So its come to my attention that there is a new fad that is sweeping the nation. This fad is apparently called "gaming." Now I've had the opportunity to play many new games over the past few months. The one I am diving the deepest into right now is a new game from famed developer Bioware. The game is called "Dragon age: Origins." Its a good ol' fashion fantasy RPG complete with creepy British accents and lustful milk maids. I have had the opportunity to play both console version and PC version and I can whole heartidly say, as most will, that if you want this game, and you do, you need to get this game on the PC. The control work much better and combat is much simpler on the PC than on the console. As far as story goes, its your standard Old Age, fantasy RPG. There's an evil force that wants to destroy the world and you are apart of a slightly secret order of warriors and mages that have the ability and the will to take on this evil. The plot does a great job of pulling you in at the beggining but there is a lack of exposition towards the middle. It really takes a lot of the player to stay engaged. Luckily though Bioware thought ahead and that's why the combat it is so viceral and fun. For warriors there are an array of weapons to choose from such as axes, swords, maces, bows, crowbars, puppy dogs, kittens and carrots (but seriously there are a lot of weapons). For rouges combat is much less simple. They don't stand up well in a fight so you need to plan ahead. Mages are even less effective than rouges in straight up combat. Bring a healing potion. Character progression is, of course, another thing done sublimly in Dragon Age. There are the three main calsses to choose from, all of which have 4 unlockable specializations. Each class specialization feels different from the next and each has a well fleshed out way of recieving learning each one. Some seem a little easier to attain than others, such as becoming a bard by asking a party member while Champion you have to beat an entire segment of the game, but this doesn't detract from the reward you feel from gaining each one and unleasing some truly kick ass special moves on some baddies.

Closing Comments: Bioware is known for making games that have expansive worlds, deep plot, and interesting characters and with Dragon Age: Origins the developers haven't dissappointed. They have made a totally unique fantasy world with its own history and its own problems. Dragon Age: Origins is a shinning example of what can come when a developer takes the time to make the experience for the player worth their money.

Final: MUST OWN

While most Capital students enjoyed a long weekend, Crusader athletic teams were busy on the court, the pitch, and the gridiron.

The Capital football team beat John Carroll University 28-20 in an OAC contest at Bernlohr Stadium Saturday. The Crusaders took the lead early, but had to fight off several comeback attemps from the Blue Streaks. Lots of highlights on the CapVision Sports page.

Capital is now 5-1 (4-1 OAC) and heads to Westerville for a big showdown with arch-rival Otterbein this Saturday. Cap is ranked #16 in the nation, while Otterbein is #13.

In Volleyball action, the Crusaders went toe-to-toe with nationally ranked Heidelberg, losing a close match in three sets (23-25, 22-25, 23-25). We also have highlights of this match on the Sports page.

Both the men's and women's soccer teams were also in action. The women blew past Marietta 4-1, while the men beat also beat Marietta 3-0. In the men's game, senior Steven McCarthy became the top offensive player in Ohio Athletic Conference men’s soccer history, notching a goal and an assist in the victory.

The Capital men's and women's cross country teams finished strong at the Wilmington Fall Invitational, with the men placing 16th and the women finishing 13th out of 25 squads. Check the Capital Athletics Department page for full results.

Midterms, papers, cold weather. LAME, Things are starting to get a little crazy at this point in time during the semester, but the well-anticipated break is just around the corner. Although I'd love to drive back to Pittsburgh to see some family and friends I'll be here in Columbus catching up on school work, audio mixes, and fraternity business. It's all good though, the best advice I can give is to stay busy so that apathy and procrastination are less likely to consume you, even though chances are they probably already have. Check back for updates on what's happening in Columbus if you're unable to go home over break!

-Dan

Some albums I've been checking out lately:

Horse the Band: Desperate Living (new album)- nintendocore
Irepress: Sol. Eye. Sea. I. (latest album) - madness
Converge: Axe to Fall (new album) - heavyness
Grails - space jams
Jesu: Opiate Sun (new album) - sludge fun

For samples, Click on any band name to link to their MySpace.

Tell me what you think.

This is an invite to check out my personal blog which is essentially my musings on all-things NFL (and I guess, football in general) present and past. Just click on my profile, look under "My Blogs" and click on "TheDood's Super-Duper Blog of NFL Footballness".

Brand New does it again! With their new album Daisy, Brand New delves deeper into their musical prowess. Compared to their teeny-bopper pop-punk debut Your Favorite Weapon, Daisy is weird, maybe even "heavy" to some...but more precisely: mature. Daisy seems like a fitting next step after their last release The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. Songs like "Vices" and "At the Bottom" teetering on the edge of screamo, moving into slower more melodic tunes like "You Stole" and "Bed" make Daisy a roller coaster of music that somehow keeps its catchiness (in a good way), but doesn't get wore out.

CHECK'EM OUT HERE Then post a comment and tell us what You think!

Look for some new videos and tutorials from the music tech department coming soon.