***Update***
On Friday, I traded in the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto 5 and got the Xbox One version in its' place. Will post my experiences on the Xbox One version on a later post.
I remember almost a year ago, I purchased the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto 5 and beat the game back in November 2014 (even got the 100% completion rating). This game was definitely a fun thrill ride for me.
Overview of GTA 5:
This game is the official sequel to Grand Theft Auto 4 and takes place in San Andreas / Los Santos. Just as GTA 4 makes you feel like you are in a virtual version of New York City, GTA 5 will make you feel like you are in Los Angeles and Southern California. The map is pretty big stretching all of the way from the city of Los Santos in the South and of the island to the smaller coastal city of Paleto Bay at the north end. Lots of terrain changes too, as you have city, coastlands, mountains, farm lands, and even a good sized desert to trek through in the game. Like GTA San Andreas, airplanes and helicopters are back too (besides helicopters in Grand Theft Auto 4, planes were largely absent in that game). Unique to the Grand Theft Auto 5, you will be playing as 3 protaganists that you can switch off using the d-pad on the controller: 1. Michael Santos - family man with a criminal past that seems to be living a seemingly normal life, at leas till the events of Grand Theft Auto 5. 2. Franklin - he is an African American man who lives in the heart of Los Santos and was a former grove street gang member and repo man looking to move off the streets and live am more fulfilling lifestyle. 3. Trevor Phillips - a psychopathic kind of guy with a short temper.. The game follows the trio as they live out their lives, get back into the life of crime (what is a GTA game without crime after all?), and eventually go up against corrupt government officials. Several unique features GTA 5 offers includes:
- Single Player mode and online mode
- Heist missions. Heists are fun and yet challenging too. Throughout the course of the game, the players have to peform various heists and they usually come with their own unique planning, set up, challenges, difficulties and rewards. Besides the bank robbery mission that takes place in the game's prologue, the game's first real heist takes place relatively early on in the game.
- Working with 3 protaganists instead of 1. This seems to be the first time since 2D era gta games where you control more than one protaganists. By the way, one of the 3 can be killed off at the end of the game, depending on what you do for the final mission of the game
- 3 possible endings.
- Some choose your own adventure elements (such as choosing how to perform heists, how the game ends, how some side missions end, etc).
- Open world adventure, aside from storyline missions, side missions, etc, you are on a huge island Los Santos on the South End, Paleto Bay on the north end. In addition, there are many roads and highways to explore, my favorite is probably the Great Coast highway that goes up the west coast, much like highways 1 and later highway 101 (North of the Eureka area, onwards to Oregon and Washington) do in real life. Like GTA Andreas, the island also features a vast country site, farm land, mountains (with the biggest one being Mount Chillad), and even a large desert area to explore too. Lots of collectable items to collect too, including hidden packages, UFO spaceship parts, letter scraps (there is a murder mystery you can solve in the game by getting all of the letter scrap), along with stunt jumps, under the bridge locations (there are achievements you can get by going under under bridges) as well as knife flight locations.
- There is a military base you can check out too (at your own risk, since going onto the base will increase your guy's wanted level), called Fort Zancudo
- There are several paranormal elements in the game too, including UFOs (though most won't appear till you have gotten 100% completion and you have to know where and how to find them), at least one sasquatch roaming the woods and even a real ghost you can find when exploring Mount Gordo on the north east side of the island
- GTA Online mode: if you thought that story mode was too short, that only covers 1/2 of the game. You can also access GTA Online (assuming you have an Xbox Live account) and do more missions, competitions, and it even has its own storyline you are following.
Here is what I liked about GTA 5:
- Tons of things you can do. Besides the missions and all, you can explore the land, play golf, rob gas stations, go on rampages, participate in races (including a triatholon events), play online, browse the net, do activities with fellow NPC's, go on a Vinewood tour (basically GTA 5's version of Hollywood), watch movies, play tennis, visit a movie studio, spot a ghost (yes there is at least one confirmed scary ghost in the game that you may come across if you know where to look or when to look, see http://rjvideogamer.blogspot.com/2014/10/halloweenish-moments-in-grand-theft.html for more info), drive on freeways, swim in the ocean and much more. Plus by being able to switch between characters, there is much more you can do if you get bored playing as the same character every time (for example, if you get tired playing as Fraklin, you can always switch to either Michael or Trevor assuming they are available).
- Stunning graphics. You definitely feel like you are in Southern California.
- More variety in missions. I remember in Grand Theft Auto 4, Nikko was often an errands boy and doing other peoples' dirty work (like the many assassinations you have to do in GTA 4 where you have to chase a target down and shoot him/her). Sure you might get a few errands boy style missions (especially some of the "Strangers and Freaks" missions), but you also get other kinds of missions too, including: performing heists, being a repo man (as Franklin at the beginning of the game), going on races, running an arms business as Trevor (where you drive a dune buggy or fly a stunt plane delivering weapons to customers for cash as well as taking out competition), and many others. My favorite was as Michael where you can join a cult (the Epsilon Program) and take part in the missions they give you and possibly earn $2,000,000 in the end (depending on how you play the final epsilon mission). There are so many different kinds of missions you can do, so it would be difficult to list them all, but I won't spoil the game for you.
- Some characters from previous GTA games make appearances too. Perhaps the most notable one is Packie McReary from GTA 5 and he does prove to be extremely valuable for heist missions. Even Nikko makes a cameo appearance on a Life Invader page (GTA's version of myspace).
- I also like how you can switch between 3 different players. Besides the bank heist in the game's prologue, you start with one character (Franklin) and as you play through the storyline missions, you can also unlock Michael (he appears rather early in the game, about 4 missions in) and later Trevor (he appears after the jewlery store heist). You can switch off between the 3 characters, have the characters hang out, and some missions do require the trio working together too. It can be amusing when switching between characters too as you never really know what the other character is doing when you switch. Michael can be hanging out with his family (being a family man himself), stuck in traffic on one of the several freeways in the game, or even going on a stroll in Los Santos. Franklin can be hanging out at his safehouse (moreso after he unlocks his second safehouse which comes available as the game progresses), hanging out at the vanilla unicorn strip club, going on a drive somewhere, or even interacting with Chop (his rottwieller dog). Perhaps the most random is Trevor. When switching to Trevor, you never really know what he is up to as he could be hanging out at one of the airfields he owns (like the one he uses for the 2 arms delivery side missions you can do), hanging out at his trailer in Sandy Shores, get into fights with random NPCs (like scenes where he seems to throw someone off a bridge), or rarely getting pursued by cops (when that happens, you will have a 2 star wanted rating to evade).
- Long an interesting storyline too
- Online mode extends the gameply significantly too since story mode can get dull after a while (especially after beating the story mode portion of the game) and run out of things to do.
- I also like the new structure the game offers when it comes to failed missions. In GTA 4, if you fail a mission, you usually have to start over from the beginning, buy more armor and ammo if needed, and if you get busted during a mission, you lose the weapons you have which means you have to buy more. In GTA 5, whenever you fail a mission (such as getting killed or busted), the screen will say mission failed and you automatically get options to retry a mission, restart a mission, quit a mission (which means that you will have to start over and if you were killed, end up at a nearby hospital, or if you were arrested: lose all of the ammo you have), or sometimes (though not always), skip a mission (can be useful if you are struggling on a particular mission). Obviously hard core gamers will probably not like the new structure (though they can opt to start missions over if they want as well as resist the temptation to skip a mission), but I do like the new structure (especially when it comes to the harder and more frustrating missions).
- You can also win medals from missions from completing extra requirements (by completing missions you automatically get a bronze medal, but you can also go for silver and gold medals too by meeting extra requirements, such as completing a mission within a certain time frame, not getting scratches on your car, doing head shots, etc). By the way, you can replay missions if you want a better score.
- If you get busted by cops, they don't confiscate your weapons like they do in previous games. Instead, they confiscate the ammo you have. While you still have to buy ammo, you don't have to rebuy the weapons.
Drawbacks of GTA 5
- Obviously being at typical Grand Theft Auto game, Grand Theft Auto 5 will likely be offensive to some. I am a 32 year adult, and I can handle it, but I am sure that the same cannot be said for everyone. The game does have some dark elements to it too. Some examples includes: Franklin performing home invasion robberies (like the one he does at Michael's house early in the game where he has to "steal" a car in the garage), Michael's family issues (as well as dark past), issues with Trevor and is he is probably the most violent out of the bunch and does not hesitate to commit murder, (especially when he is in a rage mode, which does happen on more than one occasion during the course of the game) get into fights, and commit other crimes. Plenty of other potientialy offensive stuff too, including being able to use alcohol (players can get drunk or even pass out), use drugs (such as smoking a bong in a safehouse, going on acid trips, and even huffing gas and blacking out), kidnap hitch hikers and deliver them to a cannibalistic cult (aka Trevor taking passengers to the Altruist cult near Mount Chillad), racial slurs, getting mauled by cougars, getting attacked by sharks and many others. Definitely the type of game that mothers will hate (from personal experience) and may make you look over your shoulder sometimes. Even in the online mode, people don't always play nice, they can troll, accuse you of being a "bad sport", and rarely, try to kick you from the game, even if you have done nothing to me wrong (almost happened to me once when I first started playing on the online mode, I guess somebody didn't like newbies).
- Replay value is kind of limited. There are some missions and side missions where you will probably want to do again and see how they might end differently (for example: in the merrywetther heist mission where you can choose between using a submarine for the mission or infiltrating a freighter ship at port). Also, there are 3 possible endings for the game too. However, eventually you probably will run out of things to do (moreso after 100% completion) and then the game can get real dull, Luckily the online mode can extend the gameplay significantly.
- Getting wasted (killed) in the game can be painful moneywise. Unless if you are an expert at not dying in games like GTA 5, you probably will get wasted (i.e., falling of buildings, getting shot, getting attacked by animals like cougars, dogs and sharks, car accidents, etc) on various occasions and when that happens, you will respawn at a nearby hospital or clinic (like the one at Sandy Shores) and they love to charge you lots of ingame money each time. At first they don't charge you very much, but as your money accumulates in the game (especially $100,000 or more), the fee goes up significantly, capping at $5000 each time you get wasted. Obviously if you die alot in the game, that can get real expensive fast. Saving the game often can be useful here (especially if you are in a situation where death can come very easily, like attempting the "under the bridge" side mission). Also, when you fail a mission, I always try to resist the temptation to "quit" the mission, especially if my guy gets wasted or busted during a mission. Also, if you decide to go on a rampage in the game, you will probably want to save first and reload later to avoid losing too much money or getting your weapon ammo conficated if you get busted.
- When playing online, watch out for trolls. Some people online can be jerks and sometimes will try to kill your player, talks smack, etc. There are also occasions where people will try to kick you from the game even if you have done nothing wrong (and I have seen stories online about people getting kicked for no reason). I have only encountered a kicking attempt once (ironically, I was just starting out on the online mode when it happened, not sure why other than the fact I was a typical newbie at the time), but it seems to have tapered off (possibly because people are migrating over to the Xbox One and PS4 versions of GTA 5). Also, people can place bounties on your characters too.
- Switching off between characters will definitely take getting used to for some.
Well, that is all for now. Despite the set backs, GTA 5 for Xbox 360 definitely makes a very good final installment for the Xbox 360 era GTA series. By the way, Rockstar has already released GTA 5 for both Xbox One and PS4, so you may want to opt for that version instead.
Official grade for the game: A
Want to get your own copy of GTA 5? You can buy them on Amazon.com by clicking on the links below
Important disclaimer about Grand Theft Auto 5: this game is rated M for mature and is not advised for people under 17 or people that are easily offended by violent video games (considering that this game will likely be offensive to some). Also, for your own good, anything you see on Grand Theft Auto 5 (and any other game in the series for that matter) should never be recreated in real life. Like all GTA games, grand theft auto 5 does seem to glorify crime in many ways (even in comical ways too), such as rampages, heist missions, stealing cars, drugs, and just about any other thing you can't normally get away with in real life. Obviously getting ideas and recreating things you see in GTA 5 may lead to serious consequences, including trouble with the law, lengthy prison sentences, or even death. Never try anything you see in Grand Theft Auto 5 at home. Being a fellow gamer, I take no responsibility for making poor choices as a result of playing GTA 5 (i.e., stealing cars, committing other crimes, murder, etc).
Similar Games:
- Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (also features Los Santos, regular Xbox era)
- Grand Theft Auto 4 (in that game, you play in Liberty City, which is basically a virtual version of New York CIty). By the way, GTA 5 assumes you have played through Grand Theft Auto 4, so if you haven't played through that game, feel free to check it out.
- Red Dead Redemption (wild west style game that has some GTA style elements). By the way, there is an easter egg in GTA Online that lets you make a character that has John Marston as one of his/her parents.
Gamer to Gamer tips:
1. Money. If you are a typical newbie looking for ideas on how to earn money in the game, there are several ways you can do so, including:
- Killing pedestrians (often times they do drop cash when killed), though killing people is risky since it will cause your wanted level to go up and cops will try to arrest or (more likely kill you) when that happens.
- Robbing stores: you can hold up stores in the game and earn cash that way, though like killing people, it will almost always cause your wanted level to go up and so you have to deal with cops as a result
- Buying properties. As you progress throughout the game, you will be able to buy various properties (such as the Mckenzie air field, scrap yard, downtown cab company, etc) and they do generate income for your characters during the course of the game. As Trevor, you will be able to acquire this airstrip near Grapeseed where you can do side missions where you can deliver weapons via buggy or plane as well as taking out rivals and get paid that way too. Some properties earn you more than others
- Driving a taxi cab. Like in other GTA games, you can opt to drive a taxi cab and pick people up and drop them off at various locations for easy cash.
- Heists. If you do heists properly, you can score lots of extra money (especially the final heist in the game, which can yield up to $30,000,000 for each character). Poorly setting up for heists (such as choosing helpers that are not qualified for the job) can cause you to lose money though.
- Buying the scrap yard. This property can also yield good money as you get $150 per ingame week for every car you destroy in the game (or $1500 for every 10 cars you destroy).
- Diving in the ocean and finding hidden packages. These often yield money. Warning: sharks do lurk in the ocean (you will know when one is nearby because they will appear as red dots on your in game map and radar) and will try to eat you. What happens is: if you dive in the ocean, and a shark is closeby, it will swim around you for a little while back and fourth like a typical fish, but after a while, a cut scene will occur showing the shark eating your character (much like Jaws) with one hit kills.
2. Dealing with cops
- Hiding can be useful for getting away from cops, but not always (sometimes they can find you and you and try to shoot you or arrest you when they do).
- Between getting killed or busted by a cop in the game, I'd rather get wasted by them. I they bust you, they will confiscate your ammo and you will have to go to the nearest ammunation to buy more ammo. If you get wasted, you keep your weapons and ammo, though it will cost you money each time though.
- The higher your wanted rating is, the more aggresssive cops become. Also, shooting officers will automatically result in a 3 star wanted rating.
- Restricted areas (like Fort Zancudo): enter them at your own risk. Usually trespassing at restricted areas will result in your wanted level going up and will probably inevitably end with your character getting wasted (or busted). At Fort Zancudo, for example, trespassing on base will result in a 4 star wanted level and tanks and military personnel going after you. If you really want to explore restricted areas, you might want to consider activating invincibility cheats.
3. Skipping and retrying missions:
- Only use skip as a last resort. If you find a mission too difficult, you can usually skip after several tries (though not every mission has a skip option). Some missions will probably take several tries.
- I don't recommend quitting a mission unless if you have to since then you will have to start the mission over. If you die during a mission and quit, you will be taken to the nearest hospital by he way. Get busted and quit, you will be taken to the nearest police station and stripped of ammo.
4. 100% perks:
- when you have beaten the main storyline missions, the game is not yet over. I recommend getting 100% at least once. Plenty of perks for 100% completion too. By the way, if you want to see the hidden UFOs in the game, most won't appear till after you have gotten 100% completion.
(more tips will be added over time).
That is all for now? How was your experience with Grand Theft Auto 5? Do you have a different take on the game? Feel free to leave your comments below.
Note: I got the Xbox One version of GTA 5 recently, so I will share my thoughts on that version on a later post.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Got an Xbox One for Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone. I have some exciting news from my end. I just got an Xbox One for Christmas.
Yes, it is official. I now have an Xbox One. I haven't set it up yet, but will probably do that sometime this evening. Honestly, I had no idea I was going to be getting a new game system for Christmas (it is always hit and miss when it comes to getting new consoles). It is the first new console I got since getting the 3DS about 2 years ago.
Here is the initial lineup of games I have:
-Lego Movie Game
- Assassins Creed Unity
- Minecraft for Xbox One (by the way, I have still yet to play through the Xbox 360 version)
- Lego Marvel game (yes a lego verision of the Marvel Universe)
and several others.
Other games I am considering buying when I have the extra money:
- Grand Theft Auto 5. Yes I do have a 360 version and even beat the game a few months ago (though still working on the online mode), but I am curious about how the Xbox One version compares with the predecessor version.
- Halo Master Chief addition
- Kinnect for Xbox One (the bundle I got does not include a Kinnect)
- and others.
By the way, are you jealous? Why not get your own Xbox One? You can buy them at Amazon or Walmart here:
Picture of the Xbox One I got this morning.
Here is the initial lineup of games I have:
-Lego Movie Game
- Assassins Creed Unity
- Minecraft for Xbox One (by the way, I have still yet to play through the Xbox 360 version)
- Lego Marvel game (yes a lego verision of the Marvel Universe)
and several others.
Other games I am considering buying when I have the extra money:
- Grand Theft Auto 5. Yes I do have a 360 version and even beat the game a few months ago (though still working on the online mode), but I am curious about how the Xbox One version compares with the predecessor version.
- Halo Master Chief addition
- Kinnect for Xbox One (the bundle I got does not include a Kinnect)
- and others.
By the way, are you jealous? Why not get your own Xbox One? You can buy them at Amazon or Walmart here:
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Candy Crush Saga Review
Hello Facebookers, Android users, and other online gamers. I am sure that by now, most of you are probably familiar with King's Candy Crush Saga (or at least heard about it) which is a highly addictive puzzle saga on Facebook and King Network..
Candy Crush at a glance (short version of the review)
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| Screenshot of the game map in Candy Crush |
Game type: puzzle, with some story telling elements (you play as a girl, named Tifi helping people as she travels across the candy crush universe in a bejeweled style puzzle game)
Number of levels so far: 755 (with more being added). Eventually, there will likely be at least 800 levels (more are being planned). By the way, that doesn't include the Dreamworld mode (which pretty much doubles the number of levels you can play through in the game).
Pros about Candy crush:
- addicting
- Can be fun if you are into puzzle games (especially ones like tetris and bejeweled)
- Each level, world and episode are unique in many differents shapes, forms, sizes, and twists.
- Power ups and boosters can be nice to have and make the game more interesting
- Team style adventure. Assuming some of your friends on Facebook have Candy Crush, they automatically become your "neighbors" (unlike games like Farmville where you have to "add" people as neighbors) you can help each other out in several ways, including giving "lives", extra moves (which can be useful on some of the more difficult levels) as well as unlocking new episodes (saves you from having to buy them).
- Daily booster wheel can definitely help. Everyday, you can earn at least one free booster item daily (which is random).
Cons about candy crush:
- Very long game. Almost 800 levels long. Most people will probably give up and quit before then. Only the most dedicated players will likely make it to the end. Of course, you can stretch the game out over time (definitely not meant to be conquered in one sitting).
- Also, levels can get difficult and frustrating sometimes. In fact they do seem to get progressively harder as puzzles get more complex and you have more ways to lose.
- Does cost money if you want to buy episodes or powerups. Note: friends playing the game can help you unlock episodes if you ask (you can return the favor too and they will be more inclined to help you). Also, most levels are possible to beat without power ups, though the can be more challenging that way and will take time, patience, luck and strategy.
- It is possible to waste power ups too, so use them wisely (especially ones you buy). Only buy powerups if you feel like you have to (btw you can get free powerups every day by doing the power up booster wheel that you can use each day)..
- Levels can get redundant after a while too, especially the trickier ones.
Note: I am still playing through the game myself. As of this post, I am currently on level 382
Overview of Candy Crush -
Facebook is not only well known for being a popular social networking site, it is also becoming well known for it's games (such as Cityville, Farmville, Bubble Witch Saga, and now Candy Crush). The game is many levels long (almost 700 levels now with more being added) and there are now 2 mode of gameplay: reality mode and dreamworld mode. In the series, you play as a girl named Tifi in her journey across the many different levels and worlds helping other characters in need. The game functions much like Bejeweled (and similar games), you get a huge collection of candies and you have to try and get combos of 3 or more to score points and each level goes until either you meet the goals for the levels, time runs out (some levels are timed) or you run out of moves. If you fail to meet each level's requirements, you lose a life and you get up to 5 at a time. Later in the game, time bombs start appearing and they count down each time you make a move. If you fail to diffuse a bomb in time, they explode and you automatically fail the level and lose a life. If you run out of lives, you have to wait till the lives refill again (which happens automatically during the course of the day, though friends can give you extra lives or moves if they choose). There are several different types of levels and these are the types of levels I have seen:
1) Regular moves levels.
No special requirements. These levels are probably the easiest ones to complete (though they grow rare as the game progresses). You get a set number of moves and all you have to do is to use up all the moves and usually meet a score requirement.
2) Jelly levels:
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| Believe it or not, this is a screen shot of Level 382, which is a "Jelly Level" To complete the level, you have to clear all fo the jelly blocks. As you can see, this particular kind of level can be tricky because not only do you have to clear both the meraigne blocks (the white squares), but you also have to take care of the liquorice swirls as well to get them. By the way, there are chocolate spawners you have to deal with as well. |
These kinds of levels can get annoying after a while (in my opinion), though you do get satisfaction once you manage to ace them. Across the board you get squares that are covered in jelly (usually 2 layers of jelly) and to clear the jelly, you have to match candy combos or use special candy moves (such as wrapped candy bombs) to clear them. You usually only get so many moves to clear all of the jelly. If you run out of moves before clearing all of the jellies or (usually unlikely) miss the score goal, you fail the level and lose a life. Some of these levels can be relatively easy, while others can be downright hard and will likely take several tries. You might be tempted to use boosters (such as stripped candies, fish candies or hammers) but most (if not all) of these stages can be completed without boosters, though they do require strategy, patience, and even luck. As the game progresses, the jellies get more complex and can get tougher to clear, especially ones where you have blockers (such as chocolates that "eat" spaces until you clear them), meraigne spaces to clear (those blocks you have to "hit" several times to clear and are best cleared with wrapped candies) or later in the game, time bombs to diffuse before they explode.
3) Timed levels
| Example of a timed level. Source: http://images.bbgsite.com/www/2013/05/15/candy_crush_saga_pause_timed_levels_1.jpg |
These levels can be easy or difficult to complete depending on how much time you have and score you have to hit. Unique to these kinds of levels is that while you get an unlimited number of moves you can make, you have a certain amount of time to play through the level (usually only 1-2 minutes on average) and have to hit or beat a certain score. If you have special candies (i.e., stripped candies, wrapped candies, etc), they will automatically activate if time runs out before you use them), though they can definitely be your best friend for racking up points. If you meet or beat the score requirement, you pass the level, otherwise you fail the level and lose a life. You can also gain time by combining candies that add time (like the ones that have +:05 next to them). Some of these levels can have complications too, including: blockers, time bombs, and other things to distract you from meeting your goal.
4) Ingredient levels
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| Picture of a random ingredient level. Image source: candy-crush-saga.wikia.com |
In these levels, you get x number of ingredients that spawn (such as cherries and nuts) and you have to get the to the bottom of the board (usually where arrows are). If you get them all to the bottom of the board within the moves you have, you win the level, if any of them are still on the board by the time you run out of the moves, you lose a life. Some of these levels can be simple, while others can get tricky (especially ones where ingredients can get stuck in corners. Striped candies (especially the ones that go vertically) as well as coconut wheels (those ones that go across the board when activated and spawn at least 3 stripped candies) can be extra useful with these.
5) Candy Order levels -
| Example of a Candy Order level. Source: candy-crush-saga.wikia.com |
These levels start appearing after level 176. There are 3 different types of candy order levels levels:
a. Get x number of combos of a certain colors (for example clear 50 green candies before running out of moves). Sometimes you have to clear mutiple colors to win too as the levels get more complex.
b. Use a certain number of stripped candies, wrapped candies, or sprinkled candies. As you play throught earlier levels in the game, you can actually create special candies (such as stripped candies, wrapped candies, and sprinkled candies). For example, if you match 4 candies in a line (up or down), you get stripped candies and when they are added, they clear out a line of candies going up or down on a particular row or column you are on. If you create an "L" or "T" using candies, you get these wrapped candies that explode and take out candies, jellies and blockers around it. If you match 5 candies in a row going up or down, you can get sprinkled candies that clear out entire candie colors of your choice (for example, getting rid all of the red candies on board). These types of levels are not too difficult provided you know how to create combos and there are opportunities to create them.
Candy Crush is definitely a fun an addictive game. Reminds me of bejeweled in many ways where you have to combine 3 or more pieces of the same color and score points. Of course, unlike Bejeweled you are combining candies (red, yellow, blue, green, and orange). Also, each puzzle represents a level where you have to meet certain requirements (such as a minimum score, clear jelly blocks, etc) to move onto the next level. Each time you beat a level, you move onto the next state and the game goes one. Whenever you fail a level (which most people probably will sooner or later), you lose a life, and if you run out of lives, you have to wait for the lives to refill themselves before you can play again. Now, this game is extremely long (more than 700 levels to play through with more being planned as we speak) and currently there is no definitive conclusion to the game yet, so most people probably will not make it to the end. Only the truly dedicated to the saga will make it to the end in my opinion. Also there are some gimicks in place to try and get you to spend extra money, including "unlocking" episodes (though if you have friends playing the game, you can get around that buy "asking" them to help unlock the next episodes. There are powerups you can get too, though some require you to buy gold and can get expensive if you are not careful. Most levels can be done without power ups, but they to take time, patience, luck and strategy. Also, boosters and powerups do not necessarily guarantee a win either and there are ways you can still fail a level. Perhaps the most annoying way to fail with powerups are levels where you have time bombs to diffuse. You can have all of the boosts you want and if a bomb goes off, you still fail and those boosts are all for nothing. In levels where you have to clear jellies, it can be easy to run out of moves before you manage to clear them all and it can be easy to wind up short, even with boosters and powerups. So, be careful to use powerups wisely if you get them (btw bear in mind you do get one free powerup per day, chosen at random so I recommend stocking up on them early on in the game so that you have them when you encounter the harder levels).
Of course, Candy Crush does have its nicer elements too:
- Multiplayer style environment: assuming you have friends playing Candy Crush you can help each other out such as by giving "lives" (if they have less than 5 lives), free moves, or even help them unlock episodes. You can also compete with people by trying to beat their scores as well. By the way, if you beat everyone's overall scores in a particular episode, you get special "trophies" for coming out on top (at least till someone beats your scores, which will likely happen eventually in my opinion).
- Variety in levels. No 2 levels are completely the same. The themes change, the complexity changes, difficulty level changes, etc. Even episodes change too as you play through the game. New scenarios, new characters to help, new powerups and even challenges to get past too. Some additiosn can be blessings (such as new power ups, such as cake bombs tht help clear out large groups of jellies and pieces when activated), while others can be curses too, such as blockers, bombs, liquorice swirls, and other annoyances. Each level has their own unique themes and requirements too, whether it is clearing out jellies, getting x number of points (usually within a time frame or moves), clearing out certain types of candies or bringing "ingredients" down to the bottom or a board. Levels start out simple too and get more complex too.
- Free booster wheel: Everyday, you get one free spin on the booster wheel that enables you to unlock one free booster each day which can help. Can be useful for stocking boosters for later and saves you from having to spend hard earn money to buy them every time you want them.
Well that is all I have, this game is bound to be entertaining for people who like puzzles, though the game is pretty long and gets progressively more difficult so some people might get bored after a while. Personally I enjoy the game, especially if you want take a "study break" or feel like playing a game while online. If you are interested in checking out Candy Crush, you can find it on Facebook (though you can also access it at King.com at https://king.com/#!/play/candycrush).
Resources:
http://candy-crush-saga.wikia.com/
Can be a very useful resource for getting more information about the game, levels and strategies.
Similar games:
Bubble Witch Saga 2
Candy Crush Soda Saga - Seems to be the official sequel to Candy Crush
Pet Rescue Saga (puzzle game) - Great if you like animals
Pepper Panic Saga - pretty similar to Candy Crush, except that you are combining chili peppers
Bejeweled 2 - Here is the version on World Winner. In this version, you compete against other players for high scores either for fun or cash (if you want to play for cash). I usually play this game just for fun though.
General Tips and Tricks on Candy Crush:
- Pace yourself. This game is not meant to be beaten in one or 2 sittings. Luckily your progress is saved as you advance. Don't feel like you have to complete every level in one setting
- Learn how make special candies by combining 4 or more candies in a row. This will be especially useful as levels get trickier and more complex. Some levels are pretty much unbeatable unless if you know how to make combos (especially candy order levels that require special candies as well as jelly levels with hard to reach candies and jellies).
- Don't give up. Some levels will take multiple attempts to beat.
- Use power ups and booster wisely. By the way, early in the game, I recommend stocking up on free boosters you get by spinning the wheel each day. This way you will have plenty of them by the time the game ges tougher. Also, lolly pop hammers and free switches can be very useful when used wisely can are great for using as finishers for a level (such as having one jelly block left to destroy on jelly levels along with both certain candy order levels and ingredient levels).
- Be mindful of hazzards that appear in the game. A classic example of this are time bombs that appear as you play through the game. Each time you make a move, they count down and if they count down to 0, they explode and you automatically fail the level. Try to diffuse them before it is too late if you can. Also, ones where you have chocolates and chocolate spawners (those "blobs" that "eat" blocks and sometimes game pieces), it helps to destroy the chocolates before they spread too much.
- Sometimes it helps to strategize too.
(more will be added over time)
That is all for now. What do you think of Candy Crush? Feel free to leave comments below.
C. Combine 2 special candies at a time (for example a wrapped candy + stripped candies). These are generally the trickiest as you have to create 2 different kinds of special candies and activate them both at the same time. Of course, sometimes that can be easier said than done (especially if you have to combine 2 sprinkled candies at a time, which is an actual scscenarion the game).
General Reviews of Candy Crush:
Candy Crush is definitely a fun an addictive game. Reminds me of bejeweled in many ways where you have to combine 3 or more pieces of the same color and score points. Of course, unlike Bejeweled you are combining candies (red, yellow, blue, green, and orange). Also, each puzzle represents a level where you have to meet certain requirements (such as a minimum score, clear jelly blocks, etc) to move onto the next level. Each time you beat a level, you move onto the next state and the game goes one. Whenever you fail a level (which most people probably will sooner or later), you lose a life, and if you run out of lives, you have to wait for the lives to refill themselves before you can play again. Now, this game is extremely long (more than 700 levels to play through with more being planned as we speak) and currently there is no definitive conclusion to the game yet, so most people probably will not make it to the end. Only the truly dedicated to the saga will make it to the end in my opinion. Also there are some gimicks in place to try and get you to spend extra money, including "unlocking" episodes (though if you have friends playing the game, you can get around that buy "asking" them to help unlock the next episodes. There are powerups you can get too, though some require you to buy gold and can get expensive if you are not careful. Most levels can be done without power ups, but they to take time, patience, luck and strategy. Also, boosters and powerups do not necessarily guarantee a win either and there are ways you can still fail a level. Perhaps the most annoying way to fail with powerups are levels where you have time bombs to diffuse. You can have all of the boosts you want and if a bomb goes off, you still fail and those boosts are all for nothing. In levels where you have to clear jellies, it can be easy to run out of moves before you manage to clear them all and it can be easy to wind up short, even with boosters and powerups. So, be careful to use powerups wisely if you get them (btw bear in mind you do get one free powerup per day, chosen at random so I recommend stocking up on them early on in the game so that you have them when you encounter the harder levels).
Of course, Candy Crush does have its nicer elements too:
- Multiplayer style environment: assuming you have friends playing Candy Crush you can help each other out such as by giving "lives" (if they have less than 5 lives), free moves, or even help them unlock episodes. You can also compete with people by trying to beat their scores as well. By the way, if you beat everyone's overall scores in a particular episode, you get special "trophies" for coming out on top (at least till someone beats your scores, which will likely happen eventually in my opinion).
- Variety in levels. No 2 levels are completely the same. The themes change, the complexity changes, difficulty level changes, etc. Even episodes change too as you play through the game. New scenarios, new characters to help, new powerups and even challenges to get past too. Some additiosn can be blessings (such as new power ups, such as cake bombs tht help clear out large groups of jellies and pieces when activated), while others can be curses too, such as blockers, bombs, liquorice swirls, and other annoyances. Each level has their own unique themes and requirements too, whether it is clearing out jellies, getting x number of points (usually within a time frame or moves), clearing out certain types of candies or bringing "ingredients" down to the bottom or a board. Levels start out simple too and get more complex too.
- Free booster wheel: Everyday, you get one free spin on the booster wheel that enables you to unlock one free booster each day which can help. Can be useful for stocking boosters for later and saves you from having to spend hard earn money to buy them every time you want them.
Well that is all I have, this game is bound to be entertaining for people who like puzzles, though the game is pretty long and gets progressively more difficult so some people might get bored after a while. Personally I enjoy the game, especially if you want take a "study break" or feel like playing a game while online. If you are interested in checking out Candy Crush, you can find it on Facebook (though you can also access it at King.com at https://king.com/#!/play/candycrush).
Resources:
http://candy-crush-saga.wikia.com/
Can be a very useful resource for getting more information about the game, levels and strategies.
Similar games:
Bubble Witch Saga 2
Candy Crush Soda Saga - Seems to be the official sequel to Candy Crush
Pet Rescue Saga (puzzle game) - Great if you like animals
Pepper Panic Saga - pretty similar to Candy Crush, except that you are combining chili peppers
Bejeweled 2 - Here is the version on World Winner. In this version, you compete against other players for high scores either for fun or cash (if you want to play for cash). I usually play this game just for fun though.
General Tips and Tricks on Candy Crush:
- Pace yourself. This game is not meant to be beaten in one or 2 sittings. Luckily your progress is saved as you advance. Don't feel like you have to complete every level in one setting
- Learn how make special candies by combining 4 or more candies in a row. This will be especially useful as levels get trickier and more complex. Some levels are pretty much unbeatable unless if you know how to make combos (especially candy order levels that require special candies as well as jelly levels with hard to reach candies and jellies).
- Don't give up. Some levels will take multiple attempts to beat.
- Use power ups and booster wisely. By the way, early in the game, I recommend stocking up on free boosters you get by spinning the wheel each day. This way you will have plenty of them by the time the game ges tougher. Also, lolly pop hammers and free switches can be very useful when used wisely can are great for using as finishers for a level (such as having one jelly block left to destroy on jelly levels along with both certain candy order levels and ingredient levels).
- Be mindful of hazzards that appear in the game. A classic example of this are time bombs that appear as you play through the game. Each time you make a move, they count down and if they count down to 0, they explode and you automatically fail the level. Try to diffuse them before it is too late if you can. Also, ones where you have chocolates and chocolate spawners (those "blobs" that "eat" blocks and sometimes game pieces), it helps to destroy the chocolates before they spread too much.
- Sometimes it helps to strategize too.
(more will be added over time)
That is all for now. What do you think of Candy Crush? Feel free to leave comments below.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Top 10 Halloweenish games or games with Halloweenish themes (part 1)
Well, tomorrow is Halloween (at least at the time of this post). If you are looking for some Halloweenish video games, here are 10 different Halloweenish style games you may like
1. Castlevania Series
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| Random picture from Castlevania Dracula X - in this scene, Richter Belmont fights the evil Count Dracula in a final boss battle |
Castlevania is probably arguably the most halloweenish series in gaming, The Castlevania series comes in many different forms and sequels (mostly 2D, though there are also 3D versions too). However, despite the diferent titles in the series and all, the premise is pretty similar. You play as a hero (such as Simon Belmont, his descendents such as Richter Belmont in Castlevania X, Dracula's son, Alucard or similar characters) and play through a series of levels and even a huge castle fighting against hordes of ghosts, vampires, monsters, werewolves, demons, and even huge goulish bosses including: Death the Grim Reaper, headless horsemen (Dullahan), Frankenstein Monsters (aka "The Creature"), giant bats, and many others. Also, the main antagonist of the series is none other than the infamous Count Dracula himself (though not every game has him as the final boss as is the case in games like Dawn of Sorrow, Lords of Shadow and Lamment of Innocence). My favorite Castlevania games includes: Dracula X (SNES), Symphony of the Night (Playstation), Dawn of Sorrow, Castlevania 64, Portrait of Ruin, Lamment of Innocence (basically a prequel to the series) and even Harmony of Despair.
By the way, here is a Youtube video showing off one gamer's favorite 15 boss battles in the series:
By the way, here is a Youtube video showing off one gamer's favorite 15 boss battles in the series:
2. Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare -
Sadly, I was never able to finish Red Dead Redemption Nightmare (focused more on the main game instead, plus my brother took the game with him when he moved out), but I was able to play through parts of the game. This version of Red Dead redemption is definitely spooky. Set in the old west (early 1900's era), you play as John Marston in an alternate storyline of events where his world basically gets infested with zombies and it is up to John Marston to save the day. In addition to fighting Zombies, John Marston also gets various interesting missions, including: hunting sasquatches (yes they do appear in the game, at least early on), riding the "7 horse of the apocalypse" horses, hunting chupacabas, etc. By the way, even in the regular version of Red Dead Redemption, have you ever been to the ghost town, Tumbleweed at night? The town is abandoned, but according to some of the ingame newspapers, the town is haunted and you can actually see the buildings with lights on but nobody is there (though I don't remember seeing any apparations or anything like that when I checked out Tumbleweed at night, though sometimes you can encounter gangs there). The game definitely makes an interesting and eerie sequel to the main game.
3. House of the Dead Series (arcade)
I've played this game at an arcade at Whistler, Canada on various occasions. My family stays at Club Intrawest when we visit Whistler (usually around Thanksgiving time) and they actually have a free arcade there (where you can pretty much play arcade games for free) and the last few times I was there, they had that game (not sure if they still have it or not though). It is a shooter type game where you go through various different levels (kind of like the game, Area 51) and you have to shoot zombies, gargoyles, monsters, etc. Hitting innocents or even getting hit by enemy attacks costs you a "life" and if you run out of lives, it is game over. These games are full of goulish creatures that you have to shoot, especially zombies which make the game fun. Lots of supense and action too. Also like the Castlevania series, each level ends with a major boss fight.
4. Sims 2 (PSP version)
4. Sims 2 (PSP version)
I used to have a PSP (before getting a 3DS), but sadly it stopped working (I tried to download an update for a game I got, but it didn't download properly and my system stopped working). But I remember getting Sims 2 for the PSP. The game is basically a spinoff from the original version of Sims 2 for the PSP and functions more like a roleplaying game instead of a traditional Sims game. You play as a character you create and you are stuck in the middle of a desert town called Strangetown. Based on the Strangetown in the original Sims 2 game, you feel like you are living in Roswell, New Mexico (a town in New Mexico famous for its alleged ufo crash back in the late 1940s) and Strangetown is known for its strange phenomenon. Sadly, I wasn't able to finish Sims 2 for the PSP before my game system stopped working, but the game was pretty fun and interesting too. Noteworthy moments in the game includes:
- Living in a haunted house infested with 3 ghosts (including a ghostly maid named, Emily), 2 of which will try to scare the heck out your character if you enter in the rooms they are in.
- Interacting with aliens
- Solving a wear wolf mystery
- Side quests involving a wierd cult that worships cows (seems to be a parody of golden calf worshipers from the book of Exodus in the bible as well as the Baal religion).
- Stopping a mad scientist that wants to take over
and many other features.
Sims 2 for PSP was definitely an interesting title in the Sims series and is definitely one to check out if you are into the paranormal stuff.
5. Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 - especially the Halloween Town level
Above is a random video from Youtube showing off the Halloween Town level in Kingdom Hearts. While the Kingdom Hearts series is not really halloween oriented per se, they definitely have some elements that make them halloweenish, especially the halloween town level. By the way, this version is not to be confused for the "Halloween Town" from the movie, Halloween Town (the one with Debbie Reynolds and Kimberly Brown). It is the one from "Nightmare before Christmas". You play as Sora, Goofy, and Donald and as you can see, they dress up in costumes and set out on a series of quests to save the day with hordes of heartless (those shadowy creatures you fight) as well as the evil Oogie Boogie trying to take over. It is definitely a spooky level to play through, with gouls, people dressed up in costumes, spooky music playing in the background, pranksters you have to defeat (the trio), etc. At the end of the level is a huge boss fight against Oogie Boogie himself. There is also a Halloween Town level in Kingdom Hearts 2 as well by the way. In that version, not only does Sora have to face Oogie Boogie again, he also sets out to save the day in Christmas town as well. By the way, Halloween Town is not the only Halloween theme in the Kingdom Hearts series. Other ones includes:
KH 1:
- Fighting heartless creatures. These are shadowy creatures that constantly hunt Sora, Donald, and Goofy in their aventures throughout the series
- Disney villians. Reminds me of the ones featured in "Disney's Trick or Treat".
- Malificient boss fights. In fact in the first game, as in the movie "Sleeping Beauty", after you defeat her original form, she turns into a huge dragon and you have to defeat her dragon form as well.
- The End of the World level. The final level in the game was pretty eerie. You even fight that horned dude from Fantasia as well and revisit worlds you have played through early in the game too.
- Final Boss against Ansem, especially his final form where he is this huge beast that you have to defeat.
KH 2:
- The seven wonders quest in Twilight town. Didn't some of them seem to be very real for Roxas (like the one where you have to fight a clone of Roxas or where you are investigating a wall in an alleyway and someone tries to hit balls at Roxas from the otherside of the wall.
- Living in a haunted house infested with 3 ghosts (including a ghostly maid named, Emily), 2 of which will try to scare the heck out your character if you enter in the rooms they are in.
- Interacting with aliens
- Solving a wear wolf mystery
- Side quests involving a wierd cult that worships cows (seems to be a parody of golden calf worshipers from the book of Exodus in the bible as well as the Baal religion).
- Stopping a mad scientist that wants to take over
and many other features.
Sims 2 for PSP was definitely an interesting title in the Sims series and is definitely one to check out if you are into the paranormal stuff.
5. Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 - especially the Halloween Town level
Above is a random video from Youtube showing off the Halloween Town level in Kingdom Hearts. While the Kingdom Hearts series is not really halloween oriented per se, they definitely have some elements that make them halloweenish, especially the halloween town level. By the way, this version is not to be confused for the "Halloween Town" from the movie, Halloween Town (the one with Debbie Reynolds and Kimberly Brown). It is the one from "Nightmare before Christmas". You play as Sora, Goofy, and Donald and as you can see, they dress up in costumes and set out on a series of quests to save the day with hordes of heartless (those shadowy creatures you fight) as well as the evil Oogie Boogie trying to take over. It is definitely a spooky level to play through, with gouls, people dressed up in costumes, spooky music playing in the background, pranksters you have to defeat (the trio), etc. At the end of the level is a huge boss fight against Oogie Boogie himself. There is also a Halloween Town level in Kingdom Hearts 2 as well by the way. In that version, not only does Sora have to face Oogie Boogie again, he also sets out to save the day in Christmas town as well. By the way, Halloween Town is not the only Halloween theme in the Kingdom Hearts series. Other ones includes:
KH 1:
- Fighting heartless creatures. These are shadowy creatures that constantly hunt Sora, Donald, and Goofy in their aventures throughout the series
- Disney villians. Reminds me of the ones featured in "Disney's Trick or Treat".
- Malificient boss fights. In fact in the first game, as in the movie "Sleeping Beauty", after you defeat her original form, she turns into a huge dragon and you have to defeat her dragon form as well.
- The End of the World level. The final level in the game was pretty eerie. You even fight that horned dude from Fantasia as well and revisit worlds you have played through early in the game too.
- Final Boss against Ansem, especially his final form where he is this huge beast that you have to defeat.
KH 2:
- The seven wonders quest in Twilight town. Didn't some of them seem to be very real for Roxas (like the one where you have to fight a clone of Roxas or where you are investigating a wall in an alleyway and someone tries to hit balls at Roxas from the otherside of the wall.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
GTA Online: How to Find the Snowy City in the Sky
I never knew you could find North Yankton in GTA Online. I will have to try and recreate this for myself.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Halloweenish Moments in Grand Theft Auto 5 part one.
You know I have recently beaten the game on Grand Theft Auto 5 and even got to the 100% completion mark. This month is October and as you know, Halloween is just a few weeks away and Grand Theft Auto 5 has several Halloweenish moments.
Moving on,here are 3 Halloweenish moments in the game (this post is too big to do in one setting, so I will have to break it up into several posts):
1. Do some ghost hunting at Mount Gordo
Yes, ghosts do exist in Grand Theft Auto 5. In fact, if you are venturing out to Mount Gordo late at night you might encouter this ghost. Presumably it is the ghost of Lenora Johnson, who was murdered prior to the events of the game. The Mount Gordo summit is hidden off to the side of the freeway connecting Los Santos with Paleto Bay just north of the Sandy Shores area (if you get to the Paleto Bay area going north, you have gone too far). Once you get to Mount Gordo, you can either hike, ride a bike, or use a motorcycle to get to the summit. The ghost will appear in a specific spot along the mountain, so you will have to scout it out.
Few notes about the ghot of Mount Gordo:
- There is a specific point at the top of Mount Gordo where you can encounter the ghost you will have to some exploring at the top.
- The ghost only appears at a certain time in the game (I think it is 23:00-0:00, or 11:00 pm to 12:00pm). The ghost disappears afterwards. If you get there too early or too late you will have to wait till the same time the next night (btw, you can camp out there if you want if you are the patient type).
- The ghost basically just hovers over the rock.
- You can't shoot the ghost (bullets will go right through her)
- For a closer look at the ghost, I recommend getting a sniper rifle in the game. You can get a closeup view of her with a sniper rifle
- The ghost will disappear if you try to get too close to her. Interestingly if you back away, she will reappear again.
- Also, if you get to the rock she hovers around, you can actually see blood on it.
It's pretty creepy if you ask me. By the way, it seems to be a residual type haunt as it doesn't seem to notice you and just does the same thing each night.
- You can also get a view of the lighthouse below in the distance from where she is. Presumably she fell to her death from the top of the mountain.
Tips and warnings about this ghost:
- The ghost appears at a specific time (from 23:00-0:00 game time). She disappears afterwards. So you do have to time your visit to the mountain perfectly. Alternatively, you can always camp out in the vincinity. The fastest way to the top is via motorcycle. If you go on foot, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to the top.
- Watch out for cougars, especially if you go there on foot. Just like hot it is in the game, Red Dead Redemption, cougars do exist in the game and will attack you if you are on foot (if you are on motorcycle, they will just run away). Usually you will hear a growl followed by seeing a red dot on the radar and that will indicate a cougar nearby and closing in on you. I recommend taking handy gun with you with plenty of ammo if you venture out to mount gordo for your protection. Even a good pistol can take out cougars pretty quickly if they get too close.
- For a closeup view of the ghost, you will need a sniper rifle. You can't get too close to her, otherwise she disappears.
Here is a video about the ghost:
Part 2: UFO's
Here is a picture of a ufo I took at the top of Mount Chillad (note that it only appears late on a stormy night there and after you have gotten 100% completion of the game)
Yes, aliens do seem to exist in Grand Theft Auto 5. Some ufos and aliens can be found before the 100% completion of the game, such as the sunken one near Paleto Bay as well as what looks like the remaints of an alien hidden beneath the ice near North Yankton at the beginning of the game (can be easy to miss).
After you have gotten 100% completion (these ufos will not appear till after you have gotten 100% completion), more ufos can be found, including:
1. UFO easter egg on top of Mount Chillad (appears after 3:00 on a stormy night).
After 100% completion of the game, if you venture to the top of Mount Chillad late on a stormy night, you might encounter a ufo there (close to the top of the gondala). By the way, there is a cheat code that makes it so you can change the weather if you want it to be stormy sooner
(see http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox360/634491-grand-theft-auto-v/cheats if you have the Xbox 360 version or http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps3/634490-grand-theft-auto-v/cheats for the PS3 version).
The Mount Chillad Ufo is probably the easiest one to spot if you know where to look and when to look. To spot this ufo (after the 100% completion), make sure it is stormy out (if it is a clear night, the ufo will not appear) and night time (preferrably after 1am) and take the tram from the tram station near Paleto Bay to the top of the Mountain. Assuing it is still stormy, around 3am, a ufo should appear. By the way, there are cheats you can use to change the weather, so if it is sunny out for example, you can use cheat codes to make it so it becomes stormy. Note: the weather can change during the course of a day in the game (such as going from rain to clear) so you will want to wait till at least 2 hours before 3am before entering the cheats to ensure that it is still stormy by 3am. If you change it too early it might change and you will miss out.
2 warnings and other info about this ufo spot:
- cougars do roam on Mount Chillad and will try to attack you when on foot, so watch out for them, especially if you decide to hike down the mountain. Carrying a gun is a must for defending yourself against cougars.
- You can parachute off the mountain if you want, though you can also bike, hike or take the tram back down. If you hike watch out for cougars.
- It might work if it is raining out, though I haven't tried that approach myself so I don't know if it works that way.
- Unlike the UFOs over Zancudo Air Force Base and Sandy Shores, it doesn't turn hostile if you get close to it. Instead it vanishes (much like how it is with the ghost on top of Mount Gordo).
- The easiest way to make it stormy is to use cheat codes to change the weather (otherwise you could be waiting for a while before it gets stormy). Also make sure you time it correctly (say anytime after 1am). If you do it too early, the weather might change on you.
- The Mount Chillad UFO seems to be a part of a larger mystery. If you get off the tram there is a picture that looks like the inside of the mountain and a ufo that appears on the top. There are rumors surrounding Mount Chillad I have seen online, such as elevators into the mountain (though apparently they don't work) at Fort Zacudo and the tram station seems to have what looks like panels that could open and lead inside the mountain but I don't know how to open them. It is possible that Rockstar will add some DLC that expands on the mystery some day, though it is not clear if or when they will make the expansion (they might also make the changes when the Xbox One and Playstation 4 versions come out). I will try to keep you updated if I hear anything.
2. UFO over Sandy Shores
If you are flying high above the Sandy Shores area after you have gotten the 100% completion, you may encounter this ufo hovering over the hippy camp (the one that has the green landscape with ufo enthusiasts. This one can actually be tricky to find and easy to miss if you don't know where to look, though not nearly as tricky to find as the one at Fort Zancudo is in my opinion. Here is how you can see the ufo:
- I recommend using Trevor for this one and be sure to purchase the Mckenzie Airfield if you haven't done so already (it is the one in Sandy Shores). Also, I recommend using a helicopter for this one. If you do not know how to fly a helicopter in the game, you might want to consider doing the flight school missions at Los Santos Airport (ideally you should have done flight school during the Merryweather Heist preparation events, and I think it is required for 100% completion).
- As Trevor (or whoever you want flying), get in a helicopter and fly it as high as you can over where the hippy camp is and eventually you should see a UFO decending from the sky. Note that the appear appears right around the hippy camp and nowhere else around sandy shores.
- You can get a picture of the UFO using the ingame phone, though it can be tricky to fly and take pictures at the same time.
- It might be possible to land on the ufo or parachute onto it (I have seen videos of people doing this), but it is very risky doings so.
Quick warning about this ufo:
- It becomes hostile if you get too close. If you get too close to it, it shoots this invisible beam (you will hear a wierd noise, don't know how else to describe it) that renders your plane inoperable, which means you have to parachute a long way down from the sky.
- Also, if you are using a parachute and get too close to the UFO, it will "shoot" the parachute as well, sending your character falling down to his death.
- Sometimes jumping out of a plane or helicopter can get you a wanted level.
- The ufo might not appear right away when flying around the hippy camp. If you do not see it yet, you can fly around and keep trying to gain altitude and eventually you should be able to see it.
Ufo 3: Fort Zancudo
Update: I was able to get a glimpse of this one last night. If but if you fly high over the Ford Zancudo Air Force base in the game (again assuming you have 100% completion), you might be able to a ufo flying over the base. Of the 3 UFOs that appear after 100% completion, this one is probably the hardest one to spot in my opinion and perhaps the most risky one to find too considering that you are flying over one of the game's restricted areas. To see the UFO, you have to be flying high above the airforce base and if you are patient and know where to look, you should eventually see a UFO flying around. Unlike the other 2 UFOs, it has a military style look, materializes in front of you (unlike the one at Sandy Shores where it decends from the sky) alost like it has a cloaking device, and looks like it is missing parts of its sphere. Apparrently you can shoot at the UFO if you have a Lazer or military helicopter, though you can't seem to do real damage to it. By the way, good luck getting a lazer or combat helicopter, since not easy to acquire as you have to sneak on to the base (which gives you an instant 4 start wanted level), fight your way to the helicopter (and yes military personnel do have tanks that will come after you) and manage to take off without getting shot down. I recommend using the invincibility cheat (makes you invincible for 5 ingame minutes) if you are struggling to get to the helicopter (the only real hard part then is trying to avoid getting shot down). Alternatively, you can fly a helicopter over to Ford Zancudo from either Los Santos as Franklin or Mckenzie Airfield as Trevor)
Interestingly, like the ufo in Sandy Shores, it looks like it gets hostile if you get too close and will try to shoot you down. By the way, the Fort Zancudo ufo seems to be a reference to rumors about ufos being seen over real life military bases (such as Area 51, for example) and seems to pay tribute to a similar military base in GTA San Andreas. I've never seen a ufo in real life and don't really know if ufos really appear over military bases, but I have seen shows on it, including a special on Travel Channel about Rachel, Nevada and Area 51 that talks about that kind of phenomenon. Though I have never been to that part of Nevada so I wouldn't know if there is any truth to the claims about the place.
Quick warnings about the Fort Zancudo UFO:
- As with real life military bases, trespassing is forbidden at Fort Zancudo. If you try to set foot on the base there, you will get an instant 4 star wanted level, which can essentially be a death sentence for your character unless if you are good at eluding police and military personel on a 4 star wanted level in the game (which is definitely intense). Also, you have tanks on the base hunting you down too, which can kill you in one hit it shoots you. If you fly over Fort Zancudo, unless if you are high enough, you can get shot down. For the Fort Zancudo UFO, you will have to be flying over the base as high as you can and you should not have to worry about getting shot down, which can happen if you if you fly too low. This should not be a problem if you are flying from Sandy Shores or Los Santos air port as you have plenty of time to gain altitude on the way.
- Like the UFO in Sandy Shores, the Fort Zancudo UFO does get hostile if you get too close and will try to "shoot" you down, which can be dangerous for the player over the military base.
- This one can take several tries to find since it is not as easy to find as the other 2 are.
Part 3: Aliens and Alien Abductions
You know, just thinking about UFOs, Aliens also seem to exist in the game too. In the video above, there is a side mission Michael can take where there is some politician trying to legalize medical cocaine (seems to be a parody of real life medical marijuana) and when Michael takes a free sample of the drug, he has this hallucination where there a horde of aliens appearing and closing in on him and he has to shoot them with a mini-gun. It was a pretty wierd mission in my opinion. Also they try to abduct Michael and if they succeed, Michael dies so you have to avoid getting abducted by them. By the way, this is not the only time Michael can encounter aliens. There is a more disturbing encounter during another mission (I think it is the "Did someone say Yoga?" Mission (it is the one where Michael temporarily breaks up with Amanda till towards the end of the storyline missions) where after doing Yoga and Amanda threatens to leave Michael for some Yoga dude, Michael encounters Jimmy. He has Michael take Jimmy to get drugs (yes drugs do exist in GTA 5 and your characters can use them with funny effects) from a friend and tricks Michael into sampling the drugs (even while driving I might add) and it sends Michael into an instant hallucination trip where he gets abducted by aliens (they look like the aliens from "Aliens vs Predator" in my opinion) and sent back to earth. There also appear to be aliens roaming the streets of Vinewood (GTA's version of Hollywood) as well as the Vinewood Studio (which is based on the Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles). Definitely a halloweenish moment. It is probably the best paranormal events that take place in the game too.
By the way, here is a video I found on Youtube about some player causing a UFO to crash and get attacked by aliens. Pretty funny (not sure how the easter egg works though as I haven't seen it yet).
Well that is all for now. Will add more Halloweenish moments at a later post. Other Halloweenish moments I know of which I will try to expand more on as time allows includes:
- Killer clowns with Trevor. It is pretty similar to Michael's hallucination of aliens, but involves clowns.
- Solve 2 murder mysteries
- Watch out for...Jaws (yes, man eating sharks do exist in GTA 5)!
- Joining cults (such as the Epsilon cult as Michael)
- Altruist Cult (basically cannibals in GTA 5)
- Trevor Philips as a psychopath.
- Cougars!
- Vandalism and costume dressing
- Ghost dog (there is a dog that appears in one of the "Strangers and Freaks" mission that only Franklin can see and seems to warn of impending danger for his "master"?
- Ghost of Trevor Phillip's mother (aka the Mrs Phillips Strangers and Freaks Mission)?
- Does bigfoot roam the Mount Chillad wilderness (also known as the "Last one" Strangers and Freaks mission).
Stay tuned for more.
Disclaimer about GTA 5: the game is rated "M" for mature and is definitely not for everyone content wise. Content includes: violence, criminal acts (btw, don't even think about trying anything you see in this game at home for obvious reasons unless of course if you are trying to get arrested or end up in jail for a long time, or even wind up on death row in some case), drug use and references, dark moments, and similar things associated with the GTA franchise. If you are the type that is easily offended by video game violence and similar types of content, then Grand Theft Auto 5 is probably not for you.
Spoiler alert: this post assumes you have played through GTA 5. If you haven't played through the game and want to be suprised, feel free to skip this post. Alternatively, why not grab yourself a copy of GTA 5 via Amazon.
1. Do some ghost hunting at Mount Gordo
Yes, ghosts do exist in Grand Theft Auto 5. In fact, if you are venturing out to Mount Gordo late at night you might encouter this ghost. Presumably it is the ghost of Lenora Johnson, who was murdered prior to the events of the game. The Mount Gordo summit is hidden off to the side of the freeway connecting Los Santos with Paleto Bay just north of the Sandy Shores area (if you get to the Paleto Bay area going north, you have gone too far). Once you get to Mount Gordo, you can either hike, ride a bike, or use a motorcycle to get to the summit. The ghost will appear in a specific spot along the mountain, so you will have to scout it out.
Few notes about the ghot of Mount Gordo:
- There is a specific point at the top of Mount Gordo where you can encounter the ghost you will have to some exploring at the top.
- The ghost only appears at a certain time in the game (I think it is 23:00-0:00, or 11:00 pm to 12:00pm). The ghost disappears afterwards. If you get there too early or too late you will have to wait till the same time the next night (btw, you can camp out there if you want if you are the patient type).
- The ghost basically just hovers over the rock.
- You can't shoot the ghost (bullets will go right through her)
- For a closer look at the ghost, I recommend getting a sniper rifle in the game. You can get a closeup view of her with a sniper rifle
- The ghost will disappear if you try to get too close to her. Interestingly if you back away, she will reappear again.
- Also, if you get to the rock she hovers around, you can actually see blood on it.
It's pretty creepy if you ask me. By the way, it seems to be a residual type haunt as it doesn't seem to notice you and just does the same thing each night.
- You can also get a view of the lighthouse below in the distance from where she is. Presumably she fell to her death from the top of the mountain.
Tips and warnings about this ghost:
- The ghost appears at a specific time (from 23:00-0:00 game time). She disappears afterwards. So you do have to time your visit to the mountain perfectly. Alternatively, you can always camp out in the vincinity. The fastest way to the top is via motorcycle. If you go on foot, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to the top.
- Watch out for cougars, especially if you go there on foot. Just like hot it is in the game, Red Dead Redemption, cougars do exist in the game and will attack you if you are on foot (if you are on motorcycle, they will just run away). Usually you will hear a growl followed by seeing a red dot on the radar and that will indicate a cougar nearby and closing in on you. I recommend taking handy gun with you with plenty of ammo if you venture out to mount gordo for your protection. Even a good pistol can take out cougars pretty quickly if they get too close.
- For a closeup view of the ghost, you will need a sniper rifle. You can't get too close to her, otherwise she disappears.
Here is a video about the ghost:
Part 2: UFO's
Here is a picture of a ufo I took at the top of Mount Chillad (note that it only appears late on a stormy night there and after you have gotten 100% completion of the game)
Yes, aliens do seem to exist in Grand Theft Auto 5. Some ufos and aliens can be found before the 100% completion of the game, such as the sunken one near Paleto Bay as well as what looks like the remaints of an alien hidden beneath the ice near North Yankton at the beginning of the game (can be easy to miss).
After you have gotten 100% completion (these ufos will not appear till after you have gotten 100% completion), more ufos can be found, including:
1. UFO easter egg on top of Mount Chillad (appears after 3:00 on a stormy night).
After 100% completion of the game, if you venture to the top of Mount Chillad late on a stormy night, you might encounter a ufo there (close to the top of the gondala). By the way, there is a cheat code that makes it so you can change the weather if you want it to be stormy sooner
(see http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox360/634491-grand-theft-auto-v/cheats if you have the Xbox 360 version or http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps3/634490-grand-theft-auto-v/cheats for the PS3 version).
The Mount Chillad Ufo is probably the easiest one to spot if you know where to look and when to look. To spot this ufo (after the 100% completion), make sure it is stormy out (if it is a clear night, the ufo will not appear) and night time (preferrably after 1am) and take the tram from the tram station near Paleto Bay to the top of the Mountain. Assuing it is still stormy, around 3am, a ufo should appear. By the way, there are cheats you can use to change the weather, so if it is sunny out for example, you can use cheat codes to make it so it becomes stormy. Note: the weather can change during the course of a day in the game (such as going from rain to clear) so you will want to wait till at least 2 hours before 3am before entering the cheats to ensure that it is still stormy by 3am. If you change it too early it might change and you will miss out.
2 warnings and other info about this ufo spot:
- cougars do roam on Mount Chillad and will try to attack you when on foot, so watch out for them, especially if you decide to hike down the mountain. Carrying a gun is a must for defending yourself against cougars.
- You can parachute off the mountain if you want, though you can also bike, hike or take the tram back down. If you hike watch out for cougars.
- It might work if it is raining out, though I haven't tried that approach myself so I don't know if it works that way.
- Unlike the UFOs over Zancudo Air Force Base and Sandy Shores, it doesn't turn hostile if you get close to it. Instead it vanishes (much like how it is with the ghost on top of Mount Gordo).
- The easiest way to make it stormy is to use cheat codes to change the weather (otherwise you could be waiting for a while before it gets stormy). Also make sure you time it correctly (say anytime after 1am). If you do it too early, the weather might change on you.
- The Mount Chillad UFO seems to be a part of a larger mystery. If you get off the tram there is a picture that looks like the inside of the mountain and a ufo that appears on the top. There are rumors surrounding Mount Chillad I have seen online, such as elevators into the mountain (though apparently they don't work) at Fort Zacudo and the tram station seems to have what looks like panels that could open and lead inside the mountain but I don't know how to open them. It is possible that Rockstar will add some DLC that expands on the mystery some day, though it is not clear if or when they will make the expansion (they might also make the changes when the Xbox One and Playstation 4 versions come out). I will try to keep you updated if I hear anything.
2. UFO over Sandy Shores
If you are flying high above the Sandy Shores area after you have gotten the 100% completion, you may encounter this ufo hovering over the hippy camp (the one that has the green landscape with ufo enthusiasts. This one can actually be tricky to find and easy to miss if you don't know where to look, though not nearly as tricky to find as the one at Fort Zancudo is in my opinion. Here is how you can see the ufo:
- I recommend using Trevor for this one and be sure to purchase the Mckenzie Airfield if you haven't done so already (it is the one in Sandy Shores). Also, I recommend using a helicopter for this one. If you do not know how to fly a helicopter in the game, you might want to consider doing the flight school missions at Los Santos Airport (ideally you should have done flight school during the Merryweather Heist preparation events, and I think it is required for 100% completion).
- As Trevor (or whoever you want flying), get in a helicopter and fly it as high as you can over where the hippy camp is and eventually you should see a UFO decending from the sky. Note that the appear appears right around the hippy camp and nowhere else around sandy shores.
- You can get a picture of the UFO using the ingame phone, though it can be tricky to fly and take pictures at the same time.
- It might be possible to land on the ufo or parachute onto it (I have seen videos of people doing this), but it is very risky doings so.
Quick warning about this ufo:
- It becomes hostile if you get too close. If you get too close to it, it shoots this invisible beam (you will hear a wierd noise, don't know how else to describe it) that renders your plane inoperable, which means you have to parachute a long way down from the sky.
- Also, if you are using a parachute and get too close to the UFO, it will "shoot" the parachute as well, sending your character falling down to his death.
- Sometimes jumping out of a plane or helicopter can get you a wanted level.
- The ufo might not appear right away when flying around the hippy camp. If you do not see it yet, you can fly around and keep trying to gain altitude and eventually you should be able to see it.
Ufo 3: Fort Zancudo
 |
| Picture of the Fort Zancudo UFO |
Interestingly, like the ufo in Sandy Shores, it looks like it gets hostile if you get too close and will try to shoot you down. By the way, the Fort Zancudo ufo seems to be a reference to rumors about ufos being seen over real life military bases (such as Area 51, for example) and seems to pay tribute to a similar military base in GTA San Andreas. I've never seen a ufo in real life and don't really know if ufos really appear over military bases, but I have seen shows on it, including a special on Travel Channel about Rachel, Nevada and Area 51 that talks about that kind of phenomenon. Though I have never been to that part of Nevada so I wouldn't know if there is any truth to the claims about the place.
Quick warnings about the Fort Zancudo UFO:
- As with real life military bases, trespassing is forbidden at Fort Zancudo. If you try to set foot on the base there, you will get an instant 4 star wanted level, which can essentially be a death sentence for your character unless if you are good at eluding police and military personel on a 4 star wanted level in the game (which is definitely intense). Also, you have tanks on the base hunting you down too, which can kill you in one hit it shoots you. If you fly over Fort Zancudo, unless if you are high enough, you can get shot down. For the Fort Zancudo UFO, you will have to be flying over the base as high as you can and you should not have to worry about getting shot down, which can happen if you if you fly too low. This should not be a problem if you are flying from Sandy Shores or Los Santos air port as you have plenty of time to gain altitude on the way.
- Like the UFO in Sandy Shores, the Fort Zancudo UFO does get hostile if you get too close and will try to "shoot" you down, which can be dangerous for the player over the military base.
- This one can take several tries to find since it is not as easy to find as the other 2 are.
Part 3: Aliens and Alien Abductions
You know, just thinking about UFOs, Aliens also seem to exist in the game too. In the video above, there is a side mission Michael can take where there is some politician trying to legalize medical cocaine (seems to be a parody of real life medical marijuana) and when Michael takes a free sample of the drug, he has this hallucination where there a horde of aliens appearing and closing in on him and he has to shoot them with a mini-gun. It was a pretty wierd mission in my opinion. Also they try to abduct Michael and if they succeed, Michael dies so you have to avoid getting abducted by them. By the way, this is not the only time Michael can encounter aliens. There is a more disturbing encounter during another mission (I think it is the "Did someone say Yoga?" Mission (it is the one where Michael temporarily breaks up with Amanda till towards the end of the storyline missions) where after doing Yoga and Amanda threatens to leave Michael for some Yoga dude, Michael encounters Jimmy. He has Michael take Jimmy to get drugs (yes drugs do exist in GTA 5 and your characters can use them with funny effects) from a friend and tricks Michael into sampling the drugs (even while driving I might add) and it sends Michael into an instant hallucination trip where he gets abducted by aliens (they look like the aliens from "Aliens vs Predator" in my opinion) and sent back to earth. There also appear to be aliens roaming the streets of Vinewood (GTA's version of Hollywood) as well as the Vinewood Studio (which is based on the Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles). Definitely a halloweenish moment. It is probably the best paranormal events that take place in the game too.
By the way, here is a video I found on Youtube about some player causing a UFO to crash and get attacked by aliens. Pretty funny (not sure how the easter egg works though as I haven't seen it yet).
Well that is all for now. Will add more Halloweenish moments at a later post. Other Halloweenish moments I know of which I will try to expand more on as time allows includes:
- Killer clowns with Trevor. It is pretty similar to Michael's hallucination of aliens, but involves clowns.
- Solve 2 murder mysteries
- Watch out for...Jaws (yes, man eating sharks do exist in GTA 5)!
- Joining cults (such as the Epsilon cult as Michael)
- Altruist Cult (basically cannibals in GTA 5)
- Trevor Philips as a psychopath.
- Cougars!
- Vandalism and costume dressing
- Ghost dog (there is a dog that appears in one of the "Strangers and Freaks" mission that only Franklin can see and seems to warn of impending danger for his "master"?
- Ghost of Trevor Phillip's mother (aka the Mrs Phillips Strangers and Freaks Mission)?
- Does bigfoot roam the Mount Chillad wilderness (also known as the "Last one" Strangers and Freaks mission).
Stay tuned for more.
Disclaimer about GTA 5: the game is rated "M" for mature and is definitely not for everyone content wise. Content includes: violence, criminal acts (btw, don't even think about trying anything you see in this game at home for obvious reasons unless of course if you are trying to get arrested or end up in jail for a long time, or even wind up on death row in some case), drug use and references, dark moments, and similar things associated with the GTA franchise. If you are the type that is easily offended by video game violence and similar types of content, then Grand Theft Auto 5 is probably not for you.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
The Many Deaths of Bowser; All the ways He's been killed in the Mario se...
This video was funny to watch
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