The End of Year Review III: Video Games 2011, Part III

Finally, the Top 10 in my very late End of Year Reviews for 2011: Video Games.

Let's just get to them, shall we?

10.  Catherine

Developer: Atlus Persona Team

Publisher: Atlus

Play Time: ?

Status: Unfinished

The minute this game started, I loved the style of it.  From the very cool soundtrack to the sharp animation and the settings, it oozed style.  The presentation of a play/tv show/theatre house was interesting and then things got nightmarish.

I knew going in this was supposed to be a horror sort of game.  It's not Resident Evil scary but monsters lurked and the urban legend was laid out.

The End of Year Review III: Video Games, Part II

So, did you guys manage to read Part I? You got through that already, did you? Wait, what...? You didn't even look at it?! You bastards!

That's okay because I couldn't read it either.

But! You should read these from 20 through 11, okay?

The End of Year Review III: Video Games 2011, Part I

In 2010 I managed to play about 20 or so games.

Last year, it was 30+.

...

I also decided unless I really wanted a Collector's Edition or there was a pre-order incentive that was a must have for me, then I'd buy everything on sale. Turns out games go on sale all the time or you can just wait until the end of year. So uh, yeah... that strategy did not really work out for me.

Due to the fact that the amount of games played last year is just staggering (I feel, anyway), I have decided it would be a kind gesture to myself (and to whoever wants to read) to break up the reviews in blocks.

As before and not uncommon, I have a serious backlog. It's a shameful backlog but who does not have one? And so, I played some games released in 2011 and some released prior to that.

So, read on!

It all starts with 30 through 21...

The End of Year Review II: Music 2011

Once again Amazon and their nonsense business of making me that much poorer, threw $5 sales at me every month on music.

I do not think I bought as many albums from them other than the ones I truly wanted and had to invest in this year but looking at my Amazon Cloud may disprove my terrible memory.

As in previous years, here is the usual disclaimer - I listened to albums past and those will be included on this list mixed in with 2011 efforts.

I also will not be including video game soundtracks on the list this year because a) I will be writing well into next year and b) I will give them their own props when I do the end of year review.

That said, here we go!!!!

Adventure Time's Soundtrack makes number one.  It seriously would if it had a proper soundtrack release! Casey James Basichis is brilliant and Pendleton Ward is a geinus.  Since there has been no official release, I will "begrudgingly" go with these instead.

The End of Year Review I: The Best of the Blog 2011

Welcome to the first round for the End of Year Reviews.

I will be late with the End of Year reviews for Video Games because I started my final game at the end of November and have not had a chance to finish it up for inclusion.

The End of Year music review and the live show review will be posted hopefully later today.

Right now, let's take a look back at the best stories and memories captured on the blog!

A Trini Christmas in Food

What Christmas would be complete without some pastelles.

Thanks to Frass this year for bring us pastelles from Brooklyn.  H1 has decided they were little too hot which made them not as enjoyable as they could have been.

Mom and I loved them.  Please bring more soon.  Bwahahaha.

We also thank Frass for being this year's designated caper and olive boy for the batch of pastelles that The HOchieS churned out.

We bought a tortilla press this year to assist in the making of the pastelles and it is now universally acknowledged that H1 is the Master of the Tortilla press.

The Tree and Jazzie

This year, H1 and I decided the tree was going to be pink!

It turned a sort of pink, purple, silver and gold sort of a mess but it was a lovely mess!

Don't judge my tree! Just my photo.

Who you should judge is Jazzie.

The Christmas (Present List) Fraught With Extermination and Danger

Some how, this Christmas saw a bunch of Daleks invade the HOchie household.

One Dalek can destroy an entire city so imagine what these three will do!!!!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

The Christmas Monkey is off boozing it up with some ponche-de-creme made fresh by Papa HOchie and vows to return some time this week to dole out New Year's Resolutions to you guys.

In his absence, The HOchieS are taking the opportunity to wish all our frenemies and everyone a very Merry Christmas!

We hope St. Nick's Express delivered all the toys, joy, best wishes and the presents Kyle, the presents...to your homes.

We will post the Presento-Pyo List later today once we open ours.

Momma HOchie is working today and will wait for her to return before busting open the good times.

Lots of love and Merry Ithmus!

The HOchieS.

The Airing of Grievances 2011

'Tis the moment you have all been waiting for!

The Christmas Monkey with the all seeing gangsta eyes has come to deliver the news...

The crystal ball does not lie

Adieu, Autumn! Bonjour, Christmas...Monkey...?

It's not officially Winter yet but it is officially 6 days until Christmas and so we are bidding adieu to the happy Scarecrow friend with mute crow.

Warm, sunny days were full of fun.  Rain showers were just a few but welcome all the same.  The sometimes chilly air made us remember the what time of the year it was and the leaves were late to fall off the trees.

Thank you for the wonderful Autumn days.  Thank you for the smiles and thank you, until we meet again!

Today, we say hello to a cheeky Christmas monkey.  He's got a crystal ball full of glitter and happiness but he's got his eye on everyone.

I think we better be really good less we end up with coal.  Or um, Monkey... poopies.

Who knows with these monkeys.

The Great 2011 Frenemies' Visit, Part III: Asshattery and Blokus

If there was one thing we did a lot of during Thanksgiving week, was play Blokus.  Budgie and Angelo introduced us to Blokus Jr. when they bought Boohead a copy of the game for his birthday.

We all were hooked on Blokus Jr. and after playing two players for a few days during the Frenemies' visit, Luuuuiiiisssss and everyone decided that a 10 p.m. run to Walmart was in order to get the full, adult version of Blokus.

The keyword here is that it was the 'adult' version.

The Pigeons are Dying - Your Happy (?) Thanksgiving

That time of year again when an important question must be asked.

What is Gobblor planning?

Investigative reporter, Bughie J. sent us this update:

It's 2011: the war against the Gobblors does not go well. The pigeons, sensing they may become humanity's next thanksgiving bird of choice should the turkeys win, form a tentative alliance with humanity to defeat the Gobblors! Gobblor: The Pigeon War! This Thanksgiving!

Terrifying, isn't it? 

So, uhhh, yeah....

Happy Thanksgiving, all...?

Saturday Disappointment, Part II: Foodie Misadventures and Not on Target

Our trip to the city was not all sheer disappointment after the Mario 3D Land event last Saturday.  NYC and its fantastic self managed to produce a random Holiday Fair somewhere on 9th Avenue or so near 48th St.

It was such a random thing but it was nice to see, as part of my checklist that day was to start getting into the Christmas spirit by going out there and getting some wrapping paper to begin the ever long task of present wrapping and obtaining ornaments for our very pink Christmas tree we want to style this year.

Saying Goo'day to the Pumpkins

Halloween's over! Yes, sad but scarily true.  Another year gone by and another Halloween enjoyed by the HOchieS.  It was almost ruined by a freak snow storm (and was ruined for some...) but we had some ghoulish fun with the kids.

I'll stop with the lame, cheap tricks in my writing.  I'll make a peace treaty with you all and stop.  Right now.

Okay.

In closing, thanks to Target for having fabulous shiny pumpkins on their shelves for me to snap photos of.

It's now back to our Autumn Scarecrow friend with black crow.

For All Souls' Day

Before I forget, I took a little picture of a Halloween fright planted on H1's window as part of her Halloween decorations this year.

In case you missed it, the poor black cat was not hanging from a noose this Halloween (thank goodness!) but there was another cat sighting.

The scary scene?

A black cat was cleverly waiting by the bird feeder...

See? Smart.

...scaring the sheet out of some birds.

Poor thing.

Happy Halloween, Fiends!

Tonight, the HOchieS are celebrating Halloween.  H1 was sick at home today, and I went to work for half a day.  I had secret business which I will discuss at a later day.

But Halloween 2011 is almost at a close and we are presenting scary, pretty....pretty scary?...Halloween pumpkins to you.

Look at their glossy sheen!

Aren't they fabulous?

The HOchie children were awesomely dressed.  They get A+s.  We get an A for the house because we had ghosts worshiping around the Great Tree.  H1 said it was the creepiest thing I have ever done.

Due to the "Halloween Winter" Storm on Saturday, Trick or Treating was a little sad this year.  There were no splendid costumes to talk about but for coming out among downed lines and branches, the little children fiends get an A+

Luckily, The Dark Knight swooped in and helped with the aftermath..

Here he is, helping to clean up Gotham.

The Halloween Carnage: Now with Fresh Snow

It may not be Halloween today but it also is not Winter either, yet here we are on October 29th with snow - really heavy, blizzard-like snow and 50mph winds expected later - just 2 days before Halloween.

2 days...  Before Halloween!

I expect this kind of nonsense in Binghamton.  When we used to go to University there, this was not an uncommon sort of thing.  In fact, snow was not a stranger in July in that place.

But here, and for this amount of snow, well it's a little bit shocking.

I know - oo, shocking! 

With the stores pushing Christmas decorations and shopping even earlier this year, I somehow feel that maybe I can all Conspiracy Shenanigans with this coming of snow!

Shubh Divali!

Shubh Divali to all this day.

Are you all lighting your deyas? Laughing with friends? Praying with family? Eating the good eats?

The HOchieS could not find our deya unfortunately.  It's either broken and long been thrown out or in a closet feeling sorry for itself.  I for one feel sorry for myself.

But do not despair!

Momma HOchie made us some Divali eats today.

There was curried mango, pumpkin, curried channa and aloo, and paratha.  And pictures to mark the occasion!

yummy curried mango.  Not the right type of mango to make curried mango but still ...

Christmas List

Maybe it's due to the fact that I am home sick today and at the mercy of Momma HOchie's tv viewing habits that include a lot of Fall cooking shows and Christmas adverts at every chance but I am getting a tad excited for the Christmas season.

Perhaps it's the knowing that in a month from today I will be one day closer to some days off and fun times with  frenemies for Thanksgiving.

Or maybe this is just how I am.  I'm always thinking of the presents, Kyle, the presents.

I've also been thinking about the menu for Thanksgiving and what sort of treats to make this year for friends at work.  Any suggestions? I have the cutest little tins in which to house them.

Anyway, this list is not for you to see! It's for me to remember where I am at with shopping for pyos.  Why am I making public then? I am a Contrary Mary.

1. Momma Hochie - a stocking stuffer has been purchased.

2. H1 - Done

3. Luuuiiisssss - Done

4. BooHead - Done

5. A'Face - Done

6. MC - Done

7. Beetchie - Done (and birthday too, bwahaha)

That's 7 people out of 14? 15? 16? Not bad, I guess....

I have to fix up my wish list though I think I might just need amazon gift certificates for Christmas.  All my games are coming out next year.  So sad.