Vivek’s Blog

Yeah, that’s right. It’s a video game. Based on the Mahabharat. Thankfully, not by an Indian developer. You know, I would really like it if Indian developers did better on an international level but at this point, they suck. They have no money and not enough experience to make quality games. We’ve done great on the mobile platform but when it comes to console or PC gaming, Indian studios have a long way to go.

So, the game is being developed by Syncere Arts from Canada. I haven’t heard of them before but I’d like to believe they’re sincere about this game. It is expected for the PC and Xbox 360 in April 2008. Long wait. But hopefully, if this game makes progress, we’ll hear more about it pretty soon.

You play Arjun and have access to dozens of weapons and “vedic powers” and can master 9 schools of power. They claim to have realistic physics and incredible depth in gameplay.

It all sounds good and I sincerely hope that the game is released and is actually as good as they say it is. Here’s the link to the game site:

Syncere Arts

WARNING: Flash-based site with background audio!

Hello invisible readers. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that I managed to procure a can of compressed air and blasted any and all dust from within my laptop. It took a while and there was a lot of dust but it seems to have been worth it. For the past 7 hours, I have not heard the laptop fans kick-in even once. The system is running fairly cool and lag is currently not an issue. I will need to probe further by stressing the system with the help of graphics-heavy applications and games. Maybe I will finally get to play Quake 4 and complete The Chronicles of Riddick. I also need to reinstate my Audigy 2 ZS Notebook card which I took out believing it to be the cause of my problems.

I would also like to inform you of how cold it is out here in New York. Consistently below freezing.

Now that my laptop seems to running “fine,” I was able to run Yahoo! Messenger webcam/audio chat without issues. But what irony! The connection on my parents’ side decided to usurp this excellent chat. Maybe you will find this interesting: There was a lady buying an original copy of Windows Vista at the computer store where I bought the compressed air. Lunch was good.

Thank you for reading this!

Regards,

Me.

I managed to see a lot of movies this year but missed an equally large number, courtesy a full course-load. But, I still saw enough to complie this list.

5. Strangers With Candy

A small indie movie that was a prequel to a TV series of the same name. A very limited release and a surprisingly low 60% on RT meant that the movie slipped under everyone’s radar when it came out this past summer. Even if you haven’t seen the series, the movie is still a rib-tickler with some terrific acting by Stephen Colbert and Amy Sedaris. Plays out a lot like a run-of-the-mill teen movie but is a billion times better in the quality of the script and the freshness in the comedy. Fans of the series will adore it and comedy lovers will love this movie. Highly underrated.

4. Snakes on a Plane
Thank You For Smoking

Surprised to see it at #4? So am I. But the ones to follow were better movies overall. SoaP had the fun factor and all the hype. Oh, it also had Samuel L. Jackson a lot of muthaf’ing snakes on a muthaf’ing plane! One thrill ride this. Cheesy, B-grade movie credentials be damned - the movie was extremely enjoyable. Unfortunately, the hype wasn’t enough to ensure success as the movie more or less bombed at the box-office. Watch it noentheless and see what all the fuss is about!

Yes I added a second movie at #4. Only because I totally forgot about this one. A scathing satire on tobacco lobbyists, Senators, and Hollywood, this movie was hilarious. The book of the same name was excellent too and really fleshed out the characters a lot more. Aaron Eckhart was pretty much born to play the role of Nick Naylor, the tobacco industry’s top spin-wizard. Must-watch!

3. The Departed

A movie by Martin Scorsese with a cast of several talented actors and a strong script. An out and out action thriller, this movie was definitely one of the best action films of the year. Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen team up with a surprisingly mature Leonardo Di Caprio and Matt Damon to serve up a delightful treat in the acting department. Everyone is fantastic and the movie moves with a good pace in spite of the length. Oh yeah, by the way, the movie is about the Irish mafia in Boston and the cops after them. There’s double agents on both sides and everything ends well, albeit in a rush of deaths.

2. Little Miss Sunshine

It’s unfortunate that LMS ended up not being my top movie. Here’s a great movie to watch - probably not with family because of the language and some content. Funny and sensitive at the same time, the story is about a dysfunctional family that tries to come together so that little Olive can take part in the Little Miss Sunshine contest in California. The movie stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, and Greg Kinnear - all three turn in stellar performances. This is a small movie that made it big. Made on a modest budget and initially a limited release, the movie was overwhelmingly popular and forced the studio to open it to a wide release. The movie ended up making more than $50 million at the US Box Office and is an absolute delight!

1. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

I didn’t have to check the accuracy of my memory even with the ginormous title that this movie brings to the table. Such was the wondrous work of Sacha Baron Cohen. An absolute laugh-riot chronicling the adventures of Borat and his producer Azamat who come to America from Kazakhstan to understand some of their culture and subsequently use it to better Kazakhstan (hence the title). Rude, loud, and extremely offensive only begin to describe what this movie is about. No point in me wasting more words here - go read my exclusive post on the movie. While short at just under 90 minutes, this movie is well worth your money, whether you see it in the theaters or on DVD.

I ended up with three comedies on that list. Compare that to just 1 last year. There were disappointments this year as well. Here they are:

Pirates 2
X-Men 3

Both movies were hyped beyond belief but suffered from weak scripts. Pirates seemed slow and Depp not as good as in the first. Pirates 3 needs to be better. X3 threw in a boatload of mutants but was a bit of a mess. Cyclops and Professor X killed off? And what was up with Magneto feeling sorry at the end? Brett Ratner was a poor choice of director I say.

Other Good Movies that just missed out:

MI:3
V For Vendetta
Inside Man
Slither

Others I wanted to see but couldn’t:

An Inconvenient Truth
The Descent
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
This Film is Not Yet Rated
United 93
Casino Royale

I played a lot of games this year but not nearly enough new ones. But still, I played a good number of new games and so here goes my best of list.

5. Prey (PC)

All right, I’ll admit that I didn’t play the full game but I needed something in 5th place and the demo was long enough to give enough of a feel for the game. I didn’t get it because this was right about the time I started having all my PC troubles and that is why there is no other PC game in this list. Prey is well-done as far as shooters go. Gorgeous graphics (built on the Doom 3 engine, pales in front of GoW), solid gameplay, some weapons innovation and a good soundtrack make this game a must-have for FPS fans with machines that can handle this game. Of course, you could also get it for the Xbox 360 but I haven’t tried it out on the 360 as yet.

4. Big Brain Academy (Nintendo DS)

Think you’re smart? How about you beat my brain weight of 1774g! Big Brain Academy is essentially a collection of mini-games that get your brain working fast, or so they claim. You can practice any of the mini-games or jump into a full-scale test that takes about 5 minutes to complete. You are tested on various things like your Computational skills and in the end, your score is tabulated in the form of the weight (mass!) of your brain. The average human brain weighs 1400g so anything above that number is a job well-done. A great pick-up and play game and with wireless support, you can slug it out against 1 or more opponents to see who has the biggest brain!

3. Castlevania: Portriat of Ruin (Nintendo DS)

The 20th Anniversary Castlevania game is terrific. Last year’s Dawn of Sorrow, also for the DS, set new standards for the DS is terms of gameplay and graphics and this year’s PoR applies some tweaks to shake things up a little. You can now control two characters with abilities split between the two: Jonathan is the weapons guy while Charlotte is the magic girl. Together, they can be a handful for the enemy. You need to combine their skills in order to beat the game. I’m still trying to beat it and it had so far provided over 25 hours of thoroughly engaging gameplay. The side-quests and secrets really stretch the life of this game. If you liked Dawn of Sorrow, this one’s a no-brainer. Pick it up and relive the experience again. While some might be disappointed that there haven’t been significant improvements, it’s important to realize that Dawn of Sorrow was already a brilliant game.

2. Wii Sports (Nintendo Wii)

The game that changed the way we play sports games! It’s the one game that gets people up from their couches and jumping around like idiots trying to beat the simply setup but extraordinarily addictive games. While Tennis, Baseball, and Bowling are extremely enjoyable, the Boxing and Golf are not quite up there. Still, the different gameplay modes including Fitness and Training let you have fun while working those lazy muscles. Everyone knows you don’t quite have to move the Wiimote quite as much as the real-life equipment, but it’s infinitely more fun that way!

1. Gears of War (Xbox 360)

A few posts back, I did a long story titled Finals. No, it wasn’t about my final exams except for that postscript at the end. It was about Gears of War. It is THE game to own for the Xbox 360 and you’d be silly if you haven’t already played it in spite of owning a 360. Mind-blowing graphics coupled with excellent gameplay make this game the shooter to beat in the coming months. Single-player is short on Casual difficulty but try Insane if you want to spend more time with the game. I beat it in Casual mode over 3 days of scattered gaming sessions (interspersed by restlessness and an incurable itch to get back) and managed to clear two Acts on Insane before finals took over. Of course, right now I’m back home with no 360. So beating the game in Insane will have to wait a few weeks. But beat the sucker I will. And oh yeah, multiplayer on Xbox Live is great. Make sure you have a headset so you can coordinate with teammates.

Yes, I know what some of you will say - Where’s Zelda? Sorry Nintendo fanboys, but I didn’t play the game. I watched my roommate and a friend play it and I was impressed with the gameplay. But never having owned a Nintendo console, I haven’t played any Zelda games and as such, they don’t hold much attraction for me. But, I can clearly see why so many people like the game so much. Within its genre, I don’t think many games come close.

The only game that could have also made it here was Mario Hoops 3-on-3. It was fun until you got to the harder difficulty and realized how clunky the passing system was. It was a nightmare on some stages and as a result, Mario Hoops is not on my list. Damn, I didn’t play too many PC games this year, did I? All thanks to my ever-unstable system. It seems to have stabilized now but needs more looking-into before I come to any conclusions. I did mange to get through FarCry and play a lot of FIFA 2006 and UT2004 before my PC went bonkers. I hope 2007 brings a better year for PC gaming - I still need to get through Quake 4 and The Chronicles of Riddick which are gathering dust in a drawer in my dorm room.

Movies are up next. That will be a good list to compile. The Music post now has an entry at #5.

2006 was a good year for rock music in general. A lot of big bands returned with their latest and most managed to do more than a decent job. Tool busted out 10, 000 Days after what seemed like an eternity and sold 550k copies in the first week. Pearl Jam returned with their self-titled 8th album to positive reviews. I also managed to go watch 3 concerts for a good first concert year. But there were some notable absentees as well. Metallica’s new record and Linkin Park’s new album were pushed into 2007 as the bands asked for more time. That actually makes for an even more interesting 2007. I’m also expecting the new Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater albums and accompanying tours this year! Radiohead might release their next album in 2007 as well. Travis’ long overdue 5th album should be out sometime soon since they’re almost done mixing it. But enough of my blabbering. Let’s get to my top 5.
Please remember that this list is made up of albums that came out in 2006 and those that I listened to. Don’t come crying to me about a certain album you think should be up here. I can’t put something here that I haven’t listened to myself.

5. Sam Roberts - Chemical City
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

Yep. Two albums on #5. Both indie I might add. Very different from what I usually listen to but both very good nonetheless. I can credit Mr. Stephen Colbert for making me listen to The Decemberists even though I’d heard of them as a good band well before he challenged them to a guitar-off. And The Onion can claim credit for introducing me to Sam Roberts. Both bands feature good guitar work and very different vocals. Production styles are very different from the other albums listed here. But I would still encourage people to go out and listen to these bands - they’re very good.

Song Suggestions:
Sam Roberts - The Gate, Bridge to Nowhere, Mystified Heavy, With a Bullet
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3, The Island: Come and See, The Perfect Crime No.2, O Valencia!, When The War Came

4. State of Emergency by The Living End

Hailing from the land of the kangaroos, this punkabilly band might sound like a Green Day clone in more ways than one, but they sure know how to rock. Quite interesting is the fact that the bassist uses a stand-up bass for his parts which imparts a different type of sound to the songs. Lead singer Chris Cheney sounds a lot like Green Day’s Billy Joe Armstrong and so do some of the songs. But pay careful attention, and you will notice that The Living End are more aggressive with their music. Kicking off with the heavy “‘Til The End,” The Living End never quite let up in intensity. “Wake Up” has a section that is reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in The Wall Part 2″ while the final song, “Into The Red” sounds very much like a 60s/70s punk song - even the production is such. All in all, a high-energy record with some great songs!

Track Suggestions: ‘Til The End, Wake Up, What’s on Your Radio?, State of Emergency, Into The Red
Other Album Suggestions: The Living End

3. Switzerland by Electric Six

The swinging party band E6 deliver another fun record with Switzerland. For US audiences, this was the second album in the year. This one sees E6 slowing down the madness a bit. Just a bit though. The songs are still distinctly E6 and Dick Valentine’s vocals are wonderful as ever with the lyrics being as cryptic as ever also. It’s a fun album and while it seems like the morning after the crazy party that the first two albums were, this one still has enough punch to satisfy E6 fans. “I Buy The Drugs” sings of a guy who delivers drugs and other supplies to a sorority and loves it! “Pulling The Plug on The Party” is one of the songs that gives the impression that this is not the same rollicking stuff from their debut. The album concludes with the silly, 1-minute “Chocolate Pope” and I recommend watching the video on YouTube. In conclusion, a strong album from a band doesn’t seem to disappoint with their albums.

Track Suggestions: I Buy The Drugs, Pulling The Plug on The Party, Pink Flamingoes, Rubber Rocket, Germans in Mexico
Other Album Suggestions: Fire, Senor Smoke

2. Pearl Jam by Pearl Jam

Returning four years after Riot Act, Pearl Jam’s eponymous eighth album sees them angrier than ever and has some of their best work since the peak they hit in the mid-90s. Eddie Vedder writes and delivers sensitive lyrics dealing a lot with the war that the US has gotten itself into. Pearl Jam are definitely not happy and they express their dissatisfaction time and again, in particular on “World Wide Suicide,” surely one of their best singles. But not everything is about war as Eddie sings a touching song hoping for a lover’s return with “Come Back” and a trippy song about hallucinogens on “Severed Hand.” The album has loud guitars, a lot of hooks, as well as strong lyrics and impressive delivery by Vedder. The album doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of their heyday, but is still a strong album and a sign that they’re not out of the game just yet.

Track Suggestions: World Wide Suicide, Severed Hand, Army Reserve, Gone, Life Wasted
Other Album Suggestions: Ten, Vs., Vitalogy

And now, time for #1. For anyone following my Last.fm charts, this will come as no surprise whatsoever.

1. 10, 000 Days by Tool

In my eyes, or ears rather, nothing in 2006 came close. Right from the first track, Vicarious, Tool’s fourth full-length studio album is a staggering sonic assault. Whether it’s the thought-provoking lyrics of Right in Two or the silliness that is Rosetta Stoned, Tool deliver a record like no other this year. Wings For Marie/10, 000 Days is a 17 minute epic written as a eulogy for the lead singer’s mother who passed away after 27 years in paralysis. Tool sort of return to the anger from their Undertow days on “The Pot” with an impressive bass line driving the song. It even managed to bag the #1 spot on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Jambi is an aggressive, hard rocker with some brilliant guitar work by Adam Jones and some excellent drumming by the always amazing Danny Carey. His tribal sound is like no other and lends a sense of uniqueness to Tool’s music. While ambience tracks like “Lost Keys” and “Viginti Tres” are not very good, they do their job as soundscapes meant to enhance the album. Lost Keys lays the foundation for Rosetta Stoned to build and expand upon. Tool’s songs are not the short, radio-happy variety. Discounting the soundscapes, the shortest song here is still almost 7 minutes long. But listening to Tool is a very rewarding experience and being patient is important.

Furthermore, the exquisite packaging and the 76 minute length offer way more than your money’s worth. Fans still await a video while the band is in the middle of a break from relentless touring. I bet Adam Jones, their guitarist and video director, is hard at work on the videos. I expect something special, like always!

Track Suggestions: Vicarious, Jambi, 10, 000 Days, The Pot, Rosetta Stoned, Right in Two
Other Album Suggestions: Lateralus, Ænima, Undertow

Albums that were good but didn’t make the cut:

Incubus - Light Grenades
Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist

Albums everyone’s talking about but I haven’t listened to yet:

TV on The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

More Best Ofs to follow in the next week. I hope you enjoyed reading this one.