Posts (page 2)
When I first heard about this game in 2006 I was psyched! I knew that it would be one of the best games of 2007. And yes, it mostly lived up to my expectations. Here's a little brief Altair is an Assassin during the third crusade, he has a hit list of 9 Templars that must be destroyed by the end of the game. There's all kinds of side misssions and whatnot to get to the final big reveal which is...heh...I won't spoil it for you but it definitely screams "SEQUEL!"
The problem is that the games big secret--by the time it was released--was not a big secret. Fans who followed the game were fascinated immediately by the themes of a game where you actually had to be discreet and assassinate rather than do more face-to-face combat. But then the game ran into trouble during production, many gaming mags and sites were touting it as the most hyped game that wouldn't live up to the hype. Most of this was due to the unique, and actually fun, puppeteer type contol system that seemed too complex even for the most avid gamer. Still when all was said and done and the bugs were fixed its a game that has a decent amount of replay value.
Here's the catch, Altair is actually the ancestor Desmond, a modern day former assassin who was snatched by the modern day tech savvy Templars in an effort to find a sacred artifact. They basically strap Desmond into this thing called the Animus which in turn has him travelling back through his ancestors memories to find out where the artifact is located. This is where the game, in my opinion, is ruined. It seems the game makers spent inordinate amounts of time on the beauty and fluidity of the inner workings of Altair's life and suddenly realized that they'd set up the premise for this outer life too. So they haphazardly put together this annoying interweaving story that really only serves to drive players mad.
Unlike Altair, Desmond is stiff and mechanical, the envioronment around him is also less than detailed and the conversations are only fruitful (not not even then) in the first time you play the game. The worst of it is that you can never skip past cutscenes or conversations. For us rabid Xbox 360 fans, once you've got the acheivement points for convos and glitches (another interesting but eventually annoying aspect of the game) you have to sit through them until you can start gameplay again. The problem is that one fo the big secrets that this is a sci fi game actually doesn't make the game more interesting. Desmond is merely a tool to get to Altair and his presence is assassination worthy as far as I am concerned. If I were in charge of the story I would have left all of the sci fi stuff at the end, the story is really about Altair for goodness sake. The fact that we were actually using Desmond's memories would be the big reveal and not the one that the game developers actually choose. I have to say the ending was a complete let down.
But let's get back to the positive shall we? The fighting is top notch, assassinations--when done correctly--are simply amazing, and the beauty of Jerusalem cannot be matched. The other cities & places; Damascus, Acre, Masyaf, The Kingdom, Arsuf are also intimately designed and each have a beauty all of their own.
Oh and let's not forget the thing that I think builds replay value times ten---THE LEAP OF FAITH. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to scale buildings and then jump from them without getting hurt--okay so maybe you haven't but with Altair you get that chance! You scale some amazingly high buildings all with variying degrees of difficulty and then "leap" from the buildings into bales or carts of hay. The drop as he is falling is breathtaking--yes, you will find yourself holding your breath when you do it! But its the view once you get to the top that peels another layer of beauty from the immaculately designed cities. Checking out the view above the crowded streets is one reason why I have restarted the game for the third time!
Finally, one thing that has made me skeptical about the game and its designers is this interesting little blurb at the beginning; "Inspired by historical events and characters. This work of fiction was designed, developed and produced by a multi cultural team of various religious faiths and beliefs." Okay, now its true there was a third crusade and many of the figures in the game (including some of the people you assassinate or speak to did live during that time period were alive and/or died in 1191. Here's the part that's fascinating, there is an individual you must assassinate who strangely looks alot like Osama bin Laden and while the other people you assassinate have these really logical reasons for being in league with the Templars he just announces that he "loves" to kill. There's also one man who seems to be strangely stereotypically gay. He is this large, make up wearing, flamboyant man who talks about being condemned for being an abomination. It seems our little multicultural team may be made up of people with varying religious faiths and beliefs but the bias cracks are showing just a tad bit.
In the end though I would agree with gamespot who gave this game a 9 out of 10 and their editors choice seal. It is a great game! It is beautiful (with some exceptions), fascinating for those who love history, Altair is a true old school gangsta his assassinations with the hidden blade are really great! And if you are an Xbox 360 fan, racking up those acheivement points is not too difficult.
My suggestion to the team for the future, steer clear of stereotypes, if you're going to use him as a conduit for Altair--put as much effort in those cutscenes with him as you did with the rest of the game, give us the CROSSBOW--you promised it in the trailer now deliver but don't get ride of the flying knives those are awesome, switch up the activities to track your kill--i like some repetiveness but it can get old. Work on the leaping system--especially over water--if Altair won't learn how to swim leaping from wooden peg to peg needs to be more intuitive. Please let us put the crazies out of their misery--sometimes killing crazies that tend to push you into guards shouldn't "hurt" Altair.
Anyway, go out rent this game or buy it it will definitely be worth your while!
Tell us about your holiday traditions.
Submitted by Talk is Cheap.
I pretty much stopped going home to visit my parents on holidays simply because it was never a vacation. whenever i went home i had to clean and cook. that ain't relaxation as far as i'm concerned. plus holidays at the crib when i was growing up were always filled with anxiety. if you didn't get good grades or weren't "good" you didn't get shit but had to watch folks open their gifts. when i got old enough to have a job i managed to work on the holidays.
after that for years, i was soured on holidays. in fact, i hated them. i always worked on holidays to avoid even thinking about them and i would have chinese food so i wouldn't have to eat any "traditional" foods.
now that i'm with my girl, we have awesome holiday traditions.
on christmas eve, we drink rum laced egg nog and go through our stockings. we found a really cool small tree that we can put away each year and pull out around thanksgiving. its really cute and we've even put our own little hello kitty ornaments on it. this year i'm thinking we'll get some new pj's to wear on christmas eve. this year i'm also going to have her FINALLY watch A Christmas Story (probably the best Xmas movie EVER!!!).
on christmas day, i cook a big traditional dinner. but we also go to the movies either that day or the next. so its turkey again with stuffing (can't get enough of that), greens, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes & gravy--pretty much thanksgiving but on xmas day. And of course we get up early and open presents, take a nap (cause we get up like kids at 5am), and just hang and watch television and celebrate with the chief (if you listen to wendy then you know what i'm talking bout).
on new years eve we don't do much we usually sleep. heh. but i think one new years eve it'd be cool to go out to a club or something. but we're such homebody's i doubt if that will happen. I'll probably cook a decadent dinner--steak, shrimp & crab legs, baked potato with all the trimmings, maple & pecan green beans, flaky biscuits.
but on new years day this year we're going to go see Avenue Q at the State Theater. I've been wanting to see this musical since I heard about it!
So that's about it for traditions!
UPDATE (this is why i think this chick is smokin'):
Okay see this *chick? She is the villian on this seasons Nip/Tuck. As you probably know I'm a big fan of the show. Last season was kind of...eh...lame. And this season started off lame for me but then this chick stepped onto the scene.
Now I have to say this something about her facial structures particularly on the show strike me as sort of...demonesque. Her mouth especially. But anyway, I must have a serious schoolgirl fantasy fetish because when in her first scene as Eden Lord she's sitting from across Sean's desk in her little school girl outfit--i nearly flipped!
i was like damn!
See this is just not right. She is probably the hottest villian they've had on there and what makes it worse is that she is playing the "lolita" act to a T and yet she disgusts me at the same time. She is exactly the type of chick in today's culture that is absolutely disgusting. She's trying to manipulate Sean's daughter into becoming bulimic and/or anorexic, she's a serious narcissist and drug addict.
And frankly she is playing the shit out of this role!
I can understand why Sean is torn. First off, she's young. That's a big can of worms. Secondly, she's just completely evil. But then hell she's really good looking (for a skinny ass, obsessive drug addict--who may or may not have an eating disorder--the character not the real person).
Part of me really wants Sean to just go for it. Although lord knows that will lead to a lot of trouble. But that's what works about her character and the actress. She plays it well enough that you are just hoping that Sean will get in trouble enough to just go for it--she actually might be worth the trouble.
In any case, I find myself strangely obsessed with this character and I think the actress is doing a helluva job. She actually saved this season for me. Because frankly Sean is boring. Who cares about him and his self righteous bullshit? Ugh. And really can we please lose the son and his now cracked/methed out relationship with Kimber? And please someone explain to me why is Julia a lesbian now? A lesbian who clearly is not comfortable being a lesbian. yuck--new story line please. Although of course without Julia and her lesbiancaness there would be no Eden. Yet and still, Christian continues to be THE most fascinating character on the show--hands down!
Anyway, I'm pretty sure that my fascination with this chick will eventually die. But damn, she is a really great addition to the show! Rawr!!
*courtesy of IMDB
What's your musical horoscope? (Put your player on shuffle and write down the first 10 songs that come up.)
1) Make it Clap--Busta Rhymes
2) Out of Touch--Daryl Hall & John Oates
3) Like Glue--Sean Paul
4) Crown Royal--Jill Scott
5) Things Done Changed--The Nortorious BIG
6) Spread My Wings--Troop
7) U Remind Me--Usher
8) You Got it All--The Jets
9) Breathe--Jill Scott
10) My Type--T.I.
1) Shoulda let you go by Keyshia Cole Introducing Amina
2) Let's Dance by David Bowie
3) Sweet Love by Anita Baker
4) '03 Bonnie & Clyde (Radio edit) by Jay-Z & Beyonce
5) I wanna love you by Akon feat Snoop Dogg
6) Can I get a... by Jay-Z feat Ja Rule & Amil
7) The most beautifullest thing in this world by Keith Murray
8) Infinite Possibilities by Amel Larrieux
9) Tambourine by Eve
10) Young Turks by Rod Stewart
11) Nigga What, Nigga Who by Jay-Z feat Amil & Big Jaz
12) Woozy by Ludacris
13) Bed by J Holiday
14) What the beat by DJ Clue feat Eminem, Method Man & Royce Da 5'9"
15) Can't Help but Wait by Trey Songz
16) Luv 2 Luv U (remix) by Timbaland & Magoo
17) Afro Puffs by Lady of Rage
18) How to Rob by 50 Cent
19) Synchronicity 2 by The Police
20) Same ole love by Anita Baker
i don't post here often anymore. heck, i don't post anywhere anymore. and i'm not gonna say that "i'm bored with the scene" *lol* that's so 1998. heh.
its just that i'm well...busy. busy and i've just begun seeing a therapist because for a moment there my life (in my mind) was spiraling down into a dark hole of despair. (damn that sounded bleak and melodramatic).
i think things changed once i started seeing the therapist but they also changed when i started my intermediate fiction writing class. my instructor is madd cool! his mantra is, "write what you love; read what you love."
if you know anything about higher education and creative writing programs that is left of what they normally say. their mantra usually goes something like, "GENRE fiction is not real fiction"
anyway, i just finished writing this story for my class called, "The Good House Rules", its a story about race, class, african american mysticism and revenge. its pretty tight. it needs work but it feels good that i completed it. its the second story i've ever finished in my life. i think i like writing short stories. i always thought i'd be a novelist but writing short stories is actually pretty cool. you have this limited amount of space to convey this huge idea. so everything has to be concise. its really relaxing...although i'm not sure if this is the right word because when you're in the midst of writing its really stressful and tense. yesterday as i was wrapping it up, my stomach was in knots. but once i was finished i just exhaled. (yes, i was waiting. heh.)
anyway, my task this weekend is to rework it, i had a great workshop with my babes, and then submit my first draft to my instructor on monday. whew.
besides there's more to be happy about...this was payday week and tomorrow is friday! whoo-hoo! oh and we might finally get to go car shopping! the gurl cruiser is on her last wheel.
Thursday First 10 iPod Shuffle (*new shiz playlist):
1) Stellar by Incubus
2) Piece of my love by Guy
3) Whole Town Laughing by Jagged Edge
4) Whip Game Proper by Twista feat Lil Wayne
5) Trippin on a Hole in a Paper Heart by Stone Temple Pilots
6) Say Something by Talib Kweli feat Jean Grae
7) Flaws and All by Beyonce
8) My Mind Playin Tricks on Me by Geto Boys
9) Long as you come home (Juelz Santana Mix) by Brooke Valentine
10) Good Life by Kanye West feat T Pain
*the new shiz playlist is a list of songs that are bought from itunes and are not necessarily all new shiz.
Question: Why is the Real World: Sydney the best Real World in years?!
Answer: They fooled us!
Look at that pic, you have two blonde bombshells, the requisite colored girl in blue, the bad boy in the buttond own up front, the innocent guy in the cowboy hat, gotta have a brunette, and in the back in blue the alpha male.
But watch the show, the blond bombshell in red and black has to be one of the smartest and self aware young women in years. the alpha male is a young man who went from being abused (both sexually and physically) by family members to emancipating himself at 15 and paying his way through school. the brunette, is a big flirt but doesn't take it further than that, she's also the funny peacemaker. the cowboy hat guy is relaxed and fun to be around he hadn't be out of his small town in his whole life and he's actually looking for a wife. he's honest and down to earth. the bad boy is so comfortable with his own sexuality and who he is as an individual that he dressed up for gay mardi gras and is also one of the most level headed guys in years. the young woman of color is a muslim and sings the blues she and the young woman right next to her in the red and black immediately became the best of friends. and then of course the other blonde chick...right wing conservative...who of course likes to drink and have sex so 6 out of 7 ain't bad.
This years cast, looks wise, is pretty similar to every cast since san francisco. its no secret that The Real World loves its boobs, drinking, and sex. They kind of got rid of brains after the san franscisco cast. sure there were exceptions in every group but for the most part The Real World had basically devolved into lightweight porn and generation x/y embarrassing themselves.
This group has done its share of drinking and before the alpha male began opening up he was living up to the asshole reputation that i'm sure they cast him for. But for the most part each person has been surprisingly...different than what they're looks stereotype them as.
I'd recommend if you liked The Real World back in the day...check out this season...its definitely not ground breaking like New York (the original season) or San Francisco. But it does keep your interest long enough to be fascinated by these young people.
Check out the first episode: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1566084&vid=167552
This is probably one of the best articles i've read about why some young women are choosing not to have kids
Check it out:
Stop setting alarms on my biological clock by Carrie Friedman
a'ight is it me...or does this whole deal with Isaiah Washington seem strange?
no seriously.
i mean now i'm not even in the least bit saying that the fact that he said "faggot" on the set of Grey's Anatomy that all is forgiven. i mean for someone who has been in the past supportive of the homosexual community and who has publicly denounced homophobia in the black community in the mainstream black magazines he really screwed up!
at first when i heard the story a few months back i just shook my head and thought to myself, "well he really fucked up. white gay folks won't blink an eye if someone gets called a nigger in front of them but say the word faggot and they will fuck your world up."
and look what happened?
his world got fucked up.
i don't want to believe it. i don't want to go along with the conspiracy theory that T.R. Knight had it in for him. but after reading keith's article and seeing how the media is making it seem like Isaiah is insane...i'm really wondering...did race have something to do with his firing.
now i know folks are saying...but the creator is a black woman....
ummm...and?
if she has no real say then...*shrug* her show is owned by abc which is most definitely not owned or run by a room full of black folks. so why is the possibility of his firing at least in part about race? he never seemed like as he said , "because I'm a 6-foot-1, black man with dark skin and who doesn't go around saying `Yessah, massa sir' and `No sir, massa' to everyone?"
its possible right?
i was always suspicious about the fact that T.R. Knight used that to come out. i thought that was actually really pitiful. i was also fascinated by the fact that it became a big story. i understand that Grey's is a big show but i doubt if something like that needed to be busted out to the world. More than that I wondered why everyone in the cast was pretty much hush hush other than Katherine Hiegel and T.R. Knight.
i don't know this all seems kinda fishy to me. I'd love, like keith, to find out the real story. but if he did get played i'd love to see folks get their just desserts. but if he's truly insane and lying about all this then i think he really needs to get help. its strange though how everyone is rallying behind T.R. and no one is really rallying around him.
over this weekend watch how E! and other outlets are reporting this. they use words such as "weird", "wacky", "insane", "wild conspiracy" etc. they also remind you that he was fired...so that it looks even more like he's bitter. its really interesting!
what do you think?
What do you absolutely refuse to eat?
Brussel Sprouts
Jello
Pudding
and a variety of things that I see on
Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations
bizarre foods with Andrew Zimmerman
(although these two shows are the bomb!)
