Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Yankees’ bullpen sucking, the sad fighter Roy Jones, Jr. has become, or Reona Rewis, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
I’m totally fascinated by Sazh from Final Fantasy XIII. He’s one of the most interesting videogame characters I’ve encountered in years. He’s different and real and way cooler than I was expecting him to be. Before I get to why I dig Sazh, let’s take a look at how my thoughts on the character have changed.
- Saw the Japanese scans of Sazh. I thought it was stupid for a chocobo to live in his hair.
- Heard the initial English voice acting for Sazh at E3 2009. He sounded like Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder.
- Saw the game in Tokyo in September 2009. The Tropic Thunder factor was still a mystery.
- Finally played the final game in March 2010. I was glad that Sazh didn’t sound like Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder. That would have been ridiculous. I was also disappointed that Sazh didn’t sound like Robert Downey, Jr. from Tropic Thunder. The unintentional comedy would have destroyed millions of PlayStation 3 consoles in English-speaking countries.
Seriously though, Sazh is very different from your typical videogame protagonist — especially for a Japanese RPG. He’s old for a hero. He’s also a single father. That aspect of the Sazh was the most interesting and atypical. Without spoilarizing things, it’s just powerful and moving to see how things play out between Sazh and his son Dajh. In a genre full of angst-filled teen and tween characters, Sazh was refreshing.
Plus, Tetsuya Nomura allegedly based Sazh’s design on Lionel Richie. I totally want to see him sing the words, “Hello! Is it me you’re looking for?”
Anyway, let me know what you think of Sazh. For that matter, let me know about any recent videogame characters that stood out to you.
For those who have never heard of my all-time favorite cover band, i bring you Me First and the Gimme Gimmes:
I always thought that Master Chief was an interesting character. I know plenty of people don't really like Halo for the story or plot or anything like that, but I always thought his character was an interesting one, and one that would probably be messed up badly by hollywood if a Halo movie was ever made. The whole faceless combatant idea, and the collectivistic nature that he had that is so foreign in America, and the fact that that type of thinking is prevalent in video games but not in our culture I find fascinating.
@ ALL
It's opening day, and no baseball talk around here. That's a sin of the highest caliber. I don't think I've gone to work or school on opening day since about the 6th grade. This is like a national holiday for me. So here we go:
1) My cousin who goes to Boston University got a job at Fenway for the summer. I hate the Red Sox with a passion, but that's an awesome job for a college kid to get.
2) Chan Ho Park is Korean for "I suck ass." It's a loose translation, but still….you get my point.
3) Mark Buehlre made a defensive play today that was f'n amazing.
@Big Blak: Go Yankees!!!
I come from an interesting family in western Connecticut. My Father's side of the family (and I) are Yankees and Giants fans, My Mother's side are all Red Sox and Patriots fans. I'm not saying this had anything to do with the divorce, I just find it ironic is all.
@ Nightshade
Lmao that last line…priceless! I get it, you were born into the rivalry just as I. One thing you'll learn about me is that I LOVE THE RED SOX, BUT, Im not a stupid fan boy so WHEN we argue about the teams if your right I can admit defeat.
YANKEES SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YANKEES SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YANKEES SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Big Blak /ban
@Big Blak
Go Reds! I really don't follow baseball too much, but when I do I like the Reds the best. I am definitely not a Celtics fan though either, I was a little disappointed in the Cavs performance to say the least, but they aren't #1 for nothing.
@RPAD
Don't open the email with pics in them today if you value your computer (lol total joke)
@BodySlamU(another joke, well not you but my name for y……efff it lol)
Yea they are number 1 right now but I don't see the NBA Champs being in Cleavland (or Boston) at the end of the season. Gotta watch out for the Hawks man, that's my sleeper team
@Big Blak
Cleveland has a chance, they have had a pretty good season, but they need to go through the playoffs actually playing like a team. That was their problem last year, they played great as a team in season, and then when it was playoff time it was all on Lebron. Not because he was the only one who was getting plays, or because he just didn't pass (he had a fraction of the plays centered around him, and he passed a lot) but the rest of the team was not making their shots. The team seemed like they were just relying on Lebron, so yeah he had some awesome games where he carried the team, but he really shouldn't have had to do that. If the team can change that this year, then I think that they will have a chance.
@n8r
Ha! I was thinking that one of us was going to start working on a youtube vid of Sazh singing, “Hello” using game play video or something. This was a great cover, i can’t help but laugh, every time i hear this song it reminds me of the 40 year old virgin.
Here are some other classics performed by the Gimmes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV3XQcCyyPc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpb0XB-gT_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah0_DRDG7VI&feature=PlayList&p=FCFB51A96F51DEE4&playnext_from=PL&index=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThgByEDzc8g&feature=PlayList&p=FCFB51A96F51DEE4&playnext_from=PL&index=7
http://www.kewego.com/video/iLyROoafY3lk.html
http://www.last.fm/music/Me%2520First%2520and%2520the%2520Gimme%2520Gimmes?ac=gimme
I like David Cook’s version of “Hello”…mostly because it’s something I could do. Ha.
@rpad
That was a good version by David Cook. Also, i’ll be watching A.I. this week since they went to hollywood, just to i can hear them do lennon/mccartney songs this week.
More about Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
They are actually a punk rock super group comprised of members from Lagwagon, NOFX, Swingin’ Utters, and the lead guitar player was in the band No Use For A Name under the stage name Jake Jackson, but he left that band, started using his real name Chris Shetfield, and has been in a band you may have heard of called the Foo Fighters for the past six years or so.
I love those guys. They also play concerts with an complete Tiki Bar on stage with them. They’ll be drinking Margaritas and Mimosas while playing these songs in front of thousands of punk rock kids.
@ Master Chief fans
This was IGN’s April Fools joke (a must see for everyone):
@N8R
Yeah I saw that when it came out, I couldn’t stand to watch the entire thing. That is kind of what Hollywood would do to Master Chief if he were in a movie.
@N8R
I found a website of 474 things to do when you are bored, and one of the things at the end of the list seems more appropriate for you. It was "- Re-establish the Roman Empire…in Pittsburgh." If there was anyone I know of who would know about this best it would be you.
Ha! I beat the proxy blocker at work!
I like most everything about Sazh. And then you see him walk when you’re controlling him as the party leader and all of a sudden he seems like a caricature. But his story in FFXIII is very striking and well done.
@Topic
I like Snow the most in XIII. Stubern to always do the right thing is something to be admired for these days. Sazh is a close second though.
@Sandrock323 Good man!
@Nightshade386 Completely agreed…and I’m only on chapter 10. Ha!
@Sandrock323 I liked Snow too. He and Sazh were pretty atypical characters from a design perspective. Tetsuya Nomura did a great job. Sazh wins though, simply because of the Lionel Richie factor. “All Night Long”!!!
Whoops
@ ALL
How bout them Red Sox! and the Celts got that W of the Labron Cavaliers!
@ Nightshade
why do you hate Americas Team? Its Red Sox Nation BABY!!!
@nightshade
There’s probably no baseball talk with the Yankees blowing that lead. The cubs were just up 3-0 but that pig Zambrano just gave up 6 runs in the bot 1st! My baseball season is over, i’m looking forward to the NHL playoffs in two more weeks.
@Big Blak: Actually, I’m not the trash talking type. I grew up in the mid 80’s when the Yankees were just dreadful every year. I mean, Mell Hall, Roberto Kelly and Jesse Barfield were the outfield. Steve Sax coming to town was a big deal. They were horrid. As such, I’m grateful for the run we’ve been on over the past decade or so. But there’s no doubt that MLB needs to restructure their revenue sharing rules and institute both a salary cap and salary floor.
But I must say, I find it ironic that the Red Sox fans in my family often try to act like they’re the “little club that could” while sporting a $122 million payroll. When the Pirates win the World Series while spending less money every year than they get in revenue sharing, then I’ll buy that line of crap.
@ Nightshade
Lol I know exactly what you mean man lmao, alot of Sox fans are that way. The team has big money, not too many big names.
@RPAD
Dude I finally got the Camera am I sending it to raymond@rpad.tv?
@ BSUKenyan
I agree but Labron is a crybaby too, he gets frustrated and breaks down for a while then comes back strong (like last night). I’m just waiting for him to implode at the wrong time and that will happen soon. Crybabies can’t admit defeat, just like last year when Labron didn’t give a post game interview or shake hands or slap asses with the Magic. HES THE CAPTAIN!!!!!! Mo Williams is a beast and Delonte should of never been traded off the Cs.
@Big Blak
Yeah I wish they wouldn’t have gotten rid of Delonte, and Mo Williams is a good solid player, but last year he broke down and I remember games where he just could not make his outside shots, and those were points that the cavs desperately needed. Lebron should have done more as a captain, but I can understand a little of how it must have felt. Like I said Lebron was put in a bad position where he had to carry the team, and then after all of the effort he had to put in, the rest of his team still couldn’t pull it together and the cavs ended up losing. I’d be pretty upset too if I were him, so I can kind of see why he didn’t want to do any of that stuff you mentioned.