Game Review: Flower (Playstation 3, 2009)

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: thatgamecompany

Time to Complete: 2-3 hours

Developed exclusively for the Playstation Network, Flower is one of the more interesting games to come down the pike in some time. Upon its debut, it was referred to by some as a "tech demo" for the Playstation 3 hardware. There is certainly more to it than that. Purchasable for a mere $10, Flower is a sublime experience that anyone can enjoy, whether they're a gamer or not.

Game Review: Fl0w (Playstation 3, 2007)

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: thatgamecompany

Time to Complete: 1-2 hours

Thatgamecompany, future makers of Flower and Journey, got their mainstream start with the relatively unassuming Fl0w. It started as a moderately popular flash game before being ported to the PS3 with HD graphics. Riding a wave of momentum, it became the most downloaded PSN game of 2007.

I didn't play this game until well after the spiritual sequel, Flower. That game blew me away. I was so impressed with it that I had to go back and experience the game that it originated from. I wasn't disappointed. I do wonder why it has a zero in the title instead of an o, and the game isn't without problems. It's still pretty rad, though.

My Top Ten Favorite Movies

 

Just what it says on the tin. Today I'll be counting down my personal top ten favorite movies of all time. This list is entirely subjective and by no means am I saying that these are the ten best movies I've ever seen from a design standpoint; The Godfather and Citizen Kane unfortunately won't be making the list. These are simply the ten that I've liked the most over the years and find myself revisiting the most often. I will say that everything on this list is quite good and well worth seeing.

Pokemon: Generation II (Part 2 - Bugsy and Whitney)

 "Psst. Hey, buddy. Want to see the REAL hardcore shit? Pokemon Yellow was nothing. Pokemon Crystal is extreme."

Pokemon: Generation II (Part 1 - Falkner)

Now I begin the first of the two generations that I missed entirely. I was so close to getting this (well, the Gold or Silver version) back in 2000, but I simply didn't have room among all the amazing PSX RPGs we were getting at the time. 2000 was a time of wonderment: The economy was good... "The Real Slim Shady" was playing nonstop on MTV... MTV played music...

Nintendo Power, Volume 5 (March/April 1989)

For a long time this was the earliest issue of Nintendo Power that I owned. I had to take a look at this one too just to show how different the magazine was in the first year. What a cover, huh? The early covers can be really colorful.

Pokemon: Generation I (Finale - Elite Four)

It's time to defeat the Elite Four and become Pokemon League champion! Just as soon as my prized Takeapi evolves into Takeapu.

Pokemon: Generation I (Part 6 - Blaine and Giovanni)

We rejoin Pokemon Yellow as our heroes arrive on some islands. Will there be Pitbull music playing and ethnically-ambiguous women in bikinis dancing? ...no. Once again, no.

Five Game-Related Things I'd Like To See In My Lifetime (2016 Update)

ORIGINALLY POSTED AUGUST 2010. New comments will be in bold.

I'll say it right now: I'm tired of all the ports and remasters in the game industry currently. I enjoy creativity and new worlds to explore, but remasters are way too prevalent. If I want to play a game that already exists, I'll go back and play it in its original form. Enough people are willing to shell out all their money for remakes that the game industry will keep going with this trend, though.

In other words, you won't see any remakes on this list.

...or will you?

2016 Note: It's funny that I said that because this post itself is a re-release.

Five Movie-Related Things I'd Like To See In My Lifetime (2016 Update)

ORIGINALLY POSTED 2010. New comments will be in bold.

This list will be quick and to-the-point. This is a list of pipe dreams that may or may not come to pass, but they're at the top of my wish list.

2016 Note: Looks like I'm faring a lot better on THIS wish list than the Game-Related Things list...

Pokemon: Generation I (Part 5 - Sabrina and Koga)

 

We rejoin Pokemon Yellow in progress as Ambrose takes a break from DDTing random passerby to take on the Team Rocket boss and free the good people of Silph Corporation from their vile clutches. Also starring not one, but TWO gym leaders...and one future gym leader...it's going to be a mad house.

Limbo (500k Views Special)

To celebrate 500k views, I'm looking at a very cool indy game. It was either this or Shovel Knight, and...well...Limbo just feels right.

Star Fox Zero (Wii U, 2016)

Herein lies an (almost) full playthrough of Star Fox Zero in video form. This game...was not good. I had a few friends over and they all tapped out on it. Eventually I beat the game, even though the final boss was astronomically more difficult than the rest of the game for some reason. I was looking forward to this one, but it ended up being a big disappointment.

Pokemon: Generation I (Part 4 - Erika)

Today on Pokemon Yellow: Accusations are levied, as our hero conquers another gym, fights Team Rocket, and climbs a tower filled with ghosts. So basically, a typical Friday night at Ambrose's Tijuana opium den.

Oh, and Lavender Town. This'll be a more serious episode than the usual.

Pokemon: Generation I (Part 3 - Lt. Surge)

 Today on Pokemon Yellow, Ambrose wakes up behind a dumpster and resumes his quest to become Pokemon Champion. I've got my Pokemon levelled-up, litter box trained, and ready for action. Tune in as "The Destroyer" Metapod absolutely goes full wrecking-ball on everything in sight.

Pokemon: Generation I (Part 2 - Misty)

Previously on Pokemon Yellow, our hero defeated "The Next Big Thing" BRRRRROCK... well, just Brock. Today, I take on the second Gym Leader and her short shorts. But first, I track down the reclusive Kung-Fu prodigy and Israeli special forces sharpshooter known as Mankey. JOIN US.

Pokemon: Generation I (Part 1 - Brock)

The Summer of Pokemon begins with the ultimate edition of Generation 1!

The Summer of Pokemon will be an event so monumental, Walt Disney himself left specific instructions to be un-frozen on July 25th 2016.

Mario Kart 8 (Wii U, 2014)

Finally I look at the latest game in this series. It's the most fun thing on the Wii U. Just a total blast. Shigeru Miyamoto has really outdone himself this time.

Mario Kart Wii (Wii, 2008)

Super game here. Hard to believe this launched eight years ago. I don't get to do very many Wii game posts, so this'll be interesting.

Mario Kart: Double Dash (Gamecube, 2003)

Time to step into the realm of the Gamecube, as Mario and friends get into the business of tag-teaming karts. Since this game coincides with Super Mario Sunshine, I expect it to share a lot of the same assets. Does this also mean the game will consist only of redundant Delfino Island levels? Tune in and find out.