There’s a Pacific Rim Video Game? You’d Like to Know If It’s Good. I Can’t Say At All…

Posted on July 12, 2013 by geelw

That’s because I don’t own a tablet at all (tried a few, but I’m like Goldilocks – haven’t found one that’s “Just Right” yet), so I’ve been missing out on these cash-ins that pop up when new blockbuster flicks hit. In a way, I prefer these sorts of licensed games show up as cheaper, well-intentioned games than ones with bigger budgets, longer (but never long enough) development cycles and higher price tags. Anyway, the fine folks at Game Empire HD have saved me the trouble of buying a tablet just for this game (not that I would do this, mind you!) and have posted some nice videos of Pacific Rim: The Game in action on their YouTube page. Do please poke around and check them out. In the meantime, a trailer for the game to ogle since you’re here…

I like the arcade-like look and play to this, but would I run out and snap this up if I did have a tablet? Mmmmaybe… I tend to like more story to my games, but I don’t mind the mindless beat ’em up from time to time…

Humor: 2013: A Shoe Odyssey

Posted on July 12, 2013 by geelw

Warning: There’s gore in this post thanks to some helpfully descriptive videos from a few horror flicks. You’ve been warrrrrrned…

Hey ladies, listen up. I have NO idea how some of you gals strut around in high heels or any other shoes without socks or other foot protection. I have even more respect for those of you who brave the foibles of poor shoe construction in the name of vanity yet I also now see why some of you spend SO much time and money on the best kicks money can buy. Guys? You who wear socks with those sandals? I used to laugh at you. Oh, how I laughed. Tonight, I’m planning to BE just like you, my new idols. How did I come to this e-feet-phany? Read on, dear reader… read on…

So, I happened to cut a finger while making dinner and that actually saved me from killing myself the next day. Earlier, I decided to clean out a closet and get rid of stuff that didn’t fit. I ended up giving away a few things including four pair of shoes that were too small, but I also found a few that fit I hadn’t worn in a while or at all. One pair was a nice set of Sandro Comfort Walk sort-of sandals (I’m no shoe linguist, kids. Just look at the picture above and call them what you like) and after trying them on, finding they still fit and walking around the house for a bit with them just to make sure my feet weren’t going to be barking at me the next day.

Little did I know I’d be doing the barking when those shoes did the biting…

Continue reading →

Random Indie Game of the Week: Mega Man Revolutions

Posted on July 12, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, HowlingOneify!)

OK, so that official site looks plainer than a matzoh viewed through a telescope at 500 yards, but Mega Man Revolutions is a really fine little surprise of an indie game that yet again proves that sometimes fans can make better games than the people who own the property. In development on and off for 11 years (!), Mike Crain and a handful of very dedicated Mega Man fanatics have whipped up a really fun and yes, REALLY challenging slice of retro gaming bliss. I could sit here and babble on about how cool it all is, how the classic visuals and soundtrack give off that familiar grin-giving (and grimace-giving in the hard parts) vibe and so forth and so on, but I actually need to complete the game myself. I’m only on the second stage, but poking around YouTube has revealed the game indeed has what it takes to be awesome:

So stop, drop and Roll yourself over to the MMR site, download and play this one. The single player mode is done, there’s some sort of co-op play in the works and if Capcom is smart, they’ll either start throwing out job offers or compile all these really great fan games into some sort of bundle at some point down the road to distribute as freebies on their own site. Wishful thinking, yes… but hard work like this deserves to be taken notice of and rewarded I say…

Incoming! Sony Pictures Classics to Distribute Jordowosky’s Dune in the US

Posted on July 11, 2013 by geelw

(thanks DuneInfo!)

Well, now… this is something I’ve been wondering about since I heard about the project a long time ago and it looks as if we’ll all get to see just what happened with Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempt to adapt and film Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel Dune back in the 1970’s. Sony Pictures classics will be distributing the recent documentary hopefully to theaters and most likely onto home video at some point and I say, sight unseen (well, other than the clip above) that it’s well worth a buy, rent or ticket price.

While Jordorowsky’s sprawling more than epic length version of the film was never completed, many of the artistic talent involved in the massive pre-production process went on to bigger and better things spurred on by their great deal of hard work on this long project. Can you imagine ALIEN without the amazing visuals contributions of H.R. Giger, Moebius, Chris Foss and of course, writer Dan O’Bannon? I’d imagine that film wouldn’t have been made at all or worse, would have ended up as yet another low-budget 70’s sci-fi film all but forgotten today. Anyway,

Curse of Chucky Trailer: That New CG Dolly Doesn’t Scare Me One Bit…

Posted on July 11, 2013 by geelw

Bleh. No wonder this is direct to Blu-Ray & DVD, although I won’t stop you from buying or renting it. Some folks are creeped out by this new digital Chucky, but I couldn’t stop laughing once his eyeballs bulged when that gal leans in closer. Maybe I’ll catch this on cable in a few months and change my mind, but probably not. For my money, 1945’s Dead of Night still has the scariest single “animated” doll on film, but I’ll give it up for Trilogy of Terror’s “Amelia” chapter for putting me under a couch. This new film might put me under a couch if I’m rolling on the floor laughing… we shall see…

Humble Weekly Bundle: 15 Spiderweb Software RPGs. No-Brainer Buy of the Week? Absolutely!

Posted on July 11, 2013 by geelw

Eyes Bigger Than the Head and Now REALLY Needs a Time Machine Department: Holy Cats. Spiderweb Software teams up with the Humble Bundle folks to provide ALL of their currently available hand-crafted fantasy RPGs in a “pay what you want” bundle that’s a MUST buy if you’re looking for some of the deepest and most unique role-playing experiences out there. Jeff Vogel and his tiny team of talented tricksters have been slowly turning out some really cool isometric games since 1994 and this spectacular sale features a whopping 15 games (faint, *THUD!*) which can be all yours for as little as a few dollars.

Yes, some of that coin you pay will indeed go to some great causes (the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Child’s Play Charity), so feel free to feel guilty and pay more than the average or even give more money to Vogel and his merry men and women if you like. OK, I’m babbling on here, but I’m just thrilled about this offer because it gives some of you the chance to play some really fun and challenging old-school epics. Oh, in case youe sense of humor is too new school or just slow on the uptake, Jeff is making a funny in that video when he calls himself a “living legend”. Some folks on YouTube don’t seem to understand this. Damn kids…

Oldboy Red Band Trailer: Spike Hammers it Home…

Posted on July 11, 2013 by geelw

Ouch. Well, this looks pretty intriguing, that’s for sure. If you’ve NEVER seen the original film… YES, you should do so soon (as in if anyone asks “Whatcha doin’ this weekend?”, you’ll say “Watching OLDBOY!” and mean it!). I’ll admit to still wondering why Spike felt the urging need to remake a film that really didn’t need it, but hey, this remake thing worked for Scorcese with his multiple award winning The Departed, so perhaps Mr. Lee is onto something. Granted, Oldboy has got some meaner twists and turns than Internal Affairs did and the resetting of the story to a more Americanized setting may ruffle a few feathers… but again, it worked very well for Scorcese. I’m gathering Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t mind playing a total creep (and getting killed for that) again, as his intensity sure makes anything he’s been in lately pretty interesting. Well, except for that iPhone commercial… that made me hate gazpacho and measuring cups. And Siri (it’s a good thing I don’t own an iPhone)…

DuckTales Remastered Duckumentary: WayForward Gets Me Looking Backward…

Posted on July 11, 2013 by geelw

OK, now I need to unearth my NES and that copy of DuckTales I have buried in a bin somewhere so I can do some comparing. I’d been meaning to do so for a while, but I keep putting it off for assorted reasons. This “duckumentary” did help me decide to finally get off my butt and sit back on my butt once I find everything, so that’s a good thing, right? Alright, I’m not THAT lazy, people! I walked over a mile today already!

Lego Marvel Super Heroes Box Art: Heroes for Sale (Soon Enough)!

Posted on July 11, 2013 by geelw

Thank you, WB Games and TT Games! So, now you kids know exactly what to bug the parents about and you adults who know you’re buying this for yourselves (raises hand) have something to copy and stick to your wall and moon over while you’re waiting for the game to hit retail this fall. It’s going to be on every console (except the Wii) and handheld (except the Nintendo DS), so it’ll be really hard to avoid.

How hard? Well, dear reader, if you wait until the release date and throw a boomerang with a cat hanging on for dear life into any game emporium, it’ll most likely come back with a copy of this game (and a very dizzy, pissed off cat). You DID remember to stick some money in the cat’s mouth or at least wrap your wallet around it, I hope. That game won’t be free, you know…

Pacific Rim TV Spot #11: Believe What You See on TV, Folks!

Posted on July 10, 2013 by geelw

OK, not ALL the time, people. I’m talking about the reviews rolling in stating how cool Pacific Rim is. Even the much despised NY Post threw down a four-star rating and that’s rare for a CG-packed summer blockbuster their critics often slap around for assorted reasons. OK, they get it right with most of the overblown junk that hits theaters, but it’s a review that actually doesn’t go out of its way to toss a stupid jab at the president for no reason, so that’s a welcome relief. I’m also hearing of a few other skeptics getting their minds changed, so it’s all good. As for “reality” TV… er, don’t believe that rot at all unless you think real people waste hours arguing over petty crap (and the same petty crap on ALL those shows!)…