my playing of Assassin's Creed, I decided it would be a pretty damn good idea to rent another game (don't question my logic)! Truth be told, I have been increasingly curious about Call of Duty 4 and a friend (ex-coworker) had been bugging me to get the game for online play.

Now originally, I had played and liked Call of Duty 3 and had every intention of buying the game. But, for whatever reason, I just didn't. So again, rather then rushing out and buying a game I may have hated, renting steps in to save the day!

Err, well... maybe...

My general opinion of the game? It is fun and the gunfights are insane! Just last night I got to a mission where the idea was that you were in a bomber plane and you had to support your guys (which actually are the bunch you are tagging along with) on the ground. It is the first time I've ever gotten to bomb the bloodiest of hells out of the enemy and man was it fun!

Yes, please note that when it comes to exploding and shooting in video games, I do tend to be easily entertained.

My only gripe with the series is a lack of co-op play, which to me was Halo's saving grace in my household.

Another game I've rented (and didn't list on the side) was The Simpsons Game. This one has co-op play, but eh... I guess you really have to be a fan to appreciate the story, humor, etc. Which isn't to say I am not a fan of the show, but maybe I am just not that into it.

The game play itself is OK, though it does tend to grow stale rather quickly in my opinion. The town of Springfield itself is open for exploration, but the town, much like the game, also isn't much to write home about.

Random thought: Weather in Hawaii has been brutal lately! Sunny for a few hours and WHAM!! Sudden downpour and winds that'll whip it all over the damn place!

R.T. #2: Rest in peace, my shitfully cheap umbrella from Wal-Mart. Thanks for nothing!

Last thought: Just saw the movie Enchated the other day and it isn't all that bad! Yes, there is singing and dancing and sappy romantic moments. But the Princess is suppose to be from a world of a fairy tale! They just don't know about divorces and anger and all that real people stuff. I'll even go as far as to say that even I was surprised to admit to myself that I enjoyed it.

Maybe I secretly dig chick flicks!?

Errr... Shhh! I will neither confirm nor deny that so called "fact." In any case, keep that one on the down low....

Assassin's Insanity

As I've mentioned recently, my current game of choice has been Assassin's Creed. Sure it isn't perfect game and really, is there or has there ever been a "perfect game"? But Assassin's Creed (to me) is fun and that is what counts the most, right?

Well, I'll be honest... I've been having my fair share of fun with the game and maybe a little too much when it comes down to the assassinating part. I mean I've literally left the streets littered with bodies of fallen guards and even a random passerby who happens to make a wrong comment at the wrong moment. Hell, I'll rush guards in crowded areas and even grab a hold of them and throw them over/off ledges, rails, etc. I'd be worried if killing guards in the open had some effect on the gameplay, but it doesn't... so I'm still good!

One such example of guard tossing (my favorite new sport I might add) is the rooftop tosses. In certain areas of the cities, there are archers standing guard up above the streets. If you pop up, their draw their bows and take aim, warning you to back off.

Uh huh, yeah sure... I'll back off...

So after a second and a jump from one rooftop to another, I calmly walk towards the unhappy fellow and give him a good toss off the roof. Screams fill the alley below, but otherwise, no one gives a shit. And I'm free as a whistle! I guess the guards aren't so liked huh?

And on a closing note, my in-game horse, which I've taken the liberty of naming "Cookie," hasn't been seen in a number of hours and now I am forced to wander aimlessly on foot. Has that damned horse abandoned me again? Oh well... I suppose even the animals themselves knows no loyalty. That means I'll have to retest the mystery if you can beat/slash your horse to death (which I've learned, totally by accident mind you, that you can't).

So Many Games...

The amount of games that have been released these last several months have been absolutely insane. That much is well known to all gamers and I've been going out of my mind trying to sort out what is actually worth getting and what isn't.

Latest game to join this list? Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, whose review seems to be a source of rumors and what not. But that isn't what I am writing about today.

So I originally wanted to at least try and rent the game, but due to (another) mix up at Blockbuster, I managed to get the PS3 version. Yeah, I bet you can imagine how well that played on my XBox.

Now my attempt at renting the bastard failed, I was getting a little crazy and almost bought the game. But I got second thoughts and to make a long and dull story short, I just didn't go through it.

And then I read the review and I am certainly glad I didn't throw the money at it. I think I am sticking to trying to rent it, which I wish I did for a number of games over the years. Here are a few examples...

Beautiful Katamari: This one I knew would be pretty much more of the same, but what I played felt like something that was losing it's touch. For me, being a fan of the previous 2 games, was sadden because it definitely had a style of it's own.

Def Jam Icon: Besides the upgrade in graphics, this one felt like a let down and it really was in my opinion. The modes weren't much fun and the ability to use the music to cause damage to your opponent just wasn't that interesting in the end. I enjoyed Def Jam: Fight for NY, no doubt about it.

Ninety Nine Nights: Anyone that tries to compair this game with any Dynasty Warriors game is insulting DW. I was expecting something like DW and was met with something that assaulted my brains unlike much of anything ever before. And the voice acting made my ears bleed.

Naruto: Rise of the Ninja: I had some high expectations for this game when I read about it over the course of a couple of months. How did it stack up? The cutscenes were horrible and the voice acting made me want to cry. The gameplay itself is OK, but the overall story is dull and the fighting portion of the game is outright terrible. The bottom line: It does indeed have a number of good ideas in play, but collectively it just doesn't cut it in my opinion. Another game I am glad I didn't buy.

Halo 3: OMG!! Game of the year!!! Ok, so now that that is out of the way (no, I don't think it really is the game of the year), it was pretty much more of the same here. Yes, there is some new weapons and enemies, but really it is the same game overall. And the ending sucked (in my opinion). If nothing else, I think this game's best asset is it's online play. I've been there, it is fun!

Changing gears, one game and series that I've enjoyed and have yet to finish is the Dot Hack//G.U. series. I've gotten as far as the point in the third game where Haseo gains his Xth form and from there I think the game went down hill. It should have ended with Ovan!! And wake up Alkaid (pictured above)!!!

And I am done because my shoulders are murdering me and it is a bit stuffy over here tonight. Never a good combination for thinking and writing.

On an unrelated note to video games: I'm not a huge or even much of a fan of football, but a big congrats to the UH Warriors tonight on their win against Washington and also for earning their way to a big bowl game. Thanks to my girlfriend leaving the radio on, I listened through the entire game and it sounded (for a time) that the Warriors weren't going to make it. Again though, congratulations!

Full On Wrestling!

So this one ends up being my real last post of the month, since the month is over after tomorrow anyway. But that isn't what this is about! No, not even close folks! Instead, I'm going to write about something I haven't really written about in ages.

Wrestling.

Being that I had been out of the loop of things for the past year, I didn't really bother to write about it or really mention it all that often. Add into that the whole Benoit tragedy and really, I just didn't have anything I felt that was worth saying. What makes today so different? Well I am still out of the loop in that I haven't watched an actual show in a long while (not counting ECW online these days).

But I still do try and catch whatever I can, whenever I can, thank you YouTube.

Good example of this was the return of Chris Jericho, which was pretty interesting to say the least. I think for a guy that has been gone for 2 years, he can still cut a better promo then most guys around today. What I haven't found yet, however, was his recent match against Santino Marella on Raw. I am still curious to see how and what the years away did to the guy.

I just picked up both the John Cena and Shawn Michaels DVDs, both of which are basically biographies on both wrestlers. I've only gotten to watch through John Cena's so far and it isn't really a bad DVD. But what I enjoyed the most about these types of DVDs are when the wrestler shares what he/she thought about the periods of their careers, lives, etc and not all too much about what family and friends thought about it. This DVD ends up being heavy on the friends and family commentary and absolutely NOTHING from the man himself.

In a lot of ways, it reminded me of Stone Cold Steve Austin's DVD, which had a decent pick of matches and promos as extras, but I thought it was a tad bit ruined with the laughter and chatter of family members. Salvation for that comes later, probably next year, when a real bio DVD for Stone Cold is released. Hopefully they keep it strictly to Stone Cold and not to everybody else.

Beyond that, I think that is it for the time being as I still can't really comment all that much about wrestling in general. One last thing I will share was a theory I read (I forgot where at) about the influx of former WWE wrestlers jumping ship to TNA. Maybe it is all set up? Maybe it is a plan orchestrated by the WWE to infiltrate and destroy the competition before it becomes a threat.

Possible? Yes. Impossible? Probably not.

I mean take a look at the number of ex-WWE guys on TNA right now. That list is getting to be pretty long and growing with each passing release. I am surprised that the former Chris Masters hasn't appeared in TNA yet. I can't imagine it'll be far off, not when everone from Test down to Rikishi have all appeared on that show.

Just don't get me wrong, I am not either for or against this theory. It is, after all, just a theory. What I do believe is TNA is on a fast track of being the new WCW, which did sign everything WWE dropped/fired/let go or however you'd like to put it. Am I wrong? I guess only time will tell.

One More For The Road

So I've been slacking a bit in my writing this month and for good reason. Umm... Ok, so maybe that ends up being a tiny little lie. It has been more like me being lazier then ever, not to mention I got to spend Thanksgiving sick for most of my time away from work.

But besides a small bout of sickness, Thanksgiving was nice and quiet for us this year (as it usually is). My girlfriend cooked up a mean turkey, which has been so for the past 3 years and counting.

I think I'm keeping this thing short and sweet, since Blogger helped me butcher the last 2 entries of mine. All in all, I suppose life is going pretty OK. My legs are killing me right now and I'm afraid this will lead back to the knee pains I had a few weeks back.

No, this pain isn't relevant with age.

Ah hell, so long as my hands can still hang onto a game controller, I think I'll be OK.

Speaking of which, I wish I wasn't feeling so tired that I don't even feel like turning my XBox on tonight. And we're talking Assassin's Creed here! Yes, I am still enjoying the game and it's killing. The story telling isn't too shaby still, either. I just wish I could "read ahead" in both halves of the storyline. Maybe I'll write this out better in the very near future...

Well, my other option is to watch (again) a Korean drama by the name Winter Sonata. I think it is still safe for me to say that this is the only series that I have watched and enjoyed, more often then not. The few others I've watched didn't cut it for me and I usually walk away and wash dishes or something.

Me washing dishes instead of watching TV = Bad.

Whatever I end up doing, I think this will end up being my last entry for the loverly month of November. I kind of can't wait for Christmas, if only because it'll mean a longer weekend for me (hopefully). I swear, I am getting old...

First Impression: Assassin's Creed

Now here is a game that I really didn't have any expectations built up about. Sure, I did read about it here and there in a few gaming magazines, but otherwise it was just another game to me. So understand my uncertainty as well as my surprise when I found myself a mere day or so ago, in a game store with Assassin's Creed in my hands.

The narrative is pretty good from what I've heard so far and the story itself intrigues me to say the least. The graphics itself is nothing short of beautiful and to think that I say this and I do not own a HD TV.

What surprised me even more so was how easy it was to pick up the control and play the game and yet there was more to it then it seemed. I think my favorite past times in game (so far) are the assassinations and taking every opportunity for a "Leap of Faith."

As I said, while one of my favorite things is the assassinations, it also is the only thing I can complain about this game thus far. Let me set the scene here...

I entered a town and I immediately see a pair of guards with their swords drawn. As I've learned oh so very quickly, that spells trouble for me. So I quickly hop onto a rooftop of a house and drop down a short distance away from one of the guards. I hold a button and the Ancestor (as one half of the main character is called) "blends" in. I double check to make sure I have my hidden blade ready and I proceed slowly towards the guard. In a split second, I drop my hands and drive the blade into his back and he quickly drops to the ground dead.

Now comes my surprise.

There were actually a total of 6 guards in that immediate area and they were all basically facing each other, so it wasn't like I was all that stealthy. I take my time and wander around and drop the guards, one by one. What gets me is each time I kill a guard, the remaining said aloud: "Who is responsible for this!?"

Because surely, a hooded man with a sword on his side and a horse following behind of him who, by some stroke of chance, happens to be nearby as each of the guards drops dead. No, no... that just doesn't look at all suspicious.

Again, that is the only thing I can really say that stands out to me and I suppose it really is just a minor thing.

Otherwise, this is a fun and different game (at least for me anyway) that looks to be that great game I've been hoping to find/play on the XBox 360.

Oh Thanks a Lot...

Thanksgiving is upon us and all I can say (and do) right now is cough. By some stroke of luck, I've managed to get sick on what would have been 3 days of rest, relaxation and food! While all of that is happening still, I can also add on the following:

1. Four days (after calling in sick this morning) off.

2. What feels like a dripping feeling at the back of my throat.

3. Coughing.

4. Body aches.

5. A boss at work who probably is under the belief (again) that I am plotting something dastardly against him. Because rest assured folks, messing around with my boss in a grocery store is definitely top ranking of "Must Do's."

To top things off, the doctor I was hoping to see today was booked up all day today. So all I could do today to fight off this throat problems was down cough drops and hope for the best. Not the greatest solution (or idea), but it is as good as I could do. Yay.

But enough about all of that, I am feeling slightly better now or at least better then I did this morning. What sucks worst is every time I lay down to sleep, I wake up feeling worse then when I was awake. Someone up there must be really watching out for me! *grumbles*

Anyway, god I wish I had cable to see WWE Raw this past Monday night. After reading the results online, I think the biggest news was about a certain returning wrestler. At least it answered who and why all of those "Save_Us" promos have been playing for the past month or so. They were, in fact, for the returning Chris Jericho.

Thankfully, I did get to see his return on YouTube.

Speaking of whom, Jericho's book was a pretty damn good read and definitely one of the best wrestler bios I've read yet. I think the last time I read a biography that I actually read from start to finish was the Hardys (WWE tag team).

What I enjoy the most about these wrestlers' stories are the tales they share from their years of travel and working around the globe. It does add a whole different perspective to the individuals and it is interesting to read their thoughts and feelings about major happenings throughout their careers.

Besides that, I have been picking back up on listening to Evanescence's music and more importantly, giving their latest CD a better listen through. Yeah, it isn't the most awesome thing to have ever been done by a person, but I am sickly and my options for "fun" are extremely limited!

Anyway, the music wasn't all that bad, but I think I liked their original outing better then this. I think I can say the same for other groups like Disturbed and Drowning Pool also. But to each his/her own, maybe I am just truly stuck living in the past.

Or maybe a lot of these group's music has gotten that shitty.

Hmmm.... Now I'm going to go and play a little more of Naruto: Rise of the Ninja and feel and hear the pain of English dubbing. Don't get me wrong, some series do a very good job at dubbing and the voices don't annoy my ears to the point of bleeding. Good example here would be Fullmetal Alchemist.

But as far as Naruto goes... Please, Stop the violence. Or shut the hell up. Which brings me to the only gripe (so far) concerning the game: Lack of dual language voice overs. Dear lord this game could use it... (in my opinion anyway).

Thankful am I indeed. Surely I am! Now shut up and pass the cough drops... =(

P.S. And thank you to Blogger for taking my words and smashing it all together to form such a beautiful wall of text. Thank you, thank you so very bloody much... -.-

Life, Memories & Old Friends

Tonight is one of those nights for me, the kind that just seems to slow to a snail's pace. With all of this extra time, I find that my mind (as it usually does) has begun to wander and when it wanders, it remembers. That last line does sound bad, huh? But that is the absolute truth folks. On a typical day, my mind is usually everywhere else besides the past. For me personally, it helps sometimes to not actively remember those things because I think I'd end up being homesick if I think about it for too long.

Which makes tonight an extra long one, for reasons which I shall attempt to explain.

God, it's been what? Five years since I graduated from high school? I suppose five years isn't really that long when one thinks about it. But man, how the time just flies by when you lose sight of it. Before long, it'll be ten years and I'm going to be an old bag by then.

Five years... and I can't say that I have done all that much in the accomplishment department. Yeah, I live on my own with my girlfriend. No, I haven't made any reasonably serious attempt at college. On the flip side, I have experienced certain parts of life that have made me somewhat wiser and I suppose the challenges of trying to live life without a college degree have given me a glimpse of what life could be like, should I continue to make no real efforts.

Don't get me wrong though, I mean my present job isn't the greatest in all of the world, but it pays the bills and the position I am in is what I wanted. At this stage in my life, I'd rather keep active and moving and not sitting behind of a desk or something like that.

To kind of go back to the beginning, this whole thing about thinking about the past came up tonight while I was looking around MySpace. I went down the lists of old classmates and man, how the years have changed everyone. Not all of them were friends, but I knew them all and to see the differences tends to be a little mind boggling.

I even saw a friend or two that I used to play Counter-Strike with in high school (I mean that literally too, we had class room LAN battles far too many times to count). I miss those days, when it was all about fun and not having to worry about anything else.

On the subject, I remember it was during those days when I began to develop an actual "taste" in music. Hell, the song that helped me pick up onto listening to new and different music was Linkin Park's "Runaway." Just listening to it now takes me back... wow that was so incredibly corny...

And so now, with a mind full of memories, I think I'm going to bring this one to it's end. Just thinking about the past is, in fact, making me miss home with every passing second. Then again, the home I remember isn't anything near what it is now. Friends are long gone, carried away on the seas of life. What remains is just a memory or two, that's all that is left to cling to...

Maybe today, I'll make a promise to myself that I can actually keep for once. To be, at the very least, a better friend then I have been these past years. For reasons I won't entirely get into now, I think this promise to myself will be much easier said then done. And for once, I do hope I am wrong.

2007 Just Around The Corner

Time seems to fly by so quickly, I mean it feels like only yesterday that 2006 was here and 07 was coming. Now 2007 is just about gone and 2008 is looming on the horizon. I sort of wonder what the coming year will bring, hopefully better sense and a little luck is in store for yours truly.

It has been admittedly slow for me this month as it just feels like I haven't had all that much to write about. Or at least I haven't had much energy to actually sit down and write it all out. Life has generally been good to me lately, though work still is about as exciting and grand as trip into the mud. Why haven't I changed or found a new job?

Well, I think the primary reason at this point for me is because of a company called Whole Foods. They are coming to Hawaii and hell, if they pay better then where I'm at now, then why the heck not? Loyalty is one thing, but paying bills and eating? That overrides all of that, as far as I'm concerned.

Jumping gears, I guess life hasn't been all that kind to me or at least not to my body. My right knee has been bothering the heck out of me for the past few weeks. Luckily for me, I guess, is the pain in it hasn't been all that bad and it is more like a nagging pain.

Onto a different topic, I just read an article on MSN about a 13 year old girl who committed suicide after she had made a friend through MySpace, who just chopped their friendship off out of no where. She had a history of depression and the sort and obviously it was enough to send her over the edge. What is even more screwed up about this is the person she befriended, wasn't even whom she believed it to be. It was some family in the neighborhood! Not just the kids, but the goddamn parents were involved with this too!

Ok, so yeah we all know that the world can and is generally a screwed up place. But this!? This story took the cake! What is this world coming to? I just can't grasp the logic the parents had when they actually condoned this. I mean, shouldn't they be setting a better example? Or maybe stop this sort of thing and not encourage it? Yes, a parent I am not, but I don't think it takes much experience or anything to know that this whole situation was just flat out wrong.

And I think I'm going to cut this off here and give it a rest before I rant on for days and days. Besides that, my knee is still a little sore too. Old age, this is not. Hopefully it'll go away soon. Ah well, if worse comes to worse, at least I'll have more gaming time! (Yes, I realize my bad logic is on display once again)

Slew of Insanity

I'll be a man here and just fess up to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. It isn't easy for me to say this, which such a reputation that I humbly have (don't laugh too loud, the neighbors might think you're nuts), but I know I must do what is necessary for the 'greater good.'

I'm lazy.

Earth shattering, yes!? But please, for my sake, you must suspend your disbelief and just say a small prayer for me and hope for the best. I've been doing that since the beginning of the month and I just think it'll take a few more people (or a couple of dozen) for me to get back on track!

And with the craptacular attempt at being cleaver and/or witty now out of the way, yes I have been a lazy bastard this month. I haven't gotten to write here all that much with work being the drama queen of my life (oh bloody yay there) and the number of games that has been released is mind boggling. With that, I shall unleash a new plot! Er, a new idea!

- SD! Vs Raw 2008: I've been playing it a fair bit since picking it up this past Saturday, which surprised me a little because the game hasn't officially been released yet (god I love Toys 'n Joys). Personally, it is much better to me then 2007, but still not quite as fun as 06 in my view. Like so many of said too, the roster this year is just ever so slightly weak.

- Naruto: Rise of a Ninja: I just rented this one tonight and it isn't really as bad as those freaky folks at Game Stop played it up to be. The English voice overs still give me a chill down my spine and the lack of dual language is a let down. Still, it is a decent game (and not bad on the eyes either) and maybe I'll write more about this one later, once I've spent a little more time with it.

- Halo 3: What!? Halo 3, again?? Yes, it is Halo 3 yet again and this time it is about experiences with online play. Besides a particular match against two guys that were ranked "Captain" (Note: My girlfriend's bro and me got our asses handed to us), it was a fairly good experience. And fun. I just might lay the cash down for XBox Live to continue...

- Guitar Hero 3: I. Still. Suck. At. This. Game. 'Nuff said.

- Heroes: So I picked up the first season of Heroes recently and lemme tell you something from my perspective. That show is like crack! And I end up being the goddamn crack addict! It is quite a feeling, to know that you've watched about 7-10 episodes straight and still feel like you can go for "just one more."

And I am out of time or at least out of things to quickly jot down here and babble on about. Oh, one last little tidbit before I call this quits and go do something that may end up being productive. I've just recently set up shop (new blog) over at WordPress.com. It looks interesting and quite different then Blogger. You can basically set up like a website over there, which is a change over this.

As to whether or not I'll write more there then here... most likely not. I've invested a fair lot of brains into this blog and I just don't think I can part with the little guy. Still, I am checking out the options, just to see what the grass is like on the other side of the fence.

Milestone Morning

After waiting for this bugger to load up for what felt like an eternity, at last I can share a word or two on this amazing morning. Why is this morning so amazing? Because for the first time in maybe a month or three, I've actually gotten up early for work.

Feel that disappointment?

Yes, I know that isn't any impressive and as for why I am blogging over something like that. Hmm... I'm not sure! But in any event, here and I am and this is the way it is going to go down.

A few random thoughts here...

- Guitar Hero 3 is what my girlfriend wants to pick up so we can 'challenge' each other. Meh, I've played the second game maybe a half a dozen times at best. She, on the other hand, has been playing it like a crack addict. Seems a little one sided, no?

- WWE SD! vs. Raw 2008 is my answer to her challenge, which, in turn, she will have to play. Just like GH, she has only played games of this series maybe six times or less and I have been the crack addict. We are a weird pair, I will not deny that.

After reading for months about Final Fantasy XIII... it makes me wish I had picked up a PS3 over the 360. At least I wouldn't have to worry about the damned thing overheating, breaking down, growing legs and joining a global invasion from outer space, etc.

Other then that... hmm... nothing else really to say I suppose. Work is still so very fun! (lie) and hell, yesterday was the first day of this huge sale and the particluar section where the store I work is located had a few electrical issues. Well, enough so that they shut down the secion and we all pretty much left early!

It is a sign! Work = BAD. Finding a million dollars on the ground = Why haven't you come to me!?

Oh well. Back to work today, maybe it'll fly by and be over and done before I even know it. Electrical issues: ROUND 2! I need to get back to sleep...

The Road to Hell

So I've been a little out of my own loop lately, which isn't say much... but still! Work has been my central focus for the most part and from now and until sometime in January, we'll be swamped by a mass of Japanese gift sets and varieties of mochi, teas and the list goes on. I remember how this sale was last year (I had the good fortune to have started working just as this sale began) and I expect to be crazy by mid-November, if not sooner.

Blue Dragon progress report: I've finally reached to the 3rd disk and I think it is safe for me to say that the favorite character around this household is easily Marumaro. That Devee has got character... and gas!

Oh and dare I omit the fact that my XBox 360 has begun to forget how to read disks and inform me that the games I am inserting into it need to be XBox 360 games. If memory serves me right, my first 360 pulled this crap off just before it tossed the ever popular red rings of death at those bloody idiots at Wal-Mart. Yes, good times are ahead... *sigh*

Another way I've been passing some of my free time lately has been watching the first 2 seasons of the Tenchi OVA series. That is easily among my all-time favorites, which is more then I can ever say for that goddamn 3rd season that was released a few years (?) ago. The ways a series can be butchered... yeesh... and to top it off, it ends just like Ranma 1/2 and Inu-Yasha! NO FREAKING ENDING!

*Cough*

But that is a different story for a different time, which might be next time considering how brain dead I've been lately. I kind of can't wait for some turkey this year, for reasons which I cannot quite spell out simply because. Well, I don't really know to be honest.

Maybe it is just the simple thought of food?

Or maybe some pie?

Mmmm....

A rather off subject here folks, in compairson to the other stuff today that is, but man hasn't the weather in Hawaii been a bitch? Rain, no rain, rain, no rain... just let it rain damn it! Downpour is good! Hmm, Flooding...? Eh... So long as it takes all of those (and only those) Japanese gift sets and all that other stuff back out to sea, I. Am. Happy.

The End.

P.S. If anyone happens upon a few million dollars or so, just laying around some place... that would be mine. Yes, that would be the funds from my own... Um... Video Games for Terminally Bored and Hapless Individuals. Hawaii. Federation. Association. Foundation. Group. Inc.

Side Note: I was/am surprised to see the Nintendo Wii being advertised in the sale ads lately. Does this mean there is finally stock to meet the demand? Or is this just another round of sick, twisted and disgusting humor on the part of those that simply cannot keep up? But decided to run it in their ad just for shits?

I should hope not...

Back on Track Again!

I've picked back up on Blue Dragon a little and one thing I will share is my general indifference towards the characters. This is pretty much my one and only gripe about the game really, the fact that the characters feel so very flat. There really wasn't any true backgrounds given for Shu, Jiro or Kluke. Oddly enough, I admit the two characters I do like are Marumaro and Zola, whom do have significantly more (compared to the other three characters) fleshing out.

Call me a fan boy, but one reason why I am always drawn me back to Square-Enix RPGs is because of their ability to craft characters and stories that make you give a damn. People appear and play a part in the story, each one has a past and each of which is played out for the player to experience. A good example, in my opinion, is the character Basche, from Final Fantasy XII. Or Cecil from Final Fantasy IV. Or how about the characters of the Kingdom Hearts games? I'd say that was a fairly well crafted affair in my own humble opinion.

Still with me here, with all of this? This whole thing might not make much sense, since I tend to get my words jumbled up and crossed fairly easily in subjects like this. But I think what I am trying to get at is, well... hell I just miss the characters that weren't so damn hollow. I think that is the sole reason why I tend not to pick up that many RPGs these days. For me it is just a huge waste of money, to be playing a game that is about as well thought up as a finger in an electric outlet.

Maybe those well thought out RPGs are a thing of the past, mere figments of imaginations that are now long gone with the wind. I mean who plays games for well developed characters and stories? That's dork stuff right there! Just spice up the graphics and throw in a few fucks and a couple of buckets of blood and ta-da! We've got ourselves a game folks!

So it looks to me that the only salvation left, if even, is left solely in the hands of Square-Enix. I wish there were more variety to it, but it looks like that is going to be it for any forseeable future. Everyone else seems to go through the motions, but really... they just fall short in the end. Yes, I understand that I am likely expecting more then what will ever be released again, but eh...

Anyway, I just got to watch the Chinese movie, Seven Swords, and it is pretty enjoyable in my book. OK, so I haven't watched it entirely to the end yet (the movie is on 2 DVDs, the original I read is about 400+ minutes). So I shall return again to post up some thoughts on that once I've see it to it's end. Until then...

Hulk squash!

Demo Madness!

So I've been making some use of my one month free on XBox Live and so far I've been trying out a couple of game demos. Being that I am trying to be a cheap bastard here, it was a surprise to see that you have to buy points to buy stuff on XBox Live. What got me even more was there wasn't any online arcade or a place you could just play games. You had to buy them to play the full games!

Buy, buy, buy... *feels a headache coming on*

I admit though, that I was surprised to see the amount of games that there are demos for. Which is a good thing, because I don't think I'm going to be going crazy on this point buying stuff any day soon. And well, with all of these free demos to try out, I really don't know where to begin! But maybe this will help me sort out what I actually like and really, really don't.

I still hate Overlord... you too Dynasty Warriors: Gundam. Booo!

Anyway, two games that I've tried that I believe to be worth mentioning are The Darkness and Connan. I've only read about Connan and The Darkness I've actually been wanting to rent for a few months now, but wouldn't you know it? Blockbuster hasn't had it in stock...

Connan was pretty straight forward, I mean you run, you hack and the bad guys die. What stumped me for a good 5 minutes was how to break through the soldiers that kept blocking. I mean here I am, wailing away at this bastards with all two of my swords and nothing!

To my surprise, breaking through those blocks required either a two handed weapon or just one sword. Once that was learned, those soldiers were a breeze.

My only gripe from the demo was the lack of ability to move the camera, which I am hoping is only because it is a demo. It is an absolute pain to not be able to see enemies running at you from off-camera. Well like I said, I am hoping that this is something only here because it is a demo. If not... blah!

The Darkness was pretty fun too and the story itself (from the 3 chapters included in the demo) seemed interesting. What I like even more is that you aren't playing the hero, you aren't a 'good guy' here. Nope, you just got betrayed and now you're out to make them all pay. Oh and you've got some demon power living inside of you too, which does help matters.

The gun play is pretty standard FPS stuff, you shoot and reload and all that stuff. What adds a little spice to the mix is the Darkness powers. You can scout around with it and can also kill with it at the same time, which definitely comes in handy.

The catch here is you have to get rid of light sources or else it will limit your power. Or something to that effect. What was a fun power was the Shadow Arm I believed it was called. You basically have this black demon arm/spike that you can use to impale enemies and destroy stuff with. It did get a little frustrating at a point, because I just couldn't seem to get the damn this to kill people.

I think I might have missed something along the way.

Anyhow, that is that and now I'm going to go try out maybe Dead Rising (Old game yes, but the promise of zombie killing is too much for me to resist), Skate (Don't ask why) and maybe Bioshock too.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008

So I just signed up with XBox Live today and the very first thing I went for was the demo for the next SD vs. Raw game. Now I'll admit that wrestling games have been my vice, just a game I just get addicted to playing more so then usually whatever else I have at that moment.

Now it isn't really the game itself that gets me hooked, but more the create-a-wrestler mode. God, I can spend hours and hours and hours on that alone. What got me is the fact that apparently, that mode has been improved (much to the dismay of my girlfriend, who still hates the series).

Anyway, back to the demo for the 2008 game and my first impressions of it. It definitely plays much differently then the previous titles. You get more options on how to decimate your opponent and now moves are separated by fighting styles.

Graphics are pretty impressive too, maybe more so for me because I've been playing the 2006 game for the past several years now. So naturally, everything looks a whole lot better. Hell, even the stages for the various shows look pretty damn good.

The demo sports a decent group to try out (Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton & Bobby Lashley). I think that group allows you to try out the highflyer, powerhouse, dirty and technical styles. Maybe there is more and I think there is. But in any event, I cannot remember what it was and so we shall move on.

And move on for me to say that is it! I got nothing else to say besides the game is going to be released at the beginning of next month and personally, that couldn't possibly come soon enough. CM Punk!

Games on the Brain

I got my first taste of Final Fantasy XI in quite a few months today and I am still not quite 'hooked' or throughly convinced that I'll make a full return. I was passed the control for my girlfriend's Monk and had to take over in her party for about an hour. Nothing fancy needed, just pound away at the unsuspecting (well that isn't entirely true) bird until it dies.

Simple!

Then again, it was beginning to put me to sleep and I don't think that is a very good thing while in the middle of a party. Still, it was, at the very least, a little interesting to get back into it. I'd prefer to level up my Samurai, but I was happy enough just to get in a few first 'vokes and a couple of weaponskills here and there.

Maybe that is the secret? Small doses of this online game just might be the trick!

Hmm... nah...

Besides, I still have a number of other games I'd like to see finished off beforehand and none of them are even half way finished yet. I am slightly surprised to be here and saying that there are still a couple of good stories left in offline RPGs it seems. Well, good enough for me to want to actually see how they all end. Topping that list is a bit of a draw between Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata. Maybe more Eternal Sonata at this point...

Surely both of them aren't instant classics (from what I've played through so far at least), but I will say that both look pretty damn promising. What I am hoping for now is maybe a couple more RPGs for the XBox 360 and who knows? Maybe those will be much better then those that are out right now!

Wishful thinking, yes. But a gamer can hope, can he not?

The Vastness of Nothing

With the lack of options for the PSP, I have to say that I was excited to learn that Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness is being released soon! Like at the end of the month kind of soon! And I'm broke! Surprised am I? Nope! No surprise here, that's for damn sure.

But even with my rampage of game purchases, which includes:
- Blue Dragon
- Halo 3
- Eternal Sonata
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
- Warriors Orochi
- Daxter
- Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
- Dot Hack//G.U. Volume 3

And of that list, I think I've finished off 2 of those games (and DW: Gundam will be made into store credit in the very near future). At first I thought maybe it was because of the fact that I work and usually don't feel up for gaming when I get home. But no, I can to realize that I just don't really give a damn about the vast majority of the games I've picked up.

Yes, I can say 'incredible waste of money.'

Maybe I should stray away from sequels for a while, just to get into something new and different. I was considering on getting games like Beautiful Katamari and Naruto: Rise of a Ninja. But at this point, I'm looking (and thinking) it'll just end up being a further waste of money.

Speaking of which, I've not logged back into Final Fantasy XI since my one night of sheep killing. I guess that is to say that my interests in the game haven't returned to me?

On the topic of Final Fantasy, I am enjoying my return visit to Final Fantasy Tactics in small doses. I don't want to kill the interest and I am enjoying myself maybe 2-3 battles a day. I can't wait till the day I finally get my small army in full swing. Enemy soldiers beware!

And now for something a little different or unusual for me at least. A few days ago, I picked up an American comic. Not Japanese or Korean or whatever other Asian-based manga as I have done for the past many years. But American.

The Verdict? I actually enjoyed it.

The comic in question was the collected story of Planet Hulk, which (obviously) centers around the Hulk. You see, Hulk was/is mad. Hulk smashes. Earth heroes were afraid of this and tricked the Hulk and sent him away into space.

Hulk got angrier.

But then something unexpected happened and Hulk's ship gets pulled into a black hole and lands on an entirely different world. He is forced to become a gladiator, he becomes a hero, he gets smarter, makes friends and even gets married among other things. But something bad happens and... and the collection ends there. I love/hate cliffhanger endings.

Wow, those are things I never thought I'd ever associate with the Hulk (Smarter, married, having friends, etc). And despite my terrible attempt at summing up the basic plot, it is a pretty good story in my humble opinion and I can't wait until Marvel releases World War Hulk in a collection someday (soon hopefully).

What is World War Hulk? When Hulk goes back to Earth with his new friends with but one thing on his mind: Revenge.

And now I'm going to go do something productive or at least something that will keep me busy for a while. Maybe I'll play a game or two, which will hopefully work out. Or maybe I'll sit here and write more about nothing in particular as I've noticed myself doing more often to before. Either way, I shall return.....

New Adventures...

So this weekend wasn't spent watching jets flying this way and that or stuff that really required much getting out of the house for. Rather, my weekend was spent gaming and now I can say that I've gotten back into Nintendo DS games and now PSP games too. It is truly portable insanity in it's fullest effect...

I'm going to keep this short and sweet, since I have been spending the last several hours glued to FFT: War of the Lions. Speaking of which, it is as good as I remember it and the added cut scenes are beautiful to say the least. I was absolutely blown away by the clarity of the PSP and I can say that FFT looks better now then it did all of those years ago.

My only gripe about it so far, and this seems to be a common 'problem,' is the lag. It happens whenever your (or the enemy) soldiers attacks/uses a spell or ability. It isn't game breaking and for damn sure not nearly as bad as the lag was in the PSOne remake of Final Fantasy VI/Chrono Trigger. Besides that, playing FFT feels like home again...

As for Legend of Zelda, I've only gotten to play it for a very short time but the time I spent with it was pretty impressive to me. What intrigued me was how you were to navigate through the game by not using the standard D-pad, but the stick/pencil... er... thing. Same goes for attacking, which does add a different level of game play.

So with that all said and done now, now I shall return to war. There are countless soldiers that need be trained and to reforge the army I once commanded many long years ago will be a long and arduous task. It will take time, yes, but heed my words... We will rise again! Dun dun duuuuuuun!

Thoughts & Memories

So I've been sitting in this chair of mine for quite a while tonight and for all of that time I have been in deep thought. I've been thinking about what exactly is the purpose of blogging or more accurately, why do I do it? Perhaps these writings will serve as a platform to which I shall leave an everlasting (or as long as Blogger remains) mark on the Internet, one that houses my thoughts and memories? Or maybe I just don't have anything better to do? Or it could very well be a combination of both those reasons and more?

It is a question I doubt I'll be able to answer, but nonetheless it does house both my thoughts and memories alike. With that being said, I have been inspired to a degree to write down a list (of no particular length) of games that I've enjoyed. Thrilling, yes?

I think it serves a bit more purpose then meets the eye, particularly because of the fact that there are so many games (or RPGs) that just don't cut it the way they once did. Surely it could just be that I've grown older and don't quite enjoy the same things I once did. Or maybe after seeing the same story time and again, the appeal has just faded away.

But no, no... I will not think of this in that way, because when I do pick up games that I have played in the past, that feeling of fun returns. Add to that the memories of past adventures through lands that stretch far beyond our imaginations. Personally, a great many of these games ultimately helped in shaping and expanding my own imagination, which ties into my writing.

- Final Fantasy II (IV): While I didn't have to name this one first, I am obligated in a sense to do so because this is the very first RPG that I ever played. Not to mention the fact that it was because of this game that I became forever hooked into the worlds and lives that would come in the years to follow.

My fondest memory of the game (when I was a kid) was the airships, the Red Wings as they are called in the game. I was fascinated by the idea of these flying ships and just watching the opening scene, with them flying in formation, drew me into the world instantly.

Another memory was when adult Rydia returns to save you in the Underworld. First off, it was awesome to see her return, especially after the fact that she went overboard after Leviathan attacked the ship which she and your party were travelling on. It also just blew my mind the power that she wielded, which was considerably more.

- Final Fantasy III (VI): I admired the fact that Square included as many characters as they did into the game, not to mention the story of the game was nothing less then amazing. What impressed me even more so was the fact that none of these characters were just "there." Each of them had a name and they all had their story and their reasons for being among the resistance or the "Returners" as they called themselves.

Like Final Fantasy IV, my fond memory of this game again revolves around the airships. It was so very cool when you finally get to control the Black Jack and even more when you attain the Phoenix, during the second half of the game.

I also remember this game as the first (I think) and last FF game where the Ultima spell actually kicked ass.

- Vandal Hearts: I wonder how many people played this game? I remember reading about this game in one of those Playstation magazines and being wowed by it at first sight. Yes, this is what got me into buying a PS1, all those many years ago. My only regret with this game was never getting Ash (the main character) to his ultimate job class...

(SIde Note: I am surprised to have read on IGN, apparently a Vandal Hearts game is in the works for the Nintendo DS. Consider me intrigued.)

- Chrono Trigger: This was just a purely fun game, from the game play to the characters to the story itself. It was a masterpiece of it's time and I'd even dare say it remains so today. I think my favorite moment was when you can recruit Magus into your party, whom I believe was a very kick ass character (next to Frog and Crono).

- Suikoden I & II: Both of these games were absolute addictions for me, mainly because the stories for both games were very well told. I think this game is evidence that you do not have to have the absolute best graphics to have an incredible game. Not to mention the fact that you could actually amass an army, which I also got addicted to because I always loved seeing how your castle/headquarters changed when your army increased in number.

- Wild Arms: This game was a favorite almost instantly for me, though I am sadden to admit that I ended up not giving it it's due back in the day because of a game called Final Fantasy VII. Hands down, I prefer this version over the Alter Code F remake.

- Final Fantasy VII: Dear god, I believe this game was dubbed "The Most Anticipated game of 1997" and for damn good reason. I'd go on about memories, but there are just too many for me to be able to list them all. Ah hell, I'll give this as good a shot as I can.

One thing I remember was Aeris's death, which still stands out in my mind pretty strongly whenever I think about this game. I remember that sinking feeling in my gut and I remember being pissed off (I was deeply involved with the game as a kid) and wanting to hunt down Sephiroth.

Another memory is Chocobo breeding, which I spent what probably could amount to a lifetime (lie) in this little side game. My gold Chocobo ruled all!

- Earthbound: I think this was about as weird an RPG as I ever played on any system, past and present. I mean I'll never forget the Blue Cult or the monster named Belch or even Mr. Saturn! Just thinking about this makes me wish I could play this one again... right now!

- Final Fantasy Tactics: I can remember the hours spent on convincing enemy units to jump sides. I remember resetting the game when I couldn't revive a vital party member in time. Hell, I remember using T.G. Cid (after teaching him the Time Mage's Warp ability) to end battles in a single turn.

And I'd love to continue on, but my eyes are refusing to work with me by staying open long enough to muster up more memories of games from the past. I may continue on again...