Ben can count to 10

So anyone that reads this, or knows me, knows I'm a big kid at heart. I love Teen Titans, I love the JLA, I love Fairly Odd Parents, and now, I find myself loving the show, Ben 10.

It has a nice original storyline and even though I'm only through the first season (thanks Netflix) I expect I'm going to keep on liking this show. It's funny, I like the idea of getting used to so many different characters in the way of the alien watch, the "omnimatrix." It never comes across that he has instantly mastered the watch as the way it seems a lot of hero cartoons do it; make it seem the hero gets used to his abilities in the blink of an eye. It's gradual and hard for him as he learns what it's capable of.

In fact the only thing I could find "cheesy" about it is how they try and hint that the Grandpa has a secret backstory.
Example:
*"Insert talking under his breath line from Grandpa after he has seen an alien or something normal people would find strange."
*Have kids ask a quizickle question about said line.
*Have the Grandfather shrug it off as nothing was said and then quickly zoom into his face all dramatic like as he looks off camera. DUN DUN DUUUUN!

Like I said, cheesy.

But over all I really do like this show and if you are a big kid at heart, or have kids ;-P, then I would reccomend renting this series.

New Arcadia and the fruit "lovers" who inhabit her

Warning, this game is rated "M" and so is this review


So last night I stayed up to 1am just to be able to download Penny Arcade's new Xbox Live game, "On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness."

Let me tell you, it was worth it. Right from the get go you gotta love a game where the NPC's are running around screaming, "Holy shit, did you see the huge fucking robot!?" Right then I knew I was going to love this game. It has a feel to it like you and your buddies got together and made this game...but you know, minus the sucky-ness. The art work done is 100% Gabe and that translates into a unique feel as it seamlessly goes to hand drawn artwork, to 3D, all the while retaining the comic feel that Penny Arcade has been known for over 10 years.

The humor is what really drives this game wether you are rooting through trash cans or beating "fruit fuckers" with your rake. You'll notice yourself laughing, smiling, and even rolling your eyes here and there thinking to yourself, "Dear God, did they seriously just say that?" The narrator is also pure gold. If only I could get this guy to narrate my life for the everyday mundane tasks, such as pouring a box of cereal for breakfast, life would be an epic blast indeed!

So wether you are a fan of Penny Arcade or have just heard about them, a fan of laughing, and love a turn based-RPGish-action/adventure game, this game is totally for you!

New Rating System

I realize that I haven't really been getting on here and writing reviews about the games and movies I see...heck, I would have to do it 100% to even do it half-assed compared to what I have been doing in the past.

So for now on I will be reviewing every movie and game I see or play for the foreseeable future! Now I hate the rating systems people use...10 points, 5 points, stars, etc. 10 to me seems nitpicking (especially if they start doing that 7.5 crap) and the whole 5 points is better, but I think it could be improved upon....

So viola, I give you Life is Meant to be Played's rating system! First of all I love stars...before I became an achievement whore I was a star whore (should have seen me in kindergarten, it was sad. After I left Mrs. Birds class I went through major withdrawls...thats when I learned what the "thousand mile" stare was). So I decided to go with the 5 star system for overall game play. Then within those stars you will see three other possible things that I think make or break a game; Laughter, Seriousness, and Originality. This will give you more of an idea what the feel for the game is and not just if I think it is good or not.

I hope this helps and now, on to the reviewing!

Finally done...now all I need is a job

After graduating from two colleges, one for computer animation and all things video games & art, and the other for all things film (pre, production, post), I am ready to join the working world!

There is a slight problem though...the catch 22 (if you will) of the entertainment industry. Everyone wants you to have experience before they hire you, but how are you supposed to get experience if they won't hire you because you don't have experience? (if your head hurts from that round-about, sign up and join the club...and do so quick while they're still validating parking)

For as long as I can remember, since I picked up my first Atari controller I knew I wanted to be in the video game industry. Coming from a very long line of artists I am the first one to take it to the digital age. My great grandmother was an amazing oil painter, my grandmother worked in Disney as an animationist, my Uncle was a gifted real life artist, my Mom is a painter and a glass artist, my sister does charcoal art & photography on her travels, and myself...well seeing that I want to become an Art Director someday I've practiced in damn near anything and everything! Traditional art, cartoon, comic, animation, modeling, painting (with all mediums), video editing, audio editing, and that is just to name a few!

I want to be the best...I want to make video games...*sigh* So why, oh why can't someone look at my educational background and realize that I have that potential? How many other people have gone to both an Art college and a film school to learn both worlds all to better the video game one? Wish me luck, pray, do whatever you do and I'm going to keep on trying until that amazing day comes that I can say I made it...that I'm making video games baby!