World of Warcraft; Its Legacy and How It Affects Us
Aubrey Arnold
Like most people, before you play World of Warcraft (called WoW by players), you may hear that it ruins lives… or that people have gone to rehab for it… Which, although I haven’t confirmed his and frankly don’t have the time to search that kind of thing, may be true. Sadly, people who don’t like video games or have only heard a little about it (AKA Haters) all seem to believe that all the people who play it are creepy, pimply dorks with no social interaction and online girlfriends.
However, it has revolutionized online MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online)and continues to blow away competition. I personally have played WoW and the new MMO, Aion, and even though Aion is vastly superior graphics-wise, it just isn’t the same. WoW seems to have a free, social atmosphere whereas Aion is very serious and dull. Someone helped you? Great. Thanks. Bye. In WoW, people start stupid conversations about sparkly horses and Russia. I mean, come on; sparkly horses and Russia. Even social recluses have the courage to add in on that.
The gameplay is simple, but the options are endless. You can skip spells, decide not to pay your trainer because you’re dirt poor and skip spells, or you can be smart and learn as many spells as possible so you don’t end up like my character (dirt poor), all the while gathering and storing as much gold as possible. Gold is important, and if you don’t have it you can get stuck in a rut. However, there are always some people who are generally very nice and have lots of money, and they may give you some.
Also, your guildmates, if you’re in a good guild, will always help you out. A guild is a group you can join- or form your own! A guild can be important, but if you’re joining on your should consider if it’s an established guild or not. If it isn’t, and is very small and inactive, you may want to leave and find a new one.
Overall, WoW is a great game. It’s rated T for Tweens- ARGH ANGRY PARENTS AHH!- Ahem, Teen, but this is mostly due to idiots online that don’t mind their language. If you decide to play it, don’t forget it’s only 15$ a month! … I think.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy. Again? Really? Another one? Well, yes. And for one of those RPG-ers like me, it’s great! Just like the rest of the series, the storyline is completely different than the others, but you can still use summons and some of those great items like Phoenix Downs (Because you know that you won’t get anywhere without them)!
The storyline, again continuing the Final Fantasy tradition of being original, is set on a floating land called Cocoon, which is completely cut off from the world below, Pulse. The citizens of Cocoon are taught to fear and despise Pulse. When a fal’Cie called Anima, a entity of Pulse, is found in Cocoon, the corrupt government initiates a military Purge of the people who had been in the vicinity of the fal’Cie. They claim to be moving the Purgees to Pulse, but their real intentions are more deadly than they appear.
First up, I’ll talk about the gameplay. I won’t lie, it’s not that impressive. It’s very linear; you won’t be able to go just anywhere and there aren’t any side paths. The battle system is very challenging, and you’d better read up and work on your strategy if you want to win. As always, the regular battles are not that bad, but gods help you in boss battles. Final Fantasy has a habit of making you work for your victories, and this is no exception. In battle, it’s a fixed arena and you have an Active Time Battle meter that has sections for each attack you issue. You can queue up commands while the meter fills. The older Cure, Fire, Blizzard, etcetera return to aid you as well. A new function called the Paradigm Shift also is being used in the battle system. When you change your Paradigm, each party member (up to three characters are in your party at any given time) changes a ‘class’ of sorts, the classes being Ravager, Medic, Commando, Saboteur, Synergist, and Sentinel.
To sum this all up, Final Fantasy XIII in a visually stunning game with an interesting concept that still fails to break free of certain restraining traditions of the Final Fantasy line. I would suggest that you should play it if you like RPGs, love pretty cutscenes (like me), or are one of those people that have owned every Final Fantasy game ever and absolutely must have it will spontaneously explode… whew, I ran out of breath just writing that. So, before I get brains all over my keyboard, I’d like all you kiddies out there to know that Final Fantasy XIII is rated T for trees and- oh, wait. Darn it! I got it wrong again (We apologise for your inconvienience. The author has been sacked, even though she was supposedly sacked a while ago. Final Fantasy XIII is rated T for Teen.)!
The storyline, again continuing the Final Fantasy tradition of being original, is set on a floating land called Cocoon, which is completely cut off from the world below, Pulse. The citizens of Cocoon are taught to fear and despise Pulse. When a fal’Cie called Anima, a entity of Pulse, is found in Cocoon, the corrupt government initiates a military Purge of the people who had been in the vicinity of the fal’Cie. They claim to be moving the Purgees to Pulse, but their real intentions are more deadly than they appear.
First up, I’ll talk about the gameplay. I won’t lie, it’s not that impressive. It’s very linear; you won’t be able to go just anywhere and there aren’t any side paths. The battle system is very challenging, and you’d better read up and work on your strategy if you want to win. As always, the regular battles are not that bad, but gods help you in boss battles. Final Fantasy has a habit of making you work for your victories, and this is no exception. In battle, it’s a fixed arena and you have an Active Time Battle meter that has sections for each attack you issue. You can queue up commands while the meter fills. The older Cure, Fire, Blizzard, etcetera return to aid you as well. A new function called the Paradigm Shift also is being used in the battle system. When you change your Paradigm, each party member (up to three characters are in your party at any given time) changes a ‘class’ of sorts, the classes being Ravager, Medic, Commando, Saboteur, Synergist, and Sentinel.
To sum this all up, Final Fantasy XIII in a visually stunning game with an interesting concept that still fails to break free of certain restraining traditions of the Final Fantasy line. I would suggest that you should play it if you like RPGs, love pretty cutscenes (like me), or are one of those people that have owned every Final Fantasy game ever and absolutely must have it will spontaneously explode… whew, I ran out of breath just writing that. So, before I get brains all over my keyboard, I’d like all you kiddies out there to know that Final Fantasy XIII is rated T for trees and- oh, wait. Darn it! I got it wrong again (We apologise for your inconvienience. The author has been sacked, even though she was supposedly sacked a while ago. Final Fantasy XIII is rated T for Teen.)!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
April Fools Article
PlayStation 4
Just Because You Want It Doesn’t Mean You Can Have It
This September, Sony has announced what we’ve all waited, dreamed, and screamed fangirlishly/ fanboyishly for: The Sony PlayStation 4. After the release of PlayStation 3, Sony has worked hard on its successor, the PS4. Of course, we all wonder: what could possibly get better? Well, I’m here with answers for once. That’s right kids, I finally am being productive. So shut up and listen.
The PlayStation 4 is everything its predecessor was but better. The graphics have evolved into even more realistic and breathtaking visuals, again beating out Microsoft for best graphics. Microsoft was face-palming in grief, resulting in numerous nose injuries. But after the blood was ShamWow-ed off the conference tables, Sony celebrated by telling us a little more about the new system.
“We decided that the old controllers were getting, well, old; we made new ones that track movements better, with a lot less buttons. Older players were complaining about ‘all the newfangled buttons’, so we decided to cut down,” says one of the designers working on the project. The programmers are eager for mass-production to begin so that they don’t have to do as much work.
“They can get a little annoyed with the designers ordering them around every moment with, ‘program this, program that’, so now that we’re officially releasing the system a few months from now they’ll get a long-awaited rest,” a programmer’s family explains kindly. Now we know why games have bugs. It’s Programmer’s Revenge. Anyway, with the blood and tears of the programmers, we now have an almost entirely bug-free system with insane graphics.
Hopefully, this new system will herald in a new era of gaming for us. And if Final Fantasy XIV sucks, blame it on Microsoft for once.
Just Because You Want It Doesn’t Mean You Can Have It
This September, Sony has announced what we’ve all waited, dreamed, and screamed fangirlishly/ fanboyishly for: The Sony PlayStation 4. After the release of PlayStation 3, Sony has worked hard on its successor, the PS4. Of course, we all wonder: what could possibly get better? Well, I’m here with answers for once. That’s right kids, I finally am being productive. So shut up and listen.
The PlayStation 4 is everything its predecessor was but better. The graphics have evolved into even more realistic and breathtaking visuals, again beating out Microsoft for best graphics. Microsoft was face-palming in grief, resulting in numerous nose injuries. But after the blood was ShamWow-ed off the conference tables, Sony celebrated by telling us a little more about the new system.
“We decided that the old controllers were getting, well, old; we made new ones that track movements better, with a lot less buttons. Older players were complaining about ‘all the newfangled buttons’, so we decided to cut down,” says one of the designers working on the project. The programmers are eager for mass-production to begin so that they don’t have to do as much work.
“They can get a little annoyed with the designers ordering them around every moment with, ‘program this, program that’, so now that we’re officially releasing the system a few months from now they’ll get a long-awaited rest,” a programmer’s family explains kindly. Now we know why games have bugs. It’s Programmer’s Revenge. Anyway, with the blood and tears of the programmers, we now have an almost entirely bug-free system with insane graphics.
Hopefully, this new system will herald in a new era of gaming for us. And if Final Fantasy XIV sucks, blame it on Microsoft for once.
Friday, January 15, 2010
BioShock, I Shall Not Forget
When a game wins Game of the Year, there’s a reason. In this case, the reason is staring us in the face: it’s the whole thing. The whole game is an intricate weave of plotline and gameplay and Little Sisters. It’s a bloody, wonderful kaleidoscope of a realistic plot that screams in the face of society. Of course, with such a realistic setting, this game, which is for the PlayStation3 and Xbox 360, is indeed rated M. I certainly do not recommend this game for younger players. Parental discretion is advised, but it is mostly for blood, gore, general creepiness, and language.
The gameplay is simple: a first-person shooter with the added benefit of plasmids, which are genetic up-grades that let you use special powers like shooting fire from your fingertips (my dad, who played this game, quite enjoyed using this… a little too much). This opens up a surreal aspect that is brought down but the trashed surroundings of Rapture, a supposed utopia built by a man named Andrew Ryan. Ryan had created the ‘perfect society’, a place where no one relies on another, and the individual rules all. People who live above Rapture, which is beneath the Atlantic Ocean, are called ‘parasites’ and shunned by Ryan and his followers.
But alas, this so-called ‘utopia’ comes crashing down upon itself, and begins to destroy itself as people begin to join groups opposing Ryan’s power, such as a smuggler named Frank Fontaine. Then, in a plane crash over the Atlantic, the main character swims to a mysterious entrance leading down into the sea. Thus he comes to rapture, now run-down and populated by splicers, who have over-used plasmids and the substance used to use them, called ADAM. Splicers are extremely aggressive and murdered the rest of the human population of Rapture during its’ bloody civil war. They have become deformed and hideous from excessive ‘splicing’, which is the act of injecting oneself with a plasmid and ADAM abusively, much like drug addicts only more dangerous.
As the main character, named Jack, you learn about yourself and you soon discover that you must make the decision to save the remnants of humanity in Rapture or merely survive with disregard to their future. So it’s up to you now. Will you become a killing machine, with only your own safety cutting off your morals; or will you risk your own life to attempt to save Rapture’s future from those who would use and kill them? With danger literally around every corner and the looming shadow of conspiracy and betrayal above your head, what will you choose?
Survival or heroism?
The shadows or the light, which still filters through the grimy windows and water of the Atlantic Ocean’s depths?
The gameplay is simple: a first-person shooter with the added benefit of plasmids, which are genetic up-grades that let you use special powers like shooting fire from your fingertips (my dad, who played this game, quite enjoyed using this… a little too much). This opens up a surreal aspect that is brought down but the trashed surroundings of Rapture, a supposed utopia built by a man named Andrew Ryan. Ryan had created the ‘perfect society’, a place where no one relies on another, and the individual rules all. People who live above Rapture, which is beneath the Atlantic Ocean, are called ‘parasites’ and shunned by Ryan and his followers.
But alas, this so-called ‘utopia’ comes crashing down upon itself, and begins to destroy itself as people begin to join groups opposing Ryan’s power, such as a smuggler named Frank Fontaine. Then, in a plane crash over the Atlantic, the main character swims to a mysterious entrance leading down into the sea. Thus he comes to rapture, now run-down and populated by splicers, who have over-used plasmids and the substance used to use them, called ADAM. Splicers are extremely aggressive and murdered the rest of the human population of Rapture during its’ bloody civil war. They have become deformed and hideous from excessive ‘splicing’, which is the act of injecting oneself with a plasmid and ADAM abusively, much like drug addicts only more dangerous.
As the main character, named Jack, you learn about yourself and you soon discover that you must make the decision to save the remnants of humanity in Rapture or merely survive with disregard to their future. So it’s up to you now. Will you become a killing machine, with only your own safety cutting off your morals; or will you risk your own life to attempt to save Rapture’s future from those who would use and kill them? With danger literally around every corner and the looming shadow of conspiracy and betrayal above your head, what will you choose?
Survival or heroism?
The shadows or the light, which still filters through the grimy windows and water of the Atlantic Ocean’s depths?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Shiro
This is my OC, Shiro. This has nothing to do with Journalism, by the way. This is for fanfiction.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Book Thief- First Article
There are some books that just hit you with a hammer and watch you struggle. The Book Thief is one such book. In this touching, horrifying novel, you follow a girl named Liesel as she lives in Nazi Germany. In this book; though; there is a twist: there’s a Jew in Liesel’s basement, in her foster parent’s German house on a German street in a Nazi world. Liesel’s beloved Papa (Hans Hubermann) keeps his promises, even when it means endangering his life- along with his family’s in the process. The Jew, a young man named Max, changes Liesel’s life in ways that bring death, fear, and love on to her doorstep.
Markus Zusak writes with halting intensity, and the small footnotes and simple yet haunting artwork (courtesy a la Max) add even more intrigue and heartbreaking detail. It’s an important lesson for all people: This was a work of fiction, but yet so breathtaking in its truthful, human story of surviving during the Holocaust and persevering through Death’s grasp. Coincidentally, the narrator himself is someone that Liesel and her close ones encounter frequently: Death.
Through Death’s insightful storytelling, Liesel, her foster parents, and her friends come alive in a way that only true master authors can accomplish. I recommend this book for any person, adult or teen, to read (I don’t, however, recommend this for younger children). The story will grip you; don’t forget to keep your tissues near… or else.
Markus Zusak writes with halting intensity, and the small footnotes and simple yet haunting artwork (courtesy a la Max) add even more intrigue and heartbreaking detail. It’s an important lesson for all people: This was a work of fiction, but yet so breathtaking in its truthful, human story of surviving during the Holocaust and persevering through Death’s grasp. Coincidentally, the narrator himself is someone that Liesel and her close ones encounter frequently: Death.
Through Death’s insightful storytelling, Liesel, her foster parents, and her friends come alive in a way that only true master authors can accomplish. I recommend this book for any person, adult or teen, to read (I don’t, however, recommend this for younger children). The story will grip you; don’t forget to keep your tissues near… or else.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
flower: Proving that Sometimes the Simplest Art is the Most Meaningful.
flower: Proving that Sometimes the Simplest Art is the Most Meaningful.
By Aubrey Arnold
Flowers. Before any of you boys reading this run away screaming, I am indeed talking about a video game. The successor of the apparently serene flOw (I have never played it), flower is a stunning visual poem that can both make you smile and give you the chills.
When my dad called me over and told me he’d bought something really cool called ‘flower’, I’d given him a funny look as he walked away into the TV room. I’ve never been so wrong in my life. If you’re hating on it because of the title, leave now or I’ll tape you to a chair and make you play it. The controls master the SixAxis controller’s true powers, unlike a similar attempt that I will call Lame (This is a reference to the controls in a game called Lair- good concept, bad execution. Please, please remake it!).
Indeed, the only button ever used in the game is your choice- you can use your choice of the x, the triangle, the square, or the circle. This is used for the sole purpose of acceleration. Other than that, it’s freestyle flying with the controller! Fulfill your dreams of flying with flower and never again dream of being a flying wind- flower petal- thing ever again! The only issue is that it is much to short.
I may call the meager amount of levels short, but it is by no means sweet. The first two levels will have you in your happy place, but beware of the saddest level I’ve ever played that will jump you and strangle your happy place until it is reduced to smoldering ashes. This game is a ‘visual poem’, and it doesn’t need sob-sob cut scenes and character deaths to make you feel like crap. At first, you explore open fields and beautiful scenic landscapes, but as you approach civilization in the later levels, the tone changes drastically. Liberate sunken buildings, paint them bright colors, and get rid of those ugly old iron things, for Gods’ sake!
This game is (in my opinion) rated E for everyone. Just beware of the scary levels that made me want to scream and run away. Yeah. This time, the kiddies can’t get me… RUN! OH MY GOD THEY ARE COMING, NO!... See you next time.
By Aubrey Arnold
Flowers. Before any of you boys reading this run away screaming, I am indeed talking about a video game. The successor of the apparently serene flOw (I have never played it), flower is a stunning visual poem that can both make you smile and give you the chills.
When my dad called me over and told me he’d bought something really cool called ‘flower’, I’d given him a funny look as he walked away into the TV room. I’ve never been so wrong in my life. If you’re hating on it because of the title, leave now or I’ll tape you to a chair and make you play it. The controls master the SixAxis controller’s true powers, unlike a similar attempt that I will call Lame (This is a reference to the controls in a game called Lair- good concept, bad execution. Please, please remake it!).
Indeed, the only button ever used in the game is your choice- you can use your choice of the x, the triangle, the square, or the circle. This is used for the sole purpose of acceleration. Other than that, it’s freestyle flying with the controller! Fulfill your dreams of flying with flower and never again dream of being a flying wind- flower petal- thing ever again! The only issue is that it is much to short.
I may call the meager amount of levels short, but it is by no means sweet. The first two levels will have you in your happy place, but beware of the saddest level I’ve ever played that will jump you and strangle your happy place until it is reduced to smoldering ashes. This game is a ‘visual poem’, and it doesn’t need sob-sob cut scenes and character deaths to make you feel like crap. At first, you explore open fields and beautiful scenic landscapes, but as you approach civilization in the later levels, the tone changes drastically. Liberate sunken buildings, paint them bright colors, and get rid of those ugly old iron things, for Gods’ sake!
This game is (in my opinion) rated E for everyone. Just beware of the scary levels that made me want to scream and run away. Yeah. This time, the kiddies can’t get me… RUN! OH MY GOD THEY ARE COMING, NO!... See you next time.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
THE POEM OF DOOM
the black paper bag by aubrey arnold
he came back from the field one day
covered in grime, he staggered back
to the white city
where people walk with white wool over their
pale faces
past each other, the buildings, their brethren, and the man
(who was really only a boy)
they pause only
to change from Beethoven to Eminem
on their IPods
the wool grows thicker
as they see their parents die and children grow and Presidents change
they begin to sweat
as the wool grows thicker
and they begin to run, to get away from that man
with his dirty clothes
and his fervent searching eyes
and his twitching hands reaching for the trigger that isn’t there
and his ugly long scars
and his filthy boots
and his empty green backpack
and his empty scratched holster
and that black, torn paper bag with gaping
holes for eyes
that rests over his head
sagging slightly
with some old scraps
of wool
blowing away
in the winter wind
And yes, it is supposed to be uncapitalized.
he came back from the field one day
covered in grime, he staggered back
to the white city
where people walk with white wool over their
pale faces
past each other, the buildings, their brethren, and the man
(who was really only a boy)
they pause only
to change from Beethoven to Eminem
on their IPods
the wool grows thicker
as they see their parents die and children grow and Presidents change
they begin to sweat
as the wool grows thicker
and they begin to run, to get away from that man
with his dirty clothes
and his fervent searching eyes
and his twitching hands reaching for the trigger that isn’t there
and his ugly long scars
and his filthy boots
and his empty green backpack
and his empty scratched holster
and that black, torn paper bag with gaping
holes for eyes
that rests over his head
sagging slightly
with some old scraps
of wool
blowing away
in the winter wind
And yes, it is supposed to be uncapitalized.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Fanfiction.com
(This is a normal article. This is may favorite site... Respect the nerdiness!)
For All You Nerds Out There…
I was surfing the web one day when I found the best nerd site ever:
FANFICTION.COM.
Yes, fanfiction is one of my favorite pastimes now. On Fanfiction.com, you can honor your favorite book, manga, anime, movie, TV show, or video game plot with your own story! For members of the site, you have a small profile page, a pen name, and the possibility of writing as much as you want! You can read stories other people have written by selecting your fandom (Ex: Naruto, Bleach, Okami, and… dare I say the cursed word… Twilight). Out will pop a whole archive of fanfictions people update and write themselves every day!
To register requires no personal information other than your email. You must have an email address because you need to be notified when you post a new chapter or someone you have alerted does. Alerts are really handy. Story alerts send you an email every time the story you alerted updates. Author alerts notify you when the author you alerted updates any of their stories. You are also allowed to favorite stories and authors, which causes the links to the stories and the authors’ profile to appear on your profile. Some people favorite without shame, but I’m picky.
However, the best feature is not Alerts, Favorites, or even writing sometimes. It’s the power to Review. Reviewing someone’s story is greatly rewarding for the writer and also for yourself. When someone reviews a story without flaming or spamming (I have never seen either of these. The environment is mostly people like you), it is a good opportunity for the author to improve their writing style. You also receive an email when someone reviews your story.
The only catch is to find good writers and read good, professional stories that aren’t ravaged by spelling and grammar mistakes. If you can do this, and you love a certain fandom, you will find endless entertainment in Fanfiction.com. Just don’t give too much personal information in your profile, stalkers are everywhere these days!*
*(At this point, the writer is skipping away whistling a happy, messed up tune. Every time Orochimaru smiles, a puppy dies. Remember the nerd joke, children. It’s not important at all!)
For All You Nerds Out There…
I was surfing the web one day when I found the best nerd site ever:
FANFICTION.COM.
Yes, fanfiction is one of my favorite pastimes now. On Fanfiction.com, you can honor your favorite book, manga, anime, movie, TV show, or video game plot with your own story! For members of the site, you have a small profile page, a pen name, and the possibility of writing as much as you want! You can read stories other people have written by selecting your fandom (Ex: Naruto, Bleach, Okami, and… dare I say the cursed word… Twilight). Out will pop a whole archive of fanfictions people update and write themselves every day!
To register requires no personal information other than your email. You must have an email address because you need to be notified when you post a new chapter or someone you have alerted does. Alerts are really handy. Story alerts send you an email every time the story you alerted updates. Author alerts notify you when the author you alerted updates any of their stories. You are also allowed to favorite stories and authors, which causes the links to the stories and the authors’ profile to appear on your profile. Some people favorite without shame, but I’m picky.
However, the best feature is not Alerts, Favorites, or even writing sometimes. It’s the power to Review. Reviewing someone’s story is greatly rewarding for the writer and also for yourself. When someone reviews a story without flaming or spamming (I have never seen either of these. The environment is mostly people like you), it is a good opportunity for the author to improve their writing style. You also receive an email when someone reviews your story.
The only catch is to find good writers and read good, professional stories that aren’t ravaged by spelling and grammar mistakes. If you can do this, and you love a certain fandom, you will find endless entertainment in Fanfiction.com. Just don’t give too much personal information in your profile, stalkers are everywhere these days!*
*(At this point, the writer is skipping away whistling a happy, messed up tune. Every time Orochimaru smiles, a puppy dies. Remember the nerd joke, children. It’s not important at all!)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Fire Bringer
Here's another Feature:
Ok, so last time I did a review on The Sight. Now, I’m going to do a review on David Clement- Davie’s first book, Fire Bringer. Now, all that are fans of anthropomorphic fantasy, read on.
This book is written in a detailed,heartfelt style that many readers adore. Clement- Davies has lived in the settings of his stories, like the British Isles and Romania. He has studied the habits of the animals that his characters are and added personality to their simple acts of survival. Addressing the power of humanity in the face of cruelity, you can invision the swaying heather and Rannoch's (the main character) intelligent face. Gleaming black eyes will gaze out of the soft pages.
Fire Bringer again addresses the idea of the power of the Sight. Within the rather large novel, a vivid main character named Rannoch springs out of the fields of Europe. Yes, this book brings deer, called Herla, to life from the pages of Fire Bringer. Join Rannoch and his friends on a tale that is vaguely reminiscent of Watership Down, on to the epic final showdown with a gigantic army of stags with sharpened antlers, and most importantly Rannoch’s inner battle with his fear of combat.
This book is my second- most favorite book, The Sight stealing the glory of first. However, the two novels are extremely close in literary might. This book I would recommend to any age of reader, so read on my friends and discover the wonders or David Clement- Davies!
Ok, so last time I did a review on The Sight. Now, I’m going to do a review on David Clement- Davie’s first book, Fire Bringer. Now, all that are fans of anthropomorphic fantasy, read on.
This book is written in a detailed,heartfelt style that many readers adore. Clement- Davies has lived in the settings of his stories, like the British Isles and Romania. He has studied the habits of the animals that his characters are and added personality to their simple acts of survival. Addressing the power of humanity in the face of cruelity, you can invision the swaying heather and Rannoch's (the main character) intelligent face. Gleaming black eyes will gaze out of the soft pages.
Fire Bringer again addresses the idea of the power of the Sight. Within the rather large novel, a vivid main character named Rannoch springs out of the fields of Europe. Yes, this book brings deer, called Herla, to life from the pages of Fire Bringer. Join Rannoch and his friends on a tale that is vaguely reminiscent of Watership Down, on to the epic final showdown with a gigantic army of stags with sharpened antlers, and most importantly Rannoch’s inner battle with his fear of combat.
This book is my second- most favorite book, The Sight stealing the glory of first. However, the two novels are extremely close in literary might. This book I would recommend to any age of reader, so read on my friends and discover the wonders or David Clement- Davies!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Sight
This is a normal article. It's a book review, obviously.
Now, this is a review for a book that can make even the strongest reader become a bawling baby at the end. Yes, this book is The Sight by David Clement- Davies. The riveting story of Larka, a snow white she- wolf with a mysterious power known as the sight has captured my heart for years. This book has been my favorite read for at least two years, and I strongly recommend this rather chunky book for any anthropomorphic fantasy fan.
The novel tells the emotional tale of Larka and her pack as they struggle against a bitter and evil wolf named Morgra, who also possesses the Sight. Slowly discovering her magical abilities and about an ancient prophecy that binds her fate to that of all animals- even man. A human child, born on the same day as Larka and her brother Fell, is the counterbalance that is the key in defeating Morgra.
You will be wrapped up in the rich descriptive style of The Sight, and held fast until the tearful ending. Another good read is also by David Clement- Davies, and titled Fire Bringer.
The Sight is a story of self- sacrifice, perseverance, and familial warmth. Will Larka abolish Morgra’s grip upon the land of the Lera*? Read to find out!
(*Lera is the term used for the other animals, Varg is a wolf, and Herla is a deer.)
Now, this is a review for a book that can make even the strongest reader become a bawling baby at the end. Yes, this book is The Sight by David Clement- Davies. The riveting story of Larka, a snow white she- wolf with a mysterious power known as the sight has captured my heart for years. This book has been my favorite read for at least two years, and I strongly recommend this rather chunky book for any anthropomorphic fantasy fan.
The novel tells the emotional tale of Larka and her pack as they struggle against a bitter and evil wolf named Morgra, who also possesses the Sight. Slowly discovering her magical abilities and about an ancient prophecy that binds her fate to that of all animals- even man. A human child, born on the same day as Larka and her brother Fell, is the counterbalance that is the key in defeating Morgra.
You will be wrapped up in the rich descriptive style of The Sight, and held fast until the tearful ending. Another good read is also by David Clement- Davies, and titled Fire Bringer.
The Sight is a story of self- sacrifice, perseverance, and familial warmth. Will Larka abolish Morgra’s grip upon the land of the Lera*? Read to find out!
(*Lera is the term used for the other animals, Varg is a wolf, and Herla is a deer.)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Prince of Persia: The last one sucked
Ok, I realized that the last time I posted this it sounded unfinished... It had no rating! Anyway, since I did risk my life for that last paragraph... be GRATEFUL! :p
Prince of Persia
By Aubrey Arnold
Here I am again, with another video game review! This time, it’s a game I could rant about for hours- Prince of Persia. Yes, as in the Prince of Persia newly released for the PS3. The characters are new(ish) and the environment is refreshing. The clear, crisp graphics are exceptional. From where I’m coming from, the game appears to be between a painting and a video game. Also, the very few characters are awesome and vibrant.
Yes, the Prince is finally not as cliché as before- Sort of. Now, it’s completely intentional. My personal favorite quote al la Prince is, “Why couldn’t you choose a religion where, oh, I don’t know, the enemies are… slightly angry sheep?” It’s gotta be a classic. Wise-crackers, come flock to me! Er, I mean this game. The rest of the cast is made up of Elika, a rebel princess who has magic powers and travels with the Prince on an adventure to save the world. The rest of the characters are: The Grieving King (Elika’s Father- he brings upon the apocalypse), and… drum roll… generic grunts and annoying bosses that you have to beat five times to beat! Yes, each of the four bosses has five full battles… or is that six?
Anyway, this game is rated T for top hats. Umm… wait. That’s T for teen! Ok, I finally got that straight. Sorry, kiddies- (At this point I was attacked by many, many angry children. I must now run for my life. Fare thee well, and until next time, Wolf- Girl is over and out!)
Prince of Persia
By Aubrey Arnold
Here I am again, with another video game review! This time, it’s a game I could rant about for hours- Prince of Persia. Yes, as in the Prince of Persia newly released for the PS3. The characters are new(ish) and the environment is refreshing. The clear, crisp graphics are exceptional. From where I’m coming from, the game appears to be between a painting and a video game. Also, the very few characters are awesome and vibrant.
Yes, the Prince is finally not as cliché as before- Sort of. Now, it’s completely intentional. My personal favorite quote al la Prince is, “Why couldn’t you choose a religion where, oh, I don’t know, the enemies are… slightly angry sheep?” It’s gotta be a classic. Wise-crackers, come flock to me! Er, I mean this game. The rest of the cast is made up of Elika, a rebel princess who has magic powers and travels with the Prince on an adventure to save the world. The rest of the characters are: The Grieving King (Elika’s Father- he brings upon the apocalypse), and… drum roll… generic grunts and annoying bosses that you have to beat five times to beat! Yes, each of the four bosses has five full battles… or is that six?
Anyway, this game is rated T for top hats. Umm… wait. That’s T for teen! Ok, I finally got that straight. Sorry, kiddies- (At this point I was attacked by many, many angry children. I must now run for my life. Fare thee well, and until next time, Wolf- Girl is over and out!)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Clawgang Mantisart
Here's my April Fools a la Mantis! I know it's short. Gimme a break, okay!?
You have all seen those small, cute little praying mantises in your backyard, right? Yeah. Well, The new Manti composer, Clawgang Mantisart, has released his new piece, Symphonic Mantisi Clawine. This piece of music shocked the world. Mantisart says, ‘Iz a worka ofva completevly vwonderful mantis gloryv vwith antennae standingv ona enda.’ His orchestra of 250, 000 manti weolonists, viani, and klitists have worked together with many other diversified instrumentalists to create a modern triumph.
The 20 minute long musical masterpiece will no doubt go down in history as a classic. ITunes has been swamped by buyers of the song. We can count on the Manti being hailed as legendary composers in the times to come. Alas, Wolfgang Mozart has been surpassed in the world of uber- classical music masterpieces. The Manti are already settling nicely as the smallest sentimental organisms on the planet.
You have all seen those small, cute little praying mantises in your backyard, right? Yeah. Well, The new Manti composer, Clawgang Mantisart, has released his new piece, Symphonic Mantisi Clawine. This piece of music shocked the world. Mantisart says, ‘Iz a worka ofva completevly vwonderful mantis gloryv vwith antennae standingv ona enda.’ His orchestra of 250, 000 manti weolonists, viani, and klitists have worked together with many other diversified instrumentalists to create a modern triumph.
The 20 minute long musical masterpiece will no doubt go down in history as a classic. ITunes has been swamped by buyers of the song. We can count on the Manti being hailed as legendary composers in the times to come. Alas, Wolfgang Mozart has been surpassed in the world of uber- classical music masterpieces. The Manti are already settling nicely as the smallest sentimental organisms on the planet.
Lord of the Rings: Conquest
Hi! This is my new article. it is my normal paper article, not the April Fools, which i will be posting shortly.
All of the Lord of the Rings video games so far have ended with: ‘And with the ring destroyed, Middle Earth descended into a long reign of peace… and yaddah, peace, yaddah, fluffy bunnies, yaddah… or at least most of them. So, Lord of the Rings: Conquest offers a new outlook. Let’s see… save the world from Sauron… and then, after that… DESTROY IT AS SAURON! MUHAHAHA! Yes… Destroy all hobbitses… The gameplay is ok, basically your average hack- and- slash fighter. You can go online and play multiplayer, or you can grab a random passerby and play a 2- player campaign offline. For instance, “Hey, dad, want to play Lord of the Rings with me?” “No.” “Ok! Let’s play!” Basically you can drag pretty much anyone in to play this, because skill doesn’t really help when you can just mash buttons and win.
I personally believe that one of the best features of this game is the “Play as Hero” option. During gameplay, you sometimes will respawn and have the option, ‘Play as ______ (insert hero/ villain name here). For instance, in the plains battle, you can play as Eowyn and kill the Witch King. After that, you gain the ‘No Man Am I’ trophy in your trophies section in the PlayStation 3. Also, you can play as Oliphants, Trolls, Balrog, and even an Ent. If you have a Siaxis Controller, it will vibrate like heck if you are near a moving Oliphant or troll or anything at least ten times your size. Take the reins of a battle ready Warg or horse and charge you enemies into nonexistence (I recommend this extremely destructive habit. It is nearly as fun as killing 100 orc grunts in a minute flat. It is also a good way to express your obsessive love of fantasy animals… in a video game). Be careful to not get killed though… it can be quite frustrating to start a whole stage over again because you thought it was fun to run underneath a Oliphant’s foot. Seriously, people. Do you enjoy the big, red FAILED loading screen? Or maybe it is a new form of masochistic activity… Do you do that on math tests, too? Ow! Don’t smack me! I’m sorry!
Anyway, This game is rated T for Teen (Pssh, of course not. It’s rated T for trees only. Oh wait… that would be ‘TO’. Sorry.) so, sorry, kiddies, I don’t know why you are reading this, but, too bad.
All of the Lord of the Rings video games so far have ended with: ‘And with the ring destroyed, Middle Earth descended into a long reign of peace… and yaddah, peace, yaddah, fluffy bunnies, yaddah… or at least most of them. So, Lord of the Rings: Conquest offers a new outlook. Let’s see… save the world from Sauron… and then, after that… DESTROY IT AS SAURON! MUHAHAHA! Yes… Destroy all hobbitses… The gameplay is ok, basically your average hack- and- slash fighter. You can go online and play multiplayer, or you can grab a random passerby and play a 2- player campaign offline. For instance, “Hey, dad, want to play Lord of the Rings with me?” “No.” “Ok! Let’s play!” Basically you can drag pretty much anyone in to play this, because skill doesn’t really help when you can just mash buttons and win.
I personally believe that one of the best features of this game is the “Play as Hero” option. During gameplay, you sometimes will respawn and have the option, ‘Play as ______ (insert hero/ villain name here). For instance, in the plains battle, you can play as Eowyn and kill the Witch King. After that, you gain the ‘No Man Am I’ trophy in your trophies section in the PlayStation 3. Also, you can play as Oliphants, Trolls, Balrog, and even an Ent. If you have a Siaxis Controller, it will vibrate like heck if you are near a moving Oliphant or troll or anything at least ten times your size. Take the reins of a battle ready Warg or horse and charge you enemies into nonexistence (I recommend this extremely destructive habit. It is nearly as fun as killing 100 orc grunts in a minute flat. It is also a good way to express your obsessive love of fantasy animals… in a video game). Be careful to not get killed though… it can be quite frustrating to start a whole stage over again because you thought it was fun to run underneath a Oliphant’s foot. Seriously, people. Do you enjoy the big, red FAILED loading screen? Or maybe it is a new form of masochistic activity… Do you do that on math tests, too? Ow! Don’t smack me! I’m sorry!
Anyway, This game is rated T for Teen (Pssh, of course not. It’s rated T for trees only. Oh wait… that would be ‘TO’. Sorry.) so, sorry, kiddies, I don’t know why you are reading this, but, too bad.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Editorial: Modification Nation
Mmmm… genes. No, not the clothes item, genes. Genes as in what makes us look, act, and think like we do. We get them from our parents. However, in the future that may change. Here’s the thing: Future technology may allow our parents to alter us genetically. This may not visible. Many genetic illnesses would be eliminated, as would risks of other hereditary- related factors. I, myself, would agree with such modifications.
People are born with predispositions to certain addictions and diseases, due to- guess what?! Genes and diseases that run in a family can be extremely scarring and dangerous. I know that people can argue that this genetic modification process could lead to alteration of hair, eyes, and other appearance factors. This could be a fad, blah, blah, blah… but I say it’s not like we decide what we look like anyway. So if our parents chose, what’s the difference? None. Heck, if I had blue hair, I wouldn’t care anyway. Seriously. Brown, blonde, red, and black is getting kind of boring, isn’t it? And dye kills your hair, apparently.
Often this can bring up a bunch of arguments. What if it turns into a cloning method? What if everyone starts to look the same from fads? And… ok, stop with the objections. First question answer/ contrasting statement: So? The type of person mostly depends on how they are brought up, anyway. Adolf Hitler was raised to be that way, ya know. No, really. Okay, now on to the second question: Every parent is different. Weird people like me won’t follow fads, because fads are stupid. Sorry, but that’s just my opinion. Remember people, everyone is differen; just like everyone else.
People are born with predispositions to certain addictions and diseases, due to- guess what?! Genes and diseases that run in a family can be extremely scarring and dangerous. I know that people can argue that this genetic modification process could lead to alteration of hair, eyes, and other appearance factors. This could be a fad, blah, blah, blah… but I say it’s not like we decide what we look like anyway. So if our parents chose, what’s the difference? None. Heck, if I had blue hair, I wouldn’t care anyway. Seriously. Brown, blonde, red, and black is getting kind of boring, isn’t it? And dye kills your hair, apparently.
Often this can bring up a bunch of arguments. What if it turns into a cloning method? What if everyone starts to look the same from fads? And… ok, stop with the objections. First question answer/ contrasting statement: So? The type of person mostly depends on how they are brought up, anyway. Adolf Hitler was raised to be that way, ya know. No, really. Okay, now on to the second question: Every parent is different. Weird people like me won’t follow fads, because fads are stupid. Sorry, but that’s just my opinion. Remember people, everyone is differen; just like everyone else.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Black and White 2
Black and White 2
By The Evil Wolf-girl of DOOM
Why is it that black and white always represent evil and good? Seriously, it’s so overrated. However, the PC game called Black and White 2 is definitely NOT overrated, even if it is rather old... In this game, you play as an upstart god who rules over the Romans. The Roman Empires fell under their old god, and you set out to make this small group mighty once more. In the beginning, you have a choice to make: your creature. These creatures are giant upright- standing animals who will either be a friendly pet or a weapon of mass killing. You are able to choose a Lion, Wolf, Monkey, or a Cow. I, being myself, chose Wolf. The second time I chose Cow. You can teach your creature certain behaviors that either reflect your actions, or contradict them. Even the landscape will change depending on your alignment!
Let me warn you, goodie-goods of the gaming world- it is EXTREMELY hard to be a good alignment. Really, it is. And, plus, you don’t get to throw people into prison pits… er, yeah. In my Wolf game, I taught my creature to be benevolent, and my little wolfie got really big and its previously grey fur turned white. I was so proud! That brings us to the dark side… the evil alignment. As your giant god-hand hovers over the ground, the foliage and ground withers and splits hither revealing the hellish lava flowing below! Rawr! Er, yeah. Sorry. Also, when you choose a cow as your Evil Creature, your cute little pet becomes a huge, temperamental bull with big black horns and ridiculously large hooves. It eats people a lot. It also throws rocks at enemy platoons. How fun is that?
Alright, now to the routine rating explanation. Black and White 2 is rated T for teen, kiddies. There is nothing graphic at all, and there is only a little blood. So, I would recommend anybody from 10+ for this game. No worries!
By The Evil Wolf-girl of DOOM
Why is it that black and white always represent evil and good? Seriously, it’s so overrated. However, the PC game called Black and White 2 is definitely NOT overrated, even if it is rather old... In this game, you play as an upstart god who rules over the Romans. The Roman Empires fell under their old god, and you set out to make this small group mighty once more. In the beginning, you have a choice to make: your creature. These creatures are giant upright- standing animals who will either be a friendly pet or a weapon of mass killing. You are able to choose a Lion, Wolf, Monkey, or a Cow. I, being myself, chose Wolf. The second time I chose Cow. You can teach your creature certain behaviors that either reflect your actions, or contradict them. Even the landscape will change depending on your alignment!
Let me warn you, goodie-goods of the gaming world- it is EXTREMELY hard to be a good alignment. Really, it is. And, plus, you don’t get to throw people into prison pits… er, yeah. In my Wolf game, I taught my creature to be benevolent, and my little wolfie got really big and its previously grey fur turned white. I was so proud! That brings us to the dark side… the evil alignment. As your giant god-hand hovers over the ground, the foliage and ground withers and splits hither revealing the hellish lava flowing below! Rawr! Er, yeah. Sorry. Also, when you choose a cow as your Evil Creature, your cute little pet becomes a huge, temperamental bull with big black horns and ridiculously large hooves. It eats people a lot. It also throws rocks at enemy platoons. How fun is that?
Alright, now to the routine rating explanation. Black and White 2 is rated T for teen, kiddies. There is nothing graphic at all, and there is only a little blood. So, I would recommend anybody from 10+ for this game. No worries!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Okami, revised
Okami
By The Evil Wolf-girl of DOOM
When I say “Okami”, what do you think of? Uhh… Okami does mean wolf in Japanese, but, have you ever heard of the video game? Out for the PS2, this game can be called a revolution. In this fantasy RPG, you play as Amaterasu, the Japanese goddess of the sun. She has been reincarnated as the white wolf Shirunai to save the world, and she travels with a stray artist, a miniature dude with a big ego called Issun. I am gonna have to get used to saving the world at some point... but then again, that’s why we have games like Black and White 2 (reference to a PC game where you can be a god of good… or evil… and progress your own civilization as a god. Yeah, obviously I’ve chosen the darker, bloodier path in that game. Yeah, and my god-pet-thing is an extremely terrifying… drum roll… cow. Yeah, a cow)
The gameplay in Okami is very complex… it involves drawing different symbols such as circles, lines, and filling in broken objects to regenerate them. Or blowing on conveniently yet random tapestries with divine wind so you can cross an empty pit. Better yet, slice evil-doers in half with the multi-purpose cut! And then you can puzzle as to how when you try to cut a ally in half they don’t die! Quite interesting, no? Don’t worry, though, it takes no artistic talent whatsoever. You only need concentration and fingers! And RESOLVE!!!!! Erhem, never mind. This game has an immense replay value; I personally have played about 10- 13 times. Okami is rated T for teen, but only for fantasy violence. No blood or gore (I still puzzle over why it says, “Blood and Gore” on the back. There is none! What the heck?), don’t worry over-protective parents of the world, your kiddies are safe. So, go ahead and try this game, it’s fun kicking evil’s butt.
By The Evil Wolf-girl of DOOM
When I say “Okami”, what do you think of? Uhh… Okami does mean wolf in Japanese, but, have you ever heard of the video game? Out for the PS2, this game can be called a revolution. In this fantasy RPG, you play as Amaterasu, the Japanese goddess of the sun. She has been reincarnated as the white wolf Shirunai to save the world, and she travels with a stray artist, a miniature dude with a big ego called Issun. I am gonna have to get used to saving the world at some point... but then again, that’s why we have games like Black and White 2 (reference to a PC game where you can be a god of good… or evil… and progress your own civilization as a god. Yeah, obviously I’ve chosen the darker, bloodier path in that game. Yeah, and my god-pet-thing is an extremely terrifying… drum roll… cow. Yeah, a cow)
The gameplay in Okami is very complex… it involves drawing different symbols such as circles, lines, and filling in broken objects to regenerate them. Or blowing on conveniently yet random tapestries with divine wind so you can cross an empty pit. Better yet, slice evil-doers in half with the multi-purpose cut! And then you can puzzle as to how when you try to cut a ally in half they don’t die! Quite interesting, no? Don’t worry, though, it takes no artistic talent whatsoever. You only need concentration and fingers! And RESOLVE!!!!! Erhem, never mind. This game has an immense replay value; I personally have played about 10- 13 times. Okami is rated T for teen, but only for fantasy violence. No blood or gore (I still puzzle over why it says, “Blood and Gore” on the back. There is none! What the heck?), don’t worry over-protective parents of the world, your kiddies are safe. So, go ahead and try this game, it’s fun kicking evil’s butt.
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