Spotlight: Video Games Live on The Zero Review

Video Games Live

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At the beginning of April, I had the opportunity to attend a performance from Video Games Live for the very first time. With a lifetime spent in Yellowknife, access to events like this were seldom ascertainable, making this a first experience for me in many ways. However, despite that, I felt right at home in that theatre, surrounded by other fans just like me that came to hear their favorite tunes realized through a full on orchestra.

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Shovel Knight Review – 8-bit Classic of the 21st Century

Shovel Knight Header
Shovel Knight is like a time machine – noooo, not to medieval times like the game’s fictitious setting, but to the late 1980s and early 1990s. Beginning as a Kickstarter campaign, the game takes inspiration from classic games of yore (1980s) to lay the foundation for Shovel Knight’s game design, such as DuckTales’ “cane” bouncing, stage selection like Super Mario Bros. 3, stage design like Mega Man, thematic bosses like Megaman, subweapons like… well… Megaman… Megaman was a very influential game. Yet, despite this, Shovel Knight blends all these elements together so well that it still manages to come across with its own original identity. It’s not ripoff, clone, or even homage to classic platformers of the 80’s, Shovel Knight IS a classic platformer of the 80’s, it was just made in 2014, that’s all. Continue reading

Spotlight: The Witness review up on The Zero Review!

Huge self plug here, but it’s my blog so I don’t see why I can’t! After burdening the guilt of not having written for my friends over at The Zero Review over the last six months, I finally found the time to write, and the perfect game to rave on. Since release date, I’ve been hooked on the Witness. I can’t stop thinking about it’s puzzles in my head, and when I stop playing, I crave to go back for more. I’m finally at a point where I’ve completed so much of the game’s content that I can let it sit for a while, but I know I’ll be back.

Check it out right here!The Witness Stock Image

While a difficult game to write on due to its differences from other modern games and how easy it can be to spoil the fun of the game by explaining it in too much detail, I knew I couldn’t walk away from it without formulating some organized opinion on it. Anyway, that is all, that Shovel Knight review I promised 2 months ago IS NEARLY HERE, so hopefully that goes up this week.

Progress Update & Impressions

GameImpressionBannerMany games started, none finished to actually write up on. I’m part way through SOMA, Valkyria Chronicles II, Strider, God of War: Ascension, and even on the last damn boss of Shovel Knight, but my save data is locked away on my brother’s Wii U back in Yellowknife. Fuuuck you Wii U and your lack of ability to transfer save data. The god damn N64 could do that, why not you????

I DID finish Silent Hill 2, but it took roughly six years to do so as a group played game, so I don’t feel I can properly represent it in a review. I guess I can do my impressions right here though. Continue reading

Holiday Crunch

Another week, another excuse to have no review up. Seriously, what is this, like, the fifth time I have a post explaining myself? Well, what can I say? ONE WEEK OF SCHOOL LEFT! All those assignments gotta get in. No time for games, or friggin Dragon Ball! BUT, this does mean that over the Christmas holiday, I will be unemployed, and as such will be free entirely to play games and write about them! I’m very excited for that, frankly. I like being secretive of what game is to come next even though it has no impact to do so, but I got a couple of key titles I’m eyeing up.

Also, thinking of making a new segment where I give impressions of a game, but not a proper review as I don’t feel I can do them justice, but want to talk about them. That could just be me being lazy and not wanting to constructively thing about such titles though, but we’ll see if I go through with this new segment or not.

Showcase – PAX Prime in Seattle, WA

Pax PrimeI wanted to talk about an event that is rather special to me. As a child growing up in the north, there are essentially no opportunities to attend conventions of any kind, let alone any focused on the medium I love. Leaving town is an expensive endeavor and not one to casually do in search for these gatherings of communities. But in 2014, my friend Brandon Cooke and I decided it was time that we bust out our wallets and make the commitment to journey down to Seattle, WA for Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) Prime and get a tangible insight closer into the video game industry and culture outside of reddit and NeoGAF. Accompanied by my girlfriend, Erika Thompson, the three of us drove all the way from Yellowknife, NT, to see what we were missing. I was nothing short of hooked. Continue reading

Small update

Got nothing new yet this week. In fact, I’m not finished the game I’m currently playing, which may or may not be my next review. In the next day or so I’d like to have a new Showcase up, but that all depends on productivity, which is at an all time low. Anyways, plans are in place, just got to get them in motion, hopefully I’ll have something to show for it soon.

Saw (Video Game) Review – “Would you like to–” Beat a dead horse? No.

The Saw video game comes as a bit of a surprise to me. Don’t misinterpret, this game is not good, mediocre at the very most. However, as a fan of the Saw franchise, I went in knowing full well that this series isn’t structured well to translate over to video games despite the whole stupid “Would you like to play a game?” tagline the films carry. However, this game SURPRISINGLY showcases some interesting ideas and has a decent premise for its story. Considering my expectations for this game were “total shit”, I can’t quite call it disappointing that the few strong elements the game has are muddled within its fundamental flaws.

Oh, and since this takes place farther in the Saw timeline, there are minor spoilers, but nothing worth covering your eyes over. Continue reading

Missed the Mark

Pic of pumpkins in water - Time only flows one way, and I ran out of it...

Time only flows one way, and I ran out of it…

Halloween has come and gone. So yep, I screwed up. Couldn’t manage to fit all my reviews in before the end of the month. Not a fantastic start for building routine and upholding a schedule. Oh well, I should have my next review up later today or tomorrow and then I’ll try get back on track.