Ok, so I lied about Entry 7 being the second part in my review of 2005. Entry 8 will cover all of that. I'm simply writing this painfully short text to wish you, the reader, a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, Happy Kwanzaa, and whatever people say about Festivus :). Here's to hoping that your cheer is great, your family happy, and your loot epic. Catch you on the flip side!
~N
naes177 Blog
Entry 6- 2005 Reviewed, Part One
by naes177 on Comments
So, this it it. The sixth entry of TMM. We're nearing the end of 2005, so I thought I'd wrap up the year in gaming terms; going over the good, the bad, and all that.
In one word: Deflated.
Why deflated you ask? You start hopping up and down, waving Resident Evil 4 and F.E.A.R. boxes in my face, right? Well, here are a few reasons why:
1. Last year, we got an unbelievably highly anticipated trio of games: World of Warcraft, Half-Life 2, and Doom 3. How can anything compare to that? Yes, this year DID see the long-awaited release of Quake 4, but don't get me started on that one.
2. Sequals. So...so many...SEQUALS!!! Why so many? Because publishers now control the Industry. They learn what people will buy and churn out sequals like overflowing bottles of milk and cream from mutant, multi-uddered cows. Please, can we have some innovation in 2006? Just a bit?
3. A year of disappointments. From Jade Empire to Myst V to Quake 4, the list just keeps going and going. With standard titles like these coming from the likes of Bioware and id Software, I fear for 2006.
4. Jack Thompson. Oh wow, this guy makes me want to on a wild shooting rampage more than Soldier of Fortune 2. Again, another rant for another time.
5. In fact, the rest of the sh*t head Senators who can't seem to get their heads out of their hubris-inflated asses. The Industry doesn't miss their cerebral input, believe me.
That's all I can think of right now. Check back tomorrow for the second part of 2005 in review.
~N
In one word: Deflated.
Why deflated you ask? You start hopping up and down, waving Resident Evil 4 and F.E.A.R. boxes in my face, right? Well, here are a few reasons why:
1. Last year, we got an unbelievably highly anticipated trio of games: World of Warcraft, Half-Life 2, and Doom 3. How can anything compare to that? Yes, this year DID see the long-awaited release of Quake 4, but don't get me started on that one.
2. Sequals. So...so many...SEQUALS!!! Why so many? Because publishers now control the Industry. They learn what people will buy and churn out sequals like overflowing bottles of milk and cream from mutant, multi-uddered cows. Please, can we have some innovation in 2006? Just a bit?
3. A year of disappointments. From Jade Empire to Myst V to Quake 4, the list just keeps going and going. With standard titles like these coming from the likes of Bioware and id Software, I fear for 2006.
4. Jack Thompson. Oh wow, this guy makes me want to on a wild shooting rampage more than Soldier of Fortune 2. Again, another rant for another time.
5. In fact, the rest of the sh*t head Senators who can't seem to get their heads out of their hubris-inflated asses. The Industry doesn't miss their cerebral input, believe me.
That's all I can think of right now. Check back tomorrow for the second part of 2005 in review.
~N
Entry 5- Ganking in the Plaguelands
by naes177 on Comments
Alright, so the other night I hit Level 53 in World of Warcraft. Happily announcing it to my guild, I decide to travel to the Western Plaguelands and take down a quest or two. I travel to the Eastern Kingdoms and everything is fine and dandy. I'm eagerly awaiting to lay eyes on a new place and go on some cool quests.
I arrive at the border between the Tirisfall Glades and the Western Plaguelands Accepting a quest or two from the NPCs there I begin my trek into a warzone filled with Scourge soldiers and Scarlet Crusaders. My quest has me razing a Scarlet Crusade camp and framing the undead Scourge for the crime. Sounds fun, and when I find the camp, I prepare to send my demonic Succubus to attack.
When all of a sudden, I hear a noise. I turn around and see a Level 57 Night Elf Druid just as he opens up into me from behind; burning my butt with a wild Moonfire spamfest. Doing what I could, I attempt to Seduce the guy and run, but he resists. I'm burned to the ground in seconds and arrive at the Graveyard as a ghost.
I make my way back to my corpse. The second I revive myself, the same damn Druid hops out of Stealth in Cat Form and proceeds to roast me again. Disgusted by the corpse-camping Alliance scum, I log out.
Why oh why do people insist on griefing others in World of Warcraft with cheap shots like this? The fact that you gain Honor Points for absurdly brazen acts of dishonor continues to mystify me. I can't help but be pissed off at times (yes, it's true).
I went to play some Counter-Strike: Source, where I wouldn't have to worry about players killing me repeatedly. Wait...
~N
I arrive at the border between the Tirisfall Glades and the Western Plaguelands Accepting a quest or two from the NPCs there I begin my trek into a warzone filled with Scourge soldiers and Scarlet Crusaders. My quest has me razing a Scarlet Crusade camp and framing the undead Scourge for the crime. Sounds fun, and when I find the camp, I prepare to send my demonic Succubus to attack.
When all of a sudden, I hear a noise. I turn around and see a Level 57 Night Elf Druid just as he opens up into me from behind; burning my butt with a wild Moonfire spamfest. Doing what I could, I attempt to Seduce the guy and run, but he resists. I'm burned to the ground in seconds and arrive at the Graveyard as a ghost.
I make my way back to my corpse. The second I revive myself, the same damn Druid hops out of Stealth in Cat Form and proceeds to roast me again. Disgusted by the corpse-camping Alliance scum, I log out.
Why oh why do people insist on griefing others in World of Warcraft with cheap shots like this? The fact that you gain Honor Points for absurdly brazen acts of dishonor continues to mystify me. I can't help but be pissed off at times (yes, it's true).
I went to play some Counter-Strike: Source, where I wouldn't have to worry about players killing me repeatedly. Wait...
~N
Entry 4- Land of the Noobs: Road to Romero's Shame
by naes177 on Comments
Ok, go to the Xbox section of Gamespot and find and read the review of a certain late-in-the-year gem called Land of the Dead: Road to Fiddler's Green.
...Ok, now you're done. And I know that you're thinking one of two things: either "Wow. Just wow," or "How the f*ck to games like this get produced?" I know that I was actually in both boats.
It goes without saying that Land of the Dead was bad. Really bad. In fact, it was so incredibly bad that it's almost unbelievable. It's almost as if its unknown, ill-fated developer Brainbox Games took every good idea for a zombie-shooting FPS and coded the complete opposite of each one. This is one of those games that's so remarkably bad that you just have to rent it with you're friends and play it for kicks. It's just that good (read: bad).
But despite the initial shock, sheer hilarity, and eventual disbelief that comes from playing Land of the Dead brings into the light for me another issue with the Industry that new developers can't seem to understand and publishers love to exploit. People think that a game can be bad as long as it's kept afloat by its "liscense". Just because a game has a certain ring world in it or has "Star Wars" in the title means that it must be gold, right?
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you see things), this isn't the case. As liscenses grow and budgets bloat themselves, the actual games themselves get worse and worse. Just because Land of the Dead was based on the cult classic zombie films created by George Romero means that Romero fans everywhere will excuse the game's problems and buy it anyway? Unfortunately (and this doesn't change depending on viewpoint), this indeed IS the case. But I'll leave "the gamer is deteriorating with the Industry" rant for another time (mercifully).
So in conclusion, Land of the Dead: Road to Fiddler's Green is a symbol of degradation, a sign of collapse, and a mark of change. But, most of all, it's an astonishingly bad game. Just looking at the game box on the store shelf can induce seizures and cause the eyes to bleed. Stay very, very far away.
~N
...Ok, now you're done. And I know that you're thinking one of two things: either "Wow. Just wow," or "How the f*ck to games like this get produced?" I know that I was actually in both boats.
It goes without saying that Land of the Dead was bad. Really bad. In fact, it was so incredibly bad that it's almost unbelievable. It's almost as if its unknown, ill-fated developer Brainbox Games took every good idea for a zombie-shooting FPS and coded the complete opposite of each one. This is one of those games that's so remarkably bad that you just have to rent it with you're friends and play it for kicks. It's just that good (read: bad).
But despite the initial shock, sheer hilarity, and eventual disbelief that comes from playing Land of the Dead brings into the light for me another issue with the Industry that new developers can't seem to understand and publishers love to exploit. People think that a game can be bad as long as it's kept afloat by its "liscense". Just because a game has a certain ring world in it or has "Star Wars" in the title means that it must be gold, right?
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you see things), this isn't the case. As liscenses grow and budgets bloat themselves, the actual games themselves get worse and worse. Just because Land of the Dead was based on the cult classic zombie films created by George Romero means that Romero fans everywhere will excuse the game's problems and buy it anyway? Unfortunately (and this doesn't change depending on viewpoint), this indeed IS the case. But I'll leave "the gamer is deteriorating with the Industry" rant for another time (mercifully).
So in conclusion, Land of the Dead: Road to Fiddler's Green is a symbol of degradation, a sign of collapse, and a mark of change. But, most of all, it's an astonishingly bad game. Just looking at the game box on the store shelf can induce seizures and cause the eyes to bleed. Stay very, very far away.
~N
Entry 3- Wooden Regicide
by naes177 on Comments
Hey and welcome to the third entry of TMM. Today was a Friday. As we all know, Fridays just own, period. But I've so far spent the afternoon playing games. Games made out of WOOD. Yes, I've been buisy playing Chess with my dad. For those of you who play Chess, then you know that it is, far and away, the best turn-based strategy game ever invented. For those you who don't play Chess, well, I think there's a new Mario Party coming out soon, so go out and blow 50-60 bucks on it. Noob.
Also, if you play Chess with those little plastic pieces that blow away in the wind and are always lost during elemetary school play time, then you're also a noob.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Chess is incredibly kickass. The swirling mists of strategy, super computers, and geeky programmers that surround the game keep many people away. Oh, and maybe they think it's too complex too. But my point is that you should try Chess if you haven't before, and if you have, well, maybe its time to put Civilization IV or Warcraft III away and play a REAL strategy game. In fact, probably the first complex strategy game ever invented. And don't use lame plastic pieces.
I've actually found that gaming improves my Chess performance, and vice versa. So if you're looking to sharpen you're "strats" by doing something the rest of the world considers "intellectual", then play Chess. Really.
Oh, and by the way, my banner blows. Yes, I know. What, you gonna whine? I love my name, and therefore so should you.
Watch out for Entry 4, which will contain tips on how to remove metal splinters. Ciao.
~N
Also, if you play Chess with those little plastic pieces that blow away in the wind and are always lost during elemetary school play time, then you're also a noob.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Chess is incredibly kickass. The swirling mists of strategy, super computers, and geeky programmers that surround the game keep many people away. Oh, and maybe they think it's too complex too. But my point is that you should try Chess if you haven't before, and if you have, well, maybe its time to put Civilization IV or Warcraft III away and play a REAL strategy game. In fact, probably the first complex strategy game ever invented. And don't use lame plastic pieces.
I've actually found that gaming improves my Chess performance, and vice versa. So if you're looking to sharpen you're "strats" by doing something the rest of the world considers "intellectual", then play Chess. Really.
Oh, and by the way, my banner blows. Yes, I know. What, you gonna whine? I love my name, and therefore so should you.
Watch out for Entry 4, which will contain tips on how to remove metal splinters. Ciao.
~N
Entry 2- My Call to Duty and Detentions
by naes177 on Comments
Alright, this is it...the second TMM entry and the first one with substance (disgraceful, I know). So let's start with a bang and talk about Call of Duty 2. If you own the game, you should be asking yourself why you aren't owning Nazis in the stellar single player or owning noobs in the fantastic multiplayer instead of reading this. If you DON'T own the game, then you should be asking yourself why you haven't bought it yet.
Yes, Call of Duty 2 by our good buddies over at Infinity Ward is just that awesome. The thing is just as chaotic and harrowing as the original Call of Duty but looks and sounds SO good. It pretty much blows away its Quake III Engine predecessor in every way. This should come as no surprise, as the Quake III Engine was a dinosaur way back in 2003 when the original was released. Call of Duty 2 will have you screaming Doom 3 all over again in terms of graphics.
Thankfully, it won't have you screaming Doom 3 in terms of gameplay. Call of Duty 2 is just as explody and shooty as the original. Hell, the thing practically blew out my lower left speaker by itself! The thing looks great but it sounds even better. And the thing, as I said, looks like Doom 3.
This whole things draws into the spotlight the next gen focus on graphics and atmosphere while allowing the gameplay and character to take a back seat. This is another rant for another time (you're crushed, I know) but suffice it to say that developers need to look to stuff like Call of Duty 2 more and more if they want to keep pushing these "atmospheric" releases out faster and faster.
By now, you should have been wondering why I'm not playing Call of Duty 2 right now, yes? The truth is that some drone got it into their head that their sense of justice was higher than mine and gave me a detention. The nerve :roll:. And no, I'm not telling you what It's for.
...Ok, I said f*ck. Oh my gorsh, I just said it again! Must be them goshdarned videogames :roll:.
Stay tuned for Entry 3 where I get my damn banner up and post sweet pr0n links*.
~N
*Not really. Read my blog anyway.
Yes, Call of Duty 2 by our good buddies over at Infinity Ward is just that awesome. The thing is just as chaotic and harrowing as the original Call of Duty but looks and sounds SO good. It pretty much blows away its Quake III Engine predecessor in every way. This should come as no surprise, as the Quake III Engine was a dinosaur way back in 2003 when the original was released. Call of Duty 2 will have you screaming Doom 3 all over again in terms of graphics.
Thankfully, it won't have you screaming Doom 3 in terms of gameplay. Call of Duty 2 is just as explody and shooty as the original. Hell, the thing practically blew out my lower left speaker by itself! The thing looks great but it sounds even better. And the thing, as I said, looks like Doom 3.
This whole things draws into the spotlight the next gen focus on graphics and atmosphere while allowing the gameplay and character to take a back seat. This is another rant for another time (you're crushed, I know) but suffice it to say that developers need to look to stuff like Call of Duty 2 more and more if they want to keep pushing these "atmospheric" releases out faster and faster.
By now, you should have been wondering why I'm not playing Call of Duty 2 right now, yes? The truth is that some drone got it into their head that their sense of justice was higher than mine and gave me a detention. The nerve :roll:. And no, I'm not telling you what It's for.
...Ok, I said f*ck. Oh my gorsh, I just said it again! Must be them goshdarned videogames :roll:.
Stay tuned for Entry 3 where I get my damn banner up and post sweet pr0n links*.
~N
*Not really. Read my blog anyway.
Entry 1- Most Excellent Gameophilus...
by naes177 on Comments
Greetings, fellow gamer, and welcome to the first entry of The Musings of a Madman. Many people write blogs for many different reasons. I make no false intentions: I'm bored and want to share my life and gaming experiences with you; the reader. I will be called Naes throughout the rest of this blog. I am 15 and live in California. I am told I am good at reading others and am very social. I like writing, drawing, and gaming. Need I say more?
In this day and age, the Industry (as the gaming industry will be hereafter referred to as) is in a state of wild flux. The next-gen consoles are exploding onto the market, Pure Pwnage is becoming popular as hell, and no one develops real RPGs anymore. I'm also writing this blog to try and instill a modicum of reason in this crazy environment.
Occasionally, bits and pieces of non-gaming related things might slip into this blog as well. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Basically, I want you to be thinking that this is the coolest, most ass-kicking blog ever written. If you aren't, I'll send my robo monkeys through your monitor and have you assassinated. That is all.
And look at me; now I'm rambling. The point of this first entry is to provide some sort of sad introduction to The Musings of a Madman (TMM). I know it didn't quite work, but I'm sort of studying for a Latin quiz at the same time I'm writing this, so bear with me, especially as the blog (hopefully) continues. I look forward to the next entry, where doubtless I'll launch off into some sort of deep, insightful look at how gaming effects one's existence or somesuch. Believe me, I'm looking forward to it (really!). But for now, I have a quiz to study for. Ciao.
~N
In this day and age, the Industry (as the gaming industry will be hereafter referred to as) is in a state of wild flux. The next-gen consoles are exploding onto the market, Pure Pwnage is becoming popular as hell, and no one develops real RPGs anymore. I'm also writing this blog to try and instill a modicum of reason in this crazy environment.
Occasionally, bits and pieces of non-gaming related things might slip into this blog as well. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Basically, I want you to be thinking that this is the coolest, most ass-kicking blog ever written. If you aren't, I'll send my robo monkeys through your monitor and have you assassinated. That is all.
And look at me; now I'm rambling. The point of this first entry is to provide some sort of sad introduction to The Musings of a Madman (TMM). I know it didn't quite work, but I'm sort of studying for a Latin quiz at the same time I'm writing this, so bear with me, especially as the blog (hopefully) continues. I look forward to the next entry, where doubtless I'll launch off into some sort of deep, insightful look at how gaming effects one's existence or somesuch. Believe me, I'm looking forward to it (really!). But for now, I have a quiz to study for. Ciao.
~N
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