Reaction to the Jacksonville Shooting

I seldom do this (write two entries in one day) but the news of the Jacksonville massacre has left me stunned, saddened, and angry. It's not enough that there was a shooting, but that it happened during a video game tournament? Where people come together to play? Damn...

I'm not going to talk about gun control, gun safety, or anything similar. The bodies of the victims are now finally cold, as is the shooter's, who's killed himself. I'm at a loss for words over this. But I guess I'll share some of the best screenshots regarding this tragedy. You might not like these people (I'm certainly no fan of some of them) but what they've said deserves to be shared.

In times like this we need to set aside our politics, our agendas, and our personal biases. We need to come together in humanity and brotherhood, to comfort those who are grieving, who have lost somebody in this terrible event. Don't be like these people, who chose to use this tragedy for their political platforms and their virtue signaling. Let's be good to one another.

My Top 11 Characters for a Dragon Ball FighterZ Sequel

So I got Dragon Ball FighterZ for my birthday, and I loved it. I want a sequel, and I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels that way. These are 11 characters I want in a possible sequel to the game, presented in no particular order.

James Rolfe: An Analysis

It has been said that the work of a critic is easy; all you need to do is share your opinion on a work. Thanks to the Internet, it is ridiculously easy to become a critic; all you need is a Facebook page and boom, a platform to share your criticism. To gain an audience alone ought to be considered a feat all dream of, but there is ONE critic in gaming who's achieved the Holy Grail of criticism: James Rolfe.

My Bottom Eleven Pokemon Gym Leaders

These are the eleven Pokemon Gym Leaders whom I hate the most. Not because they're cheap, not because I have trouble beating them, but because they disappoint me. Some have embarassing rosters, while others offer no challenge whatsoever. In Ascending order...

Chrono Cross- Worthy Sequel?

The question of what makes a sequel truly worthy of its predecessor is one that has nagged me ever since I saw The Last Jedi. As I pondered that question, one game sprung to my mind: Chrono Cross, sequel to the legendary Chrono Trigger. It was not until today that I finally came to a conclusion regarding what makes a sequel truly worthy of its predecessor, which allowed me to measure up Cross' worthiness of following Trigger.

Five Year Anniversary

Has it really been five years? Jesus, it truly has. On this day I want to take a look back into how this blog evolved.

2013: The year I started writing! I remember I set myself up the challenge to write one entry every two days, which led to a very busy year. It was a time in my life where I was chronically unemployed, living with the folks, and being broke. But it was also my last year as a NEET, something which I am happy to have broken away from. I had two special months: October, where we counted down the top 11 heroes of gaming, and December, which was a Month of Final Fantasy. I fell short of my goal, but I got really sick that December. Bad stuff. But hey, I made it all the way to Final Fantasy 10!

2014: This year was one hell of a rollercoaster. I re-enrolled into college, so I spent from February-May without writing a damn thing. June I got back into the groove, going back into writing. Sadly I couldn't adhere to anything resembling a schedule. The death of my family's dog hit us all hard, so I couldn't write much. On July I got back my passion for writing, and I managed to write 12 entries. But then August came around, and GamerGate happened. From September-November I was practically all about GamerGate. Anyway, I capped off 2014 with Disgaea Month, which in my opinion wasn't as great as Final Fantasy Month, but with final exams and all that, I think I managed to make some good entries.

2015: I like to think of this as the year I finally found my voice. A bit of a rough start, I'll admit, but I think by April of that year I was starting to REALLY make some good entries! This was the year where I did many blogs I had been wanting to do since Day 1: a serious analysis of Princess Peach, my own countdown of the top 11 villains in gaming, etc. To bring this glorious year to a close, I did Nintendo Origins Month, which was my first (BUT NOT THE LAST) foray into analysing the way a company evolved through the years.

2016: Boy, was this year rough. I started off in college, got my first job, then lost it. As far as entries go, I'm glad that this was my second most productive year. Of course we counted down the Top 11 best moments in Final Fantasy 7, and that's something I'm proud of. And of course we had Uncharted Month in December, which was fun for me to write. In many ways, a fine year for my blog, and a year of growth and development for me.

2017: The year I left for China. The year I thought for sure I would have to retire the blog. This was my LEAST productive year by far; we didn't even have a special month beyond Strange Men Month! Of course, I dedicate EVERY December to a special theme, and this year was no different. That said, this was my least productive year by far. Personally, I fear I may have "Jumped the Shark" in 2017; perhaps I needed that hiatus after all. But no matter how much I try, I can't keep away from writing on this blog; I love it too much.

Overall, I'm proud of this blog, and I do not regret at all that fateful August 2 of 2013, where by a dare I put pen to paper and wrote a blog entry on Pokemon. A blog entry I hope to one day rewrite with my new, more mature writing style!