tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2422342884749082602024-03-14T06:50:19.677-04:00Exalted PhenomMake your biggest LOL face cuz it's bloggin' time!ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-88717563638917999142010-09-07T23:08:00.001-04:002010-09-07T23:08:34.708-04:00So.........Been busy.ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-62234788793670988582010-07-18T22:38:00.019-04:002010-07-19T15:00:48.905-04:00Movie Review: Inception<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/5/Inception_2010_Movie_4022_poster.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 443px;" src="http://www.dramastyle.com/images/3/5/Inception_2010_Movie_4022_poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I'm just going to bluntly state this as my opening sentence: best movie of the summer. Now that it's been said, it's time to break it down. Take everything positive I said in my last review of <a href="http://exaltedphenom.blogspot.com/2010/07/movie-review-sorcerers-apprentice.html">"The Sorcerer's Apprentice"</a> and amplify it. Graphics-amazing, cast-superb, storyline- profound, staggering, mind-blowing. This is by far the best movie of the summer, even beating out (dare I say it) Iron Man 2. Don't get me wrong I'm all for Tony Stark beating on some bad guys, but the original was better and the final battle was short compared to the rest of the movie. But who am I to judge what movie reins supreme? Right now I've got on my reviewer pants, not my comparison pants, so let's get to it.<div><br /></div><div>Mr. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is an extractor. He has mastered the art of entering the subconscious and uncovering secrets within the victim's mind. However, a powerful acquaintance asks Cobb to attempt something that most extractors deem impossible: inception. I don't want to spoil anything (and trust me it's difficult not to) but the idea of inception involves planting an idea in an individual's mind so that he or she believes it to be true. In order to accomplish the task set before him, Mr. Cobb assembles a team of specialists including such actors as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and Tom Hardy. I myself thought that DiCaprio and Page's acting specifically was astounding. Their characters are believable individuals with actual personalities, Cobb with his troubled past and Ariadne (Page) with her curiosity to uncover the truth behind Cobb's actions. </div><div><br /></div><div>The storyline is in itself a masterpiece. The thought provoking style of this film reminded me somewhat of The Matrix. Both films leave the viewer questioning their own reality, or in fact, what is reality. Although I realize some people may leave the theater confused about the plot or not understanding some aspects (trust me if you leave to go to the bathroom during this movie you're pretty much screwed) however, if you pay attention throughout the film, you'll be able to comprehend the major components.</div><div><br /></div><div>The special effects within Inception are definitely not to be forgotten. Although I myself am majoring in physics, the shear disregard to the fundamental laws of physics was a sight to behold. Because most of the movie takes place within the subconscious, physics can easily be manipulated within one's dreams. None of these effects were overused while the action and story flowed perfectly when CGI was implemented. </div><div><br /></div><div>I found myself on the edge of my seat from beginning to end of this film. The last scene of the film, I must add, is perfectly scripted and amazingly produced, leaving the moviegoer with a yearning question in which it is very likely to second-guess the answer. (That's my way of saying the ending was epic, for lack of a better word). While most of the time, within my group of friends that I go with to the theater, I am usually the only one to save his ticket, this time around, I found my friends holding onto their ticket stubs and making sure they hadn't thrown them away. This movie is definitely one of the best films I have seen in a very long while. It redefines, as least in my opinion, movie-making at its roots. Of all the movies that have come out this summer, this is definitely the one to go see.</div><div><br /></div><div>A definite 5 out of 5.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange." --Cobb</div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-7370185171228839262010-07-17T17:24:00.006-04:002010-07-19T15:01:41.578-04:00Movie Review: The Sorcerer's Apprentice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.astromono.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/the-sorcerers-apprentice-poster_274x424.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 424px;" src="http://www.astromono.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/the-sorcerers-apprentice-poster_274x424.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><blockquote></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><span><span>Nicolas Cage returns to the movie industry this time not as a treasure hunter extraordinarie, but as one of the three Sorcerer's trusted by Merlin himself. Loosely based off of the Disney short "Fantasia," the movie follows a twenty year old boy named David (Jay Baruchel). Unaware of his magical ability, Dave initially rejects his calling to become a Sorcerer. Only after accidentally unleashing one of the most feared enemies into the world does he agree to help Balthazar (Cage).</span></span><div><span><span><br />At first, his magical ability is extremely weak. He cannot even conjure a plasma ball, the most basic of spells. However, with an instructor who learned from the famous Merlin, Dave eventually begins to control his ability. As with most movies with a "average guy who becomes the chosen one and must save the world" plot, The Sorcerer's Apprentice involves romance. Dave falls for a girl he met when he was ten however after an unfortunate turn of events, does not see her again until his collegiate years. His dream girl Becky (Teresa Palmer) is skeptical of seeing Dave after so many years, however soon becomes intrigued as Dave's physics and ingenuity helps her get her radio station back on the air. However, the great evil foil to Balthazar, Horvath (another apprentice to Merlin), plans to disrupt Dave's apprenticeship and unleash a horror the world has yet to see since the Medieval Era. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size:medium;"></span></span></div></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>Similar to another movie I recently reviewed that shall go unnamed, The Sorcerer's Apprentice had amazing CGI. Magical spells worked well and made the film somewhat believable. Characters didn't have to dance around for five seconds before any magic actually took place *cough cough The Last Airbender*. I also found it rather fitting that *spoiler alert skip to the next paragraph* the scene from Fantasia where Mickey uses his spells to control mops to do his chores for him is expertly recreated and even includes the original music to go along with the amazing visuals.</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>Along with homages to the original "Fantasia" and excellent CGI, the acting skills were above par. It might just be that the last acting skills I saw in a theater involved a cast of children who had no personality, however, I still felt that Cage and the rest of the characters in this film did their part superbly. Also, to continue my previous rant on that Avatar movie, The Sorcerer's Apprentice actually had comedy. And it was actually funny. I don't want to give it away, but a certain Star Wars reference had my friends and I laughing for a while. </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>Overall, The Sorcerer's Apprentice is an excellent movie, one that I am certainly not unhappy paying for. The cast is exceptional, the CGI is amazing, and the comedic timing is perfect. Even though there are a few awkward moments and occasional plot holes the movie as a whole is amazing. I went into this movie lazily trying to find time to spend my Friday night, however, when I exited, I asked myself why I didn't see this opening night.</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>A solid 4.5/5.</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>Edit: </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0963966/trivia">Here's</a><span> a couple tidbits of trivia I thought paid excellent homage to "Fantasia."</span></span></div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-15381727214001839852010-07-16T00:20:00.004-04:002010-07-19T19:11:58.947-04:00Upcoming ReviewsHere's a list of movies I'm most likely going to see in theaters/games I've been playing recently that I'm planning on reviewing. Not in any particular order.<div><br /></div><div>Movies:</div><div><br /></div><div><s>Inception</s></div><div><s>The Sorcerer's Apprentice</s></div><div>The Expendables</div><div>The Adjustment Bureau</div><div>Dinner for Schmucks</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Console Games:</div><div><br /></div><div>Killzone 2</div><div>Fuel</div><div>Crackdown 2</div><div>Battlefield Bad Company 2</div><div>Modnation Racers</div><div><br /></div><div>PC Games:</div><div><br /></div><div>Continuity (flash game)</div><div>Zelda II: FPS</div><div>Robot Unicorn Attack (iPod touch)</div><div><br /></div><div>TV Shows:</div><div><br /></div><div>Avatar: The Last Airbender (to make up for the movie)</div><div>Mind Games</div><div>Psych</div><div>Covert Affairs</div><div>The Misadventures of Flapjack</div><div>Mythbusters</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Some of those I just threw in there for fun. Also, I'm working out a method to redo this blog and turn it into something other than just my opinion on certain media. Maybe branch out into opinions on technology, or post links to interesting stuff, or maybe even a weekly top ten list of something, or perhaps even a guide to living at college. I'll think some more about it. But this is the list of things I'd like to review in the near future.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div><br /></div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-51446084163943588212010-07-10T23:58:00.016-04:002010-07-11T00:40:02.584-04:00Movie Review: Despicable Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.trailershut.com/movie-posters/Despicable-Me-Movie-Poster.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 444px;" src="http://www.trailershut.com/movie-posters/Despicable-Me-Movie-Poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Minions! Steve Carell returns to the animated film industry this time as a gentle yet still evil protagonist. After voicing a few characters from movies such as Over the Hedge and Horton Hears a Who, this time around he is cast as Gru, a super-villian who formulates a plan to utilize three small cookie-scout selling girls in order to infiltrate his nemesis's fortress. His plan? To use a shrink ray in order to steal the moon! However, after adopting the three children and living with them for a while, Gru must make a major decision: villainy or parenthood. <div><br /></div><div>Although the only comedic scenes/laughable jokes in most of the comedies I have seen recently are bunched together in the preview so that if you actually buy a ticket you get to sit through the boring parts in-between gags, Despicable Me doesn't have that problem. There are still a few emotional non-comedic scenes and the occasional "they're trying way to hard" joke, however, one word makes up for it all: minions! The oblong yellow one/two-eyed little guys made this movie. Without them and their comedic timing, I wouldn't have been in such a good mood after walking out of the theater. The nonsensicalness of such a creature and the weird yet humorous noises it could make with its mouth kept me and my friends laughing throughout the movie. </div><div><br /></div><div>I realize that this movie is directed toward a younger audience, however after sitting through it, I felt that people of all ages could appreciate the humor found within this film. All of the middle-aged adults sitting in front of and around me were able to laugh and have a good time with this movie. In fact, if I remember correctly there were only a handful of younger-aged children in the audience (and of course with its wacky style they were very amused). </div><div><br /></div><div>Even with the filming of Dinner for Schmucks and the ongoing hilarity of The Office, Carell was able to voice a main character in a family comedy while still giving it his all. (The Russian accent of Gru was, as it seemed to me, spot on). So far, Steve Carell has yet to disappoint me whether he appears in person or as a voice-over. Despicable Me is a fun-filled movie that everyone will enjoy, even the older audiences. And trust me....it was far better than the last movie I reviewed. I still want to get that hour and a half out of my mind.</div><div><br /></div><div>Despicable Me gets a 3.5/5. </div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-79216638060112755212010-07-03T03:38:00.020-04:002010-07-12T22:18:29.706-04:00Movie Review: The Last Airbender<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:8VL5nVG5QF4YKM:http://www.impawards.com/2010/posters/last_airbender_ver3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 96px; height: 142px;" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:8VL5nVG5QF4YKM:http://www.impawards.com/2010/posters/last_airbender_ver3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I don't even wanna talk about it.<div><br /></div><div>Edit: Fine I'll review it....though no one reads this anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've been posting lately about how I am still unaware of what direction I want to take my blog. Whether it be a compilation of serious posts, a variety of comedic anecdotes, or continue along the video game/movie reviews. However, I feel that if I review this movie that most of you readers would feel I've gone off into a "rant blog" verbally exclaiming my distaste for the world and the society for which I live in. Even though that is not the case, I warn you now it's going to sound as if this movie made me jaded/depressed/hate society. Which, as it turns out, it moderately did. Though my hatred isn't directed toward society as much as it is toward M. Night Shamalamadingdong. (I'll have a few choice words later for him in the post)</div><div><br /></div><div>This "movie" is the live-action adaptation of a highly acclaimed television series that aired on Nickelodeon a few years back. I'll be honest here, I was a fan of the show. It had developing characters, comedy, a divulging storyline (even though it went off on random tangents at times), and an intriguing yet nostalgic art style. The Last Airbender only focuses on the first book of the series since if they tried to cram all three seasons into one movie it would turn out even worse (if that's possible). Aang (apparently Shyamalan wants to pronounce it Ah-ng), an airbending nomad, befriends two water-tribe villagers and the adventure begins. In a world where the elements are "bendable" or manipulated by humans, only Aang as the Avatar is capable of utilizing all four. In the first installment of the series, Aang realizes that he must learn the remaining three elements if he is to end a war 100 years in the making. And thus the story begins.....</div><div><br /></div><div>So where did Shyamalan go wrong? First off, he screwed up when he took the job. Seriously when's the last time Shamalamadingdong's produced a half-decent movie? I thought The Village was adequate and the "twist" at the end was different but that came out six years ago and I was only 13 so of course I would think it was interesting. Lady in the Water and The Happening were complete flops as well, so why hand over a series with an enormous fan base to a vividly failing director? His kids. He recently discussed that while his children were watching the show as it aired on TV, he also became hooked on its individuality and style. As a fan of the series, he was able to coax Paramount studios to allow him to direct the adaptation. I myself would just like to know one thing: what did his kids say after seeing this atrocity of a movie? The twist of this movie? It sucked....big time. Though it seems as if he used that twist in his previous movies as well....maybe he's running out of twists.</div><div><br /></div><div>So here's what I felt he did wrong throughout the movie:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Pronunciation. Seriously that part ticked me off. If you're going to make a live adaptation of a cartoon, at least get the character names right. Especially the main character. Who the freak is Ah-ng? And Ee-row? Don't even get me started on Soh-kah. That's just a slap in the face to fans of the show.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Plot holes. I know that the ten hours of season 1 had to be condensed down to fit into a movie timeslot, but the lack of important scenes facilitated Shyamalan's failure. Throughout the movie, the trio of Sohkah, Ahng, and Katara only met a minor character by the name of Haru (who is supposed to be a man but rather appeared to be a small asian woman). They didn't even run into Suki or Jet, both of whom play major.....and I mean major roles in the following two seasons. I can understand why they didn't meet Bumi, Ahng's ancient earthbending friend since he was in the show for comedic relief, however, skipping over two main characters in order to include a sub-character like Haru is just plain stupid.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Lack of humor. That's what the show was all about! Comedy! Iroh and Sokka were hilarious and sarcastic, and Aang was a happy, spirited avatar. In the movie, everything was serious. Comedic relief was scarce and bland, and all the characters felt as though they were just reciting a middle school play of the show. The deep, emotional personalities from the characters in the cartoon were nowhere to be found in the film adaptation. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. Acting. Like I said, it seemed as though I was watching a horrible middle school version of the show. Most all of the actors were terrible at their jobs with their poor acting skills. I know that the main cast was supposed to be pre-teen to teen aged children, but other movies have been successful with such a cast. i.e. Harry potter, the Goonies, etc. As far as the issue of race goes, sure the characters in the cartoon appeared Chinese while the characters in the movie were Indian/Caucasian, but I was at least able to get past that.....moderately.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Bending. I will give them this, the CGI was extremely well done in some scenes. The flow of water and the ferociousness of fire appeared almost realistic. However, if Shyamalan actually watched the show instead of reading a Cliffnotes for it, he would have noticed that the characters don't dance around for five seconds before any bending actually occurs. If it happened once or twice I wouldn't call him out on this, but every time a character manipulated an element, they had to do a fancy dance as if they were forced to please the Water God before being able to move anything. In that time I just imagined someone staring at the character while they perform yoga or tai chi or whatever, pausing to laugh inside their head, then throw a throwing knife ending the movie. Seriously, I know that the ancient art of Chinese fighting is sacred and all, but I don't think that leaving yourself vulnerable for that long is a good idea. Besides, it just looked silly. Just saying. On another note, when did firebenders require a source of fire for their attacks? I'm pretty sure they could just create it at will......way to stick with the show Shyamalan. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now comes the only positive statements that I can possibly make about this movie. Near the beginning while Katara and Sohka were talking to their grandmother about Ahng, she mentioned her friend Hama who was taken away by the fire nation. Any fan of the show should know that the group actually meets the character of Hama in the final season of the series. She turns out to be a blood-bender which is creepy, but awesome since she can make a person her human puppet by manipulating the blood in their veins. And I've already stated that the CGI was pretty good in some parts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other than those two adequate positive outlooks, the movie was just plain bad. I knew it was going to be horrible before I watched it, however I just wanted to see how much Shyamalan butchered an excellent series. To me, it was worse than I had initially thought. And that's saying something since I had read that it had gotten an 8/100 on rotten tomatoes the day before I saw it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, if you haven't seen this movie yet, don't. Please don't encourage Shamalamadingdong to direct the next two (if they even make another movie). If anything, and I don't condone this, it's probably on the internet somewhere. Just watch the first five minutes, see how bad it is, then never mention it again. This is the first time in recent memory I literally almost went to the ticketbox and asked to get my money back it was that bad. This is a horrible rendition of the TV cartoon and I'm now almost offended to consider myself a fan of the show. Just stay away from this one at all costs. Now that I've finished ranting, I'm going to go apologize to my friends for having them come with me to see this "movie." </div><div><br /></div><div>Nice job Shyamalan. A 0.5/5. And those are just pity points.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-61271142827021958492010-06-12T18:13:00.002-04:002010-06-12T18:19:57.155-04:00Nine Months....Psh That's Not A Long TimeSince I haven't posted anything since September of last year....actually I don't really know how to continue that statement. School took up most of my time until Summer began in May and I've never had the urge to get back into blogging until now for some reason. Perhaps it's because I feel like there's no one reading the useless babble that I type every once in a while. But in order to control my sanity over the next few months, as well as to keep up my writing ability, I'll try and post some interesting material over the next few weeks, even if no one reads it. I have been playing/reviewing/getting frustrated by video games since I got home. Fable 2, Mirror's Edge, Gears of War, Mass Effect, and God Of War 3 are all on my "to review" list. But then again I also want to take this blog in directions other than the monotonous overused "video game blog."<div>Eh, I'll think about it. Oh and by the way......leaving a comment would make me more inclined to continue posting stuff.....that is if you're interested. =]</div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-30444847850152276992009-09-20T23:38:00.004-04:002010-04-21T01:33:25.570-04:00Man, I've Been Busy!So like yeah, I've been getting used to college life and stuff. Been kinda busy with all the tests and quizzes...and Student Government...and juggling club so I havn't really gotten the time to post in a looooong time. I know....<br /><br />Since I don't have a console in my room.....I'm kinda stuck on where to go from here. I could take the adventerous route and start discussions....or I could just mooch off my friends and review games I play in their dorm =]<br /><br />We'll see what happens okay?<br /><br />This is just to let you guys know that I understand that I still have a blog haha but I havn't been updating like other people I know. Anyway yeah check back for updates in the coming weeks.<div><br /></div><div>Edit: Make that months. I'm lazy.<br /><br />Peace.</div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-66996384357120351692009-08-08T23:48:00.019-04:002009-08-09T00:46:18.208-04:00Dead Space Review<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Dead_Space_Box_Art.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 256px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Dead_Space_Box_Art.jpg" /></a>What's this?!?!? Electronic Arts making a decent game that ISN'T a sports game? And you're telling me its a survival horror game? Where the crap did this come from? <div></div><br /><div>Dead Space IS a survival horror game. It IS by Electronic Arts. And it ISN'T that scary. Whoops did I just ruin it? I guess I did.</div><div></div><br /><div>The game begins with as you crash land on the deck of the USG Ishimura, a mining ship that recently lost all communications. You play as Issac Clarke, assigned to investigate the termination of the ship. As you walk into a room, a quarantine takes effect and all the doors lock. You can only watch as a muntant....thing...pops down out of the ceiling and feasts upon the flesh of your crew.</div><br /><div></div><div>Oooo that's scary you might say. Dead Space is a game that doesn't scare as much as it's advertised to. Once you see one enemy revive itself from acting dead, you get tired as the set pieces begin to repeat themselves. I found myself looking at a "dead" enemy on the floor thinking.....balls I have no health, two shots left, and there's an enemy about to bite my face off and rape my eye sockets.</div><div></div><br /><div>The only disturbing feature of the game I found was the variety of ways enemies can disembody your special main character. There's the old fashioned chop my limbs off like I'm the black knight from Monty Python. However, some enemies had horiffic methods to disembowl me. One of which is the squid like thing. Let me just pause here....So I'm playing on Medium mode when the squids arrive. I try shooting them but there's a few of them and they take damage pretty well. Not to mention they're fast as heck. The squids decide to take advantage of my 5% health and jump on my face. In their enjoyment, the squid that was hungriest of all decided to rip my head off. But no he wanted more! He then took it upon himself to stick his long tenticles down into the area where my head used to be, jamming them into my spine and such so that his head was now my head. What made the scene worse was the fact that Issac still had some life in him as he tried desperately to pull the creature off. Yeah that part....was pretty freaky.</div><div></div><br /><div>The rest of the game is pretty repetitive. In one chapter you have to find a specific type of enemy screwing up the clean air and take care of him. The only problem, there's about 10 of them scattered about an enormous floor of the ship. It seemed to me as if the designers were just trying to lengthen the game to fit it into the 6-8 hour game time slot.</div><div></div><br /><div>Boss fights are pretty well done though. Especially the one in zero gravity. Zero-G thoughout the game is fairly intuitive and works well for the genre. When you enter a Zero-G zone you have another dimension for enemies to pop out of. </div><div></div><br /><div>Dead Space is good for a suspenseful night and is best played with the lights out and no ambient noise. It's no Silent Hill 3, but under those circumstances, it can really get the blood pumping. Since I borrowed this game from my friend, I felt I might as well get all of the trophies/achievements for it. It took me a while, Impossible mode was the most annoying, but I perservered. If you play on Easy mode then don't expect any scares at all. Pretty much every enemy dies in one hit its almost laughable.</div><div></div><br /><div>It's good enough for a rent if you've got an urge for a horror game though I won't suggest buying it since now that I've beaten it on the hardest difficulty I find that there is nothing else I can do in the game. It's not a long lasting game but for the time spent playing it, it's well worth it. Check it out.</div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-28305650499118558602009-08-08T23:02:00.017-04:002009-08-09T00:25:51.876-04:00Movie Review: Taken<a href="http://www.entertainmentnutz.com/movies/reviews/T/taken/Taken_poster.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 280px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.entertainmentnutz.com/movies/reviews/T/taken/Taken_poster.jpg" /></a> Although I missed seeing Taken when it was in theaters, I decided to rent it and see how it stood up to most action movies like Bourne and 007 since it's in the same genre.<br /><br />The protagonist Brian Mills (played by Liam Neeson), is a divorced ex-CIA(?) agent who tries to become closer with his seventeen-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). When Kim askes her father for permission to fly to Paris with her friend, Brian feels uneasy about the trip. As an ex-government agent, he knows of the dangers of allowing a young girl to travel out of the country. However, the pressure forced onto him by his ex-wife finally gets the best of him.<br /><br />As Kim arrives in Paris, she is greeted by a stranger who kindly offers to split a taxi ride with the two girls. After the two are dropped off, the spotter sends in the information: Two girls, around seventeen, alone.<br /><br />As the two get settled in at the apartment, Kim's father calls to ensure she landed safely. Before the conversation has ended, Kim sees three men break into the apartment and apprehend the other girl. Brian, knowing the outcome, tells his daughter: "You will be taken. I will come for you."<br /><br />Taken is a fast paced, action thriller like no other. Brian, although the "good-guy" can be far from a hero at points. He ruthlessly kills enemies even as they beg for life. During one scene, *SPOILER ALERT* Brian finds the man who kidnapped his daughter only to find he has sold her. To get the information he requires, Brian bounds the man to a chair and impales two large nails into each of his legs. Oh no he's not done yet don't worry. He then attaches clamps to the nails which connect to an electrical circuit. When the guy doesn't tell him what he wants, well he get a nice dose of current running through his body. After finally getting the name of the buyer, Brian starts to leave. He stops and says to the man, "I told you I would find you...and I would kill you." As the man begs for his life, Brian flips the switch, leaving the current running through the tied up man, and leaves him to die.<br /><br />Yeah pretty different for a good guy eh?<br /><br />Taken doesn't let up the action until the credits start rolling. Brian will use any means necessary to get his daughter back from the human smugglers. As I watched this movie, I couldn't help but think to myself that most of the events portrayed actually occur. Men greet women under the age of 21 traveling alone and see where they are staying. They then kidnap them, get them addicted to drugs, and then either sell them to forced-labor camps or market them as prostitutes. Haha the movie kinda made me not want to go to Paris anytime soon =P<br /><br />The only problem I have with the movie is that its short (no this doesn't mean make a short joke....Trevor...). It's only an hour and a half. I felt as if I was about to be immersed by the storyline but was cut short due to names scrolling across the screen saying "haha screw you the movie's over jerk"<br /><br />Listen, it's no Bourne. It's not 007. But if you're in the mood for an awesome straight up action flick then go see Taken. My advice, it's a strong rent for sure.<br /><br />4/5ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-80320064117731757012009-08-02T01:56:00.004-04:002009-08-02T02:04:13.459-04:00No Burrito Just Taco No!Alright so Adrian and I were messing around on the Internet in Engineering class a few years ago. Either we were really hungry because it wasn't lunch time yet or we just had a random facination with tacos....we discovered the "Taco Song" by a band called Never Heard of It. We listened to it and were amazed. It was so random...well just listen. The video I don't really know...its from the Sims. It's the song I'm focusing on =].<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KhgQHl7S7D8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KhgQHl7S7D8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Yeah pretty weird huh? Post your comments I'd like to see what you all think of it. =]ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-24028807987618653072009-07-18T00:46:00.010-04:002010-07-06T00:37:50.596-04:00Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince<a href="http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/images_7/HarryPotterHBPrince3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 263px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 454px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/images_7/HarryPotterHBPrince3.jpg" /></a> How do I review a movie that requires countless backstory in order for it to make any sense...? <div><br /><div>Hopefully I won't need to address the issue since nearly everyone should have seen the previous five movies and/or have some recollection of the harry potter franchise unless you've been stuck under a rock (almost said troll for horrible harry potter pun) for the past 10 odd years. Some reviews complain that the movie is not for the "uninitiated" REAAAAAAAALLLLYYYY. What would be your first clue?</div><br /><div></div><div>Past that, the movie starts out nearly directly where the previous installment left off. Harry has lost his godfather and Lord Voldemort is back in power wreaking havoc on any/all unsuspecting Muggles, Witches, and Wizards. In sight of this, Harry seems almost too calm for a major part of the movie. Voldemorts murdering innocent civilians and terrorizing the wizarding world...and Harry just sits back and goes to school. =\</div><div></div><br /><div>Unlike some people I've talked to, I actually enjoyed this chapter of the Harry Potter movie franchise. Sure there wasn't as much action as previous movies and there are some changes from the book, however, I feel that the flow as a whole makes up for it. School still continues for the trio, but there is an eering feeling thoughout the movie that foreshadows the thrilling, sad conclusion. Harry, Ron, and Hermionie all have their differences, but come through together, setting the scene nicely for the last two movies to be released.</div><div></div><br /><div>The only major problem I had is subtle to most people but for some reason it bugged me...I only noticed it about an hour into the movie (yes 2 hours 40 minutes is a loong time sitting down I know...just ask my leg when it wakes up) Either the make-up crew forgot or it was just his hair covering it...but I couldn't find a trace of Harry's scar. Only when he brought up the topic was the scar very clearly seen. Most other scenes the scar seemed almost non-existant. </div><br /><div></div><div>Other than that subtle error I thoroughly enjoyed the sixth movie in the Harry Potter series. I look forward to the final two movies with optimism, since I believe the final installment is one of, if not <strong>the</strong>, best of the series. If you're a Harry Potter fan, you probably saw this movie opening night and posted on your blog about it by the time the credits started rolling. If you're not that big of a fan, I still suggest seeing the movie. Yeah they don't fight as much, but the story makes up for it and it certanly leads for a fantastic finish in the final two movies.</div><div></div><br /><div>4.5 out of 5.</div></div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-39020066194917326562009-07-18T00:42:00.003-04:002009-07-18T00:46:42.637-04:00Back to bloggingYeah I know I havn't posted in 14 some odd days so whatever I'm back. I've been stuck trying to beat Dead Space on Impossible. Yeah it sucks. I might review it later on. Also sorry to Adrian for not being able to attend the movie with us. My bad yo =\<br /><br />So just to officially say it. I'm back to blogging! Yay....and stuff.ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-4628130215024219232009-07-04T22:05:00.003-04:002009-07-04T22:12:46.565-04:00Happy 4th of July EveryoneI would just like to take a second and say Happy 4th of July to everyone =] Happy Birthday America!!!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 459px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 391px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://z.about.com/d/chemistry/1/0/_/_/fireworks.jpg" />ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-18767078525801847982009-06-28T00:51:00.005-04:002009-06-29T20:17:34.062-04:00Funny Halo Kill<a href="http://www.dvdexchange-online.co.uk/Game_News/HALO_2/halo2E3_03.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 293px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.dvdexchange-online.co.uk/Game_News/HALO_2/halo2E3_03.jpg" /></a> Yeah yeah you people with 360s just calm down I know this happens a lot with you so if you want just ignore this post. Wait..then I have no readers....crap.<br /><br />Anywho I was at my friend Tim's house today and was pwing some noobs. Seriously all my K/D was above 0. Yeah I still suck at the game but I'm improving so shut up (Trevor).<br /><br />Either I was very lucky or this guy was an idiot but whatever. Alright so me and Tim are playing on Construct (like it matters what map). After killing a few people I pick up a plasma and start running past the gold lift. Two enemies come up the lift as I run for cover. As I'm being pelted in the bum I turn around, jump, throw a plasma and die. With my last effort, the plasma sticks one of my foes. Hurray and whatever thats not that special though. Alright the guy I stuck being an idiot jumps up, runs into his teammate in mid-air. Boom goes my sticky grenade. Double Kill. o_O<br /><br />Yeah I know there's funnier stuff out there but this one made me and Tim laugh for a while. Pretty gewd stuff rite there. How about you guys? Tell me some of your funniest halo moments =]ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-32489653041009466972009-06-27T22:03:00.003-04:002009-06-27T22:11:14.294-04:00Baman PidermanIf you've never heard of this duo then you're in for a treat. It's Batman and Spiderman yes....but in a stupider sense. Just...watch it. It's so dumb its funny =P<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gVolqamEQy4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gVolqamEQy4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-79130719540301864812009-06-25T00:16:00.020-04:002009-06-25T01:21:10.945-04:00Movie Review: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen<a href="http://www.reelcomix.com/admin/admin_images/tranformers-revengefallen-2_1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 487px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.reelcomix.com/admin/admin_images/tranformers-revengefallen-2_1.jpg" /></a> <div></div><div>HOLY JUNK!<br /><br />Ok ok before I start this review I just need a minute to take in all the awesomeness I just witnessed................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................<br />okay i think im........DOOD SO AWESOME HE TOTALLY TRANSFORMED AND SHOT THAT GUY AND O_o................so cool............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................<br />Yes that was a really really stupid "joke" or "gag" if you can even call it that. But seriously if you havn't seen this movie by now you need to check into a mental institution. In fact, go wait in line right now. I don't care if it's 12 am and there isn't another showing until the morning. Go get a ticket or something. Watch the first one on a portable DVD player while you sleep outside and watch people pass you by pointing and saying "wow is that a hobo? what a slob. GET A JOB YOU BUM!"<br /><br />Seriously though, if you enjoyed the first installment of this franchise then you're going to be stunned and amazed all over again. All your favorite characters are back *I shan't ruin it* and an entire new plot is discovered that only one boy can stop. Yeah you-know-who. No you freaking idiot not Lord Voldemort! Sam Witwickey. The CGI in this movie is simply amazing. Ranging from the transformation from car to bada$$ robot to the numerous explosions, the computer imaging team has really outdone themselves this time around.<br /><br />But it's not all about action. This movie is filled with comedy coming from both autobots and humans alike. I couldn't help but laugh at the antics of a very special pair of individuals. =P You'll know what I mean when you see it.<br /><br />This is definitely one of the best movies of the summer and that I've seen for a long while. Not since the first Transformers have audiences wooted and cheered when the credits began rolling. And no they were sure as heck not cheering that the movie was finally over. All the actors did a great job and Megan Fox is still in there for the sexual innuendo. Yeah...lots of innuendo....<br /><br />I'm going to see this movie a number of times in theaters just to experience it again and again on the big screen. It's really that good. Period. Exclamation Point. Just whatever. Why are you still here reading this? Go watch this movie! Now!<br /><br />A strong 5 outta 5 starts.</div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-48956348100639438592009-06-20T14:50:00.014-04:002009-06-20T20:58:17.219-04:00Movie Review: Year One<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8zzcIScg8Oh_8QFhbbTf2Ld8vshMlk1edJwO5JeeRcRZmxE4wseCdQzZX9VtC0K1r2EMf3whbLOGi83goWJH8K-YfJ1N1xb0xm1OS7EOqHWG8isFl9ZD3YYpCLvEGiHhLrOKYELGPBY/s400/Year_One_Poster.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 242px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8zzcIScg8Oh_8QFhbbTf2Ld8vshMlk1edJwO5JeeRcRZmxE4wseCdQzZX9VtC0K1r2EMf3whbLOGi83goWJH8K-YfJ1N1xb0xm1OS7EOqHWG8isFl9ZD3YYpCLvEGiHhLrOKYELGPBY/s400/Year_One_Poster.jpg" /></a> In Year One, Jack Black and Michael Cera's humorous personalities come together to create a comedy like no other. Set in 1 A.D. (I'm assuming), the two characters are forced to leave their peaceful village and venture into the unknown. Running into real-life characters such as Cane and Able and Abraham provided some comedy however, could obviously be considered offenseive. The death of Able, for example, basically was "look what I did" *hits with rock* "look what I did again." It was kinda funny the first time, but the writers dragged that joke out for over a minute.<br /><br />Not only was the movie religiously offensive, the amount of vulgar material was over the top. Jack Black literally eats crap to determine, rather poorly, the location of a local tribe. Don't even get me started about the high priest guy. Seriously all that chest hair, the man could go into the carpet industry if he wanted. So....gay.....<br /><br />With all the boob, boner, and testicle jokes, I'm almost offended to be the target audience *yay yahtzee again* But seriously directors need to think of better ways to make the teenage demographic wet their pants laughing. Good ole ball jokes and stuff are fine but that shouldn't be the go-to idea for a quick joke in the middle of a serious scene.<br /><br />There were still a few non-vulgar jokes that were A+ material. Only...those moments were few and far between. The bloopers at the end <strike>were the funniest part of the movie</strike> were extremely hilarious and everyone still in the theater never stopped laughing throughout them.<br /><br />If you're looking for a good laugh and don't mind an offensive joke every other sentence, I highly recommend seeing Year One. Overall, my friends and I enjoyed the movie and if I <strong>have </strong>to do a raiting I'd give it 4.0 stars. No wait that guy was REALLY gay...aw man they showed so much chest hair....and oil....*shivers*<br /><br />3.5 outta 5. See it for yourself.ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-78278948056098555322009-06-16T21:52:00.029-04:002009-06-17T23:59:40.222-04:00PS3 vs. Xbox 360: The Great Debate Part I<div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 351px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 228px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://tech-junky.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/ps3-vs-xbox360.jpg" /><br /><div><a href="http://www.cdfreaks.com/userimages/xbox-360s.jpg"></a><br /><div>Alright so I guess I can't do a blog involving video games without discussing the heated debate between Sony and Microsoft or the "console war" as some people are calling it. I titled this post PS3 vs. Xbox 360 and didn't include the Wii if you might have noticed. As the Wii is all fun with its motion sensing and who ha seriously when's the last time a groundbreaking game has come out for the console? Yeah they announced a few hits like Super Mario Galaxy 2 at E3 this year but c'mon. It's more of a fitness trainer now than anything. We started with Wii Fit now look what direction its gone. Anyway enough of this rant it's my blog so screw you if you want me to talk about the Wii. I don't own one but my best friend, Mitchell, does and he only uses it for Super Smash Brothers Brawl and occasionally Wii Sports. Other than that his parents play it more than he ever will.<br /><br /><em>Ok Zach shut up explaining why you're not including the Wii just get on with the dang post already. </em><br /><br />Calm down calm down I'm going. As most of you know I don't actually own a Xbox 360 just the old school original. However, since nearly everyone and their grandma apparently owns one I feel I've had enough experience to talk about it. If you don't agree go back to T-bagging noobs and waste some time on Social Slayer or Griff Ball I really don't care.<br /><br />Let's start out with the console that's ahead in this race and has been around the longest of the <strike>three</strike> two. That's right I'm talking about the all-mighty Xbox 360!<br /><br />First let's do a quick rundown of the specs.<br /><br />Oh for the 360 I'll use the 60 GB Pro version and for PS3 I'm discussing the latest 80 GB model alright? Clear? No? Well screw you we're starting anyway.<br /><br />Specs for Xbox 360 Pro (60 GB):<br /><br />Processor Type<br />3.2 GHz Triple Core IBM PowerPC<br />Installed RAM<br />512 MB GDDR3 SDRAM<br />Storage Capacity<br />60 GB Hard drive<br />Graphic Processor<br />ATI Xbox 360 - 256-bit graphics acceleration<br />Video Memory<br />10 MB<br />Max. Resolution<br />1920 x 1080<br />Sound Output<br />16-bit / Surround Sound<br />USB<br />3 USB Ports<br />Price $299.99<br /><br />For most of you out that made absolutely no sense and you've probably given up on my blog, moved onto reading a professional, posted nasty comments saying I try to confuse people by speaking Pig Latin, and are now in the fetal position quietly stroking your special edition Halo 3 wireless controller saying "It's gonna be alright he's not going to hurt you anymore."<br /><br />Basically all that means is that its a pretty powerful machine that has numerous features and is overall pretty freaking sweet.<br /><br />Before I make this post unbearably long to read (whoops too late) I'll move onto what we're all looking forward to: Xbox Live. Ah yes XBL as most call it. The online gaming community that links all 360 users together in bloody, bloody harmony. XBL is where 360 owners get together to download various content for games as well as beat the crap out of each other in online multiplayer modes. Far superior to Sony's Playstation Network, XBL provides easy access to communicating with one's friends over the internet. The menu screens are helpful and inviting while it is fairly easy to invite a group to a party chat session or a good old rousing game of social slayer. The only problem I have with Xbox Live is that it costs $50 a year for the service. Not that bad, but still worse than PSN which is free.<br /><br />The games in Microsoft's arsenel are AAA titles that bring variety and insane graphics to the system. Games such as Gears of War II, Halo 3, and Fable II are not only fantastic titles, they are exclusive to the Xbox 360. Microsoft has even been able to get serieses that were originally exclusive to the PS3 to become multiplatform. An obvious example is Final Fantasy 13.<br />With games such as Splinter Cell: Conviction, Halo: ODST, and a re-release of Perfect Dark on the horizon, the Xbox 360 is shaping up to provide another great year in gaming.<br /><br />Finally, I'd like to list some pro's and cons for the system. Yeah it's not perfect that's why there's a heated debate over these two consoles. They both each have advantages and disadvantages that make the console unique.<br /><br /><strong>Pros:</strong><br />Xbox Live- <strong>The</strong> best online interface out there right now<br /><br />Games, Games, and more Games- Like I said, lots of titles<br /><br />$300 price tag- It's not cheap but it's $100 less than the PS3<br /><br />Population- Nearly everytime I hear of video games the words Xbox 360 are mentioned. There's A LOT of people that own an xbox so you're bound to find some new friends on there.<br /><br />3 Year Warranty- We need that =P<br /><br /><strong>Cons:</strong><br />RRoD- Ah yes the dreaded Red Ring of Death. This major fault in Microsoft's console is one of the main reasons people tend to not purchase it. This fatal error that is likely to occur if you leave your xbox on for too long or confine it to a small space (yes I'm saying the xbox 360 is claustrophobic). It's annoying to have to wait for a replacement so...<br /><br />Monthly subscription to Xbox Live- As I've said not expensive but still it's not free =[<br /><br />Wi-Fi Adapter- As I will write in Part II of this post, the PS3 comes with Wi-Fi built in. For the 360 you have to buy an adapter that costs about $100 retail. Yes wired is loads better but still some people prefer, or have to use, a wireless connection.<br /><br />Power Brick- I just thought I'd mention it but jeez man that power brick is HUGE! You can literally bludgeon someone to death with it. </div><div><br /> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 323px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 187px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://media.teamxbox.com/dailyposts/hd-dvd/xboxhddvd_powerbrick.jpg" /><br />No Blu-Ray- Unlike Sony's console, Microsoft believed HD DVD would win the format war. Unfortunately for them they were wrong. No blu-ray adapter has been announced so...for those of you wishing to play your blu-ray movies....a player isn't that expensive anymore =P<br /><br />So there's my take on the Xbox 360. It's seriously a great console. It isn't always dependable but it's a good pal to have around. Just be sure to give it some air. It's a good all rounder for a wide-ranging demographic that offers high end graphics and Triple-A titles. If you don't already own one, you probably know someone that does. Play it at a friends house before you make a final decision on which console to buy. Oh and keep a lookout for Part II of this post to give you a better idea of the competition. Thanks for reading. Happy Gaming!<br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><br />Edit:</div><br /><div>Another con that I can't believe I missed: Annoying idiots on Xbox Live. Seriously how many 12 year olds are there in the world?!?!? If there's as many as I find on XBL there must be a pedifile training center focusing on all things Microsoft. *yahtzee moment* It seems like everytime I log in and start a match someone's whining to their mommy about how their K/D ratio is lower than 0.5. Okay I don't give a crap about swearing or trash talking as much as those annoying people that make the experience worse for us all. But as Tim told me once, the mute feature is a very useful function that I will most likely use the minute I purchase a 360.</div></div></div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-36932958778440668872009-06-14T22:06:00.005-04:002009-06-15T17:56:43.927-04:00inFAMOUS First Impressions<a href="http://playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/infamous-logo-003.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 298px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 148px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/infamous-logo-003.jpg" /></a> As I watched the inFAMOUS demo download into my PS3's HDD I couldn't help but wonder if it would live up to all of the hype surrounding it. Although I had heard positive reviews from major corporations such as SCEA and IGN, some of my Playstation 3-owning friends had told me they were not impressed by the demo at all. I couln't help but wonder would inFAMOUS offer stellar gameplay and controls or would it be another Lair (yeah remember that game?).<br /><br />The opening cinematics are told half through the eyes of the main character and half in a comic-book style, switching quickly between panels to keep the action going. Instead of starting the game with the usual:<br /><br />Step 1: Learn how to press X<br />Step 2: Learn how to aim at bad people<br />Step 3: It's okay if you die its just a game. Try repeating step one a few times. =[<br />Soon we'll get to the advanced techniques (the square button: why is it square and what does it do?)<br /><br />the demo thrusts players directly one of the games beginning missions.<br /><br />The main character....wow I've played the demo twice and I still don't know his name...is the sole survivor of some freak electrical accident and recovers with various electric powers. As you start off, you are told to rescue a train carrying numerous civilians. Since the train runs on electricity....yeah duh you can figure it out. There are some annoying pop ups about the controls that reoccur but they are subtle and do not distract the player from the main action on screen. You are inundated with a variety of moves to subdue your foes including electric shockwave, electric grenade, as well as the power to rain lightning down from the heavens to destroy everything in its path. If your pants also got a little wet by hearing that then I would like to inform you that you are not alone. Insofar when you actually perform this move worse things are likely to occur.<br /><br />As the free roaming and jumping is awesome (you can literally slide along power lines), some of the game was quite repetitious. I kept having to recharge various portions of the track the train was sitting on in order to pass through a checkpoint. Normally I would rant some more on this but the game introduced a new enemy during the third checkpoint that could warp through time and space so I'll contain my annoying reviewer voice for now.<br /><br /><br /><div><div>The player is able to choose between hero or villain through a Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic type good guy/bad guy bar. The electric attacks change from blue for hero to red for villian. Let me just tell you summoning red lightning bolts down in the middle of a busy street while you laugh manically is a great way to resolve some hatred of cars, people, and lampposts. </div><br /><div></div><br />Although the variety of enemies boils down to dude-with-pistol-and-super-human-accuracy-like-omg-how-did-he-hit-me-from-that-far-away and the time warp guy, I was overall impressed by the graphics, controls, and gameplay. There were a few glitches here and there (for example sticking my head through a building while I'm hanging off wasn't good for my health bar) however, the sheer sandbox style gameplay makes this a game I would like to include in my collection.<br /><br />Honestly, I was impressed enough to eventually pick up the game but not until the price drops. The major problem I have with the $60 price tag is that you can't play with a friend. I don't know how online multiplayer would work but tag-teaming throughout the entire game with a buddy would be awesome. It'd be even better if you could be a hero and your friend could be a villian and you like are arch-rivals and at the end of the game you face each other....hang on let me go copyright this idea....<br /><br />If you don't have any friends or don't care about any sort of multiplayer, this is definitely a great game to buy. I highly recommend this game based off of the demo but advise waiting a bit until it drops its price tag. I mean this one will surely become a greatest hit and sell for half the price. If you're looking for a great single player game then buy this one now before they run out of stock. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go play the demo again.</div>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242234288474908260.post-56492976317002473022009-06-08T20:29:00.000-04:002009-06-10T21:21:32.188-04:00And It Begins<p><span style="font-family:georgia;">Yo so yeah I made a blog It's like 1:30 in the morning so I have no idea what I'm doing making a blog....bear with me its my first one too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:georgia;">Um let's see topics....well I'll probably write about stuff I know so mainly video game reviews (yes like there aren't a thousand other blogs about video games out there) </span></p><p><span style="font-family:georgia;">Hopefully people will find the comedy amusing. I might post some of my standup I've been working on if...anyone will care. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:georgia;">I try to be a comic at school but it hasn't gotten me anywhere really so I need to try another approach....great now I seem like I'm begging =/ </span></p><p>If you don't want to read my blogs...then just don't bother reading them <strike>jerkoff</strike> my friendly internet user.</p><p><span style="font-family:georgia;">Anyway this post is just a heads up on what to expect. Like I said first blog, don't really know how all this works quite yet and stuff so keep the nasty comments to yours......wait no my friends will use your insults so I don't really care. Go nuts. Oh throw some short jokes in while you're at it since I'm 18 and only like 5 foot 6. Yeah I'm short...</span></p><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span>ExaltedPhenomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08900345440230455570noreply@blogger.com2