Styx: Master of Shadows: Launch Trailer

     Styx's clones might not break your bones...

     The release of Styx: Master of Shadows is a mere 5 days away.  With Focus Interactive and Cyanide Studio's new game so close they've released a nice compact little launch trailer.

     ...but his blade'll never fail, you'll see.

     It isn't often that I get this excited for a game like this.  I'm preparing for some sweet stealth-and-strategy gaming with my soon-to-be friend Styx, the Amber-addicted assassin on his way through the Tower of Akenash to find the heart of the World Tree, the source of his power and addiction.

Goat Simulator: Review (Steam)

     When I first played Goat Simulator I figured it would be as ridiculous as it sounds. And of course, it most definitely was, there was certainly no disappointment in that fact.  But it also had something else, an odd bit of fun.  A moronic charm that kept me wanting just a little more.

My angel, muscle, skull-masked, jet-pack goat.

     The whole game is predicated on the fact that it was made to be absurd.  Out of all the strange things to play, this is one I come back to purely for comedic relief in a time when #GamerGate is flooding all my game related feeds and the video gamer climate is as volatile as I've ever seen it.  There is something very relieving in being able to pick this game back up and not have any worries at all.  Mindless fun can be of great value in some cases, and we could use it right about now.

Sometimes it rains goats.

     That being said, Goat Simulator isn't something that takes anything seriously, and to its credit, that is a wonderful accomplishment.  It'll never win awards for its technical merits, or its depth of storytelling achievement.  The game was made to be enjoyed for its stupidity.  Plain and simple entertainment.  It has a lot of small bugs, but none of them are so terrible I stopped playing.  Wonky physics be damned, I'll continue to run amok as a steroidal devil goat wreaking havoc among the seemingly idyllic town I inhabit as a nice getaway.

I found some Ninja Turtles down in the sewers...

     There are a ton of small homages and secrets to be found, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I came across in the sewers beneath the city.  A couple mini-games like Flappy Goat are in there as well.  With your goat-born powers of bleating, ramming, and licking you are dropped into a sandbox world with no real goals.
     Sure, there are points and points multipliers, but does anyone really care about that at all?  I found all the fun I could want simply sitting back and enjoying the physics-based hilarity from going all out and trying new and ever-more-idiotic-than-the-last-time shenanigans over and over.  But really, that's all it needs to have.  A couple hours of laughs every so often.  Being abducted by aliens, sent flying through the air from an exploding gas station, and finding the Dark Goat Lord's altar were enough for me.  There won't be any lasting impact, but the brevity is appreciated.  I never expected this to have weeks of replay time- this is the video game equivalent of a candy bar.  Short and tasty.

     Goat Simulator is a game comprised of solely nonsensical silliness and it's all the better for it.  Now that it's also out on Android devices, I am actually considering carrying around this huge amount of novel stupidity in my pocket.

Styx: Master of Shadows: Assassin's Green Trailer 2

     With the release only a week away, Styx: Master of Shadows has released another gameplay trailer.  On October 7th we'll be able to scale the Tower of Akenash poisoning, stabbing, and silently infiltrating our way to the World Tree for a sweet dose of Amber straight from the source.

     In this installment we get to see a multitude of ways we can use Styx's skills and stealth to dispatch enemies.  Clever use of the environment will be a necessity.

     Styx: Master of Shadows will be available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Big Hero 6 Trailer 2 is Excellent!

     I wasn't a huge fan of the Marvel Comics Big Hero 6, but the trailers for the film are outstanding.  The designs are great and the humor is top notch.  With this second trailer we get to see some of the other characters with their suits and a bit more action.

     I already like the movie and it's not even close to releasing yet.  This is going to be huge.

TMNT: Season 2 Finale: The Invasion: Review (Nickelodeon)

     Nickelodeon went and released the 2-part 2nd season finale of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the official site, and it does not disappoint.

     We get a huge amount of stuff happening in this episode.  I'm going to try and avoid major spoilers here, but some minor ones might slip through.  The big part of the story is that the Kraang invasion has finally begun.  The Shredder and his clan of soldiers and mutants are out and about wreaking havoc while the Kraang are flooding the city.

Leonardo proves his worth.

     The Turtles themselves get into disagreements and end up separating at great cost.  Leonardo shows us how badass he can be and why he is the leader, Raphael shows emotion, Michelangelo shows a true sadness, and Donatello has great regrets.  Leatherhead shows up to aid Splinter (as well as another individual you'll have to see for yourself), Timothy (Mutagen Man) we learn has to be left behind in the ruined lair, but will remain frozen for 70 more years, Ice Cream Kitty has a grand moment, we finally get to see Donatello's hyped Turtle Mech, and there is a genuinely surprising revelation about recurring character Irma (April's friend)!

Mikey's Turtle Mech dreams have come true.

     This episode demonstrates the creators know what they are doing and handling this IP with great care, while at the same time maintaining a nice level of creativity.  They have pushed the boundaries in terms of character growth and story to a point that is enviable by other cartoons.  There is also what I think might be a good Triceraton reference and a blatant reference to the old 80's TMNT Party Wagon.  It has a great story to fit into the series.
     As an aside, I was really hoping Don's Turtle Mech would've actually been run by Metalhead's saved head, but alas it wasn't... yet.

High fives for Ice Cream Kitty

     The way the episode leaves off is a monstrous cliffhanger giving us a ton to look forward to in the next season.  Leatherhead is missing again, Raph hopes Spike (Slash) is ok, Splinter and the Turtles are separated, and the Turtles are forced to run and hide.  The Earth Protection Force arrives to try and fend off the Kraang invaders, which is nice because we get to see some humans outside the Turtles' sphere of influence accomplishing something.
     Essentially we are left with an Empire Strikes Back ending.  The bad guys have won, and the good guys are all down.

A Triceraton reference?  Perhaps a hint towards future episodes?

     Link to the full episode [ Nickelodeon ]

     For more of my Turtle's posts [ TMNT ]

Styx: Master of Shadows: Making of Video: Gameplay

     I've been following this game a lot lately, and today developers Cyanide Studios released a bunch of making of videos.  The only one I'll post here is the gameplay, and I'd recommend you check out their official game site linked below.

     Styx, the tiny, Amber-addicted, goblin assassin, is on his way to the source of his addiction and power- the World Tree in the Tower of Akenash.  Styx: Master of Shadows is a game that focuses on infiltration and has large vertical areas to give players opportunities to make their own paths with cunning and planning, because as the diminutive Styx, he can be easily overpowered by any of the humans and other beings you'll encounter.
     This simple premise of stealth and story has me fully anticipating a hit game.  I honestly believe this could be a very large gem hidden in a slew of recent sub-par gaming juggernauts.

     [ Styx the Game ]

Fez: Review (PS Vita)

     Fez.  What an interesting game.  To be sure, I don't want to talk about all the hubbub surrounding creator Phil Fish, I just want to talk about this gem of a game he made with Polytron Games.

     In Fez, you play as a simple being named Gomez in a neatly made 2 dimensional world.  One day he is granted an extra dose of power with a fez that imbues him the ability to move in the 3 dimensional space.  And it never feels like a gimmick of a game mechanic.  It feels necessary.  Gomez gains depth in a flat land.  Which is exactly a perfect metaphor for the game itself.

     At its core, Fez is an homage to the platforming puzzle games of yesteryear.  There are many improvements of course, such as not having a high level of frustration inducing difficulty that gaming seems to believe it thrives on.  This is a casual nod to the games we loved in the 1980's not a punishment for lacking enough skills to play it.
     There are a multitude of locations and environments.  Finding interesting ways of solving problems to traverse the platforms is never too difficult.  Although I admit I got stuck on the "Mausoleum Puzzle" in the crypt full of many doorways for quite some time.  Overall though, when you see treasure chests and the Cubes you must find to progress, there is a heartwarming sense of progression.  For completionists there is a massive amount of Cubes, and even Anti-Cubes.  There are QR codes, and hints carved into the walls of rooms as glyphs.  There are owls that can only be met at certain times and some nice people met along the way.

     The colors and sounds are all crisp and clear.  Controls are perfect, I never felt that any mistakes were due to input issues- it was my own fault.  The game is so perfectly compact it is hard to find fault in it.

     Fez is about discovery, perspective, and enjoyment.  Once you get the hang of navigating in a pseudo-third-dimension you'll long for more.  Literally turning the world to alter perceptions is a wonderful game of logic-shifting and spatial reasoning.  It's even hilarious to see how the other people around Gomez can't really understand the "Devil Squares"- the Cubes that are outside their range of perception.  They just don't have the capacity to grasp the greater symbolism.

     I, for one, found Fez to be an amazing and completely immersive experience on the PS Vita.  Fez is not just a reminder about what made retro games so fun, it's an addition of another layer of depth to truly fill out our experience.

TMNT: Into Dimension X: Episode Mini Review

     Nickelodeon has been doing a tremendous job with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show.  In this early web-release episode, "Into Dimension X," we get some really good stuff.  Simple changes are hugely meaningful in giving us a change of perspective.

     MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

     First off, we get the return of both Super Robo Mecha Force Five Team 5 (The series finale on VHS) and Leatherhead, who has been lost in Dimension X for quite some time.  Leatherhead sends a warning to the Turtles about the Kraang perfecting the mutagen and a dire need to stop whatever nefarious plans they've cooked up.  After deciding to help, Donatello and Leonardo tell Mikey that he can't come because he'll screw things up.  Mikey being the great rebel takes it upon himself to jump through the portal to save his buddy Leatherhead ahead of everyone.
     The rest of the Turtles stunned at the occurrence follow through shortly after.  Anyone else recognize a small homage to the TMNT: Turtles in Time with the portal's tunnel?  Once the Turtles make it to Dimension X and find out that no matter how cute things appear they could be deadly.  Time passes at a different rate and gravity doesn't work right either.  Nothing here is how it seems.  They eventually catch up to Mikey who is a very smart guy with all the differences between their dimensions.  He has somehow learned a huge amount of things and is a greatly capable individual.
     Being a borderline genius here he winds up taking lead and dispatching enemies with ease.  In addition to saving the day in general by thwarting the Kraang's plot- he has a few notable changes while in Dimension X.  The most visible is his helmet- he is wearing a Kraang skull for a hat.  Quite morbid, but very entertaining- I never really thought they'd have skeletons.  Then he has one of their limbs as an armband, and uses fart-noise-making worms as grappling hooks that never lose their hilarity.  In Dimension X Michelangelo is a Batman, and it is wonderful.

     As I am trying to not spoil the entire episode, I believe this is another episode that makes important changes in a way that is funny and meaningful.  One thing that has me thinking is Splinter's staff from older episodes looks an awful lot like the the giant one Leatherhead is hauling around... could there be a link?  I think there could be.
     Anyways, this "Into Dimension X" episode was a nice little jaunt into Kraang territory and I hope to see more of it in the future.

     To watch the full episode [ Nickelodeon: TMNT: Into Dimension X ]

     For more of my Turtles posts [ TMNT ]

     

Deadpool Movie Finally Confirmed by 20th Century Fox!!!

This is a confirmation notice!

     It has finally happened, according to The Hollywood Reporter and 20th Century Fox (via Twitter) that everyone's favorite crazy merc-with-a-mouth Deadpool is getting his own film as a spin-off from the X-men franchise.  Ryan Reynolds is set to reprise his role as Wade Wilson (Deadpool) from the abominable 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

     This is great news to see that his internet fandom has brought new life to this movie.  Especially since the leaked test footage hit the web months ago looked like they had nailed the character without pulling any strings to make it less than R rated.  Despite the footage being years old, Reynolds' interest hasn't waned- although deals have not been finalized- things are looking good.

     Deadpool is set to hit theaters on Feb. 12, 2016, and will be directed by Tim Miller.

Styx: Master of Shadows: New Trailer: Die Harder

     Developer Cyanide Studios and publisher Focus Home Interactive's upcoming stealth game Styx: Master of Shadows debuts another homage-titled trailer today aptly called "Die Harder."  It shows off a variety of ways that Styx may be killed during the game.  Whether it be by trolls, traps, or magic guards- it's always quick.  Stabbed, shot, strangled, thrown from ledges, and crushed by giant fists.  There's plenty of ways to die if found.

     The most important thing to take away from this is if you are caught- run away!  Styx isn't strong enough to take on even a few enemies at a time.  The game does show the option to parry, but to what extent is not shown.  I believe it'll be just enough to separate yourself from the situation and back to the shadows.

     Styx: Master of Shadows will be available for in October for PS4, XBox One, and PC.

     Only Steam has an exact date (Oct. 7th) listed and a price of $29.99.
     Steam also has an exclusive 20% off pre-order bonus.