It has been a great run on Blogger, but I have made a move and some changes. This blog will no longer be updated, but never fear, you can still find my useless ramblings on these new blogs here:
Psymin's World- Essentially the predecessor to this website; a blog about video games, sports, or whatever the hell else I want to post about.
AND
The Movie Files by Psymin- My movie blog that is following my girlfriend and I's quest to watch at least 169 movies in one year. Contains mini-reviews on the movies we watch.
Thank you for visiting BJaMs World, and I hope you will join me on my new endeavor at the new site. These are just the stepping stones to what I hope will eventually be something much more.
It's been a...quick year and half.
Thanks for reading.
| BJaMs World | October, 2008 - February, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Demo Impressions - Heavy Rain
Thanks to Kotaku, I have been granted access (along with hundreds other- I am not special, unfortunately) to the pre-release Heavy Rain demo about 5 days earlier than the general public (who don't follow Kotaku on twitter)! It is a pretty big download coming in at about 1.3GB, and it took a long time to download, I am guessing that is thanks to sheer number of people downloading it. But, 2 games of NHL 10, and a couple FIFA 10 matches later, the Heavy Rain demo was ready...to install. Ugh, thank you PS3. Anyway, after a relatively quick install (compared to the DL), it was time to fire it up.
I guess I should preface this by saying how excited I was for the game coming in. It was being touted as a game much like Indigo Prophecy-Quantic Dream's first and only notable title- who's concept I absolutely loved. Indigo Prophecy was my type of game- a dark storyline, ENJOYABLE mini-games to rid the world of enemies, thought provoking, and intelligent; it was a blast. And now that Quantic Dream is ready to release Heavy Rain and step up to the current generation of gaming, I plan on being there on release date...at least that is what I THOUGHT. Has the remained the same? Let's see:
Short answer: Absolutely.
Long answer: When you boot up the demo, you are immediately greeted with a dark, rainy scene just like you would imagine from a game entitled "Heavy Rain". As I usually do, I went to the options to see what was going on. To my surprise, the games default difficulty level was set to "Hard". Me being the wuss I am, I decided to change it to "Medium" just so I didn't have to much trouble (I am sure I will be playing through the full game on medium anyway). After you start a new demo, you are put in control of the first playable character: a retired detective named Scott Shelby. Shelby starts out as a tutorial, showing you how to do basic things like open car doors, pull out your wallet, squeeze behind dumpsters, change the camera angle, etc. But what he also shows us is the combat in the Heavy Rain. Just like Indigo Prophecy, the combat in the game is done through mini-games- you have to push buttons as they pop onto the screen, or move the controller up and down, or move the analog stick a certain direction to defeat the other character who you're fighting against. To be honest, this is pretty stellar in my mind. I LOVE the mini-game fighting. To me, it is just as exciting, if not more so, than chasing after a guy with a gun and trying to shoot his head off. It had me tingling in all the right places (my hands and heart, don't be gross). At first, I thought it was a little bit of an overkill to have to control EVERY little thing your character does, but that toned down a bit once you got past the tutorial area. Shelby's scene in the demo was a blast!
After you complete Shelby's story, you play as the second (and final) playable character in the demo- FBI agent Norman Jayden. As Jayden you are tasked with searching the crime scene of the Origami Killer's latest victim. Jayden wears these glasses and glove that allow you to push the R1 button to easily find any evidence- important or not- around a radius of a given distance around you. It is really neat, to be honest. Again, you are shown the different types of mini-games that will be available, and the different types of investigating you will do (presumably) in the final release. Although this scenario was a lot less intense thanks to no fight, it was still a very unique and interesting experience. I can definitely see myself enjoying both of these characters at the end of the month.
Overall, the graphics blew me away. The game looked VERY good, and has a stronger atmosphere than most games I play nowadays. However, the demo did have some weaknesses. The first weak spot that some might find is that you have to push the R2 button in order for your character to walk, and the Left Stick to pick what direction they are going to move. At first, this annoyed me too, but after getting used to it, I didn't hate it. It kind of reminded me of the old Resident Evil games for some reason, only a lot less clunky. So this might be a problem for some, but I grew to get accustomed to it and it became second nature. Where my biggest flaw comes in is as soon as the characters start speaking- the voice acting is borderline terrible! This is a HUGE negative to me in a game like this where story is the main reason you play. Three of the four actors who talk in the demo sounded like they were trying to cover up an European accent, and it really took away from the game. I could have lived with the accent issue if the acting was good, but it wasn't. This is something that you really have to hear to understand what I mean, but I am pretty confident you would agree with me. But, other than that, I have no real complaints. Unfortunately, to me (an actor) that is going to most likely lower this games final score after I get the full game. Oh well...as long as I allow myself to be enveloped by the story, this might be passable in the end. We'll see.
| Heavy Rain Demo Recap |
Positives|
+Great Atmosphere
+Interesting Characters
+Excellent Story
+Beautiful Graphics
+Mini-games Kick Ass
Negatives|
-Some may dislike having a "Walk" button
-Borderline-Terrible Voice Acting
Final Verdict| Even with all the big name titles coming out around this same time, this should be on the top of your list if you are at all interested in this genre of game. BUY ON LAUNCH DAY- FEBRUARY 23, 2010!
I am definitely interested in others view of the game. Feel free to post some feedback on your thoughts!
Thanks for reading.
I guess I should preface this by saying how excited I was for the game coming in. It was being touted as a game much like Indigo Prophecy-Quantic Dream's first and only notable title- who's concept I absolutely loved. Indigo Prophecy was my type of game- a dark storyline, ENJOYABLE mini-games to rid the world of enemies, thought provoking, and intelligent; it was a blast. And now that Quantic Dream is ready to release Heavy Rain and step up to the current generation of gaming, I plan on being there on release date...at least that is what I THOUGHT. Has the remained the same? Let's see:
Short answer: Absolutely.
Long answer: When you boot up the demo, you are immediately greeted with a dark, rainy scene just like you would imagine from a game entitled "Heavy Rain". As I usually do, I went to the options to see what was going on. To my surprise, the games default difficulty level was set to "Hard". Me being the wuss I am, I decided to change it to "Medium" just so I didn't have to much trouble (I am sure I will be playing through the full game on medium anyway). After you start a new demo, you are put in control of the first playable character: a retired detective named Scott Shelby. Shelby starts out as a tutorial, showing you how to do basic things like open car doors, pull out your wallet, squeeze behind dumpsters, change the camera angle, etc. But what he also shows us is the combat in the Heavy Rain. Just like Indigo Prophecy, the combat in the game is done through mini-games- you have to push buttons as they pop onto the screen, or move the controller up and down, or move the analog stick a certain direction to defeat the other character who you're fighting against. To be honest, this is pretty stellar in my mind. I LOVE the mini-game fighting. To me, it is just as exciting, if not more so, than chasing after a guy with a gun and trying to shoot his head off. It had me tingling in all the right places (my hands and heart, don't be gross). At first, I thought it was a little bit of an overkill to have to control EVERY little thing your character does, but that toned down a bit once you got past the tutorial area. Shelby's scene in the demo was a blast!
After you complete Shelby's story, you play as the second (and final) playable character in the demo- FBI agent Norman Jayden. As Jayden you are tasked with searching the crime scene of the Origami Killer's latest victim. Jayden wears these glasses and glove that allow you to push the R1 button to easily find any evidence- important or not- around a radius of a given distance around you. It is really neat, to be honest. Again, you are shown the different types of mini-games that will be available, and the different types of investigating you will do (presumably) in the final release. Although this scenario was a lot less intense thanks to no fight, it was still a very unique and interesting experience. I can definitely see myself enjoying both of these characters at the end of the month.
Overall, the graphics blew me away. The game looked VERY good, and has a stronger atmosphere than most games I play nowadays. However, the demo did have some weaknesses. The first weak spot that some might find is that you have to push the R2 button in order for your character to walk, and the Left Stick to pick what direction they are going to move. At first, this annoyed me too, but after getting used to it, I didn't hate it. It kind of reminded me of the old Resident Evil games for some reason, only a lot less clunky. So this might be a problem for some, but I grew to get accustomed to it and it became second nature. Where my biggest flaw comes in is as soon as the characters start speaking- the voice acting is borderline terrible! This is a HUGE negative to me in a game like this where story is the main reason you play. Three of the four actors who talk in the demo sounded like they were trying to cover up an European accent, and it really took away from the game. I could have lived with the accent issue if the acting was good, but it wasn't. This is something that you really have to hear to understand what I mean, but I am pretty confident you would agree with me. But, other than that, I have no real complaints. Unfortunately, to me (an actor) that is going to most likely lower this games final score after I get the full game. Oh well...as long as I allow myself to be enveloped by the story, this might be passable in the end. We'll see.
| Heavy Rain Demo Recap |
Positives|
+Great Atmosphere
+Interesting Characters
+Excellent Story
+Beautiful Graphics
+Mini-games Kick Ass
Negatives|
-Some may dislike having a "Walk" button
-Borderline-Terrible Voice Acting
Final Verdict| Even with all the big name titles coming out around this same time, this should be on the top of your list if you are at all interested in this genre of game. BUY ON LAUNCH DAY- FEBRUARY 23, 2010!
I am definitely interested in others view of the game. Feel free to post some feedback on your thoughts!
Thanks for reading.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010 Predictions- Top 5 Sports Games
I was going through my normal online stops today, and I saw a great idea posted by one of their writers where he predicted which sports titles would be his favorite in the coming year. So, without hesitation, I jumped into the conversation. You can find the original post here, at OS.
So I have decided to post my predictions for what will be my Top 5 sports games of 2010 right here, that way I could get some of your comments and predictions. We'll go in reverse order, just for fun, and the system listed is the system I will most likely purchase the game on, not necessarily all the systems it is being released for. And, my hype rating is just how excited I am for the game to be released, out of 5 stars:
5. MLB 10: The Show (PS3)
The only reason this game isn't higher on my list is due to the fact that I don't follow baseball as closely as football and hockey, but that doesn't change the fact that MLB 11 will be a wonderful game. Looking at what is already confirmed for the game makes it a must-own for me, even though I'm not a baseball nut. Hell, they could have just repackaged MLB 09: The Show with a roster update, and the game would be great...ok, that's an exaggeration. But, the point is that MLB 09: The Show was such a great game that the developers don't have TOO much to change. With the emphasis coming to the online league updates, this title will be another great reason to own a Playstation 3.
The only reason this game isn't higher on my list is due to the fact that I don't follow baseball as closely as football and hockey, but that doesn't change the fact that MLB 11 will be a wonderful game. Looking at what is already confirmed for the game makes it a must-own for me, even though I'm not a baseball nut. Hell, they could have just repackaged MLB 09: The Show with a roster update, and the game would be great...ok, that's an exaggeration. But, the point is that MLB 09: The Show was such a great game that the developers don't have TOO much to change. With the emphasis coming to the online league updates, this title will be another great reason to own a Playstation 3.
My Hype Rating- 4 Stars
4. Madden NFL 11 (360)
Madden 10 was/is fantastic. The online franchise has made this games replayability skyrocket for me. But, what is missing is CONTRACTS! If Madden 11 adds in the ability to deal with contracts in your online franchises, it will be even better. There can be some AI tweaks to make the game even more realistic, and improvements done with the animations (see Backbreaker for great tackling animations). Madden 11 has the chance to skyrocket to number 1 of my list if it does the little things correctly.
Madden 10 was/is fantastic. The online franchise has made this games replayability skyrocket for me. But, what is missing is CONTRACTS! If Madden 11 adds in the ability to deal with contracts in your online franchises, it will be even better. There can be some AI tweaks to make the game even more realistic, and improvements done with the animations (see Backbreaker for great tackling animations). Madden 11 has the chance to skyrocket to number 1 of my list if it does the little things correctly.
My Hype Rating- 4 Stars
3. NHL 11 (PS3)
In my opinion, NHL 10 was absolute rubbish. Sure, it looked sexy, but the AI issues were too much for me to overcome, and has made the game unplayable. It is the most overrated sports title I have ever come across. With that in mind, I think the team at EA will make the AI changes needed, and improve upon the already beautiful interface and graphics and this will be great again, like NHL 09 was. Where this series needs a major overhaul is in the player models. With the success that NHL 2K10 had in making excellent player models (even 4th line players look like there human counterparts- but there is still some mistakes across the board), I believe that NHL 11 will take notice to that and improve in this coming outing.
In my opinion, NHL 10 was absolute rubbish. Sure, it looked sexy, but the AI issues were too much for me to overcome, and has made the game unplayable. It is the most overrated sports title I have ever come across. With that in mind, I think the team at EA will make the AI changes needed, and improve upon the already beautiful interface and graphics and this will be great again, like NHL 09 was. Where this series needs a major overhaul is in the player models. With the success that NHL 2K10 had in making excellent player models (even 4th line players look like there human counterparts- but there is still some mistakes across the board), I believe that NHL 11 will take notice to that and improve in this coming outing.
My Hype Rating- 3 Stars
2. NHL 2K11 (360)
NHL 2K10 is, without a doubt, with the correct sliders, the greatest game of simulation hockey ever created. It is truly the epitome of "diamond in the rough". With that said, the chances that the series are over are about 50/50 in my mind. But, if 2K11 gets made, it will be a big turnaround for the series. It will be a better game than 2K10 out of the box, and for that reason, it will garner much better publicity. Oh yeah, 2K might actually advertise the game this year!
NHL 2K10 is, without a doubt, with the correct sliders, the greatest game of simulation hockey ever created. It is truly the epitome of "diamond in the rough". With that said, the chances that the series are over are about 50/50 in my mind. But, if 2K11 gets made, it will be a big turnaround for the series. It will be a better game than 2K10 out of the box, and for that reason, it will garner much better publicity. Oh yeah, 2K might actually advertise the game this year!
My Hype Rating- 5 Stars
FIFA 10 has got me semi-obsessed with the sport, and has taken soccer gaming to a whole new level that I never thought would be possible by EA. FIFA 11 is sure to add to the amazing gameplay in FIFA 10, and hopefully make improvements where it is needed, such as the Manager Mode.
My Hype Rating- 4 Stars
That is my list What is yours? It doesn't have to be detailed at all, just a list is fine; I am just curious if there is any big sports titles that I am forgetting about.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas! The Haul
Well, the holiday has hit us all like a brick, and now it is already (nearly) over. The crazy shopping trips stopped for a day, only to begin again tomorrow with the returns and newly found spending money. But, the big question remains- what did Santa bring?! Here is the rundown of my (very awesome) Christmas haul:
Misc.|
100-pack DVD+R
5600 Microsoft Points (1600 point card, and 4000 point card)
Cash (about $40 from relatives)
Dan Clearly Detroit Red Wings shirt (my favorite player)
Ironing Board
Kodak Zi8 HD Camcorder (w/8GB SD Card)
Marian Hossa Detroit Red Wings shirt (my sister found it for $1 and we both love Hossa, so she figured “why not?”)
Original Six NHL winter hat (bad-fucking-ass)
Rice Cooker
DVD|
Fringe Season 1
Supernatural Seasons 1-3
PSP|
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
MLB 08: The Show
SOCOM US Navy Seals: Fire Team Bravo 2
PS2|
Dragon Quest VIII
God of War II
360|
Alone in the Dark
Borderlands
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
FIFA Soccer 10
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
Left 4 Dead 2
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Silent Hill: Homecoming
PS3|
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
Dragon Age: Origins
Need for Speed: Undercover
The Godfather II
Wii|
Cursed Mountain
Dead Space: Extraction
Deadly Creatures
Excitebots: Trick Racing
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
Mac (/PC)|
Football Manager 2010 (best girlfriend EVER!)
Sims 3
Sims 3: World Adventures Expansion Pack
On Tap to Buy Tomorrow|
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 (PS3)
Misc.|
100-pack DVD+R
5600 Microsoft Points (1600 point card, and 4000 point card)
Cash (about $40 from relatives)
Dan Clearly Detroit Red Wings shirt (my favorite player)
Ironing Board
Kodak Zi8 HD Camcorder (w/8GB SD Card)
Marian Hossa Detroit Red Wings shirt (my sister found it for $1 and we both love Hossa, so she figured “why not?”)
Original Six NHL winter hat (bad-fucking-ass)
Rice Cooker
DVD|
Fringe Season 1
Supernatural Seasons 1-3
PSP|
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
MLB 08: The Show
SOCOM US Navy Seals: Fire Team Bravo 2
PS2|
Dragon Quest VIII
God of War II
360|
Alone in the Dark
Borderlands
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
FIFA Soccer 10
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
Left 4 Dead 2
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Silent Hill: Homecoming
PS3|
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
Dragon Age: Origins
Need for Speed: Undercover
The Godfather II
Wii|
Cursed Mountain
Dead Space: Extraction
Deadly Creatures
Excitebots: Trick Racing
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
Mac (/PC)|
Football Manager 2010 (best girlfriend EVER!)
Sims 3
Sims 3: World Adventures Expansion Pack
On Tap to Buy Tomorrow|
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 (PS3)
This was a very, very great Christmas. The first with my girlfriend, and filled with my wonderful family. My 92-year-old Grandma was staying the night with us, and each day we get to be with her is a day I cherish, so getting to be with her all this Christmas was special. Just a great day, and I hope everyone of your days was just as great.
Merry Christmas!
p.s.: Post your lot, too!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
A :B: For All Marathon- Update
I am officially 1/5 of the way there now! I just beat Waverace 64 (N64), and that game has quickly become a favorite. Outstanding water physics, pretty enough graphics, and pure fun! Here is the latest info:
A 
For All Marathon|
For All Marathon|Rules| This marathon is simple- I am to 
one game for all 25 of the systems I own. This is a 25 game marathon that has no time limit. I will use Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for a Genesis game due to the fact that I despise RF cables, and don't want to hook it up. Everything else will be played on the original system. Note that I would have to beat ALL of the games on the SUGC for that to be considered a beat, not just the one for my Genesis beat. For this marathon, I must start a game from the beginning, not one that is already in progress (sports games are excluded from this rule due to their length). Below are the systems. I don't know which game I will use for each system yet, but I will update that as I go along. This marathon is the brainchild of JJKul; I take no credit|
Current Status: 5/25
1. NES|
2. GB|
3. SNES|
4. GBC|
5. GEN|
6. N64| Waverace 64
7. PSX|
8. DC|
9. PS2|
10. GBA|Tekken Advance
11. Xbox|
12. GCN|
13. Mac| The Oregon Trail
14. PC D/L|
15. PC|
16. iPhone|
17. NDS|
18. PSP|
19. 360|
20. XBLA| Trials HD
21. PS3|
22. PSN| Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic
23. Wii|
24. VC|
25. WiiWare|
one game for all 25 of the systems I own. This is a 25 game marathon that has no time limit. I will use Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for a Genesis game due to the fact that I despise RF cables, and don't want to hook it up. Everything else will be played on the original system. Note that I would have to beat ALL of the games on the SUGC for that to be considered a beat, not just the one for my Genesis beat. For this marathon, I must start a game from the beginning, not one that is already in progress (sports games are excluded from this rule due to their length). Below are the systems. I don't know which game I will use for each system yet, but I will update that as I go along. This marathon is the brainchild of JJKul; I take no credit|Current Status: 5/25
1. NES|
2. GB|
3. SNES|
4. GBC|
5. GEN|
6. N64| Waverace 64
7. PSX|
8. DC|
9. PS2|
10. GBA|Tekken Advance
11. Xbox|
12. GCN|
13. Mac| The Oregon Trail
14. PC D/L|
15. PC|
16. iPhone|
17. NDS|
18. PSP|
19. 360|
20. XBLA| Trials HD
21. PS3|
22. PSN| Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic
23. Wii|
24. VC|
25. WiiWare|
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