TvR Tag Tournament, Round 3 - Is the PlayStation Vita Still Worth Purchasing?

Tiger and Rabbit invite longtime friend of the blog, Eagle, back for round three of TvR Tag Tournament. Now that all three mammals own a PlayStation Vita, they chat about what they think of Sony's portable gaming platform and what they are currently playing on it. The three friends also tackle whether the Vita is still worth purchasing after all this time.

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Rabbit: Can you believe the PlayStation Vita turned four this past February?

Tiger: Wow, time sure flew by.

Rabbit: So did Eagle.

Tiger: Excuse me?

Rabbit: You're excused.

Tiger: No, I meant I didn't catch that.

Rabbit: I'd reckon eagles would be hard to catch.

Tiger: No, explain to me what you meant about Eagle flying by.

Rabbit: Ooh. Well, he hasn't flown by yet but he should be here any minute.

Tiger: What for?

Rabbit: He finally picked up a Vita so I invited him over to chat about it.

Tiger: We're doing a TvR Tag Tournament right now? I don't even have notes!

Rabbit: Just channel your inner bird and-

Tiger: I know, just wing it.

Rabbit: There he is outside the window! Hurry and open it so he can come inside!

Tiger: *hurriedly makes notes*

Rabbit: ^pries window open^ Great timing!

Tiger: Welcome back to our third installment of TvR Tag Tournament!

Rabbit: ^waves hands^ Howdy Eagle, great to see you again!

Eagle: Hello Rabbit. Hello Tiger. It has been a while.

Rabbit: Way too long! What have you been up to? Playing anything interesting lately?

Eagle: What have I been up to? Some top secret business. As far as gaming goes, I finally got a Life <holds up a PlayStation Vita>, and I started playing Silent Hill: Book of Memories. It is quite a different take on the Silent Hill series.

Tiger: And it has the OLED screen. Nice.

Rabbit: Oooh, that sounds scary. ^covers eyes^

Tiger: Now we can get some Toukiden action in.

Rabbit: ^grins^ We all finally have lives now, that's great!

Eagle: <laughs> Haha. That is one way to put it.

Rabbit: Since you're the newest member to get a life, what are your thoughts so far?

Eagle: A little advice for those at home, do not hold it above your face. You may be injured. All joking aside, it is nice. You can play some high quality titles on the go.

Tiger: Only Rabbit here would drop a Vita on her head.

Rabbit: Hey! I haven't done that... in a really long time.

Tiger: The first time I turned on my Vita, I was impressed by the gorgeous OLED screen. That baby is slick.

Eagle: The all black exterior gives it a nice look.

Rabbit: Having two analog sticks is also great and they seem to be more responsive than the PSP's version.

Tiger: All around, I think it's a high-quality handheld that really feels great to play. That being said, there aren't a lot of games to play on it.

Rabbit: There are too. You just have to know where to look.

Eagle: Indeed. There is quite a lot of content. However, most of that content falls into only a handful of genre's like the JRPG or the Visual Novel.

Tiger: Or indie, no offense to those who enjoy indie titles but I want something with meat on the bone. Last AAA type title I played was Killzone: Mercenary and I'm not sure you could even call that a AAA title.

Rabbit: You're so shallow, Tiger. It's not all about big explosions and shooting everyone you see. Indie games can be great too. Severed is a recent release that is just amazing. I enjoyed other titles like Don't Starve which really felt at home on the Vita.

Tiger: But Don't Starve is also on PS4 so you don't need a Vita to play it.

Rabbit: TxK was Vita only and so was SunFlowers.

Tiger: *rolls eyes* SunFlowers is barely a step up from a mobile game. It was fun for five minutes but I didn't drop a couple hundred on a Vita to play SunFlowers.

Eagle: I cannot think of many indie games for the Life of me right now. <pauses> Get it... <sighs> Terrible puns. All joking aside, Rainbow Moon seems like a great title. I played a bit of it on the PS3, and it seems like it would be a great on the go title.

Rabbit: That's the thing about the Vita. Many of the games you can play on its big brothers but the Vita can really make the experience special. Child of Light was much more enjoyable to me on Vita than playing it on the PS4.

Tiger: I get both of your points but the Vita seems to be only for those who like a certain genre of games.

Rabbit: I, for one, am happy that it has turned out this way. Now games like NVLs and JRPGs have a home. Before, they barely saw the light of day on the home consoles. Plus, didn't you say Eagle that Silent Hill: Book of Memories was a different take on the series. Could that have been done as well on the PS3 or PS4?

Eagle: Well, the new Gauntlet released on the PS4. Book of Memories basically takes Silent Hill and plays like a dungeon crawler like Gauntlet. I think it works great for the handheld.

Rabbit: There were also a few games that made use of the Vita's touchscreen and touchpad too. While it may feel gimmicky with some of the games, others I thought did a great job like-

Tiger: Like Monster Monpiece?

Rabbit: ^blushes^ I thought we discussed not bringing that game up!

Tiger: And you say I have a sick mind.

Rabbit: ^sticks out tongue^

Tiger: Anyway, it makes sense that there are a ton of JRPG titles still coming out for the Vita. It is, after all, still very popular in Japan. Not sure why it didn't take off Stateside though.

Eagle: That is a good question. Maybe American's just like a bigger screen for the FPS explosions?

Rabbit: Sounds like Tiger, right there. I'm just glad it's still getting games localized. Look at all the titles announced for it by Aksys Games at Anime Expo which we mentioned a few entries back. For those who think the Vita is dead, just look at the slate for the next year, it is far from dead.

Tiger: Poor Saitō, you already found his replacement. It's true that for those gamers who the Vita caters too, that it's still getting a good amount of new games. I just wish that it was a more diverse helping of titles than a bunch of anime chicks with big boobs or hot guys throwing themselves at a single woman.

Rabbit: I am perfectly fine with hot guys throwing themselves at my OLED screen.

Tiger: *shakes head* So Eagle, what do you think of the Vita now that you've had a chance to really play it?

Eagle: It seems like a great system. Rabbit got me with her Vocaloids there and I wound up picking up the rhythm game Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F 2nd. Seems like the responsiveness of the touchscreen would be great for such a game.

Rabbit: Project DIVA is the best on Vita!

Tiger: I do think the rhythm games play better on Vita because it eliminates most of the lag you get when using a wireless controller. It does have a great screen and games run well on it, the Vita just doesn’t have the variety that the home consoles do.

Rabbit: For me, I absolutely love my Vita. It's beautiful, not too heavy, the screen is bright, the battery life is pretty good once you tweak some of the settings, it has a great lineup of games, and I can play it in bed!

Tiger: And drop it on your face.

Rabbit: ^crosses arms^ Like I said, it has only happened once.

Tiger: So do you think the PlayStation Vita is still worth purchasing after all this time. It is four years old and already looks to be dead.

Rabbit: ^makes a fist^ Saisho wa guu!

Tiger: *bops Rabbit on the head* We aren't going to play for it. Eagle, why don't you go first. Do you think it's well worth picking up a Vita this late in its life-cycle?

Eagle: I am glad I got one. It has a great library, including some decent games with, <clears throat> ahem... "anime chicks with big boobs", as you put it. There are even a few decent AAA titles like Uncharted.

Tiger: And Sony has already said that they won't be producing anymore AAA titles either. For me, it's just not worth it. The Vita is a great handheld with not enough games. When I do play it, I end up playing old PSP games that I have via digital download, so it's not like I'm even playing the Vita for Vita games. I just wish it had more variety, yes shooters didn't always work out so well, but it doesn't even have many solid racing or fighting games. The few that exist play better on the home consoles so it's not worth it to pick them up. Now, being able to play PS4 games via streaming is awesome but again, I'd rather just play my PS4 with my nice HDTV. For me, portable gaming doesn't make too much sense. If I'm really dying to play a game, I'll just whip out my phone and kill a few minutes that way.

Rabbit: Tiger is so wrong on this one. The PlayStation Vita is awesome. Awesome I tell you! So what it doesn't have shooters or racing games, you can find those anywhere. The Vita offers games you can't get anywhere else! Great otome games like Norn9, ADVs such as the Danganronpa series, and unique RPGs like Ys. Then there's a plethora of awesome rhythm games, unique experiences like Tearaway, and a huge backlog of digital PSP games too. And if you want action, there are games like Soul Sacrifice, Dragon's Crown, Freedom Wars, and Lost Dimension. Sure, you're not going to find a game like... ^shouts^ CALL OF DUTY, which we all know Tiger loves so much, but there are many gems in the Vita's lineup that you won't be able to play anywhere else. Because you can literally play all these games anywhere you want to! That's the amazing thing about portable gaming. Let's see you try to bring that gigantic TV and PS4 with you on our next road trip, Tiger.

Tiger: Okay, okay, I get it but I'm still going to say no to the Vita. The only reason why I have one is that you got it for me Rabbit. I appreciate it but don't think I'm going to put down my DS4 to play it.

Eagle: Sorry, Tiger. I have to side with Rabbit on this one. The Vita is a great system for me, who enjoys a good JRPG every now and again.

Tiger: No worries Eagle. I guess I'm the odd critter out this time. At least you two can now gush over your anime guys and girls together.

Rabbit: Thanks for coming back to TvR for this discussion, Eagle! It's been fun!

Tiger: I hope you come back soon!

Eagle: After lame jokes like those, I may need to give your fans a break. But, it is always a pleasure to catch up with you two and your hijinks.<laughs>

Is the PlayStation Vita Still Worth Purchasing?
Tiger      vs      Eagle      vs      Rabbit

Random Happy Time, 40 O'Clock - Hello, Worker!

In the last segment, Eagle mentioned the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita game, Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA f 2nd. Rabbit quizzes Eagle about the Vocaloid rhythm game and finds out which song is his all-time favorite.

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Rabbit: Since Tiger was such a downer in that last segment, I want to talk with Eagle about something we all love! Vocaloids!

Tiger: I wouldn't go so far to say I love them, but sure, I'm game.

Rabbit: Who is your favorite Vocaloid, Eagle?

Eagle: My favorite is a little uncharacteristic of me, but I would have to say Megurine Luka.

Rabbit: ^squeals^ Mine too! I love most of Crypton Future's Vocaloids. She, along with Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin, and Kagamine Len are the most recognizable.

Tiger: I'm more a fan of 1st Place Co's IA. To me, she has the most realistic voice out of all of them.

Rabbit: Since Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA f 2nd has a bunch of new songs, do you have a favorite yet?

Eagle: | •́ ◇ •̀ | I have played a lot of... <coughs> "Hello, Worker"...

Rabbit: Ooh, interesting choice. I myself love Rolling Girl by wowaka.

Tiger: Wow, I didn't expect that. Rolling Girl is a pretty depressing song.

Rabbit: But it's so catchy too.

Tiger: I play a lot of Romeo and Cinderella. (=^･ｪ･^=)

Rabbit: ^giggles^

Tiger: What?

Rabbit: Have you seen the music video for that from NicoNico?

Tiger: No... I have not.

Rabbit: ^snickers^ ／(^ x ^=)＼

Tiger: Which song do you have the most trouble with or hate the most, Eagle?

Eagle: Blackjack gave me a bit of trouble on the harder difficulties.

Tiger: That one is tough. I didn't have a specific song I sucked at but those flying stars were freaking hard to keep track of. I really hated Clover♣Club and Miracle Paint though.

Rabbit: ￣ (⁎˃ᆺ˂)￣ I had a really hard time with Akatsuki Arrival for some strange reason. It's the first song you can play but the new layout really messed with my head. Some songs I just dealt with since I played them so much.

Tiger: Kokoro was like that for me. So was Break It, Break It. I ended up falling in love with that song after playing it so much.

Rabbit: Oh, and Roshin Yukai! Love that one.

Tiger: I wish they had Kokoro Kiseki. Maybe the next game.

Rabbit: Shota much?

Tiger: Oh shut it. You're the one with the depressing song obsession.

Rabbit: Did you ever beat the game, Eagle?

Eagle: I played through all of the songs a couple of times. I never did get all of the trophies for the game. One day I shall rise to the challenge and earn that platinum trophy.

Tiger: There were so many challenges for all the songs to unlock everything too. I'm not sure anyone can really beat that game.

Rabbit: Yeah, I'm never going to beat it. I still play it all the time, it's so fun and the music is catchy!

Tiger: Excited for Project DIVA X, I take it?

Rabbit: It came out in August! ／(=⌒x⌒=)＼ So excited. ryo has a song called Name of the Sin, Whiteflame is back with A Single Red Leaf, and who doesn't love 40mP?

Tiger: I'm actually excited for Neru's The Lost One's Weeping. I really prefer Len's version but the original is awesome too.

Eagle: After getting addicted with this game and the last, I will probably buy it for my Vita and the PS4. That way I can run the music through my sound system when playing in my dark cave I call a home.

Rabbit: That's a great idea! I'm definitely getting it on Vita.

Tiger: PS4 version for me.

Rabbit: Does that mean you'll be blasting Holy Lance Explosion Boy from your dark cave?

Tiger: Seriously, I'll bop you again if you keep bringing this up!(^._.^)ﾉ

Rabbit: Shota-oshi Tiger is scary! Hurry Eagle, let's run away before she gets really mad!

Eagle: o(｀◇´)○ Please, do not drag me into this!

Rabbit: Too late! ^grabs Eagle and runs^ ε､., ⌒ ､., ⌒ ､., ⌒ ､., ⌒ ／( =ﾟｪﾟ=)ヽ

Tiger: Get back here you two!

Eagle: <yells from the distance> I am sorry! ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(;￣◇￣)┘

TvR Tag Tournament, Round 2 - Is Hockey Better When Played Outdoors?

Tiger and Rabbit took a trip home to California, to watch their beloved San Jose Sharks take part in the awe inspiring spectacle that is the Stadium Series. Joined by Eagle, they watched the Sharks take on their arch rival, the Los Angeles Kings, in the first outdoor game played in Northern California. These furry and feathery friends reminisce about the experience and answer the question, is hockey better when played outdoors?

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Rabbit: ^shivering^ Brr…

Tiger: Are you still cold?

Rabbit: Yes! It’s freezing here. I feel like it’s about to snow.

Tiger: *rolls eyes* It’s only 54 degrees out; it’s not cold enough to snow.

Rabbit: It sure feels like it though. I miss the sun.

Tiger: I do too. Man, it was so nice in San Jose, California. A warm 70 degrees out, sun shining, just a great weekend overall. Why are we here again?

Rabbit: ^shaking^ I’m so cold I wish I could light myself on fire.

Tiger: Before we bring in The Partner, let’s talk a little bit about what we did and why we did it.

Rabbit: For the Coor’s Light Stadium Series game!

Tiger: The NHL took over Levi’s Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, and turned it into an outdoor hockey rink.

Rabbit: So awesome!

Tiger: The game was held on February 21st, 2015 but we left a day early.

Rabbit: Righto! We left super early to give us enough time to travel to the airport and get through security.

Tiger: A whole 5 hours early. Sheesh, I thought it would take forever to get through security but it only took about 15 minutes.

Rabbit: Well, you did take a little longer than me.

Tiger: I have no idea why I had to be scanned twice and then they even patted me down.

Rabbit: Well you are pretty dangerous.

Tiger: *sticks out tongue* Let’s see, after waiting in the airport for 5 hours…

Rabbit: We did have lunch! Fish and chips, yum!

Tiger: We finally got on our flight to sunny San Jose. Two hours later…

Rabbit: Dun-duh-duh-dah!

Tiger: We arrived at our destination. We checked into our hotel, which was right next to Levi’s Stadium…

Rabbit: And that’s where we met Eagle!

Tiger: How was your trip, did it go smoothly?

Eagle: It was smooth sailing, for the most part. Although, my trip was far shorter for me than for the two of you.

Tiger: Ours would've been much shorter if we didn't show up to the airport 5 hours early.

Rabbit: Better safe than sorry! So once we met at the hotel, it was off to dinner. Mongolian BBQ FTW!

Tiger: It was great going back to that place. It's always a hockey tradition to eat Mongolian BBQ before seeing a hockey game. But man it was packed!

Eagle: It was nice of you two to allow me to tag along with your dinner plans. I thought the food was pretty alright. And, you know me... that is a fairly high compliment. The next morning was the best part, though. Rabbit was right on the money with her fear of lengthy lines to be found at the Sharks Store.

Rabbit: ^crosses arms^ Hardy har har. I just wanted to make sure we didn't miss out on anything.

Tiger: By showing up almost 2 hours before the store opened?

Rabbit: You never know! There could have been a run on Sharks beanies or something. Plus, we traveled all that way; I wanted to make sure to get some great souvenirs.

Tiger: I think you got all the souvenirs by the looks of it. I think you buried Eagle in clothes alone, making him carry stuff.

Eagle: I will grant her that... there was a mad rush not long after the doors opened.

Tiger: It definitely did get packed, luckily we were able to escape unscathed. Next up was Nihonmachi or Japantown.

Rabbit: Donburi!

Tiger: Why do we always seem to talk about food?

Rabbit: Because it's awesome. Japanese rice bowls are the best.

Eagle: The quaint shop across the street from the restaurant was nice. I even picked up some training chopsticks. Not for myself, of course.

Rabbit: Kogura Company! I bought a few kokeshi dolls for family and a book about Japanese children's stories. Not for myself, of course.

Tiger: Who are you kidding, it was so for you.

Rabbit: Okay, fine, it was for me but I like those kinds of stories.

Tiger: And what happened next?

Rabbit: More food?

Tiger: *shakes head*

Rabbit: It was dessert this time, ice cream mochi and monaka! Yummy!

Tiger: We took a short break back at the hotel and then it was off to the main reason why we took this trip in the first place - hockey baby!

Eagle: Hockey, yeah... woo hoo... Insert enthusiasm here...

Rabbit: It was so awesome!

Tiger: Once we got there.

Rabbit: Hey, the whole parking lot thing wasn't my fault. They could've used better signs to let us know before we got in line for the wrong parking lot.

Tiger: *sighs* Another line.

Rabbit: We did finally make it and didn't have to wait too long until the Fan Feast opened up.

Tiger: Okay, I have to admit, I was excited about getting our picture taken with the Shark Head.

Eagle: Getting in, though. Seems like they had tighter security than government buildings.

Tiger: Yeah, TSA was easier to get through. Once inside Levi's Stadium, the view from our seats was pretty awesome.

Rabbit: The ice! The pools of water with shark fins! The gigantanormous screens!

Tiger: We still had a bit of a wait for the game to start-

Rabbit: Which we filled by getting something to eat.

Tiger: *pulls Rabbit's ears* Stop talking about food.

Eagle: Not for me. For me, it was filled with being rude and texting someone with my fancy "smart" phone... Although, Rabbit was nice enough to bring me something during a later intermission.

Rabbit: Because food makes everything better.

Tiger: Okay, moving on. So, I was pretty surprised by the view from our seats. I totally thought we wouldn't be able to see the puck from that high up.

Eagle: The seats definitely had a great view. The sheen on that ice, in 70 plus degree weather.

Tiger: Yeah, the ice didn't hold up too well as the game wore on but it was still a fun game.

Rabbit: ^claps hands^ We got to do the Sharks' Power Play chomp quite a bit!

Eagle: After enough Badger-ing by a certain bunny, even I joined in on one.

Tiger: Too bad the Sharks scored only one goal.

Rabbit: Poor Tiger, the Kings ended up winning the game 2 to 1.

Tiger: *throws hands in the air* Freaking LA Kings. Freaking had to be LA spoiling our perfect trip.

Rabbit: It was still a good game, I definitely had fun.

Eagle: Even I enjoyed the game and the, even if sometimes overly enthusiastic, company. However, my glum demeanor never really broke.

Rabbit: Our entire section seemed to lack the usual spirit of Sharks' fans. I did hear Tiger yelling throughout the game.

Tiger: *grumbles* Freaking LA.

Rabbit: So that brings us to the topic of this TTT. Is hockey better played outdoors? What say you Eagle?

Eagle: That is a tough one. So long as it is not freezing, I would not mind attending. The ice in this particular instance would probably disagree. But, the changing and less controllable conditions provide for a more interesting challenge on the ice, which makes for better viewing.

Rabbit: So, is that a yes?

Eagle: Sorry, got a little long winded there... yes.

Rabbit: ^throws up arms^ Woohoo! Eagle and I finally agree on something! Who's awesome? We are!

Tiger: I guess we know what your answer is then, Rabbit.

Rabbit: Yup but I'll let you answer before me.

Tiger: Well I think that hockey is better when played indoors. While the whole experience and atmosphere were great during the game, the ice conditions can't be controlled like they can in an indoor arena. And while our seating was pretty great, I don't think the football stadium seating provides the best views of the ice like the seating at SAP center can. Plus, it wasn't the same not seeing the Sharks skate out of their famous Shark Head.

Rabbit: You're just being a party pooper because the Sharks lost. Well, I say that playing outdoors makes hockey a billion times better. Hearing 70,000+ fans cheering for their team, seeing planes fly overhead, and having a crystal clear night out... it was spectacular and it made a lasting impression. Yeah, the ice deteriorated as the game wore on but just being in that setting, it was an amazing hockey game and one Northern California may never see again.

Tiger: Those moths though...

Eagle: Yeah... one of those dreadful creatures almost touched my face.

Tiger: It was a great experience. I'm glad we got to go together.

Tiger & Rabbit: Thank you for coming Eagle!

Eagle: It was definitely a unique experience. Also, it is more I who should be thanking the two of you for allowing me to tag along.

Rabbit: It was fun, we should do it again sometime!

Tiger: Next time, let's make sure the Sharks win. Go Sharks!

Is Hockey Better When Played Outdoors?
Tiger      vs      Eagle      vs      Rabbit

Random Happy Time, 14 O'Clock - California Contraband!

Tiger, Rabbit, and Eagle discuss the souvenirs they bought at the Stadium Series game. Rabbit also thanks Eagle for helping her procure some contraband that can't be found where she lives.

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Rabbit: ^whispers to Eagle^ (｡･･｡) So Eagle. Thanks for bringing that, you know, contraband for me.

Tiger: Did you really have him bring you another Skylander? （；¬＿¬)

Rabbit: ^puts hands together^ Uh, maybe? (/ω＼)

Tiger: What did she ask for this time, Eagle?

Eagle: What can I say... she asks nicely-ish. Another exclusive one not found out in the middle of nowhere.

Rabbit: And it is awesome, thanks again for tracking that down for me! 238 Skylanders and counting!

Tiger: (๑′°︿°๑) Oh geez.

Eagle: I am sure you have some oddball collection of your own there Tiger.

Tiger: I don't have 238 of them though.

Rabbit: Don't you? I mean look at all the stuff you bought at the Sharks Store, how did you fit that all into your suitcase?

Tiger: *scratches head* I uh... I brought an extra suitcase for the trip back.

Rabbit: (ﾉ*0*)ﾉ What in the world did you buy?!

Tiger: Only four shirts, three sweatshirts, a jacket, two hats, a beanie, a couple of plushies, a mini hockey stick, a couple of pucks, and some stickers.

Rabbit: Only?! （＊〇□〇）……！

Tiger: It's not like we go to San Jose very often. I had to stock up. Plus you bought a lot of stuff there too,

Rabbit: ^grins^ Of course I did!

Eagle: Well, I think that is my cue to leave, before I get dragged into this. So, I say adieu to you two. And, thanks, again, for a pleasant time at the game and during the other events of the weekend.

Tiger & Rabbit: (o^^)o Thanks for carrying our stuff at the Sharks Store! o(^^o)

Rabbit: And thanks for the contraband! You’re the best Skylanders smuggler ever!

Eagle: Any time. The both of you.

Rabbit: I wish we could have smuggled back some of the great food. ლ(´ڡ`ლ)

Tiger: (　ﾟДﾟ)＜!! Food again?!

TvR Tag Tournament, Round 1 - Are Season Passes Worth the Price?

Welcome to the first edition of TvR Tag Tournament! Tiger and Rabbit welcome a special guest as they challenge The Partner to pick a side. With season passes becoming the norm in the video game industry, this team of fluffy friends tries to answer the question, are season passes worth the price?

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Rabbit: Mic oh test… mic oh test… one, two, three-

Tiger: What are you doing?

Rabbit: I’m making sure everything sounds good, this is the first time we’ve had a guest come on and I want to make sure things go well. Plus, this is the first time we’ve done this with Skype since we usually just sit in the same room and start talking.

Tiger: *sighs* Another Microsoft product.

Rabbit: Hey, it was either that or… is AOL even still around?

Tiger: Oh great, *throws up hands* way to date us, Rabbit.

Rabbit: Sorry, I’m just rambling, I’m nervous. This is so exciting, I can’t wait. What do you think he’ll be like? I mean I know we know him and all, but oh my gosh-

Tiger: *pulls Rabbit’s ears* Oooookay… enough of that. Calm down. Geez. He’s not even online yet and you’re freaking out. We’ve known The Partner for a long time now; he’s a cool bird so this will be fun.

Rabbit: But you know… ^in a whisper^ he’s so mysterious. I mean we had to contact him via a dead drop and no phone calls. He’s always so careful so he won’t be traced or have his identity revealed.

Tiger: Yeah, he does have this kind of mafia-ish vibe to him. Maybe you should ask him?

Rabbit: ^eyes go wide^ He’d probably strangle me with my ears if I did.

Tiger: *laughs* I don’t think he’d go that far… probably.

Rabbit: Probably?!

Eagle: Am I coming in okay?

Rabbit: Oh, there he is!

Tiger: Let’s get this show on the road and introduce our guest. Coming all the way from who knows where, please give a warm welcome to Eagle, The Partner!

Rabbit: ^cheers^

Tiger: *claps*

Eagle: Season's greetings to you two.

Rabbit: Oh my gosh, don't you just love the holidays? It's so festive and cozy, I love it.

Eagle: You seem more… peppy than usual, Rabbit.

Rabbit: It's all the hot coco!

Tiger: That's spiked with a mountain of marshmallows.

Rabbit: I like marshmallows.

Eagle: Seems they make you the opposite of mallow.

Tiger: They turn her into a crazy-eyed sugar monster, that's what they do.

Rabbit: Hey! ^crosses arms^ Anyway, you should be peppy for the holidays!

Tiger: I wish people weren't so festive and I wish they'd stop ringing those damned bells all the time.

Eagle: They can be festive all they want, so long as it's not at my front door.

Tiger: Yes, I find carolers very creepy and stalker-ish, and mostly tone-deaf.

Rabbit: You two aren't being very festive at all. Where's your holiday cheer?

Tiger: I'm saving mine for a real holiday like "sleep in until noon" day.

Eagle: <looks side to side> I'd tell you, but… you know…

Rabbit: ^gasps^

Tiger: He's joking Rabbit, at least I think he is…

Eagle: <small laugh> Don't worry. We've been acquainted long enough. You're safe, <pauses> for now…

Rabbit: ^sniffles^

Tiger: *pats Rabbit on head* Our fine feathered friend wouldn't be that cruel.

Eagle: Not during the holidays.

Rabbit: Yes, everyone has holiday spirit even our mysterious guest! Except for Tiger, ^whispers to Eagle^ she's been grumpy lately.

Tiger: I heard that.

Rabbit: Well it's true.

Tiger: It's because I've had to pay a ton of extra money for all these games that have been coming out!

Rabbit: Why?

Tiger: These stupid season passes, that’s why! Freaking season passes.

Eagle: The joys of gaming advancements.

Tiger: Yeah, we didn't have this problem in the days of the PlayStation 2.

Rabbit: Is it really a problem? As I understand it, season passes are just DLC bundles that have discounted prices compared to buying each piece of DLC separately?

Eagle: That's true. But more games are getting them and they are being announced before the games even come out.

Tiger: The price has started to go up too. Most passes were around $19.99 but I've seen a few $29.99 passes come out lately. And what about the content, is that content really worth it?

Rabbit: Well I remember buying the season passes for the Telltale games, which bundled all the episodes at a discounted price. That wasn't too bad but I could see it becoming an issue for games that have their passes announced before the game's released. Makes you wonder if they couldn't have just included it in the main game instead of selling it piece by piece.

Tiger: Sono toori!

Eagle: Those are a little different. Those season passes are the complete game when it comes to Telltale Games' games.

Rabbit: Very true but the games don't force you to buy the season passes, all that content is in addition to the main game. So if you really like the game, you can get more content or skip it if the main game wasn't that great.

Tiger: Look at Far Cry 4; it’s requiring the season pass for a specific multiplayer mode. I hate when they do that. If they have this mode then why don't they just put it in the game for everyone to play? By keeping this one mode behind a paywall, that mode won't ever get played.

Eagle: Sorry Rabbit, but I've got to agree with Tiger on this one.

Tiger: If they don't hold back different modes, they tend to sell a season pass and leave out a bunch of DLC content like The Last of Us. I bought that season pass assuming I'd get all of their multiplayer item offerings only to find that I still had to pay upwards of $8.99 per DLC bundle because the items weren't included in the season pass.

Eagle: Look at Borderlands 2, they had a season pass and still had several other DLC additions not included in it.

Tiger: Yes, it's frustrating when they leave content out because you feel like you've purchased a season pass for nothing. Like the Killzone: Shadow Fall pass, I'm still not sure what I got in the pass and what they just gave out free to everyone.

Rabbit: There are some cool things publishers have done with season passes like the Assassin's Creed: Unity one where they offered that 2D side-scrolling game with the Asian chick in it.

Tiger: That was cool but I'd rather have that left out of the pass and pay $19.99 instead of $29.99 and getting a game I won't ever play.

Eagle: I've never fancied Assassin's Creed myself. That download game however caught my eye.

Rabbit: I thought it was interesting to include that in the season pass. There are a few games I actually wish had the season pass just due to the discounts I would have got from buying them bundled versus separately. Like Ridge Racer.

Tiger: Rock Band.

Rabbit: Don't even start in on Rock Band; you wasted so much money on DLC for that game.

Tiger: *shrugs* It was fun at the time.

Eagle: <laughs> Glad I never got caught in that sinkhole.

Tiger: If you want to talk sinkholes, ask Rabbit what she's spent on Skylanders.

Rabbit: Hey! That's off topic.

Eagle: I've some idea. <whispers to Tiger> I even smuggled some over to her.

Tiger: Such an enabler you are, Eagle.

Rabbit: Now if Skylanders had a season pass, I would totally get that but for the most part I don't buy the passes. I think the last season pass I picked up was for Darksiders II and I never did get around to playing that game.

Tiger: I have purchased quite a few from the really terrible like the Killzone one to ones that offered a lot of value, like the one for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Overall though, I feel that they are just trying to make more money where they can. I mean most of this content should be in the game already, especially when they announce the passes before launch date. Adding another $30 to a $60 game purchase is just an insane amount of money to ask for when a lot of that extra content aren't even expansions. Look at Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor's leaderboard challenge mode for example, which totally should have been built into the game.

Eagle: The only season pass I can remember buying was the Killzone season pass.

Tiger: That is a terrible season pass. So many skins and spotlight moves aren't even included in that!

Rabbit: Okay, so I think it's time for us to get down to business and answer the question, are season passes worth the price? Why don't you go first, Tiger?

Tiger: Okay, I'll fire away on this one. I definitely say that they aren't worth the price, not anymore at least. With the rising prices of the passes and the decreasing amount of content, especially quality content, that they aren't worth getting anymore. Heck, like I said before, most of this content should be included in the game already. A season pass no longer feels like a discounted bundle but a rip off of "hey, we made all this stuff for the game that you just bought, but we're going to charge you another $30 for it!" What say you, Rabbit?

Rabbit: I think season passes are worth it if you're a good gamer, do your research, and not just buy them blindly like someone I know. ^points at Tiger^ They are not something that has to be purchased and most of the time, you know that the content isn't going to be anything meaningful or affect the main game. The only exception was the DLC for The Last of Us and that wasn't limited to the season pass so anyone could have easily picked it up outside of the pass. I think if you really love a game and want all the content you can get, the amount you save with the season pass is worth it. If you weren’t fond of the game, no harm done because you don’t have to spend the extra money to get content that’s not meaningful to the game. Plus, so many of the passes nowadays announce what’s inside so you know what you’re buying into. Don’t like what you see, you can save your money and buy something else instead, like a pet dinosaur! Okay Eagle, you have the last word on the matter.

Eagle: Most of the times I find the value offered by season passes to be lacking. You know, the old man in me has been against DLC from the start. Mostly for the reason Tiger said previously, these season passes feel like they are taking content from the games for extra money. However, The Evil Within is a game with a season pass offering that might just be calling me name. With that, the content is completely separate from the main game, letting you play as different characters for a spell.

Rabbit: Hopefully that season pass will sell well and encourage other developers and publishers to put quality content into their passes over fluff.

Tiger: Thanks everyone for reading our first entry of TvR Tag Tournament and a special thanks to Eagle for taking the time out of his busy schedule to join us.

Eagle: Never too busy for you two, some of my favorite furry friends.

Rabbit: Aww! You’re our favorite feathered friend!

Tiger: That's it for us; see you all in two weeks-

Rabbit: Hold it right there! ^throws up hands^ You're forgetting something.

Tiger: And what's that?

Rabbit: This!

Are Season Passes Worth the Price?
Tiger      vs      Eagle      vs      Rabbit

Random Happy Time, 8 O'Clock! - Smuggling New Year's Resolutions!

Rabbit introduces Eagle to the ways of Random Happy Time while discussing the gang’s resolutions for 2015. Tiger also discusses smuggling with Eagle in this edition of Random Happy Time!

^^<>**

Tiger: （￣へ￣） Oh geez. *rubs forhead*

Rabbit: My favorite part of the blog! (๑>ᴗ<๑)

Tiger: Do we all have to stick around for this? I mean, Eagle hasn't done one of these yet, so I could leave it up to you two to finish this-

Rabbit: Nope! You both have to participate, it's in the contract!

Eagle: There was a contract? 【・ヘ・?】

Rabbit: Yup, bundled together with your unmarked bills and copies of various import video games.

Tiger: I don't think you were supposed to mention that…

Eagle: Seems you got one past me. Not many who can do that… <glares>

Rabbit: ^snickers^ Anyway, I want to talk about our New Year's resolutions since it's almost 2015! What's your resolution for next year, Eagle?

Eagle: I'd like to try to finish at least two more games next year than I did this year, even with my hectic schedule.

Rabbit: That's a great resolution! ヽ(;^o^ヽ) Mine is to eat more toast, try to beat at least six, no let's say give games, and buy myself a cute stuffed llama! What's yours, Tiger?

Tiger: Well, nothing remotely close to either of you. Actually, I don't believe in doing resolutions. If you want to change something, why wait until a new year to do it? Just suck it up and change right then and there.

Rabbit: Again, you aren't being festive. See mon! You gotta join in the fun.

Tiger: Well, maybe not so much a resolution but... *looks at Eagle* why have you smuggled things for Rabbit but not for me? I totally think you should smuggle something for me next year and I already know what. It's not like it's that illegal, I just can't really get it up here in this state per say…

Eagle: （・⊝・∞） You’ve never asked before.

Tiger: Well, I'm asking now. I'm cashing in my chips, I'm serious. February, I will have items for you to procure for me.

Rabbit: This is suddenly going from random happy to random scary. Stop it you too, it's terrible!

Eagle: Don't worry, Rabbit. You will not be harmed by this. At least… I don't think you will. Then again, it would depend on Tiger's demands. (｀Θ´)

Tiger: *laughs maniacally*

Rabbit: ^whimpers^ 〈(゜。゜) Okay everybunny, I think that's enough of this! Thanks all you Qgers, Qbbits, and now Qgles out there for reading and we all wish you merry holidays and a happy New Year!

Eagle: Thanks for having me. It was interesting.

Tiger: Freedom!