Uncharted

I can say, hands down, that Uncharted is my favorite video game series of all time! 

And here’s why…

Already going into it, I had faith in Naughty Dog to delivery - at the very least - an enjoyable game.  Naughty Dog is a studio that has a committed themselves to one series per console generation.  For the PlayStation 1, they only made Crash Bandicoot games.  For the PlayStation 2, it was Jak and Daxter.

Monthly Scoop: March 2012

If I had to sum up how I’m feeling right about now, “exhausted” is the word I’d go with.  Physically, mentally, emotionally exhausted.  I’m not really complaining, but the last half of February went by in a drifting haze, where it was hard to wake up with the alarm clock even after eight hours of sleep; at the end of the day I couldn’t account for getting anything done; and instead of midnight, I was ready for bed before my timer-lights clicked off at ten.

My Podcasts

To date, I have not had an official JonnyD Weekly fan-mail question or comment.  However, I regularly do get asked, “What podcasts do you listen to?”  So, I figured I’d answer it here.  I listen to three podcasts:

Killer Teammate

I had the most confounding gamer experience of my life yesterday.

I was trying out the multiplayer for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.  There is a cooperative mode that can be played, wherein a team of three players try to complete a mini-mission.  Now, if you back out of a game, which ruins it for everyone, you lose $10,000 of in-game cash, and are put on stand-by for 90 seconds or more.  It is meant to promote the idea that when you start a game, you commit to it.  I actually like the idea.  You have to have very good reason to want to quit.

If you are shot down, a count-down timer starts.  If you are not revived by a teammate in time, you’re out for 60 seconds.  If everyone’s dead at the same time, the level restart at the last checkpoint.  Your team gets three tries before you lose.

STS: Extra Life

For October 2011, my charity team - the Fat Chance Heroes - participated in an annual charity event called Extra Life.  It is a 24-hour video game marathon intended to help raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the nation.  As residents of the Twin Cities, we chose to raise money for the Gillette’s Children’s Hospital in downtown Saint Paul.

In total, we were able to raise $231.

As promised, I made sure to document the event in order to prove to all of you that we did indeed stay up and play video games for 24 hours straight!  Of course, the greatest proof I have is this video!!!  It is not technically a Stranger Things Studios film, but seeing how they edited the movie from what footage we had, I am including it under their banner. 

Be warned, there is vulgarity, but it is fun none the less.  Enjoy!