While having games on multiple consoles is fun, being able to brag by saying that a certain game is for a certain console is even better. These are my favorite console exclusive games. I have taken my favorite three from each big name console maker: Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. This is just my opinion, so please don't take this for a fact. Enjoy!

Nintendo #1: Super Mario 64

When an incredible amount of franchises were attempting to move to the 3D, most were either making average or just plain horrible attempts to make the jump. But, Super Mario 64 showed that it was possible, because it's an incredible game. I really had fun playing it, and now I just want a remake for the WiiU.

Sony #1: Gran Turismo 5

I really loved the Gran Turismo franchise(I played the first one until the disk stopped working, and even own the stripped down version for the PSP), and I can easily say that this is the best one to date. With just a breath taking amount of cars to choose from, the car that you like is more than likely in this game. And it just looks amazing, on top of that.

Microsoft #1: Fable II

I haven't played Fable I, and Fable III disappointed me a lot, so I don't play it anymore. But, Fable II did a lot right for me. The humor, which we don't see enough of in games, is spot on here, and I caught myself laughing plenty of times. The combat was fun to fight, and the magic make it even better. Even with the crappy ending, I like this game, and I would gladly go back and play it again.

Nintendo #2: Donkey Kong Country Returns

With many of the games coming out for the Wii not really being memorable to me, this game is a different story. I love this game so much. Just when I thought that I was done playing my Wii, this game made me play me Wii for another month. Nintendo knows how to make great exclusives, and this game proves it.

Sony #2: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

This game is what it means to be a PS3 player. Great graphics. Great multiplayer. Great gameplay. Everything about this game is great. The dialogue is the best I've ever heard in a game, and it probably still will be two years down the line, when most people will have moved on to the Xbox One.

Microsoft #2: Halo 2

While Halo: Combat Evolved started it all, and Halo 3 was the epic conclusion that we all were wanted and were happy with, Halo 2 is my personal favorite. With the dual wielding of a good chunk of weapons, plus some impressive graphics for the time, makes this game really stand out for me, and this is which game I think of when I think of Halo.

Nintendo #3: Mad World

This does seem like an odd choice at first look. But, if you've played this game, then you will understand. It's a truly great game, and one of the few games for the Wii that I would recommend to people at a moments notice. As long as they are over the age of 17, because this is an incredibly violent game that will disturb kids with it's awesomeness.

Sony #3: God Of War III

I'm a huge fan of the God Of War franchise, and this epic conclusion is what I can say is the greatest game of it's year. I love this game so much that it's not even funny. This game has a great story, amazing graphics, great dialogue, and the best controls of any action game available. And yes. It's extremely gory, for anyone who was wondering/hoping that.

Microsoft #3: Metro 2033

This game came out for Xbox 360 and Windows only, so this does apply. I can't find a greater game that has been a janky mess. The controls are clunky, but the writing and atmosphere makes up for the missteps in combat that occured. I will also just come out and say that Metro: Last Light is also an awesome game.

I hope you've enjoyed this blog. Tomorrow, my review for Bulletstorm, a game that didn't sell too well, so I decided to see why. Tell me in the comments below what your favorite console exclusive games are, which game you don't think I should've chosen, or just how you liked the blog. Have a nice day!

Have you ever wondered what the God of War games would have been like if the  protagonist wasn’t Kratos, but a female instead? Well, if that’s on your bucket list, then the cover of what is Heavenly Sword probably drew you right in.

The Story

The game stars a beautiful looking woman, Nariko, donned in nothing but her lingerie armor and a sword (because this will protect her… how?). On the outside she may seem like an unstoppable engine of destruction, but the game consistently pushes you away thanks to a  boring and repetitive combat system, a pathetically paced storyline, and terrible voice acting.

Too much like God of War…

Heavenly Sword seems too much like a God of War spin-off than it does its own game. The concept is simple–Heavenly Sword is a third person action-adventure game where the player must traverse through a series of brief missions that are littered with forced SIXAXIS mechanics that destroy the fun.

But most of the time you are fighting waves of enemies in melee combat with the titular sword, an object you have bound your life to to protect. The controls are pretty straightforward as well. Pressing square or triangle will perform quick attacks while holding L1 will transform the two buttons (square and triangle) into ranged attacks or doing the same action holding in R1 would trigger heavy attacks.

The gameplay

There is also a combo system where you can chain together various attacks to unleash a devastating amount of damage on your foes. Although the few combos to be found are few and far between. The only challenging part about the game is the concept that your enemies will use the same three types of attacks that you have in your arsenal against you.

The only way to block their attacks would be to retaliate with the same type of strike. A powerful attack blocks a powerful attack, light blocks light, and so on. The system sounds like a cool idea and believe me, it was at first. But when you find yourself in a fight with ten or so guys and each of them are attacking with different types of moves, parrying them is next to impossible and the only thing you can really do is take the hits and constantly roll out of the way with the right thumbstick.

But the types of enemies you face are almost always the same. Fighting off waves and waves of the same melee and archer enemy types got very old, very quick. Even the bosses are a repetitive wash of the same old thing over and over.

But not all the levels follow the same, consistent third-person brawler kind of play-style. On occasion, you’ll be put into the shoes of a character that uses a ranged weapon to take out the baddies and the controls are just god  awful. Players will have to hold down square while guiding a projectile towards its target with the SIXAXIS motion controller.

The one thing I think developer Ninja Theory did nail was the spectacular-looking graphics. The textures, characters, weapons and animation are all gorgeously detailed right down to the finest point. The game is actually one of the best looking games I’ve seen on the PS3 to date.

Closing Comments:

Although the game is graphically stunning and boasts a fantastic soundtrack, they do not make up for the boring, repetitive gameplay mechanics nor the poorly paced storyline. Heavenly Sword is more like a cheap version of God of War than anything else.

So after many trials and tribulations I got yesterday's blog post to post yesterday. Hopefully I won't have those problems again but just in case I've decided to double take my information (type it on a notepad document and in the blog section on here), since that was the second time I had issues posting. Anyways I got started playing late again but this time it was because I got a new recording device at Family Dollar so I was playing with it....I managed to quit being distracted though so that I could get some stuff accomplished in the game today so here we go! :D

Miruhog at level 18 can learn Hypnosis which is where the user using this psychic type move attempts to make the target fall into a deep sleep. I chose to not get the move.

Miruhog at level 20 evolves into a Watchdog. He then can learn Confuse Ray which  causes confusion for the target by being sinister in a ghostly manner... Whatever that means, I'm not having him learn that move.

Kenhallow at level 18 can learn Roost which is where the user takes a turn and rests to restore up to half its max HP. I had Kenhallow forget how to Leer and learn Roost.

That's all for today more tomorrow :D

From the beginnings of Ordon Village to the nostalgic Lost Woods, the world of Hyrule certainly has its good share of location to explore. Whether it's creative, symbolic, has alot of stuff to do, or just plain beautiful, these are, in my opinion, the best locations in the Zelda franchise.

Number 5...

Minish Village- Minish Cap

The Minish Village is a village hidden within the Minish Forest and is populated by the Minish people. Most of the buildings in the Minish Village are made from things that the Hylians left behind, such as pots, boots, and a barrel. The creativity of this village is what makes it so unique from all location. In addition, the bright and cheery colors makes visiting a joy.

Number 4...

Lake Hylia- Twilight Princess

Being the largest body of water in Hyrule, Lake Hylia is a recurring location in the Zelda series, but it's at its best in Twilight Princess because of its beauty. Above the lake is the Great Bridge of Hylia, which leads to the heart of Lanayru Province. the beginning, when the Province is still covered in Twilight, Lake Hylia had been drained so that it is only a puddle. During Zant's invasion, Zora's Domain froze, which in turn stopped the flow of water to Lake Hylia. Once the water of Zora's Domain has been thawed, the water flows down Zora's River and the lake refills. Bringing the lake back to it's natr state is nothing but satisfying and Fyer's Cannon is not only entertaining, but very useful when it come to travel.

Number 3...

Sacred Grove- Twilight Princess

Located where the Temple of Time was once situated, over time, this forest grew around the ruins of the temple, leaving the Pedestal of Time and Master Sword intact. The front door also remains intact and functions as a portal through time to point at which the temple was still whole. Along with the fact that the Master Sword lies within the Sacred Grove, this forest like area has a pretty cool back story that directly ties Twilight Princess to Skyward Sword, which makes this location very unique.The Sacred Grove was originally an area known as the Sealed Grounds or Temple of Hylia during the events of Skyward Sword and served as a prison for the Demon King by using an object known as the Sealing Spike to trap The Imprisoned (which was the form Demise took before being sealed) in a deep crater. After Demise breaks free and Link defeats him, Link places the Master Sword into a Pedestal which was sealed behind a large door within what would become the Temple of Time of Ocarina of Time. Really interesting once you think about it.

Number 2...

Skyloft- Skyward Sword

A town floating above the clouds, and is where Link was born and raised. During the events of the game, the inhabitants of Skyloft have no knowledge of Hyrule, the land situated below, which has been overrun by evil forces. Link discovers the kingdom and spends the majority of his adventure traveling back and forth between the two realms using both his Crimson Loftwing and Bird Statues. Skyloft appears to consist of several scattered landmasses suspended in the sky above Hyrule, which were sent into the sky by the Goddess Hylia. It is home to numerous large birds named Loftwings, as well as Hylians. The great Knight's Academy and the useful Baazar is also located here. On top of that, Skyloft house probably my favorite dungeon in the game, the Skykeep.

And Number 1...

Clock Town- Majora's Mask

This city is both the geographic and economic center of Termina. It is a large town, comprised of five sections, North, South, East, and West Clock Town, and the smaller Laundry Pool. Being the center of Termina, Clock Town has many points of interest with practically countless thing to do. South Clock Town is the city's main hub. It is connected to all four of the other sections of the city as well as Termina Field and the outlying regions. Every year, the Carnival of Time occurs in South Clock Town, making it a cultural center. The centerpiece of the town, Clock Tower, is found here, and is opened on the eve of the festival. East Clock Town, unofficially the "entertainment district", is home to the Stock Pot Inn, Clock Town's only hotel, as well as the exclusive Milk Bar. This area is also home to the majority of Clock Town's game shops, such as Honey & Darling's Shop, the Treasure Chest Shop and the Town Shooting Gallery. Also situated here is the Mayor's Residence. It is also the location of the place known as the Bombers' Hideout. North Clock town consists of a large park which takes up the entire area, the entrance to the fountain of the Great Fairy of Magic, and a Hidden Hole leading to the Deku Shrub Playground. Tingle the map-maker can be found here, along with Jim, the leader of the Bomber's Gang. West Clock Town is the city's main commercial center. It includes an alley containing various stores, such as the Trading Post, the Bomb Shop, the Curiosity Shop, and the Clock Town Bank. In the northern area of West Clock Town, there is also the Post Office, and the Lottery Shop. Lastly, there is also the Swordman's School, where swordsmen can hone their skills. The Laundry Pool is apparently a place where the residents of Clock Town do their laundry. It also leads to a small house located directly behind the Curiosity Shop where Kafei hides, which has a doorbell outside. Guru- Guru shows up at night during the first and second days, giving Link the Breman Mask if he hears his confession. Along with friendly locals, there's no location in the Zelda franchise that can beat a city as lively as Clock Town.

What's your favorite location in Zelda? Comment below and thanks for reading!

Another day,another scary story to share. Going over some of my old blogs, I rediscovered my long forgotten "scary story" series. These post's consisted of me searching the internet for a scary story(mostly creepypasta's) and researching them. Noting the facts about the legend, if it's real or not, and how it affected me.

 Even though I only wrote 2 post's, the last one being about the infamous "smiledog.jpg" legend posted 2 years ago, I guess it was a matter of time before my interest in the next creepy story peaked again, sending myself off to the farthest reaches of the internet in search of a new story.

Today's story deals with a creepypasta that's become notorious for it's dark and gore-filled story. It's been talked about in forums, blog post's and internt community's. A simple tale that has no qualms about describing the heinous acts committed in vivid detail. Cementing this as one of the most disturbing and horrifying fan fics I've yet to read and see.

What your about to read is a very twisted tale. And if your a fan of this series, I suggest you exercise caution, as this may affect your perception of a certain character of this series.

So, got out your popcorn and sit around the campfire as I present to you this creepypasta....

                                                              My Little pony:Cupcakes

What is M.L.P Cupcakes?

Created by user "Sargent Sprinkles,My Little Pony Cupcakes is a fan fiction that takes place in the M.L.P:Friendship is magic universe. The comic tells the story of character Pinkie Pie turned serial killer, and her "quest" to find the perfect recipes for the titular item.

 Which leads to horrendous acts being committed against fan favorite Rainbow dash.

How did you find out about it?

I found out about this while browsing creepypasta videos on youtube. Titled "Top 22 non-gaming creepypasta's" the video listed the top 22 most frightening pastas on the internet. And believe it or not , M.L.P Cupcakes was one of them. 

 I've never watched M.L.P before, but this caught my eye since the video seemed a bit legit. At that moment , it ignited my curiosity like a forest fire burning in dry air. And a few moments later, I began my research into the forebodding tale.

Not just on youtube, but on any site that talked about it. And the reactions seemed to differ for each person.

 Like always, my search once again led me to creepypasta, where the story is located. I started reading the story. And what I read sent shivers down my spine....

The story...

 Warning: What your about to read is the Cupcakes story. It's gore-filled and pretty much sadistic and violent. If you do not want to read this, then skip this and the video that follows and just say what you think. But if your brave enough, then read on.....

The air was warm, the sun was shining, and every pony in Ponyville was having a glorious day. The town square was bustling and crowded and busy ponies filled the streets. All the pony folk seemed to have somewhere specific to be. All except Rainbow Dash; her place was in the sky. She tore freely through the air, speeding one way and the next, buzzing the tree tops and racing the wind. The blue pegasus swooped over a schoolyard, much to the delight of the children, then climbed several hundred feet and dove, streaking downward as fast as she could. Seconds before hitting the ground, her wings flew open and she pulled up back into the clear blue. Rainbow felt alive.

Suddenly, Dash remembered that she had somewhere to be; she was supposed to meet with Pinkie Pie in five minutes. Dash had gotten so caught up in her exercises that she’d nearly forgotten that Pinkie had asked to meet her at Sugarcube Corner at three. Pinkie hadn’t said why or what they'd be doing, but Dash knew that with Pinkie, it could be anything. Dash wasn't sure if she really wanted to go, though. She was so engaged with her stunts that she thought about blowing Pinkie off to continue flying. But Dash's conscience got the better of her. She knew that it would hurt Pinkie's feelings; after all, Pinkie had said it was going to be something special just for the two of them. Dash considered it and thought “why not?” What did she have to lose? Heck, it might be more pranking. Pinkie might have found a bunch more fun stuff to pull on folks, and they’d had so much fun the last time. Dash kicked into overdrive to make up for lost time, and sped to her appointment.

When Dash walked into the store, she was immediately greeted by her host, who was bouncing in excitement. “Yay, you’re here! I’ve been waiting aaall day,” said the jumping pony.

“Sorry if I’m a little late, Pinkie. I was doing my afternoon exercises and lost track of time,” Dash apologized.

Pinkie giggled and responded in a gleefully reassuring tone, “Oh that’s ok, you’re here now. What‘s a few more minutes? I’ve been sooo excited thinking about all fun stuff we’re gonna do, I haven’t stopped bouncing since I woke up. I mean, I almost forgot to breathe I’ve been so happy.”

Dash gave a slightly uncomfortable laugh. She had always appreciated Pinkie Pie’s friendly, outgoing way of life, but Pinkie’s overabundant enthusiasm almost creeped her out. Dash maintained a polite expression, however. If Pinkie was this worked up, whatever she had planned must be good.

“So, you ready to get started, Rainbow Dash? I’ve got everything all ready,” the pink pony said.

Dash psyched herself up. “You betcha, Pinkie. So what do ya got planed? We gonna prank somebody? I got a couple of good ones I’ve been thinking about. Or maybe you’ve got some stunts you think I should try? Or perhaps…”

“MAKING CUPCAKES!” Pinkie happily announced.

“Baking?” Dash was disappointed. “Pinkie, you know I’m not good at baking. Remember last time?”

“Oh, that’s not a problem at all. I only need your help making them. I’ll be doing most of the work,” Pinkie explained.

Dash thought for about it for a second. “Well, alright, I guess that’s OK. What exactly do you need me to do?”

“That’s the spirit. Here you go.” Pinkie handed Dash a cupcake.

Dash was puzzled. “I thought I was helping you bake.”

“You will be. I made this one just for you before you got here."

“So, is this like taste-testing or something?”

“Sorta,” Pinkie said.

Dash shrugged and popped the pastry in her mouth. She chewed a bit and swallowed. Not bad.

“OK, now what?” Dash asked.

“Now,” Pinkie informed her, “You take a nap.”

Puzzled, Dash opened her mouth but felt instantly light-headed. A wave of dizziness washed over her, the world spun, and seconds later she collapsed to the floor.

When Dash regained consciousness, she found herself in a dark room. She tried to shake her head but found that a taut leather strap held it firmly in place. She struggled to move, but braces around her chest and limbs glued her to a rack formed from a series of sturdy planks, which spread her legs wide apart. Dash’s wings were the only part of her not tied down, and they fluttered frantically while she struggled to escape. As she writhed, Pinkie jumped suddenly into her line of sight.

“Goodie, you’re awake. Now we can get started,” Pinkie stated gleefully. She bounded into the darkness, and quickly reappeared pushing a small cart covered with a cloth.

“Pinkie, what’s going on? I can’t move!” Dash said urgently.

“Well, duh, that’s because you’re tied down,” chided Pinkie. “That’s why you can’t move. I didn’t think you’d need to be told that.”

“But why? What’s happening? I thought you said I was going to help make cupcakes.”

“You are helping. You see, I ran out of the special ingredient and I need you to get more.”

“Special ingredient?” Dash was now breathing heavily and starting to panic. “What special ingredient?”

Pinkie giggled and responded “You, silly!”

Dash’s eyes widened, and her face contorted in fear. Then she started to laugh and said, in a voice bordering on hysteria, “Woo, you really got me there, Pinkie Pie. I mean, tricking me into thinking I’m gonna get made into a cupcake? I gotta tell you, this the best prank yet. You win, you’re the best.”

Pinkie only giggled even more. “Aw, thanks, Dash. But I haven’t done any pranks today, so I can’t accept your praise.”

Dash was struggling again. “Pinkie, come on, this isn’t funny.”

“Then why were you laughing?” Before Dash could answer, Pinkie grabbed the cloth and whipped it off the cart. On the cart was a tray containing various sharp medical tools and knives, carefully organized and wickedly sharp, as well as a large medical bag.

Dash was now in full panic mode. She was starting to hyperventilate. Her mind raced as she tried to reason with the pink pony. “You can’t do this, Pinkie! I’m your friend!”

“I know you are and that’s why I’m so happy that I’ve got you here. We get to share your last moments together, just you and me.” Pinkie was skipping again.

“But, the other ponies will wonder where I am. When the clouds pile up, they’ll come looking for me and then you’ll get found out,” Dash cried in desperation.

“Oh, Dash,” said Pinkie. “Don‘t worry, there are plenty of pegasus ponies to take care of a few clouds. And besides, no one will find out. I mean, how long do you think I’ve been doing this?” And with that ominous statement, the lights suddenly came to life and revealed the rest the room.

“Oh, no.” Dash reeled in horror at the image presented to her. The room was decorated with a typical but twisted Pinkie Pie flair. Colorful streamers of dried entrails fluttered around on the ceiling, brightly painted skulls of all sizes were attached to the walls, and organs done up in pastels filled with helium were tied to the backs of chairs. The tables and chairs were made of bones and the preserved flesh of past ponies. Dash cringed upon seeing the center piece of the table nearest to her. The heads of four foals, their eyes closed as if they were sleeping, were wearing party hats made from their own skin. With a thrill of terror, Dash recognized one of them as Apple Bloom’s classmate Twist. Dash’s eyes darted back and forth and then fell upon a patchwork banner hanging from the rafters. Made from several tanned pony hides, the words “Life is a party” were scrawled on it in blood red.

Dash’s attention was brought back by a party horn unfurling and tickling her nose. She gaped at Pinkie Pie, who was standing right in front of her. The party pony was wearing a dress quilted from dried skin, emblazoned with cutie marks. On her back fluttered six pegasus wings, all of different colors. As the earth pony skipped in excitement, her necklace of severed unicorn horns clacked together loudly.

“Like it?” Pinkie asked. “I made it myself.”

Desperately, Dash pleaded with the smiling pony before her. “Pinkie please, I’m sorry if I did anything to you. I didn’t mean it. Please let me go. I promise I won’t tell anybody.”

“Oh, Dash, you didn’t do anything. It’s just that your number came up and, well, I don’t make rules. We can’t turn back now.”

Dash was tearing up. How could this be happening?

“Aww, don’t be sad, Dash,” said Pinkie. “Look, this’ll cheer you up. I brought you a friend.”

Seemingly out of nowhere, Pinkie produced a brightly painted blue and yellow skull. It was about pony sized, but it had a very defining feature: a beak.

Dash gaped in shock. “Is... is that... is... that?”

“Hey, Dash, let's hang together. These ponies are lame-os. Dweebs dweebs dweebs,” Pinkie mimicked. “I caught her right before she left town. Remember when I left the party for about twenty minutes? That wasn’t enough time to play with her of course; I had to wait till after the party to do that. But boy am I glad I did. It was worth it for the flavor alone. Griffons taste like two animals at once, it’s amazing. I know she didn’t have a number like everyone else in Ponyville, but when was I gonna get another chance to try griffon? I probably should have asked where she came from so I could have gotten more, but I forgot. I’ll tell you what though, she was quite the fighter. She lasted a long time, which was a lot of fun for me. I got the chance to play with somebody other than a pony and try new things. It’s too bad she had such a meanie mouth. She said so much bad stuff I just had to take her tongue out. You know, bad language makes for bad feelings, Rainbow Dash.”

Dash didn’t have anything to say. She just sobbed and writhed in her tight bonds.

“Well” said Pinkie with an air of finality, “that’s enough reminiscing. It’s time to begin.”

Putting down Gilda’s skull, the pink pony gripped a scalpel in the cleft of her hoof and walked over to Dash’s right flank. Without any flair, Pinkie placed the blade an inch above Dash’s cutie mark and began a circular cut around it. Dash shouted in pain and tried desperately to pull away, but the braces held her still. Finishing the incision, Pinkie grabbed a curved skinning knife from the tray. Screwing up her face in concentration, she worked it under Dash’s skin and sliced the hide away from the muscle. Dash ground her teeth as she tearfully watched her flesh peel off. Pinkie then moved to the other side and repeated the process on Dash’s left flank. Once she had finished, Pinkie held up both cutie marks in front of her friend and started waving them like pompoms. Dash just whimpered. Her thighs burned like nothing she had felt before.

Placing the ragged patches of skin down, Pinkie selected a large butcher knife and walked behind the blue pegasus. “Hope you don’t mind, I think I’m gonna wing it now,” Pinkie laughed. She grabbed Dash’s left wing in her mouth and played with it for a few seconds, yanking it back so the sharp pain reignited the fire in Dash’s flanks. Then, stretching the wing out, Pinkie brought the blade down hard at the base. Instantly, Dash screamed and thrashed her appendage. The movement threw off Pinkie’s aim. She tried to hit the mark again but missed, and carved a huge slice into Dash’s back.

“Dash, you gotta stay still or I’ll keep missing,” scolded Pinkie as her friend howled.

Pinkie took another whack and hit her target. She swung again and again. Blood sprayed into the air, but Pinkie realized she wasn’t getting anywhere. The blade just wasn’t going through the bone.

“Hmm, I guess I forgot to sharpen it. I’ll try something else,” stated Pinkie matter-of-factly as she tossed the knife over her shoulder, embedding the blade in the table. Through the haze of pain and tears, Dash heard the sound of a metal box opening and closing.

“Got it! Say Dash, why do they call it a hack saw? It doesn’t hack; hacking is what I was doing with the knife. This is a saw. I don’t get it.”

Pinkie placed the tool over the mangled flesh of the last attempt. Standing on her hind legs, she worked the saw back and forth with her front hooves. It sliced effortlessly through the bone and skin. The feeling of the jagged teeth grinding into her made Dash want to vomit. She watched numbly as her wing flew over her head and landed with a fluff on the table. Pinkie moved to the next wing and started sawing. Dash didn’t struggle this time; she’d given up trying to fight and focused on choking back screams of agony. Abruptly, the sawing paused. Pinkie was only half way done, the wing hanging off by a sliver.

“Hey Dash,” Pinkie piped up. “Think fast!”

Suddenly, Pinkie yanked the wing as hard as she could. The bone snapped but the blue pony’s skin held, then tore away. The pull ripped away a long strip of flesh all the way down Dash’s back to her rump. Her body seized at the unexpected trauma. As her pelvis tensed up, Dash felt a warm release between her legs, and her loud, unending melody of pain filled the room. Unable to catch her breath, she blacked out.

Dash awoke with a gasp. The stench of her urine filled her mucus caked nostrils. As her vision swam into focus, she saw a very pouty Pinkie Pie removing a large adrenaline needle from her chest. Stomping her hooves, the frustrated Pinkie lashed out at her helpless victim.

“Didn’t anybody teach you any manners? It’s very rude to fall asleep when somebody invites you over to spend time with them. How would you like it if I came over to your house and went to sleep? ‘Oh I’m sorry Dash, you’re so boring I think I’ll take a nap.’ You think I like always doing this by myself? I told you how excited I got when I found you were next. I was excited to have a friend be here with me while I worked. But NOOOOO! You’ve got to be inconsiderate. You know, I thought you were tough. I thought you could handle anything. I’ve had foals stand up better than you! Do I have to baby you? Huh? Is that how you want me to remember you, as a baby?”

As Pinkie stopped to catch her breath, Dash blinked and sobbed softly. Her back was in agony, her sides were on fire, and there was an intense pain in one of her legs. As she blinked again, she saw Pinkie pop something red into her mouth and began to chew. Noticing Dash’s stare, Pinkie quickly gulped the morsel down.

“What?” Pinkie asked. “Oh, this?” She held up another piece. “Well, while YOU were asleep, I got a little impatient and helped myself to a small sample. I got it from your leg; you’re not bad. Wanna try some?”

Without waiting for a response, Pinkie shoved the strip of meat into the revolted pegasus pony’s mouth. Dash gagged, and immediately spit it out. Pinkie frowned, and picked up the chunk of flesh. “If you didn’t want it, you could have said no.” She contemplated the discarded snotty morsel, then gulped it up. “It’s not like you haven’t had my cupcakes before.”

Swallowing, Pinkie turned her attention to a small can on the tray. She removed the lid, revealing that it was filled with red-hot coals. Lying on top of the coals were several large nails. As the adrenalin filled her veins, Dash began to panic again. Picking up the can, Pinkie walked over to Dash’s left. Holding some tongs with her mouth, Pinkie carefully picked up a nail and positioned it at the seam between her victim’s front left leg and hoof. She then grabbed a hammer and took careful aim.

“No Pinkie!” Dash screamed. “NO! NO!”

The hammer came down and the nail punctured Dash’s skin. The white hot burning was too much. Dash screamed as she pulled and thrashed at the braces, causing her raw skin to rub and tear. Pinkie tried to line up another nail, but couldn’t find her aim, and let out a frustrated grunt. When Pinkie brought the hammer back to take a wild swing, Dash burst out crying and begging.

“PLEASE STOP! PLEASE, PLEASE STOP!”

Pinkie rolled her eyes. Putting down the hammer and tongs, she walked back in front of her friend and stared pensively at the broken pegasus. Gilda didn’t even cry this much when she had a live parasprite stuffed down her throat. Pinkie thought for a minute about what to do next, then had a sudden spark of inspiration.

Rotating a wheel on the rack, Pinkie laid Dash on her back, then moved to Dash’s hind legs, bringing the can with her. Picking up her tools, Pinkie drove a searing hot spike of metal directly into the bottom of Dash’s hoof. As Dash yelled in pain, Pinkie moved around and drove a second nail into the other hoof. Next, Pinkie went back to her cart and located an enormous battery and controller, which she dragged over to where she was working. She tied copper wires between the terminals and the nails driven into Dash’s hooves, then gave Dash a wink and flipped the switch.

Electricity rocketed through Dash’s body. The blue pony reacted immediately; her body seized, and her muscles snapped taut. Dash’s hips thrust skyward, her eyes rolled back, and she let out a deep, throat shredding cry. Pinkie giggled and danced in place, then reached down and turned up the juice. Dash convulsed uncontrollably, and her bladder emptied once more.

After about five minutes, Pinkie shut off the power. Wisps of steam rose from the singed fur around Dash’s hooves, and the area reeked of cooked flesh and burnt enamel. Pinkie rotated Dash upright again and tried snap the drooling, delirious pony back to attention.

“Dash? Dash! Rainbow Dash, wake up!” Dash moaned and managed to give a modicum of weak acknowledgment. Pinkie studied her handiwork, then reached into the medicine bag and produced a large syringe. “Alright, time for the last round.”

Dash focused blearily on the needle, which Pinkie took as a question as to what it was.

“This is a little something to take the pain away,” Pinkie informed Dash as she walked around to her victim’s ruined back. Dash flinched as Pinkie jabbed the needle into the lower part of the blue pony’s spine. Moving in front of her friend again, Pinkie leaned down and elaborated.

“In a few minutes, you won’t be able to feel anything below your ribcage. Then you’ll be able to stay awake to watch the harvest.”

Dash started to cry again. “Pinkie?” she choked out.

“Yeah?”

“I want to go home,” Dash sobbed.

“Yeah, I can see wanting to do that,” replied the party pony. “Sometimes, I just wanna give up, just say ‘I’m done with this mess’ and go to bed. But you know what? You can’t shrug off your responsibilities. You got to pull yourself up and meet the challenges head on. That’s the only way you’re gonna get ahead in life.”

Dash hung her head and cried.

Minutes passed as the drug took effect. Eventually, Dash was completely numb from her chest to her flanks. At this point, Pinkie approached with a scalpel. Glancing at Dash and smiling, Pinkie made a long horizontal cut across the pegasus pony’s pelvis, just above her crotch. Moving up Dash’s body, Pinkie made a similar incision under her ribs. Finally, Pinkie made a long vertical cut down Dash’s stomach, connecting the first two.

“Looks like I got my ‘I’ on you, Dash,” Pinkie giggled.

With a moist, gooey sound, the flaps of skin opened. The sight of her own organs and the lack of feeling caused Dash’s breathing to intensify. Pinkie carefully sliced open Dash’s abdominal sac and grabbed her large intestines. As she separated the organ from the rest of the digestive tract and pulled it out of the new cavity, Pinkie grew jovial. Laughing as she gutted her friend, Pinkie began to make jokes. Dash, growing weaker from this new source of blood loss, tried desperately to shut out the macabre comedy act.

“Look at me, I’m Rarity!” Pinkie laughed, slinging the intestinal tube around her neck and spraying blood in all directions. “Isn’t my new scarf soooo pretty?”

Reaching back inside, she sliced the smaller intestine off from the bowls. Squeezing out the excess excrement, Pinkie filed the slimy organ through her teeth and dragged it back and forth. “Dentists say you gotta floss every day, Dash.”

Dash was barely aware of what was going on anymore. The shock was causing her to fade. Disappointed, Pinkie dived back into the blue pony’s guts, ramping up her routine.

“Aw, don’t go yet Dash.” Pinkie started pulling out the rest of Dash’s organs, pausing with each removal. “I know I can be a real pancreas, but you know I’m just kidney with you. You really got to learn to liver it up. Boy, these jokes are getting bladder. Guess ya gotta develop a stomach for them.”

Pinkie placed the discarded body parts into a bucket, keeping the last one for bit longer. “Ooo, bagpipes.” she said, placing the end of Dash’s esophagus in her mouth and the stomach in her armpit. She squeezed, and a spurt of acid hit her tongue. “Eww! Oh hey look, there’s your cupcake, Dash!”

Dash didn’t hear her tormentor. She had slipped from conciseness minutes ago. Pinkie, not yet satisfied, hit Dash with another adrenaline shot. Dash woke up for the last time, her heart pounding. Warm blood flowed out from the wound in her chest in great spurts. It wouldn’t be long now.

Pinkie brought Dash around onto her back again and straddled the blue pony’s chest, scalpel at the ready.

“Ya know, Rainbow Dash, I’m disappointed. I thought you would have lasted longer. I really wanted to spend more time with you before we got here. But I guess it’s my fault; I should have taken it a little slower. Oh well. It was really was nice knowing you, Dash!”

The blade sunk into the blue throat and worked its way up to Dash’s chin. Coming back down, Pinkie’s scalpel then circled Dash’s neck. The last thing Rainbow Dash felt was her skin being cut away from her skull, and the metal of the blade scraping her teeth.

Then she was gone.

Pinkie Pie stared into the mirror. She had done a really good job, even keeping the eyelids. She winked, and Dash winked back. Pinkie smiled.

But still, she was sad that her friend was now gone. Dash had only lasted fifty minutes, not nearly as long as Pinkie had wanted. She looked back at the cadaver hanging in the center of the room, the last of her friend’s fluids draining into a pan. Yup, no more Rainbow Dash.

As she looked, Pinkie cocked her head. She began to take notice of the fact that there really wasn’t much damage to the corpse. “In fact,” the pink pony mused, “I think….” An idea exploded in her head. She was good at sewing and she had all the pieces, all she had to do was put them back together. Yeah, she just had to get some stuffing and bingo, she’d have Rainbow Dash forever. In fact, thought Pinkie, that’s what she’d do for all her best friends when their numbers came up. She was so excited, she skipped right over to the body with her skinner to get started. The cupcakes could wait; Pinkie Pie had a friend to make.

Reaction

I'm usually used to seeing people getting mutilated(I watch anime after all), but this story raised my brow. And the only thing I said after finishing the story was....

                                             What in the serious F**K?!

Pinkie's actions against Rainbow Dash might as well be similar to what Joseph Mengele did to the Jewish kids at Auschwitz.Lured in with candy and sweets, tied down, and them mutilated. I may not be interested in this show, but the minute by minute torture of Rainbow Dash was hard to read at times. Mostly since I have a pretty good imagination when it comes to reading manga, so the comic, for me, was like watching a video with voice over. But in any case, Dash suffered a cruel fate. One that she did not deserve.

The videos

Believe it or not, this fan fiction has it's share of videos as well. And not just dramatic readings of the comic, but small clips of the torture session. Even though the character's mouths move like they're talking, the clips take place over music. Viewer discrection is advised...

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A possible link...

 Despite the gruesome narrative, there is a possible link between Cupcakes and one of the M.L.P episodes. During the episode "Party of one" Pinkie Pie's friends ignore her party invitations, making excuses to avoid attending. Thinking that no one want's to be her friend anymore, she becomes depressed and arranges her own party "guests. It's here that she begins to display various traits of insanity. She gives her "guests" various voices, her eyes open wide, she smiles wickedly, and her eyes become derped. But what was weird was that her hair went from the usual curly, to completely straight and her color became a bit paler, possibly suggesting a split personality.

 Most fans decided to use Pinkie Pies real name for this version of her: Pinkamena Diane Pie. And she is usually treated as a separate character from Pinkie Pie. Her Alter-ego...

 Knowing the Pinkie Pie has a screw loose, the events in Cupcakes makes sense. A what-if scenario should Pinkie snap completely, even though it is never gonna happen.

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                                                  I guess Pinkie pie watched Soul eater

The Final verdict:

At the end of the day, Cupcakes is just a fan fiction. It has nothing to do with the actual storyline and Pinke Pie is not the monster that the comic potray's her to be. It is dark, twisted, sadistic, and gory,and it's powerful enough to stay with you after finish the final page. Not only that, but change your perspective of a character that seems like the kind to never stop smiling. But guess it depends on who reads it...

                                                    Sure it didn't Rainbow Dash... I'm sure it didn't.

So before i go....

                                                                        Enjoy the Cupcakes!!!

And now for the quick question. What's you opinion on this story? 

 If you made it this far, then I salute you. Join me next time as I pull another creepypasta out for obseravtion...

In this year alone, the gaming industry has seen the release of two AAA titles that are already being heralded as “games of the generation,” including The Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite.  Each game includes remarkable amounts of grand storytelling and heavy plot,  with a focus on character development and relationships.  They also include top-of-the-line graphics and set pieces that have managed to leave us all in awe, marveling at the scope of events occurring on a screen.  They’ve allowed us to form a connection with virtual characters, and be moved by the turmoil that they go through.  Made with millions upon millions of dollars, these productions’ success can determine the fate of their developer’s future, making them all the more risky.

Large budgets for games can lead to a developer’s demise.

In this year as well, gamers have witnessed an onslaught of well-received indie games, including Proteus, Guacamelee, Gunpoint, The Swapper, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and Gone Home.  Shorter and less grandiose than the aforementioned AAA titles, these experiences don’t try to awe the player with explosive spectacle, but by either delivering an intriguing, emotional story, original gameplay hooks, or both.  Often created with the scraps of change and funding that indie studios can garner, no gamer expects the titles to imbue awe through technical prowess.  That said, many have come off of playing one of these games feeling more impressed than they did after playing through any AAA game that was released this (or any other) year.

Indies are displayed prominently on online marketplaces such as PSN.

Recently, in a fit of boredom, I decided to create a list of my top ten games in the year thus far.  Here were the results:

The Last of Us

Bioshock Infinite

Gunpoint

The Swapper

Gone Home

Guacamelee

Devil May Cry

Ridiculous Fishing

Sorcery!

Proteus

With indie games taking up most of the list, I began to think.  At first, I didn’t hesitate to place Gunpoint, The Swapper, Gone Home, and Guacamelee higher than Devil May Cry, despite the fact that the first four titles are immensely different than the last.  My experience with those four titles was more enjoyable than my time with Devil May Cry, and I designated them as “better games” as a result.  However, upon deeper consideration, I began to question my rationale for the decision, and even wondered whether the two types of game (indie and AAA) should be compared at all..  After many moments of thought, I came to the conclusion that indie games don’t have as many ways to screw up as AAA games do, and often end up making the player believe that they have more quality as a result.  Thus, the two types of game shouldn’t be compared.

Not apples and oranges, but close.

I’ll begin by analyzing Gunpoint, which introduces one key mechanic (rewiring electronics to get through levels), and sticks with it for the duration of the experience.  While upgrades and some slight customization is introduced, the basic gameplay never changes wildy.  Combined with some witty dialogue, and the fact that the game lasts for only 2.5 hours, and you have a winner.  By having one core gameplay mechanic, great level design, not lasting too long, and being well-written, the game succeeds.  It doesn’t go for (and doesn’t need to) immaculate graphics or spectacular set pieces, doesn’t last forever, and it doesn’t ask the player to become emotionally invested.  By not worrying about including every possible trait that has ever been in a game, the title feels focused and tight.  

Similarly, The Swapper introduces a core mechanic (cloning), has a nice art style, and tells an interesting story with several implied themes.  It is poignant and doesn’t try to be more than it is, and ends up striking a chord with gamers as a result.  The trend is prevalent in most smaller indie games that are successful.  Nail down three or four aspects of game design/storytelling, insert them into your game, don’t overstay your welcome, and don’t focus on much else.  

Now consider a title like The Last of Us.  Naughty Dog set out to create a title with top of the line graphics, a fantastic plot, an intriguing world, brilliantly realized character development and relationships, engaging gunplay, several enemy types, smart AI, an atmospheric soundtrack, alternate ways of proceeding through levels, collectibles that expanded the world, and at least 12 hours of gameplay.  If any one of these aspects is lacking in quality, it can bring down the rest of the experience.  Additionally, attempting to do all of these things at once makes it nigh on impossible to perfect even one of them.  That is why the entire industry is astounded when a title manages to pull of all of these aspects of game design in one package.

It’s pretty tame graphically, but Gunpoint is one of this year’s best titles otherwise.

By not having to place their focus on more than a few unique goals, indies allow themselves to nearly perfect a few things and mostly leave the rest behind.  AAA titles (for better or worse) try to accomplish much more, and often end up faltering as a result.  An experience that is more concise, yet polished, will feel more satisfactory than one that is more broad and attempts to do more, but comes up slightly short along the way.  So, when we say that Ridiculous Fishing is better than, say, Bioshock Infinite, I find the comparison unfair.  While Ridiculous Fishing is ridiculously fun, it isn’t trying to accomplish half the things that a title like Bioshock Infinite is.  That isn’t to say that AAA games shouldn’t be critiqued as critically due to their desire to accomplish more, but it is to say that comparing their quality to that of an indie title is unfair.

Is that the problem?

Do I believe that “top ten” lists and “game of the year” awards, which aren’t all that important anyways, should be separated for indies and AAAs?  Nope, not at all.  At the end of the day, we are just deciding what our favorite experiences were from that year, and the number of aspirations that a game has shouldn’t be factored into that decision.  The lists don’t need to be relative to the resources required to make the game, but should focus purely on the enjoyment level of the player.  However, I do believe that we should stop trying to clump and compare AAA titles and indie titles specifically, because the design and goals of each are different.  Neither is inherently better or worse than the other, but pitting them against each other is completely unnecessary.

Spoilers for the episode and series follow

This was another great episode for the final half of the season, showing that the producers aren't afraid to have a lot of things happen in a short amount of time. After Walt's explosive conflict with Hank last episode, this one picked right up afterwards and led us down an ever more twisted and complex path towards Hank's attempt to put Walt behind bars. I'm happy that it did have some really standout moments and wasn't just a bridge between last episode and the next great one, but was a great episode in it's own right.

Also, Jesse is in a tough spot, both literally and emotionally (by the way, how great was the shot of him spinning around on the carousel thingy?). His options are either to snitch on Walt, or get put away in jail for awhile from all that money he was throwing out last episode. And we know how disturbingly effectively Walt handles snitches. This could set up the conflict that could lead to the penultimate Jesse/Walter showdown. It also reminds me a bit of Randy's situation in The Wire, where every option leads to a negative outcome. It seems kind of odd to write a full paragraph on a character who didn't say a single thing in this episode, but it's important to note where Jesse could be going in the future.

Speaking of people we didn't see much this episode, Walt was not the main focus. He did bury his money, which lends itself to the title, but he didn't really have that much screen time in hindsight. Although, Skyler and Walt definitely had a nice reconnecting moment in the bathroom, as they were trying to figure out what to do about the whole Hank situation.

This episode was definitely more focused on Skyler and Hank, and while I don't see that as a bad thing, the population that vehemently hates Skyler that I am not a part of probably would. Hank chose not to tread lightly, and is trying to use every asset he can to get solid evidence against Walt before he dies. This meant going to Skyler and asking her to confide in him all she knows, which didn't end as he had wanted. What I think Skyler is trying to do in this scenario is keep her family together, because this is the first time in a year and a half that her family has been normal, and she doesn't want that taken away from her. I find this the most present when Marie tried to baby-nap Holly, and Skyler said that she would talk to the police if Marie gave her daughter back. She will go to great lengths to keep her family safe and secure, which was exactly Walt's mission at the start of all this.

We also got to see some more of Lydia's business operation in this episode, which ended violently and effectively destroyed what Walt set up in the first couple episodes of the season. The drug kingpin operating through Phoenix was killed, as was his operation, so now the blue meth can't be distributed as effectively in that area. Although, this was obviously a planned event, so I wonder what Lydia's next step is going to be. Lydia also reminded me a lot of Walt at the beginning of the show, not wanting to be subjected to this violence and taking desperate measures to get an 8% increase in quality. Because Walt is the main character, we knew he was going to get out of those situations, but now it's uncertain whether or not a supporting character can get through all of these near death situations.

"Buried" was a very strong second episode, not slowing down after the big conflict last week while still setting up some future events. The final eight episodes are off to a very strong start, and only look like they're going to get better. the dominoes are being set up, and it's only a matter of time until they get knocked down.

(Thus Far)

Today's blog is relatively short and the title very self explanatory. I'm simply highlighting the ten covers that I love for various reasons- mainly because of the art showcased on them, or maybe just because they struck some chord deep within me. Anyway, I'll begin by showing each and giving a brief explanation as to why I liked them enough to include them. I'll also have a few honorable mentions at the end. Enjoy today's picto-blog!

10

Come on- it has Lara Croft and Shadows of the Empire on it.

09

It's Red Faction.

08

You've encountered a wild Master Chief.

07

Enough to make any Star Wars fan drool.

06

Now with more crowbar.

05

Never has the destruction of a planet been so beautiful...

04

Never has the- wait, didn't I say that already?

03

Hello Bats.

02

Let's play 'Find the Easter Eggs'.

01

Geralt looks on...

♦♦♦

Hope you enjoyed my picks, and allow me to clarify one small thing: these are ten of my favorite magazine covers from GI, however, instead of being in order from least of my favorites to most, they are simply in order of eldest to youngest in terms of release. Sorry if that was confusing. Until next time on GIO folks, I bid you adieu.

I was very excited for this game. I haven't seen a game that was all about killing with skill, and trying to think about how to kill your enemies creatively. I did let it pass me by, though, and I really forgot about it. But, recently, I noticed it, so I decided to finally pick it up and review it, not only for the entertainment of anybody who reads all my blog posts, but also to those who haven't played this game, but is still intrigued by its concept(and would like one final opinion). This is just my opinion, so please don't take this for a fact. Enjoy!

Game Title: Bulletstorm

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

ESRB Rating: M for Mature

player modes: 1 player single player story or 2-4 player cooperative play

The graphics are amazing in this game. It has to be the best looking game on current generation consoles, or at least one of them. I was amazed the entire time I was playing this game by how great it looks, and I'm still amazed by how it looks as I write this. And while there are better looking games on PC, console gamers won't be disappointed by the graphics on this game.

The gameplay is good, although it could be better. The controls are very odd, and I had a little bit of a challenge at first to learn this control scheme. But, after learning it, it works well for the game. I don't have much problem with the controls, other than the odd choice to not include a jump button. In many FPS, you have a dedicated jump button, so that you can jump over stuff or just to do trick shots. But, in this game, you can't jump, which does bother me a little.

The story in this game has to be the second worst narrative in video game history(Tomb Raider: Underground is #1). I honestly don't understand any part of this narrative, and I can't believe that this was actually written. I think that this game also has to be the most vulgar game I've ever played. The characters all go to great lengths to use the d word as creatively as possible. If you haven't played it, and you want to see this is action, there has to a montage of some kind on YouTube. I laughed at how they decided to use that one word, along with a couple of other 4 letter words.  So, unless you are 17 years or older, or you are okay with your kid listening to swearing all the time, be careful.

The multiplayer is great, although it really is barebones, so there isn't much to do. And while you will enjoy everything that you can play, you will play through that fast. There is only cooperative multiplayer, so don't think that this is going to be your replacement for COD. But, you will have fun playing cooperatively with your friends, although I don't think that you will play for too long.

This is a fun game, although I don't think that this game earned a 9.25. It has some problems(no jump button, horrible story, barebones multiplayer), but for the most part, I enjoyed this game, and I don't regret playing this game. I would recommend this game to anybody, but I would warn them about the problems, to let them know the problems ahead of time.

My Score: 8.75/10

leveling up we are leveling up oh and occasionally evolving too based on what happened last time :)
Anyways we continue on today in hopes of finishing leveling up soon! :D

Gamageroge at level 16 can learn Mud Shot which a ground type move that is where the user attacks by hurling mud at the target and as a bonus it reduces the target's speed. I chose to have Ganageroge get rid of Supersonic and to learn Mud Shot.

Gamageroge at level 20 can learn Aqua Ring which is where the user puts itself in a veil made of water in order to regain some HP each turn. I had him forget how to growl and learn Aqua Ring.

Nageki at level 17 can learn Vital Throw which is where the user attacks last in order to guarantee that the move will not miss. I had Nageki forget how to Focus Energy and learn Vital Throw.

Unfortunately that's all I had time for due to college schoolwork some good news though I only have 3 pokemon left to level up to level 20 ( a level 19, a level 14, and a level 13 pokemons :D). So yay yay yip yip horray! :D See you next time! :)

"Back to childhood revelry, back to days carefree of gods and destiny, back to forests of green and seas of blue, back to when I met you..."

I am not reviewing"Gone Home" because I am a terrible person. I know I am a terrible person, for when I saw the picture of the development team, with its dreadlocked twenty-something white male fellow and his fellow hipster-elite buddies, each with a carefully packaged persona like the characters out of  Zooey Deschanel movie, I decided not to play the game.

No.

I decided to not play their little meta-game.

Videogames, it is argued by some, ostensibly those who developed "Gone Home", are not about enjoyment anymore. They are no longer about fun. They are about emotions. About feeling.

"So videogames have evolved. They are a legitimate art form now! You monster, what is wrong with feeling?!"

No, strange person whose voice only I can hear.  Even should games truly be a new art form, what do the hipster-elite know about art? Nothing. They do not know about art, they only know about feeling. Art can evoke feeling, but art is not merely feeling. And what feelings can these hipster-elite twenty-somethings evoke?

Ah, of course."Nostalgia."

Every review and preview of "Gone Home" remarks upon the evocation of nostalgia that is the purpose and "strength" of the game. "The game isn't about blowing up hell-beasts or saving the princess! (We would never be so gauche or sexist).This game, this art, is about feeling, about being," proclaim the game-makers and their media and gamer allies, who more often than not are of the same demographic of the game developers and the characters of the game (go figure....).

Yet.....what, then, is the purpose of the game?

Those low-brow, those jejune, those annoyingly stupidly fun games, with their slaying of the hell-beasts and rescuing of the princess, they have a goal, and a narrative (of course, not as gripping as games about awkward teenage girls listening to whiny, depressing music as they get laid and commiserate about their parents and seek out "like, who AM I?" , all in a comfortable middle-to-middle-upper-class life which allows for such bourgeois indulgences, because apparently raging against the machine doesn't involve ever being more than just another gear in it. Oooh, maybe she'll have a beer and write in her journal about phony mainstream society!), yet......if "Gone Home" merely serves to be a mirror to a particular, narrow sub-culture in a particular narrow range of socio-economic status from a particular narrow "era" of American history, what does the game, and the audience playing the game, and the developers of the game, accomplish?

In other games, I can have fun.

In "Gone Home", I can view a product which itself never becomes more than the product of the material culture it seeks to critique, view the memories of the developers and the target audience of the game which never imparts meaning beyond the evocation of nostalgia, a cheap thrill like downing a pack of Pixies Styx (oh, but surely the balding rockers weeping during "Lady" are utterly disparate from those world-wounded souls who feel what Frank Black screams, even if they have to turn the volume down in the Volvo because the gated community has a sound ordinance).

The works of Balzac, Proust, Henry James, et al, focused upon the gentry and nobility of a particular era (each respective to the era the particular writer chose). However the difference (to understate greatly) between "Gone Home" and the works of Proust, James, et al, is that there is no "nobility" for the socio-economic / socio-cultural case study that is "Gone Home." There is no moral imperative in understanding Grunge music, or the Riot Grrl scene, of cheap pizza and late nights taping the X-Files, of the minutiae of suburban life in America in the 1990s. There is no purpose to either the nostalgia evoked by the sundry list of privileged paraphernalia the audience seeks out or to the stories of the Greenbriar family and their struggles and defeats.

It is the mistake literature made when it heralded the works of Updike and Sinclair Lewis, but the latter can be afforded the liberty of satire: "Gone Home" has no such liberty.  If it is to be lauded, let it be for being a good simulation of the anxieties and petty rituals of the liberal elite in a particular period of America;  like Updike, "Gone Home" creates a world where one only has to inquire,"So what" (or, "Why am I not having fun?"), so as to destroy the universe within the work entirely.

So it is no surprise that "Gone Home", and those who espouse the design philosophy of it and similar games, do not like games that are fun.

Circle jerks are fun, I suppose, but not for those outside-looking in, and they certainly in their sage profundity seek to be all-inclusive, for certainly those are the only games that are acceptable.

Or, at least, the only ones having any meaning.

You feel me?

Games don't need to focus on comedy to be funny anymore. In gaming's advent, humor only meshed with a few types of games, namely puzzles or point-and-click adventures. As they've matured, their storytelling has become that much more complex and the laughs are able to come more naturally. So how do you embrace that? And what is the "right" way to do comedy in video games?

Modern games tackle humor in a few different ways, to varying levels of success. GTA IV (the only GTA I have any intimate experience with) chose to balance the grim, serious story with an absurd world and a few off-the-wall characters. Having a character like Brucie, an endearingly self-obsessed entrepreneur, worked because you could choose to pay him a visit depending on what kind of story developments you were in the mood for. The numerous radio stations functioned in a similar way, with choice allowing for you to craft your own experience. The game world, on the other hand, sometimes undermined the story. Driving down the street pondering a serious twist in the narrative was not improved by passing a giant America's Next Top Hooker billboard. 

Sleeping Dogs took a different approach with it's environments. It created a very accurate (I've heard) representation of Hong Kong, which made for a very compelling game world. I felt like GTA's parody of a world was constantly reminding me it wasn't real, while Sleeping Dogs' world kept pulling me in. Is there a place for comedy in open-world games like this? Maybe, but I wasn't missing it here. The tone was exactly right for the story.

The Last of Us - I know, you thought maybe this is the one gaming article on the internet right now that wouldn't reference The Last Of Us (sorry) - excelled because the writing was aware of the world it was in. It never felt like the writer trying to lighten the mood, it felt like a true effort from the characters. Joel's groans at Ellie's joke book and her reveal that she stole Bill's magazine remain some of my favorite scenes from the game.

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Then there are deliberately wacky games: Portal, Monkey Island, Deadpool, games of that nature. These games are high-risk because if the writing falters for even a few minutes, you've lost the player's interest. It's perhaps even rarer to see this pulled off than a compelling, dramatic story. Games seem to have more trouble with this than other mediums, partly due to their length by comparison. Keeping one experience consistently funny for upwards of eight hours takes a true master to accomplish.

One last game I'd like to mention is Bulletstorm. On the surface, the story and characters look like nothing more than a Gears of War parody, but when you delve into the game further you see it maintains a personality of it's very own. The character's relationships are built around the action in a fitting and entertaining way. A game can't just copy the tropes of action-comedy movies and find narrative success. (Just Cause 2 is an example of this.) Bulletstorm was written in a way that embraced what it was.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Games can tackle humor in any of these ways and many more, but what cannot be denied is that they can't be written like any other medium and find much success. Just like films and novels require different storytelling techniques, games need the same attention and care. And more and more as time goes on, I see developers figuring out how to give them that. 

Are there any - scratch that. I missed a ton of hilarious games in this article! Which do you hate me the most for leaving out?

Part 7 of my playthrough of Quake 4 is now live! Hope you guys enjoy it!

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Those of you who follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Raptr (and if you're not, why not?) know that I've finally been playing Skyrim. Actually, maybe it was my most recent blog posts that clued you in to that fact as well.

I had been waiting for the Legendary Edition to come out, figuring that by that point, most of the bugs would be out and hey, maybe I might actually have time for the game. We all know what time sinks the Elder Scrolls games can be, right?

So I picked it up, and started playing it.

And playing it.

And playing it.

And playing it.

(Empty Chair: *SLAP*)

Ahem. Yes, I played it. A lot. I didn't reach record levels of play, probably topping out over 100 hours, but nowhere near as much as I put into Oblivion. But I did play it quite a bit.

But I have a confession to make.

After a while, I started becoming...well...I'll admit it. Bored.

(Empty Chair: Now you've done it!)

(Okay, there were a few things that kept me going...)

I never did finish Oblivion. Not only didn't finish everything in it (is that even possible?). I never even finished the storyline. I found travelling through all of the gates and the fights I had there incredibly tedious after a while. It was with a sense of inertia that I finally just stopped playing it.

Now that's happened with Skyrim as well, though I didn't find the storyline quests nearly as bad as in Oblivion.

Don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed the game. I was excited to put that disc into my Xbox, and I was sad that I only got a few hours in before I was heading off on vacation for 10 days. I loaded it up and had a lot of fun getting my character going, exploring the land, getting the quests together. For the first 50-60 hours of the game, i was having a blast!

At basically $1/hour, that's a great bang for your buck.

But then it started slowing down. I found myself trying to clear some of the quests from my list, but more kept getting added to it. I'd explore and find tons of locations so that, when the inevitable quest sent me there, I could fast-travel to it rather than finding it at that time. I got a follower, and I married her eventually (Lydia, in Whiterun). She sounded put-upon whenever I asked her to carry something for me (she sure says "I am sworn to carry your burdens" with a very plaintive tone). She died when I (SPOILERS) trapped the dragon at Dragonreach (END OF SPOILER) because I then went on to fast travel to a couple of different locations before suddenly realizing that she wasn't with me. Went back and there she was, face down. Whoops! Too much had already happened after she died for me to reload, so I just left her there.

But I digress.

As it became more and more tedious, I was determined to finish the storyline and the Thieves' Guild quests (I finished the Mage Guild one and never even started the Dark Brotherhood or Companions). I did find myself distracted sometimes, but for the most part that's where I concentrated. About 20 hours later, I was chasing Alduin into his realm, and hit a battle with four Deathlords (I'm at level 35), all alone (your companion can't join you there) and with no healing potions (or food!) left. I could turn the difficulty down, but I just finally decided "enough, I have The Last of Us that's been sitting on my table for two weeks after I was finally able to track down a copy." I had been feeling the slow drag of inertia (there's that word again) pulling against me, thinking that it was time to quit and move on.

It finally succeeded.

I know there is tons of stuff to do in Skyrim, tons of stuff that I never even scratched the surface! I looked at the achievements. I've never built a house (I bought three, but never built one). I never even knew you could adopt a child. There are still loads of caves to explore and bandits to kill. So much other stuff as well.

But I'm just tired. Maybe I'll go back to it one day and continue after recharging with other games, but given my track record for returning to games, i'm not optimistic. It may happen, though.

I know the Elder Scrolls series is well-loved by so many people. But I think, for me, they are just too big. They are epic games, but maybe sometimes that's a bad thing?

I'm glad I bought them and played them. If you get even 60 hours of entertainment out of a game nowadays, that's a success! It was well worth the money.

But at this point, i can't see myself ever finishing an Elder Scrolls game.

(Empty Chair: BURN HIM!!!!!)

Fans of these games, what's your secret? Do you ever truly finish them? Not just the story, but all of the various guild quests and do you ever have an empty quest book? Bunches and bunches of minor quests abound! Does it ever end?

I can't even imagine *replaying* it if you're actually completing as much of the game as possible. Sure, if you're mainly doing the story and enough side stuff to level up your character, then replaying it so you can join the other faction might be ok. But playing 150+ hours and then restarting?

I am in awe if you're able to do that.

Now I'm with Joel and Tess, escorting Ellie through the infected wastelands of a major city. And I'm actually enjoying myself again.

It's been a few days.

*******************

(and I'm waiting for the first smartass in the group to chime in on this post)

Before writing this blog I took a gander at my game collection of roughly 2000+ games. Some of them from this gen. Most of them not. And I thought to myself. What genre of games did I buy more of this gen? The answer, surprised even me. The genre of game I am referring to, is niche, even by niche standards. The ones that come out in japan rarely make it here, and the ones that do, do it with just about the smallest amount of fanfare you've ever seen. 

I bought a lot of Strategy Role Playing games this gen. When I say a lot, I am talking over 100 here. Between PS3,360,DS,PSP,IOS Strategy Role Playing Games are quickly becoming my bread, some more bread, and 1000 cows worth of butter. 

Valkyria, Fire Emblem, Disgaea, Legend of Heroes, Devil Survivor, Final Fantasy Tactics, ect. I found myself buying at least 1 SRPG a month. Sometimes import. Within the last month, I purchased Summon Night 1,2,3,4 psp.......all of them, on the psp, anxiously awaiting Summon Night 5. If I had to put a ballpark numerical figure on the amount, it might be over 6 grand on SRPG's alone. I guess one could also ask how I am not poor. Well that's a question for another blog. 

So fellow gamers, what genre did you buy the most of this Generation (IOS, DS,PSP,PS3,360,WII)? What genre do you expect to buy the most of coming up? 

Let me know. 

Thanks For Reading

I found something out this weekend. Apparently, gamers like me have a designation. I...am a Softcore Gamer.

I enjoy playing games. They are a great break from the stresses of being an adult (whose idea was that, anyway?). They are an outlet for imagination. And they can be terrific interactive art - funny, thought-provoking, even moving. I just don't pour the time into them that many do. And I couldn't care less about meaningless designations or labels, so we're not sweating that.

However, being a softcore gamer with a collecting bug, I have amassed a sizable backlog. (No, not that kind. Get your mind out of the gutter.) My collection is nothing internet-worthy, just a lot for someone who doesn't play 40+ hours a week.

So, I'd like to try something, just mess around and see how it goes. I would like to start to make a dent in that list. If any of you are so inclined, please take a look at the following selected titles, and let me know which one you think I should start with. I have left out RPGs or open world games that you can sink over 100 hours into. Start small, and build momentum. I tend to take my time and stretch games out anyway.

- Alan Wake

- Crackdown

- Folklore

- Gears of War

- Metroid Prime

- Muramasa: The Demon Blade

- Uncharted 2

- Vanquish

Obviously, that's just a small selection.

Whaddaya think? Tried to get some variety in there. Which game should I give a go? I'm thinking of writing about the game as I play, or just write another Stale Gamer Review after I finish, with some obtuse rating system.

Thanks in advance.

I thought "ballot box", then "shredder", then this guy shows up

Oh, and as a completely unrelated public service, behold the glory that is Flight of the Conchords:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FArZxLj6DLk

Downloadable titles are becoming more popular every year. Games that are not AAA tiles usually release as a downloadable game to avoid losing money from producing hard copy versions. Recent successes of downloadable games are Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon and Call of Juarez Gunslinger. Call of Juarez was a series that was thought to be dead but Gunslinger helped revive the series. That made me think what series should be brought back as downloadable series. Each of these game in my opinion would be better off not being a retail game, so lets get to it!

Crash Bandicoot

It has been about a decade since we had a classic Crash Bandicoot game. Crash Bandicoot is the mascot of the PS1 era and is one of my favorite characters. The first 3 games are extremely good and are a blast to play. Having Crash Bandicoot be revived as a downloadable title would be awesome! A classic Crash game most likely would not sell well as a $60 retail game but if you make it a $20 or $15 downloadable title it would sell like crazy. Crash Bandicoot is the type of game that sells really well as a downloadable title, platforms sell fairly well on Steam, Xbox Arcade and the Playstation Store. Many people have fond memories of Crash Bandicoot and would no doubt buy a $20 dollar game on the PS store, myself included.

Star Fox

The last Star Fox game came out for the Gamecube and it was not really a "Star Fox" game. Having a classic Star Fox game like Star Fox 64 would be a great idea for a downloadable title. I believe it would be harmful to the series if it were forced to become a 50 or 60 game because it would increase production costs on the game and force developers to add useless things to the game. I think Star Fox works better as a $20 game where it has 12 to 20 stages and maybe some online co-op. Most fans of the series by now would take anything at this point and by making it a downloadable game it would satisfy those fans and would make the game more profitable compared to a $60 Star Fox.

Prince of Persia

The last Prince of Persia game did not do so well as far as sales go and the series has been put to sleep for a while. I think the reason why the game did not do so well is becuase it needed to be a downloadable side scrolling platformer like the original Prince of Persia game. Having a Prince of Persia game made like the original would make it easier to produce and also cheaper, reducing the risk of making one. If done right the game would look awesome and you could still integrate classic wall running in the game. They should base the style of the game on the 2008 PoP. It would look gorgeous and would fit the theme of being a platformer due to the 2008 version mainly focusing on platforming. Making the Prince of Persia series a downloadable title would help revive the series.

Mega Man

Where the hell are all the Mega Man games? Everybody wants them but Capcom does nothing. The Mega Man series would be the perfect series to become a downloadable series. I see many ripoffs of Mega Man on all the downloadable stores, so why not bring the real thing to those stores. it would make it easier to make and cheaper so Capcom would not be taking as big of a risk compared to a retail version. Having a new Mega Man game similar to the classic Mega Man or Mega Man X games for $20 would be awesome and would satisfy many people. Their is little doubt in my mind that it would sell well and should make Mega Man a series that comes out more often than it does now.

Metroid

Like I said with Mega Man, where are the Metroid games? Nintendo is avoiding a series that could help them sell some Wii U units or 3DS units. Making a Metroid game that is similar to Super Metroid would make a lot of people happy. Many people enjoyed the Prime games but they still missed the classical 2D Metroid games, making Metroid a downloadable title would make it easier to make a Super Metroid like game. Like I stated many times before it would make it cheaper to produce and would make Metroid become a series that would come out more regularly. If Nintendo announced a new 2D Metroid game for the 3DS and Wii U, my mouth would water with excitement. I would take a $20 dollar Metroid game over no Metroid game at all, like everyone else. Nintendo if your reading this make a downloadable Metroid game and you will see a rise of console sales, that is a fact!

Let me know what you think about my list? What game would you like to see become downloadable only?

But having said that it is equally important that you do not spend all your time slouched in front of the computer. To create the balance between a pleasurable leisure activity  that also helps you earn without sacrificing physical fitness, you need to focus old school rs goldon some physical activity to help keep fit. Plan your leisure time in such a way as to get the  best results. Participate in games, walking, yoga or other forms of exercises regularly at normal times. For all those odd moments when you need a leisure activity and cannot  indulge in physical activities, you could pick up Indian Rummy Online.

If there are still bullets in the original Glock magazine and the magazine release is pressed the Glock Magazine is designed to remain in the weapon. This was accomplished by  making the Glock magazines without having the metal lining run all the way to the Glock magazine's base. These are Non-drop free (NDF) Glock magazines that are also called Non- Fully Metal Lined (NFML) Glock magazines. The current Glock magazines will drop out of the weapon even when the Glock magazine is full of bullets because the metal lining runs  the entire way down the magazine tube.

These Glock magazines are known as Drop-Free or Fully Metal Lined (FML) magazines. In order to prevent a fully loaded original Glock NDF-NFML magazine from exiting the handgun as  a result of the magazine accidently being engaged or being improperly seated, this magazine was designed to swell somewhat when it is fully loaded. It is only once the Glock  magazine contained ten rounds or less that the original G17 Glock magazine would freely drop a magazine. Without some help by shaking the handgun, an empty magazine wouldn't  always drop free.

Top Ten Tuesday 32

My Top Ten Moments from the Grand Theft Auto Series

{Excerpt}

The Grand Theft Auto series started as an experiment on creating a life-like city and letting players loose to explore and have fun (with the original concept title Race ‘N Chase). Creator Dave Jones soon realized that when given that amount of freedom, people had fun in the most reckless and law-breaking ways possible: Stealing cars, setting people on fire, waiting for the ambulance to come and then stealing the ambulance became the hallmark moments for the first two top-down games in the series. Many core gameplay mechanics stayed with the series as it made the famous transition to open-world 3D, and Grand Theft Auto III can be attributed to jump starting that entire genre while selling millions of copies, being revered by gamers and reviled by politicians. With Grand Theft Auto V’s imminent release I take a look back at my favorite moments in the series.

Read the full article here!

Help support my writing by checking out my articles on Leviathyn.com!

Note that many of my Top Ten lists and other posts will be posted to Leviathyn.com, but not all. Stay tuned for a full Top Ten Tuesday list posted right here on my GI blog next week!

Previous Top Ten lists:

Top Ten Title Themes

Top Ten Openings

Top Ten GameCube Games

Good afternoon (or morning) to all of you out there. The topic makes it really clear about what this is about, it is time for a whishlist to a series a lot of people know:

THE ELDER SCROLLS

After reading the GI list, I finally decided to write my own take on the matter. So without another delay, here are the themes (ranging from buggles adventures to my take on what the multiplayer, if any, should have)

1. Broken game at launch- This is something almost every PS3 user has reported, even some friends from work that they suffer. But the list also expands into the PC and Xbox 360 gamers as well. Nothing is more frustating that being in thhe middle of combat for the action to freeze, or beating a great quest and just as we are about to save---------. You get the picture, with the PS4 and Xbox One specs. Bethesda should put more effort into making sure all of it's costumers have a great experience, not just the PC gamers who seem to be their main public.

2. MOD support- Okay, this is a given as this video ilustrates some creaturesgive more variety to us. PS3 gamers are already familiar with LBP and how user created content works, and it seems the Xbox One is heading into that direction. So why not work on better user creations on the PS4 and Xbox One also?

3. More varied enviroments- When I explored Cyrodyll I was amazed on the inmense variety of areas (it only needed a desert), I did not felt the same way playing Skyrim. I mean yes, the underground levels are amaizing (Blackreach), but I would love to travel to more islands such as The Summereast Island (Thalmor killing time). Also, it will be a great addition to have naval based areas like for example: you decide to travel towards Hammerfall bia the sea, the trip last 3 in game days, during that time you can: explore the ship, admire the cargo(stealing is necessary for the Thieve Guild), talk o the integrants (oops, the captain died and -I wro- he wrote a note putting me in charge of the ship), or just sleep the time of the trip.

4. Quest- I would love for quests to have immortal quest givers that are not killed Before giving or during one quest, that irked me in Skyrim. After the quest let them lose the inmortality.

5. Storyline quest- Needs a better and a stronger final boss (all it took to kill Alduin was a scream and a few sword strikes). I am actually looking for an invasion of the Thalmor homeworld (they had it coming), the feature will benefit from the naval transport I mentioned at number 3.

6. Multiplayer- While I was playing Oblivion I asked myself, why wouln't a coluseum existed so players can test their skills againtsd other player, the monument could be on an island that is connected to other realms. The rules of combat are simple: everyone wears the same armor but we can use whatever weapon or spell we have.

7. Dragon riding- From the tart Bethesda and not something cheap as the feature we wher provided with the DragonBorn exxpansion. That is, assuming that Dragons still exist in the world of Tamriel after the events of Skyrim. Andd add some more variety on the types of drakes: Sea Serpent, ground dragons, baby dragons, etc.

8. Better DLC support- you do not have to release a ton of DLC, just do not do what you did with Skyrim and suddenly dropping all support from the game and thus preventing us from ever going to Hammerfall

Those are my takes, what are yours?