I got tired of this account. Really it's just the name. But for that reason only I made a new account over here.

Hmm. . .where do I begin?

Back in about 2005, I was browsing through Gamestop. In the store I happened across Final Fantasy VII used for $16. I had never played a single RPG before then, but I bought it anyway. After about 16 hours of playtime, I gave up when I came across a boss I couldn't beat. This was primarily due to my inexperience in RPG's and things such as level grinding and effective spell casting. Flash forward about four years, during the course of that time were three failed attempts to beat the game. I practically gave up until I found a stradegy guide at another game store, bought it, and vowed to beat Final Fantasy VII, one of the biggest goals I have set for myself as far as video games go. (Nerdy, yes I know)

After pushing through the final half of the game, I beat it. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of triumph and satisfaction. But now the question arises, is it as good as it's hyped up to be? Or is it as overrated as it's naysayers believe?

It's neither. I have a habit of taking the middle ground on most issues, but this game is not as terrible as some people say, but it's still not the gaming equivalent of Jesus. It's a very well made game that told a story and provided an experience that mesmorized a lot of people.

There are plenty of things I liked about the game. I loved it's ragtag group of heroes, except for Cait Sith, he can go to Hell. I loved the secrets, hidden areas, extra sidequests, special weapons and armor. But what I love most of all is Final Fantasy VII's overall sense of adventure and progression. Just exploring the game's world was a joy to behold, with an incredible variety of towns and locales. When I first got the airship, I was excited and spent about 5 minutes just flying around.

I love Final Fantasy VII. It's definately overrated, but that does not make it a terrible game. It's probably in my top ten not only for the experience it provided ingame, but for the long and ultimately rewarding experience it provided when I finally beat it.

So I saw Taken with a friend and I must say, it's one of my favorite movies of the year. It's a throwback to all those long gone action movies of the 80's such as Commando. It's not meant to be thought provoking or complex. It's refreshing to just watch a guy walk around for 90 minutes and kick ass. That's literally what he does. After some exposition in the beginning, pretty much every guy that stands in the main characters way is either going to be shot, stabbed, kicked, and/or suffer some type of blow to the throat. There's barely a moment where the main character is vunerable or not being a total badass. There's one point where he is captured for about 30 seconds but then he promptly resumes to his ass kicking.

If you were/are of a fan of Commando, this is a nice, satisfying modern update.