The the Triffids

So, remember when I said that Day of the Triffids started off well enough? Yeah, it pretty much went downhill from there. For a show named after a carnivorous plant bent on mankind's destruction, there were very few Triffids in the execution of said idea. So, if you want to see a historical take on the apocalyptic genre that certainly influenced much of later entertainment, there is value there. A few of the ideas found in the show are utilized in things like 28 Days Later and so on but it was a little disappointing that it ended up being more character/societal drama than a show about plants terrorizing/eating blind people. So I guess the point is, know what you're in for. (Oh and the title is a nod to a lovely sign found on Tynsham Manor reminding visitors to close the the gate.)

We picked up Kirby's Epic Yarn as a joint birthday gift for lovely wife and myself courtesy of letter 'r' and family. It's a fun little platformer that just oozes style. And cute. Kirby and friends are all drawn in a yarn/sewing motif that affects how you interact with the world as well. (Yank on a thread to pull a ledge closer so you can jump across, go into a pocket to grab gems on stitched platforms between two layers of cloth and so on.)  Highly recommended. (And it allows for 2 player co-op as well so that's a bonus - it's not nearly as hectic as New Super Mario Bros. Wii was.)

Gang of Four has been mentioned here before, but we snuck in a game the other night and I thought I'd mention that it's still a lot of fun to play. Four players compete to get rid of their hand while sticking everybody else with theirs. It's a ladder type game in that you don't really take tricks (you don't acquire cards and points are bad) and you can lead more than one card at a time. The initial player (determined randomly at the beginning of the game and by winning for the rest) can play anywhere from 1-5 cards and the other players must both match the numbers of cards and play a better version of said number. So there's room for lots of strategy and some luck. And trash talk. Yes, lots and lots of trash talk.

In which I talk about symphonies and serial killers and sundries

The best way I can sum up the difference between Play! and Video Games Live is as follows: VGL is video game music at the symphony. Play is the symphony with video game music. One is spectacle and energy and music, the other is music and culture and decorum. So they each serve a bit of a niche, but one is a little more fun than the other (VGL). Which is a long way to say deepest thanks to the letter 'r' for a wonderful birthday present for lovely wife and myself. We did indeed have a great time and I can recommend either show for those of you that enjoy music and are interested in hearing some of the great pieces of video game history played by a full orchestra. (The Sonic Suite was especially nice as it was a slightly slower paced rendition of the music that created a nice counterpoint to the video clips shown.) The funny thing about those shows is that they make me want to go back through the video games we have and play them all over again. Which is not likely to happen. Alas. Perhaps when I've retired.

We finished off Season 3 of Dexter and it was good. I don't really have much to say about it other than that. Dexter managed to make a friend, lose a friend, say his wedding vows, that sort of thing (I figure the statute of limitations on season 3 spoilers is over as season 4 is in swing).

I've probably finished some books since last time. Hmm. Looking for Calvin and Hobbes by Nevin Martell is one reporter's search for Bill Watterson and a look at the comic that shaped the comics page for a decade. I really like Calvin and Hobbes and there was some really interesting information in the book. Definitely worth reading.

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett is the latest Discworld novel and I don't really need to say too much more than that. If you like the series, you'll like the book. Football (soccer for you uncouth Americans) comes to Ankh Morpork and pretty much everybody gets involved. The big theme for the book is class/racism. Probably not the place to start if you're new to Pratchett (I recommend any of the night watch books) but certainly a great read if you are.

Stitches by David Small is a little hard to discuss. On the one hand it's one of the most powerful books I've read, helped in no small part by the fact that it's a graphic novel. On the other hand it's one of the most horrifying things I've read as well. I don't know that I'll ever read it again, but I am glad I read it once. It's basically an autobiography of a cartoonist. And if you believe that all great art is born of suffering, David Small is probably the poster child for that tenet. Given throat cancer by his radiologist Father, David wakes up from surgery one day a virtual mute, not knowing why his voice is gone or what's really happened to him, thanks to a very dysfunctional family. As mentioned, it's powerful stuff told remarkably well, but know what you're in for.

Thanksgiving week draws nigh and I have the whole week off. I am looking forward to it. I hope to accomplish some serious vegging. We shall see.

For those of you with a Wii that's connected to the internet, Nintendo has started offering demos of Wiiware games. You can find them in the Wii shop channel. G has become addicted to the Pokemon Rumble demo and I rather like Bit Trip Beat. Nyx's Quest is pretty good too. There are a couple others at the moment. They're free and if you've ever wondered what sorts of things you can buy off their download service this is a good chance to look. (I'm also strangely addicted to Nintendo Week the little show they put out once a week talking about what's coming out. The hosts are fun (if goofy) and it can be in interesting look into the world of Nintendo.)

So, have a great holiday. Hopefully you can spend it with family or those that are important to you.

Everybody Votes

I've decided that Nintendo's online strategy has nothing to do with games. And you know what? I think they might be on to something. Every couple times that I turn the Wii on it has nothing to do with playing games. It has to do with checking the weather channel (OK, it's a couple hours old usually and more specific to SLC, but it's a guideline) or checking the headlines. I've kept up with the news more since the News Channel showed up than pretty much ever else in my life. And now we have the Everybody Votes channel. Sure it's quirky, but that's the point. It's fun. And people will vote. And vote on how they think the voting will go. And so on. Nintendo is building a sense of online community. And despite the friend code hurdles, it works.

I can send my sister photos. Especially photos that have been drawn on. I can trade trash talk with my friend over Zelda times. And I do. And that's not even getting into the whole Mii concept...

At any rate, the more time I spend with the Wii, the more impressed I become. Nintendo really does have a plan for this system and it's more than just games. And that's cool.

Wii!

I don't think I've really spoken about Nintendo's new console yet. Other than to mention that the girls wandered over the house to look for it on Christmas. It's quite the little system. I've had fun making Miis of The Doctor from the new Dr. Who as well as assorted family members. Zelda is Zelda, so there's not much to say there. I think the big surprise at the moment is just how fun sports games can be. You've probably heard about Wii Sports, the pack-in game. And it's true that it's a lot of fun. We enjoy us some baseball and some bowling around here. But the big winner for me is Super Swing Golf. I've always enjoyed golf games, but they get a little old (and a little frustrating) at a certain point. Super Swing Golf has managed to hold onto the fun specifically because of the Wii. Using the controller as a golf club is brilliant. I could literally play this game all day.

The kids like Rayman Raving Rabbids which is a collection of mini games that utilize the wii-mote in various ways. Some of them are indeed pretty fun, but there are certainly some frustrating bits thrown in as well.

Just about wrapped up the Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. It's been fun. Looking forward to World War Z next. Ah the joys of the zombie...