The State of Destiny 2016

I've been outspoken about Destiny since it's launch. Sometimes I've praised it, and other times I've outright bashed it because of it's growing laundry list of problems. Even with it's major downsides though I continue to play the game with friends, and admittedly so. I liken said experience to beating my head against a brick wall, but finding euphoria in the trauma induced dizziness afterwards. It's just one of those things in life, I suppose ...

Seeing as it's 2016 I figured in my spare time between reviews that I'd try to breakdown my thoughts on what Destiny has become, and what needs to be done in order to revive fan's faith in the game/series. I definitely have a lot to say, and honestly a lot of it is going to put the game in the negative spotlight. At the same time though I want you to understand that I don't want to see the game fail. I don't want to see it in the state of mismanagement that it's in. I'm hoping the team at Bungie can get it together enough to do what needs to be done in order to reverse the damage that Destiny's current build has done to the morale of those who have invested so wholly in it.

Amplitude (PS4)

From the creative minds at Harmonix comes a game that is all about sensory overload. This game of which I speak is actually a remake of a cult classic of the same namesake. It is known as, "Amplitude". Amplitude, at base level is a game that utilizes similar mechanics such as those which are tied to games like 'Rock Band 4', and Disney's "Fantasia: Music Evolved". By this I mean you will be hitting targets via specific button presses in time with songs that are each associated with the game's included soundtrack. As far as a story goes Amplitude does include it's own underlying plot about nano-technology packaged in a tutorial style campaign mode, and in providing such content said story implies the use of pseudo-surgery on the human psyche within a particular patient. The game itself combines trance-like music from various artists, mixes it with some intense psychedelic visuals, and adheres it to the rhythm style gameplay that comes with the interactive music experience. Along with the challenging, and musically driven gameplay presentation also comes high scoring opportunities tied to an online leaderboard, and a separate mode of play known as "Quickplay". For those of you looking to best your friends with noteworthy top scores you'll find that, that is also an option if you choose to buy the game.

Troubling Tales From GameStop

Over the years I've become a frequent shopper at the local GameStop. Compared to most GameStop shops in the state the one nearest to me is actually quite large, and houses more merchandise than most. I go to it mostly out of convenience since it is a simple 15 minute drive from my house. Having to pay for games to be shipped to my house, and risking them coming in possibly damaged, or stolen is not the ideal scenario for a collector like me. While GameStop does have it's good side it also harbors an evil side built upon greed, mismanagement, and customer service that is either good or bad depending on who's working that day. Through the many shopping experiences that I've had at said GameStop I've had a few instances/encounters that made me rage inside, and nearly outwardly so. I actually spoke out against some things openly, and even took to the surveys, and online to voice my complaints in the past. Among said instances I've had pre-order bonuses nearly denied, and have even encountered employees (doing their job) trying to sell me a used game as new with a new price slapped on it. The latter happened to me again today, and that's what I'll be talking about in this very article ...

The "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno" Youtube Channel

Unbeknownst to a lot of you I've had a Youtube channel since mid 2009. It started off with some modest home videos of me playing games (which are now lost to history), and slowly evolved into replay captured features when the option to provide such content became available to me. I did provide some commentaries along the way, but mostly stuck to gameplay videos without my own voice or myself included. I'm honestly not the best commentator, and often times stutter, say "Uhm ...", or get lost with what I'm trying to relay to my viewers. I wanted my commentary inclusive videos to be genuinely good, and non-scripted, but I've yet to release a totally coherent one. Despite these shortcomings I've made the most of my channel, and have gained over 200 followers in the process. I continue to offer replays from various games, and even include upcoming trailers when I feel like it. On the rare occasion you might also find an unboxing video of a new game with my thoughts on said product included.

HYPER VOID is Coming to Xbox One January 6th!!!

Earlier in 2015 I had the privilege to review one of the year's more interesting shmups (shoot'em ups). It was a unique game developed by indie studio, "IN|Framez Technology Corp". The title of said game was "Hyper Void". What "Hyper Void" offered the gamer was new-gen quality visuals, and a complimentary soundtrack bundled together with a retro style of 3D oriented gameplay which goes back to the earlier years of arcade experiences. The game was filled with vibrant colors, bullet hell madness, and even bosses to beat as you traversed the unique universe within. I personally ended up on the fence about the game due to the lack of replay value, but did find some good points to it. Being a shmup fan the gameplay definitely drew me in, but the lack of extra replay worthy features made it a bit of a disappointment. Luckily you guys, and gals (who own an Xbox One) will be able to give the game a proper try come January 6th, and with a new leaderboard feature in place. This new addition to the already interesting gameplay improves on one of the bigger faults I found with the overall experience, and thankfully so. I definitely suggest giving it a chance when it hits the Xbox Live store if you have the holiday cash to spare. In case you want to catch up on my original PS4 review I'll leave that here for reference purposes.