j.Price Is Right

R&R - Muppets aren't just for kids

2011-12-05T22:59:00.001-05:00

Muppets aren't just for kids, find out why on Rhyme et Reason!

Better know a Hold: Windhelm

2011-12-04T13:09:00.001-05:00

Once a lot of the Dragon slaying and rebellion-crushing was done, I found myself looking into the finer details that made up the unique Holds of Skyrim. My first play through I was mostly blind to the intricate web of lives, stories, and histories of the different townships. Now of course my experience may greatly differ from someone who helped the Stormcloak Rebellion, whereas I crushed it as a pawn of the Empire, though I can only imagine that more people would revere you as a hero in Windhelm rather than hear your name being cursed silently when you turn your back to some citizens of the town.

Windhelm, obviously the home of the leader of the Rebellion, has most folks hating the Empire. But Windhelm is a pretty large town by Skyrim standards, and I found myself in the Grey Quarter of the city much more often. Apparently, after Red Mountain in Morrowind erupted and forced out most of the local inhabitants, they fled West, many reaching Skyrim, and the first city the Dunmer encountered was Windhelm. So you see lots of dark elves in the slums of the Grey Quarter, and since they Nords are staunchly xenophobic, they treat them--and any outsider races--like dirt. But after the fall of Ulfric Stormcloak, the new Jarl focuses on renovating the Grey Quarter and trying to get the people to overcome their prejudices.

But this Hold has it's fair share of troubles. Not only are there rumors of a child trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood, but there's also talk on the streets of a mass murderer killing women. But like the snow that covers this dark city, so too is there a silver lining, as it is a beacon of hope for change, but how it changes is up to you.

There you have it! Windhelm in a... well not so much a nut shell, so let's just say Thash Grape! I've always been a fan of Morrowind, and I've learnt more about that province since playing Skyrim oddly enough.

R&R - The Video Game Pandemic

2011-11-14T12:35:00.001-05:00

There's a dreadful pandemic on the rise, straining wallets and the relationships in families everywhere, find out when it broke out and when it will be safe to go home to your living room again!

Skyrim's 5 Game-Killing Flaws

2011-11-12T10:42:00.001-05:00

Everyone has been wanking off about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and technically so have I. But what's not to love about this game? After all, it got nearly perfect reviews from all the critics that matter. However, I've been playing this game, and I love it so much that I want to take it behind the stables and get it pregnant, which is why I've decided to knock Skyrim off the pedestal so many of us have put it on.

This won't be easy, but I'm taking it upon myself to disenchant all the players out there whose eyes have undoubtedly glazed over already from sitting too close to the screen in an attempt to absorb the game's glory. Let's get crackin'.

First off is the TV issue itself, seeing as this game is so graphically intensive, why didn't Bethesda buy me a bigger TV? You'd need at least a 40" screen to fill up your peripheral vision (sitting so close to the TV it's used as a source of heat), so why didn't this game come bundled with a bigger screen, hmm? For shame, Bethesda.
Laterns, laterns everywhere, but not a single one to use. I had to turn up my brightness just so I can see some stuff, but now the sun is too bright when I look directly at it. I know there are torches, but they go out too quickly. So how about a lantern that hangs on your hip or can be held? I'd like to have a source of light when plundering dungeons or people's houses at night.
Dude, where's my horse? I'm glad that horses are a bit more resilient to falling damage, because I practically use mine like a mountain goat. But when I fast travel, my steed isn't waiting for me close outside, so first I freak out and think I'm out of a 1000 gold. A trip to the stable and I wish I could get a key fob just so I know where that pony is at all times.
Bring back unarmored! I'm a mage, mages use cloth, cloth has no armor value. If I had an unarmored skill I could worry less about simultaneously having to cast a Heal spell while swinging my sword at a necromancer's face while they try to roast me alive. It would be nice to have for mage-type characters early in the game is all I'm saying. That, and my previous build of unarmored and unarmed (the naked boxer type) is no longer available. Wump, wump.
Clairvoyance, how does it work? Seriously, this spell drives me bonkers because it likes to lead me into walls and doors to other areas only to lead me back again. It's like the game is trolling me, and not just when I run into Frost Trolls. I especially like when the quest marker shows one direction, and Clairvoyance shows the opposite, making me one very confused mage.

There! I have done it! The no-so-game-killing flaws with Skyrim revealed like shouting words of power while the music turns into a Nordic battle chant. But it's only a matter of time Bethesda fixes these tiny problems and makes this list moot. But in the mean-time, I'll keep begrudgingly playing this fantastic game until... well, forever because it has infinite content. Where's the nearest stable?

PS Home update makes me not hate PS Home as much

2011-10-31T19:12:00.000-04:00

For all those new and excited PS3 owners who try out Playstation Home and quickly run screaming from their living rooms at the realization that you've been sucked into a crummier version of Second Life, guess what? It might not burn your eyes as much anymore. But it'll still burn a little.

Playstation Home, which many view as an online dustbowl, has made some strides in the past to get their users back. They've added some more top notch games to their line-up, which is only available to those who brave the digital wasteland of spam and bright blue personas who never quite seem to load. But now the Playstation Home is getting a massive make-over which has been very long over due, seeing as it needed a make-over since the PS3 launched.

The new Home system will not only look better and be more cohesive, but it will also offer quests! The quests are similar to those found in an MMO, except instead of killing a certain number of wild boars and collecting their pelts for XP, you'll probably be wandering around to check out their new features and play trivial games until you get a certain score. But at least you'll have direction, which is something Home has been lacking for years. So hopefully the quests will start off by showing users the new content and leading them around the new maps.

Thankfully, the maps included in the update look good and feature some pretty nifty content, like characters from other games wandering around, as video game character cameos test highly with Home users. Also included will be an FPS which is run entirely on the Home engine, a feat few thought possible as the Home engine can barely run itself. But at least they're trying, and if it's even a single percentage similar to Counter Strike, I'll be giving them a pat on the back.

Though before the update launches, I hope they do animal testing to make sure the eye burning has lessened, because if it stopped, how would we know we're on Playstation Home? For more details on the update, I give you the Playstation Blog which features a man who simply cannot take his eyes off his computer screen.

R&R - j.Price's Top 5 Horror Flicks!

2011-10-31T11:04:00.003-04:00

Top horror movie picks for this Halloween sure to give you chills! Check out the line-up at Rhyme & Reason!

R&R - Gimme that bass!

2011-10-14T22:50:00.001-04:00

Speakers new official music video for "Bass" is the track that goes BUMP BUMP BUMP in the night, check it out on Rhyme and Reason!

R&R - Everyone loves a song featuring Kid Cudi

2011-10-14T17:04:00.001-04:00

Wale's newest track features Kid Cudi, check it out on Rhyme et Reason!

Photo Bug Contest! Help me win an iPad 2!

2011-10-07T21:25:00.000-04:00

Everybody! Help me win an iPad 2! Just 'Like' the photo on Facebook!

Don't forget to share it with your friends!

R&R - LMFAO Living up to their name

2011-10-07T18:36:00.001-04:00

The hip-hop group LMFAO is reinvigorating hip-hop in a fun new way, check it out on Rhyme et Reason!

R&R - Seizures are in this year

2011-10-04T03:14:00.000-04:00

Drake's lastest music video seems to be following in the steps of 'All of the Lights', check it out on Rhyme Et Reason!

R&R - 5 Shows to watch!

2011-09-30T18:14:00.003-04:00

The top five shows to keep your eye on this season. Check it out on Rhyme&Reason!

Guess who's back

2011-09-30T01:05:00.002-04:00

Any of my previous readers should know me, but for those who don't, my name is j.Price, concerned citizen of the world, and I feel it is my duty to set it straight. Everything I express here is purely for entertainment, as I often use this blog as a playground to play devil's advocate. I do NOT believe the points I make here, and neither should you.

I am RE starting my blog because the world, especially America, is in shambles now more than ever, because let's face it, shit really went down hill since I stopped posting. I know, it's my fault that I let the country decline by not giving it the true leadership it deserves, but I needed a little me time, and I thought you people could handle it. But I guess not. It's time to take back the reins, and show you who is boss once again.

Now, don't get ahead of yourself, because I'm making no promises this time, though I may try to stick to a schedule that will be determined at a later date, but today I'm giving you some time to get over the shock and awe of my resurgence. I'll wait for the applause to subside.

I chose to delete all my posts because I felt that I didn't get the proper start I should have. Those old posts were unfocused, but I am with a renewed sense of purpose, feeling somewhat productive overall, and enjoying a modest sense of joie de vivre. I'm glad to be back.

The minstrels will sing of this day.