• 5Nov 10

  Is it December 7th yet?

  So, many of you likely know that I play the game World of Warcraft. And if you too play WoW, you know WoW: Cataclysm comes out in just under one month.

  I cannot wait. I, as with Bad Company 2 (see blog below), feel like a kid again. I cannot wait to make a new level 1 character and, more importantly, play it with thousands of others doing the exact same thing. I can't wait to see all the old zones redone, wracked by earthquakes and fires.

  This month is going by fast, no doubt, but it cant go by fast enough! Is it December 7th yet?

  • Posted Nov 5, 2010 9:29 am GMT
  • Category: Games
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• 11Jun 10

  The Stealth genre is dead /cry

  So it just occured to me recently that, for lack of a better word...the stealth genre is dead.

  "But what about Splinter Cell and other recent games?" you might inquire

  Well, those are action games...with stealth added, almost as an afterthought, and certainly not as the bulk.

  You see, for a stealth game to be a stealth game in my opinion, the stealth must make up the bulk of the gameplay. The emphasis must be on avoiding or distracting enemies, not killing them or, specifically, fighting them. A dagger to the back, sure, but a full-on swordfight or gunbattle? Nooooo sir.

  In short:

  stealth > action = stealth game

  stealth < everything else = no stealth game

  I might be nitpicking, but there have not been game like the Thief games or the first few Splinter Cell games, or even a new Hitman game, for a while in my experience. If there are, please let me know.

  Gone are the days where suspense, stalking, and shadow and light meters dominated stealth games.

  • Posted Jun 11, 2010 1:17 pm GMT
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• 8Apr 10

  Beer Review: New Belgium's Ranger IPA

  Background: New Belgium is known for everything except hoppy beers. Originally they started off as a brewery making excellent examples of Belgian "exotic" ales such as sour beers. Unfortunately, the American tastebud is not accustomed to the complex flavors of such beers, so they were forced to make beers that appealed to people in the US. Though they still make sour ales (La Folie, for example, an excellent beer!), they are better known for releases such as Fat Tire, Mothership Wit, and other readily available beers. This recent release, a new regular to their lineup, is unorthadox for New Belgium; it is an IPA!

  Aroma: Pine right off the get-go. Tbh I have been drinking a bit tonight so I cant really get much else. Very piny though, if I had to guess, I would guess Chinook hops. Absolutely no off flavors, but little aroma outside of pine, and absolutely no malt aroma. 8/12

  Appearance: A light copper body, extremely clear, it is a gorgeous looking beer. A pure-white head is eager to foam up, and persist for a few minutes, leaving heavy lacing as it subsides. A thin layer of white head persist throughout the drinking experience. 3/3

  Flavor: Initial flavors of pine and apricot from the hops. Midway flavors hint at spiciness and more savory notes of herbs like sage and rosemary. Absolutely zero malt presence, which is disappointing for an IPA "halfway" between the East and West coast...call me crazy, but I was hoping for a nice compromise of malt and hops. A heavy bitterness lingers; this is not an aromatic IPA, this is a bitter-centric beer. 14/20

  Mouthfeel: Dry, dry , dry. Sucks the moisture out of your tongue, almost. A bit of malty sweetness would have been nice to balance out the dry pine needle flavor of the beer. 2/5

  Overall Impression: This is a bitter, relatively non-aromatic beer that just does not belong in New Belgium's lineup. I love New Belgium because theyre different; everyone and their mother makes an IPA, especially here in California (where I live), and I appreciate New Belgium because they used to do the opposite. Its an excellent beer for those seeking something strictly bitter, but for those looking for something flavorful and pleasant I suggest looking elsewhere. 5/10

  Total Score: 32/50

  • Posted Apr 8, 2010 11:11 pm GMT
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