Music Review: Les Colocs

Quebec has an interesting music industry. For starters, it's divided into four main styles: "Rock" , "Modern Pop", "Old Pop"(pre 80's) and "Rigodons"(usually played around new years). Artists today usually dabble in either rock or modern pop, with the occasional "Rigodons" for the holidays. However, the Market is small and harsh due to language barrier, and it used to be even worse than it currently is. In the 80's, bands had a harder time getting attention with their videos and music due to the lack of any type of funding. This problem lasted up until around the start of the 90's, where artists helped popularize the use of music videos and created a market which was much stronger in that aspect. One of these bands was "Les Colocs", which has reached a legendary level and has  left a permanent mark in music history.

"Les Colocs" is a french band from Montreal,Quebec that was created by Dédé Fortin by literally looking around and recruiting various potential band members, regardless of their background and ethnicity. They where well known for their cultural diversity, their use of funny, yet often meaningful, lyrics and their "party music" style, which would cover various musical influences ranging from rock to blues and even to some country and jazz. Thanks to their various backgrounds, a massive amount of instruments where used to create their various songs, something not so common in most bands at the time. The intruments would range from the standard guitar and saxophone all the way to the harmonica and even Dédé's own two feet

Tap Dancin', yo.

The band has two official studio albums and one live album. The first album, entitled "Les Colocs", was released in 1993 and contains most of the band's big hits. The lyrics display a cynical view on society as seen from someone who grew up around the "lower class". Various subjects that are covered involve troubled kids, broken homes, towns being taken over by corporations, AIDS, low self esteem and many other political and social issues, all which are brought up using humor and clever writing. The songs on the album are immensely diverse, with each one sounding completely different from the previous and yet, managing to fit together quite nicely. Upbeat and joyful, the music will make you want to get up and move, faithful to the band's status as a "Party Band". My personal favorite is the song "Passe moé la puck", which has a heavy rock influence to it, as well as some very entertaining beat box segments. The lyrics reference TV reports on the homeless, listing the act as annoying, manipulative and just a waste of time. It's also famous for it's line "Passe moé la puck pis j'va en compter des buts!", which translates to "Give me the puck and I'll score some goals!", a metaphor illustrating the lack of options some people have in life due to their circumstances. The success of the first album put the band on the map and they became more and more popular, going from a simple pub band to a mainstream rock band.

Les Colocs completely changed the band for their second album

However, half way through the 90's, things started to go sour for the band after losing one of the leads, Patrick Esposito Di Napoli, to AIDS in 1994. This event started Dédé's downward spiral into depression, especially with most of the original band members leaving soon after Napoli's death, only making things worst for the artist. The second and last official studio album from the band, "Dehors Novembre", came out in 1998 and reflected Dédé's current state. Although it keeps it's diverse style, the album is allot darker and more serious than it's predecessor. The subjects it covers relate more to escapism, or more precisely, coming back to reality after trying to escape it. Due to the band being completely re-created for the album, it covers even more different styles than the first one, using elements of country, reggae and even storytelling, not to mention one of the songs is completely written in English. The instruments used are as diverse as in the first album, with the exception that Dédé didn't do any tap dancing this time around. The lyrics for the songs talk about escaping from reality, being helpless at the worst times, regretting your past, being left alone and without any way of being able to escape the life you now hate and other subjects. The cynical views present in the first album are now even more present, only with a view from the inside instead of the outside, with fake happiness, conformity, as well as being told what to do over choosing what you want are other subjects that the album also covers. My personal favorite song from the album is "Tellement longtemps", a song about someone who is having fun for the first time in a long time, most likely while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Overall, the album is by far better than the first, at least quality wise, though due to it's darker themes and tones,  it's not as fun as the band's earlier work and I can't say I would recommend it to just anyone, least not before recommending their earlier work.

On the 8th of May 2000, two years after the second album was released, Dédé Fortin finally caved in to depression and committed suicide, thus ending the band. There have been tributes to Dédé following his death, including complete albums and shows dedicated to him from friends, old band members and artists that where also huge fans of his music. A movie, entitled "Dédé, à travers les brumes", was released in 2009 and was generally well received. The movie focuses on Dédé and serves as both a Biography and a tribute to his memory.

After listening to the band's albums, I can easily say that they are well entitled to the place they hold in music history, if not more. They promoted cultural diversity and experimental music, inspiring future generations to do the same. I highly recommend checking the band out, especially their music videos, which are quite impressive, in and of themselves.

Final Verdict: 9/10
What I like:
+Amazing musical variety, both with their instrument and styles
+Great humor and clever lyrics (First album)
+Great lyrics that might make you reflect on life(Second album)
What I disliked:
-I have no negative comments towards the band, other than the fact that I will never be able to see them live.
-Some songs tend to drag once you heard them a few times. Luckily, this doesn't make the album suffer to much.

Go to TPS for more awesome stuff from awesome Blokes. 

Video Game Review: Paper Mario (N64)

Paper thin plot with a colorful world

Mario is the mascot of one of the biggest, if not the biggest video game companies in the world: Nintendo. As such, Mario is not limited to simply appearing in games which involve platforming and has been used in many other genres. One of these games is Paper Mario, a role playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It uses a unique paper like art style, making everything look like a pop-out book.

The game revolves around Mario, who must once again save Princess Peach from King Bowser. However, Bowser has stolen the star rod, an item that grants him any wish he desires, which now makes him invincible (though not smarter). After receiving a can of good old whooping from Bowser, Mario sets out to retrieve all of the kidnapped star spirits so that they can help him defeat Bowser and restore peace to the kingdom. Along the way, he will gather many many sidekicks, all of which help in their own special way. These teammates include a goomba with a baseball cap, a tomboyish pink bomb-omb, a clumsy Para-trooper, a tsundere rich girl Boo, a baby electric spark(who also happens to be the strongest ally), a overly protective mother fish called Sushi and even a 90′s kid Lakkitu.

lolclumsy…okay, moving on!

The story isn’t anything new as it’s, quite literally, a “gather the items of magic whatever and save the princess” type deal. However, the characters more than make up for it by being colorful and full of life, which is what I have come to expect from most Mario games. May it be the hilariously incompetent enemies or simply the funny comments that some characters tend to have, you will definitely not find yourself hating any of them, even the ones you tend to ignore(I’m looking at you, Para-Clumsy).

The graphics, as stated above, are based around that of a pop-up book backed with backgrounds that look like paintings. The world you walk around in is made to react like paper and the idea is played with almost constantly. Bridges will be hidden in near impossible places and literally unfold before your eyes, objects will tilt over when pushed out of the way and items(as well as enemies) will be lying flat on some blocks until you break it.

It’s your fault for making a paper gate!

The combination of style and clever use of the rules the world provides makes for a unique style never before seen and adds to game’s charm. If anything, my only issue with the graphics is that it did seem to cause some slowdowns, though they only happened outside of battle and could be considered barely even noticeable at times. As far as the music for the game is concerned, it’s great as well, giving a new life to many Mario songs we’ve grown to love and easily recognize. I especially like the level up song, which is cheerful and up beat, as well as a good send back to Super Mario Bros 3.

Game play wise, I find myself undecided as to what I think of the game. Paper Mario implements an anti-grinding mechanic that involves reducing the amount of experience you gain instead of increasing the amount of experience needed to level up. While I honestly don’t mind this, it ended up getting on my nerves as it never gave me a feeling that I was progressing through levels and getting stronger. When you gain a level, you are allowed to increase one stat out of three( Health, Flower Power or Badge Points) but are never given any type of attack or defense increase. While badges that do increase your strength and defense are available, the lack of said stat increase makes you feel as though you aren’t getting any stronger.

At this point, mario does 2-4 damage with his hammer if his enemy has a defense of 0 while his enemies can do 2-3 damage each even if you block them. This is halfway through the game!

Yes, with more HP, you can take more damage, but it does little to the fact that you can only deal a max of 2 damage to most enemies for a good chunk of the game, not to mention that you will be most likely be taking damage no matter what, sometimes even when you block the attack. I will say that the game play made for more satisfying boss battles, though getting through the dungeon was a chore considering the fact that Mario is weaker than at least half of the enemies in the game, if not more. On a side note, the affectionately nicknamed ”Peach gear solid” parts where surprisingly fun. Maybe it was because I had recently played all of the main MGS games, but I found it fun to play as peach and try to avoid detection.

Overall, the game is great and a definite must play for anyone who has a N64 or a Wii. It’s charming and fun, even with it’s slightly frustrating mechanics. It’s also a good game for younger kids, as it’s relatively easy and the world is fun, colorful and full of life.

Final Verdict: 9/10

Pros:
+Great graphics and music add to the game’s charm
+Great characters that are full of life
+Fun for players of all ages
+”Peach Gear Solid” is quite fun.
Cons:
-Leveling up lacks a sense of growth due to the lack of Offense/Defense stats.
-Occasionally slows down in some areas(barely noticeable)

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Video Game Review: Fire Emblem: Awakening

Anyone else notice that Kellam is behind Chrom's knee?

War. War never changes. People change but war will always be the same...or something like that. Anyways, everyone agrees that war isn't a game nor a joke. It's a painful part of society, one which has inspired various forms of art. This goes as far as video games, with a few portraying war as it is: ugly, but sometimes needed as well. Fire Emblem: Awakening, the most recent title in the series, is one of those games. Just like previous installment  it uses war as both a story and game play mechanic.

Fire Emblem Awakening is a Tactical JRPG. It's story revolves around the Shepards, a group of “elite soldiers” lead by the prince of Ylisse, Chrom, and their new tactician, the avatar (hint hint: guess who this person is). Together, they travel the land helping their people defend themselves from attacks, as well as recruiting new members they meet along the way. 

Admit it, you can't say no to him.

The story isn't that amazing, though it does its job well. The narrative is divided into two parts: Chapters and support conversations. Chapters can either be story related missions or side missions, usually consisting of cut scenes and dialogue. Support conversations, on the other hand, are optional and unlockable conversations that you gain by having two characters support each other during battle and usually involves sillier situations and dialogue compared to the chapters. 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

Overall, the narrative is quite enjoyable and you will find yourself liking most of the characters and wishing to learn more about them.

The gameplay is, by far, the best part of the game. It's hard to exactly explain why the gameplay, which isn't that different from other Fire Emblem games (it's still a matter of rock paper scissors), is so much fun. The best explanation I have is that it's simply fun to play, as well as well planned out. The game plays very smoothly and fast, making for quick battles that are quite enjoyable to play and replay as much as needed and does not exasperate you. The new pairing system offers stat bonuses that make many characters almost unbeatable. 

Just try to touch this kid's waifu, I dare you to!

The game's just well thought out so that it's a blast to play and doesn't cause too much frustration. The creators even thought about smaller details: Class changing items are now abundant and so are transformation stones, you can save before the battle so that you can restart it faster if need be and the supports conversations have been moved outside the battle to a sub menu you can access while on the main map. It's well worth your time and money and the game play itself will make come back for more.

Now, graphically speaking, the game is great. The main units all have their unique traits and designs which make for a very interesting cast at times. A good example is Anna, a character which lives, breathes and probably even poops money. 

And you all thought I was kidding...

All of her dialogue in battle revolves around various “business” quotes (ie: saying, “Please come again” after killing an enemy). Also, since the game is on the 3DS, that means the creators implemented 3D as well. Now, many still think that 3D means something is going to pop out and hit them in the face when, it reality, 3D is used to create a nicer picture with more depth. It gives the impression that an object isn't flat and will often even produce a better image than a regular 2D image. Fire Emblem Awakening doesn't feature any “pop out” effects, but the 3D effects are very well done as far as depth goes. As well, using the 3D while in the first person view during a battle is quite interesting during scenes, especially when done with a mounted unit.

Finally, the music in the game is very enjoyable, though the chimes that play when one levels up or finds an item will sometimes break the mood of said music. You will be having this moment where you are questioning the motives for the story, if the war you are waging is worth the actions you are doing. The music is emphasizing this feeling of guilt....then, you hear the “ice cream truck” chime and it just breaks the mood of the whole chapter. It's a small little thing that still irks me, seeing as how it happens in chapters I happen to have really liked. Even so, the music is still fantastic, especially the music for the “Summer Bonds” DLC.

To wrap things up, the game is a must ownfor anyone who owns a 3DS. It's fun, charming, well executed, and will offer you a good 30-40 hours of playtime at a minimum. It's by far one of the best games for the console, as well as a great introduction to the Fire Emblem franchise.

Final Verdict: 9/10

Pros:

+Great Characters and good story

+Extremely fun

+Great Graphics and music

+Online matches let you face off against others and you can transfer characters and teams VIA spot pass

+Voice acting is great, some of the best in the industry

Cons:

-Most of the characters only speak with small quotes (ie: Henry's “SPECIAL DELIVERY!”)

-Music will sometimes be interrupted by out of place chimes, ruining the atmosphere of certain levels

-Not all characters have supports and some of the supports are generic cookie cutter ones.

-The DLC isn't that interesting overall

Anime Review: Rescue me: Mave-Chan

Mave-Chan is the tanned character.
She ends up being more of  a side character

Having recently gone mad with "RighStuff fever", I found myself looking around the site, trying to find some stuff that looked even remotely interesting to watch. Of course, I looked in the Bargain Bin daily, even after I stopped ordering, and would just look at all the great deals they put on their. It is then that I fell on a little one episode OVA name "(Fighting Fairy Girl)Rescue Me: Mave-Chan". The anime, which I forgot to look into before buying, was at the low price of 3$, so I added it blindly to my cart without thinking.....and I actually don't regret it as much as I probably should.

"Rescue me: Mave-Chan" is about Rei, a young man who has been given the opportunity to make a life changing trip, one that will change his life forever and make him into a real man. A soul changing experience that will help him reach a new point in his life: a free ticket to a huge anime convention! However, once he arrives at said convention, he gets lost on his way to the toilet and somehow enters the world of IMAGINATION! Within the world, he meets a group of girls who where all created by the minds of various Otaku who are currently at the convention. They are facing elimination, since the show they are based on isn't popular and people are starting to forget about them. Rei now needs to return home before this world is completely destroyed, as well as cut off from reality. Will he be able to return home? Will the girls die? Will they end up in some twisted fan fiction that involve many tools that they would rather never know the existence of? Well, if I told you that, then I'd be giving out spoilers now, wouldn't I. 

As far as the plot goes, this is one of the stupidest ones that I have had the chance to come across. It's completely stupid from start to finish and the fact that it actually takes itself seriously makes it somehow charming and makes for a decent watch if you like hilariously bad anime. The whole show revolves around the concept of fan fiction, bringing the ideas of everyone's favorite anime to life(or in this case, It seems it would be based on "Yukikaze", an OVA I know noting about). Although I do find the idea kind of funny and somewhat interesting, the fact to the matter is the execution was done horribly. The show also seems to drag on at times, making it feel like it's ten times longer than it is, which is bad, considering it's only 20 minutes long. You start feeling as tough you've just watched 7 episodes of it once you reached the midway point, which is bad, considering that's only about 10 minutes.

As far as the characters are concerned, I found the fact they made each of them a different trope a nice touch, even if done poorly. The main female characters are basically a big breasted "Miyuki" like character, a tomboyish little tanned fighter and a twin-tail tsundere with purple hair. The reason I find this to be a nice touch is because they are fictional characters created by the imagination of many Otaku, thus making them prone to these tropes(as well as other things they hint at). I want to believe that if the anime was good, they would have played with various tropes. I find that might have been interesting and fun to see.... then again, I shouldn't expect much from an anime that has flying airplane girls. As far as the villain, Forgetta-san(I'm not making this up), is concerned, he is quite funny and I found him very entertaining. He made the show worth the while and almost made me want to add him to my list of favorite characters.

The English dub is sub par, to a point where it's almost as bad as Elfen Lied. However, some characters manage to carry most of it and balance the the dub out so that it's not complete and utter trash, even though it's not by much. The music is not really anything special  and is just kind of there.

All in all, "Rescue Me: Mave-Chan" is just bad. The plot doesn't make much sense and the characters are flatter than a stuck up tsundere. The only redeeming values the show has are Forgetta-San and  the fact that it's so laughably bad.

Final Verdict: 2/10 

Pros:

+Short(22 minutes long)

+Funny for the wrong reasons

+Somewhat interesting idea

+Forgetta-San is hilarious

Cons:

-Stupid on every level

-Poor execution

-Drags at times, making it feel way longer than it actually is

-Tries to make you feel guilty about forgetting shows

Manga Review: Isuca.

It's been a while since the last time I wrote something and, well, since I'm bored, I thought I would write something up for the place. 

A few nights ago, I was boringly surfing the net, looking through the list of manga I had bookmarked when a title I had seen a few times came up: Isuca. I accidentally clicked on the link for it and when I saw it only had 18 chapters, I thought I would give it a shot. Now, the reason I had bookmarked it was because I was trying to read more shonnen. However, I was planning on keeping and sports mangas for last and every time I saw the cover, I assumed it was a sports manga. Truth be told, the manga is the complete opposite, being an ecchi harem fantasy story involving demons and demon hunters...Yeah, I know, not the best description for a manga. 

The story is about a teenager named Shinichirou, who is the son of a stage magician. His parents left him home alone in Japan so that they could go on the road and make more money, sending him some every now and then to pay the bills. However, after some time, the money stopped coming in and Shinichirou was forced to find a job, one that was more than what he bargained for. Even before starting his new job, he's suddenly pulled into the world of the Shimaza clan, a family of great demon hunters who capture demons who cross into the human world, sending them back to where they belong. To do this however, they must first discover the demon's "Mana", or their "True Name", making the demon a loyal servant that must obey whatever the their master says.

As far as the story goes, it's actually really good. The plot feels refreshing in such a way that we know we've seen this type of idea before, but just not in this way. It's interesting and will keep you reading on untill you reach the end(or the end of the most recent update). Also, something I noticed is how the author does not forget earlier plot points. An example of this is when the main character tame's a demon sword. It is referenced a few times afterwards and is eventually brought back as an ally in a later chapter. It's not much and I doubt that it will be used in more complex ways, but it was something I wanted to point out anyways.

Now, for the characters... This is where the manga starts loosing points with me, though not because the characters are bad....just because one of the main characters is a horrible tsundere. One of the few things that brings this manga down is definitely the tsundere personality that Sakuya has. She will often get angry at times where it makes no sense and even at a point where she should be closer to many of the characters, she acts as cold as when they first met. I understand that the trope works in said ways, but this is a case where I cannot describe how she is in words alone. You must read the manga to understand just how out of place her personality can be. 

Now, as far as the other characters go, they're all pretty solid. Each character also gets their own moment to shine, their own little adventure, and it's a great touch. They hit the sweet spot for the number of characters as well, keeping the cast somewhat small. thus giving them more development. The development is either spread out through the chapters or has a dedicated chapter. Either way, none of the characters will come off as unlikable.....well, except for Sakuya.

Now, having said all of that, I do have one thing I dislike about the manga. So far,everything about this manga is solid: a nice story, solid characters and a nice world that can be expanded on for future volumes and maybe even some side stories. So what could I possibly not like?.....the fan service. 

Yes, there is the "Echii" tag on the manga that warns you, but even then, the amount of fan service is beyond what you can imagine. The girls in the manga are often getting their clothes ripped off and, with the powers they wield and the fights they get in, it's understandable. However, the amount of times they end up naked or in a sexual positions of any sort is beyond me. Changing room gags, face sitting gags, bath scenes and humiliation through being naked are just a few examples of what this manga does as far as the fan service goes, and for the currently available 18 chapters, that's allot considering it's not the main focus of the manga. 

All in all, Isuca is a solid manga that is enjoyable. However, the huge amount of fan service it contains make it hard to recommend to most people. In the end, I highly recommend you at least check it out, as it is a nice manga that is worth the time it takes to read.

If you enjoyed Isuca, I would recommend looking at Hidan No Aria. In my opinion, it's not as good as Isuca is, but it's very similar and still an enjoyable read.

So how goes that PSP?

So I'm really enjoying my new psp go so far, actually playing it more and more. 

So I thought I would make a list of what I have played so far and my impressions on the games.

Also, feel free to make suggestions as to what games  I should try. 

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep:

I had never played a KH game before this(well, except for the meh gba/ds games), so this is more or less my intro to the series. I'm only starting the game, but the fact I get to keep 3 save files, one for each character, pleases me greatly.So far, I've only really been playing with Aqua, though I will say none of the characters have come off as annoying yet, which is good. 

Verdict: KeyBlades > Gunblades.

DISGEA Afternoon of Darkness:

I tried this one just a little and I can easily say I prefer the PSP version over the DS version. The shop system kind of confused me due to the number of repetitions with the items, though It's nothing much.

Verdict: TO MANY ITEMS! Also, how can you sleep for 2 years and act so normal?

Half-Minute Hero:

I FUCKING LOVE THIS GAME. At first, I was wondering just how the hell will I ever be able to beat the game....but than I beat it(or a least the RPG part) in one sitting. This game is pretty much my favorite so far, as well as one of my smaller games(ranging at about 104mb). It's fun, hilarious and just all around AMAZING! 

Verdict: BEST RPG EVER!

Phantasy Star:

So far, I like the game and the world it's set in. The weapon system kind of reminds me of fable, only better and more useful. The character design at the start is maybe a little to much(yet somehow not), but it's nothing really game breaking. Oh, and did I mention they have robots as a playable race. 

Verdict: The game had me at female robot.

Project Diva 2(Vocaloid Game):

I will be honest here and say I don't really like Vocaloid music, just the character designs. Though I did download the game, it was out of curiosity and I soon after downloaded a save file for it(cheap, but whatever). The game is kind of like DDR, Guitar hero and other music games in the like, only with vocaloid songs and characters. The only real downsides to the game is just how hard it is to land a hit as well as the fact Gumi is not in the game. It's not the hit detection is off, it's just that it takes some getting used to since the "nodes" keep appearing everywhere and you can easily mess up. Play it only if you're a fan or curious about Vocaloids (the songs aren't to bad to be honest).

Verdict: NO GUMI, NO MONEY!

BlazBlue:

I didn't like the version I got  for console(360) due to how slow it felt compared to marvel and even street fighter. However, on PSP, it's by far one of my favorites. It just feels so fast compared to other fighters on psp and versions I've played on console. It's also more upbeat.It's a great Handheld port for BlazBlue and is better than the console version. It's pretty much a must have.

Verdict: God Tier.

BlazBlue2:

Same as above only slower and with more characters and options. I'm keeping this one on my PSP only because it has tutorials, though I might go back to the original since it feels allot more fast and is more fun to play.

Verdict: Top Tier. 

Person 3 Portable:

I will say this: the rpg aspects of the game are fun.....whenever present. I honestly went into this game expecting something more like Persona 1, but all I found was a visual novel. Heck, half the games for the PSP are visual novels(well, in japan at least). It doesn't make the game "bad", but it does make me worry that I will miss a "character flag" and not get all the characters, especially the ones I am looking forward to using in battle and getting to know. 

Verdict: Will dig into the game more later, when I have time.....and a route chart.

Monster Hunter Freedom:

I can't for the life of me understand why, but I just couldn't get into the game. I guess it's one of those "oh, it takes a while to get into it" games, so I will have to try it again later. However, I got other games I want to try/play more than this, so it's on the side burner for now.

Verdict: I just can't get into this.

Dissidia Final Fantasy:

WHY YOU NO SELPHIE OR RITZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that that's out of the way, I really ain't got much to say honestly. Haven't played much of the game and, well, I don't think it will be something I really like. For now, It's on the side, waiting to be played.

Verdicts: Waiter, why is there RPG elements in my Fighter? 

Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core:

I thought I was not gonna like this....but I did. So far, the game is good and the fights flow into one another like no other FF game has ever been able to do. So far, the character isn't annoying even though he is really energetic. He's actually kind of charming with his "I want to be a hero" attitude, kind of like a 10 year old kid wanting to be his favorite superhero. 

The whole thing is amazing a proof that a modern FF game can be good/not annoying if the creators jsut put some thought into the whole thing. Will dig into it more, of course.

Verdict: Hack and Slash Bliss.

Megaman Powered up:

Everyone knows I love megaman, so you can guess how much I love this game. 

I really enjoy what they did with this title, and the art is pretty damn good. 

The addition of oilman and time man are well done, since they fit with what the original robot masters where(robots with abilities that where aimed to help people, not combat). 

The inclusion of roll, protoman and all the robot masters as playable characters is also a good addition that makes this one of my favorite games so far. I freaking love it.

Verdict: Great Game and great remake.

Street Fighter Alpha 3 max:

TO MANY OPTIONS! Not as fun as blazblue. No Ibuki.

Verdict: It's alright.

Lunar Silverstar Harmony:

Played lunar Legend on GBA and since then have been a fan of the games. 

The one is great, giving an all around boost to the version I played on GBA. Will play more.

Verdict: It's Lunar, so play it and love it.

Little Big Planet:

It's fun, but just...meh. It's something to kill of a good 15-20 minutes every now and then, but I'm not really that into it. Will play more.

Verdict: Small World, Big ideas, Not much going on honestly.

Breath of Fire:

I love Breath of Fire and I really like the second one. So far, 3 is okay , though I need to play more to get to Nina and get things going. need to play more.

Verdict: It's BoF, so it's going to get better and better once you get older.

KillZone:

Not really my thing. No plans on continuing.

Verdict: Meh.

RockBand Unpluged:

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE! This just doesn't work for RB at all. They force you to play all 4 insturments, forcing you to switch between them. If I want to play the guitar, I can't. If I want to play the drums, I can't. I have to play all 4 instruments at the same time and it ruins the game for me. I would love to play it, but it just doesn't work like I want it to and it rubs me the wrong  way. If not for the fact you are forced to switch instrument every 5 sec or so, the game is fine, heck it's a damn good port.

Verdict: I didn't need a one man band, I just wanted to play guitar games.

Viewtiful joe Red Hot Rumble:

Sorry, but I just couldn't get into this one at all.

Verdict: No comment....like none whatsoever.

Midnight club 3 dub edition:

Damn good port of MC3 and I really like it. 

I REally liked MC3 on the Xbox and the psp version is the same game with a few graphical things missing here and there(like no apprent dammage on the car). Need to play more.

Verdict: As good as the first time I played it.

Dead or Alive Paradise:

Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!
Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!
Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!
Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!
Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!
Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!Jiggle!

.......Yeah, Fuck this game.

Verdict: Not even worth a single fuck.

Star Wars Battlefront Renegade Squadron:

HORRIBLE VERSION OF AN OTHERWISE GOOD SERIES! that is all.

Verdict: Heard the SWBF2 port was good, might want to try that one instead.

Megaman Marverick hunter X:

Great remake of the original Megaman X. Although I have not played this one as much as MMPU, it's still one I really enjoyed playing. need to play more.

Verdict: Capcom seems to be better are remakes than sequels.

Ratchet and Clank Size Matters: 

Liked it though I've got other games I want to play more than this, so it's on the side.

Verdict: Size does matter when I only have 16 GB to spare.

Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles:

Good game, though I suck at it. It's on the side for now, since I got other games I want to play first.

Verdict: Game is great, I just suck at it

K-ON! Houkago Live!:

Yes, I got the K-ON! game for PSP, surpirsed? So far, it's pretty much a clone of other music games like project diva and rock band, only with songs from K-ON!. It's the biggest game I have so far, topping at about 1.63 gb big! So due to size and the fact that I do indeed have other games I want to play more, I have set this one aside for now since, unlike PD, I don't have an english patch for it....yet.

Verdict: It's K-ON!, so I liked it.

GTA Vice City story:

Honestly, the game started off in a way that confused me as to what the story was all about. it just kind of...started in the middle, if that makes sense. not planning on playing this one much, so eh.

Verdict: Is there a story somewhere?

So yeah, that's pretty much everything I've tried so far. If you got any suggestions as to what I should look into playing, let me know. As for how much I like the console, well let's just say I;ve mostly only been playing with the console for the last few days. It's also more convenient to take with me than my DS was since it's about the sice of a blackbery(it's just a bit bigge than my phone actually). It's been a good buy so far, and it's cool to be on the Play Station side now and being able to play these games I wasn't even aware of, like Hero 30.

  

The Pokemon Phone System

I grew up on Pokemon and my favorite version is "Pokemon Gold". Anyone who's played the gen2 games probably remember the phone system as something pretty cool. However, looking at it again and seeing  how the series has evolved through the years, I find that the system is not being used at it's full potential.

The current phone system lacks interaction.. It only consist of an NPC calling you to talk about something completely random. Sometimes, they'll call with useful information, alerting you about Pokemon swarms, offering you items or asking you for a rematch. However, most of the time, they'll call you to talk about the most stupid topics imaginable and I find this to be a waste of a great game mechanic, one which they should expand instead.

What exactly should they do? Well first, add in the possibility for actual interactions. When a trainer calls, offer the player a few choices that will influence his/her relationship with the caller.A good relationship with the trainer means they will call more often offering items and asking for friendly battles while a bad relationship  will result in the trainer calling less often and only talking about random, unimportant topics. This creates a natural reward system with a bigger involvement of the player.  

Example: let's say "Joey" call's me to talk about his "Top percentage Rattatta", I could respond with:

• "Wow, that's pretty cool. You guys sure work hard."(A nice response, improves relationship)
• "I don't care about your stupid Rattatta!"(A mean response, worsens relationship)
• "Then why isn't your Rattatta a Raticate yet?"(A snarky remark, can go either way)
• "How about you prove that in a battle?"(An invite to a battle)

However, just adding a few choices will not improve the system completely. You need to give each NPC that is "phone enabled" a personality. I think the best choice here is to go with stereotypical personalities for each trainer group: Youngsters would be overconfident of there abilities, psychics would think they're superior to others, hikers would be happy blokes with advice to give and so on. Also, I think it would be a good idea to include a few "different trainers" who would have non-stereotypical personalities and act differently than others in their trainer group.

All in all, I think that after so many years, it's time we see a good use to this phone system. It's been underused and replaced by pale imitations over and over again, and these imitations avoid the simplicity and natural feel that it has. I don't know if someone will improve this mechanic in future versions of the games, but I hope someone does.

Megaman StarForce

Among all the Megaman games, Megaman Battle Network is one of my favorite series. I love it's universe and how everything is realistic yet futuristic, and I also liked how big the game was in both it's size and it's cast. The world it was set in even made it's crappiest game (*cough cough*Battlechip Challenge) something that was still enjoyable and interesting. And after 6 main games, a TV series, a manga series and allot of side products, it ended.....

Now don't get me wrong, the game ended in a way that was well handeld. The games had also been getting less interesting and it was time to end it all, so that's what they did. However, in true Megaman fashion, the game never did end and we later got Megaman StarForce......and it was just as bad as the last few titles in Battle Network!

Megaman Starforce is not a bad game, It's actually quite fun to play and  the twist on the Battle Network mechanics is quite interesting. The problem with the game is that it has a stupid story and universe. The game takes place many many years after the Battle Network series has ended. The series takes example of it's predecessor and based itself on the current "tech-pop" of the time. So since the internet was the base of Battle Network, then it's only common sense that Starforce be based off of......Facebook?! Yes, I'm not joking. The whole world is obsessed about "brothers", which is basically the same thing as Facebook, only without the fun of someone posting something while drunk. However, the problem here is not the system itself, but the obsession the game has with it. It makes it so that all the characters are obsessed with friendship and bonds between people, which makes the overall plot dumb and uninteresting. The plot can be summed up as a shity MLP episode, and that's pretty bad for an RPG.

The characters, which I have come to not care about at all, are just slightly modified versions of the characters in Battle Network. And to add insult to injury,  Navis are now almost nonexistent! The super intelligent AI companions have now been reduced to simple items you use at plot points and only appear in the first game. As a Battle Network fan, this hurt the most, since the fun in the Battle Network universe was the companionship one has with their NetNavi. It was a fun future where no one had to be lonely since everyone had a companion. The future in Starforce, on the other hand, is dull. The main character is a social recluse, his friends are idiotic bullies and the world itself makes no more sense! 

Now I said the game is based off of the Battle Network series, and I'm glad it is. If not for the gameplay, this game would really suck! The game uses the same mechanic as battle network, only instead of surfing the net, your surfing electro magnetic waves......yippy?.....yeah it's stupid.

The game, just like it's predecessor, consists of fighting viruses that pop up at random. The difference is the view is now 3rd person and you can only move left and right. However, you now have rapid fire, a shield and the ability to jump closer towards an enemy to attack them. The game amazes me with how they made the mechanics work. They feel new, involving and are really fun to use. There are a few misses here and there, like the "combo" system that requires you to use 3 chips on 1 enemy that do a total of 300 damage........yeah, I've only been able to make 1 so far and it was a total fluke. 

The gameplay is just great and it's a shame that it's hindered by such a dull story and uninteresting world. I've been replaying the game for the last few weeks and I have skipped EVERY cut scene I have come across because I really do not give a rats ass about the characters anymore.

Anyways, if you like the Megaman Battle Network series, I would suggest looking for this at a good price. If you have not played  any Megaman Battle Network games yet, I would suggest you play Megaman Battle Network 2 or 3 before playing Megaman Starforce.

Spoiler Tags

So I was looking for a way to let people know when I was talking about spoilers in my future Posts. So I went on Paint.net and made these

So expect to see these every now and then.

Top 10 Anime I watched this year(ish)

This is gonna be a long process, since I've only been into anime for like a year, so I watched ALLOT of it in 1 year

Let's see.......
first, Honorable Mentions:
->Madoka Magica: I really liked it, but I don't remeber half of it  :s
->Kore Wa Zombie Desuka? : The show that got my sister into anime. Thank You
->Soul Eater: The manga and another show that got my sis into anime and manga. Thank  you

10)Angel Beats
The most recent show I watched and one of  the great ones. The only things I dislike about the show are it's length and episode 3.
The show is WAY to short and it should have been longer so we could see more characters. The cast is big and when all is done, all the characters are likable, even the most annoying one(who in the end has one of the best happy endings of all the characters).
I also liked how they tied music in without making the show about music, it's just something that makes the show more enjoyable to me :3

9)Haruhi
Yes, I can hear durga squirming in anguish at the mention of this title and I don't care
Anyways, Haruhi was something I watched early on and has a special place since it's the first show I identified a specific character and episode as my favorite.
I would normally just say "I like this most, but I like all these as much" when it came to this stuff, but when it came to haruhi, it was just automatic.
I also like the randomness of the whole series, just how anything can happen at any time just because haruhi wishes it.
It's not the best thing ever, but hey, it's got it's merit

8)Spice And Wolf:
I really liked season 1, although not enough to watch season 2 :/
Still, the show grabbed me as different, mostly because of it's more serious, yet still fun,subject: Economics and Romance.
I really liked Holo and Lawrence and how they played off of each other.
The show was great, but not really anything more than a great watch for me

7)Black Lagoon
This was BAD ASS. I even bought the manga because the show was just that awesome!
The show doesn't hold it's punches and it's swears, letting everyone know what it thinks and who it is.
It's different yet familiar, as well as new and refreshing. The hero's are both good guys and bad guys.
A true reality that is well played out in this show.
Also, I love how Dutch tells Rock "I got you a canadian Passport. They love Candians." at the end of the last episode  :D

6) Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai:
The Biggest surprise of my year. This show was not what I thought it would be.
I thought it would be boobs and fan service for 20 minutes, but it wasn't.
It was a fun show about people who have no freinds who make making freinds into a science.
The fun of the show is to see the characters both fail and suceed in their plans to try to make more friends.
The more the show goes on, the more crazy and fun it becomes, introducing crazier and crazier characters that just give the show more life.
I really liked this one and recommend it to those who like crazy fun anime

<<Now this is where the list gets super serious>>

5)Beck:
Beck has a special Place in my heart as it is the very first anime I ever bought. I love the show, even if it is slow, and I love the dub and I adore the songs X3
The show is just a great watch for anyone who loves music and is something I am proud to own.
I need to watch the show again, since I missed allot of things on my first watch, but it still holds a place dear in my heart. A place nothing will ever be able to  take  :3

4)K-ON!:
Yeah, I love K-ON!, you knew it was gonna be on here the moment you saw I wrote this.
I love the show and no one can change that because,guess what, I'm aware that it has flaws and that it's not the best anime.
The show is overrated, but it's still really good.
The music (when present) that the band plays(when they actually do play) is not only good, but sung by the VA's, or at least wit the same/similar voices.
The characters, although flagrantly infected by the moemoe disease, are still likable and the whole show is just fun to watch when your in the mood for something good.
Oh, and the OP's and and ED's are just pure awesome. The OP's all look like school madde projects, while the ED's all look like professional music Videos.
I really love the  show, and that won't change. If you don't like it, it's okay.
Like my good freind DemonGate once Said: "It's coo' man. Your entitled to your wrong opinion."

3)Nichijou, Azumanga Daioh! And Lucky Star
These show are just pure awesome to me. When I'm bored, I just watch an episode of any of these three and laugh my ass off. The OP's are amazing and un-skipable(though the ed are kind of meh) and the animtation and stories are just great.
The thing is I like all three shows as much and could not choose one over the other, so I decided to just put them all in at a tie, wich is what they are at.

2)Baccano!:
I will be honest with you: I was turned off by the show when I first tried watching it. Then, 6 months later, hardy showed episode 3 and said"try it out again, I swear you'll like it" and he was wrong :x
.......
I LOVED IT! :D
It was just the greatest thing ever, the show was just awesome from start to finish, the characters where all likable, even the assholes and the way all fits togethere is just

*takes deep breath*
Anyways, this show had everything going for it. Great music, awesome characters, action, mystery, Humour and lots and lots of Energy  :D
Oh, and did I mention the dub. They NAILED the accent of the time spot on and it's just music to the ears :3
This is the type of show I want to watch with my dad, since I know it's his type of story.

However, even though Baccano! is great, there is one anime I find is better.
That anime is

1)Usagi Drop:
I have to be honest here: I dislike Kids. I don't "hate" them, I just don't care about them that much.
I don't want kids, or more I don't care really about having kids or not, I really don't give a crap.
Then I watched Usagi drop.....and it changed my whole perception on life. By the fourth episode, I was asking myself questions I had never asked myself before. Stuff like: What is it like to be a parent?, would I be a good dad? and so on.
The anime was simple yet effective, proof that a good story is as good, if not better, than flashy artsy animation.
The OP and ED where sublime, and each episode ended with a little side note, something random and cute about daily life.
Daikichi is one of the best dad's in all of anime and is among the best male characters I have seen so far.
Rin is just pure cuteness and is adorable, Kind and just all around the best kid to ever be made.
Each character is unique and realistic, giving the show a "this shit might happen to you" feeling.
And, as Arkada said, the subject it covers is one that few would even dare touch: Parenting.
Anyways, this is the show everyone needs to watch. Heck, I showed this to my mom and even she liked it!
It's a show you just cannot hate.

So that's about it for this year. Hopefully next year will be filled with great stuff :3