Review - Dragon Age 2 (DA2)

Overview:

It is perhaps impossible to review Dragon Age 2 without making comparisons to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Origins was a stunning achievement in late 2009, winning multiple game of the year awards and lauded as one of the best RPGs of the generation. Considering the daunting tasks that the game had to achieve and how well it succeeded - creating an immersive setting, establishing a fun and tactical gameplay system, and building a strong fanbase for future games to capitalize on - it's no wonder that the game took 5 years for the RPG veteran Bioware to complete.

Comparatively, Dragon Age 2 was released in March of 2011, less than 1.5 years from the release of the original in November of 2009.

That was probably the first clue that something was wrong.

Admittedly, a large part of the effort that went into making Dragon Age: Origins was completed with the first entry in the series: establishment of lore being the main part. Still, 1.5 years is a short turnaround for an epic RPG series, and I was worried that the brief development time might impact the quality of the sequel.

I was right to be worried.

Story:

Dragon Age 2 throws you back into the immersive and wonderfully-crafted world of Thedas, a world where perhaps only 1.5 years ago you were playing a Grey Warden fighting a seeming hopeless war against the Blight. While your warden's adventures took place mostly in the nation of Ferelden, Dragon Age 2 focuses on your character's life in Kirkwall, a coastal city to the north of the blight-stricken Ferelden. This time around, you're forced to play a human (gender and class selectable) named Hawke, and the story largely follows your escapades in becoming a champion of the city.


The overall plot of the game is told through a framed narrative: An NPC named Varric recounts your tale to an enigmatic Seeker trying to uncover how exactly Hawke rose to power in Kirkwall. The gimmick is an interesting one, though it's employed too sparsely to have any meaningful impact; essentially, the game is divided into three major acts and a brief prelude over a 10-year period, with Varric narrating the intermissions between each act. In a 40-50 hour game, the plot device seems tacked on at best, though it does boast excellent voicework and some good humor.

The individual acts succeed (for the most part) on their own storytelling merits, with some throwbacks to your previous decisions (and if you import a DAO save, your Warden's decisions in the first game). Where the story falls apart is trying to tie those loose threads together: Dragon Age 2 doesn't have the same epic feel that Origins so proudly bore; years pass between each act and it's difficult to see how exactly the pieces of the story fit together, largely because they don't. The end result is like playing through a disjointed sequence of events, rather than a tightly constructed tale. While the tale of Hawke's rise to power is still an interesting one, you realize Hawke rises to Champion not because you saved the city or amassed a fortune: Varric simply tells you it happened during the 3 year time jump.


Gameplay:

When Varric's not telling your story, you take control of Hawke and - depending on your class - maul, backstab, or blast your way through the multiple main and side quests. The core of the gameplay is combat, and here the sequel really shines. While DAO's combat was exciting, it also had a very plodding, almost lazy feel to it. When I watched Alistair slash enemies, he did so with such methodical slowness that it felt almost as if he was trying to move through molasses.

Dragon Age 2 has sped up combat significantly, and it really feels much more fast-paced and alive than its predecessor did. Combat animations are flashy and impressive, and no longer do enemies and allies suffer from "shuffling" syndrome - combat abilities are executed immediately and with ferocious intensity. The introduction of "cross-class combos" also adds a distinctive tactical flare to the game, and a critical element to take advantage of on the harder difficulties. All classes are able to use certain abilities that inflict various status effects on enemies, opening them up to receive further punishment from your allies. Pulling off a cross-class combo is deliciously satisfying, and this feature combined with all the other changes really improve the overall flavor of combat.


Leveling up is a fun experience too. Gone are the single-line of talent points from the first game: instead, players now use a tiered and chained set of talent trees. Various selections unlock new abilities and players can also choose to improve their existing abilities rather than to diversify. The improvements are significant, so no talent point feels like it's been wasted. By the end of the game, Hawke truly is a formidable master of his craft with dozens of spells and fighting talents at his disposal. The one questionable change from the original game is the removal of skills. Previously, skills such as persuasion and pickpocketing could be improved with each levelup: these skills have all vanished, for no apparent reason. Overall though, the game remains a lot of fun to play.

That said, there are a few changes from the original series that are baffling: first, the overuse of exploding enemies. Enemies vaporize into chunks of blood and gore at the mildest of whacks, smacks and tiffs, and it definitely removes the sense of gritty realness from a game that otherwise is deeply immersive (this has been remedied in a recent patch, to my knowledge). Second, and perhaps more glaring is the removal of the tactical camera present in the PC version of Dragon Age Origins. DAO's tactical camera on the PC version of the game was really a godsend, enabling players to get a wide view of the action and plan their battles accordingly. The removal of that camera is an inexplicable loss.


If only those changes were the only ones to mar Dragon Age 2's otherwise polish. Unfortunately, the short turnaround cycle shows very early on exactly the toll it took on DA2's presentation. First, the encounters - while the first Dragon Age was filled with hordes of evil monsters and darkspawn trying to devour your party, each encounter was carefully crafted and allowed room for tactics to make a difference. Dragon Age 2, unfortunately, relies on what has become infamous as the "wave" mechanic. You first encounter one wave of enemies and engage them; just as you defeat the last one, you realize that literally out of nowhere, new enemies have fallen from the sky or popped out from the earth to swarm you once again. Just as you think you're done mopping up the last of these, a third wave hits you. Mind you, these aren't flying birds or burrowing worms that are attacking you - bandits, undead, darkspawn, and even guards appear out of nowhere to ruin your careful positioning and artificially increase the difficulty of the battles. The result is always a battle of attrition, and a test to see which side can keep their health bars going the longest. Dragon Age 2 employs this tactic for almost every fight in the game. No, I'm not exaggerating; it almost ruins the fun from the new combat flow.

I suppose that the wave-system of enemy encounters might be chalked up to a poor design decision, and in no way related to the constrained time frame between game releases, but there can be no question about my next issue with DA2's design. Recycled Areas. Forums are ablaze with people lamenting Bioware's decision to reuse areas for quests that are supposed to represent different locales. The first Mass Effect also suffered from this problem, but it was a minor nuisance in that game at best: it only really impacted the smallest of sidequests in that game. In Dragon Age 2, the recycled areas cover not only sidequests, but main-plots as well. Every single cave, dungeon, sewer, or estate is literally an exact copy of the one before it. The effect is totally immersion-breaking and an unbelievable misstep for a developer that is lauded for its storytelling skill. Setting is an important part of storytelling; if the setting never changes on the screen, your story will suffer.


When you're not tackling the main quests or being assaulted by endless waves of enemies, Hawke can also pursue (in standard Bioware form) romances among the many companions he'll get to know along his journey. Gay and Straight options are both available, and there's even an option that is doomed (*cough* Aveline *cough). For the most part, these romances are deep, engaging, and have that poignant quality that makes you go "Aww" despite the fact that you're staring at fictional characters animated through lines of code.

Side quests litter the games multiple acts with various degrees of quality, though most are forgettable fetch and deliver quests. Interestingly enough, Bioware actually streamlined the fetch and deliver system so that you don't even need to be asked to find something anymore. Side Quest items are automatically marked for you and Hawke is magically able to identify trash without any knowledge of its significance or its owner. It's somewhat amusing to hear Hawke muse "I hear you've been looking for this," and then hand over random junk to an NPC he's never spoken to and has no connection with.

I suppose it does cut down on the backtracking though.

Graphics & Sound:

Dragon Age 2 features revamped art style, in an effort to distinguish the franchise from more generic fantasy tropes. For the most part, these art style changes have been a hit or miss. The race of Qunari, for example, have absolutely been improved from the original game, where they looked essentially human. Now, they have their own, unique look that easily identifies both the race as well as the Dragon Age game. Darkspawn, on the other hand, seem to have been dumbed down from the horrifying terrors they were in Origins to albino zombies.


From a technical standpoint, Dragon Age 2 serves competently (though it can't compete with games like the Witcher 2). On my average rig, I experienced no major bugs or glitches, and animations and models were done superbly. The environs were adequate, though they quickly became stale, especially with the recycling of maps mentioned previously.


DA2's voice work continues Bioware's tradition of excellent acting and cinematic storytelling. Every character and line was delivered with skill, and I really liked the way Hawke's tone would change based on your play style - Diplomatic Hawke was definitely different from Aggressive Hawke. Other characters are competently voiced as well, and the actor who plays Varric - as both the narrator and comic relief - does an excellent job.

Inon Zur returns to score the sequel to DA Origins and his soundtrack features more memorable tunes that are interesting in their composition and just fun to listen to. Several romantic scores wiggle their way into an otherwise combat-heavy musical experience.

Final Thoughts:

I can't help but feel Dragon Age 2 could have been so much more. Some of the design decisions are hard to question. If more time were spent developing new areas instead of redesigning the art style for one. Or if more time was spent implementing unique encounters rather than dumping loads of forgettable side quests onto the player. Hindsight is 20/20, I guess.

It's interesting to see Metacritic's score for the game - professional reviewers average out around 80 while user reviews average at 45 (PC version). Is there some sort of professional conspiracy happening? Not really - Dragon Age 2 by itself is really a good game. It's just that in comparison to the glow of its predecessor, good just doesn't cut it.



Recommended For:
+ Fans of Dragon Age willing to be open-minded about some of the more obtuse design choices.
+ Fans of RPGs
+ Gamers who Don't mind Deja Vu (Recycled Maps, Forgetabble Side quests)
+ Fans of Bioware Storytelling
+ Gay Romance Points

Not Recommended For:
- Dragon Age Loyalists
- Baldur's Gate Loyalists
- People who think other people talk too much
- Homophobes

*This game was reviewed on the PC. Dragon Age 2 is also available on Mac, XBOX360 and the PS3.

Review - The Witcher 2 (TW2)

It's been four years since the first Witcher game opened to warm reception in 2007. The PC exclusive action-RPG featured a new combat style, deeply evolving and open-ended paths, and a powerful protagonist with some brutal decisions to make.

Overview:

The Witcher 2 has proven CDProjekt as a powerhouse developer in the RPG arena. This fledgling developer has improved upon the original Witcher in almost every way possible, bringing us a climactic and thrilling adventure that both action and RPG fans alike will appreciate.

Gameplay:

Geralt returns in the Witcher 2 to a world rife with political intrigue and itching for some tumultous revolutions. As he explores the world around him, Geralt will often be required to employ deadly attacks and flashy manuevers that are nothing short of awesome. Geralt's two swords also make a welcome return: for newcomers, our badass protagonist uses a steel sword against human enemies, and a silver sword against the supernatural critters he inevitably runs across. Both swords as well as Geralt's armor are upgradable by applying runes and armor enhancements. Further, CD Projekt has added the option to craft almost all of Geralt's equipment.


Leveling up is a fun affair, requiring you to be out of combat and enter into a coolly-animated meditation. Upon level up, Geralt can put points into one of three specializations: physical combat, magic, or alchemy. The game encourages you to specialize, as it's impossible to achieve the maximum level of proficiency in all three specializations. Each point is spent on either a new ability, or an upgrade to an existing ability - none of the points ever feel wasted. Each levelup provides a dramatic increase in Geralt's fighting capacity, and it's a satisfying system overall.

One of the first things you'll notice when playing the Witcher 2 is its new combat system. TW2 has forgone the quirky system of timed button presses of the original game in favor of a more standard light & heavy-combo based combat. On a XBOX360/PC Compatible gamepad, the x button produces a light and quick attack, while the Y button causes Geralt to swing wide and heavy. The buttons can be sequenced together to form devastating chains of flourishes and ripostes that are both fun to watch and punishing to Geralt's victim.

Apart from physical sword slashes, Geralt is also armed with a series of awesome spells. None of them are over the top, but all can end up being pretty deadly. I opted to go through the magic route, which included the always-fun ability to blast enemies with telekinetic energy, often resulting in bodies flying off cliffs and walls, all to a very gravitational death. Geralt is also equipped with spells that absorb damage, fireballs that can be upgraded to do more damage and affect more enemies, a spell that ensnares enemies when they cross its boundaries, and a Jedi mind trick that forces the many mobs you encounter to attack each other.

Fans of the first game may also remember that alchemy played an important role: Geralt could craft potions that would augment his strength, grant him a night-vision, or close up his wounds. Alchemy returns in TW2, though this time can only be used out of combat (more on this in a bit). Minigames including dice, boxing, and arm-wrestling also make a return, which make for a fun diversion in the midst of all the hack and slash.


Overall the gameplay is highly improved over the original, lending itself to a far more visceral and action-packed feel than the somewhat awkward design of the original. There are a few minor hiccups in this presentation however. First, while leveling up eventually results in Geralt becoming an unstoppable juggernaut of raw power, the first few levels are punishingly difficult. Multiple standard fights forced me to load a saved game as Geralt was often overwhelmed by sheer numbers. This wasn't helped by the fact that some abilities (such as the ability to block, dodge effectively or attack multiple enemies at once) didn't come until later in the game.

Further, while the original Witcher allowed you to use potions during battle, TW2 does not allow you to do so. Logically speaking, it makes sense that Geralt wouldn't be able to search his pack and quaff a potion on the fly; however, the potion durations are short and when playing through the game for the first time, this gimick almost forces the player to guess when boss battles are going to come. This is especially frustrating in the first half of the game, when boss battles are so difficult, potions literally could be the difference between victory and a painful reload. Some boss battles also rely too much on quicktime gimicks to up the challenge. Limited onscreen instructions also make a certain boss battle more frustrating than fun.


The targetting system is unreliable at best: if you don't manually lock onto an opponent, the game will often send you spiralling into a horde of enemies when you only intended to attack someone on the fringes. Needless to say, getting Geralt surrounded at all sides is not a good idea if you want to survive, at least during Geralt's first few levels.

Surprisingly, this insane challenge level does not translate well throughout the game. You reach a sweet spot just before about halfway through the plot where the challenge level is just right; after that, Geralt becomes so powerful that you wonder why the first half of the game spent so much time training you to play so cautiously. Certain spells when upgraded become overwhelming, to the point where Geralt could literally walk into a dozen enemies barehanded and still survive health fully intact.


Even with these problems, however, the Witcher 2's gameplay is still somehow addictive - the action is intense and satisfying, and there's nothing more fun than slaying a whole horde of enemies with all the tools you have at Geralt's disposal.

Graphics & Sound:

The Witcher 2 is absolutely stunning in its visual design, detail, and effects. Every aspect of the game is animated smoothly and crisply, from light sources and shadows to Geralt's hair and clothing. It's easy to tell there was an amazing effort put into the visual presentation of TW2. Facial expressions and combat animations and flourishes alike are pleasing to the eye. You'll need a top-rate PC to run the Witcher 2 at its highest settings, but even with most options set to medium the Witcher 2 is gorgeous (outstripping Dragon Age 2 easily).

The game also boasts a stirring and epic soundtrack, filled with just the right sweeping melodies and scores. The voice-acting is for the most part competent. Geralt's voice actor does a great job selling the rough and battle-hardened warrior that the character is. Various other characters are also masterfully voiced, including all the beautiful sorceresses of the realm. A few lines do end up sounding a bit forced, but those are few and far between.

Story:

The Witcher 2 continues the tale from the original game, still following Geralt's adventures protecting kings, tracking down assassins, parlaying with an elven rebellion, and dealing with the numerous sorceresses of the land. Geralt's travels takes him across the realm inspired by polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. As he undertakes quests from these kings and witches, Geralt also begins to slowly unravel the mystery of how he lost his memory and the fate of the woman Yennifer, to whom Geralt seems to have some past relationship with.


Along the way, Geralt also has the option to pursue various sidequests and romances. Rather than the lewd playing cards the player earned from the first Witcher, CD Projekt decided to animate several cutscenes for those occasions when Geralt managed to woo a member of the fairer sex (sorry gay friends - there is sadly no gay option available). Some of them are pure fanservice, although a few are quite tastefully done. Then again - it is just polygons moving on a screen.

All in all, the story does not break too much new ground, but its execution is simply superb. The intricacies of a multiple-nation peace treaty are brought to the foreground with multiple sides all pulling at the strings, and Geralt has to decide how best to resolve the situation. Further, the Witcher 2 allows players to greatly impact the narrative of the game, just as the original Witcher did. Certain decisions Geralt makes irrevocably changes the plot, and these decisions are apparent both in the immediate future, as well as the long term. Multiple branching paths lead to several different endings, and offers the opportunity for multiple playthroughs.


Final Thoughts:

The Witcher 2 is an absolute must-have for any RPG fan. A few minor hiccups do not detract from what is otherwise a masterful piece of video entertainment and I can not recommend this game more. It will not disappoint.

Recommended For:
+ Fans of the Witcher
+ Fans of action RPGs with meaningful character development
+ Fans of intricate plots with multiple branching paths based on your decisions
+ PC Gamers who don't mind being a little lonely (PC Single player Only)

Not Recommended For:
- MMO'ers need not apply
- Gamers who get frustrated easily - the first few hours of the game are pretty brutal
- Console Gamers (XBOX360 Players might get a port soon, Nothing mentioned for PS3)

Review System Change

Although I haven't reviewed anything in a long while, I have decided to change my reviewing system. I previously used a 1-10 scale, where the belltower curved at 7.0 out of 10. I then changed to a 5 point scale, where an average game would get a 3. I have decided - after 3 years of not reviewing anything - that neither of these review systems are any good.

I know it's the practice of most game-reviewing websites to give games a numeric score, ostensibly to provide an easy way for gamers to compare the quality of games. However, after reading countless reviews of this sort, I've come to the conclusion that number and numeric scales are incapable of fully presenting the game in a fair and objective light. Numeric scores are skewed to be similar to educational grades, and the point value difference between different reviews are at best subjective and at worst arbitrary. Reviewers who are not a fan of a particular genre may score a game lower than what it might deserve. Conversely, a fan of RPGs might tend to give higher scores on roleplaying games, simply because he prefers that type of game.

Videogames have, over the last decade or so, proven themselves more and more worthy of being called "art." No more are they simple mediums for mindless entertainment. Videogames now have the capacity to express ideas, to tell new stories, to make the gamer think. Of course, not all games do this, but I believe a significant number of them do. Critics don't go around assigning numeric values to Rembrandt or Picasso, and neither will I assign numbers to games. Instead, I will highlight particularly noteworthy (good and bad) aspects of the game. Instead of a final score, I will be listing groups of people that I believe I can recommend the game to.

Art is in the eye of the beholder. So are videogames. That's also why I will never review a game from a genre that I have no interest in (Madden? NBA2kXX? Barf.) A critic who hates modern art has no business critiquing modern art. I firmly believe that.

And yes, this does mean I will be tryin to review more games soon. Expect Dragon Age 2, The Witcher 2, Outland. I'm still deciding whether to even try to touch the backlog (Dragon Age Origins, Mass Effect 1 & 2, Final Fantasy XIII).

What to Watch Out For: Best and the Brightest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22vWC57k38w

Upcoming movie boasting a promising cast including personal favorites of Neil Patrick Harris, Kate Mulgrew, and Bridget Regan (which only makes me wish Legend of the Seeker was still on).

Reblogging

I have more time on my hands now =).

New shows to watch in 2011:

1. Law & Order: Los Angeles

It launched with the rest of the regular tv lineup, but after airing a few episodes, the show went under heavy retooling. Half the cast was cut (one of them in a graphic way on the show), and the setup of the characters was changed. The revamped version is better, I would say on par with the recently ended original Law & Order. It helps that Alana de la Garza has joined the cast, though her character's transfer from New York to LA is not explained.

Alfred Molina makes a great District Attorney-turned-Detective, and Terrence Howard makes for a capable DA (though his recent appearance on SVU did not do his character any favors in terms of getting an audience to like him). The show follows the typical Law & Order format, with a cold open - usually where someone gets killed - followed by the detectives' investigation and eventually the DA's prosecution of the criminal. Not quite as good as SVU, but only because I haven't had the chance to really connect with the main characters, given the shows casting changes and limited episode run.

It remains to be seen whether NBC will pick up this series for a second season. I'm going to throw my hat in with the people who hopes that the network does.

2. Happy Endings


Sadly, everytime I mention this show's title, my roommate snickers with unadulterated glee. Fie upon you roommate!

In the vein of How I Met Your Mother, and a slew of new sitcoms that have made their way into the 2010-2011 broadcast season, Happy Endings brings us into the lives of six late-twenty somethings: a couple, an ex-couple, and two wacky single people , all of whom are friends.

As of today, four episodes have been broadcast, and I have been pleasantly surprised with both the comedy, the character development, and how quickly I have grown attached to the characters in this show. Comparisons will doubtlessly be made to the countless number of sitcoms that have saturated TV these days, and admittedly Happy Endings doesn't breach much new ground in terms of comedy (although it does feature an interracial couple and an openly gay man in the main cast).

Still, I would say this show errs more on the side of "Friends" than it does "Joey." And that's definitely a plus. The series hasn't been confirmed for a second season yet, though I certainly hope it will be.

3. Game of Thrones

The television adaptation of the thrilling book series "A Song of Ice & Fire" by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones airs on HBO and attempts to bring to life the first book (of the same name). As of 4/25/2011, two episodes have aired. The series boasts stunning production values and a wonderful cast (of which there are literally dozens of actors), each of whom has stepped into their roles admirably. Particular props go to the young actress who plays Arya, with just the right amount of spunk and daring that made her chapters so fond to read.

The story is set in the fictional setting of Westeros, a land whose seasons last for indefinite periods of time, and war is a common thing. Events prior to the series have seen the continent of Westeros united under the rule of Robert Baratheon, but that is about to change. As the motto of the series goes: When you play the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die.

After the airing of the first episode, HBO has already picked Game of Thrones up for a second season. I'll see if I can manage a full review once the first season's 10-episode run is complete.

Review - Neverwinter Nights 2

Neverwinter Nights 2 is the second game to be developed by Obsidian Entertainment, a group with a highly reputable flair for roleplaying games. Much like Knights of the Old Republic 2 (Obsidian's first game), Neverwinter Nights 2 is a sequel to a highly successful Bioware game of the same name (you know, without the 2 after it). For the most part, Obsidian does a good job of making a game that lives up to its predecessor's caliber, but technical issues and a confusing story blemish what could have been a spectacular roleplaying experience.

If you've played the original Neverwinter Nights, everything should be pretty familiar here. The game is based on Dungeons and Dragons' 3.5 edition, which incorporates some new rules or whatnot. What matters is the game makes the pen and paper dynamic transition smoothly into a semi-realtime computer game. Neverwinter Nights 2 features updated graphics, updated party and influence system, and an all new epic tale with which you use as an excuse to get super powerful and beat everybody else up. Oh, and don't forget the roleplaying. Every choice you make has consequences.

Gameplay - 4/5

For the most part, Neverwinter Nights 2 was great fun to play. If you're at all familiar with the Dungeons and Dragons system, it's pretty much fully implemented in all its glory here. Choose a gender, race, and class to start off with from over a dozen possibilities for each option (except gender, that would just be weird). Gain levels by completing quests and defeating monsters, and once you're powerful enough, new prestige classes open up to you. Find and purchase powerful equipment, blast down your foes with powerful spells, learn specialized feats that give you new fighting tricks...just about everything a good RPG needs is here.


NWN2 seamlessly transitions the pen and paper rules to the computer screen, much as the original did. Combat is in semi-realtime as the computer rolls hidden dice behind the screen to determine your success and failure in everything from basic attacks to the success of your spells. While this might sound dull, it ends up being a pretty exciting experience, especially once you hit the later levels when you get 3+ attacks every six seconds or five enemies are swarming on your position just as you get off that defensive spell.

Graphics & Sound - 3.5/5


Here's where things start to disappoint a little. Neverwinter Nights wasn't known for its revolutionary graphics, and neither will Neverwinter Nights 2 be. While the environments are nice enough to look at, they're certainly nothing special - not even close to Oblivion's quality. Further, all of the character models are pretty much just downright UGLY. Maybe it's my shallowness, but playing an ugly character just makes me sad. I'm ugly enough in real life, I'd like to think the people I play in games could be a tad nicer-looking. The in-game cinematics (of which there are maybe one or two) are also rather sloppy-looking. While the introduction movie was impressive to watch, the actual in-game movies are basically powerpoint presentations with narration. Spell effects were probably the only thing that was satisfying visually in the game.

The sound in NWN2 was disappointing. I was expecting an all-new epic score for the game, but instead I found that the developers had decided to just reuse the old soundtrack. Frankly, I'm pretty sick of hearing that music (which, in my opinion, is some of Jeremy Soule's less inspiring work). There are a few new tracks here and there which overall are pretty good, but the fact that most of the music was recycled...

Perhaps the only thing redeeming about the sound would be the great voice-actors for the game. Every line spoken by major characters is fully-voiced over and most characters have an effective and competent voice actor to bring new life to their personalities.

Story - 3.5/5

...and then there's the story. You can tell that the developers tried real hard to make a good story...it just doesn't flow as well as it should have. Obsidian really seems to have trouble making a coherent and complete story in its games (KotOR 2 was similarly plagued by a confusing and rushed storyline). Basically, an ancient evil is awakening (guh, not again), and you are destined to stop it (guh!). The storyline sounds generic enough, but one of Obsidian's few successes is to manage to make this foundation expand into something much, much more interesting. Along the way of saving the world, you'll tango with dangerous assassins, stand trial, discover ancient secrets, and so much more. Where these things all connect is where the game kind of falls apart, but that doesn't mean the individual parts weren't good.


The character interaction in the game is truly the shining point here. Your party will eventually consist of around ten companions, each with a distinct personality, and each unafraid to speak their mind - and they may even betray or abandon you if they don't like the way you're treating them. Your interaction with your companions is really one of the best parts of the game, as you get closer to them, they'll spill their life secrets, and new side-quests will open up for you. Not only that, but your companions will interact amongst themselves. One of the most memorable scenes is a tavern scene where your companions start trading insults at one another. It's a hilarious and well-scripted event, and it's things like this that give Neverwinter Nights 2 its own unique touch.


Unfortunately, the story as a whole is weak in comparison, especially towards the end. Going through main quest felt very...deja-vu. Often times you will be forced to ask the same questions to different plot-important characters, even if you don't care or already know what they're going to say. Further, the entire treatment of the story is confusing and hard to follow at times. While the main story arcs are satisfying in themselves, it's hard to see how it all comes together - rather, it feels more like you're using the same character to play through random events strung together with yarn.

The ending was abysmal. I don't want to ruin anything, but it was a complete cop-out. Not only that, but the ending narration sounded like they had a random executive producer come out of his hole in the dirt and start reading. Hugely disappointing, especially considering the high quality of the voice-acting in the rest of the game.

Still, overall Neverwinter Nights 2 was a great gaming experience. I know I had a lot of criticism for the game, but it's only because I had such high hopes for it. After all, it is the sequel to a fantastic game, and was developed by a reputable game developer. But don't get me wrong - NWN2 has its shortcomings, but I can not deny that I didn't enjoy it while it lasted.

Overall Score: 4/5

Beep...Boop...Beep...Boop

Oh my god.

That is about all that I can say about 24's latest season. The first four episodes...oh my god. Oh my god.

Oh my god.

Suffice it to say that 24 has not lost its touch. Its predisposition for almost unbelievable plot twists and tense, pounding dramatic action is still there. And so is Jack, in all his holy glory.

But oh my god.

I knew I should have started to suspect something when things were going a little too swimmingly. And then the last 5 minutes of the 4th episode happened. My mind was completely blown. I could not believe that what happened had just happened.

That is the best part of 24, of course. The show isn't afraid to set off bombs, depict gruesome torture, or kill off main characters. It's not afraid to make huge world-changing gestures for story. And that's what makes it so compelling, and riveting, and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat-pee-all-over-yourself good.

Not that I did that of course.

...heh.

Review - Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI

First, a shout out to Concord who has started his very own movie/tv/games review blog. Visit his blog at: http://armodons.blogspot.com/


Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI (San Guo Zhi 11) is Koei's latest installment of its long-running and highly successful historical simulation turn-based strategy games. Combining a revamped graphics engine and all-new tactical gameplay, San Guo 11 is by far the best in the series (that I have played - I didn't actually manage to find copies of 9 or 10). Set in historical China, the game follows the epic story of the Three Kingdoms era. Players can choose to conquer China from the perspectives of various warlords, play specific scenarios and famous historical battles, or even create their own generals and officers to introduce into the dramatic saga.


If you've played any of these games before, however, you'll know that those features I just listed are pretty much staples of the San Guo series. What sets San Guo 11 apart from its predecessors is its stylized graphics engine, and the introduction of new units, tactics, and general strategy. Add that to streamlined gameplay and engaging tactical battles, and Koei has really created the best San Guo game in a decade.

Gameplay - 4.5/5

Like its predecessors, San Guo 11 has gameplay that is basically separated into two parts: managing one's cities and managing battlefields. City Management this time around is now much more similar to Age of Empires, where specific buildings need to be constructed in order to provide cities with various resources. For example, markets are needed to provide cities with income, while farms are needed to supply food and rations. Build a barracks to recruit troops, build a blacksmith to forge various weapons, and build a shipyard to allow for sea travel. This new take on city management is much more appealing than in the previous versions of the game, where you basically assigned officers to improve "invisible" aspects of each city. Amidst all the construction, you also have to take into consideration the level of unrest in your city, train your troops, and manage your officers' loyalty. All these factors really force you to plan out your strategy for defeating enemies - Are you going to spend that last reserve of gold for more troops? Or will you spend it on building more markets to increase income in the future?


San Guo's turn-based battles have been hit and miss in the past. 11 is definitely a hit. There are three main types of troops you can deploy, who share a rock-paper-scissors relationship. Spearmen defeat Cavalry, while Cavalry defeat Axemen, and Axemen defeat Spearmen. Further, there are various other units including archers, battering rams, trebuchets, all of which have their own set of unique tactics that can be used on the battlefield. Not only that, but each unit type can eventually be upgraded to have even more abilities. For example, Cavalry can be upgraded to be able to equip bows, making for a deadly combination of speed and range. Spearmen can learn to steal enemy rations when attacking, decreasing morale. Add to that the option of using subterfuge and the ability to have your generals duke it out in one-on-one duels, this game is littered with strategic options and depth. Well planned out strikes are extremely satisfying, as you watch your forces push back significantly larger armies with special tactics and carefully positioned strikes.


Graphics & Sound - 4/5

The series' greatest weakness has always been its graphics, but San Guo 11 has broken through the stereotype by having a very appealing and stylized presentation. The interface is easily accessible and bordered by chinese-style clouds and architecture. Further, the game uses a cel-shaded graphics engine that manages to suit the atmosphere very well. There really is a sense of ancient China as you watch hundreds of little cavalry and spearman units charging at each other. Duels and Debates in the game are similarly impressive-looking. Rather than the static sprites or bland art from the previous series, San Guo 11 opted to flesh out its cel-designs to have very detailed armor and animations for these specific battles. The end result is impressive and almost cinematic.


Sound is standard. The music is fitting, with sweeping orchestral melodies during times of peace that switch to pounding and tense drums during war. As the player conquers more and more of China, the overland tune becomes more and more dramatic and invigorating.

Story - 4/5


Of course, the main core of the story is taken from the actual San Guo novels, but the execution here is very well done. Each scenario is preceded by a nice cinematic, and players have the option of watching actual events in the novels unfold during gameplay. Stand back and watch as the tyrannical Dong Zhuo is betrayed by his most powerful general, the insidious Lu Bu. Watch as the blood-brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei court the most revered of tacticians, Zhuge Liang. Regardless of which warlord you play as, events unfold as you begin to establish a major foothold in China. Choose to either support the last of the Han Dynasty, or to crush it and establish a new empire of your own. Form alliances with like-minded warlords, or break them to seize new territory. However you choose to conquer China - As the people's liberator or the merciless dictator - your name will be forever etched in the minds of all its citizens.

Overall Score: 4.5/5

San Guo 11 has exceeded my expectations for the series by a huge leap. Its one weakness is inherent to all San Guo games - the length. It takes a long time to conquer China, and if you don't have the patience to sit down and spend a good chunk of your life to do it, you probably shouldn't waste your time trying. This is not for the casual player. But for those of you who enjoy deep and engrossing tactical gameplay, I can not recommend this enough to you. English players, expect a port to the PS2 in early February 2007!


...Oh, and did I mention if you beat the game you can unlock special abilities for your generals? There's nothing quite like raining down lightning from the sky to smite your enemies. :)

Oblivion: Knights of the Nine Review

Knights of the Nine is the first "expansion-like" material for Bethesda's critically acclaimed Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Featuring an all new quest-line and armor-set, Knights of the Nine promises additional hours of immersion in a game that is already loaded with content. Unfortunately, while KoN does possess more of the great gameplay and some nifty new content, it is brought down by a decidedly weak storyline - even more so than the first. And the $10 pricetag doesn't help matters much either.

The basic plot of Knights of the Nine revolves around the return of an ancient Ayleid tyrant named Umaril. You are charged with the task of recovering seven ancient relics and defeating Umaril once and for all. *YAWN* Um...excuse me, Bethesda, but hasn't this happened before already?! I mean, how many ancient evils can awake and return to threaten Tamriel in the course of one game? The very concept is generic enough already, but to use it twice as the "main quest" is really pushing it.

"What's this? ANOTHER bad guy has woken up and wants to wreak havoc?! *Sigh* Better get out the fly swatter."

The storyline further suffers from a blatant lack of any sort of interesting characters. At least in the original Oblivion, Martin and Jauffre had some personality. Knights of the Nine has some interesting characters; but none of them are ever developed to any notable degree, and the big bad boss (excuse the alliteration) is very poorly described. The threat that he poses never seemed like such a big deal. Besides launching a few poorly planned attacks on a few temples, Umaril doesn't play much of a part until the very end of the quest - and that's only so the player can kill him. Which, by the way, wasn't as hard as you might think. I've fought tougher bears.

"I don't know what everyone's all worried about. I mean, you're not even HALF the size of that last guy I beat."

Does Knights of the Nine have anything going for it? Well, if you've done absolutely everything possible in Oblivion and you're still looking for a fix, then it provides a few hours of generic storyline. But hey, that's a chance for you to show off the battle prowess you've gained since the end of the original. And the new set of armor isn't half bad - new design and some nice enchantments that bestow powers on the wearer. As usual, the people of Oblivion will chat you up on all your recent exploits in KoN, so the immersion is definitely there.

Still, ultimately Knights of the Nine is a disappointing experience. In terms of additional content, it only offers a substandard quest coupled with some new armor and weaponry - definitely not worth the 10 dollars I paid for the download. PC players can probably just as easily fine a similar quality mod online, and 360 players needn't bother at all.

"Ten bucks for this set of armor?! I wouldn't pay more than...six."

Final Score: 6/10 - Mildy entertaining, but definitely not worth the pricetag.

Now is the Winter of Our Discontent

Random ramblings.

I haven't updated in a while. Guess why I'm doing it now?

...give up?

It's because I don't want to study! Whee!

Facebook is taking over everything. I almost wanted to abandon this blog to facebook (which, by the way blogspot, lets me put captions underneath my pictures instead of forcing me to do weird formatting that doesn't carry over when facebook uploads these posts - that was a really long thought). But then, I've already been posting for over a year...it'd be a shame to let it die now.

Mmm...I have a job! I will be working in PricewaterhouseCoopers' Tax department. I relish the opportunity to go to their socials and start talking down to all those juniors looking for internships. Now, I get to be the one answering awkward questions and making forced conversation with people who don't really care about me and only want job opportunities. Here's some advice - either be really smart, or kiss ass like your life depends on it...because it just might.

Finals are depressing. As are my plans for winter break (anyone want to help me work on funding proposals or take tax tests with me? ...didn't think so). But I can really use a good break from school. I just know VITA and BAY are going to kill me next quarter.

Some of my funky floormates have declared poke wars on me, and I have retaliated by changing my facebook picture to that of a chimp/human woman on steroids/abomination so that everytime they poke me, their eyes will suffer the wrath of a thousand suns! And just for your viewing pleasure, here it is again:

See, this is actually supposed to be the caption, but when facebook imports this post it'll just show up as normal text, totally RUINING the flow of my essay-style writing. BLEARGH. Haha, wow I have anger issues.

What did I tell you? :)

Whee!

im happy. surprised, and happy.

We interrupt your life to bring you this special news update on Roy's boring life.

Wow...it's been a month since I've updated this thing. I wasn't this bad about it last year was I?

It's been an extremely hectic month though. Well, relatively hectic - I've still been able to get decent sleeping hours and still have some time to do things I enjoy - but compared to last year, I am definitely a lot more busy. What with recruiting (which I am going to spend today crying about), midterms (which i am going to spend tomorrow and the day after crying about), and BAY and VITA (which I am just going to cry a lot about whenever else I have time)...I'm going to be crying a lot this week apparently.

I just want to get this week over. I'll be relatively free after this week - either I'll have a job or I won't, and I should be done with my harder midterms. I'll finally be able to enjoy school again. Maybe.

I've met some awesome people this year...mostly freshman. For some reason I find it easier talking to people younger than me, than people older or the same age. I always feel very intimidated talking to those people, like I'm constantly being judged.

The downside to meeting only freshman is that the age gap continues to widen between me and any potential significant others. Which makes me feel like a pedophile...and no, I don't want to be a pedophile.

...I'm going to miss school so much!

I don't knoooowwww

What I really want to do is not accounting. I don't detest accounting, which I often say, but I definitely do not enjoy it. To be honest, I really don't think I have that cutting edge to be in business. I don't have the competitive spirit or the self-confidence. What I do have is self-awareness and the ability to daydream.

I think my dream job would be to work on games. The storytelling part. I really enjoy good stories, and I like telling good ones too. Of course, I don't actually know how to do this.

The biggest roadblock I think would be my mom. I am mortally afraid of my mom, and her approval is such a big deal to me. I don't even know why. To be honest, I feel like I'm constantly under pressure when I'm around her and it's just so stressful sometimes. It's like I'm being judged, every minute of everyday, every action I take, every opportunity I miss.

I am a child at heart. I just want to enjoy life...I don't want to worry about making lots of money because it really doesn't matter to me so much. I guess it's different for her because she's still struggling with her job - she wants to be able to provide a good home for us. And I know everything she does is well-intentioned...sigh

...on a completely different note, i hate my life. I really do.

I can't stand it...

Back to School

So I'm back at UCLA. This will be my fourth and most likely final year here in the sweet bliss that is college. In one year's time, I will be crying all day long because I'll have to leave. Damn you super seniors!

*yawn* I'm really sleepy.

Wookiees are people too.

You know that new Star Wars commercial? The one with all the testimonials about how people love Star Wars, and how the parents are so happy to see their kids enjoying something they grew up with and blah blah blah... I forget what they're advertising - I'm not sure it's actually Star Wars movies or whatnot - but anyway, that commercial got me so mad because at the end of it, this little girl said she would "love to have a wookiee for a pet."

Now, that is just outrageous. The wookiees are a sentient, intelligent race with a deep sense of honor. That this little girl would want to own a wookiee as if she was going to a pet store to get a dog is an insult to the wookiee people. Of course, the wookiees don't actually exist. But the fact that the people who made this advertisement would actually put this on the air...that is an insult to Star Wars fans everywhere! That little girl has shamed her entire Star Wars-loving family, and that commercial is an embarassment to the great Star Wars name. I reject you, new-Star-Wars-commercial, for you are UNWORTHY.

And with that, I take my leave. Good day.

BRING IT ON, BIATCHES!

Happy Birthday, Mister Blog

So it's been one year since the inception of Boredom's Advocate. And for one year, it has bored the heck out of anyone foolish enough to read it.

...

yea that's it! ok byeeee

Sadness

Sadness

Utter Contentment

For the first time in a long time...I feel content. Not that I no longer have aspirations - I just no longer feel that the ones I have are unattainable. I don't know why...I'm worried it's because of the euphoric high I'm on thanks to jogging.

I never thought that would be possible.

I'm sure this feeling will be over tomorrow. Whatever, live in the moment! And for the moment I am completely content.

On another more jealous note, my friend said he SAW the Veronica Mars Season 3 Taping AT UCSD. DAM YOU ERIC I AM SO JEALOUS. I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO UCSD!

Review: Veronica Mars Season 2

Oh Veronica...if you don't want to do things with the pole, you don't have to!

Veronica Mars is a show dear to my heart. Season one was a remarkable union of brilliant dialogue, masterful storytelling, and just plain-good acting. Season Two maintains the dialogue and acting, but attempts to expand on the storyline. A daunting task, to be sure, especially since last season's mystery was simply stellar. Season two provides a good sequel, but overall is not as well-presented and at times can be just be darn confusing.

Surprisingly, I have fallen deeper in love with the show. This is mostly because I adore Kristen Bell. She has one of those smiles that just makes you want to smile too. Her portrayal of a smart, sassy, just-a-tad angry and all-around human teenage detective is flawless. It's rare to find a character that you can relate to throughout the emotional spectrum. And then there's the overly protective yet playful Keith Mars. Wallace Fennel is Veronica Mars' best friend, but manages to stand out on his own; his world doesn't always revolve around Veronica. Logan is the one you love to hate...and yet can't help rooting for sometimes.

Where Season Two pales in comparison to its predecessor starts with the additions to the cast, however. Jackie was little more than a doomed romantic prospect for Wallace. And Cassidy Casablancas' significance to the storyline wasn't clear until the end of the season. For the life of me, I can't figure out why Dick Casablancas was even in the cast, much less in the opening credits! All he did was act the jackass for an entire season. For some reason I think he's going to end up gay. Maybe because the only scene where he wasn't being an asshole to his fellow classmates was the one where he found out the hot chick he was hitting on was actually a man.

So uh...what exactly was the point of your character again?

And that's just the main characters. There's a whole slew of recurring guest-stars, each of whom play varying degrees of importance into the season's storyline(s), Naming them here would probably only confuse anybody reading this...not to mention me. Suffice it to say, all the characters were a little over the top. Even people you thought you would never see again - Leo, the cop from season 1, for example - make cameo appearances.

Season Two's storyline was also somewhat disappointing...but only because it was at times so complex and so full of red-herrings that it was difficult to follow what exactly was going on. This wasn't helped by the fact there were TWO major storylines this time around. Trying to keep up with both the murder of yet another of Veronica's classmates, plus the mysterious bus crash...let's just say the it would take all of Veronica Mars' detective skills. And unfortunately, I'm not her.


So why am I still in love with Veronica? Maybe because despite its shortcomings, at its core it's still a very character-based drama. The storylines only serve to allow the characters shine. And as long as the characters continue to grow, I'll keep watching. Hopefully Season Three will further develop some of the less significant players. And feature more guest stars that I like (Trina Echolls aka Alyson Hannigan. I heart her as much if not more than Kristen! There's so much choice, it's hard to pick just one sometimes...)

Final Score: 4.5/5

You gotta love Willow! Lesbian witches unite!

'Justice' is Blind

I'm watching the premiere of new series "Justice," and so far I am very unimpressed. But what do you expect from a show who's head lawyer was also the head in Legally Blonde?

I mean, come on...the district attorney was practically putting on a SKIT during one of the courtroom scenes? He wasn't asking the witness a single question - he was practically testifying himself! And what does the defense do? They just sit there and watch...and this is supposedly one of the top law firms? That is just RIDICULOUS.

Alan Shore would have shut that down in a heartbeat. Hey, even Law and Order attorneys would have OBJECTED. WHAT THE HECK WERE THEY THINKING?! And if the show's creators and writers thought people wouldn't notice, Justice really is blind. And deaf. And dumb. And also, you know...the actual dumb.

...

Too Tired to Think of a Title

I was just reading Aisa Koh's blog and it hit me suddenly that I won't be seeing either her OR cynthia hsu for a long time. A painfully long time. And it makes me really sad. These two people have been really...really good friends to me. It's hard to imagine not seeing them on campus. Aisa with her craziness and Cynthia with her glaring. Sigh...

I wonder what my life is going to be like after graduation.

Review: The Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion

You know how this started off as a TV/Video Game/Movie review blog? Let's take a nostalgic turn and delve deep into the artificial realism of all that is Oblivion.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

So i've (...omg I can't remember whether it should be "i've" or "I've." That's not good, is it?)...

Ok anywayyy. I've posted on Oblivion before, and always with enthusiasm. As you may already know, Oblivion is Bethesda Softwork's fourth installment in their long-running Elder Scrolls series. Morrowind (Oblivion's predecessor), was a graphically impressive, extremely open-ended game filled with thousands of npcs and a deeply political/religious storyline. Oblivion continues along the same lines, except the graphics are about 1000 times better, the quests are even more interesting, and the combat has been improved significantly.

Strangely, however, the experience on a whole has not been as great as I would have liked. Sure, in the beginning all the little perks were very enjoyable, but the whole game on a whole started to feel very repetitive.

Gameplay - 4.5/5

Oblivion's gameplay is excellent to say the least. The Elder Scrolls series has always been about exploration, and Oblivion accomplishes this goal without flaw. The world is truly beautiful, and there are little points of interest, dungeons, quests, and just about anything that would pique your imagination just scattered all over the place. Not only that, but Oblivion allows the player to get horses, to speed up exploration, or to quickly get the player past the more dull parts.

Just look at that landscape. It's even more beautiful than the real world! Cuz you know, the people of Oblivion haven't polluted the heck out of it yet.

Combat has also been significantly improved over Morrowind's generic hack and hack system. Yes, not hack and slash. Hack and hack. Morrowind's combat system was inherently dull, and this can be evidenced by one of the game's settings: "Always Use Best Attack." Uh...who would want to use a weaker attack? Note that there were only 3 types of attacks, and the only difference was the damage they dealt based on the strengths of the weapon. For example, spears could do some nice piercing damage, but using it to slash or crush probably wasn't a good idea. But because of the design, if you moved in the wrong direction, these weak and essentially useless attacks would execute anyway. Thus the "Always Use Best Attack." A cheap solution to a bigger problem, but I digress...

Combat now no longer divides attacks into damage type. Now, players will damage enemies based on multiple factors, as well as being able to execute a series of power attacks and flourishes, each with unique abilities. Admittedly, the number of these special attacks was very limited and on a whole they didn't look all that impressive...but still, combat could get very intense, especially with opponents hacking away at you while you try to stagger them with your shield and counter attack.

Eep. This isn't going to be a good day for me, is it?

The roguish arts have also been enhanced. Archery now allows the player to zoom in on enemies for instant kill head-shots. And persuasion and lockpicking now require playing fun little minigames, rather than just simply pressing a button.

Muahaha! Suffer my wrath, wooden board!

Uh...did you not see what I did to that wooden board?

The one thing that I was disappointed with is the magic system. The Elder Scrolls has never been a very good game for mages. While Oblivion has improved the system somewhat - auto regenerating magicka, for instance, the whole design feels somewhat lacking. All the effects look the same, regardless of the strength of the spell...and to be honest, the damage effect spells (frost, fire, and shock) don't really look all that impressive to begin with. Further, while the game allows the player a variety of spells to cast, some of the spells are pretty much useless.

Yea, if only this was a spell you could actually CAST. GAH!

Still, overall the gameplay is decent, if not excellent, and certainly a large step up from Morrowind. And that is saying something, considering Morrowind was one of the top games of 2002.

Graphics & Sound - 5/5

I think most professional game-review sites seperate these two categories, but in my opinion, there's really not much to be said about them. Or actually, I've already said it. Oblivion's graphics are AMAZING. And EVERYTHING looks good this time around, not just the environments (which are dazzling - snowscapes, grassy plains, cities, rivers...all of them are breathtaking). Sound is...well, I've never really cared about sound effects, as long as they sound close. Which they do. And did I mention the game was fully voiced? Too bad they only had a few voice-actors...some of the people started to look & sound very familiar.

I will mention the music in this game. Bethesda hired their long-time friend Jeremy Soule to compose all new music for Oblivion. Mr. Soule also did the Morrowind soundtrack, but while Morrowind's music was definitely very epic, eventually I got to the point where it all pretty much sounded the same. It was almost like the game only had one 30 minute long song and it was left on loop for the entire duration. While on a whole the composition was excellent, the individual songs didn't really have anything that made them stand out.

Oblivion's soundtrack solves that problem. Each piece is very thematic and unique. Did I mention I bought the soundtrack to the game...before the game even came out? It's just that good.

Story - 3/5

And here is where Oblivion left me feeling a bit disappointed. Morrowind's main story was filled with political intrigue, religious fanaticism, ancient prophecies and generally a very engrossing taste. Oblivion's on the other hand, is a rather generic adventure where you stop a great evil from devouring the world. And that evil really has no reason to do so, other than he's evil. The main characters along the story have no real personality (even with the excellent voice-acting). There were some twists and turns here that were somewhat interesting, but truth be told - the whole thing was generic at best.

That's a bad idea, my bony friends. A very bad idea indeed.

And that's not the worst of it. While Oblivion's quests are more interesting, the subplots that drive them are not necessarily. One of Oblivion's features is to allow the player to join multiple guilds (which they could in Morrowind as well). But the guild quests just didn't do it for me either. Really, Oblivion's story aspect is rather unordinary.

What did I tell you? You living dead are all the same...all bones and no brain. Wait, I guess that's kinda the point.

Story is very important to me, I guess. Without a good story, there's no sense of urgency, accomplishment, or anything.

Overall Score: 4.25/5

Despite its few weaknesses, I can not say that I did not enjoy this game. The storylines were just barely strong enough to keep me going, and I guess in the long run that's all that matters. I would definitely recommend this game to anybody aching for a good rpg-fest.

Anxiety

I really don't feel like updating...but I said I would. So now I feel obligated. Blah.

The truth is, I thought I would have more to say than I actually do. That happens to me a lot actually. Maybe I'm just tired and can't remember what I wanted to say.

I'm growing more and more anxious as the new school year approaches. I feel like I have so many more responsibilities this year, all of which I volunteered for. What madness is this?! My inherent laziness is waging a desperate war against my fear of not being able to find a job after graduation. I really just want to take time off and enjoy my senior year...really enjoy it. Even if it's just lounging around. Once work starts, there will be precious little time to actually do that.

I'd also like to have a school year where I'm not caught up trying to find that special someone. It's just too frustrating for me to deal with 3 years in a row.

...but then I think that it will never be as easy as it is now. Having to work really limits one's dating opportunities, simply because you don't have as much time. God, I'm such a wishy washy ambivalent arse. Make up my mind, slitch!

Making new friends/meeting new people is also kind of daunting. I seriously feel drained. I think my summer hermitty phase is in preparation for meeting people during the school year, but this summer has been so hectic that I haven't really had the chance to sink into seclusion. Sigh...I hope I'll be able to get along with my floor...

Sometimes I feel distant from everybody - like no one really sees me for who I really am. I think that might be because I don't really like who I really am. I'm a whiny, emotional, lazy, unambitious, depressed-when-he-doesn't-have-the-right-to-be son of a biatch. At least, I think if I didn't keep myself in check, that would be me. I always feel like sinking into that pit of self-pity, when honestly I don't deserve to. And there's no real point to it.

Woo...my mom is coming downstairs to tell me to go to bed. So byeee!

Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Update...later.

I was going to update...but now I have to shower. Okay, bye bye.

Eataholism

After 21 years of miserable existence, I have finally admitted to myself. I have a problem. A terrifyingly addicting problem: I am an eataholic.

They say the first step to a cure is admitting you have a disease.

Unfortunately, my disease is necessary to my continued existence. You see, eating, unlike drugs, sex, alcohol, or gaming, is a necessary part of life. And since I have no intention of dying (of starvation no less), I am in quite a pickle. Mmm...pickles...

The problem isn't so much eating...as it is over-eating. On an average daily basis I would approximate that I eat maybe 3 meals worth of food in one sitting. And I can't help myself. Once I put something into my mouth, my brain no longer controls my body. My stomach does. No, not even my stomach. My stomach often cries out in pain as I continue to gorge on delicious treats. It's my mouth. Damn my mouth to the nine circles of hell!

But in all seriousness, my desire to eat truly dictates my life. Even when I tell myself that I'm going to control the size of my meals for the day, I end up failing miserably. The first servings only whet my appetite - appetizers for a grand feast that my brain doesn't want to consume. My god even right now I'm very tempted to stop typing this post to find a tasty snack to munch on. The SHAME.

...I need help.

...help me. Please?

Atrothesis, Dark Angel

So I totally got chewed out on sunday for being a big flake. Although this time it really wasn't me being a flake! Just a very bad planner.

Anyway me and the usual high school group I still keep in touch with made plans to get dinner sunday night. Then on saturday my brother told me he needed to be picked up on sunday around 7:30.

Yay for brothers. Especially kid ones.

Basically there was no way I was going to make dinner if I had to pick up my bro. By the time I got to the restaurant it'd be time to leave. Much to my surprise though, one of my friends got upset. Really upset. I couldn't understand it at first...it was just dinner right? And it wasn't like I couldn't hang out after.

When I asked him why he was so angry, he said to me:

"Because our group is falling apart."

For which I have newfound respect for him. This summer has been pretty craptacular for hanging out, what with some friends out of the country, others in socal, and what with work and internships and summer school, it's been pretty hard to coordinate events.

What struck me most though, is that this guy had the guts to call it out. And to challenge me to make the effort to keep it going. My feelings toward group-disbanding has always been that it's inevitable. People move away, don't see each other for awhile...it's only natural that things won't be able to stay the same. Even me just moving up the hill to Hedrick practically cut me off from my second-year friends.

...to be honest though, the biggest reason why I never keep in touch is because I'm insecure. I absolutely hate feeling like I'm unwanted, which is why I very rarely visit people in their rooms. I remember Peter and Michelle accusing me of no longer being their friend the next year, because I never visit them, and that I never make an effort to be a friend. The truth is I'm scared to have to make an effort, and end up being unwanted, annoyed at, mocked.

Which is why when this guy was fighting to keep our high school group alive, I couldn't help but admire his bravery. Maybe he didn't think it was anything of the sort, but to me his words are what I've always wanted to say, but what I've always been too scared to say. Too embarassed. Too weak.

I ended up apologizing to him about missing dinner. There wasn't much I could do about it though...my brother needed to be picked up after all. Still, we hung out afterwards and everything was good. I think. I hope.

I'm glad he chewed me out. Not that I enjoyed it...but I got to see a side of him that I don't usually. And I found out that as long as there are people like him around, even if groups do end, they don't have to right away. Not for a long time.

Pointlessness

I was going to write a post about my crazy wacky driving adventures and how I stare at people who are behind me when I drive (through the rear view mirror yes)...

...and then I realized how utterly dull and pointless that post would've been.

WHEE!

In other news,

...

I guess I have no other news. Bye!

Judge a man not by his words...but by what he puts on his Gym Reimbursement Form

Handling Boston Scientific's wonderful Gym Reimbursement Calculation is one of many exciting (you can see the sarcasm there right?) and amusing (sadly, there is no sarcasm there) duties at work. Boston Scientific reimburses its employees up to 150 dollars every 6 months for any gym memberships and such.

It's interesting to see to just what lengths some people will do to collect as much of that $150 as possible.

Among the more...unique reimbursement requests included someone who had prepaid 100 dollars for an entire year, and then said his monthly rate was $10. Now, I don't know how division has changed in these last few years, but the last time I checked, 100 / 12 months is not $10/month. Which makes me sad, because either this person can't divide, or he really wanted that twenty bucks, so much that he would lie on a Gym Reimbursement form to get it.

And then there was one person who was part of a badminton group. Everything on the form looked fine...until I flipped the page. The receipts he had submitted were for expenses that he had incurred paying for food.

...

Yea, that was entirely the point of reimbursing gym expenses. Not promoting health...promoting eating.

And here's my random nasty story of the day. On the way back from work, I ran into some traffic. I happened to glance at my rear view mirror, and from that wonderful reflection I saw a half-naked guy driving, smiling, and looking down at...you know what...every few seconds.

...maybe my mind is just in the gutter, but what the hey was he doing?!

Nothing to do, Nothing to say...

This summer sure feels like it's going by fast. It's already the middle of july!

I guess having something to do really does speed time along. All I can remember is last year I was desperately waiting for summer to end, because I had nothing to do and was bored out of my mind.

I finally feel like a part of Boston Scientific. I was worried that I wouldn't for awhile...I was sort of antisocial the first few days (yea, that's always the best time to be antisocial), and that lead to me generally spending all day at my cubicle. Which I have to say, gets kind of dull at times.

But now things are going pretty good. There are a few people at work I'm pretty close with. Maybe not close close, but we can joke around and enjoy ourselves. And everybody else is still pretty friendly. Apparently I missed most of the drama, cuz from what my coworkers have told me, things were pretty bad before...

I guess I can still get bored, as evidenced by this conversation I'm having with David right now:

[17:37] wangxiuming: rawr
[17:37] durek08: meow?
[17:37] wangxiuming: cluck
[17:38] durek08: woof
[17:38] wangxiuming: quack
[17:40] durek08: chirp
[17:41] wangxiuming: snort
[17:41] durek08: squeek
[17:44] wangxiuming: mooo
[17:48] durek08: naaayyyyy
[17:49] wangxiuming: squawk

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

...what am I doing?

The Silent Excrement Wars

So I was at work today.

And suddenly I felt my stomach rumble and my intestines twist. (Yea, you know this is going to be a good post when I start off like that).

I rushed off to the bathroom...which I must say, is probably one of the most ingenious creations of mankind, along with the air conditioner and computer (games). Without bathrooms and their assorted utilities, we'd all be excreting into pots. Can you imagine?

Unfortunately, since I was at the office, the bathroom was public. And public bathrooms tend to be...you know, public. Which is why I don't usually like going numero dos in public bathrooms. For some reason, I am mortally afraid that people will hear me and know what I'm doing. All the *plop plops* and the even more humiliating gaseous sound effects that come with the whole dirty business.

Yea, are you disgusted yet?

So anyway, I rush into the bathroom and to my dismay, someone comes in after me. Dam you public restroom! I head over to the farthest stall from the door, and begin my daunting task: pooping with another person in the room.

So now began the difficult and somewhat counter-productive attempt to not only poop but to poop quietly. As I settled in (haha...), I realize that the person who had followed me into the bathroom was also...going numero dos. Not only that, but he was succeeding in my task...relatively well (relatively being the operative word). No way was I going to be shown up by some random stranger who works at the same place I do!

Thus commenced the Silent Excrement Wars. For 5 minutes, we sat there in total silence, each desperately trying to mask the terrible sounds of our unpleasant actions.

Who won? I have no idea. I waited until the guy left before coming out of my own stall. Thankfully no one else had come in, so I could wash my hands in peace.

And there you have it! I <3 my stories.

...maybe this is why I don't have any ... friends.

Disclaimer: This picture has nothing to do with my political opinions about our current President. Please do not sue me, arrest me, accuse me of terrorism, or in any other way violate my civil liberties. Thank you.

ADM: AOL Delayed Messaging

I've come to the realization, after having experienced 21 summers in this existence of mine, that summer is not a good time to Instant Message other people. I know this from both having sent messages that are never returned...and from not responding to messages other people have sent me.

So yea...I already have horrible AIM etiquette to begin with, but for some reason summer just sucks up my will to look at my messages. I think it's partly because when I live at home I naturally revert to hermit form. It's so easy to just stay home and not do anything, especially now that I'm working and I don't get much relax time during the week anyway ("that much" is relative...but compared to last summer where my work week consisted of 3 hours of tutoring English...).

So I just want to apologize in advance if you IM me and I don't respond. I try to respond eventually...but more likely than not I forget. Because I'm a horrible person. I'm sorry. There is no excuse.

And yes, you can ignore me all you want if I IM you. I guess I deserve it.

Resolutions...again.

It dawned on my today that senior year is coming up...and that it would be my last chance to do a lot of things. Seriously, I am going to miss college to death. Everything is so easily accessible here, but out in the workforce...

I can see myself being a hermit. I'm just a naturally hermity person.

But even if that is the case, I want senior year to be great. So at least when I'm a hermit I'll have some memories to look back on and say "hey, i wasn't always a hermit! biattchhh!!!"

Goals:

Goal #1 - Find that special someone.

This is probably my most pressing issue. That I have lived for 21 years and still have yet to engage in even the slightest bit of romance is probably the most depressing part of my life. haha. It's my own fault, I know...but I had issues.

To be honest, the opportunity has presented itself during these last 3 years...just not the right kind of opportunity. For which I feel horrible for the people involved... Heartache sucks. I probably should have told them...I'm a coward. All I can do now is apologize. :(

Still, back to my original point, college is probably going to be the easiest time to meet people. Because they're right there. When I actually have to work...who am I going to meet? My co-workers? (ew accountants! *barf* haha jk) I don't go clubbing, I'll probably be a hermit...yea, things don't look too good.

Even if it's only for a year...or less...(probably less...wait no, probably not at all. sigh) I really want to - feel.

...I never knew I was so emo. Damn. I hate being emo.

Goal #2 - Stop liking people who can't like me.

I guess this sort of ties in with Goal #1...but whatever.

Seriously, this has been the most frustrating thing ever. And I always come out of it feeling like an idiot. BLEARGH.

Ok I have to go work...more on this later. Maybe.