For the LOLZ: 8 Types of Star Wars Fans (Credit to Dorkly)

Topics: Good Reasons NOT to Buy Next Gen...Yet

Sean Dibble

So you're a gamer and well that LAST gen system is SO last year, what to do? Obviously the answer is to go out and buy the newest and best the two powerhouses have to offer (sorry Nintendo but you are no longer a powerhouse for most gamers.) If that is your logic as a gamer, I feel bad for you son, I have 99 problems but the next gen ain't one. So, me personally, I think that you should hold off, and I will even be so nice as to tell you why. So without further ado, here is my list.

1.        The Price- Yes all consoles are expensive, especially when they first come out but $500 for the Xbox One and $400 for the PS4 and neither of them come with a game for that price? Really? And yes, I can hear my ears ringing as I am typing this all of you are saying "It is worth the price" or "Its new of course it will be that expensive." But why gamers why does it need to be so expensive when they first come out and for that price I want a game I can play with them, but no because we spend the money the companies know they don't need to include games because they know we just end up saying "what is another $60 bucks....and don't forget you need another controller so there is another $50. So just starting out with Xbox One and 2 controllers and a game you are looking at close to $610 and for the same package for the PS4 $510

2.        Launch Games- Games at launch, well, THEY SUCK. They are usually ports from the previous generation or they are brand new games that have a lot of issues. They may look beautiful, but well, let's be honest, Ryse and Knack are not games you will be playing a year from now. Yes, Ryse for the Xbox and Killzone: Shadowfall are graphically stunning and visually will blow your mind. Ryse is just a quick time game that will get old quick and Killzone, sad to say from a killzone fan, but the story falls short. Also launch games are limited you buy the console and get what 4 or 5 games to choose from and two of them happen to be games from EA...I really suggest wait at least a few months

3.        Pay to play-Ok ok, so really you are not paying to play the game after you buy it....but well are you not? Let me explain myself here. You already pay the internet company right what 40 to 100+ to use the internet pending on what type you have and where you live. Now you go out and buy that brand new console and have to pay  5 bucks a month to play multiplayer......wait, what? So I already pay for the internet why do I need to pay to play games online?

4.        Backwards Compatibility- OH WAIT....They are not, so that library of games you have spent money on over the years can't be played on that new system of yours. So what do you do buy them again when it comes out digitally for the new system (if you have gotten rid of that pesky old gen system) or do you keep your old system and PRAY it doesn't break? And most of you are like me have to trade things in to help lower the price, but if you're like me you hold on to a few games (Mass Effect Trilogy, Fallout and Skyrim) so now you can't play those games but well they just look so darn pretty on your bookshelf collecting dust.

Now, I'm not saying that if you buy a new system you are a idiot, it's just smarter to wait a few months let the price drop, new and better games for the improved software and for your old games that you love to come on them and be cheap (eventually they will developers love your money.) Now there is nothing you can do about the monthly membership fee but granted it is not that much I just like to bitch. But now you're asking yourself well he makes a good point (somewhat) but what are some of my options? Well I have a few for you.

1.        Keep the old system. believe me they will make games for the 360/PS3 for a few more years. They are not going to abandon their old systems just like that. They need to phase them out so they can get people like me who are holdouts to slowly find games they want to play on them and buy into the new systems.

2.        Get a gaming PC. yes it can be an expensive step but I promise you most of the games that go to consoles go to PCs as well. Want to know something else...it is a secret so keep it between me and you ITS BACKWARD COMPATIBLE....I'm playing games from the '90s and enjoying it. Also you can keep upgrading your gaming rig so in the long run its better than a console (my opinion not the sites opinion) 

Naruto 666: Two Mangekyou

By: Robert Murphy

Link to Manga here

Hey everybody, bum bum bah its Naruto chapter 666! No worries there isn’t anything sinister around this week’s chapter but it is another good one, the chapter is entitled “Two Mangekyou” and puts us right back into the action. To recap last week we saw Obito take control of himself once again and he had an important question to ask of Madara but clearly he wasn’t happy with his answer and the world that he had once fought for with Madara. Obito it seems has taken the hand that Naruto leant him when they fought and is now going to come back to the world and help put an end to this war once and for all. With Kakashi and Minato behind him, Obito’s team is once again together again but will it be enough to stop Madara and will they be able to save Naruto before he loses his life. Hop on in and find out just what’s in store for you all in this week’s chapter of Naruto.

Bleach 570: Closer Closer

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/570

So this week, we really don't get to see that much of Rukia's bankai in action, because it's apparently way too high and the "badass" meter.  However, it is interesting because it really isn't that large next to other bankai, taking inspiration it seems from more along the lines of Ichigo and the Yamamoto.  However, Rukia has a dangerous one, since it appears that any misuse on her part can kill her.  Like we saw with her shikai, it apparently drops her body temperature, and if she isn't careful about fighting or ending her bankai state, it can cause damage.  While she obviously is packing a big punch, it seems to be more of a double-edged sword for her, but I like the concept that she can't just use this impressive power on a whim.

Now, there looks to be another fight starting up, with a new Sternritter who has a very strange ability, making him an ideal assassin.  However, it is unclear how this fight is going to proceed, but it looks like a possible lead in for Kenpachi and his awakened zanpakuto might be on the horizon.

Swordart Online AMV: What Have You Done - Within Temptation

Zach Goodier

No new content for today, but we'll have the manga updates coming out tomorrow, and we'll have some content ready to roll out Thursday.  Until then, nerdy hugs go out to all of you.

Game of Thrones (Season One)

Zach Goodier

In Game of Thrones, there are several prominent families, each rulers of one of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.  When the show starts out, you are shown a patrol in the far north, beyond The Wall, with the Night’s Watch, guardians of the Seven Kingdoms from threats that lay beyond, which in their eyes is always Wildlings, savage nomads that try to go south to raid settlements.  However, there is soon another, much more dangerous threat that reveals itself, and sets up for a menace not seen in Westeros for thousands of years.  However, the most interesting part of this show doesn’t lie in this conflict, it lays with the conflict between the ruling families in the Seven Kingdoms; among them the Starks and Lannisters, who are the focus of most of the first season.  However,  across the sea, the last two Targaryans (the former ruling family) seek a means of regaining their lost throne in Westeros, which adds another faction to the mix.

A better way to let you glimpse what is going on in Game of Thrones

The conflict starts out right in episode one, with a conspiracy over the death of the Hand of the King, an official who helps govern the Seven Kingdoms for the King, Robert Baratheon.  After the death of the previous hand, King Robert rides to the Northern castle at Winterfell, under the rule of lord Eddard “Ned” Stark.  Stark, like his ancestors, is deeply bound by honor, and is perhaps the only person in the Seven Kingdoms that Robert truly trusts.  However, the Lannisters have plans of their own, and between their deep political connections and even deeper pockets, they sit high and mighty in Westeros.  Suspicions run right that the Lannisters have many secrets to hide, and that it may have been what led to the previous Hand’s death.  Lord Stark decides to try to get to the bottom of things, and the best way to do that is to serve as the new Hand of the King.  What ensues is a mix of political strategy, gripping suspense, and a raw, unrestrained feeling that this show runs with to create a truly unique experience that sets itself apart from anything else on television.

Some of the set designs are simply beautiful, and really help give atmosphere to the show.

Game of Thrones is easily my favorite show right now, and there are several reasons why: the characters are all amazingly well-written, and are all complex enough to where even after watching three seasons you still can’t always exactly nail down what makes a person tick.  Some are decent, honorable, but have a couple of stains on that honor, others are out to manipulate, to pit the powerful against each other in order to clear their own path to power, but may have compelling reasons for doing so.  There are no real “heroes” in this series, nor are there entirely pure “villains,” either.  What makes the characters so compelling is that they all occupy different shades of grey, and even then, those shades can change.

Costume design is phenomenal, too.

I love the action, the cast is impressive, and the story is epic, yet very detailed and intricate.  You really don’t know where this story is going, or where it will end up.  What makes things even more suspenseful and tense is knowing that nobody is ever truly safe.  Having seen a lot of “good” television, you notice that there are usually predictable paths that a show can follow, and the only real twists come from outside interference that the audience either can’t expect, or simply involves the audience not being privy to some detail that was deliberately left out.  Now, you will still find hints of that in GoT, but most of the surprises come from within, when circumstances change, or characters make a difficult or sudden choice, and that’s what makes this show great.  Not everything works together smoothly, and that makes it all feel much more real, since things rarely fall into place, and characters are all trying to adapt as events unfold. 

Tyrion has always been a fan favorite.  Not sure if it has to do with his whit and charm, or if it simply stems from being the only Lannister you don't want to see dead.

Now be warned, this is HBO, with sex, nudity, and blood.  However, it all really suits the story well, surprisingly.  I generally feel that any use of sex appeal is a cheap attempt to generate fans, but this show works it in more naturally, with just as much, if not more, than most movies that use it, but it all works towards this feeling of a raw, uninhibited story that holds nothing back, and challenges the viewer to both accept the reality of what is going on, while also challenging the viewer to keep up with the many storylines and plots.  There is only one source of criticism that I could even make about the show, since so many storylines mean that you only get a small bits of each during an episode, and many would likely find it difficult to follow.  However, this really works for me, because the details of each story have an impact on events taking place elsewhere.  For me, it’s not a weakness at all, since it shows the intricacy of the story and characters, and the transitions are all well-timed while driving the narrative forward. 

Later on in the series you can tell this is all CGI, but the reason is because in the story, Direwolves grow to be the size of a horse, so finding an actual dog after puppy-hood is impossible.  But man, are these dogs I would love to have.

An amazing story, exceptional cast, and epic scale with a rare attention to detail make this the most incredible how on television for me, hands down.  Without getting into spoilers, this show will surprise you.  Many who have either seen the series, or heard about it, will probably already have a good idea what I’m talking about, but still, the show will almost certainly surprise you in some way.  It doesn’t cater to fan expectations, it outright defies them, sometimes.  That’s what makes me fall in love with this show the way I have.  Too many writers cater to whatever fans expect, forcing romance or switching loyalties just to make sure you wear a smile on your face throughout.  This show will not do that; it will be bold, making choices that people won’t always appreciate, but doesn’t completely turn away from what it believes fans would find acceptable, neither.  This bold measure means I honestly have no idea what to expect, and that you truly feel like this is a story that stands on its own, not being pulled and changed by fan outrage or expectations in any way. 

What kind of epic fantasy story doesn't have dragons?!?!? I'd still rather have a direwolf, though.

This is a drama/epic-fantasy/action/suspense series that continues to surprise me even after 3 seasons.  If you don’t want to buy this series without knowing what you’re buying, borrow it, stream clips, do what you have to, but I can’t do this show enough justice.  It’s bold, original, raw, challenging, full of deep and original characters, and always full of suspense.  To call it the best series in recent history would be insulting it by comparing it to other shows.  This show is truly unique, and impresses me throughout.  It doesn't pander to expectations, but that only makes me respect it more, and feel compelled to keep watching, just to see how everything eventually turns out.  This is the best show I've seen in a long time, maybe ever.  It is a masterpiece that sucks you into its world of intriguing realism, and overwhelms you with an epic scale of characters, both in quantity and quality, and a brilliant originality that quenches a thirst I didn't even know I had in television.

Good:

-Outstanding story.

-Very detailed, intricate, original characters that challenge the audience and each other.

-Unpredictable, with no set destination or single over-arching goal to steer the story, besides survival and whatever motives the characters have.

-No real favoritism, some are more likeable than others, but there is no clear cut protagonist to hog the screen.

Bad:

-Not a real fault of the show, but it IS and HBO series, with nudity, sex, and violence.  Not for the weak of heart or stomach.  So forget about it, kids, unless your mom and dad say you can.

Scully Rating: 10 out of 10

Jormungand Second Opening

By: Robert Murphy

Hey everybody, as some of you may or may not have seen I recently reviewed an anime called Jormungand for which I've already gotten myself wrapped into the second season of. For those of you who that haven't read the review I made reference to the shows excellent choice in music and that goes for the OP for the show as well. So I thought I would share with you all the second opening for season two of Jormungand and you can all expect a review for the second season within the coming week. Hope you enjoy, peace out everyone. 

Black Lagoon: Roberta’s Blood Trail

Zach Goodier

This is a short, but incredibly sweet, OVA series to follow up the anime hit, Black Lagoon.  This, as the title suggests, goes back to one of the fan favorite opponents from the original series, Roberta.  After her master is killed in a South American bombing, she goes on the warpath looking for revenge.  Of course, the Black Lagoon crew gets caught in the middle of things, and it all goes to hell from there. 

The characters are more of the same, with one new face: Fabiola.  She’s an apprentice maid, and basically serves as a younger, warmer version of Roberta.  She has most of the punch without the feeling that her soul got scared and ran away a long time ago.  She is the one that contacts the Black Lagoon company to get Roberta back.

Even Death knows to give this chick a wide berth. 

One thing I loved about this OVA series is that it brings Rock further down to the level of the low-lives and all around bad people that we’ve seen in the main series.  Rock is more willing than ever to get his hands dirty, if only in the figurative sense.  He’s a mastermind, at heart, and we’ve seen that since he first planned the counterattack against the mercenary gunboat.  However, this does mean that he is less of the “good guy in a den of wolves” since he starts showing his teeth, too.

Our feisty little maid is a regular ball of fire.

Another major point of interest is the addition of more back-story for Revy.  You learn more about her past, and can finally understand how a girl like her got to be so rotten, yet still on some level have a heart at times.  This show accentuates two of the most dangerous women in anime, and both are given a great deal of attention, and their pasts are more defined than ever, giving you an insight into what makes a person lose their soul. 

It's all hands on deck, your favorites are sure to be back from the regular crew.

The story all works well, and even though it’s only 5 episodes, you don’t feel like it was rushed or stretched, the pacing all comes together rather well, with enough excitement to keep your interest without pushing things along at an unnatural pace.  The only real problem is the ending might not leave everyone satisfied, but it felt appropriate.  If you liked Black Lagoon, this is more of what you loved, plus a little more story behind the characters.  Despite being an OVA, this didn’t feel at all like it didn’t belong with the main series, which is rare.

Good:

-More Black Lagoon action and excitement, ‘nuff said.

-Adds more to the characters and brings Rock further into the den of wolves than ever before.

-Roberta is awesome, who better to revisit in the series?

-Intro remix is the best thing since... Well, I included it, so you know.

Bad:

-Short, which only really has an impact if you want to buy it for your collection.

Scully Rating: 9.8 out of 10

Jormungand (Season 1)

By: Robert Murphy

Having recently purchased and begun to experience the joys of HuluPlus, I’ve been welcomed to a massive world of anime that I’ve wanted to watch for the longest time and now can watch with ease. An anime I stumbled across recently is Jormungand and it really struck me for two reasons; the action which gave me a very Black Lagoon type of feel to it and the second was it turned out to be from the same guys, small world right? The story follows the exploits of an abnormally young weapons dealer named Koko Hekmatyar and her team of mercenaries who protect her in her often dangerous dealings with warlords, war torn nations and other weapons dealers. The other main focus is the young boy solider Jonah who is the newest member to her crew of wolves in sheeps clothing and proves to be a perfect fit despite his appearance. What follows is a slue of adrenaline filled episodes with gun fights, incredible fights and kickass weaponry so strap yourselves in everybody.

An impression that I got from Jormungand as I watched it was that it was much like watching Balalaika as she controls her squad of highly trained forces and destroys anything in her way. That is just what it’s like watching Koko and her team throughout the show as each one of her team is exceedingly skilled in one way or another and would make you regret ever going after their boss. Although Koko herself isn’t nearly as intimidating as Balalaika she is definitely not a girl to be messed with even without her teammates as she is an incredibly gifted arms dealer and brilliant tactician when it comes down to it. As the story progresses we learn a good deal about each characters life and abilities that they bring to Koko’s team and they all prove to be quite engaging characters the more you learn about each of them. This proves to be true most with Jonah who you learn hates weapons dealers but has to use weapons himself and is really impressive with them as you see within ten minutes of the show as he takes out two armored jeeps with ease.

Now so far I may have made it sound like the show is nothing but non stop action but it isn’t, the story and episodes are evenly paced and wrap you up with a something new each time you go into it. It seems as if there is no shortage of people looking to take out Koko as she is a very gifted arms dealer but she does have her principles and will not be messed with. Whether someone is taking a hit out on her or an arms deal isn’t going quite as planned, things are always very heated and lead you to meet many characters throughout the series. Also we get a few back stories about Koko’s team especially Jonah who has had a hard young life that’s led him to being the way he is now. We get a good back story for many of the characters and one I particularly enjoy is Valmet’s who is the tall eye patched woman infatuated with Koko, extremely infatuated. An issue is that Jormungand has a lot of build up and a lot of shaping out for its characters and it makes you feel like there is so much more to come. Now before I close things out id like to give a tip of the hat to the amazing soundtrack that the show has for its viewers, its something I don’t usually notice or point out but it is so prominent and is filled with so many enjoyable beats I feel I had to mention it.

Jormungand proved to be everything I’d hoped it would be when I first saw the preview for it, characters are engaging, the actions incredibly solid, I just can’t believe I didn’t find out about it sooner. The story definitely makes you question whether or not there is any morality in the people that deal in weapons of war or are they all just in it for profit like Jonah believes or are there those like Koko that shake your perceptions up a bit. My one issue as I said was the amount of build up that there is in the first season, it makes me itchy and exited for what is right around the corner in season two.

Good:

Solidly paced and incredible story with very Black Lagoon style action

Characters are engaging and all have compelling back story to them

The soundtrack for the show is worth note as it’s edgy and catchy each time it comes up

Bad:

A lot of hashing out and building up for the second season

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10 

World Premiere of First Guardians of the Galaxy Trailer

Zach Goodier

Hey guys, Zach here, I'm going to try to get a full article up later tonight, but for now, I have a trailer for you guys: Guardians of the Galaxy. Unfortunately, I have very little experience with the franchise, so I probably can't give it the review that comics fans will appreciate.  However, as a general nerd/fan of all things that are awesome, this has a my seal of approval so far.  The action, humor, and quality are all far above par for what I deem to be worthy of interest, so I will definitely be looking to give this a watch when it comes out.  So relax, and enjoy this trailer for the upcoming movie, Guardians of the Galaxy.

Naruto 665: The Current Me

By: Robert Murphy

Link to the manga here

Hey everybody, sorry for the late update on this week's chapter of Naruto but hey it's here now. This week's chapter is entitled "The Current Me" and after last week's bomb shell we just don't know whether or not Naruto is going to make it through this or not. We left off with Gaara and Sakura finally reaching Minato and Kakashi as they were squaring off with Black Zetsu who had control over Obito's weekend body. Right at a crucial point though Black Zetsu swooped in and stole the other half of Kurama that Minato had and that would have saved Naruto's life. Things looked to be in even worse shape as Madara arrived on the scene with the power of The Sage fully mastered and it looks as if it is checkmate for Madara and the dream world he wishes to create. You all will have to jump on in and find out what's going to happen in another week of Naruto goodness.  

For the LOLZ: Bleach Edition (MANGA SPOILERS!!!)

Too soon? Too bad.

Bleach 569: The White Haze

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/569

Byakuya's back, folks, but if you're expecting him to finish his fight from the last battle, you're mistaken.  This week's chapter is short, too short; however, it contains an important moment for both Byakuya and Rukia.  Rukia, as I've stated before, has always lived in her brother's shadow, where he sought to protect her from harm, as Hisana wanted him to.  However, this is an important chapter because Byakuya finally turns over the reigns, and decides that Rukia is strong enough now where she can fight this battle on her own.  Oh, almost forgot... She finally has a bankai, however, the chapter ends with the release, and like with Renji's battle, we'll have to hold of another week until we might get a peek at it, and what its ability is.

Rukia has progressed in more or less the same fashion as I expected.  I hadn't expected Byakuya to show up so early in this battle, but it's good that he did.  Now that he's given his nod of approval to Rukia, I expect she'll be able to stand out more as a character in this final story arc.  Moreover, it really parallels Ichigo's path during this arc, where they've both been accomplished (perhaps one more than the other), but they've both still felt very young and unsure of themselves next to the other characters.  I've been loving how these two have really been stepping it up, and being on the home stretch for the series makes it the perfect time to do so.  Hopefully we can dive right in next week and have this fight finished in a another couple of chapters so we can move the plot along some more, I'm still dying to see what Ichigo can do when he joins the fight.

The Monuments Men

By: Robert Murphy

How to best describe The Monuments Men if I had to put it into a few words? I would have to describe it as a puzzle with all the right pieces but it somehow came out as the opposite of the picture on the box. The story takes places during World War II shortly after the storming of the beaches at Normandy and puts the question in your head of “who will save the culture and art work of man kind in this bloody and terrifying war.” Perhaps my favorite line in the film has to be from George Clooney as he states “You can wipe out an entire generation of people but if you take away the art work and burn away its culture, it can’t be replaced, it’ll just be ash.” And so at the request of George Clooney’s character and with permission from the President of the United States a team is put together with the task of protecting the remaining pieces of art from being destroyed by the Germans as the war comes to a close.

The Monuments Men is a film that sends George Clooney and his merry men into war stricken Europe and the cast list reads Matt Damon, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville and Jean Dujardin who all play various expert in a field of art in the era. When you hear these names though they are the last people you would imagine in a war film due to age and generally being well pudgy men but that’s okay because they fit the gambit for cultural aristocrats quite well. And perhaps one of the movies best qualities is too point this fact out, that aside from Matt Damon and Jean Dujardin, these are out of shape men going into a war zone and they themselves can’t help but marvel at the situation. While these men do find themselves in a dangerous situation once or twice throughout the film, there is quite a bit of chuckling and amusement as these men are from art circles and know one another in some shape or form and poke fun at their discernable characteristics. What touched me most about the film had to be the art work itself, I am in no way an art scholar and if someone said lets spend the day at the art museum I’d most likely get smashed before hand. But all the pieces that appear on screen from sculptures to portraits and more were all very beautiful and an incredible sight, it really makes you enjoy the premise of the film even more as these men set out to preserve these masterpieces.

Now unfortunately things don’t continue to hit me at a high note as the story proceeds to go on a serious of miss adventures with its cast. Through a sizeable portion of the movie Matt Damon’s character is sent to Paris where he must convince a friend of the resistance there, Cate Blanchette, to reveal where stolen pieces of art were sent when the Germans pulled out. This was a forced romantic entanglement that went on for the longest time and when it reached its climax it soured me even more and not even Matt Damon’s charm could save it. The film also adds other non important scenes as well with the land mine moment where Matt is stuck standing on a mine while the other Monument Men try and devise a way to get him off it without losing his legs. This took fifteen unnecessary minutes away from the screen and was suppose to be a touching moment I realize but it just wasn’t.

All in all, The Monuments Men amounts to a film that had the right players but it never was given shape, it amounted to an assortment of misadventures with some chuckles thrown in. The films quality cast is really one of the things that holds it up especially John Goodman who in the first scene of the Monument Men going through basic training makes you laugh as he chuckles about training with teenage men at his age. In my mind I just wish that the film had chosen one direction and stuck with it but you had the moments with Matt Damon in Paris and then George Clooney who starts strong but ends up obsessing over a piece of art for the better portion of the film. Still there are those good witted and heart warming moments you will love along the way and of course the incredible pieces of art you see as well, so you’re left in a middle area with The Monuments Men.

Good:

- A great premise for the film and an even better setting

- The incredible master pieces that the movie shows off make even a non art goer like me think they’re amazing

- A truly stellar cast but not all of them will hit their high points such as Matt Damon

Bad:

- The film lumbers about on many misadventures and lacked a shape and direction

- Matt Damon’s ill gotten adventures in Paris felt too long and forced 

- Many unnecessary scenes were put in the film and make you question why they are there

Scully Rating: 5.5 out of 10 

Game of Thrones Trailer #2 - Vengeance (HBO)

Zach Goodier

New GoT trailer... 'nuff said.  It's right around the corner, and I can't wait.  In honor of the release of season 3 this week on DVD/Blu-Ray, he's this awesome trailer, and maybe a little more this week, who know?  

Evolve - Happy Hunting Trailer

Zach Goodier

You know how hunting games are usually a little bland, boring? Well, kiss those days goodbye with this trailer for the upcoming game Evolve. It is a competitive/cooperative multiplayer game that pits several hunters against one player controlled monster, and the game involves the monster trying to evolve, and become stronger, and avoiding the hunters until he is strong enough to overwhelm them.  As the hunters, your job is simply to kill the monster, but the longer you take, the tougher your job will likely be.  So far, we've only seen one type of monster, but it could be interesting to see the other types they come out with, and how those types may affect both the type of game, and the general strategy of both the monster and hunters.  Stealth types would be welcome, as it would incorporate some interesting Alien-style tension as the hunters must keep sharp or fall prey to the beast.  

One concern I have is the focus on hunters having to work together as a single unit.  While I would definitely prefer a squad to have my back, rather than risk going out into the dark, savage jungle alone, I feel like there should be a little more focus on risk vs rewards in the way of being able to cover more ground, find the monster early, and eliminate him.  While that doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility, it seems that each of the classes of hunter are rather single-minded, and can't operate at all outside their particular specialization.  Medics likely won't have any major offensive or defensive power, so they can provide a set of eyes, but can't fend for themselves.  While I understand that medics aren't supposed to be commandos, I hope they have enough defensive capability to be able to at least put up a fight, rather than needing their squad to babysit them.  Other classes seem less limited, but still require the entire squad to play their role.  

Despite my concerns over how the final game might turn out, I would enjoy to see more of what it has to offer, and I look forward to seeing the final product, and maybe even snagging a copy to play with my friends.  

Topics: Fan-Service in Anime

Zach Goodier

Anyone who keeps up with my reviews might realize that more than a couple have been noted for what I generally call “excessive fan-service.”  However, I think that this is a topic that should be delved into in more detail, as I shall endeavor to do here. 

This more or less summarizes the issue of excessive fan-service in general.

In general, for those who are new to the anime genre, or those that just want a definition to work with, “fan-service” is a term used by many to describe any attempt to use sex-appeal to gain and keep an audience, and more than a few popular shows make very extensive use of fan-service to give their show appeal.  Now, in a broad sense, almost every anime contains some form of this, whether it be an episode on the beach with swimsuits, or even the typical uniforms that all students wear in the series, some fan-service is not only present, but expected in some way.  However, when I use the term in a negative context, it usually indicates that a show leans too heavily on sex-appeal, diverting attention from the story or characters, and sometimes to distract the audience from some terrible writing.

This isn't an actual clip from Rosario + Vampire, but it does illustrate what the show more or less focuses on.  While it might be tough for a guy to turn away while the show is on, I can say without shame that I had trouble remembering this show a couple weeks after watching it.

Future Diary does fan-service in exactly the right way; they use it to add appeal to the female characters, like Yuno and Minene, without dragging the whole shown down by turning it into a harem or the like.  Other shows, such as Rosario+Vampire make a much more extensive use of fan-service (just note that the camera is almost always below skirt-level around the female characters), and while the show itself has a fair deal of humor, and even the makings of an interesting story, you get so bogged down with panty shots and seduction, that most of the praiseworthy aspects of the show have already faded into obscurity. 

Let's be honest, Yuno is hot, and the show makes no attempt to hide that.  However, it's what she brings to the story that makes both her and the entire show unforgettable.

Overall, fan-service isn’t an evil just because it exists, it's like a spice that can both make and break any series.  I love sexy/dangerous female leads, such as Revy in Black Lagoon, and Yuno in Future Diary; however, these characters are already original, and well-written with a compelling back-story and something to bring into the show before any use of fan-service is brought into the mix, and that’s what makes these characters memorable.  In the other cases, the characters often fade into an obscure mass of low-cut blouses and high-cut skirts.  That doesn’t necessarily make them bad characters, just not usually as memorable.  As long as fan-service is treated more like spice, something to add a touch of here and there, it doesn't overwhelm the rest of the work, and ruin everything else that a series has to offer.

Fairy Tail AMV [Courtesy Call] HD

 

Zach Goodier

Been brushing up on some of the Fairy Tale episodes today in my free time, so I'd figure I'd share some of the fire with you guys, with this AMV set to "Courtesy Call" by Thousand Foot Krutch.  Awesome band, awesome show.  

Naruto 664: Because I’m a Father

By: Robert Murphy

Link to manga here

Hey everybody, well the race is still on in this week’s chapter of Naruto as Sasuke and Naruto are clinging to life and all their allies are trying to race and save them. This week’s chapter is entitled “Because I’m a Father” and as we learned in last week’s chapter, Naruto may yet have a chance to survive if Gaara and Sakura can make it to Minato in time. With Minato having half of the Kurama’s power and Minato not needing to hold it any long this will be the last chance for Naruto to survive but will they be able to transfer him in time? The race is on as well for the former team Taka members and Orochimaru to make it to Sasuke and try and save him from the fatal wound he suffered at the hands of Madara. Things are getting dangerous and the allied shinobi alliance is wearing thinner and thinner, find out just what’s happening in this week’s chapter of Naruto right now and I’ll see you all next week.   

Bleach 568: Here. Fear. Here 2

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/568/?ref=email

This week, as you might have expected, As Nodt survived Rukia's initial attack, and releases his full power.  As Rukia reaches the limits of her self-inflicted semi-hibernation, she finds that "The Fear" is not gone yet.  He quickly releases his power, saying that the only fear he knows is the anger of his king and the loss of his body.  As he releases his power Rukia quickly finds herself at a severe disadvantage, but some last minute backup may provide the help she needs, and allow an old score to be settled from the last battle.

Rukia's new power has been interesting, even if it hasn't been visually impressive next to others, like Renji.  However, I'm still holding out for Rukia to finally have attained a bankai, especially after her training.  She obviously doesn't have to have a bankai, but I feel like it would have been an appropriate time to have her gain one in the context of all that is happening and just how intense the training was for both her and Renji; plus is could really boost up on of Bleach's generally weaker characters, seeing as how Rukia hasn't been all that powerful next to her companions or enemies.  However, with a certain someone coming back into the fight at the very end of the chapter, we might get to see a satisfying end to one of the match-ups from the previous set of fights.

And through all of this, I'm still wondering what the endgame is for the Quincy.  So far, we have seen the origin of Juha Bach, as well as why they need to fight, but I wonder how exactly this is all going to end up for the Quincy, if they are successful in destroying the Soul Society.  I mean, what then? Presumably, the entire world will be thrown into turmoil, and its destruction seems more than likely, so how will this benefit the Quincy?  Unless there is more to the balance of the worlds, or the Quincy have some sort of plan to keep at least one of the worlds from being destroyed, I just don't see how plan to walk away from this war with any real victory in either case.  I suppose we'll understand more in the future chapters, so we'll just have to wait and see how everything unfolds.

The Resistance

Sean Dibble

                Ever wonder how you would fare as a member of The Resistance and help destroy the ruthless imperialist? Well gather up five friends or more and play this great party game. Beware those at least two of those people may be spies trying to dismantle your best laid plans. The game is simple and is best played with an odd number of players, but can be played with up to ten. For the sake of simplicity I will use five players as my examples.

Set Up:

·         Shuffle and pass out player role cards face down

·         Look at your role DONT TELL ANYONE

·         One person say "Everyone close their eyes"

·         "Spies open their eyes" obviously spies open your eyes and find out who your partner is

·         Then "Everyone close their eyes"

The mission tracker is a scorboard.  Red is spies, blue is the resistance.  The large number indicates the number of people that must go on the mission.  Larger numbers of players use different boards to up the ante.

Now you chose who will be a mission leader and from there you find out from the board how many players must be chosen for each mission for example a five player game will have missions that go 2,3,2,3,3 and with five players there will be 2 spies. So now you chose your mission member (leader does not need to go on the mission) the table votes to approve this team if approved the mission members then get handed succeed or fail cards and pass the cards they are using for the mission in the center and the discard cards to the mission leader. The leader then shuffles the discard cards back into the deck so that no one knows who used what card, then he also shuffles the cards being used together so again no one is ousted and then flips the cards for everyone to see. If one card says fail the mission fails if all cards say succeed the mission passes. First team to three wins, but there is one caviot if you're a rebel (blue player card) you must vote to succeed the mission if you are a spy (red player card) you can vote ether way. Seems like a lot, but it is very simple and quick to pick up and play.

Some of the character cards you play with.  It's a shame that such beautiful artwork can only be revealed at the end of the game.

So this game is unlike others you may have played there really is no board, no writing things down and guessing who said what, all it really is trying to find out who are the spies and not putting them on missions to win the game. Or if you're a spy get on a mission and sabotage it. This game is not for people who can't handle being accused of being, and I quote from past games "YOU DIRTY DIRTY SPY GET OFF MY TEAM." This game if not played with over sentimental cry babies can be so much fun and if your dramatic like me and win a mission as the resistance will be yelling "VIVA LA RESISTANCE" all the time. So gather your friends, or the people you can barely stand and start accusing them of being a spy and go out and destroy the Hollywood sign. (We here at scullynerdreviews.com do not condone or support the destruction of the hollywood sign, BUT will laugh histerically if you say you only did it because you played The Resisance and were told to do so).

Good:

-Easy game to play

-Fun acusation game

- Can be played quickly

-Quick set up

Bad:

- Can hurt peoples feelings

-Very short can be as quick at a 10 minute game

Scully Rating 7.5 out of 10