I mostly post here concerning games and my reviews, which I try to upload thoroughly and/or as frequently as I feel. If you comment on one of my blog posts, I'll return the favor and comment on yours. Hope you like the reviews and the blogs!

• 4Dec 09

  Boss of the Week 12/4 (and Modern Warfare 2)

  It seems that I've completed the campaign in Modern Warfare 2, and while it wasn't perfect, it was well-worth the journey. It would've been better if there was a bit more diversity in the gameplay itself. You know, more sequences where you don't just shoot. One reason that I find Modern Warfare 2 to be so fun is the gadgets. Predator missiles, heartbeat monitors, they all are fun. It just would've been cooler to see more of them throughout.

  As for the multiplayer, it's beyond fun. I remember first picking up an Xbox controller and playing Halo 2 with my friends. That was a moment for me as a gamer: the first time I really, truly enjoyed an FPS. Now after playing so many like Halo 3, Borderlands, and the like, I felt jaded. Remarkably, though, Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer experience system is unquestionably rewarding. Finding your own niche in the gameplay is phenomenally satisfying.

  Expect a review of Modern Warfare 2 probably next week.

  In other news, Harmonix has delivered a grand total of over 1000 songs for the Rock Band library, including RB1, RB2, track packs, and DLC. Quite a milestone, and to top it off, they bring one of the most requested songs in Rock Band history: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana. Not only that, but coupling it with a few live tracks, "Come As You Are" and "Lithium," are sure to satisfy Rock Band fans. I'm still waiting for some new Mastodon and Silversun Pickups tracks, along with The Mars Volta (c'mon, Harmonix: have you heard Omar's guitar work?), but it seems Slipknot fans will have something worth headbanging to in the Rock Band store come next week.

  Friday means a new Boss of the Week, so here's another one you might remember from the N64 days.

  BOSS OF THE WEEK (12/04/2009)

  The Great Mighty Poo (Conker's Bad Fur Day, Nintendo 64)

  

  Another brilliant boss from Rare? You betcha.

  Conker's Bad Fur Day was a mindlessly mature platformer wrapped in some colorful graphics that pretty much caught everyone by surprise upon its release. I remember hearing about it when I was a kid; it sounded weird to me, to be honest. I barely knew anything about Conker, but once Bad Fur Day was released, conventional platformer design got a big slap in the face. Years later, I searched high and low for a Conker's Bad Fur Day cartridge for my N64, and luckily found one, and after trying it out, I found a remarkably funny platformer title. Filled with crass humor, violent battles, and lots of adult situations, Conker's Bad Fur Day really set the bar when it comes to being mature, but surreally creative.

  Thus is this boss, which is easily one of the most creative bosses I've ever seen. The Great Mighty Poo appears rather early in Conker's Bad Fur Day, but is an unforgettable boss fight. After making his way into the randomly placed mound of crap in the world, Conker encounters a scared dung beetle escaping the mound. Conker, against the dung beetle's warning, wades in the scat, only to find a lone piece of sweet corn being swallowed in the pool of dung, a la Jaws. The Great Mighty Poo then rises from the pool, attaching the sweet corn to his mouth, and beginning one of the most memorable musical moments in gaming history, "The Great Mighty Poo Song."

  To be truthful, the boss fight itself isn't particularly complex. The sloprano singer will throw wads of poo at Conker, occasionally belting out an operatic bellow, which Conker can use to his advantage by throwing toilet paper (context-sensitively) into the boss's mouth. These moments become faster and harder to nail once the game, but after a few rounds of toilet paper hurling, The Great Mighty Poo sings an extremely high note, breaking the glass holding the flusher mechanism. After pulling the lever, Conker ultimately (and quite literally) flushes the Great Mighty Poo.

  In the words of Conker, "now that's what I call a bowel movement."

  The Great Mighty Poo reappeared in the Conker: Live and Reloaded remake for the Xbox, but sadly, the Great Mighty Poo Song was edited with the swearing being replaced with flatulent noises. Disappointing, yes, so unless you hate N64-era graphics and love job-based action multiplayer, I'd suggest checking out the original N64 version over the Xbox version.

  I don't have to say much more as to why this is this week's Boss of the Week. Seriously: it's a giant piece of poo singing opera. You can't get much funnier than that.

  • Posted Dec 4, 2009 1:14 pm PT
  • Category: Editorial
  • 8 Comments
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg
• 1Dec 09

  Shock and Rock

  Wow. I really have to hand it to the developers of Bioshock. Talk about a wild ride. Here's my review.

  I was playing through Bioshock and my sister was sitting on the couch, with my mother in the other room. They apparently didn't like the whole creepiness of Bioshock, especially the Little Sisters. I switched to Modern Warfare 2 instead.

  With Rapture explored, I'm either going to try out Dead Space or continue through Modern Warfare 2. I did try out Guitar Hero: Van Halen, the game I got for buying Guitar Hero 5 in September. Seriously, though, I'm not really impressed. I'm not even a huge Van Halen fan. I played through Killswitch Engage's "End of Heartache," though. Fun, and one of my favorite songs from their End of Heartache album. But...meh.

  I also got a position at my school newspaper as a features reporter. I wanted to write...what else...reviews, but all of those positions were filled. Oh well, oh well. I think this could definitely benefit, and if I do well enough (and apply earlier ) I might be able to write reviews for the following semester. I showed some of my reviews to the editor, and she thought they were great. Awesomeness.

  Also, new Prince of Persia, and it's in the Sands of Time universe. Hopefully it'll be better than the most recent one.

  • Posted Dec 1, 2009 2:15 pm PT
  • Category: Editorial
  • 10 Comments
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg
• 27Nov 09

  11/27 Boss of the Week (and New Games)

  Hope everyone is enjoying the Thanksgiving weekend. It was actually three years ago that I sat outside my nearby game store to purchase a Wii. It was sooo worth it, considering that I got Twilight Princess with it.

  But enough with the past. Today I traveled to my local game store to pick up some cheap games, Bioshock, Dead Space, and God of War II, to be specific. I'm tempted to play Bioshock, but I know that Modern Warfare 2 is calling. I've only played the first stage or so, but I'm thoroughly impressed. Once I finish the campaign and try out some of the multiplayer modes, I'll have a review ready.

  It's Friday! So that means a new Boss of the Week is ready to go! Check it out!

  BOSS OF THE WEEK (11/27)

  King Kut Out (Donkey Kong 64, Nintendo 64)

  

  What is that green, crown-wearing monster appearing from beyond the castle walls? King K. Rool of the Donkey Kong Country universe? It may look as such, but it's not. This is King Kut Out, one of the weirdest bosses I've ever encountered. Yes, possibly weirder than Psycho Mantis.

  King Kut Out is the boss of the second-to-last DK64 world, Creepy Castle. It seems that the Kremlings are attempting to outwit the DK Crew with, yes, a cardboard cutout of King K. Rool. Unlike other bosses in Donkey Kong 64, all five Kongs are available to use. In this case, they're used as ammunition for a barrel cannon. The only way to silence this paper-thin imposter is to fire the Kongs at King Kut Out, causing the boss to lose limbs and eventually his head. However, if Kut Out isn't attacked directly, one of the Kongs is lost and unable to attack.

  What makes the boss a challenge is that he moves around four sides of the castle, so losing a Kong is pretty easy. Even worse, he has laser eyes. Yes, a cardboard cutout has laser eyes. The final round has King Kut Out rapidly circling around the castle, making it extremely difficult to attack. Ultimately, the beheaded King Kut Out falls and delivers the final key to the trapped K. Lumsy's cage, and finally opening the last level, Hideout Helm.

  I really love Rare's boss design. Between King Kut Out and the huge amount of weird bosses in Banjo-Tooie, I can't deny their mastery of creative enemy construction. After fighting off a giant armadillo with rockets and a mechanical duck-headed Jack-in-the-Box, I really didn't expect that a cardboard cutout would prove such a challenge. Couple that with a hauntingly high-pitched cackle and you get a boss that not only tests the depths of challenge, but uniqueness as well. It's weird, but well worthy of the Boss of the Week honor.

  • Posted Nov 27, 2009 1:55 pm PT
  • Category: Editorial
  • 9 Comments
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg

See Previous Blog Posts »