Tag Archives: Commentary

It’s The End of the World As We Know It, C-Virus Edition!

Posted on by
Reply

Ah, you have to love the well-written yet absolutely fake press release. When done right, it’s a true art form, that’s for sure. Toss in a link to web site that’s intentionally low-tech but packing a lot of realistically scary content and it’s pure genius. OK, guess what game this is for (it’s not hard to tell at all, by the way…)

National Center for Infectious disease Research

Projects the End of the World as October 2, 2012

Dr. Harvey Joseph-Carlson Cites C-Virus as Leading Cause

NEW YORK – Sept. 6, 2012 – The National Center for Infectious Disease Research (NCIDR) has published key findings predicting the end of human life to occur on October 2, 2012. Lead researcher Dr. Harvey Joseph-Carlson cites recent wide-spread C-virus outbreak across North America, Europe and Asia as the cause for the projected end to humanity. The report highlights a rapid increase in the infected population as well as a decline in food rations, medical resources and lack of hope as key factors into his final projected end date.

“The end of humanity is a sad and inevitable reality that’s closing in fast on October 2, 2012,” notes Dr. Joseph-Carlson. “We have witnessed gruesome acts due to the widespread contagion and without a cure to the C-Virus we have run out of time and hope to save mankind.”

Dr. Joseph-Carlson’s research documents how the rise of C-Virus infection spreads rapidly through densely populated cities and filters into rural locations. The infection maps within the report outline how contaminated populations become “uninhabitable zones” for non-infected bystanders.

The origins of the C-Virus are still unclear. The C-Virus is a highly contagious mutagenic, non-carcinogenic virus and has no known cure. The incubation period of the virus is also unknown but victims are prone to see symptoms within 24 hours.

For more information and first-hand accounts please visit http://nohopeleft.com.

About NCIDR

The National Center for Infectious Disease Research (NCIDR) was founded in 1998 to address the challenges to international health posed by infectious diseases. The scope of the center has evolved to include the study of infectious diseases that are emerging from populations around the world and are attributable to today’s internationally mobile society.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two: On Characters (Having and Being, Of Course)…

Posted on by
Reply

It’s quite cool how the folks at Junction Point Studios and Blitz Games are making a mascot game relevant and engaging by taking a bunch of already established characters, adding a heft amount of storytelling and allowing players to cut loose and play in two different styles that change up the tale you end up with in the final product. Granted, the element of “choice” is the toughest thing to pull off in any game genre (as there’s always going to be players not satisfied with the amount of freedom they end up with), but the dev teams here are making their game quite a ride for those who are Disney fans with long memories and a willingness to experiment with nostalgia.

F1 2012 Gets Even Better As It Races To Completion

Posted on by
Reply

Codemasters has been tinkering with its F1 game more and more since they’ve had the license and the latest installment is looking like it could be pretty stellar stuff for fans of the genre. Granted, there are those who will want 100% accuracy and every sort of simulation element possible on whatever platform the game appears on, but I’d bet half of those people couldn’t squeeze into a F1 car (let alone a seat on the subway) and just want one of those games that no one can play but a select few (which means it won’t sell to casual race fans at all, a sort of no-no these days.

Someone will strike some sort of common ground within the next few years, I’d bet. But until then, it’s going to be a game for the masses who watch the sport as well as those who want to play as if they’re IN that sport. Go, Codies!

Review: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Posted on by
1

Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360, PC)

Developer: High Moon Studios

Publisher: Activision

# of Players: 1 (Online 2 – 12)

ESRB Rating; T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

High Moon Studios swings hard for the fences with Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and while not quite a clean home run (it’s more of a hard rocket shot that clangs off the correct side of the foul pole into the stands), the game manages to be a fantastic follow up to Transformers: War on Cybertron, despite the loss of co-op play and the twin campaign structure.  Previous experience with the last game isn’t really necessary for any player to hop in and have a blast, but A true Transformers fan will tell you that you’ll need to know where the story began before tackling what’s here. It’s definitely going to help in terms of understanding what’s going on in all the chaos, as the game assumes you’re playing it because you’ve been around for the first installment. FoC is also packed with fan service in the form of in-jokes, references to the cartoons and the animated movie and more hidden goodies than you can shake a Minicron at.

(Although, shaking a Minicron would probably not be a good thing to do unless you were really mad at it for knocking over a vase onto that napping cat by “accident” or something…)

Continue reading →

Breaking Bad 508 (“Gliding Over All”): White Lies Add Up To No Good In Many Ways…

Posted on by
Reply

 

Well, well well. I lost that bet with myself after all about one big thing that occurred last week, so chalk up another one for Vince Gilligan pulling the rug out from under me. That said, given this season opened with Walter White in the near future having his yearly birthday breakfast (in a roadside diner this time) with no one we know around, the last few episodes are going to be quite interesting indeed. Still, I did predict that Walt and Skyler would be even more on the rocks this season, so that sort of evens things out. On the other hand (spoiler, unless you’ve been watching the show), I thought Mike would be around until the very end just to put an interesting cap to things (pun absolutely intended, more on that next year when the show is finally over).

As for this episode and in fact, this first arc that’s going to lead into the final eight shows? Well, as a drug kingpin… Walt is either really smart or really stupid… and I’m going for more of the latter based on some of his decisions this half-season…

Continue reading →

Random Film of the Week: Outland

Posted on by
1

Outland was and is one of those films that never quite got the recognition it deserved and yes, still deserves. “Was” in terms of its at the time quietly groundbreaking visual effects and initially successful (but eventually disappointing) run at the box office back in 1981, and “Is” for the fact that it’s suffered through some pretty lousy transitions to home video over the years.

The recent (and thankfully, mostly excellent) Blu-Ray release makes up for the terrible DVDs from 1997 and the much better (but still not quite perfect) 2007 DVD reissue from a few years back, but for some reason, the “making of” feature found on the DVD is missing in action on the Blu-Ray version. OK, “Who didn’t want to pay whom for what  and why?” I have to ask (nicely, though… nicely).

It’s almost as if Warner Bros. Home Video is just getting the film out as a bare minimum budget release with as little bells and whistles as possible (and a terribly misleading tagline on the cover art) just to get it out of the way and move on. Granted, the film isn’t as “important” to the sci-fi genre as Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner was (a film that’s gotten a few major VHS and disc releases over the yers including some impressive collector’s editions). But it sure deserves a hell of a lot better preservation job than to be dumped into stores with zero fanfare and no other special features than a trailer and director’s commentary.

(Thanks, 0Lostboy0!)

Hell, I remember the film getting a pretty rousing reception when it was introduced at the comic book and sci-fi convention I went to here in NYC over 30 years ago…

Continue reading →

Plants vs. Zombies Pinball (Yes!) On The Way for Zen Pinball 2

Posted on by
Reply

While I truly miss the days of beating feet to the arcades every weekend with a roll of quarters to check out the latest pinball (and arcade) games, a few very dedicated  developers who were also fans of the old school such as the mighty Zen Studios have been keeping the flame alive digitally. Thanks to some incredible simulations that take up a hell of a lot less space than an actual Pinball machine, yet manage to pack in all the thrills, you whippersnappers can play to your hearts content in the comfort of your living room and get the same thrills. Well, save for the flat out cool factor an actual hefty hunk of American made metal, glass and well-wired circuit boards brings to your living room. Hell, I bet that damn 60″ HD setup you have is where that pinball table WOULD be. Wait, what? You have a 90″ TV? Eeek. Well, good for you.

Anyway, Zen Pinball 2 (or Pinball FX2 for you Xbox 360 owners) has been getting some AMAZING updates. Here’s the latest one coming your way next week: Plants vs. Zombies Pinball, based on the popular and hilarious PopCap games. Three bucks for your PS3 or Vita (yes!), 240 MS Points for your 360. That’s a recommendation right there if I’ve ever written one. Poke around PSN or mosey around Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade in a few days, whip out that wallet and add PvZP to your collection.

I’m Much Older Than Street Fighter (and Ryu Can Still Kick My Ass)

Posted on by
Reply

 

Wow – 25 years is a pretty good run for any game, but Capcom’s long-running Street Fighter series was and is a key point in quite a few people’s gaming lives. Me, I’ve always been terrible at fighters like this, but that’s probably because I always seemed to have to play against people who were training to be competitive fighting game players, had more quarters than I did or were just plain good at mastering even the worst characters. Eh, I’m a bit of a passy-fist (ha ha) anyway… and a bit of a voyeur as well, as I like watching people play a good fighting game more than I do playing them. That said, I can play a BAD fighting game all day for some reason. There’s something about a busted combat system or super-cheap moves anyone can pull off that’s oddly appealing.

Or maybe I just suck in reverse at this whole fighting game thing… Anyway, happy anniversary, Street Fighter!

The Unfinished Swan PAX Story Trailer: When Games Are Indeed, Art

Posted on by
Reply

 

I wouldn’t exactly call this soon to be released instant classic something that’s going to make the hardcore shooter fans fall away in droves from the games they like, but you can clearly see all the work that”s gone into making The Unfinished Swan a game for the ages. Of course, it’s another PSN-only game, so it’ll be seen as disposable by those who dislike digital releases. Hmmmm… I really do hope someone is preserving all this game code that goes up on these download sites for future reference, as physical media is still important to the industry (and will be for a while). Hell, they still need to transfer digital movies to 35mm film stock for proper preservation purposes all while the movie industry is rushing into dropping film pretty much entirely within a few years due to the cost of shipping heavy film reels around to theaters (for starters). That’s going to be one frightening time indeed, especially if all that digital data starts disappearing.  Eh, maybe I’m worrying too much… but I don’t think so….

Let Sir Hammerlock Take You On A Tour of Borderlands 2…

Posted on by
Reply

Hmmm. I definitely needed a vacation after all this time without one, but Gearbox’s well-armed, enemy-packed planet of terror is a wee bit too “hot” for my tastes. Oh well – I think I’ll stay home and blow $#i! up from the comfort of my couch, thank you much. Anyway, start stocking up on provisions now, what with food prices jumping and all that noise. I predict it’s going to be a looooong fall of many gamers buried in this game for way too long (just like 2K Games and Gearbox want them to)…