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Colon Leftbracket

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  1. Colon Leftbracket
    This weekend I've been putting a lot of thought into if I were to award a Best Console with an unbiased opinion what would it be. The smart ass answer is the PC, but I'd eliminate that from the Video Game Console race.
     
    Truly it comes down to a select few consoles; Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Playstation 2. It seems pretty fair to judge all these as finalist in my mental award show. All of these have some rather impressive libraries with some all time great games. But when it really comes down to splitting hairs the Software truly makes the Hardware. You can brag Specs all you want, but if you can't play the games you love on it, it might as well be a brick.
     
    So the focal point of this would be the library of the console, and I define library as "all games that can be played on the console without special requirements such as extensions and updates." Like the Sega Genesis and its bastardized extensions wouldn't truly all be in the same console library because you would have to buy attachments separately. Also downloadable games such as PSN Store, Arcade, and Virtual Console do not count because they require and Internet connection to be downloaded.
     
    With all that said I begrudgingly gave the shiny trophy to the Playstation 2. My reasoning is that not only did it have probably the largest library to date of just PS2 games, but also with backwards comparability it can also support the entire PSOne library as well. And really how could you argue against this massive army of software supported by one machine that isn't a PC? The only thing that could touch it is if the WiiU suddenly took multiple cartridge types and GameCube discs (which sadly it does not, Virtual Console does not count).
     
    I find it rather unfortunate that its successor, the PS3, decided to ditch backwards compatibility. Imagine if the PS3 could run all 3 generations of consoles' software... there would be no argument in a console war, it would just win, period. But alas they chose not to implement on that and just use the PS3 library and some downloadable PSN classics, which in my opinion hasn't been very impressive at all. They are being beaten by console that demands money just to use the Internet which is really sad.
     
    I prefer the Nintendo consoles, but Sony's PS2 is quite the monster of a console so I have to give it up for the big scary library! You know I really should be focusing on buying a PS2 and rebuilding that library. You can actually get some PS2 games REALLY cheap these days. There are quite a few games I wish to either replay or try for the first time. Like I'd like to complete Final Fantasy VII to get what all the hype is about or just replay FFIX because it is superior to its over-hyped brother in every single way. Also I've been looking at the Persona Series a lot lately. A PS2 can support nearly the entire series.
     
    UPDATE--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    It has come to my attention that some early models of the Playstation 3 ARE backwards compatible. There is the 20GB CECHBxx and the 60GB CECHAxx models from the first generation of the PS3 which support nearly full backwards compatibility.
     
    However I'm still giving the PS2 the award because its own library is much more outstanding than the PS3's plus there are only 2 PS3 models out of many more that support this and the majority depend on emulation or nothing at all.
     
    There are also various bugs that go into the backwards compatibility of the PS3 older models.
     
    I'm doing more research on this, but I'd love to get my hands on a fully functional 60GB CECHA xx PS3, but alas they can get a bit pricey.
  2. Colon Leftbracket
    (yes I know that title means nothing... maybe butts... who cares)
     
    So today was a day that happens to be approximately 56,768,000 seconds, 9,460,800 minutes, 157,680 hours, 6570 days, 936 weeks, 216 months, 18 years since I was born.
     
    This means that I shall now ascend into adulthood and take on my final form.
     
     
     
     
    But aside from total transcendence my birthday was rather unbirthday-like (if that makes any sense to you). There was no cake, ice cream, presents, balloons, birthday party, or Pinkie Pie in my day today. In fact I woke up and spent most of today alone. This all sounds really depressing, I mean I haven't even had a proper birthday party in 13 years...
     
    ...But that's okay because it was so perfect!
     
    I really don't like regular birthday traditions. It might have something to do with the fact that I don't like interacting with people all that often. Just everyone gathering and inconveniencing their day to just celebrate me is a very selfish act that my conscience cannot stand. And really I do not like all that attention. And even the presents I don't really care for because I don't like to ask people for stuff, so money or an IOU is good enough for me.
     
    That's not to say I just lied around and did nothing all day. Nah, that was just the first half. The second half was devoted to fun!
     
    So there was a big picnic at a friend's house that just so happened to fall on the same day as my birth. It was an event that was to reunite old friends who have been distancing from each other over the years.
     
    Most of the people there were other guys ranging from the ages of 18-30 and some older men too, so we just shot each other with airsoft guns in the woods. It was a lot of fun hiding in the trees to try to shoot down your friends, but the shooting part was rather difficult because my pump-action airsoft shot gun kept jamming. It was a ton of fun, though a tad painful when everyone decided to gang up on the birthday boy.
     
    We also played tackle football which really did a number on people. The older men (my father even included) were quickly weeded out of the competition because they're well... old. Some just tackled each other too hard, one even leaving likely with a concussion... ouch.
     
    But yeah that was a ton of fun. They even started to play airsoft in the dark which would've been fun (I had a different shotgun) but I could only play one round before leaving and I got quickly eliminated by some bastard hiding at the entrance. Oh well it was my time to leave anyway.
     
    Anyway that was pretty much my day. I might do the whole cake and ice cream bit some other time, but I loathe actually doing it on my birthday... its just kinda annoying for some reason.
     
    -Colon Out
     
    ---
     
    (Also my birthday has an unofficial theme! FLUKE by Renard [Lapfox Trax]. The song is... different, but it just so happened to be released today for free so whatever http://lapfoxtrax.com/free/Renard%20-%20FLUKE.mp3)
  3. Colon Leftbracket
    So the WiiU seems to be coming out soon and man time flies. I remember when I was still calling it next gen, it feels like just yesterday.
    Anyway the WiiU seems to have an interesting library of upcoming games, though no big hitters for me outside of Pikmin 3.
     
    Though Pikmin being one of the big early titles really has me thinking, thinking back to the Nintendo GameCube. Now if you don't know I love that adorable little indigo box (yes I did not buy black because I was a little hipster shit as a kid). Despite many people's criticism, it is probably my favorite console of all time. Its just something that I can identify with from my childhood because I did not have a Nintendo 64 like all the cool kids. It was SNES for lil' Colon until the PS2 and NGC came around.
     
    I used to be very doubtful of the WiiU. In fact I dreaded its release, but now that I'm seeing comparisons in my head with the GameCube it seems better. Now I highly doubt this console will turn the tides and put Nintendo back on top again, but I see it more as a fun lesser console, a la GameCube.
     
    What I loved about the GameCube was that it had a less hardcore library, but not super baby casual like most of the Wii line up we've seen. It had more memorable titles like Luigi's Mansion, Pikmin, Mario Sunshine, and more non-Nintendo niche titles like Gauntlet: Dark Legacy, Resident Evil 4, TimeSplitters 2 and Killer7 (admittedly these were multi-platform, but were far superior on the NGC imo). There are things in the GameCube library that I am still catching myself up with after all these years, so that's how you know that a console has done its job is if it has you coming back.
     
    Most people seem to want that next great age of Nintendo and a return to their precious Nintendo 64 days. I feel that won't happen! Sorry, but the system will probably be outdated within a few years by the competition. But I personally am still optimistic because I see it more of a return to the GameCube days which I suppose for me I so much better.
     
    Am I Going to Get It At Launch? Meh, I want to see this console run its course a bit to confirm my suspicions but I may end up getting it eventually. Holiday? Seems unlikely. I have no idea what on earth I'll be getting for Christmas but I doubt it will be a WiiU, maybe a 3DS since I'm rather impressed with it lately.
    But if you are picking it up that's fine too. After all, I'll need people like you telling me if you feel its worth buying!
  4. Colon Leftbracket
    So I've been prepping my Let's Play channel for quite some time, I bought a mic, gathered a few games I really want to LP, and now I've gathered a bit of cash to get a controller for emulators. (I would REALLY love to do ALL my games via capture card and real console, but I just can't afford it yet.)
    But the question remained on what game to play first?
     
    An obvious answer would be a favorite game, but I wanted something a bit more personal... It could be the first game I ever played, but it was at such a young age and I don't have as many fond memories of shooting ducks in Duck Hunt as I wish I did.
    Then I thought of the perfect answer, the first game I have ever beat! The first game that I went through from start screen to final boss would be the best starting point for an LP series done purely out of passion for the hobby that we call video games.
     
    But what was that first beat game? That first Final Boss that I defeated and had my first taste of video game victory?
     
    Well the answer is Super Mario World 2, most commonly known as Yoshi's Island!
     
    Yoshi's Island was a fun one. I spent years trying to beat Super Mario World as a kid... too bad I didn't understand saving. I had to restart each time I went to bed so beating that game would take me forever. Then the sequel came to my house and although I was tempted to wait until I was done with the first one, I jumped on it as soon as I had it in my hands.
     
    I sat and said to myself that I was NOT going to stop on this one. I was going for one straight run through. Bed time would have to wait, I had a baby brother to save!
     
    I plowed my way through the perfectly constructed levels, the beautiful and extremely memorable soundtrack, and even some very creative bosses!
     
    So it was to my surprise when i got to the end and I found this boss... this little twerp!
     

     
    Actually surprised wasn't quite the word I should use. I was a tad disappointed. The levels and bosses leading up to this point were so creative and clever, this really couldn't be the end. That's weak!
     
    After fighting a fairly easy boss and beating Baby Bowser I thought of myself as the victor. A tad disappointed at the end, but overall satisfied with my journey and my first complete game...
     
    Then I was introduced to a new game mechanic... the Second Stage or Final Form Final Boss!
    Kamek uses his magic and then something completely unpredictable happens...
     
    The screen goes dark and I find myself standing on a destroyed castle staring off into a dark empty screen and then... he rises!
     

     
    From the blackness of the background rose a giant, dark, and intimidating foe unlike anything I have ever faced before. The twerp boss from before is now serious! The gloves are off and its go time!
     
    Needless to say as a kid I did not seeing this coming at all and it scared my pants off! The rest of the game was so happy and cheery. Even the difficult bosses didn't seem all that frightening. But THIS, oh man. I may have needed a new pair of pants after this!
     
    And the thing is if it isn't his size, the contrast from the first round, the darkness, or that freaking amazing final boss track that really freaked me out, it was the fact that he starts from far away and then slowly... ever so slowly, moves closer to the screen.
     
    He gets bigger, and bigger with on screen with each step, getting closer and closer to Yoshi and Mario, and their collective life span reaching ever shorter and shorter. Not to mention he isn't just coming after the dynamic duo on screen, but since he's creeping ever closer to the screen, its like he's coming after ME! The player! Sitting on my couch sucking in juice boxes, snuggling with my security blanket, for a while petrified in sheer terror!
     
    It got even worse as the battle went on. Eventually he just books it and charges full force like a freight train (which I had a deathly fear of as a child, and a bitter hatred now), a never stopping juggernaut! When I got to that point I tossed my controller and ducked for cover!
     
    ...But no! I wasn't going to give up. NO! Little Colon left his blankie, took a long sip of his juice box, possibly had a change of pants, picked up that controller, sat back down and said, "No! You listen here you reptilian scum. God damn it, that's my brother you've got there. You can be as big as you want, move as fast as you can, you can be as scary as can be, but you will not stop me! I will not rest, I will not falter, I will not back down to the likes of you! Nay, it will be ME who you stop YOU!" *the faint sound of a crowd cheering plays in the back*
    (I may have paraphrased a bit, but I do remember a speech to the inanimate tv screen and I remember it to be pretty moving)
     
    So yes I picked up my controller. Spammed those eggs into the background of the screen, dodged many-a-peril, but in the end I did come out on top. And it was me Mario who was finally reunited with his brother and reached a happy ending. No help from friends, no help from family, just me, my blankie, and a Super Nintendo living out my all time favorite memory in video games!
     
    And so that was my first final boss and first game completed. And I'm really looking forward to reliving such an experience when I start my up coming LP of Yoshi's Island as soon as I get everything around. I'll make sure to mention to you guys when I get that started. LPing is a hobby I've been meaning to start for years now and having a fun viewership such as you guys will make it all the better!
     
    So now I ask you to share your first experience of a video game boss, preferably of the Final variety? I feel that first final boss, no matter what it is, is usually a treasured memory and an entertaining experience to hear about.
  5. Colon Leftbracket
    So as much as anyone else here really I am a huge fan of My Little Pony related art. Though one area of Pony art that people have mixed opinions about is the Humanization art.
     
    I guess I can see why some people don't like it. It is taking favorite characters from the show from lovable Ponies to boring humans like you and me. Others don't like it because it does cause some debate on finding an impossible "canon" human version on the Ponies.
    Truth is these arguments are silly and pointless seeing that there is no correct answer. The human look all depends on the artist's imagination.
    Though I have been spotting a few popular trends with the art style, some I agree with some I don't. So let's look into these trends.
     
    Twilight Sparkle
     
     
     
     
    Applejack
     
     
     
     
    Rainbow Dash
     
     
     
     
    Rarity
     
     
     
     
    Fluttershy
     
     
     
     
    Pinkie Pie
     
     
     
     
    So what are some of your opinions on humanization styles of Ponies? How do you imagine them? What other popular trends have you noticed that I may have not mentioned?
  6. Colon Leftbracket
    [RANT]
     
    So we have a lot of fun here at The Ever-Failing One Man Show... oh wait no that's just me. Well, at least I have fun here, but today is something I seriously want to talk about.
     
    A Series of Bullshit Events!
     
    So today was the first day of school and the first year of Senior year, which was actually a pretty cool day... well, until the end of the day.
    I was excited because the Senior Class gets off school a period early and I was dead tired by the end of the day seeing that I couldn't sleep last night....
     
    Though, ending the day wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination!
     
    See being flat broke I don't have a car and I live a significant distance away from my school. Getting out early is something I just simply cannot do on my own, I need help.
    Well, I don't have many friends in my class. See it might have something to do with how my class seems to act as a hole. If you want to identity the Milton class of 2013 its pretty easy. Aside from being the oldest kids in the school, they can more easily be identified as the ones who act like loud and obnoxious pricks. Nah, instead most of my friends are either in the class below me or already graduated.
     
    So seeing that I have no one I want to spend any amount of time in a car with in my class and an irrational, paralyzing fear of asking for help, I decided for at least today the best answer was to call up my mother to pick me up... yeah I know that sounds REALLY lame, so that's exactly why I walked to the center of town to do so.
     
    BUT the stars were aligned and they were ready to fire a cosmic cannon of pure bullshit, because out of all things to go wrong my phone kept calling the wrong number! I was completely baffled on how this could happen. As it turns out my phone contact has both numbers for my mother's cell phone and her work number. My phone decided to call the work number who each time told me I had the wrong number.
     
    I was FUCKING FURIOUS!
     
    I had to trek home in the hot scorching summer sun from my school all the way to my house (which is an hour walk) in a black T-Shirt and dead tired from lack of sleep.
    Now the walk I can deal with, but being THAT freakin' tired to start with, the heat, and being rightfully pissed off is something that NO ONE wants to deal with!
    And to add insult to injury, I got to my home bus stop AT THE SAME FUCKING TIME as my bus!
     
    Also when I was home, the bullshit didn't end there. Being exhausted, dehydrated, near heat stroke, and being pissed off, I wasn't exactly a beaming ray of sun shine when I got back. My family did not help, no, they actually did worse! They did everything in their power to antagonize me!
     
    "Oh he's just complaining because he had to exercise..."
     
    NO FUCK YOU! It's the perfect storm of 100% grade A bullshit going on! The disrespect I get in this damn household....
     
    But hey on the brightside, I got to break in my new swag fly kicks! #YOLO!
    FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCK!
  7. Colon Leftbracket
    So its that time of year again, when everyone is prepping to go back to school and sleeping for the big return tomorrow... except me. One small problem, I CAN'T SLEEP!
     
    Basically my night is just lying around and doing various things on my laptop, and acting like I'm asleep when other people are on the move.
    Well only 3 hours to go...
  8. Colon Leftbracket
    Unique Critique has its first VIDEO SPECIAL!!!!!!
    I figured this would be a bit more special then my usual walls of text!
    yeah... my laptop has a pretty shitty Webcam, but the audio is decent.
    Let me know what you think, expect the E3 follow up Unique Critiques to be done in a similar fashion,
  9. Colon Leftbracket
    Ah, just in time for the holiday I got my package in the mail! It's my long awaited package from the Fangamer Retrowear Kickstarter! Yep a solid $50 went from my wallet to fund the awesome store and I finally got my sweet loot yesterday!
     

     
    Got myself the Lucas and Shirtness shirts respectively which do hold up to the promise of being as accurate as possible to the Mother Trilogy protagonists. (Ninten essentially has the same shirt as Ness, though I've seen some people come up with small differences)
     
    But it also came with a store of cute pins and keychains which is a nice extra!
    Also included was a limited edition coloring book that features characters from Eartbound, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Mario, Metroid, Mother 3, Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, Donkey Kong, Star Fox, Dig Dug, and Pokemon. I have no plans to color it in or do the activities, but its still something I'll treasure!
     
    ---
     
    But something else that came included was a Paper Craft toy.
    A Paper Craft toy of none other than the Phase Distorter featured in Earthbound!
     

     
    Earlier this morning I decided to take it out to begin crafting the Paper Craft toy.
    Man, do I SUCK with scissors! I screwed up so many times that I'm surprised that the toy can even hold itself together, but with some time I finished it... sorta.
    I'm not entirely sure how to put the antenna on. There's not slot for it and its a 2D thing so I guess I glue it which is kinda weird!
     
    Anyway here it is!
     

     

     

     

  10. Colon Leftbracket
    You know what really gets on my nerves? People who can't get their developers right!
     
    Recently I had a discussion with my friends about the THQ Bundle that just went on recently, and I chose to opt out of. I didn't want to help the cause not just on principle or my opinion on the company, but mostly because I didn't care for the games they were selling. Darksiders, Company of Heroes, Red Faction: Armageddon and Saints Row The Third (if you beat the average). On paper this sounds like a good deal! These games I suppose were all $60 titles back in their day and now you can pick them up in one big package for under $10.
     
    That all sounds well and good, but all the games available outside of Saints I see as pretty shitty games. And I can't buy up this bundle to get Saints for cheap because I already own it.
     
    "What, you say you like Saints Row the Third, but you aren't willing to help save the people who made it in their time of need!" says one of my friends. True, if the people who made Saints Row were going down under and gave me a chance to help them out with my pocket change I certainly would, but this isn't the Volition Inc Bundle now it it!
     
    See my friend seems to have his developers and publishers mixed up. THQ is a publisher company who published these games. They didn't develop these games outside of maybe giving a few executive decisions to help the game sell better. And true publishers are an important part of of a game's development seeing that publishers are how a game sees a light of day, but it infuriates me when I see someone treating the publishers like they are the ones who made the title.
     
    And really I don't see THQ publishing many games that I find all that great so I really wouldn't care if the company died out at this point. Yes, Volition Inc would lose their main place to sell their games, but they could possibly find a new home elsewhere.
     
    Though this bundle only really scratches the surface of consumer ignorance. Nintendo seems to be the shining example on people forgetting about the developing company. When you see a First Party Nintendo franchise game, most of the time you just assume that Nintendo made the game. This can often be correct, but you'd be surprised that Nintendo has many other developing companies working on their big franchises. HAL Laboratory Inc., Retro Studios, Game Freak, Team Ninja, the late Hudson Soft, the "might as well be dead" Rare, and many more companies have made Nintendo titles in the past that seem to be forgotten. Though with most cases Nintendo does help develop these games so you aren't wrong in almost all cases by saying Nintendo developed the game, but usually these other companies do most of the heavy lifting and get forgotten.
     
    "Nintendo doesn't make good games anymore," says another one of my friends. Well, they have been giving their titles to other companies more and more often lately, but they still make games. Though perhaps you are too quick to bash Nintendo if you didn't like Metroid Other M (which was mostly developed by Team Ninja), and too quick to praise Nintendo for their Metriod Prime series (which was mostly developed by Retro Studios). They still make good games though! Nintendo EAD Tokyo made the Super Mario Galaxy games which I personally love. Nintendo EAD has made the Animal Crossing series and New Leaf looks fantastic!
     
    I feel the main problem with this is that people don't quite understand development process. Their only clue is the short showing of logos before each game launches and they just go along with the logos they are most familiar with which is usually publisher names. They don't understand that with most cases the company logos are both people who made the games and people who produced it and that there is usually a major difference between the two.
     
    I tend to care more about the development side of the industry. The production side is still VERY important, but in the end I have less respect for them because they aren't the ones slaving over making the games.
  11. Colon Leftbracket
    So here's a game design idea that is actually based off of a dream I had not too long ago.
     
    Basically in the dream I woke up to discover that there was a MASSIVE flood and everything for miles or perhaps the entire world was nearly submerged in water. However I survived the flood because it didn't reach my bed room. I had to adapt to this new world by making a raft and explore the New World Ocean, searching for supplies, looking for survivors, keeping a careful eye out for raiders, looking for answers on how this happened, and most importantly, survive.
     
    I feel this dream had 4 main influences: Ponyo, Legend of Zelda Windwaker, reading the novel Jam by Yahtzee Croshaw, and the recent flooding of Hurricane Sandy. And I figured this actually could make out for a half decent game design idea.
     

    Torrent


     
    The game takes place starting in a young boy's bed room. He wakes up to discover that the whole world outside is submerged in water. He can't find his parents and he is alone in this New World Ocean.
     
    The game would be a Third-Person Adventure game and perhaps play similar to the ocean sailing segments in Legend of Zelda Windwaker. You'll have to set out on this giant ocean on some make shift raft in search of food and other survivors.
     
    The game could be more of a heavily stylized, high-ambient atmospheric adventure. Sorta like the a fore mentioned Windwaker, but perhaps done in a different style. The game would focus on a huge feeling of adventure as you sail around a flooded land, stopping at rooftops searching for various things, the world would be massive, taking place over multiple towns, vast country areas, and maybe a city.
     
    The game could also have a deep and rich narrative that the player would have to discover for themselves. Perhaps by finding clues on the flood's origins or hearing various stories from friendly survivors they can find out what exactly happened to the world. I am undecided if the ultimate goal would be to restore the world back, but I have a feeling that would sort of spoil this adventurous world.
     
    The game's challenge would be in its exploration. You'd have to maintain some kind of hunger gauge so you don't starve to death, so finding food is a key part of the game. In the waters could be tons of new aquatic wildlife you could try to survive on. Also the other survival element would be protecting yourself from both dangerous raiders, ocean storms, and violent wildlife. I'm not entirely sure if there would be any combat against these things. I feel it would be much better if the goal were to avoid these dangerous things. This could bring up some tense moments when you see a storm brewing, some suspicious characters on the waters, or perhaps some giant mysterious sea creatures.
     
    Another charm of the game could be in the friendly survivor characters. There wouldn't be many, but you could find a few hiding. They will normally help you on your way while also sharing stories. Each one could have a personal story that develops over the course of the game. They also may give you quests to do that could both further these stories as well as give out rare helpful items. It would also be great if they had some neat personalities. I have ideas of some crazy world ending conspiracy homeless men (who just happened to be right), a housewife who seems to be a bit insane and denies that the world ever ended, a couple separated by miles of ocean who have no idea if each other survived, an adventurous young man in old metal scuba gear, a group of wannabe pirates, a cult worshiping a new fish god, a group of scientists trying to find a scientific explanation of the flood, a religious Noah like character who gathers animals two-by-two on a boat, and the list of ideas go on and on!
     
    I'm not sure if there would be some ultimate ending of the game. I feel most of the game will be directed in helping develop these personal stories, going from one group of survivors to the next, and exploring the whole New World Ocean. Perhaps maybe after completing all the side quests, the characters will get together and form some new world order of some kind. I'm not sure if I ever want to outright explain how the flood happened either. I feel it would be better to just leave around clues and just leave it up to player interpretation. Maybe they can discuss it with friends, share theories and clues. I want these hints to be very vague and lean toward both very dark or very mystical explanations, depending on interpretation. That way players could have a number of theories spanning from mystical to dark and depressing.
     
    I feel it could be a very fun adventure title that a number of people would enjoy. They'd love to share stories and theories of the game with each other. They will also enjoy their own personal stories as well as the unique survivor characters and their stories. But most importantly, it will help people feel a spirit of adventure that seems to be missing in most games today.
  12. Colon Leftbracket
    Alright so I'm pretty late with this one. I slept for like 14 hours all day yesterday and forgot that the episode was even yesterday, so it took me a while to get around to watching it.
     
    Now on to the episode...
     
    I rather liked it. I like the idea of returning villains since MLPFiM has a pretty neat cast of villains, and Trixie is one of the show's first smaller antagonists and one of the most popular.
     
    I guess since the episode is like a sequel I'd have to share what I thought on the first one. I rather liked it. Since I originally watched the whole series in order like a good little curious young adult male Pony watcher, the Trixie episode was one of the earlier episodes that I ever saw, and at the time it came up it was my favorite... and then it was quickly replaced by a few others, but it may still range somewhere in my top 10 favorite episodes (which maybe I'll make a nice list for you guys once Season 3's over).
     
    I do like Trixie as a "villain". She wasn't necessarily evil, but just a self-centered, egotistical showoff, and I really like that about her. She plays a rival foil to Twilight Sparkle, kinda like Blue/Green/Gary of Pokemon Generation 1... but less lame.
     
    She does have some magical talent and I'm sure that wherever she came from, maybe she was quite renown for her magic prowess, but obviously this all went to her head as she set off to show off to the world her magical abilities, even if she has to lie to prove herself!
     
    Also the episode had a neat astronomy reference in the Ursa Minor and Ursa Major and they are actually among my favorite creature designs of the show!
     
    ...now what did I think about "Magic Duel"?
     
    Well... I have mixed opinions...
     
    So far it may be my favorite episode of Season 3 since it has a villain that I like and further goes into her character. It also has TONS of magic which is something that I really love from the series.
     
    ...but the plot could have been handled a bit better. I do like the beginning where Trixie is shown quite desperate to get payback and she resorts to some pretty extreme measures!
    When she comes back she shows some huge magical ability to even a scary extent! Of course this couldn't have just come from hard work and determination, but instead, without spoiling much, she cheats to amplify her power. The way that she does so shows her desperation for power... but it does come off as a tad bit generic... but in the end it really doesn't effect the episode too much.
     
    My main issue with the plot is after the duel. Until the final showdown at the end, the plot really doesn't do much. Twilight has to find a way to defeat Trixie, but the way she goes about finding it is kinda boring in my opinion. I thought maybe she'd find some ancient temple to learn about what gave Trixie these powers, or maybe search out some wise sages, but instead she goes to a character whom really doesn't make much sense since, once again not spoil too much, she isn't a unicorn. The rest of the Mane Six also have to escape to help Twilight, which is done also in a boring way in my opinion.
    The whole 2nd Act is just kinda lame and is a real downer on the episode.
     
    Of course there has to be a final showdown and the way this was pulled out was pretty dang clever! I was pretty confused about what was going on, but once they reveal how they pulled it off I was amazed. It actually has a bit of a taste of irony in it too, seeing this whole theme of fraudulism in the Trixie episodes. I think people will really get a kick out of the ending. I also like Trixie's character at the end. The episode, despite having a less than stellar middle section, has a great payoff at the end.
     
    In conclusion, I'd say this was a pretty good episode. It is not a perfect episode by any means, and I think I prefer the first Trixie episode better. Still though I'm sure fans of the series won't be disappointed of Trixie's return. I see this as probably one of the better Season 3 episodes and one many fans will learn to love.
     
    ...now next week I get a check off of my wish list!
    Scootaloo gets and episode!
  13. Colon Leftbracket
    Amnesia Fortnight 2012 Review
     
    So one of the coolest events in video game development is happening RIGHT NOW! And its called Double Fine's Amnesia Fortnight!
     
    Essentially what Amnesia Fortnight is is when the Double Fine (known for Monkey Island, Brutal Legend, and Psychonauts, headed by the legendary Tim Schafer) decides to take a break and drop whatever they are doing, go into a development AMNESIA one may say, and start working on new prototypes for a full two weeks, or a FORTNIGHT some may call it. And this year is the 5th annual Amnesia Fortnight, but the 1st to go totally public!
     
    Some neat games have come out of this unique process. Examples are Costume Quest, Stacker, Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster (formerly known as Happy Song), the upcoming free iOS game Middle Manager of Justice, and a newly released prototype from last year BRAZEN.
     
    If you are more interested in this process and want to get your hands on some of these two week prototypes including the 5 selected for this year being made RIGHT NOW! Check out the Humble Bundle fundraiser! http://www.humblebundle.com/double-fine
    (Also includes Live Streams of the development process)
     
    ---
     
    Before I can get into this year's pitches, winners, and misses I feel it makes sense to show some of the other products of this awesome development process!
     
    BRAZEN (Prototype)
    Pitched by Brian Muir, Project Lead on IRON BRIGADE
     
    BRAZEN Prototype Trailer
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Middle Manager of Justice (Coming Soon to iOS Devices)
    Pitched by Kee Chi, Programmer
     
    Middle Manager of Justice Trailer
     
     
     
    Middle Manager of Justice Amnesia Fortnight 2011 Initial Pitch
     
     
     
     
     
     
    ---
     
    The Amnesia Fortnight Initial Pitches
     
    Here's is a video containing all 23 of this year's pitches.
    The video will just play 30 second clips for each game telling you about it and perhaps showing some concept art or work already put into it. I would just link each video with each entry, but linking 23+ YouTube videos at once just has BAD IDEA written all over it!
     
     
     
     
    ---
     
    The Amnesia Fortnight 2012 Winners
     
    Yeah unfortunately I'm a little late to the party. It would probably have been more helpful if I could've written this review while the voting was still up. You viewers could have made a decision on which you liked and cast your vote to help with the process... yeah blame that one all on me! I was too slow! But anyway I suppose I might as well go through the winner's circle first. That way those who only care about the pitches that went through can get their fill first.
     
    5th Place
     
    Black Lake
    Pitched by Levi Ryken, Senior Artist
     
     
     
    4th Place
     
    Autonomous
    Pitched by Lee Petty, Art Director for Brutal Legend, Project Lead for Stacker and currently Double Fine Adventure
     
     
     
    3rd Place
     
    The White Birch
    Pitched by Andy Wood, Art Director: The Cave (due out January 2013)
     
     
     
    2nd Place
     
    Spacebase DF9
    Pitched by JP LeBreton, Lead Designer: The Cave
     
     
     
    1st Place
     
    Hack N' Slash
    Pitched by Brandon Dillion, Senior Programmer and "talks like a frog when he talks"
     
     
     
    ---
     
    The Runner-Ups
     
    So those 5 above are the chosen concepts to be protyped. For the most part I'm generally pleased with the results... really Double Fine will do... well doubly fine with really any of these concepts.
    But of course some concepts just didn't make the cut, some of them for good reason, some of them may seem to be missed opportunities, or maybe they'll just be kept as a secret weapon by Tim Schafer... I really would believe the latter... he's kinda a weird dude like that.
     
    Anyway without further ado, I shall review ALL the other concepts that didn't make it this year, and like those above, I'll give my opinion of what the game could have been, or what it may still be destined to be.
     
    The Knockover
    Pitched by Jeremy Natividad, Environmental Artist
     
     
     
    Milgrim
    Pitched by Joe Kowalski, User Interface Desinger
     
     
     
    Cloud Prix
    Pitched by John Swisshelm, Game Designer
     
     
     
    Zumbi Chained
    Pitched by Kjeld Pedersen, Senior Artist
     
     
     
    Bragging and Fighting
    Pitched by Matthew Franklin, Senior Gameplay Programmer
     
     
     
    Redbot's Reboot
    Pitched by Oliver Franzke, Senior Programmer
     
     
     
    Double Fine High
    Pitched by Panya Inversin, Visual Effects Artist
     
     
     
    Flopulous
    Pitched by Drew Skillman
     
     
     
    Bad Golf
    Pitched by Patrick Hackett, Senior Gameplay Programmer
     
     
     
    Battle Bros.
    Pitched by Geoff Soulis, Lead Artist: IRON BRIGADE
     
     
     
    Turk
    Pitched by Ben Peck, Gameplay Programmer
     
     
     
    Kaiju Piledriver
    Pitched by Brad Muir, Project Lead: IRON BRIGADE
     
     
     
    Shine Run
    Pitched by Brent Andrew Shinn, IT Manager
     
     
     
    Echelon
    Pitched by Brain Min, Studio Audio Director
     
     
     
    Primordial Slime
    Pitched by David Gardner, Senior Animator and "that guy who accosted Tim about adventure games being dead"
     
     
     
    Critterverse
    Pitched by Jeremy Mitchell, Technically Aritist
     
     
     
    Silent But Deadly
    Pitched by Duncan Boehle, Programmer
     
     
     
    ...but you guys knew I saved the best for last!
     
    The Flock
    Perfect Genius Video Game Concept Forged In The Fires Of Mt. Doom by Greg Rice, Producer: Double Fine Adventure, Absolute Sage, and 99.9% Duck
     
     
     
    ---
     
    Anyway that is ALL 23 concepts brought up in this year's Amnesia Fortnight and then some.
    Really I feel the best games won, since there's really only 5 (minus one game having to do with mallards) that deserved that top spot. I'll be really glad to see what the teams of Double Fine do with their prototypes in the next 2 weeks. Perhaps they have another masterpiece on their hands or perhaps just a few good ideas for the alternative market. Only time will tell.
     
    I'll make sure to get some money around so I can purchase the available Prototypes and get this year's batch when it all ends and tell you what I think of them. It'll be tons of hard work for these talented dev teams within these next 2 weeks, but I think they can really make something with these concepts.
     
    Hell they have me pretty inspired to come up with my own interesting game idea... but that's a story for another day.
     
    So what do you think about the concepts that were made during Double Fine's Amnesia Fortnight? Which concepts are your favorite? I think mine is that one having to do with Duck Dynasty...
    Which of the finalist are you cheering for? Me personally, after getting cheated out of my Quacksterpiece I've gotta side with that Hacking game.... It really could be something genius if it is done correctly, but we'll see!
  14. Colon Leftbracket

    LA Game Space

    By Colon Leftbracket,

    So a while back I was told about a fresh new interesting Kickstarter called the LA Game Space. I wasn't quite sure exactly what it was, so I had to take a look into it.
    And what I saw looks FANTASTIC!
     
    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lagamespace/la-game-space-a-place-for-re-imagining-video-games
     
    Essentially the Kickstarter for LA Game Space is to help fund a huge video gaming project. Its a place, in LA of course, where developers of various Indie Games can come together and talk about game development and work on projects. Not only that, but regular non-developing folk can also see what's going on in the space like if it was a huge Indie Game Development Museum! Best part is that you don't even have to be in LA since they are going to bring as much as possible to everybody on the space's website!
     
    This project is AWESOME for those who really like Indie Game development! Its like a big get together for all sorts of amazing developers... some you probably don't even know of yet!
     
    Of course there are rewards for supporting the Kickstarter including getting a HUGE pack of games being developed to be showcased at the site! 30+ games for $15!
    What games exactly? Well little is known about these titles yet aside from who is working on it. The big names include Keita Takahashi (Katamari Damacy) + Adam Saltsman (Canabalt) are working on a game, Cactus (Hotline Miami), and even Pen Ward (maker of the Cartoon Network show Adventure Time!) is working with Bennett Foddy (that guy who made QWOP) on a game!
     
    I'm not sure how much viewers here care, but I really care for the Indie Market. The Indie Market is always filled with bright and fresh new ideas, usually for a low cost. I'm interested to see a hub set up where a bunch of these guys can get together and just make games.
     
    I'm not saying you have to help fund the Kickstarter (though I'm worried it might not make its goal), but I just want to see what people think of this project. What do you think of this central hub for Indie Game Development?
  15. Colon Leftbracket
    So like many people I am a HUGE fan of a Japanese animation studio named Studio Ghibli! Studio Ghibli is best known for their movies such as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away
     
    Though for the longest time I haven't seen a large chunk of the Studio Ghibli library, so I'm correcting that today by watching a bunch of Ghibli animations that I haven't watched!
     
    I figured since I'm doing this I might as well take a break to write a few mini-reviews on the movies, spoiler free of course!
     
    ---
     
    "Romantic Depression"
     
    Up Upon Poppy Hill
    So I thought I'd start on the one that most people haven't seen... as in the newest one. Up Upon Poppy Hill is set to have an English dub and international release next Spring, but I thought I'd get an early start at it through the original Japanese version.
    To describe the movie, its a very simple movie. Unlike some of the other Ghibli films, this one doesn't have any monsters or spirits, but just people. Its a simple slice of life movie. And actually I rather like this. The movie was pretty cute actually. It stars a young woman who works hard for her family and then she meets a peculiar young man who is the obvious love interest. On top of that, at their school there is an old club house that is threatened with demolition and the students try to save it. Its a really basic plot really... until the romance arc takes a few turns...
    Well the romance arc is pretty much half the movie and a plot of its own and although at first its adorable... it has a VERY odd twist to it... a very Japanese twist to it...
    Still even with a questionable twist, the movie still feels like a heart warming slice of life movie. Its nothing too flashy, but it still manages to entertain me.
     
    Grave of Fireflies
    So I decided to go from a nice heart warming romantic slice of life movie to... well... pretty much the polar opposite!
    Grave of Fireflies is also a movie that doesn't have any supernatural qualities to it... actually its a historical piece.
    Its also probably the most depressing movie I've seen in my life!
    It takes place in Japan during World War II... and aside from maybe the infamous concentration camps, Japan may have been one of the worst places to be during World War II. Mostly because the constant bombings and people starving to death.
    It is by all means NOT a pleasant movie to watch. That's not to say its bad, but to put it bluntly, you'll feel like shit afterwards.
    The basic plot is a young boy and his little sister try to survive World War II.. and that's basically it.
    The movie is kinda nice enough to spoil the ending a bit at the very first moment of the film. From the very first piece of dialogue you know that there is no happy ending and you just have to sit and watch things get worse!
    Not for the faint of heart.
  16. Colon Leftbracket
    Alright so I'm just about done with my Pokemon Black 2 playthrough and I figured I'd drop by and tell you what I think of it.
     
    Well if you know me I am by far not one of those Gen 1 fanboys. I never quite got them and why they hold these older generations of Pokemon in such high regard. I guess its a nostalgia thing. I always hear that each new generation is exactly the same as the last, but worse in some way whether its the legendaries or design of each new Pokemon. I hear a lot that the new Pokemon are ugly, well though we have our own opinions on beauty I feel the older generation Pokemon are designed too simple at times and I'm glad that the newer generations have different complex designs.
     
    But alas fanning the flames of the Gen War is something to do some other time. For now let's just focus on Gen 5... or is it Gen 5.5 now or something... I don't know.
     
    Now if you know Pokemon you know that usually a year or so after release they release a "final" version of the game that basically combines the better elements of both versions, fixes some issues, and adds new content. I've always found Pokemon's release structure to be a bit... well let's just say unconventional. The two initial versions are made to get people to want to trade exclusive Pokemon which is alright I guess if you have a friend who gets the other version, but the 3rd version release later always bothered me. You could argue that it takes a new spin on the game a little while later, but it usually just cuts out that whole purpose of the first two anyway.
     
    ...Luckily with Gen 5 they opted not to make a Pokemon Gray version, but something different, a direct sequel to Black and White. Black and White 2 are essentially twin Gray versions that differ so you are still encouraged to trade exclusive stuff between friends and whatnot. Also instead of literally being a re release this time the games have an original storyline.
     
    The BW2 storyline though I will say is rather disappointing. It seems oddly reminiscent of Gen 2's story line where a broken up Team Plasma tries to pull themselves together much like Team Rocket before them. And I guess that's pretty cool except Team Plasma lost what made them unique from the other villainous teams before hand and that was their false sense of morality.
     
    In BW1 they acted under the facade that they were liberators of Pokemon, and most team members even the elite sages and their king N believed they were these white knights, but really they were all puppets of an evil mastermind which is REALLY freaking cool and original as far as a Pokemon storyline goes.
     
    But in BW2 its just fragments of the old team getting back together to take over the land by force using the power of a legendary Pokemon. Where have I heard this before?? Ahh... yes Generation 3 and 4! This made Team Plasma seem REALLY generic and just uninteresting. Aside from a few elements of characters from BW1 the whole storyline of BW2 is a HUGE let down and otherwise really boring.
     
    Ironically, the game that tries to be original by being the first direct sequel, falls back to be more like previous generations than its predecessor BW1. Actually I hardly see this as a sequel aside from story elements, but rather BW2 is what BW1 would be if they decided to use no originality in the first place. Essentially this game breaks the entire purpose that Generation 5 was supposed to have and that is have a more original storyline focus.
     
    I will admit that there are elements about BW2 I still rather like. They added in tons of older Pokemon to the Unova region where BW1 chose to be more Gen 5 pure. This allowed for more diverse teams to be made. This time around I got the Gen 5 Pokemon I adore so much, but I also got to add in some older favorites. My team as of now stands as Serperior, Arcanine, Azumaril, Crobat, Zoroark, and Black Kyurem. This is how BW1 should've been in the first place!
     
    In the end you make your call on whether this half Gen is worth your money. I'd only recommend it to more hardcore fans of Pokemon. If you usually go out and buy the 3rd version of the games then by all means go for it, but if you're the type who would rather wait for the next real installment then give this one a pass, unless you are really interested to see where the story goes.
     
    For me personally the storyline was what I was looking forward to the most, but as you can see I was really disappointed in how it was handled. I guess it did fill some of the plot leftover after the conclusion of Black and White, but it just felt like I'd rather have those plot points shrouded in mystery and left up for interpretation.
     
    Guess I'll just await Generation 6 and see where they take the series from there. Until then I guess I'm pretty done with Pokemon hype for the time being until I decide to get back into competitive battling.
  17. Colon Leftbracket

    Life Out There

    By Colon Leftbracket,

    So today in my Physics class we watched a film called Cosmic Journey which is essentially a documentary narrated by none other than Morgan Freeman about life's journey through the creation of the universe.
     
    One portion of the movie showed what happens when two galaxies suck each other in with their gravity and it looks like the universes biggest cosmic dance with billions among billions of solar dance partners. It really got me thinking about just the pure number of galaxies, suns, systems, and planets there are out there, as well as life existing out there.
     
    I find it either odd or sad or perhaps a combination of the two when someone says they don't believe there is other life in the universe. Perhaps they just don't understand the scale of things, but even if life on a planet is a one in a billion chance, due to probability alone there's still a 99.9% chance that there is another planet with life on it. Just the sheer number of planets, suns, and galaxies almost guarantees that elsewhere there is a place where life can be created a flourish.
     
    It really is the ultimate in pessimism to say that we are alone.
  18. Colon Leftbracket
    So what happens when Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, and Randy Couture walk into a bar? Now what happens when it explodes?!
     
    You could say the world loses some of its badass men, but I think they just shake it off and make a movie!
    And then comes The Expendables!
    Its pretty much as badass as an action film can get! We have the great old timers and then some! My guess is someone looking for ideas for a good movie thought, "Hey let's just take all these guys and shove them together and see what happens!" And we all get to gather around to see the explosion.
     
    ---
     
    Now before I get into reviewing the sequel I have to share a bit of my feelings on the first film. I'd say that I got my money's worth and was thoroughly entertained throughout most of the film. It felt like I was watching an old action film with modern day special effects. The film did a great job on capturing the nostalgia of older action films and translating it into modern times.
     
    Now I wouldn't call this a great film when trying to take it seriously. It hardly does anything all too interesting when it comes to plot or acting. And the characters are all hardened badass. What truly drives the film though are just the actors themselves and not necessarily through moving performances, but through the fact that we get to see all these guys thrown together to play off each other and such. Some of the best scenes are just watching these guys talk to one another, joke around, pick fights, and just share old stories.
     
    Now the first film did have some huge issues. The first is its infamous cameos. In the first film the ads highlighted that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis, two of the biggest action stars ever, were to appear in the film. However, they only really appeared as small cameos for few minutes at most. That would be like if every Marvel film highlighted Stan Lee as a staring actor when he only makes split second cameos.
    Another huge issue is that the ending scene was rather embarrassing to watch. The special effects really failed on the ending scene. It didn't even look finished and looked REALLY sloppy. And Stone Cold Steve Austin being on fire is just unconvincing and pretty hilarious!
     
    The movie was a very silly movie full of action and explosions, and it was mainly just a spectacle to see these guys all work together! If it weren't for some of its glaring issues I'd put it among some of my favorite action films.
     
    ---
     
    Now for the ACTION ALL STAR REMIX that is the Expendables 2!
     

     
    Now I did talk A LOT about the first one and you may be wondering why... well because the second one is mainly just a rehash of the first!
    Now that my sound like a really bad thing, but I do like this because it was a good formula for an unforgettable action movie, but its execution was flawed with pointless cameos and bad special effects. And I am happy to say that they fixed pretty much all the issues I had with the first film. Think of this as the first one, but upgraded. And isn't that what an action movie sequel is really supposed to be? In an action movie like this, no one expects a big and intricate story plot to expand on in a second film, they just want more action and more badasses.
     
    The main issues I was worried about from the first movie are gone. No part of the movie really suffers from terrible special effects like the end of the first one. And, without spoiling anything, the ending is phenomenal. It out does the first movie's climax ten fold in my opinion. Also the Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger revise their old cameos, but now are actual functional characters. They even get in on the action a little and have some VERY cheesy memorable lines!
     
    Now there are a few addons this time in the casting and some other changes. First off, Jet Li's character Yin Yang isn't in the film that much. Its not a huge spoiler, but more of a caution that if you are expecting more of Jet Li, you will get your fill... for about the first 5 minutes.
     
    Another change is that the Expendables have a new teammate Billy the Kid played by Liam Hemsworth (best known for... being that one love interesting in the Hunger Games that does little to nothing in the first book/movie? Being engaged to Miley Cyrus?) Okay so he's not an all time great or a badass like the rest of the crew, and he really doesn't fit in with the rest of the crew. Now I would pick on that except it seems intentional that he doesn't fit in. He's the team eye candy sniper and he's new to being a mercenary. He's supposed to look green, he's a rookie who may not even be cut out for being a mercenary. Once again I won't spoil much for you but he too isn't in the film for very long either, but does play an important character. I'll give Hemsworth some credit. He plays his Ken doll
    role well. And hey, if you brought your girlfriend who doesn't like action films, she'll get something to stare at that isn't the age of her dad to help get her sucked into the film. I know it worked for me!
     
    Another addition to the team is Maggie, a recon agent played by Nan Yu. She is an agent who kinda forces her way into the team and is necessary to complete their mission. She takes her role pretty well in the team, kicking ass along with her old and more masculine teammates. She plays the badass agent woman (see Black Widow) of the team and really holds her own in the battle field and never really plays damsel in distress. She also doubles as all the guys hit on fodder, though their charms (huh more like awkward grunts) don't seem very effective on her... well maybe one guy but I won't spoil the obvious romance arc for you. But I see her as a welcome addition to the team for at least this movie. She doesn't look bad in a jumpsuit either.
     
    Now the movie does have more cameos besides Arnold and Bruce revising their roles. Chuck Norris joins the fray as Booker, The Lone Wolf! Now Chuck Norris back when the first movie came out and Chuck Norris jokes were still relevant would have been PERFECT for a movie like this! But lately the Norris Jokes have died off and became more of an annoyance. I figured that Hollywood wanted to capitalize on this fad and put him in the second film, but never realized that the jokes were going out of style. So for me it was painful to see this cameo that came way too late. The way they handled the cameo was pretty good, but since the fad is dead its just too late for that. Good execution, bad timing!
     
    FINALLY, we can get to the villains. We've got Scott Adkins as... some asshole henchman. (He appears a lot, gets a few lines, does a few villain like things, and has a cool fight scene) But the BIG VILLAIN! The Head Honcho, the Big Cheese, the Final Boss is none other than Jean-Claude Van Damme! And boy does he make a cool villain. All he really needed to do is his signature kicks and he makes a cool character. Though without spoiling anything, he could be a better character. He had no personality other than evil badass. The Expendables at least have small personalities to play off of. Jean-Claude is just... an asshole, an asshole for no reason other than to be an asshole.
     
    Now here I'd go more into detail on what I liked and disliked, but that was really done when I described the first film. Certainly its main flaws were taken care of, but it still is liked and disliked for the same reasons the first movie is. If anything I feel at times it is too much like the first movie, but then at other times I feel it has a bit of personality on its own. If you liked the first one, you'll love this one.
     
    ---
     
    *Love, Hate, or Tolerate: Love
     
    **Good, Bad, or Ugly: Good Movie; Bad Film
     
    Who Would Like It?: Anyone who liked the first one. Any big action fan. Any fan of the actors in the movie. Anyone who just wants a silly Saturday night movie to watch with friends. Hemsworth fan girls.
     
    Who Would Hate It?: People who aren't action movie fans.People who don't like silly fun movies and take film as a more serious medium. People who don't like violence. Those who are not into the old action nostalgia this movie tries to emulate. Hemsworth fan girls. Hipsters.
     
    Recommendation: I wouldn't say this is a must see and tell you to storm your local theater. Its good fun action, but it can wait for DVD release. If you do see it in theaters I'd recommend with a group of buddies who are pumped up for action.
     
    ---
     
    *- "Love, Hate, or Tolerate" runs like a good, bad, or average scale. Hate is a 0-3. Tolerate is a 4-6. Love is a 7-10. I do not like nor care for point scales.
     
    **- "Good, Bad, or Ugly" works as a scale to tell someone whether the movie or film is more of a fun entertaining "movie" or a serious, piece of art "film". I choose to define "Movie" and "Film" differently!
  19. Colon Leftbracket
    So lately I've felt like becoming a bit of a critic again. Being a critic has been a bit of a hobby in mind that I wanted to try since I am good at complaining making a critical analysis on certain forms of media such as movies, tv shows, and video games.
     
    Actually, the whole reason I became a Brony was because I wanted to do MLPFIM as my first review in hindsight of the rising Brony fandom. Though I took that seriously to the point that I wasn't just going to watch the show, I'd take a deep look into the fandom too! Alas, my big premiere was kinda destroyed when I actually LOVED the show and fandom.
     
    So its been almost a year since the failed launch of Unique Critique and I figured I'd start it off again as a more small scaled hobby side project.
     
    When ever I go to see a new movie or play a new game I'll make sure to give you guys an idea of what I thought about it, if I recommend it, and who exactly I recommend it to.
    Note: My reviews might be a bit scarce and might be made a little after said medium was released because I have little money... so... bare with me here.
     
    My first review should be tonight! And a game review in a day or so.
     
    Movie Review: Expendables 2
     
    Game Review: The Basement Collection
  20. Colon Leftbracket
    [Destructiod Preview: http://www.destructoid.com/oh-my-glob-hands-on-with-wayforward-s-adventure-time-233942.phtml]
     
    Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage? is an upcoming DS/3DS title based on the hit tv show Adventure Time!
     
    Now I heard of this title MONTHS ago and at first I got a bit worried. Typically when a tv show gets popular, the producers will make a video game to cash in a few bucks on their IP. This usually leads to some downright horrible games!
     
    But series creator Pendleton Ward knows of this, and so he wished not to be another typical cartoon cash in. He himself has overseen the project and is very pleased in what he has seen. I do enjoy when a series creator wishes nothing but the best for their series and it seems Adventure Time might show some other people how to turn a cartoon into a video game, the right way!
     
    Ever since I got into the show I wanted a game adaptation. It's a game based on fantasy, action, humor, and most importantly ADVENTURE! But I often wondered what would be the best way to make an Adventure Time game. I had a few good ideas. First was a Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest-esque RPG. Maybe turn based, or perhaps a more Paper Mario/Mario and Luigi style where you can interact to dodge attacks and build up combos, or even oddly a Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories style RPG.
    Another good idea is of course the very definition of an adventure game, a top-down Zelda style game, with dungeons, bosses, puzzles, ect. I had a few other ideas like a Castle Crashers style beat em up, and even a point and click adventure game!
     
    Then I saw earlier today that they settled on a Zelda II side scrolling adventure title. I believe this is the BEST decision to design the game! An RPG would be too slow, top down Zelda doesn't really seem to fit Adventure Time, and a point and click adventure? Well It has the word adventure in it...
     
    The game has retro gaming in mind and seems to look like a rich gameplay experience perfect for the amazing cartoon. I'm actually glad to see a cartoon IP being taken so seriously in video game development. It makes me think of the indie MLP titles being made, but in Adventure Time's case, these are official games!
     
    I'm looking forward to this new title. It seems to be giving a good retro gaming vibe and a good gameplay experience perfect for hand-held consoles...
     
    Now Pendleton, all this is great, but we could really expand here! Why don't we try this Point and Click thing? Make it like Monkey Island, add hilariously crazy solutions to simple problems, and LOADS AND LOADS OF FLAVOR TEXT! *Door slams in face*
  21. Colon Leftbracket
    So I'm still doing my whole Insomnia Diaries bit like I do any other night I cannot sleep, though this time its more of choosing not to sleep but hey I might as well post anyway.
     
    I choose to forgo sleep tonight simply because I got distracted and BAM it was suddenly 3 AM. Getting just 3 hours of sleep would be no fun. It would mostly just piss me off to only sleep 3 hours, plus I'm usually better off tired anyway. Helps me think better.
     
    So what was on tonight's Insomnia To Do List? Nothing much really. Mostly just catching up on YouTube Subscriptions again.
    Had to get myself caught up with the latest Game Grumps, view some of my favorite Pokemon WiFi battlers, but I did check out a new Let's Play.
    Matt and Woolie's Old School Playthroughs: Donkey Kong Country
    Basically if you are familiar with the Machinima group Two Best Friends Play then you know who Matt is, and Woolie is his friend that joins them sometimes and does stuff on their personal channel.
    Though the other of the Two Best Friends, Pat is not a part of this Let's Play because like the tagline says "Pat Never Had a Childhood!"
    I'd check it out if you had fond memories of the Donkey Kong Country series, though they aren't very far along. They're only on World 3!
     
    Well that's it really for tonight. It's now 6 AM and its time to get ready for school.
  22. Colon Leftbracket
    So I caught myself up with some YouTube subscriptions that damn near too up the entire night, thank based Celestia!
     
    Oddly enough nearly all of my videos were Pokemon based. I think Two Best Friends Play Spiderman (which was shit tier terrible episode) and the new Game Grumps animation about Megaman were the only 2 non Pokemon based vids!
     
    So I caught myself up on today's Game Grumps which was more of Emerald. That was also kinda a bad episode. It was Ego doing impressions for half the episode which isn't all that interesting to me.
     
    Then I watched the entire Season 2 of Five Guys and a Gigalith, and if you don't know what that is its the most exciting team in the Under Used tier of Pokemon! EmperorNBZ also makes for an exiting narration. If you care at all for watching competitive battling you should really check it out!
     
    Then I watched some of my other favorite Pokemon YouTube channels, but playing TCGO (Trading Card Game Online) instead of the usual RPG. I've recently been looking into that actually. I've never really cared for the Pokemon cards for competition, but now it just seems so interesting to me.
     
    Sadly, I don't have time to get myself caught up with Shofu's (a VERY charismatic YouTube Pokemon battler/ rapper) current let's play, Soul Silver Randomizer Nuzlock!
    Funny enough though that the poor bastard started with a Pikachu and then went on to catch his first Pokemon that was... ANOTHER GODDAMN PIKACHU! haha XD
     
    I've also been thinking about my own new competitive battle strategy for Pokemon. I wonder if I could make a good UU or NU team based mostly around Set Ups and Baton Pass. Like have a team where half the team knows Baton Pass and some kind of Set Up and just pass them around, build big combos. Definitely a high risk team, but sounds like a ton of fun if I could get it going!
     
    Well that'll be all for tonight I believe. Off to school in about an hour or so.
  23. Colon Leftbracket
    Obviously serious blogging isn't my thing, or doing anything serious really.
    But what exactly to do with all this new blogging space?
     
    I dunno... Guess I'll listen to the new Coheed and Cambria single until I have to go to bed...
  24. Colon Leftbracket
    Not sure exactly how much I'll be using this but... here you go!
     
    Welcome ladies and broken gentlemen! Feast your eyes on a sight to behold! Never anywhere else will you see such stupidity, such ineptitude than right here ladies and gentlemen, and I'll tell you that much for free! Be shocked and awed by sheer sights of derpiness. Such adequacy! Such a let down. Such... uhh, suchiness!
     
    Now put your hands together, for the ever lasting all time low, the undisputed champion of misery, Colon "Stachioed" Leftbracket, the Manestache himself, THE EVER-FAILING ONE MAN SHOW!
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