Like: Rock Band

So this is how it went:

A bunch of video game designers were sitting around in their awesomeness and went:

“Hey let’s invent the greatest party game ever!”

“Okay, how about a game where you play simplified musical instruments collectively as a rock band”

“And we can use popular/totally awesome songs!”

“Cool, and we’ll make different difficulties so you can totally show off or if you’ve never played you’d be okay after two tries!”

“Or even play when you’re drunk!”

“Especially if you’re drunk!”

“And we could actually make the drums give you some of the same skills needed to drum”

“Not the guitar though”

“No, not the guitar”

“And you wouldn’t even really have to know the words! Just the basic tune!”

“And we’ll have the vocals real low so people’s awful, awful voices don’t ruin it!”

“And we could actually teach people the value of pitch since it’s the only thing the mic could measure!”

“BAD ASS! LET’S DO IT”

“Dude, be sure Gimme Shelter is one of the songs!”

***

Sure there were 2 versions of guitar hero as the progenitor to this so it was really just the next logical step in the evolution, but I still like this version of the events.

Don’t Like: Billy Mitchell

He’s the asshat on the left.

I finally got around to seeing The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters last night and it was really a great little documentary. It’s odd that a movie about world record Donkey Kong attempts could end up becoming a movie about the fickle nature of simple human decency. The film follows nice-guy Steve Weibe, a family man laid off from his job, as he attempts to break the world record in Donkey Kong. He mostly ends up having to deal with a whole bunch of bureaucratic BS, most of which stems from the original record holder and all-around-dick Billy Mitchell.

The guy is very definition of following: smarm, ego, opportunist, jerk-ass, scumbag, incumbent power holder, transparent, and above all hypocrite. He may even have a chance to go down as one of the all-time great hypocrites too. He’s the perfect villain and he completely puts himself into that role. I don’t think I’ve ever disliked a single person more. The best part of the whole thing is how, when pitted against a genuine human being like Steve, all of those awful things about Billy come through so clearly that slowly his co-horts start to realize the truth. Like I said, it really gets into the power of decency.

Definitely, check out King of Kong.

Don’t Like: That I’m Losing My Moral Compass Playing Grand Theft Auto 4

This game is so freaking awesome. But it’s completely enveloping. As such, I found myself walking down the street yesterday and figuring out the best way to steal the approaching SUV. I also was wondering if I could pick off those bums on the corner with a sniper rifle from here. I wasn’t even realizing it at the time either, I was just so in the world of the game.

Scary stuff.

But like I said, holy crap is this a totally fantastic game.

Don’t Like: HALO online players

So this is where the Asshats of the world end up.  First off, Halo is fantastic. It’s the perfect shooter with great balance and weapons and gameplay. There’s so little cheapness to it (except double beatdowns, lame). I was so excited to get my XBox Live up and running. The gameplay experience itself has been fantastic, completely competitive and exhilarating. The funny part is the people I encounter while playing. See I have a microphone which is awesome for strategy purposes, but never in my life have I heard such a brainless array of people. They seem to be young, homophobic, and contrarian. Everything is “fag!” “that’s so gay!” “fuck you faggot!” “I have a big penis!” Those are all real quotes and you hear them every time you play. The best part about the last quote is it’s usually being said by 10 year olds. It’s just best to respond with “NO, YOU DON’T’ and then assassinate them with the butt end of your assault rifle.

At least the asshats are good at Halo.

ROCK ON.