Fanboys Anonymous

I work at a super market. As a general rule, places like that have easy listening music playing in the background. That was also where I was when I first discovered the song. It starts off innocently enough. A man was walking down the street. A stranger approaches him, and asks said man the time. This is when the huge asshole opens his mouth.

"Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?"

Yeah asshole. You've got a watch. It says so in the lyrics before this bit. That dude might have an important meeting or something. Now is not the time to get all existential. Look at the fucking watch, and answer. Or just say "Nah man, sorry." Don't hold up the poor guy. No one wants to hear your off the cuff bullshit. You aren't deep, dude.

Look at them. Assholes.

Pfft. Chicago. Assholes.

Hello Fanboys it was a whole lot of fun for us gamers to build up to this past week's E3 even now wasn't it? This is an article (and video) on my favorite major announcements and moments from this years event.

Nintendo Direct was held on the morning of Tuesday, June 11th during which they showed off a multitude of different titles including but not limited to Pokemon X and Y, Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8, etc.


They closed the presentation in the biggest way they could with the unveiling of "Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U". In an epic trailer we seen newcomer the Villager from Animal Crossing getting his invitation to Smash in the mail. While many familiar faces come back for another round. The usual veterans like Mario, Link, Kirby, Pikachu, Fox, Samus, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and Pit make their return to the series as they combat with each other and a debuting Villager.


After the initial title card flashed by and year of release was shown, an alarm sounds off warning us that a "challenger is approaching" in which we see Mega Man light up atop of a mountain and enter battle. As true to original Mega Man as we could get everything they showed about him is what we all hoped he would play out in this franchise if we was to ever be included. In my opinion Mega Man has been given the best character reveal in Smash Brothers to date.


In another shocker on of E3 another video in regards to Smash Brothers was shown. During which they revealed the Wii Fit Trainer as a newcomer to the game as well. Quite a shock and she's surely this  generation's ROB or Game and Watch when it comes to bizarre character choice and play style.

In other big news Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XV is well on it's way and due to this Kingdom Hearts III is also in development. A shocking revelation to the franchise's many adoring fans (including myself) who have been just begging for a direct second sequel to the franchise. A very brief teaser trailer was shown highlighting moments from past games and Sora discovering a Keyblade on Destiny Islands. In it's final moments the trailer appears to show a new battle system as Sora fends off an enormous horde of Heartless in Twilight Town.



For more on my over all thoughts and opinions on E3 and my favorites from the event please watch the video below!

I'm going to admit something to you all: As a young kid, I was scared to death of horror games. Franchises like Resident Evil and Silent Hill I completely avoided like the plague. Heck, I was even frightened by most FPS titles like Doom and later Turok (when you're 8, those types of games are scary to play). So when I saw the first commercial for a Nightmare Creatures game (this being for part 2, since the original didn't get a TV commercial)and all of the grainy live action imagery of people creepily spouting nursery rhymes interspersed with clips of screaming monster, I thought "Well, that's something I will never play. Hey, the new Pokemon Snap commercial!". Cut several years later, and I have grown not only a set of proverbial balls, but a love for horror games. So when the opportunity came for me to buy a copy of the original Nightmare Creatures for the N64, I thought back to the old commercial and decided to add it to my collection, thinking if the game was anywhere as interesting as its sequel was presented, this might be fun. And low and behold, it is fun, just not scary.

Nightmare Creatures seemingly sets up the basis for a unique Lovecraftian tale set in the 1600's. When you first boot up the game, after the company logos pass, you are treated to a scene of what looks like a turn of the century English alleyway, followed by several monsters from the game coming out of the fog screaming and beating the hell out of each other set to no music. All of this happens behind a text crawl at the bottom of the screen. You play as two separate characters(which the game lets you choose from the start to play as), Ignatius Blackward, a priest that kicks ass for the Lord, and Nadia Franciscus, the daughter of a colleague of Ignatius who vows revenge for the death of his father by the villain of the game, Adam Crowley. Crowley is a disgraced Frankenstein-like doctor who stumbled upon a book of black magic and uses it to conjure up evil demons in order to create a master race and rule the planet. The story set up is really really good, its too bad that the game tells it so poorly.

That opening sequence I mentioned earlier, that was done solely for the N64 version because of the problem the system has with playing full motion video. In the PS1 and PC version, you get an opening cutscene that explains some of what I just said, mostly the Adam Crowley bits. The rest of the game's story unwraps via a text crawl at the end of each level. This is a big problem, especially if you are trying to instill that sense of fear and intrigue that the game is gunning for. Show, don't tell. I know that most people's imagination can create a visual in their head that 1-ups the image presented, but for the sake of pacing and storytelling, having the thing play out to us really helps keep the fear going. And yes, I understand that most people skip the cut scenes anyhow in games, but you know what, I would have humored you on them if they told the story better. The text crawls kill the pacing of the game so much, that I usually just ended up scrolling through them just so I could get the the next level. Had they been cut scenes, I would have stopped to watch them. Supposedly the PS1 and PC versions have more cut scenes that tell the story, but I haven't found any of the footage online. The closest I have found is vague soundbytes at the end of each level by the villain, and captions of text and pictures masking the loading screens for each level. But beyond that, this really hampers what seems like an interesting tale. In fact, I had to go to Wikipedia just to get the backstory on our main characters for the review. From a narrative standpoint, the game cuts itself off at the knees.

But putting that aside, I'm sure you want to know how the gameplay is. And the answer is: really solid. The game is actually more akin to later hack-and-slash titles like Devil May Cry and Onimusha than to Resident Evil. you go around as one of our two main characters (both of which have different weapons, with Ignatius sporting a bo-staff while Nadia brandishes a sword) and brawl your way through areas of lower London against a myriad of demonic enemies that look like they were born The Call of Cthulhu. This game was made in late 1997, still in the pre-Dualshock era of gaming where two analog sticks were from from being a reality. As such, alot of action-adventure titles made due with the Resident Evil/Tomb Raider tank controls we have all been trained to scoff at. Having said that, the gameplay actually works quite well. Your turn radius is actual alot more forgiving than the former titles, allowing you more control in cases like running through tight corridors. Combat also gets the benefit of an auto-targeting feature that snaps you face to face with whatever enemy you are in proximity with, meaning you don't have to fight with the controls in one on one combat. Other useful features include dodge and block buttons as well as a 180 degree quick turn feature. The developers seemingly did all they could with the controls to make the experience as easy as possible. Finally you also get the help of items like mines, dynamite, and guns that can turn the tide of combat in a pinch.

Having said all THAT, there are still some issues. Firstly, while the auto-targeting works great in one-on-one fights, it has its issues when it comes to fights with more than one enemy. As such, sometimes you'll find yourself attacked by enemies off screen that you didn't see coming. Also, because the combat in this game is combo-based, you'll find yourself stuck in a combo animation while an enemy is jumping out of range, leaving you open to attack. And then because of the tech of the N64, there's slowdown issues within combat. All of these issues don't rear their ugly heads alot, but when they do, they can make fights in this game alot harder than necessary. The controls also show their flaws in situations where platforming is needed, although I've heard in this version the platforming was tweaked to be easier, but having not played the other versions, I don't know how or how much. Also worth mentioning is the adrenaline bar, a gameplay element where as you kill enemies, you fill said meter, and so long as you keep the kill rate steady, this meter stays full. Take too much time in a level, and the meter runs out and you die. Thankfully in the N64 version, you have the option to turn it off.

Graphically, the game looks really good, especially on the N64. Having seen gameplay from the PS1 version, that version suffers from pixelation and odd texture warping. this version looks noticeably smoother and doesn't have much if at all texture warping. There is that issue that most N64 games have with draw distance and "N64 fog" but judging by the footage I saw, the other versions didn't have strong draw distances. I actually like that, I think it adds to the creepiness and mood. The levels themselves are creepy and moody in design, with alot of them taking place on the streets that look like they were ripped right out of Jekyll and Hyde, only dirty and grungy. Monster designs are fine, although most of them do boil down to the same handful of enemies you see in that opening video. Levels themselves are fairly linear, with a few branching paths here and there, though not so far considering the adrenaline element would defeat the purpose.

Once again, we find ourselves in the "mind numbing yet satisfying" category of games. Even after all the faults I have listed, this is another game that I had alot of fun with. Its good old fashioned hack and slashing in a time when the genre really hadn't established itself. I think thats one of the reasons why I like it so much. It really does stand out as its own thing in the pre-Devil May Cry world. The overall experience may not leave you with much lasting sustenance in terms of gameplay or story depth unless you're willing to take the time to dig a little deeper. But for all its faults, its a fun game to pop in and pass the time. If you need more of an action fix for your N64, or really just want a game that will complement your copy of Resident Evil 2, you really cant go wrong with Nightmare Creatures.

Grade: B

The newest entry in the Superman franchise, Man of Steel, follows the Dark Knight trilogy's mindset: reboot, flash back, and ground down in reality. So does this new film make up for the flaws of the past or does it have its own problems that it brings to the table?

Actually, it's a bit of both. Rather than go through everything, I figured I would give a hit/miss breakdown of some points in the movie that either let me down or made me squeal like the fanboy that I am.

1. LOIS LANE

The casting of Amy Adams was something I was skeptical to begin with and I was let down by exactly the same reasons I was worried about. The red hair, the homely appearance, the fact that she clearly is older, and the underwhelming attitude. The best incarnation of Lois Lane to this day in my mind is Erica Durance from Smallville and I saw nothing of that in this version. Sure, there's the ONE singular introductory scene where Lois acts like the bitch that she normally is, but after that, she just becomes a shell of herself.

2. ROMANCE

At no point did I feel like there was a true connection between Clark and Lois to exemplify why they would kiss each other.

3. EVERYONE AT THE DAILY PLANET IS OLD

As mentioned above, Lois Lane feels/looks like a beaten down single mother rather than an energetic young woman. Perry White is understandable, but why is Steve Lombard practically a grandfather? Are these people as dated as the medium in which they work?

4. THEY KILL EMIL HAMILTON

Dude...WHY? What purpose did that serve?

5. ZOD IS BRAINIAC

Think about this lineup of attributes: uses a nanotech-esque series of machines, represents technological superiority and a cold machine-like demeanor, is concerned with preserving Krypton...do you really think of Zod or do you think of Brainiac? Now that they've done all these ingredients of Brainiac, there's no point in doing that character. This should have been Brainiac, it should have been the SEQUEL to this, and it should have been called Last Son of Krypton.

6. REPLACEMENT CHARACTERS

Who is this Jenny person working at the Daily Planet and why isn't she Jimmy Olsen? You mean to tell me she served more of a purpose being a female non-Jimmy intern that needs to be saved and does nothing else, rather than being a young kid Jimmy Olsen working as an intern that needs to be saved?

Who is this Colonel Hardy? Who is General Swanwick instead of General Sam Lane?

Even the dog isn't named Shelby.

7. NO KRYPTONITE

Yet at the same time, they have to go through this whole "atmospheric conditions = hurts Superman just like Kryptonite"....reminds me of Amazing Spider-Man's wayward attempt to get around saying "with great power comes great responsibility".

8. SUPERMAN IS KIND OF A RECKLESS DICK

Multiple times in this film, Superman just doesn't care about how his actions affect others. He steals clothes (when at least in my mind, the real Superman would somehow pay that person back), he blows things up around people and doesn't concern himself with checking to see if people are ok, etc.


1. ACTION

For the first time in a live action capacity, we were treated to a Superman that actually felt like Superman. In the Smallville series, everything was limited to mostly exhibitions of super speed. In the original films along with Superman Returns, the only true action seems to be Superman picking up something heavy. With this movie, there were actual punches to be thrown.

2. CAMEO CHARACTERS

Just as much as they annoyingly went out of their way NOT to do certain characters, the cameos were awesome. Kelex in particular is something I'm glad to see. Faora served a purpose. Pete Ross, Lana Lang, Whitney Fordman, the Ace o' Clubs bar, Jax-Ur, Tor-An, a Steve Lombard that (albeit the wrong appearance and age) hits on Lois. Not a cameo, but by the way, nice "lorem ipsum" joke with Lor-Em.

3. RUSSELL CROWE AS JOR-EL

Nice representation of Jor-El. Much better than the Marlon Brando one, I feel.

4. HENRY CAVILL AS SUPERMAN 

While there isn't much of him as "dorky Clark Kent", the rest of his characterization is pretty spot on. I don't think he showed enough compassion in the film, but they decided to go more for the angst of Superman and he pulled that off well.

5. THE SUIT

Tell me that doesn't look more realistic and fitting than the red underwear and spandex. Go on. Could it use a bit more red, like the weird belt thing being red and gold rather than blue and gold? Sure. But that's something to tweak in the sequel perhaps.

6. THE NATURAL BIRTH OF SUPERMAN

People have criticized Superman in the past for using the Jesus Christ template, but this film steps it up and also adds an aspect of Kal-El being the first naturally born Krypton in centuries, allowing him the ability to choose what his life will be about rather than have it be dictated and built into him. In a way, he turns out to be a combination of several job descriptions that Krypton would program people to be: warrior, leader, scientist, etc.

7. THE ALIEN INVASION ANGLE

It felt a bit more like a one-shot graphic novel "year one" type of deal, but I liked it and I think they should try to incorporate aspects of it into the comics canon.

8. WELCOME TO THE PLANET

Awesome line to end on, and I'm glad that Lois doesn't have to play those "is he Superman" games, considering how stupid it is that the glasses would fool anyone.


There's much more to be discussed, but I wanted to give you guys a few general points of what I liked and didn't like in the movie.

If you're looking for a brief review: the nitpicking stuff is really bothering me and I agree with all the critics that say there isn't enough emotion in the film or characterization for many people. Other Superman films had the heart but none of the energy and this one had the energy but none of the heart. I don't know why it's that hard to accomplish - because the Bruce Timm animated series knocked it out of the part - but that bothers me. It was entertaining, but it's a big disappointment considering how amazing it could have been.

For those interested in an in-depth review, make sure to check out our upcoming roundtable discussion podcast on the subject. A video will be embedded below once up. Stay tuned!


Other links you might be interested in:

Superman's Obsession with the Letter L

10 Things I'm Excited/Worried About for Man of Steel

Sideshow Collectibles: Man of Steel Premium Format Figure

I am going to go see this movie as a Christopher Reeve fan and probably the only fan of Superman Returns. I liked the first two movies that Reeve had done, but when they switched and made #3 and #4 less serious, I didn't really enjoy them all that much...though I still enjoyed the characters and their interactions.

As for Superman Returns, yes, it has its bad points, but I enjoyed Brandon Routh as Superman / Clark Kent. I think he portrayed the character rather well and I liked how the suit looked. It stayed classic. Tom Welling even wore it in the last episode of Smallville.

Reeve will always be MY Superman

With the latest movie in the franchise, I'm skeptical on the story. I liked the way the first Superman movie was told. It had everything spot on, from the destruction of Krypton and the backstory of Jor-El to how Clark found out his alien origins, developed his relationship to Lois, and everything else.

The way this new costume looks is so very wrong. It looks like armor, there's hardly any red, and the S looks all wrong on his chest. I'm hoping Man of Steel will prove me wrong come Tuesday night and I will write another article on whether it did or not.

Not too sure about the new suit...

If you want to know more, you can follow me on Twitter @shaughnessy2k37

Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys have a special contest going on right now where you can win a "premium format figure" of Superman in the new Man of Steel film.

If you are interested in signing up for your chance to win, follow the site below to enter.

Source: Sideshow Collectibles

If you are interested in reading my "10 Things I'm Excited/Worried About" article for Man of Steel, click here.

Be sure to stay tuned for a full review as well as the upcoming monthly podcast show dedicated to this next installment in the Superman franchise.

Were you one of the people excited by the news of the XBox One exclusive Killer Instinct reboot? You shouldn't be.

It all looks furious and fun. Killer Instinct always seemed to favor the button masher. It was always easy to accidentally flow into combos. It was one of the appeals of the original game. This reboot seems more of the same, which is a good thing. Also, it's free to play. Kind of...

Not "Only For Nintendo" anymore.

Confirmed by IGN, only one character is free. The rest? You have to pay per character. Price per character has yet to be confirmed, but I find this sort of thing atrocious. We can't seem to avoid this type of business model when it comes to smartphone gaming, but now it's starting to show up in consoles as well. I would bet money that the cost of unlocking all the characters would add up to anywhere between $40 USD and $60 USD. Even if it winds up being on the cheaper side, this sort of tactic really rubs me the wrong way.

Do you think charging per character for a free game is bad? Or is it a good way to potentially keep costs down? Let us know in the comments.

This is all we've seen until now.

Well, if you have an internet connection and are even vaguely interested in video games, chances are you've heard of Sony's press conference. Only a small portion of that is due to games. Microsoft took a huge gamble with some of the XBox One's features.

Features such as restrictions on game sharing, and requiring an internet connection even for single player gaming. Needless to say, the bulk of gamer reactions to those plans were negative. The surprising part was most people expected Sony to also be implementing some sort of restriction on used games. But they didn't. And it is kind of a big deal.

Oh, BURN! ...wait...

A system in italics.

This is my first ever article, so let's start things off in style with one of the biggest television shows of the year: Arrow. This will be based entirely on my own opinion. [NO SPOILERS]

Where can I find a hoodie like that?

Let's get started. Overall, I really enjoyed watching Arrow. I was hooked from start to finish, even though there were some things that I didn't like.

As far as the plot...well, there are two of them.

Plot Numero Uno - Starling City:

After being shipwrecked and stranded on a remote island of Lian Yu (which means purgatory) for five years, Oliver Queen was presumed dead. When he returns home to Starling City, he's made a promise to his dying father that he would save the city.

Oliver later discovers what that means with the help of John Diggle (David Ramsey), an ex-military bodyguard that Oliver takes on as a partner and my personal favorite character of the series. He also receives help from a woman named Felicity Smoak (Emily Rickards) who reminds me of Chloe Sullivan from Smallville as both are computer geeks.

The love interest is Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), based on the DC Comics character Black Canary. In this adaptation, she is a non-profit attorney who fights for the rights of those less fortunate and is in a longterm relationship with Ollie's best mate Tommy Merlyn (Colin Donnell).

Plot Number Two - The Island:

For me, this was probably the better part of the show. Now and again, we would get to see what happened on the island. This shows you how Oliver became who he is and how he learned his skills. I would go into detail, but I don't want to give anything away if you haven't seen the show.

The Good:

Everyone played their characters well, especially Stephen Amell. For me, it was a breath of fresh air after watching Justin Hartley for so many years as Green Arrow. The way the island became a story in itself is something I really enjoyed. I don't think I have ever watched anything where there have been two stories that coincide with each other so well.

The Not-So-Good:

There's mainly one bad point: the sets were odd. For some reason, CW filmed certain things where they filmed Smallville. For example, the Queen's mansion was the same mansion that Lex owned in Smallville and it took me forever to get used to that. Laurel's workplace I am positive was the Daily Planet.

So was it a success?

Yes it was. When I watched Smallville for the first time, I couldn't wait until it was back and with Arrow, I can't wait for the second season.

If you want to know more, you can follow me on Twitter @ shaughnessy2k37

Here we are with only eight episodes left of Breaking Bad, arguably one of the best shows that's ever been on television. After five seasons, Walter White has definitely lived up to the title of the show, transforming from a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer deciding to make meth to provide for his family into an absolute monster. We still have about two months left until the final episodes begin, so before moving forward I thought it would be fun to look back and pick the best episode from each season. Honestly the show is excellent, so almost any episode from any season could be listed, but the episodes I've picked are the ones that stand out to me the most.

 SPOILER ALERT for any of you who want to experience the series for yourself, which I highly recommend.

Season 1: Crazy Handful of Nothin'

"This is not meth."

This was the episode that saw Walt's physical transformation. Heisenberg is born! After beginning to lose his hair to chemotherapy, he decided to shave his head. This is also when we were introduced to Tuco Salamanca, a truly intimidating character that was ultimately responsible for the birth of Heisenberg. Using a chemistry lesson early on in Walt's class to foreshadow his use of fulminated mercury to deceive Tuco was fantastic. And who could forget the wonderful teaser before the opening credits, with a voice over of Walt assuring Jesse there would be no more bloodshed undercut with shots of a man walking through scenes of turmoil and destruction, only for us to discover that that man is a newly shaved Walt?

"Daddy did that for you."

At the end of the previous episode, Walt had to choose between his biggest meth deal so far and rushing to the hospital for the birth of his daughter. He chose the former, and because of that, he missed her birth. So much for family coming first, Walt. All the way through, this episode is excellent, but what really pushes it to the top of the list is the ending. After Jane had blackmailed Walt, he ultimately chose to let her choke to death on her own vomit while she and Jesse were passed out a fun night of heroin. Bryan Cranston's acting in that scene blew me away; you can see every emotion on his face, from relief that his problems would be over if she were to die to horrible guilt over his failure to act. The kicker is that if Walt hadn't arrived and tried to shake Jesse awake, Jane wouldn't have rolled onto her back and started choking in the first place. Of course this was also foreshadowed earlier in the episode when Jane warned Jesse to lie on his side in case he threw up. Simply awesome.

"WHERE IS THE MONEY?!"

This was the most difficult season for me. There are SO MANY outstanding episodes, from the two episodes that really showcase Gus Fring's back story to the explosive finale- entitled Face Off for a reason- and others, but Crawl Space crawled to the top for me. (See what I did there?) Once this episode reaches the desert scene, everything just gets cranked up to 11. Gus is after Hank now due to his investigation, and his threat to Walt in case he decided to interfere is fantastic. "I will kill your wife, I will kill your son, I will kill your infant daughter" was delivered in the most perfect way by Giancarlo Esposito. Then there's the titular scene at the end of this episode. I can't even describe it in a way that does it justice, but the acting from every person in that scene is phenomenal. Bryan Cranston is the true MVP though, and I am still so surprised that he didn't win the Emmy for this episode, but I guess three Best Actor Emmys in the previous three years is nothing to frown about. This one is one of my favorite episodes overall, but I think season five's episode slightly edges it out. Speaking of which...

Welcome all Fanboys, this is a prelude to one of the biggest weeks for all gamers. Early to mid week starting on the eleventh of June is E3 2013 one of, and arguably the biggest gaming convention and panel of the year. So I'm just here to share my overall thoughts, analysis and predictions for the upcoming major event.

Nintendo has a big day to kick off fhe first day of the event on June 11th, as they plan on unveiling three major Wii U exclusives in the next installments to the Mario, Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros. franchises. They also plan on showing off game demos to the North American public via local Gamestop stores with likes of such games as Bayonetta 2 and Pikmin 3 titles to potentially be playable for the console demos in the stores.



Sony has it's fair share of games to be shown for it's Playstation 3 console such as the much anticipated titles from Naughty Dog and Quantic Dream in The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls respectively. However most (including myself) are very excited for the hardware of their new Playstation 4 debuting finally after first being revealed back in February earlier this year.



Microsoft is fresh off their recent unveiling of their upcoming Xbox One console. The hardware and controllers have already been shown for the system as well many other of it's other features and specs. No games were shown, but that was seemingly done by design. As Microsoft has gone on record to say E3 will be a big spot for games being revealed for their brand new console, expect playable demos for upcoming titles to be released for the 360 at some point this year as well.



A slew of third party developers also get their chance to shine here as always, with many properties once owned by the now defunct THQ will be showcased by their new owners. Other major news from these developers include Bethesda developing The Elder Scrolls Onlinem Ubisoft showing off some major content themselves, and Konami bringing us Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.



Super Smash Bros. 4 will likely be revealed via a major teaser trailer that will display a few veterans like Mario, Link, Kirby, and Pikachu. However they will likely be confronted by and battle a few debuting newcomers to the roster. Some examples being possible but not limited to: Shulk. Little Mac Zoroark, and even a third party character like Mega Man or Pac Man could be possible. The official title for the game will be officially be revealed as well come June 11th 2013. To hear more of my preview for this upcoming event watch the video below.

In today's modern console age, the thought of combining several completely stark gameplay styles is commonplace. But in the early days, most games were what they were, be they platformers, fighting games, shoot'em ups, etc. Finding a game that could seamlessly merge two completely different genres together was quite the rarity. I think it is in that regard why today's game has lived on in the cult circles that it has: ActRaiser.

ActRaiser was released for the SNES in 1991 several months after the console's launch, and stood out for being the first console game to merge a Sim City style God game with a traditional action side-scroller. In this game, you take the reigns of "The Master", an omnipotent over-being that re-emerges after a deep sleep to find that an arch-evil known as Tanzra has taken over the gameworld and polluted it and its people with evil. your job as The Master is to travel to each of the six lands, defeat the evil lieutenants overseeing said land, and help the people rebuild. This is where the two gameplay styles kick in.

Most of the game you'll spend in the sim game sections of the world. This entails you playing as a cherub-like angel guiding the people in each town expand their resources, all the while protecting them from lesser creatures that stand to kill your followers. You do this by simply pointing to spots on the map in which directions you want to expand you towns. Alot of the strategy involves getting your town expanded in key areas, such as portals that the people can shut down and slow the frequency of creature attacks. As for said creatures, you use a bow and arrow to shoot the baddies as they appear. As your towns expand, you level up and gain health and strength. Occasionally you use special elemental powers like rain, sun, and lightning (just to name a few) to clear out certain spots pointed out by your followers. Usually this either continues the flow of the game, or just uncovers trinkets you can use in the sim section. In terms of sim games, its really baby's first sim. Its very simple point and click, most of the expanding happens automatically, and the hardest thing about it is keeping up with trying to keep your people from being killed by the monsters. In retrospect though, I really liked it. Keep in mind that at that point in time, the only real mainstream simulation game out on the market was the original SimCity for the PC (which was released to the SNES only several months prior). Resource management, aside from a few table-top RPG simulators, was new enough on the PC let alone for the more mainstreamed consoles. So having a game mechanic this simple offered a much easier way for said style to penetrate the market. I myself normally find games like this bring and tedious, and even I was invested in seeing my towns grow. It really makes you feel like a true God, at least in the context of the game. But sooner or later you need to get your feet dirty, and thats where the second gameplay type comes in.

Several points in the game, you are required to actually drop down to the human world and fight the evil head-on. It is here that the game changed to a traditional hack and slash side-scroller. You must navigate your way through the harsh environments and enemies to reach the end bosses of each area. Usually you face two, both in different encounters (once when you first reach said area in order to flush out the greater evil of the land, and a second time when you lands' population has reached a peak). Gameplay is fun, but challenging. I normally fancy myself a skilled gamer, and i found myself running out of extra lives. the controls are tight, but tight in that "old school" way. Platforming and combat give you no leeway in terms of distance. Basically you better know exactly how far you need to jump and how far you need to swing your sword, because missing those points will cost you. the boss battles themselves are even worse, relying on precise pattern memorization and pixel-perfect placement. It's hard, but oh-so satisfying when you finally beat a level boss. And the less said about how brutal the final level of the game is, the better. Fun fact: the Us version is actually substantially easier than the overseas versions. You actually can unlock the overseas difficulty when you beat the game.

The one key standout that many who have played the game point out is the musical score. From the orchestral opening at the start screen, you can tell this score was professional composed. The Super Nintendo has always been the preferred console in terms of music over the more synth-sounding Sega Genesis, and ActRaiser was one of the first games to take advantage of that and bring a true symphonic soundtrack. From the pipe melodies of the over-world screen to the horn-heavy fight music of the side-scroller levels, you can hear the individual instruments doing their part. It really set the tone for later games like Final Fantasy 2 and 3 and the later Legend of Zelda games. Graphically the game looks good, though this game really isn't here to stress its looks. It gets the job done like alot of games of its time.

All in all, I cant recommend this game enough. This is a game that begs to be adapted to the modern consoles. In terms of hidden gems and cult classics, this is the definition of them all. Right now the game is out on the Nintendo virtual console shop, but if you can get an actual copy of this game, its well worth the investment. This game may not have the name recognition of Mario or Final Fantasy in terms of SNES games, but time has put this in the well deserved pantheon of SNES classics.

Grade: A

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of Bendis. He's a fan of "shaking things up," but he sometimes shakes things up a bit too much, and it ends up fizzing all over the place. Luckily, this has not been the case with All-New X-Men. Bendis has managed to take a jarring event like bringing the young X-Men to the present and weave it into a compelling and dynamic story that doesn't seem entirely over the top. Moreover, Bendis has paid much attention to the character development and interactions in this series, which is a vital component to its success.

Of all the books so far, All-New X-Men #12 is an exemplar for the character-oriented approach that Bendis takes. The reunion of young Scott Summers and his brother Alex is authentically touching. The plot moves along nicely with the stark contrast that occurs with Jean's small peek into the Scarlet Witch's mind. More and more, Bendis has been developing an instability within Jean that I find extremely intriguing and think will become a major component of the story line later on. Perhaps I'm grasping at straws, but I foresee a parallel to the forever remembered Dark Phoenix Saga unfolding as the series progresses.

In the art department, Stuart Immonen shines brightly in this issue. This is perhaps some of the best work I have seen to date in All-New X-Men. Such an emotionally charged issue requires great skill to portray, and Immonen's attention to facial detail and body language is rivaled, in my mind, only by a handful of pencilers.

All-New X-Men just goes to show that emotional action is just as good as all the physical action that we're all used to in a superhero comic. Bendis walks the line here very nicely and sows the seeds for some big events that will inevitably fall on the shoulders of these young time-traveling X-Men.


Score: 10/10

Episode 28 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael Burhan, Brandon Liggan, Sean Mitchell and special guest Tony Mango discuss the difference between RPG's and Adventure Games and why Zelda shouldn't be classed as an RPG (Really don't say it or Sean will kill you!).

You can check out this episode and the previous two by using the following links:

Lybsin: http://adf.ly/IwSX3

iTunes: http://adf.ly/IwSaK

Stitcher: http://adf.ly/IwSd0

If you'd like to join the discussion, like us on Facebook and comment on our page here: http://adf.ly/IwSfZ

You can also subscribe to the podcast's YouTube channel at http://adf.ly/IwShu

(Note: the links use adf.ly, just click skip to go to your required destination.)

Well. Folks. It has happened. The BBC has announced that Matt Smith will be hanging up the ol' sonic after the 2013 Christmas Special. Ugh.

He made bow ties cool.

Is this as upsetting to you as it is to me? Likely. No matter how you felt about Matt Smith upon immediately filling Tennant's shoes, it's easy to see how well the actor grew into the role. The Eleventh Doctor even rivals the popularity of Tennant's Tenth. I know many people who were attracted to the show during Smith's tenure. Moffat's stint as lead writer saw the show focusing more on overarching story lines as opposed to the mostly one shot episodes that were most common in the Eccleston and Tennant era. These overarching story lines focused more on the Time Lord. Such storytelling may have done it's fair share of cementing Smith into our minds.

It has been quite a ride since crash landing the blue box into the backyard of the girl who waited. We've seen the rise of the Silence. The return of the Daleks. A new breed of Cybermen. And, perhaps most prominently, the Doctor's wife, Professor River Song. We've been companions ourselves. We were there when the TARDIS exploded, threatening to blow apart the universe. We saw the Doctor cheat death at the hands of the Impossible Astronaut. Most recently, we were there to solve the mystery of the Impossible Girl, Clara Oswald. (There are a lot of impossibles, it seems.)

We've had enough time to see who Eleven truly is. We've seen some of his greatest victories, on top of some of his worst defeats. From Demon's Run to Trenzalore. Now that it's time to say goodbye, which episodes will you remember most fondly?

Personally? A Christmas Carol. The first Moffat Christmas special is my absolute favorite. You see a Whovian retelling of the Christmas Carol, as the Doctor uses the TARDIS to affect the memories of a bitter old man, and slowly turn him into a decent human being. As far as the episodes go, I believe the latter half of series seven were the best. We saw a return to the traditional stand alone types of episodes more prominent before Matt Smith, and they were all wonderful.

This time it'll be for real.

What direction will the series take after Smith is gone? And what sort of Doctor will Twelve be? These questions will have to go unanswered until our first glimpse at Twelve on December 25th, 2013. One thing is for certain though. The Doctor is praying for a ginger.

The Flash remains one of my all-time favorites of DC's superheroes. Honestly, all it took was his character in JL/JLU to get me hooked! If you haven't read Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert's Flashpoint, definitely check it out when you get the chance. It's a story that's accessible to all readers - whether you're a long-time comics fan or not, there's something there for everyone. It's the story that sets up the New 52, and dives into deeper aspects of the Flash we haven't seen before. There's also going to be an animated feature coming out July 30, 2013, called Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, directed by Jay Oliva (The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 and 2) and produced by James Tucker (Batman: The Brave and the Bold) and Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series).

Flashpoint #1, Art by Andy Kubert, Written by Geoff Johns

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, directed by Jay Oliva - July 30, 2013

Credit: Handson.com

Deadline Reports that Academy Award winning actor Benicio del Toro has signed a multi-year deal with Marvel studios starting with Guardians of the Galaxy.

His role in the movie is currently unspecified.. Deadline has stated that this is a lead role and will be apart of future Marvel movies.

With most of the leads already cast, it is rumored that Del Toro may be playing the role of THANOS, the Mad Titan. Del Toro will be joining other cast members Glenn Close (unnamed role associated with the Nova Corps), Michael Rooker (Yondu) Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Chris Pratt (Star Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), John C. Reilly (as a member of the Nova Corps), Lee Pace and Karen Gillian (unspecified roles).

Guardians of the Galaxy, written and direct by James Gunn is scheduled for release on August 1st 2014.

Stay tuned to Fanboys Anonymous for more news on Marvel Phase II.

I am not much of a comic book guy, but this comic on Tumblr caught my attention because it is based on one of my favorite video games of all time, Persona 4. I don't know much about Hiimdaisy or her work, but from what I am seeing on the web her work with this comic as well as others are very popular to those who are fans of the series. This comic is truly amazing for what there is of it, even though only 35-40 percent of the game was covered in it. This comic got multiple fan dubs on YouTube, but there is one by StrawberryCreme26 that makes the comic 100 times better and I highly recommend that if you were going to choose to either read it or watch it.



This picture alone pretty much sums up the whole game.

Obviously this comic will give away tons of spoilers, but it will provide a very good laugh as well. It has a very nice blend of humor that makes fun of certain parts within the game and makes fun of the characters throughout the comic. And it is a shame that this will most likely will never be finished as Hiimdaisy has posted that it will be put on indefinite hiatus because of other projects. She has also stated that she probably wouldn't finish it because she isn't very interested in the game anymore. I have shown the fan-dubbed version of it to my family and my girlfriend, who none of them have an interest into the game or comics, and they all enjoyed it. This to me shows how good it is because even those who don't have a clue what is going on can grasp the jokes that this comic can show.

Overall if you are a fan of Persona 4 this is a must see. There are a lot of inside jokes that some people who have yet to play the game will understand, but it is nothing that will leave you scratching your head. Now I must give credit where it is due for the dubbed version of the comic. The voice acting and the presentation of it is truly remarkable. If you want to watch the dubbed version on YouTube click the link here. Go check out Hiimdaisy's other stuff on tumblr or on other parts of the web. I bet you won't be disappointed. I am going to end this post with a page from the comic.. enjoy.

Hey Fanboys! So, a few days ago Microsoft made the new announcement of their most recent console to be released just in time for the Holidays, presenting it as the Xbox One. With much anticipation about what Microsoft was going to pull out of their sleeve, most of the rumors throughout the past few months have been rather unpleasant. So after looking into the details and watching what Microsoft had to offer, I am nothing short of disappointed. I decided to share what features I thought to be hindering factors of this console being any bit of a success.

Xbox Requires an internet connection. Here’s how it works: Every 24 hours your Xbox will try to connect to Microsoft’s servers for verification. If it is unable to connect, sucks to be you. You’re blocked from playing even single player games until it can connect. Sucks to suck.

Look at this smug ass bastard

Say goodbye to used or rented games, my friend. Every Xbox One game you purchase(by the way, new game prices are continuing to go up) be registered to your Xbox live account to be played. After that point it will only work for you. No one else can use it unless they decide to pay a fee. So, if you decide to take your favorite game to play at a friend's house, pop it in to their console, and the device will automatically check if the game is registered to said console. Well, you're out of luck! In order to play it, you have to pay Microsoft a fee, which is currently slated to be full retail price. It doesn't matter how cheap you got it at GameStop oe Best Buy. To Microsoft, that game would be considered NEW to the person you're wanting to share it with. Microsoft for a LICENSE to be allowed to play that game. Ouch.

Microsoft is wanting to add a feature that lets you trade in used games. This is rumored to mean that you can sell your digital license to play the game (registration) back to microsoft, likely for microsoft points. You can then trade in the game at GameStop for cash if you like(but you'll probably only get in-store credit). Either way, as it currently stands, the new owner would still have to pay a fee on top of the price of actually buying the physical copy.

I will admit though, it does look pretty badass

Microsoft can prevent you from playing a used game if you didn’t pay their fee. Xbox one no longer plays games off the discs, you HAVE to install them to the hard-drive in order to play them. I believe PS3 also has you do this (on a number of games but not always it seems), except that PS3 isn’t trying to burn a hole in your wallet. It also seems according to the announcement and a few articles I've read, that Microsoft is adding the feature that you HAVE to be online to play any game on the Xbox One. Again, with the internet thing, sucks to suck.

The Kinect is always on. ALWAYS. Even with the console itself turned off, the microphone and camera installed in the Kinect will always be on. Kinda creepy, right? Get this. Apparently, if the Kinect somehow turns off or malfunctions, well, there goes the console.

An idea has been tossed around that by using this feature, it will allows game developers and movie produces to set a limited amount of how many people can be allowed to view the entertainment. So, if you are a bunch of friends want to sit and watch a movie and chill, and say there are five of you watching. If more people come over to watch, the Kinect will detect more than five people, shut off until the people leave or you have to pay a fee. Just get Netflix.

And the two final things that bothered me: The Xbox One will NOT be backwards compatible and it will not be compatible with ANY current headsets. Now, not being able to play any 360 games isn't really much of a shock, but still another money-grubbing annoyance. Say goodbye to GameStop, and expect some price gouging on those headsets. As if they weren't expensive already.

With that being said, nothing else will really be said or confirmed until E3, but everything I have seen so far has been nothing but a let down. Please, spare your wallets and do not buy this console. No matter how awesome that exclusive game is, it will only end up being more trouble than it's worth, and only benefiting the greedy anti-consumers that is Microsoft. And with that, I'm Nikki Mills, and I am a fan girl.