What is this... "Fanboyism"?

     Over the past few weeks, the internet has been abuzz (read: "out of its mind") about the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special. Every time I get on Facebook, my news feed has at least one Doctor Who post, sometimes as many as five or six. These range from "Check out this video" to "ZOMGOOGLES A NEW DOCTOR WHO VIDEO! I'M SO EXCITED! AASDFASDGASDFJASKBFASKLCJN!" Today, we're going to talk about the latter...

So... uncool...

What is this... "Hardcore Gamer"?

     While doing some research for an upcoming post, I stumbled upon the urban dictionary definition of what a "Hardcore Gamer" is. At first, I was amused. I'd be the first to say that anything from Urban Dictionary shouldn't be taken seriously, but I actually found myself agreeing with the definition. At least, that is, at first...

*Stereotypical Hardcore Gamer*

What is this... 'Cour'?

     When I watch an anime, I usually don't have anyone to talk to about it. Only a few of my friends watch anime, and they don't watch nearly as much as I do. While watching Attack on Titan over the past few months, I've had the unexpected pleasure of having someone else I know watch it as well. It's been exciting to be able to talk to someone about it, and I've bugged her about "getting caught up" so I can let my inner otaku out and gush about the twists in the story. However, she's not even close to being an "otaku", and so some of the things that are normal in anime strike her as odd. One of these things is the way anime seasons are set up. So, I've decided to lay it out plainly, both for her and anyone else that might be wondering...

So just sit back and pay attention...

'Attack on Titan' Ep. 25: Something's Odd About Those Walls...

     Wow. I just checked the stats for post views and this one has over 29,000 37,000 views! Thanks for all the feedback and discussion! Perhaps it's time to do another summary post...

WAIT A MINUTE!

     The greatest part of speculative discussion is that someone might point out something that I missed, allowing me to either improve or altogether abandon my own theories. However, these Attack on Titan posts have been edited and updated numerous times. They were in desperate need of abridgment, so I've summarized the theories here (WARNING: SPOILERS!):

Click Here! >> "What we can share so far..." << Click Here!

     That said, feel free to read the following post. However, most of these theories have been disputed, so be sure to read the summary post!

     Truth be told, I put this off as long as I could. Episode 25 is the last episode of Attack on Titan, and I really didn't want it to end. I hope this is just the last episode of 'this season', and not 'THE' last episode. Of course, with a cliffhanger like the one they threw out at the end of the episode, I don't know how they can just leave it at that... (Major Spoilers: Up to Episode 25!)

This is the battle we've been waiting for, and it did not disappoint...

On Miyazaki's Retirement...

     Miyazaki has apparently quit before, but from what I've read it's for real this time. He's had health problems and such, so I really can't blame him. What I would like to point out is that he's retiring while he still has the love and adoration of his fanbase. While not everyone liked his latest movie, he didn't quite hit rock bottom... unlike certain other directors I can think of. Although I could praise the brilliance of the works he has created, I don't think anything I say could top this:

     *Manly tears...* Thanks, Siny, for such a beautiful video. Makes me want to go watch a Miyazaki-thon...

'Attack on Titan' Ep. 21: Learning Lessons From Titans...

     After watching episode 20 last week, I found myself in a particularly odd place: do I watch the new episode and enjoy my weekly adrenaline rush dosage, or do I put it off and enjoy that supreme feeling of suspense that I love so much? I put it off for as long as I could but eventually caved. Although, had I known it was going to be so brutal and destroy my emotions I might have put it off a little longer... (Spoiler Warning: up to episode 21.)

'Attack on Titan' Ep. 20: A Fit of Rage Unlike Any Other...

     Never in my entire life have I felt such varied and simultaneous emotions as I did at the end of episode twenty of Attack on Titan. As I've said before, those "To be continued..." screens are absolute killers. I was literally on the edge of my seat, hands over my mouth, waiting as the "camera" panned around the mysterious hooded figure, when...

BAM! DENIED!

     I threw off my headphones (an $80+ piece of equipment, mind you) in a fit of rage as I slapped my hands over my face and groaned loudly. I slammed my fists on the armrests of my chair, stood up and jumped up and down, and ran to the bathroom and screamed inaudibly (you know, tried to go super saiyan without all the yelling). Then something amazing happened: I threw my hands over my mouth again and began giggling like an adolescent school girl. I thought to myself, "THIS SHOW IS SO AWESOME I CAN'T EVEN HANDLE IT RIGHT NOW!" Happiness washed over me. I literally lost it. I couldn't even use the bathroom. And you know what? I ain't even mad... (Spoilers: Up to Ep. 20!)

Violence in Video Games: I Just... I'm Done...

     So apparently this happened:

Read the Kotaku article here...

     And there is but one thing I can say for it: *giant resounding sigh*

SONY: Advertising Done Right

     Most of the time, watching a video game commercial is groan inducing. They're often uninteresting, vulgar for no reason, or make me angry about the state of gaming. Some companies just don't know how to advertise, whether it be for a game or a console. Sony is not one of those companies. I'm not talking about specific game commercials, I'm talking about their incredible PS3 ads, like this one:



     And this one:



     Then there's this gem:


     Although that last one doesn't really matter anymore, it was one of the funniest things I had ever seen. To see a major company come out with a tasteful and official "smack" to their competition is amazing. With the first two, I felt something I hadn't really felt with other video game commercial: pride. I was proud to be a gamer. It made me feel excited. It made me want to play video games. The point is, Sony knows how to make a commercial.

'Attack on Titan' Ep. 17-18 Speculation: Who's Blondie?

WAIT A MINUTE!

     The greatest part of speculative discussion is that someone might point out something that I missed, allowing me to either improve or altogether abandon my own theories. However, these Attack on Titan posts have been edited and updated numerous times. They were in desperate need of abridgment, so I've summarized the theories here (WARNING: SPOILERS!):

"What we can share so far..."

     That said, feel free to read the following post. However, most of these theories have been disputed, so be sure to read the summary post!

     So, episode 17 of Attack on Titan aired last Saturday, and I've just found the time to watch it. After several episodes of character and backstory building, I was beginning to wonder when the action was going to return. And return it did... in force. (Warning: Spoilers up to episode 18) (UPDATED!)

Anime First Look: "Silver Spoon"

     At first glance, this looked to be one of those anime that I normally skip over. I mean, an anime about farming and agriculture? I watch a lot of different types of anime, but I might have to abstain in this case. However, I soon found out that it was based off the manga written by Hiromu Arakawa, the brilliant mind behind my favorite manga/anime of all time, Fullmetal Alchemist. Because of how much I loved Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and because of how much I respect and enjoy the work of the artist, I decided I should give it a go.

Attack on My Wallet: The Steam Summer Sale

     Well, the Steam Summer Sale is in full swing... and I have no money. As of yet, I haven't bought anything even though there were a few games I really wanted. Perhaps this is a good thing, considering I dropped over $75 on games during the sale last year. However, because I've spent so much money on the Steam sales in the past, I understand the financial depression afterwards, which means I understand all these feels:

     Laugh. Out. Loud.

The Dangers of MMORPGs: Presently and in the Future

     A friend from work recently let me borrow a game called .hack//G.U. Vol. 1 ("Dot Hack G.U."), and also told me about the several anime adaptations, spin-offs, and side-stories all set in the same world from various points of view. Each takes place in "The World", a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), in which problems have arisen because of glitches and/or viruses. It's very similar to Sword Art Online, which I am a huge fan of as well. But I'll stop my explanation of the story there. This is not about the game or the anime, it's about the technology the characters utilize to play the game presented in the show... and why it's potentially dangerous when coupled with the issues we face today.

Lemme just don my 'helmet of death'...

Anime Done Right: "Little Witch Academia"

     If you're a fan of Harry Potter and have been looking for that one anime out there that suits you, you should give this a go:

"There's Beauty in the Bits": The Elegance of Retro Graphics

     I have recently been playing through Chrono Trigger, for the first time in my life, over the past few weeks. While playing, I've reaffirmed a belief that I've held for a long time: The games of the 16-bit era were beautiful works of art. I don't care what Roger Ebert says. Chrono Trigger was released almost twenty years ago (1995), yet it's still one of the best looking games I've played, not to mention one of the best, and only, JRPGs (Japanese RPGs) that I have been able to tolerate. I'll go into further detail on that once I beat the game and do a retro review of it, but for now I want to focus on the beauty of the 16-bit era games.

Great scott! Look at all that detail! (Source)

What is this... Difference Between Geeks and Nerds?

     Someone comes up and asks me, "So you're a nerd, right?", to which I respond, "No, I'm a geek.", to which they respond, "What's the difference?" That... is a good question. Over the past few years, I've struggled with answering this question, and found myself unable to do so in an easily understandable manner. Whilst doing a little research, I found the answer: "The distinction is that geeks are fans of their subjects, and nerds are practitioners of them."

I can't believe I never saw it like that...

'Attack on Titan' Speculation: What's in the Basement?

WAIT A MINUTE!

     The greatest part of speculative discussion is that someone might point out something that I missed, allowing me to either improve or altogether abandon my own theories. However, these Attack on Titan posts have been edited and updated numerous times. They were in desperate need of abridgment, so I've summarized the theories here (WARNING: SPOILERS!):

"What we can share so far..."

     That said, feel free to read the following post. However, most of these theories have been disputed, so be sure to read the summary post!

     That's the question that's on all our minds: What's in that basement? And, if it was so important, why did Eren's dad keep it hidden away? While watching episode ten again yesterday, I had an epiphany; one not even tied to the episode. Be warned, this post will be filled with spoilers (up to the end of episode eleven)... (UPDATED!)

The Xbox One and Negativity

     So, a few days ago Microsoft released the good news that they've reversed the 24 hour DRM requirement and the no loaning/sharing/selling policies. And surprise, surprise: some people are still unhappy.

I don't know what I expected...

The Ignorance of the Non-Gamer Masses

     It's no secret that I really don't like casual gamers. However, there's something that I loathe even more: ignorant non-gamers. Not regular non-gamers, ignorant ones. Ones like those on Fox News (Update: Apparently "Fox 5" is not a part of Fox News, but that doesn't make Fox News any less ignorant):

What is this... Favorite Anime? REVISITED

     Back in October 2011, I wrote about my favorite anime. At the time, I had a somewhat limited watch history and, to be honest, I hadn't quite thought some of them through. I figure it's about time I fix that. This time around I'm going to do it by genre instead of just naming a bunch of the same genre and copping out on the others. Variety is the spice of life, you know?

UPDATED! I've changed a few favorites as new shows have come out over the past few years, and I've added a new genre! Check em' out!

Attack on Titan: First Look

     At first, I really had no idea what Shingeki no Kyojin (a.k.a. Attack on Titan) was about. I thought it would be a sort of Sci-Fi action thing judging by the title ("Titan" = Saturn's moon, Titan). Boy was I wrong... and quite happy about it.

Order 66 for LucasArts...

     So, I had a bad day at work, then I come home to this:

Disney Shuts Down LucasArts, Cancels 
Star Wars 1313 And Star Wars: First Assault

Don't worry, George. We're gonna' do all we can to continue ruining Star Wars for everyone!

King of the BLECH!

     I don't know how to say it any other way... I AM DISAPPOINT. Never have I been so disappointed in those of my kind. While I consider myself a geek rather than a nerd, there are several similarities between the two; therefore, the contest was for Kingship over what I like to call The Geekdom. The problem is... most of the contestants were terrible, as was the contest itself.

I think I'd fit right in...

DAWNGOURD!

Memorable Moments in Gaming: Shadow of the Colossus

     When Shadow of the Colossus came out years ago, I bought it for PS2. At the time, I wasn't the gamer I am today, and sadly, I gave up when I couldn't beat the last colossus. However, that was a long time ago, and my memory is absolutely terrible, so I only remembered very vague bits about certain colossi. So, when I bought my PS3, I picked up the HD remake, and I can't believe how much I had forgotten. One moment in particular though completely caught me by surprise...

Happy President's Day...

     Ah, the day we remember the past, when being president was a matter of tending to people's needs, not raising taxes to fund ridiculous research to answer a question a rational thinker could have given you for free. When protecting the people was more important than taxing them into the poorhouse. When the president stood for what was right, not for what was "politically correct" or "internationally acceptable". When people voted for what was best for the country, not for their "favorite". Ah, yes... I hate politics...

     Wait... what was I talking about? Oh yeah, that's right. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

    Such a 'bully' [read: "first-rate"] president!

The "New" Ghost in the Shell...

... Looks like it's going to be awful. I say "looks", and that's what I mean. 

Happy Single's Awareness Day!

     Seriously, keep the mushiness to a minimum or get a room; it's that simple. As for me, I'm gonna spend the rest of the day sleeping, playing video games, and watching anime. In other words, alone, because my roommates will probably be spending the evening with their "special someones". That's alright though... THESE GAMES AIN'T GONNA' PLAY THEMSELVES!

Journey Review: The Greatest Game Ever Made...

     Recently, I became the proud owner of a PS3. I've had my fair share of Xbox 360s (on my third actually), and I have a decent gaming computer, but there are those exclusive PS3 titles that I desperately wanted to play. One of these was Journey. It's been a long time since I've done a game review, and Journey is one of those games I just can't pass up writing about. If you have a PS3 and haven't played Journey, go play it. I you don't have a PS3 and haven't played Journey,... GO PLAY IT. Seriously, PS3s are pretty cheap now...

So it begins...

What is this... Violence and Video Games?

     Violence? Video games? Surely those two aren't connected... are they? Short answer: NO. Long answer: maybe. Allow me to explain...

     To start off, we're going to derail the train before it even gets out of the station. What a great way to start, right? Before we get to the problem everyone blames, we need to look at the problems everyone tends to forget...

How Do We Define A Violent Video Game?

     With the Sandy Hook shooting on everyone's minds recently, I feel the need to bring up an old argument and drive it home again. However, before I go on a rant about violence in video games, I want to throw a related issue out there. There is no doubt that there are countless violent video games out on the market, but there's only one problem: what is a violent video game? How do we define what a violent video game is? "Well, it's a game with violence in it, of course." Yes, but where do we draw the line? Consider, for instance, The Legend of Zelda. The player assumes the identity of Link, a young boy who gallivants around the land of Hyrule slicing away at enemies with his sword in order to defeat the evil Ganondorf and save Princess Zelda. Is that not violence? "But he's trying to save the Princess!" But it's still violence, is it not? Again, I ask: where do we draw the line?

I'm going to carve your heart out of your chest and consume it... What? That's exactly what happens!

Guest Post: "8 Bits For How Much?"

     A fellow gamer, and personal friend of mine, sent me a rant he wrote and asked if I'd post it. "Why, of course I will!" So, without further ado, Goongala's Grumbles first "guest post"...

     2013 is here and, unfortunately, the idea of buying new games scares me. Although I can confidently say I spent some money last year with no regrets on titles such as Guild Wars 2 and Halo 4, I find myself disappointed with other full priced purchases such as Gears of War 3, Assassin’s Creed 3, Black Op’s 2, and Mass Effect 3. Generally, I don’t mind paying top dollar for a fun game at it’s launch rather than waiting half a year for it to go down a few bucks, but when the brand name games fail you, it makes you rethink your spending habits. Recently, I got my first Super Nintendo (SNES) and a few games I always loved, but never owned, for cheap, and thought to myself, “Ah ha! This year I’ll buy retro instead!” Excitedly, I went to online shops and eBay. It was there that the horror began…

What are these... Resolutions?

     So! It's the beginning of the year again, and you know what that means... "I will get in shape and go outside for long walks and-" WHOA THERE! I try to make reasonable resolutions. I'm in shape... round is a shape. And going outside? HA! Do you know how pasty white I am? The sun would roast me alive!

     Instead, my resolutions will be mostly simple. Hopefully I don't fail like last year...

Reflections of 2012... I AM DISAPPOINT.

     So, the year has past, and as I sit here behind my computer, I find myself depressed. To be honest, 2012 wasn't all that great a year for me. Sure, there were good things, but they were constantly overshadowed by the bad. Here's what I mean...