I think I should be goin'...yeah.
Anyway, it has been a while. Also, no one has done a blog post since like August/September, so I thought I'd break the internet ice.
This is also going to have nothing to do with me or any of my original thoughts/ideas. I was looking for free music on artists' websites (as I often do) and came across this article. It's by Matt Maher (that guy who does awesome Christian music). I feel it's really relevant to St. Andrew's and teen masses and what not in general. I think you guys might feel this too. Anyway here it is:
At the end of this past month, i found myself in an arena with 18,000 teenagers (with another 3 in an overflow room), and we were once again, singing some pretty huge statements. Statements that are either inspired by or directly from a book that two billion people call the word of God. aka - the bible. Also, some words came from people who lived a long time ago who also felt passionate about said Bible, and some of their statements contain such huge truths that we're still talking about them. Those are the kind of truths that evoke a response! Amen, right? Of course they do; and our response is what we call worship. Obviously, it isn't limited to what we're doing while we're singing songs - it actually starts more in the human heart, and then how what has happened inside is now being evidenced on the outside - in the way we're living. This is very true. But, not every thing denotes the same response, right? I mean, there is more than one specific feeling of "joy" - there is elated, or empowered, or victorious, or jubilant. There is a wide variance in this word, "joy". I would venture to say that there's so much variance that we sometimes hit a "default" position, because we don't know how to respond, really. I would also venture to say that we all don't "get it" on the same capacity really. I mean, someone who's watched cancer dissipate from their body; someone who's juggling a life between two different sets of parents but knows they're loved by God as a Father consistently; someone who's been free of substance abuse for more than 30 days b/c of a great support group and the grace (which we've sung about); someone who gets a bowl of a protein substance from a relief agency in africa - they get "joy" more than someone who's stinking rich and has never really had a major problem other than some minor daily inconveniences like a bad parking space or bad nails or a latte that's too hot or too cold or not having the latest generation ipod or not getting that 3rd pair of jeans for your birthday - i.e, "first world problems".
The thing is, it seems that the people who understand this life of "worship" are the people who've really encountered God in the midst of really difficult and really beautiful things; and those things may or may not actually be in your life - they could be outside you, but still effect you. You could really encounter God through journeying with a friend who's in the middle of struggling with an eating disorder, or trying to stop watching pornography; You could encounter God through helping out at a soup kitchen. You could really encounter God in seeing the brokenness of the world around you and instead of ignoring it, allowing your heart to step into it. To not just be sympathetic of people's situations, but be empathetic. To care. If we did, i think we would have a shared experience of a different kind. In a world where we self medicate with entertainment and social networking, do we really allow ourselves to be empathetic anymore? Are we in all of these different experiences and movements looking for some sort of shared experience? We are; and it's been given to us:
That experience is the cross.
The cross that represented death; that struck fear in the hearts of people in Jesus' time; Now it represents life**
It represents restoration, and freedom and solidarity. It represents so so so much. That's why certain groups of Christians "sign" themselves with it. To be reminded of a simple truth: that we have been crucified with Jesus. We are dead. and we are alive. In Him.
So if THAT is the shared experience, then who cares how we respond! We could clap out the rhombus! Think about it - It could be huge! I mean, we're supposed to clap and sing and dance and shout - so why not together? Especially cause i don't think that it's about the cross that's in the clap; i think it's about we're looking for something to do together, right? That's not a bad thing - so why get frustrated? My frustration is the question, are we really worshipping God, or are we worshipping what we're doing in the moment? That's the danger. Are we, as Pope Benedict says in the book "Spirit of the Liturgy", "self enclosed circle"?
You know, for the first 2000 years, Christianity was a cultural force of influence in the world, yet at the same time - it was counter cultural. It intersected with art, science, philosophy, charity - every avenue of society - because the love of God is worth talking about in every avenue of society. As it penetrated hearts, it came out in all of these places. Yet, there were times when certain "cultural events" would be "baptized" in a way. This process is called inculturation. A good example would be the spring solstice, which helped illustrate the new life found in the resurrection of Jesus - hence, we see God already active in culture before the gospel is fully revealed.
A bad example would be trying to "baptize" group line dancing, because it doesn't need to. It's okay - it's just dancing! There's no "Christian" version of dancing - it's just dancing! If that's the case, then the question that should be next asked is, what's the right place and context for it? Is congregational singing of worship songs the right place? I know of some wedding receptions where it was a blast! But that was a celebration of a different sort. In this case, what is the counter cultural thing to do? Is it to not dance or sing at all? No - the scriptures and those who have gone before us clearly show us we're supposed to use all our faculties as we pray. Yet, history shows there is an evolution of prayer that "weeded out" right things at the wrong time. In Corinthians, Paul had to address the fact that people were coming together to worship, and were getting way too much into celebrating, and not enough into what the main point was of coming together - to remember what Jesus has done.
You know, I love Ecclesiastes, and how it so plainly lays out "there is a time..…for everything under the Sun." There's a time and place for most things. There is definitely a time and place to celebrate the human family and have fun and rejoice; and in that, God is made known and glorified. But is that time when we're singing TO and ABOUT God? That's my question for you to ask (if you feel like asking). It's about the intent of the heart. Jesus says in the gospel of Matthew, "rend your hearts, not your garments". In this case, i think our "garments" could be our "outer trappings"; i.e - what we're "doing" and calling prayer. But what about people who don't know any better? They're just doing what everyone else is. Can it be at fault? You're exactly right. You can't fault a 15 year old who doesn't really know how to worship- if all they've been taught is to "do". Even all the traditions i celebrate as a Catholic - they are not primarily about doing - they are about being. The activity is merely a framework for an interior conversation. This is the "tragedy" we're facing today - a generation of people who don't know how to pray. Prayer doesn't start with "doing". Prayer starts with us "being" loved by God. Recklessly. Hopelessly. Relentlessly. That is worth a response that is more than hand motions. Worship is about HEART MOTIONS. So if you are in leadership, and you're not teaching the people you minister to how to really pray, pray, pray; to learn to listen and respond; to commune with God in His word (and sacrament) and each other and live it out and share it; to see what can happen when people come together and pray and sing with expectant hearts that the Holy Spirit is going to change lives - if you're not showing them how service is worship and worship is service and how it all comes full circle when we come back together and talk about what God has done and is doing and will do - then we're missing a huge opportunity, and i know that you and i are accountable for that. Not to each other primarily - but to the leadership you serve, and to God; then to each other.
Someone right now is saying, "but they're just teenagers!!!"
The mother of God was 14 when she gave birth.
Josiah was a 16 year old King who sought God and turned a nation back to Him
David was barely a teenager when he slew a giant and began a journey than ended in becoming King.
Timothy was a teenager when he journeyed with Paul
St. Mark (the gospel writer) was rumored to be a young man when he followed Jesus.
i think you get my point...
We live in a post Christian world. Here in the west (i can't talk about Asia or Africa - i've never been)….i wonder some times if people peer into the "fishbowl" that is the Christian subculture (all denominations included), looking for a way in - looking for a shared context based on how to be in the midst of the inconsistencies and suffering in their life, looking for a reason to hope, based on a reason to love.I wonder if they find it. I pray that what they encounter are relationships and hearts that have found that reason, and are living it with every last breath they have; that as they do, they are celebrating God and clapping and singing and dancing and shouting with authentic hearts.
Until next time
-Brian
Monday, December 7, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Lot's of Things
I have no cool title for you this week.
So let's start off with what I posted last time. In a funny coincidence, the Tuesday after I posted the last blog post we talked about anxiety disorders in my abnormal psych class. Turns out I definitely don't have social anxiety disorder, so SUCK IT SURVEY!! BAM!!
I'm actually a ton less anxious than two weeks ago when I posted that. Like I figured, it was just new getting to know people and classes an such.
Aside from that, I really like my abnormal psych class. I think there's some kind of prerequisite for psych teachers that they need to be slightly crazy. As a comparison, my psych professor is kind of like Howard except slightly less crazy, but still just as forward in everything. The subjects are all interesting too. I'm really enjoying all this psychology stuff.
Branching off that, and also sort of related to the first one (woot for connecting subjects!), I'm not socially anxious, but I'm definitely an introvert. This might seem super obvious to other people, but I just stumbled upon this recently. Like I literally was Stumbling on the internet and came across an article about it (I think this was it:IT....maybe. It pretty much sounds a lot like me.
People need to get over Michael Jackson. I just saw a commercial for some Michael Jackson movie. That's dumb. I don't know what everyone is obsessed with. Sure he had a few good songs a while back, but did we all forget about the stuff he did recently? The child molestation, the plastic surgery, the general crazy? I take those things into consideration just as much as his music. Although you know what would have been awesome? If at his funeral some guy was speaking, then all of a sudden the lights lower and you just hear the Thriller music start up. Then Michael Jackson just rises out of his coffin controlled by like a series of wires like a puppet and starts doing the Thriller dance. Morbid yes. Funny? I think so.
I've started writing down my dreams lately. I figured I'll get some crazy stuff out of it. I also hear tell its good for different stuff. We'll see how that goes and if I have the patience to keep doing it.
Sara may know this because I talked to her over the summer about this, but I have mixed feelings about this girl Katie. She's a real nice girl now and all, don't get me wrong. She's very nice, a good Catholic girl, very happy. But there are some things about her that just bug me. For one, she's an early morning person. I can get over that, but it's just like total opposite from me. She's also just like ALWAYS happy. Like there are some girls who are cute and they always seem happy, but at times they can get angry. But Katie is like only happy. Like I don't think I've seen any other emotion from her. That's a bit bothersome. Other than that there's just like little things about her that just irk me. But I still kind of like her and feel that I would have a good chance if I asked her out. I don't know. We'll see. Any advice is welcome :D
That's about it.
-Brian
So let's start off with what I posted last time. In a funny coincidence, the Tuesday after I posted the last blog post we talked about anxiety disorders in my abnormal psych class. Turns out I definitely don't have social anxiety disorder, so SUCK IT SURVEY!! BAM!!
I'm actually a ton less anxious than two weeks ago when I posted that. Like I figured, it was just new getting to know people and classes an such.
Aside from that, I really like my abnormal psych class. I think there's some kind of prerequisite for psych teachers that they need to be slightly crazy. As a comparison, my psych professor is kind of like Howard except slightly less crazy, but still just as forward in everything. The subjects are all interesting too. I'm really enjoying all this psychology stuff.
Branching off that, and also sort of related to the first one (woot for connecting subjects!), I'm not socially anxious, but I'm definitely an introvert. This might seem super obvious to other people, but I just stumbled upon this recently. Like I literally was Stumbling on the internet and came across an article about it (I think this was it:IT....maybe. It pretty much sounds a lot like me.
People need to get over Michael Jackson. I just saw a commercial for some Michael Jackson movie. That's dumb. I don't know what everyone is obsessed with. Sure he had a few good songs a while back, but did we all forget about the stuff he did recently? The child molestation, the plastic surgery, the general crazy? I take those things into consideration just as much as his music. Although you know what would have been awesome? If at his funeral some guy was speaking, then all of a sudden the lights lower and you just hear the Thriller music start up. Then Michael Jackson just rises out of his coffin controlled by like a series of wires like a puppet and starts doing the Thriller dance. Morbid yes. Funny? I think so.
I've started writing down my dreams lately. I figured I'll get some crazy stuff out of it. I also hear tell its good for different stuff. We'll see how that goes and if I have the patience to keep doing it.
Sara may know this because I talked to her over the summer about this, but I have mixed feelings about this girl Katie. She's a real nice girl now and all, don't get me wrong. She's very nice, a good Catholic girl, very happy. But there are some things about her that just bug me. For one, she's an early morning person. I can get over that, but it's just like total opposite from me. She's also just like ALWAYS happy. Like there are some girls who are cute and they always seem happy, but at times they can get angry. But Katie is like only happy. Like I don't think I've seen any other emotion from her. That's a bit bothersome. Other than that there's just like little things about her that just irk me. But I still kind of like her and feel that I would have a good chance if I asked her out. I don't know. We'll see. Any advice is welcome :D
That's about it.
-Brian
Monday, September 7, 2009
FML, Apple, and Stuff
Is that title wittier than the last? I can't tell.
Anyway
So I had a moment the other day, worthy of FMyLife. I was taking a psych survey for my psych class about relationships and social stuff. Towards the end though, it started asking me all these questions like "What treatment are you receiving for your social anxiety disorder? What medication are you taking for your social anxiety disorder?" and I'm like "I don't have social anxiety disorder". And then they're like "Well, you might want to get checked out then" And I'm like FML.
But I don't think I'm that anxious around people that I have social anxiety disorder. I might be a little introverted, but not enough to warrant a clinical diagnoses. I think I just answered those questions weird, since they're like "Do you like being with people you're with, but not the one's you ARE with?" and I'm like "Yes?" and they're like "SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER!" :P
I think also I've just been real anxious about stuff, since it's like a new school year, new people, etc. Plus everyone here still thinks I'm a freshman since I wasn't in the Arts Village last year, so it doesn't help that everybody is trying to explain everything to me and treating me like I'm retarded. Also a part of that, all my old friends are back in Harshman, so I don't know like anyone here, which doesn't really help. But enough about my psychological problems. Let's talk about other stuff.
I'm excited for all the new video games coming out soon. There's L4D2, Call of Duty 2 (or 6?), Beatles Rockband, Assassin's Creed 2. So many good games! And now my roommate just installed his surround sound speakers to our dorm, so I really want to play stuff on there.
Classes are fine so far. Except physics. Physics can suck my balls.
Home has been getting tedious. My mom is going through menopause, whether she wants to admit it or not, and she's been freaking out lately. I'll say like "I'll empty the dishwasher after dinner" and she'll burst into tears and complain how I'm never home to help. Or she'll just forget stuff and when I ask what she was talking about, she'll get all upset. It probably doesn't help that both me and my bro are leaving the house this year. I hope she gets over it.
I also love screwing with the people at the Apple Store. I went there today while waiting to get my phone fixed by the Verizon people (took 2 hours in line!). So what I usually do is find the computer with the nicest, loudest speakers and turn them up all the way up. Next, I connect my iPod to the computer using the Remote app (it let's you control iTunes remotely from your iPod). Then I go to the back of the store and press play. Today's reaction was great. Carry On My Wayward Son pumped through the store and everyone turned to look at the empty computer, mysteriously playing Kansas by itself. Then one of the employees came to mute it and I paused it right before he got there, so he figured it was fine. Then, as me and Kevin were leaving the store, I played it again as we walked out, much to the delight of the shoppers :D
So that's about all the random I can fit in here. I hope it's not too long.
-Brian
Anyway
So I had a moment the other day, worthy of FMyLife. I was taking a psych survey for my psych class about relationships and social stuff. Towards the end though, it started asking me all these questions like "What treatment are you receiving for your social anxiety disorder? What medication are you taking for your social anxiety disorder?" and I'm like "I don't have social anxiety disorder". And then they're like "Well, you might want to get checked out then" And I'm like FML.
But I don't think I'm that anxious around people that I have social anxiety disorder. I might be a little introverted, but not enough to warrant a clinical diagnoses. I think I just answered those questions weird, since they're like "Do you like being with people you're with, but not the one's you ARE with?" and I'm like "Yes?" and they're like "SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER!" :P
I think also I've just been real anxious about stuff, since it's like a new school year, new people, etc. Plus everyone here still thinks I'm a freshman since I wasn't in the Arts Village last year, so it doesn't help that everybody is trying to explain everything to me and treating me like I'm retarded. Also a part of that, all my old friends are back in Harshman, so I don't know like anyone here, which doesn't really help. But enough about my psychological problems. Let's talk about other stuff.
I'm excited for all the new video games coming out soon. There's L4D2, Call of Duty 2 (or 6?), Beatles Rockband, Assassin's Creed 2. So many good games! And now my roommate just installed his surround sound speakers to our dorm, so I really want to play stuff on there.
Classes are fine so far. Except physics. Physics can suck my balls.
Home has been getting tedious. My mom is going through menopause, whether she wants to admit it or not, and she's been freaking out lately. I'll say like "I'll empty the dishwasher after dinner" and she'll burst into tears and complain how I'm never home to help. Or she'll just forget stuff and when I ask what she was talking about, she'll get all upset. It probably doesn't help that both me and my bro are leaving the house this year. I hope she gets over it.
I also love screwing with the people at the Apple Store. I went there today while waiting to get my phone fixed by the Verizon people (took 2 hours in line!). So what I usually do is find the computer with the nicest, loudest speakers and turn them up all the way up. Next, I connect my iPod to the computer using the Remote app (it let's you control iTunes remotely from your iPod). Then I go to the back of the store and press play. Today's reaction was great. Carry On My Wayward Son pumped through the store and everyone turned to look at the empty computer, mysteriously playing Kansas by itself. Then one of the employees came to mute it and I paused it right before he got there, so he figured it was fine. Then, as me and Kevin were leaving the store, I played it again as we walked out, much to the delight of the shoppers :D
So that's about all the random I can fit in here. I hope it's not too long.
-Brian
Friday, August 28, 2009
Witty Blog Title
Yeah, my creativity is running a little low right now. But, regardless, I'm still going to write something on here.
I think I want too much to be a sort of jack-of-all-trades. A sort of renaissance man who can do it all. This sort of comes from my whole movie making experience. You need to know how to do all the jobs on a production crew, just in case you need to do them. For example, even if you just want to direct, you still need to know how to shoot, edit, do makeup, music, etc. Otherwise, you're going to sound very stupid directing these people. That's probably where all these other aspirations are coming from. Like I see something cool, like a guy DJing, and now I totally want to learn to spin records. Or I spray paint a bag, and now I want to go do graffiti art. Stuff like that. Yeah.
School's going well. My roommate's real chill and also a film major with an awesome camera. I'm in the Arts Village this year, which means there's a lot of those "artsy" type folk around here (also a lot of gay people for some reason). But it's pretty laid back, and I'm meeting a ton of other film people and other people who can help me with movies, so that's good. I'm also going to be on the crew for a small film down here that one of my professors is making, so that's going to be cool.
I have a lot of awesome and free music that I want to get to people. Please request some! This reminds me. I also want to start a radio station. Going back to the first thing :P
Um, I like to keep these things short, so that's about it.
Brian
I think I want too much to be a sort of jack-of-all-trades. A sort of renaissance man who can do it all. This sort of comes from my whole movie making experience. You need to know how to do all the jobs on a production crew, just in case you need to do them. For example, even if you just want to direct, you still need to know how to shoot, edit, do makeup, music, etc. Otherwise, you're going to sound very stupid directing these people. That's probably where all these other aspirations are coming from. Like I see something cool, like a guy DJing, and now I totally want to learn to spin records. Or I spray paint a bag, and now I want to go do graffiti art. Stuff like that. Yeah.
School's going well. My roommate's real chill and also a film major with an awesome camera. I'm in the Arts Village this year, which means there's a lot of those "artsy" type folk around here (also a lot of gay people for some reason). But it's pretty laid back, and I'm meeting a ton of other film people and other people who can help me with movies, so that's good. I'm also going to be on the crew for a small film down here that one of my professors is making, so that's going to be cool.
I have a lot of awesome and free music that I want to get to people. Please request some! This reminds me. I also want to start a radio station. Going back to the first thing :P
Um, I like to keep these things short, so that's about it.
Brian
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Blog is Back
Maybe I was too hasty with this. I definitely don't have the patience/perseverance to update this thing every week plus some. And after seeing how Jon/Sara do it with their once in a while, read it when you will type blogs (also considering them and maybe a few of their friends are my only audience), I'll just do that. I'll put something on here soon. Just not right now. I'm tired and I need to wake up for a before noon class :P Till whenever.
-Brian
PS. Don't get into philosophical debates after midnight. They blow.
-Brian
PS. Don't get into philosophical debates after midnight. They blow.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Top 10 Video Games
Ok, so I'm bringing this blog out of retirement just post my response to Jon's thing.
First, let's get through the honorable mentions, because there's many of them.
Windwaker
Now I know a lot of people didn't care for this game, but I really liked it. The cartoony feel was a nice change as well as the whole sailing thing. Plus it's like the only console Zelda game I've ever bothered to beat. Severely underrated in my opinion.
Kirby's Dreamland 2/Nearly any Kirby game
I'm a real big fan of Kirby. Definitely my favorite character on Smash. This was one of the first games I got for Game Boy and I played it for a loooong time. I worked hard and got all the Crystal Shards and what not. Then my bro pulled out the cartridge while it was running and erased all my data :P. Aside from this game, most Kirby games (including Air Ride), are just a blast to play.
Peggle
If video games were drugs, this would be crack. It's cheap, easy to use, and incredibly addicting. Me and the guys on my floor spent hours playing this game, wasting many a good Friday night (and most of Saturday and Sunday). You want to stop, but it's just too addicting. I also here now that they put a Peggle game on WoW. Those people are never going to leave their computers. Ever.
Rock Band
Guitar Hero, I admit, started it all. But then they went crappy and Rock Band took up the concept and improved upon it. This, along with Smash, is one of those all time great party games. You can get a whole bunch of people together, bang on some drums, and act like you're awesome. Plus, it doesn't have like 30 death metal songs that are impossible to beat.
Assassin's Creed
This was a VERY close one. I might actually say it's better than #10. But, I need to make some cuts. If there were a 11th spot, this is the game. When I first saw the trailers for this game a few years back, I just thought it looked awesome. I mean, what other game allows you to climb to the top of a church spire, jump off into a hay stack, jump out and stab a guy, and then blend right into a group of passing monks. The world is vast and awesome, and really allows that sandbox aspect to come out. The missions, although a little repetitive, are still a decent time. The story, combining Middle Ages with sci fi...I could give or take. But it was still a decent story. Hopefully Assassin's Creed 2 will improve upon all the flaws of the original and kind of shine it up.
Now the actual top 10:
10.SSBM
I know some people (Jon) are fans of the original. Me, personally, I like the sequel. I never owned the original on N64 till like a year or two back. Although I rented it multiple times, I never really played it a ton. The sequel however, I spent many hours playing in many different situations. This is like the all time best party game. Like Jon said in his blog about fighting games, this one doesn't involve a lot of weird button combinations. Heck, you can button mash and win most of the time. The ease of play and overall appeal are probably what puts this on in the 10 spot. Plus, it doesn't get all full of itself with some crazy long story mode like the new Wii one does. It's a party game. I'm sure at least one of the developers has been to a party before. No one likes bringing a new awesome game to the party and then realizing that you need to play through the 12 hour long single player mode to unlock any of the good characters. Seriously, learn this people!
9. Tie between Halo 2/3 and COD4
This is a hard one to decide. Both are decent shooters, and both have their advantages. In means of story, both have an excellent single player mode. Both stories are very immersive and great to play through. However, I like Call of Duty a little bit more just because it's a little more realistic/challenging than shooting lasers at aliens that don't shoot back. In terms of multiplayer, both are also great. Halo 2 still has some of the best multiplayer and maps out there (although not many people play it any more). Halo 3 has more variety and modes than COD4, but also more whiny 12 year olds. Call of Duty does have a nice rank system, though at times, you just want to skip the crap and get the good weapons. All in all, they're both good shooters, but not the best games out there.
8. Fallout 3
This is a recent favorite. I borrowed it from my friend down the hall for the weekend and ended up keeping it in my dorm for a month. The whole game is great. I've never really played any Bethsheda games before like Oblivion or anything, but people tell me they are equally as addictive. I love the whole combat thing like VATS and all the great weapons and stuff. The post-apocalyptic setting is amazing. They created to landscape so well that you feel like this is exactly what things would like if the bombs ever dropped. Although I don't know why everything's like the 50's if the bombs fell in 2277. Regardless, it's great. I recommend everyone at least try it.
7. Pokemon
This is one of those games that pretty much made up my childhood. I still remember in 4th grade when one guy brought his Pokemon game to the playground, and everyone took turns playing it for an hour. I remember playing my own copy for days straight after I got it for Christmas. I also remember buying for too many Pokemon cards and playing matches (I still have them, and I'm waiting for them to be worth millions). While I won't say it's the "perfect game", I will say it is a great game that has had a huge impact on my life in one way or another. Also, you gotta catch 'em all.
(I was reminded of this video after that last rating http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UaJWzw79GI )
6. Paper Mario
We're talking the N64 version here. This is one of those great games that again, not many people have played. I think I rented this game from Blockbuster like 5 times before I finally bought it. It's great in so many aspects. The RPG element is great, the turn based play is fun, and the music is phenomenal. It's all just a great game that I highly recommend borrowing or buying. There's really not much more I can say about it.
5. Link's Awakening/Oracle of Ages
I am a personal fan of the Game Boy Zelda games (except Link to the Past). I love all the story and gameplay they're able to pack into such a small system. Link's Awakening was probably the first game I ever beat. From the many dungeons, to the twist ending (it was all a dream!) it was all great. Also, no game made me want to buy the Game Boy Printer more than this one. I totally wanted all those little pictures I took. Oracle of Ages was another great Game Boy Zelda title. This one introduced a whole bunch of new weapons, along with the interesting concept of solving all the puzzle by going back and forth in time. And I know what you're thinking, "Brian, how's that different than Ocarina of Time?". Because you do it on the spot, and there's three different times. That's how. In addition to all of that, you could transfer your game data from one game to its companion (Oracle of Seasons) and get even more content. I think I'm at like the 5th transfer already. It's that good.
4. Left 4 Dead
Now here's a game that knows exactly what it is and does it perfectly. Too many movies and games nowadays are overly full of themselves. Let's look at two examples here. Transformers is an action movie that people try to sell of as a legitimate film with a solid plot. It's not and everyone knows it. Shoot Em Up, on the other hand, is a crazy action movie with minimal plot and lots of insane action, and they know it. They play off this idea and embrace it. And that's what L4D does. It knows it's nothing more than an awesome zombie shooter. They put out the bare minimum of story and tell you to go shoot zombies. It doesn't bore you with 3 hours worth of cut scenes like a Metal Gear game. Rather, it gives you what you want, and in multiplayer fashion. That's the other thing about this game. The co op between all the online players is just great. You work in a tight knit team, each looking out for the other, and in the end, it's an incredibly well put together game.
3. Tony Hawk Pro Skater
While I said Pokemon pretty much defined my childhood, this was a close second. I'd say it was the game that best defined the 90's. You think of this game, and you think of the days where you'd grab a Surge, watch the X Games, and maybe listen to some Smashmouth. Yes, the 90's were good. And this game pretty much summed them up. Everyone loved coming over, getting their favorite skater, and then ollieing up to get the secret tape or all the SKATE letters (oh you remember that now eh!?). It was simple to play and a great time. Maybe this is #3 for more nostalgia sake than actual quality of gameplay. Still this game and it's sort of franchise reboot Underground (you could walk around!) were some of the best games I've ever played.
2. Golden Sun
I'm not much of an RPG guy, but this is one of the few ones I like. This game and its sequel is one of those series that will keep you up for a while, just trying to get a little farther. It combines all these elements of mythology, alchemy, and awesome fighting to make one seriously awesome game. The use of psyenergy powers (their version of magic) to solve all sorts of different puzzles really challenges you. I remember once staying in a Toys R Us for near an hour reading the strategy guide, trying to figure out this one puzzle. Aside from that, there's like a hundred different classes you can make your characters by combining different powers and items. And then after that, you want to find all the items and creatures and it just goes on and on. A great game by any standard and fantastic amongst RPGs.
1. The Orange Box
Ok this is sort of cheating. This is actually like 5 games in one. But the quality of all the games, rolled into one awesome package is just too much to not be counted on here. Let's start off with the Half Life games. Half Life 2 has to be one of the best shooters ever made. The quality of the game play along with the great story just make it fantastic in so many ways. The other two episodes on the disc I could give or take, but Half Life 2 is one of those games that people just need to play to experience it. Also to get all the crowbar jokes. If I didn't roll all these games into one, Half Life 2 would probably be between Paper Mario and the Zelda games. Next, we have Portal. By far, one of the best games I have ever played. It's a short game, but Valve managed to pack so much in there that it's amazing. The dry humor of GLaDOS, the sadness of euthanizing your faithful Companion Cube, and the Cake. So many great jokes and humor and such a great game. I'd probably put this one between Tony Hawk and Golden Sun. Finally, there's Team Fortress 2. This is the one game I wish I had a PC to play on. Regardless of that, it is still the best game I've ever played. The thought and effort that went into making this game so perfectly balanced is astounding. Every class has certain strengths and weaknesses that make them all equal. There's no one great class and one crap class (though I do prefer spy). Although some do better together than others, apart they are still great. Besides all that, I'm a multiplayer man. If given the choice between playing the multiplayer or the story mode first on a new game (say Halo), I would take the multiplayer. I love the variety, the interaction, the people (well, most of them anyway). Team Fortress 2 relies solely on this multiplayer aspect and feeds off this interaction between people that really puts the TEAM in Team Fortress. By far, the best game I have ever played.
So that's about it. Love em hate em, it's my opinion. Comment all you want.
-Brian
PS. The Cake is a Lie
First, let's get through the honorable mentions, because there's many of them.
Windwaker
Now I know a lot of people didn't care for this game, but I really liked it. The cartoony feel was a nice change as well as the whole sailing thing. Plus it's like the only console Zelda game I've ever bothered to beat. Severely underrated in my opinion.
Kirby's Dreamland 2/Nearly any Kirby game
I'm a real big fan of Kirby. Definitely my favorite character on Smash. This was one of the first games I got for Game Boy and I played it for a loooong time. I worked hard and got all the Crystal Shards and what not. Then my bro pulled out the cartridge while it was running and erased all my data :P. Aside from this game, most Kirby games (including Air Ride), are just a blast to play.
Peggle
If video games were drugs, this would be crack. It's cheap, easy to use, and incredibly addicting. Me and the guys on my floor spent hours playing this game, wasting many a good Friday night (and most of Saturday and Sunday). You want to stop, but it's just too addicting. I also here now that they put a Peggle game on WoW. Those people are never going to leave their computers. Ever.
Rock Band
Guitar Hero, I admit, started it all. But then they went crappy and Rock Band took up the concept and improved upon it. This, along with Smash, is one of those all time great party games. You can get a whole bunch of people together, bang on some drums, and act like you're awesome. Plus, it doesn't have like 30 death metal songs that are impossible to beat.
Assassin's Creed
This was a VERY close one. I might actually say it's better than #10. But, I need to make some cuts. If there were a 11th spot, this is the game. When I first saw the trailers for this game a few years back, I just thought it looked awesome. I mean, what other game allows you to climb to the top of a church spire, jump off into a hay stack, jump out and stab a guy, and then blend right into a group of passing monks. The world is vast and awesome, and really allows that sandbox aspect to come out. The missions, although a little repetitive, are still a decent time. The story, combining Middle Ages with sci fi...I could give or take. But it was still a decent story. Hopefully Assassin's Creed 2 will improve upon all the flaws of the original and kind of shine it up.
Now the actual top 10:
10.SSBM
I know some people (Jon) are fans of the original. Me, personally, I like the sequel. I never owned the original on N64 till like a year or two back. Although I rented it multiple times, I never really played it a ton. The sequel however, I spent many hours playing in many different situations. This is like the all time best party game. Like Jon said in his blog about fighting games, this one doesn't involve a lot of weird button combinations. Heck, you can button mash and win most of the time. The ease of play and overall appeal are probably what puts this on in the 10 spot. Plus, it doesn't get all full of itself with some crazy long story mode like the new Wii one does. It's a party game. I'm sure at least one of the developers has been to a party before. No one likes bringing a new awesome game to the party and then realizing that you need to play through the 12 hour long single player mode to unlock any of the good characters. Seriously, learn this people!
9. Tie between Halo 2/3 and COD4
This is a hard one to decide. Both are decent shooters, and both have their advantages. In means of story, both have an excellent single player mode. Both stories are very immersive and great to play through. However, I like Call of Duty a little bit more just because it's a little more realistic/challenging than shooting lasers at aliens that don't shoot back. In terms of multiplayer, both are also great. Halo 2 still has some of the best multiplayer and maps out there (although not many people play it any more). Halo 3 has more variety and modes than COD4, but also more whiny 12 year olds. Call of Duty does have a nice rank system, though at times, you just want to skip the crap and get the good weapons. All in all, they're both good shooters, but not the best games out there.
8. Fallout 3
This is a recent favorite. I borrowed it from my friend down the hall for the weekend and ended up keeping it in my dorm for a month. The whole game is great. I've never really played any Bethsheda games before like Oblivion or anything, but people tell me they are equally as addictive. I love the whole combat thing like VATS and all the great weapons and stuff. The post-apocalyptic setting is amazing. They created to landscape so well that you feel like this is exactly what things would like if the bombs ever dropped. Although I don't know why everything's like the 50's if the bombs fell in 2277. Regardless, it's great. I recommend everyone at least try it.
7. Pokemon
This is one of those games that pretty much made up my childhood. I still remember in 4th grade when one guy brought his Pokemon game to the playground, and everyone took turns playing it for an hour. I remember playing my own copy for days straight after I got it for Christmas. I also remember buying for too many Pokemon cards and playing matches (I still have them, and I'm waiting for them to be worth millions). While I won't say it's the "perfect game", I will say it is a great game that has had a huge impact on my life in one way or another. Also, you gotta catch 'em all.
(I was reminded of this video after that last rating http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UaJWzw79GI )
6. Paper Mario
We're talking the N64 version here. This is one of those great games that again, not many people have played. I think I rented this game from Blockbuster like 5 times before I finally bought it. It's great in so many aspects. The RPG element is great, the turn based play is fun, and the music is phenomenal. It's all just a great game that I highly recommend borrowing or buying. There's really not much more I can say about it.
5. Link's Awakening/Oracle of Ages
I am a personal fan of the Game Boy Zelda games (except Link to the Past). I love all the story and gameplay they're able to pack into such a small system. Link's Awakening was probably the first game I ever beat. From the many dungeons, to the twist ending (it was all a dream!) it was all great. Also, no game made me want to buy the Game Boy Printer more than this one. I totally wanted all those little pictures I took. Oracle of Ages was another great Game Boy Zelda title. This one introduced a whole bunch of new weapons, along with the interesting concept of solving all the puzzle by going back and forth in time. And I know what you're thinking, "Brian, how's that different than Ocarina of Time?". Because you do it on the spot, and there's three different times. That's how. In addition to all of that, you could transfer your game data from one game to its companion (Oracle of Seasons) and get even more content. I think I'm at like the 5th transfer already. It's that good.
4. Left 4 Dead
Now here's a game that knows exactly what it is and does it perfectly. Too many movies and games nowadays are overly full of themselves. Let's look at two examples here. Transformers is an action movie that people try to sell of as a legitimate film with a solid plot. It's not and everyone knows it. Shoot Em Up, on the other hand, is a crazy action movie with minimal plot and lots of insane action, and they know it. They play off this idea and embrace it. And that's what L4D does. It knows it's nothing more than an awesome zombie shooter. They put out the bare minimum of story and tell you to go shoot zombies. It doesn't bore you with 3 hours worth of cut scenes like a Metal Gear game. Rather, it gives you what you want, and in multiplayer fashion. That's the other thing about this game. The co op between all the online players is just great. You work in a tight knit team, each looking out for the other, and in the end, it's an incredibly well put together game.
3. Tony Hawk Pro Skater
While I said Pokemon pretty much defined my childhood, this was a close second. I'd say it was the game that best defined the 90's. You think of this game, and you think of the days where you'd grab a Surge, watch the X Games, and maybe listen to some Smashmouth. Yes, the 90's were good. And this game pretty much summed them up. Everyone loved coming over, getting their favorite skater, and then ollieing up to get the secret tape or all the SKATE letters (oh you remember that now eh!?). It was simple to play and a great time. Maybe this is #3 for more nostalgia sake than actual quality of gameplay. Still this game and it's sort of franchise reboot Underground (you could walk around!) were some of the best games I've ever played.
2. Golden Sun
I'm not much of an RPG guy, but this is one of the few ones I like. This game and its sequel is one of those series that will keep you up for a while, just trying to get a little farther. It combines all these elements of mythology, alchemy, and awesome fighting to make one seriously awesome game. The use of psyenergy powers (their version of magic) to solve all sorts of different puzzles really challenges you. I remember once staying in a Toys R Us for near an hour reading the strategy guide, trying to figure out this one puzzle. Aside from that, there's like a hundred different classes you can make your characters by combining different powers and items. And then after that, you want to find all the items and creatures and it just goes on and on. A great game by any standard and fantastic amongst RPGs.
1. The Orange Box
Ok this is sort of cheating. This is actually like 5 games in one. But the quality of all the games, rolled into one awesome package is just too much to not be counted on here. Let's start off with the Half Life games. Half Life 2 has to be one of the best shooters ever made. The quality of the game play along with the great story just make it fantastic in so many ways. The other two episodes on the disc I could give or take, but Half Life 2 is one of those games that people just need to play to experience it. Also to get all the crowbar jokes. If I didn't roll all these games into one, Half Life 2 would probably be between Paper Mario and the Zelda games. Next, we have Portal. By far, one of the best games I have ever played. It's a short game, but Valve managed to pack so much in there that it's amazing. The dry humor of GLaDOS, the sadness of euthanizing your faithful Companion Cube, and the Cake. So many great jokes and humor and such a great game. I'd probably put this one between Tony Hawk and Golden Sun. Finally, there's Team Fortress 2. This is the one game I wish I had a PC to play on. Regardless of that, it is still the best game I've ever played. The thought and effort that went into making this game so perfectly balanced is astounding. Every class has certain strengths and weaknesses that make them all equal. There's no one great class and one crap class (though I do prefer spy). Although some do better together than others, apart they are still great. Besides all that, I'm a multiplayer man. If given the choice between playing the multiplayer or the story mode first on a new game (say Halo), I would take the multiplayer. I love the variety, the interaction, the people (well, most of them anyway). Team Fortress 2 relies solely on this multiplayer aspect and feeds off this interaction between people that really puts the TEAM in Team Fortress. By far, the best game I have ever played.
So that's about it. Love em hate em, it's my opinion. Comment all you want.
-Brian
PS. The Cake is a Lie
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Screw This
You know what? Screw this blog. I said in the beginning that I figured no one wanted to listen to my opinion and it turned out right. Jon and Sara, I know you occasionally come to this blog, but frankly, you don't. I'll still leave this up here, but if no one cares, then what's the point? It's just me putting up random nothings in the vastness of the internet in which I'm just a drop in the ocean. If no one wants to download songs (I know no one did, it tells me) or hear what I have to say, why should I post? So, until never, it was fun while it sort of lasted.
-Brian
-Brian
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