New Young Justice Legacy Trailer: This Hit’s Really Going to Hurt…

Posted on May 26, 2013 by geelw

Little Orbit and Freedom Factory’s upcoming action/RPG might not help being the fan-favorite show back, but it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun to play for many out there who want more of these heroes in a more interactive form. Sure, it’s not packing the most amazing visuals, but there’s a ton of fun to be had busting heads and solving some straightforward puzzles as the game progresses. I got a bit of hands-on time with an earlier version of the game not too long ago, so I’m really hoping the final product adds even more polish and does well at retail. This sort of non-MMO hero-packed game used to be a bit more popular a few years back, but it would be nice to see this do well enough that this sub-genre makes a welcome return.

VGA 101: New DS Aquisitions: Soma Bringer & ATV Wild Ride

Posted on May 26, 2013 by geelw

new DS stuff

One is an awesome Japanese import action/RPG that’s very much Diablo inspired with an anime edge (and sadly was never localized into English – thanks, Nintendo for missing out on what would have been yet another a surefire hit new IP!).

The other is an amazing technical wonder in the form of a 60 frames per second racing game featuring those four-wheeled death machines some folks seem to love a wee bit too much. Thanks to Anthony Bourdain nearly killing himself when he fell off one that proceeded to roll over him as he tumbled down a sandy slope on an old episode of No Reservations, every time I see or think ATV, I get a good laugh going that takes a minute or two to subside… Continue reading →

Random Film of the Week(end): Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid

Posted on May 26, 2013 by geelw

dead men don't wear plaid If you want to get your friends into classic movies, there are three ways to do so. Kidnapping them, strapping them to a chair with eye clamps and locking them in a room with a TV locked onto Turner Classic Movies isn’t quite the best idea, nor is lecturing them about how all modern films are terrible compared to everything pre-code or up to say, 1959.

I’d say method three, where you invite them over and pop on Carl Reiner’s 1982 film Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid works the best because you get a film that’s not too old, funny as hell and one that’s going to get copious notes taken as to which classics were used in certain scenes. Of course, you’ll also have to convince some of those friends who don’t like any black and white movies (or Steve Martin) that this is worth a look, but that shouldn’t be too hard if you’re smart…
Continue reading →

Man of Steel TV Spot 6: Zods and Ends…

Posted on May 25, 2013 by geelw

OK, bad pun, pad pun! Eh, I figured that since this new Superman film is dumping the now supremely corny camp humor found in the five Reeve films and the original TV series for a more serious tone, I may as well get in as many bad jokes as possible before it hits theaters. Of course, I don’t think The Man of Steel will lack humor ENTIRELY, folks… I just think it’ll be minimized so the story is more enjoyable with less eye-rolling moments when a one-liner pops up and the audience groans because it ruins an otherwise good scene.. Save that stuff for flicks where jokes are part of the game plan (like Kick-Ass 2), I say.

Oh, by the way – give that funky Man of Steel Glyph Creator a whirl if you’re curious about what your family name would look like on your own super-suit. Don’t go getting any ideas, though – you won’t be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, bend steel in your bare hands or anything else (unless you’re already doing that stuff as part of a freak show act in a carnival somewhere)…

Random Art: Waiting…

Posted on May 25, 2013 by geelw

Waiting2... As in I was waiting for it to stop raining so hard yesterday so I could hoof it down to the library, but it didn’t, which meant I ended up killing some time by starting a few reviews and doing this MS Paint piece. It took a while because I had no idea what I wanted to do when I began and between going back and forth to writing and taking a break or three, I finally stopped just so I’d be more productive on the writing and and less on the art end. Anyway, here you go.

Today’s weather is really awful here as well, but I’m working on finishing up the stuff I started last night to post later this evening or tomorrow. This gloomy rain and unusual chill for late May REALLY stinks… but I’m glad I’m not one of those automatic holiday folks who drives to the beach for Memorial Day every year like clockwork, damn every single weather report suggesting a stay close to (or hell, AT) home…

GOG.com Ends A Crazy Week With A 50% Off FPS Fire Sale…

Posted on May 25, 2013 by geelw

It’s been a hell of a good week for fans of classic PC games who happen to have gog.com accounts. Between UnEpic, Wizardry 6, 7 and 8 and the newly announced Xbox One making some people never want to go near a Microsoft console again (heh – little joke there), the team at gog has done it up right (again). Of course, all you want to hear about is what’s on sale this weekend, so… BOOM! here you go. Nothing but shoot-tastic firt-person classics (and not so classics) this weekend, so if you’re into wild action, over the top humor and packing too much heat as you take down alien bastards who stole your ride, crazed undead, assorted futuristic scum and lots of Nazi soldiers, well… it’s your move… but only for the weekend folks, so get busy – your trigger finger needs something to do.

GRID 2: Only A Few More Days to Hit The Road…

Posted on May 24, 2013 by geelw

I just saw a TV commercial for GRID 2 and it caught me off guard because I was changing channels when I passed it and quickly flipped back to see the rest. The game certainly looks beautiful (even more so once you have a controller in your hot little hands, as I can attest from my two hands-on experiences), it’s fast as hell and Codemasters is introducing some fine innovations to the racing genre that should keep this one a hot item for some time.

I’m actually kicking myself because I’d traded my copy of the first game to a friend for two other racers and I actually miss it. Well, it looks as if I’ll have this sequel to drool over and keep, as I’ll be hanging onto this until I see everything it has to offer. Hmm… I’m out of coffee, too. I think I’ll need to grab some before this hits stores, as I don’t think I’ll be leaving the house for a while…

VGA 101: Drakan: Order of the Flame – The Old Girl’s Still Got It…

Posted on May 24, 2013 by geelw

Drakan 15

Well, it runs like a dream and while not exactly sporting current generation visuals, I still like the look of this old classic from Surreal Software. Of course, I’m still using Windows XP, so I can’t vouch for more a current OS and nope, that 10th anniversary mod really doesn’t help the visuals at all because it’s still a bit wonky and makes the cut scenes look quite hideous (well, more so than they did in the original game). I guess if someone came up with new HD character models for Rynn, Arokh and the different enemies in the game plus a new texture pack for the levels, I’d try that out just for kicks. But for now, running this with all the effects up works just fine for me…

Random Film of the Day*: First Men in the Moon

Posted on May 24, 2013 by geelw

*For the next few days, I’m going to add a random film the great Ray Harryhausen worked on. The legendary special effects MASTER passed away on May 7, 2013 at age 92 in London and yes, the film world has lost a true giant as well as a fine and talented gentleman…

First Men in the Moon It’s actually pretty fun to watch early 50’s to mid-60’s sci-fi films for their historical as well as entertainment value because the space race was in full blast and Hollywood was finding out fast that NASA was making most of what they were doing obsolete. Granted, other than the opening few minutes, Nathan Juran’s excellent First Men in the Moon doesn’t need to juggle much in the way of realism other than making sure its 1964 astronauts (made up of members of UN countries!) making that moon landing were wearing gear that at least looked up to date.

Once that’s out of the way, the film lets the imaginations of H.G. Wells and Ray Harryhausen (interpreting the author’s words into Dynamation) take over as the story shifts back in time to 1899 and tells the tale of man’s “real” first trip to the moon. Juran’s direction and his solid cast provide the proper Victorian tone and Harryhausen’s great effects add the perfect amount of rustic charm that propel the films wildly fanciful “science” into the plane of believability…
Continue reading →

Bundle Stars’ Outlaws Bundle Wants To Permanently “Borrow” A Buck From You…

Posted on May 24, 2013 by geelw

Blast you again, Bundle Stars! These dollar deals are TOO outrageous to pass up for budget-minded gamers looking to score a great deal AND do some charity work without so much as lifting an arm to help a puppy filled basket-carrying granny across the street (you lazy gits, you). Anyway, this week’s awesome deal is The Outlaws Bundle – SIX games from Steam’s huge digital closet from publisher Meridian 4: PAM (Post-Apocalyptic Mayhem), Robin Hood – The Legend of Sherwood, Pacific Storm and all three games in the RIP Trilogy. That’s two strategy games, a car combat game and three arcade style run ‘n gunners for your slightly adjusted to UK rates dollar. As the kids say (well, the kids from 1985 or so), you can’t be that with a baseball bat.

…Well, you CAN beat that with a baseball bat, but if by “that” you’re referring to your PC or laptop… er, that’s kind of a a bad idea because you’ll have nothing to play those games you just paid a dollar and a few cents for. So go beat a couch cushion with a chopstick instead. AFTER you do your good deed for the day and by these games…