Since I cant predict what will happen or when people will leave, I wanted to leave my final messages for the friends Ive come to know and love :P (Organized by union, then PM/blog, then other mentions, and finally past mentions)(apostrophes are also gone again, sorry >.> )

Smiley Army

Fablesway - weve had quite the history, havent we? Throughout all that time, we mustve posted tons and sent so many messages back and forth :P was always fun though! Youre the most special person in my life, and Im so glad we could spent those fun times together like that ^^ well be moving on from this place, but well never forget where we started :) lets see what life has in store for us :o love you Ash ^^

Berto64 - known you for a good amount of time, and while we havent talked much lately, were still buds ^^ cant help that weve both been busy, what a pain right? :P I still remember how wed talk about relationship stuff or just shoot the breeze, that was fun ^^ well be able to do it again eventually though Im sure :D I wish you well in whatever you do dude ^^

CountBleck12 - always had a great time chatting with you in the unions, and even a little bit outside the site (like that awesome anime discussion we had with that friend of yours on FB :lol: ). Youre an awesome guy and Im glad were friends :D

GamerofMario1 - always there to provide some humor and add more to discussions, youre a friendly guy that I enjoyed seeing around the unions ^^ stay cool dude!

ShadowofSonic - I remember you asked before how wed originally met, and I couldnt say for sure, but Im glad we did! I also remember how you said you werent fans of otaku, but Im glad I could slip through the cracks :P your sense of humor always makes things fun wherever you go, and its been great being able to chat on FB lately (when work doesnt interrupt). Im really glad to have another best friend who keeps life interesting, and who I can wish well on a regular basis (even if I dont always say :P ). Stay cool bro :D

Shytink8965 - while you didnt come around as often at first, you started posting a bit more as time went on, and it became evident that you were another friendly person to chat with ^^ youll most likely be better at fighting games than me forever too XD either way, glad to have met you :D

Wolverine87aX - you were quite the lively one :P you had an interesting story going and enjoyed being part of the community. I also noticed after starting HS that youd started to mature more. I dont mean anything bad by that of course, you just had a slightly more serious tone (in a good way!). Ive heard youre doing well lately, and I hope that continues ^^

Off-Topic Universe

Koolkat14 - youre a very friendly person who Ive known for a while, and who Ive had the pleasure of designing themes for :P its always nice seeing you around the site ^^ I hope you do well in University! :D

Ktulu007 - Ive known you for a few years, and Ive never grown tired of your sense of humor and clever wit :P I really like the way you carry yourself; youre confident, smart, and a nice person ^^ you also write some of the best anime reviews Ive had the pleasure of reading (even if I dont agree with certain ones :P ). Im glad I got the chance to know you dude, thanks for keeping things interesting :)

Macrules_640 - one of my oldest friends here, youre always up for a joke and having some good discussions (though I cant join in all of them :P ). Youve also always had some great looking themes ;) thanks for being my friend dude ^^

Munchgun - a nice person all around, and one who enjoys chatting as well :P if you ever get that game store going, I might order something if you guys have a website :P glad to be friends :D

Mitu123 - youre definitely the most well-informed person Ive ever met. from gaming news to movies, youre always on top of things. Glad to have gotten the chance to chat and be friends ^^

Niche and Off-Topic Union

Lazyathew/Bongardo - just a friendly guy in general, and one I enjoyed chatting with on occasion. Thanks for making the union more fun to hang out at :D

Phoenixangel9 - known you for quite some time, and theres never a dull moment as long as youre around :lol: youre very well-informed about various games and anime that Im not, and your sense of humor is great as well :P I always looked forward to seeing you in the unions since it was guaranteed to be fun :P thanks for being my friend dude :)

Pokemon Regions Union

Dorthie2 - the esteemed leader who couldnt resist a good laugh :P was fun making you laugh, and youre a nice person in general. Glad to have met you ^^

Giratina98 - a bro whos fun to talk to and has a great sense of humor, but has no way of contact him! :P had a lot of good times hanging out in the union, and glad I could be there with others when you needed someone to talk to ^^ gonna miss you dude, take care of yourself :)

HybridKing - my sarcastic brother in comedy, never a dull moment with you around :P from funny to serious conversations, Id say weve had them all, and I enjoyed every one of them. I also appreciate the help you give me on designs, and for introducing me to the awesome Gintama series :P glad were friends dude ^^

Sniper-Gamer - a fellow anime and game enthusiast with a friendly personality. Always nice to see you around the unions, and I enjoyed reading your blogs as well :D glad we could be friends ^^

Vocaloid Union

Hanzoadam - a dude whose anime collection Ill always be jealous of :lol: your blogs were always interesting to see, and was nice seeing you around the union as well. Take care of yourself dude ^^

Josephl64 - a very friendly user whos probably seen 3 times the amount of anime I have so far :P I enjoyed posting with you in the different unions, and Im glad to have been a friend ^^

Ota-COOL Underground

2ndWonder - a super cool user who generously took me into his mansion and made me a maid :P theres no doubt that youre the nicest person Ive met here, possibly ever, and I really enjoyed getting the chance to chat with you in various unions ^^ I hope we get to skype with everyone one day, maybe even hang out like you said, thatd be cool :) glad were friends :D

Cloud_765 - a cool user whos been quite dedicated to making his game lately :P you introduced me to Touhou and also contributed to some great discussions ^^ was fun chatting in general and just chilling out at the board. Thanks for being my friend ^^

SoraX64 - even though I met you more recently, I enjoyed chatting with you ^^ youre a nice guy who made hanging out at the board a lot of fun, and you helped me get Maximum the Hormones new album (thanks again) ^^ glad I got the chance to meet you dude :D

Social Café Union

Killyou - a silly user whos fun to be around :P was fun posting with you and Im glad we got the chance to hang out a bit ^^

Papermariofan57 - a cool user who happens to be super friendly, you made posting a lot of fun :P you also had a great sense of humor which made things even better :P hope we get the chance to chat more on FB, and I wish you luck on the continued pursuit of your career :D glad to be friends ^^

PiscesChick93 - a very nice user who always seems to be having fun in her blogs :P youre definitely one of the friendliest people I know here, and it was fun getting to chat :D glad we could be friends, and I wish you luck in the future ^^

The_Last_Ride - a user who seems to enjoy being sarcastic (like me) :P its also cool that youre into Bleach as well ^^ was fun being able to chat with you in the unions dude, thanks for being my friend ^^ maybe one of us will solve world hunger one day :P

Toph_Girl250 - you always seemed to be surrounded with drama in various places, but regardless, I enjoyed your company :P you certainly kept things interesting! Youre a nice person and Im glad I could chat with you back in the Spring, you saved me from a lot of boredom during college classes :P glad to have met you ^^

Valereth85 - a user with some strong opinions, you certainly kept things interesting :P still, I enjoyed your company and also liked chatting when we got the chance ^^ glad I could meet you Val, I wish you the best with everything ^^

Relationship Union

Noteldnep - a very friendly user who I enjoyed having conversations with and just shooting the breeze. was very nice of you to invite me to your union, and i hope i was able to contribute somewhat :P thanks for being a great friend ^^

Blackbladegr - another friendly user who enjoyed a good laugh and who was always positive when i saw her. just like Note, was fun getting the chance to talk to you when i could, glad to have met you ^^

PM/blog friends

FojMohsin - a friendly guy who Ive enjoyed PMing, as well as reading your blogs. Not sure if Ill be PMing through GS anymore, but Im glad we got the chance to chat ^^ thanks for being my friend dude ^^

Jak-25 - known you for quite some time, and weve been PMing for just about as long :P from game systems, life, school, and even some anime, weve talked about plenty :P like with FojMohsin, not sure if Ill be using the GS PM system anymore, but it was great being able to chat with you for so long, and Im glad we could be friends :D

Stonhengehill - always there following my blogs, its nice seeing you stop by each time ^^ thanks for the fun comments, and I hope you enjoyed the reads :P

Other mentions

animhz

AvatarMan96

Dam505

Kid_Black_Star

JadeTorchwood

GameNeerd

GhettoChimera1

GoogliGamer

Lucky_Krystal

Milesprower2k9

Nate1222

Okplay

Personeyperson

PiscesAnimeGirl

RatedSTARZ

Sexyweapons

SloganYams

Sman3579

Spinnerweb

Twnturbo/DCSchark

Trail_Mix

TAMKFan

While I dont know you guys quite as well, I enjoyed seeing you around the unions and GS in general :D some of you I may even get to know better in the future, and if so then Im looking forward to that ^^ from your fun posts to interesting blogs to your presence in general, Im glad I was able to meet you all in some way :D

Past mentions

Aidan129

Courtney817

Cronomagus36

AmyRoseRox01

Animalcrossig8

Arthusbuttkick

Koi-Neon-X

Mario_sonic_man

Naomz

Nintendoecx

Romo70

Smashking777

Spooky102

Thug2Wasteland

While you guys most likely wont see this, I still want to thank you for some really great experiences here. Some of you were very friendly, some had exceptionally good blogs, and others were just fun to hang out with. Without you guys, my time here wouldnt be complete, so wherever you are, I wish you the very best :)

Thanks to everyone who made this place so much fun over the years! Ill never forget any of you or the times we shared here :D I might try to do a few blogs once the new place hits, but hard to say. For the final time in this layout, this is megamannt123 signing out! Thanks for reading!

*ALSO, IF YOU WISH TO KEEP IN CONTACT (and we're not already), LET ME KNOW! I HAVE ACCOUNTS ALL OVER SO FEEL FREE TO ASK! THANKS!*

With the new policies and 'subtractions' (as they were) announced, many members have been annoyed/upset with the lack of unions and UCBs (myself included). Unions are the biggest part of my activity here, for the sole purpose of chatting with many good friends every day, shooting the breeze or otherwise. It's almost like a secret club of sorts; you bring your snacks, enter through the door, and chill out while everyone plays Smash Bros. and jokes around up in the tree fort. Well, if you want to visualize it that way :P 

Either way, I loved unions, they showed just how great the community here on GS was. Even if you weren't particularly social IRL, you could still gather here with friends and get a bit social and interact for however long you wanted to. Not only that, some unions had been built from the ground up, lasted for years, established themselves, and gotten good amounts of activity. The feels man, the FEELS. 

I talked about it with a friend recently, and I realized some things. I reached nearly 80k posts over the course of 6 years (just about) because I enjoyed chatting with my friends so much, AND every post was made within unions. Posting became a regular thing for me. It helped to talk when things at home weren't going so good, it was nice being able to support others, and it even helped cure some boredom during college (and yes, I passed all my classes :P ). In my case, it was also how I got to know my (soon-to-be) fiance. 

At any rate, I'll be giving Zetaboards a shot, and everyone I know seems to be following suit. As for blogs, I'll be doing one more after this: My final anniversary blog that I write every year for my friends. A tad early, I know, but I want to get it done before the final changes happen. If you're reading this, you know you'll be mentioned, so keep an eye out for it :)

As always, thanks for reading!

About a week ago, one of my best friends (who's currently in Georgia, while I'm here in Colorado) asked if I could check on his old house. Apparently they got a violation notice; the previous renters hadn't been there for a year and he said it needed mowing and branches to be picked up. I went over not knowing what to expect, and then it came into focus at the bottom of his hill. A battle was about to take place...

Front and back, they were everywhere. I don't think he knew just how bad it was :lol: Some were taller than me! Anyways, my dad decided to help, and we stayed for about 5 hours getting what we could done. It was hard work, but I was getting paid so whatever :P We retook the battlefield:

A considerable difference could be seen, that's for sure. I sent him the pictures, and his wtf reaction made it all worth it :lol: I got my payment in the mail yesterday amounting to a nice $75. Not sure what to use it on since I recently got some iTunes cards from a previous yard work job. I'll try to figure something out :P

#3 - Kingdom Hearts 2

Ah, KH2. The game that not only became my favorite of the series, but also introduced me to one of my favorite video game characters ever: Roxas. It was a little disorienting starting the game as him, but it eventually became one of the many things I remember fondly about this title. When you know the full story, that time with Roxas becomes a little sadder.... Here comes the list:

1. Fluid gameplay - While some may argue that the combat feels button-mashy (and I suppose it is), its still satisfying seeing all the combo moves, crazy flips, and finishing blows that are dealt during the fight. In the overall game, being able to jump flip, quick run, and glide around the areas is a lot of fun. The addition of reaction commands add an interesting angle to the fighting as well. They arent always necessary, but they yield some good results if you can pull them off.

2. Forms - Being able to transform and dual wield keyblades is awesome enough, but then getting to level up those forms (as well as the abilities that come with them) makes it even better. And even though Anti-form zaps your drive gauge, its quite the spectacle to watch.

3. Abilities - This games chock full of them, to the point where you cant even select them all at max AP. Plenty of variety to be had there.

4. Menus - I suppose this is minor, but its incredibly easy to navigate through the menu screens. I like the look of them as well :P

5. Story - Interesting all the way through with some humorous moments here and there, and one hell of a finale.

6. Extras - Plenty to do in-game, from completing the Moogle shop to filling out that journal.

7. Sephiroth fight - One of the coolest bosses Ive had the pleasure of facing. I have a file saved just so I can fight him in Proud Mode :P

#2 - Persona 3 Portable

Id only heard vague things about this game in general, though it had me interested. My best friend got the PSP version during Senior year, and he stopped part-way through. He let me borrow it that Spring. Its still one of the most interesting games Ive played to date. It includes so many different elements and pushes them all together, yet they work so well! Nothing feels tacked on in the slightest. For a JRPG-dating sim-visual novel-esque game, it holds up amazingly well.

You start out with very low stats obviously, then work your way up in both strength and personality as the story progresses. However, its up to you what to work on. Its after school, do you want to maybe walk home with that girl? Oh, but she needs max charm from you first. Better do a fun activity elsewhere to build that up. Maybe you want to hang with a friend to up your relationship and the stat boosts that come with it? Or possibly just go home and study?

You can also choose your pace for exploring dungeons within the allotted time. You can do it right away, pace yourself, or get it all done at the last minute. It's constantly a challenge as well, strategizing each battle to either get quickly to the top or get all the treasure and experience you can on the way up (I choose the latter). Boss fights are quite tense as well. Even on normal, you sometimes barely make it through the fight.

The story and characters throughout are fantastic as well. Every person you interact with feels so real, and the ones that have voice acting are excellent-sounding. A girl main character was introduced with this version, but I havent even gotten to that yet :P

Oh, and that soundtrack! Sooooooo good!

#1 - The World Ends With You

This may have been obvious to some people I know, but to the rest, let it be known. I freaking LOVE this game. Even before making the list, this was automatically on top. Everything about it is beautiful in a way I can only hope to describe effectively.

1. Story - I really had no idea what to expect when starting TWEWY, but I quickly found out. As soon as I watched that opening cutscene, I fell in love. Youre guided through a bizarre situation, slowly working your way through piece by piece, twist by twist, day by day. The more you play, the more you get sucked in, and its a feat to do it as quickly as it manages to. Im still fascinated with the concept. Easily one of the most unique and powerful stories Ive ever played through.

2. Gameplay - The customization for battle moves is incredible, the ease theyre carried out is great, and each move is a joy to watch and implement. However, the real star of the show is the dual-battling. You control not one, but two characters at once. Certainly a challenge to get the hang of, but when you get used to it, it couldnt feel more fluid and fun. The clothes you buy not only up your stats, but follow trends that get weaker or stronger depending on the area. Food you eat gets digested as you fight (one battle = one bite), which adds to your permanent stats.

3. Environments/Art - Based on real-life Shibuya, each area you explore feels alive and looks awesome. Each location even has its own district logo. The character art and animation are fantastic, and I never get tired of roaming the areas.

4. Characters - This game is home to some of the coolest individuals (heroes and villains alike) ever thought up for a game. I love the main character and his teammates, the villains are quite interesting, and one particular math-loving bad guy makes you adore him. Some phrases he says (math quotes of sorts) are burned into my mind, and they actually helped me a bit during HS math :lol:

5. Soundtrack - Definitely one of my favorite game soundtracks of all time. Doesnt matter whats playing in the background or during battle, its all great!

6. Tin Pin - A fun mini-game that gets its start within a section of the main story, then gets an additional chapter based solely around that (one that is quite funny).

Theres a lot more I could say, but you get the gist. This game is a true masterpiece that everyone needs to play. Its stuff like this that makes me happy to be a gamer ^^

I hope you enjoyed seeing this list unfold, and maybe you even gained a bit of knowledge. Either way, thanks again for reading ^^ 

Once again, pardon the lack of apostrophes :P

#6 - Resident Evil 4

This was the very first Resident Evil game Id ever tried (when I was 17). My best friend bought it and tried playing it, but he couldnt get the hang of the controls, so he let me borrow it. I was glued to it the entire time I had it (and he just let me keep it afterwards :P ). Easily one of my favorite horror experiences to date. Despite playing it through about 6 times (so far) and knowing whats coming, I still get tense with certain parts and love everything the game throws at you.

I could make a list of things I like about this game, but Id probably end up listing just about everything :P Overall, its such a solid game. I will say that bosses are spectacular, environments are wonderful (especially the village), and certain encounters still make me nervous (those female chainsaw wielders and blind wolverine-like guys). *Shiver*

#5 - Left 4 Dead 2

This series was me and my best friends obsession in all of high school. Every time we hung out, we played one of these games co-op, and it was always a blast. I have since bought myself the first and second games, and re-bought the second game for PC :P The second game in particular is quite spectacular, improving on the first in a lot of ways (though the first is still really fun). The gameplay is simple, satisfying and fun, making it easy to pick up and play. The environments are excellent-looking, down to the last detail. Theres also a decent amount of humor present in it, which is welcome in the depressingly barren and dangerous areas. The enemies are very creative as well, and the danger they present makes you think twice about wandering off alone.

Even the lack of story is interesting to me. The characters focus on somehow getting to point A to point B, but along the way youll make your way through buildings, homes, parks, a carnival, and others. There are constant reminders of how things used to be, war plans for getting rid of these zombies, and wall messages to loved ones. It makes you wonder how things got this way. There are no indications of a cause source, no cure discussions, no information at all. Its all left up to imagination

#4 - Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories (PS2)

This one Ill be breaking down into a list of awesomeness :P

1. The card aspect - Its an interesting idea to limit your navigation and attacks to card-based maneuvers. You cant just swing your blade (use up your cards) and expect to get anywhere. This game is as much about strategy as it is about action, yin and yang if you will. Lots of people hate it Im sure, but I personally love it.

2. Leveling up - Being able to choose what stat increase you get from a level up is very cool, and even adds a strategic edge to the system. Are you confident enough to get by with little health for deck boosts? Should you go for a new combo? Is it best to choose health or deck capacity before the next boss?

3. The setting, level structure, and resulting tension - While playing this game, youre in a giant castle with various rooms (or worlds rather) that have to be explored. It all feels super confined and claustrophobic, even more so in the individual rooms. It almost makes you feel uneasy and is executed so well. You can choose to breeze through the rooms (to an extent) and get to the main parts, or use heartless cards often and boost your levels. Once you reach the end of the world, theres another conflict to consider. Most of the time, theres a boss waiting for you on the other side of the exit door, and a tough one at that. Are your stats sufficient? Can you beat him/her? Will you be forced to turn tail and grind levels? Uncertainty is a HUGE part of this game, and I love it! :P

4. Bosses - On the note of those guys, every one of them is excellent and challenging. Soras final boss is insane, yet is a little bit easier than the GBA version (which was a true endurance test). Itll take everything you have to take these guys out, not just your cards.

5. Multiple Characters - This isnt a spoiler because of the cover, right? :P (was certainly a secret in the GBA one) ANYWAYS, each one has their own story and play style. Soras deck is fully customizable, while Rikus deck is locked for each world. Each has their own strategy, so its up to you to figure out what works best for you!

6. Story - How could I forget? Each of the two characters stories are so good! The tension mentioned before is totally evident, and there are a good amount of twists as well. Itll keep you guessing ;)

7. PS2 version - This translated so well to PS2, quite happy about that. This version also has some nice extras in it, always great to see. Also, those graphics! And Twilight Town! ^^

Thats it for this part! Check out the final post for the remaining games :o

Thanks for reading! ^^

(Pasting from Word, pardon the lack of apostrophes)

Alright, here is the second part of the list, featuring #10 - #7!

#10 - Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby games are very straightforward in their presentation and gameplay. Hell most of them involve Kirby enjoying some form of food that eventually gets stolen or ruined :P However, there is something to be said for experiencing a pure sense of fun, and these games deliver on that. The best example would be this title.

There are certain things that make this particular Kirby game my favorite. First, not only can you use awesome copy abilities, but you can use that ability to call in a teammate to fight with you!

Second, all the different modes you can play add so much variety, and youre constantly unlocking new things to play.

Third, there is a good amount of challenge. Some Kirby games are known for being fun, but also being easy. That is not so here, as each mode is marked with a difficulty meter, getting harder and harder as you go. This brings me to the next point: tension.

In the various Kirby games I have played, Ive never been worried about beating bosses or getting through a level. In Super Star Ultra, certain bosses had me in awe. They were threatening, they were dark, and they were cool (looking at you Marx)! Another instance (The True Arena) was a boss rush mode with very limited health recovery, and a lot of bosses that were tough had to be fought in bulk. With the final boss being a darker Marx, this mode truly made you play hard.

Final points: it was portable and brought classic mini-games with it :P

#9 Dead Rising

This has been a favorite for a while, but I had the chance to spent around a month with it recently (doing some achievement hunting for fun). In that time, I found out just how much I enjoy and adore this game.

You are trapped in a mall trying to get to the bottom of this zombie story. You have 72 hours to get your info and get out. Everything in the mall is a weapon. Any zombie fan would find this scenario very enticing :P

Again, I can break down my love for this into points. First, the setting is brilliant. Normally, you are stuck in a dark, dank environment with zombies coming towards you. This game has you in a bright, colorful mall with cheerful music playing on occasion, absolutely SURROUNDED by zombies. It just feels WRONG, but in a good way!

Second: zombie count. I dont think I have seen a game that pits you against so many zombies at once, and with excellent frame rate at that! Whats interesting (GS put it best), the zombies arent the main focus, they actually act more as an obstacle.

Third: mission structure. The game goes in almost real time and missions show up at certain hours in the game. However, aside from the main story (which is no problem to complete), every other mission that shows up is optional. Every mission will give you some form of help, usually in the form of EXP, but sometimes youll gain a powerful weapon. Here you will find the struggle of risk vs. reward. You need to keep an eye on the main mission time while also carrying out additional missions. It takes time to get used to, but when you do, you rock it. If you are successful, you will gain rewards and manage to continue effectively. If you cant get back in time, your story will end (though you can still play through if you wish). On that note...

Fourth: restart bonuses. Even if you do die at certain points in the game (and you know you cant get farther), you have the option to start over with your current stats intact.

Fifth: Psychopaths. Certain missions bring you face to face with these guys, driven crazy by the zombie outbreak. The way they act is truly creepy and believable, and the fights are filled with plenty of tension. Their cutscenes are also quite interesting.

Sixth: Story. Its awesome and it makes you want to know what happens.

Seventh: Fun Factor. Between blunt objects, sharp objects, melee and guns, killing zombies has never been more satisfying. You also get a feel for what weapons you like the most, and you start to find ways to improve on them or stock up. You have the most fun when you're prepared for a fight! Of course there's something to be said for scrambling for weapons and wacking away :P

#8 Mega Man X Command Mission

One day, a younger me traded in a couple GC games in a game store. I was looking for a new game. I glanced upon a Mega Man game (my first one actually) and figured I would give it a shot. The marriage of Mega Man and Final Fantasy blew my mind.

This game is just an overall wonderful experience for me. The story is enjoyable, the characters are great (with voice acting Im a fan of) and the environments are interesting and fun to explore. There are four things in particular that I really love about this game though.

1. The battle system in Command Mission was fantastic. You have your main attack of course, but there were also sub-weapons you could use in the same turn. Depending on what you had equipped, these could deal extra damage, steal items, build status, etc. However, to use these, you had to sacrifice WE (a little gained each turn). You could also save your WE to eventually use a super move exclusive to that character. Decisions! The combat was also very satisfying to watch.

2. The bosses were excellent. No boss was easy, every one made you contemplate your strategy. There were some truly spectacular ones that had you on edge and excited ^^

3. Secrets aplenty. One thing I love about games is secret stuff, and this game has lots. Theres figures, posters, music, art, weapons, and even keys that lead to armor. However, these same keys lead to some insane and incredibly memorable secret bosses. Specifically Rafflesian and the Tails clan (9 bosses in a single location), they will f*ck you up if you are not prepared. Awesome stuff!

4. Great soundtrack. Love me some video game music, and this game has a soundtrack I enjoy ^^

#7 Star Fox Assault

Star Fox is a great series (with the possible exception of Command) that comes to a peak with this game (imo). For one thing, the story was pretty dark and interesting, something I didnt quite expect. It starts off innocently enough, with the group chasing an enemy in their ships. Then things take a strange turn with the sudden appearance of a new alien entity that is absorbing life sources across the Lylat System. They will hunt you on numerous occasions, destroy planets, cause close calls, and brainwash enemies and allies, making for some truly creepy and unsettling moments. Thats the best part though, the story is very tense and effectively gives you a sense of dread while playing. There was one hell of a final level as well.

The gameplay melds perfectly with this sense of danger and urgency. Arwing battles start off fun, then become more challenging, and finally finish with a powerful climax (with some exceptions that are crazy from the start). Land segments are just as cool, and in some cases you have to keep an eye on the invasion. If it gets too large, you have to jump in your ship to lower the numbers. Some of the best moments occur when Fox rides an Arwing from the outside, blasting away with a plasma cannon. The missions themselves are just fun to play over and over again and Ive found myself going back to a lot of them on several occasions. 

The short yet great soundtrack helps to complete this fun title ^^

I also think the characters are excellent and I loved seeing Fox and Krystals relationship bloom (which was nearly ruined in Command :x ).

There you have it, next post will have #6 - #4 ^^

Thanks for reading! 

With the almost 6 years of me being here, I dont think Ive ever done a list of my favorite games ever :o No time like the present, right? Plus ShadowofSonic kinda got me in the mood for it :P I thought long and hard about all the games that left lasting impressions on me. From the first game I ever played to my most recent one, I went over them all. While there are many games that I love, there are those select few that rise above the rest

Before getting into those though, I want to have some honorable mentions, because they deserve some spotlight as well. These games have lots going for them, but didnt quite make it.

Metroid Prime

I didnt get around to this one until junior year of HS, when a friend let me borrow it. I wanted to give it a shot (and it was also my first real shooter), but I had no idea what to expect. I was surprised how much I got into it. It was so far from what I usually play, yet I was enjoying myself quite a bit. The gameplay was satisfying (thanks in part to excellent controls), music was atmospheric, and it looked beautiful (particularly the snowy skies of Phendrena Drifts [I believe thats what it was called]). After beating it, I realized that the entire story was told with NO DIALOGUE (apart from scanning items for some form of info). Quite brilliant.

Super Mario Sunshine

Still my favorite Mario game to date, I loved this game as a kid and played the hell out of it. Everything from the music, the level designs, playing around with FLUDD and those gorgeous visuals was well done. The plot could have been a tad stronger, but I suppose Mario games have never really needed a strong story :P

Lunar Knights

Originally borrowed from a friend back in middle school, this game surprised me with its depth and cool story. What started as something simple eventually got more and more complex, coupled with plenty of hidden secrets (worth exploring). The story was interesting and tense, with quite the conclusionthen what seemed to be the conclusion evolved into an even more epic conclusion. Then a challenging-as-hell epilogue hinted at something even more sinister! Ive played this game countless times, and I still havent gotten everything unlocked (I wonder if I ever will?). You just cant stop playing once you start, and multiple playthroughs are a given for the upped difficulties and extra goodies. Hell the gameplay alone makes it fun (as it should :P ). Id expect no less from Hideo Kojima (after what Ive seen from the first MGS), who surprised me with his involvement.

Max Payne (1 and 2)

I had been curious about this series after a friend (macrules) said what a big fan he was of it. I looked into it, and it did sound fun, so after much searching, I got myself a copy of the first for PS2. The story and dark atmosphere made it so you couldnt relax for long, because there was always a sense of danger. I dont know what it is, but I loved the overall feel of the games. The comic panel cutscenes, Maxs voice, the run-down environments, it was all great! You want to know what happens next, you want Max to succeed, you want to guide him to victory (well, I did at least :P ). The gameplay was fun as well, and Maxs signature bullet time moves couldnt just be used all the time. You had to use strategy and planning so that your extra time wasnt wasted. Diving from a flight of stairs during bullet time was equal parts epic and painful :lol: Also, Maxs bullet time reload in the second game was freaking awesome. Only thing that took away from the experience were those tightrope sequences in the first game. The idea wasnt too bad, but getting through those parts was a brutal struggle of landing correctly and WATCHING YOUR STEP. Then again, maybe that represents the feel of the game quite well? The symbolism is nice, but I still didnt enjoy those parts :P

PS2 Sly series (extremely close runner-up)

Ive loved these games since I was a kid who could only watch them be played at friends houses. The first game had me completely interested, and when I finally did play, it was fantastic. Navigating the traps! Finding the clue bottles! Hearing that compelling and interesting story! Everything clicked so well, and was one of the few games where I unlocked level commentary and listened to all of it. Sly 2 and 3 only made things better, with a free-roaming environment and missions that led up to the conclusion of each chapter. Exploring every environment with Sly (and even the other two) couldnt have been more fun. It finished with quite the final level and boss fight, ending the series on *gasp* a cliffhanger (where the 4th game finally came in)! I also loved the way each games story found its way into the next one (most compelling in the second game imo). All three games were excellent in their own right, and Im sure Ill love the 4th as well ^^

FF VII Crisis Core (narrowly beat by #10 spot)

I believe this was my second FF game ever, and boy did it leave an impression. Zack was an excellent and likable protagonist, the main cast was great, the story made you feel totally engaged, the combat was streamlined and fun, and that soundtrack! And that powerful endingIt all came together to make an impressive game! There were also some additional things you could enjoy. All of the available extra missions could be done at any time, and you often gained benefits from doing them, even extra cutscenes and some humorous encounters. There were even e-mail clubs you could join and a literary piece called Loveless that made for a good read. There was plenty to do, thats for sure. One thing I found slightly annoying was the fact that your extra mission progress isnt saved after beating the game, but at least your levels stick with you. On a side note, I cant wait to play FFVII to see how this story continues! :D

That does it for my special mentions, hope youve gotten the chance to enjoy them like I have! Next blog will have my #10 - #7 games. "Look forward to it!"

Thanks for reading! ^^ 

First, Im back ^^ Thanks to those who already welcomed me back, and for everyone who wished me well before I left :D (Better get to work on those PMs...)

Second, a few people know the purpose of my trip to Canada, but most dont. It has to do with me and Miss fablesway. Let me explain:

2 summers ago, I came across her profile through the comments system of a friends blog. I was curious, so I read and liked how she did things. She then proceeded to ask a great many questions via PM :P She invited me to a union, we chatted a good amount there, and also continued to PM each other. Eventually we moved to FB for most of our chatting, and we continued to get to know each other. We had gotten very close by that point, so I asked if maybe shed want to try a relationship, and she said yes ^^ For almost 2 years, we talked for hours almost every day, just shooting the breeze and asking how the other persons day was going, leading to other conversational paths :P

Wed gotten as close as we could via chat, so I finally got the money together to visit her in Canada and stay with her for a week (this past week). It was such a great week! We watched movies, played video games, went to the mall, talked, snuggled, etc. =3 She also gave me more manga than I could take home with me as gifts :lol:

It was sad having to leave her, but at least now we know how we truly feel about each other. I love her very much, and she feels the same :) Were going to continue to visit each other every so often (when time/money allows), but eventually well be together to stay, once we get some job/school stuff out of the way ^^

So GS, while you may be a pain at times with your glitches and whatnot, Ill always be grateful for you giving me the opportunity to meet such a great girl. Thank you!

Love you Ash ^^

See ya in a week!

So here it is, my new vlog that took me a good amount of time to make :P

Things to add:

1. Just graduated a few days ago, got my two year degree :D

2. Going to Canada in one week, not two anymore :P

I hope you enjoy it ^^ Thanks again for the cameos from ShadowofSonic!