Silent Hill: Homecoming

Contrary to what this image may imply, grabbing the enemy's boob is not going to help you defeat them.

I had followed the Silent Hill series since it was first released, well I don't know, back in my high school days? It freaked the crap out of me and I loved it. None of those Resident Evil cheap scare and gore tactics for me please. Silent Hill was the type of game that will leave you spooked enough to want to keep your bedroom door locked at night long after you played the game. When Silent Hill 4: The Room came out after a long wait, I was much elated to finally be able to play the game. Then I was much disappointed at the rather no-brainer plot and drastic control changes which seem to be only loosely connected to Silent Hill. So I was thinking, after all the wrong they done to the series in SH4, they would at least have bothered to redeem themselves in the next installment, Silent Hill: Homecoming (SH5). WRONG! Nevermind they'd only released Silent Hill: 0rigins for PSP, which left me much pissed, but SH5 turned out to be quite an angry disappointment.

OK maybe I have no right to complain since I resorted to downloading the PC version which took me hours to troubleshoot and then eventually, me buying the pirated version which also had the same bugs as the downloaded version. So again, nevermind. Bottomline was I managed to get the game to work: clever me. Firstly, I was much pleased that the graphic have obviously went through a major improvement since the last installment. But that's where the good things end, no thanks to Konami switching over production from Team Silent to Foundation 9 Entertainment and Double Helix in the US. Leave it to the Americans to spoil the game. For some reason they seem to think more monsters mean better gameplay. When will they ever learn that they should leave horror to the Japanese? There are so many monsters swarming every setting, that their mis-happened nightmarish appearances ceases to scare you but become annoying obstacles. And as if that wasn't enough, they seem to possess some kind of fatality move that if you don't mash your mouse fast enough(which is usually the case considering how difficult it is to maneuver with a mouse and keyboard), leaves you dead without being able to even put up a fight. And believe me, dying 5 times in a row on the same setting just leaves you exasperated rather than wishing to continue. Considering I have always loved the way the series allows you to explore and figure out creative ways to get around, the throngs of monsters swarming you like bitches in heat just makes that impossible.

And that's not all I want to rant about. I mean, what kind of dumb plot is it anyway that SH5 has? It's like they couldn't decide to go with an independent psychological horror which is what SH2 was or that they should stick with the often vague cultish connections first introduced in SH1. In the end, they ended up with yet another SH4-like storyline with thin plots, loosely tied with Silent Hill. If it is not because I procured the game through, ahem, "unofficial" means, I would be throwing up a ruckus in demanding my money back for this poor excuse of a continuance in the Silent Hill franchise. If Konami has any intention in keeping the series alive, they would have the next installment done by Team Silent again. Americans... MEH!

In Memoriam

Natasha Richardson
1963 - 2009

Don't Blame The Video Games

If anyone has been reading the New Straits Times today, you will be coming across the headlines "Are you doing this to your child?" with an cheapskate clip-art silhouette of a child and hastily montaged images of "violent video games" forming the child's brain. What is being implied of course is that video games are the source of violence and aggression in today's young. Hell, they are not really implying, but making outright claims that this is INDEED so.

I used to be an avid fan of video games, especially in my teenage years and early adulthood. I have many fond memories of running all-nighters to finish Diablo I and Dungeon Keeper. So I find these accusations that video games are the main cause of violent behaviour in the young ridiculous, even if there are scientific studies to prove that it might be so. I have randomly shot, bludgeoned and blown up things in games like Quake, Blood, Silent Hill and Resident Evil, but I think I grew up fine, if you discount the fact I am gay. Call it disturbing, but I laughed till I was in stitches while playing one of Quake III's free for all "fragging" modes online. My user handle: Sister Mary Jones. But no, I have never acted out any violent behaviours despite my penchant for violent video games.

Sure, granted, the random thought of wanting to decapitate some offending moron does come occasionally to my head but I think the more important thing here is the ability to make choices. And that, most of society would agree is what puts us above other living creatures. What impairs one's ability to make a simple choice of not acting like the jackass in the Virgina Tech shootings is plain ignorance. Maybe in his case, it was just evolution running its course in rooting out dead ends, unfortunate as it is for the rest who ended up as collateral damage. And I don't think those retards who sexually assault their own children and sisters got their inspiration from video games either.

So please, the next time your child acts like a loser, don't blame it on the video games. Start asking yourself whether you are bringing up your kid the right way instead. It's not the fault of the video games for doing the parenting instead of YOU.

Quote Me

"So you were just methodically going through it like a clockwork? Insert coin for f*ck?" - on non-exciting sex.

"You DO NOT pick up stuff from the floor and put it in your mouth no matter how much time have transpired. I repeat: YOU DO NOT. EVER. Unless it’s a very expensive pill." - on retrieving food that has fallen to the floor.

"It's Chinese New Year in 3 weeks, my birthday in 2 - I want to look good enough to f*ck myself by then" - obsessing with the physical appearance.

"I love Stephanie Meyer's Twilight, it helps with my bowel movements." - on Stephenie Meyer's gruesome piece.

"Get a room. And your boyfriend is gay." - to a couple publicly displaying their affection on Valentine's Day.

"I am not sending your Siti (Nurhaliza cd) through normal post - it might get lost, which is not altogether a bad thing." - on how much I care about that 'gadis menyampah dari kampung'.

"Exes are best served in a coffin with a stake through the heart." - on exes.

"Oh that's not too hard if you like oysters..." - on oral sex with a female.

Dream Log

*Missing memory*

I was in someone's house. It looked familiar because it looked somewhat like my house but I knew it wasn't mine but I somehow knew it belonged to a friend of mine. My friend's mom and another friend was cleaning a room, and I knew there were drugs in it. Somehow I just couldn't be bothered and I just lay there on the couch reading.

*Missing memory*

Somehow, friend's mom had not come across the drugs, because the other friend had hidden it. The other friend whom moments ago I could not identify now seem to have a face of an old schoomate. We were at the seaside, with the water up to our waists. He just began getting rid of the drugs which turned out to be cocaine by dumping it into the sea.

"How did you manage to evade the mom?" I asked.

"Just kept it out of her sight." he replied.

"Seems like such a waste to be getting rid of it like this..." I said impassively as I dumped a whole packet of the stuff into the sea.

*Missing memory*

We were at this strange pool by the sea. Someone appeared to be drowning in it. We could see him struggling underneath. Schoolmate jumps in and pulls him out after much difficulty. Drowning guy denied he was drowning and claims he was a diving instructor. Schoolmate and I leave, with me feeling much disgusted that he didn't even appear thankful. Schoolmate is sympathetic and decides we should go KFC so we did. Except KFC did not look like any regular KFC. It had a lot of funny stuff there which doesn't appear on the real world menu though I can no longer recall what it was. I just recalled I wanted the ordinary snack plate but the queue was long.

*Missing memory*

I was back at friend's place, where the drugs were. Friend turns out to be Laynie. I was lazing on the bed telling her how thankful she should be that we manage to hide the smack from her mom but she just laughs and made dismissive gestures.

Fragments I

It's one of those days, when I want to blog but yet I can't bring myself to do it because my head is full of disjointed and incoherent thoughts. I can't focus on one topic and elaborate on it. Then I thought, who the hell cares because it's MY blog, so screw coherency. In the words of a former blog I used to visit almost religiously - but enough about you. ME. ME. ME. ME. Oh look, still me. Damn it, if you're reading this, please start blogging again.

Ants

Ants share a common ancestor with wasps and bees. They are the ultimate feminist's dream. A whole colony of females where males only function as a necessity to procreate. They are rather industrious and hardy little creatures, toiling day and night. All in the name of their queen. And they are everywhere in my home - my bathroom, my kitchen, my desk, my bedroom. Christ, what are they invading me for? My flat is so devoid of food, you would think it's Ethiopia... or maybe North Korea. They seem to avoid the ant bait, and insecticide is just as good as America's promise of hunting down Osama bin Laden. The funny thing is, they seem periodic. Occasionally they would vanish for a month or two, and they will be back again in full force. But meanwhile, I have to bear with their annoying presence. Did I mention they seem to have a taste for mouthwash?

Status

Facebook's user status is fun. I don't care what the hell some bitter sociopath have to say about it. It's fun. FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN!!! Alright, fine - it helps pass time in a company where instant messaging programs are blocked. If that doesn't sound incredulous, it gets un-blocked at exactly 12pm to 2pm and then from 5pm to 9am the next day. It's like as if they are control feeding their employees. It's 2pm, time for your daily dose of online communication. Eat up my little guinea pigs! The ridiculous thing is, the analysts have free reign over usage of instant messaging programs, supposedly to "communicate with the clients". In any case, I have been here for 2 years and the pressure to move on is growing, especially when the company seem to have changed their business direction and left their designers out of their plans. Now all we seem to be good for in the office is just shifting stuff around. Four years in university and degree worth RM60,000 and I end up a coolie. Fuck my life. And thank you Captain Najib Obvious for finally admitting the economy is screwed, therefore making the chances for brighter opportunities elsewhere slimmer.

Age

It seems I am not the only one feeling the death throes of youth. An ex-classmate laments how scary it is that he is nearing 30 while he reminisces how it didn't seem so long ago that we were back in school crazy about console games. Another groans that we didn't used to have to worry about things like sustaining a job and finances. An Indian ex-schoolmate (with a overbearing personality and potty mouth and yes I am adding these because I don't like her and also because it's all true) whines how it seem like yesterday that she was still 16. What does she have to complain about, she's just 27. Not taking lightly the humour of me charting her life from being a swamped mother of teenagers to old wrinkly hag, she asked me if my life was that miserable. I am gay and hating it, no longer young, still single because all gay men are too fucked up to maintain a relationship, stuck with a dead end job but still having to be thankful to have one due to the economy, closeted because mummy dearest would be suicidal if she knows and I live alone because I can't even find the time to have pets. She (Indian ex-schoolmate) is lucky I don't drug her and hack her legs off like Kathy Bates in Misery.

Take A Bow

After 8 years of great memories and bringing performing arts in KL to a whole new level, the Actor's Studio Bangsar has finally closed its curtains for good on 28 February 2009. Apparently after all the renovation at Bangsar Shopping Centre, the management just did not include the theatre in its plans. Though founders Datuk Faridah Merican and Joe Hasham have said they will be looking for a new place, nothing much is solid yet. They still have their branch over at Penang, but it will rather be a great pity if they're not continuing here. One can still remember the anguish when the flood a few years back pretty much wrecked Actor's Studio main headquarters over at Dayabumi which in turn gave the branch at Bangsar much more prominence. Of course, there are still other venues of performing arts which are gaining popularity nowadays like KLPAC and the Istana Budaya, but it just wouldn't be same without Actor's Studio. Let's pray they will continue on.

My Debut Album/Make Me A Rock Band

Another silly meme, courtesy of Alexander the Gay. It sounded fun, what can I say? Though I have mixed feelings about the result though...

Here are the rules:

1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote on the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop, GIMP, Inkscape, or similar to put it all together.

And my result:



What does this look like to you? Feels like one of those struggling Indie bands to me, which comes up with those music that they feel is artistic and intelligent while everyone else can't make heads or tails of. And the band would probably think you're a brainwashed capitalist dog if you don't understand them. On the other hand, it could be something along the lines of U2 or The Script.

In case anyone is wondering, the name of the band is the name of an asteroid while the album name was derived from a quote by Harry S. Truman. If you're reading this, you're considered tagged.