Laboratory of Mathematics and Writing

Early Y2K Movies I already established that early Y2K, or even pre-Y2K if you prefer, is from 1995 to the end of 1997. I'm not making a rigid case. I'm selecting this timeframe as early Y2K because we can see the obsession with tech, edgy attitudes, and future consciousness began its escalation. I already discussed this when it comes to 3D graphics and video games. It's time to review a few movies that where also tech, edgy, and future obssessed. The list is practically endless. So, I'm only going to focus on movies I have seen, even if I viewed them long after Y2K. Some of these I did grow up with, though. Bear in mind that I am focusing on a very narrow subset of movies in this window of time. So, something like Independence Day or Men in Black are out because they are more about an alien invasion than they are about technology. I will definitely be discussing those in another article. Tech Obsessed Tech...

Slave Zero This game was released right in the middle of the Y2K era: 1999. Naturally, the art direction totally matches the era. It's got the green, black, and steel grey aesthetics that belong in the most Y2K movie ever: The Matrix. It's also got emphasis on distant technologies. In this case, it's about growing massive cyborg mechs out of oversized embryos. It goes into vague detail about how this process is acheived using dark matter compounds. It's not particularly important. What is important is how the game plays and it plays fine; repetitive, but fine. Generic Fun This game is about as generic as you could possibly get. It's also quite repetitive. It also happens to be quite a bit of fun. You are Chan, a member of the Guardians. You are in control of a giant biomech on a quest to take down the tyrannical SovKhan and free humanity from his quest for global domination. You will have to destroy SovKhan...

The Greatest First Person Shooter Both of the Half-Life games can be regarded as masterpieces. Anybody that dislikes Half-Life is a hater. Don't make friends with haters. In case you haven't played these gems and are wondering "Do they really live up to the hype?", the answer is "Yes, absolutely!". So, go out and play Half-Life. Both of them. If you're in any way disappointed, you belong in jail. First Experience My first experience with Half-Life is with Half-Life 2 on the original Xbox. I've previously relayed my experience and love of Halo on the original Xbox, but upon finishing Half-Life 2 twenty years ago, I easily concluded that Half-Life is better than Halo. Which is saying alot since Halo is awesome. What's crazy is that Half-Life 2 on the Xbox is a diluted version compared to its original PC release. Despite all of its flaws, it still ruled. I had an absolute blast playin...

Early Y2K Subdivisions I will reiterate that I defined the Y2K era to be the years 1995 to 2005. I've written an article as to why I believe that is. We can decide on different years, but I feel this is appropriate. We can further subdivide this era into smaller subdivisions. I feel like declaring that 1995-1997 are the early Y2K, 1998-2001 is peak Y2K, and 2002-2005 the decline and subsequent descent into irrelevence due to the internet and Iphones. From 1995 to 1997, we started seeing an increased interest in the internet, 3D graphics, and technology in general. I distinctly recall starting in 4th grade discussing the Y2K bug. I started 4th grade in 1998. In 1999 it really ramped up along with the culture surrounding it, which crept in to the new millenium. In 2001, the 9/11 tragedy struck and changed the world forever. It was a steady decline from then on. This is obviously completely from my perspective. I still managed make some historica...

Halo We played the shit out of Halo growing up. My tiny circle of nerds where eager for Xbox since middle school when it first came out. All of us ended up acquiring an Xbox eventually. I bought mine in the summer of 2003 right before entering high school. Once we all had our Xboxes, we would endlessly play Halo on multiplayer using system link. Those where the days of LAN parties. They don't exist anymore because they are unecessary. Actually, they only existed for a brief period of time in the early 2000s. Once Xbox Live and online gaming became the standard, there was simply no need for system link. I am getting old. Story Summary We played through the campaign in co-op and had a blast. The story is really interesting. It involves humans warring against an extra terrestrial race known as "The Covenant". They both discover a strange and enourmous space ring they would both call "Halo". One views Halo as a weapo...

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Solid I typcally ignore hype. However, I grabbed this game on sale for $35 instead of the usual $50 sticker price. It is a price worth paying. I'm a cheapskate. So, fifty bucks is too much for me. I can still recommend this game even at it's fifty dollar price point, especially if you're into turn-based RPGs. I am personally not into turn-based RPGs. I tried Evolution: World of Sacred Device and, though charming, it was slog to get through. I played through Super Mario RPG, which is generally regarded as one of the best on the Super Nintendo, and I would be okay with never playing it again. Now I am working my way through Clair Obscur and I can safely say that I would rather play this game than the other two I mentioned. However, it still doesn't move my needle towards appreciating turn-based combat very much. Just like with Super Mario RPG, it was an entertaining game that I have no intention of ever pl...