The thermometer just kept going up when I put it in my mouth, I took it out at 102.1 and didn't look back. I don't know exactly what is happening - you know, within - but for the last several hours I have been privy to the most startling visions. Visions of extraordinary power and clarity.
Before I get carried away revealing the contours of some surreal vista, we have produced yet another comic strip. It is a fact that, whatever the status of their 2004 award, we spend night after night in opposition to mongrel races in Azeroth. Since our dramatic announcement, performance (on our server, at least) has been better than ever, which allows us to simply be immersed in it. This is a good deal more like the game we gave an award to.
As a result, the last week and a half has been extremely productive, which means that we are now entering Mount Country. For those of you who don't play, it's hard to imagine a person like that but whatever, if you have reached fortieth level and have kittied away 90 gold you can get your hands on an animal to ride around. There was a guide up on IGN that suggested a person begin seriously saving for their mount at level 30, which struck me as kind of fancy and fastidious so I disregarded it. I spent my thirties purchasing marginally better equipment at exorbitant rates from the auction house, and gorging myself at Ironforge's Bronze Kettle. Now I'm level forty and there's no mount in sight. Let my sorry example be a lesson to you. Let my deeds serve as an indictment of a youth misspent!
I don't know if I ever hit you back after finishing Resident Evil 4, but it probably wasn't necessary after my glowing treatise. Every now and then somebody actually puts the 'Cube to work and the results are unbelievable. Another game will have to work very hard to surmount it - the only thing you can say about it that is in the least dismissive is that I thought it was actually a bit long. It's probably hard to imagine having one of the best games you've ever played in front of you and then sort of pushing the plate away, but I clocked in at 26 hours and I felt like I pretty much got it at that point.
Something I wrapped up near the height of my fever was that Star Wars: Republic Commando demo that hit yesterday. Lucasarts has been letting respected developers have a go at the franchise in recent years, but this appears to be from an internal team - I don't know where they've been keeping these guys. The demo is the same content that you've seen in recent previews, the Wookiee/Kashyyyk thing, and there hasn't been a Star Wars game that takes these kind of aesthetic liberties. Typically character designs get played pretty close to the vest. People are coming to them for a very specific experience. You won't have to play Republic Commando long to see that it's not business as usual - the characters are highly exaggerated, with massive sequoia torsos and shocking size disparities. The Trandoshans you fight have also gotten the treatment, laying into them a menacing bulk that I never associated with the species. The game seems ready made for co-operative play, which may end up being my only gripe - I'm pretty sure that's not on the horizon. I'm still very impressed.
(CW)TB out.
a treasure just to look upon it
