Gamer Details
Bio: Gamer since 1980 (yeah, that dates me, 30something here!). Also very much into music, reading, film and currently addicted to Warhammer Online (and DAOC before). Wardens and Warrior Priests all the way, baby!
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8 All Time Favorite Games
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Greatest game EVER made. Truly, enough said!
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Last game I actually played daily and played no other until I finished it. Talk about game design perfection: varied locales, great production values and NEVER a dull moment. Actually renewed my love for console games which had been stagnating.
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Not sure if it's my favorite FF game - hard not to love FF X, FF VI and FF XII, all for various reasons. But it has my favorite cast of characters and although the story wasn't as complex or overblown as later installments in the series it had loads of drama, surprises and even comedic moments and had brisk pacing (unfortunately cannot be said of most FF titles). Can't wait to play the new DS version :)
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Another game that had me glued to my TV for weeks - this one had it all: great graphics (cartoony but still well done), an AMAZING soundtrack, and a story that although convoluted and confusing at times, was still quite epic and full of twists and turns. But the best part was that it had the gameplay to back it up with many different classes/abilities and challenging gameplay without being overly frustrating,
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Talk about EPIC! This game takes you to a dizzying amount of locales where you meet a plethora of villians and heroes with many NPCs joining your party and along with them entertaining side quests. Possibly the longest RPG I've played, if I remember correctly it took me about 100 hours to complete and I don't think I did all the side quests. Probably the pinnacle of DnD PC games and Bioware - NWN was dull beyond belief (the expansion packs were only slightly better and NWN 2 although improved (different developer) was still no match for BG 2) and while Knights Of The Old Republic was great for Star Wars fans it was marred by incredibly easy and boring combat. Admittedly though, haven't played their latest.
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Another one of those games that restored my faith in gaming, especially in 2D platform/action games, this one came out of nowhere and went on to become the stuff of legend. Sadly, all the GBA & DS sequels have been pale imitations. While entertaining, they had none of the magic or challenge of this classic.
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I'm amazed that this game doesn't show up on more GREATEST RPGs lists. It does away with the one thing that annoys me most about RPGs - especially modern ones - slow and tedious combat. There are no 1 minute long summons animations, no fancy 10s swirl animation transitions from exploration to combat, the battles are usually over seconds after the begin. And the combat is actually as challenging as it is brisk. To top it off it has a great story, interesting characters, and a unique storytelling styles (think comic book panels) that makes the characters come alive. Too bad the series moved on to a multi-player Diablo-like formula. I would kill to see remakes (ala FF III/IV on the DS) of all 4 games but most of all a true sequel.
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Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass (DS)
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I have a love hate relationship with Zelda. Loved the 1st game, hated the 2nd (but who didn't?). A Link To The Past was a highlight of the 16bit generation (along with Super Metroid). I missed out on the N64 games. The Oracle games were fun, quality games but more of the same. Wind Waker and Twilight Princess I had mixed feelings about. I absolutely LOVED the art style in both games, kudos to the artists/designers. The dungeons were also well done as usual but I still couldn't get used to the 3rd person perspective (sadly, same with Metroid Prime, though I still enjoyed that one).
But this latest DS installment was a pleasant surprise. Just when I gave up on the series, this came along and blew all those Capcom GBA Zeldas away with it's refreshing gameplay mechanics, new challenges and wonderful art style reminiscent of WInd Waker. One of the best DS games out.
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15 Albums You Should Listen To + DMST
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The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, Genesis, 1974
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Genesis' undeniable masterpiece. Some called it overblown, unfocused and it does start to lose focus midway through the 2nd disc but even still, the first disc is perfection from start to finish and there are some amazing songs on the 2nd disc as well. So the story is a little out there, no matter - they still include some of Peter Gabriel's best lyrics and vocal performances, not to mention some of the most sophisticated and mature compositions by the band.
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Hounds Of Love, Kate Bush, 1985
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This is an album you listen to with head phones - think "Dark Side Of The Moon" only the 1st half of the album is made up what were eventually released as singles - catchy, pop songs (though very unconventional, but this is Kate Bush after all) and the second half is a concept piece, a story about a girl who drowns, has an out of body experience and then is rescued. At times beautiful, at times frightening, at times frighteningly beautiful!
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How It Feels To Be Something On, Sunny Day Real Estate, 1998
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They've been called EMO ROCK which is really unfair - I guess you can apply that label to the first album but that's where it ends - on this album and the one after they display a musical maturity, a sense of space, dynamics and depth that few of the so called "emo" bands do. I recommend anyone curious to just download and listen to the title track and witness one of the most powerful songs written.
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Permanent Waves, Rush, 1980
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This and the next album, 1981's Moving Pictures are the ONLY Rush albums you need. While there are a few other really good albums in their 20 album catalogue, they would never be this perfect, this excellent.
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Earthquake Glue, Guided By Voices, 2003
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GBV's (or shall I say, RP's?) most consistent, most progressive, most experimental, and tightest set of songs.
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One of the greatest Progressive Rock albums ever recorded and possibly one of the most underrated (at least by Yes fans).
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A Senile Animal, Melvins, 2006
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The Melvins Kick Ass. That is all you need to know!
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Washing Machine, Sonic Youth, 1995
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THIS, not Daydream Nation is SY's greatest work.
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Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 2000
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Four 20 minute tracks on this album, no vocals. Guitars, Bass, Drums, Cello, Viola. The first track "Storm" is one of the most beautiful, melancholy, gloriously powerful and ominous pieces of music ever written. Worth buying the album JUST for this track.
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Keyboards...nothing but keyboards. Beautiful album.
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Lifes Rich Pageant, R.E.M., 1986
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This and the follow up, 1987's "Document" were back to back MASTERPIECES and captured the band at their peak. After that Michael Stipe started singing in a higher register, enunciating, and singing stupid songs about losing his religion and telling you to stand in the place where you live.
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Futureworld, Trans Am, 1999
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Brighten The Corners, Pavement 1997
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Heaven Or Las Vegas, Cocteau Twins, 1990
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Do Make Say Think, ANY album...
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5 albums, pick anyone, they're all perfect. Damn I envy these guys.
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Sons & Fascination, Simple MInds, 1981
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A few albums later and the Minds would become one of the biggest bands in the world (if only for a few short years). If only they didn't suck at that point. This album, the one before it (Empires And Dance) and the one after (New Gold Dream) are their Trinity Of Excellence though. Too bad they traded off their uniquely trancy, euro-dancey, near-proggy sound for a sterile, stadium filling, anthemic big pop sound. They redeemed themselves with a good album in 91, and a couple decent ones in the 00s. No matter, these 3 albums from 80 - 82 (and the one after, 1984's Sparkle In The Rain which while not as good, was still decent and their last hurrah) are the ones that say "Don't You Forget About Me"!
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One of those films you can watch over and over again. Every performance, every line of dialogue, every camera angle is perfect. Al Pacino is the greatest actor alive.
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Monthy Python And The Holy Grail, 1975
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Funny. Funny, funny, funny. Hahah. ROFL. LOL
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The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly; 1966
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Greatest western ever made.
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The quietest horror film ever made. Does not rely on cheap scares, silly cue music, gore, over-the-top violence but instead on great acting and a quietly understated and subtle sense of dread.
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What an electrifying cast! A movie version of a play, no action or special effects here, it's all dialogue and yet it's explosive and dialoguely (yeah, I coined that one!) action packed! And Al Pacino.
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So funny and outrageous yet so close to the truth about rock bands and the biz.
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Al Pacino and Johnny Depp, 2 of the finest actors of all time. Together.
Woot!
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Avoided this one for years thinking it was a comedy. Saw it for the first time about a year ago and it was the saddest, most depressing film I've ever seen.
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Very funny film. Even funnier if you happen to have just had a few beers. Actually, I recommend having a few beers before watching it. If you're over 21 that is. Of course.
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7 Books I Absolutely Love
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The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury
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Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut
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Past Watch, Orson Scott Card
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One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess
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8 Albums I'm Listening To A lot Lately
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The Hawk Is Howling, Mogwai
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This is Mogwai finally realizing their potential. While their work has been very good it always suffered from being a bit inconsistent overall. But this stunning album is their most focused work, their undeniable "masterpiece", containing all the facets of the Mogwai sound: from thunderous to serene, melancholy to jubliant, dissonant to melodic, only devoid of any filler or weak material. This has got to be one of the BEST "post-rock" albums of all time.
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Alien Lanes, Guided By Voices
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Trilogy, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
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Comments
Community
hello and thanks for the add! awesome lists :)
Thanks for those words of wisdom. I only said "Rest in peace" because I formatted the hard drive. So, in a way, it did die.
I think everything Fugazi ever did was great, but Red Medicine is one of a very few select albums that I personally think is PERFECT from beginning to end. Definitely one of my favorite albums of all time.
I totally grew up on Ray Bradbury, and it all started with Martian Chronicles. Something Wicked This Way Comes is another great, but if I had to choose, I would probably pick Martian Chronicles as my favorite.
Oh, and my hair color is constantly fluctuating...though lately the fluctuations have been less extreme (read: I had neon hair for like 4 years straight).
Also, DUDE. Martian Chronicles is one of my favorite books of ALL TIME.
hmmmm I'm not so into The Shins, I think they're a bit overrated (and boring).
Fugazi, on the other hand, is pure perfect musical genius. :)
I have not heard the Moore solo effort, but I am going to head over to my local record store post haste and check it out.
Recently I've been digging on "Dear Science" by TV on the Radio, and listening to my old Frank Black stuff. Psyched for new Decemberists in March.
I never really understood why Tactics was part of the series, and I thought it a cheap move on their part to put Cloud and Aeris in as secret characters (or maybe Aeris was the secret character? I can't remember). It really wasn't a FF at all - it just carried the name. But in all fairness to that, I barely played the game because I didn't like the fighting - so one day I might give that a second chance.
I always wanted to cosplay as Tifa at a convention - but I figure now that I'm supposed to be a responsible adult, dressing up in game costume isn't exactly the kind of reputation I want to get as a future attorney, at least not until I'm more established haha. Then, who care! Plus I'd need more people to go as a whole gang of us, and no one ever wanted to!
I can't even remember their names in FF12! Booooooring! lol In any case, I'm also playing FF4 on DS when I have the time -- I like how they redid it.
(PS. Hated FF Tactics, too haha) I'm very stubborn and know what I like, and certain things just don't fit the mold for me, I guess.
"VII was horribly written. The story itself was good as was the setting was awesome but the execution was poor. I would LOVE to see a remake with a whole new script."
1. I don't think I can talk to you anymore, lol. That entire quote is blasphemy. FF7 and FF6 are, in my humble opinion, the best written FFs of the entire series - FF10 is a distant, but earned 3rd. Next to those two I'd say 10 was my favorite, then FF4. In any case... I don't understand how you think FF7 was horribly written.
2. I paid pretty close attention to everything in FF12 and I was still not interested in it - I got all the quarks and side remarks that made up the bigger plot, the point is that it wasn't all that good of a plot! I didn't care! It was recycled information that never seemed to come full circle. I thought it was weak. Sure, the conversations were more "realistic", but I don't like that it wasn't "melodramatic" - that's what makes up a RPG and, more importantly, an FF RPG. We aren't in the real world, it's some other world that slightly resembles our own, but never close enough to what earth is. Since when have any of the stories NOT been melodramatic? It's what they're supposed to be.
3. I have to disagree with you on the characters for FF12 - they WERE shallow, immature (in developement and personality), and we've seen them all before. For Christ's sake, the main girl might as well have been Yuna's face. I've had enough of the same faces. These characters were watered down, big time. They just didn't grip me the same way as any other FF game has. I really didn't care about them.
4.. Did you play these games in order as they came out, or did you start with FF10 then work your way around? Most people that I've talked to have started with 10 (to go with the PS2) and then played the others. I can see why people don't like the older versions or don't have the patience for them, but they are truly the better quality games.
5. I also don't really have the time to play that game over. I hated it, I gave it a chance - especially because I am a HUGE FF fan, so it's not a matter of me not paying attention to the little details. It was just plain bad, that's my story, and I'm stickin to it lol.
It was AWFUL.
BEYOND words, awful. I know a lot of people liked it, but to me, it was anything but a FF. It was just so.. weak, in both plot and character development, and I hated the fighting system. I can't even go into it, it'll make me angry haha. Needless to say, I'm not at all excited about the newest addition (whenever that decides to come out).
thanks! it's from Fart Party, one of my favoritest comics ever.
Sorry for the long ass delay, but that's some friend man. Same sorta thing happened to a couple of my friends who went to see the Addicts a long time ago, but they ditched the IDless in the van and went in anyways! Did you ever get to see GBV live?
I really, really need to get Netflix. There's so many Westerns I need to see, including all of which you mentioned. I'm such a slacker when it comes to seeing movies. I've never even seen the Godfather. I figure they'll be around for a while so I got my whole life to see em'...but I should really get on them. Was Yuma a remake?
And yeah man Deadwood was so good, it's a shame they finally tore down the set and there won't be any movies anytime soon. But at least the one guy is on Eastbound and Down now. Did you see that series yet? It's so good.
Thanks. You have a very good taste in movies. Haven't heard of Ran or Ninja Scroll, but I'll check them out. I've seen Eye of the Beholder, but don't quite remember enough to make my final judgement. In my mind I have faint images of when Ewen finds Judd's pubic hair in the bathtub, and there was a blind guy who folds money a certain way, and there was an imaginary friend of some sort, but nothing solid. I look forward to your "worst movies list."
Yeah I love Alien Lanes as well, and Vampire on Titus of course, but I haven't listened to Under the Bushes Under the Stars yet. I'll have to download it soon.
And as I said Earthquake Glue is great, but the bad recordings are like GBV's signature. I always feel like a little something is missing, but at least it's got the best name (IMO). Oh and My Kind of Soldier is such a great opening track.
It is funny how everyone thinks that Bee Thousand is the greatest, but it's kinda special for me since it was the first GBV I had ever heard. Normally I share the same opinion as you because the masses tend to pick one album and declare it the best. I think Metallica's Ride the Lightning is their greatest album, but everyone seems to think that Master is better.
As for Pollard I've never listened to his solo stuff but I ALMOST went to a show a year ago...before it sold out. But I'll have to download both of their stuff as well.
Oh and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is in my top films of all time as well, if not #1. Have you ever seen Once Upon a Time in the West? I'm a bit of a western dork but don't watch enough. Speaking of which did you happen to watch Deadwood when it was on?
Hey! I love GBV! Earthquake Glue is great but it's all about Bee Thousand, you know that! Every sentence I've written thus far has ended with an exclamation point!
Did you get to stop by the NYCC?
Warmer than usual. I can go out with a hat and gloves, which is rather unusual for February.
Oh, hey, sorry for not replying earlier, but yeah, no problem. It's just that I don't check my profile that often...
Family Guy reference. Peter takes Meg to buy her first car and uses the money to buy a tank.
"Did I mention the tank is a tank?"
Why would I delete someone with such delightfully helpful dining tips??
Thanks for the suggestion...I have some friends in Brooklyn who will now have a mission to complete when I visit!