httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir1qiFAkjT4
I originally had a Green Day song slated for today. But it was kind of an angry song, and I figured on a Saturday morning you guys should all be in a good mood. So here's the best Roy Orbison cover ever.
(6 votes, average: 6.00 out of 10)
Loading... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Ps_C1O1Ts
My apologies if we had a Woodstock week at one point and I missed this. I love rock anthems, and with the possible exception of Don't Stop Me Now (of which there are no decent videos I could find), this one's my favorite.
(11 votes, average: 8.27 out of 10)Loading... httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LziZhCX-bBM
I'm a sucker for women who can make soprano sound like a lullaby rather a loon choking on a whistle. In deciding between featuring Alison Krauss or Regina Spektor, I picked the one I'd most like to...have chop off my hair. So here you go. While I do like some of her music where she prominently features her use of the glottal stop (especially On the Radio), I prefer something more basic and sweet.
(6 votes, average: 7.50 out of 10)Loading... httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51kntT8PgLI
NSFW (there's an F-bomb in the first thirty seconds)
The older I get the more I appreciate artists like Ben Folds. Not only can he play an instrument and play it damn well, he sounds exactly the same live as he does on his albums and does not need to be drowned out by guitars to sound good. Every time I watch him I wish a genie would come around and grant me the ability to play piano. This is his most popular live song as he usually has the audience play the trumpet and saxophone parts. They all do a pretty damn good job here.
(5 votes, average: 8.60 out of 10)Loading... httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbg95YYtXxE
Sometimes it baffles me that the guy who had produced several of my favorite ballads is most famous for Bad Bad, Leroy Brown. That, and that he looks like a guy who works for a living by wearing a hard hat and holding a Stop/Go sign. This one is easily my favorite, and it's probably because I lived this song once during a relationship.
(9 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10)Loading... httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69BwNVtyCKs
The goods start 21 seconds in.
While I do like country music probably more than anyone here, the genre doesn't typically hold my favorite songs. Thus, the whole week will not be about drinkin' and cheatin'. I do apologize. However, we will start with country and a soulful, personal song from somebody you've never heard of (and frankly, neither have I). This song was remade by Brad Paisley, and while Brad's voice is technically more proficient, it never feels like he lived the lyrics.
Hope you enjoy it, and hope to see you the rest of the week.
(6 votes, average: 7.50 out of 10)Loading... Release Date: November, 1991
System: Game Boy
Developer: Square
It's hard to say a game with a Final Fantasy name is unheralded, but in 1991, there had only been two games released in North America with the name. Those two were the original game for the NES, and the dreadfully dull, long, and difficult first game in the Legend series. Square had yet to release Final Fantasy II in America (also, not much of a loss). So the name in 1991 wasn't an automatic gold mine. It wasn't until IV and VI came out that RPGs became a huge thing in America, and then of course with VII things really exploded.
Known as Sa·Ga Japan, Square slapped on the name Final Fantasy in hopes of boosting sales. It worked in my case, as I asked for the game despite hating the prequel. And I'm very glad I did. The thing is, I really can't recommend this RPG from a battle perspective. For starters, you can only use your weapons a limited number of times before you have to go back to the store to buy it again (or upgrade). While this is realistic for some weapons (a club, say), I shouldn't need to have my DIAMOND sword replaced after fifty battles. Also, abilities are improved based on what you do inside a battle (just like Final Fantasty II). Win by casting magic? Your magic power will improve. Win by fighting? Your strength will improve. While in some respects this may seem realistic, it winds up feeling like busy work and one's characters lose variety unless you work at it. Finally, you'll spend a bit of time leveling up.
Now for the good parts. Like in nearly all old-school RPGs, you choose what types of characters you bring along (and their names). While it doesn't allow for any story development outside the main character, it can make the battles more fun. You choose between humans, mutants, robots, and monsters. Robots can win upgraded parts in battles, while monsters naturally improve by eating the meats of other monsters. The variety isn't perhaps quite as good as in the original Final Fantasy, but it's solid.
But the reason why you should play this game if you love RPGs is the story. It was the best story any RPG had until Final Fantasy IV, and it still holds up well today. Not only are the locations a blast (you actually go inside someone's body and explore their intestines at one point), but the story develops well throughout the game and it's a tearjerker unless you kill kittens for a living. On top of all this, the soundtrack is insanely good, even for the old Gameboy.
The game was upgraded and released for the DS in 2009, but so far it hasn't been ported to America yet, which is likely due to the underwhelming sales it had in the 90's. But I will get it pronto if it does sail the Pacific.
What ya'll playing?
Release Date: 1987
System: PC, Macintosh, Apple II, Amiga, Commodore 64, Atari ST
Developer: Infocom
Have you ever wanted to get a nice juicy steak, but all you had was a stake? Have you ever wanted to literally kill two birds with one stone? Or have you come across a pretty girl and it made you long for a gritty pearl? Then you should definitely help out Nord and Bert, because they truly can't make hails or teds of it. Wait, um...
Still my favorite language based game ever, this game has you playing with homonyms, spoonerisms, idioms, and other plays on our language and culture in order to help save the town of Punster from total chaos. There's no real story. No illusion of purpose behind any of the puzzles. Just dig in and get your lexicon dirty.
You can play this, or any Infocom here at this site for free. Unfortunately, while you can save the game while the browser is open, it's gone when you close. Otherwise, you can look for it on abandonware sites or purchase the game at on-line stores from private sellers. It doesn't look like Activision (who I believe still holds the rights) is selling them anymore.
By the way, CDX from last month still isn't working. Sorry for that, fellas. I'll keep checking periodically and let you all know if it comes back.
Next month I'll get back to a console game. In the meantime, whatch ya'll playin?
Release Date: 2006
System: Flash
Developer: Preloaded
You remember how most full-motion video games suck? This is not one of them.
A marvelous Flash game produced by the BBC, CDX certainly uses the engine for all its worth. You star as a prop collector who is down in Tunis when you break your legs in a motorcycle accident. Suffering from retrograde amnesia and confined to a wheelchair, your only connection with the outside world from your tiny apartment is your computer (which thankfully has broadband) and your telephone. The plot revolves around a dagger, one of the props you bought in your previous job; apparently, it is a rare artifact that some pretty important people would do anything to get their hands on. Your job is to learn more about the dagger while saving yourown skin.
While the game takes only about two to three hours to complete, it is packed with so much atmosphere and ingenuity that I would recommend it to just about anyone. Live actors are used, and they are mostly excellent, especially the antagonist in a brief but powerful role. Puzzles are fun and fit seamlessly with the environment. And if you're at all a history buff, there is plenty of juicy information to whet your appetite. The only annoyances are a couple of pointless red herrings and an early arcade sequence that is quite boring. Thankfully, the game ends with an intense, deliciously smart arcade game that puts an exclamation point on this jam-packed adventure.
You can find it here, free to play: http://cdx-thegame.com/
What ya'll playing?
Release Date: March, 1993
System: NES
Developer: Tecmo
Known in Japan as Solomon Key's 2, Fire 'N Ice is so good that if you liked Solomon's Key, you'll probably hate it after playing its sequel. You play as Dana, the same hero from the first game. You also still have the ability to create and destroy blocks. Eliminated from this game is all the magic, secrets, moving enemies, and treasures. Most importantly, eliminated are the arbitrary clock and play control issues.
Back to the blocks. As Dana, you create blocks of ice. You destroy blocks of ice. You slide blocks of ice. That's it. Your job is to destroy the stationary flames on each level. Despite its simplicity, the immense strategy involved is enough to make the game consistently challenging and interesting over approximately 100 levels.
If you like The Adventures of Lolo games or Bubble Bobble, it'd be difficult to imagine you wouldn't like this one as well. The cartridge is rare, as it was produced late in the NES's life and wasn't very popular. But it's the kind of game that is just as enjoyable during emulation.
I've played Angry Birds for a couple days now and I'm already kind of bored with it. I come back to Fire 'N Ice every couple years and play through it again.
Whatcha playin?