Bleach 559: The Night Right

Zach Goodier

http://readms.com/r/bleach/559/2164/1

This week, we see the Vandenreich reorganize following the series of defeats they suffered at the hands of the Soul Reapers.  While they didn't anticipate this level of resistance, they are far from worried.  Both sides know that the war is far from over, and it appears to be anyone's game right now.  However, Ikaku notices that with the fall of night, they might once more be at a disadvantage, given the Quincy ability to "hide in the shadows."  While we have yet to fully understand what this means, they have manage to flood the battlefield with spirit energy, making pinpointing them almost impossible.  Using the confusion, one manages to launch a counterattack on several officers, but just as he gloats over his successful sneak attack, Renji and Rukia arrive on the scene.  Next week we might see just how much stronger these two have become, and I'm excited to see what battles will unfold next.

Naruto 656: Shift

By: Robert Murphy

Link to manga here

Hey everyone, it's once again time to join our friends in another exciting chapter of Naruto. This week's chapter is called "Shift" and with Obito finally being stripped of the Bijuu's powers the war seemed to be all but over. However there was still one loose end that needed to be tied up and it's a pretty big one to have, Madara is still out and about and needs to be sealed away, the mastermind behind this decades long plan must be dealt with before the shinobi world can rest. But something is clearly is going on as Madara seems entirely to cocky to have the entire shinobi alliance coming down on him. What could be going on through his head? And what will Obito do now that his world has been changed by Naruto? Jump on in and find out in this week's Naruto.

Bleach 558: The Wolf's Heart

Zach Goodier

http://readms.com/r/bleach/558/2154/1

This week, we see the aftermath of Komamura's powerful counterattack, and the consequences he must bear because of it.  It appears that the price of his power is the total loss of his humanity, becoming purely animal, even more than he originally was.  Komamura must pay the price for using such power, as he seeks to avenge the death of the Head Captain.  But he is not alone, and his quest for revenge can hardly be branded a failure if his efforts contribute to the overall success of the Gotei 13.  On the other side, Bambietta is defeated, and in her moment of weakness, her group appears, offering to "take care of her."  Whatever this entails, Bambietta has a foreboding look of dread on her face upon hearing those words.  I would love to see more of Bambietta, and not see her go so soon, as she has been one of the more interesting Stern Ritter, aside from perhaps Haschwald.  I would like to see more backstory for some of the individual members, and hopefully we can see more of the bombshell, Bambietta.  In the final scene of the chapter, Rukia and Renji are finally within eyesight of the Seretei, ready and eager to lend aid to the besieged Seretei. 

Spice and Wolf (Seasons 1 and 2)

Zach Goodier

Ok, so this is a show I've watched a couple times, and neither of them was recent.  However, I still remember almost every moment from both seasons of the series from way back before I wrote for the site. Is this because it was that bad? NO! I held onto almost every aspect of this anime right from the first episode, and the reason is because while it should be everything I find dull and boring in terms of story and characters, this one somehow captivated me from the first 5 minutes.  Spice and Wolf is an adventure tale that uses great character development and complex mini-arcs to keep things rolling along.  Is there monster-slaying and all that heavy handed action? Well, no, for the most part there really isn't any violent action to speak of.  Kraft Lawrence is a trader, and while Holo is a goddess, she by no means is invincible.  In fact, while she is capable of some amazing feats, she has some major limitations that prevent her from being some overpowered character that always saves the day.  The action in this series lies mainly with the various encounters with tradesmen and trade guilds along the way, where they often get involved in various deals and arrangements to support themselves on the road.

I'm not usually one for anime crushes, but I might make an exception.  Holo is smart, beautiful, funny, wise, and she knows it without having an obnoxious attitude.

Lawrence is a travelling trader who dreams of someday making enough to settle down and open his own shop in a town.  Holo is an ancient Pagan goddess who brought bountiful crops to a small village.  However, as the world advanced, and the people gradually learned irrigation and became self-sufficient, they gradually stopped revering her, and now she longs to return to her ancient home in the far north.  The two meet in the village as Lawrence is in the village trying to make some profits.  Holo wants Lawrence to be her travelling companion to take her to the north, and she wishes to see how much the rest of the world has changed since hasn't left the village in centuries.  The two quickly become close, and they look out for each other.  Which comes in handy as they travel, with Lawrence trying to make a profit enough so he can establish himself as an accomplished trader, and even face conflict along the way, not only with rival traders and guilds, but also each other as it's not always smooth sailing between the two, but it just adds to the story and makes for some of the most tense moments I've had watching any show.

Holo is fond of good food and fine wine, but her biggest weakness happens to be apples.

Holo is no damsel in distress.  She is called "The Wise Wolf" for a reason, not only can she shape-shift into a giant wolf, but she is incredibly clever and knows how to get around.  But she isn't as almighty as you might expect a goddess to be, and sometimes even she needs help, but Lawrence is just as strong, yet vulnerable, as she is, and this is part of the reason this romantic element works for me.  It's a two-way street, with both characters being equally well-developed and bringing personality to the mix.  I don't mean attitude or skimpy outfits or the like, they both act like level-headed, intelligent people who genuinely work well together as they trade, travel, and tough out life on the road.  I feel like equal attention and detail exist in both characters, and both are able to remain interesting and compelling throughout, and they continue to grow in strength and depth throughout the series.  Their relationship feels natural as it gradually develops through their trials and challenges, never forced or too fast.

Holo in her wolf form, with Lawrence.

The world itself is a medieval-style setting, with a rich landscape and many intelligent characters who each play their various roles in the world.  Even the minor characters feel well-imagined, and never feel like a flimsy add-on just to remind you that Lawrence and Holo aren't the only sentient beings in this world.  Some are friends, some foes, and all are just trying to get ahead in their own various ways.  You truly feel the life these two lead as they haggle and negotiate every trade they make, and there's always schemes and twists to make it all more exciting than just talking and buying/selling.  There's always a struggle just to make sure they can safely continue their journey.  It is all brilliantly imagined in vibrant detail, and will impress you with how lively yet lonely the countryside can be, and that draws you in even more to Lawrence and Holo, and it makes them both seem all the stronger and endearing for enduring that life isolated for so long.

The detail in the backgrounds and landscapes is truly amazing, creating some incredibly beautiful backdrops.

The writing is simply brilliant, with witty dialogue that provides wisdom, humor, and a whole range of emotions in between.  The ability to make a show alternate between light-hearted and suspenseful is not to be taken lightly, and the writers and voice actors all deserve props for being able to create and sustain this range of emotion throughout the series, and it most certainly has provided for some of the most engrossing and suspenseful moments I have had in as long as I can remember.  I certainly felt for Holo and Lawrence as characters, and when they fight, you feel the strain it puts on both of them, and when other characters complicate the scenario even more, you realize that just like in the real world, there is the constant risk of losing a companion when a relationship is put under stress.  You truly feel that nothing is to be taken for granted, and every encounter carries the potential for disaster.

One of the reasons I love this show is the fact that even though they are close, Holo and Lawrence don't always see eye-to-eye on things, but always in a way that feels natural, not forced or completely overplayed for drama's sake alone.

Spice and Wolf is a brilliantly written anime series with some of the most visceral characters I have seen in a show.  While it completely swept me off my feet after dismissing it as another cheesy forced romance, I still have to say that in writing it's difficult to explain what exactly makes it all come together for me, and that's why it might not come together for you if you don't enjoy the genre.  Maybe it was a fluke with me, hitting all the right spots with its charm and beauty in both visual and textual details as it challenged itself with questions of whether or not this duo can truly be happy when Lawrence's life is just the blink of an eye to a being like Holo.  It really adds the feeling of depth and makes you wonder if they should allow themselves to continually grow closer as the series progresses, since Holo will be unable to enjoy the rest of her life with Lawrence no matter what.  I can't deny that this show hooked me throughout to the point where I was left hungry for more, and still am.  While the series didn't quite answer the final fate of Holo and Lawrence, leaving it as a cliffhanger, the ending of season 2 left me fairly satisfied.  The light novels the show is based on are still ongoing, so I would recommend turning to them for the rest of the story, but this series is an excellent starting point if you haven't followed the series yet.  

I'm normally not one for the "Will they/Won't they?" thing, because it's usually just something to make the fans obsess over each episode to no avail.  However, Spice and Wolf rewards your commitment rather than waste your time, but still leaves room for interpretation if you need it.

This is one of my favorite animes of all time, with enough depth, originality, and intelligence to make for a truly wonderful story.  However, what makes this unforgettable is the great duo of Holo and Lawrence, and the natural chemistry that persists and evolves throughout the series, even as it challenges them through the limits of its own reality.  They begin as strangers who simply find each other interesting and convenient, but they gradually change into a pair that can beat any cheap, skimpy, harem, or shallow characters out there.  This show is unforgettable not because of the premise, but the execution; creating a vibrant world full of detailed characters who each feel just as natural and visceral as the world they inhabit.  And within this sophisticated, complex world, can a goddess find the home and happiness she misses, and can a travelling peddler find peace and joy he has been chasing his whole life?  Watch, enjoy, and hopefully, become enchanted, just as I was.

Good:

-Excellent protagonists in Holo and Lawrence, well written and acted.

-Vibrant, yet solitary medieval setting that compliments the lead characters in all the right ways

-An anime duo that actually has some legitimate chemistry between them, and doesn't make the relationships feel one-sided.

-Story is deep, with a visceral sense of suspense, peril, humor, and growth as the plot moves forward.

Bad:

-A few unanswered questions and a cliffhanger ending.  While you get a lot of satisfaction from it, there's still a lot left up in the air in terms of the final fate of Holo and Lawrence.

Scully Rating: 9.9 out of 10

Thor: The Dark World

Zach Goodier

The sequel to the original movie has some big shoes to fill, and with the story having already been continued through The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World starts out almost exactly where Avengers left off, with Loki being brought before Odin to answer for his crimes.  However, in the prologue we see a look into the distant past; an era where war consumed the universe as the Asgardians fought the Dark Elves, who had once ruled before our universe was even born (think pre-big bang), and sought to return it to the darkness that once ruled, where the Dark Elves were born.  Their leader, Malekith the Accursed, fled their home world, sacrificing nearly his entire race in an effort to devastate the Asgardians and allow the last of his people the chance to escape.  Now, of course, he has returned, and seeks to use his Aether that was hidden from the world to bring darkness to the universe once again.  Can Thor stop him, and will he be able to trust the deceptive Loki to help him in his quest when he has nowhere else to turn?

A potentially great villain turned "meh."

The story of Dark World is fairly good, but not much to surprise you.  You've seen these types of stories before, but being directed by the same man who has done Game of Thrones means you get the quality delivery that would come to be expected from such experience.  However, the story itself isn't nearly as sophisticated as GoT, and it's only big variable in terms of twists and turns comes from Loki, who really dominates the screen with his whit and shifty demeanor.  But overall, it's a straight-shooter in terms of what is going on and who is doing what.  There is some deeper conflicts that I feel director Alan Taylor sought to bring out a little bit, but none of these are relevant to the story, and are quickly forgotten once the central conflict swings into full gear.

Plot too relaxed? Need tension? Add Loki.

Malekith serves as a mediocre villain at best, his role is well portrayed but not much is invested in his character on a personal level, he's just the disgruntled "baddie" who happens to have people willing to die for him and his cause.  Jane Foster is back, as well, and I sort of wish she hadn't come back.  While she helps add some presence to the screen, her role in the story is mainly "damsel in distress" when she is exposed to the hidden Aether and becomes its host.  This becomes essential when Malekith awakens and seeks out his ancient weapon, and really works to raise the stakes for Thor.  As I have stated already, Loki brings most of the presence to the screen, and makes for the most compelling parts of the story.  Without getting into too many spoilers, Loki's loyalties, which have never seemed very "solid," add for a big X-factor in terms of what might happen at the climax.  While his role in the third act might not be what you expected, and leaves some unresolved questions, he really does a great job of bringing those mixed emotions and uncertain loyalties to the forefront of the story.

Suddenly Asgard isn't looking too almighty, is it?

The action is even better than in the previous movie, and there are some large-scale fights that take place within Asgard itself.  Needless to say, this movie ups the tension when you realize that an otherworldly and seemingly untouchable place as Asgard is attacked.  However, some elements of the movie felt somewhat forced, or altogether unexplained.  From a fairly early point in the film, you see all these phenomena occur around London, the place on earth where this "alignment of the realms" occurs.  While it works as a basic plot device, the dimensional rifts that occur that warp time and space are just... there.  While obviously this film isn't meant to be based on modern understandings of science, it seems that even within the logic of this universe, things were forced.  "Space magic" is the term that comes to mind, and while some of it has persisted throughout the Thor story, this is an instance where it felt like they pushed the bounds of their own universe too far.

Nothing against Natalie Portman or Jane Foster... just didn't feel like the relationship was all that deep between them to justify the time spent on relationship development.

Overall, this movie was a great film.  Great characters return, an epic story as old as the universe itself, and some of the coolest action outside of The Avengers.  However, while there is always room to fault the logic of these movies and their sci-fi/fantasy dynamic, this movie does push the envelope a little too far in the details of the story.  It wouldn't be such a big deal if it didn't play such a central role in the climax of the film, with magic space portals making you try to follow the action while trying to figure out where in the universe you even are, and making the portals themselves a flimsy plot device to try to do... well I still don't think I know.  Malekith seemed like the only one who had a clue what he was doing that whole movie with the "space magic." I also felt that Jane Foster's role in this movie was somewhat forced and almost irrelevant.  While I don't mind seeing her back, I just didn't feel like I missed her much at all.  However, these are all little cracks in an otherwise brilliant masterpiece that any fans of the original movie or newcomers to the Marvel universe would almost certainly enjoy.

Good:

-Thor is back and better than ever.

-Loki is back too, and better than ever.

-Excellent back-story that makes the conflict truly feel worthy of Asgard's finest.

-Action is compelling, and the visuals are simply brilliant.

Bad:

-Melekith felt like he could have been so much more than he was, as Asgard's greatest enemy. Plus the space magic made a lot of the writing feel half-baked to a certain extent.

-Jane Foster is a character I just could never get behind all that much, and her romance with Thor just feels like an obligation more than anything.

Scully Rating: 9 out of 10

Naruto 655: Track

By: Robert Murphy

Link to manga here

Hey folks, time for another chapter of Naruto, this week’s chapter is entitled “Track” and brings with it conclusion to Obito as the Ten Tails Juubi. Naruto, Sasuke and the shinobi alliance succeeded in removing all the Tailed Beasts from Obito and effectively removing all the power he had. But this is not the end of the conflict for Obito as questions still remain and the answers come from an old friend and his mentor. On the other side of things, we finally remember that there is a crazy powerful shinobi named Madara is still running around and they may want to finish dealing with him before the world can celebrate. Find out just whats in store in this week’s chapter of Naruto.

Bleach 557: I Already Threw Away my Life

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/557/

This week, the battle between Bambietta and Komamura comes to a head, and we hear some explanation as to exactly how he, and his powers, have changed following this human transformation.  Simply put, by giving up his heart, he can transform into a human body that is itself immortal, and his bankai no longer has the limitations it possessed in it's previous form.  By shedding its armor, it no longer is susceptible to attack.  It seems counter-intuitive but without armor it is just a mass of power with no real body to attack, so no damage is transferred back to the owner.  The most important part for this battle, however, is that with this new power, is he able to finally going to be able to turn the tide of this battle?

This whole battle has turned one of my least favorite Soul Reapers into a real standout character, and I love it.  While Bleach, at least in my opinion, has generally had an overabundance of characters to follow once season 3 ended, it still does a great job of making each character feel like they have some sort of role or back-story to bring to the series.  However, the biggest downside is the one I'm experiencing right now: I want to move this stuff along so that we can get closer to the main event.  Fortunately, it doesn't look like that will take much longer now, so I'm just going to have to wait it out a little longer until next week to see what else unfolds.  So until then, stay nerdy.

Jackass: Bad Grandpa

By: Robert Murphy

We all have that one member of the family who is really off and our parents tell us to stay away from, well unfortunately for the kid in Bad Grandpa, he doesn’t have much of a choice in the matter as Billy (Jackson Nicoll) travels to his father’s home with his dear grandfather Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville). Yes that’s right, Johnny Knoxville dawns the old man make-up once more and takes on the role of Irving Zismen who is a foul mouthed, 83 year old horn dog that just lost his wife and is free and on the prowl for a fresh faced GILF. But his plans are cut short as his drug addict daughter is sent to jail and leaves Irving with his 8 year old grandson and now needs to take him across country to his dad’s so he doesn’t get in the way of his new girl hunt. With the help of plenty of hidden cameras, the two set out on their adventure trying to appear as a normal granddad and grandson, being lude, crude and all around hilarious, with sweet granny crammed in the trunk.

What follows are a series of Jackass-like stunts with Irving running around looking for action wherever he can and leaving Billy alone for extended periods of time and allowing him to roam around large cities by himself. This provides for unique comedy on both ends for the two as Billy roams, either looking for his drunken grandfather or sets out looking for someone to fill the role of his new father, he lets out things that you’d never think an 8 year old would say. One point Billy is looking for Irving after he had been out all night and he stops at a local adult book store hoping to find him and proceeds to call the scantily dressed worker a stripper by the name of Cinnamon. Then on the opposite end of things we see Irving, who proceeds to take the “hit them hard” approach and lays on his thickest lines to try and hook up with anything and everything that moves. One moment where Irving sets out to find a new sugar grandma was particularly enjoyable as he goes into a BINGO hall to try and find someone to call his own, this just tickled me.

But the Billy and Irving don’t remain separated for the whole movie as Irving realizes that Billy is quite a useful asset in attracting young and beautiful ladies. Soon the two are inseparable as they find they share the same sense of humor for the most part (go figure sense Johnny Knoxville’s basically a giant kid) and a touching bond begins to form. This would be even more touching if we didn’t all know that it was Jackass film and they were deliberately being cheesy for the sake of being cheesy but still it was a cute moment to have. Truly the film succeeds where the Jackass films failed for me and that is there was a definite flow with all the pranks and stunts that were preformed throughout the film and that’s what you need. Jackass worked far better as a TV show as opposed to a film and now we have the humor of Jackass but with coherency, don’t get me wrong there are still lulls in the story but they are few and far in between.

Both Johnny Knoxville and Jackson Nicoll are on high notes in their roles of Irv and Billy in Bad Grandpa, Jackson plays the innocent faced kid who is secretly a hilarious, foul mouthed boy underneath along with Knoxille’s already famous way of making an old guy gross and inappropriate, was great to watch. Each crash, ball sag and one liner will have you laughing in your seats and will make you question your own moral fiber along the way.

Good:

-Knoxville and the Jackass crew does it again

-Nicoll plays the perfect role of innocent faced boy/foul mouth

-Completely outrageous stunts throughout

Bad:

-A few lulls but not too many to make major complaints

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10  

CANNAN AMV

√Bestamvsofalltime

Creator - Nicotine

Hey everyone, Robert here, hope you enjoy this week's AMV selection. I'm currently working on giving you all an Assassin's Creed 4 review and a review for Bad Grandpa. Thank you all for your support of the site so far. Peace out. 

Battlefield 4

By: Robert Murphy

Now I know some of you may be mad when I say this but I didn’t begin my journey into the Battlefield genre with, Battlefield 1942, which was a defining game for the franchise but I started out with Battlefield: Bad Company and I have been hooked ever since. This love continued into the ridiculous world of Bad Company 2 and the incredibly realistic feel of Battlefield 3 and now we have finally gotten our hands on the latest foray into the franchise Battlefield 4. Once again we are shown a world that we only here about on the news, with such realistic action, sounds and devastation, all right in front of you on the screen and you control the action.

Digging right into the campaign, we see something that honestly I wasn’t expecting and that was something lack luster that hits every branch on the cliché tree with a running through back allies and sewers, a jail break mission with a creepy mole like man, backstabs and betrayals, I mean this was not what I was expecting. Granted not a lot of people go into Battlefield for the campaign but still at least Battlefield 3 gave us a solid story and a few good hours of gameplay, along with some standalone two player co-op missions for you and your friends. For the most part the campaign tried to mix and match old glories by adding some humor with massive explosions and gun fights all over the place and me being left with the question, was there a story in there somewhere? The new gameplay allowed for you to preform squad commands for your team that pin pointed enemies and would tell your buddies who to attack but I never ended up using this feature since I had already killed them all by the time I remembered the feature in the first place. So I guess all I can say is, I know where the work went into this game and that was the multiplayer.

Much too my joy, I found a massive amount of action and life in the multiplayer for Battlefield 4 and this is honestly where you’ll want to hang your hats. All the classic game modes are back, Conquest, Team Deathmatch, Domination and more, there is no shortage of ways to enjoy online play but that also becomes clear with the astounding maps we have to choose from. Maps are now bigger and better than ever with the capability to be completely obliterated with the new ability to totally destroy a map like a hotel completely crumbling and crashing to the ground, changing the environment and your gameplay. This crazy and awe inspiring moment will leave you pause as you contemplate just exactly what the hell is going on around you but at the same time you still need to keep moving on with the game. Another aspect that affects the gameplay momentum is the environment itself as some levels come with horrible weather conditions that inhibit your movements so if you’re unfortunate to get caught in the down coming storm you can meet with a bullet to the chest.

Also we see a new element come to Battlefield 4’s multiplayer and that is the Commander Mode, this allows for one player opting out of being on the ground and taking the lead role in coordinating attacks that your teammates carry out. The feature can be used in Conquest, Obliteration and Rush game modes and adds a whole new element to the way the battle unfolds. Commanders can give orders for reinforcements to under fire units or send in UAV’s to let your allies know what an enemy controlled post will have in store for them. Teammates who then capture a specified area will earn points for the commander which can be used on things like cruise missiles to be used on the opposing team. This adds more enjoyment for the more strategy based gamers who want to plan out attacks and give troops commands, making it more than a first person shooter.

We also see the return of many amazing features from past games that make a return this time around, not only in multiplayer but in single player as well. Weapons are once again scarily realistic, not only in looks but in sound as well, weapons are all around breathtaking once again as they were in Battlefield 3 and are a welcomed return. Especially with the attention to detail in every action you go through with your hardware, guns will kick, reload times are not like magic and happen as fast as a normal man could reload a gun and bullets drop from your gun and you can even hear them hit the ground, especially if you’re sniping. Another big ticket item to make its way back in Battlefield 4 are the vehicles, now more than ever they play a big role in game types and add even more realism to the game as you can cause large devastation in a tank but it can lumber around and is vulnerable to attacks if not positioned correctly. From buggies to boats, jets and helicopters, there is no shortage of ways to get around a map with you and your teammates.

Now while Battlefield 4 seemed to have fallen in the way of its campaign, it is back and better than ever with its multiplayer element. The game brings back a realistic feel that players have come to love since Battlefield 3 and with a definite touch up to all aspect since the last time we sat down and enjoyed the gameplay. Maps are larger, well thought out and extremely enjoyable to play on especially with the vehicles that we have to choose from in game modes like conquest. And with the new Commander mode, more heavily strategy based gamers can delve into the game in a whole new way, sending in forces, UAV’s, missile strikes and more.

Good:

-Return of an amazing and realistic first person shooter

-Incredibly designed new maps

-Commander mode is fun and addicting

-A strong return of multiplayer gaming

Bad:

-Lack luster campaign

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10 

Bleach 556: The Wolfsbane

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/556

New week, new Bleach, so let's just get to it.  Shinji looks to be down for the count, but Komamura is still ready and able to fight, but Bambietta looks to be just getting started, and her power to turn anything into a bomb is already looking deadly.  However, Komamura has a new power of his own, and it's already helping to become a standout in this new arc. Despite his... unique appearance, he has never really stood out as a character in terms of strength or personality, but that appears to be changing in this final arc.  His clan were all cursed to the animal realm, but by breaking the chains that bind their curse, they gain immense power.  Now Komamura is stronger than ever, and he's already looking like a real badass in the midst of this battle.  Now I'm just dying to see what he can really do, but I'm also eager for Kenpachi Zaraki, as well as Ichigo, to finally show up to the battle.  All three of these characters have leaped ahead of their former selves by the looks of things, but we have yet to see what they can really do.  I'll just have to keep shaking with anticipation until next week, so until then, stay nerdy.

Naruto 654: I’m Obito Uchiha

By: Robert Murphy

Link to manga here

It’s finally here, the climax to all the confrontation of the allied shinobi alliance, all the work and bloodshed that has come from this war had led to this moment and of course Naruto is at its center. This week’s chapter in number 654 and is entitled “I’m Obito Uchiha” and we left off with everyone joining forces in an effort to remove all the Tailed beast from Obito and effectively removing his power from him. This led to a moment within Obito in which Naruto stands before him and gives him the chance to end all this conflict and take his hand because this wasn’t the path that Rin would have wanted for him. The decision will be made, so what did he choose? Hop on in and find out in this week’s chapter of Naruto.

Batman: Arkham Origins

By: Robert Murphy

Entering back into the world of the shadows, we once again join Batman but at a different time in his life, we go back to a time where Gotham City is a dangerous place of crime, murder and chaos and Bruce Wayne takes it upon himself to change that in Batman: Arkham Origins. Batman now though is just starting out and he is a little rough around the edges, taking somewhat of a harsh and brutal demeanor as opposed to the calm and collected Batman we have seen in previous games. But this is a time period in the Batman universe that I love because it introduces some of his greatest enemies, such as Black Mask, who is actually the cause of the main conflict for Batman this time around. Black Mask has placed an enormous bounty on your head and sent it to the world’s most legendary assassins who set out to take out the caped crusader before Christmas Day dawns.  

Much like in Arkham City, players are set in a large environment that can be freely explored as you fight through the campaign but a few things are different to keep the appeal going and keep the game from just being like its predecessors. We once again see The Riddler’s puzzles hidden throughout the city but he’s not The Riddler yet, he’s referred to as Enigma for most of the game and he’s got some tricks up his sleeve this time around. There’s also some new enemies for Batman to face outside of the normal enemy types we’ve seen before, these guys can put a damper on some of your string of hits but you’re Batman so you’re always prepared. This brings us to our gadgets, Batman already comes supplied with many of the trademark gadgets we’ve seen but a few new ones come out this time around like the concussion grenade and the shock gauntlets, that adds a bit more flavor to the game. We also gain a new fast travel ability that utilizes the Bat Wing, the open world of Gotham is quite large so this handy new ability is great, just go to a location where the Bat Wing symbol appears and you can fast travel anywhere in the city provided you’ve solved Enigma’s tower puzzle. This good because traveling back and forth across the giant Gotham bridge gets old after a while and really comes across as a flaw in my eyes.

On the other side of things, there may be all this new stuff to come to the game but all the things we loved from previous games have come along with Arkham Origins as well. There are still the combat/ stealth challenges that challenge your skills as Batman and other characters and this feature can be accessed in game through the Batcave. There is also the fun of seeing some of the Batman universes most iconic sights and scenes but unlike in Arkham City, these sights are all in good condition and unspoiled by ravenous criminals…for the moment. Speaking of, criminals are wondering the streets and often times you hear calls from the Gotham PD needing help taking down some criminals for some additional experience. And while you’re helping out Gotham’s finest with beatings and bruisings, you can also help them out with cold case files that occur throughout the city which brings into use the new crime scene investigation tool. This not only comes up in the story but can be used on these case files to allow you to solve crimes by examining clues from the area and compiling the information to find out who is responsible and giving them over to the police, after you beat the tar out of him and make him confess.

Arkham Origins is also coming with the first online gameplay feature which I questioned and with good reason because how can you play multiplayer in a Batman game? Well it turns out that you play as criminals who try and hold control over various territories but with the added twist of two players taking on the role of Batman and Robin and they take out members of both teams. Now this is quite an interesting idea as you never take on the role of the hunted throughout the Batman games, you’re always the hunter, hiding in the shadows. However the appeal isn’t long lasting as the fun is had by the people who get to be Batman and Robin, it turns out it isn’t fun being hunted by a guy who shatters bones with his fists and a boy in tights. The idea is much like Splinter Cell: Blacklist’s, Spies vs. Mercs but doesn’t give any aide to the criminals so while you’ll enjoy being Batman or Robin in online play, you won’t have much fun as the underpowered bad guys.

In short, Batman: Arkham Origins is very much the way that its previous contenders were but it gets a fresh new face, new villains to fight and is set in a very unique time in the Batman universe. But sadly I have to say the game took a step back from Arkham City, there are new features to the game but they don’t break far away from what Arkham City already gave us. That being said the game is still solid in all the right ways, combat is still smooth and enjoyable, it comes off like a choreographed dream. Then there is the story and all the amazing characters that come out of the wood work like Black Mask, Deathstroke, Electrocutioner, Lady Shiva, Copperhead and more.

Good:

-Combat and stealth are still solid

-Amazing story, set in a great point in the Batman universe

-Crime scene investigation mode

-Great new characters like Black Mask, Deathstroke and more

Bad:

-Unappealing multiplayer

-Doesn’t have the spark of Arkham City

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10