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Gaming, News

Console Titles of 2019 That Left Fans Underwhelmed

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2019 has been many things, the year after 2018 it was also the year many gaming fans felt the stinging let down from some of the years most anticipated titles. With exponentially improving game standards, new console releases and a growing market: gamer’s have come to expect consistent improvements in everything from post game release content, anesthetics to story depth and of course value. Below we discuss some of this years titles that had droves of people wishing they save their receipts. A unifying factor for all these titles is the pattern of rewarded customers with underwhelming game play

Read Dead Redemption 2s’ Multiplayer

Xbox One screenshot

Now if you raised an eyebrow and spat at your screen when you noticed Rockstar’s baby make its way to the list please cease all raging, this is based on the multiplayer only. Sequel to one of the most impressive open world games of all time Red Dead Redemption, the world held its breath as the release of one of the most awaited titles of the decade became available.

A campaign so immersive it makes you go out and buy a pair of cowboy boots is surreal, RDR2 delivers in full in regards to the solo experience. That does little to satisfy a hungry multiplayer community awaiting the sequel since 2010. RDR2 multiplayer remained in beta for months after release and the logical theory that followed was, big things were coming to the Red Dead online community. Reality often disappoints, a multiplayer release with a scant amount of content (missions, items, gear, mounts weapons etc), free roam became the go to for anyone willing to level/gain gold by briefing other players or skinning three star animals in quick re spawns. Most of the bare bones repetitive activities mentioned and things like hunting, map roaming, train conducting and brief NPC missions became a monotonous trudge. Small and large showdown series along with territory captures comprised the bulk of the online multiplayer at first with rotating modes like most wanted and  make it count to add map/ play diversity. New multiplayer modes continue to rotate as available play options but it would seem Rockstar is still searching for that special, cowboy shooter online market. Competitive multiplayer soon proved to be a hollow shell of what was promised, instead of a new trailblazing multiplayer community with all the polished bells like GTA5’s online mode, players may wait years for RDR2’s multiplayer to develop. Rockstar experienced minor trouble keeping players engaged in the following release months. Several loot events, game rewards, new modes and economy fixes have helped to support fan and community interest but evades the long-term fix. Adding more to do in both the multiplayer competitive and free roam modes will allow players the chance to do more than mosey around Valentine. 

Credit where credit  is due the devs have focused considerable effort in the beta phase and post release fine tuning the play experience, debugging and focusing on a more immersive approach compared to GTA5. Although RDR2 has had a rough reception following its premiere release it is certainly in the hands of very talented people; updates like the bounty hunter, trader and huntsman roles are on the way and part of a larger plan releases 09/10/2019.

Jump Force

Xbox One screenshot

Jump Force is one of the dream universal mash ups that had the gaming and anime community heaving with anticipation. I mean who couldn’t help but let out a high-pitched squeal when the Jump Force trailer premiered and highlighting Goku taking on Naruto, the intro fight being the very beginning of endless match up possibilities. Anime has become a huge market in the U.S especially shows based on the Shonen manga, tons of fans were rightfully excited to see a game attempting to bring anime characters out of their respective universes and into close digital contact.

Once in the death grip of eager anime and gaming fans, new and veteran gamer’s would soon learn some of their most iconic characters (Goku, Freeza, Yugi etc.) underwent a animation process that did not justice to the original artwork. Hit characters like Ashta, Ichigo and Midoriya received a nice polish and looked impressive but majority of the characters that drove sales (Goku, Freeza, Yuske etc) looked like McDonald’s toy plastic. What felt unfinished and empty however wasn’t the animation but the game setting. While your character waits for their next fight you spend most of your time in an in between area, apart from wandering around players can use this down time to change items, appearance and accept a set number of missions. It feels the dev’s goal was to create an area similar to the Time Patrols pocket dimension from Dragon Ball Xenoverse. Jump Force misses the mark and leaves you with a watered down world that feels somehow incomplete. At first the fighting system is so simple you almost wish your fighting team roster could be extended to five, after a few hours it is clear there is no need for a combo master to beat both the AI and online players. A simple fight style is a good plan to help players jump into the thick of fighting quickly, until you fight the third opponent who keeps their distance and spams a ranged attack prolifically. Or my favorite the match up against a speedy berserker that rushes you with a furry of bland combinations so relentless you might not even get the chance to counter. Playing in pvp it is obvious that powerful lengthy combos are now replaced by the relentless button mashing of your younger sibling. Watching Saiyans kamayamaya a Hidden Leaf Ninja is a surreal experience, Jump Force boasts not just dream anime match ups but a campaign that attempts to explain the melding of all the universes. The end product is a confusing mess that is again similar to the multiverse time crisis campaign in Xenoverse but a lot less fleshed out in terms of writing and enjoyment of play.

Hope is on the horizon, Jump Force is far from an abandoned project and has a rumored total of 9 DLC characters coming in 2019. Even though the story is a heap, the clever brains that had the idea to watch Lofi Gum Gum punch Goku; are giving slew of additional characters to keep us coming back. I highly recommend giving Jump Force a chance, no where else can you see Dark Magician take a full force Detroit Smash from Midoriya.

Fall out 76

Almost too easy to mention Bethesda’s hyped Fallout 76 release flop but it will done for the good of anyone duped into spending $60 on a rushed title. Fall Out 76 was a game that many people were looking forward to since the exciting E3 trailer featuring an old-time raspy cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home”.  Fallout 76 is an online based prequel that promises to introduce a impressive open world that allowed you (one of the first emerging vault survivors) to carve out their own wasteland adventures on a live server.

Mere hours into playing the Fallout 76 release the monotony of killing either a ghoul, dark claw, Mr. Gutsy or bandit had eroded conviction of even the most determined gamer. Referencing Bethesda’s previous success with Fallout 4, players are accustom to a lengthy fluid story, engaging NPC’s, ample side missions and a world built on Fallout’s wasteland apocalyptic lore. Release of 76 meet a host of criticisms such as; lack of NPC’s , repetitive mundane missions and a not so friendly online community all made the play experience overwhelmingly unpleasant. Finding a group to play with in co-op proved difficult since most random players interest lay in either loot jacking or griefing at the expenditure of your ammunition. Of course there is always the online feral player shooting at you senselessly until you respond. Player’s seeking player vs. player action had mixed feelings towards the in game rules , pvp mode could only be initiated by attacking another player and the attack being reciprocated. This solves problems seen in similar online survival games with pvp griefing, sacrificing the entire stealth element of Fallout. A pvp fight in 76 is more like taking off your white glove, slapping another player and seeing if they accept your challenge to duel. Putting all complaints aside, being able to actually play the game can make or break a release. Fallout 76 is certainty no stranger to deal breaker game glitches and bugs. Issues affecting the use of Power Armor, fast traveling, building and general play. As the dust settles many loyal Bethesda fans have failed to make their way back to 76 since the release of the new battle royal mode Nuclear Winter. 

It could be argued that Bethesda’s recent tale spiral with 76 might of been avoided by cater to either the Fallout fan base or the hardcore survival game fan basis, maybe even both. Cries from unsatisfied customers are not met with complete inaction,  the new Morgantown Nuclear Winter map is out next week, included in Patch 13 which will drop next Tuesday September 10.

Anthem

Anthem is the story of  a game developer that sorely needed a win . It is no secret that Bioware has recently been plague with employment issues ranging from losing some of their most veteran designers due to stress, depression and staff fatigue to workplace burnout. Anthem has some good ideas and does dabble into a hybrid role play looter shooter that could be great but in its current state of affairs needs major attention

An Anthem story play through can be summarized into a few short words, “what was that all about”. Within moments of the game opening narration players are assaulted with vital information ; Cyphers, Free Lancers, Cataclysms, Striders, Heart of Rage and the list goes on. Optional game dialogue gives the player the feel of controlling the outcome or direction of the story but in reality does little to affect the story line. Lack of variation in character travel is limited to running and flying, there are no vehicles or any exoskeleton upgrades that allow for say environment exploration like deep water diving, or subterranean exploring. The only vehicle in the world is a massive strider that minus a few cinematic scenes is never actually seen in action. With the familiar fallen advanced civilization theme in place, Anthem’s weapons and equipment need a touch of variation.  Players are given the traditional, rifle, pistol, shotgun, grenade launcher options, a refreshing change might of been some type of ordnance integration into the Javelin tech since how it is a Freelancers livelihood. Not knocking the unique experience of soaring through the sky like Iron Man, this feature is actually insanely overpowered when used against a dumb AI. There is actually no enemy with the same combat maneuverability (excluding some pushover rouge Freelancers), restricting practical fights to ground based confrontations. A number of the enemies are almost a running joke, with the bulk of threats being Skarrs (Anthem’s version of a Halo grunt). Players can easily overcome almost any situation in the game by using fly and run tactics. With a lack of any puzzle or problem solving elements in the game the only critical thinking you will face is navigating the mini map.

Anthem is a visual masterpiece and is a load of fun to play when drifting away from the story line and having a buddy who is equally willing to lend artillery fire and lose themselves in a looter shooter.

Who knows maybe in the coming months these titles will finish strong or even surpass our now dismal expectations with some great updates or DLC. Did you think one of these titles was the greatest thing since sliced bread? How about any games you felt had a poor release, don’t forget leave your suggestions and comments below.

Comics, News

Marvel Objects You Might Choose Over the Infinity Stones

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Earth (all of them) seem to be among the busiest places in Marvel comics, especially when there is a universal ending weapon or item lying around. Throughout the MCU you will find a multitude of powerful items that could tip universal scales: the Eternal Flame, Hadron Enforcer, Casket of Ancient Winters etc.  Avengers Infinity Wars allowed audiences a glimpse at “some” of the most powerful items in the universe; the Infinity Stones. Thanos was capable of changing the universe as he saw fit by combining the power of the Infinity Stones into the Infinity Gauntlet. Individually they allow the wielder power augmentations over reality. Placing the stones (not the Infinity Gauntlet) in an item power ranking, they fall lower on the universal threat scale than you’d think. Thankfully comic writers have created and will continue to create grandeur plot devices of unimaginable power to one up the last one.

Tactigon

Following the theme “if it’s powerful it appears on earth”; the Tactigon first appeared in Avengers: The Initiative #1, as an alien weapon that fell to San Francisco and bonded with the suicidal teen Violet Lightner. This pairing transformed Violet into the powerful hero Armory. The Tactigon was soon passed to Michael Van Patrick’s clone KIA after Armory accidentally killed MVP in a training exercise. Marvel databases classify the alien weapon as an omega level threat ranked among the Kree Nega Bands and Thor’s Mjolnir. War Machine himself stated that the Tactigon was a dangerous omega level weapon, that’s coming from War Machine the guy who uses weapons for a living. What makes the Tactigon so deadly is that after it bonds with a host it begins to learn and exploit an enemies weakness, taking the form of the perfect weapon to defeat your opponent. Along with transforming some other Tactigon’s powers are potent energy projection abilities.

Gem of Cyttorak

Powerful items often yield terrible results, when it’s the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak it yields an unstoppable Juggernaut. First appearing in Uncanny X-men #12. The Crimson Gem is easily recognized as the source of the Juggernaut villains power. Exemplars are the mortals who come into contact with mystical artifacts like the Crimson Gem and bestowed unimaginable power. As the Juggernaut you are essentially immortal, possessing; limitless kinetic energy, immeasurable strength, physical invulnerability, a nearly impenetrable shield and super speed. Exemplars capable of tapping into the full power of the Crimson Gem become the Trion Juggernaut; capable of matter manipulation, creating portals, causing dimensional tares and growing in size. The Gem itself is a mystical artifact that serves as an extension of Cyttorak, an entity so powerful villains like Dormammu draw on his power. Not to mention the gem itself can be used for creating mystical constructs, teleportation and generating energy blasts. Often the Juggernaut is defeated by his own methods, if the gem fell into the hands of someone with a little more ambition, everyone could be in trouble.

Twilight Sword

If you blinked in Thor Ragnarok you might have missed the Twilight Sword. First in the weakened grip of a de-powered Surtur, and later being driven into the magical realm Asgard; it receives little attention in the movie. Surtur lugs around what is known as the Sword of Twilight or Sword of Doom. A serious piece of mystical hardware that at one point even houses the infinity stones. Surtur first destroyed the galaxy of the Korbinites (Beta Ray Bill’s home) creating the “burning galaxy” to harness the massive amount of energy needed to forge the Twilight sword. The sword is a conduit for magical energies, increasing the users powers and simultaneously acting as a magical barrier against physical and magical attacks. While in the hands of a champion, the sword has the ability to cut through nearly anything. Not limited to physical objects like metal or rock but also energy/magical barriers and dimensions. Surtur is not the only one to wield the Twilight Sword for terrible purposes. Morgan Le Fay was able to use the sword and her elven magic to completely change reality into a middle ages equivalent with her as the leader. God of tricks Loki even combines his knowledge of science and magic to harness unlimited energy from the sword. The Twilight Sword was created to be coated in the Eternal Flame and used by Surtur to bring about Asgard’s Ragnarok this is a small portion of the many abilities making the wielder a universal powerhouse.

Odin Sword

Another item based on a pointy ends that can end you, the Odin Sword is a magical weapon kept under lock and key by the Skyfather Odin. Created from a Golden Nibelung ring it was rumored to be so powerful if unsheathed, “the end of the universe is at hand”. Making its appearance in Journey Into Mystery #117 and later retconned in the “Celestial Saga”. Capable of harnessing cosmic energies primarily drawing on the Odin Force, and cutting through nearly anything including celestial armor. Just to add a background, that powerful magic the Odin Sword uses flows through the Tree of Life and utilizes is one of the most powerful forms of magic in the Marvel universe. Using the power of the Odin Force, Odin is able to access magic as an unlimited source of power, to augment his strength, manipulate matter, alter time and bring the dead back to life. All of this power is being channeled through the sword. Among the strongest weapons available to the Asguardians the might of this weapon allowed Odin to hold his own against a group of Celestials before finally being overcome. 

The Evil Eye of Avalon

Forged by Avalon’s alchemist from the mystical realm of otherworld, The Evil Eye of Avalon is classified as a dangerous and powerful magical item. Created by Marvel titans Stan Lee and Jack Kirby making its appearance in Fantastic Four #54, originally intended as a weapon against the Formor. Not limited to purely destruction, the Eye can manipulate and disintegrate matter at a molecular level, project blasts of concussive force, emit disintegrating rays, create or destroy force fields, and possess powers over both dimensional and time travel. Equipped with a safety button that when turned on would recharge the device, if left in the on position the Eye would eventually cause a devastating explosion. Used for an occasional villainous purpose, the EEOA  was seized by Dormammmu  who intended to use it to merge the earth into his dark dimension. The Eye of Avalon was even considered powerful enough by the Grandmaster to be one of the 12 artifacts wagered in the JLA/Avengers crossover event.

Cosmic Control Rod

Typically used by Annihilus in a terribly underwhelming fashion the coveted Cosmic Control Rod is a force to be reckoned with first appearing in Fantastic Four Annual #6.  Annihilus made use of a knowledge transference helmet to acquire the knowledge to create the Cosmic Control Rod rumored to contain the essence of a Tyannan starship’s stardrive. This means the device is on a scale of incalculable power. Capable of manipulating cosmic energies, matter, and interdimensional warps the wielders’ aging is also slowed to a near stagnation. Not even the items most overwhelming feature, any personal abilities the user has are augmented far beyond current levels. Annihilus has a history of using the Cosmic Control Rods mastery of cosmic energy for improving his own abilities; flight, teleportation, superhuman strength and self resurrection.  Already a universal boomstick the Rod grants whoever holds it leadership of the Negative Zone and absolute dominion over the universe ending Annihilation wave. What came to be known as Annihilation Day the Annihilation Wave used advanced technology, significant firepower and overwhelming numbers to take overtake million planets on the first day. Mastery over an entire universe and sovereignty over all its inhabitants alone makes the wielder of the Cosmic Control Rod a threat to an entire universe.

Necro Sword

Have you noticed Marvel has a thing about imbuing swords with over the top power? Me either. The Necro Sword (All Black) was the first symbiote ever created by the god Knull. Knull pulled the weapon from his shadow and forged it using the power of a fallen celestial to reap a terrible vengeance against all life. All Black has had a number of owners and has even bonded with beings such as Galactus and Odin. Like other symbiotes it will influence/corrupt the host, following its creators plan to wipe out all life in the universe (emphasis on Celestials). If god slaying is on the agenda the Necro Sword is the way to go since it is responsible for killing millions of gods across the multiverse. With sword in hand the owner possesses superhuman strength to a high degree so high that Gor the God Butcher was able to battle old Thor, current Thor and young Thor all at once and still gained the upper hand. Along with planet shattering strength the wielders are given enhanced speed, durability and reflexes that are at least on a God of Thunder level. Due to the dark nature of its creation and master, the Necro Sword also possess a command over dark energy, able to change its physical form to nearly anything it pleases. Similar to the Twilight Sword this weapon will enhance the natural abilities of the user, when Odin bonded with all black it enhanced his rune lighting so much that when striking Galactus it appeared with a fiendish a blackish purple hue. While the main purpose is the killing of Celestials, gods, and other cosmic entities what makes the sword truly terrifying is that it can bypass the victims immortality and slay them like mortals. Like all symbiotes, All Black is susceptible to fire but has survived being thrown into a star with virtually no damage, making its one weakness a nearly invulnerable one.

Ultimate Nullifier

Described as the universe’s ultimate weapon the Ultimate Nullifier (say that 5 times fast) resides in the possession of the cosmic entity Galactus, is the only known item to inspire outright fear when used against him by Mr. Fantastic. Equipped with the ability to completely destroy a target of the wielders choosing by violating the law of conservation of mass, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #50. Whoever holds the Nullifier has a large impact on the effectiveness, dependent upon the concentration, knowledge, and mindset of the wielder. In the hand of a highly intelligent being like Galactus, the Nullifiers holds multiversal powers over creation and destruction. Even in the hand of a supreme human intellect like Reech Richards, this item holds enough power to force Galactus himself to retreat from destroying the earth. At one point the Nullifier was even pitted against an Infinity Gauntlet powered by five infinity stones. Qasar hoped to use it to stop Magus in the Infinity War, but failed to activate the Ultimate Nullifier. Spider Man actually theroizes in Marvel Adventures that, “ he believes that it instead alters the laws of probability, changing the universe so that “everything has an equal likelihood of affecting everything else”. This is later proved accurate.

Heart of the Universe

Officially existing outside of the main Earth 616, Marvel universe continuity is the Heart of the Universe last appearing in Marvel: The End, a six issue comic series. So powerful that when held by Thanos, he said the Infinity Gauntlet pales in comparison, describing the gauntlet as external control over the universe and the Heart as the actual fabric and understanding of all existences and power. The Heart was created by the One Above All to correct a fundamental imbalance of good and evil in all of existence and to also reigns as a supreme power above all cosmic and extract entities. Using the heart, Thanos easily dispatched the threat Akhenaten, and when the Living Tribunal gathered together the Marvel heroes and cosmic abstracts (Eternity, Infinity, Death and the Celestials) in a vain attempt to take back the heart Thanos simply absorbed all of the Marvel Multiverse. In the End, the Heart was officially stated to be “gone” when Thanos used its power to restore everything he had destroyed but if the past tells us anything, nothing in comics stays dead or gone for long. Similar to the powers of the Infinity Gauntlet the Heart of the Universes gives an ultimate power and understanding of all things that no other object, item, force or artifact can compete with.

Looking to expand on your deadly Marvel item and weapon list , here are some honorable mentions that are still a force to behold; the Darkhold, Nega Bands, Casket of Ancient Winters, Excalibur, Mandarins Ten Rings, Destroyer Armour and the Staff of One. Did you see this list going differently, leave a comment with what you think should or shouldn’t have made the post. Don’t forget to follow to get updates about the latest gaming, comic, movie and nerdy news.

Movies/TV, News

Rick and Morty’s Expo Breakdown From the SDCC: Upcoming Characters, Content and More

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It has been over 650 days since we last saw Morty attempt a presidential selfie. For fans of the hit show Rick and Morty it might as well be years, wait that is years! In San Diego the 2019 Comic Con gave eager attendants the chance to sit in on an expo panel with the shows voice actors and writers. Reflecting the diverse audience that has learned to love the show, fans of all dimensions and varying cybernetic enhancements began to poke and prod the team for new and returning characters, content creation processes and of course possible teasers.

Those of us who didn’t have the opportunity to see this awesome nerd gathering in person, don’t feel left out here is a great video from Youtuber Jon Roark Foley.

Blootie credit EtCandada.com       

Best part of the show is the number of brief appearances from memorable characters appearing then dissolving into writers oblivion. One of the most iconic characters seen is Mr Meseeks, appearing in episode Meeseeks and Destroy Season 1. Dan Harmon was probed (mentally) by a mega Messeeks fan if the team ever considers bringing back any of those one episode characters that are seared into our memory. Dan replied I think we can throw in some Messeeks somewhere along the line. You have it from the writers slightly unhinged jaw, upcoming seasons may have a Meeseeks appearance. Will he be out for revenge against Jerry’s short game, maybe stuck in the real world due to a Meeseeks box malfunction, who knows. Not confirmed by any means but the possibility of a brief appearance by Mr. Meeseeks can make anyone want to shout “I’m Mr. Meeseeks look at me”. Not only will season 4 feature some fan favorites, new characters played by familiar faces are on the way. Director of Thor Ragnarok Taika Waititi will be playing a pink squishy faced alien by the name of Glootie. From what you can see in the clip from the season 4 teaser it looks like Glootie is an intern working with Jerry and Morty to release an app. The initial teaser leads us to believe it’s not exactly a constructive work environment. Some other names making a guest star voice appearance will be Paul Giamatti, Sam Neill and Kathleen Turner.

Photo sourced from Reddit.com

Rick and Morty’s plot line is essentially an infinite idea bucket, the show’s multiverse contains infinite variations of the primary C-137 dimension. Each universe having a distinct variation of the Smith family means mutant mortys, savage summers and a doofus Rick. Infinite timelines opens the door to change our main characters into anyone or anything without too much of a fuss. Justin Roiland spoke to an inquisitive fan he identified as “Spiderman” (sadly Aunt May was nowhere to be found) about some of those infinite possibilities. Spiderman’s question was directed towards Rick and Summer’s characters, proposing are there any universes out there that could potentially contain a Summer and Rick partnership. This question was a powder keg because not only did it identify a great idea for upcoming episodes but also gave fans a chance to scratch their heads about what’s coming. We have seen adventures with Morty, Beth and of all family members Jerry. Episode Rickmancing the Stone in season 3 features a three team adventure with Rick, Morty and Summer however it would be nice to see a Summer and Rick duo in one of the dimensions. Summer is a little closer to Rick’s level of entropy vs Morty, experiencing a constant battle with puberty, emotional maturity and that fluctuating moral compass.

Photo credit  Blasting News

Moving down the list of great ideas, let’s flash back to the wise foreshadowing Mr. Poopybutthole. Who set the expectation at the season 3 finale when he warned us, Rick and Morty season 4 will be back in a really long time. In this credits scene Mr. Poopybutthole had even started a family. Mr Poopybutthole didn’t get near the love I expected from cos players at this years SDCC (Vindicators stole the show), a button bedazzled audience member had the writers and voice actors in a frenzy when suggesting incorporating Mr Poopybuthole’s family into the show and even giving some great name ideas. They landed along the lines of Mrs. Urethra, Mr. Erectile Pennis and a few variations in between. Justin Roiland put the midas touch on the name suggestions and came up with Mrs. Urethra Franklin, it’s still unclear if Justin was always under the impression Arethra Franklin was not actually pronounced Urethra.

Photo credit Vulture.com

Nothing is better than seeing Dan Harmon with a possible glass of Vodka, letting a few upcoming spoilers slip. Aside from characters and guest appearances the idea of time travel was being discussed during the expo. Responding to the audience in an uncurled slip of the tongue, Dan made mention of time travel happening in an episode later on down the road. It is unclear if this is in reference to a true spoiler in the upcoming season 4 but Dan’s chuckled response to the audience “a few spoilers for my kitties” gives weight to that possibility. Rob Schrob moderator at the event kicked into full gear to drown Dan out following the spoiler and time travel reference. Dan is a writer that obviously loves to see a reaction from the audience, so take it with a big grain of salt. Looking at facts we still have yet to see any type of origin story between Rick and what could be his original Morty (Evil Morty), time travel would be a quick way to explain Rick’s history with science vs a lame flash back. Not necessarily a spoiler, more of an idea of the long term goals for Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, Rick and Morty could at some point make it’s way to the big screen. Justin’s commentary on the subject was that a movie would obviously be a long term goal. A Rick and Morty movie with Rick Sanchez belching and slurring his words on the big screen incites goosebumps. Southpark was the last great animated show to pull the trigger and step into Hollywood and have big success.

Rick and Morty isn’t just funny, it carries with it a suspense that keeps you coming back to find out what will Rick subject his family to next? As the story unfolds maybe our biggest questions are being left until fans riot at Miramax gates demanding a Rick and Morty (animated) movie.

Gaming, News

Game Developers and Actors: Working Together to Create Better Stories

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Game developers have created some of the most enthralling, relatable and heart gripping characters we’ve had the pleasure of playing. It’s no reaching statement to say coded fictional masterpieces such as; Master Chief, John Marston, Laura Croft, Samus, Donkey Kong, Kratos, Solid Snake, Link, Mario etc., shaped gaming culture as we know it. Some of the biggest developers in the industry are expanding on ways to improve the player/character experience, using exceptional living and breathing talent to create unique content.

In 2013 Naughty Dog borrowed from the likeness of actress Ellen Page when designing their widely praised protagonist “Ellie”. If the name wasn’t enough of a dead give away Ellen also commented on the obvious resemblance, the developer later altered Ellie to be more like her voice actress Ashley Johnson. Naughty Dog was trying to create a fictional character that is identifiable as someone you know.

Rockstar has recently pushed past simply emulating Hollywood talent and decided to invest serious effort into finding the perfect fit for their lead gaming roles. One example is the massive success of RDR2’s single player campaign. This can be traced to a single pivotal piece of content, Arthur Morgan. Portrayed by Roger Clark his stunning performance as Arthur Morgan earned him a best Performance Award at the Video Game Awards. Arthur Morgan is a tough and gritty cowboy, the last of a dying breed in a “civilized world”. Roger may not be a household name but he is no noob in the video gaming business. Among voice acting, extensive theater work experien. My only regret is that up until his role as Arthur Morgan, Roger’s face was regrettably forgettable. Luckily some of the biggest developers are pushing Rockstar’s experiment further and bringing some heavy hitters to our upcoming titles.

Ubisoft is among those giants joining the mad grab for big screen stars. The anticipated Ghost Recon Breakpoint will be making use of the impressive Jon Bernthal. If you haven’t had the chance to see the trailer, your in for a treat and can see the official one  here. Not only does the game lighting, environment and mechanics look impressive, we get a clear look at Recon’s antagonist played by Jon or Colonel Cole D Walker. In this latest installment of Tom Clancy, Walker will lead an ex military group of rogue ghosts into taking control of Skell Technologies a drone facility located on the island of Aurora. Players will get the chance to play as four different ghosts from Nomad’s team tasked with stopping Walker’s take over. It would’ve been amazing to play as Jon Bernthal aka the led laying Punisher! For now the next best thing is playing for his cinematic scenes, foiling cynical plans and laying down high caliber fire in Jon’s direction.

If soldiering and Western RPG’s fall out of your gaming preference don’t worry, the trend for drafting big names into future projects is reaching developers of all shapes and sizes. While on the subject of “big names”, Keanu Reeves is arguably the current biggest action star in western cinema, he’s pushing his well chiseled mug to a console near you. CD Projekt (gave us Witcher III) is developing and producing Cyber Punk 2077. A FPS with an RPG play style, described as a mesh of Borderlands meets Skyrim meets Fallout. Keanu will be playing Rockerboy, Johnny Silverhand. Johnny is one of the most memorable cybernetic, guitar slaying names in the cyber punk lore. My biggest question is why has this not happened sooner, maybe it’s just that no one asked nice enough. Keanu is a machismo action juggernaut, with the release of John Wick 3 and rumored talks of a Marvel superhero movie, it’s unlikely Keanu will stop at projects like Cyber Punk 2077.

The only critique an eager fan might have is that the mentioned titles take the role of actor, character, player interaction half seriously. Omitting or simply overlooking the options to play as the digitized celebrity. After all everyone dreams of being able to run and gun like Keanu while avenging their dead dog. Respawn Entertainment is well known for multiplayer marvels like Apex and Titanfall 2: now they are giving us a chance to jump into the driver’s seat of a Jedi portrayed by one of our favorite Gallaghers.

Driver’s seat is bad phrasing, fallen Jedi Padwan mastering the force is actually a more accurate description. Star Wars: Jedi the Fallen Order had a phenomenal premier this year at E3’s 2019 release, the story will revolve around fallen Jedi Cal Kestis voice acted by Shameless star Cameron Monaghan. Cal has been in hiding since the massacre of Order 66. An incident brings to light his affinity with the force, the display of power quickly exposes Cal to Imperial sympathizers. With his powers recognized , Cal begins a run for his life to escape the deadly Imperial Inquisitor known as Second Sister.  Keeping my own bias to a minimum, I’m very excited for this release and you should be to. This is a project that has been in the pipeline for some time and was originally released by Respawn’s Vince Zampella at the 2018 E3 release. After the struggles EA experienced with Battlefront I & II sales, fans are expecting a standalone single player Star Wars game that delivers. Monaghan has already proven he has the chops to cut it with some of televisions best in series like Gotham, giving us a Joker performance that sends nauseated chills down your spine. It is only natural to expect great things as he trades in his comic books for a role set in a galaxy far far away.

Terrific content is nothing new to the gaming community, if anything the continual improvements in technology create a polarized gaming view point, either it is a good game or bad game. As companies continue to seek new avenues for attracting new gaming followers, we can expect to see some of our favorite move faces making their way into your console.

News

Good Bye Angry Kitty

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The world feels a little less full in terms of memes and cute furry friends to make our day brighter.

Grumpy Kitty (the internet famous cat behind the grumpy cat memes) known affectionately as Tartar Sauce, passed away on May 14th in the loving arms of her owner. Tartar Sauce suffered from feline dwarfism and an adorable underbite.

She will be missed greatly as we search for a new feline mascot to pass the tedious work hours.