Inter-breeding with the ancient astronaunt

So here I am playing through a game that came out in 2007. I said previously that I'd be concentrating my gaming towards titles that I had yet to finish but I hadn't expected to pick-up on my status in Mass Effect. I'm truly glad I did, as the characters and storytelling are superb.

Now that I have completed the majority of ME and the romanctic subplot has now run its course, with the Paramour achievement gained, I'm happy with how I played my Shepard. I wanted an alien-human romance to develop and that's what I got. My worry is that this devloping relationship will not be furthered in ME2 or that Liara will play out a minor role. But I suppose there is always the 3rd installment that could change everything!

To tie in nicely with the theme of alien-relations here are my top 3, if I am reincarnated as a human with a Shepard like choice:

Third place

 Padmé Amidala

Homeworld - Naboo

Spieces - Human

The one-time democratically elected Queen of Naboo, who dies in childbirth. OK not an alien spieces par-se but included because she fits in with my own futristic persona.

Hold on! Critical mistake!!

The Star Wars universe is set in the past...time machine please!

Second place 

T'Pol

 

Homeworld - Vulcan

Spieces - Vulcan

Born 2088/2089 I'd have to live until I was 118 to see her birth...hmm makes it all sound a bit flat. But a future generation may yet see her like.

T'Pol with her striking looks and intelligent mind, was always fascinated by humans. Even taking up with one of the crew of Enterprise.

Mind-meld could be a blessing or curse in a Vulcan/Human relationship.

First place 

Liara T'Soni

  

Homeworld - Thessia

Spieces - Asari

Born in 2077 and now 106 years old, Liara is only a very young adult. She combines beauty, intellect and biotic power with a hint of a uncertainty in the future.

Will my 'Shepard' cheat on her in Mass Effect 2? I can not yet devulge that or is that decide?! Knowing how I have played Mass Effect, I'll be as loyal as a puppy!

7 lives played, used and abused

I may not have dwelt on last years activities in a round-up post but instead here's something worth looking back on - my completed games list of 2009:

Feb/March ¦ F.E.A.R 2(360)
First shooter of the year complete and although I didn't review it, here's what I said about it at the time.

March ¦ Call of Duty IV Modern Warfare(360)

13th April ¦ Resident Evil 5(360)
Reviewed for Caught in the Crossfire

8th October ¦ Terminator Salvation(360)
Blurg! 'nuff said.

Nov/Dec ¦ Uncharted Drake's Fortune(PS3)
Go Nathan!

Nov/Dec ¦ Uncharted 2 Amoung Thieves(PS3)
Single-handedly got me back playing my PS3 and I reviewed it for Caught in the Crossfire.

27th Dec ¦ Halo 3 ODST(360)
Not what I expected and the silent-hero approach just does nothing for my internal connection to the storyline.

A pretty poor showing. But looking closer you can see a large chunk of the past year contained no real gaming(May through Sept) - nearly half the year.

2010? Well I've completed 1 title already and I may need Backloggery to help me out this year.

App snap

With my iPhone being just a month old, here's some of the apps that I have found the most fun/useful:

Bejeweled 2(PopCap)
http://www.popcap.com/games/iphone/bejeweled2

Contagious fun that has me beating my finger weekly trying to win the weekly challenge, included in Blitz mode, that has a nice score sync to fb.

BlogPress(Coollittlethings Studio)
http://blogpress.coollittlethings.com/



Nice to have the ability to blog on the fly, some features have yet to be added - notably adding an URL into text but overall a handy app for blogging away from home.

Momento(d3i)
http://www.momentoapp.com

Diary app that ties in fb, Twitter, Flickr and Last.fm social feeds with your your own 'moments'. I can see more feed options being brought in during the course of future updates. Very nice way of bringing all your activities together into a modern version of a diary.

These early impressions make my decision to get an iPhone rather than the newer model BlackBerry, a good call. I just hope multi-tasking is an add placed into iPhone's OS upon the release of 4.0.

New seasons as the snow falls

I was dissatisfied with last years TV. Grissom left CSI, the New York branch did very little and the Heroes-to-who only got going at the close.

Within days, a number of new seasons will be airing here in the UK - Being Human, Heroes, CSI and NY, all get the chance to win me over. But it could well be that new show, Glee may hand over the most welcomed warmth.

With more snow due here in the UK, to add to the gallon already fallen, I'm hoping for less of the same and more innovention from all of them.

38 big cats LOST

Poundering why we have yet to see a variety of big cat in LOST?

Maybe the 6th season will ease my brow but with 3 episodes in of the 5th watched, I don't feel like it's any more likely.

3 days in...

...and a Happy New Decade to you all.

Large parts of last year I truly would like to forget and so am not planning to do an end of year write up. Instead my focus has been on a post dedicated to what I consider the best that entertainment has had to offer from the '90s. The post should be up sometime this week.

I expect 2010 to be a better year for my own focus - as you may know I lost a good few months during the summer of '09, to illness.

I'd like to wish my readers all the best for 2010 and keep Badinage in your feedreaders!