Well, they finally announced the winner of the cover of Madden '12:
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/feature/madden2012cover?sourceid=cover-vote---brand_wk_madden_phrase_69_generic_espn_google
I will take this moment now to call bullshit. Days prior, Vick was up %60-somthing over this no name. Then surprise surprise Vick is now on the losing end. I blame the exects who feared of a fall out from the Peta-loving, grass between their toes, hippy a-holes if Vick made the cover. So instead of having an actual role model on the cover (and yes, I see Vick as a role model. He is a guy who had everything, made a huge mistake, fell from grace, was crucified and made an example of for all to see, served his time, and then did everything he had to do to work his way back to where he wanted to be without acting as if he was entitled or deserved it. If that's not a story I want my kids to learn, then I don't know what is.). This guy showed that the judicial system works but that a man can still turn his life around if he puts his mind to it. To have this rug pulled from him because of some dog loving, unforgiving hippocrits disgusts me.
Now I never buy the Madden games when they are released because in 7 months, their prices tend to drop dramatically. When it looked like Vick was going to be on the cover, I decided that maybe this year would be the year that I actually get one on release day. But since this BS has happened, I will not be picking up this game. EA will be lucky if I even get it at all now. /rant
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Portals & Fatalities
So I walked into Gamestop at 10pm on the nose per the voice message left for me on my cell phone. I had my used copy of Dragon Age: Origins in hand of which I planned to trade in to take advantage of the bonus credit towards my copy of Portal 2. As I approached the counter, I overheard the manager Brandon discussing the finer details of Fatalities. On the back shelf I see a series of massive boxes. As I am being rung up, I inquire as to what they are. "They're the new Kollector's Edition Mortal Kombat" (cause everything in the MK universe is spelled with a "K"!). I get a closer look at it and see a sick pair of bookends which display's Scorpion on one side, spearing Sub-Zero on the other side with his chain harpoon. I was a bit saddened though as I'm a huge Sub-Zero fan but I couldn't dismiss the awesomeness that was this boxed set.
As the night progressed, they announced that they would be raffling off the PS3 copy that was on display. Now, I don't have a PS3 but trading it in towards a 360 version was clearly NOT out of the realm of possibility. Sadly, luck would not smile on me that night so I collected (or should I say "kollected") my copy of Portal 2 and drove home.
When I returned home, Dawn expressed some sadness when she heard that not only was there a new MK game out but that I had actually returned home without it. I would not be getting some lovin' that night, lol. I spent the rest of the evening playing (and fully loving) Portal 2.
Fast forward a few hours and morning arrived. Waiting in the mailbox was a $40 check from my insurance company (reimbursing me for a bill the previous month). As I contemplated this turn of fortune, the little gears began to turn. They didn't have to turn fast (or much for that matter) before I was in the car. I quickly found myself outside the familiar door of Gamestop. I walked in, waited in line, and meekly requested a copy of MK. I need to step aside here. The manager at my local Gamestop, Brandon, has to be one of the nicest and coolest guys around. He is a young guy, married, and with a newborn daughter. He shows great appreciation for his customers and even knows my 4 yr old son's favorite game character (Sonic). So as he rings me up, he slips in a pre-order code for Scorpion's bonus costume. Totally awesome!
As I drive home with a smile on my face, I text my wife (who was working while I took a few days off to decompress from work) and told her I got her a surprise. She replies fully thinking that I had gotten her Magic: The Gathering cards after telling her I was going to get her into the game a few days prior. Taking this, I decided to play off that and quickly wrapped the game in a MTG card box for some Tom Foolery! Needless to say, she was quite surprised and happy when she opened the box to find MK smiling it's gruesome and bloody smile at her.
On to the reviews!
Portal 2 - From taking a gander at the size of the strategy guide on the counter for this game, I knew it had to have more meat than it's predecessor (don't worry, I did not get the guide as I find half the fun is solving the puzzles myself. Much more satisfying that way). I found out that the co-op campaign is totally different from the single player so I am waiting with anticipation for someone on my friend's list to get it so I can experience this jewel (Dawn gets motion sickness from FPS games). Single player starts off throwing you right into the mix. As of writing this, I have finally beaten the game so I won't give away any details. But I will say that the puzzles are much more challenging and I had many head scratching moments. Another pleasant surprise was the addition of an actual story. Yes, we now learn a bit more about the behind the scenes at Aperture Science. The levels are larger and more intricate. The addition of the 2nd type of cube and the 3 different liquids add a lot of variety to problem solving and really stretch your mind. The voice acting was fantastic and the dialog caused many laugh out loud moments. Overall, I give the game 5 out of 5. And this is based soley off the single player so the multiplayer is all gravy bonus.
Mortal Kombat - First thing I noticed when playing this game was "Smoke looks really gay". I'm sorry but the flowing white hair just doesn't do it for me, lol. Aside from that, the kontrols (see what I did there? lol) are more simplified. Fatalities are also easier to pull off. Gone are the 10+ button mashing combos and a prayer that your fatality goes off. Graphics are much improved and move very fluid. Course, MK can't be without it's huge tittied, scantily clad Outworld ladies. Always a plus, lol. Most of the favorites are back with Reptile, Barakka, and Kabal. Some not so favorites in Striker and Jax are there as well. Missing are the likes of Goro (Sheeva is present though) and Mintaro but I had read that the developers wanted bosses to stay as bosses and not as playables. Now comes the play types. Story mode is incredible. I have never experienced such a deep and long story in a MK game. Deception introduced a form of story in a 3rd person exploration with occasional fights and questing. This MK is all fighting but with a variety of cutscenes between each fight that explores and explains much of the MK universe. I know know how and why Sektor and Cyrax are robots and how Mileena came to be. I have dropped many hours into this game and have just reached 50% through the story.
Lets add on to that the challenge tower. 300 different challenges to tackle from simple Test your Might trials to facing a tag team of foes that regenerate. Each fight scores you koins which you can spend in the Krypt (apparently "C"s do not exist!). Here, there are 4 zones, each slammed with between 40-120 unlockables. Here you can find anything from new fatalities to alternate costumes to concept art. Luckily I found a list of what is where on-line so I was able to go right for the new fatalities and costumes. Overall, I give this game 4 out of 5. I base this off the typical longevity of fighting games and how they do tend to lose steam after a bit. But overall, it is well worth it's brand new price tag.
As the night progressed, they announced that they would be raffling off the PS3 copy that was on display. Now, I don't have a PS3 but trading it in towards a 360 version was clearly NOT out of the realm of possibility. Sadly, luck would not smile on me that night so I collected (or should I say "kollected") my copy of Portal 2 and drove home.
When I returned home, Dawn expressed some sadness when she heard that not only was there a new MK game out but that I had actually returned home without it. I would not be getting some lovin' that night, lol. I spent the rest of the evening playing (and fully loving) Portal 2.
Fast forward a few hours and morning arrived. Waiting in the mailbox was a $40 check from my insurance company (reimbursing me for a bill the previous month). As I contemplated this turn of fortune, the little gears began to turn. They didn't have to turn fast (or much for that matter) before I was in the car. I quickly found myself outside the familiar door of Gamestop. I walked in, waited in line, and meekly requested a copy of MK. I need to step aside here. The manager at my local Gamestop, Brandon, has to be one of the nicest and coolest guys around. He is a young guy, married, and with a newborn daughter. He shows great appreciation for his customers and even knows my 4 yr old son's favorite game character (Sonic). So as he rings me up, he slips in a pre-order code for Scorpion's bonus costume. Totally awesome!
As I drive home with a smile on my face, I text my wife (who was working while I took a few days off to decompress from work) and told her I got her a surprise. She replies fully thinking that I had gotten her Magic: The Gathering cards after telling her I was going to get her into the game a few days prior. Taking this, I decided to play off that and quickly wrapped the game in a MTG card box for some Tom Foolery! Needless to say, she was quite surprised and happy when she opened the box to find MK smiling it's gruesome and bloody smile at her.
On to the reviews!
Portal 2 - From taking a gander at the size of the strategy guide on the counter for this game, I knew it had to have more meat than it's predecessor (don't worry, I did not get the guide as I find half the fun is solving the puzzles myself. Much more satisfying that way). I found out that the co-op campaign is totally different from the single player so I am waiting with anticipation for someone on my friend's list to get it so I can experience this jewel (Dawn gets motion sickness from FPS games). Single player starts off throwing you right into the mix. As of writing this, I have finally beaten the game so I won't give away any details. But I will say that the puzzles are much more challenging and I had many head scratching moments. Another pleasant surprise was the addition of an actual story. Yes, we now learn a bit more about the behind the scenes at Aperture Science. The levels are larger and more intricate. The addition of the 2nd type of cube and the 3 different liquids add a lot of variety to problem solving and really stretch your mind. The voice acting was fantastic and the dialog caused many laugh out loud moments. Overall, I give the game 5 out of 5. And this is based soley off the single player so the multiplayer is all gravy bonus.
Mortal Kombat - First thing I noticed when playing this game was "Smoke looks really gay". I'm sorry but the flowing white hair just doesn't do it for me, lol. Aside from that, the kontrols (see what I did there? lol) are more simplified. Fatalities are also easier to pull off. Gone are the 10+ button mashing combos and a prayer that your fatality goes off. Graphics are much improved and move very fluid. Course, MK can't be without it's huge tittied, scantily clad Outworld ladies. Always a plus, lol. Most of the favorites are back with Reptile, Barakka, and Kabal. Some not so favorites in Striker and Jax are there as well. Missing are the likes of Goro (Sheeva is present though) and Mintaro but I had read that the developers wanted bosses to stay as bosses and not as playables. Now comes the play types. Story mode is incredible. I have never experienced such a deep and long story in a MK game. Deception introduced a form of story in a 3rd person exploration with occasional fights and questing. This MK is all fighting but with a variety of cutscenes between each fight that explores and explains much of the MK universe. I know know how and why Sektor and Cyrax are robots and how Mileena came to be. I have dropped many hours into this game and have just reached 50% through the story.
Lets add on to that the challenge tower. 300 different challenges to tackle from simple Test your Might trials to facing a tag team of foes that regenerate. Each fight scores you koins which you can spend in the Krypt (apparently "C"s do not exist!). Here, there are 4 zones, each slammed with between 40-120 unlockables. Here you can find anything from new fatalities to alternate costumes to concept art. Luckily I found a list of what is where on-line so I was able to go right for the new fatalities and costumes. Overall, I give this game 4 out of 5. I base this off the typical longevity of fighting games and how they do tend to lose steam after a bit. But overall, it is well worth it's brand new price tag.
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