The Ic3box

Video Game Countdown: #9 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

2005-08-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Justin for letting me borrow this game when he did (apparently he no longer trusts anybody...I'm looking in your direction, Ashton) or else I might never have gotten to play this gem of a game. I have never been a huge fan of side-scrollers, but this game changed my outlook on the genre entirely.

Symphony of the Night is just one of the many titles in the Castlevania saga, which was started back on the NES and has spawned multiple titles on a variety of systems. This is by far the best in the longwinded series and as far as I'm concerned is the pinnacle of the 2-D side-scroller genre. In Symphony of the Night you star as Alucard, who is a son of Dracula. Your task is to explore Dracula's castle (rumored to only appear once a century but considering how many games there are in the series it seems more like every 2 months) and find out why Richter Belmont, the hero of the first game (and descendant of the original Castlevania hero, Simon), has mysteriously vanished. The anime-gothic-horror combination works quite well from a graphical standpoint. The sprites are extremely detailed (especially the demons that scour Dracula's castle) and animation is fluid and fast.

With all that being said, the real star in Symphony of the Night is the gameplay. It successfully combines both action and RPG elements. Weapons and items are kept in an RPG inventory system and killing more enemies allows Alucard to become more powerful through the familiar RPG cliché of leveling up. The actual gameplay is all action, however, and no other game that I know of does it better. Every hell spawn that Symphony of the Night conjures up is gorgeous, unique and presents a new tactical challenge to Alucard in every encounter. The bosses are monstrous and the confrontations that take place between the local bestiary and Alucard within the halls of Dracula's fortress are absolutely epic. The musical score is one of the best ever provided for a videogame and fits the gothic-horror feel of the game perfectly. Every piece does a superlative job of capturing the essence of the territory it is played in.

Symphony of the Night is a gaming triumph. From style to presentation to gameplay, Symphony of the Night has covered everything with a remarkable amount of precision and tweaked it all to perfection, and in doing so has cemented itself as the champion of the 2-D side-scroller.

Video Game Countdown: #10 Doom II

2005-08-14T01:56:00.000-07:00

We're at the halfway point on the countdown and its time to introduce Doom II. Upon booting up my state-of-the-art Micron during the winter months of 4th grade I was treated to some very hellacious gameplay. It was me vs. the worst that Hell could offer and without a little help from God (mode) I may never have beaten the Gatekeeper on level 32 (or with the code idclip, co-creator John Romero's face). I was quite the cheater back in the day.... Yes Justin, I used my 'Gamegenie' to haxz0r Doom 2.

Regardless, everything Doom 2 had to offer was extraordinary. Although rudimentary by today's standards, the graphics were the best of its time and were able to create an atmosphere of dread, and shall I say... doom? The demons looked downright superb and terrifying at the same time... my particular favorites being Pinky(demons.. and no, they're not that cute), Pain Elementals, Arachnotrons, and Cyberdemons. The sound... well the sound was downright creepy. Dark corridors were met by hoarse screams and the muffled breath of foul creatures somewhere around the next bend. The weapons were also something of legend: the newly introduced shotgun, missing from the original, packed a punch for close encounters (often too close), the rocket launcher helped to annhilate enemies from far away (used in close range and kiss your ass goodbye), and the infamous BFG turned scores of monsters into steaming piles of goo.

With all that being said, where Doom 2 really shined was in its multiplayer component. Although Doom introduced the deathmatch, I found the co-op play in Doom 2 to be (for lack of better description) the s**t. Weindling and I could play the co-op mode for hours, slaying hundreds of ugly fiends before our badass marines. The Rock would be proud...... God I hope that movie doesn't suck too much ass.

me vs samir(tar)??? vol1: The movies

2005-08-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

What happened?! After coming off last week's unfortunate flu outbreak, which left me bed-ridden for the better part of five days, I was about to start posting vol. 1 of me vs ashtar when out of the blue, Samir, of all people decides to get into heated debate with me over the movies I watch. Here's what transpired (Editing is kept to a minimum. Stuff in parenthesis is my commentary upon reviewing the conversation, so feel free Samir, to post your own later):

Samir(tar): have u seen i, robot?
Ic3man: no. cant say i really want to either
Samir(tar): That's tony pane for ya. Claims he has a "open mind", but really doesn't. You have to admit, open mind means trying new things, which u don't do much. Anyways, i thought it was interesting but didn't like the end.

(ummmm.... does having an open mind mean I have watch to watch every average to below average summer action movie starring Will Smith??? Secondly ... trying new things......are you joking. How many more movies do I have to watch than all my roommates combined before I am trying new things?? I am pretty sure that bewteen Samir and I, I am the only one whos seen a movie made before 1975.)

Ic3man: Cant say i find i,robot to be all that appealing. 1.concept isnt original. 2. is an insult to the book its based off of 3. stars will smith.
Ic3man: I still have to have an interest in going to see a movie, regardless of having an open mind. I am not going to waste 2 and a half hours of my life with a movie that has no appeal to me.
Samir(tar): You need to get out of reading reviews and experience stuff for urself
Ic3man: Right....im just supposed to watch everything that comes out of hollywood... when i go to research a movie i usually take about 100 critics opinions together (rottentomatoes) and try to form some kind of conclusion as to whether a movie might be worth 2 hours of my life
Samir(tar): Yeah, wasting 2 hours reading about it rather than seeing it
Ic3man: 2 hours, ha. More like 10min on the database. I read the synopsis and maybe some opinions. Maybe watch the trailer.
Samir(tar): But i still think even though u do save time, by not "wasting it" ur missing out, on the good movies....which are worth seeing, and which u don't know anything about going in. I have 90% no idea going into a movie what to expect. Sure then the movie sucks, i'll admit i wasted my life, but when it's good, it's awesome. You on the other hand might not know 10% of the movie or what is to come. I agree in doing research for something I'm about to go spend my money on, like cars, shoes, games, and all that. but movies... not so much. If i like the trailer or idea i'll go see it.

(Knowing 90% going in is quite the exaggeration... that is, unless the movie has no plot to speak of... and then I am probably right in not going to see it. Secondly, Samir says that he would do research on a variety of things he spends money on.... with the exception of movies...this make sense to anybody?)

Ic3man: Usually if im not interested in a movie initially someone will have had to recommend a movie to me for me to watch it. If im not interested initally, it takes the good opinions and recommendations of people i trust for me to get up and watch it. I mean if im not interested and i havent heard peple give pos. feedback who've seen it (whom I trust) then i probabaly wont take a look. thats bascially the case with i, Robot.

(By the way, just because a movie gets positive feedback does not necessarily mean I want to see it or am going to see it OR think that it is good myself. For instance, I, Robot got a Fresh rating from rottentomatoes.com (61%), but that does not mean I care. Or in the case of the 'classic' Hitchcock movie, The Birds, which I personally found to be disappointing, most, if not all critics will tell you its a masterpiece. On a side note, I wonder how many Hitchcock movies Samir has seen? Maybe we should compare movie libraries or movie knowledge to see who's been trying new (and old) things?)

Samir(tar): Ex. war of the worlds, i didn't know what to expect, but aliens...hmm, like the idea, i'll go see it, but then it sucked for me...i made my own opinion. Yeah, for u i guess, u must know what happens and how it happens.
Ic3man: Well, thats cause i read the book.
Samir(tar): You probably knew how the aliens came down before seeing it -> because of the synopsis.
Ic3man: Right, that will want to make someone want to go too. The concept. t\The synopsis, which i look at, like i said before.
Samir(tar): Synopis for me (my opinion) if it's like a page...long, that's a little too much. I create my own concepts in my head from a trailer.

(I just hope he's not buying too much into the commercialism....)

Samir(tar): Details. In other movies, then, what a normal person from just seeing the trailer wouldn't know - you might know more which may ruin or lessen the effect of the movie overall
S Agent AP: I tend to disagree there. Yeh, so i try to inform myself a little before viewing a flick. I never had a good movie spoiled by a little investigation. I'm not talking about major plot points, just a good overview. A good movie will (and should) stand on its own, regardless of what I know going in or how many times I have seen it.
Samir(tar): haha...tony...have u tried seeing a good movie without knowing....then u'll have a BETTER experience.
S Agent AP: sure , lots of movies ive seen without previous knowledge going in(the rock, seven, and pulp fiction just to name a few good ones). But in the end, a good movie is a good movie regardless of what i do or dont know about it going in.

(He has a point here - obviously if I had known the ending to Seven I might not have loved the movie as much. But I'm not talking about knowing key plot points as I have already discussed. All I am saying is that its good to get an idea of what a movie is about and a few opinions before plopping down 10 bucks and reserving 2 hours of one's life for it.)
**Note: I was watching Memento while trying to carry out this conversation.

Please post your comments. Your opinions will help make this column better.....maybe.

Video Game Countdown: #11 Diablo II

2005-08-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this review by first letting all those concerned understand that I have played both Diablo 2 and its predecessor. Therefore, some may ask why I have chosen the follow-up as opposed to the original especially since I've included Halo with Halo 2 in the 13th spot and Civ 1,2, and 3 in the 20th position. There are a few factors that lead me to this decision.

While Diablo may be one of the most influential games of all-time, Diablo 2 takes what's great about the original and improves upon it in every way imaginable. More classes, more spells, more enemies, more bosses, more areas, and more multiplayer mayhem. In addition, my first interaction with the original Diablo came 4 years after its release, and as with any inventive and genre-defining game, time does pay a price. Now, let me get away from this issue and back to why Diablo 2 deserves its place in my top 20 video games of all-time collection.

Diablo 2 continues the tale where the original left off, but not without a little irony. The hero of Diablo becomes the vessel of the mighty demon and a new champion must set forth to stop the Lord of Hell from freeing his brothers of eternal imprisonment and to destroy him once and for all. While the story isn't overly involving it does provide a nice backdrop and some superb cinematics worth watching again and again.

Diablo 2 is all about action, plain and simple. If it moves, kill it. Simple, yet more addictive than crack (no, I've never tried the drug, but I'd put my money on Diablo 2). The game's 2D, isometric graphics were quite good for its time. The art design for characters and monsters evoke an appropriate sense of dread and despair, and many of the game's bosses are large and imposing in size (and hard...o yes, very hard indeed). The environments are also quite varied, featuring lush and vibrant landscapes ranging from thick jungles and scorching deserts all of which eventually lead to the pits of Hell itself.

Where Diablo 2 truly excels is in its multiplayer component. Up to eight players can go to Hell and back on Blizzard's Battle.net service. Gamers can either play cooperatively and complete the many quests together in search of unique and rare items or engage in competitive PVP play and gamble all of their goodies in tense showdowns and gut wrenching duels to the death. For those of you currently addicted to Guild Wars you have the creators Diablo and Diablo 2 to thank for your sleepless nights.

After breaking 2 mice, downing can after can of soda during long, late-night sessions, and nearly reaching level 100 (stalled out at 97), I can safely say that Diablo 2 has earned its spot in my list of greatest games ever.

New Column

2005-08-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

I would just like to report before posting the next game in the video game countdown that I will soon be adding a new column to the Ic3box entitled me vs ashtar. After reveiling the infamous #13 spot on the countdown, which includes both Halo 1 and 2, Ashton violently displayed his anger with the selection and has since been getting into more and more arguements concerning various topics with me. Although dealing with a superior intellect, Ashton nevertheless puts up a good fight, and therefore, I have decided to post these disagreements in hopes of recieving feedback from others on these issues. The first edition of me vs ashtar will be coming shortly....

Video Game Countdown: #12 Planescape: Torment

2005-07-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

Before Black Isle Studios went the way of the Dodo, they were the creators of some of the most original and inventive RPGs around. One of these gems includes a little game few people have heard outside of critics' circle called Planescape: Torment. If this game was released today, it would still be as much a breath of fresh as air now to the gaming world as it was when released back in 1999.

For starters, Torment avoids the traditional trappings of most RPGs in that it doesn't take place in a classic fantasy or science fiction setting. Instead of elves, dragons, and furry-footed munchkins, players will encounter undead zombies, liches, and other things that go bump in the night.

It's difficult not to make the obvious jokes about waking up in the middle of a mortuary with a splitting headache and no memory of who or what you are. Granted, anyone who's ingested a bit too much of the sauce can identify with the feeling, but in this case, the occasion that results in the said circumstance isn't a long night of booze, but death. You see, that's what happens when you're an immortal. That's the opening of Torment - players take on the role of the Nameless One, a creature who wakes up one day with no memory or even any idea of who or what he is. After a floating, talking skull (otherwise known as comedy relief) initiates a conversation, the Nameless One discovers a cryptic message carved into his back. And thus begins one of the most involving and captivating tales ever to be told (RPG or otherwise). From the very beginning, the mystery surrounding the Nameless One is a gem. The story is mostly contained in dialogue, however, so players should expect to do a lot of reading (think KOTOR for those of you too lazy to pick up a classic PC RPG). However, the mere fact that the player has a huge amount of choice and involvement in the dialogue tree makes it so that things never become tiresome or boring.

When it comes right down to it, this game is a masterpiece of roleplaying - the dialogue is some of the most well-written of any RPG, the environments are varied and downright enthralling, the spell effects are mind-blowing, and the story contains some of the most inventive, unique characters players will ever have in a party. Whether or not you're a hard-core fan of RPGs, Torment is an unforgettable experience and a timeless classic.

Video Game Countdown: #13 Halo 1,2

2005-07-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

I know that I'm going to get a lot of flak from certain people with my number 13 selection being comprised of both Halo 1 and 2, but the criticism will be coming from the same people who think Goldeneye is the greatest game ever made, and so therefore, their opinion doesn't really matter anyways. These people will say that Halo 1 is a superior game to Halo 2, which is also bogus in my opinion. They are equally great games and let me explain why starting with Halo 1.

Halo 1 was the best launch title for the Xbox and probably saved the system from early extinction. If you had an Xbox and didn't have Halo basically all you had was your Xbox. The game featured terrific graphics, fluid controls (best FPS control configuration ever for a console), and a killer multiplayer setup. Simply put, Halo 1 became a great game due to its frenetic and highly competitive multiplayer matches. With its legendary maps that include Hang'em High, Longest, and Chill Out and wide selection of game types, which comprise of capture the flag, oddball, and king of the hill, Halo 1 will never get old.

The atmosphere when playing a 16 player LAN match in Halo 1 is something else. Just the amount of preparation that goes into it can be astounding. Location, people, hardware, controllers, televisions, and food........ A lot can go into the undertaking of a Halo 1 LAN match, but I can safely say that its totally worth it. As soon as everybody arrives and the teams are fairly split Halo 1 takes over for the next 4-5 hours. Describing the events that take place during this time can be quite difficult; one has to experience the event that is a Halo 1 LAN match for themselves. All that I can say is that they sometimes involve miracle missle shots (Mike nailing Jeff with a seemilngly random rocket after a capture the flag stalemate lasting for more than 45 minutes) and suicidal teammates (Jeff tossing grenades at his fellow mates' in the Warthog while yelling "Watch out for the grenades!").

Now it is time to discuss Halo 2 and the inevitable controversy. Just as Halo 1 became famous due to its LAN matches, Halo 2 takes its place as one of the greatest games of all-time with the incredible gameplay it offers through the Xbox Live service. With some of the best graphics offered on the system, new and improved weaponry, duel-wielding, a new set of maps, and an extremely rewarding online mode, Halo 2 takes what was great about Halo 1 and expands upon it in every direction.

Back to the 'new and improved weapons' for a moment (here comes the controversy). Some say that Halo 1 is far and away the superior game because the weapons it has to offer are more balanced than those found in Halo 2. More specifically, this is because the pistol is the 'all-purpose' weapon in the game and is the starting weapon for every player. The arguement here is that this makes the game more fair. I agree with this to a certain extent. Starting with the pistol does give everybody a fighting chance in any situation. However, in this underlies Halo 1's greatest flaw when compared to Halo 2. In all honestly there are only 4 useful weapons in Halo 1: the pistol, shotgun, sniper, and rocket launcher. Every other gun in the game is basically useless in comparison to these weapons. These include the needler, plasma rifle, human rifle, and plasma pistol. In contrast, what I enjoy so much about Halo 2 is the variety. Yes, I KNOW and ACCEPT the fact that the sword is cheap and stupid and for that Halo 1 gets the nod for not having any weapon as despicable as the sword. However, every other weapon in the game stands a fighting chance and against overly powerful weapons like the shotgun from Halo 1, weaker weapons can be dual-wielded to level the playing field. So, in conclusion, both games have problems in their weapon balancing, but in the end what's important is that the truly experienced player will come on top every time, and that my friends is the truth no matter which game you like more.

Video Game Countdown: #14 Zombies Ate My Neighbors

2005-07-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have been asking me where Zombies Ate My Neighbors was going to fall into my countdown due to that fact that I almost always mention the game whenever talking about the Genesis/SNES era. Well here it is, in all its glory at #14. Zombies was by far my most played game for the Genesis and hogged most of my 5th grade summer while the Cavanaugh brothers and I futility attempted to reach the 48th level (Curse of the Tongue) without using codes.

Zombies has a great sense of style and so much charm that it is hard to call it anything but superb. The game became an immediate classic for me once I hit level 8 and had to fight the greatest boss of all-time: The Titanic Toddler!! The game oozes humor and is infused with references to classic B-horror movie titles from the 50s-80s. Other unforgettable enemies in Zombies include the ultra-quick werewolves, giant sand worms, chainsaw madmen, and my personal favorite - (I'm not actually sure what the hell they are) the crazy, axe-wielding, Wahoo-wild-midgetmen! The weapons in Zombies are a blast to use with my favorite being the (highly volatile) soda can grenades. Other items in the protagonists' arsenal include squirt guns, bazookas, Popsicle sticks, bubble guns, inflatable clown decoys, and the all-important potion that transforms the two kid-heroes into indestructible purple-monster killing machines.

The intoxicating sense of charm and style that the game gives off is truly what makes it so great. Every aspect of the game screams originality whether it be the campy horror setting, frenetic cooperative gameplay, wildly fun enemies, or unconventional weapons. Zombies has become the cult classic of all-time for video games.

Video Game Countdown: #15 Tecmo Bowl

2005-07-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

Back when the NES was king I did not own a console. Most of the games that I was familiar with during that time were PC games because the PC was the only 'system' I owned. However, that is not to say that I never got to play anything on the NES. This was quite the contrary. I became very adept at 'leeching' off others so that I could play games like Tecmo Bowl. Did I like Frank Poncherri? Hell no, but I certainly loved Tecmo Bowl and spending a few hours with the jerk was completely worth it when it came to that game.

For all you Madden fans out there, this is where your roots lie. Tecmo Bowl started it all. It was the first football game with real players and I still reminisce about Bo Jackson barreling through tacklers and Lawrence Taylor's mad ability to block every kick in this Nintendo classic. The game was absolutely brilliant in its simplicity and execution. With only eight plays to choose from on offense and defense it became a guessing game of what to pick for the next play. If, on defense one selected a play that corresponded to the play chosen by the opponent on offense, the defensive line would run through and crush the quarterback. However, if one selected a running defense, and the opponent picked a Hail Mary play then one could expect forecast of touchdown celebrations in the near future. It's true that Tecmo Bowl showcased more of an arcade-style experience rather playing like a simulation, but that is what made it so fun.

In addition, Tecmo Bowl was one of the few games at the time which offered a superior multiplayer experience. The fierce competition and rivalries that emerged from the heated 8-bit action has since carried over to the sports games of today. Each of the teams Tecmo Bowl had to offer had their strengths and weaknesses. Not every team was represented in the game - only some of the best at the time. Tecmo would later release Tecmo Super Bowl which had every team and more depth throughout gameplay, but it was Tecmo Bowl, not its sequel, that I played for hours on end back in elementary school.

Video Game Countdown: #16 Mario Tennis 64

2005-07-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

After a couple of days of music its back to the countdown and rolling into sixteenth place is the hopelessly addictive and ultra-competitive title that is Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64. Yea, I know sports games are not typically my favorite genre, but this game is an exception to the rule. With its refreshingly fast arcade-style gameplay mixed with some deep control mechanics, Mario Tennis is title appeals to all gamers alike.

While its single player game is decent and offers hidden secrets to keep you coming back for more the real appeal of Mario Tennis is the multiplayer. This is where the real meat of the game lies and where I spend most of my time serving up aces and pulling peoples' pant down (figuratively speaking) with Boo's monster slicing capabilities. Part of the appeal of the multiplayer is that each character in the game has his or her own strengths and weaknesses (Bowser is powerful but slow, Toad is fast but lacks punch in his swing, etc), which one must master to be able to exploit their opponents and truly become an elite player. This leads me into another point. Mario Tennis is a game of skill - there are rarely any upsets and the victor is almost always the better player. I have never found there to be any cheap tactics and for every approach taken to playing the game there is most certainly a countermeasure that can be taken to turn the tables in one's favor.

With the game being so intricately balanced and highly addictive when played amongst friends it's an easy selection for me to place Mario Tennis for the Nintendo 64 in my top 20 videogames of all-time list considering the amount of time I have spent trying to conquer the competition since the day it came out in the year 2000. Come to think of it, there is only one person who is consistently my better in Mario Tennis for the N64.......damn you and your 130 mph Bowser serves, Jeff!!!

Music Review: The Postman Syndrome ~ Terraforming

2005-07-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is true this album is two years old but since their new material will be hitting the scene in a few months I thought it would be appropriate to introduce the genius that is The Postman Syndrome to all my dedicated readers. A difficult band to characterize, The Postman Syndrome incorporates various musical influences into their genre defying sound. While undeniably prog rock and comparable to such bands as Candria, Cave-In, Tool, and even Radiohead at times, traces of various genres are present, running the gamut from emo and metalcore all the way to haunting folk and jazz. The New Jersey natives take what is often associated with prog, build it up to soaring heights with artistic chords and shimmering harmony and then tear it all back down again with punishing guitars riffs, intricate rhythms, and a strong does of vocal aggression. Make no mistake, The Postman Syndrome can be extremely heavy at times, emphasizing their frustration and intensity through incredible guitar assaults and screaming vocals.

The content found within the band's lyrics is far more meaningful and intelligently written than the self-indulgent and pretentious lyrics that are found within the general prog population (The Mars Volta anyone?). The album is divided into twelve 'chapters' even though each song tends to tell its own story. Metaphors abound, each listen reveals a hidden thought or sound without sounding too abstract or fragmented. As a prog album, the record requires one to take several listens in order to appreciate all the disc has to offer.

In the end, The Postman Syndrome combines talented musicianship, intelligent song writing, and a refreshing ideas to create one of the most impressive underground albums of the past few years.

9/10

Music Review: Dredg ~ Catch Without Arms

2005-07-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

I think it is only appropriate to start off the music section with Dredg's new album, Catch Without Arms. With their initial two offerings, Leitmotif and El Cielo, being two absolutely stunning concept and prog albums, Dredg had alot to live up to with their newest effort.

As it turns out, just as El Cielo was very different from Leitmotif, Dredg has taken Catch Without Arms in a completely different direction as well. Gone are the interludes from El Cielo, storytelling form Leitmotif, and overall weirdness of both previous efforts. Whats left is an album that is much more straightforward. While the band still sounds as dreamy and wistful as ever, the progressive majesty that once permeated their angular brand of indie rock is to some degree missing in action here. Instead, the band seem to have compacted much of their wide-eyed experimentalism and engrossing instrumentation in favor of simpler arrangements and more traditional song structures for a more radio-friendly approach. When hearing the opening track "Ode To The Sun", which is followed up by the incredibly catchy "Bug Eyes", you know right away that you will be singing a lot of the chorus lines from these songs in your head long after you stop listening.

However, despite the simplification, there is still a lot of good music to be had here. "Ode to the Sun" is one of the greatest opening songs ever, the chorus to "Not that Simple" is constantly stuck in my head, "Jamais Vu" is classic Dredg in almost every respect, mixing beautiful guitar passages with sometimes uneasy bass riffs and slow but pounding drums, and the 'raining' guitar found in "Planting Seeds" is absolutely beautiful. In addition, Vocalist Gavin Hayes is at his best on this record. His operatic delivery and uplifting lyrics, fit the band's sound perfectly.

Whether you liken with those who appreciate the brazen defiance of rules exhibited in Leitmotif and El Cielo, or with those who prefer the more unequivocal, but nevertheless equally moving, route taken by Catch Without Arms, there is something here for everyone. Catch Without Arms draws a line right down the center, and regardless of which sound it is paying tribute to at any given moment, it always sounds like Dredg, and it's unabated from beginning to end. It is compelling, inspiring, and memorable, and like Dredg's first two efforts, it is a record that no music-lover should be without.

8/10

Video Game Countdown: #17 Tetris

2005-07-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

Tetris is by far the greatest puzzle game of all time. Its success is the product of its simplicity: Align seven differently shaped blocks together in order to create rows, which disappear and turn into points (and in multiplayer create hell for your opponent). As a result, Tetris remains one of the most accessible games ever created. Almost anybody can play it and those who do become hopelessly addicted.

Despite all this praise, the real reason Tetris is making my top 20 video games of all-time list is because of the few moments of happiness it brought my friends and I during the insufferable band trips we had to endure in high school. Although only a few people had the necessary Gameboys (and link cables) nearly everybody wanted a piece of the action. Despite the sub-zero temperatures outside, heated battles took place on the bus with competitors urgently pushing to get the maximum 4-row combo to quickly force their opponents to the top of the screen. After battle, the victor would erupt in shouts of joy while the loser would whine and cry (mostly Justin) and be beseached by their friends as to why they decided to place the L-shaped block in the most inappropriate location. Looking back now on our band trips it is funny to note that once we reached our destination, nobody wanted to get off the bus. Perhaps this is just because we all hated band. Or, perhaps it is a reflection of the powerful influence Tetris had on us all. You can be the judge for yourself but before I end this review let me just say 'Thank you, Tetris, for the outlet you provided to us bandmembers in our most desperate times of need". (A little overdramatic, but its the truth!)

Video Game Countdown: #18 Zork Trilogy

2005-07-14T21:16:00.000-07:00

North. Climb ladder. Open Door. Take key. KILL that friggin wizard!! Yes, its true Zork displayed no graphics to speak of when I loaded it up for the first time on my ancient IBM computer way back in 1990 (it was made in 1977), but what it lacked in aesthetics and flashy colors it made up for in gameplay. It is one of the first and greatest adventure games of all time.

Zork takes place in a sprawling underground labyrinth, which occupies a portion of the 'Great Underground Empire'. The player is a nameless adventurer whose goal it is to locate the treasures hidden within the caves and return alive with them. However, standing in the player's way are numerous puzzles and deadends...not to mention grues, zorkmids, and the infamous wizard who I will not speak of again (...I have some very bad memories of that guy).

Zork distinguished itself in its genre as an especially rich game, both in terms of the quality of the storytelling and the sophistication of its command prompt, which was not limited to simple commands ('hit grue'), but understood full sentences as well ('hit grue with the sword'). In closing, Zork was my introduction into the world of videogames and looking back now I see that it has created a very horrible addiction.

Video Game Countdown: #19 Ape Escape

2005-07-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

Ape Escape is a game that proves by combining platforming, stealth, and monkeys you can create one hell of a gaming experience. The setup is quite simple in reality: super smart apes have escaped an animal laboratory and your goal is to catch them. Easy, right? Not when the primates are armed with machine guns, bazookas, and death rays. The game makes great use of the Playstation's analog control sticks, which were very innovative back in 1999. While the left stick controls the basic movement of the main character, Spike, the right analog stick controls the weaponry and devices needed to slow down the elusive apes. For example, by pushing the right analog stick up, Spike will swing his fishing net forward and by holding the stick down Spike will swing it backward. It sounds easy enough, but I fondly remember a person that I will refer to as 'The Big Show' for anonymities sake having a tough time initially and getting pummled by the devious monkeys. However, once one gets the hang of it, the control scheme becomes downright intuitive. There had been no game before it that had been able to successfully utilize the right analog control stick.

In conclusion, Ape Escape is by far one the greatest platformers not to mention one of the greatest games ever to be made. By providing a unique premise (seriously, how can't one love a game that stars super-intelligent monkeys armed with hi-tech weaponry?) and superb control scheme, Ape Escape has earned its way into my top 20 greatest video games of all-time.

Video Game Countdown: #20 Civilization I, II, III

2005-07-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

No one has ever come close to matching Sid Meieir's vision of global domination in his Civilization series. The amount of depth the games offer is astounding. Perhaps the one aspect of the Civilization series that has made it so appealing is that it lets the player be creative. The player is allowed total freedom in their choices with varying routes that lead to success. There is no 'intended path' that the creators force upon the player, or in other words, the player gets to do what they want to do instead of trying to decipher what the designer had in mind. While most strategy games only offer glory through conflict, the Civilization series offers victory through economics, diplomacy, research and productivity in addition to combat. With all the options and strategies that the games makes available you will find yourself glued to the computer screen far past the break of dawn trying to figure out the best way to f-over those French bastards. I know I did on more than a few occasions. I mean, come on, where else can you have the communist U.S of A be defeated by their technologically superior Persian nemesis in an all out nuclear war?

Quick Update

2005-07-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

Making the top 20 list has been more difficult than I initially anticipated, no thanks to some who have made threats through the comment link (I'm looking in your direction Jeff). Nevertheless, it is almost complete and #20 will be posted shortly.

In other news, I will be posting reviews of musicians I am currently listening to in addition to the ongoing top 20 list. The first set of reviews for albums one can expect to see will be (yes you guessed it) dredg: catch without arms, porcupine tree: deadwing, and wintersleep: wintersleep.

Top 20

2005-07-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

OK. I think I'm gonna start off this blog thing by posting my top 20 videogames of all time sporadically for the next week or so. No, I don't care what you think and I don't care if you disagree and start posting comments because you're wrong! There, I said it. Your opinions are meaningless and you should all bow down before my great wisdom in this matter. I'll try and be as fair as possible but rest assured, no Madden or NBA Live or Need for Speed will be making it anywhere near the top 10 (despising EA seems to be a running theme here). I'm pretty sure this will make a few people I know.....actually most of the people I know, very disappointed, but I don't care. Number 20 coming soon........

Welcome to the Ic3box

2005-07-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Ic3box where your host--me, the great Tony Pane, shall be posting weekly rants concerning video games, movies, music, and stupid stuff that I find interesting and which you will read because you probally have nothing else to do in your pathetic, meaningless lives (you know who you are). Hmmm..... I probally just lost alot of viewers but no matter... Let the pointless blogging begin!