First Impressions: Injustice: Gods Among Us

First off I want to say I am not an expert on the fighting game genre. In fact this is the first real brawler I've played in years so my impressions of this game will not come as much from how skillfully put together this game is. My opinions will be more based on how much fun the game has been to play.

With that said its now been a week since I first sat down with the game and good news is I still find myself wanting to go back and try something new every time I turn it on. There are a multitude of modes to choose from. There is basic training, the classic ladder system with many variations, a surprisingly enjoyable story mode even if its brief, and a ton of challenges to complete. All of that without even mentioning the obvious fact you can go online and test out your skills against friends and masters of the game. So to put it mildly there is lots to keep you occupied as long as you enjoy the gameplay.





Doesn't hurt to have a sexy Harley Quinn as part of the roster

Speaking of gameplay that for me is usually what stops the instant purchase of a game like this. I find its a case where I grow tired of simply playing one on one battles. So far though the variety of characters types, different ways to play a match, and overall uniqueness of this game have kept enough variety into the gameplay that I have yet to grow tired of the simple fact your usually in a one on one battle all the time. That and its always satisfying when you pull off one of the more ridiculous super moves that each character has. It also helps that the graphics are bright and colorful leading to things really popping in the middle of a fight.




This game certainly has put a smile on my face a few times so far

So all in all so far so good in terms of this new stab at the fighting genre that is centered around the DC universe which I'm a big fan of. Of course I still have questions on the lasting appeal I can have with this type of game but suffice to say I have no regrets with the purchase at the moment. Check back in  a few weeks for a more in depth review where I will delve much deeper into all the things this game has to offer. Until then enjoy your gaming exploits and if your a fan of the DC universe or of the fighting genre you certainly might want to give this game a try since my early impressions are it has a lot to offer fans of these games and characters.

Pure Happiness

So many reasons to be happy tonight! I won't go into most of them here but it would behoove of me to celebrate the fact that after nine long years the Toronto Maple Leafs (My favorite sports team out of all sports) is finally going back to the playoffs and they couldn't have picked a more fitting day to do it with all the positive vibes and feelings going around my life right now. Reflecting on things so much has happened in those nine years. A lot of good and a few bad times as well. Over the past couple years many great things have happened  that has turned what was a life that seemed a scattered and hectic mess in some ways into one I am proud to be living and sharing with friends and family I truly care about. So tonight as I celebrate the fact that my hockey team will be playing post season hockey again for the first time in ages even if they are still a long way from the ultimate goal of the Stanley Cup. (As they say you have to take baby steps first).  I also celebrate all the great things that have taken place in my life over the last few years to lead to where I am today. There are moments, friends, days  like this that I will never  forget. The happiness they bring out makes me truly feel lucky to live the life I live and know the people I do. I can only hope many more days can be like this one in the future. For now I am more then content to continue enjoying this one for many a day to come.

Tomorrow once some of this excitement subsides Ill probably give an honest first impressions of Injustice: Gods Among Men.  Till then GO LEAFS GO!

Game Review: God Of War Ascension



Kratos is back this time journeying into his early days in Ascension. Does the God of War continue to excite and amaze with the carnage he creates seeking vengeance or is Kratos starting to show his age after years of battling the gods. Lets find out as we look at his newest adventure God of War Ascension.

Story: So for those familiar with the God of War franchise the last adventure with Kratos in God of War 3 was supposed to be his last and ended as such so the first question was always going to be how exactly is Kratos back for another adventure? Well this time we are going way back to the early days starting at the very beginning of his legacy. Rumor was this game would focus more on the story then previous games that honestly only used story lines to get back to the huge action set pieces the game is known for. Unfortunately after playing the game I felt this story was perhaps one of the worst efforts for the franchise with very familiar themes that don't feel as acceptable at this point in Kratos's timeline. It also hurts that we are dealing with new enemies here called the furies that just don't hold the same special attraction as well known names like Aries and Zeus provided in past games. Sure the idea of three sexy demonic ladies hounding the God of War sounds good on paper but they really don't have any substance in the game and most of the time seem like small annoyances that get in your way from time to time. Beyond that the storyline follows a familiar path of Kratos becoming and enemy of somebody and then proceeding to go out to annihilate anything in his path along the way to vanquishing his foes. In the past this formula has been fine since to be honest its never been the focus of the franchise but at this point when going back to provide more of an origin story for Kratos it is pretty disappointing to see the same usual pattern take place again with even less surprises then games of the past.

5/10 (Nothing new, same familiar feel of a basic storyline that's starting to get tired with less big name characters to carry things along this time and the furies turn out to be rather disappointing antagonists this time around.)



The Furies, mere shadows of former opponents to the God of War

Gameplay: One of the biggest strengths of the franchise always has been the solid gameplay. Especially the combat. This time the system has been tweaked somewhat from the usual formula which has made combat more difficult even for those rather adept at previous games. The flow of combat is still smooth and for the most part it all works but blocking has become harder to accomplish and none of the changes feel like they really enhance the game play so I'm left wondering if there really was any need for changes to the system. As it stands the combat still is tight and responsive and alot of fun especially when battling some of the larger beasts and bosses in the game. The quick time events also return though this is another part of the franchise that over time has become less and less exciting as its not as surprising to completely demolish the enemy with a few correct button presses. There also is a little bit of platforming to be found in the game but its pretty much there just to add meat to the game play between battles and Kratos is rather lurching and heavy to control compared to say Lara Croft was in her new game so all these sequences tended to just make me want to get back to the combat and skip the climbing scenes. The biggest accomplishment that God of War 3 succeeded in that set itself apart from the crowded action genre at the time was some of the stunning action set pieces on top of moving titans where the ground you were running along was also running in the background and very few games since then have managed to accomplish such feats. Unfortunately the sequences like that found in ascension are a step down and none met the epic encounters of the last game. If anything most of those events felt more like scenes from earlier games and almost a step back for the franchise to a simpler format with less wow factor. Suffice to say that wasn't a good thing.

7.5/10 (Still solid combat if not new and improved, the rest of the gameplay is starting to suffer from the same old formula syndrome and in some cases felt like a step backwards)




Yes Kratos you can still fight with the best of them

Graphics: The game is still as gorgeous as usual. The epic environments are rendered beautifully with a real sense of grand exposure to this fantastical places. Even the hallways and caverns you explore have a special feel as the lighting remains top notch and you really feel like your there running alongside Kratos. The creatures are also done top notch with very unique designs that haven't been seen before in previous games and the bloody ways you take them apart while gross, do look beautiful.

9.5/10 (One area that still shines in this game. They get the most out of the ps3 when it comes to designing and showing off the world they have created)



The Beasts are still as beautiful and creative as ever and a highlight of the game

Replayability/Difficulty: One issue that has always plagued these games has been the lack of much to do beyond going through the story. Sure you can play the game on a higher difficulty and there has usually been some kind of combat challenge that unlocks after you beat the game but other then that I found myself moving quickly on to another game. This time a multiplayer mode has been added to try and add depth to the game. Unfortunately while a fun diversion the game is not as smooth when playing against others and even in my brief time playing I found myself growing tired of the modes and I couldn't see myself going back to play it very often. The difficulty felt a little harder then previous games mostly due to combat changes and a few places where your vision cheaply gets taken away artificially making things more difficult and one event in the game was extremely difficult compared to the rest but that has since been patched to fall in line more with the rest of the game so all in all while a challenge on higher levels of difficulty its a fair test and for those that still enjoy the combat you can have some fun slaying beasts for some time. Unfortunately beyond that there is no other challenge modes this time, the game still is rather short as I completed it in less the eight hours not in a rush. The trophy collection is also fairly simple to obtain so if your looking for a game to platinum this might be a good choice as long as you can beat hard mode.

6.5/10 (While multiplayer attempts to add a new dimension to the game if falls flat compared to the main game. The rest of the package is short and more likely to be something you go through on the weekend and then trade back in to your local game store for another game that has more of a lasting appeal)

Audio/Voice Acting: To start there isn't a whole lot of voice acting in the game. Kratos is his usually grunting blunt self which is serviceable, the furies when they get time to taunt Kratos do a decent job but nothing special in the limited engagements that require vocals. The music is another variation on the sweeping score that is classic God of War. Nothing wrong with that since the score is perfect for the action but like most other things about the game at this point its starting to feel a little tired and the familiarity is starting to lose what made this franchise special to begin with.

7/10: (Nothing wrong here but the music is similar to other outings and a bigger problem is the voice acting just isn't given anytime to shine in the game which is a shame given it felt like a missed opportunity when going back to delve into Kratos's past)



The strong silent type, its starting to get old even for someone as cool as Kratos

Overall: So based on the negative tone of much of this review its pretty obvious I was disappointed in the overall package this time out. Now let me first say its still a good game and I had fun jumping back into the familiar bad ass skin of Kratos killing anything that got in his way. Having said that when a franchise builds expectations over time you just expect a higher standard when a new game comes out. In this case I'm left wondering was it really necessary to have this game? Did it add anything new to the God of War franchise that will be remembered long term. Unfortunately the answer is no, this was a missed opportunity to expand the franchise in some new directions. Instead they went with the safe tried and true material and at this point its starting to show its age and I wonder about the future of Kratos and his legacy. Perhaps its time to let the God of War drift into the sunset, satisfied that for many years he was one of the icons on the PlayStation console and provided some of the best action games over the last ten years.

6.5/10 (I wanted to love this game. Kratos has always provided a satisfying gaming experience but the franchise is starting to show its age and while fun for a weekend of gaming the lasting appeal just isn't there for old fans and new fans alike. If your a longtime fan of the series and need your Kratos fix there is some fun to be had and you can always trade the game in after your done seeing the new content. If however your new to the franchise and have been wondering if this is a good time to jump in and see what you've been missing the better option is to go pick up the God of War saga which includes all five full fledged games that came before this one and is a way better value. I will be reviewing that package in the near future so stay tuned.)

Looking Back/Looking Forward April 2013

So first an introduction is in order to what will hopefully be one of my monthly posts I plan on writing. At the start of each month I'm going to look back on the month that was and then look ahead to some of the things that have got me excited for the month ahead so without further ado lets look and see what the month of April might have in store after a quick look back at March.

So the month of March has come and gone and I'd say its been a pretty good one all things considered except for the idea that spring is supposed to arrive at the end of the month and unfortunately that hasn't happened this year since its still snowing outside right now. In better news though the first real game of the year candidate came out in March as the new reboot of Tomb Raider was excellent and anyone that is a fan of the old games or action games in general would be doing a disservice to themselves if they didn't check it out. Also took a trip down memory lane and played final fantasy tactics again (Review upcoming) and I am pleased to report its just as amazing as I remembered it so many years ago. The month was not perfect gaming wise though as another big title that came out this month God of War Ascension was unfortunately more of a disappointment but Ill delve further into that later this week.

TV wise March was the end of season 3 of Walking Dead and all and all I think it was probably the best season yet for the show even if it did have a few bumps along the way and the finale this year was slightly disappointing but I will refrain from any spoilers. Suffice to say though, anyone that is a fan of zombies and such or just likes a good story and hasn't been watching this fine show well you have been missing out. One of the best shows on television right now and I highly recommend it. Now the long wait till season 4 begins in October.

Didn't see any movies at the theater this month. Nothing I really fancied, saving my money for a few bigger films coming out in a month or so from now including a certain Iron clad individual and a journey into darkness but Ill talk more about those when that month arrives. Did rent a few movies including a very cute film called Wreck it Ralph which has some nice video game nostalgia to it and was a good movie in its own right. A fun movie for grown-ups and kids alike. Also watched Argo which tells the story of using a fake movie to try and rescue Americans stuck in a hostile Iran based on a true story. The film did what seemed like a faithful job of recreating events though the tension for me at least was off a little since I knew the true story so it was obvious how the story would end but still another worthy watch for anyone interested in a movie that looks at a unique historical event.

Sports wise it was a great month for yours truly since the Toronto Maple Leafs had a very good month and are now poised to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years. That would certainly be another positive welcome change in my life to go along with many others I have found in the past year. Other then that spring training went by quickly for the Blue Jays but ill delve more into them as we look ahead at April, speaking of which lets do that right now.

April is a month I usually really enjoy. The days grow longer, the sun starts to shine more, the frogs start singing, and spring really kicks into gear usually around this time of year. Lets hope all those things happen this year but either way there are other forms of entertainment to be had this month and here is just a few things that have caught my eye.

Gaming wise April looks to be a quiet month all around especially compared to last month. Only one real game of note that has caught my eye so far Injustice:Gods Among Us which is the DC fighting game developed by the makers of the mortal kombat series. I must admit not a huge fan of the fighting genre in general but the DC Universe always has a certain appeal to me due to my love for certain characters in that realm so I am curious to see if they can pull off a good game or not. Still up in the air if its going to be a day one purchase for me. Going to leave that till I see some early reviews but given that its a quiet month most likely I will delve into this game and maybe catch up on a few that have been sitting on my shelf lately.

With the Walking Dead now finished for the season the only show I truly would choose to replace it returns as Game of Thrones kicked off its third season last night. Since I have read the books I know some of what is to come and suffice to say I have a great feeling this will be the best season yet to what I consider the best show going on TV right now. I can't say enough good things about it and will more then likely in the near future take a closer look into why I love this show so much. Movie wise April looks quiet again. A few nostalgic pieces including a 3D remake of the original Jurassic park and a new rebooted Evil Dead which I have heard is really good but neither choice has me enamoured to rush out and see so my trips to the theater will probably be saved for next month.

So what really has me excited for April then. Well its a big month in sports. The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years and this is the month where they can make it happen. Suffice to say I will be VERY happy if they do. To go along with that though the Toronto Blue Jays have shockingly went from irrelevant baseball team to early favorites to win the world series for the first time in twenty years so the beginning of the baseball season also holds way more buzz then usual. Should hopefully be a really fun month for cheering on two of my favorite teams.

Besides that I probably will try to delve into more writing including more posts here if the month ends up being as quiet as it seems. For now though I think that wraps up this addition of looking forward and back. Hope you enjoyed and will do it all again next month.