See, I promised!

Anyway, E3 is upon us with a wealth of gaming goodness and beautiful shiny stuff. I'm relatively new to E3, and I missed a few live feeds and such, so I won't be going too in-depth here. I'll just keep it short and sweet and focus on what interested me about this greatest of all expos.

Now, I didn't see much of the MS conference in itself, more updates and such, but there wasn't really much to see anyway. There was Reach, GeoW3 and...Natal? (once again, never call it Kinect) I've always seen more potential in Move because "it has buttons", as Kevin Butler put it. Nothing personal to Microsoft, but a big "meh" to it all.

Then there are the two big publisher conferences not connected to certain consoles, namely EA and Ubisoft. I haven't seen any of Ubisoft's announcements, but I've heard of AC: Brotherhood and it sounds pretty cool. I've watched a large part of EA's conference (or what I wanted to see), and it was a solid, well-performed one. Of course, the highlight was Dead Space 2, which garnered enormous applause from the crowd. However, here come the biggun's.

First, I'll talk about Sony. Not one to disappoint, Sony had a fantastic conference filled with reveals and further information about future hits. It started off a bit too slow, focusing a bit too much on the Move, but it was interesting, including an awesome cameo by the epic Kevin Butler; on top of that, it really picked up when the PSP came along. Surprisingly, the ugly duckling of the handheld industry has a lot of great games coming out, such as the next Ys installment, Patapon 3, Valkyria Chronicles 2, Ghosts of Sparta and more. Pretty cool. Then came along the heavy hitters. Screams of joy rang out when GLaDOS's voice rang out and Gabe Newell, of all people, took the stage. Even I have a hard time remembering the scathing words he projected toward the PS3 back in the day, but the guy took over the situation with poise and tact. Of course, he was announcing that Portal 2, sequel to the genius Portal premiering on the Orange box, was coming to the PS3 in 2011. I literally got shivers.

The hits kept on coming, with Dead Space 2 getting an exclusive special edition on the PS3 with Extraction. Granted, I already have it on the Wii, but that's still awesome. Then there was LittleBigPlanet 2, which once again blew my mind. That game will be monumental in so many ways, and will leave another gaping maw in the fabric of gaming history. inFamous 2 looks fantastic, and the addition of ice powers will surely add to the variety of gameplay. The trailer for Gran Turismo 5 made my eyes explode and a few more trinkets, like the introduction of PSN Plus, means that PS3 is quickly becoming THE media device of the modern age in terms of pretty much everything. Sony isn't pulling out the "we are the future" comments. Heck, they pretty much are.

Their ace in the hat was the secret reveal of Twisted Metal on the PS3, and David Jaffe appeared on-stage to present it. I've never played a game in the series, but I at least know one person that will be happy with this (hey G!) Sony's conferencewas fantastic, it hit all the bases and rounded it out with incredible gusto and charm. Sony is on a roll, and it just seems to be picking up the pace.

Then it's Nintendo's conference. Whoo-eeh, what a show. Now, I haven't SEEN it yet, I'm waiting for the on-demand video to be encoded, but I've seen all of the announcements and holy potato fritatas on giraffes! A brand-spanking-new Kirby console title, a new Kid Icarus title, the next Zelda game, 3DS information, Retro Studios (of Metroid Prime fame) are taking on Donkey Kong Country Returns, Golden Sun DS looks great, Dragon Quest is on its way... *faint* I can't wait to watch it, but I can safely say that despite Sony's amazing conference, Nintendo is the winner as I predicted a few weeks ago. Hey, I can see the future! And boy will it be bright for Nintendo. Cheers, guys, you're on top of the world.

Yeah, sorry for the short overview, it's just a list of general impressions. But I hope you found them interesting, and wish you a happy E3. Thanks for a wonderful conference so far, GameSpot, and I'll be readyfor next year. Au revoir for now, my friends.

-Calvinsora

-À la mode, muchachos!

Hey-llo once again. Well, I've written my newest review for No More Heroes, and it can be found here. As always, all feedback would be awesome, and I really loved all the comments I got last blog. Thanks for all the support, it's awesome :) I'm going abroad in few days, and will be away for about two weeks, so I wanted to do as much as I could before then. I'm first going to London and then to Riccione, Italy. It will be bucketloads of fun.

Hmm, what else. Ah yes, SMG2 impressions. I have been playing this game WAY too much, I've gotten around 54 stars so far. How do I like it? It's a secret ;) Await my review in the not-so far future. Anyway, peace out, my friends, and have a great weekend :D

-Calvinsora, king of all randomness

Hello, fellow GameSpotters! After a rather long reviewing hiatus, I have finally finished a brand new review of Super Metroid. It can be found here. Like always, all comments are completely welcome, and I look very much forward to any feedback if you wish to provide it. I hope everyone has had a great week. I myself will be buying SMG2 tomorrow, so I'm like a giddy six-year old in a toy store right now. Anyway, peace out y'all.

-Calvinsora, king of randomness

One of the biggest achievements a game can possess is to make you feel like you're inside the game. Whether that is to your benefit or to scare the hair off your back, it's an almost insurmountable experience that sticks in your mind for eternity. The atmosphere can be thrilling due to graphics, sound, artistic styIe or even simple gameplay mechanics; the rule to make this list is that the atmosphere must affect the game itself in some way and has to be both detailed and cleverly built up. Here is my choice for top 10 atmospheres that can be found in the gaming world. Let's go!

#10: Kingdom Hearts (PS2) (2002)

-I believe I can fly!

I would've loved to be in the board meeting where someone came up with the idea to blend FF characters with the world of Disney. It's one of the craziest ideas ever, but it absolutely, positively works. It works well for the common gamer, but of course, it is by far best that you are familar with the cIassic Disney films. Not in my wildest dreams did I know that I would be venturing into Wonderland, exploring the belly of Monstro, jumping on roofs in Agabah or swimming in Atlantica. It's the definition of nostalgia, and it feels incredible. It breaks every normal gaming convention to bring to you every childhood memory you have. This is KH's greatest aspect, and one I feel hasn't quite been replicated since. The visuals, music remixed from the Disney films and the best little town in any game (Traverse Town) all combine with the Disney motifs to create an experience literally like no other.

#9: Heavy Rain (PS3) (2010)

-That's what you get for wearing zebra stripes. Ridiculous!

It takes a lot of talent to nail the noir atmosphere, but that is exactly what Heavy Rain manages to do. It's dark, gritty, dirty and engrossing, everything you'd expect from some of the best mystery novels. What greatly boosts the atmospheric impact is of course the incredible technical performance. Every emotion is perfectly conveyed. You feel sad when the characters feel sad, you get mad when they get mad etc. But it's not just that. The story pulls you in from the first second, an amazing tale about vengeance, love and sacrifice. It plays out like a visual novel, but goes steps beyond by giving you choice above all else. You can utterly fail and kill off your characters, or succeed and bring the serial killer, the Origami Killer, to justice. It's the constant threat of death in tandem with the unbelievable presentation, that makes Heavy Rain the masterpiece that it is.

#8: Demon's Souls (PS3) (2009)

-No tongue, please. I want to take it slow.

The first word you'll utter in this game will probably be some sort of swear word, and you'll be in pain. This has been repeated way too often but I'll reiterate: you will die. The magic to DSs is that you don't ever want to give up. The dark, grimy castles, treacherous poisonous swamps, burning caves and empty ruins may seem threatening because that's exactly what they are. You'll feel the familiar creeping of agony down your spine, but that soon transcends into sublime euphoria when you sink your sword into a dangerous foe. There's just something...inexplainable about DSs and how it affects you. What amplifies it further is the silence through most of the stages, which then is broken by fantastic music in battles with boss creatures. It scares you while hooking you in. You'll be helpless but at the same time, filled with courage. It's a difficult balancing act, but From Software most certainly succeeded in doing the impossible. For that reason, DSs reaches the number eight spot.

#7: The World Ends With You (DS) (2008 )

-Be sure to eat right, and dress responsibly!

I love Japan. I love JRPGs. So imagine a JRPG happening in Japan and you have TWEWY. The game has a lot of swagger, and fully knows how to deliver it in the most effective way. You'll encounter fashion fanatics, foreign foods, graffiti and a whole load of odd enemies looking like a blend of ink and fantastically designed enemies. The atmosphere is dark and dreary, but surprisingly, not boring or foreboding. I honestly can't get enough of the damp streets of Shibuya, with awesome J-pop playing in the background. It's a blast of ethnic singularity which gets you into the mood for more Noise-smashing (the enemies are called Noise, just so you know). And of course, nothing beats going to the local noodle shop and ordering some savory ramen. All of these brilliant intricacies are shoved into the DS without showing any hardware limitations. It's just awesome.

#6: Final Fantasy X (PS2) (2001)

-Auron would beat Chuck Norris any day.

Let's look past the still-amazing graphics to see what really matters: how tangible is the world itself? The answer is "very". OK, that sounds a bit weird, so let me rephrase it: I would literally like to live in Spira. Yes, Sin isn't exactly a positive aspect of the land, but look at Luca, Besaid, even Zanarkand! These places are mesmerisingly beautiful and ridiculously detailed. FFX is one of those games where looking at it will just make you feel all warm inside. Of course, this is greatly aided by what is surely one of the best soundtracks in gaming history. The team of Uematsu, Hamauzu and Nakano have created something truly special here. If you don't love Spira, you're playing it wrong!

#5: Resident Evil 4 (GC) (2005)

-Before there was Heavy Rain, there was...Bloody Rain!

There's survival horror, then there's Resident Evil 4. Breaking from the rigid controls of the first series of RE games, RE4 barged its way on the scene and set the standard for all horror games to come. However, where it set the standard the most, for me, is atmosphere. The tense nature of the game never dissipates, you will always fear what lies around the next corner, you'll wonder what that sound was behind you, you'll look at the ammo left in your gun. If you go through the game relaxed, then that is not the game's fault. Then you're just some sort of superhuman. Every part of the game compliments the atmosphere. The great audio, the claustrophobic controls, the gritty visuals, the superb design, the excessive gore even. The game feels like an A-list B-movie, if that makes any sense at all. It's utterly engrossing and scary as a rotten Twinky.

#4: Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) (2010)

-So...awesome...

Yeah, yeah, two 2010 games on this list. However, I just couldn't at all exclude FFXIII. This gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous game doesn't only boast graphics that simply transcend anything that has come before it but its design is just amazing. The detail, the polish, the scale, the beauty, the diversity; it's all an experience almost unparalelled in the gaming world. I already mentioned this in my top 10 graphics list (where this game sat snugly in the top spot), but just looking at a sunset in this game is enough to stir you up. Of course, like in all FFs, the thirteenth entry also has a bevy of amazing music which compliments every moment, particularly the epic (I don't use this word often) final battle. The game is an absolute showcase of every atmospheric element. I can't stress this enough: get this game!

#3: Metroid Prime (GC) (2002)

-HULK SMASH!!

What happens when you take an already brilliant and engrossing franchise and put it into 3D? You get one of the most atmospheric games of all time. Metroid Prime almost effortlessly manages to present a world so rich in detail, backstory and beauty, and more than half of the adventure will be put in just exploring every inch of this magnificent planet (Tallon IV, if my memory serves me correctly). The ambiant sounds, mysterious creatures and abyssal scan system help create a living world with endless possibilities. You'll be exploring lava pits, mysterious swamps, eery pirate dens and irradiated worlds of wonder. Of course, the technically amazing graphics are a sight to see as well, but it's the design that takes the delicious cake.

#2: Bioshock (360/PC/PS3) (2007/2008 )

-I wonder how media pirates would end up in Rapture...

Bioshock...is...a...masterpiece. I've said this often, and I'll say it again. Masterpiece! But for all its depth, incredible story and novel gameplay, the real star here is the city, Rapture. The definition of a utopia turning into a dystopia, this underwater city is (sorry for the cliche here) a character in and of itself. The cracked glass, the remnants of a New Years party, open suitcases, lonely corpses, grisly sights like in the picture above and just the overall mystery are what makes Rapture unique. Everytime I plunge into the depths, I feel like I'm in another world, and I don't want to leave. I SHOULD want to leave, but I most certainly don't. With all the Big Daddies roaming the halls, the hidden audio tapes and crazy Splicers, you can't help feeling absolutely attached to this disturbing environment. I love every part of it.

#1: Dead Space (PS3/360) (2008 )

-Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.

Oh, the surprise! Now, I'm not a big space fan. Space is a dreary, usually boring place. But like the film Sunshine did in the world of cinema, Dead Space nails the space atmosphere. You are alone, so alone. Something is wrong, and you are equipped with only a few mining tools. You are vulnerable, weak, hopeless and left for dead. DS is the scariest game I have ever played. Granted, I've yet to play the Silent Hill and Fatal Frame games, but until then, DS is safely on the top. I am mortified by this game. When I first popped it in, I literally shook with fear. Obviously, I got over the initial fright, played the game and loved it (as some of my previous blogs showed so clearly). Taking its cues from RE4, DS is a slightly more fluid version. However, it retains the frights while amplifying the atmospheric tension. Every hall is different, unique and terrifying. You'll find audio, written and video logs detailing what happened on the USG Ishimura. Necromorphs (the alien baddies of the game) pop out of ceiling vents, hungry for flesh. Zero-gravity sessions keep you on your toes, while treks into oxygen-less areas leaves you hearing only the panting and screaming of your very own character. It's not only a harrowing experience, it's an unforgettable one. Amazing design, incredible attention to detail (you've heard that more than once, haven't ya?), some of the best sound design in any game ever, fantastic graphics, brilliant use of shadows and a hauntingly beautiful setting help Dead Space keep itself in front of all competition. Venture into space if you dare, folks, because what awaits you will only end in misery. And bucketloads of fun, of course.

Those are my top 10 atmospheres in gaming. I hope you enjoyed the list, and would love to hear of your very own favorites down in the comments section. Until next time!

-Calvinsora

There's always been a very special discussion around the prestigious 10/10. No matter how much a review explains why or how a certain game deserves the score, there will always be a heated debate on whether or not it's really a 10 game. This is, of course, a ridiculous debate, seeing as the score is an opinion of one reviewer. Not only that, the entire definition of the 10 is completely skewed. Many believe that a 10 game is supposed to represent perfection, or that a 10 game cannot have flaws. This is absolutely false. I want, with this blog, to come with an analysis of the 10, what it really means and why people should not get upset just because they don't understand the score itself. This is, not surprisingly, spurred on by the recent 10 given to Super Mario Galaxy 2, giving host to another silly bout of fanboyism. That's always lovely, innit?

I feel it appropriate to first post the definition of the score 10 (which has the subtext "Prime") on Gamespot:

"This exceedingly rare score refers to a game that is as perfect as a game can aspire to be at its time of release. Obviously, the constantly changing standards for technology and gameplay will probably make this game obsolete some day, but at its time of release, a game earning this score could not have been improved upon in any meaningful way."

This should, of course, stop anyone from claiming that a 10 should be perfection incarnate, but there's a simpler, shorter way to prove that: no game is or will ever be perfect. There are many, many reasons for this, but it would take many pages of text to fully point out why there is nothing that can be called perfect. Through extension, and working with the definition of the word itself, this means all games have flaws in some way. Simple logic, indeed, but there are hundreds that misconstrue this. There are comments like "You pointed out flaws and it gets a 10?!!? lol" However, if a 10 were to be flawless, doesn't that mean that no game would ever get a 10? This leads me to the next group: those that think 10s are absolutely unachievable.

-I know that one of those games is called "Perfection", but I'd be wary of getting this game.

One thing that every reviewer must understand is that the 1-10 system is a scale. If we'd use math to explain it further, the 1-10 system would be a linear graph with a definite slope. There is absolutely no point in having the 10 if it's impossible, we'd then have a 1-9.9 scale which would defeat the purpose of even having the 10 anyway. I think it would be interesting to list all "10 games" currently on Gamespot, which are now seven total:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64) (1998 )
SoulCalibur (Dreamcast) (1999)
Chrono Cross (PlayStation) (2000)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PlayStation 2) (2001)
Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) (2008 ) (Video Review)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PlayStation 3) (2008 ) (Video Review)
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) (2010) (Video Review)

What does this list show us? Firstly, they are all completely different in content, whether it be technical prowess, story, gameplay and even genre, meaning that they can't be compared by using the score. Secondly, each and every one of the games above has flaws (despite Jeff's over-enthusiasm in the OoT review). Once again, I don't think I have to point out the flaws for it to be so. However that doesn't mean that the games aren't worth 10s. They're just the pinnacle of gaming at each time, namely the time of their release. This isn't hard to understand, nor is it illogical in any way. If you say that "10s are unattainable", you're just fooling yourself. It's cool if you haven't found a game worth the score, but deciding that no game shall ever get it is ignorant at best.

-Such a fuss over a single number...

I touched upon a rather significant factor in the last paragraph, and that is that you can't compare games that are in different genres, and in many ways, it's tough to compare some games even within the genre. This is simply because the score given to a game is not a comparative value, it's an intrinsic one, based on the individual qualities of the specific product. The fact that this is often confused is maybe the biggest reason that 10s cause such commotion. It starts ignorant comments like "So X game is better than Y game?! I disagree, so you must be wrong!" This is a fallacy, and it's important to remember that you shouldn't take the scores at face value anyway. It's astounding to see so many feeling personally insulted because of one score. It's progressed to the point that many give the "10 games" 1.0s just to lower the user score. As proof of this, look at the user score pie chart of SMG2. It would be OK to see a normal dispersion of scores, but about 60% is 9.5-10, while there's a shocking number of plain 1.0s. I'm all for opinion, but let's contemplate two things:

1) I'm against overall anyone reviewing the game at this point in time, it's almost impossible that anyone got all the stars in the game so incredibly quick. Not only that, most of the reviews are ridiculous, offering no reasoning at all.

2) 1.0s are reserved for the absolute worst, which are plagued with glitches, developer mistakes and are generally unfinished. Are people actually giving SMG2 a similar score as Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing and Superman? Really? If anyone that does this happens to be reading right now, I have just one thing to say: shame on you. Just...wow.

-You're right, this DOES remind me of Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Another thing that is important to remember is that there are no limiting factors to a "10 game" other than it being an absolutely superb experience. Many have thrown around that a "10 game" needs a good story. Hogwash. That may be how you define it, but saying that as a blanket statement is simply wrong in every way. We play games to play them, gameplay should be all that matters at the end of the day. If a fantastic story happens to follow, fantastic! If not, then let's hope the gameplay makes up for it, and in many cases it does indeed do so.

It's of course a flawed approach to really put any specific rule to the ultimate score. Different people value different things , not only in gaming, but also in film, literature, music and art. Some look at the Mona Lisa and see the best painting in existence. Others see just one more model smiling enigmatically at the frame, perhaps wondering whether anyone would try and analyze its meaning. Video games are even more fickle. One person might love a game, while another can just hate it to pieces. Just the fact that this large divide can exist is a testament to the impossibility of any concrete score. People have to stop taking scores so seriously, and look at the big picture instead. More importantly, everyone should be given the sempiternal chance to enjoy a game, without fretting that someone, somewhere, might disagree.

-Let's just play games and enjoy them!

Of course, one person calling another person's opinion wrong isn't anything new on the worldwide web, but it's always most prominent when the good ol' 10 comes aknockin' (outside of maybe hyped games getting lower than the expected scores, which is something for another blog). It's human nature to sometimes get upset when you don't completely agree with someone else, but it will always be a mystery to me why people complain about 10s. When I see a 10, I say: "Great! Another game that will be enjoyed by thousands." Some seem to get the opposite reaction, but I think I can safely say that they are the wrong ones in this situation. Games are to be played, enjoyed, maybe even loved. And I'm sticking with that philosophy 'till the day I die.

-Calvinsora

I think everyone knows what a "holy cow" status is. It's when a piece of media is so loved that critiquing it will get you driven into the dirt faster than an ostrich's head when endangered. This is bad, seeing as there are always differing opinions on every matter. The Prestige, one of my favorite films, is far from loved by all, for example. I don't take it personally, everyone is different. And to exemplify this, I will now talk about the universally loved Batman film, The Dark Knight, and take a look at what I like, and what I don't like, about it. Many are flabbergasted when they hear that DK isn't even one of my top 5 comic films, and it would have a hard time to crack my top 40 films to date. But if I haven't said it before, I'll say it now: I still love the film. It's fantastic, and it has a lot of golden moments. I don't want with this blog to incite any antagonism, arguments or hostility, au contraire. I wish to broaden everyone's horizon a bit and encourage a smart exchange of viewpoints. I don't think I have to point out that this is my opinion and my opinion alone. I do not mean to say that anyone that thinks of the film as the best ever is wrong. Just wanted to clear that out. One more thing I have to mention: I'm not a fan of the Batman comics. I've read snippets of it, but I'm not much into it. So I'm only basing the films' quality based on their individual merits, which I feel is the correct approach. Now, I hope you find this read enjoyable :D

First things first: Batman himself. I'm a big fan of Christian Bale, he's a stunning actor with many 1st cIass films under his belt. But he cannot be Batman. I have never found him to be suitable for the role, neither in the first film nor the DK. Compare this to the awesome Michael Keaton, who managed to balance the playboy-millionaire and Batman roles perfectly. He oozed with cool but also made you sympathize with him. I've yet to feel any emotional connection with the Bale, which I feel must be made to get you to root for the character. And what in the world is up with his voice? I know it's overstated by now, but it's just ridiculous. All he has to do is deepen his voice, not make it seem like his trachea was a blender filled with gravel. It wasn't cool, it was absolutely nonsensical. Seeing as the movie is about Batman, I feel it's important that the man himself is a good character. For me, Bale doesn't manage his role as well as he could have done.

-"Ahhrm Batmaahnn!"

The other big matter in DK is the main antagonist, and in that field, I have little to no complaints. Heath Ledger delivers a sterling performance which truly makes the film something else. My only complaint, which really isn't a complaint in and of itself, is that he isn't my favorite Joker. People are even more surprised when I say this, which I don't understand. My favorite film Joker is still Nicholson's amazing portrayal of the famous villain. I go by what I feel the Joker should be: a joker. The ironic thing is that HL's Joker, despite constantly saying: "Why so serious?", is too serious for my liking, and he's also more of a traumatized villain in contrast to absolutely insane and psychopathic like Jackie is. It's a subtle difference, but I prefer the absolutely mental. Just a personal preference, I suppose.

-"You're...my number one...guy!"

However, here we come to the main reason I have a slight beef with DK: Two-Face. Darn Two-Face. Now, Aaron Eckhart did a good job as Harvey Dent; he was charismatic, charming, kind, tolerant and an all-around nice guy. If Nolan had decided to develop his character a bit more, and choreograph his descent into madness better, it would have been a great way to build up to the sequel. But no, DK pulled a "Spidey 3" and had an unnecessary second villain. This only diverted the attention from the Joker at some moments, and added no depth to the plot whatsoever. Not only that, it made also no sense. Harvey lost his girlfriend and gotburned on one half of his face. Pretty traumatic, and it might drive the normal man insane (not in one day, mind!). However, Harvey was one step away from being Jesus himself! Joker was trying to make the point that anyone can be driven mad, but it was handled so poorly that it lacked any credibility. Here's a situation that I think would truly drive Harvey mad and fit within the story itself: Joker presents Harvey with a gun. His girlfriend is put in front of him and ten innocent citizens are lined across the wall. He has a choice. Shoot his girlfriend, saving Harvey and the hostages, or commit suicide which also makes the Joker kill the hostages but save the girlfriend. He'd struggle, and for the sake of the story, shoot his girlfriend for the greater good. The Joker then shoots the hostages and lights the warehouse on fire, but makes sure that Harvey can escape alive. OK, this is a very silly and ridiculous set-up, but Harvey actually killing his gf, in any situation, is a far more traumatic blow that would affect him immensely and possibly change him into a murderer.

Then comes the ending. DK was 30 minutes too long, IMO, and it really seems like much of it was altered and cut. It made little sense at all to me. It was way too fast and confusing, and ended in an overly cliche manner (the hero goes vigilante, puts the blame on himself, etc.). Once again, why didn't they just skip Two-Face and have it end with Joker's arrest? It would've been so much better. I would've loved to see Two-Face have his own movie, but alas, it is no longer available. Sad, but we might get the awesome Riddler instead. But this is the biggest reason I don't like DK as much as others, simple yeah?

-The lack of an eyelid on the left eye would cause it to die very quickly, as you might have noticed.

There's one more big gripe I have with the film, and it's that annoying boat scene. Once again, Joker was trying to prove that there's evil in everyone's heart, deep down under the civility of it all. But there's one problem,which is thathis situation doesn't call forth the definition of evil. Think of it this way: you are given two choices, press the button to destroy the other boat, or wait for the others to press their button. One is filled with innocent people, children, men, women etc. On the other, convicted criminals, murderers, thieves, rapists and so on, with only a few innocent guards and people. As the Joker said, if neither ship pressed their button, they'd BOTH explode, and it's easy to assume that the people on both boats believe that if they don't press the button, the other boat will. In this situation, no matter "the price" of pushing the button itself, it is not evil to save one boat instead of both falling to the bottom of the water. This is a rudimentary logical conundrum that should've been noticed by the Joker himself. What makes it even more ridiculous is that one ship was filled with criminals! What I think is evil is that the parents on the innocent ship assumed that their kids would be OK with making an altruistic statement of equality by killing themselves. This was of course done to make the villain look silly, and make the hero, Batman, look even cooler. But there are so many other ways to prove the evil in the common man, this is just a ridiculously simplistic play of "good vs. evil." Plot convenience over logic, yay!

So, does this mean I have little to nothing good to say about the film? Of course not! I still love it! The action scenes are fantastic, fast-paced and entertaining. The Joker really is awesome, his nail trick is disturbingly funny and the way he tells the story about his father is one of the more memorable scenes in comic book movie history. As always, Michael Caine does his part splendidly and Gary Oldman isperpetuallygreat in everything he does. And even though I have issues with part of it, the story is generally told really well and most of the bits fit together, making for a high-octane adventure and one of the highlights of 2008.

However, I'll critique where I feel critique is needed, and this is what I think of the film: a fantastic but flawed action flick that manages to shine thanks to a stellar performance from Heath Ledger and great production values. In conclusion, I'd like to say that my favorite Batman film is Tim Burton's Batman, as you might have figured out by now. Yes, I'm in a minority, but I can at least console myself that my favorite online film critic, Nostalgia Critic, agrees with me, further proving my point that there's no concrete standard on which to judge films. Everyone likes what they want, period. And with that, I bid adieu, and wish you a merry week. My next blog entry should most likely be a top 10 list, so stay tuned! Goodbye, my friends.

-Calvinsora

Hello, and welcome to my next entry in the "Have you..." series. This time, I want to introduce you to a massively overlooked game (for some valid reasons unrelated to the gameplay itself), which kept me entertained for hours on end. That game is Herdy Gerdy for the PS2.

-The pecking order sucks, yeah?

Released in 2002, Herdy Gerdy is developed by Core Design Ltd., which is most notable for their Tomb Raider franchise. It basically tells the story of the unfortunately named Gerdy who's mission is to herd animals into various pens. His father, a world-renowned herder (yes, those apparently exist), has been magicallyentranced by a rival herder, leaving Gerdy all alone in the lush world he lives in. To save his father from his plight, he must become a master herder and fight the rival herder, Sadorf, in the national herding contest. Are you tired of hearing the word "herd"? It ain't over yet!

-Ah, I remember the days in my youth when collecting floating bells was the rage.

Of course, the bizarre story gives way to very interesting gameplay mechanics. There are a large number of different animals to herd, and they all need to be herded in different ways and into different pens. The most basic are led to their pens by simply spurring them on by walking in their direction. Others are trickier, for instance, you'll need to play magic flutes and employ other unique tactics to get to your goal. Gromps of are a meaner kind, they'll chase you by just looking at you, but are incredibly dumb. All that has to be done to trap them is get them to a small specific square which, when pushed, will trigger a small fence barely a centimeter tall, which will effectively stop the Gromp. These gromps can also eat other animals, so getting rid of them is a priority. Once you herd a specific amount of animals, you can proceed. This is the basic game mechanic, but it's really far more complex, and far more fun, than it seems.

-Iceland in video games!

You may have noticed just how beautiful this game is. It really is a work of art visually. It's incredibly detailed, warm and fun to look at. It bears a lot of charm and, more importantly, variety. Snowy mountains, calm countrysides, cobbled streets in a dark city; blend this with surprisingly good voicework and you've got a PS2 game that really makes use of the console's latent potential.

It's always a joy to find something new in this game, to explore and discover. You are, in some ways, limited by the mission, you have to herd all the creatures or do the level over. The game is also annoyingly difficult at times,you often need pinpoint accuracy and trial-and-error to pass any given stage. But once you get used to the mechanics, everything magically clicks into place. It's also suitably long, so it's a worthwhile investment indeed.

-Your fathers a drinker, kid, what do you expect?

It goes to show that Herdy Gerdy was not a commercial success, and for a number of reasons. Firstly, the name. Herdy Gerdy? Seriously? That is NOT a name you should go for if you want a game to sell. Lame rhyming has never been cool, Awesome Possum and Punky the Skunk never did good in the box office. Secondly, the box art. It simply proves once again the importance of presentation. A pink furby being stalked by a creepy kid, being supposedly attacked by what can only be described as a pink yeti. Ooh, interesting. Finally, this is a game about herding. Only the truly eccentric would think that would turn out well without any further inspection. So even despite the game being made by the makers of Tomb Raider, and being moderately successful among critics (with a 70% Gamerankings score), it fell into the dust of forgotten games.

Now, you might ask: isn't the average user score for this game 5.6 on GS? Read most of the reviews. They suck. I'll just leave it to the readers to examine the low-score reviews. But the crux of the matter is: you have to give the game time. You must learn its nuances, its intricacies, its deepest secrets. If you do, you'll be rewarded with a satisfying, beautiful experience overladen with innovation and smarts. If you should ever stumble upon this game, it should barely cost more than $10. And for me, it's more than worth it.

My (old) review: 8.0
GS review: 6.8

-Calvinsora

Well, notcomplete freedom, but I've just hit a milestone in the exam term: I finished my chemistry A-levels. After four excruciating days of studying equilibrium constants, stoichiometry, free energy and enthalpy changes, I can safely say I never have to stress out for a chemistry test again. Yay :D

So, as a way to celebrate, I got me some games! I managed (through some experimentation) to get all my games that I've gotten through PSN on my PS3 downstairs, the biggest of which are Grandia and Final Fantasy VII. Expect reviews of them in the future. I also got 2000 Wii points, and will be buying Super Metroid and Link to the Past with the moolah. Finally, the extra game I got was No More Heroes. I've only played 20 minutes or so, but what a wonderfully bizarre and kooky game it is. I'm only slightly peeved by the black the enemies excreet. I'm not a fan of blood, but it's so obvious that it was switched that it's a bit ludicrous. Anyway, there are GOOD times ahead, even though I've got two tests left (French and oral mathematics). Just a slight update on my busy schedule, basically.

I hope everyone is doing fine, and if you're in exams: I feel your pain. I truly do.

Auf Wiedersehen, Gamespotters, and may you game for eternity!

-Calvinsora

Wow, I got far more questions than I expected (and that's a good thing), so I've got my work cut out for me. Well, here are the answers to your fantastic questions:

PHILYRABKIN and exber asked:

Best/favorite game you ever played?

This is actually a tie, if I'm allowed that, between Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts. I feel FFX is a bit better when looking at the pros and cons, but I'm more emotionally attached to Kingdom Hearts. But I love both :D

Yoshicon8 asked:

Who's the hardest boss you've ever faced?

This is a fun question, there are a few that can reach this category, but I'll just go with those I've actually beaten. And the winner is the special bosses from Kingdom Hearts: Kurt Zisa, Phantom and Sephiroth. KZ is a deadly adversary which takes a lot of patience and smarts to best, since he'll either be impervious toattacks or disable all magic. Phantom is a tough bugger, he shifts his weaknesses constantly while activating a certain "Doom" mechanic which you will have to stop every once in a while. Sephiroth is a beast, a huge pool of HP, devastating attacks, an almost one-hit kill attack and the power to summon comets! Each of these bosses took me about half an hour to finish, and took every ounce of skill I had.

dapman418 asked:

Would you rather play games a little every day and work a little every day or play games all day one day and work all day the next?

I had just recently thought of exactly this subject matter, and decided that I wouldn't mind both if, and only if, there was a clear cut between work and play, i.e. there would be no interludes in either practice. But the former would probably be my choice for future reference.

exber asked:

Best boss fight?

Do you like final boss fights in the games?

Hmm, best boss fight would probably go to SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER FOR MGS4--- the final battle with Liquid on the large smoke cylinder. A perfect end to what was, to me, a perfect game. It still gives me chills to this day SPOILER END

I love final bosses! They're a great way to put an end to an adventure. But, disappointingly, there aren't as many good final boss battles in games of this generation, and overall, not that many good bosses overall. There is TWEWY, MGS4, Demon's Souls, FFXIII and a few other stragglers, but they're generally pretty thin in gaming nowadays. I have no idea why, really.

c_rake asked:

What was it about writing that drew you to the craft in the first place?

If you had to play one game and only one game for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?

It's hard to say what exactly got me into writing, but let's just say it's like a certain burst of creativity and inspiration that grips me when something is on my mind. This often happens right after finishing a game, MGS4 being the first one. I just love talking about what I love doing, whether it be gaming or cinema. The most important thing, though, is to only do it when I feel like it. I don't want it to feel like a chore, and it often reflects in my work if it does. I have to do it with passion, but luckily, that is most often the case :D

One game...it would probably be Final Fantasy X. I always find something new to experience with that game, it's just so deep and overall fun.

asian_pride69 asked:

Have you played a game that you were highly anticipating, but came up feeling disappointed in the end?

If you had a chance to meet a GS user or two, who would he/she/they be and why?

What games or big announcements would you like presented at E3 this year?

A few times, yes, and the best example is Resident Evil 5. I expected so much...but got burned.

This is a toughie, I'd of course love to see all of you! But if I had to choose just a couple, it would be the two leaders of the GRU, Michael and Greg. I'm good friends with both of them and have had many great conversations with both.

Kingdom Hearts 3, dagnabbit! It's about time. Oh, and more info on FFXIII Vs and FFXIII Agito. Also, I'd love if they announced more cIassic PS1 RPGs to come on PSN, Grandia and FF7 have whet my appetite.

Backlash24 asked:

Name 3 games that you love that most others dislike.
Favourite game mascot?
Worst game you've ever played?
Rock, Paper or Scissors?
Knick-Knack Paddy-Whack?
Name 3 things about yourself that we are unlikely to already know.
(You have already chosen a fantastic avatar, so I'll leave my rec for a later time)

I love the Pokemon Coliseum series while others almost routinely hate it. Makes me sad :( I also love Herdy Gerdy. So fun.

That would probably be the king himself, Mario.

I usually don't buy many bad games, but the worst has to be Megaman X7. Wow, that one's bad.

SCISSORS!

Give the dog a bone?

My favorite element is Ice, I don't like warm weather and I skipped 10th grade.

PUREPL7YA asked:

Which game do you think will take GOTY this year?

If I were to be realistic, and base the decision on the games that have been released so far, I'd go with either Mass Effect 2 or God of War 3. However, what I would want is for either Metroid: Other M, Super Mario Galaxy 2 or Dead Space 2 to take it.

Monkey_Has_Milk asked:

Top 10 favourite films?

Another toughie. I'm in the process of making a list right now of my top 20, but I can list some of my favorites here:

To Kill a Mockingbird
Toy Story
The Prestige
Shawshank Redemption
Titanic
Slumdog Millionaire
Lion King
In Bruges
Kick-A$$
Return of the King
Truman Show

Those are just some of the films I love ;)

Megaman5364 asked:

Do you love the World Ends With You, ? Would you lay down your life for it, would you get a copy pregnant and grow up and have little TWEWY babies ?

Yes to all three questions. I love it to bits and pieces, it's my current favorite DS game, even.

Chickan_117 asked:

Why do men have nipples?

With enough training, they can be used as radio transmitters. Absolutely true.

Asagea_888 asked:

In terms of the player reviews you've written thus far, which one of them are you the most proud of?

I'd have to say I'm proudest of my Demon's Souls review. I just liked my overall attention to detail and the beginning. After all, this game got the honor of being my Game of 2009, it had to be something fitting.

lightwarrior179 asked:

Favourite person to be never born in this world?
If you listen to music,who is your favourite artist?
Which is the most overrated game in your opinion?
Cookies or pie?

Took me some time to figure out this question :lol: It'd probably be the man who taught humans how to fly. What a wonderful man he would be.

I usually just listen to whatever I can find, but if there was any specific group or singer, it would probably be Coldplay, The Beatles, Elvis Presleyor something by Jacques Brel.

I don't feel any game is overrated in the sense that it doesn't deserve the praise. I do think some games are overstated, meaning they are just talked about way too much and shadow other great and similar games. I might go with FF6 or Ocarina of Time, but I still fully understand why they're so popular. Thus, I'll go with the game that I simply don't like all that much: Ico. I could write a blog on my opinion of this game, but I'll keep it short. I just don't get all the buzz about the game. To me, it has annoying platforming, broken combat, a rather empty atmosphere and it's an escort mission from start to finish. Personally, there are far better examples of games as art, such as Okami, Braid, Eternal Sonata or Shadow of the Colossus. Though everyone else is fully allowed to love it, it's just that they defend their opinion like wild animals. It bugs me.

If they're soft, cookies, otherwise, pie. :D

Skargamer asked:

1. the most challenging game you've EVER played?
2. the best gun you've ever used in a game?
3. can you touch your tongue to your elbow?
4. have you collected all the feathers in assassins creed 2? (if you have the game )

I would have to say, based on when I played it and the difficulty at that point in time, it would have to be Crash Bandicoot 1. It's sickeningly difficult, to say the least.

The Spear Gun from Bioshock 2. Fun gets an all new meaning :P

I've literally tried tens of times, but never managed it :P

Yup, it took a nice 3-4 hours of my life, but I managed to do it, and have the Platinum Trophy as my reward :D

mprezzy asked:

Do you ever think the world will be a better place?

I tend to be overly optimistic, but I doubt the world will actually become better. But it will change in some way, it just remains to be seen how ;)

soolkiki asked:

Do you think aliens are real?

have you ever had a girlfriend? Ever had a friend that had killed him/her self?

what kind of car do you drive?

Yes, I believe they are real, but don't think we'll ever meet them for at least the next few thousand millennia.

Nope, never had a girlfriend. To be honest, I'm not much into the idea of romance.

Luckily, I can answer no to this question. It would be absolutely heart-breaking if it had ever happened :(

I'm working on getting my driver's license at the moment, but when I do get it, there will only be one prerequisite: it must be automatic :P

tntkng asked:

#1- Whats your favorite kind of music?
#2- Do you live in the USA?
#3-Is the PS2 your favorite gaming console ever?

VGM in general is my favorite genre, but outside of that, it's cIassical music I fancy.

Nope, I currently live in Iceland and was also borne here. But I lived in the US for four and a half years, and love it a thousand times more than Iceland, so I like to say I'm Icelandic by definition, American by heart ;)

It just happens to be, yes :D It's closely followed by the Gamecube.

charizard1605 asked:

5 Greaest Game Systems of All Time. 5 Greatest Game Franchises of All Time

Look up the top Indian actresses- I'll help you if you need any- and tell me which you find the most attractive

You crazy dragon, you! Those are some tough questions. I'll be making top something lists of both consoles and game franchises in the future, but here's the bullet list
Consoles:
PS2
Gamecube
PSX
DS
N64

Franchises (no order here):
Mario
Final Fantasy
Metal Gear Solid
Dragon Quest
Pokemon

As for Indian actress, after doing some, well, research, I'd have to go with Freida Pinto

Cliche seeing as she stars in one of my favorite movies? Maybe, but I generally mean it. She's very pretty, to put it simply.

syler4815162342 asked:

What is your Favorite female game Character?

It would have to be Lightning from FFXIII. Not only is she pretty and has pink hair that works, but she's also a strong character and kind when she needs to be. I'd also go with Chie or Naotofrom Persona 4,two of the few virtual characters I've actually identified with. I've heard cool things of Morrigan, though.

david_ick asked:

Best/Most memorable gaming moment?

Are you into collecting emblems?

Your take on nudity in videogames, where do you draw the line?

Are you a Rhino?

There are a lot to choose from, but ifI'm allowed to choose three,I'll go with the ending of MGS3, the butterfly trial in Heavy Rain and just playing Kingdom Hearts and reliving all the Disney memories.

By that do you mean the GS emblems. In that case, I secretly love getting them. The Top 500 Reviewers Emblem almost made me cry of joy.

If it's done tastefully, it can greatly amplify how the game affects the player, but sadly, I haven't seen many tasteful uses of it. Even Heavy Rain, which in many ways handled it well, went a little overboard. Devs really have to be careful in using it, because if it's just thrust into the game (God of War, for example) it seems simply cheap and nothing more.

...how did you know? Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag. Yes, I'm a rhino. As you can imagine, typing is a nightmare.

-Me in my younger, simpler days. Ah, the memories.

theslimdavylp asked:

What came first, the chicken or the egg??

I'll go with the egg for $100!

Well, I hope you all learned something from this: I'm insane. Good banana pineapple!

-Calvinsora

OK, so it's a bit weird making a blog barely 24 hours after another one, but here's the deal: writing these short blogs makes me seem more active than I really am and I've already received a truckload of great recommendations! Astounding. But there's a point to this blog. Exber posted a blog a while ago asking people to ask any question they wished to know the answer to about him, and it really interested me. Therefore, you can now ask me ANYTHING in the comment section. Anything you wish to know about me (outside of passwords and pin numbers :P) will be answered in my next blog. Isn't that just dandy? I know you're "dying" to know my deepest secrets, so fire away. What about lil' old me would you like to know, gaming-related or no? It's yours to decide. One more lesson today, and that is that you don't mess with a hippo:

You don't mess with 'em!

-Calvinsora