Mass Effect & Uncharted

So we're some of the first to get our hands on Mass Effect for the 360 and Uncharted for the PS3. Mass Effect is a TPS/RPG hybrid and Uncharted is an AA game. If I had to think of a simple way to compare them to other games it'd be something like: Mass Effect is like Knights of The Old Republic has a lovechild with Star Trek and Uncharted is like Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones got into a blender and made a videogame smoothie. Both with very unique outcomes.

I know a lot of people have short attention spans so I'll sum up everything I'm about to say right now: Buy Mass Effect, definitely at least rent Uncharted.

Mass Effect
While Mass Effect is not my usual cup of tea, it a wonderful game that combines superb graphics with an innovative combat system, great voice acting, fun gameplay, a convincing musical score, a well told and well thought out plot, and  best of all it stays true to Bioware's style of letting you choose whether to be a good guy, neutral, or a total dickhead. My only real complaint is that I'd rather not cross genres when it comes to my RPGs.

Uncharted
Uncharted has got some of the best environmental effects I have seen ever. If you jump into a lake your clothing becomes visibly wet. If you pull out your pistol and shoot at a toucan it will squawk and fly off in a panic. The gameplay is fun, which is all you can really ask for. The game's NPC intelligence is top notch. Enemies will duck and cover in reaction to your offenses making it a real challenge to take them out. The voice acting is good as are the ambient effects around you. My only real complaint is that the game is much more muscle than mind. As fun as slaughtering can be, sometimes a challenging puzzle is equally fulfilling.

Much to my dismay both games suffer from "next gen" syndrome -- being too short. But! Don't let that deter you. Uncharted has a lot of replay ability through unlockables and though the main story of Mass Effect can be completed in around 17 hours that does not include side quests, hidden content, or varying scenarios, all of which you will definitely want to uncover.

Thanks

First and foremost I'd like to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope the holiday finds you all in great spirits and good health.

Secondly say what you may about the origins of this holiday, the ideal is a worthwhile celebration: being thankful. If my Native American grandfather can find a reason to celebrate this holiday, so can you.

Be thankful. Do not take anything for granted! I am aware of how fragile life is and how easily things can slip through your fingers until you've got nothing left to hold onto. I realize that a person could be there talking with you today, and dead tomorrow. The future is uncertain so make the best of your life daily.

I am thankful for everything. I have a roof over my head, I never go hungry or thirsty, I sleep in a warm bed, I am loved. What more do you really need? Anything more would simply be excess -- a bonus but not a necessity.

anata wa watashi no Pocky

Yay life!

Much to my delight our city now sells Pocky. That means I no longer have to import it expensively through the mail. I can buy it box by box whenever I wish! While they only sell the two basic flavors, strawberry and chocolate, that's good enough for me

You've Got To Be Kidding

I've mysteriously fractured a bone in my left foot. When? How? I haven't the slightest idea. It just started hurting yesterday out of the blue while I was watching an episode of Heroes. So I went to the doctor this afternoon and x-rays confirm the foot was in fact injured but I cannot recall what happened at all.

Fracture boot: so stylish.

Strange Pinata?

Found a pinata at Target last night, in the vending room. Why was it there? I don't know. There was a stick to bust it open and get the candy and everything. But no other signs of a party. No one else was around.

Vote or Die In A Fire

Tis the season to be voting and signs have popped up everywhere, as per usual. Vote for so-and-so! No, vote for such-and-such! Vote for her! Vote for him! Vote yes for this! Vote no for that! All of course in red, white, and blue. Cause it just wouldn't be patriotic in any other colors.

I never understood the sign thing. Most sane human beings are going to vote based on facts not some sign they saw on their way to Taco Bell. Furthermore all of these signs seem to be in competition with one another, as if there's some strange sign death match going on.

If you drive by the intersection near our shop in the morning you will see a couple of "Bob for Mayor!" signs chilling there. Drive by again on your way home from work and there will be those original 2 signs and about 40 others surrounding it all telling you to vote for a different person. It's silly. As if whoever puts up the most signs in 1 spot will win the election.

Most people already know who they are going to vote for, and have known since the preliminaries several months ago. These signs serve no purpose other than to litter the roadside, really. It kind of bothers me. Pointlessness aside, all of these signs are made from plastic, which is nonbiodegradable and I'm willing to wager nonrecyclable. Their signs may as well say, "Vote for me, I hate Earth!"

Edit: Just dug this up...
"Many of these signs are made out of corrugated plastic, commonly referred to as "Coroplast". Though the materials look the same, there are actually several incompatible varieties of plastic used in these signs. Each sign must be tested to determine its recycle category. Such testing is only effective in large industrial batches (i.e. 4,000 lb.), so unfortunately it is not practical to recycle corrugated plastic most people simply throw it away."

Now I can forgive a sign or 2 from someone just reminding you it's time to vote soon, make sure you're ready. Afterall voting is important, very important. But... sign wars are dumb. The people who participate in them are dumb too. And most of all anyone who votes based only on a sign they saw on the roadside is really really dumb.

On a less serious note, someone stuck a sign in the field near our shop which says: " Vote for Funari!" You know -- my impulsive fun loving evil twin.

Following The Geese

Tonight is my last night in Ohio, tomorrow we leave at the crack of dawn to board a plane to Florida for a week. To pass time I will be toting my laptops as carry-on as well as my PSP. I've downloaded a new RPG for the trip called Brave Story: New Traveler. So I'll let you know the verdict on that one, but it looks pretty good.

They always serve the yummiest sandwiches on our flights to Florida. Sad thing about it is the sandwich is only about 3" long and 2" wide. Just large enough to make you realize you really wish it were bigger. I wonder if they will serve us sandwiches on this flight, because it's so early? Or if they will give us something else like muffins?

Don't get me wrong, muffins are great, but those sandwiches > muffins.