As I haven’t read a Spider-Man book in ages but have been around the comics block on and off for decades, I’m not too surprised that Marvel has decided to phase Peter Parker out of the Marvel Universe and replace him (thanks to a mind and body swap) with Doctor Octupus, who will now star in the new Superior Spider-Man comic (“Superior?” What, they couldn’t find better word than that?). Can I get an “Eh, whatever” here? Let’s see now, Superman died, he came back. Same with Supergirl. Batman got his back broken – he got better. Robin died, he was replaced with a new one or something (I forget, as it’s been a while since I read a Batman comic too). The list goes on and on and every time some fans go out of their way to be as unpleasant about these changes as possible. Sometimes, a little dying can be good for a character, but it’s up to the writer to lure you in and surprise you every so often…
Tag Archives: Disney
Review: Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
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Platform: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Junction Point Studios
Publisher: Disney Interactive
# of Players 1 – 2 (Co-op)
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Score: Single Player D+ 6.5/Co-op: B+ 8.5
Like the piles of scattered Disney memorabilia you traverse through between maps, Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is a beautiful mess. As in beautiful when it works and a mess when it doesn’t. Of course, that’s both a good and bad thing, but we’ll get to the constructive criticism below the jump. As a co-op experience, the game in a great deal of fun as Mickey Mouse and Oswald The Lucky Rabbit team up to battle enemies solve puzzles and track down a seemingly endless supply of collectibles as they tackle the task of repairing an earthquake-ravaged Wasteland. There’s less darkness here and a much richer color palette, making this one of the better-looking Wii titles this year. But both single player and co-op have a few technical and gameplay hurdles that can sap the fun down a bit. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 (and presumably Wii U) versions can probably be patched up to a more stellar experience, I’m gathering Wii owners will be stuck with a flawed game that could have been greater than it is as it currently stands.
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New Additions: Busy Week (Part 1)
In addition to some digital releases I need to download (or already) have downloaded and started playing, a few more new retail releases have shown up, so I’ve been a bit buried in playing through some of them for reviews next week. Skylanders Giants is quite fun and yes, going to get wallets drained from all the cool figures kids will be asking parents to buy. Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two I’ll be reviewing at least twice (PS3 and Wii versions). I should have asked for a Wii U version come to think of it, but I had put in a request so long ago that I wasn’t sure if Nintendo’s new console was getting one. Now, I’ll need to play it for the Gamepad functionality. Reviews on this one are embargoed for a few days, but I think I can get away with saying the game is fantastic so far.
Speaking of Wii U games, Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition is the first of a few Wii U titles I have coming (my system should arrive either Saturday or Monday), so I’m thrilled to see what changes Rocksteady has made to the award-winning game. Reading the back of the case, it’s definitely going to be the most complete version of the game to date and it’s packing a ton of new content as well. And hey – Nintendo DS games are still being made, kids. Thundercats and Jewel Quest: Cradle of Egypt 2 are here and fun for the road (or at home). Oh yeah, the Lollipop Chainsaw in the pic? I finally got around to buying a copy, so I’ll get around to reviewing that one after the newer stuff. The first few stages had me in stitches, so that’s a good sign…
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DIsney Epic Mickey 2: Solo Or Co-op, This Is Going To Be A Total Blast To Play
Having seen and played a bit of this a few months back solo and co-op, I can safely say that it’s one of the better player-friendly games I can recall. You have a few different ways (all up to you) to get through the levels and while a second player does make things more fun, even in solo play you have enough freedom to have fun getting from point A to point B. November 18th, folks – I need to decide which version I want, as I was leaning towards the PS3 one for its Move support initially, but the Wii U version is tempting me with that shiny new (and innovative) GamePad.
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The Lone Ranger Trailer: Hi Yo, Silver! Let’s Go Rake In Some Gold!
OK, nice trailer and all, but I probably won’t catch this in theaters because I’m old and remember the reruns of the TV western too much to muss up my nostalgia with big explosions and sweeping CG vistas galore. But hey, if this is your thing, go on ahead. Still, Johnny Depp in anything is worth viewing because he’s guaranteed NOT to be dull and definitely has the chops to make whomever he’s playing the most interesting thing about a movie. Oh, by the way, who the hell is that guy wearing the Lone Ranger mask? I saw that name I didn’t recognize at all and IMMEDIATELY thought of Klinton Spilsbury reincarnated. Yeah, I’m that old. Back in 1981, I paid to see that klunker and yeesh, was that a waste of time. This new guy better knock it out of the park (or whatever it is you can do up against Depp’s performance and a ton of special effects)…
Hmmm… maybe being the Lone Ranger is the Madden Curse of movie roles or something? Let’s hope not for Bruckheimer’s sake…
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Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two: On Characters (Having and Being, Of Course)…
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.
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Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power Of Two Opening Cinema: The Mouse, The Rabbit And The Really Odd Place
OK, I’m no Carl Barks, but I figured I may as well try and make up a title that’s not quite as necessarily unwieldy (or even more, depending on your tastes) as the one the game has that more or less explains as much as possible while not giving anything away. Yeah, I left out the musical aspects, the new game camera, drop in/drop-out co-op play, the lovely visual upgrades across the board and the still innovative Paint & Thinner gameplay choices players can make. In fact, my hands-on preview was better! Ah well..
Hey, YOU try and describe all of that in a title without burning up a few brain cells. Yeah, see? Told you so. Anyway, November 18th is the big day, so get yourself prepared…
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Oz The Great And Powerful Trailer: Every Great Tale Needs A Beginning…
I’d been on the fence about this Sam Raimi film until I saw the trailer and picked out a few fun bits that pay homage to the 1939 film (which, classic status aside, was vastly different from the book it was based on, by the way) as well as a few of L. Frank Baum’s fourteen Oz books. SO, yup… it’s on my list of stuff to see at some point. Man, is James Franco in every other film and TV show these days or what? Of course, he’s great at what he does, so I have zero complaints about his acting skills. March 2013 is when it’s coming out, so I have time to maybe catch up on some reading. Maybe I’ll watch Return to Oz again at some point if it pops up on cable. I never really liked it much when I first saw it during its original theatrical release, but perhaps it’s aged better since then. We shall see…
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Review: Brave: The Video Game (PS3)
Platform: PS3 (Also on Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii)
Developer: Behaviour Interactive, Inc.
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
# of Players: 1 – 2
ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 +)
Score: B (80%)
A fast-paced hack & slash for the younger set with a nice arcade feel, Disney/Pixar’s Brave: The Video Game manages to overcome a few of the issues that plague most movie games that try too hard (or don’t try hard enough) to be fun to play. While not the longest kid-friendly (or preteen friendly, if you go by the E 10+ rating) licensed game out there, the simple pick up and play controls, optional two-player co-op mode, PlayStation Move mini-games and constant action keeps things from dragging after the initial tutorial stage. A few technical issues and a bit of repetition in some brief cut scenes mar the experience, but overall, this is one of those games that anyone can hop into and play and have a blast while doing so.
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Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two Hands-On: Twice As Fun (And Then Some)…
As great fun as Disney Epic Mickey was on the Wii, the game did have a few issues. Granted, the innovative gameplay that allowed players to paint in or remove chunks of the game world meant the Wii was doing some spectacular calculations behind the scenes, but the game camera suffered in too many areas. That and the game could have used a bit more in the way of actual voices for its cast, especially as it captured a wide range of Disney history that demanded to be heard as well as seen. Yes, James Dooley’s fantastic score carried the aural experience to new heights, but something was still missing. For the sequel, I’m happy to report that not only are PS3 and Xbox 360 owners going to get in on the fun, those camera and sound problems are gone and Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two should be on your list of games to dive into when it hits retail in mid-November. I finally got to play the E3 demo of the PS3 version at a Disney event here in NYC and as good as the first game was on the Wii, the new camera system absolutely sings using the Move and /Navigation Controller setup.
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