Microsoft's Left 4 Dead review by Jose D.

Left 4 Dead…

Where to begin?

Left 4 Dead is an action packed survival horror game created by ValveE designer Mike Booth co-designer of both the Counter Strike series for ValveE.

This game takes place in an zombie apocalyptic setting based around 4 different scenarios all created with their certain bonuses and perks; and while the source of the zombie outbreak is never revealed, the intro scene does state that it is “2 weeks” after the infection began.

You chose from one of the four survivors
Bill -A Vietnam War veteran
Zoey-A horror movie fanatic
Francis-Your typical hardcore biker
Louis-A computer salesman

And on team infected are
Hunter-Agile, quick dangerously vicious infected, these attack with a vicious pounce and slash secondary attack
Boomer-A morbid obese infected who can draw the horde on specific individuals via vomit…Yes vomit, secondary attack being that of a punch
Smoker-Tall, slim smog induced infected with the ability to pull survivors from a distance using his tongue (which is very long) either strangling them, or bringing them in for a beat down, secondary attack being slash
Tank- A large, very muscular infected resembling the incredible hulk, minus the green. This large monster has the ability to punch with the grace of a thousand rhino’s and the power to life chunks of concrete off the ground before…launching it at you

All of these characters are playable.
NON PLAYABLE CHARACTER
The Witch-This beautiful infected does absolutely nothing. She usually is found in random spots on her knees crying…yes crying. She is completely harmless unless you bother her. Things that bother her are loud sounds, gunshots, screams and the almighty flashlight. If you mess and annoy her, she WILL kill you. No doubt about it.

Now, you begin the game by first selecting one of the four scenario/campaigns. Where the main point of each is to make it from safe room A to safe room B and so forth, safety with as many survivors as possible, all leading to the final scenario where you must hold up a base and await for extraction.

These are the four scenarios currently available.

-No Mercy: An urban setting taken place in a city, subway, sewers and hospital.

-Blood Harvest: A country/farm like setting where you must make your way to extraction via Military Evacuation.

-Dead Air: A scenario taking place in an airport setting where you must navigate your way through a traverse airport whilst defending yourself against the zombie horde.

-Death Toll: The survivors are once again brought out of there big safe room and thrown into highways, forests and a small town where evacuation is that of boat extraction.

These are the current available scenario/campaigns available at launch, more scenarios and infected, perhaps even more survivors will be released with the expansion of DLC (Downloadable Content) being released whenever ValveE feels necessary. (Hopefully in the near future)

Overall this action packed game is well worth the $50 offering very high replay. You will be playing this game, over, and over again. I personally, cannot stop playing it. I highly recommend this game to any avid first person shooter, horror, survival zombie fanatic.
READ MORE

Barry Lyga's "Hero Type" Review by Jose D.

When I first opened the book Hero Type, I knew what I was to expect. Teenagers, drama, and a good storyline and a lot of comedy and a juicy conflict and that my dear reader is what I got.
From chapter one the story was good.

In this amazing adventure, we take on the story of Kevin Ross, nicknamed Kross by his friends “The fools”. Kevin Ross was recently praised for the rescue of the daughter of important man. Leah Muldoon. Kevin is then treated like a god, a prince, a king. With money rewards, free food, News publicity, new car you’d think he’s had it made for a typical teenager. But it is not all as it seems for Kevin has dark secrets of his own.

I loved the story, from beginning to end. It was a great experience and a wonderful book. It shows the meaning of the American flag and its true colors. It shows the ignorance of people and exploits them, shining light upon the typical questions of the teen such as…

“Why do we have to pledge every day?”

“What does out flag mean?”

“What happens if we don’t pledge?”

Well in this story you can find this out in an exciting way.

That’s another reason why I loved the story so much, it really opened my eyes on the American flag, the significance that a bumper sticker can hold to a patriot and how a good hero can go “bad” by a simple mistake or a misunderstanding.

Simple things such as bumper stickers are important to some especially those in the Army Marine Corps and the Air Force. I have a friend named Bart, a married man with three very wonderful children who when he comes upon a vehicle with something as simple as a bumper sticker, something so little like that, he would approach or drive up next to them and salute because to him, it means something. American Pride.

To be American proud doesn’t mean you have to necessarily have bumper stickers to love your country but some, they feel proud and I am sure he isn’t the only one whom feels that way. I’m sure of it.

I could go on speaking forever about the topic but for now. I believe that is all I can say.
Read More