Arctic Sunburn

Today I decided to take a day for myself. Besides the fact that it's something I rarely do, I've been finding myself depressed more often than not in the last few weeks, and overly sensitive in every situation.

I have gradually come to the realization that I am extremely hard on myself, and I also tend to carry the weight of the world. When I'm feeling down I am aware of how it affects those around me, and realize that I am not only hurting myself, I am also hurting those I care about. It's a downward spiral that doesn't lead anywhere constructive.

So today I'm taking some time to celebrate my victories and do some things that I enjoy. It's funny how quickly things can change when you put your focus on what you love. Right now it feels as though there isn't enough time in a day to do everything I'd like to do.

Speaking of accomplishments, I've reached my goal of writing over 80 posts here on Arctic Sunburn, and that's definitely a victory worth celebrating.

So far today, I've spent some time watching Spoony, finally wrapped up Ratchet & Clank, and even played a bit of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. That's right, the original THPS2 for PlayStation. I remember playing this game like it was going out of style. It's funny how easily you forget how the emergence of next-gen consoles has changed everything. The graphics in THPS2 are bearable, but the controls feel extremely slippery compared to modern-day equivalents. There's the reviewer in me coming through again, but it was a fun trip down memory lane nevertheless.

I'd still like to spend some time in meditation, playing guitar, exercising, drawing, and reading today. Maybe I'll even get out for a walk at some point. There is no pressure to get it all done, but it's what I want to do. Of course, I couldn't take a day like this without doing a bit of blogging/writing as well.

So there you go; a brief overview of the past and the present. "What about the future?", you may ask. Okay, maybe you didn't, but just let me pretend for a moment that you did.

I've had a lot of fun working on Arctic Sunburn and a variety of other blogs, and I doubt that I will ever stop writing, because it's something I enjoy. If you're like me, though, you are a very driven person, taking on too many things all at once, and investing a lot of time into ventures that don't really pay off.

Don't get me wrong; if I was in it for the money, I wouldn't blog or play music because they tend to be high risk ventures. I am a very creative person, and I am constantly in the process of creating something, whether it's music or a painting or a blog post.

However, it's time for me to start thinking about wrapping things up. As it is often said, "don't start anything you can't finish" and for better or for worse I have started far too many things that have yet to be completed, or haven't gotten the attention they rightly deserve. I'd like to simplify my life to some extent, and spend more time focused on one or two ventures as opposed 12. If I were to narrow it down, I think there are three things I do best, and would willingly do without any reward. Those things are as follows: Music, writing, and art. I was practically born with a paintbrush in my hand, and enjoyed drawing and painting a lot in my formative years. Music entered the picture when I was 14, when I wrote my first song. I picked up the guitar at 17, and have since invested a lot of time into it. Writing came into the picture in the last two to three years. I like to think that I have always had a knack for it, but I've never written more in my life than in the last two years.

I could ramble on and on, but I will simply wrap this up by saying that Arctic Sunburn may no longer be in the cards for the future. I'm thinking about launching a new blog at some point, but this time I want to do it right from the get-go, as opposed to writing content and then hoping that someone will find it. Ultimately, I only want to have one blog as opposed to the 6 or 7 I have right now. I already have some new ideas in the works, and I'm pretty stoked for it.

Reviewing video games and movies has been lovely, but there are at least 1/2 dozen or so other video reviewers that do it really well and are extremely talented. I don't expect to be able to hold a candle to them when I don't put in anywhere near as much time as they do into it (nor do I intend to). I think I will occasionally review movies and games on my new blog, but we'll see. This may not be the final and official "goodbye" on my part, but I hope that you have enjoyed this journey as much as I have.

God bless.

Ratchet & Clank was developed by Insomniac Games and was released on November 4, 2002 for the PlayStation 2. This 3D platformer/shooter is jam-packed with content, boasting over 36 weapons and gadgets scattered throughout the game.

My first impression was that this was just a kid's game, but I found out pretty quickly that it really doesn't kid around. Maybe it's just me, but beginning with planet Rilgar, they really upped the anti, and that's still in the first half of the game!

Graphics
Regardless, let's get into some of the specifics. The graphics are really colorful and smooth, and in my opinion still quite pleasing to the eye, even with the emergence of next-gen consoles. This game has some clipping issues and oddball errors, but at least I never got stuck and unable to continue. Not as polished as later games in the series, but still quite good.

Music
I have to admit; I really wasn't much of a fan of the music when I first started playing this game. For the most part, it's just an electronic beat with a few keyboard sounds thrown over top, and all in all really nothing memorable. That said, it still fits the game nicely, and there were a couple of standout tunes. It would have been nice to have some kind of mood music for the final boss, though.

Gameplay
The controls are nice and smooth. It would have been nice to have a second quick select screen for gadgets and weapons, but one could get by without it if they were determined.

As I said earlier, the game doesn't really mess around, and it's downright challenging at times. There are plenty of moments where even the R.Y.N.O. couldn't save you, but you get used to the idea of having to perform perfect heli-jumps and swingshot leaps.

Conclusion
As we speak, I have yet to defeat the last boss (I've only tried a couple times), but I've collected all the gold bolts in the game. All in all, Ratchet & Clank is tons of fun and is jam-packed with content. I know I say this all the time, but I really appreciate a game that has a hours upon hours of gameplay. I highly recommend this game.

Star Trek is hands down the best movie I've seen recently. If you don't want me to spoil it for you, then you may want to come back to this review later.

The movie begins with the origins of Kirk and Spock, two boys fated to meet and change the face of space exploration forever. This particular movie is set in an alternate dimension, where Spock is assigned the position of captain, and Kirk is the first officer. The two are at odds, and in the midst of making decisions about their mission, Spock exiles Kirk to an icy and perilous planet, where he meets Spock Prime (Spock from the future). It is revealed that Spock Prime came to save Romulus from imminent collapse. While on the planet, they meet up with Scotty, who helps them beam aboard the Enterprise. Kirk, at the prompting of Spock Prime, aims to uncover Spock's emotional involvement with the mission (Vulcan was destroyed by Nero, the leader of the Romulans), thus rendering him unfit for the position of captain. Kirk succeeds, and claims the position. They chase down Nero, rescue captain Pike (who was taken captive by the Romulans), and that's pretty much Star Trek in a nutshell.

I thought that the casting was impeccable, and John Cho was somehow perfect in the role of Sulu. Simon Pegg is an interesting choice for Scotty, but then it's hard to imagine anyone else who could pull it off with as much grace (especially since he was used for comedic relief). Chris Pine as Kirk is maybe too tall, handsome and blonde, but I still think he captured the essence of the character nicely.

It's not a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it entertained me a great deal. If you're a purist, go in with an open mind and you just might enjoy it. It's an action-packed, intense experience.

I haven't seen any of the prequels to Fast & Furious, so I have no basis to compare it to any of its earlier incarnations. What I can say is that it's an action-packed, adrenaline pumping, speed inducing action fest. To be terse, it's pretty much what I expected.

To its credit, the opening action sequence is as intense and stimulating as the introductory sequence from Quantum of Solace (in my opinion). This seems to be a current trend in action movies; they open with a big bang and draw you in. And why not? Many movie-goers are looking for a quick thrill, and may not have the attention span to hold out for long, convoluted storylines. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, merely stating the obvious.

Unfortunately, I find the movie to be far too reliant on a particular "scene", one that I can't really relate to (yeah, I'm lonely :P). Parties, girls, alcohol, and muscle cars. And while that is all well and good, I have no point of reference for this lifestyle, nor am I particularly interested. Some would argue that that's the point of entertainment and movies in general, and I cannot discount that argument.

The movie is also pretty unrealistic (and again, that may be the point of over-the-top action flicks, but just hear me out). I am not proposing that the action takes away from the storyline, but I do have a hard time accepting that Brian O'Conner (played by Paul Walker) would get away with what he did, and still be welcomed back in the police force.

I also did not expect Vin Diesel's character (Dominic Toretto) to be a stoic one. I would not have thought him to be a grim and serious type (although Diesel pulls it off with grace). I understand that he is supposed to be the embodiment of masculinity, and in a rare glimpse of Hollywood counter-ethos, he refuses to get involved romantically with Gisele Harabo (played by Gal Gadot), one of the main ladies in the film. He is nevertheless an unrelenting and militant character, and even O'Connor winds up joining forces with him.

My expectations aside, it was a pretty decent action flick. I do not condone the making of such a film, but I would be lying if I said that it did not entertain me.

Front Mission was released in 1995, and developed by Square. The game was released for Super Famicom (SNES) but was never released outside of Japan.

And that's a shame, because it's actually a pretty cool game. It's basically a turn-based strategy game with role-playing elements. Your characters pilot wanzers, essentially large robots armed for combat. Your wanzers are highly customizable, and as you progress through the storyline, better parts become available.

The story begins where Royd's fiancée, Karen is killed by captain Driscoll (who later uses Karen's brain as the processing unit for his wanzer). Royd and his team were merely examining the premises, but this hostile action provokes Royd and his team to action, and sets the stage for the first mission.


While the storyline is pretty good, the main protagonist, Royd, is a rather stoic and colorless character. When Olson, the colonel of the mercenary unit Canyon Crows comes to recruit him, he readily agrees to lead the unit (without much persuasion). In this way, rarely does he make judgment calls of his own.

With that said, the game itself is a lot of fun. One of the best features about Front Mission is the ability to customize your wanzers. Everything from shoulder missile units to leg parts are fully configurable, and while it's usually a good idea to stick to the "best" parts, there is still a lot of choice. Through trial and error you may occasionally find unusual setups that work well.

The turn-based gameplay does require some thought, and the wrong move may find you surrounded by enemy wanzers. Rarely is it a smart idea to go charging in to the middle of battle, especially with Royd. If Royd is defeated in combat, you will see the "game over" screen. Fortunately, that never happens if any of your other team members are crushed.

Most of the time you are far outnumbered by enemy machines, but typically their gear isn't as good as yours (as long as you continually upgrade), and because your characters level up as they gain experience, they tend to be ahead of where your enemies are. As long as you make wise tactical decisions, you shouldn't run into too much trouble. The early missions tend to be a little challenging, however, until you get used to the system.

The music is pretty cool, though it's certainly not as memorable as the music from Final Fantasy VI. If anything, the shop music is the theme you remember the most, because of its laid-back, bouncy Jazzy vibe.

The menu system and the overall esthetics are unique to this game, and it's obvious that they put a lot of time into every detail. A slight departure from other Square games, Front Mission is a classic in its own right, spawning many sequels and spinoffs.

In another post I mentioned that this game wasn't so much fun as it was addicting. I don't retract that statement. Yes, it's fun, but it's addicting more so because once you're past a certain point, you just want to keep going so you can upgrade your equipment and test it out on the battlefield. I recommend this game to anyone who can read Japanese, or somehow get by with all the English that's in the game.