Video Game Review: Metal Gear Solid - The Twin Snakes

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

Nintendo Gamecube

Before beginning with this review I must note that there are some key differences between this title and the original Metal Gear Solid. Usually when I review games with updated graphics, I will lump the 2 reviews into one. For example - Sly Cooper for the Playstation 2 would be the same thing as Sly Cooper HD that appears on the PS3. No need to do separate reviews when the games are so similar, right? I couldn't agree more. However, this game has so many differences that I must review it as a separate entity from Metal Gear Solid. This will be explained as we go along. So yes, at some point in the future Metal Gear Solid for the PS 1 will get its review. But right now this is all about the Twin Snakes.

The thing that is immediately notable about this game and how it is different from the original MGS is the graphics. Everything looks new and up to date. Gone are the ugly, blocky, pixelated graphics that make the other Metal Gear game look so dated. Environments are detailed, everything looks smooth. The characters have facial expressions. Visually, everything looks good here.

But in the process, the game loses some of the appeal that made the original feel so authentic. Sure everything looks clearer and cleaner here, but is this a good thing? Shadow Moses Island in the original MGS was very dark and mysterious. Whether it was due to the graphical look or not, it was just a very creepy and foreboding place. And I didn't get that same feeling here. Also, this title changes a lot of the music. As opposed to the subtle, haunting themes that play in the background in some areas, you get this weird kind of techno/rock hybrid that feels completely out of place and ruins the mood. This music plays in some cut scenes too. So the whole authenticity level of Twin Snakes takes a big hit. Not only with the cleaner look but with the music too.

This is a title that's meant to be dark and mysterious. The island is supposed to feel remote. The situation you are tossed into is supposed to be tense. The enemies are supposed to be scary. This game makes everything more like a Michael Bay action movie instead of a suspenseful one.

This difference is further accentuated by some of the changes made to the cut scenes. In an effort to add more excitement to the game (at least I can only guess that is what the creators were doing) there are some sequences where Snake goes full-Matrix and flips around in slow motion while things explode and bullets whiz around him. Maybe this would be okay if it only happened once or twice in the game. But it is very overused and starts to become eye rolling how they have to add this whenever there is an action cut scene. Aside from this, some of the fight scenes have been changed to be more extensive and intricate. Why they need to do this, I don't know. You do enough listening and watching in the game that the last thing we need is to watch some more. But it is what it is.

Another thing purists will hate is how they re-recorded the voices of the characters from the original MGS for Twin Snakes. Normally I would be okay with this - and for the most part the game is fine. But there are also parts where things seem a lot more forced. Or they lose some of their emotional impact. Maybe the out of place music in the background has something to do with it. Or maybe the voices aren't as good this time around. But it shows in parts. The Sniper Wolf death scene for example wasn't as good for me. Man tears were shed when I played this part on the PS1 back in the day. Now - no emotional reaction at all.

Comparing this title to Star Wars is a decent comparison. Characters, emotions, the story, everything seemed so authentic in A New Hope. Compare that to The Phantom Menace which is hokey, poorly acted, and too special-effect happy. It is like night and day. That's kind of the thing that happened to this game. It's not nearly as bad as the Phantom Menace, don't get me wrong, but it is the only comparison that comes immediately to mind.

Now that the negatives are out of the way, let's talk positives. There have been some changes to the gameplay. The game plays more like Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberties. Everything is easy to control. The first person perspective is a big help when sneaking up on and taking out enemies. The whole game was just very user friendly. In fact, the game seemed almost TOO easy at some points. I remember running into some troubles in the original MGS that I didn't run into here. For the most part I breezed through the game (although I found fighting the tank harder than usual for some reason).

None of the changes affect the fabulous story. The game plays pretty much the game. The areas are all where they should be. The boss fights are still intact. I prefer the rough grittiness of the original game. But if you have never played Metal Gear before, I can totally see newbies who didn't grow up with the original preferring this version.

I expected to rant and rave much longer about this game, but that's really about it. If you're a fan of the older version, you will probably have the same issues with this game that I had. But am I a fanatic who thinks this game is a disgrace that has utterly shamed the name of all that is Metal Gear? No. Like I say, if you haven't played the original you will likely find this game quite good. And then scoff at the original for looking so primitive and... well... old.

I could recap the story. I could explain how Metal Gear works. But that's for another review. Some day I will get around to reviewing the PS1 version of the game. But it will be a while. This game is similar enough to the original that now that I have finished it, I probably won't pick up the other one for a while now.

This is a good game. Is it as iconic as the original? No. I might actually sell off this version of the game since nothing will trump the original in my mind. Its kind of pointless for me to have this when I know there is a superior version out there at my fingertips. But despite all the changes it is still a solid title. If I didn't have the older version - or if I had never played it before, I would probably be raving about the Twin Snakes. But for now it will have to accept that it is just "good" in my mind.

Overall:

B

Video Game Review: Shadows of the Empire

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

Nintendo 64

Everyone has a game that they like that everyone else seems to rag on. I have read so many reviews about Shadows of the Empire where people are mercilessly harsh to this game. The graphics suck, the controls are crap, they hate the level design, etc. Oh but the snowspeeder level is cool.

I disagree with all of this. Well, except for the snowspeeder part. That's pretty awesome. It's true that by today's standards the game hasn't aged well. But back in the early days of the Nintendo 64, this game was the shit. Or at least I thought it was. When this game came out, there were not a whole lot of games for the N64. I had just gotten the system and was blown away by Mario 64, Turok, and the other handful of games I had played.

I love Star Wars, so this was a game that I had eagerly anticipated. I didn't actually buy the game - I rented it and beat it in one weekend. But still, I liked it a lot. Of course, it could just have been the new technology. As dated as the game looks now, this was cutting edge in the late 90s. Plus I was just simply a sucker for anything Star Wars. There weren't many (or were there even any at all?) Star Wars games for the Genesis. None for the Saturn. And at this point, all there was for the Playstation was Rebel Assault 2. All the quality Star Wars games were for the SNES or the PC, neither of which I owned. So I was hungry for a Star Wars game.

I don't know a whole lot about the story. There are little scenes to explain what is going on, but basically the plot is crap. I've read the book, but as far as I can see, the two are only very very loosely related. The plot of the game focuses on the Han Solo like smuggler Dash Rendar as he helps out the Alliance. That's all I can tell you. His travels take him from Hoth to Ord Mantell to Prince Xizor's palace on Coruscant. Basically, you shoot things and blow stuff up.

                                     


The opening part of the game takes place on Hoth. The first stage is the snowspeeder stage where you must shoot down Imperial probe droids and AT-ATs. And of course you can use your tow cable to trip up the big Imperial Walkers like in the movie. First impressions mean a lot in games, and this stage definitely made a big one. Hell, even the people that hate this game still like this stage. The music is roaring, vintage Star Wars. The sound effects are pulled right from the movie. Everything looks good, controls good. Good start, right?

The next stage shifts to Echo Base on Hoth. You've got to get to your ship and make an exit, although it is all the way on the other end of the base. The level begins with Dash observing the Millenium Falcon making its escape. This is where people start to have problems with the game. The graphics are incredibly messy and blurry. It is like everything has been coated with a layer of Vaseline. Distant enemies can hit you with sniper like efficiency. You can shoot them with no problem due to the game's auto aim. You can hit them from so far away you can't even see what the fuck they are until you get close to where they were and examine the bodies.

You can control Dash from either a behind the back perspective or from a first person perspective. I don't know who chooses the behind the back viewpoint, because it is fucking terrible. Dash is large and obstructs your view of a lot of the action that is going on. You can't aim with any amount of accuracy, and the controls are very clunky. You almost have to play the game in first person mode. Which is fine by me. I had no problems with the game from this perspective. Everything is easy to control. Simple to pick up and learn quickly. Maybe all the people that hate this game didn't realize you can switch perspectives? Because if I was forced to play the whole game from the behind the back viewpoint I would have hated it. But from the first person view - it's cool.

                                   


The majority of the game takes place on foot. You wander around shooting enemies. Picking up weapon power ups and collectibles. There is a boss at the end of each stage. All pretty standard stuff. Hoth base, as mentioned, is the first area of the game. At the end of it, you face off against an AT-AT on foot. While I had trouble with this as a youngster, it was a breeze now. You just run up behind him and blast away, staying behind him so he can't turn around and shoot you.

You get to your ship soon enough and blast away into space. The space levels I found fun too. All you do is man the guns of your ship and blast away Tie Fighters until you kill enough, clear the asteroid belt, and get away. In the asteroid belt, blasting away at red asteroids gives you bonus points. I read that people didn't like these space levels, and I get it. You don't really move the ship. You just swivel the cursor and fire away at Tie Fighters. It's simple, but hey I liked it.

As mentioned, most of the levels are on foot. One of the levels takes you on a wild train ride where you must jump from car to car blasting away at enemies. Another one takes you to a large canyon where you face off with Boba Fett at the end of the stage. Along the way you acquire a jet pack, which adds some dimension to the game. Instead of just being a corridor shooter, the levels are big and expansive. And the jet pack really allows you to explore everything. There is a freighter level, a sewer level, and then there is also the Xizor's palace level, which is the last on foot stage in the game.

People disliked the on foot levels, but I liked them a lot. Again, maybe I was starved for Star Wars games as a kid. I was also starved for quality first person shooters. Maybe if I had been a little detached from all that I would have hated the game when I was younger. But whatever it is those feelings still carry over to today. I can see the game's flaws, but I do still enjoy it.

The very last level of the game is a space battle. I enjoyed this level too. Instead of being stuck on a track like the previous Tie blasting stages, you have free reign to go wherever you want in this one. Your main goal is to take down Xizor's skyhook, which is accomplished by flying into one of 4 entrances to this big ass thing, and then blasting away at the core in the center of it. Fly through enough times and you blow it up and end the game. Dash fakes his death in the explosion, which I guess explains why he doesn't appear in the Return of the Jedi.

                                     


There is a special reward you get for completing the game and collecting all of those bonus thingies along the way. It escapes me what exactly the reward is. Maybe an extra level? I seem to  recall a space stage where you do battle with a Star Destroyer. I didn't encounter this level on my most recent play through. But I am absolutely NOT playing through the game again and getting all the collectibles to unlock it. When I was a kid I did this. But I am not that dedicated now. Screw dat.

So while I have been discussing everything I like about the game, I guess it's time to talk about what sucks about this. People hate it for a reason right? As mentioned, the graphics have that Vaseline smeared look to them. A lot of the walls and surfaces of things are very plain and undetailed. There is some background draw. But despite all this - the game was amazing to look at in 1996 or 97 or whenever the hell this came out.

People dislike the controls, which I guess I get. Obviously the story isn't amazing. I can see why people are disappointed with the space levels. But to each his own. I like all of it.

One thing I can agree with the critics about is the god awful swoop piloting stage. This stage takes you through Mos Eisley as you ride aboard a swoop (think of the speeder things in the forest of Endor in RoTJ and you get the basic idea) and attempt to knock a bunch of swoop riding gangsters off of their bikes. The thing controls wretchedly. The environments are mucho recycled, and it is just frustrating as hell. I was lucky enough to complete this on one attempt when I played the game the other night, but I recall having struggles with this stage in the past. The controls are just so wretched, and it is so hard to smash people into the walls. The jumps are atrocious and you are constantly smacking into walls and coming to a complete stop everywhere you go. Whoever designed this stage needs to jump off a bridge. Seriously.

I guess that's all I have to say about the game. It's a game that I really like. Screw everyone else's opinion. Maybe if I had played it for the first time in the present day I would have been like omg this sucks. Or maybe if I hadn't been so hard pressed for Star Wars and N64 games back in the 90's I would have thought it was shit.

But I liked it then, and I like it now. I have fun every time I pop this game in. Sure there are flaws, and maybe some of this game's flaws are more glaring than others. But it has a very special place in my heart and I will love it (well, like it) forever.

Overall:

B

Stuff I've been reading

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. In the early mornings at my job I get a little bit of down time in between telephone calls where I get to read, and I take full advantage of this time. I don't read a whole lot when I am at home (unless I am pooping, which I am sure you are all glad to know).  But I do love to read. My eyes are always open for the next interesting looking book I am going to read next.

I don't know a whole lot of other readers in my life, so I don't really have anyone to talk to about my hobby. So I figured hey I have this handy dandy blog. Why not use it? Maybe someone will read it. Maybe.

I'm not planning to review any books in depth. Just give you some thoughts on things I have been reading lately. I'll probably do this every month or so.

First, there is Under The Dome by Stephen King. I have been a huge King fan my whole life. I've read most of his books multiple times. I read the forewords and the afterwords. I have read his non fiction stuff. His interviews. Articles about him online. I almost feel like I know the man. I LOVE his writing and with the exception of a few books, I have enjoyed everything he has put out.

I have actually read Under the Dome before. It was about 4 or 5 years ago. I have been a reader my whole life, but sometimes I fall out of the habit and go for a few years without picking up a book. I was in the middle of one of these spells when I picked up Under the Dome. I can actually contribute this book to rekindling my interest in reading, as I have not been able to put down books since then.

The concept of the book is easy enough to grasp. An impenetrable, invisible dome descends over a small town, cutting it off from the outside world. No one can come in, no one can leave. While it sounds like a relatively simple concept, there is so much more to the book than that.

The town of Chester's Mill is just so well designed. There is a huge cast of characters, all with complex personalities. Since it is a small town, many of these characters know each other and have history with one another.

The main character is Dale Barbara, a former member of the military. He is not a "native" of the city, and is initially looked upon with suspicious eyes. However, through his strong work ethic and his natural abilities working the grill at the town restaurant, he is slowly accepted by the town.

However, he finds himself on the outs during an unfortunate bar brawl during which he really did nothing but defend himself from a group of punks. But one of the punks happened to be the son of a prominent selectman of the town, Big Jim Rennie. Dale "Barbie" Barbara decides to head out of town when he realizes that this brawl is going to be held against him, and that the people involved have decided to make his life a living hell.

Enter the dome. On his way out of town. Barbie witnesses a plane crash into the invisible barrier at full speed, as well as a car. There are a few other dome related mishaps too. This all happens very quickly at the beginning of the book. There isn't a lot of backstory or boring exposition. King gets right to the heart of the matter very quickly.

One of the things that people like to say about Stephen King is that he is overly detailed in his writing. Or that he is pretentious. That's a word my wife likes to use. But I don't see it. I think he is an amazing writer. He has a skill with his words to really put you into the shoes of his characters. He paints a picture of what is happening without getting too carried away or letting his details effect the pace of his narratives. I don't have a bad thing to say about Stephen King. He is my inspiration as a writer. If I ever decide to get up off my butt and seriously start working on some of these projects I have in my mind, I can only hope to be half the writer he is. I am a HUGE fan.

Now I am off course. OK. Without going into too much detail about the plot of the book, which is not what this blog entry is really about - suffice it to say that shit hits the fan in this small town. Barbie is trapped with the very people he was looking to get away from, and is soon scapegoated into being the town's villain as a ploy by power hungry Big Jim Rennie in his plot to take control of Chester's Mill.

Big Jim is an awesome villain, and I am hard pressed to name a character I have loathed more in a novel than him. Big Jim is a used car salesman, as well as the town's second selectman. He is also a criminal, running a meth lab in the town to line his own pockets. As mentioned, he is a power hungry control freak. The dome coming down is a dream come true for him as it allows him to go on the power trip that he has always dreamed about. He manipulates people. He commits murder. He deputizes all the "bad boys" of the town in an attempt to take over the police force and organize his own personal army to do his bidding and rule the town with an iron fist. All this he does in the name of Jesus as well, which makes you hate him even more.

The whole book is mainly a power stuggle between "Barbie's people" and Big Jim's. Big Jim is the one that takes power first, and paints Barbie's side as villains. They become like rebels, working behind the scenes and trying to figure out ways to take down the man in charge. All while this crap with the dome is going on. King did his research here and made the mechanics of the inside of the dome as realistic as possible. It gets dirty, it makes the town hot, it fills the air with pollution (since it can't get out). It basically makes the town one big pressure packed bomb waiting to blow up.

Which, it does. Figuratively or literally? You will have to read to find out.

I can't encourage you more to read this book if you haven't already. Don't let the so-so TV show influence your decision at all. This book is one of King's best, and puts the show to shame.

Let's move on.

I've seen movie trailers for a film called "The Maze Runner" and I thought the premise looked awesome. Little did I know that it was based on a book (actually a series of books) that I had never heard of before. I love the Hunger Games series. I like Divergent. This kind of looked like it was made of similar stuff. So I decided hey, why not check it out?

And it turns out to be just as good as I had thought. Even better. Like stuff like Lost or Persons Unknown? This will be right up your alley.

In this book, a boy named Thomas wakes up on an elevator with no memory of his past life. When the elevator reaches its destination, he emerges to find himself in a large, giant open area surrounded by towering walls on all 4 sides. There are other kids there - all boys. They have gone through the same ordeal. They just wake up and have no memory of the past. And they are abandonded in this place.

As you learn more about "the Glade" as it is called, you learn that the Glade is surrounded on all sides by a giant maze. The big walls that comprise the Glade's boundary have large doors built in to them that close at night. During the day, some of the kids - the Runners - run through the maze looking for a way out and also mapping its layout mentally.

At night, hideous monsters called Grievers come out. Anyone who has been caught out in the maze after the doors close has never returned.

You learn all of this stuff from the perspective of Thomas. There is so much going on in the Glade, and so much mystery with the maze and the Grievers. Why this is all happening and why these specific individuals. If there is a way out. There is much more to this too, but I will let you read it and discovery the mysteries of the Glade yourself. As I said before, if you are a Lost fan, you should like this. I thought it was pretty good and I am very excited to see if the movie is just as good. I haven't heard anything about it since I saw that trailer, so I am going to assume it sucks.

It's not a full book, but today I finished The Mystery Knight by George RR Martin. This is a prequel to the Song of Ice and Fire series, and the third in a series of "short novels" by the author. It takes place about a hundred years before A Game of Thrones.

These books follow a large hedge knight (meaning he has no allegaince to any particular house, nor a lot of money) named Sir Duncan the Tall, or just Dunk for short, as he travels around Westeros looking for work. He takes on an squire named "Egg" who is really Aegon Targaryen, a young member of the royal family. He shaves his head and pretends he is just a commoner, but really he just wants to get out and see the Seven Kingdoms. He and Dunk have adventures together, and we get to see a little bit of what the Seven Kingdoms were like when the Targaryens were in power.

These books are set in the aftermath of the Blackfyre Rebellion. If you are not too overly familiar with the series, this was a war where the dying king legitamized all his bastards before dying. And this threw the notion of who the rightful king would be into question. People who sided with his eldest bastard were the "black side" of the rebellion. Those who supported the king's trueborn son were red.

The red side won, but it left Westeros in upheaval. People still harbor ill feelings towards those on the other side of the rebellion and tension is everywhere.

In the Mystery Knight, Dunk and Egg head off to take part in a wedding tourney only to get caught up in a secret meeting of the rebellion that people are trying to rekindle. There is a lot more to this story, but I am not going to recap it all.

I thought it was quite good though. In fact - not only this book but the other Dunk and Egg books I have found to be better than expected. It's nice to be able to get a little insight into the history of Westeros. As well as see things unfolding from the persepective of truly "good" characters. Dunk is Ned Stark-like in the way he always does the right and honorable thing. Although he is not as bright as Ned, nor is he highborn. Egg is young and innocent, wanting to see the world from a different perspective. Unlike most highborn people or rulers in this universe, he wants to know and be familiar with the people his family is ruling over.

If you're slightly interested in the Song of Ice and Fire universe, check this series out. They are quick and easy to read. You can finish them in a day or so, depending on how long you sit down to read it. I believe there is a planned 7 entries into this series, although only 3 are out as of now. The first two books, the Hedge Knight and the Sworn Sword have been adapted into graphic novel form as well - so check those out too.

Another book I've recently finished is Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves. I've been reading Star Wars books since I was a kid. Damned if I am going to let anyone pass judgment on me for that though. Many of these books are really good. Really authentic and true to the source material. These aren't poorly written crapfests for people who aren't serious readers (well, some of them are clunkers). They are more like extensions of the movie. Who doesn't want to know what happens with Han and Leia and the like after the movies end? Some of these books also fill in the gaps in between movies.

Which is the case with Honor Among Thieves. In this book, the Rebel feet is still looking for a new home after the battle of Yavin. Han is dispatched to pick up a spy who has critical information regarding the Empire's next move and return her to the fleet. When he goes to pick her up, he finds he doesn't have time to bring her back. The spy, Scarlet Hark, draws him into a race against time to stop a game changing ancient weapon from falling into the Empire's hands. He does so while being chased down by bounty hunters still looking to deliver him to Jabba.

It's a short book, an easy read. Only about 250 pages. I finished it in 2 days. I prefer the books that take place after the movies, just because I like seeing what happens in the post Empire days. But this was good. It wasn't as good as the two books listed above, but I had fun with it. Scarlet Hark is a cool character, and it is nice to see some of the things that happened between movies. The book sets up the Rebel Alliance's discovery of Hoth nicely at the end. It is nothing especially deep or thought provoking, but if you like Star Wars and want to be entertained for a few days, you should read it.

I never read many graphic novels before working at my current job, but the Walking Dead series got me into them. I recently finished the Walking Dead Volume 21: A New Beginning. Most people I know have seen the show but have not read the graphic novels. There are huge differences with small similarities. Some of the characters and settings are the same, but they are basically two separate entities

In the graphic novels, the characters just won a major battle against a group of marauding hooligans (the Saviors) and are finally starting to rebuild civilization. Things are looking good. There are a couple of big towns in existence. Rick is in charge of Alexandria, and recently widowed Maggie is in charge of the Hilltop.

This story is mainly told through the perspective of a new group of survivors, hence the title A New Beginning. This group is taken in to Alexandria and given the tour. All the while they are thinking that it is too good to be true, and that Rick and company must be hiding something. There is a flutter of background activity in this book. Carl wants to leave Alexandria and go take up the weapon making trade at the Hilltop. Negan, the leader of the Saviors is a prisoner in Rick's house and appears to have mellowed out (although you know he is just looking for the perfect opportunity to escape). A member of a scouting party comes back, insisting he has heard zombies talk, which everyone dismisses as nonsense.

But at the end of the book, we discover that there is a new group of asshole survivors out there (this series never seems to run out of them) that disguise themselves as zombies so they can blend in. And then they attack and kill innocent people.

To be continued!

I was thoroughly entertained by this entry in the series. Things flow along seemlessly and the book is just incredibly engaging and easy to read. I didn't want it to end, which unfortunately it did very quickly. The Walking Dead is a great series. I think people underestimate it due to the whole "graphic novel / comic" stigma that people seem to have. This is not dumb. It's not for kids. In many ways it is even better than the show.

Another graphic novel I have recently finished is The Girl Who Played With Fire. I have read the actual novel before, and I thought it was okay. I preferred the first book in the series, and thought the subsequent two were pretty lackluster. However, the graphic novel helped change my opinion a lot.

This version removes everything that is boring about the book, and gets straight to the heart of the matter. And it really is a great story that has so many layers of depth to it. Lisbeth's past is explored and many of the questions that were brought up in the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo are answered here.

The artwork is really great. The story moves along at lightning pace. Anyone who was put off by the second novel in the series should just read the graphic novel. I was thoroughly impressed. Hopefully the Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest will be made into a graphic novel, because I'm invested now and I have a hard time remembering how this series ended. And I would much rather read the graphic novel than go back and read the book again.

One more graphic novel and then we are done. I'm a fan of Doug TenNappel who is a great artist with some very off the wall story ideas. None of his graphic novels resemble anything you've seen before. His ideas are so simplistic and unique, that you get sucked in very quickly to his works.

Ghostopolis and Bad Island are two of his more well known graphic novels. On a whim, I decided to check out Cardboard. I had never heard of it before, but I had yet to be let down by anything he's put out there.

And Cardboard is awesome too. Again, a simple story. A single out of work father can't afford to buy his son a birthday present, so he scrapes together some change and gets him... a cardboard box. The neighborhood kids make fun of the boy for getting such a crappy present, but soon become jealous when they discover that anything made out of this cardboard comes to life.

Before running out of cardboard, the father and son use the remaining scraps to make a "cardboard maker" that comes to life and spits out more magic cardboard. So there is an unlimited supply at their hands. The main neighborhood meanie that we saw earlier in the story steals the carboard maker and makes an army of cardboard villains and monsters that soon get out of control.

So it is up to the boy and his dad to head on over and defeat this army once and for all. Again, a simple story that sounds kinda lame, but it just works. It's very easy to read. The artwork is great. And the characters really drive the story. For kind of a kiddish, cartoony graphic novel, there is a lot of heart here and it shines through as is the case with everything that Doug TenNappel puts out.

That's all for now. Usually I would have a lot more books in my recent memory, but its been busy at work, and Under the Dome took me a while to get through. So that's all I can remember at the moment to talk about. I just started The Hobbit for the second time (I first read it a few years ago). I've now seen all three of the movies, and there are many things from the movies that I don't remember being in the book. So I'm going back and reading the book to compare the two. I'll post about it when I am done reading it.

Okay bye.

My Netflix rotation: a weekend in review #1

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Video Game Review: Uncharted 2

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Playstation 3

I had played this game when it first came out, but I hadn't really been that gung-ho about it. I didn't dislike it, but I wasn't jumping out my seat like "Wooo! Uncharted 2!! Best game ever!" But I did enjoy it and considered it a good game. Just not a great one. Kinda forgettable.

I have no idea what I was thinking. Five years after playing this for the first time, I picked it up again to give it another shot. I probably wouldn't have played it again if it weren't for the fact that it came bundled with a PS3 that I got for Christmas a few years ago. It sat on the shelf for quite some time. And then I finally figured - hey let's check it out again and see if my opinion has changed.

And it definitely has changed. While I thought the game was okay back in 2010, I think it is absolutely fabulous now.

For those unfamiliar with Uncharted, this is a series of behind the back shooters where you play as Nate Drake, a descendant of famous explorer Francis Drake. You explore various locales looking for clues and following them to famous mythical treasures. Think Tomb Raider. Think Indiana Jones. This is kinda right in the middle.

Unlike Tomb Raider, this game is mainly action based. You can't really explore too far off the path you are supposed to take. Puzzles are few and far between. Mainly, expect to be shooting things. There are a few stealth areas thrown in for good measure. And there are some hidden treasures to discover.

The storyline for this game is really good. You actually jump into the action right away without any explanation of what is going on. You are hanging from a train dangling over the edge of a cliff, and must climb your way to the top. Mainly this is just to introduce you to the controls and get you accustomed to the way the game operates. When you reach the top, you get to walk around and explore a little. You learn how to use your gun. And then the game flashes back to tell you how you got here.

On vacation, you are approached by a man who wants you to partake in a heist with him. A mysterious employer wants him to break into some museum in Istanbul and steal an artifact. And he is here to enlist your help. Curious, Drake agrees.

The first portion of this heist is mainly stealth. Again, this is to introduce you to the cover mechanics and how you can avoid enemies or sneak up and kill them silently. I was a little bored by this area when I first played the game 5 years ago, but playing through it now I thought it was really well done. It's not drawn out, and it really gives you a feel of how the game works. The storyline is great, like I said, and really gets you interested in what is going to happen next. Without spoiling much, you do find the artifact you are sent in to steal, and you discover that there is a lot more to this heist than meets the eye. The artifact is just one clue in a long string of clues that lead to the mythical kingdom of Shambala.

Of course, there is a large faction of evil doers that are hot on your tail. They want to exploit this land to their own needs. Suffice it to say, there are lots of betrayals and intrigue along the way. People that you think are your friends turn out to be moles feeding info to the enemies, using you for their own personal gain.

The game plays out storywise like Indiana Jones, as I mentioned. Or the Davinci Code. Each clue you find leads to another area of the world where you must find another clue. You travel to locations like rainforests, populated cities engaged in civil war, and snowy mountains looking for the way to Shambala. The aforementioned bad guys seem to have an infinite amount of resources, and are constantly looking to take you out so they can solve the mystery their selves. Expect to battle hordes of enemy soldiers as you proceed on your quest.

The fighting in this game is actually a lot of fun.You would think it would get repetitive since you fight so much, but it doesn't. The locations are so varied, that nothing ever looks the same. The enemies are different. And you have a giant arsenal of weapons at your disposal. Throw in the climbing element, the stealth element, and the great story, and the game is just a blast.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how beautiful this game's graphics were. This game is just stunning. It looks like it is a next generation title. I mean, it just looks awesome. Consider that this was made 5 years ago, and that it looks better than a lot of current titles. That's just very impressive. Levels are very well designed, the backdrops and settings are just jaw dropping and chock with detail. A lot of the effects like snow, rain, and running water look amazing too. The character models are great, and everything is very lifelike. Throw in some top notch voice acting and a great musical score - and this game technically is just fantastic.

As mentioned earlier in the review, I didn't think much of the game when I first played it. Maybe because I just rushed through it. I was drunk a lot back then, so that could be a contributing factor. But playing this game now, I was completely blown away.

Uncharted 2 really is the complete package. It's got a great story. The sound effects and voice acting are top line. The graphics look better than some PS4 games. And of course the thing that trumps all is that it is just flat out fun to play. I am trying to think of something I can say to criticize this game, and I just can't. Maybe it is too short?

If you've never played Uncharted before, I suggest playing them in order. Because that's just how I do things. But you actually don't need to have played the first game to enjoy this one. It is a completely separate story from the original. For example, you don't need to have seen Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom to watch and enjoy Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

If I had reviewed this after originally playing it, I would have likely graded it in the B range. Now, however, I can't think of anything else to give it but an A+. I feel lame giving two games in a row an A+. But there is nothing I can say about this game that is negative. I doubt anyone's even playing it anymore, but I didn't even touch multiplayer. I bet that added another whole element of fun to the title as well.

Uncharted 2 is just a really great game. It combines intense shooter action with the exploration and story telling of Indiana Jones or the Davinci Code. I was blown away. You need to play this game. It is amazing.

Overall:

A+

Video Game Review: Super Mario Bros.

 Super Mario Bros.

Nintendo Entertainment System

If you are a child of the early 80's, like I am, no doubt you share the same fond memories for Super Mario Bros. that I do. If I search my memory banks as far back as they can possibly go, I can remember when this game came out. Or pretty darned close to it anyway. 

I must have been a little over 3 years old. I loved playing the Atari at my dad's house, and also over at my grandma's. But I knew there was this new system out there that was even better, called the Nintendo. Things were a blur for me back then. I don't remember if we got a Nintendo right away or if we waited a year or so before getting it. But I do remember a Christmas at my mom's house. Unwrapping a big box, and there it was. The thing everyone in the household wanted: A Nintendo Entertainment System. The system included 3 games on one cartridge (Mario, Duck Hunt, and Track & Field). Also on the side, we got Mike Tyson's Punch-Out as well.

It was a great thing for me and the family. We loved our Nintendo and played it all the time. In particular, I played it all the time. 

Super Mario Bros. is perhaps the most influential game in the history of the industry. Most games back then were very basic and simple. You played to rack up a high score, but you could never really beat the game. There was no real story or end goal in mind. Games like Space Invaders and Pac-Man that were very repetitive and you did the same thing on and on forever. Mario laid out the groundwork for not only every 2D side scroller that has come along since then, but every game as well.

The graphics for its time: great. Mario looked far more advanced than any other game out there. Gone were the simple black backgrounds of most games. The levels looked great. They all looked different too. Some levels had blue sky and clouds flouting up above. Some were dark and ominous. There were underwater levels. Some stages you jumped from tree to tree. Some you jumped around on giant mushrooms. You ran across bridges on others. Some levels had different colored trees in the background. This all sounds very basic now, but for the early 80's, this was unprecedented.

The characters all looked different and had their own quirky styles. You had goombas, beetles, spinies, flying fish, etc. And of course - the Mario Bros themselves. 

The basic gist of the game is that the Princess has been kidnapped. And you must rescue her. There are 8 stages. Each stage has 3 levels in it that you must traverse. And then a boss level at the end where you have to defeat Bowser. Right when you think you've won and have rescued the Princess, you bump into Toad and he tells you he is sorry, but the Princess is in another castle. So you move on to the next stage. At the end of the game, the cock block cycle ends and you finally rescue the Princess.

The gameplay is simple, but classic. You run from the left of the screen to the right. You must jump on the heads of your enemies to kill them. You smash blocks, collect coins and power ups, and discover secret areas. Power ups include a mushroom that turns you into "big" Mario. If you are hit when you are little Mario, you die instantly. But if you get hit when you are big, you shrink in size, but don't immediately get killed when damaged. There is also a fire flower that allows you to spit fireballs at your enemies, and a star that grants you temporary invincibility. 

For being one of the first games of its kind, the game offers a lot of secrets too. There are pipes you can go down, which lead to extra coins or power ups. Hidden blocks that contain extra coins or power ups. Warp zones where you can skip ahead in the game. Hidden lives located in invisible blocks that are placed strategically throughout the game. Vines that take you up into the clouds where you can discover secret coin caches. You could just run straight from the beginning of each level to the end, but discovering all the game has to offer is part of the fun.

The boss levels are fun but challenging. Many of them contain multiple paths that you must run through in the proper order to get to Bowser at the end. It's funny how after all these years I can still remember these orders with no sweat (OK, maybe 7-4 gave me a few troubles...). At the end of each boss level, Bowser guards a bridge leading to the end of the castle, and you must run by him and chop down the bridge with an ax, plunging him into the lava below. Each boss stage becomes more difficult as you play on. Bowser not only spits fire at you, he leaps around and throws hammers too. Fireballs jump up from the lava below. And as you progress the game also removes ledges which can help you evade him as well. Good luck making it past him in level 8-4 if you are small and will die with one hit. I've done it before, but not without great difficulty.

When you beat the game, you can go back and play the game over again, but with slightly more difficult enemies. I'm usually too lazy to play through the game a second time, so I don't know what happens when you do beat the game again on the harder difficulty. But just the fact that they took the time to do this shows you that this game was made with a lot of love.

The thing I love about this game is that it is a timeless classic. Even 30 years after its release, it is still easy to pick up and play and have a great time. Sure, it looks old - but that is part of its appeal. The design is fantastic. It is fun, simple, and just incredibly well done. 

The last game I reviewed was Mortal Kombat. That game is the complete opposite of Super Mario Bros. That game definitely shows its age. You pick it up and bumble around with the primitive controls, terrible graphics, and steep difficulty level - and you wonder how the hell anyone ever thought that game was good. But with Super Mario Bros, you pick it up and fall in love all over again almost immediately, despite its shortcomings.

I have no doubt that even a hundred years after its release, people will still be playing this game. To me that is the sign of a true classic.

Overall:

A+