I’m ready to face reality. To overcome my fears and anxiety. To breathe through the pain of knowing its over. I know that suffering makes us stronger. I have officially accepted…

The end of Rock Band dlc.

You might snicker at how crazy it sounds to feel sad about this, or you might fully understand.

When I realised that there would be no more dlc, with the exception of rbn, I kinda stopped downloading songs because I didn’t want to admit that my Tuesday’s were no longer the best day of the week. New songs were released on Tuesday’s every week for as long as I can remember. Songs were announced the Friday before and you had to wait the whole weekend to buy the next set of songs.

Anyways, I decided to start the process of letting go. I downloaded the Chevelle pack and American Pie.

Rock Band has been with me through many epic life events. I played Rock Band while studying and living on campus at UBC, while traveling to New Zealand, and getting settled in Canada. I have celebrated my birthday with Rock Band parties and spend 24 hours of solid gaming for charity using Rock Band. My local friends think I’m crazy because I love a video game so much, but they’ve come to appreciate that it’s a part of who am.

In my professional life, I have used Rock Band to connect  with children and youth. My experience has been working with children & youth in high-risk front line crisis in safe house for women and children fleeing violence. By playing Rock Band with children & youth, and being genuinely into the rockage, I was able to build trust and start the foundation of my psycho-educational work. Once they trust me, I am able to help them recognize their emotions around the trauma they’ve experienced and help them find their strengths to deal with the here and now. Plus, I support them as they create safety plans in the event that they are witness to violence and abuse in their homes.

I’m pretty open with friends and family about why I wanted to get into this work, now I am going to share a bit here. I lived in the safe house that I work in. When I was a child, I was a child that witnessed abuse and violence. I remember fleeing my dad and running across the county to try and stay safe. When I was 10 years old, we moved to Barrie, Ontario from BC and I spent the entire summer listening to American Pie. I knew every word. I could sing it without the music. I would hide in the attic and hum the song when I got scared. If I was walking to school or the park and I felt nervous I would start singing American Pie. I drove my sister nuts because it was my favorite song and she couldn’t understand why I was listening to such ‘dated’ music. She hated anything I liked because she was 2 years older than me, thus, cooler. So naturally I would torture her by singing it loudly before bed.  I would listen to it through my walkman and sing along, so only I could hear the music blaring in my ears. The look on her face was priceless.

My love for this song lasted about 3 months. Every waking moment, every quiet time, every lonely, sad, and happy experience had American Pie attached to it. When you are 10 years old, 3 whole months feels like a lifetime.

I brought this song back to BC with me when my family tried to reunite again and I kept it close to my heart as my own personal weapon against anything that happened. All I needed to feel safe and happy was my song: American Pie.

For some people, music becomes a huge part of who they are. For most teenagers, the music they listen to defines the decisions they make and the type of life they want to live. For me, music was something I had control over. It was something that no one could take away from me. Of course, it could be restricted (my mom referred to Metallica as ‘devil music’ so she wouldn’t approve of me listening to it). But I always found ways around the restrictions and I listened to the music I liked.

The reason why Harmonix picked American Pie as the last dlc for Rock Band 3 isn’t important to me, but playing the song is huge.

It took me over a month to even download the song. Now that I own the song on Rock Band, it might sit in my library unplayed for months. Or I might play it tomorrow.

(Note: a *walkman is sort of like an iPod).

The post The End of Rock Band written by Midnite Faery appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

Bioshock Infinite is a whirlwind of intricate plot design, stunning graphics, and intense action. This 3^rd installment of the Bioshock series blows the minds of fans & gamers everywhere.

The graphics are beautiful, and attention to detail is brilliant. It being set in the past (1912), the environment is very creative. Columbia: A city in the sky!

There are times when I just stopped to look around because I didn’t want to miss any of the world’s details. I can’t think of any other game I’ve played where there were so many religious & historical elements and cool metaphors. The themes are certainly unique.

The combat is very intense at times and action packed. There are a variety of guns for you to choose from, and a power called a vigor you can use in your left hand. I personally love the combo of magic and weapons; if I get any chance to have both I will. In order to use your vigor you have to have enough salts (which is like mana), so make sure to stock up in between battles. You can loot stuff from bodies, find items and buy supplies in various vending machines. There are also Infusions you can find throughout the game to boost your health, shields, and salts so make sure to find as many as you can as it helps significantly.

My favourite vigor was the Shock Jockey. Zapp!

There are a variety of different enemies in the game. Very unique in their design and all have tricks to beat them.

The huge battle before the ending scenes is crazy intense. It took me a few tries to beat it and definitely requires strategy. Be prepared!

The camera is first person, so people who tend to get motion sickness have caution. I don’t normally get motion sick in games, but this one took me awhile to get use to. The thing that threw me off the most was the wobbly walking and the floating buildings. If it didn’t have that it would have been fine. You do get used to it eventually though. I found about half way through the game I didn’t notice it anymore. Riding the skylines on the gondola rails can make you dizzy too, but I thought it was super fun!

Character development is well structured throughout the game. Elizabeth’s character is definitely a favourite among gamers. She will try to keep you stocked on things you need during battle. Very useful indeed! She also has a depth to her that is unique and has some pretty cool time ripping powers. She kind of reminded me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I liked that she was conservative and that her outfits were realistic. I think Elizabeth is an excellent well thought-out character and one of the best female characters in a game.

You also get to learn some things about the main character Booker (which is you), some crazy things, but you also notice changes in him and watch him develop his values. Booker and Elizabeth work very well together.

“”Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt”. The plot has twists and turns that both surprised and confused me. I was really drawn in about half way and towards the end I couldn’t stop playing. The most confusing part of the plot is the end; there are some crazy things going on in the last half hour or so. Without revealing any spoilers, I’ll just say that my mind was blown when thinking about what the hell just happened lol. However I like that the game has depth and meaning, and a story that you really think about long after. There are things that happened throughout the game I didn’t really understand but when I look back on now it makes total sense. It’s all woven together quite perfectly. A good story is imperative in any game, and this is one of the stronger, most memorable and unique one’s I’ve ever played.

Some people are saying that this is the greatest game ever made. I disagree, but I can see why they’re saying it. For the type of game it is it has some really strong elements. I personally prefer other games over this one, and different styles of game, but I do appreciate all the hard work put into it. It’s really a matter of personal preference. Play for yourself and decide!

Overall in my opinion this game is definitely worth playing, especially if you’re a Bioshock fan. There is no need to play the other Bioshock’s first because the story and characters are completely separate. It was a thrill ride that kept me entertained till the very end. I give it a 9/10.

The post Bioshock Infinite: An Action-Packed Mind Boggler! written by Firedragon appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

I must have been 10 years old when the Super Nintendo came out. Thankfully my dad was a computer and gaming nut so he purchased one right away. He bought a separate one for my baby brother and I and he recorded a VHS tape to demonstrate how to use the controls and specific maneuvers. I thought he was amazing and I watched that video over and over again. I wanted to play games like my dad. My brother was only 6 years old, so naturally I owned the SNES!! …and this is how my gaming addiction began.

My first Super Nintendo game was Super Mario All Stars. I had a love for Mario that was undying …oh, and still is So I wanted to explore all the levels and try my hardest to collect as many lives as I could.

My Top 5 SNES:
1. Super Mario All Stars
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
3. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kongs Quest
4. Super Mario Kart
5. Super Mario World: Yoshi’s Island

…of course there are many more but those are the games I would do anything to play.

The post My SNES Top 5 written by Midnite Faery appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

What can a gamer whip together quickly that is healthy and tastes great?

For me, this typically looks like eggs. Anything to do with eggs is the quick and easy. For example, last nights dinner was veggie fajitas. There were some left over peppers so I refried those with a scrambled egg and smothered it in hot sauce. I was actually able to play a couple levels of TMNT while the food sizzled away. And alas, a healthy, quick, and deliciously breakfast that doesn’t interfere with gaming.

I’m not a fan of microwaved dinners. Mainly because they taste gross and I don’t own a microwave. All of the food I eat has to be easily prepared or eaten raw because there isn’t enough time to cook huge fancy meals. I would rather eat pizza cold the next day (with hot sauce) than stick it in the oven to warm up. I think its great!

On the note of pizza …one of my staple foods is home made salsa. I chop up:

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1/2 red onion

5 Roma tomatoes

1 bunch of cilantro

2 jalapeños

This all goes in a bowl and I eat it with most meals. First, nachos. Who doesn’t love a fresh salsa with nachos! Then I will add it to eggs …it’s lovely. And when it’s lived a couple days in my fridge, I will make Indian pizza:

get some naan bread

Use a butter chicken sauce

Add the salsa to the pizza

Smoother with grated cheese

Top with a few banana peppers

Bake for a few mins and a lovely dinner is waiting to be gobbled up! I’m sure there loads of other yummy foods that are quick easy and delicious. If you want to share your favourite, I would love new ideas! My email is midnitefaery@epicgamergirl.com or you can leave a comment here.

Happy gaming! …and munching

The post Gamer Food written by Midnite Faery appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

Mass Effect 2 continues the epic story of Commander Shepard, the player-defined hero who thwarted a massive plot to destroy the galaxy in the original Mass Effect. Players always knew that Shepard’s story wasn’t over. The Reapers are still coming, and only Shepard and her crew believe it, so they’re the only ones who can stop them. But when the Normandy is destroyed in an attack by mysterious aliens, Shepard will find her allegiance to the Alliance challenged, and she’ll need a whole new crew to win the fight this time.

The brilliance of Mass Effect 2 is that it essentially clears the board. Shepard was a hero by the end of the first game, and she had the respect of almost every race in the galaxy, but now, two years later (don’t worry, the time gap is explained at the beginning of the game), that respect doesn’t count for much. No one trusts Shepard anymore, least of all the Council and the Alliance, but the Reapers are still planning an invasion, and someone has to stop it. This forces Shepard to make a deal with a shady organization known as Cerberus and their leader, the Illusive Man. Shepard has to recruit a whole new team and find new resources in order to take the fight to the Reapers this time around, and this allows the player to continue Shepard’s journey without it seeming redundant.

The Illusive Man is Shepard’s new ally.

It’s easy to understand why a player might be wary of a whole new adventure for Shepard. Throughout the course of the original Mass Effect, Shepard made friends and enemies, and it’s likely that players will want to see these same faces again. They are there, although some of them are only cameos, and there are many new interesting characters to meet as well. Even though Mass Effect 2 can feel like an interlude, that’s what it’s supposed to be, so don’t be afraid to dive in and give it a chance.

In addition to continuing an excellent story, Mass Effect 2 includes a lot of improvements that make it more enjoyable for gamers. Several tedious features from the original game have been streamlined for more efficient gameplay. In Mass Effect, the inventory was massive, but there were hardly any unique items, making it a chore to sort through. In Mass Effect 2, the inventory system has been completely eliminated. Every Shepard gets the same suit of armor, and new pieces are available for purchase at various stores and can be equipped in her personal quarters, and squad members no longer have armor. Weapons are found during missions and made available to the various characters, and there are no longer upgrades for ammo since those have been turned into class powers. Research projects offer the chance to increase damage for each type of weapon, as well as biotic and tech powers, so there is still the chance to upgrade throughout the game.

Sidequests have also been streamlined. Rather than having to drive a vehicle over a planet’s surface to find points of interest, planets with sidequests will be identified by the game, and then the player has to find the sidequest with a probe. This way the player can go directly to the quest, rather than searching for it. Probes also let you mine for resources to complete research projects, which is unfortunately a change in the game that is still tedious, but necessary to get all the skills you’ll need to finish the game.

Combat has been revamped.

Combat has also been revamped in Mass Effect 2. The same character classes are still available, but there are fewer powers for each class, and each power now has two versions that can be chosen from once it is completely leveled up. This allows you to customize your class more based on the way you like to play. In addition, combat is faster and more challenging, with more skilled enemies and various environmental hazards thrown into the mix to complicate things. All of these changes make for a great gaming experience, whether you’ve played the original Mass Effect or not.

The new level up screen.

Mass Effect 2 is a game that should not be missed, whether you’re an old fan or new to the franchise. It is a fantastic gaming experience.

Grade: 9.5/10

The post Review: Mass Effect 2 written by LadyAether appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

I have many fond memories of the SNES, and most of them are about the game Donkey Kong Country. My best friend had an SNES, and we would go to her house after school and drink Mountain Dew (original – these were the days before all the crazy Mountain Dew flavors), eat Ruffles, and play Donkey Kong Country. She was a lot better at it than I was at first, and I remember being frustrated because she always made me be Donkey because she was a lot better at using Diddy, but the game was still ridiculous fun. We played our way through all three titles, and also through the Nintendo 64 version.

I recently replayed Donkey Kong Country, and it’s every bit as good as I remember. The original Nintendo Kong was an antagonistic character who threw barrels at everyone’s favorite plumber, Mario. Now the Kongs have retired from such practices and are living lives of leisure in the jungle. Unfortunately, evil lizard King K. Rool has other plans for the Kongs. He steals their entire banana horde, prompting Donkey Kong and his short sidekick Diddy Kong to go on a quest to retrieve it.

Be careful – the ice and snow make the ground slippery!

The game is a side-scrolling platformer that takes place in a large variety of environments, including jungle, forest, and snowy mountaintops. There are underwater levels, mine cart levels, and lots of hidden bonus levels. All of the levels are bright and colorful, and they’re also populated with lots of kooky enemies. There are standard lizard troops, lizards in army helmets with cannons, vultures that throw nuts, armadillos that roll around, and some mean octopi in the water levels. The odds are stacked against the Kongs, but luckily, there are also some friendly helpers scattered throughout the levels to lend their aid.

Mine cart levels are ridiculous fun.

The other Kongs hang out in each level to help Donkey and Diddy in various ways: Candy lets you save your game, Cranky gives you advice (and also yells a lot), and Funky lets you travel back and forth between levels to collect lives or find bonus rooms you might have missed the first time. Inside various levels, you will also find animals like a swordfish and an ostrich with special abilities that can help you reach special places, kill enemies, and access bonus levels where you can rack up tons of extra lives.

Rambi is great for smashing through enemies.

All of these features, along with a peppy soundtrack, combine to make a great game that you will have fun playing over and over again. There are several different modes – single player, cooperative two-player, and competitive two-player, so there are lots of ways to play as well. This is a great classic game that everyone should try.

Grade: 9/10

The post Review: Donkey Kong Country written by LadyAether appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

If you’re like me and can’t make it to Boston this weekend, you are not alone. There are loads of people that are sad to miss the wondrous PAX East event.  That being said, sit back and relax because Twitch will have full coverage. You can view their stream at http://twitch.tv/pax

This is the PAX East schedule that will be covered on Twitch TV: It will include everything from panels, live concerts, tournaments, and all sorts of geeky madness.

FRIDAY

Blizzard Entertainment Presents
10AM EST – 10:30AM EST

Storytime with Cliff Bleszinski
10:30AM EST – 11:30AM EST

Penny Arcade Q&A
11:30AM EST – 12:45AM EST

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences presents: Best of the 2013 D.I.C.E. Summit
2:30PM EST – 3:30PM EST

The Shaft: Digging up all the Minecraft Nuggets
4PM EST – 5PM EST

Future of Online Games Panel – MMORPG.com
5:30PM EST – 6:30PM EST

The LoadingReadyRun Panel
7PM EST – 8PM EST

Friday Night Concerts
8:30PM EST – 1:30AM EST

SATURDAY

Penny Arcade – Make a Strip!
10:30AM EST – 12PM EST

The Making of Dust: An Elysian Tail
1PM EST – 2PM EST

Behind the Music of Blockbuster Video Games
2:30PM EST – 3:30PM EST

After the Endgame: Indie Studios Founded by 38 Studios Alumni
4PM EST – 5PM EST

NVIDIA Is Open For Gaming
5PM EST – 6PM EST

404ing It: Breaking (Down) the Internet
7PM EST – 8PM EST

Saturday Night Concerts
8:30PM EST – 1:30AM EST

SUNDAY

Borders and Bullets: Global Game Controversies
10AM EST – 11AM EST

Pitch Your Game Idea
11:30AM EST – 12:30PM EST

You Game Like A Girl: Tales of Trolls & White Knights
1PM EST – 2PM EST

Penny Arcade Q&A #2
2PM EST – 3PM EST

eSports in 2013: The Past, Present, and Future
4PM EST – 5PM EST

Omegathon Final Round: ???
5:30PM EST – 6:30PM EST

I will be virtually attending PAX East through Twitch and Twitter posts. I hope that everyone attending has a blast and shares their adventures online for those who couldn’t make it!

The post How to Virtually Attend PAX East written by Midnite Faery appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune came to me by accident when I bought my PS3. It was included in the bundle package I wanted, so I chalked it up to a free game and brought it home and didn’t think much about it. After a few days, I was curious and decided to try it out. I sat down on my couch and didn’t get up until I had finished the game eight hours later.

Okay, okay, there may have been a bathroom break in there somewhere. But the point is that this game is so good that it made me not want to do anything else until I finished it, and for me, that’s a rarity. Don’t get me wrong, I really get into my games, but because of the limits on my time, it’s not often that I’ll actually just sit and play one all the way through without even thinking about the other things I should really be doing. Basically, I’m telling you that this is a game that literally everyone should play at least once, and here’s why.

Uncharted begins the story of Nathan Drake, who is sort of a modern Indiana Jones, except without the degrees. When we first meet Drake, he is looking for the coffin of his ancestor, Sir Francis Drake. Francis Drake was an English explorer, and Nathan thinks he found the secret location of El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold. Accompanied by a reporter, Elena Fisher, and aided by his longtime friend, Victor “Sully” Sullivan, Drake’s goal is to find the city and become famous and rich. Of course, other people are aware of what Drake is doing, and those people are not nice, which means that finding the city is going to be a fight, and not just a fight to the finish, but a fight to survive.

But make no mistake, Uncharted has a lot more going for it than a great story. It is also one of the most visually stunning games that I’ve ever played. Most of the environments in the first game are jungle and ruins. There is also a lot of water. And it all looks absolutely amazing. I will freely admit that I died a couple of times because I got distracted standing on top of a mountain looking out at a magnificent view.

See what I mean about the view?

Mechanically, the game also goes to great lengths to use these environments in various levels. There’s plenty of platforming to be had, most of it over crumbling ruins (yes, it’s as hazardous as it sounds). There are gunfights in the jungle and in the ruins, as well as puzzles to be solved. There are also several vehicle sequences that are exquisitely done, and I usually hate vehicle sequences in games, so that’s saying something. The controls are simple and fluid and the combat, which consists primarily of picking up various guns discarded by enemies and occasionally punching someone in the face, is exciting and satisfying.

Jet skis are a lot of fun in this game.

Basically, I’m telling you that nothing is wrong with this game and that you should play it and love it. It’s perfect in every way, and you shouldn’t miss it!

Grade: 10/10

The post Review – Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune written by LadyAether appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

This DLC was a delightful romp made especially for the fans. It’s the last DLC for Mass Effect 3, thus concluding the trilogy. I have to say my favourite part was the goofy humor. It had great writing, and killer one-liners. I haven’t laughed so hard in a game since Monkey Island. Laughter is the best medicine as they say. This was the comic relief the game so badly needed. The game constantly has you on edge, and is so freaking intense, so this was a nice break from that. Both you and Shepard get to have a little fun.

MINOR Spoilers ahead:

Shepard starts off his/her shore leave with a stellar apartment given as a gift from Anderson. I so want this apartment! It’s huge, sleek, stylish and modern.

Shepard then goes to have lunch with Joker at a popular sushi place, and all hell breaks loose. A warning, then an attack; “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s performance is brought to you by random acts of violence.” A new assailant is afoot! I liked that the enemy was unexpected, not whom you’d think it’d be. You find out a little later who it is, but it’s something new and different, and slightly amusing. As the plot unfolds, a surprise twist is revealed. Danger, action, adventure, betrayal, and hilarity ensue!

Matching well with the James Bond kind of feel, is the new gun you pick up. The M-11 Suppressor, a heavy pistol that packs a wallop. So badass! It’s my favourite weapon now.

I also liked the music played throughout every mission. Every detail was brilliant.

After kicking some ass in the main mission, you then get to spend some quality time with your crew, and love interest. On the Silversun strip, you also get to enjoy the Arena combat simulator, the Arcade, and the classy upscale Casino.

I liked dressing up for a night on the town. My date with Garrus was amazing; we danced a sensual, tantric tango while everyone watched!

It’s all about the partying in this DLC. The big party (which I saved for last) came next. Wild and hilarious. The best part: Sheppard’s dancing. The morning after parts were great too. And I didn’t mind waking up next to Garrus . It was great having every character there who survived both your Mass Effect 2 & 3 game. A chance for everyone to get together.

This was by far the best DLC for Mass Effect 3 because it was the most memorable, and the most fun. You can also go back to this part of the Citadel anytime, unlike Omega. It’s definitely worth the price tag of $14.99. It was a deserving end for the fans, and I honestly didn’t want to go back to the Normandy. I got that sad feeling like the end of a great vacation.  It then dwelled on me that this truly was the end, and felt kind of sad about it. This was an emotional roller coaster ride for me, but I loved every minute of it.

I give this DLC a 10 out of 10. I don’t know how it could have been better. Well done to the Mass Effect & Bioware team. If you haven’t played it yet and are far enough in your Mass Effect 3 game, play it now! This one’s for the fans.

“Everyone say Normandy!” (My group photo):

The post Mass Effect 3: Citadel DLC written by Firedragon appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.

The PS4 has been announced, and early reports show that it will not be backwards compatible. Of course, this led to a social media backlash, with gamers declaring that not having backwards compatibility is a huge faux pas, and some even saying that they won’t buy the PS4 unless it is backwards compatible.

For me, these responses are, simply put, overdramatic. Backwards compatibility has only reliably existed for one generation of Sony consoles (the PlayStation 2 played original PlayStation games), and as technology advances, I find it hard to believe that the gaming community didn’t see this as simply a temporary perk.

Original consoles used cartridges, so of course they weren’t backwards compatible, since each cartridge was different from the last. Then consoles switched to using disks, and of course they wouldn’t play any cartridges. The Wii was the first Nintendo system that had backwards compatibility in that it would play GameCube games, and the Xbox 360 only has backwards compatibility with certain Xbox games (which I discovered when I bought an older game a few months ago that won’t work on my 360). Even the PS3 is not backwards compatible with PS2 games, minus a few consoles made at the beginning of its cycle.

For the most part, the PS3 wasn’t backwards compatible either.

While it’s easy to understand why gamers would crave backwards compatibility (who doesn’t want to play an old favorite game over again?), I don’t think it should be the biggest concern when it comes to new consoles. If we want our consoles to get better, we need to release them from the stricture of being backwards compatible, because at some point that’s going to hold them back in terms of overall capability. I think that we need to let go of our desire for backwards compatibility and look towards the future of gaming and not its past.

The post How Important is Backwards Compatibility to the Next Generation of Gaming? written by LadyAether appeared first on Epic Gamer Girl.