Music Video of the Week: Warren G ft. Nate Dogg “Regulate”

The Indie Games I’m Looking Forward To Most On PS4

While the mere thought of indie games on the PlayStation 4 has some gamers generating tons of hate, I happen to disagree with them. Indie games happens to be the popular trend these days, and seeing the visionary ideas that indie developers bring to the table help shape the games we play in the future. Of course there’s also the fact that these games are relatively cheaper and sometimes are better than the big budget blockbusters that get all the attention. PlayStation 4 will be chock full of indie goodness, so I decided to highlight a handful of the indie games that have my interest when the next generation of gaming arrives on November 15. Here are a few of my picks that I’ll be playing.

Helldivers

Expected in 2014, Arrowhead Games has developed a title that in my opinion is a mix of Halo: Spartan Assault for the Windows phone along with the campy Starship Troopers movies. This top down co-op shooter for up to four players is no easy romp. Helldivers will challenge my gaming skills along with my patience with it’s random generated levels making every experience different each time I play.

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Octodad: Dadliest Catch

A game about an octopus posing as a human. Now I would have to file this game from Young Horses under weird, but fun. Dadliest Catch is a sequel to the original Octodad where the main idea is for this octopus to mimic human behavior without raising suspicion that he is in fact an octopus. The premise is absolutely ridiculous, but the idea that the human world has trouble noticing this could make for one of the most hilarious games ever made.

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Outlast

This is probably the one game that I really can’t wait to play. Outlast is a first person survival horror experience from Red Barrels that could bring the scare back into a genre that’s been a little tame through the years. Once I’m inside the Mount Massive Asylum I’ll once again feel the chills up my spine as I discover the horrors that await me. However, once I find the secrets will I be able to find a way out to tell the world, or will they die with me.

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Mercenary Kings

Calling this game a 2D Borderlands does not do Mercenary Kings justice. This game from Tribute (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game) combines the looting elements of Borderlands along with megahit shooter titles including the Metal Slug and Contra series. My mission is to save the world from the evil corporation known as CLAW at a secret laboratory base on a remote island. Taking out enemies will reveal loot that I can use to craft weapons and gear to help accomplish my mission.

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Ray’s The Dead

Taking on the role of a zombie, this Pikmin style of game from Ragtag Studio will have me recruiting fellow members of the undead and create an army all with the purpose of avenging my own death. There’s also that other question of why there’s a lightbulb on top of my head. How did that get there? Lots of questions, but plenty of zombie fun lies ahead.

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This is just a small taste of some of the indie games I’ll be playing once the PS4 finally arrives. Do you have any favorites your looking forward to? Let me know in the comments.

Ben Affleck Is The New Batman? Are You Kidding Me?

At the San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that the sequel for Man of Steel would feature Batman. Just the thought of a Batman vs Superman movie had fans, including myself, jumping for joy. The big question that followed this epic announcement would be who will play the infamous Dark Knight. Some people thought Christian Bale would return, but unfortunately he turned it down. Well after a few of weeks of speculation, Warner Brothers feels that they have finally found their man to play one of DC Comics’ biggest superheroes.

Ben Affleck

Hold on. Wait a second. Ben Affleck is Batman? Tell me this is a joke. Unfortunately, this is no joke. Ben Affleck is Batman. What’s next? Is Matt Damon going to play Robin?

The internet is buzzing after this blockbuster announcement, but the reaction from fans is rather mixed with more people responding in the negative direction. Where do I stand on this? Well, I have to agree with some of the haters out there who are outraged by this decision. Personally, I have to say that Affleck as Batman doesn’t seem to fit with me. I just can’t imagine him as Batman. To me it would look like Ben Affleck in a Batsuit. To this day I’m still trying to forget his disastrous performance as a certain Marvel superhero known as Daredevil. However, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt since I think he might make a good Bruce Wayne, but we all know that being a billionaire is only half of the total role. You have to do more than just look good in a suit or a tux to play The Caped Crusader.

Now I’m not going to say that Affleck is a terrible actor, however he’s not a great actor either. I mean he’s a little “one-dimensional”, but has shown some range in films he’s personally directed including The Town and Argo. With him playing Batman, I have that bad feeling that the “one-dimensional” Affleck will return and phone it in. Then again maybe he won’t. I will say that Affleck will not go down as the worst choice ever to play Batman. That honor has to go to the “Anatomically Correct” Bat played by George Clooney. Surely Joel Schumacher would have to take most of the blame for the disaster that is Batman and Robin, but seriously bat nipples, a cock piece, and a Batman credit card with no credit limit. I rest my case.

While I’ll agree with the idea that either Karl Urban, or maybe a relatively unknown actor, would’ve been a better choice to play the legendary superhero, I’m going to give Ben Affleck a chance to prove me and the throngs of haters wrong. It’s not this is the first time we’ve hated a particular choice to play a certain role. Remember the hateful response when we learned that Heath Ledger was chosen to play The Joker in The Dark Knight? What happened? Ledger delivered a masterful performance that was an enormous step above what Jack Nicholson brought to the big screen back in 1989. Can Ben Affleck rise to that level? I don’t know, but he’s going to have to. The pressure is solely on him. If he fails, the future for the planned Justice League movies could also go up in smoke. However, if I’m wrong, I’ll be one of the first to praise him.

Music Video of the Week: Def Leppard “Pour Some Sugar On Me”

Clip of the Week: The Vomitting Ouya Ad

Why All The Indie Hate?

At Gamescom, the announcement heard around the world was finally made. Gamers including myself have anxiously awaited the news about the impending release of the PlayStation 4. Since E3, things have been pretty quiet at Sony, but there was no reason for anyone to be concerned. Unlike Microsoft that had to change their policies to keep up, Sony stayed the course by sticking to a vision that had gamers in mind as they brought the PS4 to life. The big question we all had was when, and at the closing moments of Sony’s press conference that answer as given. November 15. In less than three months the next generation will officially begin. While excitement rang, there was an ominous dark cloud looming that had some gamers rather upset. Why?

Indie Games

The main reason that had some hardcore gamers a little perturbed at Sony had to do with the large indie games presence at Gamescom. Hardcore gamers wanted to see more big blockbuster AAA first party games that has Microsoft execs busting out of their expensive Don Mattrick inspired jackets. However, Sony wanted to show gamers their commitment to the indie scene by showcasing games that don’t get the large stage, or over the top trailers to bring excitement to the masses. Microsoft may have all the money (due to the $60/year Xbox Live Gold price) to buy timed exclusive games and have DLC first, but Sony decided to flex their muscles elsewhere and give smaller budget game developers the spotlight which has some dishing out indie hate.

Now I’m not a hater when it comes to this subject, because I like what Sony has brought to the table with their endless supply of indie games. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted a PS4 over the Xbox One. Games including Helldivers, Hotline Miami 2, Ray’s The Dead, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Mercenary Kings, Outlast, Secret Ponchos, and countless others have me more excited than the usual big budget sequel driven franchises including Call of Duty, Battlefield, Dead Rising, Assassin’s Creed, and even Halo. Indie games bring some new visions and ideas to the table that help shape the way we will play games in the near future. Basically, indie developers are willing to take big risks and sacrifices to help broaden the horizons of the gaming world.

Do you want to know what really separates the indies from the big dogs? Allow me share something with you.

Let’s take a look at the big picture when it comes to video games. Big name publishers and developers are basically playing it safe by creating sequel after sequel of popular franchises knowing that they will get your money. Most of these games show up yearly including sports games, Call of Duty, and Assassin’s Creed. These yearly games have either peaked, or they’re past their prime, because these games either make minimal tweaks to slightly enhance the gameplay, or are not willing to experiment with anything new at all. In essence, your just playing the same game with a minor graphical bump to make it look shiny and special. Still excited about Madden 25, Battlefield 4, or Call of Duty: Ghosts?

Indie developers, on the other hand, are willing to reinvent the wheel when it comes to creating new and exciting games. These developers will take a concept that you and I are familiar with, and throw a monkey wrench within the programming thereby creating a new way to experience the game. Most will call this weird while others will call this genius.

Everyday indie developers are coming up with new ways to enjoy the genres we love. So why should we hate on them when a company like Sony is willing to invest big on these new and innovating ideas that they create? Sony is bringing these indie developers to the forefront, and not burying them in the back of a marketplace so that we would have to sort through a huge clutter of shit to find the diamonds in the rough. As gamers we should be happy to see that a company is willing to take risks, and not play it safe by buying up timed exclusives just for the sake of sales. Besides, these games that Microsoft has bought as so-called “exclusives” will soon be available on the Sony platform for us to enjoy. Add on all the indie goodness that came before it, and what you have is a win for gamers.

Now Playing: DuckTales Remastered

Back in 1989, a video game came along and changed the way we view games forever. Disney and Capcom took us on a journey to the land of Duckburg, but that was only the beginning. The real adventure was soon to follow that took us everywhere from the Amazon all the way too the Moon itself. All of this while singing that all too familiar tune.

Life is like a hurricane
Here in Duckburg
Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
It’s a duck blur
You might solve a mystery
Or rewrite history

DuckTales, Woo-oo!
Everyday they’re out there making
DuckTales, Woo-oo!
Tales of daring do bad and good luck tales, Woo-oo!

D-D-D-danger, watch behind you
There’s a stranger out to find you
What to do?
Just grab onto some

DuckTales, Woo-oo!
Everyday they’re out there making
DuckTales, Woo-oo!
Tales of daring do bad and good luck tales, Woo-oo!
Not pony tails, or cotton tails, no
DuckTales, Woo-oo!

Now I’ve never played the original game on the NES, but I do know about DuckTales. This means that this remastered version of the original game is all new to me and I like it. The Disney fan in me enjoyed watching the television series back in the day featuring the adventures of Scrooge McDuck and the gang scouring the world for legendary treasure. There was also something else I’ve always wanted to do. That would be diving into a massive vault of coins just like Scrooge McDuck. Sadly, there’s no way to perform this act in real life, but I can live the fantasy here in DuckTales Remastered, and it’s awesome!

The first thing that impressed me with DuckTales Remastered are the high definition visuals. Everything from the characters to the jaw-dropping levels themselves look absolutely fantastic. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. All the original actors of the show are also back reprising their roles for the game giving voices to the characters during all the cutscenes. The overall atmosphere gives me the impression that I’m participating in an actual episode of the hit animated series. Now that is a real treat for fans like myself, because this takes the DuckTales experience to a completely new level.

Platforming is the name of the game here in DuckTales, and it’s well executed as Scrooge uses his cane as a pogo stock for jumping on enemies and completes some simple puzzle solving. Considering the fact that this is a Disney game, don’t expect DuckTales to be some easy romp even though it does follow the main 8-bit rule of “If you lose all your lives you must start over”. I would keep that in mind especially in boss battles. These battles can be a bit of chore since memorization of their attacks is needed for survival. Remember that less stress equals more fun.

Throughout my adventure I would come across random treasure chests randomly appearing out of nowhere containing health and other riches. Gems also sometimes appeared as I walked by. This just goes to show that wherever Scrooge McDuck walks money is sure to follow. As I collected the money I was able to spend it in the gallery mode where I can unlock concept art, music, and more showing the rich history of the game. I really like seeing how the game has evolved from it’s 8-bit beginnings to the current generation consoles.

DuckTales may be a near perfect port of the original game, but there is one area of concern that will have fans scratching their heads. This would have to do with the game’s length. The levels in DuckTales Remastered have been extended in some areas, because the original NES game didn’t take very long to finish. This new version of DuckTales can be finished within a couple of hours which might have some fans wondering if the nostalgia trip is worth the $14.99 price tag. I think that some won’t care, because it’s DuckTales. However, others will probably wait for a sale.

As a trip down memory lane, DuckTales Remastered shines with it’s high definition visuals, and making me feel like I’m in an episode of the show. The platforming is fantastic, and at times can be quite challenging, but it’s not entirely frustrating. The game’s length may be it’s only setback, but it didn’t hold me back from buying it. Besides, it’s not very often that I get to “solve a mystery, or rewrite history!”

DuckTales, Woo-oo!

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Developer: Capcom, Disney, WayForward
Platform: PlayStation 3, PSN
Players: 1
Price: $14.99

Kick-Ass 2: Hard To Top The Original, But Still A Fun Movie

I’ll be honest. I was never that big on Kick-Ass from the beginning. I never read the graphic novel so I knew nothing of the story about real life superheroes. Was I interested in the movie? Sure I was, but when I went to see it I went in with very low expectations. I thought the movie was going to suck, and early on my theories were somewhat correct. Then there was that moment when the foul mouthed Hit-Girl showed up on the scene, and kicked the shit out of everyone to the theme of the Banana Splits. From that moment on I had a big smile on my face, and my excitement level towards the movie continued to increase. The movie may have been called Kick-Ass, but it was Hit-Girl that stole the show. Now the sequel has finally arrived, but this time my expectations were at an all-time high. The good news is that Kick-Ass 2 didn’t disappoint.

While the first Kick-Ass dealt with the possibilities of being a real life superhero, Kick-Ass 2 became more about the consequences of those actions. Dave Lizewski’s (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) actions as the hero Kick-Ass has become the inspiration for many others to dress up, and take to the streets as superheroes. Mindy Macready, aka Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace-Moretz), was forced to retire from the superhero game, and live the civilian life as a teenager where she finds a new challenge. High school, and a Mean Girls inspired clique. As for Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), well he wanted revenge for the death of his father. How does he get that revenge? He decides to become the world’s first super villain known as The Mother Fucker, and hires his own “Legion of Doom” to reign down death and destruction.

With Dave unable to cope with life outside of being Kick-Ass, he finds a group of others just like him called Justice Forever led by Colonel Stars and Stripes played by Jim Carrey. While Carrey might be against violence (which is the reason he’s not promoting this movie), he was fantastic in his role as he owned every scene he was in. Donald Faison was also fun in his role as Dr. Gravity with his signature baseball bat weapon. Kick-Ass also has a new love interest as he gets it on with his new girlfriend Night Bitch, played by Lindy Booth. Those roles were notable, but there was one person who really stole the show, and that was Mother Russia played by Olga Kurkulina. She was the most dominant of all the villains especially when she showed off her deadly skills by killing ten cops in one over the top sequence.

Unlike the graphic novel, I felt like Kick-Ass 2 was holding back on a lot of the original source material that the movie was based on. I can understand that, because some of the more graphic details are not here or they were altered so that the movie going public wouldn’t be turned off or offended by it. This also leads to the one problem that I had with Kick-Ass 2. This movie was trying too hard to top what was done in the original. For example, the shock and awe of the potty-mouthed Hit-Girl shtick has worn on off audiences, so they’re not going to say “Hey, remember that scene where Hit-Girl…” However, she does have one awesome scene as Mindy where she gets her revenge on the clique which will have audiences laughing hysterically. The only other issue that I have is that while the movie is called Kick-Ass, I still feel like Kick-Ass’ character takes a back seat to everyone else.

Now I know that the critics are panning this movie in a big way, but Kick-Ass 2 is not as bad as what they’re saying. These critics just don’t understand what makes this movie so entertaining. It’s not perfect, but Kick-Ass 2 has it’s moments that had me laughing as well as it’s “kick ass” moments especially in the final fight scene with Kick-Ass battling The Mother Fucker and Hit-Girl fighting Mother Russia. Kick-Ass 2 didn’t fulfill the very high expectations that I had, but I still thought it was a good movie. Just don’t expect anything better than the shocking original. Oh, and make sure you stick around after the credits for an extra scene which leaves open the possibility of a Kick-Ass 3.

Now Playing: Plants vs Zombies 2

I think I can say that I’m a little obsessed when it comes to the original Plants vs Zombies game. I became so addicted to the garden defense gameplay to the point that I had to own the game on every platform in my possession including my iPhone, iPad, and Xbox 360. I almost purchased it on PlayStation 3, but I was able to calm my gardening urges. With that said it looked like my obsession would finally calm down, but all of that would soon change when a certain sequel would arrive on my iPad and iPhone. Plants vs Zombies 2. The Crazy Dave in me has once again resurfaced as my obsession to defend my lawn against the endless zombie horde is back. Why? Because I’m crazy!

Plants vs Zombies 2, from PopCap Games, is a free-to-play game available exclusively on iOS devices. Wait a minute! A game published by EA is free? Did I just step in to the Twilight Zone? EA and free are two words that never go together. There’s got to be a catch. Well believe it or not there is no catch, no pop-up screens demanding money, or lite version of the game. Plants vs Zombies 2 is considered a “freemium” title where I can play the entire zombie defense game without spending a dime, but there are options available in the store for me to spend my hard earned money for some new plants or upgrades if I choose to, however it’s not required.

Just like the original game, Plants vs Zombies 2 still had me eliminating the zombie horde by using my army of plants and endless sunshine against them. Basically, it’s the same addicting game that I’ve been playing for the past couple of years. Just like the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. While the original game had me defending my home, the sequel had me going back in time to destroy the zombies in places including Ancient Egypt and The Old West. Each of these new stages looks colorful and fun, and I also like the Super Mario Bros. style overworld map for stage selection.

With a new game comes new plants to choose from. I did have some favorites to mix things up on my battlefield with my peashooters and sunflowers. I had a blast with the Bloomerang allowing me to hit zombies with boomerangs, the Bonkchoy which threw punches, and the Coconut Cannon shot coconuts for some big damage. While those plants were fun to use, the one I enjoyed the most was the Snapdragon. Any plant that can shoot fire across three rows is awesome in my book. Also added to the game was plant food which is obtained from killing the glowing zombies. Using plant food on one of my plants granted them momentary beefed up abilities to help take down a large wave of zombies.

While the gameplay is addicting and fun, there was one thing I didn’t like and that had to do with the store. One of things I noticed in the store was some plants that can be used in the game for a fee. These old favorites in including the Snow Pea, Jalapeño, and Squash would be really useful but they’re costly. I guess losing some helpful plants is the trade off between having a free game, and one that would cost a bit of money. Then again I do like some of the new plants so I probably won’t miss them that much. I can always play the original game.

Plants vs Zombies 2 is more of the same, but this same is still addicting and fun with tons of replay value. It’s a game where it doesn’t matter what skill level you are, because it’s casual enough for anyone to pick up and play, and have a good time. I didn’t care about the story, but I still love Crazy Dave and his antics. The zombies are also humorous and at times can put up quite a challenge. The best part about the game is that it’s free, so there’s no reason for anybody to not download this game.

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Developer: PopCap Games
Platform: iPad, iPhone
Players: 1
Price: Free

Music Video of the Week: Rush “Tom Sawyer” (Live in Holland)