Archive for the 'Gaming' Category
Pon Pon Pata Pon!
You are The Mighty Patapon, a deity worshiped by all members of the Patapon tribe. Your loyal subjects obey your every command, but the catch…you can only command them via various drum beats created by rhythmically pressing the various face buttons on your PSP. Who would have thought a side-scrolling 2D real-time strategy rhythm game featuring eyeball looking heroes would ever be so addicting?!
After listening to a certain IGN editor rant and rave about Patapon on several podcasts and even going as far as claiming its the best game ever, I decided to download the demo available on the PSN. A few minutes into the demo, and I was hooked! Pon Pon Pata Pon! Pata Pata Pata Pon! These are just a few of the drum beats used to command your army of Patapons across a beautifully drawn 2D side scrolling stage while fighting to reclaim their land. I was glued to my PSP for over 5 hours this past Sunday.
I must admit, I failed several levels multiple times since it seems that I have little to no rhythm at times. Practice makes perfect, and once I discovered the beat of a particular stage, just try and stop me! I found it much easier to play the game using headphones, as this drowns out any background noise and helps me focus on the beat.
Patapon is definately a “Must Buy” PSP game, and at $20 its surprising affordable! If your reading this still trying to figure out if your should buy it, go out and get it! At the very least go download the demo!
No commentsWho Is - Kaim Argonar?
Rarely will I go out of my way to write about a game in any form what so ever, since frankly the only people I influence in regards to games won’t ever read this. However, Lost Odyssey has provoked me…
Having clocked about twenty hours of game play in one weekend is no small feat for me, let alone having a game that can keep me glued to it for long uncontrolled bursts of pure turn-based, random battle bliss. Sure, some believe that turn based games are a drudgery. Others may say random battles are suppose to be extinct. To those nay sayers out there, let me tell you, Lost Odyssey has done these things right.
The one thing that has kept me intrigued with Lost Odyssey isn’t its graphics or the “outdated” game play those other game reviewers are focusing on, its the story. More specifically, its the story of a man who has the gift of immortality. As people get older, they begin to deal with death and start realizing that life is brittle and every one will eventually die. Some people accept this fate, while others spend lifetimes searching for ways to avoid death. As someone who questions the meaning of life, as I’m sure most of you have, I have often wished to experience immortality. To live forever would be great, wouldn’t it?
Lost Odyssey’s story focuses on a man, Kaim, who has been given immortality and has lived a thousand years. Every good story has to have a worthy villain, and how is a villain suppose to kill a man that cannot die? Stripping someone of their memories will leave them an empty living shell, essentially killing the person they used to be.
What the story does throughout the game, is it slowly allows the main character to recall his memories. Often times these memories are recalled in cut scenes, but most of the time you will be reading his memories in the form of dreams triggered by similar events happening in the real world. Kaim’s dreams are presented to the player through the simplest interface I could imagine, a power point presentation is a fitting description. These short stories/poems are presented with timed sound effects, colorful fitting backgrounds, and even the occasional animated effect.
For one to truly understand Kaim, one must read and understand these dreams. Most every dream focuses around death and the frailty of human life. However, death is not always a topic to be sad about. The dreams are a great way to instill the wisdom of a thousand years into the gamers mind. Death is what makes our human lives, and the accomplishments completed during our lives, mean something. It is a right we earn at the end to rest eternally. It is the frailty of life that makes humans want to live life to the fullest. Death is an accomplishment unto itself. To remove a persons ability to die, is diminishing the meaning of their accomplishments.
Having to experience the tragedy of eternal life through the eyes of the writer is heart breaking. One would almost welcome having your memories erased. This is your main character, Kaim Argonar.
2 commentsUpdate: Ryan Davis Leaves GameSpot!
Ryan Davis updated his blog earlier today linking to an exclusive interview with Joytstiq.com, which includes further details as to why he felt it was time to move on after eight years at GameSpot. Davis goes on to say that the remaining GameSpot editors are not being influenced by sales or marketing teams, and believes that our trust in their continued honest and quality work will not be misplaced.
Ryan also briefly touched upon Gertmann’s controversial firing.
“Kane & Lynch didn’t fire Jeff. I believe it was a factor in his termination, but I think it was more emblematic of the relationship between the upper management and the senior editorial teams. I’m not privy to the specifics of that relationship, but I believe they felt our reviews were unfairly critical, and that was impeding on ad dollars, which should give you a good sense of where their priorities lie.”
I don’t believe anything more needs to be said on the subject considering most people have since made up their owns minds as to what truly happened only months ago.
No commentsRyan Davis Leaves GameSpot!
In a move that probably will surprise no one, the GameSpot exodus continues! Long time GameSpot veteran Ryan Davis has announced his resignation from the company effective February 14,2008. This is the latest resignation in a long line after the controversial firing of GameSpot’s former Editorial Director Jeff Gurstmann.Ryan made the announcement Monday afternoon on his blog where he states Jeff Gurstmann’s termination as a “catalyst” for his decision to leave, along with other complications. Ryan also goes on to say that he may be starting his own podcast featuring many of his “famous friends.” Is this a hint of the rumored project involving many of GameSpot’s former editors? One can only hope!
I feel like I’ve said this one too many times in the recent months, but I wish Ryan Davis the best of luck in the future, and I look forward to seeing what crazy animated adventures he and Jeff will go on next. Good luck!
Whom shalt thou call?
Professor Cornelius Venkkman!
Steampunk+ Ghostbuster = Awesome!
Being the huge Ghostbuster fan that I am, I couldn’t help but to put this up as soon as I stumbled across it on ectoplasmosis.
I can only hope that the upcoming Ghostbuster games on the "next-gen" consoles are as cool as this guy’s cosplay. Either way, you can be sure that come launch day, I’ll be picking up a copy of Ghostbusters for each system its released on! After all, what better way is there to support my favorite movie franchise of all time, than by throwing heaps of money at officially licensed products?
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