Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year! Be safe!!!

Resident Evil Revelations

Resident Evil Revelations was a great deal of fun! It was a departure from the more action oriented games. The inventory system and dodging mechanic were not the best but it was a pretty great experience.

Sorry for the lack of show!

Sorry for the recent lack of show! We will do better in the future. Thanks for being patient.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from JE Funhouse! Get some nice presents and enjoy some Christmas specials!

Dead Man Down

Just watched Dead Man Down on Netflix. Netflix actually has the plot of the movie wrong, and this could be because the trailer for the movie is so misleading. It is a fun movie with the exception of the final 15 minutes..

Trash on the field

Why is there always footage of trash blowing on the field during NFL games?

Happy Black Friday!

Happy Black Friday from JE Funhouse! Please be safe out there! Find some nice video game deals in a safe manner!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from JE Funhouse!

Resident Evil Revelations

Just picked up Resident Evil Revelations for PS3. Very excited to play RE with an old school feel. Also excited to play something that likely has a very short game length.

The Walking Dead Daryl

Daryl has becoming increasingly difficult to understand this season. His mumbly whispers now make closed captions a requirement.

Red shirt

Wearing a ridiculous red shirt to the gym. Feeling better about myself since seeing someone else with an even brighter red shirt on.

Peter Venkman loves lasagna.

Peter Venkman has the same voice as Garfield? I wonder if I knew this as a child.

The Real Ghostbusters

The Real Ghostbusters is one of those shows with an intro that is well drawn with smooth animation, but the show itself isn't so pretty. Men in Black: The Animated series and Phantom 2040 are especially guilty of this.

Handheld consoles for everyone!

Sorry for the delay in episodes folks, Raven was dealing with some family stuff.

Here's an epi where we talk about Raven's new 3DS and Animal Crossing New Leaf. Cyrus is also playing Persona 4 Golden on the PS Vita. And we went to NYC again! So much stuff!!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Winterizing

Just how effective are thermal curtains? I don't know yet, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

Lego Marvel Superheroes

Lego Marvel Superheroes looks really, really good. I'm surprised.

New South Park intro

The new South Park intro is pretty impressive. Not only is it pretty, but it is full of Easter Eggs. Even the bird from the Christmas special years ago makes an appearance!

New JE Funhouse Podcast Epi- What a Feeling!

In this podcast episode, Cyrus and Raven take their passion and make it happen!

And they also chat it up about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Blu Ray format in general.

Will there be conversation about growing a lawn? You'll have to listen to find out!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Jumping high

What is it about being a preteen boy that makes them want to jump and hit something in the air with a fully extended arm?

Disgaea D2 Limited Edition

It is delayed again! This time it will ship on the 28th.... Or the 29th.

I'm surprised that the limited edition has been delayed for the second time, especially this close to the expected release date. 

Persona 4 Golden

Discovered a love of Persona 4 Golden while traveling to NYC. Usually portable gaming isn't something I do when at home, but this game has given me a reason to play Vita more.

Ear buds.

Unfortunately, I smash ear buds like The Hulk. I probably go through at least six pairs a year.

Red Bull can size

I'm not a regular red bull drinker, so I probably have little room to complain, but I find the dimensions of the can to be unacceptable.

It just doesn't fit in a normal cup holder. 

Disgaea D2 Limited Edition

Probably won't finish GTA 5 for a while, but I'm quite tempted by the Disgaea D2 Limited Edition due in late Oct. It will probably go way up in price and I'll miss my chance if I don't capitalize.

New blogger app!

Just realized that my iPhone blogger app wasn't working because it needed an update. This new interface is pretty nice.

Noisy gym people

Noisy people at the gym are the worst. Are they starved for attention or just noisy by nature?

New Season of The Walking Dead

Just reminding everyone that the new season of AMC's The Walking Dead starts this Sunday!

Don't forget to watch. 

New JE Funhouse Podcast Epi- Portal to Sunnydale

Hey everybody! Join Raven and Cyrus as they chit chat about Buffy, iOS 7, and Portal 2!

We promise it will be lots of fun!

Walking Dead Spinoff

Is anyone else disgusted by the idea of a Walking Dead spinoff this early?

Silly fake letters and receipts

I'm tired of seeing silly articles where people post fake letters and receipts. I didn't have a really hard time believing the letters and notes on receipts that were reported in the news a year ago, but now it is hard to take anything seriously. I guess the new fad is to write something on a receipt and then post it online or to write something terrible or extra loving in a private letter and then leak it on Facebook. Silliness.

New GTA!

I am very much enjoying Grand Theft Auto V. That is all. Must get back to playing it.

Robocop Trailer

The trailer for the new Robocop movie wasn't something I really expected. The movie looks almost entirely different, and I'm a little worried about it being something full of cliche in an attempt to avoid being like the original.

Cardio

I wish I could be one of those people who enjoys cardio. Some people just look so happy while doing it. Not me.

I'm also not sure why HGTV is always in at the gym. Doesn't make sense.

Glasses

Are glasses connected to a string making a comeback? I hope not.

Cardio :(

Elliptical machines with built-in fans spoil me.

Apple iPhone 5s

I'm fairly curious about what this fancy new phone will bring to the table. Even as someone who loves the phone and the iPad, I still don't really see much of an incentive to upgrade beyond an iPhone 4 or an iPad 2.

At some point the buying frenzy will have to stop. Am I wrong?

TRINEing to find a new co-op game: A JEFunhouse podcast epi

Our heroes try to find another co-op game to play together. Cyrus and Raven play the demo for Trine on Playstation 3 and come to some major life decisions! And randomness!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Wheelies

Is popping wheelies now more important than actually riding a bike? Why are wheelies so popular now?

It's a BioShock to the System: A JE Funhouse Podcast Episdoe

Hey, check out this episode where a solo Cyrus discusses the game BioShock Infinite!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Diablo 3

I know that it has been out for a little bit at this point, but I'm still excited about the release of this game on consoles. I remember playing the original game on PC many years ago and having such a great time with it. From what I've read, the console versions have a bit of a graphical downgrade, but are otherwise superior versions (no silly DRM that forces you to play the game online). Also, Diablo 3's local co-op option is definitely a huge part of what makes the game attractive. Not sure if it will be a soon pickup or something that will have to wait for a price drop.

Whoops!

Cyrus has done a fairly poor job with updating this blog recently, so forgive him! There have been some quality podcast episodes recently, so please check them out! We have covered many fun topics, including Dragon's Crown, Machinarium, and our fun NYC trip full of video game activities!

There will be more posts in the future! Promise!

Hooray!

Nimble Quest has finally been updated! The game seems to work properly without crashes!

Nimble Quest for iPhone

Nimble Quest for iPhone is so much fun. It is easy to get hooked on the gameplay, cute graphics, and fun music. It would be nice if it didn't crash every time I attempt to play it. Even after deleting it and installing it again, the game only works once after install, then it crashes each time after I start the app.

It is a real shame because I'd really like to support Nimblebit, creators of Tiny Towers. Let's hope they update the game ASAP.

Bioshock Infinite!

Stayed up a little too late beating Bioshock Infinite. The ending was definitely worth it.

Podcast Epi: Mario and Luigi let Sleeping Dogs lie

In this episode, Raven and Cyrus are joined by their old friend Jarret91- an old school fan of the show from way back! We chit chat about stuff we are currently playing, including: Uncharted 3, Mario and Luigi Partners in Time, Sleeping Dogs, and Journey.


There's also a little bit of chatter regarding old school Tiger electronic games.

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

New Podcast episode: Video Games Live

Cyrus and Raven go see Video Games Live, a fusion of live music and cutting-edge visuals from some of the world’s most popular video games such as Pokemon, Super Smash Bros., Skyrim, Journey, Street Fighter II, Earthworm Jim, Donkey Kong Country, Chrono Cross and many more!

Listen to us chit-chat about the event!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Updated offline co-op games list as of 7-22-2013

Made some updates to the co-op list.

Guacamelee
Tales of Graces F?
Little Big Planet 2
Portal 2
Killzone 3
Uncharted 3
Adventures of Tin Tin
Castlestorm 
Terraria
Far Cry 3
BattleBlock Theater
Lego Batman 2
Deathsmiles
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Twisted Metal for PS3
Ugly Americans Apocalypsegeddon
 Lord of the Rings: War in the North
Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault

Misleading movie trailers

The movie Cosmopolis successfully tricked me with a trailer that promised a movie that seemed  interesting. After an hour of hearing Robert Pattinson have robotic/philosophical conversations with a constantly changing cast of characters, I gave up and turned on The Avengers.

The trailer looked so cool. It presented lots of drama and action. Shame on you, David Cronenberg.

GameStop sales push!!

I meant to post this a few weeks ago when I picked up a copy of Dead Island. Here's an account of my most recent experience at GameStop:

"Is there anything I can help you with today? Is there anything you're looking for?"

No, thank you

"Are you here to preorder The Last of Us for PS3 if you have a PS3?"

No, thank you

"Would you like to preorder anything today?"

No, thank you

"Do you have our rewards card?"

No.

"Let me tell you about our rewards card- you get points..."

No, thank you.

"Well, it is free and has all these various perks..."

No, thank you.

"Can I see your ID?"

Sure (This isn't something to bash GameStop, but I was surprised that the young woman working there carded me for a game that I have to be 17 to play. I'm not elderly, but I'm nowhere near that young. I wonder if they have secret shoppers or something.)

"Would you like a $2 warranty for this game?"

No, thank you.  (Who buys the warranty from GameStop? Why would I want a warranty for a $20 game? I also find it hilarious that this is coming from the same company that sells games that aren't sealed as new. I can understand buying a warranty for a system because in the past I purchased consoles from GameStop and also purchased their warranty. I wonder how much money GameStop makes on a disc warranty...)

A review of Chuck Palahniuk's Pygmy

I consider myself to be a decent Chuck Palahniuk fan. Generally, I have a hard time putting his books down, finishing them within a couple days. An hour ago, I decided to start Pygmy and I am already finished because the book is terrible and I cannot continue reading it.

Pygmy is written in the voice of the central character: a 13-year-old terrorist agent who plans to carry out some sort of attack while living in America with his host family. The whole book is written in broken English that doesn't make sense. The broken English doesn't make sense for a couple reasons. The first reason is that it is an intentional trick that Palahniuk uses to make the book more interesting, although it fails. You are forced to break down the language to figure out various normal things that are taking place (also some things that are not normal). Unwrapping a gift, going to Walmart, shaking hands, etc. are all elaborate tasks that are purposefully described in confusing ways. The second reason that it doesn't make sense is that the mastery of the vocabulary seems to be light years ahead of the sentence structure, which makes the book even more annoying to read. Great big SAT words are peppered throughout the language of someone with the cadence of a caveman. I don't mind putting in a little "work" when an author plays with voice and language. I loved A Clockwork Orange and Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, so I don't think the problem is a bias that I have. Anthony Burgess' story requires a glossary, yet it seemed like less work! I was hoping that the language would evolve throughout Pygmy, but as I skipped ahead, I realized the whole book is written this way.

The plot of the book is also something that is terrible and nothing new from C.P. I'm tired of hearing about Walmart. I'm tired of hearing about the flaws in the American way of life. I don't even consider myself to be the biggest patriot, but I was so disheartened when C.P. comes out swinging with these nickel-and-dime tactics where he pairs Pygmy with a stereotype of an American family.

There's an extremely graphic scene early on in the book that was a huge dealbreaker for me, and prompted me to just look up the synopsis of the remaining story as I was ready to give up. Is the scene supposed to be funny? I'm not sure. Upon reading the synopsis, I was happy that I quit reading when I did, as this graphic scene proves to be central to the ridiculous story.

How far into the book did I get? Just a few chapters was all that I could stand. This is definitely a book where you should read a few pages before you buy it.

I am a few books behind being current with C.P.'s work, and Pygmy has made me a little afraid of his recent offerings.

PS Plus and PS3 external hard drives

I was hoping to use an external hard drive with my PS3 because it would allow for more PS Plus games to be downloaded, but it doesn't work that way. That is pretty disappointing. You can use an external drive to back up other things, just not to save games on.

PS Plus is a good deal, but it is only really as good as your remaining internal storage.

Plants vs Zombies 2

Totally forgot Plants vs Zombies 2  was so close to being released. The original game was such a cool experience. My hope is that local co-op remains!

I also hope that EA doesn't do crazy things with the franchise that are terrible for the fans... like they did with Burnout.. The Sims.... Mass Effect.. Dragon Age...

Sweet Tooth

Just started this comic series and it is pretty interesting so far. It is fairly dark and the art is intentionally a bit ugly, but I am so curious about how the story will turn out. It is the same way I felt about The Maxx years ago. I'll do a podcast epi about it soon.

Game of Thrones!

Game of Thrones is just so complicated. It is a show that requires frequent reminders of things from earlier in the series. Halfway through the third season, I decided to give myself a refresher. Probably should've done this before starting the season.

PS4

Sony's next console is going to be $100 cheaper (priced at $400), it will not require daily "checking in" with an internet connection, and it will embrace used games.

It is also a more powerful system overall.

I think Sony definitely learned a thing or two from the last console release. This seems to be a reasonably priced system and they have a much better gameplan than both the Wii U and Xbox One. I'm really hoping that Sony returns to the level they were at with the PS1 and PS2.

Even if the game library isn't that great, choosing the PS4 over the others is a really easy choice.

Xbox Done: A Jefunhouse podcast episode

In our newest episode, we chit chat with our buddy Dr. Unknown about the news regarding the Xbox One!

We discuss the controversy surrounding the console's approach to being connected to the web and used games, amongst other topics.

Listen to it!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Updated Local Co-op games list!

Currently playing Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault. We will talk about it on the show soon! Adding some new games to the list:

Adventures of Tin Tin
Lord of the Rings: War in the North
Castlestorm 
Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault
Terraria
Far Cry 3
BattleBlock Theater
Lego Batman 2
Deathsmiles
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Twisted Metal for PS3
Ugly Americans Apocalypsegeddon on PSN
 The Cave

Animal Crossing

It's nice that Nintendo has released Animal Crossing for the 3DS. The reviews for it are really positive.

Why isn't it for Wii U? Who would rather play AC on a handheld than a home console?

Ni No Kuni

As much as I've enjoyed playing Ni No Kuni, I'm over 40 hours in and I'm ready to wrap this game up. It has been a really fun experience, but I'll admit that I'm still surprised about the fact that boss battles can either be super easy or super difficult. I'll blow through hours and hours of the game being fairly careless with combat, even beating bosses this way. Then I'll encounter a boss able to kill my entire party with just a couple attacks it uses over and over.

Special Editions of Video Games!

I've recently become interested in special/collector's/limited editions of games. These sets never really interested me much before; generally I prefer to wait for titles to reach the under $30 price point unless there's a series that I'm fairly loyal to (Disgaea and GTA being primary examples).

These special editions of games are usually at a price point of around $100+ so I just leave them alone. However, I've discovered a couple recently that have been decent deals- Uncharted 3 and Max Payne 3's special editions. They both feature some pretty fun extras including statues of the main character. Haven't opened either yet, but I am quite impressed with the size of these boxes. They are HUGE!

(Unfortunately, the Uncharted box has some damage. I've tried getting an undamaged set from the seller, but it seems like they all have some dings.)

Although some of these sets drop dramatically in price, others like the Ni No Kuni Wizard's Edition skyrocket in value. It is a very big risk. Are you willing to buy a $100 set that may increase to $200+ or possibly drop to $40? It is impossible to tell where they will end up.

This isn't going to become a hobby of mine because it is just too expensive, but in the future I'll definitely watch out for special edition bargains.

A couple pictures from Paris

Under the Dome

Just saw yet another commercial for Under the Dome, the CBS show based on the Stephen King book. It looks like a fun premise for a show, but I'm too confident that it'll be canceled to begin watching.

Xbox None: An internet connection is now required to do anything.

This will definitely be a topic for an upcoming podcast episode, but I wanted to take a second and comment on the Xbox One. There's a great article on Wired.com that features an interview with Phil Harrison, a VP from Microsoft.

Of course, there are all kinds of fancy things that the new console will be able to do, but it is taking such a giant leap backwards in the most important ways. I'm not even going to discuss the way that the system will attempt to destroy the used game market, although that is a problem- I think the even bigger problem is that the console is going to require an internet connection.

Phil Harrison attempts to pretty-up the concept of this, hoping that people won't be smart enough to see through the massive problems with it:

"So, there is a lot of anxiety about “what if my Internet connection goes down” and you don’t have connectivity for a period of time. There are a host of features which will be usable without an Internet connection — watching movies, playing certain single player games… all of which will operate offline. We expect most of the more advanced experiences, like online multiplayer games, or games which have a lot of connected features… those games won’t operate if you don’t have an Internet connection. We designed the system to take advantage of a connection to the cloud, and all that that means. But no, it’s not required that you are connected all the time, every second of every day."

I was hoping with all my heart that the rumors weren't true; having a system that requires you to have an internet connection is so problematic. For one, what if you don't want one? What about if your internet connection is down? I guess you can't play. Wait, you can play "certain single player games." What does that mean? I'm assuming it means your Xbox One is worthless if you don't have internet. Maybe there's a game of Snake or a Tetris knockoff built into the system that you can play! What happens when the console gets old and the servers are down? Wonderful, you now have an unplayable game library! Microsoft just got too greedy this time.

Normally, when a new console is about to launch, it is a super exciting event that showcases giant leaps forward rather than giant leaps backwards. I hope Sony is watching and taking notes because if they follow suit, the Wii U will be the only next gen console in my house until the others drop in price dramatically.

http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/05/phil-harrison-xbox-one/

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Ness is EarthBound once again

Hi all! Tune in and listen to this min-episode where Cyrus has a solo chitchat about the recent news of Earthbound on the Wii u Virtual Console.

Maury! Or is it Murray?

It is always such a shock to me that so many people on Maury (Maury Povich's highbrow talk show) fail to realize how his name is pronounced. Why do so many people call him Murray? Even if someone hasn't seen the name in print, I imagine that there would be numerous prompts along the way for any guest.

Dust 514 on PS3

I was so excited to see that Dust was a free to play title on the PS3. Then I realized that it was actually a third person action game with "514" in the title. I thought it was going to be the extra pretty 2D sidescrolling action/adventure game on the Xbox 360, which I now know is titled: Dust: An Elysian Tale.

Updated Local Co-op games list

Just added some new games to the Cyrus and Raven future co-op games list. Right now, we're playing the Tell Tale Game series The Walking Dead, which isn't really a co-op game, but it is quite fun to play together. The Cave has been crossed off the list for the time being, as it is something that we've already played. Unfortunately, an update completely erased our game save and has been the catalyst for playing The Walking Dead instead.

Although The Walking Dead is a really fun, innovative experience, it will definitely be nice to approach a new title that is a little less heavy and much more action-oriented. Because it is such an engrossing experience, it requires a great deal of attention and specific timing to when we even play it. Something that can be picked up and played at any moment would be nice for next time. 

More tower defense games should have sequels.

Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault
Terraria
Far Cry 3
BattleBlock Theater
Lego Batman 2
Deathsmiles
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Twisted Metal for PS3
Ugly Americans Apocalypsegeddon on PSN
 The Cave

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Drawn to Endless Runners

Hey everyone! In our newest podcast episode, Cyrus, Raven and Roxy philosophize on their current game play including Battleblock Theatre, Draw Something 2, Injustice for the iOS, 8 bit runner, and more.

We've missed you!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Wrath of the Walking Dead video game

Raven and Cyrus talk about Telltale's Walking Dead video game series and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, both for PS3.

Both of these games are intensely fun but for different reasons! We talk about the graphics, gameplay, and style of each without providing any spoilers. Check out the show!

The Master film movie review

It can be really disappointing to experience something that feels average when you are expecting something that is amazing. With no expectations, something average is generally okay, but when you experience something that lets you down, there's a sense of loss. With that being said, my time with the movie Drive Angry was actually much better than time spent with The Master.

Paul Thomas Anderson has some really great movies under his belt; Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood are a couple movies that everyone should see at some point (Magnolia also provides a really interesting, original experience, and I'll fully admit that I don't enjoy it as much as the others). I still consider it to be a good movie that most people would enjoy. I don't feel this way about The Master.

Here's the deal with The Master (the plot points that I mention are early in the movie, so don't worry about any huge spoilers): Joaquin Phoenix plays Freddie Quells, an alcoholic Navy vet who is obsessed with sex and mentally imbalanced due to repeatedly enjoying mixed drinks with paint thinner (in addition to past trauma). Drifting along, he randomly encounters Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a cult leader who genuinely likes him and takes him into his flock.

Joaquin often likes to show off his lats.

This is a movie that has so much going for it, but I feel like it failed me. The acting performances are amazing, scenes are shot in an interesting fashion, the script is well-written, and the characters are multi-dimensional.

Here's what is wrong with The Master: The movie moves slowly... really slowly, and it is so unclear about what it wants to be. There's not much of a plot, and if you're looking for an interesting story that stays interesting for the whole movie, you'll be disappointed. There's no payoff that ties everything together. You'll wait for it, but it never happens. That's it. Some people will probably look at this review and consider that I'm someone who just doesn't "get it", and I'm okay with that. It is supposed to be an artsy movie.

I don't mind abstract art when it is in the form of a painting because I can immediately identify it as abstract. I can take a second, third, fourth look at the picture and attempt to assign some kind of meaning to it. If I'm not interested in at all, I can just walk away immediately. When it takes roughly 2 1/2 hours for me to realize that I'm watching abstract art on-screen, I feel a bit cheated. It makes me wish that I had been warned about this movie, so here is my warning to you.

JE Funhouse Podcast: Fin - Season 3 Finale of the Walking Dead

All good things come to an end... In this episode, Raven, Roxy, and Cyrus chat about the final two episodes of the current season of the Walking Dead.

We banter about the following things:
-Merle (or is it Merl or MmmEarl? I hate his name).
-Our overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the finale.
-The final big battle.
-The resolution with the Governor.
-The casualties.
-The many differences between the comic book and the show.

We hope that you've enjoyed listening to us talk about the show; it has been a great deal of fun.

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Upcoming co-op games!

Possible upcoming local co-op games for Cyrus and Raven! Here's a list of games we will try out at some point in the future!

Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Twisted Metal for PS3
Ugly Americans Apocalypsegeddon on PSN
The Cave

 It gets harder and harder to find solid local co-op games, so it is always good to have a backlog.

JE Funhouse Podcast: Drive Angry Movie review

Hi all! Check out our newest podcast episode where review the film Drive Angry starring Nicholas Cage! This is quite a polarizing film that incites some strong feeling from Cyrus and Raven.

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Playstation Plus

Finally got around to trying out Playstation Plus. I've always heard positive things about it, but I've never gotten around to really taking a good look at it. As someone who has been a subscriber to Xbox Live for some years now (on and off, generally subscribing around the time of the HALO games), I've been fairly closed to spending money on an additional online service.

On first look, there's a lot of content on there. I really think that the idea of offering "free" temporary games is pretty nice. A number of sources have stated that the North American version of PS Plus is inferior because of the game selection, but I'm not unhappy with it. I imagine that many budget-minded gamers would probably find it appealing. The price is also comparable to a year of Live, but you get a decent amount more. There's lots of temporary "free" stuff. 

The number of games to purchase is pretty astounding. There's a great variety here, and I was surprised by the number of PS One offerings that were only $5.99. Years ago, I would have been quite opposed to purchasing a digital copy of a game, but at this point I think that everyone has gotten used to it because of cell phone apps that we all pay for.

There are a couple problems that I have with Plus, and they are problems that have never really gone away since I first obtained a PS3- the glitches and error messages. There have been so many times that I have encountered an error message that it gets a bit frustrating. This is something that I never encounter on Live, and no offense to Microsoft, but error messages definitely feel like they are something that I should encounter with Microsoft as opposed to Sony.

Shame on you, Sony. I've been kicked out of the PS Store far too many times, and I've had installs that have just stopped to the point where I have to cancel them and try again. It isn't my internet; this is a problem that I've had on more than one PS3 at least 50 times at this point. There was also a free game that I attempted to download that just wouldn't download. Finally, after trying a couple days later, I was able to download it, but this isn't something that should happen.

I'll give more info in the future. We'll definitely talk more on the podcast.

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Prey on my love - Walking Dead Ep. 14 Review

Raven, Roxy and Cyrus  review the latest episode of the Walking Dead - Season 3 Episode 14, Prey. It is a fun time! Check it out!

Shining Force gripes

As someone who enjoys turn based strategy rpgs, I'm having a tough time adjusting to Shining Force. Shining Force is a pretty famous Genesis game, and I've known of it for a while now. Unfortunately, in the meantime, I've played a decent number of really solid strategy rpgs, including FFT, Vandal Hearts, Tactics Ogre, Phantom Brave, Disgaea, La Pucelle, etc. Some of the mechanics in Shining Force are so antiquated and awkward that I'm hours into the game, but I'm still not used to them yet.

The menu interface is more complicated than it needs to be. You can't interact with things with just a single button press; talking to people requires a couple button presses and opening a chest requires a few button presses. The whole system created to handle items is a nightmare. It is difficult to equip things, and there's no clean interface that easily shows the status of each character. There are so many chests all over the place, but I have to continue to remove things from my main character because if he is carrying a whopping four items (one of them being his main weapon), he can't pick anything up.

I enjoy that it has really nice rpg elements and areas to explore, but I'm not too fond of some of the battles. They can be really drawn out, not just because of strategy, but because of problems with the environments. I expected an experience similar to Tactics Ogre (which came out at around the same time, I think), but it isn't. In Tactics Ogre, you had to have some real strategy from the beginning, making the decision sometimes to choose characters to ascend or descend, incorporating heights into your battle plan. In Shining Force, the terrain only seems to exist to make battles seem drawn out. I feel like I'm constantly locked into situation after situation where I have clumps of characters and only a few are able to move at a time. There are bridges all over the place and enemies outside of them, which just makes things take forever.

I realize that I'm being really hard on this game. It is adorable and it has great sounds, and it also has a charm that is all its own. In fact, if I played this game years ago, I probably wouldn't care about any of these gripes. This is a game that helped invent a genre, and it is responsible for many games that I am in love with. Unfortunately, although I can appreciate the Model T, it probably wouldn't be much fun to drive.

BTW: This game has a really lame cover. Really lame.

Daylight savings!

Daylight savings time is such a pain, but the end result of springing forward is nice.

I love getting up early on the weekend when it's nice and dark out. It is a little adventure each time, a relaxing adventure.

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: An Arrow Through My Heart - Walking Dead Ep 13

Raven, Roxy and Cyrus take a hard look at Walking Dead Episode 13 from Season 3 - Arrow on the Doorpost. This episode elicited some seriously strong feelings from the crew.

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Gaming shelves!

It is time for new gaming shelves! The JE Funhouse collection is pretty much scattered all over the JE Funhouse compound. Unfortunately, when "new" games are purchased, the goal is to find some empty space and fill it with games. Generally, I want to sit down and play, not organize things.

In addition to organization, there will eventually be a doggy who will spend time in this game room. It is important that all the games are kept safe from his/her paws. 

I've seen a billion room tours on Youtube (yes, I love these videos), and although I don't expect to be as fancy as many of them are, I would like to have something set up that is marginally nice. There aren't going to be any light up displays or museum quality fixtures, but it should look pretty good in the end.

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: 'Splosion Man loves his Sega Genesis Model 3

Raven and Cyrus talk about their time playing demos for the co-op games 'Splosion Man and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Cyrus is also quite proud of a new piece of gaming equipment.

Tune in for the details!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Generation Next - Where those new consoles at?

In this podcast episode, Raven and Cyrus have a nice conversation about the upcoming consoles! We discuss the upcoming PS4 and Xbox 720!

Some topics include:
-Pricing
-Features
-PS3's batarang controller
-Will we buy this at launch?

Check out the articles below:

http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/the-playstation-4-exists/1100-4583/

http://www.giantbomb.com/images/1300-2440235

http://www.pressthebuttons.com/2005/05/ps3_launch_pric.html

 

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Home is where Rick goes crazy - Review of Walking Dead Ep 10

Hey everyone!

We have a new podcast epi where we review The Walking Dead's newest episode! Raven, Cyrus, and Roxy get together and chit-chat about various topics related to the newest episode "Home." Tune in and enjoy..... unless you are a walker!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Sports, man

Hey everybody! In our newest podcast episode, Cyrus and Raven take a stroll down video game memory lane and reminisce about all the wonderful sports games of years past!

We cover games from Punch Out to Tony Hawk!

This was our very first episode recorded using a different technique, so it is a significant piece of JE Funhouse history!

 Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

JE Funhouse Podcast episode: We missed you Walking Dead

Hey everybody! Join Cyrus, Raven, and Roxy in a wonderful discussion about AMC's hit television series The Walking Dead and the original comic book. We take a look at how we feel about the actors and some of the plot lines while making comparisons to the comic. Sometimes we like the show more, other times the comic. Listen and find out!

Lots of hardcore discussion takes place, including:
Which Governor is best, show or comic?
Predictions for the end of Season 3~!
Which characters are hated by all (I'll give you a clue - everyone loves Carl)?

This Walking Dead show is chock full of spoilers, so heed this warning if you haven't kept up with the show!

We are happy to welcome guests back onto the show after a bit of a hiatus!

  Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 3 "Save the Last One"

This is probably my favorite episode so far. The show really has started to hit the ground running with Season 2, especially following the lackluster finale of the original season. The shifting around of time to initially show the viewer Shane shaving his head, then revealing the story in a very skillful manner was quite fun. It makes me wish there were more stories like this one. 

I don't really care that Otis was killed prematurely. In the book, he doesn't die until the prison stuff, but he really isn't a major character. I kind of liked the fact that he was a very fat guy on a difficult, physical mission. In the comic, he's a very generic looking character, and I would find myself irritated by him because he looked the same as so many other characters.

The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 1 recap

Not really many comments on this one. Although I've read the books, I was totally caught off guard by Carl being shot. Very much so, in fact. I was too busy wondering why Rick and Shane would think it was acceptable for a child to walk right up to a wild buck who may charge him.

They started out with the zombie "herds" quite fast in the television show. I don't think they actually mention them in the comic until the appearance of Eugene and Abraham much later on. There's a ton of cars that must be drivable on the highway; this makes me wonder what they are going to do with them.

The Walking Dead Episodes 5 and 6 recap

These were okay, but not great. I like the fact that they made it to the CDC, and that we were able to lose another character who seemed to just be tagging along to die at some point. The inclusion of Rick's grenade was a fun twist; I had completely forgotten that it existed way back in the second episode.

Unfortunately, this was one of the worst season finales ever. Nothing was accomplished. You can get away with having a filler episode mid-season, but not at the beginning or end. It makes me wonder if it was even intended to be a season finale.

The actor who is playing Dale is so very much Dale, which I'm growing to appreciate more and more. 

Of course, I'm being a bit critical with some of my comments on the show as I love the comic so. 

I'm really hoping that Tyreese appears in the show, but at this point it is feeling a bit unlikely. His character was one that I really enjoyed, and the subplots with his daughter, Carol, and Michonne were all interesting.

JE Funhouse Podcast: Kirby you're my super star

Cyrus and Raven make an announcement about the show.  Then, a review of Kirby Super Star for the SNES.  Also, randomly,  a little Dream Divers 2 on XBOX 360 Live is thrown it at the end.

 Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

Wonderful Kirby iPad artwork.

The Walking Dead Episode 4 recap

An army of people holed up inside a nursing home? What exactly are they eating? And they have dogs as pets? This was a completely bizarre episode. I enjoyed the weeding out of all these characters who seemed to be there just so they could die.

I'm so curious if these nursing home gangsters will continue to be a part of the series.

The Walking Dead Episode 3 recap

This is an episode that is almost entirely new stuff. The inclusion of Daryl was a pretty big surprise to me. I knew that the guy from Boondock Saints had a part in the show, but I thought he was someone else, not a character completely made up for the television series. I also don't remember the woman-beating fella from the comic either. It is really odd to me that Shane is so tough that he's able to frighten him; Shane really doesn't seem to be that big or strong looking.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT

The inclusion of Daryl is fairly interesting because I know that I've seen him in stills from recent episodes, so I already know that he survives for quite a while.

JE Funhouse Podcast Episde:Johnny Turbo wins it big at the track

Unfortunately, a sick Cyrus + Wednesday night = a prerecorded episode.

Well, this prerecorded episode is still a pretty good one. Cyrus and Raven talk about Bonk's Adventure on the Turbo Grafx 16 and playing the classic NES Power Pad title World Class Track Meet.

We also have a little chit chat about the one and only Johnny Turbo. 

The Walking Dead Episode 2 recap

The show is now beginning to deviate from the comic, and not just a little bit. I don't remember actor Michael Rooker's character (the racist man handcuffed to the pipe) in the slightest, and I also don't recognize a number of the survivors. It seems like people have randomly appeared at the campsite as well. I wonder if they will always be there.

It is also very interesting that the show begins to hint at Andrea being a love interest for Rick from the very beginning.

Glen's personality seems to be a bit different in the show, but it has been a while since I've read the beginning of the comic, so it could be more accurate than I remember.

The Walking Dead Episode 1 recap

Just watched The Walking Dead episode 1. As a fan of the comic, I definitely wanted to wait for my memory of the earlier issues to be a bit fuzzy. So far, there is a decent amount to like.

-the first epi moves fast. Faster than I expected.
-so far, it hasn't been toned down too much.
-Lori looks trashy and classless from the start. They didn't try to change her character.
-I also like the casting of Shane. The guy seems really jerky.
-the changes to the plot, although minor, were just fine with me. It is following the comic fairly closely.

It really makes me wonder how the show will handle the ending of the story arc where the survivors are living at the jail. I hope the show deviates from the book at that point.

JE Funhouse Episode: Get your toon degree

Raven and Cyrus do a review of the NES game Tiny Toon Adventures 2: Trouble in Wackyland and discuss the differences between the Super Nintendo console models one and two.

Snow!

Driving in the snow is really only a hassle if the roads are crowded or you have somewhere to be. Otherwise, it can be a bit fun, especially in the wee hours of the morning.

Some Kind of Wonderful Movie Review by Cyrus

Hi all! Our newest podcast episode actually doesn't have anything to do with video games! Cyrus has decided to provide a little movie review about the 80's classic Some Kind of Wonderful.This movie is an absolute 80's masterpiece and should have received all the many accolades of the supposedly charming Pretty in Pink. Eric Stolz, Lea Thompson, and Mary Stuart Masterson give us everything they have in this cinematic tour de force. Of course, we can't spoil everything in this little blurb here, so be sure to check out this nibble of podcast.

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: Defend Your Tower

This week, Raven and Cyrus have a little discussion about their fave tower defense games.

And then there's the news!

Atari isn't making it rain.

http://techland.time.com/2013/01/22/atari-is-in-trouble-again/

Charlie Brown is a stalker? Is he looking for the little red haired girl?

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/voice-charlie-brown-arrested-stalking-163431458.html

Inigo Montoya causes trouble on an airplane.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/inigo-montoya-shirt-leads-awkward-flight-220153812.html

Are you ready to set some video game records? Don't worry, even if you aren't good at them, there's still a wide variety of records to be had.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/01/18/video-games-guinness-world-records/1839981/

The one. The only. Johnny Turbo!

 

http://sardoose.rustedlogic.net/reviews/jturbo/index.htm

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

If you ever want to listen to us live and participate, find us on Blog Talk Radio! Live shows are every Wednesday night at 10:00pm EST!

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you-play

 

New Podcast Episode: Minigames done NES Style

Check out our newest show!

Raven and Cyrus do a random video game review show on two NES games featuring licensed characters in minigame scenarios - Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular and Muppet Adventure: Chaos at the Carnival.

Recent Video Game Purchases

Holy Technical Difficulties, Batman!

The JE Funhouse recording studio has experienced some trouble lately, and it appears that we have pinpointed the problem! Unfortunately, we finally found the problem after recording an hour and a half episode with our new show buddy Dragon. We aren't really serious audio experts; our only real recording/podcasting experience is on the show itself.


One decent-sized hurdle that we encounter is the fact that we do a live show each week. Although this means that people listening into the show can hear things as they happen live and participate, the downside is that if we don't know that there's a problem with the audio, we can't troubleshoot.

So, we have some choices to make regarding how we handle the show. Unfortunately, we'll have to make some hardware and procedure changes, but we are up to the challenge. We appreciate your patience as we get back into the groove!

JE Funhouse Podcast Episode: The Hobbit Special!

Hey everybody! 

Come join Raven, Cyrus, and Dragon on the greatest adventure. That's right, we are talking about The Hobbit! We will discuss various aspects of the movie, including:

-Casting
-Visual appeal (find out how we felt about the extra frames!)
-How closely the movie followed the book
-Comparison with the LOTR trilogy
-And lots of other fun stuff!

We've also got some reviews of some LOTR games to chit chat about!

This is a packed show, enough to fill a hobbit hole!

Raven provides some news, including a story about a likely shabby upcoming video game that's funded by the government...

http://washingtonexaminer.com/feds-fund-100000-video-game-featuring-female-climate-change-superhero/article/2518134#.UPdlUJG9KSN

A new Final Fantasy game coming to iOS..

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/386692/square-teases-new-final-fantasy-reveal-coming-january-17/

And some wonderful news about declining video game sales!

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/10/business/la-fi-ct-video-games-sales-20130111

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

If you ever want to listen to us live and participate, find us on Blog Talk Radio! Live shows are every Wednesday night at 10:00pm EST!

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you-play

 

JE Funhouse Podcast Upcoming Episode

Hi everybody!

Join Raven, Cyrus, and Roxy on Wednesday night at 10:00pm EST for a live show about our favorite sci fi and fantasy shows of all time! Of course, we will get super nerdy as we reminisce about all of the robots, aliens, ghosts, and vampires we have enjoyed on the small screen.

Of course, fans of the podcast already know that there will be some mention of Lost, Dr. Who, and BSG, but tune in to find out what else we are into! And feel free to join us in the chat and let us know what you like! There's no judgement here!

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

If you ever want to listen to us live and participate, find us on Blog Talk Radio! Live shows are every Wednesday night at 10:00pm EST!

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you-play

Podcast Episode: JE Funhouse New Year's Resolution - play more video games

Hi all,

Welcome to the first new show of the New Year! In tonight's epi, Cyrus and Raven check out the many games that Xbox Live Arcade has to offer! They search vigorously for a new co-op title and they break down the pros and cons of quite a few games.

Hooray for some juicy news stories!

Find out the newest bit of mischief that Zynga is up to!

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-12-31/business/chi-zynga-shutters-petville-in-bid-for-profitability-20121231_1_zynga-shares-mafia-wars-mafia-wars

Is Neil Armstrong a liar? You be the judge!

http://www.christianpost.com/news/neil-armstrong-lied-about-one-small-step-for-man-moon-landing-video-87532/


We've got a serious story about keeping kids safe online!

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2100-more-sex-offenders-banned-from-online-games-6401753

Are current gen games too easy?

http://venturebeat.com/2012/12/31/are-video-games-easier-than-they-used-to-be/

What are some of the top iPhone apps this year?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/top-apps-2012_n_2388490.html?utm_hp_ref=technology

Here's our address on iTunes; keep current with the show by subscribing:

 http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you/id537067117

If you ever want to listen to us live and participate, find us on Blog Talk Radio! Live shows are every Wednesday night at 10:00pm EST!

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/je-funhouse-we-are-what-you-play