Tuesday, December 30, 2008

VIDEO GAMES' BIGGEST NIGHT






It was a beautiful night at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, this year's site for the 2008 Spike TV Video Game Awards. The 6th annual awards show proved to be the biggest and best one yet with such stars as Neil Patrick Harris, Eliza Dushku, and Kiefer Sutherland on hand, Weezer, 50 Cent, LL Cool J, and the All-American Rejects performing, and hosted by the larger-than-life Jack Black (some of whom you can see in the video of my exploits on the red carpet before the actual show).

The show kicked off with a bang with Jack Black coming out and doing what seemed like an endless tribute skit to all of us video game geeks, while at the same time poking fun at us as he sang about reading and healthy relationships being our mortal enemies as we progress onto video game heaven. Healthy relationships maybe, but reading the subtitles in cut-scenes is integral to the plot of any video game.

Aside from all the celebrities, and awesome musical performances, the thing a lot of us geeks were most anticipating were the reveals of new game trailers, giving many of us hope that 2009 would be even bigger and better than 2008. Trailers for God of War III, Mafia 2, Watchmen: The End is Nigh, Dante's Inferno, Fight Night Round 4, Uncharted 2, and the highly anticipated Brutal Legend were just a few of the many reveals that had fans salivating over the new year. Only time will tell whether these games end up walking away with some awards next year since trailers are always supposed to look good. It doesn't mean the game actually will be good (except God of War III; I have total faith in that dominating).

We are still in 2008, though, even if for only a short while longer, and the night revolved around the best of what this year had to offer. Some games were clearly head and shoulders above their competition, while others were tougher to call, and then there were some that I flat-out disagreed with. Just like other awards shows, whether it is music, movies, or whatever, some of the nominees get a huge gust of positive hype in their sails and it propels them to the trophy when they are not worthy of the title. In my opinion, this was the case on several occasions for this awards show, as well.

"So just who walked away with what?" you may ask. Well, the video game community gathered, as many developers waited nervously to see how their years of hard work would be received by the expert panel, and here are how some of the biggest awards panned out:

Best Team Sports Game is pretty dull when it comes to nominees. You're always going to have nominees from the five biggest sports (yes, soccer is included due to its worldwide appeal). This year was no different. Madden 09, NBA 2K9, NHL 09, and FIFA 09 were the nominees. Madden is always a favorite due to its mass appeal, but there were rumors that it would fall short this year because most hardcore Madden gamers had a lot of complaints about it compared to previous years. NBA 2K9 was almost a pity nominee just so that EA Sports did not sweep the nominees. This left FIFA and the NHL, two of the least popular sports in the U.S.A. and more popular sports worldwide with a chance at the trophy. To my pleasant surprise, NHL 09 arose victorious and I agreed on every level. It was easily the most accurate sports simulation of the year, with new features like "Be a Pro" mode to compliment the thorough "Dynasty" mode, this was the right choice for Best Sports Game.

Best Shooter was another category that I thought the panel nailed right on the head. The nominees were Gears of War 2, Left 4 Dead, Resistance 2, and Far Cry 2. I knew this was going to Gears of War 2 the instance I beat that game because I've said it before, and I'll say it again, there is no more satisfying feeling than sneaking up behind someone and slicing them to ribbons with the Lancer Chainsaw Rifle. Plain and simple. The others games did not even come close in my mind. Resistance 2 seemed like they had tried to copy as many things from Gears as possible and had taken away the heart that Resistance 1 had. Left 4 Dead was nice, but it was just another carbon copy of all zombie shooters that have come out since Resident Evil 4. Far Cry 2 did not even register on my radar it paled so much in comparison to Gears of War 2. In what seemed like the year of sequel, Gears of War 2 was a sequel that went above and beyond the first in ways you could only hope for and was very deserving of the Best Shooter trophy. Gears of War 2 also walked away with Best XBOX360 Game, giving it two awards in the five categories it was nominated in.

One of the categories that made me grind my teeth in frustration was Best Wii Game. I thought the system was very well represented with the nominees. Boom Blox, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, No More Heroes, and Wii Fit were great selections because it showed the range of the Nintendo Wii. The fact that the award went to Boom Blox though shows that most people do not give the Wii the respect it deserves. Yes, you do not think of the Wii for hardcore gamers, but when you have Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which was also robbed of Best Fighter by another overrated game in Soul Caliber 4, that is another in the long list of dominate franchises Nintendo has and had an amazing story mode to go with the combat, you just have to shake your head when the trophy falls to something like Boom Blox. Even if No More Heroes had won, you could agree with it. No More Heroes comes from the insane mind of Suda 51 and the anime graphics style that it was created with, the over the top combat, and the fact that the hero had the greatest weapon ever created as his main tool, a lightsaber, made this guilty pleasure more than worthy. Instead, the award went to Jenga on steroids. Have we not learned that everything Steven Spielberg has made in the past 10 years or so is absolute garbage? Yes, Boom Blox is a fun multi-player game, especially for kids 10 and under, but in terms of showing what the system could do, or being revolutionary, this game was ridiculously overrated. The people who voted for this probably also loved Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Curse you Steven Spielberg, why do people still love you for things you did 20 years ago and fail to look at the crap you have been force-feeding us for the past 10? I also just realized that Steven Speilberg and Brett Favre must be related somehow.

Another category that made me just shake my head with frustration was Best Studio. This award goes to the game studio that went above and beyond its competition for 2008. The nominees were Media Molecule for Little Big Planet (on the PS3), Rockstar North for Grand Theft Auto 4 (on the PS3 and XBOX360), Harmonix for Rock Band 2 (on the Wii, XBOX360, and PS3), and Bethesda Game Studios for Fallout 3 (on the PS3 and XBOX360). Media Molecule walked away with this, and no offense to Media Molecule, but Little Big Planet is another game that Sony sank so much money into its advertising that, I guess, people were hypnotized by the simplest game I've ever played. Little Big Planet is a cute game, but again, this is a game better suited for gamers under the age of 10 that just had a revved up Create a Level mode. For the work and time that went into GTA 4 and considering the high level of product that was produced, there was no way Rockstar should not have come away with this. Especially since GTA 4 was named OVERALL GAME OF THE YEAR. GTA 4 is one of those rare occurrences when a game with so much hype and press actually lives up to it when it comes out. It is a travesty that Little Big Planet and Media Molecule got as much as it did for such an overhyped game. Little Big Planet also won Best PS3 Game over Metal Gear Solid 4 and GTA 4. I just have trouble understanding how a game that wins Overall Game of the Year, like GTA 4, does not come away with more awards. Were they trying to just "share the love"? At least GTA 4's getting Overall Game of the Year I agreed with.

So that was a taste of the 2008 Spike TV Video Game Awards. Check out the VGA page here http://www.spike.com/event/vga to see some of those amazing trailers I mentioned and to get the list of winners from all 25 categories. I want to give a special thanks to Geoff Keighley, Aileen Budow, David Schwarz, and the rest of the great people at Spike TV for extending me the invite and for accommodating me on the red carpet. It was easily the highlight of my year as a gamer and a journalist and it meant a lot to me to be there. Also, special congratulations to Will Wright for winning the Video Game Lifetime Achievement Award for creating Spore and The Sims series.

This was a great way to honor everything that happened this year in gaming and here is to a great 2009. See you in the New Year, folks.

-Ray Carsillo

Sunday, December 7, 2008

MUSICAL CHECKMATE

Cadillac Records chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists. It's a feverish tale of race, sex, violence, and rock 'n' roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s as it follows the exciting, but turbulent, lives of some of America's great musical legends.

The story centers around how the blues became popular and would pave the way for what would be rock 'n' roll and opens up on Chicago of 1947 where an ambitious young Polish immigrant bar owner, Leonard Chess (Academy Award Winner, Adrian Brody), hires a talented, but undisciplined, blues combo led by guitarist Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright) and harmonica player Little Walter (Columbus Short).

Chess arranges a recording session for Waters and when his early recordings start rocketing up the R and B charts, Chess Records is born. As time goes on, Chess treats his musicians like family, buying each one a brand new Cadillac when they record their first hit (hence the name of the movie), but the line between professional and personal matters becomes blurred on many an occasion.

Finally, in 1955, one of Chess's artists crosses over into mainstream America, a skinny guy from St. Louis with a funny "duck walk" named Chuck Berry (Mos Def). Berry's catchy, country-tinged tunes mark the birth of rock 'n' roll. When Berry is arrested at the height of his career, however, Chess has to find someone else to bridge the cross over gap.

Enter Etta James (Beyonce Knowles), an emotionally scarred young woman whose vulnerability tempts Chess's loyalty and concern in unexpected ways.

As rock 'n' roll grows more popular, the Chess artists find that booze, women, and the high life have taken their toll and as tragedy looms, Leonard Chess leaves the music business finally in the late 60s. The blues and rock 'n' roll would live on though, having forever changed the landscape of American music.

Now that you know what you'll be getting yourself into for 1 hour and 48 minutes, let me tell you why you should see this movie.

This story accurately chronicles the roots of one of the strongest aspects of our culture: the music. It tells a story that has needed telling for a long time, since most people do not know the details about the origin of our modern music and the suffering that many people went through to refine some of these great sounds.

This movie gives you the highs and the lows that you would expect from any good drama and they're woven beautifully in-between some classic songs that will have your foot tapping in the theatre.

Along with great music, you get great acting from this movie. Nearly all songs played in the movie were played by the actors themselves, there was no lip synching going on here. And since most characters were forced onto an emotional roller coaster, you really got to see the range of many of these actors.

"It was daunting. You wanted to have the fresh, green Walter to going to where he went really dark. That's why it was a challenge, but that's why I wanted to do it. It was going to challenge me and Hollywood's perception of me," said Columbus Short at the NYC premiere when asked why he took the role considering the range of Walter's life he was portraying in the film.

The struggles for many of these artists was not just making a living through music, but also trying to be accepted in the segregated America of the 1950s and 60s and the trials that came with that. Not only trying to find acceptance within their own communities, but with white America was a struggle on many different levels.

"When you see him singing, you see him alive and well and the performance side is who these man really are, but you have to survive and you're surviving segregation and heavy racism and it was a poor time. The blues is what helped them get through it. If they weren't singing, they'd be in the fields picking cotton in the hot baking sun. That was their everyday life. And that's what this film does on multiple layers. It gives you the music, the time, the good feeling you get from that music because sometimes they would be drinking and it would come out as happy music and sometimes it would be deeply painful and you would hear the pain in it. This music influenced Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Who, and in the end these men have to come back and pay homage and half the riffs you hear in this film, you do a double take and go 'oh my god, that is where that came from?' and some of them didn't even try to hide it when they took it, they just took it," commented Eamonn Walker, who plays Howlin' Wolf in the film, on the struggles the Chess Records artists went through.

There was a lot of stir around this movie as well not only for the touchy subject matter this movie deals with, but also because Hollywood loves making a stink whenever someone gains or loses weight for a role. Beyonce had to put on 20 pounds to play the legendary Etta James and I promise you she still looks amazing in the movie and, of course, she had no problem pulling off the singing. The real question would come with having to play such a troubled character on screen. I can tell you, she made it seem like it was second nature.

"I had to think about things that really meant something to me. I had to think of things that were painful and emotional and it was difficult because I would go home with swollen eyes and a big attitude every night, but it definitely paid off," said Beyonce about her inspiration.

The only problem with this movie I had was that there were so many different characters that I felt you never followed one long enough to really develop the relationship you need to have as a viewer to care about the characters. Most of these people wore their hearts on their sleeves, but you never really see where they get the shirt from.

Now, in the movie's defense, to chronicle the 20 year history of one of the most influential music companies in history, you would expect to see a lot of different characters and shifting personalities. To remedy the lack of being able to develop the characters then, they should have stressed the greatest character of all, the company itself. To have some of the most influential musicians of the 20th century all congregate at one point or another under this one roof is remarkable and not nearly emphasized enough in this movie for my liking and because there never is a single character fleshed out to the point that you feel strongly for them, the movie leaves a little something more to be desired when all is said and done.

However, when the credits are rolling, this is a solid movie. It portrays everyone involved with the dignity and class they deserve while still remaining true to the story that was Chess Records and the birth of rock 'n' roll during one of the ugliest times in American history. Everyone involved gives amazing performances and the music makes you want to run out and buy the soundtrack immediately. Anyone who has heard any rock 'n' roll from the past 40 years should see this movie, especially if they do not know where it all started. Look for Cadillac Records in theatres nationwide on Friday, December 5th. Cadillac Records gets: 4 out of 5.

-Ray Carsillo

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

NEAR-FLAWLESS VICTORY

Most felt that the Mortal Kombat series had suffered one of their own fatalities; they thought the previous installment in the series would mark a possible end to one of the most successful fighting franchises of all time. The genii at Midway would need something big, some twist, to rejuvenate the series and keep it fresh.

Enter one of the most enduring pop-culture franchises ever created, DC Comics. With the likes of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and many others, you had instantly recognizable names, faces, places, and powers that had just recently been rejuvenated themselves through blockbuster box office returns and are in the midst of one of the largest comic story arcs ever where evil is supposed to win in the Final Crisis.

So, what happens when two beloved pop-culture dynamos come
together? They FIGHT! I present to you ladies and gentlemen: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.

If you are going to get one fighting game this holiday season, this is the one. From a storyline that actually makes sense, to brand new features like "Testing Your Might" in the middle of a battle, and mid-air and special "Klose Kombat" fighting sequences and the series has successfully been renewed.

In terms of the combat, the old Mortal Kombat system has returned along with a few new twists. There are now expert moves, moves that, if timed correctly, are automatically done twice and done more powerfully the second time. However, so small is the window to pull off these moves that even the better experts will have difficulty performing them every time. Mix this with the potential for some old school 10 hit combos, the new mid-air and up-close fighting systems, and some revamped fatalities (and brutalities for the DC Heroes since they cannot kill) and the gameplay is on par with the best of the series.

The addition of DC's greatest heroes and villains adds depth to the game by allowing you to play a deep story mode from both points of view (and you have to if you want to unlock both of the game's hidden characters). You play through the story mode and get a chance to try almost every character to see their strengths and weaknesses. (I am still a dominating force with Sub-Zero.)

The big change to the story mode from previous games is that, even though it worked for a short while, there is no more third person action adventure. The story plays out for you in-between character-specific fights. For example, when Batman meets Scorpion and the two have words with each other, there is no third-person take on this. We go to an old school, best of three rounds, Kombat scenario. I personally enjoyed the third-person adventuring, but this was the only possible way to pull off a story mode in this game considering how many great characters are available to you. And, of course, the story mode leaves it open-ended enough so there is a possibility for a second MK vs. DCU.

Those are the game's positives, but there are a few negatives. One of the big negatives is there are no level specific fatalities like in previous games. In the last installment of the Mortal Kombat series, you could knock your opponent into a lava pit or a giant meat grinder by hitting them up against certain walls or boundaries. Even in the old school games, with the right mashing of buttons at the end of a battle, you could knock your opponent into a spike pit or acid bath. These have all been removed.

Another issue I had was the lack of unlockables. The Krypt has been removed and the only things you can unlock, aside from story and arcade endings, are two bonus characters added to the twenty you start out with. I liked the Krypt, even if it was nearly impossible to get everything in it, because I enjoyed looking at extra movies and concept art and getting alternative costumes. You're telling me you couldn't give me black suit Superman from when he came back after being killed by Doomsday? How about an old-school blue Batman suit? The Joker in his Hawaiian vacation outfit is always hysterical. A lack of unlockables is a sore point with me and it damages this game's replay value.

Even with a couple negatives, this was a great game. The spectacle of my favorite DC Heroes and Villains kicking butt was great. Add in the return of some of my favorites from the Mortal Kombat universe and then mixing in some old school, button mashing and I was one happy gamer from this. If there is one fighting game you are going to get this holiday season (because you should have gotten Super Smash Bros. Brawl back when it came out) this is the one.

If you want more information on this game, take a look at my Youtube slideshow/radio interview with Lead Designer Brian LeBaron.



Ratings are based on a system of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 9.0: Blood and guts galore are always the visual gem that a Mortal Kombat game provides and this one does not disappoint. A nice detail was how good Sub-Zero's Ice Ball/Superman's Ice Breath looked when the opponent was frozen solid. A point was removed because some of the interactive environment looked a little blocky and faded from the screen too quickly. Aside from that, this is a beautiful looking game.

Audio: 10.0:
The voice acting was crisp and the SFX were all solid. The voice script was a little over the top, but its comic book characters fighting Mortal Kombat characters, I think I would have been more disappointed if it wasn't over the top. This game delivers a great sounding experience.

Plot/Plot Development: 8.5: It was actually a plausible plot for these respective universes to somehow meet. Written by comic book veterans Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, the story kept in tune with both the Mortal Kombat and the DCU story lines. The time period was set happening sometime after the second Mortal Kombat game and before the Identity Crisis of the DCU and it fit well with the original plot. Some things were a stretch for both universes though and a few of the pop culture references were funny, but unnecessary.

Gameplay: 9.0: Like every Mortal Kombat before it, this was easy to pick up, but difficult to master. Some of the combos are simply impossible to complete and there were a couple of glitches if you liked to use Scorpion's, Sub-Zero's, Batman's, or Raiden's teleportation moves a lot. Still, this game was mostly smooth and not very frustrating.

Replay Value: 7.5: The lack of unlockables and extra characters keeps you from coming back to the single player story and arcade modes very often. The multiplayer and online features are solid, but won't keep you coming back unless you need a constant dose of bloody, brutal fighting.

Overall (not an average): 8.5: This game is a great new entry into both Mortal Kombat's and DCU's respective mythos. The game gets a little repetitive after a while, but that's the same for every fighting game. New in-battle Kombat systems, old-school characters, a revamped story mode, and old-school Mortal Kombat brutality makes this a must have if you are a fighting fan and/or a DC Universe fan. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is out now for XBOX360 and PS3.

-Ray Carsillo

Friday, November 28, 2008

THUNDERSTRUCK...TWICE!

After an eight year hiatus, that little devil in the school boy outfit (that still fits so well at 53 years old) and his old mates have come around once again with their new album, Black Ice. Of course, I am talking about AC/DC.

Along with a new album, is a new tour, and I was fortunate enough to acquire tickets to not one, but TWO concerts in the area. Out of the sky fell a pair of tickets to the November 13th concert at Madison Square Garden and out of my own pocket I acquired a four pack to the November 19th concert at the Izod Center. Since it seems to be a mandatory obligation to comment on concerts for us 1050 Bloggers, I have come here today to sing the praises of one of my all-time favorites.

Since I've been listening to it non-stop for the past three weeks, I'll start with the new album. If you are a fan of AC/DC, this is a must have. Most of the tracks are amazing, although I admit that there were a couple that sounded like the same song, just with different lyrics. The single off the album, "Rock 'n' Roll Train", is an instant classic that will have you singing along in no time. There are so many other great songs on the album, from "Money Made", "Anything Goes," "Big Jack", and my pick for the theme of Iron Man 2, "War Machine", that you should go get this album right now if you haven't already.

In terms of the concerts, all I can say is AMAZING! Even well into their 50s, these guys know how to put on a show and make sure their fans go home happy. As to be expected, they played a few songs from the new album since it is the Black Ice Tour, but they pulled out a lot of their classics and left mine and many others' throats hoarse from screaming and singing along. From Angus pulling off one of the most amazing solos in the history of rock 'n' roll when they break out "Let There Be Rock" to the cannons firing with "For Those About to Rock", this is one of the must see rock experiences of your life if you get the chance.

Even the opening act, a band from Ireland called The Answer, was awesome and got the crowd revved up. I expect good things from those guys in the future, but the night belonged, of course, to AC/DC.

The only disappointing thing was that they played the entirely same set in both concerts. Here was the set list (and yes, supposedly they are mixing it up a little bit in different cities which disappointed me even more):

1. Rock N' Roll Train
2. Hell Ain't a Bad Place To Be
3. Back In Black
4. Big Jack
5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
6. Thunderstruck
7. Black Ice
8. The Jack
9. Hells Bells
10. Shoot to Thrill
11. War Machine
12. Anything Goes
13. You Shook Me All Night Long
14. T.N.T.
15. Whole Lotta Rosie
16. Let There Be Rock

Encore:

17. Highway To Hell
18. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)


An interesting difference was that I never noticed how good the acoustics were in the Izod compared to Garden, but when you think about it, the Garden was never really built for concerts; it was technically built for the circus. Anyway, the NYC crowd I felt was much stronger than the Jersey crowd and that disappoints me because, well, I'm a Jersey boy. I wanted us to represent a little more. Even with the nice acoustics, we didn't sound nearly as loud as the NYC crowd even though both venues were sold out.

Aside from that though, I can't stress enough how great this new album is and that if you've never seen them live, AC/DC is one of the must sees of your lifetime if you are any degree of a rocker. You won't regret it.

-Ray Carsillo

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

GRINDING THE GEARS




It helped launch the current generation of systems and prove just how far we had come in terms of shooter games. It also left us on the edge of our seats as we knew by the end cut scene that this epic was not over. Gears of War was revolutionary in terms of how much it stressed firing from behind cover and blind firing without a stress on stealth. Add in that there was nothing more satisfying in online play than sneaking up behind someone and mowing them down with the chainsaw attached to your gun. Graphics, weapon design, enemy A.I., they all took steps forward with the first Gears of War, so how on earth could they top it?

If you loved the first Gears as much as I did, then you were at a Midnight Mayhem Launch at one of the many locations across the tri-state area, waiting anxiously for the clock to strike 12:01 AM on Friday, November 7th. Take a look at the attached video to see a special interview with Rod Fergusson, the Senior Producer for Gears of War 2 from Epic Games and you can get a better sense of what to expect.

After finally procuring my own copy of Gears of War 2, I staved off sleep for as long as it took for me to beat it and I could not have been happier with the product.

The first game set the stage for one of the grandest universes we've been immersed in as gamers in a long while and the second game did its job, which was to flesh out the characters and expound on the background of this amazing universe. You once again take on the role of Marcus Fenix and have to lead Delta Squad against the Locust Hordes who are trying to take over the surface world after living under the earth's crust for no one knows how long.

One of the additions to this game is in Co-op story mode, you aren't a ghost shooter when you tag along with a buddy, but take over as Dominic Santiago, Marcus's closest friend and 2nd in command and follow the story through his eyes as well as Marcus's. A nice addition to mention is that both Marcus's and Dom's back stories have been fleshed out and you learn a lot about their characters and personal motives with some interesting twists and turns along the way.

As well as the fleshed out story, the graphics have been upgraded to push the XBOX 360 to its limits and you can tell. The light effects, the blood, the lush color of vegetation (or not so lush of rotting vegetation), all bring the sense of realism to all new heights. The enemy A.I. has been upgraded and the gameplay is as smooth as can be. I saw no glitches to speak of. And some of the most fun levels I've played in a long time were when you get behind the wheel of several C.O.G. and Locust "vehicles" and just start blowing everything and everyone to kingdom come.

The multiplayer is back as well and has been ramped up. With new multiplayer modes, like King of the Hill, Wingman, and Annex, new maps, and the pure satisfaction of winning a battle of clashing chainsaws and you have one of the best multiplayer experiences out there.

Add in new abilities, like using dying Locust soldiers as shields while under fire, collectibles from every level, and new weapons such as poison gas grenades, burst shot pistols, the ability to turn your grenades into proximity mines (which can be planted right on enemies as well as on walls), flamethrowers, and the return of some of the greatest weapons ever imagined like the Lancer chainsaw rifle and you have all the ingredients for, in my opinion, so far, the best gaming experience of 2008.

Ratings are based on a system of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 9.5: Sharp, clear, crisp. These are words that you use when describing Gears of War 2. The only reason why I deducted points was that when you mow down enemies with the chainsaw, they fall apart into lots of little pieces that would not make sense if you're slicing them right down the middle. Aside from this minor critique, the game is a feast for the eyes.

Audio: 10.0:
The voice acting was superb. The gravel and guts in Marcus Fenix's voice made you think of how much fighting this man had seen. The music fit every situation and helped to build tension to let you know when something was coming so that you actually tensed up because you didn't know what would be behind the next corner. Explosions, gunfire, chainsaws grinding, and other SFX were all solidly used as well. Can't deduct from something was perfect.

Plot/Plot Development: 9.0: The first Gears ended in a cliffhanger and the second Gears ends in even a bigger cliffhanger. Questions from the first Gears were answered, but even more questions pop up as you play through the game. I don't want to give anything away by saying what they are, but I already can't wait for Gears 3! Add in the emotion you feel for the characters as their backgrounds are fleshed out and you walk away from this one like you just watched a great movie in the middle of the trilogy. Dare I say, this is The Empire Strike Back of video games?

Gameplay: 10.0: There were no glitches as far as I could tell and everything kept up at a great pace. I didn't even realize how long I had been playing the game for until I finally looked at my clock and said "Damn!" It felt like I was watching a movie it was so smooth. Enemy A.I. was relatively unpredictable and the game was just hard enough to give you a challenge, but with enough checkpoints to keep you from being frustrated. Best game I've played this year, I think.

Replay Value: 9.0: Not a lot to bring you back to the story mode aside from getting the achievements of beating the game on a harder difficulty and trying to find all the collectibles, but the multiplayer is great. Lots of different modes keeps the multiplayer situations constantly in flux and there is still no greater feeling in gaming than sneaking up on someone and hacking them to ribbons with your Lancer Chainsaw Rifle.

Overall (not an average): 9.5: One of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in gaming in a while. From the story mode to the great multiplayer mode, this game is tight as a drum. It's hard to really complain about anything except that I don't think I can wait another two years for Gears 3 to come out. Gears of War 2 is out now exclusively for XBOX 360.

-Ray Carsillo

Sunday, November 16, 2008

DOUBLE REVIEW FOR DOUBLE-0-7

With the release of the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, I've decided to review not only the movie, but the video game as well. We'll begin with the movie.

Many people were worried that the series was on its last legs after the egg that Die Another Day laid and the lack of action in Casino Royale , but Quantum of Solace proves that Casino Royale was simply setting the stage for something much bigger and better than we could have hoped for. Quantum of Solace slams you against the back of your seat from the very get-go with its fast-paced, action-packed, sequences and a plot deeper than the Atlantic Ocean.

The movie picks up right where Casino Royale left off with Bond transporting "Mr. White" to a MI-6 safe house for interrogation. This also marks the first time in the series that a Bond movie picks up so closely on the heels of the previous movie, helping with the continuity of the story and insinuating that, if you didn't get the feeling from Casino Royale, this isn't your daddy's James Bond.

Once the interrogation starts, you find out quickly that Mr. White and his unknown organization have people everywhere, as demonstrated by one of MI-6's agents going rouge and freeing Mr. White. Thus begins another action packed chase sequence on the roofs of Siena, Italy.

I won't give away any more of the plot except that Bond will find himself unable to trust anyone as it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe from the reach of this mystery organization and Bond will have to go rogue to get to the bottom of how far this mystery organization's reach is. Along the way, he will question himself as he realizes that many of whom he holds near and dear begin to suffer in the wake of his path of destruction as he travels across oceans to corner solid leads and stop a diabolical plot or two along the way.

Bottom line is that this was an awesome Bond movie and it will rejuvenate the series. With the continuation of the story directly from movie to movie, it's easier to follow the characters and their changes and really get engrossed in the mythos. Everyone gives great performances and Daniel Craig really puts his own touch on Bond by acting so blatantly defiant at times that it's almost funny while still being a bad ass.

The plot and action sequences were really well thought out, played beautifully on the screen, and will keep your attention for the entire 1 hour and 45 minutes to the point you'll be asking for more. Add in classic elements like tons of beautiful women with some...interesting character names like Miss Strawberry Fields and you'll really enjoy the experience.

There were only two things with the movie that bothered me. The first was in some scenes, you could tell that someone wasn't watching the continuity as certain characters were out of place from cut to cut and it didn't make sense. To the untrained eye it could probably get by, but for someone like me, it got under my skin a little.

The other thing was that this movie basically confirms the cutting of "Q Branch", the R&D gurus who outfitted Bond with his many wonderful gadgets. Although there was some cutting edge tech, there was nothing so outlandish like a grenade-pen or tracking beacons in his shoes. The most extensive piece of tech for Bond was his cell phone, which really helps solidify the new, more realistic, direction the Bond movies are going in. I miss John Cleese though. Aside from these minor complaints, never mind one of the better Bond movies, this was one of the straight up better action movies I've seen in a long time.

Quantum of Solace gets a solid 4.5 out of 5.

Moving from the theatre to the home, I picked up the Quantum of Solace video game, looking forward to boat, plane, and car chases across three continents and more chase scenes on foot than I could shake my controller at. Unlike the movie though, the game fails to deliver on many accounts.

Although the levels based on the movie are well thought out and stealth is highly encouraged, there were no vehicle chase scenes to speak of and this really took away from the length of the game. In order to compensate, they flashed back to Casino Royale and had half the game revolve around these flashbacks.

Now, these levels were enjoyable, but the fact that they felt they needed to virtually include both movies in the game to make this worthwhile simply speaks to the fact that there probably wasn't enough here to make a game with to begin with and that disappointed me because from watching the movie there was, which means the developers got lazy.

Now, in fairness, all James Bond games will be compared to the smash hit, Goldeneye, from the N64. One of the things from that game was that the gameplay came straight out of the movie to the point that you had the entire plot without even having to see the movie. This game changed a few things around; some were good, some not so much.

One of the good things was that it explained the situations a lot more thoroughly so that you had a better understanding. Example, the chase scene in Siena, Italy. The scene takes place on the day of the Polio, one of the most famous horse races in the world held in the town square. If you are unfamiliar with Italian traditions though, you might be a little confused watching a horse race in a town square while watching the movie, whereas it is explained in great detail in the game.

Another good thing was that enemy physics system. Enemies falling down when you shot them in the legs, but not necessarily passing away, or falling over a hand rail into boxes below if their momentum was taking them towards the rail were nice touches. This gave the game a solid sense of realism and was one of the bright spots.

One other great thing was hand to hand combat. Sneaking up on enemies and stealthily putting them down by pressing a corresponding button was great stuff. Add in the boss and lock pick mini-games and of having to push the right button at the right time in order to pass and the game does try to keep you on your toes by mixing things up a bit.

One of the bad things is that the game basically changed a great deal of the plot, especially towards the end of the game, to fit where they were going with it more and showed us things from the villain's points of view, which was interesting, but completely unnecessary since the game is supposed to revolve around James Bond.

Add in that the enemy A.I. was poor at best and that it began to feel like you were playing a shooting gallery down at the boardwalk, simply hiding behind cover and waiting to pick off enemies when they popped up to shoot at you, and you have a game barely worthy of a rental. If you are a fan of James Bond and the mythos, then rent the game to get a couple extra plot details you may have missed from the movie, otherwise, there are plenty of better 1st person shooters out there.

Ratings are based on a system of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 9.0: The game looked pretty solid. The fire graphics were alright, and the light effects were well done. Everyone's faces and movements were smooth and everything looked as it should. It was difficult to tell exactly where to go sometimes because sometimes exits blended in a little too well to the darkness, but aside from this, the game looked pretty good.

Audio: 10.0: Voice acting was really well done and having a long list of enemy phrases to choose from prevented the A.I. from ever repeating itself. If Bond was spotted, enemies never called it in the same way twice, which was a nice touch. Explosions and gun fire sounded solid and the music was solid as is always expected from a James Bond game. Just play the opera level to get a sense of how good this game was sound-wise.

Plot/Plot Development: 6.5: The plot was only passable because if you didn't see the movie, not everything made sense to you. And if you didn't see Casino Royale, you were definitely in trouble. If a James Bond game is based on a movie, it should follow the movie as closely as possible, and this didn't do that. Lots of holes in the plot make the movie a must see and the game a rental at best.

Gameplay: 7.5: A lack of levels based on the vehicle chases really took something away from the game. The enemy physics was solid, but their A.I. was subpar and it made it feel like a shooting gallery half the time. Even when they tried to flank you, it was so blatantly obvious that it was no difficulty at all picking them off. All you had to do was hide behind cover and that made it feel like the shootouts were cheap knockoffs from the Gears of War series. I liked the addition of a hand to hand combat system and that many "boss" fights and the lock picking system was basically a mini-game. It kept the feel of the game different and tested your reflexes a bit more. Overall, the gameplay passes, but was nothing special.

Replay Value: 7.0: There isn't a lot to replay the story mode. You could go back to try to find the entire cache of cell phones with extra intel on the mission to unlock things for multi-player, but that's it. The multi-player itself isn't anything special and feels like something that was added because it is expected nowadays. I would rather have had more levels and a better enemy A.I. than an average multi-player mode.

Overall (not an average): 7.0: Although the game looks and sounds great, it is not. The gameplay is lacking and a lack of overall game to actually play is disappointing. Add in an average multi-player that looked slapped together because it is expected to be in every shooter out there and this game is a rental at best, even for the most die-hard of James Bond fans. Quantum of Solace is out now for all systems.

-Ray Carsillo

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

HISTORY

Normally I steer away from the heavy stuff like politics, religion, and other societal issues, but the event that happened last evening was too tremendous an occasion not to at least comment on.

First off, congratulations to President-Elect Obama and kudos to Senator McCain for a hard fought campaign and for conceding the election in one of the most heartfelt speeches I have ever heard. His grace in the face of defeat was nothing short of miraculous and speaks to the man's character in ways we can barely comprehend.

I, for one, look forward to the radical changes that the President-Elect will bring to a nation crying out for something different. If anything, last night's results showed how sick and tired of the Bush Administration this nation is and, almost as a whole, rose up to support the farthest thing from that, Barack Obama.

There were several things from last night that made me very hopeful for the future for the first time in a good while concerning our government and my generation's impact on this nation. There were also a few things that make me worry for the status of our pop culture, which is not nearly as important, but since my job revolves around it, I want to talk about it. In terms of our government, I do not need to pretend I'm some pundit or someone who remotely knows what they are talking about to know that the change coming in the next couple of years is necessary and am happy to see that, for the most part, the nation is united for the first time in eight years behind one man.

In terms of history, we have finally completely eroded a wall that had been there, but never talked about, about the limits of a man based on the color of his skin. There will always be hate all over the world, but this was a major step in the direction of quelling that hate and kicking it to the shadows permanently. This is monumental for the minority population, those with more impoverished backgrounds, and those without hope. This election was a symbol of progress for our great nation in a spectacular direction towards healing the wounds we've inflicted upon ourselves in the past eight years.

There were several minor things about last night though that really bothered me.

First: Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi all voted for McCain even after they had two hurricanes dropped on their heads that almost turned that part of the south into our country's next great water park and got NOTHING from the current administration until it was too late. This happened to be the same administration that McCain voted with 90% of the time. This is why people from these states are considered some of the stupidest in the nation by those of us above the Mason-Dixon Line since logic would dictate that when bad stuff happens, and the people who are supposed to help in your time of need don't, you should no longer trust them to help you next time.

Second: The Daily Show/Colbert Report one hour live special was the first station to break Virginia going to Obama. That's right. Comedy Central broke one of the biggest political stories of the night to that point. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert were also the second to announce Obama as the President-Elect after CNN. Then older folks wonder why my generation turns to Comedy Central for our news before anywhere else. We get our news faster and with a funny twist without having to listen to the same whining from these pundits on the other networks. Kudos to Comedy Central.

Third: Sticking with the Daily Show/Colbert Report, what are these shows going to make fun of now? They have their work cut out for them. I'm sure something will happen though that will keep feeding the fodder for comedy writers everywhere. There's always professional sports. Not just comedians though will be affected in the media, but all the right wingers with radio and TV shows. Will they be muzzled now that the democrats have control over the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the White House? I'm relatively sure much of the brass in the larger networks has connections to Washington. I wonder if Sean Hannity can say "Would you like fries with that?"

Fourth: The election was summed up in a handful of television shots during McCain's concession speech and Obama's victory speech. When showing the disappointed McCain supporters, you saw nothing but old, white people in the crowd. There was not a single person of color or under the age of 40 there. When you saw the celebrating Obama supporters, you saw the potential of this great land of ours. People of all ages, colors, and creeds dancing and celebrating and jumping up and down with each other. Those few shots summarized the past two years of campaigning in about two minutes and explained the results more eloquently than any speech could.

Fifth: Did anyone else notice before Barack Obama came out to give his victory speech, they were playing Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher"? They were in Chicago and Bill Murray is from Chicago. Bill Murray was also in Ghostbusters 2, which any true geek will remember as that same song being the song that allowed the Ghostbusters to bring the Statue of Liberty to life to give them entry to Vigo's Slime Fortress (previously the Metropolitan Museum of Art). Did Bill Murray help Obama at all in Chicago? Or maybe Obama is just a Ghostbusters fan? No wonder why people love this guy!

Then again I could just be having a geek moment and it will pass.

In conclusion, be optimistic America. Things are going to start turning around.

I hope.

-Ray Carsillo

Monday, October 27, 2008

SOMEWHERE, JOE THEISMAN IS CRYING

Brutal. Plain and simple. You wanted to look away, but it was like a car accident. You couldn't do it. Joe Theisman's leg was bent at a 45 degree angle in a place where the leg is not supposed to bend. Lawrence Taylor, the man who revolutionized the linebacker position, snapped Joe Theisman's leg in two for all the world to see.

This play was a microcosm of the intensity and ruthlessness that this man, this defensive god, played the game with. Every play, every game, the original L.T. dominated the game like no other before him had.

L.T. had to retire at some point though, like all football greats. As time passed, the NFL became the "No Fun League" as hard hits and flashy moves have almost all been banned with threats of fines and suspensions from men in suits who have no idea about the smell of freshly cut grass on a Sunday afternoon or the sound of pads clashing as these modern-day warriors battle for the entertainment of millions.

L.T., like many, did not like the direction the NFL had been going. Some have come out and criticized the league in statements. Some players simply ignore the fines and suspensions and play the game the way it is supposed to be played. L.T. took a more creative approach.

Along with the arcade style genii at Midway Games, I present to you Blitz: The League 2.

Okay, so that was a little overly dramatic. Basically, Lawrence Taylor and Midway Games have put out a sequel to the original Blitz: The League. This game is everything you love about football with none of the restrictions. I am talking about smash-mouthed, hard-edged, no holds barred football where you are breaking people, like L.T. broke Joe Theisman, on every other play. Unsportsmanlike conduct is encouraged. In fact, it is all but necessary if you want to win and, by all means, dance as much as you want in the end zone.

This is one of the most fun gaming experiences I have had in a long time. Unlike the sports simulation games, this incorporates the one thing that is always missing: a story. Blitz 2 offers an in-depth story mode that plays out across three seasons that makes you care not only about the franchise like in sports sims, but your players as well. Every player and franchise has a unique history that makes you feel as if you're rooting for a real team and this is a league that would blow the "No Fun League" out of the water.

Aside from the story mode, there is a great online mode with few people backing out because unlike in the NFL, this game can swing back and forth with each snap of the ball. Also, if you have some friends over for beers or what not, there are some great vs. modes aside from standard exhibition game. One mode has every tackle force a fumble. Another gives you bonus points for injuring opposing players. These bonus modes bring the level of competition to all new heights.

Overall, this game has it all. Great gameplay, engrossing plot, superb voice acting; you can't go wrong with this game if you like football. I wish they could come out with a Blitz: The League every year so I wouldn't have to get my football fix from the tired Madden franchise when there isn't a Blitz option. If you don't get this game, L.T. will have to make sure you end up like Joe Theisman.

Ratings are based on a system of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 10.0: I don't give 10s a lot for sports games in terms of visuals. Usually graphics are sacrificed to fit in all the playbooks, rosters, stadiums, etc. This game, though, is one of the most beautiful games I've seen in a long time. The weather effects are AMAZING. You look forward to playing in cold weather stadiums just to see how real the snow is. Add in how realistic the players look and I can't give anything less.

Audio: 9.5: Voice acting is crucial in games and this game delivers in almost every aspect. Jay Mohr nails the greasy, sleazy agent and Frank Caliendo is hysterical as a Madden-esqe color commentator. Add in Lawrence Taylor re-voicing hard hitting linebacker Quentin Sands and almost all the voice acting was spectacular. The only thing I took away from was that I felt the play by play commentator became tiring and little too quickly and so I had to dock it from the game's score. Aside from that minor critique, music, SFX, and voice acting are all top notch.

Plot/Plot Development: 9.0: Usually, this is N/A, but this game actually has a story mode and it is phenomenal. The biggest critique for it is that it only lasts through three seasons. I would love to see a more expansive story mode that is a little more open ended, but considering it is the first major sports franchise to even think of incorporating story lines, it is forgivable.

Gameplay: 9.5: Smooth all around. No lag or glitches to speak of. I did notice a couple of minor things with the guys being carted off the field with injuries, but aside from that, there is nothing. This game plays beautifully and considering all the things going on with it, that is an amazing accomplishment.

Replay Value: 8.5: Online mode kicks butt and the bonus modes are great for when you have your boys over to chill. I have to dock points because there really isn't a lot to bring you back to replay the story mode and it is a little shorter than I like. Still though, lots of fun and lots of bonus modes will keep this disc warm in your machine.

Overall (not an average): 9.5: This was one of the best gaming experiences I've had in a while. I did not want to put the controller down on more than one occasion. The only major knock I have is that it is relatively short and I want to break more people like L.T. broke Joe Theisman. There is nothing holding you back now from smashing people's faces in as Blitz: The League 2 is currently out for XBOX 360 and PS3.

-Ray Carsillo

Sunday, October 19, 2008

NO PRIDE, NO GLORY

I had the opportunity to catch an advanced screening of New Line Cinema’s Pride and Glory. It seems every year or so, Hollywood feels it necessary to come out with a dark, gritty, cop drama. Some are triumphs of the medium and hold your attention to the very last second. Others make you want to smash a beer bottle over the head of the director as you check your watch every ten minutes counting down to about when the movie will finally wrap up. Pride and Glory is, unfortunately, more the latter than the former.

Four New York City cops are dead after a routine drug bust goes horribly wrong. With a confirmed cop-killer on the loose, the NYPD rallies to form a task force with the sole purpose of finding and hunting down this thug.

The man to lead this force is Detective Ray Tierney (Edward Norton), as assigned by the Chief of Detectives, his father, Francis (Jon Voight). Ray reluctantly takes the case as the men who were shot down served directly under his brother, Francis Jr. (Noah Emmerich), and alongside his brother-in-law, Jimmy (Colin Farrell), and feels they have more reason than he does to get involved.

Regardless, Ray takes the case. As Ray delves deeper into the evidence, he begins to realize the clues are pointing to the unthinkable: there was an inside man on the force who tipped off the drug dealers and, even more shockingly, his brother and brother-in-law might have had something to do with it. As the questions mount, Ray and his family must choose between their loyalty to the force and their loyalty to each other…

With a star-studded cast and a premise that sounds enticing, you expect so much more from this film and end up looking for excuses to leave the theatre when it fails to deliver. The characters are poorly fleshed out with many random scenes thrown into the movie futilely attempting to add depth to characters that are lacking it from the opening credits. These extra scenes make this movie 45 minutes longer than it should be and have you looking at your watch more often than at the screen (Thank god for the glow in the dark feature).

Add in a back story that all the characters know, but never explained properly to the audience, and you end up with a convoluted, disjointed story, that is barely watchable. Instead of trying to make one solid 90 minute movie, the parallel plot lines make it seem like they made two 60 minute movies and spliced them together so it could be released in the theatres.

The only saving grace of the movie is that there are a handful of really intense scenes where you catch yourself on the edge of your seat. The acting is great, the dialogue is memorable, and they draw out emotion from you like a movie should. It is such a shame that these scenes are so few and far between the rest of the refuse that constitutes this film.

I will also say that the actors did what they could with the lackluster script. Asking Colin Farrell to play an Irish cop isn’t much of a stretch though and this movie makes itself Noah Emmerich’s eighth role as a police officer. Jon Voight is a pro and been playing these fatherly figures for years now and Edward Norton is part of the Hollywood A-list so anything that has “drama” in the category will work to his talents. The only thing they did right with this movie was get people who are comfortable with these kinds of roles, but there was nothing they could do with this horrible piece.

Instead of Pride and Glory, this movie should be called Shame and Failure. This is a sorry, failed attempt at a Departed rip-off. Pride and Glory gets a 1.5 out of 5. If you are a glutton for 2 hours and 5 minutes of boredom, it will be in theatres everywhere October 24th, 2008.

-Ray Carsillo

Thursday, October 9, 2008

ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE

City of Ember is an adventure film about survival and the ability of the human spirit to rise above adversity. For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in a breathtakingly beautiful world of glittering light, miles below the surface of the earth. Built as the last refuge for humanity and powered by a massive generator, the people begin to fear for their safety as the generator begins to fail as unbeknownst to them, it was only meant to last 200 years. Now as the lights of Ember begin to flicker and fade, the hope for its citizens lie in the form of Lina Mayfleet (Saorise Ronan) and Doon Harrow (Harry Treadway) as they race against time to unravel a centuries old puzzle and lead their people to safety.

Along the way Lina and Doon must find the inspiration and support from those close to them, such as Doon’s father, Loris (Tim Robbins), to overcome the constricting laws of Ember and its corrupt Mayor Cole (Bill Murray) in a race to solve the mysteries of their glorious city before it’s too late.

Visually, this was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. The costumes helped spark your imagination and the entire city was constructed on a massive soundstage in Belfast, Ireland, to help immerse the actors and stress how important the character of the city is to the dynamic of the film.

“When you walk in and there’s a street in an underground city that is 55ft-60ft high with tunnels underneath it, there’s decaying doors and windows and bricks built as a street and concrete and plaster for the walls and real doors and real glass windows and beautiful design work too. The emblems of the city built into the streets and the fountains and the fountains work. It’s not hard to say you’re a part of the society when it’s right there. You walk into work and its right there, it’s so simple. The costumes as well. The best costumes I’ve ever worn. They exceed any other film, by far. Ruth Meyers, the costume designer, is a genius,” commented Bill Murray at a press conference in New York City.

The relationship between Lina and Doon, the two heroes of the story, is great as well. Their stark contrast in character is enjoyable as the driving force for the movie and helps support the overall message.

“It’s more about the spirit of humanity that finds a way to survive under the direst of circumstances. The thing that really got me about this movie was that it had that great kind of dynamic with the two young people and that you have to be strong enough to have hope when others have lost it and if you believe in it enough, anything is possible,” said Tim Robbins when asked about the story’s message.

The biggest problem I had with the movie is that they simply tried to cram too much into 95 minutes and this led to a lack of overall character development. It also restricted the playing out of the conflict between Lina, Doon, and the forces in Ember trying to prevent them from reaching their goal and this took a little away from the overall enjoyment of the movie.

Still, though, City of Ember is a solid film for the whole family, which is hard to find at a time of the year more synonymous with ghouls and goblins. Enough action to keep the adults entertained and the two young protagonists will help inspire any youngster to what they can do if they believe in something enough and are willing to go as far as necessary to follow it through.

City of Ember comes out nationwide October 10th.

-3 out of 5 stars

-Ray Carsillo

Monday, October 6, 2008

OFFENSE WINS GAMES, DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Here is a short season preview for the New York Rangers. I felt a little obliged to write this since I am a diehard Rangers fan and I do work for the radio home of the Rangers so it only made sense.

The New York Rangers hope that the old adage above holds true for their 2008-2009 NHL season. With the loss of forwards Sean Avery, Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, and, most likely, Brendan Shanahan, the Rangers hope that a bolstered defense and the energy of the young guns they are using to replace these wily veteran scorers will be the right mix to take them the distance in the NHL Playoffs this year.

The acquisition of veteran defensemen Wade Redden and Dmitri Kalinin will only strengthen the 4th best defense in the NHL, which was spearheaded last year by Vezina finalist goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The hard hitting Kalinin will be a great influence on youngsters Dan Girardi and Marc Staal and help in their continued development and Redden will help bolster the power play roster by allowing Michal Rozsival a break by coming in as the second unit’s offensive defenseman. The Rangers are hinging a lot of hope on their adding Redden to a power play that was only 22nd in the league last year.

They especially need the power play to pick it up considering they are losing a lot of offense with Jagr and Straka leaving for Europe, and Shanahan still weighing his options, and they were still only 25th in the league last year. Adding veteran sniper Markus Nasland will make up some of the loss, but Chris Drury and Scott Gomez will be expected to pick up most of the slack and they will have to if the Rangers are to do anything this year.

Youngster Brandon Dubinsky looks like he learned a lot from his year with Jagr though as he has started the preseason on fire. You only hope that Naslund’s influence can help focus Dubinsky’s youthful energy. If this is the case, Brandon could stun a lot of people as he continues to develop into a star in this league. Also, expect Petr Prucha to make up for his sophomore slump and have a breakout year, especially since he is expected to play every night now that the Rangers have lost some depth at forward.

The Rangers are also adding a lot of players with question marks looming over their heads. The biggest one is Nikolai Zherdev who has the potential to be a big time goal scorer in this league, but seems to lose focus in a moment’s notice. Coach Tom Renney will not tolerate a lack of focus from Zherdev; he is expected to be playing on the top line and the Rangers will need him to have a big year. It’s a lot of pressure on the young man’s shoulders, but it might be just what he needs to get into shape. Pressure can turn coal into diamonds or grind it to dust, and what pressure is there when you play for Columbus? We’ll find out what he’s really made of this year in New York.

The Rangers have the base elements of a really good team. They have scorers, penalty killers, a strong check line, and a Vezina caliber goalie. They have defensemen that can score and forwards that can defend. So where will the Rangers end up? If everything gels as is expected, then they should improve on last year’s awful offense and maintain their defense. If this happens then the Rangers have the potential to threaten Pittsburgh for the Eastern Conference title. If it doesn’t happen, then, unfortunately, we Garden faithful are used to waiting another year for a chance at the cup.

There’s always the Knicks, right? Oh…Wait…Umm…Nevermind…Let’s go Rangers!!!

-Ray Carsillo

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

SAMOAN SUBMISSION MACHINE

Now stepping into the Geek Stuff Arena is the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, the Samoan Submission Machine, SAMOA JOE! I had a chance to sit down and talk with Joe and try to bring out the big man's inner geek a little. We talk about the new TNA Impact video game and his participation in the Game of Fame on XBOX 360, his upcoming title match with "The Icon" Sting at Bound For Glory in Chicago on October 12th, only available on Pay-Per-View, and much, much more. Go to the link below or on the right side of this page to give a listen.




-Ray Carsillo

Friday, September 19, 2008

STEEL CHAIRS AND WHEELBARROW NECKBREAKERS

Imagine a steel chair slamming into your face at 100 MPH; in a good way, of course. That is what TNA Impact does to you from the very first match you play. You can either jump right into a match with some of your all time favorites like Sting or the “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe or you can take part in the expansive story mode that will take six to ten hours for you to complete depending on how fast you pick up on the nuances of the game. And it’s those little nuances that make this game one of the most enjoyable wrestling games to come out in years.

Unlike another popular wrestling brand’s video game series, TNA Impact is more of homage to what makes wrestling games as great as they are. It combines over-the-top non-stop action with an engaging storyline and a versus/online mode to keep you coming back for more with friends and strangers alike. Add its stunning visuals and this game is a winner through and through.

The first thing you notice is the awesome graphics. For the first time ever, the crowd is not a sea of sprites, but instead every person is a 3D model that comes to life as your match progresses. The details of every wrestler and every move they make are as sharp as a honed blade and the facial expressions are remarkably detailed. Add in that every wrestler and commentator voiced themselves (and did it well) and you feel like you’re watching TNA sometimes instead of playing it.

To create this sense of realism, there had to be a few cutbacks, though. Such as limits on your weapon selection and on exactly where you can go with the wrestlers. Aside from the immediate area outside of the ring, you are confined to fight in-between the ropes. It would have been nice if you could have gone up the ramp or into the crowd like so many of the great matches of the real TNA. Also, your only weapon is the customary steel chair, with a handful always scattered about the ring.

This limits your hardcore experiences, but it does give you a chance to focus on your moves. And every wrestler has his old standbys. Kurt Angle performs the Angle Slam with precision and if that doesn’t work, he’ll break out a series of submission maneuvers that almost make you want to tap your chair in hopes of making it stop. Kevin Nash comes across with all the power you would expect from all 7’ of “Big Sexy”. And all the guys from the X-Division fly high and fly far from the top ropes.

Only thing about the moves is sometimes the enemy A.I. gets a little reversal happy, though, and if you have trouble mastering the reversal yourself, you might get frustrated at times from this. It’s hard to find that mix of needing reversals and just being able to go for your moves in a wrestling game and this is another game in a long line that might want to look more into that. Maybe a reversal meter to go with your finisher meter?

The other thing that stands out by itself, but isn’t without fault, is the story mode. The fact that they have a complex story mode is amazing in and of itself because a proper story is something that has been lacking in wrestling games for a while. This might be the best game since WWE: No Mercy (largely considered the best wrestling game of all time) for the N64 just because it has a really compelling, well written story mode to it. The only thing it lacks is open-endedness. The story suffers because you are not in control of the choices your wrestler makes. You just keep winning and advancing through one story. A few options or consequences for losing would be nice.

Overall, this was a great first installment. TNA and Midway should be proud of this game. It’s fun, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing. It needs work though. They need to find a way to expand where your wrestler can go and what weapons he can use, they need a little more variation in the commentary, and they need to expand the story mode for this to be a complete smash hit. Otherwise, if you are a wrestling fan and a looking for a little old school, in your face, off the top rope action, you need to get this game.

Rankings are based on a score of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

Graphics: 10.0: This game is beautiful. Everything about it was great visually from the wrestlers’ entrances to the crowd to the wrestlers themselves. This game could not have been better visually.

Audio: 10.0: In terms of audio, this game could not have been better either. Having every wrestler and announcer voice themselves was great. The commentary got a little repetitive after a while, but it didn’t take away from the experience so I can’t take away points.

Plot/Plot Development: 8.0: The story mode is expansive for a wrestling game and really draws you in. The only problem, and it’s a big one, is that the story is too linear. You have no choice in how the game plays out aside from you winning or losing in the ring and having to either replay the match or continue on.

Gameplay: 9.0: Stellar. Only a handful of notable glitches to think of. Even the easy setting made the wrestlers somewhat difficult to beat unless you master the timing for the reversal button. Making you rely on the reversal or the steel chair in some matches to win though became tiresome, but I can’t blame someone for making a difficult, old-school wrestling button masher.

Replay Value: 7.0: A lack of options in the story mode make this a less than ten hour ride, but the multiplayer and online options are the bread and butter of wrestling games for the most part, anyway.

Overall (not an average): 8.5: TNA and Midway have the makings of a hit franchise on their hands, but it needs some work. More options in the story mode, more creative reversal format, more weapons, and more diverse commentary. Basically what every good first installment inspires from its fans. THEY WANT MORE. That alone means that TNA Impact might just be the must have wrestling game of 2008.

-Ray Carsillo

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

WE WILL ROCK YOU!


It was one of the most popular games to ever come out for a home console. Following the trend of DDR and Guitar Hero, Rock Band took it to an entirely new level. With both bass and lead guitars, drums, and a microphone, Rock Band allowed you to gather a couple of friends and live out that dream of touring around the country with thousands of screaming fans, all from the comfort of your own home.

So how would they top it? How could they continue this phenomenon and continue to draw in not only their hardcore fans, but to extend it to even the casual gamer/rocker? I had a chance to talk with John Drake, a member of the Harmonix team that put together Rock Band 2 , to see just what they did to make Rock Band 2 bigger and better than the original and got some fans' take on the game after playing a demo.



After talking with John and the four hot chicks, I had a chance to try out the game myself and my initial review is that this is a chart topping hit in every way possible. Not only was the selection of songs larger, but the graphics were sharper, and the possibility of downloading extras for it made my mouth water at the prospect. I only had a chance to play a demo so I can’t give a full detailed review, but my gut instinct screams as I smash a guitar on stage that this is 10 out of 10. You can pick up Rock Band 2 for XBOX 360 now and expect it out on the Wii and PS3 sometime in the middle of October.

-Ray Carsillo

Monday, September 15, 2008

MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN

You would think a futuristic war against machines with characters ripped right from Norse mythology would be a geek’s dream come true. Unfortunately, said dream became a reality on the XBOX 360 in the exclusive title, Too Human.

Too Human is an Action/Adventure title with RPG characteristics brought to you by Silicon Knights, the same people that brought such original games as Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem to home consoles.

Now, this isn’t a bad game by any stretch. The story is just not as original as hyped and the gameplay is nothing new. You play as Baldur, the youngest of the Aesir, a group of cyborgs regarded as gods amongst the dwindling human population. Baldur is regarded as the greatest warrior of the Aesir, combining both sound military stratagem and brute force. His older brother, Thor, and his father, Odin, both hold him in high regard and send him forth on the most dangerous missions. These missions usual force him to take on the evil war machines that have overrun the planet and have wreaked endless havoc upon the human populace. The machines are constantly trying to one-up the remaining humans and the nearly indestructible Aesir by building themselves bigger and better, simply because it is what they are programmed to do.

As the game starts, machine Trolls and Goblins are numerous. And a new menace has appeared on Earth courtesy of the machines. A machine that feeds on human flesh for fuel called Grendel.

As the game progresses, you find out that Loki has escaped his prison (Norse god of Mischeif and often a villain) and he has befriend the machines and what were once thought only to be myth, the Frost Giants. You also find out more of how the war started with the machines and why Baldur cannot remember everything of who he was beyond a certain point.

If you haven’t already noticed several Norse references, then you must be under the age of 10 and/or have never read a Thor comic. The difference is they decided to combine the Norse legends with the Matrix. This is all well and good, but by no means original. As the story unfolds, it is interesting but, again, if you know anything about Norse mythology, it comes as no surprise that your overall objective is to prevent Ragnarok (the Norse version of Armageddon).

The worst part of this is that they decided to stretch this out over a trilogy a la Star Wars. I wonder what sacrifice you will have to make in the second part to go with the Empire Strikes Back theme. Could we come up with an original idea please?

Another thing that brings this game down is the fighting system. Using the XBOX 360’s second analog stick, you flick it in the direction you wish to attack with your handheld weapon and the right trigger to fire your guns. Overall, your guns are the easiest to use, but against large hordes of enemies, the handheld weapon is necessary because of its power and ability to take out several enemies at once. The idea was solid in using the second stick because it allows you to attack quickly in different directions as enemies try to dogpile on you. The implementation is where this falls apart as glitches swell up as you swing right through your target many times, costing yourself precious time and health.

Not that health matters since you come right back to life where you were when you died. The only thing is you have to wait for the “Valkyries” to come down and carry you off and you have to watch the cutscene the whole way through every time. After a while, it does become a good motivator not to die, but the penalty is not nearly as costly as in other games.

Rankings are based on a score of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

Graphics: 7.5: There were a lot of loose lines in this game and the backgrounds were dull and blended into each other often. I understand that with the wealth of enemies being thrown at you that you put a lot of processing power towards that, but a game that you put so much time, effort, and hype into should look a little more polished than it was.

Audio: 9.0: Strong music, great sound effects, and alright voice acting gives this a strong score in terms of audio. The voice acting felt a little over the top at times, but I guess this is what happens when you stick 1000 year old mythological characters into a future that we can’t even begin to dream of.

Plot/Plot Development: 7.5: Something stolen from 1000 years ago and the Wachowski brothers is not something that should be sold for $60 a pop. The plot, no matter how unoriginal it was, at least was developed at a decent pace and left enough surprises to make the ending worth it if you are familiar with the Norse mythos.

Gameplay: 5.5: Very glitchy fighting style mixed in with constantly hitting invisible walls in terms of jumping and the actual gameplay suffers at times. Again, just some overall polish to this could have corrected a lot of these problems, but instead they will just throw more enemies at you that you swing through.

Replay Value: 4.0: After you beat this, it is almost a relief. You could go back to into the game to try to keep leveling up and find new items or to try different warrior classes, but there really isn’t a point once you beat it.

Overall (not an average): 6.5: A decent story and a solid musical score is the only thing that keeps this game passable. Glitchy graphics and gameplay make the game more of a burden than it should be for something at this point in the current generation of games. A disappointing effort from the guys at Silicon Knights. I hope the second installment improves on these problems.

-Ray Carsillo