I’m tired of talking about reality…
October 25th, 2007 by Greg…like world events and politics and national headlines. News is depressing! As such, I am focusing this installment of RAMPANT EXCLAMATIONS on fictional media, (namely, television and video games), and needless gadgets and gizmos aplenty (getting that reference makes you as sad as I am.) Those of you with a lust for current affairs can go find out how many more dozens of people were blown up today in Iraq, but for the rest of us…
- There’s a cool article about this band The Oneups, a band that focuses on covers of great video game music, and how they are getting mainstream attention from non gaming outlets. If you’ve ever wanted to rock out to Super Mario Bros. Theme, or walk down the aisle to a selection from The Legend of Zelda, you should look up these guys they’re pretty cool. Video game scores are coming into their own now, and as a fan of both games AND music I say it’s about time. Speaking of video game music…
- MSNBC’s Top 5 Most Memorable Video Game Songs. I agree with most of the songs on this list (save for Halo, but that’s probably just me.) There are many other scores not listed that I personally find memorable (and are on my iPod playlist), like Street Fighter 2, Soul Reaver 2, Top Gear, Sonic the Hedgehog and Final Fantasy 8, but there are even really new games that I can’t the songs out of my head. If you ever play and beat Portal on The Orange Box, you will have a new favorite video game song, I guarantee it.
I would be interested in knowing some of your favorite video game songs, so if you have a Top 5 or 3 or 10 (if you’re feeling up to it) please leave a comment on here! - Ouch! Here are some harsh words from a decidedly disappointed purchaser of the iPhone, and from other things I’ve read he’s not alone. I’m sure there are many people who could defend some of these points, but the fact remains that Apple screws anyone trying to use their products in a manner that might, you know, be productive and useful. It’s like they put together your car for you and there’s 17 extra pieces at the end.
“You don’t think these are important?”, you ask, staring at what appears to be a fuel cap and something marked “brake pads”. “Nah!”, they assure you. “If it were important we would have put it in there, right? Drive safe! No refunds.”
Truthfully, I just like reading bad things about products I don’t care to own…it makes me feel warm inside. Some may call this petty spite; I call it vindication. Salt in the wound: here’s 5 cool iPhone apps you can no longer use if you upgraded the firmware. Suckers. - In the category “10 Pounds of Awesome in a 5 Pound Bag”, I give you this: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: Back to the Future mod! Watch the video and grin with joy. Doc Brown would be proud. I’d probably actually play that damn game now. Now, for the opposite of total uncut awesome…
- Rock Band’s World Tour Mode is now offline only. :’( You know, the biggest reason (besides getting to be a drummer) that people have been desperately clamoring for this game? Going online with friends in other dorm rooms, other houses, other counties, other states, OTHER CONTINENTS, and playing through with a custom pervasive band of your creation? GONE FTMFL!!! You can still do it offline, which means you will have to travel to your friend’s current physical location in order to make your rock dreams come true, and you can still play quick multiplayer sessions online (just not with your custom band brought up through the hard knocks of touring), and that might have been enough for everyone if they hadn’t been promising us full online coop play from the start. Now disappointment pervades my very being, and if Guitar Hero 3 hadn’t already made their own equally stupid multiplayer faux pas I might be slighted enough to run back into their familiar arms. Except I can’t sing the high note on “Say It Aint So” for points with GH3, so screw that.
- Here’s another Top Fiver: Top 5 shows that should be canceled already. Now I can’t speak to Big Shots because I haven’t seen that show yet (and probably won’t if they’re right about how crappy it is,) but I must say I disagree with their assessment of Life. I haven’t caught every episode because I forgot to set a series recording for it, but the first couple of episodes were very entertaining, and almost entirely because of the main character and his eccentricities. I’d recommend it. I’d also recommend tying those responsible for Cavemen to the back of a monster truck and dragging them through streets of broken glass, pausing only long enough to douse them with salt and lemon juice before making another lap. And then another. And another.
- I’m frakkin’ sick of people whining about PS3 losing its backwards compatibility, and…no, you know what? I got a lot to say on the subject of PS3, and it needs its own rant space. More on this subject later.