wmoyer83

For, it had to be Final Fantasy 7. Long ago, in the far back past of 1996, I was just a wee lad. My neighborhood friends were the ones who introduced me to Final Fantasy with the two games on SNES (4&6). So that really primed me for the 'JRPG' experience. I had never played a RPG before, so the concept of 'leveling up' and exploring a entire world was such a unique experience from the typical 'platformer' or 'beat em up' games I was used to. When the marketing blitz for this game hit, I was hooked. I remember the lead up to its release very well, even though it was been almost a lifetime ago. Every time my mom would go grocery shopping I would go with her so I could stroll to the magazine racks, looking to see if there was a new edition of Gamepro, EGM, or even Gamefan magazine (remember that?) with any new screenshots or information. I grew up in a low income household, so dropping $50 on a new PS game out of the blue was completely out of the question. So when September 7th, 1997 rolled up, I was always lingering in the Wal-Mart video game section, drooling at the sealed copies behind the sliding glass door.

If I remember correctly, I finally remember being able to actually play the game maybe a two months later, sometime before Thanksgiving. I went with my father to the grocery store (which was kind of my favorite thing to do), and since I was doing better in school, my dad let me rent a game at the local video game store. I had tried to rent FF7 a few times before, but for those of us who grew up in the 90s, finding a hot new release at a video rental store was a exercise in futility. I actually remember the two failed attempts at renting FF7 and the games I chose as back ups: Jet Moto and Blazing Dragons. I can not express the feelings of disappointment playing those games instead of Final Fantasy 7.

I was able to rent the game for the weekend, and I think I got to the 2nd disc when I had to return it. You can not understand the level of disappointment having to return something you have coveted for that long as a kid. I finally got the game for Christmas later that year, and I probably restarted it again after I beat it. Then sometime after that, we had internet access and I figured out how to beat all of the Weapons and secret materia and all of the fun side stuff.

Funny enough I am actually playing this game again, this time on Steam. I know this game like the back of my hand, so it's sort of more of something I do just to enjoy the ambience of, more so than 'play' in the sense of being a challenge. I honestly do not know if I will ever feel the way about video games than I did in the PS/N64 era. There were so many games in that era that just blew me away. Everything from Goldeneye, Tomb Raider, Ocarina Of Time, the list goes on and on. Final Fantasy 7 will always be the pinnacle of that era for me, and more than likely my number 1 most favorite video game of all time.

I can not say I have been with Giant Bomb since day one, I started really becoming a avid fan around 2012, but I definitely was around since day one for the Giant BeastCast. It became my #1 podcast for its entirety. To be completely honest I favored it over the Bombcast. I am tremendously saddened that it is gone. I have grown fond of everyone on this site, I do not need to list them all, you know already who they are. Silver lining is I guess I can go back into the Bombcast full time now. It really sucks seeing all these people but Giant Bomb will always have my support.

And lets be honest, most people grow and move on after being in one spot for so long. Things will be different, but that is not always a bad thing.

Wonder Woman 1984

1/5

Convoluted plot, extremely long run time, tons of plot holes, Gal Gadot is a charisma void, and just a all around bland and boring movie. Even on the spectrum of good and bad movies I can find something to enjoy in bad movies. I can not find anything to like in this film. The 80s aesthetic wear thin, the motivations of all the characters don’t exactly make sense, and I struggled to stay awake with this film. By far it is the worst of the current crop of DC films, and ranks amongst the bottom in my opinion of comic book films. A far cry from the original film.

Monster Hunter 3/5

Movie actually impressed me about 3/4th of the way through. It was a mostly simple, non complicated plot that really interweaves Monster Hunter stuff. I kept asking myself “when does this movie get really stupid?” And it does around the last half hour of the film. It’s not too bad, but it really ramps up the Paul W.S. Anderson Resident Evil levels of dumb near the end. It was a decent movie, and honestly one of the better video game adaptations.

I have one episode left to watch of the Umbrella Academy. This show really is the X-Men tv show I have always wanted. It takes same template (a school for children with powers) and fast forwards to them dealing with the fallout of post-superhero life. The series begins with the Umbrella Academy kids (now adults) hesitantly reuniting due to the death of their adoptive father.

Sometimes the plot is not perfect, and it kind of jumps around a lot, the real treat is the character interactions and dysfunction amongst the Umbrella kids. It also has a great soundtrack. If you liked Guardians of the Galaxy or Stranger Things I highly recommend it. It’s a fun show.

I do find it amusing when he mindlessly rants about Vince Russo.

RIP Brodie Lee.

Hitman 3. It’s a very solid series and I have no doubt 3 will be just as good as 1&2.

P5 Strikers maybe, I never really got into Warriors games but the Persona 5 flavor and story makes me want to play it.

For others I put FF16, I have a feeling it will be released holiday 2021. After playing FF7R and DMC5 I am very hyped for that game.

Finish my backlog. I don’t see myself investing in a PS5 or Xbox Series X anytime soon, until 2022 at the earliest. I’m not worried either because I have a lot of cool stuff to play. By the time I’m caught up, both new systems will be considerably cheaper and have a big library to choose from. Cyberpunk really put the nail in the coffin for buying any new releases for a old console.

I am starting to wonder the decision to release this on last gen. I’m playing on base PS4, and it’s actually quitr devious how the game holds together in the opening/prologue part, but once you get Johnny the game falls apart hard and fast. It feels like a roll of the dice if the game will randomly crash or using the UI will cause the game to freeze. There has been times I was driving and the car comes to a complete stop because I get a phone call, and I literally lose control until the call is finished. Such a shame. I feel like there is a good game somewhere here, instead I get this weird fever dream experience of a game.