Best Debut Trailers of E3 (Part Two ~ Ranking 10-1)

Let us continue with ranking the best trailers at E3, shall we? And for those that have yet to check out the part one, go ahead and click here to get caught up. Go ahead. I'll wait right here until you do....

You good? Alright, cool. Now, let's get going with the top ten.

10. Tomb Raider

I admit. I played this game for the PlayStation (original PlayStation that is) for about a half hour and was not very pleased. I tried playing the sequels only to reach the same conclusion. Can't say I didn't try. Hearing about the reboot of the series had me interested; however, those flashbacks of being bored and confused still lingered. All that was washed away upon viewing the new and much improved origin story in Tomb Raider. Fanboy status confirmed. 

9. Beyond: Two Souls

Quantum Dream had already established a reputation for complete immersion through advanced technical graphics and focus on character development. Beyond: Two Souls was a further step in that direction. By bringing in a real actress in Ellen Page, this was more than just a game; it created a unique experience for players to get lost in.  

8. Rain

For those that remember this title, it was one of the most unforgettable debuts let alone games seen at E3. Rain created an atmospheric world rife with enemies and despair while dowsing up with a sprinkle of hope (sorry, I couldn't help myself). Players were only able to see the protagonist and characters during a downpour in a lonely, small town. All the boy wanted was to find and rescue his friend. Upon his journey, he got much more than he bargained for.

7. The Phantom Pain

Moby Dick Studios? Hey, it fooled me. Although by the end of this hospital visit from hell (literally) it was clear there was a very familiar inhabitant: Solid Snake. I mean Big Boss... You know who I'm talking about! Yet questions still remained as to how he ended up there, who his buddy was and why the government tried to keep everything on the hush. Forever. Kojima created such a masterpiece. Konami, you get a high five too.

6. Unravel

*Grab tissue and blows nose* Alright now that that's out of the way, I can continue. The moment this adorable title was...unraveled at E3 (I know, bad joke), gamers in attendance all declared their love for main character, Yarny. Now I know how cats feel. It has been a while since a character has jumped off the screen and into my heart; by the end of the trailer, that cute ball of animated yarn was number one on my must play list for 2016. 

5. Bioshock

Upon viewing the world premiere of the trailer, something felt different about this game. The tragic poetry spoken by Andrew Ryan, narrating this chilly title told us everything we needed to know. Funny thing is we just didn't know it yet. Its only until after the player completes this game do they understands the often uttered phrase "Would You Kindly?" Kevin Levine...you clever, clever man, you. 

4. The Last of Us

The Last of Us demonstrated the most realistic depiction of a zombie apocalypse in less than five minutes. Amazing. Naughty Dog is known for their meticulous attention to detail. Even though this was not the final build, all the aspects were there: crinkling of shoes over broken glass, concerned and intelligent AI (finally), an intuitive and likable side kick in Ellie and brutally, realistic combat mechanics. In a rare moment in gaming, players were not taking out "bad guys." The end of civilization is just not that simple. 

3. No Man's Sky

Saying that No Man's Sky had me in awe from the first scene is not doing it much justice. And to think its an indie title? A game out for my own nerd heart. After the show, I headed to YouTube and proceeded to replay the trailer back. Like three times...alright more like ten but who's counting? Take a look at this amazing title (coming out in August instead of June...boo) and you too will be amazed.

2. Mirrors Edge

A video created by EA and DICE about a free-running fugitive? Hmmm I don't know....whoa! Did she just tuck roll after leaping from a high building? Wait... now a zip-line?! Mix that all in with an intoxicating theme song and beautifully rendered (not to mention clean) landscape and you have Mirror's Edge. In my opinion, the game that reigned in the current generation's Xbox 360 and PS3 with a bang. I still get chills and nostalgic feels watching this trailer. Easily in my top five for best games I've played.

1. Gears of War

Before I begin this, I'd like to give this trailer and the cinematic sequels following it a huge standing ovation *claps furiously* 

Telling a story in a ten hour video game is tough enough. Gears of War's Mad World trailer did that and more. It spoke of the fall of humanity, the invasion of an alien race and depicted a lonely solider in his final fight for hope when all hope was lost. The background music was the final cherry on top for the feels fest. Anytime I hear this song on the radio, I flashback to how I felt when I saw this for the first time. So much emotion was stirred up in just 60 seconds. I'm not crying...you're crying! 

And that does it, folks. Do you agree with this list? Were there any I missed along the way? What was your favorite video game debut at E3? Let me know in the comment section below. Now if you will excuse me, I'll be playing back every trailer on this list. For research. Don't you judge me!

Best Debut Trailers of E3 (Part 1 ~ Ranking 20-11)

There have been several trailers shown at E3 that hit the mark on stirring both emotions and excitement in gamers everywhere. The goal of the debut trailer is to capture attention from beginning to end, creating hype for the game in 3 minutes or less; the trailers listed below hit it right out of the park.

And yes, yes I know. Some may be saying "why did he rank that trailer there? What about this game and that game?" These are the trailers I feel did the best job at not only explaining the plot but also creating a great deal of hype. So much so that my wallet literally jumped out of my pocket and ran to the nearest game store to pre-order the game. Well... not literally.

I digress. It was tough to choose the best videos given all the great games that have graced many a press conferences. Starting with #20 in this two part series, here are the best E3 trailers (IMO). And just to make things a bit easier, the following trailers were taken from E3 2007-2015. Enjoy ;)

20. Let It Die 

This game, created from the twisted minds Grasshopper Manufacture Inc, has a unique take on hack and slash RPGs: gritty, brutal and downright nasty. Initially, I had no idea what I was watching. I imagined it was a Saw action game, taking the "game" to the streets. It is safe to say this violent title would make From Software blush. Take a gander at this interesting video and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. 

19. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune 

A few seconds into this trailer triggered something familiar: Tomb Raider with a male lead. Well...sort of. It piqued my interest with the action scenes, fighting mechanics and gorgeous character animation. Not to mention Naughty Dog (duh!) The witty and courageous hero of the story really pulled this debut all together.

18. Batman: Arkham City

Looking back at past Batman games, you'd be lucky to find one that deserves the rating of great let alone good. The cult classics that appeared on Nintendo and Sega were nostalgically decent. Arkham City set the new standard. Within 90 seconds, Rocksteady showed the world exactly how the Caped Crusader should be portrayed. Casting Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill the legendary rivals was a nice tough as well.

17. Mortal Kombat X 

Two sworn enemies and original ninjas of Mortal Kombat, battling to the death in a frozen forest at nighttime? One word: yassss! The hype was real after watching these duel slug it out. With new moves and mechanics demonstrated in this CG bout, excitement was definitely in the air. And what's an MK fight without a satisfyingly gruesome ending? Well done, Ed. Well done.

16. Killer Instinct 

I dreamed of an E3 where the room would go pitch black, a mumbled buzz radiates throughout the crowd in attendance. All of a sudden gamers begin to hear the familiar duh duh duh duhduh duh dun of the epic "combo breaker" happy fighting series Killer Instinct. The dream finally came true! It was such a treat to finally see the long time rumored Rare title back with a beautiful current gen upgrade. My poor N64 controllers were worn down after hours spent mastering Ultra Combos; sorry Xbox One, you're next.

15. Abzu

Traversing the unknown waters of the ocean is terrifying to say the least. Abzu makes the journey look peaceful and harmless by comparison. Games like this is why I've been inspired to play more indie titles. Telling a story with whimsically calming music and no dialog is powerful. I can't wait to explore the mysteries underwater. In this game, of course.

14. Bloodborne

Yes, the Souls games developed by From Software gave new credence to the term "rage quit," Never has a game been so frustrating and satisfying in the same playthrough since Super Mario Bros. Old school gamers appreciate the punishing difficulty in these games. More so, the scenery, story telling and monstrous bosses that will have you crying in your controller. That is, if its not smashed into a million pieces first. 

13. Final Fantasy XIII

This is what I will call a beautiful disaster. Stay with me, here. The trailer: beautiful graphics, gameplay and an amazing soundtrack. What had me most excited was a brief preview of the fighting system. It was fast paced and intense, a mix of turn based and real-time combat; what a great way to introduce Lightening. I've come to expect the best from the Final Fantasy series. What was shown at E3 did not let me down. What was released that had me face palming...hard. Needless to say, this had many in an awe from beginning to end.

12. Resident Evil 5

Like many games on this list, I followed the rumors, read every form thread and blog about the next installment in the Resident Evil series. It is rare to see a series get better and better with each volume; and as a huge fan I was anxious to see what direction they would take Chris and the gang. The juxtaposition of usual RE titles beginning in a dark, desolate location or mansion was a fresh take. The hordes of zombies and masked monster swinging an axe as if it were made out of cardboard? Sign me up!   

11. The Last Guardian

Even the toughest, hardened gamers shed a manly tear after watching this trailer. Calling back to the incredible games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, it immediately warmed our hearts. The bitter sweet journey appears to be present in The Last Guardian. A young boy befriending a gentle giant as it fights to defend him against evil foe. So precious. I just have one thing to say: if the giant, adorable bird-dog ends up biting the bullet near the end, I'm so done!

So how would you rate the list so far? What games would you have included? Let me know in the comment section below. Be on the look out for part two as I count down the top ten best trailers of E3. 

Automated Appreciation: Impersonal or Helpful?

Once again, this post will be more of a rant than anything else.

I have seen a pattern that has been on the rise recently on Twitter: automated appreciation.

Now there are a few ways people look at this, From what I've seen, most view this as a means of giving thanks while away/busy with other things. After receiving a follow from someone, be it person or bot, a friendly message pops up in the DM (direct message) inbox with a lovely, "custom" thank you. There are ways this works to your advantage and ways it does not. How it is currently used is vastly incorrect.

Instead of personal engagement and social communication after a follow or friendly message, the network is being flooded with impersonal relationships. It feels as if one person walks into another's business, enjoys what he has to offer then leaves a pre-typed note on his desk. It's horrible, really.

To be honest, out of ten follows received on Twitter, the majority being other Twitch or YouTube content creators, I'd say one or two will have a nice back and forth with me. The rest automate their responses. Here is an example of how the "interaction" goes:

Oh! New messages in my Twitter Mention. Sweet! 

Cool! A fellow streamer/YouTuber 

Me: Hey man! Thanks for following. I see you enjoy streaming COD Black Ops 3. 

How's that going, dude? ^.^

New follower: Thanks (insert name here) for the follow! Be sure to follow me on 

Twitch.tv/MyStream. You are very cool, friend. Sub me at 

YouTube.com/MyChannel. 

Thanks for the support! @crowdfire  (appears in my DM)

Really...? That's what constitutes for interaction now?

If no response is received from the new follower after I reach out, they swiftly become unfollowed. And the scary thing is, this has become the norm. People ask for far too much without giving anything up front. Sub me! Follow me! Good talk. Ok? Bye!

Think of it this way....if someone takes the time to follow you based on what they've seen from the content you've created or a referral from a friend, it would mean a lot to reach out. And the "I'm too busy" line does not apply here. We all have 24 hours in a day. Take one hour or a half hour to reply to all messages. Be the person who builds relationships with followers on a daily basis.

Anytime a message on Twitter is received or comment on YouTube/G+, I make it a priority to reply as soon as possible. You are your own brand and business. Giving the bare minimum to those people will cause them to find someone else who will find the time to invest in them.

In the larger scheme of things, numbers aren't everything.

What would you rather have: fifty loyal followers who constantly engage you in conversation and support your content or one thousand numbers on your under the "follow" stat line with only a handful looking at what you create?

Twitter is crowded and very noisy. I get that. Yet unless you are the President of the United States, Gary Vaynerchuk (Google him. He's great!) or Bill Gates, you have time to connect with your community.

The only time I see automated responses as a plus in building a brand on social media is an email receipt after a purchase or subscription. That's pretty much where it stops for me. If I try conversing with you and receive nothing but automated responses in my DM, that's the first and last message that will be sent. And I feel that's the standard many should set going forward. Why accept head nod of acknowledgement over a handshake?

Get out there and engage, folks. Your heart will grow ten sizes in 140 characters or less.

Helpful Tips and Tricks For New Twitch Streamers

So you've finally taken the plunge to become a streamer on Twitch.

Welcome to the grind, my friends.

Starting off can be a bit tough for those trying to find their niche on the site. In the beginning it can be difficult where to start and how to navigate the platform. Several questions will arise:

"What game do I stream?"
"Should I be a variety streamer or be known for one game?"
"How do I gain followers and retain viewership?"

Scouring the internet for answers, watching hours of "how to" videos on YouTube and consuming hours of Twitch streams is vital to learning what you'd like your steam to look like. Yet, this can be quite time consuming. I wished I had someone to guide me through the grind when I first jumped into the broadcasting biz; so right now, I'd like to give out a few helpful tips that will help new streamers find their footing on Twitch.

• Complete your bio. It really does make you look credible and stand out among those that have the default "This user has not provided a bio."

• Have an About Me section filled out on your profile. Better yet, add games you play, your schedule, contact info for social media, etc. This let's people know who you are and what games you enjoy playing. Again, it makes you look more credible.

• Create a name for your broadcast, a mascot or group name for your followers. Welcoming new followers to, for example, The Brad Brigade makes them feel they are part of a gaming guild.

• Make up an interesting title before going live that will bring attention to your stream. Ex: 

"Sans...Time For You To Get DUNKED ON! (200 Follow Hypu!)"

• Stream with a microphone and/or webcam. Those unable to get a webcam, make sure you have a mic. I understand some may be shy or nervous when first hitting that "Start Stream" button. You'll be alright. We've all gone through this. Two reasons why this is beneficial:

• viewers see your reactions and mannerisms while streaming

• without either one, typing responses to questions in stream slows down the entertainment and makes for a quiet stream. Twitch is designed to show off your personality. If the stream is live, put a voice and a face to it. Go all in! More of that below.

• Stream games that you enjoy. This game should also have a following. Playing Blade Dancers 4 (may or may not be a real game) may be fun to play yet has no following on Twitch. Here are just a few that I recommended and that also maintain popularity:

• The Binding of Isaac
• Borderlands 1 & 2
• Minecraft
• Mario games
• Bioshock/Bioshock Infinite
• Dead Space
• Garry's Mod
• Team Fortress 2
• Rocket League
• The Sims
• Five Nights at Freddy's games

• Pay attention to chat often. It is very important to welcome new viewers to the steam. If after one minute goes by and the viewer is not welcomed to the stream, he or she is gone forever.

• Never. Stop. Talking. Fill dead air with anything that is on your mind or going on in the game. Viewers enjoy coming to streams where they see the streamer enjoying themselves rather than a quiet one. Yes, it may seem weird talking to yourself yet it is what gets viewers to settle in to your stream.

• Once you start playing a game, stick to that game. It is your stream. Run it the way you want. Listening to recommendations is nice. Check out said games off stream on YouTube or Twitch and try a demo to see if you enjoy it. Switching games during a stream, especially early in your streaming career could cost viewers and followers.

• When not streaming, visit other streamers with a similar follower/viewer count, playing games you enjoy. Strike up a conversation and get to know the host and his/her viewers. Refrain from advertising in another streamer's chat. This is heavily frowned upon. Instead, if you enjoy their content, follow them and host them after one of your streams. Of course this is after you have gotten to know them.

• Be generous and giving within the community. Make it a point to leave each stream you visit or broadcast better than before you arrived. Always strive to make people's days better, both your viewers and a friend's or stranger's you've found while browsing the Twitch game queue. This is the best way to network and build a great reputation. Reputation is everything here.

• Update your stream often. Install new bots, update info and list upcoming events you're planning for future streams.

• If you can, keep a consistent schedule for your followers. Here is a link you can use to keep them up to date: https://streamcal.tv/index.html. Advertise this link on your profile. 

• Advertise your stream on Twitter with @TwitchSharer @TwitchGrow, @TwitchRaid and other Twitch retweet profiles you can find. Do this every time before you go live. Make sure you have an interesting tag that catches other's attention and shows off your personality. Adding pictures of the game will gain more eyeballs to your ad. Ex: 

"Such salt, much gameplay! Witness the struggle LIVE! @Twitchsharer @Twitchraid Twitch.tv/YourNameHere"

• Add your Twitch handle to all your social media profiles. Make sure it is visible to all that visit. 

• Be patient. This is one of the most important tips in this guide. Patience is the name of the game. Temper expectations and set reasonable goals. Stay the course, folks. You will experience ups and downs with followers and consistent viewership. Just keep streaming

• To piggy back off the previous tip, go all in when you start streaming. What I mean by that is stream as often as possible. Have a full time job? School schedule? Stream in between or when you get home. We all have 24 hours in a day. If you really want to be a streamer, just stream.

• Set giveaway goals and make it visible in your info or on your stream. Do this every now and then. Ex:

• Follower goals. I will host a giveaway stream each time a follower goal is reached. Be sure to smack that follow button if you enjoy the stream. Much appreciated!
• 100 followers
• 200 followers
• 500 followers

• Play games with your followers on and off stream. This will build trust and loyalty with your community. Take the time to get to know your followers and they will repay you with consistent support.

• Dual stream with other streaming friends. Both of you will benefit as your followers get to know each of your communities. It's an excellent way to network, advertise and grow your community at the same time.

• Respond to all questions on social media platforms. All of them. This is the most enjoyable part of being a broadcaster other than playing games for and with your followers. This creates more of a human touch from you to your community. I've seen so many new streamers on Twitter who use Crowdfire to auto respond to new followers on Twitter and other platforms... this can be good if you follow up with real engagement afterwards. Yet just having that be the default response to a follow is not enough. Every follow you see on your Twitter mention, visit the person's page, get to know their likes, tell them thank your and comment on what they like. If they are a streamer, ask them what they stream or how long they have streamed. Treat everyone you come into contact with as a new friend instead of a number. Trust me. You will stand out and surprise people. They will greatly appreciate it. 

And there you have it, folks. Some tips to use on your journey to becoming a more comfortable Twitch streamer. Be sure to hit me up on Twitter @Kaitality if you have any further questions. Stop by my stream on Twitch to chat it up with myself and my community. We'd love to have you.

Also let me know what you found helpful and what else you would like to know about starting out anew on Twitch. I'm always here to help in any way I can.

Until next time, folks. Share this with your friends if you enjoyed it. Keep being awesome!

Fandom Frenzy! War or Freedom?

Which murderous animationic is the best in Five Nights at Freddys? Is Flowey the Flower really just misunderstood? Will we ever get that spaghetti promised to is by Papayrus? What is the true story of FNAF? Fans ask themselves these questions and more in two of the most popular gaming fandoms today: Five Nights at Freddy's and Undertale.

There are, however, those that do not share such enthusiasm; the majority on the other side of the fence would love nothing more than to see each fan base, *ahem* "disappear," never to pollute the interwebs again. (That was my attempt at putting it lightly) Love or hate it, the groups that adore each or both are here to stay.

Just to preface this a little before your eyes zoom across this piece (I thank all your eyeballs), think of this as more of a rant of sorts. I had come across this "war" if you will over the past few weeks and couldn't get it out of my head. The only way I knew how was to just write everything out and share it with you lovely people.

And now without any further ado, my perspective/rant on these gaming fandoms and those who would love nothing more than to Hulk Smash them to bits.

The FNAF Craze

Personally, I enjoy both. More so, FNaF. It was the first game that brought me back into the indie gaming world. Who knew possessed automatons could be so kawaii and complex that furious (yet friendly) debates were sparked all over the internet; fans debate anything from when the "Bite of '87" took place, when and where, who the phone guy is and what role each security guard served in each game. I blame and thank YouTube's Game Theorist MattPat for this.

Even though all that is discussed may or may not be true in the eyes of the game's creator, Scott Cawthon, theories cooked up from Matt and others are very fun to learn and talk about. The game is shrouded in mystery. So much so, out of hundreds of guesses and "factual confirmations" about the story and characters by fans, a good one or two were confirmed as true. To this day, after four spine-tingling titles, no one has yet to crack the code of what really happened in those creepy pizzerias. The mental exercise is way too real.

Aside from all the mystery and bait and switch trolling (thanks Scott), FNaF has brought forth a creative explosion. All over Tumblr and Instagram are beautiful fan made art, comic strips that fill in the blanks of story arcs and popular shipping of characters. Most prevalent being Foxy and Mangle. I say Mangle is a girl bot. Check the lipstick, folks. I digress. The point is, the mass acceptance has been nothing shy of positive and happy.

Stay Determined...

Speaking of joy, the newest of polarizing popularity in games, Undertale. This indie title tells a humorous, 4th wall breaking, feels fest that would bring tears to the eyes of the toughest gamer known to man. The music slowly grabs a hold of you, guiding you into every funny, dangerous and quirky scenario and never lets go. Even when getting pummeled by Sans...wait, sorry... "dunked on" by Sans, those tasty grooves are absolute eargasms.

Fans were quick to show their support, wearing their hearts on their sleeves for this twisted tale. The week of launch, art work from every corner of the net sprang forth. The seeds were already sewn; gamers just had to water the soil with their love (*tear*). Papayrus and his unique brand of puns, Sans with his play on words and of course everyone's favorite Goat Mom, Toriel was represented. Flowey, the demonic flower, shows up as well. He gets his second chance to make a good impression through the artful expression of fans. This time, he uses his petals for good.

I feel this game gave birth to a bit more in the creative department given its three endings and play-through types: Neutral, Pacifist and Genocide. Forgive me, Mama Toriel. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's fun to see the plethora of untold stories in fanfiction. It's like a celebration of something I know all to well: being different and embracing the strange. Yet as the party was happening, a dark cloud of hate and indifference was looming overhead, as it always does. Although I am not on board with the negativity they bring, I do see how they get fed up with these types of fandoms.

No love for you!

Those opposed have just as much a right to voice their opinions as those that adore. Seeing eye to eye isn't a rule or a law; sometimes ideas and likes differ. There are many reasons why this crowd chooses to dislike it: boredom, annoyance of the fanbase, fed up with the games, too much shipping, fanfiction is just not their thing. All are credible reasons. The members of such vocal individuals tend to permeate the interwebs with their strong opinions. So much so some enter the fandom circles, causing all out chaos. Memes are traded, insults are hurled and Reddit forums are never the same again.

Yet can we really blame the "haters," as they are referred to, for all of this toxicity? There are always two sides to any argument. Even as a lover of the art and gameplay and silliness I have to say, the "victims" of hate are not completely innocent here. Some notice the push-back and automatically try to convince the critics their way of thinking and expressing themselves is bad. Allow me illustrate my point if you will.

Imagine walking through the mall shopping for a pair of jeans. You know, because your mom or girlfriend just can't stand the ones with the patched up hole near the back pocket. Yes, I know they are your favorite jeans....anyways, I'm getting distracted. Without warning, and without your authorization, employees from the perfume department spritz you with the latest cologne. In their minds, it is what they feel will improve your status, smell and life....for the season at least. How generous of them, right? Bombarding you with what they feel is just the right fit and smell for you? It is very much so a peeve.

And this goes for both sides. Retaliation doesn't calm the flames anymore than hurling the first insult. People will choose to believe what they will. That's the beautiful power of free will. No matter the reason for their allegiance, for or against these wonderful indie games, the opinions are set in stone. I've always been at peace to know that my love for the experiences gleaned from each title does not diminish with negative views from the other side. Working tirelessly to defend a video game is never-ending work. I choose not to join in. I love a good debate yet this is not one of them. More like a food fight except instead of food, they're tossing grenades back and forth.

Conclusion

All in all, I'd just like to just end this rant on a quote that I feel is very fitting for this topic:

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” 

                                                                                                               ~Albert Einstein 

What Video Games Have Taught Me

Video games have an almost magic ability to relieve stress, make us laugh and even hit us hard in the feels. The memorable ones are emotional roller coasters. They test a player's decision making skills, putting pressure on their moral compass. With all the hours of entertainment video games have offered, there are those that stick with you. Long after the conclusion of such powerful games like The Last of Us and Final Fantasy VII (to name a few) have us replaying those powerful yet painful moments over and over again.

This may sound cheesy yet a good handful of special titles I've played have taught me many lessons in my life.

Yup. No shame in that.

I believe its the interactivity of the games, the engaging experience that pulls players in to the story, creating such strong bonds between gamer and game. The following titles did just that for me. I found it tough to exclude some titles that remain floating within my mind; I aimed for the ones where decisions felt real, choices were paramount and the moral of the story left me damn near breathless.

Oh almost forgot...ahem.... SPOILERS AHEAD!! SUCH SPOILERS!! SUCH SPOILED SPOILERS!!

Alright let us continue.

Final Fantasy VII

• Lesson learned: You are not your past...

For those that have yet to complete this storied tale, you're doing yourself a disservice. As a young gamer at 14, I played through the most amazing gaming experience ever. I'd known for years the Final Fantasy Series was known for heart-wrenching and heart lifting moments in their games. They aim to make the player feel. Mission accomplished *tear*.

What made this title special was the cold-hearted, stoic protagonist, Cloud. What seemed like a hardened soldier jaded with the world turned out to be so much more; he was a little boy who was hurt by a mentor, lost his good friend and had everyone he cared about in his small village massacred by a mad man with a huge sword.

Damn, you Sephiroth!

And even after going through so much pain and loss (here's where it gets sappy, folks) he was still able to open his heart to an innocent soul, Aerith. Having had little to no real childhood, abandoned as a little girl, poked and prodded by scientists, kept under close surveillance, she racked up several horrid experiences. Yet after suffering a similar path of pain and misery herself, she was able to see life as a glass half full.  She chose to live a better life based on a positive outlook for the future. This is one lesson I learned while playing the story mode: you are not your past. 

We all go through tough times, some worse than others. There are two ways to deal with it: learn from it or let it conquer you. Cloud went with the former and was taught how to think and live more positively even when experiencing pain. Although the death of Aerith caused Cloud to rage something serious, her memory still lived on within his heart. (I told you this was going to get sappy).

The Last of Us

• Lesson learned: Hurt people, hurt people...

First off. I just need to do this. 

*Gives standing ovation*

Now that that's out of the way. I'll continue on.

This game was quite the masterpiece. It had everything: fast paced action sequences, interesting characters, detailed set pieces, incredible backstories and pathos for major and minor characters and feels. So. Many. Feels. Yet not so much to make it feel like a cheap soap opera. These somber moments were peppered in at the right time, building to a perfect crescendo with a very satisfying and tear-jerking payoff.

In one scene, one of my favorites in the game, we see main characters Joel and Ellie having an intense argument about whether to continue or halt their increasingly dangerous journey together. It is obvious to those playing that each character has a hidden message they want to convey until one finally reveals not only her truth but his as well:

We all have experienced pain before: loss of a job, ending a relationship or a death in the family. This scene is very relatable on so many levels. Recalling that pain I've felt in my life, this taught me something I'll never forget: hurt people, hurt people. 

Vulnerability and emotion is scary. That, we know all too well. Yet, when a person barricades themselves behind titanium walls of fear, they poison their hearts with sadness and leave the person they care for feeling dejected. Although Ellie was the victim of such a cold, verbal attack, I felt for Joel. He lost his daughter in the most tragic way imaginable. He was afraid to let anyone else in for fear of history repeating itself.

As the story progressed, Joel was able to open up and become more of a father figure to Ellie, something she has wanted since losing her best friend to a clicker invasion years prior. In the end, both Ellie and Joel, who carried so much pain for years, were able to heal each other. (Awwwwww)

SOMA

• Lesson learned: Fool me once shame one you, fool me twice...?

And the best indie game of 2015 (in my humble opinion) goes to... SOMA! Was it really that hard to decide? Many who have played this intense and eerily mind-bending title will attest to this praise. To this day, months after reaching the end credits I debate with friends about the choices that were made. Trust me, you will be juggling such complex conclusions long after finishing this game.

The protagonist, Simon, has suffered head trauma from a devastating car crash. Coincidentally, he's a prime candidate for an experimental brain transfer procedure. After years of migranes and dizziness, he was desperate to try something to heal his mind. Enter the brain imaging procedure. (what a brave, brave man) Unbeknownst to him, he finds himself transported from his town to a strange, dark room; at first it seemed like some Star Trek space magic. We soon come to find out he was one of many humans who experimented in digital brain imaging.

A female computer program named Catherine, aka Simon's guide through the story convinces him that this is the most effective way to reach The Ark; it is a place where heaven meets Earth and the human race lives on in happiness and bliss. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Given Earth is dying from the impact of a comet, not to mention the impending infection of a cyber creation gone rogue called the WAU, The Ark is the only way to safety. Yet it is not what it seems...

A scene near the middle of the game, one that haunted me during the final moments and foreshadowed the end still gives me chills. Skip to 3:55 and feel them goosebumps all over again:

After putting some of the puzzles together (and after running like hell, playing hide and go seek with terrifying monstrosities around the space ship), I was taught a very harsh lesson: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...?

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was fooled. Just like the first two Simons were when they allowed their brains to be imaged into a new body. The promises of worthy sacrifice and preserving something for the future of the human race was a lie yet again...or was it? 

Catherine, like Simon, are copies of their human counterparts converted into memory data on computers. Just a bunch of 0s and 1s. They imitate how they feel humans would act in this situation. Simon just so happened to be the pawn this time around. To quote Patricia Briggs:

"People will do amazing things to ensure their survival."

Our tragic hero finds out he was led down the rabbit hole only to be left there for dead. The last scene plays out similar to the one above. My first thought. "What a damn liar!! Just like how we fooled that one dude to recover material for the suit....ooooooh! Nevermind..." 

You were shown what would happen, told what would happen and asked many times if you were ready to "sacrifice" to ensure humanity's living legacy. Denial and curiosity blinded Simon, just like it blinded us from the truth. Well played.

Bioshock Infinite

• Lesson learned: Never give up

• Bonus lesson: Its never too late to redeem yourself

A game I have personally touted as the best game experience has so many lessons and hidden messages, it was tough to just pick one. Knowing the creator, Kevin Levine, I knew I was in for some crazy twist ending. In Bioshock, my mind along with other's were blown wide open upon discovering we weren't playing the game; the game was playing us! 

*mind blown*

In the next iteration (Bioshock 2 never happened) the twist was just as surprising. Yet before I get ahead of myself, I have to talk about what made the game truly shine: the characters, story and dialog. One word: powerful. I found myself hanging on every word, soaking in every scene. Yet one scene in particular left me scratching my head until I finally understood it's significance:

I wondered why so many coin tosses were tallied and came up heads? Why did these two eccentric characters follow me everywhere? Why won't they stop speaking in riddles?! 

I know, I know. It's mysterious and cryptic. Levine, you freaking genius you.

Upon completing this amazing title, our hero Booker demonstrated to me something motivational: never give up.

This man traveled through time rifts again and again (thanks to the Lutece Twins) to save his daughter Anna whom he sold to pay off his mounting debts. In order to redeem himself, he went on a seemingly never-ending and always dangerous journey to bring her back. Even though he failed countless number of times, he never quit. He may have lost one hundred plus times, yet it took just one win to bring him his little girl back. 

Which gives us a bonus lesson to be learned: it's never too late to redeem yourself. Maybe you got caught up in the wrong crowd or built excessive gambling debts like Booker. In any case, if there's a will, there is a way to improve your life and become a better person. There will be mistakes made and failures a plenty on your way to self improvement. Just remember, failure is part of the process.

Conclusion 

What games have had a huge impact on your life? Let us know in the comment section below. As you do that, I'll be over here replaying these games...anyone have a box of tissues handy?


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Half-Time: Maur Steal Sales!

Remember in my last post when I said I would keep a responsible budget of $30 for the Steam Winter sale?

FAIL!

Didn't happen. And I'm sure you know them feels all too well.

I ended up grabbing a shovel and a flashlight to dig even deeper into my poor wallet. The sales and games were too awesome.

Stay strong, buddy. It's almost over...

So here we are, once again, as a collective; we shall tempt ourselves and famished pocketbooks with more tasty sales. I hope you left room for dessert.

What A Steal!

• Shadow Warrior - $3.99

• Mirror's Edge - $4.99

• The Witcher 2 - $2.99

• Tomb Raider - $2.99

• Payday: The Heist - $1.49

• Bastion - $3.74

• GTA: Vice City - $2.49

• GTA 3 - $2.49

• GTA: San Andreas - $3.74

• Bully - $3.74

• Her Story - $3.59

• Shadowrun Returns - $2.99

• Q.U.B.E. - $2.49

• Super Meatboy - $1.49

• To The Moon - $1.99

• Geometry Dash - $1.35

• Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons - $1.49

No Way!

• Lego Batman - $4.99

• Lego Batman 2 - $4.99

• Lego Batman 3 - $7.49

• Final Fanta XIII - $7.99

• Final Fantasy VIII - $5.99

• Left 4 Dead - $ 3.99

• Left 4 Dead 2 - $3.99

• Portal 2 - $3.99

• The Sims 3 - $6.79

• XCOM - $7.49

• The Escapists - $6.11

• Metro: 2033 Redux - $4.99

• The Walking Dead - $6.24

• L.A. Noire - $4.99

• Hotline Miami 2 - $7.49

• Crypt of the Necrodancer - $4.94

• Transistor - $3.99

• Limbo - $4.99

Suffer For Less...

• Dark Souls - $4.99

• Dark Souls 2 - $18.99

• The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - $8.99

• Fallout New Vegas - $6.79

• Fallout 3 GOTY - $6.79

• XCOM - $7.49

• 7 Ways to Die - $11.24

• This War of Mine - $6.79

• Depth - $6.24

• Titan Souls - $5.99

So Much Sale!

• Portal Bundle - $4.99

• GTA Collection - $9.99

• Screen Cheat - $7.49

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - $29.99

• CS:GO - $7.49

• Cities: Skylines - $11.99

There you have it folks. All the deals I feel are worth grabbing before they disappear forever (aka until the summertime).

Now strap a helmet on those purses and wallets and send them back into battle. Godspeed, little guys. *salutes*