Assassin's Creed 3 My Take On It (Yes, I know It's Been A While)

 *Author's Note* If you have not played this game or finished it yet, stop reading because there are spoilers.

 So after a long hiatus, I finished Assassin's Creed III. Did I like the game? Yes, definitely. Did I love it? Not so much. First let's get the good things out of the way. I really liked that there was a new world to explore and a great part of history to be involved in; the Revolutionary War. This made for a lot of interesting missions, side quests, and battles. I did like the new costume designs for the game and I definitely liked the new weapons. I did like seeing quite a few historical faces in the game and some of them had some pretty good missions. The story was fairly interesting especially towards the end when further details are revealed answering a lot of questions from the previous game. While I did wish for more city exploration, I did enjoy exploring the frontier areas because it was new and there was some interesting things going on out there.
 Now, let us get to the parts that I found mildly disappointing and the parts that were so infuriating they got  A LOT of swearing from me.

 1.Connor Is A Wooden Boy: Connor while an interesting character, came across as wooden and I wasn't really feeling the passion from him or any emotion really. Even when he was supposed to be angry, it just came across as angst filled teenager. Shouldn't he be angrier about some of the things that have happened? I mean I know I would be full on raging if half the stuff he survives in this game happened to me. Speaking in a flat monotone in every situation is just not working for me. I also wish they had done a bit more with the story about Connor's tribe because it seemed like they were just a blip of a plot point and not much else which was a little disappointing. There's also this sense of Connor just being along for the ride and even as a full fledged assassin he doesn't really get to shine, so his story seems lost and smacks of missed opportunity. Bottom line, the pacing is off and that's never good when your main character doesn't feel like he's the main character to you.

 2. The damned lock picking: Really, how hard is it to have decent controls for lock picking the chests you find in the game? I suggest that all those game developers go play all the Thief games so they can see how it's done. There is no excuse that late in the game for shoddy controls. Hold both buttons down, swirl around to find the correct "signal" and realize that you have the skills of a drunken monkey when you can't get the damn thing open. Also file under "the right signal my effing ass" because it was ridiculous.

 3. Paul Revere's Midnight Ride Mission: Yes, they did their research and yes, it was cool they had that in the game. However, never have I wanted so badly to shove a historical person off a horse. Having to constantly ask the man for directions while he yelled at me, "More to the left! No, more right!" made me seriously consider handing him over to the enemy. It was only for a minute, I swear.

 4. THE DAMN NAVAL BATTLES: There is a good reason why that is in all caps. There is no real learning curve here. It's pretty much a learn or sink your ship situation here. While I get that the ships can't turn on a dime just like real ships from that era; the controls are pardon my French, utter shit. Not only are they clunky, there are some questionable load times for firing the various cannons and lord help you if you end up getting turned around and smashing on some rocks. One of the naval battles was so damn infuriating, my husband Ron had to step in and finish it for me. Yes, it was that bad.

 5. The Chasing Lee Mission: This was the final mission in Connor's main story and it made me want to tear my hair out and scream out my frustration. I did scream in fact.  Many times. First there's the optional objectives of don't shove anyone while you're running, followed by don't let any of the British soldiers touch you. So instead of oh I don't know getting to shoot murdering bad guy in the face, you have to run an obstacle course full of people, things, and a burning ship like you're an Olympic marathon champ. Then we factor in, how Lee is only five steps away from you but you get the desynchronization message if you don't get closer to him. At one point I was standing right IN FRONT of him in the burning ship; I could have had him right there, but because it wasn't part of the "story" he took off running and I got that message. I finally did finish that mission and the payoff for it wasn't really worth it; trust me.

 6. Desmond Got Screwed Over: While I understand that Desmond's story was ending; the way they sent him off left no real resolution for him and it seemed as if they were just tired of him. Desmond needed a proper send off with some actual closure; not an ending that screamed, 'Hey, we're kind of bored and tired of this guy, so we're getting rid of him okay? 'Kay, see ya!'

Those were the big things that really disappointed me and made me nuts. My thinking was I couldn't believe they spent three years working on this game and this is what we got. I loved the previous Assassin's Creed games and I was genuinely excited for this one, but there were many things that disappointed me. While I liked the game and I did like the ending (not the thing that happened to Desmond because that was some bullshit), I didn't love it. It felt like perhaps they rushed a bit or just didn't test things out fully to make sure they worked right (I'm looking at you, lock picking controls team) or they couldn't be bothered. I'm not expecting perfection, but after working on something for three years, you better be able to deliver the goods. This is just my take on it, if you want to try it out by all means, go ahead. Just don't expect stellar, because that is not going to happen. Expect kind of good, but not great, and fun to play through once.

Doctor Who Christmas Special; Farewell To Matt Smith And Hello To Peter Capaldi

I loved the Doctor Who Christmas special. It had everything; all the scary monsters, the companion, and of course the Doctor. It was funny, sad, and bittersweet. It was a lovely farewell to Matt Smith and suddenly hello to Peter Capaldi. While Peter Capaldi's appearance was brief, it did pique my interest and I can't wait for the new season of Doctor Who to see what kind of Doctor he'll be.  Geekosystem did a great article that went over all the details of the episode. They also shared a behind the scenes video that is also quite good. There are spoilers, so don't click on the link if you haven't watched the special yet. If you have, you can take a look at it all here: http://www.geekosystem.com/time-of-the-doctor-regen/

You Tube's Content ID Mess

In case you missed it, there's been a huge uproar about all this content ID mess You Tube has going on. There's a lot of flaws in it and it seems like having an automated system does not always work out for the better. You can read all about their response in the Kotaku article here: http://kotaku.com/heres-what-youtube-has-to-say-to-angry-youtubers-1485168478?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow

Persona 5 In The Works and a 3DS Persona Too!

I love the Persona series, so of course I'm very excited for the announcement about Persona 5 being in the works and being released in Japan in late 2014 for the Playstation 3. No announcement for a North America release date yet, but I'm sure they will announce that soon enough. Then, there is Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth for the 3DS, but we'll have to wait and see if there will be a North America release for it. You can check out the very cool trailers here:

A PSA On ESRB Ratings And Parental Controls For Video Games

 This video is a great PSA about the ESRB ratings and parental controls on video games. This is helpful and to me frankly, a must watch for parents because so many blame the video games rather than doing the actual research about the games their children want to play or are interested in. I am  a mother to three girls and I make sure I know what it is they are watching and what they are playing because that is my job as a parent. This should be every parent's job; to be informed and to be involved with the things their children are doing.
You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zlpkdm9VMrM&feature=youtu.be

You can also find more information and learn more on the Video game Voters Network website which is great because it provides a lot of great information and insights. You can check them out here: https://secure.videogamevoters.org/

Your Game Sucks; TotalBiscuit Vs. Wild Games Studio

 Apparently Wild Games Studio decided they were going to behave like complete jerks with no common sense whatsoever when they issued a "take down notice" to TotalBiscuit, a YouTube gaming critic because he told the truth about their game being pretty damn awful. The studio is claiming they protected their copyright because TotalBiscuit had no right to make advertising revenues with their license.
 This is where anyone with a brain calls this exactly what it is; BULLSHIT. Yes, it can really take the wind out of your sails when the critiques of a game you worked really hard on are less than stellar. However, being underhanded and doing completely dishonest things to get the negative reviews down doesn't say a lot of good things about you.
 I've given bad reviews of games before, because frankly not all the games I've played are winners and I'm certainly not going to say a terrible game is the best thing I've ever played when it isn't. It does not make any sense for a company to try and strong arm and bully a critic into taking down a negative review just because their pride is hurt. Rather than learning from it and trying to take those reviews in account and try to do better or make improvements to the current game or the next one, Wild Games Studio chose to be ridiculous, arrogant, and petty about the whole thing. It does not speak well of them at all.
 Do I agree with all of TotalBiscuit's reviews? No, not always, but I do agree with him that this incident with Wild Games Studio is ridiculous and he is right that they need to fix the problem with the copyright abuse on YouTube, hell everywhere,  and not let them get away with these dishonest actions simply because their pride couldn't take his honest review of their game being "horrendous" as he put it. Essentially, they acted like children in need of a nap, having a huge tantrum. It's really quite silly and it makes them look incredibly foolish. You can hear TotalBiscuit's very informative account of this nonsense here:

Farewell Lou Scheimer

It saddens me to hear this news. A huge part of my after school and Saturday morning time was spent watching these cartoons with my younger brother, Rob. Farewell Lou Scheimer and thank you for all the great cartoons. http://www.animationmagazine.net/people/r-p-lou-scheimer-1929-2013/

Assassin's Creed IV - Pirate Heist Trailer Looks Pretty Cool

I've watched the Pirate Heist trailer for Assassin's Creed IV a few times now and I have to admit, it does look pretty cool. I'm actually curious about this game and really wanting to try it out. One thing I'm hoping is that they have tweaked the controls for the ocean battles so that they handle better. We shall see for ourselves when the came is released on October 29, 2013. You can check out the trailer here:

Want Comics To Read After Watching The Awesome Premiere Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Last Night? Geekosystem Can Help With That!

 If you love comics as much as I do, I'm sure many of you checked out last night's season premiere of S.H.I.E.L.D. to see lots of geeky awesome super hero comic book goodness. I loved the episode and the show is definitely off to an intriguing and fantastic start. If you are looking for some comics to read after watching the episode or want some comics to read based on last night's episode, Geekosystem can help with that since they did a great article that has chosen some great comic titles to read. You can check out their article here: http://www.geekosystem.com/ctraln-shield-episode-1/
They also have an awesome Facebook page that keeps you up to date on lots of great stuff to geek out over!

Farewell Hiroshi Yamuichi

 I remember playing Super Mario and Zelda with my brother as a kid and how much fun I had playing them; which led to my love gaming. I went on to play many other different styles of games, but Zelda and Mario have always held a special place in my heart. So, it is with sadness that I say farewell Hiroshi Yamuichi who passed away from pneumonia at 85 and thank you for the great childhood memories and introducing me to video games that were so much fun to play. 

http://thefourohfive.com/news/article/hiroshi-yamuichi-the-man-who-led-nintendo-to-greatness-has-died-aged-85

Thanks DC Comics For Making Sure I Will NEVER Buy Comics From You Again

 I already had a problem with DC Comics because of the way they treat female fans and act like everything is one big boy's club. Then they decided that BatWoman should never get to marry her girlfriend Maggie which caused their creative team to quit. Yikes! Now with this latest stunt; a contest for people to draw Harley Quinn naked and committing suicide I find myself completely disgusted and deciding I will never buy DC Comics again. You can read the article from The Daily Dot here: http://www.dailydot.com/fandom/dc-comics-kill-naked-harley-quinn-contest/

 Maybe other people are okay with this, but not me and certainly not any of the other people who have decried this pretty despicable thing. First question, why does Harley Quinn have to be naked? Second question, how is a joke about suicide ever funny? Jim Palmiotti's poor defensive excuse of it's meant to be a joke in a Loony Toons style is not going to cut it. Considering that starting tomorrow is National Suicide Prevention Week, that makes this whole thing even more disgusting and disheartening. While I know they mean it to be satirical in the vein of Deadpool, I myself still find this to be in incredibly poor taste.  As the article states, it really does seem like DC Comics PR department is deliberately sabotaging themselves. If that's their plan, it's working because I know I will not be buying anything from them anytime soon. 

Dragon Age: Inquistion Looks Like They're Actually Listening To The Fans About What They Want

Truly, I was skeptical after what I felt was a bit of a fiasco with Dragon Age II. However, after reading this article, while I am still reserving judgement until I see the finished product; this seems like a step in the right direction. It sounds like BioWare is actually listening to the fans about what they want to make a great Dragon Age game. You can look at all the pretty screen shots and read all about it in this article here: http://www.gamespot.com/pax/dragon-age-inquisition-says-goodbye-to-claustrophobia-hello-to-tactical-combat-6413921/

A Look At Thief 4 PS4 Gameplay

This is a very cool look at some of the Thief 4 gameplay on the PS4 and there are great interviews after the demo about the game overall. You can check it out here:

Great Follow Up Article About The Copyrights Issue with NBC/SyFy Heroes Of Cosplay

This is a great follow up article about the whole issue with the Heroes Of Cosplay copyright infringement mess. It gives a lot of great insight and information about how copyrights work and what your rights and the other person's rights are. Definitely give it a read here: http://bgzstudios.com/blog/photography/protecting-yourselves-legally-cosplayer-and-photographer-copyrights/

Oh, What A Surprise Heroes Of Cosplay Is Getting Sued For Copyright Infringement

As mentioned in my review of Heroes Of Cosplay, a big issue for me was the fact that they were using cosplay photographs without getting proper authorization and permission from the photographers, even going so far as to remove the watermarks from the pictures when they posted them on their Facebook page. Now, it looks as if the piper has come a calling because they are getting sued for copyright infringement. I knew this was coming, it was only a matter of time. What amazes me is that the executive producers and people who run SyFy thought they could get away with ANY of this without legal repercussions.
You can read all about it in this insightful article Heroes Of Copyright Infringement right here: http://bgzstudios.com/blog/photography/heroes-of-copyright-infringement-the-photographer-litigation-against-syfy/

Persona 4 Arena Sequel Is Happening

It looks like Persona 4 Arena is getting a sequel and adding playable characters from Persona 3. I love the Persona series and I'm quite excited about this. You can check out the article with more links to spiffy screen shots and more information here: http://gematsu.com/2013/08/persona-4-arena-sequel-announced

Why I Was Not Impressed With Heroes Of Cosplay

 Plain and simple, after checking out tonight's episode of Heroes Of Cosplay I had a bad taste in my mouth.  It just seemed like yet another reality show, but it missed the point of cosplay. While I know the people on the show had no control over the editing, it was disappointing to see them only focus on the competition aspect of it and not showcase the cosplayers who also do it because they love it and have fun doing it. Many of my friends who cosplay come up with some amazing and great costumes. Some compete and some do it for fun, but both love it and enjoy themselves. I really didn't see a lot of joy on this show. I saw a lot of drama, negativity, and judging the other person because they didn't agree with their cosplay choice.
 I know it's for TV and it's "scripted", but it would have been nice to see some positive things, such as how encouraging cosplayers can be and supportive of each other about costume choices, or how helpful they can be when asked about how to make a cosplay better or more cost efficient without missing out on making a great costume. Instead, it was essentially The Jersey Shore of cosplay and it was awful. To have the only good thing be Yaya Han with an amazing League Of Legends cosplay by the way, does not make for a good show. There's also the factor that Mark Cronin, an executive producer of the show basically dismissed male cosplayers in a TV Guide interview by stating that their costumes were simpler because it's just body armor, capes, and weaponry and the female cosplayers were more interesting, sexy, and cool.  Seriously? Tell that to one of my friends who MAKES his own armor and weapons, actual chain mail and the like. Trust me, there's no simple about it. Both genders put a lot of work into their cosplay, there isn't one is better than the other. Just from that statement alone, I should have known this show was in trouble and not going to be done right at all.
 Then there's this wonderful stunt that Syfy pulled:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=615451091819119&set=a.394389740591923.99759.387115251319372&type=1&theater
 That's right. They used the photographers' photos WITHOUT permission and they knew exactly what they were doing, as they cropped them so the watermarks did not show on the page, and did not give them credit or get a copyright release from them. They did it to at least seven photographers that we know of. Of course the people who they blatantly STOLE from were angry and they had every right to be. Not only does this show an outrageous show of disrespect to the cosplay community as well as the photographers' whose work they ripped off, it's mind boggling that they thought they could get away with it without anyone noticing! The only one who actually took the time to try and make it right was Yaya Han who stated on her fan page that she had immediately informed Syfy's PR department about it and was doing everything in her power to make sure that the photographers did get credit for their work.
 I like Yaya Han. She comes across as genuinely kind, loves cosplay as much as her fans, and unlike Syfy's craptastic PR department, cares about doing the right thing. This is why I really wanted to like this show. I really did. I was pleased to see she was doing this show about cosplay, but after watching this first episode and seeing that Syfy apologized on their page only AFTER they were caught and informed (But let's face it, they KNOW the rules about copyright infringement) that hey, it's bad to steal an artist's work, not even the fantastic Yaya Han can convince me to watch.  It's really a shame, because they had an opportunity to do something great and showcase all the aspects of cosplay and what it means to those who enjoy and love it. Instead, they went the let's be gigantic a-holes route and behaved pretty damn shamefully.
 So, no I will not be watching this again. One episode was enough.

Peter Capaldi as The next Doctor

I had been seeing rumors and hearing whispers about Peter Capaldi being the next Doctor for Doctor Who. Now, it's official. Peter Capaldi is the 12th Doctor and I'm excited. I will miss Matt Smith, because he proved those who said he was too young very wrong by doing a fantastic job. My favorite episode is still the Vincent Van Gogh episode, Vincent And The Doctor because it is moving, it is warm, and Matt Smith and Tony Curran played off each other so well, that it was just a great episode.
So I am looking forward to what Peter Capaldi will bring to the table as the next Doctor. As for those who say Capaldi is too old, don't forget that William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, and John Pertwee were also older when they played The Doctor. Give Capaldi a chance with an open mind before you decide whether or not he's right for the part.
I am looking forward to the 50th anniversary in November and seeing what kind of Doctor Peter Capaldi will be. 

Neil Gaiman Does A Video Game? Count Me In!

Neil Gaiman is doing his first video game, Wayward Manor. I'm stoked about this as I love Neil Gaiman's stories and this sounds quite promising. You can read all about it here: http://mashable.com/2013/07/25/neil-gaiman-game/

Destiny, Looking Quite Impressive

A few of my friends have asked me what my thoughts are on the upcoming video game Destiny developed by Bungie and published by Activision. The artwork from the screen shots look gorgeous, the trailer looked great and it does look promising. My one concern was that it's a first person shooter, but that's a minor detail mainly for me because of the horrible motion sickness and vertigo I get from trying to play in first person perspective. I can't even watch in first person perspective because that gets me too.
 Now after having said that, I watched the official game play video, I am blown away. The camera doesn't do that jumpy, jerky movement that so many FPS games do which means it's possible that I might be able to play this game for short periods of time without worrying about raging nausea. That's great for me. Then, you have epic battles, great musical score, and an incredibly creative fantastic world full of all kinds of creatures. The weapons they showed are pretty amazing too as well as the ships that were featured in the video. It looks like a lot of work has been put into making Destiny a game that is truly worthy of those who love science fiction, fantasy, and a great story with excellent game play. So, what do I think of Destiny? I think it's incredible and looking quite impressive. I can't wait for its release date so I can try it out for myself. You can check out more about the game on the Destiny website here: http://www.destinythegame.com/ In the meantime, you can  check out the official game play video trailer here:

Microsoft's Feedback Update on Xbox One

After what seemed like several missteps by Microsoft with their next gen console Xbox One, they shared an update on their Xbox Wire site titled Your Feedback Matters penned by Interactive Entertainment Business president Don Mattrick. In the letter, it talks about the changes they have made in their policies with the new console such as, being able to play used games on it and not requiring an internet connection to play which will allow gamers to continue to buy and trade used games as they do with the Xbox 360.  It looks like a step in the right direction and we shall see how sales for both the Xbox One and the PS4 go after their release and if they are truly listening to their gaming customers.  You can read the full letter here: http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update

Just For Laughs, Used Game Instructional Video

PlayStation posted a video titled Used Game Instructional Video and after watching it I laughed a lot. I watched it a second time and laughed some more because it is quite amusing and true. You can check out the short yet hilarious video here:

Final Fantasy XV E3 Trailer

The E3 Trailer for Final Fantasy XV definitely looks promising and quite impressive. I'm actually excited about this Final Fantasy game. After my disappointment with 13 and 14, I wasn't sure I would feel that excitement for a Final Fantasy game again. Final Fantasy XV got me excited and impressed me just from what is shown in the trailer and that's a great thing. I watched the trailer twice because it was just that fantastic. You can check out the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1sP6LMgo88

Xbox One: This Makes It A Definite No For Me

 Sorry, but I've seen all the Terminator movies. I've seen Space Odyssey. I've read Nineteen Eighty Four and Fahrenheit 451. If you have seen and read these, you know as well as I do how those panned out. So after reading this article about how the Kinect for the Xbox One will be in a default always on mode a la Big Brother, this is a definite no for me. I truly want to know who in the hell thought this was a good idea.
 On the one hand, it's like a dream come true for the developers because it lets them rest easy in the assumption that everyone will have a Kinect. On the other hand, being spied upon and judged ALL the time by the glassy stare of that camera like a crazed Hal does not seem like a lot of fun. Your only option would be to just unplug the darn thing at this point.
 I don't even like it when people talk to me while I'm in the bathroom, so there's no way I would be okay with being watched all the time by the Xbox One Kinect. I'm sure there are many others who feel the same way. Look, I get it. Microsoft feels they have to get a big, solid jump on the competition. However, there are  are far too many privacy and ethics issues about this that I for one, am just not comfortable with. So until they address those issues, they're not getting a dime from me for this console.
 You can check out the article on it here: http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/156515-kinect-for-xbox-one-an-always-on-works-in-the-dark-camera-and-microphone-what-could-possibly-go-wrong

Xbox One Revealed, A Bit Disappointing For Me

I admit as I've gotten older I've gotten a bit more selective about what games I play on our various consoles and computers. This is also true about movies I watch. I really think about whether or not something is worth spending money on. After reading about the Xbox One, I have come to the conclusion that Microsoft is not getting money from me this year. Honestly, I'm thinking that I will skip this years generation of consoles.
I don't like being forced to buy something, but that's what's happening with the Xbox One. The Kinect is now no longer an optional feature, instead if you want an Xbox One you also have to sign up for the Kinect. I didn't even like being forced to have Windows on my computer with no choice of any other program okay?  Windows knows I tolerate it on my computer and behaves accordingly.
 I don't use a gaming console to Skype, watch TV, or use Hulu. I have a computer. I watch TV on my computer or on our TV. While it does look pretty flashy over all with all its bells and whistles, I confess I am disappointed. They talk about all the spiffy things it does for voice integration, TV watching, and internet stuff, but there isn't a single mention about the one thing that matters to gamers like myself, the video games. Extras are great and everything, but where is the focus on the gamers?  It's as if they didn't consider the gamers at all in this. Sure, it looks like a very nice flashy DVR that does everything but make me toast, but there didn't seem to be any mention of what kind of games it would play or what they would have lined up for it. They mention cloud gaming, but that's it. What about regular games? What about used games? Where do they fit in or do they fit in at all?  I'm really not sure about the voice integration either. I have better conversations with our dog and all he does is sit there while looking at me adoringly, wagging his tail the whole time.
 If you want a gamer like me to drop money on your console or your games you know, you really have to focus on the gaming aspect. I don't care about bells and whistles. I care about games that appeal to my interests, that are great with storytelling, good game controls, and fun game play on a console that runs great without any technical issues. I do not need what is essentially the Swiss army knife of gaming consoles.
 So yes, the Xbox One (seriously, this is the name? It's a bit underwhelming) reveal is a bit disappointing for me. However, it's still early so we'll see what else they do with it and see if they do mention any games for it, but I do believe that for now I'll be skipping this gaming console. What about you dear readers? Do you like the Xbox One, dislike it, or are you on the fence about it?
 You can check out the article I read from BBC News about it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22620039

Aisha Tyler Is Awesome Or I Can Relate To This As A Gamer And A Nerd (Yes, No Girl In There Anywhere)

 I think Aisha Tyler is funny, smart, and awesome. She got even more awesome in my book when she responded to the haters about how she knew nothing about gaming with this poetic gem which you can read here: http://www.policymic.com/articles/37557/aisha-tyler-to-haters-i-don-t-need-to-do-it-for-the-money

 I love it.  Sure, she could have ignored it, but she chose to school them on what happens when you make snap judgments and assumptions about people. Yes, the story is from last year, but it has gone viral and it hits home with me. I'll tell you why.
  I can't count how many times I've been challenged on my knowledge of video games and comic books. Sometimes I've even been challenged on my science-fiction and fantasy knowledge. Those are things that I love, that I've loved since I was kid yet I've been accused of knowing nothing about said passions. Then I've had demands, yes demands to PROVE my knowledge. The sad part is it's usually some elitist male who thinks he's going to stump the "cute girl" by rapid firing trivia questions at her smug in the assumption that he'll be victorious and humiliate her in front of all his friends. Boy, are they disappointed when they meet me. One of them actually cried on me, claiming I cheated. Right, as if that's the answer.
 It couldn't be because my favorite uncle introduced me to the world of comics and let me read many of the comics in his collection, including the MAGE comics which hooked me for the rest of my life on comics. It couldn't be because my grandparents finally decided that yes my brother and I would get a NES for Christmas and we played the heck out of that thing. It couldn't be because I discovered Legend Of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest on that system and loved them. It couldn't be because my grandmother let me read every single science-fiction and fantasy novel lining all the shelves in her house growing up or her watching those film genres with me. No, it couldn't be that at all. It must be because I cheated, because I'm just a dumb girl.
 Every time this happens, I sigh inwardly because it shouldn't happen at all. It shouldn't matter that I'm a woman. It shouldn't matter that any female is female when it comes to all the awesome geek things out there. I don't need to feel like I'm on a damn quiz show because a male person needs convincing that I'm actually a gamer, comic book nerd, or Sci-fi/Fantasy lover. It's not cool and frankly, it's rude.
 I also get mildly irritated when there's an assumption made that I don't play things like Metal Gear, God Of War,  Assassin's Creed, Thief, etc. or that I only read super girly comics. I'm sure other women get tired of this too, because it sucks and a great deal of the time it simply isn't true. I LOVE Metal Gear, God Of War, Halo, and the like. I don't like girly comics. They're not my thing. I'm more of a super hero, zombies, macabre, and giant freaking robots comics kind of person.
 I just wish people wouldn't label it in terms of "Girl Gamer", "Male Gamer", "Girl Geek", and what not. I'm simply a gamer and a nerd. I love playing video games on ALL the systems out there and I have myself a good time playing. I love comic books and I deserve to be in that comic book shop without being stared at like I'm a unicorn. I love Sci-fi and I love Fantasy and I should be able to enjoy it without any hassle.
 Please note, I didn't say all males do this. My husband shares many of my passions which is not only awesome, it's fun getting to play Tekken or Soul Calibur with him, and many other games. It's also fantastic to have someone to discuss things like Walking Dead or Doctor Who with. However, too many males have done this to us women and far too often. It should not be an issue that someone is a man or a woman. Just enjoy that you have a passion for some of the same awesome nerd things and leave it at that. Just gamers, comic book lovers, and the like. That's it. 

Thief Interview

 I love the Thief series and I'm definitely counting down to the new game's arrival. If you haven't already, you should like the Thief Facebook page because it has a lot of great information on the game and exclusive interviews that are fantastic like this one from Hannah of Yogcast. You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Le4lJe5tEpc#!

And the Thief Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/Thief?fref=ts

Thief Out Of The Shadows Trailer

I love the Thief games and after watching the trailer for the new Thief game twice I am excited. It looks fantastic and I can not wait for it to get here so I can play. You can check out the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpUUfRIhPIw&feature=youtu.be