For all of you not living in the United States' midwest, we are in the middle of a major snowstorm. Now, normally that would not be enough to blog about. But, in this case, the sheer irony is rather funny. Perhaps some places are actually getting dumped upon, but around here, it's all hype, not reality. Major schools closed in advance for this storm... not just the normal ones, but also Oakland University and Wayne State University... places that I joke about only closing for an apocalypse. And here we have about 3 inches of snow and they are closed because it was so over-hyped. As I told my students, tomorrow is likely a snow day even if we have no snow just because of all the hype. And... it looks like I was right :P

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Protector: Reclaiming the Throne

Yes, I am on a bit of a TD/undefined spree lately. His games are just so much fun to play ;). Anyways, for a lot of TD players, P:RT will be the ultimate game for them. The challenge level borders on insane. Every move you make must be very carefully calculated. And, every map requires a different strategy and skill set (yes, every map). To make things harder, you only get one skill (although resettable) each time you clear a map for the first time. So, there is no grinding to make a level easier. You just have to take the "easiest" uncleared map available and try to beat it with your current skills. Mastering what skills to take and what order to do the maps makes the game very challenging but never feeling cheap. There is always a way to beat the level, you just need some serious logic and wits to find it. In fact, I have advised students to play this game to improve their logic skills. It's that intense.

Overall: A+/B+

I give two ratings since it really depends on one's own style. A lot of players will probably give up after the first few maps, but for those who really love exercising their brain in a defense game, it really doesn't get any better than this.

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One thing I may or may not be putting at the end of my blogs from here on out are my "what if" questions. I do enjoy asking theoretical ideas (and especially reading your responses). So here's the first one for you:

What if you built a time machine? Would you go back in time or forward, to what time, and why?

What a weird title, eh? Anyways, today is the last day of taxes for me. Unlike the majority of the USA, I need to submit mine by January 31st (today). Gotta love all the hoops for self-employment. It's no wonder to me that a good portion of self-employed individuals do not bother with taxes at all. The government really makes things annoying for us. I don't even have all of my W-2s yet from the companies I did work for (so no EIN, which means no end of hassles). So, for all of you who have April 15th as the due date, count your blessings :P.

On a side note, my toenails are rather brittle. I don't think it's any sort of disease, just how they are. I was just curious if anyone reading this had any idea of a simple (and inexpensive) way to help make them stronger. If so, I'd love to hear it.

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As for gaming, this weekend I've been addicted to Protector IV. Undefined is one of my favorite flash programmers (perhaps my actual favorite), and this game is certainly up there in how well it plays. Protector is another TD (tower defense) game free online. The difference between the Protector series and most other TDs is that instead of towers, you place people to kill the bugs, etc. It has a decent challenge curve (a lot easier than II, but still challenging), and it boasts about a 3-5 hour time to finish the main storyline. However, there is still plenty to do afterwards, such as trying to get all 100 talents (which would take DAYS to get the last few), increasing your stats more, or collecting items such as Protectomen (think like Pokemon). It is well worth a visit if you enjoy TD games with a lot of character options (46 characters and 100 heroes).

OVERALL: A

(Again, close to the A+, but lacking any real challenge after you have sufficiently leveled up, no infinite mode.)

Welcome to my first split blog (if my previous one doesn't count :P).

For those of you who do not know, I graduated in May 2010 with my BS in mathematics (minors in Computer Science & Business). After that, I went to work for two companies as an analyst. Audi of America treated me well. Central Transport treated me well... but not the managers I was supposed to analyze. At that point, I learned how my analysis can be used almost as a weapon, when people forget to add the human element.

Anyways, I quit that job in September, searching for a new one (left before finding a new one since I was so fed up). My tutoring business was on an upswing due to schools starting up and decided to "toss all my eggs in one basket", becoming a full-time tutor. And, I have never felt so blessed by God before. I have to turn down offers because I am so busy. Most of my cancellations are taken the very next day. Even when I was in college with 4 jobs, I don't remember being this busy, working most days 12 - 9+ or 9-9+ (yes, 12 (or longer) work days).

I bring this up not only to catch everyone up to speed (if you are interested in my life for whatever reason). It is also that the reason I am doing only one blog on here is because I do have another blog. I often contract for an online company called WyzAnt. So, if you have any interest in tutoring or want to see if I have covered a topic in my other blog, you can view it here. As a side note, I currently have 45 reviews on the site, with a 4.98 star average (just one 4-star) :).

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Today's game highlight is one that many free online gamers know of. Cursed Treasure is the #1 rated game on Kongregate.com and for good reason. It is a tower defense game (so is similar to GemCraft, Bloons, Desktop TD, etc.) that is very well made even though the ideas are actually rather simple. You have only 3 very different towers to choose from (each one has 2 upgrade paths), and each can only be built on their corresponding terrain. There are three corresponding spells as well, each with their own differences, just like the towers. Also, the skill tree has both passive and active bonuses for each skill, with the passives depending on which of the three tower "races" you are increasing. The major draw that you will either love or hate is that skills are NOT resettable. The abilities are rather balanced, although some are overpowered/underpowered, but the simple complexity of how one builds up your abilities and subsequent strategies for each of the 15 maps can really suck one into the game. I have lost a decent amount of sleep getting all brilliant ratings (which I now have).

Overall: A

(I want to give the impossible A+, but after beating the 15 on brilliant, replayability goes way down).

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Lastly, I want to touch base on an idea that Foolz3h touched base on in his recent blog on RapeLay. I think our priorities have gotten screwed up somewhere. Gamers work for a ban on a game about rape which in reality is mild in the raping area whereas there are free online games open to all that are far worse; I know since I ran across one in my study into RapeLay, a game on Newgrounds.com called Dominous: Predator Sim.

The thing is that I am not sure that even Dominous should be banned. I am all for freedoms, such as freedom of speech, but where is the line drawn? I totally agree with ratings and warnings on violent or sexual games, but when it comes to banning, I think it's a slippery slope. I would love it if everyone just did the right thing, but that is not going to happen. Even I flounder in my morality when it comes to games (more on that in future blogs). However, if games get banned, they almost gain more notoriety. Just think back to RapeLay. Its controversy and subsequent banning have probably caused a large influx of sales (well, not the banning part). If someone is going to go against the moral compass, the worse the world calls it, the more they generally want to do it.

People could easily counter this with how many very violent games, barely rated M instead of AO get published each year. However, my point is not that banning has the reverse effect, rather that it is rather ineffective of the core problem that faces us: desensitizing ourselves against games. It can take a game like RapeLay or Dominous to realize just how far we've gone under. I personally am having to take a step back and look at the games I am playing and see if I really want to stand for what they stand for. I would advise you to do the same.

(BTW, sorry that this last part came out so jumbled. My brain is shutting down for sleep...)

Hello all again,

For those like johnsteed who still remember my blog craze, I may be returning to blogs for a while. Instead of my multi-accounts though, I am just going to split up my blogs to the sections.

I am not sure how many of you know this, but the reason I stopped blogging was actually because I could not keep track of all my friends' blogs. I still probably will not have time to visit your blogs a lot, but I will be looking at the titles for ones that interest me.

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Gaming:

I recently completed the PS3 game, Star Ocean International: Last Hope. For those who are a fan of sci-fi fantasy, it is rather easy to recommend. The dialogue is pretty good, especially later on. The combat is about par with that of Kingdom Hearts (i.e. one primary thing with many secondary skills/magic). There is also an interesting bonus system that keeps things a bit more interesting. Also, the game did keep me guessing with some of the twists that occurred along the way (especially the end). That said, the ending scenes aren't worth squat. It's a pity too since it is difficult to make the right dialogue choices along the way to get every ending.

OVERALL: B

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Christian:

For anyone who is interested in a serious Bible study, I highly recommendhttp://www.biblestudytools.com/parallel-bible/(ignore the annoying pop-up that comes up every time though). To be able to read from two different versions simultaneously can really help, and there are a lot of commentaries on the Bible, some passage by passage that can really help. It has certainly enriched my study of Hebrews and trying to find out just who Melchizedek was.

Hi all,

Tis been a while. It takes a lot for me to make a blog nowadays since I am rarely on GameSpot anymore. I am on Kongregate a lot now if you desire to catch me there.

Anyways, just had to blog about the 3DS. I am extra-excited since this time we can pre-order it (which I have already done). I'm totally stoked. Not only do I think the 3D has the chance to revolutionize not just the video game industry, but the entire video entertainment business, but Nintendo is even pulling out all the stops with the startup. First, gotta love that cool blue color. But, moreover, just look at the lineup! As crazy as it may sound, the one I am looking forward to the most is the Paper Mario. I am one of the fans that hated what Nintendo did to Super Paper Mario and am really looking forward to the return to the paper style. Of course, Mario Kart, Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, Professor Layton, and several others also garnished my attention (can't remember them all).

Now, here's to fingers crossed that THESE shoulder buttons won't bust on me (I have yet to own a DS whose shoulder buttons did not eventually die)...

Well Etrian Odyssey III came out on the 23rd, but I have only now had the chance to go pick it up. So far, it has been everything I hoped for :). The character classes are even MORE diverse than EOII (which were the most diverse I had seen, even beating out FFIII's huge job system (which takes third place)). There are 10 classes to begin with and 2 locked classes. Sometime, I read that there will even be subclasses. And, don't think that 10 isn't diverse. Each class has its own strengths and weaknesses in a careful balance. The mapping system is better than ever, with several additional handy options (most prominent is the auto-move). The difficulty level is spot on as well, giving a challenge without being too overbearing. Even the speeding is great, since you can really change how fast battles move. In the end, Atlus has done it again, major improvements over its previous entry, and EOII is in my top 10 game last ;). I can't wait to see what else is in this game.

In other news, a bit of a "ha" to all my friends. Looks like I had a more accurate bracket for the villains than all of you by my newest badge ;). Then again... with only 64 points... I didn't do so hot myself :P

Not many games can get me excited nowadays, but this is an exception. Etrian Odyssey III. I started off on the second installment and was hooked. The game is a classic dungeon crawler with some interesting twists and decent plot development. The real key was the difficulty, which was just right for me (I am a vet of RPGs after all). Later, I bought the first game, and I will admit a lot of disappointment in it. EOII was loads better than EOI. However, that makes me look forward to EOIII even more. If they advanced so much between the first two and the second was so good, this third should be off the charts. In fact, this is one of the few games I have ever pre-ordered... actually, I don't remember ever pre-ordering before this one :P. Judging by the previews, it will live up to my expectations (except I am not sure about the sea travel part, didn't enjoy that in the DS version of LoZ: Sands of Time). On the 21st, I will hopefully know more.

As for the rest of my life, it has been rather crazy. I graduated in May and have been trying to find my niche in the world. In doing so, I am trying to become a full-time tutor, which is even harder than it sounds. Regardless, that is my dream and I do not give up on my dreams. I am also still on both Atlantica and Urban Rivals. Good luck tracking me down in Atlantica, but in UR, it should be rather easy (after all, I am "just4yoshi" :P).

Anyways, wondering how all you are doing. Might see you around a bit. Might not.

Hi all,

Yep, I'm back for another blog so you know there's a good reason. For graduation I got a PS3 along with several games, most notably Final Fantasy XIII.

So much for the idea of "seeing it all before". It takes a LOT to get me excited about a game now, and many just do not cut it with me. I get by with many games (including the infamous Sonic 2006 which I also was given). So, when I am utterly shocked by a game, I like to post it.

Let me put things this way: the entire cost of the PS3 is worth it just to play this game! I have yet to decide if it is better than Final Fantasy X, but we are definitely seeing a return to FF's glory days (FFXII has been a rather disappointment so far). Everything about the game sets new standards for gaming. For the first time yet, I can hardly tell the difference between cutscenes and actual playing, both look incredible, while boasting some of the best effects I have seen. The gameplay is totally new and works extremely well. Just when you think you know how to win battles constantly, something happens to throw off your system. It has both basic accessibility and a lot of on-the-fly decisions as you constantly change formations trying to speed through battles.

But, what really sets FFXIII apart is the story and characters. I am not a fan of branching path storylines, but this one pulls it off marvelously, giving you a chance to understand each character as they lead different teams (with the same characters). It's obvious each one has a background and I can't wait to see how they develop.

Anyways, tis late here so I'd best be leaving. Just wanted to let you all know about the newest game in my arsenal. After just one day of playing, I can say this game will be in the top 10 of all time for me, and by the end, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended in the top 3 or higher.

First off, hello to at least the ten of you who signed my last blog. And yes I actually remember all of you :) (which is great considering my horrible memory :P)

Also, should you ever want to chat, don't forget that I have two IMs (both currently up whenever I am on the computer):
just4yoshi@hotmail.com
just4yoshi@yahoo.com

I really would enjoy getting back in touch with a lot of you even though I no longer frequent GameSpot.

Okay, to the point of this blog: Urban Rivals. Many of you probably already know of this game as they have many ads around the internet. Well, they actually live up to the ads :). I should have tried them out ages ago instead of wading through Alteil (great graphics, but need mega real $ to compete).

The game itself takes only a few minutes to learn. Each game you have four cards. Each card has four main items: Power, Damage, Ability, and Bonus. Power relates to the attack vs your opponent card; should you win that round, you do the Damage to your opponent. Most health at the end wins (or whoever runs out of health loses). Abilities are special bonuses that many cards have (no special attacks, just buffs or anti-buffs), and bonuses are based on having two or more of the same type of card in your hand. In fact, that sounds more complicated than it is (just be prepared to have a second tab open to the abilities/bonuses page for explanation of what each does). The other element is pills, which you can use to buff yourself 12 times per game. When to use your pills and what card to play is really what determines the winner.

Nicest thing is that the game really IS free or mostly-free. I spent $2.60 on it to get a small pack of extra cards which I was able to sell and then purchase with the in-game money what I really wanted, giving me a pretty sweet deck already (cards paid for by $ are random (but pretty good actually) but can buy/sell cards with in-game money). Also nice is that there is a lite RPG factor in that your cards can level up over time to become stronger :).

As always (well most of the time anyways), I'm just4yoshi there (so please use me as referrer if you join ;) ) and look me up if you want to play a round. I'm still rather new to the game myself. The site is:http://www.urban-rivals.com/game/

For those of you not into the trading cards, there is a text-based RPG that I am enjoying too. It takes about 15 minutes a day to play (one of those games that doesn't let you play forever, rather has a turn limit that goes up slowly over time) called Moonstone. It's a nice throwback to the early days where graphics were still secondary to gameplay. It's rather user-friendly and has some helpful players who are on a lot (including me :P), so you won't get lost on what to do, at least not for long. I'm just4yoshi there too, currently ranked as #8, which varies anywhere from 10th to 2nd. That site ishttp://moonstone-rpg.com/game11/home.php.

Anyways, I hope one (or both) of these games can cause you countless hours lost :P. Hope to stay in touch. Ta ta for now ;)

Me?

It has been a long time since I last posted. To give a brief overview, Pangya basically hit the dirt with a lot features screwed around with that took most of the fun out of the game (Pangya was Albatross 18 in case I never mentioned that).

I am now on Atlantica Online and rather enjoying it. I'm now level 96 of 130 and rather well-known in my server (Delphi). My favorite thing is to take on impossible challenges (and win :P).

In other news, dunno how many of you know that I now have a girlfriend. I actually met her on Pangya and we are growing closer still, even though we live about 6 hours apart.

Anyways, was on the site and figured I'd drop in a line or two. Hope things are well with all yous ;).