Archive for September, 2020

Biohazard / Resident Evil – 25th Anniversary

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Resident Evil, Street Fighter with tags on September 25, 2020 by slateman

All of these anniversaries are catching up to us all. 25 for Resident Evil – we just passed Street Fighter’s 30th and Mario is celebrating 35. The worst part of it all? I remember them all launching. Getting old sucks.

But, the celebrations are cool and this new poster, revealed today, was quite cool. I fully expect Capcom to embrace this franchise as we head into a new generation. However, as is, I own and can play Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 (remake), 3 (remake), 4, 5, 6 and 7 all on my PS4 – and thus on my PS5 – alongside 8/Village next year. Not sure what they’ll need to do to rope me into buying more, but I have faith in Capcom. Not necessarily in their anniversary might, but in their ability to get me to re-buy this shit year after year! Bring it on!

Pre-Ordered: Playstation 5!

Posted in Blog, Games on September 22, 2020 by slateman

We were promised no surprises. I watched the big PS5 reveal and went to bed. I then woke up to see the PS5 sold out everywhere.

Thanks for the no surprises, Sony! Well, fortunately, I was selected as part of their pre-order program. After stopping off and trying at a local GameStop – and receiving a vague date of expectation, I secured a unit straight from Sony! In a half-drunken state, I escaped to pre-order online (hoping I entered my credit-card info properly) and that is that! Of course, sending it to my FPO address, who knows when it’ll actually arrive.

All I do know is that at some point I will get a unit. I’m just so eager to check out the UI, see how PS4 games work with it, to truly play games in native 4K. It’s not always about it being the greatest console (the Xbox is going to be a killer system too!) But being a part of a new generation, part of that dialogue, is half of the excitement. I vividly remember getting the PS4, the PS3, the PS2 and yes, the PS1 (January 1997, I was a late adopter back then!)

It’s about so much more than just the system, the bells & whistles, the games. That experience of a new console is just so exciting, no matter the generation. I look forward to it. So very excited!!!

Resident Evil 3: Finally!

Posted in Games, Resident Evil on September 14, 2020 by slateman

I’ve played a lot of Resident Evil. I’ve beaten almost every major entry barring one light-gun game, the Outbreak entries, Code Veronica and Resident Evil 3. Most are old and outdated now and I don’t expect I’ll ever go back to play them. But after Resident Evil 2’s spectacular remake, I was very excited about the third entry, having never tried it. COVID-19 threw a wrench into 2020’s plans, but $25 in PSN credit and a half-off sale made this a no-brainer purchase.

I’m only an hour or two in and with tempered expectations, I look forward to another fun jaunt into Raccoon City’s nonsensical world of zombie slaying and corrupt Umbrella employees. I thought I’d go through my history of the series, more for my own chronicling than anyone else’s enjoyment. Here are some quick snaps before the decades-long retrospective begins. Psyched to start this game.


Resident Evil Game List
Game Played? Beaten?
Resident Evil Borrowed from a friend, Didn’t complete
Resident Evil 2 Beat both campaigns – a LONG time ago!
Resident Evil 3 Never even touched!
Code Veronica Barely Touched – Probably never will
RE: REmake Too scared on GC / Beat on PS4 + speedrun
Resident Evil 0 Got farther on PS4 than GC. Don’t like this game
Outbreak My E3 Game of the Year but never beat it
Outbreak 2 I tried it – Don’t think I got far
Resident Evil 4 Beat five times…What’s wrong with me?
Umbrella Chronicles Beat on Wii, got far into PS3 version
Darkside Chronicles Got bored/never beat either Wii/PS3
Resident Evil 5 Love it! Platinum on PS3. Beat on 360 and PS4
Revelations Beat on PS3, fun entry
Revelations 2 Beat on PS4 – Liked – Didn’t love
Resident Evil 6 Beat all campaigns on PS3. Dragged on and on…
Resident Evil VII Beat + speedrun. Mia on Madhouse = too hard!
Resident Evil 2 Beat Claire’s, not Leon’s. Great game
Resident Evil 3 Finally playing! Just started!

En Minor: Quite Surprising!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Music on September 9, 2020 by slateman

When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out is an overly-lengthy and unsurprising title for a Phil Anselmo project. I avoid most of his work, not that I have any issue with him or his vocals. The last time I saw him was with Down back in 2002 and haven’t loved any of the project’s later material, though I was hoping to see them perform the classic NOLA for the 25th anniversary this summer. :(

However, this new record is spectacular. It may be more of a passive listening experience, but it’s moody and brooding, catchy and totally chill. With a rather subdued 2020 lineup of releases, it’ll likely land pretty high on the Album of the Year charts. It will assuredly not pass Havukruunu, unfortunately. But that’s OK. Totally digging this.

Sons Of Anarchy: Series Over!

Posted in TV on September 7, 2020 by slateman

I never watched this back in the day and recall my coworkers talking about it. In search of something new to watch, I opted to Netflix the entire show, seven full seasons worth!

But as we watch the finale (slightly inebriated), it’s going to be a sad goodbye… though nothing will be as bad as Opie’s death. My wife was crying and snotting up over that one.

In any event, it’s some good TV which only leads me to wonder what we’ll watch next!

Bloodborne In 2020 – The Best Game Ever?

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Castlevania, Games, Portal, Street Fighter on September 3, 2020 by slateman

The longer I allow this site to go un-updated, the more weight falls upon each new post. But whatever, just post whatever, whenever! I realize, each update is an insight into the point I am in life.

Right now, I’m writing my third book (fourth, actually) and Bloodborne is contained within those pages. A few months back I started anew – overwriting my NG++ run. I didn’t get far, hitting a wall against our favorite: Father Gascoigne! I dispatched him as my kids watched – something I never did before. This game is far more violent than I typically let them watch. However, perhaps b/c its hordes of undead monstrosities and not humans, I’ve allowed. This led to some exploring, recalling those nooks and crannies, once again becoming enamored with the lore, the lush environments, the brutal combat. My son wanted to see the Blood-Starved Beast and, surprisingly, on my second try, he too was defeated.

Lower Cathedral Ward, sending NPCs back to Oedon Chapel, hoarding blood echoes – I’m drawn right back in. It’s just that good. And as I write this book, I’m thinking of commenting on my favorite games ever. Thus, I’m ranking them. The top 5, top 10 and top 20. As I look at these names, the greatest titles ever, I start to realize: Bloodborne is up there. Way up there. Is it good enough to dethrone Super Mario Bros. 3? Today – I think it is. Bloodborne is the best game ever made.

As I chronicle these, I’ll eventually put up my list. It’s a good list. But damn, it’s tough comparing Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha to Portal 2 to Symphony Of The Night to Bloodborne is not easy! But it’s a necessary evil. More on that soon.