Um, that's fairly standard for JRPGs, at least when not playing them in the original language. In about 60% of the ones I've played characters and their arcs are there to be endured, not enjoyed. Final Fantasy games, unfortunately feature some of the worst.

Well, great. They've advanced to making them comedy sidekicks; The guy honestly isn't too bad, and I'd say he's quite good by JRPG standards…
But when you're introduced to him (in the intro CGI video) he's holding on to dear life, literally flapping, from a flying dragon's spine, while the rest of the cast look all…

Listening to it (We Are…) right now, and it's very fucking great. I completely suck at classifying metal, though - wouldn't have filed this under death metal.

I'd start with Carrion Comfort as well. Didn't care that much for Summer of Night or its sequel, but I'm in the minority here, so hey. Phases of Gravity is also very good, and the short story collection I have is called Prayers for Broken Stones. Lots of good stuff there.
Oh, and Hyperion! wasn't as impressed by the…

Yeah, he can be very good, and he'll always have a pass from me for Carrion Comfort and his short stories. I'll get to this eventually…

Think it's meant more in the sense that there are some particularly squirm-inducing scenes.

I also don't think the solipsism charge holds. As Tobias states in the article, the point of the movie for me is how universal his problems are, if not the particulars of his situation.
And I thought the cheesy, trite funeral speech (complete with uplifting music), and Caden's reaction to it, were brilliant and…

This is the best one I've seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watc…
Saw it for the first time on the 30Rock DVD box, and I thought it was a spoof.

"Lionsgate attaches a few red-band trailers for good measure"
Fuck them. There are no features I dislike more than fucking commercials/anti-piracy ads on the DVDs I buy. Especially when they run as soon as you put the disc in, and they're unskippable.
Are they trying to get me to pirate movies?

Spot on - It's kind of hard to not think of AC2 and ME2 while playing this game. I think one of the main problems with this one, besides how little it brings to the table structure-and-features-wise, is that it really feels like fan service - for example, a ton of the logs you find are really clearing up plot points…

Shit, the random things one remembers - at one point (I'm almost sure this is from Computer Connection) a teenage girl is flattered because someone comments she looks like a hungarian prostitute.

Liked Deconstructed Man and Stars my Destination well enough when I was a kid - don't remember noticing anything untoward in them (which doesn't mean anything - I only noticed how fascist starship troopers was when I watched the movie years later)
Computer connection, the only other Bester I've read had some really…

Ligotti is absolutely incredible; If you liked MWiNYD, make sure you track down his short story collections (the Nightmare Factory is a particular favorite of mine). Some of the best horror writing I've read.

I prefer Imaginations from the Other Side, but yeah, Nightfall is very fucking good.

(sorry to hop in)
I thought it was pretty amazing. It's got Anneke (VonGinsbergen?) from The Gathering on most vocals, and some of the most melodic stuff he's done in ages (without losing any of the weirdness). The version of Hyperdrive on it is excellent.

Saw them live in Argentina, eight years ago or so. They did Rebellion in Dreamland without any frills, and it was fucking epic.

I loved Ghost Story and Shadowland, but I've tried several of his other books and found them extremely underwhelming. Sounds like this one goes to that pile. Shame.

Heh. Browbeaten into buying a game.
The Shaolin Soccer reference also helps, of course.

Probably. If an RPG's story isn't singled out as good (there are a few out there… the latest one that comes to mind is Persona 4), you can assume it's the usual fluff.
What I'd like to know is- will I merely hate the characters or will I find myself poking screwdrivers into my eyes and ears rather than watching…

Is it really that good? the buzz can't be any better, but the fact that it's about soccer and based on a kid's anime series really really makes me want to resist this…