>> ^Abel_Prisc:
Wow, I didn't realize I'd be of a minority on the sift who absolutely loved Mass Effect 2. I have a love affair with Bioware, and think that the Mass Effect universe is so refreshingly original and creative (not to say it's not influenced by other sci-fi brands in some ways, but what sci-fi DOESN'T borrow from other properties?), and I was fine with the fact that they stripped down the RPG mechanics of the first one.
Mainly because ME1 was already a fairly stripped down RPG anyways, so why not streamline it a bit more? Before ME2 came out, a huge number of people complained that ME1 teetered between being a shooter and being an RPG, without enough elements of either to make it flow without feeling a bit awkward. Bioware heard these cries, and decided to streamline it, which in my opinion makes the game a more enjoyable experience ultimately. If they decided to make it a more heavy RPG, like Dragonage, then not only would they alienate a good number of their fans, but it'd be too similar to their other properties. Mass Effect stands on it's own ground, and I can only hope that the trilogy will be held as one of the great storylines in video game history. That's what it is to me.
I was so bummed when I finished the game. Right now I'm working through ME1 again so I can use an imported character.
And Netrunner, I agree. But that's generally how part two's go in trilogies these days. Part one is always a standalone nemesis, then part two sets up the storyline for the real big problem and focuses more on the intricate side-stories, while part three focuses entirely on the huge main-plot finale.
(Not much of a spoiler, but still...) SPOILERS I really wish that I could find more out about the Illusive Man, though. I'm looking forward to what they plan with that character. I still get that feeling that although he hasn't really done anything totally questionable, I still shouldn't trust him. Plus, those eyes creep me out! END SPOILERS


I completely loved ME2, with few exceptions. As I said before, HATED the mako, so I'm quite glad it wasn't in. My one biggest complaint was the storyline. I actually at one point in the story thought to myself "I hope this isn't just a "get all the characters and do the final mission" kind of game" And.. well, that's what it turned out to be. I just really wished there'd be more missions to do with them. I love the different reactions your crew brings to whatever you're doing, and wanted to see more of it. Unfortunately after a while you run out of things you can do with the second tier of people you can get. (And since they're second tier, you get even less with them, I really wanted to do more missions and whatnot with thane & Legion)
I just wish gathering characters was a secondary objective, rather then prettymuch primary story.

Ahh well, where's crashbug? He works for bioware right? Lets all go give him praise and bitch him out at the same time

>> ^cybrbeast:
I'm starting to feel more and more like Yahtzee in that most large and usually highly acclaimed games are becoming large disappointments. Dragon Age was barf to me (Torchlight was more entertaining).

I thought Yatzhee liked Dragon Age. Sure, he's going to nitpick any game, but he said he wanted to play more of it regardless.

>> ^cybrbeast:
Wow, so true. I played this game for 6 or 7 hours and it really becomes stale and boring.
I'm starting to feel more and more like Yahtzee in that most large and usually highly acclaimed games are becoming large disappointments. Dragon Age was barf to me (Torchlight was more entertaining). Currently playing Mass Effect 2 which seems of much lower quality than 1.
My only memorable games of recent time were Fallout 3, Dead Space (though I didn't complete it), Dirt 2, Prototype (also didn't complete), bit of GTA IV.


And the *click LMB* and kill a bajillion enemies in Torchlight with no actual plot didn't become stale and boring for you? Weird. At least Borderlands has multiplayer.

Hmm, apparently the borderlands review is where we talk about ME2.

I'll start by saying I really enjoyed playing it, and I look forward to ME3. It's all really well designed, and I honestly don't miss the scaled back RPG elements, nor the absence of the Mako.

That said, my chief complaint about it was that as far as the story goes, it was really more of a compliation of short stories rather than one novel-sized plot. 90% of the gameplay is spent either getting a team member, or doing the mission for a team member. The main plot about Cerberus & the Collectors just didn't have the kind of payoff I was expecting.

I also think my big disappointment was how little impact your decisions in ME1 had on anything substantive in ME2. I suppose that's to be expected, since they had to (for business reasons) make the full game experience available even to people who never played the first game, but they really could have gone a lot further with the consequences of things like whether you saved the Council or let them die, whether spared the Rachni queen, etc.

I really hope in ME3 there will be a point where you'll go "oh shit, I really shouldn't have done X in ME1!"

>> ^xxovercastxx:
I'm a bit shocked that he needs "another week" to finish ME2. I finished it last weekend. All of it. Side-quests too.
I played a little bit Thursday night, a few hours Friday night and, since my plans for the weekend fell through, pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday. I just checked my final saved game and it's 31 hours.
They really stripped the thing bare. Lots of features removed or simplified. Apparently nobody liked the driving in the first game so they completely removed that (unless you buy the driving DLC). The problem with the driving in ME1 was there was nothing on 90% of the planets besides a mineral deposit or two. That hasn't changed, but now you have to rub the planets with your mouse cursor in order to find mineral deposits instead of actually exploring them. It's like doing a 10' scratch-off ticket with a penny.


I actually just straight up hated the MAKO, to the point where when I Was exploring the normandy crash site, I smiled a bit when I saw its "Wreckage".

The controls were brutal, I can think of many times where the paths you were supposed to take in certain places (Liaras dig site in particular) weren't well laid out, and therefore I personally died almost every single time I got to the end because "Oh shit, I turn left theres a wall there, turn right!" and started barreling off the path into the lava, and by the time I went "Oh shit, lava!" and hit reverse, I was either too late and in the lava, or about to touch it. And for some reason, lava is an instant kill.

I did find some of it more simplified, but it took me ages to realise things from the first game were missing. I never had to worry about inventory because you never picked anything up unless it was usefull, and eventually realised I didn't have to sit there spamming clicks to sell all 150 items in my inventory, that I like. The cover system works out well, scanning works well, hacking and bypassing are 100x more fun then just the space frogger it used to be. The only true "Complaint" I have about the game, is that the biotic is borderline useless on a first playthrough, and only somewhat useful once you unlock "Reave" and can start a new game with it. Biotics don't do anything against armour, barrier, and shields. Other then that, I liked all the changes.

No, he said "MMORPGer"
>> ^syncron:
Ewww, he said "muh-muh-por-guh".

Borderlands is CPU heavy and if your fan is getting clogged protracted BLs sessions may be the first sign it's time for a clean out. That's what happened to me at least. Had carpet on top off my heat sick.

^ Well, I wasn't implying it's the first FPS to sport zero G ever. Descent 2 was one of my favorite multi player shooters ever. Note though, that all the games you linked are quite old. There hasn't been a FPS like this for a very long time.

My point was that in today's Halo / CoD / Resistance / Borderlands FPS world, this game is quite unique.

I just got Borderlands. It's the bee's knee's.

http://www.videosift.com/video/Borderlands-Claptrap-the-Filthy-R2D2

Tags for this video have been changed from 'Boarderlands, Trailer, FPS, RPG, have, Baby' to 'Borderlands, Trailer, FPS, RPG, have, Baby' - edited by kronosposeidon

Genuinely hoping they pull this off although I'm still a bit sceptical.

Randomisation is all good and well, but what made Diablo 1 and 2 such an effective action RPG was that it also had a compelling storyline, fun skills and varied but equally awesome art design.

So far Borderlands sounds like it has a loose storyline at best, I haven't seen much variety from desert environments and I really don't know much about the kind of skills or abilities they may have or whether the guns and FPS action is actually all that good.

As much as I think FPS/RPG is a winning formula, I'm skeptical whether they can pull it off as a relatively small developer after all. I mean judging by the repetitive environments of Hellgate: London, it's obvious that creating randomised level generation at the ground level is incredibly difficult. It's hard enough to make believable looking rooms/dungeons/environments with a top down perspective, but there's so much additional nitty gritty detail you need to include at the first person view level. That's clearly something that Flagship had a lot of trouble with, and I'm not sure if it's really possible to do without a huge staff of developers and plenty of funding.

Looking forward to in Q1-2 of 2009 (PC): Prototype, Braid, Velvet Assassin, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Trine, Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Burnout Paradise, Borderlands, Bionic Commando, Dragon Age: Origins, Tom Clancy's HAWX.
The better part of these really ought to arrive in 2009, even if delayed. Some have solid release dates set for Feb, as far as I can remember.

>> ^imstellar28:
does it really matter? anyone who is voting for either party has already lost sight of what's really at stake.
can anyone explain to me the differences between Obama/McCain's stance on:
1. preemptive warfare
"McCain supports the Bush Doctrine and Obama opposes it"

2. increasing the size of government
McCain talks the conservative game of smaller government but has supported all of Bush's expansion of the national government
Obama wants to expand healthcare and other social programs, but says that will come at the expense of other programs (subscribves to PAYGO philosophy)
Not so clear on this one

3. FISA
Obama pissed off liberals with support of FISA
McCain seems to be obfuscating his opinion

4. federal bailouts of businesses (such as feddie mae/frannie mac)
Obama - help homeowners shore up mortgages rather than bail out companies
McCain- too big to fail, bail out companies not speculative homeowners who are whining now

5. the federal reserve
neither cnadidate represents change on this issue (although it is a bit fringe for most americans to care about)

6. personal liberties
is this the FISA question again, or are we talking abortion? too vague to disinguish differences

7. bringing all troops home from all 741 military bases
Ridiculously leading topic that assumes that isolationism is the correct strategy

8. foreign policy in afghanistan
Obama - get Bin Laden, secure AFghan/Pakistani borderlands
McCain - get Bin Laden, but not in Pakistan. Iraq matters more

9. stance on the georgia/russia conflict
Obama - 'there needs to be active international engagement to peacefully address the disputes over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, including a high-level and neutral international mediator, and a genuine international peacekeeping force – not simply Russian troops.'
McCain - Georgia conflict is the ‘first serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War.’ [RIGGGHHHT?!?] Russia's evil!

10. the ICC
Obama - consult with military commanders and examine the track record of the Court before reaching a decision on whether the U.S. should become a State Party to the ICC
McCain - 'the ICC was not set up for countries such as the U.S.'

11. inflation
gonna guess that they're both against it

12. income taxes
McCain- continue Bush cuts for wealthiest Americans, give a few pennies to those at the bottom
Obama - let Bush tax cuts expire, give tax breaks to 95% of Americans
graphical representation

13. the war on drugs
Obama - reduce sentences for dealers, needle exchange, nothing about foreign policy
McCain - stronger borders, tougher penalties and sentences, funded wars against drug producing countries (i.e., Colombia)

14. offshore drilling
Obama - can be part of energy plan if it helps gain approval
McCain - we're gonna drill our way outta this in just 2 years, wait 5 years, no 10 years (ok... never)

15. the patriot act
Obama - YES to re-authorization, NO to expanded wiretapping
McCain - YES to re-authorization, YES to expanded wiretapping

16. the graham-levin amendment
Obama - no guantanamo, yes to habeas corpus, no torture, no forced testimony
McCain - no guantanamo, no habeas corpus, no torture (but not really)

17. supported school of economics
Obama - Chicago school of economics
McCain - admitted he doesn't know much about economics

18. creationism
Obama - "religious commitment did not require me to suspend critical thinking" from Audacity of Hope
McCain - doesn't believe in it but VP Palin sure does

19. agricultural subsidies
Obama - limit subsidies, try to get them to small farmers and not corporations
McCain - opposes subsidies, gets in the way of free trade agreements

20. social security entitlements
Obama - remove $97K cap, no privatization, no new commission
McCain - personal savings accounts, maybe raise the cap above $97K

21. the bureaucratic class
Got bored just thinking about researching this

22. national debt
Obama - repeal Bush cuts, end Iraq War, pay-as-you-go system, balanced budget
McCain - debt bad, balanced budget, stop pork and earmarks

I am more informed now, hope you are. Although that took way too long and I am a bit tired of it. If you want more, you can always start here: On the Issues.

It’s a good thing I checked the paper besides looking at MovieTickets.com. Instead of Sunday, the last movie on the list was shown Saturday night. I called the theater confirm the schedule just to be sure.

Before I review the Horrorfest, I wanted to mention the theater where I viewed the films – Hollywood 9. It used to be part of a chain called General Cinema. Some older folks will remember the music that used brushes on a snare drum with an electric guitar to announce “Coming Soon” and “Feature Presentation.” Then stadium-seating theaters were introduced ten years ago. They managed to kill a majority of movie theaters in this area. A local family bought this theater from the chain. It continues to run first-run films. We used to have a network of second-run film-theaters. They were good for when a film left the first-run-theaters. Plus they were cheaper.

Audiences have been small for the Horrorfest – maybe four to twelve people at most. Horror films are more fun with a full theater of raucous younger folks.

And now for my rankings . . . . I organized them from most favorite to least favorite. The films included for 2007 cover certain standard genres:

The Deaths of Ian Stone (R)
Ian Stone keeps dying and jumping to another life. Each time he interacts with the same girl. Before each death a clock suddenly stops. I like this one best because the film takes time to reveal the context of events and characters.

Mulberry Street (R)
This could have easily been called “Rat People.” The film is set in New York City in a rundown apartment building. Rats across Manhattan bite people spreading a contagious “rat virus.” Once bitten, people morph into rat-faced-like-humans. This flick has a style similar to “28 Days Later.” These carnivorous rat-people move fast and gnaw at their human prey. The newscast vaguely covers events as the infection becomes widespread. Other than the rats spreading the virus, there’s not much of an explanation for the virus’s existence.

Crazy Eights (NR)
Six young adults gather together after the death of someone they all knew. Twenty years earlier their parents left them at mental institution as guinea pigs for human experiments. The name given to their group was “Crazy Eights.” Prior to the group reuniting, they started having nightmares. A last request by the deceased takes them on an odyssey to locate a time capsule they made years ago. OK, that’s seven people; so what about the eighth one?

Borderland (NR)
Of the eight films this is the only one based on a true story. It is more consistent than some of the others. Three American guys in their early twenties cross the border into Mexico. In the course of seeking young women, they cross paths with drug dealers who perform Santeria human sacrifices. In this area near the border, the drug dealers have police intimidated. There is one cop, however, who helps two of the guys when the third one goes missing. He’s been investigating the drug dealers for a while. Also, They killed his partner.

The murders in this film are brutal. Sean Astin plays a bad guy – I was expecting him to yell for Frodo. He has a beard that helps a little with his baby face.

Tooth and Nail (R)
Set in the year 2012 (how Mayan ), civilization has collapsed because there is no more gas. People are forced to survive without technology. Two guys and a girl are exploring when they rescue a girl from an armed man. They bring her back to their group. Right away the group does not trust her. Then one night the group’s leader is murdered. Soon group learns that cannibals are intent on feeding on them. Considering the beginning of the film I expected more cleverness in the lines and the battles to survive. I would have thought the hospital, where they are living, would have some neat props and/or rooms to do battle in – I felt like more could have been done. The cannibals dress like medieval warriors. Axes, knives, swords, spears all make for a bloodbath. There are some later twists in the plot that redeem this movie a little. Otherwise, the film just has a body count.

Mike Madsen and Vinnie Jones ham it up a bit.

Unearthed (R)
Unless I missed it, I’m not sure what group of Native Americans the characters are descended from in this movie. Anyway a young male Native American is digging in a cave where a sacred burial ground is located. Unfortunately his efforts release a monster that his ancestors managed to knock out for many centuries.

A female Native American is sheriff. She’s still trying to live down a circumstance in which she was not able to prevent a young girl from being shot. She investigates a vehicle crash site involving a truck. She locates a piece of something that was caught in a truck’s grill. When a biologist analyzes this something, she determines that it is not of this earth and it has been collecting samples of living things.

As the body count adds up, the sheriff does her best to protect those left. In the course of things she becomes covered in some black liquid in the cave. This stuff ends up protecting her in a close encounter with the creature. She and the guy, who unleashed the creature in the first place, figure out that uranium is what they need to make the protective liquid. Someone else will have to comment on the science or lack of science involved here.

The creature behaves a bit like the ones from “Alien.” It is scarier when you don’t see it. However, it does move fast.

Nightmare Man (R)
A woman orders her husband a primitive mask with horns. She gets more than she bargained for in this tale. Although this one starts off hokey, filmed with video, it does improve with some plot twists. This couple runs out of gas on the way to a mental hospital. He leaves her alone while he goes for gas.

She becomes scared by a demon in the darkness. After a bit of cat ‘n’ mouse, she manages to run to a house in the woods. Two couples are enjoying each other’s company until this woman arrives frantic about what is chasing her and the pills she dropped in the forest in the dark. Listen when someone tells you that pills help control a demon inside. : )

Lake Dead (NR)
A grandfather to an incestuous family is killed. Three granddaughters want travel to see the property they inherited. Their father warns them not to go. The kids are mad at him because saying their grandfather was dead long before he actually was dead.

One of the girls skips the funeral and goes to Lake Dead by herself – bad news. Lake is the family’s last name. Anyway the two girls arrive with a couple and another guy. There is a shallow manmade pond on the property. Characters in the story refer to it as a lake.

So then the body count starts. The gene pool in this town is a bit shallow too.


OK, there are the “8 Films to Die for.” When I’ve seen the eight from 2006, I’ll do a synopsis and ranking of them as well.