Cross-posted, with some reformatting, from Brain Scrap House.

One of my biggest regrets of PAX East 2010 was not taking very many pictures, especially of the cosplayers. Fortunately, and with the help of a few people at deviantART, I managed to find photos of many of my favorites. This time around, I did not want to repeat this mistake.

To start things out, here's my favorite cosplay of the show, which I had teased in earlier posts: Gordon Freeman from Half-Life. Despite its simplicity (not to mention the somewhat slapdash application of the Black Mesa patch), it succeeds in two important areas: the cosplayer's resemblance to the original character, and their creative approach. This Gordon went around PAX all weekend carrying a large display that humorously promoted Black Mesa; titled "Black Mesa Community Outreach and Hiring", it included a special message from Dr. Breen, a list of civilian projects that involved upstanding partners such as Umbrella...

L.A. Noire is an extraordinary piece of work that is as much interactive cinema at times as it is a video game. The now defunct Team Bondi and Rockstar have created a game that uses groundbreaking MotionScan technology to create characters that are so alive with detail that you can see every little animation in their faces. It is 1947 and you will take on the role of Cole Phelps in the LAPD and solve cases in a faithfully recreated downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. The action, story, and pacing are all methodical. You won’t be running and gunning anyone and everyone down like you could in Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption. You’re a good cop stuck in a seedy, corrupted city. Therefore, you are not given choices for good and evil. You will find clues, interview people, judge their answers in questioning and occasionally get into car chases or firefights. L.A. Noire is open-world sandbox, but there are restrictions. Every character is a unique and individually acted...

I have not watched a lot of Anime, but what I have seen I have liked. I have watched every episode of Dragonball, Z, and GT. I also enjoy all of the Miyazaki films.

I have noticed the variety of Anime on Netflix instant watch, I am looking for some help from the CAG community.

What should I invest my time in watching, Full Metal Alchemist, Bleach, I dont know. What have you guys or girls watched on Netflix and enjoyed.

Thanks a lot everyone for any and all help.

At last week's PAX Prime 2011, Bioware brought with them a playable demo of Mass Effect 3. Overall, it was a really cool demo that really highlighted some of the new additions that they are including in Mass Effect 3.

The most notable differences between MA3 and MA2 are a new skill tree, it's slightly more of a shooter, better cover system, and Shepard now has a Omniblade that wrecks house.

Check out his article for details on the demo that was playable at PAX Prime 2011:

http://www.ninjapatrol.com/?p=385

First of all, thanks to everyone who submitted entries in the original contest.

Some of you may have caught the last blog in which I was trying to narrow down the entries a bit. Sorry that the process took longer than I had anticipated, but I really had trouble trying to choose as I was torn between quite a few entries.
In the end, I took a vote between what I felt were the top four submissions.
Myself, my wife, my best friend and his wife all ranked them from best to worst and they had values assigned to them.

The winning submission had three 1st place votes and one 2nd place vote, so I didn't even have to calculate anything once the votes were said and done.

Once again, the winner is going to be able to choose one of the following as their prize package (Along side a hearty "Thank You" from myself in naming the new dv8CAG mascots, of course.):

$15 Amazon Payment or Paypal
￥1800 credit toward...

The embargo for reviews just lifted. I'm still in the middle of my playthrough, so here's a 10-minute clip from one of the side missions.

http://youtu.be/4ClvvmsvY-g

So, with a little focus and good lighting, I was able to enter the code without even scratching it. Good work Sony, now I can dupe people.

Learn a thing or two or more from Microsoft please.

- MiNuN ask "Whats wrong with you Sony"

I am currently entered in a video contest where the contestant must submit a video of them doing a rain dance. Since I live in south Texas where it hasn't rained in months I thought I should improvise.

So if you like the video please vote and be sure to spread the word! :3

LINK
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/...tries/29492925

Club Tits by CheapyD, on Flickr

Yup, this is either a strip club or a hostess bar in Roppongi, Tokyo. The irony is, there probably aren't much tits present.

UPDATE: I found the official website. It's a "Sexy Pub".

This week on Good Bad Flicks I check out the goofy sci-fi comedy Bad Channels.







Bad Channels

If ever there was a movie that fell under the category of "Good Bad Flick", this is it. There are plenty of movies that I love but this one, I adore. Sure the effects are dated and the story is ridiculous but it is impossible to watch this movie and not be entertained. Aliens take over a radio station and lure hot girls with rock music so they can abduct them to keep as pets. How can you go wrong with that premise? I will never get tired of watching this.

EDIT: Gah! Forgot to mention yet again. The movie is available at Amazon but only as a part of the Full Moon Classics. It is available for rent from Netflix though.

Please check it out:

http://legacy-control.com/?p=467

The strip: A thing like this has happened before, go here to check it out (http://legacy-control.com/?p=236). Anyway, this strip was a lot of fun to draw. I think Rabs looks so cute in his little rabbit raincoat. I will find a way to draw him in it more often.

Gaming: I went back an played a bit more Bastion this weekend. Tried out some more zombie killing fun from the Rezurection Map Pack. The classic maps are great, but i wish they would have tweaked them even more than they did, and perhaps I am just ignorant, but there should be a pack-o-punch on all of them. the Moon map is really coo, but extremely large. I have only played it with one other player, and we did not get very far. I would love to hear some of your tips and tricks for this map. I find my self really wanting to play Minecraft, but feel even more compelled NOT to play until the adventure update comes out.

TV/Moveis:...

I believe I made a blog post about this on my old account, but I no longer have access to it, so I wanted to make another.

For those of you who (most probably) don't know, Tombi!, or Tomba! if you're in NTSC regions, is a side scrolling game with RPG elements created by Whoopee Camp exclusively on Playstation. It's the adventure of a young, prehistoric caveboy named Tombi who has had his grandpa's golden bracelet stolen from him by the Evil Koma Pigs. Sounds absolutely ridiculous I know, it really is, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the greatest games I've ever played.

...

[B] [SIZE=4][URL="http://superphillipcentral.blogspot.com/2011/09/best-boss-battles-in-gaming-history.html"]Enjoy this article? Then please vote on my poll.[/URL][/SIZE] [/B]


To kick off the start of a new week, we have Best Boss Battles in Gaming History - Part Four to satiate your thirst for boss blood. We have bosses from a variety of games and platforms, so there's something for everyone from Super Metroid to Gears of War. If you missed out on a previous installment, you can always click one of the following links to instantly be transported to your intended destination, free of charge.

[CENTER][CENTER][B][URL="http://superphillipcentral.blogspot.com/2011/07/best-boss-battles-in-gaming-history.html"][B]Part One[/B][/URL][/B] [B]
[URL="http://superphillipcentral.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-boss-battles-in-gaming-history.html"][B]Part Two[/B][/URL][/B] [B]
[URL="http://superphillipcentral.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-boss-battles-in-gaming-history_19.html"][B]Part Three[/B][/URL][/B]
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[SIZE=4][B]Turtle Boss - Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES)[/B][/SIZE]

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From riding a tank and running over enemies to climbing and scaling ledges to avoid a fiery fate, the first level of Contra III: The Alien Wars, Contra's first foray into the world of 16-bit gaming, is full of danger. The final challenge in the level is a giant turtle boss. This enemy has four main attacks: 1) It launches creepy-crawlies to trip up our hero (or heroes), 2) It unleashes a myriad of killer bats at the player, 3) It shoots off small laser orbs which can trip up unsuspecting players, and 4) It opens its mouth and blasts a damaging line of fire at the player. Shifting between platforms is the main point of contention in this battle. The pulsating red core is the boss's weak point. Where else? Unload with everything you've got, and this turtle will go back to the prehistoric period where it belongs. There's many great encounters to be had in the Contra series, but this first level boss starts it all off.

[SIZE=4][B]Mother Brain - Super Metroid (SNES)[/B][/SIZE]

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This boss battle isn't just memorable because of the second showdown between bounty hunter Samus Aran and Mother Brain, but also for the touching finish to the fight. Firstly, Samus must navigate through a passage of laser beams and bombs blasting at her all the while using missiles to blow up the doors leading to the resting Mother Brain. This is easier said than done as this is one of, if not [I]the[/I], most annoying rooms in the game. Once the resilient bounty hunter reaches her prey, she must launch a barrage of missiles into the glass case where Mother Brain sleeps while avoiding said laser beams and the pool of acid below. Once the case has been obliterated, a moment of repose can be had before the real battle begins.

The head, laying of the floor, rises up to reveal an entire monstrous body attached to it. Mother Brain shoots off grenades which torch the ground when they explode and fire beams which do major damage to our favorite bounty huntress. The weak point is the head, so Samus must aim carefully with her missiles, super missiles, and regular shots. With enough damage Mother Brain gets serious. She conjures up a technicolor beam which does an incredible amount of destruction to Samus's energy reserves. After around two or three goes of this attack, it seems Samus is finished.

Then suddenly the Metroid that Samus rescued in Metroid II, fully-grown and full of spite for Mother Brain, comes in to save the day. It attaches itself to Mother Brain, drains her energy, and then recovers Samus's health. However, Mother Brain revives herself and sends a devastating and fatal blow to the helpful Metroid. Newly invigorated and bestowed with a rainbow beam, Samus can now put the finishing touches on Mother Brain. Defeated, the big brain drops to the ground and eventually shrivels up into nothingness. With a quick vertical escape from the soon-to-be-exploding planet, Samus's mission and objective are now complete. The galaxy can rest once more as the operation was completed successfully.

[SIZE=4][B]Seven Force - Gunstar Heroes (GEN)[/B][/SIZE]

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This side-scrolling and fast-paced level puts you right in the action against a boss of seven forms (hence the name Seven Force). The boss can transform instantly into one of seven amalgamations at its leisure. The first is shown in the picture above. It's the marathon man of the Seven Force boss battle. It runs after our heroes, occasionally hurling big and bad boomerangs or thrusting its mechanical arm forward. Thankfully the player can switch between riding the ground to riding the ceiling at any time to avoid these attacks.

The second form turns Seven Force into a large wheel with blades on all fronts. The battle changes from a horizontal affair to a vertical one. The boss shifts from left to right before scaling the wall. It takes quick wits and reflexes to dodge this boss's body. Once enough damage has been dealt to the boss, it will change attack pattern. Seven Force will rise to the top of the screen, spin, and shoot off a circle of laser orbs. Again, quick wits and reflexes are just what the doctor order to fend off such an assault.

The third part of battle returns the fight to a horizontal setting. Seven Force sets itself up on the leftmost side of the screen and unleashes a multitude of lasers and walls to trip up the Gunstar Heroes.

The fourth form once again mixes up the direction of the fight. We're vertical once again. This form has a small body with a long, spiked tail. It runs across the wall, floats toward the player, and then spins in place, attacking with its terrifying tail. The form can also spew multiple multicolored laser orbs at the player, making Seven Force a "force" to be reckoned with.

The fifth form turns Seven Force into a magnum pistol-like machine. It has only one attack, but it's a doozy. It fires off a series of shots one right after the other. The trick to this confrontation is to hide directly above the boss, so its shots can't reach you. It may be cheap, but this is a war we're talking about!

The sixth form has the boss transforming into a blue phoenix-like mechanized menace. It slowly creeps up the vertical wall. When its wings turn inward, it's your chance to slip past it. This is all the while continuously firing at the boss to do damage. Of course, this is Gunstar Heroes, so your finger should always be on the firing button.

Alas, we've reached the final form... finally! The stage turns horizontal for the last time. Seven Force transforms into a four-legged creature which runs on the ground. It summons a targeting reticule that closely follows the player. The player must constantly be moving as the boss can launch an attack at a moment's notice. This form is must easier than previous ones, but it can still trip up tired players in this test of endurance. Once Seven Force's health has been depleted, the pilot gives our heroes one of the necessary jewels, and the stage has been cleared. Phew! What a workout!

[SIZE=4][B]General Raam - Gears of War (360)[/B][/SIZE]

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After hopping onto a speeding train, Marcus Fenix and partner take out the numerous Locust inhabiting the locomotive. When they reach a certain car, General Raam, leader of the Locust horde, is waiting for them. The fight requires the player to stay in the light, or else the bat-like creatures surrounding Raam will rip them to shreds. Cover is key as the nasty general is armed with a powerful machine gun. Your own machine gun is great for battle, but a weapon like the Torque Bow makes this battle even easier. Raam creeps closer and closer to the player, requiring them to move to the other side of the car 'less they wish to be pummeled to pieces. Once enough bullets have penetrated General Raam, the hulking beast will fall to the ground. The world is safe for now, but the Locust aren't quite finished yet.

[SIZE=4][B]Fire Leo - Viewtiful Joe (PS2, GCN)[/B][/SIZE]

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Viewtiful Joe featured side-scrolling 2 1/2D gameplay with cel-shaded visuals. In the sixth chapter of the game, The Magnificent Six, Joe went through a gauntlet of previously defeated bosses. After the five past haunts were exterminated, VJ was put face-to-face with Fire Leo. The battle takes place in a circular arena. Fire Leo prances around the arena, shooting off volcanic rocks that will burn Joe if he touches them. With the power of Mach Speed, our viewtiful hero can heat himself up, leap over the rocks, and catch up to the swift lion. After a few punches to the mane, Fire Leo will begin spinning in place. Joe must then dodge a series of high and low punches (Slow Motion works best here). If successful, Leo will become quite dizzy and Joe will have an opportunity to unleash a Red Hot One-Hundred assault to do some crazy damage to this hot-headed boss. All it takes is some patience and skill, and Fire Leo's flame will be extinguished.

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From Fire Leo to General Raam, these bosses sure showed off and pulled no punches. Did your favorites get mentioned? If not, list some of your faves in the comments section. Until next time, this has been Best Boss Battles in Gaming History....

If you are looking for some detailed info on the Borderlands 2 demo that was shown at last week's PAX, look no further! Included in the post is the leaked footage that was filmed of the demo so that you have a visual to go with the description


http://www.ninjapatrol.com/?p=370


If you have any questions about what was shown, I would be happy to answer them!

Yup, today is my 29th Birthday. I seriously cannot believe I'm almost 30 years old. Yesterday I picked up my birthday cake I ordered at Safeway.


I ordered a white cake, white icing, and white filling. I just love white cakes from Safeway, which is why I ordered one there. I only got a 1/8 sheet size since only I will be eating the cake. Had a stomach ache early this morning because I hate 40% of the cake last night. I should have gotten a keyblade or a PlayStation logo on it.

So what are my plans on my birthday? Originally I had absolutely nothing. I didn't care to go to the Baltimore Grand Prix although I like Formula 1 racing (I went to a race once before, since it moves so fast, can't really watch it....but I plan to watch on TV at least). I wasn't going to the MD state fair. Yesterday while texting a CAG friend, he wanted to take me out to lunch...

Still not a ton of pick ups this month, but there should be more as we get deeper in to the year and more games i'm looking for come out (and drop in price used!).


I'm a huge Bulls fan, and my second favorite team is the Not-heat. Honestly, I hated the Heat before it was cool. I've been anti-Heat ever since we played them in the playoffs back in 2006 and Shaq kept running his mouth about how they were going to roll over us, and then we swept them. Anyway, I thought this shirt was pretty cool. Picked it up for $20 from a street vendor outside Wrigley Field.


Some used game pick ups. All the games are from GameStop, except for 3d Dot Game Heroes. My friend was looking to trade this in towards credit for Force Unleashed 1, so I just bought a copy of STFU and traded it to him for 3D Dot, since I was looking...

Article I wrote on my website:

So one thing I was always kinda jealous of Jango was the fact he owned a Sega Nomad, a freaking portable Sega Genesis. I had convinced my mom, one to day, to pay my best friend like $70 dollars so that we could buy his Genesis and all his games. I come home one day ands it is gone. Jango had traded the Genesis plus some cash and bought himself the Nomad.
Feeling that the Nomad was half mine, considering I did the begging, I would take the Nomad to school for the bus ride. My Jr. High school was 25 miles from where I lived, and about a 40 minute drive (but that's including all the pick-ups). I would play the Nomad with Street Fighter II and have a spare controller to fight against a friend. It made going to school awesome, until the batteries ran out in a day...

When I started high school, Jango decided it was time to spread his wings and get the out of dodge. That left me with just about nothing, gaming wise. I had a...

Comedy Central’s last foray onto Xbox Live Arcade was the better than it oughta be with South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! So when Ugly Americans was given the videogame treatment, I was interested to see what direction it took. Was Backbone Entertainment able to capture the satirical social commentary sprinkled with a generous helping of genital jokes and spawn forth a game worth integrating into your playtime?

Apocalypsegeddon is written and voiced by the talent behind the show and is essentially an original episode. The writing is both witty and crude, cleverly offering up jokes that will humor both the high-brow and the low. Honestly, I’ve only seen a couple episodes of the show, but underneath all the dick jokes, there’s some intelligent stuff going down and the game caused me to watch a few more shows before writing this review. I guess in that regard, the game is doing its job of bringing new viewers in, but all is not well with the game’s production....

Thundercats (2011) Episode 7



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrUtrB5TQrI

Cross-posted, with some reformatting, from Brain Scrap House. (ETA: Centered photos.)

Running concurrently (and adjacent to) PAX Prime was Halo Fest, a tenth anniversary celebration of all things Halo, and admission was free to PAX attendees. Although I had initially intended to avoid Halo Fest since I'm still new to the franchise, my curiosity got the better of me, and we found ourselves lining up by its entrance on Sunday morning. It was a longer line than I had expected, and though there were a couple of inconsiderate smokers upwind, the wait wasn't bad. A guy in a Halo: Reach costume walked down the line shortly before the doors opened; at first, I thought he was a cosplayer, but soon realized that his presence here was official.


Acting on a tip from a PAX East exhibitor (some of the tabletop gaming companies were in the same wing of the convention center), upon entering...