About Me:
Although my main interest now is in continuing my pursuits in Fine Art, my oil paintings, sketchings and scrawlings are all inherently informed by my eternal fascination with video games, comic books, cartoons, puppet shows, magicians, clowns, or theatre; in short, all manner of staged entertainment:
I intend to let no amount of indoctrination in Academia to dissuade me from being inspired by the imaginative, inventive and playful aspects of these genres.
Favorite Genres:
Action, Fighting
Music:
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Faun Fables, Bauhaus, Tom Waits, Secret Chiefs 3, Flaming Lips, Of Montreal, The Decembrists, Stereolab
Movies:
Labyrinth, Hellboy
TV:
Serenity, My Name is Earl, Art Safari, Top Chef, Project Runway, Burn Notice, Naked Archaeologist, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Boston Legal
Books:
Terry Pratchett, What Painting Is by John Elkins.
Likes:
Sketching, drinking Iced Tea.
Being an Art Teacher by Day, and Painter by Night.
Dislikes:
Scorpions, and Land Sharks.
Hobbies:
Listening to Coast to Coast late at night, video game ideas/concept art, sculpting finger puppets, Puppetry, painting wargaming miniatures.
Ghouls'n Ghosts was one of the most influential games I ever played. It
has even guided, in some ways, my aesthetic when it comes to the very
modus of Paintery Itself.
Originally posted: 07/10/2007 I decided to start my blog here with a review I posted on Metacritic about two years ago, and on 1UP about a year ago.
~Dain
Jeremy Parish's review was on point in many ways, but I found his conclusion a bit reactionary and acerbic.
Ultimate Ghosts'N Goblins is not a step backwards, but it is also not
the sequel that could have been made. Over a decade later and Capcom
continues right where it left off. Ironically, this was not what was
expected. This presents a troubling dichotomy within this game, that of
nostalgia versus innovation.
Capcom could have taken many of the game mechanics that have made them
famous since 1992, but has puzzingly decided to exclude them: concepts
such as a combo system, multiple characters, extravangantly showy magic
effects, and baroque bosses that take up a whole stage rather than a
whole screen, as well as multiple tiers of levels and
skill/technique-based rewards. Capcom has the technology these days to
implement the sprite-heavy, manic gameplay of the late 90's-early 00's,
seen in their Versus games. Instead, we get more environmental effects
(which are admittedly good) and a ponderously fragmented
magic/armor/weapon system that is needlessly clunky. What belongs in a
proper sequel to Ghouls'N Ghosts is the arcade sensibility and not the
collection adventure sensibility.
Moments of wonder, however, do slowly invade this troubled sequel in
the form of exciting expansions to Arthur's repetoire, to remind us of
the fact that the originator was at the helm of this project. In short,
quite good but much more worthy of being made great.
That is Seth beating Cung Le one-handed, shortly before Cung Le atomic roundhouse kicked Seth's soul into the 10th dimension. Never, ever taunt a mixed martial arts champion.
Send Message
Add Friend
Block User
That is Seth beating Cung Le one-handed, shortly before Cung Le atomic roundhouse kicked Seth's soul into the 10th dimension. Never, ever taunt a mixed martial arts champion.
Kramez09:14 PM CST