Deep from the trenches, it’s time for your Monday video feature: Embedded Reporter. Probably my least favorite auto-tune, but it may be the musical style they used. This commercial makes me laugh like crazy. I love the ending.

Charlie and the gang finally confront Namatame. Are they too late to save Nanako? Get Persona 4!

Insert another credit, because it’s time for your weekly video game news and you’ve just hit the Game Overview screen. I get tired of saying it guys, but, really, MLB Power Pros 2009 is not coming to North America. Nintendo has, yet again, released a list of upcoming titles for 2009 ( seen here, from Kotaku) Seriously guys, it sucks, but we’re not getting the game. Gamestop Getting Paid Hey readers, surprise! Gamestop likes to make money. Since they like making money so much, they’ve launched their own digital download store for casual games. ...

Nanako must be saved! Will Charlie make it in time? Get Persona 4!

The taste of Cuban food, the smell right before a thunderstorm on a summer afternoon, the sound of disco music, the oppressive feel of summer heat, and the sight of a pink building all remind me of my childhood home. Everyone knows that the senses trigger strong memories. It’s also common sense that the media we take in over our lives can have a profound effect on our memories of our past and development. From the simple books of my childhood to the games and music I played and listened to along my 23 years of development, there are certain pieces of media that are just inseparable from the circumstances surrounding their initial consumption. They range from the simple joys of childhood all the way to the angst of high school and the harsh realities of adult life, but I wouldn’t trade these associations for anything. ...

It’s time for Wednesday Morning Night Quarterback, your weekly sports round-up. Instead of the usual sports roundup today, it’s going to be a battle of the new stadiums. That’s right, it’s Yankee Stadium vs. Citi Field! [caption id="" align=“aligncenter” width=“500” caption=“A view of Citi Field from the parking lot”] [/caption] VS. [caption id="" align=“aligncenter” width=“500” caption=“Yankee Stadium from the subway platform”] [/caption] ...

Back to Heaven to save Nanako! Get Persona 4!

Looks like a face-off against the new boss of Naoto’s dungeon for a new weapon. Get Persona 4!

Caught another live show of one of my favorite bands last week at the Recher Theatre in Towson, MD. The act was Rx Bandits and Dredg with Zechs Marquise opening and it was a great show. The Recher is a great venue for these smaller shows. They’ve got bars on two of the walls of their rectangle, there’s more than enough room for a decent-sized show, and the size of the place gives you a nice intimate feeling with the bands that are playing. Like most shows, nothing really goes on for the openers. There might be a few diehard fans come to see the band play, but in general the crowd is mostly dispersed and moderately interested. The beauty of that night’s opener was that Zechs Marquise was playing a solid set and they actually got some of the more skeptical and jaded members of the audience, such as myself, interested in what they were doing up on stage. A mostly experimental group, their sound is complex with two guitars and a drummer, but no lyrics. The genre makes sense, considering that it seems to be a Mars Volta side project. I made a note in my iPod to check them out when I got home and consider a purchase, but then I saw that they were selling their album, Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare, for $10, so I thought " What the heck?" and I put down a Hamilton. What a mistake. I really should have taken some time to listen to them online first, because, and I’ve only made it through about eight tracks, but none of the complex rock guitars with drums I was hearing on stage seems to be on the disc. Instead I’ve got what initially seems like an hour of vaguely creepy-sounding ambient music, which would be fantastic if I had a haunted house, but seems pretty useless to me now. I’ll continue to give the disc a listen, but it hasn’t made a strong impression so far. ...

Vinny decides to head back into Naoto’s dungeon for some training and for some sweet equipment. Get Persona 4!