tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26848244429638644262024-02-18T20:35:20.409-08:00MT IdeasAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-34209739816915464102012-09-17T10:58:00.004-07:002012-09-17T10:58:56.122-07:00Dragon Age 3: Inquisition AnnouncedTurns out BioWare doesn't like to sit on its laurels for too long after a major release. Today they released an official statement acknowledging the existence of Dragon Age 3: Inquisition. It will be the third entry into the company's dark fantasy series, and is due out sometime next year.<br />
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The official press release:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">EDMONTON, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BioWare, a Label of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), today announced Dragon Age™ 3: Inquisition, the next chapter in the award-winning role-playing game (RPG) franchise, is in development at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Montreal. Coming in late 2013, Dragon Age 3: Inquisition combines the storytelling legacy BioWare is known for, with deep RPG gameplay, all on a brand new RPG game engine underpinned by EA’s critically-acclaimed Frostbite™ 2 technology.</span><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">
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“The Dragon Age team has been working on Dragon Age 3: Inquisition for almost two years now,” said Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Montreal. “We’ve been poring over player feedback from past games and connecting directly with our fans. They haven’t held back, so we’re not either. With Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, we want to give fans what they’re asking for – a great story with choices that matter, a massive world to explore, deep customization and combat that is both tactical and visceral.”</div>
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Added Flynn, “At the same time, we know we need new technology to truly make this vision become fully realized. And we’ve been working with DICE to make Frostbite 2 the foundation for the engine that is going to power Dragon Age 3.”</div>
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The Dragon Age franchise has received over 80 awards from critics around the world, and has sold over 8 million copies to date*. Created by BioWare, the property has spawned many novels, an animated film, comic books, collectibles and more since Dragon Age: Origins launched in 2009.</div>
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For more information about Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, including updates from the development team and a letter to the fans from Executive Producer Mark Darrah, please visit the game’s official web site at http://dragonage.com. Dragon Age fans can also receive updates on Twitter® at http://twitter.com/dragonage, or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/dragonage.</div>
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You can be sure both MT Ideas and <b><a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/" target="_blank">inMotion Gaming</a></b> will cover more DA3 as and when it comes.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-38933210068079083352012-08-03T19:31:00.001-07:002012-08-03T19:31:44.699-07:00This Month on inMotion Gaming #1This has been an exciting month for us over at <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/" target="_blank">inMotion Gaming</a>. It's definitely been our most prolific month yet. Whereas in previous months we were lucky to get two articles up, we've managed to produce <i>several</i>. Here's what we've been up to in iMG-Land. :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/the-amazing-spider-man/" target="_blank">The Amazing Spider-man Review</a></h3>
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This was the excellent debut piece by one of our new writers, <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/author/adornthespider/" target="_blank">Jonathan Gipson</a>. It's also inMotion's current lowest-rated game, at 3.25/5. Seems like it wasn't so amazing after all, eh? Still haven't seen the movie...I should do that...<br />
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/lollipop-chainsaw/" target="_blank">Lollipop Chainsaw Review</a></h3>
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Here's another debut article from a new writer, one <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/author/jordanhaslett/" target="_blank">Jordan Haslett</a>. Aside from being the one member of our writing squad that prefers the multiple-heading format, he delivered a strong review of a game I never would have given a second glance at. </div>
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-dawnguard/" target="_blank">Dawnguard Review</a></h3>
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My review of Skyrim's first round of big-boy DLC, Dawnguard. I totally went with the Dawnguard<br />
when I played through, despite Isran turning out to be a giant d-bag. </div>
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/top-10-video-game-cutscenes/" target="_blank">Top 10 Video Game Cutscenes</a></h3>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ynXS8kcpdAg" width="560"></iframe><br />
Created by <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/top-10-video-game-cutscenes/" target="_blank">inMotion Gaming</a>.</div>
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Quite possibly the biggest non-giveaway article iMG has published yet, courtesy of David Wyatt at Ryatta Reviews. It's a well done video depicting ten of gaming's greatest cutscenes, some of them I bet you wouldn't have thought of. ;)</div>
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/top-5-most-determined-video-game-heroes/" target="_blank">Top 5 Most Determined Video Game Heroes</a></h3>
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A very original top list depicting the five most hell-bent, stop-at-nothing heroes from video gaming. The second article from our man Jonathan. It did really well when it hit N4G a few days ago.</div>
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/theatrythm-final-fantasy/" target="_blank">Theatrythm Final Fantasy Review</a></h3>
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My review of Theatrythm. An odd game...I loved it on a raging Final Fantasy fanboy level. I think I need to start using other characters, though. My main four hit level 99 days ago and I <i>rarely</i> rotate out. Bartz represent!</div>
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/max-payne-3/" target="_blank">Max Payne 3 Review</a></h3>
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By our guy <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/author/xnomad/" target="_blank">Brandon Morgan</a>. A solid review for a surprisingly solid game. Remember Max Payne 1?<br />
All I really recall is walking into a hotel and then getting wasted...many, many times...</div>
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<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/kingdom-hearts-dream-drop-distance/" target="_blank">Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance Review</a></h3>
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This review was teamwork at its finest. Jordan lives where KH3D was released eleven days prior to its US release. The day before, he sent his draft over to me to have a look at. I subsequently dropped everything else to get it edited and fit for publication. inMotion's Director and I got it live as the game was hitting US shelves--all thanks, of course, to our guy Jordan. </div>
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I'm still playing through Dream Drop Distance myself. I'm right at the end of Riku's side of the Country of the Musketeers. Fun stuff.<br />
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-14588649105381264312012-07-24T09:28:00.004-07:002012-07-24T09:28:56.809-07:00Obligatory Where I've Been PostThere are certain life events that, when they occur, can completely derail your plans and projects. Getting married is one such event. Not that it was bad in any way, shape or form--in fact, it was the best couple weeks of my life.<br />
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But therein lies the reason as to why MTIdeas was left in the dust--you can't take just a day to get married. The entire week beforehand is filled with family and friends getting in to town, and spending time with them. The week after is spent visiting with family who like to linger <i>just a little while</i> after the event.<br />
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One thing leads to another, and before you know it, your blog hasn't seen the light of day in three weeks. <br />
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Another reason why I haven't been around is due to taking an editorial spot with inMotion Gaming. Previously, I've been a contributing writer, mainly doing reviews. Long story short, I'm being trained as a publisher, and I now manage a small but talented pool of aspiring writers. <br />
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Regardless, I'm back in the blogger's chair once again. It may be confined to a post or two a week, but compared to the past month, I'd say that's a win. <br />
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So stay tuned. :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Carlsons ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-89607312695917044112012-06-26T18:32:00.003-07:002012-07-24T09:12:14.903-07:00Pokemon Black 2: Part I<b>Note: My playthrough of Black 2 has been postponed indefinitely due to my marriage to my wonderful bride on June 30th. The next post will briefly touch on this, and then pick up as if nothing ever happened. It's an illluuuuuuussioooooon... ;)</b><br />
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And thus, our adventure through Unova begins. Or should I say...continues?<br />
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And away we go...</div>
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<ul>
<li>LOVED the intro. </li>
<li>Unlilke <i>every other</i> game in the series, the PC lives in a bigger city--complete with a Pokemon Center and School. Also, there's no local Professor.</li>
<li>Looks like the player's mom comes up and gets a call via Xtransiever</li>
<li>Introduced right off the bat to the rival, whom you get to name this time around. Intimidating dude with enormous, spiky blue hair. His default name in Japanese is 'Hyuu,' or 'Hugh.'</li>
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<li>Found Bianca! (a central character from BW) in the north part of town. Ooh, lookie what Bianca's got with her:</li>
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<ul>
<li>Went with Tepig this time around. Named him 'Sunny.' To oppose when I played through a Japanese copy of Black, with an Oshawott called 'Rainy.'</li>
<li>And of course, soon after this is the first rival battle. Hugh's Oshawott against my Tepig...he went down in flames. :)</li>
<li>The new rival battle music is intense! Leaving now.</li>
<li>Bianca gives you your Dex, shows you the basics of Pokemon training, and gives you your first ten Pokeballs.</li>
<li>She has you meet her in nearby Route 19, where she shows you how to catch Pokemon with a Lillipup. I wonder if her Stoutland from BW had puppies...</li>
<li>Ok, annoying Youngster is annoying, and isn't letting me into the School. Deciding to move on with my life.</li>
<li>Finding nothing but Patrat and Purrloin on Route 19, no thanks...</li>
<li>Later on Route 19, we run in to the former Unova Champion, Alder...</li>
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<li>...who goes ahead and <i>jumps off of that cliff</i>. Ballsy guy. He then proceeds to...<i>check you out...</i>then lets you continue.</li>
<li>Next town...in Japanese, its Sangi Town. Not much to see, moving on.</li>
<li>In the north part of Sangi is a worn building with a battlefield in front of it, to the east is the entrance to Route 20. Alder, being the douche he is, isn't letting me near that battlefield. Eastward it is!</li>
<li>At Route 20, we find our first regular trainer battles! Easy stuff...a Youngster and a Lass. </li>
<li>And then in the tall grass...</li>
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<li>Sewaddle! Didn't use one in Black or White, so I'll give him a spot on my team for now. Named him 'Gucci.'</li>
<li>FOUND A SUNKERN. Was so excited to find one at first I forgot how poor of Pokemon it is...caught one, but deposited it right away.</li>
<li>One little detail I noticed, when you leave a building during the daylight, you'll notice a sun glare towards the top left of the screen. Minute, but nice.</li>
<li>Alder <i>still</i> isn't letting me on his battlefield. Moving on.</li>
<li>Trained Gucci to level 5, and had him fight his first real battle. Success!</li>
<li>North of Route 20 is 'Sangi Ranch.' </li>
<li>Immediate rival battle! Hugh with his Oshawott, level 8. Cinch. </li>
<li>Following the battle, a couple of...ranchers? I think?...come up to us, proclaiming something. Can't tell if they're yelling at us for fighting on their property or just really excited about something. One of them gave me a potion, sweet.</li>
<li>And suddenly, we're moving again. Following the path the fences make, and Hugh repeatedly catches up to me. </li>
<li>Mareep in the grass! Caught one! Won't use it, but caught one!</li>
<li>Azurril? Flippin' nice! Again, won't use it (seeing as how Azumarill is my signature in <i>every</i> other game I play), but cool to have so early on.</li>
<li>Found a Psyduck. Don't think I've played through a game before with one, so she'll stay with me for now. Named 'Cider.'</li>
<li>....RIOLU?! Wild? Early game? YES!</li>
<ul>
<li>Named it 'Edge.' So boss!</li>
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<li>Thing is, Tepig's higher forms are part fighting, and Riolu's line is Fighting...don't want an overabundance of weaknesses to the same type. Might as well train both right now and see what happens.</li>
<li>Towards the back of the ranch, found a weirdly dressed person with a Herdier. I think that's what we've been chasing all along. Not quite sure what I said, but the person fled and I got a TM from it!</li>
<li>Back in Sangi to heal...Alder is <i>finally</i> letting me in!</li>
<li>His house...two kid trainers, one with a Pansage, the other with a Panpour. Easy stuff.</li>
<li>Trying to head home now, Alder stops me <i>again.</i> Gives me a few Oran Berries, lets me be.</li>
<li>Seems like I can at last enter the Trainer's School. Go inside, check things out...and out back is a Gym.</li>
<li>...Cheren's Gym!</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7STcA3u8BSpYSFFt-LH_6isPNvQnXVQJlsyNiheMNqPpFr79X32K2QYkx5dQ2Z1ejHAJagMiDvRJQkGgchUFhyphenhyphenRXm6rz4Gtkr4o-Lw2JMazfHl4y4tkSHINnWg-HO_05wtHGp0o0JkxI/s1600/CameraZOOM-20120626172022001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7STcA3u8BSpYSFFt-LH_6isPNvQnXVQJlsyNiheMNqPpFr79X32K2QYkx5dQ2Z1ejHAJagMiDvRJQkGgchUFhyphenhyphenRXm6rz4Gtkr4o-Lw2JMazfHl4y4tkSHINnWg-HO_05wtHGp0o0JkxI/s320/CameraZOOM-20120626172022001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Cheren was a rival and central character in BW. Seems like he finally got what he was looking for.</li>
<li>Has a Youngster and a Lass training under him, they're both easy. Time for the showdown...</li>
<li>Cheren uses a lv. 11 Patrat, and a lv. 13 Lillipup. They can hit hard if you're not prepared.</li>
<li>Ha! A well-timed counter from Edge, and his Lillipup is down. Victorious!</li>
<li>Basic Badge get.</li>
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<b>Stay tuned for Part 2...</b></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-42675967656052450922012-06-26T14:24:00.000-07:002012-06-26T14:24:08.608-07:00Pokemon Black 2: Unboxed<span style="font-size: large;">It's here!!!!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmK2ofqoZ69gy4lVPjDPYR-jLZmoT22412osaozpHfDHfUnJXyqwQA7dg_YjWcJkosLeg6ptvj8Iin2-QCl0IVA8UfVKw9eHAeYDb1aYkxeX8_Sv5-UxykyOxB6zq7ua5NvepZ2LWvA0/s1600/CameraZOOM-20120626141042975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmK2ofqoZ69gy4lVPjDPYR-jLZmoT22412osaozpHfDHfUnJXyqwQA7dg_YjWcJkosLeg6ptvj8Iin2-QCl0IVA8UfVKw9eHAeYDb1aYkxeX8_Sv5-UxykyOxB6zq7ua5NvepZ2LWvA0/s320/CameraZOOM-20120626141042975.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*</span></div>
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Good day, and welcome to MT Ideas' episodic playthrough/journey of Pokemon Black 2. Follow these next few posts as I take on the sequel to the revolutionary Pokemon Black, in glorious Japanese. </div>
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No really, I'll do my best.</div>
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I'm a little surprised I'm even still at the computer, to be honest. Thought I'd get the ball rolling, though!</div>
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<h3>
Pokemon Black 2, Unboxed</h3>
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A little funny how this time around it's just a case, whereas last time the game came in a box. But whatevs.</div>
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<b>Stick around for the next segment of this journey. A new post will be up in a little bit after I've collected some notes. So stay tuned :) </b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-50895433448827574892012-06-21T02:40:00.000-07:002012-06-21T02:40:00.589-07:00Pregaming: Pokemon Black 2My dear, dear friends: We are close.<br />
<br />
So very, very close. In two days, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 launch in Japan. My order for an imported copy is in, and thanks to some good ol' fashioned expedited shipping, I should <i>hopefully</i> be receiving it around the 26th. You know, just in time for my wedding.<br />
<br />
I've plugged it a few times before, but I really want to get the ball rolling: Stick around this website and my Twitter account for a<b> frequently-updated, episodic coverage of the game, starting from the hour my copy goes into my DS. </b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
Excited? I sure am.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lwhnt4ytE3k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Of course, <i>this </i>certainly helped my excitement...</span></div>
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I wish I'd had the time to post to MTIdeas when this video was released last month. It by itself deserved a dedicated post praising its awesomeness. If only the anime had turned out like this...</div>
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For the record, the rival looks almost like he was <i>designed</i> to be paired up with Samurott. Just how warrior-like he looks with his hair all...uppity... And of course that's Cheren paired up with Herdier. Being the Normal-type Gym Leader this time around, I'd totally expect it.</div>
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I have a nasty habit of pre-determining which Pokemon I'm gonna use every time a new release comes out. Been that way for ages. Part of the reason I loved Black was that I imported it from Japan; there were <i>maybe</i> 5 words written in English. It's true when they say that if you've 'played one' Pokemon game, you've 'played them all,' but being immersed in a brand new setting, with completely foreign Pokemon, and <i>not being able to read a damn thing</i>...that was a fantastic experience. Felt like I did when I got my copy of Pokemon Blue, way back when I was a kid. This time around, I know most of Unova (save for the new bit added on for the sequel), and I know the newer generation of 'mons. </div>
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Well, mostly. One thing BW2 are featuring is the 'addition' of the hidden/mythical/you-have-to-cheat-or-hack-your-game's-programming-to-find Pokemon; Keldeo, Meloetta, and (presumably) Genosect. Specifically, they're really plugging Keldeo.</div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCtvwYLMLE8HVdnA7igqTZLTf9wsKRA4CfGBibUDDabyLAT9mZmg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCtvwYLMLE8HVdnA7igqTZLTf9wsKRA4CfGBibUDDabyLAT9mZmg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">D'aww....just look at him!!</span></div>
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Keldeo is the fourth member of the 'Musketeer Trio,' consisting of legendary Pokemon Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion. Keldeo draws his inspiration, most likely, from the character D'Artagnan, who essentially became the 'Fourth Musketeer' in the literary classic. While it's been known for a while that Keldeo will be featured, one thing GAMEFREAK threw in to the mix is Keldeo's new 'forme,' called 'Resolution Forme.'</div>
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<a href="http://www.bruthais-fansub.net/site/wp-content/uploads/647Keldeo-Resolution-318x400.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bruthais-fansub.net/site/wp-content/uploads/647Keldeo-Resolution-318x400.png" width="254" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Like a My Little Pony for dudes...</span></div>
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The World Tournament feature is also something I'm way too excited about. It was also foreshadowed from a bit of postgame dialogue with a character in BW, who basically suggests that a tournament be held between all the champions of the known regions. Getting a chance to re-battle Gym Leaders from the previous games is a wonderful idea. </div>
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Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 are going to rock, just as hard in Japanese as they will in English. Again, keep it here for my <b>interpretive, poorly-translated playthrough</b> of Pokemon Black 2, as soon as the game arrives in my mailbox. :)</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-10501979059774075742012-06-19T01:59:00.002-07:002012-06-19T01:59:52.959-07:00Review: Mad Dog McCreeFirst of all, I'm not even sure this technically counts as a <i>video game</i>. I would probably liken it more to an 'interactive, knock-off-of-a-knock-off episode of Walker, Texas Ranger.' Also, beware: Even though it is advertised as a '3DS Download,' there is no 3D. Honest. In fact, as soon as the game loads, the 3D light to the right of the top screen goes dark.<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQsyQ2utuUduFrKJgFXlWy0NMfyIRowVHI5jC3qbZXHSyGXprzX" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQsyQ2utuUduFrKJgFXlWy0NMfyIRowVHI5jC3qbZXHSyGXprzX" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Warning: Not actually in 3D</span></div>
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So, what is this, then?<br />
<br />
Mad Dog McCree is a port of an arcade 'game' that came out in 1990. You know, 22 years ago. Just saying, I was <i>two years old</i> when bad ol' Mad Dog saw the light of day. The big thing about Mad Dog, back in his day, was that it was a major laserdisc release. What that means, for those who aren't aware, is that the game is basically an <i>interactive movie.</i> A laserdisc game uses pre-recorded video as the graphics engine. The laserdisc format was the precursor to our (increasingly obsolete) compact disc. The Mad Dog Series (yes, series--its sequels are called <i>The Lost Gold </i>and <i>The Last Bounty Hunter</i>) have been ported to various devices, such as the iOS and Wii. <br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTagAVfgEX1VOBn1R_8T0dCNHziFUyihsxGb55C8wKZGZZbA2o0kw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTagAVfgEX1VOBn1R_8T0dCNHziFUyihsxGb55C8wKZGZZbA2o0kw" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Basically <i>this</i>...but in the Wild West.</span></div>
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Back in the day, supposedly, Mad Dog was top dog. It was a well-received game that started an apparently decent trilogy. But, sadly, it hasn't withstood the test of time--like red wine mixed with whiskey and tears and let to sit for two decades, it didn't age well. Mad Dog McCree was essentially a first-person shooter, set in the American 'wild west.' Back during the time of its initial release, FPS's were pretty bare-boned; you basically ran and shot things, with no regard to limited amounts of ammo, multiplayer, storylines, pretty graphics, snipers, heavy weapons, etc. You just ran and shot. And that worked for the time. If Mad Dog had been <i>updated</i> in any way, shape or form, then I feel it would be a much better purchase. But because it was merely <i>ported</i>, it falls short of the thralls and intricacies of modern day first-person shooting.</div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSX4SeuqNY71jfeTQ0mkrVrZaS7tNR-3z8TVWK0axcxIdZNJCsy" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSX4SeuqNY71jfeTQ0mkrVrZaS7tNR-3z8TVWK0axcxIdZNJCsy" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Also, this guy.</span></div>
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The setting is pretty straightforward. You play a nameless gunslinger, who just arrived in a town taken over by a gang of wanted fugitives. The gang is lead by a truly fearsome outlaw--Mad Dog McCree. Your character won't stand for this, I guess, and decides to rid the good people of their unwanted guests. The town consists of several different 'stages': the Sheriff's Office, the Bank, etc. Each stage is a different firefight with more and more of the Dog's goons.</div>
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Gameplay in Mad Dog is very, very simple. You aim the crosshair (on the top screen) with the stylus (on the bottom). Tapping whilst holding the L button will allow you to fire; simply tapping without the L button being depressed lets you reload. Aaaand, that's it. You point to a bad guy and fire, hopefully not hitting a citizen in the process. Your character is a one-hit wonder, and has three <strike>lives</strike> cowboy hats. Every time you take just one bullet the screen gets a 'shattered glass' effect, and you lose a cowboy hat. Lose all three, you're treated to a game over screen, but don't worry--you have unlimited continues. Should you choose to carry on, the next thing you see is the town priest--come out of nowhere, to revive you. After you're revitalized, you have to win a duel with a random thug--win, and you can jump right back to where you were, no penalty. Lose, and it's the priest all over again.</div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVfwBNUfyitFJf4UBB0taHxtev5ZzBPSMHfQvlx6K4YM0sR2Eepg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVfwBNUfyitFJf4UBB0taHxtev5ZzBPSMHfQvlx6K4YM0sR2Eepg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Forgive me, Father...</span></div>
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And really...that's pretty much all there is to the 3DS's port of Mad Dog McCree. I'd go in to detail about the graphics...but it's hard to review live-action. The acting is pretty awful, though. Decent for the early '90s, but not too hot by today's standards. The music has an apt, appropriate wild west sound, and is actually kind of alright.</div>
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I'd reccommend this for anyone who remembers it from twenty years ago, and is in the mood for a nostalgic kick. Or for you truly die-hard wild west fans. Anyone else, save your monies!</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-57729381163922687192012-06-14T20:37:00.002-07:002012-06-14T20:38:59.705-07:00Review: Devil Band: Rock the UnderworldPer normalcy, the 3DS's eShop has been updated today, once again. Nintendo's online game stores have built quite a reputation for playing host for a ton of 'subpar' games. On major review sites, they garnish the majority of lower-end scores--3's, 4's, so on. Occasionally, higher-name games perform quite well. These would be your Pushmo, your Sakura Samurai, etc. If a game released through these outlets is even professionally reviewed at all, however, they really don't perform too hotly. <br />
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Just released today, Devil Band: Rock the Underworld is a perfect example of the mediocrity and lack of quality being pumped into Nintendo's online shops.<br />
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<a href="http://media.nintendo.com/nintendo/bin/z3zc0-NKJ8lKWzRhHj8vtfGI2q_dkIDC/5sTiRmU1o8KAcoh61GdBAJU6E_qz8w-_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.nintendo.com/nintendo/bin/z3zc0-NKJ8lKWzRhHj8vtfGI2q_dkIDC/5sTiRmU1o8KAcoh61GdBAJU6E_qz8w-_.jpg" /></a></div>
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Devil Band is an interactive strategy/defense game. You take control of a demonic metal band called 'Xaviors,' which rules legions of underworld fans with an iron fist. In the opening bit, an NPC called "Biggest Fan" is praising the members of Xaviors, when all of a sudden,<br />
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"Look at the sky, it has grown dark all of a sudden."<br />
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Great...great writing at its finest, folks. The line comes out of nowhere, and then suddenly the band's minions are being eaten by demonic beasts.<br />
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Yep. Carrying on.<br />
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There is no backstory to the game, and barely a tutorial. Devil Band plays uncannily similar to Plants vs. Zombies, just unpolished, and sloppy. In fact, the game can be thought of as Plants vs. Zombies's goth, sub-par second cousin. You have a selection of troops ('Fans') that you can place on a grid in the center of the touch screen. On the left is the band, and enemies approach from the right...<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Look familiar?</span></div>
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Devil Band's single uniqueness is how it lets you play as each member of the band. You can tap each member to select (although I personally found using the up/down buttons on the D-pad to be much more effective), and then stroke from left to right to use a specialized attack. For example, the lead guitarist shoots sound waves, the drummer creates rifts in the ground underneath enemies, etc. One thing I think would serve to enhance this feeling of playing as different characters, would be to have the background music sort of 'highlight' different instruments. When the keyboard player is selected, the keys part in the music would be slightly louder than the other tracks. Play as the drummer, and the song's beat would be more pronounced. I thought it was cool that each character had a different attack, but it still feels a bit incomplete. <br />
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Good luck getting past the first wave of enemies. Devil Band is incredibly unforgiving. And I mean, that's ok--challenging games are good games, usually. But on the first level, when you don't have the in-game money to spend upgrading your fans, you will get slaughtered. Repeatedly. I feel that this could have been done so much better by implementing an actual tutorial. Games with intricate and/or complex intricacies and systems are all well and good, but to be successful a very thorough establishment is needed. Devil Band just doesn't perform well here, at all.<br />
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Speaking of music, for a game revolving around a band, it's surprisingly lackluster. The score makes sense--I guess--but the sound quality isn't exactly swell. Think of the music as a regular Castlevania sound, but done with a garage metal band. Graphics are what you'd expect--cartoony and goth. The game gets its 'T' rating from the bits of blood that spill out of enemies as you attack. <br />
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Devil Band: Rock the Underworld gets far from a standing ovation, or any sort of round of applause, really. There is some depth beyond the defense nature of the game, such as upgrading your characters and fans, but it doesn't add enough value to warrant the game as playable. With a textbook-dry story and dialogue, douchebag characters, and a needlessly unforgiving difficulty level, avoid this one--even if it is only $1.99. That's basically $2 better spent towards a Virtual Console title, in my humble opinion.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-64975566401593059172012-06-07T02:43:00.001-07:002012-06-07T02:43:44.226-07:00In Other News...Hello again, gameblogging world!!!<br />
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I apologize for the tragically long lapse in posts. Life has been interesting, and several things have been demanding my attention and energy. Even my time being able to just sit back and enjoy a game has been sorely diminished. It's tragedy, I tell ya.<br />
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Some of the things that have been absorbing ALL of my free time include...<br />
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<li>Cats</li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The one towards the top likes to piss on EVERYTHING.</span></div>
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<li>School</li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Studying <i>this</i>...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">...so I can professionally do <i>this.</i></span></div>
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<li>Work</li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Basically</i> what I do for a college job now. Just not in space.</span></div>
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<li>Wedding</li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The wedding isn't until June 30th and I've already learned this. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you, Boromir.</span></div>
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Now that I'm just about off from school for a couple months, I can <i>finally</i> devote more free time to MTI. And <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/" target="_blank">inMotion Gaming</a>, the primary website I write for. So what's next?</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lots, and lots, of this.</span></div>
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Well for one, my "hilarious/awkwardly translated playthrough of a Japanese copy of Pokemon Black 2" project is still happening, in a big big way. Coincidentally, its release falls on the same day as my bachelor party--the23rd, so my coverage won't start until the 25th, or 26th...or whenever my copy gets in from Japan.</div>
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The next bigger writing project is going to inMotion, but that's okay! Microsoft <a href="http://www.justpushstart.com/2012/06/e3-2012-xbla-summer-of-arcade-2012-revealed/" target="_blank">revealed their lineup for the Summer of Arcade 2012</a>, and I'm already in love with at least one of the titles they're bringing us. Lighter reviews are completely fair game for MT Ideas.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Glorious days of the 6th grade, prepare to be revisited!</span></div>
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The highly-anticipated Episode 2 of Telltale's The Walking Dead is due out by the end of June, so stay tuned for my review of that one. According to the E3 articles out there, this episode is going to be MUCH gorier than<a href="http://mtideasblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-walking-dead-episode-1.html" target="_blank"> the last one...and that's saying something.</a></div>
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I'm definitely excited to be back in the blogosphere, that's for sure. :)</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-53099485817171959992012-05-03T15:04:00.001-07:002012-05-03T15:04:27.716-07:00Review: Bird Mania 3DEvery Thursday at 9am, Nintendo's eShop gets updated with new titles. One of today's new games is called Bird Mania 3D, and it has a price point of $1.99. <div>
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Bird. <i>Mania. </i>3D.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Drink it in...</span></div>
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I'm not gonna lie, when I first saw this in the eShop, I immediately dismissed it as some sort of lesser knock-off of Angry Birds. I thought, "Great, it's another off-week. Thanks, Nintendo." The unusually cheap price only furthered my instant disregard for it. So, I closed my 3DS and went on with my day.</div>
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But for some reason, the name <i>Bird Mania</i> grew on me as the day went on. I was genuinely curious. 'What exactly about this game features birds in a manic fashion?' I had to find out. When I was able to get back to my 3DS, I hastily opened up the eShop, scrolled over to Bird Mania 3D and bought it.</div>
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Long story short: Surprisingly good.</div>
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Bird Mania 3D is a side-scrolling action/platformer title. The set-up is this: You control Mojo, a bluebird living with his bluebird friends in North America. Apparently, Mojo's a little lazy, as when it's time to fly south for the winter, he's still asleep and his friends have left him behind. Now he's got to fly <i>maniacally </i>to get to Africa and catch up with his buds.</div>
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...It's kind of a hard story scenario to swallow, to be sure. Fortunately, you don't have to pay any attention to it to get experience out of this game. In fact, I'd almost recommend <i>ignoring</i> any ramblings of a story outright. The game provides a fun, challenging and addictive experience through its core gameplay alone. The 3D effects really only concern the background--this is still a 2D game. Liken it to some of Nintendo's 3D Classics, if you will.</div>
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During gameplay, Mojo will fly automatically from the left side of the screen to the right. A brief tutorial is given upon starting your first round with the game, but the gist of it is this: Collect stars and don't hit things. Mojo's a one hit-point wonder, and will crash and burn the moment he touches another bird, bee, boulder, or the foliage of a tree. Your primary goal is to obtain a high-score; I'm not even sure if the game really <i>ends</i>, or if it just loops <i>ad infinitum. </i>But that's okay; there's plenty to do while you're <i>maniacally</i> flying about. As you collect stars and progress, Mojo speeds up and it becomes harder and harder to dodge obstacles.</div>
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I think why this game works so well is because it's so simple. Even the controls. There are four control schemes you can use altogether, although only one I'd really recommend. Because Mojo's flight path is set, you merely control his vertical movement. You can use the analog stick to move him up or down. Or up or down on the control pad. The X and B face buttons will also move him up or down, respectively. All three control styles work, although his handling's a little sloppy. You're given the option to control him with the stylus and the touch screen, however, and this is far and away the best choice. Movement is super responsive, and he handles like a charm when you're using the stylus. Regardless of your choice of vertical controls, you can use either the L or R shoulder buttons to give Mojo a brief 'turbo' moment--during which he can attack other animals to increase his point multiplier. </div>
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The developers of Bird Mania 3D included a host of achievements to work on, possibly in an effort to extend the life of the game. There are several, and are each based around different elements of the title's gameplay; fly such-and-such amount of miles without being hit, score this many points, don't attack anything for this amount of miles, etc. They all seem fairly well thought out, and work well with the core gameplay's addictive nature.</div>
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Bird Mania 3D is a surprising gem--if you're looking for a quick and cheap side-scroller fix, look no further<i>. </i>On the other hand, though, there's not a lot going on--there's no hidden depths or anything. This would have almost made more sense to release on either iOS or Droid. But I suppose that's why it's only priced at $1.99. Get it, and you'll have a <i>maniacally </i>good time... ;) </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-22742668042622162962012-04-30T14:31:00.000-07:002012-04-30T14:31:02.848-07:00What I'm Playing: April 2012Seeing as how this is a blog about video gaming, I thought I'd share the very games that have been distracting me from said blog, and other, more <strike>important</strike> <strike>critical</strike> demanding parts of my life. So, here's what I've been playing over the month of April.<br />
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1. Soul Calibur V</h3>
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This totally came out of left field for me. I picked it up when it came out at the end of January, spent several hours in it and then started getting ready for Mass Effect 3--and hadn't been back since. It's a shame, because SCV really is a quality game, once you get past the extraordinarily shallow single player mode. </div>
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I really need to start using a character-style other than Siegfried's, though. As much as I love kicking ass and taking names with an oversized blade, I'm noticing that I just don't move fast enough. His biggest drawback, to be sure. I fiddled around with a character based on Patroklos, though, and didn't do too terrible.<br />
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2. Mass Effect 3</h3>
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I have a terrible habit of not playing through games a second-time around. Seriously, there are only a handful of games I've played through mulitple times. I liken it to, say, reading a book. It's really challenging me to retain an interest level in material I've already read through once--I know how everything will end or get resolved.<br />
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While I've barely touched Mass Effect 3's single player campaign since I finished it, I have been playing a ton of its multiplayer mode, 'Galaxy at War.' It's still pretty fresh, at least for me, and the free Resurgence Pack BioWare released for it a couple weeks back only sweetens the deal. Email me if you'd like to get a match going sometime!<br />
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3. Skyrim</h3>
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I once swore off Skyrim. After spending ~109 hours and getting every Achievement, I decided that I'd force myself to put it down until its first DLC came out. So, I did just that--within the game, even. I had my character--Aarnyr, if you cared to know--return to his wife and home in Whiterun, hang his swords and shield up above his bed, store all his inventory around the various containers scattered throughout his tiny home, and change from Dragonscale Armor to a fancy robe. <br />
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But, on a whim I decided to head back out into the province of Skyrim once again. I geared up, said goodbye to my wife and left for adventure and danger. Because even after getting every Achievement, <i>there's still so much more to do.</i> </div>
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4. Blue Dragon</h3>
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Here's one that came out of nowhere.<br />
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I picked it up for about 10 bucks several months ago when I repaired my year-dead 360, because A) I'm <i>still</i> a huge fan of JRPGs, and B) the same core team who developed it, developed my favorite game of all time (and that of course, is Chrono Trigger). But I spent only a few hours in it and left it alone for months.<br />
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With some time now between major releases on my hit list for 2012, I finally got a chance to go back and finish some games I'd left incomplete--Blue Dragon being one of them. Even though the game is five years old at this point, it still <i>looks</i> nice. Although, personally I find the characters and their voices to be a tad bit annoying--which is par for the course, I guess, seeing as how it is a JRPG.</div>
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5. Batman: Arkham City</h3>
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I picked this up just yesterday from a Blockbuster for $20. I walked in on a whim, saw the $19.99 sticker on its cover and couldn't say no.</div>
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I'd only ever played a demo for its predecessor, Arkham Asylum, but...it was a badass demo. And I'd only read good things about it. I can definitely see why this newest Batman series earns so much praise. Soaring around the sleaze-infested Arkham City as The Batman is just wonderful.</div>
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What games have you been playing over the month of April?</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-67183721831338650622012-04-27T16:13:00.003-07:002012-04-27T16:13:49.076-07:00Review: The Walking Dead: Episode 1First thing's first: I've never seen any media for 'The Walking Dead' before, including its comic book and TV series iterations. <div>
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Now, I know I'm probably one of the marginally few gamers out there who hasn't seen the award-winning zombie-apocalypse series. Friends and co-workers alike have tried to get me to watch it. "It's even on Netflix for crying out loud!" they proclaim. And I mean, it's not like I have anything against zombies. I read "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" last year, and I loved every page. <i>Shawn of the Dead</i>? Easily on my top 5 favorite movies. I just haven't gotten around to watching or reading 'The Walking Dead.'</div>
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But now, I think I just might.</div>
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Because after playing through the first chapter of Telltale Games's episodic The Walking Dead series, I'm left with a fervent desire to get to know this franchise better. The first of a five-part series, The Walking Dead: Episode 1 is an incredibly well-crafted adventure, in terms of production value, gameplay and atmosphere. You control a new character introduced to the franchise by the name of Lee Everett. When the game opens, he's sitting in the back seat of a police car as it's driving down a freeway in Georgia. You're not initially given an explanation as to why he's been arrested. After a few minutes of conversing with his arresting officer, Lee notices a strange figure walking down the middle of the road... </div>
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Telltale Games's The Walking Dead series serves as a side story and prequel of sorts to the comic book series of the same name. As such, the art direction is decidedly cell shaded--with a healthy dose of realism added in. The result is a unique graphical style that lends itself to the comic book and live action TV natures of the franchise's other mediums. One thing I positively loved was how animated each character's facial expressions were. Because of how each character model is drawn, their emotions come to vivid life as they try their damnedest to survive. This goes hand-in-hand with a statement from TWD creator Robert Kirkman regarding how the video game series will "<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">focus more on characterization and emotion than action."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">You can truly <i>see the terror</i> in their eyes. Bravo, Telltale.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Gameplay in The Walking Dead is well done. The user interface is sleek, and most of it can be hidden so as to enhance the game's realism. It's accurate to think of the game as a hybrid of survival horror and adventure, with a dash of action and an ever so slight pinch of hidden object puzzle. In fact, the experience is largely cinematic. Most of the game is spent interacting with the characters that Lee encounters. As such, every decision you make carries weight--not unlike, say, Mass Effect. There are a couple points in the story where you're given a direct, mind-crushingly challenging decision to make that will have immediate and game-altering effects. The survival horror portions of the game are legitimately frightening. I'm not a fan of the genre and I still genuinely enjoyed having the beans scared out of me. I likened the sequences of the game where you search for supplies to a hidden objects game--even more so when the UI is hidden. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Gameplay is sort of like an interactive movie...but in a <i>good</i> way.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The production values in The Walking Dead are fantastic. The aforementioned beautiful graphics and art direction, the stellar voice cast and general 'the world is about to end' atmosphere provide an excellent and compelling--if short--experience. For only 400 Microsoft points (or $4.99), this is a steal. Upon completing the first episode, you're given a short preview for Episode 2. If the first episode is any indicator, Episode 2 will be another epic ride.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now if you'll excuse me, I have a zombie-related TV series to start watching... :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-9108094142107622462012-04-24T14:24:00.004-07:002012-04-27T16:21:08.368-07:00Dragon's Dogma Pre-ReviewAs of today (April 24th), the demo for Capcom's upcoming Dragon's Dogma has hit the online stores. This game offers a Dragon Age-esque high fantasy outing, and is a title that any fan of open-world RPGs should not miss.<br />
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Initially, I didn't know too much about Dragon's Dogma. I'd heard the name dropped a couple of times, but didn't really explore it at all. Now, I kinda wish I had. If the demo is any indicator, this is going to be a high-quality game, and has officially made it on to my Must Have list for 2012. Capcom has stated that Dragon's Dogma will feature elements of open-world RPG, action/hack 'n slash, and survival horror. Given that the game is being worked on by vets of the Breath of Fire, Devil May Cry, and Resident Evil franchises, Dragon's Dogma should be ridiculously good.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Warning: Hydras in mirror are larger than they appear!</span></div>
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As soon as you open the Dragon's Dogma demo, you're treated to a beautiful title screen--a soft, heavenly soprano veiling hellish flames and a desolate background. This demo is unusually generous for an unfinished product--it fully allows you to customize your character.<br />
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That's how I began my time with it. The character creator is surprisingly deep. You first enter your character's name. DD enforces you to choose a 'monicker' from a preset list--this is done to screen inappropriate character names for players with parental controlled consoles. I'd say that's a pretty stand-up thing to do on Capcom's part.<br />
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Even for a demo, the character customization is wonderful. After choosing your basic appearance, you're allowed to edit your character's finer features, such as face shape, eyes, and brows. <br />
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Dragon's Dogma gives you an assistant character--an AI controlled companion who is with you at all times. This character is called your 'main pawn,' and you can edit them as well, just as you did your main character.<br />
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The demo features two different scenarios: 'Prologue Quest',' and 'Countryside Quest.' I started playing with the former. You're treated with some flavor text detailing a little about the world you've suddenly found yourself immersed in, and then the actual gameplay begins.<br />
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Gameplay feels wonderfully tight. There are a ton of controls to memorize, as not only is every button on the controller utilized, there are different combination effects, too. For example, holding Right Bumper and pressing one of the attack buttons will enable a special attack. The HUD and menu system is great, and there are lots of things to do with the items you have on your person. <br />
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The production values of Dragon's Dogma seem like they're among Capcom's best. If this is indeed the company's answer to Skyrim and Dragon Age, then they're on the right track.<br />
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Dragon's Dogma launches on May 22nd. My full review <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/" target="_blank">will be elsewhere</a>, but I'm sure there will be plenty of tales to tell here at MT Ideas! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-72841549491969199522012-04-21T14:23:00.003-07:002012-04-21T14:23:48.578-07:00Pokemon Black 2 and White 2: More Trailer Thoughts!<a href="http://www.backloggery.com/nwcc" target="_blank">I had planned to take this day off from blogging.</a><div>
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You know, kick back and play a glorious combination of <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/soul-calibur-v/" target="_blank">Soul Calibur V</a>, <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/mass-effect-3/" target="_blank">Mass Effect 3</a>, and<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/review/final-fantasy-xiii-2/" target="_blank"> Final Fantasy XIII-2</a>. And for most of my day, that was exactly how it went. Had some coffee, played with our kittens, and started my multi-hour gaming marathon.</div>
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Then, I came across this.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.serebii.net/" target="_blank">Via Serebii.</a></span></div>
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This new gameplay trailer comes from Nintendo's 'Nintendo Direct' broadcast, which aired last night and included announcements and news for several games. I think it's pretty awesome getting a second trailer over the span of about a week, despite this one recycling <a href="http://mtideasblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/pokemon-black-2-and-white-2-trailer.html" target="_blank">a few scenes from last week's.</a></div>
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As in the style of my last trailer article, here's some elements I took notice of...</div>
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<li>Is it me, or is the revised Unova map shown in greater quality this time around?</li>
<li>The inevitable showdown between Black/White Kyurem is going to RULE.</li>
<li>The second city they show towards the beginning looks <i>so familiar...</i></li>
<li>Is the vista an updated Accumula Town?</li>
<li>There's that theater-esque building again...I no longer think it's for an updated musical. Movies, perhaps?</li>
<li>It confirms that Dolphin-Boy's Gym is the one with the player character traversing multiple lilypads...</li>
<li>Also shown once more is BW2's animated trainer sprites...freakin' awesome!</li>
<li>Black Kyurem just launched a wicked Freeze Bolt at Serperior...bet it was a one-hitter. ;)</li>
<li>Who is the <strike>chick</strike> <strike>guy</strike> <strike>chick</strike> manwoman...? with the book and freaky hair?</li>
<li>KELDEO. As a Water-type enthusiast...so want!</li>
<li>At 1:15 is why I think those new theater buildings are for <i>movies.</i> First the green room, and then the scene with the girl encountering a Tyrannitar. That would rule so hard.</li>
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So, I have to ask...which of Kyurem's new forms look more appealing. I was a fan of Zekrom over Reshiram, but for some reason I seem to prefer White Kyurem...</div>
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And once again, <b>this blog will feature episodic coverage of Pokemon Black 2 and White 2</b> when the games release in Japan on June 23rd. Once my import comes in...it's gonna be awesome. :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-75548336571231337532012-04-20T12:54:00.001-07:002012-04-20T12:54:19.102-07:00The World...Doesn't...End With You?Either I've died and gone on to the next realm of existence, or this may just be the happiest piece of gaming news I've heard all year.<div>
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<a href="http://ds.ign.com/articles/122/1223421p1.html" target="_blank">According to IGN</a>, it looks as though Squeenix is "heavily hinting" at a follow-up title for<i> The World Ends With You</i>. This would make total sense, seeing how TWEWY's main cast appear as supporting characters in the upcoming <i>Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance</i>. </div>
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Although nothing has been confirmed yet...you know how Squeenix operates. A higher up such as Tetsuya Nomura drops a brief, nondescript hint at a game being either developed or planned, and months later it turns out to be true. According to Nomura, the producers of KH3D decided last minute to add a voice actor in for TWEWY character Rhyme, "out of consideration of the future of The World Ends With You series." <i>Additionally</i>, Nomura stated that he can't comment on anything else related to TWEWY right now.</div>
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I mean, come on.</div>
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So I'm thinking, what are they going to call it? It would be pretty lame to simply entitle it 'The World Ends With You 2,' especially considering how unique and creative the original is. Here are some ideas I think would be possible contenders...</div>
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<li>The World Doesn't End With You</li>
<li>The World Ends With Me/Us/Them</li>
<li>Outside The Game (kudos if you get that reference... :)</li>
<li><strike>The World Is Not Enough </strike>Damn, scratch that one.</li>
<li>The World Ends With You: Round II</li>
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And for those who never got to experience the original <i>The World Ends With You</i>, please, do yourself a favor and check it out! It came out in 2008 for the NDS, and is quite possibly the most original, creative title not only to come out of Square Enix's production studios, but on the entire DS platform as well. It follows the story of Japanese, headphone-wearing Neku Sakuraba, as he explores a creepy alternate reality version of Tokyo's Shibuya district.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cast of TWEWY, being badasses.</span></div>
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<i>The World Ends With You</i> featured the most intuitive and creative battles in nearly any video game, ever. Each fight is split between both screens. With one hand, you control Neku on the touch screen, and use the stylus to guide and control him. On the top, his current teammate's action is displayed, and you manipulate that by pressing whatever directional button is indicated. It takes a while to grasp, but when you do...it is completely and utterly fantastic.</div>
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Should a <i>The World Ends With You</i> sequel be real, you can bet MT Ideas will be following it! </div>
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News: Via <a href="http://ds.ign.com/articles/122/1223421p1.html" target="_blank">IGN</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-55946920546950181832012-04-19T15:39:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:39:31.004-07:00Colors! 3D Showcase (Part One)Strange, immaculate things happen when I'm home sick from school and work. Namely, I get unusually productive and yes, a little creative. In this case, while resting on my couch to chicken noodle soup and a Psych marathon, I picked up Colors! 3D and painted/finished a few pictures. <br />
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<a href="http://mtideasblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-colors-3d.html" target="_blank">If you read my review on Colors</a>, then you'll know how addictive I find it. Seriously, I'll pick it up and then can't put it down for at least an hour. Today, I have five finished paintings, two of which demonstrate the really cool function of painting over a 3D picture. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89AYcOdlUmu4DYmDKg2eoaA9G6aq1yOyEk9K5cdbPplq4jqf2kuPyCcC7Kt3CxMDG_nBktSiEC2SJV61F2XJw4piOAy_AlnzJ_o9WS_5weCToEInpRVEHDwjs1xehEhu6OxMZCxKkNdE/s1600/HNI_0027_MPO.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89AYcOdlUmu4DYmDKg2eoaA9G6aq1yOyEk9K5cdbPplq4jqf2kuPyCcC7Kt3CxMDG_nBktSiEC2SJV61F2XJw4piOAy_AlnzJ_o9WS_5weCToEInpRVEHDwjs1xehEhu6OxMZCxKkNdE/s320/HNI_0027_MPO.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Sunbeams"</span></div>
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...And yes, those are <i>seagulls</i>, or some other type of bird, not flying mustaches. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zcyYaswvPwtmUxCMgO8odl_8xop-kug17gLQjcA_RQs3sswlW19BLTlm3U90SRqH20A1FjFZhMq_qzr3QA_ho5z_EW8jNluQ5oCihl6IhDQs4CeRdmqIP52FdUHDfwdFQ5sbB-Tt4pY/s1600/bossfightkitty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zcyYaswvPwtmUxCMgO8odl_8xop-kug17gLQjcA_RQs3sswlW19BLTlm3U90SRqH20A1FjFZhMq_qzr3QA_ho5z_EW8jNluQ5oCihl6IhDQs4CeRdmqIP52FdUHDfwdFQ5sbB-Tt4pY/s320/bossfightkitty.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Boss Fight Kitty"</span></div>
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This was a picture taken utilizing one of the AR Cards that come with the 3DS system. Enjoy my poorly drawn hearts. :) And the boss kitty depicted is my cat, Panda.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3J9RhfO2dDiq1bVTvAX0YJp4kcnVQ-kkkP4c06ewsNnfj_FbGsn2Zeiekyv23Q74hNWOG-Fvyv3_LlgXggObKwzcGbYhkQd1EIEWjVgfBiUT1KYjTrvFYeT-SEjZIH1i4cmAToO_ePag/s1600/unknownrainbow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3J9RhfO2dDiq1bVTvAX0YJp4kcnVQ-kkkP4c06ewsNnfj_FbGsn2Zeiekyv23Q74hNWOG-Fvyv3_LlgXggObKwzcGbYhkQd1EIEWjVgfBiUT1KYjTrvFYeT-SEjZIH1i4cmAToO_ePag/s320/unknownrainbow.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Unknown Rainbow"</span></div>
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Not much to say on this one. I tried to go for some sort of 'clashing' or 'contradicting' effect.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3e0Rd3UnZmiap_D9siukkpIvGAYDsGWz2td2y0hu8-F0jCO8EYOGkAsqmMrC6BlE098uhFyJswbrsoLsVvWK2GOp4hyhTe9wwwg5lU9UZ6FBbTdWNdFSEpx_YGY6pzKbxRGK-KO0_FpI/s1600/legacyfriendship.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3e0Rd3UnZmiap_D9siukkpIvGAYDsGWz2td2y0hu8-F0jCO8EYOGkAsqmMrC6BlE098uhFyJswbrsoLsVvWK2GOp4hyhTe9wwwg5lU9UZ6FBbTdWNdFSEpx_YGY6pzKbxRGK-KO0_FpI/s320/legacyfriendship.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Legacy of Friendship"</span></div>
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Please remember, I am terrible at drawing things. The foreground is a grassy area, and the background is <i>supposed </i>to be an ocean. <i>Supposed</i> to be. (And those stick figures are just lying down, not deceased.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJ4enUMicCd5bI2MbBNCjifp9El8JVnJIeDBPerMWAqv6j5GnMu_DwYIprJA_FLQjMSKdoj0679rrx0STJB2pGbbL4kATJxZpL7-CdCdzU6juU2hlZnimZLZhy1xZJAMQoumqhcpROW0/s1600/miamore.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJ4enUMicCd5bI2MbBNCjifp9El8JVnJIeDBPerMWAqv6j5GnMu_DwYIprJA_FLQjMSKdoj0679rrx0STJB2pGbbL4kATJxZpL7-CdCdzU6juU2hlZnimZLZhy1xZJAMQoumqhcpROW0/s320/miamore.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Mi Amore"</span></div>
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I'm <i>actually</i> sorta proud of this one. This would be my fiance, Monica. I started with a regular picture of her, painted the background red and threw the date of our wedding in for good measure. Even more impressive is that I convinced her to let me put this online. :)</div>
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I would love to host some sort of showcase from people! If anyone has Colors! 3D and the courage to show their work online, please get in contact with me! </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-49594383125868056722012-04-18T03:08:00.001-07:002012-04-18T03:11:20.369-07:00Top 5: Ultimate JRPG SwordsI am a fierce advocate of Top 5 lists. They are, in my humble opinion, an ideal way to express one's views and tastes in an outlined and organized view. They are also featured prominently in my #3 movie of all time, <i>High Fidelity</i>. But mainly it's that first part.<br />
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I'm also a lifelong fan of RPGs. One element found in this genre--especially JRPGs--is some sort of 'ultimate weapon.' There are sometimes multiple ultimate weapons in a game, one for each character, but most are in the form of swords. I took the liberty of compiling my list of favorite powerful blades. Really, this should be called 'Top 5 Ultimate Swords in a JRPG'...but that's a tad lengthy.<br />
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<b>5. Vorlik Blade (</b><i>Skies of Arcadia</i><b>)</b><br />
<i>Skies of Arcadia</i> is a game that will always hold a spot in my heart, despite being rather hard to sit through these days. It pushed exploration like almost no other JRPG before it--in fact, you obtain your airship within the first twenty minutes of the game. The main character--Vyse, of the Blue Rogue sky pirates--is a lovable, albeit flawed main protagonist. Being all pirate-y and all, it's no small wonder why Vyse uses a cutlass as his signature weapon. The best one you could obtain for him in the original release of the title was the Vorlik Blade.<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSeHry72XhzsFdRr8v1kkuoK-BRHBb_WjERhUbig07a3f3U1FZ9Jg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSeHry72XhzsFdRr8v1kkuoK-BRHBb_WjERhUbig07a3f3U1FZ9Jg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Balthier, eat your heart out.</span></div>
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There's a reason why I love this blade so much. Without getting all spoiler-y, to obtain the metal necessary in forging it you are required to fly to a place that--in any other ship than the one you use--your crew would be instantly destroyed by the severity of the environment's conditions. <br />
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<b>4. Ultima Weapon (</b><i>Final Fantasy VII</i><b>)</b></div>
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I tried really, really hard to limit the amount of Final Fantasy weaponry that would make it onto this list--but it doing so was inevitable really. You can't talk about the Top 5 <i>anything</i> in the JRPG realm without FF rearing its spiky, anime-inspired head at least once.<br />
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The Ultima Weapon first appeared in its current form in Final Fantasy VII, as an enormous blue and white blade. The sword is enormous, even for Cloud, whose fame is built upon wielding realistically impossible blades.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pictured: Imminent death.</span></div>
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Because of its unique design and legendarily high attack power, the Ultima Weapon has become one of the most easily identifiable blades in RPG history. Personally, I love how it looks like an enormous white-hot flame. The sword is reiterated in other Final Fantasy titles, and Squeenix IPs at large. For instance, protagonist/scene kid Squall of <i>Final Fantasy VIII</i> wields a remarkably similar blade, albeit in a different shape and entitled Lionheart.<br />
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<b>3. Mana Sword (</b><i>Mana/Seiken Densetsu </i>series<b>)</b></div>
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It's one thing for a game to revolve around a specific holy sword. That's almost a given for any prominent JRPG/RPG in general. However, when an entire <i>franchise</i> tells the legends and stories of one particular blade, said blade deserves special attention. The Mana Sword of <i>Secret of Mana</i> fame is a magically imbued sword capable of wreaking great destruction or bring fantastic miracles to the wielder, depending on who its wielder is.<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmvYM-taEGinukr7U3UZX61LIw9VLHPfUv5Xae6lt2c8XVOinOAw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmvYM-taEGinukr7U3UZX61LIw9VLHPfUv5Xae6lt2c8XVOinOAw" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://manatheater.com/" target="_blank">Watch ManaTheater, and this screenshot will forever be hilarious.</a></span></div>
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What's interesting about the Mana Sword (in <i>Secret of Mana</i> anyway--different entries in the series feature it in different ways) is that you have it literally for 99.9% of the game. That Rusty Sword you pull from the stone at the behest of the mysterious ghost in the game's outset? Yup, that's the relic that'll either doom or redeem civilization. You're told that pretty early on in the game, believe it or not, as one of your main goals is to power it up. <br />
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<b>2. Rainbow Sword (</b><i>Chrono Trigger</i><b>)</b></div>
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Crono didn't need any more help getting to be one of the biggest badasses in RPG history. Without a single word, he united a team of history's greatest heroes and saved the world from an alien entity. What then, is a fitting ultimate blade for the savior of time and space?<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6bZWtyH2b4cSfWBTfVbIaIowQEQ3ZnTszEdgTGSkCymu5Ihbs" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6bZWtyH2b4cSfWBTfVbIaIowQEQ3ZnTszEdgTGSkCymu5Ihbs" width="146" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The world will know no pain like that from the power of rainbows.</span></div>
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That's right, folks. A katana <i>made out of a rainbow</i>. Granted, its primary material is that of an ancient hunk of metal called the 'rainbow shell', but still. Once you obtain it in-game, watch as your pathetic enemies crumble and flee at the sight of the power of the <i>rainbow. </i>Specifically, your critical hit ratio goes through the roof.<br />
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<b>1. Sol Blade (</b><i>Golden Sun</i> series<b>)</b></div>
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Maybe a bit of an obscure one, but please take this into consideration--<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">How'd you like a <i>space boulder to the face?!</i></span></div>
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Because seriously, what better way to completely smite an enemy than to <i>drop a freakin' <b>meteor </b>on them</i>? It's unfair enough to random enemies that by the time this blade is obtained, all of your characters are ridiculously powerful. And this blade can only be wielded by one of the two main protagonists (in <i>The Lost Age</i>), meaning its user is going to have a physical attack stat through the roof. So yeah, let's call it good by giving the Sol Blade's wielder the power to summon an <i>Armageddon</i>--<b><i>through a regular attack.</i></b> The Sol Blade was the ultimate sword of <i>Golden Sun: The Lost Age </i>and its sequel, <i>Dark Dawn. </i>A wonderful eccentricity unique of this series of games is that weapons can sometimes unleash a spell instead of using a regular attack. In the Sol Blade's case, said unleash is an extraterrestrial rock that takes up <i>the entire screen</i>.<br />
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What are your top 5 JRPG swords? Leave a comment and have a chat!</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-82758540474872747582012-04-16T00:43:00.001-07:002012-04-16T00:43:16.081-07:00Pokemon Black 2 and White 2: Trailer ThoughtsFirst of all,<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Squeeeeeeee!</i></span></div>
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Following the mad rush of preliminary B2W2 details, Nintendo has released a gameplay trailer for the upcoming games. In the two years between the games, something drastic has clearly occurred in the region of Unova, seeing as how three quarters of it are <i>underneath a mammoth sheet of ice</i>. Time will tell how and why Unova is faced with this crisis. Here are some of my thoughts on this trailer...</div>
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<li>Kyurem's new forms (Black Form and White Form, obviously) look pretty cool. It's clear that each is Kyurem's fusion with either Zekrom or Reshiram.</li>
<li>That forested area to the south west is apparently retconned to have civilization inside it. Makes sense, I guess, after how they brought Johto into existence back in GSC.</li>
<li>My real copy of <i>Chrono Trigger</i> on the SNES says that Kyurem is responsible for the glacier freezing most of Unova.</li>
<li>Looks like seasons have returned. Good. I loved that feature in BW.</li>
<li>I've read around the internet that the protagonists in this game aren't the two from Black and White. This is weird, considering that the protagonists in these new games look like slightly older variations of those original heroes...</li>
<li>The new rival's hair looks like an upside down peacock. Just sayin'.</li>
<li>REALLY curious as to what those stadium-buildings are...maybe the musicals from BW, but kicked up a notch?</li>
<li>The chick holding the guitar is a new Gym Leader, and a rarely-featured user of the Poison-type.</li>
<li>And the dolphin-man (whom I shall forever refer to as Pablo) is clearly a new Water-type Leader.</li>
<li>There's part that looks like it's out of a manga...hmm...</li>
<li>Was that a Mincinno in the middle of the forest...?</li>
<li>WILD EEVEE! YUS!</li>
<li>Looks like you'll be able to use older Pokemon in the main game. I'm interested to see the original Unova Gym Leaders use updated teams, for sure...</li>
<li>Did I see that Office Clerk (F) <i>reach for her Pokeball...?</i></li>
<li>Despite looking like Kyurem's new forms will be Ice/Fire and Ice/Electric, they in fact retain his original typing of Ice/Dragon. For better or worse...</li>
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I realize suddenly that the majority of these posts have been Pokemon related. I think the Resurgence Pack DLC in Mass Effect 3 is calling my name, which should be a good distraction until the June 23rd release of Pokemon Black 2 and White 2...</div>
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And again,<b> check out this blog and my Twitter account (@MTIdeas) when the games do release for an awkwardly-translated, hilarious romp through a frozen-over Unova in Pokemon Black 2 and White 2!</b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-16113816645772910392012-04-14T10:22:00.001-07:002012-04-14T10:22:54.993-07:00First DanceToday's post will be a short one, friends, for with the homework and the real work and the <a href="http://mtideasblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/bw2.html" target="_blank">getting ready for B2W2</a>, my free time is almost nonexistent. <br />
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I'm also in the midst of renovating this blog's template--I have something much more simple in mind.<br />
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For those that don't know, I am getting married this coming June. As you might expect, I've incorporated a slight bit of my gaming culture into the big day--as a gamer it's pretty much my obligation, right? Namely, I chose the song my bride-to-be and I will share our first dance to. <br />
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Even more exciting is that I have a buddy whose going to play this live. :)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-62929482630173910692012-04-13T10:44:00.001-07:002012-04-13T11:11:36.536-07:00BW2!If you couldn't tell by now, I am a ridiculous fan of Pokemon. Have been since the 6th grade (199...9? I think?). Throughout high school it was my secret guilty pleasure, something only my immediate family and closest friends knew I partook in. When I got to college, I did what most adult fans of Pokemon do--banded together with my fellow dorm-dwellers and brought about our own Pokerevival. These days, it's common knowledge to most of the people in my life that I'm a Pokefanatic...<i>and nobody cares</i>. It's great!<br />
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In my Pokeventures, I'm a blatant user/fan/spammer of the Water-type. I always figured it's because I've been a lifelong resident/lover of the Pacific Northwest, with its record rainfall and close proximity to the ocean and whatnot. Incidentally, I'm also a frequent user of Grass- and Ground-types. And my signature Pokemon?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">What a playyyyyyyyya!</span></div>
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It's no surprise then that I am exuberantly excited for Pokemon Black 2 and White 2. Like I did with Pokemon Black in 2010, I will import one version from Japan, and then buy the English version of the other on its launch stateside. In fact, <b>stay tuned to this blog and my Twitter account for a play-by-play cover feature on Pokemon Black 2. </b>Also expect my full written (and mostly unbiased!) review on my partner-in-crime,<a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/" target="_blank"> inMotion Gaming</a>, around the same time. </div>
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So what do we know about BW2 so far? There was a big ol' information drop through Japanese magazine Coro Coro the other day. We know that the region of Unova has been expanded, and that the game begins in a new area in the southwestern expanse. Several old locations have been renovated, including Route 4. There are now underwater tunnels, as well. </div>
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It also looks like the Unova Dex has been expanded--it now includes previous 'Mons, unlike the original BW, which only featured new ones. So far, Tyrannitar, Lapras, and Marill are among the Pokemon being added. There will be a Poison-type Gym Leader, a younger gal who is pictured holding an electric guitar. Quick sidebar here, I found that awesome--I've always associated the Poison-type with punk rock music (not bashing it, I'm a huge punk fan). There's also a new Water-type Leader, making me wonder if the Striaton Trio is going to return.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Definitely </i>fans of the Poison-type.</span></div>
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The new artwork for the player characters looks exactly as you'd expect--like the protagonists of BW aged a couple of years. The girl went from sporting cut-off jean shorts to yoga pants, and the male's hair literally <i>exploded</i> out of his hat, turning it into a visor. There's a new rival, a smug-looking kid who has spiky blue hair. What this means for Bianca, Cheren and N, I've got no clue...though I can speculate. :)</div>
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Do you think Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 will be as great or better than their predecessors? Let me know! Or if you want to battle/trade, I'm always happy <a href="mailto:chris@inmotiongaming.com" target="_blank">taking new Friend Codes</a>. :)</div>
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BW2 news via <a href="http://www.serebii.net/" target="_blank">Serebii</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-6614496964947821602012-04-11T03:02:00.000-07:002012-04-13T12:35:17.887-07:00A Brief History of (Final Fantasy's) GilgameshEarlier today (and totally out of left-field), Gilgamesh was released as a DLC opponent for Final Fantasy XIII-2. He launched together with PuPu (a monster from FF8), and a new outfit for both Serah and Noel. His scenario is entitled 'Clash on the Big Bridge.' Which is fitting, considering the BGM that plays is his classic theme (also entitled, 'Clash on the Big Bridge'). <br />
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<a href="http://www.finalfantasy-fxn.net/images/media/4f7d4304_FFXIII-2-Gilgamesh-Screenshot-DLC-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.finalfantasy-fxn.net/images/media/4f7d4304_FFXIII-2-Gilgamesh-Screenshot-DLC-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Gilgamesh...<i>with guns.</i></span></div>
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The character Gilgamesh is always depicted as an extremely tall and very muscular humanoid. He has several arms, and each one wields a different sword--usually these swords are some of Final Fantasy's most identifiable blades, such as the Excalibur, Masamune, and Buster Sword. A recurring joke is that sometimes Gilgy will pull a blade called the 'Excalipoor,' which will do little (if any) damage.</div>
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Gilgamesh has appeared several times throughout the Final Fantasy series. Most recently, he appeared as a bonus character in <i>Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy.</i> However, his first appearance was in the much-older <i>Final Fantasy V</i>. Let's take a look at Gilgy's appearances throughout Final Fantasy history...</div>
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<b><u>Final Fantasy V-1992</u></b></h3>
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This was Gilgamesh's first appearance, and was a recurring boss enemy. In-game, he was second in command to the game's primary antagonist, Ex Death. Gilgamesh established himself as a unique character through his hammy, over-the-top dialogue.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Suuuure ya did, Gilgy...</span></div>
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<b><u>Final Fantasy VIII-1999</u></b></h3>
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Gilgamesh's next chronological appearance was in 1998's <i>Final Fantasy VIII</i>. He didn't appear as an enemy, however. He appears as Guardian Force (this game's version of summons) that the player can't control--his appearances are randomized.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Awwww, yeah...</span></div>
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<b><u>Final Fantasy IX-2000</u></b></h3>
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Gilgamesh only kinda makes a half-appearance here. He appears as an NPC townsperson in Alexandria. His identity is only revealed much later in the game, however.</div>
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<b><u>Final Fantasy XI-2004</u></b></h3>
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In a completely different appearance, Gilgamesh appears as a regular human NPC. He a political leader of Norg, a city on Elshimo Island. </div>
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<b><u>Final Fantasy XII-2006</u></b></h3>
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In an appearance more akin to his original, Gilgamesh appears as a boss. In this incarnation, he is an elite mark found in the Lhusu Mines. He makes a return appearance for the game's sequel, <i>Revenant Wings.</i></div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTGjp1XEPCl6r0xIUs_F8FkvzUao52I72zy8MagWqhjFlqo15vy9w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTGjp1XEPCl6r0xIUs_F8FkvzUao52I72zy8MagWqhjFlqo15vy9w" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">That Buster Sword sure looks funny...</span></div>
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<b><u>Dissidia: Final Fantasy-2009</u></b></h3>
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Gilgamesh makes a brief cameo in the original <i>Dissidia</i> as a Summonstone. If called, Gilgy will either triple your Bravery (referencing Excalibur), or reduce it to <i>1</i> (referencing Excalipoor).</div>
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<b><u>Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy-2011</u></b></h3>
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<i>Dissidia</i>'s sequel features Gilgamesh much more prominently, almost as much as his original role. He is available as a bonus playable character, marking his first appearance in the series as a PC. He is aligned with Chaos, and retains his trademark goofiness (and resentment towards <i>Final Fantasy V</i> protagonist Bartz).</div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5Q-qoftI9GVXS6s3HqYAkShpG-kW70qgbYTKMFlZhqqSPp8pjGw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5Q-qoftI9GVXS6s3HqYAkShpG-kW70qgbYTKMFlZhqqSPp8pjGw" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">And the fandom rejoiced...</span></div>
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<b><u>Other Appearances and Remakes</u></b></h4>
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With so many remakes/updates to older Final Fantasy games, Gilgamesh has been retrofitted into several games. In the <i>Dawn of Souls</i> and <i>20th Anniversary</i> reissues of the original <i>Final Fantasy</i>, Gilgamesh is thrown in as a bonus boss. In <i>Final Fantasy 4</i>'s sequel, <i>The After Years</i>, he's another cameo boss. In the GBA edition of <i>Final Fantasy VI</i>, he's a new Esper.</div>
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Gilgamesh is just one of Final Fantasy's recurring, memorable characters. Although no other one is quite as humorous as Gilgy, there are plenty of others to keep him company. Let's hope Squeenix continues to give him those small but memorable cameos! :)</div>
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<b>"Enough expository banter! Now we fight like men! And ladies! And ladies who dress like men! For Gilgamesh...it is morphing time!"</b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-12181709557819970252012-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:002012-04-06T13:14:30.320-07:00MW3: Observation!Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 became a gaming phenomenon over a spectacularly brief matter of time. Every subculture of the gaming industry has to observe that. Take me as an example--I'm not the biggest fan of FPSs (nor am I very good...), but I respect the commercial and financial success of MW3.
The following infographic details that success. Thank you, <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/">inMotion Gaming</a>, for allowing me to use this infographic! Visit their site to nab the <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/modern-warfare-3-infographic/">infographic's embed code for yourself</a>. :)
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<a href="http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/images/General/Call-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-3-Infographic-800.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;" target="”_blank”" title="Click to Zoom!"><img alt="Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Infographic" border="0" src="http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/images/General/Call-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-3-Infographic-600.jpg" /></a><br />
Created by <a href="http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/" target="_blank">Broadband Choices</a> in partnership with <a href="http://www.inmotiongaming.com/" target="_blank">inMotion Gaming</a>.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-52743967768702426122012-04-05T15:18:00.002-07:002012-04-05T15:18:41.754-07:00Review: Colors! 3DI am not artistically gifted--at least not in the visual sense. Any time I'm presented with a situation where I have/get to display my lack of artistic skill, I usually cringe, and then reluctantly draw the most average-looking stick-figure people you've ever seen. I'm fairly talented with photography and setting up subjects, but drawing/painting/coloring...it's a lost cause.<br />
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Programs and applications that would otherwise enable me to enhance my lackluster drawing ability usually have no effect. I do enjoy them, though, especially when they exhibit uniqueness and have interesting intricacies. Colors! 3D, one such drawing application, has finally hit the 3DS's eShop after much anticipation. And, it's kinda fun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgyS4PqzPpM5RgggqLwcqo34SjH6fy8ZadtqtXGerC4El0E7AMBpSZSa4hjiSzk_sbaHPyHPgw-BVniomqHG2Q4dI1s5yZxA7hQgbc8nntulQscs6csEdW7Npt5gsjemUHxOO8qP0WKY/s1600/HNI_0027_MPO.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgyS4PqzPpM5RgggqLwcqo34SjH6fy8ZadtqtXGerC4El0E7AMBpSZSa4hjiSzk_sbaHPyHPgw-BVniomqHG2Q4dI1s5yZxA7hQgbc8nntulQscs6csEdW7Npt5gsjemUHxOO8qP0WKY/s320/HNI_0027_MPO.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I call it, "Sunbeams." Yeah...."Sunbeams"....</span></div>
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My take on Colors! 3D is this: it's hard to classify it as a 'video game.' In my opinion, it's more like an application, or what I like to call an 'application game' (others being <i>AR Games</i>, <i>Face Raiders, </i>or the <i>StreetPass Plaza</i>). </div>
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The biggest selling point for Colors! 3D is that it allows you to paint very detailed pictures in three dimensions. While on your 'canvas' you can select from one of five fields of stereoscopic depth. You've got several tools available to you by pressing the L shoulder button. Most of these are standard fare for a painting app--different brush sizes and styles, a multitude of colors, etc. You're able to zoom in on certain parts of the screen, enabling you to get in to super detail.</div>
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With this being a 3DS title, some emphasis is placed on sharing and sociability. One of my favorite features about Colors! is local play. Over local wireless, two people can team up to paint on the same canvas. You can also export your completed artwork to your SD card, and then go on to share it. What's awesome, is that you can export your work...<i>in 3D</i>. You can adjust the depth of each export via your 3DS's depth slider.</div>
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Colors! 3D is a bit of a drawing app disguised as a video game. But, it works. Really well, actually, and is definitely worth its $6.99 price point. Now if you'll excuse me...I'm going to work on 'Sunbeams II'. ;)</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-56360712572887111082012-04-03T14:34:00.000-07:002012-04-03T14:34:02.103-07:00Loading...I was standing in line at my college's bookstore this afternoon--an hour long endeavor--and my tireless mind started thinking about loading screens.<br />
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<a href="http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/1978/427550-now_loading_2_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/1978/427550-now_loading_2_large.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Patience, thy name is Now Loading...</span></div>
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They've been plaguing the games of our noble hobby for years. Some are worse than others, and some games don't even have them. But we put up with them--we know that just beyond this screen, just a few more seconds later, we'll be head-deep in video game awesomeness.</div>
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What I find really impressive is when developers 'hide' loading screens, either during cutscenes or in the background of gameplay. For instance...</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Don't worry, guys. Saren will <i>totally</i> wait for this elevator to go..."</span></div>
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<i>Mass Effect</i> might have gotten a lot of crap about its elevator sequences, and don't get me wrong--I wasn't particularly fond of going baaaaaaaaack and foooooooorth between floors on the Citadel like this, but it beats a dinky little loading screen. Granted, ME2 and 3 load much quicker, but still. </div>
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And what about loading screens of the future? Do you even think we'll <i>have</i> them? It's possible they'll just blend into the background--a perfected <i>Mass Effect</i> elevator situation, if you will.</div>
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I think I'm going to go play some <i>Loading Elevator Adventures, featuring a Galactic War</i> now. :)</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684824442963864426.post-81914496546640927612012-04-02T14:47:00.002-07:002012-04-02T14:47:39.771-07:00Pokemon + ???I love crossovers between franchises. I really, truly do. When the N7 Armor DLC launched for<i> Final Fantasy XIII-2</i>, I was ecstatic. It might have gotten a lot of flack from<i> Mass Effect</i>'s loyalists, but seeing a move like that (even if it was just a publicity stunt to drive EA's sales in Japan) warmed my heart. <br />
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Just a little bit ago, a very...unique title launched in Japan, entitled <i>Pokemon + Nobunaga's Ambition. </i>It's the first time <i>Pokemon</i> has mixed up with another game franchise (excluding <i>Super Smash Bros</i>., of course). The game is a strategy/RPG, and is <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CrazyAwesome" target="_blank">basically feudal Japan...with <i>Pokemon</i></a>. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Featuring some truly badass Pokes...and Jigglypuff.</span></div>
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For those that don't know, <i>Nobunaga's Ambition</i> is a Japan-only franchise of strategy games, somewhat akin to the <i>Romance of the Three Kingdoms</i> series of games. It features samurai warlords, tactical battles, and everything you'd expect from a strategy game. <br />
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In the spirit of this, I couldn't help but ponder...how awesome would it be if <i>Pokemon</i> crossed over with other gaming franchises? Here's a few of my <strike>ideas</strike> <strike>hopes</strike> fantasies... <br />
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1. <i>Pokemon + Monster Hunter</i><br />
...on second thought, maybe not. Take a game about <b>collecting monsters heavily marketed as a children's game</b> and combine it with a more <b>mature game revolving around the hunting and slaying of monsters...</b><br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yeah. That's basically what would happen.</span></span>
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The thing is, for this to work you'd <i>have</i> to not censor anything. I would pay GOOD MONEY to be able to hunt down Chansey with a Gunlance. One in a bajillion chance of finding her in the Safari Zone? Nope! Lure her out with some poison meat!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I gave that Chansey some poison meat...Chansey LOVES poison meat!</span></div>
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2. <i>Pokemon + Angry Birds</i><br />
Ok, seriously. The opportunity to fling a Spearow into a castle housing several <strike>pigs</strike> Tepig? How could you <i>not</i> buy that??<br />
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The premise would be simple. A big ol' bunch of bird Pokemon are roosting up in a tree, when along comes a veritable army of Tepig, which then pilfers the birds' young and runs away. You would start out with a few Spearow, but as you progressed through the game you'd get more powerful Pokemon--like a Staraptor that <strike>explodes</strike> uses Brave Bird, a Hoppip that <strike>bounces</strike> uses Bounce...you could even evolve them!<br />
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3. <i>Pokemon + Call of Duty</i><br />
It's 1944. You are an unnamed soldier, crawling up the Normandy beach. The rain--and your own blood--are soaking you to the bone. You think you've finally made it to momentary safety...as an opposing soldier spots you. The next thing you hear before death's cold embrace is...<br />
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"Finish him! Scizor, Bullet Punch!"<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Now imagine an army of him...</span></div>
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As with a <i>Pokemon/Monster Hunter</i> crossover, this one wouldn't be for the kiddies. I think it would still be an FPS, only instead of a gun...totally be holding a PokeBall. You could still prestige yourself over multiplayer. Call it collecting badges, anyone?</div>
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4. <i>Pokemon + Mass Effect</i><br />
Pokemon...<i>in space</i>. Think about it! It could totally be a DLC to ME3...while scouring the galaxy for War Assets, Shep and company come across a strange, remote planet...inhabited by nothing but Pokemon. You could even recruit one as a new squad member! I 'unno about you guys, but if I could have Garrus and Zapdos on my team...hide your wife, hide your Reapers!<br />
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<a href="http://images.wikia.com/masseffect/images/f/f0/Reaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://images.wikia.com/masseffect/images/f/f0/Reaper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Reaper used Laser Beams! It's super effective! Mankind fainted...</span></div>
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If anyone else has a grand idea for a <i>Pokemon</i> crossover, let me know! Totally get a Kickstarter movement going for one. :)</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02190301198560055911noreply@blogger.com0