Scott Pilgrim Vs The World DLC Review

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The new Scott Pilgrim Vs The World DLC was released this past week. For a great price for $1.99 is it worth spending? Umm its only $1.99 unless you spending candy money I say its worth downloading. The DLC contains two new modes and a new playable character in Knives Chau. The two games modes are Dodgeball and Battle Royale. In dodgeball players will have to defeat their opponent with the dodgeball. It's not your normal dodgeball game, you can't beat your opponents up normally. You have to harm them with the dodgeball. The dodgeball would have been more fun if it was multiplayer, and it was an actual dodgeball game. In battle royale players and their friends fight it out in all out brawl. This is actually pretty cool to play. Finally Knives Chau is playable in story mode. Knives is probably the best person to play with, she has more agility and is able to catch items being thrown back her. She also can call Young Neil for aid. Overall for $1.99 it's a pretty cool DLC to get. I love using Knives, her combos are a killer. Final Grade B-/8.0.

Sonic Colors Review

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Sega attempts again to bring Sonic The Hedgehog to his former glory. With mixed reviews on Sonic 4, can the Hedgehog run back to the top? Sonic Colors is the latest Sonic game to hit the Nintendo Wii, but how does it hold up?

Story - Dr. Robotnik/Eggman which ever you prefer has open a new Amusement Park in space. Each planet is made of a different attraction. But things are not as they seem. Eggman has kidnapped a race of aliens called Wisps, he plans to use their power for his own gain. It's up to Sonic and Tails to rescue the Wisps and destroy Eggman's park once and for all.

Gameplay - If you are familiar with Sonic Unleashed, you should feel right at home. The game plays from the 3D and 2D perspective. Players will be able to use the Wii Mote with Nunchuck, Gamecube Controller and Classic Controller. There are 7 planets in all with each having 6 acts and one boss fight. The only complaint is the levels are short, some can take you to 2 minutes to 3 minutes max. However the game is back to basic, no werewolves, no transformations, no over the top Sonic friends to annoy you. Just Sonic going through these well design levels to reach his goal. Throughout the level Sonic will need the aid of the Wisps. The Wisps will grant Sonic special abilities to help Sonic progress through the level, during the Wisps mode you will use the motion controls and it works really well. The game is easy but very enjoyable. The level designs are beautiful, you will be dazzled by the design of the Starlight Carnival. Finally this game has a unique way to unlock Super Sonic. The Game Zone is where players will be able to collect the Chaos Emeralds. This is really cool because this is where multiplayer comes in, you and your friends can join together and complete the challenges needed to obtain the emeralds. I love the design of the game world, because let's just say it has an 8-Bit feel to it. This is the Sonic game you have been waiting for. Here is a list of Wisps provided by Wiki.

Wisps
White Boost – Allows Sonic to boost at any time.

Cyan Laser – Turns Sonic into a laser which can bounce off surfaces and travel through power lines.

Yellow Drill – Lets Sonic drill through soft ground and water. Sonic loses a life if he is still underground when the power-up runs out.[15]

Orange Rocket – Blasts Sonic upward to tremendous heights, followed by a sky dive back to solid ground.

Pink Spikes – Turns Sonic into a pink spike ball which sticks to walls and ceilings. He is also able to "spindash" to gain more velocity with this wisp.

Green Hover – Sonic can hover and perform dashes across lines of rings.

Blue Cube – Sonic is able to switch blue blocks and blue rings, opening new routes. When using it and landing on ground, nearby enemies can be destroyed.

Purple Frenzy – Turns Sonic into a berserker that chomps through anything in its path, and increases in size every time it eats an enemy or obstacle. Interestingly, this wisp had been corrupted by negative energy, thanks to Dr. Eggman. The same thing happened to the Violet wisp.

Gameplay Video


Graphics - The graphics are good. This is a great looking Sonic game. Sonic Colors is a very colorful game. However there are some levels that make you cringe. I found the water level to be ugly to look at. You didn't get the feel that you were underwater, but just surrounded by blue stuff. On the flip side of the coin, the Starlight Carnival and Tropical Island levels are a wonder for the Wii. The environment really shines and comes to life in these levels. You would want to play these levels over and over again to look at the details. There were some hiccups in movement in certain areas, but it didn't happen when I played it a second time. It could of just been my Wii.

Sound - This soundtrack brings me back to the Sonic feel I had as a kid. It's fun, energetic and describes Sonic's personality and the world he's in. Unlike Sonic 4's music this one has life in it. I really love the 8-bit music in the game world :). As for voice acting that is another story. Sonic voice is a hit in miss depending on the scene. I personally still think Urkel was the best voice for Sonic. However the voice is not bad, but it's not epic either. I just felt it was missing that attitude. Tails on the other hand I enjoyed. Tails voice wasn't that whiny, high pitch voice we always hear. This tails sounds confident, bold and just enjoyable to listen too. Eggman sounds the same as always and thats how we like him.

Replay Value - If you are perfectionist you will want to get an A rank on everything. There is tons to do and tons to see from Super Sonic to the Game Zone. Not to the mention the game is just fun and you will want to play it over and over.

Final Grade B+/8.5 - Sonic is back in glory. Mario might have to watch out if Sega keeps this up. Good Graphics, smooth simple gameplay, no annoying extra characters. This is what we want Sonic to be simple, fun and exciting. Final Grade is a B+/8.5.


EPIC FAIL: Titanic: The Animated Movie

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You know I have seen my share of bad movies. Maybe even more than the whole staff here at OtakusandGeeks. But this movie has to be the worst animated movie I've seen yet. First off it's an animated movie on the Titanic that has the nerve to say the real true story. Why is this movie so bad? Well it has stereotypes to the roof, with a drinking Mexican mice and a rapping Dog. Nothing else to say about this epic fail check the clip below. WHY THE FUCK DOES HE JUST START RAPPING? WHO DOES THAT?



PokePark: Pikachu's Great Adventure Review

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*Sings* "I want to be the very best like no one ever was. To befriend them is my real quest, to help them is my cause. Pikachu Big Great Adventure oooh, she coming to chase you, you call on me and I'll save you Pikachu." Excuse my horrible songwriting skills. I couldn't resist the Pokemon theme was in my head. Pikachu Great Adventure is finally here for the world to play. However is this really a great adventure or a snore fest?

Story - While Pikachu is playing with his friends. The legendary Pokemon Mew comes to Pikachu asking for aid in the Pokepark. 14 pieces of the Sky Prism have gone missing, if they aren't found it could be the end of Pokepark. It's up to Pikachu to not only restore order in the Pokepark but help find the pieces. It's a pretty simple story and it's great for the younger audiences. The story is more of your mission statement to be honest. There aren't any real cutscenes besides the opening one.

Gameplay - The gameplay is very simple to play. Players will hold the Wii Mote sideways utilizing the D-Pad to move Pikachu. The 1 button is used for Speed Dash, the 2 button is used to jump. The A button is for your Thunderbolt attack. The B button is used to direct your camera. However the camera angles in this game is so clunky at times, that you have to wait for the game to fix it for you. The motion control is used for attraction games and it works very well, this is when the game shines. The goal of this game is to collect prism, and to do that you have to play the attractions that are ruled by certain Pokemon. The attractions consist of mini games that you will have to beat a certain record to get the prism. However a lot of the attraction games Pikachu can't do on her own. This is when you have basically befriend as much Pokemon as possible. In order to get to different zones like Ice Zone, Beach Zone and etc. You will have to try and find the right Pokemon who can help you clear your attraction. When you talk to a Pokemon before they become your friend, you will have to either play a Skill game or a Battle. The skill game consists of Chase, Hide & Seek, Obstacle Hop or Quiz. The battle is a just a battle where Pikachu has to defeat their opponent.

This game gets very repetitive quickly. If you are over the age of 18, you'll turn it off after the Ice Zone. The mini games are fun when it begins. After three hours I found myself becoming extremely bored. Another disappointing aspect of the game is you don't get experience points from battles. In order for Pikachu to gain exp he has to get berries from making friends and clearing attractions. With those berries Pikachu will go the Meeting place, to spend the berries to upgrade to get new moves and health. The problem with that is don't Pokemon get experience from battles. Why can't Pikachu get experience points from battling? I know it's not that type of game but I would have love to see that. Finally the game is not difficult at all. It's a very easy game and it's best for the younger gamers.

Gameplay Video


Graphics - The graphics are good in this game. It's very colorful and capture's the same feel as Pokemon Battle Revolution or any other 3D Pokemon game. My favorite place to look at graphic wise is the Beach Zone. The water looks really good especially during the game attraction. It will remind you of Mario Sunshine. I didn't experience any frame rate issues, but there are some sections in the game that look bland.

Sound - This is probably the weakest aspect of the game. The music is cheery but very boring. The main theme is the only one I enjoy because it sounds so happy. However all the Pokemon sounds and groans are there. Who doesn't love the call of Psyduck? Or the sweet sounds of Odish?

Replay Value - Unless you want to befriend them all, there really isn't much to do after the main story. Unfortunately there is no online play. You can't play mini games with friends which would have been nice. After you beat the game the park is pretty much closed.

Final Grade C-/7/10 - Pokepark is not Pikachu's Great Adventure. It's actually Pikachu being like Link and playing errand boy. The gameplay is great for kids and casual gamers. However veterans and hardcore gamers will be turn off on how quickly the game gets repetitive. It is light hearted and brings that Pokemon charm, also it has the cutest loading screens you will see this year. However Nintendo we're waiting for a Pokemon game for the Wii where we can catch them all. Final Grade is C-/7/10.




Call Of Duty Black Ops Robbery In Maryland

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Well it seems two people could not wait to get their hands on the new Call Of Duty game. It has been reported by MSNBC, that two gunmen armed with semi automatic hanguns robbed a Gamestop store in Harford County, Maryland. The gunmen stole four cases of the game which totals up to 100 copies. What the hell does someone need with 100 copies of Call Of Duty? Thankfully no one was hurt. You can read the full article by clicking the link below.

MSNBC Call Of Duty Black Ops Robbery Article

Dear Hollywood Leave Anime Alone!

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Hello my dear Otakus and Geeks out there. I haven't ranted in a very long time. But some latest rumors have me severely pissed. What has The Cool One feeling uncool you ask? We'll a few things my friends just a few things. Today I got news that Zac Efron might be playing the lead role in the live action Akira movie. The role he might be playing is Kaneda. Also get this, the movie might not take place in Neo Tokyo. No Hollywood wants to Americanize something that doesn't need to be Americanize. This Akira movie might be in Neo Manhattan. *Sigh* can someone please tell me why Hollywood hasn't learned? I mean Hollywood has done well with Superhero/Comic Book adaptations like The Dark Knight, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, Spiderman 1 and 2, The Walking Dead and many more. My question is why can't they give Anime that same dedication and love? Does anyone remember the horrible "Dragonball Evolution?" I already did a rant on that, but seriously I almost raised my blood pressure when I heard them called Goku, "Geeko." That's another story.

My problem with Anime live adaptations is that it doesn't stay true to the source. Or capture the same magic. Plus finding Actors who look similar to Anime characters is very hard. Truthfully I've seen better cosplayers who look more like the Anime characters, than the actors these producers have chosen. Let's look at exhibit A. Here below you see Justin Chatwin and Anime Angel's Cosplay Boy Of The Week. Who looks more like Goku to you? Justin Chatwin is on the right and the cosplayer is on the left.


Isn't it obvious that the Cosplayer looks more like Goku. The major problem I have with these so called adaptations is that the material is dumbed down and worst Americanized. Let me give you a clear example. Dragonball universe story wise is the most easiest story to adapt. How did they get the idea of making Goku a dude who gets bullied I will never understand. If these filmmakers take the time and actually WATCH and READ the material. They would know that Goku didn't go to high school and the only education he really had was driving school lol. Back to the topic most of these adaptations are made to appeal to American audiences. However you can't do that, because you hurt the main fan base. Last Airbender was a perfect example of dumbing down the story, miscasting and changing the main character's name. However my Otaku's we can't blame just Hollywood. Yes it's true because the original creators have to give the rights for this stuff to be made. So the question is who is suffering the most us or the original creators? These filmmakers claim they are fans of the stuff, but when you look at the film it shows they have no knowledge at all. Chris Nolan is a fan of Batman you can tell by his two movies. The way he captured the soul of The Dark Knight, the atmosphere, characters were all there. Edgar Wright is a fan of Scott Pilgrim. Yes a few changes were made but the spirit and core of the story was there. I don't think Hollywood takes Anime seriously unless Disney is distributing it. I'm starting to think these filmmakers need a fan consultant for these type of films. Who better knows the source material better than the fans? Hollywood here are some tips for you.

1. Get a fan consultant. Someone who knows the source material who can help with the film.

2. For the love of geeks read the damn material or watch the material. Eat, breathe and sleep that shit.

3. If the producers or higher up's are trying to change the source material, then fight for your art. This is your movie directors. That's your job! Direct!

4. Stop trying to appeal to an audience who is not going to pay attention. Someone who is not an Otaku, Gamer, Geek etc might not become a fan of DBZ etc after seeing the live action movie.

5. Respect the fanbase.

Either way no matter how much I cry out. Hollywood is cashing in and laughing all the way to the bank. Here is just a list of rumors of possible live adaptations that Hollywood has planned for Anime, Videogames etc.

1. Ghost In The Shell
2. Cowboy Bebop
3. Robotech
4. Voltron (That's Happening)
5. World Of Warcraft
6. Thundercats
7. Jonny Quest
8. Dragonball Rebirth (Evolution Sequel FML)

That's just to name a few. How can we stop this? It's simple we don't go see these movies. A movie needs to make money in order to get a sequel. If we don't support it, then no sequel. However dear friends this madness will not end. I can imagine most of this stuff will be in 3D as well. Hollywood I just want to say thank you for nailing the casket on hopes for good live adaptations Anime films. As my sister (Anime Angel) says Anime Rules!!! Let us Otakus and Geeks rule it not these people who know nothing about it.

Half-Life Fan Film: Beyond Black Mesa Trailer

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A teaser/trailer for a fan-made Half-Life 2 short film has been making its rounds on the internet.
The film, titled "Beyond Black Mesa," is set a short time before the events of Half-Life 2 as shown with Ravenholm not yet being a Headcrab Zombie hot spot. It centers around Adrian Shepard (whom some fans may remember as the main playable character in Half Life: Opposing Force) and a band of resistance fighters struggling to get out a warning about an impending invasion.

The film has been in the making for about two years, and is operating under the budget of only $1200. I'm pretty excited for it, especially after watching the other HL fan-made short "Escape From City 17." (Which, despite being less than 15 minutes looked fantastic and was only operating under the extremely small budget of $500.) Most, if not all of the sound effects are ripped straight from the game which also gives it a nice touch.

Edit: Check out the official trailer below!


Expect to be able to watch this with your eyeballs some time later this year. I'm totally unsure.