The Draconian Hype Machine

Dragon Age: Origins comes out a week from now, finally. That's probably why BioWare and EA Games are stepping up their ad campaign. So everything you see in gaming sites right now are just "pre-order Dragon Age" banners (which are working effectively because I already pre-ordered my copy from Steam). In addition to the massive ad campaign, EA also threw out a stand alone character creator for the game and also a Dragon Age web-based game.

Beautifying my character.

When I pre-ordered my copy of Dragon Age: Origins at Steam, I was surprised to see that there's a stand-alone character creator available for download. That, of course, made me a happy camper. RPG enthusiasts, such as myself, always get stuck at the character generation area of the game, trying to tweak the look of our characters to make them pretty or ruggedly. So I really appreciate EA and BioWare by making a character creator available early on. Now I can take my time making my character, save the progress and then load them once I get my retail copy. Dabbling with the creator and uploading your character via BioWare's social network will also net you an exclusive item.

Combat in Dragon Age: Journeys is fun and addicting.

Then there's Dragon Age: Journeys which is a web-based game developed to feed the hype. It's a perfect game if you're already itching for the real deal. At first, I thought that this was just going to be a simple hack n' slash game, like most web games are. But I was surprised that this game actually have a working RPG system -level progression, skill customization, dialog options- and a fun tactical turn-based combat. Plus, you'll also receive unique items for Dragon Age: Origins if you take the in-game survey and unlock some achievements in the game.

EA Games and BioWare did really well with their ad campaign for Dragon Age: Origins. Both the knick-knacks they gave away before the release date of the actual game are fun, especially Dragon Age: Journeys. I just hope that Dragon Age: Origins will live up to its own hype.

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Pearls and Chains

Finding new music has taken a back seat for me lately. It's just I've been busy to do anything besides ripping my old CDs (tons of them) into mp3 files, with a much higher bit rate this time, to upload into my new iPod Touch. But, despite being time-deprived and all, I still managed to find out about -and also purchase- the new albums of Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains.

Alice In Chains

I thought it was the end of Alice In Chains when Layne Staley (vocalist) died a couple years ago. But then they did a reunion tour back in 2007 with a new vocalist, William Duvall, in tow. Although I never really expected them to record another album. That's why I almost cried when I heard their first single, "Check My Brains", from their new album, Black Gives Way to Blue. The album is really good, heavy but full of melody, and it even sounds as if Layne never really died. It's probably their best one ever since Dirt.

Pearl Jam

I'm not really a big fan of Pearl Jam, and I only own a few of their albums. But I really like their new album, Backspacer, a lot. Although Pearl Jam fans, especially the ones who like their older work, might be put off by this one. No more meaty riffs or a screaming Vedder here. They stripped down their sound to a minimum and what's left is just good ol', lighthearted rock & roll.

Both bands are almost at the 20th year of their career. But, after all these years, they still rock. While both albums aren't "album of the year" material, they're still worth listening compared to most crap that is out right now. So to all former fans, it's time to re-discover these bands. If you haven't heard of Alice In Chains or Pearl Jam before, then now is the best time get acquainted with them.

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Book Review: Zeitoun

Zeitoun
9.3 of 10
by Dave Eggers
Buy Hardcover Edition from Amazon





Back in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, there were reports of chaos tearing the city apart. However, I couldn't help but think that some of these events were just exaggerated by the media. It was just too surreal to happen in the United States. That's why when I found out about Zeitoun, a non-fiction book about a man who tried to help storm survivors, I didn't had any second thoughts of getting it. I was hoping that the book would provide me with some clarity of what really happened inside ground zero of post-Katrina New Orleans. But what I found out was far more disturbing than what the news had delivered.

While the book did mention causalities caused by roving gangs and crazed snipers who were reveling in the lawlessness of the city, what Abdulrahman Zeitoun had to endure is far more worse than those. Zeitoun (as known by his friends and clients), a Syrian-born American and a well-known painting contractor in New Orleans, remained in the city during the storm to keep an eye on his properties. After the storm, he explored the flooded city with a canoe and managed to help a couple of people (and even abandoned dogs). But when he was about to leave the city, he was instead accused of being a member of Al Qaeda and was sent to a makeshift prison without access to a lawyer or even a single phone call.

Zeitoun is one of the books that I won't easily forget. The ordeals that Abdulrahman and his family have to go through, of being a victim of Hurricane Katrina and post-9/11 racial profiling, is just too gut-wrenching to cast aside. The book tells a very very tragic tale. But it will also open your eyes. It gave me a glimpse of how the government operates under a crisis such as Katrina's magnitude -that they would rather build prisons than shelters and assume that every survivor is a terrorist, all in the name of national security. It also reminds me, and solidifies the fact, that the Bush Administration really did fuck up. If you're looking for a great book to read, grab Zeitoun.

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First Impressions: Risen

I'm currently playing a game called Risen, and I'm really liking it a lot. The gameplay, being developed by Piranha Bytes, is a lot like the Gothic games. So if you aren't familiar with the combat of Gothic series, be prepared to save often because you're going to die a lot. I can't say much about the story though since I just started playing it. But the setting kinda reflects our current world, in whereas people are also burdened with financial problems. The game's graphics, however, is really really horrendous. But if you're a true RPG fan, you need to try this game. I assure you, you won't regret playing it.

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