trinityvixen | Gamers of the world, unite!

Well, finished off Max Payne (am highly interested in all reviews I've been reading about it's sequel), and have moved on to Time Splitters 2. I gotta say there's something to be said for nostalgia. If you're any sort of competant gamer, you've played Goldeneye for the N64 back in the day (although, is that truly 'back in the day'? It sorta is for this generation though I suspect SNES and the original Nintendo/Sega/Sega Genesis etc were really the 'back in the day' crowd--not to discount Atari, which is really really/i> 'back in the day').

Right, that paranthetical was too long, so let's start again. If you've played Goldeneye back on the N64, which was like the coolest thing since sliced bread when I was in high school (Playstation was there but on the periphery for my crowd), you're a true gamer. That was sooooo much fun. I used to multiplayer it at my friend Sanz's house. It was ridiculous--in high school, she lived closer to school than anyone else, and what would we do with our free periods? Walk over to her house and play N64--mostly Smash Bros. and Goldeneye. The saddest part was we would try to take on her brother and his friends, and invariably, we would lose. But I remember both those games. Thanks to Jordan, Smash Bros. has had its nostalgic relapse in Super Smash Bros. for the GameCube.

However, it took my course on the Entertainment Experience to expose me to the new Goldeneye--Time Splitters 2! So, like I said, I was playing Max Payne, had been for a week or two before going to New Zealand. Came back and polished off the last boss this Thursday. As I realized I was near the end, I randomly picked up a game for the XBOX because I vaguely thought I recalled at some point hearing that it might be on the 'extra playing' list for my course (let's be honest here: I'm playing these games for fun, not because of any real need to expose myself any more to the ways of the video game in the modern era). The game I picked up was Time Splitters 2. It's a first person shooter, which shouldn't make it any better or worse than any other first person shooter where you run around with a gun at the bottom of your screen---right?

WRONG.

Time Splitters 2 has no plot at all that I can figure, but reminds me so much of Goldeneye days, that I managed to remember obscure memories from more than four years ago. That's impressive if you're me, seeing as I often can't remember things that happened two days ago (and that's without the effects of alcohol--with alcohol, it's more like two seconds). I dunno what it is, but running around with the gun bobbing in the corner, sneaking around walls to spy out baddies before they see you, various missions, picking up weapons, different stages and weapons....It's like being back at Sanz's house all over again.

The other game that Time Splitters 2 reminds me of is Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem for the GameCube. I think it's the semi-gothic-ness of the going back in time thing. Also, when I started the first level, a really butch guy character went back in time to stop...erm, whoever (I did say I hadn't gotten the plot of this game, neh?) turned into a female Russian soldier-type. The character was all surprised at being in a different form--though in later levels you just jump into a person who's already established, not some anonymous form to fit the time period). This reminded me of Eternal Darkness because of all the jumping to other people's bodies in the past. It didn't help that one of the levels was in Notre Dame du Paris, which is enough like the gothic cathedral of Eternal Darkness in video game form to be basically the same structure.

Of course, I haven't played multiplayer yet, but, being a geek and all, I checked websites which say those features are great--you can even multi-play the story levels. This seems like a worthy purchase game, maybe. Better gamer geeks out there, your opinions?

Otherwise, I found out today from Aussies that I do a British accent whenever it is I talk to Aussies. I was at David's place with Sasha and crew, Amy and Andreas as well, and Sasha was poking fun at my picking up of the Aussie accent. I was relieved that it didn't offend anyone--I honestly don't do it on purpose (except when I'm away from Aussies and want to annoy Carrie), and Sasha just reasoned out that my ear picks and blends without my knowing it. It's not a good enough natural thing to be Aussie, but a few more weeks with less American contact, and it might be. On the other hand, I might just make a passable Brit. At the very least, I have an inkling where my British accent came from that one night I got completely pissed on the MUSEX cruise. I guess that makes sense.

Ahhhhhh! Anyway, off to the Rugby tomorrow with Eric (I finally learned his name!) and Amy. Should be interesting as I've only got a handle on about two rules. I know the first like part of the All Blacks' Haka!!! (I should--it's all over New Zealand)
KA MATE! KA MATE! KA ORA! KA ORA!