Grab yourself a turkey leg, some yams, a slice of pie, and a bottle of 'shine.  It's time again for Sparky's Update, brought to you this week by Weird Al Yankovic!  Remember, folks, this holiday season, just eat it! 
 
This week, I'm examining three superb games - Civilization Revolution, Forza 3, and Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia.  I'll also give my thoughts on the movies The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard and Zombieland.  Time to undo that extra notch on your belt, kids, because you're about to be fed some delicious morsels even before Thanksgiving hits. 
 
Everybody Wants to Rule the World

When you talk names in games, Sid Meier's name is one of my most respected, right there with Al Lowe, Will Wright, and Ken and Roberta Williams.  If any of these folks' name is on a game's box, I'm immediately intrigued.  Sid Meier's Pirates was, is, and will probably always be one of my favorite games of all time, and I can safely say that I can add Civilization Revolution right next to its name. 
 
This is not the first time I've visited this rodeo.  I played through a session of Civ Rev at my brother's house when it first came out, but never had enough freedom to really explore the innate charm and quality of the game.  This time around, I'm hooked.  The varying difficulty levels feel just right, the gameplay is smooth as silk, and it's immensely easy to pick up and play, yet hard to master on its higher difficulty levels.  Definitely not impossible, but a struggle, which is about how I like my difficulty. 
 
The graphics are charming as all hell, and the Sim-like speak of the advisors and various characters is amusing, if a bit overplayed by your fifth or sixth game.  There is a fair bit of DLC for Civ Rev.  The prices vary from, "Hey, that's a steal," to "Really?  They're charging that much for a few items and buildings?"  If a good sale comes along, I'll pick up the last few items, but until then, I've satisfied myself with some new maps and freebies. 
 
And now I really want to pick up the complete Civ 4 package.  Hah! 
 
I Vant to Suck Your Blood... and Your Time!

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is a fine Metroid-vania.  I have really only just scratched the surface, but I'm enjoying the characters, the settings, and the gameplay.  It's classic Metroid-style gameplay, with a tinge of RPG elements.  It can be frustratingly difficult at times (getting through the levels is often way harder than the mini-bosses), though the leveling system and the relatively frequent save points keep me from abandoning this one to the depths. 
 
One thing I'm enjoying is the visuals and the sound.  Both match the setting and the environments perfectly.  The backgrounds are stunningly well-drawn at times, the bosses creative, and the character portraits are the right blend between cartoony and realistic.  It looks like an adult-themed anime of sorts, which works well in this case.   The music is pretty darned good and unobtrusive, and I'm enjoying the varied sound effects. 
 
I'll let you all know more of my thoughts when I get a bit deeper into this one. 
 
The Best Damn Racing Game I've Played That Doesn't Rhyme with Shario Mart!

Forza 3 is without a doubt the best racing sim I've had the joy of playing, and do you know how I know that?  I actually want to play, as opposed to just sit around, let the hired drivers do the work, and collect cars.  Forza 3 has made racing accessible even to a legally blind man like myself.  Between the auto-brake system, the varying levels of difficulty, the "rewind" button, and the many adjustable options for difficulty settings, Forza 3 is as good as it gets for a guy who can't get behind the wheel himself. 
 
I say that only half-jokingly, but here it is.  Forza 3 allows me to enjoy driving.  That's as high of a recommendation as I can ever give a game, and it just about brings me to tears saying it.  It's been seven long and frustrating years since my eyesight forced me to stop driving, and it's games like this one that allow me a small taste of what that joy once was.  That's the highest bit of praise I have ever given a game. 
 
Forza 3 does many other things right too.  The season mode play is a riot, there are lots more online shopping options (love being able to buy some vinyls from other gamers), and the cars look and feel fantastic.  I love the way a Challenger will roast its tires for a few seconds, almost slipping sideways, and then roar forward as it gains traction.  It's a brilliantly designed game on every level. 
 
I have only two complaints.  One, the text size is tiny.  Two, it just doesn't feel like there are as many cars as there should be.  I want to see more years and models of classic muscle cars, old show cars, and more modern racers.  I think the introduction of cars from the 50's and 40's would be an awesome thing - even if they aren't exactly made for racing, these cars would still be a hell of a lot of fun to customize or use in a Classics showdown series. 
 
My Name si Sparky, and I've Got the Goods.

I love The Goods.  It's a movie that feels like it was made for me and my shotgun-style sense of humor.  The cast is brilliant, the jokes mostly hilarious, and the continual one-two punch of the timing is awesome.  It's not necessarily a well-composed movie, but it's not really supposed to be.  It's pretty much a long series of jokes, weaving in and out of each other, and it really works for me. 
 
Saw Zombieland this weekend, too, and it stands alongside the likes of Shaun of the Dead.  This is an amazing bit of film-making, where everything seems to come together in just the right way.  There are the usual faults of a zombie movie - some of the characters make some insanely dumb decisions - but overall, it's one hell of a ride. 
 
Giving Thanks, Sparky-Style, and Your Question of the Week

 Gaming-wise, this year, I have a ton to be grateful for.  We've seen the release of the aforementioned Forza 3, Borderlands, Left 4 Dead 2, Tiger Woods 10, and so many other games.  It's hard to keep track of them all at this point, so look for a special list sometime closer to Christmas.  I'm thankful for the brilliant advertising of Borderlands, and that the game's release saw it become one of the best games of this year.  I'm grateful for the chainsaw in Left 4 Dead 2, which makes me feel like a super badass.  I'm grateful for Fallout 3 content, which has provided me with dozens of hours more gameplay.  I'm grateful to discover the joy of older games like Ratchet and Clank Future, Civilization Rev, and Rock Band. 
 
It's an amazing time to be a gamer, and for that, I'm most grateful.  May this next year see as many quality moments as this last.  So my question of the week is simple - what are you thankful for this year? 
 
May you and yours have a fantastic Thanksgiving.  May you know happiness and joy throughout this coming year, and may your gaming bliss be multiplied.  Have a great holiday, folks!