BattleStar Galactica [TV Show]

My first post is gonna be about a show I watch when it's actually on. This is my first post so don't bitch if it's a little odd (This goes to you Mal). The show is Battlestar Galactica obviously. When I first started watching, I was drawn to it by the hot chick in the picture, Tricia Helfer,

but after watching the first season I started really getting into the show itself. The CGI is well done with the battles. I personally like the centurions, the mechanical version of the cylons.

Anyway I'm going off track here. The show is all about robots known as the cylons who attack humanity and almost wipe them out. The survivors flee their homeworlds and attempt to make it to a planet that they only know of through ancient myth, Earth. The cylons follow the humans attempting to finish the job in killing them. But eventually they themselves want to make it to Earth.

I'm much too lazy to go into more details and since the only person that'll probably read this is Mal, theres really not much point to go on. If however you are reading this blog and haven't seen the show I recommend watching it. Admittedly though it'll be hard to get into since it's being taken off the air and you'll have to buy the Season DVD's.

OK, I'm done posting for a while.

Mass Effect [Video Game] and Tropic Thunder [Movie]

Welcome back to the mediocrity! Lately I haven't been doing too much aside from playing Mass Effect; I know I'm a bit late, but I figure better late than never. Anyway, from what I've seen of Mass Effect so far, the game exceeded my expectations--granted, that isn't saying much seeing as how I didn't think the game was going to be that great in the first place. Still, I have to admit that I'm actually having a lot of fun with the game, it's got a great story, including party interaction and sub-plots based around the various characters.

This brings me to my first gripe, however. I really wish there could have been a few more characters added to the main cast, or perhaps deeper conversation trees between the player and his or her team, as is there's really only one new branch to unlock after every mission in the main storyline, and that was a bit disappointing for me. Still, I guess I'm nitpicking at this point, and asking for a bit too much out of a decent game, it just seems that these days, most designers focus more on stunning visuals than storyline, and it's a real shame.

Anyway, if you like science fiction-themed role playing games, you should really check this one out, especially with it's current price tag. Bioware keeps doing what they do best.


On to my next topic: I've recently ran across a newer movie called "Tropic Thunder," starring Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., and dare I say Ben Stiller? In fact, Ben Stiller was a writer and director of this cheesy flick. Don't let that scare you off though, in fact it's actually a pretty decent movie if you can stand to sit through an hour and a half of bile flowing out of Ben Stiller's mouth. Honestly though, I'd have to say that Robert Downey Jr. really steals the show here, and as much as I like Jack Black, he just wasn't *that* funny in this film, which was a real let down for me as I'm a fan of many of the other movies he's in, just because he's a part of them. Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise, and Danny R. McBride, were kept in the dark--so to speak--for most of the movie, and that was also a shame, seeing as I'd like to see their characters developed a bit more, but I guess Ben Stiller decided he needed more screen time focused around his character killing and wearing a panda--I can't make this shit up.

All in all, if you like the cast, go check out Tropic Thunder, I personally don't think it's a waste of time, I enjoyed the movie, aside from it's faults. Don't be scared off by mention of Ben Stiller, he's a funny guy sometimes, but in this movie I think he tried too hard and failed miserably.

Tropic Thunder: 6/10*
Mass Effect: 7/10*

Opening Night! Tonight's Topic: EvE Online [Video Game]

Wow, I finally got around to setting this up, I never thought I'd actually get around to it, but here I am. This is my first time doing anything like this, so expect this blog to be a complete and utter failure and a waste of your time, why you've even read this far is beyond me, but keep it up! I'm likely going to be using this site, along with a few of my friends, to review movies, games, and stories in the news. Don't expect anything amazing, as we're pretty horrible at entertaining the masses.

More than likely, though, the people who are going to be reading this are just a few close friends of mine, so don't get too angry if I'm not overly enthusiastic about greeting you bastards.

Anyway--on to the topic of the day, before I lose my train of thought.

Something I wanted to talk about today is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (or MMORPG for short) called EvE Online. For those of you who are new to the MMORPG scene, you're more than likely more familiar with console, single-player role playing games--like the Final Fantasy series, or pen and paper desktop role playing games. In either case, chances are if you've played these kind of games you know how things work in way of experience points, leveling up, and all of that jazz. Basically, MMORPGs are one in the same, but instead of having NPC's in your party which are controlled by artificial intelligence, you can interact with other real life players over the internet--sounds neat, right? I'm here to tell you that EvE Online will take this basic idea, amplify it, and blow your fucking mind all in a few moments after having logged into the server.

How does EvE accomplish this, you ask?

By bringing out the best--and the worst--in a player, I'd have to say. Many MMORPG games in the past have done similar things, one of my old favorites being Ultima Online. EvE plays along a similar rule set of the golden days of Ultima Online; it gives you a vast area to explore, a set of guarded areas to get your bearings in, and a decision: Do you step out of the guard zones and seize your destiny, or cower behind in fear of what might rest outside? Sounds more than a bit frightening, but as with Ultima Online, the same is correct with EvE Online; what's outside of those guard zones are decided by players, there is no law except what little is upheld by player gangs and corporations--in my opinion, this is what makes this game stand out in a sea of worthless drivel that plagues the MMORPG market today.

Oh, I can hear you World of Warcraft junkies screaming from your computer chairs now:

"Oh no he didn't!"

Oh yes, I did. I won't delve into my distaste for WoW, but I will say that you kiddies have it easy, even in your player versus player servers.

Anyway, I've spoken too long on this subject, but I'll likely bring the game up more at a later date. For now, I can only ask you skeptics to try out the free trial, I'm sure that if you're into space-themed role-playing games, you'll enjoy yourself.