The Cave review

The Cave is an adventure platform video game developed by Double Fine Productions and distributed by Sega.

The Cave, voiced by Stephen Stanton, is a magical labyrinthine of tunnels that lures individuals within to explore their darker personalities. Seven unique strangers, each harboring their own dark secret, have been drawn to the Cave from across time and space to learn the truth about themselves and gain insight of who they may become.

The player initially selects three different characters from a cast of seven stereotypical figures to explore the Cave: The Adventurer, the Hillbilly, the Knight, the Monk, the Scientist, the Time-traveller, and the Twins (acting as one character). Once chosen, these three characters will be your explorers for the remainder of the game; players can restart a new game to select a different trio of characters.

As the player controls the trio to explore the Cave, they collect objects and interact with the environment in a manner similar to an adventure game. The exploration of the game is based on 2D platformer elements, though the game is presented with 3D graphics.


The majority of this game's puzzles require the three characters to work in coordination to complete, the player switching between them to activate multiple parts of a puzzle; an example of this would be opening a door by maneuvering two characters into holding levers, while the third character passes through the open door to pull another lever, permanently opening the door and allowing the other characters to pass through. Each character also has a unique ability to aid in navigating the cave tunnels; for example, the adventurer is able to swing herself across gaps with a rope, while the time traveler can phase shift a short distance to pass through barriers. Some puzzles are specific to the unique abilities of a character, leaving some areas inaccessible if the appropriate characters aren't chosen at the start; the Cave can only be fully explored through at least three replays, if not more.

In addition, some areas of the Cave are accessible only if one a specific characters is in your party; such as the knight finding a castle or the adventurer discovering a tomb, these areas represent the deep desires and dark aspects of a character that lured him or her to the Cave in the first place. Throughout the game there there are iconographs emblazoned on the walls of the cave for each of the three characters, which the player will need to get near to activate; these provide one of several still art images that reveal the character's back-story.

The first time I played, I selected the Adventurer, the Knight and the Time-traveler and I couldn’t have asked for a greater combination. Their storylines were morbid, yet entertaining and between their unique abilities, I was able to explore a great deal of the Cave’s tunnels. There are some brief repetitive areas when you replay with different characters, but it's worth it to experience each character's story. The narrator, or Cave, with his witty remarks and statements is the perfect touch to an overall enjoyable game.

Check out "The First 60 Minutes of The Cave"

Bioshock giveaway!

In celebration of the release of Bioshock Infinite, I would like to gift a copy of the original game that started all to one you lucky followers!

If you're curious, check out my video "Bioshock - The First 60 Minutes"


The rules are simple:

A.) You must have the free Steam client installed. Bioshock was purchased on Steam and I will be gifting the game through it.

B.) You must be subscribed to my blog. If you subscribe via rss or email you will need to tell me, I can see when the numbers change but not who is or isn't subscribing.

C.) You must be subscribed to my YouTube channel. Visit my page and at the top there will be a subscribe button!

D.) After you are done installing Steam and subscribing, comment on this blog and tell me that you have subscribed to both my blog and YouTube channel and that you would like Bioshock.

Winners will be drawn and announced next Tuesday April 2nd, 2013.

Good luck!

Bioshock Infinite - The First 60 Minutes

Hello and welcome to an introductory 60 minute look at Bioshock Infinite. This is not a review, this is a first impression for you, the viewer, to get an idea of what this game has in store for you should you choose to purchase and play it for yourself. After I finish the game, a written review will be posted here to supply a more well-rounded pool of information.

If you like this video please support me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel.

Jamestown - The First 30 Minutes

Hello and welcome to an introductory 30 minute look at Jamestown. This is not a review, this is a first impression for you, the viewer, to get an idea of what this game has in store for you should you choose to purchase and play it for yourself. After I finish the game, a written review will be posted here to supply a more well-rounded pool of information.

If you like this video please support me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel.

Introduction to my photography

These days students go off to college, they graduate and then 9 times out of 10 they get a job doing something completely different than what they majored in.

I attended Brooks Institute of Photography and received my Bachelor's Degree in Visual Journalism. However, after graduating, I toiled away a year in a pet shop doing absolutely nothing I had gone to college to learn. I just felt....uninspired. There's only so much you can teach an artist about technique and form, then you need to let their unique sense of creativity bring something new to the table. Brooks was very good at teaching technique and form, however when a student tried to bring something new to the table, often times the own personal taste of a professor would give them a less than admirable grade. I saw many students, frustrated in their own loss of unique style, quit Brooks without that sought after degree. I adapted and graduated but I didn't feel passionate about art anymore for years.

Now I work for a Author/Professor/Nursery Owner who is a self taught photographer himself and I feel extremely lucky to have a job relating to my degree. I photograph plants for the nursery and clients’ purposes. My work consists mostly of close ups of the flora I work around and landscapes, but I branch out into other fields as they present themselves. I’m beginning to build my stock library and my work has appeared in three books and the Sunset magazine.

I’ll share some of my photography on this blog, but be sure to check out My Flickr to see some of my photography. As stated above, most all of it is related to plants and nature. I love the peace and tranquility of being outside with subjects who don't need a model release to feature in your photograph.

Vessel - The First 60 Minutes

Hello and welcome to an introductory 60 minute look at Vessel. This is not a review, this is a first impression for you, the viewer, to get an idea of what this game has in store for you should you choose to purchase and play it for yourself. After I finish the game, a written review will be posted here to supply a more well-rounded pool of information.


If you like this video please support me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel.

Star Wars: The Old Republic - The First 60 Minutes of the Bounty Hunter class

Hello and welcome to an introductory 60 minute look at the Bounty Hunter class in Star Wars: The Old Republic. This is not a review, this is a first impression for you, the viewer, to get an idea of what this game has in store for you should you choose to download and play it for yourself.

The great hunt begins. While
the Sith Empire and the
Galactic Republic scheme
against each other, a bloody
contest rages in the frontier
systems.

Mercenaries from across
the galaxy compete for
the privilege of entering
a dangerous manhunt where
they must capture or eliminate
the most notorious and elusive
targets.

In the polluted swamps
of the Hutta, a tough young
gunfighter teams up with an aging
bounty hunter to secure
an invitation to this deadly
struggle for the fortune and
glory...

More information about this class can be found here.

More information about the game can be found on the SWTOR website.

If you like this video please support me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel.

Star Wars: The Old Republic - The First 60 Minutes of the Smuggler class

Hello and welcome to an introductory 60 minute look at the Smuggler class in Star Wars: The Old Republic. This is not a review, this is a first impression for you, the viewer, to get an idea of what this game has in store for you should you choose to download and play it for yourself.

Anarchy rules in the frontier
systems. While the Galactic
Republic struggles to recover
from its conflict with the Sith
Empire, reckless mercenaries
profit from the interstellar
turmoil.

Ord Mantell, a world ravaged
by civil war between
pro-Republic citizens and
separatist extremists, has
become a lucrative destination
for free traders.

Now, a daring captain-for-hire
has come to deliver a cargo of
weapons to the combat zone,
flying a swift freighter through
a deadly barrage of separatist
attacks....

More information about this class can be found here.

More information about the game can be found on the SWTOR website.

If you like this video please support me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel.

Closure review

Closure is a unique independent puzzle/platformer video game developed by programmer Tyler Glaiel and artist Jon Schubbe, with music and sound by Chris Rhyne, that focuses on the concept of light and dark.

Closure conceals a dark world where landscapes and objects only exist when and where the light touches. The gameplay mechanics focus on maneuvering light sources (fixed lamps and light orbs the player can carry) to phase objects in and out and therefore manipulate the environment for platforming. Due to real-time lighting of each level, there can be various solutions to get from point A to B. Keep in mind: if it can't be seen, it doesn't exist. It's possible to jump through walls and fall through floors, push boxes through walls, or drop a key through floors and walls to get to the door; just add or remove light.

The main playable character is an amorphous being who explores the stories of three human characters; a factory worker struggling to escape a decrepit factory, a young woman traveling through a murky forest to reunite body and soul after a horrific car crash, and a little girl who leaves the comfort and safety of her home to chase a black cat through an abandoned carnival. Of course, these are my interpretations, many players have speculated what the plot of this game could be. Based on the title of the game I assume each character is seeking “closure”. Although the developers may have a specific plot in mind, I believe they have left a great deal open to your interpretation.

Each individual's story consists of twenty four levels that can be accessed through unique doors within surreal central hubs, with ten additional levels designated to the amorphous being. The objective is to travel from the start of each level to a door, some doors require keys or light sources to open. If the player reaches a dead-end in a puzzle, they can push the R key (PC) or Select button (console) to reset the level. I found myself in several trial and error situations where I had to learn from experience, resetting the level more than once (or dying by falling through the non-existent floor, that happened a lot). A special ending is awarded to those players that also manage to collect thirty silver moths hidden throughout the game.




I really enjoy unique games that challenge players to think. Closure is extremely thought provoking, albeit sometimes extremely frustrating. The art design is hauntingly beautiful in black and white with gorgeous well-placed luminesce. The ambience reminded me very strongly of something born from Tim Burton's mind. Bottom line, I loved illuminating the surroundings and devolving ways to reach the door and better still, the plot behind each character.

Check out "The First 60 Minutes of Closure"


If you like this video please support me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel.

At this time, the game does not have the ability to start over from the main menu. I've written a detailed walkthrough of how to start a new game here.

My Neverending story iPad mini case

Home screen is "The Iconoclasts" by Muju
I purchased an iPad mini, with my tax rebate and I am loving it!

I have been considering purchasing a tablet for quite some time and as impressive as some of the other brands are, the iPad is what has continued to hold my attention and affection.

Tablets are extremely helpful with organizing, planning and networking. As you can see from the screenshot of my home screen below, I have a number of applications that are important for working on my blog. There are also a few applications for entertainment. I do have more applications on the second page, but they are for finances and misc. I hope to purchase a small Bluetooth keyboard soon so I can work on posts for my blog. The keyboard on the screen is a good size, but I am much faster with a keyboard.


If you have any great applications you’d like me to try out let me know! I’m also looking for some great games (I am loving Plants vs. Zombies).

One of the most exciting things for me was picking out a case for my iPad. I ordered the Neverending Story cover from Geekify, Inc. on Etsy. These tablet covers are hand-crafted from high quality leather and suedes and bound with filigree and an auryn on the cover to look just like the book we all know and love. These are also available for other tablet brands and ereaders.




I received mine yesterday and love it! It is very sturdy and the attention to detail is very well done. The inside is lined with suede so that the screen and back of the tablet are protected from scratches. The cover can also be folded backwards so that the iPad is at a slight angle for easy viewing and typing.

Tomb Raider - The First 60 Minutes

Hello and welcome to an introductory 60 minute look at Tomb Raider. This is not a review, this is a first impression for you, the viewer, to get an idea of what this game has in store for you should you choose to purchase and play it for yourself. After I finish the game, a written review will be posted here to supply a more well-rounded pool of information.

If you like this video please support me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel.