LIMBO...

There are few video games that I had been anticipating as much as this XBox live Arcade game, which finally hit the marketplace on Wednesday of this week. I had seen the trailers, read the prerelease review, and essentially bought utterly and completely into the hype. And I must say, I am very glad I did.

For a game that appears so simplistic it actually managed to go above and beyond what I had expected it to be. But before I get too far ahead of myself, for those of you who don't particularly follow video games allow me to post the trailer...



As you can see, LIMBO is a 2D platforming game (meaning you have to maneuver your way through the world amidst various obstacles i.e. platforms in order to arrive at your destination) with heavy puzzle elements. The main protagonist is a young boy who is searching for his sister, because he fears for her safety. And that's the story. Really, that is all you get as far as story goes. There is no dialogue in the game, nor text cutscenes in order to get more of a narrative. From the moment you awaken as the boy, lying on the darklit forest floor, until the moment you complete the game the narrative is only that which you can see and hear all around you. And that is one of the things that makes LIMBO so impressive.

It truly shows how video games are an art form all their own despite what some douchebags critics may say. (I'm looking at you Roger Ebert.) The presentation of the game is very minimalist. The color scheme is entirely noir, with black, white, and shades of gray the only color tones ever used. But the level of detail and complexity displayed here are astounding. The game is fluid, crisp, and really instills in you a sense of melancholy and loneliness the further you proceed into the world.

The music also takes a similar, minimalist approach. Aside from occasional music tracks (which always build in intensity corresponding to key events) all you will ever hear in the game are ambient noises of the environment around you. Birds chirp, water gushes from broken pipes, steam hisses in barren industrial facilities, and the boy pants, grunts, and yelps as a bear trap severs his head from his body.

Wait...did I type that correctly? Yes, actually I did. Despite the seemingly simple narrative and child protagonist this game is filled with gory deaths. Essentially all the puzzles you encounter will consist of you dieing (repeatedly I may add) in an attempt to figure out how to circumvent the trap in order to progress to the next, more challenging, obstacle.

Bear traps, buzz saws, rooms filling with water, a giant spider (that is sure to invoke nightmares in all but the most grizzled or jaded) and many more instruments of death fill this colorless, lonely landscape. And there in lies the absolute appeal of this game. Despite the difficulty being at times excruciatingly frustrating, once you figure out how to solve a particular puzzle the satisfaction is immense and supremely rewarding...that is until a few steps later you get squashed by randomly changing gravity and a giant metal block.

In all, I say LIMBO is a fantastic addition to anyone's Xbox library. It's minimalist, haunting, and gorgeous presentation, accompanied by tight controls, clever puzzles, and one of the most esoteric endings of any game in recent history will definitely keep you entertained for a few hours. And even after you complete the game (as I'll tell you now it is quite short...once you figure out all the puzzles a run through may take you a little over an hour if you pull all the traps off perfectly) you can replay specific chapters in order to find all the hidden achievements the game has to offer.

So for fifteen dollars (or 1200 microsoft points if you would rather) you will certainly find something to love with this game if you are a fan of anything I've mentioned up to this point. (Including violent, gruesome deaths for all of you sadists out there.)

I give it a 4.9 out of 5. (It is REALLY short on subsequent playthroughs, and the ending still kind of has me upset...but I'm just nitpicking.)

And it's always peaceful, despite the chaos we bring with us.

Work Haiku

I am as bored as
A platypus that does not
Have his own mirror.

A little me time...

Today I'm taking some time out to post on my own little slice of the interwebs. My other collaborative effort is still going strong over at A little t and a (shameless cross promotion I know) but I just felt like posting something that isn't politically charged at the moment.

I've been thinking about this for a while now, and what it boils down to is the quality of the posts on this blog (or more specifically, the last two posts) have been lacking. At least as far as my own self-imposed standards go. I have come to the conclusion that I've been trying to rush it too much. Either I get an idea stuck and try to bang it out as quickly as possible, or I try to bind myself to the time constraint of not even beginning my post until its right on the line for me to have to go do something else.

It is probably not the best quality to pick up, but I think as long as I've recognized this flaw I should be able to correct it.

Another problem I've had lately is that I haven't been allowing myself free reign to ramble as I typically do. By that I mean, despite my posts being rambling tangential quagmires of ideas, I focus too much on trying to keep them in a strict structure. While that is essential when writing on specific topics I need to get back to just free flow of ideas, sort of as I'm doing now. That too should help me come to terms with the burden to write I've been placing on myself as of late.

So then, where should this post head next? Why not just cut it short and meander on over to a little haiku? Splendid idea.

At the library,
surrounded by knowledge and
Myspace, I shudder.

And that, as they say, is that for today.

Superhero naming conventions and why they suck today...

With a title like that I'm sure I've already alienated most of my admittedly tiny audience. But for those that tough it out I promise I'm going somewhere with this one...maybe.

I've been on a rather large superhero kick lately, mostly because I've decided to try to catch myself up with the world of comic books. For those of you who have never picked one up, or haven't read any in some time this may not seem like such a hard task but I can assure it is much more difficult than one would initially imagine.

While comic crossovers and mega events have existed throughout most of the comic book era (coming into its own in the Silver Age generally) they really do seem to be the order of the day anymore. You cannot expect just to follow one arc to completion and be satisfied without at least picking up one or two of the parallel (and perpendicular) accompanying arcs that help flesh out the over all story. Its a rather convoluted deal, driven by an urge to increase sales for multiple books as much as possible by piggybacking on a shared event. Recent examples (within the last four to five years) would be the House of M, Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign, etc and those are just Marvel comics brand. These are all huge, epic events that span a fair majority of all current Marvel publications and characters.

So what does this have to do with the supposed topic of this post? Well to jump into one of these events without having a primer or (like myself) being out of the comics loop for a while it can be fairly confusing to figure out who the hell all the characters you're reading about are, and how they figure into the action.

Comics do a fairly good job of summarizing the very key points so you can sort of pick up and go (since, as the saying goes, "every comic is someone's first") but it can be sort of overwhelming to all but the most devout reader.

One of the main problems lies within the fact that (for the big two at least; Marvel and DC) the writers really have 60+ years of storylines and characters to pluck from when creating the tales we have today. And that is a conservative estimate. And of course not counting the numerous retcons that have been performed throughout the years.

So when we see a costumed character upon the page, how do we get a feel for who this character is if we are not already familiar with him/her? Well, flashy entrances help, and character design can give us a hint, but what once was truly the best way to get an instant handle on a character was the name.

Names are powerful. This stands as true in everyday, real world society as it does in the the realm of fiction. The sound of a name is just as important for a character as any power set or flashy costume can hope to be.

The traditional naming of a hero signified either one of two things: Power/ability (Superman, Human Torch, Iceman) or Persona (Batman, Captain America, Doctor Strange). When you see any of these names, even if you would not be intimately familiar with the character, you sort of instantly get a feel for what to expect.

The problem is that over these 60+ years of comics (again conservatively) there have been a slew of characters created. Some last, many do not, but unless you want to really alienate your fans you are forced to keep coming up with new names for the constant birth of new characters...and more often than not these names either end up being incredibly hokey, misleading, or just plain dumb.

I place a fair amount of the blame for today's terrible character names on Marvel and the explosion of popularity that was the X-men. There was a time that there were so many mutants running around that there was no conceivable way of putting any legitimate thought into their names. Especially when characters are used in a very disposable nature it becomes almost pointless to think up a good name when it'll just end up in the garbage heap two or three issues later.

And this is why, in today's comic landscape, for every truly good character name (like, oh, say Deadpool) you have to suffer through a dozen Boom Booms and Shortpacks. Even if the character was the most bad-ass mofo on the planet...could you ever be emotionally invested in what happened to him/her?

And thus, my rant comes to a close. Have I actually stumbled on anything worthwhile? No. Where comic names ever really actually that good, or have I just romanticized the past while being overly cynical on the present? Probably.

But writing this all killed a good amount of time, and when you're supposed to be doing work, what more can you ask for?

Technology...

I know this was not even on my radar of things I was going to post, but as usual I became distracted and had to get this out there. Technology is insane. I know it is becoming increasingly commonplace, all these gizmos and gadgets that we employ on a daily basis to make life easier (or at the very least more convenient) but when one steps back and truly thinks about what we have become it is almost awe-inspiring.

As I type this I am sitting at the library. I noticed my cellphone was running a little low on juice so I brought out my charger, popped off the wall plug to expose the usb connector, and just plugged that sucker into the computer which I was already using. Talk about convenience.

Its not necessarily my cellphone that amazes me but merely the fact that how ingrained all of these things have become in our lives. The new iPhone was revealed today. Now I have never been an iPhone supporter but it does boast some interesting uses. On top of being able to basically run your house remotely via apps (which has been happening for longer than I realised already) now you will be able to videochat with others from your phone, provided they also have an iPhone 4 naturally.

Our appliances, even the most basic, are taking on this juggernaut life of endless upgrades. Smart toasters, smart coffee makers, voice activated can openers (ok maybe I made that one up but I sincerely doubt it). Every aspect of our lives is touched by this endless march towards bigger, better, smarter all through electronics.

Is this a good or a bad thing? I cannot say. Well I could, but I'm afraid I would not like the answer that I came up with if I did. All of these advancements, regardless of how minute, make us increasingly dependent on technology.

Do you doubt me? Leave your cellphone at home when you go out and see if you get that "naked" feeling as you are walking around.

The internet, smart phones, streaming video, keyless cars that can park themselves, lights that turn themselves off when no one is in the room, etc. Virtually anything that can be touched by technology has been or soon will be probably within the next five to ten years. And once it has been touched it will continue to advance, adapt, evolve (and no, that is not too strong of a word for it) and make everything that came before it feel obsolete and antiquated. It is a slippery slope. It's amazing and truly awesome in the exact definition of the word. But what happens when all comes crashing down?

What if the possibility to digitize your exsistence becomes a reality instead of just science fiction? How many people would make that leap?

"Let me show you an endless trail of sunsets."

If that is too far fetched, then at the very least consider what would happen to us as a society if a massive catastrophe were to befall? How many people could fend for themselves if need be? I know this is a fear that has plagued people ever since the industrial revolution, and most likely before, but it is valid. And the more reliant we become on technology the greater our fall will be when it fails.

I know I have just rambled quite a bit in this post. The ultimate example of my mind gushing out pretty much whatever came to it as fast as my fingers could convert thoughts to keystrokes. But these are the things I think about. Sometimes these are the thoughts that keep me up at night in a cold sweat. That and the chaos in the world around us, but that is another post for another time.

And if you think I'm being dramatic, you are probably partially right. There are a million other things to worry about in this world. Technology is only one small part of it, and the benefits of ever increasing tech for now still outweigh the potential negative outcomes. However I ask you to think about it for a minute: What happens when your toaster decides it doesn't need to char bread for you anymore?

Err...

I suppose I have nothing worthy to contribute at the moment. But upon looking at this blog I realised (yes with an "s"...I sometimes like the so called English spelling better) that I have been neglectful when it comes to regularly updating. A ton of stuff noteworthy has been happening as of late in the world. I have ideas in mind for comments regarding the Gaza blockade, the protests of the National Spelling Bee, and other such fun topics.

But it just so happens that whenever I make a plan to post, I get very angry at my subject matter and pull away from the world, or else I get distracted and never actually get around to saying anything. It is a horrible cycle to find myself in, though it is one I hope to rectify shortly.

Until then, may all four or five people that have ever actually read this blog (thank you muchly for that by the way) keep the faith. I might eventually type something worthy of a read yet!

Ashes...

Measuring my time
In ashes and smoke, these days
Never seem to end

One for the road...

Sunset as stale as
this cigarette that I smoke.
Drive on my brother.

Quick thought...

Yesterday as I was reading various articles of the day I came across a story about the problem some same sex couples are having in Texas. Now it is not exactly what you may initially think. This is not an issue about the right for them to get married in Texas (which they of course still cannot) but moreover it is about the right for them to get a divorce in said state.

The problem is, since Texas does not recognize gay marriage they will also not allow gay couples to get a divorce in that state since the marriage technically does not exist within the state already. The problem is that as with any marriage things do eventually become rocky, and there is always the possibility of divorce. By the state of Texas denying divorces to same sex couples who are already married (legally I may add) in other states they are in essence saying that these couples are not entitled to the same legal treatment as heterosexual couples. Sure, this argument is rampant whenever the marriage issue is brought up across the country, but now in this divorce issue the problems are compounded. Since the marriage occurred in another state where the law allows same sex marriages those couples have entered into both the ceremonial and legally binding state of marriage.

What now, when these couples choose to part for whatever reasons that may arise are these people to do? Since the state of Texas will not currently grant a divorce (over the fear that allowing same sex couples to divorce is an act of acceptance of gay marriage) these couples are stuck in a legal loophole. There is no adequate way of assessing the split of assets, property, visitation with children, etc. Now the cases that are already pending in Texas (at least as far as my quick research has found) are mostly amicable and not really in need of legal help to resolve the termination of the marriage contract, but if that were not the case and it was a messy situation where children or (as is the case partially now) large sums of property or money involved there would be no legal recourse available to these couples. Long story short, someone would end up being screwed, or both parties would be forced to remain in a situation that could potentially be unhealthy.

I certainly do not agree with Texas on this one. While their voters did in essence wish to keep marriage as a union between a man and woman, the argument that some use to keep divorce solely to a man and a woman is ridiculous. If marriage is a truly holy institution then divorce should not be considered or used. However we all know divorce is (sadly) not uncommon in this day and age. And when you look at marriage as simply a legally binding contract between two individuals then divorce is merely the legal way out of that contract.

My point here is, if Texas wishes to maintain the sanctity of marriage yet they deny divorce to same sex couples already married and living in that state, they are not so much maintaining the sanctity of marriage (where all divorce would be considered an affront to the union) as they are maintaining the sanctity of a legal and social contract between two individuals. Thereby, denying the right of divorce to couples already legally married because of their gender is discrimination by saying the law only applies to certain portions of the population. And that, my friends, is wrong. Since the law is meant to be cut and dry applied to all people regardless of race, religion, creed, etc. Dare to dream, eh?

But this is just my quick two cents on the subject before work.

Round and Round we go...

Once more I am embarking on a quest of narcissism and self-discovery that will be made public for the world the occasional passer-by to stumble upon, and the true masochist to read. Ok perhaps it will not be that bad. I'm wholeheartedly attempting to be more substantive that I have with all of my previous blogging adventures. I want to not just write for myself (though that is the main reason naturally) but to hopefully stir some thoughts, feelings, or new ideas in anyone that may be willing to read the culmination of my keystrokes. Discourse is a great thing, and comments would be muchly appreciated.

Whether you agree or disagree with me, feel free to let me know.

Here's one for the road:

clacking of the keys
spurns my creative soul and
pains my o'er worked wrist