I love you, Barb!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Happy Anniversary, Baby!
I love you, Barb!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
The Big One: 2009 Game Of The Year
The time has finally arrived to announce my choice as 2009's video game of the year. This is a decision that I struggled with up until the very end for reasons I will get into later in this blog. For the uninitiated, I nominated 6 games for GOTY:
With the formalities out of the way, let's get into it. I will place the games in reverse order and talk a little bit about each game until we get to the final 2, when I will explain why I went the way I did. As I mentioned earlier, it was not an easy decision. The top 3 games all garnered very serious consideration for the top spot.
6th place: NHL 10. EA's NHL series has been getting better every season for the past 3 years and this year's version added board play and finer user-based tuning. This game does so many things well, from the vast number of teams and leagues available to the addictive Be A Pro mode and General Manager mode. Playing offense is extremely satisfying while playing defense (for me anyway) was better than it had been in years past. I felt like I was more in control of my defensemen. The game also looks gorgeous and has great arena sounds and play-by-play. I subtracted some points because General Manager mode is still buggy in places and there is no on-line co-op mode. Still, this is a killer sports game.
5th place: Batman: Arkham Asylum. This game exceeded my expectations. Most superhero games up until this point have been a poor joke. This game turned that old convention upside down. First rate all the way, this is a classic beat 'em up game that comes stocked with some great Batman toys as well. The control is excellent too, a vital ingredient for a game such as this. The production is first rate: the graphics and audio is top of the line stuff. Particularly impressive is the voice acting, which takes advantage of several of the big names from the animated Batman series. It's got plenty to do, a decent story and it keeps you coming back for more. My only caveat is that once I finished the game, I had no desire to go back and play it again. That is a rarity for me when I play a game that I consider truly excellent. Batman fits that bill, but for some reason, I was not compelled to return to it any time soon.
4th place: The Beatles: Rock Band. My most awaited game of the year and it did not disappoint in the least. It's everything I could have hoped for (well, maybe a larger number of songs) and then some. I got the limited edition that came with the Hofner bass (which is just a real thing of beauty), the drums and a microphone. Playing and singing at the same time is where it is at; there has not been any moment in gaming this year that has been more thrilling. The obvious love that the creators have for The Beatles matches my own love for the band. I really thought this would be my game of the year. But when I looked at it objectively, without my Fab Four colored glasses on, it was still basically just a Rock Band game. The only truly new wrinkle (and it was a doozy) was the ability to sing background vocals. It fits in perfectly with The Beatles, but still it's just 1 innovation. In my own worldview this game would score about a 9.8 on a 10 scale. But I'd score it at about a 9.25 for everyone else.
3rd place. Assassin's Creed II. This game is huge. Epic. It was right up there for the GOTY nod. The ability to go just about anywhere on the huge maps is just amazing. The fighting is very well done and despite the frequency it never really felt redundant. The small RPG elements work well, the story is exciting and well told and the graphics and the voice acting are superb. You can spend hours upon hours playing the game and once you finish the main quest there are still tons of things to do. My only complaint is that the controls got me once in a while. While scaling huge buildings I would try to go one way and sometimes instead I would see myself jump off the building to my death in the street far below. This happened more than a few times. If you had invested a lot of time to reach a certain point only to see your character jump off in a totally unintended direction, it could be frustration city. There were also a couple of timed missions, which I have a huge distaste for. I was able to complete them, but I just hate them in general. Other than those 2 items, this game is an A+ all the way.
Now onto the final 2 games. And this is where my hesitation came in. It took me long enough to eliminate Assassin's Creed II from consideration as GOTY. When it came down to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves or Borderlands for GOTY, I was of 2 different minds. Was the Game Of The Year the game I considered the best quality or was it the game I enjoyed the most? Because they aren't always 1 in the same. Take movies for example. As any loyal reader knows, my favorite movie of all time is Jaws. And there is no real competition for that spot. And while I will argue until I am blue in the face that Spielberg's shark story is an A+ movie and a bona fide classic, I will not spend a single moment saying it is the BEST film I have ever seen. That honor would go to Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (or perhaps Kobayashi's Human Condition trilogy, but that is a huge discussion for another day). So there is a difference, it is very real, and it pertains to this discussion because this year, unlike the past 2, my favorite game and the game I considered "the best" are in fact different. In the end, I spoke to several people about it in very general terms. But most of the discussion was with myself. And to me it boiled down to this: if I could only play one game from 2009, which would it be? And so I made my decision.
2nd place: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. What a stellar game this is. Once in a while, and it's not very often, a game will come along that is so good at what it does that I consider it a work of art. 2007 had Bioshock and now 2009 has Uncharted 2. Without a doubt, of the games I played this year, this was the highest quality game of them all. Everything about this game was unreal. The graphics? The best. The voice acting? Even better than Batman. The story? As good as anything Hollywood has churned out in years. The list goes on an on. The characters, the score...everything is terrific. The gameplay itself is improved from the first Uncharted game, especially the gun play. There is a moment or 2 when you wish the platforming in an area wasn't so lengthy but overall the gameplay is tight as can be and best of all, fun. The real joy is moving along through each chapter to see where the story takes you. You really get caught up in Nathan Drake's world of adventure and danger. If you have a PS3, by all means, get this game. And if you don't, this game is good enough to be a system seller.
2009 Game Of The Year: Borderlands. In the end, the decision came down to which game I had the most fun with and which game I spent the most time with. And that was Borderlands. While not the absolute technical marvel that Uncharted 2 is, Borderlands is no slouch. The unique cell-shaded look of the game is fantastic and fits the desolate world of Pandora to a T. The audio is also a treat and the control is perfect. Of all the first-person games I have played on a console, none controls any better than this. What truly sets Borderlands apart from the rest is the unbelievable addictiveness of the game. By adding RPG elements to the first-person-shooter genre, Gearbox has created a real corker, something that kept me coming back like no other game this year. From the insane number of weapons that you can unearth (upwards of 17 million supposedly) to the new skills you can add to your player, nothing beat leveling up in Borderlands. With 4 unique character classes to choose from, there is definitely extra incentive to go back and play through the game again. But I'll be honest: I don't need any extra incentive. I have gotten my character leveled out to the max and I still play with him, hoping to find new and better weapons to take on the super bad guys that inhabit Pandora. Some day I will play with a different character class (and level him/her all the way up!) but for now I am content to keep littering the wastelands with corpses while I continue my search for more bad-ass weaponry. Add in a killer co-op mode and you are talking major, major replayability which means major, major bang for your buck.
Here's hoping you all had a good time gaming in 2009. It looks like 2010 is shaping up to be a stellar year as well, with the 1st quarter looking especially strong with Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2 and God Of War III. Let's hope they can all live up to the hype.
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Batman: Arkham Asylum
- The Beatles: Rock Band
- NHL 10
- Borderlands
- Assassin's Creed II
- I have not played (and will not be playing) some of the biggest releases of the year such as Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and Forza Motorsport 3. As such, these games are not eligible for GOTY or any of the other awards I am giving out.. I know this makes these awards meaningless for some people but COD:MW2 and L4D2 are mainly multiplayer games and I am not much of a multiplayer gamer, so there is no sense in me spending money on these games. Pete also reminded me recently that I did not play Infamous. That bears mentioning as well, as that is a game that got almost universal acclaim from everyone I know that played it. If you can handle these games being ineligible, then you may find these awards worth browsing.
- These awards are for Xbox 360 and PS3 games only. I am not into the Wii, DS, PSP or PC gaming.
With the formalities out of the way, let's get into it. I will place the games in reverse order and talk a little bit about each game until we get to the final 2, when I will explain why I went the way I did. As I mentioned earlier, it was not an easy decision. The top 3 games all garnered very serious consideration for the top spot.
6th place: NHL 10. EA's NHL series has been getting better every season for the past 3 years and this year's version added board play and finer user-based tuning. This game does so many things well, from the vast number of teams and leagues available to the addictive Be A Pro mode and General Manager mode. Playing offense is extremely satisfying while playing defense (for me anyway) was better than it had been in years past. I felt like I was more in control of my defensemen. The game also looks gorgeous and has great arena sounds and play-by-play. I subtracted some points because General Manager mode is still buggy in places and there is no on-line co-op mode. Still, this is a killer sports game.
5th place: Batman: Arkham Asylum. This game exceeded my expectations. Most superhero games up until this point have been a poor joke. This game turned that old convention upside down. First rate all the way, this is a classic beat 'em up game that comes stocked with some great Batman toys as well. The control is excellent too, a vital ingredient for a game such as this. The production is first rate: the graphics and audio is top of the line stuff. Particularly impressive is the voice acting, which takes advantage of several of the big names from the animated Batman series. It's got plenty to do, a decent story and it keeps you coming back for more. My only caveat is that once I finished the game, I had no desire to go back and play it again. That is a rarity for me when I play a game that I consider truly excellent. Batman fits that bill, but for some reason, I was not compelled to return to it any time soon.
4th place: The Beatles: Rock Band. My most awaited game of the year and it did not disappoint in the least. It's everything I could have hoped for (well, maybe a larger number of songs) and then some. I got the limited edition that came with the Hofner bass (which is just a real thing of beauty), the drums and a microphone. Playing and singing at the same time is where it is at; there has not been any moment in gaming this year that has been more thrilling. The obvious love that the creators have for The Beatles matches my own love for the band. I really thought this would be my game of the year. But when I looked at it objectively, without my Fab Four colored glasses on, it was still basically just a Rock Band game. The only truly new wrinkle (and it was a doozy) was the ability to sing background vocals. It fits in perfectly with The Beatles, but still it's just 1 innovation. In my own worldview this game would score about a 9.8 on a 10 scale. But I'd score it at about a 9.25 for everyone else.
3rd place. Assassin's Creed II. This game is huge. Epic. It was right up there for the GOTY nod. The ability to go just about anywhere on the huge maps is just amazing. The fighting is very well done and despite the frequency it never really felt redundant. The small RPG elements work well, the story is exciting and well told and the graphics and the voice acting are superb. You can spend hours upon hours playing the game and once you finish the main quest there are still tons of things to do. My only complaint is that the controls got me once in a while. While scaling huge buildings I would try to go one way and sometimes instead I would see myself jump off the building to my death in the street far below. This happened more than a few times. If you had invested a lot of time to reach a certain point only to see your character jump off in a totally unintended direction, it could be frustration city. There were also a couple of timed missions, which I have a huge distaste for. I was able to complete them, but I just hate them in general. Other than those 2 items, this game is an A+ all the way.
Now onto the final 2 games. And this is where my hesitation came in. It took me long enough to eliminate Assassin's Creed II from consideration as GOTY. When it came down to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves or Borderlands for GOTY, I was of 2 different minds. Was the Game Of The Year the game I considered the best quality or was it the game I enjoyed the most? Because they aren't always 1 in the same. Take movies for example. As any loyal reader knows, my favorite movie of all time is Jaws. And there is no real competition for that spot. And while I will argue until I am blue in the face that Spielberg's shark story is an A+ movie and a bona fide classic, I will not spend a single moment saying it is the BEST film I have ever seen. That honor would go to Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (or perhaps Kobayashi's Human Condition trilogy, but that is a huge discussion for another day). So there is a difference, it is very real, and it pertains to this discussion because this year, unlike the past 2, my favorite game and the game I considered "the best" are in fact different. In the end, I spoke to several people about it in very general terms. But most of the discussion was with myself. And to me it boiled down to this: if I could only play one game from 2009, which would it be? And so I made my decision.
2nd place: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. What a stellar game this is. Once in a while, and it's not very often, a game will come along that is so good at what it does that I consider it a work of art. 2007 had Bioshock and now 2009 has Uncharted 2. Without a doubt, of the games I played this year, this was the highest quality game of them all. Everything about this game was unreal. The graphics? The best. The voice acting? Even better than Batman. The story? As good as anything Hollywood has churned out in years. The list goes on an on. The characters, the score...everything is terrific. The gameplay itself is improved from the first Uncharted game, especially the gun play. There is a moment or 2 when you wish the platforming in an area wasn't so lengthy but overall the gameplay is tight as can be and best of all, fun. The real joy is moving along through each chapter to see where the story takes you. You really get caught up in Nathan Drake's world of adventure and danger. If you have a PS3, by all means, get this game. And if you don't, this game is good enough to be a system seller.
2009 Game Of The Year: Borderlands. In the end, the decision came down to which game I had the most fun with and which game I spent the most time with. And that was Borderlands. While not the absolute technical marvel that Uncharted 2 is, Borderlands is no slouch. The unique cell-shaded look of the game is fantastic and fits the desolate world of Pandora to a T. The audio is also a treat and the control is perfect. Of all the first-person games I have played on a console, none controls any better than this. What truly sets Borderlands apart from the rest is the unbelievable addictiveness of the game. By adding RPG elements to the first-person-shooter genre, Gearbox has created a real corker, something that kept me coming back like no other game this year. From the insane number of weapons that you can unearth (upwards of 17 million supposedly) to the new skills you can add to your player, nothing beat leveling up in Borderlands. With 4 unique character classes to choose from, there is definitely extra incentive to go back and play through the game again. But I'll be honest: I don't need any extra incentive. I have gotten my character leveled out to the max and I still play with him, hoping to find new and better weapons to take on the super bad guys that inhabit Pandora. Some day I will play with a different character class (and level him/her all the way up!) but for now I am content to keep littering the wastelands with corpses while I continue my search for more bad-ass weaponry. Add in a killer co-op mode and you are talking major, major replayability which means major, major bang for your buck.
Here's hoping you all had a good time gaming in 2009. It looks like 2010 is shaping up to be a stellar year as well, with the 1st quarter looking especially strong with Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2 and God Of War III. Let's hope they can all live up to the hype.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
What a weekend!
A very eventful weekend at the Schmaltz household. Friday morning Laurel had surgery to remove a large cyst from her upper eyelid. She had the same surgery a couple of years ago to remove some cysts on each eyelid (upper and lower, left and right) and they found and removed a total of 13. This time we were extremely fortunate; there was only the 1 to deal with. We were told after the 1st surgery that they could return and while we were very dismayed that Laurel had to undergo surgery again (which meant undergoing anesthesia again as well), the fact that that there was only 1 seems like good news. Laurel was very brave the entire time. She was cheerful even, right up until it was time to take her back to surgery and she realized that Mom and Dad couldn't go with her. And she came through with flying colors. The eyelid looks good all things considered and she was a trooper. Finding out that she had come out of the anesthesia okay is one of the biggest reliefs I have ever felt.
Saturday was The Big Day, a.k.a. Barb's graduation. The ceremony started at 9:30 AM and it was very nice. It was so cool to see Barb walk down the aisle to take her seat. When she went up to get her diploma and her name was called, my heart swelled with pride and I let out a loud "Way to go Barb!" much to Laurel's (and Barb's) delight. Barb's parents were there to see the ceremony as was her sister Kelly, who had flown in from California as a complete surprise to Barb.
After the ceremony we had a nice party at our house for Barb and her friend Theresa, who graduated as well. Our friend Melissa was so sweet; she and her mom came over early and set up all of the food that Barb and her mom had prepared for the party. I know, I know, Barb shouldn't have had to prepare her own party food. I wanted to have it catered but Barb wouldn't hear of it. She's funny that way.
But the party was nice and later on Barb and I got to enjoy some alone time as well. All in all it was a splendid Saturday.
Sunday Jessica had a hockey game to cheer for, so Barb's dad, sister Kelly, Laurel and myself made a long trip to see her do just that. Her team, the Junior Varsity Tigers, won 3-1 in what was actually a very exciting game. Jessica cheered perfectly of course. And after the game I kept shouting "Way to go Jessica!" at the top of my lungs, which had the intended effect of turning Jess beet red several times. Mission accomplished!
So this weekend could not have worked out any better: Laurel is okay after surgery, Barb graduated and had her party and we got to watch Jessica cheer and I embarrassed the heck out of her. Sometimes life is just grand.
Saturday was The Big Day, a.k.a. Barb's graduation. The ceremony started at 9:30 AM and it was very nice. It was so cool to see Barb walk down the aisle to take her seat. When she went up to get her diploma and her name was called, my heart swelled with pride and I let out a loud "Way to go Barb!" much to Laurel's (and Barb's) delight. Barb's parents were there to see the ceremony as was her sister Kelly, who had flown in from California as a complete surprise to Barb.
After the ceremony we had a nice party at our house for Barb and her friend Theresa, who graduated as well. Our friend Melissa was so sweet; she and her mom came over early and set up all of the food that Barb and her mom had prepared for the party. I know, I know, Barb shouldn't have had to prepare her own party food. I wanted to have it catered but Barb wouldn't hear of it. She's funny that way.
But the party was nice and later on Barb and I got to enjoy some alone time as well. All in all it was a splendid Saturday.
Sunday Jessica had a hockey game to cheer for, so Barb's dad, sister Kelly, Laurel and myself made a long trip to see her do just that. Her team, the Junior Varsity Tigers, won 3-1 in what was actually a very exciting game. Jessica cheered perfectly of course. And after the game I kept shouting "Way to go Jessica!" at the top of my lungs, which had the intended effect of turning Jess beet red several times. Mission accomplished!
So this weekend could not have worked out any better: Laurel is okay after surgery, Barb graduated and had her party and we got to watch Jessica cheer and I embarrassed the heck out of her. Sometimes life is just grand.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Mr. Schmaltz, I presume?
As Jim announced below, he has graciously (and courageously!) invited me to become a contributor to Memory Almost Full. I'm thrilled to be a part of it! I thought it might be appropriate to start with the unlikely story of how a guy from the Great White North and a Missouri boy came to form an enduring friendship.
It was Sept. 1997 when I walked into my local video game emporium, eager to snatch up a copy of NHL 98 for the Sega Genesis. This was nothing short of an annual ritual, and I never missed a release date. But, alas, on this particular day I was informed that NHL 98 would not be available for the Genesis, only the Sony Playstation. Naturally, this prompted the question… "So, how much is a Sony Playstation?" The answer was entirely irrelevant, as I knew then and there that I'd be walking out of the store with a Playstation and copy of NHL 98 under my arm. Little did I know how that seemigly insignificant turn of events would ultimately result in meeting Jim Schmaltz of St. Louis, MO.
Although a long time video gamer, outside of the NHL series and a little Road Rash. gaming wasn't a real obsession for me at the time (though that was about to change in a big way). Instead, I was totally immersed in guitar playing and, more specifically, with plans to organize a Guitar Show in early '98. It was in preparation for that event that I finally found my way onto the internet. Meanwhile, plans for the Guitar Show fizzled and, captivated by the power of the Playstation, my game collection rapidly grew.
I began hanging around internet newsgroups (remember those?) dedicated to discussing Playstation games, and gravitated to a small group of like-minded members, including a fellow who went by the name of Jim S. I was mostly into sports and racing games (still am), and lemme tell you, that dude knew his sports, especially football. His knowledge of sports and gaming bordered on freakish. And he could flat out write.
Ever hungry for game reviews, I scoured the net and kept running across reviews by Jim S. that had been posted to the newsgroup and archived elsewhere. Somewhat inspired, I eventually began posting my own "First Impressions" mini-reviews, usually within a day or two of a new game release. Several months later, I received an unsolicited email from a site called Game Junkie saying that they had read and enjoyed one of my reviews, and asking if I would be interested in writing for them in exchange for review copies of the games. Pinch me! I couldn't say yes quick enough.
And so began my sideline career as video game reviewer. Game Junkie was happy with my work, and I was more than happy with the supply of free games. As the summer of '98 wore on, I started to lobby Game Junkie for the right to review an upcoming football game release. Oddly, they never acknowledged my repeated requests. Then one day I logged on to the site, and there it was… A Review by Jim S. I should have known. Pissed as I was at Game Junkie, I immediately shot Jim an e-mail to say "Hey, great review! Looks like we're working together now."
Game Junkie folded not long after, and Jim began writing for Sports Gaming Network where he recommended me to the editor. Meanwhile, we had begun to correspond on a regular basis via e-mail, constantly discovering shockingly common interests in gaming, sports, movies and music. I mean, who else has even heard of the BoDeans, let alone seen them live multiple times? Yep, that would be my buddy. And me.
Our e-conversations became longer and more involved - truly epic in length and scope (like this blog!). By then it had become about more than just hobbies, it was about life and all it entails.
Eventually, we decided it would be cool to connect via phone (I swear this sounds just like internet dating), and it was then that I finally learned what the S. stood for.
I suggested that Jim consider coming up to Canada for a visit. He was naturally a little apprehensive at first. For all he knew I might have been nothing more than a really friendly Canuckistani serial killer. But, in the end, he rolled the dice and booked a flight - the equivalent of an international blind date with a (happily married, just so you know) video game geek. Ironically, this turned out to be a pattern of behaviour that would be repeated a few years later when Jim met his future wife Barb for the first time. But that's a story for another blog that he should author.
It was Sept. 10, 1999 when Jim stepped off the plane and onto Canadian soil for the first time. He was easy to spot decked out in the maize and blue of Michigan. Decidedly and understandably nervous (a trait I haven't witnessed since) he asked what that big body of water was that he had just flown over. Uh, that would be Lake Ontario, Jim. He may know more about Jaws than anyone else on the planet, but he can't tell a lake from an ocean.
It didn't take him long to loosen up though, a beer or two I'd say. The Sega Dreamcast, first of the next-gen gaming consoles to follow the Playstation, had been released the previous day. Unbeknownst to Jim, I had one at home ready to be unboxed when we arrived. I'll never forget his reaction when I revealed the box. "You Dawg!", he exclaimed in that quasi drawl of his. When he laid eyes on NFL 2K1 for the first time, well, let's just say I think it was a near sexual experience for him. I'll never forget that either. It frightened me.
A couple of days later, we visited a local watering hole and, against all odds, were able to watch the Rams season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, two of the worst teams in all of football the previous season. The Rams won that game and, propelled by the arm of former grocery bagger Kurt Warner, went on to win the Super Bowl that season. From that moment on I think Jim viewed Canada as a kind of good charm, a notion reinforced by the Cardinals 2006 World Series win following our visit to St. Louis in Sept. of that year.
Anyway, Jim's initial visit was only 4-5 days and passed all to quickly for both of us. We vowed never to get together for less than a week again, and we've kept that promise. He returned in the summer of 2002 and developed a fondness for Molson Smooth Dry (which he affectionately referred to as Smoothies) and poutine (french fries with cheese curd and gravy, for the uninitated), openly musing about the business potential of opening a 'chip' wagon in St. Louis. He came back the following summer for more but, to date, hasn't attempted to market poutine in the 314.
I finally made my first trip to St, Louis, a fine city populated by even finer people, in the fall of 2002. Jim proved to be an even better host than guest. So memorable was that trip (on many levels), that I returned in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009, the latter two visits with my wife, Joyce. For those of you who have never met Jim's family and friends, know this... They are the warmest, friendliest, most accommodating people you will ever meet. Truly wonderful folks who make you feel like family. In fact, Jim has remarked on several ocassions that we're more like brothers than friends. Nothing could be closer to the truth.
It's almost overwhelming to reflect on how much Jim and I have shared with each other over the years. Our paths have followed strikingly similar trajectories through the crushing sadness of divorce, follies of online dating (Jim's war stories were a source of endless entertainment for me) and, ultimately, happiness in marriage and life. All the while we've leaned on one another during the tough stretches, and had copious amounts of fun the rest of the time.
Jim, I promise not to prattle on like this in a blog ever again. This is a story that's often asked about, and I thought it was well worth documenting. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. My gift to you. Brother.
It was Sept. 1997 when I walked into my local video game emporium, eager to snatch up a copy of NHL 98 for the Sega Genesis. This was nothing short of an annual ritual, and I never missed a release date. But, alas, on this particular day I was informed that NHL 98 would not be available for the Genesis, only the Sony Playstation. Naturally, this prompted the question… "So, how much is a Sony Playstation?" The answer was entirely irrelevant, as I knew then and there that I'd be walking out of the store with a Playstation and copy of NHL 98 under my arm. Little did I know how that seemigly insignificant turn of events would ultimately result in meeting Jim Schmaltz of St. Louis, MO.
Although a long time video gamer, outside of the NHL series and a little Road Rash. gaming wasn't a real obsession for me at the time (though that was about to change in a big way). Instead, I was totally immersed in guitar playing and, more specifically, with plans to organize a Guitar Show in early '98. It was in preparation for that event that I finally found my way onto the internet. Meanwhile, plans for the Guitar Show fizzled and, captivated by the power of the Playstation, my game collection rapidly grew.
I began hanging around internet newsgroups (remember those?) dedicated to discussing Playstation games, and gravitated to a small group of like-minded members, including a fellow who went by the name of Jim S. I was mostly into sports and racing games (still am), and lemme tell you, that dude knew his sports, especially football. His knowledge of sports and gaming bordered on freakish. And he could flat out write.
Ever hungry for game reviews, I scoured the net and kept running across reviews by Jim S. that had been posted to the newsgroup and archived elsewhere. Somewhat inspired, I eventually began posting my own "First Impressions" mini-reviews, usually within a day or two of a new game release. Several months later, I received an unsolicited email from a site called Game Junkie saying that they had read and enjoyed one of my reviews, and asking if I would be interested in writing for them in exchange for review copies of the games. Pinch me! I couldn't say yes quick enough.
And so began my sideline career as video game reviewer. Game Junkie was happy with my work, and I was more than happy with the supply of free games. As the summer of '98 wore on, I started to lobby Game Junkie for the right to review an upcoming football game release. Oddly, they never acknowledged my repeated requests. Then one day I logged on to the site, and there it was… A Review by Jim S. I should have known. Pissed as I was at Game Junkie, I immediately shot Jim an e-mail to say "Hey, great review! Looks like we're working together now."
Game Junkie folded not long after, and Jim began writing for Sports Gaming Network where he recommended me to the editor. Meanwhile, we had begun to correspond on a regular basis via e-mail, constantly discovering shockingly common interests in gaming, sports, movies and music. I mean, who else has even heard of the BoDeans, let alone seen them live multiple times? Yep, that would be my buddy. And me.
Our e-conversations became longer and more involved - truly epic in length and scope (like this blog!). By then it had become about more than just hobbies, it was about life and all it entails.
Eventually, we decided it would be cool to connect via phone (I swear this sounds just like internet dating), and it was then that I finally learned what the S. stood for.
I suggested that Jim consider coming up to Canada for a visit. He was naturally a little apprehensive at first. For all he knew I might have been nothing more than a really friendly Canuckistani serial killer. But, in the end, he rolled the dice and booked a flight - the equivalent of an international blind date with a (happily married, just so you know) video game geek. Ironically, this turned out to be a pattern of behaviour that would be repeated a few years later when Jim met his future wife Barb for the first time. But that's a story for another blog that he should author.
It was Sept. 10, 1999 when Jim stepped off the plane and onto Canadian soil for the first time. He was easy to spot decked out in the maize and blue of Michigan. Decidedly and understandably nervous (a trait I haven't witnessed since) he asked what that big body of water was that he had just flown over. Uh, that would be Lake Ontario, Jim. He may know more about Jaws than anyone else on the planet, but he can't tell a lake from an ocean.
It didn't take him long to loosen up though, a beer or two I'd say. The Sega Dreamcast, first of the next-gen gaming consoles to follow the Playstation, had been released the previous day. Unbeknownst to Jim, I had one at home ready to be unboxed when we arrived. I'll never forget his reaction when I revealed the box. "You Dawg!", he exclaimed in that quasi drawl of his. When he laid eyes on NFL 2K1 for the first time, well, let's just say I think it was a near sexual experience for him. I'll never forget that either. It frightened me.
A couple of days later, we visited a local watering hole and, against all odds, were able to watch the Rams season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, two of the worst teams in all of football the previous season. The Rams won that game and, propelled by the arm of former grocery bagger Kurt Warner, went on to win the Super Bowl that season. From that moment on I think Jim viewed Canada as a kind of good charm, a notion reinforced by the Cardinals 2006 World Series win following our visit to St. Louis in Sept. of that year.
Anyway, Jim's initial visit was only 4-5 days and passed all to quickly for both of us. We vowed never to get together for less than a week again, and we've kept that promise. He returned in the summer of 2002 and developed a fondness for Molson Smooth Dry (which he affectionately referred to as Smoothies) and poutine (french fries with cheese curd and gravy, for the uninitated), openly musing about the business potential of opening a 'chip' wagon in St. Louis. He came back the following summer for more but, to date, hasn't attempted to market poutine in the 314.
I finally made my first trip to St, Louis, a fine city populated by even finer people, in the fall of 2002. Jim proved to be an even better host than guest. So memorable was that trip (on many levels), that I returned in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009, the latter two visits with my wife, Joyce. For those of you who have never met Jim's family and friends, know this... They are the warmest, friendliest, most accommodating people you will ever meet. Truly wonderful folks who make you feel like family. In fact, Jim has remarked on several ocassions that we're more like brothers than friends. Nothing could be closer to the truth.
It's almost overwhelming to reflect on how much Jim and I have shared with each other over the years. Our paths have followed strikingly similar trajectories through the crushing sadness of divorce, follies of online dating (Jim's war stories were a source of endless entertainment for me) and, ultimately, happiness in marriage and life. All the while we've leaned on one another during the tough stretches, and had copious amounts of fun the rest of the time.
Jim, I promise not to prattle on like this in a blog ever again. This is a story that's often asked about, and I thought it was well worth documenting. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. My gift to you. Brother.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
2009 Video Game Awards
It's time to announce the winners in several categories. I may think of more categories later, but this is what I have come up with for now. Again, it's very important that you read my disclaimer that I posted in my Game Of The Year nomination thread. I'll repeat it here so there is no confusion:
Best Graphics: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. This was a closer call that you might think. While there is no doubting the beauty and artistry of Uncharted 2's graphics, there were also several other games that truly stood out as well. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder and I had to make a decision, so I went with Uncharted 2. It's absolutely a gorgeous game and worthy of all the accolades it has received.
Runners Up: Assassin's Creed II, Borderlands. ACII rivals Uncharted 2 in every meaningful way. It's a real stunner. And Borderlands uses cell shading to create unique look all it's own. I was initially very skeptical of this when the decision to go with the cell shaded graphics was announced, but I fell in love with the look immediately once I started playing the game. It is absolutely perfect for the game and it's environment.
Honorable Mention: Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Beatles: Rock Band. Batman is a beautiful game in every way; it's just a hair below the others mentioned above. And the care and affection given to make the Fab Four come alive in TB:RB deserves special mention. It really adds a lot to the game itself.
Best Storyline: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Not even a contest here. Uncharted 2's story line rivals that of Hollywood's big-budget adventure movies with characters that you care for and plot twists that leave you stunned. This is A+ level stuff here, among the best the gaming world has every seen.
Runner Up: Assassin's Creed II
Honorable Mention: Batman: Arkham Asylum
Best Voice Acting: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Truly stellar work here, picking up where the original Uncharted left off. The main character of Nathan Drake (once again voiced by Nolan North) is terrific: charming, affable and at all times believable. The supporting characters, including Elena (Emily Fisher) and Sully (Richard McGonagle) from the original Uncharted, are every bit as good as is new femme fatale Chloe, voiced by Claudia Black. Again, the acting here rivals anything Hollywood puts together.
Runner Up: Batman: Arkham Asylum. In any other year, this game would have won the award. The work here is first rate all the way. Mark Hamill does his usual stellar work as The Joker, Kevin Conroy does the same with Batman (both of those gentlemen do the voices for a lot of animated Batman works) and Arleen Sorkin makes a delectable Harley Quinn.
Honorable Mention: Assassin's Creed II. Great work here, too. The voices for Ezio, Desmond Miles (Nolan North again) and Leonardo da Vinci are all wonderful but in truth the entire (huge) cast is first-rate.
Most Addictive Game Of The Year: Borderlands. There were a lot of games that drew me in this year and sucked away time like a starving vampire at a blood bank. But none of them could measure up to the crack-like qualities of Borderlands. The game played beautifully, controlling as well as any first-person shooter I have ever played on a console. But what made it so addictive was the RPG elements that were included. Your character leveled up after gaining a set number of experience points (gained by completing tasks and killing enemies). After each level gained, you could assign yourself new abilities or improve ones you already have. And the looting. My God, the looting! The sheer number of different weapons available meant that stumbling upon a weapons cache was a hold-your-breath moment each and every time.
Runner Up: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. Sacred 2 is an action RPG, sort of like Borderlands but without the first-person perspective. Like Borderlands, the addictiveness came out of the looting and leveling up. Finding new and better armor, weapons, etc. and adding new skills was as good as it got until Borderlands showed up.
Honorable mentions: Assassin's Creed II, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, NHL 10. The sheer number of things to do in ACII and the ease (and fun) of getting around the map gave it that special "just one more thing and then I'll quit" vibe that you keep repeating to yourself as the hour gets later and later. Uncharted 2 was addictive not only because the gameplay was fun but because you simply had to see where the story was going next. It was that compelling. And NHL 10 gets the nod because both Be A Pro mode and the GM mode make you want to keep going to try to improve upon your last performance. Stunk it up last game? Can't end on a note like that, let's play one more game. Had a great game last time out? Well, let's see if I can top that performance!
Best Soundtrack: The Beatles: Rock Band. Next topic please.
Wait, I meant Best Original Score For A Game: Oh, okay. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Again, like a Hollywood blockbuster, and I mean that in a good way. Perfectly sets the mood for the story.
Runner Up: Dragon Age: Origins. Extremely well done and gives the story that epic feel.
Honorable Mention: Assassin's Creed II. Very compelling and also non-intrusive.
Best Sports Game: NHL 10. The complete package as a sports game, with tons of teams, leagues and a wonderful Be A Pro mode. Addictive and just plain fun to play. EA improved on what was already a terrific series.
Runners up: MLB '09: The Show, Madden NFL 10. Great years for both of these franchises. But in the end, neither had the fun factor of NHL 10.
Honorable Mention: FIFA 10. If only EA would do something about your teammates' AI, especially on defense, this game would be the sports game to beat. Alas, they seem to have no intention of addressing this issue.
It Came From Nowhere (Best Surprise Game Of The Year): IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey. There was very little talk about this game until a couple of months before it's release and even then, most people were dismissing it because flight games on consoles tend to be very average. But this WWII era flight game was top notch all around. It featured a great number of authentic planes that handled like the real thing, a good variety of missions and nice graphics and sound. As a WWI/WWII aviation buff, this game was a very pleasant surprise for me.
Runner Up: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. This game apparently did not sell a whole lot of copies which is a shame. First, because a lot of gamers missed out on a great, addictive game and second, because the publisher decided not to support it with DLC the way they supported the PC version.
Honorable Mention: Demon's Souls. Another game that I never heard of until it's release was imminent, this Japanese action RPG is sparsely beautiful, brilliantly assembled and brutally difficult. If you can handle the frustration of a lot of deaths and playing the same parts over and over, this game is truly something to behold for hardcore games.
Best Game I Wish I Didn't Totally Suck At: Street Fighter 4. Everything about the game screams greatness. But I just can't pull off the moves needed to be good at this game. I am talking about the mid-level moves, let alone the difficult ones. I tried, I really did; I bought the gamepad for the game and even the strategy guide. My thumbs just couldn't execute the moves. Bummer.
Best Gaming Moment 2009: For me nothing beat playing the guitar and singing "I've Got A Feeling" In The Beatles: Rock Band. It was just perfect. I have always wanted to be Paul McCartney and for that 4 minutes in my own little world, I was. Gaming nirvana.
Runner Up: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. (Spoiler warning!!!) When you realize that Elena has survived and she and Nate are going to end up together. I am a sap, I know, but I loved both characters so much from the original Uncharted. When Chloe came into the picture (great character, but all wrong for Nate), I was upset that Elena was being phased out. But no; the girl next door turns out to be the right girl for Nate and she lives to see that, thanks to some unexpected help from Chloe.
Honorable Mention: Hitting my first home run with my created player in MLB '09: The Show. For some reason the created players in this years version of The Show all had to start out with anemic hitting ratings. This meant that for literally the first half of my first season I hit nothing but singles. After slowly building up experience points and building up a little power, I finally hit my first HR of the year, a 3 run shot in the top of the 9th to supply the winning runs for that game.
I'll be back with the Game Of The Year decision before the end of the year. Be careful not to read too much into what these awards may mean for GOTY. I honestly have yet to make a final decision.
If any other awards that seem worth mentioning come to mind, I'll add those too.
- I have not played (and will not be playing) some of the biggest releases of the year such as Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and Forza Motorsport 3. As such, these games are not eligible for GOTY or any of the other awards I am giving out.. I know this makes these awards meaningless for some people but COD:MW2 and L4D2 are mainly multiplayer games and I am not much of a multiplayer gamer, so there is no sense in me spending money on these games. If you can handle these games being ineligible, then you may find these awards worth browsing
- These awards are for Xbox 360 and PS3 games only. I am not into the Wii, DS, PSP or PC gaming.
Best Graphics: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. This was a closer call that you might think. While there is no doubting the beauty and artistry of Uncharted 2's graphics, there were also several other games that truly stood out as well. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder and I had to make a decision, so I went with Uncharted 2. It's absolutely a gorgeous game and worthy of all the accolades it has received.
Runners Up: Assassin's Creed II, Borderlands. ACII rivals Uncharted 2 in every meaningful way. It's a real stunner. And Borderlands uses cell shading to create unique look all it's own. I was initially very skeptical of this when the decision to go with the cell shaded graphics was announced, but I fell in love with the look immediately once I started playing the game. It is absolutely perfect for the game and it's environment.
Honorable Mention: Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Beatles: Rock Band. Batman is a beautiful game in every way; it's just a hair below the others mentioned above. And the care and affection given to make the Fab Four come alive in TB:RB deserves special mention. It really adds a lot to the game itself.
Best Storyline: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Not even a contest here. Uncharted 2's story line rivals that of Hollywood's big-budget adventure movies with characters that you care for and plot twists that leave you stunned. This is A+ level stuff here, among the best the gaming world has every seen.
Runner Up: Assassin's Creed II
Honorable Mention: Batman: Arkham Asylum
Best Voice Acting: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Truly stellar work here, picking up where the original Uncharted left off. The main character of Nathan Drake (once again voiced by Nolan North) is terrific: charming, affable and at all times believable. The supporting characters, including Elena (Emily Fisher) and Sully (Richard McGonagle) from the original Uncharted, are every bit as good as is new femme fatale Chloe, voiced by Claudia Black. Again, the acting here rivals anything Hollywood puts together.
Runner Up: Batman: Arkham Asylum. In any other year, this game would have won the award. The work here is first rate all the way. Mark Hamill does his usual stellar work as The Joker, Kevin Conroy does the same with Batman (both of those gentlemen do the voices for a lot of animated Batman works) and Arleen Sorkin makes a delectable Harley Quinn.
Honorable Mention: Assassin's Creed II. Great work here, too. The voices for Ezio, Desmond Miles (Nolan North again) and Leonardo da Vinci are all wonderful but in truth the entire (huge) cast is first-rate.
Most Addictive Game Of The Year: Borderlands. There were a lot of games that drew me in this year and sucked away time like a starving vampire at a blood bank. But none of them could measure up to the crack-like qualities of Borderlands. The game played beautifully, controlling as well as any first-person shooter I have ever played on a console. But what made it so addictive was the RPG elements that were included. Your character leveled up after gaining a set number of experience points (gained by completing tasks and killing enemies). After each level gained, you could assign yourself new abilities or improve ones you already have. And the looting. My God, the looting! The sheer number of different weapons available meant that stumbling upon a weapons cache was a hold-your-breath moment each and every time.
Runner Up: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. Sacred 2 is an action RPG, sort of like Borderlands but without the first-person perspective. Like Borderlands, the addictiveness came out of the looting and leveling up. Finding new and better armor, weapons, etc. and adding new skills was as good as it got until Borderlands showed up.
Honorable mentions: Assassin's Creed II, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, NHL 10. The sheer number of things to do in ACII and the ease (and fun) of getting around the map gave it that special "just one more thing and then I'll quit" vibe that you keep repeating to yourself as the hour gets later and later. Uncharted 2 was addictive not only because the gameplay was fun but because you simply had to see where the story was going next. It was that compelling. And NHL 10 gets the nod because both Be A Pro mode and the GM mode make you want to keep going to try to improve upon your last performance. Stunk it up last game? Can't end on a note like that, let's play one more game. Had a great game last time out? Well, let's see if I can top that performance!
Best Soundtrack: The Beatles: Rock Band. Next topic please.
Wait, I meant Best Original Score For A Game: Oh, okay. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Again, like a Hollywood blockbuster, and I mean that in a good way. Perfectly sets the mood for the story.
Runner Up: Dragon Age: Origins. Extremely well done and gives the story that epic feel.
Honorable Mention: Assassin's Creed II. Very compelling and also non-intrusive.
Best Sports Game: NHL 10. The complete package as a sports game, with tons of teams, leagues and a wonderful Be A Pro mode. Addictive and just plain fun to play. EA improved on what was already a terrific series.
Runners up: MLB '09: The Show, Madden NFL 10. Great years for both of these franchises. But in the end, neither had the fun factor of NHL 10.
Honorable Mention: FIFA 10. If only EA would do something about your teammates' AI, especially on defense, this game would be the sports game to beat. Alas, they seem to have no intention of addressing this issue.
It Came From Nowhere (Best Surprise Game Of The Year): IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey. There was very little talk about this game until a couple of months before it's release and even then, most people were dismissing it because flight games on consoles tend to be very average. But this WWII era flight game was top notch all around. It featured a great number of authentic planes that handled like the real thing, a good variety of missions and nice graphics and sound. As a WWI/WWII aviation buff, this game was a very pleasant surprise for me.
Runner Up: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. This game apparently did not sell a whole lot of copies which is a shame. First, because a lot of gamers missed out on a great, addictive game and second, because the publisher decided not to support it with DLC the way they supported the PC version.
Honorable Mention: Demon's Souls. Another game that I never heard of until it's release was imminent, this Japanese action RPG is sparsely beautiful, brilliantly assembled and brutally difficult. If you can handle the frustration of a lot of deaths and playing the same parts over and over, this game is truly something to behold for hardcore games.
Best Game I Wish I Didn't Totally Suck At: Street Fighter 4. Everything about the game screams greatness. But I just can't pull off the moves needed to be good at this game. I am talking about the mid-level moves, let alone the difficult ones. I tried, I really did; I bought the gamepad for the game and even the strategy guide. My thumbs just couldn't execute the moves. Bummer.
Best Gaming Moment 2009: For me nothing beat playing the guitar and singing "I've Got A Feeling" In The Beatles: Rock Band. It was just perfect. I have always wanted to be Paul McCartney and for that 4 minutes in my own little world, I was. Gaming nirvana.
Runner Up: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. (Spoiler warning!!!) When you realize that Elena has survived and she and Nate are going to end up together. I am a sap, I know, but I loved both characters so much from the original Uncharted. When Chloe came into the picture (great character, but all wrong for Nate), I was upset that Elena was being phased out. But no; the girl next door turns out to be the right girl for Nate and she lives to see that, thanks to some unexpected help from Chloe.
Honorable Mention: Hitting my first home run with my created player in MLB '09: The Show. For some reason the created players in this years version of The Show all had to start out with anemic hitting ratings. This meant that for literally the first half of my first season I hit nothing but singles. After slowly building up experience points and building up a little power, I finally hit my first HR of the year, a 3 run shot in the top of the 9th to supply the winning runs for that game.
I'll be back with the Game Of The Year decision before the end of the year. Be careful not to read too much into what these awards may mean for GOTY. I honestly have yet to make a final decision.
If any other awards that seem worth mentioning come to mind, I'll add those too.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Memory Almost Full - major announcement
I am thrilled to announce that my good friend Pete Anderson has decided to become a partner with me on this blog. Pete is a terrific writer and has a wide array of interests (including gaming, music, movies, sports, etc.), so his contributions here will be most welcome. I will let Pete write a little about himself as an introduction when he gets the chance. Suffice to say that I am sure you will not only enjoy his topics but his writing style as well.
As a result of Pete joining up, you may see some changes at Memory Almost Full. Nothing too radical, mind you, but something to reflect that this is now a 2-man show. As always, your input is welcome.
Please join me in welcoming Pete Anderson to Memory Almost Full!
As a result of Pete joining up, you may see some changes at Memory Almost Full. Nothing too radical, mind you, but something to reflect that this is now a 2-man show. As always, your input is welcome.
Please join me in welcoming Pete Anderson to Memory Almost Full!
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