Thursday, December 17, 2009
Rookie Bookie
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Blame the Game
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
XBOX DETOX
I've been looking at this line in my life. The line that I've wanted to cross, but have always been to scared to. Once I've crossed this line - I'm never going back. This week, I not only leaped across the line, but made sweet love to it. Because I have now purchased a headset for my Xbox.
And what a world it has opened to me. I can now talk to all the people who I'm playing with online and who are my friends with Xbox live. These people can help me with strategies and quests. I can even link up a video and chat like skype. Oh yes, I'm a gamer.
It.
Is.
Official.
Now that I'm openly a gamer, I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about the games I've recently purchased and played. I had a bit of a splurge when I bought the headset, figuring I'd go the distance with the epic milestone purchase. I've bought GTA:Liberty City, Eternal Sonata, Tales of Vesperia, Halo: ODST, Dragon Age and Assassins Creed.
Lets begin.
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City:
I know I've just confessed to being an official gamer now, but I've never, ever played a GTA game. I think I may have seen someone play it on their Playstation when I was much younger... but apart from that...nada. I heard China Town Wars on the DS was amazing, and was going to buy that, but then I saw Liberty City sitting pretty on the shelves of JB Hifi for a mere $59.00. And it's two games in one! How do you walk past that? You don't. So keen to get stuck into it. My roommate was psyched that I bought that and has been playing it when I'm not on the machine myself. He's frothing. Can't wait til I'm hijacking cars and killing thugs. Yippee!
Eternal Sonata:
I've fallen so in love with the Final Fantasy series recently. I'm telling you, not ever owning a Playstation EVER is really taking its toll on my knowledge for games. I've been missing out! But better late than never. And only now am I realising how much I love the good 'ol Japanese RPG's. Or Japanese anime in that matter (if anyone knows of any really good anime or manga - let me know!). So after doing my research on one of my favourite gaming sites gamespot.com.au (again, if anyone is a member on here, add me - maudelicious) I found out that Eternal Sonata was a very well made JRPG. Apparently the story line is fulfilling, the characters endearing, the enemies challenging and the graphics simply stunning (think later Final Fantasies). Am very exciting to give this one a test run!
Tales of Vesperia:
Falls heavily under the same category of Eternal Sonata. A very acclaimed JRPG. Very acclaimed = best selling game in Japan on the Xbox last year. Did I need more convincing? Of course not. If I'm going to start getting into Japanese games, I'm going to throw myself into an obsession. Why go in halves? The graphics in this is, so far, are very anime animation. A little too cartoonish. But already an intense story line with a fanatical world that is reeling me in.
Halo 3 ODST:
Is simply a must in any Xbox collection. I had played Halo 3 multiplayer with my brother in Brisbane, and although I was a little rusty (ok, I sucked) I was HOOKED. I needed more. So now, I still suck, but getting better. And fast. So watch out! I love that the multiplayer scenarios are so giving. So do you play in teams? Go on a rampage? Have a mission? What weapons would you like to use? Etc, all while knowing there will literally be up to hundreds of thousands of people online at the same time. There is always someone better than you out there, and always someone worse. Now with the headset I can hear the cries of victory from my teammates, the shouts of abuse at getting killed unfairly, and the harsh words of abuse from the other team (or mine, on a good day). I haven't mastered the art of stifling my laughter when I lose terribly. This one is good for a quick fix of killing and death. If you want to commit to something longer - play the campaign. No more mastercheif (hear the gasps!) but it doesn't really impact the game play. Same enemies. Same tactics. Same missions. Same Same but different.
Dragon Age:
If you haven't worked out by now that I'm a fiend for an RPG then you're brain dead with a talent of punching in this web address. I tried Oblivion to no avail (why make the whole world open from the start! I need to be guided through, I need directions!) so cue the biggest RPG release of the year - Dragon Age. I love that you can choose your race/class . I opted for a Dalish Elf warrior and I'm already regretting it. Tanks in this game are in no way superior. Go the mage, I say! In fact, I'll probably make another character very soon - and make her a mage. It won't be tedious for me to start again either, since each different race has a very unique start (think WOW). The graphics are a little Oblivion-esque, was hoping it would favour the Fable II graphics a little more. Still! The excitement is there. When you battle. If you battle. There are soooo many effing cut scenes in this game, that I was very excited to find the skip scene button (x). So I now have no idea what the hell I'm doing, replying to, or what is being said, but at least I get to kill things quicker!
Assassins Creed:
I was definitely slow off the mark with this game. I'd heard the title come up in a few forums and convos, but never looked into it. Shame on me. It's a sensational game! I have completely fallen in love with it, and struggle to get off once I get started. Everything about this game is breath taking. The graphics especially. They have been so meticulous with every detail, from backgrounds, to buildings, to non-descript people, to shadows. I didn't really understand what was going on at first, but as soon as it shaped together I was addicted. I love the way it is so easy to scale buildings, the fluid motion of every movement from horse riding to jumping from rooftops. And the fact that I can silently kill guards with throwing knives and a concealed blade. This, scarily, makes me shudder in delight. Assassins Creed 2 comes out in days. I will lose a lot of sleep over this, in anticipation until I own it, and then not stopping until I've finished it.
So this is what the next few weeks of my life with be dedicated to. Would love to hear your thoughts!
Monday, August 24, 2009
I'm in my SLIME PRIME
Thought for the Support
Riddle me this!
Monday, August 17, 2009
ANTICIPATION OF THE NATION!
La la laaa la la
Sunday, August 16, 2009
pleased to meat you
Recently, many people are making changes to their diets for many different reasons. I've just cut out gluten after trying a diet without it and noticing plenty of positive differences. But many people are going vegetarian or vegan, for different reasons all together.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
I LOVE VIDEO GAMES.
Any sort of gaming really. I was introduced to computer games by Dad when I was 7. I didn't really understand a lot of the themes, but picked up the game play quite quickly. In 1993 graphics weren't out of this world. But the game play quality definitely made up for it.
Games included:
- Hack
- Leisuresuit Larry: Looking for Love
- Golden Axe
- Wolfenstein
- Ghostbusters II
- countless other games that I can only remember fragments of (ancient roman empire game, car game with nitros, wheel of fortune game)
Looking back, it was funny to realise my favourite of all these games was Leisuresuit Larry. Essentially its about a guy who's middle-aged and balding, and really wants a root. You start the game dumped by your girlfriend, then you accidently win a perfect match contest, then the lotto, then you're being hunted by the KBG, you have to pretend to be a chick to escape them (if you dont get a body wax or put soaps in your bikini top you get sprung) etc etc all the while trying not to catch std's or be tied up by someone's mum who's into dominatrix. ODD!
My gaming evolved when I was 8-10 and spent a lot of time at vocational care during the holidays when Mum and Dad were both at work. Both my older brothers and I dominated the single SNES they had there. The other kids realised they could never be as good as us so never kicked us off. They just all gathered around and watched in awe.
Games included:
- Super Mario Bros
- Super Mario Bros 3
- Earthworm Jim
I can still play the first level of Mario Bros 3 with my eyes closed. Best part is you can download old school Nintendo games ONTO THE WII! So with a quick flip of my wii remote, I can still play it with the same graphics and soundtrack as the early 90's. Ahh bless.
From 9-12 Dad would work on weekends. This would have been quite dull, except for the part where Dads workers all had link up games on their computers. Each week one of us was allowed to bring a friend, and we would all play against each other for hours. Best Sunday afternoon fun.
Games include:
- Doom
- Duke Nukem 3D
- Heretic
This was the most revolutionary thing we'd done - I never knew link up existed. I always wanted to play co-op, because frankly my brothers were damn good at shoot 'em ups and I was sick of dying. Playing a lot and getting good came at a curse of course - I was on a date with my 3 week boyfriend in grade 11, and he suggested that we meet up with his mates at a gaming station to play counterstrike. He had no idea I could play, so I feigned dumbness when it came to gaming. "What button do I press to shoot? Who do I kill?" I beat not only him, but all his mates. By a lot. He dumped me.
The pivotal moment in my gaming career was when Dad brought home a Nintendo 64 when I was 11. Not only did I become the most popular girl at school, but I became addicted. This console allowed 4 players so no one ever missed out. It also meant holidays weren't spent at vocational care anymore, since all we did was play games all day long and persuaded the folks we could look after ourselves.
Games include:
- Mario Kart 64
- Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- NBA Hangtime
- Golden Eye
- Mario 64
- Diddy Kong Racing
- Lylat Wars
By far, the best game I have ever played is Zelda - Ocarina of Time. It will always be my favourite game. Every game I play, I compare it to this one. I think it proved to me that my favourite type of game is 1 player platform adventure. Sigh.
Because of the Nintendo, my family grew a loyalty to the brand like no other. We never bought a Playstation, and to this day still have never owned one.
From 14-20 technology was flowing. Our PC was faster and better than ever before, and many games were added to it. My brother also purchased a gamecube - which seemed like a good idea at the time
Games include:
- Age of Empires
- Heroes of Might and Magic
- Sims
- Super Smash Bros Melee
- Zelda: Windwaker
Then of course, another revolutionary gaming experience occurred when I was 19. Dad purchased World of Warcraft for PC, a massively multi-player online role playing game. I started up a character or two, and my life was over. It was a constant struggle between family member on who would play when. I had it during the day when Dad was at work, he had it at night. It is a game that eats your soul. I would easily play for 7 hours straight, forgetting to eat or live. I have played until 4am in the morning scared to let down the team I was in doing quest after quest. My brother bought a computer a set it up next to the first one so that 2 people could play at a time. I have since stopped playing, but my father has not. He has so many characters, many at maximum levels. He is God.
Now, at 23, live with my dog in a studio. I bought a Wii 2 years ago, and have recently acquired an Xbox 360.
Games include:
- Zelda: Twilight Princess
- Mario Galaxy
- Mario Party 8
- Star Wars: Forced Unleashed
- Wii Fit
- Guitar Hero: World Tour
- Oblivion
- Fable II
- Lost Odyssey
I'm finding it very difficult to finish a game. My attention span for these games weren't like they used to be. If I'm stuck, I'll turn it off and forget about a game for months. There is not one game I've completed. I prefer to play 2 player, I last longer this way. My goal now is to finish what I start. My fav game so far is Fable II, I adore everything about it. It isn't as good as Zelda: OoT, but its damn close.
Chic Geek
xx