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Fun Games You Aren't Playing - Orisinal

4/24/2015

Here’s an oldie-but-goodie that is a great time-waster on a slow Friday: Orisinal, free flash-based games with adorable characters and cute themes.

All the games can still be found on the original website, http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/.

After nearly 15 years (!) I’m surprised these games are still around, but I’m definitely glad they’ve been preserved for future time-wasting. In a world where the internet has only gotten more stressful and irritating, Orisinal is needed more than ever for some digital detox.

This site is the web equivalent of a cup of warm herbal tea, so it’s a great place to visit when you’re particularly tense.

Orisinal typically features games with soft, pastel colors and relaxing music. Having been made when dial-up internet was still “a thing”, the graphics are simple and the loading times are short. There are 62 little games to choose from, plus other miscellaneous apps including a soothing flower arranging simulator. This site is the web equivalent of a cup of warm herbal tea, so it’s a great place to visit when you’re particularly tense.

Games on the site include Winterbells, where you play as a cute bunny jumping on a succession of floating bells on a snowy night. I also like the simply-titled Cats, where you try to get a group of finicky cats to either sit or walk in unison. If you particularly dislike spiders, there’s a game where you can take out your frustration on multitudes of the hanging beasties.

Time marches on, of course, so you can purchase several of these games as mobile apps on your iPhone. Sorry, Android users! But you can still enjoy the games on your computer, old-school style.

Busy trapping bees in bubbles,
The Dungeon Dame

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Binge Watch Wednesday - Daredevil

4/22/2015

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by Lauren

In the wake of the devastation to parts of New York after The Avengers, Hell’s Kitchen is left in ruin. Street gangs and shady corporate thugs band together under a mysterious leader for control of this forgotten and crime-ridden community. Out of the chaos, rumors of a masked vigilante hero protecting the people of Hell’s Kitchen spreads...

OK - so it’s been two weeks since Netflix released the first in its new series of original Marvel dramas, Daredevil. If any of you follow us on Twitter (@geekgirlsinc), you know I tweeted each episode as I watched it, which was, unfortunately, not non-stop like I wanted.

(Stupid life and responsibilities getting in the way of a perfectly good Binge…)

Actually it is a perfectly GREAT binge. I've been the girl harassing everyone I know to watch it, like some high school peer pressure drug pusher - but really, it is THAT good. Every person who watched it on recommendation was hooked in the first 10 minutes. My husband and I watched the 13 episode season together (which is rare we both like a show) in 2-3 episode chunks - it took about a week.

Before I get into my thoughts on the show, let me say that it has been so overwhelmingly successful (second only to GoT in piracy) that they have already announced season two for 2016 - to air along with the already planned “Defenders” series (AKA Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist & The Defenders).

So on to the show - as spoiler free as I can…

I begin with a warning. This show is violent. It is brutal. You will look away from the screen, flinching from the rage and the bloody beatings – it is not for children. This is grown up comic book time - and I loved every minute of it. The dark and gloomy lighting and the harsh angle framing is straight out of Frank Miller’s Man Without Fear series in the 90s. The fight choreography is incredible. The long, cinematic single-shot takes are gorgeous and seamlessly woven into the action. So you may look away, but only for a moment - and then come right back for more.

The main characters over the series are able to develop into real 3-dimensional characters, without relying on stereotypical comic book tropes. The damsel in distress is no damsel and can handle herself. The comedic best friend is no coward or push-over. The reporter isn’t just an excuse for exposition. The villain isn’t just evil for evil sake; he has his own reasons and is the hero of his own story. The villain’s girlfriend isn’t just arm candy. I could go on…

The cast is spot-on amazing. Charlie Cox is so impressive here. Most people will tell you that 75% of acting is in the eyes. He spends most of the series in an eye-less mask or behind red glasses and yet you feel his conviction, charm, regret, pain… ALL the feels.

I also have to congratulate him on not resorting to the “Batman voice” when in the mask. He also strikes a very impressive hero silhouette…

Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk doesn’t appear until the end of episode 3, but he really does steal the entire series. His characterization is so vulnerable and awkward, almost child-like, which is harshly juxtaposed with his sudden acts rage and violence. He is clearly unhinged deep in his soul (and you get to see why) but truly believes he is doing the right thing. He is one of the most fully developed “villains” I've seen on any comic book series - or movie for that matter.

Deborah Ann Woll was always my favorite on True Blood. I was super stoked to see her in this series, and even more excited that her Karen Page was a complex, gutsy and strong female character that has depths we have only seen glimpses of. She is not “the girlfriend,” she is an investigator, a partner, a fierce friend, and a bit of a hero in her own right. I can’t wait to learn more about her in season 2.

Rounding out the main cast are scheming right-hand-man, Wesley (Toby Leonard Moore), mysterious, art-dealer love interest, Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer), savior nurse, Claire (Rosario Dawson, ), old-school reporter, Ben Urich (Vondie Curtis-Hall ) and best friend / law partner, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson). These characters all get to have fantastic moments and drive the plot and the main three forward like an oncoming runaway train.

The rest you just need to see for yourself... Origin story flashbacks! There's a ninja. A blind assassin. Earnest courtroom speeches. Murder, mayhem, explosions! Bar-room bonding. College flashbacks with shaggy wigs. Abs...

... sorry got distracted. It also has mysterious figures that will probably be important later...

Seriously. Watch it. Then take a break, watch some Orphan Black, some Game of Thrones and then binge watch it again this summer.

Have you watched it yet? What did you guys think?

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Rainbow Reading - Clockwork Tangerine

4/21/2015

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Rainbow Reading is our weekly series focusing on book reviews with a geeky/sci-fi/fantasty/supernatural flair with LGBTQ characters. Today I review Clockwork Tangerine by Rhys Ford.

Synopsis by Dreamspinner Press:
The British Empire reigns supreme, and its young Queen Victoria has expanded her realm to St. Francisco, a bustling city of English lords and Chinese ghettos. St. Francisco is a jewel in the Empire’s crown and as deeply embroiled in the conflict between the Arcane and Science as its sister city, London—a very dark and dangerous battle.

Marcus Stenhill, Viscount of Westwood, stumbles upon that darkness when he encounters a pack of young bloods beating a man senseless. Westwood’s duty and honor demand he save the man, but he’s taken aback to discover the man is Robin Harris, a handsome young inventor indirectly responsible for the death of Marcus’s father.

Living in the shadows following a failed coup, Robin devotes his life to easing others’ pain, even though his creations are considered mechanical abominations of magicks and science. Branded a deviant and a murderer, Robin expects the viscount to run as far as he can—and is amazed when Marcus reaches for him instead.

I don’t normally read steampunk books. However, Rhys Ford is an automatic buy for me so I decided to try it. This novella is Rhys’s first foray into the world of steampunk, and it is so good. In such a short book she was able to build a world that made sense to a non steampunk person. She was able to make me understand why Robin was hated so much, and why very little of it was his fault.

I sympathize with Robin – this is a guy that built something in his teens that others used to cause terrible terrible destruction. He was then used as a scapegoat, and, to top it off, he was literally branded a sodomite. He spends his life trying to create new inventions to help humans and animals. Doctor Elle Horan has a mechanical leg because of him, his housekeeper can see, his cat can now walk and at the very beginning of the book he was on his way to help a child. All he wants to do is help with his inventions, and yet he is treated as a pariah in this society. To a certain extent he believes he deserves to be treated like this, and he wants to help people to try to make up for the damage his inventions cause so many.

Marcus comes in and saves him in both the physical and mental sense. He stops him from being beaten, he takes care of him during recovery and he helps to keep Robin tethered to reality when he is inventing. In essence, he becomes his protector, friend and eventually lover. He also uses his and his family’s influence to try to get others to understand the disservice that was done to Robin. Marcus does all of this for a man that invented something that killed his father. Marcus was told who Robin was immediately after he stopped the beating. He could have walked away then, but instead he chooses to help. His father always said to him,

Responsibility lies with those who can enact changes. It is our duty to step up and do what is right for all, even if it is for someone we do not care for. We cannot pick and choose who we champion. To do so denies your birthright...your responsibilities...your very legacy.

A man with power protects and serves those lesser than he. It is only the weak who use their power to do harm.”

I love not only the main characters in this book, but the secondary characters as well. Doctor Elle Horan, the doctor who takes care of Robin when he is beaten, and Marcus’s Grandmother, the esteemed Agatha Stenhill, the Dowager Duchess of Harding. When Marcus tells his grandmother about what he call "his unnatural" affection for Robin, the duchess’s response is perfect:

“What were you hoping I’d do? Throw myself into a pique of anger? Very Well.” Picking up a tchotchke, she flung it. Clasping her hand to her powdered cheek, the duchess rolled her eyes dramatically, and intoned flatly, drawing out each word, “Oh, Dear. My life is over. My grandson loves a man. Whatever shall I do? The. Horror. The. Shame.”

How can you not love this character? The duchess also helps Marcus understand that he would not have disappointed his father. His father knew about his preferences, and only wanted him to be happy.

My only complaint about this book is that I wanted more. I would love to see these characters back in another novella or full length book. But Rhys is very sneaky like that. She always leaves you wanting more. If you have read this book, let me know what you think in the comments below.

Rhys also has a Hellsinger series ( Fish and Ghosts and Duck Duck Ghost) available for those who love stories about ghosts and ghost hunters.

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A Sommelier’s Strategy Guide: Video Game Wine Pairings (Red Edition)

4/17/2015

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Let’s go to the dungeon wine cellar, where games of an excellent vintage are paired with extraordinary wines*.

Nothing enhances a gaming session quite like a glass of wine, except maybe a glass of wine and some snacks.

As always, please game responsibly.

Hatoful Boyfriend: 7 Deadly Zins

Fall in love all over again with a bold red well suited for guilty pleasures such as visual romance novels featuring pigeons.

With a story that includes wrath, lust, greed, gluttony, sloth, envy AND pride, why not pair it with spicy flavors and deep berry notes? This wine is as smooth as a well-made pudding.

Samba de Amigo: Eppa SupraFruta Sangria

Enjoy the hot summer season with a flavorful, easy to drink sangria. The deep fruity flavors mix well with tropical beats and rhythmic dancing.

Plus, the bottle has a convenient screw-top, so you can quickly open the bottle between maraca-shaking sessions.

FTL: Charles Shaw Merlot

Quantity over quality on this one, as you’ll be frequently drowning your sorrows as your ship explodes for the 50th time. But you’ll love it.

Of course you’ll do better on the next run! Have another glass and try again.

Cheers!
-The Dungeon Dame

*whatever the Dungeon Dame found lying around

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Rainbow Reading - Finding Forgiveness

4/14/2015

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Rainbow Reading is our weekly series focusing on book reviews with a geeky/sci-fi/fantasty/supernatural flair with LGBTQ characters. Today I review Finding Forgiveness by Dana Marie Bell.

Finding Forgiveness is part of a series called the Poconos Pack, and while I think reading the series does add more depth to this book , it can be read as a standalone.

I love this couple, and have been rooting for them since they were first introduced in another book. The main characters are Ben Malone and Dave Maldonado and they are part of a werewolf pack. Dave is Beta for the Poconos pack and Ben is the Marshall. Dave suffers from severe migraines to the point that the pack doctor is concern about the possibility of a stroke. Ben, as Marshall of the pack, can feel what is going on with certain members, and he misinterprets what Dave is feeling as a constant hangover instead of migraine pain. Ben grew up with an alcoholic father who beat him, and his mother did nothing about it, and now he can’t stand the idea of joining with his mate who he believes has had a drinking problem since the age of 15.

Early in the book, the migraines send Dave to the hospital. It is at this time that Ben finds out exactly what is going on with his mate, and comes to understand how badly he has treated Dave over the years. He is under orders not to stress Dave out in any way, and that includes no talking to him until after Dave returns from vacation. So, what is a mate to do in that situation? Ben goes courting. He leaves Dave chocolate and flowers and venison (the entire dead, bleeding deer on his porch steps!). This does not go over well.

Dave leaves on his vacation that he has been planning for a while - a trip to Florida and Disney during Gay Pride Week. He has thoughts of potentially trying to find another mate while he is gone. Ben however has other ideas, and once he finds out where Dave is going, makes arrangements to travel to the same place. Ben finds Dave, and they do what should have been done years ago - they communicate with each other.

Ben: "You're not dreaming."
Dave: "No? In about three seconds you're going to tell me you're sorry, you can't live without me, and you've got a naked Gerard Butler stuck in your pocket."
Ben: "Two out of three isn't bad."

Don’t worry - groveling is involved on Ben’s part. Ben is able to explain to Dave what he thought and why he thought it, and Dave is gracious enough to forgive Ben.

This is a short book full of mates learning how to communicate and forgive each other. It is a perfect Sunday afternoon read, and I highly recommend this one, and the rest of the series.

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Fun Games You Aren't Playing - Broken Age

4/10/2015

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The famously (infamously?) overfunded Kickstarter game Broken Age sometimes gets bogged down in the criticism of its creators, its slow release schedule, how over budget it is, and all other manner of development drama.

However, even if the worst-case scenario happens and the second part of the game isn’t finished, I got enough more than enough magic out of the first part to make me happy. It’s like playing a hand-painted Disney movie, complete with stunning animation and orchestral soundtrack.

Broken Age features the stories of two young people who decide to fight back against the situations in which they are trapped. Shay is a boy on the world’s most boring spaceship, where the computer “mommy” makes certain that nothing exciting or dangerous ever happens. Vella’s situation is a bit more dire; she’s a girl who is about to become the next maiden sacrifice to a horrific Lovecraftian monster. The stories take place separately, so you’re free to choose whichever you’d like to play at any time.

The game features voice work from geek favorites Pendleton Ward, Wil Wheaton and, best of all, Elijah Wood who plays one of the main characters. If you’re not even a little excited that you get to listen to Frodo Baggins solve puzzles, you might need to check your pulse.

Did I mention that this game is stupidly pretty? This game is stupidly pretty.

Broken Age is a true adventure game, complete with puzzles to solve, items to collect, and mysteries to solve. It’s in the more modern style, so no “LOOK AT” or “PULL” prompts to input, and no bizarre logic that only the most twisted writer could dream of, like the notorious cat-hair-moustache puzzle. The simplicity makes it a great tablet game, although I’m of the opinion that all adventure games are best played curled up on the couch with a warm drink.

The second part of the story will be released on April 28th, so now’s a great time to get started on this awesome game. The first part does end on a pretty big cliffhanger, so if you’re allergic to episodic gaming feel free to wait a few weeks. I’m really excited to see how this one will end, so expect me to be MIA on that date for a few hours!

Smelling irresistibly of Beast Hooker,
The Dungeon Dame

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Rainbow Reading - Loving an Absentminded Astrophysicist

4/6/2015

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Rainbow Reading is our weekly series focusing on book reviews with a geeky/sci-fi/fantasty/supernatural flair with LGBTQ characters. Today I review Loving an Absentminded Astrophysicist by T.N. Tarrant.

This book was recommended to me by a friend. I have never read any T.N. Tarrant books, but I’m always up for trying new authors. This is actually two books joined together by a novella in the middle. I did indeed enjoy it.

The book centers on Jareth and Liam. Liam is the astrophysicist in this story, as well as an astrobiologist and a geologist. By any standard, he is a genius. Liam works at the Northwestern Institute for Interstellar Research. He meets Jareth there, who is head of security, during an unfortunate incident involving a co-worker, a set of brass knuckles and a trip to the hospital. Liam is no stranger to the hospital where doctors and nurses know him on sight. Even though this specific incident was not Liam’s fault, it seems Liam is slightly (read this as ginormously) accident prone. Liam lives in his own world, and he has almost no situational awareness. Liam is 23 and has been a full time member of the staff for three years and was a student prior to that.

Jareth goes with Liam to the hospital where he finds out Liam will need to be there at a minimum overnight. Liam’s only concern is Her Royal Highness, Empress the Cat. Liam has a cat sitter for Empress during the day, but doesn’t want to leave her alone at night. Jareth offers to look after Her Royal Highness. Jareth also ends up taking care of Liam after he is in the hospital longer than expected. While Jareth is over, Liam has a flashback. This reveals to us and Jareth the Liam’s horrific parents. Over time, we find out that everyone that showed attention to Liam either wanted to steal his ideas or were jealous of his intelligence and success. This has left Liam extremely reluctant to connect to others as friends much less enter into a relationship.

Jareth slowly convinces Liam to trust him with time and patience. He does this by being there for him at work, and through all the trials and tribulations with his parents. Jareth is able to offer Liam something he has never had – love. The second book is eight years after Liam and Jareth marry. They decide they want to have a child, and decide to try adopting. Obstacle after obstacle is thrown in there path by vengeful people, bigots and one extremely crazy and hateful parent.

These books are high angst. They also have scientific discussions that occur routinely with Liam’s co-workers or just between Jareth and Liam. I know some people found these discussions long and drawn out, but they actually made me look up the information to see how much was accurate. It reminded me why I like reading books by Brian Greene and Neil deGrasse Tyson as well. I really enjoyed these books, and they are in my definite re-read folder on my kindle. I’m now looking for additional books by T.N. Tarrant to absorb.

Have you read this book? If so, please comment below. If there is another book and/or author you would like to suggest for Rainbow Reading, please drop me a line below!

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Fun Games You Aren't Playing - Broforce

4/3/2015

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Work stress got you down?

Frienemies stirring the pot on social media?

Just watched a movie with a sad ending, especially one involving a cute animal character?

Take all your favorite action movies, mash them up with your favorite run-and-gun games, and turn the volume way up, and you’ll get Broforce, my new favorite Explosion Simulator.

Broforce is arcade style with a capital A: once you start a game, it’s “3! 2! 1! GO GO GO!” and you’re thrust in the action. You play as a random action hero “bro” ranging from Rambro to The Brominator, destroying terrorists, attack dogs, plants, dirt, walls, and anything and everything that gets in your way. There is very little that can’t be gunned down or blown up, which is especially fun when playing with friends.

Part of the challenge of Broforce is learning how to use each character successfully; since your player bro is randomly chosen, you’ve got to be able to guide each bro to victory. I love this no-bro-left-behind mechanic, and since you unlock bros slowly as you progress through the game, you’re not overwhelmed by a large team initially. However, if you’re playing with friends new to the game, it can be daunting to continually switch bros as you play.

Gameplay is fast and furious, and you can choose between a traditional arcade mode or a campaign. Especially with multiple players causing chaos, it’s pretty easy to get killed many times playing the game. I’ve rarely been frustrated, though-- you most likely go down in a blaze of glory, and that’s too awesome to be mad at.

Broforce is an early access game, meaning that it’s not quite complete yet. However, it’s very polished, has plenty of characters and content, and most importantly is a lot of fun in its current state. It’s early access status is actually a bit of a bonus; there are plenty of fun updates and improvements coming soon!

Threat Level: Tangerine
-The Dungeon Dame

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