Still Alive (portal reference and reused title; oh wow)

I'm still alive. I'm still playing games. I haven't cut my hair since freaking August. Yeah, it's been one busy semester. I've been able to play a few games on and off since school started, but nothing too hardcore as say... Demon's Souls. However, I've had a small sampling of games since my radio silence back in... August?

... Seriously?
Brandon picked up Amnesia: The Dark Decent for me a few months back since it was one of the few games I could run on my Mac, and you know, it's a horror game. I dinked around with the settings, got through a few of the first few puzzles with a very "ho-hum" attitude toward it and abandoned it. However, with my weird schedule these past few months, I would roll into school super early, get all my work done and have little to do than play games on Steam or watch Family Guy on Netflix for the third time through (which won me over a few times, believe it or now).

So, I started to play through Amnesia again, and I'm glad to say that it was worth the revisit.

Imagine, if you will, the sight that a number of students at my school have seen. A young woman with her hair tied back haphazardly, hunched forward and inches away from her laptop. She's squinting at browned, blurred images and her brow is twisted into a look of extreme concern or confusion (it's really hard to tell). Her eyes are wide and her body is rigid save for an occasional twitch or jerk of surprise. A scarf is wrapped around her mouth to cover up her mouth hanging open and the frightened, soft curses that slip out.

This was me playing Amnesia. In the dark or light, this game really can spook you if you have a decent set of headphones. Or, if you're like me and get easily pulled into its haunting setting.

Seriously, this was a breath of fresh air for me and my horror genre apathy. The survival horror genre is still in its death knells, but games like Amnesia really give me hope that it ain't dead yet.

And yes, I am scared to play this game in the dark and with surround sound. Something about scaring the bejeezus out of myself is tempting, but at the same time, I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of child-like fear of being petrified to move around in the dark.

Maybe after finals and I hunt down a flashlight or nightlight.



To the delight of those that have been trying to get me into the Pokemons for years...
I picked up Pokemon: Soul Silver back in September. While browsing around in GameStop, I happened to look over at the DS games. I saw the shining box of Soul Silver and Heart Gold, talked myself into it with a "meh, whatever", and purchased a copy of Soul Silver on a whim.

Yikes.

Since then, this game has been my fall-back game. I've picked up while dinking around at work, waiting for class to start, when I'm bored, and you know, just to get a few more levels on my Jolteon. I mean, seriously, I went all out. I took the little PokeWalker everywhere (I still do). I'm pleased to say the closest I've come to cheating with that thing is hanging it from my key when I'm driving.

I ended up talking to a few people that religiously played the series and asked what the hell I was supposed to do and why it was so gripping to them. I got directed to Effort Value training which considerably boosts the stats of your Pokemon. It took me a few hours to get my first Pokemon finished, but it was weird. It really felt like I accomplished something when some digital woman gave me a ribbon for my trained Vaporeon. Even though I've beaten the game (got through the Pokemon League), I still want to train up a few more Pokemon just because.

I don't know; it was nice distraction and it continues to be. I still have yet to catch a lot of the Pokemon in either game, so that gives me more to do. I'm almost scared to say it, but I'm really excited for Black and White to come out next year.

And seriously, that's about all I've played since September.


I can see playing Fragile Dreams again over winter break. Which, after checking my most recent posts, (last updated in August! Are you kidding me!), I didn't talk about at all. Fragile Dreams is a precious and haunting little gem for the Wii. Aside from some wonky controls, it's an action RPG about the Apocalypse. The world has ended for some reason (I only got a few hours in), and you're a young boy looking for hope in a world without any. He finds a mysterious girl in white and goes to find her with the help of a robotic system (which acts as a tutorial).

Seriously, the beginning is any indicator of how sad this game is... I doubt I'll make it through this puppy withou--

Gckt!

(I've been playing Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer exclusively. Add me on XBL and come get shanked in the back. I swear, the multiplayer alone is totally worth buying this game.)

Hgkt...!

*expires*

Questions

What have you been up to during your summer break? What have you been up to Bonnie? You may ask.

Keeping up with my blogs?

Hell no!

Being productive member of society?

Not especially!

Trying new things?

Not really!

Tying up loose ends?

Notta chance!

Keeping up with the newest games anyone has to offer?

HA! (What is that Chris is holding? Is that supposed to be the moon from Majora's Mask? What?)

Will I update more that school is starting up soon (with or without silly Scribblenauts hat)?
Probably.
Maybe.
We'll see how it goes.
The hat stays either way.

THE FINAL CUT

So, we last left off, Jennifer wasn't doing so hot. But, let's see how her luck is changing now...

Alright, so far so good this time. No Scissorman, but I do have this crippling paranoia. Maybe it's caused by these hanging dolls and that clown next to me. There's a key in here to move me forward.
Hrm. And, the doll is floating toward me. I knocked it on it's ass and booked it out of there.

Floating dolls and a maternity magazine? What kind of freaked out mansion is this?!

Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. This place is way too intense, even the books are completely humorless.

Speaking of humorless. Excuse me, Ms. Mary...?

Well, erm, I ... Yeah, I think so. Have you checked out this place? Did you know there's a guy with huge scissors walking around? And... And... some dude in a cage outside that says he's Barrows? What's up with that!? Also, I have your perfume, if that's cool.

Uh, okay. Yeah, I guess so. Just as long as you don't put drugs in i--

Damnit.

Double damnit. Hello, Mr. Barrows. No, I don't have any ham. Can you let me out? N-No, I don't want to talk about the current state of affairs in the ham economy.

OH LOTTE! LOTTE, LOTTE, LOTTE! THANK YOU! Let's cheese it, let's!
Well, thank goodness Lotte went out first. I heard a BLAM and a scream, but I'm sure she's okay. R-Right, Ms. Mary?
MY HIND END YOU WILL! YOU WILL MEET MY FRIEND, 2 X 4! HE'S VERY FRIENDLY! AND YOU CANT MIX A DRINK WORTH A DAMN, MA'AM!

After dealing with Ms. Mary, I found my way back to this room. Yes, it looks like the mural in that other room that I couldn't get my stupid girly arms to push over. But, oh well, at least I got the other half the mural. . . which I don't understand anyway.

Oh well, I put the Demon Idol into the slot on the alter and it opened up some secret ladder. I'd be stupid NOT to go.

Below, I watched a Cultist walk by this dog. I'm guessing it was Mary, but maybe it wasn't her. Either way, I spritzed myself down with Mary's perfume right in front of the dog. Dogs don't know it's not Ms. Mary!

Heh-heh-heh, stupid dog.

Now, time to explore this ca--
OH GOD ITS TETSUO OR JABBA THE HUTT DEAR GOD WHY IS THIS TROLL BABY DOWN IN A CAVE! KILL IT WITH FIRE KILL IT WITH FIRE!

...Huh. D-Done and done, I guess.
I feel like my journey is coming toward an end. I'll take this elevator up and take a look at what's on the other side of the house. Oh, hey, there's Ms. Mary. I've got a bone to pick with you, woman!

Wait that was YOUR son? Oh. Oh, honey, I am sorry. Did they give you like, metal hips or something after he was born? Oh. Oh, crap, you've got a knife. I-- YEEE!



LOOK MS. MARY! WE GOT OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT! I'm sure you didn't mean to slip me the roofie, shoot my friend, and have your mutant baby son nearly eat me. And *I* didn't mean to set him on fire! So, let's just talk this out over some non-drugged tea and some ham, yeah?


I ... I guess not.


Whew, how exhausting. I finally got up to the Clock Tower and turned off the switches... I hope nothing else goes wrong. It's been a long day.

I wonder where the Scissor guy got to . . .


Man, I could go for some ham about now.


THE END!

Ending : C
Dead: Bobby (Scissorman), Ms. Mary, Dan (Troll Baby), Lotte, Laura, Ann (was never found, so I guess she's dead too).

Clock Tower Part 3: NEW BEGINNINGS

We jump back to where Jennifer didn't take the coward's way out to only find out it wasn't the best way out... Let's join her again as she explores more of the Barrow's Manor...
Huh. Well, I'm glad I didn't take that car out of here. This seems quite mysterious. I haven't a clue what this means, but I can't knock down that shelf in the way of the collage. I tried everything. A rope, a rock, perfume, key...

I'll come back later with some muscle.

Hello, Lad--

Um, okay, creepy. I think I'm more concerned that the head fell off.

)(@*$#)(@ I KNEW IT! He's in the way of the door. He's getting up! Oh god oh god oh god oh g--

Huh. Well, I'm glad I decided not to go into that creepy Mannequin Room. Whew. It was a good call not to go there. It's best just to stay away from those. I saw what happened with Jonathan Switcher. No good can come out of that place.

Out in the new hallway, I'm looking at this stupid wall. My friend, the rock, didn't open any more doors for me again. Why rock? Why have you forsaken me?!

Got this from the statue, but... what does this do? I guess I'll take this too. And for the record, no, it didn't open a secret wall either.

Part of me wants to rejoice about dead birds, but dayum. Someone's got a hate on for bird's that is worse than mine.

FLY MY PRETTIES! FLY MY LITTLE CROWS AND SCURRY MY LITTLE RATTIES!

Oh yeah, I still gotta get out of here too. Crap. I need to stop with this Bird Woman of Alcatraz bit and keep my eyes on the prize.

If only I had a car...

Well, I found this room. Thought Scissorman was in here, but it turned out to be some snotty cat in a box. My rock failed me in discovering a secret room, but luckily there was a gray stick near-by, so I bashed the wall in.

... WOW! BREATHTAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING ROOM! GREAT! I'M SO GLAD I WAS FREAKED OUT BY A CAT AND WASTED MY ENERGY ON THIS!


Sweet. A music room. I can calm my nerves with some tuUUUNNESSS GAGGGH!

INDEED IT IS UNPLUGGED! RUUUUUUUN!

OKAY! Okay. He doesn't see me. He's going out of the room. I'm... I'm safe.

Hrm...maybe if I can get the keys to the car I can get the fu--

Hrm. Not a very strong second start for Ms. Jennifer. WILL SHE EVER GET OUT?!

Maybe, I dunno.

TUNE IN AGAIN TO FIND OUT!