*WARNING SPOILERS MAY BE PRESENT*
In today’s world, sequels are usually a big success or a massive flop. I went hoping for the best for this sequel. The Hangover: Part II had huge shoes to fill trying to live up to its prequel. After all, The Hangover is the most rented movie to date and on top of that earned a large amount of money ($467,483,912). However, I am glad to say the sequel was not so bad.
Ezio Auditore da Firenze may just be one of the coolest heroes in recent memory with his intriguing heritage and masterful execution. However, despite how utterly enjoyable the Assassin’s Creed franchise has been, AC: Brotherhood left a sour taste in my virtual orifice and I intend to figure out why. What bothered me more than the ending was the shift of technicality from Assassin’s Creed 2 to Brotherhood. In AC: 2 you could virtuallly get away with almost anything. All the buildings and structures seemed to invite you to run up and about the rooftops with noob-ish ease. Most of the structures could be topped by simply holding the analog stick in the forward position.
In Brotherhood (as was the case in the later worlds of Ass Creed 2) the level design seems hell bent on transforming almost every structure/wall into a damn maze. I can understand wanting to challenge players and offer them a sense of accomplishment for overcoming obstacles but there are some of us out there that couldn’t care less about proving our worth as professional couch potatoes. How can you call what Ezio does “free-running” when almost every escapade across the gorgeously rendered buildings of “Roma” is interrupted with a structure so asymmetrically designed that it feels like you’re navigating a labyrinth?
If anything, Brotherhood seemed to cater to the notion that Ezio is no longer the spiteful youth he used to be. No longer does controlling Ezio feel like you’re above the law. When you’re having to navigate sewers for safe passage, scale all 4 sides of a building to find the correct route, rely on your guild to smooth out enemy areas, Ezio starts to seem very . . . human. However, Ezio is not a superhero and it’s possible to say that Brotherhood introduced a kind of realism to the franchise with the added gameplay difficulty. But what really got me into the series was the effortless freedom that free-running provided. Being able to leap, swing, jog, pounce, soar into almost any direction without consequence is an incredible experience that you will only find in the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Still, Brotherhood’s “challenges” were (at times) frustrating and it had the horrid effect of taking me out of the game and cursing the developers for over-complicating even the simplest tasks. I would go on to rant about the absurd “full synchronization” missions and the ridiculous restrictions they needlessly imposed, but the fact of the matter is that Brotherhood is very well-done game and the follow-up that’s soon to come (AC: Revelations) looks to deliver Ezio’s finest hour yet.
-Fifth Fleet Out-
So I was browsing Sankaku Complex and found an interesting article regarding Vocaloid star Hatsune Miku which caused quite the fan outrage. For some odd reason, Toyota decided to use Miku to promote their new Corolla in the U.S. What caused people to get up in arms was the way she was portrayed. I’m not gonna lie either, when I first saw it I thought she was hideous. Very manly. Check the image out for yourself:
One of the very few cosplays that were good. Celty from Durarara!!
Well this is old news, but since I’ve been a lazy ass and not updating the site as regularly as I should, I’m going to tell you about my Anime Boston experience now. Anime Boston took place from April 22nd-24th. It was a pretty fun weekend (minus me getting sick and missing the next two days of class and work -_-). Anime Boston was pretty much like any other anime con you go to; that is, there’s plenty of fail cosplay, annoying weeaboos, annoying people in general, smelly otaku, and lots of stuff that you’re tempted to buy but don’t have the money for. I was pretty good this year about keeping my spending to a minimum; the stuff I did buy were mostly gifts for friends.
The biggest highlights for me as is usually the case are the guests and autographs. I was especially excited since Stereopony was one of the guests of honor. I first heard of them when I watched Mobile Suit Gundam OO Season 2. They sang the second OP “Namida no Mukou.” Also of note, I got to meet some of the English cast of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. I met J. Michael Tatum who voices Ryoji Kaji, Brina Palencia who voices Rei Ayanami, Trina Nishimura who voices Mari Makinami Illustrious, and Spike Spencer who voices Shinji Ikari (ugh). Meeting J. Michael Tatum was a blast; he’s just as energetic as he is in his voice roles. Regrettably, I didn’t have my Baccano! DVD case for him to sign. I absolutely loved his rendition of Isaac. Anyways here’s the gallery. Enjoy. Continue reading »
Curtis Granderson has been a home run machine since he reworked his swing last August
I remember being skeptical when my Yankees traded away highly touted prospect Austin Jackson to the Detroit Tigers for Curtis Granderson last year. I thought the Yankees were being their usual inpatient selves by trading away the growing prospect for the older proven hitter. Granderson never lacked power (he hit 30 HR’s in 2009), but I thought that the pressure of playing in New York would be too much. And at first, I was right; while Jackson got off to a scorching start in 2010, Granderson struggled. In April, Jackson was hitting .364 Granderson was at .225 with two homers and seven RBIs. He also went on the DL for a groin strain. However, Yankee hitting coach Kevin Long was able to work with Granderson. He helped him change his swing by making it moar fluid and getting rid of a lot of extra moving parts. This shortened swing had immediate results. From the time Long intervened in August of 2010 to now, Granderson has logged the second most home runs over that time with 26; he trails only Jose Bautista (31) which is really no surprise and is tied with Troy Tulowitzki (26).
As the article title suggests, I believe Granderson will be this year’s Bautista. Now Granderson isn’t going to come outta nowhere like Bautista since he was already an established power hitter. But he’s similar in the sense that he was an older guy at the time of his swing change (29 like Bautista when he changed his) which is rare, is on pace for a ridiculous home run total, and has become an extremely deadly pull hitter. And due to Yankee Stadium being a hitter friendly park, I expect big things from Granderson. At the time of this article he’s currently batting .281 with 12 HR’s (second to Bautista’s 13 and second in the Majors overall) and 26 RBI’s. That’s pretty damn good. If I had to guess now, I would say Granderson gets to 40 home runs. Don’t hold me to it. But if he keeps it up, it can become a reality.
Modern Warfare 3 is coming . . . very soon.
So the past week has brought fans and trolls a like to flock towards the leaks from Kotaku of the highly anticipated next (and hopefully fixed) Call of Duty game. Modern Warfare 3 is the continuation of the previous two dubbed Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2. Not much is known but the three companies creating the game has high hopes.
Click here to see the leaks that came out earlier in the week.
Here is all four trailers, yes I did say four, that they released for the next CoD game. Click here to watch all four.
According to the leaks from Kotaku, the game is scheduled for release on November 8, 2011. No one knows whether this game will be like the previous ones or if it will just utterly fail from all the fed up fans that are waiting for the real Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2. Only time will tell.
I’m fairly certain that the good-goes-bad plot-twist was attempted long before Ryan Andrew’s epic man/slave monologue in Bioshock; however, seeing as this narrative element has resurfaced on more than one occasion since my time with Rapture, not to mention how severely fanboy I am towards Mass Effect, I figured it be interesting to discuss this issue. Hey, Portal 2 pulled the same trick (*spoilers*). It’s gotta be good.
Could you imagine if Bioware actually decided to go for the ultimate irony and take everything Shepard has relied on/believed in and turn it upside down? I’m not just talking about the cigarette-budding, vodka-tanking, bazillioanire “Illusive Man,” what if EVERYTHING you knew was a lie? What if Shepard really did die after the Mass Effect 2 intro? Could Shepard be a clone? (a fascinating suggestion found in the immaculate Bioware forums)? Was Wilson innocent? Has Shepard’s existence been reduced to following orders and living in submission? Yeah, a little extreme I’ll admit. I’m in no way suggesting that Bioware will COMPLETELY rip off Bioshock’s “would you kindly” revelation, but huge releases are no strangers to being “inspired” by their peers. Don’t believe me? How about Crysis and Halo: ODST? Ya know, the whole dropping-down-on-a-mission-with-your-squad-and-SUDDENLY-something-goes-wrong-and-your-whole-team-is-separated. How about Modern Warafe 2 and The Rock (movie)? Ya know, the whole epic-blazing-firefight-in-the-bathroom-because-that-is-totally-badass. Hell, what about Portal and Darksiders? Ya know . . . portals?
Anyway, let’s get serious here. It would be no surprise to me if the Illusive Man ended up being a total D-Bag and turned on you. But hey, let’s play the irony card again! What if Bioware pulls a “Harry Potter” and the BAD isn’t so bad after all (Snape FTW!). There really is no way to tell until the finale launches in 2012, but the possibilities are oh so exciting for fan like myself. Hopefully, many of you have played and enjoyed Mass Effect as much as I have. If not, it’s never too late. Get started now. Hell, you don’t even need both games. Jump in wherever you feel like entering the series. The Mass Effect team has done a commendable job in making the franchise as accessible as possible. Just remember that you can import your files from game to game. Not only does stress continuity but it makes the experience that much more personal and consistent with all the decisions you make.
As far as irony goes, I really hope that Bioware doesn’t pour it on too heavy (if that’s what they plan to do). Although they have no intentions of “punishing decisions” from their fanbase, it would be utterly depressing if everything I worked for went to hell. Let’s say that Miranda Lawson (my “sidequest”) never really abandons the Illusive Man when you encounter him for a final time at the end of ME2 and is secretly a mole that gains your trust. What if Cerberus is actually in league with the Reapers? I’ve heard this quite a bit from some random sources lately, but I don’t buy it. Come on, that’s too easy. An organization with a “sketchy” reputation and an even more “sketchy” leader has been secretly collaborating with the ultimate threat? Plausible actually now that I think about it. Let’s Bioshock it! Cerberus rebuilds Shepard but secretly implants some sort of mind-control to keep him in check! When the time is right…BOOM! . . . “would you knidly?”
Speculation and nothing more. Looking forward to E3 2011! In the meantime, how about some catch up with Mass Effect’s lead producer? Say hello to Casey Hudson.
-Fifth Fleet Out-
Derek Fisher and company have a long offseason ahead of them
The Los Angeles Lakers, the two-time defending champs, with arguably a top 10 player of all time (will discuss this later), with one of the greatest and the most decorated coach in NBA history, are out of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. They just didn’t lose. They were swept. And in embarrassing fashion as well. The Lakers were blown out in Game 4 (Sunday May 8th) 122-86. They also committed some very unsportsmanlike acts; Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum were both ejected in the 4th quarter and within 45 seconds of each other. Odom’s was not that bad; he shoved Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki with a hard elbow but no damage was done. Bynum on the otherhand delivered an outright cheap shot when he speared Dallas point guard J.J. Barea, the smallest guy on the court standing at 5’10, as he was in the air while driving to the basket. Bynum also further disgraced himself by removing his jersey on his way off the court. Barea came down very hard and could have been severely injured. Thank god he wasn’t or you would be hearing a lot moar outrage. Check the foul out for yourself here. On a quick side note, Barea made the shot, which was incredible. As ESPN’s J.A. Adande said via his Twitter, “Lost in that cheap attack by Bynum…Barea actually made the shot. That’s a helluva and-one.” After the game both players were interviewed. Odom at least said he was sorry and admitted he acted out of frustration. Bynum did not. He showed no remorse and explained that his reasoning for committing the egregious foul was that he was tired of Barea driving down the lane. Wow. Really? Really Bynum? He later apologized on Tuesday, but he ain’t fooling anyone, especially this writer. Barea did the classy thing and accepted his apology, and he got the last laugh since his team is moving on and the Lakers are left now with a ton of questions.
Has Phil Jackson coached his last game? I think so.
*WARNING: Game experience may change when you realize this is not Call of Duty*
That’s right boys and girls, this game is in fact NOT a COD rip-off, neither is it a Modern Warfare wannabe. What is it then? Well, let’s put it this way, BRINK is freshest breath of air in the FPS community that I personally have experienced in the longest while. Fast, fun, and full of customization, Bethesda invites us all to take a look into the “future of shooters.” Not gonna lie. I wasn’t crazy about this game coming out. Hell, I knew nothing about this game until just 2 days ago. Still, I was curious enough and found myself at Gamestop this morning to pick up my pre-order. Is it any good? Well, it honestly depends on the player. As you can probably tell by reading reviews, the feedback (so far) has been glaringly mixed at best. Still, I for one find this game to be pretty darn good in its own right. Considering how Call of Duty essentially burned out all my desire to reconnect with the FPS community, the fact that such a random game (and theme) like BRINK being able to sweep me back into shooters as easily as it did is well worth brining into account.
Not sure what’s scarier. The bullets or the muzzle flash O_-
The title says it all. Actually I should be moar specific. Moar Powah! unfortunately is not big enough that we have our own office. We’re just a bunch of crazy kids blogging about crazy stuff from the comforts of our homes. The place where I work in the city was jacked. This is actually the second time it was jacked in a week. All our equipment is gone–computers, screens, printers, etc. These robberies got me thinking–what if we set up a bunch of traps Home Alone style? If an 8 year old can come up with elaborate and painful booby traps, then so can you and I. But in reality, what Kevin did was downright crazy. Most robbers aren’t that retarded (I think). Home Alone could never happen in real life…unless you do it Freddie Wong style! For those of you who don’t know who Freddie Wong is, shame on you. He’s a pretty famous YouTube director known mostly for his editing and action videos. His channel freddiew can be found here. He’s even worked with Andy Whitfield (!!!) from Spartacus (on a side note, I’m very sad that Whitfield had to leave Spartacus due to cancer and wish him a speedy recovery) in a Time Crisis like short which can be found here. Anyways, Freddie Wong shows us his version of Home Alone, which is sure to scare off any would-be robbers.
