Undone

I don’t aspire to much now days, I work 40 hours a week, have a loving husband and a beautiful daughter– and a new baby on the way!

But I dream of a day that I can review video games for parents. I realize that this seems silly, there are lots of game review sites out there, I would say A LOT. But once upon a time i wrote a feminist review of Legend of Zelda Wind Waker, and have loved writing introspective pieces about video games as a woman ever since. Now as a mom, and as a former gaming associate I am aware of how blissfully unaware most parents are. Some parents just don’t care about what their kids play and others really read and review and scrutinize games.

I want to help those parents. If I were to “dream big” i would quit my job, mommy full time and play video games all the time to support us by selling my reviews to a magazine. HAHAHA! yeah, that’s dreaming big. Once upon a time it was my goal to work at GS for 7 years and intern at GI as a writer. HAHAHAHA! To be honest, I did work for GS for about 6 years and really while it’d be awesome to write for a magazine and work from a cozy office in my house with slippers on– I realize it’s MUCH more of a pipe dream than I know. I need to play more games. However the circle of life is this:

fun stuff takes money
serious stuff takes money
serious stuff is more important than fun stuff.
there is no money for fun stuff

which is sad, I remember the days of playing games on my Xbox and having a really GREAT time with it, and on my game cube, and even more recently my Wii and 360 (ahh I miss you 360, at least I know you have a good home!) I wish that we were rich and could have all the awesome stuff in the world… but instead– I have an awesome house, an awesome husband, and a super sweet and awesome daughter. I wouldn’t give them up for any amount of 360’s and I have to say I certainly wouldn’t get myself into debt for one. Sorry, but no.

that’s my dream though. I imagine days of waking up and fixing breakfast, playing a few hours of games, taking notes, playing with  my kids, gardening, cooking lunch, doing dishes, more games, more notes, playing some with my kids, discussing the game and it’s aspects, letting them play for a bit to watch how they handle it… whoo. Dinner, hang out, bed for kidlets and typing up my notes and writing a witty and insightful article for a gaming magazine. Or a parent’s magazine! Either one!

In all of that all I would change about my life (not my house not my kids, not my husband, nada) I would only change my life to  my dream job. I miss writing. I miss gaming. 🙁

Derringer Meryl [le sigh] Out

Okay, So I’ve been playing Shenmue II because I’ve heard how great of a game it is, and all that blither blather…..

Can I tell you, it sucks. Now, If you’re into a bunch of really stupid small games held together by a weak story plot that moves as fast as my grandma when it’s cold outside, then this game is for you!

The graphics have no bump-mapping that create a more three-dimension look. The mouths move oddly, not because it’s been dubbed (which I believe it has) it’s because the mouths are always parted, never allowing for genuine looking expressions. The joints look pixelated (like Joy when she gets off the bike, I could swear her legs would walk away and her body would stay there!) There are time restraints on everything, you have to be asleep at eleven, and the temple closes at eight…. You have to earn your money back, complete meaningless tasks, that have no strategies to them, and furthermore…

It’s really dumb to make a game where you aren’t aware of the previous story line. BOO!

I give Shenmue II for the Xbox Four out of ten.

Rag Yo

Derringer Meryl [Never had a date to no school dance, this is for you!] Out