Last one about Bioshock. I promise.

Might be a good idea to update a new blog every once in awhile, eh Jaleel? I know, I know. I'll make sure to post once a week (if not more) henceforth.

So a quick catch-up. Bioshock is sex. First few hours in I was annoyed by the fact that I couldn't die. When you die in the game, your health and EVE (The stuff that powers up your plasmids, or abilities. Stay with me here...) mostly regenerates and enemies keep the damage you did to them before you died. This makes the game pretty easy no matter what difficulty you're on. In fact, if you're standing near a Vita-chamber about to die or out of EVE, sometimes it's better to go suicidal. I'm going to beat the game with the wrench on my second play through. Because originally I was torn between the phenomenal storyline and atmosphere and the lack of skill involved. Today, around my 3rd or 4th Big Daddy encounter, it kind of clicked. The experience is so amazing that it made up for the fact that I was being unchallenged. The Big Daddys aren't the badass gaming bosses I thought they were going to be, they're just an example of amazing art direction and an exercise in managing resources. The appeal doesn't come from fear of their power, like everyone thought it was. The appeal of the BDs is the fact that they can be utilized and exploited in so many different ways based on the scenario. I was a kid in a haunted mansion. No real danger, but I'm still having fun like crazy.

No, this isn't the way gaming is going. No other game can or should do this. If anyone else tries the "death without consequence" scheme, it will probably fail miserably. But 2K Boston/Australia made Bioshock so unique and fresh, so damn good that it works that way. Like a haunted mansion or theme park ride, even when I know what's going to happen I'll want to go on another spin when it's all over.

And the figurine kick ass. Ok, I'm sorry. Enough Bioshock blogs now.

Finally, witness how gamers can bitch about everything!

• Bioshock DRM backlash mounts
  

DO WANT!

Yeah, I pre-ordered that jammy today...or yesterday now, I guess. Limited edition embossed metal case. Soundtrack CD. A five and one half, hand painted Big Daddy figure ready for display on my geek desk next to Cloud and his motorcycle. Finally the game, which has some huge potential if it's pulled off like I hope it's going to be pulled off. If this one disappoints, it's going to sting pretty bad...

I've got a new article up at TheNPCs that attempts to open eyes on gaming "hatewagons"; times when gamers feel the need to bitch about things with little reason. Whether you think it sucks or needs to be considered for a Pullitzer, comment on the site and I'll love you long time.

*Sigh*

Ah, damn.

Everyone says they'll never slip up in front of their parents when it comes to cursing, leaving their porn collection out, doing drugs around them or whatever floats the person's wacky little boat. Everyone thinks they check and re-check themselves, and they have enough control to not slip and do something stupid in front of mommy or daddy

Yeah, I was one of those people like an hour ago.

No, not a drug user or porn collector, but I do like to curse around my friends. I think it's where the words should be kept. I consider my self an articulate man, but if I'm just hanging out with a bunch of friends and I'm talking about something, we usually understand the gist of what someones saying before they even finish. Swearing is like abbreviation among friends, and name-calling comes with the good times had by all. I'm not one of those sailor types who curses for every noun and adjective, just every once and awhile when I with friends and I'm passionate about something. I'm also extremely careful not to use that kind of language around the folks.

So I'm playing Bankshot Billiards on XBLA with my dad and 13 year old brother. We're having a good time, light trash talking and what not. He makes a good shot and I laugh, "Ahhh, you bitch. Ha."

I don't know either...Funny thing is, I didn't realize I said it until my little brother told me after the game, and even though my dad didn't say anything and he's acting fine, he seems slightly unsettled as I type.

I think as the oldest and all, the right thing to do would be to apologize tomorrow in front of the young'uns so they don't get any ideas. Extreme awkward-ness confirmed...

The moral of the story is to not play Bankshot Billiards.

Resident Evil: When Teh Negro Attack Edition

Thought I'd start the first post on this blog off with a serious wall of text about Resident Evil 5. Great job setting the mood with the satirical title, huh?!

Resident Evil 5 is obviously the sequel to the freakishly awesome Resident Evil 4. RE5 is set in Africa with a bunch of freaky-looking zombie Africans (SEE: Screenshot) so yeah; you know where this is going. Instead of ranting about the racial undertones or something like that, I think I'll just address counterpoints from my fellow gamers in a debate I had earlier.

Anyways. *ahem* Seriousness.


"If you think it's racist or think someone will think it's racist, you're a racist moron."

First of all, people will think it's racist. I'm pretty sure that's common sense. If Jack Thompson can call the Wii a murder simulator, it's most likely someone will call a game where you're killing African zombies (Or whatever the hell you want to call them Seph...) racist.


"No one would say anything if it was a black guy shooting a bunch of white guys"

If Resident Evil 5 was set in Sweden with a Denzel Washington double-reject as lead, or in China with Leon, I'd feel the exact same way about this game. Awkward. I don't exactly feel RE5 is racist, but as big of a Resident Evil fan I've been since the original it's still going to be awkward being the only white guy in town and shooting black people.

Any game where you're shooting enemies who are supposed to be gruesome killers, and are completely of another single race is kind of unsettling no matter how you look at it. It's never been done before where another race has been the object of fear, so no one can say how people would react. This makes earns Capcom a cookie, for they may have found another new source of fear.

"No one said anything when you were killing Spainards in RE4"

Frankly, it wasn't as prominent an issue because they were Castilian, and other then the language, were indistinguishable from the lead character's race. And if you ask this question you already know this, so I don't know why I'm even answering.

Plus the fact that a supporting character in the story, Luis, is Spanish. We don't know if supporting characters are in RE5, but even if they are, RE5 and RE4's circumstances are completely different.

Basically, it's going to be a great game; I love Resident Evil. My mom's from Africa though, so I imagine it's going to be fun explaining why I'm the white guy busting caps in the darkies. Even if you don't see anything wrong with it, it's a game where you're a white guy and the local Africans are the subject of horrific fear. To say that it won't stir something up makes you the moron.


o yea welcome to my blog lol