PSN: NailBail (the exact same as my Gamespot account)

• 12Sep 09

  The Extra Lap Begins

  After looking through several past blogs I've posted, I noticed a few issues and items that kept coming up with each one. First off, I'd like to apologise for lying to all of you.

  See, in many previous posts, I promised many, MANY game reviews to be on the way, to be gracing you fine people on a regular basis. Little Big Planet, Fallout 3, TWEWY, and most recently, a Professor Layton review have all been promised by me, and I've yet to deliver. The thing is, while I would love to write reviews for every game I own, a problem keeps rearing its ugly head at me. To put it bluntly, I am a slow writer. Heck, typing this blog alone will take me two hours to finish, with not even counting the editing. Typing up game reviews takes even longer, especially if they're to be of top quality. Pierst179, if you're reading this, I salute you for continuing to write such fantastic and detailed reviews on a regular basis. With enough hard work, I may be able to meet half of your abilities.

  Anyway, again sorry for the lack of anything and everything from me. I will continue to TRY and write as much as I can, though I will make no more promises about doing so.

  Getting back on track, the second item I saw in past blogs is that every school semester, I would give impressions of the courses I am taking. With this being my fifth year in High School (some call it the victory lap or "super 12"), I thought it would be appropriate to do the same thing again this year.

  Always having a knack for math, I decided to raise my own difficulty bar and took Advanced Functions, one of the hardest math courses available. It is a preparation course for Calculus, another course I will be taking in Febuary. With one week in, I can't say we've tackled any hard problems yet, but I'm sure they're around the corner. The two hours of homework everyday (again, slow writer) is what will keep me from gaming and blogging most, though it definitely won't stop me.

  Next up is English Literature, a course I would've not even consider four years ago. It was only a year and a half ago that I started to take an interest in English in general, and it was Writer's Craft that boosted my enjoyment in the medium. Taking English Literature is the next step, and we will be reading extensively in the course, which I am very happy about. One of the books we will read is Pride and Prejudice, so if you've read it then please let me know if you liked it.

  Wanting to learn more about Coding and software (specifically video games), I am also taking Computer Science this year. It's a somewhat similar to the Game design course I took last year, but with more of a focus on C++ and assembly code. It's only been a week, and I already know fancy terms like branching and preambles. I'm extremely excited for the things to come in this course, and I can't wait to try and build my own game with this knowledge.

  Lastly is a course that really is just filler, but can still be fascinating. Theory of Knowledge is a course that teaches you to be a critical thinker, and to not always take things as 100% true. In one of our classes for example, we discussed the question "How do you know you exist?", and before long people where talking about theories and ideas I thought would only ever be heard in a movie like The Matrix. It's a strange, but potentially fun course.

  So...how DO you know you exist?

  That's all from me at the moment guys. Keep reading, keep blogging, and I'll catch you next time.

  • Posted Sep 12, 2009 10:15 am PT
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• 1Sep 09

  Canadian Fan Expo of 2009

  Hey guys, I'm back from Fan Expo! For those who don't know, last Sunday I went up to Toronto to see one of the largest conventions in North America. I had an amazing time walking around and seeing all the people in their costumes and all of the merchandise for sale. I decided to bring my video camera and got a bunch of great footage, thanks to the nice folks who participated. I edited together a compilation for your viewing pleasure, which you can watch from the link below!

  NailBail's trip to Fan Expo 2009

  I'll give my summary in retrospect to the video. Being the gamer I am, I immediately started towards the gaming centre, where plenty of demos were on display for anyone to try. Sony seemed to have been the big contender, with playable demos for games like Uncharted 2, God of War 3 and Ratchet and Clank Crack in Time. Lines to play these games were fairly long, and I didn't feel like waiting an hour just to play a few minutes of a video game. However, I did manage to get a quick play of Bayonetta, just to say I played it before all of you . Other games being displayed include Madden 10, Wii Sports Resort and Smash Bros. Brawl.

  At around 12 PM, Steve Downes began to sign autographs for all the eager Halo fans. After waiting patiently, I finally got a chance to meet him for a brief moment. He was really cool and kind enough to sign my copy of Halo 2, as well as say a quick line on camera for me. Unfortunately you can't hear him very well, what with the amount of noise in the hall, but just the fact that he did it made my day right there.

  Shelves upon shelves of action figures, comics, masks, DVD's, plushies and just about anything was on display for purchase. It would have been easy to spend a whole grand that day, but somehow I managed to keep my budget at just over $100. I bought an awesome vinyl poster of Link from Twilight Princess, a stand up cut out of Phoenix Wright (you can see it in the video, on the table at 3:55), the complete volume of Gungrave on DVD, a bunch of buttons, and a Light Yagami plushie.

  Being in close proximity to celebrities was cool, though I didn't actually get a chance to meet Leonard Nimoy or Lou Ferrigno. Just meeting the spock himself cost $60! . That's insane! I got a shot of Aaron Dismuke (from Full Metal Alchemist) signing autographs, and I believe Brad Swaile's signing was free, but by then it was 5 PM and my family was ready to hit the road, leaving me just enough time to film him real quick.

  The art on display was phenominal. So many artist were there to show off their work to the public, and lots of talent was clearly present at the convention. Great work on the art guys, I wish I had enough time to see it all!

  Lastly, the cosplayers made the Expo a sight to behold. People dressing up in their favourite character's costumes made it feel like a true convention. I tried to get as many shots as I could, but even with my camera put away I saw costumes that showed dedication and hardwork in their apparel.

  By the end of the day, I was tired out. Endless walking, filming and buying made it an exciting but exhaustful day. I've learned a lot from filming at this Expo, and I hope to see others in the following years. Thank you to the people who organized the convention and all the fans who attended. Enjoy the footage, and I'll catch you next time.

  • Posted Sep 1, 2009 5:39 pm PT
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• 29Aug 09

  Traversing Villages and Asylums

  Aggh! What's wrong with me! I bought 3 new games within 2 weeks! At this rate I'll be broke . As some of you may know, I bought Blazblue a short while ago, and I was content with playing it for at least until Scribblenauts came out. However, my eyes found themselves on an article showing that this game:

  

  would be on sale the day it came out for $40! And to be the sneaky buggers they were, the deal was a one day thing. Not being one to like spending $70 for a game, I rushed down to the store to pick the newest Dark Knight game up. Luckily I also still had a gift card from the holiday season, so all in all I spent only $20 for a brand new title .

  But NailBail, that would make only 2 new games that you've bought so far, someone would say. That would be correct, except that on the way home I also bought:

  

  With its recent hype about the newest sequel, Diabolical Box, I decided to add this praised game to my library. I've been enjoying both games so far, and in fact I've already beaten Curious Village. How was it? You'll have to wait for my review to find out. That leaves me with wandering the corridors of Gotham City's most frightening place, Arkham Asylum. Since I was a wee little lad, Batman had always been my favourite hero. Even as a kid I knew Batman was cool, so I thought buying this game would sort of be like an homage to my childhood. The game is certainly better than I expected it to be, and you should be expecting a review for it on the way as well.

  Be careful exploring new places my friends, and I'll catch you next time!

  FanExpo tomorrow!

  • Posted Aug 29, 2009 8:17 am PT
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• 25Aug 09

  I'm going to FanExpo!

  In about a week, on Sunday the 30th, I will be heading to Toronto to be apart of FanExpo, supposedly one of Canada's largest conventions. it's a place where Sci-Fi freaks, comic book guys, anime junkies and, yes, even gamers can go to have a great time. There should be plenty of merchandise to buy, so I'm holding off on spending moo-lah for now, though I don't know how long it'll last. Of course, what kind of Convention would it be if there weren't some special guests coming too? Luckily, quite a few people are on the guest list, many that I don't know, but it's cool that this many people care to actually come to our cold, isolated, freezing country . Definitely one of the biggest stars there will be...

  

  the spock himself, Leonard Nimoy!

  Also, arriving for us gaming freaks, Steve Downes will also be there. You might know him as the guy who does the voice of...

  

  that's right, Master Chief will be at FanExpo. Yes, I know what you're thinking. The Chief doesn't talk a whole lot in the games. But it's the words that he DOES say that cling to ya, like the infamous..."I need a weapon".

  Not only that, but quite a handful of anime voice actors will be there. I am particularily excited to see Brad Swaile , the guy behind the voice of Light Yagami from the hit series Death Note!

  

  Ahh! I just remembered I haven't even bought my ticket! I need to go and do that now!

  If you'd like to see the official Expo site, it's right here.

  I've also been playing a lot of this lately:

  

  That's enought outta me. See ya next time!

  • Posted Aug 25, 2009 8:07 am PT
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• 4Aug 09

  Best Trees In Gaming

  Most of the time, trees serve nothing more than being a barrier or nice scenery. Our earth brothers never really get their chance of fame in the sunlight (which is unfortunate, cause they thrive on that stuff). Hardly are they ever seen as a prominent role, so here's a tribute to the ones that stand out. Here are some of the best trees in gaming that make our games that much greener.

  Whispy Woods (Kirby series)

  
  

  Why does this tree always look surprised? Mr. Woods has been around ever since Kirby's Dreamland and is forever persistant at throwing his apples at the pink puff ball. Whispy gets points for being an evil tree, which you just don't see a lot of, though he doesn't exactly have the most threatening demeanor. Also you have to wonder, how hard is it to FIGHT A TREE?

  The Great Deku Tree (Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

  

  This tree...has a mustache. I don't really need to say more, but I will anyway. Like any old man, the Deku tree is filled with webs and spiders, and it's up to Link to clean him out. He watches over the Kokiri, a group of children who never seem to age. Being wise and also brave, this tree stood his ground (quite literally) and refused to give in to Ganondorf's demands, and ended up cursed for it. Tough break big guy.

  Iifa Tree (Final Fantasy 9)

  

  Granted, I haven't played Final Fantasy 9, but the tree looked so amazing that I had to add it to the list. The way it manages to tower over the surroundings menacingly while still somehow looking beautiful is astonishing. From what I understand, the tree emits a mist that's used to create Black Mages, and is also used to filter the souls of Gaia. Zidane and his group travel to it to find Kuja, a villain in the game, and if there was ever a tree to be used as an evil lair, it would be this.

  Harold (Fallout 3)

  

  Think of Harold as Treebeard's mentally deranged cousin. Well okay, that was a bit harsh, but being a half-human half-tree mutant definitely doesn't make you the prettiest flower in the garden, if you get me. Harold should've known something was wrong with him when a tree started to grow on the side of his head, and now he's rooted to the ground. Despite not being able to move, Harold didn't forget to have a sense of humor, and even named his tree Bob (though he sometimes likes to call him Herbert).

  The Boggly Woods Great Tree (Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door)

  

  I'm no botanist, but I don't think black trees are real. Even so, this seemingly threatening giant is not a fortress of doom, but actually the home of cute little Punies (yes, they are called Puni). Our famous plumber comes across this gothic plant on his quest to find Peach (gasp!), as well as seven power crystals that Will help him on his journey.

  The Trees in Grand Theft Auto

  
  

  I know what you must be thinking. These are just plain old trees! There's nothing special about them; just ordinary, run of the mill trees! Well, in any other game you would most certainly be right. However, in a game that's based around destruction and mayhem, these trees turn from "innocent scenery" to "instant car stopper". Light posts, mailboxes and traffic lights tremble in fear as my blazing corvette rams into them, laughing as I go. But that laughter quickly stiffles when I see a driver's worst nightmare: an incoming, terrifying log of timber in my path. Whether a lurking palm tree or a three foot stick, it will stop your death ramage in your tracks, making them one of the most feared trees in video games.

  Thanks for reading, and see you in the next entry!

  • Posted Aug 4, 2009 12:19 pm PT
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• 29Jul 09

  Best Headwear in Gaming

  From helmets to hoodies, there are many pieces of headwear that complete many recognizable costumes in video games. Whether it be Mario's red hat or Master Chief's Spartan helmet, they are in games to spice up the characters, and the following are some of the best head accesories in the business. Glasses, bandanas and the like are what I'm looking for, so you won't find any crazy hairdues here (we'll save that for another list ). Also, please don't be a whiny baby of your favourite doesn't make it, it's just a list.

  Best pair of Glasses: Travis Touchdown (No More Heroes)

  

  Sure, Wesker's dark shades are badass, and Gordan Freeman's specs have a mix of smarts and ass kicking potential,but their face windows just seem...plain. However, plain is no way to describe Mr. Touchdown, or No More Heroes for that matter. Incredibly zanny, Travis's yellow tinted sunglasses shows that he doesn't give a flying fish what anyone thinks of him. And if anyone objects, they can answer to his lightsaber.

  Best Bandana: Solid Snake (Metal Gear series)

  

  Seriously, when you think bandana, who else do you think but Snake? Before Marcus Fenix donned his head cloth, there was Solid Snake bearing his awesome bandana as he snuck his way around military facilities and weapons factories. You never see him without it, even in the final showdown against his brother Liquid. I know Ryu from Street Fighter is also a worthy contender for best bandana, but he's not as iconic for his head band as he is for...well...HADOKEN!

  Best Headphones: Neku Sakuraba (The World Ends With You)

  

  I honestly couldn't think of any other character that rocks the 'phones more than Neku (then again, I couldn't think of ANY other character that wears headphones period). Neku wears these purple ear-blasters throughout his adventures in the Underground as he tries to win back his right to live. Not only are they stylish, but they also represent Neku's separation from the world and his distant nature towards others. Yay symbolism!

  Best Hood: Altair (Assassin's Creed)

  

  Altair's mysterious, sneaky attitude is perfect hoodie material. He actually uses his white hood to help blend in with the crowd, making it one of the more useful assesories on this list. Never has tilting your head down ever been so enticing since this crusader made his way onto the video game scene. Now let's just hope that his great ancestor Ezzio can pull off the same look.

  Best Helmet: Captain Falcon (F-Zero series)

  

  Holy...Crap. Don't look at the picture too long, or else you'll overload on cool (it can happen). Captain Falcon's blazing red racing helmet pretty much blows any competition off the track, whether it be the intimidating Brotherhood of Steel power helmet or Olimar's bubble head. The gold falcon emblazoned onto the front is enough to strike fear into the hearts of racers and people around the great captain. Women want him. Men wish to be him. And everybody loves the helmet.

  Best mask: Goron Mask (Majora's Mask)

  

  You all thought Link's pointy hat was going to make it somewhere on this list, didn't you? Well you're wrong, mostly. In the sequel to Ocarina of Time, Link had an ossortment of mask's that he could wear on his adventure, so it's no wonder one of them made it on here. My personal favourite would be the Goron mask because it turned you into the coolest race this side of Hyrule. Not only that, but you also had the ability to turn into a ROLLING BALL OF SPIKEY DEATH!

  Best Hat: Metal Cap (Mario 64)

  

  There are a lot of different power ups in the Mario universe. Some can make you fly, others will throw fireballs out of your fists. One in particular turns you into a walking T-1000 from Terminator 2. Ya, I think we have our winner. This cap you were very lucky to come across in Mario 64 encased you in metal, allowing for underwater travel and causing heart atacks in Goombas across the mushroom kingdom. Honestly, if you saw this coming towards you, I bet you wouldn't want to be around either.

  That's it! Thanks for sticking around, and I'll see you on my next entry!

  What, you want more? You say there's more pieces of headwear? Like what?

  Earrings? Umm...okay. How about...

  Best Earrings: Rachel (Ninja Gaiden series)

  

  Yes, those are definately some nice...earrings.

  • Posted Jul 29, 2009 3:37 pm PT
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• 27Jun 09

  Another Film finished, updates

  Alright, time for a good ol' fashioned update, since I haven't done a real one in a long while.

  First off, the final video project from school is done and posted on Youtube. It is titled "Illusions", and follows the adventures of Ricky Jones as he decides not to take his medication one day, and strange things start happening to him. Technically the film is unfinished, but it is still very much watchable. The only problem is that a few transitions, sounds and effects never got into the movie before the deadline. Anyway, I liked the way it turned out, and the class seemed to like it as well. It's worth watching at least for the fight sequence I think

  Click to view Illusions

  I also posted a collection of bloopers from our previous film, The Encounter. Warning: strong lanuage is used...all by me -_-

  Click to view The Encounter bloopers

  So Grade 12 is done for me...kinda. I'm happy to say that I'm going back for a fifth year (also known as super 12) in September. This is because I'm one of those oddballs who likes school, and because I don't want to be thrown out into the real world just yet. To tell the truth, it makes me kind of nervous, nearing the age where I'll have to get a full time job and live on my own. :S I need to start looking into some colleges...

  Gaming wise, a big turn of events is that I sold my Xbox 360 a while ago. I think this was a good choice because I hardly played it since I bought my PS3 and I was in fear of it breaking for the third time. It's also helping me with my video game hiatus. Yes, that right. As part of my summer plan, I've decided to shorten my time playing games to lenghten productivity. Throughout the summer, I hope to do things like cook, learn how to drive, write a bit, volunteer for some community sevice, and a whole bunch of other awesome things. I love playing games, but I think im overdue for a long break from them.

  Another thing I've noticed over the past two months is that I have begun a starnge fasination with anime. Normally I hated them for ridiculous plots involving underaged teenagers going on grand adventures (Pokemon, Naruto), and for never ending in ridiculous amount of episodes (Bleach, One Piece). But recently I've found a few series that are quite mature, dark, and short on length. My favourite of them is probably Death Note, in which a high school student (NOT a ten year old) finds a notebook that can kill people. The series spands over 37 episodes, so check it out if you get the chance.

  Hope all of you have a great summer!

  • Posted Jun 27, 2009 10:16 am PT
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• 18Jun 09

  Opinion On Gaming #6: Behind The Score

  We as humans like numbers. That's just how we roll. They can sum up our value of anything, and are used to show pricing, quanity and quality of every day items. We depend on them for grocery shopping, paying bills and basic math. Why you would almost think we are dependant on numbers. Luckily though, we still have our opinions and independant thoughts, and those couldn't possibly be represented by ratings, right?

  Sadly no, of course they can. I mean, how do you think our grades in school are made, or television ratings monitored? Our opnions are simplified into digits so that they may be easily processed by the big shots in the industry. It's the same with reviews; the writer puts a score based on his thoughts onto the review so the general public can get an overall grasp of his views. That's all fine, but the problem I have with this system is that many people only look at the digits, and the actual review itself becomes secondary. What's the point of voicing opinons then, if no one's going to read them?

  Look at the arguements fanboys typically make.

  "On GameTrailers, Halo 3 got a 9.8, but Killzone 2 only got a 9.2. That clearly means they liked Halo 3 better. Do the math!"

  Honestly, this is an insult to reviewers everywhere. Instead of hearing what reviewers have to say about the quality of the game, gamers compare the score like immature children comparing school test marks. The statement tells nothing about the qualities that make Halo 3 score so high, or what could make Killzone 2's slightly lower. That number we reviewers give does not justify our opinion, or yours for that matter. For example, which of the following people would be more helpful to a reader:

  "inFamous is a great game. The gameplay is a lot of fun and the missions are well varied and keep the concept of electrical powers fresh and exciting."

  "inFamous is a great game. Definitely a 5/5."

  Obviously the first guy is more useful. He tells of many positive aspects that make inFamous a great game, where the second merely gives a score. Numbers do not prove a point. Let your words do that.

  Unfortunately, the second guy's arguement is used more often, and that my friends is because people are lazy. I'll even use one of my recent reviews to prove it.

  Not too long ago, I wrote a review for Resident Evil 5 and posted it on several gaming sites. This was my first review without a score, but since Gamespot's posting system required one, I'd decided to just give it a 1/10 as a joke and make a disclaimer in the header saying the rating meant nothing. Apparantly the disclaimer wasn't enough.

  Link to NailBail's Resident Evil 5 Review

  As you can see, the review was thumbed down numourous times, most likely due to the fact that I gave the game "such an atrocious score". Yet if any of those people actually bothered to read the darn thing, they would see that I actually didn't mind the game at all. I wasn't even angry about their ignorance. In fact, I was laughing because the controversy of the low score made it my most popular review, with more than double the ratings of my previous articles. This proves that readers value the number we give more than the words behind it.

  As a reviewer, I can say that most of us take some time and thought to put together a decent article. We do it for the benefit of the public, to let them know what are the hits and misses. That's why I get a little upset when fanboys brandish scores and ratings around like weapons, and why I don't want to use a score. A number is not what makes a game, but the experiences felt from the gamer, and that's what we try to tell you in our reviews. Read what we have to say, listen to our opinions, or else you'll just be a calculator processing numbers.

  • Posted Jun 18, 2009 3:13 pm PT
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• 11Jun 09

  The Godfather Review

  Movie Review: The Godfather
  Genre: Drama
  Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan
  Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
  Rating: 5/5

  

  An offer you can't refuse? How about a movie you can't miss!
  
  Ever since it was release back in 1972, The Godfather has been known as a masterpiece. Not only considered to be the best mafia flick of all time, but one of the best movies in general. After seeing this film for the first time, I now know why it is still so acclaimed to this day. The actors are brilliantly casted, the characters are likeable and believable, and has one of the best stories in cinema Hollywood has to offer.

  Don Vito Corleone (Brando) is the leader/head of the Corleone Mafia Family, and hosts his daughter's wedding while arranging business plans. His youngest son, Michael (Pacino), returns to New York from World War 2 in time for the wedding, and is the only one in the family not involved with "the business". When the Don is attacked and is almost killed, it is up to Michael to avenge his father. After the revenge is complete, Michael goes into hiding in Italy while war wages between the five Mafia families in NY. The members of the Corleone family need to figure out how to settle the war, as well as decide what will become of the Don and his unknown successor.

  Probably the most interesting character in the movie is Michael, the aspiring college student destined for great things. His development from being a civilian to a boss leader is one of the biggest aspects of the plot, and really drives the story. If there is a thing to critique about this otherwise fantastic development of a character, it is that Michael's motives are never really made clear. We don't know why he suddenly changes his mind about joining the family business, or why he's willing to kill for them. Maybe it's because of his love for his father, or the business somehow seduced him into it, but we never find out, leaving his intentions a mystery.

  Every actor in The Godfather is fantastic and wonderfully casted. Brando and Pacino make great leading roles, and even smaller parts like Bonasara and Solozzo do terrific jobs in creating a believable world of crime. It is their performances that make watching the nearly three hour flick great, though cutting the movie's length down would certainly help move it along.

  It is astounding to know then, that this perfect cast almost never was. Paramount Pictures hated the idea of Brando playing as the Don, and even stars Al Pacino and Robert Duvall were thought to have been poor choices. Thanks to Coppola's persistence and determination however, the studio gave in and allowed Coppola to have the actors he desired. Who knows how the movie would've fared if Coppola decided to back down?

  There is no doubt on The Godfather's legacy. Even with some slight confusion on character development and being quite a lengthy film, it's still a phenomenal movie that deserves the praise that it gets. It has a great plot with fantastic characters to boot. Go see The Godfather, or you'll be missing one of the timeless movies of all time.

  ***************

  Oh ya, and on a side note, sorry for not being here in like a month. School had been really pressing with all these projects and exams coming up. Luckily the summer break is almost here, and I'll be able to continue doing blogs and other reviews and such. This review was one of my assignments I had to make, so I thought I might as well post it. See you guys in a few weeks!

  • Posted Jun 11, 2009 1:02 pm PT
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• 30Apr 09

  New Film "The Encounter" Finished

  Hey guys. Recently I just finished a film project for my Video Production class. It took me and a friend a total of 4 days to film , and a few more days of editing. Simply titled, The Encounter . The film stars me (yay) as I walk through the woods and make a mysterious discovery. The flick is about 4 minutes long, so if you have the time click the link and tell me how it is . Despite some things that I would've liked to improve, overall I really liked how it turned out.

  Thanks for watching, and see you all laterz.

  • Posted Apr 30, 2009 12:17 pm PT
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• 17Apr 09

  Opinion On Gaming #5: Tricks Of The Trade

  The new Sonic games suck. Sequels are usually better than their predecessors. When in doubt, NEVER buy a movie based game. These are some of the things us gamers just know. It's a knowledge that we build throughout our gaming career. It's the knowledge that keeps us from buying bad games and making poor decisions. I'm sure that at least once, one of you might've bought a game that you might've regretted (curse you "Hey You Pikachu"!), and you've learnt since from that experience. With new generations of people coming into the gaming industry (thanks in large to Nintendo's marketing), many will surely be lost at the vast choices avaible. If you are a new gamer or want to become one, this blog, a guide if you will, can hopefully help you avoid some poison mushrooms in your journey through what many consider to be the entertainment of choice of the 21st century, the video game.

  (*ahem). Welcome to...

  NailBail's Tips to Gaming!

  1. WHAT CONSOLE SHOULD I BUY? (Wii, Xbox 360, Platstation 3)

  I'm afraid I cannot make that decision for you. A lot of factors should be considered when deciding to take the plundge on a $200+ system. Who is going to use it? How often do you plan on using it? How much do you plan on spending, and what extra features are you expecting? Will you be going online? Make sure to do research on each console, noting pros and cons for each one. Also, since you'll be buying this to play games, you will also want to check out the exclusives, ie. games that are made for one specific console. For example, Super Mario Galaxy is only for the Nintendo Wii, while Halo 3 is only of the Xbox 360. To relieve some of the pressure, please note that there will be multiplatorm titles that appear on all three systems, such as the Guitar Hero games. Once you find a console that you feel satisfied with, the hard stuff comes next: Building your game collection.

  2. AVOID MOVIE BASED GAMES.

  So, you're saying you just saw Iron Man in theatres? Was it awesome? It was?...Great! I bet you can't wait to go and buy the game so you can relive all those epic set pieces. Before you go however, you should know that video games based on hollywood flicks almost never turn out as good as the big screen. This is because developers usually don't have enough time to work out glitches and bugs in time for the movie release. Making a video game takes a fair bit longer than a movie, so when game developers have a less than usual timespan for a game, don't expect it to be a hit. If you really liked the movie that much, just buy the movie and save $40.

  Notable Exceptions: Chronicles of Riddick:Escape from Butcher Bay, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Rebublic.

  3.THEY ARE SEQUELS FOR A REASON

  Unlike my previous tip, this is where games beat film. Where Hollywood usually screws up sequels to an established franchise (I'm looking at you, The Matrix), game developers thrive on sequels. Not to discourage original games without sequels, but when a game becomes a series, that means that the first one did really well. Many games that started out as new IP's (Individual Properties) such as Bioshock and Uncharted are getting sequels because the first one sold well (and of course when it sells well, that means a lot of people liked it). Sequels are usually a safe bet for new comers, and most of the time they end up better than the original. I do urge you however, to take this lightly. While more games from fun franchises are great, I do encourage buying new original games as well. After all, it is buying original titles that create even more sequels, thus more variety of fantastic games to choose from.

  Notable Exceptions: Sonic, Tomb Raider, Silent Hill

  4. $70? FORGET IT.(*)

  Sorry Capcom, but no game should be over the limit of $60. Not even Street Fighter 4. As of late, quite a few new releases have had a price increase of between 5 to 10 dollars. Some would argue that it is because of the economy but I don't buy that. If that were really the case, every new game would start at $70, not just some of them. Look at Killzone 2 and Madworld, both of which are priced at $60 and $40 respectively. I would recommend that if you see a $70 game, just skip it. There are plenty of other more resonably priced games to choose from, and it lets the developers know that consumers don't like spending the extra cash. I'm especially disapointed at Capcom for doing this because they are a multi million dollar corporation, so don't tell me that they can't afford it.

  Notable Exceptions: None. Just don't spend the extra cash.

  5. BECOME A SCAVENGER

  This one will take a bit of work on your part, but the outcome is rewarding. This tip simply means that many retailers have many different prices, especially when talking about used games. You should be accustomed to shopping around, always looking for the best deals and sales. Where Microplay might have a copy of Mass Effect for $35, Blockbuster has a copy for only $25. This is just an example, but you should see where I'm going with this. Shop around, and before you know it you'll be saving hundreds of dollars to put towards other great games, and that's no exaggeration.

  6. PLAY THE WAITING GAME

  Is there a game that you're interested in, but just don't want to put down the full cash for it? There is a very simple answer to this: Be patient. At some point or another, all games will drop in price. You'd also be surprised at how quickly too. Games like Pure, Soul Caliber 4 and Ninja gaiden 2 have dropped in price to around the $30 point; a much more attractive purchase if you ask me. All three of these games aren't even a year old, showing a little patience can go a long way. Let the game sit there for a while, and before you know it you'll be saving in no time.

  Notable Exceptions: Mario Kart DS, Twilight Princess (I can wait Nintendo...)

  7. NOT SURE? RENT IT

  Not that I need to tell you this, but there is no shame in renting games. It can keep you from wasting a good chunk of cash, and you can at least say that you tried it. Renting is a cheap, fast way to learn if you like a game or not, and if you do end up loving the game you can always buy it. Even if you already know you won't buy a game, but want to try out some of the main features people hype about, you can rent it and form your own opinion. I want to check out Madworld, but don't want to spend the cash for it, so renting it seems like a good choice.

  8. READ REVIEWS!

  This will undoubtibly be the most valuable tip and thing you can do to have a happy gaming experience. Who would know the game better than the people who play it? Note what the reviewer says about high points/lack luster factors of the game, and decide with the info whether or not the game is worth your time. A decently written review is worth more than gameplay footage in terms of usefulness, because the user can be up front with what problems he had, where gameplay footage will only display visual set backs like frame rates and glitches.

  9. SO...MANY...

  Once you enter a gaming store and take a look at the shelves, a very obvious fact takes point: There are a lot of freaking games. Even after reading reviews and narrowing down the must-plays, you should notice that there are still so many to choose from, and you may be tempted to just buy them all. While I commend you for being so enthusiastic, let me say that if I bought every game I wanted, I would be several thousand dollars in debt. Try and keep spending to maybe one game per two weeks; more if you can manage it. This will keep your cash from seeping from your pockets and it will make sure that you enjoy that game to the fullest.

  * I am Canadian, so prices will vary.

  I hope that might help with your gaming quarrels, as I enjoyed recapping some knowledge that gamers take for granted. Thanks for reading, I'll see you guys next time.

  • Posted Apr 17, 2009 9:03 pm PT
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• 11Apr 09

  Opinion On Gaming #4: Define A Fanboy

  There is nothing wrong in liking something. Heck, you can even say that it's better than other choices. Albums, games, movies, actors, brands, whatever; Everyone has their favourite. So why should consoles be any different? I will say this right now: I like the PS3 more than the other current gen consoles. Does that make me a fanboy? I don't think so. Let's take a look at the definition to get a better understanding.

  Fanboy - a term used to describe any individual who is devoted to a single subject in a emotional or fanatical manner, or to a single point of view within that subject, often to the point of obsession.

  An obsession? That's definitely not me. See, the purpose if this edition of OOG is to clarify on what exactly a fanboy is, since I believe a lot of gamers get it confused with opinion. So, going down the traits, we will debunk what makes this loathing gamer hated so much, and hopefully clear up some confusion.

  1. Devoted to a single subject.

  Let's take music for example. I really like Iron Maiden, and they are one of my favourite bands. However, there are other bands I listen to, including Linkin Park, Bon jovi and Weird Al. This is something called VARIETY, a concept hardly grasped by fanboys. A music fanboy will only listen to a certain band or genre, refusing to consider giving any unrelated bands a chance. In the game industry, a fanboy will most likely align himself with a one console or even to the extreme, only first party titles. This might sound like I'm saying people who only have one console are fanboys, but that's not the case. Some people just can't afford another console, and that's fine. The difference is that fanboys have one console by choice, without giving any thought to any other product being just as good or even better. However, this is probably the lightest attribute of a fanboy, as he isn't really showing any real hate here. Let's call this a Type A fanboy: devoted, but harmless.

  2. Single point of view

  The Wii has terrible online. The 360 red rings. The PS3 gets inferior ports of 360 games. A fanboy will not aknowledge any of these features if they relate to his console. All that he will see is his glorious, flawless piece of hardware, and it is impossible to have a mature discussion with. He will tell them that they are mistaken, and point out that his system is by far superior to the competitions. Stubborness rears its head most at this stage, and he gets to the point of being annoying, but not necessarily hostile. I will call this Type B fanboy: Single minded and Stubborn.

  3.Obsession

  This is probably where all of hate is derived from. They are devoted to proving anyone who disagrees with him wrong by defending the console/developer by any means possible. This includes swearing, caps lock spamming and spamming in general. He will not stop until he is satisfied. Combine classes A and B with an added ingredient of obsession, and there you have Type C fanboy: Angry, obsessive, and aggressive.

  Of course, I don't believe every fan follows this criteria in real life, and these examples I have depicted in an extremist case. Fanboyism only shows itself on the internet,where they are protected from the opponent by a computer screen. the end, a fanboy comes down to a stubborn child who refuses to the thought of him being wrong. So the next time someone offers his opinion on a console, don't assume that he's a fanboy.

  P.S Im sorry for the overuse of the word "fanboy". I know I must've used it about 50 times in this article.

  • Posted Apr 11, 2009 1:21 pm PT
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• 6Apr 09

  Top 5 Childhood Movies

  Childhood memories are precious. Remember the days where you were an innocent, adventurous little scamp? Remember how you didn't need to worry about things like responsibility, relationships and...uggh...WORKING? Some of my best (and worst) moments in life have been when I was growing up, and this is important because it is how we are raised that makes us who we are.

  Some of the best things about memories is that they can be reborn with the help from any fond item item in the past. I still have a stuffed bear that I had since I was born, and I will never get rid of it just because of the times I've had with it. So whether it be a teddy bear, a batman action figure, a collection of Pokemon cards or a photo album, we all have things that can help us relive the past, sometimes even when you don't neccesarily want to.

  One of my favourite things growing up was watching movies. When I wasn't playing my N64, I would likely pop in a VHS (that's right, before those fancy Disc drives), and the following five movies is what you would find me watching. While they may might not be timeless hits to the public eye, they will always have a fond place in my memory.

  5. George of the jungle

  

  The hilarity in this movie was great. There was something about breaking the 4th wall that I found hysterical when I was a kid ("Hey, he's looking at the camera! LoL!"), and all the crazy antics that they pull is enough to entertain any kid's short attention span. I can't even remember what the storyline was; maybe George going to the city or something. Anyway the plot doesn't matter, because there was a talking Gorilla! A TALKING GORILLA!

  4. Hercule

  

  This movie was a kids dream; a bunch of mythodical monsters, godlike powers, funny comedy, all wrapped into one. Before I even knew who 'Kratos' was, I was watching Hercules defeat that bastard Hades time and time again. I like this movie so much, I ended up going as Hercules once for Halloween, as well as having my own Hercules dinner plate (it had a banner at his feet saying "I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy". Awesome!).

  3. Aladdin

  

  This movie is epic, even for a Disney movie. I remember the first time Aladdin entered the cave of treasures and seeing all that gold. I thought "wow! take some man!". But of course, being the good guy he is, heads straight for the Magic lamp. The chase scene that ensued got me so pumped I couldn't sit still. The whole movie is just fun to watch, and I would probably watch it right now, if my PS3 could play cassettes, that is.

  2. Toy Story

  

  Still one of Pixar's finest, Toy Story gave us a tale of what our action figures and playthings go through. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen did great jobs making Woody and Buzz come to life, and this movie made me watch my own action figures to see if they would move or talk. Of course that never happened, but the idea was fun nonetheless. The 3-D effects looked astounding, especially since this is Pixars first major film, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

  1. Muppet Treasure Island

  

  I'm not sure why I loved this movie so much. To be honest, this was the only Muppet movie I ever saw as a kid. Maybe it was the pirates and the treasure. Maybe it was the addicting songs that begged to be sung along with. Whatever it was, it was great. I was laughing throughout, and the movie did what all kids movies strives to accomplish: entertain.

  And what about yourselves? What movies or playthings do you still have from a child?

  Thanks for reading, see you next time.

  • Posted Apr 6, 2009 3:39 pm PT
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• 26Mar 09

  Resident Evil 5 Review

  Resident Evil 4 brought the series into the spot light, innovating on ridding of the fixed camera angles and limited inventory slots and replacing them with a more modern over-the-shoulder cam and bountiful attache case. The story was purposely cheesy and over-the-top, moving the series from the survival horror genre into more of an intense action game. Several years later, and here we have Resident Evil 5, the highly anticipated, slightly controversial sequel of what many consider one of the best games of all time. The result: the predecessor copies its source material too much for its own good, and Resident Evil 5 ends up being an average experience that aims to please the fans without setting any landmarks.
  
  The story starts out promising enough. Chris Redfield makes his glorious, steroid filled return to the series along with his new partner Sheva Alomar. They are on a mission to search an African town for the whereabouts of a possible biological terrorist in the district. Suspicions are proved correct and once again, Chris finds himself battling an infected horde and fighting for his life. Chris and Sheva work together to discover the secret behind this recent outbreak and hope to end bioterrorism for good.
  
  The plot is suspenseful enough with many set pieces, but the settings and enemies feel like ideas ripped from other games, mostly from the previous RE game. It also doesn't help that the dialog is horrible at points, even for the series that debuted the infamous " you, the master of unlocking take it with you" line. The voice work is fine; it's just the writing that will make you bang your head in agony as you hear uninspired one liners after the other, mostly from the villains. Overall the story is as predictable as can be, if only to provide the player with many locales to play on and plenty of zombies to fight.
  
  People that played RE 4 will have no problem picking up the controls, seeing how hardly anythings changed. Thankfully, this is where staying the course is a good thing. You move and aim with the analog sticks, with commanding your partner, inventory and action prompts taking up the face buttons. The over-the-shoulder cam is still present, along with the stop and shoot gameplay. If there's one thing about the RE series that's to be said, it's that there are two opinions about having to stop walking in order to aim your gun: either you hate it or you deal with it. Veterans of the series will have no trouble with it, while newcomers will need to adjust. It's all a matter of preference. Shortcuts to items are placed on the D-pad for easy access, and is a slight but welcome feature.
  
  Of course, the biggest addition of all appears in the form of co-op, a first for the franchise. Killing zombies and boss fights is very satisfying with a friend, whom can join you either offline or online. Strategizing with a buddy of the best way to defeat a horde of enemies is a great experience and actually helps in keeping the action going. If you have no one to play with, Sheva's AI actually does a decent job backing you up, though it's not nearly as satisfying as when playing with a human being. Whether or not co-op belongs in a game like RE can be debated, but it can't be denied that for the most part, it works great.
  
  The inventory now appears in real time and is shrunk down to only nine slots per person. This is most likely implemented to make it easier to navigate while fighting "majini" (I don't care what you call them Capcom, they're still zombies). However, this small inventory is balanced with the vast storage space that the player has access to at the beginning of each chapter. So if say the player picks up a rocket launcher but doesn't want to use it yet, you can deposit it into the storage to save a precious slot. The inventory works well up to the point where you need to trade items with your partner. Switching weapons and herbs with your partner is cumbersome and unintuitive, especially when both players have a full inventory. This is especially frustrating for an action game, which slows down the intensity of task at hand.
  
  Despite using a bland colour palette of gray, brown and dull green, the game looks really good. The bright sun in the early levels shows a great contrast between light and dark, and some of the texturing is remarkable. The outstanding visuals really show in the cutscenes, which makes it bearable to listen to the "plot". Some locales look a bit too dim and gloomy, though some would argue that it adds to the tension.
  
  Where Resident Evil shines best is its replayability. You can go back and play your favourite chapters in the mission select, try and upgrade all your weapons, and collect all the figurines, treasures and medals. Leader boards are present for you speed runners and perfectionists, along with a story record for whenever you want to be reminded how many head shots you pulled. Mercenaries makes a return from RE 4, which is a mini game where you have to kill as many enemies within a certain time limit. There is also a library full of Resident Evil info, including character backgrounds and the history of the franchise. This is a great feature for current fans and for people who want to catch up on previous game plots.
  
  In the end, what we have here is Resident Evil 4 with a watered down story and an added co-op feature. The game takes no risks (other than following one of the best games ever), and in fact borrows many ideas from what it is trying to overcome. The game looks great and has a lot of features to keep you going. The co-op is a fun experiment for the franchise, though the inventory system developed for it can be bothersome and you'll need a friend to enjoy it fully. Resident Evil fans will want to pick this up, but everyone else might want to think twice about picking up this co-op based action game.

  **********

  Aside from the review, I would like to say that from now on none of my reviews will have a score henceforth. Games cannot be based on numbers, so listen to the points made and let yourself decide if it's a good game or not, not a number.

  • Posted Mar 26, 2009 5:22 pm PT
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• 14Mar 09

  Video Games Live: The Aftermath

  

  WARNING: Insanely long, epic blog approaching!

  As some of you might know but probably forgotten, last night was the night (Friday 13) I went to see Video Games Live. Video Games Live is a live orchestra that plays many a great pieces of video game music, and should not be missed. Let me tell you that last night was one of the best nights of my life; It's that good of a show. If you ever get a chance and want to remind yourself why it's so awesome to be a gamer, see this performance. I'm going to give a play by play to the best that I can remember of last night, so that you know what a great experience it truly is. Buckle up, this could be long.

  First Off, at the concert hall a preshow was being held, with games and contest alike. My friends and I arrive there at around 7:00, knowing full well that the concert didn't start until 8:00. While exploring the booths in the lobby, I notice there weren't quite as many as I would've thought. A bunch of TV's were set up on the left side, every one of them playing Little Big Planet.

  

  Right in the centre of the hall was a table covered with merchandise: T shirts, keychains, and even air fresheners! Not being one to miss out on some cool swag, I bought myself a T shirt. You can't see on the back, but it says "World Tour: 2009-2010".

  

  Also, while I was in line to buy my shirt, another kid ahead of me is also buying a shirt. There were about three different WOW shirts on display: an Alliance, a Horde, and a Lich King. He's trying to buy the Alliance shirt and dorkiness ensues.

  Douche: "I want the Alliance Shirt, Extra large"

  Merchant: "Which one?".

  Douche: "The Alliance shirt" (points to shirt).

  Merchant: "This one?" (looks at wrong shirt).

  Douche: "No! I want the Alliance shirt, I said it three times already!"

  Merchant: "Well I'm sorry, but I don't know that "The Alliance" is!".

  Lastly, over on the right, a Guitar Hero competition was being held. This was where it was the most crowded, so me and my friends just chatted near the T Shirt table until the Concert was about to begin. We each had our own music that we hoped that the concert would play; I mentioned how badly I wanted to hear the Metal Gear Solid theme. The time around then was 7:50, so we separate and find our respected seats.

  "Wow! I'm in the fourth row!" I thought as I took the seat it said on my ticket. I couldn't believe I was right in front with a great view. I look back and see one of my friends two rows behind me, and I knew that another was close by as well. While the final preparations were being made for the orchestra, a video played on screen, showing an anime music video about video games. Cheesy, but funny. When the video ends the lights dim, and the first thing we see on the screen is a giant display of PONG. The ball hits back and forth, each time hitting the paddle, making a loud "Ping". From this we get an assortment of many old music themes from the days of the NES, including Donkey Kong, Duck Hunt, Gauntlet and Tetris.

  At the end of the segment, we can hear a Codec ringing. Audience laughs as the composer picks up. "This is Solid Snake" we hear from the speakers. "Is any one out there?". At this the crowd goes nuts, cheering and clapping. "That's what I thought. Enjoy the show". Right after that humorous skit, Tommy Tallarico, one of the organizers of VGL, comes out and thanks the audience for coming. Tom talks a little bit about how the show came to be, and how they want to change the world of music with video games. You can actually see his introduction here. He then thanks everyone, and introduces the first real song of the night...Metal Gear Solid!

  

  Alright, kicking off things with a bang! Already I have a wide grin across my face, listening to the music fill the room. The one song I wanted to hear most, and they use it for the first one! "This is going to be a fantastic night" I think to myself.

  Metal Gear ends, and immediately after I was pleasantly surprised to hear the music of Bioshock!

  

  The music and footage reminded me just how eerie this game is, with the violens being particularily noticable in this piece.

  Tommy comes back on stage and tells the audience how they got in touch with Blizzard to go down to South Korea and promote the upcoming game, and the next theme, of StarCraft 2!

  

  I haven't played any of Blizzard's games, but I do know now that they have some wicked tunes packed into those RTS's and MMO's.

  After that, they kept things rolling by playing the music of Civilization 4!

  

  In this piece we got to hear the chorus really stand out for the first time, with a soloist doing a really good job as well. It's another game I've never played before, but it sounds like it has a great fan base.

  My mind is a bit fuzzy after this (the brain can't handle too much awesome in one night), but I'll try. I believe after Civ 4 Tom came back on stage to introduce Martin Leung. Now for those of you who don't know who he is, he's that guy on Youtube who can play the Mario theme on the piano, blindfolded! I guess he made a deal with VGL and he's touring with them, which is awesome. Anyway, Martin came on stage and played a bunch of short Final Fantasy themes on the piano. That guy has some mad skills.

  

  Martin leaves the stage, but Tommy doesn't come back. Instead, the musicians begin to play again. And what they play folks, is a few of the greats from Super Mario Bros!

  
  

  After that aura of magnificence, Tommy comes back and says that they have two more songs to go before a quick intermission, but before that, he'll pick a person from the audience to play a live game of Space Invaders! He ended up choosing this dorky chick who said she never played SI before (audience didn't take too kindly to that...). The orchestra played the music as the girl played the game, who ended up loosing all her lifes before the performance ended. Epic fail.

  

  Tommy returns, and tells us that the next song was the second most requested song for VGL for the longest time, and that they finally added it to their set list. I'm talking of course, about Metroid!

  

  Another pleasant surprise! I was in awe when the blue light passed over the entire theatre, and the sci fi music of Metroid actually translate into the performance better than I anticipated. Bioshock and Metroid were my two things I didn't really expect coming, but I'm glad they were in the set list!

  So, what theme are they going to leave us out before the a quick intermission? Well, none other than the theme of The Legend of Zelda!

  

  I'll admit it, I became a little teary eyed when I heared this one. It was perfect. I was fearing that only a few major titles were going to be in this, but already we have Metal Gear, Metroid, Mario and Legend of Zelda! What's going to play in the second half?

  The break didn't last long, hardly fifteen minutes. Before I knew it I was back in my seat, ready for more. Good Ol' Tommy boy came back to the stage and introduced a band called Splitting Atom, who did music for Need For Speed: Undercover. This one I was a bit skeptical about and feared that they couldn't keep up with the orchestra. Luckily though, the band actually performed very well and the audience seemed to take a liking to them.

  

  It was at this point that Tommy announced the winner of the Guitar Hero competition, who actually got to go up on stage and play Guitar Hero in front of every one. He had to play "Sweet Emotion" on Hard and get 200 000 points to win a prize. He stepped it up though by saying he wanted to go on Expert. He did well but came short (around 174 000) but they gave him the prize anyway.

  

  After congratulation him, Tom asks the audience if they like Disney. The crowd cheers frantically. He then asks if we like Square. We all know where this is going, and yell like crazy. He asks us to scream out the game to the next song, which the audience obliges and blurts out..."Kingdom Hearts!"

  

  A series of shots from many Disney movies play throughout the piece, creating a magicial atmosphere around the giant room.

  Immediately following, the orchestra kicks up the epic by playing the theme to Warcraft!

  

  I tell ya, the last minute of this song sent shivers down my spine. The presentation was just fabulous.

  Tom once again reappears to us to tell us about the next piece. He tells us that this one like Metroid has also been requested many times, and how it has only been added to the set list last week, and that this'll be the second time they played it. The crowd went balistic as Tom screamed out that they were going to play the music to Chrono Trigger!

  
  

  Tom and the composer, Jack Wall, did a Guitar duo and did an amazing job. Thanks to someone in the audience, you can actually watch it here.

  Next, the audience was glad to welcome back Martin, who came back to do what he's famous for: He played an assortment of Mario music blindfolded! I seriously have no idea how he does it. "That guy must be a robot" Tom says.

  Tom dissapears for a brief moment but quickly returns with an electric guitar. "We are going to play some Halo!" he cries and the audience applauds, though I hear a few booes hear and there. What I found extremely funny though, was that as soon as Tom mentioned Halo, a whole bunch of ten year olds several rows behind me started to chant "Ha-lo!Ha-lo!". Way to prove the stereotype kids.

  

  Tom rocked it out on the guitar, and the whole place was booming. He and the composer bowed and the orchestra stood up. The audience gives a standing ovation as they leave the stage. Im thinking to myself "no wait, it can't be over!". Almost immediately the crowd starts to chant "One More! One More! One More!".

  And of course there was more. They returned immediately. Tom asks "so you want more?". We are raving with excitement, clearly giving our answer. "How would you guys like to hear some more Final Fantasy?". Everyone is shouting from the rooftops. Tom contemplates out loud with the composer which Final Fantasy should they play. With the audiences help, they decide on...wait for it...Final Fantasy 7, One Winged Angel!

  

  Luckily, this one as well, was recorded, so you can experience what I saw last night. "Sephiroth!"

  And guess what? There's still one more! Tom tells the audience that ending with One Winged Angel would be too obvious. So they tell the audience that they're going to play one more song for the night. "It's an oldie but a goodie...the one...the only...Castlevania!"

  
  

  The song ends, and all you can hear is applause. Everyone is clapping and standing. Tom and all the orchestra take a bow and everyone goes insane. "Thank You all very much!" Tommy finishes. "We hope to see you again sometime!". The lights go up, and I realize I just saw some of the best two and a half hours of my life.

  Thanks for reading, and as you might figure out in the links, I live in Kitchener Ontario! Now you know. Again, see this live if you ever can. I guarantee you will have the time of your life.

  • Posted Mar 14, 2009 3:54 pm PT
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• 9Mar 09

  NailBail's Top 4 Movies

  Ah cinema, the great passive hobby of our time. Decade after decade, dedicated film makers have been creating movies for our enjoyment. Romantic, Action, Horror, it's all there. Now, some of my favourite films proceed, each of them I will watch countless times and never tire of them. Please note that I haven't seen every movie ever made, so I'f you're favourites aren't on here, be sure to list them in the comment section and I might go see it, perhaps it will even replace one of my current best. Here are four of my most favourite films. Why four? Because I couldn't think of a fifth, and there hasn't been a movie to claim that spot yet.

  
  

  4. Die Hard

  

  Damn this movie kicks ass. From the get go the audience is placed in the shoes of officer John Mclane, where he finds himself locked inside a tower full of terrorists. The action never lets up every set piece is filled with explosions and gun fire. What I like most about the Die Hard is the setting. There's no traveling or exploration; there's only the Nakatomi building, which in its own way becomes a character. Also, it's very easy to like the main characters, and even the head terrorist, Gruber, is likable, in his own way. Lastly, Mclane never leaves us bored as he pulls his one liners throughout the movie, none the least of which is "Yippie Ki Yay Mother F#cker!".

  3. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
  

  Talk about the opposite of Die Hard, Indiana Jones travels everywhere! Indy is an archaeoligist that has a habit of finding lost relics and ancient traps, and we love him for it. Taking place around the second world war, Mr Jones must find the lost ark before the nazis do. Best of all, I think deep down we all want to be an Indiana Jones at some point, and this movie helps us live the dream of exploring unknown lands and finding treasure. Easily one of Speilburgs best works, this action adventure is sure to please any audience.

  2. Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

  

  Sure the movie is long, but The Lord of the Rings is three hours of pure epic. This tale follows Frodo Baggins as he sets out to destroy the One Ring, a ring that can bring the Dark Lord Sauron back to Middle Earth. Peter Jackson did a fantastic job bringing J.R.R Tolkien's book to life, and it shows the wonderful world that he created in the novel. I liked Fellowship the most because it was a fantastic introdution, while I felt that the others dragged a bit too long. LOTR is one of the best fantasy movies of all time, and you would be a fool of a Took to not see it .

  1. The Shawshank Redemption

  

  Breathtaking. Astonishing. A masterpiece. All of these words can be used to describe The Shawshank Redemption. What might seem like a simple story of a man sent to prison is actually a deep, thoughtful experience. Andy Dufresne is man who teaches the other convicts that a person can be free, even in prison. The lesson that hope is needed to survive, and it is a lesson that he goes with thoughout the entire film. The characters are all casted brilliantly, and the bleak yet hopeful atmosphere of the prison is incredible. The Shawshank Redemption is without a doubt, my favourite movie of all time.

  Movies I plan on seeing in the future: The Godfather, Schiendler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Pulp Fiction, The Exorcist, and whatever you guys reccomend! Thanks for reading!

  • Posted Mar 9, 2009 4:33 pm PT
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• 3Mar 09

  Opinion On Gaming #3: Why Spoil it?

  Trailers can be a great thing. They are great publicity for getting an unknown game recognized, and can boost the anticipation of an already hyped game. But how much coverage is too much? Is there a point where you see so much of the game, that you're worried all the surprises are gone? That's what's happenng with the recent coverage with Resident Evil 5, where Capcom's released so many videos that one could easily put the plot together just by watching them. Why give us so much information though? Shouldn't a few cut scenes and some gameplay footage suffice?

  Let's go back to November of 2008 (if you can still remember that far). Gears of War 2 had been all the rage and everyone had been waiting to get a copy. Video after video from Epic studios was released to the public to prepare them for the awesome game that was to arrive. Hell, I probably watched half of them I was so excited for Gears 2. When I brought the game home though, I noticed that many of the epic set pieces I've seen already in trailers. The game was still fun to play, but I felt that something was missing, like a surprise that never was.

  Now with Resident Evil 5 coming out, videos and announcements have been popping up everywhere, only this time I've taken to ignoring them. I'm too much of a fan of the series to spoil it now, when it's so close to releasing. I see tabs for new boss fights, character reveals and the like. Don't you want to find that stuff out for yourself, by actually PLAYING the game, not just watching some trailer on the internet?

  I believe that more care should be considered when showing new footage to the public. Okay, you want us to buy the game, but don't show the climax, or else it ruins it! Sure the info is there for the people who want it, but it takes away some of the spirit of finding a game's charm; of what makes a certain game special. Reveal too much, and you take that special something away.

  If you really want to know if a game is good or not without spoiling too much, read a review, don't watch it. It removes the video apsect and still provides good info on the game. A numbered rating isn't as good as someone's opinion anyway.

  • Posted Mar 3, 2009 6:31 pm PT
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• 28Feb 09

  NailBail's Top 10 N64 Games

  

  I'm very passionate about my N64. It was my very first console and it was what started my fasination with video games. Without it, I never would have gotten as involved with video games as I am today. Sure the PS 1 beat it in sales, but back then I didn't even care about any console war. I just enjoyed the games. So to commemorate a great console, I give you my favourite games from my childhood system... the Nintendo 64.

  10. F Zero X

  

  F Zero was always about racing at break neck speeds down crazy courses. Not only was the compitition fierce, but it was just hard enough trying to stay on the track. Going off insane ramps and traveling over 1000 km/hr definately wasn't easy to control, which makes it low on this list. But balance the fact that it had a wide variety of unique courses, large rouster of hovercraft, and a great rock soundtrack, this game easily stands beside any other racing franchise. Plus, how many other racing games have their own mascot? F Zero has Captain Falcon, one of the most bad ass pilots to ever get behind the wheel. Beat that Gran Turismo!

  

  9. Snowboard Kids

  

  This is another racer that will be a lot less familar than other games, but it's impact was just as big. You played as six different snowboarders as you raced down a slope trying to complete the course first. What made the game great was all the variety of items you could throw at your opponent, similar to Mario Kart. One power up even turned another racer into a snowman! The quirky characters, awesome tracks, and pure nostalgia make this one of my beloved games of the past. I rented this game so many times I'm surprised I didn't buy it. I'll go ahead and say this: Snowboard Kids is better than MarioKart 64. That's right.

  

  8.Super Smash Bros.

  

  Before Brawl. Before Melee. There was this. The game that started a thousand fights with your favourite nintendo characters. Back in my youth (kind of wierd to say that) I never played any Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. For me, it all about the smash. Countless hours have been spent pummeling my friends as Donkey Kong, as well as trying not to fall into the tornado on the Hyrule level. Which ever character you played as, you knew that you would be having fun using the items and scaling the platforms while trying to knock your opponent off.

  

  7. Mario 64

  

  Ahh Mario, you certainly like Top List don't you? Going back to his 3-D roots, this game is the first time we got to see the chubby plumber in all three dimensions. I can't remember the first star I collected, but I do remember all the time I've spent exploring each gorgious world as I looked for them. To this day, I still haven't found all 120. It's slightly low on my list because there were some levels that I found atrosious, and the winged hat was a hassle to fly. But Even so, There far more great levels than there were bad, some being so unique that sometimes you need to stop and look at the details.

  

  6. Donkey Kong 64

  

  The second platformer on this list, and rightfully so. I actually got this game along with my N64 as a bundle, so DK64 would be one of the first games I've ever played. Each of the kongs have their own unique power ups in order to collect all the golden bananas. The levels were huge and fun to explore, and they really tested your platforming skills. Sure the multiplayer wasn't exactly stunning and seemed tacked on, but I would hardly expect it from a platformer. One last thing to note, is that the final showdown with King K. Rool was so unexpected and hilarious, that it manages to pull itself in front of Mario 64, though I like both games pretty much equally.

  

  5. Star Fox 64

  

  If there's one word that can use to describe this game, it would be replayability. Sure you could beat the game in under an hour, but in fact that's a part of what makes it great! The gameplay feels like an arcade game; collecting upgrades for your ship as you travel from planet to planet. You would fly your starship across the land blowing up everything in your path, all the way to a satisfying boss battle. And it never got tiring! You could play this game for hours (which I have) just trying to top my high score and going to different planets. Get it on the Wii market if you've never played it. Worth every dollar.

  

  4. Perfect Dark

  

  I hear the complaints on this one. Wears Golden Eye? This is my answer: Why need Golden Eye when you have Perfect Dark? This game looked better, sounded better, and still had the same feel of the acclaimed 007 game. Actual voice work, a kick ass multiplayer, and more weapons than you know what to do with. Seriously, the multiplayer in this game can match that of Halo and COD, and I'll never forget the countless hourse I've spent shooting rockets at my 64 bit comrades. Oh ya, and there's an alien in the game named ELVIS!

  

  Alright, we're getting to the final trio here. Even though THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE (yay Highlander), I really wouldn't be able to choose only one of these games as my all time favourite. These are the best of the best of my gaming history, and each of them deserve to be number one.

  3. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

  

  We all knew this would be on here sometime. This time warping masterpiece is what defined the Nintendo 64. Lock on targeting, auto jumping, the Water Temple, this game had it all. The story was fantastic, following Link as he journeyed on his quest to take down Ganondorf. The music is terrific, the bosses are epic, items are plenty, there is just so much to offer in this game. So why number three and not one? Well, this game came into my life a little later in my life, and the dramatic story ark was sometimes depressing. These are only minor personal issues, so don't lose your head over it.

  

  2. Banjo Kazooie

  

  This really was Rare's golden system. Sure they're owned by Microsoft now, but we all know that the dream team is Nintendo and Rare. My favourite platformer, hands down, is Banjo Kazooie. The concept was simple:A bear and bird team up to defeat the witch Grunty, who has captured Banjo's sister in orde to obtain her youth. Unlike Mario, Donkey Kong, and LOZ, Banjo exceels in one aspect: the water level is tolerable. Not the best level by any means, but still better than the titles previously mentioned. The bear with the yellow shorts will always have a place on my shelf (just, you know, not Nuts N' Bolts).

  

  
  1. Paper Mario

  

  This game...is incredible. A 3-D world with 2-D characters. Sure the same concept present: Princess gets captured, Mario must save princess. How the plot gets to the conclusion though, is unlike any other Mario game before hand. The turn based mechanic worked great, the characters were lively and colourful, and the badge collecting was addicting. Everything about this game was awesome, and the day I unwrapped this from underneath my Christmas tree was one of the happiest of my gaming life. If you get the chance, play it.

  

  Well, that's it folks. Thank you to all the people who took the time to read this, and see you next time.

  • Posted Feb 28, 2009 1:20 pm PT
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• 24Feb 09

  Movie Review: Sin City

  

  WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOLLOW

  The movies that portray Frank Millar's graphic novels always seem to have some kind of artistic aesthetic to them. Special effects don't begin to describe any of the film adaptations of his graphic novels, one of which being Sin City. So is there more to this film than a neat art tricks?

  Sin City isn't actually just one story, but three. Part 1 is about cop Hartigan (Willis) tracking down and protecting Nancy (Alba) from a rapist; Part 2 involves Marv (Rourke) on a mission to kill the man that murdered his once lover Blondie, and Part three follows Dwight (Owens) as he tries to stop a man from killing women, all of which happens within the same time period and in Sin City. Rape, violence, and blood. Everything a movie needs.

  The first thing you'll notice about this movie is that it is a film noir, meaning shot in black and white. The majority of the film is shot like this, with only certain objects are in colour to show importance (such as a red car). The black and white works well, especially since the source material used similar artwork. Along with excellent usage of lighting, the overall impression is like looking at a comic book come to life, and it really does look great.

  Unfortunately, the awesome visuals come at a price. Some of the action scenes are so obscure and wacky, that I feel like I'm watching a Loony Tunes cartoon. People absorb bullets like punches, get run over by cars without dying, and things that I can't even go into. Let's just say that when I saw the "R" rating on the back of the box, I thought it was an exageration (Hint: It's not).I don't care whether it's a comic book movie or not; If you fly twenty feet in the air after getting rammed by a car and come out fine, it breaks the immersion.

  Another thing that hurts this movie is the characters. All the actors do an all right job (and Alba does look pretty fine with a lasso), but the script and tone of the movie hardly allowed for any outstanding performances. The women in the movie were a bit better, as their characters showed a lot more flair then the men, but overall the characters seemed to lack luster. And how could this happen? They have plenty of big names in this film: Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Brittany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, and even Elijah Wood! Yet I hardly saw any actual attempts at bringing out their full potential. Everyone just talked in monotone, making dialouge stretch out. The one thing I did like was the narrative given by the major characters, which acted as thought bubbles (like in the comics) throughout the movie. These "thought bubbles" were actually more interesting than the actual dialouge, and it made the movie easier to get into.

  The action in this flick is okay, which is surprising to say, considering some of the epic scenes in Frank Millar's other film 300. There was nothing really outstanding, and even when there was, it was just flat out ridiculous (a gun chamber lodged into a guy's forehead? yea...). Of course, when people are soaking up bullets, jumping flights of stairs, and yellow bastards roam the streets, it's easy to guess that the movie isn't supposed to be taken too seriously, so maybe I'm being too harsh.

  

  (seen above: Intermission time)

  To put it lightly, Sin City is senseless, comic book fun. The black/white effects look fantastic, and the narrative thoughts give the character's depth. However, the over-the-top violence seemed a bit silly, the characters lacked any emotion when interacting with eachother, and nothing really impressed me other than the visuals. I can see why others would enjoy it: it's mindless fun that had the potential to be truly fantastic. Maybe in the future I'll rewatch it and really like it, but for now it just isn't my thing.

  Rating: 3/5

  • Posted Feb 24, 2009 6:27 pm PT
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• 18Feb 09

  Opinion On Gaming #2: Exclusives = EVERYTHING!

  With Killzone 2 and the DLC for GTA on the way, I thought it would be benificial to discuss why exclusives are so important for developers, publishers, and the consoles themselves. What makes fanboys tick? Why is there a console war? Who has the best games?

  Fanboys are a funny species. They join in celebration at the release of exclusive titles for ther system, every time claiming their manliness and their console is superior to others. When other fanboys from other consoles hear this, they immediately ramage the streets and call for an all out war against the celebrators, and thus the flaming begins.

  "Gears 2 kicks Resistance 2's ass!"

  "You wish! The Locust can't compare to the Chimera!"

  "The Locust eat Chimera for breakfast!"

  "Your mother!"

  And so the rabbling goes on and on with no declarable winner. Who is right? Which game is better? IS there a better? Maybe, maybe not. All we know is that if the game is not on our console, than it must be a bad game. Would there be any arguement if either game game out on both platforms? Probably not. Do you know why? It's because there would nothing to argue about!

  The reason why fanboys love (and hate) exclusives is that it makes the person with the exclusive feel special. Important. Better. So much better in fact, that he has nothing better to do than rub the game in the adversaries face and say "Hey, guess what? See this game? Well you can't play it! Hahahaha!", instead of actually playing/enjoying the game. The other gamer, ticked off, starts commenting how the game isn't even good; that it sucks, and that he sucks for buying it. Mr. Exclusive will retaliate and bring along his friends to help defend the game and ridicule the other gamer. Dr. TickedOff then brings his friends into the fray, and the argument becomes a full out brawl, with no clear winner in the end.

  If my knowledge of history is correct (bare with me if it isn't), then this is starting to look like an Online version of the Cold war. One side makes some nuclear bombs and says "Hey, we have more bombs than you, so we're in power now". The other country then makes bigger and better bombs and says "No, we have more bombs than you; we are in charge here". This went on and on for decades. Now fanboys are repeating history by saying "we have more exclusives than you; We're better" over and over again.

  So just why is it that exclusives are so important? It's what drives the sales. People look at each of the consoles and ask "What are the games that I want to play? Each of the consoles have their own selection of games to answer that question. The consumer looks at these games and decides what will be the best investment for them. Do they want a platform with a lot of family games, or hardcore games? Does it matter if it has blu-ray or not? By answering these questions, a person will know which system is the best choice. Sure, there might be good games on the other platforms, but this console has its' own great exclusives as well.

  Let's take an example. throughout the past years, the PS3 and Xbox 360 have been battling it out, with the 360 being the current Leader. Why? Because they had bigger and better exclusives than the PS3. This is where Sony really messed up. I think that if Sony had a starting price of $700 ($100 more), but told us that titles like Devil May Cry 4, GTA 4, Silent Hill, Final Fantasy 13 and many other titles would be exclusive in the future, it would still sell as well on launch day and have a larger number of install bases today. I tell you now; If Resident Evil 5 became an exclusive for PS3, their console sales would soar. Instead, Microsoft has been smart in their marketing, sealing exclusives (like GTA DLC) to draw in more customers. Who can blame them? Why buy the game on the PS3 when you can get the game plus EXCLUSIVE content on the 360?

  I'll sum this up for the people who skipped to the bottom (you know who you are).Fanboys love Exclusives. Exclusives equals sales. Sales equals Fanboys.I'll admit it; One of the reasons I wanted Valkyria Chronicles in the first place was because it was a PS3 exclusive. We gamers need to learn that all consoles have great titles, and that you should spend time enjoying games instead of ridiculing them. If you only have a 360, congratulate somebody for creating a new LBP level. If you only have a PS3, high five your fellow gamer who collected all 120 stars. If you only have a Wii, celebrate with the man who beat GOW 2 on Insane. It's okay to be critical of other games. It's an entirely different to be a raging fanboy.

  • Posted Feb 18, 2009 3:21 pm PT
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