Monday, February 2, 2009

by the way...

its about the tien an men square massacre

the irony of tyranny

Hello. I just wrote this. Enjoy...whoever you are.


The irony of tyranny
Is crushing me
With its ill humor
Like a tumor
Feeding off the people
While being advocated from the steeple
Thousands gather in the street
To proclaim their disgust
Live free or bust!
Fear mingled with excitement
The enticement of a better life
One without strife.
Jack knife in the back!
Bullets whizzing
Chiseling into their bodies
Casings sizzling!
Blood and mud
Together in one morbid Vichyssoise
They pause
In agonizing realization
What they’re hesitation
Failed to prevent,
Circumvent.
But it was already too late
Fate has dealt a most cruel hand
There will be no farewell band
The deed is done
Just in time for the setting of the sun.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Stuntman Ignition

Info:
Developer: Paradigm
Puplisher: THQ
2007
Genre: Action/Racing

Story:
A stuntman (you) is hired to perform automotive stunts for various (fake) films. You must prove your worth by training for certain stunts and then following through with near flawless scripted performances of flaming automotive ballet. Sounds fun right?

Gameplay:
Essentially it is a linear racing game in which you must perform the right stunts on target or be punished with a poor score (or a complete failure and re-shoot). While that may sound a tad boring, it is actually quite fun. Shit blows up around you. The clock is ticking. You need to hit your marks. The director is instructing you the next move like a robot. It is all fun and games until you hit a stunt sequence that is really hard. Then you try again, again, and again until you complete it with a satisfactory score to please the director. It can be wicked tedious, but rewarding when accomplished.

Graphics:
Ok, this is where the game totally faceplants and loses all its teeth. The graphics are absolutely horrible. The car tires are not completely round, the shading is spotty, the textures look like they were created in MS Paint (ok, maybe I am being a little harsh there) The lighting reflection effects are laughable. It baffles me to no end that a game publisher would make a sequel for a system that looks worse than the original game that was created nearly 6 years prior. Perhaps this is one of those occassions where the game was coded originally for a different system (i.e. xbox 360) and then ported over to the PS2. At any rate, the graphics are terrible and really ruin how good the game could have been with a tad more programing and polish. I should note that this game is one of the last "New" games to be released for the PS2 before the throne was slowly passed onto the PS3. Conventional thought leads us to believe that most game developers get more capable with the consoles hardware after they spend years discovering the limitations of the system. Nope... not these guys... They left conventional logic at the doorstep, next to the flea-bitten, skanky, stray cat with no ears. That's ok, the stray cat is using the DVD case for Stuntman 2 as a litterbox.

Sound:
Forgettable and annoying.

Verdict:

I'll just start by saying that I absolutely loved the original "Stuntman" game for Playstation 2 when it came out way back when. The graphics were decent, the concept was new, the overall feel for the game was a tad rough, but addictive in its own right.

That being said, Stuntman Ignition does the franchise no justice as a sequel. Hell, I probably can't call it a franchise now because the sequel does not leave you starving for more like the first game did. The only redeeming points to the sequel are:

-It still feels addictive (not as much as the first one)
-The (fictional) car variety is fun and enjoyable to unlock for the "Stunt Constructor Mode"
-Random Stuff blows up... and it can be pretty funny. lol

On the opposite end of the spectrum... The not-so-spiffy stuff with the game includes:

-The graphics are bottom-rate (and that's being nice)
-The cut scenes, that are supposed to show YOUR completed stunts, are pre-rendered and actually not your stunts at all. Yeah, you heard that right... they show you what you accomplished with a premade clip of what should have been accomplished. It's low and unrewarding. Evidence that they cut corners to make a quick sequel.
-Everything about the game is inferior to the original, except the tutorial and explanation cut-scenes.

So, in conclusion. Stuntman Ignition for PS2 is moderately fun, but graphically ugly. If you see this in the budget bin at Gamestop you have two choices. "Should I blow 10 bucks on this game and be slightly entertained for a few days or should I turn it into $10 worth of quarters and buy a ton of those superballs from the Grocery Store gumball/toy vending machines?" In comparison... when it comes down to pure entertainment, the superballs have a slight edge.


Stuntman Pictures, Images and Photos

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

APOLOGIES + Review :D

First of all, SORRY for neglecting the blog, it's been qute hectic going back to school and getting into a routine after going away for a while, hope the review makes up for it.



--==Info==--- 

Developer - Capcom 
Publisher - Capcom 
Release Dates 
- 20th October 2006 (EU) 
- 31st October 2006 (NA) 
Genre - Beat 'Em Up
 

Power Stone Collection is a port of both Power Stone 1 and Power Stone 2 from the SEGA Dreamcast to the PSP, with some extra added features, but the gameplay mechanics and concept of the 2 original games remain the same. As this game has split into both seperate games, it kinda falls under the "2 for 1" principle, as you get both the games for the price of an average PSP game, and we all love a bargain don't we? 

---==Story==--- 

For the first game, it's pretty simple. Arcade mode consists of you fighting your way across the world as one of 14 different characters (6 of which are unlockable), eventually reaching the final boss battle. Once completed, your chosen fighter will have their own unique ending sequence, and you'll have the chance to try it with the plethora of other characters. In Power Stone 2, however, all characters from the Power Stone universe have been drawn to an evil castle by some crazy Doctor who wishes to harness the magic of all the Power Stones. Your chosen fighter will have to battle it out with the other characters and bosses to make it to said crazy Doctor, giving you the chance to kill him and escape your hellhole of captivity. 

As with many games of the Beat 'Em Up genre, the story isn't really the main pulling point. In the Power Stone series and many other fighters, a loose, and pretty non-believeable storyline is thrown in just to give the people an excuse to deck 9 colours of shit out of each other, all for our entertainment. 

 
Fraggle Rock reminders, anyone? 

---==Gameplay==--- 

Now for the big one, (if you laugh it says more about you than it does about me.) Power Stone is quite unique as it allows you to move around a highly destructible, climbable and spin-aroundable environment. Battles in Power Stone 1 are strictly 1v1, but in Power Stone 2, 4 people can play at once, in any combination of teams. Controls between the 2 games are very similar, with only 1 or 2 differences between the 2 games, but do follow the general rule of: 

Square -> Punch/Use Weapon or Item 
Triangle -> Kick/Drop Weapon or Item 
Circle -> Strong Attack/Throw/Pick up Weapon or Item 
-> Jump 

Combos can be linked together using the Square and Triangle buttons, and pressing them in a different order will do different combos, some more powerful than others. Aerial attacks can also be performed with Square and Triangle, and Aerial throws can be executed with Circle. You can pick up many of the objects lying around and throw them, or simply push them in a given direction. Chests appear randomly throughout stages in both games, and can either contain one of many useable weapons and items, or can reveal a Power Stone. Players move around and collect Power Stones, and after acquiring 3, will be transformed into a much more powerful version of themselves. It is a very common battle tactic, and a pretty lame excuse to post a picture of my fav character. 

Ayame, one of the characters, before picking up 3 power stones. 
 

and Ayame, after picking up 3 power stones 
 

The transformations of every character will usually represent their personality or interests in at least one way or form, for example, Ayame is a young, energetic Ninja, and so her transformation takes these into account and incorporates them in several ways... 

Weapon - She uses a (pretty damn big) Shuriken, a common stereotype of Ninjas. 
Colour - Being a young female, a bright, vibrant pink is probably one of the best fitting colours for her costume. 
Costume - Maybe it's me, but it slightly resembles a bunny, something that also interests young girls. 

While in transformation mode, controls are changed, and each action will take off some of your Tranformed Power Meter. Once this is depleted, you return to normal form, and expel 2 of your power stones in random directions. While transformed, you can also unleash "Power Fusion" attacks. In Power Stone 1, these will completely drain your power meter, and in Power Stone 2 will take off roughly 80-85%, meaning you can unleash a second if you feel like being cheap. these are done by simply pressing the right and left trigger buttons, and depending on what button you press, and if you are airborne or not, the attack will change. 

As mentioned before, you can use items and weapons to aid you in your fight. a plethora of weapons can be used in Power Stone 1 and in Power Stone 2 at least 10X as many are available, as the new addition of the Item Shop allows you to combine the spoils of your victories into crazy and devastating new inventions. Skateboards, Footballs, Totem Hammers, Miniguns, Rocket Launchers, Tridents and Umbrellas can't even begin to cover the amount of things available for you to use, and chests can also drop healing items if your character is a tad down on their luck. 

Characters aren't all just the same either, they all have their unique fighting style and traits available to them. Ayame has the ability to double jump, is one of the fastest, but isn't as strong or sturdy as some of the others characters. Some of the bigger characters, like Gunrock (He's the giant, "Fuck You!" Rock Golem in the 2nd picture, that's his transformation, but I'm sure you can figure out his normal form.) will move slower, but attack much harder and can pick up a lot of the heavier items with ease. These different traits mean some of the characters are better suited to some levels, meaning you should take a minute or two to think about what character is better suited for the stage your about to pretty much wreck. 

 
BANZAI !!!! 

As stated before, environments can be interacted with. For example, the stage shown just above, has gun turrets which you can occupy and use to deal quite a bit of damage to your enemies, however you will be stationary and susceptible (?) to enemy attacks. You can jump on to Lamp-posts or Poles and launch yourself off them, damaging your enemy and knocking them across the battlefield, or you can simply swing around them and launch a similar attack, both will auto aim onto enemies for you. Being able to interact with the environment is one of Power Stone's strong points and utilizing it at the right time/situation can be very helpful to winning a battle. 

Both games make use of the AD-HOC mode in the PSP and allow you to battle it out with your friends on any of the stages, which is a great addition, and a new oppurtunity for braging rights. However, both games do lack Infrastructure mode, or my eyesight needs checked again. Although fighting your friends is a welcome bonus, I (personally) don't think you have to, as playing on your own is definitely a lot more fun than single player is in many other Fighting games. 

 
One of the Boss Battles in Power Stone 2. Is it Just me or is that face incredibly "suggestive"?? 

---==Graphics==--- 

seeing as this is pretty much a port of the 2 dreamcast games, the graphics aren't the best seen on the PSP. However, this shouldn't in any way deter you. the game is supposed to look crazy, the game is supposed to look different. It adds to the games unique charm and gives it that wacky, anime sort of feel. (There is actually an anime of this btw, not sure which came out first though, the anime or the dreamcast games) The character designs influence their fighting styles, and the frantic, crazy feeling this game has is largely because of the way the game looks. 

The stages are incredibly varied, from Desert Temples to Feudal Chinese Castles, to Pirate Ships and even Factories, this game is certainly one of the most varied you'll find. The characters have wacky designs and their attack animations resemble them in overly flamboyant ways. The weapons all have extravagant attack sequences and there's very little in this game that hasn't been in done in bright neon colours. 

 

Saying that the game jumps out at you is putting it lightly, saying that it lunges at you, stomps all over you and slaps you silly would be more accurate, but still not quite there. 

---==Sound==--- 

Like the graphics, the music and sound effects are unique and very well used. For many of the stages, the background music will often represent something quite commonly heard from that country or Region, such as in Oedo (If you deduced that this stage's name was based on the Japanese province of Edo, then your smarter than the average bear......you wish) Ayame's stage, which has a fast paced tune (to represent the character) but is made up primarily of flutes, drums and guitars, to give that eastern sort of feel to the stage. Below is a much better way of explaining it. 

Spoiler: 


In a nutshell, the music is as varied and crazy as the characters and stages, but always fits, and can change the feel of a battle no matter who you're playing as. Sounds made by attacks can also (surprisingly) affect the feel of a battle. A sharp, resonating slice made from a sword is obviously going to rivet you more than a thud made from a punch or kick isn't it? For me, the enjoyment came mainly from executing a long combo, as hearing your enemy get hit 20 times is strangely rewarding. 

---==Verdict==--- 

If you're looking to expand your collection of PSP games, this should be high on the list and would make a fine addition. You should also pick this up if you liked the dreamcast versions, as it gives you that nice feeling of nostalgia. What it may lack in realism and depth such as games like Tekken, it makes up for by being simple, entertaining and most of all, Fun, and that's what gamings all about isn't it?

[Done by me & my brother]

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

A Clockwork Orange

I watched A Clockwork Orange tonight. Its quite good, but its disturbing as hell. This movie brings up a very good point though. What is the difference between right and wrong? That, i find, is a very big topic in the film. The main character is Alex, who is pretty much everything evil. He is all about rape and murder, with seemingly no conscience or thought to the effects of his actions. He is eventually caught after murdering a woman and being betrayed by his gang of thugs/friends. Alex is sent to prison but decides to take a experimental and dangerous treatment that will "cure" him and get him out of prison. The result is a clockwork orange, an expression used in East London. It is something or in this case someone who appears normal on the outside but is strange or different on the inside. I dont want to give away too much but the result is that Alex is utterly incapable of harming anyone or committing any acts of violence as well as having a terrible reaction to Beetoven's 9th symphony fourth movement. Alex is promtly let out of prison to start a new life. Unfortunately Alex's previous victims, fanily and "friends" catch up with him and exact their cruel vengance upon him for all the suffering that he had inflicted upon them. Alex is utterly helpless and unable to fight back. He is tortured, beat up, made fun of and eventually driven to attempt suicide. Reforms are once again attempted and Alex is returned to his previous state of maniacal readiness to hurt. Was this right or wrong? Did he deserve it? Were Alex's rights to choose and defend himself violated? A viewer can clearly see both sides of the situation. Although the narrorator is Alex himself, the film allows you to choose either side. This is what makes a film good.

Anything goes.

Monday, January 12, 2009

okay thats a bit harsh. Although i doubt anyone even checks this site anymore, i was kind of hoping it would get a chance to start before it ended.

Friday, January 9, 2009

what the fuck?

okay i lied. Things are not picking up, in fact nothing is happening at all.
PLEASE FUCKING WRITE.
thanks.