The Walking Dead Series Premiere

*Warning contains spoilers of the first episode

I find that in my life there are few things I am passionate about. The Walking Dead series on AMC manages to combine both my love of Zombies and my goals of survival in a way that feels real.

Most Zombie literature and cinema fall into the trap of horror. They focus on cheap scares and gore in order to bring in uneducated audiences. I can’t blame them. My love of zombies is rooted in these types of entertainment but I am often left wanting more. I wanted this so more that I have even started writing my own story about how things would happen. The difference is that my goal is not to show fear it is to show hope.  

In The Walking Dead we see just that. Most have died and few are left but there is hope. These are real people living in a doomed world but they continue on. Yes they are people who have advantages. The main character is a police officer and with that comes certain benefits that the average person might not hold but he is no super hero. At one point in the first episode he almost kills himself. Instead of some gun-blazing terminator we get a real man with real human emotions. It shows his desperation and it shows his struggle.

There is another scene where a man fights in his heart between killing the shell of his dead wife and letting her walk in eternal hell. He knows that the right thing is to release her but he doesn’t have it in him to do it. All the while he is trying to suppress his own sadness to keep his son alive. I have never had to go through something this horrible but I can relate to it on a smaller scale when I was forced to choose what was best for a family pet. The actor so accurately captures the struggle that I actually found myself trying to comfort and encourage the onscreen actor.

Maybe Zombies isn’t your thing. Maybe you can’t handle gore. This show does include both of those things but it isn’t really the focus. The focus is on the human struggle for survival and finding the strength it takes to continue on. My opinion of the show may change in weeks to come but I highly recommend that you give it a chance. It comes on AMC on Sunday nights at 10:00 and it’s one of the few reasons I still turn on my television. I hope they continue the great work.

Goodbye Old Friend

Today we say goodbye to another childhood hero of mine. Yesterday Takeshi Shudo was rushed to the hospital after suffering a hemorrhage. He was only 61 years old and when I looked up the type of hemorrhage he had things actually looked like they were in his favor. Unfortunately things don’t always go as planned and it was time for him to go.

I never knew much about Mr. Shudo. As a child, all I knew about him was that he was in some way responsible for my favorite escape from life. Mr. Shudo was the Chief writer for the original Pokemon series and the first three Pokemon films. He didn’t remain as such until the end of his life but he was always involved in the project in some ways and without his original work there would be no Pokemon.

That might not mean much to many people. I myself have not really watched the show for many years but it was from the shows that the video games were made. For many reasons these games will always hold a special place in my heart. They aren’t necessarily the best games ever made. The story line hasn’t changed all that much and sometimes they even get repetitive at times. I could go my whole life never seeing another Zubat but like all things we must make allowances for the bad if we can ever enjoy the good and these games were good. They were there for me when I felt alone and then when I made close friends we were able to play the games together.

There are even certain Pokemon that hold sentimental attachment for me and while that might seem strange I will always love these fictional creatures. They are a part of my life and a part of me. So thank you Takeshi Shudo for your loving gift. You may be gone now but you left us with amazing memories. I will continue to honor you by playing your games and maybe even someday passing them on to my children. Thank you for everything.

Sincerely,

All of the fans you never got to meet

Super Mario Sunshine Review (GameCube)

This game takes the simple idea of Mario in 3D and tries a slightly less traditional storyline. It also adds some new gameplay mechanics that could really make or break this game for you.

           

Story:                        I don’t want to give things away but basically you are on vacation but something goes horribly wrong. This beautiful little village is covered in oil and Mario is being blamed! It’s up to you to help the townspeople and prove Mario’s innocents. 

Gameplay:                         The traditional Mario style gameplay is here and it controls how you would expect it too. If you played Mario 64 not a lot has changed but they did add something new. You now have this jet pack that seems silly at first but actually works pretty well. I actually hated this feature so much that I didn’t play the game for years after it came out because of it. Just give it a chance. It’s really not all that bad.

Art Style:                         It looks like a Gamecube game and nothing is perfect. The island motif is nice at first but after a while everything starts to look the same. I preferred the varied environments of 64 personally but it doesn’t really kill the game. What does cause concern though are the camera angles. Normally this isn’t a problem but there are “special levels” where you aren’t able to use the jet pack. They are typically much more difficult and actually my favorite part of the game. The camera however doesn’t work well in these levels and you find yourself playing blind at times where you have to make jump based on an assumed distance rather than visually.

Difference:                        The game is a lot of fun but can be frustrating at times because of the camera angles. I would have to say it is the most difficult of the 3D Mario titles. To me this is a selling point but to others it may be a deterrent.

Buy it?                        Maybe. This game got a lot of mixed feedback from fans because of its difficulty and style. As a result you can find it cheaply but you might also have some issues with its jet pack system. Honestly with two Galaxy games to play you could probably skip this one but if you are looking for some more Mario action then definitely give it a try. I give it an 8/10.

Frogger: He’s Back! (PC, PS)

If you have ever played the original or are even familiar with video games than you know what to expect. You are a frog and your job is to make it from one destination to another without dying.

           

Story:                        You’re a frog. That’s about it. What more do you need?           

Gameplay:                         Take the original design of making it across the road and expand on it beyond imagination. The first few levels are a throwback to this old style but pretty soon you will be hopping around swamps, through caves, and running from bulls!

Art Style:                         The game was very pretty for its time. The colors were bright and the locations were varied. The problem is that this game came out around the beginning of the PS era so everything looks choppy and boxy.

Difference:                        It’s an interesting take on a classic that manages to improve the gameplay rather than hurt it.

Buy it?                        Maybe. This game is old and it didn’t age well. At times the game can be frustrating because the lack of smooth gameplay can result in cheap deaths. The game is about a 6/10 but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. If you’re looking for something to play this winter and you’ve only got about $3 in your pocket this might be something you want to give a shot. I enjoyed it despite its obvious shortcomings. 

Final Fantasy America (meaning easy)

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was originally released on the Super Nintendo to try to encourage new people to get into JRPG’s. The game was much easier than your typical RPG and the back of the box even claimed it to be the first RPG for the entry-level player.

The game only allowed you to play as two characters at one time and the combat was significantly less complex than other games in the series. Instead of random battles there were visible monsters that could be approached and fought or avoided all together. Even weapons were “uninspired” as you went from sword to bigger sword without any real choices.

Now that the game her been put up for download as a Wii Ware title everyone is bashing it again for not being hard enough. I don’t understand why it is so “cool” to hate this game. What were you people expecting? It says it’s easy on the box. That’s why I played it! I was a little kid at the time and wanted something that would take less time that a full-fledged Final Fantasy so I picked it up used for a few dollars.

It wasn’t the best game I ever played. The story was uninspired and the combat was less intense but it was still fun! If you enjoy the remakes on the DS and have already beat everything else you want to play you should give it a try. You might not like it, but I think you will. Just go into it knowing that it will be easy and you will enjoy the ride. If nothing else you will get to experience a part of gaming history and finally be able to develop your own thoughts on the game. 

Dark Cloud Review (Ps2)

If you like Zelda style combat, hours of dungeon crawling, and realistic equipment management this might be the game for you! This game was seriously under appreciated as a classic and should be owned by anyone who likes this style gameplay.

           

Story:                        The story here is an interesting and rewarding one. Without giving anything away (I want you to enjoy the ride) everything in several towns disappears and is trapped by an evil power. Your job is to save the towns and rebuild them to perfection!              

Gameplay:                         The combat is repetitive at times but with the addition of multiple characters later in the game things never get too stale. A nice addition to the combat is that weapons take damage so maintaining them is a must or you might lose them!

                                    The real fun here though takes place outside of combat. Once you find all of the objects stolen from a town you must rebuild it. At first I just placed things the way I wanted to see them. This is especially necessary in the beginning when you are just trying to see how things work and need resources. But over time I realized that different characters have preferences based either on their likes (such as a view of water) or the way things used to be (like my house used to be near my friends.) You need to make everyone happy in order to progress forward and it is quite rewarding.

Art Style:                         Everything in the game is attractive to the eye. This is a game from last generation but it has aged well and won’t be giving you any headaches. The environments are also varied so by the time the vastness of the desert starts to get to you it’s time to move to the forest or the countryside.

Difference:                        Lots of games have combat but none have such a rewarding and creative design system. Combine that with the ability to switch characters on the fly and enjoyable mini games (I fished for hours) and you have a great game that feels unique.

Buy it?                        Yes! This game went greatest hits so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a cheap copy (Amazon has it for $4). Don’t let this low price tag fool you. This game packs some serious fun and you get way more than you pay for. The core game will run you about 25 hours but if you enjoy the combat enough there is a bonus dungeon at the end of the game that will easily double figure. It doesn’t serve much of a purpose other than to get a special weapon but if you enjoy the combat as much as I did you’ll find this bonus content enjoyable. If not then enjoy the story and forget about this post game content.

Sharpen Those Chisels

Disclaimer: Woodworking carries innate dangers including loss of limb and life. Articles in the blog are meant to aid people already familiar with the field and not to replace books or formal advising. If you choose to use any information found here, you are responsible for your own safety. By continuing to read you release anyone affiliated with this blog including myself of liability. If you aren’t sure what you are doing, don’t do it!

So something that has been bothering me lately is watching people use wood chisels. There seem be two extremes of people and neither know what they are doing. When you first buy wood chisels they are not sharp. They might look like it, they might cut your finger, but they are not ready to cut wood. I see people constantly hammering the back of them to make a cut while I am just sliding it through the wood with my hands.

            The other extreme are the people who know they aren’t sharp so they take them to a grind wheel. In fact this is the way many books might tell you to do it but it is the wrong way. It is much more dangerous, you take off more metal than you need to, you can ruin the temper of the metal, and its not as nice a finish.

            What you should do is buy a few different grit sharpening stone and a little bit of machining oil. The stones are pretty inexpensive and if you care for them properly one set will last you for the rest of you life. Put a little oil on the lowest grit stone and put the flat of the chisel on the stone. Rub it on a circular motion covering the entire surface of the stone. Work you way up to a higher grit and buff the blade when you are done. The cutting edge should cut through the wood now with ease. BE CAREFUL! The chisel is very sharp at this point and if you hit your hand it won’t stop until it hits bone. Keep the blade covered to protect yourself and the cutting edge you just created. If you need to re-sharpen your chisel, you only need to spend a few minutes on the highest grit and then rebuff it. If you follow these instructions you will be able to use your chisels to their full potential and create better projects in less time.