"What I did on my summer vacation..."

Wow, the last week of August arrives and the leaves start to change colour and there's that distinct chill of winter lingering in the air. Ah, fall. You're like the sweet parting kiss from summer before winter's long embrace. I love it.

It's a shame that I'll be too far consumed by education to really enjoy it, though. Especially now that I can photogrophy (pronounced foh-tog-rof-I) I wish I could spend more free time outdoors. BUT, because looking forward rather freaks me out at the moment, I think I'll do some looking back.

I typically stagnate as a person during the summer. It's such a great time to... Do nothing. Take it easy, and do all those well-traveled activities that provide simple enjoyment. I can't recall how many summers I've spent doing absolutely nothing of value. Maybe I'd work part time during the morning, then get home and camp out in the basement in front of the N64 or computer. Good times.

This summer, though, I wanted to do something. So back in June(ish), I decided I wanted to do two things - learn how to map for the Source Engine, and learn photography. And, actually, I managed to do both of them.

I can't recall which one I started first, but it seems like I spent an eternity waiting for the camera to arrive, so I guess I must've lead of with map making to kill time. Let's see, is there even anything to recap here? I developed a basic knowledge of the interface, thanks in large part to how much effort Valve has put into documenting it. Between that and a handful of community YouTube tutorials, I managed to put together a playable Beta of a small environment. I actually modeled it after the office where I work, which helped me a lot with direction. There ain't no creativity here folks - I even got some floorplans from work which I used to layout the level.

If I had to throw out an estimate... I probably put something like ~20 hours of work into it. Not bad, I think, considering that I went into it not knowing a thing. At the same time, though, it's obvious that it's my first try. There are breakable doors that open to outside the map, floating entities, poor navigation, blinding light sources, messed up navigation, and, oh yeah, that "Map is Unplayable" message every time you start it up. You can still press 'ok' and play anyways, but apparently it's broken.

I don't know if I'll go back to it at all. Parts of it were downright frustrating, and as intuitive as the interface is, once things get going it becomes very complicated very quickly. I can't even imagine how the mappers at Valve can manage all of that. I'm sure if I were to stick it out I could fix my map and become even more familiar with the process, but... I don't think it's for me. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY enjoyed the process of learning something new and forming a virtual environment from scratch. But at the end of the day... I don't think it's my thing. Perhaps if I develop a good reason to make another map I'll give it another try some day. But the fact is that I of have alltwo people to share a it with. That's not even enough for a game of Left 4 Dead. It's just a whole lot of effort to spend when so few other people will enjoy it. The kicker is that you need those people to enjoy it yourself. Without anyone to share it with the final payoff is a very hallow one.

So, yes, I can map. Not very well at all, but I can do it. It's something that I've wanted to learn for a long time, and I've done just that. It's gratifying in that sense, to know that you've put in the effort towards something you've always kind of wanted to try.

And, photogrophying. I got a camera from El Frank early this summer. It's his old Canon PowerShot S300 - a seven year-old unit, complete with faded finish and cracks. I wish I could tell some sort of story about how hard it wfigured out the buttons for exposure, white-balance, and focus mode, and learned to use AutoStitch. That's about all there is to it, and I'm not really that great. But in this case, it's something I kind of enjoy. So I pack around the camera everywhere I go and snap the odd picture. And the results are unremarkable. Medeocre at best. But it isn't something I do for other people, and so I'm alright with that.

So there you have it - I accomplished both the "I want to learn..." goals I had for the summer. I'm by all accounts terrible at both, but task completed and achievement unlocked - I accomplished what I set out to do. I really can't say where things go from here.

What else did I do with my summer... I re-read the Book of Mormon again. Got through it in two-and-a-half months. It was a bit of a haul - two chapters (at least) every night plus whatever I could get in over the weekends. It was a satisfying read, in more ways than one.

Oh, and I watched all of The Wonder Years. I actually gave up on Joan of Arcadia, after I got sick of the teen angst and drama of the show. So I downloaded the first to seasons of TWY... And loved it. Yes, technically, I guess it could be considered a teen drama/angst show. But this one was just so much... Better. The storytelling was fantastic! The plots were original and quirky, it wasn't nearly predictable, and some episodes really made you think. It's so much more satisfying on every level. And despite its age, it's held up really well. It's a twenty year-old show made about a time period twenty years before that, but it's truly timeless. It was all just as releveant. Fanstic show, I'm so glad I watched it.

For the record, I saw all six seasons (a total of 115 22-minute episodes) over the course of five-and-a-half weeks. Not bad. Doesn't quite hold up to when I watched The 4400, though. I got through all 44 episodes (42 mins a piece, with a few double-length) in two weeks. That was brutal. But when it's a good show, you don't really mind.

I think... That pretty much covers everything I wanted to make note of. School starts with orientation on Tuesday. I may be getting a car on Monday, but with registration and insurance to sort out, I'll most likely be taking the bus the following morning. And thus will begin the next four-year-haul of being a student. I can hardly wait.
-Cril

Booker T and the MG's - Summertime

Cookie monster ain't got nothin' on me.

Fun fact: I am currently employed at a place where the staff is comprised of three married couples, and me.



-Cril

One of these things is not like the others
One of these things just doesn't belong
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Sesame Street - One of These Things (Is Not Like The Others)

Inside-out, upside-down

I watched Unbreakable last night. Good movie, I liked it. Very interesting cinematography, and the storytelling was great. Very atmospheric, it really had me hooked. I almost wish there was a sequel.

I played through Mirror's Edge again, this time with PhysX enabled. It's truly something to behold when you're playing. The smoke was alright, but the fabric was amazing.



The BMW didn't pan out. For whatever reason, they don't want to sell it to me, and won't take my calls or respond to emails. It's a shame, I kinda had my heart set on it. Not that it matters any more, back to the grind stone.

I'm not sure that I'll even be able to get a car now. I've put it off too long, and now I'm down to the last week before school. Maybe if I were to find something quick, I could get it insured and registered before next Tuesday. That might be stretching it though.



It's so scary that the end of summer is already waiting on the doorstep. I'm rather anxious about starting school, and not in a good way. My concentration is horrible, and I don't know how to enjoy my spare time. At least there's only one week left.
-Cril

No response on any level
Red-alert - this vessel's under siege
Total overload all systems down they've got control
There's no way out
We are surrounded
Give in, give in and relish every minute of it

Imogen Heap - The Walk

Broke, busted, disgusted

So, I registered for classes on Monday. It went well - I got all my fist picks. School will be brutal, though. I have class from 9AM-5PM (with an hour break) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. On Wednesday I'll only have class in the morning, and on Friday in the afternoon. The fun part? Once a month I'll have a 6:30-10:00PM class on Thursday. That means I'll be spending a full twelve hours at the campus. Oh joy. I think I'm taking the equivalent of eight 3hr classes. And then I get to work Wednesday afternoon, Friday mornings, and Saturdays.

... I wish I could say I was looking forward to school, but at this point it's more overwhelming dread and anxiety than anything else.

On a semi-related note, I'm debating whether or not to get a car for being in school. Let's see, cons:

• Maintenance will take additional time and money
  
• INSURANCE. Because, you know, I'm younger than 25 so I'm automatically a hazard to everyone else on the road.
• High fuel costs (but it shouldn't be too bad if I'm primarily commuting to/from work and school)
• ...similarly, will I use it enough to justify the expense?
• Paying for parking, like any other school, will be a ripoff.
• I'll have an unlimited-use transit pass, a mandatory purchase. How can I not use it?
  

And some pros:

• -30c (-22f) degree weather and snow during the winter. I sure don't want to trudge through a foot of snow and then wait outside for a bus.
  
• I'm going to have lots of books/supplies that I'll need to ferry to-and-from each class, which will be a hassle to do on a crowded bus.
• Those 12hr days are going to be absolutely brutal, and I'd like to be able to go straight home afterward and not spend an hour in public transit.
• I MISS DRIVING. For how fun it is and that pointless little feeling of freedom and independence.

I did some calculations a month or so ago with my friend, and we factored in insurance, gas, and maintenance. I can't recall the exact figure, but I think I was looking at (roughly) $200 a month. It's a decent chunk-o-change. The 20-something male in me craves it. The money-grubber in me wants to go without. It's truly pathetic how often I've bounced between doing it and not. It depends on my mood, I guess... I just can't reach a firm, confident decision. I was the first person in my family to get my license, and here I am bumming rides and buying bulk bus fares. And I enjoy driving so much. But I also have this unhealthy obsession with holding onto every precious dollar, in the hopes that I won't be totally financially ruined four years from now. The fun thing, or the smart thing. The safe thing, or the stupid thing. Do I satisfy the left or right hemisphere of my brain?

One thing's for sure, though, I've decided to sell my old car. It makes me feel horrible - I get so attached to the cars I buy, it's such a big decision and a hurdle for me to make. And then I use it, and discard it. Why sell the old car? Aside from the hassle of insuring and repairing and wading through the paperwork to bring it into the province... Gah, it makes me feel so incredibly shallow for saying this, but... I want something more exciting. More than 110HP? A 0-60 time below 10 seconds? RWD, even? I can't help it. I've become so hypnotized by the vast world of automobiles over the last year or two that my dear lil' Civic ain't quite enough. Not that I intend to street race it or peel out at the lights (although going to the odd track day could be fun), but I just want the satisfaction of driving a car that's a bit more than an econobox.



Right now, if I decide to get a car, there's a '92 Nissan 240SX, '93 VW Corrado and '94 BMW 325IS in the running. They're all fairly used cars, as I'm aiming to spend somewhere around the $4000 marker. I'm leaning towards the Corrado for sheer aestetics, but the BMW may be a more wise decision.

Sigh, this is exactly the kind of dilemma I could do without on my run-up to school. The rest of summer is going to be horrible.
-Cril

Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted,
And Mitchy wants to go to the sea
Cass can't make it; she says we'll have to fake it -
We knew she'd come eventually
Greasin' on American Express cards
Tents low rent, but keeping out the heat's hard
Duffy's good vibrations and our imaginations
Can't go on indefinitely
And California dreamin' is becomin' a reality...

Mamas & the Papas - Creeque Alley

Word at War (a review of sorts)

So, this last week Steam had a sale for Call of Duty 5 - World at War. It was on for $25 down from $50. Usually a year-old game retails for $40, sometimes as low as $30, but this would not stand at all. Now, those greedy slimeballs at Activision retailed the latest installment of the CoD franchise at $60. Hence the not-so-low price, considering how old the game is. But I digress. I've played all the other CoD games (except for #3, which didn't come to PC), and the reviews looksed positive, so I jumped on it. All 6GB downloaded in less than three hours. Steam ROCKS.

Considering how AWESOME Call of Duty 4 was, and that I had quite enjoyed installments 1 and 2, you'd figure I'd jump on CoD5 in a heartbeat. But instead I didn't. You see, this is one of those 'milk the cash-cow franchise' sequels that Activision seems so fond of. Instead of leaving the franchise to Infinity Ward, who started it, they're shopping out every other sequel to Treyarch, so that there can be a new release every year. Call of Duty 3, Treyarch's first time at bat, wasn't too special. To be honest, it haven't tried it as it only saw console releases. But the reviews were lukewarm, and the general consensus is that it didn't live up to IW's standard. So the price for 5 is (temporarily) low, the reviews seem slightly more positive... So why not?

The very first thing that struck me... Is that this game was made to be a blockbuster. The feel and presentation just scream it. "Hey, look at me! I'm being made for a holiday release, to bridge the market gap inbetween a INCREDIBLE GAME (CoD4) and its sequel! I am so awesome and cool!" It just... Doesn't work. It's trying to hard - it isn't a creation for the sake of making something new or unique, it's sole purpose is to bridge a gap in the market and pickup sales.

The first and foremost aspect that hammered this home was the mission briefings. They're presented in this slick techo-esque manner, like some of those neat typography videos you see on YouTube. Lots of moving elements, and a continually panning camera.

And next, there was the music. Gah. This stuck out like a sore thumb - lots of that generic heavy metal/rock guitar and drums crap. You know, that head-banging stuff that has absolutely no emotion or intelligent composition. It just screams "OH YEAH, THIS IS SOOO COOL!"

Did I mention that Call of Duty 5 - World at War is set in World War 2? Neither of these things feel right at all. Yes, they're appealing to your average 18 year-old gamer, who thinks that Halo is the most fantastic game evar. They take solemn and dramatic events in history and turn it into a popcorn flick. It's feels like they took something like The Dark Knight or Battlestar Galactica and watered it down into a chick flick. Include shallow writing, stereotypical and overused characters, and paper-thin story... This game is entirely devoid of purpose.

When you held the bridge during Operation Pegasus or stormed the shattered remains of the Reichstag or made the landing at Stalingrad in Call of Duty 1, it was truly emotional stuff. Fighting along side your comrades against brutal odds, the thick orchestral score swells so that it's louder than anything else in the game... It was so moving. And World at War... Is not. At all. I had a really difficult time getting into it. More than once I just wanted to get the game over with so that I could say I got my $25 out of it. This game, to me, has zero artistic merit. Maybe it's as simple as I'm just not their targeted demographic, but... This was some completely unsatisfying. It was such a letdown. Perhaps WWII is such a close and personal topic that I can't stand to see it not taken seriously, with some form of artistic integrity or honest purpose.

Thematic issues aside, the motion capture was used too sparingly, as you seldom saw any characters do anything aside from the standard movement and shooting animations. The AI wasn't too fantastic either - on several occasions there was a US and Japanese solider literally standing two feet apart and firing on other troops. Their behaviours really felt shallow. Like playing with a bunch of bots. Oh, and this one also suffered from leave-it-to-the-player-to-progress-the-battle syndrome, like past Call of Duties. If you don't cross that invisible line, no one else moves up and soldiers just keep spawning. And the map/level design was VERY linear. Yes, all the CoD games have been, but this one obviously so.

It was interesting, however, that Treyarch ended the game with the Soviet storming of the Reichstag for the game's finale. Why is that interesting? Because the exact same thing was done by Infinity Ward for Call of Duty 1. Mind you, this time around it was substantially more visually impressive. But what else do you expect, considering that the first game is now six year old? Still, it was a pretty good moment.

And, just like Call of Duty 4, there was on obligatory gunship mission. But this one stuck out even more - in CoD4 this bit was tied directly to part of the story. In World at War... Not at all. It had nothing to do with the character you had been playing aside from the fact that it occurred in the same theatre of war. It stuck out like a sore thumb: "It was so popular in CoD4, we need to do it too!" But, actually, the sequence was quite wall done. Here you're a gunner in a Catalina, and assault a convoy before rescuing sailors out of the water. The best part is when you had to change gun stations, and you'd run through the fuselage from station to station. It was pretty immersible. But, once again, it obviously was copying from the bomber mission in Call of Duty: United Offensive. It did some things better, and some things worse. I prefer the UO mission - the way it ended really took my breath away. I gotta dig up those disks and give it another go. One of my favourite moments in gaming.

But, really, it wasn't all bad. The fire effects sure were pretty. And even though the main multiplayer is another direct copy from CoD4, the zombie mode is pretty good. It was implemented fairly well, I could see myself spending more time on it.

At this point, I want to lambast Treyarch for making such a horrible creation, but... I get the feeling that they did the best they could. They were obviously contracted to make a game that was very similar to CoD4 (and it sure shows), on a rather quick due date to land before Infinity Ward's next installment. I recognize that the studio did the best they could, but what they created... Just wasn't theirs. It feels too much like a game that has to meet the following x requirements.

No, I'm going to go right ahead and blame Activision for this one. Anything to make a buck, right guys? Screw creativity or integrity or quality, as long as it sells well(and I'm sure it did), that's all that matters. You stole the franchise out from underneath IW, and then started polluting the brand and shopping around to make filler for your holiday release schedule. Shame on you. I think Treyarch is capable of making something good, but they need to have the opportunity to take things in their own direction. Activision... Screw you.



I wish I could say that I'd start boycotting all Call of Duty games (if not all Activision releases), but Modern Warefare was such a fantastic game that I cannot be denied the sequel. Which puts me in a rough spot. Maybe I'll download the extended demo and then cut a cheque directly for Infinity Ward. They're the ones worth supporting.
-Cril

Head or tails, heads or tails, heads or tails (heads or tails)
Are you dumb enough to break the mold
or smart enough to fail?
Oh happy trails happy trails oh happy trails
Can't beat a little bit of envy in your sails.

Singing that's all right
Yeah that's all right
Oh that's all right

It's a disaster
It's an incredible mess
But it's all we've got now
Yeah it's all we got
Howling with laughter, panic, alarm, and distress
But it's all we've got now
Yeah it's all we got

Ok Go - It's a Disaster

How Depressing

Woo, I just finished a solid 2.5hrs of sorting out classes. I've drawn up my schedule and course selections for both the fall and winter semesters, complete with a backup schedule in case my first pick isn't available. It'd be pretty nice if I got my first pick, but I imagine my effort to psychologically analyze other first year students to place my bets when and where I think slots will be available. Either way, I'm currently teetering on the edge between excited and absolutely petrified for starting school.

There's a Photography 101 course I have room to take if I desire (I have a transferred credit from my last year of studies, so I don't need to take it for the credits), but it requires a camera with "manual control of aperture and shutter speed". And, as far as my camera-inept knowledge goes, that means at LEAST a ~$700 investment for a DSLR. Maybe less if I can find one used. Sigh, that's a big chunk o' change. We'll see - I have until the second semester to look around and figure out.



You want to see something fun? Check out these headphones, which retail for $50. If I look at buying them out of the States, they're way cheaper. They're, like, half the price. Ok, fine. I'll suck it up, put up with the exchange rate and extra shipping costs, and buy internationally. I'd still come out a few bucks ahead, and I could get a few other items on the cheap. Oh, but wait, nevermind. Best Buy doesn't ship out of the States at all, and Amazon refused to send out the items that I wanted the most. Jeez, thanks guys. How fantastic. Nothing like the "free trade" in the "global village". I had to buy them ME for bloated-price. They even made me specifically sign off on the fact that that they offered me a warrantee I declined. Argh.

Oh, speaking of Amazon. Remember Amazon MP3 Canada? I was looking at purchasing some music, and well... This is a letter I sent them:

So, I'm browsing around looking to make a big ol' order of all my favourite albums when I realize... Hey, the prices are totally retarded! $18.99 for a CD with only 12 tracks? No thanks! This lead to the obvious thought... Wouldn't it be cheaper to get buy the MP3s? So when are you planning on rolling out Amazon MP3 for us Canuckleheads? We like our downloadable entertainment just as much as the next guy. And I really really hate iTunes, and really really like Amazon a lot more. It seems like a natural fit. But seriously, what gives? You guys announced that it'd be here in late 2008, and there hasn't been a word about it since. Is it still in the works? Common, don't hold out on me, I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY MONEY!

And got the following response...

Thank you for writing to us at Amazon.ca.

I apologize for any frustration. I understand that your overwhelming interest in utilizing the 'MP3 Downloading' service on our website.

We expect our Canadian web site to expand and improve the selection of products and services we provide, but we have no further details to give you at this time regarding our plans for this service.

Also, I do understand that this service is available with our partner site Amazon.com.

Our international web sites operate independently of each other. The items or services offered on our partner sites are obtained from different suppliers, publishers, and distributors, relative to the country from which the item originates. We are unable to transfer inventory from one fulfillment center to another.

However, I have passed your message along to the appropriate people in our company so they are aware of your interest in this service. It is always important for us to hear how customers react to all aspects of shopping at Amazon.ca.

We encourage you to check back frequently for any new or updated information about our products and services.

Thank you for your interest in Amazon.ca. We value your business and hope that we will see you again soon at Amazon.ca.

Dont'cha love those canned, totally useless emails that don't give you any new information? Now in this guy's defense, this is probably his job - sit at a desk all day and bang out response after response to inquiry after inquiry. He's not a director of business, he's not a manage. Just some guy doin' his job. It's just so frustrating that there isn't any information on this service, especially when it's one I'd love to use. Sigh.

I downloaded and played the Batman Arkham Asylum Demo - it was fantastic. Short, but incredible. I can't remember the last time I was so sold on a pre-release demo. Any kind of demo, even. The voice casting and writing from the Animated Series was just so delicious, even in that small dose. The combat seemed pretty fluid, although I think there's a bit of a learning curve there. The moves seemed kind of limited and repetitive, but I suspect that is do to not having any unlocks and not getting enough time to experiment with it. Once it go to the open area/free roaming sections, it was absolutely fantastic. It made you feel like such a lethal predator. I'm totally sold. Unless it really tanks in the reviews. Although, fun-fact, like all the cool kids the PC version was delayed from late August to late September. Which means, of course, I'll probably won't get to try my hand at it until the far side of Christmas. Oh joy.



In other news, my skin is miserable, my iPod may be dying, my map (while playable) has some errors I can't figure out, I register for classes tomorrow morning, and I'm not sure if I'll sleep tonight as a result. Hooray.
-Cril

Now walkin' home on those streets
The river winds move my feet
Subway steam, like silhouettes in dreams
They stood by me, just like moonbeams

Look out the window, down upon that street
And gone like a midnight was that man
But I see his six strings laid against that wall
And all his things, they all look so small
I got my fingers crossed on a shooting star
Just like me - just moved on

The Wallflowers - 6th Avenue Heartache

Public Service Announcement #2

I don't like having my picture taken. I told you that right after the first time you did it. The next time I asked you not to do it, and you went ahead anyways. Today I specifically told you not to do it, and you did it anyways. I DO NOT WANT YOU TO TAKE MY PICTURE, so stop it.
/vent



-Cril

Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable

Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence (Mike Shinoda Remix)

The heat was more than hungry

I should probably be in bed, it's almost 11:00 and we want to leave on a day trip tomorrow at 9. But no, instead I'm sitting here and banging out a few-hundred words like I do every Sunday night. So I'll try to make it quick.



It's a long weekend, hence the trip tomorrow. Well, we're down to the last third of a long weekend, anyways. I've done pretty well - I set out a list of odds and ends I wanted to accomplish, and I got most of it done. (This list, by the way, was made using the Tasks applet in Gmail. I have to admit that I've been finding it pretty handy.) Did up some art for my sister's lazor project, did up some more art for my grandmother's lazor project, caught up on some sketches, and mapped.

I spent three-and-a-half hours mapping yesterday. Aside from fixing the odd texture and re-aligning the odd prop, I think I have the environment itself pretty completed. From here I need to do the stuff that actually makes the game playable. Triggers, navigation, all that jazz. That might be another three or so hours in and of itself, and then... Closed beta time! I might need one or two more people to test it with me, but that's probably another week away at least. I'd finish it up tomorrow, but I won't be around and it won't get done until during the week. I think my laundry may likewise suffer.

Now of course when I made the aforementioned list, at the top I had "look at registering for class". I use "had", past-tense, for some reason that's beyond me, because I still haven't completed that. Registration opens on the 10th, and I haven't even looked at classes or schedules. Shaaaaame on me. I'm such a slacker. It's just so intimidating - they recommend that I register for both semesters at once. I really gotta sit down and figure that out. Maybe on Tuesday, I guess. Push the L4D map and laundry back a bit further.

Mind you, I probably would have had time to get that done had I not been slacking off. In particular, I'm not half-way through season three of The Wonder Years. Absolutely fantastic show. I think I sung its praises last week, so suffice it to say that the show has aged incredibly well, had fantastic writing, and is just so entertaining and engaging and relevant to watch. I can't get enough.

I watched the original 1974 Gone in 60 Seconds this evening. Terrible, horrendous movie. It's so disjointed and pointless. The acting is terrible, the story is almost non-existant, and the action was so over-the-top it was idiotic. As far as car chases involving a Mustang go, Bullitt is way better. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any car chase better than Bullitt. Chalk this Gone in 60 Seconds as one of those movies where the remake is vastly superior. Right next to Ocean's Eleven.

I finished playing through Zeno Clash earlier this week. VERY unique game. The art direction and story are both twisted. It's such a refreshing break from the norm of Hollywood-wannabe games. It's hard to exactly describe it - it's truly one of those games you need to pick up and play to appreciate. But it's truly unlike anything I've tried before. Well, maybe, just maybe, it has some remote similarities to Psychonauts. The gameplay itself was okay, a first-person brawler is an intruiging way to base a game on. It reminded me of Mirror's Edge, sans any kind of fancy movement (you can't even jump or crouch). But when you punch and connect, it's pretty satisfying. Doing a quick block and lining up with a solid kick feels fantastic. When you get swarmed by enemies, though, it feels like the combat system itself lets you down. It's just not quite intuitive enough to effectively manage two or three enemies at the same time. Also, the voice acting is fairly sub-par, but that isn't a surprise for an indie studio based out of South America. What is surprising is how good the game is, as a whole. $20 is a bit steep, and the $15 it goes for now would leave me right on the fence. At $12.50, where I got it on sale, I think I got pretty good bang-for-buck. If nothing else for the character design, environments, and story. Really cool stuff.



Anyways, it's now 11:17. Time to find some lyrics, wrap up the post, read a book, and call it a night.
-Cril

The air was more than humid
And the heat was more than hungry
And the cars were square and spitting diesel fumes

The bulls were running wild
Because they're big and mean and sacred
And the children were playing cricket with no shoes

The next morning we woke up, man, with a seven hour drive
Well there we were stuck in port Blaire
Where boats break and children stare
And there were so many fewer questions
When stars were still just the holes to heaven

Jack Johnson - Holes to Heaven