Archives
Archived Currently Playing:
Currently Playing:
(Updated July 20, 2020)
Currently Playing:
(Updated April 30, 2020)
I finished Death Stranding to 100% and earned the Platinum Trophy! (Can this game truly be completed to 100%?) Hideo Kojima is such a visionary!
I have not had much time to game since finishing Death Stranding, just 30 minutes here and there. Therefore, I rebooted my copy of Samurai Warriors 4-II. It is the perfect game to pick up, play a battle or two, and get back to adulting. I really love the Samurai Warriors series and still have my copies of Samurai Warriors I and II on PS2! It is hard for me to believe I have had Samurai Warrior 4-II since 2018, and I haven't completed more than 30%. Well, time to change this - battle by battle.
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P.S. I am still slightly mad that Nintendo held Samurai Warriors III hostage and that Samurai Warriors 4 and 4-II do not have English dubs! How on EARTH are we supposed to keep up with the fast pace of the action AND read the subtitles to get a sense of the story and flow of battle.
Come on Koei! English dubs please!
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I am still playing Death Stranding. Hideo Kojima is such a visionary! The themes and gameplay centered around human connection during a time of fear and isolation is PERFECT for our current day. I looked up some of the game's criticism and it seems in November 2019, some players found the NPCs difficult to connect with because there were only interacting with hologram projections and not face-to-face. Fast forward to April 2020, and our connection with others is through Zoom and phone calls for our own protection, much like the game. So far, I am finding Death Stranding to be fantastic. I hope I can meet the great Hideo Kojima one day. I am thankful for him and all he done for gaming.
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When I first started Death Stranding, I was also playing Civilization 6. I am a huge Civ 4 fan, but I skipped Civ 5. This made Civ 6 tough to get into. There's so much for me to learn as none of my instincts developed in Civ 4 seem to do me much good. I will get back to it once I finish Death Stranding.
Currently Playing:
(Updated October 5, 2020)
September and the start of October have been extremely busy for me. I haven't had the time or headspace to start a new game or get started on my gaming backlog. :-( Instead, I have been playing a game that allows me to fully space out (pun intended): No Man's Sky!
I know, I know... Hello Games and Sean Murray caught a lot of flack in 2016 when No Man's Sky released. However, I have always liked the game because I found it to be relaxing. I like the exploration and I was actually disappointed when more space battles and aggressiveness were added over the years. The game has changed dramatically since 2016 and I have been amazed at how much free new content Hello Games has delivered to the community. I have played No Man's Sky sporadically over the years and each time I boot it up, the game world and features have changed so much, I pretty much have to learn the game all over again. Wow.
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Next on the Backlog: When I do have the time to truly start a new game, Jedi Fallen Order is next up!
Currently Playing:
(Updated November 21, 2020)
Lately, I have been playing Far Cry 5 and replaying Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Next up on my list is Persona 5!
With Far Cry 5, I appreciate the opportunity to play as a woman and the limited customization options. I ABSOLUTELY did not appreciate Jacob's territory and all of the forced cut-scene advancement. One of the reasons I enjoy sandbox games is the ability to move at my own pace. I did not like that being taken away. I also think choosing to be non-violent should be a valid option in some of the situations. It takes a lot of skill and calmness under pressure to take a nonviolent route in some of the scenes in this game. I wish that would have been recognized.
I am replaying Ninja Theory's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice to review it with a group of fellow gamers on the Pink Gamer Series. Hellblade explores Viking culture, mental illness, social isolation, and other themes not often found in gaming. I am really looking forward to discussing the game with other gamers.
Currently Playing:
(Updated February 19, 2021)
Current Playlist:
(Updated February 19, 2021)
Archived Playlists:
Current Playlist:
(Updated July 20, 2020)
Current Playlist:
(Updated May 7, 2020)
Current Playlist:
(Updated November 21, 2020)
During game development this month, I have been listened to Missy Elliott pretty much everyday. Missy helps me stay creative! I also caught up on Syleena Johnson's body of work. I have her first three albums and they never get old! Syleena is extremely talented. I GREATLY enjoyed catching up on the rest of her work and just admiring the great gifts she shares with the world.
Here are some of the collaborations I dreamed about:
Missy Elliott and Solange
Missy Elliott and Chaka Khan
Syleena Johnson and Chaka Khan
Syleena Johnson and Anita Baker
Missy Elliott and Jhene Aiko
​Missy Elliott and Maxwell (because NO ONE expects that!)
Syleena Johnson and Ledisi
Syleena Johnson and Rahsaan Patterson
Missy Elliott, Syleena Johnson, Ledisi, Jill Scott, Marsha Ambrosius, Rachelle Ferrell, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey super collab!
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During game development this week, I've been playing Toni Braxton's full lineup. You are welcome for the following:
For Seven Whole Days, I have been playing the Spanish Guitar trying to Un-break My Heart. Always left wondering How Can An Angel Break My Heart. I'm just trying to Breathe Again and Just be a [wo]Man About It. But at the end of the day, I need to Let It Flow and Hit the Freeway while I focus on The Little Things. I hear a polar vortex is on the way, but Long As I Live... I Wish for The Heat. Yesterday, I talked to my Best Friend In the Late of Night about how My Heart was Coping. She said "Woman, I Heart You, How Many Ways can people Hurt You"? Then I woke up and realized it was all just Another Sad Love Song. It was time to get back to working on my game. I knew I should just Do It, but I Didn't Want To; however, my Hands [were] Tied. Finishing this game Mean[s] the World To Me.
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My friends know that I am a HUGE Chaka Khan fan. The fabulous Ms. Chaka Khan is having a Thanksgiving Day special! She will open up her vault of music and let us hear some rarities in addition to our favorites. Costs about $12 to join and I am all in! (All in like Ms. Patti LaBelle invited me over for dinner!) Check it our here: https://chakakhan.com/2020-vision
Beyond my excitement for Ms. Chaka opening up her vault of music for us, I am getting the Christmas music ready for heavy rotation. Each year, I put together a new Christmas playlist. Given the craziness of 2020, I want this year's Christmas list to be a special bright spot.
Current Playlist:
(Updated February 19, 2021)
I finally bought Brandy's album, B7! I look forward to listening to it as I work on my game.
I also picked up a few other albums:
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Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics by Aretha Franklin
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Archived Last Movie Watched:
Last Movie Watched:
(Updated July 20, 2020)
Last Movie Watched:
(Updated April 30, 2020)
Last Movie Watched:
(Updated October 5, 2020)
Last Movie Watched:
(Updated February 19, 2021)
Last Movie Watched:
(Updated August 3, 2021)
I watched The Old Guard on Netflix. It was ok. I always enjoy seeing Charlize Theron punch folks in the face. I also like how Netflix is casting more Black women actresses in their originals (Kiki Layne in the Old Guard and Toya Turner in Warrior Nun). Still, we are all watching their court battle with Mo'Nique. I am a strong believer in equal pay and equal opportunities. I hope Netflix is now paying Black women on par with other women at the same talent level and acclaim... AND that Netflix is paying all womenx the same as men with comparable talent levels and acclaim. Equality is Equality is Equality which means Equality.
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Mermaid Down on Amazon Prime. I don't really get what I just watched...especially the ghost. Why was there a ghost? It was a decent film to watch during lockdown - if you want a story about what happens when immoral people catch a mermaid, and don't mind the random ghost.
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I watched Project Power on Netflix. I generally love all things that are superheroes films and animations, so I was excited to tune in. The animal DNA powers in a pill was an interesting plot. I really liked the casting choices of Jamie Foxx and Dominique Fishback. Without a doubt, I recommend giving Project Power a watch.
However, shortly after watching Project Power I started watching The Boys season 2. All edginess in Project Power suddenly seemed inadequate. The Boys is just absolutely insane.
I have been watching Wanda Vision and I am loving every minute! I know, I know... It is a Disney+ series and not a movie, but it is just fantastic! It's been great going back and watching past episodes to try to catch all of the "Easter Eggs" and meta-hints dropped. I am frustrated that the episodes are released weekly instead of all at once. That drove me a tad crazy when I watched "The Boys" as well. However, I get that Disney just wants us to extend our subscriptions.
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I watched Netflix's Gunpower Milkshake over the weekend. While there was some decent music in the film, I was HIGHLY disappointed that neither Kelis nor her hit song Milkshake made an appearance. It is almost criminal to not have Kelis' Milkshake in a film called "Gunpower Milkshake."
One positive insight: Gunpower Milkshake had a budget of $30 million. If they can raise $30 million for that film, Seraph 7 can definitely raise $5 million for our game. Perhaps we should reach out to Netflix...