• 4Oct 08

  New Singles...

  Alright so I recently maxed out my 4GB iPod Nano (which is a bit of a bummer. Not sure if I should upgrade to a 16GB iPod Nano for $199 or a 16GB Touch for $299). Since I'm not able to upload anymore songs onto my music player, I've been listening to some newly released singles on my computer. Here's some of favorites:

  Human (The Killers) - It's synth pop at its core but I think the beats are hooky enough to warrant repeated listens. I actually prefer it over Viva la Vida but that's probably a result of listening to Coldplay's single too often.

  Light On (David Cook) - I have to admit I'm a little let down by Cook's first single off his album. While I'm glad they haven't manufactured him into a pop act I actually wish it were a little less arena rock. It's certainly catchy but I think Archuleta's single suited him more than Cook's. (and what's up with the cover? He looks ill at ease to me)

  Elevator (Pu$$ycat Dolls) - First off, don't shoot me. Maybe it's just my peculiar music taste but I find this song rather appealing (the fact that it's sung by strippers...I mean a girl group might've influenced my opinion). It's one of the better tracks off their new album in my opinion.

  I'm Ready (Jack's Mannequin) - Ok I lied...not all the tracks are very recent but it's one of my favorite songs off Everything In Transit and I listen to it constantly. It's catchy all the while being self-aware that it's a mainstream pop/rock.

  Forever Young (Youth Group) - Another slightly older song, I find this version superior to the campy original. I also am a fan of The OC (RIP) and when it was played on the show I instantly knew I'd like it.

  That might've been my most off topic post yet but I felt like updating the blog. I should try to be more active on the site but as the saying goes "so much to do, so little time to make lemonade."

  _=pastgamesrule=_

  • Posted Oct 4, 2008 11:49 am PT
  • Category: Music
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• 19Sep 08

  Really Awful Day...

  School blew. I have to recorrect 3 papers. (no credit is given back. not even half a point for doing them) I have a Chapter Review in Geometry. I also have to read The Chosen by Monday and I'm only half done. We had a pep rally today at school and afterwards my sister was supposed to pick me up. Her phone was dead so I had no way of contacting her. I ended up standing in the sun for 20 minutes. Then I got a call from home. Sure enough it was my sister and she told me she had waited 10 minutes at the church (usual pick-up spot) but left and thought I'd walked home. I said I would walk to a pick-up area in our neighborhood and be there by 10 min. She wasn't there by the time I got to the spot so I decided to start walking home. My sister met me on the way and drove me about 30 meters to our house.

  The worst part is I could've just avoided the whole miscommunication and walked to the normal spot. My mom said she drove by the school around the time I was waiting and apparently I didn't see her. Lately I've been trying not to care what other people think of me but about 150 cars passed me by while I waited and they probably made fun of the fact that I was in the hot weather and they were in air conditioned cars. I'm hoping it's forgotten over the weekend. I feel so gross and flustered right now I don't wanna go to tonight's football game. I bought tickets beforehand though for my family and me so I don't wanna waste the money. Ugh....I sure hope this was a one time thing.

  • Posted Sep 19, 2008 2:36 pm PT
  • Category: General
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• 18Sep 08

  DS Review: Nancy Drew

  

  Nancy Drew: Deadly Secret of Olde World Park

  Release Date: September 18, 2007

  Platform: Nintendo DS

  

  The Good: Intriguing mystery; $tyle of the series is implemented well; Pleasant graphics.

  The Bad: Fairly straightforward; Only one level of difficulty; Mini-games don't offer much replay value.

  A year ago exactly, Majesco released Nancy Drew: Deadly Secret of Olde World Park for the Nintendo DS. Several games starring Ms. Drew have been made for the PC, and fans of the brave heroine will be pleased to know her debut on the portable system is quite enjoyable and ties well into the series.

  Deadly Secret offers an interesting plot that definitely captures the essence of a Nancy Drew novel. Characters from the books appear in the game, and the story is presented with hand-drawn slides and comic book font. Nancy is asked by a friend to help locate a missing dress before the grand opening of a new amusement park. The teenage detective eventually discovers the creator of the park has gone missing days before the extravaganza and decides to investigate. It seems someone's after the famous owner and Nancy wants to find out before it's too late...

  Gameplay mostly involves questioning and coercing individuals (which requires playing bland mini-games in some instances), exploring a variety of locations, and interacting with objects that advance the plot. (i.e. listening to a tape recording of a character who disappeared days later) Neat concepts come into play, such as lurking in the shadows and breaking into safes.

  

  Graphically, DSOWP looks quite nice. It's refreshing to see a licensed game with polished 3D models and environments. They may not be overly detailed but the overall design is well done. While motions are limited, Nancy moves smoothly with very few glitches.

  

  Unfortunately, no voice work is included, but players may prefer reading instead of listening to grating voice-overs. The background tunes are passable and fit the game well, but are easily forgettable.

  

  The entire game is marred by interaction icons that reduce the amount of investigating by a large margin. This may be a welcome aspect for young audiences, but it would've been nice if multiple difficulty levels were offered or the option of removing the symbols was included.

  

  The length of the adventure varies, depending on your eagerness to complete the game. Fervent fans may finish in just a few hours but playing the game in short intervals is advised. It's an excellent game for children to work through together. Once completed, though, there isn't much reason to revisit the same mystery.

  Flaws aside, Nancy Drew's first outing onto the DS is a welcome one. Players looking for an amusing and interactive mystery should look no further than Deadly Secret. Although the follow up to it on the DS faltered this is a game worth checking out. Let's hope the third entry in the series follows in the footsteps of the original.

  _=pastgamesrule=_

  • Posted Sep 18, 2008 3:41 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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