The Walking Dead – The Game – Episode 2 Starved for Help Review

November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 / Detached / Leave a comment

The second of my five episode review, Starved for Help picks up three months after the zombie apocalypse erupted. You are still playing as Lee trying to protect Clementine, and now dealing with a group of survivors and trying to make the best of a dump motel you’ve tried turning into a secured fort. This is where the game has gotten really interesting because the choices you make help build relationships and can also destroy relationships. Every choice you make caries over into a new episode of the game you play, so all those choices you made in episode one you now have to live with in Starved for Help.

This game doesn’t give you a second chance or to take back your choices to someone, so when your dialogue windows pop up it gives you just a few seconds to choose, and those choices could bring you closer to a friend or even create a new enemy in a later episode.

This episode is the first time you get to see the choices you made in the previous episodes. Everything from your relationship with Clementine, to the new found friendship with Kenny. This also means that you have some remembering to do… did you tell any lies in the previous episode, were you truthful, who did you be-friend and who did you make an enemy out of. All of these choices set Lee and his group up for a very suspenseful and action packed 2nd episode.

Starved for Help opens with the most gruesome scene to date in the game in my opinion, but besides the blood and guts it is becoming a really big challenge to keep your cool and look out for the group. You have become a leader in the group and you have to make the tough decisions at times, and you get thrown right into the middle of your group’s nearly out of food, so it’s up to you to decide who gets to eat and who doesn’t. Will you pick your friends, will you take the high ground and do whats best for the group, what will you do? That draw back you might have going with the emotion thing really comes into picture when a new group of survivors from the St. John’s Dairy Farm show up and invite your group to come over and trade gas for food. The family asks Lee all sorts of questions about the group, but something isn’t quite right with them. Do you take the chance and go with these strangers who say they have food, or do you chance it and stay at the motel and hope you all can survive.

Episode 2 is full of cliffhanger moments, sketchy choices you have to make, new chances to redeem yourself, and even be-friend some new people. It’s suspensful, emotional, full of blood and guts, and it even has some WTF moments in it that really make you turn your head and ask yourself what the heck just happened….but I’m not going to spoil those moments for you as you will just have to check the game our for yourself.

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#gaming #gamer #telltale #thewalkingdead #seasonone #review #blogging #episodetwo

The Origins Of Evil – Part Two

November 21, 2014November 21, 2014 / Detached / Leave a comment

Hail and Well Met Friends!

Last week if you remember we left off with Melkor being captured and held for three ages in the Halls of Mandos. I hope you all are enjoying the series!

Melkor’s Revenge

During the War of the Powers when the Valar took to overthrow Melkor, they in the haste to do so left many of Utumno’s pits and vaults unexplored, and Sauron was still roaming the lands as well. Also, the Valar didn’t capture or destroy the Balrogs, who gathered at the ruins of Angband who had gone into hibernation awaiting Melkor’s return.

After the passing of the Ages, Melkor was brought before Manwe, and played a good act of repentance. Manwe was just unable to comprehend the evil of Melkor, so Manwe ordered him to be released. At first, it seemed as though the evil of Melkor had been cured, for all who sought his counsel and aid in that time benefited greatly from it. However, Tulkas and Ulmo were both very slow to forget Melkor’s evils, and watched him closely. In truth, Melkor was more filled with malice than ever, and began to put his extraordinary cunning to use in devising a way to ruin Aman. Seeing the bliss of the Elves and remembering that it was for their sake that he was overthrown, Melkor desired above all things to corrupt them. Of all the three primary groups of Elves, he found the Noldor to have a perfect balance of usefulness and open ears, and so worked began to work his malice almost exclusively among them.

The Greatest of the Noldor

Over a long period of time he spread lies concerning the intentions of the Valar in bringing the Elves to Aman, telling them, among other things, tales of the coming of Men, the existence of which the Valar had not revealed to the Elves. Due to his carefully crafted lies, many of the Noldor began to believe that the Valar had brought them to Aman so that Men might inherit Middle-earth, taking the lands and the glory that could have been theirs. Eventually, a shadow fell upon the Noldor, and they began to openly rebel against the Valar. Chief amongst the disgruntled Noldor was Feanor, the firstborn son of the Noldor King Finwe. Though he hated and feared Melkor, his overwhelming pride caused him to be the most vocal of the Noldor in expressing discontent. For their part, the Valar remained unaware of Melkor’s work, and saw Feanor as the source of the Noldor’s unrest. Though perturbed, they let the situation continue until Feanor threatened his brother Fingolfin at which point the Valar summoned him to the Ring of Doom in Valinor to explain his unlawful actions.

Feanor’s testimony revealed the lies of Melkor, and Tulkas immediately left the Ring of Doom to recapture him. But Melkor could not be found. After a time, he went to Formenos and struck a deceitful friendship to Feanor, as Melkor was only after the Silmarils. Feanor, knew what he was up to and saw Melkor’s greed, refused him and shut the doors of Formenos in the face of Arda’s mightiest being. Melkor passed unseen to the south, and came upon the great spider Ungoliant, which he promised to satisfy her unrelenting hunger, so she and Melkor together came back to Valinor, intending to destroy the Trees. During a time of festival, Melkor and Ungoliant suddenly attacked and Melkor thrust a great spear into the Trees and Ungoliant drank the sap that poured from the wounds, draining the Trees and poisoning them. The Trees quickly withered and died, plunging Aman into complete darkness for a time.

Killing of the Two Trees

In the fear and confusion that followed, Melkor sped to Formenos and broke into the fortress. There, he killed Finwe, father of Feanor, and stole the Silmarils along with all the other gems that lay there. The Silmarils burned Melkor’s hand, causing him great pain, but he did not release them. He and Ungoliant fled to the North, and the Valar pursued them, but the Unlight of Ungoliant brought great confusion to the Valar and the two escaped. The two thieves crossed the Grinding Ice of the Helcaraxe and entered Middle-earth, completing Melkor’s great revenge.

In Lammoth, Melkor and Ungoliant approached the ruins of Angband, with Melkor hoping to escape and leave his promise to feed Ungoliant unfulfilled. Ungoliant however, saw through his plan and stopped with him before they reached Angband. She demanded that he surrender the treasure of Formenos to satisfy her hunger as he had promised, so he gave her the lesser of treasures he had taken, but he would not give her the Silmarils which lay hidden within his right hand. With his refusal to surrender the Silmarils, Ungoliant attacked Melkor, weaving her dark webbing around him. His resulting cry of pain and anguish woke the Balrogs from their depths of Angband. With a violent windstorm of fire they came to his aid, and drove away Ungoliant, but Melkor recalled them, and allowed Ungoliant to escape. He then began to rebuild Angband, and gather his servants there.

When Feanor found his father was slain, he cursed Melkor and named him Morgoth, meaning “Dark Enemy”, and by that name was he known ever after. The name Melkor was never spoken again by his enemies. As Morgoth finished rebuilding Angband, the slag and debris created by his vast tunnelings was plied into three huge volcanoes, collectively known as Thangorodrim. Once he made these huge volcanoes, he began work on creating his forces, breeding vast numbers of Orcs and other fell beasts.

Until next weeks episode, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

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#lotr #ahobbitsjourney #lore #blogging #silmarillion #melkor #morgoth

The Origins of Evil – Part One

November 14, 2014November 14, 2014 / Detached / 2 Comments

Hail and well met everyone!

This week we continue in our lore with a brand new series. We are taking a look at someone who truly is the creator of evil. I hope you enjoy the series!

The First Dark Lord

That’s right I said the First Dark Lord, as Sauron was not the first… Originally the most powerful of the Ainur created by Eru was Melkor and he rebelled against his creator because of pride and sought to corrupt Arda, becoming Morgoth. After committing many evils in the First Age, such as the theft of the Silmarils and the destruction of the Two Lamps, Morgoth was defeated by the Host of Valinor in the War of Wrath. According to an unpublished portion of Tolkien’s conclusion to The Silmarillion, Morgoth will return at the end of the world to fight against good in Dagor Dagorath, the final battle.

Melkor was made in the beginning as an Ainu created by Eru Iluvatar in the Timeless Halls, at the beginning of creation. Manwë is said to be brother to him, yet Melkor was greater in power than any of the Ainur. Melkor was gifted also with the greatest knowledge of all the Ainur, and had share in all of the gifts given to his fellow Ainur by Eru. Desiring to create things of his own and knowing of but not understanding the Flame Imperishable, Melkor often went forth into the Great Void outside of the Timeless Halls in search of this flame. His quest was in vain; he found not the Flame Imperishable for it lies with Eru alone. Melkor grew ever more impatient of the unclear designs of Eru and the emptiness of the Void, and was often alone and apart from his fellow Ainur. It was during these lonesome periods that Melkor began to have ideas and thoughts of his own that were not in accordance with his fellow Ainur.

When the Ainur sang the Great Music before Eru, some of these stray thoughts he wove into his music, and straightaway discontent arose around him. Some of those nearby attuned their music to his, until two musical themes were warring before the Throne. Then Eru introduced a Second, and then a Third Theme into the music. Melkor succeeded in holding back the Second theme, of which Manwe was the chief instrument. The Third was the theme of Elves and Men, and while it was not overwhelmed by the Discord, it too failed to correct it. When Eru brought the Music to an end, he rebuked Melkor, praising his strength but telling him that all he did redounded only to the glory of Eru’s work. Melkor was ashamed, and resented it; for he thought his Discord an improvement. When the Music was made incarnate as Arda, it was already flawed through the Discord, and immoderate heat and great cold stalked it. He then took in the interest of the World and put his evil wherever he could put it.

Before the Two Trees

When the Valar entered into Arda and began to shape the unwrought matter, Melkor saw the Field of Arda and claimed it for his own, striving against the Valar. He took various shapes. Whenever the Valar did something, Melkor disrupted them. For a long while, Melkor fought alone against the might of all the other Valar and Maiar of Arda, and he long held the upper hand. Then Tulkas came, his strength tipping the balance in favor of the Valar, and Melkor fled before him.

The Dark Lord Chained

The Valar had built for themselves the isle of Almaren in the midst of Middle-earth, between the Great Lamps. Then, Melkor delved a mighty fortress at the very north-most part of the World and named it Utumno. To defend it he raised the Mountains of the East in the northeast of Middle Earth, east of the Sea of Helcar. Decay arose in the North, and the Valar knew that he was there.

When the Valar had built Valinor, Melkor built his second, lesser fortress of Angband in the west, as a defense from the West should they attack. Angband was delved into the Iron Mountains, and was given to Sauron to command. While the Valar were unsure where the Children of Iluvatar would awake, they were reluctant to wage war against Melkor, fearing the clash of powers might result in massive collateral damage. Due to this, Melkor discovered the Elves before the other Valar, captured many of them, and transformed them by torture and other foul craft into orcs.

When it was discovered by the Vala Orome where the elves were, the Valar took immediate action against Melkor. This action was called the War of the Powers. When he saw the Valar winning, he retreated into Utumno and shut the great doors. The Valar smote the doors open and Melkor was cast down by Tulkas. Melkor was bound in Angainor and brought back to the Halls of Mandos for three Ages.

You will have to wait until next week to find out what happens after Melkor was bound in the halls for three ages.

Until next week, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

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#lotr #ahobbitsjourney #lore #blogging #silmarillion

The Walking Dead – Game Review – Episode 1 A New Day

November 10, 2014 / Detached / Leave a comment

In the first of my five episode reviews of The Walking Dead Season 1, you jump right into the game as the character Lee Everett, a man who was convicted of killing a man, and is currently on his way to prison. In the midst of being transported to prison, the great zombie apocalypse abruptly outbreaks and you are now in control of this characters fate. Lee has been given a second chance of sorts now that the zombies are out and about, so it’s up to you to keep Lee alive and survive in this amazing horror.

The really cool part about this game is the story all takes place concurrently with the comic book series. You now taking over and controlling the story of Lee is all happening while Rick the main character of the comic book series, is calmly asleep in his hospital bed. Though the story is happening in conjunction with one another, the game is a completely separate story line. There will be a few familiar faces along the way of the game but for the most part it’s a whole new group of survivors and a whole lot of plot twisting. This game has a ton of action and cut scenes that help build the stories main and sub plot lines, but you “Lee” will spend a lot of time making on the cuff decisions and having to live with the outcome.

The Walking Dead removes any second guessing and makes you choose a decision in a split second. Basically someone will ask you a question and you’ll have a limited time to pick one of four responses. Whatever you decide, you and whatever group you are with have to live with the outcome of that decision. Also, the group will remember what you say and take note of your decisions. Remember this is the same story line that everyone plays, but how they answer the questions is what depicts how the game plays out. I’ve currently got multiple sessions of the game going as I want to play out different choice lines to see the outcome of the game. You have three save slots available so ultimately you have three chances at the game having a different outcome to the same story.

Into the game we go… as when you play a zombie game you want to crush a few skulls and bash some zombie scum right? Ok, so with this game the creators made a very unique movement and reaction system. I’ve been playing the mobile version of the game so the controls on the phone are a bit different then the PC or Console versions. You navigate Lee with your finger and he follows on-screen. Sounds easy right…? Wrong, as you sometimes have split seconds to decide what direction to go, or what zombie you have to kill. They have even designed the “OMG” button that you have to frantically tap to get out of some sticky situations in the game. Overall the movement in this game gets an A+ in my book because it’s easy to learn, and easy to follow along with, though it is much harder to target a “Walker” than you would think.

The graphics in game are spectacularly done as well… they have that gritty, dark comic book look to them. There is not a shortage of blood and gore in this zombie montage of craziness either. Visually this game is beautiful in it’s own twisted sorta way. Plus, with the exception of a strange camera angle or a cut scene jumping the game is amazing. The game is amazing but it’s not flawless but for the caliber of game quality you get I really don’t have many complaints and what complaints I do have are trivial at best. This by far is one of the best zombie apocalypse games I have ever played.

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#gaming #gamer #telltale #thewalkingdead #seasonone #review #blogging

I Once Was A Hobbit – Part Three

November 7, 2014 / Detached / Leave a comment

Hail and well met friends!

Last week when we left off, Gollum had told Sam and Frodo about another way into Mordor that was safer then crossing the Black Gate. This entrance was to the South and even though Frodo agreed to go, Sam was quite suspicious of Gollum’s actions.

Finding the Stairs of Cirith Ungol.

During this change in direction to find this new passage to Mordor, Frodo and Sam were captured by Faramir, and Gollum quickly followed In doing so, Frodo allowed Faramir to take Gollum prisoner, and Faramir found out that the place Gollum was taking the Hobbits was Cirith Ungol and he warned Frodo and Sam of the great evil that dwelt in that place.

The Hobbits, and Gollum chose to leave Faramir and crossed the Morful Vale which brought them to the “Stairs of Cirith Ungol” which stood near the border mountains of Ephel Duath. Gollum was planning to betray the hobbits and had devised a plan to visit the great spider Shelob, the child spider of Ungoliant. His plan was to deliver the Hobbits to Shelob for food and steal the “Precious” back for himself. How Gollum managed to forge an alliance with Shelob is quite remarkable, as she was known for devouring and killing everything that came in her sight. When he returned from his devious onslaught the Hobbits were asleep. While Gollum watched Frodo sleeping it almost brought him to stop his plan…. However, Sam woke up and began speaking harshly to Gollum which brought back the hatred and Gollum chose to follow through with his plan and led Frodo and Sam into Torech Ungol.

Just as Frodo warned him, Gollum’s betrayal of his oath ultimately led to his demise, as Frodo and Sam escaped from the Great Spiders lair and Cirith Ungol. They made it to Mount Doom, but still Gollum followed them seeking his chance to surprise them and take the ring back. Frodo and Sam had almost reached the peak of the Volcano and Gollum attacked them but failed to get the ring. Sam, almost killed Gollum but couldn’t due to pity and disgust for the creature.

Gollum’s Fiery Death

Once Frodo reached the Crack of Doom which was the heart of the Volcano, he chose not to destroy the ring but instead claimed it for himself and put it on. Gollum then attacked the hobbits again and knocked Sam out with a rock while Frodo was invisible. But Gollum was able to track his footprints and jumped on Frodo. The two fought and finally Gollum bit off Frodo’s finger with the ring on it. He finally got his “Precious” back but Gollum then teetered on the edge of the great pit, lost his balance and fell in, taking the Ring and finger with him along with a final cry of “Precious!”. The ring was burned in the molten magma with Gollum dying with it as well.

Years after Gollum’s death, Frodo would finally forgive him, as Gandalf had told Frodo that Gollum wasn’t actually an evil being that deserved his death, but was only a poor being, bound to the Ring’s will, and that Frodo’s fate would be like Gollum’s if he kept the Ring. For if Gollum did not stay with Sam and Frodo to the end of Mordor, Frodo’s choice not to destroy the Ring would have brought Sauron to it, and all good in the world of Middle-earth would have disappeared.

As we wrap up one of the most iconic characters in Middle Earth, stay tuned next week as we pick up with a brand new lore series.

Until next week, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell

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#lotr #ahobbitsjourney #lore #blogging #gollum #mountdoom

A Hobbits Journey

Month: November 2014

The Walking Dead – The Game – Episode 2 Starved for Help Review