Hello there!
Not too long from now is Christmas, and a couple days afterwards, the end of 2013. This year has been...weird, to say the least. Some of the most remarkable things occurred, but some of the most horrible & vile things have happened as well. There’s been plenty of new life brought into the world, but an equal amount of life has also been released from the mortal coil. For me, this year has been a tough one. The first half was nice (Genericon 2013, My 26th Birthday), but the other half has been tough (The death of Kay, my family friend that perished mid-June, the death of Nelson Mandela, My Grandfather getting lung cancer (A new development that happened around the beginning of the month), and a host of other troubles). I’m still struggling with finding a job, but I’ve since then managed to acquire a car with my Mother’s help. So I’ve had some nice things happen since the death of our family friend, but I’ll tell you that it’s gonna be a long time before things get back to normal around my neck of the woods.
Okay, I have two announcements. The first is that I’m planning on possibly redesigning/re-purposing my blog. I’m not quite sure if I’m actually going to go through with this, since I enjoy the feel that it has right now. With that said, I feel that a change of some sort needs to happen. Maybe the content needs to be narrowed down a little, but maybe more kinds of things to get reviewed, I’m not sure. All I know is that a change of some sort is going to occur, and whether you think it’s a good change or bad change will ultimately be up to you.
The second announcement is that, starting in January, I’ll be starting off a music review festival! It won’t be quite as massive as my chunk of anime reviews I did this year, as I’ll only be posting up 1 review a week . On top of that, I’m splitting up the festival: January & February will compose the first half, March will be a break (Filled with revisions of past posts for the most part), then April & May will be the other half. You’ll see plenty of appearances of bands/singers that have appeared so far (Type-O Negative, Devin Townsend, etc), but you’ll also see appearances from some new groups as well.
Before I end this post, I just wanted to say that a couple weeks ago I reached a milestone of 200 posts. I forgot about it because I was busy with stuff at that time, so I figured I’d talk about it really quick. Not only that, since my blog will be 3 years old next May, I thought I’d put a quick list down, and show off the highest viewed posts I’ve done since the inception of my corner of the internet. I think you’ll be quite surprised.
2011
Kekko Kamen (Currently at 26 views)(Link: “***”)
2012
Uncle Yo! Fluffy Delicious DVD of Unbridled Entertainment (Second Edition) Review (Currently at 103 views)(Link: “***”)
Rammstein: Reise Reise (Japanese Edition) Review (Currently at 111 views)(Link: “***”)
Chobirs Anime/Manga Comparison (Currently at 80 views)(Link: “***”)
Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Review (Currently at 96 views)(Link: “***”)
Type-O Negative: World Coming Down Review (Currently at 51 views)(Link: “***”)
Type-O Negative: The Origins Of The Feces Review (Currently at 754 views)(Link: “***”)
Top 5 Heavy Metal Songs To Make Out To (Currently at 62 views)(Link: “***”)
Getbackers Review (Currently at 97 views)(Link: “***”)
Rammstein: Reise Reise (Japanese Edition)(Revised) Review (Currently at 170 views)(Link: “***”)
Desert Punk Review (Currently at 368 views)(Link: “***”)
Mad Bull 34 Review (Currently at 75 views)(Link: “***”)
Burn Up Scramble Review (Currently at 67 views)(Link: “***”)
Katatonia: Dance of December Souls Review (Currently at 53 views)(Link: “***”)
2013
Devin Townsend: Ocean Machine - Biomech Review (Currently at 79 views)(Link: “***”)
Girls Bravo Review (Currently at 80 views)(Link: “***”)
La Blue Girl Review (Currently at 364 views)(Link: “***”)
R.I.P. - Yoteslaya (Currently at 361 views)(Link: “***”)
Well, that’s all I got to say. I hope you enjoy the rest of this month, and I look forward to seeing you all next year. Until then, stay Otaku!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Review
Merry Christmahanakwanzaa again!
It’s getting closer & closer to Christmas, ladies & gentlemen. We’re just inching closer to our stocking, presents, and plenty of holiday merriment. I’m really looking forward to seeing what I got this year, but I’m holding in my excitement...I think. Anyways, it’s been quite some time since I reviewed a movie on this blog, and considering it’s Christmastime, I found it to be appropriate to review another Christmas flick. Last year I reviewed the terrifying Star Wars Holiday Special (Click on “***” to read it...if you dare), so I figured that a good holiday flick was the right thing to look at. With that said, grab a cup of cocoa, sit in front of a decorated tree with a laptop, and take a look at my review for the odd yet charming National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Story/Setup
It’s a few weeks before Christmas, and the Griswold family (Headed by Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, and his wife Ellen, played by Beverly D'Angelo) is getting ready for the Hoildays at their house. At first is seems that all is going well, until the shit begins to hit the fan. For starters, a good chuck of his family shows up at the house, and most of them aren’t necessarily the nicest or the most polite (With the exception of his Father, who seems to be the most decent out of his relatives). Not only that, but his annual bonus from his job hasn’t showed up yet, and he’s been planning on building a pool in his backyard with his bonus money. To complicate things even further, as he’s trying to recreate a “Good Old Fashioned Family Christmas” (His words), things keep screwing in some manner or another (Christmas tree bursts into flame, turkey ends up incredibly dry, etc). It’s all hilarity, hijinks, and tragedy (Off the silly kind), until things somehow get fixed, and everything is back to normal. As normal as things get for the Griswolds, however.
For the most part, the story is good. You’re given the setup, context, and everything else needed for a normal/goofy Christmas movie. My only complaint is that there seems to be too much going on. It seems like there is a lot more to the story, despite how simplistic it all appears. There seems to be too many things happening, both on screen & off screen. By the end of the movie most of what’s happened has been resolved, but it seems like something either went missing, or wasn’t touched on at all.
Setting
Christmas Vacation mainly takes place in the city of Chicago, as well as the surrounding suburbs. Although there are plenty of other places the movies goes to (Like a tree farm, corporate office, and a convenience store), the focus of the movie is mainly on the Griswold’s house, which looks about as standard as any other suburban house. In all honesty, I wish that the time in each locale was a little more even, and not so lopsided. With that said, each place has it’s own look & feel, so at least there’s a variety of locales.
Characters
The characters in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are it’s biggest strength, but also it’s biggest weakness. I’ll start off with the weakness aspect, and let me just say that I didn’t like most of them. In fact, I hated just about everybody, mainly Clark’s extended family. This hate ranges from the mildly annoying (Clark’s Grandmother), to the infuriatingly unlikable (Clark’s Uncle, who accidentally burns down the Christmas Tree towards the end of the movie). The rest of Clark’s family is really more mediocre that anything to loathe, but I’ll give the movie the benefit of the doubt, since it seems like it was meant to be that way. The only other character that’s not really likable is Clark’s boss from his job, but he eventually turns a new leaf (I won’t spoil it for you, but suffice it to say, it’s cheesy & goofy).
Now, despite my dislike/hate for many of the characters, there are some that are likable. Clark is a little bit of a jerk, but deep down he cares for his family, and really loves them also. His wife Ellen definitely cares a lot of the holiday burden on her shoulders, as she looks incredibly stressed out (And acts a little stressed out also). With that said, you want her to be happy, and succeed with her holiday planning. Clark & Ellen’s kids, Audrey & Russ, are insufferable at times, but in the end they’re likable to the point where you really don’t want them to suffer.
Despite me saying that I hate Clark’s extended family, there are two of them that I actually do like. The first is Clark’s father, and he seems to be the only relative that has a brain. He’s understands the trouble that Clark & his family are going through during the holidays, and while he doesn’t do anything to physically help, he’s quick to lend out some fatherly wisdom to Clark & anyone else who’ll listen. The other family member I like is Clark’s brother, Eddie. On the surface, you’d expect that Eddie is an unlikable person. He constant wears a cheap blue leisure suit, and acts a bit on the sleazy side, but deep down he has a big heart. It’s clear that he loves his own immediate family, and loves Clark & his family, it’s just that he’s a little lazy sometimes. Not only that, but when he does put in effort for something, he’s either over the top (Especially near the end), or doesn’t do it enough.
Length
National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation runs at a little over an hour and a half long. 1 Hour & 37 minutes long, to be exact. It’s a good amount of time for this movie, as the story fits perfectly within the allotted length of time.
Availability & Pricing
This is one of the most plentiful Christmas movies you can find. While you’ll probably find it in various stores like Best Buy, FYE, and the like, you’re best bet is to go to Amazon. As I’m typing this, there are 30 new copies available, with the prices starting at $7.60. There are even more used copies available, as there are 83 DVDs, and the prices start at almost 4 dollars. This one is really more of a judgement call, so pick which one you think is best.
Extras/Other
The DVD comes with deleted/bonus scenes, trailers, etc.
General Impression & Rating
Among the pantheon of goofy Christmas movies, National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation deserves it’s place in said group. It’s not the king of funny holiday films (For me, that crown is shared between Scrooged & A Christmas Story), as there are a couple problems here and there. With that said, I still laugh everytime I watch this, and I highly recommend this movie to people who don’t like your standard, sappy Christmas film.
National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation gets a 8 out of 10.
See you all later this week, when I’ll give you my final thoughts on this year. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
Sorry for posting this later than normal. I was too tired to finish it last night, so I finished up what was left this morning/afternoon/evening (This all depends on when you’re reading this). Hope you don’t mind.
It’s getting closer & closer to Christmas, ladies & gentlemen. We’re just inching closer to our stocking, presents, and plenty of holiday merriment. I’m really looking forward to seeing what I got this year, but I’m holding in my excitement...I think. Anyways, it’s been quite some time since I reviewed a movie on this blog, and considering it’s Christmastime, I found it to be appropriate to review another Christmas flick. Last year I reviewed the terrifying Star Wars Holiday Special (Click on “***” to read it...if you dare), so I figured that a good holiday flick was the right thing to look at. With that said, grab a cup of cocoa, sit in front of a decorated tree with a laptop, and take a look at my review for the odd yet charming National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Story/Setup
It’s a few weeks before Christmas, and the Griswold family (Headed by Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, and his wife Ellen, played by Beverly D'Angelo) is getting ready for the Hoildays at their house. At first is seems that all is going well, until the shit begins to hit the fan. For starters, a good chuck of his family shows up at the house, and most of them aren’t necessarily the nicest or the most polite (With the exception of his Father, who seems to be the most decent out of his relatives). Not only that, but his annual bonus from his job hasn’t showed up yet, and he’s been planning on building a pool in his backyard with his bonus money. To complicate things even further, as he’s trying to recreate a “Good Old Fashioned Family Christmas” (His words), things keep screwing in some manner or another (Christmas tree bursts into flame, turkey ends up incredibly dry, etc). It’s all hilarity, hijinks, and tragedy (Off the silly kind), until things somehow get fixed, and everything is back to normal. As normal as things get for the Griswolds, however.
For the most part, the story is good. You’re given the setup, context, and everything else needed for a normal/goofy Christmas movie. My only complaint is that there seems to be too much going on. It seems like there is a lot more to the story, despite how simplistic it all appears. There seems to be too many things happening, both on screen & off screen. By the end of the movie most of what’s happened has been resolved, but it seems like something either went missing, or wasn’t touched on at all.
Setting
Christmas Vacation mainly takes place in the city of Chicago, as well as the surrounding suburbs. Although there are plenty of other places the movies goes to (Like a tree farm, corporate office, and a convenience store), the focus of the movie is mainly on the Griswold’s house, which looks about as standard as any other suburban house. In all honesty, I wish that the time in each locale was a little more even, and not so lopsided. With that said, each place has it’s own look & feel, so at least there’s a variety of locales.
Characters
The characters in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are it’s biggest strength, but also it’s biggest weakness. I’ll start off with the weakness aspect, and let me just say that I didn’t like most of them. In fact, I hated just about everybody, mainly Clark’s extended family. This hate ranges from the mildly annoying (Clark’s Grandmother), to the infuriatingly unlikable (Clark’s Uncle, who accidentally burns down the Christmas Tree towards the end of the movie). The rest of Clark’s family is really more mediocre that anything to loathe, but I’ll give the movie the benefit of the doubt, since it seems like it was meant to be that way. The only other character that’s not really likable is Clark’s boss from his job, but he eventually turns a new leaf (I won’t spoil it for you, but suffice it to say, it’s cheesy & goofy).
Now, despite my dislike/hate for many of the characters, there are some that are likable. Clark is a little bit of a jerk, but deep down he cares for his family, and really loves them also. His wife Ellen definitely cares a lot of the holiday burden on her shoulders, as she looks incredibly stressed out (And acts a little stressed out also). With that said, you want her to be happy, and succeed with her holiday planning. Clark & Ellen’s kids, Audrey & Russ, are insufferable at times, but in the end they’re likable to the point where you really don’t want them to suffer.
Despite me saying that I hate Clark’s extended family, there are two of them that I actually do like. The first is Clark’s father, and he seems to be the only relative that has a brain. He’s understands the trouble that Clark & his family are going through during the holidays, and while he doesn’t do anything to physically help, he’s quick to lend out some fatherly wisdom to Clark & anyone else who’ll listen. The other family member I like is Clark’s brother, Eddie. On the surface, you’d expect that Eddie is an unlikable person. He constant wears a cheap blue leisure suit, and acts a bit on the sleazy side, but deep down he has a big heart. It’s clear that he loves his own immediate family, and loves Clark & his family, it’s just that he’s a little lazy sometimes. Not only that, but when he does put in effort for something, he’s either over the top (Especially near the end), or doesn’t do it enough.
Length
National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation runs at a little over an hour and a half long. 1 Hour & 37 minutes long, to be exact. It’s a good amount of time for this movie, as the story fits perfectly within the allotted length of time.
Availability & Pricing
This is one of the most plentiful Christmas movies you can find. While you’ll probably find it in various stores like Best Buy, FYE, and the like, you’re best bet is to go to Amazon. As I’m typing this, there are 30 new copies available, with the prices starting at $7.60. There are even more used copies available, as there are 83 DVDs, and the prices start at almost 4 dollars. This one is really more of a judgement call, so pick which one you think is best.
Extras/Other
The DVD comes with deleted/bonus scenes, trailers, etc.
General Impression & Rating
Among the pantheon of goofy Christmas movies, National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation deserves it’s place in said group. It’s not the king of funny holiday films (For me, that crown is shared between Scrooged & A Christmas Story), as there are a couple problems here and there. With that said, I still laugh everytime I watch this, and I highly recommend this movie to people who don’t like your standard, sappy Christmas film.
National Lampoon’s: Christmas Vacation gets a 8 out of 10.
See you all later this week, when I’ll give you my final thoughts on this year. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
Sorry for posting this later than normal. I was too tired to finish it last night, so I finished up what was left this morning/afternoon/evening (This all depends on when you’re reading this). Hope you don’t mind.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Love Hina Spring Special Review
Hi guys!
Since some of you are probably tired of the cold and the snow, I thought I’d continue with some of these “warmer” reviews. Perhaps in a continuation with tradition around this time, I thought it would be appropriate to review another title in the Love Hina series, and sure enough, I managed to acquire today’s title earlier this month. With that said, let’s dive into the Love Hina Spring Special, and see if it can warm us up!
Story/Setup
Taken from the anidb page:
“The Toudai entrance exams have finally come (again) for Keitarou. With all his confidence Keitarou sits for the paper but ends up falling asleep and dreaming about Narusegawa. Waking up with barely any time to complete the paper, Keitarou thinks he will fail the paper and tries to escape from Hinata Inn and forget all the memories with it. By a stroke of luck he meets Seta, but ends up in a faraway island with the whole cast trying to look for him.”
From what my understanding is, this movie was based off of a section of the manga (I’ve only read two out of the five omnibuses). At first, I thought this sounded like a great idea for a short OVA. Because I haven’t read the section of the manga that this movie seems to take place in, I really can’t say much. Having said that.....
The premise feels rather weak. In fact, this feels like a standard cookie-cutter story, regardless of the show in question. On top of that, there’s more of a serious tone to things (More on this in the Characters section), and the sidestory involving Nyama (Again, see the Characters section below) feels forcibly attached, and rather weak as well.
Setting
In a change of scenery, the spring special takes place on a tropical island within the south seas, with only a few scenes at the Hinata Apartments/Tokyo University. It’s pretty much like any other tropical island in real life/anime: There’s palm trees & beaches, grottos & waterfalls, and other standard objects you’d find in a place like this. The only difference is that this particular island has the ruins of an ancient civilization, and said civilization had a particular affinity for turtles (Like Tama). It does shake things up a little, but otherwise the island is nothing special.
Characters
The cast within this OVA movie is that same as that from the main show & Christmas special. While it’s nice to see the original cast again, there’s some big character changes, mainly the fact that they all aren’t anywhere near as funny. Most of the time when a character does or says something funny, it either stumbles or falls completely flat on their face. Shinobu, for example, is usually bubbly & cheery. In this movie/OVA, she’s more whiney & sniveling, and is nowhere near as funny/cute.
The spring special does introduce one new character, and that is Nyama. About as young as Shinobu, she seems to act a lot like the previously mentioned character. She cute & shy, but Nyama feels rather tacked on, like she was made more as a afterthought, and she just conveniently happened to show up on this special. With that said, she is likable, if a little bland.
Animation
As per the main show and the Christmas special, the spring special still has that Ken Akamatsu style of animation (Cute/sexy girls, dorky/gruff guys, lots of colors). Nothing more, nothing less.
Voice Acting
See my Love Hina & Love Hina: Christmas Special review for details. Although there is the new character, Nyama, her voice sounds so plain that it’s really not worth mentioning (I swear that the voice actor that does Shinobu also voices Nyama, but I’m not quite sure).
Episodes & Episode Length
As with the Christmas special from last year, the Love Hina Spring Special is a single, full-length movie. Running at 1 hour long, it works with what the special is trying to do, although I would have loved a little more time so the sidestory could be shown more.
Availability & Pricing
Like the Love Hina: Christmas Special I reviewed last year (Click “***” to read it), this special also hasn’t been re-released by Funimation. I got my copy from Amazon, but that’s where things get interesting. As I’m typing this, there are only 10 new copies available, with prices ranging from $22.50 to 46 dollars (The 22 dollars I don’t necessarily mind, but 46!?). You’re best bet is to go for a used copy (Which is what I did), as there are 23 copies available, with the pricing starting at 6 dollars, which is far more reasonable that the prices for the new copies.
Extras/Other
This DVD comes with the standard collection of trailers, videos, etc.
General Impression & Rating
I liked Love Hina, and I liked the Love Hina Christmas Special, but this.....I’m not so sure. I definitely don’t downright hate this movie, as there was a moment or two that I did like, but I find this to be the weakest entry in the Love Hina franchise (Out of the ones I’ve seen so far). It feels as if this special wasn’t in Ken Akamatsu’s list of important titles pile, but it also feels as if he wanted to do something with it. If you like Love Hina, then pick this up. Otherwise, just leave it on the dusty shelves of antiquity.
Love Hina: Spring Special gets a 5 to 7 out of 10.
See you next time, when we’ll look at one of the most charming Christmas movies ever produced. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
If I’m still alive around this time next year, chances are I’ll review the last entry in the Love Hina franchise, Love Hina Again.
Since some of you are probably tired of the cold and the snow, I thought I’d continue with some of these “warmer” reviews. Perhaps in a continuation with tradition around this time, I thought it would be appropriate to review another title in the Love Hina series, and sure enough, I managed to acquire today’s title earlier this month. With that said, let’s dive into the Love Hina Spring Special, and see if it can warm us up!
Story/Setup
Taken from the anidb page:
“The Toudai entrance exams have finally come (again) for Keitarou. With all his confidence Keitarou sits for the paper but ends up falling asleep and dreaming about Narusegawa. Waking up with barely any time to complete the paper, Keitarou thinks he will fail the paper and tries to escape from Hinata Inn and forget all the memories with it. By a stroke of luck he meets Seta, but ends up in a faraway island with the whole cast trying to look for him.”
From what my understanding is, this movie was based off of a section of the manga (I’ve only read two out of the five omnibuses). At first, I thought this sounded like a great idea for a short OVA. Because I haven’t read the section of the manga that this movie seems to take place in, I really can’t say much. Having said that.....
The premise feels rather weak. In fact, this feels like a standard cookie-cutter story, regardless of the show in question. On top of that, there’s more of a serious tone to things (More on this in the Characters section), and the sidestory involving Nyama (Again, see the Characters section below) feels forcibly attached, and rather weak as well.
Setting
In a change of scenery, the spring special takes place on a tropical island within the south seas, with only a few scenes at the Hinata Apartments/Tokyo University. It’s pretty much like any other tropical island in real life/anime: There’s palm trees & beaches, grottos & waterfalls, and other standard objects you’d find in a place like this. The only difference is that this particular island has the ruins of an ancient civilization, and said civilization had a particular affinity for turtles (Like Tama). It does shake things up a little, but otherwise the island is nothing special.
Characters
The cast within this OVA movie is that same as that from the main show & Christmas special. While it’s nice to see the original cast again, there’s some big character changes, mainly the fact that they all aren’t anywhere near as funny. Most of the time when a character does or says something funny, it either stumbles or falls completely flat on their face. Shinobu, for example, is usually bubbly & cheery. In this movie/OVA, she’s more whiney & sniveling, and is nowhere near as funny/cute.
The spring special does introduce one new character, and that is Nyama. About as young as Shinobu, she seems to act a lot like the previously mentioned character. She cute & shy, but Nyama feels rather tacked on, like she was made more as a afterthought, and she just conveniently happened to show up on this special. With that said, she is likable, if a little bland.
Animation
As per the main show and the Christmas special, the spring special still has that Ken Akamatsu style of animation (Cute/sexy girls, dorky/gruff guys, lots of colors). Nothing more, nothing less.
Voice Acting
See my Love Hina & Love Hina: Christmas Special review for details. Although there is the new character, Nyama, her voice sounds so plain that it’s really not worth mentioning (I swear that the voice actor that does Shinobu also voices Nyama, but I’m not quite sure).
Episodes & Episode Length
As with the Christmas special from last year, the Love Hina Spring Special is a single, full-length movie. Running at 1 hour long, it works with what the special is trying to do, although I would have loved a little more time so the sidestory could be shown more.
Availability & Pricing
Like the Love Hina: Christmas Special I reviewed last year (Click “***” to read it), this special also hasn’t been re-released by Funimation. I got my copy from Amazon, but that’s where things get interesting. As I’m typing this, there are only 10 new copies available, with prices ranging from $22.50 to 46 dollars (The 22 dollars I don’t necessarily mind, but 46!?). You’re best bet is to go for a used copy (Which is what I did), as there are 23 copies available, with the pricing starting at 6 dollars, which is far more reasonable that the prices for the new copies.
Extras/Other
This DVD comes with the standard collection of trailers, videos, etc.
General Impression & Rating
I liked Love Hina, and I liked the Love Hina Christmas Special, but this.....I’m not so sure. I definitely don’t downright hate this movie, as there was a moment or two that I did like, but I find this to be the weakest entry in the Love Hina franchise (Out of the ones I’ve seen so far). It feels as if this special wasn’t in Ken Akamatsu’s list of important titles pile, but it also feels as if he wanted to do something with it. If you like Love Hina, then pick this up. Otherwise, just leave it on the dusty shelves of antiquity.
Love Hina: Spring Special gets a 5 to 7 out of 10.
See you next time, when we’ll look at one of the most charming Christmas movies ever produced. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
If I’m still alive around this time next year, chances are I’ll review the last entry in the Love Hina franchise, Love Hina Again.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Duke Caribbean: Life A Beach Review
Merry Christmahanakwanzaa!
We’re now into the second week of December, inching closer & closer to my favorite holiday. Many other people are equally excited for Christmas, but the one thing I bet that some of you aren’t happy about is the snow. For some, the cold creates discomfort, and perhaps a broken bone or two. If you’re living a really chilly area, you’re probably a little more pissed off. See an opportunity to warm hearts, and maybe create a smile or two, I thought “What would be the perfect thing to review to accomplish such a feat?” Well, if you remember my little teaser from my last review, then you know that today’s subject is Duke Nukem once again, and today we have the final official expansion. So get your sunscreen on your face, your swimming trunks & Hawaiian t-shirt ready, and enjoy my final Duke Nukem review of Duke Caribbean: Life’s a Beach!
Story
Taken from the Duke Nukem Wiki:
“Aliens have set up a new breeding ground in the Caribbean, terrorizing the islands. Duke, being on vacation, quickly responds to the situation. Players once again take the role of Duke Nukem through one new episode set in the hot Caribbean, destroying the aliens who wrecked his vacation.”
As per all the other expansions (And the original game), this has a simple & easy story.
Setting
In a big change from the previous Duke Nukem games, the levels in Life’s a Beach are much more lighthearted. In fact, the whole expansion is much more bright & sunny, but I’ll talk about this more & more throughout the rest of the review. With the levels, you journey through a variety of Caribbean-themed levels, including a beach side hotel, a cruise ship, and a casino. You even come across the alien lair, and even then it feels a little sunny. These’s levels are bright, colorful, and don’t have the serious look & feel that the other levels have (With maybe the exception of Nuclear Winter).
As for the level design, it’s a rewind back to Duke It Out In D.C. Some of the levels have a confusing layout (Nowhere near as bad as Duke It Out In D.C., but can still be a little confusing), while the others are made more simplistically than the rest (On par with maybe Nuclear Winter, but not in a bad way). Overall, despite some level changes, they’re pretty fun to move around through.
Characters
As per the norm, Duke Nukem takes center stage in this expansion. In an interesting change, Duke isn’t voiced by Jon St. John, but instead is voiced by Dave Manuel. Dave does an incredible impersonation of Jon St. John, and if you put the two voices side by side, you won’t be able to tell the difference. I should also say that this version of Duke Nukem is much cleaner than the DN3D edition: he only uses 1 or 2 swear words (Ass, and I believe bitch/shit is the other word), and his Caribbean-themed one-liners make him sound considerably goofier & hokey. Duke Nukem also has a new set of attire, thanks to the Caribbean makeover that has been applied to everything else. Just take a look at the picture below to see what I mean!
Gameplay
Gameplay has essentially remained the same as that from the previous Duke Nukem expansions, and by extension, Duke Nukem 3d. You still wander around, shoot aliens, pickup key/items/weapons, etc. However, there have been changes.
For starters are the aliens. Due to the graphical changes made, they all look relatively different (With the exceptions of the Protozoid Slimers & Sentry Drones, who still look the same). The Pig Cops now wear shorts, Hawaiian t-shirts, and sunglasses, the Assault Troopers look like the little guy from Fantasy Island, etc. There are also 3 new enemies introduced in the expansion: Seagulls that drop duces on you but are easy to kill, Inflatable Sea Monsters ridden by Pig Cops (They deal a lot of damage, but are easy to kill like the Seagulls), and Beach Babes, who really aren’t enemies, but act more like distractions. There were also supposed to be Iguana enemies, but they weren’t put into the final edition of the game (Screenshots were placed on Sunstorm Interactive’s website, but have long since been taken down).
Weapons have also been changed, as they all have been reskined & renamed. The Pipebombs have become Pineapples, the Rocket Launcher has become the Coconut Launcher, etc (Physically they look different, but they function just like their normal counterparts). Items that went to the inventory also received a new coat of paint, as Steroids are now Hot Sauce, and the Portable Medkit has become a Crate of Bananas (The only item to not receive any Caribbean change is the jetpack, as you can only get that item right at the end). Even the keycards can’t escape the Caribbean theme, as they’ve now become credit cards (Which are named Vista, which is a parody of Visa Credit Cards).
In a rather odd inclusion, many of the exit symbols are placed on a little wooden ship. The name of the wooden ship, by the way, is Kobayashi Maru, which was the name of the training vessel from Star Trek. Star Trek fans on the development team, perhaps?
Graphics & Sound
Graphically, Duke Caribbean: Life’s A Beach runs on the same Build Engine as all of the other DN3d games. What is different is the various textures used. A host of new Caribbean/Tropical themed textures have been created for this mod, including new signs, bamboo, etc. They really do convey the expansion’s warm & inviting feel. You do come across older textures, but these are taken aback so that the new ones stand in the spotlight.
As for the sound quality, it’s improved a little. Some of the redesigned weapon make new noises, but that’s not what’s improved the most. Each of the levels in the expansion have new, Caribbean-themed music made for them. The introduction, for example, is a mix between the original Duke Nukem 3d theme, and Hawaii Five-O (Click “***” to listen to it). The other little songs have steel drums, saxophones, and other instruments you’d hear when you’re in the Caribbean. There’s only 1 song that sounds like something from DN3d, but even then it somehow manages to sound fun.
Overall & Rating
If Nuclear Winter was the worst expansion, and Duke It Out In D.C. is the okay expansion, then Duke Caribbean: Life’s a Beach is the best of the three expansions. It has the best theme, best look, and even the best character so to speak. If you’re looking for a familiar hero with a new twist, then go right for Duke Caribbean: Life’s A Beach, and enjoy your fun in the sun!
Duke Caribbean: Life’s a Beach gets a 9 out of 10.
See you all later this week, when it’ll be springtime around the Hinata Apartments. Until then, stay Otaku!
***
Quick Little Fact: You can find the original DN3d game, along with the expansions, under the moniker Duke Nukem: Megaton Edition. It’s currently priced at $9.99, which is a great price when you consider the content it has (And how hard it is to get physical copies of the expansions now). If you would also like to look at my two previous Duke Nukem expansion reviews, then click on the links below (In order of release).
Duke It Out In D.C.: “***”
Duke - Nuclear Winter: “***”
Quick Little Fact 2: Duke Caribbean - Life’s a Beach & Duke - Nuclear Winter were released within a day of each other (Caribbean on December 30th, and Nuclear Winter on the 31st). Coincidence?
Friday, December 6, 2013
Twisted Sister: A Twisted Christmas Review
Hello everybody!
Well, we’re into the first week of December. Trees are decorated, snow is on the ground, and I can swear to the heavens above that I hear sleigh bells from time to time. Since I’m wanting to get into the holiday season a little more, why not review some Christmas music? If you know me, however, then you know that this won’t be a normal review of Christmas music. So grab some eggnog, a cookie or two, and enjoy this review of Twisted Sister’s only Christmas album, A Twisted Christmas.
Background
This album was tough to find information on, as there’s no source that’s given me anything clear (Even Twisted Sister’s website doesn’t give up info, but that’s due to the album part of the website is not up yet). The following facts below are scraps that I’ve found, both on Wikipedia, and on other metal sites (Apologies if it seems rather haphazard).
First released in October of 2006 (A little early, don’t you think), A Twisted Christmas was put out because the band considered all of the Christmas music that was coming out at the time was too generic or weak. Bringing in the old Twisted Sister Crew, Dee Snider also brought in iconic female rock/metal singers Lita Ford and Doro Pesch as backup for the vocals. The album itself is also a tribute to past/present rock & metal bands: all throughout A Twisted Christmas, there are riffs in many of the songs that were influenced by bands such as AC/DC & Black Sabbath.
Again, sorry for not putting in as much depth in this department as I normally do, but information on this album was tough to locate.
Songs
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: For starters, I kinda love the beginning of this. The band seems to parody a lot of the lame sounding Christmas songs sung by B/C grade singers. Once they kick things up a notch, things become a little more intense, and resembles more of the typical Twisted Sister we’ve come to know & love. About halfway through, the songs becomes much faster, and doesn’t lose any Holiday spirit in the process. Overall, it’s a nice song to start off this album.
Oh Come All Ye Faithful: If you listen carefully to this song overall, you’d swear that it sounds an awful lot like another song of theirs, We’re Not Going To Take It (Which is a good song in it’s own right. Click “***” to listen to it). Well, your not wrong with the assumption. This version of Oh Come All Ye Faithful uses the previously mentioned song’s tune as the base, and the band just puts their own spin on things. This song is perhaps my favorite off of the album, as I generally think of We’re Not Going To Take It at the same time I listen to this. Oh, and there’s a rendition of Hava Nagila at the end, and that song is just nuts!
White Christmas: White Christmas is another song that uses a piece of music, only this time it uses a piece of Twisted Sister’s only library. If you listen closely, you can hear that parts of the guitar riff sound like riffs from I Wanna Rock (Again, another good song. Click “***” to listen to it). It’s a little bit harder to discern, since they only use a piece of that guitar riff, and if you’re not familiar with I Wanna Rock, you won’t notice it at all.
I’ll Be Home For Christmas: Now we’ve come across the first song with guest vocals, and in this case it’s iconic female rocker Lita Ford. She really gives it her all when she sings: her voice still sounds good to this day, and it’s very complimentary to Dee Snider’s own singing (Their two voices match up nicely, much like her teamup with Ozzy Osbourne for If I Close My Eyes Forever. Click “***” to listen to that song). The instrumentation goes for a slower pace, but one that doesn’t sound so sluggish, and really hammers home the feelings that the song wants to give away.
Silver Bells: Yet again we come across another song with a piece from another band. This time around, a part of the guitar riff comes from AC DC’s Problem Child (Which is just okay in my opinion. Click “***” to listen to it). The piece of the guitar riff that they use fits surprisingly well, as they only use it during the beginning of Silver Bells, and during the chorus for the most part (There’s only 1 section of the chorus that doesn’t use it, and it’s towards the end). Unlike most renditions of the song, this one opts for a faster pace, and creates a lot of holiday excitement.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus: Let me just come out and say that I’ve always been a little creeped out by this song. Infidelity & the holidays don’t mix in my book. With that said, only a band like Twisted Sister (Or maybe Weird Al Yankovic) could turn a creepy song into something that’s fun, and possibly a little funny as well. Like Silver Bells, this one opts for a faster rendition, but I don’t quite think it fits. As much as I don’t like the original, I found that the slower pace fits better than a fast pace. Oh, and some of the guitar work in this is very reminiscent of Judas Priest’s You Got Another Thing Coming (Click “***” to listen)
Let It Snow: Once again, another song with a piece from another band. With Let It Snow, many of the guitar riffs are based off of Black Sabbath’s Children of the Grave (Which is a bitchin song, so click “***” to give it a listen to). Unlike White Chirstmas, you’ll notice the guitar riffs that are use much more easily. Not only that, but with how Twisted Sister play thing song, it makes Let It Snow sound like something that you could hear during a holiday blizzard, complete with a hear of wild horses galloping through the weather.
Deck The Halls: We now arrive at the last song to use riffs from another band, but this time the source is a little unexpected. In this case, some of the guitar riffs used are based off of Thin Lizzy’s classic tune, The Boys Are Back In Town (Click “***” to listen). This song is also classic Twisted Sister, in that it harkens back to their early days (Right around the time of Under The Blade to Stay Hungry). It’s very basic, and rather trashy (Due to the Christmas theme, it’s never lewd or crude), yet it has that craftsmanship that only Twisted Sister can provide, and that’s good!
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting): A classic song in it’s own right, Twisted Sister has put it’s hard rock/metal touch on it, and has created it’s own beast of a song. You still have the original message & feelings of the older song, but now you have a 80's/modern spin on the instrumentation. The guitars & drums add a intensity that the original version didn’t have, yet it’s not overpowering. Dee Snider’s singing is still top notch, as he brings a lot of emotion to the holiday table.
Heavy Metal Christmas: A fitting tribute/parody/remix of heavy metal and the holidays, Heavy Metal Christmas is a fun spin on the iconic 12 Day of Christmas. The instrumentation is strong but simple, yet that’s not what makes this song a treat. As per the name of the song, Heavy Metal Christmas offers you new Yuletide gifts & goodies. Instead of a partridge in a pear tree or any of the other old-school gifts, you’re now given a tattoo of Ozzy Osbourne, cans of hairspray, black mascaras, and all other items that belong in any metal head’s closet.
We Wish You A Twisted Christmas: A nice & quick way to end A Twisted Christmas, We Wish You A Twisted Christmas is a quick 36 seconds of singing by the band, along with a choir used as back up. I should quickly point out to you that I didn’t hear Doro Pesch singing at any other point in the album, so I can only assume that she sang in this little jingle. Disappointing really, since she has a pretty good voice.
Overall Impression & Rating
Twisted Sister hits the ball out of the park with this album. If there was any problem with A Twisted Christmas, it would be the goofy/corny nature of Twisted Sister, mixed with the wholesome nature of Christmas music. Apart from that, the band put their twisted (Pun totally intended) spin on all of the songs, and created something that’s actually very fun to listen to, or maybe even sing along with! If you like Holiday music that’s different, then give A Twisted Christmas a go.
Twisted Sister: A Twisted Christmas gets a 8.5 out of 10.
See you all next time, when we’ll visit our old pal Duke Nukem one last time. Until then, stay Otaku!
Well, we’re into the first week of December. Trees are decorated, snow is on the ground, and I can swear to the heavens above that I hear sleigh bells from time to time. Since I’m wanting to get into the holiday season a little more, why not review some Christmas music? If you know me, however, then you know that this won’t be a normal review of Christmas music. So grab some eggnog, a cookie or two, and enjoy this review of Twisted Sister’s only Christmas album, A Twisted Christmas.
Background
This album was tough to find information on, as there’s no source that’s given me anything clear (Even Twisted Sister’s website doesn’t give up info, but that’s due to the album part of the website is not up yet). The following facts below are scraps that I’ve found, both on Wikipedia, and on other metal sites (Apologies if it seems rather haphazard).
First released in October of 2006 (A little early, don’t you think), A Twisted Christmas was put out because the band considered all of the Christmas music that was coming out at the time was too generic or weak. Bringing in the old Twisted Sister Crew, Dee Snider also brought in iconic female rock/metal singers Lita Ford and Doro Pesch as backup for the vocals. The album itself is also a tribute to past/present rock & metal bands: all throughout A Twisted Christmas, there are riffs in many of the songs that were influenced by bands such as AC/DC & Black Sabbath.
Again, sorry for not putting in as much depth in this department as I normally do, but information on this album was tough to locate.
Songs
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: For starters, I kinda love the beginning of this. The band seems to parody a lot of the lame sounding Christmas songs sung by B/C grade singers. Once they kick things up a notch, things become a little more intense, and resembles more of the typical Twisted Sister we’ve come to know & love. About halfway through, the songs becomes much faster, and doesn’t lose any Holiday spirit in the process. Overall, it’s a nice song to start off this album.
Oh Come All Ye Faithful: If you listen carefully to this song overall, you’d swear that it sounds an awful lot like another song of theirs, We’re Not Going To Take It (Which is a good song in it’s own right. Click “***” to listen to it). Well, your not wrong with the assumption. This version of Oh Come All Ye Faithful uses the previously mentioned song’s tune as the base, and the band just puts their own spin on things. This song is perhaps my favorite off of the album, as I generally think of We’re Not Going To Take It at the same time I listen to this. Oh, and there’s a rendition of Hava Nagila at the end, and that song is just nuts!
White Christmas: White Christmas is another song that uses a piece of music, only this time it uses a piece of Twisted Sister’s only library. If you listen closely, you can hear that parts of the guitar riff sound like riffs from I Wanna Rock (Again, another good song. Click “***” to listen to it). It’s a little bit harder to discern, since they only use a piece of that guitar riff, and if you’re not familiar with I Wanna Rock, you won’t notice it at all.
I’ll Be Home For Christmas: Now we’ve come across the first song with guest vocals, and in this case it’s iconic female rocker Lita Ford. She really gives it her all when she sings: her voice still sounds good to this day, and it’s very complimentary to Dee Snider’s own singing (Their two voices match up nicely, much like her teamup with Ozzy Osbourne for If I Close My Eyes Forever. Click “***” to listen to that song). The instrumentation goes for a slower pace, but one that doesn’t sound so sluggish, and really hammers home the feelings that the song wants to give away.
Silver Bells: Yet again we come across another song with a piece from another band. This time around, a part of the guitar riff comes from AC DC’s Problem Child (Which is just okay in my opinion. Click “***” to listen to it). The piece of the guitar riff that they use fits surprisingly well, as they only use it during the beginning of Silver Bells, and during the chorus for the most part (There’s only 1 section of the chorus that doesn’t use it, and it’s towards the end). Unlike most renditions of the song, this one opts for a faster pace, and creates a lot of holiday excitement.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus: Let me just come out and say that I’ve always been a little creeped out by this song. Infidelity & the holidays don’t mix in my book. With that said, only a band like Twisted Sister (Or maybe Weird Al Yankovic) could turn a creepy song into something that’s fun, and possibly a little funny as well. Like Silver Bells, this one opts for a faster rendition, but I don’t quite think it fits. As much as I don’t like the original, I found that the slower pace fits better than a fast pace. Oh, and some of the guitar work in this is very reminiscent of Judas Priest’s You Got Another Thing Coming (Click “***” to listen)
Let It Snow: Once again, another song with a piece from another band. With Let It Snow, many of the guitar riffs are based off of Black Sabbath’s Children of the Grave (Which is a bitchin song, so click “***” to give it a listen to). Unlike White Chirstmas, you’ll notice the guitar riffs that are use much more easily. Not only that, but with how Twisted Sister play thing song, it makes Let It Snow sound like something that you could hear during a holiday blizzard, complete with a hear of wild horses galloping through the weather.
Deck The Halls: We now arrive at the last song to use riffs from another band, but this time the source is a little unexpected. In this case, some of the guitar riffs used are based off of Thin Lizzy’s classic tune, The Boys Are Back In Town (Click “***” to listen). This song is also classic Twisted Sister, in that it harkens back to their early days (Right around the time of Under The Blade to Stay Hungry). It’s very basic, and rather trashy (Due to the Christmas theme, it’s never lewd or crude), yet it has that craftsmanship that only Twisted Sister can provide, and that’s good!
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting): A classic song in it’s own right, Twisted Sister has put it’s hard rock/metal touch on it, and has created it’s own beast of a song. You still have the original message & feelings of the older song, but now you have a 80's/modern spin on the instrumentation. The guitars & drums add a intensity that the original version didn’t have, yet it’s not overpowering. Dee Snider’s singing is still top notch, as he brings a lot of emotion to the holiday table.
Heavy Metal Christmas: A fitting tribute/parody/remix of heavy metal and the holidays, Heavy Metal Christmas is a fun spin on the iconic 12 Day of Christmas. The instrumentation is strong but simple, yet that’s not what makes this song a treat. As per the name of the song, Heavy Metal Christmas offers you new Yuletide gifts & goodies. Instead of a partridge in a pear tree or any of the other old-school gifts, you’re now given a tattoo of Ozzy Osbourne, cans of hairspray, black mascaras, and all other items that belong in any metal head’s closet.
We Wish You A Twisted Christmas: A nice & quick way to end A Twisted Christmas, We Wish You A Twisted Christmas is a quick 36 seconds of singing by the band, along with a choir used as back up. I should quickly point out to you that I didn’t hear Doro Pesch singing at any other point in the album, so I can only assume that she sang in this little jingle. Disappointing really, since she has a pretty good voice.
Overall Impression & Rating
Twisted Sister hits the ball out of the park with this album. If there was any problem with A Twisted Christmas, it would be the goofy/corny nature of Twisted Sister, mixed with the wholesome nature of Christmas music. Apart from that, the band put their twisted (Pun totally intended) spin on all of the songs, and created something that’s actually very fun to listen to, or maybe even sing along with! If you like Holiday music that’s different, then give A Twisted Christmas a go.
Twisted Sister: A Twisted Christmas gets a 8.5 out of 10.
See you all next time, when we’ll visit our old pal Duke Nukem one last time. Until then, stay Otaku!
Monday, December 2, 2013
The Top 5 Games of 2013
Hi guys! Well, it’s December, the month of Christmas (Hanukkah, if you’re Jewish), and the end of the year. Last year around this time, I did a bunch of content to conclude 2012, and I thought I had achieved some success with that. This year I plan on putting up some content to finish up 2013, but this time around I plan on posting up only 6 posts. I rushed somewhat to post the 9 articles/reviews last year, so by limiting myself to 6 posts will give me a little more time to flesh things out. To start things out, let’s me tell you about my top 5 video games of this year that I played & enjoyed. Last year’s was pretty interesting, and I how you find this one to be interesting also.
5) Max Payne 3
Most of you are probably scratching your heads on this one. “Uh, wasn’t this released last year?” you’re more than likely asking. Both of these reactions are very legit, but let me explain my reasoning. I requested this game for my 26th birthday, along with my number 4 spot on this list. I haven’t really gone back to do a second playthrough of it yet (Since I finished it around mid-April, I believe), but I’m planning on it.
In the meantime, I thought Max Payne 3 was a blast! The singleplayer was quite riveting. There was a good story (Filled with plenty of twists & turns), great cast of characters, and familiar yet different gameplay. I didn’t try the multiplayer, but from what I’ve heard it was a nice experience. You know what, I’m gonna go back & play it again! See a review for this in a couple months!
4) Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
If I enjoyed Wings of Liberty, then I really enjoyed Heart of the Swarm. After waiting for almost 3 years after the conclusion of WoL, HotS was well worth it!
Heart of the Swarm is something of a different creature when compared to Wings of Liberty. Whereas Wings of Liberty was a typical war story, Heart of the Swarm tells the tale of Kerrigan’s rebirth into humanity, and her path of vengeance & reunification into the swarm after Raynor “died” early on. HotS is also different from Wings of Liberty in that it feels like Warcraft 3 from 2002/2003. In just about all of the missions you get to control Kerrigan, and by adjusting her skills in between missions & leveling her up, her role in battle changes. You can also adapt certain species within the swarm to have special abilities, like jumping up walls or widened explosive radius.
Heart of the Swarm brought to the table all of the things that made Wings of Liberty great, and added it’s own positive qualities to create a great product. Now, time can only tell on the final installment of the epic trilogy, but I’ll let you know, I’ll be waiting for it to come to my doorstep.
3) The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing
Of all the games I played this year, this was the most surprising to me. A dark & gritty RPG in the vein of Diablo 1 & 2 (Sorry Diablo 3, for while you are/were a blast to play, you didn’t quite have the look as you used to), The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing was also a game in it’s own realm. Using the stories & mythology of Dracula, mad scientists, werewolves and such, the in-game world was full of danger, darkness, and ancient secrets that mankind shouldn’t attempt to unearth. Not only that, but you also have a battle companion that follows you throughout the campaign, and she can fight in either melee or ranged (Much like yourself, but I’ll cover that in the eventual review), and use special abilities (You also gain special abilities, but again I’ll cover this in the review). There’s also a bunch of Easter eggs, many of which apply to classic horror literature & horror movies, not to mention some Easter eggs that reference real-world things as well. There are some small flaws with The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, but they don’t weigh down the experience in any way!
2) Borderlands 2/Duke Nukem 3d: Megaton Edition/Shadow Warrior Classic Redux
I couldn’t really choose between any of these, and so I gave all of these games their own spot. With Borderlands 2, the game’s lifespan has been increased tenfold with all of the update & downloadable content. You’ve got the two downloadable characters (Gaige & Krieg), the four story DLCs, various skins & heads, and the two level increases (Which also included other goodies as well). These updates really make playing the game multiple times viable, with each run through giving you better & better loot. I’ve gotten four characters up to the new maximum level of 72, and I got two more to go.
With Duke Nukem 3d: Megaton Edition, we get something a little different. Right away, you’re given the original game (Plutonium Pak: First 3 episodes & 1 mission pack episode), which is all well and good. What really makes this a worthwhile purchase is that you also get the three official expansion packs of Duke Nukem 3d (Duke It Out in DC, Duke Caribbean: Life’s a Beach, Duke: Nuclear Winter), which are now almost impossible to locate physically. These three packs are a blast to play, each of them providing a different experience (Even Nuclear Winter, which is the worst of the three, has a fun moment or two). If you’re a fan of Duke Nukem, or at the very least interested in Duke Nukem, then I suggest you go & buy this edition.
As for the Shadow Warrior Classic Redux, it’s pretty much in the same boat as the DN3D: Megaton Edition. The mission packs are hard to find online because they were never released physically (Granted, that was due to controversy when the main game first came out, but that’s for another time), but with the Classic Redux release, they’re both included in the package, along with the original game. If you want a change of theme, but not a change of pace, then give Shadow Warrior a go!
1) Rise of the Triad: 2013 Edition & Shadow Warrior 2013**
Back in the early/mid 90s, Rise of the Triad was a fun shooter. Wacky weapons (Split Missile & Excalibat anyone?), bizarre powerups (Dog Mode?), complex & weird level design, and goofy/interesting enemies (Magical monks) created for a memorable experience. It was memorable enough for Interceptor Entertainment to recreate the game for the modern gaming audience, and a couple months ago released Rise of the Triad: 2013 Edition. Although shorter than the original game & coming with some small graphical problems, the game very much reminded me of the source material. It was fast paced, full of tense gunfights, deadly traps & puzzles, and some of the goofiest humor ever seen in a game (Although they seem to have laid down more humor in this iteration). If any of you are tired of the current state of First-Person-Shooter, then I suggest you give this old-school inspired game a go!
In regards to Shadow Warrior: 2013 Edition, I can only say that it is a game that everybody should play, or at the very least try. Despite some of the small troubles it has (Emphasis on the word small), it has some of the best gameplay I've ever seen! Visceral melee combat & fast-paced gun battles against some of the most unique & imaginative monsters in gaming, and Ki-based magical powers complement one of the most original & competent stories ever written for a video game. I won't spoil it for you, but if you're not shedding at least a single tear by the time the game is through, then you have no emotion or feeling.
See you all this Friday, when this Christmas gets a little twisted. Until then, stay Otaku!
**
Updated on December 12th, 2013 on 8:01 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
5) Max Payne 3
Most of you are probably scratching your heads on this one. “Uh, wasn’t this released last year?” you’re more than likely asking. Both of these reactions are very legit, but let me explain my reasoning. I requested this game for my 26th birthday, along with my number 4 spot on this list. I haven’t really gone back to do a second playthrough of it yet (Since I finished it around mid-April, I believe), but I’m planning on it.
In the meantime, I thought Max Payne 3 was a blast! The singleplayer was quite riveting. There was a good story (Filled with plenty of twists & turns), great cast of characters, and familiar yet different gameplay. I didn’t try the multiplayer, but from what I’ve heard it was a nice experience. You know what, I’m gonna go back & play it again! See a review for this in a couple months!
4) Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
If I enjoyed Wings of Liberty, then I really enjoyed Heart of the Swarm. After waiting for almost 3 years after the conclusion of WoL, HotS was well worth it!
Heart of the Swarm is something of a different creature when compared to Wings of Liberty. Whereas Wings of Liberty was a typical war story, Heart of the Swarm tells the tale of Kerrigan’s rebirth into humanity, and her path of vengeance & reunification into the swarm after Raynor “died” early on. HotS is also different from Wings of Liberty in that it feels like Warcraft 3 from 2002/2003. In just about all of the missions you get to control Kerrigan, and by adjusting her skills in between missions & leveling her up, her role in battle changes. You can also adapt certain species within the swarm to have special abilities, like jumping up walls or widened explosive radius.
Heart of the Swarm brought to the table all of the things that made Wings of Liberty great, and added it’s own positive qualities to create a great product. Now, time can only tell on the final installment of the epic trilogy, but I’ll let you know, I’ll be waiting for it to come to my doorstep.
3) The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing
Of all the games I played this year, this was the most surprising to me. A dark & gritty RPG in the vein of Diablo 1 & 2 (Sorry Diablo 3, for while you are/were a blast to play, you didn’t quite have the look as you used to), The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing was also a game in it’s own realm. Using the stories & mythology of Dracula, mad scientists, werewolves and such, the in-game world was full of danger, darkness, and ancient secrets that mankind shouldn’t attempt to unearth. Not only that, but you also have a battle companion that follows you throughout the campaign, and she can fight in either melee or ranged (Much like yourself, but I’ll cover that in the eventual review), and use special abilities (You also gain special abilities, but again I’ll cover this in the review). There’s also a bunch of Easter eggs, many of which apply to classic horror literature & horror movies, not to mention some Easter eggs that reference real-world things as well. There are some small flaws with The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, but they don’t weigh down the experience in any way!
2) Borderlands 2/Duke Nukem 3d: Megaton Edition/Shadow Warrior Classic Redux
I couldn’t really choose between any of these, and so I gave all of these games their own spot. With Borderlands 2, the game’s lifespan has been increased tenfold with all of the update & downloadable content. You’ve got the two downloadable characters (Gaige & Krieg), the four story DLCs, various skins & heads, and the two level increases (Which also included other goodies as well). These updates really make playing the game multiple times viable, with each run through giving you better & better loot. I’ve gotten four characters up to the new maximum level of 72, and I got two more to go.
With Duke Nukem 3d: Megaton Edition, we get something a little different. Right away, you’re given the original game (Plutonium Pak: First 3 episodes & 1 mission pack episode), which is all well and good. What really makes this a worthwhile purchase is that you also get the three official expansion packs of Duke Nukem 3d (Duke It Out in DC, Duke Caribbean: Life’s a Beach, Duke: Nuclear Winter), which are now almost impossible to locate physically. These three packs are a blast to play, each of them providing a different experience (Even Nuclear Winter, which is the worst of the three, has a fun moment or two). If you’re a fan of Duke Nukem, or at the very least interested in Duke Nukem, then I suggest you go & buy this edition.
As for the Shadow Warrior Classic Redux, it’s pretty much in the same boat as the DN3D: Megaton Edition. The mission packs are hard to find online because they were never released physically (Granted, that was due to controversy when the main game first came out, but that’s for another time), but with the Classic Redux release, they’re both included in the package, along with the original game. If you want a change of theme, but not a change of pace, then give Shadow Warrior a go!
1) Rise of the Triad: 2013 Edition & Shadow Warrior 2013**
Back in the early/mid 90s, Rise of the Triad was a fun shooter. Wacky weapons (Split Missile & Excalibat anyone?), bizarre powerups (Dog Mode?), complex & weird level design, and goofy/interesting enemies (Magical monks) created for a memorable experience. It was memorable enough for Interceptor Entertainment to recreate the game for the modern gaming audience, and a couple months ago released Rise of the Triad: 2013 Edition. Although shorter than the original game & coming with some small graphical problems, the game very much reminded me of the source material. It was fast paced, full of tense gunfights, deadly traps & puzzles, and some of the goofiest humor ever seen in a game (Although they seem to have laid down more humor in this iteration). If any of you are tired of the current state of First-Person-Shooter, then I suggest you give this old-school inspired game a go!
In regards to Shadow Warrior: 2013 Edition, I can only say that it is a game that everybody should play, or at the very least try. Despite some of the small troubles it has (Emphasis on the word small), it has some of the best gameplay I've ever seen! Visceral melee combat & fast-paced gun battles against some of the most unique & imaginative monsters in gaming, and Ki-based magical powers complement one of the most original & competent stories ever written for a video game. I won't spoil it for you, but if you're not shedding at least a single tear by the time the game is through, then you have no emotion or feeling.
See you all this Friday, when this Christmas gets a little twisted. Until then, stay Otaku!
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Updated on December 12th, 2013 on 8:01 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
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