Mass Effect 3. again.

So the fans have a voice.

A Facebook page was started called "Retake Mass Effect 3" and quickly gained over 50,000 supporters.

The comments on that Facebook page have created a large enough stir to make changes to the game.

I realize that we have posted about Mass Effect 3's ending before, but we did not really think that BioWare and EA would actually change the ending for its fans!

In an article on Yahoo's homepage, Bioware's founders and producers are actually going to remake the ending to answer the cries of their fans.

I am not really sure what to make of this yet, but it does shed light on the fact that Bioware cares about its fans. That dedication is pretty impressive and really sets the bar for other game producing companies.

The remade ending does not have a release date as far as we know.

UPCOMING GAMES

Quite a few great games anticipating release in the next few months...

It is not a question of money that determines whether or not we will play them, but the determining factor is..

TIME.

I will be in California for the next month on business and when I return home, I have to carefully choose what games I will invest my precious free time on...

The games coming out soon include-

Ghost Recon Future Soldier (May 22) - I have been a fan of the Ghosts since the first game...

Max Payne III (May 15)

The Witcher II (April 17) - If you like Elder Scrolls you will love this. Vampires, Werewolves, Ghouls etc..

Tera Online (May 1) - I really should write about this game in its own post.. (The developers claim a totally different MMO RPG experience and the design looks absolutely gorgeous.)

And of course...


Diablo III (May 15) Need I say more?

If I forgot any please let me know!

 WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE?

ANGRY BIRDS SPACE!!

Angry Birds Space is out ! Released Today !

I spent my .99 cents on this and a review will follow within the next few days!

HUNGER GAMES

Hunger Games tomorrow! 

There have been plenty of dystopian / utopian stories written, and many movies made, 

in the name of a future that many people fear. 

A few of my favorite Novels along this sort of theme include-

Fahrenheit 451

Brave New World

1984

The Giver

If you liked the Hunger Games, and are looking for more, you should check out the books just listed.

We at Maetis Andra love reading. 

But I digress.....

The Hunger Games books were awesome, and hopefully the Movie will live up to the books.

"and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

   

Are Used Games Becoming Obsolete?

It seems like every video game company is coming out with a way to make money on the used game market. Games that require a pass to play online is just one example of this. For example Electronics Arts' Origin system requires people who wish to play the online portion of Mass Effect 3 to have an Origin pass. This brings up a dilemma for gamers who buy a used game in which the online pass has been used up. EA allows the used copy owner to buy another pass, but this seems to be just another way for EA to milk the gamer community for all that its worth, especially those of us who already have to pay for the online services of Xbox live. My question to all gamers is this: when is enough, enough? When do things such as online passes, and day one DLC's, both seen in Mass Effect 3, become some thing that is included in the purchase of the game, whether used or new? Where do we draw the line?

Video Games

Lana del Rey's Video Games is awesome. She strikes a deep emotional note with her illustrative lyrics and simple, yet personal video. In this song, the presentation of her emotions for her boyfriend and the her feelings are put out for everyone to see; "For you, for you... you never even knew... baby, now you do." She is (or was) committed, fully.

The video itself also connects to these emotions through an intensely personal home video experience. An unscripted and candid nature allows any viewer to step the shoes of the people in the video and feel the way they do.

The cadence and meter paired with a marching snare drum isn't daunting; rather it conveys a more historical feel. Pair this with her lyrics, and it leaves one wondering what the outcome of her relationship in the song was and her motivation for writing it. Is she reminiscing? reminding? or is she trying to say that she doesn't feel appreciated, as in "I did all these things for you because of how I felt for you but you never recognized it."

This is an enjoyable compilation of singing and video.

The end... Or is it?

The ending of Mass Effect 3 has been quite a controversial topic in the gaming world since its release. A poll of gamers was taken online and of the over 40,000 surveyed, 90 percent voiced their opinion of dissatisfaction with the Mass Effect 3's ending. Gamers are anxious to see what, if any, actions Mass Effects creator, Bioware, will take.
The main reason why I am disappointed by the ending of this game  is because it did not stay true to the premise on which the game was built upon. This trilogy is been based upon the idea of allowing the player to decide how the story turns out. This premise was evident in all three of the games up until the last twenty minutes of game play. At this point the creators took the reigns and let the player choose from one of three options, but none of the options had any uniqueness to them. They all left the same unsatisfying and bad taste in my mouth.
This is not the first time that a video games ending has been rejected by a majority of its fans either. The ending of Fallout 3 was so disliked by its players, that the games creators, Bethesda, were practically forced to release a downloadable content add-on that changed the ending of the game. This leads me to wonder if Bioware will do the same thing with Mass Effect 3.
Not all endings need to be happy endings, some should be anything but happy, and I do not think that Mass Effect 3 should have had a happy, cheerful dance-party ending, but to end an epic trilogy with dues ex machina seems like a cop out. The cry among gamers is not for a fairy tale ending, but for a resolution that stays true to the premise that the game was founded on.

ZooGoo

A friend of mine was browsing for a new case for his iPhone and came across a guy selling a few for $6 each on craigslist. Further investigation on google revealed that company who made these cases, ZooGoo, was giving the first 50,000 away for free. Being the Dutch kind of person I am, free sounded good to me (plus shipping, of course). Not only had my hard case cracked because of weak engineering, but I was in the mood to try a soft case. These cases feel like silicone, but don't attract the dirt and grime. They also come in an assortment of colors and I picked the one that I thought would accent against my black phone (I have a 4S). 

As you can see from the picture, it's minimal and has some ribbed edges for easy grip. You also notice a pen/stylus next to the case. It was also free (shipping, again). It's a decent pen and the stylus works well, though you'll probably want to use your fingers over that most of the time. 

Case Pros:
-Minimal and little extra pocket bulge

-Not sticky like a rubber or silicone case

Cons:
-Minimal shock absorption

-Hardly any drop protection

Pen/Stylus Pros:

-Handy when your fingers are wet, greasy, or lazy

-Two things in one

Cons:

-Not always picked up by my phone

-Can't replace two finger tasks

KINDLE FIRE

I picked up a Kindle Fire recently and thought others might be interested in a quick review!

Pros-
Web access - My personal experience with the wireless on this device has been very positive. Quick access and loading times, even in public areas with lots of users e.g. (hotel lobbies, coffee shops).


Games - Plenty!

Comics - I am a huge comic book fan and Amazon's selection of comic books is great! They even have a semi-weekly, free comic download section full of various Indy comics as well as some of the more popular names.

Book Library - Amazon has the largest selection.

Movies - Initially the 7" screen may seem small, but it is perfect for in-flight movies or on the train.

8Gb Storage - At first people frown upon the tiny 8 gb storage, but once you realize that Amazon allows you to store data on their Cloud Storage, its magnificent! With cloud storage, it beats any other size devices.

Office Docs - Great when you need to read a business related attachment.

Apps - Not tied in with Androids market, I know, but it is vast and growing.

Cons-
No bluetooth - Enough said..

No camera - I personally don't have a problem with this... Who is going to take pictures with a 7" tablet?

No 3g - .....

Personalized Settings - For some reason I have a thing for always wanting to personalize my backgrounds and layout on everything I own. With this device you cannot have a personal background.



If you are interested in a E Reader get the Kindle Fire. The $199 price tag is not going to break the bank, and for that price it does almost everything the iPad can do. It is a solid device and you will definitely be happy with your investment!

Happy Ending?

Should every game have the perfect ending? What is the definition of the perfect ending?

Good > evil? The Hero defeats the immeasurable hordes of evil and rests at home in peace with his recently rescued lady-friend? 

I recently completed my first round through Mass Effect 3. My initial reaction was... Melancholy? Upset? Bitter? Distressed? 

Any of the endings the game provided were less than... Epic. 

But before you close the blog, and say "get a life, its just a game." or "now I think I will not play this game." 

Hear me out. 

I thought to myself after an hour of shell shock, how many great movies did not end quite like people hoped?

Here are a few- 

The Departed

Braveheart

The Green Mile

Cast Away

Saving Private Ryan

The Last Samurai

Not all great stories have a perfect ending. 

If you are a Mass Effect Fan, play this game (if you haven't already..) 

Just be prepared to be surprised. 

D3

DIABLO III Release date finally revealed! (We Hope...)

May 15, 2012 - The long awaited game will finally be available for play. With a few new classes we will see what Blizzard has to offer!

ME3

Tonight Allen Bosscher and I will be going to the midnight release of Mass Effect 3, one of the most anticipated games of 2012. Mass Effect 3 is the end of one of the most epic trilogies the video gaming industry has ever seen. The player takes the role of John/Jane Shepard in the galactic war against a seemingly unstoppable force of sentient alien space ships. Unstoppable, that is, until now. Join the resistance on March 6, 2012.

Coffee

Coffee is an awesome thing. Just signed up for Biggby online rewards to get cheap coffee. Mmm coffee.