The lights are on
About an hour ago I earned my eightieth and final achievement in Borderlands. For the most part, it was worthwhile (Mad Moxxi? ehhhhhhh...). But when it got down to the last three, I began to question my resolve. Was it really worth it to earn another completion stamp on my gamertag? Did I really want this that badly? Most importantly, how willing was I to endure some of the worst design choices in an otherwise great game?
Since Guitar Hero debuted on the PS2, I've loved me a good music game. After over-saturation and unwanted "innovations" turned me off Guitar Hero (boss battles? Really?), I turned to Rock Band and found myself an even better party game, thanks to more diverse song choices and four-player capability. Rock Band 2 came along, and I enjoyed it, even if it did have a relatively weak setlist (Alanis Morrisette? Really?). But now, after careful consideration, I've decided that not only can I not throw my weight behind Rock Band 3, but I also find myself forced to ask a question that music-game detractors have been asking for years:
It's been a while since I've been here. Almost an entire year, in fact. I blame college. Since I returned to the life of a full-time university student, video games took a back seat to finding a way to survive in today's economy. Video-game-related internet forums, doubly so. But now I've hit my stride and am able to be a real person with diverse interests and hobbies again.
Gamepolitics is reporting that the U.S. Supreme Court will review Schwarzeneggar v EMA. If overturned, it could make it illegal for retailers to sell "violent video games" to children.
First, I need to provide a disclaimer: for the most part, I loved playing through the main-story quests of the latest Borderlands DLC. While there are certainly some annoyances to be found (no fast travel, Drifters are vastly overpowered, vehicles still get blown up way too quickly), it's by and large the best DLC so far...better than the enjoyable Zombie Island of Dr. Ned expansion, and certainly more fun than the Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot misfire. So, when I start complaining as I am about to, don't take it to mean I didn't enjoy this expansion at all. Instead, take it to mean that I didn't enjoy anything after the main story ended at all.
If there's one issue that has been gripping our nation more than any lately for the past few months, it's healthcare reform. Unfortunately, this has proven to be a highly divisive issue for some, and a moderately-to-severely confusing one for others. So, I come here today to provide you, the gamers, with an easy-to-understand roadmap on the ins and outs, the major players, and the concerns surrounding the healthcare debate. In an effort to make it more accessible to large, gaming-friendly audience, the following will be presented as an analogy to one of the most recognizable gaming franchises of the current generation: Halo.
Activision.
Let me preface this by saying that I am not actually a fan of the Gran Turismo series. But that's not because I hold any illusions about it being a bad game. I just suck at it. So I've never really played too much. I can, however, recognize a good game in the making when I see one, and GT5 looks to be it. Now if it would just EFFING COME OUT ALREADY, we could know for sure.
(This one's a little outdated, but in honor of the upcoming academy awards, I thought it fitting.)
(gonna update with some older entries taken from my facebook and blogspot blog, just as a way of filling this out a little bit).
I've been listening to a lot of Pandora lately in an effort to find out about good music out there that I would have otherwise missed, and I've noticed something...odd. It seems to be a trend, nay a requirement, for any rockabilly band in existence to do at least one thing related to outer s
It's hard to think of a way to start with a blog. Should I write a simple "about me" post? Nah...no offense, internets, but I don't feel much like sharing a lot of personal information with you. A "best games ever" list? That would good, hypothetically, considering this IS a website about video games...but no, too boring. Plus, those are posts typically reserved for the end of the year. Then I had a thought - "Why not just write about what's on your mind right now, dummy?" Well, aside from the fact that the name-calling hurt my feelings a little bit. I thought I was right.