Malik
(10/27/08)
Yesterday was an amazing day, in terms of how the Seahawks did. On
one hand, every other team in the NFC West lost. It isn't too much
of a surprise that the Rams failed, but the 49ers had a very weak
opponent, and the Cards are doing pretty well (in relative terms to
the 'Hawks). Of course, that weak opponent that the 49ers faced
would be the Seahawks.
While I think much of the defeat of the 49ers falls on that team
just looking and playing like crap (interceptions and fumbles coming
out of every pore of the team), the Seahawks actually looked pretty
good for the first time all season. Actually, it was a couple of
Seahawks looking good. Kerney returned a fumble a good 50+ yards on
one turnover, and Seattle even had a defensive touchdown.
Most of all, two players were looking very good. Seneca Wallace
looked shaky for the first few minutes, but then he found a rhythm
and started to play like the QB he should and could become. More
than that, Leonard Weaver was playing like a man who was not a
fullback. Weaver is a big man with a good level of power in
protecting the run. However, when he is running, he looks like a big
man that had been sped up on the video while the rest of the game
ran at normal speed. This led to him having two receptions that
averaged more than 50 yards each with a big ass TD at the end of the
reception. Yes, the number one receiver, and definitive MVP of the
game, was a fullback.
This win puts the Seahawks in a three way tie for second place (or
last, depending on how your feel about Seahawks and optimism). With
the 49ers being the target of this surge of ability, it also leaves
the Seahawks with a 2-1 division record. Sadly, those two wins are
the only two Seattle has had all season. However, it also puts
Arizona only two games ahead of Seattle, leaving the weakest
division in the NFL open to anyone...even the one-time Super Bowl
pick for the NFC.
Some nasty games are still in the schedule, including the Eagles
next week (thankfully at home), and a week from hell for
Thanksgiving (when the Seahawks have only four days to prepare to
face Dallas on Thanksgiving). There's also two games to be faced
against the Cards (first one being in about four weeks and the last
one should be an interesting game 16 for the season). Still, with
some ability being shown off yesterday, I may have finally re-found
my desire to watch the NFL this season. I was one loss away from
just shit-canning the season in my eyes.
Malik |
Malik
(10/29/08)
After spending all
of yesterday in the ER, I feel like I need to post (since I
obviously couldn't do so yesterday). Unfortunately, I have not much
to post about so I'll probably be pretty brief today.
I didn't get a
chance to try the new RB DLC for this week, but I only see myself
getting two of the songs (Pretty in Pink for nostalgia reasons and
Dammit for obvious reasons). So, I'll try to formulate some thoughts
on those tomorrow.
The only other
thing in the realm of geek going on for me right now is Fable 2. I
only can say one thing. After discussing with one of my friends last
night, I think there's a small consensus that this is not a 10 hour
game. Whoever thinks that Fable 2 can be beaten in ten hours is
cheating themselves out of a quality experience.
The main quest,
which could, in theory, be completed in ten hours, is not even
really that short. It only is if you skip all dialogue. I can't
bring myself to do that with a fairly well rounded story like Fable
2 has. Yes, it's not something deep like Dickens, Hemmingway, Dante,
or whatever other literature writer you want to name, but it is
still a plot with some emotion behind it. If you skip the dialogue,
you are only cheating yourself out of a potentially interesting
game.
Plus, if you add
in the side quests (not even counting jobs here), there's a dozen
other others to kill...at the minimum. In reality, this game is more
than the sum of the quests and jobs. It's a world that does offer a
lot of choices and far more areas to explore than a casual glance
would reveal. So, to call this a ten hour game is a sad joke on the
behalf of those who just want to rush through something of real
quality.
Anyway, I'm around
the half way point (according to my friend who beat the game on
Monday) and I have easily racked up around 3-5 hours each night
since the game first launched over a week ago. Maybe I'll finish in
a week or so at this rate. However, I'm definitely in no hurry.
Malik |
Malik
(10/30/08)
According to rumors, of sorts (it is the Wall Street Journal),
The Beatles are possibly heading towards a deal with Harmonix. Well,
it's Apple (not the computer/iPod maker) who is working on this
deal. It could very well be an exclusivity deal, or just another
random deal to license Beatles tracks to Rock Band.
While WSJ is not
the most trusted source, for me, for game rumors, they do know the
business side of things. So, I wouldn't dismiss this and more
information will be coming later today (if the rumors are right).
The only part of this article I don't like is how WSJ characterizes
both RB and Beatles fans. On one hand, saying that RB is played with
miniature plastic instruments makes it sound a lot less fun and a
lot more childish to enjoy the game. On the other hand, to
characterize Beatles fans as in their 50's and 60's is a huge
disservice to fighting blatant stereotyping. I am in my late 20's
and love their music. I have a few in-laws in their teens who love
their music. I am willing to bet more age ranges can be filled in
quite easily as fans of this band...one of the most influential and
prolific bands of all rock history. We're not talking about
something more niche, like thrash metal or parody music. We are
talking about classic rock that spans from original rock-n-roll to
some truly insane psychedelic classic rock.
Anyway, if this
holds to be true, and it actually is for an exclusive deal with only
Harmonix, this could be one hell of a weapon in the GH/RB battle. It
might not make or break the decision for everyone torn between the
two franchises...but it might help make up the minds of a good
number of these individuals. Now if Harmonix could also score an
exclusive deal with Led Zeppelin, then the battle would be over and
Rock Band would be the hands down winner.
Speaking of RB...I
only bought Dammit and Pretty in Pink this week. For Pretty in Pink,
it's all about nostalgia. If you know this song, or you're a fan of
early 80's new wave, then this is a must buy. If you are a fan of
difficulty, then walk away now. We're talking about a very easy song
all across the board.
With Dammit, the
song just rocks. However, if you're an expert drummer needing
challenge, then the devil faces are a good sign for you. Also,
guitar is deceptively challenging with a lot of fast strumming and
chord changes. I find it too slow to be comfortable with alternate
strumming, but too fast to go with just down strums while not
thinking your arm is about to lose all life. Personally, I could not
hold a combo for more than 60 notes on my one attempt at expert
guitar. Not a hard song to beat, but it could give you a challenge
if you aim to do really well on it.
As I typed this,
the announcement came out. The Beatles are exclusive to Rock
Band. Best of all, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney (and even Yoko Ono
Lennon) are all in on it. This is the real mother f$#@ing deal! Too
bad details are not really there...but just knowing it's in the
works makes it feel that much better to this RB fan. Of
course, no solid information is really included, like if songs are
exportable to RB, the full song list, or anything else. All we
know is a supposed release of about a year from now. Based on
that, I hold all judgments and opinions for the time being.
Malik |
Malik
(10/31/08)
I'm still not done
with Fable 2. I just wanted to get that out there. After playing
nearly every day since it came out a week and a half back, I am
still somewhere around what I think is 50% through the main quest. I
say this for two reasons. I just want to state why I'm still talking
about this game when it seems that it's becoming lost in the "not
new" classification as games like Fallout 3 come along to dethrone
it as the next big thing. Also, I just want to say that I am not
going overly slow or rushing, and this game really is more than the
fast and "not worth the $60" titles it keeps receiving.
I think, without a
doubt, I'd have to put Fable 2 up there as my second favorite game
of the year...so far. I still give the nod to Rock Band 2 as the
best of the current year, but just barely. If I wasn't allowed to
use RB1 songs and RB1 DLC, then Fable 2 would take the prize in an
instant. Ever Tales of Vesperia (which is an awesome RPG in it's own
right) is just not that good when compared to Fable 2 being played
by someone (like myself) who is not just playing to rush through the
main quest. There are just too many things you can do to just
dismiss the game based on a shorter main quest.
Plus, unlike a
game like Mass Effect (which had a truly short main quest), the side
quests are not just the same thing over and over again. In ME, the
side quests were always the same thing with almost a total lack of
plot involved and no real sense of urgency in taking them on. Worst
of all, all the environments of the main quest were recycled for the
side quests. Fable 2, on the other hand, offers a wide variety of
side quests that range from epic (like choosing sides in a battle of
good and evil), to frantic (choosing sides in all out melee style
brawls), to silly (trying to help a drag queen reclaim his/her
home). There are also the other things you can do, like become a
real estate czar, raise a family, perform laborious jobs, fight in
an arena of eight rounds of combat, and explore to find hidden items
(keys and gargoyles). There is just too much to do.
On a final note
for today, the
Rock Band DLC for next week is looking pretty good...and pretty
bad. I don't think we need any Hinder or anymore Fallout Boy ($1
each). However, the rumored three pack of Presidents is awesome to
be seeing in a reality based form (instead of band promoted rumors).
This pack, at $2 per track or $5.50 for the pack, is well worth the
price. This is one of those rare packs I'd drop even more money for.
Ladybug is great, and Dune Buggy is almost beyond words...but for me
Feather Pluckn is one of those songs I never thought I'd see in Rock
Band but is one I would dream of being able to rock out to.
Of course, there's
also the 20 free songs this Tuesday. I've already commented on them
(in particular, I want to delete individual tracks), so I'll just
stop there. My last thought on them is this; if they were meant to
always be in the game, but didn't make it due to time issues with
the RB2 release, then there should be BWT sets involving them. Of
course, they would also be, in that theory, a range of awesome songs
that fit in with the RB2 track list and not some crap that feels
like filler. Anyway, there will not be some hidden unlocked sets on
BWT that use these songs (not counting random and create sets), but
that's how it would play out if Harmonix really meant they were
always meant to be included...and weren't just a stunt to pull some
attention to Rock Band after Guitar Hero: World Tour came out.
Malik |
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