Robot From The Future! » video games

Another Satisfied Customer

Stella — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:23:36 +0000

It is so reassuring to me to know that there are people this awesome in the world. I feel so humbled to have the honor of selling this person a hat.

Arkham City so far

Stella — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:44:31 +0000

Things I expected and have not been let down on:

Awesome graphics
Gorgeous attention to detail in textures and shading
Good character development
No wasting time with boring lengthy cutscenes
Hunt for Joker trophies is less stupid this time
The more open world format makes the game less linear and more fun

Things I did not expect:

Lots and lots of sexist language (so far every female character has been referred to as a bitch and/or had her attractiveness and intelligence rated by male characters)
Prisoners telling Bruce Wayne they intend to rape him
Harley Quinn telling Batman that Joker is too busy masturbating to come talk to him
Thugs joking frat-boy style that Catwoman is bisexual
Lots of swearing, which is out of character for a Batman game
Alfred is back in the same old personality-free British stereotype. Boooo-ring.
The absence of Oracle as an awesome female character

Jeez, DC. I wanted you to take the story and excitement up a notch. Was the team behind this game spending too many of their evenings watching online porn? The visual setting of the game makes it gritty enough. For the Batman franchise, topping the awesome gameplay experience that was Arkham Asylum didn’t require sexual violence, denigrating women, and pointless profanity. Here’s hoping it improves.

Back in the saddle

Stella — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 07:16:36 +0000

I got to spend a couple of hours this morning recording some voiceover work and a song for Champions Online, reprising the role of Sapphire for the mmo’s in-game second anniversary party. It was fun to get to do some creative work again. It’s been too long since I had the time to quest with some buddies, level up, or just run around in the forest slaying boars for 2 XP each. But it’s almost as much fun to help make a video game as it is to play one. I needed a few minutes to shake off the dust, get back into the role and remember how to do character voicing, but it comes back quickly with the right encouragement and direction.

So enjoy the party, Champions players. Go pound some bad guy face for me over the weekend.

GameStop Employees Are Flippin’ Idiots

Stella — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:28:57 +0000

Phone rings 37 times before someone picks it up

GameStop Drone: Hello?

Me: Is this GameStop?

GameStop Drone: Oh, yeah. Thank you for calling GameStop –

Me: Yeah, thanks. Do you have a power source for an XBox 360?

GameStop Drone: A what?

Me: A power source for an XBox 360?

GameStop Drone: . . . uhh . . .

Me: A power cable that goes from the 360 and connects to the socket in the wall so that electricity can go to it.

GameStop Drone: Oh . . . I dunno. Let me ask.

Me: Okay thanks.

Four minutes and thirty-seven seconds elapse

GameStop Drone: Hello thank you for calling GameStop –

Me: Yes, I was on hold.

GameStop Drone: Oh yeah. Sorry. We don’t have it.

Me: Okay do you know where I could find one?

GameStop Drone: Yeah we don’t have any here.

Me: Yes, but is there another nearby location I could go to where I can find what I’m looking for?

GameStop Drone: Probably. Ummmm . . . try . . . like . . . probably . . . Best Buy?

Me: Thank you.

As anti megacorporation as I am, there is something to be said for companies with competent employees being more likely to gain my business. Attention GameStop: please stop sending your HR people to recruit directly off the short bus. I am sick and tired of the retards behind your desks not having a clue about the most basic aspects of gaming, electronics, and verbal communication. You may think you’re saving money by being able to hire incompetent mouth breathers at the lowest wage possible, but I guarantee you’re losing money not only due to customer service fail but also due to inventory damaged by all the saliva your employees drool out onto the electronics while restocking.

Epilogue: Play N’ Trade has highly competent worker drones. Suck my anterior piston, GameStop.

Happy Rock Band 2 Me

Stella — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:10:34 +0000

Finally got my hands on this one. Well worth the sticker price of $59.99. It’s everything I could have hoped for. Great songs, great play, nice overhaul of the User Interface, and fahh-haaa-haaabulous new wardrobe. My favorite so far are the Vigilante Panties. The character design has been expanded, the graphics are higher resolution, and I am singing this game’s praises. Another very worthwhile investment was the Drum Silencer kit, a set of four adhesive pads that give the drum kit a lot more sensitivity and a lot less clacka-clacka. At a paltry $20, it’s worth every penny.

Right out of the box there’s some real fun — “Eye of the Tiger” was the first song I wanted to play and I can’t wait to go back and sing it. Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins . . . AC/DC!!!! WOOT! The game’s also a little more fun, even silly, with crazy masks, steampunk gear, and a thrift store to shop in.

Haven’t got much more time for a real review, as I’m only blogging this because a bandmate is shopping for new outfits and getting some ink done before we go back to melting the faces of those virtual crowds. All I really have to say is (a) it’s awesome and (b) go get it now, you moron.