• 21Apr 11

  Don't Call It a Comeback...

  Well, I certainly haven't been here for years, but least to say it's been a long time since I last posted a blog. My last entry was about how GLaDOS should be the greatest villain of all time, and so it seems fitting that my first video game purchase of the year is none other than:

  

  I haven't really sunk my teeth into the game yet; I'm only through half-way into the second chapter. While the game hasn't been challenging by any stretch of the imagination so far (especially for someone who's thoroughly played the first game), Portal 2 really sucks you in quickly. The ruined halls of Aperture Laboratories are greatly detailed and players familiar with the original test chambers will quickly realize that some of them have returned but certainly have seen better days since the events of Portal.

  But when it comes to the dark, witty humor the first game is know for, Valve starts off firing on all cylinders. I thought Portal's humor slowly kicked in during the course of the game, but when I was introduced to Wheatley at the very beginning of the game, I was in stitches. It's just unbelievable how much value good comedic value can add to a game. I really wish I wrote down some of the stuff he said to share with everyone... perhaps for a future entry.

  • Posted Apr 21, 2011 7:11 am GMT
  • Category: Editorial
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg
• 25Aug 10

  Bracketology - Final Four of the All Time Greatest Game Villain

  So, tomorrow marks the first day of the All Time Greatest Game Villain tournament. Before that kicks off, let me finish my bracket analysis.

  Last time I left off saying that the Final Four (or the Fearsome Four as the official bracket calls them) would be Ganondorf v. Bowser, and GLaDOS v. Sephiroth. So let's jump straight into the semifinal matches.

  ---

  Ganondorf vs. Bowser.

  This is a clas sic match-up worthy of a final: two old-school nintendo villains who are just as iconic as their heroic counterparts. In my opinion, Ganondorf is more of a villain than Bowser, while Bowser is merely just villainous (think about that for a second and it'll make sense… hopefully). Ganondorf is the personification of evil in the Zelda games, whereas Bowser just could use a little love, even if he does have to forcefully kidnap Princess Peach for some company. However, Mario fans are aplenty and expect them to carry their favorite foe into the finals.

  Winner: Bowser

  ---

  GLaDOS vs. Sephiroth

  This is the match-up I'm betting the success of my bracket on. I'm certain Sephiroth will steamroll through his quarter of the bracket and may continue that momentum into the final (man, I can already hear the thousands of FF fanboys still crying over Aeirth). However, GLaDOS is my personal favorite villain in this whole tourney and I'll be remiss if I don't pick her to go into the finals. And besides, who really wants to crown an effeminate, anime character to be the greatest villain?

  Winner: GLaDOS (partly out of principle)

  ---

  Here it is the Final battle:

  Bowser vs. GLaDOS

  Last year, it was Mario against Gordon Freeman as the greatest game hero. Super Mario Bros. vs. Half-life. I think this year, those two games will be represented again in this year's greatest game villain contest. Last year, the Valve/Steam community rallied for Gordon Freeman and helped him edge past Mario. Expect a repeat this year as once again, the Half-life universe will trump the Mushroom Kingdom as GLaDOS will take home the title of Greatest Game Villain.

  Winner and Greatest Game Villain: GLaDOS

  ---

  So there it is, my picks for the Greatest Game Villain. I'm sure many of you disagree (and probably rightfully so), but let me know what you guys think, with your own bracket analysis. Besides, it's fun to just throw out random opinions without any real concrete thought behind them. Much like sports writers.Anyway, till next time.

  • Posted Aug 25, 2010 11:33 am GMT
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg
• 20Aug 10

  Bracketology - All Time Greatest Game Villain

  So, Gamespot's All Time Greatest Game Villain Tournament is looming over the horizon and I'mstoked. I love tournaments for one simple reason: brackets! It's why I follow tennis all year long, and why I suddenly pay attention to collegiate basketball in March. They're fun to fill out, analyze, debate, and gamble insane amounts of money, like $10, over it (what's not fun is realizing that your bracket is utterly ruined after the first round, which tends to happen frequently for me L).

  Before every tournament, there's always an editor who will use his expert knowledge to predict the outcome of the draw. Well, for this one I'm going to use all of my non-expertness to summon my powers of prognostication to predict the Greatest Game Villain. With the draw set in place, let's take a look at each quarter:

  ---

  Top Left Quarter:

  There are some old-school powerhouses in this quarter: Ganondorf, Dr. Robotnik, Mother Brain, and Donkey Kong, with Mother Brain making it into the final sixty-fourvia a wild-card berth. This is possibly the toughest quarter out of the four. Expect to see a tough second round match between the Ganondorf and the Greek God of War, Ares,Donkey Kong and Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker, and the other wild-card entry Psycho Mantis against the fallen prince Arthas Menethil.

  Match to watch: Donkey Kong v. The Joker. I'm really not sure who'll come out of this one. Will the old-school appeal propel DK into the next round? Perhaps. Then again, he's going up against THE Joker. The baddest comic book villain ever! But will voters think of him more as a comic book villain than a game villain?

  Semi-finalist: Ganondorf. The wielder of the Tri-force of Power will edge out Psycho Mantis in a close quarterfinal showdown.

  ---

  Top Right Quarter:

  There's one name you simply cannot ignore in this corner of the draw: Bowser. I predict he'll see the PacMan Ghosts, who are possibly this year's Bub & Bob, in the quarters (only I think the PacMan ghosts actually deserve to go this far). If Bowser doesn't face Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde, it's probably because they were knocked out by Kerrigan. Those Starcraft fans haven't been fans for twelve years for nothing.

  Semi-finalist: Bowser. Just as you can count on him to kidnap the Princess year in and year out in every Mario game, you can count on him to make it to the final four.

  ---

  Bottom Left Quarter:

  Another tough corner of the draw.Could it be the tale of two Darth's in the quarterfinal? Not ifM. Bison from Street Fighter, Dr. Wily, Megaman's perennial nemesis, & Castlevani's Dracula have any say in the matter. I'm keeping an eye on this section of the draw as two of my favorite villains, Andrew Ryan and GLaDOS have a potential second round match-up.

  Match to watch: Dracula v. Darth Vader. REALLY? This is a first round match-up? Who the heck set up this draw? Thismatch should've at least happened at the quarterfinals. With a strong showingin the wild-card round,will Darth Vader ride the momentum into the second round? But really, should a guy who used to be this whiny dude filed with teen angst be in this draw at all? I rest my case.

  Semi-finalist: GLaDOS. You made us all kill the beloved Companion Cube, and nearly incinerated us. All for the promise of cake. And for science. You monster.

  ---

  Bottom Right Quarter:

  Just how Bowser will dominate his quarter, Sephiroth will dominate this one. Besides, aside from Dr. Breen from Half-Life 2, I really don't know anybody else in this quarter (ha!). And I'm certainly not going to have Team Rocket progress out of the first round as a matter of principle. Although I'd like to see Officer Tenpenny go deep. A character voiced by none other than Samuel L. Jackson has got to be one bada** motherf***er.

  Semi-finalist: Sephiroth. All those weepy FFVII fanboys still haven't forgiven him for what he did to Aerith.

  ---

  So that's my draw analysis for up to the semi-finals. Stay tuned for my predictions for the final four and who I think will be the Greatest Game Villain of All Time.

  • Posted Aug 20, 2010 12:00 pm GMT
  • Category: Editorial
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg

See Previous Blog Posts »