<![CDATA[Forum for We're Alive - Blogs - reaper239]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/blog.php?1606-reaper239 en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:02:11 GMT vBulletin 60 https://www.forum.werealive.com/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Forum for We're Alive - Blogs - reaper239]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/blog.php?1606-reaper239 <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner and Poli-Ticks]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?353-Reaper-s-Corner-and-Poli-Ticks Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:09:11 GMT osiris suggested i post this here so i said, "eh, ok."

so, i recently had this major discussion on the other forums with my friend Osiris regarding gun rights, which then devolved into an argument over the basic nature of rights, and it occurred to me: osi didn't actually have a firm understanding of the nature of rights. now, this isn't anything against osi, he's a smart man with a lot of knowledge to impart, but he does seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding as to the basic nature of human rights. to him, rights are semantic, it's all in the language, but the true nature of rights is something much more.


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there are three pillars to western civilization: Judeo-Christian morals, Greco-Roman philosophy, and Anglo-Saxon law. Judeo-Christian morals form the foundations for our freedom. Judaism esteblished the concept of one God, which established the idea of absolute truth. if the is one God to answer to, then there is an ultimate judge, and an arbiter of final justice. God hands down a set of standards for all men to strive for, though none can atain them, and this is the first step in self governance: self accountability. mind that we still keep each other accountable, but it starts with self. i'll discuss this more in depth in my post on perpetuating freedom.


Greco-Roman philosophy established the idea that the world could be understood. this concept was revolutionary in that it removed mystique from the world around us. it fostered curiosity and that things could be known instead of being out of reach. this encourages exploration and innovation and is the source of discovery for the laws of nature. in fact, the very idea of laws of nature arose from Greco-Roman philosophy. i'll be discussing this aspect of western civilization when i discuss American Exceptionalism.


finally, we come to Anglo-Saxon law. Anglo-Saxon law is the basis for human rights, in conjunction with Judeo-Christian morality. Anglo-Saxon law holds that there are certain universal truths about people, for instance no one wants to be killed, and establishes common law, or natural law, to which all are held accountable, and which is above political law (ie government legislation). Judeo-Christian morality portends that this law is handed down from the one true God, and that these laws are absolutely true, and not established by any earthly force.


so, human rights. there are two fundamental rights from which all other rights may be derived or implied: the right to life, and the right to property. the right to life is, of course, your right to live, while your right to property pertains to you're ownership of property. from these we derive the right to liberty, or self determination. for the right to life in it's truest sense, you must have the ability to determine your own quality of life, as any infringement upon that could lead to an early death and so indirectly cause a violation of your right to life. an example of this is north korea where people do not have a right to self determination and are starving to death because their food is being taken, thus constituting a violation of not only the right to life, but the right to property. property directly influences the quality of life and so the right to self determination also protects the right to property.


all rights exist independent of other people. that means that you have your rights regardless of what other people say or do. if those rights are violated, they don't simply go away, they are instead suppressed. this is why slavery had to be abolished. Judeo-Christian morality contends that all men are created by God and are equal at creation, all men are created equal, and therefore, all men have equal rights under common law. slavery is a violation of the right to self determination, and therefore is a violation of human rights.


the right to self determination confers the right to self defense. the right to self defense is the right to defend, with force, ones right to life and right to property. my discussion with osiris was about gun laws, and gun regulation. my position is pro freedom, while his position is for the resriction of people which will, in theory, lead to safety. he claimed a right to protection through legislation and that my right to carry a gun, or determine the use of my property, be secondary to his right to legislate safety. there is no right to legislate safety, because his definition of legislating safety requires imposition on others. it requires action taken against others under threat of force. this is not a right, but tyranny, and tyranny is a violation of rights. osiris argument stands in violation of my right to self determination, and my right to property, and rights cannot violate other rights, this is a basis of common law. i come back to slavery, a person cannot be considered someone elses property because that violates their right to self determination. i can't claim you as property because my right to property cannot infringe upon your right to self determination, and ultimately your right to life.


rights exist in harmony with one another. your rights exist within the confines of other peoples rights. it's like a bubble, your bubble of rights cannot penetrate other peoples bubble of rights. for instance, stealing is a violation of property. this seems obvious, but let's look at why. property is obtained through barter, something of value is traded for something that is seen to have comparable value. how do you obtain something of value in the first place? you trade the only thing you are inherently born with, your time and efforts, you work for it. after performing a set ammount of labour, you will be compensated with something of predetermined value, today we collect a wage payed in a monetary system which says that one dollar is equal to one unit of the combination of skill, time, and effort. the more skill required for a job, the more time required for a job, the more effort required for a job, the more money a person will seek for compensation in return for completion of that job. this money can be taken and traded for anything you want as it represents labour you have done for someone, which can be used to compensate someone else for labour they have perfomed for you. now, let's assume that you have used your labour to trade for something, say a lamp. now, i come along and want your lamp, so i perform labour of my own to gain money with which to trade for your lamp. that's fair trade. now, let's suppose instead that i break into your home and steal your lamp. i have performed labour, but my labour was not equal to the value of the lamp, and what labour i did was not transfered to you to compensate you for the lamp. i have taken your labour without compensation, i have stolen, and this is why we have a right to property. property equals labour and labour equals time, effort, and skill, three things that are inherently yours. if i want something you have, i must trade my labour for your labour.


rights are fundamental, you are born with them, and no one has the right to violate them. you have the right to defend your rights against violation, and for that you have the right to carry force comparable to force you may encounter against you. it's a fundamental issue of rights.
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?353-Reaper-s-Corner-and-Poli-Ticks <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner is Out of Time]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?349-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Out-of-Time Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:29:33 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]and goes kicking and screaming ot the end. so, when this was released i fully intended to write an amazing and breathtaking review full of emotion and devestatingly deep. and then the itus set in and i stopped writing reviews for the season break. sucks huh. well, now that the full impact of the story has mostly worn away i can make an honest assessment of the game, and i must say, i think my initial response was pretty spot on. for some reason i am possessed to run a marathon of reviews, and today we keep going with The Walking Dead Episode 5: No Time Left.[/COLOR]

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so, the refinement is done. the gameplay mechanics are exactly as good as you need them, and as good as they are going to get. this episode contains a culmination of all the different aspects you've played through the other episodes: quicktime, shooting, exploration, hard decisions, this is it, they all come together here. not flawlessly mind you, there are some minor hiccups that can leave you walking into a wall for five minutes, but the overall execution is superb. the action is hot, the down time is not. i've talked enough about mechanics in the other reviews, i don't need to cover it any further, this will be the last paragraph i mention it.[/COLOR]

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[COLOR=#add8e6]this game isn't about gameplay, it's about story. of course the gameplay is vital to the conveyance of that story, but it's not the central feature. games like call of duty are given story to showcase the gameplay, games like this are given gameplay to tell a story. and tell a story it does. i went back and gave the whole thing another go, and wow. the characters feel full, life like, meaty (prolly a poor choice of words for a zombie game), substantive. in each episode you see a certain degree of character development, but when you look at the whole arc you can see a real change from the Lee Everet that crawls out of that cop car in episode 1, to the lee that's searching like a madman for the girl that is his legacy at the end of the game. and it's not just lee, you watch all of the characters grow. you see the things they go through, and the choices they make, and you come to understand their motivations, whether survival, validation, continuity, love, community, you see to the heart of the issue. whatever their loved thing is, it comes to the forefront at some point in the game. you also get to see motivations changeas the reality shifts around them. in this episode, i wouldn't so much call it character growth, as character finishing. almost all the growth has occured previous to this episode, and characters are really taking the pieces that they have gained through the other episodes and tying them together, whether it's aspects of their humanity that they thought were lost and have recovered, or an intensifying of the characters desire for their loved thing, the characters come full circle in their development to the place they were when they started, but from a different perspective. give you a for instance: we first meet ben in a situation that requires a sacrifice, but he looks to someone else to make the sacrifice, however, if he survives to the end (he can die before reaching this point, and it may seem similar here, but the motivations are false, which you discover after saving him) he comes to another situation that requires a sacrifice, and he comes to the point of shouldering the responsibility to make the sacrifice. if he dies before he reaches his arcs conclusion, he dies for penance, if he survives past that, he accepts his personal sacrifice and doesn't seek penance, but instead the salvation of others. it gets super deep.[/COLOR]

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[COLOR=#add8e6]character development and story go hand in hand, you can't develop a character without a story to put them through, and you can't have a good dynamic story without characters changing and developing to the new situations in the story. to that end, the story here is wonderful. i don't mean wonderful as in, "everything is sunshine and lollipops," i mean it in the sense that the story is deep, elements are well written, the story flows and maintains continuity, the backstory is rich and fleshed out and is explored to deepen the immersion, and the characters are mortal.even if you don't want to play the game, i would suggest watching it on youtube, especially if you like the walking dead, or just generic zombie stories. even if you don't necessarily like the walking dead, the story is, in my opinion, good enough to warrant a stand alone viewing. it's hard to talk about his without spoiling, and without repeating myself, so i'll just leave it at this: the superb writing that has been present throughout the series is just as prevelant here.[/COLOR]

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[COLOR=#add8e6]the conclusion to this game is breathtaking, the characters round out nicely, the grand finale is something to talk about with friends, and the whole wraps up in a mess that leaves several questions hanging. i should explain, the mess is a good mess, it doesn't wrap up nice and neat and put a bow on it for your enjoyment, it leaves you questioning what happened, it makes you yearn for clues as to the final outcome, and it makes you crave more. the final scene is so brilliantly written i wasn't able to play it again right away. for an ending that crushes your soul in zombie laden despair, this episode get's a 10/10.[/COLOR]


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[COLOR=#add8e6]BONUS REVIEW: ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!!!!!?!!!!?!!!?!!?![/COLOR]

[COLOR=#add8e6]Reaper's Corner Vs The Walking Dead[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#add8e6]ok, so, rather than write a whole new review for the over arcing game, in which i would say a lot of the same stuff, i'll just tack it on to the end of this one. so the over all game is as superb as i made it sound. i read a bit of the comics and there is a pervading sense of doom throughout. this is something that telltale has nailed, without being overbearing about it. the doom and despair are subtle until you notice it and then you realize just how crazy things have gotten. i keep thinking back to episode 2, when you arrive on the farm, things don't seem quite right, but you can almost chalk that up to the fact that you're playing a zombie game and your nerves are getting the better of you. but as you play the sense of foreboding intensifies until it erupts into the pure insanity and depravity that marks the main arc of that chapter. but when you look back at it from outside the immersion, you realize that the sense of foreboding was engineered into the game from the beginning. it is this ability to write in highs and lows that transition seamlessly from order to chaos, and from normality to tragedy, in an instant and that can ramp up and down in the span of a single scene. it's a rollercoaster from start to finish, and one that you will want to ride again and again, 10/10.[/COLOR]


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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?349-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Out-of-Time <![CDATA[Panic at the Reaper's Corner]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?348-Panic-at-the-Reaper-s-Corner Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:52:47 GMT [FONT=verdana][COLOR=#add8e6]WHOAH!!! it got awfully dusty here in the corner. well, after a short hiatus (i think i spelled that right (GOOOOOOGLE!!!!)) i'm back. i think i'll call this Season 2, because i always write a lot of blogs and then take a break. so my whole body of work before this is Season 1, and now we begin again.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=verdana][COLOR=#add8e6]well, that's enough of that, on to the review. today i am reviewing... Release the Panic by RED. yeah, i bet you thought this would be a Panic at the Disco album review huh? (are they still releasing album? i never listened to them.) so it was almost two years exactly since their last release that REDs latest musical offering was released, and being the diligent fan i am, exactly a year later that i stumbled across it (two days ago). i already slapped my own wrist. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=verdana][COLOR=#add8e6]so, a little history on RED. they formed in 2004 and worked for about two years before releasing their first album The End of Silence. TES was a reasonably solid debut album, though it sounded infuriatingly like a Linkin Park album. sounding like Linkin Park wasn't the infuriating part, it was that there was so much more potential there that just a Linkin Park sound alike. despite that one downside, it was a decent album. they differed from the LP sound enough to display the raw talent to shine and stand out from other generic rock bands. then in '08 came Innocence and Instinct, which, as far as i'm concened, was their real debut album. i consider TES to be like a practice album, because on I&I they abandoned the cheap Linkin Park cover sound and really started to feel out their own sound. in 2010 they explored a slightly harder sound balanced with some beautiful ballads when they released Until We Have Faces. this was a solidifying of their core sound. now, while none of those albums were perfect tens, they all fell into the 8-9 range. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=verdana][COLOR=#add8e6]now a bit about their style. RED is a rock band, first and foremost, but what kind of stands out in their sound is the very ambient sound that pervades their albums. in every song, the tone isn't so much set by the music but by a kind of background music that flows below the surface and brings the action in the forefront into a much sharper focus. it's kind of like a good movie, if you watch a movie without any kind of background music, the movie feels empty, with a lot of empty sound, but a good movie will have background music that you don't even notice until you look for it, instead it blends into the scene as a natural organic part of the movie. in much the same way, RED lays ambient tracks in all their songs that really adds life to the rock. of course a lot of bands will do something similar by adding extra sound to the song, but the difference in RED is that the ambient music sound totally natural, it flows with the songs rises and falls throughout the albums, and really adds to the experience instead of sounding like just another instrument.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=verdana][COLOR=#add8e6]now for the album itself. this album takes what they solidified in Faces, and starts to expand on it. Faces added an action movie quality to the album, and Release takes that qualitiy and adds groove to the mix. this album kind of embodies the concept "slow is smooth, smooth is fast." they're not setting any speed records on this record, but at the same time, where the other albums would wind down on ballads, this album paces the ballads so there is no break on the flow. you always feel like you are making progress through the album, which is good since i wound up skipping songs on every other album because everything would just grind to a halt in the middle of the album. it's kind of hard to describe accurately how disconcerting it is to have an album that's moving along and then just stops for a piano ballad. there's nothing wrong with a piano ballad, but you definitely don't want to just drop a 5 minute one in the middle of an album with songs averageing 3.5-4 minutes. it just kills the pace. so, while there are several ballads on this album, they don't just stop the whole album for five minutes, they have enough pick up to carry through and connect to the next song. also, all of the songs have a better length and flow to them. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=verdana][COLOR=#add8e6]on their past albums, some of their songs either sounded too short and rushed, or too long and slow. they fixed that on this album, most of the songs hover around 3 minute mark, but they all feel organic and smooth. none of the songs exceed four and a half minutes, but none of them sound too short or long, so the change is very welcome. so, now i'll go ahead and talk about the songs. Release the Panic is the album opener. it starts with a build up and then flares. the opener is a solid rock song, that sets the tone to the rest of the album and lends a bit of groove to get us going. some of the songs have a more classic rock feel to them, but this just adds some variety. then there are songs like Die for You, which have a dance floor groove to them. RED kicks itt into high gear with songs like Damage, which is one of the heavier songs on the album. keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between heavy and hard, Damage isn't fast, but it has a darker tone and the music pulses rather than rocks. then there are the ballads. unlike Becoming the Archetype, where the instrumentals act as a sort of port in the storm of the adrenaline fueled music, the ballads here act as an ebb in the tide. it pulls the album back enough to allow you to follow it without significantly dropping the pace. some rock albums keep up the same breakneck paceing all the way through, and you kind of lose the tracks, each blurring into the next, and you can't follow where the album is going or what is trying to be communicated, but RED has never had that problem. instead, their problem has always been (as previously stated) halting the album in the middle and having to build momentum all over again. they mercifully avoid that here and you can just coast along the whole way without having to make a conscious effort to continue forth. as always the lyrics focus on man's struggle against himself, the things we do to sabotage ourselves, and our failings to God. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=verdana][COLOR=#add8e6]over all, this is a very listenable album. while previous efforts have had gems that were placed together somewhat poorly, here the album manages to keep the attention of the listener the whole way through. while certainly not the best rock album i've ever heard, it is a very commendable effort and one that i'll be listening to for quite some time. 9/10

[video=youtube;KQjOK3e5sCU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQjOK3e5sCU[/video]

for more videos, check out my blog page at [URL="http://www.reapers-corner.blogspot.com"]www.reapers-corner.blogspot.com[/URL][/COLOR][/FONT]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?348-Panic-at-the-Reaper-s-Corner <![CDATA[Around Every Reaper's Corner]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?344-Around-Every-Reaper-s-Corner Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:48:42 GMT [COLOR=#cfe2f3]that's right chilluns, the new walking dead has hit the interwebs, and it's like a roller coaster of awesome. outside of story, not much has changed from the third chapter, but i still feel that it deserves some space on the blogosphere.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]wow, that's all i can really say. the story in this chapter is def one of the best yet, i don't know how, but somehow the writers keep managing to out do themselves. it's really amazing, when you get to the end, everything you've done to that comes to a head and completely alters the makeup of the game you'll be playing in the final chapter. maybe i'm just a walking dead nut, but i absolutely love the writing here. being a fan of the show, i love anything that gives back story and axpands the universe of the story, one of the reason i love dead space.[/COLOR]
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[LEFT][COLOR=#cfe2f3]this chapter doesn't really wrap up any story threads, instead it inserts a new scenario that introduces the character to the depths of human depravity, and the depths to which men will sink to ensure their own posterity. remember episode two? something like that on a grander scale. i won't say anymore, but while the event's in this chapter dealing with that subject aren't as outright shocking, you get the sense of it's scale as you progress through the game. every new detail uncovered stacks on the detail before. you also build your relationships to lead into the season finale. this episode doesn't progress the main story line by much, nor does it deal with the man on the radio, but it does build to the finale. all of the interactions work to establish the frame of mind that leads to the events of the final 15 minutes. [/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]
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[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]the gameplay is pretty much the same in this one as in the third chapter, certain aspects were expanded upon and worked in better, like the first person shooting sections, no movement, but you do aim down the sights and put down a small, but vicious, horde. this chapter more than any other requires quick reflexes and tight control. i had to go back over a couple of sections simply because i was asleep at the wheel. [/COLOR]
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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]ooo, who's that? play the game and find out. the only thing that really dissapointed me was that they didn't have a "next time" reel at the end. of course, there has been a patch release since, so it may have changed, but i was kind of sad about that. great story, fun engaging gameplay, this chapter gets a 10/10.

for more, check out [COLOR=#cfe2f3][URL]http://reapers-corner.blogspot.com/[/URL][/COLOR] and also [URL]http://unacceptableentertainment.blogspot.com/[/URL][COLOR=#cfe2f3][/COLOR][/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?344-Around-Every-Reaper-s-Corner <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner gets Dusty]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?342-Reaper-s-Corner-gets-Dusty Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:28:14 GMT [COLOR=#cfe2f3]i don't really have a clever thing to roll off of this title, so i'll just say: Dust 514. anyone who's into sci fi shooter, knows what Dust 514 is. anyone who is into EVE Online knows what Dust 514 is. if you don't fal into either category, you may not know, so break out your pen and paper, class is in session.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]ok, so Dust isn't actually out yet, but your friendly neighborhood reaper, being the pimp mac daddy i am, managed to get access to the closed beta. that's right, i was scrolling through my games and noticed it sitting there randomly with no idea how it got there. cause i'm a pimp and devs just through this stuff at me. i wish there was an eye roll smiley on here. so, i originally heard about Dust like, a really long time ago, and haven't really heard anything since, so imagine my surprise to find that i had apparently registered myself a long time ago for the closed beta. i love when i do things without telling myself. unfortunately the rest of the reaper crew does not have a PS3, and so they will not be able to join me in this giant sack of awesome. that's right, a sack. of awesome.[/COLOR]
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[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]so, i've been into shooters for quite some time, but lately the standard call of duty formula just isn't doing it for me. i've been more into stuff like ME3, GR:FS, Operation Flashpoint, Operation Racoon City, etc. but, while those are great, they each have their flaws: ME3 isn't a hardcore shooter, i can't seem to get into the multi for GR:FS, no one really plays any of the Flashpoint games (even though they're awesome) and Racoon City, while still pretty enjoyable, is only a somewhat mediocre game. i know, right, beggars can't be choosers, which is why i haven't been complaining to this point, but i have been wanting something a little... more. enter Dust. Dust is a spin off of the MMO EVE Online, but it's not your standard spinoff. most spinoffs are standalone projects that have no real connection with the original IP, other than name and overall universe. this however has direct interaction with EVE Online. Dust players will have the option to join one of several space faring corporations, which can then be deployed by players in EVE in real time, to fight over resources on planets spanning the galaxy, with Eve players being able to provide orbital fire support, in real time, to Dust players in the heat of battle. it is one giant persistent universe, where people interact across platforms and games to effect events that touch thousands of players. pretty cool huh?[/COLOR]
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[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]keep in mind, this is still in beta form, but even now the game is deep. really deep. i don't know that you can get much deeper in this game unless you dig a hole dig a hole dig a hole. the RPG elements are stellar. you can buy whatever you want, but unless you have built up the requisite skill level, you can't use it. you have to have dropsuits, which are sets of armor, in order to participate in battles. there are different levels of gear: militia is the worst, but it's infinite, you buy one, i don't need anymore, so you don't have to worry about running out of supplies. at this point i should probably explain, you play as a soldier who transfers conciousness, once dead, to a clone. that clone requires a whole new set of equipment to go into battle, thus you face a logistical nightmare. i have built up my favorite class by combining the best equipment i can in such a way that it supports my play style, and there is no feeling like haveing a bad round and watching the number of deployable units you have in that class plumet. there are four class of dropsuit: Assault, Logistic, Recon, and Heavy, and it looks like more are going to be in the final product. assault is your typical well rounded dropsuit that can be enhanced anyway you choose to suit your play style, jack of all trades, master of none. logistic is what it sounds like, it has a heavy focus on supply, you get one wepon, and two supply options. recon has a focus on mobility, being fast, but lightly armored makes them great for range, or if you throw some extra armor on there, use them as a fast assault. heavy is what it sounds, heavy. lots of armor, takes a beating, like walking in molassess, tank it up with more armor and give it something that hits heavy like a shotty, or a rocket launcher, and you got a beast. it typically takes about two guys to drop me in my heavy class. of course, then you have to make sure that you've got plenty of your other supplies, like guns, grenade sets, dropsuit mods, etc. it takes a lot of planning and work to keep you in the fight, but man is it fun.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]the logistics aspect adds a whole new level to the game, you have to buy supplies to keep fighting and while 100K+ for a battle sounds like a lot, it's put into perspective when you realize that picking up 30 of your favorite rifle will set you back by half that. stuff ain't cheap, which is why it's good to diversify. it pays to buy different equipment specific to the mission at hand. i'll give you an example of two of my classes. Assault: GEK rifle (powerful, high rate of fire, no zoom, heavy, high power consumption), Breach SMG (low rate of fire, powerful, low MAGAZINE size (rusty), low weight, low power), 2 sheild extender (gives more HP to your sheild), 2 sprint recharge, nanohive (refills ammo and grenades when deployed). the assault is mobile, powerful, and good for engaging targets at close range. Operator: Tactical Assault Rifle (single shot, very powerful, low zoom, low magazine size), a (i can't remember the name of it but it is a very powerful) SMG (high mag capacity, very powerful, high rate of fire low power, low weight) sheild extender, sheild recharger (increases the rate of recharge), armor plate (increases armor), armor repair (repairs armor over time), nanoinjector (medkit). the operator is best deployed at mid range, but is formidable at close range. when i'm moving from one location to another, one objective to another, i like to use my operator class, when i'm going to be in close quarters, i like to use my assault class. it's a tradeoff.[/COLOR]


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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]then there's vehicles. so far i've seen a tank, a jeep, and a drop ship. there's also some kind of mother ship that hovers over the battle field on some game types, but you can't pilot those. the vehicles, especially the dropships, offer a different play to the game. you can fly high above the battlefield, and then you and some buddies can just drop in on the enemy. it kind of reminds me of MAG the way some of the vehicles are worked into the game, and the way you can interact with them. there looks to be more types and models coming, but i don't know for sure. the controls are also a little odd for vehicles, something i hope they fix, but then it is still a beta. vehicles are a nice touch, but at the moment they just feel kind of tacked on. if they can really integrate vehicles into the equation and make them an integral part of combat, they will work nice, but for now they are forgettable and, in some cases just feel kind of cheap. another aspect is bunkers and turrets. there are several different kinds of turrets ranging from rail cannon, to anti-air, to anti vehicular. if played right, they are a force multiplier, but no one really knows what to do with them, or how to combat them.which brings me to another thing: the learning curve is steep. like that first step is a ten foot drop steep. there is a lot here, and it's very complicated. i watched an egoraptor video that said good games should teach you through doing, and then he busted out megaman, which is elegantly simple. sure it worked for megaman, because that didn't need anything complicated, but this could really use a new guy tutorial. sure there are little messages that pop up when you enter a new menu area that tell you kind of what that area is for, but they need a short tutorial to help show people how to really use that area and how it impacts your game.[/COLOR]


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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]all in all though, it's still a beta. they have some work to do still before release, there are bugs and glitches and what-not, but overall it's fun. assuming they fix what's wrong, this is going to be the game for shooter fans who want something deeper than the call of duty experience. this is not a full release, so it doesn't get a review, but i will say this, play it. if you've got beta access, go play, if you don't, it's free to play, so you're not out anything if it turns out you don't like it.

check out my [/COLOR][URL="http://reapers-corner.blogspot.com/2012/09/reapers-corner-gets-dusty.html"][COLOR=#00ff00]blog site[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#cfe2f3] for bonus video material on Dust 514, and to see what else the RC crew is up to.[/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?342-Reaper-s-Corner-gets-Dusty <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner on the Long Road]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?341-Reaper-s-Corner-on-the-Long-Road Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:28:04 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]busy busy busy, seems like i'm doing a lot of posting here.

[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]that's right kids, the new walking dead episode has hit consoles and and digital distribution sources everywhere. The Walking Dead: The Long Road is yet another new chapter in the slowly-becoming-epic saga of lee everet and clementine as they try to make their way in this brave new world. so episode 1 A New Day followed lee through the outbreak, episode 2 Starved For Help watched our slowly expanding crew get a little smaller and fight for their survival against the living and living dead alike, while episode 3 takes us on the road as our heroes finally flee macon and make their way to savannah and the expected salvation there.
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so, this episode picks up fairly quick after the last one left off. the gap between episodes 1 & 2 was a span of several months, not so here. at the end of episode 2 our heroes find some supplies that looks to tide them over for a little while. well, now they're out scavenging for supplies again, and that's where we catch up with them. lee and kenny are strolling the streets of macon having a leisurly chat and going to the pharmacy from episode one, which looks a little worse for wear than the last time we saw it, looking for medicine and food. we get a little toe in the water, you know, a warm up exercise, and walk around looking at stuff, trying to figure out how to get over a semi-truck. and that's when the "fun" starts.[/COLOR]
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[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]F is for fire that burns down the whole town[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#cfe2f3]U is for uranium... bomb[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#cfe2f3]N is for no survivors[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]decisions, decisions, decisions, this game should be called decisions, because that's what it's all about. right off the bat, they throw you into making one of the hardest decisions you've had to make up to this point. so far, most of the decisions you've had to make have had pretty clear ramifications, not only that, they've fallen pretty squarely on one side of "the line" or the other, depending on where you draw that line. this decision, however, is much more ambiguous, if it had come up one episode earlier, the answer would have been obvious, but now it's not nearly so cut and dry. funny how the end of the world can do that to you. and this is just the first of many, the whole game is decisions like that, flying by the seat of your pants, praying you're right, probably being wrong, it's kind of nerve wracking. the best chapter so far. [/COLOR]

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[COLOR=#cfe2f3]so, every episode gets a little more dynamic and deeper than the previous. in previous episodes, you got to kind of point and shoot a gun a little, but here you actually get to take aim and engage. granted, you don't have any real control over the character, but you do get to actually engage the enemy in a more traditional shoot out. other than that, the gameplay is still the same, just... more. here's an example: at one point you have to get a map, but the only way to do that is to get another character to move. in the past, there would've been something you did to that character, or for that character to get him to move, but here you have to do something for another character wich opens up another option with the first character and allows you to retrieve the map. the game has become more convoluted, more complex, requireing more thought. the more time you are with these survivors, the more you become entangled with them, the harder decisions become.[/COLOR]

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[LEFT][COLOR=#cfe2f3]again, this game all comes down to the decisions. this is a nasty piece of writing that will leave you questioning whether you really want to get the next chapter... untill you see "next time on the walking dead" then you say, "i can't %&*$&$*&% wait." oh yeah. this is some of the best writing i've seen in a game. there are some examples throughout history that are better, but not many. i give this episode a 10/10.[/COLOR]
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[COLOR=#add8e6]check out the bonus videos on my [/COLOR][URL="http://reapers-corner.blogspot.com/2012/09/reapers-corner-on-long-road.html"][COLOR=#00ff00]blog site[/COLOR][/URL]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?341-Reaper-s-Corner-on-the-Long-Road <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner and The Siren]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?340-Reaper-s-Corner-and-The-Siren Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:41:26 GMT [LEFT][COLOR=#cfe2f3]so, i recently checked out Wait For The Siren by Project 86. there's a reason i own their entire catalogue. P86 is, in my eyes, one of the most highly underrated bands ever. a decade and a half after n sync and and P86 is still going strong. back in the mid 90's, people were all about the latest and greatest corporate pop band to crop up, but no one was talking about the band that's still doing it after all the others have come and gone. thats because good music and musical talent has staying power. i still listen to Truthless Heros on a pretty regular basis (one of their most criticized albums, but one of my favorites). but i'm not here to talk about the past, i'm here to talk about the now, and now we have Wait For The Siren.[/COLOR]
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[LEFT][COLOR=#cfe2f3]andrew schwab is irish. at least partly, and between the last album and this one, he spent a lot of time figuring that out. he was, clearly, inspired by his new found heritage and that inspiration shines through in his music. in most P86 albums, with hindsight and a clear understanding of their previous works you can see where they came from. this is especially true going from Truthless Heros to Picket Fence Cartel, in every successive album you can see traces of where that album came from in the previous album. this one kinda came out of left field. this one is all over the place, i can't even begin to predict where this one will go next. but it still fits the pattern somewhat, certain aspects that were experimental in Picket Fence Cartel are more prevalent here, but for the most part, this album is just new.
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[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]that's not to say that it doesn't sound like P86. in each album, their sound grows and changes, just like a person as they mature. somehow, some bands manage to keep their personal growth out of their music (why i don't know) but P86s personal growth is displayed in their music. changes in the lineup are certainly somewhat obvious, but all new comers keep that P86 sound while adding to the heritage. it's kind of like a skillet, each new thing you cook adds to the flavors imparted by the skillet. each new band member adds his own little flavor to the sound, but they keep the P86 sound. this album is obviously P86, from the opening notes, to the closing instrumental, this is unidentifiable as anything but P86.[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]

[/COLOR][COLOR=#cfe2f3]so, so far i've pretty much been gushing about P86, and how awesome they are, and how much i love them, and how they're music is some of the deepest ever... but i haven't really talked about the album yet. so the album starts with Fall Goliath Fall, an anthemic rock song that leads with irish overtones and leaves a scene of a war camp in the mind. it's a great opener, lot's of energy, really builds up to the rest of the album. this album is one of the heaviest albums P86 has ever written, yet also one of the softest. they tend to play to extremes on this one: heavy or ballad. there are like 1 or 2 songs that land in between, but the rest kind of go to extremes. the heavy songs have a nice flow to them, they have that classic P86 beat but with a very fluid motion through the song. it feels very natural. there are also guests on the album, guys like Bruce Fitzhugh of Living Sacrifice fame and Head of Love and Death. the only problem is that the guest vox simply aren't given time to show why they were asked to contribute. they have a couple of lines in each of their respective songs, and that's it. it would be nice if on Crossfire Gambit we got to hear some more of Head, or more Fitzhugh on SOTS.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#cfe2f3]on Picket Fence Cartel,Schwab tried something a little new for him: singing. on Siren, the singing makes a reappearance with gusto. whereas on the last album, it was very tenuous and experimental, very iffy, good but uncertain, here the singing is confident, forceful, and clear. he brings a new presence to his vocals from his standard yelling, to a much softer, but just powerful ballad style singing, his vocals carry a weight that wasn't as present in previous albums, like a new found wisdom that guides him at just the right moment to switch styles. its like a sledgehammer in the way it slams your ears with awesomeness. the ballads have a special power in this album. with most heavy bands, ballads are thrown in almost as an after thought, kind of a, "look, we can be deep and contemplative" type of deal. not so with P86, every ballad is strategically placed to manage the ebb and flo of the album. it's like waves, you get these torrents of fast paced hardcore rock, followed by gentle eddies of softer ballads. it's and experience for sure. and every ballad fits where it lands, it's not like "let's make some ballads and throw them in at these places," every ballad fits to follow and precede the songs around it.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#cfe2f3]probably my favorite songs are Fall Goliath Fall, New Transmission, Crossfire Gambit, Ghosts of Easter Rising, and Take the Hill, although it's really hard to pick just a few. this is probably one of their best albums. it's well written, well organized, well recorded, it's like it hit a nexus point in making an album where all the aspects of releasing an album converged on excellent. a lott of albums will only hit one of them, but this is one of the few that is just downright excellent. i can only think of a couple of albums that reach this level: Mmhmm by Relient K, Blast Tyrant by Clutch, Celectial Completion by Becoming the Archetype, Haunted Horse by Neon Horse, and In Shallow Seas We Sail by Emery. very few albums reach this level. unfortunately, the guest vox kind of bring it down a little. if they had left the guest vox out it would be a perfect 10, but because they give you a taste of something else but kind of cut it off at the knees, instead of really showcasing the guest vox the way such heavy hitters of the industry should be, it cost the album. but it is still my pleasure to give it a 9/10

[video=youtube;usZDw9c0iQM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usZDw9c0iQM[/video]

also, check out my [/COLOR][URL="http://reapers-corner.blogspot.com/"][COLOR=#00ff00]blog site [/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#cfe2f3]for an extra vid of a P86 interview.[/COLOR][/LEFT]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?340-Reaper-s-Corner-and-The-Siren <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner is Moving... Sort of]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?339-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Moving-Sort-of Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:46:34 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]i used to have a lot more blogs and reviews and whatnot than this, but it was on another site, and then that site was taken down. obviously, this was rather dissapointing to me, and while KC has said that this site will be staying up, i still feel it prudent to collect all of my material to an independent location. thus, i have moved to blogspot.com. (the last dot is a period) never fear, i will still be posting here, i will just be posting to my blogspot location as well. a little double duty, but i have already tdiscovered that copy and paste holds format and whatnot so it will be simple. i will also be posting non-review material to the blogspot that will not be posted here, so for more writing from me, check it out. for the next few days i will be moving stuff there, and then i've got a review coming (which will also be posted here) and a simple blog post (not posted here).

the site is [URL="http://reapers-corner.blogspot.com/"]reapers-corner.blogspot.com[/URL] . apparently someone named jake already used reaperscorner once, to post how awesome he was at call of duty, in 2005, what a jerk. anyhow, check me out.[/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?339-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Moving-Sort-of <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner VS The Blast Tyrant]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?334-Reaper-s-Corner-VS-The-Blast-Tyrant Thu, 12 Jul 2012 20:11:15 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]WHOA!!! it's a music review. been a while. well, i have somewhat recently (in the last few months) that sweet, groovy, dirty southern rock. well, if maylene and the sons of disaster are the best in the realm of southern metal, then Clutch is the best of your good old, vanilla, whiskey on the southern rocks. and my favorite of their albums so far has to be Blast Tyrant's Atlas of the Invisible World Including Illustrations of Strange Beasts And Phantoms. but you can just call it Blast Tyrant.

[IMG]http://www.general-admission.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Clutch-Blast-Tyrant1.jpg[/IMG]

the walking dead is actually what got me into this band, the episode "nebraska" (which should really be called "southern hospitality." who's with me?) ends on the song the regulator. so i was so enamored with the ending to nebraska that i just had to look up that ending song, and sure enough, clutch. incidentely, clutch is a native of my state maryland, out of germantown. i am having a hard time writing this because i'm listening to the album and can't help but dance. that's right, a southern rock album with enough groove to make you dance by the bonfire. this is really my kind of album, and in fact my buddy says "the mob goes wild" makes him think of me because it opens with "Please allow me to adjust my pants, so that i may dance the good time dance, and put the onlookers and innocent bystanders into a trance." yeah, apparently it's the whole pant's thing, and the good time dance. because i do that all the time, and frequently to this album.

i cannot tell you the number of times i've found myself driving down rt 40 smokeing a cigarette and singing along. the album is just plain fun. it's great for parties, bonfires, work, play, really any place you need to listen to something good. and there really aren't any bad songs. the only two that i felt hte album could do without are Ghost and WYSIWYG. ghost felt unnecessary and detracted from the flow of the album, and the album could've ended on (Notes from the trial of) La Curandera, WYSIWYG just felt a little tacked on at the end. WYSIWYG may have been fine elsewhere, but where it is it just doesn't fit. all in all though i love this album. it's just plain good. and humor abounds throughout. pick it up, at a 9/10.

[video=youtube;Z78PjvfCVTQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z78PjvfCVTQ[/video][/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?334-Reaper-s-Corner-VS-The-Blast-Tyrant <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner is Here to Help]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?329-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Here-to-Help Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:37:18 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]and all i ask for in return is a little food. this one is going to be a little short because today i'm reviewing The Walking Dead Episode 2: Starved for Help.

[IMG]http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/reviews/wdvg.jpg[/IMG]

clearly, since this is episode two, the gameplay is the same, so i don't really need to spend any time on that... except that i do. this episode is much more action intensive than episode 1. i love that they're doing the episodic release, because it really allows them to tighten the controls. the action sequences are much more involved than ep1. in ep 1, the action consisted largely of the d-pad and the reticle. now, however, the action ranges from the expected d-pad/reticle commands, to engaging the target with the left stick, moving backwards out of danger, running to an objective before it's too late, and beating the piss out of a dude with the old left right combo. stick the dismount.

[IMG]http://evictorynews.com/blog/folder/4203.jpg[/IMG]

then there's the story. holy crap. wow. it's hard to talk about the story because i don't want to spoil it, and the story is so rich that it's hard to just scratch the surface. the writing for this ep is phenomenal. the same writing you loved in the show, shows up here. the same deep character development, the twisting, ever changing alliances, the hard decisions, it's all there. you really get a sense of how your decisions in the past effect your future. here's an example: in episode one, i went to help shawn instead of duck, in episode two, i expressed concern for duck and kaatja to kenny, and he held that against me. a decision from episode one effeted my relationship with this character, and will continue to effect my relationship with him as long as we are together.

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the story is genuinely shocking too. i got the sense there was something off right away, but i didn't realize how truly FUBAR things were in the story until well into halfway through. and there's a point where you figure out what's really going on, but it isn't until you actually confront the situation that it really impacts you. it spoke to me on several levels, one about the lengths people will go to to ensure their own survival, then the emotional toll of dealing with people that have fallen to that point, and finally that the cost of safe guarding your humanity is often higher than most are truly willing to pay. i felt it was a deep and impactful story. there were moments of me sitting in my apartment, legs tucked tight to my abdomen, perring fearfully over my controller, not because the game was terrifying, but because the atmosphere was oppressive and nerve wracking and i was actually dreading what i would find around every corner. there weren't even really any twitch scares, i just dreadedadvancing through the story because i knew what i would find, and i didn't want to deal with that.

sometimes i looked like this
[IMG]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3199/2713239166_b06fd67570.jpg[/IMG]

so, i ran on a little longer than i intended (sue me (not really (that would make me sad (a sad panda)))) but i just got going and couldn't stop. if you tried the demo and didn't like it, don't bother getting this chapter as you still won't like the gameplay. if you want the story, i'm sure someone has uploaded it onto youtube by now (i would at least suggest that as the story is still amazing). i loved that game and now that episode 2 came out, i will be constantly checking the store for episode 3. be forewarned, this episode is also considerably more gorey than the last one as well, but if you like the walking dead, this should really be a non issue (you're into freaking zombies! gore? really?). i give this game 10 [/COLOR][URL="http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/27/2871098/mes-report-eugene-had-no-drugs.html"][COLOR=#00ff00]face-eating-zombies-who-weren't-actually-on-bath-salts-after-all[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6] out of 10[/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?329-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Here-to-Help <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner in Defiance]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?317-Reaper-s-Corner-in-Defiance Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:21:28 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]as i have mentioned in previous entries of my blog, i am a metal head. i have not, however, gone into the details of my transformation into the realm of scorching guitar riffs, bone shattering drumming, intestine liquifying bass lines, and near demonic sounding vocals. when i was in high school, a friend happened upon a song called "infected" by Demon Hunter (cool band name huh?) and showed me this song over school computers (seems unreal huh?). i was hooked. i started scouring the internets for info on this band and came up with the following: at that time they had just released their third album, they were (and still are) a Christian metal band (at the time i was searching for my faith and was shocked that this band was Christian), and they were blowing my mind. the triptych, their third, was hailed as their best but i still contend to this day that their self titled was some of their most intense and brutal work to date. Demon Hunter introduced me to [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kl4hJ4j48s"][COLOR=#00ff00]a whole new world[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#00ff00] [/COLOR][COLOR=#add8e6]full of towering giants of the genre like living sacrifice, the godfathers of progressive metal, and zao, without whome the scene would look dramatically different. but i still have a special place in my heart for my first spikey, leathered, death metal love, and so despite my being somewhat dissapointed with their fourth and fifth albums, i continue to follow their releases, even if with somewhat less fervor than i did some years ago, and i buy their albums whenever i find myself available to do so.

to be sure, "storm the gates of hell," and "the world is a thorn," (4 & 5 respectively) weren't bad albums, they just weren't up to snuff with their previous works, however, True Defiance, their latest entry into the genre, is a gargoyle of a different color. in all five of their previous albums ryan clarks lyrics, while somewhat heartfelt and personal, always seemed to step on eggshells. it was like he never would come out and say what he was thinking, he would leave little hints and make you guys. without a doubt, his writing skills are excellent, every word has a place and fits in the puzzle quite nicely, but his lyrics have still been puzzles. you have to twist and turn the song and look at it from seemingly odd angles to get what you think he's really saying, but even then you're not sure if you've got it, or are over/under-analyzing it. well, that's a little different in this album: he maintains a lot of his poeticism, but now he speaks more directly. he started to show a little of this in the world is a thorn, but here his directness is much more apparent, and very refreshing. instead of crafting lyrics for the song, you can really feel him speaking from the mic, the words don't feel like fluff, filler, or simply an instrument to complete the sound, his words carry weight.

the music on their [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZa_UMCmAOE"][COLOR=#00ff00]first album[/COLOR][/URL] [COLOR=#00ff00][/COLOR][COLOR=#add8e6]was definitely their most brutal, but this album is pretty good too, definitely some of their best work since [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrpngwZE3yw&feature=related"][COLOR=#00ff00]the triptych[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6]. in STGOH the songs felt very cookie cutter, not as fluid as their previous work. they rectified this a little in TWIAT but True Defiance really has the flow that they seem to have lost. this is also some of their most moshable music to date. check out one of the tracks off of this album:

[video=youtube;l76unGjRtBs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l76unGjRtBs&feature=related[/video]

i am definitely enjoying this album. it's not as mind bendingly brutal as their self titled, but it's still a lot of fun, 9/10.[/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?317-Reaper-s-Corner-in-Defiance <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner Enjoys its Chemical Burns]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?305-Reaper-s-Corner-Enjoys-its-Chemical-Burns Thu, 24 May 2012 19:50:46 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]strange name, yes, but follow me here. anyone who was a fan of korn during the "follow the leader" era is undoubtedly familiar with one brian "head" welch. well soon after "take a look in the mirror" head found Jesus and left korn, at which point they proceded to suck. my conclusion was that head was the reason korn sounded so awesome, so i decided to keep an eye on him (it kind of helps that i too am a Christian). then head released a solo album called "save me from myself" which served to confirm that the source of korns original greatness was in fact head. it is in fat one of my favorite albums. well it seems that head is tired of the whole solo thing because he is now in a brand spanking new band called Love and Death, and they have released a new ep called Chemicals (took a while but i got there).

[IMG]http://www.theprp.com/wp-content/uploads/loveanddeathchemicals.jpg[/IMG]

i know right? sick cover art. so if you aren't familiar with head, first check out [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M-BUty4vb8"][COLOR=#00ff00]korn[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6] (proly their most famous song) or[/COLOR][COLOR=#00ff00] [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eTauMRc92U"][COLOR=#00ff00]korn[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#00ff00] [/COLOR][COLOR=#add8e6](proly one of my favorite songs from them) then some of his [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-kU1uQ9zAA"][COLOR=#00ff00]solo[/COLOR][/URL] [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_2-Dn_xIc8&feature=related"][COLOR=#00ff00]work[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6]. head's writing is dark and twisted, no matter the message. if you ignore the lyrics his music can give you nightmares. but, i'm not here to talk about his solo work, i'm here to talk about his new band and their new ep.

in october of last year, head released a single called [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVgOg3jibTU"][COLOR=#00ff00]Paralyzed[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6] as a part of his solo career. in april, that song was included on the Love and Death ep since, i assume, that is who appears in the video. above you will find the music video. it is a great track to open with since it has energy, and fans of head will already be familiar wih it.

next is LaDs cover of devos [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBR-ZHDeosM"][COLOR=#00ff00]whip it[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6]. i like the cover better but i'll let you make your own decision on that. here's the [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbt30UnzRWw"][COLOR=#00ff00]original[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6] for comparison.

now for the star of the ep, [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CvKap2rY2k"][COLOR=#00ff00]chemicals[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6]. chemicals, in case you can't tell is a song about drugs, or rather addiction. head struggled with addiction during his time with korn and when he gave his life to Christ he stopped cold turkey. now a lot of his songs deal with that aspect of his life and the problems it caused him and getting clean. lyrics and message aside, the song is amazing.

some of you may know who har meggido is (i never actually heard of him until this ep) but wether you have or not, you will now. har meggido did remixes of [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuHqRZPN_oQ"][COLOR=#00ff00]paralyzed[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6] and [/COLOR][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoMmsrmF7xc"][COLOR=#00ff00]chemicals[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#add8e6]. one is above, the other will follow.

i actually like the remixes better, there is just something sick about them. regardless, this isn't actually a review, since this isn't a full album, it's more of an introduction to this awesome band, and their new ep which hopefull will lead to a fat new album.[/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?305-Reaper-s-Corner-Enjoys-its-Chemical-Burns <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner Sets Up Shop in Atlanta]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?293-Reaper-s-Corner-Sets-Up-Shop-in-Atlanta Wed, 09 May 2012 14:50:08 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]INK!!!!!!!!!! ok not quite. so i recently downloaded The Walking Dead Episode 1 fromthe PSN store and i have to say, i am enjoying it. let me clarify real quick, Telltale Games has bought the rights to The Walking Dead video game, and episode 1 is out now. you can buy episodes as they come out or you can preorder the whole season at once and download them when they are released every month. i preordered the whole season. my guess is that unless you've played the game you won't get why i screamed ink at the beginning. you play through the game as Lee Everett, convicted murderer on his way to prison (sound familiar yet?) and you escape when the outbreak swings full tilt. fortunately, lee is a good guy, so you clearly aren't the cause of the outbreak, nor are you king of the zombies. you do, however, fight seceral zombies in a very walking dead way.

[IMG]http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/mar12/pd2.jpg[/IMG]

so, i'm really not sure what this would be classified as, i mean, i guess it's kind of an action game, but the character development and interaction is more like a rpg, but it's not an action/rpg, it's kind of this weird story telling experience, but still really awesome. a lot of the game is scripted events, but that's ok because it works in the control scheme. you look around using this reticle on the screen and there are a lot of things in the environment that you can interact with, so when you are walking around, or in some scriptecd events, you can interact with the environment. the reticle looks like thae d-pad and, surprise surprise, the directions on the reticle correspond to directions on the d-pad, and to the button layout on the controller. so you put your reticle over something and you get certain options: look at hte item will be up, interact with the object will be down, and interacting with the object using other objects you've found will be either left or right or, in the case of multiple items, both. you move the reticle with the right stick and move lee with the left stick.

[IMG]http://cdn.ientry.com/sites/webpronews/pictures/walkingdeadgame_616.jpg[/IMG]

combat is done through quicktime events. as a zed crawls towards you, you have to look around for a weapon, you see a shotgun, you pick it up, zed is getting closer, you need a shotgun shell, you look around and find one, you pick it up, you load it, zed is getting closer, you drop the shell, you pick it up, you put it in, zed is bearing down on you, you rack the slide, you find zed in your reticle and engage, you blow zeds head off. zed is crawling up your legs, you center zed in reticle and engage, you kick zed, zed grabs you, quicktime event tap x to close the brackets, then press triangle to break zeds grip. combat isn't about control, it's about lack of control. that's what makes it so stressful, in other games, you can move and strategize, here you are only reacting. rember heavy rain? this is a lot like that in the way it's set up. but this game isn't really about the zombies, or the combat, it's about the people, much like the walking dead show.when you converse with people, you have options, and you have a time limit to pick a choice. you can lie, tell the truth, give the silent treatment, or be aggressive. how you treat people, the alliances you forge, it all comes together to influence how the game unfolds.

[IMG]http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/mar12/wdg1.jpg[/IMG]

so the art style. as you can see in the pics, the visuals are very stylized. there is a definite comic book aesthetic here that was put into all aspects of the game. the camera angles are done brilliantly. if you've ever watched kick ass then you've seen what i'm talking about: all the camera angles are done intentionally to mimic how a frame in a comic book would look. since the original source material was a comic, this aesthetic is very appropriate here, and done very well. all the combat is framed like it would be in a comic, every scene is set up to read like a comic. if you stopped at regular intervals throughout the game and took screen shots, you could make a comic here.

[IMG]http://cultofmac.cultofmaccom.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Screen-Shot-2012-03-21-at-12.08.27-2.jpg[/IMG]

and the whole story is canon. rick wakes up, i think, a month or so after the outbreak begins, well here you are living through it. this story is actually relavent to the story we all know and love from TV/comics (before you get your panties in a wad, the show starts the same as the comics, and that is what this leads to). you meet characters from the show, like glenn, hershel, maybe more. but you start to get an understanding as to why the characters from the show are the way they are.

[IMG]http://horrorhomework.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/The-Walking-Dead.jpg[/IMG]

so, overall i love this game. i can't wait for the rest of the season to be released, as i expect a lot more zombie killing good times. 10/10

Check this out:

[video=youtube;u14YHB_u5D0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14YHB_u5D0[/video][/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?293-Reaper-s-Corner-Sets-Up-Shop-in-Atlanta <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner is Alive]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?288-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Alive Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:21:05 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]no, this isn't a review for WA. it is, instead, a review for a similarly named game: I Am Alive. i heard about this game some time ago as a concept, but i haven't heard anything else about it. i didn't even know it had been released. but i was surfing the playstation store and i saw a banner for this and thought, "hey, i remember reading about that." so i picked it up (well it's dl only so, you know what i mean) and checked it out, and i must say, the apocalypse has never seemed so realistic.

[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/I_Am_Alive_Cover_Art.png[/IMG]

k, so, let's start with some background. at the time the story takes place a year has passed since some worldwide cataclysmic event *cou2012gh*. you aren't told what the event was, but you can pretty much guess from the devestation that it was some kind of massive tectonic shift. like everything suddenly moved to the left about a foot and a half. the story is told through a video camera that the main character, adam, found and brought with him. he chronicles his journey through the destroyed city of haventon as he searches for his wife and daughter, julie and mary respectively. of course, a destroyed city would not be easy to traverse, and so you find yourself climbing ladders, poles, ledges, rubble, swinging precariously over the void, and on occasion, dangling precipitously by one hand.

[IMG]http://media.edge-online.com/files/imagecache/article/articles/news/I_am_alive.jpg[/IMG]

are we having fun yet? so, you run around in third person interacting with stuff and people. you have a gun, but no ammo, but hey, that's really not that big a deal because they don't know that. when i say they, i of course mean the myriad of people who will try to kill you for the few scraps of jerky, soda, and breath mint you have in your pocket. as i played this game i found myself coming back to we're alive over and over again. i think of the mallers, who's sole goal is to look out for number one, and i see them every where. your first encounter is with an old man with a gun. draw down and you're dead since you don't have bullets, and he apparently does. (-1 retry) which reminds me, you have a certain number of retries, you start off with three and you can gain more by finding them, or giving supplies to people, where applicable. i would suggest grabbing all the retries you can since, as i have demonstrated above, you may find yourself in dire need of them if you do not proceed with the utmost caution. moving on, the first encounter you actually have a chance at winning (and can't loose unless you happen to be having an extra slow day) is with some thug with a machete who comes out and threatens you, and demands everything you have. but you don't have any bullets remember? WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! (screen shakes as i yell) well, fortunately for you, the name of the game isn't brute force, it's i-can-bluff-and-position-myself-so-that-i-can-beat-you-with-the-threat-of-force. so you draw and point an empty weapon at your enemy and order him to back up towards the ledge.

possible WA spoiler here
[spoiler]i can't help but think of scratch pulling an empty gun on lizzy and ordering her back. i think there are some differences here, but i don't want this to become a who-did-what argument, so i'll leave well enough alone.[/spoiler]

it's also about maneuvering. here is a quick list of enemies you will face: melee, ranged, heavy. the first two are obvious but the last one is armored. so here's a couple scenarios i found myself in: 1) two ranged, two melee. so one gunman approaches me and pushes at me to intimidate me, while the other gunman flanked by the two thugs are about fifteen feet away. so i do a surprise kill on the first gunman, quick braw the second and put a hole in him, and take care of the other two at my leisure. i cannot tell you how much i felt like raylan givens doing that. all i needed was a cowboy hat. scenario 2) same enemies. this time though it's a melee that approaches. well if you surprise kill the melee, you can quick draw and pop one gunman, but you only have one bullet. you have two bullets, but the second gunman would get off a shot before you could dispatch him. either way it's bad news for you. so you have to continually put distance between you and the thug, all the while working your way towards a gunman. find enclosed a raylan givens moment. scenario 3) one heavy, one ranged, one or more melee. the heavy will always be the one to approach, but you can't quick kill them. so you work your way to a gunman, but you can't just shoot at the heavy, as the armor will stop the rounds, you have to go into precision aim mode and put one in his head. no easy task when he's closing in on you. combat is all about strategy, not brute force. if you go into an encounter guns blazin you will be trying it again.

[IMG]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rt5LMjbuPrw/T194orXpA_I/AAAAAAAAANE/DFr4tfoqIlo/s1600/I-Am-Alive-combat.jpg[/IMG]

so, combat is just one aspect, you also have to get around, but to traverse the city safely, you have to watch your stamina bar. the stamina bar means that you can only climb so long before you weaken and fall into the depths of the city. to help with this, you will find scattered around items that restore stamina. from inhalers, to fruit cocktail, there are all manner of things that will aid you in stamina recovery. you will also find pitons, which you can place in a wall while climbing to give you rest and restore your stamina. running also absorbs stamina, as does heavy physical activity (ie breaking through chains, lifting security gates, etc). there are also several segments of gameplay where you will have to walk around in the dust cloud covering the low sections of the city. as you stand in the dust you will see your stamina decrease and if it runs out you die.

[IMG]http://respawnreload.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/I-Am-Alive-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]

when i think of survivng the apocalypse, this is kind of where i go, something like this. scarce resources, hostile forces, precarious travel arrangements, the whole shebang. the game isn't very long, but for a $15 downloadable title, i am rather satisfied with it. plus i find a lot of replayability here. it was genuine fun traveling through the city of haventon, dispatching thugs along the way and helping those in need. so what's next? fire it up and do it again, better this time. i am alive, are you? 8/10

[IMG]http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/I-Am-Alive-Coming-to-Consoles-as-Downloadable-Title-This-Winter-2.jpg[/IMG][/COLOR]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?288-Reaper-s-Corner-is-Alive <![CDATA[Reaper's Corner of Racoon City]]> https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?285-Reaper-s-Corner-of-Racoon-City Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:03:11 GMT [COLOR=#add8e6]that's right big pimpin's, it is that time again so gather round kiddies as i spin a yarn about racoon city. Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City is the latest installment in the resident evil franchise but instead of an inhouse dev team at capcom, they farmed it out to slant six of SOCOM fame. slant six developed two socom games for the psp (tactical strike, and fireteam bravo 3) and the online only socom confrontation. some people were very worried that the tactical action focused developer would not be able to pull off a good resident evil game, but capcom themselves couldn't pull off re5 so it was hard for me to see how slant six could do much worse. the good news is that i was pleasently surprised when i loaded up this game.

[IMG]http://slantsixgames.com/uploads/03142012/Title.jpg[/IMG]

so there were a lot of complaints about confrontation when it was released, but those were all on the server side (though in an online only game, that's kind of big deal) and slant six's work on the maps and controls was tight and neat. just like in socom con, the controls here are tight, kind of what i imagined playing as an elite military unit in the zombie apocalypse might be like (re5:mad:). ahem, excuse me. so movement is quick, and un-encumbered, the look is responsive, the equipment system, while certainly not traditional to the RE universe, is logical and simple to comprehend, the melee could be better for an action game, but it's most certainly not the worst i've seen. so, let's move down the list: movement. you move at about the same speed in all directions, and it operates just like a standard shooter, you face in a certain direction and you can move along any axis you choose (minus the vertical axis). running is running, nothing special, except that while running you can perform other actions such as diving, tackles, and sprinting into cover. which reminds me, the cover system. the cover system is half decent, sometimes it doesn't work quite right, and sometimes it's hard to find a spot to shoot around the cover, but overall it does it's job with a fair amount of proficiency. looking is, again, standard to any other shooter, but it works and you don't feel like you're swinging through molases to find your target. the equipment system: look at your d-pad, now look at me... jk, so the equipment system is based on the d-pad, left is first aid sprays, down is ant-viral sprays, right is grenades, and up is your special. each character has different abilities that you buy and upgrade with exp that may affect your loadout in different ways. for instance the medic has an ability that let's her carry four first aid sprays when fully upgraded and let's her start with one in her inventory, while the scientist has the same but with anti-viral. those are passive specials, but the explosives expert has an active ability that let's him carry sticky grenades, in adition to his regular grenades, and they recharge so he never really runs out. to switch weapons you use the R2 button on PS3 (not sure on the 360), the problem is that if you are pressing a direction, let's say while evading a zed, and you want to switch weapons, you'll quickturn, definitely not the smartest design feature. but if you hold down the weapon switch you'll do a "quick draw" in which you will draw your sidearm and use the right stick to pick a direction and your character will automatically lock on to an enemy. so that is useful in a pinch. the circle button (i think B on 360) os the melee button. so much like the quickdraw, you just tap the melee button and your character thorws out a flurrie of punches, kicks, and knife strikes, almost looking like breakdancing, and the only thing you really control is the direction that those strikes are aimed. when meleeing, however, you do have the ability to take a zombie sheild, letting you use them as mobile cover until the hail of bullets renders them useless. after taking a sheild you can kick them away (and i would presume into a living enemy) or execute them. you can also use special finishing moves specific to your character. simple, but not the most acurate melee system ever invinted.

[IMG]http://www.popbucket.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ResidentEvilOperationRacoonCityE32011GameplayMovie2.jpg[/IMG]

so, story: you play as one of six umbrella secret service (uss) and go through the missions in a team of four. as stated earlier, each character has special abilities that play to a specific style. for instance, specter has abilities that make him excellent at spotting enemies and finding items. he has two passive abilites that make items and enemies appear on the mini map at increasing distances. he also has three active abilities (though you may only choose one at a time) one is like an active ping and makes all the enemies in range show up on the mini map for all players, great for knowing about what to expect on the other side of a door. the second is thermal vision which lights up living targets like Christmas trees (no zombies, but you can see hunters) and allows you to engage targets like that. the third is sonar vision, which shows all enemies, but also allows you to see through walls, and unfortunately you also lose a fair amount of spatial perception so not only is it difficult to engage targets, but since you can see through walls, you may engage a target that you don't have a physical line to sight to. specter is the one that i've spent the most time with, in case you couldn't tell, but they all have very useful and unique abilities. for instance the medic has a dart gun that can either cure the t virus in a teammate from any distance, or do damage to an infected enemy. the scientist can program infected enemies and make them fight for you. unfortunately the AI doesn't do any of these things, so if you want to get the most bang for your RE buck, you need a good team. but if you have a good team, you can set up for any playstyle you want and the specials and weapons will support you. there are 23 different weapons in the game ranging from assault rifles to SMGs to machine guns to sniper rifles and shotguns. also pistols. however you want to play the game, you can do that, you just have to spend exp to get it. moving on, your team is sent in to retrieve the g-virus from birkin, birkin flips his lid, hilarity ensues. and by hilarity, i mean zombies. :omgomg:. so then your team gets tasked to perform different tasks, and familiar characters from re2-3 make some special appearances including the nemesis. they did make him sound a little gay though. but no worries, it was just good to see the old guy again.

[IMG]http://thewiredfish.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/re-heroes.jpg[/IMG]

multi pits the USS against the US Special Opsin multiple game modes ranging from Biohavard (capture the flag), TDM, and survivors (horde). there is also heros mode which allows you to play as iconic re characters (seen above). it's all 4v4vZ so no matter what you play, you kind of know what you're going to get. it works though, and it's fun.

[IMG]http://evounlimited.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/img_16990_resident-evil-operation-racoon-city-heroes-mode-multiplayer-trailer-2012.jpg[/IMG]

some people complain that there isn't enough horror aspect to it, but i had plenty of "OH S**T" moments. sure it has some bugs to it, but i have to say that i really enjoyed it. the ai could be better, but rocking it with your homees is an absolute blast. a great return to racoon city, 8/10

[/COLOR][IMG]http://www.411mania.com/game_article_pictures/16105.jpg[/IMG]
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]]> reaper239 https://www.forum.werealive.com/entry.php?285-Reaper-s-Corner-of-Racoon-City