The Current State of Monster Hunter World

Monster Hunter World has been out for several months now. Closing in on a year's time to be more precise. Since that time we've only seen a few new monsters, with upgraded variations. Those things along with special, and seasonal events that allowed gamers to catch up on what they missed while they enjoyed the grinding opportunities of new events. In all honesty it seems like a far cry from what was promised. It seems like the events are nothing more than placeholders for what should have been. Hunters have grown increasingly tired of grinding the same monsters, and their tempered variants (outside of the Kulve Taroth hunt). I myself find that I only return when there is a new event active. It's bad for a game that has features from other games in the series that could be implemented such as the new monsters, and areas we all get excited for. Monsters like Behemoth aside ... that monster can burn in hell for all I care.

My Brief Impressions Of The "Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection"

For what it is offline Capcom's re-release of the various Street Fighter series entries is very much worth the asking price. If you value a proper offline experience over an online one. For $40 you get 12 full games that can all be enjoyed alone or in the company of local friends. Ports of games that can be tweaked to a decent widescreen HDTV presentation, and adjusted with different visual filters for added effect. The games from Street Fighter (original) to the Alphas, and on to the 3rd Strikes all play out as you'd expect them to. As you'd remember. Offline the games are a proper trip down memory lane with the addition of historical timeline info entries, newly introduced art galleries, and various other features that give you more for your money. Oddly enough though things aren't all perfect with this particular collection. While most of the problems are player induced in the online portion of the game the netcode Capcom chose to go with for their four online titles is truly a step down from their previous online releases of "Darkstalkers Resurrection", and "Street Fighter 3rd Strike" for the PS3. I'm fairly certain they did not pay for high end netcode this time around, and more than likely cut corners for cost efficiency. Not only is the netcode bad this time, but the matchmaking also suffers from a lack of much needed options like that of region selection, and ping/connection identifiers. This lack of needed features only serves to further hurt what could have been a good online competitive scene.

Street Fighter's Impact On My Interest In Fighting Games Plus USF4 Code Contest!!!

I've told this story a few times on this blog. A story about how I grew up in an extremely religious home with parents who frowned upon violent entertainment, and who strictly adhered to the various ratings systems implemented across the entirety of the entertainment industry. I mentioned that it wasn't until my 13th birthday (through some begging & desperate pleading) that I was able to convince my mother to buy me "Street Fighter II: Championship Edition" for the Sega Genesis as a birthday present. Of course after that big feat my world opened up in huge ways allowing me to enjoy various other fighting games, and violent video games while not being strictly monitored or chastised for doing so. Street Fighter, more or less, was my gateway into fighting games and so much more. Some things to my moral detriment ... certain adult things. That aside I have invested years of my life in playing, enjoying, and learning fighting games. None more so than Street Fighter though. It is for that very reason I decided to pre-order Capcom's "Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection". I wanted to relive the moments I experienced as I played through the various series entries in the Street Fighter game library, and after having picked up my copy today I aim to do just that. I don't expect the games to be as impressive as they were the first time around, but the trip down memory lane will be more than worth the $40 asking price. At least to me.

SFV ~ The Problem That is Ed

Let us talk about the glaring pink elephant in the room. The pink elephant that is Ed from Street Fighter V. After hearing online that Ed wasn't going to adhere to Capcom's standards for motion inputs I was intrigued. I thought maybe Ed was going to be an interesting game changer. A character who might influence future fighting game character designs for the better. That is until I found out simply pressing combinations of face buttons without directional motions would deliver instant specials, supers, and ultras. The problem with that is this. There are modded controllers for both the PS4, and PC with single button mapping functions. There are also controller adapters with single button mapping capabilities built in. Devices which can have such special attacks mapped to a single button press. As a result cheesing, and exploiting the already highly exploitable Ed is much easier done. It's as if he was built for this very purpose.

Capcom You Done Goofed

This Sunday morning I got into SFV hoping that I could get in some decent matches to share with my Youtube audience. To my dismay I ran into a steady stream of modders, and lagswitchers via the good old PSN. This was made worse by the pitiful excuse that is matchmaking. In SFV you have only two options when searching for a match online. One is regarding the platform of choice (PS4 / PC), and the other the connection quality (which makes no real difference with cheaters in the mix). Without the previous region options, and skill level settings in place the player is forced to play against those online players who are abusing the system. Noobs get paired with wannabe pros, and visa versa. This in itself is a huge oversight on Capcom's part. Their whole ideal of pro level competition is so badly warped that they have overlooked these matchmaking details in an attempt to force players to get better, or fail. With the lack of a proper tutorial mode (combos, setups, ...), and an Arcade mode with competent AI/CPU opponents to fight against newcomers do not stand a fighting chance. Not to say that going up against the world's greatest cheaters is going to make them any better though.

Street Fighter V - Impressions (CENSORED VERSION)

The following critique is open for discussion between gamers, and members of the Capcom staff. All I ask in engaging in said conversation is that you keep things clean, and well thought out. Don't throw around expletives, or blame like a wayward child. If you have facts, or opinions based on said facts feel free to share them. Just do so modestly, and earnestly. The truth is what I personally aim to present here, and I hope you all take the time to do the same. Let us begin ...

First off I want to say that I honestly feel as if I just paid sixty dollars for a free-to-play fighter. What I mean by that is that SFV in it's current state is a lot like what Koei Tecmo, and the Killer Instinct developers offer up freely at base level with their core fighting game franchises. The only significant difference between those gaming experiences, and this one is that you get a full roster of currently available fighters. Does a full roster, and only a few modes warrant a sixty dollar price tag? I don't think so. Not only does SFV feel as if it should be a F2P game, it also still looks and feels as if it's in a Beta state. Not all features are functional, and not all listed offerings are readily available. A huge chunk of what should be there is not there. The added fact that online play is worse than last-gen's "Ultra Street Fighter IV" makes the experience even less worth the retail pricing than it already is. The one viable offline mode, as of now is the "Survival" mode. It is the only thing that is even really worth playing at this moment in time, and that's not saying a lot.

Is a Balanced Fighting Game Possible?

I've been playing fighting games for years now. Many years to be more precise. Ever since my 13th birthday when I got "Street Fighter II: Championship Ed." for the Sega Genesis I've been into the genre. To put that into perspective I'm nearing 40 years old now. That is a long time to dedicate to such a hobby. In my years spent with gaming, specifically with fighters (and I've played more than most gamers) I've noticed a trend that has been there pretty much from the start. That trend being the fact that the games in the fighting game genre have never really been balanced. Whether it be the OP (over-powered) bosses, an unbalanced roster, or poorly applied mechanics something has always been unfair for one player or the other.

What makes this so bad is that fighting games are now being marketed as an eSports type of experience. Developers have become so wholly focused on emphasizing the competitive scene that they've lost sight of what makes the genre so great. In doing so they continue to fail to see that their games are still the unbalanced mess that they always were. They don't realize how important it is to balance things out, and don't really seem to care. I think in a way the developers seek out the "show" associated with the fighting game tournament scene more so than they do making the actual fights in said games fun, and fair. Probably for sales purposes. They want their sponsored players to make a 3-ring circus out of the televised competitions for those watching, because a flashy tournament full of special effects, attention getting characters, and hype is seemingly more important than having a proper in-game fight with intense fun filled back & forth action.

Staying Socially Relevant & Other Stuff ...

Socially relevant, I shall stay socially relevant. That's what I keep telling myself. Honestly, though my coverage of gaming is fading due to several different factors. For one thing I find that games worth reviewing, or talking about are becoming fewer, and further between. Most games are half-assed pieces of shite that never live up to the hype. Some are even blatant rip-offs meant solely for cheating gamers out of their hard earned money. In light of these blasphemous gaming developments my review requesting has waned, and rightfully so. I've found my passion for covering such games, and gaming topics dwindling. Gaming in general has become aggravating for me on so many levels. The online multiplayer experience that I once loved is being snuffed the f**k out by hackers, and is leaving a lot to be desired in it's wake. Even the offline only games are leaving a lot to be desired with their half-baked delivery. Seeing as new-gen consoles are mostly built for the online experience the consoles themselves are also posing a potentially threatening problem for the future of gaming. Where does a passionate journalist go from here? What does one do when they've reached a realization of what is truly happening to one of their most beloved hobbies? It's a question that I'm going to have to answer for myself before the new year comes into light as I may, or may not continue on this journalistic path due to the oppressing factors that weigh so heavily on me now. Heck I might even go retro before it's all over.

A Solution to the Escalating "USFIV" Problem ...

Capcom, this is a letter that is wholly directed at you. Whether you want to acknowledge it, or not your latest "Ultra Street Fighter IV" upgrade is being thoroughly exploited by hackers. There's more than likely bootleg copies going around as well as modded copies with built in cheats. Extreme lagswitching is also a growing issue in the online lobbies of the game. Not only that, but Sony's unwillingness to deal with the hacker threat on their own turf further poses problems for you, and your fighting game franchises. Trust me when I say that if this hacking trend is allowed to continue no legit gamer will be buying your games. They will eventually realize that it would be a waste of money to pay for the new experience even at a discounted price. All is not hopeless just yet though. As the title of this article suggest I do have a plan to beat hackers at their own game, and no hacking is involved.

USFIV Hackers: "Fact or Fiction?"

It bothers me when people do not take me for my word about Street Fighter hackers. There have been hackers, and lagswitchers in the game since the vanilla SF4. In fact I remember having to call up Sony personally to report a hack when I had my first PS3 (before the infamous hacking incident). The player who had hacked the match I was in in SF4, took total control of my PS3, and forced me to spectate a mirror match in which I had no control of my Vega. The real sh*t kicker was that he had even changed the color of my Vega's outfit before making me spectate the match. Needless to say hacks, and hackers do exist in fighting games such as that of the SF4 series whether you want to stay ignorant about it, or not. Today while playing some USFIV (Ultra Street Fighter IV) I noticed something odd pointing to the presence of such hackers in the ranked lobby I was trying to join. I'm here today to share some photos that I took of the lobby to let you decide whether, or not hacking was involved. As for me I personally think the coincidence definitely points to hacking. That is me though.

Street Fighter's Impact On Me As A Gamer

Growing up in a household where entertainment based violence was greatly frowned upon, and where the christian ways were constantly being forced upon me caused me to miss out on many of the late 80's, and 90's more mature game releases (Including "TEEN" rated games). Sure I got to play plenty of superhero oriented games, and sure I even got to play games like the first "Double Dragon" on the NES, but I always found myself envying those kids whose parents didn't mind them playing games that were violent in nature. It wasn't until my 16th birthday, in the era of the Sega Genesis that I was finally able to convince my mother to buy me my first ever fighting game. That game of course was "Street Fighter II: Championship Ed.". It took some serious begging, and pleading, but I eventually got my point across, and scored the game for my birthday.

An Open Letter to Fighting Game Developers

It has come to my attention that the fighting game genre, in general has been adopting some very bad mechanics, and character rosters that cater to the worst sorts of players. I firmly believe that fighting game developers have become so desperate for money that they are reaching out to the "CoD" community with fully exploitable features intact for the sole purpose of appeasing such gamer types. There's simply no other viable explanation. Take the latest release of "BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma", for example. The game is so broken in structure that it's damn near impossible to get into a fair fight. In the game the blocking, and recover mechanics are so severely limited, because of a special meter that it leaves you open to infinite attack strings with no way out. The character roster in BBCP is another thing that does the series a huge disservice. Most of the characters have exploitable projectiles, or have zoning attacks that make the "in & out" tomfoolery a piece of cake. Characters like "Izayoi", and "Arakune" who have the ability to phase in, and out of existence make landing combos, or hits a trying ordeal, especially when the gamer using them is playing a heavy keep away game.

Dustforce (PS3)

Retro gaming FTW!!! Any time a game developer (particularly an indie studio) takes an old idea, or ideas and makes it their own in a successful manner I become ecstatic as a gaming enthusiast. While it's often times hard not to come off seeming like someone ripping off another idea I think "HitBox" did good with "Dustforce". This indie-like title which contains elements of the classic "Prince of Persia", and "Sonic the Hedgehog" did good to stray away from any blatant misuse of such clone worthy material. In the end what they created was an offline, and online experience that caters not only to the gamer who is looking for something new, but also an experience that caters to the more competitive gamer. Through simple controls, and challenging arcade style gameplay HitBox, and their publisher Capcom aim to capture your attention with one of the more noteworthy gaming experiences of early 2014.

POS - "Piece Of Silver, Less Than Gold"

This my friends is an open letter to the online gaming community, and the companies that make the online gaming experiences possible. I have personally reached the point to where I'm about to give up on fighting games entirely, and possibly even online gaming. This possible future decision of mine is due to the POS (Piece of Shit) gamers out there who think it's alright to ruin the online experience with their BS antics. The fact is that many people in the gaming community have begun to think that this hacking, lagswitching, and cheap play is an acceptable thing since it has become so commonplace. I see more an more gamers giving into the cheaper side of gaming as a result. It's like a bad f*cking pandemic that's spreading like wildfire. Well I'm here to tell you differently. IT IS NOT OKAY! Just because a million gamers across the globe choose to act like trolling jackasses doesn't make it an acceptable trend. I don't think it's alright, and you shouldn't either. In fact as consumers we should be bitching about this with our wallets, and with our words. Until something effective is done about the matter no one should spend one damn cent. Someone in the industry needs to step up to the plate, and do something about this growing problem. I, myself have given advice on numerous occasions as to what could be done, but sadly my expert advice is falling on deaf ears. I believe it would take a million of us saying the same thing to get the point across, and unfortunately that sort of percentage lies with the ones causing the issue.

Super Street Fighter IV 2012 AE Version Differences, Flaws & The Reasons I'll Likely Not Buy the Ultra Version in 2014

Okay folks. I just got through playing the PS3 version of "SSFIVAE 2012", and I'm pissed. I'm pissed that I even spent a dime on the POS (Piece of Shit). I'm fit to rage, and rant all day long about it. Before I lose my cool though I'd like to go over the differences between the Xbox 360, and the PS3 versions of the game with you. I'd also like to go over the game's flaws in regards to my main character Vega as well as some in-game features that need to be fixed if the game is ever going to be worth a purchase on the PS3. Please bare with me as I may use some cuss words in this informative rant, because Capcom really screwed the pooch with this BS. I take back ever taking up for Capcom. I think that unless they can get their shit together, and create a proper gaming experience their company should belly up, and die out. As cold as that statement is I've come to the conclusion that it is a justified one. The Capcom of the 80's that produced amazing gaming experiences is no longer alive today. That's just how it is.

MvC3, Tomb Raider & Alice: Madness Returns Minimates (Diamond Select Toys)

Since 1999 "Diamond Select Comics" has been bringing to the forefront toys that cater to a more mature audience. Among their collection you'll find everything from comic book superheroes to movie villains of a vast assortment. Thing's like the sinfully sweet statues of the characters from "Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose" are not out of the question when it comes to Diamond Select's toy production line. This is one of the many reasons I sought to bring reviews on Diamond Select Toy's offerings to your attention. Toys are still very much a happening thing, and as such I know that some of you will be interested in knowing about what's available. Through my shared toy critiques I hope that you gain the knowledge needed to make a smart collector's choice, and that my reviews continue to enlighten you about today's Diamond Select toy offerings. Knowing what's available, and what's of good quality, or rarity are three important things that all toy collectors need to know if they are going to have a noteworthy collection themselves.

"Crapcom or Capcom? That is the Question"

This morning while doing my usual routine Youtube browsing I happened upon a video from "ReviewTechUSA" detailing the current crisis that is plaguing Capcom. It seems that Capcom is about to lose their ass financially. They don't even have enough money in the bank to bring a Street Fighter port to the next-gen consoles! This is definitely bad news. While most of us, including myself have spent this year, and past years hating on Capcom I can't help but feel sorry for them. Sure, they pulled some serious crap in the way of DLC BS, and even produced some crappy titles along the way, but does that really warrant the all out hate bashing they received?

It seems to me that many gaming companies these days are failing in some way or another just as Capcom did. You have to keep in mind that it's not just Capcom making these mistakes. I remember, back in the day when Capcom was the go to company that every kid sought out when it came to their next gaming adventure/experience. They produced some of the best games the industry has ever seen. Things like "Resident Evil", 'Mega Man", and even the many fighting games they released throughout the years would not have been realized if it weren't for their creative genius. The fact is that we all make mistakes at some point in our lives. Does that mean we'll be screwed forever? HELL NO! The same thing applies to gaming companies such as Capcom. Given the proper chance they to could make things right, and regain their loyal fans' trust, tenfold.

The Fall of the Video Gaming Industry: "Fighting Games"

There is no doubt that times are hard for most Americans, and for many people abroad. As such we find that money is tight, and budgeting is a must if we hope to stay afloat in this dwindling economy. Gamers such as myself are finding it harder, and harder to afford the hobby that we have come to love and support all these years. I've had to cut back seriously on my own spending, and I only buy games with the extra money I make doing one of my side jobs. Considering these tough times you would think that game developers would have their customers' best interest in mind, but it seems they have grown money hungry, and could care less about the products they produce. This mentality is a growing concern of mine. If companies such as those who produce video games begin to sacrifice quality for the sake of earning money, then the gaming industry (or any other entertainment industry) as we know it will ultimately fail. Who will pay the price in the end? The consumers. Those who spend their hard earned cash to support their gaming habits will eventually lose all their money to such companies, and in the end the gaming/entertainment empires will be set to last for the long haul leaving us with nothing to do but live a life of poverty.

Street Fighter x Tekken (Xbox 360): "Revisited"

I never thought in my wildest imagination that I would be so bold as to give "Street Fighter x Tekken" another shot. The game just isn't that great to be honest, but I figured I'd give it a second chance since it was rather cheap with all the discounts I got from Gamestop. Most of you know where I stand on the matter of SFxT. You probably also know of my rant, and review that are here on this blog. You've likely even read them. As harsh, and unrelenting as both articles were they were quite true at the time of posting. To sum things up the two articles detailed my complaints about how terrible the online was as well has how money hungry it made Capcom seem. While most of my opinions concerning those issues have somewhat changed since my recent playthrough of the game parts of those complaints are still very valid.

Street Fighter x Tekken (Xbox 360): "An Official Review"

I realize that a lot of my friends, and followers got an ear full from the ranting I did about "Street Fighter x Tekken". I sincerely apologize for that unprofessional banter, but I still stick by what I said in the previous review/rant. With that being said I would like to take the time, and breakdown the details of the game for you. In the following paragraphs I will go over the various modes that are available in "SFxT" as well as features of the game. This will be followed by graphics, and audio descriptions as well as details on the controller functionality. I hope that you can forgive me for the unorthodox path I took with my previous rants of "SFxT", and that this review will help you in your decision as to whether the game is worth buying or not. Without further adieu Ladies & Gents, I present to you my review of "Street Fighter x Tekken".