So, is this the second or third time I've kept the BSHAF from recording consecutive episodes? Probably whichever number is more embarrassing. Thanks to a mind boggling hard drive  crash, the Ol' Lappy was kept down for the weekend, keeping  me from podcasting or sleeping(the latter comes from trying to come to grips with the upcoming re-write of the 15 page paper on various films for film history class...I have to write about Rashomon AGAIN! Totally bananas.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Matt Bodega, you wild, magnificent Marlin, yearning to burst from the ocean and take flight.....how long will you be cursed to this life of No Internets? I can hardly bear to think what a lawless, joyless place the IRC is without your warm smile and Mako infused eyes!" Fear not, dear reader(Singular!)! The new hard drive and Vista disks should be here this Monday, meaning that the fun never ends!....Starting on Monday!...or whenever I find out how in the name of god to crack open a laptop.

That last part isn't true. I have seen the inside of a laptop....and I thought of winter.

In the meantime, here are super short reviews of games that I really need to write up in full at some point.

Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulation: If you stuck with the series this long, why stop now? It's a pretty fitting end to the Ace Attorney Trillogy, and while and while the gameplay remains virtually unchanged from "...And Justice For All"(meaning that newcomers to the series won't understand a lick of it, and those who've don't like the series won't be convinced to try it again) the cases are so messed up and so inbred that it's fun to see them through to their conclusion.
3 Stars.

Apollo Justice, Ace Attorney: The immediate joy of a Ace Attorney game built from the ground up for the DS(which means better looking characters, clever use of the DS microphone and touch screen, and the best soundtrack since the first Phoenix Wright game) is soon diluted with the realization that this is still the same Ace Attorney gameplay. Series Vets will get a kick out of it(especially the game's last case, which manages to interweave every single character introduced over the course of the game), but it's the same faux-adventure game fans have been playing since 2004, meaning it's for the devotees only
3 Stars.

World Of Goo: Like most good games, World of Goo will impress you with it's construction-building, physics heavy game play. The big surprise of World of Goo is the wonderful presentation, surreal music, and surprisingly effective writing that keeps the game logged in your brain after you beat the games diabolical puzzles
(Need to finish, but thinking 4 stars)

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7: Contains the line "Sephiroth! Have you lost weight?", Which is hysterical in every conceivable way.  Oh, and it's a gorgeous, surprisingly fun Action RPG that moves at a faster pace than almost anything else in the genre.
(Need to finish, but maybe 5 stars!)

Rock Band 2: It's still radical. I like that Panic at The Disco song in the game. A lot. I'm not in tune with the youth, but I am a hipster, so please let me know if liking that song makes me uncool.
5 Stars

Castle Crashers: Playing through games with a buddy makes everything better. Playing through games with Sweep makes every game perfect.
Oh, and it's a fun beat em up. Absolutely gorgeous 2-D characters and backgrounds, and a solid leveling up mechanic to keep you pushing forward.
5 Stars.

I'll try to right a compelling/thoughtful blog later tonight to try out the new forum code!