E3 2017: Marvel vs Capcom Infinite demo impressions

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June 15, 2017

Marvel vs Capcom Infinite

A few days ago, a trailer for Marvel vs Capcom Infinite came out at E3 and revealed a release date for the demo. I downloaded it last night and gave it a spin on my Xbox One. If you’re new to the MVC series, you might enjoy this, but as someone who’s played a ton of 2 and 3, this was subpar. Let me explain.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8seeZsWZ1CI[/embedyt]

Characters

The playable characters have gone down from 3 to 2 in a single match. This might not be a big deal, but part of what made the previous two games so good was the ability to mix and match a trio. I’m also not a fan of the cool characters like Black Panther being DLC. This is Marvel vs Capcom isn’t it?

All of the characters we were given to play feel extremely slow. This means that the combat goes by faster while feeling like it doesn’t. It’s a complicated feeling to put into words but it’s a bit like watching two turtles fight and then one of them randomly faints with no signs of it happening.

Infinity stones

New additions to the game are the infinity stones which act like load outs of sorts. You equip one and then the LB button has a set move that carries your team. In the demo, we were given the time and power stones. The time stone gives us a teleport while the power stone gives us an uppercut. Ultron-Sigma were given the reality stone which shoots a little red projectile.

Story mode

The demo dealt with the story mode which sees a bunch of Marvel and Capcom characters joining forces to fight a fusion of Ultron and Sigma that took over a merging of Asgard and the city Megaman X is from. The new city is called Xgard. The story looked solid if not for the constant switch between perspective and the characters’ insistence on calling each other’s names so much.

Obviously, all of this is no indication of the final product, but I thought it needed mentioning.

A real standout scene was when Megaman X used Captain America’s shield. It looked really cool.

The verdict?

All in all, you should download the demo and see it for yourself. Maybe you’ll like it, maybe you won’t but the point is to try a new game right? It runs at about 30 minutes so you’ll get plenty of gameplay to start forming an idea.

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‘Optimus Prime’ #8 Is All That Jazz And More

By

Anthony Wendel

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Jazz confronts his past-and the Autobot’s future-in front of millions of television viewers. But will he make the people of Earth understand Optimus Prime’s mission… or turn against it?

Writing

This issue had a lot of going for it thanks to great build up from previous issues. Jazz has been one of the most interesting characters since the Optimus Prime series started. He has a lot of history with the planet and is very recognized by humans thanks to an incident in earlier issues where he had no choice but to kill a human he thought would harm his friends. In an effort to try and change the mind of world and show not every Transformer is bad, he agrees to sit down for an interview. It’s these elements of Jazz telling about his past, his love of music, and about Optimus’ mission where the issue truly stands out.

Writer John Barber truly delivered a great issue filled with emotion, drama, and intrigue. The issue helps to give a great character a chance to shine while perfectly showcasing what is happening in the world. With any luck he will continue this level of impressive writing as this series movies into its next arc.

Artwork

The artwork by Art by Casey W. Coller with color work by John-Paul Bove is phenomenal. The best part of this issue the flashback panels which help to convey Jazz and his love of music so perfectly. With very little action in the issue, the art needed to be at a superior level to ensure the emotion resonated through the page. Luckily the art team succeeded above and beyond in this aspect.

Conclusion

This issue was everything we could hope for and more. A truly heartfelt piece showcase a character trying to do all they can to make up for their past and at the same time work towards moving forward for the greater good. It will be hard to top an issue this good but there is a good chance the creative team behind this book is going to try.

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E3 2017: ‘FIFA 18’ On Switch Is Mediocre To The Core

By

Aric Sweeny

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June 15, 2017

FIFA 18 is a solid 3rd party title on Nintendo Switch. Although it’s missing some features that are on the Xbox One and Playstation 4 version, the game’s portability makes up for it.

I’m not shy about the fact that I’m not a FIFA fan. I’ve never played a game in the series, and probably never will. With that said, however, I understand the appeal of these games. The quick demo I tried at E3 was fun, but not something that I could see myself playing on a regular basis.

Fundamentally, soccer bores me. The game that often ends in 0-0 is just something that I don’t enjoy watching – FIFA is a bit different. By actually controlling the players, like in any other sports game, you’re carving your own path and possibly allowing for a high scoring game.

Visually, FIFA 18 on Switch is…fine? It’s not up to snuff when compared to its modern console counterparts, but it’s also not terrible.

This is a brief review because I truly don’t have much to say about the title. If you’re a Switch owner that enjoys the FIFA series, absolutely pick up this new version. If you’re like me and couldn’t care less about the franchise, don’t bother.

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‘Cars 3’ Review: Pixar Pits Generation X vs Millennials

By

EJ Moreno

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June 15, 2017

‘Cars 3’ Feels Like An Older Generation’s Fear of the Future

I’m seeing this debate a lot within various sports communities. An older generation fears the new style. The new generation is brash and cocky, trying to match the ones before. This basically happens in any industry. ‘Cars 3‘ offers a candid look at old vs new in sports. It’s buried deep within this film and doesn’t touch on it enough to be thought-provoking. When it does, that’s when the movie is the most confusing.

Lightning McQueen represents Generation X. This is a group raised by Baby Boomers but rubs shoulders with a younger generation. Gex X is on the cusp of two worlds. Jackson Storm is the new breed of athlete that’s driven by science and swag. Jackson Storm is how an entire generation views Millennials. Lightning McQueen leans more towards Baby Boomers with the whole “Damn these kids and their new attitude” mentality.

“I can’t go out on the track and do the same old thing; it won’t work!”
– Lightning McQueen (before he goes out and does the same old thing)

These two ideologies clash in the film like they do in real life. But why push this narrative?It comes off like a stubborn person refusing to see another side because they aren’t familiar with it. Yes, characters like Jackson Storm comes off condescending towards Lightning McQueen. He has a few jabs about McQueen being an “old-timer”. Jackson Storm even says many times that he respect McQueen’s legend status but just wants to be the new legend. His whole villain arc is based around this. I originally hoped this would go the ‘Rocky IV‘ route and craft a young antagonist but with dark motives. Sadly, it just made the antagonist young and left it at that.

Even the secondary antagonist has no real villain motivation other than promoting his business. Sterling, the car who buys out Rust-Eze, wants to make Lightning McQueen into a brand. He sees McQueen nearing the end of his career so he jumps at the chance to make him a rich legend. There’s no evil scheme to buy-out other teams, no one is cheating…it’s just about becoming a brand. That’s enough for this movie to make someone a villain. This feels like the condescending mindset of someone who rejects the notion of “selling out” and becoming a brand. More of the old vs new mentality.

I’m not denying both antagonistic characters aren’t nice but I seriously question their motives. ‘Cars 3‘ is another example of trying too hard to build a hero’s journey. When you do that, the rest of the characters suffer. Fleshing out Storm & Sterling out with proper arcs or actual villainous moments makes it easier to cheer for Lightning McQueen. Instead, I find myself questioning why I hate these guys. Hell, I almost like them!

Final Thoughts:

Feels weird that ‘Cars 3‘ would get so preachy. I’m sure it’s enough for this film’s nostalgic middle America demographic but leaves much to be desired. This is a movie made by Baby Boomers trying to tell Gen X parents that Millennials are bad. You expect this from a meme on your odd uncle’s Facebook but not a Disney/Pixar movie.

Check out ‘Cars 3‘, in theaters on June 16th and let me know if you agree!

“Lightning McQueen sets out to prove to a new generation of racers that he’s still the best race car in the world.”

Starring Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Nathan Fillion, Kerry Washington and Lea DeLaria.

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E3 2017: ‘Super Mario Odyssey’ Is Everything I Want & Much, Much More

By

Aric Sweeny

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June 14, 2017

Super Mario Odyssey is nothing short of amazing. The beautiful visuals, robust gameplay mechanics, and classic 3D Mario vibe make it my favorite game demo from this year’s E3.

Heavily inspired by Super Mario 64, Odyssey threw me into New Donk City and said, “explore”. Whether it be using Cappy to interact with the world or triple jumping onto a rooftop, the game is a huge step forward for the Super Mario franchise.

The demo I played at E3 ran for 10 minutes. Although there was a mission involved, I neglected to take it on and instead explored the city. In it were NPCs jamming to Jazz music, a jump rope mini game, and vehicles to ride; yes, Mario can ride a motorcycle in this game. And yes, it’s incredible.

The graphics were great, especially for the franchise; 60 frames-per-second was a definite, with 1080P seemingly the resolution. However, I did see some chatter on Twitter that said the game was running at 720P. As the game comes out in late October, Nintendo still has time to polish the title’s weak points, where they may lie.

What surprised me about this game is its use of motion controls. The immediate reaction upon hearing those two controvertial words is negative, but Odyssey uses this scheme to its advantage. Rather than in the Wii days, when motion controls were forced, the Swich’s games give it to fans as an option. Mario’s cap can be thrown in different directions by waving the Joy-Con. Thankfully, it works like a charm.

Super Mario Odyssey is this holiday season’s gem, no doubt. If you’re still looking to pick up a Switch, this alone is reason to make the purchase (assuming you can find one on the market, of course). Nothing about the title’s demo build put me off, which leads me to believe that we might be looking at the best Mario game yet.

Are you looking forward to Super Mario Odyssey? Sound off in the comments below. The release date for this Switch exclusive title is October 27.

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Oh, Hello on Broadway is Hilarious, Like Nothing Else

By

Joshua Versalle

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June 14, 2017

When I first heard that Oh, Hello was being made into a Broadway show, and again when I heard that the aforementioned Broadway show was going to be made into a Netflix special, I didn’t know what to expect. All I really knew was that John Mulaney (best known for his stand-up specials New in Town, The Comeback Kid) and Nick Kroll (The League, Kroll Show) would be reprising the roles of George St. Geegland and Gil Faizon; two creepy, tuna-obsessed old New Yorkers from the recurring sketch on Kroll Show. I couldn’t imagine how they could make that sketch into a half-hour special, let alone a full-length feature. Oh, Hello wasn’t even the strongest sketch on Kroll Show (big ups to Rich Dicks), but Oh, Hello on Broadway blew my expectations out of the water.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPQL8RbwckU[/embedyt]

Oh, Hello on Broadway is fun, unpredictable and consistently uproarious. It combines aspects of Broadway, stand-up comedy, and vaudeville act to create something unlike anything else out there. Kroll and Mulaney skewer everything from Steely Dan to Clamato, but mostly Theatre itself (and if you’re worried that you’ll need to have a background in Theatre to get the humor, don’t be. I know almost nothing about Broadway and still laughed heartily throughout). The show also features appearances from Matthew Broderick and noted Teacher/Banjo Player/Wild and Crazy Guy Steve Martin.

Check out Oh, Hello on Broadway on Netflix.

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E3 2017: ‘Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle’ Impressions

By

Aric Sweeny

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June 14, 2017

Note: I played the game using the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode.

On paper, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is game that shouldn’t work as well as it does. Through eye-popping visuals, great music, and unique gameplay, the Switch exclusive title is one that audiences of all ages can enjoy.

In terms of genre categorization, Kingdom Battle is a few. Wikipedia describes it as being a “turn-based tactical role playing video game,” and while I’d agree, it should also be noted that the title features lighthearted shooter mechanics that only a Mario game could pull off. It’s fun, simple, and easy to understand.

Visually, Kingdom Battle is outstanding. With Super Mario Odyssey coming out later this year, the game needed to differentiate its art style – it did just that. Mario, his friends, and the Rabbids resemble old-school 3D platformers of the 1990s reimagined with HD character assets. While the Nintendo Switch is an underpowered system, it makes great use of the specs that it holds.

The demo ran for twenty minutes, which game me a decent amount of time to play around with Kingdom Battle‘s mechanics. I understood what to do right away, which had me interested to find out special moves and learn all about the customization offered in-game. Whether it be a blaster or melee move, both were fun to use.

I mentioned simplicity as a good trait of the Mario + Rabbids game, but upon thinking back, I soon realized that its simple mechanics could be classified as a pro or con. While it’s extremely easy to get immersed in, it also gets repetitive quickly. Now, this might be result of the demo offering limited content, but it also might be the game’s lack of said content. This is a concern of mine that will only be answered when I get to play the title again, for an extended amount of time.

A huge highlight of this upcoming game is the music. Composed by the legendary Grant Kirkhope, its sounds are wonderful for the ears and fit the atmosphere set by the game’s style.

There is a charm to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle that I admire. I can tell that Ubisoft and Nintendo took time to polish this game and enhance it to full potential. This is a title that every Switch owner should pick up, no matter the type of gamer you may be.

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LA To Light The Bat-Signal At City Hall In Honor Of Adam West

By

Matthew Sardo

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June 14, 2017

For so many people, Adam West was their Batman and apparently, Los Angeles thinks so too. Mayor Eric Garcetti and Police Department Chief Charlie Beck will join surprise Bat-guests for a ceremonial lighting of the Bat-signal at City Hall Thursday evening, June 15. West passed away on Friday at the age of 88.

The Bat-signal will be projected onto the tower of Los Angeles City Hall at Spring Street. The city has encouraged fans to dress up for the event.

Here are the details of the ceremony:
When: Thursday, June 15
Time: 9:00 PM PST
Location: Los Angeles City Hall, Spring Street Steps: 200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

According to DC Comics, if fans are not able to join in the tribute, the West family encourages Adam’s “old chums” to make a donation to the Adam West Memorial Fund for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Idaho-based charity for children diagnosed with cancer and their families, Camp Rainbow Gold.

If you attend the event, please share your photos with us.

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‘The Conjuring 2’s The Crooked Man is Getting The Spinoff You All Wanted

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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June 14, 2017

The Conjuring has not only been its own two-film franchise, but it is apparently a goldmine for horror spinoffs. The original has two movies about the Annabelle doll, and The Conjuring 2 already greenlit a spinoff involving the super creepy evil nun. And now, because literally nobody asked for it, we are getting a film about The Crooked Man.

When I first read the news, it took me a minute to remember not only The Conjuring 2, but the fact that the main bad dude in it was a Crooked Man. I can’t recall many details from the sequel.

The report in Variety also had an interesting definition of these useless tangential Conjuring movies. Bask in the glory of this zeitgeist phrasing:

Mike Van Waes has been hired to write “The Crooked Man,” based on a story by James Wan in his role as chief architect of what’s now called The Conjuring Universe. Wan and Peter Safran are producing.

Ah, there’s the answer. A Conjuringverse. Everything has to be a universe these days, and James Wan’s franchise is next in line, apparently.

There is no release date for The Crooked Man, but if I had to guess I would pick three possible months: January, September, or October.

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Big ‘Dark Phoenix’ Announcement: Kinberg to Direct, Lawrence Returns, Chastain a Villain

By

Matthew Sardo

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June 14, 2017

The X-Men Cinematic Universe (XMCU ridiculous) had a big day, Simon Kinberg has signed on to direct the ‘Dark Phoenix’ and Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Alexandra Shipp, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, and Kodi Smit-McPhee are all returning for this film, according to Deadline.

In addition, Jessica Chastain is in talks to join the ‘Dark Phoenix’ as the main villain, Shi’ar Empress Lilandra.

‘Oh wait! #secretsout #XMenDarkPhoenix,’ Shipp posted on Twitter today.

‘Dark Phoenix’ is expected to hit theaters on November 2, 2018.

As this is a breaking news story, check back for updates.

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Marvel vs Capcom Infinite

Characters

Infinity stones

Story mode

The verdict?

Writing

Artwork

Conclusion

‘Cars 3’ Feels Like An Older Generation’s Fear of the Future

“I can’t go out on the track and do the same old thing; it won’t work!” – Lightning McQueen (before he goes out and does the same old thing)

Final Thoughts:

“Lightning McQueen sets out to prove to a new generation of racers that he’s still the best race car in the world.”

“I can’t go out on the track and do the same old thing; it won’t work!”
– Lightning McQueen (before he goes out and does the same old thing)