Return of the Duke and the Classics

Hail to the King baby; June 14th (10th internationally) marks when Duke Nukem returns to video games. For some people this is a big deal since it is the first Duke Nukem game in over 12 years, especially since this game was suppose to come out in 2002 before going through a maze of complications pushing it back further and further until the set date now. For others, this seems like any other game since due to the large gap between this game and the last Duke Nukem game, the younger audience most likely knows very little about him. I speak somewhat for myself since the series is about the same age as myself and I was a child when Duke Nukem 3D came out, so I obviously had zero chance of playing it then. Part of what kept Duke alive was soundboards created of him and one-liners that get used on a consistent basis that originated in this series. Examples include "I've got balls of steel" "Come get some" and everyone's favorite "I'm gonna kick ass and chew bubble gum...and I'm all out of gum". As put by the CEO of Gearbox, Duke Nukem really has become the video game Chuck Norris in the sense that if it is possible, Duke can do it. His "accomplishments" include going to the moon, scaling Everest, catching Jaws, winning the world series of poker, becoming a UFC champion, and winning two oscars.

The reason I bring up Duke Nukem is that I've noticed that in the last few years, classic games have been making a comeback. Classic may not put it correctly...the better term may be how iconic games/characters that have been returning or going back to their roots of when their games were at their peak of popularity. It started back in 2008/2009 with Street Fighter 4. This was the first street fighter game that wasn't some kind of collector's edition or anniversary edition game since number 3 was made back in 1999. The game took the world by storm and in my opinion, reminded everyone who the king of fighting games was and still is. 2011 comes along and Marvel vs Capcom 3 comes out, which is the long awaited sequel that took quite a few years to finally come out with, and also Mortal Kombat (number 9 in the series). Marvel vs Capcom stuck to the system that made it so famous over the years while Mortal Kombat went back to the fighting style of their 2D versions. This has been met with great reviews by critics and regular gamers alike, myself included. Even games that have stayed popular like Zelda are going back in time, pun intended, with the release of the Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 3DS. So as I said, the return of the Duke has just been another ripple in what has been a classic/iconic game revival going on. I for one am very happy about this since the variety is even better since it has new games to try and old ones to fall back on in case nothing seems appealing at the time.

Now I of course have no way of knowing if Duke Nukem Forever will be any good. Of all the reboots that I have mentioned already, this could be the one to fall flat on it's face. I certainly hope this isn't the case since I have been looking forward to this game for some time, but there have been some games that looked great and ended up disappointing (Force Unleashed 2 anyone?). So here's hoping that Duke returns to his spot in the main stream gaming community.

And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.

Predictions and Consequences

Unless you somehow avoided the internet, television, and depending on where you lived, billboards, then you knew about how the world was suppose to end on May 21st. A pastor out in California claimed that he  mathematically proved the Rapture would take place on this date. Of course as we can all say now that this did not occur and that life shall continue as it did beforehand. The one thing that I believe hasn't been brought to the attention of most Christians is that due to this man being as bold as he was with this and in doing so creating a following, it has now made the job of witnessing harder for the rest of us.

The popular argument people like to use against Christians is how we contradict ourselves with how we live our lives, but now thanks to this pastor, many of these people will most likely think we're insane as well. Thanks to this, there are most likely people that will now be shut off towards Christians that will come up to them. What I fear more though is the effect this ordeal could have on believers whose faith may have been shaken.

It does say in Matthew that many false prophets will arise that will sway people both that are lost and those who are now very grounded in their faith. I believe this pastor fits as a false prophet due to the following he obtained as May 21st got closer. Stories have been told of people who maxed out credit cards, spending their entire retirement funds, and quitting their jobs thinking this pastor was correct. These are the people I worry for since it makes me wonder how they're view on God has changed.

And to put icing on the cake, this pastor, instead of just admitted he was wrong and trying to salvage what he could, now says he was off by five months and it will now take place on October 21st. He blatantly ignores what people have told him where the Bible is very clear saying that nobody, including Jesus himself, knows when the end will come, but only the Father. My mentality with this knowledge has always been simple, if Jesus doesn't know, how on earth could we as human beings have any shot at knowing when the date?

Now it would seem from what I've already said that there has been nothing but bad consequences from this latest "end of the world" prediction, but there is one good thing that can be brought out from this. The world is looking for answers as made evident by the hundreds and thousands of followers of the May 21st theory. Sadly, many times they will end up trying to find answers from people that warp the Bible to fit what they want to say instead of listening to Christians trying to relate to them. If anything, this should be a great reminder that as Christians, we have to remember that people are watching us and seeing what we do and how we act. Our actions could easily determine whether or not that person will see a true reflection of Jesus Christ, or a warped version doing things like trying to predict the end of the world.

And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.