I am...   

      Of all the superlatives to be heaped upon me, probably the most true, and simultaneously most used, is that I am prone to over-the-top hyperbole and strong opinions about nearly everything. So, when my good friend Travis told me he wrote for Bitmob, that I should contribute, and then threw down the gauntlet when relaying stories of our adventures in Tallahassee, I knew I could include both of my greatest character traits by placing my opinions on the Internet and allowing strangers to read them. It's a win-win situation for all of us. In short, let opinions rage.

The Pointless Nature of Game of the Year Awards

     Like every good American, I love Top 10 lists, as well as other numerical indicators for subjects that cannot really be quantified in such a way. How a person can compare games across different platforms, genres, and development cycles is beyond me, but I love it anyway. Similar to asking if Elvis is better than Radiohead (no) or if Sherman was a better general than Patton (who knows, or cares really), it does not really work that way. Of course, that does not mean I do not read them and get into these arguments. A discussion about who the 12 best NBA players of all-time is bound to get me fired up (I swear if you include Karl "Mr. Choke" Malone in your list I will beat you to death with a tire iron). I guess that's just me.

     With all that being said, I now present my choice for Game of the Year: Shadow Complex.* Now, I know what you are thinking: "But Luke, I am Comic Book Guy, you cannot name an Xbox Live Arcade game Game of the Year. Don't you know how this works, it has to be a Final Fantasy game or GTA 36: Cheyenne, WY." To that I calmly retort: Shut up you bastard.

     Shadow Complex has everything you want in a game. It is a platforming, 2.5D shooter with constantly upgradeable weaponry and suits that does not tack on needless multiplayer modes just for the hell of it. The targeting is solid, the unlockables are challenging to find, and finding new ways to kill enemies and run across water is a blast.

     Every other major game released this year has outstanding issues. Modern Warfare 2's campaign, while filled with enough pomp and circumstance to satisfy even the biggest fops or dandies, is far too short and borders on incomprehensible on the level of Matrix: Revolutions. Halo 3:ODST was an add-on and while Firefight was amazingly fun, it did not need to cost $60, especially during the Great Depression 2: Electric Bugaloo. Uncharted 2 was honestly the next best game, but even it could not equal a $15 Metroidvania ripoff.

     It is true that the game is short. I scoured every inch of the game, gathering all upgrades, and fighting enemies that reappear upon entering or leaving a room, and it took me all of 10 or 11 hours. But does a game need to be 40 hours to be great? No. Super Mario Bros. 3 was shorter, and it was the greatest game of a generation. Length and price are not determinant when dealing with great games. Speaking of, why would any person complain or deride a game based on price? How can an amazing game receive demerits because it is cheap? Did I suddenly enter some clandestine meeting of the Republican National Committee?

     The point is that the game is great and you should give it a try. It hearkens back to the days of yore when Star Wars was still good, when Florida State wasn't known as a women's soccer school, and before I had the terrible idea to come to law school (I'm just like a Pepperidge Farm commercial, only without all the heavy-handed morality). The point of all this is to say that I loved the game. If you have no tried it, then you most certainly should. And if you have already completed it, then you should play through again, because it's worth the effort (like eating crab legs or watching the extended edition Lord of the Rings).

As Introductions Go

     Mine are usually so-so at best. There is usually something I say or do that throws people off. I mean, sure, I'm a nice enough guy, but for some reason throw people off with brash opinions or revealing too much too soon. Well, fear not new friends, because here goes. I've never played, beaten, or even really looked at Final Fantasy VII. That's right, what is widely considered the greatest game of all-time, I have never played. Judge me how you will, but know this, I have made it my mission to beat it in 2010. If I must forsake all my studies and cease studying evidentiary procedure or constitutional law, then so be it (I mean, those things can't be that important right?). So, now that we know each other, how was it for you?