Two Average Guys Return Plan

Wow, it has been five years since my last blog post and there are so many new things to write about! Really soon, I’ll be posting new exciting things covering all kinds of topics and ideas.  I aim to entertain and provoke thought, to my readers, with papers related to entertainment, philosophy, culture, and top favorite lists! As I said before, time has passed, and I have been through so many things in the past five years. I’m enthusiastic to tell that it has been mostly joyful, but frustrating enough that it has inspired my passion to continue writing and engage my readers again after five years . To anyone reading this, I hope you will join this blog “Two Average Guys” for it is going to be an engaging and really fun return. While the title still says two average guys, this return will be anything but average.

 

Written by: K Dog 😀

Miyazaki on the Strength of the Human Spirit: The Wind Rises Review

GMS here.

Two amazing animated movies were released in the year of 2013.  Disney’s Frozen, a tale in which the relationship between two sisters is greater than that between a woman and a man, and Studio Ghibli’s The Wind Rises, acclaimed animator Hayao Miyazaki’s final masterpiece and a story where dreams and love must endure the times, fleeting and changing as the wind.

As of today, I can say that Frozen is no longer my favorite animated movie of 2013.

Now, before I get down to the nitty-gritty, let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first.  Yes, The Wind Rises was released in theaters in the U.S. on February 28th, 2014.  But, the Japanese release was on July 20th, 2013, making The Wind Rises a 2013 movie.  You wouldn’t base the release date of a movie made in America on the Japanese release date, even if you lived in Japan, right?  The Wind Rises is definitely a 2013 animated movie, and it is because of this that I am livid that Frozen won the Oscar for Best Animated Movie in the Academy Awards of 2014.  I’ll give the Frozen Fandom a minute to get the pitchforks ready, because I think The Wind Rises deserves the Oscar much more than Frozen.  Yes, Frozen is a really good animated movie, definitely Disney’s best in a long while.  I hate to say this, but all of the Disney movies, even the older ones, fail to impress me as much as the works of Hayao Miyazaki.  Great, now all the Disney fans are going to get their pitchforks ready.  Let me explain myself first.  Hayao Miyazaki is a freaking tank.  Let me repeat myself.  A.  TANK.  He is like a one-man animating machine.  He does most of his work on his own, or with a small team of animators.  Any use of computer animation in his films is pretty minimal when compared to the use of it in Disney’s recent films.  Compare the animation in Frozen to that of The Wind Rises.  Sure, Frozen’s animation is very detailed and beautiful, but in the end it is computer generated, and it looks a bit too perfect.  The animation in The Wind Rises is much more breathtaking because besides the fact that it is FREAKING BEAUTIFUL, you can tell that it was not computer generated.  There’s something to say about someone who can make a fully-animated feature in today’s times and have a minimal use of technology.  However, even compared to the Disney classics of yore, Miyazaki’s work impresses me much more because of his mastery of the craft of animation.  The pictures he can paint are simply breathtaking.  His style is definitely my favorite art style out of any artist I have yet come across.

And, before I continue, Miyazaki’s movies are NOT ANIME!!!!!!!!!!   His work is on a much higher plane, and to group him and his work with anime shows and movies, though those are awesome in their own right, is frankly insulting.  We cool?  OK, just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

The Wind Rises is a fictionalized historical drama detailing the early life and career of real-life aircraft-designer Jiro Horikoshi, the man responsible for designing the Mitsubishi A5M and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, used by the Japanese Military during World War II.  His idol, who he frequently visits in dream sequences, is Giovanni Battista Caproni, an Italian aircraft designer.  The historical backdrop of the early 20th Century  and the base of real people definitely made me interested in this film, being the history buff that I am.

Jiro and Caproni: their real life and animated personas. 

The story details Jiro’s life as he grows up with his dreams of becoming an airplane designer, his success as a genius in the field, and his falling in love, all with the backdrop of early 20th century and war looming over him.  The characters are all well developed and very likeable.  I find myself relating to Jiro quite a bit: he is kind and caring towards others; he is smart, yet he gets absorbed in his work quite a bit.  Caproni is a very majestic kind of a person, yet is very inspirational as well.  Jiro’s love Naoko is a very loving and devoted woman, caring about Jiro till the end.  Kayo, Jiro’s sister, is reminiscent of Mei from My Neighbor Totoro: she is very headstrong, yet is independent and cares very much for her brother’s wellbeing.  My favorite character is Jiro’s boss Kurokawa: he is a short man that loves to shout commands at his employees and use sarcasm a lot, and as a result adds some excellent comic relief to this otherwise emotional story.  Kurokawa was voiced by Martin Short in the English dub, an excellent choice, however the character is reminiscent of Wallace Shawn’s character in The Princess Bride.

This would have been so perfect!!!!!

The musical score is wonderful.  Joe Hisaishi, long-time Ghibli composer, once again amazes me with his talent.  The music ranges from somber to some Japanese tones, to even some French tones.  Once again, I tip my hat off to you Joe, you amaze me!

The dub is something to talk about.  Generally, Miyazaki movies have had better subs than dubs, but the English dubs of many of his movies have been pretty good, save for a few (Ponyo and My Neighbor Totoro, I’m looking at you!).  That said, I think Touchstone Pictures did a great job of bringing this movie to the States, with an all star cast of voice actors!  Featuring the voice talents of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Martin Short, Mandy Patinkin, and Stanley Tucci, how could you go wrong?  Great job Touchstone!

Warning!  Spoilers follow, so read at your own risk! 

There’s something I really want to talk about above all: the themes.  There are many themes in The Wind Rises, yet they are all contained under the umbrella of one large theme, represented by the quote at the beginning of the film:

“The wind is rising! We must try to live!”

All of the events of Jiro’s life, his love, his dreams and aspirations, all of the rest of the themes of the movie center around this one quote.  As Jiro’s life went on, gusts of wind of many forms rose up to meet him, and he was forced to deal with them and try to live through them.  He wishes to work with aircrafts, yet he cannot fly them due to his impaired vision.  Instead, he meets that storm with the decision to become a designer.  The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Japanese Depression, and the looming World War II all rise up to meet him.  There is murmuring constantly in his aircraft designing business about how poor of a country Japan is and how behind they are in terms of airplane design, yet Jiro remains undaunted in pursuing his dream of designing amazing aircraft.  He falls in love with Naoko, yet he finds out she has tuberculosis and must make the choice of whether he wants to still be with her, knowing her time on this earth is short.  His love is so strong for her that Jiro decides to marry her.  Even when her condition worsens, and she would be better off in a sanatorium, Jiro decides to have Naoko live with him, so that she can spend the numbered days she has together with him.

Jiro and Naoko’s romance is one of the most beautiful and poignant facets of The Wind Rises. 

Jiro wishes to design aircraft for the joy of flying them, yet the only way for him to design aircraft is to do it for the purpose of war.  His dream of designing aircraft is constantly tested by the reality of war and the circumstances in his life.  One of the other themes that falls under this umbrella is dreams, and though the realization of these dreams may be tested, we should still pursue those dreams.  Jiro is uncomfortable at the fact that he must design for war purposes, as in many of his dream sequences Caproni has reminded him to not use his art for war.  He even undergoes many dream sequences in which he sees his dream resulting in a failure.

Though he experiences failure and understands the possibility of failure, Jiro nevertheless pursues his dream

Many of the projects he works on result in failures, and this leaves Jiro constantly wondering whether it is all worth it.  With the reassurance of Naoko and her presence at home giving him strength, Jiro continues to pursue his dream.  This also speaks to the power of love: the love you share with another can strengthen your spirit and help you to face any wind that rises up to meet you.

I will end this review with two quotes to think about.  Bothe of these further emphasize this theme of meeting the challenges of life and living on.  The first is a quote to Jiro by Caproni:

“Do you prefer a world with pyramids or with no pyramids?”

I love this quote, as it brings the idea of humans pursuing a dream to the end despite the odds against them.  The pyramids are a triumph of man, and show that despite how grand a scale and how seemingly impossible something is to accomplish, you can do it if you believe in yourself and face head on any challenge, or wind, that arises.

The second is the tagline of The Wind Rises in Japan:

The large black characters read: “We must live!”

Once again, this is reiterating the idea of the strength of the human spirit, and that no matter what wind rises to challenge us, we must remain strong and meet it head on, lest it blow us away.  This theme makes sense when you think of all the hard times the Japanese had to endure.  The depression, the various wars, the nuclear bombs, all were gales that tried to scatter the Japanese to the winds.  Yet, they survived, thanks to the strength of the human spirit.  This is why I love The Wind Rises.  It is not just any anti-war tale, it isn’t just your average romance.  It speaks to the resilience of the human spirit, its dreams and aspirations, and its loves and relationships.  If we understand that we can overcome trials, that we must live, then we will have the strength to survive any tragedy that befalls us, the will to face any obstacle that threatens to put us down, and the resilience to meet any storm head on.

Dragon Ball GT: A Damn Fun Ride

GMS here.  Damn, I know you barely see a lot of me, but I’ve been busy.  First post in a long while, so here goes!  I’m currently writing a review for Frozen and a few other assorted things, but right now I want to address something.  I was talking with a few of my friends who love anime and manga, and we came to the topic of Dragon Ball.  Arguing over how well Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball rate when compared to the fighting manga/anime of today led us to the topic of the GT anime, to which a bunch of my friends went on about how horrible and crappy it is.  Interesting….

Now, let’s all get one thing straight.  GT is bad.

But, is it really that bad? 

I personally really love GT.  Why?  I want to draw your attention to a quote on the back of the GT anime box set, from animenewsnetwork.com: “Dragon Ball GT is a fun ride.”  This is all GT was ever meant to be.  It wasn’t meant to be greater than Z or Ball at all.  Yes, many of the enemies are even more overpowered than even Kid Buu.  And Gogeta SSJ4?  Ridiculous.  The point to all of the overpowered enemies, I think, is to kind of poke fun at the Dragon Ball universe.  A sort of satire, if you will.  I mean, Omega Shenlong is pretty much god incarnate, and he could eat Buu in any of his forms for breakfast and ask for seconds.  You see, what I think Toriyama was going for was to combine Ball and Z into one anime, so as to appeal to those who like both.  And, well, it didn’t turn out that amazing.  Now, I would never consider this as one of the best anime of all time.  But, I think that it is an anime that everyone should see if you are a fan of DBZ, DB, or just anime in general.  There are some great moments here!  The Super 17 arc remains one of my favorite anime arcs ever!  Episode 55, The Heart of the Prince, is actually a really great retrospective on the relationship between Goku and Vegeta.  Piccolo’s sacrifice for the Earth is really moving, just as moving as Vegeta’s suicide in Z.  The Shadow Dragon and Baby sagas are great too!  GT has probably my favorite opening theme in any anime ever (no, not the shitty English one, I’m talking about the Japanese opening.  Give it a listen, you won’t regret it!).  The ending of GT is one of my favorite anime endings ever, as it goes through an entire retrospective of the series, ending with Goku saying goodbye to everyone.  It’s a tear-jerker, and it gets me every time.  Finally, the GT Movie is one of the best DB movies, in my opinion.

That’s not to say GT is without its flaws.  The Black Star saga sucks ass.  It’s terrible.  It’s basically a much lower-grade version of Dragon Ball.  I mean, it’s good for a little enjoyment, but I only really watched the whole thing once.  The Baby Saga is pretty good, but I’d still watch just about any saga in Z over this one.  The Shadow Dragon saga is pretty much crap too, up until the fire and ice dragons and the creation of Syn Shenlong, when it starts to get really good.  Whereas DBZ’s character development is skewered over multiple sagas and characters, far from a perfect way of doing it, GT’s character development is worse: it’s nonexistent.  Neither Goku, Pan, nor Trunks get any character development.  You’d think that when Goku shrunk that this would be an opportunity for some, but he is still pretty much as strong as before, so no.  Pan, first of all, doesn’t get any, and second of all, no one cares about her.  Third, Trunks doesn’t get any either.  Vegeta kind of goes through character development a bit, but it’s the same as before so I wouldn’t even consider it character development.  In the end, all of the characters are pretty static in their development throughout the story, leaving no area for profound development.  In reality, nothing about GT is profound or deep.  You could watch Naruto and find more deep stuff than in this show.

But that’s not the point. 

GT does its job very well: it’s an entertaining anime, with a very shitty, “so bad it’s good” first saga, and then a bunch of really overblown epic sagas following.  I equate GT to Flash Gordon the movie.  It has that same “so bad it’s good” quality to it that I can’t stop watching it.  In the end, I love GT for all of its flaws and triumphs.  GT demonstrates that not every anime can be perfect, some are even terrible, but if you enjoy watching it, than it has done its job.

Videogame Story Collab PILOT

GMS here.

Some time ago, I had some inspiration, and I came up with a story.  This story would span multiple gaming universes, like the game Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but it would be much more epic and intimate at the same time.  I had an ending already planned out, and a beginning too.  This inspiration came when I beat the first two Mother games, so I decided I would begin with the Mother universe.

The story is about a boy who is bullied by others for having PSI powers (he is, in fact, the first person to ever have these powers), and unintentionally creates the alien universe that Giygas is a part of.  He effectively becomes Giygas, and takes part in the events of Mother 1.  He becomes corrupted, and uses his power to instigate all of the tragedies and problems in the other videogame universes.  Bowser?  Yep, that’s the boy, corrupting the mind of the dragon-turtle creature.  Ganon/Ganondorf?  Created by the boy to terrorize Hyrule.  Zeromus?  Jenova?  Kefka?  Lavos?  All this kid’s fault.  All hje ever wanted was to be loved, but the world would not give him that love, so he decided to forsake all universes and wreak havoc within them, simply for his own enjoyment.

This post will be of the first chapter I have written for this story.  K-Dog and I will be collaborating on it together, especially for the middle portion.  Think of this post as the “pilot”, if you will.  I want to know what you think of this first chapter, your feedback.  For all those who follow TwoAverageGuys, what do you think of this idea?  Should we follow through on it?  Would you like to see more?  You decide.

Ch. 1: Mother

            The summer of 1909 was quite hot—so hot, that the streets of the suburb of Mother’s Day were completely empty, save for a lone boy of twelve.  He wandered the streets aimlessly, looking up at the sky.  This boy had no name: his parents ceased calling him by a name when they heard about the first incident.  A group of children in his middle school were hitting him, and, without warning, they all burst into flames and perished.  The boy had no explanation to give the police, as he himself did not know what happened.  He was sent home, and his parents locked him up in his room, and barred all his windows and locked his door.  He was alone.  It was there, in his room, that he discovered his true potential.

Yes, this boy was special, but not special as in mentally ill.  This boy had inside him the power of PSI—the ability to control elements and objects with one’s own mind.  Over the course of six months, he developed his powers, and, in the June of 1909, used his PSI to escape his prison.  He then began wandering the streets lazily, looking for something to do, some fun to have.  He liked games.  He was always fascinated with them.  He decided to create a game of his own, for his own amusement.  The idea of the extraterrestrial was quite popular at his school, so he decided to create his own race of aliens.  For a while, he imagined them in their mothership, hovering over Earth and abducting the innocent.

Suddenly, the once hot summer air turned cold, and a fierce wind blew around him.  He looked up in the sky, and he saw a large spacecraft hovering over his neighbor’s house.  The ship was almost close enough to touch, and the boy attempted to, when he saw a beam of light fall upon the house.  Two people were being carried by the light upwards, and they were carried into the spaceship.  Then, as quick as it appeared, the craft flew swiftly into the sky, and the normal summer heat replaced the temporary cold once more.  The boy could not believe what he saw, and dismissed it as only an illusion, and continued to walk slowly down the street, wondering about what he had just seen.

That night, as he slept in the street, the boy felt strange.  At first, it was pitch black, then, as he regained his vision, he made out the face of a beautiful woman.  He was in her arms, and she was singing to him, softly and sweetly.  He fell asleep once more in her arms, comforted by the sweet music she made.

The next night, he awoke in his dreams inside a spherical pod filled with fluid, and tubes attached to his limbs.  He realized that he was in fact an alien, and not himself, with a white body and an oddly shaped face.  He looked up, and saw a man of about forty looking at him through the pod, who stroked his chin, and wrote down something that the boy could not see.  Then he said to the boy, “Giygas, you are truly a beautiful specimen.  I can learn so much about the powers of PSI from you!”  The boy didn’t understand what was going on.  Who was this man and why did he call him Giygas?  And who was that woman who sang him that lullaby?  Suddenly, he felt a pain sear through his body, and he awoke on the street, with a human’s body, but with questions unanswered.

The following night, he awoke in the strange body again, this time outside the pod and holding an apple.  He felt a wave flow through his body, and a vision came to him.  In the vision, he saw four children about his age before him.  One was a boy with black hair, a blue and yellow striped shirt, and a red baseball cap with a blue brim.  Another was a boy with blonde hair, glassed, a green suit, and what appeared to be a small bottlerocket.  Next to him was a girl, with blonde hair, a pink dress, and a red bow in her hair.  The last child was a boy with one strand of black hair atop his otherwise bald head, wearing a white outfit, and wielding a gilded sword.  The boys had all fallen to their knees in pain, and the girl held her hands together earnestly, as if in prayer.  Then, he felt a pain go through him, and the vision went black.  Somehow, it was clear to him what this meant.  These Earthlings were going to defeat him when he attacked Earth, so he must attack before these children are ever born.  He commanded his men to plot a course for Earth, though he didn’t know why he was saying the words.  The thoughts and words all just came to him naturally.  The world faded to black, and he awoke again, confused as ever.

The town the boy awoke to was a very different world than before.  Everywhere creatures ran amok, and the sky was dark.  Just then, three young children sped past him, and the boy could make out the red baseball cap the kid at the head of the group was wearing just before they passed him.  The boy looked in the distance, and saw that they were heading towards a large mountain, with smoke gathered at the top.  He wanted to meet them there and see what was going on.  Just then, there was a bright flash of light, and the boy was at the top of the mountain.

Instead of his own body, however, the boy inhabited the strange alien body once more.  Only smoke surrounded him, and his mothership was behind him.  Then out of the smoke came the three children he saw earlier, only now he could get a better look at them.  The boy he saw before him had a strange resemblance to the one he saw in the vision while holding the apple.  He was dressed similarly, with a red baseball cap and a blue and yellow striped shirt.  He had on a red bandanna tied around his neck, and in his hands he carried a baseball bat and a small, pink, flute-like instrument.  He was joined by a blonde-haired girl, with her hair done in pony-tails and wearing a pink hat and pink dress.  Following her was another young boy with white hair, a red shirt, and glasses.

The boy felt strange when he looked at the one heading their party.  He wanted to annihilate him completely, but at the same time wanted his friendship and companionship.  Before long, he found himself thrust into battle with them.  He wanted to destroy them all, and his mind responded to his feelings, unleashing a blast that the children couldn’t even comprehend.  They were hit head on, and fell to the ground in pain.  The boy felt satisfied with his work, even in this strange body.  He felt strong.  He felt like he could defeat anyone.  No one could stand in his way!  But, the boy with the red baseball cap stood up, and he began to sing.  His cohorts soon joined him, and the boy felt a wave of sorrow and love flow through him.  He knew this song!  It was the same song that beautiful woman sung to him as she held him in his arms.  Instantly, memories of her rushed into his mind.  She was holding him in her arms, singing the lullaby he now heard.  Then, he saw another vision.  It was the woman, and she was lying down on a strangely shaped bed.  They were inside his mothership, and he was at her side, pleading for her not to leave him.  She smiled, and began to close her eyes.  As she began to slowly fade away, he could make out the words, “I love you” coming from her lips.

As he returned to reality, the boy, shaking with sorrow in this strange body, could only utter one word.

“Mother…..” he said quietly, as a lone tear ran down his cheek.

Then he screamed in agony.  It was the most ear-piercing scream that had ever come out of a living creature.  The boy grasped his head with his hands, trying to ease the pain.  He flew back into his pod on the mothership, and gave the command to take off and plot a course for their home planet.  He vowed to one day return and to extinguish every last Earthling from the face of this planet.  As his ship glided towards the heavens, and the image of the mountaintop and the three children became fainter every second, he could only think of the woman he loved so much, the woman he called mother.

The boy awoke in a park, with the summer heat of his hometown making him sweat.  He finally understood what he had done.  The PSI powers that had awakened in him not only endowed him with the ability to control elements and objects with his mind, but were powerful enough to allow him to create whole universes and races.  He could control them at his will, which explains the strange events that had occurred.  In a daydream, he had created an entire alien race, and in his boredom called his new creations to Earth.  They took his neighbors, George and Maria, into their mothership and left the planet.  The boy had the ability to assume the identity of his creations, which explained why he inhabited the body of the alien known as Giygas, the leader of the entire race of aliens he had created.  This Giygas was raised by Maria, and used as a guinea pig by George in his attempts to discover the properties of PSI.  He then took his studies away with him and returned to Earth, leaving Maria alone to die with Giygas and the others.

            The boy still had much to learn, though.  As Giygas the alien, he had waited seventy one years to attack Earth and exact revenge on George.  Due to the ominous vision that the Apple of Enlightenment revealed, he set a course for Earth twenty years before his predicted defeat was to occur.  He met with opposition instead in the form of three children: one of which was Ninten, the great grandson of George and Maria.  Though he failed to defeat him and destroy Earth, the boy instead set in motion a chain of events that would span multiple dimensions and threaten the existence of life itself.

Rocky IV: Why Its My Favorite Rocky Movie EVER

GMS here.

I had the greatest end to a summer that I could ever have: a Rocky III and Rocky IV double feature.  Due to the pressuring by K-Dog and two of my other dear friends, I have gotten into the Rocky series.  However, the one thing that intrigued me the most about the series was a clip my friend posted on Facebook:  the first few seconds of Rocky’s fight with Ivan Drago in which Drago says his famous line, “I must break you.”  That made me want to watch Rocky, and so, in anticipation of Rocky IV, I watched the first movie, which BLEW ME AWAY.  The heart in that movie is something I can barely put into words.  I then proceeded to Rocky II, which wasn’t as impressive but had an even better fight with Apollo Creed than the first one.  The third one was very enjoyable, with one of my favorite songs (Eye of the Tiger) and the monster Clubber Lang.  Finally, the moment I had been waiting for had arrived: Rocky IV.  Was it everything I had expected?  Yes, and more.  Do I think it is the best Rocky movie?  A good possibility, but not for sure.  Is it my favorite?  Well, if you read the title, by know you know that it is my favorite Rocky movie EVER.  Here’s why.

I tend to love movies that are products of their time.  The James Bond movies are largely products of their time.  Dr. Strangelove is a product of its time.  However, more than just about every movie I have seen, Rocky IV is a product of its time, but it’s also much more than that.  I am somewhat of a history buff, and my favorite time period of U.S. History is the Cold War (which would explain why I love James Bond and Metal Gear Solid 3).  Seriously, with the way I joke about the Soviet Union at school, people actually think I’m communist (which I’m not, by the way).  I just really am intrigued by the time period.  During that time period there was, of course, much tension between the two great superpowers: U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R., or C.C.C.P.if you speak Russian.  This sentiment crept its way into our popular culture, and many stories in books or movies featured the East vs. West conflict as its major theme.  Now, along comes Rocky IV, released in the year 1985, and bearing the same conflict of East vs. West—for most of the movie.

Is it East vs. West, or man against man?

Though the opening credits feature two boxing gloves clashing, Rocky’s with the Stars and Stripes and Drago’s with the Hammer and Sickle, an image clearly representing this decade-old conflict, this conflict fades as the movie progresses.  It clearly changes toward the end to a different theme, one expressed by a lyric from a song in the movie, Burning Heart by Survivor: “Does the crowd understand?  Is it East vs. West or Man against Man?”  Yes, the battle between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago changes from a battle of U.S. vs. Russia to man against man, and there are quite a few factors that play into this.

“I want you to promise me you’re not gonna stop this fight, no matter what. No matter what!” 

To understand these factors, we need to look at the three fighters in this movie: Rocky, Apollo, and Drago.  For clarity and chronology’s sake, I’ll start with Apollo Creed, and what he’s all about in this movie.  Apollo has always held fighting dear to his heart as his prime value.  Fighting is who he is, and he will never pass up an opportunity to better himself and prove to the world that he is capable of greatness.  He tells this straight out to Rocky in the first fifteen/twenty minutes of the movie, when Rocky questions whether he should go through with the exhibition fight with Drago.  This sentiment has been his feeling all along, even when he was the heavyweight champion of the world.

Creed needs to prove himself to the world once more in Rocky II

You can tell that this is his feeling in Rocky II when he wants to rematch Rocky: he wants to do so because he feels that his ability was made a fool of in the first movie, and he wants to prove himself to the world again.  This is in clear contrast with the sentiment of Clubber Lang from Rocky III, who simply wants to be the best and crush anyone in his way, a much more selfish sentiment, fueled by rage to boot.  Creed has even passed on this sentiment to Rocky when training him, and so has Adrian.

Adrian’s speech to Rocky in Rocky III brought tears to my eyes, and it’s very true what she told him.

In Rocky III, Adrian tells Rocky that he needs to fight for himself and to show the world that he is capable of greatness.  If Apollo has this great sentiment, then why did he lose to Drago, who does not have this sentiment at all?  The answer is simple: Apollo was cocky, and treated the fight more like a pageant, in his usual style (see Rocky I and II).  This pageant, though, was the most overblown.

Livin’ in America indeed.

He did not take Drago seriously, a huge mistake.  Thus, Apollo dies, leaving Rocky next on Drago’s hit list.

 “Cause I’m a fighter! That’s how I’m made, Adrian. That’s what you married. We can’t change what we are.” 

Moving on to Rocky.  Rocky has had the same set of values as Apollo in the previous movies, and his belief in these set of values has increased as a result of being under Apollo’s tutelage.  Though his success in fighting has been somewhat “rocky” over the years, as he had to deal with the attention, fame, Mickey’s death, and being part of a family, he has always pulled through in the end, because his friends have reinforced this value.  Rocky wants to prove to the world that he is capable of greatness, and his “warrior’s code” requires that he fight anyone who would challenge his title, as it would be a reaffirmation of his ability and yet another chance to remind the world of his greatness.  Though he may try to escape it by retiring, the ring will always call to him.  Mickey was right about a lot of things, but he was wrong in trying to protect Rocky from fighting Clubber Lang in Rocky III.  Though his intentions were good, and he truly cared about Rocky’s wellbeing, Rocky needed to remind the world that he is capable of greatness and is not the has-been that Lang makes him out to be.  By trying to protect him, Mickey was saving Rocky’s body but damaging his soul.  Throughout these four movies, Rocky has held this value close to heart, and this is the reason for his success.  His determination to push himself in his training led him out of his comfort zone in Mickey’s gym to Apollo’s old gym and even the snow-capped mountains of Russia.  He pushes himself to the limit, whether it be chopping down trees and adding it to a wheelbarrow so he can pull it on his hands and knees (along with Pauly), climbing the mountains of Russia, or racing Apollo Creed on the beaches of California.

Rocky trains hard to attain his goals.

When Drago kills Apollo, you immediately think that Rocky’s thoughts turn to revenge, and you’d be about half right.  It’s much more than that.  When Rocky says he doesn’t want Apollo’s life and sacrifice to be in vain, he doesn’t want to just avenge the man, but the man’s ideals as well.  The ideal that is the central ideal of the entire series: that a man can rise from nothing and prove to the world that he can go the distance.  Drago is actively challenging that ideal, and has struck the first critical blow by killing Apollo.  Rocky must defend that ideal at any cost, even his own life.

 “It is a matter of size. Evolution. Isn’t it, gentlemen? Drago is the most perfectly trained athlete ever. This other man has not the size, the strength, the *genetics* to win. It is physically impossible for this little man to win. Drago is a look at the future!”

Finally, we move to Ivan Drago, my favorite character in the Rocky series thus far (I still haven’t seen Rocky V or Rocky Balboa).  After viewing Rocky IV and deliberating in my mind, I believe that Ivan Drago is a tragic character in a sense, as he is a puppet for the majority of the movie: a puppet of the decade old Cold War power struggle between East and West.  There is a clear contrast between Ivan Drago and the two other antagonists Rocky has faced (or former antagonist, in the case of Apollo Creed).  Apollo, as I stated earlier in my analysis, had the same values as Rocky, and instilled them deeper in him before he died.  Clubber Lang was different.  Rocky and Apollo’s sentiment is not only that they personally can achieve greatness, but that any man can rise from nothing and go the distance.  Lang’s was more selfish: he was in it to win it, and he’ll crush anyone in his way of the title.  Drago is a puppet of the Soviet Union in their efforts to win the power race against America.  He is, in essence, a lab-grown fighter.

Ivan Drago, the lab-grown boxer.

Drago trains under close supervision of Soviet scientists, using special machines to increase his performance, and he even uses steroids.  Come on, isn’t it obvious?  The way his wife so quickly denies that they are doing so should be enough, but a needle with a substance inside it is shown being prepared and injected into Drago during the Heart’s On Fire training montage.  If that’s not Drago being injected with steroids, then I can speak like Morgan Freeman.  Even if its not specifically steroids, its definitely some substance injected into his system with the intent of improving his performance.  Just watch the training montage again and you will see the difference between Rocky’s and Drago’s training regimen, and how much more genuine Rocky’s is.

Compare the two training regimens, will ya?

Drago does not have the same values as Rocky, as he is a puppet and is not concerned with furthering himself, only his country’s quest for power.  This is further emphasized when he says, “If he dies, he dies.”  Killing an opponent does not matter to him, as long as the reputation of Mother Russia is furthered.  Even if Drago did want to further himself, it would be in terms of furthering Russia as well, and it would have nothing to do with Rocky and Apollo’s values.  Need further evidence that he’s a puppet?  Look at how the party member and his wife have to speak for him throughout the movie.

In Mother Russia, you do not speak words, words speak you.

Drago utters fewer words in Rocky IV than the script for 2001: A Space Odyssey, yet his words reflect his character at the various points in the movie, and each line of dialogue is very important in understanding his character.

A battle of countries or of men?

The final fight between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago reflects the change in perspective of the movie from a battle of East vs. West to man vs. man.  Notice how in the beginning, Ivan Drago utters his famous line, “I must break you.”  Not I will break you, I must break you.  Saying “I will” is a way of reaffirming what you are about to do to others and yourself.  It’s a choice, and it’s more personal.  Must is a statement of requirement, showing that at the beginning of the fight, Drago is still a puppet of the Soviet Union, and must break Rocky in order to further the reputation of the motherland.

Clearly, this fight is a show put on for the whole world to prove the might of Mother Russia.

The fight begins, and as the fight goes on, and Rocky begins to push Drago and prove himself, I feel that Drago realizes the difference between him and Rocky: Rocky is fighting for himself and his ideals, not for the betterment of his country.  This is shown during a break when Drago is criticized by the party member for starting to lose his edge.  Drago grabs him by the neck, almost suffocates him, and throws him to the ground.  After this, he yells that he fights for no one else but himself.  He has realized that Rocky’s strength comes from fighting for himself, and he begins to respect Rocky for it, I feel.  He feels if he adopts this belief, he will have a greater chance of winning.  This newfound respect is solidified and proven by the last statement Drago utters, before the final round: “To the end.”  This, and Drago’s change in ideals, marks the change from a conflict of the Cold War to a battle of wills.  This is also reflected in the final few rounds, where there is little to no technique applied to the fighting by either Drago or Rocky: it’s simply “a street fight,” as the one announcer put it.

It is man vs. man at its finest.

However, Drago is too late to change his vision of fighting, as he is not only still a lab-grown fighter while Rocky has had many years of intense, real, personal experience, he also lacks that last single element to his ideals that Rocky has.  Drago is not being a model for anyone; he is only interested in believing in himself and proving to others that he is the best.  Rocky is a model for people because his ideals and values are such that he believes that any man can rise from nothing and go the distance, if they believe in themselves.  This is why Drago loses: Rocky’s intentions have been greater for the entire series, and as such he has trained with that in mind, while Drago has only trained with Mother Russia in mind.

Rocky’s somewhat cheesy but endearing victory speech.

This is further shown in the end, when Rocky gives his victory speech: “If I can change, and you can change, then we all can change.”  Rocky truly believes in himself and others, and this is why he is victorious in the end.

So, why do I love Rocky IV?  All of the Rocky movies have Rocky and Apollo’s ideal at heart: that anyone can rise from nothing and go the distance.  It’s just the fact that Rocky IV is my favorite representation of this ideal, and each person has their own idea of which Rocky movie shows this the best or is their favorite representation of the theme.  So, which Rocky movie do you think is the best?  Which is your favorite?  I would love to hear from anyone who wants to talk about this iconic series.  Until then, this has been GMS, and I don’t have the eye of the tiger, because it’s genetically impossible.

Catherine: GMS’s First Impressions

(I know that I’m doing a “first impressions” review on a two year old game, but please bear with me.  I really want to share a few of my thoughts on this great game!)

It’s the summer of 2011, I’m on my computer at home surfing the web, and all of a sudden, an ad for a new game pops up.  The game is called Catherine, and the ad featured a raunchy pic of a blonde with a weird hairstyle stripping and a guy with an afro and horns caught in between her breasts as sheep fall from the sky.

The ad that changed my life (sort of)

My first thoughts were: “What the hell kind of a game is this?”  Then, my id kicked in, and my drooling hormonal teenage self clicked on the ad with vigor, eager to see what the next webpage had in store for me.  Of course, it was the website for the game, with news and stuff.  However, in an interesting twist, the website primarily had a black screen, with two chains hanging from the top and a question asking “Can love exist without pain?”  There were two responses: “Yes, of course!” and “No way, man.”  I picked the latter, and was transported to a page with the same blonde girl lying horizontally in a voluptuous manner.  Not only did the website had news and stuff, it also had this phone on the bottom left, where you could engage in daily conversations with Catherine, said voluptuous blonde girl.

An example of a phone conversation you can have with Catherine on the website.

I spent the next few days speaking with her, every day making a new choice as to whether to back away from her or indulge in her forwardness.  I was hooked on Catherine so much that I felt like I was in a relationship with her.  I was obsessed.  Crazy, aint it?

Catherine would disappear from the forefront of my gaming mind by the time summer was at its end.  I mean, I didn’t (and still don’t, but intend to) own a PS3, and I am not an Xbox person, so I could not see this obsession through to the end.  More important things like Mega Man and Final Fantasy would take over my gaming world, I didn’t have time to obsess over a game I would never play, right?  Right?  Enter late 2012 through early 2013.  My good friend and partner on this blog, K Dog, relayed to me of his discovery of “this great new and underrated game company.”  I thought: “Really?  I highly doubt anything could be as great or greater than Nintendo, Squaresoft, Enix (Yes, Square and Enix SEPARATELY, not together, they were better when they were separate), Konami and Capcom.”  The company was Atlus, and K Dog went on and on about this RPG called Persona 3 and how amazing it was.  I was astonished, to say the least.

Hmm, interesting…

I wanted to play this RPG that he claimed was the best he had played (Yes, better than Chrono Trigger and FFVII.  And he hadn’t even played FFIV or Earthbound yet!).  He told me that it took him the whole year to beat, and that stopped me clear in my tracks.  I looked up the average play time for this game, and it was like 170 hours!!!  I don’t have that kind of time to spend on one game!!!  I mean, I spent almost 200 hours on Pokémon Soul Silver, but that doesn’t count because I had already long beaten the game by the time I hit 100 hours.  It’s just that Pokémon is kind of like Skyrim: once you beat the main quest, you can just screw around the rest of the time playing it.  But, Persona 3!!!  170 hours just to beat the main quest!!!!  Screw that!!  Then, K Dog shocked me again, saying that Atlus also made another ingenious game, called Catherine.  My heart stopped for a second.  I asked him to describe the game, and he did.  It was the Catherine!  The same one!!  Memories of that summer came flashing back to me, and I felt a pang of jealousy fill my insides.  This was the game I had followed from before its release date, the game I fell in love with, the game I longed to play, and K Dog had beaten me to it!  Just like he did with Final Fantasy VII.

Time passed, and now we come to this summer.  I hung out towards the end of June with K Dog at his house, and after some gruelingly intense matches of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, he asked me if I wanted to play Catherine, and if he could coach me while doing it.  I jumped at the chance to play the game, and of course said yes!  For two different visits, I have spent about five and a half hours playing Catherine, and I’m almost done.  When I finally got to play Final Fantasy VII and Ocarina of Time, I was somewhat let down by my huge expectations for those games.  Not that they’re bad, but it was that feeling when you want something so bad for so long that when you finally get it, you aren’t that impressed.  This I cannot say about Catherine.  Catherine has met and exceeded my expectations as a game, and renewed my faith in this obscure company K Dog introduced me to.  While I may not get into the Persona series, Catherine is definitely the game for me.

Eh, maybe not…

YES!

           For the uninitiated, here’s the scoop.  You play as Vincent, a dude with an afro and traces of a beard in about his mid or late 20’s who has a girlfriend named Katherine (not to be confused with Catherine).

Catherine and Katherine: NOT to be confused.

They’re thinking about getting serious (as in Mahwidge), but this is mostly Katherine’s idea, Vincent wants things to keep going steady.  Then, Vincent has a horrible dream in which he is part sheep and must climb up a fast crumbling tower or risk falling down.  If he falls down in his dream, he dies in real life.

Y’know, The Climb by No Doubt would be a perfect song for this game…

He realizes the next day that this is a part of a string of deaths of men around his age, and also related to what is called by many the “woman’s wrath” or grudge or something.  If that wasn’t enough, he meets at the bar the voluptuous Catherine (not to be confused with Katherine), and is instantly entranced, but reluctant for obvious reasons (cheating=BAD).

Instantly entranced for obvious reasons…

And that’s pretty much the story, you as the player have to make decisions every day about how Vincent should deal with his predicament, and by night you must climb the tower.  This combination of decision-making elements and puzzles makes Catherine an interesting game indeed, but its greatest strengths lie in two factors: its theming and the little things.

First, the theming.  Remember how in my Top 30 Favorite Games I talked about how I don’t feel immersed in the game’s main character when the character’s profile is already quite fleshed out, like Solid Snake?  Vincent’s character is pretty fleshed out, so why isn’t this a mark against the game in my book?  It’s all about the decisions.  Every decision you make throughout the game (or just about) is weighed by a decision meter that is evocative of the devil and angel on the shoulders.

Decisions, decisions…

If you make a bad decision, it goes toward the red end, a good one toward the blue end.  This affects the ending you will receive at the end of the game.  It’s kind of like the trial in Chrono Trigger, except the whole game is built around it this time.  And this is where Catherine shines.  By making the player make the decisions of what Vincent should do, it makes the player step into his shoes, becoming him.  And with well designed and developed minor characters, Catherine is aces in the theming department.

I love these guys!  They’re like family!

         But, what about the “little things?”  What do I mean by that?  I always say that, while the big picture is very important, the little details matter as well and, while Catherine delivers in both departments, the little things really struck me.  This is less of an analysis and more of a gushing session.  I love how drinking various alcoholic beverages makes you move faster up the tower in the dreams.  And, when you empty your glass, the narrator impresses you with his trivia knowledge of alcoholic drinks.  I always laugh when he says “How about some trivia about Japanese sake, now that you’ve finished your sake cup.”  The trivia is quite interesting, too.  Also, as you drink more, you can see that Vincent is getting drunk by the physical changes when he walks.  Instead of just his hands in his pocket shuffling around, he’s red-faced, slumped over, hands out of pockets, and rocks back and forth as he walks, like a drunken person.

Take it easy on the sake, Vince!

I also like how in the bar, there’s an arcade game called Rapunzel, which is basically and 8-bit version of the puzzle towers found in the dream sequences of Catherine, except they involve the prince climbing up the tower to save Rapunzel.

This is so cool!

Although a fun and addictive game, I tended to not spend too much time on it, as I wanted to get back to the story.  It’s these little details and more that make me appreciate Catherine all the more than I already do.

One last thing must be discussed: the difficulty.  The nighttime puzzle sequences are difficult to accomplish, as they involve a lot of trial and error and can be pretty grueling.  Though there are three settings of difficulty, even the easy mode exhibits this.  Once you get used to it, it’s not that bad, but the bosses are still a pain in the ass.  In fact, I just left off last time at K Dog’s house not being able to beat the chainsaw baby boss on the 6^th night.  That thing was damn hard!

Add this to the banes of my existence.

Some may criticize Catherine for this kind of trial and error difficulty, but one could level the same complaint on just about all of the NES games.  Catherine is not that bad.

 Please.  I want to know which game you think is worse.  It should be no question.

Even the tutorial stage doesn’t really hold your hand like other modern games.  You are mostly left to fend for yourself.  The game provides you with useful techniques during every stage break, but I didn’t use them too much and instead used the skills I had acquired on my own and used my own style of climbing.  And boy, when you finally beat that tough boss, it feels damn good to hear Handel’s Halleluja chorus play.  It’s like in Dragon Warrior when you have been grinding for a long while and are starting to slowly lose morale, and then you hear the telltale chime that lets you know you have gained a level.  When I beat the boss of the 5^th night, which I will not spoil for the uninitiated, I literally did a full body slide on my chest on K Dog’s carpet, flipping the boss off as it died.  I got major rug burn from that, and it’s still healing, but it was well worth it to do the victory slide.  Just, don’t do it yourself.  Trust me.

Well, that’s all I’m going to say for now.  I don’t have much farther to go in the game, but I don’t want to reveal all of my thoughts right now.  I plan on doing a dual review of the game with K Dog once I have beaten it proper.  Bottom line, Catherine has my seal of approval, and it’s a game you don’t want to miss.

The Daniel Craig James Bond Trilogy: A Review by GMS

What can be said about James Bond?  He is one of the greatest film icons in history, and his movies are a part of one of the longest running film franchises ever.  Many men have donned the persona of MI6’s greatest agent, but the one I wish to discuss today is the most recent addition to the James Bond Hall of Fame: Daniel Craig.  The topic of Daniel Craig as James Bond has been controversial for me at least, as many/most of my friends think that he is the best Bond, while I do not.  I’ll save that revelation for later.  I have seen Craig’s films out of order, and that had affected my initial perception of him, but as I have recently seen Skyfall and thus finished the Craig “trilogy”, I can safely say that the Bond franchise is in good hands.  I want to lay down my opinion of his trilogy, and then evaluate Craig as opposed to other Bonds.  So, without further ado, let us begin!

I liken the Craig trilogy of Bond films to the Indiana Jones trilogy, but with one exception (I’ll get to it in a moment).

Just hear me out, guys…

Casino Royale is like Raiders: a perfect start to the trilogy, not a perfect movie per se, but great nonetheless.  Quantum of Solace is like Temple of Doom: the weakest of the three, improving upon some aspects, but still not as good as the first.   Skyfall is like Last Crusade: the best of the trilogy, a perfect movie overall.  Now, for my exception: While I will staunchly defend Temple of Doom, as I believe it is not that bad of a movie, Quantum of Solace is a horrible pile of steaming dog shit.  I’ll explain myself when I reach the appropriate point in this review, but for now let’s just leave it at that.

Casino Royale.  This movie is my personal favorite in the Craig trilogy, and I will explain why in a moment.  This movie introduces Bond in his first mission on her majesty’s secret service (heh heh), and has him entering the great Casino Royale to face off against the terrible Le Chiffre.  Along the way, he encounters his new love interest, Vesper, and the two later fall in love.  I really enjoyed the falling in love part, because it reminded me so much of my favorite Bond movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.  I think that it was executed very well in Casino Royale, though not as good as OHMSS.  Plus, Eva Green is super hot, so there’s that factor.

Mmmmmmmmmm, yes….

There is one other aspect that I really want to discuss: Le Chiffre.  He is one of my favorite Bond villains, but I don’t believe he should be very high on a ranking list, as he gradually gets worse later in the movie.  At first, he is this badass, evil gambler who can just dominate the whole game.

Alright, let the discussion begin!  Who would win in a poker game: Le Chiffre or Lonnigan from The Sting?

VS

  Taking all bets!!!  I digress.  As the movie goes on, however, Le Chiffre breaks down really quickly, and turns into this crazy, desperate pawn.  Compare him to the likes of Goldfinger, or even Silva from Skyfall.  Neither of these two villains breaks until the very end, even at all.  But Le Chiffre, on the other hand…Let me just use the interrogation scene from Casino Royale as my evidence.

You know the one.

Other than that, this movie was very well done, and a great start to the series.  Plus, it has one of the best scenes in Bond history: the ending.  Seriously, this is up there with Bond meeting Blofeld from You Only Live Twice, the ending in OHMSS, and the interrogation scene in Goldfinger (No, mister Bond, I expect you to DIE!!)!  Daniel Craig delivers the classic line very well: “The name’s Bond…James Bond.”  However, where this scene really shines is David Arnold’s version of the Bond theme, what I consider to be the definitive version.  Aaaaahh, man!  So good!

To be honest, I really don’t have much to say about Quantum of Solace, as a quarter of the way through the move, I stopped understanding what was going on, and I honestly stopped caring, too.  The main issue that I have with this film is that it is the only Bond movie that can’t stand on its own: it is a true sequel in the sense of the word.  The greatest strength of the Bond movies is that each one can stand on its own.  Sure, there are some things that carry from film to film, but overall each is a different story, and you could start from any point in the series and still be fine.  This cannot be said about Quantum.  I had no idea what was going on, and that is because the plot was in essence a complete follow up to Casino Royale.  Sure this is because I saw this one first, and not Casino Royale, but that doesn’t matter.   On top of that, the action was only average, the villain was stupid, and Craig’s performance was lacking compared with the other two.  In the end, as a result from all these factors, Quantum of Solace remains the weakest in the Craig trilogy.

Ah, Skyfall.  How can I even begin to talk about Skyfall?  Let me start off with this.  Throughout my quest of watching every James Bond movie, I gave each one a rating, from a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being perfect, 1 being a pile of shit.  Out of all the Bond movies, I only consider 3 to be perfect in every way:  Goldfinger, Goldeneye, and Skyfall.  The plot was ingenious, the villain excellent, and Craig’s performance at his best.  He wasn’t a rookie like in Casino Royale, and he wasn’t an emotional wreck like in Quantum.  Skyfall truly houses Craig’s best performance as Bond yet.  While it is certainly not my favorite Bond movie, I hold nothing but praise for Skyfall.  Silva was a triumph as a villain: his motives clearly and cleverly set up, his character interesting and his execution brilliant.

Now this is a Bond villain I can really get behind!

I would definitely put Silva high in the pantheon of Bond villains, right under Blofeld and Goldfinger.  This movie also made palpable the relationship between M and Bond, not just as boss and agent, but as mother and son.  This, too, applies to Silva and M.  Such an agent versus agent plot device is extremely evocative of Goldeneye’s Bond and Trevelyan, but each of these relationships holds its own appeal.  While Goldeneye’s was more small scale and intimate, Skyfall’s was more big-picture and epic.  In general, Skyfall was on an epic scale as compared to many other Bond movies.  For proof, one needs only to look at my favorite part in the movie: the final showdown at Skyfall, Bond’s childhood home in Scotland.  That is why I think Skyfall is such an achievement in the Bond franchise.  Even though Judy Dench’s M dies, she is replaced by one of my favorite actors, Ralph Fiennes.  I look forward to the relationship between Bond and the new M in movies to come.

            Now let me get this out of the way first:

I think the best Bond is Sean Connery.

Yes, I’m going to jump on the bandwagon that has existed since the sixties, but I don’t care.  Connery is the perfect, well-rounded Bond: equal amounts of womanizing charm, catchy one-liners, and amazing action.  I guess this is a moot point, since he was the first Bond, but that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize the achievements of other Bonds, like Craig.  In fact, I think Craig is the second best Bond.  Like I already said, Connery is the well-rounded Bond.

George Lazenby, my personal favorite, is what I like to call the precursor to Daniel Craig: he is very similar to Connery, but has this more human air about him that I find very appealing.

Roger Moore was kind of like Connery on steroids: he took the womanizing and one-liner type comedy to the extreme, many times overplaying the character to the point of it being cheesy.

Timothy Dalton was an interesting Bond: he was more serious than other Bonds, focusing more on action than on the other facets that make Bond, well, Bond.

Pierce Brosnan was great: not only was he the best looking Bond, but he was like Connery except he took the action to a whole other level.

Daniel Craig is like Connery and Lazenby combined: he is well rounded like Connery but at the same time is the legacy of the human-like Bond that Lazenby created in the sixties.  With that statement, you might ask why Craig is not better than Connery.  Well, who do you think of when you think Bond?  Daniel Craig?  Pierce Brosnan?  Timothy Dalton?  Roger Moore?  George Lazenby?  No, you think Sean Connery!  Sean Connery is not only a well-rounded Bond, Sean Connery IS Bond!  YOU CAN’T TOP THAT!!  Now, you may say, “GMS, you could say that about anything, that the first of anything is always the best!”  And, well, you’re right.  But, I don’t believe that that is true of everything, just of this.  And, I could present this same argument used on me to the stalwart fans of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.  But, I won’t talk about that issue right now.  I’m just saying that Connery is Bond, and nothing will change that.  However, I’m not denying that the other Bonds have done well.  I still think that Craig is the second best Bond.  In the end, each Bond has his own appeal, and you may think differently than I about your favorite/best Bond.  One cannot deny, though, that Daniel Craig has made a significant contribution to the Bond franchise, one that I do not think should be forgotten.

GMS’s Top 30 Favorite Games of ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great Mighty Steve (GMS) here.

Hooooooboy!  This is the big kicker, people.  This is my definitive Top 30 favorite games of ALL TIME!!!!!  Keep in mind, though, that I am limited to the games that I have played, and that my opinion may change over time, though most of these decisions will, for the most part, stay the same.  Remember, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and this is mine.  So, if you have a problem with any of these placements, talk about it in the comments.  I would love to see what you think, or what your favorite games are, because I always enjoy constructive debates.  That said, I don’t care for any rude comments.  It’s my list; I’ll do whatever the hell I want!  Anyway, now that I have that out of my system, let’s jump in!

30. Castlevania 1 (NES), and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1)

The first tie here!  I really couldn’t decide which of these two games I like more, so let me explain how I feel about both!

Who doesn’t love some classic 8-bit whipping?  Castlevania 1 is simply a masterpiece, and I can recall hours of enjoyment playing this game.  With that in mind, I can also recall many more hours of FRUSTRATION playing this game.  That, coupled with the fact that there are tons of other games that I prefer, is the reason why it is at number 30.

I will not make the obvious reference.

To those who say that the classic Castlevania linear style is far superior to the Metroid style of Symphony of the Night, I say “F-you!”  Nah, I’m kidding.  Both styles are great, it’s just that I prefer this style over the other.  The voice acting was cheesy goodness, the area was well-designed, the music was fantastic, and the action felt right.  It was overall a great game.  I still haven’t finished it, but that’s just a testament to how well designed it is—I haven’t even figured everything out yet!

29. Final Fantasy VI/III (SNES)

I know, I know.  To be honest, I’m not denying that this game is a masterpiece.  It must be said, though, that this game has a somewhat broken party system.  Most of the story wants you to focus on maybe 5 or 6 party members when, by the time you’re half way through the game, you’ve easily accumulated twice as much.  Incidentally, I leveled up only four people (not so ironically, the people the story wanted you to focus on), and when asked to form two or three parties for a particular stretch of the game, found that I had one ultimate, bossly, kick-ass party and two shitty ones.  This completely ruined the experience for me.  I’m not gonna sit around leveling up an old man, his granddaughter, a drunk airship guy, and a yeti when I can just waltz right in to Kefka’s Tower and finish the game.

Too many fudging characters, man!

This is my main complaint, and other than that, there’s not much to say.  When people say that the soundtrack to this game is Nobuo Uematsu’s best, I highly disagree.  Though there are a few amazing songs here (Dancing Mad and Aria di Mezzo Caraterre, to name a few), most of the songs are forgettable.  And, while those few amazing songs easily trump most of the songs in the other games, save a few, the soundtrack to Final Fantasy IV is overall more memorable, as I can bring just about every song to mind from that game, but very few from VI.  This is easily my least favorite Final Fantasy game that I have beaten (one out of three).  So, kill me if you want to, but just remember this before you do: Final Fantasy IV.

28. Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

I know, I know!  “How dare you put the legendary Final Fantasy VII so low on your list!!!”  Well, let me explain my reasoning.  First of all, it’s my list.  Second of all, it’s my list.  Third of all, IT’S MY LIST!!!!!  Fourth of all, I’m not a very big science fiction fan, and I wasn’t too happy with the turn the series took starting with VI and escalating into VII.  I’m a much bigger fan of fantasy games with dragons and swords and stuff when it comes to RPGs.  To those who say fantasy isn’t just tied down to medieval times, I say that to me, it’s just not the same.  Now, I’ve only played about 10 hours of the game, and my feelings may change, but from the way things are going, I don’t think they really will.  Once again, I don’t disagree that this game is a masterpiece and I can’t say that I didn’t have fun playing this game, but the fact remains: Final Fantasy IV.

27. Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

I’ve only played two DK Country games in my life (the other being Returns for the Wii), and I can say that I really love this game.  Anything that I would say many other people have stated before.  Let me just say this: Play this game, or I’ll find out where you live, strap you down in front of your TV, give you a SNES controller, and make you play this game.  The end.

26. Mega Man 3 (NES)

There was a time when I could say that this was my favorite Mega Man game.  However, as time passed, I realized how much I like 2 and X better.  Sure, this game is great and I would easily put it at the number 3 spot on my favorite Mega Man games ever, but the fact remains: this game can be punishingly hard, almost as hard as the first game.  I still love it, just not as much.

25. Super Mario World (SNES)

Honestly, I love this game, but not as much as a few other Mario titles, simply because of its sometimes maze-like structure.  I know some love this aspect of the game, but I like Mario games that are straightforward: here’s the final level, and here’s the levels you need to beat to get there.  Just my personal preference.  Great game, though.  If you haven’t played it, you’re a sad case, man.

24. Earthbound (SNES)

Having been converted by my friend in somewhat of a Happy-Happyist fashion, I recognized my love for fuzzy pickles, and Earthbound.  It’s just that, I’m not as avid of a fan boy as some members of Starmen.net, and, though I’ll keep praying for Ness and his friends, I’m praying a lot harder for Ninten and his.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love Earthbound, it’s just that I love everything about Mother 1 better.  I know I’ll get a lot of flack for this, but believe me, I’m in the minority here.  I recognize that Earthbound is the better game, but there’s just this charm in Mother that resonates with me more than Earthbound’s charm.  Sorry.

23. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

Okay, now I know you really want to kill me.

I know, I know, I know, I KNOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!

But, hear me out first.  If I were to look up the definition of love-hate relationship in my personal dictionary of life, Ocarina of Time would be there.  Why, you ask?  Well, my experience playing the game was ruined by all the Ocarina of Time fans out there.  I was told constantly to play this game, and true, I did enjoy this game, in fact I loved it!  It’s just, I felt, because of its unreal praise, that I should have loved it more.  There was something missing from the experience that I thought should have been there that wasn’t, and still isn’t to this very day.  Before you judge me, Ocarina of Time fans, look in the mirror.  It’s YOUR fault.  Well, that takes care of the hate.  As for the love, I have nothing to say but, “It’s Ocarina of Time.”

22. Mega Man X (SNES)

This game is beautiful.  It’s everything a Mega Man game should be: amazing level design, catchy music, great bosses, and fun weapons.  I really like it because I’m good at it, and it’s easy for me.  Though I prefer the older style of Mega Man to the X generation, I love Mega Man X because it offers me an easygoing departure from the hard as shit classic games.  Thank you, Mega Man X.  You and your Made in Mexico SNES cart will forever remain in my heart.

21. The Legend of Zelda (NES)

The game that started it all.  Why do I love this game?  Just watch the title screen, and you will know.  I fell in love with all the Zelda games on this list from the first few seconds while viewing the title screen, but Zelda 1 was the one game that made me feel like I was playing a Zelda game right from the start.  I felt truly immersed in the 8-bit world, and I found myself playing this game for hours on end, trying to uncover every secret it had to offer.  I think by now I have the entire game memorized.  It is such a beautiful game that I have no more words.  God, I love this game.  Why is it lower, then, you ask?  Wait and see…

20. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (GC)

This game is simply beautiful.  Seriously, play it for ten minutes and I guarantee you, you will fall in love with this game.  I can’t understand why people hate this game so much.  If people would not let nostalgia blind them (cough cough Ocarina of Time cough cough) and see this game for what it is, then this game would have thousands more followers.  I have so many tender memories with this game that it’s impossible to write them all down.  People, put nostalgia aside and see this game for what it truly is: a masterpiece.

How can anyone hate this??

19. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GC)

Pretty much all the things I said about Twilight Princess apply here.  Wind Waker is the first Zelda game I fell in love with, and made me realize that gaming isn’t all about just Mario and Pokémon.  One thing, though, before I wrap this one up, THE GREAT SEA IS NOT BORING AND EMPTY, SO SHUT THE F UP!!!  Ocarina of Time’s over world is just as “boring and empty”, and YOU ALL LOVE IT SO GODDHANG MUCH!!!

Was I the only one to notice the pirates, storms, sharks, minigames, pirate towers, octoroks, and, oh, I don’t know, the GIANT F-ING SQUIDS??????????????

Sea? SEA????  GIANT SQUIDS=NOT EMPTY!!!!

You can find treasure, too!  NOT EMPTY!!!!

With that out of the way, though I can say Wind Waker is one of my favorite Zelda games, I have discovered another that has surpassed it entirely…

18. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island (SNES)

If I could sum up some of my most nostalgic Mario memories from my childhood, it would be this game.  I always knew, from New Super Mario Bros, that you played as Mario, and when my friend showed me this game, I was blown away that you could play as Yoshi.  I spent so many hours throwing eggs and making tricky flutter jumps.  And hey, how about that final boss, huh?  All in all, this is one of the most beautiful games I have ever played in my entire life.  So go play it.  NOW.

Epic Baby Bowser COMMANDS you to play!

17. Star Fox 64 (N64)

I now present to you: Star Fox 64, one of the greatest titles for the N64, master of one-liners, and number 17 on my list.  This game is one of the funniest, most action packed, most epic, and most replayable games I have ever played.  The branching paths, intense missions, and awesome dogfighting maneuvers keep me on the edge of my seat every time I play.  And, who could forget the corny one liners?

“Hey Einstein, I’m on your side!”

“Do a barrel roll!”

“Can’t let you do that, Star Fox!”

16. Metal Gear Solid (PS1)

Ahh, Metal Gear Solid, how I love thee.  You have the best environment of all the MGS games, great characters, an awesome story, and pretty solid (ha-ha) controls—FOR A PS1 GAME!!!!  Seriously, I love MGS1 and 3 pretty much equally, but the control issues in 1 kept it from tieing with 3 on this list.

NGGGGGGFFFFFFFFFAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHIIIOOOOGGHHHHHHH!!!!!

This would be my favorite MGS game, if not for the bad controls.  Sure, they’re solid (ha-ha), but one must compare the controls of this game to the other MGS games when ranking them on a favorites list.  I loved every other minute of it, but the controls ruined the experience for me.  Better luck next time, MGS1.

15. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)

Three words describe this game for me, “What a thrill…”  Heh heh heh heh.  See what I did there?  Though I had a lot of gripes with this game when I played it, these complaints are very small and don’t greatly affect my feelings about this game.  This game is truly a test of survival—a test of your manhood.  If you were man enough to beat this game and earn the title of Big Boss, then my hat is off to you.  And, if you haven’t played or beaten this game yet, then go and play it right now.  It is an adventure you will not soon forget.  It will test your perceptions of society, war, loyalty, and patriotism.  It will test the very core of your being, if that makes any sense.  Just go and play it.  I mean, it’s got Big Boss in it.

Big Freaking Boss.

14. Final Fantasy V (SNES/GBA)

When I first heard about this game and how complicated it was, I decided to skip it in favor of other Final Fantasy titles.  I finally got around to playing it, after having a sturdy background in Final Fantasy, and realized that I love it.  The job system, though complicated, is very deep, and it gives the player a lot of free rein to do whatever with the characters.  The best part is, not only are there a hell of a lot more jobs than FF3 or FF1, you can mix and match the job abilities.  For example, you can be a Knight class while having the ability Berserk, something only a Berserker would normally have.  Many other Final Fantasy games that followed 3 and 5 would adopt a system similar to the job system in which you would earn extra experience points to gain new abilities, like Final Fantasy 6’s Esper system or Final Fantasy 7’s Materia system.  The job system in 5, though, is my favorite gameplay element in all of the Final Fantasy games.  The best part is, you would assume that a game with gameplay so similar to Final Fantasy 1 would not have a compelling story, or even a story at all, right?  WRONG!!!  Final Fantasy V probably has my second favorite Final Fantasy story of all time, and easily my fourth favorite story in all of RPGs.  The characters are fantastic, the villain is awesome, and there are a lot of hilarious scenes in the game.  Final Fantasy V is basically like a combination of Final Fantasy 1 and IV, and that’s why I love it so much.

13. Mega Man 2 (NES)

This game changed my life.  Back in sophomore year, I had caught the RPG bug, and I was so hooked on the complex genre that I forgot my gaming roots: platforming.  Mega Man 2 brought me back to my roots with a vengeance.  I remembered how fun it was to run and jump and shoot, and this time, I was experiencing the thrill with a totally different character than Mario!  The amazing soundtrack, superior level design, amazing set of robot masters, freaking Dr. Wily Stage 1 music—I was immediately hooked.  This newfound addiction to Mega Man games branched out and compelled me to try many Mega Man games.  I can safely say that I would not be the gamer I am today if not for this game.  Thank you, Mega Man 2, for bringing back the platformer in me.

12. Chrono Trigger (SNES/DS)

If anyone said that Chrono Trigger wasn’t a legendary game, then they are a lying sack of shit.  The game has a cast of characters that you immediately fall in love with, an immersive world to explore, a cool villain, and one of the best soundtracks in all of videogames.  I can praise the time travel system of Majora’s Mask until the End of Time (ha ha the end of time get it?), but at the end of the day, Chrono Trigger has my favorite time-travel system in all of gaming.  You visit multiple different time periods, and each time period has its own charm, its own mood, and its own problems.  All these problems stem from the main villain, Lavos, and it’s your job to stop him.  All points in time converge at one central area, an area that has probably my favorite name for a videogame area ever: The End of Time.  Sure you can fight Lavos right off the bat, but you’ll probably get your ass handed to you.  Just wait until you’re ready.  When you are finally ready to face him, it sure is a battle for the ages.   Then you get one of the many different possible endings!  So much replay value here!  And have you heard the soundtrack?  Oh my god!  I just really love this game!  Finally, the character designs and illustrations are done by Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragon Ball series.  If that isn’t enough for you to check this game out, then I don’t know what else to tell you.

I am not worthy!!!!!

11. Resident Evil 4 (PS2)

This game just barely missed the top 10.  There’s just one PS2 game that I like just a little bit more…I’m getting off topic.  Let’s talk some Resident Evil 4.  If you want a scary good time, this is your game.  This isn’t some kind of horror game where there are things that make you scream and wet your pants every five seconds—no; this is a different kind of scary.  Game designers, take note: Resident Evil 4 has one of the best tones of any videogame I have ever played, and this is why.  Whenever you enter into an area, there really isn’t any music at all; just maybe the wind blowing or some leaves rustling or something.  But, when you are noticed by a zombie, they yell something in Spanish, alerting their fellow zombie brethren of your presence, and they march in for the attack as some extremely unsettling music plays.  This is the kind of tone I’m talking about: intense, edge-of-your-seat tension that you could just bottle up and sell.  The action is very fun and satisfying, too, and the item management is very strategic.  I heard a lot of hype about this game, and after getting and playing it, it certainly lived up to that hype.  Props to Capcom for making another great game.

10. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2)

I really want to talk about this game, mostly because I think it is easily one of the most underrated videogames of all time.  I could discuss its many merits, but there is one topic that I must discuss: Raiden.  BUM BUM BUUUUUUMMMMM!!!

Yeah, you heard me right.  Raiden.

I can hear the mob of MGS fans stirring already.  Well, it just seems the masses of MGS fans don’t understand the genius behind the character that is Raiden.  Raiden is a perfect example of theming in videogames: his character is designed to make the player feel the emotions he feels throughout the entire game.  When he’s shocked, you’re shocked.  When he feels betrayed, you feel betrayed.  Essentially, Raiden is YOU.  I felt a personal connection with Raiden that I didn’t—and I don’t think anyone could—with Snake. The reason being is that Snake and Big Boss are both legendary heroes, while Raiden, like you, is a rookie.  You feel more attached to Raiden’s character because of this fact, and the game’s story progression amplifies this perfectly.  Want to know what I mean?  Just play the damn game.  Some complain that MGS2 is a bad game because you don’t play as Snake the whole time.  Well, Snake in 2 is seen from the third-person perspective for most of the game, and he becomes this idol, this model that you as Raiden want to become.  You couldn’t have this kind of relationship with Snake in the other MGS games because you are him already—you are the legendary hero, so there’s nothing to strive for.  But, in 2, you want to be as good as Snake, so you try your hardest to become just like Snake.  And, in the end, when you feel lost and confused and betrayed, as Raiden, Snake is the only thing keeping you grounded and sane.  That is the reason why this incarnation of Solid Snake is my favorite in the series, and the character of Raiden could be the single reason why I love this game so much.  Want to know what I mean?  Well, stop berating this masterpiece of a game and go play it, damnit!  Also, thank you Kojima.  I’m glad that at least you love the character of Raiden.  I hope someday everyone will acknowledge his true worth.

9. Super Mario 64 (N64)

Boy, what a classic.  I really, truly love this game.  I just can’t put into words why I love this game so much, mostly because anything that I would want to say has already been said.  The music is amazing, the gameplay is solid, it’s just a jolly good time.  I had so much fun playing this game it’s indescribable.  One memory that always comes to mind is my favorite stage, Thwomp’s Fortress.  I loved climbing up the fortress slowly, with bullet bills, thwomps, and whomps waiting to kill you.  It was a blast.  Oh, and who could forget the monkeys and the bunnies?  Good times, good times.

8. Mother (NES/Famicom)

This is one of the games that changed my life.  Seriously. I’m probably angering a lot of Mother fans by putting Earthbound at number 24 and Mother at number 8, but I DON’T CARE!!!!!  This is my favorite game in the Mother series, and my third favorite RPG of all time.  Yes, it bears many similarities to Earthbound, but what I like about Mother is a certain charm that it gives that I don’t find in Earthbound.  I never thought such an amazing game as this could appear on the NES.  It has one of if not my favorite videogame soundtrack of all time, and it has one of my favorite final boss battles of all time.  I love how you defeat Giygas with the very song his human mother sang to him as a lullaby.

snif snif…

By the time that battle was over, I was in tears.  You don’t generally find this kind of depth and emotion in an NES game, and that’s why I love Mother so much.  An old Japanese commercial for Mother stated that it was a “guaranteed masterpiece.”  By golly, they were right.

7. Doom 2 (PC)

Doom 2 is the greatest first person shooter ever made.  There, I said it.  Take that, Goldeneye!  No, seriously.  It is.  Talk about environment and tone.  Doom 2 is a game you need to play if you’re going into game design.  One of the most intense parts about all the Doom games is opening a door, not knowing what’s behind it, or turning a corner and feeling the same feeling of dread while doing so.  The music only adds to this.  Some tracks are actiony, others have a very eerie tone.  Geez, you’re fighting demons in a HELL ON EARTH for God’s sakes!

And, how about that final boss, Icon of Sin?

IT’S A WALL, and it’s still one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen in my life.  This game is great on so many levels.  Definitely the definitive first person shooter.

6. Pokémon Red Version (GB)

Many people have their own definition of nostalgia.  For some, it’s Super Mario Bros; for others, Donkey Kong; for others, (sigh) Ocarina of Time.  For me, the definition of nostalgia is Pokémon Red Version for the Game Boy.  This was the first game I ever owned, and the second game series I ever got into.  I was always into the show and the card game, but neither truly offered me the opportunity to become a Pokémon master.  That opportunity was given to me for the first time when I got Red.  I was truly immersed in the world, and I developed strong relationships with my Pokémon that still remain today.

Squirtle, nothing will ever tear us apart….

And, when I beat the Elite Four and became a Pokémon Master, I felt like a man.  Seriously, it was like an initiation ritual.  The thing that I had always wanted to be, I had become.  Every long holiday that I get, I find myself replaying this game at least once.  I know the world of Kanto so much I feel like I had lived there in another lifetime.  Every time I start in Pallet Town, I start to cry.

snif…snif…BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The memories Pokémon Red version gave me are memories other games could never hope to give.

5. Final Fantasy IV/II (SNES/GBA)

This game is the definition of a perfect Final Fantasy game and a perfect RPG.  Seriously, I can’t find any flaws in this game.  There’s no real need for grinding, the characters are amazing and have great development, the world is huge and immersive, the dungeons are cool and the boss battles are amazing.  Oh, and need I mention Nobuo Uematsu’s score?  Final Fantasy IV is the total package.  Though it is not my favorite, I truly believe that no other RPG has surpassed the compelling nature and artistry that is Final Fantasy IV.  There’s just this magic about the game that no other game has, and this same magic compels me to play the game and enjoy it.  “But GMS,” you say, “FFIV has just as many characters as in FFVI, and you say there’s nothing wrong with that here?  You hypocrite!”  Well, Final Fantasy IV integrated its characters within the game so well, what with most of them dying and all, that I’d hardly call that a flaw in this game.  There was no, “Choose three parties to complete this dungeon.”  In FFVI, it was just bull crap, but FFIV got everything right.  Every time I go on YouTube to listen to Final Fantasy music, I always see arguments in the comments about which FF is better: VI or VII?  I have just one question: Why does the superior Final Fantasy IV not enter into this debate?  You don’t know how many top ten lists I see for classic games or Super Nintendo games that feature VI but not IV.  It’s a shame that many gamers have forgotten this timeless masterpiece.  I’m just glad that it has its devoted group of fans who see it for what it is: the greatest RPG of all time.

4. Super Metroid (SNES)

Many Metroid Prime fans think this game is overrated.  I am a Super Metroid fan, and I think Metroid Prime is overrated.   Let me just be blunt, though, and say that both arguments can be made.  In reality, both Super Metroid and Metroid Prime are overrated.  But, I’m not here to talk about Metroid Prime; I’m here to talk about Super Metroid.  Super Metroid is another game that you need to play if you’re going into game design.  This is the definition of a perfect game and a perfect sequel.  Everything that was wrong in the previous Metroid titles was completely fixed.  The tone of Super Metroid is easily one of if not the best tones in videogames.  You truly feel like you are on the alien Planet Zebes.  The attention to detail in this game is astounding, too.  Recall when you first land on the planet, and are running through the cave, as little bugs and creatures scuttle away.  My single most favorite part of the entire game is when you first enter Ridley’s Hideout.

HOLY SHIT!!!!!

You usually do this towards the end of the game, so you’re pretty decked out with gear and feel really accomplished.  You go down the elevator into the hideout, and the song “Lower Norfair” plays.  This eerie and epic song is basically Ridley saying that the shit has really hit the fan now.  You think you are powerful now, but the terror has only begun!  Such an epic song, too.  And, who can forget the iconic Mother Brain battle and the sacrifice of the Baby Metroid?  I must admit, I cried during that.   All in all, Super Metroid is a perfect masterpiece.

3. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES/SNES/GBA)

This is easily my favorite Mario game, mostly due to the fond memories that I have of playing it—even fonder than memories of my first Mario game, New Super Mario Bros.  I had inherited an old SNES from a friend of my aunt’s, and one of the games that came with it was Super Mario All Stars, which included Super Mario Bros. 3.  Since I am a lot better at this game than probably any other Mario game, it became my default option when I got frustrated with Super Mario World (which, by the way, happened frequently).  I loved how the worlds were so lush and unique, like those in Mario World, yet the game retained the straightforward world style that I loved from the beginning.  I also love the challenge of some of the worlds: they were difficult, but not too difficult to the point that it wasn’t still fun.  The biggest change from the games that had preceded it was the worlds’ character.  The worlds felt more alive and lush than those in Mario Bros. 1 of 2.  The power-ups in Mario 3 are easily the best in the series: the classic Raccoon and Tanooki suits, the epic Hammer Bro. suit, the useless Frog suit, and the tried and true Super Mushroom and Fire Flower.  And who can forget the epic boss battle with Bowser at the end?  God, I love this game.  I love the Super Nintendo version, by the way.  There’s nothing wrong with the NES version, but the SNES version gives the game so much more life.  It truly does the game more justice than its older 8-bit edition.  I just really, really love this game, so I’m going to stop now before I go on a gushing rampage.  If you haven’t played this game, go out right now and play it!!!

2. Final Fantasy 1 (Dawn of Souls Version: GBA), and Dragon Quest (NES, SNES, GBC)

These games are some of the many games that have changed my life.  Let me talk about both in detail.

Before I played this game, my only knowledge of RPGs was Pokémon, and I really don’t consider Pokémon a RPG.  I went to Half Price Books during my winter break of sophomore year, and saw two GBA cartridges: Final Fantasy IV Advance and Final Fantasy I and II Dawn of Souls.  I used all my money and bought both of them, then immediately started playing the first game when I got home.  I popped it into my GBA, and was transported into a bright, beautiful, and lush world of magic.  I remember my first team clearly.  The names were all names of my friends, except the Black Mage, which was me.

 Because I’m always the Black Mage, bitch.

This game showed me all that RPGs can be.  It is a simple game, yet it has this charm that I don’t think any other Final Fantasy games have, even the perfect IV.  One thing must be said, though: The Dawn of Souls version is far superior to the NES original, mostly because of the ever discussed grinding issue.  Now I, unlike many other gamers, don’t really mind the grind, as long as there are favorable conditions for grinding.  The grinding situation in the NES edition of I is horrible: the enemies you can successfully defeat give so meager an amount of experience, but the enemies that give a decent amount of experience can easily kill your team.  Dawn of Souls improved on this so much that grinding becomes less of a chore and more of an adventure.  The enemies give you almost double the experience and money than the NES version does, and the difficulty is dummed down to an actual playable level.  Besides the grinding issue, though I doesn’t have a sweeping story like most other Final Fantasy games, its simple story is charming and epic.  If you dig deeper, though, you’ll find complicated elements to the story in the game’s ending, like the 2,000 year time loop, which I still don’t think I completely understand.  The soundtrack was vastly improved upon as well, adding boss themes and remastering the original tunes.  I think this might be my favorite Final Fantasy soundtrack ever.  I love this game because of its simplicity yet elegance.  It was truly an adventure not forgotten, and without it I can safely say I wouldn’t have gotten hooked on RPGs at all.  In the end, I was the true warrior of light.  The crystals will shine in my heart forever.

Dragon Quest is easily the most important RPG ever created (well, besides D ‘n D).  It created the genre essentially in Japan, and took a lot of inspiration from older, and frankly not that good, Western RPGs like Ultima.  The story is simple and, yes, cliché, but that’s easily forgivable, because Dragon Quest invented the cliché.  The gameplay can be tough, especially with the grinding, but I stick by what I said about Final Fantasy 1.  In fact, grinding to me makes me feel more accomplished about playing the game when I beat it.  That said, the SNES and GBC versions tone down the grinding by half, making the game easier to play. One of the things that I like about Dragon Quest is that it’s the perfect bite-sized RPG.  Clocking in at about 4, 6, or 8 hours to beat, it really is simplicity defined as far as RPGs and, you know me, I love me some simplicity.  One of the reasons I don’t like a lot of new games is that they seem to have large and long-winded stories, and these usually don’t appeal to me.  Not so with Dragon Quest.  Pretty much everything from Final Fantasy 1 applies here as well.  And, how about that main theme?  Koichi Sugiyama’s score for this game is simply beautiful.  And, come on, like Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest’s art direction and character design were done by Akira Toriyama!  All in all, Dragon Quest is a magical experience I won’t soon forget.

Once again, I AM NOT WORTHY!!!!!!

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64)

It’s very interesting that this game is the only Zelda game in my top 10, or even in my top 15.  This is just a testament to how unique and amazing of a game Majora’s Mask is.  I can safely say that my journey playing Majora’s Mask was my perfect Zelda odyssey.  All of the merits that I praised about the other games in the series apply here.  It is a beautiful game, and I fell in love with it from the very first seconds of playing it.  That being said, Majora’s Mask was my most complete Zelda experience as well.  I mentioned how I felt emptiness after beating Ocarina of Time—that I really didn’t feel accomplished or happy when I beat it.  Ocarina of Time was the worst case scenario for me in the Zelda series, as after beating the other Zelda games on this list I felt a certain degree of emptiness—of not being truly happy or accomplished.  This cannot be said of my experience with Majora’s Mask.  This game is one of the most criminally underrated games of all time.  Many Zelda fans berate it for its lack of dungeons, many fans berate it because it looks like Ocarina of Time, many berate it because it supposedly “copies” off of Ocarina of Time, the list goes on and on.  None of these are true.  For one, yes, the game has only four dungeons, but the amount of side quests completely makes up for this.  In fact, I think that having any more than these four dungeons would be detrimental to the game itself.

Besides, Stone Tower Temple is easily one of if not the best Zelda dungeons ever.

The side quests allowed you to connect with the other characters in the world in a way that no other Zelda game has before or any other will in the future.  Another issue that comes up in Majora’s Mask discussions is the three day cycle and how stupid it is.  It is not stupid.  Nintendo experimented with a new design choice, and it worked perfectly.  It was a triumph.  The three-day cycle was my favorite part of the game, as I loved pouring over the strategy guide and seeing how much people I could save in one day.  That is why the time cycle is a great design choice—everything you did in the time cycle is erased when you play the Song of Time.  You forge this connection with the people of Clock Town and Termina, and you feel this compelling need to save them from their horrible fate.  You accomplish many tasks in one cycle, and you feel sad when you play the Song of Time, because it means everything you had done was a waste—it had no impact on the people at all.  I remember when I saw the Dawn of a New Day screen when I beat the game, I felt so relieved and happy to see this, and to see the ending.

Best day of my life!

The ending wasn’t the best ending ever, but it certainly was the most satisfying.  I could seriously write a whole paper on why I love this game.  It was truly my perfect Zelda odyssey.

So, that’s my Top 30 games of all time—for now.  My opinion may change, but I highly doubt it will for a while.  Just remember: this list is my humble opinion, and I understand that you may not feel the same way as I do.  I just want to put my thoughts out here, not insult anyone.  That said, what did you think?  Feel free to strike up a conversation, as long as it’s constructive debate.  Thanks for reading, and remember: “Opinions are like assholes.  Everyone’s got one.”

K Dog’s Personal Analysis on Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George”

 

Sunday in the park with George is one of Stephen Sondheim’s best musicals and definitely one of the best I have read and seen. This play is an underrated gem of a musical, in my opinion, because of its wonderful music and story dealing with the life of being an artist. I actually saw this play just recently and I felt that I really wanted to analyze the play’s themes and discuss what I felt about the play personally. This is going to be a mixture between an analysis and a review and my personal thoughts of this brilliant musical. Let’s get this started.

Sunday in the Park with George, in my opinion, explores the theme about “connecting” through most of the show, which is explored in the main character George Seurat, who is a real life painter, and his connections between his lover Dot and his painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. I believe the play writer wanted to get across two points when exploring this theme of connecting. These points are showing the conflict of being an observer and being a part of the something that defines your artistic life, and another thing is the ongoing battle between life and art. Sunday in the park with George is a universal musical and it relates to many people on a deep personal note that includes me.

Real life Painting of Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

               In Sunday in the park with George, the play explores an artist named George Seurat. He has a girl friend named Dot, who he wants to model  for his paintings instead of spending some personal romantic time with her. Dot loves George for his artistic talent and passion for the arts but ironically this is the one thing that keeps them apart because George is obsessed with painting and doesn’t care for any social activity. George Seurat represents the perfectionist artist that focuses so much on his artistic work by observing others so much, but in the process, always seems to not understand people. This brings me to a very interesting point about how this relates to George Seurat’s painting itself. It’s very interesting that when I saw George Seurat’s painting, I noticed it doesn’t have any people looking at each other. The painting seems lifeless but the girl, supposedly Dot, seems to have the most attention. The reason I think this painting is  this way is  because George Seurat, by focusing too much on his art and not people, is not able to connect to people emotionally and therefore has a lifeless painting. As for Dot, even though she has the most attention you can’t see her face that well. There is more attention of the clothes she wears and not so much of her emotional characteristics that could be seen if the face was turned out more for observers to see. George is an observer, yes, but he is an observer from a distance and he only gets to see people on their most stereotypical one dimensional level and not so much on a deep sociable level.

     George Seurat is definitely a perfectionist as a painter since he obsesses over his color choices that he puts in his paintings. He demonstrates this by singing songs with him naming all different colors that he can mix in the painting. George Seurat actually thinks his color choices are like science mixed with art. While his color choices are beautiful, his painting still falls short by demonstrating George’s lack of understanding others. Because of this failure to connect with others, George fails in his relationship with Dot in the first act. An example of George’s isolation from connecting to others is when Dot tells George she is going to marry Louis and, instead of trying to tell Dot how he really cares for her, he starts singing the song “Finishing the Hat” which is basically him obsessing over an object on Dot in his painting instead of Dot herself. Dot also deals with the theme of connecting because she loves George a lot for the way he is and his passionate artistic talent. But Dot wants to connect to George more and try’s to reach out to him on a personal level by trying to get him away from his paintings and outside to do regular fun activities. George can’t see the love that Dot has for him and because of this, he is completely ignorant and doesn’t realize the things she is trying to do to please him. An example of this is when Dot wants to spend time with George and have a romantic date with him, yet he refuses. Another example is when Dot spends so much time posing in an uncomfortable dress for George to paint yet George is not noticing how hard it is for her to pose in such an uncomfortable dress, and for so long as well.

      This relationship between the two characters ends on a bad note in Act 1. Dot chooses to marry a baker, named Louis, because she feels she will never be able to connect to George. Dot really doesn’t love Louis since he lacks the passion and artistic appreciation that George has but chooses to marry him anyway because he isn’t obsessed over his work more than people. While the relationship of George and Dot’s relationship seems a little rocky in this play, their relationship actually does get reconciled, but not in their life time.

Bernadette Peters as Dot in the original Broadway production of “Sunday in the Park with George”

              This brings me to the most controversial part of the whole play.  Sunday in the Park with George’s Second act usually gets criticized for being an unnecessary part of the story because it deals with different characters that weren’t in the first act. In my honest opinion, the second act of the play is my favorite part of the show and quite necessary in dealing with the artistic themes this show has. The second act reconciles Dot and George’s relationship but it is through a different George with Dot that this happens. This is very interesting because this conveys the theme of the ongoing battle between life and art. Specifically, this theme is conveying that the problem of artists struggling to connect to art and the world around them has been going around for centuries. George’s great grandson, also named George, is having trouble connecting with his art. However, he later finds this connection by connecting with Dot and learning about her character and her deep connection she had with his great grand father, George Seurat. It is truly fascinating how new George reconciles with Dot when old George could not connect with Dot In Act 1.  In act one, Dot sings “We do not belong together”, but in act two the line was changed to “We have always belonged together”. At this point young George, who represents Old George in many ways because both are artists and related, learns there is something Dot can teach him. He notices her as a person and how she was George Seurat’s  most important person in his life. The song “Move on” is a perfect example of Dot being genuine and trying to tell George to stop torturing himself over his art and notice the wonderful people in his life.  I believe Sunday in the Park with George chose two different time periods because the play wanted to convey the theme that the problem of artists struggling to connect has been going on for centuries. The play reconciles the relationship between George and Dot in such a unique way that some people find it a little unsettling because of it not being like the traditional reconciling between two lovers found in other musicals.

          I loved the play Sunday in the Park with George but something that surprised me was how George and Dot’s relationship got reconciled in the second act. This is one of the reasons why I like the second act so much. It’s funny to think that the main relationship in the play is not resolved in their lifetimes but through someone else’s life time. Many people would probably believe that the original George and Dot should have been reconciled. However, I really think that the idea of another George learning what his grandfather failed to learn or accomplish is very touching and seeing him connect to the world and to the original George Seurat at the end is a great ending. Young George connecting with his art and learning from his grandfather’s mistakes is a reconciling of both characters, because there is something that each one could have learned from each other. It doesn’t matter that Old George didn’t solve his problems in his life time but it is important on how Old George’s mistakes helped New George grow as an artist and individual.

 Sunday in the park with George is a phenomenal play and it touched me on a very personal note. The whole play really tells me about being an observer and the thought of being too obsessed actually ultimately brings you up short to what you are trying to accomplish. George is a perfectionist in his art, and he observes others but only seems to cover the outer appearance and just their stereotypical attitudes. That is why his painting looks well crafted yet empty, like there lacks vibrancy and dynacism. George Seurat could’ve fixed this, in act one, by learning to appreciate his life and see people who they really are and connect to others emotionally.  One of the lessons that I take away from this show can is that I should not to take things at face value.  I need to enjoy my time as an artist and a person who is connected to others in my life. I feel that both go hand in hand, your success an artist and your relationship with others and how you choose to live your life.

All in all, Sunday in the Park with George is a phenomenal play that reaches to me on a subconscious level.  Deep down I feel like that I have been touched by the story of learning about the hardships of being an artist. For a personal example,  I am a working actor who needs to observe and connect with people in their lives to be able to play different roles. Not only do performing artists have to observe but they have to connect to people as well on deep levels to make a character that is believable and relatable to the audience. Art and acting isn’t just about how pretty your painting could be or how loud or precise your voice and body could be, they are about coming in terms with yourself. There is so much things we can learn from art and acting since they are arts that requires us to observe others and bring our own personal thoughts and emotions into it. They are arts that are like a blank canvas with many different possibilities to explore human nature and emotions since human life is very complicated. Sometimes its not good to put your artistic passions over life itself since life and the personal experiences in life are the things that truly make wonderful artistic pieces. Art is coming in terms with one’s self and his or her life and if one is focused too much on the technique side of art, they lose the heart and soul that makes art such a powerful and moving experience toward us.

Production I saw was at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. It was an absolutely brilliant production.

Super Mario 64’s Ending: Why It’s The Best Ending to a Videogame EVER!!!!!

Hey everyone!  Great Mighty Steve here.

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about my favorite ending in all of videogames: Super Mario 64.  It has, in my opinion, one of the most awesome, emotional, and surreal endings to a videogame, and I think it is the best ending in all of videogames.  Period.  But, to truly say this, one may not simply state it.  I need a convincing argument to prove my point.  I have said in many conversations with my friends that I could write an entire essay gushing and explaining my feelings on the ending to this masterpiece of a game, and I think I will do just that right now.  So, I’m going to walk through the entire ending of the game, dissecting it, and explaining why it is so great and effective while adding my personal experiences in to make it even more authentic.  So, as Mario would say, HERE WE GO!!!!!

It starts, I guess I could say, with the final boss battle against Bowser.  Though I don’t necessarily agree with Nintendo Power’s statement that this is the best Bowser fight ever (c’mon, what about Mario 3?  Or Yoshi’s Island?), but it is still a great fight, what with the organ music and all.  And who could forget that triumphant tune when you get the star after defeating him?  So epic.  I have a very hard time with that fight because I’m not good with the N64’s controls, so beating Bowser successfully is always a triumph for me.  I always feel proud of myself when I throw him into a mine and he falls down in agony.

Next, Mario falls safely down in front of Peach’s castle.  The star floats in front of her portrait window on the castle, and she is freed from it, and glides down gently to the ground in front of Mario.  All this happens while her iconic theme plays in the background.  When I saved Peach in Mario 64, it was by far the most gratifying time that I have ever saved her.  She is shocked to see Mario, but is glad to see him and recognizes the fact that all the power stars are returned to the castle because of him.  Some people have complained about Leslie Swan’s voice acting as Peach, but I never had a problem with it.  She then gently kisses Mario on the nose.  I liked this kiss better than any other in Mario.  It was always on the cheek in most of the other games, but I like how gentle it is in this one.  Then Mario’s eyes narrow as if he is bashful and blushing, and he then turns to the player and exclaims, “HERE WE GO!!!!” while making the peace sign.  I laughed like crazy when I first saw this, because it was like he was saying to the player, “Check out how awesome I am!  The chicks dig me!”  This was the first of a few instances where the game breaks the fourth wall, and I really like instances such as these.  It’s as if Mario could be saying, “I’m going to get some, and it’s all thanks to you!”  Then Peach proceeds to return to the castle and says she will bake a cake “for Mario…”  Mario slowly follows her, and—FOURTH WALL BREAKAGE TIME!!!!!!  Mario turns and stares at the camera/Lakitu, causing Peach to softly call after him, “Mario!”  He then turns his head and follows her.  This blew my damn mind when I saw this.  This is another instance where Mario seems to nod to the player, saying that I accomplished this adventure with him, and he couldn’t have done it without me.  I love when games do things like this in their endings/credit sequences.  Final Fantasy, Castlevania, and Mega Man X have all done it, but Mario 64 pulled it off in the best way possible.  Those other games come right out and say it—“You played the greatest role in this story”, “You are the true warrior of light”, “…And, You as Mega Man X”  But, with all these little hints and fourth wall breakages in Mario 64’s ending, it truly made me feel like I played a great role in the adventure.  Only one other videogame has come close, and it was Earthbound, but even the way Earthbound did it was not as good as Mario 64’s way.  Miyamoto or Tezuka, whoever came up with this I respect you all the more.

Then, the best part of the whole ending: The credits.  Lakitu pans from Mario walking away up to the sun as a flock of birds flies past, and the music begins to play.  OH.  MY.  GOD.  This is by far the best credits/ending theme in video game history.  While the game’s developers’ names are rolling, scenes from the various worlds of the game play.  A wise man I knew once said, “It’s not about the beginning or the end.  It’s all about the journey.”  The combination of the music and the scenes bring back memories of your journey through the game—your adventure with Mario.  The energizing races with Koopa the Quick, the peacefull swims in Jolly Roger Bay, returning the baby penguin to his mother, racing down the Princess Slide, frustrating times in Tick Tock Clock, Rainbow Ride, and Shifting Sand Land, etc, etc, etc, the list goes on and on.  But, whether the times were fun, annoying, or frustrating, the combination of the music, scenes from the worlds, and the previous cutscenes make you feel like you accomplished something.  I felt like I had completed an adventure.  Which brings me to another point.  The combination of these feelings and the tone of the music made me cry.  I felt like I accomplished something, but I was genuinely sad that my adventure was over.  All those good times with Mario were over, and I would never experience them the same way again.  This is genius design for an ending.  The ending is surreal because it makes you feel accomplished while still making you feel sad that your journey is over.  By the time it was over, I was in tears.  No other ending has done this to me the way Mario 64’s ending has, and that’s why it is so great.

As if it weren’t sad enough, the final segments of the song play as Mario, Peach, and two Toads stand in front of the castle, waving goodbye.  This really is the end of our adventure, Mario!  I cried the most here.  Then, guess what?  FOURTH WALL BREAKAGE TIME!!!!  As they are all waving goodbye, Lakitu flies by and gets one last shot of the player, reminding you that YOU did this.  God, so much genius here.  Then, the icing on the cake—no pun intended.  The player is greeted by a picture of a cake with candles and two figures of Mario and Peach on top of it, with a sign saying, “Thank You”.  The last few notes of the song play, and Mario’s voice rings in, “Thank you so much ‘a for a’playing my game!”

This screen did it for me.   This is it.  This is definitely the best ending to a videogame EVER.  Seriously, I could go on for hours talking about this ending.  By making the player feel accomplished while feeling sad that the adventure is over, the ending of Super Mario 64 provides a surreal end to a videogame that no other game has successfully accomplished.  In MY opinion, at least.

So, what do you think?  Is there another ending to a game that tops this masterpiece?  I want to know what you all think about this ending and others as well.  Thanks for reading and, until next time, may Miyamoto be with you!