Review Tuesday: X-Rebirth

X-Rebirth; Post Release Review

Well hey there, friends, and welcome to Review Tuesday! Whoa! Wow! Anyways, today's review is gonna be on the fantastic "X" series of games. Well, fantastic to a point it seems. I am a big fan on the previous "X" games, with "X-3 Albion Prelude" being my favorite in the series. The whole vast galaxy set before you! Do what you wanted, make ships, buy ships, trade resources, be a pirate or a military officer, build space stations, advance science, raid traders, the choices were insane. And X-Rebirth was looking like it was going to be more of the same, but with a huge expanse on it!

That is, until it actually came out. Riddled with bugs, lacking content, laggy as hell for most people, systems missing, promises not held. It was a MESS to say the least. If I were reviewing the game when it first came out, I can promise you right now, this would be a 3/10. Below average. By the way, on the subject of ratings, a 5/10 is average. It does not mean it's a terrible game, it means it's a AVERAGE game. Average in the bad way? Yeah. Still average though, it's not an imminent dismissal to me, though. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'd like to talk about X-Rebirth in it's CURRENT state.

All those game breaking bugs seem to be MOSTLY mopped up. There was free content added, and a really cheap DLC came out that really expanded on that and added even MORE content. The lag, of course remains, but not nearly as badly as it originally was. That lag isn't going away until you get yourself a next-gen computer build up, sorry to say. The lag is worth it though, because the visuals are STUNNING!

I love coasting around and seeing the sights

Quite honestly, the game is worth the price of admission just to fly around and look at the gorgeous universe they've created. All the random space battles looks like a light show. A deadly one, though. Anyways, onto the systems, they all appear to be back in place, and any of them still missing are easily mopped up with the new (and desperately needed) workshop system, that lets you slap a mod into the game with a click of a button. They've even added in tons of in-game options to make all the tedious stuff MUCH quicker. Tired of going through eight menus and buying an auto-pilot module just to get a ship to follow you at 1/4th human intelligence? Just hire a captain for your ship, and tell them to follow you! Problem solved. The game is filled with simple fixes giving a breath of life to a series that desperately needed it.

I give the reworked X-Rebirth a 8.5/10

Get out there and make some money, captain!

Dating a Person with (High Functioning) Autism

For Autism Awareness day, I would like to take this time to talk about something a little more personal to me, the idea itself was given to me by Loz, and I agreed that it'd be a great idea and a chance to talk about something a little more serious than my personality usually allows me. Now, starting off with how we met, she always seemed a little different to me, but it was just perfectly part of her charm. It was several months I believe, before she told be she had Aspergers. My reaction? Something along the lines of "Oh, well I guess that'd make sense, alright then". And she told me that had been the best response that she'd gotten from having told someone.

Why, why is that the best response? It's because I didn't make such a big deal about it, because that's all people want. To not have their differences highlighted. Do you like it when someone points out a mark on your face? No? Then why would an autistic person like it when you point out things about them? Don't do it. Just do. Not. They aren't wild beasts, they're people. You don't need to make them feel like they'll never be relateable, or that they HAVE to do something great to be important to someone. Why is it when someone is autistic, people only care when they do something great? Why can't we just appreciate people as people?

Now, dating a person with autism has it's challenges, and do you know why? That's because DATING has it challenges. Dating a person with autism just has DIFFERENT challenges. And in retrospect, it is no different than dating a person you just random met in a mall. I love Loz every bit in the wide open space, and no, it isn't any harder just because she has differences. And honestly, it's most likely harder for her having to deal with my odd likes of things such as planes and tanks. Those are her challenges though. ;)

Sorry I have to cut this one short, I have work shortly though, but I may add an edit later on! Thank you for reading.

The Ultimate Book Tag!

I got this tag from a blog called books with bite, where the original creator of this tag is credited if you want to check them out. Anyway, I was in search for an Easter book tag for when Easter comes around and although I don't much care for that holiday, I like to do seasonal things just for fun and when that didn't happen, I stumbled across this one! For Easter, I think I'm just going to make up a book tag, but if you have an Easter book tag that you know of, please do share it with me, and if you've done this book tag or similar book tags, link your blog!

Do you get sick while reading in the car? 

Yes, and I hate it! Most of my family do not live in walking distance, nor is the school I go to everyday, so as much as I would love to read in the car and how much reading I could get done that way, I can't because I will probably throw up.

With author's writing style is completely unique to you and why?

Well, I think every writing style is different in it's own way but...I don't really know, one that stands out the most for me in my small book collection is James Dashner (author of The Maze Runner series), just because it's the kind of writing where you can't peel your eyes away from the page, you just become trapped inside his writing right until the book is finished, which I feel like is a rare quality to find in writers, and part of the reason as to why The Maze Runner series is one of my top five favorite series.

Harry Potter series or the Twilight saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer. 

Harry Potter, no question!

1. I grew up with Harry Potter, so I feel a close connection to the characters and to the writer.

2. The amazing plot and amazing character development.

3. The message of Hermione Granger - you can have beauty, brains and still be a bad-ass, too. You can have it all!

Do you carry a book bag? If so, what's in it (besides books...)?

I don't really know what a "book bag" is, is that an American term that I'm not familiar with? I do have a schoolbag by Anna Smith though (it's pop art designed!), with the current book I'm reading called The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, my journal, my Gruffalo pencil case (filled with colored pens, black pens, highlighters, an eraser, and my beloved pencils), my school/reading book, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, my purse covered in flamingo's and it's adorable, my two school diaries, the latest issue of National Geographic (March 2015), and my English book!

Do you smell your books? 

A little bit too much.  I find myself, on more then once occasion, just flipping the pages as I read it so the smell of freshly bought paperback drifts upwards. 

Books with or without little illustrations? 

I love both, but I love my imagination more. I like them at the start of chapters, but that's really where I like to keep it. Maybe little illustrations for numbers instead of the numbered pages, things like that, but nothing that really gives much away. 

What book did you love while reading but later discovered it wasn't quality writing? (example - loving the Twilight series, then reading the HP series, and then thinking Twilight was a little bit of a joke). 

I don't know what the series was called, but it was by Dan Wells, the first book was I am not a serial killer and although I really love the memory of how much I loved that series back when I was sixteen before I was active on Goodreads, blogged and so this was before I took anything in about the book. It was just the little things in that book that I thought was terrible, such as the "every girl is a sex object" theme, but of course he's a serial killer, so maybe that makes sense, but I realize not just this theme but his repetitive writing, his not-fully-formed plots, etc, it all summed together in my head for me that although I used to love it, it's a horrible series to me now. 

Do you have any stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!

Like the previous writer before me has stated, I don't have a childhood story that I can remember, but I do have a romantic one (and one that, perhaps, you should look away and skip to the next question if you don't like people writing in books...). This was a while ago, me and my boyfriend have been together two years now and we're long distance (he's in USA, I'm in the UK), so he sent me a book, the first book in the Lemony Snicket series and he had written in the opening page of the book a very sweet letter and don't worry, it was written in pencil! 

 What is the thinnest book on your shelves? 

Probably Dustbin Baby by Jacqueline Wilson. 

Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author? 

Yes and no. I do enjoy writing but I've never been able to complete so much as a short story, despite having a whole world setup in my head for a future book since I was very young, maybe about eight, and I had drawn maps for it, developed the main characters, and thought of so many different plots that could take place in this world. As much as I would love to be a professional writer, I don't think I'd be able to handle the pressure and having just one job that involves not leaving my home, I would hate too much. Although if I could travel while I could write and having the money I make from being an author be enough to support me and my future dogs, then yes, it's something I would like to do. Sorry, I'm sure that answer could have been shorter!

When did you get into reading? 

Sorry for the mini-violin moment, but this is honestly how it happened. During primary school (so when I was 7/8), I was quite badly bullied and always have been mostly because of the autism, and maybe this next thing is also because of the autism, but I found great comfort in hiding in the library and just reading and reading until lessons came back on. I also wasn't in the best situation at home, so my books were a great escape for me, and they have been ever since. 

What is your favorite classic book?

Hmm...I haven't read many classics, but probably The picture of Dorian Gray which I was first introduced to two years ago, Perfume which I had a book review up on last year but unfortunately I re-read it, decided it was crap and deleted them all, but I did really like that one too, or Black Beauty, even though that was ridiculously sad.

In school, was your best subject Language Arts/English?

Do they really call it Language Arts in other places? That's wicked! But anyway, yes it was. Funny story, I used to read the House of Night series under the desks while everyone else was on their phones, and the teacher didn't tell me to put it away and focus on the lesson, he would pretend he never saw it and let me do it anyway. But, yes, it was...sixth form English, not so much. 

If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated, what would you do? 

I would say thank you, and then I'd keep the book until I found someone who would like it, or I would give it away to a charity. 

What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter and The Hunger Games? 

Well, it used to be The Maze Runner series, but that got very popular very quickly, so I don't have an answer for this one. 

What is a bad habit you do (besides rambling) when filming? 

Probably not looking at the camera when I am talking, not positioning the camera in a flattening area, and not speaking loud enough for the viewers to be able to hear me but it's something  I am working on. 

What is your favorite word?

I HAVE SO MANY! I love 'make', 'whatnot', 'look like' when spoken together, actually most words with a K in it!

Are you a nerd, dork or dweeb? Or all of the above? 

Is there really that much of a difference?

Vampires of fairies? Why? 

Neither, they're usually portrayed in a really boring and dull way. With the exception of Dracula. 

Shapeshifters or angels? Why?

I like both, but probably angels. They're usually shown to be devils in disguise, though, and I wish people would create an original angel somewhere. 

Zombies or vampires? Why?

ZOMBIES! My dad has been obsessed with zombies ever since...well, before I can remember, and I guess being around it so much influenced me more then I thought. Plus, vampires suck. 

Love Triangle or Forbidden Love? 

I hate both. I just don't like romance in books, I feel like too much romance happens in real life and I would much rather read about something that won't, and probably never will, happen then something that happens every single day. 

AND FINALLY: full on romance books or action packed books with a few love scenes thrown in? 

Again, neither, but I much prefer the action packed books with a few love scenes thrown in...although I would prefer no love scenes at all. 

I hope you enjoyed this ridiculously long book tag, so if you want to do this too, please do and please share the link to me so I can see it, thank you!