A sinister pact, a fragile alliance and a shattered promise.
Two of The Four are reported missing, one last sighted in The Third Kingdom and the other trapped in the Forge Lands by some trick of the Crowfather.
Turmoil and despair churn at the feet of all creation and already humanity has paid the price. It wasn't like the stories, there was no resistance, there wasn't even a battle.
The earth broke open and humankind was wiped out in hours by demons or the wild chaotic earth that swallowed them, writhing in pain as the dimensions opened all around the planet.
Whispers pass through the realms, a corruption is spreading and a greater plan is slowly revealing itself as worlds and species begin to crumble, leaving only nothingness in its wake.
They say Death himself battles the corruption as he tries to redeem his brother War, falsely accused of starting the end times, who fights a desperate battle on Earth in which he clings to life and duty.
But what of the last two? Where are Fury and Strife?
When War was summoned his siblings must have felt his presence, sensed his peril and leapt to action, for is that not the bond the Four share?
Unthinkable, voices rumor, that the fierce but calculated rider named Fury would not take part in Death's quest or that his valiant brother Strife would see events play out from the sideline.
Where did they all go? Are they too working on ways to redeem War or assist Death? Time will tell.
Even more unthinkable would be to realize that The Four might be shattered, worlds apart and not imbued with the Charred Council's blessing, alone, lost and worst of all...mortal.
Where is Lucifer, the Ruler of  Hell? The mad queen Lilith? Samael the Blood Prince?
It would not be unlikely to see their hand in all of this somehow, perhaps Lucifer has lured Strife or Fury away with a false promise of helping their brothers to prevent their gaze from seeing the scheming that seems to surround this endwar. Perhaps all of the Horsemen are being set up by sinister forces that fear them, for many secrets have been kept from the Four throughout time for no other reason but fear of what they would do with the power.
Many rulers have lorded over Heaven, Hell or the lands between, but only one group is as renowned as they are feared, their unshakeable duty to the Balance and each other unquestionable.
They are the riders, the last of the Nephilim, the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

"Holy shit, leave me alone!" I shout hard enough to be heard across the street.

The man is unrelenting however and keeps moving forward, his eyes are filled with lust and madness.
"Shitshitshit" I mumble as I look around me for a means of escape.
Meanwhile, he growls and snarls at me as he makes his way towards me.
Looking back to him I can barely move in time to dodge the lead pipe he threw towards me and I bash into the wall.
"Pro tip: Don't walk into alleyways!" I curse towards myself as I see no other option but to fight.
The man seems to smile with whatever teeth he has left and then he lunges forward.
"Fuck off" I shout as I sidestep again and punch him on the back of his head as his momentum carries him past me.
I quickly grab the pipe he threw earlier from the ground and as he tries to rise from the floor I hit him.
The pipe makes contact and I feel his skull caving in.
He collapses with a sick gurgle and I pant to catch my breath, trying to wipe my hands on my jeans in an effort to wash away all the blood.
Futile, now my pants are as red as my hair and what good is fashion in a zombie infested world?
"Take a trip Tali, you look exhausted Tali, get away from all this nonsense Tali! That's what they told me so I did. But look at me now, in some half forgotten city fighting hordes of the fucking undead!"
My thoughts are disrupted when a pair of shrieks and cries are heard not far away, alerting me to the incoming presence of more zombies.
Infected, to be precise, and I take my stance right on time as the two mad men cut the corner and start dashing towards me.
As they walk into the pipe with dedication I absently wonder if I could make a profession out of this.

Warning: This is a very long rant concerning gaming, developers and communities.
Satisfaction is not promised!
 
 
Here I am.
Sighing and moaning behind my desk and before you trip on your tongue my hands are not in my panties.
I'm just terribly sick and tired of the game industry, the developers, the media and the forums. 
You guys all disgust me, everyday again.
 
If it isn't a 'discussion' about how much someone sucks for not liking a game or something a developer said to another that now warrants a fucking essay from his side as a way of saying sorry its probably another franchise being gutted or destroyed because someone found something faulty with it.
 
Seriously, can you all just shut the fuck up for a moment?
I bought Borderlands, blind, because I trusted in the developers and the experience they wanted to sell me, hell I even bought all their DLC when it came out which I never do (and I only regret Moxi's arena, the Knox DLC is the best piece of DLC ever), and I loved the shit out of it.
But oh no, whines aplenty! The controls were off, the loot was crap, lack of story, Diablo did it better, it was a rip off from "insert whatever".
Now I'm perfectly able to nod and agree with some of those things but for fuck's sake people, it did what it had too and after a while a lot of people said: "Hey this game is pretty good and fun" and it popped up on more and more lists.
Darksiders 1 is yet another example of how hated it was at launch but how loved it later became.
People, you are making fools of yourself and the industry, all we gamers ever do is complain and complain.
We put faith in reviewers to bring us honest and interesting reviews but fuck it...I haven't read a review in months, years probably, because I can never agree with what is being told.
All I hear is "I think that..." or "This game derives from..." or even "This game is only 16 hours long."
 
First off, fuck what YOU think.
By all means please have your own style as a reviewer, a preference and a favorite genre, but come on be a bit more interesting about it.
I'm fine with their side of the story but just because YOU think the story is bad, doesn't mean it is a fact.
Just because you spend more time on the PC  than a console it's not automatically a fact that the controls are demanding.
 
Second off, fuck that deriving nonsense.
I'm way too pissed about Darksiders 2, how everyone is calling it stolen, ripped off or 'cleverly borrowed'.
Sure, it has a formula, but it's doing something good with it, no?
How come we attack and spit on a GOOD game for being similar to another game within its GENRE while every 2 and a half days a new FPS shooters comes out and we're all just like "Meh, shooter.".
Go destroy cheap cash ins, movie tie ins that suck (most of em) or crack down on that freaking indie nonsense that gets praised to heaven.
But oh no, call the rage police, a good game is actually good!
Seriously, stop bashing a game like Darksiders 2 for its genre and stop being dicks about The Darkness 2's length.
Because no matter how the fuck you put it, the action adventure genre is kind of empty and The Darkness 2 still beats out most FPS games in terms of story if not in length.
 
I kind of addressed the third issue in the previous bit as well but I feel like I need to say a bit more.
Its not about length (I know, I know) but it how you spend that length with the game.
Sure, I'll say it first: There's a difference in price/time when it comes to these things.
Indie games are often cheap, offer cheap thrills as well and aren't that long.
Very fucking short, more often than not.
But that's fine, spending a fiver and having some good easy fun is wonderful. 
What isn't wonderful is seeing franchises going down the drain while shameless yearly installments keep popping up.
Now note, and freaking note you shall, this is my opinion on the matter so THIS IS NOT A FACT.
I hate having to post that but come on, half the readers on the internet are pretty fucking dumb (please, by all means, attack me for that statement, it's pretty funny how everyone tells you the internet is full of morons but you're not really allowed to say it.) so I have to spell it out, no?
 
Ok so.
I loved Assassin's Creed 1, I liked Assassin's Creed 2 but everything that came after....please stop kidding yourselves it was pretty lackluster.
Sure, the game worked, the gameplay was wonderful, there was lots to do and the story has a lot of cool moments but I couldn't help but see the franchise being milked.
Ezio is a asshole, I don't like him, and my understanding was we'd be playing one character per installment which is pretty cool because you'd see a new personality every game and you'd have vast improvements or changes to the setting and combat.
Remember finding those statues? All those different assassin's? Don't tell me you didn't look at the girl assassin and got your hopes up, or some of the other pretty inspiring characters.
I loved the whole going back in time due to DNA and the overarching story but soon enough it became little more than the Ezio chronicle, taking over the entire series purpose.
Now granted, Ezio was alright as a character and probably the perfect lead character for the franchise to get some facetime but I really want to see more on their promise.
Looking at footage from AC3 I was pretty impressed, it looked great, the locale fresh and Connor seems to be pretty bad ass with his own set of weapons/moves.
But then I spotted it.
The same animations, the same attack patterns and the ever classic "You're surrounded by 10 dudes but they'll all patiently wait until you feel like stabbing or countering them".
Aaaaaaand my enthusiasm was gone.
Sure, I'll pick it up for 20 out of the bargain bin but despite the 'fresh' aspects it looks to be little more than a setting change.
I hope I'm wrong, but I hope the game also flops hard (it won't, of course it won't) just to show that "hey, effort please?".
 
I know, I'm sounding quite angry, unfair even, but it's a rant for a reason.
Feel free to discuss or nitpick in the comments.
But, moving on.
 
I've had this feeling a long time, ever since I saw my favorite games disappear and pure fun being shoved aside for multiplayer in every game, DLC and the removal of other 'old' things like local co op.
Don't tell me its unneeded, that it had its time because hey, SSX.
People tripped (and still are) the fuck out when that didn't have a free ride mode or local co op.
Its still a thing that lives with players and it's just terrible consumer <> developer contact.
Its also sad that there's a fangroup out there, praying and fighting for the return of a game and are pretty vocal about it (and what they want/aim for) or even that there's so many stories telling what aspects made the game for them (Yo, remember SSX3 going down the mountain? Awesome!) and the developer just cuts it.
 
Sorry, but, that's not good business, that's being downright silly and unrespectful to your customers.
In SSX's case the free riding, the stress free playing and insane tricks, made the game so loved and good.
Sure you can change a few things for a new formula, take the game to a new level but you can't just say "lets cut this loved aspect!".
Same goes for taking a singleplayer game and adding multiplayer.
In Mass Effect 3's case I'm willing to say it paid off, sure it's not perfect and the unlock system is pure bullshit but once you got the chance to play as your favorite race (Krogan!) you walk away pretty satisfied at the mode.
Often, however, this isn't the case and you're left wondering why they wanted to spend extra time and resources on it.
 
Now, let's leave games for a bit and go to forums/communities.
I'm burned out on all of them.
Sick, disgusted, mentally washed up and just downright done.
I'm not expecting every forum or community to be great but more and more there are people bending the rules, thriving on grieving others or in some games its even considered to be cool to disrupt other's fun.
PVP for that matter is awesome, if you're playing on a pvp realm or entered a pvp zone, beat it or eat it!
But ganking of lower levels combined with power fluxes from expansions or the 'trolling' of a group because you have nothing better to do is the worst for me.
I'm sick of that, sick of people.
I used to be a fan of online playing but after being harassed and stalked in online games I threw out my microphone and I rarely play together with people I don't know from real life.
I have retreated to playing solo a lot of the times and my opponents are usually bots.
Sure, that's a choice I made myself but it's disgusting how these communities are.
Even people who have never touched a game like League of Legends or World of Warcraft know the reputation of their random matches.
Blizzard and Riot and other companies are working on the rules and actively preventing cheaters/grievers to hurt players too much but it still happens because the simple fact is people are fucking idiots.
They cannot be trusted to play nice so the developer puts all sorts of crazy things into place to prevent issues.
 
But that fails as well, not being able to vote kick people from your group because of some bug (This player can't be kicked for another 6 hours! What? Why? Wtf!) or in some cases the system flips the fuck out and somehow blames you when a tank spawns on top of three of your teammates and you find yourself booted.
Think of it as DRM issues, the honest p(l)ayer is being blamed and punished by the bad behavior of others.
 
Last point, forums.
Come on!
Go read the 'blue responses' on Blizzard's forums, especially the Q and A's.
What do you see? You see hostile questions all the fucking time and developers/GM's trying their best to make their intentions known.
But that usually gets followed up with "Ah, so you don't want this or this to happen! Is that what you're saying?" which drags the discussion on and on and on.
Sure, Blizzard's not perfect and some decisions have been shaky and pretty major for people who barely even participate in the higher levels of the game but there's a sick influx of questions regarding "I WANT TO BE SPECIAL" or "OTHER PLAYERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO SOMETHING I ONCE DID BUT NOW EASIER".
Its all 100% whining, its grieving and its immensely condescending for other players to read.
To each their own and really, if you worked hard for something you should be able to show it off but eventually a lot more people are going to get where you are and have that same reward, especially when the difficulty drops or changes are made.
There is no consistency in a online world, deal with it!
Also, it's unfair call out to be praised or rewarded in a game that largely doesn't rely on skill but several other factors such as gear or a good guild that helps you get it and works together well enough to actually clear the higher tiers in a game.
You can't tell me you're a bad ass because you have the best gear available in the game, that only tells me you spend lots of time with a group of others fighting and sweating for that.
You deserved it, no doubt, but it doesn't make you better than anyone else (at least, besides the stats of course!) and it most certainly does not give you the privilege to be a asshole or expect people to respect you.
I've met people in online games that were considered amazing, their gear was great and since they had the gear they probably had the skill to raid that high right?
Sure, but they showed a total disregard for group or boss battle mechanics, were dicks to new or learning players or ended up going batshit and wiping a group just because something didn't go the way they like and that tells me their gear is worth nothing.
But that said, I've also met people who were insanely geared and skilled, that made running dungeons or such a cakewalk because they played with dedication and group spirit, offering advice or filling holes left by new/learning players.
 
So, very long rant!
If you read all of it I hope it was at least a little insightful or even entertaining because I wrote this with no real purpose.
Was pretty fucking mad at the state of gaming, the inability to enjoy videogames but except the constant bickering over miniscule things that mayhaps be very deciding on a personal level but have no place at all in reviews or discussions regarding a game's worth.
 
Go enjoy indie games if you want, play another Call of Duty and I'll be right here enjoying my often odd one out games.
To each their own! Accept and love that! Everyone is different and everyone has their own opinion on EVERYTHING!
 
But please, everyone, support your developers and fight for your games! Do not let big companies ruin your beloved franchises and stop accepting all the crap being shoveled into your mouths.
Stop buying map packs that consist of 2 older remade ones and one new, stop buying character skins that should have been in the game at launch and for god's sake...
Stop being so fucking hostile.
 
Thanks!
 
TLDR

So my shrink keeps telling me I expect too much from the people around me.
He's not wrong.
Today's a prime example.
 
I'm on a tight budget, I make savings where I can and I eat pretty basic most days of the week just so I can pay my bills and enjoy my hobby (videogames/reading).
With that mindset I bought some special yoghurt drink thingies today, they were pretty cheap and I like those in the morning, all good right?
No.
Because when I come home, tell my housemates "yo, drinks? Mine. Don't touch." and they both agree.
Yet, not half a day later, one of the drinks disappears!
 
Thus I play my own version of L.A. Noire and try to deduct the solution to the missing drink dillema!
I confront the first housemate, she denies involvement yet I can tell she's nervous, I know her tell.
She tells me she took two sips in the end, I scowl at her but I forgive her, she's blonde after all.
So its off to confront the second housemate, this would not be his first crime towards my food products but he's been on the right path for a while now.
 
Turns out, he strayed from it.
He took my drink, knowing it was mine and it was not to be touched, and drank it all.
He confessed it with a grin, saying its not a big deal, that I need to act like a grown woman and that there's still 2 of the drinks left in the fridge.
I kick his chair down and refrain from spitting in his face.
"Learn to ask, next time." I say as I leave him, voices in my head urging me to turn around and release my own little piece of The Darkness but I control the impulse.
 
I know, I'm an angry person, but right now I don't care.
I've been failed dozens of times by humanity, by teachers, by cops and by friends.
People that should have been there for me, people that are depended on for guidance or protection.
It might be a small thing but for me it only reinforces the negativity.
 
People can't even listen to basic things like 'don't touch' so why the hell would I trust them with bigger issues than a fucking drink in the fridge?
 
Sure, there's a lot wrong with this logic but since its weekend my shrink has no chance to tell me that so I get free reign here! Woo!
  

The band Garbage I mean! Duh!
 
A creative fan has come up with this 8 bit remix of their entire Version 2.0 album and I love the tunes.
Some of them could work great for the old nes/snes games. 
    

The unthinkable happened too me.
 
I own more games than I have time.
That's a rare thing for me as often I play a few games front to back before I get new ones but lately I've been stocking.
More to life than games I guess, but that doesn't mean I can let myself get away it!
 
More importantly, there's games I started, which I loved so far, but never finished.
Let's take a look. 

 
5) The Darkness

People!
 
They're so strange and silly.
Cooped up in their own little worlds, too busy with their own ideals and visions of their personal paradise clouding their everyday judgement!
Our needs are to consume, to buy, to own and to be recognized by others for it (consuming their respect).
So many bad things happen around us while we stand on the sidelines and comment on a news story, instead of actually actively solving the problem.

Day after day we are bombarded with news only meant to shock us!
Discussion value? None! It's all "Did you hear about that?" or "Isn't this scandelous?" no matter what the subject.
Beatings, rapings or basic theft, every crime is happening around us for all the wrong reasons and if its not actively hurting us, we are inclined to do next to nothing about it.
 
The fact that religion and age old rules somehow seem to triumph over common sense is disgusting and a crime against humankind!
No book, no rule and no belief can condone the misery inflicted in all of these cases.
A brutal beating just because you're from Iran? 
Raped because the man decided you were asking for it?
Corporate world draining you for all you got just because they can?
The poor familyman being robbed on his way to home in a dark alley because they cut back on police (and street lighting!) funds?
 
These are all problems happening around us, problems we like to view but from a safe distance.
We stand by as bus drivers get beaten up and as a result skip certain stops.
The result? The driver got fined for skipping stops.
They couldn't put some muscle on the bus or otherwise reinforce security, no they couldn't.
The driver had to do his rounds and get beaten up day after day.
This happened behind my previous school, this happened next to a kindergarten.
These things just happen everywhere and the bottom line is always money when it comes to resolving them.
 
We can't send a unit over just because someone's fiddling with the lock of your frontdoor ma'm, it could be a cat.
"But I just looked out of the window and I can clearly see its a person trying to get in."
No ma'm, we can't do anything, call us when something illegal happens.
 
Which is always too late.
Preventing is better than curing!
 
I won't say I lost faith in humanity, because I haven't even by a long shot, but I'm just hurt over the distance created by our own species.
We label, we ignore and we only look after ourselves.
A logical goal, I know I'm very much concerned about myself when needed, but we need not forget that we are a social species.
We have a system and a social structure that is (if barely) functioning.
 
Smile, for a change, and take a chance.
The world won't smile back and you won't find eternal happiness all of a sudden, but perhaps you may just make someone else's day a whole lot better.
 
What prompted me to write this (and let my coffee get cold)?
I happened upon a man today who went out of his way to help me with a simple thing.
To him and others it might have seen like nothing special, it saved my day and meant the world to me.
 
Believe in yourself people, and believe in doing good.
But don't donate to all those charities while you're at it though, that's just scamming in my opinion!^^ 
 

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

You say I should lighten up, loosen up and have some fun,

All the other girls are doing that,

You say I should just sell out, show a little skin, find a famous boyfriend,

I could clean up doing that.

I'm quite happy doing what I'm doing, thank you very much,

I'm marching on with my one-man band, and I'm beating myself up,

I'm quite happy doing what I'm doing, thank you very much,

I'm marching on with my one-man band, and I'm beating myself up.
 
 

Yeah, that's about it.