Top Five: Favorite Pokemon New to the Sixth Generation

As I said a few posts ago, I have been spending a LOT of time playing Pokemon Y. It's a little ridiculous how much time I've logged into the game since getting it the day after Christmas. I've finished the story lines, almost caught 'em all, and my time with the game is winding down as I find less and less reason to play it. But all the time I've spent playing Pokemon Y has made me an expert on the new generation Pokemon, so I present you my list of my five favorite new pocket monsters. These aren't the best, or strongest, or most badass--just the five I've enjoyed the most. I ruled out the Mega Evolutions--because they're either awesome or silly--but otherwise, everything is fair game. 

Litleo

Litleo was the Pokemon that I was most excited to catch and train (read: play with in Pokemon Amie) in the sixth generation. He’s a little lion cub, which is adorable. He also has fire on him, which is awesome. Of course, Litleo and its evolution, Pyroar, are pretty much just average when it comes to Pokemon battles. Good thing I only keep this guy around for his looks.

Tyrantrum

While I chose the Sail Fossil and received the Pokemon Amaura (and its evolution, Aurorus), Tyrun and Tyrantrum are obviously the cooler choice—which is saying a lot, since Amaura is an Ice-type (see what I did there?). Who hasn’t wanted their own badass T-Rex? Tyrantrum is also the more powerful of the fossil Pokemon in the Sixth Generation, and a pretty stable member of your party. His attack and defense stats are great, and he learns better moves than Amaura/Aurorus. Also, I may not have mentioned this: he’s a T-Rex.

Sliggoo

The internet is pretty crazy about Sliggoo’s predecessor, Goomy. It’s also fond of Goodra, Sliggoo’s evolution. But I haven’t seen Sliggoo get much love out on the web, which is a shame. Sliggoo looks like a pink and purple snail, and has a goofy smile and goofy eyes. Sliggo learns some excellent moves, had decent stats, and is a pure Dragon type—which has few weaknesses. I liked my goofy-looking Sliggoo more than my, well, goopy-looking Goodra. Team Sliggoo all the way!

Aegislash

You may have heard of Aegislash—this is the Ghost-type Pokemon that looks like a sword and shield. They hype about Aegislash online was huge before the game came out, and he didn’t disappoint. A third evolution, Aegislash has excellent attack and special attack stats, making its weaknesses not that upsetting. He also learns some fantastic moves. Also, I gave mine the nickname Sting. That is all.

Yveltal

Yveltal is the legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Y. My brother got X, and I was initially sad because I wanted the pretty deer legendary Pokemon. And then I met Yveltal. He’s a Dark/Flying type BIRD OF DEATH. Literally. He was going to be a weapon used to destroy most of life on the Poke-Planet, but then I caught him and now we’re besties. I pet him on the head, and feed him Poke-Puffs, and also use him to mow down the Elite Four and the Champion without breaking a sweat. I’m sorry I ever doubted you, Yveltal.

Have you been playing Pokemon X or Pokemon Y? If you have, you should add me as a friend: my friend code for my 3DS is 3883-6512-3963. You should also leave a comment below telling me your favorite new Pokemon! Narrowing the list down to five was so difficult! I didn’t even get any of the starters on there (and, though I deliberately left out the Mega Evolutions, those are awesome, too).

Come back tomorrow for a mini edition of Gamer Drama for Pokemon Y!

Five Best (Fictional) Christmas Gifts...to Receive

Hi everyone! My finals are taking me a lot longer to finish than I expected, and I was feeling guilty over the fact that I hadn't updated since December 5th. Luckily, Erin from The Pixel Party volunteered to write this guest Top 5. I hope you like it--I really enjoyed the theme and agree with her 100%!

Have you ever watched a movie, read a book or played a game, and wished instantly that you could have whatever thing the character is using? That’s how I feel EVERY TIME I see the Holodeck being used in Star Trek. Here’s a list of other things that I have desperately wanted every time I crack open a good franchise:

1.) Dire Wolf Pup - Game of Thrones

(img originally from: http://fangirlisms.com/?attachment_id=4374)

So, you want a puppy for Christmas? How about a DIRE WOLF PUPPY?! Guaranteed to protect you, and they’ll do it in the most bad-ass way EVER! Oh, and by the way, they are also down for a good cuddle-sesh. I would love to have a Dire Wolf as a pet, and not have to become a Stark to get it (unless you mean Tony Stark, in which case… I’m in). I love that family, but man… Their lives are not a cake walk.

2.) Time Turner - Harry Potter

(img originally from: http://jamjellypot.deviantart.com/art/time-turner-295111516)

While I did ok in school, I am not anywhere near Hermoine Granger’s level of genius. She was so smart, that the school let her jump from timeline to timeline just so she could add more classes! Wha??! What I am trying to say, is that there is no teacher who will be giving me a Time-Turner anytime soon. So, I guess I’ll just have to put this on my wishlist and hope for the best. Can you imagine having this thing? Spilled an entire bowl of salad on your customer’s head while waiting tables at Olive Garden (it’s strangely specific, because it might have happened to me)? Go grab that Time Turner, henceforth solidifying a tip. Yes… I could use one of these bad boys.

3.) The DeLorean - Back to the Future

(img originally from: http://miss-hypershadow.deviantart.com/art/Delorean-Back-to-the-Future-267735664)

Apparently I have a thing about time travel. While I believe the Time-Turner would be great for getting things done, or fixing things you messed up on (salad!), the DeLorean would be great for actual pie-in-the-sky time travel. Want to see the dinosaurs, or go to a David Bowie concert during his prime?! Get into that DeLorean and make it happen. I would need some plutonium as a Christmas stocking gift though. This car is useless to me without any plutonium.

4.) The Holodeck - Star Trek

(img originally from: http://www.offthereservation.net/2013/10/the-holodeck-is-one-step-closer.html)

Ok, so listen. The Holodeck. It can create all kinds of “programs” for you to interact with. In The Next Generation, you see the cast use the Holodeck in all kinds of ways- from physical training courses to solving mysteries as Sherlock Holmes. This description alone should be enough to explain why I want one of these more than Jean-Luc wants a cup of tea… Earl Grey….. hot. Since I’ve thought about this though in great detail, here’s a quick list of things I would do with it IMMEDIATELY: No-lines Disneyland trip, make out session with Tom Hiddleston, lightsaber battle with Katniss (it’s my holodeck program- I can mix franchises if I want!), and maybeee VIP tickets to a Lady Gaga concert.

5.) Babelfish - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

(img originally from: http://randomwire.com/hitchhikers-guide/)

The last thing on my list is this fish from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. You put the fish in your ear, and you can then understand any language spoken to you. It’s similar to the translator microbe in Farscape (which, I just finished the WHOLE series- thank you, thank you). I am quite the social butterfly and I would love to be able to go anywhere in the world and be able to speak to anyone I wanted. Can you imagine how much more culturally saturated you would be when travelling abroad if you could understand the language? It would be amazing, which is why the Babelfish is on my list!

About the Pixel Party (pixelpartyblog.com):

Hello! My name is Erin, and I am head nerdette behind The Pixel Party! In my corner of the internet, I specialize in merging fashion, DIY projects, cooking, illustration and design with nerd and pop culture (all while driving 88 miles per hour). So come visit - you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy!

Top Five: Favorite Halloween Episodes

Welcome back to my Halloween posts! Today, I have a list of my top five Halloween episodes. Halloween episodes are usually the best holiday-themed episodes on TV. They skip the touchy-feely stuff and get right to the fun. Genre series will usually up the ante and try to surprise you. Comedy series will pull out thoroughly entertaining satire. Sure, they fall short a few times but the population of great Halloween episodes is huge. Picking my favorites was difficult, but I think that I have a great list for your today.

1. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester (Supernatural)

This episode is Supernatural’s own Urban Legends of Halloween. People in a small town are dying (as they usually are) in freaky, Halloween-myth related incidents. These incidents end up being a string of ritualistic sacrifices to summon the demon Samhain. The summoning of Samhain will lead to an all out Hell-on-Earth party, so our intrepid heroes do all they can to stop the witch behind this plan. The first half of this episode is ultimately better than the second half, but it’s still really exciting and has some of the most iconic of the grisly death scenes that define the series. If you haven’t seen this episode before, check it out. And if you’re a Supernatural fan, maybe this is how you should spend your Halloween?

2. Vampire Weekend (Castle)

Castle just wants to believe, and Beckett won’t let him. In this episode, our dynamic duo (and, you know, those other guys) investigate a staking. Yes, a staking. A boy dressed like a vampire was found staked in one of the local cemeteries, and Castle and Beckett investigate their way through his vampire coven in order to find out whodunit. I may have mostly included this episode for the brief moment where Nathan Fillion dresses up as Mal Reynolds, but it’s still a really good episode!

3. Fear, Itself (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

I think that Fear, Itself is the best Buffy Halloween episode, though some might say that it’s Halloween (we don’t talk about that other one). The Scooby Gang goes to a Halloween party, but the fake haunted decorations at the fraternity house have turned into real horrors. It still has a great dose of the Whedonesque humor, though, to counter the horror of the middle acts. Ultimately, the episode teaches you that you should never copy down a random symbol in an old book because you never know what you could be unleashing. And you’d be lucky if it was just one of the funniest sight gags in Buffy history.

4. Life of the Party (Angel)

Awkward.

Where the Buffy Halloween episodes were more scary than anything else, the only Angel Halloween episode goes more for the laughs than for frights. Lorne gets the Wolfram and Hart gang to throw a Halloween party for all their clients. Of course, the party itself ultimately coincides with Lorne coming down with a case of the… I have no idea how to put this succinctly. People start obeying him, following his advice to the letter. Fred and Wesley get completely schwasted, Angel and Eve get a room, and Spike hilariously acts more positive. Of course, this funny issue ultimately results in a case of giant demon, but it’s not like we don’t know how to handle that. All in all, it’s a great, lighthearted Halloween episode.

5. Epidemiology (Community)

Greatest. Halloween Costumes. Ever.

In its early seasons, Community always took a tongue-in-cheek approach to its themes. This certainly held for Season 2’s Halloween episode, where the show tackled zombie tropes. Dean Pelton throws a costume party and, whoops, accidentally unleashes a zombie virus on the school. Every zombie movie trope is present, and there’s a good sprinkling of horror movie clichés, as well. None of it seems over used or dry, as Community was able to play it right and evoke all the laughter that it aimed for. 

Top Five Zombie Titles in Geekery

Welcome back to my Halloween series of blog posts. In honor of my favorite monsters, and my currently-running giveaway, I am going to name my top video games, movies, and books with zombies in them. As a zombie connoisseur, I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on the best zombie titles in geekery.

1. Telltale’s The Walking Dead

The show is starting to pick up again after the second season and part of the third just dragged on. The graphic novel is starting to lose direction, and is making me wonder what, exactly, it is going to do next (and how advisable that choice would be). But Telltale’s The Walking Dead game was nothing short of a masterpiece. It was obvious that this game was going to make this list—it made all sorts of lists of great games when it came out. The Walking Dead is artfully drawn, wonderfully written, and emotionally wrenching. It’s the only video game that has ever brought tears to my eyes. In an era where many games are trying to erect emotional connections, The Walking Dead does it the best. It’s one of the only point-and-click games that I’ve ever enjoyed, and the gameplay mechanics are excellent for the type of story the game is trying to tell. Every choice you make has real consequences, and the point-and-click gameplay means that the zombies never become dull or overplayed. They’re saved for moments where they are viable threats, and are always ready to pop out and show you that you’re not safe in this world.

2. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

This book is excellently written from the title to the last sentence. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is Ryan’s first novel, but you’d think that she’s been writing for years. It’s a wonderful work of prose. Her world building more than holds up to her writing style, as we follow the story of a girl names Mary. Mary is growing up in a small village after the zombie apocalypse. The entirety of the village is surrounded by a fence, and the zombies constantly press against it. The village elders have told everyone that they are the only people left in the world, but Mary glimpses a stranger from the world beyond the fence. She has always dreamed of the rest of the world—in particular, the ocean from the stories her mother used to tell her—and the stranger is the catalyst for her adventure in the zombie-ridden forest. I can’t recommend this book, and its companion novels, enough. Ryan’s short stories set in this world are also excellent. You can get it for $8.50 now on Kindle, so there’s no excuse not to pick up The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Dark and Hollow Places.

 3. Shaun of the Dead

Zombies can be scary as hell, but they can also be pretty damn amusing. While Zombieland was a great and hilarious movie, my favorite zombie comedy will always be Shaun of the Dead. It did it first, and it did it best. The storytelling is excellent, the jokes rarely fall flat, and Simon Pegg is amazing throughout.  And how many zombie comedies can also get you all choked up? Pretty much none of them. Shaun of the Dead works on all levels. It’s not just a great zombie movie, but it’s a great movie.

4. Left 4 Dead

I like Left 4 Dead and its sequel for the exact opposite reason that I like Telltale’s The Walking Dead. Left 4 Dead is set up with a series of campaigns that you and three of your friends can play through. The zombies constantly come at you, interspersed with special mutated zombies a la Resident Evil. It is pretty much impossible not to feel like a certifiable bad ass when mowing down zombies with a katana, automatic shotgun, or chainsaw. Left 4 Dead is my go-to multiplayer game, and I spend more time than I should replaying this game over and over. Obviously, its replay value is great—especially when you mix it up and play with different people. It’s also the only game I have on multiple platforms: I own both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 on PS and Xbox 360.

(Speaking of, if you want to play together on Steam just search for Geekphoria and friend me).

5. 28 Days Later

28 Days Later is my favorite scary zombie movie, even though the monsters aren’t really zombies. Resident Evil 4 is one of my favorite zombie video games, too, even though it has the same problems. 28 Days Later was able to bring the scary zombie back with a vengeance for my generation. Night of the Living Dead and the other Romero movies weren’t really scary anymore, due to our expectations for more realistic effects, and we were still two years from the Dawn of the Dead remake (which is the movie I think actually kicked off the zombie resurgence). 28 Days Later is perfectly paced, with some tender moments tossed in among the running-for-your-life and being-ripped-apart-by-rage-zombies. It’s also one of those rare zombie movies that make you think. Sure, we’re often told that zombies in horror movies stand for this or that, but it’s usually something you don’t see in the film itself. 28 Days Later, though, is fulfilling on all levels.

Honorable Mentions:

Cell by Stephen King

Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory (EXCELLENT, READ THIS)

Zombieland

Zombie Honeymoon (so ridiculous that you just have to see it)

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

The Walking Dead Comic and Show

Night of the Living Dead (original and remake)

Dead Girl (a little too much for some people)

Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead (some of Romero's silliest entries)

Top Five: Scariest Movie Monsters

Welcome to the second of my Halloween posts! Here I tell you the tale of my top five scariest movie monsters. These are all creepers who left a lasting impression, whether it was because I was a kid when I saw them or because they are just that creepy. So gather up your courage and read through this Top Five list--and, as usual, be sure to leave your own choices in the comments!

1. Pale Man from Pan's Labyrinth

The Pale Man is the creature Ofelia faces in the first of her fantastical tasks, and it's also likely the most iconic creature from Pan's Labyrinth. Why is the Pale Man so creepy? His appearance is an obvious possible answer--his skin hangs from his body in folds, and his face is featureless but for a mouth--which he uses to bite of fairy heads. When Ofelia first sees him, the monster is sitting at a feast, completely frozen. He would have stayed frozen, too, except that Ofelia breaks the rules and eats some grapes from the table. the Pale Man begins to twitch, then lifts his hands to his face--and the viewer sees that his eyes are in his palms, and he can now see and stalk Ofelia. As he closes in on the girl--unbeknownst to Ofelia--it's impossible to not see how sinister this monster is.

2. Brain Bug from Starship Troopers

I first saw Starship Troopers when I was a kid. Waaaay too young to be watching Starship Troopers. At one point, I was so scared that I cried (which is saying a lot, I might add). That point was when two humans were brought to the Queen, who happened to be a brain bug. I don't remember why, and my recollection as to whether it was the Queen may be wrong, but what I do remember is this: a tendril blooms out of the brain bug's face, latches onto a man's cranium, and sucks his brain out as he screams. Then he falls to the ground, exposing his empty skull, while his companion keeps screaming. My memories are hazy, but that's because this monster scared me so much as a kid that I refuse to ever watch the movie again.

3. Brundlefly from The Fly

Oh, Jeff Goldblum. I remember being a young girl, enamored with you after watching Jurassic Park. And then you led me me so far astray when I heard you were in The Fly and decided to watch it. While I put Brundlefly in the title, it would be more accurate to say that this applies to most of the character's metamorphosis. At first, things seem to be going alright for Dr. Brundle, despite the fact that he's altered his DNA. The viewer start to see that things might be going wrong when he crushes/rips (crips? explodes? How would you describe this?) another man's hand off. Then he starts vomiting all over the place as his skin turns oozy and body parts start to fall off. Brundlefly is at his most terrifying, though, in the climactic fight scene. He's up against his ladylove's new beau, and attacks him by vomiting acid on his body parts. The acid, of course, almost instantly dissolves the poor man's limbs. There's vomit, there's gore, and there's one movie monster you don't want to run into. Ever.

4. Gage from Pet Sematary

I shouldn't have been allowed to watch this, either (thanks, Grandma, for this and most of the other movies that made this list). When Louis Creed's young son is killed after being hit by a truck, Louis goes a little crazy and decides to bring him back to life. Of course, he doesn't keep an eye on his reanimated offspring, who makes his way to the house across the street and kills both his neighbor and his own mother. Most memorably, Gage slices Judd Crandall's Achilles, causing the man to fall over, and the bites out his throat. This is why I don't like children (okay, maybe not entirely).

5. Xenomorphs from Alien

Sure, the grown Xenomorphs are some serious baddies. They're dangerous, suitably creepy-looking, and all too happy to make you dead. But I want to draw your attention to the somewhat less appreciated Chestburster xenomorph. These are the things that made me decide all these Alien aliens needed to be wiped out, and needed to be wiped out now. Picture it like this. You're walking down the hallway of your spaceship, and you get attacked by a Facehugger. It implants a Xenomorph embryo into you, and then all you can do is sit and wait until the thing matures and rips its way out of your body. It's the ultimate in disgusting parasites, and one of the worst creatures on this list because it attacks you from inside. 

Top Five: Scariest Video Game Enemies

It's almost Halloween which is, spoiler alert, pretty much my favorite time of the year. So here's the first of my Halloween-themed posts: a list of the scariest video game enemies that I have ever faced. 

1. Regenerador (Resident Evil 4)

Resident Evil 4 was my first serious FPS play-through. Until then, I had been devoted to fantasy games, mostly those on Nintendo consoles because that’s basically what my family had. Resident Evil 4 is the game that made me addicted to action shooters. Which is strange, considering the number of times this game scared the crap out of me. One of the situations that stand out the most is when I was forced to face the Regenaradores. The Regeneradores are test subjects, infected with leech-like Plagas that you must shoot in order to kill the Regenerador. Of course, when you first meet these baddies, you can’t see the Plagas, leaving the Regeneradores almost indestructible. These creatures lurch down the hallways at you, ready to take you down. They’re the closest thing to a zombie that you see in the game, and are scarier for it. You can unload clip after clip in them, but until you can see the Plagas they just regenerate and heal the damage. In a survival horror game—or as near to a survival horror game as you get with the recent REs—you don’t want to waste ammo like that. In fact, if you do, it makes the next three Regeneradores you face all the more panic-inducing. I had to replay one area a couple of times because I just didn’t have enough bullets to protect Ashley and get past the Regeneradores. She kept dying, and I kept having to face these creepy and nearly indestructible baddies over and over again.

Honorable Mention: Chainsaw Ganado

The Chainsaw Ganado comes at you in the first town you visit. I entered into combat with him completely unsuspecting—and then he rushed me and insta-killed me. As the chainsaw ripped through Leon’s shoulder and he died screaming, I shrieked and paused the game in order to regain my composure. In my next attempt, I managed to time a window escape so that I crawled out right into the sweet embrace of rippy, bloody death. Needless to say, the rest of my attempts had me running around in full-on panic mode, just trying to avoid this guy.

2. Dead Hand (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

The year is 1998. I am ten years old, and my grandmother gave my siblings and me a N64 for Christmas. That N64 came bundled with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time—and I fell in love. I happily went through most of the dungeons, hardly blinking at the baddies…until I had to go into The Well. There, I met the scariest baddie I had ever met—the Dead Hand. The thing about the Dead Hand that really got to me was that you had to allow the enemy to grab you before he would come out of the ground and allow you to attack him. When he grabbed you, though, you were trapped until you could break away. You had to make yourself almost defenseless. And sometimes, as a ten-year-old, I wasn’t very good at whole “breaking away” thing. Terrified, I was finally able to defeat the Dead Hand. And then…I encountered another one in the Shadow Temple. I walked into the room, saw the hand stalks…and spent at least five minutes psyching myself up for the battle. The thing still crepes me out today.

Honorable Mention: Re-Dead

I have a lot of the same issues with the Re-dead as I did with the Dead Hand. However, you can eventually handle the Re-dead really easily, which is why they’re only an honorable mention. Still, the memories of the first time one of these baddies tried to suck the life out of me gets them on this list.

3. Gatherers (Amnesia: The Dark Descent)

I’m starting to see a trend with these baddies and that trend is that I don’t like to be helpless. I like to be able to shoot an enemy in the face and, if it’s particularly creepy, double-tap just to be sure it’s dead. The Gatherers scared the hell out of me. You can’t fight them—all you can do is try to avoid them or run from them. If they see you, the swoop down on you in moments. It drives you crazy to see them, so your screen is blurring and shaking while you try to find a safe place to hide. It does not make for a relaxed gaming experience. In fact, it was after only my second encounter with a Gatherer that I said “lol, nope,” turned off the game, and didn’t have the courage to pick it up again for a week.

4. Slender Man (Slender: The Eight Pages)

Yet another baddie that you can’t do anything against. You begin the game by walking through the woods with a flashlight that requires you to conserve power. Slender Man stalks you through the woods as you try to collect eight pages, only appearing to you after you collect the first one. When you see the Slender Man, you vision gets static-y and you hear loud noises. As you collect more and more pages, Slender Man appears closer and closer to you. You can run from him, but as you progress in the game you find that you run slower and slower. If he touches you, it’s game over—you’re his now. Slender Man, and the game itself, is minimalist horror at its best. It’s an incredibly effective scare.

5. Infectors (Dead Space)

These things are scary as hell, but at least you can shoot the shit out of them. That’s why they’re last on my list-of-scary-enemies-that-doesn’t-really-have-any-order-except-what-I-just-mentioned. Infectors prey on both the living and the dead and—as you can tell by their name—try to infect people and turn them into Necromorphs. They can usually be heard coming, which just adds to their ability to induce fright—especially since you usually hear them munching on corpses. Often enough, though, the Infectors won’t give warning of their attack. They’ll just swoop down on you out of nowhere, causing you to try not to shriek in terror as you make that plasma cutter earn its keep.

Did your choice make the list? If not, let me know which enemies YOU think are scarier in the comments!

The "Best" Video Game Vacation Spots

I haven’t been as active as I would like lately since the semester started out at a full gallop, but the past couple of days I have been coming down with a cod and have been reminiscing on the joys of summer vacation (where I never caught a cold from students, thank you very much). (That’s assuming the new cold is due to the thousands of students who have descended upon the university). So I decided to make a list I had been thinking about for a little while—here is it! The “Best” Vacation Spots in Video Games!

Why “Best”? Well, each location is included on the list for its idyllic environment. Outside of that, though, there are certainly downsides to each place, so I will also address that and then rate each vacation spot from least (1) to most dangerous (5). Because you should probably take those things into consideration before you call your travel agent.

1. Yamatai--Tomb Raider (2013)

The kingdom of Yamatai was established on a beautiful island. If it wasn’t for those freak storms, I’m sure the place would be covered with resorts and all-inclusives. The island’s home to a beautiful forest to hike through and explore, picturesque beaches (well, once you clear away the wreckage), and even a mountainous region that looks to have enough snow for skiing and other winter sports. It would be a great getaway for those who go on vacation to relax (sit on those sweet beaches with a good book!), and those who go to have fun (outdoor activities FTW. Hypothetically, of course. My transluscent geek skin can’t handle outside). It's also full of interesting ruins to explore for those who are interested in history--there are artifacts and buildings from Ancient Japan and World War II, to name just a couple eras.

Danger Level: 4 You can’t assume that the entire murder-cult was wiped out in Lara’s Girl Power Rampage, so those would certainly be enough to deter you from a trip to Yamatai. There are also wild wolves who want to eat you, an unhealthy dose of booby traps, and the island environment itself can be extremely unforgiving.

2. Peach’s Castle—Super Mario 64

I know, I know. You don’t think this should count. But hear me out. Peach’s Castle is a hub to tons of different worlds with tons of different environments. You can go to the beach. You can go swimming. You can go to a creepy haunted castle. You can go to…uh…fortresses…and volcanoes… The point is, there’s something here for everyone, and the fact that there are no travel expenses involved once you get here is a major selling point.

Danger Level: 2 I gave Peach’s Castle a 2 because there are still things actively trying to kill you—they just don’t really pose that much of a threat. If a stout little plumber (with no weapons!) can take them, I’m sure you can handle yourself.

3. Termina—The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

I wanted a good map of Termina, but it wasn't happening... so here's the Great Bay!

Why Termina and not Hyrule? I guess I’m getting boring here, because the justification for this pick is similar to those that I’ve already discussed: variety. You can go to the forest. You can go to the desert. You can go to the bay. You can go to the mountains. You can enjoy the local flavor in Clock Town, because we all know those people have personality. I promise that the next two picks will be more unique, but what is there not to love about Termina?

Danger Level: 3 This is assuming you have the good sense to stay out of dungeons. And that a certain pointy-eared hero is successful in keeping the moon from squashing you like a pancake. There are a few random baddies littering the landscape, but most of them aren’t that big of a threat. Maybe you can hire a local adventurer to be your bodyguard?

4. The Citadel—Mass Effect

The Citadel is an anthropologist’s dream and, as a political scientist, I’m greatly interested in it as well. The time spent people-watching alone will be well worth the trip. The Citadel has shopping, entertainment, aliens and, oh yeah, is in space. Sure, it’s nothing too interesting to those from the Mass Effect world, but that’s not us. Go and gawk and be utterly entranced by the promise of the future!*

*There’s an astronomically large chance that this is not the future.**

**That pun was a happy accident.

Danger Level: 1 There’s a slight change that THINGS WILL GO DOWN when you visit, but it’s only slight. Enjoy yourself!

5. Venice—Assassin’s Creed II

I picked Venice, but it could really be anywhere in this game. The second Assassin’s Creed game successfully gives off the vibe of Renaissance Italy—the beauty of the architecture, the grandeur and luxury of the noble homes, and just the wonder of history. I’m a big history buff, which is what gets Venice and Assassin’s Creed II on this list. It may be boring, but its history, and history is cool. The setting of the original Assassin’s Creed almost beat Renaissance Italy to this list, but then I got slapped around by lepers too much.

Danger Level: 1 If you’re not an assassin, or an assassin’s target—and you’re up to date on your shots—you should be fine.

Honorable Mention: Armadillo—Red Dead Redemption

PONIES!

Danger Level: 3 Between the outlaws and the cougars, you should certainly keep a look-out on this vacation.

Honorable Mention: Banoi—Dead Island

It’s a tropical paradise! There’s nothing to lose with this choice!

Danger Level: 4 Okay, there may be something to lose: your life. This place is infested with zombies, particularly fast zombies and dangerous mutates ones. And, no matter what you think, you’re probably not equipped to survive the zombie apocalypse. Especially if all you have a few mojitos in you.

Okay, so I always go into these lists with two or three things in mind, and find out that it’s a lot more difficult to choose the rest than I thought it would be! What locations do you think belong on this list? Is there something on here that just seems ridiculous to you? Let me know in the comments!

Also, I get paid on Monday, which means that I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GO TO THE CRAFT STORE. So look for new crafts in the next couple of weeks.

Five of the Coolest Methods of Video Game Transportation

A vital component of most video games--especially open world games--is some sort of method of transportation. While most games have some sort of mount or vehicle, some games go a step above and give you a really awesome form of transportation. Here is a list of five of the most excellent forms of transportation in video games. These made me squeal with excitement, or feel like a total badass while moving around my video game world. The only rule here is that the method of transportation had to be beyond ordinary.

Actually, that's a lie. There is another rule. For the method of transportation to count on this list, it needs to be directly steered, controlled, or piloted by the gamer. 

1) Four Horses of the Apocalypse (Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare)

While Epona is my favorite horse in ANY video game, I have to say that the downright coolest equine modes of transportation are the Four Horses of the Apocalypse in this DLC for Red Dead Redemption. I’m particularly enthusiastic about these mounts due to the fact that I’ve always been interested in all types of mythology. The task of collecting the horses, combined with their really awesome designs, put them on my list. And how can you not think it’s completely badass to ride around on Death, who causes zombie heads to explode as you speed past?

2) Loftwing (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)

Though the Loftwing is not Epona, the Loftwing is pretty excellent (I promise, this is going to be my last Epona reference today). In Skyward Sword, Link flies the special Crimson Loftwing—he’s your primary mode of transportation around Skyloft and the rest of the world. The Loftwings are shown to have personalities—something that is rare for mounts in video games--and are representative of their riders (even down to unfortunate haircuts). While the mechanics of this birdsportation is similar to many other mounts, the gorgeous environment surrounding your flight elevates travel by Loftwing into excellent status.

3) Mako (Mass Effect Series)

The Mako is my favorite “traditional” vehicle in video games, probably because I drive like a maniac (don’t worry, I don’t IRL). It handles pretty much any damage you can do to it, and will right itself whenever it’s flipped over. It’s pretty much the perfect all-terrain vehicle, which means that I can drive it through almost anything and still end up where I want to go. Conceivably, as long as you don’t drive off a chasm, or into lava, the Mako will get you to your destination (this is a guess, as I have yet to destroy the Mako). It means that there’s nothing stopping me from getting from Point A to Point B—at least, nothing that the mass accelerator cannon can’t handle. Finally, I will leave you with two words that will solidify—beyond a doubt—the fact that the Mako belongs on this list: propulsion jets.

4) DaVinci’s Flying Machine (Assassin’s Creed Series)

I found the transportation choices in the original Assassin’s Creed game to be underwhelming. Everything took forever, and my horse would often disappear, requiring me to make people very cross when I stole theirs (and, sadly. being shot and stabbed at can slow you down quite a bit). It seemed like they were trying to make amends when they introduced the Flying Machine in Assassin’s Creed II. Unfortunately, the machine has to go through a few iterations before it can be a truly reliable method of transportation. For example, you learn early on that it’s susceptible to flames—despite needing heat to maintain altitude. Eventually (in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood), Ezio also takes it upon himself to destroy all of the more effective Bomber flying machines, ensuring that the Borgia will not be able to use the Bombers against him (or anyone else they’re being jerks to). Still, the Flying Machine is a fun ride in all iterations (except, perhaps, the tragic first attempt), and awesome to use while you have the chance.

5) Portal Gun (Portal)

What do you mean, the portal gun isn’t a form of transportation? Of course it is! If I had a portal gun I could get from my bedroom to the kitchen in two seconds flat. Heck, if I had a portal gun, I could conceivably get from anywhere to anywhere in no time at all (assuming the walls were portal gun compatible, and I didn’t accidentally shoot the orange portal twice). The portal gun is a truly revolutionary form of transportation, and one that needs to be invented for realsies. I would save so much on gas money.

Well, that was my Top Five list! And I know I am missing a heck of a lot of excellent methods of transportation. What do you think should be on this list?

Five Characters Everyone Loves (That I Can't Stand)

You'll have to excuse the necessary-for-length hyperbole that I put in the title--this would probably more accurately be entitled: Five Character That Most People Seem to Love, Enjoy, or Look Upon Favorably (That I Can't Stand).

This was an idea I was working on shortly after my Five Most Heartbreaking Character Deaths list, mostly due to the Harry Potter books. When choosing a character (and the runners-up) from Harry Potter, I immediately thought of Dobby. Mostly, I thought of Dobby and then rolled my eyes. I knew a ton of people who were crushed by his death, while I pretty much rejoiced. When Gab commented that Dobby was on her list, I knew I needed to put out this list. And so I begin where I should, with:

1. Dobby

I recently picked up Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets again. I thought it was strange that it had been so long since I had read the book--I usually re-read the Harry Potter books a couple times a year (it only takes me about three night to get through one book). I don't think I've read Chamber of Secrets since the first Deathly Hallows movie was released. Once I started reading the book again, though, I remembered why it's been a while since I picked it up--I can't stand Dobby. Chamber of Secrets would be my second or third favorite book if it wasn't for Dobby. I just found the character annoying, and thought that everything would have gone pretty much the same way (if not better) if he had just stayed home (except for, you know, that whole Malfoy-slavery thing). His speech patterns annoyed me, the way he tried to help but failed miserably annoyed me, and his constant self-flagellation annoyed me. I may have felt bad for him the first couple of times (it was so long ago I don't remember), but it quickly became more annoying that pity-evoking. It probably doesn't help that most of the characters typically look at him as a nuisance, as well. In short, I can't stand Dobby, and I was glad when he was finally gone.

2. Severus Snape (Harry Potter)

Oh, Snape, you're so sassy.

People like Severus Snape for two reasons: they love that he's a jerk, or they think he's adorable and a soft-hearted teddy bear after learning about his love for Lily Potter. Either way, I think that this affection for Snape is misplaced. And this isn't so much because he's an asshole--I love plenty of characters that are jerks--but because of the direction of his assholery (made-up words for the win). This guy's just a straight-up bully toward children. He derides them for their intelligence (or lack thereof), makes disparaging remarks about their physical appearances, and even threatens them. And some of these kids are as young as eleven! I'm not the biggest fan of kids, in general, but it still begs the question: What's remarkable about a grown man who has to be cruel to children?

3. Ashley Williams (Mass Effect)

Miranda seems to be a popular character in this type of list, but since I haven't played past the original Mass Effect yet, she hasn't made my list. Ashley Williams--a soldier in the first game and a member of Shepard's squad--has, though. I really haven't read anything negative about Ashley before, which kind of surprises me. I've basically stopped putting her on my squad, despite the fact that I originally thought that she was a pretty bad-ass character. Since meeting her, though, she's begun to rub me the wrong way. Pretty much everything she says is bitchy, she's constantly complaining about things, and I think she might be a little bit racist. So while everyone else seems to like her, I've been avoiding her.

4. Spider-man

You always have to say something, Spider-man.

Spider-man in the movies has his own problems, but I'm talking about the character as he is in the comic books. I have a fairly irrational hatred of Spider-man, I'd admit it. My dislike toward Superman is inherently more understandable, but even I have a hard time articulating why I don't like Spider-man. I guess his characterization just rubs me the wrong way--every time he opens his mouth and is supposed to be funny, I find him obnoxious and annoying. He's probably the reason I grew up to be a DC girl instead of a Marvel fan. The first comics I read were X-Men (and I still enjoy X-Men), and then I moved on to Spider-man. I promptly put it down after a couple of issues and moved on to the Bat Family. X-Men remain the only Marvel comics I read, save a few universe-wide story lines that I'll pick up once they're published as graphic novels or collections.

5. Robert Baratheon (A Song of Ice and Fire)

Sure, he was a good friend to Ned Stark and sure, you have to feel bad for people when they get murdered, but Robert Baratheon has few good qualities and many bad qualities. As they say in the books, the only thing he had going for him as king was that he wasn't the Mad King. Robert is a drunk and, according to Cersei's recollections, was often sexually violent in these drunken states. Sure, there's no spousal abuse back in Westeros, but what he does to her definitely qualifies. I'm certainly not a fan of Cersei, at all, you don't have to put someone else in her place to realize that this is not a desirable quality in a person. Secondly, Robert condones--and even orders--the murder of children. He's so vengeful that Ned Stark believed that he would kill Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen for their mother's wrongs, which is why he warns Cersei and tells her to take the children and leave (keep in mind that Joffrey, despite being a douchebag, was only twelve). He's also a negligent father (to his "legitimate" and illegitimate children alike) and an extremely negligent ruler. All he does is eat, drink, and have sex. Most people just shrug, affectionately writing Robert Baratheon off as Ned's drunk buddy, but I think he deserves more criticism than he gets.

Do you think I missed anyone? Or that I'm completely off-base with my opinions on a character? Let me know in the comments!

Top Five Most Heartbreaking Character Deaths

The world of geek fiction is often wrought with more perils than that of the real world—how often do we have to battle hordes of zombies, invading aliens, or tyrannical wizard overlords? Many times, though, deaths in fiction are temporary—which means that those permanent deaths given much more of an impact. Thus, I present to you my list of the five most heart-breaking character deaths. To be part of this list, 1) the character must be permanently dead—coming back to live makes me okay with the fact that you were once dead, and 2) I must still not be over the character’s death—whether it’s because of the impact of the death itself or the fact that I wish the character was still around.

Needless to say, but...

THIS POST HAS ALL OF THE SPOILERS.

Spoilers for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, spoilers for the Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series, spoilers for Star Trek: Nemesis, and spoilers for TellTale's The Walking Dead game. 

1) Joyce Summers

Many people gallantly sacrifice themselves in the Buffy/Angelverse. And quite a few of those people actually stay dead after they die for the cause, or for the people they care about. Joyce, though, was never part of the fight. And she didn’t die in a way that made sense in the Buffyverse—you’re supposed to be taken out by a vampire or a demon, not a problem with your body itself. The episode The Body is one that I still have trouble watching, to this day. The scenes where Buffy fantasizes that she made it home in time to save her mom—positioned so that you think she did—still make me tear up. And want to hug my mom.

Runners Up: Wesley, Wash, Fred

2) Fred Weasley

I wasn’t expecting Fred to go out the way he did. And going out when he did—that’s what puts him on my list. The Weasleys had just reunited after three books—with Percy accepted back into the fold—and Fred, George, and Percy had been handing an area of Hogwarts themselves during the battle. Percy cracks a joke, Fred rejoices—and is interrupted by his death. Having the Weasleys—a cornerstone of the Wizarding World as you’re introduced to it through Harry—permanantly split after seeing it made whole again hurts. Having it split because Fred is gone is somehow, in my opinion, one of the worst ways to fracture the Weasley family. This is due to the role that the twins had played over the seven books—the good-hearted, hilarious partners-in-crime. The book leaves you wondering about the family dynamic with Fred gone—and how George will fare.

Runners Up: Sirius, Remus and Tonks, Hedwig

3) Catelyn Stark

I’m a Stark supporter through and through. Which is unfortunate, considering the way that George R.R. Martin treats the Starks. Still, I supported Robb as King in the North, and I was waiting, enthusically, for him to take back Winterfell (which is what he was going to do after his uncle’s wedding in the books, not go after Casterley Rock). I enjoyed viewing Robb’s journey through Catelyn’s POV, as I always thought it was unique to look at a son’s war experiences through the eyes of his mother. Catelyn cares about her children, and you see her suffer as she slowly loses them. Being in her POV at the Red Wedding is brutal. You see her lose everything as the events unfold. Worse, though, is that you slowly realize what is about to occur alongside her. And still, you hold out hope—as she does—until the last second, hoping that things might be fixed and she and Robb can leave the Twins. As she dies, she dies as someone who has lost all that is dear to her, and experience the pain and madness as it sweeps in. It’s certainly a character death that sticks with you.

Runners Up: Why are you all Starks? (And Maester Aemon).

4)  Data

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, Data seeks to become more human. He wants to understand emotion, human motivation, and even the dorkiest of jokes made by his colleagues aboard the Enterprise. At the end of Star Trek: Nemesis—the final TNG movie—the ship is laid to waste, and Picard teleports over to the enemy ship in order to give his life for the good of his crew. Little does he know that Data, the bad ass that he is, freakin’ space leaps from the Enterprise to the Scimitar in order to rescue Captain Picard, and then destroy the Remen weapon the bad-guy, Tom Hardy Shinzon, planned to use to destroy Earth. Data’s become human enough to understand sacrifice, and to sacrifice himself. After years of watching him become more than an android—to become an individual—it’s difficult to see him die. It’s not like then the Terminator dies in T2—Data’s become his own person. Which is why I maintain that he dies and I’m still sad—B4 will never be Data. He may “learn” what Data knew, but he didn’t have the desire within him to take that journey himself, which makes him less-than-Data.

5) Lee Everett

In TellTale’s The Walking Dead, the player spend five “episodes” of the game as Lee Everett, protecting and caring for a young girl named Clementine. At the end of the game, Clementine sees her zombified parents and, in the following chaotic moments, Lee blacks out. Clementine was able to get him to a safe area, where she find that…Lee has been bitten, and is turning. After spending hours in this expertly written world, you find that you’ve fallen short in your duty to protect Clementine. She is now facing the zombie-infested world on her own. Not only have you failed in that respect, but you have to choose how to last “protect” her—in ways that can also hurt her. Do you have her shoot you before you turn, making her kill the last person she has in the world? Or do you have her leave, hoping she can get out on her own before you, or another zombie, attacks her? Granted, you’re handcuffed to a radiator, but you’ve learned not to take “safe” for granted in this game. You’ve spent the entire game being Lee Everett, making his every decision and caring for the little girl in front of you. When he dies, you can’t help but think you’ve fallen short.

There are many more characters that I wish I could have put on this list, but I kept it to one character from each title/world. Some authors or writes have killed off tons of characters, making me very sad—I’m looking at you, George R.R. Martin, Joss Whedon, and J.K. Rowling—but I had to only feature one. Who would you have included in this? Which character deaths do you still deny?