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My name is Eric. I'm 32.
Here are some random things I'm into:
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The Play it/Avoid it Report - 001 // Bioshock Infinite, Sleeping Dogs and more
Corduroy Turtle
on 05.16.2013
Hello, bloggers. I have been struggling with what direction to take The Buy it/Avoid it Report for a while now. Although I have always enjoyed writing it, lately I just haven't been buying much. Other than a few digital games here and there, I've mostly been renting games through GameFly in an effort to save myself some money. I've never been much of a collector so this just makes more fiscal sense.
So, because I'm weird and I can't write about games that I
didn't actually buy
in a blog that makes purchasing recommendations, I changed the name. It's more for my sake than yours, I assure you. Also, "buy" and "avoid" aren't really opposite ideas, but "play" and "avoid" are. That makes sense, right? The only problem now is that I'm setting myself up for confusion between my "P/A Report" and
the real PA Report
. Hopefully Ben Kuchera won't get too upset. Anyway, let's roll.
Going into this game without any expectations was, for me, an impossibility. I found it difficult to avoid making constant comparisons to the original
. The lighthouse, the magic powers (known as Vigors this time), the impossible city built entirely around one man's belief, the recordings scattered throughout the world -- it all felt so familiar. And yet, it was very different in a lot of ways, too. Unfortunately, not always for the best.
Let me just say, the city of Columbia is undeniably gorgeous. It captures the feeling of the time period perfectly and is an absolute marvel from beginning to end. Also, I absolutely love the sky rails. The feeling of leaping to and from them was exhilarating every time, and they really nailed the roller coaster vibe they were going for. Though the guns in general are fairly uninteresting, the shooting itself does feel tighter. This may be a side effect of fighting in much larger environments, but overall it was a definite improvement over the original. And the music? Oh my god,
the music!
Amazing beyond words.
However, the story (which was what I was most excited about) failed to resonate with me. It's strange because I liked Elizabeth as a character, but I felt like the developers shoehorned her into the gameplay in way that just came off as rushed. Her ability to open tears was nothing more than a parlor trick for Booker to use during combat, which is disappointing because it had so much potential. The ending, which I won't spoil, did have some truly great moments, but ultimately felt very separate from the rest of the game. It's sad to say, but the whole experience came off as condensed, compromised and cobbled together.
because the brain of Ken Levine produces some of the most ambitious and fantastic concepts that video games have ever seen.
because the original
set a bar so high, anything bearing its name must now be a masterpiece or nothing at all.
Fun fact: The original
was the very first game I "reviewed" in this blog. I liked it a lot. Sure, it borrowed almost everything from other games, but it did it well, and I respected that. The sequel follows that trend, taking elements from loot-heavy games like
and melding them with the combat from
God of War
and the environmental puzzles from
. However, its
Darksiders II's
sense of style that sets it apart from the aforementioned games. Like any game with such a strong look, its bound to be polarizing for a lot of gamers; you either like it or you don't. Personally, I like it.
I found Death to be a lot more fun to play than his brother War. He's faster, more agile and doesn't look like a fridge wrapped in a blanket. He does sometimes resemble someone attending a Korn-themed Renaissance Faire but I found that charming in its own way. The world was a lot bigger, too, in terms of both area and scale. Massive stone statues and huge characters are everywhere, which honestly makes Death look pretty scrawny. He can hold his own, though, and consistently outsmarts his larger foes using his size and speed to his advantage. Combat is roughly 80% of this entire game, so it's a good thing that it feels really satisfying.
Almost everything you kill drops loot in this game. Though I didn't get fatigued by this as much as in
, it was still a little much. Anything that takes me out of the experience and forces me to navigate a menu better be quick and easy, and unfortunately that is a major flaw for this game. The map, inventory screen, upgrades and missions were all tied to one button, which made opening up the pause screen and searching for what I needed a chore every time. A game this big
a dedicated map button, period. There are also a lot of awkward load times scattered throughout the game which began to grate on my nerves. Perhaps bigger isn't always better.
if you can appreciate a game that's heavy on the mashy combat and light on the character development and meaningful plot.
if the screenshots turn you off because this game is fucking long and the style never ever lets up.
Dead Space
is my jam. I've never found myself wanting it to be more horror or more action; I love it just the way it is. The gore is visceral (hurr), the setting is super neat and the lack of a HUD is one of my favorite features
. It's almost ignored at this point but health, stasis, directional markers, video communications and your inventory screen are all displayed on (or projected from) Isaac's suit. They are woven into the game itself and add to the creepy, sci-fi atmosphere. I think it's freaking brilliant. But that's a feature in all
Dead Space
games, so what makes this one different?
One of the biggest changes is weapon crafting. It might not sound like a big deal but I found it to be immensely satisfying after a little practice. Weapon parts can be found all over the place, taken to the B.E.N.C.H. and assembled into many classic and new weapons. They could also be imbued with different effects which add an extra layer of variety. Two examples of weapons I made were a cryo-flamethrower with a force gun attachment and a burst-fire assault rifle with an underslung electric shotgun. Weapon parts could be used indefinitely so if I needed to switch it up, I just deconstructed and started from scratch. Universal ammo for all weapons was a slight downer, though.
For the record, I was never forced nor tempted to mess around with any microtransactions. It's easy to point the finger at EA and claim their taking advantage of impatient people but, honestly, my playthrough was not affected at all by their inclusion so I couldn't care less. They are easily ignored, and that's a good thing. The co-op, however, was not as easy to ignore. A few locked doors I came across suggested that I invite a friend in order to play. And Carver (who a co-op partner would control) just sort of pops his head in randomly during the single player campaign. It was strange but I definitely prefer this method to the alternative of having a constant AI controlled co-op partner getting in my way all the time.
because killing nightmare flesh monsters in space is cool and wearing really badass space suits is cool, too.
because EA made it.
Far Cry 3
you play as a 20-something douche bro named Jason Brody who single-handedly takes on an entire island of mercenary killers in order to save his awful friends. Now, I'm not the type of person who needs a really good reason to run around and shoot up and entire island. Just give me a gun and I'll conjure up my own motives if I have to. I think what bothers me most about this game is that it tries to take itself
seriously even though the story and characters are all really goddamn dumb. The only thing Vaas accomplishes by being great is making everybody else look that much worse.
Silly story aside, the gameplay is solid. As almost everyone who's played
Far Cry 3
will tell you, clearing outposts is an absolute joy. There are many ways to go about it and even when your master plan turns to shit, it's still fun. Once cleared, you'll find various hunting and assassination missions on the bulletin boards which can lead to better equipment and more experience. There are also radio towers that need to be climbed and disabled, which allow you to see more of the map, which in turn lets you see more outposts. It forms a surprisingly compelling gameplay loop which unfortunately (or fortunately) doesn't involve the campaign at all.
There are some strange design choices, I found. Plants that can be harvested are clearly marked on the minimap (which is fine), but also flash white in game so they are IMPOSSIBLE to miss. Besides being unnecessary, I found it to be very distracting. Just let me enjoy the lush jungle landscape without constantly reminding me that I'm inside a videogame, please. Also, Jason Brody apparently has very brittle bones because very small jumps will cause him to break his thumb and wrist all the time. Oh, and tattoos magically appear on his arms when he learns new abilities because that makes sense.
because there is a lot to love about this game, even if almost none of it involves playing the campaign.
because at one point you have to burn a marijuana field with a flamethrower while dubstep plays in the background.
Now here's a game that knows exactly what it is and executes that concept almost flawlessly.
Sleeping Dogs
is about an undercover cop who's tasked with infiltrating a gang in Hong Kong. It's certainly not a unique idea, but it facilitates this type of open-world gameplay very well. People who want to be the good guy but wreck a bunch of cars and beat up lots of dudes in the process will feel right at home here.
Subpar driving mechanics can make or break games like this but, thankfully, the vehicle controls feel very natural in
Sleeping Dogs
. It's really fun to speed up behind someone on the highway, leap out onto the roof of their car, toss them out onto the street and slide in the drivers seat all without ever dipping below 70 mph. Guns are actually fairly scarce for a majority of the game, which is great because the melee combat is really satisfying. It's all about bone-breaking counter attacks, flying jump kicks, melee weapons and environmental hazards. I'd often just beat up innocent people in the streets; that's how fun it was.
What I wasn't expecting was for the story to be as compelling as it was. A big part of that was how well the characters are voiced, Wei Shen in particular. Being an undercover cop, he's obviously trying to blend in as well as get the job done. As the lines between good and bad begin to blur, it's hard not to empathize with him. I went into this game expecting some kung fu gangster action with a weak story, but came away very, very impressed. It's a fucking shame about that karaoke minigame, though. Holy lord that was the worst.
because the streets of Hong Kong are corrupt as shit and all those delicate gangster legs aren't going to break themselves.
if you're annoyed by Asian accents and bright, neon lights.
If you had told me a couple years ago that the new
Tomb Raider
game would knock my socks off, I probably would have laughed in your face. I had roughly zero respect for Lara Croft and assumed her popularity had simply stemmed from her big boobs and short shorts. However, when this reboot came around and I started seeing footage, I instantly noticed a difference. Lara was filthy, cut up, bruised and beaten but had a fire in her eyes that wasn't there before. She looked tough as hell. All of a sudden she was a compelling character.
This game does so many things right that it's ridiculous. The environments are incredible looking but also brilliantly constructed. Linear paths bleed into huge, open areas with tons of secrets to discover. Running, jumping and climbing are all tuned perfectly. It's simply a joy to traverse the environments, and the animations for every movement are simply fantastic. You get Lara's signature bow very early in the game and can upgrade it extensively. It was so fun to use that I often forgot that I was even carrying guns at all. I didn't need them.
There are lots of cinematic moments in
Tomb Raider
that feel heavily inspired by the
games. Yes, I see the irony in that statement. Stuff will crumble or break at the worst times and Lara will have to make countless life-or-death leaps before the credits roll. The main difference here is that the theme of survival is constant. She may survive a terrible fall, but she'll land on a piece of rebar and have to pull it out herself. The character you start as and the character you finish the game as are two completely different people, and you get to witness the entire transformation. It's an incredible journey.
if you are craving a cinematic adventure with perfect pacing and impressive production values.
if you're bad at quicktime events because the death animations are almost too violent to have to watch over and over again.
That's it folks. This was a long one but it had been a while since the last issue so I guess I was making up for lost time. Thanks for reading! See you next time.
My Top 10 Video Games of 2012!
Corduroy Turtle
on 01.02.2013
Alright, let me get a piece of this Top 10 action. I feel I should quickly preface this list by saying that I have yet to fully indulge in the likes of
Hotline Miami
Far Cry 3
The Walking Dead
(only 3 episodes in so far) and
. It's safe to assume that if I had, this list would probably look a lot different. However, out of all the fantastic games I actually did play this year, here are my top 10, in alphabetical order.
- I don't play a lot of games twice but the open level design and intriguing moral choices in
were just too well done for me to ignore. The streets of Dunwall were dense, vibrant and rich with history. Here's hoping this isn't the last we see of it.
- The way
toyed with my perception (physically and mentally) was nothing short of brilliant. I didn't just "play" this game over the course of a single weekend; I was absorbed by it. It's a real shame Phil Fish's big mouth turned a lot of people away from this incredibly magical experience.
- It took a while for me to come around but I'm finally a believer! In spite of having no cutscenes, HD graphics, complex animations or spoken dialog,
manages to deliver drama and intensity like no other game this year. The hours just seem to melt away.
- I've never particularly enjoyed the single-player campaigns in
games but that all changed with 4. Cutscenes were effective, the environments were gorgeous, and the gameplay felt immensely satisfying. That goes for the multiplayer too. Just an all around great package.
- Put your hyperbole goggles on, kids: this game is
. The animations are great, the gameplay is tight, the game is a decent length, the story is well crafted and it absolutely nails the feeling of being a ninja. This is the new high bar for stealth games. (You can remove the goggles now.)
- For me, the
Mass Effect
trilogy is all about my squad. Sure, I want to save the galaxy (not that I really have a choice) but my main concern when coming into
was to conclude the story of Garrus, Tali, Wrex, Liara, Legion and all the other characters I love. I was not disappointed.
- I'm not really a fan of bullet-hell games mostly because I'm just plain awful at them. Somehow,
Sine Mora
managed to lure me in with it's biplanes, gorgeous visuals and incredible boss battles. Then I stuck around for the engrossing story, which features a bison in a wheelchair. Yep.
- I knew I was going to love this game. I only recently become a fan of roguelikes (mostly thanks to
The Binding of Isaac
) and everything about
had me excited. Randomly generated environments, permadeath and deceptively cute visuals. It's so addictive, I'm still playing it!
- Fans of fighting games all have their favorite series and
is absolutely mine. What makes
so special is its 59 playable characters (like cybernetic ninjas, luchadors and bears), 2v2 tag battles, insane combo system and some of the most beautiful stages I've ever seen.
Trials Evolution
took everything I loved about
Trials HD
(ultra-sensitive controls, humor, punishing level design) and polished it beyond my wildest dreams. As great as the packed-in stages are, users can also share their custom built tracks meaning I'll never run out of levels. :D
The Buy it/Avoid it Report :: Issue #011
Corduroy Turtle
on 10.02.2012
Hello gamers and welcome to the Buy it/Avoid it Report!
If you're new to the Cblogs, this is a feature I've been posting on Destructoid for the last couple of years. It started as a video game journal of sorts, to help me remember all the games I played, and slowly evolved into the collection of mini-reviews you see today. Obviously, there are plenty of expansive game reviews out there that go out of their way to explain every mode and feature a game has to offer, which is helpful if you actually
to know every little detail.
The Buy it/Avoid it Report is for the TL;DR crowd. I don't want to explain every aspect of a game and I definitely don't want to take up too much of your time. In fact, if the three small paragraphs under each picture are too much to handle, I've attempted to boil each game down to a simple positive and negative comment, just for you. Maybe I should take this a step further and condense my thoughts down to a single word. Maybe just attach a number at the bottom? I'll try that next time, but since I've already written this thing...
Let's do this!
Super Hexagon
, iPad, iPod Touch
A lot of iOS games try too hard, struggling to work within the obvious limitations of the platform. They attempt to cram PC or console experiences onto the smaller screen, often at the expense of proper controls and playability. What they should do is study the platforms strengths (quick, portable, simple) and capitalize on them. There are definitely more than a few games that get it, but even fewer fucking
nail it
as gracefully and effortlessly as
Super Hexagon
Before I gush too much, I should get one thing out of the way:
Super Hexagon
is ridiculously hard. Like, seriously hard. My first attempt was over before I was aware it had even begun! The moment you hit start, youre immediately thrust into crisis mode, and it only gets more hectic and intense the longer you manage to survive. The screen rotates and spins at random while walls relentlessly close in on you, threatening to crush your tiny triangle friend. The vibrant colors melt into each other as everything pulses relentless to the beat of the music. Youll no doubt get lost in the chaos and may feel like progress beyond the 20 second mark lies outside the realm mere mortals.
But then something will just
. Youll get it. Around the 30 second mark, your brain will cease all non-essential activity, the world around you will melt away and youll be elevated to a higher plane of existence. Youll no longer be playing
Super Hexagon
; you will BE
Super Hexagon
! Gods will kneel at your feet as your score climbs past the 40 second mark but youll laugh in their faces. Theres no stopping you now. 50 seconds. The universe is in the palm of your hand. 55 seconds. Immortality is within your grasp. As you cruise past the 60 second mark, you'll take a millisecond to acknowledge your infinite brilliance and *BAM!*, it's over. You hit a wall, moron. But before youve even had a chance to mourn your death, youve already restarted. Resistance is futile, you see.
Super Hexagon
is in control now.
and a storm of absolute power will crush your frail human form as your soul transcends the very limitations of pain and desire.
as long as you dont mind trading in all your gamer street cred for an oversized Wimpy Weinerhead t-shirt.
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360, Wii U
The console version of the original
Tekken Tag Tournament
came out a long time ago; 12 years to be exact. My friends and I picked it up on launch day, along with the PlayStation 2, and spent the rest of the day shouting, smack talking and laughing our asses off as we pummeled each other into the ground. It was the best of times. Years went by and we continued to play it. Crazy juggles were memorized. Tournament brackets were scribbled in notebooks. Champions were crowned. Friendships were tested. Yeah, no one was really getting laid back then either.
Over a decade later, here I am playing
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
and I honestly couldnt be any happier. Nearly every character is back (over 50 in total) with more to be released as free DLC in the following months. When you consider the sheer amount of moves and animations each character has, its staggering. For someone whos never picked up a
game before, I could see this being somewhat of a problem. Luckily, Namco has included one of the most comprehensive tutorial modes Ive ever seen in a fighting game. Fight Lab, as its known, may not make you good at
, but youll definitely come away with a much better understanding of the components involved. Even I learned some stuff.
Offline is solid, as expected, but the biggest improvements lie in the online section of the game. Matchmaking in
Tekken 6
was slow and boring, with the matches themselves often suffering from extreme bouts of lag. This made landing juggles and defending yourself a chore. Thats all changed with
. Search parameters can be set ahead of time, assuring that you only get matched up with players who have solid internet connections. You can also see if theyre prone to rage quitting by viewing their disconnection rate before you okay the match. Brilliant. Wins feel earned and losses feel deserved. For an online fighting game, you cant really ask for anything more than that.
if the sight of a drunken Kung Fu master and a massive robot going toe-to-toe with a bear and a dinosaur sounds fucking awesome.
if youve ever been on the receiving end of a juggle in a
game and thought to yourself, this is complete and utter bullshit.
Lollipop Chainsaw
Xbox 360
, PlayStation 3
I have a lot of love in my heart for the
No More Heroes
series and its creator, Suda51. So much, in fact, that I often catch myself making excuses for some of his other games' shortcomings in spite how regularly they crop up. Like an overly supportive parent, I turn a blind eye to his failing grades because I know he's trying his best. The reality of this started creeping in when I played
Shadows of the Damned
, but I shook it off. After all, that game wasnt
; it was pretty decent! Though it breaks my heart to say it,
Lollipop Chainsaw
is equal parts tedious and mediocre, with only a pinch or two of inspiration.
Where to begin? The entire game feels like an intrusive, painful tutorial. Go here, press this button. Jump here. This is exactly how you kill this type of enemy. Press X, right here. After every single successful combat section, the camera leaves its place behind Juliet, flies over to a point in the level where you need to go next and highlights it with a big-ass sign. It's literally impossible to miss and impossible to skip, even during the high score mode. I've come to expect this kind of incessant handholding during the first level, but the whole fucking game?! What's worse is each section of the game is split up into these tiny, walled-off areas. Where the fuck else would I even go?! Its completely unnecessary and just plain sad because without that constant annoyance, the game could actually be kinda fun.
The combat in general is pretty solid, albeit a little too stiff for my tastes. Akira Yamaoka delivers a really fantastic soundtrack which, like
Shadows of the Damned
, matches the tone of the game perfectly. The supporting cast of characters, as with all Suda51 games, are as insane as they are lovable and hilarious. Nick (the decapitated talking head hanging from Juliets waist) in particular had near-flawless comedic timing. Some of the bosses are pretty epic too. But sadly, even the highest quality ingredients can be utterly ruined if prepared by an unskilled chef, and Suda51 still has a lot to learn. He may be famous for his burgers, but his barbeque chicken salad tastes like shit.
if my food analogy flew way over your head and now youre just wondering what time T.G.I. Fridays closes.
if the thought of someone constantly interrupting you during sex to remind you how to thrust sounds annoying.
Mark of the Ninja
Xbox LIVE Arcade
, Steam
Stealth games, by and large, only appeal to a specific type of player; one that enjoys the hunt more than the kill. While lurking in the shadows, he carefully scans the environment for possible environmental hazards and marks targets in optimal assassination order. Once the plan is set, his mind clears as he waits for the perfect moment to strike. Theres nothing to fear as the outcome of each careful step has already played out in his mind. The silence that follows the last victims muffled gasp is the assassins ultimate reward. He disappears once again into the shadows, leaving not a trace of his existence.
Mark of the Ninja
understands this perfectly. Every room, every enemy and every weapon are an eager assassins wet dream. Take out a spotlight with a kunai and anyone within range of the sound will come to investigate. Crawl along the ceiling like a spider as they make their rounds. Toss a dead body into their line of sight and watch as they scream in terror, killing their allies as they fire blindly into the darkness. Though kills often end with the sharp end of a sword emerging from a soldiers warm chest cavity, the moments leading up to it have the potential for some seriously satisfying foreplay. The stages in
Mark of the Ninja
are fairly complex too, offering many alternate paths and allowing for vastly different strategies. As an optional challenge, its even possible to complete them without killing anyone and/or avoiding detection altogether.
What makes the overall gameplay so interesting and exciting is the way
Mark of the Ninja
handles sight. Not only is your enemys vision limited to their line of sight, but so is yours. Being a 2D game, there are often rooms that are technically visible to you as the player, but are blurred out because your character cannot physically see them. While hiding in a vent, youll have to carefully peek out in order to see your surroundings. In order to see if the roof is clear, youll have to climb up the wall and peer over the edge. Its a brilliant way to handle sight and one that I hope other games borrow. Sound is handled in an equally elegant way, ensuring that the player is constantly aware of who can hear what and ultimately use that to their sneaky advantage.
if you relish the calm, peaceful moments just before you pounce on some unsuspecting goon and fillet his esophagus like a trout.
if you havent enjoyed hiding in dark places since that one time you ducked into the closet while your parents wrestled.
That's all I've got. I messed with some of the formatting this time and made a new header. What do you think? As always, thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!
Corduroy's PAX 2012 Adventure, featuring Handy!
Corduroy Turtle
on 09.14.2012
Oh my, those are some gorgeous people. Another PAX Prime is in the books and it was an absolutely wonderful time, as expected. After waiting patiently all year, it's a shame that it flew by so fast! Why can't all Dtoiders just live in the same city? It would make hanging out a lot easier, just saying.
I'll tackle this blog in a similar manner as last year, just pictures and captions. No one wants to read an in-depth six paragraph description of my
Gears of War: Judgement
comeback win, right? Didn't think so. It was pretty amazing though. A real heartwarming, underdog story. I'm actually kind of hurt that you don't want to hear about it. Whatever, man.
Before PAX started, the group and I decided to check out the Seattle Gum Wall. I was not impressed.
Outside the convention center, I ran into mega-collector
! He treated Handy with the honor and respect he deserves. A true gentleman. (Special appearance by my finger.)
The handsome yet humble
was kind enough to pose with Handy as well! Side note: I'm pretty sure the guy in the SEGA shirt farted.
I saw
Law of Thermal Dynamics
flashing gang signs at each other while waiting in line for the Destructoid panel. Law contorted his body in an attempt to cover Bey's face. So close!
Dtoid staffers
Jordan Devore
Conrad Zimmerman
also posed with Handy. Unfortunately Conrad was distracted by someone nearby drinking a raspberry smoothie. He really wanted a sip!
I found
hanging out near the Sega booth. He looked piiiiiissed.
Mighty Morphing Power Rangers
wanted some sweet Handy action too. Really love the lighting in this room.
I was really excited to finally see
Girl with Big Sword
Girl with Big Gun Arm
at PAX! Their costumes were accurate and well made. (Somebody help me out here...)
A convincing MGS4
was on the show floor as well! Unfortunately
that guy that constantly poops his pants
was there too. Aaaaaand I just remembered the end of MSG4. What a horrible mess.
While I was lurking around the
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
booth waiting for my turn, I noticed a familiar face to my left. It was
Katsuhiro Harada
!! Having been a Tekken fan for over 13 years, this was a big moment for me! I was so nervous. After playing TTT2 for the last couple of days, I really regret not kissing that man on the lips. The game is a fucking masterpiece of fan feedback and fan service. Buy it!
The big man himself,
Mr. Destructoid
. I actually got to try on the new helmet this year, which was pretty cool. It's slick! (Finger appearance #2)
At 3 am on Saturday night, just after recording
a LIVE Secret Moon Base episode
, people were understandably tired and depressed. The fun was almost over. I had to do something.
I quickly assembled the three wisest men I know (
Occam's electric toothbrush
) and tasked them with figuring out how to raise people's spirits.
was amazed by their speed and professionalism.
Within seconds, everyone sprung into action. Time was running out! This had to be
And the result was absolutely fucking
. Surrounded by my friends, this was without a doubt my happiest moment at PAX this year. Those are tears of joy.
Thanks again for everyone who made this trip awesome!
for having us.
for bringing Cards Against Humanity; so fun!
for giving me $10 and scaring me with his laugh. ;)
Mr Andy Dixon
for bringing his Rock Band equipment. And everyone else for hugging me even though I'm scary looking. My PAX experience would not have been half as fun without you guys. <3
The Buy it/Avoid it Report :: Issue #010
Corduroy Turtle
on 07.26.2012
Hello gamers and welcome back to the Buy it/Avoid it Report! In this series I take a quick look at some of the games I've played recently and attempt to summarize what makes them worth playing, as well as a few reasons why you may want to avoid them. I try to keep things short because there are a million in-depth reviews out there so, if you're looking for that sort of thing, they shouldn't be hard to find. But you're already here so...
Let's do this!
Xbox LIVE Arcade
Deep down, in the depths of my soul, lies a raging masochist. As my virtual deaths pile up, he grows stronger. When I clench my teeth in frustration, his thirst for pain becomes more fierce. When Im emotionally spent and questioning my skill, he laughs and commands me to try again. I am nothing but a vessel carrying out his vicious demands. As tears of shame stream down my face, soaking my beard with regret, he rises up from a pool filled with the blood of a thousand deaths and whispers his name in my ear --
Originally a free retro-style PC game,
is a platformer with roguelike elements -- dungeon layouts, items, traps and enemy placement are random, though the way they react to each other are not. The finality of permadeath ensures that there are no second chances so it is absolutely essential to learn how these various elements react to each other, and which of those reactions will kill you immediately. The short answer: all of them. You will die many nearly-impossible-to-foresee, Rube Goldbergian deaths in your quest for treasure; a lot of which will make you question what you could have possibly done differently. Ive found that taking it easy and making smart decisions instead of rushing around like a greedy, gem-hound is usually a good start.
The biggest change
went through in its transition to the Xbox LIVE Arcade is in the graphics department. The gritty, pixelated look from the original has been tossed into the abyss and replaced with cheerful, almost cartoon-like visuals. This can be misleading to new players because it doesnt match the tone of the game at all. The laid back, jazzy soundtrack is also feels somewhat out of place. Regardless, there is fun to be had. I personally like the look of the characters and witnessing their horribly violent deaths is just icing on the cake.
the shopkeeper. Fuck that guy.
if you are willing to knock a few years off your life expectancy in exchange for massive amounts of virtual wealth.
if the thought of an adorable, little pug rotting at the bottom of a snake pit because of what you did is just too much to handle.
This game is currently $15.00. If you feel that price is way too steep, go play the free one on PC. Your complaints are invalid!
Max Payne 3
Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC
Poor Max. I wasnt around for his first two games but its easy to see how hard it was on him -- hes an overweight mercenary who filters what remains of his shattered life through hard liquor and painkillers. Throughout the story (during cutscenes and gameplay) Max is always talking, either out loud or to himself. This is often used to remind the player what Max is supposed to be doing, but also to keep the player in Maxs head at all times. Hes constantly doubting himself and his abilities, which can leave little seeds of doubt in the players head as well. I found myself asking, Can this fat, old dude really pull this off?
Max Payne 3
is a crazy ride, filled with some absolutely insane action sequences. I read a preview which made a similar claim before the game had come out and I shrugged it off because they
say that. But I promise you, this one delivers big time. During certain pivotal moments, the game will force you into bullet-time and allow you to pull off some truly unbelievable feats. These are the types of situations that most games relegate to cutscenes, but here you actually get to experience them through gameplay. Even the normal encounters have fuck yeah! moments, with slow, cinematic camera angles that track the final killing bullet as it makes a beeline for some poor saps eye socket.
Though I loved the game, it does have its flaws. The pacing can be inconsistent, with some areas of the game being harder than they should be. The weapon system can take a little getting used to, but I appreciate the level of realism put in place. Its really cool to notice the little details, like when Max tucks one gun under his arm while he reloads his other. The aiming can feel sluggish too, which forces the player to use the slow down mechanic as more of a crutch rather than a fun option. Still, these gripes didnt dilute the experience and I walked away from
Max Payne 3
hungry for more. Luckily the multiplayer is pretty fun too.
if youd like to experience the most compelling video game portrayal of an alcoholic gun wizard with nothing to lose.
if repeated depictions of realistic gore and violence just arent your thing.
I'm not sure if this is a spoiler or not but this game features THE most realistic looking female nipples I have ever seen in a video game. The beard hair looks pretty amazing too, just not as nippley.
Trials Evolution
Xbox LIVE Arcade
Ever since I played
for the NES, Ive had a weird soft spot for motocross games. Gaining speed, hitting massive jumps and landing smoothly massages the pleasure center of my brain, resulting in an adrenaline rush that few games can replicate. I wasnt completely aware of this strange preference of mine until I got my hands on the
Trials HD
a few years ago. I was blown away by the high level of precision required and the purity of its execution.
The most brilliant aspect of the
series, at least in my eyes, is that you control the rider --
the bike. This may seem like a small detail, but the effects on gameplay are huge. As you (the actual human) tilt the analog stick, the rider shifts their weight. This alters the bikes orientation which obviously affects its interaction with the environment. Even the slightest movement of the stick can have huge consequences once its filtered through each element. This can be somewhat of a roadblock for casual players since theyre not accustomed to harsh repercussions from such small actions. However, this is also what makes
so insanely satisfying because once you understand how this intricate machine works, you can manipulate and exploit it.
Trials Evolution
takes this solid groundwork and expands it in nearly every direction. The dark, depressing warehouse environments from the first game have evolved into a massive outdoor map, which feature a refreshing mix of mountains, cliffs, towns, rivers and forests. The path your character follows can curve now, allowing for some incredible environmental stuff that was impossible in
. Theres also an improved level editor that takes a lot of cues from
Halo Reach
s Forge mode. Levels created here can now be shared with anyone on XBL, not just your friends list, which means there are always new tracks and challenges to tackle every time you turn the game on. On top of all that, theres a 4-player multiplayer mode tossed in, just for fun.
if the combination of precise controls, high difficulty and leaderboards are enough to make you salivate.
if failing a jump for the hundredth time would cause your controller to spontaneously shatter into a thousand pieces.
It's not terribly important, but you can also customize your rider and bikes to a much greater degree this time around. What? Maybe I like to make my wheels two different colors? Leave me alone.
Mario Kart 7
Nintendo 3DS
The Virtual Boy aside, every Nintendo system since the SNES has had a
Mario Kart
game released on it. Although the videogame industry has gone through a lot of changes since then, the mechanics and core gameplay of
Mario Kart
remain untouched. Power-sliding, drafting and a few well aimed shells are still the best ways to get ahead of the pack. Though some may complain about the random items, veterans of the series are quick to remind them that its pronounced Mario Kart, not Gran Turismo. A game in which bananas are a common weapon is not one to be taken so seriously.
Mario Kart 7
obviously keeps the tradition going but manages to add a few ingredients to the classic recipe. All karts now have a glider built in that allows them to soar through the air after huge jumps. This leads to some cool, optional shortcuts as well as giving you a great sense of scale as you soar above a track. Underwater segments are also new this time around but theyre mostly cosmetic. Movement feels a little sluggish but it makes those moments when you burst out of the water that much more satisfying. They also werent shy about upgrading some of the older stages with these new mechanics, which is pretty awesome.
Super Mario 3D Land
, this has a super colorful, clean look that I doubt Ill ever grow tired of. With 3DS games already looking this great, I literally cant wait to see what itll be able to pull off in the next couple of years. Id be remiss if I didnt mention the incredibly solid online play as well. Its easy to hop into a match with random people; no pesky friend codes required. Theyve also introduced a community feature which allows you to create groups of like-minded racers for easy multiplayer sessions. Hopefully Nintendo continues to include this type of thing for more of its franchises.
if you specifically bought the 3DS because of solid franchises like this.
if you cant fucking believe Nintendo has managed to repackage and sell the same game seven times.
I didn't use an actual screenshot here because the 3DS doesn't look great blown up on the computer screen. You're welcome!
Escape Goat
Xbox LIVE Indie Games, PC
Trying to find a truly great game in the sea of mediocrity known as Xbox Live Indie Games can be tough. Its a lot like sifting through the iOS game market. Neither service seems to worry too much about quality control but with such ridiculously low prices, why bother? With so many options and no real marketing, its easy for good ones to get buried and forgotten. It is for this reason that I would like to draw your attention to
Escape Goat
You play as a goat who finds himself trapped in a prison and charged with the ridiculous crime of hat theft. Being a puzzle-platformer, successfully escaping will require a combination of quick reactions and a sharp intellect. As a goat, your skill set is very goat-like. You have a vicious headbutt move used to destroy specific blocks in the environment and youre a natural climber thanks to a realistic double jump. The graphics and music give off strong 8-bit
a bad thing. Nothing is too simple nor too over the top, clearly the sign of intelligent game design.
Early on you meet a fellow prisoner; a mouse who happily joins you in escaping. In doing so, he adds some critical moves to your arsenal and becomes essential to solving many of the mind-bending puzzles. His small mouse-body is perfect for slipping into tight spaces and accessing areas that the muscular goat cannot. While hitting switches to open doors is not a new idea,
Escape Goat
takes the concept one step further. Entire walls, floors and ceilings shift right before your eyes, which can transform once simple looking stages into completely different layouts. Its really amazing to see in action.
whether youre a puzzle game fan or a serious 2D-platfomer connoisseur.
if you think puzzles are really just brain-demons conjured by Satan himself sent to deceive and pillage your tender, innocent mind.
I wrote this before Escape Goat was released on PC and before I had the pleasure of
chatting with the creator on my podcast
. I also
won a fan art competition
, my first ever!
That's it! I had no intention of reviving this series when I sat in front of the computer a few hours ago but, here we are. Though I can't commit to any kind of regular schedule for these reports, I will put one out when I have enough to talk about again. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next issue!
The Binding of Isaac -- Instruction Manual
Corduroy Turtle
on 07.19.2012
The Binding of Isaac is brutally difficult, complicated and incredibly deep. These things combined can also make it a somewhat confusing, clumsy experience for those just starting out. After sinking 100+ hours into this beast, I figured I should at least share some general knowledge that Ive picked up over that time. Hopefully this will help clear up some questions a few of you have about this mean motherfucker of a game.
This "manual" covers the original game content along with stuff that was added with The Wrath of the Lamb expansion. Although the expansion does make the game significantly more difficult in some ways but also adds a bunch of neat stuff that makes the overall game more fun too. If you don't have it, get it! Also, if you don't have it, a lot of the stuff mentioned below is gonna sound foreign.
Disclaimer: I didnt fully realize how huge this game was until I started cataloging all the different categories of items and rooms. This was initially supposed to be a quick reference guide for newbies to the game but it ended up being much bigger than I planned. The danger of
is a possibility, I guess. I dont go into any depth about the story, specific enemy types or boss strategies. This will most definitely fall into TL;DR territory for most of you but Im okay with that.
> Isaac is the default character and your
available choice the first time around. He starts with 3 red hearts and all of his other stats (speed, rate of fire, power and range) are set at 2. He also gets one bomb.
If you complete "The Womb" stage with ??? you'll unlock
the D6
for Isaac. This incredible item allows you to "re-roll" most Special Items you come across in the event that you find them unsatisfactory. Unlocking the D6 is a pain in the butt, no doubt, but so worth it. It takes Isaac from being a safe character choice to being one of the best (around), in my opinion.
> Maggie has long, blonde hair with a red bow on top. This character is specialized towards health with 4 red hearts at the start and something called the
Yum Heart
-- a Rechargeable Item that fills one empty heart container per use. She is slightly slower than Isaac but her larger health bar and Special Item make her a decent beginner's character.
The Yum Heart is handy during the early levels of the game but don't be afraid to swap it out if you come across something better.
To unlock Magdalene you must collect 7 total red heart containers in a single playthrough. Seeing as Isaac already has 3 to start, you'll only need to find 4 health upgrades. This will just happen naturally over time so there's no real reason to "try" to unlock her.
> Cain is the dude with the eyepatch. He starts with 2 hearts, a key and a slight bonus to speed and power, though his range is slightly shorter than Isaac's. He also starts with a Modifier called the
Lucky Foot
. This effects almost every random thing in the game, meaning your pills will be better, you'll have better luck at the Arcades and you'll find more money. Cain is "easy mode", plain and simple.
To unlock Cain you must collect 55 or more coins in a single playthrough. I found this to be slightly more difficult than unlocking Magdalene because I had to keep myself from spending all my glorious wealth. The easiest way to "accidently" unlock Cain is by finding the Dollar.
> This little guy wears a fez. He starts with only 1 heart (yikes) and 3 coins (who cares), but has the highest starting power stat of any other character. He also begins his quest with the
Book of Belial
. When activated, this book increases attack power through the roof but only for the current room.
Judas is a risky character to choose but if you can find some health upgrades early he can evolve into a pretty formidable beast. It's usually best to save the Book of Belial item for boss battles and difficult rooms, unless you've already replaced it with something better.
To unlock Judas you must defeat the second main boss. In order to do so, you must beat the game once to unlock an extended area of the game and then beat
as well. It's a tall order for someone just starting out but if you have Cain unlocked already, use him. Like I said, he's easy mode.
> This awful thing has blueish grey skin and X's for eyes -- I often refer to him/her as the dead baby. It starts with NO red hearts but has 3 soul hearts instead. On top of that bullshit, it cannot heal and all standard health upgrade items have absolutely no effect. The only way to gain more health is by collecting more soul hearts. Ughhhh. In other shitty news, it starts with an item called
The Poop
and, yes, it is as useless as it sounds.
You'll want to replace The Poop with ANYTHING else as soon as you can. Seriously, what the hell is poop good for? I used it to block an enemy's path once but that's hardly a strategy. Screw this dumb item.
To unlock ??? you must beat the entire game 10 times -- a hefty challenge. Though you may not necessarily
to unlock ??? for fun, remember that he/she is ultimately the only way to unlock the D6 for Isaac, so it may be worth the struggle.
> Eve has black hair with long bangs covering one eye. She has 2 hearts to start along with slightly higher speed and a lower attack stat than Isaac. What makes her kind of intriguing is she also starts with two Special Items. The
Dead Bird
spawns the when you take damage in a room and will attack any enemies that get close to you until you leave said room -- he can be a real lifesaver at times but you obviously want to
taking damage if you can help it. The other one, known as the
Whore of Babylon
, transforms you into a black demon and increases your attack damage greatly, however it is only activated when your health drops down to 1/2 of a red heart.
There is a tricky way to keep the Whore of Babylon power indefinitely but it requires a steady supply of soul hearts, which it doesn't see as health. You'll also have to purposely avoid regular health pickups as they will increase your red hearts and transform you back into regular Eve.
To unlock Eve you must make 2 deals with the Devil in one playthrough. This is not terribly hard to do and may even happen accidently if you're playing like you have nothing to lose. The only factor you don't necessarily have control over is the Devil Room itself, but it'll show up after a boss battle eventually.
> Samson has long brown hair and a red headband. He only starts with 1 red heart and 1 soul heart but all of his other stats are set at 2, just like Isaac. What makes him unique is his starting item,
Blood Lust
. This Modifier increases his attack power with each successful kill in the current room, eventually turning his tears to blood.
Obviously 1 freaking heart isn't that great so finding health upgrades is a must for Samson. The first few levels can be a real pain with him, even with his special power.
To use his Blood Lust properly, you'll want to focus on the weaker enemies (flies, grubs, etc) first, then use the increased power to take down the bigger guys. Certain bosses that spawn smaller enemies can be a real breeze with Samson if you use this technique.
To unlock Samson you must skip two Treasure Rooms in a single playthrough and successfully kill Mom. This can be done fairly easily as long as the first couple Treasure Rooms give you decent enough items to survive.
> Red hearts are the most common health item. An empty heart container can be filled by picking up one of these, though extra containers are harder to come by. Permanent health upgrades are usually the reward for defeating a boss.
> Also referred to as soul hearts, these are a non-permanent health upgrade. Once a soul heart is depleted, its gone for good. I like to think of them as shields rather than health. They can be found in shops, hidden within dark rocks or obtained through special items.
> Very uncommon and only found in halves. They may appear to act just like a regular soul heart but they are far more special. If you manage to keep one in your health bar until you drop down to the next level, it will transform into a new permanent heart container! If you're lucky enough to find second one, it will create a permanent heart container right on the spot! (thanks bbain!) They reside behind the soul hearts in your health bar so protect them if you can.
If youre low on health, check your map. If you left any hearts in previous rooms, it will show their location. Backtracking is always worth the trip!
Even if you have a bunch of hearts, dont get cocky. You can lose quite a bit of health in a relatively short amount of time if youre overconfident. Its been my downfall way too many times.
Dont hurt yourself! That might sound like an obvious tip but there are many environmental things (explosive barrels, spikes, etc) that can be just as dangerous as an enemy if youre careless. Play it safe and keep your distance. Theres no time limit in
so theres no need to rush.
Some rechargeable items (like books) may give you hearts. So, even if you dont necessarily want to carry it around for the rest of the level, pick it up and use it once then replace it with your previous item.
> Can be found just about anywhere. Theyre used to open locked doors, locked barriers and locked chests. Pretty standard key stuff. A single key can be the difference between getting a sweet new upgrade and being a regular turd, so think about that next time youre about to use your last one.
> When found, this key is placed over your current inventory of silver keys. It grants you unlimited unlocks but only for the current floor. Its still a good idea to actively search for silver keys so youll be prepared for the next floor.
Always save one for Treasure Rooms (signified by a golden door). Theres one Treasure Room per floor (unless its an XL floor, in which there will be two) and those are where the big upgrades are. Besides the first floor, which is a freebie, all Treasure Rooms require one key to open so be smart!
If you have a lot of money, save a key for the Shop as well. Nothings worse than having 43 cents sitting in your wallet but no key to open the freaking door with. Shops can be a lifesaver sometimes, but only if you can get inside.
This may be redundant but try to be frugal with your key usage. Locked chests are tempting but imagine using your last key only to get two pennies in return. Thats not a good trade-off and its happened to me more than once. Of course if youre rolling in 10+ keys you can do whatever the hell you want.
> Primarily used for blowing shit up. They have a blast radius of two panels, meaning theyll damage the square theyre on and two panels in each direction. Once mastered, you can be fairly surgical with your bombs if you place them just right. Though they only really come in one type, they can be upgraded with extra power, increased blast radius, poison effects, homing abilities and others.
Keep an eye out for dark rocks and blow them up! Theyre noticeably darker than regular rocks and, if you look closely, they have a small x on them. They usually have a couple soul hearts inside but sometimes money and keys too.
They can create bridges! Crazy, right?! If you need to cross a pit (to reach a useful item or chest) youll need two things: a bomb in your inventory, and a rock on your side of the pit. More specifically, the rock has to be right next to the pit in question. If you place a bomb directly behind the rock, with the pit on the opposite side, the explosion will destroy the rock and create a bridge in the process. If thats confusing, imagine where you would stand if you wanted to push the rock into the hole -- place the bomb on that panel. This is an insanely helpful technique that I use all the time.
You can push them around before they blow up. I cant say I use this all the time but its good to know. You wouldnt want to carefully place one (to create a bridge, for instance) and bump it with your fat ass as you run for it. Its embarrassing, even if youre the only witness.
You are
immune to your own bombs so treat them with the respect they deserve. Once placed, get the hell away from it. Though bombs only have a two panel blast radius, its always smart to move as far away as you can from a live one. Be safe!
Bombs are tricky to use properly in combat. Remember how I mentioned you can push bombs? Well, some enemies can too, and theyll push it right back in your face. On top of that, the fuse on a bomb takes a few seconds to actually blow up. Since enemies tend to move around a lot, its tough to predict where theyll be in that amount of time and you can end up wasting more than a few -- not to mention hurt yourself in the process.
There are a few exceptions when bombs are actually pretty helpful during combat. A few bosses (Chub and CHAD specifically) like to charge directly at you with their mouths wide open. If you can plant a bomb directly in their path, they'll eat it, causing them to stop as it explodes in their stomachs for some pretty substantial damage. (thanks bbain!)
> One cent. Theyll look like little copper circles, just like in real life. These (and all other forms of currency) can be used to buy helpful items at Shops or gambled away at Arcades. Every penny counts so be sure to pick them up if theyre easy to get to.
> Five cents. Nothing more, nothing less. Theyre dark grey and appear to be the same size as a penny.
> Ten cents. Theyre small, silver and make a really neat sound when you pick them up. Worth using a bomb to obtain one from behind a rock wall, Id say.
> Twenty five cents. Even though you wont see them often, they do exist so I figured Id list it here.
> Strangely, 99 cents is the maximum wallet amount. Regardless, youll never have to worry about money again. Buy out all the Shops! Gamble in the Arcade! Go nuts!
Remember the common prices for items are between 3 to 15 cents before you waste a key on the Shops locked door. No need to go in if youve only got two cents to your name.
In the grand scheme of things, money isnt terribly important in
. Its a nice reward for clearing a room or opening a chest but dont waste a bunch of resources just to get to a couple of pennies. Money will come naturally over the course of your game so just spend it wisely.
When Quarters and Dollars are picked up, they're treated like Special Items instead of regular currency -- meaning Isaac will stand still and triumphantly hold the item up in the air. These few precious seconds can lead to unwanted damage if you happen to be surrounded by enemies at the time so wait until the room is cleared before picking them up! (thanks Wrenchfarm!)
> These are one-time-use items which have random effects for every playthrough. They can increase or reduce your stats but theres absolutely no way to know until theyre ingested. The game will keep track of pills youve taken and, if you find the same one again, its effect will be displayed next to it in the upper right corner. You can only hold one pill (or card) at a time.
My dirty little secret: I eat every new pill immediately because how else am I going to know if its good or bad? This may technically be bad advice so eat them at your own risk. If youre not a risk taker, you can ignore them.
There is one item in particular that promises better pills, so keep an eye out for that. It looks like a doctors surgical mask.
One of the pill effects is known as "bad trip" and usually damages you by one full heart. If you manage to pick up another one, hold onto it! If your health drops down to 1-2 hearts (unknown exactly), the pill will transform into a full health one! I totally didn't know that! (thanks bbain!)
> These brown cards are also one-time-use-items but their effects are not random. They have specific names and have a huge variety of different effects. Learning them all is a challenge and I keep telling myself that Im going to make a list or something but it hasnt happened yet. Take notes if youre proactive. Google em if youre a cheater.
Heres a few off the top of my head: The Moon teleports you to a Secret Room. The Chariot will make you invincible for a short period of time. The Devil will boost your attack until you leave the room. Obviously knowing their effects before you activate them means you can use them properly.
If youre about to use a tarot card youve never seen before, be ready for anything. You could be teleported directly to the boss which would be unfortunate if youre not prepared!
> These red and white cards can (with the exception of the Joker) double your current inventory of specific items which can be a huge help. Once used, they disappear from your inventory.
The 2 of Hearts doubles the number of red hearts you have up to, but not exceeding, full health. Its handy if youre at half health but obviously not so much if youre already full.
The 2 of Spades doubles the number of keys in your inventory. If you have any, it will give you two. Sometimes I hold onto this for a bit to see if I can find any extra keys before I use it.
The 2 of Clubs doubles the number of bombs in your inventory. Yep. The tip I listed above applies here as well.
The 2 of Diamonds...*drum roll*...doubles your money! As with all the 2 of cards, it can be immensely helpful if used correctly.
The Joker will teleport you to the Devil or Angel Room. These rooms will offer you Special Items, albeit in different ways. The Devil Room requires you to sacrifice health, while the Angel Room is just really nice and gives you the item free of charge.
> These are items that become a part of your character when picked up, which is nice because inventory space is minimal in
. They are usually a reward for defeating a boss, purchased at Shops for a premium price or a few other random ways. Youll know theyre special because they will be floating above a pedestal and look very unique. Not only do their effects stack with one another but they change Isaacs appearance as well. Witnessing Isaacs slow bizarre transformation is basically my favorite aspect of the game.
By and large, their effects are positive. They can increase your health, speed, damage, rate of fire, shot speed or luck. They can also modify your shot pattern, bless you with the gift of flight or make your skin poisonous to the touch. There are so many to find and unlock that I still havent seen them all!
Not all can be seen as positive so remember ones you hate and avoid them. For instance, theres a snake item that causes your tears to fire in a wavy pattern, which is
helpful to me. In fact, it usually causes more harm than good so I dont even bother picking it up now.
Take a good look at them before you pick them up. A lot of items can seem somewhat similar but have vastly different effects. Itll also help you identify it if you come across it in the future.
When you pick one up, pay close attention to the bottom right corner of the screen. For a few seconds the game will show a description of that particular items effects.
> These little guys and gals are neat. Once they join your ranks, theyll float around or behind you, helping you out in various ways. Some will fire their own bullets or periodically gift you items. Others can act as 1-ups or block incoming bullets. Friends are cool.
Since they dont technically take up an inventory slot, dont be afraid to pick them up. Ive yet to find one that I didnt like, though one of them does like to steal money off the floor before I get to it. Its cool though because hell poop out helpful items afterwards so were bros.
> These are items that you carry in the Space Bar portion of your inventory. They have to recharge after each use but can be used indefinitely. You can only carry one of them at a time so theyll have to be swapped out if you want to carry something new.
Experiment! Like Modifiers and Companions, these come in all sorts of varieties so its hard to summarize their individual effects without going into detail on each item. They can be anything from books to body parts to decoys. Some are serve as special attack moves and others can teleport you at random. Since the game wont always spell it out for you, pick it up and try it out!
Theyll recharge a some of their meter each time you clear a room of enemies. Some recharge faster than others so just keep an eye on the bar next to the item. When it reaches the top, you can use it again.
Dont get too attached. Your currently equipped item and the new one on the pedestal can be swapped so dont worry about taking something new for a spin. If it sucks, come back to the room and swap it back. Easy.
Avoid redundant effects. If your character already has wings, you probably dont need an item that grants temporary flight. If you have a ton of bombs, you probably dont need an item that can spawn one every so often. This seems obvious but I figured it was worth mentioning.
> These are items with passive abilities that can be swapped out, kind of like Rechargeable Items. You can only carry one at a time, with the exception of a Special Item which allows you to carry two. Your currently equipped Trinket is displayed in the upper left corner of the game screen. They have a wide variety of effects and are not explained by the game at all.
I... dont have a lot of help for you here. Some of these are okay but others seem useless. Ive found a couple that dont even activate unless you have ½ of a heart of health! A couple examples of ones that I like: the Flat Penny (causes extra keys to spawn when you pick up money) and the Pinky Eye (some of your tears will be poisonous).
> These make up the majority of all floors. The room you start in is always empty but other common rooms will be a mix of enemies, rocks, shit, fire, spikes, pits and just about anything else. Items that are unreachable or unneeded at the time will remain there to be retrieved later if you wish.
If you enter a room with enemies in it, all doors will close and remain locked until every enemy on the screen has been killed. Once cleared, the doors will open and you might be rewarded with a small item or chest in the center of the room.
Shoot the shit! Seriously though, be sure to destroy all poop piles and put out all fires when possible. Every once in awhile youll be rewarded with coins or hearts -- always a lovely surprise.
> Its a bloody room with a single set of spikes in the middle. If you purposefully hurt yourself on the spikes enough, you might be rewarded with items. Its like a horrible slot machine that you play using hearts and should only be used under rare conditions. If there are spare hearts lying around the map, for instance, take it for a spin and see what happens.
Some Special Items can grant temporary invincibility which, if used in tandem with the spikes, can trick the room into granting you items even though you haven't lost any health! (thanks PhilK3nS3bb3n!)
> You should get excited when you see this golden door! Inside lies an upgrade item that will either stack with your current abilities or be a rechargable item you can use over and over. Almost always worth the price of admission, one key.
As I stressed earlier, always keep a spare key around for these rooms. Just do it!
> Signified by a coin on the Map, the doors are brown with a keyhole in the center. Usually a shopkeeper will have 3-5 items for sale -- if you touch an item you can afford, youll buy it.
As a general rule, I usually avoid the Shop on the first floor. Its rarely worth the key seeing as I typically havent found much money yet.
Sometimes instead of a Shop youll be forced to fight the mini-boss Greed. Its not a super hard fight but it can catch you off guard so beware.
> Every single floor has at least one secret room though its location is not immediately visible on your Map. Inside are usually coins, but every so often you can find a special item or even a mini boss. Since their locations are random (just like everything else), finding them can be tricky.
To open their door, place a bomb in the center of the wall adjacent to their location. If placed correctly, an opening will appear. Enter and collect whats inside but remember that the door will disappear when you leave. If you need to re-enter, youll need to blow the door open again.
These can be found through random accidents but may also be searched for if you have enough bombs to fund your research. A common place for the Secret Room to reside is an empty space on the map surrounded on 3 sides by rooms. These can be easier to spot early on, when the maps are smaller but may not be worth the effort late in the game. (thanks Wrenchfarm!)
There are a number of Special Items (like the Joker playing card) that can help you locate Secret Rooms. Very helpful.
If you're unfortunate enough to come across Super Greed hiding inside a Secret Room, just run out! Though most doors lock you in during a fight, the hole in the wall stays open and provides a nice little "oh shit" escape hatch. (thanks Wrenchfarm!)
> The exit of each floor is guarded by a random boss. It should be pretty clear which door leads to the Boss Room due to the demonic skull that resides above the doorway. Since the dungeon layouts are random, its not uncommon to stumble upon the boss room door before youre finished exploring the full level. Its your choice when you want to take them on so dont go through that door until youre ready for a fight.
Since the bosses are random, your strategy will differ for each one. Figuring out the weakness and patterns for each one will take time. Even after 100+ hours, Im still seeing variations and completely unique bosses from time to time.
As I said earlier, its your choice when you choose to take the boss on. On rare occasion Ill stumble across the Boss Room early and, if Im in good shape, take them on right then and there. After the fight, Ill collect the Special Item and use it to help me clear out the rest of the rooms. But do whatever youre comfortable with.
> The door looks similar to a Shop but if you look at the Map, youll notice the icon is a book instead of a coin. Inside youll find two books (random, of course) free for the taking. Unfortunately, you can only carry one at a time so choose wisely.
Books are placed in the Space Bar location of your inventory which means they can be reused indefinitely as long as you allow them to recharge. Since only one Space Bar item can be held at a time, if you already have something cool, youll have to decide which youd rather have. Decisions, decisions.
Some books cause a soul heart or tarot card to spawn when activated. These are worth picking up and using once, even if you dont plan on carrying it around with you. Take what you can get.
> These should be easy to spot because theres a huge neon sign above the door flashing the word ARCADE. Unlike most locked doors, this one is unlocked with a penny instead of a key. Once inside, there will be three games you can play.
The Slot Machine on the left is one cent per play and can reward you with more money, hearts, bombs, keys or sometimes pills. When youre done using its services, blow it up with a bomb. You will almost always get something from inside.
The Blood Bank on the right is basically a hearts-for-cash ATM. It's often a good idea to use it if you have a bunch of spare hearts lying around. If you used enough times, it'll explode and grant you a special item! The
IV Bag
is kind of worthless, but if you're lucky you'll find a
Blood Bag
which increases your health and refills four hearts. Since the average amount of hearts required to make the Blood Bank explode is four, your hearts should be completely restored. This strategy isn't recommended once you progress past the Womb stage as it requires more health per each use. (thanks bbain!)
The dude in the middle wants to play a shell game with you. If you pay him a penny, hell reveal an item under a skull, cover it and proceed to quickly mix it up with two other skulls. When he stops you can take a guess at which skull hides the item. Guess correctly, you get the item. Guess wrong, a buzzer will sound and a fly will spawn. You can blow this guy up too if youre a dick.
> These rooms are marked by two crossed swords above the door, or a bloody sword icon if youre looking at the Map. Inside is usually a chest containing some random item(s). However, if you choose to open it, the door will slam shut behind you and youll be forced to battle 3 waves of enemies. If youre feeling ballsy, go for it.
You can only enter regular Challenge Rooms if youre at full health. Their doors remain locked otherwise.
> Similar to the regular Challenge Rooms but these have a Special Item inside, but BEWARE -- if you pick it up youll have to fight two bosses in a row! Yep. Oh, and you can only enter if you have a single heart. Hmmm, nope. Not for me.
If you can enter, youll see what item is up for grabs before you delve into the actual challenge. It may be worth the risk if the item is really, really good.
> After defeating a boss, a second door will sometimes appear with a demon head over the doorway. Inside you will be given the choice to sacrifice permanent hearts in return for various curses. A lot of these Special Items are fairly tempting but its often hard to part with 1-3 full hearts. Choose wisely.
Every so often youll have to fight a demonic boss instead. If defeated youll be rewarded with a lump of coal. Merry Christmas!
> Same as Devil Rooms, these will sometimes appear after a successful boss fight. Inside youll find any one of a few angelic items. Better yet, you wont have to sacrifice any life in order to gain their heavenly abilities. Score!
Uhhh, if you're in it, you're lucky!
Pro tips...
Hoooooooooly shit that took a long time. Of course its only
writing this monstrosity that I realize you could have easily just looked at the Wiki or something else online, albeit without my literary touch. Regardless, its been done and it was fun to write. I hope this helps to clear up some questions a few of you may have. I may do a combat strategy and basic enemy guide if you guys feel it's necessary. Of course if any veterans out there have any tips or suggestions that I failed to include, please let me know in the comments. That goes for mistakes too!


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A writer was even once quoted as stating, "It may come as a surprise to many town dwellers that Smyrna is really a suburb of Duck Creek." In 1716, this tiny village was first named "Salisbury;" however, it was also known to its inhabitants as "Duck Creek." Duck Creek soon became a thriving community of merchant vessels. Along with the shipping of grain, lumber, peaches, and eventually fertilizer, shipbuilding became a prominent business.
About one mile south of Duck Creek, two major thoroughfares formed what was known as "Duck Creek Crossroads." This site later came to be known as the "Four Corners," what is today the intersection of Main and Commerce streets.
The Duck Creek Crossroads, which once served only as a village without any exact boundaries, from 1768 to 1806, was finally changed to Smyrna by rule of the Delaware General Assembly. The original boundaries were one-fourth of a mile in each direction from the crossroads, which are now called the Four Corners.
The exact path to how the name of Smyrna came about is unknown, but two versions of its origination have been offered. The first explanation is often described as the version that is found in the history books. This side ventured into the idea that at the time commerce and trade in Duck Creed was thriving, Smyrna standing as an excellent Biblical port name was the obvious choice.
The second version of the town name selection is better known as the untold story. This version has been most passed on by oral tradition. A preacher by the name of Francis Asbury, during one of his several explorations through the crossroads and Duck Creek Village, provided a soul-searching sermon for those who were in attendance. The sermon, or otherwise an excerpt from the second chapter of "The Revelation," in which St. John wrote to the inundated parishioners of the Smyrna, Turkey, warning them of the difficulty that lay ahead. St. John encouraged the people to remain faithful until death so that God would bestow upon them a crown of life. Asbury's dynamic sermon, served as inspiration and revelation to many of the early Methodists present that day, who were convicted of their sins and thus saved. Even further, some of the people who were in attendance on that fateful day became prominent influences in the growing life of the Cross Roads. When the time came to choose a name for the town, Smyrna was their top choice because of Asbury's powerful sermon. With the new name in place and the final progression of Duck Creek Cross Roads to Smyrna Village, the town of Smyrna served as the new reality while the Duck Creek Cross Roads became a memory of the past.
The Town of Smyrna began on the southern bank of Duck Creek, near the fork of Green's Branch. According to A Brief History of Smyrna, Delaware, written by Smyrna resident George L. Caley:

subset: commoncrawl


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"Internet Purchases Only" "Not a Retail Store Stock Item"
This item is viewable at our retail store in LEXINGTON, KY. It may be on display and is available for immediate purchase and pick-up.
click here to see all brands we sell
*Please Note!! Many of our pictures are stock photos provided to us by the manufacturer and do not necessarily represent the actual item being purchased. Please verify this picture accurately reflects the product described by the title and description on this page before you place your order.
Hornady Flex Tip Expanding technologically advanced bullets feature our patented Flex Tip technology which means they are safe to shoot in firearms with tubular magazines as well as any other firearm. This is the same bullet that is in the LeveRevolution. Not only are they safe, they also deliver the flattest trajectories ever from these firearms. Another benefit of Flex Tip technology is devastating terminal performance. Upon impact, the flexible tip deforms back into the bullet initiating violent, controlled expansion that transfers a great deal of energy to the vitals. At the same time, the heavy jacket over the shank of the bullet and famous InterLock feature keep the core and jacket physically locked together to ensure high weight retention.


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IPCC Vice-Chair Jean-Pascal van Ypersele countered that "the mandate of IPCC is to assess where there is consensus, and to reflect the full diversity of views that are scientifically valid where there is not."* He conceded that by requiring teams of authors to agree upon a report's text, the IPCC process is inherently conservative. Getting the balance right, he said in an e-mail, is "not always easy."
Oreskes, Oppenheimer and their co-authors argue the conservative bias pervades all of climate science.
But the underestimation by the IPCC is particularly worrisome, scientists say, because the organization is charged specifically with advising policy makers on the most relevant, accurate climate science.
Current science
Established in 1988 by the United Nations, the IPCC does no original climactic research. Its role is to review current science from around the world, then synthesize and summarize that data within comprehensive reports meant for policymakers.
Such assessments typically take five to seven years to complete in a slow, bureaucratic process: Thousands of scientists from around the globe, working as unpaid volunteers, first sift through the scientific literature, identifying trends and writing a draft report. That draft is reviewed and thoroughly revised by other scientists. Then a summary for policymakers, condensing the science even further, is written and subjected to a painstaking, line-by-line revision by representatives from more than 100 world governments – all of whom must approve the final summary document.
IPCC's four assessments – massive, multi-tome volumes released in 1990, 1995, 2001 and 2007 – are considered the gold standard in climate science. The fourth report earned both intense criticism from climate skeptics and the honor of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, shared with former Vice President Al Gore.
Yet since that 2007 assessment, numerous observations and studies have shown that the speed and ferocity of climate change are outpacing IPCC projections on many fronts, including CO2 emissions, temperature rise, continental ice-sheet melt, Arctic sea ice decline, and sea level rise (see sidebar).
Pattern of under-projection
The pattern, said Oreskes in an interview, is under- rather than over-projection. "These data simply do not support the allegations by skeptics that scientists have been alarmists," she said.
One example: In November, scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., took a closer look at the computer models underpinning most climate predictions and concluded future warming is likely to be on the high side of climate projections.
Another example: This summer, NASA climatologist James Hansen co-authored an analysis of recent extreme weather across the globe. Hansen's team arrived at a strikingly different conclusion from an IPCC special assessment on the topic released just months earlier.
The Hansen study, published in August in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that rapid climate change over the past 30 years has loaded the dice in favor of extreme weather. The chance of extreme summer heat is now 13 percent higher than in 1980, the report found. Record heat waves seen by Europe in 2003, Russia in 2010, and Texas in 2011 would not have happened without human-caused global warming, it concluded.
Hansen's conclusion contrasted sharply with the hedging in the IPCC special assessment on extreme weather, published in March, 2012: "Confidence in projecting changes in the direction and magnitude of climate extremes depends on many factors," the report's summary for policymakers began. "Even the sign of projected changes in some climate extremes over this time frame is uncertain."


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CEIVA Photo Receivers work automatically, downloading a new slideshow every day. This is what makes a CEIVA unique. There are no logins or passwords; new pictures magically appear right in the middle of your kitchen, bedroom and living room. Right into the middle of your life.
How do the photos get to the CEIVA Photo Receiver? The CEIVA Photo Receiver connects via a plain old phone line. Each night the CEIVA Photo Receiver will make a silent toll-free connection to the account and automatically download a new slide show.
Once the CEIVA Photo Receiver is set up, the pictures will appear automatically.
Just set it up and forget it.
Create a free account online (this is where you'll safely store all your pictures): Don't have internet or just want help? Don't worry! Our U.S.-based Customer Care team can set up your account right over the phone.
Plug it into an existing phone line.You don't need an extra phone plug because we've included a splitter. (Shown above)
You can also connect using an optional WiFi adapter. You will be given an opportunity to add a WiFi adapter for only $19.95 when you get to the shopping cart. |
Use the Connection Wizard and the CEIVA photo receiver will automatically connect to your account. That's it! |
Once you set up the account, you or anyone you want anywhere in the world can send photos directly to the CEIVA Photo Receiver. Sending photos is as easy as making a call or sending e-mail and can be done via:
Customize Images & More fun Things
Customize photos with text, borders, and stickers |
Schedule delivery days (can you say Happy Father's Day?) |
Send a bunch of photos spread out for delivery over a month |
Add special content like local weather info, History Channel, sports and more - right on your frame. |
Now just sit back and wait for Dad to call you telling you what a wonderful gift this is. We guarantee it.


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back to topProduct Description
Rated for 15 amps at 12 volts. Solid brass construction with chrome-plated plastic knobs. Requires 3/8" dia. mounting hole. Fit panels up to 1" thick.
Top Search Terms: lights, pontoon, ladders, mirrors, tubes, batteries, speakers, rope, flags, fenders, fuel tanks, grills
Top Categories: Boat Seats, Life Vests, Towables, Bimini Tops, Outlet, Marine Stereos, Lake & Pool Leisure


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Everyone connected with the Quannum Fighting Challenge and Cage Warriors are looking forward to working together on this event.The Quannum Fighting Challenge returns on June 8th with its first event of 2008 at a brand new venue, as the success of the two previous shows have meant the QFC team have had to move out to a bigger venue in the form of the Frontier Nightclub in Batley, West Yorkshire.
Also this time round the Quannum Fighting Challenge will be held in association with the Cage Warriors Fighting Championships, as these two like-minded organisation have come together to co-promote the third QFC event and hope to make this latest instalment of the QFC series, the biggest to date.
Like the previous two QFC events this show will be held on a Sunday inside a nightclub as the organisers hope to reclaim the tense but exciting atmosphere of the previous two events. However travelling fans will be pleased to know the timing of the show will be brought forward and the action inside the 32 foot CWFC Octagonal cage will kick off at 1pm, which will allow the fans in attendance plenty of time to get home and beat the Sunday night rush
As in previous QFC events, local fighters from Team Quannum will feature heavily on the card as they look to improve on their fine performances during 2007. Those names already confirmed for the card includes Ian "M-16" Butlin as he looks to get back on track domestically after defeats to top European opposition such as Cengiz Dana, Aiden Marron and Jarkko Latomaki.
Whilst Matt "12 Gauge" Thorpe returns to action after his impressive submission win over Mark O'Toole in Cage Warriors, as he looks to continue to climb up the Welterweight rankings and claim his second win in QFC competition after defeating the Shooto Europe veteran Raymon Jarman at QFC 2 last year.
Also in action is the unbeaten Lightweight Martin Stapleton who will look to build on his perfect 4-0 professional record. Like Matt Thorpe; Stapleton is also coming off a win at the last Cage Warriors show, where he defeated the young Wolfslair Academy prodigy David Johnson in a gritty three round battle.
Whilst other named fighters on the show includes the impressive up-and-coming Welterweight Simon Phillips (5-1-0), the powerful Middleweight Lee Austin (3-2-0), the Light-Heavyweight bruiser Danny Giblin, the Caged Steel fighter Dave "Hollywood" Hirst and the K-1 UK veteran Chris Cooper. Whilst the undercard is crammed full of up and coming Team Quannum members looking to make their way in the UK MMA scene.
For more information on this exciting event (including ticket prices and updated card) go to http://www.cagewarriors.com/event.20.htm
As a result we are looking for fighters for this event. If you are interested in taking part e-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Nerd Workout! Inspired by Jo from Eureka
Posted: April 30, 2012 Filed under: Home workout, Nerdiness | Tags: commandos, dive bombers, elder scrolls, eureka, jo, jump lunges, nerd workout, nerddom, plank, plank butt lifts, side crunches, side lunge jump, skyrim, tire runs, video games Leave a comment »I am pretty sure this home workout would make the character Jo on Eureka proud. I did this doozy yesterday and my arms now feel like they are going to fall off, accompanied by twinges of pain elsewhere on my body, including the butt.
Eureka is a silly little show on SyFy – my boyfriend Aaron makes fun of me for watching it, and it does enter the cheesefest realm fairly often, but it's good fun. Eureka is a town in Oregon that is centered around this company called Global Dynamics, which basically does whatever the U.S. military wants it to do while researching crazy medical practices, robots, and basically anything scientific you can think of. It's like if all of the U.S. military contractors' got all their best together and put them here, together, doing weird things… constantly. Almost every… basically every episode something goes wrong in the town because of some insane experiment gone wrong. You'd think they learn… but of course they don't, and where would the show be without the crazy happenings. Jo is a military-trained, incredibly smart, tough person. Like many characters I've done so far, she takes crap from no one (except maybe her love interest) and can beat just about anyone up. She is sort of the normalest person that still fits in to Eureka (gets all of the nuances of the science and all that) and acts sometimes as a translator to the town Sheriff, Carter, who fell into his job and who is a smart guy, but no genius like everyone else on the show.
In the last season, Jo trained people who were going to go on a trip to space to be physically fit. Thankfully SyFy has a clip of this, because ALL tribute videos to her were terrible, and only involved her love interest and didn't show one ounce of her true character.
The workout that I did pretty well mimics a military-style, very tough training that Jo would have done. Also – note the tires you see in the clip – we are going to be doing a "tire run" exercise!
It's 16 minutes long – 8 exercises twice through. Get your interval timers out! Find an interval timer app on your phone! Seconds Free is a good app.
16 rounds – 10 seconds rest – 50 seconds work
Dive bomber – a tough arm exercise that I could see Jo using to torture her class 11 / 8.5
Tire run and plank – obviously had to do this one 8 / 9
Plank butt exercise – this works out the whole body 18 / 16
Jump Lunge – Cardio and strength at once – this will get them in shape for their space trip 30 / 30
Commando Pushups – Very military style exercise 15 / 15
Side crunch right – Always need those abs strong 19 / 18
Side crunch leg 20 / 20
Side jump lunge – Cardio and leg workout to get the trainees in gear 52 / 48
Dive bomber
Start with your head down, butt in the air, then swoop your head down and up, not letting your legs touch the floor. Then bring your head back down and butt up. One rep.
Tire run and plank
With your feet spread far enough apart you think they'd fit into the center of tires, lift your feet up and down ten times – each foot up, one rep – and then jump your legs out and then back into start the ten feet runs again.
Each time you come back in from your plank is one rep. (Note Skyrim being played in the background. Nerd boyfriend.)
Plank butt exercise
On your elbows, get in in plank position. Have one leg up and bent at a 90 degree angle, with your foot flat toward the ceiling. Raise this leg. One rep. Get into plank and do it on the other side to alternate.
Jump Lunge
Get in lunge position. Jump up to switch legs back to front. One rep. Each switch is one rep.
Commando Pushups
Start laying down, face-down on your stomach. Quickly lift up your body into plank, lifting one leg up and into your chest quickly. Keep your back straight and your body low. One rep. Lay back down and next time lift up and bring in your other leg.
Side crunch right
Laying down on your left side, you crunch in on your right side – lifting your legs up as you crunch up on your right side as well. Each crunch is one rep.
Side crunch leg
See above, switch sides.
Side jump lunge
Start with a side lunge, then jump to switch which leg is lunging and which leg is out to the side. Each jump and switch is one rep.
Now do everything once more…
Disclaimer: not an expert, do this at your own risk, ask your doctor, be careful! etc etc


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We spent 3 nights in this hotels. We booked 2 rooms, 1 was deluxe and another 1 was economy ( due to deluxe room unavailability) 1. Location- Opposite the hotel is the Governor House. 10 minutes walk from Bandung Station, short walk to Pasar Baru n Kartika Sari outlet. Serene surrounding. To Jalan Riau factory outlet, taxi cost us less... More
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CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Sweet-Potato Salad
If you like sweet potato fries, you'll love this recipe.By: Herald Staff Report,
If you like sweet potato fries, you'll love this recipe.
Sweet-Potato Salad
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 bunches scallions, washed and trimmed at both ends
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons lime juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Preheat gas grill to high or light charcoal. Place potatoes on baking sheet, toss with vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt. Do same with scallions, keeping them in loose bunch. While grill heats, clean, oil grate. Turn heat to medium. Place scallions on grill in bunch. Cook, turning once, until softened, lightly charred in places. Remove to baking sheet. Place potatoes on grill. Cook, turning once, until they have grill marks on both sides, are cooked through. Transfer to baking sheet. Coarsely chop scallions. Place in bowl, along with potatoes. Add cilantro, butter, lime juice, cumin. Toss to coat. Season with salt if necessary. Serve.
Yield: Serves 4.
Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.
Tags: chef jeff, jeff tiedeman, one byte at a time, life, updates, food, recipes


text: im planning on buying a used motorcycle this season and just needed some help on finding them online. i checked on craigslist, monkeyads, ebay and cycle trades. if anyone knows any other websites that have used motorcycle classifieds, id appreciate the help. btw im planning on buying a 2001 or later street bike like a GSX-R, YZF-R, Ninja ZX-R or a CBR-RR. But of course if the price range is good im willing to look at anything. looking to spend aroung $4000-$4500. again, i appreciate the help.


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Tag Archives: slayer
Thu, Apr 05, 2012 | 18:12 BST
Slayer tracks releasing for Rock Band 3 next week
Harmonix has announced a Slayer three pack will arrive on the store next week for Rock Band 3. The tracks are: Raining Blood, South of Heaven, and Seasons in the Abyss. Raining Blood will have the option of Pro Guitar and Bass. Slayer Pack 01 will run you $5.49 or individually for $1.99 on Xbox 360 and PS3 and $2.00 on Wii.
Thu, Jul 02, 2009 | 16:55 BST
Green Day, Marilyn Manson, Slayer land on Rock Band next week
Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that three exclusive tracks from Green Day, as well as eight songs from artists performing at the RockStar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, will be added to the Rock Band Music Store next week.
Here's the list:
- Behemoth – Conquer All
- Black Dahlia Murder – What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
- Cannibal Corpse – Hammer Smashed Face
- God Forbid – Empire of the Gun
- Green Day – 21 Guns, East Jesus Nowhere, Know Your Enemy
- Job for a Cowboy – Embedded
- Marilyn Manson – Disposable Teens
- Slayer – Black Magic
- Whitechapel – This Is Exile
Tracks will be available for purchase as part of the Green Day Pack (440 MS Points, $5.49), Mayhem Pack (1,080 MS Points, $13.49) or individually (160 MS Points, $1.99) for Xbox 360 and PS3 July 7 and July 9, respectively.
Wii tracks are individual only (200 Wii Points).
Tue, Mar 03, 2009 | 19:47 GMT
Choppa and Slayer invade Warhammer Online
Patch 1.2 goes live today for Warhammer Online.
The Choppa and Slayer classes have now invaded and are ready to start warring in the Bitter Rivals event.
When you log into the servers, the patch will also fix over 500 bugs, and a new career balancing system will be put in place.
Thanks, IncGamers.