Fanboys Anonymous

The comic book medium encompasses dozens of genres from horror to space opera, but with his new book Sex Criminals, Matt Fraction has added an unlikely party to the list: sex comedy. Although this may seem contradictory to the usual "youthful" image surrounding comics, the book takes a high concept approach to telling a story about humans and sexuality that wouldn't be possible in anything but a comic.

Sex Criminals, at its core, has a ton of promise. The premise is simple; every time leading lady Suzanne orgasms, she freezes time. It's fun, it's unusual, but it goes almost entirely unexplored in this first issue. The opening pages solve one of the immediate concerns surrounding a book with such an adult theme—the depiction of intercourse. In Sex Criminals, intercourse retains a sense of mysticism by being drawn with waves of color that hide the naughty bits of the parties involved. This is a nice way to lead into the origin story of Suzanne, a young girl whose exploration of sexuality leaves her largely disenfranchised and generally underwhelmed. She soon realizes sex isn't easy to learn about no matter how genuine the angle you may approach it from. There's a nice bit of heart in this section of the story as well as a nice societal jab. The structure of the issue, however, leaves all of this quickly behind.

The entire first issue encapsulates three timelines: Suzanne's middle school life after she discovers her powers, her meeting Jonathan at a party, and the two of them inside a bathroom "doin' the deed." Although the middle-school years are good for character development, and the period in which the book spends the majority of its time, this costs the series any real sense of driving action. The flow of exposition does meet an exciting impasse when Suzanne discovers that Jonathan, a young man she randomly hooks up with at a party, shares her ability. This is the book's one big stride toward establishing an overarching narrative for the series, but it is given only a couple pages to play out and no real opportunity to set things up apart from a single moment.

The final page shows Jonathan and Suzanne emerging from the bathroom in which our story began, guns in hand, toting large duffle bags. While this moment is exciting to me, it's only because I have heard interviews with the writer, who has explained that the story will go on to follow the two as they use their powers to commit crimes. This is somewhat implied here, but there's never really any action to drive the story or to imply the two would immediately turn to a life of crime. Although comics may certainly be comedies, an exposition-heavy issue such as this could really use something to up the ante and make it more than a bloated origin issue. That said, the issue sets up an interesting character in Suzanne, whose exploits outside the sack may prove to be more exciting than those in it in issues to come.

Back at the 2012 San Diego Comic Con, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros gave eager fans a sneak tease at their upcoming reboot for Godzilla. Unlike the travesty that was shown in theaters back in '98, this one looks to recapture the roots of the world's most famous kaiju. Released as Gojira in Japan, Godzilla told the tale of nature striking back at mankind who abused their own power and authority. While the first movie was dark in tone, having to do with mankind facing the consequences of their actions, the many sequels after lost this darkness opting out for a more lighthearted romp. Eventually, the series become nothing more that a monster of the week type of movie with Godzilla facing a new threat every sequel. This all came to a climax with the final movie Godzilla Final Wars where Godzilla faces off against every monster he's ever gone up against, including the Americanized version of himself now re-named Zilla.

Now imagine a Pacific Rim cross over.

The teaser shown at San Diego was done before any film work began on the film, thus it doesn't represent the final product. However, this doesn't stop the teaser from capturing the same tone as the Gojira we all know and love. It goes so far as to include elements from J. Robert Oppenheimer, contributor to the Manhattan Project.



Since places where the teaser video is being hosted seem to be taking it down, I've written up a description below of what can be found in the teaser.

The teaser pans over the wreckage of a destroyed city, most likely done by Godzilla. We see many people dead, as well as a few survivors. We eventually see a couple of skyscrapers, one with a huge hole in the center reminiscent of what was seen in the '98 movie. From there, we see the corpse of a monster which seems like it might be Anguirus. There have already been talks of more Kaiju appearing in this movie, and this shot seems to solidify this statement. As the trailer comes to a close, we finally get a glimpse of Godzilla, who lets out a loud roar.



Also of note is that this trailer plays a short sound bite of J. Robert Oppenheimer.  J. Robert Oppenheimer is often referred to as the "father of the atomic bomb", having played a major role in the Manhattan Project during WWII.


Disregarding the giant hole in the center of a building, which might be a tongue in cheek reference to the '98 movie, this does what it sets out to do. It captures the essence of what made the original Gojira such a timeless classic.

What do you think?

Episode 45 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. In this episode, Michael Burhan, Travis Goss, and Miguel Leon discuss gaming franchises that should have died a long time time ago, from Sonic The Hedgehog to the final fantasy series Miguel lists the most offending franchises that makes his skin crawl.

You can check out the episode by clicking on the following links:

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In this episode of Rose Colored Reviews, I take a look back at the Super NES classic Star Fox.


Rose Colored Reviews takes a look at Star Fox (SNES)

I share the premise of the story, the popularity of the game as well as its stylish graphics, and my memories of this fantastic piece of gaming nostalgia.


If you love what you have seen, please like, comment, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.

On a happier note, she nailed her audition for Ghost Rider.

Any Doctor Who fan knows that there’s a fair bit of tragedy embedded in the DNA of the last Time Lord. That said, The Doctor always finds a way to keep his spirits high and to find the best in people, which is the best way to face a new rumor claiming over 100 classic episodes, originally thought lost, have been found. Unfortunately, many of these rumors, like time in the series, prove to be malleable.

The consensus amongst the various reports claims that 106 episodes have been discovered in a TV station in Ethiopia to which they were sold after originally airing in the 1960s. Said tapes are supposed to contain episodes depicting The First Doctor as played by William Hartnell and The Second Doctor as played by Patrick Troughton. It’s almost poetic that the early adventures of The Doctor have remained lost as the character himself remains an enigma despite his years on television.

Still, many fans are rejoicing over the chance to see more of The Doctor’s early adventures.

Unfortunately, reactions from various members of the Doctor Who staff are sobering. So far, no statements have been made by the BBC, but with the Doctor Who 50th anniversary just around the corner, it would be fair to theorize that they could be rolling such a big announcement into their plans for the celebration. Rule number one is that The Doctor lies. Could this be true of the staff as well? Similar rumors have surfaced before so the best anyone can do is sit with their fingers crossed and hope not to have both their hearts broken.

Grand Theft Auto V is has quickly become one of the most commercially successful games in history, and that's really nothing to be surprised about. The franchise has historically broken records and redefined its medium nearly every time a new iteration of the game has been released. With the game being just about 3 weeks old at this point almost everything has been discussed, reiterated, and regurgitated onto the Internet that one could possibly say about the game. However, there is one point that hasn't seemed to catch the world's attention; what the Rockstar Games Social Club has opened the door for in terms of interconnectivity.

The Rockstar Games Social Club is barely a new concept, being a staple of the company's gaming interface since Red Dead Redemption was released. For Grand Theft Auto V, they added a few new innovations to the crew system that really make it special. The hierarchy system within crews allows you to delegate certain roles and responsibilities to each member of your crew, which is a great tool that allows for a deeper, richer multiplayer experience. You can entrust executive decisions to your closest buddies, whilst delegating smaller tasks to others who may not have earned your trust.


The idea of the hierarchy system is much more complex than it looks at first glance, however. The Rockstar Games Social Club has an interface all on your own that allows players on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to connect with each other as well, which enables an experience that borders on cross-platform play. If a crew leader plays on PS3 and promotes his buddy on Xbox 360 to the "Commissioner" rank in his crew, that person has all of the powers of the crew leader. Through the Xbox 360 network that player can now hire new members of the crew, promote them, and even kick members off of the crew.

What does this mean for gaming this time around? With this system, Rockstar has given many gamers a glimpse into the future. This little link between Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 users will not only force loyalists of both companies to put aside (some of) their differences and work together as a unit, but it will also bust open the door for more developers to come up with ways for everyone to play together regardless of what system they've invested in.


Of course, this isn't total console synchronization. I still can't play with my buddies who happen to have chosen the Xbox 360 over the PlayStation 3, but we can still be on the same crew and interact with each other through the Rockstar Social Club and, to some degree, that means we're playing together. Considering Rockstar Games' penchant for trend setting in the game industry, don't be surprised if other developers find ways to incorporate system mixing into their games further down the line.

Do you guys think that Rockstar might have something here? Leave a comment below, and check back here at www.fanboysanonymous.com for any and everything GTAV.

Brick and mortar comic stores are special places. There are few institutions these days that exist for the sole intention of satisfying the needs of a specific niche, less still embody the increasingly archaic idea of a business whose patrons are welcome to linger, for no purpose other than to share in the camaraderie that a shared passion entails. Once upon a dream there were ice cream parlors and candy shops where kids could gather. While all those things have faded, comic shops remain, with their steadfast dedication to storytelling and captivation. If comics are the modern mythos, then comic shops are their bards, keeping the masses up to date on the adventures of giants and steering us toward the wisdom we can gleam from their exploits.

At least in theory.

At this point the argument hits a junction. To ask if comic stores help or hurt the comic industry also requires the question of whether or not they are really necessary. I believe the two points go hand in hand and can be answered in tandem, although they must be done in the order of their asking.

I've been reading print comics weekly for some time now, my personal experiences taking me to shops from sea to shining sea as well as abroad. In my travels, I am sad to say that the businesses I have entered, much to the detriment of the comic industry as a whole, have rarely been worthy hosts to my beloved heroes. Much like the American film industry, comic companies do not have direct control over their primary distribution agent, i.e., comic shops. There is no standard of behavior or quality control that can be exerted. Almost every Wednesday Warrior I've met has a comic shop horror story. Mine have ranged from filthy holes in the wall to condoned alcohol consumption that borders on abuse. Worse than the actual store layout is the dice roll of person inside.

I once had the opportunity to speak to a young woman who eagerly asked about comics when she saw me reading one. She explained she did not regularly follow them because the patrons and employees of her local store had criticized her to the point that she did not feel she was welcome. I wish I could say her experience was an isolated one, but I know it isn't. Many comic stores often have a suspicious stigma toward curious new customers. With comics becoming more and more "mainstream," simply saying you like Marvel may be cause for sneers, and confessing an affection for Hawkeye may you get you laughed at. The condescending comic nerd is a cruel stereotype, but it is an effective one for shutting down intrigue in newcomers to the medium.

Sadly, the simple fact is that current comic sales are not enough to warrant such frivolous selectivity in terms of fan base. A graph of yearly comic sales over time is soul crushing. The ship is sailing, but these are turbulent waters. Better sales would make for less dependency on gimmicks, crossovers, and events. It behooves us all to have more fans, but the barrier to entry, which is already high enough from decades of canon, is made even steeper still by an unwelcoming environment. This is before you even consider the lack of store availability. Many who learn I love comics are shocked to learn that monthly comics are still in publication. It's a dangerous time, but there's hope. I believe comics are a medium with a power like no other. These aren't just stories, they are the adventures of icons. I believe that young girl was just the sort of person who needed comics, and her store failed her.


I know she was failed because I wasn't. My local store is wonderful, and after seeing so many others I understand how lucky I am. When I first started reading, employees and other customers were wonderful teachers. I found a place where I could learn about this amazing and ever-expanding narrative world. Although such information is readily available on Wikipedia, an Internet search cannot compare with having all those stories at your fingertips and a guide to walk you through it all. I believe in this strength lies the true power of comics. These are not just stories, they are modern epics. The heroes of the big two have come to stand for something, and their decades of trial and tribulation make for a narrative experience unlike any other. Comic stores play an important role in that. I'd argue that a TV show wouldn't be the same if you simply had a box set released once a year. Comics, which are more intricate and ever expanding, similarly rely on a constant outflow of story to fully embrace their potential.

This is where the latter component comes into play. Can digital outlets remedy the situation/replace comic stores?

It would be easy to argue that services like Comixology and Amazon could make a comic store irrelevant. You could simply get your comics digitally or wait for trade paperbacks and never have to play the roulette game of entering a comic shop. If years of lending books to new readers have taught me one thing, it's that the landscape of comics is harder to navigate than a game of Jumanji. (Come on five or eight!) I pity the fool who is an X-Men fan hoping to jump into the comics blindly, with no prior comic reading experience. That said, I think vertical integration can be dangerous. It only took three issues to change Nick Fury into Mace Windu. While I think it is good, if not imperative, to capitalize on the success and subsequent new interest created by the recent wave of comic films, I do not think this should come at the cost of continuity, especially when comics can still be accessible given the help of a top-notch distributor. Furthermore, if comics are to be the modern mythos, then we should continue trading stories in the way that has worked for thousands of years, between excited parties who can revel together in the sensation of an exciting yarn.

Getting into comics can be difficult. A good store may be hard to find. Although the stories are good, it takes some time to get up to speed. There's interest, but there's also work to be done to bring others along for the ride. Maybe this means it would be best to have a place where you can go to learn about them and enjoy them with like-minded individuals. Wait a minute, we already do. Now we have to keep them that way.

It has been almost 1 year since NCsoft, South Korean video game developer of the popular massively multiplayer online (MMO) games Lineage, Guild Wars, and Aion forcibly closed its Paragon Studios subsidiary in Mountain View, CA, and Paragon's sole umbrella property, superhero MMORPG City of Heroes. The official announcement of the indefinite shutdown came rather unexpectedly on August 31, 2012. After all, both the game and Paragon Studios had seen success and the game's player base boom after CoH (as it and its expansions, City of Villains and City of Heroes: Going Rogue, are lovingly referred to by its players) went free-to-play a year earlier.

Following the announcement, both players and developers tried to save the game, and they even garnered press and celebrity endorsements and support from the likes of Neil Gaiman, John C. Write, and Mercedes Lackey to do so. However, their attempts were unsuccessful and the inevitable end of CoH came at midnight on November 30, 2012. Matthew "Positron" Miller, former Senior Lead Designer for Paragon Studios and one of the original developers of CoH, reflects on what the shutdown meant for players:

Losing City of Heroes was like losing the village elder: the one who established a set of rules that players expected to abide by. Of course, both Champions [Online] and [DC Universe Online] brought something new to the table, so players who left CoH had some adjustment to make to new games. At the time of CoH's shutdown, players had a lot of choice of games to migrate to. I know that some felt that no other superhero game could hold up to their ideal of what one should be, so they left for a different genre entirely.

Among those who knew that the shutdown was a big possibility, responses varied from acceptance to a kind of Dylan Thomas-esque "Do not go gentle into that good night" rebellion. Yet some players began to plan for CoH's life after death. A group of CoH refugees gathered on the game's player-run forum site, the Titan Network, and formed Plan Z, a game developer made up of volunteers with the sole purpose of creating the next CoH.


The player-refugees' dedication to the memory of their beloved game and the success of their two separate projects, Heroes and Villains and The Phoenix Project, remain surprisingly strong nearly a year after the shutdown. "I always knew that it should be possible to do a 'spiritual successor,'" Miller says, "but I also knew that it wasn't going to be a small project. I found it heartwarming that the players themselves were the ones to spearhead this level of development, especially since, for most of them, their only exposure to MMO development has been playing City of Heroes and analyzing what Cryptic [Studios, the game's original publisher]/Paragon did for years!"

As expected with any independent developer (especially one formed by fans of varied pedigrees and relatively little experience in game creation), Plan Z was met with many setbacks, mostly derived from internal conflicts. Differing opinions about the direction a spiritual successor of CoH should follow caused a schism in the group, and a new developer splintered from Plan Z.

Missing Worlds Media (MWM) still affiliates with Plan Z—the latter of which is an umbrella entity encompassing all related CoH successor projects—but it has established itself as sole developer of The Phoenix Project. Despite the internal conflicts MWM had encountered, the team of player-volunteers pressed on to conceptualize and flesh out their spiritual successor, taking their experiences from playing CoH and improving upon its memory.

Heavy City of Heroes inspiration here, a la Atlas Park.

On October 2, 2013, after a month of preparation and fixes, MWM became the first of all of the #SaveCoH (the player-run community awareness and action movement for saving the game) to launch a Kickstarter funding campaign for The Phoenix Project—now officially titled City of Titans.

"I knew about the Kickstarter for a while, and wished them all the luck," Miller comments. Only 2 days into the campaign the group has already received overwhelming support: the project's $320,000 goal received more than 50% of its funding within the first 48 hours of the 33-day campaign. "They've had a great start to the Kickstarter…I really hope it doesn't stall out and they raise the money they want and more," says Miller.

The MWM team is astounded by the support they've gotten thus far. Perhaps it was their impressive video (see below) showing the conceptualization and game development progress from day one through Kickstarter's launch, or perhaps it's the ambitious laundry list of features players can anticipate in the game. Maybe it was the nostalgia that most of their backers had for the superhero MMO that once was. Whatever the reason, many—including everyone at MWM—are hoping this success is only the beginning of an ever-upward trend.

"Honestly, this is the first Kickstarter I've ever selected the 'no reward, I just want to help the project' option when kicking into it," Miller explains. "While 'getting something out of helping' is primarily what Kickstarter is all about, I just felt differently about this one. I wanted to help, and I didn't want to ask for anything in return. It's my version of 'passing the torch,' as it were."

Learn how to crash an MMO server in 5 easy steps!

If MWM can keep up the momentum, the project may have a good chance at reaching at least one of their two stretch goals and the respective perks that result: $350,000 for a Google Android mobile operating system port of the game's avatar builder, and $400,000 for an Apple iOS version. Along with the normal, multiple pledge levels ranging from $5 for a desktop wallpaper perk and an exclusive forum title to $10,000 for everything in between plus an (almost) all-expenses trip to the game's launch party at a major convention, the Kickstarter also features other funding options through "add-ons." These bonus in-game and physical perks, from swag to songs, come with their own price tags that will add revenue to the project's goal in a yet-to-be-revealed method.

The initial success is a good sign. The fair and appealing perks for each pledge, with the promise of a game that will feel like CoH at its core yet look and play like something brand new, spell out a bright future for City of Titans and MWM. There will likely be some small bumps ahead, but Miller provides his former-players-turned-pros a closing mote of seasoned advice:

Start small. You do NOT need to ship with every feature under the sun; that's setting yourself up for failure in the long run. If you can't support a feature for the long run, don't cram it in just to have a bullet point. Add it in when it makes sense to add it to the game. Concentrate on making the game FUN and ENGAGING first, then you'll be able to add the features you've always wanted when they are ready for prime time, not because you need to get them out the door.

Visit Missing World Media's The Phoenix Project - City of Titans Kickstarter page to check out what the game is all about and to make your pledge. Then be sure to leave a comment below about how you contributed to the vision, what you're excited for about City of Titans, and the first hero or villain you plan to make.

Hey there Dactacular Fanboys and Fangirls, it is I, Chris "The Dace Man" Dace bringing you another edition of YouTube spotlight! This week we take a look into the bizarre world of Bad Lip Reading (BLR). BLR broke onto the scene in March 2011 when an anonymous Texas-based music and video producer swapped out the music and lyrics to the annoying Rebecca Black hit "Friday" and replaced them with a newly created song called "Gang War." Upon its release to the Internet via YouTube the video garnered  millions of hits and thousands of subscribes, and from there the BLR channel blasted off into YouTube stardom. The channel went on to spoof many more music videos by artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift, and Michael Buble.

In September 2011 the group decided to branch out into the ever-hot topic of politics. The first political video targeted presidential hopeful Rick Perry and would go on to spoof Obama, Romney, and many other politicians before again branching off, this time into movies and TV. Today the channel has nearly 2.5 million subscribers and 41 videos. Although its most recent posting was 5 months ago, the videos are humorous classics. The group behind BLR has been nailed with three copyright claims in the past but bounced back after the claims were dropped and the videos reinstated. Their last video is embedded below. Enjoy!

Based on a story by Stephen King, Haven is an odd show. Unlike most dramas that deal with the supernatural, it's homely rather than unnerving, comfortable rather than scary. The first episode of Season 4 has just premiered here in the UK, but before we go into the new season, let's remind ourselves how we got to where we are now.

Haven. But not a safe one. Don't be fooled by the name!

Season 1 began with the arrival of FBI agent Audrey Parker in a small town in Maine - the Haven of the title. Back then, she was on the trail of a murderer, but she soon found herself embroiled in a far greater mystery. See, the inhabitants of Haven are "troubled"; not troubled as in worried or psychologically disturbed, but rather, they are afflicted by curses that might, for example, cause their moods to affect the local weather or make people spontaneously combust. Small town life apparently can affect you that way!

These curses are usually latent, but every few decades the "troubles" return to Haven, and the inhabitants' afflictions begin to manifest. In each cycle there is one person who cannot be harmed by the residents' "troubles" and is destined to help the poor townsfolk deal with them, and that person has a different identity every time. In this current cycle she is, of course, Audrey Parker.

Audrey Parker—torn between two lovers. Just as well she gets more than one life to sort it out.

Packing Up Your Troubles

By the end of Season 3, we had learned that the troubles would end if Audrey stepped into a mysterious, mystical barn and disappeared forever. Not an appealing prospect, you might think, but for reasons that needn't concern us here, she did just that - leaving behind the other two sides of her romantic triangle, the town's police chief, Nathan Wuornos, and the local rogue-with-a-heart-of-gold Duke Crocker.

So far so good,  right? Well, apparently not. The troubles obviously didn't end or we wouldn't now be discussing the start of Season 4, would we?

The Audrey 2

As the first episode of Season 4 opens, it's six months later, and the residents of Haven are not happy. Their afflictions continue unabated, and they feel betrayed by those who had promised the troubles would end with Audrey's sacrifice. Nathan is no longer chief of police, Duke (who tried to follow Audrey into the barn) has rematerialized in a seal tank (no, not a sealed tank, a tank full of seals!), and Audrey herself has been resurrected in another new identity. This time she's a bartender named Lexi DeWitt. So it seems Season 4 is set to deliver more of the same: another round of freak-of the-week adventures, a lead character who has reverted to having no idea who she really is, and an unresolved eternal triangle.

Haven. You don't have to be troubled to live here. But it helps.

To Every Season There Is a Thing

Of course, delivering more of the same may not be enough. Haven (the show) now faces a new trouble of its own, one faced by many a long-running series. In its first season, a new show can win viewers with an original and intriguing premise, which Haven did. To retain those viewers, the second season needs only to up the ante, throwing in bigger special effects, more complicated relationships, and the suggestion of an over-arching plot line. Haven managed to do all of that as well. By the third season, viewers want to see all of the messy plot threads of the previous seasons resolved, which, by introducing the barn, Haven delivered.

For a show to continue being successful into its fourth season, however, is as difficult as a rock band's third album. Fans will feel betrayed if the new season strays too far from the original premise, but with everything already resolved, that premise can only be maintained if the third season's resolution is unravelled. Obviously this creates an unsatisfactory base from which to start, and the show's creators therefore have to distract viewers with a little sleight of hand - paradoxically, they have to inject something new but make it look old. They have to con their own fans.

Are We Still Haven Fun?

This deception often takes the form of new characters coupled with a new plot line and, in far too many cases, increasingly frequent guest appearances by actors made famous in other shows. It's a difficult act to get right, and few shows manage to still look fresh after four seasons. Haven is staying true to the fourth-season formula. In the first episode we are introduced to two characters who, it seems, are going to be joining the regular cast. The first is Jennifer Mason, played by former Power Ranger Emma Lahana. Jennifer is a young woman who, for reasons not yet fully explained, can hear the conversations that took place in the mysterious barn before it imploded. On the celebrity front, Eureka's Colin Ferguson also joins the cast as William, an ex-cop who claims to know the secret of Lexi DeWitt's true identity. Two out of three boxes ticked then. How about that new over-arching plot?

Colin Ferguson may have discovered  the answer to Haven's troubles. Eureka!

With the barn gone and the townsfolk still troubled, it transpires that Audrey/Lexi can still put an end to the troubles. All she needs to do this time around is kill the man she loves. There's no particular explanation given as to why that should work, but it does put her romantic triangle with Duke and Nathan front and centre by begging the question: which man is her true love? Perhaps now that Audrey is Lexi, her true love will turn out to be neither of them.

Unlike the Doctor, Audrey can regenerate without changing her appearance. Which won't harm Emily Rose's job prospects!

Brevity: The Soul of DeWitt?

It's not an entirely satisfactory setup, but this storyline may just be enough to keep existing fans entertained for another season. Emma Lahana seems bound to be popular as a quirky sidekick, which should help slow the loss of viewers who are starting to find the show's premise a little tired. Four seasons in, however, some viewers will inevitably be lost, and the question now is whether that number will be offset by new fans who follow Ferguson here all the way from Eureka.

Personally, I don't think that will happen. Ferguson is eminently likable, but I suspect there is already a considerable overlap between the two shows' fanbases, and those viewers are already regular visitors to Maine.

Overall, Haven is doing everything that the TV playbook suggests for a show looking to retain its audience as it moves into its fourth season. More than likely it will be enjoyable; the characters are still amiable after all, and I'm sure we can expect a few impressive special effects sequences. However, the very measures taken to reinvigorate the show suggest that Haven may be approaching the end of its natural life, and I doubt there will be another season left in it after this one. It would be nice to think that the producers will recognize this and take the opportunity to make Season 4 the final season, allowing Lexi DeWitt to go out on a high.

But that's just me. Do you think it's time to end Haven's troubles once and for all? Or do you believe that, like Audrey herself, it can keep coming back for decades to come?

Most gamers are already multiple missions deep into the new GTA V. But for those individuals still sitting on the fence on whether to buy the game or not, here are five reasons you should.

1. Massive World

Gamers are introduced to a new city: Los Santos, a fictional representation of Los Angeles. I say city, but what Rockstar has given us is a whole new region. Los Santos and Blaine County (the surrounding rural area) make up one of the biggest RPG maps I've ever played on a console. It's amazing. Gamers are not limited to causing chaos in the city; they can also wreak havoc in the mountains, oceans, deserts, and the sky surrounding the city.


When I play open-world games, I like finding the end of the map, the place where gamers cannot go any farther—drive no farther on the road, climb that rock wall no higher, or just simply desynchronize (Assassin's Creed franchise I'm looking at you). In the case of GTA V, not only haven't I found that place yet, the game is so big it feels as though there is no end to its world.



If looks can kill, GTA V is murdering everything in its path. Los Santos is extremely detailed and downright gorgeous. Streets in the city are disgusting, mountains are beautiful up close and afar, water looks delicious or foul (depending on where the gamer is located), and everything has a layer of realism to it. No stone was left unturned when Rockstar tackled graphics.



GTA V pushes the PS3 graphics to their limit, and I'm curious to see how this game will look on the PS4, because it already looks fantastic. I find myself driving better because of the graphics—I just can't destroy the beauty that is this car.


2. Three Playable Characters

Upon initially learning of GTA V's three character system, I was worried that the game would be crowded or that I would spend most my time loving one character and despising the other two. Once September 17th hit and I played the game, however, I instantly loved all three characters. Patience is definitely a virtue.


Michael is an overweight white male in his 40s, a retired criminal, rich, and dealing with a mid-life crisis. He has a cheating wife, a daughter who's clueless to life (she reminds me of a non-famous version Miley Cyrus), and a heavy-set son who plays video games all day thinking he's a thug. Watching this family fall apart makes for some of the funniest moments in the game.

Franklin, a young African-American male, becomes a young protégée of Michael and aspires to make as much money as possible. He is a stereotypical gang-banger in the 'hood, fighting other rival gang members with his homeboy Lamar. One of my favorite segments with Franklin involve his missions using a tow truck with local crackhead Tonya…hilarious.

Trevor, a white male the same age as Michael, can be described in just one word: INSANE. He is a career criminal who enjoys killing for sport, and gamers will enjoy his outrageousness. From the moment you meet him, you do nothing but cringe: over the mess he calls his trailer home, his random yelling, or the way he treats his rural American associates. Be prepared for a wild ride.


The transition from character to character is smooth, and puts the game into a Google Earth view of the city, a neat visual that hides a load screen. Missions are unique to each character and addicting. Character animation is some of the best I've seen and is complemented by top-notch voice acting. Ned Luke (Michael), Shawn Fonteno (Franklin), and Steven Ogg (Trevor) deliver great performances that highlight three fundamentally different characters with identical realism.


3. Side Missions and Games

Gamers still have the basic elements that make GTA a GTA—hijacking cars, punching people in the face, and just good ol' fashioned running people over on the sidewalk in your vehicle. Yet a lot has been added and/or improved in the side missions and games, such as

Playing a game of tennis...


...or a round of golf.


Game mechanics for both tennis and golf are some of the best I've seen in a GTA game.

Hitting up the local strip club.


I kid you not; I spent an actual shameless hour at the strip club and saved so much REAL money in the process.

Robbing the local convenience store.


A good friend (also living vicariously through GTA V) told me, "Be careful robbing the same convenience store twice. The clerk will have a gun ready and waiting for you!!"

Skydiving.


Scuba diving.


There is still so much more! I could keep going, but go and get the game for yourself and explore!


4. Online Gameplay

By the time this article comes out, online gameplay should be in full swing. October 1st, 2013 is the release date. Features include

Open-World: The online feature will have the same open-world concept as the single player game. Online play includes a fully functioning world that grows and takes shape over time. Gamers and their online buddies will be able to catch a movie, go dirt bike riding, and rob convenience stores.


Activities/Sports: Gamers will be able to play tennis or a round of golf together. You'll be able to compete in races for money and increase your reputation.

Online Missions: There will be plenty of missions and jobs to undertake either alone or with your crew. Can you imagine? Pulling off a heist with friends…sounds like a good time to me!


For more and up-to-date information on online gameplay check out Rockstar.


5. Main Missions

Get ready to stay on your feet; GTA missions bring the punch. I could go on and on talking about them, but I think it's better to show rather than tell. Here is one of my favorite missions, "The Heist" by the RadBrad (a favorite YouTube subscription of mine):


There you go! Five reasons to go out and buy GTA V! Go out and buy it now. What's your excuse not to?

Check out Episode 15 of The Dace Man Show with regulars Gibby, Nikki Mills, and Michael Burhan! As well as call-in guest Jeff Croop!!

Join The Dace Man this week as he breaks down the following:

::SPORTS NEWS::

• Army/Navy Game is in jeopardy of being cancelled.
• NHL is back!!
• NFL Week 4 is in the books.
• What is going on in the MLB Post Season?

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• Lots of dick jokes.

::CELEB NEWS::

• Beiber gets carried up the Wall Of China…now please chuck him.
• AEG found not guilty in the murder of Michael Jackson...that's "ignent."
• Legend Tom Clancy passes away…so no more games? Er, I mean, books?
• Paris Hilton samples her latest single…yikes.
• Weird Al is back in the studio!?!?!
• Breaking Bad Season Finale
• And more!!

Also The DaceMan's High Five: Top 5 Weird Al Songs and the Douchebag of the Week. All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show!

Step onto the crazy train with Chris "The Dace Man" Dace this week on The Dace Man Show…cue the Final Countdown!!!

Follow The Dace Man on Twitter: @TheDaceMan

Catch The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8pm EST on Mega Powers Radio.

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Episode 44 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael Burhan, Mike Paden, Travis Goss, Miguel Leon, Lee Garasich, with special guests Xander Skullion and Happy Console Gamers Rob Man discuss Mega Man and Mighty No 9.

Rob Man also answers questions from the fans and speaks on his own experiences talking about the first time he held a game pad, Rob's wife Tam also discusses her own experiences as a female gamer.

You can check out the episode by clicking on the following links:

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iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/igotgameplay/id570120518

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