Morning Discussion

Last night, one of the best shows on television ended. Five years after continuing the story already made into a film inspired by the novel from author H. G. Bissinger, Friday Night Lights has run its final play.

It's odd though; for some, the season hasn't even started. Friday Night Lights first runs on Direct TV and then jumps to a major network--in this case, NBC.

On NBC, Friday Night Lights begins its final season on April 15. If you haven't seen the series, I recommend it. It really is something special, even if you don't like football.

Xav de Matos was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
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    February 10, 2011 5:05 AM

    DEAD SPACE 2

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY SHIT! THAT is how you start a video game!!!

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      February 10, 2011 5:06 AM

      [deleted]

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      February 10, 2011 5:08 AM

      Stop whining

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      February 10, 2011 5:08 AM

      I thought it was cool, yeah, nice take on the train ride.

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      February 10, 2011 5:13 AM

      I loved the game up 'til about chapter 10 or 11.. after that it feels like they had to rush it out the door, haven't had anywhere near as much fun as previous chapters. Quite a sharp rise in difficulty too which I was surprised at (i've not helped myself by only playing with the Plasma Cutter tho)

      Need to find time to sit down, finish it off and start the 2nd play through.

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        February 10, 2011 5:43 AM

        [deleted]

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        February 10, 2011 9:15 AM

        You can't complain about the difficulty if you only use the plasma cutter.

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          February 10, 2011 9:40 AM

          but the plasma cutter is awesome when you upgrade it, isn't it?

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            February 10, 2011 9:42 AM

            Oh yeah it's great but people who use it exclusively are asking for a huge challenge.

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      February 10, 2011 5:48 AM

      Do I need to finish ds1 before picking this up?

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        February 10, 2011 5:52 AM

        [deleted]

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        February 10, 2011 6:09 AM

        Yes, finish DS1 but skip everything else and dive into DS2

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        February 10, 2011 7:06 AM

        DS1 is a fantastic game, and cheap now!

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        February 10, 2011 7:46 AM

        Dead Space 2 has a "Previously on Dead Space" option, which goes through the story of the original game. While an awesome idea, DS1 shouldn't be missed.

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        February 10, 2011 9:07 AM

        DS1 is worth going through. I haven't played DS2 yet so I can't say how it compares, but DS1 had incredible atmosphere.

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        February 10, 2011 1:34 PM

        If you played Dead Space 1 long ago and don't remember it, should you still replay it before playing #2? I hate playing a sequel and not really remembering what happened in the first game.

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          February 10, 2011 1:43 PM

          just go read a plot summary. i didn't really remember what the deal with the Marker was and it's pretty important.

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      February 10, 2011 5:55 AM

      [deleted]

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        February 10, 2011 6:00 AM

        Cheap, yeah, it's short but fun.

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        February 10, 2011 6:15 AM

        It's sweet. Delivers a pretty good story experience in the DS universe.

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        February 10, 2011 6:18 AM

        [deleted]

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        February 10, 2011 8:12 AM

        It's pretty fun and I picked it up for something like $8. The only downside is that it isn't the most stable game. Though I guess if you find consoles hard-locking to be horrifying, then, hey!

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      February 10, 2011 6:10 AM

      Damn it, now I hope they put it on OnLive so I can see how it starts. >_< Or perhaps u can be kind and tell me in words.

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        February 10, 2011 6:19 AM

        You start out sitting in an EarthGov office being interrogated by an official asking you questions about Aegis VII, over to the left you can see events from DS1 being played out involving the Ishimura, the repair team, and the marker. They're focusing on the Marker's effects on the human brain, specifically asking what it was whispering to you.

        You flash out of the office and into a psyche ward cell, where you're being held in a straightjacket. An unidentified male tells someone over the radio that he's found Isaac Clarke and he's still alive. Before he can get you out of the straight jacket, a Necromorph stabs him through the back, jumps on his head, and pierces his brain (no more than two feet from your face). He transforms into a necromorph right in front of you and the radio voice tells you to RUN!!!!!!!!!! You have to run out of your cell in the straightjacket all the while the rest of the psyche ward is exploding with necromorphs. Right when you make it out of the area, a necromorph jumps on you and you have to kick it into a closing door, crushing it.


        Things have obviously gone to shit really fast.

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      February 10, 2011 6:30 AM

      Mass Effect 2 start pretty god damn well

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        February 10, 2011 6:47 AM

        Dead Space 2 is basically 2011's ME2. Superb intro, some great characterisation, utterly gorgeous art design, very cool, improvements to combat, and epic as all hell.

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          February 10, 2011 7:30 AM

          I'm sold.

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          February 10, 2011 7:33 AM

          Now you are making me want to buy DS2, when I've been trying to hold off until it goes on sale. Damn you shack!

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          February 10, 2011 7:41 AM

          I agree on all points except that I think ME2's introduction was much more engaging. This is biased because I like ME better and could immerse myself in the story more. The intro of DS2 didn't scream epic to me, and I went back to play ME2 after to see, and I guess seeing the planet was the thing that put it over the top. The sense of scale is amazing.

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            February 10, 2011 7:43 AM

            i think DS2's intro is good for what it's trying to do. ME2 is an open, epic game and is trying to convey that feeling. DS2 is a closed, claustrophobic game and it's trying to convey that feeling.

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          February 10, 2011 8:35 AM

          Only way I think ME2>DS2 is plot. Dead Space's universe and plot is laughable. Feels like it's there because it has to be...and really doesn't want to be there.

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            February 10, 2011 9:34 AM

            I agree that some parts are handled poorly - Unitologists seem to be basically universally psychotically unstable or evil for the sake of it, and that can't all be explained away by 'personality reviews' and whatnot - but on the whole I disagree. The Big Bad is fairly well done, most of the other characters feel believable (aside from Dana's manipulations and dramatised scheming), and most importantly Isaac himself has a better character arc than any character in ME2. I love the crew of the second Normandy, but not one of them has such a great change in their goals, attitude, and psychological health as Isaac - tell me honestly that you didn't think the Nicole interplay wasn't well crafted, with a stunner of a breakthrough in the mines and everything that happened afterwards.

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              February 10, 2011 9:40 AM

              I didn't care about any of them enough for twists to bother me. That was the problem. You didn't get to actually know any of them. ME2 has character backstory and great side plots like the genophage. Everything in DS felt like "hay this would be a creepy environment/tense situation" never did it feel like there was a real purpose in any of it. It was just a bad carnival ride. I enjoyed the gameplay itself, but no one could have talked and the game would not have been different.

              I guess ME2 appeals more because I can see my decisions affect the plot in some ways. Where as Dead Space is a hands off poorly done plot. Instead of sympathizing and wanting to beat the game, I just wanted to get through it. There's zero emotional response.

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      February 10, 2011 7:41 AM

      [deleted]

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      February 10, 2011 7:46 AM

      yeah!! it keeps on impressing too. also, very hard on Zealot.

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      February 10, 2011 7:47 AM

      i want to play this so bad but i'm afraid to put it in without having proper surround sound :(

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        February 10, 2011 8:45 AM

        Dead Space was the soul inspiration for me to buy a Surround Sound system. It's totally a different experience now.

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      February 10, 2011 8:11 AM

      I just finished it today. Game is fucking kick ass. last boss fight was kinda lame though]s

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        February 10, 2011 4:12 PM

        I fucking hated the last two chapters. Regen necro and final boss can go fuck eachother. The ending was such a kick in the nuts for an otherwise stellar game.

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      February 10, 2011 8:28 AM

      I just finished DS1 last night. Great game! Once my backlog gets shortened a bit I'll definitely get DS2.

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      February 10, 2011 8:44 AM

      I just finished DS 1 for the first time and I'm totally floored by it. I've had it sitting around for almost a year now and haven't even touched it till recent. It's now one of my favorite games to play and I'm addicted. DS 2 is now on its way and I'm stoked.

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      February 10, 2011 8:59 AM

      [deleted]

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      February 10, 2011 9:38 AM

      Played the intro yesterday at my friends place. Wow, I must be jaded, all I could say was damiit you said it didn't start slow, when the hell do I get my plasma cutter?!

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