Substance TV – Video game reviews with substance

Since the start of Substance TV, I’ve been exposed to a wide array of video game review shows. Though most have been terrible, and still some have been downright eye melting, there have been a few gems. One of them is “Still Gaming” by Lee (or as he’s known on Youtube “SashaNein”).

What makes the show good? First, he reviews some amazing games, many of which are not even covered by the mainstream media. Second, he has a knack for good reviews that cover the finer details with just the right amount of humor and wit. Third, well, he’s an average guy just like myself reviewing games for the love of it all. From games like Arcana Heart, to Double Dragon, to MLB Power Pros, and many others, he covers it all.

Check out his Youtube page at: http://www.youtube.com/user/SashaNein

His latest review covers the highly anticipated Soul Calibur 4.

Yes, you’re not seeing things, that entire image of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is made entirely out of beads. For years now, enthusiasts have been making pixel perfect replicas of their favorite video game characters out of beads. Of course this has gone unnoticed by folks like myself until now. From standards like Mario, Megaman, Sonic, and much more, to more interesting and even custom works of art, this truly is a labor of gaming love. Some pieces takes mere minutes, while others take months.

So how might you procure these beads and how is it done? Well I’m glad you asked. Check out the Bead Sprites Forum to see an array of bead works, tips, and advice on how to get started.

Bead Sprite Forums

Although you might have to get your hands dirty and visit your local craft store, it’s well worth it.

So I just picked up my copy of Bangai-O Spirits for the Nintendo DS, and as I hoped, it’s absolutely amazing. For those who played the Dreamcast version, you’re in for a treat. The game has a plethora of additions that any good Treasure fan will surely appreciate. Now you have the choice of weapons you’d like to equip before the start of each level. So depending on the situation, you can choose weapons that best suit you. Add to that, the inclusion of a bat and a sword, plus you can freeze time, and you’ve just scratched the surface of what makes the game great.

I could go on and on about the game, but I’ll save that for my full review.

One thing I want to tell you about is the level creator and replay system. As would be expected, the game comes with these options. The level creator system is pretty deep and rewarding, but that’s not the best part. As is with many games, you can share your creations or best replay of a level with others, but it’s the manner in which you do so that makes it interesting.

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Have you ever been playing Mortal Kombat and thought to yourself, “I wonder what Mortal Kombat would be like if I could massage my foe with oil in an oddly perverted way that made me feel dirty inside”? Well, wish no more my children, because the folks over at www.GoPotato.tv have done just that.

I could go on explaining more, but it would make no difference. The clip says it all. Watch and enjoy.

So I wake up this morning, have some breakfast, spend some time with the fam, and then check my e-mail. Nothing out of the ordinary. When I get to my e-mail, it’s flooded with tons of messages, around 73 to be exact. Most, if not all, were subscription notices from Youtube. This was highly unusual as most of the time I get maybe one or two subscriptions a week. Curiously I check my Youtube page to see what all the hub bub is about.

I look at my last episode of Substance TV, and after a bit of searching, I look under the ’statistics and data’ drop down menu. I see a link from www.screwattack.com linking to the video. I figured maybe somebody had clicked on the link from the message boards and got the topic bumped up and it somehow caught fire. I click on the link to see what this was all about, and to my surprise, I’m featured on the site! Yea, it’s crazy.

I had submitted the fifth episode for the Sunday submissions. I thought nothing of it. Figured it would be worth a shot in the dark, but instead, they choose it. So now I’ve got a lot more people seeing my stuff. Of course, I’d still do it no matter how many people see it, but it’s nice to recognized by a pretty major site such as Screwattack.

Big thanks to Stuttering Craig and all the members at Screwattack who have come over to check out the site and my videos. It’s good to see such hard work be seen by a lot more people then would have without their help. Check them out at: www.screwattack.com

So I was at my local Target with the wife and baby. As is always the case, I scope out the toy section. Plus, after having a baby, it’s almost expected. As I am perusing around the isles, I come upon one of my childhood favorites: Legos. When I was a kid, these were one of my favorites. If I wasn’t playing video games, more then likely I was constructing some monstrosity out of these beautiful bricks.

Of course, as one gets older, jobs take up most of your time, and the rest is devoted to life, family, and children. So naturally, time and money are not something I have in spades. If I did have a disposable income, you better believe I’d buy up every space themed Lego set I could get my grubby hands on. As I’m looking at all the colorful pretty boxes, I come up a set on clearance.

Did I buy it? Did I not buy it? Did I make farting noises over the store intercom? You’ll have to read on to find out.

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