30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 30

Best Game of all Time.

I don't feel like there is really anything that I can add to what has already been said here about this game. Just go play it, no scratch that. just go buy it, you won't regret it.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 29

Worst Game of all Time.

This was a hard question for I have played plenty of extremely shitty games in my time. I chose Sonic: Unleashed though mostly because well it's a shitty game that's in my collection so I'm reminded of it and it's shittyness almost daily. I hate this game.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 28

Boss or Villain Who is Most Evil.

Everything this guy did in Final Fantasy VII shows why he is the evilest boss / villain of all time. Remember when Sephiroth killed Aerith and just walked away with everyone watching, yeah the guy's hardcore.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 27

Favorite Game Based on a Movie/Comicbook/Book/Cartoon.

Man this game, just wow. Such an amazing game, and it puts you in the role of Batman and lets you be the badass that he is. The only real faults in the game are that some of the villains I'd like to see in here don't make an appearance and that Batman is pretty messed up looking.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 26

Favorite Multiplayer Game.

It's not because the Madden games are that great, even though they are. It's not because I really love football, although I do. It's not because it's the game all the famous people play, even though it is. It's because when I play people, something happens to them. Come around the end of the second quarter, what I like to refer too as the "Madden Exorcist" comes out to play. People just get so pissed at me when they start to lose, it probably has a lot to do with me constantly talking shit and making a huge deal out of every little thing I do right and making and even bigger deal out of every little thing they do wrong but either way it's hilarious and I love playing it.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 25

A Game You Didn't Think You Would Like.

I'm not sure if it was the look of the game or the feel it gives off but this game just didn't appeal to me at first. I actually didn't play this game until years later and it was only out of a deal I made that I never thought would actually come true.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 24

Favorite Platform game.

Conker's Bad Fur Day isn't my favorite platformer but it is probably my most memorable. I picked this game up from KB Toys way back, brand new for only ten clams. I didn't get it because I'd heard anything great about it or anything like that, I got it because I had ten clams leftover after getting some new toys and figured why not get a game too. The story was hilarious but what me and my friends had the most fun with was the multiplayer were you get to fight the bears. Good times, good times.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 23

Last Game You Downloaded.

This game is so much fun and so damn difficult. It's also very addicting and in that sense, it's probably one of the best platformers I've ever had the good fortune to play. Oh and also I got it for super cheap on Steam's end of the year sale, that just helps me love it even more.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 22

Last Game You Bought.

A truly great game, definitely one of the best Mortal Kombat games to date and one of the best fighting games period.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 21

A Favorite Character.

Solid Snake is one of the baddest / coolest dudes around, no questions asked. Oddly enough though, the game that made me really love this character was Metal Gear Solid 2, go figure.

DBZ "Question of the Day"

'The Hangover: Part II' Review

Three guys get wasted and wake up with no clue where they’re at, what happened, or where they’re friend is at. That’s the plot of the first film and the plot for ‘The Hangover: Part II’. The movie stars Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, and Bradley Cooper reprising their roles as “The three best friends that anyone can have.” The film is also again partially written and directed by Todd Phillips, which may have been some of the problem here.

Right off the bat I want to point out that this movie was funny, not hilarious, but funny. It doesn’t hold a candle to the first one and will probably be forgotten and only mentioned as the “meh” sequel to a classic movie.

The problem here is that it’s the exact same movie. No really it is. There are a few differences, such as location and a few new jokes, but it’s not enough. Everything that made the first film a classic is redone here and not redone very well. You always know what’s coming next and that’s really a problem because there’s not really that mystery about what the hell went on the night before. Also, and I admit this is minor, but for this to be the sequel were everything should be bigger and better, it seems a bit tamer. Their night just wasn’t as wild and crazy as it was the first time around. This may have a lot to do with knowing pretty much exactly what’s going to happen, but it still didn’t help the film any.

Another place were the movie really dropped the ball was filming in Bangkok. This could’ve been exactly what this movie needed, a place crazier than the location of the first film. Problem is, they don’t take advantage of it. I feel like they could’ve done this movie anywhere and it wouldn’t have changed anything, in fact, if they change just one part of the movie, it could’ve taken place in Vegas again and no one would know the difference. It just goes back, to this being a tamer rip off of the first film. They just really needed to go all out here and they didn’t.

All in all this movie will make you laugh, but by skipping it you’re not missing out on anything that the first one didn’t already give you. This movie is a solid rental. I do not recommend spending all the money that a movie ticket cost to see this, just throw it on your Netflix queue or pick it up from Redbox once it’s out.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Review

So ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ , the fourth in the series is finally here. This time around it was directed by Rob Marshall and stars Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, and Geoffrey  Rush. The story picks up just about were the last one left off, with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) looking for the Fountain of Youth. It is also to be noted that this time around the main character is Sparrow, no more Keira Knightley or Orlando Bloom. Which going in, I thought would be a good thing, well the no Orlando Bloom part. I never wanted Knightley to leave.

Now as for the acting in this movie, I thought it was fantastic. Of course Depp did his usual, which is always great. The additions of Cruz and McShane were great choices as well, both did a really good job. McShane was just so evil as Blackbeard, you never doubt for a second that he’ll kill anyone who gets in way, although he doesn’t always. As for Cruz, just wow. She was a bit weird but so conniving the whole time. Every time she’s on the screen you always want to watch her, because you’re always expecting her to turn on somebody or just do something unexpected. Come to think of it, she was almost like a female Jack. Now onto the guy who stole the show here, Geoffrey Rush. His portrayal of Barbossa this time around was so refreshing. It really seemed like he was just having a blast as the character this time around. The only problem I had with this was that, until the end, you never get to see that badass Barbossa that everyone loves. Though when he does show up, you realize how worth it the wait was.

Something I found a bit interesting about this movie, but that I think I liked, was that there didn’t seem to be as much going on that involved the ships. Sure they were present and talked about a lot, but you don’t see much happening on them. In fact I don’t think there’s even any battles that take place between any of the ships in the film. Most of the time it’s scenes on land, be it the jungle, beaches, or the city. It didn’t bother me that much, but I just feel that a movie about pirates should have a bit more to do with there ships.

The movie, though not great, was still a solid addition to the series. If there is another one however I hope they don’t stick with this formula. This time around, with the story focusing on Jack, it was kind of like getting all desert and no dinner. In the first three films it was always great looking forward to seeing more of Sparrow, but now with a film full of him and not much else, it feels like there was just something missing. Definitely go check it out though, it’s worth the money and you’ll get a good laugh for sure.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 20

 A Game You've Beaten Countless Times.

There's kind of a lot of games that I've beaten countless times. I chose this one though because not only have I beaten it countless times but I've done so on multiple systems. I started on PS2, then went to Gamecube (Best version), then onto the Wii, and finally followed by the PC version. I also am super excited to be getting another version of it in HD sometime this year. Yeah, I love this game.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 19

 A Game You've Never Finished.

This stupid stupid, awesome game. It has been the bane of my video game life, which is pretty much my whole life, so it is my bane. I love this game but it's so damn hard, one day I will eventually beat it. Until then though, I'll just keep beating these new ones to try and make myself feel better about this one.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 18

 Favorite Wii Game.

This game was one of the reasons I actually bought a Wii in the first place. I love this series and this game is no exception, with new characters (Solid Snake! & Sonic!), better graphics, and crazier levels. With the lack of great Wii games out there, this is the one game that still keeps my Wii active to this day.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 17

 Favorite Gameboy Game.

This game trumps any game for the Gameboy with ease. The only other two games that can come close to awesomeness of this game is the Red and Yellow versions. I had so many hours invested into this game it was insane. Of course my Pokedex was complete, including Mew and Missingno. My elite team of level one hundred Pokemon were dreaded among my friends thus making me create a whole new, lower level, team that they actually would battle against. Truly a great game.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 16

Favorite Super Hero Game.

The choice of playing as any of Marvel's greatest heroes, minus The Hulk, awesome multiplayer, and a crazy epic story to go along with it all. I don't see how any other game can even compete to be the best super hero game.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 15

 Favorite Xbox 360 Game.

There are so many great games for the 360 and even some that have far better story modes and graphics that are on par or better than this game but I don't feel I could honestly say there's a better game out for the system. After putting in over ten days of playtime online, I don't have any other game for the 360 that has ever even come close to that. How can I say something else is my favorite?

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 14

An Addictive Game.

Addictive games come and go all the time, that's kind of the beauty of them. This gem just happens to be my most recent addiction. You can get addicted for free here too. ( http://chrome.angrybirds.com/ ) You need to have Google Chrome to play it though, well you don't have to have it, but if you wanna play without lag you do.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 13

Favorite N64 Game.

I hold this game on such a high pedestal that I don't think I can fairly talk about it. This game actually prevented me from enjoying most of the N64 era due to the obsession of me and my friends. The biggest problem with this game for me was that although there was a ton of content on there, I've seen and used and dealt with everything and now I can't really play anymore. Although every time I get my hands on a 64 this is the first game I go looking for. Definitely the best on the N64, bar none.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Review

More of the same. That’s what I was expecting out of Super Mario Galaxy 2, but man was I wrong. Sure the game does still use the same engine from the first game but yet the experience still feels fresh. From countless new ideas and level designs to the amazing, and expected, addition of Yoshi, this game is constantly improving on the foundation the first one created. The camera, which was some times a problem in original was fixed, so no more dying because it somehow got stuck on the wrong side of a planet or wall. The controls are even tighter than before and controlling Mario seems so much simpler this time around. Everything move you try and do just flows so naturally and you never get that feeling that the game is flawed and that’s why you couldn’t make that last jump. The difficulty this time around has also been turned up, but is a very welcome addition. The game does give you a lot of hints if you’re having trouble though and it also includes the “auto play” feature so that if you really are at your wits end on how to beat a level then you can just agree to let it play and move on to the next level. The level select has also been redone. Instead of exploring to find were you need to go to get your next star, the levels are set up in a more traditional Mario style, very much like Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World. The game is truly fantastic and a must play for any Mario fans, especially if you loved the first one. I definitely recommend picking this gem of a game up, you won’t regret it.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 12

 Favorite Action Game.

Ha! This just might be the easiest choice I've made on this list so far. This game is better than most games in any genre and especially the action games. The game play is fantastic, and the story will blow you away. Seriously this story gave me a hatred for all things Ares. Every time I see him in an Avengers comic now, I just get pissed.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 11

 Favorite PC Game.

This was a hard question for me, seeing as how until about five years ago I didn't even own a computer of my own. I always had access to one, but I never had one of my own, so I didn't bother with PC games. Though I do vividly remember being addicted to this game. A friend of mine had it and every weekend I would go over to his house and we would play this for hours. Looking back on it, I'm not sure if I could still be that entertained by creating a city and then destroying it, but at the time, it was great fun.

The Next Three Days Review

"If we choose to exist in our own reality, are we insane? And if we are, isn't that better than a life of despair?" That’s the question ‘The Next Three Days’ asks and also kind of the theme of the movie. Paul Haggis (Director of ‘Crash’) directs this 2010 thriller staring Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. The movie is about a husband (Crowe) and wife (Banks) who are living very happy lives with there son Luke until the wife is arrested for the murder of her boss and the husband does everything he can to get her free.

The acting in this movie is top notch. I never thought Crowe was all that great of an actor but he really blew me away in this movie. In fact everyone, minus a few very minor characters, give great performances and I am shocked that they weren’t noticed more for it. All of the actors really make you feel for them. It’s very easy to sympathize with them and you want to see them succeed. Every time they fail, you kind of feel it too and you begin cheering for them even more to get back up and keep going.

Were this movie goes wrong is the outrageous story. I know it’s a movie and entertainment so being over the top is allowed but something about it didn’t fit with this movie and every time something crazy happened it just pulls you out of the film. Also the story is very predictable. I don’t think there was ever a time during the movie that I didn’t know what was going to happen next. That also hurts the film a lot since it’s supposed to be an edge of your seat thriller.

It’s really disappointing to see a movie turn out like this. The wonderful acting is bogged down by a predictable, mediocre story and because of this will probably never really be appreciated. I will recommend this movie as a rental, just don’t go into it expecting the story to blow you away.

Buried Review

‘Buried’ is a thriller about an American truck driver in Iraq whose convoy is attacked and is then held for ransom buried under ground in a coffin. The film was directed by Rodrigo Cortés and stars Ryan Reynolds alongside, well nobody except a few voices over the phone.

The film really knows how to make you feel sympathy for Reynolds character. Even though he’s in a coffin he has to go through so much and it really makes you kind of angry at the other people. The entire film I wanted to yell at him about what he could / should do. Sure my ideas weren’t the greatest but my point is that the movie pulls you in from the very beginning and never lets you go.

A problem for me though was that the movie shares way too many similarities with ‘127 Hours’.  I know that now days a lot of films seem similar to each other, but these two have things in common that you would never guess and it kind of bugged me. I will say that the camera work in this movie really sets it apart. From odd angles looking up at Reynolds to the weird green glow stick lighting, and even the scenes in complete darkness.  It made watching a movie that takes place entirely in a coffin very enjoyable. Although I can’t say this was a problem for me but I could definitely see some Closter phobic people not being able to watch this movie, being that there is some emphasis on the enclosed space.

A few minor spoilers in this next section so if you want to be completely fresh going into the movie then you can just skip ahead to my wrap up.

Another thing with this movie is that the entire time I was waiting for that huge twist. For some reason I couldn’t help but think the entire time that maybe this was some weird messed up test that the government was doing on him and that the movie would end with his coffin accidentally breaking and him realizing he’s in some type of airport hanger or lab or something. It didn’t help that they kept pointing out some of the holes and stuff in the coffin like maybe somebody was looking in. Also the way some of the people that Reynolds character spoke to over the phone talked to him about his situation. It just seemed like they knew what was going on and just wanted him to shut up. That was more of a personal thing for me, but I just figured I’d share that part.

This movie is definitely worth checking out, not sure about multiple viewings though. Again it’s very similar to ‘127 Hours’ so if movies like that are what you’re into then I would recommend buying this one to put in your collection because again, it really is a great movie.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 10

Favorite Simulation Game.

I could talk for days about all the great things in this game. I was so wrapped up in the game that it almost became my real life. It also happened to be summer vacation, so there was nothing I had to do except get up every afternoon and keep making my house in the town the best. Probably my favorite part about this game though, well one of my favorite things. Was that you could play the NES games. That was so awesome to just be able to take a break from playing a great game by playing great old school games. It just doesn't get too much better.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 09

Favorite Playstation 2 Game.

Wow. This was easily the hardest question so far. There are so many truly great PS2 games that I have put so many hours of gameplay into. I decided to go with the game that I have put the most hours into and it also happens to be the game that I have the most memories of. From getting my file deleted forty hours into it on my first play through and wanting to give up to having competitions to see how fast the game could be completed. Also this is the only game that I actually bought the soundtrack to so that when I wasn't able to play it, at least I could here the battle music and think about the game. Yea that's borderline fanboy right there.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 08

Game You're Currently Playing.

This is a great game. Don't you agree Zach?

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 07

 Favorite Playstation(1) Game.

Now I must first mention that this game is not my favorite PS1 game but as I am trying not to use the same game twice, I am just going to post my second favorite PS1 game. Metal Gear Solid was an amazing experience for me and it gave me one my proudest moments when I finally beat it. Not much really to say about this game except that it's an amazing game that everyone should play and one that I still play to this day.

Thor Review

Finally the god of thunder gets his representation on the big screen. ‘Thor’ stars new comers Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston alongside big screen regulars Natalie Portman, Ray Stevenson, and Anthony Hopkins. As for the story it’s pretty basic stuff for a movie about gods but it does do some very good stuff in the moments dealing with there family issues and of course in the action. Basically Thor, the son of the ruler of Asgard, odin, is banished to earth for an attitude adjustment when trouble arises in Asgard and he must return to save the day.

The biggest problem I had with the story here was that the whole thing takes place over the course of a weekend. A weekend?! A god is banished to Earth and stripped of his powers to teach him a lesson and after one weekend he’s changed his ways. I don’t buy it. Sure he’s almighty and everything but one weekend and he’s a completely different person who now cares for the good of all people. On top of that he also falls in love over the this weekend of enlightenment. I won’t mention the rest of the unreasonably quick timed events that occur over this weekend, but trust me there’s a pretty big list. Also I know that I’m focusing on this weekend thing a lot here but they couldn’t really have expected people to buy into this many things happening over the course of a weekend. I mean even if it had been at least a week and there had been more down time for Thor to get to know the humans and see a little bit more of what Earth was like, then it would’ve been a bit more believable, but I just can’t buy into it all happening so quickly.

Now on to the action, the beautifully done action. Seriously this movie’s action scenes were awesome, well minus the showdown with The Destroyer which just seemed kind of cheap. I’m not sure what it was but I think it had a lot to do with where the fight took place, which was some western looking town. You know, the town in the middle of the desert that is really only one road through the middle of the buildings, yea that one. Also The Destroyer held way to much resemblance to Gort (From ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’) making it hard to take him serious. The fight in the beginning of the film against the Frost Giants was definitely this films high point action wise. It featured not only Thor but also the Warriors Three, Sif, and Loki all battling it out with the Frost Giants. Some of the fighting is a bit childish or like something out of a video game but it works well and always backed up by something bad ass. Also helping is that they didn’t shy away from the comic book look. All the characters wear or have the outrageous looks of their comic book counter part, which was very welcomed here and really made it feel more like Thor.

Most of the movies problems arose during the scenes on Earth that don’t involve any of the family issues or fight scenes. They just seem dull and as I stated before are extremely rushed. All in all though, this is far from bad and is a very solid movie. Thor fans and most comic fans will love it for staying so true to the source material, while movie goers in general will probably feel a bit incomplete once the movie is over. I would say it’s definitely worth checking out, although I don’t think it’s one that needs to be seen in theaters, it can definitely wait until you‘re able to rent it. On the same note though if you want a very good movie to go see, this one won’t make you feel like you just wasted your money.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 06

A Game of Your Childhood.

Now Sonic and Mario ruled my gaming life as a kid but I did very much enjoy other games. So to keep this video game challenge fresh, I am going to try and refrain from posting up the same game twice. So for this entry I introduce you into the game that showed me how much fun it was to slay zombies and sometimes let your neighbors get eaten by zombies for being so stupid. This game also stands out for me because it was the first game that my mom got for me as a surprise. I had no idea what it was or what to expect from it, but I fell in love with it.

Fast Five Review

‘Fast Five’, the fifth movie in the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise. While I have to disagree with the people saying that this is the best in the series, it is better than the disaster that the fourth film was. Still though, they have a ways to go before they can get on back on the level of the second and third films of the series.

The movie was directed by Justin Lin, making this his third straight ‘Fast and Furious’ film. Starring in the movie is series regulars Paul Walker and Vin Diesel accompanied by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and almost every other character from the franchise, seriously all of them. Nothing to fancy with the story here, it picks up right were the last film left off with Dom (Diesel) being broken out of police custody and the group fleeing to Rio to hide out. They get involved, in a bad way, with the local tyrant and chaos ensues. Wanting to get away and start fresh they decide to rob the tyrant and buy there freedom.

One of the greatest things about this movie was getting to see the interactions between all the characters from this franchise. Seeing Roman Pierce and Dom finally come face to face, along with seeing more of everyone’s favorite drifter Han made this movie very memorable. The problem that arose from this though was that there were too many characters, so the people who didn’t really have much of a back story or that were just not very developed, still aren’t. It was a great idea but it just wasn’t done well. Also some of the actors (Walker) gave very bland performances that would’ve easily turned this movie into what the last one was if not for the very well spaced out, yet very short, moments were we get to see the other characters that we all love.

One huge problem I’m having with these movies now though, and especially this one, is that with the story becoming so big and epic, there’s not really much of that great street racing that started it all. In fact in this movie I believe there is only one quarter mile race that last all of maybe sixty seconds. To make up for this though, the movie has some of the greatest chase scenes that I think I’ve ever seen. And the action is top notch, especially Diesel’s fight scenes. So it’s kind of a mixed bag here, although I would prefer a return to the street racing, I understand why they went this route and give them major props for doing a great job of it.

All in all this was a pretty great film for anybody who is a fan of the series. I don’t think this will make you a fan if you didn’t already care for the other movies but check it out because with the new “summer blockbuster” route they’re taking,  you’ll definitely get some enjoyment out of it.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - 05

The Best Sega Genesis Game.

 If I remember correctly Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was the first game I ever played for the Genesis and was also the reason I eventually got one. I even got a Game Gear with the hope of playing some Sonic on the go. The only real problem with this game for me was that it was so good that I compared every Sonic game I've played to it and none have come close. I played the best the series had to offer first and now years later I'm paying for it. And I mean that literally because I still have to check out every new game that involves that stupid blue hedgehog.....ahhhhh I love ya Sonic.


 

Donkey Kong Country Returns Review

Donkey Kong Country Returns is a fantastic revisit to one of Nintendo’s greatest Super Nintendo games, Donkey Kong Country. The developers, Retro Studios,  take the DK formula that Rare created and perfects it into what is almost the perfect game. The graphics are some of the best I’ve seen on the Wii to date. The game play and level design has just enough nostalgia to give you that warm feeling inside but yet so much new content that you don’t get that, been there done that feeling. One great new addition is the jetpack that Diddy Kong wears. Although this time around you don’t get to control Diddy, he sits on DK’s back and if you’re faced with a long jump you can use his jetpacks for that extra boost across. On that note I would like to point out that this game is not an easy game by any means, don’t get me wrong it’s no Demon Soul’s but this game will make you want to throw your controller out the window. The game does however include the “auto play” feature to help the, lesser experienced, players through the game. I however could not bring myself to ask for the games help, just the thought of it made me feel like a girly-man. In all seriousness though, the difficulty was very welcomed and the only real complaint here is the same problem I have with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, that you can NOT use the classic controller to play. This is because there are a few other new moves to DK’s arsenal that involve shaking the controller and that are completely pointless. Well not completely but I would’ve chosen to use the classic controller over having the new moves any day.  All in all though, it was a pretty great game and I definitely recommend picking it up because it will give you hours upon hours of great platforming fun with a little DK charm thrown in there.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 04

Favorite Adventure Game. 

It's a bit saddening to think about this game because when it came out I tried to get everybody to play it and sure I got a few people but I kind of felt like I failed getting the word out, although I never stopped. Now fast forward six years and now the world has been introduced to 'Heavy Rain'. A game that plays almost the exact same way just with a new story and far better graphics. I know I didn't make a very good argument just now about why you should play it, but that's ok, because whether it gets the praise it deserves or not, it already is one the all time greats.

30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 03

Best Super Nintendo Game.

 Now I know there are a LOT of great SNES games out there but for me this one stands above the rest. I've invested so many hours into this game and beaten more times than I can count. Even to this day, 19 years later, I still will pop it in. This game truly is one of the greatest games of all time and easily the best SNES game.