Before I continue,if you haven’t seen Season 4 of Dexter,STOP READING. Spoilage to come. Many wonderful things happened at Comic Con including Showtime releasing the trailer for the next season of Dexter. The show which in a nutshell is about a blood spatter analyst serial killer who hunts down other serial killers. Groovy huh? Crazy [...]
It was only a couple of days ago that EA held their Studio Showcase, and it was on that day where DarkSpore was announced to the world. Share and Enjoy:
You heard it folks, straight from the Comic-Con panel, it was announced today that Boba Fett will be in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. Fans were also given some additional tasty tidbits Share and Enjoy:
Late last night, I was a guest on the Dirty Dowdy Podcast. If you’ve never heard of it before, it’s local, and the host is my friend Chris, whom I’ve known for over 10 years. I was on to talk about World of Meh!, our One Love for Chi Blogathon fundraiser, and to tell people [...]
Last week, Chris and I went on popular local internet/radio show Central Valley Buzz. We had a lot of fun, got to plug the site, got to plug our One Love for Chi fundraiser, and we even got a kind donation from show host Chuck Leonard. Share and Enjoy:
Late last night, Marvel.com gave us an unintended sneak peak at two more characters for Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Â Though quickly pulled, their gallery was prematurely updated with character art and screenshots of two new characters, Thor and Amaterasu (from Okami). Â Luckily, the internet was ever vigilant and managed to grab [...]
Recently, Telltale Games released Puzzle Agent. While the name sounds relatively simple and safe, don’t let it fool you. This game was absolutely insane. Share and Enjoy:
Those of you lucky enough to be at Comic-Con have already seen the four new characters announced for Capcom’s Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds.  If you are one of these lucky few, you have my jealousy and scorn.  For the rest of us, there’s the magic of the Internet. Share and Enjoy:
Lindsey and I love (most) Marvel Comics. Â Lindsey and I love (most) Capcom games. Â Having said that about both of us, I think it should come as no surprise that Lindsey and I love the Marvel vs. Capcom series of games. Â Lindsey in particular is proud of her rare copies of Marvel vs. Capcom 2: [...]
Ever since we announced our 2010 Blogathon charity, One Love for Chi, the response has been overwhelming. Not only have you guys been excited, but we have been as well. I promised you guys that I would be working on getting raffle prizes to make this Blogathon extra special, and so far I’ve delivered. Today [...]
Dear Readers: We need you!
World of Meh! is currently in the running to test out a Nintendo 3DS before anybody else. Of course, it’s all for review purposes, but we need your votes!
In order to be eligible for the Nintendo 3DS Preview Program, we have to obtain a minimum of 50 votes, and I know for a fact that there are well over 50 people who read our site. So please, go and vote for World of Meh!
Props to Nintendo 3DS UK for giving bloggers and gaming sites this opportunity!
- Me
I like special editions. Â I like the Civilization series. Â With that in mind, surely you can imagine the fanboy squeal that escaped my mouth this morning when I heard that Civilization V will have a Special Edition. It went something like, “eee!” (I am at work, so I had to restrain myself somewhat).
Unfortunately, we don’t have any pictures of the special edition and it’s goodies yet, but we do have a list of what to expect:
I don’t know what it will cost in the US, but it’s expected to cost £59.99 in the UK.  The regular edition in the US is $49.99, so hopefully the special edition doesn’t top $69.99.
Who am I kidding, I’ll probably buy it anyway.
UPDATE:
Civilization V Special Edition will retail for $99.99 (holy shit).
-[insert GLOBAL DOMINATION here]
I have been a fan of Deftones for over ten years now. I was introduced to them by My Own Summer (Shove It), Back To School (Mini Maggit) & Change (In The House Of Flies) being played on the radio, but the day I decided to buy White Pony was the day after I saw them open for Godsmack in 2001 (my first concert no less).
The band, Chino in particular, has since then had a major influence in my musical outputs. Each of their albums was filled with beauty, aggression, enigmatic imagery, and each album showed a musical progression. Diamond Eyes is no different. The album is definitely a treat for fans of the “old school” Deftones as tracks like the lead single Rocket Skates & the brutal CMMD/CTRL serve you an ass kicking with vintage Around The Fur flavor. Other tracks like Prince & Sextape sound at home in the White Pony era. The album as a whole kicks it like they used while mixing it up with styles from every era all while managing to stay fresh.
Now there is a downside. Diamond Eyes is great album but it’s not the album we were going to have at first. The band was working on Eros,an album that Chino stated was closer to White Pony, when tragedy struck. As many know Chi Cheng was in an automobile accident in November of 2008 leaving him comatose for months, and he is now in a semi-conscious state. Opting to not give up, the band stepped up to the plate & recruited Sergio Vega (who has filled in for Chi before) and put Eros on indefinite hold. The result is an amazing sonic assault that was birthed out of a tragic situation.
I will be seeing Deftones live in August so expect a concert review then. Also please check out the website www.oneloveforchi.com for updates on Chi’s progress, and should you want to donate to help out the Cheng’s with medical expenses, World of Meh! is currently having a charity fundraiser to help them out, along with chances to win fantastic prizes. For all the details, check out this article here.
At some point in life, everybody considers getting a tattoo whether they want to admit it or not. Some go through with it, while others choose not to for various reasons.
I have three tattoos, all on my back so I can easily hide them if I need to, and I’m not really too sure if I will get another one. Neither of them hurt, so it’s not that. I guess it has to do with the fact that I’m not getting any younger, nor is my skin. Having elderly family members with visible, wrinkly tattoos has made me realize that what looks good now could look like complete shit in the next 30+ years.
The second tattoo I got I somewhat regret, but not the meaning behind it. A person dear to me had passed away the year before and he was Japanese. So, I went into a tattoo shop with the Japanese kanji symbol for ‘ten’ which translates into Heaven. It also is the same symbol that can be found on the back of Akuma, who is my favorite Street Fighter character. Having that tattoo was a simple decision, because I wanted it for all the right reasons. What I regret is letting the ‘artist’ add his version of wind bars around it, thus ruining the tattoo as a whole. I’ve thought about getting that portion of it covered up, but not only would it be expensive, it would end up being a pretty large tattoo. Oh, I also thought it would be a pretty unique, but not only does this former stalker of mine have it in the same place I do, but an ex-boyfriend got it on his upper arm knowing that I had it. Joy.
Chris has no tattoos, although he has expressed interest in potentially getting one. One idea of his (in which I think it’s ridiculous, and will result in him regretting it) is having Pac-Man on his upper arm with the pellets wrapping around it. It just wouldn’t look good, but hey, it’s not my skin.
There are some wonderfully executed video game tattoos out there, and, of course, some really stupid ones. Let’s take a look at the good:
The Nurses in Silent Hill are creepy as Hell, and the tattoo itself is fantastic. Done by Luke O’Donnell at Art and Soul in Whangarei, New Zealand.
From the popular Xbox Live Arcade game, Castle Crashers. Artist is unknown.
And finally, a piranha plant from the Mario series. While I personally wouldn’t get a tattoo in that location, it’s fucking gorgeous, and that had to hurt like a son of a bitch. Props to evethedemoness on LiveJournal for being able to sit through all of that. Her artist was Elize Casarjian from The Painted Bird Tattoo in Somerville, MA.
Now… on to the bad:
I can’t imagine why on Earth somebody would ever think that was a good idea, and I have to assume it was a painful session. How do you explain to the person you’re sleeping with that you have Pac-Man on your ass?
Everything about this is wrong from the hair to the creepy sideburn things. If this Ryu tattoo were placed somewhere else, and not on his ass either, it could be pretty cool.The hands just look a little off…
Excitebike. I loved it on the NES just as much as the next person, but clearly not enough to get it tattooed smack dab in the middle of my back.
So, dear readers, do you have any tattoos? If so, are they video game related or inspired? If you do, and want to share, put them in a comment down below, or feel free to email them to: [email protected] and we can feature them in an upcoming article. I promise I’ll be gentle 
- Me
Last Friday, Chris and I rented the recent title to hit the LEGO video game franchise, LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4. I guess you could say I’m a fan of the LEGO game series. I played through LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy for regular Xbox, and then we got LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga for the 360. Months ago we rented LEGO Batman, but weren’t impressed.
Prior to renting the game, I downloaded the 360 demo and was blown away. Many of the complaints I had about the LEGO series were taken care of, and when we played split-screen, it was perfect. Knowing that, renting the game was a no-brainer. Chris and I played through a bit of the first year together, but the rest of the time I played through by myself, since almost all of the achievements can only be received in single player.
Like the rest of the LEGO games, they throw in the humor, and there were times where I couldn’t help but burst out laughing because some of the stuff was so funny. I will say that there were a rather large amount of semi-naked wizards in this game, so what’s up with that? In the dorm at Hogwarts, you blast the pants off of one, in a shop off of Diagon Alley you open a dressing room to see another pantsless wizard, and I believe I saw a couple more instances. Also, when you get to year 4, and it’s the part where Harry has to swim and save his friends, the way they did the bathing suits was rather odd. Due to the LEGO shape, the bathing suit bottoms look like a cross between a thong and a mawashi, the undergarment sumo wrestlers wear. Awkward nudity, and creepy wizards aside, everything else was great.
In terms of gameplay, LEGO Harry Potter is significantly better than any other game in the series. This time around I was able to aim with my wand, select multiple targets to hit, and there was even an RPG feel with how you obtain new spells. One problem I ran into was this: in LEGO Star Wars, the other characters in your party would still attack. In Harry Potter, you could be in a boss battle, and Hermoine would be just standing there, being completely useless. It was rather frustrating because having some form of assistance would’ve been nice, and could’ve created a much needed diversion.
Content wise, this game is so much longer than any other LEGO game I’ve played. I was surprised with how long each year was, with the exception of year four, and in between the actual ‘levels’ there was a lot to do. Sure sometimes it felt like you were running back and forth a lot, but you have to keep in mind that almost everything occurs in Hogwarts, or around it. There are over 160 unlockable characters, and 250 gold bricks to obtain. By completing each level, and by getting True Wizard in a level, you get a gold brick for each. In addition to the numerous red bricks you have to track down, a new feature is saving students who are in perilous situations, earning gold bricks by doing so, and finding all the pieces to create 24 crests. When I completed the game, I think I had over 80 gold bricks, 5 red bricks in addition to what I started with, a good chunk of the students saved, and over 60 characters unlocked. I was never able to assemble one crest, and that’s because you have to go back once you’ve completed the entire game and replay the levels. Even though I had found all of those items, and performed all of those tasks, I don’t believe I passed 50% completion of the entire game. It’s seriously that long, and contains that much content.
On top of everything you can do at Hogwarts, there are also bonus levels to complete. The few that I played were really fun, and ways to earn a large amount of sprockets (my name for those coins you collect), and gold bricks. You can even go into this game mode known as LEGO Builder and create levels you can later on destroy. It’s seriously a lot of fun, and if you have children, it’s a great way to prolong their interest in the game. Instead of having a ‘Cantina’ or small space to purchase extras, your base is now the Leaky Cauldron. On the main floor you can select which level you want to replay, and upstairs you can watch cinematics again. Out the back you are on Diagon Alley, and have access to the different shops where you purchase your add-ons. By continuing down the road, that’s where you can play the bonus levels and do the LEGO Builder content.
Graphically it’s just about the same as the other LEGO games, but they seemed a little better. I suppose you could say it looked more polished. The controls were simple, although there was a problem I kept having. With your multiple spells, you can either cycle through them using the left/right bumper buttons, or you can use the Y button. Problem with that is that when you press Y, you switch playable characters, so there were times where I meant to switch a spell, but I accidentally tapped the Y button instead of holding it to bring up the radial menu. In terms of audio, the game is practically flawless. The sound effects are great, and the tracks themselves are brilliantly done. It’s the traditional Harry Potter soundtrack, so what more could you ask for?
All in all, LEGO Harry Potter was an incredibly delightful experience. It was a game I didn’t want to put down, a game where I can’t wait for the final years, and a game that I have to own because obtaining that 100% is a must!
It’s easily a 9 out of 10.
- Me
Back in 2009, BioWare released a game called Dragon Age: Origins.  Since that time, it has been enhanced with four playable DLC packs and a full on expansion pack (not in that order).  Come to think of it, we may have mentioned them before.  Today, BioWare announced Dragon Age 2, coming to us sometime in March 2011.
Dragon Age 2 introduces a new character to the Dragon Age world: Hawke. Â From the press release:
Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever.
The first thing that stands out in that statement is the assertion that Hawke will become the “single most important character in the world of Dragon Age.” Â Dragon Age 2 Executive Producer Mark Darrah includes:
With Dragon Age 2 we are creating an exciting new entry point into the Dragon Age universe while ensuring that fans of the original game retain a sense of satisfaction and familiarity in the world. We are amplifying the things that made Dragon Age: Origins such a huge success while introducing a more dynamic combat system, improving the graphics, and telling the most important story in our world.
Again with the “most important” bit.  Did my Dragon Age: Origins character (Magnus Aeducan) not take the time out of his day to defeat the Archdemon and end the Blight?  Did Magnus not expose Loghain’s corruption and restore King Maric’s blood to the throne of Ferelden in the person of Alistair?  Did Magnus not bang the shit out of Morrigan then dump her for Leliana, while having a little strange fun on the side with Zevran?  How quickly his efforts are forgotten!
I’m very happy that Dragon Age 2 has been announced.  I had hoped that it would somehow continue the story of Dragon Age: Origins, or allow me to import my character and continue (because Magnus Aeducan is a fucking badass), but it seems this is not the case.  Well, maybe I’ll just create a new dwarf named Magnus and pretend it’s the same one.  Wait, that’s right, I can’t.  Dragon Age 2 provides the player with Hawke, the pre-made lead character.  Hawke is human, Hawke is Hawke.  You can choose to play Hawke as male or female, but not as dwarf or elf.  A large chunk of character creation and connection has disappeared.  I can understand that boxing the player in to a single character like this allows the game to reference the character by name, but I don’t think that name-recognition is enough of a trade-off to give away character creation.  Part of what I love about role-playing games is the ability to choose which role I want to play.  While I’m sure I’ll still be able to choose my class in Dragon Age 2, I no longer have the option of playing as a Dwarf or balancing different race bonuses against each other when determining my character’s stats.  One of the most intimate, creative, and meaningful parts of a role-playing game has been taken away from me with Dragon Age 2.
Improved graphics are almost always worthy of a high-five.  The Dragon Age 2 website, however, also mentions a change to the visual style of the game as well.  I liked the style of Dragon Age: Origins.  I may very well love the style of Dragon Age 2, but I’d rather have the style I know I like than a style I may love or may hate.  The dynamic combat system also worries me.  According to the Dragon Age 2 website, players will be able to “Think like a general and fight like a Spartan with dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior.”  Again, I may love the changes to the combat mechanics, but until I actually experience them, it still worries me.  I enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins immensely, visually and functionally.  I worry that making radical changes could ruin a wonderful game.
I like the scope of the game. Â A ten-year timespan allows for a great deal of long-term development of characters and plots. Â New areas of the Dragon Age world will provide a familiar, yet new setting for the story to take place in. Â Improved graphics are almost always welcome. Â Incremental improvements to both form and function are almost mandatory for game sequels. Â Name recognition caused by a static lead character will make the game seem more polished and complete.
I dislike being pigeonholed into the character of Hawke. Â Taking away my ability to really create my character takes away some of my connection to the character. Â Improved form and function could help the game transcend the experience of the first game, but it could also drive away fans if the changes are too extreme. Â I worry about Dragon Age 2.
And in March 2011, be on the lookout for the review, which will almost undoubtedly be positive, proving my fears wrong.
-[insert PIGEON CRAP here]
Back in June, during the excitement of E3, BioWare announced new DLC on the way for Dragon Age: Origins titled Leliana’s Song. Of course I was excited, but after the semi-bland Darkspawn Chronicles, Chris was very apprehensive.
On Tuesday morning, the day of launch, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the new DLC, but I also was hoping I wouldn’t be disappointed. From watching the official trailer, I could tell that the feel for this DLC would be significantly different, and it was. In Leliana’s Song, we find out  more about her past, especially the events that led Leliana to join the Chantry. We, obviously, knew that Marjolaine betrayed Leliana from what was said in Dragon Age: Origins, but we didn’t know how.
You start off the game, of course as Leliana, and are in the Denerim Market. Marjolaine tells how you and your sidekicks, Tug and Sketch, will be performing some jobs tonight. Tug is a warrior dwarf, and Sketch, from what I could tell, is a human mage, although his hair might have been hiding some elf ears, I don’t know. In the beginning I got a good sense for who the two new characters were, and I genuinely liked them. After doing what Marjolaine asked, she goes on to say how there is one last task for the night, and that it takes place in the Arl’s estate.
Here, you are to plant some papers in the bedroom of the Arl, and from what Marjolaine says, it has to do with him having mistresses. Seems harmless, right? Wrong. After laying the documents on the desk, Leliana notices that the papers contain the official seal of the Orlais military, and what she has committed can be considered treason. Leliana confronts Marjolaine, and after some words, they go back to retrieve the papers. Here is where Marjoliane becomes a complete back-stabbing bitch: she sets you up. Big surprise.
When you are fleeing the estate with the papers, your party sees Marjolaine who stabs you, and you’re captured. Hurt, both emotionally and physically, Leliana receives some kindness in prison, which helps her escape. Sadly some things have happened to a member of your party, but you gain a new member to take their place, so it all balances out. I will say, that by having three members in my party rather than four, some battles were difficult since I had to drastically adjust my tactics. Fortunately I was able to level up multiple times throughout the DLC, so I was able to beef my characters up.
Once Leliana and her companions break free from the jail, she wakes up in the Chantry. From there she is shown that reformation and change can happen, and she can leave her old life behind. She just has to make the right decision for her. Obviously one would think Leliana wanted revenge, and of course she does, but by doing so, she would be just like Marjolaine. Having a difficult decision to make, Leliana knows that she at least has to fix the damage that was done and retrieve those papers. I won’t say what happens at the end, but if you’ve played through all of Dragon Age: Origins, you pretty much know what happens.
The feel of this DLC was different. It had a very gritty, outlaw style, and at times it heavily reminded me of Kill Bill, but that’s a good thing. Getting to see Leliana kick some ass was awesome too, because it really shows just how drastically her character has changed from her time in the Chantry. Unlike past DLC, Leliana’s Song was fully voiced, and you were given the option to make choices. The soundtrack was different, and brand new. It had this French renegade style, and it really fit with the style of the DLC.
When I played through Leliana’s Song, I put in over 2 hours of gaming, but if you don’t care and skip through the cutscenes, you can finish it in a significantly shorter amount of time, but it is still much longer than the other DLC’s in terms of playable content. I have yet to play Origins, so I have no idea what the exclusive items are, but I know there are at least 3 new achievements you can get in the DLC. One is obtained by doing various acts to a drunk, passed out Captain in Denerim, another is by collecting multiple pieces of leather to create armor, and the final is by completing the DLC.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If you’re a fan of Dragon Age, get the DLC. It’s that simple. It was a lot of fun, it was nice getting to learn more about Leliana, and the overall feel was fantastic. My only complaint is that I wished it were longer, especially because the price on Leliana’s Song is 560 Microsoft Points compared to past DLC which was priced at 400.
If I had to give it a score, I’d say 7.5 out of 10.
You can download Leliana’s Song for PC here, Xbox 360 here, and for PS3 here.
- Me
Today, I spent a good portion of my time playing, and completing, Dream Chronicles: The Book of Air by PlayFirst. Well before the game was released, I knew I wanted to play it. I’m a huge fan of hidden-object games, so the recent installment to the Dream Chronicles franchise was a must-have. I will admit that The Book of Air is the first Dream Chronicles game I’ve ever played, so I was going into it with fresh eyes.
Upon launching the game, I was immediately thrust into a gorgeous cinematic filled with vibrant colors and beautiful music. Once that finished, I was presented with the menu and it was very easy to navigate. Since I was playing the Exclusive Collectors Edition my menu featured options to take me to additional content as well as a bonus chapter, but I will touch on that in a bit.
I selected to start a new game, and after naming my save file, I then got to select which difficulty level I wanted. Having to choose between casual or challenge, I opted for casual. In challenge mode, the puzzles are more difficult, and you can’t skip though them. If you are new to hidden-object games, or working through puzzles isn’t a strength of yours, I highly suggest casual mode because even then, there are puzzles I skipped through.
After I had my selections all worked out, the game began. I was treated to another intro cinematc, which is narrated by a young girl named Lyra, who is the daughter of Fay and Fidget from the previous Dream Chronicles Trilogy. On the day before her 18th birthday, she was celebrating with friends and loved ones, when her grandfather, Tangle, gave her a present he called ‘an amazing gift’. Once Lyra opened it, she heard a strange voice, and then everybody vanished. There she was, all alone in her town named Wish, and that’s when my journey began.
The first ‘level’ was in front of the local school. There I learned about my Dream Journal, which stores all of the notes from Tangle you come across in your travels, along with details about each puzzle you’re working on. I then learned about the Dream Jewels, and how by connecting enough Dream Pieces, I can unlock their powers. There are five total Dream Jewels in all: Decipher which translates ‘fairy text’, Reveal which is pretty self explanatory, Transmute which turns golden objects back into their original wooden state, Brilliance which lights up dark rooms or caves, and Thunder which causes a storm and rain to fall. The Dream Pieces look like small shards of glass, or crystal, and sometimes they can be difficult to find, but throughout the entire game there are 180. I managed to find over 160, but in order to unlock every Dream Jewel, you have to find 150 of them.
Outside the school, I completed the puzzles necessary to get inside the classroom, and once I was inside I had even more puzzles to do. In The Book of Air, there are a variety of puzzle styles. Some are simple like collecting pieces of an object and then putting it back together. Others are more difficult like assembling cogs inside a clock perfectly so it can run. There were some puzzles I really enjoyed though. Like where you opened a book and on the right side was a paragraph with some text missing and you had to unscramble the words on the left side to to complete the puzzle and get a clue. Then there were actual puzzles where you are shown an image and then it breaks off into squares and you have to put it back together again. I love doing traditional puzzles like that, so I semi-squealed with delight when I saw them.
Once I was finished with the school, obtained the ‘world map’, and discovered the airship Lyra’s father was hiding, I was off to find a man known as the Clockmaker, since he was the only one who could help me. By now, and through the notes provided by Tangle, you know that Lyra is stuck in a different dimension. By meeting with the Clockmaker, who reminded me a little of the Wizard of Oz, he tells you to find three keys that will unlock his Time Synchronization Machine and bring you home.
The first place you go to is Treehouse Village. By now you should have the Transmute Dream Jewel unlocked, and here is where you get to use it. The four trees on your screen look like they’ve had a nasty run in with King Midas. Once you restore the trees, you complete some puzzles, obtain the first key, and move on.
Wind Music Island, your second destination, frustrated me to no end. I suggest that when doing the main puzzle to unlock the key that you have pen and paper handy, because you’ll need them. Here, you have to make the island come alive with music, and to do so is rather intricate. Even though I got a little miffed at this part, I’m actually glad that I was given something challenging.
The final key location is named Water Collector. By using your Thunder Dream Jewel, you fill the pool with water, use the key you find to get inside a hut, and complete some puzzles in there to get the last key. That puzzle inside the hut is one of the ones I skipped. It had to do with plank pieces, runes, a scale, and heavy objects like a chalice. Maybe my brain was puzzled-out at that point, but I’m so glad there was an option to skip it.
When you return to the Clockmaker with all three keys, you unlock the doors and fix the machine. Here is where you are given three ridiculously difficult puzzles, and it’s all with clock gears. Yes, I skipped through all three of them, but I really tried and put in a decent amount of time trying to figure it out. With Lyra on her way back to Wish, you quickly discover that something is wrong, and that sets things up for the next installment: The Book of Water. Going into this game, I knew it was a trilogy, so I wasn’t surprised with how things ended the way they did.
Now, let me get into graphics, gameplay, and sound. I have no complaints. Not one. Graphically is was lush, colorful, detailed, and simply gorgeous. The gameplay was easy. No keyboard involved, all mouse, and really delightful. Perfect for the style of game. The soundtrack was amazing, melodious, and had this nice fantasy RPG feel to it.
Currently PlayFirst is only offering the Exclusive Collectors Edition for $19.99, but you get unlimted play, exclusive content like a strategy guide/walkthrough, a screensaver you can download that is a collection of production art from the game, six wallpapers to choose from (Airship, Flying Over Wish, Tower of Dreams, Wind Music Island, Taking Flight, Tower Above the Clouds), and lovely MP3 audio which includes the main theme, The Book of Air opening tune, and more. The Bonus Chapter you get is rather nice too. It gives you more playtime, and more production art, along with many puzzles to complete. You are also given a peek into The Book of Water which, sadly, won’t be out until 2011.
Do I think this game is worth $19.99? Maybe, but it depends on many different factors. If you are a person who likes Collectors Editions, who likes bonus features like screensavers, wallpapers, game soundtracks, and bonus levels, then yes. It’s worth it. If you don’t care about that and want to just play the game, then I suggest picking up the $6.99 version that just released today. You will still get the same levels, abilities, and unlimited gameplay, but none of the bonus features.
My only real complaint is that I wanted the game to be longer, because I enjoyed playing it that much, but with games of this genre it’s difficult. PlayFirst did a good job with giving us a wide variety of puzzles and objects, and making sure it never felt repetitive. Had they gone with a longer game, maybe they would’ve had that problem, so the length of the game could very well be a blessing in disguise.
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give Dream Chronicles: The Book of Air an 8.5. If you’re a fan of puzzle/hidden-object games, or if you’re just getting into games of this nature, I highly recommend giving it a go because it really is delightful.
- Me
Not all stories have happy endings. Â Once upon a time, so called “spoof” films were intelligent, well-written, relevant, and genuinely funny. Â Some parody films have become classic films in their own right. Â Films such as Blazing Saddles, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Naked Gun, and Airplane! have provided phrases that are still quoted to this day, decades after they were released. Â Blazing Saddles has had me saying “Excuse me while I whip this out” for years, Holy Grail gave me the inimitable joy of “SHE TURNED ME INTO A NEWT! …I got better.”, Naked Gun had a “Nice beaver!”, and Airplane!, well, surely you know at least one line from Airplane!
Of course I do, and don’t call me Shirley.
Then came Scary Movie.  Scary Movie was, for the most part, well done.  It referenced a handful of similar “thriller” movies, and tied everything together in a very funny way.  The legacy Scary Movie has left us, however, is abominable.  Scary Movie 3 & 4 were terrible, Not Another Teen Movie, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, Superhero Movie, Disaster Movie, Dance Flick, and others like these have been atrocious.  Intelligence, wit, relevance, and actual humor were tossed aside in favor of seemingly random pop culture references strung together with only the barest resemblance of a plot.  Scary Movie 5 has been announced for 2011, and 2010 will see the release of Vampires Suck, a spoof movie that supposedly focuses on the current vampire trend of films like Twilight.  For some reason, this “vampire” movie spends time on Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, the MTV crapfest known as Jersey Shore, and the (in my opinion) overrated Lady Gaga.  These three things are major focal points of the trailer.  Why?  What does any of that have to do with vampires?  Nothing.  It’s all filler aimed at capturing as many demographics as possible.
I hate what has happened to this once great genre, and I hate that people continue to fall prey to the shameless money grabs of these movies. Â Please, stop paying these people to further the death of a genre.
-[insert YOU EVER SEEN A GROWN MAN NAKED? here]
In some ways, the Internet is like a medieval fantasy story.  The incompetent fools provide entertainment for the savvy much like a jester would for a king.  Websites build nations of loyal followers who take a fierce pride in their group, much like a king’s subjects would have pride in their kingdom.  Helpful communities provide assistance and guidance with technical issues in the way a shining knight would protect and assist the weak.  Less helpful communities provide insults and mockery when asked for help in the way a black knight would try to keep you from crossing a bridge.
And there are trolls.
Trolls are evil creatures full of spite and mischief with physical features that not even a troll’s mother could consider attractive.  The same definition applies to the trolls of medieval fantasy.  Blizzard’s forums have been a major nexus of troll activity for quite some time, and it seems that Blizzard wants to take steps to catch them all in the sunlight.  Blizzard has announced that, prior to the July 27 release of StarCraft II, all user forum posts will be made using the user’s RealID, which consists of their first and last name.  The move is an attempt to battle the little-known, but much-experienced Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory, wherein anonymity breeds trolling.
Negative responses have primarily focused on the public stigma associated with World of Warcraft players.  Many normal people play World of Warcraft.  Having their real name attached to a World of Warcraft account could cause damage to a person’s reputation if a potential employer or client researched them online.  Many female players, especially those who do not specify their sex online, have expressed concern that this could lead to a change in attitude towards them from other forum-goers (read as: lonely, horny nerds - it’s ok, I can say that because I used to be one) as well as e-stalking across other social networking sites.
While the change may indeed shame many trolls into returning to their human forms, I believe that those who are true trolls in heart and mind will continue their rampage, even without the sword and shield of anonymity equipped.
-[insert LEEEEEEEEROOOY JENKINS! here]
