Video Games are Dead. Clover Studio R.I.P.

UPDATED!!!This just in, Clover may be breaking away from Capcom and starting their own independent studio.MORE HERE

Well if you haven't heard, the talented Clover Studio is no more. That's right the game development team that brought you awesome games like Vietiful Joe and Okami has been dissolved by Capcom.More here.

Will there ever be updates to their great titles now? Who knows? Capcom still owns the IP's, but even so, Clover were creative master minds. The games they released were unique and filled with beautiful art styles. All you gamers out there that never bought Viewtiful Joe or Okami are missing out on key games in gaming history. Without teams like Clover willing to try something creative and unique, the game industry will be flooded with crap games.

Clover Studio's final game, God Hand was just released Tuesday.

Its a sad day. Nintendo may just be the last stand for creativity in gaming. Capcom, I thought I knew you.


And now, a brief photo montage of Clover Studio gaming. RIP.


Viewtiful Joe-Gamecube


Okami-PS2


God Hand-PS2


CEO Atsushi Inaba

Good Times with Monty Are I

Well last night was amazing. I got to see Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Monty Are I, and Lorene Drive. Each band put on an amazing show, but I'm more partial to Monty Are I, I really dig their latest cd "Wall of People", and highly recommend anyone to pick it up. Monty Are I put on an insane show. They were everywhere. So much so, it was very hard for me to get a good picture of them in focus with my crap ass camera, but I put up some anyways. Red Jump Suit was good, but they didn't have the energy and pressence Monty Are I were emmitting. I really went to the show to see Monty, but I enjoy each bands set.

Lorene drive, the opening act was really good. Their sound had this Motley Crue type thing going on. Alot of songs about making sweet love and lusting over womens bodies. They are great party music. Sadly they had no CDs for sale. NONE. The lead singer told me they are having some dispute with their record label and are not being provided Cds or maybe they just werent selling the Cds at their shows. That really sucks since a whole shit load of kids were asking for them. He said you can still find them in stores though so I'll be sure to go pick one up.


I got the chance to talk to Steve, the lead singer and guitar player for Monty Are I, and got to talk about a few of their songs, and he filled me in on a couple of things I had been pondering about their new album. Steve was a real cool guy and easy to talk to. First I asked him about the song "Castle Bound" which they played last night. When Steve introduced the song he said "Has anyone ever played the Legend of Zelda?" to a roaring response (who hasn't?), "This song is about the princess". NICE. Well the song starts off with a midi sound 8-bit musical clicks just like music from NES games. Everytime I heard that song, I kept thinking it was an actual song I remembered hearing in a game. Steve filled me in. They composed the intro using the 8-bit sounds from nintendo, but its completely original and is the same chorus from the song. Finally I won't keep trying to remember which game that was from. Also I asked him if he drew any inspiration from the band Survivor for the final track "Only the Weak". Steve raised his hands double fisted saying "YES!" looking to his buds at the merch table. "No one really ever tells me that, how old are you?", "Im 25" I tell him. He said the kids out at these shows never really catch on to that type of stuff. He told me he was listening to some Survivor and drew some inspiration to write that song. Unfortunately they didnt play it that night, he told me it wasn't of the songs they had rehearsed for the tour. BAH! Maybe next time.

If you ever get the chance to see these guys live, you need to jump on it. MONTY ARE I WILL ROCK YOUR FACE OFF.


Ashley wheels and deals her way to a ten dollar shirt.


Ash with either the drummer or the other singer of Monty Are I (I think they are twins).

360 Reunion

Well the worst has past (I hope). My 360 has finally been replaced and returned to me. My last one crapped out on me. Now that its back, I've found some great stuff waiting for me to download on Live!

Doom on Live Arcade is da shiznit. I've had some great online multiplayer Co-Op sessions. This game is timeless. Also, I played a couple of games of Uno with some friends that have the Live Vision camera. It was good times, but its also scary knowing at any given moment you may catch a glimpse of weiner.

Not so great stuff to download was the Sonic the Hedgehog demo. This game is weak. I remember seeing video of Sonic running through a forest jumping and soaring through the air, then fighting huge robots. Well sadly that all but a memory. The level on the demo is a yawn fest. The gameplay is the same as Sonic Adventure, the changes to the game are for the worst. No spin? Homing attack throwing you into the abyss. This game just feels broken when you play it. Give me a wide open area to put Sonics speed to use. I don't want broken bridges and rope trampolines. I'll take Sonic Rush on DS over this anyday. Sega please fix this game or cancel it altogether.

Tonight is the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Monty Are I show at House of Rock. I can't wait to see these bands. If you haven't heard them check them out Monty are I and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

I'll try to take some pictures and upload them here later.

Peace out.