http://www.gamespot.com/users/JamesonV/

I just wanna make amends.

[video=IHI6lDb_5bwNszPb]

... in starlight.

We'll see what happens.

http://jamesonv.gametrailers.com

Take it easy.

About a week ago, if I had to choose a game to fill that personal Game of the Year slot, it would've been BioShock. Little did I know that Mass Effect would please me so. I probably won't be doing any 2007 awards posts or anything like that, but let it be known here and now that Mass Effect is definitely my GOTY. Oh, my GOTY. Anyway, I owe some people character screenshots. Here they be:

So, why does it take the top spot this year? Well, I'm a man who likes a good story. The story is definitely there and it engages the player unlike any other before it. I still believe that BioShock does more to advance the form of narrative in video games (and I'll still hold that BioShock is perfect for various reasons), but what Mass Effect accomplishes more so is player immersion. The only elements that stifle Mass Effect in its climb for perfection are the little things: framerate drops and texture pop-ins (that happen all the time). Those are relatively minor issues, though (yes, even when they happen all the time). I find the land rover levels very entertaining and while I thought the combat was a major pain in the ass at first, it becomes something incredibly exciting. The use of the Biotic powers factors into this. "Lift" (which is similar to "Force Whirlwind" from the KotOR series), for example, is one of the most entertaining devices I've seen in awhile. There's nothing quite like suspending your enemy in the air for "X" amount of seconds, pummeling them with ammunition and watching them go flying. Good times. Speaking of which, methinks it's time for a second playthrough.

Go forth. And play games.

Ever since reading about the casting of Timothy Olyphant in the upcoming film adaptation of Hitman, I've been bewildered as to why David Bateson wasn't cast instead. He is the original model for 47 and remains the voice in the ongoing series. Maybe he just doesn't want to get caught up in the Hollywood mix. Maybe the notion just flew over everybody's heads or -- most likely -- he was passed over for a more youthful, "marketable" performer. Whatever the case may be, I am thoroughly convinced that David Bateson is Agent 47. The proof: a scene from a film in which the actor stars titled God Moves in Mysterious Ways. Bateson is good. Damn good. And the scene is even reminiscent of one from the Hitman series in which 47 had gunned down several of his fellow clones. Take a look for yourself.

[video=ICc3kTL45bwMvDbW]

Update: The movie is supposedly titled "God Moves in Mysterious Ways," but the original source of information seems a bit sketchy. I can't find any information on that particular film, but that is definitely David Bateson in a film. That should suffice.

[video=JXNhwzOr5bwMvz7Y]

:o

Oh, yes, and I found this:

The gaming glory this month, it's just... [chokes back tears] Allow me to collect myself... It's too much. And then I found that copy of DQVIII and my month was instantly made. Like a hitman. No, not that hitman. Don't you twist my words! Oh, whatever.

We all have moments in our gaming experiences that bring about fond memories. Whether it be unwrapping that NES on a bright, Christmas morning and loading up Super Mario Bros. for the first time, getting the bejeezus scared out of you while playing Alone in the Dark or jamming a Sega Genesis cartridge in your SNES (boy, was that eventful). For me, some of the fondest memories have occurred more recently within the last decade or so.

[video=I3w2kjvx5b8Fuz7a]

I didn't play Ocarina of Time until much later after its release in 1998, and hadn't played a Zelda title since A Link to the Past. I had owned a Nintendo 64 and still do, but my collection didn't seem intent on growing very large. It wasn't until about a year later that I finally rented the game and gave it a spin. Well, I was so taken aback by it that I almost immediately returned it so I could go out and buy my own copy. Thus my reassociation with The Legend of Zelda began.

When Majora's Mask was announced in May of '99 for a "holiday 2000" release, I was ecstatic. Ocarina of Time seemed nothing short of perfectiong and with such an anticipatory release relatively close, the days drew longer and longer. What is one to do in such a situation? Play more Zelda! I was perfectly happy to play through most of the series again from the the first title and through Ocarina of Time long before Majora's Mask would hit stores. It was bliss, in a way, and really is something that can't be replicated.

Not long after initial release information, it was reported that Majora's Mask would be getting the gold cartridge, collector's treatment for pre-orders and -- if memory serves correctly -- limited shelf release. Having missed out on the Collector's Edition the first time around with Ocarina of Time, I knew I'd have to take advantage of pre-ordering from Best Buy. It was only a matter of withdrawing funds from the bank and marking the date on my calendar (which I think I still have lying around somewhere, actually). The day was drawing ever closer and my excitement grew.

I remember sitting in my middle school math cIass (joy of joys) yearning to be free of whatever it was the teacher was trying to cram into my skull. This was not the time for learning - least of all math. Yet I would have to sit in cIasses for four more hours... and endure a 30 minute bus ride. Oh, and let me tell you, the ride home was no fun either. I had the pleasure of some overgrown bully (he must've been held back at least a year or two) trying to steal something from me and the eccentricities of a... well, kooky bus driver (the eccentricities themselves weren't so bad, but sometimes she just got mean). And then we passed it: the Best Buy store where I had placed my pre-order. I asked the driver to allow my leave, but she almost immediately growled, "Get back in yer chair!" So, I sat yet again. I couldn't thank my grandfather enough when he eventually drove me to the store.

On basically the same day, the PlayStation 2 was released. I was definitely a Nintendo fanboy back in the day and hated what Sony was doing (heck, even Sega was getting on my nerves a bit). It was evident that with the arrival of the PS2, we were entering a new era for video games. The change in form of narrative or storytelling had come long before in the '70s with Adventure and over the years since, but the PS2 quite simply offered up a platform for better looking games on a console. The days of the PSX and N64 were pretty much over, with the 64's demise falling seemingly months before were it not for the release of Majora's Mask. I'm not a guy who's too big into change -- it comes pretty hard for me sometimes -- but over the years I've learned to embrace it more and more. And being a Nintendo fanboy back then, I guess the major problem I had with the PlayStation 2 was, lo and behold, the Sony fanboy. I could get into debate for at least a few minutes before things got really heated and to the point where fists might go flying, so it just had to stop. Oh, and working, hence money, definitely helps. Yay, Soninten... soft?

[video=diNnwTf_5bgOuTE]
[video=I3E1ljD-5b8Fuz7W]

No doubt about it, this was a glorious time for gaming. The next generation had officially arrived and while the world raged on at its frenetic pace I was was wandering the fields of Termina, experiencing one of the greatest adventures I'd ever behold. As was I secretly wishing that I... owned a PlayStation 2.

Classic television is indeed classic (The Dick Van Dyke Show, for example, is simply awesome).

After completing BioShock and receiving the good ending, I can honestly say it's the most beautiful gaming experience I've ever had.

The Nintendo 64 is an excellent hub for memorable gaming experiences (i.e. Mario Kart + GoldenEye + Super Smash Bros. + a buncha random people in the student lounge = good times).

The presentation of the video review for the latest Phoenix Wright game is great.

The Joker's origin story in Batman Confidential is pretty darn good.

Women? "Sultry teases"? Nah, I just don't care for them broads anymore. Frees up tons of time.

The backlog dwindles.

I have been blissfully content for the past month or so. Please forgive any absence. Anyone up for some Kane & Lynch action next month?

There is a lot to like about Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. The stealth elements, for example, are implemented extremely well. And then there's the challenge of executing one's target, heightened by obstacles such as guards, the ever-reliable "suspicion meter" (you just gotta be careful in certain areas) and the art of disguise. One aspect of the game that stands out immediately after the first loading screen passes, however, is the music by Jesper Kyd and the performance of the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and Choir.

The Main Title utilizes the Budapest choir to great effect, perhaps alluding to the origins of Mr. 47 in Romania (well, Budapest was occupied by Romania at one time). Combine that with a very prominent horns section and you have one truly epic theme. The Setup is a more quiet background composition used during various missions and action sequences. The music effectively provides "the setup" while managing to propel the player forward. Similarly, 47 in St. Petersburg plays during a mission sequence and appropriately reflects the cultural surroundings of the scene. The track plays out in militaristic fashion until reaching a crescendo at one point which lends to a sort of grandeur that almost sends shivers down the spine.

While the music works better within context of the game, it's certainly nothing to complain about as a listening experience on its own. Jesper Kyd simply shows off a great talent with these compositions and I was surprised by many of the motifs that popped up. Take the Main Title, for instance, which took me aback because I was expecting something more Techno-like or synth-based. There are elements of that found throughout the score, but much more of it relies on the talents of the orchestra and choir. And that's why the soundtrack for Hitman 2 has safely earned a spot amongst my favorite game soundtracks of all-time.

[video=IXdnwjOr5b8LszLZ]