I am actually doing shit for birthday for once. Not just spending it playing World of Warcraft like last year. How awkward!

Hope Christmas was good for everyone!

Mine was. Scored a:

XBox 360 HD-DVD drive with the VGA cables (so now my DVD's will upscale to HD instead of just 480p)
Senerity on HD-DVD
Rayman Raving Rabbids on the Wii (one of the most insane games I have ever played)
Some badly needed jeans

Anyone got anything good?

Out of it.

How I feel lately. Whether I am clumsly hurting myself, accidently clicking the wrong web link (such bookmark instead of friend request or accidentally deleting content off my site or opening the wrong Maya file or wrong text file).

I really think it just the time of year. Holidays used to depress me for some reason in the past. I don't hate them. Nothing bad ever happened during them. I don't know...I just kinda figured it was some sort time thing. Except last year when my internship ended...I was depressed then because I loved going there. It was a fun enviroment and the people I worked with there were great. Shame it ended...and shame the the film hadn't come out. I should email just to see if I can find out the progress of it.

I am not depressed this year, but at the same time, I find myself short tempered and frustrated a lot. I think the whole unemployed animator title is getting to me. Well, that and the fact I have that fancy degree that is supposed to get me ahead in life and yet all I can get with it was a job that pays about 15,000 a year with no advancement, poor benefits, and treats me like shit. But the fact I find myself putting a fist to the wall or a cart at times probably doesn't make it healthier. I wonder if I am actually heading to a breakdown?

If I can make the move out west, maybe things would be improve on the hunt and all that. Won't know until I take the risk. I just hope I can get some way to get out there animating again. Maya 6 is getting really buggy on my PC as of late and think I really just need to replace the damn thing soon (which if I want to move can be detrimental to my plans).

The good news of recently is that my cough (diagnosed as bronchitius or however you spell it) is on the way out. However, the doctor's office revealed something not too pleasant. I, at the age of 23, have high blood pressure.

Great, huh?

Well, the new year is coming. Big fucking deal though. The years don't ever seem to improve. Whatever this streak of shitty years is, it has to get better at some point. At least I hope.

Ugh...I hate feeling like an fucking emo loser.

Yeah, I got nothing other than being sick for an unusually long time. Lets hope it passes...in the meantime, more useless video game shit you wanted to know (or not):

Gears of War (360 Full Review)

I am not going to say anything that has been said before, so instead of boring you with what you know or heard...9.75/10

Wii Sports (if you can't tell, there is no hope for you)

I wasn't sure what I was really going to think of this game. I am not a sports gamer. Nor am I interesting in becoming one. And to be fair the game seemed to be more of a tech demo than a real game when I saw the first footage. I was not too interesting in the game.

But I can say the game has a lot of great entertaining moments in it. The bowling and golf games are very fun games to enjoy. Boxing gave me hopes of a new Punch Out although your arms will hurt like hell afterwards. And tennis was fun for the time played with it. They are not the most advanced games out there, but they work well and will be the closest thing we will get to the feel of playing these sports without leaving our house. And it is something that is so easy to pick up and play that it is a great way to show people how the controller works.

Then you got baseball, which sucks. Really sucks. That is all I am going to say about it.

I don't know if it would have worth buying, but it is great for a free game. It is addicting and its accessibility are very nice. And the fact you import Mii's into the game is a really nice touch.

Trauma Center: Second Opinion

I heard Trauma Center for the Wii and I was excited. And the name made me happy for a sequel. Then I found the game is just a port of the DS version and not a sequel. Dag yo. But still, I gave the game a go.

If there is anything this game is lacking...it is the overall presentation of the game. The graphics (while an improvment of what we seen in the DS version) are a bit bland. There is no animation during the story sequences. Only a few voice overs were added (some more voice over work would have been nice), though enhanced music is nice. And the fact there is no progressive scan and no widescreen support doesn't help the presentation either for the HDTV owners who have to watch the story sequences with the characters stretched out a little bit.

Luckily, those factors do not detract the fact this is a very nice (albeit unique and niche) game. If you like the DS version, you would probably enjoy this game. I

They did add some new things to gameplay. First of all, there is an Easy Mode. Don't be fooled by the name though. Just because it says easy, this game is still difficult on that setting. It just means you will have maybe one less tumor or other problem to deal with. And you still find yourself racing the clock and the dealing with falling conditions as well. The other thing is that there is a side story with a new character. You will only get about one per chapter with her, but these are more designed for the Wii in mind, so that you will have more use of the motion sensitivity (like a figuring out how to piece a shattered arm together).

If you played the DS version, it plays similarly on the Wii. You point instead of using a stylus and you use the nunchuck to switch tools. Personally, I love the use of the nunchuck so much more than just tapping on the DS. It makes it a bit quicker to switch tools than it was on the DS. My one problem though is with your incision making. Cutting open with the scapel proves to less forgiving than it was on the DS. It probably deals with my lack of a steady hand, but it can be annoying that it can take you a minute to make an incision, and then you have only four left to complete the operation. A defibilator has been added, but it used in certain scripted events. For some reason, my controller is not alway sensed at this time, but seems like it doesn't kill too much time on the patients health...I wish I could say for time though.

But still, I find this game a bit easier to get into than the DS version. And I really enjoy the game. It however can be a hard game to recommend due to the type of game it is, but I say give it a shot. You might just like it. 8/10

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii - Impressions)

Undoubtly the biggest game for the Wii. And it is one of the best games of the year. People have been waiting a long time for this game and it does not disappoint.

One thing people wondered about the Wii was how were companies going to make traditional games for this unconventional system. If Zelda is any indication, it won't be bad at all. Zelda works well with the Wii's controller and Nunchuck. Does it add anything special to the game, I can't tell as the GC version isn't out yet. But still, I will say I like that the Wii does add a bit of quickness the game as you can aim immediately and shaking the nunchuck for the spin attack is much more accurate than 360 analog motion. It takes some time to get used to the new settings, but it works well.

As for the actual game itself, the game is much more vast the other Zelda so far. Twelve hours into the game and I am only beginning the third dungeon. And unlike Wind Waker, there are warps that make traversing quicker than these game than the whole sailing thing. You get Epona earlier in the game than you did in Orcarina, but she doesn't seem very important at this time. A few mounted battles have occured, but so far, I have spent more time as a wolf than I have as Link, so that could be a factor in that feeling.

Only two complaints right now though. First of all, still no voice acting. Well, Medina speaks in some gibberish language, but no one speaks. You will get the usual Zelda gasp, oh and wow sounds from the characters, but that is about it. The second is the graphics. They didn't try to hide the fact this was a Gamecube game. It looks like one. And with the exception that there is no pop-ups what so ever (you can see the enemy standing from a mile away) there is nothing really that we haven't seen before from the Gamecube...and it is a bit disappointing as this system has a better GPU (not that much, but still better). It would have been nice to see them take more advantage of that. But still, the design behind the game is really nicely detailed.

This is the best Wii game to pick up as of right now. And what a great game it has been so far. And it makes me more excited to see more of traditional games and see how they play on this system.

Is it just me or does this week suck? Not enough game playing time...and to much coughing up a lung like a person who chained smoke since he was 5. And the sore throat does help either.

Oh well...Sunday...Wii is coming out. Here is hoping I get it. Cause I would love one. And I really really really really really really really want to play Zelda And fact I am paying for the system with my winnings in Blackjack is nice since I really didn't have the money for it. Also makes it seem like it is free too.

Whoa...deja vu.

Splee.

Well, it has been a while, hasn't it?

I still check stuff now and then...but just really didn't have much time to post. Or anything really interesting to say.

I have decided to from the last entry that I worked hard for my degree and that I do not want to give up animation. It really feels like I probably should go to where the oppurtunities are at (out West), but I can't really afford it. But I did decide that I will be giving myself a deadline. If by then I have no job, I will do my best to try to get my ass out west to find work. If things don't work out there, then they don't work out. But this isn't going to solve itself.

Of course I decided this about 2 months ago, so it is technically old news.

Since it has been two months without an update, it just feel like a waste to just have that...so I might as well discuss the last few games I picked up...which I really suggest for you guys.

F.E.A.R (X360)

Old game, I know, but it is new to me. I must say the game looks and runs real nice compared to the PC demo that warned me that I need to lower my settings to get the game running properly (please note that everything was on the lowest settings). The game looks a bit dated due to the fact we had this game out on the PC last year and also had Condemned for the 360 last year as well (which ran on the same engine and has a similar look). But that doesn't mean the game looks bad at all. It looks great. And it can run just as well as any PC can on high settings, which is highly impressive.

The game lives up to its name as well. The fire fights are intense. And thanks to the darkness and the random dead person and little creepy ghost girl you see, it will provide a nice sense of atmosphere that can make you jump every now and then. However, this game seems to the Resident Evil to Silent Hill when you compare it to Condemned. This game gives nice jumps and can creep you out, it doesn't seem to give me that atmosphere that Condemned can give you. Throw in the irony that this game relies on gun shooting like RE did over SH, and it seems like a major coinicidence to me at times.

But F.E.A.R. is a better game in both techincal aspects and in designed. It is not as easy to get lost as it was in Condemned at times. And the uses for firearms in the game is much more comfortable than Condemned's melee combat you did majority of the time.

The game is tough. You can die easily. Infact, you will die in the game. There is a nice achievement to beat the game without dying to those of you wanting to get it...good luck. If you are an achievement whore on the 360, prepare to have some fun. These are some pretty hard ones to get. And lets face it, it really doesn't help you can die quickly just from a few shots at times. Med packs are found a lot in the game, but if you mess up in a fight, you might find yourself using too many of them and come unprepared to the next one.

The game is preserved (from what I hear...remember, couldn't run the original PC version) very well, and considering this was one of the best FPS of last year, I was very interesting in getting it to see what I missed. This is easily one of the best FPS's for the 360 (maybe with Prey not so far behind), but if you have the original PC version, I can't recommend it. From what I hear, it is the same exact game. But if you missed it out (or too lazy/cheap to upgrade), pick this one up. Besides, it supports widescreen.

8.75/10

Final Fantasy XII (8 hour impressions)

Yeah I know. I hated the demo. I hated every Playstation Final Fantasy sans VII and IX...and those I thought were even overrated. And FFXI was one of the most boring MMORPGs I have ever played (which the battle system of this game was based on). So why toture myself with picking up this game? Because I am a whore.

But I will say it feels good to be a whore at times...and this is one of those moments.

I will say this off the bat. This is the best Final Fantasy I have played since VI on the SNES. That is right folks...I dig this one more than VII (again, very overrated). That could be becasue the demo left such a bad taste in my mouth, but eh, whatever worked on making this game a goods as it seems definitely worked.

First of all, the graphics. They look great...even without progessive scan (my biggest complaint about them...which is actually pretty minor to be honest). While I do find some of the clothing to be a bit silly (especially Vaan's and Fran's), I really can't complain. the design is nice. They even added 16:9 support for the HDTV users. Plus, (if you played the demo), the game doesn't use the old crappy FFXI recycled animations and monsters. Another major turn from the graphics. The opening music was very nostalgic, but the game music isn't up to snuff as the older titles. Still good, but not as good as previous games. Luckily the voice acting is very nice to make up for that aspect of the music.

The redesigned battle system is very much like FFXI...only it doesn't suck. In fact, I would probably say it feels a bit like NWN, Baldur's Gate (PC version) or KOTOR at times instead of just FFXI. The gambits (which allow your party members to heal characters when they are down some health or target specific enemies) make the AI a lot easier to deal with. But you can always issue commands to any character in the middle of the battle (so they are not always bound by the actions).

One thing I hated about the Playstation FF's was the ratio of cinemas to gameplay. Yeah, I would like a game to a have about more gameplay time than movie time. Otherwise, I would buy a movie. This game actually a much better ratio of gameplay to cinemas than previous games. Major plus for that alone.

I have been digging my time so far and take back everything I have said bad about this game thanks to that shitty demo. This game is definitely coming off as worth the money and the story is getting interesting. I would say buy it if you are an FF fan or just like traditional PC style RPGs.

Guitar Hero II

My left hand hurts...and get your mind out of the gutter. One of my favorite's from last year has a sequel. And I just played through the entire game on Medium.

The addition of progressive is a nice touch, but the best is widescreen support. The game is (or comes off as being) trickier when the 4:3 image is strecthed to a 16:9, so it is a welcome change. And the new animations and looks to the returning characters are great (though how did Pandora go from goth girl to bowie look a like?). And they have some nice new "cinemas" for the encores.

Speaking of which, that is the major change for the game. In career, you only get 4 songs per set instead of five, but when you complete the amount needed (medium requires 3 out of 4, but hard and expert use 4 out of 4), you then get a message that tells you to do an encore, which is like a boss for the set. The difficulty of these songs isn't really that bad, though they tend to be longer than the other songs. I am not spoiling which ones are encore songs of the 55, but you can find them easily if you go to Gamespy's review (if you are impatient).

The music is nice. The song selection is (as with the first one) excellent. And they got some more bigger name talent. Sadly, You Really Got Me is not the Kinks version, but the Van Halen version, and some of the covers are not that impressive, but it still works for the game. And there is no Led Zepplin or Metallica for those you wanted them so much (however, Anthrax and Megadeth are on the list for the Metallica fans...so that should be a nice substitute). As for the gameplay, it is pretty much the same except for two major differences. First of all are hammer ons and pull offs. They were tricky and required a lot practice to pull off in the first game, but not this time. They are a lot easier this time around. The other difference is the inclusion of the three button chord. Not entirely too hard, but it can throw you off (it appears in hard...not medium so you don't have to worry about it if you are new). My only really last complaint is that, while the game as a whole) is a bit harder than the first game, the last two songs in the game are not as difficult as Cowboys from Hell and Bard at the Moon seem to be. Sure they are tricky, but I can get by on them without hitting the red no problem. Of course, that could just because I probably should have jumped into hard instead of medium for the sole purpose of unlocking all the songs, but I can still struggle with Cowboys and Bark more than I did with Hanger 18 and Freebird.

All in all, I love the game. All my complaints are a bit minor and this is just a fun game to play and get others to play. Just buy it (you can buy one with or without the guitar for those you bought the first one). Easily one of the most fun games this year.

9.5/10

Gears of War (impressions)

Haven't played too much of (thank you Guitar Hero II), but I can give you what I think of the game so far.

The graphics are breathtaking at times. PS3's Resistance: Fall of Man ain't got shit on this. The RE4-esque camera view provides nice of the battle (the way it shakes when you run is a great effect). Everything from the models to the weapons to the details in the gore (especially when it occurs from the chainsaw) is very incredibly detailed. It is easy to control (though FPS users will take sometime to adjust as you have to switch to your gernades from you gun). The battles are intense and a good blend of games like Ghost Recon Advance Warfighter and your FPS game. You can't just go out balls first and expect to kill everything easily...but you need to utilize cover in this game. Like Halo 2 or Splinter Cell: Double Agent, there is no life bar, but if you stop taking hits, your character will heal. You partners can be wounded too, but you can run up to them and heal them at any times. And the story it pretty interesting so far.

Not full blown sure if it it game of year so far nor have I tried the multiplayer aspect, but I am vastly impressed with my short time. Plus, 10 points for the achievement "My Love For You Is LIke a Truck" for killing the Berzerker in Hardcore difficulty. That should entertain Clerks fans.

Well, in three months, my education in animation would have over for a year. And yet no job.

Guess who is going back to school for the Spring semester?

Just not sure where or for what? I still want to get into video games, but at the same time, should I just take more animation classes, or give up and learn game design as a whole? Or give up that desire and go to something more practical like business...or law?

Nah, I am too stubborn to give up now.

I have decided that I will be returning to school this winter. I can't find any work in my field, so I think it is about time to give up that pipe dream.

I still want to try the video game route, but I think maybe I should be more on the programmer side. I really don't think I am talented to do that art aspect as it is these days. And I grow more apathetic the more and more I keep hearing "we are sorry, but we don't have a position that fits your requirements" for 1 out of the 7 resumes I sent out. And the way it is, I don't think I can do the whole starving artist thing.

Hopefully this decision won't be a just more to my student loan though. That is the last thing I need.

Fucking heatwave.

I will say this. Thanks to my great friend Wayne, whose girlfriend had to cancel out at the last minute, I got to go see Mindless Self Indulgence for free today. I thourghly enjoyed the show...very entertaining. Sadly, I had to kinda leave earlier than my friend did so I can get on the train...only to recieve that infamous "man you shoulda stayed" call.

Jhonen Vasquez was there...and I missed him.

Well, it was that or stay homeless for the night in Chicago. I think I made the safe choice...specially since I think I saw some members of the Bloods in the area. No actual proof other than the fact there were 6 guys wearing nothing by red.

But fuck was it hot in the theater. And the heat index for Chicago is supposed to be up to 110 by Sunday. I think I will be sitting at home playing video games other than fighting the heat. Seems smarter.