Those three words!!!

I have been blessed with an AMAZING wife!!!

I met my wife about twelve years ago when she interviewed for a job opening where I worked. She came in, asked a few questions then sat down and waited. I (being the shy and socially awkward person I am) kept stealing glances at her (from the safety of my hiding place) as I was trying to make up my mind about her. I wasn't sure if she was hot or not, she was very modestly dressed, so I took my time to inspect her from random vantage points as I decided. (Yes, I'm weird. Yes, she eventually saw me. No, she didn't find it creepy. No, I wasn't stalking her... that came later) Long story short she swept me off my feet and the rest, as they say, is history. We've been enjoying our marital bliss for quite some time now and we expect it to last quite a bit more. She has had to put up with my second love, video games, (she says it's my first) for the entirety of our relationship and she has even referred to my PS3 as my "other woman" (I will neither confirm nor deny this statement (me = smart)). We've had our fair share of instances where she says something to me during my gaming session and I don't hear a word (I LITERALLY don't hear anything she says), times when she distracts me and causes my demise (she always chooses the most inopportune time to want my attention), times when I'm supposed to be cooking but I get enthralled and happen to burn the food (we laugh this off and make it a date night) but she puts up with me and I love her for it. She is a bit of a gamer herself. (I'm still not sure if I rubbed off on her or if she was a closet-gamer before I came along) She loves Super Mario Bros *suggestive wink*, turn-based RPGs (Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga and Persona) and she's been playing Diablo III: Reaper of Souls recently. She doesn't like fighters and sports and ANY game that involves rapid or numerous button presses. (She has very limited hand-eye coordination, is easily frustrated, lacks dexterity and rage quits A LOT!!!)

Some time ago I took her with me to Select Start Gaming  (SSG) so we could play Diablo together. We've started playing together in an effort to spend more time with each other and it's working out very well for both of us. I get to game, she gets to game and we both spend time doing something we both like as a couple (also I'm not forced to wait on her as she takes her sweet time running up and down the map, exploring EVERY nook and cranny of the game I have beaten six times already, before she heads off to the Boss only to die to him because she kept hitting the wrong button and wasted all of her mana doing a spell that doesn't affect the boss at ALL). We were just finishing up our jaunt when one of the regulars did his running gag of "DUDE... where have you been? I can't tell the last time I've seen you in the arcade!" Not wanting to prolong the agony of hearing this speech again for the seventeenth time I gave him my usual "You know how it is. Work and family stuff take up most of my time" answer. I also gave him the "this is my wife so don't do/say anything stupid" look which he took a while to decipher but got nonetheless. Upon hearing the exchange my lovely wife chimes in with something so out there that it shocked everyone in listening distance. She goes: (and I'm paraphrasing...)

"Yes. I don't understand why he always stay at home in the seclusion of his bedroom and plays by himself. I keep telling him to go out and be more social but he is stuck in his ways and doesn't want to." (she turns to me and continues) "See... everyone knows that you're a hermit. You need to be more outgoing and spend time with your friends. Get out the damn house sometimes!" 

At this point the room has a collective "mouth hanging open in disbelief"! (Still not sure what shocked them more, my wife giving me permission PUBLICLY to GO OUT or my wife giving me permission PUBLICLY to GAME) I was at a lost for words (which HARDLY ever happens) not to mention the reddest shade of embarrassment I could muster. I had just been handled by my lovely wife who hasn't the slightest idea what handled means let alone how to do it. (Handled = schooled, shown the ropes, mentored, taught how its done, etc) The best come back I could think of was a chuckle and "That's not what I thought you thought. Thanks for telling me." (I don't think she realised just what she was getting herself into *maniacal laugh*)

 So taking her advice, (because let's face it, wives know what's best for their husbands) I have switched my gaming locale to SSG *proud smile*. Thus, increasing my gaming time at least three fold in the last month or so. Anytime I feel the need for stress relief or when SSG informs me that I've been challenged or when there's a new game that needs to be played post haste (Neverwinter for example). I approach my lovely wife, take her by the hand, look deeply into her eyes and whisper... "I'm gonna go by SSG." Then in true lovely wife fashion she gives me the cutest smile, bats her eyes and, in her most sincere voice, replies with those three words that this husband loves to hear... "OK. Hurry back!" 

P.S. She occasionally tags along with me or pops in unannounced when I engage in my "social activities" just to make sure I don't sit in the corner of the arcade with my headphones on, oblivious to my surroundings as I grumble to myself while frustratingly trying to beat Bloodborne. (Yes, she sits right next to me. Yes, she still wants my attention when I need it the most. No, I don't mind at all. No, she doesn't regret what she said... that will come later)

RANT #2

You know what I don't get? DLC!

(and Add-Ons and Season Passes and Expansions and other such indulgences)

Why would you make a game then decide to make more of that game outside of that game then add it later? I don't get it. If you're gonna make a game shouldn't you do it to the best of your ability? I mean DLC, to me, just seems so half-assed. It's like the ultimate cop-out. It comes across so "I can always add that later... if I feel like," which is crap if you ask me. (It's crap even if you didn't ask me) Here's an idea, how about you just put a COMPLETE game together and see how that works out? Hmmm? 

Then there is the whole "how can I squeeze more money outta this" aspect of it. Developers, Publishers, and the industry, in general, need to get this straight. We (and by "We" I mean "Me"), gamers, enter into an unwritten yet understood agreement with you guys. You guys spend money making uber cool games (or not) for us to play and we spend money on said game (or not) so we can play them. I find it to be such a money grubbing tactic when you guys try to milk us (me) for all we're (I'm) worth! 

"Dude... DLC is a gamer's dream. You can expand and expound or insert new aspects and plot lines. Basically you make the game go on forever! *fanboy smile*"

NOPE! Wrong wrong wrong!!! Don't try that bovine manure on me! (Momma didn't raise no fool) If you want the game to go on forever, try making sequels and prequels, alternate ending and optional bosses, Newgame+ events and stuff. All of which we (I'm) are perfectly contented with, by the way. Don't try to convince us (me) that what you are doing is for our (my) sake. You're not adding new map packs, extra missions, and additional content because we (I) asked you to. You're doing it to get us (me) to pay an another $7.00 for stuff that could've/should've been, but you didn't, put in the original release (more often than not). 

Here's an example of what your typical add-on/DLC pack constitutes. (Disclaimer: I stole this from an actual on-going add-on pack and doctored the specifics in order to avoid legal action. Hope it works!*fingers crossed*)

Other add-ons currently available are as follows:

• Uber Expensive Pack (half the cost of the game) -  offers you early access to 4 playable characters (including a guy and another guy), plus skins.
• DUDE (lunch money) - gives you DUDE as a playable character.
• Sparkles (bus fare)  - lets you play as prettier sparkly version of a character.
• Keys (cheap date) - lets you unlock everything in one fell swoop.

We're (I'm) so sick and tired of hearing about the latest "addition" to the game we (I) just bought. You expect us (me) to believe that you created, conceptualized, designed, implemented, and released all this "NEW" stuff in the 6 days that have transpired since you released the game? What do you take us (me) for? (Sometimes they even have the audacity to offer all these things BEFORE the game has come out)Just give us (me) a good game that's fulfilling and worth it and we (I) can all be happy. OK, maybe you genuinely thought of it later or maybe fans petitioned for it (I'll give you that leeway) but that doesn't mean that it should become the current state of affairs. 

I can picture the other side of this discussion looking on in wonder. They have NO idea what is being said here. They are fine with getting their new skins (these change the appearance of something in-game), they'll fork over $4.99 for that shiny armour set and their definitely gonna get the latest kill-streak perk. To them I say, *sighs and hangs head in shame*. But as for me and my house... we (I) will refrain from the DLC! (Down-right Lame-ass Cop-out / Dubious Legitimate Consumerism)  

500 times... THANKS!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, readers of all ages. It is with heartfelt gratitude and utmost appreciation that I address you in this post. The T.A.G blog has received 500 views (as of yesterday) and I can't express with enough gusto and fervor the great joy I feel. So, I'm doing what little I can, in the best way I know how, to show you how grateful I am. Basically I'm saying THANKS (and nice job and keep up the good work and lets hits 1000 views soon)!!! 

• THANKS to everyone who took time out to at least visit the blog!!! (your effort is appreciated) 
• THANKS to the people who scrolled down the blog without actually reading anything!!! (you know who you are o_O)
• THANKS to all the READERS. EVERY! SINGLE!! ONE!!! (young, old, dudes, girls, gamers, non-gamer, bloggers, critics etc)
• THANKS to everyone who shared the blog with anyone!!! (by words of mouth, on social media, text, email, smoke signals etc)
• THANKS for the feed back!!! (some of the ideas I liked and will consider. Others... not so much)
•  THANKS to Google/Blogspot!!! (They provided the forum for me to do my thing)
• THANKS to the T.A.G blog team, you guys have no idea how helpful you are!!! (all 2 of you)
• THANKS to the guys at Select Start Gaming for all they do!!! (they have games and jokes and games and comradery  and games)
• THANKS to whoever keeps giving me the anonymous +1 and whoever keeps putting up those little blue hashtag markers on my google posts (I don't know who you are but I'm glad you do it... even if you're an artificial intelligence algorithm that's mining my metadata)
• THANKS to my parents for blessing the world with my creation. (I miss you so much mom)
• THANKS to my job for providing me with fast and reliable internet connection! (This whole thing would take WAY more time without you)

To any and every one involved with the blog in any way, shape or form. THANKS, THANKS, 500 TIMES... THANKS!!!

Input Error!!!

Mortal Kombat X (MKX), me no likey.

I took some time out of my busy schedule this week and attempted to play some MKX. My good friend (the PS4-owner) had been playing it for a couple days and I walked in on him doing advanced combos in the practice mode. He was doing some ridiculous 17-hit, 40% damage, mix ups and juggles. (These are all fighting game terms that you can look up here) I was thoroughly impressed at the skill at which he was displaying in the short amount of time he had been playing for. (Secretly I was cringing because if I happened to be hit by 2 of those combos it's basically K.O.) Of course, in his regular fashion, he was running through the whole cast of characters trying out different variations and seeing which one felt right to him. (MKX has a variation system where a character comes in 3 different variations. Each variation specializes in a certain aspect for example one variant may be centered around projectiles while the other is better for defensive play and the third would be more inclined to rapid attacks) He seemed to like Erron Black (which scared me, especially after seeing Fatal Eight) and he messed around with Erron for a good 15 minutes.

After watching him for some time (he got tired and went to do something else) I grabbed his fight stick and started my own little session. I pressed a few buttons, measured jump distance and float, walk/dash speed, and I found the all important block button. (MK has a dedicated button for blocking as opposed to Street Fighter (SF) where you just hold back.) I lost a bit of my adoration for him though because after I adjusted my seat to get a better view of the screen I noticed his cell phone had a list of ALL the combos he'd done. I glanced at a few, reduced his "cool point" total (he doesn't have too many to spare) and then tried my best to do the combos I read. 

This is where MKX went downhill for me. First of all I haven't played MK since my Super Nintendo days. So I was accustomed to the High Punch Low Punch, High Kick Low Kick set up. The combos I read from his cell phone consisted of the following:

B123-U4-Run-F112
B321 DB2-112-U2-121-DBF2

My brain was like "O_O WTH?!?! This isn't Mortal... OOOHHH they changed the buttons and the layout" and after doing a quick update and conversion I deciphered the cacophony of alphanumeric code and deftly went into my "get the timing right then go for muscle memory" ritual. This lasted all of 3 minutes and I gave up. I wanted to be stringing combos like Sonic Fox and MIT were (in this video)

but that wasn't happening and I wasn't having it. I played 3 matches against a non-player (one worse off than I was) and then I quickly went back to playing Assassins Creed Unity. This was apparently a good thing because a bit later when we were all playing SF everyone (excluding myself) was losing on account of major input errors (I just lost because they were better than me). They all complained about instinctively holding the "block" button when they were attacked only to realise that this was SF and not MK. So I'm happy that I didn't play MK for too long.

Let this be a lesson to ALL!!! Know that MK will mess up your SF inputs and cause you to lose then say "why do I keep pressing R2 to block?" This will be ignored by the person beating you but they will be like "ME GLAD *maniacal laugh*" in their head!!! (ME GLAD = local dialect for "too bad for you... maybe you should've left MK for the MK players. Now do it again so I can take advantage of your dire circumstance" 

Men plan; God lols!!!

In case you've been living under Knowledge-proof Rock, in the backwoods of Alonesville, Nowhere. Population... you! Mortal Kombat X (MKX) is out for any system you can possibly think of. (ALL of them. Every! Single!! One!!!) 

My PS4-owning friend downloaded it yesterday. (He's one of the "New School" gamers who aren't "hung up" on owning a bright, shiny, tangible DISC. He doesn't understand the JOY of having a disc in your hands and marveling at your reflection as you wipe its pristine surface with a microfiber cloth. He doesn't see the need to revel in the primal and satisfactory act of ripping off the plastic wrapper and savoring that "New Game" smell that wafts as you pop open the casing for the first time. Sometimes I wonder how is it that we're friends? Then I remember we have other things in common like our love for his PS4.) From what I hear he has been playing MKX, non-stop, in an effort to prove to the world (and by the world I mean himself, myself and who ever HE thinks, thinks that he only plays Street Fighter) that he can play something other than Street Fighter. I spoke to him a couple times since he's gotten it and so far it sounds like a project I may take up. We made plans to have a "Practice Session" so that we can polish up our characters of choice (He likes Kano and Mileena and I'm gonna be nostalgic and go with Sub-Zero and Scorpion) before we debut them but that doesn't seem like its gonna happen anytime soon.

Day 1

• He tweets that he's downloading MKX and issues a challenge to a dude we know. 
• I call him to arrange a time for us to practice and sort out our characters. 
• Boss asks me to work late and I don't get to play!

Day 2

• He calls me about a non-MKX related issue and I stealthily sneak MKX into our conversation.
• I go online and look up info on MKX and try to memorize inputs (think a sequence of buttons that do something) so I can impress.
• Boss changes my schedule and I don't get to play!

Day 3 

• is not here yet and I have been totally screwed over by my new roster
• since my allotted gaming time has been absorbed by my new schedule and you should see where I'm going with this... 
• I'M GONNA BE WORKING AND I DON'T GET TO PLAY!

Don't you just hate when that happens? *insert thoroughly upset, frustrated almost to tears, disappointed face here*
I want to play MKX NOW. Now that it's fresh and everybody is still learning. I don't want to play a week after everyone else and get handled (think being beaten over and over)!

I mean I got a job so I could make money to buy the games I want so I can play them but then the same job requires the time that I would devote to playing the games I bought. Who came up with this and why didn't my younger self know to avoid this vicious cycle? 

The CURE-ALL!!!

You know "that" guy, the one who has the bravado and ego of Poongko, the charisma and pride of Tokido, and the execution and technique of any REGULAR player? (Don't be "that"guy!) 
I ran into him on Sunday. 

After a pretty decent run on Assassin's Creed Unity, (I'm still open to doing co-op with readers. Add me on XBL, Ryuji268) I said my farewells to the regulars at Select Start Gaming (SSG). I finished packing up my system and was heading to the door when "that" guy walked in. We exchanged greetings and then proceeded our separate ways. (He went inside the store while I waited by the door) "That"guy came to buy a controller and was inquiring about the latest releases. After a bit of chitchat he went back to his vehicle and waited for his friend who was conducting some business of his own. The friend was caught up in conversation with a girl and was paying minimal mind to "that" guy. So "that" guy decided his time could be better spent inside SSG as opposed to sitting in the hot car (Antigua has an average temperatures of about 26 degrees Celsius/79 degrees Fahrenheit compared to the cool comfort of SSG). He came back and went on about how he hasn't been playing much Street Fighter and he wondered if he still had it. He did his whole "name drop" thing (in an attempt to be famous by association, I guess) and invited me to help him test his mettle.

"That" guy and I are acquaintances at best. We know each other from the on-island gaming scene and have competed on a few occasions over the years. I, being the uber nice guy that I am, tolerate him (and his attitude) to the best of my ability because I don't wanna hurt his feelings (but mainly because the alternative isn't socially accepted and would make me come off like an A$$-hat which is slightly below A$$hole on the "A$$" scale). 

I loaded up the game, got him a controller and I grabbed a fightstick. (I'm a controller guy myself but I've started playing with fightsticks to be able to improve my game as well as be able to play anytime, anywhere, on any platform) "That" guy fiddled with the controller a bit and remarked on its use i.e how the buttons felt worn, so I got him another one. The second controller is "too new" for his liking i.e. it's not worn enough, so I got him another one. This one was "OK" and we begun our matches. He won the first match and let me know that he hasn't played since whenerery (local dialect for a long long time ago). I won the second match and he said he was "still warming up." I won the third match and I "did good" but he knew what to do now and would go for his counter pick (think choosing a different character to play against another character). So I surprise him by choosing a different character myself. He won the match and is elated as his "strategy is working" (N.B his "strategy" at this point is null and void, as I have chosen a different character from my original and this renders his counter pick obsolete!) I won the next six matches and sat there, with my poker face as an onlooker let "that" guy know that he had a bad match up i.e. my character will, more often than not, beat his character due to technical differences in their design. I humbly added that my zoning play-style (utilizing space and placement) does very well against his rush-down play-style (aggressive attacking). He replied with a nonchalant,
"I'm not as into the gaming thing as you are." Followed by,
"You guys read the Street Fighter Bible every day and I still beat you!" 
(For those of you not keeping score, he won two out of ten)

I was stoically (external) livid (internal)!
When "that" guy wins he brags, when he loses he nags and now that he's realized he's FREE (translation: he won't win for a while) he resorts to trying to make me feel bad for putting in effort. I was waiting for him to continue our matches so I could BODY him (translation: so I could pummel him some more).         

And this is how it should be! If people took out their aggression or decided the outcome or resolved confrontations with gaming... the world would be a better place. Think about it! Want to slap that guy for staring at your girl? Slap him in Street Fighter! Upset at the kids for bullying you in school? Tell them to try that in Halo! Dude thinks he's right? Prove your superiority in Gran Turismo! Chick has on the same dress and thinks she's hotter? Heat things up in Smash Brothers! Someone thinks they're smarter than you are? Show them your high score in Candy Crush! (I don't really play Candy Crush but... you get where I'm going with this.)
Nobody gets hurt (only their ego and pride). Nobody dies (well, they respawn after so...). Results are obvious (especially if you do a victory dance). It's a foolproof plan (if you ask me). Stuff gets sorted when games get started! --> GOT ISSUES? PRESS START!         

Coincidence... I think not!!!

The other day after a particularly hectic stint at work, (these tend to happen often)  I went to my regular hangout spot to relieve some stress and wait for my LOVELY wife (brownie points for me) to pick me up. Select Start Gaming is where I chill out and maintain my sanity whenever I need to. They're an arcade/store where I get my game on and purchase all my games, PSN/XBL cards, controllers and what not. (Check them out at #11 Town House Megastore Complex if you're in Antigua. Tell them I sent you...They like me *proud smile*) 

I was playing Assassin's Creed Unity on Xbox One. (If you want to be in my brotherhood just add me on XBL  Me = Ryuji268) It was during the first stealth mission, the one where you have to sneak past some guards into a party to see a red haired girl, (an aspect of the game that I suck at. I was caught at least 10 times before I found her but it's not really my fault that I did badly. I guess I'm just more of a "jump off the roof and assassinate my target" sort of player) that I found myself feeling a bit uneasy. After being caught by the patrolling guards, AGAIN, I was highly annoyed and not being my regular "pleasantly nice" self. I was thoroughly upset at the fact that I had to do the mission EXACTLY how the developers wanted me to do it i.e. patiently and painstakingly sneak past the oblivious guards as they gawk at some painting on the wall. (I would have preferred to just run past them but the game wasn't having any of that! The "oblivious" guards become uber eagle-eyed if you take ANY action other than that prescribed by the game's coding) In one of my "quietly curse my misfortune while the game loads" sessions a random dude decided that it was alright for him to invade my personal space (something that irks me greatly). He came up to my right shoulder and was watching on as the guards escorted me out of the compound AGAIN. 

"Wha da dey?"
This isn't a typo. It's my locale dialect! We speak a broken and perverted form of English in Antigua. It has a bit of African influence as well and is a joy to speak. It's a bit of a problem to transcribe though because it has no "official" written form (it's a mostly "verbal/uttered" language). As such the spelling of words will differ greatly from writer to writer (those brave enough to attempt to write it that is). I'll translate accordingly. 

"Wha da dey?" (What's that?)
"Assassin's Creed"
"Seen. Black Flag? Me hear dat dey bad no joke!" (I see. Is it Black Flag? I heard it's pretty good!)
"Tall, dis a Unity. E cum out after Black Flag" (Nope, this is Unity. It was released after Black Flag)
"Seen." (OK)
*game loads and I start the mission*
"Hide in da carna da man a cum roun dey!" (Hide in the corner the guard is coming!)
*I say nothing as I sneak through the first room*
"Wait wait... nah move yet. Wait till he tun roun fu go ahead" (Wait wait... don't move yet. Wait until he turns around to proceed)
*I want dude to be quiet so I can concentrate*
"NO BOY WHA YOU A DO? TUN BACK TUN BACK! (No, what are you doing? Go back go back!)
*I get caught (of course) and now I want to force the controller down his throat so he doesn't talk any more*
"Boss... wha mek you wan blaze pass dem? Me tink a bes you jus cool and tek ya time." (Colloquial term used to refer to anyone... why do you insist on running past them? I think it's best if you remain calm and take your time.)
*I glance over at him, ready to explode, and then I have an EUREKA moment*
"A true nah." (You're probably right)

Maybe running past them is IMPOSSIBLE, maybe I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY MUST sneak past them, maybe that's how the game NEEDS me to do it so I can LEARN the procedure that will be used later on. The dude didn't seem so annoying any more, in fact, I felt like he was sent to help me (in his own "annoy me when I'm already annoyed" kind of way). 

To make a long story short, I kept on playing, he kept on watching. I kept my misplaced anger in check and he kept on dropping his versions of wisdom on me. (When to block an incoming attack, that I should shoot my target rather than stab him and, my personal favourite, "drop a smoke bomb and run") Eventually we got to talking about our gaming habits, genres we liked, camping versus rushing (think defensive versus offensive play in shooting games), Ryu being better than Ken, glass cannon mages (deal major damage but die easily),  the difference between trolls and orcs, etc etc. There was a marked age difference between us, our preferences varied and we each had our own brand of grandiose gamer ego but all in all we got along fine and it felt like we could go on talking for hours on end about any random tidbit that we could find. We were kindred souls who had similar interests and we bonded over what was our drug of choice: VIDEOGAMES!!! 

Now, don't get me wrong. We didn't leave the arcade as "Bosom Buddies" and it's not like we added each other on Facebook or anything. (In fact, I don't even know the dudes name lol) But, you can't dispute the fact that we both acquired a mutual understanding of each other and we parted ways enlightened and appreciative. Well, at least I did... I'll ask him about it IF I ever see him again.

(I can't see any reason for me not to try to find some obtuse, elaborate way of having an extensive philosophical discussion with someone I hardly know and expect them to partake whole-heartedly in the discussion. That's not weird at all. It's what I do... I live for those moments!!!)

So basically, what I'm saying is: Gaming brings people together. Even if you started out on the wrong foot. Even if they like Tekken and you prefer Mortal Kombat. Doesn't matter if Samus has nicer legs than Ayane. Regardless of time or locale. Irrespective of ethnicity and creed. Language and status... irrelevant. Knowledge of and association with... not needed. Bottom line is: no matter what, GAMING BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER!!!  

T.A.G's Bloodborne Review!!!

*There's a TL;DR section at the end for those who want it*

There will be BLOOD (and sweat and tears)!!! 

Bloodborne... the latest release from developers Fromsoftware, famous for their "Souls" series which includes Demon Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls II (ALL of which I have played on PS3 *proud smile*). Their games tend to be VERY VERY DIFFICULT, but not difficult in a "That's so cheap / I'm never gonna beat this boss / Forget that shit" type of  way. It's more like an "OK, I finally figured out what to do / Fingers don't fail me now / Maybe I shouldn't have done that" type of way!!! I mean the tag line for their last game was "Prepare to die," and die you will (well I did... A LOT).

You'll be frustrated enough to wanna throw your controller at the screen, drop your console in the pool, and go read a good book. Then... you'll channel that rage into razor sharp reflexes and use the adrenaline heightened senses as your weapon to defeat the foe that stands in the way of your progress (be it actual progression of the story or the progression of your character stats). Bloodborne, which was released on March 24th 2015 as a PS4 exclusive *sigh*, falls into the same vein as its predecessors. It has many similarities, which is to be expected,  but it also has its own identity that sets it apart from the other installments (I'm gonna be saying this a few more times so get used to it. There's also gonna be major comparison with the other "Souls" games because... why not). You will meet with items and aspects that are reminiscent of the older "Souls" games, but have been re-invented, re-imagined and in some cases renamed, but there are also brand new ideas and systems in place that resonate well with the older stuff.  So, let's proceed with why we're all here... T.A.G's Bloodborne Review!!!

N.B if you come across a term that bewilders you, just keep reading. ALL will be made clear! *suggestive wink*

AUDIO :- Bloody Good

The audio in Bloodborne is lovely and does an excellent job of creating atmosphere. The orchestral sounds used in the BGM (Background Music) and ambiance are entrancing. The guttural grunts and moans of enemies are impactful, and the voices of  the NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) are a glee to listen to (especially if you like British/Australian accents... I do).

The pace and placing of the music is also well done. Sometimes the music is calm and promotes relaxation; sometimes its haunting, encouraging you forward with trepidation. At other times, it's loud, upbeat and rhythmic, heightening the tension helping you to hone in on the task at hand (usually beating that giant monstrosity standing in front of you) followed by being peaceful, helping relieve some of the built up adrenaline.

I especially love the way the game uses subtle yet distinct sound effects as cues. Best example would be the tell tale DING sound that occurs when you successfully counter/parry an enemy. It gives such a satisfying feeling when you here that sound (Visceral attack? Yes Please!) and it also indicates when you should use the "I better roll away or back step since I didn't hear the DING" technique (which will save your ass on numerous occasions). There are many visual cues as well but they're kinda hard to see when you're focused on the creature that's trying to tear your head off. So audio cues come in handy, and are GREATLY appreciated!!!

VISUALS :- To Die For

Bloodborne has an incredible amount of detail in the visuals. Details that leave me wondering "Who the HELL thinks of that let alone has the time to ACTUALLY implement it?" (KUDOS to you, whoever you are) Prime example is the doll in the Hunter's Dream. She has cracks in her porcelain... CRACKS!!! I was amazed! (Look at the rocks in the image... JUST LOOK AT THEM!!!)

Feast your eyes

At one point I found myself staring at a bit of wall that was reflected in a puddle. I spent a good two minutes marveling at the way the reflection changed as my viewing angle did and then I spent another minute or so looking at the wall itself examining the moss eaten deterioration that was expertly portrayed. (YOU GUYS ROCK)

Another major accolade is given to the lighting effects in game. The shadows that play on the floor and morph when you run past a light source were a joy to see. You know that little circle that is normally used for shadows in games? That is NOWHERE to be found in Bloodborne (thankfully).
The Victorian architecture and Gothic feel featured in the town of Yarhnam also lend themselves well to the atmosphere of the game. You always feel like "so much has happened here" just from taking in the sprawling backgrounds that are present in the game (even without hearing so from the NPCs).
In terms of frame rates, I'm at a loss for specific values. In my opinion, they maintained a standard that I have come to expect and I was never disappointed by the game's graphical performance. Also, I was never one to take such trivialities into consideration. (Translation: I have NO IDEA how to measure frame rates so I didn't. As long as character doesn't start running in slow motion and stuff... I'M GOOD lol)

GAMEPLAY :- Beastly

Bloodborne is a third-person action role-playing game. This simply means that you play looking over your character's shoulder (unless you move the camera... obviously) as you stab and shoot your way through. As such, gameplay is fast paced, gory, exhilarating, satisfying and down right EPIC FUN.

As with all "Souls" games, you (the player) are dropped into a cryptic derelict landscape where you are...

Something Special!!!

In My Mind

In my mind, even if I took all the letters from scrabble, boggle and hangman. 

There's now way I'd be able to describe... 

But, I'll try anyway.

In my mind... I wasn't Mario. I was Super Mario!

And like a certain plumber from Italy I was jumping over any and all obstacles, collecting my coins. Neither gooma nor koopa nor Bowser was gonna get in my way. I had to meet my princess even if she was in another castle.

I was a blue blur racing at full speed, chasing those elusive rings. Dodging bombs and spikes and Dr. Robotnik, like some super sonic hedgehog.

In my mind, if there was anything missing I was there with the right piece to fit in any space. I made sure to arrange things so that I could get at least four lines in one drop. Tetris had nothing on me.

This chick had me on Boardwalk ready to buy Parkplace. Feeling like Mr. Monopoly, I was ready to roll the dice, take a chance and hopefully advance to go!

In my mind, I would get my grind on and since she was my Final Fantasy I would face any foe, beat any boss, get that special item and head to my reward. I'd complete my mission, collect my experience and then... Level up!!! 

You've gained courage! Critical strike increased. Melee DPS converted to HP regen for the remainder of cooldown.

But all my headshots must've missed due to lag because after one encounter she let me know the score.

"Gamers ain't cool, they got zero swag"

I guess she wanted skinny jeans below butts cheeks and eyebrow on fleek. Not some RPG geek with Mods and a cheat sheet!

In my mind, she was beastly! Uber OP! Her debuff reduced all my stats. It felt like a fireball to the chest. Hadoken! K.O.! Instakill, you lose, Fatality!

Continue?

Mwap Mwap Mwap... GAME OVER!!!