6.30.2015

Ghostbusters Reboot: Costumes and Proton Packs Revealed

     While I am still a little on the fence about the upcoming Ghostbusters Reboot, mostly due to the writer/director being Paul Feig, and nothing to due with the amazing ladies cast- and seeing Spy recently has started to turn me around to what the film could actually become.

     Feig has also got my interests peaked with two tweets, one with the updated take on the classic Ghostbusters uniforms, and the second of an updated version of the iconic Proton Pack.  They are both looking quite good, and my initial distaste about the reboot is slowly being eased away.



    Both pics look to be handled with subtlety and simplicity which actually give me hope that this project could turn out well.

     Ghostbusters is set to be released July 22, 2016

Back to the Future: Will Get NO REMAKES According to Director Zemekis

     In a bit of truly tremendous film news, the Back to the Future's time-traveling trilogy director Robert Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale have thwarted all attempts to reboot the franchise.

     “Oh, God no,” Zemeckis told The Telegraph. “That can’t happen until both Bob and I are dead. And then I’m sure they’ll do it, unless there’s a way our estates can stop it."
     As the pair hold the rights to the film, in accordance with their contracts with Amblin Ent. and Universal Pictures, they hold the final say on ANY Back to the Future films and they've decided that the film(s) are too good to even think about remaking.  So much so, Zemeckis hopes that his estate will find a way to continue to block the attempts at remaking them after he's died and the rights are distributed.

     Zemeckis has made it clear that for at least the duration of the rest of his life there will be NO remake of the 1985 classic, and Gale has made it obvious that there couldn't really be another Marty McFly, another Back to the Future, without the great Michael J. Fox.  It just wouldn't be the same.
     All of us fans can rest easy knowing that Hollywood can't hope to ruin at least one great franchise.  Back to the Future can remain in its cinematic perfection without fear of being tarnished any time soon.

     Zemeckis also mentioned his disappointment at not being able to stop another of his classics from (currently) being remade- the Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner romantic adventure-comedy Romancing the Stone.  That's just one more film franchise that should be left alone.

     Source [ The Telegraph ]

6.28.2015

Batman: Arkham Knight: An "At 40% Completion" Mid-Game Review

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD

     As I continue to plod through the newest Batman game, I can't get enough time to tear through Gotham as fast I intended.  So instead of the final video review, I'm posting a mid-game review as I'm sitting at about the halfway mark now, and have enough hours in to judge the game currently and put up a final video review in a week or so.  This is probably going to get ramble-y.


THE BAD:  THE BLANDMOBILE

     Rocksteady's latest Batman Game, Arkham Knight, sees Batman once again going up against vast array of criminals with a few notable names like Scarecrow heading up the bunch.  Oddly enough the big tagline was that we were supposed to "Be the Bat," but since we've already played as him in the 3 previous games, the only real difference here is the addition of the Batmobile.  Or, rather, the newest forced requirement to fulfill half the game missions, and one that has some serious handling issues at that.  It's truly more like a S***mobile.
     Having the Batmobile could've been a great thing, but when hitting one wall after a loose drift sends you careening, rebounding off every other wall around and losing valuable chase time it gets old real fast.  To make this problem worse is the fact that a ludicrous amount of the game feels tailored specifically to include the Batmobile- as a result it becomes a chore to play through these missions and tasks.
     Rocksteady shoehorned in an absurd amount of reasons to need the Batmobile instead of leaving it as an optional feature.  I've spent almost half my time using the Batmobile to accomplish menial tasks and I would prefer not having it all than having an overabundance of it forced into the game.
     Personally, I would've been happy for a couple decent chases and a simple vehicle instead of the unwieldy Bat-tank we are forced to use constantly.  Even for the Riddler challenges.  I remember the good ole days when the Riddler's challenges used puzzle solving skills as opposed to driving skills.  Now it's all driving and using Batmobile winch features.  It makes it feel like an anchor tethered to Batman and becomes a burden to constantly need to drag the damn thing around.  I want to "Be the Bat," not "Be a sidekick to your own vehicle."

THE MEDIOCRE:  AN EMPTY CITY

     This complaint is a little odd when I say it out loud.  I enjoy how massive the city of Gotham is and the promise of exploitative opportunity, but I have yet to find that awe that the promise should hold.  I heard Gotham is roughly 5 times larger than Arkham City was, but it feels so much emptier.
     Arkham City had a staggering amount of stuff crammed into it.  Every nook and cranny had a little treat- Easter Eggs, missions, and Riddler trophies- there was a genius to its design.  The only other game I can compare Arkham City to is the perfection that Dark Souls had in the game's layout.  Every single thing was put in place for a good reason, and it all tied together nicely.  A near-perfect system of locations.  It all felt connected and necessary.  Arkham Knight's Gotham feels like it is simply huge because it could be.  Sure it is full of common thugs, but it still feels uninhabited.  There is a ton of space and not enough people to populate it adequately enough to make the scale seem worth it.

THE GREAT:  CHARACTERS... MOSTLY

     On The good side of things, the combat is still as amazing as ever.  Stealth options feel a little lacking still, where the game rewards and pushes many encounters into forced open combat with groups.  The graphics are tremendous and everything looks amazing.

After seeing this Joker, I knew I had to take a hilarious screencap.
     Of course the acting is once again at peak- particularly from Mark Hamill who is totally not reprising his role as the Joker here.  He's technically only giving voice to an imaginary Joker, which is so much better.  His role in Arkham Knight starts the game, making players burn the Joker's body to begin playing.  Once he's on the scene, so to say, he steals every single moment.  Randomly showing up and commenting and discussing things with Batman.
     It's true comedic gold.

     Scarecrow has a ton of great lines and scenes.  At the point in the game I've reached his fear toxin scenes are only average, but I haven't started the Nightmare Missions and hope they hold some of the creepy vibes and uneasy feeling that his scenes in Arkham Asylum had.  I also think they did a great job of tying together the story from the secret ending in Asylum- and the conversing goons from Arkham City to Arkham Knight.  Even the line I continously hear about his face, about how it's rumored Killer Croc messed him up.
     The same cannot be said of the Arkham Knight.  He's designed to look amazing, and I really like that aspect, but his character is ultra bland.  All he is is hateful of Batman and "knows how he thinks"- which he says roughly a hundred times.  Honestly, with all the lead ups, I'd guess he was a former protege or sidekick of Batman's.  This story also feels awfully reminiscent of Under the Red Hood, and there is a DLC Pack with Red Hood- so maybe Jason Todd is connected to the Knight as well?

     I must say my favorite surprises so far were running into Man-Bat and getting to play, albeit for only like a minute, as Azrael.  Some of the characters hinted or suspected have finally arrived, but then others feel completely underutilized.  Catwoman, for example, is Riddler's hostage and I think it would've made a much better arc for her to escape and save herself and later meet Batman.  Having Batman show up only for her to have saved herself would be hilarious- even better if she fully captured the Riddler.  Granted, maybe she does, I've only gotten the first couple parts of that story completed.

     I also would've liked that same old feel of all the villains factions fighting each other again.  Or have a bunch of people that stayed behind regardless of Scarecrow's warning.  Where'd all the other big name villains go anyway?  Only a few of them are out and about and it feels like a waste to not have more cameos for the story.
     Where's Mr. Freeze? Batman helped him retrieve Nora, so he could now return the favor and help Batman with tech.  What became of Killer Croc after the sewer cameo of in Arkham City?  How about the return of Ra's al Ghul.  We know he has been using the Lazarus Pits and his body vanished.
     I'm mostly wondering where all the loose ends will get tied up.  Although, since Rocksteady had claimed this was their last Batman game, I wonder if they'll segue into a larger DC Universe.  I've spotter Lex Corp stuff, as well as a building and Lex Luthor himself left a message on Bruce Wayne's answering machine for those that actually listened to all the messages in the Wayne tower room with Lucius Fox.  A tiny Easter Egg and possible hint to the future.  Maybe even a JLA game to coincide with the coming DC films.

OVERALL: IT'S BAT-DECENT

     I'll have to finish the game before really deciding.  Currently Arkham City is a superior game in storytelling and play.  In fact, I think the Batmobile ate up resources that should've been allocated to other places, like story and filler.  Arkham Knight currently feels like it is missing the heart and drive that City had.  It is still better than Asylum and moderately better than Origins, which I don't think gets the credit it deserves.

6.26.2015

Dinosaur Simulator: Quick Review (Android)

Jurassic What?!? 

     With all the Jurassic Park stuff experiencing a resurgence due to Jurassic World's billion dollar box office destruction, I've decided to look into some other odd dinosaur related games and came across this wonderful gem- Dinosaur Simulator.


     Dinosaur Simulator is made by Big Baja Apps, a company known for exciting other free games such as Wolf Simulator, Werewolf SimulatorBear Simulator, Shark Simulator, and Crocodile Simulator.  It is along the lines of the very well known Goat Simulator game, where the only real task is to run amok and wreak hilarious havoc in whatever locale you happen to be in.  They're pretty much all the same- cheap graphics and silly gameplay- just enough to keep you entertained for half an hour.

Is that a Tyrannosaurus Rex in your pocket?


     Sadly no, in this particular case you play as a Carnotaurus, not the stated and advertised T-Rex their official app page shows, but that's close enough I suppose.  The dinosaur you play as is tasked with bringing giant destruction to a city in a limited time period.  There are currently only 2 maps, with very little to differentiate between the two, and the choice of playing either daytime or nighttime, which also doesn't really change anything other than the lighting.

     In the small time period given your job is generally to wreck as much as possible.  There are numerous "levels" with specific tasks such as "Knock Over 20 Street Lights" or "Find 15 Fire Hydrants."  It doesn't change much as all the levels are the same 2 maps and all the fun is actually in running around accidentally demolishing everything in your path.  Time can be extended by finding carrots growing in the ground, and there's even a semi-secret area on The City map, a small farm house with gourds and water tower.


     The controls are mediocre, and often times a bit laggy.  There is also a completely useless jump button.  The jump isn't high enough to make it even a fraction of the way to the top of anything you can't break, so why is it even there?

     As far as gameplay goes, it is a bit sluggish and stuttery running on the Galaxy Note 3, but the graphics are fairly clean and the sound effects continuously brought a laugh- all the weird POINK sounds of knocking things over and, most notably, the extremely questionable juicy fart noise that happens when you run over a human.

     Overall, Dinosaur Simulator is simply a ridiculous waste of time, but a mildly entertaining one at that.

6.24.2015

Slayin': Review (Android)


     Once in a while an insanely minimalist game comes along and hits all the right notes, and Slayin' is definitely one of them.  Sure, it is an old release, already out for PC and iOS devices, but Android gets 3 new classes of characters to play as!
     The Tamer, Archer, and Ninja have joined the previous three members of the cast (The Knight, Mage, and Knave).  Each character plays quite differently than any of the others, and do alter the gameplay, but in a wonderful way.  Learning to master each one takes a little time, and keeps players invested in continuing to play.


     The game is ultra simple.  You pick a character, starting with the Knight and unlocking others with gold from playing (or through IAPs), then run back and forth killing as many creatures as possible, leading up to boss monster encounters every so often,  before you die.  It sounds quite boring and repetitive, but the truth of the matter is, Slayin' somehow manages to keep interesting due to the nature of its simplicity.


     To keep things going, every so often a merchant arrives and offers items for sale to lengthen the lifespan of your hero- new weapons, food, potions, etc- all to extend the single life each run of the character has.
     There are even new modes to unlock including an Advanced Mode and a Boss Rush Mode.  The longer you play the more you can unlock, simple and effective.

     To be honest, I was initially hesitant because of the super retro-pixelated graphics and the simplistic back-and-forth gameplay, but after playing it- it is supremely addictive.  Not only that, the IAPs are really not pushed in your face at all.  FDG Games kept them as unobtrusive as they could.  You can pay if you want to get some nice early unlocks or some purely aesthetic changes, but since none of them are truly necessary you don't have to "FEEL" like needing to buy things.  Slayin' never has a moment that screams pay-to-win, never has a play wall, and the IAPs are hidden in the tavern menu- it really is a skill based game so it's never necessary to buy anything at all.  Although, I would recommend doing so just to continue to support FDG Games' continued game making abilities for gems like this.

     Slayin' is worth far more than its free-to-play may lead people to believe.

6.22.2015

Terminator Genisys: Revolution: Quick Review

HASTA LA VISTA, BABY


     Somehow Glu Mobile, a company that prides itself on being "The Leader in Freemium Mobile Gaming" has taken everything fun and good about the old Terminator 2 Arcade Game rail shooter and made it worse so it could fit in your pocket...  for free.  Glu focused far too much on the "freemium" aspect and not nearly enough on the much more important "Terminator" part of the game.


NO FATE BUT WHAT WE MAKE

     The first step in the wrong direction comes from the CONSTANT advertising.  Even if you simply enter a menu and immediately exit there's a 70% chance you'll either receive a still shot ad or an entire game trailer popping up.  I'm not kidding- this game is flooded with advertising bombarding you with them every other minute.
     To make matters worse there is a forced need to level each of the 3 weapon types up to pass various missions to progress- heavily encouraging the use of IAPs to speed the sluggish progression due to a severe lack of resources.  Players must level a weapon up nearly every 3rd stage, requiring either IAPs or a preposterously long process of accumulating one of 3 types of currency that trickle in after hours of play.

     The next step wrong is the fact this isn't a real rail shooter, but rather a cover-based shooter making players simply go from point to stationary point.  Granted, had there been a decent difficulty balance (instead of a shallow IAP weighted grind) this may not have been such an annoyance because the short shooting levels aren't too terrible.

CHILL OUT,  DICKWAD

     I mean the controls are simple and surprisingly decent for the shooting with my only complaint about them being that the reload button is at the very top of the right side for some odd reason.  All three weapons feel different enough to merit note.  The machine gun, shotgun, and sniper rifle all actually have very notable variances and it does change how you play in these extremely brief levels.

     In the essence of fairness, I must say the graphics aren't that bad.  They aren't nearly as good as the Google Play store pictures would have you believe, but they really aren't terrible.


JUDGEMENT DAY

     That is really the deal breaker with the game- level brevity.  Players will spend far more time navigating the menus than in the actual shooting parts.  It is absolutely ridiculous that Glu released a half-assed game that was more menus and advertising than real gameplay.  Even if they simply got rid of all the damn ads, it might upgrade this title to tolerable.  As a lifelong Terminator fan, this game held very mild entertainment value for me, but for non-fans it might be too much crap to deal with.  Why they didn't just make a small 3rd person shooter is really anyone's guess.

     Contrary to its title, Terminator Genisys: Revolution is definitely not a revolution in any way possible, but truly an awful mess of a movie tie-in.  Had Terminator Genisys: Revolution been a premium game with a little more work put in, it could've been decent.  It has the rudimentary skeleton, just none of the important components that make it a true Terminator game's T-800 Endoskeleton chasis.

     The Terminator franchise desperately needs an amazing movie tie-in, but this is not it.  In fact, I think someone should send a Terminator back in time to stop them from creating this game.

6.21.2015

Lara Croft GO: Reveal Trailer & Thoughts

     At E3 2015, Square-Enix Montreal announced a Tomb Raider related game in the same vein as their previous but wonderful take on another franchise- Hitman GO- and this one will be aptly titled Lara Croft GO, and it looks to be every bit the stylized heir we would come to expect from that comparison.


     From the press release:
"GO is a celebration of our iconic franchises,” said Patrick Naud, Head of Studio at Square Enix Montréal. “With Hitman GO, we’ve distilled a brand we love to its core… the Essence of Assassination.”
“Now, we are bringing this concept to a whole new level. Working in close partnership with Crystal Dynamics, we are excited to tap into the nostalgic love we have for the ultimate female adventurer, Lara Croft, and bring you… the Essence of Adventure!”
Lara Croft GO expands the turn-based puzzle gameplay and takes you on an adventure set in a long-forgotten world. Explore the ruins of an ancient civilization, discover hidden secrets and face deadly challenges as you uncover the myth of the Queen of Venom."
     If Hitman GO was any way to accurately judge, GO could be a tremendous new take on the adventures of Lara Croft.  As Hitman Go turned the "Essence of Assasination" into a brilliantly simple and elegant tabletop puzzle game, I have little doubt they'll do wrong with the transformation of an exploration-adventure game into a tabletop simulation for mobile devices.

     Here's a nice gameplay video for a better look at the game:


     Lara Croft GO will be available on "mobile and tablets" later this year.

     Sources [ Square-Enix Montreal ] [ AppSpy (Gameplay Video) ]

6.20.2015

Titan Quest: Making Its Way to Android and iOS Devices

     Back in 2006 Iron Lore Entertainment did something I thought impossible- they made a hack 'n' slash game like Diablo, but somehow, much more appealing to me.  They did that with Greek Mythology.  Simple and wonderous- they took the fantastic elements of ancient mythology and let us play in the role of a hero of those times in places such as Greece and Egypt.


     Last week it was announced that I'll soon be able to play it again, aside from the original disc copies I still have, of both Titan Quest and its expansion pack Immortal Throne, but now it'll be on mobile.  Both Android and iOS devices are slated to be brought Titan Quest by developer DotEmu in partnership with Nordic Games (who purchased the game from former publisher THQ a few years ago).
     They'll be cleaning up the graphics and keeping the game in 3D, and they will be including virtual controls and buttons for easy adapting to the mobile touch screens.  DotEmu has ported other classics such as the Metal Slug games to phones and have quite a high standard, so I'm extremely exited for this update of Titan Quest.
     Now to see if it'll include the Immortal Throne expansion as well...

     Titan Quest is due in late 2015.

     Source [ Pocket Gamer ]

6.17.2015

The Secret Life of Pets: Trailer & Thoughts

     Being Illumination Entertainment's (of Despicable Me fame) 5th feature film, it's no surprise they are up to some great things.  Along with Universal Pictures they are bringing us The Secret Life of Pets, and if you've ever had a pet, you know this is the kind of thing any of them would do as soon as you step out the door.


     As a lifelong pet owner, I'd like to think this is exactly the type of thing all my pets are up to.  In particular the Budgie (Parakeet).  I have one exactly like this, and this is most definitely what she is up to when I'm not looking.  I'm fairly sure she has all the other birds doing it with her as well.

     The Secret Life of Pets is slated to hit theaters July 8th, 2016.


6.15.2015

Disney INfinity 3.0: PS4 Gets Star Wars: Rise Against the Empire Early Exclusives

     Sony has announced a special deal with the Disney INfinity team to bring content to the PS4 a month early- "before the holidays!"  It'll be a Disney INfinity 3.0 Limited Edition Starter Pack featuring the fan-favorite bounty hunter Boba Fett and access to the Star Wars: Rise Against the Empire play set one month early.


     Disney INfinity 3.0's starter set is rumored to be available in late August.

Final Fantasy VII: Remake Announced

     It's good to know that with enough fans we can get remakes of amazing old games updated for the modern systems.


     An interesting trailer, the group is getting back together, but will we be able to save Aeris this time with our huge stash of Phoenix Downs?

     Final Fantasy VII Remake will be available first on PS4.

The Last Guardian: Has Been Officially Re-Introduced and it is Breathtaking (Releasing in 2016)

     Well, Sony kicked off their E3 2015 press conference with The Last Guardian, the spiritual successor to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, and it was well worth the wait.  The graphics have been cranked up, and the movements and animations are so much better than the last time we saw footage years ago- in 2009.


     The footage looks to be actual in-game footage and it is spectacular.

     The Last Guardian will be shipping in 2016.

Mass Effect: Andromeda: E3 Announcement Trailer

     EA and Bioware have released a stunning new trailer for the next game in the Mass Effect series subtitled Andromeda.  It features a new N7, a new adventure, and it's in a new galaxy.


     What I think stands out most about this trailer is at the end, there is a note that states "Captured In Engine.  Representative of Game Experience."  This is apparently in-game footage and it is glorious.

     Mass Effect Andromeda will be available "Holiday 2016" on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Ashen: Aurora44's Game of Beauty in a Sunless World

     The last time I saw Ashen was in July last year, so this was a pleasant surprise for the announcements at E3 2015 Microsoft press conference.  Developer Aurora44 unveiled that the game would be coming to Xbox One as an exclusive.


     Ashen features a bleak world where players must carefully choose who to trust in their journeys.  The grey landscape is harsh and their are many dangers to encounter, and potential enemies could lure you in to your doom, or lead you to hope and survival.

     From the official Ashen website:
THIS IS THE TALE OF A BYGONE WORLD. 
CHOOSE A PATH AND HOLD ON TO THOSE YOU TRUST. 
Ashen is a 3rd person, action RPG about forging relationships. 
Players can choose to guide those they trust to their camp, encouraging them to rest at the fire and perhaps remain. 
Together, you might just stand a chance.
     The game looks amazing and the concept behind it's multiplayer is outstanding.  Ashen looks to be a tremendous and stylized game combining elements of Dark Souls, Super Bros. Sword and Sworcery EP, and Journey into a new form of survival adventure.

     No release date has been announced.

Dishonored 2: Official E3 2015 Trailer & Thoughts

     After a long run of rumor and speculation of a coming sequel to the 2012 hit game Dishonored (which I thought was "pretty damn fun"), we get an official announcement trailer for Dishonored 2 from Arkane Studios!

     Dishonored 2 takes your protagonist -- choose between Corvo Attano and Emily Kaldwin -- to the coastal city of Karnaca where the choices you make will have significant impact on the world. 
     Both assassins have their own unique set of powers, weapons, and tools to provide creative and exciting new ways to eliminate targets. 
     It shouldn't come as any surprise that Arkane would be working on a sequel to Dishonored with how well it sold.  What is a small surprise is the choice of EITHER Corvo or newcomer Emily Kaldwin.  Which makes me wonder if we not only get 2 characters will we also get 2 storylines as well?  If the trailer is any indication Arkane has another great hit on the way with Dishonored 2.

     Dishonored 2 will be available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC Spring 2016.

     For more information follow at [ Dishonored ]

6.12.2015

Marvel Heroes 2015: The Old Fashioned Way

     During this second week of the two year anniversary of Gazillion's Marvel Heroes 2015 game, they ran into some update issues and have been on a long delay.  No big deal to me, although I see a lot of people complaining on the forums, Gazillion is going out of their way in doing the best they can on a Friday for all us fans.
     In the mean time, I am occupying myself by playing the game the old fashioned way.  (See Pic)

As you can see, I even loaded my Rocket Raccoon with a pet Groot. 
    Ah, the good ole days of gaming...

Disney INfinity 3.0: Star Wars Rebels Officially Announced

     The announcement:

     Disney Interactive and Lucasfilm today announced that some of the Star Wars™ characters from the popular animated TV series Star Wars Rebels™  are joining Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition. Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, Sabine Wren, and Zeb Orrelios will be joining other Star Wars, Marvel, Disney and Disney•Pixar characters in Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition’s Toy Box. Additionally, all characters are unlockable within each Star Wars™ Play Set.

     In an effort to thwart the evil plans of the Galactic Empire, these characters are key players in the fight against the forces of the dark side, providing a unique addition to the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition experience.


     The characters, from left to right are:
EZRA BRIDGER
Growing up on his own, Ezra Bridger relied on his street smarts – and subconscious Force abilities – to survive on Lothal. That changed when he met the Ghost crew; Ezra came to believe in their cause, and with the help of Kanan, began to learn the ways of the Jedi, using his custom Lightsaber to undermine the Empire and inspire the rebels. 
KANAN JARRUS
Jedi turned rebel fugitive, Kanan Jarrus leads his team in secret operations to help overthrow the Galactic Empire. He defends the innocent with his blaster and Lightsaber™ and guides his Padawan, Ezra, in the ways of the Force™. 
ZEB ORRELIOS
Zeb Orrelios is as strong a brawler as he is headstrong. He stands alongside his fellow rebels with his bo-rifle in hand, ready to take on the Imperial forces. 
SABINE WREN
Sabine Wren has explosive talents for art and demolitions alike, and she won’t hesitate to use them against the Empire. She can stealthily approach and sabotage the enemy or stand alongside her rebel allies to lend her twin blasters to the cause.
     The Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack, rated E10+ by the ESRB, will be available this fall for $64.99 and includes the Star Wars™ Twilight of the Republic Play Set, the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Base, Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker character figures, and a web code card that unlocks content for PC and mobile devices.

    Star Wars Rebels Season Two premieres Saturday, June 20th (9:00.m. ET/PT) on Disney XD.

     A Play Set based on Disney•Pixar’s upcoming film Inside Out and a Marvel Play Set featuring Hulkbuster, Ultron, and other Marvel characters will also be available. Additional Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition figures and Play Sets will be announced in the coming months.

     My thoughts:

     With E3 2015 right around the corner it's an interesting choice for Disney INfinity to release another batch of Star Wars characters for INfinity 3.0 right before the show.  Hey, I don't mind, as it's usually good news for us anyways, and this time it is the official announcement of the Star Wars Rebels group.  They had been mentioned in a leak about 2 weeks ago, so it isn't a huge surprise.

     I really hope they add the pair of Hera Syndulla and her cantankerous astromech C1-10P droid ("Chopper") to the mix, as the rest of the Rebels wouldn't seem to be whole without them.  Perhaps they'll be a small Play Set pack that has yet to be announced...

6.10.2015

The Last Guardian: May be "Re-Introduced" at E3 2015

     The UK paper The Guardian has posted an interesting item in their "Most Anticipated E3 2015 Games" list, it lists long-awaited spiritual successor to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus- The Last Guardian as possibly being shown at E3 next week.

Will The Last Guardian finally make an appearance?
     Obviously, this game has been in development limbo since 2007 and not seen again since E3 2009- so I'll be taking this as rumor until it is actually shown.  There's been only a trickle of official information released over the years and this might amount to nothing... 
     ...though this is written on the site:
"Yes, we know it has been in development hell since 2007, but we have it on very good authority that this will be the year that Team Ico finally presents its follow-up to much loved classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. Whether it’ll bear any relation to the game last shown at E3 in 2009 is anyone’s guess."
     Over at Gamnesia, they mention that the author recognized and acknowledged one mistake in the article and corrected it, but left The Last Guardian untouched- so does this author truly have some good intel on the game finally making a reappearance into the world?  And if it does, how different will it be from what we last saw?

     Will Sony and Team Ico finally re-introduce The Last Guardian at E3 2015 next week?

     Source [ The Guardian ]

6.09.2015

Daredevil Season 2: The Punisher Officially Confirmed and Jon Bernthal Cast!!!

     The official Marvel's Daredevil Twitter account just tweeted this gem:


     The Punisher has been both announced and cast- he'll be played by Jon Bernthal.  As the Marvel announcement states:
Bernthal will portray The Punisher, one of Marvel’s most popular characters. He is a vigilante who aims to clean up New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen by any means necessary, no matter how lethal the results. 
“Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences,” said Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television. “Castle’s appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.”
     The Punisher shall begin his journey through Hell's Kitchen in Daredevil Season 2, coming in 2016...

     For more information head over to the Marvel's official announcement [ MARVEL ]

LEGO Marvel's Avengers: First Trailer in All Its Tiny Blocky Glory & A Release Delay

     Good news for all of us LEGO video game fans, not only will we have the LEGO Jurassic World in just a few days (June 12), we will be getting LEGO Marvel's Avengers later this year, as well as the massive toys-to-life Lego Dimensions game this December.

     Today we get the first trailer for the Avengers game:


     Considering Marvel's Avengers film came out 3 years ago, it seems a bit odd that with the first LEGO Avengers trailer also adds a release date delay from this fall to this winter, making it a full 3 and a half years after the film came out to be a tie in.  I mean seriously LEGO Marvel Super Heroes came out in October 2013, and it was an amazing game with all the Avengers- so why backtrack and follow what appears to be the movie from 3 years ago?  Sure, there is a nice flash of Ultron at the end, hinting at the Avengers: Age of Ultron movie being lumped into the game as well, but still- why did it take so damn long?

     Which makes me wonder, is TT Games hiding something?  Maybe a tie-in to the upcoming Ant-Man?  Or, very, very unlikely, the Guardians of the Galaxy?

     Either way, I'll be playing this and probably enjoying the hell out of it as well.
   
   

6.07.2015

Ant-Man: Ant-Man Meme: Anchorman Meme, or Ant-chor-Meme, or just plain Ant-Meme.

     With my excitement for Ant-Man reaching exceptional levels, I decided to put my mediocre Photoshop skills to use once again.  Yes, it's meme time!  I originally wanted to do a Zoolander reference with, "What is this, a hero for ants?!?"  Or maybe, "What is this, a meme for ants?!?"  But a quick Google search proved that many others had beaten me to it.
     So I went with this instead...

Ant-Meme... Ant-Meme... Ant-Meme... Ant-Meme...  Ant-Meme...

Click to reverse Pym Particles.

     It's nothing special, but I wanted people to initially see it really small and actively "use" Pym Particles to see it in actual size.  Just a little Anchorman reference to brighten the day.

6.06.2015

Disney Infinity 3.0: Power Disc Pack Announcements: Including Leia's Boushh Disguise

     During the June 5th Toy Box TV LIVE Edition, Community Manager Allison Petrek revealed some of the new Power Discs coming to Disney INfinity 3.0.  With the addition of see-through packaging, so buyers know what they are purchasing, the discs now come in 4 packs priced at $10.  Each pack has a group theme to it.


     The first pack is tied to the Star Wars: Twilight of the Republic set and includes:
  • General Grievous Wheel Bike (Toy) 
  • Forest of Felucia (Terrain) 
  • Skies over Felucia (Skydome) 
  • Mace Windu (Team Up)

     The second pack is for the Star Wars: Rise Against the Empire set:
  • Princess Leia's Boushh Disguise (Costume)
  • Luke's Rebel Alliance Flight Suit (Costume)
  • Y-Swing Star Fighter (Toy)
  • Slave I (Toy)

     They've listed some good stuff here.  I'm personally not one for any of the terrain or sky discs, but I do enjoy the costumes particularly the Boushh disc here, which I predicted almost a month ago.

     Well, I thoroughly look forward to more of what is to come in the following months as we get closer to the release date.  Especially the Marvel: Age of Ultron related stuff, which the Disney Infinity team has been ultra secretive of.  We have gotten a lot of information on everything else except the Marvel group for Disney Infinity 3.0.
     I'm actually wondering if they'll be having a bunch of Ant-Man themed stuff that just hasn't been announced yet, and maybe they're waiting for the movie to be released first.  They already have his character modeled and usable as a team up...

6.02.2015

Ant-Man: Peyton Reed's Spoilers, Pym Particles, and What I Hope Might Happen

I am so excited for Ant-Man... Ant-Man...  Ant-Man...  Ant-Man...


     With the Marvel movies consistently being great, I am very much looking forward to seeing Ant-Man.  So much so, that I've been far more excited for it than I was for Avengers: Age of Ultron.  Sure, I was really disappointed when Edgar Wright left the project as he has an incredible eye for directing comic book movies as seen with Scott Pilgrim vs The World, but honestly Peyton Reed's trailer cuts look to be good enough.  Plus, there was the ruling that Wright still gets credited with writing, which is amazing in itself.

     Considering that both Wright and Reed are speaking on good terms about the project should give people hope that this will turn out great.  A part of me believes this will be a movie that's more like Guardians of the Galaxy than the Avengers, which will be a great thing.  Keep the story small and meaningful, pun not intended, and don't let it become one of those stories that get too big like Age of Ultron did, not everything needs to be world changing- and really there are far too many fate of the world stories.

     ANYWAYS...

     Ant-Man has all kinds of awesome already- a tiny marketing campaign, a get girls interested in STEM fields contest called the "Ant-Man Micro-Tech Challenge", and possible "spoilers" tweeted by the director.

The Director's spoiler!  I sincerely hope this'll be the Stan Lee cameo...
     So I'm wondering if the Lego Hank Pym is either the Pym of yesteryear, maybe from flashbacks or a prologue or something, or if he indeed does suit up again?  And with that, if he does suit up what would the long term effect of Pym particles be?  Have they started to take their toll on his body?  Or his mind?

     UPDATE: I found this video of Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas talking to AMC about the film and around the 3:45 mark, they mention the effects of Pym Particles on the human body:


     But mostly I want to know if Scott Lang, or Pym, will think up a way to reverse the Pym particles and use them to become Giant Man or Goliath.  Seriously, by the looks of it, the belt can be used to switch from big to small and big again, so why not crank it WAY up and become huge?  Sure, theoretically, the reverse might destabilize the human form and lose the strength or some such other explainable oddity within the confines of this film's science, but regardless, there has to be a way, and I would like to see one of them (Pym or Lang) become a giant and crush a normal sized Yellowjacket.

     The reason I think it is possible is due to the official movie website's descriptions:
Pym Technologies:
     "Dr. Henry Pym originally discovered and isolated a rare group of subatomic particles, which have become known as the "Pym Particles", which could increase or decrease the size and mass of objects or living beings.  The Pym Particles work by stunting matter into the Kosmos Dimension when shrinking a subject or accruing extra matter from that dimension when enlarging."
     It sounds like it is very possible to become Giant Man or Goliath...

     Finally I'll leave you with this article, for those of you interested in the "real" science behind the Pym tech, here's a very awesome article about it:  [ Nerdist ]

Batman: Arkham Knight: Harley Quinn Story Pack Trailer

     Each new trailer for the highly-anticipated Arkham Knight game looks better than the last, and the Harley Quinn story pack is no different.


     The Harley Quinn story mission is only available as a pre-order exclusive bonus.

     Batman: Arkham Knight will be available June 23rd.

6.01.2015

Josh News Update: June 1st: Birthday 2015 Edition!

     In a typical Josh fashion, I remembered my birthday while at work after being reminded of it by The Lady via Facebook.  Granted I don't keep tabs on much in the way of celebratory days, I spent most of today at the hospital (work).  No big deal.

What the hell happened at 2am?
     Anyways, I saw there was an unusually high spike in traffic on this blog at 2am.  Very odd.

     For some small personal news I've taken the summer off of continuing education and am almost done with an internship.  My backlog of blog posts is absurd, with exactly 780 drafts currently sitting in various states of completion, ranging from mostly done reviews, to small ideas and sketches, to long ramblings.  So hopefully I can crank up the output.  I know I've mentioned before that I'm working on getting some video content to add to the blog so hopefully videos will be available by the end of June.

     Hobby wise, I'm currently horribly addicted to Marvel Heroes 2015, halfway through Ether One on PS4, 3/4ths complete with Dying Light, and am absurdly excited for Marvel's Ant-Man film.  A part of me was disappointed when I found out the Ant-Man Lego set was supposed to be available today (according to "Brickipedia"), and I couldn't find it anywhere around here on my way home.

     Looking back, I was essentially in the same state of life 2 years ago on my Birthday.  I had an enormous backlog of things to do, and I did increase the blog output, but I believe I can do better.  Much, much better.  I am attempting to be more creative and actually get some of my childhood dreams accomplished.  Making comic books and writing small pulp books to be more specific.  I am on the way to having both of them professionally accomplished soon.  So, keeping fingers crossed, I may have some interesting stuff to be available for readers soon.

     Here's the difference in numbers of posts from 2 years ago to today:

Vs. the old numbers: 623/203/420.

     Back to finishing some of that backlog...