America's REAL Pastime

My life has been seriously lacking great games recently.

Over the summer I got to enjoy such gems as Metal Gear Solid 4 and Grand Theft Auto 4. Two of the best games on ps3 to come out this year. Both were absolutely excellent; great story, perfect gameplay - The main difference is probably that I still play GTA4 From time to time, but after playing through MGS4 a few times, it loses it's appeal.

I sold all of my games except GTA 4 and I've played that on occasion, but more recently I've been turning my attention to a game I'll review briefly here. Then I'll List off the games I'm looking forward to in this coming month. Oh also, my computer was put out of a commission again (a mere few days after I even got it back) by the technical support guy i talked to on the phone, leading me through reformatting it in order to make it run smoother; now it can't even start. So I apologize for any typing errors, I will edit this but this keyboard is asboltuely possessed by Satan and despises the idea of me ever forming grammatically correct sentences or even complete sentences before causing the cursor to jump around the screen jumbling everything together. Ah technology, what a wonderful age we live in.

Wipeout HD

From the brief research I did on this game before buying it, I found out that it was originally a ps2 game (a classic must have one, apparently) and has in past years since, had psp iterations made as well. This game is essentially the ps2 and psp games combined and overhauled into very impressive High Defintion. Let it be said before I even begin to describe the gameplay at all, that this game is totally gorgeous. Very vivid and colorful environments with an incredible sense of speed, that is acheived through a great speed blur effect and well, stunning visuals. Keep that in mind as a key phrase, as I continue to describe the game.

So what we basically have here is a racer. A really fast futuristic looking racer. You play in a pretty decent variety of "ships" i guess they could be called, and you race along all kinds of crazy tracks with some jumps and lots of high-speed winding turns. Scattered along the track are square pads with either blue arrows or red X's. The blue arrows give you a short but fast speed boost and the X's provide you with a randomized powerup. These power ups can be offensive like 30 shots of a machine gun or shooting a line of 3 missles shot forward or things like the leech powerup that locks onto the nearest enemy and sucks health away from them while giving it to you. So yes, you do have a health or "shield" meter and you can blow up. It doesn't happen very often though, at least not until further in the game when the races get more difficult. And a cool little feature, i thought, is that with any of the weapons or power ups (there is also a speed powerup you can pick up that is a bit heftier than the standard "boost pads") you can press circle with any power up equipped to absorb it to replenish you're shields energy instead of using it.

All in all its just a really fun game, it looks incredible and I can replace the already good sountrack of the game's licensed techno tracks with my own playlists which is just awesome. I've been playing while listening to the faint or Ratatat and I've found some songs that fit the game perfectly. What's the best part about the game? Well as a 60 dollar game it would be really disappointing but for the 20 dollars that it cost me to download, it is truly a gem. An absolute must have PSN title.

Now let's see if I can find something bad to say about it: I've read that a very popular mode from the originals is absent in Wipeout HD. It was called elimination and it was basically a normal race except instead of having a set the number of laps, the race would just keep going until one person was left. So you basically keep lapping in this track trying to kill each other. That sounds like a reeeally fun mode and I'm pretty pissed off that it wasn't included; I can only hope they add it in a patch, or even if they had it for purchase under three dollars or so I would be willing to get it.

Also, there are only 12 vehicles which is a decent number- but I'm not even halfway through the game and I've unlocked them all..it takes some of the excitement out of it. Regardless, it has online that's great and splitscreen multiplayer and is just absolutely worth a $20 download.

Now for the games I'm looking forward to for October:

Bioshock

To most gamers, Bioshock is very well known. PC and 360 owners have likely already played it and have their opinion on it; most Ps3 owners on the other hand, have not had the opportunity. Of all the the games on my list for October, this is one that I am very unsure of. I really, really want to play it and experience what I've heard so many good things about; but at the same time I don't think it's worth the sixty dollar purchase.

Update! So the bioshock demo came out last thursday and I got a chance to play it a few times. As with most demos I wish it was a lot longer, but it was definitely fun. The first thing my roomate had to say about it was that it's easy. And I did get that impression even from the demo, but that didnt make it any less fun. The water effects although a bit iffy occasionally, blew my mind overall. There are certain points (especially while in motion) where I could not believe what I was seeing. There's one scene in particular that when I get a chance, I want to take a picture of and see if the awe translates into an image as much if at all. I absolutely want to play this game and hope to rent it (if i can finally suck it up and get a gamefly account), but I can comfortably say after playing the demo, I do not want to buy it. I'm tempted, but its clear from my short playthough with it (as well as everyone I've talked to that's played it) that it has very little to no replay value at all and henceforth can not by any twist of the imagination be worth spending 60 dollars on. If my time playing the game cant get near or surpass 60 hours, it's not worth it. Where's the logic in 60 dollars for like 10 or 20 hours of enjoyment?

Anyway, I think I will just update each game one at a time, and have them more in depth ( I was planning just short little blurbs at first) So my next one will be SOCOM or Saint's Row 2 as they both come out this tuesday. SOCOM might even be a review not a preview if I dont get a chance to get back here before Tuesday.

-B

Bill Maher has joined my hall of heroes

I never knew too much about Bill Maher, other than the fact he is a comedian with a talk show, and was funny.

It was not until recently I realized just how funny he is. Of all the great videos I found on Youtube of him, this was my favorite for so many reasons.

Yes, the infamous (somehow not that infamous- I had never heard of it) Pope comment and Maher's sincere apology. And of course, the wonderful Fox News reporters (who are, in absolutely no way biased at all.) reacting to it. I'm not even sure what is funnier; what he said, or fox news discussing it.

Also, there is actually a website led by some crazy Catholic woman (www.firebillmaher.com) trying to convince HBO to fire him. I know they haven't yet and I hope they never do. I'm pretty sure HBO is not run by a bunch of religious looneys anyway though so I'm sure they'll be more likely to just release as-neutral-as-can-be press statements and continue to keep this hilarious and brilliant man on the air. Without further ado:


Love it!


My girlfriend hates Bill Maher and doesnt think he's even remotely funny. She thinks an asshole. At first when i heard that I got really defensive but upon some afterthought I've realized; he is an asshole. But not only is he funny, he's also an intelligent good-natured man. And by good nature I mean essentially that he is a good guy. Sure a lot of his material may offend people (or will, rather) and might get some people upset, but the vast majority of what he says is true and done with good intent. She seemed to be most offended with his mockery of religion and that's understandable; one's beliefs are probably the most sensitive subject a person can talk about. And in the case of devout religious people especially, questioning it is a very messy sensitive subject. (often because when they are cornered by someone pointing out any flaws and irrationality to their beliefs they will often get scared and defensive or many times, even aggressive towards the inquisitor.) But people often forget two very important parts to this predicament: The person being questioned holds the right to say "Regardless of anything you say or prove, this is what I believe and I don't need to explain it to anyone" and yes, that may sound similar to one child conversing with another "Maybe you don't believe, but I know Santa does exist because he eats the cookies I leave out and leaves me extra presents while I'm sleeping" (or something to that nature) but as flawed as that approach may be anyone has the right to say that. (Just as any atheist holds the right to say "I just don't believe in god, that's all" or "I don't follow the bible or any religion but I believe in some supernatural force or being out there") And equally as important, anyone has the right to say whatever they feel like saying about anything, and asking whoever they feel like asking whatever they wish. Those people always reserve the right to decline from the conversation or simply walk away. That's what a free country is, both sides of every argument are free. Not one or the other. I feel like anything anyone wants to, they should be able to as long as they don't harm any others in the process. If you want be an alcoholic and ruin your life; go for it. Just don't get in a car and endanger other completely innocent people. Freedom is to me and i feel should be everywhere, do and say and be whatever you want without hurting people. (People's feelings don't count. This is the real world, we are adults, not in kindergarten. If devout Christians are offended by Bill Maher's show, then they shouldn't watch it. Knowing he will offend you and watching it anyway, and then getting all hot and bothered about it is just childish and absurd.

Then again, when Bill Maher talks about religion he is talking about a belief, a group of people and insulting as it may be to you; he is not knocking on your door and telling you how wrong you are. He is speaking in a general sense on TV (on a channel you have to pay extra to get, and can not watch, just like any other) and not hurling out personal attacks. Sure the pope thing was directed personally to that pervert but even if there wasn't a possibility that the pope is a pedophile and certainly is a man who defended numerous child molesters under the protection his position provides, then I would still think Bill Maher has every damn right to say it.

We are dangerously close to a time where our free speech is cut short from "say anything" to say anything as long as it doesn't offend (list of religious affiliations, ethnicities etc) or as long as it doesn't contain the words...

I will be terribly upset if we ever reach a level of censorship and mutilation of the Constitution ; it is sad enough in our present state.

Well that was a bit of a rant but I tend to fall into those often.

Expect very soon, a videogame entry, an overview some of the games I've recently purchased and the one's I have my eyes on for the coming months.

-B

Hello, internet.

I do not really plan on who is going to read this yet, nor do I have even the slightest dea of what it's content will be. I think though, that it will be mostly just like my journal; a bit more public, a bit less private, and much easier to to get more in at once (not to mention actually proofread my entries and maintain some quality to them) by typing instead of hand writing them.

At the moment, the only computer I have (as mine has been basically bricked, by vista) is my moms and, regardless of what I try to do to avoid it, likes to make the mouse jump around and click random parts of the page as I type, making it near-impossible to do so successfully. By my my count, it has happened 23 times in typing this thusfar. I am ready to throw it through my window (conveniently only a foot or two away, directly in front me) but alas, that would not solve any problems and would certainly create many such as a broken window and computer.

I am planning to just update in this somewhat consistently and avoid the "angsty livejournal entries" and focus it on maturing and going to school and being in a new city and well; growing up pretty much. I am very much a kid (a 20 year old kid, eek!) and although Ive made some substantial progress in the past year especially, I am still a pretty irresponsible, unprepared for life, kid. I feel like this coming year will hold the most drastic changes and growth I have experienced in my whole life up until now. I guess this is as good a place as any to document that as well as take my writing a bit more seriously and be able to exercise it in a relaxing environment, that also surely holds potential for creativity and even some professionalism. Much more than livejournal at least.

Hopefully I'll update this a lot more as I near closer to moving into school and going to philly and much more when my computer is up and working. (as this one drives me insaaane to type on)

I look forward to being consistent with this and maybe even reviewing some games practicing some journalism, creative writing, or something of that nature just to get back into it. I really enjoyed and sorely miss that whole process of writing something productively.

-B