Reviews
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Review
Despite its problems, the original No More Heroes was a fun, adult-themed third-person hack-and-slash that was a welcome addition to the mostly family friendly lineup on the Nintendo Wii. When news of a sequel came around, fans were reasonably excited. Not only would it bring some much-needed fine-tuning to the gameplay, it also promised up to 50 assassins to carve your way through, minigames that were based on 8-bit NES titles, and the ability...
The Avengers (2012) Review
In a year with a new Batman movie, a (maybe) prequel to the Aliens series, a reboot of Spider Man, a new Men in Black, a new Bond and a new Tarantino flick, the release of The Avengers stood above the rest due to the enormous hype and build up it received. Whatever expectations you may have, however hyped you may be, your expectations will be met -- if not entirely exceeded -- by The Avengers. It’s a movie that works on so many levels, it...
Hitch (2005) Review
There are many, many romantic comedies loosed upon the viewing public. Most of them follow a pretty strict formula, Hitch included. Despite this it's still a charming, wonderful story about two couples getting together and the intricacies of human dating. The story begins with Alex Hitchens, played by Will Smith, explaining that he is a dating consultant, commonly referred to as the Date Doctor throughout the movie. In a nutshell, guys find him...
Fast Five (2011) Review
Usually, when a movie series gets to its fourth and fifth installments, its creative wheels are spinning off the tracks. However, in the case of the The Fast and the Furious series, the opposite is true. The third installment, Tokyo Drift was the best of all. And now, we have Fast Five that is almost as good as its predecessor. As with the previous Fast and Furious movies, this is purely an escapist flick. As such, this is a movie that helps you...
Avernum: Escape From the Pit Review
Before I even had Windows on my computer, I remember my dad bringing home a game from the store because a clerk said it was really good. I opened the box, and inside was not one, but three manuals, a cloth map, and a floppy disk labeled Exodus - Ultima IV. I popped the disk in, exited to DOS, and ran the game. I was bewildered by the pink and cyan color palette, died several times, and quickly became disgusted with the game. Ok, I was only five...
No More Heroes Review
No More Heroes was Nintendo's effort to show Wii's legitimacy to its fans, who already knew that Nintendo would support the console with their favorite franchise titles such as Mario and Zelda. Casual fans were also satisfied with Wii Sports and the promise for more family-friendly titles on the horizon. NMH is an open world/third-person hack-and-slash made by Grasshopper Manufacture, the studio behind the Gamecube and Playstation 2 shooter...
Temple Run Review
Temple Run is a game that takes us back to the days of the arcade in which game objectives were simple, and concepts such as “levels,” “AI,” or “DLC” didn’t exist. The goals in Temple Run are simple: run as fast as you can and don't die. It's basic. However, this simplicity makes for an incredibly fun game to pick up and play in short bursts or for hours on end. Like any good arcade game, its basic...
Princess of Mars (2009)
There is a small movie production company called The Asylum that specializes in making "mockbusters." Mockbusters are legal ripoffs of Hollywood blockbusters. Usually, mockbusters are created while the targeted blockbuster is still in production. Then, while the blockbuster is in theaters, the mockbuster is released direct to video. Examples: Transformers was ripped off as Transmorphers, and Pirates of the Caribbean was ripped off as Pirates of...
Mass Effect 3 Review
The Mass Effect series is probably the single best original sci-fi IP released in the last decade and is the best work Bioware has ever produced. Bioware fanboys are going to start frothing at the mouth and point out Dragon Age – which, to be fair, was very well done and a ton of fun. But that said, Mass Effect is a breathing, vibrant universe with a whole history behind it begging to be explored, whereas Dragon Age is a fairly...
John Carter (2012) Review
John Carter is a form of science fiction that is rarely -- if ever -- seen in this age of dark and brooding sci-fi/action films. While the marketing and previews may have made it look like a sci-fi epic similar to Star Wars or Avatar, it isn't akin to either one. Some plot points and story arcs may seem similar (this is due to the monomyth story type shared by most common stories), but the rest of the movie is completely its own brand of sci fi...
The Killing Time (1987) Review
Hollywood has a tendency to underestimate the intelligence of the American people. This is shown by the plethora of poorly thought out so-called “motion pictures” produced and distributed every year. One such movie is 1987’s The Killing Time. Kiefer Sutherland stars as a hitchhiker who kills Brian Mars who has just been hired as a deputy sheriff in a coastal county in Louisiana. Sutherland assumes the identity of his victim and...
Bloody Pit of Horror (1965) Review
There are some movies that were considered quite scary by their contemporary audiences. However, when audiences in later years see those same movies, the result is often laughter at unintentional humor. Often the same scenes that terrified the audiences of yesteryear are the same ones that elicit mirth in today's film goers. 1965’s Bloody Pit of Horror is one of these movies. The movie begins with film of a strangely garbed figure being...
Triggermen (2002) Review
One film genre that’s the hardest to pull off successfully is the comedy drama or “dramady.” Another difficult undertaking is ripping off another successful filmmaker’s works without making it too obvious that your film is a ripoff. If a film attempts to pull off both feats simultaneously, then the end result is almost always a travesty. One such movie is 2002’s Triggermen. Triggermen is an attempt to ripoff the...
One for the Money (2012) Review
There are Hollywood stars out there whose behavior and/or viewpoints cause film critics to froth like rabid dogs. Movie reviews read like personal attacks and give the movie in question short shrift. One such actress to attract this kind of hatred is Katherine Heigl, and the movie unfairly maligned is her latest effort, the 2012 comedy-mystery One for the Money. According to Bill Gibron of filmcritic.com, "Fans of the former Grey's...
LIMBO Review
High-quality puzzle games, such as the Portal series, are few and far between these days. In a market where the shooter tends to reign supreme, it is nice to come across an environmentally puzzling gem such as LIMBO. If you have not played this game yet, then you are definitely missing out. LIMBO was originally released on Xbox Live Arcade in summer 2010 as an exclusive for Microsoft's console. After the game's exclusivity on the Xbox 360...
Black Brigade (1970) Review
Black Brigade is a good example of how ignorance of military history by Hollywood types can result in a really bad -- not to mention unintentionally funny -- movie. This was a 1970 TV movie written by Aaron Spelling. Black Brigade begins when Captain Carter (Stephen Boyd) is tasked to go on a dangerous mission to blow up a Nazi-held dam 50 miles behind enemy lines. The unit chosen to accomplish the task is B Company, which is all black ... and...
Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Blu-ray) Review
One of the most beloved movie sagas has finally made the jump to high-definition. All six Star Wars movies are now available on Blu-ray in two box sets for each trilogy (Episodes I-III and IV-VI), or as a special nine-disc set that contains all six movies and a plethora of bonuses. So is the complete saga box set worth it? If you’re a Star Wars geek, then these are the droids you’re looking for, but if you’re a casual fan, then...
The War of the Worlds (1953) Review
The War of the Worlds is the best alien invasion movie ever made. This film looks better and better in comparison to most of the over-produced, digital drivel released today. Unlike today’s filmmakers, the folks who made this movie realized it takes more than gore, ear-splitting soundtracks, and drooling aliens to truly scare and thrill an audience. The War of the Worlds entertains because producer George Pal and his crew were able to make...
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review Rebuttal
Editor's Note: Minor spoilers ahead! OK, OK, I'll admit it: I've never beaten the original Zelda. And in this day of phenomenal graphics and utterly immersive storylines, I couldn't. I'd get bored and wander off to play the latest iteration instead. And yet the latest, Skyward Sword, isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's certainly no Twilight Princess or Ocarina of Time as far as the dark depths to which their stories plunge. Granted, those two...
The Rocketeer (1991) Review
The Rocketeer is a greatly underrated science fiction action flick set during the late 1930s in the Great Depression while the world was inching toward World War II. This particular movie was made in 1991 and based on a graphic novel by Dave Stevens. This movie is of the same flavor of the Republic serials of the 1930s and 1940s, and it captures the spirit of the pulp magazines of the time. This is fitting because the original Dave Stevens...
Child of Eden Review
Child of Eden is a difficult game to describe. At some points, it feels like a simple on-rails shooter. At others, it feels like a time-attack shooter, forcing you to gather as many points as possible in the allotted time. Sometimes it doesn't feel like a game at all, but rather an interactive music video/drug trip in which context doesn't matter, but like a music video, the emotional energy takes center stage. Child of Eden is all of these...
Rayman Origins Review
Like a splash of cold water on a hot summer day, Rayman Origins is a blast from the platforming past that arrives with such ferocity and such a high level of quality that it shouts with colorful graphics, crisp animation and ingenious level design: “We're not dead! The platformer still exists, and it's just as fun as you remember!” Origins is a return to form, a throwback for our limbless hero and his friends, giving him 2-D worlds...
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the 8th Zelda console game. It's also one of the most highly rated series. The very first game I ever beat was the original Legend of Zelda. It is the series I anticipate most every time Nintendo releases a new system. (No, I don't count Twilight Princess as a Wii game.) Skyward Sword did not disappoint. Everything from the new controls, the story, and the tweaks to the formula turn this Zelda iteration...
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Review
It's impossible to ignore the FPS juggernaut that is the Call of Duty franchise. From its rabid fanbase to its yearly installments that earn millions, the franchise has -- love it or hate it -- earned a strong presence in the video game community. Modern Warfare 3 is the latest in the military first-person shooter series. This title, a continuation from Modern Warfare 2, is the end of the line that began with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in...
WWE '12 Review
Not long after the release of the previous WWE game, THQ announced it would be going back to the drawing board for the next one, WWE ’12. THQ promised to build the entire game from the ground up, including brand new graphics and animations. Early builds of the game, such as the one seen at E3, seemed to back away from most of those statements. While the final product is far from perfect, wrestling fans will be pleased to know that this in...