E3

So, its like a week or 3 after E3, and I’ve finally found the time to stop trading, and talk about some of the things I found interesting! We’ll be doing this in chinks, via game, with 2 in the Spotlight, and then a few just for notes.

Pikmin 3.

It’s happening! Oh god, it’s happening! YES! YEEEEES! This is, except for HL3, probably the game I’ve wanted to see most. I did a whole post on my secret lust for the little flower people, but it’s actually coming! YEEEEEES! Oh, wait…. It’s only on the Wii U. And, according to Gamestop, the pre-order price is… $99.99…. excuse me while I go flush out my childhood dreams.

Personally, I feel that this new installment into one of my personal all-time favorite franchises should be on both systems, so I still have an excuse to keep my old Wii lying around. I really don’t want to go out and buy a new console for… pretty much a one use wonder. I only use my Wii because I feel bad for it, and I’m too lazy (and it helps that my Xbox broke) for Netflix, which I’m not proud about either. Pikmin 3 is a game that I will watch with begrudgingly high interest, since I want nothing more to play it, but nothing less than to buy it.

Watch Dogs.

This is a game that I’ll bet most of you didn’t notice, and it’s a shame. If anybody’s seen Person of Interest, it gives off the whole “Big Brother” vibe, but it looks almost like a cross between a modern day Assassin’s Creed and Grand Theft Auto. This is extremely relevant to my interests.

To give a recap of THIS TRAILER, what you see is a man, a contracted killer I presume, possibly working with the US Gov, possibly freelance, is out about going onto his mark. He has the ability to do numerous things, including hack people’s cell phones, tell their age and occupation, tell the likelihood of violence (useful for a fight), and can also cause havoc with other technologies (like when he turns off everyone’s cell phones.) Inside, he gets information on his target, and goes to wait for him out in the rain, and when he’s crossing through the intersection in his car, he changes the lights. Yes, this man is like Solid Snake inside of Sam Fischer. He goes in to finish the job by “sending a message” and killing his mark. A wild chase ensues by the police, and you get away safely by controlling a drawbridge to go up, and you make a sick jump. Yeah, this is by all means relevant to my interests.

Other Objects of Note.

We have the introduction of Smartglass by Microsoft, and later on the introduction of the “Surface” which I will admit is also quite relevant to my interests. The Microsoft factor as I’ve always referred to it, is to build off of ideas around it in the form of “see iPad, make one better.” However, this isn’t always the case, I do remember the Zune/iPod wars, and we all remember the winners.

There is no news on HL3, but in other news (and this is completely E3 unrelated) keep your eyes open for a possible TF2 update this Friday, with the 7 new items, there’s a lot of speculations that this is the “Meet the Pyro” update, and its just it time for summer!

I’m thinking that Halo 4 looks interesting, and I’m also thinking the new South Park game may be fun. I have no idea if I’ll buy them but I’m keeping them on the shortlist.

--Santa

Flashback: In the Future, All Men Will Be Flowers

So I realize that it’s been about a month or so since I last did a Flashback. I’ll be honest; I was running out of ideas.  But, I was thinking about old titles and one debate over who had the most OP final smash in SSBB had led me to my next game of the hour: Pikmin 2. Ah yes, nothing like reminiscing about the old days. Back when Gas was $1.50 a gallon, Spaghetti was the best food, and I was still that naggy Nintendo fan boy.  I went through many stages of Obsession, (Luigi’s mansion, Animal Crossing, and SSBM all had their run) but one game that has always struck me as special was one of the longest running games I played. Even though I may have never played the original Pikmin, I knew the basics: There were three types (Red was fire resistant, Blue could breathe underwater, Yellow was shockproof,) you grew Pikmin by  getting Pikmin pods, and by using little numbered pellets, and of course, if you stayed on the planet overnight, you would be eaten. Yes, those were the good old days, watching your time tick away and waiting for monsters to eat you.

Pikmin 2 was set up similarly to the original—you return to your home planet to find that the company that has employed you (a shipping company) is on the edge of bankruptcy. Since you brought home a Bottlecap as a present for your son, you come to find out that it is actually a sacred treasure, and that you can money from stealing—recovering these artifacts from this old word. You play as Olimar, the brave ship captain who commands the Pikmin perilously, or as Louie, the ship’s chef and co-pilot. Going back to this old world (which is basically a giant version of earth, or maybe a deserted version being scavenged by smaller versions of people) to try to get enough money to pull your poor business out of Bankruptcy. You use Pikmin to help carry riches back to the ship, or can clear dungeons and get bigger and better prizes. But, there could be monsters down there, just as a FYI.

New Earth is inhabited by many odd creatures, and you can use your army of little plant men to help beat them up. Some creatures will drop treasure, or maybe Pikmin pellets (used to make more Pikmin.) you can also upgrade your Pikmin. When Pikmin are born, they are little seeds popped into the ground, pulling them out gives you control of their tiny meager lives, letting you fulfill the true power of capitalism—letting other people do dangerous work to make you rich. But, leaving them in the ground for ye much time allows them to bud, replacing their leaf on the top of their head with a bud. This allows them to do more damage, be faster, etc. Feeding your Pikmin dew will grant them flower power. This is basically letting them become the greatest warriors on New Earth.

Pikmin 2 brings in two new types of workers---Pikmin to use at your disposal, purple and white.  Purple can carry 10 grams worth of weight, comparable to any other pikmin’s one. They also do more damage, but have no resistance. White Pikmin are tiny, fast, poisonous to eaters, and also immune to poison. There is no greater joy in the world than to watch some stupid snake-bird hybrid accidentally take a bite of your white Pikmin (who I lovingly call my little pikkies) and watch it die. YES! YES YOU STUPID BIRD! THOSE ARE MY BABIES! THAT’LL TEACH YOU TO EAT MY BABIES.

The entirety of Pikmin 2, although repetitive is very addicting. The cute dialog to funny storyline will keep you enthralled for hours. Although I may no longer own a copy, the thoughts of their quite possibly being a Pikmin 3 (and 4^th Super Smash Bros) keeps me from selling my Wii. Until I find a used copy floating around my local GameStop, I have no idea of when I’ll next see my little pikkies. I can only hope that it will be sooner, than later.

--Santa