Game Spotlight - Pokemon X & Y

 

Hello there fellow readers and those who have stumbled upon this blog. I mentioned in my introduction post that I'd be talking about all sorts of topics from music to the Goth subculture and even video games. Today, I decided to go ahead and give some attention and mini review to one of the recent games I've been playing, Pokemon X & Y.

I have been into Pokemon since I was a kid in the 90s when the craze exploded. I watched the anime and played most of the games (excluding Black & White and it's sequels) and at 22, I'm still a big fan of the series. I truly believe that you can never be too old for Pokemon but that's for another topic. Anyway, here are my thoughts on the recent Pokemon game.

Honestly, my last Pokemon game I played was Pokemon Diamond back around 2009-2010 and for the most part, it was good but I found myself falling behind with Pokemon as I got caught up with other things. I never got around to playing Pokemon Black & White or their sequels and I missed out on HeartGold & Soul Silver (which is a shame because I love the 2nd Generation...) So naturally, I was pretty out of the loop with the series. I wasn't sure if I was going to buy this game but after watching some gameplay and seeing more of the new Pokemon, I decided to go out and buy a nice black 3DS and Pokemon Y three days after Christmas of 2013.

What do I think of this game? I honestly... LOVED IT! Like I mentioned above, it has been a long while since I played a Pokemon game and I was very hesitant with this one but it turned out to be one of the best purchases I ever made in 2013 and buying the 3DS was very worth it. I'll admit though, seeing the new graphic overhaul of how the game ran and the added character customization were big aspects that prompted me to get it.

 Pokemon Illustration (All rights reserved)

The 6th Gen Pokemon while very few compared to the previous gen, had a lot of visually impressive designs. Pokemon aesthetics come down to personal taste of course but I really liked a lot of them this time around. The new starters Fennekin (Fire), Chespin (Grass), and Froakie (Water) looked very nice and it was hard to choose which one I wanted to start with. I really wanted to go with Froakie but I ended up going with Fennekin (it's funny because in all the games, I've always went with the fire type lol). The new introduced Fairy Type Pokemon are rather interesting and provided some strategic match ups (I'm looking at you Slurpuff). Some of my favorite newer Pokemon include Noibat & Noivern, Litleo & Pyroar, Pumpkaboo, and Phantump. Yeah, there aren't 150 this time around but the 87 (including Mega Evolutions) held up pretty good. Speaking of Mega  Evolutions, I actually like the concept though admittedly, I don't have many Mega Evolutions except for Lucario. With that said, they still are a rather neat new feature though some of the designs could have been better. I wasn't a big fan of Mega Heracross, Mega Pinsir, & Mega Scizor, they looked a bit too Transformers mecha for my taste haha.

The newly introduced region of Kalos was spectacular. Seriously, the GameFreak development team did an impressive job detailing the landscapes from the glossy textures on the water and grass to the modeling of the buildings and trees. It really is captivating and it felt like I was on a real Pokemon journey as silly as it sounds. What really stuck out to me was just how different each town you visited felt and looked. Each had it's own atmosphere that helped differentiate each other like for example, the snow filled town of Snowbelle city to the comfy small town of Aquacorde. Of course, Pokemon has always improved with their level designing but since this is 3D, the experience of traveling through a town/forest/etc. is definitely enhanced. Also worth mentioning, the gym layouts while simple, were very creative. I heard that they started going a more intricate route in Black & White but alas, I never played them. My favorite gym design is between the Laverre City gym or Courmaline gym (woohoo for vine swinging!)

Pokemon Trainer Customization Intro (Pokemon X & Y)

The Trainer customization was a much welcome feature in my opinion. I'm a big character creation fan and I've been wanting to see one in Pokemon for the longest time since Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald. The customization isn't that diverse but it's understandable as this was the first time they were using this feature for a handheld. As far as clothing, there were lots to choose from for female players but the same can't be said for the male players. Again, I'm not too bummed as I said, it's their first time and I'm sure they will add a lot more stuff for the next game (I hope anyway lol). But seriously, if you are a fan of Pokemon and like character creation, I recommend trying this game.

While I'm not going to give any spoilers with the story, I actually rather enjoyed it this time around. It seemed a lot more darker than the previous ones and was pretty well-written. I especially like how they included little cut-scenes during important parts of the game and I also enjoyed how they made your player seem more human as he/she got to socialize & socialize with the rivals/friends and even antagonists in the game. I didn't really care too much for the villains of the game (Team Flare) but I will give them props in the event that they tried with all their might to stop you from completing your objective in their final mission. You gotta give them that much you know? The music arrangement was very nice as well (but then again, I love a lot of the Pokemon soundtracks from the games).

In conclusion, I enjoyed the heck out of this game and I am jubilant that I made the purchase. It really did feel like a breath of fresh air and even helped re-ignite my love for the series again. I am definitely looking forward to the next game. Nevertheless, I'd give this game a 10/10. Fresh new world, fun missions, cool new Pokemon, engaging story, what more can you ask? Whether you are an old school Pokemon fan or perhaps, a newer one, there is something for everyone and I highly recommend giving this game a try. 

With that said, I hope you enjoyed my little game spotlight segment. I'll be doing some more game spotlights in the future. Thank you reading everyone! Have you played the game yet? Did you like it? What did you think of the game? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section and stay tuned for the next blog! 

Currently listening to: "Tired" - Stone Sour

Currently watching; King of the Hill

Band Spotlight - Garbage

 

Garbage 

Hello there readers. Well, like I mentioned before in an early post, I am really into music and thought it would be fun to give some recognition to the bands I really like, whether they are still around or not. My first band I'd like to give spotlight to is Alternative Rock band, Garbage. 

If someone were to ask me who my favorite band of all time was, I can look upon them with a smile and spout the words "My favorite band would be Garbage". I always liked the looks I got from people who have never heard of them and go... "That's a band?". Haha I digress though, in my opinion, Garbage doesn't sound  like Garbage at all.

The band emerged in 1994 with band members, Shirley Manson (vocalist), Duke Erikson (bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion), Steve Marker (guitar, keyboards), and the producer of several 90s rock related albums such as Nirvana's "Nevermind", Butch Vig (drugs). They reached commercial success around 1995 with their hit singles "I'm only happy when  it rains" and "Stupid Girl". Their debut album also was a huge success. Despite a few struggles during the years after, the band has managed to stick around releasing 4 more albums over the decade and playing live shows. 

 

Garbage (Shirley, Duke, Steve, & Butch)

I first heard one of Garbage's songs when I was about 7 or 8 back in the 90s (1998 I believe). I was playing the 1st Gran Turismo game and their song "As Heaven is wide" would play a lot during the gameplay and I really loved the song but didn't know who sang it at the time. Soon after, I played Gran Turismo 2 and heard their song "I think I'm paranoid" and again, instantly fell in love with it. A few years later when I was in middle school, I was watching VH1 and a familiar song was playing. Struck with awe & amazement, I came to find it was the song "I think I'm paranoid" and when the music video ended, I got to see who the band was and from then on, it was utter matrimony. The year after, I went out and bought their debut album and needless to say, it was one of the best purchases I ever made. 

So why do i like this band so much? Well for one, I just love how experimental they were during their earlier years. You could feel the difference from 1995's "Garbage" to 1998's "Version 2.0" and even their more pop influenced album from 2002, "Beautiful Garbage". Personally, their debut will always be a person favorite as I just can't enough of their 90s alternative sound (you'll come to see, I'm quite the big 90s fan haha) but their later stuff is great too.Another reason I like them was due to their relating and thought-provoking lyrics. Sure, some of them are a bit cliche but I can't help but feel strong emotions when I hear a lot of the songs. Shirley's sensual, breathy yet hauntingly unique voice magnifies the songs as well.

I highly recommend giving this band a listen if you haven't, 

•Recommended Songs: "Stroke of Luck", "Push It", "Queer", "Vow", and "I'm only happy when it rains"

And with that all said, that concluded my first band spotlight. I apologize that I didn't go too in depth but I hope you found some enjoyment reading. Stay tuned for more!

What is Goth?

Hello there readers and welcome to my blog. In my introduction post, I explained that this blog will cover things  from Goth, video games, and art. To start things off, I thought I'd touch up on the "What is Goth" subject.

So what is Goth you are probably wondering? Isn't it about devil worshiping, sacrificing animals, being obsessed with death, and worshiping Marilyn Manson while decked out in Halloween gear? Simple answer is no. Goth has been around practically forever but I'm going to speak about the modern day concept. And yes, I am aware that the original Goths were a Germanic tribe but like I mentioned, I'm talking about the modern day style.

 

Robert Smith, lead vocalist of The Cure

Going back to the beginnings. Goth got it's bearings from the 1970s Punk scene and gained lots more attention during the 80s. Somber, melancholic, and dark? Yes, these definitions can very well be accurate for the style. It was a music based subculture that started in England and got it's basis from Post-punk music. Some well known bands that helped breath live into the movement were Bauhaus, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and The Cure, commonly known as the forefathers of Goth. Often, these bands played in all sorts of Goth-oriented clubs and developed large fan bases over time. It's been said that Bauhaus' single "Bela Lugosi is dead" is thought to be the beginning of the Gothic Rock scene.

In general, early Goth was the darker and somber sister of punk music. With the proto Goth bands in mind, they actually had characteristics that were quite different from each other with Siouxsie Sioux's rebellious, domineering tone to Robert Smith's more melancholic and somewhat ethereal tone. And by the late 80s, the style was out and thriving and produced even more bands to help carry the torch from Christian Death, Sisters of Mercy, Sex Gang Children, Fields of the Nephilim, The Mission UK, and many others. 

It's not surprising that a lot of people don't realize that this was where Goth originated. Whether people believe it or not, it genuinely WAS a music based subculture and wasn't just about fashion but that's for a completely different topic. "Isn't Goth music all depressed and Satanic?" Nope, not at all. While there are quite a few Goth bands who sang about darkness and melancholy, there were others who had all sorts of messages, including positive messages as well.

 

Siouxsie Sioux (From Siouxsie and the Banshees)

 So why do Goths like things that are considered dark, creepy, or morbid? Well, it's because there are people out in the world who can find beauty in these things. Like for example, cemeteries. "Normal" people would find these places boring and depressing. but to someone like a Goth, they often find it very historic and peaceful. Bats? Some people find them creepy and grotesque. Others find them interesting and misunderstood. The color black? Well, black is thought to mean "evil" but to a lot of us, we find it a respectable color. I mean, it goes with anything so that has to count for something right? But in all seriousness, not every Goth has the same interests and the best way to learn about them is to get to know one. And contrary to popular belief, there are Goths who don't always wear black. Also to note, Goths aren't wearing costumes. This is how they dress on a day to day basis (some more extravagant than others) and it's a part of them.

Goth is about finding the beauty in things where others wouldn't necessarily find it. It's about realizing that the world isn't so black and white and that just because something is dark, doesn't mean it's evil. And to those who think Goth is about suicide and wanting to die, that is so far from the truth. In fact, most Goths enjoy and embrace living. As far as death is concerned, they respect that it's a part of life and that's where it ends. "Goth is for Devil Worshipers".Not in the slightest. Goth is NOT a religion and quite often, the individuals who have a religion, vary. From my personal experience, I haven't actually met one who was a Satanist. Fun fact, Satanism isn't the same as Devil Worshiping.

Back on topic, Goth has evolved over the years. There are so many different types of Goth styles around and it usually depends on the individuals preference. Some even mix and match their own styles. There's practically something for everyone honestly. And not just the styles of fashion but also the music has expanded as well. From Deathrock, Darkwave, Industrial, New Wave, Coldwave, EBM, & even Dark Cabaret (a darker form of cabaret-jazz-circus type music).

Unfortunately, the subculture has divided some over the years. There are some Goths who think the style evolving is breathing life into the scene while others think that it is harming the subculture by becoming more mainstream and becoming a shell of what it once was. It's really a mixed bag and depends on the individuals outlook.  

I hope that this little summary helped you understand a little bit more about the subculture. I didn't go into every detail but just the general background. If you have any questions, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more!

Currently listening to: "When it comes" - Incubus

Currently watching: King of the Hill

 

Myself (December 2013)

 

Hello there reader. My name is Paul and I'd like to say, welcome to my blog and I hope you enjoy your little visit through here. So what exactly is this blog about you ask? Well, mostly just to socialize, talk about certain subjects, and provide some advice. I have a big interest in a lot of things on the more creative spectrum from art, drawing, music, video games, and the Gothic subculture / Dark Lifestyle. This blog would probably be best suited for people interested in the Goth subculture (or perhaps, curious about it), music fans, and casual gamers. So hopefully, there will be something you'll like!

As far as the Goth side goes, yes, I am into the Gothic subculture and have been for the past 7 years. I've learned quite a bit about it and thought it would be fun to share my interests as well as provide advice for others who may be interested in the subculture. I'll be tackling subjects like misconceptions, fashion/subsets, tips, and other various topics.

For music, I love a lot of different styles from Alternative Rock, Goth Rock, Grunge, Symphonic Metal, and so much more, predominantly rock though haha. So I'll most likely be doing things like album reviews and Band/Artist spotlights. As for video games, I'll mostly be doing reviews for games I have played.

So with that said, thank you for taking the time to read and hopefully, you'll enjoy your future visit(s) if you decide to check out this blog.  'Till next, I'll catch ya later! Take care!