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..

Screenshot of the game map in Candy Crush

Candy Crush at a glance (short version of the review)

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: 

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

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.

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.



    

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

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:

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.  

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

Picture of the Fort Zancudo UFO

 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.

The Many Deaths of Bowser; All the ways He's been killed in the Mario se...

This video was funny to watch

Fable 3: Gnome Insults Video

Hey, just out of curiousity, are there any Fable fans here?  Here is a somewhat funny and crude video involving the gnomes in Fable 3.  If you remember playing that game, there are gnomes scattered throughout the land (which get activated after both the "Gnomes are Good" and "Gnomes are evil" side quests).  You know a gnome is nearby when he starts hurling insults at your character.  Here is a youtube video showing the many insults your character might hear from the gnomes.  Pretty amuzing too. 



Fair warning: this video might be offensive to some people.  You will encounter gnomes like the one in the video when playing Fable 3 though. 

Alaskan Malamute Puppy Walking The Dog

Hey, do any of you have 2 or more dogs?  I do, namely a golden retriever and a bichon frise shizu (Tucker and Angel).  One funny thing that can happen is if Angel has her leash on, Tucker will sometimes grab her leash and try to walk her.  Anyways, here is a funny video about 2 big dogs trying to walk each other with a alaskan malamute puppy trying to walk what looks like a german shepard.  This is a pretty funny video.





Like this post, feel free to like and share it.  Also, do your dogs try to walk each other?  Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section.  Note I actually meant to post this on my other blog (http://rjanimalvideos.blogspot.com) when I hit the share button on youtube.