It was a good day for gamers yesterday. After a long wait, the sequel to Kingdom Hearts was finally released. Of course, I headed on over to my local Best Buy to pick it up right after work. In case you are not familiar with the concept of the game, it basically fuses the worlds of Final Fantasy with worlds and characters from Disney. The original game was the main reason why I decided to buy a PS2 in the first place (being a Nintendo guy, you know!) Needless to say, I had been anxiously anticipating the release of the sequel ever since it had been announced.
But before I get to KH2, I must first bring up Chain of Memories. "What is Chain of Memories?", you might be asking. Well, it is the Kingdom Hearts game that bridges the gap between the original and the new sequel released for the Game Boy Advance (YAY NINTENDO!). Best Buy had a promotion where if you bought Kingdom Hearts 2, you could also get Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for $10 on the same receipt. So I took advantage of the deal, and am I ever glad I did. 
Chain of Memories picks right up directly after the events of the original KH. Basically, you are trying to reunite with friends you had been seperated from in the original, but as you progress through the game you gradually lose your memories. The further along you go, the more you forget. Ultimately you and your companions (Wise Donald and Brave Goofy!) are put into a sort of stasis wherein your memories are slowly being restored by a mysterious girl named Namine. Unfortunately, the process takes an entire year to complete. And that is where KH2 picks up.
During the lengthy prologue of KH2, you play not as Sora (the hero of the original epic, and wielder of the Keyblade!), but as Roxas, a character that seems to hold part of Sora within him. Utilizing Roxas, you are taken through a tutorial adventure that familiarizes you with the new game dynamics, as well as new allies and enemies. Basically the prologue serves to bridge the events of Chain of Memories to the new sequel. Ultimately you revive Sora, Donald, and Goofy from their year-long stasis, and the adventure begins anew.
King Mickey himself sets you off on your new adventure, as you still seek to reunite with your long lost friends, and the elusive way home. (On a personal note, there is nothing cooler than watching Mickey in "Jedi" robes kickin' ass with a Keyblade...Goosebumps!) I think that is the main reason why this game has struck a chord with so many people. Not only are you immersed in this world-spanning epic with strange creatures and locations, but you gut to journey through them with the characters that you grew up with as a kid. You get to see a totally different side of them that you never even imagined existed. (Where else could Bambi be a powerful ally?) 
Some worlds from the previous game have been abandoned such as Deep Jungle from Tarzan, Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland, Monstro from Pinocchio, and Neverland from Peter Pan, and replaced by new Disney worlds. And for the first time ever you can travel to worlds and interact with characters based on live-action Disney films. Making their KH debuts are:
Captain Jack Sparrow in Port Royal from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Tron in Space Paranoids from the movie Tron
Timeless River from the movie Steamboat Willie
Mulan and the Land of Dragons from the movie Mulan
Simba and the Pride Lands from The Lion King
Stitch from the movie Lilo and Stitch
And Chicken Little from the movie Chicken Little
If the length of the prologue is any indication (as well as the length of the original game), I'm in for an epic adventure that will last a while. But that is the draw of games like these, the fact that you can immerse yourself fully in these worlds with these characters that you've grown up with. I've got my fingers crossed that there is a third one made, and hopefully that one will see the inclusion of Pixar characters into the mix. What could be cooler than slaggin' aliens alongside Buzz Lightyear, or putting Heartless on ice with Frozone? (And with the arrival of the PS3, it can only get better!)
Just thought I'd throw in a random update of my friend's baby, Joshua. He's almost 2 months old now, and from what I've heard, he's outgrown some of his baby clothes already. (Oh, yeah, and he has chubby cheeks! Pinchable!) So, here's a before picture, taken at the hospital the day they were discharged:
And here is an after picture, taken a few weeks ago:
My, my, my, how quickly they grow...sigh...oh, well. So cute, just like his mommy. Hopefully I'll get to see them both again this weekend. I'll try to take my camera, perhaps I can snap a few more picture of Fusito (mommy's nickname for her little bundle of joy!).
Aside from getting my copy of Wolverine #40, today was a day full of little goodies for your's truly. On the video game front, both Metroid Prime: Hunters and Tetris DS arrived in stores today. Luckily my brothers still owed me birthday presents, so each of them got me one of the new games. Haven't played them for too long, but I think I can formulate some solid first impressions from what I have seen.
First up, Tetris DS. OMG! Where has this game been? This is the game for those of us who loved the original Tetris and the original NES console. This game is the perfect mixture of the puzzle game we all spend countless hours devoted to, and the classic Nintendo characters. This version offers 6 different takes on the classic Tetris game, each themed after classic NES games and characters. (And has a 10 person multiplayer feature! That's right 10 people!)
1). Standard mode takes you through the world of Mario as you play the classic Tetris game 2). Catch mode allows a new "spin" on the game as you control a spinning core attempting to catch falling pieces in the world of Metroid 3). Touch mode allows the stylus to come into play as you manipulate pieces in the world of Balloon Fight 4). Push mode is basically a tug-o-war as you try to push the opposing player into his end zone in the world of Donkey Kong 5). Return to Hyrule in the Mission mode where you are given a specific task to accomplish before moving on to the next and 6). Puzzle mode allows you to solve puzzles using the Tetris pieces as Yoshi looks on.
It is not only great to see the old favorite return on the new console, but seeing all these different variations on the basic game. This adds to the replayability of the game, which being Tetris, is very high to begin with. My favorites of the new games have been the Push mode and the Mission mode. I still need to get the hang of the Catch mode, but from what I have played it is totally different, and quite challenging. Overall, this is an awesome game, highly recommended.
Next up, Metroid Prime: Hunters. Okay, so I might be a little biased about this one, seeing how Metroid is my favorite of all the Nintendo titles. I haven't played too much of this one yet ,(My battery was dying when I finally decided to give it a shot after playing Tetris for about an hour), but from what little I did play, I could already see that this was classic Metroid in the same vein as Metroid Prime for the Gamecube. The graphics are good, the game mechanics need a little getting used to, though.
Your basic movements, front back left right, are still controlled by the D-pad, but your circular motion, 360 degrees up down, are controlled by the touch screen with either the stylus or the thumb pad attached to the carrying strap. The hand positioning needs a little getting used to, and I'm concerned that it will be a hassle when fighting bosses, but only time will tell.
The real selling point of this game is its multiplayer feature. It allows for up to 4 players to play each other as one of 7 (including Samus Aran) bounty hunters, each with their own specialized alternate forms and specific weapons of choice. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time players will be allowed to utilize another character OTHER than Samus in a Metroid game. I have yet to try the multiplayer feature, but I have a feeling that it will play out very much like Goldeneye. After a long wait, this games seems to be a big payoff for any Metroid fan. 
Both these games support Nintendo's WiFi connection feature, which means you can play against other people (either friend's or strangers) over the internet utilizing your computer's internet connection. I've used Mario Kart's WiFi feature, and it is great to be able to play against actual opponents instead of the computer (either way, I still get my ass handed to me on a platter!)
On an unrelated note, I picked up a couple of the new Star Wars Titanium figures from Hasbro. These figures fit into the Titanium line of Star Wars Vehicles from Micro Machines. These guys are highly detailed, slightly posable, and very cool. They come in their own display stand, and are available in two styles, fully painted and the unfinished-looking patina. Both feature removable helmets, which is a first for any Boba Fett figure, who looks suspiciously like another Fett we've come to know recently.
There is a second wave coming out in June featuring the bounty hunter Bossk and a Sandtrooper.
So after a long absence (a VERY long absence!) I'm slowly going to venture back into the loving embrace of comics. The culprit? Wolverine of course! Shortly before I recklessly abandoned my passion for the graphic novel, a little series called Origin came along. The story emphasized on the beginnings of the character of Logan/Wolverine. Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the character's comic incarnation, this Origin storyline was a very big deal since for the 30 years the character had been around, his background had never been fully revealed.
After long talks, some persuasive arguments, and a compelling manuscript, Marvel's Editor in Chief, Joe Quesada gave the go ahead to fully reveal the long awaited origin of everybody's favorite Canuck. I remember eagerly anticipating this mini-series, and how grateful I was not to be disappointed. The artwork is brilliant, the story is compelling, and more than a few questions were answered.
A few months ago I heard that Marvel was planning on making Origin an ongoing monthly series starting in April. Issue number 40 of the regular Wolverine series is supposed to serve as a springboard into the new Origin series, presenting a cliffhanger that is meant to be resolved in the first issue of the series. Origin brought to light events that transpired in the early years of Logan's life (his real name is actually James Howlett, and he was actually a sickly child, who suffered from occasional bouts of amnesia!) and the first time his powers manifested.
Origin covers some of Logan's childhood, all the way through to his adolescence. After that we were left guessing what happened between when we last saw him running off into the Canadian wilderness, and when he was found by the Weapon X project. Recent events in the Marvel Universe have allowed Wolverine to regain access to his lost or repressed memories, with a few gaps here and there. The new Origin series is meant to fill in those gaps, re-inforcing what many of us have suspected all along, or perhaps completely reconstructing the character's backstory from scratch. All that remains to be seen. The only thing I do know is that I am excited enough about this series to return to comics after a 4 year absence.
The Origin continues this April, I highly recommend it. And if you would like to catch up on the original mini-series, the trade paperback is also available now.
This weekend started off pretty good. Went to see "V for Vendetta" on Friday night in South Gate. Now, I was going into this movie with a lot of expectations, not because I was intimately familiar with the source material (even though being a comic book fan, I had heard the titled tossed around every so often), but because I'm such a fan of the work that Joel Silver and the Watchowski's did with the Matrix saga. (They remain as some of my favorite films, even though each successive sequel lacked the luster of the previous one. I also include the "Animatrix" in the saga, which is actually a great collection of short films by some of the best people in Anime).
I'm glad to say that I was not disappointed. I have to admit that in the beginning, when V first appears, spouting a long, complicated, prose of alliteration, I was slightly apprehensive that V would end being like the Architect in the Matrix. But thankfully that was not the case. No matter how flowery V got with his dialogue, it was always clear the meaning of his words. His actions, however, are another thing altogether.
V is single-minded, to the point of annoyance. But that all changes when he meets Evey (skillfully played by Natalie Portman). She becomes a new kind of obsession for V, as well as an ally. She brings out in V a sort of tenderness that wasn't apparent at first glance. It is a strange juxtaposition seeing how kind and delicate he can be with Evey, while still not hesitating to blow up a building full of innocent people or slicing a few throats with his various daggers.
Ultimately this film works on a very emotional level because of the state of the world we live in today. This film is very political, and its one political message is that we must be very wary of the power that we allow our government. This film takes place in Britain in the not-so-distant future, where a oppressive government has come into power under the charismatic head of Chancellor Adam Sutler. In the end, even though we see V commiting horrific acts of terrorism, (far worse than anything we see Chancellor Sutler commit!), we side, not with the character, but with the ideal. "People should not be afraid of their government, the government should be afraid of it's people". V comes across as likeable enough, thanks to the awesome acting of Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith to you and me!), despite the fact that we never once see his face. All in all, this was a very enjoyable movie-going experience. I'll give this a 4 out of 5. Now, on to the main event.
Saturday night was my RBD concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and honestly I was not expecting it to be such the massive event it turned out to be. We ventured off at around 1:30pm (Gates open at 4:30pm, concert starts at 7:00pm) and arrived finally at the Coliseum at around 3:00pm. Traffic was crazy. The streets were literally a parking lot. We decided to park at one of the 5 USC parking lots that were opened to provide parking for the event, which ended up being the smartest thing we could have possibly done. Sure it was $20.00, but the convenience both before and after the concert was well worth it.
We walked three blocks to the Coliseum, cutting through USC, where we saw pleanty of girls in their RBD gear (many way too young to be showing what God WILL give them in a few more years), street vendors attempting to sell knock-off RBD merchandise, those infamous bacon-wrapped hot dog carts (Mmmm...Mmmm...Mmmm...that's good eats!), and one car accident. We finally came upon two MASSIVE lines that doubled back on themselves. (According to Super Estrella 107.1fm, the official station of the RBD concert), some people had been there since midnight waiting in line. (And many flew in from other parts of the country, or other countries altogether).
We ended up at the part of the line that doubled back to the front of the entrance. The line continued to form WAY past where we were, we couldn't even see the end. Everything was going smoothly for the hour and a half we were in line. We saw a massive fleet of security guards emerge from the Sports Arena next door, bagged lunch in hand, sporting their bright yellow slickers. So at that point I figured, this might not end in tragedy after all. But then the gates opened, and I realized just how rabid these fans are.
People were attempting (and often succeeding which incouraged many others) in running to the point of the line directly adjacent to us, which was also the front of the line) getting past the few security guards posted there.There was group of people in front of us daring enough to try the dash and cut maneuver, although the left one person behind to hold their place in line in case they failed. They didn't. Their friend insisted we try as well, but we weren't as daring. She tried a few times, but security, and the shouts of the crowd she was trying to cut in front of, discouraged her. Luckily, her friends had said before they went in that they would save 3 seats for us. And true to their word, 40 minutes after they went into the Coliseum, we found them with 3 seats saved just for us.
The seats were fairly close to the stage, closer than we would have gotten if we had waited until we got in to get seats ourselves. We were stage left, almost perpendicular to it. Now, all morning and most of the afternoon had been sunny. It had rained the night before, and there were chances of thunderstorms that night as well. But we felt that luck was on our side and we would have a clear night for a great show. Boy, were we wrong...DEAD wrong...(DUM DUM DUM!!!).
The concert was set to start at 7:00pm, around 6:45pm or so there were very light sprinkles drizzling down on us. People were still walking in to their seats. We thought if that was the worst that it got, we would still have a good night. But it didn't stop there. It began to rain, nice and steady. The same people who saved us seats were kind enough to give us a large plastic bag that we could use to cover ourselves. All was fine until the wind picked up, the temperature dropped, and all of a sudden we were being hailed on. We were cold, we were wet, we were covered in ice. So many of the people in the stands decided to seek shelter in the tunnels. Bad idea! They ran to the tunnels and just settled there, clogging the only exits. People were being smashed together, some idiots decided to force their way through in the other direction, knocking people against the walls. Kids were beginning to get crushed. At that point, we were at the mouth of the tunnel, and proceeded to attempt rescuing the kids. It was scary there for a moment, there were times when I thought I was going to be pushed down the stairs, but thankfully the rain subsided, the clouds parted, and the band took the stage at nearly 7:30pm.
Okay, so I wasn't a fan of the band beforehand. I did all this for my girlfriend because I see how much she loves the show and the music, and a few of the guys in the band. But they won me over. I don't know whether it was the energy from the fans, the scantily clad ladies, or the music. (I'm leaning towards the scantily clad ladies myself!) We were standing the whole time, my legs are still sore, swaying to the music. It was a little hard to snap any good pictures, some came out too dark or too blurry, so I decided to focus primarily of taking short video clips. They turned out pretty good. Something to remember the night by.
By the sounds of it, we broke the Coliseum's record for attendance at any latin artist's concert. (These kid's names are uttered in the same sentence with U2 and the Rolling Stones in sheer numbers). This was the first stop in their first North American tour, and the news choppers were constantly hovering overhead, there were also camera crews throughout the stadium. (I heard they were filming footage for their soap opera, or Telenovela for those of you who habla!) There was a very memorable moment during a slow song when all the lights were turned off except for a spotlight, and almost everyone in the audience was holding up their cell phones. It almost looked like starlight. It was impressive.
All in all it was a pleasant evening. Good music, good company. Could have done without the wet and the cold, and the near-death experience now that I think of it, but fun nonetheless. Well worth the $50 a ticket that I paid. (As opposed to some people who we overheard saying that they paid $150 for the same general admission tickets we bought!) After the band performed, a mariachi band took the stage for one song, and then the back-up band played out to a fireworks display behind the stage. We stayed through all of this, allowing for the initial rush of people exiting the Coliseum to die down.Traffic was almost as bad as when we got there earlier that afternoon, and I could not be happier that we parked at USC instead of the Coliseum parking lot. We managed to avoid almost all the traffic, and we decided to take the surface streets home. A happy end to a happy evening. Thanks to all of you who prayed for our lives, and who visit my blog to hear me rant about it. Sorry for the wait, I'll try not to leave you hanging so long next time.
I just bought Lego Star Wars for the Gamecube, and man was I pleasantly surprised. After the enormous disappointment of the Star Wars Revenge of the Sith game, I was a little hesitant about picking this one up. I thought the idea of the lego brand being attached to the Star Wars name was just a gimmick to profit off of the end of the saga. There is just something endearing about this game. I don't know whether it is the characters, or the light-hearted nature of the game itself.
The game allows you play out the prequel trilogy of the saga, starting off with only Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui Gon Jinn as your playable characters, but as you complete each stage of the mission, you unlock more and more characters. (Usually those involved with the levels you have just completed, my favorite of which is R2-D2). Along the way there are certain obstacles of tasks that can only be completed by certain characters with certain abilities. (The majority of which are related to the force, which either Jedi or Sith characters can perform).
Virtually everything in the game is destructable. And I MEAN everything! You can shoot things, manipulate them with the force, or slice them with your lightsaber. You begin each level at Dexter Jester's diner, and from there you simply walk through the door of the movie, and the level, that you want to play.
Also, as you progress through the game, you can collect special blocks that, when all are collected, come together to build a different vehicle from the Star Wars Universe. There are ten pieces per level, so there is a potential to build a lot of vehicles. And whenever you want to check on your collction, you simply walk out of the diner, and they are on display outside. Here you can see the level of completion for each, how many pieces are missing, and then you can re-enter levels in search of the missing pieces. Each subsequent character you unlock makes finding all the hidden pieces a little bit easier.
There are a couple of levels where you can actually fly some of the vehicles, like the space battle over Coruscant from Episode III, or a Republic Gunship over Geonosis from Episode II. After a while you begin to lose sight of the fact that the characters and the vehicles that you are controlling are made of Legos, and you begin to realize that this game is WAY better than the offical movie adaptation one was.
There are a few things that quickly bring you back to the realization that these are Legos, and the game is supposed to be more light-hearted than the films actually were. There is a stage where once you have manipulated everything in the room there is to manipulate, the characters in the room drop everything they are doing, and begin to dance to the disco version of the Star Wars theme song. It's hilarious to watch the Caminoans getting down.
This game is great, there is no doubt about it. It's a fun time, as well as a fun spin on an already classic franchise. And there are already talks of a sequel to the game which would allow you to play the original trilogy, with all its characters and environments. Hopefully that one will be just as enjoyable as this one was. (Can't wait to be able to fly the Falcon, or blow up the Death Star!)
It was a good day for gamers yesterday. After a long wait, the sequel to Kingdom Hearts was finally released. Of course, I headed on over to my local Best Buy to pick it up right after work. In case you are not familiar with the concept of the game, it basically fuses the worlds of Final Fantasy with worlds and characters from Disney. The original game was the main reason why I decided to buy a PS2 in the first place (being a Nintendo guy, you know!) Needless to say, I had been anxiously anticipating the release of the sequel ever since it had been announced.
But before I get to KH2, I must first bring up Chain of Memories. "What is Chain of Memories?", you might be asking. Well, it is the Kingdom Hearts game that bridges the gap between the original and the new sequel released for the Game Boy Advance (YAY NINTENDO!). Best Buy had a promotion where if you bought Kingdom Hearts 2, you could also get Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for $10 on the same receipt. So I took advantage of the deal, and am I ever glad I did. 
Chain of Memories picks right up directly after the events of the original KH. Basically, you are trying to reunite with friends you had been seperated from in the original, but as you progress through the game you gradually lose your memories. The further along you go, the more you forget. Ultimately you and your companions (Wise Donald and Brave Goofy!) are put into a sort of stasis wherein your memories are slowly being restored by a mysterious girl named Namine. Unfortunately, the process takes an entire year to complete. And that is where KH2 picks up.
During the lengthy prologue of KH2, you play not as Sora (the hero of the original epic, and wielder of the Keyblade!), but as Roxas, a character that seems to hold part of Sora within him. Utilizing Roxas, you are taken through a tutorial adventure that familiarizes you with the new game dynamics, as well as new allies and enemies. Basically the prologue serves to bridge the events of Chain of Memories to the new sequel. Ultimately you revive Sora, Donald, and Goofy from their year-long stasis, and the adventure begins anew.
King Mickey himself sets you off on your new adventure, as you still seek to reunite with your long lost friends, and the elusive way home. (On a personal note, there is nothing cooler than watching Mickey in "Jedi" robes kickin' ass with a Keyblade...Goosebumps!) I think that is the main reason why this game has struck a chord with so many people. Not only are you immersed in this world-spanning epic with strange creatures and locations, but you gut to journey through them with the characters that you grew up with as a kid. You get to see a totally different side of them that you never even imagined existed. (Where else could Bambi be a powerful ally?) 
Some worlds from the previous game have been abandoned such as Deep Jungle from Tarzan, Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland, Monstro from Pinocchio, and Neverland from Peter Pan, and replaced by new Disney worlds. And for the first time ever you can travel to worlds and interact with characters based on live-action Disney films. Making their KH debuts are:
Captain Jack Sparrow in Port Royal from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Tron in Space Paranoids from the movie Tron
Timeless River from the movie Steamboat Willie
Mulan and the Land of Dragons from the movie Mulan
Simba and the Pride Lands from The Lion King
Stitch from the movie Lilo and Stitch
And Chicken Little from the movie Chicken Little
If the length of the prologue is any indication (as well as the length of the original game), I'm in for an epic adventure that will last a while. But that is the draw of games like these, the fact that you can immerse yourself fully in these worlds with these characters that you've grown up with. I've got my fingers crossed that there is a third one made, and hopefully that one will see the inclusion of Pixar characters into the mix. What could be cooler than slaggin' aliens alongside Buzz Lightyear, or putting Heartless on ice with Frozone? (And with the arrival of the PS3, it can only get better!) 
