Never Played: Aliens: Colonial Marines
I think it’s obvious why I avoided Aliens: Colonial Marines. It’s not an excuse, though. As readers who read my Never Played review of Assassin’s Creed: Unity may remember, I prefer to base my proclamation on a game being shit on actual experience, not just word of mouth. But the literary venom spewed towards this game was enough that I stayed away. Sometimes, trusted reviews scare you away, and r...[Read More]
‘Tis the Season to Get Great Video Games Gifts
I am part of the first generation to transition from “normal” Christmas presents like toys to getting video games for Christmas. I vaguely remember my last Christmas where I only received toys. The presents were indicative of my era. I received Hot Wheels cars, Lincoln Logs, toy soldiers, LEGO blocks, and an electric slot car set that year. I felt like I had been the best child in North America th...[Read More]
The Truth about Modern Games in the Internet Age
I could not wait for December 20th to arrive. The perennially unfinished Street Fighter V was finally going to add my favorite World Warrior, Akuma. He was formally introduced during the PlayStation Experience keynote address, and his new look reminded me more of Mufasa than Gouki, but he was still awesome. I purposely racked up enough Fight Money in the game just to grab him. There was only one p...[Read More]
Retro Review: Golgo-13: Top Secret Episode (NES)
Release Date: 1988 Developer: Vic Tokai Corporation Publisher: Vic Tokai, Inc. This article is late. I apologize for the delay. Sometimes, life gets in the way. Anime has been a big influence in gaming for years. Anime staples like Dragon Ball Z and Pokémon have been the basis for very successful video game franchises. Moreover, games with anime aesthetics have seen acclaim. One needs to go no fur...[Read More]
2016: Superhero Movies and What I Want from Them – Final Grades
This trek started in January. I gave my midseason grades in July. Now that the end of the year is near, I wanted to close this arc with my final grades for 2016’s superhero movies. As I touched on initially, this is a subject near and dear to me. I grew up loving the exploits of DC and Marvel superheroes, although I did gravitate more towards Marvel eventually. I also eventually learned to love ch...[Read More]
Have You Seen…Death Becomes Her?
Release Date: July 31, 1992 Director: Robert Zemeckis Starring: Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, Isabella Rossellini Favorite quote: “You’re a fraud, Helen! You’re a walking lie and I can see right… THROUGH YOU!”– Madeline Ashton, looking through a hole in Helen Sharp’s abdomen I’ve been wanting to write about Death Becomes Her for about a month. For one reason or another...[Read More]
Fast & Furious 8: The Fate of the Furious Official Trailer Released
The official trailer for the latest entry in the Fast & the Furious series has released, and it’s…confusing? With all the talk about family and loyalty, it’s quite the surprise when, after another over-the-top heist, Dominic Toretto (Vin “I am Groot” Deisel), turns on his family. Now he’s working for a woman named Cipher (Charlize Theron), he’s become ...[Read More]
Retro Review: SoulCalibur (DC)
Release Date: September 9, 1999 Developer: Project Soul Publisher: Namco There sure have been a lot of notable anniversaries in the last couple of months that conspire to make me feel even older. The most recent anniversary to add to the gray in my beard is the 20th Anniversary of Bandai Namco’s Soulcalibur series. The series pioneered true 8-way 3D, weapons-based combat and has been a staple of t...[Read More]
Official War for the Planet of the Apes Trailer Released
Caesar and his primate followers are back, and now they’re at war. The first official trailer for War for the Planet of the Apes has been released and it looks like a doozy. The humans, led by a ruthless Colonel (Woody Harrelson), are taking the war to the apes, and Caesar is struggling with his losses and with himself. The first two movies in the rebooted franchise were pretty good. Here...[Read More]
First Official Spider-Man Homecoming Trailer Debuts
As promised, the first official trailer for Spider-Man Homecoming debuted on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night. The trailer had quite a bit packed into in, including cameos from Tony Stark / Iron Man, and a quick, awesome glance at The Vulture. From the trailer, we can see that Spidey retains his trademark witty banter. We also see Tom Holland’s Peter Parker dealing with the insecurities a typica...[Read More]
Final Fantasy XV Review
Final Fantasy XV Review Developer: Square Enix Holdings, XPEC Entertainment, HexaDrive, Streamline Studios, Umbra Publisher: Square Enix Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4 Release Date: November 29, 2016 Acquired via: Purchase by Reviewer After 10 years, a name change, a direction change, and going through more hands than found in a football huddle, Final Fantasy XV has finally arrived. As a ...[Read More]
Final Fantasy XV Review
Developer: Square Enix Holdings, XPEC Entertainment, HexaDrive, Streamline Studios, Umbra Publisher: Square Enix Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4 Release Date: November 29, 2016 Acquired via: Purchase by Reviewer After 10 years, a name change, a direction change, and going through more hands than found in a football huddle, Final Fantasy XV has finally arrived. As a fan of the series dating back t...[Read More]