High school sports continued its reign of terror in such an invasive way this past week. Some games are expected to generate huge crowds (leading to a huge mess) so I had every reason to dread last Friday's Homecoming game. I worked a little longer Thursday night prepping the football field and the main gym for the festivities and still had to put up with serious, legendary littering on behalf of the community and whatever asshole school they were playing against. It took me nearly 4 hours just to clear the field.
The pee-wee game(s) on Saturday did little to better my mood or improve my weekend. Last year, their games started earlier in the day and the crowds would usually disperse around noon. Recently, their games have started later and the crowds have stayed longer. These nutjobs were on the field until nearly 10 p.m. It feels like I spent the majority of Saturday and Sunday catching up on sleep (aside from working) than getting to do any of the fun things I'd like to do. That I managed to sneak in any gaming at all felt like a miracle.
For whatever reason, I redownloaded the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection on the Vita. I had bought it a year ago when it was on sale for PSN. I own both games on the PS2 and on the Vita I think they handle very well and look and sound nice. I done VR missions on MGS2 but I don't feel compelled to play the campaign just yet (did that in college and while I enjoyed it; I'm not sure I want to play through it again).
The shameful, gamer confession that I have to cop to is that I've never completed MGS3. I admire everything about the game that I've played but I struggled with the different sonar system, the food procuring/eating system (in my previous PS2 playthrough, I tended to let my food spoil, making me known to patrols; i hate that my food spoils over long periods of not playing) and small things. I suppose that I wanted to give the game another chance despite the fact that I screw up infiltrating the bigger areas so much that it becomes frustrating. I rarely had this problem in the previous games. I'm hoping this playthrough turns out better.
Console-wise, I still plug through R&C: Going Commando, collecitng bolts to buy remaining weapons and armor upgrades. While I was intending to farm bolts to get the Zodiac and the top tier armor upgrade, I feel my willpower to commit to collecting over 1 million bolts for either is failing. It's probably a pipe dream at this point. Still, I love this game.
I rented the Devil May Cry reboot from Gamefly recently and beat the campaign last weekend. This is my first DMC game and I enjoyed it; great combat, level design, goofy-ass plot and some humorous moments here and there (the cut scene where Dante and Virgil are arguing who is better was awesome). I'll probably try out the HD Collection some time.
Movie-wise, I saw Gravity last weekend and I feel that it's the best film of the year so far. I'm blown away by what it accomplishes visually, yes, but I also felt that the script and performances are strong enough to turn a tale of survival into something emotional and spiritual and memorable. Previously I felt that Shane Carruth's Upstream Color was the best film of the year. Two more months and we'll see. Not to mention, I haven't seen Machete Kills yet, so there's that. ;)
I also watched V/H/S/2 last night. It's amazing. This is how you do horror anthology films. The collection of stories this time is even stronger than the previous film (which I also liked). I'm a big fan of the director Garreth Evans (Merantu, The Raid) and the segment he co-directed, Safe Haven, is the centerpiece here. At 40 minutes, its the longest segment but it has a wonderful slow-burn until it truly slides into pandemonium at the halfway point and never looks back. Shit in this film goes from uneasy to troublesome to bad to worse to ugly to insane and into the abyss. Yowza. I also liked the "Alien Abduction Slumber Party" segment, which closes the film; it generates equal amounts of humor and terror. If you're a horror fan, you owe it to yourself to see this.
That's all for right now. Next week might not be so bad. I also have The Last of Us on its way from Gamefly so I'll get to finally see what all the hub-bub's about. I usually don't play survival horror (I'm a complete wuss) so this will be interesting.
I hope everyone had a better weekend than I did. Till next time!
I don't understand people who a) trash things and b)worse, allow their children to trash things. My family taught me respect - for other people and for my environment. We were always expected to pick up any litter we caused and not to damage or take things that didn't belong to us. Sorry other people don't have that same ethic :(
R&C: Going Commando - I finished my first playthough without the Zodiac or the top armor upgrade. If you're sick of farming for bolts, just go for it. The easiest way to get the max number of bolts is to find all the crystals on the desert and frozen planets and to do all the arena battles. Hard as hell, but oh, so worth it. If you really want all the weapons and armor upgrades, you can get them in subsequest replays. The enemies get a little tougher, but are worth more bolts. Yeah, I've played this game a few times, lol.
Crowds just litter. It's disgusting but expected. I've spent the last 6 years of this job cleaning after athletic events and while there are some people who are responsible and dispose their trash properly, a lot of them take these venues for granted and are irresponsible. What can you do? I still can't get over kids who just won't flush a toilet or urinal.
I've finished GC before on PS2 with neither the armor or Zodiac as well. When I bought the HD trilogy, I saw it as an opportunity to do some things I didn't the last time (and I had long ago sold my PS2 copies) but I forgot just what a massive undertaking that would be. I forgot about the 2nd playthrough though. I'm at the last boss right now, too. I would just like to know what it feels like use the Zodiac or the RYNO. At this point, I've fully explored the desert and ice planets and all the arena challenges. The only thing I haven't done is the race levels; I HATE THOSE.
Speaking of that last frozen planet, I originally hated farming for moonstones. Those snowman enemies were bad enough but the dragons that pop out jack-in-the-box style scared the shit out of me.
About that final boss and the RYNO and Zodiac: it feels glorious! And the races suck moose balls, as a former boyfriend used to say.
I need to go back to the first one on the HD collection, I'm only missing two skill points and that will get me my first platinum trophy.
Oh man! All this R&C talk is getting me excited to play Into the Nexus.
I didn't get the HD collection, because I have all the PS2 R&C games, but trophies make me want it now.
I still have them all on PS2, as well, but yes, trophies!
Yeah, I have not touched MGS3 since it came out. I beat it a couple of times, but have not gone back to it since. This is sad because I have picked up every single re-release of MGS3 since. So I have at least 4 copies of the game lying about.
Going Commando is my favourite R&C game. I somehow got it from the library for a week and proceeded to beat the game a half dozen times in that week.
I just watched V/H/S the other day. That movie creeped me out. Probably not as creepy as the first half of Insidious, but still was very good.
I remember when I used to get Game Informer magazine in the mail. They gave that game a perfect 10, which is an incredibly rare thing for them to do.
I remember in HS my coach used to draft me into cleaning up for events. Later I did it willingly to help out as a Recaide when I was attending Schenk Job corps. I swear, the things you find under bleachers and the horrors you encounter while cleaning public bathrooms are to numerous to catalogue. lol.
Although I dont have to clean up after football I do work parking for overtime and not only do I work maintenance on my regular 8 hour shift I worked an additional 5 a total of 13 hour day 5 of which I stood and directed parking friday night and being I need a hip replacement you could imagine how bad I hurt after that lol!! But I feel bad for you guys having to clean up after a football game very unappreciated job with no idea how much you guys do for there school but I know and without you guys our schools would look terrible great job and I admire your dedication.
Thanks, sir! I can't imagine how tedious or frustrating handling parking would be so I'm glad that it doesn't figure in my duties. I also can't imagine how bad your hip must feel. Ouch!
MGS 3 an awesome game with so much to offer. I need only 2 trophies to Plat. Im saving it for my annual Platinum vacation. Last year on my Nov-Dec vacation I platinumed Killzone. this year I want to Platinum MGS3. I'll have 11 days off, so Im hoping I can make it.
Good luck with that. I don't have it in me to Platinum anything. Yet.
At least your keeping up with gaming despite the work schedule. Friends I've talked too seemed to have given up on on trying to game during busy life schedules. But even saying that you've found time to do more things that I've yet to do. Never beat a game over the weekend nor watch the movie you speak of. I might give it a try if it's on netflix.
But I have beaten MGS3 so I guess that's something...