By Justin Polak
Co-Founder, Ambassador of the Mushroom Kingdom

It’s been a few days since the dust settled from Sony revealing a slew of details for the forthcoming PlayStation 4. It’s been awhile since I have chimed in on anything, let alone video game industry related issues, so I figure now is a good time to poke my head out of seclusion and give a few quick thoughts. Keep in mind that what I am about to say is merely speculation…

THE CONTROLLER

Call it good business sense or call it Sony borrowing ideas yet again, it should come to as surprise that Sony is adding a touch screen to the DualShock 4 controller. The screen will most likely be used to interact with games/applications like you would with a smart phone or tablet. I think it would be a good idea to use it as a makeshift mouse for real time strategy games or something similar. Over the last few days, people have been worried games might rely too heavily on the touch pad, or that the feature will interfere too much traditional gameplay. All I have to say is that when the Wii controller was revealed, people fretted at the idea of seemingly waving your arm all over the place. Not only did that turn out just fine, but most popular games stuck with a control stick and button scheme for their games.

The DualShock 4 will also share traits with the Xbox 360 device, Kinect. Apparently, the controller will synch to the PlayStation 4 Eye, which has a camera that will be able to determine exactly how many people are playing, where they are in the room, multiple facial recognition features and a microphone that’s in the controller so the console can easily tell who is talking.

I was never a big fan of the Kinect, but I liked the interactivity. I always felt that if the idea has a chance to evolve more, it could be streamlined into gaming properly. While I still feel generally apathetic about Kinect and the PlayStation 4 Eye, I do feel it’s a step in the right direction. Most people forget there was a time when normal video game controllers were very awkward and there was no such thing as a D-pad. Sometimes it just takes awhile before an idea can truly evolve.

THE SOCIAL ASPECT

What seems to be getting a very mixed reaction is the social elements of the PlayStation 4. At any time, you’ll be able to post what you’re doing on sites like Facebook. Did something hilarious just happen in a multiplayer match? Good thing you can screen cap or share a video of it! Do you regularly stream games or always wanted to, but were too lazy to set up your PC to do so? Well, the PlayStation 4 has you covered there.

While some gamers are more cynical about social media and having video games being involved with it (understandably), I don’t see the big deal as long as the games don’t force you to partake in sharing what you do online. I highly doubt you’ll be locked out of a game because you didn’t let Facebook know that you earned another trophy. As a person who has dabbled in video game streaming, I like the option to invite friends to watch me horse around. Some of my fondest gaming related memories have involved hanging out with a friend or two while we all figured out how to beat a video game. Living an adult life means it’s harder to get together with friends at times, so I am stoked for the option to have another avenue to that sort of behavior.

The way I see it, online multiplayer has allowed friends to play together online when visiting each other in real life wasn’t an option. Plus, with the way the world is today, many people have friends online that they have never met in real life. This was a smart move on Sony’s part.

“I WANT TO PLAY NOW!”

Something I’m surprised that more people haven’t talked about is Sony’s emphasis on cutting down how long it takes to start playing a game from the moment you turn on your console. A gamer that is more cynical with modern games might tell you that he remembers the good old days where you slapped a power button and were playing a game in a matter of seconds. The PlayStation 4 still won’t be able to turn on from being completely off and get you right to the action right away…but that’s why it comes with a suspend feature. At any time you can press a power button on the controller instead of powering the whole system down. The PlayStation 4 will then go into a sleep state, and players can resume whenever they want.

My only concern is that modern day console hardware isn’t what it used to be. I’m hoping that using this feature often won’t produce more wear and tear on the console and cause it to break down faster. I may be cynical about this, but I find it disheartening that all of my video game hardware from the ’90s keeps on going on as if I only bought it a couple of years ago, while if I look at something modern the wrong way it will spontaneously combust.

ANOTHER SCREEN

Once again, it sppears Sony HAS been paying attention to the competition. The controller/screen hybrid Wii U pad has turned some heads ever since it was revealed. But instead of coming out with a similar device, Sony has opted to let gamers use the PlayStation Vita as another screen, so you don’t have to use your TV to play games. Didn’t get a Vita, but still want a another screen to toy around with? Sony is releasing an app for Android smartphones that will allow you to use the device as game map, or something similar. Going back to the social aspect a bit, you can also use the phone to watch people play games with this app.

While I love the Wii U game pad, I’m not too sure about Sony’s angle on using another screen. Watching someone play for even a decent amount of time will most likely drain the hell out of a phone battery. Also, the Vita hasn’t been doing too well in terms of sales, and I doubt people will rush out to get another expensive device just to play a game on a smaller screen. If you already have one, then sure, the idea can work. I just get the vibe that this idea was thrown together too quickly to compete with how the Wii U plays games.

OTHER THOUGHTS

The game line up for the PS4 seems to be pretty good already. Many familiar faces are on board, and even a couple of new ones. Again, if your a modern gaming cynic, you’ll only see the same old song and dance. But I do feel that there is already something for everyone when it comes down to the games (personally I am excited for Watch Dogs).

Backwards compatibility is nice, but the lack of it isn’t a deal breaker for me. Then again, I am the kind of person who still has every console/device I ever had lying around somewhere, so I don’t rely on new hardware too often to revisit old games. Plus, Sony did say they were working on bringing older games to the system digitally.

Most people find the lack of an actual PlayStation 4 console to be a bit odd/suspicious, but I don’t see any problem. They are most likely hashing out some minor details and all will be revealed at E3 in a few months. I remember when Nintendo did the opposite when they revealed the Wii. They released pics/specs about the hardware, but the controller was nowhere to be found. We all know how that turned out. Maybe Sony will have something up its sleeve with the actual console…

OVERALL OPINION

While none of the details regarding he PS4 made me bounce across the room, I don’t see a grim picture, either. I am excited for a few newer features I have enjoyed on a PC for a long while, and cautiously optimistic about other elements. I just hope that Sony doesn’t drop some crazy price point on us again like they did with the PlayStation 3. All in all, it’s nice to see that Sony could possibly get its groove back, and the only thing any of us can do now is wait.

Front page image from kotaku.com. Image 1 from bgn.com. Image 2 from gamingirresponsibly.com. Image 3 from mashable.com. Image 4 from latimes.com. Image 5 from thenextweb.com. 

TITLE: New Super Mario Bros. U
PLATFORM: Wii U
DEVELOPER: Nintendo EAD
PUBLISHER: Nintendo
ESRB: E
RELEASED: November 18, 2012

By Justin Polak
Co-Founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

Oh, man. Right now my face is about as red as Mario’s cap. Despite acknowledging the good in New Super Mario Bros. 2, I also complained about concept of these “new” Mario titles feeling tired and old. I suppose Nintendo was saving all of it’s energy for New Super Mario Bros. U, because I find myself feeling much more positive about this romp through the Mushroom Kingdom. NSMBU is definitely a step in the right direction.

At the risk of leading off on a shallow note, DAMN it’s nice to finally have a Nintendo game in HD! Finally, no more of the blurriness that most of us have grown accustomed to playing the original Wii on a HDTV. Nintendo does a fantastic job showing off how pretty Wii U makes games look, from subtle lighting effects from a thrown fireball, to blatantly obvious ones like the absurdly stunning backgrounds. Even if you are strictly looking at the Wii U Controller it’s easy to appreciate how gorgeous NSMBU is.

The game feels very natural with the Wii U Controller. Initially, I feared the bulky controller would hinder gameplay, but I felt perfectly comfortable guiding Mario from level to level. As for controlling with the Wii remote? The way you felt about New Super Mario Bros. Wii is how you’ll feel here. Personally, I had no problems in either game, so I wouldn’t recommend one controller over the other.

What I also like about NSMBU is now Nintendo genuinely seems to be trying to create a fun Mario platformer without relying too much on gimmicks and old school charm. I mean, I can let series staples slide. For example, I’m not going to accuse Nintendo of relying on old school memories because I see a Goomba, Mushroom or Koopa. I just don’t like it when both NSMBU and Super Mario 3D Land seems to scream, “Hey! Racoon/Tanooki Mario is back! Remember that?”

NSMBU takes a more subtle approach to connecting to it’s older games. The SNES-like pixel transition to a wooded area just warmed my heart. I suppose it helps that NSMBU reminds me of my favorite Mario title, Super Mario World. To me, the older NSMB games are a love letter to the NES era games ,while this particular title feels like a modern progression of SMW. Even the world map is a large, connected world instead of moving across from left to right eight times. Also, the Flying Squirrel power is reminiscent of the cape!  Small additions like these are all I ask for. They may not seem like much, but they do seem to indicate that Nintendo is working towards bringing the player a quality title.

I also like the difficulty increase in NSMBU. While all Mario games certainly have challenging spots, this is the first time in awhile that I felt like I was being put to the test. The fact that you can’t store an extra item plays a big part in this. If only it still wasn’t absurdly easy to get 1-ups, we might have received a truly challenging Mario title. Sure, every game of the series has tricks and exploits to rack up a good chunk of lives. But the problem with all of the NSMB games is that they make it harder to avoid the opportunity to get extra lives. As annoying as that is, that aspect of any of the New titles isn’t a deal breaker.

The addition of Challenge Mode and Boost Rush are welcome, as they serve to extend the game’s life without it feeling like padding. Challenge Mode has you attempt to clear levels with time or collection based goals depending on the circumstances that game gives you. Meanwhile, Boost Rush has you racing against a scrolling screen while you are tasked with collecting coins, which makes the screen go faster, and seeing how fast you can do it. A surprising amount of time can be spent messing around in these modes, especially if you are going for all gold medals.

While more cynical players might still feel like I did during NSMB2, Nintendo showed a considerable amount of care and effort for NSMBU. I actually felt charm and wonder, while the last title had me feeling like I was merely going through the motions. Having said that, I still stand by my statement in the NSMB2 review that Nintendo had better do something truly new with the franchise very quick, but for now I can let that sentiment slide considering how well they managed to pull of their debut title for the Wii U.

RATING: 9/10

Front page image from gamerant.com. Image 1 from leviathyn.com. Image 2 from digitaltrends.com. Image 3 from wiiudaily.com.
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TITLE: Pokemon Black and White 2 (Black version played for this review)
PLATFORM: Nintendo DS
DEVELOPER: Game Freak
PUBLISHER: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
ESRB: E
RELEASED: October 7, 2012

By Justin Polak
Co-Founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

When I first learned of Pokemon Black and White 2, I had a little laugh to myself. Both critics and fans alike have quipped or joked that nothing truly changes as far as the Pokemon games are concerned. While that point of view is only true in a shallow/big picture approach, I can easily understand why anyone would say that about the series, joking or otherwise. The fact that Pokemon actually went and made a direct sequel calls for even more jokes! That, and I think we were all hoping for a 3DS version of Pokemon by now.

As easy at it would be to jump to conclusions about a series like Pokemon releasing a direct sequel, I think it is important to keep the old saying in mind that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Despite tweaks and evolution in gameplay, Pokemon, like most other jRPGs, sticks to a pretty rigid formula. But there is a reason why the series remains popular to this day. Just because you personally aren’t wearing out your VHS copy of the first Pokemon movie and sneaking in a quick play session on the school bus still doesn’t mean everyone else got sick of it.

When it comes down to it, Game Freak did a bang up job making the Unova region feeling fresh again. It helps that the first few sections of the game start the player character (which is a different boy or girl this time) in a section of the map that went unexplored in the original Black and White. B&W2 also lets you have more popular Pokemon, like Riolu (which evolves into Lucario)! I feel this move was done to appease fans like me that were initially weary about Pokemon pumping out a direct sequel. I can almost hear Game Freak saying: “Look, here! Check out all these cool Pokemon you can get near the start of your adventure! The game’s cool! Don’t worry about it!”

Another reason I got a fresh feeling is the number of liberties they took with the Unova region without the changes seeming too implausible. Two years have passed since the event of the original B&W, so that is a decent chunk of time for certain locations to adjust their settings. I was worried before playing that B&W2 would give me a Final Fantasy X-2 feeling in terms of appearance. Most of the locations in that game made me feel like the developers simply cut and pasted a lot of the environments while awkwardly throwing a secret door or path that no one noticed in the original game. B&W2 thankfully stays away from that design flaw for the most part, and the game is that much better thanks to the skillful way the world was tweaked.

Not much else has changed. As far as battles go, everything that was new in and up to the original B&W is present and accounted for here. As I said in my other review, the series has reached a point where you either like it or are sick of it, even with a better battle flow and some nifty animations. This is the one section of this review that I could get away with copying and pasting from the B&W article because my opinions haven’t changed at all here.

That also goes for the more cinematic approach that B&W introduced. In my opinion, there is just the right amount of story scenes (that go beyond just characters saying a few lines) with some creative camera angles to go with it. It’s not much, and I’ll admit that the charm of that aspect has worn off a little since the original B&W was the first game to take it as far as it went. That said, it only excites me to see how they approach future Pokemon games with this style in mind.

Long time fans will also love the Pokemon World Tournament. I won’t spoil it, but many familiar faces show up. It was very nice to see certain gym leaders and former champions in an updated format!

Most of the other optional gigs didn’t thrill me too much. There is a way to make Pokemon movies (in universe) through a place called Pokestar Studios. The concept of taking a Pokemon and performing certain battle tasks to make a good motion pictures sounds like it would be fun, but the flow and feel was just awful and boring to me. It felt like something younger players would get a kick out of more, to be honest. Nothing wrong with that, but I guess that mode just wasn’t for me.

To an extent, it doesn’t matter what I say in this review or the score I attach to it, because you likely made your decision to buy this game well before it came out. If you’re still into Pokemon, then you should probably go and pick it up. B&W2 surprisingly feels like care and effort went into it more than just a cash grab (oh, shut up cynical readers, you know what I meant)! I still wish Game Freak would have opted to make another new generation of Pokemon, but I suppose that’s going to have to wait until another time.

RATING: 7.5/10

Front page image  and image 3 from cheatcc.com. Image 1 from tauri33.gameblog.com. Image 2 from mygaming.co.za.
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By Justin Polak
Co-founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

I was one of the lucky few that managed to pick up a Wii U this past week. Thanks to my good buddy, Scott, who had the foresight to reserve one, and who was nice enough to let me have said Wii U reserve! For the record I was able to get a deluxe version. Here we go!

Firstly, damn it’s nice to see Nintendo in HD! The only game I’ve played so far was Super Mario Bros. U. While I have obviously played other consoles in HD, it’s still nice to see a familiar Nintendo product in HD after being so used to how the resolution looks on the original Wii.

The controller looks and feels natural. It may be bulky thanks to the large touch screen in the center of the controller, but interacting with it is surprisingly comfortable. If you have to charge while playing, the charger that comes with the console is about as long as the chord for a Nintendo handheld system. I haven’t played long enough to personally test how long the controller lasts while fully charged, but I had no issue playing the console while charging the controller at the same time.

At any point you can switch displays between the the controller and the TV display by using the touch screen or pressing a button. What’s really interesting about this feature is the ability to play a game using the controller only. Want to watch a football game on TV while you play the latest Wii U game? No problem. In fact, I am visiting my parent’s as I write this article, and the second I wrap up, I plan on continuing my game in SMBU.

The large size of the screen on the controller makes it easy to see all the action and the placement of the buttons allow comfort when focusing on the touch screen only. The sound that comes from the controller is fairly basic stereo, but it is leagues beyond the dinky speaker that was on the original Wii remote. Plus, there is a headphone jack available if you need to truly hear your games clearly.

The touch screen itself is very smooth and accurate. I had already used the touch screen to manually write a message through the Wii U Miiverse, which is a Facebook-like application (seriously, you can “yeah” and “unyeah” statuses) that allows users to talk about whatever game they happen to be playing. As for that feature itself, I found the interface entertaining and smart. For example, if you are talking about something in a game that contains spoilers, you can mark your post as such so you won’t ruin something for another user browsing the Wii U Miiverse.

There is an option to transfer all of your Wii data to the Wii U. When I say all, I mean ALL. You have no choice but to transfer everything over as a one shot deal. I haven’t decided if I want to do it or not (I probably will), but bear in mind that the Wii U is backwards compatible. My Wii U even came with a sensor bar for the use of original Wii games.

As for the set up, there is a rather lengthy update that you can opt for if you connect your Wii U to the internet. Original Wii owners that got their console on day one will remember how this story goes. That’s right, the update is a very lengthy 45 minute download followed by a five minute installation process. There was an update for when I first went to play SMBU, but that was much quicker. If you are foaming at the mouth to play your Wii U out of the box immediately, be prepared to wait a bit. Other than the lengthy wait, I had no other issue with setting up my console. There was an option to integrate the Wii U controller as my TV remote, but I decided to skip that step.

As usual, you can create a digital avatar through making a Mii. You can use the controller’s built in camera to take a picture of yourself and let the application build you a Mii that way. I could have also transferred my Mii from my 3DS to the Wii U, but I opted to simply create an all new one for the console itself. Registering it online was also very simple and easy.

I briefly checked out the online store. There was nothing that caught my eye to mess around with, but the layout for the store was logical and intuitive. I recalled how clunky the original online store was back when the Wii launched. Even the 3DS shop is a bit wonky to this day. It’s good to see that Nintendo is finally learning to make that type of experience a user friendly one.

Though my time with the Wii U was brief (and a good chunk was waiting for the blasted thing to update), my experience and general feeling is a very positive one. Sure, when Sony and Microsoft release their upcoming consoles eventually, Nintendo is going to be looking a bit behind the times in terms of graphics once again. However, everyone knows by now that Nintendo’s focus for the last several years hasn’t been about outclassing their competitors with looks, but by taking unique hardware for a fresh and fun experience. Your mileage may vary on how Nintendo succeeded on that front, but for me the Wii U is already shaping up to be yet another Nintendo product that I am happy with.

Front page image from multiplayerblog.mtv.com. Image 1 from nintendo.com. Image 2 from wired.com. Image 3 from venturebeat.com. Image 4 from nintendoscene.com. Image 5 from nintendoworldreport.com.
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ARTIST: How To Destroy Angels
ALBUM TITLE: An Omen
RECORD LABEL: Columbia Records
RELEASED: November 13, 2012

By Justin Polak
Co-founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

If you would have told me in the past how often projects involving Trent Reznor would be released within the last few years, I would have thrown out my back laughing.

It’s hard to believe that I used to be frothing at the mouth in the late ’90s and mid ’00s to FINALLY get a new Nine Inch Nails record. It seems after 2007′s Year Zero, Trent has been a nonstop working machine. This is a very good thing, as I have been more than satisfied by the sounds found on his late NIN work, his soundtrack contributions and How to Destroy Angels.

Anyone who cares knows by now that Reznor has stepped back a bit concerning this band. His wife, Mariqueen Maandig and long time partner Atticus Ross are a huge part of the project, the former being the lead vocalist. However, another familiar face joins the adventure this time around; Rob Sheridan is now a part of the band. With their combined forces, How to Destroy Angels unleashes both their second release and EP, An Omen!

One of the criticisms of their first self titled EP is that while there was a distinct difference when compared to how NIN sounded overall, one would find little argument with someone labeling How to Destroy Angels NIN with a female vocalist. However, I have to agree with Eric’s review of the self titled EP that hearing more NIN-like material wasn’t necessarily a raw deal (I otherwise basically agreed with the review). Whether or not you liked or disliked the NIN familiarity of the last release, the fact that yet another NIN contributor joining the fray does make me wonder if An Omen is going to sound even more like NIN than the last release.

I suppose my conclusion to that line of thought is that while I did feel How to Destroy Angels did a better job of sounding more unique, there are still plenty of times that you can easily hear Trent on the record. I mean that literally as well, seeing how he performs prominent back up vocals throughout this outing. Again, the NIN familiarity doesn’t exactly hold back any enjoyment of this EP, but it’s a fact that is impossible to ignore.

As for how An Omen stands on its own, the EP definitely dives very deep into more electronic roots, leaving behind the more industrial elements found on the self titled release. Out of the six tracks, only one of them (“Ice Age”) feels more organic, but the plus side to that angle is hearing Mariqueen’s exquisite vocals. It’s obvious that she feels more comfortable on this release overall, but it especially shows on that section of the EP.

Something else I also appreciate is how simple each track sounds, but upon after each listen, I also notice a lot of the attention to detail. I think the reason for that is that some tracks will be featured on an upcoming album, and anyone familiar with Trent knows how meticulous and hardcore he gets when trying to make a song sound juuuuust right. But hey, for me, that type of approach has always produced positive results, even if I had to wait five years for another NIN record, or nearly a year between soundtrack compositions. More power to How to Destroy Angels for sticking to that gameplan.

Any fans of instrumental work involving Reznor will absolutely love “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters.” Every second that passes the track becomes more interesting, involved and just a fun (but spooky) ride. I have to admit that I am more of a sucker for this type of Reznor material, but I will stand by my opinion when I say that it is the best part of An Omen.

Long story short, this EP does a better job separating itself from NIN in general, but anyone who has been keeping up with Trent Reznor for a number of years is still going to hear a familiar sound, as I mentioned above. However, I think this will become less of an issue over time, especially since An Omen makes it seem as though the band is growing into its own monster.

I feel a bit bad for Trent and everyone else involved with How to Destroy Angels. NIN has such a huge legacy, it’s downright impossible for any writer to not bring it up while discussing this band. Even here, I have been trying my hardest bring up NIN as few times as possible. But I have failed so spectacularly that I am sure on the off chance Trent sees this review, he might find a way to smack me upside the head across the internet!

Despite all that, being compared to NIN isn’t the worst thing in the world, especially if you have the unfair advantage of being Trent Reznor in a different project. When you break it all down, An Omen is an excellent listen worthy of your attention. Just like the self titled EP, I once again find myself looking forward to the future of How to Destroy Angels.

RATING: 9/10

Front page and interior photos from facebook.com/howtodestroyangels.
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TITLE: Wreck-It Ralph
WITH THE VOICE TALENTS OF: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk
DIRECTOR: Rich Moore
STUDIOS: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios
RATED: PG
RUN TIME: 108 min
RELEASED: November 2, 2012

By Justin Polak
Co-founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

The goal of most video games is for the hero to defeat the villain. The hero is celebrated for doing his job, while the villain is reviled for attempting the same thing. That’s just the way it goes. However, has anyone ever stopped and considered how a villain feels about his role of being the “bad guy?” Wreck-It-Ralph not only asks that question, but uses it as an excuse for a grand animated adventure!

Ralph (John C. Reilly) is the villain of a 30-year-old arcade game called Fix-It Felix Jr. Ralph’s job is to wreck a building where all the game’s citizens reside, while Felix (Jack McBrayer) is tasked with repairing the damage inflicted on the building. If Felix is victorious, Ralph gets tossed off the roof of the building into a mud puddle.

Wreck-It-Ralph uses Toy Story logic when it comes to how the video game world works. After the arcade housing Fix-It Felix Jr. closes, all of the characters from all arcade games are free to roam from game to game using Game Central Station, which is simply a gigantic power strip in the real world. This downtime allows various game villains to attend a support group to cope with their feelings about how they always have to play bad guys, and that their role doesn’t mean that they’re actually bad people, demons, zombies, etc.

Ralph confesses in a meeting that just once, he wishes that he could have a hero medal of his own. After returning to his game, Ralph discovers that Felix, characters from other games and the rest of the game’s denizens threw a party without him. An awkward and heated confrontation ensues where Ralph is told that he would only be accepted by everyone in his game’s world if he actually had a medal. Ralph leaves his game to blow off some steam. A soldier from a game called Hero’s Duty soon tells him that players of that game can win a medal by climbing a building. Since climbing is part of Ralph’s programming, he sets off to finally earn a medal to gain acceptance within his own game. Thus, the villain’s adventure begins!

Wreck-It-Ralph takes a very creative concept and does a fantastic job making a movie for all viewers, despite containing many video game tropes and references. I feared it would rely too heavily on quick gags that would make gamers say: “Yep! I remember that game!” If anything, most of the references are on the subtle side, and they don’t interfere with the movie’s pace. A casual viewer can enjoy a fun adventure, while a gamer can spot various nods to gaming culture.

I also loved both of the female leads, Vanellope Von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) and Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch). Schweetz is both a child racer and a glitch from the colorful racer Sugar Rush (which is a very obvious nod to Super Mario Kart), while Calhoun is the lead character from Hero’s Duty. Both actresses play their character types perfectly, and I was impressed with the surprising amount of depth to both of them. The best part about that angle is that when they are first revealed, the movie tricks you into thinking that there isn’t much to either character. Lesser animated features would have stuck with a couple of basic traits, while hoping that funny faces and wacky animations would entertain.

While Wreck-It-Ralph is a run ride, it unfortunately isn’t the ultimate video game movie many gamers were hoping for. If anything, the movie will be remembered more for the fact that it was another good Disney movie, rather than a video game movie.This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, nor does it really hurt the movie. But if a gamer fan walks into a theater hoping for some Scott Pilgrim madness with a Disney edge, they will be left underwhelmed and disappointed. This might be because of the obvious parallel to the Toy Story universe.

I was also concerned about Wreck-It Ralph feeling like a bootleg Pixar movie. Thankfully, the movie feels like a separate entity. But it’s also missing the charm, wit, and magic that Pixar is capable of pulling off. Again, this isn’t a deal breaker. But it does make me think that in an alternate universe, Wreck-It Ralph might have been a better crafted movie from Pixar.

At the end of the day, Wreck-It Ralph stands on it’s own as a fun movie that doesn’t use video game nostalgia as a crutch, even though it probably could have gotten away with doing that quite easily. It doesn’t breach the upper stratosphere of filmmaking, but it’s still one of the better animated movies of the last couple of years. It took on the very tough task of catering to multiple audiences, including gamers (who are a tough lot to please) and succeeded for the most part. If you have any interest in video games, or you just want to see a feel-good Disney movie, go check out Wreck-It Ralph!

RATING: 8/10

Front page image from indiewire.com. Interior images from rottentomatoes.com.
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By Justin Polak
Co-Founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

If you told me when I started writing for this site that I would have an article about Banjo-Kazooie, I wouldn’t have believed you. If you said that I would be writing something positive about Banjo-Kazooie, I would outright call you a liar. I have a somewhat complicated history with Rare’s popular Nintendo 64 game, released in the summer of 1998.

My sister received Banjo-Kazooie as a gift shortly after its release date. I am 10 years her senior, so while I was in the middle of high school, she was just getting into video games. I don’t really remember who gave it to her, or even for what occasion, but she was quickly discouraged by the game’s difficulty for someone as young as her. She wasn’t wrong. I recently replayed it, and there were some tough spots for me now! Anyway, I decided to give Banjo a spin, and I ended up spending nearly all of my free time with it. My parent’s even joked that they were glad at least someone was playing my sister’s new video game.

However, I lost my patience with Mad Monster Mansion, a spooky themed level which, to me, had the first real spike in the game’s difficulty curve. Combine general annoyance with being a teenager, and you get someone who just didn’t have time for a game that was thematically aimed at a younger audience. I always had an open mind when it came to video games, but around that age I wanted to get back into more “mature” titles.

I also got tired of all the collecting Banjo-Kazooie tasked on the player. There are 10 jiggies (golden jigsaw pieces) to find per level, which would allow you to unlock more worlds to further you progress in the game. There are also 100 notes to find per world. Collecting them is actually more important because you need set note totals that count across ALL worlds to unlock doors that lead deeper into Gruntilda’s Lair; Gruntilda being the game’s villain and the lair being the hub world.

It really didn’t help that I put the self imposed challenge on myself to collect every single jiggy and note. You don’t need all of them to beat the game, but for whatever reason I decided to have a completionist attitude. As a result of my sudden lost of interest, the game collected dust for many years. I would go on to remember Banjo-Kazooie as, “That annoying collecting game.”

Fast forward to a couple of months ago. My friends and I discover JonTron, a popular reviewer on YouTube. Turns out JonTron is around eight years younger than me. How is that relevant? Well, most internet reviewers I ended up following over the years are very close to my age. If said reviewers got nostalgic, I would be right there with them as they walked down memory lane. JonTron is the first reviewer I have decided to follow that talks about the Nintendo 64 era with as much reverence as people around my age would show for the original Nintendo (JonTron and I do meet half way when it comes to the Super Nintendo, however)! He is also a huge fan of Rare games, so hearing him talk so passionately in some reviews about the developer sent me on a Rare game kick. Before I knew it, JonTron ended up convincing me to give Banjo-Kazooie another go.

And that leads me to today. I have finally gone back and completed Banjo-Kazooie. I even stuck to my original goal of getting every jiggy, note, and all other possible things to do in the game. My opinion of the the Nintendo 64 classic has done a complete 180. At various points throughout my playthrough, I even felt more positive than I did when I originally tried the game! The collection angle wasn’t nearly annoying as I remembered it.

I do remember why I was discouraged back in the day, however. I got reminded of exactly why I was annoyed with the initial difficulty spike when I had my first death in Bubblegloop Swamp. If you lose a life in a level, you have to start note collecting all over again. The jiggies you collect will save. But if you got 99 out of 100 notes, guess what? You have to collect 1 through 100 all over again. You also have to face this fate if you willingly walk out of a level, or save and quit while in a level. So if you want your note total per level to be 100, you have to do it without losing a life or giving up!

I won’t lie: I was very annoyed when I rediscovered that rule, but I was able to deal with it and move on. I have never played the Xbox Live Arcade version of Banjo-Kazooie, but I do know that in that version, notes save if you lose a life. However, I have to admit that taking out that punishment removes a lot of the challenge and tension I felt while exploring all the wide variety of worlds the game had to offer. Finally finding the last couple of notes at the edge of death in any level was a thrilling feeling, and makes up for all the annoyance felt beforehand.

There are two aspects of Banjo-Kazooie I didn’t really notice the first time that I ended up falling in love with: The soundtrack and the writing. Grant Kirkhope, who composed TONS of music for Rare (including the ever popular Goldeneye 007), did an amazing job with the soundtrack. He hit that sweet spot in gaming music that is memorable and catchy, yet seamlessly integrates itself into the game’s visuals. Part of the illusion was how the soundtrack in all areas would change pitch, speed, instruments, etc. depending on what section of a map you were on.

The writing was simple enough for a child to get through, but fun enough for an adult to read. I always liked how Gruntilda would taunt the player the whole game and speak all of her dialogue in rhyme. I also loved how each character, even if it had only a couple of lines, would carry its own unique sound. The more I played it, the more I realized how much effort was poured into Banjo-Kazooie.

The best example of this effort is the game’s brilliant level design. Not only does the craziness of Gruntilda’s Lair feel like a real place with a logical design flow, but the worlds within the lair itself all stand out. Banjo-Kazooie is able to have the grass level, desert level, ice level or whatever without me going, “Oh, this is going to be a typical [trope] level,” for the most part. It helps that a couple of the worlds carried a theme not often seen in platformers. Rare even meant to make a sewer themed level interesting! I think what helps the level design overall is that unlike Super Mario 64, if you collect a jiggy, Banjo-Kazooie’s star if you will, you aren’t booted out of the level. You can stay as long as you like until you die, collect everything or leave at your own leisure.

The only real flaws I found after all these years is that the camera really reminds you that the game was made when even the best developers were still getting used to making a three dimensional video game. Sometimes the camera was just as big of threat to you falling down a loooooong way as an enemy that gets a lucky shot in. I also think the game could have used better pacing. I adored Gobi’s Valley, a desert themed level. But the ease of difficulty when compared to the previous two levels had me thinking it should have been placed earlier in the game.

Then you’ve got the other side of the coin on the difficulty/pacing issue. Rusty Bucket Bay are three words I would never expect to scream out loud in rage, but boy did Banjo-Kazooie bring out my inner demons on that day! The average time for me to get everything in all other levels was an hour. My time for Rusty Bucket Bay? Two hours and forty five minutes! As far as pacing goes, this clearly should have been the last world to traverse since not only was it harder than Click Clock Wood, but a hell of a lot more interesting too.

However, my overall experience is a very positive one. Mark me down as yet another fan of Banjo-Kazooie. My only regret is that I didn’t give the game its proper chance when I could have hopped aboard when the franchise was brand new! I never even played Banjo-Tooie or even took a look at it! If only there was some way to track down old games in this day and age…

Some games I like just a bit more as time goes on, while others age poorly. My latest go around with Banjo-Kazooie ended up turning my opinion around in a positive way. I suppose it takes a special game to do that. Well, that and a little maturity on my part!

Front page image from vizzed.com. Image 2 from cheapassgamer.net. Image 3 from ntlworld.com. Image 4 grotesequegirl.blogspot.com. Image 5 from therwp.com. 

ARTIST: Nachtmystium
ALBUM TITLE: Silencing Machine
RECORD LABEL: Century Media records
RELEASED: July 31, 2012

By Justin Polak
Co-Founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

It’s easy  to dismiss Nachtmystium as a form of black metal instead of recognizing they are merely using the genre as its foundation. Well, at least that’s how people should look at it according to the band’s founder, Blake Judd. I certainly agree with him, and I think the band is better off for going with that sound and attitude. Ever since Assassins: Black Meddle, Part 1, Nachtmystium has been a fun band to follow. Well, as “fun” as anything remotely related to black metal can get!

Their last album Addicts: Black Meddle, Part II left me a bit confused with the direction it took; as I predicted near the end of that review, the album eventually grew on me. While I expected the next album to have “part III” somewhere in the title, instead we get the latest release, Silencing Machine. The Nine Inch Nails fan in me immediately recognizes the album title, the track “And I Control You” and the dissonant sounds layered throughout the album as a nod to The Downward Spiral. As a huge fan of NIN, that gets points in my book. However, merely nodding towards one of my favorite bands isn’t enough for me to convince me that an album is good.

I will say that while there certainly is influence from The Downward Spiral, Silencing Machine doesn’t sound remotely like it, aside from the distorted sounds as I mentioned above. This is a good thing. I have no problem with one band taking influence from another, as long as they do something unique with that influence. Using Silencing Machine as an example, if Nachtmystium suddenly sounded like Nine Inch Nails Jr., it would have a chance of sounding good, but the copycat nature would have been too distracting. They merely took the spirit of what they were drawing from and created their own version of it. Granted, Nachtmystium was never in danger of sounding like NIN before, but this isn’t the first time the band as claimed influence.  Apparently, Assassins was inspired by the Pink Floyd album Meddle, and Nachtmysitum’s “One of These Nights” sounded like a darker version of “One of These Days…” Cool, but in the end I was reminded of a specific Pink Floyd song, when I should have just been recognizing the Pink Floyd influence.

Silencing Machine takes what made the last two albums work and mesh it together successfully for the most part. There’s a few parts where the general sludginess gets a bit too thick for my tastes, but nothing ever came across to me as a deal breaker. I also loved the way the album flowed as well. For example, The slower tempo tracks hit just as hard as the high energy ones. Basically, Nachtmystium attempts to cover all angles without getting lost in the shuffle, and pulls it off without a problem.

My favorite track is “Borrowed Hope and Broken Dreams,” which I feel truly shows how far the band has come. While in the last album the melodic moments were pleasing, they left me a bit disoriented (for the first few listens). Here Nachtmystium comes off far more naturally whether you look at the song from an individual standpoint or as a piece of the album. “The Lepers of Destitution” comes across that way as well, and as an added bonus, it’s the closest the band has ever come to the genius of the “Seasick” songs at the end of “Assassins.” Much like those tracks, it feels like the music transforms into its own entity and is leading itself, like any song that reaches high marks.

Overall, while I still cite Assassins as my favorite Nachtmystium album, Silencing Machine came awfully close to dethroning it for me. The only thing it performs better than Assassins for me is the pacing. This may sound contradicting considering how I am still holding on to Assassins as my favorite, but I can’t deny that Silencing Machine is easier to listen from start to finish because of how well it flows. If Nachtmystium keeps this up, while avoiding slight missteps like Addicts, we might yet get the true magnum opus I’ve been waiting for since 2008.

RATING: 8/10

Front page image from topnewstoday.org. Image 1 from theageofmetal.com. Image 2 from dontcountonitreviews.blogspot.com. 

TITLE: New Super Mario Bros. 2
PLATFORM: Nintendo 3DS
DEVELOPER: Nintendo EAD
PUBLISHER: Nintendo
ESRB: E
RELEASED: August  19, 2012

By Justin Polak
Co-Founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

Six years after the original New Super Mario Bros. is released, Nintendo unleashes the third title in the “New” series, New Super Mario Bros. 2. Why is number 2 the third game? Well, that’s because New Super Mario Bros. Wii was on shelves back in 2009! Ah, video games and their crazy sequel naming schemes! Okay, so I guess they consider the handheld and console “New” titles somewhat separate. It’s still weird!

I won’t bother making the joke that calling this series “new” is a wise thing or not, because enough video game journalists have done that already. However, I have to admit that questioning if Mario is growing stale or not is a legitimate point. At their core, 2D Mario games, as well as the 3D ones (but in their own realm), really don’t change much. What makes each game stand out is the finer details. Ever since the series’ inception, Nintendo has been good about shaking things up every other title.

For example, the original Super Mario Bros. started it all, obviously. The Japanese version (known as The Lost Levels in Super Mario All-Stars for US folk) evolved the original game slightly by making the game far more difficult while changing Mario and Luigi’s jump physics. Super Mario Bros. 3 kept the core gameplay, but revolutionized the series by adding world maps, multiple powers, bosses besides Bowser and many more tweaks. Super Mario World took what made SMB3 great and evolved certain concepts to fit the Super Nintendo. By the time Super Mario 64 hit the scene, Nintendo once again took the core of what makes a Mario game, and totally revolutionized the series with 3D gameplay. As expected, Super Mario Sunshine took an original concept, like SMB2 and SMW, and expanded on it.

Super Mario Galaxy was the last time Nintendo truly took the series to new places. I enjoyed Super Mario Galaxy 2 and NSMBW, but for the first time Mario sequels took a concept and kept going with it instead of tweaking or evolving it, aside from some very minor changes. Super Mario 3D Land was another great title, but at the end of the day it was the video game equivalent of a band’s greatest hits album.

I once again find myself enjoying a new Mario title, but I am growing concerned with the lack of innovation. Don’t get me wrong, the levels are still brilliantly designed, controlling Mario feels as tight as ever, plenty of secrets are to be found and the game still retains the usual easy to learn, tough to master feel. I just think that the charm of “what’s old is new again” is wearing thin. It’s great to see that Raccoon Mario is back, but at this point I feel that Nintendo is relying a little too much on old school memories to hold up NSMB2 and the brand name in general.

While the game does bring a new concept to the table, which is coin collecting, I have to admit that it’s very underwhelming. For the first time in Mario history, the total coins you have collected gets added up and displayed on a counter on the world map. There are newer ways to collect coins too, like the notable spin on the fire flower power up. Occasionally, Mario can collect a gold fire flower which grants him that ability to unleash much more powerful fireballs which produces more coins as well. There are also ways to turn enemies a gold color which, again, makes it easier to collect coins. If you have the time and patience to collect a million coins your rewards is…a new title screen.

Look, I’m alright with Nintendo giving us another classic based 2D Mario title. As much as I enjoyed the early 3D games, I remember thinking back then that it would be nice to see the old formula make a return someday. However, Nintendo needs to stop relying on familiar visuals and gimmicky concepts like coin collecting to deliver a top notch Mario game. Sooner or later, even the hardest of the hardcore Nintendo fanboys are going to grow tired of it. What worries me that that the upcoming New Super Mario Bros. U doesn’t look like it is going to change much either. I get that there are slight variances between the “New” games between handheld and console…but that’s all they are.

I’m not trying to be a typical internet cynic. In fact, at the end of the day I would still recommend this NSMB2, especially if you enjoyed either New Super Mario Bros. title before it. I just feel that I should give a fair warning that at the game’s core, you have already played it twice. I also am worried because through thick and thin, Nintendo has always been good about innovating their big titles like Mario, and I’m starting to see the company spin its wheels. It always brings me a warm feeling when I play a new Mario game, but I think it’s time Nintendo builds a new playground.

RATING: 7/10

Front page image, image 2 and image 3 from theverge.com. Image 1 from wii.mmgn.com. 

ARTIST: The Contortionist
ALBUM TITLE: Intrinsic
RECORD LABEL: Good Fight/eOne Music
RELEASED: July 17, 2012

By Justin Polak
Co-founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

It’s time for another music review of mine based around progressive rock! Could you imagine? I almost never listen to or write about progressive rock!

All joking aside, although I haven’t had any previous listening experience with The Contortionist, I have to say that I never heard anyone fuse prog and deathcore together before.  That’s the case with the band’s second full length album, Intrinsic, at least. I’m always up for combining various flavors in my entertainment, but does the combo make a good mix?

When The Contortionist aligns themselves to full on progressive metal, my ears perk up to full attention. Wild, flowing guitars make you feel like you are floating in some sort of impossibly-sized void. The drums are as subtly jazz-influenced as ever while the vocals cradle the listener peacefully. I’m that type of person that can never get tired of just hearing a band straight up jam, and this album provides that wonderful experience many times throughout its duration. If you give Intrinsic a casual listen, you might get a been there/done that feel, but the more the album goes on, the easier it is to spot the The Contortionist’s uniqueness.

However, I am not too fond of deathcore in general. Don’t get me wrong, I like and regularly listen to “heavier” music, but I can never get behind heavier music that gets a little too random (in most cases) with vocals that seem to bark at me. When The Contortionist applies the proper balance between the deathcore and prog influences, I can actually get into it. It’s just when they veer far into that territory I find myself tuning it out. I like the idea of blending these two genres together — even if most of the album doesn’t go in a deathcore route for most of it — but the fusion just isn’t for me when it is at its most intense. At first, it’s fine because it’s something different for the progressive style of music, but the longer it goes on, the more grating and annoying it becomes.

Just because I personally may not care for a certain aspect of music doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it’s value, though. Those of you who are into any form of deathcore will love it when The Contortionist throws down. Even though the transitions in and out of the style is sudden, I can’t deny that there is a natural order to it, like it was meant to be there in the first place. Switching gears like that without seeming like another part of a song suddenly collided with another is no easy task, so I do appreciate the technical prowess behind it.  Hell, not even some of my favorite fusion bands can pull off something like that!

However, even if I was into the more heavier parts of Intrinsic, I would still feel that the middle of the album drags a bit. Most of its midsection came off as filler rather than going on a journey, which is how I felt otherwise. The weird thing is that when he music got more chaotic during this part, I found more enjoyment out of it. I could see that The Contortionist was trying to slowly build up that album to that point into a glorious explosion, but I think the problem was they they ramped up the speed and intensity a bit too fast. It’s kind of like having a dramatic climax thirty minutes before you see the end credits in an action movie. It just feels off.

Other than that, Intrinsic is a solid album. “Holomovement,” “Feedback Loop,” “Anatomy Anomalies”  and “Cortical” definitely make the highlight reel here. Overall, any progressive rock fan should find some level of enjoyment out of this addition in The Contortionist’s discography. The deathcore elements my derail some listeners’ experience as it did with me, but it’s not a dealbreaker whatsoever. From what I ave learned about the band while reading up on them prior to writing this review, it seems to me that any fans of older material would still dig The Contortionist.

In the end, the result of the mix didn’t always taste great, but The Contortionist’s unique blend is something I would be willing to try again.

RATING: 7/10

Front page image, interior photo from heavyblogisheavy.com.