Unfortunately, real life has gotten the better of me at this time, so no new posts for this week.
However, expect a story on Injsutice: Gods Among Us on May 4th!
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Skullgirls: Characters
Anyway, I've been interested in this game for some time now and even donated some money to get some cool stuff, mostly some music, background wallpaper and a code that will allow me to play the game on Steam. So, to get myself into the mood, as well as anybody else who decided to read this post, I'll be giving some short descriptions on the playable characters of this game, as well as the upcoming DLC characters confirmed to be playable
.
The story itself takes place in a world with humans, parasites, cyborgs, animal hybrids and the dangerous creature known as the Skullgirl. In short, mass destruction ensued and the Skullgirl disappeared. It was born of the Skull Heart, an artifact that can grant anyone their wish, but if they weren't pure of heart, they would become a Skullgirl as well. That's not even getting into the fact that there is a mafia who wants to control everything and an Anti-Skullgirl facility who use children to try and combat the Skullgirl. So yeah, their world kinda sucks to an extent.
Right off the bat we have Filia, who you can consider to be the default protagonist of the game. Once an ordinary school girl, she awoke one day with amensia and a parasite attached to her head (you know, the usual stuff). This parasite, known as Samson, acts as a somewhat selfish aide to help Filia get her memories back, most likely through means of the Skull Heart. Until that time, he's hanging out in her hair. Good times right there.
Anyway, from what I've gathered, she plays very much like Ryu from Street Fighter, though lacking a proper projectile move. She is definitely the easiest character to get a hold on compared to the others and can dominate in a fight rather handily if played smart. Still, she can be pretty forgettable and is often overlooked.
Cerebella is what you can get when you cross a Playboy bunny with acrobatic skills fit for the circus and a super-strong hat. Aside from being a headliner for her circus troupe, she also serves as a leg-breaker for the Medici mob family, specifically Vitale Medici. He served as a father figure of sorts to her, having her do certain jobs to help the Medicis. She follows mainly out of love and doesn't really see the suffering the family has caused.
Gameplay-wise, definitely a power character, kinda like Zangief from Street Fighter or Potemkin from Guilty Gear. She doesn't need to be fast, just hit the character enough times to get a win. This is the kind of character I myself would be most comfortable with, if that I would rather use a few simple moves than elaborate combos to try and defeat a person. Course, that kinda extends beyond just a single character.
Oh boy, talk about opening up a fake peanut can of spring-loaded worms. A war orphan who had her eyes gouged out, Peacock was transformed by the members of the Anti-Skullgirls science group into a weapon to combat the Skullgirl itself. The technology implanted in her body, as well as a mindset now obsessed with old school cartoons, granted Peacock untold power which can pretty much be borderline reality warping. It doesn't help that a mock movie poster involves the phrase 'The Murder-Go-Round broke Down'.
Thanks to that love of black and white cartoons, most of Peacock's moves are random to watch, but dangerous when on the receiving end. This includes, but not limited too: a knife gun (that stabs more than shoots), a pirate cannon, a set of bombs named Lenny and George, a burlap sack that can capture opponents, and a terrifying beam of energy through her hat. Yeah, Peacock doesn't mess around.
Fitting for a princess bred for war, Parasoul has some useful tools (and soldiers) on standby to win a fight. With the technological umbrella known as Krieg and a Mauser pistol, she has a mix of 'swordplay' and 'gunplay' to keep an enemy off balance. Black Egret soldiers will aide in different ways, like protecting her from an attack or using a sniper riffle to hit from afar. Still, Parasoul is a tricky character to use, with a difficulty curve that can get you frustrated quickly if you're not too careful.
Thanks to the Life Gem infused, its pretty hard to kill Ms. Fortune. At the very least, you can knock her out. She puts that gem's power to use, being able to use her limbs for long range attacks, entrap her enemies in her own veins, and even decapitate herself and continue fighting without her head. Just be glad she isn't the most disgusting fighter in the game, cause it can get much worse than you think.
As can be expected, Painwheel is equipped with some nasty stuff thanks to Lab Zero. With a synthetic parasite and a drive system, she is a berzerker ready to be unleashed. Large blades pop out of her body, mostly from the legs and arms, and that large blade hanging from her back is nothing to sneeze at as well. Compared to Peacock, who also became an Anti-Skullgirl weapon, Painwheel doesn't joke around, either in or outside of a match.
As expected, she plays much as you would expect from a doctor who moonlights as a ninja. Scalpel knives, a hacksaw for a sword, even using syringes to poison her opponent in different ways. There are also some ninja techniques as well, such as a doppleganger trick which allows you to counter and attack and avoid damage, as well as something called an 'Izuna Drop'. In short, grab enemy, launch into air, then drop them onto the ground like they were nothing.
Her moveset is equally strange, as she doesn't necessarily fight as herself. In actuality, she takes the form of other characters that use her moves instead, like punching as Cerebella or summoning Ms. Fortune heads to attack her opponent. Really, its a kind of fighting style that needs to be seen in action to believe.
There hasn't been too much in terms of gameplay I've seen of Squigly, mostly just talked about. From what I could find, it seems that Squigly and Leviathan have a more cooperative relationship with one another compared to Filia and Samson. While Samson is more dominating and aggressive, Leviathan does his best working along with Squigly, like dance partners would. Expect some long range attacks and sound-based maneuvers that compliment the opera singer and parasite combo.
Considering his musical equipment and great size, Big Band is a tough but slow fighter. Expect him to be busting out some musical notes through either that giant sax on his back or from some equipment tucked beneath his coat (not like that). Also remember the fact that he is injured and needs that iron lung to survive. So when the big guy is kicking your ass in the game, its pretty fair to say he is barely fighting at full strength.
There is also this DLC character named Robo-Fortune, but 3 guesses says you got a good idea what to expect from the character.
..and that about wraps it up here. Hope you find this info interesting enough to give Skullgirls a chance. Until next time...
Skullgirls belongs to Lab Zero Games.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
'Young Justice/Green Lantern Animated Series: CANCELLED' Rant
Even though both of the series have ended last week and the flame from fans of both series have died down a bit, its rather important to talk about them as a means to show what kind of direction future animated series might go towards.
Both 'Green Lantern' and 'Young Justice' were part of the 'DC Nation'. a TV program on Cartoon Network dedicated to all things DC comics. They've been tossed around in terms of broadcasting, often taking months at a time to release a new episode (even though said episode has been done for quite some time at that point). Despite being very popular among younger and older fans, with Young Justice even winning an award for an episode, it was still canceled with new shows in its place 'Beware the Batman' and 'Teen Titans Go!'.
So really, what caused this cancellation? Best to look at the heads of Cartoon Network for that information, as they have the say so on what shows to continue or cancel. For one thing or another, certain series tend to get the axe and cut down before their time (these shows for instance) and others continue even though they are complete garbage ( Johnny Test ) or well past their welcome point ( Ben 10 ). There is also concern when it comes to making a profit, which some animated series get by getting companies to make toys of their characters and such.
Any way its sliced, it seems like really crappy management. Canceling a TV show due to poor toy sales is about as logical as closing down a burger joint because the local butcher can barely sell any cow meat. Odd analogy notwithstanding, its clear that the heads of Cartoon Network have their heads up their asses for such a decision, especially since this could've extended the popular 'DC Nation' programming by another hour or so and just have 'Beware the Batman' and 'Teen Titans Go!' air along with the others. Still, what do I know? Its not like I learn from other people's mistakes as well as my own.
Still, this isn't the first time good animated series have been canceled. 'Spectacular Spider-Man' and 'Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes' have been very good successes for Marvel (though Spider-Man was owned by Sony at the time due to animated rights). Like their DC counterparts, these shows had a rather fleshed out cast of characters and engaging storyline, even if a few episodes weren't up to par as much as others. Still, they were at least enjoyable, but still got canned.
When Marvel got the rights back for Spider-Man, the 'Spectacular Spider-Man' was discontinued and replaced with 'Ultimate Spider-Man' which can barely hold a candle to its predecessor. Honestly, after seeing the entire first season, its easy to see which series can deliver more. As for 'Avengers', that was canceled so Marvel Animation can do 'Avengers Assemble', which is rather stupid in the long run.
Lets face it: cancelling very good series due to bad toy sales or replacing it with a bad knockoff is a slap in the face for viewers, myself included. Making decisions based purely on greed will no doubt bite you in the ass. There are honest-to-goodness people who put in a lot of effort to make animated shows and it feels insulting just to cancel them after a very good run.
Its rather a cautionary tale for those hoping to make an animated series. The network heads are the ones with the final say and there is always that chance where even if it gets to air, it'll be screwed around with. This primarily deals with behind-the-scenes dealings, like scheduling, executive meddling, or cancellation for some stupid reasoning. Course, that doesn't mean you should give up on the subject and push on it the best you can until something comes up that won't let you continue.
Both 'Green Lantern' and 'Young Justice' were part of the 'DC Nation'. a TV program on Cartoon Network dedicated to all things DC comics. They've been tossed around in terms of broadcasting, often taking months at a time to release a new episode (even though said episode has been done for quite some time at that point). Despite being very popular among younger and older fans, with Young Justice even winning an award for an episode, it was still canceled with new shows in its place 'Beware the Batman' and 'Teen Titans Go!'.
So really, what caused this cancellation? Best to look at the heads of Cartoon Network for that information, as they have the say so on what shows to continue or cancel. For one thing or another, certain series tend to get the axe and cut down before their time (these shows for instance) and others continue even though they are complete garbage ( Johnny Test ) or well past their welcome point ( Ben 10 ). There is also concern when it comes to making a profit, which some animated series get by getting companies to make toys of their characters and such.
Any way its sliced, it seems like really crappy management. Canceling a TV show due to poor toy sales is about as logical as closing down a burger joint because the local butcher can barely sell any cow meat. Odd analogy notwithstanding, its clear that the heads of Cartoon Network have their heads up their asses for such a decision, especially since this could've extended the popular 'DC Nation' programming by another hour or so and just have 'Beware the Batman' and 'Teen Titans Go!' air along with the others. Still, what do I know? Its not like I learn from other people's mistakes as well as my own.
Still, this isn't the first time good animated series have been canceled. 'Spectacular Spider-Man' and 'Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes' have been very good successes for Marvel (though Spider-Man was owned by Sony at the time due to animated rights). Like their DC counterparts, these shows had a rather fleshed out cast of characters and engaging storyline, even if a few episodes weren't up to par as much as others. Still, they were at least enjoyable, but still got canned.
When Marvel got the rights back for Spider-Man, the 'Spectacular Spider-Man' was discontinued and replaced with 'Ultimate Spider-Man' which can barely hold a candle to its predecessor. Honestly, after seeing the entire first season, its easy to see which series can deliver more. As for 'Avengers', that was canceled so Marvel Animation can do 'Avengers Assemble', which is rather stupid in the long run.
Lets face it: cancelling very good series due to bad toy sales or replacing it with a bad knockoff is a slap in the face for viewers, myself included. Making decisions based purely on greed will no doubt bite you in the ass. There are honest-to-goodness people who put in a lot of effort to make animated shows and it feels insulting just to cancel them after a very good run.
Its rather a cautionary tale for those hoping to make an animated series. The network heads are the ones with the final say and there is always that chance where even if it gets to air, it'll be screwed around with. This primarily deals with behind-the-scenes dealings, like scheduling, executive meddling, or cancellation for some stupid reasoning. Course, that doesn't mean you should give up on the subject and push on it the best you can until something comes up that won't let you continue.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Review: Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Hello and welcome to another review on 'Stories of Entertainment'!
Felt like I should continue something I left off awhile back with the Lego Batman review. A sequel to the game came out last year under the title of Lego Batman 2: Dc Super Heroes. You'll never guess who'll be featured in this game:
Felt like I should continue something I left off awhile back with the Lego Batman review. A sequel to the game came out last year under the title of Lego Batman 2: Dc Super Heroes. You'll never guess who'll be featured in this game:
(A team-up of DC's greatest heroes...in a Lego video game. At least its something.)
Simply put, its a step up from its predecessar. The gameplay, graphics, and story have improved, with the inclusion of actually voice actors (rather than just the grunts and groans we got in previous Lego games). Time to see if they got a good story to start.
The game starts with Gotham City holding a 'Man of the Year' award between two moguls: the evil Lex Luthor and the sophisticated Bruce Wayne. No surprise to Bruce Wayne being the winner of the whole even, but even less of a shock is the Joker making a surprise appearance to steal a whole lot of stuff from people. The fact that he came with the likes of Two-Face, Riddler, and Penguin can get you a bit surprised. Anyway, most of the people flee, except for Luthor, who just sits and watches with interest, and Bruce Wayne, who actually hid out to change suits. When Joke gives a speech on how much of a cool guy he is, Batman and Robin arrive to foil his schemes.
Naturally, the Dynamic Duo manage to beat the other villains and give chase to Joker, who has taken to using a boat to get away with the goods. Eventually, the Joker is caught and defeated, with Superman soon making an appearance right after the villain is caught ('faster than a speeding bullet', my ass). They try to make small talk, but Batman keeps brushing Superman off before the Man of Steel leaves to help other people.
After awhile, Joker is back in his cell in Arkham Asylum, but gets broken out by Luthor thanks to a new device called the Deconstructor. It allows Luthor to take apart indestructible black bricks from each other, enabling Joker's escape. The two partner up, since Luthor needs Joker's gas to help him run for president. Joker agrees and even uses the Deconstructor to free several other Arkham inmates to distract Batman and Robin. They manage to round up a few of the inmates, but get news of a break-in at Ace Chemicals.
At the Ace Chemicals factory, Batman and Robin notice different chemicals have been stolen for some reason. Before they can contemplate what the combined chemicals can create, some canisters explode and start a massive fire. As the Dynamic Duo try to escape, Superman comes and puts out the fire. Batman doesn't enjoy Superman's company too much and brushes him off once the big guy saves their behinds. Batman goes through the Batcomputer to find out the chemicals would make something very similar to Kryptonite. Batman tracks down where Kryptonite might be stored and finds a moving source in Gotham City, which he and Robin promptly track down.
On a moving, heavily-fortified truck, Luthor and Joker manage to make the synthetic Kryptonite. Batman and Robin soon catch up and jump onboard, collecting said Kryptonite for themselves. However, both get knocked off by the Joker's Joy Buzzer and the Batmobile gets taken out by the Deconstructor in the process. Still, the Dynamic Duo has the Kryptonite and manage to bring to the Batcave. Oddly enough, the Kryptonite wouldn't be able to affect Kryptonians like Superman, but Batman doesn't take any chances and stores it with the rest of the Kryptonite.
It turned out to be a trick, as Luthor and Joker had the Kryptonite designed as a decoy and led them to the Batcave and the real Kryptonite. They start tearing apart the Batcave as they recover the Kryptonite, forcing Batman and Robin to flee. Its funny to see Luthor and Joker leaving, commenting on the fact that the Batcave was under Wayne Manor, with Luthor only stating, "I really despite that man." Superman appears to save the day (of course or we would have a shorter game) and helps clean up, even though Batman resents the Man of Steel with great passion. He decides to ask Superman for help and the Man of Steel agrees, eager to help the Dark Knight.
The pair manage to track down Luthor and Joker in a flying ship, but one trap forces Superman to rescue Batman from falling several stories. However, they both know they should be able to find them both at the LexCorp tower. They fight through several robot guards before reaching the villains, who have now appeared in a giant, Joker-esque robot. Both of the heroes are quickly defeated, with Superman exposed to Kryptonite and Batman squashed under a heavy weight. As the villains leave, its revealed that Superman and Batman switched costumes and give pursuit.
The superheroes try to fight off Luthor and Joker, but the mech is too much for Batman and Superman, with the Kryptonite significantly hurting Superman and Batman's gadgets aren't doing as much as he thought. Robin soon appears on the scene, with some vehicles that are unaffected by the Deconstructor. Batman joins his partner and manages to put the Joker-mech on a merry chase in Gotham City. With the Kryptonite exposed and leaking out of the mech, Batman manages to make a giant Joker portrait in the city streets, bright enough that it can be seen from space. This gets the attention of the Justice League (though as members of the team, why didn't Batman and Superman call them earlier) and with their help, thwart the plans of Luthor and Joker. The mech is destroyed and the city is safe once more.
...or for now at least, with the Braniac cameo at the end.
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was definitely a step in the right direction for the Lego video games, both in game-play, visuals, and story. Here's hoping to some bright future for the game series.
Until next time...
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was developed by Traveler's Tales and published by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.
The game starts with Gotham City holding a 'Man of the Year' award between two moguls: the evil Lex Luthor and the sophisticated Bruce Wayne. No surprise to Bruce Wayne being the winner of the whole even, but even less of a shock is the Joker making a surprise appearance to steal a whole lot of stuff from people. The fact that he came with the likes of Two-Face, Riddler, and Penguin can get you a bit surprised. Anyway, most of the people flee, except for Luthor, who just sits and watches with interest, and Bruce Wayne, who actually hid out to change suits. When Joke gives a speech on how much of a cool guy he is, Batman and Robin arrive to foil his schemes.
Naturally, the Dynamic Duo manage to beat the other villains and give chase to Joker, who has taken to using a boat to get away with the goods. Eventually, the Joker is caught and defeated, with Superman soon making an appearance right after the villain is caught ('faster than a speeding bullet', my ass). They try to make small talk, but Batman keeps brushing Superman off before the Man of Steel leaves to help other people.
After awhile, Joker is back in his cell in Arkham Asylum, but gets broken out by Luthor thanks to a new device called the Deconstructor. It allows Luthor to take apart indestructible black bricks from each other, enabling Joker's escape. The two partner up, since Luthor needs Joker's gas to help him run for president. Joker agrees and even uses the Deconstructor to free several other Arkham inmates to distract Batman and Robin. They manage to round up a few of the inmates, but get news of a break-in at Ace Chemicals.
At the Ace Chemicals factory, Batman and Robin notice different chemicals have been stolen for some reason. Before they can contemplate what the combined chemicals can create, some canisters explode and start a massive fire. As the Dynamic Duo try to escape, Superman comes and puts out the fire. Batman doesn't enjoy Superman's company too much and brushes him off once the big guy saves their behinds. Batman goes through the Batcomputer to find out the chemicals would make something very similar to Kryptonite. Batman tracks down where Kryptonite might be stored and finds a moving source in Gotham City, which he and Robin promptly track down.
On a moving, heavily-fortified truck, Luthor and Joker manage to make the synthetic Kryptonite. Batman and Robin soon catch up and jump onboard, collecting said Kryptonite for themselves. However, both get knocked off by the Joker's Joy Buzzer and the Batmobile gets taken out by the Deconstructor in the process. Still, the Dynamic Duo has the Kryptonite and manage to bring to the Batcave. Oddly enough, the Kryptonite wouldn't be able to affect Kryptonians like Superman, but Batman doesn't take any chances and stores it with the rest of the Kryptonite.
It turned out to be a trick, as Luthor and Joker had the Kryptonite designed as a decoy and led them to the Batcave and the real Kryptonite. They start tearing apart the Batcave as they recover the Kryptonite, forcing Batman and Robin to flee. Its funny to see Luthor and Joker leaving, commenting on the fact that the Batcave was under Wayne Manor, with Luthor only stating, "I really despite that man." Superman appears to save the day (of course or we would have a shorter game) and helps clean up, even though Batman resents the Man of Steel with great passion. He decides to ask Superman for help and the Man of Steel agrees, eager to help the Dark Knight.
The pair manage to track down Luthor and Joker in a flying ship, but one trap forces Superman to rescue Batman from falling several stories. However, they both know they should be able to find them both at the LexCorp tower. They fight through several robot guards before reaching the villains, who have now appeared in a giant, Joker-esque robot. Both of the heroes are quickly defeated, with Superman exposed to Kryptonite and Batman squashed under a heavy weight. As the villains leave, its revealed that Superman and Batman switched costumes and give pursuit.
The superheroes try to fight off Luthor and Joker, but the mech is too much for Batman and Superman, with the Kryptonite significantly hurting Superman and Batman's gadgets aren't doing as much as he thought. Robin soon appears on the scene, with some vehicles that are unaffected by the Deconstructor. Batman joins his partner and manages to put the Joker-mech on a merry chase in Gotham City. With the Kryptonite exposed and leaking out of the mech, Batman manages to make a giant Joker portrait in the city streets, bright enough that it can be seen from space. This gets the attention of the Justice League (though as members of the team, why didn't Batman and Superman call them earlier) and with their help, thwart the plans of Luthor and Joker. The mech is destroyed and the city is safe once more.
...or for now at least, with the Braniac cameo at the end.
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was definitely a step in the right direction for the Lego video games, both in game-play, visuals, and story. Here's hoping to some bright future for the game series.
Until next time...
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was developed by Traveler's Tales and published by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Top 10: Injustice Playable Characters
Welcome back to another review on 'Stories of Entertainment'.
Time for another Top 10 list with characters, though I'll be changing a few things up here. As of now, we're under two months away from the release of 'Injustice: Gods Among Us' for the Xbox 360 and PS3. As a DC fighting game, its expected to have a lot of recognizable characters be brought to the forefront. Still, there are some characters that I wouldn't mind having as part of the game. I've got a list of 10 characters that I would like to be playable in the game. Here are the ground rules:
Time for another Top 10 list with characters, though I'll be changing a few things up here. As of now, we're under two months away from the release of 'Injustice: Gods Among Us' for the Xbox 360 and PS3. As a DC fighting game, its expected to have a lot of recognizable characters be brought to the forefront. Still, there are some characters that I wouldn't mind having as part of the game. I've got a list of 10 characters that I would like to be playable in the game. Here are the ground rules:
- The current cast of playable characters (by this date) are: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Lex Luthor, Bane, Solomon Grundy, Doomsday, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Catwoman, Cyborg, Nightwing, Shazam, Aquaman.
- I will be including characters that are suggested to appear, but not sure of what capacity (either as a cameo or playable).
- This is purely within the DC universe, not guest characters from other franchises like Watchmen or Judge Dredd
- This list is on characters that I personally want to be part of the playable roster, with #1 being my top pick.
Okay, with the rules out of the way, enjoy the trailer before jumping right into my Top 10 Injustice Characters I want Playable.
(Shit is hitting the proverbial fan here)
10. Caitlin Fairchild
Kicking off the list is the beautiful bombshell of the Wildstorm universe, Caitlin Fairchild. Considering that DC has officially merged the Wildstorm universe into the main DC universe, I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of Wildstorm heroes as playable characters. Caitlin would be interesting to say the least, since I haven't see too many fighting games where there was such a physically dominate female fighter on par with super heavyweights (in this case, Solomon Grundy and Bane) while still being very attractive. This may turn some people off, which I can understand to a point, but its something to at least try.
In any case, I would have a bit of difficulty trying to figure out which side she would fit in, either New Regime or the Resistance. Gameplay should be interesting, considering she is supposed to be incredibly strong and intelligent. I wouldn't know what to do with it myself, so she gets a bit lower on the list because of it.
9. Captain Atom
In any case, I would have a bit of difficulty trying to figure out which side she would fit in, either New Regime or the Resistance. Gameplay should be interesting, considering she is supposed to be incredibly strong and intelligent. I wouldn't know what to do with it myself, so she gets a bit lower on the list because of it.
9. Captain Atom
I could see the good captain being a part of the roster pretty easily, especially concerning his flight, super strength, and atomic energy. As part of the story, he could be serving alongside the New Regime as one of its top enforcers, since he is a soldier and would dutifully serve his leader as best as possible. While he does put his orders first and foremost, I wouldn't find it unbelievable to have him work for the resistance, especially considering how tyrannical the regime is and the fact that he was trained to fight against such terror.
Gameplay-wise, I don't think it would be too hard to incorporate his atomic powers, especially since he can adjust the wavelengths for different effects. He could temporarily slow done his opponent through some atomic punches or hit them with a blast that knocks them over. For his supermove, he might unleash enough energy at close range to mimic a nuclear explosion, minus the radiation effects, of course.
8. Magog
Magog was originally designed as everything bad about the Nineties anti-hero genre, all wrapped up inside one golden package. As much hate that gets thrown around thanks to this guy, you can't help but feel sorry for him at times. In his first appearance as part of the Kingdom Come Elseworlds tale, he was the new representative for heroes during a time by killing the Joker, who at the time killed everyone in the Daily Planet (not too far of from this game's story now, right?) Dubbed 'The New Man of Tomorrow', he started a new age of more violent superheroing, leading to the destruction of Kansas in one fight.
If DC wants to reboot this guy and make him more enjoyable, start here. Have him be sorta like the new poster boy of the New Regime, but get tired of it and start listening to the people for a change. He would end up joining the Resistance with Batman and taking the fight straight to Superman. I wouldn't mind seeing him wielding his power staff along with some heavy equipment like a gatling gun. It would make for an interesting shout-out to the Nineties.
7. Sinestro
Sinestro has been rather synonymous with the Green Lantern lore and if a Green Lantern is going to be duking it out in Injustice, so should Sinestro. This is especially since the Green Lantern would be Hal Jordan, who was previously trained by Sinestro and both have been enemies of the other. While Green Lantern has his green ring of willpower, Sinetro wields the yellow ring of fear. This could make for some interesting constructs for Sinetro, considering his alien origin and several years of experience as a Green Lantern.
This would be especially interesting since recent videos and screens have Hal Jordan sporting the yellow ring of fear instead of his trademark green ring. We can assume that he's switched corps, but Sinestro probably wouldn't be too happy seeing Hal as part of his corps. Maybe Hal would beat him out of it and force Sinestro to don the green ring once more? A bit far-fetched, but I could hear worse reasons.
6. Raven
We already have former Teen Titan members Nightwing and Cyborg, so why not Raven? Being the daughter of a demonic conqueror makes a good character and her portrayal in the Teen Titans animated series has earned her plenty of fans, so it seems like a good choice. Since she would be doing her best to prevent her evil father from taking over the world, she could easily join the side of the New Regime if it meant for safety and stability.
Raven is sort of an interesting character in the game, since her comic book powers mostly have her as an empath. That wouldn't really translate well into a video game unless you take into account of her abilities in the animated series. She had some telekinesis, flight, and some useful magic at her finger tips, which would help her greatly in a fighting game. Here's hoping she is more than just a cameo appearance.
5. Zatanna
Zatanna has kinda been one of the best representations of magic in the DC universe. The daughter of the magician Zatara, Zatanna uses magic by speaking backwards (most of the time, as she is capable of non-verbal spells as well). She is ranked on par with the likes of Captain Marvel (or 'Shazam' in the Injustice Game), so she should make for an interesting character. she would probably stick with Batman and the Resistance, serving as the magical equivalent to 'Shazam' on the Regime side.
Combat-wise, I expect her to be partially trained in some combat, using gestures for some simple attacks and using her backwards magic for more powerful special abilities. She could really get a kick out of her supermove if she utilized her full magical potential.
4. Black Adam
Black Adam is a pretty interesting villain, and I'm not even sure if I can say that about him. His behavior and actions have been rather complex at times, before just wanting all the power of SHAZAM. In recent history, he has gotten a good backstory about wanting to protect his past homeland, albeit rather aggressively and without mercy. Still, he did have some good reasons to do so and his people did seem better off with him than their dictator (whom Black Adam killed) and as such, view him as their personal hero.
While his powers are quite similar to Captain Marvel, they come from the Egyptian Gods, so it might add for some interesting visuals in terms of his fighting style and abilities. Story-wise, if Captain Marvel joined the New Regime, then Black Adam would be joining the Resistance, either to get the powers of SHAZAM once more or to protect his homeland from the New Regime's power. Either way should work fine.
3. Power Girl
This needs to go beyond simply Reasons #1 and #2. I think she could have been a pretty good role model for girls if some of the writers did a good job in her stories. She is one of the few superheroes I've seen who has most of their shit together both in their superhero and civilian identity. While most people would view her as a sexual superhero icon (her and several others), I still think she hasn't gotten everything that she has deserved.
So, what do I think she can bring into the game? Again, a different variation on Superman's moveset, sorta like what they did with Frost to Sub-Zero. Maybe focus on more of her physical power and speed rather than heat vision and ice breath or the like. Story-wise, she has kind of deviated from the idea of 'ends justify the means' sort of shtick, and would probably end up on the Resistance side to oppose Superman. A bit flimsy, but I'm sure there are others who could put up a better idea than myself.
2. Grifter
I'm just glad he is actually part of the DC universe now and, thinking about how popular he is around this time, it would be a good idea to include him into the roster. Sure, we have some characters who rely on guns as part of their repertoire, all Grifter needs is a pair of handguns and some minor telekinetic abilities. His look makes him standout quite a bit among the rest of the cast and can be opened to be tweaked slightly while keeping the overall look intact.
Normally, you can expect Grifter to be working for the government in some manner, especially for the New Regime. Still, I wouldn't put it past them if it was decided to have him be a part of the Resistance with Batman. A toss-up, really, but again, nothing I'm too bothered with...
and the number one character I want to be playable in "Injustice" is...
1. Manchester Black
This is a bit obscure, at least for those who haven't heard of 'Superman VS the Elite' or 'What's so Funny about Truth, Justice, and the American Way?'. Manchester Black is a telepath and telekinetic who played ball with Superman and his ideas, becoming an extreme anti-hero of sorts who was willing to kill by any means necessary to keep the bad guys down. Its a pretty interesting character, to say the least, and I'm kinda bummed out that we don't see him as often, even with the new reboot. Still, I think he would fit right into the 'Injustice' game.
While you can debate whether he would join the New Regime to take it to the bad guys or work for the Resistance to oppose Superman as the dictator he kinda is, Manchester Black's moveset would be very reflective of his 'no holds' use of telekinetic might. Smashing an opponent on the ground, twisting them around like a pretzel: think of him as the answer to MK's Ermac. It helps that he is pretty recognizable and distinguishable from the rest of the heroes and villains (especially with that Union Jack tattooed to his chest).
So yeah, this is my Top 10 list of Characters I want Playable in the 'Injustice' game. Hope you enjoy it and be looking forward to posting my review for the game itself awhile after it comes out.
Until next time...
Injustice: Gods Among Us is owned by Netherrealm Studios and Warner Bros Interactive.
If DC wants to reboot this guy and make him more enjoyable, start here. Have him be sorta like the new poster boy of the New Regime, but get tired of it and start listening to the people for a change. He would end up joining the Resistance with Batman and taking the fight straight to Superman. I wouldn't mind seeing him wielding his power staff along with some heavy equipment like a gatling gun. It would make for an interesting shout-out to the Nineties.
7. Sinestro
This would be especially interesting since recent videos and screens have Hal Jordan sporting the yellow ring of fear instead of his trademark green ring. We can assume that he's switched corps, but Sinestro probably wouldn't be too happy seeing Hal as part of his corps. Maybe Hal would beat him out of it and force Sinestro to don the green ring once more? A bit far-fetched, but I could hear worse reasons.
6. Raven
Raven is sort of an interesting character in the game, since her comic book powers mostly have her as an empath. That wouldn't really translate well into a video game unless you take into account of her abilities in the animated series. She had some telekinesis, flight, and some useful magic at her finger tips, which would help her greatly in a fighting game. Here's hoping she is more than just a cameo appearance.
5. Zatanna
Combat-wise, I expect her to be partially trained in some combat, using gestures for some simple attacks and using her backwards magic for more powerful special abilities. She could really get a kick out of her supermove if she utilized her full magical potential.
4. Black Adam
While his powers are quite similar to Captain Marvel, they come from the Egyptian Gods, so it might add for some interesting visuals in terms of his fighting style and abilities. Story-wise, if Captain Marvel joined the New Regime, then Black Adam would be joining the Resistance, either to get the powers of SHAZAM once more or to protect his homeland from the New Regime's power. Either way should work fine.
3. Power Girl
So, what do I think she can bring into the game? Again, a different variation on Superman's moveset, sorta like what they did with Frost to Sub-Zero. Maybe focus on more of her physical power and speed rather than heat vision and ice breath or the like. Story-wise, she has kind of deviated from the idea of 'ends justify the means' sort of shtick, and would probably end up on the Resistance side to oppose Superman. A bit flimsy, but I'm sure there are others who could put up a better idea than myself.
2. Grifter
Normally, you can expect Grifter to be working for the government in some manner, especially for the New Regime. Still, I wouldn't put it past them if it was decided to have him be a part of the Resistance with Batman. A toss-up, really, but again, nothing I'm too bothered with...
and the number one character I want to be playable in "Injustice" is...
1. Manchester Black
While you can debate whether he would join the New Regime to take it to the bad guys or work for the Resistance to oppose Superman as the dictator he kinda is, Manchester Black's moveset would be very reflective of his 'no holds' use of telekinetic might. Smashing an opponent on the ground, twisting them around like a pretzel: think of him as the answer to MK's Ermac. It helps that he is pretty recognizable and distinguishable from the rest of the heroes and villains (especially with that Union Jack tattooed to his chest).
So yeah, this is my Top 10 list of Characters I want Playable in the 'Injustice' game. Hope you enjoy it and be looking forward to posting my review for the game itself awhile after it comes out.
Until next time...
Injustice: Gods Among Us is owned by Netherrealm Studios and Warner Bros Interactive.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Review: Lego Batman
Welcome to another review on 'Stories of Entertainment'.
What can you really say about Legos? Couple things actually:
1. Good chance you had them growing up and had a lot of them.
2. Choking hazard and bane to all bare feet.
3. There are actually video games about it.
Naturally, that last one catches my mind a bit, since there have been a lot of Lego video games that have been coming out for years now, ranging from 'Lego Island', 'Lego Chess', 'Lego Racers', 'Lego Creator', and much more. Normally, these games have been made by the company 'The Lego Group', which has made a good chuck of the Lego video games. However, there are some that use other series, like Harry Potter or Star Wars, and makes action/platformer games as well. In this case: Lego Batman!
What can you really say about Legos? Couple things actually:
1. Good chance you had them growing up and had a lot of them.
2. Choking hazard and bane to all bare feet.
3. There are actually video games about it.
Naturally, that last one catches my mind a bit, since there have been a lot of Lego video games that have been coming out for years now, ranging from 'Lego Island', 'Lego Chess', 'Lego Racers', 'Lego Creator', and much more. Normally, these games have been made by the company 'The Lego Group', which has made a good chuck of the Lego video games. However, there are some that use other series, like Harry Potter or Star Wars, and makes action/platformer games as well. In this case: Lego Batman!
(With more Batman villains than you can shake a stick at)
Published by Warner Bros Interactive and developed by Traveler's Tales, 'Lego Batman' is another in a series of Lego-themed games revolving around action, platforming, and taking characters and settings from other series. Here, the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin take on various villains who want to take over Gotham in their own way.
Gameplay-wise, if you ever played 'Lego Star Wars' or 'Lego Indiana Jones', the principles are still the same. You can run, jump, attack, and certain characters have special abilities. You are also capable of designing your own character through the main hub area, as well as plenty of Easter Eggs to search through the different levels.
The story for this game is interesting, as you get to play the heroes and the villains depending on the missions. For the purposes of this review, I'll be looking at a compilation of both the villains and heroes sides of the story and trying to piece both of them together in some way.
The story begins when several supervillains break out of Arkham Asylum and split off into different groups. First, the Riddler groups up with Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and Clayface (A rather interesting set-up, at least in terms of intelligence and firepower). Next, the Penguin gets Catwoman, Man-Bat, Killer Croc, and Bane (technically, Catwoman and Bane shouldn't be in Arkham since they aren't actually insane, though it might be different in this universe. Also, Bane combo-broke Penguin's group for not being an animal). Finally, we have the Joker with Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Killer Moth, and Mad Hatter (a nutty team for a nutty villain). They all run amuck when Batman and Robin finally get onto the scene and with that, our first series of missions beings, with the Riddler's group being up to bat (lol) first.
We learn that the Riddler is planning a big heist at the Gotham Gold Reserves, requiring several different items in order to pull it off. He has his partners in crime slip up in order to tackle each item: Mr. Freeze gets the massively mobile freeze ray ('natch), Poison Ivy gets the plant that can grow several stories high (also 'natch), Two-Face gets the high-powered laser (...'kay), and Clayface gets the giant golden key. Good idea to send one of the strongest villains to get something as simple as a key (then again, this Clayface ain't all there in the head). When they do get the key, the big lug gets distracted by the large amount of gold that was with the key (it was locked in a cell of all things). When Batman and Robin show up, they beat down Clayface, but the Riddler gets away with the giant key. However, since he can't help himself, he leaves a clue for Batman and Robin to have them try and figure out what his next plan is.
With the giant key in hand, the Riddler moves on to acquire the giant freeze ray, with the assistance of Mr. Freeze (naturally). They arrive at the building where it is stored, blasting their way through and acquiring it. When Batman and Robin arrive on the scene, Mr. Freeze does his best to hold them off, but ultimately fails. The Riddler escapes with the freeze ray, as well as leaving another Riddler clue, and meets up with Two-Face. The Dymanic Duo manages to give them a good chase that ends with the freeze ray heading back to the Riddler's lair, Two-Face's truck getting dismantled, and the Riddler escaping thanks to Poison Ivy and leaving another Riddler clue (much to Poison Ivy's confusion).
Anyway, Riddler and Poison Ivy head to the place storing those plants that the Riddler needs. Poison Ivy gets caught up with all the plantlife, until Batman and Robin arrive to fight her. They win, Riddler escapes after the battle and leaves behind another clue. While the Dynamic Duo try to figure out what the Riddler is planning, the villain teams up with Two-Face once more and manages to steal the ray gun without interference from Batman and Robin. With all the items in place, the pair of villains break into the Gotham Gold Reserves, but naturally, the Dynamic Duo appear and arrest the villains once and for all.
...and we're only a third of the way done with this game, folks.
Now onto the Penguin and his master plan. Inside one of the Penguin's subs, Bane, Killer Croc, Catwoman, and Manbat are waiting on the Penguin (good nod to Bane and Killer Croc arm-wrestling, hinting at their violent history in the comic books between one another). Anyway, Penguin arrives and shows his master plan: an army of remote controlled penguin robots (ingenuis!). The villains spread them all across Gotham in boxes, with Penguin taking Bane to acquire a satellite dish to transmit his commands to the penguins over a longer distance. They succeed, but Penguin ditches Bane to the authorities with the dish in hand. Bane throws a hissy fit and manages to knock himself out. Shame they left out Bane's intelligence (and maybe some of Penguin's) but then again, Catwoman acts more like a cat in this one, so its all even?
Anyway, back in the sub, Penguin goes with Catwoman to recover a gem needed to power the machine to control the penguins (apparently). Catwoman succeeds, but gets caught by Batman and Robin. She tries to flirt her way out of it, but fails and gets handed over to the police while the Dynamic Duo go after Penguin and Killer Croc. However, the gem gets taken by a cat amid the chase, with Batman and Robin unable to catch either of the villains.
Sometime later, Catwoman is freed from prison by Killer Croc and Penguin, revealing that she got the gem back thanks to a visit from the cat. Penguin reveals more of his plan, with the machine hiding in the Gotham Zoo. When the police arrive, Killer Croc holds them off while Catwoman and Penguin escape into the sewers. However, Killer Croc gets beaten by Batman and Robin, where they discover where Penguin and Catwoman left to.
Over at the zoo, Penguin, Catwoman and Man-Bat start to infiltrate the complex, which is now guarded by police. When Batman and Robin arrive, Man-Bat does his best to slow them down, but gets captured in the end. However, he manages to stall long enough for Catwoman and Penguin to activate the machine and send the penguins on a rampage. Batman and Robin corner the two and manage to destroy the machine, effectively taking out the penguin army and saving Gotham once more.
That just leaves the Joker and his mad associates: Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and Killer Moth. Joker, naturally, wants to destroy the city via Joker gas and explosives (like you do), but has run out of materials for both and needs to steal them. Batman and Robin hear about the break-in at a chemical factory, where they find Mad Hatter. While that villain is stopped, Joker gets away with his supplies and leaves the Dynamic Duo in the dust.
Joker, in a bit of foresight, manages to trick Commissioner Gordon and capture him, prompting Batman and Robin to rescue him from Harley Quinn. They succeed, Harley Quinn is captured by the police, but Joker escapes via his helicopter thanks to Scarecrow and his plane. Both engage in an airbattle with Batman and Robin, destroying the aircraft and forcing the villains on foot. Scarecrow gets captured by the police during the run, but Joker escapes once more and joins up with Killer Moth.
The two manage to find Harley Quinn being held under Commissioner Gordon's care, but it doesn't last long. Joker escapes with Harley Quinn while Killer Moth deals with the police force. The Dynamic Duo arrive on the scene and take down Killer Moth. The two find the villains at an old cathedral, where Joker plans to detonate his explosives and drown Gotham City in his toxic Joker gas. The two fight Harley Quinn and the Joker, taking out the devices and capturing the pair, saving the day once more.
...and that's it for both the Hero and Villain story modes. Its not too complicated and some of the characters are pretty much exaggerations of their comic book counterparts (i.e. Catwoman) but its still a nice and easy story to follow. Course, the gameplay is the main focus here so it shouldn't be too looked down on. Simply put, if you're interested in a lego game with Batman, consider this a buy.
Until next time...
Lego Batman is owned by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.
We learn that the Riddler is planning a big heist at the Gotham Gold Reserves, requiring several different items in order to pull it off. He has his partners in crime slip up in order to tackle each item: Mr. Freeze gets the massively mobile freeze ray ('natch), Poison Ivy gets the plant that can grow several stories high (also 'natch), Two-Face gets the high-powered laser (...'kay), and Clayface gets the giant golden key. Good idea to send one of the strongest villains to get something as simple as a key (then again, this Clayface ain't all there in the head). When they do get the key, the big lug gets distracted by the large amount of gold that was with the key (it was locked in a cell of all things). When Batman and Robin show up, they beat down Clayface, but the Riddler gets away with the giant key. However, since he can't help himself, he leaves a clue for Batman and Robin to have them try and figure out what his next plan is.
With the giant key in hand, the Riddler moves on to acquire the giant freeze ray, with the assistance of Mr. Freeze (naturally). They arrive at the building where it is stored, blasting their way through and acquiring it. When Batman and Robin arrive on the scene, Mr. Freeze does his best to hold them off, but ultimately fails. The Riddler escapes with the freeze ray, as well as leaving another Riddler clue, and meets up with Two-Face. The Dymanic Duo manages to give them a good chase that ends with the freeze ray heading back to the Riddler's lair, Two-Face's truck getting dismantled, and the Riddler escaping thanks to Poison Ivy and leaving another Riddler clue (much to Poison Ivy's confusion).
Anyway, Riddler and Poison Ivy head to the place storing those plants that the Riddler needs. Poison Ivy gets caught up with all the plantlife, until Batman and Robin arrive to fight her. They win, Riddler escapes after the battle and leaves behind another clue. While the Dynamic Duo try to figure out what the Riddler is planning, the villain teams up with Two-Face once more and manages to steal the ray gun without interference from Batman and Robin. With all the items in place, the pair of villains break into the Gotham Gold Reserves, but naturally, the Dynamic Duo appear and arrest the villains once and for all.
...and we're only a third of the way done with this game, folks.
Now onto the Penguin and his master plan. Inside one of the Penguin's subs, Bane, Killer Croc, Catwoman, and Manbat are waiting on the Penguin (good nod to Bane and Killer Croc arm-wrestling, hinting at their violent history in the comic books between one another). Anyway, Penguin arrives and shows his master plan: an army of remote controlled penguin robots (ingenuis!). The villains spread them all across Gotham in boxes, with Penguin taking Bane to acquire a satellite dish to transmit his commands to the penguins over a longer distance. They succeed, but Penguin ditches Bane to the authorities with the dish in hand. Bane throws a hissy fit and manages to knock himself out. Shame they left out Bane's intelligence (and maybe some of Penguin's) but then again, Catwoman acts more like a cat in this one, so its all even?
Anyway, back in the sub, Penguin goes with Catwoman to recover a gem needed to power the machine to control the penguins (apparently). Catwoman succeeds, but gets caught by Batman and Robin. She tries to flirt her way out of it, but fails and gets handed over to the police while the Dynamic Duo go after Penguin and Killer Croc. However, the gem gets taken by a cat amid the chase, with Batman and Robin unable to catch either of the villains.
Sometime later, Catwoman is freed from prison by Killer Croc and Penguin, revealing that she got the gem back thanks to a visit from the cat. Penguin reveals more of his plan, with the machine hiding in the Gotham Zoo. When the police arrive, Killer Croc holds them off while Catwoman and Penguin escape into the sewers. However, Killer Croc gets beaten by Batman and Robin, where they discover where Penguin and Catwoman left to.
Over at the zoo, Penguin, Catwoman and Man-Bat start to infiltrate the complex, which is now guarded by police. When Batman and Robin arrive, Man-Bat does his best to slow them down, but gets captured in the end. However, he manages to stall long enough for Catwoman and Penguin to activate the machine and send the penguins on a rampage. Batman and Robin corner the two and manage to destroy the machine, effectively taking out the penguin army and saving Gotham once more.
That just leaves the Joker and his mad associates: Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and Killer Moth. Joker, naturally, wants to destroy the city via Joker gas and explosives (like you do), but has run out of materials for both and needs to steal them. Batman and Robin hear about the break-in at a chemical factory, where they find Mad Hatter. While that villain is stopped, Joker gets away with his supplies and leaves the Dynamic Duo in the dust.
Joker, in a bit of foresight, manages to trick Commissioner Gordon and capture him, prompting Batman and Robin to rescue him from Harley Quinn. They succeed, Harley Quinn is captured by the police, but Joker escapes via his helicopter thanks to Scarecrow and his plane. Both engage in an airbattle with Batman and Robin, destroying the aircraft and forcing the villains on foot. Scarecrow gets captured by the police during the run, but Joker escapes once more and joins up with Killer Moth.
The two manage to find Harley Quinn being held under Commissioner Gordon's care, but it doesn't last long. Joker escapes with Harley Quinn while Killer Moth deals with the police force. The Dynamic Duo arrive on the scene and take down Killer Moth. The two find the villains at an old cathedral, where Joker plans to detonate his explosives and drown Gotham City in his toxic Joker gas. The two fight Harley Quinn and the Joker, taking out the devices and capturing the pair, saving the day once more.
...and that's it for both the Hero and Villain story modes. Its not too complicated and some of the characters are pretty much exaggerations of their comic book counterparts (i.e. Catwoman) but its still a nice and easy story to follow. Course, the gameplay is the main focus here so it shouldn't be too looked down on. Simply put, if you're interested in a lego game with Batman, consider this a buy.
Until next time...
Lego Batman is owned by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Review: ModNation Racers
Welcome to another review on 'Stories of Entertainment'.
This review actually came up through nostalgia, mainly when the Xbox360 and PS3 first came out. Some of the first games on those platforms blew us away in the beginning, but now we don't really view them most of the time as a hurdle for improving gaming graphics, design and whatnot. That kinda leads me into this game: ModNation Racers!
This review actually came up through nostalgia, mainly when the Xbox360 and PS3 first came out. Some of the first games on those platforms blew us away in the beginning, but now we don't really view them most of the time as a hurdle for improving gaming graphics, design and whatnot. That kinda leads me into this game: ModNation Racers!
(The 'LittleBig Planet' of Racing...not counting 'LittleBig Planet Karting')
Tons of customization options ranging from characters, cars and tracks, 'ModNation Racers' is one of the deepest games when it comes to customization. Aside form that, it does play similar to most racing games, with a few exceptions. Players can purposely hit their opponents with sideswipes, items you pick up on the track to use can be upgraded if picked up repeatedly (to a certain point), and performing tricks like air spins and drifting can rack up points to use to defend oneself or speed down a track.
Naturally, you're expecting me to talk about the story which this game does have. As little as it may be, it does have a good story for the game. Lets drive into it, shall we?
The game opens with the MRC, or Modnation Racing Championship, title screen, with characters Biff Tradwell and Gary Reasons as co-hosts for the event taking place. They serve as the storytellers or sorts, going over the details of reach race and the racers themselves. For pair dynamics, we have Biff constantly mocking and insulting Gary throughout the story (though its more funny than how I'm writing it. Besides, Gary gets his revenge in the end).
The story begins with the character Tag (or whichever character you made that takes his place during cutscenes) joining the MRC with the support of his Mom, who runs a car paintshop, and Crew Chief, a former racer who suffered an accident that has kept him from racing for years. It works out well, though a guy named Uncle Richard from Conservative Motors (who have very bland, boring cars) tries to sign Tag onto his group, but to no avail. We also get introduced to the champion of the MRC, an offensive Italian driver named Expresso. After several races, Tag's car gets pretty banged up form the hits its taken, but Mom manages to get her car shop up and running with new business to pay for a new car.
During the Mayhem Tour, where Tag races against some of the best MRC drivers, Uncle Richard tries to make Tag sign up with CM once more, but to no avail. Everything is going well until the Range Tour, where Crew Chief finds out that Tag's BoomBox (which supports the kart itself as well as serve as a weapons system) is near the verge of destruction. Its too expensive just to afford another one, even though they were supposed to be made indestructible. Mom suggests using the BoomBox from Crew Chief's car, but he states that it got wrecked in the...wreck. Once Tag finishes the Range Tour, someone sabotages his kart and puts Crew Chief in a coma. With no kart and down one crew chief, Tag is forced to sign with Conservative Motors despite his Mom's idea to just sell the shop for another BoomBox.
Tag is basically used for his image more than is racing, losing lots of fans after just a few races. Thankfully, Crew Chief wakes up from his coma (apparently, its not his first one) and offers Tag his BoomBox instead. Mom states how he said his was wrecked, but Crew Chief lied about it, saying he was too scared to race after what happened to him and is giving Tag another chance to be himself once more. With his old look back, Tag completes the Grim Tour racetracks to qualify for the Grand Tour, where the last race would be against the reigning champion Expresso.
During the Grand Tour, Crew Chief reveals how Expresso was the one who wrecked his car so many years go. With Tag racing so well, Crew Chief finally believes that Expresso will get beaten once and for all. In the final race, Tag manages to win and become the new MRC champion, getting Crew Chief over his personal demons and making his mom proud. However, Uncle Richard (I don't think he's really his uncle) tries to get the glory himself, saying how Tag is still signed with CM and how its a victory for the both of them. However, he gets arrested when the police discover that his prints on the bomb that took out Tag's second kart.
In the final scene, Gary manages to knock out Biff twice with a nerve pinch and Expresso gets his just reward as Crew Chief punches him for trying to steal the championship. Gary closes out the game by wishing us better good luck in next year's race (which really didn't happen, but it does have a nice note to it).
I personally liked the story mode. Its pretty simple and you could probably guess what a few ideas might come up before it happens and yet still manages to throw a curveball or two your way. Characters are basic, yet have enough personality in both mannerisms and looks that make them stand out and enjoyable (well, except for maybe Uncle Richard, but I think that's just me personally.)
Overall, the game is an enjoyable past time when you're looking for something simpler, I suppose. Until next time...
Naturally, you're expecting me to talk about the story which this game does have. As little as it may be, it does have a good story for the game. Lets drive into it, shall we?
The game opens with the MRC, or Modnation Racing Championship, title screen, with characters Biff Tradwell and Gary Reasons as co-hosts for the event taking place. They serve as the storytellers or sorts, going over the details of reach race and the racers themselves. For pair dynamics, we have Biff constantly mocking and insulting Gary throughout the story (though its more funny than how I'm writing it. Besides, Gary gets his revenge in the end).
The story begins with the character Tag (or whichever character you made that takes his place during cutscenes) joining the MRC with the support of his Mom, who runs a car paintshop, and Crew Chief, a former racer who suffered an accident that has kept him from racing for years. It works out well, though a guy named Uncle Richard from Conservative Motors (who have very bland, boring cars) tries to sign Tag onto his group, but to no avail. We also get introduced to the champion of the MRC, an offensive Italian driver named Expresso. After several races, Tag's car gets pretty banged up form the hits its taken, but Mom manages to get her car shop up and running with new business to pay for a new car.
During the Mayhem Tour, where Tag races against some of the best MRC drivers, Uncle Richard tries to make Tag sign up with CM once more, but to no avail. Everything is going well until the Range Tour, where Crew Chief finds out that Tag's BoomBox (which supports the kart itself as well as serve as a weapons system) is near the verge of destruction. Its too expensive just to afford another one, even though they were supposed to be made indestructible. Mom suggests using the BoomBox from Crew Chief's car, but he states that it got wrecked in the...wreck. Once Tag finishes the Range Tour, someone sabotages his kart and puts Crew Chief in a coma. With no kart and down one crew chief, Tag is forced to sign with Conservative Motors despite his Mom's idea to just sell the shop for another BoomBox.
Tag is basically used for his image more than is racing, losing lots of fans after just a few races. Thankfully, Crew Chief wakes up from his coma (apparently, its not his first one) and offers Tag his BoomBox instead. Mom states how he said his was wrecked, but Crew Chief lied about it, saying he was too scared to race after what happened to him and is giving Tag another chance to be himself once more. With his old look back, Tag completes the Grim Tour racetracks to qualify for the Grand Tour, where the last race would be against the reigning champion Expresso.
During the Grand Tour, Crew Chief reveals how Expresso was the one who wrecked his car so many years go. With Tag racing so well, Crew Chief finally believes that Expresso will get beaten once and for all. In the final race, Tag manages to win and become the new MRC champion, getting Crew Chief over his personal demons and making his mom proud. However, Uncle Richard (I don't think he's really his uncle) tries to get the glory himself, saying how Tag is still signed with CM and how its a victory for the both of them. However, he gets arrested when the police discover that his prints on the bomb that took out Tag's second kart.
In the final scene, Gary manages to knock out Biff twice with a nerve pinch and Expresso gets his just reward as Crew Chief punches him for trying to steal the championship. Gary closes out the game by wishing us better good luck in next year's race (which really didn't happen, but it does have a nice note to it).
I personally liked the story mode. Its pretty simple and you could probably guess what a few ideas might come up before it happens and yet still manages to throw a curveball or two your way. Characters are basic, yet have enough personality in both mannerisms and looks that make them stand out and enjoyable (well, except for maybe Uncle Richard, but I think that's just me personally.)
Overall, the game is an enjoyable past time when you're looking for something simpler, I suppose. Until next time...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)