Of course, this is all just baseless ranting without a purpose; a personal exercise if you will, conjured by extreme impatience. I just want my damn paper printed out!
Several things occupy my mind at this moment besides a journal entry for my class. Mulling over the idea of having a relationship right now fills me with an odd feeling of...well, I'm not sure what to call it, but the best words that comes to mind would be "togetherness without tricks." It's difficult for me to find a person that I would feel comfortable trying out romantic things. It's not out of a lack of wanting to, it is more of a matter of meeting someone who would want that. I'd prefer to do these things, no questions asked, and preferably on the spur of the moment.
Longing for those relaxed, casual conversations between two kindred spirits tugs at me sometimes softly, other times agonizingly hard. Holding each other in our arms, softly petting each other... deep sighs of hope follow those thoughts when they sidle my way into my idle mind. It may not be as extreme as Poe has described numerous times, but it is certainly a help in understanding where he might have come from. Yet, my thoughts remain on the positive side as hope keeps me striving towards that day when these thoughts can be made a reality by someone who seeks to bring them back into their life as well.
With that out of the way, the other thing that keeps my mind processing is the release of Valve Software's The Orange Box.
Over the past few days, I have had a chance to play the second episode of Half-life 2 (more like H-L 3 to myself and the developers), along with Portal. Having the ability to play the beta version of Team Fortress 2 before the full release of The Orange Box, my thoughts on that game shall be first.
It is rare that a game comes along where it is fairly easy to begin, yet hard to master. This quality has kept games alive, not just video games, for many centuries. For many games to be considered even remotely good, it is a necessity. Team Fortress 2 is an excellent example of taking this simple dynamic and blowing it up to a visually stunning, funny bone-jarring, and action-packed environment. Counter-Strike would do well to bow down and hand its crown over to this game, since nothing else can compare in terms of gameplay variety, depth, and pure unbridled fun.
Portal's fresh way of puzzle solving and witty humor was a welcome slap in the face. I can't really say more than that. Valve continues to outdo themselves, and Portal is a giant leap ahead, for gameplay and storytelling.
Episode 2's strongest point, (its lesser points should hardly be called lesser) would be the storytelling. Through the thick of action and in wide areas, there is still a wonderful emotional connection to these characters. One moment you could be chuckling along with fellow rebels, the next minute you could be brought down to the ground, emotionally and physically.
The world of Half-Life 2 and its subsequent episodes could hardly be covered by my measly little review. Go. Play these games for yourself. They are what every game in this genre should strive for.
With that out of the way, and my stupid journal not printing, I am forced to relent to the fates and head to my apartment to copy these down in my journal by hand. Perhaps I shall get in a quick game of Portal or TF2 after I practice my guitar scales.
Au revoir for now, faithful readers...
--David
Addendum: Success! I can print out my journal using the $0.10 left on my CatCard Chip at the library. More time for Portal and/or TF2 is truly a fantastic thing. Looks like the cake isn't a lie.
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