Acquisition #124: Corpse Party

I've been meaning to pick up Corpse Party, the "horror adventure" title developed by 5pb and Team GrisGris and published by Xseed Games, since its North American PSN release was announced last fall.

For some reason, though, I dragged my feet until just before my husband and I flew home to take care of my mom and dad. (Actually, I shouldn't say "for some reason," as I'm fairly certain my feet dragged because of Corpse Party's $19.99 price tag, which I still consider a bit high for a download-only title.)

Unfortunately, I can't even share with you a few early thoughts on this supposedly well-worth-the-price-of-admission game (according to numerous reviews, including this one by Anne Lee, aka the Chic Pixel blog's--and this blog's--apricotsushi) because, well, I've been taking care of my mom and dad for the past three weeks.

Things are ever-so-slightly returning to normal in my life, though, so I'm going to do my best to give Corpse Party a go during our flight back to Seattle in a few days. Should I fail to do so, don't fret. I'll make sure I play at least a bit of it at some point in the following week--and afterward I'll publish some early impressions here.

Have any of you played Corpse Party? If so, what did you think of it?

See also: 'Acquisition #123: Patchwork Heroes'

Nothing gets between me and my Rhythm Heaven Fever t-shirt

Blogger--and occasional commenter on The Gay Gamer--Mark Ayala was lucky enough to attend the Rhythm Heaven Fever launch party held in Los Angeles exactly a month ago.

While at said event, Ayala picked up a Rhythm Heaven Fever t-shirt for yours truly. Although he passed it off to the able men and women of the United States Postal Service the very next day, and it arrived on my doorstep just a few days after that, I wasn't able to take a photo of it or write about it until yesterday.

Sadly, it's still winter here in Seattle, and most of you likely know what that means: It's dark and rainy here most of the time, which means pulling off well-lit photos often is a hit-or-miss affair.

If you'd like to take a closer look at the adorable design that's splashed across the chest of the t-shirt above--and features a monkey, a rocket and a jumping ... something or other--check out this Bitmob article about the Rhythm Heaven Fever soiree.

Back in the saddle (or should I say Seattle?) again

After spending nearly three weeks in Madison, Wisconsin, with my parents, David (the hubs) and I are back in Seattle.

Just in case any of you are curious: My dad made a number of impressive steps forward in his recovery over the last week. He was upgraded from an all-pureed-food diet to one that allows for assorted soft foods like scrambled eggs and lasagna, for starters. Also, he began moving his left leg and arm with more frequency and ability--previously, both limbs were all but paralyzed--and, as a result, he was able to participate in his occupational and physical therapy sessions more fully than was the case previously.

That said, he's still bed-ridden for the most part--although he is put into a wheelchair for four to six hours a day--and he's still unable to care for himself in most instances. So, although he's made a lot of progress in the three weeks since his strokes, he's still pretty far from the proverbial finish line (assuming the finish line is the recovery of the ability to use, to some extent, his left leg and arm). Regardless, my mom, David and I are feeling very hopeful and positive about the situation--something that couldn't be said a week and a half ago.

Thanks again for all of the positive energy/thoughts/vibes and prayers you've sent our way. All of us, including my dad, appreciate them greatly.

See also: 'Going home to be with (and take care of) my mom and dad' and 'Update about my dad'

Mario doesn't call me a fag ...

New Zealand-based artist and blogger SUIKA recently showcased the piece of art below on his blog, IDC (I Don't Care).

What prompted SUIKA to produce this acrylic-on-canvas painting that combines a saucy bit of text and a blown-up sprite taken from that 16-bit classic, Super Mario World?



According to the man himself, the piece is "half a response to the question, Why do you like video games so much? Well, Mario's not gonna' complain about the state of the economy, or call me an abomination and tell me who I can't marry or criticize the way I dress. So, how could I not prefer video games to real life?"

I can't say I disagree.

To take a better look at this creation--which SUIKA calls "Super Mario Fag"--check out the artist's deviantart gallery here. (A similarly cool and uplifting piece, which includes a sprite pulled from Pokémon Silver, can be seen here.)

Hot off the presses: PC Engine Gamer #6

OK, so the latest issue of PC Engine Gamer magazine isn't exactly hot of the presses, as it hit the Internet about a month ago. Still, it's well worth checking out if you're any kind of fan of the sexy little console that took Japan by storm in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The highlights of this particular issue, in my humble opinion: An article about loads of in-the-works homebrew titles and a ton of in-depth reviews (of Golden Axe, P-47, Spin Pair and Tatsujin).

Oh, and there are numerous references to Married ... With Children, which were much appreciated by yours truly.

Enjoy all of the above and more by checking out the sixth issue of PC Engine Gamer here.(Earlier issues of this digital publication can be found here, by the way.)

In related news: The folks at The PC Engine Software Bible--who are responsible for putting together each and every issue of PC Engine Gamer--recently created a rather fabulous 2012 calendar that can be downloaded (for free) at www.pcengine.co.uk/calendar.htm.