It's a rare occurrence for me to become so flustered by current events that I feel the intangible need to take it out on my keyboard.
But wow. Is Chicago messed up, or what? Day after day, newspaper after newspaper depict houses burning, children being killed, police officers being outsmarted, and family members grieving in the wake of whatever such and such event devastated his or her family. Earthquakes, killings, hurricanes, and common destruction flood the covers of the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times that lay atop my kitchen's granite countertop -- illustrating a far less desirable world, a world that if any of us supposedly right-minded individuals were to come face-to-face to such a happening, would be revolted by every profound sense of the term.
Now after weeks upon weeks of hope-free media coverage, I'm taking this upon myself to RANT a rant never seen before. Here we go. You have been warned.
The Chicago government -- what a sad excuse for an organization. I may be blissfully uninformed, but can someone please explain to me why nothing ostensibly ever seems to get accomplished here? Whether it's the poor economy, the lack of American jobs, the need for American jobs, or even the lack of money in order to enstate these purportedly life-saving American-based jobs, desperate fingers invariably manage to point in one direction, while avoiding an admittance of failure on one's own part.
Whatever, this country can tear itself apart for all I care -- no one listens to anyone, everyone simply acts as if they may be listening to the opinions of the public, then sits back down on their armchairs, pretentiously show a bit of concern, then loftily dispose of the horrid idea. Arrogance, failure, blame, laziness, an obsolete governing system, disagreement, vengence-fueled fury, this is in fact the city that never sleeps. We all just hate each other all that Goddamn much. It may be race, long-standing grudges, gangs, genders, political affiliations, or even God forbid, religion that separate us. But one thing is clearer than it ever has been -- this so called, "CHANGE", this biblical proclamation Barack Obama has famously claimed we are all in dire need of is not in fact true. What we quite simply need is unity. And knowing the American people, that will inevitably never happen. A kind, respectable American man is few and far between -- they are the ones that are out and about, not driving in their own cars, watching TV in their own homes, or ignoring celebrations and doing whatever he or she may want -- they go and interact, connect, and join in celebrations with others, they are the true patriots, they are the true kind men and women, they are the peace-makers, and blessed are they.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Everyday Tool, or Celeb in Disguise?
ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6th this trendy hipster was spotted lighting up LA's swanky sunset strip, hitting up nearly every bitty nearby, while managing to post up in Chipotle, a fav among many an effeminate fashionista.
This unknown coolio was seen at approximately 12:37, clearly after some massive ravage, [as evident by his slouched stance]. As far as we can gather, the dude's shades are going up for sale on eBay for $400, apparently "4 HAITI", the user selling the spectacles goes by the name of XxXP_Money420XxX.
That sure is a fine scarf if I do say so myself... Flammen like scarves... Ahem.
Zac Efron, say hello to... well, let's just call him XxXP_Money420XxX for the time being.
Stay tuned!
Monday, January 18, 2010
So, there's this guy...
I'VE HAD IT.
Never have I encountered someone so negligent of common courtesy, ignorant of other peoples' opinions, and so downright narcisstistic a person.
First off, this guy, or excuse me, this douchebag for some unexplainable reason sees himself as a sprouting lawyer and real estate magnate. Even so, I'm still not sure who he thinks he is. His intentions, as told to me, are to 'Make a lot of money, get a nice house, a hot wife, and graduate law school', presumably with flying colors. He intends to later go on to practice his supposed "skill" for several years, making some insurmountable amount of money, and buying out much of the Chicagoland area and putting it up for rent. These are quite steep ambitious for someone who generally isn't at all liked by a great deal of the school populace. I personally don't see him achieving any of his goals unless he were to endure a drastic personality change.
Debating with this egotist will invariably degenerate into senseless yelling. He feels there is no question he cannot answer, no problem he cannot solve. Slightly disagreeing with him is like, as he claims, 'denying 1+1=2'. He is just that immaculately inarguable folks, he is just that good.
Challenging his beliefs is another story. Whenever exposing what may be wrong with whatever he believes in will have him justify the flaws in manner that may be compared to a governor covering up a sex scandal. His logic oftentimes makes little sense.
Also, for thinking of himself as so intelligent is doubly ironic, as he incessantly will express a desire to fight. Something children and uneducated gang members resort to in times of verbal conflict. He simply doesn't know how to deal with his emotions.
This unnamed person, relying on his buddies for consolation whenever he may find issue with a debate, will immediately find support, and then reclaim his dominence among his purported "friends" at the lunch table.
This, (I don't even know what to call him anymore) is so stuck on himself that recently released blockbuster, Avatar, is something that because he believes director James Cameron has espoused "anti-American" and "anti-war" beliefs in his film, 'it is not worth paying for', and will therefore use a torrent to view the film.
The Douchebag concludes that contributing another measly $6 or so for the ticket price is like supporting anti-America and anti-war campaigns. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but James Cameron is not a politician, nor is looked up to for his political beliefs. The film is a piece of art, and clearly the retard hadn't the capacity to look at it from that standpoint alone.
It's one thing to be prideful and hubristic, and it's another to never be willing to look at the other side of the issue. Mr. Idiot considers American football the best sport the world has to offer. Now this is a fair sentiment, surely thousands upon thousands of Americans share the same opinion as douchebag. And are they to blame? Inevitably, many of them grew up watching American football, as it has been a pastime for much of their lives. But a great deal of these spectators no longer care as much as their 1920s counterparts as to what is American. We live in an era where it's hip to be foreign. People in this day and age no longer care what sport they're watching so long as it's intense, fast-paced, and a rollercoaster ride of excitement.
And while this is an admittedly petty matter, idiot can't come to grips with something that's not American in both origin and demeanor. I know for a fact stupidhead has traveled outside of the country, but to claim soccer players lack any physical merits, and that American football players are the "best" athletes, not even taking into consideration the miles upon miles of running soccer players do throughout ninety minutes, the physicality of the sport that has clearly fazed him, and the stress that comes big and small to players of any position, not knowing what impending doom may come next is ridiculous to me.
The dude can't bear to lose an argument. He always has to be right, whether that means citing some of the most outlandish evidence to back up his claims. Whenever confronted with a similar circumstance myself, I seize up in favor of sensibility. If I were as ignorant, or lived in a bubble just as this bafoon, hour-long debates would ensue, and no conclusion would ever be reached.
He clearly identifies with an objectively deterministic worldview, and strangely can't help but immaturely insult all who may disagree. Claiming he is a devout Catholic, his perception of benevolence, selflessness, and kindness have clearly been squelched in favor of assertiveness, agression, and egotism
All in all, this is a sort of person I deeply resent, egotistical, narcissistic, selfish, you name it, this unnamed fool represents all that I hate, and I mean HATE.
Never have I encountered someone so negligent of common courtesy, ignorant of other peoples' opinions, and so downright narcisstistic a person.
First off, this guy, or excuse me, this douchebag for some unexplainable reason sees himself as a sprouting lawyer and real estate magnate. Even so, I'm still not sure who he thinks he is. His intentions, as told to me, are to 'Make a lot of money, get a nice house, a hot wife, and graduate law school', presumably with flying colors. He intends to later go on to practice his supposed "skill" for several years, making some insurmountable amount of money, and buying out much of the Chicagoland area and putting it up for rent. These are quite steep ambitious for someone who generally isn't at all liked by a great deal of the school populace. I personally don't see him achieving any of his goals unless he were to endure a drastic personality change.
Debating with this egotist will invariably degenerate into senseless yelling. He feels there is no question he cannot answer, no problem he cannot solve. Slightly disagreeing with him is like, as he claims, 'denying 1+1=2'. He is just that immaculately inarguable folks, he is just that good.
Challenging his beliefs is another story. Whenever exposing what may be wrong with whatever he believes in will have him justify the flaws in manner that may be compared to a governor covering up a sex scandal. His logic oftentimes makes little sense.
Also, for thinking of himself as so intelligent is doubly ironic, as he incessantly will express a desire to fight. Something children and uneducated gang members resort to in times of verbal conflict. He simply doesn't know how to deal with his emotions.
This unnamed person, relying on his buddies for consolation whenever he may find issue with a debate, will immediately find support, and then reclaim his dominence among his purported "friends" at the lunch table.
This, (I don't even know what to call him anymore) is so stuck on himself that recently released blockbuster, Avatar, is something that because he believes director James Cameron has espoused "anti-American" and "anti-war" beliefs in his film, 'it is not worth paying for', and will therefore use a torrent to view the film.
The Douchebag concludes that contributing another measly $6 or so for the ticket price is like supporting anti-America and anti-war campaigns. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but James Cameron is not a politician, nor is looked up to for his political beliefs. The film is a piece of art, and clearly the retard hadn't the capacity to look at it from that standpoint alone.
It's one thing to be prideful and hubristic, and it's another to never be willing to look at the other side of the issue. Mr. Idiot considers American football the best sport the world has to offer. Now this is a fair sentiment, surely thousands upon thousands of Americans share the same opinion as douchebag. And are they to blame? Inevitably, many of them grew up watching American football, as it has been a pastime for much of their lives. But a great deal of these spectators no longer care as much as their 1920s counterparts as to what is American. We live in an era where it's hip to be foreign. People in this day and age no longer care what sport they're watching so long as it's intense, fast-paced, and a rollercoaster ride of excitement.
And while this is an admittedly petty matter, idiot can't come to grips with something that's not American in both origin and demeanor. I know for a fact stupidhead has traveled outside of the country, but to claim soccer players lack any physical merits, and that American football players are the "best" athletes, not even taking into consideration the miles upon miles of running soccer players do throughout ninety minutes, the physicality of the sport that has clearly fazed him, and the stress that comes big and small to players of any position, not knowing what impending doom may come next is ridiculous to me.
The dude can't bear to lose an argument. He always has to be right, whether that means citing some of the most outlandish evidence to back up his claims. Whenever confronted with a similar circumstance myself, I seize up in favor of sensibility. If I were as ignorant, or lived in a bubble just as this bafoon, hour-long debates would ensue, and no conclusion would ever be reached.
He clearly identifies with an objectively deterministic worldview, and strangely can't help but immaturely insult all who may disagree. Claiming he is a devout Catholic, his perception of benevolence, selflessness, and kindness have clearly been squelched in favor of assertiveness, agression, and egotism
All in all, this is a sort of person I deeply resent, egotistical, narcissistic, selfish, you name it, this unnamed fool represents all that I hate, and I mean HATE.
Here It Is
Here I am, frank and plain,
Expressing my emotions,
It is a quaint Sunday night, and I feel giddy,
I want to socialize all of a sudden, I want to express opinions with other regarding video games,
It simply cannot be explained,
I feel slightly anxious,
And am trying to alleviate that anxiousness by writing this,
I feel I need to talk to someone, but all my friends are in their own beds, away, preparing for a new week of school just as myself,
I look to podcasts as if to console, but they do little, as they do not allow conversation -- I sense a desire to be on a podcast myself...
Expressing my emotions,
It is a quaint Sunday night, and I feel giddy,
I want to socialize all of a sudden, I want to express opinions with other regarding video games,
It simply cannot be explained,
I feel slightly anxious,
And am trying to alleviate that anxiousness by writing this,
I feel I need to talk to someone, but all my friends are in their own beds, away, preparing for a new week of school just as myself,
I look to podcasts as if to console, but they do little, as they do not allow conversation -- I sense a desire to be on a podcast myself...
Death and Distaster
Death and Disaster, are they all that matter to the public now?
Respect, honor and glory are no longer relevant; antinquity has claimed even the bow,
Secularism, and materialistic views, what does our society value any more?
Empty gestures and expressions they want to hear, like saving the economy and ending the war,
But when the supposedly beloved Haiti goes down under, we all are up in arms,
Then if we care so much, why hadn't we aided in evacuating the Haitians and all of their charms,
But now that a mere week has passed, and the damage is still done, the press no longer seems to care,
Shifting their emphasis to newer and "better" topics in order to with all the world share,
Short-attention spans? Who knows.
Respect, honor and glory are no longer relevant; antinquity has claimed even the bow,
Secularism, and materialistic views, what does our society value any more?
Empty gestures and expressions they want to hear, like saving the economy and ending the war,
But when the supposedly beloved Haiti goes down under, we all are up in arms,
Then if we care so much, why hadn't we aided in evacuating the Haitians and all of their charms,
But now that a mere week has passed, and the damage is still done, the press no longer seems to care,
Shifting their emphasis to newer and "better" topics in order to with all the world share,
Short-attention spans? Who knows.
Monday Morning Rhyme
I see a girl, should it be my sister,
Barefoot, she is reluctant of the prospect of a blister,
Here she goes, once again, yelling a great bout,
Of something that truly doesn't matter, nor worth even a shout,
Be it of her hunger, an MTV celebrity,
This teen has no limit as to how she will express her extremity,
Laughing obnoxiously, and belching rather vulgarly,
I can't bear to stand by another giggle, however foolishly,
I must go outside with great haste,
If not, to another distant place,
Her intellect is thin, as evident from her humor,
It is IQ-depleting, I must say, as if not to start a rumor,
No articulation, or value of thought,
Lacking of any linguistic skills, they are something that unlike math, cannot be bought,
I cannot stand Jessica, I must be out.
Barefoot, she is reluctant of the prospect of a blister,
Here she goes, once again, yelling a great bout,
Of something that truly doesn't matter, nor worth even a shout,
Be it of her hunger, an MTV celebrity,
This teen has no limit as to how she will express her extremity,
Laughing obnoxiously, and belching rather vulgarly,
I can't bear to stand by another giggle, however foolishly,
I must go outside with great haste,
If not, to another distant place,
Her intellect is thin, as evident from her humor,
It is IQ-depleting, I must say, as if not to start a rumor,
No articulation, or value of thought,
Lacking of any linguistic skills, they are something that unlike math, cannot be bought,
I cannot stand Jessica, I must be out.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
America the Beautiful?
The air smells,
While the industrialism swells,
Little unity ensues,
An outraged woman, another drunk driver sues,
People disagreeing in yet another fit,
Will people in this country ever get along, will this year be it?
People constantly rushing, there's no stopping this urge,
No matter, what I say, people will continue to carry out their daily surge.
Maybe it's that I seek for a mere scapegoat,
Something I decide to blame, whether it keeps this country afloat,
Is it my fault, for I do not search for the ideal nation,
That sought-after concept, on their lips, spreads elation,
Is it that I simply choose to live in dispair,
For that I care about petty, little things like our air,
Or maybe I'm truly the one that's right,
And that all we do in this country is resort to fight,
For it's the "American way",
And we don't care what "they" say,
Because we're America,
And we're always the ones who are right,
Right for the cause, and you guessed it, again, right for the fight,
So you see, it's this silly pride I detest,
And if this country were at all consistent, and only occasionally not of two minds, then I'd surely forget all the rest,
But sadly, that's not the case,
For had it not, then I'd never be running this unending chase.
END
While the industrialism swells,
Little unity ensues,
An outraged woman, another drunk driver sues,
People disagreeing in yet another fit,
Will people in this country ever get along, will this year be it?
People constantly rushing, there's no stopping this urge,
No matter, what I say, people will continue to carry out their daily surge.
Maybe it's that I seek for a mere scapegoat,
Something I decide to blame, whether it keeps this country afloat,
Is it my fault, for I do not search for the ideal nation,
That sought-after concept, on their lips, spreads elation,
Is it that I simply choose to live in dispair,
For that I care about petty, little things like our air,
Or maybe I'm truly the one that's right,
And that all we do in this country is resort to fight,
For it's the "American way",
And we don't care what "they" say,
Because we're America,
And we're always the ones who are right,
Right for the cause, and you guessed it, again, right for the fight,
So you see, it's this silly pride I detest,
And if this country were at all consistent, and only occasionally not of two minds, then I'd surely forget all the rest,
But sadly, that's not the case,
For had it not, then I'd never be running this unending chase.
END
Saturday, December 5, 2009
My Thoughts
In such a gender-balanced society, with women in a far more prominent role than that of, for example, the 1950s, I feel many of the biological issues women face that affect their ability to cope or think logically permeate much of society’s general mentality, and alter it for the worse.
For instance, take the act of “PMSing”. Obviously, the woman who is facing this symptom is not to blame, as the distress the woman experiences is a result of multiple biological interworkings, such as a lack of sleep, overworking, along with a largely dissatisfying lifestyle, where sexual desire and cravings are compromised for late hours, and mere coffee breaks. But when women are socially, yet unwillingly accepted when encountering these symptoms, surely some men may learn from the outcome of the erratic behavior, and perceive it to be advantageous, later implementing such a behavior into his own repertoire of emotions or states of mind.
While mindless conduct is not always met with gratification, short attention spans in this high-octane, fast-paced, ever-changing society in which we live are. The way I see it is that men oftentimes take a more relaxed, considerate pace to their work, while women are constantly tackling new goals, with little thought or value as to what is being accomplished. Of course, I am generalizing, which has much to do with sexism, and the way all of us perceive the opposite, or even possibly, our own sex. The largely platonic way we view the opposite sex relates to those around us, and the media that time and time again ensures the reinforcement of gender-specific stereotypes. Take a divorced woman with two children and a dead-end job, working for slightly more than minimum wage. If that woman’s husband served as the primary breadwinner, earning a great deal more than the woman, without a doubt, after bearing that divorce she must be bitter or prejudice towards men even though her children may be both male – understanding all men, indiscriminately, as “pigs”.
One must assume that in all forms of media, there is at least one sector of the audience that cannot see through the fictitious qualities of maybe a joke, a story, or even a stand-up comedian’s portrayal of a racial stereotype. By that account, our society is impacted indirectly; people form slight prejudices or even build connotations towards men, women, Asians, Europeans, Africans, North Americans, South Americans, what ever. If you were speaking through a phone to a man or woman you have never encountered in person, with little indication through your accent or the way you form sentences, and said “I am half Czech, and half Italian” (which in my case, I am), people are inevitably going to go down a path of assumptions. He or she may ask, “Do you by any chance, have a relative named Nicky?”, in which case, I would reply with a resounding, “Yes”.
So all in all, let me go out with a bang: all prejudices, stereotypes, personifications, discriminations, aversions, partialities, examples of racism, revulsions, abhorrence, or cases in which we may witness sexism, feminism, or even masculinism for that matter are all shaped by our past experiences, both the good and bad, and are not justified positions in which we may slouch in, merely to seek acceptance or a sound state of mind. We must acknowledge and respect the views of others, and to not rely on these preconceived notions that supposedly may bear any evidence or value in life – all people are distinctly unique regardless of class, race, and age, and we must be profoundly comfortable with that thought.
For instance, take the act of “PMSing”. Obviously, the woman who is facing this symptom is not to blame, as the distress the woman experiences is a result of multiple biological interworkings, such as a lack of sleep, overworking, along with a largely dissatisfying lifestyle, where sexual desire and cravings are compromised for late hours, and mere coffee breaks. But when women are socially, yet unwillingly accepted when encountering these symptoms, surely some men may learn from the outcome of the erratic behavior, and perceive it to be advantageous, later implementing such a behavior into his own repertoire of emotions or states of mind.
While mindless conduct is not always met with gratification, short attention spans in this high-octane, fast-paced, ever-changing society in which we live are. The way I see it is that men oftentimes take a more relaxed, considerate pace to their work, while women are constantly tackling new goals, with little thought or value as to what is being accomplished. Of course, I am generalizing, which has much to do with sexism, and the way all of us perceive the opposite, or even possibly, our own sex. The largely platonic way we view the opposite sex relates to those around us, and the media that time and time again ensures the reinforcement of gender-specific stereotypes. Take a divorced woman with two children and a dead-end job, working for slightly more than minimum wage. If that woman’s husband served as the primary breadwinner, earning a great deal more than the woman, without a doubt, after bearing that divorce she must be bitter or prejudice towards men even though her children may be both male – understanding all men, indiscriminately, as “pigs”.
One must assume that in all forms of media, there is at least one sector of the audience that cannot see through the fictitious qualities of maybe a joke, a story, or even a stand-up comedian’s portrayal of a racial stereotype. By that account, our society is impacted indirectly; people form slight prejudices or even build connotations towards men, women, Asians, Europeans, Africans, North Americans, South Americans, what ever. If you were speaking through a phone to a man or woman you have never encountered in person, with little indication through your accent or the way you form sentences, and said “I am half Czech, and half Italian” (which in my case, I am), people are inevitably going to go down a path of assumptions. He or she may ask, “Do you by any chance, have a relative named Nicky?”, in which case, I would reply with a resounding, “Yes”.
So all in all, let me go out with a bang: all prejudices, stereotypes, personifications, discriminations, aversions, partialities, examples of racism, revulsions, abhorrence, or cases in which we may witness sexism, feminism, or even masculinism for that matter are all shaped by our past experiences, both the good and bad, and are not justified positions in which we may slouch in, merely to seek acceptance or a sound state of mind. We must acknowledge and respect the views of others, and to not rely on these preconceived notions that supposedly may bear any evidence or value in life – all people are distinctly unique regardless of class, race, and age, and we must be profoundly comfortable with that thought.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Video Game Reviewing: The Purpose?
Video game reviewing was pioneered by such outlets as Electronic Gaming Monthly in 1989 throughout the United States, and Famitsu, a popular Japanese magazine, that unlike EGM, has been around since 1986 and exists to this day. What do video game reviews contribute to society? What do video game reviews solve or whom do they help?
Barely, if anyone and anything at all.
Video games are enjoyed by many. Some are savvy, devout know-it-alls and some are casual. Of course, there are exceptions, but for the most part, this remains true. A susbstantial number of those savvy gamers are active message board posters, and will stop at absolutely nothing to do everything in his or her power to further evangelize his or her supposed "ultimate video game".
Although I sadly do not have a credible metric that will support the number of vocal message board members, let me have you know there are quite a few that may be unquestionably categorized as Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft fanboys; all the while, wearing their biases on their sleves during a rampant message board discussion.
Similar to those lifeless few who conduct the bulk of their political debating on YouTube, message board users will senselessly argue the merits of one video game or console over another to the point where you're convinced his religion is in the name of Sony or Microsoft. You would think people in this day and age would persue endeavors slightly more worthwhile, right? I suppose this is the way people perform business these days; in the most brash and hostile manner possible. I mean look at what our town hall meetings have degenerated into. This is a generation of dynamic "change", action, innovation, and versatility. Although most of this is achieved through long, arduous arguments that never may never seize for years on end. Only until then, will bills be passed, laws modernized, problems alleviated, roads fixed, and maybe even hardcore, skeptical, egotistical gamers annihilated.
The simple act of expressing thoughts or ideas can be both satisfying and rewarding. But with so many publishing outlets saturating the industry on the internet, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to stake out a claim to fame or credible following that reliably will visit the site each day or so. At the same time, it's easy to see why reviewing video games is such a sought-after job: playing video games and writing what you think of the experience the game provided is essentially all that's required of a video game reviewer.
With the wake of EGM in mind, shoddy imitators are inevitable. So gamers are tasked with answering the question: Which source do I trust? By most, such a question is met by a resounding "Metacritic!". Metacritic, most notably known for its aggregation of the review scores of many video game-centric outlets, is a widely trusted destination for the devout gamer.
Ultimately, games are not only used as a form of entertainment, but also a source of debate. Consider the verbal assaulting that has taken on the internet no different than a debate team. Same nerds, new generation.
Barely, if anyone and anything at all.
Video games are enjoyed by many. Some are savvy, devout know-it-alls and some are casual. Of course, there are exceptions, but for the most part, this remains true. A susbstantial number of those savvy gamers are active message board posters, and will stop at absolutely nothing to do everything in his or her power to further evangelize his or her supposed "ultimate video game".
Although I sadly do not have a credible metric that will support the number of vocal message board members, let me have you know there are quite a few that may be unquestionably categorized as Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft fanboys; all the while, wearing their biases on their sleves during a rampant message board discussion.
Similar to those lifeless few who conduct the bulk of their political debating on YouTube, message board users will senselessly argue the merits of one video game or console over another to the point where you're convinced his religion is in the name of Sony or Microsoft. You would think people in this day and age would persue endeavors slightly more worthwhile, right? I suppose this is the way people perform business these days; in the most brash and hostile manner possible. I mean look at what our town hall meetings have degenerated into. This is a generation of dynamic "change", action, innovation, and versatility. Although most of this is achieved through long, arduous arguments that never may never seize for years on end. Only until then, will bills be passed, laws modernized, problems alleviated, roads fixed, and maybe even hardcore, skeptical, egotistical gamers annihilated.
The simple act of expressing thoughts or ideas can be both satisfying and rewarding. But with so many publishing outlets saturating the industry on the internet, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to stake out a claim to fame or credible following that reliably will visit the site each day or so. At the same time, it's easy to see why reviewing video games is such a sought-after job: playing video games and writing what you think of the experience the game provided is essentially all that's required of a video game reviewer.
With the wake of EGM in mind, shoddy imitators are inevitable. So gamers are tasked with answering the question: Which source do I trust? By most, such a question is met by a resounding "Metacritic!". Metacritic, most notably known for its aggregation of the review scores of many video game-centric outlets, is a widely trusted destination for the devout gamer.
Ultimately, games are not only used as a form of entertainment, but also a source of debate. Consider the verbal assaulting that has taken on the internet no different than a debate team. Same nerds, new generation.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Does anyone subscribe to Nintendo Power anymore?
This has been something that has been bothering me for some time now -- Nintendo Power, a magazine that I have grown up with isn't nearly as interesting as it once was...
I've been a subscriber of Nintendo Power for up to ten years now, and either my expectations have increased or the games the Nintendo Power staff cover have gone down the drain. I mean, compare the covers Nintendo Power has boasted in their earlier days. From Megaman, to Mario, to Metroid back in "the good 'ol days", now to Sonic and his shi### friends, Indiana Jones and the Staff of Whatever, and Generic Minigame Ripoff Party!.
Clearly, Nintendo Power is not to blame. The supply of hardcore games on Nintendo consoles have since slowed from the days of Goldeneye and Super Mario 64. So who is the target demographic for Nintendo Power? Children who use the Wii as a primary console, and idolize everything Sonic and Pokemon? I think that's safe to say. Here's a fairly reliable look at Nintendo Power's demographic, whether intended, or not.
Whether the Nintendo Power staff is to blame or not, for the past several years Nintendo Power has failed to jump out of the pages the way EGM did, both aesethetically and in terms of writing personality. Although the games covered aren't particularly interesting by any stretch of the imagination, the staff doesn't seem to be very interested themselves in selling, or convincing their audience that a particular game will be fun. (Maybe after all the movie-licensed cashins, it's slightly harder to be optimistic about games) It seems they approach each magazine as an arduous task, loftily critiquing games in order to avoid hate mail or controversy.
I've noticed since the redesign, Nintendo Power never seemed to step out of their boundaries. They always strictly covered games, with a minscule piece about video game art towards the end of the magazine. Now I'm not asking for a Maxim magazine that tries to appeal to all 17-30 year old males; converging women, [presumably] cars, and video games into one gigantic disaster. But much like The Official Xbox Magazine, and EGM, I would enjoy seeing some intellectual pieces that aren't inextricably cranked out each month -- with some thought, perspective, insight, and maybe even a little personality. (Kind of like Robert Ashley's articles featured in EGM)
I've come to the unbelievable conclusion that Nintendo Power is no longer for me. When Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics is featured as the cover, I must say goodbye, even as much as that hurts ten years down the line. Sorry Nintendo Power, but you are not what you once were.
So does anyone else either still subscribe to Nintendo Power, or consider ending your subscription?
I've been a subscriber of Nintendo Power for up to ten years now, and either my expectations have increased or the games the Nintendo Power staff cover have gone down the drain. I mean, compare the covers Nintendo Power has boasted in their earlier days. From Megaman, to Mario, to Metroid back in "the good 'ol days", now to Sonic and his shi### friends, Indiana Jones and the Staff of Whatever, and Generic Minigame Ripoff Party!.
Clearly, Nintendo Power is not to blame. The supply of hardcore games on Nintendo consoles have since slowed from the days of Goldeneye and Super Mario 64. So who is the target demographic for Nintendo Power? Children who use the Wii as a primary console, and idolize everything Sonic and Pokemon? I think that's safe to say. Here's a fairly reliable look at Nintendo Power's demographic, whether intended, or not.
Whether the Nintendo Power staff is to blame or not, for the past several years Nintendo Power has failed to jump out of the pages the way EGM did, both aesethetically and in terms of writing personality. Although the games covered aren't particularly interesting by any stretch of the imagination, the staff doesn't seem to be very interested themselves in selling, or convincing their audience that a particular game will be fun. (Maybe after all the movie-licensed cashins, it's slightly harder to be optimistic about games) It seems they approach each magazine as an arduous task, loftily critiquing games in order to avoid hate mail or controversy.
I've noticed since the redesign, Nintendo Power never seemed to step out of their boundaries. They always strictly covered games, with a minscule piece about video game art towards the end of the magazine. Now I'm not asking for a Maxim magazine that tries to appeal to all 17-30 year old males; converging women, [presumably] cars, and video games into one gigantic disaster. But much like The Official Xbox Magazine, and EGM, I would enjoy seeing some intellectual pieces that aren't inextricably cranked out each month -- with some thought, perspective, insight, and maybe even a little personality. (Kind of like Robert Ashley's articles featured in EGM)
I've come to the unbelievable conclusion that Nintendo Power is no longer for me. When Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics is featured as the cover, I must say goodbye, even as much as that hurts ten years down the line. Sorry Nintendo Power, but you are not what you once were.
So does anyone else either still subscribe to Nintendo Power, or consider ending your subscription?
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