Internet Suicide and the Ramifications

Normally, I am not in a position to talk about things that are beyond gaming in this blog. But after seeing this particular situation happen and witness the media (including the likes of CNET, CNN, G4TV, etc) get into this, I cannot help but feel that I have to be responsible enough to seriously note about what transpired. Being that the net has become a superhuman entity all by itself, this very much involves us one way or another, take it for what it's worth.

For those who are not in-the-know (and since these media outlets can explain this better than I ever would):

Facelessness of the Internet

From CNN

Justin.tv Suicide w/ LA Times' David Sarno

One way or another, this event will carry serious ramifications not only to the definition of online responsibility as a whole and for sites like Justin.tv, YouTube, and other streaming websites, but more importantly, to the net users as well.

I'm not going to judge the victim in any way, manner, or form (it's more of me offering my condolences to his families). But there are many ways to look at this. Sure, it's cool to see a guy like Jack Thompson get what he deserves for trying to "fight the good fight" against gaming censorship, but this is a whole different banana.

We can discuss the ways that this could have been prevented (by means both IRL and OL if necessary) or even who should be to blame for this tragedy. But it all comes down to two things: Freedom and Self-Responsibility.

Here's but one of many angles to see this: We have the majesty of streaming, free video-posting sites, torrents, and whatever you can think of in this age of technological convenience. Now, we can use of these to entertain, provide information, and all other uses one can do for the benefit of others. Now, there is a thin line between good, clean fun (as far as the interwebs go), and extreme tendencies. No matter who you are or where you are from, there are ways to deal with situations like these. And let us not limit ourselves here. There are ways to settle things with your own problems or with people you seriously do not like, but I believe that we all have the sense to understand our own bounds and handle things in a better light. In fact, if anything, we should take the initiative to settle these things and minimize other related negatives that could come from a situation. It's just unfortunate that either net problems can easily be brought IRL, or vice versa.

For some ways to help with problems that could arise to or from irresponsible net use, think of alternative means like talking to your friends about your problems, or settle issues as soon as possible as to not let it grow. You know better on how to deal with your problems.

At this day and age, we have everything we could ever ask for in the tip of our fingers. Today is not the greatest time to sully it.

When It Comes To Bad Habits...

(Shameless Plug: Please do check out the review for Red Alert 3 from GAME! Magazine's website found in the right side of your screen. Thanks! :D)

I was talking with a friend of mine, Karl, some time ago regarding games that I never bothered to go through and finish. Though I have been able to finish a lot of games over the years, when he found out that I not only played Star Ocean 2 back in the day, but I also never finished 3.

He was pretty shocked, to say the least.

And I can't blame him! Haha!

One of the reasons I never fully finished Star Ocean 3 before was more of a technical issue. The other half? That's where one of my worse habits kick in.

You see, I cannot seem to fully dedicate myself in finishing a certain RPG sometimes because of the fact that there are "irreversible" things that you might trigger, and missable things you might overlook. The Star Ocean remake for the PSP is one such example.

Of course, it gets to be addictive and fun as time passes by, but the fact that there are actions that you might do that you cannot go back and fix is just downright disheartening sometimes. If you plan to go through a game without a decent walkthrough on the important details that would impact the end of the game, go through 3/4's of a game, and find out that you screwed up, you basically wasted much of your time for fruitless results.

There are many games around that have that certain quality. Suikoden, with 2 being the greatest among the five games, is not only epic in nature, but if you are not sure with what you're doing, you might end up missing more than you expected. Or how about Silent Hill? If you're not sure with what you're doing, you might end up getting the worst ending.

That's why it's risky sometimes to just dive yourself in the woods without knowing or considering the consequences. If you're a busy body, then certainly you wouldn't want to waste all your efforts and end up with a banana instead of a banana split. Yeah, that's just one of my bad habits when it comes to games. But truth be told, I'm not the only one with that kind of feeling, that's for damn skippy.

Oh, here's a lesson I learned today: There's no such thing as a restraining order. See below.

Second-Hand Smokality!

I was supposed to put in the promised entry from last time today, but because of my pretty exhausted self at the moment being tired and all, that will be reserved as my next blog entry. But until then, I just want to point it out.

Does anyone believe MK vs DC suck because of certain kid-friendly censorship?

Seriously. Remember the Joker vid I posted months ago? Look what lengths they had to do to make this retail-friendly.



While had sucked much, these alternative fatalities are certainly welcome any day.

All it takes is one line.

The 2008 version of Alone in the Dark has gotten an interesting mix of reactions, but overall, it's still a fun experience to try this game, with the use of fire and all.

But what makes this game legendary is just one line.

Really, in this case, one line makes all the difference.





Thanks to JC for this!

Retrospective: The Mega Man X Franchise

Those who have read a past issue of GAME! Magazine (please do check out the November issue out now in bookstores everywhere!) will know that Mega Man (or Rock Man, for the strict Japanese pop culture-based peeps) has earned his place in Guiness history carrying the most number of titles/games in history under a single banner. And honest to goodness, Mega Man has remained to be the greatest gaming character in history, in my book. If you ask me who my favorite character in gaming is, I'd say, "screw Mario, Sonic, Link, and all the other overhyped names", and I'll say Mega Man any day. Yes, it's side scrolling taken to school in many different ways.

Now over the years, since the original (and most difficult of the series) came out, a lot of games have spanned to different genres and different storylines. Currently, Capcom is seriously focusing on the current Ryusei no Rockman (or Mega Man Star Force) series, which is by all means better than its predecessor, the Battle Network one. But let's face it, the way it's running now is just similar to the whole Pokefad going on, which does carry a bizarre sense of mixed emotions. It's better now, but then again, the same sense of "collectemall-ism" still exists.

Which brings me to my next point. If there is any spin-off or sequel that carries both momentum and authenticity in sincere respect and truth, then only one can carry its rightful distinction.




X takes place many years after not even knowing what happened to the original. Due to its extensive history, I won't go through the entire course of this amazing tale (feel free to do your research). But all I have to say is this:

It's the older, more mature Mega Man, the one we deserve to have.

Gone are the days when we stay generic with the usual 8 Robot Masters and having to go play a game of connect-the-dots leading to Dr. Wily's chamber in his base. For once, we are driven into an intense storyline that involves the concept of Mavericks, "going Maverick", and the choices of morality between X, Zero, Axl, and all the other games they are involved with. With Sigma as the antagonist, we are brought to the new dimensions of storytelling never thought possible once upon a time. And it's truly diverse at that! Zero being killed in the first game, dealing with various aspects of right and wrong between humanity, Reploids, and Mavericks, X's continuous struggle between finding peace and having to choose the inevitable, encounters with the likes of the X Hunters, Dr. Cain, Repliforce, the Eurasia threat, the Zero Nightmare, Red Alert, and Lumine, and the concept of utilizing art imitating life, it is a great way to give us an in-depth interpretation on the world we live in.

Not to mention, this game also exhibits new features far beyond what the original could do. Besides the new armor add-ons (and the Street Fighter-inspired extras), we are also introduced to wall climbing, the use of multiple characters, different mechanics per game (the time limit in X5, different paths in X4, the introduction of dual characters in X7 as examples), the dynamics of the Mavericks (gone are the "Man" in the end of a given noun, hello creative names!), and others to name a few.

X is also one of those spin-offs that have the rare distinction to spawn a different set of spin-offs. Following X5's alternative ending, a new possibility came up with Mega Man Zero for the GBA, looking at a different and alternative look at the future of humanity. It is also the recipient of the first Mega Man RPG in Command Mission, an alternative story away from the X canon with new characters and a new villain to deal with, dealing with loyalty, betrayal, and all the usual storytelling that you'd expect in an RPG.

It's just too bad that the series is stopped for now, but believe me, this game still has a lot of life to show. This is not just a diamond in the rough, but it's a tested diamond at that. So for crying out loud, I hope and pray that this particular series gets its chance to continue on and for years to come. The X8 ending should be a precursor of things to come. Give this one a chance, and you won't be disappointed! (Let's give Mega Man 9 credit though. They did break the glass ceiling with Splash "Victim of 4chan meme's and the long lost sister of Sarah Palin" Woman)




(Gon, this vid is still awesome in all respects) XP

The 1000 and 1 Innuendos

Originally, I was going to post something about one of my worst habits when it comes to role-playing games, but after that very enlightening discussion with my good friend Joan, I decided to lay it off for something more interesting (until tomorrow, I mean).

And it came to my attention ever since my reaction to certain elements of the current arc of Bleach. I can tell you about the most number of Ishida + stomach puns I can drop, and the number of censors they have put in versus the manga, but something struck us so shockingly that we failed to realize it until today...



It was right in front of me that there was already a stereotype that deserves ranting about!

See it?

No? Not yet? Look closer.

There we go.

As I watched Bleach and see through Orihime's transformation as a character of an ironic damsel in distress (since she has the ability to end it all with her undisputed ability, but... I have no idea why she's still going ditzy and continue to say "Kurosaki-kun" irritatingly so), I cannot help but cringe at the typical view towards women with...

Big Bazonkers
Twin Peaks
Menos Grande's (or Grande Grande)
Oval-tine's
Sailor Moons
Gigantus Granadus
Balloonbas
Major Guns
Huge Hollows
Above-waist Buoys
Jimminy Jambalaya's
Marshmallow Mountain
Voluptuous Valleys
Ginormous Melon Grenades
BIG BANKAI
Corporal Commodities
Dangling Duds
Bumping Buns
Push-up Pillows
Loaded Boxing Gloves
Cow Substitutes
Ching Chong Ding Dongs (thank you Stephen Colbert!)
Mammoth Mammaries
Lamb Chops
The Hills from the Highlands
Tifa's Lockhearts
Me Bouncy's (for Mai Shiranui)
Palin's Pumped-up Plumps (if she took breast-enchancements)

And I'll be stopping right there. Don't want to be a bad influence or whatnot. =P (Yes, they all popped up in my head just now)

But the point is, truth be told, sex sells. Since Mai Shiranui came to the picture, the depiction of the standard bearer of video-game femme icons have always been associated with the circles of life. Soul Caliber and Dead or Alive are certainly no exceptions. Japanese anime, series, movies, direct-to-DVD/Blue Ray movies, whatever your preference is, more likely than not, you'd find at least one big bazonkered character. And seriously, somewhere along the way, this pattern will have to exhaust itself in the long run. Yes, they are delightful. But the way we see women in the media will have to change sooner or later, and go beyond the chest-giftedness of women. I know we're already taking slow steps, but this is something we'll have to live by for a while. But you have to agree with me on the fact that characters like Orihime (ditzy + biggie) should pave way to other characters with more substance. Take that for what it's worth.

Don Cheadle = WAR MACHINE? SERIOUSLY? REALLY?

Those who may not have heard through the grapevine, and I doubt there are a lot of you who do not know this by now, Don Cheadle has been announced to replace Terrence Howard in the Iron Man sequel and the impending Avengers film as the eventual War Machine.

Seriously?

Really?

No kidding?

No question, Don Cheadle should be respected by everyone for being part of such films as the Ocean's trilogy, Traffic, Crash (amazing!) and of course, Hotel Rwanda (and I seriously loved his leading role there, a role that netted him a nomination). If anything, he's a pimp, a humble kind of pimp who can easily get what he wants. But this has to be somewhat of a joke this time around. There are roles especially suited for Don Cheadle, but War Machine is NOT one of them.

And the sad part of it all is that Terrence Howard is an anomaly, being given a role that is perfect for Tony Stark's buddy, but is shadowed over thanks to negative concerns like being overpaid and hard to deal with (according to various news sources). All the more crappy is the part that the next film could deal with Tony Stark's alcoholism, something that could have helped Terrence set himself apart from the rest of the pack.

And with all due respect, Don Cheadle isn't exactly the kind of guy to be "gung ho", especially with his new role. But of course, I could be wrong. It's kinda doubtful though, and that's rare for me to say to someone as awesome as him.

Imagine how the next Iron Man games are going to be like with Cheadle in the cast. It's going to be quite an interesting set of years ahead of us, and for him.

Oh well...




Cheers to you!

Retrospective: Breath of Fire III

I seriously miss traditional RPG's.

With all due respect to games like Persona 3 (and 4, for those who really love the Persona franchise) and whatnot, but I miss the kind of games that involve fantasy and the works. You know, the kind that resembles the Final Fantasy of old (aka pre-VII) but not given a gargantuan amount of hype that is purely associated with today's Final Fantasy. Something like Chrono Trigger (BTW, I can't wait to try the remake for the Nintendo DS, which will be my first game run, ever), which puts the quality of the story above solid graphics when it mattered the most.

What people may not have remembered is that while Capcom has always been known for its innovative and standard-bearing titles like Street Fighter and the Mega(Rock)man titles, along with hard-hitting titles like Resident Evil (or Biohazard), Phoenix Wright, and Okami, Capcom will forever be known as an ambivalent dynamo thanks to a certain RPG title that will forever remain in the annals of greatness: Breath of Fire.

And while the first and second games are A-OK back in the day, 4 did not necessarily live up to the expectations, and 5 absolutely sucked (IMO), 3 has always stood out as a class of its own.



Along with the typical Ryu as your main character, you get to control other characters like the princess Nina, the thief Rei, the plant-formed Pico, and the huge and sturdy guardian known as Garr. In a story that spanned two different timelines, with many different characters, an interesting fighting mechanic, and the ability to manage a fairy's town for neat loot, this game definitely has substance as compared to the different games of that era (look for Granstream Saga in my blog if you know what I mean). I remember spending a lot of time messing with different Dragon combinations just for the heck of it. Oh, and did I mention the fishing part? Yup, it had a great story and an interesting soundtrack to accompany it.

Yes, it's been a long time since the game was released for the original PlayStation. But if you guys get a chance, I'd seriously suggest you take your time checking this out and either live up the nostalgia for the experienced gamers, or experience greatness that Capcom has proven for a long time through this role-playing orgasm. As compared to a lot of games today (ESPECIALLY VALHALLA KNIGHTS 2), this is an amazing alternative for you peeps to try out.

That is, until Chrono Trigger for the DS comes along.

Krauser Has No Class

I have seen a lot of final bosses in fighting games over the years. From M. Bison (or Vega, to all the Japanese loyalists) and Gill to the likes of Rugal, Heihachi, Orochi, Cervantes, and even Azazel. There are A LOT.

But no one has ever reached the level of PWNage the way Wolfgang Krauser of Fatal Fury 2 has achieved.

Yes, let's consider that some of the final bosses have moves like whole-screen attacks, awesome combo-related moves, insane teleportation, and even resurrection!

But Krauser made it oh-so-simpler.

The Gender Bender (or more reasons to watch How I Met Your Mother)

I just had to put this up. To this day, it still made me go LOL every time I watch this. It reminded me of a story my friend told me to mess with some peeps. Let's just say it went a little something like this:

Getting Hooked with SvR 2009

By no means am I one of those "smart" wrestling fans (though I do support them in a way. Seriously, too much Cena can be a killer for those who are not already used to the "Five Moves of Doom"), but I certainly love the genre, and the games that come along with it. After all, in the end, entertainment wins.

Which is why I am such a sucker for great wrestling games. For crying out loud, I've been a pro wrestling fan since I was but a little kid. Apparently, the game that got me hooked this month is nothing less of a shocker than with SmackDown! VS RAW 2009.

By all means is this not the greatest wrestling game in history, but it sure is enjoyable to say the least. Finally, I get to punt someone in the head using Randy Orton. Thank God that I can now put somebody on fire in an Inferno Match. Thank the stars that I am now able to make The Undertaker go MMA with the Devil's Triangle submission move. And finally, rosters can be updated via downloads, and this goes double to Ted DiBiase Jr.

And I'm stressing this out because when you compare the SmackDown! and SvR gaming franchise, their monopoly is as similar as to how the WWE has generally monopolized the entire industry in the United States (not that it is a bad thing in any way since we're talking about a business here, but monopoly by definition does have its own history). I love the game, really. But there comes a time that after years, and after all the experimenting with new features, a true ultimate wrestling game that can surpass WWE No Mercy will come out. Who knows when that will happen though? And TNA iMPACT! sure is not helping in the cause for this year (though it is a great start).

And to be honest, I have yet to see an MMA game that actually delivers (the top of the list being Pride FC. For cying out loud, I made opponents submit in a matter of ten seconds). I seriously hope the new UFC game will finally live up to the hype.

And yes, I do hope Couture breaks down Lesnar.

Until then...

The Super Mario from Hell

Be rest assured, I am but one of many people in the world who believe that the Super Mario franchise, though deserving of much credit in more ways than one, is unbelievably overrated, very much synonymous to Sonic, the Dragon Ball franchise, and yes, Naruto.

But if there is anything that would tantamount to awesomeness that is related to Mario, then this has to be it. This is 24 minutes long, but believe me, this has brought the term "difficult" to unbelievably new heights. It's extremely fun to watch, and it sucks to be playing this one.



(Thanks to Ian and MJ for the vid)

Suda51 is the Quentin Tarantino of Gaming

Those who either do not have a Wii or have not been keen on Wii-formed violence may not have heard of the announcement regarding No More Heroes 2 coming soon. If you just found that out by reading what I just wrote, then, now you know.

But for fans of this franchise, I'm pretty sure you can't wait to see this game and experience all the nonsense violence that this game has been known for (along with that certain unique way you charge up your weapon. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, let's just say it's a prelude to maturity). And the game deserves all the props in the world for developing and conceptualizing such an over-the-top game.

But as much as I love this game's off-beat nature, I tell you, there is another game that deserves all the respect in the world. If you think No More Heroes is bizarre, quirky, and fun in a dark way, then you certainly have never tried this game before:



killer7 (available for the now-defunct Gamecube and the still-surviving PS2) revolves around one man embodying the personalities (or bodies) of 7 established killers, making for one of the most beautiful and outstanding blood-filled festivals in history, honestly speaking. Now, I cannot get into detail when it comes to the story for it has a unique plot that spans from killing targets to a screwed-up take on pop and J-culture, and even an amazing theory on the US government! But I urge you to at least get the chance to play this game even once. This game can beat most movie experiences you can come up, NA or Japanese. Let me tell you, the story of this game is so detailed and thought through that you can put any crazy thing you can think of and put these elements in the middle, and still come up with an excellent experience for those who are playing the game.

And who is the man responsible for this?

Suda Goichi, more popularly known as Suda51.

Yes, he's contributed to pro wrestling games as well as other reputable games that he can easily put on his resume, but killer7 has made a believer out of everyone who has played this game. Let's face it, storylines in games tend to be too cliche, or even boring for today's tastes. Suda51 has brought up the level of storytelling and gaming interface to levels never thought possible, enabling out-of-the-box ideas to make a masterpiece from a canvas. He has the balls to pull anything out of a hat, even if it's too violent and unusual for anyone's tastes, and make it look really good.

Alas, it is easy to say that Suda51 is the Quentin Tarantino of gaming. Quentin Tarantino did have a tough road starting out, but it was Pulp Fiction that made him who he is today (and for those who watched the film, you can see the similarities). Suda51 is the visionary we need for originality to strive. And with the re-release of Flower, Sun, and Rain coming soon for the Nintendo DS, things are looking up for the guy that used to be an undertaker. I salute you, sir!

Oh, want to see what I'm talking about? This is from killer7. Thank you, Suda!