About Me: Writer, artist, musician and student. Always.

Everyone's played HL2, but I think I know why we may never see HL3 ...

The problem is I'm having a darned time turning it into a review. I've got more of a dissertation on the topic of narrative disappointment and lockdown than subject critique of the game's strengths and flaws.

HL2 isn't the sort of game you review. No, you experience it and then run around like a fool looking out for anyone who might possibly play it, or who already has. It's that Lord of the Rings moment when you know you've just got to pass on the experience, but you're not sure why.

Looking around at the current political climate, I can see why. As a writer, though, I am determined to do right by the review and ... get it right. Oh, and the key to HL3? A spoilerific change of cast members.

You know the one I mean.

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Appreciation of what we have and what we've lost.

/rant begin

I've always found it interesting that when fans love a game they often to a better job of post-release support, especially when the publisher shows no interest in doing so. We'll address the strange framerate issues, the bizarre ratio problems, soundtrack options and de-dubbing that should have been included at launch.

So how is an achievement that says "Customer Appreciation" at launch making us feel appreciated? That's like, hey, I bought the game. Great! You bought the game and launched it! Woot!

Um.

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The answer's pretty easy, actually ... games I've played! (Huzzah!)

So portioning out another review, a new review, mind you, meant ponying up a few bucks for the Steam/PC version of Final Fantasy IV. You see, it was my Great Induction into the world of Japanese fantasy role-playing games. I owned the SNES version (FFII), currently own the GBA and DS re-releases, but was irritated that the PC release just didn't differ at all from the DS version.

I was enthralled and enraged, compelled and propelled through FFII. I replayed it over the years until I could minmax my way to the end without much effort. There /are/ ways to mess with the stats - Ogre/Poison Axes & headband is a serious winner's combo. It lead me to the other story driven titles; FF IX, FF X, FF XIII and some Tactics, here and there.

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School was around the corner, so I figured, why not?

Reviews are a fleeting interest of mine. Long ago it might have become a career if I'd had any confidence in myself. That portion of my life is past and I have the confidence I need.

Though I'll admit I didn't expect to be published by HG. You grow accustomed to rejection on the fiction circuit. This was a nice change of pace, so I promise to make a habit of it. In fact, I have at least four reviews ready to go, and I'm working on a re-write for my Half Life 2 review, as it was broken at the time. (The game, not my review, though now the reverse is true.)

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