Clarification on Jason K. Addae

 Today my dad told me that the topics I discuss here on my blog and on my podcast, are over the top. In all honesty, I really didn't know he tuned in. Not that I'm being covert, but actually, at this point, I thought the viewership was narrowed down to a specific niche. However, nonetheless, I have to write this to clarify myself, I believe once again.

  To start with, he told me this while admitting he didn't actually listen to or read any of the posts. The thing about me, is that I stated very often on my Magnum Opus project, that I speak in depth about whatever topic I discuss, and I don't speak colloquially often. For the average person to process what I discuss, they have to discard the way they interpret most of their peers. Even when it may seem I am taking sides in a matter or becoming "involved" as some people interpret it, that is not the case. If you listen carefully to may analysis on any topic, be it entertainment or touching on political happenings, I am not speaking in a mundane sense. I'm am correlating it to a bigger point. If I have any opinions, usually it is on a mindstate, and never a social position involving politics.


  Please do not interpret my work or discussions as vulgar or profane, as they are nothing of the sort. Listen or read carefully, and keep in mind that often, what I say has several, or a single, much deeper inference than it would seem if looked at from a colloquial standpoint. It's not to insult the average joe, but I'm not him. And I understand that in recent history, society as a larger and larger whole, tend to not have patience, and consider everything in its simplest state and as generalized as possible. I however, have not changed. I don't think that way, nor do those I roll with. If you look into my work, you have to be prepared to think deep, or you will just confuse yourself. I know predominantly, many of my relatives frequent these pages and exploits, and often draw negative conclusions, because they base how they interpret it on their image of me as a relative and/or child. My family is not a super intimate one. While loving, we don't get to know each other's insides. However, with my transparency, the opportunity is always here for those willing to think.

Price of Admission- Super Smash Brothers Ultimate- Review

  I must say, there is something special about getting value out of a purchase. I've been adamantly critical of online gaming and the moves that this current generation have been making in the entertainment industry, and I still am. However, it's amazing when what makes gaming or any entertainment great, shines through all of the crap, on that rare occasion.

  I preordered Super Smash Brothers Ultimated early in 2018, and decided midway through, to switch to a digital copy, which I did, and received on launch date. I was, and still am, disgusted with the offline single player modes. There is absolutely no excuse for the lack of content. And the problem is that developers don't feel pushed to add modes, because the majority of the idiots playing the game, feel that it's "loaded" with single player content, simply because they feel single player content and the fact that they can play matches in versus or online, are the same thing. Meanwhile, games that held down the genre in Smash's absence, like  Brawlout, for the same platform, continue to expand their single player content, first adding party modes and arcade mode expansions, and now recently adding trial modes as well as stages and characters.

  However, with all of that said, I have to praise the design of the combat system in Ultimate, as well as the AI design. Going back, and playing Smash 4, one to the things that stands out, is the improved challenge from the computer matches. This could have been better taken advantage of, with a challenge and trial mode, to help you  work out the deeper mechanics of the game. I feel that even with tough matches against the CPU, you still need to have a mode that puts you against a gauntlet of unique challenges and fights, to help build situational skills. SFV did this, and Brawlout has done this as well. It is very essential.

  When it comes to aesthetics, Smash Ultimate shines. The game has not only deep mechanics, but gorgeous visuals, and textures, graphics and lighting that pops to the highest power. It also has an enormous roster of over 70 characters from the entire series, and over 100 stages. In all honesty, when ever you play a fighter after this game, you will have a hard time looking at rosters and stages the same. No game comes even close. Unfortunately, many of the levels are player killers, and ruin competition by randomly locking in on, and killing a player for several stocks during battle at times. And there is nothing you can do about it- from the stomping boots of WarioWare's stage, to the falling blocks of the Wii Pet stage, to the  horror book kills in the Spooky stage, they all feel stupid and cheap. In fact, with so many stages, so few of them feel meant for honest battle. The game does boast an insanely good soundtrack, also huge. You collect over 800 songs, some remixes, but nonetheless, amazing content.

  The game has a super simple Classic mode that everyone seems to dote over, which makes no sense to me at all. It is ridiculously short, and has curtailed difficulty with the stupid way it is set up. Basically, you start with the ability to slide a difficulty scale up or down to decide where to start. You are limited to starting with no more than a 5 out of 10 difficulty. This is similar to Smash 4, except for the fact that in Smash 4, the limit was not 5, but rather the complete 9.9 or so, and the mode lasted way longer, allowing you to sustain play at that level. In Ultimate, there are only about 6 classic fights. There is an extremely stupid mid-level, where you collect coins in a times run. It lasts 30 seconds, and is the exact same level for everyone, each time through. The mode sucks, and I'm sick of idiot arguing contrary to that with me. Then you have the adventure mode, which has received constant criticism. It also lacks real enjoyable replayability, being long, but repetitive.

  The money modes that usually help to salvage the game, have been removed, as apparently, the developers wanted to "take the game more seriously." That is also a joke I will get into shortly. All-star mode as well as multi-man melee, have been crammed into one mode. The trimmings for All-star have been completely removed, and there is no middle hub world in the mode. It is now an endless mode, that has some minor fun factor, but no fulfillment whatsoever. Cruel Melee is also back, and is probably the better of the multi-man modes.

 I really like the changes to the mechanics, and I find myself often going into training to try things, with no clear way of doing so. Training mode is also stupidly designed. Not only can you not record actions for the CPU, but the set actions they can perform are for no known reason, extremely limited. The only specials you can set them to perform, are their neutral special or forward smash attack. Whoever thought that up should be euthanized.  Yet, no one complains about this stuff. There is even a glitch, where the game itself won't load if you have your Wi-Fi still on, but aren't around a connection. This leads me off to another tangent:

  For some reason, this generation has become gridlocked. I took my phone out in the doctor's office the other day, while waiting for my appointment, and went to play some chess. I have chess, as well as Need For Speed on my phone and one or 2 other games. It just so happened that in the office, not for the first time, there was no wi-fi to be had. Would you know, the chess app would not load. I went to play Carmen Sandiego. No go- requires wi-fi and access to the net. I went to play Need For Speed- same thing. I went through every game on my phone and came to the realization that, today, you have to have internet access to use applications, even offline. And I'm surrounded by slow-boiling frogs, who don't even see this as an issue at all. It is more than an issue, because this generation has become overly social-reliant. People can't take a breath without the acknowledgment of the next person.

  The game's online mode has also rightly received criticism. However, I will say, that oddly enough, this is also where the game was saved to an extent. The fighting system, as I mentioned, is one of the things done very well in this game, and this shines in the overall online matches. However, the input lag in general, as well as character disparities, almost destroy this. As I said before, they wanted to be serious this time around. The problem is that they undermine this with the imbalance of characters. I use Little Mac, who is a short ranged boxer, with horrible recovery when off the stage. He has decent power and speed, but is a sitting due at range, and when launched. In the same friggin game, you have characters like Isabelle and Jigglypuff. Isabelle is a range spamming character who has excellent recovery. Jigglypuff is not a range character, but has very good speed, improved weight, and extremely high power and recovery. My secondary is Ganon, and there have been countless matches, when, as Ganon, who's signature is his power, I will go blow for blow and lose to a Jigglypuff. This is added to the fact that when you do launch characters like her, Snake, and Princess Peach, even right up to the blast zones at the corners of the screen, they have the ability to fly all the way back, fighting the whole way, with ease, when characters like Ganon and Mac have to hope they aren't launched too far and that they aren't aggressively pursued. This leads to incredibly imbalanced and control smashing matches, where you are derped out by a character whore who spams the simple crap they know to get a win. No skill needed. How serious does that look?

  What changed this overall negative experience, was one night. It sounds very impulsive and simple, but it really was one night, where the mechanics got a chance to shine. Similar to Street Fighter 5, where the Survival mode frustrated me and then gained my respect when I saw what it accomplished, this game did that with online Co-op. I was playing solo online attempting to achieve Elite Smash rank, which I was just shy of, and kind of gave up on at this point. On that night I speak of, I could have done it, if it weren't for sheer fatigue. I'll explain the story:

  I played solo the whole time, going through matches, winning the majority, and losing monster points for every loss, in a points system that makes no sense. I was frustrated and  had raged many times at this point, going through a couple of controllers on the way. Then I looked online to see what method all of these people were using to rank up. You see, the thing that really stings a competitive player, is not only to lose to inferior competition for extremely stupid reasons including lag, and character imbalance; but to have swag with a character, and see players that have none, outrank you with that same character. I have one of the best Little Macs online, skill-wise, because I've used him since he came out in Smash 4, and actually developed him. And when it comes to Ganon, I have yet to see players outside of pro-level, that demonstrate the level of swag I do with the character. Yet, I was seeing Ganons online that were close to elite, with absolutely no footsies and skill at all, and I wondered how they got there. Then I read that Co-op with Team Battle was the method to use to be successful. So I decided to try it. It wasn't as simple as that though.

  You are matched up with random players that are usually around your rank. And you have teams that can be difficult to deal with. I was using Ganon, as I decided to rank him up. The matchmaking system picks according to your presets, and if it can't fulfill that, it will default to a close, but random setup. At times, you may be put in a free for all with 3 or 4 players, instead of team battle. I played for a bit, with some success, but inconsistently. Then, I came across an Inkling player. Now, to be fair, Inkling is a high tier character. But she has weaknesses galore, just like Ganon, and can't derp people out at range. She does have good recovery. I teamed up with this dude who played her, and let me just preface with saying, this dude is now my ace boon koon.

  There is something that is special about friendship in general. When you meet a stranger, you never know what will come of it in advance, but you never need to be told who your best friends are. There are intangibles that make it clear. It can be summed up in one word- Synergy. When you and someone else compliment each other in a way that not only covers your flaws, but augments your strengths, it's a magic that you just can't manufacture. It happens or it doesn't. And it doesn't happen often. There was something about that Inkling player- shout-out to HyperLink. When we teamed up, it wasn't long before it was clear that our team was just different. As the level of competition rose, and we continued to dominate, I knew we had that synergy. We faced some extremely difficult teams, and after the first few wins, we both knew the other wasn't leaving. We just kept locking in our position for the next match, over and over and over again. And each team can do the same thing. We ran into some tough Luigi, Megaman, and Dark Pit teams, that would not leave the room. They insisted on playing not just the set, but endless matches, until they were satisfied. And each and every match, we found a way to win, and dominate teams like that, even at the high level. And along the way, we both got visibly better and more refined. There were matches that he came through and elevated to ultra-instinct level to pull out the win in 2 on 1 situations against tough opponents, and then there were matches when I did the same, which at first surprised me. It was refreshing to be playing so well and clearly, with a helper there to focus my attacks. And we had to win. Some of these teams would not go away until they were convinced we were better, or even simply, that we could deal with the difficult matchup. Some of them, I considered point bombers, who were willing to lose, as long as they knew they had difficult characters or teams to deal with and were a constant threat to run away with a win and major points. The fact that we weathered all of that was truly special.


   It was so memorable, and we both had the same rank and points and escalated up to the higher ranks together. It was about 130AM before I started to fatigue, and even then, we kept winning. What we had was clearly a dynasty. Over the course of those 4 or 5 hours, we literally lost only about 2 or 3 matches. At the end, the matches started dying out, and eventually the room became more empty. One of the last matches was a free for all, where for the first time the whole night, we were broken up. There was an unwritten and unsaid rule that we were to jump the fool in the middle. It was only a 3 player match that time. We dispatched of him, and then we fought each other. I think I won that match, and then we left the room. I went to sleep not long after, and I truly had a different outlook for the game at that point. The fact that teamwork was able to get us over the games flaws, was truly special. It made the game stand out to me more and it made the combat system seem more balanced. It really brought out the best in my abilities.

  I didn't really intend to review this game at first. In fact, I haven't been thinking about reviews. I have a bunch on my mind, and my computer is gone. I now used different equipment other than a full blown PC, so uploads are still a challenge. However, in light of it all, the game deserves my feedback, and as much as it disgusted me in the outset, I have an appreciation for the framework. This game has a bunch of still untapped potential, and hopefully Nintendo will see that at some point. But for now, I've hung it up, and I must say, I'm more satisfied than I thought I would be. I must give it a solid 8/10.

New Art Piece

This is a new piece entitled, " DaBlues."

The Definition of Plain- "Castle of Heart" Review

  I was very skeptical about writing this review, especially with projects and obligations on my plate at this time, including my novel, which is finally picking up speed. The reason mainly, is because, this was a piece of work that was so unremarkable and short at a glance. Yet, I can't say it isn't something I'll remember fondly. This is the game, "Castle of Heart," for the Nintendo Switch, produced by the company 7 Levels. The game was released on March 23, 2018, yet you have reviews on the game from March 22nd. This is the age of an impatient speedrun society. It received pretty bad reviews generally, but I didn't look at any when I decided to buy it. I was just intrigued by the advertisement as a throwback, oldschool difficult side-scrolling platformer.


   The game didn't disappoint completely, but it didn't completely deliver either. I started playing the game quite a while ago, in summer of 2018. I took a couple of breaks, and usually worked on 1 or 2 levels at a time. In this game, you play as a knight who has been cursed and turned to stone. The sorcerer who destroyed the kingdom and inflicted the curse on him, has kidnapped his love- the princess. It was her tears that kept him from meeting his demise in the first place. On his quest, he follows the trail of the fleeing sorcerer, and meets foes, who are either controlled by the sorcerer, or at times cohorts of his. The story is simple, but it is never told forcefully enough in my opinion, and so it remains very forgettable throughout. The game is split into 4 chapters, each containing about 7 levels. Usually, the last level will have a major boss to fight.

  The game was boasted as having super difficult platforming and enemies. However, I didn't notice anything remotely special about this, save for a few platforming sequences, and some of the enemies in the last few levels. In fact, the end of the game really crept up on me. Out of nowhere, I was confronted by the last boss, who I must say, did engage in some decent dialogue before squaring off with me. Even that fight wasn't as memorable as it should  have been. None of the boss fights lasted long, and there were a few long levels, but usually they were just rushes of difficult enemy packs and short platforming sequences. Occasionally, you had to jump on moving wagons, and platform along a ride down a perilous cliff. A few of these were somewhat breathtaking and cool, with a feeling of accomplishment when making it through, but there just wasn't enough by far. I did like how there were well placed and hidden secrets in the levels with useful items like bombs and special weapons like a Frost mace, which you could use against some difficult enemies.

  I will say that the game did deliver more often when it came to combating enemies. I wasn't a huge fan of the sluggish combat system, but the difficulty in some of the later levels was high at some times, and slightly rage inducing. In the game, you have a regular attack button, and the left bumper button is an attack modifier that allows a slow, but powerful attack, mainly good for breaking secret walls. The right bumper button throws the selected projectile in your inventory, or the X button will fire shots from a bow which is auto-aimed. Your character, in his stone state, is slowly dying without gathering energy from foes, and loses life constantly. You must defeat enemies to stay alive, reminiscent of Shinobi on Playstation, or Otogi on Xbox. There are healing items scattered throughout the worlds that you will constantly be looking for. If you lose too much health one of your arms will fall off, and you will no longer be able to wield 2 weapons. The left trigger blocks, and has a bunch of recovery frames to it. The right trigger does a roll, with is extremely slow to execute. You have no invincibility frames in any action, on top of the slow speed, so a simple action like rolling out of danger can result in a huge amount of lost health. Luckily, there are checkpoints at various places in each level, which restore your health, when you first reach them, and become respawn points.

  I really want to find something great to say about this one. Even the graphics, while good, lacked variety to the point where they were stale and annoying to look at after a while. The level design was almost lazy. There wasn't any memorable music I can recall. The song at the title screen, along with the opening monologue was decent at best. I did enjoy how the storytelling followed up from that and concluded very poetically at the end of the game. It was short, but sweet. There was one page of credits. Then, just like that, it was all over.

  The thing is that the game wasn't even memorably difficult. I would have given points for that. This game was even more underwhelming that Vulgar the Viking, which also boasted retro-difficulty. None of the bosses were milestones to defeat at all. The last boss took me about 2 tries, and lasted about 30 seconds. That was as long as those fights got. A few areas in the last couple of levels had so many difficult enemies with so little resources, that I had to bolt through them to the next checkpoint. That's about as climatic as it got. In the game, later on, you have to have a second weapon with some power, or you simply won't be able to defeat the hordes of enemies. Each of them has extremely high defense and attack, even taking a bit of damage to kill with strong dual swords. This was more broken than legitimately difficult. It also happened very seldom.

 All in all, I expected more, and I'm reviewing this as a completionist. I don't only want to review stellar titles that I play, but I have to acknowledge games that I invested time in, that were not so great, just to be honest. I can't recommend this game beyond a mindless splurge. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket and want a game to move your thumbs or test your buttons, pick it up. It won't be one that beckons a replay. It wasn't memorable, and it's hard to even keep it occupying space on my memory card. A very flat game, with nothing whatsoever that stood out about it. 5.5/10

National Poetry Month- "It's My Turn"

Today, February the 8th, marks the annual commemoration of "Day of the Free." Don't recall what that is? Check out my song, February on the record, "Coming of Age." In honor of that, as well as Black History Month, and National Poetry Month, here is a poem from your Ferbruarian Poet, "It's My Turn." This is the working title of a musical project I am working on right now, and it is also included in the novel that is being written now by myself titled, "The Man."  :



It’s a new cycle, a new age- a transition.
For this, our breath was held,
Which I will not be by these chains.
Space is my captain.
I explode with creativity after so much silence.
The things that make me great,
Are the things that make me savage.
I’ll be honest with you…
I can’t say how I feel.
What’s unfolding is still raw,
And much too big for the stage now,
Or planned venues that might play out.
Here we are, at an empass,
But you won’t be present.
Your mind is frayed, cracking the fabrics of your own reality,
Because you never believed we would be here.
With tradition, I always shrunk back,
Wasting and abusing mercy.
But not this time.
The moment doesn’t have an emotion.
It never really does, but especially now and here.
Conclusions are a culmination of all that has been for long enough.
Phases and movements, like in a song,
Are the special things giving conclusions meaning and life
All over again.

Jokatech Podcast: Episode 27- Legend Killer (Adesanya vs. Silva) (Jokatech vs. Malignaggi)

This is the latest podcast episode where I discuss the politics that I believe is ruining sports, the matchup of Anderson Silva vs. Israel Adesanya, and how I will debate Paulie Malignaggi over his errors in analysis any day.

The Punch- Fitness Boxing - Game Review

This past Thursday marked the end of my month long training program with the new title, "Fitness Boxing," for the Nintendo Switch. I've also kicked off a new diet with my regimen. The fact that you can take this with you anywhere is amazing, and the system really benefits from having this title. It was launched on the Eshop, published by Nintendo at the beginning of January. I preordered it after seeing how impressive the content looked in the preview videos.

  In fitness boxing, you  are trained and guided by an avatar of your choosing, that you can unlock and style with custom gear. It is mostly girl characters, which, when I think about it, probably means that the title was aimed moreso at female gamers. There are 2 male trainers as well, and they do a good job of motivating you during each exercise. It feels good to slowly reach milestones in the game and overcome harder workouts. You burn a lot of calories along the way.

  This game does make me wish that the Switch had the ability to utilize the camera as an additional input source with gaming, to have a more accurate mapping of your movements, and allow more intricacy. I'm not sure if that is a possibility, but if so, I would love to see that done one day, as well as on the PS4. I utilized a few training apparatuses that made a difference as well- a weighted vest, and a boxing resistance belt. I recommend both. All in all, the experiment was a success, and I had a great time. I highly rate this game, with my only gripe being that the music selection felt a bit stale due to the songs not being that fleshed out, and the choice of songs being a bit suspect. Due to that, they fail to aid in motivation. There are slight discrepancies in registration of movements that happens rarely, but it could just be due to fatigue affecting the player. Excellent game!  9/10

Unsung- Mowgli- Movie Review

  Rohan Chand is the name I start this with. The lead role and titular character of a Netflix original film, that as I will review here, was far more than expected. The main star was actually born in NYC and played little league baseball before catching the eye of casting directors. And sadly, you have to scroll almost to the bottom of the casting list to even see his name. This is more of the overt racism that still exists in the entertainment field. The movie is listed as starring Christian Bale, who I do love immensely as an actor, but there is no mention of the star's name, and as you will see, that is a true shame.

  When I first saw the TV commercials, as a huge fan of the original Jungle Book movie, I somewhat dismissed this movie half-way. What I mean by that, is that it looked to be a continuation of events from the last real action movie, which intrigued me, and then with the presence of the original movie's villain- Shere Khan, I began to find that it was more of a retelling of events, which I was turned off to at this point. In all honesty, the last live action film from a few years ago gained my respect, and there were a few nuances that I had wished were more accentuated in the film, like the focus on real life issues with poachers and deforestation. There was a slight curiosity as to whether or not this film would explore that. Eventually, I decided to look into it since it cost me nothing. In fact, I really do like how Netflix is aggressively competing with movie theaters for blockbuster titles. It feels good to have high level production films available that you can look forward to seeing, that are available at your convenience at home or out and about.

  What I noticed right away, was that the film was not as short as I expected being around 2 hours. Also, I noticed a different type of animation being used from the last film. I didn't know what to make of it at first, since the textures looked extremely lifelike, however the animations at first seemed stiffer. You are introduced at the start of the film to a much more dangerous and grisly looking version of Baloo the Bear. I was a bit put off by this, as he did not appear cuddly at all. In fact, he looked like he was a threat to maul Mowgli to death viciously in the outset. Bagera also looked quite fearsome. I usually appreciate more life-like models in films like this, but they looked more like horror costumes at first. As the film progressed, I started to appreciate the direction that they took with the animations. You are eventually introduced to the villainous tiger- Shere Khan and the monkey kingdom ruled by King Louis. This film was not as musical as the traditional Jungle Book movies, but it didn't really aim to be. It was a completely different angle.

   There is much more of the back story of Mowgli and the events that transpired in the jungle prior, expounded upon. I really appreciated that. After the first half of the movie, I started to feel that it was dying off energy-wise, and then something amazing happened. The storytelling and acting suddenly hit a spike. The last half of the movie feels like they took and energy shot. Rohan's acting is nothing short of magnificent. He truly deserves praise for his work. And the storytelling by Kaa, the snake is also very well done, which I had wanted more of in the last film. Mowgli is eventually taken into captivity by a hunter/poacher, who obsesses with killing animals. He is hired by the human village to take down the tiger, but he enjoys killing other animals as well, including the childhood friend of Mowgli.

  The emotion in the film, and the realism of the gap between Mowgli and the jungle, and humanity, was so palpable and believable, it gave me goosebumps. He truly conveys the spirit of a boy raised believing, no, Knowing that he is a wolf. The jungle is truly his home, and the pain he feels in being taken away is very real. He is urged to stay among man and adapt in order to survive, by Bagera, in what was one of the best speeches and scenes of the movie. You learn more about the back story of the supporting cast of characters as well. Eventually, Mowgli has to return to the jungle to fight for, as save it from the threat of man, not just the tiger, in what I really thought was a noteworthy and interesting twist.

  Every tear and angry emotional outburst in this film from the star, felt extremely real. It never once felt like acting. To do something like that, is truly worthy of praise. The film in total, was very well cast, and Mowgli is worthy of the role. He has a truly authentic and yet very distinguished look that keeps your attention. His acting, as well as the costume design and cinematography are so well done, that every moment, particularly after the first half of the film, is captivating. And as I mentioned, the animation makes more and more sense. Shere Khan has a damaged right front paw in this movie, that seems weird, but more of the back story of his encounters with man are explained. And in this movie, he isn't the only danger. The danger of the competitive pack of wolves that Mowgli grows up with, is also conveyed, as Shere Khan is manipulative and uses it to his advantage at times. Akeela is the patriarch of the pack of wolves in the original story, and he is an aged wolf who leads the pack. In this film, you get to see the law of the pack which says that if the leader misses a hunt, he can be challenged by the pack for leadership, or something of that nature. The battle that occurs is quite real and jarring.
 

  The film is not gory, but they make no qualms about full take downs, and convey the real sense of the laws of the jungle. It commands your respect in every way. This was a necessary telling of the story, and I highly recommend it. It is also the display of a truly unsung young actor's talents. If it only got rolling quicker. I give this a solid 9.4/10

Ring Dust/Rust-The Truth on Jon Jones

  Jon Jones is under a bit of fire ahead of his rematch with Alexander Gustaffson on Dec 29th, which is to be in LA instead of in Vegas due to him testing positive for a picogram of turanibol in his system, after passing over 4 tests. The reason I want to do this article, is simply because I think there are some very important factors that people are missing.

  Joe Rogan said that he leans on the side of clemency regarding Jon's innocence claim. However, what I fail to see, is how the grounds that everyone is using for that argument holds up. Jon's system had an almost undetectable amount, which is true. However, he was tested extensively over the last year and a half. Joe argues that the testing protocols and sciences improve all the time. Yet, there is absolutely no indication at all, that this trace amount was undetectable on previous tests. In fact, according to reports, it's exactly the opposite. The issue is that the commission is wondering why he passed so many tests to pop only now, ahead of his contest with Gus. I lean towards the theory that Joey Diaz introduced on the Rogan podcast and I will explain why. Joey says that like many athletes in the recent past, Jon could be micro dosing, to avoid large amounts in his system. I believe that, and my confidence in Jon Jones is at an all time low. I'm not sure that will every change again.

  If you study, and are immersed in athletics your whole life, like I have been, unless you are simply not intelligent in that area, you learn how to read physicality, and body makeup, as well as body language. The issue in sports today, for instance, when it comes to boxing and combat sports judging in general, is that even professionals today, have very little knowledge about the science. You have a whole world of boxing stars and fans that are criticizing Mikey Garcia for fighting Errol Spence, saying that he has no chance at all. Only 2 former fighter, Paulie Malignaggi, and Tim Bradley, have shown the boxing knowledge to see the areas in Spence's game that Mikey can exploit, and how that matchup can play in his favor. Everyone else sees the contest like a layman. That is one of the biggest problem across all sports today, and I will one day touch on that in an article. But for now, I want to focus on Jon Jones, and MMA in general.

  You have different body types. Some people have more slow twitch, and others more fast twitch muscle fibers. This results in some people being naturally more muscular, and able to retain muscle and definition, and some people who, when involved in athletics, appear to be freaks of nature, because regardless of how they train and develop, their body does not retain muscle and definition. It comes down also to genetics. If you look at Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios, he is an excellent example. In his last fight, he came in with a better training camp than any time in recent history. But the only way you would know that, is by watching his performance. He decimated a highly skilled, and hugely muscled brother of Canelo Alvarez- Ramon Alvarez. That honestly was probably the best I have ever seen Brandon Rios look in a very long time, or possibly ever. And guess what? It was with the same doughboy physique that he has sported for the past decades in the sport. He can't retain muscle. He trained his butt off for the fight, and improved his power and cardio, stopping Alvarez in the later rounds in brutal fashion.

  Jon Jones is also a slow twitch muscle build. He DOES NOT retain muscle.  How people don't see that, is another testament to how block headed fans and fighters can be today. There are many college associates who now compete in MMA, that attest that Jon has been a user since college, and when you look at all of the evidence up until now, you have to be an idiot to not at least partially agree. When you go back and look at every step up test that he has faced, not just the DC matches, you will noticed a marked increase in muscle mass and definition, with an 8 pack of abs and ripped, huge arms, and neck bulging on him, as he struts around the cage following his victory. Then, when you look at fights like the one against Bonnar, you see a change in build. After every camp, Jon's body rapidly loses muscle, and if you watch any interview, even days after, or before a fight, you will see a lanky, skinny-fat physique. He can't escape it. He is definitely a special athlete, and has stamina and good power naturally, but the animalistic power and muscle that he displays in some of his biggest fights, is not natural for his physique. He attributes everything to power lifting, but if you use logic, you will see that with extensive training methods in the past, his body always goes back to its natural state. For fighters in general, they rehydrate after weight cuts and taper off from training the week of the fight. You will always see a rapid decrease in definition and muscle, coming into fight night. Especially with a fighter who is not naturally muscular. Mayweather has good genetics, and keeps good definition naturally. You can just look at his father. However, as cut as he is at the weigh ins, on fight night, there is a drop off. With Jon Jones, you see him look his most muscular in the cage during many of his biggest fights.

  Also, just look at the psychological aspect. Jon was busted several times when he fought DC both times. Even with all the talk and build up, he talked as if the fight was won at signing. Yet, immediately after talking like a god, he would constantly get himself in to some kind of issue. If you look at him in the first Gus fight, once again, you see a rise in muscularity. And going back to the OSP fight, you see a rise in muscularity during many of his recent fights. This isn't just hitting weights harder. I believe evidence is slowly showing us, that he has been steadily juicing, beyond the few times that he has been caught. What I've come to realize about Jon Jones, is that his main strength that he boasts, which is confidence, is actually his biggest weakness. He doesn't refuse to lose; he fears it deathly. That's a problem, and when you look at all the evidence, you can see that he will do anything to avoid it. It makes me question how much he really believes in his skill. He's shown himself to be a slickster, who has no problem lying through his teeth, as he did under oath, several times, to protect more lies. He strikes me as someone who will go through the fire for bad decisions regarding supplements and drugs, and without hesitation do it all again without blinking, to avoid losing at all costs. That type of desperation is pathetic and not the calibur of a champion. He remains in denial, and while he continues, he will always hold himself back.

Generations and a Social Revolution- Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Introspective

  In this essay, I wanted to just discuss a couple of topics. One of them, is the misunderstanding by sociologists of generations, and the other is how the gaming industry has changed the way they make video games completely because of this generational divide. It is said, by sociologists, that those born from the beginning of the 1980's through the millenium, are part of the millenial generation. The interesting thing is that the distinction between the first half of this group and the second, is extremely clear using their own criteria. The focal point of this discussion is something that video game developers across the industry need to take heed of, because with some of the most pivotal franchises, you are seeing these very traits that define this generation.


  The first thing to discuss, is what formulates a generation. A layman may first refer to years or age, but a sociologist will correct you and say that several components far more important are considered, such as economic phases, political structure, industrial developments, and social climate. All of these are true. And what really is mindblowing to me, is to look at the changes that took place in society and globally over the course of my formative years into adulthood, juxtaposed to the experience that people today have had, when born after 1995. I was born in 1985. In my childhood, I experienced a world, where technology and life had a different balance. Sure there were innovations, as there have been since civilizations dawn, but it wasn't as pronounced as it is today. I love to watch old boxing broadcasts from the 70's and 80's, and see the commercials from back then. It's amazing how much more straight forward and simple life was, the further you go back.

  When I was 11 years old or so in 96 or maybe as early as 95, the public libraries in New York, first got the internet on their computers available for the public. It may have been netscape navigator or something. We were excited, yet at the same time, it didn't necessarily explode out of proportion. We still had the simple games like Carmen SanDiego, Oregon Trail, etc. Now, we had early search engines, where we looked up pictures of anime like Dragon Ball Z and stuff. There was an early game site called Secrets of the Sages, and later GameSages. I believe that today's Gamefaqs, is closely related, which I still use. Because, the social climate was still much healthier than it is now, there was still social interaction. Only 3 years after that, I entered high school in late 99. The internet, when you think about it, was still not the dynamo that it is today. When I think back, libraries were a hangout spot all the way until I was a senior. When you had a project, the go-to source was still encyclopedias and research books. I graduated in 2003, and then went on to college which I finished in 2005. Social media, network sites, file sharing, smartphones, tablets, etc still, at that point were not yet in existence. Just think about it, all of those things did not exist until years after I finished school. You had smartphones take off in 2007, and social media sites hit their stride in 2006. All through my school days, when you wanted to interact, you defaulted to meeting up in physical social groups. Internet dating and chat boards were almost taboo outlets for those who were ostracized.

  Politically, and socially, you still had a moral structure, where there were things considered improper to do. People on professional platforms such as news media, knew that they had to carry themselves in a certain way, distinct from the casual public. The makeup and dress was in a manner that deflected from attention and depicted professionalism, completely different from today's female new casters who will wear pounds of makeup and sex dresses that not only form fit, but are mini-skirt in length. Speaking grammatically correct and professionally was more strived for. Language was watched. Whereas today, profanity is no longer isolated at all. You're seen as having a vocabulary issue, if you fail to curse several times each sentence. When you engaged in lewd acts, you used to be villified. Now, over the past several years, a culture of sensitivity has developed, where even telling children that they failed a test in school is now outlawed.

    Now take a kid who was born in the late 90's, or early 2000's. When you use the same criteria, socially, technologically, and politically, their teenage years and school days bleed into the dawn of these revolutions, which we can't deny, have reshaped humanity in major ways forever. They will never know what it is like to not need the internet, and to interact normally. There was even a report on the news a couple of days ago, where a researcher shows  concern over psychological disorders developing in children today, including depression, due to the mass-use of technology and social media. These kids never have a childhood, where the only option is to go outside, or talk to a person. We have created outlets that will never allow humanity to be what it was ever again. There is no way to fail to see the complete rift between my era and the one that younger ones live in now.

   Often you've heard me complain about this age of updates, and the fact that in technology, new is more important that functional. It's true. And when it comes to the gaming industry, this generational movement has effected it too. Back in the previous decades, as gamers, we brought games because we loved the idea of being able to control our favorite characters and plots from the comfort of our home consoles. In fact, there was a time that we all looked to consoles to port over arcade gems that we had to burn quarters on, just so we could enjoy at home at our leisure when not in the arcades. When these ports came to consoles, they included expanded modes of play, that let us fully enjoy the content. While we had sleep-over weekends, and parties galore, we all wanted our own personal consoles and games, to enjoy privately, just like the concept behind the PC, which stands for personal computer. People have always, in the past desired private, intrinsic time, to build on hobbies and interests, before bringing them to the fore. That is another thing that has changed tremendously with this generation.

  We live in an age, where due to social media and the psychological issues it brings, people crave exchanging attention with other people in digital social groups, more than anything else in the world. Each day, the internet controlled world, arises in the morning, to check on the approval of each selfish photo they post across the globe. And they make it a point to insert their approval or disapproval of any and every post that they can find. If you listened to my last podcast about the grand scheme, this essay ties into it very well. I remember when Myspace first launched back in 2006, and people were just warming up to sharing content. Everyone would try to post the  most extravagant and professional pictures they could online. I was the only one out of the hundreds of people I know being laughed at, taking head shots of myself in different settings. Everyone told me that I look desperate, taking pictures by myself and holding the camera. I swear to you, no one was doing that back when I started. Guess what happened there.


  So in gaming, while we used to enjoy playing single player campaign content, and socializing together in physical groups later to share our experiences, now people just want the social aspect to be the game. Online gaming isn't a brand new thing, nor is playing socially and competitively. In fact, the franchise that I'm going to discuss in this essay- Super Smash Brothers, follows this timeline perfectly. I played World of Warcraft and some other PC games online in the late 90's. I'm not new to the party by any means. I also never said I don't condone multiplayer online or offline, as I have amassed huge amounts of achievements and stats in online games from Soul Calibur, to Smash Brothers, to Madden, to Street Fighter. I just notice the change in balance.

  Like I said, back in the day, companies made games, especially Nintendo, with the intention of people playing together. But that was done in addition to single player content, that would allow you to build on your interest, and sustain interest in the game. From Street Fighter 2 on home consoles, to Goldeneye on N64, we played together as friends and at parties, yet had just as much fun at home playing alone. In recent times, trophy systems have been instituted in games to show everyone over an online social platform, every little thing that you accomplished in each game. This concept took off like a rocket, which had me scratching my head back in the mid 2000's. I wondered why that satiated people so much. Sometimes, games would be under-developed, and released early and flawed, and patching a trophy system into the game would quell all of the uproar. When Street Fighter 5 came out on the Playstation 4 in 2016, it was the game I purchased the system for. At launch, the game was horrible for single player. It only had short character storylines and online play. No arcade mode, no survival, no expansive story. There was an appropriate outcry, and the game, being the flagship that it is, was fixed. All of those modes were added, and the game continues to grow. When you make a game, you have to visualize a time when online servers are no longer viable.

   Developers have become so concerned with serving everyone's suck-buddy needs, that they now make games with multiplayer as the sole focus. Single player content is added close to the end of development, as an afterthought. Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is the latest casualty. What is sad, is that this is possibly the greatest franchise of all time. If any game has stood the test of time, and never settled in delivering everylastingly satisfying content to its fans, it is Smash Brothers. However, with this game, it's like the month of March. Out of the gate, it seems loaded with content. However, when you analyze what it offers the solo gamer, it is infuriatingly disgusting. Most games today, if you look at the main menu, you will see a mural of multiplayer and online modes. In the corner, as a small icon, you will see content that can be played offline in single player. This is a stark contrast to the era I mentioned earlier, and it is a problem. They attempted to make an adventure mode in Smash Brothers Ultimate, which has some value. However, they have removed all of the special vs modes, such as lightning melee, giant melee etc. And they have discarded, mindlessly, all of the leisure modes of the past, such as Target Mode, Homerun mode, Smash Run, and the traditional adventure mode. There are 104 stages in this fighting game, which fans and developers alike, have aptly stated, is difficult for the gamer to digest. That's all the more reason that slower paced modes should have been left in the game. Now essentially, either you play a versus mode that goes from fight to fight, quickly, or go online and do the same thing. There is no means of enjoying the scenery and content offline as a solo gamer.

  Sakurai is the genius behind  this game, and while I have showered him with praise over his hard work and effort, I also see him as somewhat of a shortsighted fool, for missing this many crucial opportunities to keep the timeless quality in a game that was born perfect. He spent so much time agonizing over multiplayer and online, and also apparently, stripping essential modes, when if he paid attention, he would have noticed that the game already thrives in the multiplayer setting due to its addictive system. I would like to inquire from him, what exactly possessed him to make him decide to remove modes that have always been an identifying mark of the franchise. The reason we don't hear an outcry of any kind, is because gamers and people today are such social psychos, the only mode they run to is online. I've heard a few complaints about the single player, but it almost seems to come to people subconsciously at this point. Right now, without a patch of some kind, a nearly perfect franchise has been completely destroyed because of a growing, plague-like, millenial movement.

Jokatech Podcast- Wilder Vs. Fury

This is it. A fight that both pugilists can be proud of, and it was also insightful for the casual fans to understand better how judging and refereeing work. Jack Reese gave a very good interview with Fight Hype in the following days that I encourage you to check out. Much goes into a referee studying fighters' tendencies before a fight, observing their body language during the fight, and assessing damage on both sides. Administering a count in boxing for a downed opponent is more than just counting to 10. It also is not literal seconds. Also, what I failed to mention in my podcast, is that the 3 knockdown rule was once instituted some time ago, although now seemingly defunct. I believe for the same reason that knockout protocol has been adjusted for title fights. It also pertains to the scoring system. A fighter who has had 2 knockdowns, is down 2 10-8 rounds. His opponent need only win 2 other rounds for a draw. If a fighter is knocked down in 3 separate rounds, he is now fighting for essentially a draw, unless he can score a knock out or several devastating rounds, including a 10-7 round. While possible, the damage a fighter has taken to that point has to be assessed, and so erring on the side of caution, once down that many times, fights used to be stopped, considering the deficit. With new protocol, fighters have to demonstrate the ability to move laterally from left to right on their own, to the referee's liking, in order to continue. That gives a more accurate depiction of their current balance and coherence.



This is the Podcast of my Analysis

Latest Episodes of The Beast and Jokatech Podcast

Wassup kids?  These are the latest and greatest episodes of the shows. I wish I could have held out a day or two to cover post fight events after Wilder vs Fury, but I will be out of town.

Here is the latest episode of The Beast:Season 5- Episode 7- Love Fist- where I covered my process of actually being forced to improve with arcade stick while I had a bad fight pad, which eventually broke. The final match is played with a new copy of my original fight pad.

Next up is the latest episode of the Jokatech Podcast: Episode 25- Just Dust- Here I cover a very solemn, yet needed reflection that everyone needs to hear, and is missing from modern rhetoric. Then I cover the last MMA event of Liddell vs Ortiz 3

 I can't believe both series have lasted this long. Enjoy. And the cool thing is you can follow on Youtube, or watch conveniently right here on my site. Take care.

Love Fist- Album Review

The review for the album is live

http://thearkofmusic.com/jokatech-love-fist/

Just Listen

  I haven't done a blog post like this in a long time. For supporters of mine, please don't be put off by my analysis. This is not meant towards you individuals. This is me airing out some thoughts. Just bear with me, and don't over think it.


  I'm releasing what may be my last album. This time around, that is a more sincere statement. But in my journey, I've noticed and learned a lot about the humans around me. In fact, besides working on my next novel, I've been contemplating writing a psychology book or manual. I'm honestly disappointed in people. I expected more. Over the years, I've constantly tried to buy into the changing rhetoric that adjusts in order to dismiss my efforts. At times I resisted, and then at times I have honestly tried to see where everyone is coming from.

  Over my career, I've released 19 albums at this point, including my upcoming "Love Fist" record. I deal with many hurdles and issues including mental mazes, since childhood. I've always embraced it. It makes focusing very difficult most of the time, and you really have no idea how hard it is to live in my skin. Nobody does. It's the equivalent of running a marathon on one leg. It feels, and is a really unfair state. If only an honest story could be told of my life inside and out, from the beginning, you would see that what I've accomplished up to this point, is nothing short of astounding. That isn't bragging. It's just pointing out how much of an oddity I am. When you are working with so many deficits that you can't change, at a point, you accept them, and abandon excuses, eventually expecting an unrealistic amount of output from yourself. And some find a way to cope with it. Some cave in, and commit suicide at times. It's more difficult than the average person will ever realize.  But when I look at my body of work, I'm more sure than ever, that something is definitely wrong with people's perception and reception of me, to a large degree, which is sad. But I don't feel it's going to change. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with the release of Love Fist. There isn't a better album to hang it up with. I can't possibly imagine a better effort than this record. Yet, I already know what the response is; and that's what's sad. Time and again, I watch this really cringe-worthy performance people put on, when I corner them for an opinion about my work. The response is like they're forced by some entity to not just dislike, but to refuse to even entertain it most times. It feels like people are scared or prohibited from forming emotional opinions these days.

  The other day, a friend made a comment as we were at a pool hall, that really made sense. We were there, while a DJ was providing music for the venue. Oddly enough, my friend noted that the music being played wasn't current gen music. It was dance and party hits from the 90's and early 2000's. He said isn't it odd that even though the location was packed with people that subscribe to the latest artists, they won't play that music. Deep down, people recognize good sounds to some degree. Music, and entertainment has become overly social. I've realized that people will force themselves to listen to someone who is socially acceptable to them, and force themselves to dismiss someone who isn't. It's a really pathetic way to live life, but it has become the standard.


   There is no physical, logical way to dismiss my catalog of work completely. A lot of people think I glorify and augment everything that I do, and don't have a realistic opinion of my own work. That is one of the biggest cop out statements and opinions. With the mental health issues I've dealt with over a lifetime, I am beyond my biggest critic, and that's literally beyond my control. That's part of my condition. That's how misread I am. You have no idea how hard I am on myself. I over analyze every little thing that I do. Going back to my first album- Pariah, I've dismissed many of my records, simply because there are little sounds or nuances that annoy me, or that I could have done better. I don't even really feel I came into musical maturity until I did the Magnum Opus records, where I really developed a meticulous and professional approach. With each record, I go over them with a finer tooth comb each time. In fact, it has gotten harder and harder for me to even release records over the last few years. This is due to my ears always getting more critical, my standards constantly raising, and the fact that I cannot stomach producing the same sound twice. No matter how much I nail something, if it sounds like something I've done, I will scrap it. These are some of the little things that people don't realize is going on in my head, and with my work. I'm not some mindless clown who just rambles on about nothing, and sloppily does unprofessional work, and it really sickens me that I seem to have been given that label and disrespect, just because I'm not socially agreeable with the masses. And with all the hang ups and life challenges that have happened, keeping me on my toes, I was surprised to look at my catalog, and see that I've released at least 1 if not 3 albums every single year, for my entire 12 years I've been doing music. And people looking from the sidelines will dismiss that as, "Oh well that's nothing special. He's doing little junk projects that take nothing to make." That's the stupid ignorance that ticks me off. I wish you could see a video of the process each time I do a record. That thinking is based off of individuals who have a low opinion of me no matter what I do, from the start. If you could only see the loads of work that goes into the process. But a pop artist that you all accept could literally steal an entire album, and you'll "see" work put in that doesn't even exist.

    And when people do give an opinion of sorts, most of the time it's not balanced. They strain to ostracize it as weird, left-field and unapproachable, scrutinizing details that don't even exist, when if they held the artists that they respect to those same made up standards, they would fall far short. It's just a bull game of politics that really agitates me, and that's part of why I'm getting fed up.

  For a long time now, I've been wanting an honest breakdown as to what the highs and lows are of my different projects, yet no one is willing to do it, like it's a waste of their time to even entertain a second of the pieces. Years ago, a former colleague said some nonsense to me in the studio, that my lyrics are just gaudy sounding, but are just random picked words put together that convey simple ideas. This is an idiot that worked with me on some projects. This is how stupid people can be. They can work directly with you, like that fool, and still be attached to a low opinion of you, because everything they see, hear, and feel, is based off of a pre-determined agenda that they follow like drones. You should want to be more than that, as a human being. And in light of statements like that from people, I've several times invited any and everyone to break down my work and make that case. Not a single person has taken the bait, because deep down, you all know what's up. There is absolutely no reason that Love Fist should not get acclaim, as well as past projects like Standing on the Corner and Religion. I'm not saying Hall of Fame status, or Grammy demands per say. I'm just talking about a simple base of support or niche. That's all. If somebody more socially agreeable put these records out, they would be recognized. There is just no denying that at this point, even dismissing all but my very best efforts. You can't argue genres because I've covered too much. Love Fist is as palatable as you can possibly get Pop-wise. And when I did my experimental albums, I got a lot of flack wrongfully. When I look at the entire experimental scene, just looking at acclaimed works that have support on all of the major outlets, I'm hard pressed to find a more accessible experimental record than what I did with SSSX and Religion. I've purchased and listened to records in this genre from respected artists and they fall far short of the mark sound-wise. But these cats get away with it, because nobody is actually listening. The name carries them. People just continue to manipulate and set different standards to wall me out of consideration, which is bullocks. It's not right.

  Love Fist is by far my best work. And it conveys a theme that I envisioned being made into a martial arts movie at some point. It also conveys a principle idea that I have had and developed in real life application when it comes to true technique and self-control and and self-defense. It's actually based off of deep discussions I've had with teachers of mine. There is a lot that can be said about the record. But the track "La Tekniq" is actually a really descriptive summary of the entire idea. That song is probably one of my best lyrically written songs ever. Instead of just assuming that I'm not saying anything, I invite my skeptics to actually read and listen to they lyrics. Another thing that I'm proud of on this project, is the production. I went over and over it again and again, refining the quality, and the diversity of the compositions. This record ended up coming out so clean, I'm still surprised. I always had on my bucket list as an artist, to do a Vinyl record before I was done. I'm very much a sound snob and meticulous, so I don't think that a record should be a vinyl unless it has layers and layers of quality, just like a movie shouldn't be blue-ray or 3D unless it's giving you transcendent art to look at. It just so happens, that with this last record, I finally did a work of art that I am considering putting on Vinyl. That would be some way to call it a career.

  Maybe at some point, I will do the movie, if I can get the support for that. The idea I had is really interesting. Honestly, this is the last stop for Jokatech. I urge you to, if nothing else, give this record- "Love Fist" a listen when it releases on Spotify and Itunes. For just once allow yourself to base the merit of a work on its fruits, not the person behind it. You will really not be disappointed, and will hear the best of what I had to offer.

New Projects- Love Fist

  There's been a lot going on lately. But since I started my latest novel, and hit writer's block, I started to assume I was done with creating new work. It's especially difficult to find new sounds that make an album worth it. I think one thing that has driven me is the growth that I see in my own work. It annoys me that this generation and world today is fixated on commodities and familiarity. I often, and still state, that if Robert Frost, Mozart, or Miles were making art today, they'd be dismissed as nothing, if even noticed at all.

  I've finally gotten my new album- "Love Fist," underway. It started off as a tribute to style and the arts, particularly Kung Fu. Below is the EP. Also some artwork

https://soundcloud.com/jokatech/sets/love-fist

                                                    Just A Giant

For the Real Ones- NBA 2K18- Review

 I'm going to start this off by saying that my purpose in doing reviews for games, music, movies and other media, is to give a perspective for what has become an archaic mindset- that of the intellect. I've come to notice that when browsing reviews today, as someone who is not a millenial thinker, I'm often dissuaded from projects and pieces of work that are actually great. The other day, I was flamed on Gamefaq's message board for saying that due to the limited roster in the latest DBZ game, it was glaring that the last boss of the last series, who as I stated in my review, was transcendent to the series, is not in the game, which is supposed to be an all star cast.  These days, when the average person wants insight on a subject, they want it from someone superficial who they can relate to, not a scholar of the discipline. It's become more about who than what to people with music, movies, games, literature etc. But for those who have not sunk into that thinking, it's important to have some outlet where you get an explanation and analysis of something that doesn't make you feel insane.


   I had a similar experience when I looked at reviews for NBA 2K18. I played this series in spots back in the mid 2000's. I was primarily an NBA Live player. In fact, I can recall the war that went on between the 2 franchises for years, until Live was just about phased out. I always loved how much work 2K put into the soundtrack for the games. Then, as I played it more, particularly 2K7, I noticed that there was more artistry and control to the game that Live didn't quite have. It was also a more personal and immersive experience. That stuck with me, even though I played Fight Night and Madden primarily for the  next decade.

 When it was announced that 2K18 would have a neighborhood mode, with tons of things for your character to do, I was immediately intrigued. It boasted the story of an undrafted rookie who works his way up from the hard courts to the pros, getting the opportunity of a lifetime. 2K always had a similar take on career, but this was much more fleshed out. It had the usual well done soundtrack, and commentary. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to get back into the series, and purchased it for the Nintendo Switch.

   When I read reviews, I heard about control issues, and online criticism. The problem with games today, and fans, is that everything is overly focused towards online interaction. I appreciate those modes, but not only do fans no longer care about single player presentation, but developers are, in light of that, focusing less on that themselves. However, with this game, they did not let that go.As I mentioned, the game has an open world neighborhood to explore, which is equipped with a barbershop, clothing stores, tattoo parlor, ESPN Zone, basketball arenas and parks, your apartment which can be customized, your sports agent's office, a fully functional gym, the team practice facility, etc. It is loaded! And it allows seamless interaction for online play, where the problems start.


 The biggest issue I have with the game, is that the campaign is run in the neighborhood, and requires you to establish an online connection before starting. So basically, if you don't have, or lose internet connection, not only can you not play with other players in the neighborhood- you don't get the neighborhood at all, and you don't get the single player campaign at all either. That was the biggest and most idiot blunder I have ever seen done in a game. The problem, is that it isn't seen as a blunder at all. Everyone today accepts forced online connectivity in gaming, not giving any thought to the possibility of being offline. I've been in locations where I can't connect to the internet, or have an unstable connection that keeps dropping. If your connection drops, you are exited to the main menu, where you can choose to play career games, but any campaign progress is stopped. Not a single reviewed complained about this.

  The other issue that does exist is the input lag. That is one problem that was actually complained about. Especially on the Switch, there is jerky framerate and fluctuating lag that can make execution very frustrating. Often times, I go to make a double move on the court, and shake my defender. Then my player freezes in place, the defender catches up, and my player does another delayed move, putting himself out of position, robbing me of countless flashy scoring opportunities. It even affects your execution in workout and practice activities. However, it is not always so apparent, and the game for the most part is still effective.

   Visually I was at first unimpressed on the Switch. Then I started noticing that the nuances and textures were well rendered in their own way. It isn't as smooth as the console versions, but at times the gap seems to close considerably. I would wager to say they could have done better, as the characer modes are very well done and detailed at times as well as the arena, and at other times it can look like a sharper version of a PSP era NBA game.

  The soundtrack is awesome, with a wide range of musical genres and old and new tunes. You will find yourself putting on your headphones in the game to just go to the gym, or run to the court listening to the tunes. The commentary for NBA games is absolutely amazing. It felt life like. In fact, is wasn't for a very long time that I started hearing some commentary said again. There was so much naturalness to the way it was done, it makes you shudder at thinking of the work that must have went into it. There are even times when Shaq and Kenny begin going at it in a heated debated during pregame  or half-time discussions. Oddly, Charles Barkley isn't present at the desk, which would have been beyone amazing. For those who are real OG's, not the new millenials, you will by laughing out loud alot during the commentary, and even chiming in with your own comments at time, mistaking it for real banter.


  This leads to another criticism that makes me shake my head. This was the biggest inspiration for me to do this review. The writing. As good as the commentary from the crew is, as well as the 2K TV series that ran in real time, covering real life tournament, and game events, which I thought was cool, the writing for the campaign was as good, if not better at times. I saw, in just about every review, people completely dismissing the single player campaign and writing completely, or going off on riffs calling it the worst thing they have ever experienced. This is where the difference between those from the age of intellects, and the millenials today becomes extremely apparent. I hate to hammer that so much, but it can be frustrating, because if you go by what has been said, you will get the completely opposite impression. Just like as an old school anime fan who grew up on many classics including Dragon Ball and Dragon ball Z, I saw the ups and downs of the series. If you come from my era, you know that DBZ was iconic, but didn't have the depth and emotion of a Rouroni Kenshin. When you saw the potential in the last part of the latest Dragon Ball series, with some emotional parts and very awesome last boss, if you are from my generation, you sat up in your seat keenly tuned in to see what could have transcended the whole story arch. If you're a millenial, it was annoying nonsense to you, and nothing more. You can't really say anything to fix a rift like that. It is what it is.

 Not to get off topic, that is what you have here in the NBA 2K18 story. You play as yourself in the shoes of a character nicknamed DJ, who worked as a DJ while pursuing NBA hopes. You participate in a street tournament, where you get noticed by NBA scouts who try you out. Eventually, you work your way onto an NBA roster. You have a few friends who stick with you the whole way. Mainly it's B-Fresh, an Asian American girl you grew up with, who is extremely funny and down to earth. She becomes an indirect manager of sorts a times. You also make friends with the veteran on the team who takes you under his wing. You make other friends in the NBA and the neighborhood. The staff at the team facility, including security, and maintenance also build a rapport with you. I can't explain fully how wrong the reviews are. The writing is absolute gold. I could have been in my worst mood, or the most angry at how a game went, and the dialogue from teammates, coaches, facility staff like Boo Boo the security guard, friends, etc is so dynamic and real and funny, I can't help but either smile or most times be rolling in laughter. It is so natural and flowing. It doesn't feel like a limited script at all, In fact, at one point, I started to think it updates in real time. It's the kind of funny banter the real ones with a sense of humor would have, just chilling, or after a tense game. There was one time Kyrie Irving, who you make friends with, sneaks into your place, which he does a few time, and you make an Uncle Drew joke, which is what I would have done in real life myself. I know people rag on it, but in my opinion, Uncle Drew is a legendary hallmark  basketball movie. The thing is, that Uncle Drew came out this year in 2018. NBA 2K18 dropped in mid 2017. That's how thoughtfully the writing was done. That's mind boggling.


   I'm currently in the post season stage, and I'm working on leveling up to 99 OVR. That is my last huge issue with the game. You are micro-transactioned to death!!! You increase your parameter limits by leveling up and training at the gym and research center. These workouts and activities gain you fractions of percentages towards parameter increases, like .2%-.3%. That's astronomically low. You gain a few slots of parameter limit increases once you reach 100%, and then it starts over. You have to increase several of these slots before it raises your characters level. To do that requires in-game currency in the thousands. You get about 500 coins for each NBA game as part of your salary. The most experience comes from team practice drills at the facility which are limited to when it closes. You get around .5%-.8% for drills, and the drills also raise several skill sets at once. These skill sets are labeled as badges that improve your performance  overall in areas like defending, fast break ability, and quick reflexes. When you consider it all, between getting the slow exp points and then the revenue from playing games, or getting the ridiculously small checks from sponsors, it could take almost forever to level up substantially. That was a mistake. Before long, you will either give up in that regard, or break down and spend. And you will spend. I spent overall close to $50 just buying VC which is the games currency, in order to level up. Then you have to grind to raise your limits so that you can level up more. It's ridiculously tedious.

  All things considered, I truly have complained at times about the execution of the game, but I've loved the story and atmosphere. It isn't without its flaws, and the charm will win old heads over for sure. The glaring issues I mentioned are the only things keeping this game from being an all time Legend. Still, it's one for the real ones. Salute!!!    8.3/10

New Episodes

These are some new episodes of the Jokatech Podcast, and the ongoing series- "The Beast"
Please enjoy