A Realm Reborn

I would be remiss if I didn't take some time to talk about Final Fantasy 14 in this space. This won't be a full on review like other games since for one I haven't had nearly enough time myself to explore the full game and two since this is an mmo content will constantly continue to be added changing the experience. I will be however discussing my thoughts on the first month I spent with the game and the surprising revelation that after the colossal disaster which was the original final fantasy 14 this second take as it were manages to be a worthy successor to the final fantasy name and has many good reasons for any fans of the series to someday get their hands on this title to give it a try.

To start the biggest praise I can give this new version of the game is that it was clearly made with a labour of love, a love for final fantasy and the long history it has. The game is packed with nods to every final fantasy game to ever come before it. From remixes of tonnes of classic ballads, chocobos, airships, materia, magitek, ultimate weapons, the return of jobs including well known favorites like the dragoon and I could go on and on. For those well versed in  final fantasy lore this game will have a lot of nostalgic value alone. And the game to go with it isn't half bad either.

Of course no final fantasy game would be complete without Cid making an appearance =)

Let's start with the battle system. The closest comparison is the battle system found in final fantasy 12 but its been greatly refined and now features more freedom to avoid more powerful attacks and to actually use the benefits of range combat. In my brief experience I focused a good deal of time on my main class of a black mage but did dabble with many other classes to get a general feel of the variety of gameplay. While most classes do boil down to using a few abilities over and over each class has unique tweaks to the gameplay. The pugilist for example uses various hand to hand forms of combat but the pattern you use with these attacks will provide different bonuses to your attacks and abilities, the black mage has to balance fire and ice spells to keep your mp regenerated while taking every opportunity to triple your attack power when you can while balancing out using side abilities like sleep to help in difficult situations and the other classes all have other various unique attributes to them. In the end there is more variety then first meets the eye that's for sure and I've barely scratched the surface of many of the classes available. Then you can further tweak those class choices by adding job classes later in the game for even more variety adding in fan favorites like the dragoon, monk and summoner jobs.  Suffice to say there are lots of different options to fit your style of gameplay here.

When it comes time to actually join parties the game turns to a more traditional formal of dps, tank, and healer format, the holy triangle of mmo's. Thankfully the unique class choices talked about above help augment the experience and it helps keep things fresh. In my time I actually enjoyed the moments I had to work with others in parties for the most part. There was only one time I found a party that was totally inadequate to continue on with. Most groups had a good understanding of their role and really enhanced the dungeons keeping the excitement going while taking down some of the more challenging bosses I encountered. And there are numerous opportunities to do this since there are well over ten dungeons already set in the game and as you progress you will find many unique challenges that require some actual thought to defeat the boss and not just a boring point and click scenario.

Just one of the intimidating bosses you'll come across in your adventures

The graphics on the ps3 version were good but with the expected launch some time next year on the ps4 as a free upgrade I imagine they will look gorgeous on next gen based on what I have seen on the pc versions. The art design has some whimsical flair while keeping traditional final fantasy looks and there are endless armour choices to fully customize how your character looks in the world to your liking.

Along with all that there is a main storyline you can follow as you travel up to level 50. While not as in depth as a traditional final fantasy single player experience the story does have some stand out moments and I'm left wishing it could have been fleshed out more since I think the basis of the storyline in this game certainly beats some of the poor choices made in the last few rather forgettable stories told in the final fantasy universe.

The music in the game is excellent, so many classic tunes redone in perfect fashion with unique twists and a few standout new entries that fit right in with the high standards from games in the past. On the audio front while the voice acting is serviceable when present much of the game has to be read which is a shame since the main quest felt like it deserved more voice over work then given and is one of the few flaws currently found in the game to go along with parts of the storyline that require some grinding to reach a new level and continue on.

Even the dragoon job makes a triumphant returns!

Considering where this game first started with the horrible failure that was its original incantation there have been great strides made to improve all aspects of the game and fans of final fantasy or mmo's will really love what is offered here. There are tonnes of things I haven't even mentioned in this brief summary including the crafting options, the atmosphere of the world, the myriad of side quests, class quests and so forth and so much more. The game is not lacking in content to start and is sure to be given more in the coming months. The biggest issue for most fans might be the dreaded words of a subscription service which is indeed found in the game and requires a monthly fee. This certainly will cause me to only want to play the game a few times a year most likely to check out new content and for some that may not be an option since to get your money's worth you do have to spend a lot of time with the game. Hopefully perhaps in the future this game will become free to play so everyone can give it a try. For now all I can really say is if your a fan of final fantasy, if the opportunity arises you should really give this game a try even if you are scared by the idea of an mmo. There are truly a lot of things to be found her for traditional final fantasy fanatics and right now its the best one I've played probably since final fantasy X a long time ago which is saying something. Hopefully this is a sign of square-enix getting this franchise back on track and that future games in the series will be shown the same love and care that this game feels like it has now that its been redone. This truly has been the surprise of the year in terms of gaming for me and was a real treat to play the first time around. Hopefully when I return to the world of Eorzea next year I have just as much fun the second time around.

Anyway currently playing new batman and assassin's creed titles right now so in the next month hopefully ill have some more traditional reviews for those interested. Bye for now

Nowhere to Run- New Batman Arkham Origins trailer

Well if this trailer is any indication the new guys in charge of Batman Arkham Origins just might be able to pull off a game that doesn't disappoint its predecessors. Here's hoping. Only a couple months away.

Best of You

 A decision has to be made soon, one way or another. Is there any way to have a happy ending to this story? Or has it already come down to picking what poison to drink. I hold out hope, I keep battling but is there anything left battling for or am I just being abused. I'm getting tired of starting again somewhere new. I swear I'll never give in, I refuse. But at what cost is all this. Is there really any rhyme to my reason anymore or do I just wish everyone had a good heart when in reality so few actually do. I don't want to be hurt anymore and yet I won't let go because I want to see the Best of You.

Time

Time, no matter who we are time always plays a factor in our lives. To fast, to slow, to long, to short, time can be felt in many ways. Right now I face one of the hardest questions in relation to time. When is it time to give up on something, when is it time to realize something you thought would never end in such a way truly has ended. When is it time to give up on someone you thought was your friend. When is it time to let things move on to new things. It seems like such an easy decision to move on at this point, and yet you can look back on times from the past, and when I do I can't help but feel something.............from time gone by that keeps me thinking, feeling, hoping perhaps foolishly at this point that its still worth my time to believe in something that meant so much to me the last few years. I wish I could just move forward in time and find the answer I'm looking for but I can't. I just need to hope that someone else is still thinking of times gone by and realizes that things were not meant to end this way, that this was not just some flavour of the week experiment that lasted longer then should have been expected. Time holds all the answers, question is when does it plan on revealing those answers, or in some cruel twist of fate will it forever hold those answers to itself leaving me lost and confused for a long time. I guess in a bit of stark irony the only thing to say to that is "Only time will tell"

More Song Interludes

Okay well it seems this summer just isn't a good time for my blogging days. Suffice to say I hope soon enough to find my voice again and populate this space with more entertainment. Till then another song to fit my current mood while I keep running up that hill.

Mad World

Sometimes its just easier to let music convey the emotions of the moment . To another night then......

Fighting the Storm

In the middle and in the dark. Sometimes its hard to see through the storm that rages around you. I can only hope that somewhere in this maelstrom are the answers and that those answers do not mean an end but a fresh beginning. Sometimes you just have to have faith in the ones you put your trust in to help weather the storm. It may not be the easiest road to travel but it is the best road because I know behind the dark clouds there is still a ray of sunshine just waiting for the day when things come together again. The nights may be long now but in the end it will all be worth it. To the days ahead then, riding out the storm one day at a time.

Looking Back/Looking Forward July 2013

Okay so I'll apologize in advance. This monthly preview blog will be briefer then most. Still getting back into the routine of some things after a crazy June so this won't have the level of detail of previous months but I still wanted to get something out there to follow routine.

Suffice to say last month ended up a little crazy and time seemed hard to come by. I blogged about my thoughts on the Man of Steel and soon will have my take on the fabulous game Last of Us once I have explored everything it has to offer. Other then that I think putting the past month behind me is prudent and much better to look ahead to July.

Unfortunately July is rather quiet in terms of my usual topics of interest. There are really no new games I have my sights on, no movies that catch my eye, and while there is still a small hope the Blue Jays carry on their winning ways and provide some fun baseball this once I still hold little hope for that. Dexter has returned for its final season on television and while not the show it once was I hope it goes out with a bang anyway and that will be the one show I keep tabs on this month. Other then that this month will be time to enjoy the weather if it ever stays nice and to perhaps catch up on a few games I've missed. Other then that while it may sound boring I think this month will be a time to relax and just enjoy certain things. Perhaps I will get my writing groove back finally and words will fill pages to fill up some of the time I have this month. Of course something will probably come up and ill have way less time then I suspect right now. Either way I'll try to catch up on some blogs around here and see if something interesting doesn't pop up throughout the month. If not at least ill be saving up on some money this month lol. Anyway stayed tuned for my review of the Last of Us and other then that enjoy the month everyone.

Man of Steel

Superman returned this summer to the big screen and I had the opportunity to see it this weekend. The good news is this movie certainly surpasses the previous disasters of superman 3 and 4 along with the most recent disaster Superman returns. Of course that's not saying much this those movies were pretty awful. Minor spoilers will follow on general plot points so if you want to know nothing before seeing the film stop reading now. Otherwise continue on to read my thoughts on the Man of Steel's return to the big screen.

Superman has never looked better flying through the air

I do think this was a successful reboot of the Superman franchise but the movie also has a few flaws that keep it from the upper echelon of superhero movies. Origin stories are hard to pull off since so much of the movie has to be spent introducing elements of the character and world. Thankfully with this reboot the film makers realized that Superman was a rather iconic character that I would surmise a majority of movie goers would have an idea of who the man was so while the story still involves a lot of back round on Superman's past its told in bits and pieces leaving the rest of the movie and plot to breath which was a smart decision.

The opening scenes involving the downfall of Krypton were beautiful and tragic and probably were some of my favorite parts of the movie. None of the scenes on Earth managed to match the beauty of Krypton even if the movie in general was as epic and grand as you would expect a Superman movie to be.

From there we bounce quickly around setting up some key scenes in Clark Kent's upbringing while bringing the equally iconic Lois Lane into the story and bringing General Zod forward in time to be an effective antagonist in the movie. In fact most of the actors were very effective in the movie with their roles including both father figures that played  into predictable outcomes we have seen before but done with enough added touches that they felt fresh and unique to this Superman experience. And while he may never approach Lex Luthor the choice of Zod was a good one here to connect Krypton's story the Clark and while never truly memorable there were moments were Zod was truly an intimidating force and worthy opponent for Superman first foray into battle a super villain with comparable powers.

 One of the qualms of the quick approach to story telling is that there isn't a whole lot of time to linger on some of these moments so the sense of impact feels lost because as soon as you start to feel something your quickly moving on to the next part of the movie which may very well have been unavoidable without making a very long movie or leaving out much time for Superman to be his true self.

The payoff  is that for the last hour or so we are treated to several battles involving Superman at his finest. His first battle against two Kryptons was really well done and the impact of all the moves was fun to watch. This really is the first movie that the fight scenes feel like they could come right from the comics of Superman since unlike say Batman who has relatively more cerebral fight scenes Superman tends to have more grand clashes involving tons of destruction and till now special effects just weren't at the proper level to convey these scenes. By the final battle it was starting to wear a little thin with how many times Superman crashed through a building but the final touch on the battle brought the idea of Superman protecting his humanity back full circle in a nice way and I thought set things up nicely for the future DC Universe wherever its headed next and at the end of the day that's probably the biggest thing this movie had to accomplish.

There were a few other flaws that did hamper certain parts of the movie. On a minor note some of the scenes involving the humans from the military or Daily Planet felt unnecessary and boring in comparison to other scenes and while its nice to be reminded of the human plight when you switch to seeing Superman and Zod destroying building after building it makes those scenes seem rather insignificant and silly. They easily could have been left out with no consequence. Perhaps the biggest flaw to the movie though was Lois Lane. First off while I think Amy Adams is a great actress she doesn't fit the image I have of Lois Lane. Now I don't mind that fact as much as the idea that we didn't get a lot of chemistry between Lois and Clark. There were a few nice scenes but their relationship just wasn't given a large enough time to develop in the movie leaving some of their final scenes to feel a little forced. Hopefully in the inevitable sequel more time can be spent on their relationship since it is a very important part of who Clark Kent is and given how much material had to be covered for the origin I can let this flaw pass in hopes that the sequel builds on the solid foundation made here.

Could these two iconic heroes finally grace the big screen at the same time in the future. Lets hope so!

So all in all this was a fun movie and anyone that is a fan of Superman or comic books in general  owes it to themselves to see it. While not perfect there is a lot to like about this new adaption including some fantastic fight scenes and a very comic book like feel to the atmosphere that is sure to please many fans. Lets hope this is just the beginning of a well thought out DC Universe set of movies that can compete with the juggernaut of the Avengers in the future. For now this was a good first step but there is a long way to go to truly honour these iconic characters. For now Ill take enjoyment on another solid late spring action flick and a fresh start for Superman that is faithful and enjoyable for audiences young and old alike.

Absence

For anyone that follows my blog you may have noticed its been a rather quiet month in terms of posts, in fact since June 1 I haven't posted anything. This has been because of many reasons. For one June just happens to be a very busy month in general and work alone is taking much of my time. There have been other unexpected distortions and events that have also hampered my ability and want to post here lately. Thankfully with some help and support from my friends  those disturbances are in the past and today felt like a good day to move on to looking forward at being excited for the summer ahead. I have many posts to catch up on. Thoughts on E3 and all the big news and games from the expo, my thoughts on the Man of Steel, and early impressions of the Last of Us just to name a few topics I hope to delve into before the end of the month. Thankfully in July things should quiet down and I will have more time to delve into certain hobbies I enjoy including a multitude of writing I wish to get back to. Even writing this feels a little rusty its been so long. Anyways for now I will leave it at that but I feel confident I will frequent this space a lot more before the end of the month with some tantalizing posts that hopefully provide some sort of entertainment for anyone checking it out. Cheers for now.

Looking Back/Looking Forward June 2013

So its not a perfect list to describe who I am but its pretty darn close

Well its June, the month of the Gemini and  one of my favorite times of the year.  Summer is almost upon us, work is starting to slow down and vacation time is fast approaching. Looking at the various entertainment opportunities available in June though is usually fairly quiet as the summer sets in but there are still a few  interesting things to talk about. Before that, lets look back at what May had to offer.


Well lets get the worst thing out of the way first. May was the official end of the Toronto Maple Leafs season. Now looking at the big picture the season was a success compared to expectations and its not like it was a surprise they lost in the first round of the playoffs. Unfortunately the way they lost was just about the most painful way they could snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I hope they learn from this defeat and it makes them stronger for years to come but I worry about how much of an opportunity they missed with such a historic collapse. It will certainly be a painful memory that remains with me for some time. Add that to the fact the Blue Jays have completely collapsed this season even though they were expected to fight for a championship and it really has become a case where the less I talk about sports the better.

Thankfully there were other forms of entertainment to save last month from being all doom and gloom. A couple good spring action movies came out that had flaws but still provided a good time. See my previous blog for more on them. Game of Thrones continued the strong season on television and remains my favorite show on TV these days. Video game wise it was a quiet month as expected but provided an opportunity to go back and play some smaller games or games I may have missed at some point over the past few years. I may blog about some of the best little gems I found this month later on. All in all though May was fairly quiet in a lot of regards which was just fine since I was rather busy with work and such anyway and didn't need to be getting distracted by to many other fun options.

So does June have more to offer then a quiet May? Well actually it will probably be very similar but there are a few things I am really excited for which will hopefully make the month exciting enough.
One thing I am not excited about though is anything sports related. The Stanley Cup and NBA championship will be rewarded but none of the teams left hold much interest to me and the Blue Jays would need a miracle month just to get back into the baseball season so lets move on to something else.

Its pretty hard to mess up Superman's logo but the newest one does look just a little cooler then in the past

Only one movie catches my eye for June but its a big one. The Man of Steel, yes another Superman movie but one that I actually have some hope for. Now let it be known I've never been a huge fan of Superman but there is no doubt he is an iconic superhero and deserves a modern series of movies of his own. That and if they have any hope of making a Justice League movie work they need Superman to be a relevant character again.  From what I've heard and the trailers released my confidence has grown that this will be a good movie. Can it be a great movie that stands up there with the best superhero movies of the past decade. Well I have certain doubts about that but I would love to see that be the case and I will most likely be going to see this opening weekend. Stay tuned later in the month for my thoughts on whether Superman has become cool and relevant again in the movie world and not the joke he has become based on the last few sad attempts on the big screen.

Television wise there are only two more episodes of Game of Thrones this season but boy should they be filled with some exciting events if their anything like the books there based on. I have no doubt this show will continue to impress. At the very end of the month Dexter will begin its final season and will hopefully fully regain the magic of its early seasons and provide a satisfying conclusion for another show I enjoy. I would imagine ill talk much more about this show next month when the season gets into full swing.

And that leaves video games. Well the summer is usually a quieter time for games in general with most developers saving the bigger titles for the fall season and closer to Christmas. That being said there is the odd game that comes out that goes against that strategy and thankfully this month has one of them. The folks at Naughty Dog produced an impressive trilogy when they came up with the Uncharted series and now they have been hard at work on a new game called "The Last of Us".  Lets see take the action and adventure from the Uncharted series and combined it with the survival horror genre. Well count me in! Suffice to say from what I've seen of this game so far I am psyched to get my hands on it. I have a strong feeling this title will be a Game of the Year candidate and hopefully make up for the complete disaster that the Resident Evil series has become over the past few years. This will most definitely be a day one purchase for me. Till then enjoy one of the trailers for yourself and will do this all again next month when summer is officially be upon us.

Movie Time

Over the past few weeks I've been able to enjoy a couple of the big spring action flicks to come out this year in Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness. Do they live up to the expectations of the earlier films successes or do they fall to the weight of certain expectations based on their predecessors. Well here is what I thought of both films anyway. Be forewarned there will be some spoilers to follow so if you haven't seen the films yet and don't want any spoilers I suggest you stop reading.

Lets start with Iron Man 3 which has become a rather polarizing movie between those that love it and those that find great fault with it. Honestly I can see both sides of the coin here. On one hand I thought it was a fun film with much of the exciting action and humour that made the first two films so enjoyable. The problem is there were some decisions made with this film that quite frankly I just can't understand why they were implemented. First off was the use of the character Mandarin in the film. I certainly am not an expert on some of the marvel universe but I do know the basics on who the Mandarin is in the lore of the comic universe. Now I am not one for caring if there are tweaks to characters and stories told from the comics but the blatant deception used with the Mandarin in this film was just baffling. I actually liked the idea of the character in the film but why they decided it was a good idea to trick those familiar with the character of Mandarin just to sell this film was baffling since he isn't in the film at all. I guess they did it to help sell the movie but honestly how many people  went to see Iron Man 3 because of Mandarin. And if you did well you would end up mighty disappointed in the results. I think they could have kept the essence of their story without such deception. Now we are left with a storyline that pretty much makes it impossible to ever use the true Mandarin in a movie because that would just make it more confusing to the overall storyline.

The second flaw I found watching the movie was how it finished. It felt like every major issue or problem not resolved near the end of the film was quickly wrapped up with convenient plot points just thrown in to provide a supposed 'end' to the Iron Man trilogy. It really felt like even if the story was far from really being over they felt like since it was the third film they needed to end many of the story lines that had come up over the three films and let left me thinking that it was a little forced and unnecessary since we all know Tony will return for the Avengers sequel and a few of those plot points could have been left to be resolved in a more satisfying way. That and I really just can't understand why he destroyed his hall of armours at the end. Yeah it was a strong message to Pepper but honestly without those suits her and Tony would probably be dead so I didn't see the logic of that decision. Perhaps I'm thinking about it to hard.



Cheer up Tony. You still have the next Avengers movie to look forward to!

 Now in saying all this I still enjoyed the movie. The action scenes were the best I thought in the series even if Tony Stark seemed rather over powered/lucky when fighting without the suit. That and there was a good deal of humour to be found in this film also that for the most part worked well. I guess in the end the one thing that kept me from loving the movie was a few decisions meant to twist the story in order to ensure nobody guessed what would happen but it felt like a cheap trick in the end that took away from the real story being told that would have been great if done correctly. Still the Iron Man trilogy as a whole was excellent and I certainly hope Robert Downey Jr. comes back for the Avengers 2 since it makes a perfect Tony Stark and Iron Man based on his work in these movies.

The second film I watched this month was Star Trek Into Darkness. The first thing I'll mention here is this movie hearkens back to the now classic Star Trek The Wraith of Khan for those familiar with the lore and for me that certainly wasn't a bad thing considering I thought it was a great movie for its time. This new take on the story was a great attempt at recapturing some of that magic while telling its own story. The movie was fun, filled with exciting action, some heartfelt moments that admittedly had me going a little teary eyed, and though some plot points stretched logic it still made enough sense in the Star Trek universe to work.



Thankfully this movie doesn't crash and burn like the Enterprise seems to be doing in this pic

Visually this film was stunning and showed a wide range of vistas from the bright and beautiful to the more dark and gritty tones that frequent much of the film. I found the acting to be top notch and the action and humour provided just the right mix to make this a fun springtime movie. My only real complaint and I treat it as a minor one is that the movie does re-tread over some similar plot points of the earlier film wraith of khan but the new twists and completely new actors have provided and updated version of that tale that should more then satisfy many Trekkie's and just fans of action films in general.


If I had to choose from the two films Star Trek is the one I would go see again but both movies I found to be worth the time and money despite some flaws and provided just the type of entertainment needed during this busy time of year. Now lets just hope superman can soar next month and provide some hope that DC can cobble together something meaningful before trying to pit the justice league against the behemoth of the Avengers.



Okay so this scene was just eye candy in the movie and its the same reason why I posted it here but is anyone really going to complain =P

Thoughts and Prayers

As most people probably know  yesterday a horrific storm hit the Oklahoma City area. Personally I have always been fascinated by extreme weather and have done my fair share of watching storms over the years. Unfortunately what happened yesterday was a reminder of how terrifying and uncontrollable the weather can be sometimes. I happen to be lucky enough to live in an area where these types of storms are extremely rare compared to tornado alley but not completely unheard of. What happened yesterday though was one of those worst case scenarios that in this day and age was unpreventable unfortunately. I will continue to chase storms and share whatever knowledge I can with the local weather community around here. It probably will never amount to much but its the least I can do to hopefully in the future help try to find a way to prevent disasters like this from happening again. For now my thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by these storms and to recognize the heroes that have emerged during this tragic event. Here's hoping nobody sees another event like this one anytime soon. For now I just appreciate the safe and happy life my friends and family live knowing it could always be worse.

Batman Arkham Origins Trailer

 

 

Well this is the first full trailer to the next Batman game. Gotta say if this was an computer generated feature film I would be totally pumped to watch it since the animations in this video are rather amazing. As it is still have some worry about the game since no gameplay was shown at all yet detailing whether the new developers can handle the amazing foundation Rocksteady created with the first two games. Well here is hoping will see more at E3 to ease my mind. Either way this is definitly one of the games I'm looking forward to playing later this year.

Still Here

So a few nights ago I was rather a mess due to the results of a certain hockey game that threw me for a loop. Fact is its still doing a good job of depressing me and such but I won't be disappearing for any length of time like I contemplated a few nights ago since I got another sign that night that suggested it would be a rather asinine idea.  So I suppose that means this blog will continue to get updated from time to time anyway. Ill post my thoughts on Iron Man 3 soon and I may delve into some gaming news as of late. I will save my reflection on my hockey team till the end of the month when hopefully my thoughts will be more collected. Nothing more to say for now. Just wanted to mention that I won't be disappearing for the foreseeable future anyway. Till next when my blog post will hopefully be a more entertaining and productive one

I Hate Life

Don't even know why I'm writing this. It will just be a waste........thinking about going away for some time. Finding a hole to crawl into and just disappearing. I know I shouldn't, but then again with the mood I'm going to carry for the next while nobody is going to want mw to be around me. Disconnecting would at least give me the solace in knowing nothing else will stab me in the heart. I should have seen this coming and yet I always hope things will be different with certain outcomes. This is going to be a long night...........FUCK!

Live to play another day

So last night a strange thing happened. A good friend of mine randomly out of the Blue started singing a song that happened to feature a lot of Blue in it and I got this strange feeling of good omens that despite all odds the Toronto Maple Leafs season would not end tonight despite my own feelings before that moment and the general consensus from pretty much everyone else I knew as hockey fans who pretty much said the Leafs were toast. Wouldn't you know it the leafs went into Boston tonight and played a hell of a gutsy hockey game coming out victorious. Sure they are most likely just prolonging the inevitable but for one night anyway I can take solace in the notion that they have had a good season and its not over just yet. I can only hope the magic and support  leading to the Leafs finally being a competitive hockey team again continues on Sunday night and that I find more good omens to fuel my gathering confidence that the leafs still have a chance. So make all the mothers that are part of Leaf nation proud Sunday night and setup  a thrilling game 7 finale to the first Leaf playoff series in a long time. Go Leafs Go!

Looking Back/Looking Forward May 2013

Another month has past and while it has been a busy one with work  there have certainly been a few very happy moments to make this a special month I will remember for a long time.  Now as I listen to the frogs singing outside I'm reminded that spring is finally here leading to hopefully a very fun and exciting summer to come. Before then lets take a look back at the entertainment side in April and look ahead to what May might bring.

Gaming wise Injustice was my game of the month and while I had some reservations about how the game would turn out thankfully its been a lot of fun and despite not having quite as much time as I'd hoped to play it I have no doubts there is more playtime to come with this entertaining brawler. Suffice to say there really was no other game that truly caught my eye that came out this month. I did stumble upon a hidden gem of a game I missed when it originally came out. The downloadable title Tomb Raider: Guardian of Light found its way into my library and while I only briefly played it so far in co-op mode its a lot of fun right now and suffice to say I will probably have more positive words to express on this game once I have had sufficient time to further delve into what this little title has to offer.



So Many Characters, so many great stories still to be told.

Television wise this month was dominated by one show in my mind. Game of Thrones is the very best show on TV right now in my opinion. It makes me laugh, makes me cry, I stare in awe at the wonderful world now brought to life on the screen before me. The books are an amazing read and thankfully the show is doing wonderful justice to this great story and has something for anyone willing to give the show a chance. I can't say enough about it.  Movie wise I went the whole month without watching anything to speak of. That will certainly change next month but will get back to that later on in this post.

Sports wise it was a tale of two very different emotions. On one hand for the first time in nine years the Toronto Maple Leafs indeed made the playoffs and while there first round opponent in Boston looks like a very tough challenge its still very exciting to watch playoff hockey again and you never know when your team might just pull off the upset so here's hoping. As for the Toronto Blue Jays. Well what can I say? They folded under expectations in the first month of the season and quite frankly things couldn't have went worse for them. Thankfully other happy moments have made me forget about this disappointment and hopefully a new month will change the fortunes and provide me with a sports team worth watching in the summer.

Speaking of summer with May here there is definitely a feeling of summer in the air now and while there will be many obstacles ahead I'm sure I have nothing but positive feelings that exciting times are ahead.

Gaming wise May looks to be the one subject that is rather dull. Looking at the release schedule there isn't one game that catches my attention. Perhaps there will be a surprise but the idea of saving some money this month and catching up on games I already have in my collection seems like a rather good idea.



If this poster is any clue the third part of the Iron Man trilogy will be the most action packed and  best yet!

On the TV side Game of Thrones is in mid season swing and certainly I can't wait for each Sunday night to see this wonderful show in all its glory and knowing the story from the books I have no doubt its going to continue to be the best show on TV right now. Now up to this point May seems like a repeat of April or perhaps a downgrade but movie wise things start to pick up. Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness hit this month and I most definitely will be going to see both movies and have high hopes that at the very least they will provide a couple hours of entertainment and perhaps will leave an even greater impression on me. Iron Man as never been one of my favorite heroes in the comic spectrum. I never had any bad thoughts on Tony Stark but I guess I just never had time to fully invest myself in his character to fully appreciate his story. This past year I met a good friend that certainly turned my eye towards the Iron Clad hero and I find myself way more invested then I used to be in Tony's world. While I still have a lot of catching up to do with his comics and I can't ever see him reaching the admiration I hold with someone like Batman I find myself more and more wanting to learn more about Tony Stark and his exploits. Suffice to say based on early reviews I am more then excited for his third outing and can't wait to see how it kicks off the road to the Avengers 2 which sounds like it has an even longer road of exciting stories to tell then the road that lead to the excellent first outing of the fantastic Marvel team. As for Star Trek I enjoyed the reboot Abrams created and the trailers for the sequel look like they up the excitement and intrigue of the first film. Not only that but lest I remind everyone that Abrams has the task of creating the modern day Star Wars trilogy free from George Lucas. Can he re-create the magic long lost by the original trilogy? Only time will tell but a solid continuation of this Star Trek tale will certainly go a long way to convincing me its possible.

 The Toronto Maple Leafs got the tough draw of facing the Boston Bruins in the first round. While game one turned ugly I still have some faith they can make a series out of this and perhaps there is some more magic to be had. Certainly I'll be hoping for it. As for the Blue Jays well I can only hope they totally reverse their fortunes of last month. Can't say I have as much faith in those hopes but in 30 days or so I guess will see whether or not baseball will hold any interest in the summer. Crossing my fingers that perhaps the Toronto sports scene can feel like a winning environment again.

So all in all May looks like it has some potential to be a fun month if not totally packed with entertaining options which is probably nice since its hard enough these days finding the time to enjoy all of it. I can only hope the month finds a way to have those special moments of this past month that put a smile on my face even in the toughest of times =). Till then I hope everyone has a fun month and you can look forward to perhaps some older game reviews I need to catch up on and certainly a look at the movies sure to provide some good times as spring totally sets in.

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.

The Beginning

After much thought, and advice from a good friend of mine I've decided to create this space to share some of the things that I experience in my life. For now you can expect various game, movie, and tv reviews, thoughts on my favorite sports teams, some feelings on current events going on, and whatever other whims I might feel like adding to the blog as I go along to suit my fancy. So welcome to anyone that stumbles upon this place. Hope you enjoy your stay. And with that I have some writing to do in order to start filling this space. Enjoy!