Last night news broke that there was a mass shooting in Florida, while that sadly sounds the norm for the United States, this occasion was somewhat different in that the shooting took place at a Madden NFL tournament which was being broadcast via Twitch and hosted by EA Games. As details began to become clear, the reasoning behind the vile act became somewhat unbelievable to hear. We won’t be naming the sore loser here, but can only say the events that unfolded were shocking and saddening. A regular Sunday afternoon and you’re taking place in a Madden NFL tournament 2 weeks before the regular NFL season starts was meant to be a Sunday of fun, enjoyment, laughter and friendly banter. It’s a shame it ended otherwise. Condolences to the friends and family of the victims who were innocently playing video games and enjoying their lives.
Away from that here’s what we’ve been up to.
Shenmue HD
You knew I’d still be on this didn’t you. Back when playing this on the Dreamcast there was one day that you could repeat over and over as you could actively avoid looking around a harbour for a particular cutscene event to kick in. I had planned to do this as I enjoyed the Forklift Truck work you get as part of the game, and was also wanting to build up some money from the work to collect all the toy capsules. Not only for the trophy but just for self satisfaction of collecting them all. But it appears my memory wasn’t quite as good as I though it was of this game, and I’ve forgotten which work day it was you could repeat, and alas I’ve missed it and am not progressing on with the story as should be. A tad annoying.
In the first few days of playing this game I was reading about bugs and glitches other players were experiencing, at the time I was thinking I was rather fortunate as I hadn’t experienced troubles at all. But as you progress and begin the forklift job on the harbour I’ve now started experiencing my fair share of glitches. One being when you’re on your lunch break, the game starts playing in first person mode. There is no first person mode for this game other than when you are actually sat in a forklift and driving, so that’s been annoying. And another I encountered was the background noise of the harbour, like the busyness and hustle bustle noise was magnified and constant. Even when in the staff break room, and back in Doubita in the evenings, that noise continued to occur. A tad annoying.
So one week later from owning the game and It feels like I’m completing it a lot quicker than I did back in the day. I guess it’s because I know where to go and who to talk to, to progress, but it really seems like I’m flying through the game much quicker than I ever did on the Dreamcast. As I’m now on work day 4, I’m pretty sure that occurred on the 3rd disc back in the day. Still I’m loving every part of it and still experience so much nostalgia. I only ever completed Shenmue 2 twice as opposed to Shenmue 1 probably near 20 times. So when I get to Shenmue 2 it should feel like a newer game to me again. I can’t wait.
Taboo
Ever decide to watch a TV show that you were keen on watching when it first aired, but never did? I’m currently going through that process with Taboo. Originally broadcast in 2017, I was always interested in watching it, but had legitimately no idea what it was about. Upon first impressions from seeing pictures I was of the assumption that Tom Hardy played a sort of Jack the Ripper type character causing mayhem and havoc in Victorian London. Apparently, I was way off. I’m yet to finish the series, but what I can gather from my viewing so far is that Tom Hardy is part native American and heir to some vital land between the United States and China that would make an excellent stop for a shipping route. The East India trading company equally see the importance of this land and the route as does the King and The United States of America.It’s a case of Tom Hardy, East India Trading, The US and the King all out plotting and manoeuvring one another to get this shipping route functional. But if Tom Hardy owns the land, why doesn’t he just do it? I hear you ask, well he’s struggling getting this trading route up and running due to the other interested parties all trying to kill him off for the land. So he has to play the game cleverly which he does so quite brilliantly in a later episode.
Still 3 episodes to go till I finish this, but it has been far from what I was expecting it to be, that’s not to say that it isn’t good though. It’s captivating stuff and is very much bingable (did I just make up a word?). It is an interesting premise, anything to do with the old shipping routes and for better terms piracy back in the day is intriguing to me, and this is just that. Mixed with the fascinating plot of Tom Hardy getting the ‘Delany shipping company’ up and running a subplot featuring his powers a part Native American are thrown into the story as well as seeing the relation of his sister and her husband essentially fall to pieces due to past incest.
Yup, so 3 episodes to go and not what I was expecting to be watching at all, but shall carry on and finish it as it’s still a very good show.
– Murr
