Y: The Last Man is over *single tear*

My Super Smash Bros Brawl predictions were right.

Albeit I can't take credit for them as I merely read a lot of rumors and than speculated on what seemed the most legit and likely, but regardless, its sweet.

Words cannot express how much I am looking forward to this game.

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Y: The Last Man wrapped up today with issue #60. I wish I could delve into everything that made this story amazing and perfect, but that's the play and I wouldn't want to give it away.

All musical references aside, this comic series easily trumps every other comic series I have ever read. To summarize, it is about Yorick, a 22-year old slacker who, along with his pet capuchin monkey Ampersand, becomes the last man on Earth when a plague hits the world and kills every male creature. The 60 issues that detail this story follow Yorick and his two caretakers, Agent 355 (a member of the secret Culper Ring) and Dr. Allison Mann (a geneticist) and Yorick's eventual run-in with adulthood. There's a bunch of sex, ninjas, pirates, monkeys, tits, Amazons, a bunch of pop culture references and exotic locales. It's amazing.

I threw up a PDF of the first issue for all of youse peoples reading enjoyment. Read it, tell me what you think.

Anyone who has finished all 60 issues, talk to me. I need someone else to talk about this.

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I think that is everything relevant going on right now.
As far as gaming goes, my habits continue to be my other part time job as I seem to fit time and feel like I should play (not saying I don't enjoy it, but there's so many fucking games I want to play).
This week has been Mario Strikers Charged return to glory. I sat down on two consecutive nights and finally beat the Crystal Cup and unlocked Diddy Kong. Now all that is left is the insurmountable wall of the Striker Cup. I will probably put the game down and come back to it again in a few months.
Eternal Sonata is currently on my gaming backburner. I haven't had the time for an RPG as of late and thus I've been focusing on my short play session games. I'm stuck at Fort Fermata which, from what I read, is the place where everybody stops because its a weird/tricky/confusing/stupid puzzle and everything looks the same and because I put the game down for a while, I don't know where to go. Pending on when time frees up, I will probably sit down with a walkthrough and churn through that part and then continue my Chopin-inspired journey through a music-referencing world.
Rock Band, as per usual, gets a lot of play. Not as much as it has in the past, but once a week there is usually a DLC song or three that demand me to buy them.
I downloaded the Adventures of Lolo, Bubble Bobble and Startropics on Virtual Console. Lolo is hard as shit, I think I am on floor 6 of 10. I'm on the final boss in Bubble Bobble with Lauren. I plowed through Startropics' first two worlds and now the game actually gets mildly challenging, so I have to be awake while I play now.
I'll probably be playing some more Super Smash Bros Melee as Brawl approaches. Melee will benefit from what I will dub "Guitar Hero Syndrome". "Guitar Hero Syndrome" is the phenomena where you play a game a lot, regardless of quality, because you are anticipating a similar game or sequel. GHS has occured with Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Rock Band and now, Super Smash Bros Brawl. It is dubbed after Guitar Hero because I personally think Guitar Hero III is a shitty, shitty terrible game and the only reason I bought the game was because Rock Band wasn't out yet. Basically, I spent $100 on GH3 for a wireless guitar and Contra IV.
But apparently GHIII has Journey, so it's just a shitty terrible game.

Breaking News: Activision is a bunch of dickwads

http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/12/harmonix-activi.html

Its official. Fuck Guitar Hero III. I will always cherish the first 3 games in the series for they opened up an entire new style of video games and made DDR-ish games cool for once. Guitar Hero I will always be remembered for being an extremly groundbreaking game. Guitar Hero II will be fondly remembered as the pinnacle of the sure-to-not-fail-because-of-brand-recognition series. Guitar Hero 80s' will probably be forgotten in about two weeks.

It is also official. Fuck Activision. Their dickery has gone on long enough and I think they are an even bigger villain than EA in their company buying heyday. I honestly think any series that Activision holds the rights to is doomed to fail now. After all, what did their CEO say? "You can expect virtually every one of those properties will be exploited on an annual, or close to annual, basis" And that is verbatim. EA is looking like the little people's savior right now as they published skate and Rock Band. While they're probably bringing those games out because they'll make bucketloads of money, at least these games are amazing and groundbreaking.

And finally, Fuck Neversoft. Whatever goodwill they had for being the creator of the original Tony Hawk games has completly worn out since everything Guitar Hero III touches turns to shit.
Yes, that means if you're paying attention, Halo was officially turned to shit when the free song was released for GHIII on 360 over Thanksgiving.
Note: Most bands who have songs in GHIII are exempt from the 'turned to shit' prophecy. I'm sorry, but I can't honestly say that Pearl Jam, the Who, Tenacious D and even a band that has no kind of history (Priestess) is shit. It is just unfortunate that GHIII tarnished their reputations.
Other Note: Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters are exempt from any of this GHIII shitstorm because theres like 18 fucking million songs on Rock Band that Dave Grohl was a part of.

Sic Transit Rock Band...NFL Rises (Kinda Sorta)

Yes, I am still enraptured by Rock Band, but I am also dealing with real life rearing its ugly head ahead again. Yes, I still attend classes and get assignments done. Yes, Rock Band is awesome. Yes, I've played it a lot and for fuck's sake, no I don't give a shit about your two cents and what misconceptions you heard about the game. Shut the fuck up about the Strat! Mine is working fine (for now) so quit bitching when you suck at the game, Ricky! And when it is blatantly obvious that both of the people that live in the room are done with the game and one is going to bed in a matter of minutes, stop playing the fucking game and go to your room and piss off your own roommate some more instead of me!
Ricky, if you read this (which I don't think you do), just take a hint next time when it is largely obvious that you should be done with the game. If you want to play it so badly, but it yourself. Yes, you might not have the money, but does that mean that the money I saved up (kind of, my credit card bill balooned because of it) should go towards your entertainment?
This goes out to all current and future college students, if you happen to be in a room that is not your own and the people who live in the room are grimacing as you play their video games and eat their food, get the fuck out.

Anyway, I just finished an interesting experiment regarding our very own National Football League. In a conversation I had with Allon a week or so ago, when we realized how awesome it would be for his Jaguars of Jacksonville (yes, they're not his team, but I don't feel like being "his favorite team, the Jaguars of Jacksonville" and I know I did it right now, but fuck off, its my blog) to not be in a division with the Colts of Indianapolis. Then I realized that there once was a mythical time when this was true.
So during work today, I scoured for the old division lines that were used up until the Texans of Houston were added to the league in 2002. So I added those very same to the AFC West and moved the Seahawks of Seattle to the NFC West from the AFC West to even out the divisions.

Surprisingly, nothing really changes. If the season ended today, every single team that would get into the playoffs in the current format would get into the playoffs in the old format. Albeit the schedules would be different if this setup were used, regardless, the only thing that changes is that we'd have more interesting divisions and teams given new life.

The NFC East (feat. Cowboys, Gints, Faggles, Cardinals and Redskins) would still be a great division, but nowhere near as battle hungry as those damned Centralites (feat. the Pack!, the Pirates, da Bears, the Lions and the Vikings). Granted, only two teams are added to these divisions, but it still would be interesting (and nerve-racking) to see the Packers play the renewed Buccaneers twice this season. I'd actually like to see if the Cardinals would play up to their decent opponents in the East or if they really do suck.
The NFC West would be as boring as ever as it had one fucking team with a winning record (the Seahawks) and said team (the Seahawks) would hold a two game lead over the schizophrenic 'Aints and some other teams of no note (except that one team used to have Mike Vick. And three of the were in Super Bowls in the past 10 years)

The AFC East would be hot shit, only for one fact and one fact alone. The Colts of Indianapolis would play the Pat Riots twice a year and share division of shit (besides them, of course). Other than that, the other three teams would be cannon fodder (Bills, Just-end-the-season and the Hapless 'Fins).
The AFC Central would be a battleground of sorts. The Pittsers of Steeland and the Jaguars of Jacksonville would be battling for the title as the Browns of Cleveland would be chomping at the bit while the Houston Oilers suck the shit for the top three teams as they plummet because apparently Vince Young can't win games (but he's ok in fantasy, but no quite good enough because I was the jackass who banked on Cedric Benson and Reggie Bush to be my running back darlings). The Ravens aka the Browns and the Bungles would still be freefallin'.
The only cool part of the AFC West would be the fact that the Texans of Houston would actually be in the playoff race as they'd be sitting tied for 2nd with Broncos of Denver and only one game behind the SlightlySuperChargers.

A more interesting view on this would be if the divisions were aligned by their real life boundaries, which is what I thought would happen when the divisions were realigned (seriously, I understand the Cowboys having solid rivalries with East teams, but why move the Colts from the East (which they sort of belong) to the South (where they most certainly do not), all for what? Keeping rivalries in the East and North?
Whatever, I'm just gonna go play Rock Band.
What?
I have a paper due?
Shit.

One GHIII related note

I was reading the IGN review of Guitar Hero III for 360 and I came across this very true paragraph:
"Little vignettes have also been added between each tier. They're a decent addition and nice to watch, but they also highlight a facet of the game we could do without. One of the little scenes shows the band getting upset at accusations that they've sold out. That's fine, except that Activision clearly sold Guitar Hero out in every way it could. The story is rather hypocritical. Ads are fed into the game, an entire stage was sold to Pontiac, and there is even an Axe Body Spray guitar. Sponsorships are nothing new in the Guitar Hero franchise, but in the past they were kept strictly to music related brands. These are the sort of ads that don't bring anything to the game and really have no place. Not cool. Not cool at all."

That is what is wrong with this game! BAM! Well said (for once), IGN.

I need more allowance! Yodel-lay-he-hoo!

Its been quite a while since I actually finished a post. I just cleared out my back log of 3 half-written posts that were never finished. I shall now summarize them for you.
1) A dissertation on what games I should buy
2) I play Guitar Hero a lot
3) Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law got delayed til next year because Capcom realized 18 million other games were coming out in November.

Speaking of that, I'm pretty November 2007 might be one of the busiest months in gaming history. While there is no big launch of a new system, its the first time since gaming arguably became mainstream that 3 systems have been running at full speed.
That is, if we argue that gaming didn't become mainstream until about 2002-2003, when Gamecube was already declared dead by the general populous because its one mainstream title, Super Smash Bros Melee, had come out 2 weeks after launch. I'm still of the opinion that the majority of people that saw the original Twilight Princess trailer thought it was coming out on a new console since Gamecube was already being completely ignored by every company except Nintendo.
But anyway, November is fucking busy...and we are currently 2 days away from it.

Now this is where I go into the three previous posts that were never officially posted.

We are currently coming off the release of Guitar Hero III, which I'm pretty sure will top Halo 3 in sales, except it won't officially be so because GHIII is coming out for 5 different systems and that means there are 5 different SKUs.
On that note, Guitar Hero III is a wonderful game. A game. That's all. Its no longer the revolution that Harmonix joyously brought us two years ago. I can see why Harmonix left it. I'm having a lot of fun with this game but, in my opinion, it brings nothing substantially new to the series and genre besides new songs. The battle mode is cool but it makes it less of "OMFG I'm playing guitar!' and makes it 'Oh shit, I gotta get the power-ups!' I've made this comment to a lot of people but it still holds true: I'm waiting to fail a song and hear the Mario Game Over music.
Although the boss battles are very fun, but I'd much rather just have it be a straight up face-off.

So anyway, the month of November is almost upon us and there is a veritable maelstrom of games coming our way.

The first week (Oct 28-Nov 3) offers some fun options that might sucker the person who is unaware of the grander things to come.
Manhunt 2 (Wii, PS2) comes out just in time for Halloween and for a short time following the end of the controversy this game provided, I wanted it. Then I saw the new trailer and heard the testicle-crunching scene was removed. Sadness...
The Simpsons Game (A lot) is also coming out. I think in time for the DVD, but I have seen no mention of the DVD in my all-internet, little-TV-watching world.
Battalion Wars 2 (Wii) is one of the latest in the long line of games Nintendo doesn't advertise. I'll be honest, I fucking forgot this game was even coming out. Whatever. If you like RTS', you'll probably like this game.
Viva Pinata: Party Animals (360) also hits stands this week. Downloaded the demo at Lauren's behest. Its terrible terrible Sonic-and-the-Secret-Rings-Mario-Party-copy crap. When is Viva Pinata DS coming out anyway? We need that game like we need water. A lot.
Virtua Fighter 5 (360) comes out too. *yawn* Played the PS3 demo many moons ago. Not a big fighter dude. I am looking forward to Street Fighter 4 though. Mainly because my fighting game preference comes from nostalgia (Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom and Super Smash Bros)
So there's week one. This is light and I'll probably only purchase the Simpsons Game, but not right away. I recommend BWII for anyone who enjoys RTS and Manhunt 2 just simply doesn't excite me anymore.

So Week 2 (Nov 4-10) begins...
Call of Duty 4 (360, PS3) comes out and this game looks fucking awesome. However, my FPS quota has been filled with Halo 3 and thus, I'm passing (for now) on what appears to be Halo's only FPS competitor.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii) looks to be only must-almost-buy of the week. I remain a bit hesitant because Sega has done nothing but break my heart over the years but, like a beaten girlfriend, I keep on being optimistic that they're going to change. This game should be solid because of Nintendo's minor involvement, but NiGHTS worries me.
Fire Emblem (Wii) is released in the same demographic as Battalion Wars. It fits the bills for the game Nintendo forgets they are releasing. It just seems to be no improvement from prior Fire Emblem games and thus, I remain unexcited. They're good games, but they're just not for me anymore.
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (A lot) looks to be a solid upgrade for the series. This has always been a series I wanted to get into but can never justify spending a lot of money on it and usually always end up skipping on it. I will probably buy this game in a year or two when a November is not as packed as this (will it ever happen?).
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Some Ridiculous Subtitle (PS2) comes out and promises to be the best golf-fighting game ever.
Interesting note: Viva Pinata hits PC this week. Since my strength lies in consoles, I had no idea of this. If you don't a 360 and own a decent computer, buy this game.
The only game this week that demands my money is Mario & Sonic, but even that might swallowed up by my zest for the coming weeks...

If this month were a movie, this would be the beginning of a two part climax (ew...sticky). Week 3 (Nov 11-17) brings about the most games and is the week that the delayed Harvey Birdman was originally going to come out.
The headliner of this week is obviously Super Mario Galaxy (Wii). This will be a possible Game of the Year and is on an elite level all of its own. Its Mario and it controls wonderfully and from my brief experience with the game, it elicits that magical feeling that one gets whenever he plays Super Mario 64 (which I'm pretty sure is required to be played before you graduate high school now).
Contra IV (DS) rounds out the must-buys for the week and will probably frustrate me until the day I die (which is hopefully years from now. I've got to be able to stay alive until 311 becomes classic rock and is featured in Rock Band). Trust me, this shit is hard.
Assassin's Creed (360, PS3) is a game that would probably be a sure purchase for me at any other time of the year. However, it comes out a week before Rock Band and the same day as Super Mario Galaxy and Contra IV. As much as Kristen Bell's vocal involvement compels me to buy this game, I might have to pass.
Rayman Raving Rabids 2 (Wii) should be infinitely better than its predecessor. This game has no identity crisis anymore. It knows it is born to be a multiplayer game and it shall run with glee through the grassy fields.
Soul Calibur Legends (Wii), while not the fighter we all wish it would be, is still should be an amazing game that delves into the highly involved story that Soul Calibur apparently has. I think Raphael is in it and it will probably include some sort of demonic blade thingy.
We'll follow up Soul Calibur with an actual fighting game. DBZ: Budokai Tenakaichi Gibberish Jap Speak 3 (Wii) is going to once again show the world how a non-Smash Bros fighting game is done on Wii. And its going to be online. Allon, please buy this.
Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Wii) represents the shooter game that probably will have the least frustrating controls of any Resident Evil game ever. I wish I would buy this day 1 and shoot shit all the time. However, I need more allowance.
Beowulf is supposed to be bloody as fuck. Cool
Luxor and Puzzle Quest come out for Wii this week. A Zuma clone and probably the coolest puzzle/RPG hybrid ever? These will be must purchases in the lull of spring/summer.
This week basically has two games on the innovative pieces of work Nintendo is championing. Super Mario Galaxy and Contra IV overshadow every other good game coming out this week. I don't have enough time to play all this shit!

This second to last week (the climax/falling action of our epic) is ROCK BAND WEEK!!!!
ROCK BAND COMES OUT AND WILL RULE THE WORLD WITH A METAL FIST WITH PUNK AND CLASSIC ROCK AND A LOT MORE.
I'm buying Rock Band this week. Duh.
Link's Crossbow Training (Wii) sees release this week. I will buy this, but only because its 20 bucks.
Mass Effect (360) is going to be amazing, but its not Rock Band and I won't play it yet. I wish I had time, but alas, Rock Band is more important than the spiritual sequel to KOTOR.
I probably missed games this week, but after mentioning Rock Band, I stopped focusing on this and started daydreaming about Rock Band.

Week 5 is a shitty denouement. Nothing of note comes out.

So...the month's tally comes to:
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games $49.99
Super Mario Galaxy $49.99
Contra IV $34.99
Link's Crossbow Training $19.99
Rock Band $169.99
Grand Total (+Tax) $347.70

That's an entire paycheck at my job and then some.
Fuckin' titties, man. Fuckin' titties...

Brawl is Delayed. Here's The Bright Side.

There is none.

Yes, Super Smash Bros Brawl is delayed until February 10th, 2008. That sucks balls. However, after watching the videos from today's Media Summit, this game is fucking godly. I can't wait.
One thing that stood out: Entrances are back.
So yea, more on Brawl tomorrow.

The Bright Side to Brawl's Delay.
That's what I've been searching for all day. I'm trying to get over the game's delay and it sucks.
Let's look at other games coming out that will help the wait to Brawl be more fun.

1. Rock Band (XB360/PS3)
Rock Band will be amazing and is now set to be Game of my Year since Brawl is delayed.

2. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Now that Brawl is delayed, Mario Galaxy will sell more than carloads, it'll sell boatloads. I feel as if this game needs more recognition as once the Bee fervor died down, its been kind of sameness. Mario Galaxy will be amazing (and not delayed)

3. Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law (Wii/PS2/PSP)
The show's over but the game has just begun. Phoenix Wright with voice-acting and more comedy? and Capcom-references coming out of every orifice? Bitchin'

4. Contra IV (DS)
Fuck yea! Bring the spread gun!

5. Beautiful Katamari (XB360)
Rolling shit is awesome/

6. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Cock (XB360/PS3/Wii/PS2)
GH is awesome. Not quite Rock Band but still solid.

7. Mario & Sonic At the Olympics (Wii/DS)
Sonic's in Brawl, but he was in this shit with Mario first. Should be a solid fun title. Good Olympics games are usually fun.

8. Mass Effect (XB360)/Assassin's Creed (XB360/PS3)
Now that Brawl is delayed, I might actually consider buying these games!

9. Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 (Wii)/Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Wii)/Soul Calibur Legends (Wii)
These games too...

10. Eternal Sonata (XB360)/skate (XB360/PS3)/Dewy's Adventure (Wii)/Zack and Wiki (Wii)/The Simpsons Game (XB360/Wii/PS3/DS)/Geometry Wars Galaxies (Wii/DS)
Fuck...
this delay sucks because now I'm probably going to buy more games because Brawl won't be there to own me.
Rock Band might not be able to withstand the duress of suppressing my wallet...

Seemingly Random Musings

Video Game Program tomorrow at the Hopewell Library at 12 Noon - 4 PM. Be there!
It'll probably be focused on Halo 3, but Wii will be present and so Melee will probably be played.
However, the Guitar Hero Playing Device (PS2) is not making the trip. Hopefully Steve Rock will bring his guitar for the 360 version so GH will be made available.
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I still really want to buy Skate (360). The demo will occasionally pop up in my fucked up Halo dreams and then like, I'll be doing kickflips and grinds with Master Chief and Elites. I liked it better when I'd play some puzzle game a lot and then go to sleep dreaming of playing Dr. Mario or Mean Bean Machine. Well...at least I'm not dreaming about Bioshock...
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Bioshock is fucking fucked up. Fuck.
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I hope NiGHTs 2 (Wii) doesn't suck. I've always wanted to play more of the game but never thought the entry fee of an entire Sega Saturn was worth it.
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Mario and Sonic Olympics should salvage the crap that Sega's been putting together. Fencing excites me and so does the fact that its both mascots in the same freaking game. If this game can get to half-Warioware proportions, I'll be content.
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After playing a lot more 360 in recent weeks, Nintendo really needs to get their internet shit together. Virtual Console is hot shit but online play? downloadable content?
I've been having a ball with my 360 because of those two things. I've been downloading demos, playing games online, downloading content...
Albeit this will overturn as Halo 3 wears out, I've played a lot more 360 in the past month. My Wii playing has been delegated to these things:
1. Melee (Gamecube game)
2. Sin and Punishment and F-Zero X (Nintendo 64 games)
3. The occasional drunken Warioware game (alcohol influence)
4. Metroid Prime 3, which got shoved aside once Halo 3 came out and appeared to outMetroid Metroid in its second level with all the fucking backtracking. Although MPrime3 outHalo'd Halo with its opening scene with the spaceship getting attacked.

So my Wii playing has been older games and drunkeness primarily.
My 360 playing has been generally new and sober.
With the advent of GHIII (which 360 won my purchase) and Rock Band, there will be a veritable brawl...
waitwaitwaitwait
Super Smash Bros Brawl is coming out for Wii.

Oh fuck, Nintendo wins.
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Go Yankees.
Packers are still the best team in the NFL.
Woo!