Saturday, December 31, 2016

Top 5 Games and Top Games I've Been Playing in 2016!

        2016 has been an intensely awful year in the real world, on both a global and a much more personal scale for me.  However, this year has been an amazing one for escaping into videogames.  This year I invested a lot of time and a bit of money into playing a wide variety of videogames. As with most years, I've played a lot of games from different eras, so I thought I'd do a random shoutout to some games I've been playing recently that you should check out if you need something new for 2017 before I put my top 5 games of the year!  These are ordered mostly by system/genre/price, but towards the bottom they become put into the top 5!  First up are some browser and app store games!

Kingdom Rush
    Price:  Free (with microtransactions), $9.99 on steam (currently on sale for $4.99)
    Release: 2011
Kingdom Rush Logo
    Platform: Browser, Android, IOS 
    Kingdom Rush is a game I've played sporadically for years, originally on Addictinggames.com, then on armor games, and now on my tablet!  The game has a charming art-style, simple Tower Defense gameplay, but a surprisingly steep difficulty ramp.  The game is not hard to learn or even play, but it is a challenge to master.  Getting 3 stars on every level as well as the challenge stars playing them again is a real challenge, but one that is great to pop in and play and therefore works well as an app or the online save browser game.  If you've never given this one a shot, you really should give it a try!  Since it's release, there's been two sequels, Frontiers and Origins, which I have yet to play, but are also worth looking at. 

Jacksmith   
    Price:  Free
Jacksmith Logo     Release: 2012
    Platform: Browser
    Similar to the last entry, Jacksmith is an old game I recently rediscovered.  The game is more along the line of restaurant games like the Papa's restaurant series (which I also adore) wherein you are given an order you have to complete, but instead of making food, you are making weapons!  You then give these weapons to soldiers who fight their way through a horde of enemies to get you gold and more materials.  The game has simplistic music and visuals that work well for the style it goes for and easy controls.  However, I would HIGHLY recommend playing this game with a mouse, not a tough pad, as your placement of objects is graded and the touchpad is near impossible to get perfect scores with.  The game also has hidden combos of hilts, metals, and pommels that will increase the power of your blade or grant it advantages like bonus attack against certain enemies or even increased luck!  This game is short and best played in a short burst one or twice a year. 

Pokémon Go
    Price:  Free (with Microtransactions)
    Release: 2016
    Platform: Android & IOS
    Say what you will about Pokémon Go, I think it is a nice little game to have.  While the game has infamously lost a huge portion of it's followers due to its rocky start, I have been using it as motivation to park further from my classes and walk to them as well as take short walks.  I haven't really done any huge walks to get a ton of Pokémon, mainly because our weather went from burning hot to way to cold in one day, but I like to use it anytime I know I have a little ways to walk, and the Halloween and Holiday updates have been really nice!  Here's some footage I never posted from back in the summer right after it released when my town did a huge Poke-walk!  We had somewhere around 200 people!   

Slayin'
    Price:  $1.00 IOS, Free Elsewhere (with Microtransactions)
    Release: 2011
    Platform: Browser, Android & IOS
    Slayin is an awesome little game I heard about a few years back from a certain YouTube video!  So, instead of explaining it again, here is Balrog's review of this fabulous little app, Slayin'. 

Hearthstone
    Price:  Free (with Microtransactions)
Hearthstone Logo
    Release: 2014
    Platform: Computer, Android & IOS
    Now we're getting into the big leagues!  While the previous games have all been Indie titles, Hearthstone is a card game produced by Blizzard, the creators of the likes of World of Warcraft, Diablo, and another game that will be appearing on this list ;)  You have probably already heard of Hearthstone, but it is a virtual card game featuring the characters from the Warcraft world.  The nice thing is that the cards and playable characters have enough personality and memorability that you do not need to have played any other Blizzard game to play this one!  I started playing Hearthstone a year ago and finally got back to playing it and I'm really enjoying the new gang based cards that are out right now!  The best part is that its rules are very clear and the game tells you if you can do anything else before ending a turn to help out new and old players alike.

Pokémon Picross
    Price:  Free (with Mictrotransactions)
    Release: 2015
    Platform: 3DS
Pokemon Picross     The second and not last Pokémon game on this list, Pokémon Picross is something totally different.  Like Pokémon Trozeii or Shuffle--both of which are also great games--it is a completely different style of game with Pokémon characters.  Picross is a Sudoku like game in which you use counting and logic to create the picture of, in this case, over 300 different Pokémon!  As a kid, I loved when we got assignments in kindergarden like this, but I never knew it was an entire genre of game until just recently!  Pokémon Picross is a great diversion, however the pay-to-play model can be extremely frustrating as you need "picrites" to open new levels.  However, even going back and doing old levels is fun and it's great for when you have about 5 minutes and a fast mind. 

Roller Coaster Tycoon Deluxe
    Price:  $5.99
    Release: 1999
    Platform: Windows
Roller Coaster Tycoon Deluxe     I never played Roller Coaster Tycoon as a kid, usually tending towards edu-tainment computer games or Barbie Ice Skating and what not.  However, ever since I've watched YouTube, I've heard of Roller Coaster Tycoon and with the release of the $45 Planet Coaster, I decided to finally try out a coaster tycoon game.  Lucky for me, Humble Bundle got me this gem for less than $1!  The game is immensely simplistic, but also extremely difficult on later levels.  It's a nice thing to derp around in, but is  obviously not on par with newer roller coaster tycoon-esque games.  However, it is an absolute steal for $1 or even $5.  I actually enjoy the simplistic 90s artstyle as it displays everything you need it to nice and understandably.  I have never made a "death park," but I can see why people would and I most likely will be making one soon enough.  It's nice to see how mechanics from this game such as adding benches and trash cans to reduce fatigue and trash carry over into the modern era of roller coaster games and I've seriously enjoyed this game.

Stardew Valley
    Price:  $14.99 (currently on sale: $9.99)
    Release: 2016
    Platform: Windows, OSX, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
Stardew Valley     I had never heard of Stardew Valley until it's release in February this year, but it has apparently been in development since as early as 2012.  I have never played the Harvest Moon series, but if you are even a bit of a fan of those, this is the perfect game for you.  The game is actually much deeper than you'd expect.  Aside from farming, you can go adventuring into caves, fishing and mining, find and unlock new areas, complete quests, play a few in minigames at the Saloon, and, of course, get married!  The game is also amazing in that you are able to marry anyone that is your age and is therefore listed as "single."  This means you can marry and have kids with someone of the same or opposite sex!  Furthermore, I'm not sure if all characters sexual orientation changes to match yours, but the character Leah mentions having an ex girlfriend.  I personally married Sam, the guitar playing super-saiyan skater boy with the heart of gold.  Your significant other helps on the farm and often gives you gifts or words of encouragement, which is exactly what I want from every game.  I will admit that it was hard to get back into the game after taking months off from playing it, but it was just expanded in November, so if you're like me and haven't touched it in a while, try again!  Tons of stuff has been added and the game is really fantastic.  I suggest watching this series if you want an idea what the game is like!



-----And now, for the Top 5 games of 2016!-----


5.) Turmoil
    Price:  $9.99 (currently on sale: $5.99)
    Release: 2016
    Platform: Windows, OSX, Linux
    Turmoil is a simple 2D game in which you dig for oil and try to get rich, but it is a hell of a fun one.  I won't belabor the point, but if you are interested, you should check out Jacksepticeye's series on the game to see if you'd like it!  I've really enjoyed the careful planning and yet fast-paced gameplay, the artstyle and old west style music, and the Hard Mode!




4.) Pokémon Moon
    Price:  $39.99
    Release: 2016
    Platform: 3DS

    As always, I preordered the latest Pokémon game as soon as it was announced.  I posted my initial thoughts, many of which I still agree with, and many of which I am happy to say I have changed.  I am surprisingly in love with this game in a way I haven't been since Pokémon Diamond.  The game is gorgeous and unlike Gen 6, I actually enjoy the 3D models.  However, I'm VERY annoyed that all Pokémon have a 3D model and yet they can't walk behind you!  Like, come oooon!!  Otherwise, I've done a relatively good job of not spoiling the game, and so whenever I catch a Pokémon, it's a surprise!  For the first time in years, I don't know what every evolution looks like or what Pokémon's types are, so I am carefully constructing my teams.  The game has a lot of great features such as the Refresh mechanic, Poke Pelago, and Festival Plaza, bringing back and expanding upon many of the things I've enjoyed in past games, especially 5th Generation.  The game does lag on old 3DSs, which is frustrating, but on a New Nintendo 3DS, it plays and looks like a dream.  I am not very far in it yet, but I'm having a great time with it so far, more so than any game in Gen 6!   




3.) Darkest Dungeon
    Price:  $24.99 (currently on sale: $12.49)
Darkest Dungeon banner     Release: 2016
    Platform: Windows, OSX, Linux, PS4, PS VITA
    Darkest Dungeon was crowdfunded and release in January this year, but I didn't discover it until about a month ago thanks to Northernlion and ProJared on YouTube.  The game is a gorgeous 2D dungeon crawling rougelike in which the game autosaves at every action, so there is no room for recklessness.  The most interesting feature is the stress mechanic; darkness, backtracking, and certain enemies inflict stress onto your characters.  If the stress reaches 100, their "resolve" will be tested.  Some become virtuous and calm down, often calming others in the process.  However, most of them will freak out and take on negative characteristics, like yelling and stressing out their teammates, resisting healing, or passing on their turn completely.  The game is tough and has a lot of subtleties to it, such as high level characters refusing to go on low level missions, so you must make sure you have enough low level heroes, or finding the best way to relieve each character's stress.  The $25 is a bit steep and I managed to get it on sale for about $11.  If you can find it for close to $15, it is a must have if you like turn based combat with a varied team.  (I personally like to have a Vestal, Houndmaster, Highway man, and Crusader left to right if you were curious!) 




2.) Overwatch
    Price:  $39.99 (currently on sale: $29.99)  with microtranactions
    Release: 2016
    Platform: Windows, Xbox One, PS4
    In case you haven't guessed, I do not like first person shooters.  I normally go for story heavy platformers or strategy games, with only the occasional game like Splatoon mixing that up.  However, after being urged by a friend, I bought Overwatch in August and have since become the Overwatch team coordinator for my eSports team.  With bright, colorful visuals, engaging characters with a wide variety of playstyles, and constant updates, Overwatch has absolutely stolen my heart.  Though like any game it has problems, such as the balancing of loot boxes and the online bigots, it also has a kinder side to the community, committed to having a good time.  I personally enjoy playing as Junkrat and Lucio as, not only are they attractive, but they don't require regular shooter style accuracy and have fun mechanics like laying traps or healing with music.  I never thought I'd enjoy a game without a single player story mode, but this game has proven me wrong and provided me well over 23 hours, which for me is a lot.  Not to mention, while writing this I popped into the game, got 5 free Loot Boxes from Blizzard, and got SANTABJORN!  YASSSSS!!!   


Some honorable mentions (or games I'm too tired to write about): 
  • Titan Souls (2015)
  • XCOM Enemy Within (2013)
  • Kingdom New Lands (2016)



1.) The Binding of Isaac Rebirth/Afterbirth
    Price:  $25.98 (for Rebirth and Afterbirth, currently on sale: $14.08)
    Release: 2011/2014/2015/2016
    Platform: Windows, Xbox One, PS4

    First off, let me explain.  The Binding of Isaac Rebirth, a remake/remaster of a 2011 game created by Edmund McMillan (creator of Super Meat Boy), was released in 2014.  Then, in 2015, the Afterbirth DLC was released on PC when I started to play it, but it wasn't released to Xbox and PlayStation until 2016, so I'm going to count it as such.  Furthermore, Afterbirth + will be released in early January 2017, so this game is just a constant!  The Binding of Isaac is most likely in my top 3 games of all time, and the Afterbirth DLC is a must have.  I have over 450 hours in this game (most of it in pause screens and on the menu screen TBH, but still) and still play it while I watch YouTube.  The game is a Legend of Zelda one style dual stick shooter with hundreds of items and item combinations in a strange, gross world.  This game is definitely only for those 13+ if not 17+ based on the horrific designs of the enemies alone, not to mention two levels taking place in Isaac's mother's womb.  What makes the game even cooler however, is that the playable characters and many of the bosses are based on Biblical characters, stories, etc.  I never read the whole Bible as a kid, but I've been inspired to go google who Isaac was, why characters like Eve have the items they do, and so forth.  Great music, great visual style, and nearly endless playtime, all in one great game.  Sadly, the game has a terrible, unplayable lag on battery power, even on the strongest laptop I've ever had, but when plugged in, it plays like a dream, or maybe more like a nightmare with how hard it can be.  If you're interested, give this series a glance and enjoy this Indie gem!


   There you have it, my most played and top 5 games of 2016!  What were yours?  What are you excited for in 2017?  Get anything cool for the Holidays?  Tell me in the comments below!  Thanks for reading and here's to a better 2017!

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Sonic for the Kids! Another 24 Hour Livestream!

     
     It's that time of year again, time to raise money for kids at UNM Children's Hospital! This year, I'll be playing the Sonic Adventure Series for the first time ever for 24 hours straight to help support the Extra-Life Charity in raising money to help kids! I'm also going to be doing a challenge as voted on by you guys on the poll found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1037027389742077/?active_tab=discussion !

     You do NOT have to watch to donate and you don't have to donate to watch, but it is greatly appreciated and the whole point to this. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the funds raised goes to the kids! You can donate now or learn more by going to: http://www.extra-life.org/participant/lea2016

The stream will be at: https://www.twitch.tv/leanasta_w but if you can't wait to see my face until then, you can check out some new videos at https://www.youtube.com/c/GalenS_Lea !

Remember to share with your friends and see you all then! Bye bye!


Monday, October 31, 2016

Happy Halloween!


I share with you all my poor attempts at makeup and dressing up as an Umbreon for Halloween!  Sorry I’ve been busy so long, but have some snapchats!  Of course, that sadly means that the video is vertical, but I hope you’ll excuse it!  Happy Halloweeeeeen!! 




You can donate to the Extra Life Charity!
http://www.extra-life.org/participant/lea2016
Made in Wondershare Filmora

Friday, June 3, 2016

Giveaway CLOSED and Life Update!

    Hey everyone!  First off, the Call of Juarez giveaway is CLOSED and was won by Brittani a.k.a. Brister 1821!  She's super cool and yall should check out her stuff

   Moving on, about my life!  So, I'm all moved into my apartment and have been for a little while, but I have little to no internet!  It goes in and out constantly and can barely upload mp3s, let alone mp4s.  Meaning, my YouTube is probably going to be a bit dry for at least one more week :(  However, when I have internet, I have tons of videos to upload!  I have a lot of ones to film and edit as well.  Until then, you guys can hear my voice as I audition for all sorts of parts on Casting Call Club!  You guys can upvote my auditions and give me feedback, which would be great!  I was already cast in one production which is an Ace Attorney fanfic!

   I also have more Pokémon News on the way soon, but for now, talk to you all later and enjoy your summer!!!

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Call of Juarez Giveaway!

   Hello everyone!  So, I have some awesome news.  A lot of stuff is going on in my life, BUT, I have a present to all my awesome readers/followers! 

Prize:  One steam code for Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
How to Win: 
  • Be following me on twitter @Alias_Lea
    • Tweet out anything NICE using #MePlusFree.
      • This means just anything that is nice such as "Hope you all have a good day" to "The sun is really pretty today!"
    • Only one tweet per person
  • AND/OR Post a nice comment in the comment section below for THIS POST, also using #MePlusFree
    • One comment per person!
    • No anonymous comments!
    • Doing both will get you two entries (maximum)!
Deadline: May 31st, 11:59 p.m. MST

   I will be using a random number generator to chose the winner!  The winner will be contacted at approximately 12:00 noon MST, June 1st via email or personal message on Twitter!  They will have 24 hours to confirm via email/twitter.  Then, with their permission, I will announce the winner on the blog at about 1:00 p.m. June 2nd! 

  I hope to do more giveaways like this, so if you liked this, please tell me!  This is really exciting and I hope you all participate!

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Thoughts On: Litten

  Hey everyone!  Just had a sudden mini thought on the new fire starter, Litten!  I've already talked about them so check out this post to read all about the Sun and Moon news, but I just had a cool thought.  What if Litten evolves into a fire tiger?  We've had a few cats before as well as a lion, but we don't really have ANY tigers!  The stripes in it's head and the bands on its legs could be the start of some larger stripes!  If so, I would definitely have to be team Litten!  If anyone is good at art, I'd love to see some fanart of what you think Litten could look like when it evolves!

Pokemon Sun and Moon: All is Revealed!

    So, it looks like Generation 7 is truly around the corner for Pokémon fans!  As you all know, Pokémon is probably my favorite franchise of all time and I have really enjoyed it for a long time.  However, after all the hype for Gen 6, I felt it was a let down.  I will say I really enjoyed Froakie and Fenniken as well as the legendaires, Xerneas and Yveltal.  I even have a Fenniken plushie!  I am not the biggest fan of Mega Evolutions, and I find them a little frustrating.  I'd prefer to give some Pokémon full fledged evolutions, but some of the Megas do look really cool. 
   But we aren't here to talk about Gen 6!  We're here to talk about EVERYTHING the newest trailer for Pokémon Sun and Moon has to offer.  For starters, have a look at the trailers yourself!




The Alola Region:

       Let's start by talking about the region itself.  Many of us have long speculated it would take place in a Hawaii based region and I am relieved we are right!  I personally love the tropical and water based Hoenn, so a Hawaii based region is awesome!  I love the bright red flowers and greens an blues and it has a very nice overall feel to it.  However, the graphics look....weird to me.  Though the battle animations looks SMOOTH AS BUTTAH which was definitely an issue in Gen 6 with constant lag, the over world seems...pixelated.  I can't exactly place it, but the character model doesn't seem to really look like it's IN the environment.  Otherwise though, I enjoy the combination of modern cities with these nice small huts and more natural segments.

     It does look a little small to me however.  I hope that, like Hawaii, Alola consists of a series of islands, and that it makes sure to retain some of the geographical diversity that makes Pokémon of many designs and types reasonable. 

The Characters:
      Look like customization is back!  I'm glad to see that we will be yet again having some options
for protagonists.  I think that the guy is pretty attractive (especially the 3rd one for some reason).  The girl is pretty cute, but I hope I can have green eyes!  None of them see to :(  I hope that it allows for the same drastic amounts of customization that Generation 6 did, so that I can make one a little more like me.  My favorites are probably the 3rd boy and 1st girl. 

     Also in the trailer, we see a shirtless guy!  And shirtless guy seems to be the new professor since his name is Kukui which is a type of tree!  He may not be Professor Sycamore, but he definitely seems like a handsome and charismatic guy.  I do have to say it is a little bit of a strange trend that the Pokémon Professors have been seemingly getting younger and more attractive?  Just something to think about.  Also, the boy in the yellow shorts who seems to be our rival seems like a cool guy!  I'm VERY happy to just have ONE rival again.  I'll be honest, I hated the huge cast of Gen 6 because they were all either boring and generic, or very annoying like Shauna.  I HOPE it is just that guy.  Also, I personally thought rivals worked best when they were, well, rivals.  I was most motivated to beat them when it was that jerk face Gary Oak or the evil(?) Silver!  I understand why they would move more towards friends, but that's just my personal preference.

    If the Japanese trailer was any hint, I would like it if our character was new to the region and this guy was nice enough to be our first friend!  This would be very reminiscent of Gen 3, but seems unlikely, based on the house we briefly see in the trailers. 

The Starters: 

     Now for what you've all actually been here for!  We finally got to see the 3 new start Pokémon and they are....well....they are!  We, as always, have a Fire, Grass, and Water starter!  Let's take a look at them.

First off, we have the grass starter, Rowlet, the Grass Quill Pokémon.  To me, that sounds eerily
similar to the Spiky Nut Pokémon, Chespin.  Rowlet stands an adorably small 1 foot tall and weighs 3.3 ibs.  Rowlet is a Grass/Flying type with the ability Overgrow.  Many people had speculated that the grass starter would be an owl, and here it is!  My initial thoughts on it were less than enthusiastic, but the more I look at Rowlet, the more it grows on me (get it?).  I think the name has a very nice, rounded feel to it that matches the little bird.  However, am I missing something?  I get that it is an owlet, but rowlet?  Rolling owlet?  Round owlet?  Can anyone enlighten me?

       I do think it's design is very, VERY simplistic and the beak is a bit weird in my opinion, but the simplicity of it's first stage may allow for a very cool evolutionary line.  I like it a lot more than Gen 6's Chespin, but it doesn't shout grass type starter.  I do love his little leaf bow and tail though.  Since it already starts off as Grass Flying, there's no mystery that it will most likely keep that typing as it evolves.  I can definitely see it evolving into some absolutely MASSIVE owl by the end of its line.  I'd say it's a close choice between Rowlet and our next contestant for me.
  
     Next up, we have Litten.  Litten is a basic fire type and is aptly called the "Fire Cat Pokémon."
  Litten is 1' 4" tall and weighs 9.5 ibs with the ability Blaze.  I personally love the idea of a fire cat Pokémon, however I think I love the idea more than the design.  While Litten has some nice elements to its design, I personally am not a fan of "stone faced Pokémon" that are only depicted as grumpy.  (OMG GRUMPY CAT THE POKEMON CONFIRMED)  There is something about it's face that just doesn't sit well with me, especially when you think of how cute just normal kittens are.  It might be the way the eyes are, making them look so gloomy, or something like that.  However, since there is a lot of black in this design, we can hope to see a dark fire type which would be awesome!  I'm personally a huge fan of dark type Pokémon, of which we don't have a lot.  Plus, Litten and Houndoom on the same team would be a pretty awesome combo. 
    
    I will admit I'm a little afraid of what this one will evolve into.  While I think Delphox is alright, I personally don't love the way it turned out.  I hope that Litten can evolve into something very cool, but distinct.  Though I like Pyroar's design, I ant Litten to have a very cool, unique evolution, so I'm curious how that will turn out.  Finally, I want to point out how much I love those little spikes on its back when it arches up like a cat does.  That is a perfect touch!        

     Finally, we have Popplio....the Sea Lion Pokémon.  Popplio stands the same height as Litten at 1' I suggest this video, so go ahead and check that out.  Popplio gives me flashbacks of Oshawott, which is not a good thing.  The little guy is cute, but obviously the clown Pokémon and looks more like something from a 1940s cartoon.  I personally adore sea lions, and I'd like to see this guy evolve into a majestic Milotic sort of creature that sheds its once weird shell.
4", but weighs 16.5 Ibs. and has the ability Torrent.  Let's be honest.  Popplio looks like a fan character.  In fact, all 3 of these guys do.  If you want to see some really cool fan designs and see if you like them better,

     Overall, it is my least favorite, but I'm sure some people will like it, and I am curious about where they can go with this guy.  I hope they stay away from a clown Pokémon route because I HATE CLOWNS. 

The Legendaries:
   
     Honestly, I prefer the fake leaked box art for these legendaries.  These two have no names as of
yet, but they honestly don't sell it for me.  Pokémon games are basically sold by whatever legendary is on the box, and for the first time ever, I can't decide which one I want because I don't really like either one.  Now, the Hawaiian goddess of the moon, Hina, represents feminity as juxtaposed to Ku, representing masculinity.  While the moon Pokémon here does seem to have some feminity to it, it still would have been cool to see a gardevoir esque Pokémon and a machoke like Pokémon or something.  I will probably end up with moon because I like the design just that much more, but that is really not saying much.  We still don't know these two's names or where they fit in the greater mythos of the Pokémon world.

    Finally, we have not seen some of the locals and other things we saw in the very first trailer, such as the wireframe bird Pokémon they were working on, so there is still much more to come before November!  As always, these are all my opinions and by no means have to be yours!  I'd love to know what you guys think about the games from these trailers and what starter you're thinking of!  Thank you guys so much for reading!

    Also, this Sunday is my birthday!  I will try to have at least something up on here or YouTube for you guys as we celebrate 20 years!  Woooooo!  See you all then!!



Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Dollar Tree!

  Hey everyone!  Sorry I've been away.  This semester has been an absolute hell and I have been crazy busy.  But!  Good news!  I have a lot of videos to upload and I'm actually finally starting to work on them!  I will also be moving in a few weeks (finally) so I'll be vloging that and writing and Adventures With Lea about it!  Until then, have my two latest videos!  Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to see them when they first come out or follow my twitter, @Alias_Lea!



I also found some awesome Easter stuff at the dollar tree, so let's take a look!

Also, check out Ashens: https://www.youtube.com/user/ashens

Check out my Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alias_Lea
Blog: http://meplusfree.blogspot.com/
Google+: http://google.com/+GalenS_Lea
and Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/leanasta_w

Any donations are appreciated here:
https://www.twitchalerts.com/donate/leanasta_w
Special thanks to: GlitchxCity for all the amazing music!
https://www.youtube.com/user/GlitchxCity
You can donate to the Extra Life Charity!
http://www.extra-life.org/participant/lea2016

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Pink Patrick's Day

    Hello hello my lovelies and my laddies!  It's St. Patrick's Day yet again!  If you live in the U.S, more than likely you associate the day with drinking, green, corned beef and cabbage, and all things Irish!  Well, I have some different feelings of the day.  Let's start with a history lesson for anyone who doesn't know the real origin, and then I'll talk about my connections!

The History:
    St. Patrick lived in the 5th century, meaning a lot of what we "know" today is speculation and taking the word of documents from well over a thousand years ago.  He was born in the 4th century in Roman Britain to a Christian deacon and his wife.  At 16, he was kidnapped by traders and sent to Gaelic Ireland as a slave where he worked as a shepherd until he "found God" and ran away to return home.  He later returned to Ireland to convert people to Christianity and run the druids out of Ireland.  That's right America, we've been lied to.  The "snakes" St. Patrick drove out were the druids!  IRELAND HAD NO SNAKES!  I feel betrayed. 
    Anyway!  In the 17th century, it was declared that March 17th, the day of his death, would be a day of feasting and celebration.  Fun fact: though we usually associate the day with Green, traditionally Irish Protestants also wore Orange!  The Shamrock, an iconic symbol of the day and the country, was supposedly used by St. Patrick to help explain the holy trinity to the pagan Irish since it has three distinct leaves (Not the "lucky" four leaf clover).  There is also a tradition in which a shamrock is placed in a glass with whiskey, cider, or beer.  You then toast to Ireland, St. Patrick, or the people in the room, and drink--you either swallow the shamrock or toss it over your shoulder for good luck!  We have now decided this will be one of our traditions in the family! 
     There is actually a lot more interesting stuff to learn about, so I highly suggest at least skimming the Wiki page.

For Me:
     Now, my family is practically famous for it's inability to use the proper word for things  For
2015
example, my sister called a veil a "bride net" and my mother called the garbage disposal the "sink chop."  As a little one, I thought the day was PINK Patrick's day.  Ever since, we have incorporated pink into  it as much as green.  No Green?  Pinch.  No Pink?  Poke.  Both?  You owe me a coke!  (I maaaaaay have combined two very different traditions).  One year we even had a cake with pink frosting and green edging and lettering!  I also try to be very careful to wear both colors.  Note the pink in the sweatpants I wore last year.   
      Also, my genetics consist of from 60-75% Irish at least, most being directly from Ireland.  I did an entire research prject about Knowth, Dowth, and Newgrange, and I'm even thinking of studying abroad in Ireland next spring or summer at Maynooth!  When I was probably in middle school or so, my mom bought me an emerald Claddagh pendant necklace.  Claddagh rings are a traditional Irish accessory (since 1700) symbolizing love, loyalty, and friendship, often used as engagement rings or given from mothers to daughters.  Not only is it an awesome piece of heritage, but the Emerald is also my birthstone. 
      So, while to most people St. Patrick's is a day of parades, drinking, and celebrating a guy most people think got slithery little reptiles off an island, to me it will always be a day of traditions--old and new!  I'd love to know if you guys have any wacky traditions or house rules you implement!  Leave a comment below or tweet me @Alias_Lea, or really just talk to me on any social media!  Have a great day, drink responsibly, and I'll see you all next time!! <3
My Claddagh Necklace!

 

Friday, March 4, 2016

Twilight Princess Wii U!!

     Hello hello my lovelies!  I have a lot of crazy stuff going on in my life right now, but something awesome did just happen!  Today, Twilight Princess HD for Wii U released in the U.S!  Now, as I've mentioned before, Twilight Princess is one of my favorite games of all time.  It holds a lot of memories for me, specifically sitting on the couch figuring out the puzzles with Seth.  I wanted to preorder the game as soon as I heard about it at the Nintendo Direct last year, but I guess I forgot to finish my order!  Luckily, a few days ago, I check amazon again and found it still in my checkout box so I bought it and got free standard shipping.  They told me the game would arrive on the 10th.  NOPE!  Here it is in all it's glory!!  Now, I'm not a huge fan of HD remakes, but what sold me was the Amiibo.  Compared to the first run of amiibo, Wolf Link and Midna are extremely solid and well crafted.  It actually has some weight to it! 
      Now, why is Twilight Princess my favorite?  Because of Wolf Link, of course!  My whole life, wolves have been my favorite animal.  As a kid, I knew very little about the Legend of Zelda; the first game I played was The Minish Cap which I love.  Then, I got Twilight Princess.  The extremely handsome protagonist was not only epic, but TURNED INTO A WOLF!  How cool is that?!  Furthermore, when I was in New York back in freshman year of high school to sing at Carnegie Hall, Joellen and I stopped at the Nintendo Store and saw an awesome foot tall Wolf Link statuette that cost something like $400+.  Ever since, I've always wanted a replica, and now I have one that fits right next to my other amiibo!  I am also in the market for some Zelda and Ganon amiibo so I can make a nice little display shelf once I move!
Wolf Link and Normal Link!
The whole squad!


 

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Pokemon Master Post for Pokemon's 20th Anniversary!

I celebrate Pokemon’s 20th Anniversary with my Top 10 Pokemon memories!  For more of my memories, experiences, commentary, etc, check out: http://meplusfree.blogspot.com!  Congratulations to Pokemon and may you have 20 more amazing years!!! <3


Any donations are appreciated here:
https://www.twitchalerts.com/donate/leanasta_w 

Special thanks to:
BlazetheCat130 for the Pokemon Colosseum footage!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3YeUDBgMG4nW6hW5z34lKw
GlitchxCity for all the amazing music!
https://www.youtube.com/user/GlitchxCity


You can donate to the Extra Life Charity!
http://www.extra-life.org/participant/lea2016






Top 10s:
Pokémon and Me:
Gen 6 Hype:
Other:
All Pack Openings:




Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Pre-Pokemon Aniversary!

   Hey guys, I know I promised some content, but it suddenly hit me, the 27th is Pokémon's 20th anniversary!!  If all goes well, I'm going to try to make a top 10 esque video to post this weekend!  No promises, but I'm going to try!!!  <3

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Drought?

   Hey guys, sorry I'm a bit out.  I've been having a really rough semester so far and so my mind's been super scattered.  Don't worry though, there will be an Adventures with Lea and a TBH Tuesday very soon!  <3 <3

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hey everyone!  I hope you've been enjoying Valentine's Day!  Here is this year's Me+Free special!  (I am in the process of digitally coloring it)
Lea:  "OMG is that a deathclaw?!  Op, no, at least 4 of em!  Z! My finest gun!"
Z:  "Lea..."
Radio: "Let's ride into the sunset together"
"Spend Valentine's Day With Your 'Fiercely Loyal' Companion"
This year's is Fallout themed!  Specifically, my favorite, Fallout New Vegas!  We have Lea in Leather Armor and Z in the Sexy Sleepwear!  We also have the radio playing a nice little romantic song of the soundtrack and a little cheesy tagline using the Fiercely Loyal perk from the game!  I'm actually pretty proud of this one aside from the lands of course.  I hope you enjoy! 

Want more Valentine's Day specials and stuff?
2012 Special
2014 Special
10 Tips to Surviving Valentine's Day
2015 Stream Drawings

Monday, February 1, 2016

Loot Crate vs. 1 Up Box vs. Japan Crate!

Jaimi and I decided to compare Loot Crate and 1 Up Box, and also taste test all the awesome things in January's Mega Japan Crate!  I divided it up into 3 smaller videos!






Get your own Crates and Boxes!
Loot Crate:

Check out my Twitch streams!
http://www.twitch.tv/leanasta_w
Any donations are appreciated here:
https://www.twitchalerts.com/donate/leanasta_w

Check out my twitter; 

You can now donate to the Extra Life Charity 2016!
http://www.extra-life.org/participant/lea2016

Music by Glitchxcity 

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Too Excited!!

   So, I have a class at about 2:30 today in the Creative Media building.  Now, as you all know by now, I've been acting since literally Kindergarten, but after Beauty and the Beast, I slowed my roll.  I decided not to major in acting because acting is such a fickle field: you can act or you can't.  Taking classes to improve that is awesome, but getting a degree in it is kind of scary in my opinion, so I opted for a degree I'm pretty sure I can get a job in incase acting fell through.  This time last year, I was auditioning for a senior project film-"Knock'em Dead."  I was cast as an extra, filmed for two days, and then never heard from anyone related to the project again.  I think something happened with the location, but whatever.
   
This is what I'm sitting under!
Well, this History of Magic and Witchcraft class is the first one I've had in this building, but I instantly loved the place--theater style posters with lit borders, big flashy lightbulbs like on a greenroom mirror, the works.  The place feels like home away from my Science Hall home.  Well, I've found myself a little place to sit in a hallway beside an information desk.  There is only one other seat here, but the one I'm in makes me invisible to the person behind the counter which is preferable.  Well, as I sat here doing some homework, another guy took a seat in the other chair and chatted with the invisible desk man (IDM).  Then, another guy came to talk to IDM, except this guy was talking about working behind the camera as a non-major!  Something I'm also very interested in.  I nerded out a bit and eavesdropped, but eventually got a "you need to talk to this person" response that I felt a bit meh on. 

   Then, as the Non-major walked away, the seated guy (SG) mentioned that he needed guys like that to be in his production.  I instantly couldn't help myself and essentially said I was an actress and I'd love a role.  He enthusiastically asked for my email and I equally so gave it to him.  I also offered to help with backstage work, even making sets if needed and he said it would be filmed on a theater set which is my home turf!  Squeeeeee!!!  Hopefully, I can get my name out there as a non-major actress who's hopefully more available and (hopefully) less of a diva than most acting majors (one of the top reasons I didn't want to continue acting).

   So, I am waaay too happy not to share this shred of hope with you all!  Hopefully, we'll hear more about this soon!  Also, tomorrow I'll probably be doing an art stream as I draw the Me+Free Valentine's Day Special which is Fallout themed!!!

See ya all later!!! <3 <3

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Back to School :(

   Welp, time for my hardest semester yet.  This semester I have 17 hours, I'm moving houses, trying to make a streaming/YouTube career, and trying to survive.  This semester will be hard, but I hope I can make it ;-;  Mon-Wend are my hardest days because I have all but 1 of my classes.  Fridays are free, so those will most likely be stream days.
    In good news land, my Japan Crate has arrived and the 1upbox and Lootcrate have shipped, so hopefully, those will all be here this weekend! 
    I hope everyone is going to get through the school year with me!  <3

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

TBH Tuesday #2 (1/12/16)

   Hey there everyone!  I was just wandering through Tumblr and found a nice, easy tag that I thought I'd go through for TBH Tuesday!  I've talked about a lot of these things before/you might know them, but heyyyyy!  For funziiieeezzzz! 

Name: Galen K Skibyak  (fun fact, I hate my middle name!)

Nickname: Lea, Leanasta Worthington

Star Sign: Taurus!  (also, year of the Fire Rat in the Chinese zodiac!)

Gender: Female

Height: 5′6″ and still growing?!  I grow very slowly but I swear to god I grew another inch this past month.

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Favorite Color: Red or Greeeeen

Time Right Now: 10:13 a.m. MST

Current Location:  Amariel

Average Hours of Sleep: 8-9, although more recently close to 10 or 11 :D

Lucky Number: 15!  It's not only my birthday, but also my sister's and then my number when we played soccer!

Last Thing I Googled: "How to find your google search history" ......*ahem*  ......ya...

Number of Blankets I Sleep Under: 6-7.  I like my room to be cold so I can sleep under a marshmallow of blankets!  I've got the sheet, two soft blankets, two comforters, and then my Pikachu blanket on top (although I usually use it as a pillow)

My Favorite Fictional Character:  Welly well well....this is so hard ;-; Overall, probably Ezio Auditore da Firenze or Wolverine.  I've talked about both ad nauseum, so I won't bore you.  ^^

Favorite Book:  To be honest, I'm not much of a reader.  I prefer video games, where I have input as to what happens and I feel more...involved.  However, when I did read, I really enjoyed the Vampire Kisses and Percy Jackson series.  Or to be even more honest, my favorite book is probably Dragonology....*cough* 

Favorite Artist:  Bob Ross.  I've taken to watching the old videos for the first time ever and they are soothing as hell.  If you guys are ever stressed, go find a Bob Ross video and just watch this man make happy little clouds.

Dream Job:  Either a.) Being a successful blogger/streamer/youtuber or b.) making Nintendo or Bethesda games, specifically Pokémon, Zelda, or Fallout!

Random Fact:  Snails make terrible shoelaces!

When Did You Create Your Blog: June 17, 2013!

Do You Have Any Other Blogs:  I have a very, very inactive tumblr...but otherwise nope!

Who Are Your Most Active Followers: TheBreadTeam, ThePikaJack, and Jaimi!  Thanks guys <3 <3 <3

Do You Get Asks On A Daily Basis:  Nope!  I get hardly any comments :(

Why Did You Choose Your URLBased on my comic! 

I tag:  EVERYOOOONEEEEE!!  Anyone who has a blog, try this out!  :)

Monday, January 11, 2016

Fire at the Disco! Fire at the A-Part-Ment!

    Hello hello my lovelies!  First of all, I want to mention how I've had a sudden surge in views which is awesome!  So far, this is the most views I've had since January of last year, and we're only 10 days in!  Plus, we've now reached over 20,000 views!!  Wooooo!!  :D  I guess you could say....this blog is on...."fire?"  Eh?  Eh?  Title nod?  No?  Also, as I look at my intro, I realize I sound a bit like the Phone Guy from FNaF?  Weird....

From Target!
Anyway, let's get to talking about that cryptic title beyond my terrible pun!  Firstly, no, there was no fire at any Disco at I know of, buuuut there was one at my new apartment.  As I've been mentioning in my videos and the year summary, I'm moving to a small apartment.  WELP thaaaat's been delayed!  A fire started somehow in the ceiling with some insulation catching fire.  Luckily, no one and nothing was hurt/damaged aside from the roof and a bit of the floor.  Even luckier (more lucky?), the insurance will cover new wiring, flooring, ceiling repair, and even a paintjob for the little place!  Basically, it's going to be nice and shiny when we move in!  Yes, I just said we!  You all are coming with me on a grand adventure!  In the meantime, I'm mentally designing the tiny room.  I'm thinking of buying a few gaming posters and I did buy a cool arrow sign to hang up on the wall either behind the couch or maybe in the little kitchen!  The repairs should take 3-4 weeks, so don't expect to see the new place in the next video. 

     Next Video?  Oh yes!  In the past few vids, I mentioned that I'm contemplating switching crates!  This month, I'll be receiving Loot Crate, 1up Box, and the LootAnime Mega Crate (courtesy of Jaimi!) and will be doing a nice long comparison of the three liiiive on twitch.  Those sorts of things usually come on the 20th, so that's probably the next big video until the vlog I plan to do on moving day! 

    Also, school begins for me on the 20th as well ;-;  Boooo, I know.  Until then, I've been enjoying my break--playing some Binding of Isaac.....not moving....that's about it really!  I'll most likely NOT be streaming again (or at least not streaming any games) until the new house.  I might, however, finish streaming my Star Wars/comic art because that's an easier setup.  Furthermore, if you guys really want to keep up with the random parts of my life, follow me on twitter, or watch that little sidebar on the right!  Otherwise, that's about it for today!  I'm going to go to bed now XD  Goodnight everyone!  Hope you're all enjoying...whatever is going on with you!  <3

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Why Talking About Star Wars is Hard

  One thing I was thinking of last night was the way people talk about the Star Wars series.  I have noticed there are a lot of confusing ways to address the films/sets of films, so why not look at those for fun huh?  This is not a comprehensive or even serious list, just something I thought of before bed that I hope you enjoy ^^  Also, if I missed anything that you guys have heard that's confusing, weird, awesome, etc, leave a comment or send it to me on twitter @Alias_Lea!  I don't think there are any spoilers in here btw!


What People Say What It Can Mean What Can You Say Instead?
"The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. movie" The X movie to come out, or the X movie in the chronology. "Episode 1, Episode 4, etc." or "The Phantom Menace, A New Hope, etc."
"The first ones" The first 3-6 to be released, or the first X number in the chronology. "The Original Trilogy" (IV,V,VI), "The Prequels" (I,II,III), or the Original six (or something more catchy).
"Star Wars" The entire franchise, latest movie, or Episode IV? Depends on context???
"The Clone Wars" Episode II, the event in canon, the 2003 animate series, or the 2008 animated series? "The Clone wars movie, the old clone wars show, the new clone wars show."
"The Animated Series" Droids (1985), Ewoks (1985), Clone Wars (2003), Clone Wars (2008), Rebels (2014) Name of show/see above
"The New Ones" This will soon include not only VII, VIII, and IX, but also 3 (or more) spinoff films including Rougue One. "The Sequel Trilogy" (which sounds a little lack luster to me. Any better ideas?) and "The Anthology or Spinoff Movies/series/trilogy."
"The Bad Guy" The Emperor/Chancellor Palpatine, Darth Maul, Count Dooku, General Grevous, Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker, Jabba the Hutt, Boba Fett, The Sith, The Empire, Stormtroopers, The First Order, Hux, Kylo Ren, The Supreme Leader, Jar-Jar Binks, George Lukas, etc. etc. etc. ..........
"The bad guy from..?"
"Star Wars Christmas Special" A fate more painful than the stomach of a Sarlacc Nothing.  Forget it's existence.