Looking back and moving through!
I'm back everyone! Just got back from the airport and what a lovely flight that was! Getting back home to the first day of January never seemed so refreshing, and there's so much to look forward to. Funny... I started writing this first "official" blog entry of 2009 at the airport back in Hong Kong before my flight back to the good ol' RP. It certainly was one memorable trip, and just as the previous posts have suggested, I've had my one heck of a good time and I welcomed the new year by celebrating amidst the festivities around town. Still, I found myself backtracking and thinking about plenty of things I enjoyed the previous year. I was never one to look back or think about what I enjoyed over 2008, but since I had time to kill while making preparations for the trip back home earlier today, I thought I'd compile this short list of things I liked about 2K8 that seemed too cool an idea to pass up. Certainly there's more to speak on and talk about, but I think this list will be sufficient for the mean time. Let's roll up the sleeves and get to the nominees...
Favorite Film of 2008 - The Dark Knight
Many of you probably saw this coming. With all the rants, raves, and revolutionary wonders this film has done for the world round, Christopher Nolan's epic sequel to Batman Begins is a stellar achievement in it's own right and one that deserves all the praise and acclamation it can have. Granted that I did enjoy Marvel Comics' own billionaire superhero tale Iron Man starring the great Robert Downey Jr., I cannot shake the fact that this movie feels more complete in terms of characterization, action, and an intense plot that will leave you hanging each second as you watch the film from start to finish. So far it's the ultimate superhero film... dark, concise, and to the point that will certainly leave you craving for more. Oh, and let's not forget the fantastic performances given out by the all star cast lining up this film, especially the late and great Heath Ledger, whose performance as the Clown Prince Of Crime certainly makes up for more than your buck spent on watching the film countless times on cinemas and purchasing the DVD/ Blu-Ray on store shelves. He deserves that Oscar, and you can show your support by watching the film again on cinemas and IMAX on the 23rd this month! As the saying goes... "It's All Part Of The Plan..." I want a sequel already!^^
Favorite Game Of 2008 - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
While I barely have time to stare blankly at a TV with a controller at hand nowadays, I did enjoy several games I in 2008. Street Fighter IV, Fallout 3, and, most recently, Persona 4 are just among the titles I can name, but if I were to choose one among the many that came out this year, it would have to be Hideo Kojima's swan song to the saga of Solid Snake. It is because of this game that I made it a point to purchase a Playstation 3 - which was my entry into the world of next generation gaming. The 80GB bundle pack was enough to convince me that MGS4 IS THE REASON to get a PS3. Despite the lack of a High Definition TV, I still very much enjoyed the game from start to finish. I do have concerns about the overall story and how Snake was given his "final mission", but it was acceptable enough for me to play through and enjoy every bit of goodness Kojima and Konami had to offer to the fans. Gameplay was stellar and the cinematics were fantastically rendered with perfection... maybe too much in some people's eyes because of the long cutscenes overshadowing the real gaming experience that comes along with it. Still, if you really enjoy Tactical Espionage Action like I do, you won't pass this one up. No matter how it ended and looked through face value, this is STILL a Metal Gear game, so enjoy all the craziness, action, and "!" that comes along with it, hehe.
Favorite Comic Book Of 2008 - Captain America
I have to be honest... I didn't really enjoy the whole Secret Invasion crossover. It confounded me to the point that I was too overwhelmed with the tie-ins and mix ups happening around the Marvel Universe. Fortunately, I still collected the main story arc. Writer Brian Michael Bendis still has a knack for portraying the explosions and wordy action dialogue he's known for in the Ultimate Spider-Man series, but it's just too intense and messy for me. I simply want to see a straightforward presentation involving the right amount of drama, action, and superhero goodness a comic should be known for. Thank god there's Captain America. The title, written by the talented Ed Brubaker, is not intertwined with the whole invasion arc thankfully, and instead goes on it's own merry own way, creating one of the best reads a comic book reader should follow if they truly desire pop culture satisfaction.
If you haven't been up to date with the good captain's progress, you should know that Steve Rogers has been dead for almost two years now, so it's best that you backtrack and catch up on the material of you're lost at this point. Currently, his former sidekick James "Bucky" Barnes has taken up the mantle, and he's doing one heck of a job trying to live up to the name his predecessor carried and made famous. Since making his debut in issue #34, the new Cap is different yes, but in a good way. Granted he wears a uniform that's not as iconic as the old one, and he carries a gun that stands against everything the original Cap was... but it works. Bucky is just as idealistic as his mentor was, and seeing the rookie in action makes one appreciate the effort of seeing a new guy taking up the challenges to define himself in the new world and harsh times we live in. The Marvel Universe has changed since the outcome of Civil War... and appropriately we have new legends like the new Cap to keep readers glued to their seats.
Well, so far that's the first couple of things I could definitely vouch about 2K8... Hopefully there's more to look forward to come the next few posts. Time to unwind back home for now, so I'll catch you all later and Happy New Year once again to you all!
Favorite Film of 2008 - The Dark Knight
Many of you probably saw this coming. With all the rants, raves, and revolutionary wonders this film has done for the world round, Christopher Nolan's epic sequel to Batman Begins is a stellar achievement in it's own right and one that deserves all the praise and acclamation it can have. Granted that I did enjoy Marvel Comics' own billionaire superhero tale Iron Man starring the great Robert Downey Jr., I cannot shake the fact that this movie feels more complete in terms of characterization, action, and an intense plot that will leave you hanging each second as you watch the film from start to finish. So far it's the ultimate superhero film... dark, concise, and to the point that will certainly leave you craving for more. Oh, and let's not forget the fantastic performances given out by the all star cast lining up this film, especially the late and great Heath Ledger, whose performance as the Clown Prince Of Crime certainly makes up for more than your buck spent on watching the film countless times on cinemas and purchasing the DVD/ Blu-Ray on store shelves. He deserves that Oscar, and you can show your support by watching the film again on cinemas and IMAX on the 23rd this month! As the saying goes... "It's All Part Of The Plan..." I want a sequel already!^^
Favorite Game Of 2008 - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
While I barely have time to stare blankly at a TV with a controller at hand nowadays, I did enjoy several games I in 2008. Street Fighter IV, Fallout 3, and, most recently, Persona 4 are just among the titles I can name, but if I were to choose one among the many that came out this year, it would have to be Hideo Kojima's swan song to the saga of Solid Snake. It is because of this game that I made it a point to purchase a Playstation 3 - which was my entry into the world of next generation gaming. The 80GB bundle pack was enough to convince me that MGS4 IS THE REASON to get a PS3. Despite the lack of a High Definition TV, I still very much enjoyed the game from start to finish. I do have concerns about the overall story and how Snake was given his "final mission", but it was acceptable enough for me to play through and enjoy every bit of goodness Kojima and Konami had to offer to the fans. Gameplay was stellar and the cinematics were fantastically rendered with perfection... maybe too much in some people's eyes because of the long cutscenes overshadowing the real gaming experience that comes along with it. Still, if you really enjoy Tactical Espionage Action like I do, you won't pass this one up. No matter how it ended and looked through face value, this is STILL a Metal Gear game, so enjoy all the craziness, action, and "!" that comes along with it, hehe.
Favorite Comic Book Of 2008 - Captain America
I have to be honest... I didn't really enjoy the whole Secret Invasion crossover. It confounded me to the point that I was too overwhelmed with the tie-ins and mix ups happening around the Marvel Universe. Fortunately, I still collected the main story arc. Writer Brian Michael Bendis still has a knack for portraying the explosions and wordy action dialogue he's known for in the Ultimate Spider-Man series, but it's just too intense and messy for me. I simply want to see a straightforward presentation involving the right amount of drama, action, and superhero goodness a comic should be known for. Thank god there's Captain America. The title, written by the talented Ed Brubaker, is not intertwined with the whole invasion arc thankfully, and instead goes on it's own merry own way, creating one of the best reads a comic book reader should follow if they truly desire pop culture satisfaction.
If you haven't been up to date with the good captain's progress, you should know that Steve Rogers has been dead for almost two years now, so it's best that you backtrack and catch up on the material of you're lost at this point. Currently, his former sidekick James "Bucky" Barnes has taken up the mantle, and he's doing one heck of a job trying to live up to the name his predecessor carried and made famous. Since making his debut in issue #34, the new Cap is different yes, but in a good way. Granted he wears a uniform that's not as iconic as the old one, and he carries a gun that stands against everything the original Cap was... but it works. Bucky is just as idealistic as his mentor was, and seeing the rookie in action makes one appreciate the effort of seeing a new guy taking up the challenges to define himself in the new world and harsh times we live in. The Marvel Universe has changed since the outcome of Civil War... and appropriately we have new legends like the new Cap to keep readers glued to their seats.
Well, so far that's the first couple of things I could definitely vouch about 2K8... Hopefully there's more to look forward to come the next few posts. Time to unwind back home for now, so I'll catch you all later and Happy New Year once again to you all!