Resident Evil 5 (PS3)

I just spent close to 3 hours playing this game, and if it weren't for my need to sleep (and work), then I would still be playing it.

It's all I can do to tear myself away from this outstanding game.

*Please don't comment if you have anything negative to say about RE5! I'm enjoying the game too much to notice any flaws.*

Some highlights:

1) Foxy Henchwoman: Your partner rocks in this game. She is deadly and the AI seems great.

2) Great weapons...upgradedable, too!

3) Hidden treasures and inventory management...it feels like an Over The Shoulder Shooter and RPG hybrid

4) Awesome graphics

5) Perfect controls (once you get used to them...the control scheme fits really well)

6) Atmospheric and complex level design

7) Ammunition is like gold! This is so important...the game would not be as much fun if you could just shoot without thinking.

8 ) Great pacing. Like I said, I just spent close to three hours playing RE5 and haven't been bored for a minute.

9) Good cutscenes/cinematics (there is a motorcycle part that involves some interaction, and it's cool)

10) Menacing bad guys

11) So far, a really interesting storyline.

12) Trophies

13) Unlockable background information. I really like games (such as Monster Hunter Unite) in which you can unlock a "library" of information on the game background (prequel information), items, characters, etc.

14) Did I mention it is fun to play?

I feel like I found a diamond in the rough. It's rare that I get excited about a game and want to finish it as soon as possible.

*Again, don't comment with any RE5 bashing! I have not read any reviews of the game and am glad that I had low expectations for RE5, as so far it is blowing them away*

That's all for now. Time for bed...

Playing Empire: Total War as the British...

Took Paris, Havana, Montreal and Madrid...however...money is becoming an issue, the people are growing restless and revolting...and the "New World" is starting to get tough.

Great game...lots of fun. Few other strategy games as fun as the TW series.

Life is short indeed.

I ought to spend more time with my friends and family. I ought to save more money. I ought to make the most of my health...and work hard to stay healthy.

I ought to continue to date, and pray for the woman who will someday be my wife, God willing.

I ought to pray that I am becoming the kind of man that she would want to marry, and also that I am becoming the kind of man that will be a good father.

Finally, I ought to thank my parents for all of the love and grace they have shown me in my life...while I still can.

Music...setting...dialogue...story...characters...visuals...

I would like to recognize games that I feel have "emotional impact"; a hard-to-define mood experienced while playing a game.

In no order...

PERSONA 4 (PS2)

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 (PS3)

WORLD OF WARCRAFT (PC)

THE WITCHER (PC)

PLANESCAPE: TORMENT (PC)

FLOWER (PS3)

GOLGO 13 (NES)

THE ELDER SCROLLS 3: MORROWIND (PC)

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS (PS2)

BIOSHOCK (PC)

10 games that are memorable among hundreds. There is (or was) something special about each of these games.

I'm not sure how to convey the demeanor of being "sheepish" in writing, so I will just have to say that I'm a little embarassed.

I do not have Lyme Disease; instead I have a bad sinus infection.

Thank you for your concern, but I will be fine in a couple of days with some antibiotics.

Until the next imaginary disease strikes...have a good night.

Putting the pieces together...

I've been fishing and shooting at some property my dad bought A LOT lately, and nearly EVERY TIME I come home with a tick on me.

Starting late June or early July, I noticed that I have no energy.

Saturday, July 18th, I went on an 18 mile bike ride with a friend...I had done basically the same bike ride a few weeks before with few problems...but...

My bones ACHE from the marrow. It feels like I have poison in me.

I slept for 12 hours Friday night, and was still tired. I slept for 12 hours on Saturday night, and had to take an hour long nap on Sunday...still tired.

I played 18 holes of golf on Sunday which normally NEVER bothers me but I felt like I was DYING.

I'm going to the Dr. (Urgent Care) ASAP tomorrow morning.

Oh, and Saturday I noticed a painful and large lump behind my right ear...

I hope it is something curable and that it is not in my head. I feel so tired that I want to die.

Wish me luck and say a prayer...

My hope is that it is either nothing or something that can be easily diagnosed...

They are called CAPSULE from Japan.

Check out YouTube or ITunes....

I posted the Starry Sky YEAH! remix by Moonbug here a few weeks ago...

The SPINAL CORD of that remix is a CAPSULE song called STARRY SKY.

IT ROCKS!

SO GLAD I found the core of the remix that I would rate in the top 5 favorite songs of my life...

I even adopted a photo of 1/2 of the band for my Forums sig!

Which brings me to my point: I've been tired!

I've been soooo tired lately. I sleep for 12 hours a night and am still tired...

The quick fix I see is to quit chewing nicotine gum. I think it's stealing my energy.

So that's it. I might go to a doctor to see why I'm so tired, but at any rate I'M QUITTING NICOTINE starting today.

Good night *yawn*

Finally, the Monster Hunter universe has become palatable.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite(PSP) fixed my only gripe...with shorter loading times!

AND...I have my PSP hooked up to my television, so I no longer mind reading through lots of text and navigating through layers of menus.

Why do I like Monster Hunter?

1) Hunting!

2) Fishing!

3) Farming!

4) Mining!

5) Monsters!

All of these things...plus diverse weapons and equipment...make for a fun game. The music and art...uhm...direction(?) are also outstanding.

Why do I have half of a great game?

BECAUSE...Monster Hunter requires a party to enjoy to the fullest extent. This can be done via my PS3 with some software (which I willl probably look into) or by having a bunch of my PSP owning friends over to my home to play.

Actually, the only one of my friends with a PSP lives thousands of miles away so I better research the PS3 option.

In other news, Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)is still impressing the heck out of me...at least, the last time I played it. Monster Hunter is a brief diversion...

And I was impressed with inFamous (PS3)but am not in the mood for that kind of game at the moment. I might rent it when the weather gets bad and I enter hibernation/gaming/college sports mode this winter.

I should be going to bed soon. Here are some games that I have really enjoyed playing...

BioShock (PC)Really fun game. Great atmosphere.

Mass Effect (PC)I'm shocked by how much fun this game is. Almost Morrowind good.

Fallout 3 (PC)I wanted to dislike this game because it felt so miserable to play.Once I figured out that is the point of the game, then I looked back on it with fondness.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 (PS2) This gamecaught me offguard. I had no idea that I would enjoy a PS2 JRPG. It was really the first JRPG I played and finished.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)Outstanding game. Really good.

Looking at this list, all of these games seem like great accomplishments by the developers. It is apparent that so much effort went into all of them.

For $50 (or less!), I feel like I get a lot of value out games like these. Of course, a person has to spend hundreds of dollars on mediocre games before they find the true gems.

Anyway, these games really enhanced my enjoyment of life over the past year or so. I did not become a hermit and kept my work and social life balanced. It's just nice to play an incredible game/artistic work/immersive experience for a couple of hours after a long day (or week) of work.