staticEchoes

Todd McFarlane brings a comic artist's eye to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning [Via Gamasutra]

2012-02-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

Comic book creator Todd McFarlane joined the likes of Curt Schilling, R.A. Salvatore and Ken Rolston to create 38 Studios' first video game, the ambitious open world RPG, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reconing.

McFarlane spoke with me about how he got involved with the project, what it was like moving from comic books to video games, and how he worked with the team as Executive Art Director to give the game its darkly whimsical look.

The story has been published by Gamasutra and can be found at the following link:

Interview: Todd McFarlane brings a comic artist's eye to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

This month in Joystick Division - February 2012

2012-02-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

Viva la Vita: Is there room in the pocket for Sony's new handheld? [Infinite Ammo]
The portable gaming landscape has changed drastically over the past five years. Is Sony's latest handheld console, the PlayStation Vita, targeted at a market that no longer exists?

Sometimes I just want to punch stuff [Infinite Ammo]

We tend to fault games that don't attempt to elevate the form to new levels. This week, I ponder when it stopped being okay to just enjoy the mindless fun video games can provide.

Online passes: The good, the bad and the ugly [Infinite Ammo]

Whether you see them as an attack on used game sales or as a means for publishers to stay afloat, it looks like online passes are here to stay.

This month in Joystick Division - January 2012

2012-01-06T13:09:00.000-08:00

Why do we love bad games? [Infinite Ammo]

Even terrible video games manage to garner a few diehard fans. In this week's Infinite Ammo, I ponder why that is.

Amy- Frustration has a new name [Review]

What's in a name? In the case of Amy, the answer is "an infuriatingly unfinished game."

Dreamcast: My next gen is old school [Infinite Ammo]
With a new console generation on the horizon, I look to the past for some quality gaming at a fraction of the cost.

The evolution of the complex hero [Infinite Ammo]
Follow the video game hero through its many form, growing to become more relatable, flawed antagonists.

Video games' unsung heroes of 2011 [Infinite Ammo]
In this week's Infinite Ammo, I take a gander at some of the best titles of the year that will likely be overlooked in most "top 10" lists.

This month in Joystick Division - December, 2011

2011-12-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

The unbeatable backlog [Infinite Ammo]
Like many gamers, I have a backlog that would probably take years to actually get through. But should I beat myself up over it?

Pining for the days of scarcity [Infinite Ammo]
Back in my day, we were thankful if we got to play a game or two a year. We also had to walk to the video game store. Up hill. Both ways. In the snow.

Dark Souls hates me, and that's why I love it [Infinite Ammo]
Dark Souls is easily one of the most difficult games to every grace consoles. Find out some of my favorite ways the game pulverizes the player, and why I keep coming back for more.

Farewell, sweet multiplayer [Infinite Ammo]
Multipalyer gameplay and I have grown apart over the past year or so. Here are my thoughts on a relationship that, as of late, harbors little love.

This month in Joystick Division - November 2011

2011-11-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

Uncharted 3 proves third time's the charm - Review
Uncharted 3 is out and, yep, it's fantastic. Read all about it here in my review for Joystick Division.

The funneth overfloweth: Rayman Origins review
Find out why Rayman might be the single best platformer to come out in a very long time.

Video game journalism deserves a bit more respect [Infinite Ammo]
I make the argument that, while it may not be the romanticized version of the gig we all have in our heads, video game journalism deserves some respect.

Are video games mainstream yet [Infinite Ammo]
My first Infinite Ammo column for Joystick Division dives into video games' rise to relevance.

Linear gameplay- In defense of a guiding hand [Infinite Ammo]
I argue that, if it's for the good of the story/experience, we shouldn't be so hard on linear design in our video games.

This month in Joystick Division - October 2011

2011-10-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

Rochard rocks hard - Review
Find out why I dug this puzzle/platformer and all its low-gravity, mind bending goodness.

inFamous: Festival of Blood a Halloween treat - Review
Find out why inFamous fans will want to head back to New Marais to take on a vampire horde.

Fighting with physics: An interview with Rochard's Hulu Virtanen
Recoil Games treated gamers to a great side-scrolling physics-based puzzle romp with Rochard. Hear about the game's origins, development and more from Lead Designer Hulu Virtanen.

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken doesn't quite soar
It looks great and pulls off all the basics of puzzle platforming/shooter well enough, but a lack of original ideas kept me from being too impressed.

Top video game Halloween costumes
Check out some of our favorite Halloween get-ups inspired by the world of video games.

Top 5 video game characters to have on your side during the zombie apocalypse
You're probably sick to death of zombies, but that doesn't mean the undead aren't still a very real threat to the continuation of the human species. Here as some folks you might want to keep in your survival party.

Metal Slug 2 still an absolute blast - Review
The game may have come out more than a decade ago, but this NeoGeo classic sure has aged well.

The top 5 games for the Nook Color
Having trouble sorting through the app store to discover worthwhile games on the Nook Color? Here are some recommendations from yours truly.

Amy's guiding hand, Paul Cuisset [via Joystiq]

2011-09-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing game director Paul Cuisset (VectorCell) concerning his studio's upcoming downloadable title, Amy.

Paul shared details about the game's origins, development, and how he hopes Amy will help bring the survival horror genre back to its roots.

The story has been published by Joystiq and can be found at the following link:

Interview: Amy's guiding hand, Paul Cuisset

This Month in Joystick Division - Sept. 2011

2011-09-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

The holiday window is too narrow for all of these games
In which I pose the questions "What would be so wrong with releasing more of these AAA games throughout the year, rather than all at once?"

Eternal Darkness - Lessons learned from a decade-old game
I dove into the Gamecube's Eternal Darkness recently and, man, the video game landscape sure has changed in the past 10 years.

Blood on the walls - An interview with BloodRayne: Betrayal Art Director Matt Bozon
Matt Bozon discusses BloodRayne: Betrayal's unique aesthetics, how it evolved through development and why it looks so damn good.

Five franchises that would make good fighting games
As the fighting genre makes a comeback, I look at a handful of existing IPs that might translate well into fighters.

Resistance 3 review - A reason to keep fighting
Here's what I thought about Insomniac's latest alien-infused shooter. Spoiler: It was pretty great.

Video games help treat adults with lazy eye
A couple of creative doctors test the positive effects of video game play on adults with lazy eye, a condition thought untreatable for the older population until now.

Tasteless "game" spawns political controversy
A web-based game has players shooting Tea Party Members. Hopefully the focus stays on crappy politics and not how video games are ruining the world.

This month in Joystick Division - August 2011

2011-08-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

The Lord of the Rings Online - My Journey Home
Hopping into LOTRO after a long break, a return to my first days of play stirs up some unexpected emotions.

Top 10 vampires in video game history
Vampires have gotten a bad rap in recent years. I take a look at 10 from video games that remind us why blood-suckers can be awesome.

Video games: There's no escape
No matter what device you're fiddling with, chances are you can play video games on it. I ponder how gaming continues to seep further and further into the mainstream.

The 5 worst mission types in video games
From the fetch quest to the escort mission, we ponder why these tired staples of gaming remain in our favorite titles.

10 of gaming's most memorable songs
It's hard to get into a game if it doesn't have good music. Here are 10 of the best songs to ever appear in a video game.

This month in Joystick Division - July 2011

2011-07-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

Top 10 worst video game box art
Check out some of the video game box art designs of all time. Fair warning: It’s about to get ugly.

Chinese couple sells children to fund gaming lifestyle
Believe it or not, these types of people actually exist. It's a sad, sad world we live in sometimes.

Five games to play during Comic-Con
Can't hit the road to Comic-Con this year? Play these five comic book games instead.

Remembering the good ole' days of gaming
How an obscure Japanese cooking game called Ore no Ryouri helped me remember the simpler days of my gaming life.

Microsoft Pours $15 Million into U.S. Classrooms
Microsoft looks to help improve the U.S. educational system by providing funding for equipment, training and more.

Runespell: Overture just shy of a full house - Review
Part RPG, part puzzle game, Runespell turns epic battles into a pretty entertaining version of poker. But, you know, with spells and monsters and stuff.

The top 10 (fake) video game movie trailers
While video game movies might not be all that great, at least these trailers for fake video game movies are awesome.

Yakiniku Bugyou: A grilling puzzle game? - Review
Monkey Paw is making a name for itself by bringing formerly Japan-only PSX games over to the American PSN. This latest entry in their bizarre library is a fun puzzle game about...grilling?

The top five games to celebrate the fourth of July
Here in 'Merica, we love ourselves some video games. Find out which five titles will keep those patriotic juices flowing through the Independence Day holiday.

Seven games to keep you cool this summer
Why go out into the heat when you can crank up the AC and enjoy these "cool" games instead?

This month in Joystick Division - June 2011

2011-06-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

Uncharted 3 beefs up its online offerings - Hands-on
Naughty Dog has injected a whole lot of "stuff" into the Uncharted online experience. Find out how it's shaping up.

The top 5 biggest babies in video game history
Babies pop up in video games from time to time, usually as some demented monster looking to kill you. Check out the five best video game babies here.

inFamous 2 Review
Find out why I think inFamous 2 pulls off the concept of "karma" better than any other game on the market.

E3: Press conference report card for The Big Three
Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo each had their moment in the spotlight during the 2011 E3. Here's what I took away from each event.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim steals the show at E3
Bethesda's newest Elder Scrolls game looks to improve on Oblivion in every way.

UFC Undisputed 2012, Chuck Liddell enter the E3 octagon
Find out what changes are in store for the newest UFC MMA game and hear what former light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell as to say.

Sly Cooper 4 shown off at E3
The series may have a new developer, but it looks like we're getting the same raccoon we've all come to know in love in Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time.

10 E3 announcements we'd like to hear, but probably won't
E3 is just around the corner, which means we're about to be flooded with a couple hundred gaming announcements. Here's a list of things we likely won't hear, but wish we would.

Sony's E3 press conference, brought to you in 3D
Sony brought out the big guns at E3, showing off the new Uncharted, Resistance, new Move titles, loads of 3D footage and even revealed the upcoming handheld, PlayStation Vita.

Ubisoft E3 presser shows off Far Cry, Driver, more
Ubisoft had a nice little show at the 2011 E3 but, if I'm being honest, I only had eyes for Far Cry 3.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 strives for improvement
Find out why I believe FF XIII-2 will win back fans who were turned off by the previous outing.

Saints Row: The Third is going for the throat
This game is going to be over-the-top. Find out how crazy things get in this E3 preview.

Video Games Live blows away the E3 crowd
Featuring world-famous composers and musicians, this special E3 2011 edition of the show was a one of a kind affair.

Uncharted 3 co-op still monkeying around
Find out why I'm excited for the Uncharted 3 online component to get here with a quickness.

BloodRayne: Betrayal looks bloody good
It looks like WayForward have a winning downloadable bloodbath on their hands.

E3 2011 - The big event in photos
Check out some of the sites a week's worth of gaming goodness provided.

This month in Joystick Division - May 2011

2011-05-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

Paper Cuts shows off creative gaming art
Check out these awesome shadow portraits of characters from all over pop culture.

PlayStation's Welcome Back Package: A look at the games
Need help deciding which free games to get once the PlayStation Store is back up and running. Read up on your options here.

Terraria will ruin your life (in a good way)
Terraria released on steam last week. Find out why I've already sunk 24 hours into this more action oriented, 8-bit homage to Minecraft.

MotorStorm: Apocalypse an explosive good time
I got to spend some quality time with the PlayStation 3's latest extreme racer, tearing up the tracks in a world that is literally falling apart around you.

3DS Fan gets Altered Reality Card tattoo
This extreme 3DS fan took his love of the portable console to a whole new level, opting to permanently tattoo his left wrist with one of the images that activates the Altered Reality games.

Sony responds to the US House of Representatives
Following the PlayStation cyber attack, Sony looks to be facing multiple legal battles, including a not-so-happy House subcommittee.

PSN Outage - Gamers talk back
Check out some of the buzzing going on around the interwebs regarding Sony's hacked servers and the events that followed.

Sony offers identity theft protection
As Sony works to rebuild its servers, get the details on the latest branch of their apology package here.

PSN Returns
Get the details on the first wave of PSN restoration and a message from Kaz Hirai himself.

StarHawk announcement swoops in, blows minds
One of my favorite PS3 games is finally getting a sequel. Find out all the details and take a look at the game in action here.

The unexpected results of a life disconnected
The PSN outage took more of a toll on my gaming habits than I realized. Here, I discuss what being "connected" means for more than just playing online.

Top 5 worst controllers of all time
Find out which five video game controllers made controlling video games a mess.

This month in Joystick Division: April 2011

2011-04-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

Free Realms sugary sweet, great for the right age group
I spent a few days with SOE's latest family-friendly free-to-play MMO and report back with my findings.

Top 10 Video Game T-Shirts
If you're going to wear a shirt, it might as well be a cool one. Check out 10 of the best video game shirts the world has ever known.

10 Badass Video Game Tattoos
These folks have already worked past the questions of whether or not video games are art and permanently inked said art onto their bodies.

10 PSP Gems You May Have Missed
Sony's portable console is home to loads of great games. Before the NGP buzz starts building, here are 10 classics that may have flown under the radar, but definately should be played.

PSN Still Down, No ETA on Fix
Following an attack on PlayStation servers, PSN has remained down for about a week with little word on a fix or what, if anything, was compromised.

Top 5 Hardest Video Game Bosses
These guys are the reason controllers get broken, TVs get busted and swears get shouted.

This month in Joystick Division: March 2011

2011-03-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

A protagonist, but not exactly a "good" guy

The top five movies based on video games
In honor of the Oscars, I take a look at the video game movies that were the most enjoyable; or, more accurately, those that sucked the least.

Supremacy MMA brings women into the fight
Women fighters finally get their chance to stand in the spotlight and kick the crap out of each other thanks to the upcoming Supremacy MMA.

Kinect to connect with PCs
Microsoft opens up Kinect's features for the PC so even more creative mods can be built with greater ease.

The top five protagonists we love to hate
From Nico to Kratos, these protagonists aren't exactly the hero type.

Mortal Kombat brings the pain- Hands-on impressions
Judging by my time spent with the game, Mortal Kombat is shaping up to be a fighting fan's dream come true.

The top 15 most satisfying weapons in video game history
Gamers love to pull the trigger. These weapons simply make doing so an absolute joy.

Bully bodyslam video gets the Street Fighter treatment
The infamous video featuring a scrawny bully falling victim to his own cruelty is even more entertaining once it's injected with some Street Fighter goodness.

The top five most unconventional means of transportation in video games
Getting from point A to point B is more fun when your vehicle moves outside of the box.

Jikandia: The Timeless Land misses the mark- Review
Find out why Jikandia is good, but not great for JRPG fans.

The 3DS Buyer's Guide: All the launch day details
Everything you need to know before running out to buy a Nintendo 3DS.

MLB 11: The Show (PSP)- Review
The Show hits the road in its latest PSP offering. While nothing here is new, you still won't find a more solid portable baseball game anywhere.

Castlevania "Reverie" is good times, over before you know it
The first bit of DLC for the latest Castlevania is fun while it lasts. Too bad it doesn't last very long.

Curtains down.

2011-03-25T17:41:00.000-07:00

I've been doing my best to avoid this post for three months now, but there's no point in drawing it out any longer: staticEchoes.com, as it currently exists, is closing shop.

I began this entertainment blog a few years ago in order to practice a type of writing style my 9-to-5 journalism job doesn't lend itself well to. It also gave me the chance to write about the stuff that truly interests me: Movies, music, video games, comics, etc.

With a full work load and a second job writing for joystickdivision.com, I find those needs are now being filled elsewhere and, sadly, I no longer have the time to commit to staticEchoes.

Starting today, you'll notice the blog's mission statement has changed; as now it will primarily serve as an archive for the bigger pieces I write for JD. In the event I put together some freelance work for another entity, this is where I will document that as well. Think of it as a digital resume'.

It seems oddly appropriate that this, my 500th post on staticEchoes.com, wrap up what has truly been a three-and-a-half year joy to put together.

None of this would have been possible without you readers, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for going on this journey with me.

staticEchoes as it used to be may return some day but, for now, it's time to ride off into the sunset.

Thank you once again for joining me. Be excellent to each other.

Monday mini-movies: Boxing cat edition

2011-03-14T15:34:00.001-07:00

I’ve always held that violence on television doesn’t hold any real sway on the behavior of any half-normal, decidedly decent human being.

As for cats, well, they were already pretty crazy to begin with. Now, as this video proves, some are crazy AND learning how to put up a decent fight.

I don’t know about you, but I think I’m gonna go prepare for the now certain enslavement of the human race by a highly trained group of feline oppressors. Tootles.

Movies to miss in March

2011-03-06T10:11:00.000-08:00

I'm clearly not the target demographic for most of this month's un-recommendations, but that doesn't mean I can't spot a crappy piece of cinema from a mile away. Here's the rundown of what not to see in March.

Beastly
I usually try to avoid looking at reviews before I blindly bash these films, as it kind of takes all the fun out of predicting whether or not they'll be terrible, but I couldn't help it with Beastly. According to the consensus, while love is never ugly, movies certainly can be. My favorite comment pretty much verifies what I feared this film would be: "starring 20-year-olds playing 17-year-olds penned as 12-year-olds." Lovely! And for you 13-year-old Twi-Tweens out there, you get two movies aimed at cashing in on your adolescent emotions in one month! I give you...

Red Riding Hood
This one's actually directed by the guy who directed the first Twilight film. While taking more of a fantasy approach, Red Riding features an emotional yet strong young woman who is torn between two love interests, both hunky dudes and one who might be a murderous creature of the night. This is just shameless.

Take Me Home Tonight
You're better than this, Topher Grace. Or, at least I hope you are. Take Me Home Tonight is about 10 years late to the party. These movies were all the rage back at the turn of the century but, unless you have something new to offer (which TMHT doesn't appear to), I'm not sure why anyone would even bother.

Mars Needs Moms
Aside from just looking unfunny and uninteresting in every way, I think what scares me away from Mars Needs Moms the most involves the infamous uncanny valley. Most of the animations look cartoony, which is fine. But the animators clearly used some sophisticated face-tracking tech for their characters, making it look like an almost human face is talking in the middle of a silly character. It gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Games to get in March

2011-03-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

March is here and the constant stream of (hopefully) quality games continues to flow freely. Here are the titles that should be somewhere on your radar for the next 30 days.

March
6th- Pokemon Black/White Version (DS)
8th- Dragon Age II (PS3, 360)
15th- Homefront (PS3, 360)
15th- Yakuza 4 (PS3)
15th- Okamiden (DS)
22nd- Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy (PSP)
22nd- Crysis 2 (PS3, 360)

Apparently the market hasn't hit its FPS threshold just yet, as two more big titles for the genre make an appearance in March. Mid-month will bring the intriguing and primarily online-driven Homefront with a mere seven days separating this gritty shooter from the over-the-top craziness of Crysis (It Looks so Purdy) 2.

The DS has a couple solid offerings in March with the latest Pokemon (we're still doing this?) and Okamiden on the horizon. If the portable counterpart to the PS2's charming Okami can be even half the game of the original, gamers on the go should be in for a treat.

Then there's Dragon Age II, which I probably don't have to talk about. If this is your cup of tea, you already plan to drink deeply of its action-RPG goodness.

83rd Annual Academy Awards: Ryan calls it

2011-02-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight's the night for Hollywood's brightest stars to come out and shine...Or so I'm told. All I know is I love movies and comparing my favorites from the previous year, which is why the Academy Awards have always held a special place in my heart.

Say what you will about awards shows in general, there's a great feeling that comes along with seeing one of your favorite stars or films get recognized for their achivements. Plus, the occasionally have something worthwhile to say when making their acceptance speeches. *fingers crossed for an F-16 reference*

Following are my predictions for this year's winners. While I did see the majority of films nominated this year, I unfortunately have to take a pass on such categories as Foreign Film, Documentary and Short Film. Otherwise, let's get to picking some winners.

Best Picture: The Social Network
I feel The King's Speech is the only outside threat to what should be a lock for 2010's best picture, The Social Network. It has an amazing screenplay, great acting, a brilliant script, fantastic direction and, well, it's basically a stellar film from top to bottom.

Best Director: Darren Aronofsky for The Black Swan
I know the best director is usually, and likely will be, the one who worked on the best film, but while David Fincher certainly did a great job with The Social Network, my nod for best directing this year goes to Araonofsky's captivating portrayal of Swan Lake in The Black Swan. It stirred about a dozen emotions within me, and only a great director can pull something like that off.

Best Actor: Colin Firth for The King's Speech
Write it down and lock it in. There was some great competition this year, but Colin Firth's performance was the best by a long shot. The only category I'm more sure of than this one is...

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale for The Fighter
Again, you can take this one to the bank. There's no reason to debate it; Bale is getting is Oscar.

Best Actress: Natalie Portman for The Black Swan
Making a stunning transition from caged, frightened bird to terrifying, powerful queen, Natalie Portman's work in The Black Swan was second to none.

Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit
This is another long shot. Steinfeld is likely too young, too new to the scene to take away an Oscar. But I was blown away by her tough-as-nails performance in True Grit, filling as much of the screen as her companions Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges.

Best Animated Film: Toy Story 3
I was a huge fan of How to Train Your Dragon, but no betting man is stupid enough to make a call against a Pixar film. The only year Pixar doesn't win for animated film are the years they don't have a film out. Period.

Best Original Screenplay: The King's Speech
It's an amazing story written specifically for the screen. This is becoming a rarer find these days and, in 2010, The King's Speech was the best of the best.

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Any story that can tell its tale from multiple angles without confusing the viewer should be considered a success. When said story is as good and well told as The Social Network, it makes for a very easy Oscar lock.

Best Art Direction: The King's Speech
This is a tough category for me. I wasn't a huge fan of what was being done in Alice in Wonderland and the latest Harry Potter movie simply didn't do enough in my book. Both Inception and True Grit were lovely, but the team on The King's Speech absolutely nailed a period piece, something usually indicative of an easy win at the Oscars.

Best Original Score: The Social Network
This category is usually a toughie, but seeing as how Trent Reznor and Atticu Ross' work on The Social Network was, not only fantastic, but one of the things that stood out most about the film, I feel confident the guys will be recognized for their work.

Best Film Editing: The Social Network
This one was a toss up between the jarring, heavy-handed cuts of 127 Hours and the more subtle shifts present in The Social Network. In the end, it's the flawless telling of TSN's multi-layered tale that earns it my Oscar prediction.

Best Cinematography: Black Swan
I've never cared about ballet so much. Matthew Libatique's astonishing work with Black Swan's many dance scenes puts the viewer right in the mix, highlighting beautiful details one second and pulling back to astonish with wide, sweeping shots the next. Amazing.

Best Sound Editing: TRON: Legacy
For this category, I tend to side with the film that gave me something new or creative to listen to. While a win for Toy Story 3 wouldn't surprise me, I'm going with TRON: Legacy this year. The mixers basically had to create the sounds for an entirely new world and, if memory serves, they did a great job of it.

Best Sound Mixing: Inception
From pinging bullets and heavy rainfall to quiet conversations and the now infamous "BRAWM" sound, Inception worked magic on the ears.

Best Visual Effects: Inception
When it comes to visual effects, I tend to side with the film that uses them most sparingly, yet most effectively. This year, that film was Inception.

This Week in Joystick Division

2011-02-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

Jan. 30-Feb. 19
The Leading Ladies of Video Games, 2010
I take a look at some of the best roles for women over the past 12 months. Video games have finally gotten to the point where sexy eye-candy isn't the only reason to have a female in the cast and these are five of the best from 2010.

The Top Video Game Voice Actors
As games evolve, so to do players' expectations of the quality they'll have packed onto the disc. But it doesn't matter how much fun the gameplay is or how well the story is written, if you can't get behind the characters, it's going to make for a rough experience. Thankfully, amazing voice actors, like the five highlighted here, are making sure our games are full of fantastic performances.

Modern TV/Movie Hits Made into Classic Video Games
One artist answers the question: What would today's big movies and television programs look like if they were turned into video games for the Atari?

Mirror's Edge 2 Canned
One of the few truly creative titles of this current generation won't be getting a sequel, it seems. I use this opportunity to take a couple shots at an industry afraid of to champion originality over the all-powerful dollar.

Bethesda's Epic RPGs: Am I Playing Them Wrong?
Bethesda is known for making massive RPG adventures set in even more massive worlds full of people to see, creatures to fight, civilizations to explore and an untold number of activities to distract from the main storyline. Despite diving deep into Fallout 3 and Oblivion, I never actually finished either game due to getting "lost" in their worlds. This leaves me questioning how I play the games.

Monday mini-movies: Sleepless in Seattle edition

2011-02-14T12:49:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd post one of my favorite parody trailers that shows off what can happen when movie promotions go horribly wrong.

Once a wonderful romantic classic, check out the Sleepless in Seattle that could have been...

Review: Dead Space 2

2011-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Dead Space 2 does most of the things a sequel should do, and it does these things very, very well.

In short, the team at Visceral took the formula that worked so well in the first game and pumped in more of it. While this new nightmarish journey doesn’t take many risks, add too many new ideas or manage to scare quite like the first game, what we’re left with is a big, mean action experience that keeps the blood pumping and the occasional creeps crawling.

Set three years following the events of the original Dead Space, Dead Space 2 kicks off with hero Isaac Clarke on a massive space station called The Sprawl. Body parts quickly hit the fan as Isaac must arm himself to combat a second necromorph outbreak and, as if that wasn’t enough, a mind he may no longer be able to trust.

The world is bigger this time around and features some great locals like a Unitology church, a mall and even a preschool where some of the series’ newest abominations literally crawl through the cracks to try and rip your head off. While the world of Dead Space 2 feels more lived in, there was something about those cramped metal corridors of the U.S.G. Ishimura in the original Dead Space that managed to add a whole extra layer of claustrophobia on top of the usual scares. As such, the wrecked, blood-soaked Sprawl is spooky, but the extra room to run and maneuver take some of the tension out of the experience.

Just like any good Sci-Fi follow-up, Dead Space 2 features more monster types and more weapons to take them out. Isaac’s trademark “stomp” has been upgraded, allowing the engineer to pounce on a body to his heart’s content. You’ll want to do this, since pretty much every dead necromorph is carrying an ammo pack or a much needed health boost, presumably somewhere in their chest cavity.

The twisted baddies felt tougher to put down this time around, but more combat options, like the time-freezing stasis and object-hurling kinesis, make the swarms a bit more manageable. It’s absolutely possible to shoot off a necromorph’s limb, then use said limb to pin the creature to a wall. Keeping a cool head in tight spots, you can actually clear an entire room while only using a few precious rounds of ammo. Or, if you're like me, you'll fire every last shot in the clip until everything stops moving...Then you'll stomp them a few extra times, just to be sure.

Another leap forward for the series is the zero gravity segments. Thanks to the ability to move freely with competent controls, you’ll actually be excited every time you hear the computer’s voice tell you you’re “now entering zero gravity.” These portions of the game feature some of the best puzzles and, thanks to the ability to move in any direction, some of the more mind-bending fights.

Dead Space 2 is also big on monstrous set pieces. Every hour of play is punctuated by at least one big moment that is both fun to experience and memorable. I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises, but the developers did a great job of packing some big action into Dead Space 2, usually serving as a perfectly timed adrenaline rush to crank the steadily building pace all the way up to 11.

The sound design is once again second to none in Dead Space 2 with several aural cues and an unsettling soundtrack providing the game’s best scares. Sadly, I fear the newness of the first Dead Space is a big part of what made it so terrifying. Even with new necromorph types (the Stalker is my personal favorite new nightmare fuel) and a few new tricks courtesy of a questionable sanity, Dead Space 2 feels more like an action game with some scary bits thrown in than a survival horror gem like the original.

Don’t get me wrong. There are still plenty of scares to be had in tense situations, but room to breath and knowing one’s enemy did a lot to bolster my confidence, even if it was smacked back down from time to time thanks to a particularly well designed scare or a hoard of beasties that, for a moment, feel too great to overcome.

The campaign is nice and meaty and will keep you blasting for hours on end. The decision to give Isaac a voice this time around makes him easier to connect with and even goes a good ways to improve the storytelling (though the story is pretty standard Sci-Fi fare). The important thing is, at the end of each play session, your blood will be boiling and your nerves will be on end. Dead Space 2 is a fantastic action title that even encourages additional playthroughs with upgrades you can’t complete on a single run and the ability to carry everything over into a new game plus.

The online component makes for a good distraction and, while there are several cool ideas (like playing as necromorphs and spawning from just about anywhere), I doubt the otherwise shallow offerings will keep new players busy for more than a few weeks.

The PlayStation 3 version of Dead Space 2 also comes with a free copy of Extraction, which can be played with a Move controller. I haven’t gotten around to trying this out yet, so expect a full review of that title in the near future. Its inclusion, though, is certainly a nice perk for those who enjoy light gun style games.

Overall, Dead Space 2 is a great way to kickoff 2011. It’s big, exciting, and definitely a worthy addition to the series.

Movies to miss in February

2011-02-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Craptastic cinema has been pretty dry through the past few months, but that's all about to change thanks to a bountiful February.

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Not even if it's in the sentence "You should never see this movie?" To be fair, I'm not exactly the target demographic for this particular film, but that doesn't mean I can't take this opportunity to openly state my dislike of Sr. Bieber and the effect he's had on people like my sweet, innocent niece. Based on his autobiography (because he's already lived such a long and storied life, you know), I expect theaters to sound like a cave full of disgruntled bats through the next few weeks due to the constant screams of adolescent ladies.

Just Go With It
Damn you, Adam Sandler. Your career is so lukewarm for me. I'm an absolute fan of every other film you do. The others, as I assume will be the case for this particular Rom Com, make me want to gouge out my eyes and ears. Then again, I did enjoy 50 First Dates for the fact that the ending refused to take the easy way out, but I have a feeling Just Go With It will lack the type of humor I crave from your films or the surprising sincerity of, say, Spanglish.

Gnomeo and Juliet
Is this really where we're going now?
Seriously?
I quit.

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
I appreciate that everyone has to eat, but even Martin Lawrence should have passed on this particular sequel. Is this type of stuff even considered comedy anymore? If so, I fear I'll never laugh again.

Games to get in February

2011-02-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Into month two of 2011 and, despite the fact there are only a handful of titles releasing, what's on offer looks pretty fantastic, especially if you're into first-person shooters.

February
8th- You Don't Know Jack (All)
15th- Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PS3, 360)
22nd- Bulletstorm (PS3, 360)
22nd- Killzone 3 (PS3)

I've always been a fan of You Don't Know Jack's brand of trivia, so I'm pretty excited to see the series finally get a console reboot. Here's hoping all the charm of the original tabletop game has remained intact.

Fighting fans will begin the year in a big way thanks to Marvel vs. Capcom 3, the highly anticipated follow-up to arguable the greatest fighting game of all time.

Finally, Bulletstorm and Killzone 3 are set to drop on the exact same day late in the month, likely to cause more than a few FPS fans' heads to explode from a content overload. Both felt great in demo/beta form, so chances are you'll be a happy frag-head no matter which one you decide to pick up.

Read it: Memoir

2011-02-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

Memoir is one of those books that does a good enough job of setting the hook, but only just.

I don’t know if it’s the barely likeable protagonist or the occasional jarring wonkiness in an otherwise beautifully drawn black and white comic, but issue one of Memoir features a couple hurdles to clear if you plan on tagging along for the full ride. Thankfully, the story is intriguing enough to guarantee that I, at least, will be doing exactly that.

Memoir follows a young journalist on his quest for “the big scoop” as he tries to uncover the mysteries of a town whose inhabitants have lost their memory following what was, apparently, a tragic series of events.

Ben McCool’s story starts with a wonderful scene that grabs you instantly, but then quickly introduces a lead character you might have a hard time rooting for. The guy is arrogant and seems willing to step over just about anyone if it means he’ll earn a shot at breaking his big story.

Nikki Cook’s illustrations are overflowing with great detail and most of her characters are well drawn and full of emotion, but the occasional face just comes off…wrong. Either it doesn’t fit the body correctly or the details are a bit alien. Whatever the reason, these occurrences have a knack for bringing the scene to a grinding halt as your mind tries to process what parts just aren’t adding up.

Memoir is a black and white affair and, much like The Walking Dead and Resurrection, this works very well considering the old-school spooky atmosphere of the book.

As for the story, our reporter soon learns at least one resident of this God forsaken town has managed to hold on to their memories but, before we can learn the who, what and whys, another half-crazy local unearths a nightmare his mind has been trying to keep buried in a shocking conclusion that does a great job of making you want to find out what happens next.

Memoir is off to a good start. If Cook can clean up a few artistic missteps and McCool can keep the story this interesting, we should be in for a fun ride.

Monday mini-movies: Toxicity edition

2011-01-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

The above video proves that it is absolutely, positively, 100 percent possible to fall in love with three different women at exactly the same time.

This week in Joystick Division

2011-01-30T11:26:00.000-08:00

I'm shifting gears with my Joystick Division posts here on staticEchoes.

Rather than put up links to everything I write for the site, I'll instead be focusing on the reviews, features, bigger stories and those that start some sort of dialogue in the comments sections.

Think of it as an archive of my games stories that go beyond the daily press releases and quick news bits. If you don't feel like following all the info on joystickdivision.com, you'll still be able to see my bigger posts right here every week or so.

Jan. 16-29
Little Big Planet 2 review
Media Molecule's latest PS3 exclusive promises to be bigger, better and more creative than the original, all while creating a platform for players to build their own games. But can one game deliver on all those promises?

The seven best uses of food in video games
Food often plays a big part in video games. Check out this list of the seven best uses of food in video game history.

Modern Combat: Domination review
Gameloft surprises the FPS world with an $8 downloadable title that features all the explosive action of a great shooting experience for a fraction of the store shelf price.

New game labeling act goes a bit too far
Should video games be treated the same as alcohol or tobacco products? One congressman seems to think so.

The Playstation NGP revewl- An analysis
Sony has pulled back the curtain on its Next Generation Portable, following up on the PSP with what appears to be a solid design and loads of tech under the hood. But how much will this newest gadget cost and, more importantly, will the support be there to provide top-notch games?

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog

2011-01-28T07:49:00.000-08:00

So....Yeah. The lack of posts has continued. I aim to have everything back to normal beginning next week.

The work load has continued to keep me busy and, I'm not going to lie, I've been playing a lot of Dead Space 2 and Dreamcast classics, killing what little free time I've had to get any extra work done. Can you blame me? Yes? Well now you're just being rude.

Thanks for your patience. Tune in next week for a return to form. The beginning-of-the-year-lazies should be worked out of the system by then.

Review wrap-up: Loads of stuff

2011-01-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

The bridge of weeks connecting 2010 and 2011 has proven to be a bit busier than I expected. I’ve been able to take in a lot of "stuff"; I just haven’t had the time to review any of it.

As such, it’s now time for one of my world famous review wrap-ups wherein I gloss over several movies, games and CDs deserving of far more attention than I’m currently willing to provide. Here’s the quick rundown.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
(Video game) I’m a huge Castlevania fan, so even knowing LoS was going to be a re-launch of the series, it still took me a while to get used to the idea of everything being so different. Despite my fanboyish reservations, LoS succeeds as an action/adventure title with gorgeous graphics, a sweeping score and a crapload of content. While it borrows heavily from the God of War brand of combat, LoS surpasses that series in a lot of ways, creating a more complex, yet fluid means of destroying a wide variety of opponents. There’s loads of epic boss battles, an interesting story that sadly falls apart at the climax and it’s just plain fun to play. Don’t go in expecting the series you grew up with and you should be in for a 15-20-hour action rollercoaster.

More reviews after the break.

The Butchers and the Builders: Salvation is a deep dark well
(CD) A friend recently turned me on to these guys and, after just a few tracks, I knew they had found a new fan. Similar in style to Mumford and Sons, The Butchers and the Builders rely less on harmony and more on hard, driving drums and energetic guitar and banjo riffs. Southern folk rock is once again the best way I can think of to describe the sound but, once you hear it, you’ll want to keep listening.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
(CD) This is damn, dirty hippy music, but I can’t help but love it. The songs feel a bit contrived at times, but these guys fake it so well you can’t help but imagine them touring the country in a VW bus, braiding each other’s hair and playing music each night by a campfire.

True Grit
(Movie) I’d put True Grit in my top five films of 2010, for sure. Great performances from an amazingly talented cast and razor sharp writing overflowing with moments of great humor. True Grit not only proves the Western isn’t dead, but it finds itself seated amidst the very best the genre has to offer.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One
(Movie) I’ve always said that if any Potter book had enough story to be broken into two movies, Deathly Hallows wasn’t it. The best acting and directing in the series is wasted on too little substantial content. Much of what we see here could have been trimmed and likely combined with a slimmed down version of Part Two to create a single, stunning three hour finale. Instead, this first half feels like a precursor to the “real” movie; entertaining but mostly unnecessary.

Tron: Evolution
(Movie) Tron: Evolution is best described as one of those movies that isn’t as good as I had hoped, but far from being as terrible as I had feared. There’s plenty of eye candy, a gorgeous soundtrack and an adventure that, while peppered with plot holes, does a decent job of carrying the film from start to finish. It’s a popcorn flick with a coat of 3D that makes it worth a theater visit. Like Avatar, though, I’m willing to bet I’ll enjoy the film more sans glasses and viewed in all the crispness of glorious HD.

This week in Joystick Division

2011-01-16T11:59:00.000-08:00

Jan. 9-15
Magic: The Gathering- Tactics incoming
First Dragonage II DLC revealed
Everquest II game hits Facebook
Uno turns 40, goes on sale
Goozex reveals 2010's top games
Another PlayStation Phone video
Sphero is awesome
PlayStation App hits phones
Wesley Snipes developing game from prison
Mass Effect 2 coming to PSN
LittlBitPlanet 2 partners with Toyota
Supremacy MMA steps into the octagon
Xbox asks you to Refer-a-Friend
3D video may come to 3DS
PSP2 packs PS3 power

Monday mini-movies: Body massage machine, Go!

2011-01-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

These dubbed G.I. Joe PSAs are sort of like comfort food for my brain. Every now and then, when I’m feeling a bit down, I watch a few to remind me there’s stuff in this world worth living for…Like body massages. And porkchop sandwiches.

Movies to miss in January

2011-01-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

There are only a handful of movies coming out this month and, as such, there's certainly not a whole lot to warn you away from.

The beginning of the year is always slow for movies, so maybe take this time to catch up on some reading. Or you could always check out some of the late-2010 greats like True Grit or Black Swan. But the choice is ultimately yours. I'm not here to tell you how to run your life...Just which movies not to see.

Season of the Witch
This is, quite literally, the only film I have a legitimate beef with this month. I love Ron Perlman and, most of the time, have trouble finding fault in anything Nicholas Cage does, no matter how bad it turns out. This one, though, just looks terrible. I was going to give it a bye for the month, but then I saw the approval rating over at Rotten Tomatoes was somewhere around two percent, making it clear that I had to at least say something.

No Strings Attached
I'm going to be honest: I plan on marrying Natalie Portman. As such, I cannot recommend anyone go see a film where she is acting in a romantic fashion with another man. It would just feel wrong.

This week in Joystick Division

2011-01-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

Jan. 2-8
Wii remotes used in water research
Some sweet PlayStation shoes
Pac-Man in Rose Parade
Child's Play Charity breaks record
Kinect hack gives x-ray vision
Indie games awards nominees announced
DS best-selling console in U.S. history
OnLive partners with Vizio
Gaming good for focus
Games decrease in value super fast
Glasses-free 3D TVs coming this year
Video games taking over entertainment market
Games used in focus research
Million dollar MLB 2K11 competition announced
PacMap makes driving more fun

Games to get in January

2011-01-05T08:25:00.000-08:00

It’s 2011 and, not surprisingly, there aren’t a whole lot of games coming out in January. Of those that are releasing, though, the first month of the New Year looks to have some heavy hitters. Gamers on the PS3 have an especially great short-list of titles to look forward to, offering plenty of thrills and chills to kick off the otherwise slow start to another year of gaming.

January
11th- DC Universe Online (PS3)
18th- Mass Effect 2 (PS3)
18th- Little Big Planet 2 (PS3)
25th- Dead Space 2 (PS3, 360)
25th- Two Worlds 2 (PS3, 360)

I know Two Worlds 2 is a gamble, but everything I’ve seen leads me to believe this one might actually provide everything the first Two Worlds promised, only in a game nobody will be embarrassed to admit they played. Also, you’ve gotta root for the underdog from time to time.

Dead Space 2 continues the story of one of my favorite titles of this gaming generation, looking to expand the gameplay in every way imaginable with more weapons, more varied levels to explore, more necromorphs and even an online component. Yes, please.

PlayStation gamers will finally get a crack at the Mass Effect universe this month with the second game in the series (as well as a catch-up on the story so far) releasing day and date with the mind-boggling Little Big Planet 2, which looks to allow for even more creativity, fun and levels (because 300,000 isn’t enough) than ever before.

Finally, there’s DC Universe Online which, if my time with the beta is any indicator, should be a real treat for MMO and action fans alike. The question remains: Will console gamers be willing to pay a monthly subscription fee?

Monday mini-movies: Bird rock

2011-01-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

I know it's a day late, but my resolution for staticEchoes this year was to surprise my readers. I guess I can mark that one off the “to do” list and just move on to regular postings for the remainder of 2011. I wouldn't want to knock your socks too far off with just how spontaneous I can be.

As for this week's post, I'm at a loss for words. You don't really need further explanation or commentary on this one. That bird is singing “Let the bodies hit the floor” by Drowning Pool. That amount of awesomeness doesn't require extra hype from me. Just enjoy it.

This week in Joystick Division

2011-01-01T12:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Now that the holidays are over, things should be returning to normal here on staticEchoes.

We begin the year with a double dose of Joystick Division posts. Lots of random news and interesting tid-bits, plus my reviews of echochrome ii, Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves and Gran-friggin-Turismo 5.

Dec. 19 - Jan. 1
Gran Turismo 5 review
MSN Games announces fan picks for 2010
Bulletstorm Epic Edition grants Gears 3 beta
PlayStation hosts holiday movie sale
echochrome ii review
Steam holds holiday sale
Sega holds holiday sales
Splinter Cell HD collection inbound for PS3
Fighter made with Little Big Planet 2
Minecraft enters beta
Kindle offers choose-your-own-adventures
Castlevania DLC coming soon
Games sales down in 2010
EA Sports class-action suit moves forward
Console Grinch behind bars
Video games trivia App launches
Lost in Shadow playable at Best Buy
UT Videogame Archive hits 1,500 titles
Co-Optimus giving away Video Games Live
Kinect hack makes it work for PC
Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves review
Kids shouldn't play too much 3DS
More Square Enix headed to PSN
The most pirated games of 2010
Games pirate walks the plank
Enjoy these video game drinking games
Mysterious Final Fantasy Type-0 surfaces

Hip-hip-hooray for Christmas blogcation

2010-12-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I had one of these like a month ago in order to eat criminal amounts of turkey.

But it's December, and here in 'Merica, we like to do things up nice and big to properly celebrate the birth of the Lord baby Jesus, and also capitalism and insurmountable debt.

Lots of events and travel mean I'm going to be running wild through the new year. I'll get up as much sporadic content as I can, but otherwise, we'll hit the ground running in 2011.

Enjoy yourselves and thanks for spending another year with me here at staticEchoes. It's been a blast.

Monday mini-movies: Christmas 2010 edition

2010-12-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

My special lady friend has a knack for locating obscure, yet awesome videos on the youtubes. She is once again to blame for this week’s offering.

In keeping with the festive nature of the holidays, she turned me on to this little number from the gang at Liberty University. You’ll likely recognize the tune from the infamous news report of a late evening break-in wherein an excited victim recommended everyone “hide your kids” and “hide your wife.”

You wouldn’t think this could be made all that Christmasy but, hey, they pull it off nicely.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-12-18T23:13:00.000-08:00

Dec. 12-18
VGAs: The announcements
VGAs: The awards
Children's hospital game consoles replaced
WoW: Cataclysm sells like mad
Call of Duty: BlOps LEGO movie is awesome
Pay what you want for Humble Bundle 2
MMOSanctuary hosts awards
Second Dead Space movie incoming
Guinness App give shot at world records
Sega creates toilate video game
Lara Crost raids iDevices
BioWare giving stuff away
Modern Combat: Domination out in January
Ten PlayStation Minis worth playing

Rejected T-Shirt ideas: Seals

2010-12-17T13:54:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I like to post a T-shirt design that, while awesome, would likely never find its way to an actual T-shirt.

Mistakes happen. It's part of life. However, as a journalist, I find it interesting that if you mess up one word somewhere in an article, you can rest assured at least 20 people will be calling the paper to let you know about it.

Funny that none of those people ever call to comment on the other 265,000 words I spelled correctly that week, but I digress.

Thinking about these "simple mistakes" got me wondering what sort of affect such an error would have on a T-shirt design. That's where the image on the right comes from.

If you ask me, it looks way better this way.

Review- Black Swan

2010-12-15T09:57:00.000-08:00

If you’re looking for an end-of-the year festive flick to get you in the holiday spirit, Black Swan is probably a bad choice.

If, however, you’re in the market for a beautifully crafted thriller overflowing with desperation, jealousy, love, lust and characters consumed by their passions, then this is the one to check out.

Directed by Darren Araonofsky, the guy behind such films as Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and last year’s The Wrestler, you should already know you’re in for a dark, emotional and intimate thrill ride. Black Swan is expertly shot, especially during the hypnotic, dizzying dance sequences, and perfectly paced. The characters, all driven to an unsettling degree, show a passion that should be equally envied and feared.

Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, a young and beautiful ballerina who, while perfect on the stage, lacks the ability to let herself go and become the characters she’s portraying.

Nina still lives at home with her mother, occupying a bedroom frozen in time from a 13-year-old child’s existence. The mother, played by Barbara Hershey, is quite possibly the eeriest thing you’ve seen on a screen all year. Hershey is marvelous in her portrayal of the over-controlling Erica Sayers.

The cast is filled out by the strong and demanding instructor Thomas Leroy, well played by the haunting Vincent Cassel, and the energetic and mysterious Lily, a surprising performance turned in by the up-and-coming Mila Kunis.

Thomas looks to Nina to become his troupe’s new star in the upcoming performance of Swan Lake, a responsibility that will push both Nina’s body and mind to the breaking point.

With the added pressure of a possible role thief in Lily, an instructor that expects absolute perfection and a mother who is living vicariously through her talented daughter, Nina soon finds herself struggling desperately to keep up in a reality that could very well be slipping away from her.

There are also some creative, yet subtle, uses of special effects that add a great deal to the nightmarish atmosphere of the entire picture.

What this all boils down to is an intoxicating concoction that will keep the audience guessing, and cringing, until the very end. I loved it.

Monday mini-movies: Thirsty cat edition

2010-12-13T13:22:00.001-08:00

This cat drinks by sticking his head under a running tap, then licking the refreshing water as it rolls off his snout. You couldn’t possibly ask for anything more out of your Monday.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-12-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception was revealed this week. A lot of other stuff happened, sure, but does any of it really matter when compared to that news?

Dec. 5-11
New Queen tracks hit Rock Band 3
Rock Band: Reloaded coming to i devices
Canada prepping video game awards show
Game Informer has details on new Tomb Raider
New game coming to the dreamcast
Quests added to PlayStation Rewards program
Neo Geo games coming to PS3
Steam holds gaming treasure hunt
Black Eyed Peas videos feature 8-bit entertainment
OnLive looking to expand with movies and TV
Safe sex ad features gaming homages
Wolfenstein 3D created in Little Big Planet 2
Five games to get you in the holiday spirit
Rapper sues Take-Two/Rockstar over GTA game
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception finally revealed

Movies to Miss in December

2010-12-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

Much like the world of video games, there isn't a whole lot happening for movies in the year's final month.

If you have children you also happen to dislike, by all means, go see the following films. Otherwise, I'm left once again wondering who actually gets paid to make some of these decisions in Hollywood. I want that job. "You want to turn Street Sharks into a film? Brilliant! Here's a million bucks. Make it hot!"

Yogi Bear
There's a very special place in hell for the folks who green-lit this monstrosity. Seriously, folks, we don't need to cash-in on every single cartoon and television show from the 70s and 80s. Some things are best left in the past and, yeah, Yogi is definitely one of them. This looks like a train wreck in slow motion. Do modern kids even know or give a crap about these characters?

Gulliver's Travels
I'm one of those people who usually likes what Jack Black has to offer. Except for this. This looks like poop. I'll give him this freebie under the assumption he's got some bills to pay, even though I'm pretty sure Kung-Fu Panda 2 would have taken care of that...Maybe he was really stoned when he signed on? That's about the only way you'll ever get me to watch this.

Games to get in December

2010-12-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

Talk about a light month. With most publishers pushing out their final big titles in time for the holiday shopping season, there's little on the menu, good or bad, for the month of December.

December
7th- World of Warcraft: Cataclysm (PC)
12th- Super Mario All-Stars (Wii)

It's been a great end of the year for gamers on the PC. Not only did the highly anticipated Star Craft II make an appearance, but now WoWers everywhere have more ways to lose track of time thanks to the world-changing Cataclysm expansion. If you have gamer relatives missing through the holidays, this is likely the cause.

Finally, Wii owners with a hankering for nostalgia, and who haven't already purchased these titles on the Virtual Console, have a slightly enhanced version of Super Mario All-Stars to look forward to. Featuring Super Mario Bros. 1-3 and the Lost Levels, there's plenty here to keep you busy into the new year.

Don't worry. The first few months of 2011 look to be as jam-packed with top-notch titles as the last half of 2010.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-12-05T13:17:00.000-08:00

Here's the past two weeks' worth of Joystick Division posts, fresh from the oven.

Nov. 21 - Dec. 4
Mogworld Review
Monty Python casual game inbound
OnLive is here
Machinima.com announces gaming award nominees
Microsoft offers holiday deals
Netflix offers streaming-only plan
Holiday gift guide- Comics: Movie and TV tie-ins
Holiday gift guide- Comics: Best of 2010
Holiday gift guide- PSN games
Fan makes awesome game art with beads
Black Friday survival guide
Konami space hits PS Home
Angry Birds coming to consoles
Mark Wahlberg to play Nathan Drake
Microsoft possibly looking to bring TV options to Xbox
Game tech used by Air Force
Library tourney spawns "war game" protest
Check out this wicked gaming car
Motion games good for pain sufferers
New video game documentary in the works
Alien life means big changes for video games
Pac-Man joins Festival of Lights and Trees
Xbox Rewards program goes live
OnLive introduces subscription plan
Scholar Gamers offers gamers scholarships

Review wrap-up

2010-12-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

I have once again fallen behind in reviews. Rather than flood the site with a bunch of posts that, let’s face it, would be far too long-winded (I love to hear myself type), I’ve decided to round everything up here and spare just a paragraph or two (or five) per item.

It’s a real mixed bag, as I’ve got a CD, a comic, a movie and a video game all here for your consideration. (Spoiler alert: They were all pretty fantastic.)

Mumford and Sons: Sigh no more
I heard the tune “Little Lion Man” by Mumford and Sons on the radio a couple months ago and did my damndest to remember the name of the song and/or the artist, ultimately forgetting both. That happened twice more, causing me loads of frustration. I was near my computer the next time I heard the song and immediately logged on to just download the whole album and be done with it.

Mumford and Sons is an English band that plays southern folk rock…That exists, right? Heavy on harmony and driven by some wicked banjo plucking, this album took a bullet train straight to my heart, where it dug in deep and refuses to let go. I know how dramatic that sounds, but it’s true. If a band were to sit down and say, “Okay, let’s make an album full of all the things Ryan loves about music,” Sigh no More would be it. I can’t recommend it enough.

Kick-Ass 2, issue 1
The comic dream team of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. are back to continue the story of the world’s first real super hero and, for a first issue, it does a good job of setting the scene and getting everyone ready for what will undoubtedly be another brutal romp through six bloodsoaked issues of action, humor and fun.

Having seen the Kick-Ass film a few times since I concluded arc one of the comic book, I actually had to go back and read the books a second time because several key plot points from the two were so different. Once I had everything straightened out, I was ready to tackle the beginnings of this new story.

Mindy is trying to lead a normal life while secretly training Dave to become a better crime fighter on the side. More heroes are coming out of the woodwork, so it only makes sense to get a super team going. Once again, it looks like Mr. Ass is getting in way over his head.

The book looks as good as ever and, save a few forced bits of edgy dialogue, the writing is exactly what you would expect. If you enjoyed the first series, there’s absolutely no reason to miss out on this one.

Enslaved
From Team Ninja Theory, the folks behind PS3’s ill-fated Heavenly Sword, comes another epic tale of brutal combat and adventure in this year’s Enslaved. Sadly, Enslaved has too much in common with its predecessor in that it was a rather great title that received next to no attention from the gaming universe. Everyone claims they want innovation and variety in their gaming but, after they’re done on the message boards, it’s apparently back to playing whichever FPS is the hot ticket of the day.

Based on the Chinese folktale, Journey to the West, Enslaved follows Trip and Monkey on a journey…um…to the west. It’s the future and the world as we know it is in ruins, overrun by countless killer machines. Trip needs to get home and, being the tech savvy backpack she is, manages to hack a headband that forces the giant and brutal Monkey to obey her every command.

Using some creative single player co-op gameplay, you then spend the next 10 or so hours solving puzzles using teamwork, leaping through platformer-friendly environments and going ape$#!% on loads of killer droids.

The camera is zoomed in a bit too tight and, like the controls, is often a pain to deal with. The scenery, while beautiful, is a little rough around the edges, but the facial animations are some of the best out there. That, coupled with great voice acting and motion capture, create a chemistry between the two main characters that’s impossible not to enjoy.

The writing is solid, even if the story does take a turn for “really?” in the closing moments. In short, it’s not perfect, but for fans of lush environments, solid combat and characters you actually give a damn about, Enslaved is a winner.

127 Hours
If James Franco doesn’t at least get an Oscar nomination for his role in 127 Hours, there is no justice in this world. Director Danny Boyle, too, deserves loads of credit for crafting a film that makes two hours in a hole fly by.

Franco plays Aron Ralson, a hiker/biker/climber who lived an unbelievably true story wherein, while performing a tricky bit of spelunking, fell in a crevasse and got his right arm trapped under a massive boulder. The film is perfectly paced and builds to a truly intense climax. It's beautifully shot, surprisingly funny and absolutely entertaining. If you can find a theater showing 127 Hours, you should definitely check it out, even if you do get shortchanged by about 125 hours worth of content.

Monday mini-movies: Athletic hamster edition

2010-11-29T09:19:00.001-08:00

I’m a simple man and, thus, simple things amuse the hell out of me.

Take, for instance, this hamster running a pint-sized dog endurance course.

No matter where my week goes from here, it’s unlikely anything will top the simple joy of watching that athletic little furball of awesomeness tackle that popsicle stick course. That either says a lot about this hamster, or very little about what this week has in store for me.

Thanksgiving blogcation

2010-11-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

It's time for my annual one week cop-out wherein I explain that I'm taking a blogcation for the holidays.

With Thanksgiving just a couple days away and all sorts of other personal and professional jibba-jabba getting jumbled as a result, it's just easier to take this one thing off my plate for the next five days.

Speaking of plates, I plan on eating myself into a coma this year. Assuming said nappy-nap doesn't last too long, I'll see you back here next Monday for a return to your regularly scheduled bloggings. Expect reviews, a double dip of Joystick Division posts and buckets of love.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-11-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

Check out the last link for my PS3 gift guide.

Another week, another batch of Joystick Division posts. I'll likely be out of town next weekend, so I'll play catch-up with a double dose of video game links in early December. Where did this year go?

Nov. 14-20
THQ says games too expensive
Bee Gees hit Rock Band
LEGO Universe MMO expands with new zones
Games get you ready for the GMAT
Dead Nation ready to launch
New Pac-Man ready to rock
EA brings Tetris to PSN
Nintendo shuns WiiSpeak
Hothead needs help naming game
VUDU streams HD movies on PS3
Dead Space composer returns for a second round
iOS features a ginormous games library
WiiWare finally gets demos
PlayStation 3 Holiday Gift Guide

UFC 123 reminder

2010-11-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

Sadly, this is one of those weeks where I just don’t think I’ll find the time to get out and take in the fights. Unfortunate, since there are a couple on this card I would really like to see.

This week’s predictions are going to have to be abbreviated, too. The main card is listed below, with my predictions marked in black.*

UFC 123
George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon
Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch
Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Falcao
Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn
Rampage Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida

*This way, there’s no chance I’ll miss a prediction.

Review: Jackass 3D

2010-11-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

It’s kind of hard to review a Jackass film. There’s no acting or plot to speak of. There’s little in the line of a soundtrack and, while some of the camera work is pretty great, I wouldn’t exactly call it “cinematography.”

Fans will see Jackass 3D in hopes of laughing their butts off and being grossed out, and, for the most part, the film delivers. While this would be my least favorite of the series, there’s still plenty here to keep you and your friends talking long after the credits have rolled.

After so many years of watching these guys perform this shtick, it simply feels like 1) The gang is running out of ideas and 2) Most of their hearts just aren’t in it anymore. The closing credits leave one feeling like this film is being used as a sort of send-off to the long-running series, so let’s hope they stick by that and decide to go out while the welcome is still warm.

Some of the 3D effects are pretty fantastic, so it’s definitely worth the extra four dollars to get that experience.

While this latest iteration may not have gone off as well as I would have hoped, I’d be lying if I said my face and gut weren’t hurting on several occasions from laughing (or cringing) so hard. While some of the bits fall a bit flat, others soar high and remind you why you love this kind of crap in the first place.

Jackass fans can rest easy knowing there’s plenty to enjoy here, but I can’t help but reiterate my hopes that the gang will finally call it quits after this. Like the drunk frat guy who shows up to the party to make everyone laugh, the antics are finally starting to lose their luster here in the wee hours of the morning.

Also, there are some things in this world you can never un-see. Consider yourself warned.

Review: Due Date

2010-11-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

I’m really scratching my head over why the critic community has such a hate-on for Todd Phillips’ Due Date, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Reallyneedstogetanewlastname, also pronounced “Galifianakis.”

Resting somewhere around a 38 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the general consensus seems to be that the starring duo lacks chemistry and the characters are so “out there,” it’s hard to root for them.

I’m gonna go ahead and disagree. Downey plays a seriously high-strung father-to-be while G-Town is the exact opposite, a flies-by-the-seat-of-his-pants man-child with abysmal social skills.

These two end up on a cross-country trek so, yeah, the film doesn’t exactly get major points for originality. But I thought the two played very well off of each other.

There have been a couple dozen opposites attract road buddy flicks already, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy this one just because the premise is anything but new. Nothing in Hollywood is new these days, so lets just move past that for the moment and let ourselves have a good time.

Downey is as charming a ever and has a mean streak I, for one, couldn’t stop chuckling at. Galifianakis is exactly the character you would expect him to be at this point, doing a great job of being both endearing and annoying as all hell all at once.

On the road, the duo end up punching children, evading Mexican authorities, drinking dead people and all sorts of silly antics that, while expected, work out to be pretty damn funny.

Throw in the usual dose of quotable one-liners and you have a very adequate comedy I’d recommend to just about any fan of laughter.

Monday mini-movies: Great moments in middle school sports edition

2010-11-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

Napoleon. Alexander the Great. That kid from Little Giants who orchestrated “the annexation of Puerto Rico.” All amateurs compared to whichever brilliant tactician came up with this play pulled off by a middle school football team in Texas.

Simple, yet brilliant. I can’t wait to see a professional squad attempt something like this off.

I can see it now: Down by five, the ball is spotted on the 50 yard line, and there’s 10 seconds left on the clock when coach uses his final timeout. In the huddle, he whips out his Blackberry as all the players gather to get a look at the tiny screen. “My grandson sent me this clip from youtube,” he says with a twinkle in his eye and a sly grin dawning. “I think it might just be crazy enough to work.”

Then...Pure magic.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-11-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

This was a week of sheer randomness. Big surprise, right? Everything from an EyePet PSP review to Hulu and hockey on PSN to GemeStop's holiday shopping program can be found below. Enjoy.

Nov. 7-13
New update adds voice chat to PlayStation Home
What if video games were more realistic?
Hulu Plus available on PSN
Developer claims PS3 outsells 360
Audio from violent games Supreme Court hearing
A look at the Atlantis level cut from God of War II
Fan-made Scott Pilgrim DVD box art is rad
Video game aims to help kids cope with divorce
Spain street named after Super Mario
Mass Effect comic to tell story on PS3
NHL app available on PSN
Hilarious artwork shows how to slice and dice video game characters
New GameStop service makes game shopping a snap
EyePet for PSP review
More PS3 HD collections we'd like to see

Movies to miss in November

2010-11-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

It's another light month for awful-looking cinema with only three films appearing so bad that I would preemptively recommend you just pretend they don't exist.

Skyline
Anyone know where this movie came from? Not that something so simple as late marketing should keep you away from a film, but when something that looks this "big" pops up out of nowhere with a no-name cast and a half-assed viral campaign, I tend to be sceptical. Early reviews are pretty much saying the same thing "decent special effects with a low budget, but poor drama and even poorer writing." I'm all for under-the-radar Sci-Fi flicks, but the consensus seems to be that this one is missable.

Faster
Dammit, The Rock. You had such potential. Unless this movie is actually supposed to be as bad as it looks, and the acting and dialogue are supposed to be god-awful for an ironic sort of throwback to classic revenge flicks, I can't imagine why anyone would want to see more than the terrible minute and a half of this film provided by the trailer. I honestly couldn't tell if the whole thing was meant to be tongue-in-cheek or if it was just doing a really, really bad job of taking itself seriously. If it's all in jest, then forget everything I just said.

Tangled
I'm usually all for a Disney flick, but this one just looks awful. Seriously, I'm one of those adults who can fall in love with a quality children's flick. Not a second of what I've seen of Tangled, though, makes me believe this film will have anything in it resembling "quality." Maybe I'm forgetting something, but I'm pretty sure this has been one of the worst years in a long time for family-friendly animated entertainment. Pixar, we're going to need you to ramp up production to about three movies a year. Thanks.

Games to get in November

2010-11-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

The beginning of November pretty much shot right past me, leaving me to completely forget about the monthly game and movie posts. How will you ever know what to buy and what not to see if I don't throw my two cents in? So here's the late games post and, on Friday, I'll take a few minutes to make fun of craptastic movies.

November
2nd- GoldenEye 007 (Wii)
2nd- Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PSP)
2nd- God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP)
4th- Dance Central (360)
5th- Knights in the Nightmare (PSP)
9th- Call of Duty: Black Ops (All)
9th- The Sly Collection (PS3)
16th- Split/Second (PSP)
16th- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (All)
16th- Assassins Creed: Brotherhood (PS3, 360)
21st- Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
29th- Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS)
30th- Epick Mickey (Wii)

While most of the gaming world will be busy black oping, both the PSP and Wii surprise with some nice choices this month.

RGP fans have the latest in the excellent Ys series to look forward to, as well as the re-release of the bullet-hell-meets-SRPG cult hit, Knights in the Nightmare. Split/Second on the PS3 has become one of my favorite racers of all time and, this month, the PSP gets its own version of the game. Also, God of War: Ghost of Sparta is really, really good. Just sayin.

As for Wii, fans of Nintendo's tiny console have a remake of GoldenEye to rejoice over, a reboot of Donkey Kong Country and the hotly anticipated Epic Mikey.

Not as strong as some of the past few months, but there's plenty to play here.

Monday mini-movies: Synchronized walking edition

2010-11-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

What do you do with your free time? These guys practice walking...To the extreme.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-11-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

Nothing much this week. A case was finally heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on video games, gaming technology is being used to save lives and a tiny kitten tries to play Duck Hunt. You know, the usual.

Oct. 31-Nov. 6
Golden Joystick Awards...awarded
360 Dashboard officially updates
Bejeweled 3 on the way
Get sparkly glove with new Michael Jackson game
Watch this adorable kitten play Duck Hunt
Pussycat Dolls lead singer in GoldenEye remake
Recent study says games educational
Japan gets real-world shop channel on the Wii
Sony looking to bring Googlt TV to PS3?
Gaming tech used to speed up drug production
Supreme Court hearing on violent video games
Dragon Age Facebook game on the horizon
Dreamcast games we want to download
Atari Classics coming to PSN

Supreme Court considers violent video game law

2010-11-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

It’s taken a while, but video games finally had their day in court yesterday. The U.S. Supreme Court, to be exact.

California, represented by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, took on the Entertainment Merchants Association concerning a law that would make it a crime to sell “obscenely violent” video games to a minor.

Despite the fact video games are already voluntarily rated by the ESRB, which also provides information for why said game is receiving said rating right there on the box, and despite the fact parents already have a slew of control options for their televisions and gaming systems, and despite the fact most respectable establishments already refuse to sell such games to minors, the Govornator wanted more.

The truth is, yes, most teens can figure out their way around parental controls. And yes, even though mature rated games are not supposed to be sold to minors, some are getting out. It’s my understanding that some minors also sneak into R rated movies and the like from time to time, but California opted to focus solely on video games, something the Justices quickly pointed out during yesterday’s hearing.

I’ll be honest: As the court date drew near, my feeling of dread grew. I assumed a bunch of powdered wig wearing seniors would stroll into court and drop the ax on these demonic computer games that have been destroying our youth over the past 25 years. My journalistic background means I spend more time exposed to politics than the average Joe, but that fact did not squash the ignorant preconceptions I had circling through my brain. I should know better, and now I do.

The rulers of the high court, in fact, played hard ball with both sides, asking tough questions and offering little slack along the way. I, for one, was quite impressed.

Rather than try to sum everything up, the fine folks over at Joystiq have already put together a nice feature on the hearing and even embedded the full transcript from the event, something I’d encourage any gamer to give a gander.

If you read the opening half outlining the questioning of California’s Zack Morazzini, you might assume the Justices were “on the side” of the EMA, picking the proposed law apart at every turn.

Once Paul Smith starts speaking for the EMA, though, it quickly became his turn to face the firing squad, leaving him to defend games like Postal II and Madworld for having a right to be sold like any other form of entertainment.

At one point, the Court offers that some parents work and are unable to be home all the time to monitor their children, and since kids can get access to these games currently, why shouldn’t there be a law making it theoretically impossible for that to happen.

The fact of the matter is that such a law would not have any real effect. As everyone seems to agree, if the kid wants it, they’re going to find a way to get it. And with no proof the apparent rampant selling of violent video games to children has spawned a society of psychopaths, where exactly is the real problem in need of a law to fix it?

Call me crazy, but I hate having decisions made for me and I especially hate said choices being made in place of parenting.

No, maybe parents can’t be home all the time. But if they’re doing their job, the kid will know the difference between right and wrong. If you’re worried about what your kids are playing, check their video game collection and do a little research, just like you would with anything else they are consuming. Make it known what is and is not allowed in the home and, if those rules are broken, take away their damn system for a month.

Other ideas would be to keep the gaming systems in the family room, so there’s no opportunity for Junior to sneak an M rated game in behind your back. There are loads of options, none of which require a law that basically steps all over the First Amendment, even if it is “all for the kids.”

Just like movies, comics and television before it, video games are simply taking their licks for being the hip new thing. It’s surprisingly late in the game for a law like that proposed by California, but hopefully the ruling will be fair and, in the end, everyone will understand that video games aren’t a scapegoat. They are a viable form of entertainment and, just because you can’t find worth or artistic value in a certain title, doesn’t mean a couple million people out there don’t disagree with you.

If a certain game isn’t appropriate for a minor, let’s have a little more faith in our nation’s parents and their ability to guide their children through life. After all, if this has been going on for so long and taking such a toll on the fragile minds of our youth, shouldn’t we all be living in a crime-infested cesspool, surrounded by burning buildings, exploding cars and heavy machinegun fire?

Oh, my bad. We live in the real world, not one of Schwarzenegger’s many feats of cinematic art.

Monday mini-movies: People are awesome edition

2010-11-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what we can do if we just put our minds to it. Some of those minds need to be crazier than others in order to think up and pull off some of the feats featured in this video, but it takes all kinds, I suppose.

Get ready to make "whoa" and "no way" your most-used words of the day.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-10-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here's your weekly dose or my gaming posts from the past week, including my God of War: Ghost of Sparta review. Rather than spending just a couple days with the game, I actually got to spend just shy of a month with the title before the review embargo lifted, so I got the chance to really dig in to all that the game had to offer rather than rush through in order to churn out a review. That was a nice change of pace.
Oct. 24-30
God of War: Ghost of Sparta review
GTA: San Andreas goes on sale
Student project mistaken for legitimate Uncharted 3 artwork
Doritos promotion brings 3-D to Madden 11
BlazBlue T-shirt design contest winners
Boy saves family using DS as flashlight
John Lennon's "Imagine" joins Rock Band 3 DLC
Five cities deserving of the Fallout treatment
Social gaming category added to BAFTA awards
PlayStation Rewards launches
GTA IV Complete Collection available now
Check out France's comprehensive gaming museum exhibit
Super Mario All-Stars coming to the Wii
Five of gaming's scariest moments
Sly Cooper Collection gets a release date

Last Minute Halloween Costumes III

2010-10-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

There’s only a couple days until Halloween and you are without a costume idea. Never fear. Staticechoes is here to once again save the day with some last minute costume ideas that range from brilliant to “why would you even think of that?”

Where’s Waldo?
Similar to my “invisible man” costume from last year, this one allows you to stay home for the day doing absolutely nothing. When anyone asks why they didn’t see you on Halloween, you simply argue, “I was dressed as Where’s Waldo.” When they respond with “I didn’t see you,” you reply “That’s because my costume was really, really good, you dummy.” (Thanks to EDel for the inspiration on this one.)

Be sure to hit the jump for more ideas.

Unskilled juggler
Wear a jogging suit and a headband and carry around a bag full of random household objects. Every now and then, ask someone at random to choose three items from the bag, which you will then juggle. Don’t worry about whether or not you end up just throwing things in the air only to watch them fall to the ground. You’re dressed as an “unskilled juggler,” so you’re perfectly in character.

Jack the Ripper
We don’t have time to put together a costume that looks like the actual Jack the Ripper. Instead, use a black marker to write the name “Jack” across an old T-shirt and carry around a pack of printing paper. Every few minutes, you show some of that paper who’s boss.

Twilight
Cut four holes in a large garbage bag for your arms and legs to go through, then loosely tighten the plastic drawstrings around your neck. People are going to ask what you are dressed as, and you’ll answer “Twilight.” Their response will be something like: “But you just look like a big, heaping bag of tra-Ooooooooooh.”

Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities
Go to the Halloween party in whatever you normally wear. When people ask “What are you supposed to be,” answer with “I'm Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities. Didn’t you just love that book?” They’ll respond with “Oh yeah! I totally see it. Great job,” and quickly change the subject. The trick here is that all of us were supposed to read A Tale of Two Cities back in high school, but about 99.99999 percent of that figure only skimmed the back cover and will therefore be in no position to comment on the accuracy of your “costume.”

Reminder: The Walking Dead debuts Halloween night

2010-10-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hey, knuckleheads. This is just your friendly reminder that The Walking Dead is set to premiere this week on AMC. For fans of zombie awesomeness, tune in Halloween night at 10 p.m. You should probably check your local listings, though, as these things tend to be in flux depending on where you live.

I can think of no better way to cap off your Halloween than to curl up on the couch with a show based on an award-winning comic and directed by the man responsible for The Shawshank Redemption.

As an added bonus, be sure to jump past the break to check out the wicked fan-made intro credits using panels from the comics.

Monday mini-movies: Halloween 2010 edition

2010-10-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

I love a good scare, and Halloween is all about pulling pranks and creating memories your friends and family will never forgive you for, no matter how many times you say you’re sorry.

Let’s all celebrate the season with this short compilation of people going insane once someone shows up with a mask on. It’s amazing what a well-timed “boo” can do for rational thought.

Hear those screams? It’s like Halloween’s own sweet carols dancing through the night.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-10-24T14:46:00.000-07:00

I heard a rumor you guys like gaming news. Well, it just so happens I have a fresh batch right here for you.

Oct. 17-23
Pumpkin carvings inspired by games
DS to revolutionize grocery shopping
Back to the Future Blu-ray and game
Some Facebook apps sharing your info
Kinetct launches with 19 titles
Netflix disc-free on Wii
People play Wii bowling for charity
Medal of Honor gets free DLC
UFC and THQ sign deal through 2018
Two more Dreamcast games for download
Super Mario decorates trams
God of War collection headed to PSN
Mother 4 being made by fans
BlazBlue Pro gunning for world record
Games to get you in the Halloween spirit

UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez- Ryan calls it

2010-10-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

UFC 121 hits this Saturday and I have a feeling this card is going to go down as one of the best the year has had to offer.

It’s not so much about the big names, as 121 certainly features several, but about the series of matches that have been lined up for this event.

This week’s bouts feature some big strikers and, more importantly, a group of guys who have little trouble actually pushing a fight.

There’s sure to be a little dancing going on but, otherwise, I’m expecting a night of fireworks and knockouts. Most of these guys don’t like to wait around, so hopefully we’re in for some big, big action.

Click past the link to see this week’s predictions.

Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Truthfully, I feel a little sorry for Schaub. The kid is just starting out, hoping to make a name for himself, and his second fight in the “big show” is none other than unfrozen caveman, Gabriel Gonzaga. We haven’t really seen if Schaub has a ground game and Gonzaga, or “Urglock” to his closest friends, is a pretty well-rounded ass kicker. I see Schaub getting out-classed in this one, most likely forced to tap once he realizes how hard it is to breathe with a Neanderthal’s bicep pressing against your larynx.

Tito Ortiz vs. Mat Hamill
I wasn’t really emotionally invested in this one until I heard Ortiz’s ridiculous “deaf people have soft heads” comments. I know he was just doing the Ortiz thing, but after that, I’m hoping his new “thing” will be falling asleep mid-first-round due to repeated blows to the face.

Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago
Wowwie-wow-wow I hope this one is as good as I have it made up to be in my mind. Two top-notch fighters, well matched and both extremely efficient on the ground. Some folks like to boo a ground fight, but if it’s one of those strategic dances that sometimes occurs between two skilled grapplers, it can become just as entertaining as a solid slug-fest. That’s what I’m hoping for here. Also, I should probably mention that Sanchez is going to be the one tapping out. I’m thinking rear naked choke in the second.

Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann
I know Kapmann is a tough guy, but I have a really hard time calling a fight against Shields. The guy is pretty excellent no matter where the fight ends up and, so long as he can avoid getting caught in the chops by one of Kampmann’s big bombs, I see this one eventually moving to the ground where the more talented Shields will overwhelm.

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez
I'm not gonna lie. This fight has me pretty pumped. Arsenal-wise, these two are basically the same guy. Skill-wise, though, Velasquez is definitely the better fighter. But Brock’s bigger and I’d even argue a little meaner. He’s also obnoxiously quick for such a big guy. If Velasquez can weather the storm and get inside, I have a feeling he can take down the giant. No matter which way it goes, though, I have a hard time believing this fight won’t be dynamite from start to finish.

Rejected T-shirt ideas: prOn

2010-10-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, I like to think up T-shirt designs that will almost certainly never end up on an actual T-shirt. Clearly, since there's no way to make money off something specifically designed to never be used, I'm in this for the art.

And with that, I give you my latest creation. While it's not hard to imagine a Japanese teen donning this bad boy on the streets of Tokyo, blissfully unaware of what it says or what it's referencing, I doubt you will ever find anything like this at the local GAP.

Hell, I'm not sure even Hot Topic would pick this logo up, and they'll put just about anything on a shirt.

But, again, this is for the art. I've crammed about three poor attempts at humor into this single, simple image, so enjoy it.

Monday mini-movies: Real Transformer edition

2010-10-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

I jumped on the youtubes hoping to find some really cool costume ideas, not for myself so much as my love to see just how far folks’ imaginations will run.

While I came across loads of hilarious ideas, creative outfits and intricate designs, this functioning Transformers Bumblebee getup pretty much stole the show.

I knew they were real…I knew it.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-10-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

No reviews this week, but oodles of random bits of gaming news. Dig in!

Oct. 10-16
Make Mad Millions on Facebook
Get blown away by there Minecraft creations
Fan makes Flower in Little Big Planet 2 beta
Lord of the Rings Online free-to-play pays off
Pokemon giving away free Mew
Five PlayStation RPGs we'd like to see on PSN
Dreamcast's Crazy Taxi soon to be downloadable
Gran Turismo 5 delayed...again
Atari classics for your DS
Free movies with Midnight Madness on PSN
Netflix nixes the disc on PS3
Sesame Street gear for Wii and DS

UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama- Ryan calls it

2010-10-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

It’s another week, so it should come as no surprise there’s another MMA fight card ready for your viewing pleasure.

This Saturday, UFC 120 is set to take place in jolly old London town and it’s a pretty safe bet fans of fists meeting faces are in for a solid night of entertainment.

The bouts listed below are accurate. The predictions for their outcomes, however, are anyone’s guess.

No they aren’t, actually. They are “my” guesses. “Anyone” can get their own guesses.

So be sure to click after the break for MY guesses.

James Wilks vs. Claude Patrick
Did you guys here about that time James Wilks and Claude Patrick got into a fight? They rolled around on the mat for a round and a half before Patrick made Wilks intimately familiar with pain as a result of having his arm bent the wrong way. Dude tapped out with a quickness. It was awesome.

Cheick Kongo vs. Travis Browne
Kongo has had a rough year. After a fast loss to Frank Mir, he managed to rebound against Paul Buentello by punching him until he couldn’t take it anymore. He was supposed to fight Roy Nelson, but had to step down due to a back injury. There’s no telling what sort of shape he’s in currently and he’s about to square off against the undefeated Travis Browne. I’m a Kongo fan, but something tells me the smart money is on Browne this week.

John Hathaway vs. Mike Pyle
This is one of those fights that will be determined by where it ends up. Hathaway is better on his feet while Pyle is more comfortable on the ground. While Hathaway knows not the sting of defeat, Pyle has had quite a bit more experience. If I’m just going with my gut, though, I think Hathaway is going to continue his quest to the top following a third round domination of Pyle.

Dan Hardy vs. Carlos Condit
It’s no secret that I dislike Dan Hardy. While it’s nice to see he’s going up against an equally skilled fighter in Carlos Condit, it really wouldn’t matter who he was taking on for me to call the fight against him. Is that good fight calling? No. But it doesn’t make me any less hopeful that I will see The Outlaw go down in a blaze of glory…Minus the glory, of course. He doesn’t deserve any.

Michael Bisping vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
This should be a fantastic fight. Akiyama is more comfortable now in the UFC and Bisping, well, has been wrecking faces there for quite some time. Bisping has the home field advantage, but Akiyama really wants to prove he has what it takes for a shot at the top spot. In order to do that, he’s going to need to go straight through The Count. I expect a slugfest out of this one and, hopefully, a conclusion that results in Bisping needing to go nap-nap.

Review: Let Me In and The Social Network

2010-10-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Two of the best films so far this year came out on the same day: The Social Network and Let Me In. While TSN continues to rake in millions, sadly, Let Me In already appears to have dropped completely off the radar, not even finishing in the top 10 in its second week in theaters.

But I’m not here to complain about injustices, even considering that Let Me In is likely the best suspense/horror film to hit the silver screen in a couple years and, you know, it’s freaking Halloween.

In all fairness, my initial reaction to both of these films was to make a loud, rude noise with my mouth. I had already seen and fallen in love with Let the Right One In, the two-year-old Swedish film Let Me In is based on. I’m a firm believer that Americans should learn to read and watch a film at the same time, so these types of remakes rub me the wrong way.

It’s not me being a movie snob. It’s me wanting viewers to see the original work the way it was meant to be seen rather than the cheap, dumbed down cash-ins that usually come out of such projects.

As for The Social Network, knowing nothing more than the fact it was “about Facebook” just pissed me off. This time I was absolutely being a snob. I’m frustrated by how integral the site has become to our day to day lives, annoyed by my continued use of it due to how powerful a social tool it really is, and also just “done with it.” Facebook was cool, then everyone including our parents and younger siblings were using it, then it wasn’t cool anymore. It’s that simple.

Clearly, The Social Network is about far more than Facebook and, as far as both of these films are concerned, my initial reactions were absolutely unfounded.

Let Me In is beautifully shot, well acted and lovingly put together. It’s easy to see that director Matt Reeves not only understood what made the first movie so special, but also what made the novel that started it all so special to begin with.

Despite the violence and blood-letting, there is an oddly sweet love story at the heart of the film that resonates as loudly in the English version as it did in the original. The power of childhood fear, too, is explored and, dare I say it, shown more effectively this time around.

Fans of the original who have reservations concerning the remake should put those aside. By focusing on different aspects of the plot and using his own brand of storytelling, Reeves has created a film that easily stands on its own and entertains throughout.

As for The Social Network, as far as “quality films” go, I can’t think of a better movie I’ve seen this year.

From great performances and a razor sharp script to perfect pacing and construction, I’m hard-pressed to find anything I didn’t enjoy about this film.

I hate to use the word “Shakespearian,” but while Facebook is the common thread running through the film’s plot, what the movie is really about is a dynamic group of young men and women, their complex relationships and the alliances that must be forged and broken in order to build an empire, as well as the costs (personal, financial, emotional) that come with such a massive undertaking.

It’s a powerful bit of movie magic everyone should check out.

Monday mini-movies: Super creepy edition

2010-10-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner and that means it's time to start scaring the hell out of one another.

Scouring youtube for creepy videos and groaning at 99 percent of what I found, this was the first video to actually make me break out in goosebumps.

I love to be scared and, by George, this clip managed to do it in a matter of seconds. Bravo.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-10-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's batch of posts from Joystick Division covering everything from super fun superhero games to the all-time greatest gamer freakouts. Enjoy!

Oct. 3-9
Five best gamer freakouts of all time
Zombie Racers coming to iPhone and iPad
Castlevania: Harmony of Despiar gets first DLC
Design a t-shirt, win BlazBlue: Continuum Shift
Get psyched for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
Zen Pinball and Sports Champions get Halloween DLC
Five superhero games to play while waiting for DC Universe Online
Captain America Game coming next summer
Super Mario Bros. sheet music

Games to get in October

2010-10-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

If you happen to be a millionaire with a lot of time on your hands, then October is shaping up to be perfect for you. If you live video games, that is.

I really shouldn't complain about having an abundance of titles I'm genuinely interested in hitting the store shelf. I've also probably harped more than enough on how ridiculous it is to cram all of these games into the holiday window.

Suffice it to say yet another Christmas shopping season is upon us and, once again, some of the biggest games of the year are here to beg for your shopping dollars.

There are loads of (hopefully) great titles to pick from this month, spanning just about every genre imaginable, as well as every console.

Be sure to jump after the break to discover which games I believe will be most worth your time and attention in the next 30 days.

October
5th- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3, 360)
5th- NBA 2K11 (All)
5th- Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (DS)
5th- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (PS3, 360)
12th- Lucha Libra AAA Heroes of the Ring (All)
12th- The Shoot (PS3)
12th- Super Scribblenauts (DS)
12th- Medal of Honor (PS3, 360)
17th- Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)
18th- Fallout: New Vegas (PS3, 360)
19th- EA Sports MMA (PS3, 360)
19th- DJ Hero 2 (PS3, 360, Wii)
19th- Vanquish (PS3, 360)
19th- Time Crisis: Razing Storm (PS3)
26th- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (All)
26th- Fable III (360)

There are literally too many games here to discuss. I usually cherry pick a few top picks but, looking at that list, there's no way to narrow it down.

Save up that allowance. It's going to be an expensive month.

Monday mini-movies: Big Bang Big Boom edition

2010-10-04T13:42:00.001-07:00

Thanks go out to Abyss for turning me on to this radical piece of art. These folks used stop animation photography, a few real-world objects and buckets upon buckets of paint to create the most outrageous living art imaginable.

This thing spans what looks to be an entire city block with the art covering just about every surface imaginable.

The planning and execution had to take months, resulting in just an eight minute video.

Bravo. You have far more patience and creativity than I will ever be able to muster...And for that, I hate you.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-10-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Yet another busy week in the world of video games. Over the past seven days I've written up a review for Batman: The Brave and the Bold for the Wii as well as posts on a Super Mario Bros. burlesque show, the Red Dead Redemption Zombie Nightmare DLC and more.

Check out the posts below and, of course, visit Joystick Division throughout the day for oodles of gaming updates.

Sept. 26--Oct. 2
Batman: The Brave and the Bold Wii review
Check out the latest on Explodemon
Medal of Honor PC beta begins
God of War: Ghost of Sparta demo available for PSP
Terra Militaris enters English beta
Boobs and Goombas: A Super Mario Bros. Bulesque
Seven titles become PlayStation greatest hits
Remix OK Go to win Rockband 3
Red Dead Redemption has a Zombie Nightmare
Check out the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow walk-through trailer
Nintendo confirms Wii Remote Plus
About a Blob benefits from Sony's Pub Fund
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game receives first DLC
FEAR 3 releases "Almaverse" trailer

Movies to miss in October

2010-10-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Like every Halloween season, I have trouble actually calling out the hordes of horror movies set to hit the silver screen leading up to the big night.

Being the one genre where sucking is usually forgivable, it’s especially difficult to knock a film where psychopaths and massive bloodletting are the primary focus, geared at tickling your terror bone rather than reaching for high entertainment.

Still, I gotta do what I gotta do.

Chain Letter
Writers have officially run out of things to try to frighten us. Back in the day, machete-wielding goalies kept the youth away from sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. Since then, babysitting, deep water and even falling asleep have been the targets for such terror.

Now that we’re more technologically advanced, it’s chain letters. Feels like a massive step backwards to me. Forward a chain letter or some guy is going to show up and kill you. His name? Chain Man. My reaction? Vomit.

Seriously, what kind of villain, no matter how whacked he is in the head, just really, really wants you to forward his chain letter? So much so, in fact, he’ll murder your face if you don’t comply. I know I always gripe about a lack of original ideas coming out of Hollywood, but just because an idea is new doesn’t mean it’s any good.

My Soul to Take
Speaking of running out of ideas, Director Wes Craven’s latest masterpiece features a serial killer who vows to wreak vengeance on the children of those responsible for his untimely death. The bad guy might not be wearing knives on his hand, but something seems awfully familiar about this particular tale.

Here’s the movie’s lesson: Don’t ban together against a psychopath and save the lives of countless town residents. The dude is going to come back from the grave and murder your 16-year-old children for having the nerve to do to him what he’s done to dozens of helpless victims. Lovely.

Saw 3D
If any movie should be in 3D, it’s an over the top horror film. Had this been the “final” film in the series about four movies ago, I would have told you to run out and watch it in a heartbeat. At this point, though, I’m officially done with the Sawverse. It was awesome the first time and forgivable the second. Five movies later, though, and enough is enough. Don’t give these people anymore of your money. They bled the series dry years ago.

Review: Veins, by Lawrence C. Connolly

2010-09-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

There is no such thing as the perfect crime.

This is one of the lessons hard-learned when a group of small-time crooks get into big-time trouble in Lawrence C. Connolly’s Veins.

Reddy, Tejay and Spinelli have set their sites on a briefcase full of cash, the property of Bird, a young man obsessed with his heritage and a mean streak as long as a backwoods dirt road.

With Tejay providing all the inside information on Bird’s “gambling” habits, Spinelli providing the brains and Reddy on-hand as extra muscle, the only thing this gang of wannabe criminals needs is a wheelman to help make the getaway.

Enter Axle, a young Native American with a floundering business and a cherry Ford Mustang, as well as the knowhow to guide the mechanical beast through the twists and turns of a small Pennsylvania town at breakneck speeds.

What begins as a simple stop-and-grab affair quickly devolves into a high-speed, bullet-riddled chase leading into the heart of an old coal mine where past will meet present and beings of legend will have a hand in the fate of everyone involved.

Best known for his short story work, Connolly weaves an intriguing tale that moves as fast as the car at the heart of his story. Each of his characters, including the Russian club owner, Vorarov, and the assassin for hire, Sam, are well realized and driven by unique motivations.

What brought each of these seven people together is explored through flashback chapters, but even their seemingly unconnected histories appear to have been preordained long ago.

Connolly has a knack for the eerie and injects several scenes of disquiet into his otherwise straightforward crime thriller. While Veins doesn’t fit into the horror genre the author is known for, there are still a handful of moments geared at making the reader’s skin crawl.

What I appreciate most from Connolly’s writing is his ability to effortlessly paint a scene, highlighting all the nuances in beautiful detail, often bordering on poetic prose.

Along with a compelling crime drama, Veins braids in a healthy dose of Native American lore, bridging both the physical world and that of the spirits, bending time and space so that earlier events may be impacted and further explained by those that come further into the story.

Connolly keeps the narrative maze quite manageable, with my only complaint being that he holds the reader’s hand a bit too firmly at times, blatantly stating what has already been well established with subtle hints and creative storytelling.

In the end, the reader is left with a multi-layered tale that blends uncommon themes in a way that’s easy to get behind. The story speeds along at a quick clip before slamming on the breaks and giving the reader a brief glimpse of the road ahead, one that will be explored in the second part of the series, Connelly’s recently released Vipers.

Veins is fast, haunting and engaging throughout. For fans of heist thrillers and a taste for the supernatural, it's an easy recommend. Strap yourself in, hit the gas and enjoy the ride.

Monday mini-movies: Cat eats corn edition

2010-09-27T16:30:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything adorable.

This is my apology.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-09-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

Another week, another batch of posts from Joystick Division.

I got loads of hands-on time with the PlayStation Move this week, including a review of Sports Champions. There's also my review for Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, and the usual slew of news tid-bits.

Sept. 19-25
PlayStation Move hands-on: Part One
PlayStation Move hands-on: Part Two
Sports Champions review
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep review
Alien Breed 2 set to launch
War of Angels soars into closed beta
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light DLC
Dissidia 012 [duodecim] Final Fantasy confirmed
Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue releases
Skyfighter hitting PSN
EVE Online gets free Incursion expansion
WTF?! set to launch as PSP Mini

UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop- Ryan calls it

2010-09-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

Being short on time and, with UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop just a day away, I decided to take the “lazy bastard” approach to fight predictions and just flip a coin. The sad thing is, this quarter is likely to do a better job of predicting the outcome of these five fights than I would have, were I to give it my usual, deep analysis. I think my best record in the past year has been three-for-five.

Before me lays a sort of twister-board-of-pain, featuring a variety of finishes broken into rows and columns with “decision victory” peppered throughout. In retrospect, I probably would have had time to do these predictions justice had I not wasted so much of it creating this intricate graph.

Anyway, with the simple flip of a coin and, based on where it lands, I shall now make my predictions for UFC 119.

Be sure to click after the break to find out the results.

Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens
Interesting. According to the Washington/Eagle delegation, Guillard is going to best Stephens with a rear naked choke. That wouldn’t have been my first guess, but who am I to argue with the nation’s first president and a feathered symbol of freedom?

Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Mr. Washington seems to believe Sherk will dominate Dunham with a barrage of blows from the mount position…I’m not sure I would argue with that one. Good call, el Presidente.

Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Okay, toupee man, you’re starting to hog the lime light. The coin actually bounced off the board this time so, according to the official rules, I get to make up the most elaborate ending I can come up with in five seconds. So, come round three, Serra will morph into a grizzly bear and maul Lytle before dropping to the ground and finding the submission. I’m feeling pretty confident about this one.

Antonio Noguira vs. Ryan Bader
The Eagle decides to show up late to the party. Personally, I think he’s wrong about Bader winning via standing strikes, but hey, that’s just me. Go Nog!

Frank Mir vs. Mirko Cro Cop
Really, Eagle? You’re calling this one in favor of Cro Cop via arm bar? That just doesn’t seem like his style. If you would have said “kicking Mir in the head until he falls asleep,” I wouldn’t have thought twice. But arm bar? Really?

Weezer: Hurley (Review)

2010-09-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

This must be the year of redemption. Eminem regained his credibility with Recovery earlier this year, Korn put together a decent album a few months back and, following a string of mediocre offerings and last year’s abomination, Raditude, Weezer has also managed to make a triumphant return to form with their latest, Hurley.

Leave it to Weezer to name a CD after a character from Lost, going so far as to splash his mug across the album cover as well. It’s pretty much the awesomely nerdy, offbeat sort of thing you’d expect from the band.

Name and cover art aside, what matters here is the fact Rivers Cuomo and company have provided fans with what they have been waiting and hoping for: A solid album.

Hurley kicks off with the fun and energetic “Memories” before dropping to a more serious, though equally upbeat, tone with “Ruling Me,” “Trainwrecks,” and the best song on the album (and one of my favorites from Weezer of all time) “Unspoken,” which starts as a thoughtful acoustic ditty and, over the course of several verses, evolves into an all-out rock romp.

This is unfortunately followed by the abysmal “Where’s My Sex?,” a tune every bit as bad as its title due to poor construction and laughable lyrics.

Thankfully, this is the low point of the album, with the last five songs providing plenty of good moments to get stuck in your head for days.

The final track, “Time Flies,” borders on Jack White territory, comprised of a folky backbeat and an intimate outlook on life, where it has been, and where it will end. After “Unspoken,” this is the song to listen to over and over again.

For those hoping Weezer might return to their earlier sound, you’re just going to have to deal with the fact those days are gone and, most likely, will never return.

Hurley has an injection of pop common in the band’s most recent collection of discs and it works better than ever this time around. Weezer's sound is meatier and as catchy as it’s ever been.

While Cuomo has proven he’s still capable of writing many-a cringe-worthy lyric, he’s also proven himself a wizard of song construction, making (nearly) each tune as captivating as the next and crafting an album that’s a joy to listen to alone, but especially well suited to turn on with friends in the car, everyone singing along and tapping their toes to the music.

Monday mini-movies: Four chord edition

2010-09-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

Watching this video was something of a revelation for me.

I never even realized how many songs relied on the same four chord progression until the Axis of Awesome put together this impressive compilation.

Seriously…Get ready to have your mind blown for five minutes of “holy crap, it’s true” moments.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-09-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

It was a pretty big week for video games and, more specifically, me playing them. Joystick Division put up my Lord of the Rings Online feature highlighting my first hours in the officially free-to-play massive multiplayer online roleplaying game (or MMORPG, if you prefer). Since writing the piece, I've spent an embarrassing amount of time in digital Middle Earth, murdering countless goblins and running countless errands for lazy NPCs. It's been a blast.

I also got some hands on time with the new God of War for PSP and the upcoming Ninja Theory title Enslaved. Both look like they're going to be a load of fun to play once they ship later this year.

These stories, along with the usual random assortment of updates, can be found linked below.

Be sure to check out joystickdivision.com throughout the week for all your video game news.

Sept. 12-18
Lord of the Rings Online- My first day in Middle Earth
God of War: Ghost of Sparta hands-on
PlayStation Move demo disc revealed
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One gets a new video
The Tester: Season 2 shows off its new cast
Faery: Legends of Avalon for download this November
Demon's Souls becomes a greatest hit
The UnderGarden revealed
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West hands-on
Epic Mickey gets "Journey" trailer
Alan Wake, final DLC to feature Depeche Mode song
Actual Crimes: Jack the Ripper coming to PlayStation Minis

Sick day: Five things to occupy a gamer's time

2010-09-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

I've been sick for a couple days now and it's starting to drive me mad.

I'm sure we all have a list of things we would do in the event of faking a sick day, but what happens when you're actually sick, groggy, and unable to put forth much effort beyond glugging loads of orange juice and keeping up a steady diet of chicken noodle soup?

If you're like me, you hate letting a day go to waste, even if you are stricken with a cold. Therefore, I've put together a little list of things that might help you get through those long hours of achy nothingness.

Reorganize your backlog
Got a shelf full of game cases or a CD wallet crammed with discs? How about put those bad boys where they belong? For the games out in the open, I recommend four groups consisting of "games I've finished," "games I still need to play," "games I'm currently playing" and "games with online I like to return to from time to time."

If you're more organized and have everything in a 200 CD wallet, then alphabetical and by console is the way to go. Just know that, whichever way you go, this time-filler might also provide some anxiety due to discovering how many games you own and have never gotten around to playing. I found a dozen last-gen and last-last-gen titles I got on the cheap and completely forgot about. Too many games, too little time.

Play downloaded titles
We're probably all guilty of downloading a game for five bucks only to forget about it a day later, usually because of a disc-based game you also bought recently overshadowing it. Sick days are a great time to open up that digital library and give all those smaller games some attention.

You can play on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and maybe even discover a hidden gem you didn't even realize you owned. Besides, it's a sick day. You probably don't want to get into anything too deep when you're all hopped up on Dayquil and cough drops.

Let Netflix Streaming whisk you away
If you own a modern gaming system, chances are you also have Netflix streaming. Why bother with daytime soaps and all those lawyer/technical university commercials when you could be staring at fantastic shows with nary an ad or interruption?

A couple recommendations off the top of my head: X-Files, Xena, Weeds, The Twilight Zone, Dexter, Skins and, of course, South Park. The sick hours will fly by with these classics keeping you company.

Treat yourself to something new
Nothing you feel like playing? The Wii, 360 and PS3 all have vast libraries of games just waiting to be downloaded and enjoyed. Is there a title you wanted to get but didn't feel like spending the money on? You're sick, dammit. Live a little. I give you permission.

Clean out your hard drives
I hate sick days the most because they force me to lie around, getting nothing done. Similar to reorganizing your game library, cleaning out your systems' hard drives will not only give you some much needed space, but it will make you feel like you actually accomplished something useful.

Got a bunch of old shows and demos lying around? Get rid of them. That Wii menu looking a little too random? Group everything by category. Your PS3s cross media bar just a long list of titles, photos, music and videos? Divide everything into folders.

Trust me, you'll feel better...About how organized you are, not about the sickness. This will in no way actually cure you.

Monday mini-movies: Potter Puppet Pals edition

2010-09-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

This is another one of those “why did it take me so long to think to post this as a Monday mini-movie” moments. (Ah, alliteration.)

So, yes. Potter Puppet Pals. You watch now. Is fun.

Also, check out even more puppetty shenanigans by clicking on this here.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-09-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

This might be the most random assortment of posts I've ever been responsible for. From Hello Kitty Online to car combat, Duke Nukem and Transformers, It's truly been seven days to be proud of.

While this is just a collection of my most recent posts, don't forget to add Joystick Division to your favorites for regular gaming updates throughout the day.

Sept. 5-11
Yahtzee's book, Mogworld, set to release
War for Cybertron map pack 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops gets a star-studded cast
Holy $#!&, Duke Nukem Forever is coming out
EA Sports MMA gets a demo
My review of Dead Space: Martyr
Knights in the Nightmare pushed back, gets added game
Hello Kitty Online holds event to benefit real-world charities
Blood Drive releases this November
Machinarium coming to WiiWare

Review- Dead Space: Martyr, by B.K. Evenson

2010-09-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Dead Space: Martyr, by B. K. Evenson, is a pretty easy recommendation for fans of the video game franchise it’s based on. For those unfamiliar with the world and its history, however, it’s a more difficult sale.

In the game, you blast your way through an army of Necromorphs, horrible creatures mutated from the bodies of the dead. You learn that the whole mess got started because of a mysterious object called the “Marker,” which is also a holy icon for Unitologists, a religious group that believes these grotesque events are simply a step on the road to convergence, or a oneness of the species.

The game packs a lot more brains and story than most of its ilk so, naturally, publisher Electronic Arts has decided to flesh things out in a variety of ways. There has already been a spin-off title for the Wii, a series of comics and an animated feature film dedicated to unraveling more of Dead Space’s mysteries. An interactive comic is releasing shortly, followed by a graphic novel in December and, in early 2011, Dead Space 2.

So, yes, there’s a lot to digest in this world where the dead never stay down and a headshot is about as helpful as a pat on the back. But what we’re here to talk about today is the novel, Dead Space: Martyr.

Set a few hundred years before the first video game, Martyr tells the story of Michael Altman, a scientist who (as fans will remember) would eventually become the founding father of the Unitology religion.

When an unexplained signal suddenly starts broadcasting from the middle of a centuries-old crater, nearby scientists scramble to discover its origin and purpose. Altman is one such scientist and, driven by an insatiable curiosity, he will find himself at the heart of the investigation and come face to face with the consequences of chasing questions best left unanswered.

Whoever’s idea it was to tell this origin story, whether it be the folks at EA or Evenson himself, made a wise decision. Rather than a novelization of what we already know, fans are instead treated to a new story and even given the answers to a few nagging questions along the way.

Altman, it turns out, didn’t play the role expected of most religious forefathers, and it is this story of reluctance and struggle that makes Martyr such an intriguing read.

Where did the Marker come from? What is its purpose? Why do the dead refuse to stay that way when the Marker is present? While Martyr dances with these topics throughout its 400-plus pages, it manages to reveal just enough to make the reader eager for the next chunk of story in the upcoming game without pulling back the curtain too far.

While some of the dialogue feels wonky and a couple breaks from character jar the emersion, Evenson writes well for the most part and especially excels when dealing with the horror and action sequences.

Much of what drives the characters in the Dead Space universe is the result of hallucinations and manipulation, and Evenson does a good job of getting into his characters’ heads and presenting some pretty disturbing scenarios.

My biggest gripe is that a large chunk of the book breaks too far from the action. The first third moves along quickly, setting the stage and showing off just what the Marker is capable of. The last hundred or so pages are when things really get hairy, giving fans of the game their biggest reward for coming along for the ride.

The middle of Martyr, though, simply moves too slow and feels like filler between the most interesting bits. It’s important to keep continuity, but when so many scenes lack movement and kill the pacing, it becomes apparent a more compact story would have served the book well. There are still a handful of great moments sprinkled across the more sluggish pages; it just takes more work to get to them than I would like.

These complaints aside, I enjoyed my time with Dead Space: Martyr. I, for one, love the universe and have little trouble telling likeminded fans to run out and pick it up. Sci-Fi nuts, too, should find a serviceable story to keep them entertained for a few hours. The uninitiated, though, are likely to find too little meat on the bones to warrant a read.

In the end, Martyr proves a worthy addition to the mythos. As part of the Dead Space universe, it succeeds. And, really, it’s the fans this book was written for in the first place.

Games to get in September

2010-09-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

Ready your wallets, boys and girls, for the gaming flood of 2011 is officially upon us.

Each year, the “holiday window” seems to start a little bit earlier. With any luck, this means we’re only a few years away from having all the quality titles spread out through the entire year rather than crammed into the final quarter in hopes of gobbling up the largest portion of Christmas sales.

This month sees the launch of Sony’s entry to the motion control market as well as a slew of big-name games.

No matter what genre you prefer or system you play on, September has something to offer just about everyone.

September
7th- Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP)
7th- Sports Champions (PS3)
12th- Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (DS)
14th- Halo: Reach (360)
19th- PlayStation Move
28th- Front Mission Evolved (PS3, 360)
28th- Dead Rising 2 (PS3, 360)
28th- Fifa 11 (PS3, 360, Wii)
30th- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Predator (PSP)

Where to begin, right?

I think it’s odd to have Move titles release before the hardware even ships but, hey, I’m no marketing genius. Of the Move launch titles, Sports Champions looks like the most complete offering that is also likely to be a lot of fun.

As for the Move itself, I would actually recommend holding off for a few months to see what developers have coming down the pipeline. While the initial offerings are pretty varied, I’m not seeing anything yet that makes this new hardware a must-buy.

Kingdom Hearts fans (i.e. This guuuuuuuy) have tons to look forward to in Birth by Sleep, said to clock in at 40-plus hours with the best combat in the series.

Professor Layton games are always a sure bet for the DS and Dead Rising 2 will give you plenty of ways to off zombies when it releases late in the month.

The two biggest titles for September (and possibly the year) though, are Halo: Reach and Fifa 11, both releasing within just a couple weeks of each other.

My wish? A 2011 hybrid of the two games wherein soccer players are given the option to switch into first-person mode and wreak havoc with a Needler if they aren’t in possession of the ball. Make it happen.

Monday mini-movies: Fake Green Lantern trailer edition

2010-09-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

I forgot Ryan Reynolds is playing The Green Lantern in the upcoming film adaptation of the comic and stumbled upon the above trailer by accident.

Without noticing the “this is a fan-made trailer” warning, I had my mind blown for a good minute before realizing, “Wasn’t that a scene from Serenity?...And wasn’t that a scene from Star Trek?...And wasn’t that a scene from-Ooooooooh.” I spent the rest of the time continuing to have my mind blown by how much effort this must have taken.

So, yeah, this is pretty awesome and I think the folks responsible deserve loads of attention for creating such an impressive bit of fake advertising.

Now let’s just hope the actual The Green Lantern movie shows as much love for the story and attention to detail as the fan-made trailer.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-09-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Stranger returns to PSN

Lots of news in the gaming world this week and still more to come as PAX rages on through the weekend.

Here's your weekly dose of stuff I put together for Joystick Division in the past seven days. Remember to add the site to your favorites and check back frequently for gaming news throughout the day.

Seriously, this is all we do. We post about games and paint our toenails. It's fantastic.

Aug. 29 -- Sept. 4
Playstation Move gets new tech demo
God of War: Ghost of Sparta box art revealed
Modnation holds double XP week
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn set to ship
Nintendo handhelds get a price drop
Tik Games/ Creat hold sale
Pinball FX2 hitting XBLA
Get Zeno Clash on the cheap
Battle vs. Chess set to change the game
Mortal Kombat "Shadows" trailer
Final Fantasy XIV beta begins
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hool gets a demo
Crackdown 2 add Toy Box DLC
RZA joins DJ Hero 2
John Daly's ProStroke Golf inbound
Kevin Butler shows off Move in new ad
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath coming to PSN

Movies to miss in September

2010-09-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

This is actually shaping up to be a pretty decent month for terrible movies.

With yet another sequel to the Resident Evil franchise, a second-rate-looking animated film and something with M. Night Shamamamamalamalan tied to the project, movie-goers everywhere have several piles of poop to carefully side-step in the weeks ahead.

Be sure to head after the break for my thoughtful, detailed analysis of each.

Resident Evil: Afterlife
Let’s get one thing straight: I actually quite liked the first Resident Evil movie. This isn’t especially surprising, since I can generally find something to love in just about everything I see, but even my titanium resistance to bad cinema has its limits.

The most recent two Resident movies have been god-awful and this third abomination (which might also be the name of one of the bad guys) looks to really take the cake.

I’m not even going to don my nerd cap and discuss the finer points of the video games it's based on, which have been glossed over or thrown out the window entirely. At this point, a couple character designs and a name are all the two series have in common. So that's not my gripe. It just looks so, so bad.

Seriously, watch the trailer and try not to groan like one of the film’s many brain-dead zombies. The ones in the movie, I mean, not the ones making it. (Oh, snap!)

Alpha and Omega
I’m usually a big fan of animated films and, no, I’m not a Pixar snob. If a colorful feature looks like fun, I’ll happily give it a gander.

However, not a single moment of what I’ve seen of Alpha and Omega has appeared remotely entertaining. When I’m watching your trailer and the right corner of my lips doesn’t curl up so much as a fraction of an inch, there’s a problem.

Maybe I’m wrong, but this one appears to have little wit and absolutely no charm.

Devil
If only one name in Hollywood is poison right now, it’s “M. Night. Shyamalan.” This guys barely has anything to do with the movie Devil, yet once his name appears in the trailer, moviegoers everywhere are reacting with moans, groans and laughter. Check the youtubes. I'm for real.

Believe it or not, his involvement has absolutely nothing to do with my desire to see this movie burn in hell. (See what I did there?)

It just looks terrible. And, you know what, without ever seeing it, I’m going to ruin the ending for you: The younger chick did it.

She has some snarky line about not “looking dangerous” at the beginning of the trailer, she’s the first one to get attacked and it’s her panicking that’s making the other folks get all paranoid.

I pray it isn’t as simple as that but, yeah, I’m probably right.

Read it: Locke and Key, The Stuff of Legend, Whispers in the Wall, Hotwire, Scarlett, X-Files/30 Days of Night

2010-09-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

It's time for another round-up of comic reviews. Here's a look at a couple first issues and a few more beginnings to new arcs in ongoing series. I've got to start doing these individually. This is way too much content for a single post.

Locke and Key: Keys to the Kingdom

I'm starting to feel like a broken record shouting my love for this series to the mountain tops but, when a team provides such consistently fantastic work, I can't help but want to give them as much attention as I possibly can.

Locke and Key is, quite simply, the best reason to read current comics. Joe Hill has crafted a magical story of loss, love, terror and keys that can unlock more than your imagination. He's accompanied by the obnoxiously talented Gabriel Rodriguez, who puts together panels and pages better than just about anyone in the business. His characters are strong, their expressions speak volumes, the settings are gorgeous and the action is meticulously detailed.

If you haven't read anything from Locke and Key, go out and buy the first three trades as soon as possible. Then, settle in for Keys of the Kingdom. We're just one issue in and it's already proving as entertaining as its predecessors.

Book one of the arc is actually one of my favorites from the entire series. Each page is set up as four vertical panels with a fifth panel serving to provide a background while progressing the story at the same time. Also of note, half of the book, told from the Bode's perspective, is done in a style reminiscent of Calvin and Hobbes. It contrasts perfectly with the more realistic, violent panels taking place in the other half of the story.

This is comic making magic at its finest and therefore receives my highest recommendation.

The Stuff of Legend: Volume II

I have just about as many wonderful things to say about the criminally unappreciated The Stuff of Legend. When a young boy is kidnapped by the Boogeyman, his beloved toys must venture into the unknown in order to save him from the dark.

Wildly imaginative, surprisingly adult, gorgeously rendered and epic in scope, this story is one part Toy Story, one part Lord of the Rings and one-hundred percent quality.

If you're interested in checking it out, however, you really do need to start from the beginning. Luckily, Volume I was only two books long, so there won't be too much catching up to do. These gems might be difficult to track down but I assure you the story and accompanying art are well worth the effort.

Hotwire: Deep Cut
Hotwire is the newest series from Steve Pugh and Warren Ellis and this kickoff to the second arc is just as slick as the original, featuring an intriguing story and plenty of mouth-watering art.

In the future, the dead no longer stay buried as their ghosts, called “Blue Lights” start to rise from the grave and wreak havoc. Most are harmless, but some manage to muster the power to cause some real damage.

Alice Hotwire is back on the case despite battling personal demons both mental and physical (As physical as ghosts can be, I guess.) and, with a little peak at how she became the youngest Detective Exorcist in history, readers are given an unexpected glimpse at what makes this snarky, mean yet likable character tick.

Book one actually does a good job of wrapping up the first arc with some informative front matter, so you don't have to feel the need to go back and get caught up if you missed out. If you've got some extra cash, however, I'd definitely recommend you do exactly that. The first arc was a great read and, so far, arc two is looking every bit as good.

Whispers in the Walls

Whispers in the Walls is an enchanting tale written by David Munoz with art by Tirso and Javi Montes. Alex Donoghue worked on translations as WitW is actually part of a special import project being done by Humanoids. France. It comes from France.

Basically, if someone like Guillermo del Toro were to decide to do a comic, this would be it.

The book takes place during world war two in a mysterious facility where children are being kept and cared for. So far, all we know is that each of their parents have been brutally murdered by mysterious beasts and, in this place that appears one part hospital, one part orphanage and one part secret society, there are dozens of questions with very few answers.

The story focuses on Sarah, who has just woken up in the facility. She is forced to keep to herself but, thanks to secret passages winding all over the facility, she is able to meet up with the rest of the children being kept (or is it imprisoned?) in this strange place.

Book one is out now and, as far as I'm concerned, it should be on the pull list of anyone who enjoys a dark and intriguing story as well as things that go bump in the night.

Scarlet

I've been waiting on this creator-owned collaboration from Bendis and Maleev for quite a while and, honestly, the jury is still out on this one.

I've never been a fan of the “turn a photo into a comic panel” style of art utilized here and, save a few particularly well done panels, Scarlet isn't winning me over to the form. There's just something about that uncanny valley I can't get myself to cross.

Basically, Scarlet is a hardass. She's been wronged by the world and she's going to do her part to make it better with some good old fashioned vigilante justice. The problem with this setup is that I've seen it a few too many times. Add to that the fact her origin story isn't all that appealing and I'm left with little to cling to.

Scarlet breaks the fourth wall, however, and informs the reader that she can only accomplish her mission with their help. This, at least, feels new and intriguing. Book one isn't “bad” so much as too familiar. The writing is strong and, like I said, when the art isn't too blatantly painted over, it has a gritty look I can really get behind. There's also style aplenty.

I'm definitely going to stick around. Scarlet started with a whimper, but I have a feeling it's going to build momentum and end with a magnificent bang.

The X-Files/ 30 Days of Night

This is an easy one to review. Do you like The X-Files? Do you like 30 Days of Night? If your answer to either of those questions was “yes,” you will find a great read in this super-awesome collision of worlds. Doubly so if you answered in the affirmative for both.

Agents Mulder and Scully are called to Alaska when a grisly multiple murder leaves local authorities scratching their heads. A rival FBI team is on the scene, making for a nice bit of tension while everyone's favorite spooky duo tries to figure out why citizens keep popping up with their heads removed and their bodies completely drained of blood.

Some of the dialogue is a little wonky but, otherwise, this reads just like an episode of the show while keeping the hard horror edge you'd expect from 30 Days of Night.

It's fun, and that's one of the best reasons to pick up a comic.

The Walking Dead hits AMC Oct. 31

2010-09-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Walking Dead is one of those comics I missed in the beginning and, years later and nearly 100 issues late, I’ve had trouble getting myself to catch up on.

I know. I’m a sinner. Just about any comic fan you talk to these days will tell you it’s one of the best books going.

I plan on correcting my error someday soon but, if nothing else, I’ve learned from my mistake. The Walking Dead has been turned into a television series for AMC and, this time, I plan on being there from the beginning.

First of all, the show is appearing on AMC alongside such award-winning series as Mad Men and Breaking Bad. If that doesn’t give you some idea as to what kind of quality we can expect, I don’t know what does.

The first season is set to begin Halloween night with an initial run of six episodes. Even better, it’s already been green-lit for a second season lasting an additional 13 episodes. The folks at AMC seem to think they have another winner on their hands and, if there is any justice in this world, they’ll be one-hundred percent correct.

Still not convinced? Well, it just so happens Frank Darabont will be writing and directing the show. So, yes, The Walking Dead TV series is being done by the guy responsible for the movie versions of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Mist.

I’m done talking. Let’s all start watching.

Monday mini-movies: God of War indie edition

2010-08-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this a couple weeks ago but, hey, better late to the party than to never show up at all. Unless you’re annoying. In which case, please do not come to my parties.

The above is a fan-made trailer that asks the question “what if God of War, the gloriously violent video game, was made into an indie movie?” I know I’ve asked that very question at least a dozen times a day and, thanks to Gamervision, I now have my answer.

Seriously, this might be my favorite fake trailer ever. I like it so much, I want to give them money to make it into a legitimate project. Now, if only I had that “money.”

Most actual trailers within the genre don’t nail it as perfectly as these guys have. From the music to the stilted dialogue, to the way the whole thing is put together, this is pitch-perfect, Wes Anderson awesomeness.

This week in Joystick Division

2010-08-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a few cosmetic changes around the site. For one, I have dropped my pen name in favor of my actual name, but I assure you I am still the same person. For another, you now have the ability to easily share posts in a variety of ways, including facebook and twitter. And, finally, I've taken up an extra gig contributing posts to Joystick Division.

You may know them from such films as Joystick Division 2: Electric Boogaloo, or Joystick Division 7: Even More Divisions. If not, suffice it to say JD is a video game website that is updated throughout the day by an army of talented individuals. News, reviews, opinions and more. You name it, they got it.

As a result, staticEchoes is starting up a new weekly section called "This week in Joystick Division." (Hint: You're reading the first one right now.) This weekly offering will feature a carefully constructed list of links to all my random JD posts from the past seven days. You'll still have access to all my gaming writing (more than normal, in fact), but it will now be spoonfed to you through the loving hands of Joystick Division. Look for these posts at the end of every week.

If, however, you want to keep yourself a bit more informed on all things gaming, I'd highly recommend you just add the site to your daily visits. Otherwise, the terrorists win.

Without further messing about, here's the first week's worth of posts (Actually, it's only a day's worth, as I just started today).

August 22-28
Socom 4: 14 minutes of gameplay
Halo: Reach delivers hope
Days of Thunder: NASCAR Edition coming to PSN
Liars and Cheats hits Red Dead Redemption

UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2- Ryan calls it

2010-08-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

UFC 118 is here and shaping up to be a great night for fight fans with a card full of big bouts. Featuring the much anticipated rematch of BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar, as well as a battle between a legend of the boxing ring and a legend of the octagon, not to mention several other top fighters featured in the remainder of the main fights, this could shape up to be one of the most entertaining cards of the year.

Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis

Starting the night out will be Diaz and Davis, two well rounded fighters with nearly identical fighting styles. The biggest aspect separating these two is Davis' abundance of experience. Diaz, though, has a massive six inch reach advantage and enough heart to go around. I don't want to short guess Davis, but Diaz is hungry for a shot at the top and that motivation will likely earn him the decision.

Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard

Let's go, K Flo! Seriously, there's few fighters who are more well rounded than the Floster. Problem is, I haven't been too excited by his last couple of fights. Maynard is something of a bully, so that should contrast nicely to Florian's clean-cut approach. I don't see either being able to get the KO, and as good a wrestler as Maynard is, Florian has the edge on the ground. If it end before the final bell, it'll be with Maynard submitting.

Demian Maia vs. Mario Miranda

It's my fault, but I'm not too familiar with either Maia or Miranda. What I've gathered from perusing the internets is that we should be in for a fairly entertaining fight. Miranda looks comfortable no matter where the fight goes and Maia is almost exclusively a ground man. It's been my experience you shouldn't call a fight against a man whose first name is so close to that of the ruler of hell, however, so for no other reason than that, I'm going with Mr. Satan.

Randy Couture vs. James Toney
Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod! I have a feeling pretty much every fight fan ever born is excited to see how this one goes down. My mind says Couture is the clear winner but, in this sport, absolutely anything can happen. I, for one, do not consider this the MMA vs Boxing end-all many seem to be billing it as. It's a silly thing to argue, in my mind, so my joy in seeing these two giants tee off on each other is as simple as enjoying an interesting matchup. Toney, of course, has the opportunity to catch Couture and turn out the lights. That being the case, I can't see Captain America NOT going for the takedown rather quickly. Put him against the cage, dirty box the hell out of him, flip him onto his back and win the fight where he's weakest by punching him many, many times across the noggin.

Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn
Edgar bested Penn in their first outing at UFC 112 and “The Prodigy” is looking for a little payback at 118. Another well-matched fight, I'm hoping we don't make it to a decision this time around. For one, Penn looks better than I've seen him in years. For another, he's got his hunger back. If he can avoid being knocked loopy this time, I see Penn adding another loss to Edgar's record. Call me crazy, but once the fight gets rolling, I see Penn bringing it to the mat where he will quickly move in for the submission.

Let Me In- Give it a chance

2010-08-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

I’m of the belief Americans have a literacy problem. Why else would they feel such a strong desire to remake every decent foreign film known to man?

Subtitled films simply don’t do well in the good ole’ U.S. of A. While I refuse to believe cashing in isn’t at least part of the reason such films get made, I also like to believe it has to do with a desire to have English speaking viewers experience something they might otherwise miss.

Most recently, I’m talking about Let Me In, a Hollywood retelling of the recent Swedish masterpiece Let the Right One In, which is in turn based on the beautifully written John Ajvidi Linquist novel.

When it comes to vampires as of late, I like to think I’ve pretty much had my fill. Let the Right One In, though, is a unique tale of gritty young love, mystery and terror that reminds everyone these pointy-toothed night crawlers are to be feared rather than fawned over. In short, they don’t sparkle.

I fell in love with the Swedish film, which had a stay in U.S. indie theaters of about two weeks, and quickly moved on to the novel, which also held my attention in a death grip until I slammed into the final page.

When I heard there would be an American remake of the film, my first reaction was to scoff, moan and otherwise bellyache. I may have even kicked a small child. Now that the trailer for the film has been released, I find myself singing a different tune. Maybe it’s hypocritical of me, but it looks like all the pieces are in place to do the project right and I for one am warming to the idea.

Though the trailer is only two minutes long, I’ve seen enough to make me believe director Matt Reeves has a genuine appreciation for the source material and aimed to craft a film just as beautifully put together and disturbingly romantic as the original. He also seems to have focused on aspects of the story skipped over in the original film, so fans of the Swedish version should have something new to hold their attention.

Chloe Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee appear to be perfect for their leading roles (especially Smit-McPhee) and, judging from what’s shown here, the story’s hard edge looks to be intact.

In short, get stoked, horror fans. We might have the first decent film within the genre to come along in quite a while and, so help me, it’s a remake.

Advancements in technology mean a step back for gaming

2010-08-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

Technology is in a perpetual state of forward motion, making useful everyday items smaller, faster and stronger with each iteration. By the time these products make it to market, a bug, glitch or misstep occasionally occurs. For the most part, though, I think it’s safe to say technology usually gets better with age.

Not so with the current generation of videogames and consoles.

With the exception of the appropriately named Wii, modern gaming machines are a mammoth testament to the horsepower crammed under the hood. The problem is, all those electronic whozzits and whatsadoos are supposed to make the gaming experience better, but they’ve accomplished the exact opposite. When the result of all this new technology provides a plethora of hindrances to the end user, what’s the point?

I remember a simpler time in gaming when the only fear involving a console was that, years down the road, your Nintendo Entertainment System might burnout from overuse. And over the past couple of generations, the only lasting technological problem was having a jerk for a roommate who constantly overrode your save files.

Simpler machines made for fewer problems and, without the internet injected into every facet of the process, there was no such thing as lag, patches, system updates, crashes, etc.

Nowadays, red rings of death plague countless Xbox 360 users (some several times over), Playstation 3 fans have to sit through long software and system updates seemingly every other week and Wii users have next to nothing to play. That last bit has nothing to do with my main argument, I just like bringing up the fact the Wii sold out quicker than bargain flannel shirts at a Wal-Mart in Georgia.

Last gen, if a terrible game came out, it was doomed to make a quick move to the bargain bin where it would most likely remain ignored even at the low-low price of $2.99. If a title was plagued by bugs or horribly constructed, it usually resulted in the failure of its creators and the loss of jobs for developers who didn’t care enough to do it right the first time. And when it came to the price, it was on the freaking package. Pay $39 and the whole thing is yours, good to go, no take-backs or add-ons.

Today, broken titles make it to market all the time with the promise of “don’t worry, we’ll fix it later.” Content that used to be included on-disc now comes with a charge and, sometimes, that extra ten dollars just goes to unlocking something that was already included on the disc in the first place.

Scan message boards for any big title featuring online (just about every game these days) and chances are the first few months following launch will see an overabundance of posts complaining about glitches, hackers, crashes, the inability to even connect and more.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the real problem here is the gamers. We let this stuff happen by laying down our dollars time and time again. If you think $15 is too much for two multiplayer maps and a couple skins, refuse to pay it. If you waited half a year for co-op to be playable, don’t buy the companies next game until you hear everything has been fixed. Better yet, get over the feeling of “but I’m not playing what the cool kids are,” have some self respect and move on to a title that's actually earned your time and money.

It would take one time for a Call of Duty (just picking a big title, so don’t hate) to release and suffer poor first quarter sales for companies to realize they simply can’t release unfinished, untested or gimped products. Development periods would extend to allow for proper testing and nobody would be afraid of pushing a title back to make sure the product they spent so much time making is actually ready to be enjoyed by the masses.

Unfortunately, I don’t see a brighter future anywhere ahead. Gamers have allowed these practices to continue and, as a result, we’re going to continue to be taken for a ride. Every few months we hear about which evil publisher is doing something sinister to cash-in or sell out and, though we’ll complain about it for hours on end, you better believe we'll be first in line to pick up their next title day one. And who cares if I had to send in my console five times for repairs, three of which ended up costing me money due to an expired warranty, I will absolutely camp out overnight for that next system and cross my fingers they got it right this time. I can't think of another industry where such practices allow companies to not only survive, but flourish.

As for the next batch of consoles, while I’m sure we’ll be tinkering with cloud technology or terabyte hard drives by then, my guess is that we’ll be looking at all these current problems with a fresh batch of new hassals tacked on courtesy of the latest and not-so-greatest advancements we just have to have crammed down our throats.

I’m not going to say I don’t enjoy these new machines, features and applications. But usually that enjoyment comes at the cost of months of frustration, multiple downloads and wasted time.

It’s too late to go back to a simpler time in gaming, but man do I miss those days when all I had to do was pop the disc in, push the power button and enjoy my game. No distractions. No downloads. No patches. No extra cost. No crashes. No questionable business practices. Just gaming.