So, in my Creative Writing class, we have to create a character and every story we're assigned within the first quarter (I have it all year) must be about her/him. I found this to be quite difficult, because having such a devoted character for multiple projects is a cool idea, but for me to be happy, I have to make the character very good.
We had to do a biography on our character, with the only limitation being that it has to be a human. I like to think I'm happy with who I created. When I write fiction I can never help but taking a great deal of inspiration from my life, and I don't think I could ever create a main character who isn't at least somewhat like me.
So, I kinda made the character like me, but I of course made him quite different and interesting. I'm not story-worthy, and I don't like me that much.
I should be presenting this tomorrow, so I haven't yet gotten a grade on this yet. Any little stories I'm proud of, I may just post here. Be sure to tell me what you think!
---
Steve Tyler Abstack is quite the mash-up of a character. Traits such as intelligence and passion clash with procrastination and laziness. His stature, heritage, and other things make him seem like nothing out of the ordinary, while his mature tastes and level of passion make him seem rather atypical. He is rather complex.
Steve was born on April 1st of 1993, in the great New York City, New York. Steve grew up in a normal household, with (currently) 42 and 43 year-old parents, the latter year applying to the father and the former to the mother. He is an only child of currently 18 years of age in his Senior year of High School.
Mr. Abstack is a rather normal looking person for his age, by American standards. He is 5’9’’, 195 pounds. This is classified as overweight: Steve is often made fun of for his weight, but he never thinks much of it anymore, and typically joins in with his arsenal of self-depurative humor. Steve dresses plainly half of the time, the other half dressing with humorous shirts often referencing pop culture. He is White with green eyes, and is right-handed.
Steve has an IQ of 141, but is only mostly a good student. Steve can understand the material very well when he applies himself, but often falls prey to procrastination and laziness. Steve’s best grades are in his Art, English, and History classes, with only “pretty good” grades in Sciences and Maths. His Math and Science classes are far from above him, he simply lacks any and all interest in the subject matters. Steve is proud when he does well, but often regrets his less-than apt performance in others areas.
Steve is very passionate in the field of art and entertainment, especially film. Some of his favorite movies are Citizen Kane, Fantasia, and The Dark Knight. Steve spends most of his free time either creating, critiquing or experiencing art or entertainment in some form or another, whether it be watching the latest episode of South Park, filming a quick short film, writing up a review for the latest film or spending the whole day on a drawing that he was obsessively interested in doing.
Steve tends to be rather social, though only has a couple people whom he would really consider friends. Most people are neutral towards him, and enjoy the quick jokes and small talk that they exchange with him. Steve has a strange sense of humor, but it usually works in his favor and produces laughter. His unconventional tastes and disposition stop him from obtaining popularity, but that doesn’t bother him anymore.
Steve has never been in a relationship with a girl. This is due to a slight confidence issue and fear of confrontation, because he has certainly been interested in several girls and has regretted not making a move several times in the past at one time or another. He goes on and off with crushes, but never pursues such emotions because he just feels as though it’s pointless; that high school girls aren’t old enough to date someone who isn’t outlandishly good-looking, and those who might be just don’t clash well with his decidedly picky specifications.
Steve’s favorite food is pizza, simply because it’s a combination of meat, vegetables, sauces, etc. Steve is an adventurous eater, boasting a wide-range of different tastes in food. He always loves going out to a nice place to eat, and at times finds himself dissatisfied with food that is not of a high quality, such as fast food and what is served in school. His interest in food may be the reason for his weight, along with his adherence to movement.
Steve is all-around an interesting person. His appearance paints him as a rather standard American young adult, but he really is much more than that. He has a large amount of passion for art and entertainment, though unfortunately his interest is so large that it causes him to become apathetic about just about everything else, such as his least favorite classes in school. This sets him up as a successful, yet ultimately rather vulnerable character. What happens to him in the future will surely be interesting.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Interview with Jordan Schmidt!
The Youtube Gaming Community is why I'm here today. If PeteDorr's great videos, along with the videos of many other Youtubers, hadn't convinced me to make an account over at PetesGameRoomForum, many of you most likely wouldn't know who I am. I watch Youtubers within the gaming community every day, and I have been for probably around 2 years now.
Welcome to my first ever interview, with Youtube personality and good friend of mine, Jordan Schmidt, otherwise know as skatingandgaming! Jordan's currently just under 50 subscribers, but he deserves so much more! Be sure to head over to his channel and subscribe if you enjoy his stuff!
---
#1. To start things off, could you please introduce yourself?
Sure! Well, my names Jordan. I'm 15 years old, and I also have a YouTube channel, called skatingandgaming. It's a small channel right now, but it's slowly growing.
#2. What inspired you to start your Youtube channel, and what motivates you to keep on making videos?
I'd have to say, I was inspired by other YouTubers to make my own videos. I loved watching tvandlust, who's definitely my favorite.. I also loved StormCloudReigns, and PeteDorr. As for what keeps me going.. I'd have to say all of the comments and messages I get. Although my channel is small, I've still met some great people through YouTube.
#3. Tell us about your history in Skateboarding, and how you plan on covering that in the future of your channel.
Well.. My friends all skated in about 7th grade, which got me into it. I remember watching the pros do it, and wanting to be just like them. I can remember trying to learn my first trick, the Ollie. A simple but difficult one. I always get such a great satisfaction when I land a trick I've been practicing for weeks. It's more of a hobby anymore, as gaming has taken center stage in my life. I don't do much skating on my channel, honestly. I plan on making another montage in the future, and possibly some trick tips.
#4. What's the story behind that awesome logo of yours?
Matt.... I think you already freaking know :).
5. First word to come to mind when you hear...
“Youtube”?... tvandlust!
“Video Games”?... Nintendo!
“Internet”?... Computer!
“Website”?... tvandlust! (again)
“Food”? French Fries!
6. First video game you ever played?
First one I EVER played? Man... It's gotta be SoulBlade on the PS1. It's an odd game, and not many have heard of it. It's basically the beginning of the SoulCalibur fighting series. So good.
7. Favorite game of all-time?
Hmm... Tough one. Most people would automatically jump to Ocarina of Time, but I'm gonna go against the grain and say The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker. I absolutely love that game.
8. Favorite system of all-time?
Easy question. Gamecube. I grew up with it, and it has so many classic s that people overlooked.
9. What are your thoughts on the Nintendo 3DS?
I love the 3DS! Yes, it is true that there aren't too many games out right now, but there are more coming! It truly is a great system. Don't overlook it just because there isn't a heavy hitter Nintendo title in there.
10. Are you looking forward to the Wii U?
Absolutely! I love to see company's pushing new ideas, and the controller offers so many possibilities.
11. How about the Playstation Vita?
Yes, I'm looking forward to the Vita. The hardware is very impressive, and the price point is just right.
12. What is your current favorite podcast?
I listen to a lot. It used to be the tvandlust podcast, but I have to say the Operation Kill Screen podcast. I love it. It's so hilarious, but they still talk about games, which I like.
13. Favorite console of this generation: PS3, 360, or Wii?
360 for sure. I prefer the controller, and Live is great.
14. Favorite handheld of this generation: DS or PSP?
I have to say the DS. I like the PSP, but the DS just has a better library, in my opinion.
15. What game are you the best at (in terms of how good you are at playing the game)?
Not to brag or anything, but I'm unbeatable in Super Smash Bros Brawl! I'm also a huge Pokemon fan, so I'm pretty good at battling others.
16. Out of all that are currently released, which system are you looking to acquire the most?
I'd love to get a Dreamcast! It actually may be the next console I buy.
17. Which series is better: Skate or Tony Hawk
Oh man. I love the early Tony Hawk games, like the Pro Skater series. But they just keep getting worse and worse. I have to say Skate. It's much more realistic, and it's just so fun.
18. Gaming site of choice?
Destructoid
19. Favorite genre of games?
It's a toss up. Either Action RPG's or Platformers. Probably Platformers.
20. What's one random fact about yourself that you haven't yet revealed to the internet?
I freaking love peanut butter.
21. Any hobbies outside of gaming and skateboarding?
Well, I read in my spare time. So yeah, I'll go with reading.
22. Favorite Movie of all-time?
It's so hard to choose just one! I'd have to say Jurassic Park, only because I watched it so much as a kid.
23. Current favorite TV show?
Don't watch much TV, but I did enjoy The Walking Dead a few months back.
24. Favorite Artist/Band?
I love rap. I listen to a lot of Lil Wayne. I also love metal and rock, I like Alice in Chains, Metallica, that sort of stuff.
25. Any last words for my readers?
Well, I'd like to thank anyone who took the time to read this, and I want to thank anyone who subscribed to my YouTube channel or at least gave it a look.
---
Be sure to hook my buddy Jordan up by hitting him up all over the net!
Twitter!
Youtube!
Tumblr!
---
Hope you enjoyed my first interview! Please leave your suggestions and critique in the comments below!
Welcome to my first ever interview, with Youtube personality and good friend of mine, Jordan Schmidt, otherwise know as skatingandgaming! Jordan's currently just under 50 subscribers, but he deserves so much more! Be sure to head over to his channel and subscribe if you enjoy his stuff!
---
#1. To start things off, could you please introduce yourself?
Sure! Well, my names Jordan. I'm 15 years old, and I also have a YouTube channel, called skatingandgaming. It's a small channel right now, but it's slowly growing.
#2. What inspired you to start your Youtube channel, and what motivates you to keep on making videos?
I'd have to say, I was inspired by other YouTubers to make my own videos. I loved watching tvandlust, who's definitely my favorite.. I also loved StormCloudReigns, and PeteDorr. As for what keeps me going.. I'd have to say all of the comments and messages I get. Although my channel is small, I've still met some great people through YouTube.
#3. Tell us about your history in Skateboarding, and how you plan on covering that in the future of your channel.
Well.. My friends all skated in about 7th grade, which got me into it. I remember watching the pros do it, and wanting to be just like them. I can remember trying to learn my first trick, the Ollie. A simple but difficult one. I always get such a great satisfaction when I land a trick I've been practicing for weeks. It's more of a hobby anymore, as gaming has taken center stage in my life. I don't do much skating on my channel, honestly. I plan on making another montage in the future, and possibly some trick tips.
#4. What's the story behind that awesome logo of yours?
Matt.... I think you already freaking know :).
5. First word to come to mind when you hear...
“Youtube”?... tvandlust!
“Video Games”?... Nintendo!
“Internet”?... Computer!
“Website”?... tvandlust! (again)
“Food”? French Fries!
6. First video game you ever played?
First one I EVER played? Man... It's gotta be SoulBlade on the PS1. It's an odd game, and not many have heard of it. It's basically the beginning of the SoulCalibur fighting series. So good.
7. Favorite game of all-time?
Hmm... Tough one. Most people would automatically jump to Ocarina of Time, but I'm gonna go against the grain and say The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker. I absolutely love that game.
8. Favorite system of all-time?
Easy question. Gamecube. I grew up with it, and it has so many classic s that people overlooked.
9. What are your thoughts on the Nintendo 3DS?
I love the 3DS! Yes, it is true that there aren't too many games out right now, but there are more coming! It truly is a great system. Don't overlook it just because there isn't a heavy hitter Nintendo title in there.
10. Are you looking forward to the Wii U?
Absolutely! I love to see company's pushing new ideas, and the controller offers so many possibilities.
11. How about the Playstation Vita?
Yes, I'm looking forward to the Vita. The hardware is very impressive, and the price point is just right.
Jordan's Latest Video!
12. What is your current favorite podcast?
I listen to a lot. It used to be the tvandlust podcast, but I have to say the Operation Kill Screen podcast. I love it. It's so hilarious, but they still talk about games, which I like.
13. Favorite console of this generation: PS3, 360, or Wii?
360 for sure. I prefer the controller, and Live is great.
14. Favorite handheld of this generation: DS or PSP?
I have to say the DS. I like the PSP, but the DS just has a better library, in my opinion.
15. What game are you the best at (in terms of how good you are at playing the game)?
Not to brag or anything, but I'm unbeatable in Super Smash Bros Brawl! I'm also a huge Pokemon fan, so I'm pretty good at battling others.
16. Out of all that are currently released, which system are you looking to acquire the most?
I'd love to get a Dreamcast! It actually may be the next console I buy.
17. Which series is better: Skate or Tony Hawk
Oh man. I love the early Tony Hawk games, like the Pro Skater series. But they just keep getting worse and worse. I have to say Skate. It's much more realistic, and it's just so fun.
18. Gaming site of choice?
Destructoid
19. Favorite genre of games?
It's a toss up. Either Action RPG's or Platformers. Probably Platformers.
20. What's one random fact about yourself that you haven't yet revealed to the internet?
I freaking love peanut butter.
21. Any hobbies outside of gaming and skateboarding?
Well, I read in my spare time. So yeah, I'll go with reading.
22. Favorite Movie of all-time?
It's so hard to choose just one! I'd have to say Jurassic Park, only because I watched it so much as a kid.
23. Current favorite TV show?
Don't watch much TV, but I did enjoy The Walking Dead a few months back.
24. Favorite Artist/Band?
I love rap. I listen to a lot of Lil Wayne. I also love metal and rock, I like Alice in Chains, Metallica, that sort of stuff.
25. Any last words for my readers?
Well, I'd like to thank anyone who took the time to read this, and I want to thank anyone who subscribed to my YouTube channel or at least gave it a look.
---
Be sure to hook my buddy Jordan up by hitting him up all over the net!
Twitter!
Youtube!
Tumblr!
---
Hope you enjoyed my first interview! Please leave your suggestions and critique in the comments below!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Second Circle Pad Expansion For 3DS: Worst Idea Ever?
My initial, knee-jerk reaction to the 3DS Second Circle Pad Expansion:
TROLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO! I'LL PROBABLY BUY IT BECAUSE NINTENDO HAS ME ON A LEASH BUT TROLOLOLOLOLO!
My well-thought out views on the 3DS Second Circle Pad Expansion after days and days of scrutiny and examination:
I love my 3DS quite a bit: The buttons feel rather nice, the online infrastructure and interface at the moment get the job done, the current game line-up right now is pretty good and looks as thought it will be bumped up to "amazing" when the upcoming heavy-hitters release for it, and that glasses-free 3D effect sure is nifty.
But, as silly as it may sound, I sometimes get this depressed, nervous feeling when I play my 3DS. A feeling stemming from the fear that the 3DS is going to become another financial-Gamecube for Nintendo; a system that will most likely last a good four or five years, but with only first-party software to look forward to. The price-drop is helping a lot now but it's not going to help long-term all that much.
All Nintendo has to do to fix that problem is get systems out there, get a big third-party release out there, and show that there's reason to make a game on 3DS. Nintendo obviously realizes this.
Remember when Monster Hunter Tri released on the Wii?
Nintendo: "Hey, Capcom, we want a little Monster Hunter action over here on the Wii..."
Capcom: "Well we kinda wanna use dual sticks for our next Monster Hunter..."
Nintendo: "YOU GOT IT!"
Thus, the Classic Controller Pro was born.
And now...
Nintendo: "YA KNOW CAPCOM, WE GOT THIS SUPER COOL 3DS SYSTEM WITH AN AWESOME CIRCLE PAD. IT'S, LIKE, THE FIRST GAMING-FOCUSED HANDHELD OF THE NEXT GENERATION. How about some mo' Monster Hunter?!"
Capcom: "You remember our old response..."
Nintendo: "But the system's already out... and it's not doing so well, so people are gonna flip out and call us names..."
Capcom: "Alright, that's fine, we understand, ya know we're planning on putting out Monster Hunter 4 on the Vita. Have you seen that thing, looks awesome, eh?"
Nintendo: 'NO WAIT! WAIT! WAIT... URGH... MEN! GET STARTED ON A SECOND CIRCLE PAD EXPANSION. ADD SOME SHOULDER BUTTONS WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!"
Thus, the 3DS Second Circle Pad [and Double-Shoulder Button] Expansion was born.
Wait a sec... I'm seeing a bit of a connection.
Nintendo clearly made the Classic Controller Pro to make the Wii more appealing for third-party developers. Nintendo didn't do much with the controller itself, but it seemed to work well for the third-party games that made a big deal out of supporting it (Monster Hunter Tri, Goldeneye 007, etc.), as well as, on top of that, making some of the system's past titles a little bit more comfortable and responsive. And you didn't have to buy it: I played Monster Hunter Tri with a standard Classic Controller, and a friend of mine enjoyed it with a Wiimote and Nunchuck. So it was great.
It looks to me like it's going to be the same story for the expansion coming to the 3DS. Metal Gear Solid 3D, Resident Evil Revelations, and of course Monster Hunter 3G and 4 will have support for the expansion; games and series with past games that were commonly criticized for their lack of dual-stick controls. The expansion looks as though it's going to make the system a lot more comfortable to hold. I get the sense that the 3DS is too skinny and is too short in length to be as comfortable as a 360 controller, or something of that ilk: The expansion makes it fatter and longer. The Second Circle Pad Expansion's purpose is to make the at-home experience of playing your 3DS ten times better, while not rendering the system obsolete when you're out-and-about with it. I'd be surprised if it didn't succeed with that.
Oh, and what's going to happen when the inevitable 3DS Redesign is made? It will most likely throw in the second stick and two extra buttons on the top. (Perhaps with an optional add-on to give it the comfortability that I suspect the expansion for the current 3DS to boast?) Dual-stick games on 3DS will probably become more common, and I'd predict that some games, at that point, would require it, which is fine because adopters of the redesign will have the extras built right into the hardware, and the expansion will most likely be inexpensive.
I'd say it's going to squeeze a circle pad below the ABXY buttons on the right, and put cute wittle "I wanna be a REAL shoulder button!" shoulder buttons to the right of the L button and vice-versa.
Ya know, like the original Classic Controller has:
I think this attachment is a great idea. Even if it turns out to be awful, no one, currently, has plans to force it upon you, so I don't see much room to complain. You could say that Nintendo should have shipped the system with two sticks in the first place, and I'd probably agree, but I'd say it's more productive to say "Okay, it's late, but it's cool" rather than "I DON'T WANT IT 'CUZ NINTENDO IS DUMB AND ONLY WANTS YO' MONEY DAWG".
TROLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO! I'LL PROBABLY BUY IT BECAUSE NINTENDO HAS ME ON A LEASH BUT TROLOLOLOLOLO!
My well-thought out views on the 3DS Second Circle Pad Expansion after days and days of scrutiny and examination:
I love my 3DS quite a bit: The buttons feel rather nice, the online infrastructure and interface at the moment get the job done, the current game line-up right now is pretty good and looks as thought it will be bumped up to "amazing" when the upcoming heavy-hitters release for it, and that glasses-free 3D effect sure is nifty.
But, as silly as it may sound, I sometimes get this depressed, nervous feeling when I play my 3DS. A feeling stemming from the fear that the 3DS is going to become another financial-Gamecube for Nintendo; a system that will most likely last a good four or five years, but with only first-party software to look forward to. The price-drop is helping a lot now but it's not going to help long-term all that much.
All Nintendo has to do to fix that problem is get systems out there, get a big third-party release out there, and show that there's reason to make a game on 3DS. Nintendo obviously realizes this.
Remember when Monster Hunter Tri released on the Wii?
Nintendo: "Hey, Capcom, we want a little Monster Hunter action over here on the Wii..."
Capcom: "Well we kinda wanna use dual sticks for our next Monster Hunter..."
Nintendo: "YOU GOT IT!"
Thus, the Classic Controller Pro was born.
And now...
Nintendo: "YA KNOW CAPCOM, WE GOT THIS SUPER COOL 3DS SYSTEM WITH AN AWESOME CIRCLE PAD. IT'S, LIKE, THE FIRST GAMING-FOCUSED HANDHELD OF THE NEXT GENERATION. How about some mo' Monster Hunter?!"
Capcom: "You remember our old response..."
Nintendo: "But the system's already out... and it's not doing so well, so people are gonna flip out and call us names..."
Capcom: "Alright, that's fine, we understand, ya know we're planning on putting out Monster Hunter 4 on the Vita. Have you seen that thing, looks awesome, eh?"
Nintendo: 'NO WAIT! WAIT! WAIT... URGH... MEN! GET STARTED ON A SECOND CIRCLE PAD EXPANSION. ADD SOME SHOULDER BUTTONS WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!"
Thus, the 3DS Second Circle Pad [and Double-Shoulder Button] Expansion was born.
Wait a sec... I'm seeing a bit of a connection.
Nintendo clearly made the Classic Controller Pro to make the Wii more appealing for third-party developers. Nintendo didn't do much with the controller itself, but it seemed to work well for the third-party games that made a big deal out of supporting it (Monster Hunter Tri, Goldeneye 007, etc.), as well as, on top of that, making some of the system's past titles a little bit more comfortable and responsive. And you didn't have to buy it: I played Monster Hunter Tri with a standard Classic Controller, and a friend of mine enjoyed it with a Wiimote and Nunchuck. So it was great.
It looks to me like it's going to be the same story for the expansion coming to the 3DS. Metal Gear Solid 3D, Resident Evil Revelations, and of course Monster Hunter 3G and 4 will have support for the expansion; games and series with past games that were commonly criticized for their lack of dual-stick controls. The expansion looks as though it's going to make the system a lot more comfortable to hold. I get the sense that the 3DS is too skinny and is too short in length to be as comfortable as a 360 controller, or something of that ilk: The expansion makes it fatter and longer. The Second Circle Pad Expansion's purpose is to make the at-home experience of playing your 3DS ten times better, while not rendering the system obsolete when you're out-and-about with it. I'd be surprised if it didn't succeed with that.
Oh, and what's going to happen when the inevitable 3DS Redesign is made? It will most likely throw in the second stick and two extra buttons on the top. (Perhaps with an optional add-on to give it the comfortability that I suspect the expansion for the current 3DS to boast?) Dual-stick games on 3DS will probably become more common, and I'd predict that some games, at that point, would require it, which is fine because adopters of the redesign will have the extras built right into the hardware, and the expansion will most likely be inexpensive.
I'd say it's going to squeeze a circle pad below the ABXY buttons on the right, and put cute wittle "I wanna be a REAL shoulder button!" shoulder buttons to the right of the L button and vice-versa.
Ya know, like the original Classic Controller has:
I think this attachment is a great idea. Even if it turns out to be awful, no one, currently, has plans to force it upon you, so I don't see much room to complain. You could say that Nintendo should have shipped the system with two sticks in the first place, and I'd probably agree, but I'd say it's more productive to say "Okay, it's late, but it's cool" rather than "I DON'T WANT IT 'CUZ NINTENDO IS DUMB AND ONLY WANTS YO' MONEY DAWG".
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Bloodrayne Betrayal Review (PSN/XBL)
Bloodrayne is a series that I've been aware of, but never all that interested in, until now: Bloodrayne Betrayal, announced early this year, peaked my interest the moment I laid my eyes on the announcement trailer. Betrayal is very different from past entries in the series, this game being an action/platformer, while the others were polygonal action games. The game is currently available on the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Store, and was released on September 6th (PSN) and 7th (XBLA).
The story in Bloodrayne Betrayal is interesting, but in many ways poorly presented. If I'm correct, the story follows protagonist Rayne, half-vampire-half-human, fighting against her vampire-father and his army of monsters for revenge. It's hard to be sure though, because the bits of text sprinkled in the game via speech bubbles above characters' heads are overly vague. It seems as though the player is intended to be already familiar with the Bloodrayne series for full enjoyment of the story, because some quick research on the series made me understand the plot of Betrayal more. This element is not very strong, but it is a small part of Betrayal, and mostly unobtrusive to the rest of the game.
The first thing that I noticed about Bloodrayne Betrayal were the gorgeous visuals. The super-stylized, dark, hand-drawn 2D art direction is stunning, to say the least. The animation is very fluid, the framerate stays mostly silky-smooth, and the screen is always bursting with color, detail, and character. With technically incredible games like Uncharted 2 in mind, I can say wholeheartedly that this is one of the best looking games I have ever seen. The audio is also very impressive, although not as mind-blowing: The heavy, fast, heart-pumping music suits the game perfectly and fades as your health is low.
Bloodrayne Betrayal's gameplay reminds me of a more platforming-heavy Vewtiful Joe. As Rayne, you must wall jump, back flip, and otherwise hop all about the game's environments until you encounter enemies. More often than not, once you run into some baddies, you are forced - stripped of your freedom to traverse the level - to dispose of them. It's a good formula, keeping the game fresh. Segments in which you play as a bird, flying through the environments, are also here and entertaining, but not a large part of the game.
The platforming in Betrayal largely is very good and controls well. It is usually treated with a sense of urgency, whether you're being chased down by a huge saw, running from enemies, or avoiding toxic green slime. The back flip feels like a 2D version of the identical maneuver carried out by a certain mustached, overall-wearing plumber: It works brilliantly, and is satisfying to use. Wall jumping, interestingly, is only applicable on certain surfaces, which is a cool idea. This wall jump feels a bit loose, however.
Combat in Betrayal is of a hack-n-slash style, similar to Castle Crashers. With sword in hand, you attack enemies fast and furiously, building combos as you go. New moves introduced as the game progresses, such as uppercuts and downward stabs, keep things fresh and varied. Rayne is also equipped with a powerful hand-gun, which is very brutal and successful in its attempts to kill your foes: Each bullet, which are randomly dropped from enemies, is valuable. Bloodrayne Betrayal is filled with around five bosses, all of which are cleverly designed, visually interesting, quite formidable, and a ton of fun to take down.
Bloodrayne Betrayal is very hard: Not often do we see games nowadays with such an old-school approach to difficulty. Platforms are deviously placed, enemies are plentiful and powerful, and checkpoints, while not excruciatingly so, are placed farther apart than most modern games. It's a good challenge rather than a source of frustration, though: Victories after long struggles prove to be very satisfying, and no task is too frustrating. You know a game is doing something right when enjoyment remains throughout long, loud, hate-filled stretches of naughty-word-filled-shouting.
Bloodrayne Betrayal is an extremely good game, is what I'm trying to say. It's only five or six hours long, but every second is immensely enjoyable, and the game is still filled with things to make you come back. Difficult trophies/achievements, hidden skulls (which grant more ammo slots for your gun and health enhancements) and highscore tracking for every level (as well as a collective score for your entire playthrough) gives this game a more than serviceable amount of lasting appeal.
For $15, you can buy one of the very best games to release so far this year. Gorgeous graphics, rocking tunes, challenging gameplay, and addictive highscore chasing and item collecting make this a stellar game. The game's only glaring flaw of a poorly executed plot isn't even close to stopping me from recommending this game to anyone. Video games don't get much better than Bloodrayne Betrayal.
Disclaimer:
Bloodrayne Betrayal was reviewed using the PSN version, played for approximately 5 hours, on a standard-definition, 4:3 television.
The story in Bloodrayne Betrayal is interesting, but in many ways poorly presented. If I'm correct, the story follows protagonist Rayne, half-vampire-half-human, fighting against her vampire-father and his army of monsters for revenge. It's hard to be sure though, because the bits of text sprinkled in the game via speech bubbles above characters' heads are overly vague. It seems as though the player is intended to be already familiar with the Bloodrayne series for full enjoyment of the story, because some quick research on the series made me understand the plot of Betrayal more. This element is not very strong, but it is a small part of Betrayal, and mostly unobtrusive to the rest of the game.
The first thing that I noticed about Bloodrayne Betrayal were the gorgeous visuals. The super-stylized, dark, hand-drawn 2D art direction is stunning, to say the least. The animation is very fluid, the framerate stays mostly silky-smooth, and the screen is always bursting with color, detail, and character. With technically incredible games like Uncharted 2 in mind, I can say wholeheartedly that this is one of the best looking games I have ever seen. The audio is also very impressive, although not as mind-blowing: The heavy, fast, heart-pumping music suits the game perfectly and fades as your health is low.
Bloodrayne Betrayal's gameplay reminds me of a more platforming-heavy Vewtiful Joe. As Rayne, you must wall jump, back flip, and otherwise hop all about the game's environments until you encounter enemies. More often than not, once you run into some baddies, you are forced - stripped of your freedom to traverse the level - to dispose of them. It's a good formula, keeping the game fresh. Segments in which you play as a bird, flying through the environments, are also here and entertaining, but not a large part of the game.
The platforming in Betrayal largely is very good and controls well. It is usually treated with a sense of urgency, whether you're being chased down by a huge saw, running from enemies, or avoiding toxic green slime. The back flip feels like a 2D version of the identical maneuver carried out by a certain mustached, overall-wearing plumber: It works brilliantly, and is satisfying to use. Wall jumping, interestingly, is only applicable on certain surfaces, which is a cool idea. This wall jump feels a bit loose, however.
Combat in Betrayal is of a hack-n-slash style, similar to Castle Crashers. With sword in hand, you attack enemies fast and furiously, building combos as you go. New moves introduced as the game progresses, such as uppercuts and downward stabs, keep things fresh and varied. Rayne is also equipped with a powerful hand-gun, which is very brutal and successful in its attempts to kill your foes: Each bullet, which are randomly dropped from enemies, is valuable. Bloodrayne Betrayal is filled with around five bosses, all of which are cleverly designed, visually interesting, quite formidable, and a ton of fun to take down.
Bloodrayne Betrayal is very hard: Not often do we see games nowadays with such an old-school approach to difficulty. Platforms are deviously placed, enemies are plentiful and powerful, and checkpoints, while not excruciatingly so, are placed farther apart than most modern games. It's a good challenge rather than a source of frustration, though: Victories after long struggles prove to be very satisfying, and no task is too frustrating. You know a game is doing something right when enjoyment remains throughout long, loud, hate-filled stretches of naughty-word-filled-shouting.
Bloodrayne Betrayal is an extremely good game, is what I'm trying to say. It's only five or six hours long, but every second is immensely enjoyable, and the game is still filled with things to make you come back. Difficult trophies/achievements, hidden skulls (which grant more ammo slots for your gun and health enhancements) and highscore tracking for every level (as well as a collective score for your entire playthrough) gives this game a more than serviceable amount of lasting appeal.
For $15, you can buy one of the very best games to release so far this year. Gorgeous graphics, rocking tunes, challenging gameplay, and addictive highscore chasing and item collecting make this a stellar game. The game's only glaring flaw of a poorly executed plot isn't even close to stopping me from recommending this game to anyone. Video games don't get much better than Bloodrayne Betrayal.
Disclaimer:
Bloodrayne Betrayal was reviewed using the PSN version, played for approximately 5 hours, on a standard-definition, 4:3 television.
Monday, August 29, 2011
What Will My Generation's Nostalgic Games Be?
As a young gamer who spends a lot of time watching gaming vlogs on Youtube, listening to gaming podcasts, and other things of that matter, I get subjected to a lot of older people reminiscing over games of their childhood. Super Mario Bros. 3, Mega Man 2, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man: They go on and on. This got me thinking: What are my generation's nostalgic games going to be? What games are MY generation going to tell their kids about and rummage through their garages to find?
I have created a list of the top ten games that will most likely be my generation's most nostalgic games, throughout childhood and teenage years. These games are not what I think I'm going to look back on, but rather my generation collectively. I'm 15, soon to be in 10th grade, so let's just say today's High School crowd. Within the next couple years this may change just a bit, but I think that this list is going to stay rather unchanged.
#1: 7th Generation Call of Duty Games
Can I hear a "Mr. Obvious!"? Call of Duty hit the teenage demographic and it hit it hard. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was by far the biggest first-person-shooter to release after Halo 3. It seemed as though if you were a teenager back in 2007, if Halo 3 didn't hook you, Call of Duty 4 did: Many got addicted to both. And if you hadn't tried either of them yet, your friends were begging you to. Once Activision cast its rod with Call of Duty bait, most of the teenage fish kept biting over and over again with World at War, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, and, after November 8th, most likely Modern Warfare 3.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from GameInformer, Official Xbox Magazine, and more; Mark Bozon on Modern Warfare 2: "...one of the best first-person shooters out there..."
Sales Highlights: Black Ops is in 1 out of 8 US Households; Modern Warfare 2 made over 550 million dollars within the first five days of release
#2: Grand Theft Auto Series
When I was making this list, I almost forgot about Grand Theft Auto: Silly me! Grand Theft Auto was very appealing to guys around my age because, when the PS2 GTA's were coming out, we were still kids: Not teenagers yet. "There's a game where we can deal drugs, kill tons of people, and steal cars?! Count me in, but please don't tell my mom!" Other than the obvious appeal of playing a naughty video game, open-world games seemed to hit a sweet-spot for kids around my age. Not just the PS2 titles, but I think GTA4 as well as the GTA games on PSP are also going to be rather nostalgic for my peers down the line.
I have created a list of the top ten games that will most likely be my generation's most nostalgic games, throughout childhood and teenage years. These games are not what I think I'm going to look back on, but rather my generation collectively. I'm 15, soon to be in 10th grade, so let's just say today's High School crowd. Within the next couple years this may change just a bit, but I think that this list is going to stay rather unchanged.
#1: 7th Generation Call of Duty Games
Can I hear a "Mr. Obvious!"? Call of Duty hit the teenage demographic and it hit it hard. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was by far the biggest first-person-shooter to release after Halo 3. It seemed as though if you were a teenager back in 2007, if Halo 3 didn't hook you, Call of Duty 4 did: Many got addicted to both. And if you hadn't tried either of them yet, your friends were begging you to. Once Activision cast its rod with Call of Duty bait, most of the teenage fish kept biting over and over again with World at War, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, and, after November 8th, most likely Modern Warfare 3.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from GameInformer, Official Xbox Magazine, and more; Mark Bozon on Modern Warfare 2: "...one of the best first-person shooters out there..."
Sales Highlights: Black Ops is in 1 out of 8 US Households; Modern Warfare 2 made over 550 million dollars within the first five days of release
#2: Grand Theft Auto Series
When I was making this list, I almost forgot about Grand Theft Auto: Silly me! Grand Theft Auto was very appealing to guys around my age because, when the PS2 GTA's were coming out, we were still kids: Not teenagers yet. "There's a game where we can deal drugs, kill tons of people, and steal cars?! Count me in, but please don't tell my mom!" Other than the obvious appeal of playing a naughty video game, open-world games seemed to hit a sweet-spot for kids around my age. Not just the PS2 titles, but I think GTA4 as well as the GTA games on PSP are also going to be rather nostalgic for my peers down the line.
Critical Highlights: Perfect scores for GTA3 from Eurogamer, G4 TV, Official US Playstation Magazine, and more; Hilary Goldstein of IGN: "Without question, Grand Theft Auto IV is the best game since Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time."
Sales Highlights: 158, 000 units sold in first month for GTA Liberty City Stories on PSP; GTA Vice City has sold 17.5 million unites (as of March 2008)
#3: 7th Generation Halo Games
Being the first home console of the 7th Generation, the Xbox 360 was off to a good start. It was more powerful than any other console on the market, and had a very well-received online infrastructure. The PS3 was priced out of the market, Wii's were too hard to find, and Halo 3 was coming to the console. Halo 3 released and was a huge hit, both commercially and critically. Halo 3 was the first major first-person-shooter of this generation, and the general consensus is that it's very well-made to boot. The online multiplayer was what really hooked teens, and what kept them buying new Halo's as they released.
Critical Highlights Perfect scores for Halo 3 from GamePro, G4 TV, 1UP and more; Chris Watters from Gamespot: "...Halo: Reach is a towering achievement that delivers an enormous amount of engaging content that players will no doubt be enjoying for years to come."
Sales Highlights 170 million dollars made off on Halo 3 on day one; 2 million units of Halo ODST sold within first 24 hours
#4: Wii Sports/Kinect Sports/Sports Champions
Remember how huge the Wii was when it came out? "You wave your hand with the controller and the game picks up your movement?! Crazy!" Everybody wanted to try out the Wii, and the first game that most people tried was Wii Sports. The Wii and Wii Sports did so well, that the competition took note, with Microsoft creating the Kinect and Sony creating the Move. When you tried out the Kinect, you probably played Kinect Sports first, and if you tried out the Move, you almost certainly played Sports Champions. Motion Control has become, by far and large, the most successful new idea of this generation of consoles, and these three games showed people why.
Critical Highlights: Arthur Gies of IGN on Kinect Sports: "As an example of what Kinect can do, and as a point of entry for gamers and casuals alike, Kinect Sports delivers an easily accessible but surprisingly nuanced game."; 9/10 from Nintendojo for Wii Sports
Sales Highlights: Kinect Sports has sold 3 million units worldwide, as of August 19th, 2011; the Wii has sold 87.57 million units worldwide, each console including Wii Sports
#5: Spyro/Crash Games on PS1
The first home console I ever owned was a PS1. For most of my classmates, the PS1 may not have been their first, but it was certainly one of their firsts. And the two series that appealed to my demographic at the time the most were Spyro and Crash. These two action-platformers were colorful, kiddie, and well-respected. My classmates still to this day talk about their love for these two series and their lust for a true sequel for either series. The Spyro and Crash games are the Super Mario Bros. of my generation.
Critical Highlights: Perfect scores for Spyro: Year of the Dragon from GamePro, Official US Playstation Magazine, and more; Johnny Ballgame from Gamepro on Crash Bandicoot: Warped: "If you own a PlayStation, you're a fool if you don't buy this game!"
Sales Highlights: The Crash Bandicoot sereis has sold 34.4 million units on the PS1; The Spyro the Dragon series has sold 20 million units
#6: Jak and Daxter/Sly Cooper/Ratchet and Clank
When the PS2 was in its prime time (first 5 or 6 years), people my age were in the 9-12 range. The Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet and Clank games were geared right at that age demographic, and they did very well. Pull a male, high school student out at random and I guarantee they've played a game from one of those three series on the PS2. Many have probably played games from two of the series, some all three. These action-platformers were just mature enough to be raised above "kiddie" to be "cool" in the minds of my peers. I often hear my classmates talk about these games even today.
Critical Higlights Perfect score from Official US Playstation Magazine for Ratchet and Clank; Perfect score from FHM for Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Sales Highlights All three Sly Cooper games received a "Greatest Hits" re-release; Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal sold 207, 500 units within first month
#7: Tony Hawk/Skate Series
Tony Hawk was the first skateboarding series that mattered. The series was a success with games across numerous platforms, such as the PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, and Game Boy Advance. Skateboarding hits the 10-17 age group, so naturally it's the roughly the same for the Tony Hawk games. Many of my peers got addicted to the Tony Hawk games on the PS1 and PS2 in particular: I, myself have memories of playing the games at a friend's house and having a blast. The Skate series was the next big thing for skatboarding, with a revolutionary dual-stick control scheme. Once Tony Hawk got old, teens and kids moved onto Skate. I still have friends who love to play the Skate games, and even I had a good time with the first Skate.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from Gamepro, Gaming Age, and more; Tony hawk's Pro Skater 2 on PS2 received perfect review scores from Gamespot, Games Radar, and more
Sales Highlights: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 was the third-best selling PS2 game of Novemeber, 2001; Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 sold 5.3 million copies by 2007
#8: Guitar Hero/Rockband
The three Guitar Hero games on PS2 became successful quickly after they released simply because of how original they were. There was nothing else like the the plastic guitar-strumming music-rhythm gameplay that the games provided. Rock Band was just as successful, adding drums and vocals to the mix alongside bass and guitar. My generation will look back on the battle between Guitar Hero and Rock Band, super-difficult songs like Through the Fire and Flames, and good times playing the games with friends fondly.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from 1UP and G4 TV, among others; Hilary Goldstein on Rock Band 2: "...music game fans would be absolutely crazy not to buy Rock Band 2"
Sales Highlights: Guitar Hero 3 is the best-selling US video game since 1995; Rock Band DLC sports over 28 million downloads as of December 2008
#9: Super Smash Bros. Series
Like the GTA series, this is another one I nearly forgot. While the N64 original may be a bit too old for my generation, Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl were a big hit for my peers and I. If you owned a Gamecube, you owned and were addicted to Super Smash Bros. Melee: Simple as that. The hype leading up to Brawl was overwhelming, and the final product didn't disappoint. Smash Bros. is, at least to me, the ultimate multiplayer game.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from Nintendo Power, Gaming Age, G4 TV, and more; Matt Cassamassina on Brawl: "one of the great multiplayer titles of the generation and simply not to be missed."
Sales Highlights: Melee is the best-selling Gamecube game; Brawl sold over 500 million units on day one
#10: World of Warcraft
I know a lot of people around my age that play WoW: They ADORE the game. They pay monthly for it and never complain. They're close to exploding when each new patch for the game releases. And you know what everyone else's reaction to the game is?: "Ha, that game is so nerdy!". Making fun of World of Warcraft is just as prevalent as the people who play it. Because of this, World of Warcraft is a game that will never leave the minds of my Generation.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from G4 TV, Gamespy, Gameshark, and more for original World of Warcraft; Dustin Quillen from 1UP on WoW Cataclysm: "...I'm enjoying Cataclysm quite a bit -- more so than any other Warcraft expansion to date, in fact."
Sales Highlights: 8.6 retail units sold in US for all versions of World of Warcraft, as of July 2009; 4.7 million copies sold of Cataclysm within first month
Honorable Mentions:
Uncharted Series
Gears of War Series
Left 4 Dead Series
Super Mario 64
Borderlands
Madden
NHL
Super Mario Sunshine
Little Big Planet
God of War Series
Mario Kart Series
This is a highly-debatable topic, so please, sound off in the comments with your take!
Sales Highlights: 158, 000 units sold in first month for GTA Liberty City Stories on PSP; GTA Vice City has sold 17.5 million unites (as of March 2008)
#3: 7th Generation Halo Games
Being the first home console of the 7th Generation, the Xbox 360 was off to a good start. It was more powerful than any other console on the market, and had a very well-received online infrastructure. The PS3 was priced out of the market, Wii's were too hard to find, and Halo 3 was coming to the console. Halo 3 released and was a huge hit, both commercially and critically. Halo 3 was the first major first-person-shooter of this generation, and the general consensus is that it's very well-made to boot. The online multiplayer was what really hooked teens, and what kept them buying new Halo's as they released.
Critical Highlights Perfect scores for Halo 3 from GamePro, G4 TV, 1UP and more; Chris Watters from Gamespot: "...Halo: Reach is a towering achievement that delivers an enormous amount of engaging content that players will no doubt be enjoying for years to come."
Sales Highlights 170 million dollars made off on Halo 3 on day one; 2 million units of Halo ODST sold within first 24 hours
#4: Wii Sports/Kinect Sports/Sports Champions
Remember how huge the Wii was when it came out? "You wave your hand with the controller and the game picks up your movement?! Crazy!" Everybody wanted to try out the Wii, and the first game that most people tried was Wii Sports. The Wii and Wii Sports did so well, that the competition took note, with Microsoft creating the Kinect and Sony creating the Move. When you tried out the Kinect, you probably played Kinect Sports first, and if you tried out the Move, you almost certainly played Sports Champions. Motion Control has become, by far and large, the most successful new idea of this generation of consoles, and these three games showed people why.
Critical Highlights: Arthur Gies of IGN on Kinect Sports: "As an example of what Kinect can do, and as a point of entry for gamers and casuals alike, Kinect Sports delivers an easily accessible but surprisingly nuanced game."; 9/10 from Nintendojo for Wii Sports
Sales Highlights: Kinect Sports has sold 3 million units worldwide, as of August 19th, 2011; the Wii has sold 87.57 million units worldwide, each console including Wii Sports
#5: Spyro/Crash Games on PS1
The first home console I ever owned was a PS1. For most of my classmates, the PS1 may not have been their first, but it was certainly one of their firsts. And the two series that appealed to my demographic at the time the most were Spyro and Crash. These two action-platformers were colorful, kiddie, and well-respected. My classmates still to this day talk about their love for these two series and their lust for a true sequel for either series. The Spyro and Crash games are the Super Mario Bros. of my generation.
Critical Highlights: Perfect scores for Spyro: Year of the Dragon from GamePro, Official US Playstation Magazine, and more; Johnny Ballgame from Gamepro on Crash Bandicoot: Warped: "If you own a PlayStation, you're a fool if you don't buy this game!"
Sales Highlights: The Crash Bandicoot sereis has sold 34.4 million units on the PS1; The Spyro the Dragon series has sold 20 million units
#6: Jak and Daxter/Sly Cooper/Ratchet and Clank
When the PS2 was in its prime time (first 5 or 6 years), people my age were in the 9-12 range. The Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet and Clank games were geared right at that age demographic, and they did very well. Pull a male, high school student out at random and I guarantee they've played a game from one of those three series on the PS2. Many have probably played games from two of the series, some all three. These action-platformers were just mature enough to be raised above "kiddie" to be "cool" in the minds of my peers. I often hear my classmates talk about these games even today.
Critical Higlights Perfect score from Official US Playstation Magazine for Ratchet and Clank; Perfect score from FHM for Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Sales Highlights All three Sly Cooper games received a "Greatest Hits" re-release; Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal sold 207, 500 units within first month
#7: Tony Hawk/Skate Series
Tony Hawk was the first skateboarding series that mattered. The series was a success with games across numerous platforms, such as the PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, and Game Boy Advance. Skateboarding hits the 10-17 age group, so naturally it's the roughly the same for the Tony Hawk games. Many of my peers got addicted to the Tony Hawk games on the PS1 and PS2 in particular: I, myself have memories of playing the games at a friend's house and having a blast. The Skate series was the next big thing for skatboarding, with a revolutionary dual-stick control scheme. Once Tony Hawk got old, teens and kids moved onto Skate. I still have friends who love to play the Skate games, and even I had a good time with the first Skate.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from Gamepro, Gaming Age, and more; Tony hawk's Pro Skater 2 on PS2 received perfect review scores from Gamespot, Games Radar, and more
Sales Highlights: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 was the third-best selling PS2 game of Novemeber, 2001; Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 sold 5.3 million copies by 2007
#8: Guitar Hero/Rockband
The three Guitar Hero games on PS2 became successful quickly after they released simply because of how original they were. There was nothing else like the the plastic guitar-strumming music-rhythm gameplay that the games provided. Rock Band was just as successful, adding drums and vocals to the mix alongside bass and guitar. My generation will look back on the battle between Guitar Hero and Rock Band, super-difficult songs like Through the Fire and Flames, and good times playing the games with friends fondly.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from 1UP and G4 TV, among others; Hilary Goldstein on Rock Band 2: "...music game fans would be absolutely crazy not to buy Rock Band 2"
Sales Highlights: Guitar Hero 3 is the best-selling US video game since 1995; Rock Band DLC sports over 28 million downloads as of December 2008
#9: Super Smash Bros. Series
Like the GTA series, this is another one I nearly forgot. While the N64 original may be a bit too old for my generation, Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl were a big hit for my peers and I. If you owned a Gamecube, you owned and were addicted to Super Smash Bros. Melee: Simple as that. The hype leading up to Brawl was overwhelming, and the final product didn't disappoint. Smash Bros. is, at least to me, the ultimate multiplayer game.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from Nintendo Power, Gaming Age, G4 TV, and more; Matt Cassamassina on Brawl: "one of the great multiplayer titles of the generation and simply not to be missed."
Sales Highlights: Melee is the best-selling Gamecube game; Brawl sold over 500 million units on day one
#10: World of Warcraft
I know a lot of people around my age that play WoW: They ADORE the game. They pay monthly for it and never complain. They're close to exploding when each new patch for the game releases. And you know what everyone else's reaction to the game is?: "Ha, that game is so nerdy!". Making fun of World of Warcraft is just as prevalent as the people who play it. Because of this, World of Warcraft is a game that will never leave the minds of my Generation.
Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from G4 TV, Gamespy, Gameshark, and more for original World of Warcraft; Dustin Quillen from 1UP on WoW Cataclysm: "...I'm enjoying Cataclysm quite a bit -- more so than any other Warcraft expansion to date, in fact."
Sales Highlights: 8.6 retail units sold in US for all versions of World of Warcraft, as of July 2009; 4.7 million copies sold of Cataclysm within first month
Honorable Mentions:
Uncharted Series
Gears of War Series
Left 4 Dead Series
Super Mario 64
Borderlands
Madden
NHL
Super Mario Sunshine
Little Big Planet
God of War Series
Mario Kart Series
This is a highly-debatable topic, so please, sound off in the comments with your take!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Rest in Peace, Linda Petras: 1941 - 2010
Whenever I have a writing assignment I have to do for school, I take it rather seriously and usually quite enjoy it: Even if it's for a class like Swimming, where the teacher obviously is not going to have high standards or expectations for the pieces that she/he receives. I love writing. So, when I got my first essay assigned to me in my Honors English 9 class, I took it very seriously. I poured my soul into it, really.
We had to write an Autobiographical Narrative Piece on a big event in our lives. Something substantial: Something incredibly uplifting, depressing, intellectually stimulating, etc. Now, from what I observed, my classmates tended to pick things like a vacation they went on, or getting a pet they really loved, or something of that nature. I was a bit different with my subject matter.
I wrote about the death of my grandmother, and I'm sharing that piece with you today. Today is the one year anniversary of her death.
Please remember that this was a school project. It's all true, with the exception of most of the dialogue being paraphrased.
I love you Grandma.
The Death of my Grandmother
by Matthew Petras
It all started when my grandmother was diagnosed with Lung Cancer [I think I was incorrect in saying that it was Lung Cancer, but it was certainly Cancer of some kind] back in 2004 [this date may also be incorrect, but it was around then]. The family was dumbfounded and obviously worried, but we were also optimistic. Linda herself might've been the most optimistic of us all, fighting cancer for four to five years, all the while traveling the world and obtaining things that she wanted but never got.
"Italy was gorgeous," she once said. "The food was scrumptious, the water-filled city was wonderfully interesting, and the architecture and art museums were jaw-dropping."
"You just have to watch out for pick-pocketers. One person stole my camera, presented it to me saying he found it, and asked for a reward!" her husband Larry exclaimed with a chuckle.
They had a magnificent time at Italy, along with other equally entertaining vacation spots all over the globe. She always though of her grandchildren, constantly bringing them back souvenirs and inviting them along with her on her trips with her husband. Despite all of the joy she was having, she loathed being sick. Relentless streams of bothersome medication and treatment frustrated and tired her. She bested many close calls, but eventually in 2010 she was done: She was ready to die.
I was horrified when I thought about what must've been going through her mind, that it was time for her to leave the world, leave everything she ever knew. I'd never had those thoughts before and I quite frankly didn't want to; it was all considerably frightening. Eventually my family and I visited her in a hospital in Pittsburg[h], and what a horrific place that hospital was. It was packed with cheery, young nurses and smiley doctors, but the contrast between the way they acted and the reality of the location was vast. The hospital was cold, silent, and had no distinct smell to speak of - it was unworldly clean. It was nothingness filled with dying people. There's nothing cheery about that.
She looked truly grim, could barely function, and hated the hospital she was in. She yearned to be back in Mon Valley Hospital, the place where she worked for the majority of her life. MVH was close to home, near friends, and she had befriended a great bit of the staff. She was, fortunately, transferred to this hospital, and, unfortunately, that hospital was the last place she ever was.
It all ended for her on one dreadful, depressing, and seemingly eternal night. I was there, along with my grandfather, my sister Rachel, my mother Janet, my father Eric, and my Aunt Laura. She had a lovely room, complete with numerous comfortable chairs and a window with a delightful view of the trees outside of the hospital. Food was provided by the staff, including several moist, soft muffins, awkward tasting cranberry juice, sweet apple juice, and steaming, dark coffee. She felt at home at this hospital and was probably content (at least as content someone in her condition can be), but I don't think anyone else was. To everyone else the hospital was just as bleak, empty, and as dreadful as the last.
This night we had a feeling she was going to pass away, and some couldn't stay in the room due to the sorrowful nature of it all. I stayed in the room the entire time with my aunt, father, and grandfather, enduring every struggled breath of my grandmother and nagging BEEP of the machines in the room. We just sat there and waited, waited for what we all knew was happening. At on point, she stopped breathing.
"I think that's it," my aunt said, succumbing to a stream of tears.
"Goodbye Linda, you lived a good life," my grandfather said, in a calm, but painful tone.
And that was it. Somebody I knew for as long as I can remember was gone, having left the world in front of my very own eyes. We left the room, and many members of the family were called to take a look at a woman they exponentially loved.
"Her suffering is over," my father said to the family, solidifying and establishing a positive look at her death.
After that, the typical funerals, ceremonies, and masses took place. All I was left with was memories, and thoughts. What happened to her after that night, where is she, is she anywhere? Nobody can answer these questions, and no other occurrence made me ponder such questions as much. This experience, while difficult to get through, made me think about the most important and guaranteed thing in life: Death. I was an altered person, the person you'd see in front of you today.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
VVVVVV (PC/Mac/Linux) Review
It seems to me like this is the generation in which indie games truly exploded. Many of this generations most revered titles - such as Braid, Limbo, Flower, and Super Meat Boy - are independently developed. I think that's just fantastic.
You know another game that deserves to sit amongst the best titles of this generation? VVVVVV. And, yep, it's an indie game. VVVVVV is a PC/Mac/Linux game developed by Terry Cavanagh. It was originally released January 11th, 2010.
VVVVVV casts the player as Captain Viridian, a cute, blue, pixelated guy who finds himself in a quarrel while aboard his spaceship. Dimensional interference caused his crew to be separated from him in an alternate dimension, and his crew of six people have all been separated, lost, in this alien location. It's his job to save his crew and found out what caused this strange dimensional interference. This intentionally vague plot is driven forward through terminals and dialogue between characters, which is a great way to handle it, considering that the focus is far from story-telling.
VVVVVV is a Puzzle/Platformer (with a ton of connected static screens, rather than being a side-scroller) with an unconventional gameplay twist: There is no jump button. The ability to flip gravity vertically is instead used to maneuver the game. So, if you're standing on a platform right-way-up, and there's a platform above you, when you flip, you'll land upside-down on the platform above you.
The cleverness of this simple mechanic truly increases as the game progresses, with new concepts constantly being introduced. There are 6 main levels in VVVVVV, and each level has their own hook, making them distinct. One level, for example, is filled with bars that flip gravity once you touch them. Another is filled with conveyor belts, moving you either left or right when standing on them. The original concepts in the game are, of course, very interesting, but familiar concepts, such as the conveyor belts, surprisingly prove to be just as effective. The game's gravity-flipping mechanic takes your expectations of familiar concepts and flips them upside-down (no pun intended), breathing life into old ideas.
The six levels are strung together by a brilliant, Castlevania-esque open-world. You have to find all of the levels, and you can complete them in any order you like. Exploration in VVVVVV is simply lots of fun. The over-world is relatively small and charted smartly by a map, so finding new levels is never frustrating. To encourage exploration beyond just finding new levels, there are 20 trinkets hidden throughout the world (including in levels). From what I've seen, these trinkets are either hidden very well, challenging to get to, or both.
VVVVVV simply reeks of style. The graphics, which are done completely in colorful, flashy 8-bit style sprites, are just fantastic. The music is equally good, with rocking, mostly energetic chiptunes. The sound track is simply one of the best I've ever heard in a game. Another nice touch that I simply have to mention is the inclusion of a caption at the bottom of the screen for each screen in the game, sporting a cheeky, sarcastic, or charming message.
My first playthrough of VVVVVV took about two and a half hours, but that's simply because of my frequent deaths (the current speed run record is around sixteen minutes). This game is very challenging, but never really frustrating due to frequent checkpoints. Once you beat the game, you can unlock time trials, a "Flip Mode" (think a typical "Mirror Mode," only it flips the game upside-down), and more, which certainly extends the longevity of the game. But it's the recently released 2.0 update that truly adds a lot of meat to the game.
Version 2.0 adds a level editor, and my time spent fooling around with it makes me feel as though I'm going to spend quite a bit of time poring my soul into creating a really good level. Restricted only by a set number of screens, you have complete control over enemy placement/behavior, platform construction, checkpoint placement, etc. The object of each user level is to find each crew member (you get to place each one, of course). You get to tie a title, author's name, and link to your website/blog to each level you create, and you're encouraged to upload the file of your level to websites. There's no LBP-esque in-game server to upload your levels, but considering that this is an indie game, I think that the ability to put your levels on your blog or a forum is fine. The update throws in some levels from high-profiles dudes (such as Notch, the creator of Minecraft), and show off the potential of the level editor.
VVVVVV, being exclusive to the PC, Mac, and Linux platforms, is unfortunately plagued by the lack of support for a controller. The keyboard works alright, and I never felt frustrated using it throughout the main game, but it certainly doesn't feel as good as a controller would: The more difficult user-levels definitely makes this issue stick out even more. Another issue is a pretty substantial problem with the 2.0 Update: It makes the game incompatible with your old saves. Terry Cavanagh stresses that he's working on a patch that fixes this issue, but until then, VVVVVV owners who had the game before the update are left without their old progress. This doesn't in any way affect those of you who purchase the game now, though, so if you're interested in purchasing the game, don't worry about this.
VVVVVV is the best game that I've played in awhile. Filled with style and charm, this Puzzle/Platformer is a unique experience that I'll never forget. At $5, I couldn't reccomend this game enough.
VVVVVV was purchased for $5 via Steam, updated to Version 2.0, played for approximately six hours on a PC
Works Cited:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VVVVVV
2. http://distractionware.com/blog/2011/07/vvvvvv-version-2-0-launches-in-the-new-humble-indie-bundle/
You know another game that deserves to sit amongst the best titles of this generation? VVVVVV. And, yep, it's an indie game. VVVVVV is a PC/Mac/Linux game developed by Terry Cavanagh. It was originally released January 11th, 2010.
VVVVVV casts the player as Captain Viridian, a cute, blue, pixelated guy who finds himself in a quarrel while aboard his spaceship. Dimensional interference caused his crew to be separated from him in an alternate dimension, and his crew of six people have all been separated, lost, in this alien location. It's his job to save his crew and found out what caused this strange dimensional interference. This intentionally vague plot is driven forward through terminals and dialogue between characters, which is a great way to handle it, considering that the focus is far from story-telling.
VVVVVV is a Puzzle/Platformer (with a ton of connected static screens, rather than being a side-scroller) with an unconventional gameplay twist: There is no jump button. The ability to flip gravity vertically is instead used to maneuver the game. So, if you're standing on a platform right-way-up, and there's a platform above you, when you flip, you'll land upside-down on the platform above you.
The cleverness of this simple mechanic truly increases as the game progresses, with new concepts constantly being introduced. There are 6 main levels in VVVVVV, and each level has their own hook, making them distinct. One level, for example, is filled with bars that flip gravity once you touch them. Another is filled with conveyor belts, moving you either left or right when standing on them. The original concepts in the game are, of course, very interesting, but familiar concepts, such as the conveyor belts, surprisingly prove to be just as effective. The game's gravity-flipping mechanic takes your expectations of familiar concepts and flips them upside-down (no pun intended), breathing life into old ideas.
The six levels are strung together by a brilliant, Castlevania-esque open-world. You have to find all of the levels, and you can complete them in any order you like. Exploration in VVVVVV is simply lots of fun. The over-world is relatively small and charted smartly by a map, so finding new levels is never frustrating. To encourage exploration beyond just finding new levels, there are 20 trinkets hidden throughout the world (including in levels). From what I've seen, these trinkets are either hidden very well, challenging to get to, or both.
VVVVVV simply reeks of style. The graphics, which are done completely in colorful, flashy 8-bit style sprites, are just fantastic. The music is equally good, with rocking, mostly energetic chiptunes. The sound track is simply one of the best I've ever heard in a game. Another nice touch that I simply have to mention is the inclusion of a caption at the bottom of the screen for each screen in the game, sporting a cheeky, sarcastic, or charming message.
My first playthrough of VVVVVV took about two and a half hours, but that's simply because of my frequent deaths (the current speed run record is around sixteen minutes). This game is very challenging, but never really frustrating due to frequent checkpoints. Once you beat the game, you can unlock time trials, a "Flip Mode" (think a typical "Mirror Mode," only it flips the game upside-down), and more, which certainly extends the longevity of the game. But it's the recently released 2.0 update that truly adds a lot of meat to the game.
Version 2.0 adds a level editor, and my time spent fooling around with it makes me feel as though I'm going to spend quite a bit of time poring my soul into creating a really good level. Restricted only by a set number of screens, you have complete control over enemy placement/behavior, platform construction, checkpoint placement, etc. The object of each user level is to find each crew member (you get to place each one, of course). You get to tie a title, author's name, and link to your website/blog to each level you create, and you're encouraged to upload the file of your level to websites. There's no LBP-esque in-game server to upload your levels, but considering that this is an indie game, I think that the ability to put your levels on your blog or a forum is fine. The update throws in some levels from high-profiles dudes (such as Notch, the creator of Minecraft), and show off the potential of the level editor.
VVVVVV, being exclusive to the PC, Mac, and Linux platforms, is unfortunately plagued by the lack of support for a controller. The keyboard works alright, and I never felt frustrated using it throughout the main game, but it certainly doesn't feel as good as a controller would: The more difficult user-levels definitely makes this issue stick out even more. Another issue is a pretty substantial problem with the 2.0 Update: It makes the game incompatible with your old saves. Terry Cavanagh stresses that he's working on a patch that fixes this issue, but until then, VVVVVV owners who had the game before the update are left without their old progress. This doesn't in any way affect those of you who purchase the game now, though, so if you're interested in purchasing the game, don't worry about this.
VVVVVV is the best game that I've played in awhile. Filled with style and charm, this Puzzle/Platformer is a unique experience that I'll never forget. At $5, I couldn't reccomend this game enough.
VVVVVV was purchased for $5 via Steam, updated to Version 2.0, played for approximately six hours on a PC
Works Cited:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VVVVVV
2. http://distractionware.com/blog/2011/07/vvvvvv-version-2-0-launches-in-the-new-humble-indie-bundle/
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