@7 months ago with 56 notes
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#buffalo #central terminal #food trucks 

BB Op-Ed: Trophy Hunting

I am a late-comer to “next-gen gaming.”  I got my Playstation 3 less than a year ago, don’t have an HD television, and generally shy away from online multiplayer.  But there is one aspect of gaming now that I could not escape from if I tried: trophies and achievements.

Before the PS3, I was happy and content to play through a game once, enjoy it for its time, and never look at it again.  There are very few games that I have completed 100% (the first Sly Cooper being the only one that I can bring to mind), and I was fine with that.  Now, however, I have the PS3 … and with it has come completionist tendencies.

In the short year that I have had my shiny, new system, I have received platinum trophies (awarded for a 100% completion) for two games: Heavy Rain and Tomb Raider: Anniversary.  When I first played TR:A on the Wii, I could care less about replaying levels to look for the hidden treasures and other such garbage.  During this playthrough, I realized what I was missing from the experience.

This brings me to my point: Trophies and achievements have both saved and killed the gaming scene.  I’m not as quick to move on to the next game as I was before, which is a great thing for my wallet.  To so obviously know that I was missing out means that I can’t let the game go as easily. (There are shining lizards to kill in Shadow of the Colossus?!)  But it has also created a competition that makes gaming less fun than it used to be.

Those platinum trophies that I got?  By the time I got them, I was fairly sick of both games.  Which is sad, because I seriously loved both of them the first time I played them.  And I won’t even begin to consider the amount of stress involved in getting the platinum for Demon’s Souls.  So as more gamers become trophy hunters and achievement whores, I wonder if gaming has perhaps created something uncontrollable.

While I appreciate and enjoy being rewarded for playing my games, and I sure as hell appreciate the fact that I’m playing my games more than once now, I also feel like it may be more trouble than it is worth.  I remember when playing video games was relaxing and fun; now, it is as stressful as any other aspect of my life.

@7 months ago with 52 notes
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#video games #op-ed #trophies #achievements #Playstation #XBox #freelance journalist #articles #editorials #editor 

Hurricanes @ Sabres

Buffalo’s a little bit heartbroken tonight as the Sabres have lost their first game of the season — which also happens to be the first home game in the brand new First Niagara Center (or as Buffalo natives have come to lovingly call it: The Effin Center).

The game appeared to be going into overtime when Stafford scored the game-tying goal late in the third period, but a tripping call against Buffalo’s Vanek left a power play for Carolina. Skinner took advantage of that and scored the Hurricane’s game-winning goal.

With that, the Sabres are now at 2-1.  They take on the Penguins tomorrow night.

@7 months ago with 35 notes
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#Buffalo #Carolina #Hockey #Hurricanes #NHL #Sabres #Editor #editorials #freelance journalist 

Welcome!

Hello Tumblr!

I am extremely interested in writing articles for a well-respected magazine in an area that interests me.  Within this blog, you will see articles written by me and their proposed audience.

My primary topics will be in the travel and entertainment field.  I will likely also make exceptions for Buffalo-based stories, since I am proudly born and bred Buffalonian.

If you are a perspective employer, please feel free to send me a message through my ask box and we can discuss further projects.

@7 months ago with 63 notes
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#articles #editor #editorials #writer #Buffalo 

Buffalo Enterprise: 716knit 

@7 months ago
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#Buffalo #Enterprise #small business #yarn #knit #716knit #Etsy 

Buffalo Scares!

T’is the season for horror, and the Buffalo area has some of the best attractions to give you the screams.

Frightworld has opened their coffins again for the year, and they have a brand new house for your enjoyment.  But first, returning this year are favorites Grind House, Phobiaz, Raven Hill Asylum, and Wicked Woods.

Grind House is a bloody nightmare where it all stays within the family.  Each room in the house is bathed with the remains of those who came before you: can you make it through the house before attracting some unwanted attention?  Phobiaz takes you through your deepest fears and childhood terrors, with all of your favorites: claustrophobia, nychtophobia, thanatophobia.  Overcome your fears, or lose yourself in them.  Raven Hill Asylum is always looking for new inmates to pad the cells.  All of the crazies have gathered, but the guards promised me that they would be on their best behavior when you visit.  Of course, I haven’t heard from the guards in a few months … I hope the clowns haven’t taken over again.  And something evil has bubbled up in Wicked Woods.  The witches and werewolves hold the key to finding your way through, but can you see the forest through the trees?

And the new house is something of a Death Trap!  Find your way out using only your senses, before the mastermind gets the better of you.

Frightworld is open from 6:30pm-1am Fridays and Saturdays, and 6:30pm-10pm every other day of the month until Halloween.  General admission is $23, and that gets you one trip through each of the five houses.

Happy Halloween Buffalo!

@7 months ago with 33 notes
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#Buffalo #Frightworld #Haunted House #Halloween #October #scare #horror #editor #editorials #freelance journalist 

BB Reviews: The Ico Collection

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are both incredibly sacred games from the Playstation 2’s library.  At the time of their release, they captivated an audience into an almost cult-like following.  Now, on the eve of Team Ico’s third installment (The Last Guardian, due out sometime during the Holiday 2012 season), gamers have been given the opportunity to revisit these classics with improved visuals and the addition of trophies.

But the most important question to ask is whether we should be revisiting these games, or if they were simply products of their time.

I am happy to say that these games are still just as awe-inspiring as they were during their first outing.  Ico’s unique puzzle/escort quest may not be as much of a brain-teaser as some of the other puzzle games out today (some of those puzzles from last year’s Limbo, for example), but it was still great to revisit the game.  There were times that Yorda found a ladder a little too slow, but it never impeded my ability to enjoy the game.

Meanwhile, Shadow of the Colossus is just as breath-taking as it was during my first playthrough.  I think that Team Ico has created one of the best environments in the entire gaming community with this title.  The solitude and loneliness is haunting.

As for the trophy system, it is a nice reward for players.  Ico’s was honestly a bit short on the trophies, but the Castle Guide trophy is frustratingly intense since it requires you to beat the game within two hours.  (That’s a platinum trophy that I’ll be holding off on!)  Shadow of the Colossus is more fitting in the trophy department, but this also reflects the fact that it is a more complex game than Ico.  With varying difficulties, and a treasure of hidden bonuses that may have been easy to miss in the PS2 days.

It’s difficult reviewing a collection of older games, since many of you (myself included) will be coming in with expectations.  Luckily, The Ico Collection is easily the best compilation on Playstation 3.  For newcomers, these are two of the best games out there.  For old fans, this is a great way to spend more time with these iconic characters.  It would be a shame to miss these games.

9/10

@7 months ago with 1 note
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#BB Reviews #Ico #Playstation 3 #Shadow of the Colossus #Team Ico #video game review #video games #editor #editorials #writer #freelance journalist