Requiem for Reality

I woke up this morning thinking. Wouldn't it be nice if I had an app that could control my PS3 from m iPhone? Thinking about Blue Tooth, and the other peripherals that Sony has made, I began to wonder if this was possible. As I started to search, I noticed I wasn't the first person to consider such an App. Apparently MS has something for their XBOX360, but I don't really play that as much as my PS3. So I began the hunt, looking at message boards from 2006-2008 and then recent.

Thus far I have found 2 apps that require some sort of extra device (PocketBlu a disk and Waveit a extra peripheral). They seem to have a few bugs in them each, but what I'm looking for is a simple Blue Tooth interface, perhaps a keyboard, and arrows to scroll.

Along this same line of thinking, it would be pretty convenient if someone created an App to actually be on the PSN from your phone, though with the recent hacks to the network I doubt this is likely to happen.

Finally after about 2 hours of searching, I come across this App called WeBe++. At the time of the post from the developer, he wasn't sure if he would be able to integrate PS3 functionality. However, I searched in the Cydia store and found that recently he did an update which included PS3 functionality and buttons. Now I just have to make them communicate.

SUCCESS!!! Literally took all of 30 seconds.

Functionality? Works very well. Keyboard, controls, buttons!! This thing does it all. It is $5.00 but...I think it's the most worth while App I've purchased thus far!

Where to begin?

After I finished my FINALS yesterday I decided I was going to go pick up a new video game to reward myself. Lately everyone has been jumpin' on the couch over the latest FPS clone, Modern Warfare 2. I however do not typically enjoy those types of games. I may purchase it, so that I have something to do with others, but I feel as though if I do I am encouraging the gaming industry to continue to saturate the market with these types of atrocities.

So as I stand there in Gamestop contemplating become another average gamer, playing the traditional westernized games, that are just like all of the others, I decided I was going to zig. It's not like me to get sandbox style RPG's. In fact, I'm so into console linear RPG's that I thought FFXII was too sandbox for me. Additionally that whole auto-pilot "gambit" thing was rather useless and I feel as though it took the connection out of the game. To me it wasn't personal anymore. Or not like I was playing a story, but just kinda running around doing stuff.

So I decided to try out Dragon Age: Origins (DAO). Now the guy at Gamestop told me that DAO wasn't a "sandbox" rpg and that it was very linear. There are certainly linear aspects to the game. Go here, do this, kinda stuff, but it's still very sand boxish. There are packs of DLC so that you can continue on with your adventure.

Now, to be fair Wikipedia calls the came a computer-style rpg. That is very true. It reminds me of the old ways of creating a character in games like ultima and the like. It seems like a very solid game. Large expansinve areas to explore if you like that sort of thing.

I suppose the biggest reason I picked this game up is because, I know that the future installments of FF are going to be done in this matter. Gone are the days of the turn based battles. Gone are the days of running around on the maps. It's all realistic now. For me...and I may be in the minority here, but I liked the fantasy aspect of RPG's. There was more room for the imagniation. Don't get me wrong I like the visuals, but I feel like these types of games are more made for the RPGer that doesn't want to think. There is hardly any tactical strategy involed. Then again I suppose that the same could be said about console, turn based RPGS. Hmm...well I'm gonna give it some more plays this weekend and see how I dig it. Now that I'm all graduated and stuff, I got more free time to do what ever the freak I want!

WOOOT!

Bought this game yesterday haven't had a chance to open it up yet. When the wife gets out of work though....best believe it will be on!

10/15/08 UPDATE!!

So I've played about...5 hours of this...maybe 8. I've made it to the sewers, and let me tell you. This game is pretty good. Graphically speaking, the characters could've had some more time taken on them. They almost look like PS2 graphics. Many will say it's better on the 360, but I'm a PS3 man. The backgrounds look decent. You can definitely tell it's HD there and the graphics have been worked in that respect.

The sounds, which many of you know in the series, are perfectly disturbing, intriguingly psychotic, inducing states of paranoia often.

The thing I really don't particularly dig about this game is the battle system, and menu system. You have to push the triggers to get into 2 different menus. One menu has your weapons and flashlight, and the other menu has your items and health. If you ask me this is kinda backwards. In the heat of battle you don't wanna have to switch to your shot gun, then back out of the menu and go to the other menu to refill your health.

Speaking of selecting items, who the heck designed that needs to be beaten! Just by highlighting something you've selected it if you back out of the menu. So if you accidentally are switching to your axe and somehow click the thumb stick down to your gun before leaving, you're wasting valuable ammo on some swarm bugs! It's really very frustrating. I will say this though, I do like the fact that the response is not delayed like in the previous titles. Well I should say they aren't ALWAYS delayed. That is, sometimes they do get delayed, especially when doing a counter attack after a successful dodge, or dodging altogether is...dodgy for lack of better words.

However, I do like this game better than SH4. I mean I liked SH4: The Room ( though I am in the minority), and I think the reason I did was the various disturbing creatures. But this game is right up there with SH2. Which to me was the best in the series. I mean I think that game oughta be top 5 scary games of all time if not #1. That was one of those games you HAD to play with the lights on first time through.

Alright back to your manic episode you!

Wish I would've started this thing a while back. Now it's 9:21 and I'm trying to catch up with some of the more personal things I wanted to do today.

More than just ramblings and bloggins, I'm a video game enthusiast (addict if you ask my wife....). So I figured I would tell you a little bit about my collection and how I'm rating these games.

Recently I picked up the newest game in the Wipeout series, Wipeout HD. Thanks to this game, now I've also started listening to electronic music a whole lot more. Speaking of Electronic music, check out my friend Josh with the Blank Artists.

So what is Wipeout? For those who don't know...it's a futuristic combat racing game. And it's super difficult. The actual racing against the computer itself isn't all that difficult really. But what makes the game infuriating is the time trails these are suppose to increase and stretch the longevity of the game, but in reality it makes me (and most others) just not want to play. The thing is if you want to unlock new tracks then you NEED to beat the time trials. At first this seems like "Ha! I can't believe this idiot was complaing about this on his blog." Then you get to the 4th stage, and your all "stupid uncle peice of river trash!" or something to that effect.

As the time gets more restrictive (if you will) then your lines need to be more perfect. That is, you need to memorize the tracks, but more than that, you need to memorize the speed pads, where you can do a barrel roll (instert CEman related joke here), and not hit any walls. After al that you'll still need to find a way to shave 2 seconds off of your lap without breaking your controller across the childrens heads that keep ringing your doorbell! Pray that no one calls! Because if they do, then you might as well start all the way over. Each lap in the time trial builds on the other so if you ran a slow lap, or miss one pad, you have to make up that on the next lap....ultimately causing a hemmorage in your pre-frontal cortex.

The game has A LOT of redeming features though. Speed laps are actually pretty fun despite having a similar concept to the time trial. Zone mode (a returning feature from previous titles), puts you in a psychadelic realm on the track where the music you're playing is displayed on the walls, billboards, and track itself. It's actually I great deal of fun.

Not to mention the games sound track. I wasn't a big fan of electronic music, I mean, I didn't mind it or anything if someone had it on, but I didn't know any DJ names or what style I like. Fortunately Wipeout comes with a few electronic songs that will get you're mind going in that direction. But if you can't stand the constant thump, thump, thump, thump of the 184 bpm then don't worry this game allows for custom sound tracks.

Pick up Wipeout HD on the PSN, only on PS3....wow I sound like a commercial.

Great strategy RPG, if you're in to that sort of thing. I am! Not as serious as FFT, but it is WAAAAY more in depth. There is much more gameplay, ability to create and update your own characters, items, weapons, skills....

I mean you can pretty much level up everything just by diving into the weapon, or item, or whatever.

I've only been able to get in about 20 hours or so, but I have played the first one, and let me tell you. If you thought the first one was massively in depth, you haven't seen anything yet.

Picked up this little guy on the PSN. Quite a game if I do say so myself. It has some good terror elements, especially the fear of being chased...creeps you right out. Hiding in things waiting for them to leave. Let me explain.

So there you are in some village in the some lost woods in Japan (why does it seem like every scary japanese game has this lost village premise?), and you're trying to find a way out....or...a solution whats going on. I guess it really depends on what character you are and what chapter you are in.

There are (I think) 6 characters playable. Each one you assume the identity of in each chapter. Everyone of them has their own purposes and objectives, as well as sub-objectives (sidequests for you RPGers) which add to the element of the chase. Rather than just being chased around all night in the dark there are other things you can do so that other parts of the game can be unlocked later...which serves no other purpose than to say you did (that is you can still complete the game without doing many of the sidequests).

Quite a number of stages you start off with no weapon, this is problematic for this series because there are these monsters (called Shibito) everywhere, and the AI is pretty good on them suckers. So often you will find yourself running for your dear lif and hiding in some sort of aparatus, praying to God that this thing doesn't open the door, because he's carrying a garden ho.

Speaking of that, nearly everything in this game canbe used as a weapon. Street signs, beer bottles, frying skillets. This actually makes the game pretty interesting, because you will use these items to save your life, and feel a bit of relief when you find one...even if it's just a scalpel.

There are 4 episodes, with 3 chapters each (12 in all) that are downloadable from the PSN. It ends up taking about a Gig up of space. So just keep that in mind. But it's a pretty good pick up, kind of a different twist on the genre. Rather than walking around trying just to solve puzzles and survive, you are running 70% of the game and hiding 20%. Puzzles are still a good part of the game, but you almost don't have time for puzzles when spider shibito are trying to eat you while you're on the phone.

It's a pretty eerie game. So check it out!

Also known as the game with a freaking ridiculously obnoxiously long name. Probably some of the most fun I have had with my console thus far. This game has gotten the most play. Even when compared to some of my newer games. I still find myself picking this game up and playing on line for hours. The game itself is nothing too special.

The point of the game is to defeat your opponent through destruction of colorized gems. The larger the amount of gems the more counter gems are placed on your opponents board. Bonuses are awarded through combo's, and combining gems of the same color together to make a massive block.

Sounds simple right? Yeah you just try it! I recommend to the novice to play the computer for a while first. Once you can beat the computer no problem on expert, without losing a single match, and then facing off against Devilot (google how to fight devilot on SPF), and winning, will get you pretty close to average online. If you think you're good there is probably someone better than you out there.

I'm ranked 186th currently in the world.

Any way getting a game is as easy as going to multi-player, quick match. If no one plays you the first time don't give up. There is almost always someone on. Just hit back and try it again. Don't fret if you lose a lot at first...I have 888 losses, but then again I have 2700 wins.

Be warned this game is super addictive. I think it's all the colors.

This game is available on both PSN and XBLA. If you're on PSN and you want a game my PSN ID is RiverviewAssassn.