Tales from the Borderlands: Episode 3 - Catch a Ride

By: Robert Murphy

Gary, no! Leave it to a game like Borderlands to make me feel sorry for a background character whose face I didn’t even see before it was crushed underneath an Atlas robot’s chassis. We make our way back to the ever chaotic and desolate world of Pandora again as Rhys and Fiona attempt to escape the tight spot in which they found themselves in the last episode. Things do not improve any with this latest episode however as new enemies and familiar faces join the fray to complicate the already tense situation. It would seem our team’s goal of opening a vault for all of its many riches is turning into a suicide mission to say the least.

A good portion of what happens in this latest chapter is focused on separate but still connected stories for Rhys and Fiona. Fiona discovers that the assassin that was trying to kill her and her sister last episode is actually a vault hunter that was hired by Felix to protect and guide them. She looks at Athena as somewhat of a cool older sister who can do all of these amazing things and travels the world in search of riches. This makes her question what she wants for her own future, could she possibly be this amazing vault hunter one day and fight monsters with her wits and handy sidearm? At the same time Rhys has his hands full with a budding romance that I did not see coming but it was an awkwardly enjoyable aspect to the story. Rhys has always had a heart of gold underneath all of the bravado that he spouts off from time to time and it’s nice to see that aspect come out as you spend more time separate from the main group.

The overarching story however proves to be just as compelling if for no other reason than the group’s newest member Gortys. This sweet and naïve little robot turns out to be the key to finding the vault but needs more pieces to become fully functional. Within moments of awakening she grabs the leg of a dead body and excitedly scolds it to hurry up so they can begin their journey. She is essentially a child at heart and doesn’t understand the concepts of mortality or the fact that every moment spent on Pandora is a like sitting next to a ticking time bomb waiting to explode which makes all of her interactions hysterical. Her relationship with Loader Bot was also a top notch aspect for the developers to include as the always helpful robot develops a protective bond with her.

There is also a refreshing change of pace for the story as the group moves to an unknown Atlas location in search of a part for Gortys. This takes players out of the horrible sand and monster filled landscape and sends them to a new bio-dome location that is filled with crazy plant life and yes more monsters but they’re mostly cute, sort of. It is hard not to appreciate as you walk through the different parts of the luminescent landscape and find some peace in this chaotic world, if only for a moment or two. The whole scene is really a rather enjoyable one as the color pallet changes up significantly and it also plays into some of the more intimate moments I mentioned earlier with Rhys.

What is unfortunate is what comes after all the romance and character development as the action starts to pick up. Both the beginning and the ending for Catch a Ride have some chaotic moments of action as you face off with Hyperion, hired goons and even some famous vault hunters. All of the scenes fit perfectly with the style of madness that you can experience when you play any Borderlands game but it seems that Telltale’s gaming engine has some trouble handling it. Scenes were jumping all over the place as I switched between the action that was taking place and frame rates dropped significantly to the point where it was hard to understand or enjoy what was going on in the story. There are fantastic moments hidden throughout these scenes such as Fiona furthering her new found skills and some classic Borderlands comedy but it’s hard to appreciate if the game cannot handle what it is trying to show you.

Tales from the Borderlands continues to be a worthy adaptation of the Borderlands universe in Catch a Ride. The comedy and quick witted dialogue for all the character is spot on and the story manages to mix both serious decision making situations with off the collar humor as well. Things are heating up rather quickly by the end of episode three however and it has me eagerly waiting for what’s around the corner with the final revealing moment for the story leading to new unexplored territory. As a bit of closing advice, countless articles and reviews have pointed out that the story for Catch a Ride plays out drastically different depending on who you chose to trust at the end of episode two so it is something to keep in mind for a second playthrough. It will for mine.

Good:

- Further development for Rhys and Fiona

- Gortys is adorable and the perfect missing piece for the group

- Spot on hilarious jokes and moments throughout the story

Bad:

- The frame rate and sputtering issues with the action scenes  

Scully Rating: 8.9 out of 10

Batman: Arkham Knight

By: Robert Murphy

What would Gotham be like if it didn’t have its Joker? Well, Batman: Arkham Knight would prove to be the game where players find out just what it would be like with my favorite clown gone and off the streets. Gotham seems to have thrived in his absence, there was no new war for power and crime even dropped off a bit but you just know that it won’t last in a city like this and Batman is in for another very long night. Sprawled across three islands Gotham City is a dark scene of neon lights, never ending rain and manhole grates with smoke pouring out of them. It is also under attack by a new threat from The Scarecrow who has a new batch of fear gas that’s stronger than ever and a devilish plan. He is support by his partner, the unknown Arkham Knight who has an army at his command and appears to have all the cunning, skill and strength that Batman does but without the hatred of wielding a gun. Batman must stop the two of them before they destroy the city but with all this power backing them up the caped crusader may be spread a little too thin to stop them.  

The world has been significantly expanded since the days of Arkham City and now players can see the whole picture that is Gotham City across its three islands and larger than life structures. The Batman almost feels like an ant by comparison to this massive new city that is just begging to be explored and that is quite easy to do with the games new main attraction, the Batmobile. This monstrous machine roles onto the screen and growls at you every time you summon in to you and leap into the drivers seat where you then can destroy just about everything in your path. Columns, beams, cars, street signs, all can be knocked over like they were nothing in the Batmobile as it tears across the streets of Gotham taking the dark knight wherever he needs to go. But, this is only half of what this machine can do as it can transform at the press of a button into a heavily armed tank with a 360 degree turn radius. A bit flashy for the Batman who doesn’t care much for violence but it certainly does make for some fun as you take down enemy tanks in-game or in a new AR challenge mode for the tank feature. Don’t worry, the tanks are unmanned and don’t mind if you blow them to pieces as they launch their own barrage of attacks at you which are highlighted on screen to the direction they will be firing at you.

Sadly, not everything about our hero’s new toy is all that it’s cracked up to be especially when it comes to some of the games new challenges. The Riddler is back in town to show you that he is your intellectual superior, even though you have soundly defeated him in each game, but this has not stopped him from planning a whole new batch of challenges. Unfortunately, many of these new challenges make use of the Batmobile and not for its handy winch device that you will use for numerous events and challenges throughout the night. No these challenges involve going through intricate tracks that must be completed in a certain amount of time and they are frankly a huge snore. None of them will ever be that challenging for players and really feel like an unneeded aspect for the game. Not all of Riddlers challenges involve the Batmobile though in fact Riddlers main story challenges rely on the classic puzzle solving and make use of the new team combos as you attempt to rescue Catwoman. There are also the hidden Riddler trophies and challenges across Gotham for you to complete and solve at your convenience as well.

Speaking of combat, the wonderful strike and counter mechanics from all the other Batman games makes its welcomed return to Arkham Knight and it’s never looked better. Batman receives a new suit upgrade almost immediately and it allows for faster maneuverability and a new takedown feature which allows players to incapacitate three enemies that are close to one another. This works great for those sticky situations with enemies that have guns and need to have quick work made out of them. However, your enemies have received new upgrades and abilities as well that make stringing together combos a bit more of a challenge. The Arkham Knight has a deep insight into the Batman and he knows how you fight and all of your little tricks and so his men have been trained to combat your usual tactics. I was stunned when an enemy finally looked up and saw me standing on a gargoyle statue and quickly panicked as men began to shoot at me. There are also new enemies such as the medic class which can revive knocked out foes and can also electrify their teammate’s armor so you can hit them until you use the Bat Claw to pull it off them or wait till it dies down. Your enemies truly feel like worthy bad guys for the first time as they throw firebombs into vents they suspect you’re in, enemies who can detect when you use your detective mode, drone wielding enemies and many more for you to try and combat.

Luckily, you are not entirely alone in your efforts to save the city. The ever faithful Jim Gordon and his men stayed to defend the city and take custody of your most infamous enemies throughout the night. You also have his daughter Barbara aka Oracle who helps with any new leads and information but then you have the heavy hitters. Fresh in from Blood Haven Nightwing joins the fight and has leads on some of the Penguins evil plans along with Robin who has a brief showing as well to your fight. The two are A.I. controlled during fights but at certain points that can be called upon for a teammate takedown just like the Batmobile assisted ones you can receive. This then switches you to that character and allows you to fight as them until the enemies are dealt with or you get another combo prompt. It is a small but very enjoyable touch to the action since most times you could only play as the Batman during the game and could only access other players in the AR challenge rooms.

What Arkham Knight doesn’t follow through on though is with its main story. Plenty of the Batman’s greatest enemies and even lesser known ones are included in side missions throughout the story. Penguin is supplying weapons to the Arkham Knight, Two-Face is robbing banks, Firefly is running around torching buildings and its great fun going around and capturing them. What makes things even better is the return of Mark Hamill as the Joker but no worries I won’t be spoiling how that all fits in with the story. However, the Scarecrow never appears to be that sinister of a bad guy, his new look and monotone voice over work are to be admired but countless times throughout the night I feel I could have stopped him with a simple blow to the face. His back up isn’t too stellar either as the mystery as to who the Arkham Knight really is and how he knows so much about the Batman doesn’t ever drive the story. His character constantly whines and babbles on about revenge against the Batman but more than anything he proves to be a nothing but a minor nuisance whose story never gets you wrapped up into it. If it weren’t for all of the secondary characters and the future DLC villains that are promised to come then my opinions on the story would be much more different.

Every Batman game that has come out over the past few years has further deepened my enjoyment and liking for the superhero. Batman: Arkham Knight continues that tradition by jamming absolutely everything that anyone could possibly hope for from a series like this and then some. You can now do everything the Batman does now that you have the Batmobile at your disposal and all of your supporting characters and enemies along with it. The city of Gotham is large, dark and full of scum that are waiting to be taken down and new challenges for you to handle, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed doing.

Good:

- The massive world that is Gotham City

- The returning combat system which is better than it’s ever been

- Batman’s countless enemies and allies that are spread throughout the story

- Ripping around town in the Batmobile is so much fun

Bad:

- The Riddler obstacle tracks and races that involve the Batmobile

- The Scarecrow and Arkham Knight were not compelling enough for a main story

Scully Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Bleach 632: Friend 2

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/632

Hashwalth and Bazz continue their training to defeat Juha Bach in the past, but one day the Quincy army shows up looking for recruits for the new sternritter army. Excited, Bazz volunteers to protect the future of the Quincy, and urges Hashwald to join, as well. The recruiter resists the children at first, thinking them foolish and naive. However, Bazz challenges him to fight if he thinks he is unworthy, and that if he wins, Bazz gets to take the officers rank in his place. However, as they prepare to fight, they are all pinned by the immense spiritual pressure of Juha Bach. He states that he has found his "other half," as he stares down at Hashwalth.

Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage 9 - I'll Protect You

By: Robert Murphy

Chapter 9

A significant twist is coming our way in this week's chapter as Naruto, Sasuke and the group make their way to Lady Kaguya's dimension to find where Shin and the new Akatsuki have taken Sakura. Naruto and Sarada also have appeared to work things out in terms of where she comes from and who her true parents are and it is about to show in a big way this chapter. We begin to see that Sasuke has certainly changed drastically since the ending of the original Naruto especially in terms of relationships and those he cares about. This will be a big factor for Sarada in the upcoming battle as she reveals not only her new Sharingan but some other familiar abilities that we've seen used before.  

Spy

By: Robert Murphy

The world of being a super spy with a license to kill would definitely draw in anyone but we often forget that there are plenty of people working behind the scenes that make these spies the lethal players that they’re out in the field. This fact is exceedingly true for one Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) who joined the CIA to go on crazy adventures and get some excitement in her life only to end up in a vermin infested basement staring at a computer screen all day. She does however get to act as eyes and ears for one of the agencies top operatives Bradley Fine (Jude Law) and mostly does the brunt of the work while he spots out James Bond era one liners. This is until he gets taken out by the daughter of a notorious arms dealer Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne) who knows the identities of all the CIA’s current agents working in the field. It is then up to Cooper to take up the task of taking out this new threat before she unleashes a small portable nuke and get revenge for her torrid romantic interest and former team member.

McCarthy is proving to be a comedic force to be reckoned in the past few years with movies and TV shows alike which happily continues forward in Spy. Her character Susan Cooper is a soft spoken woman who wishes more than anything for people to notice her especially Fine who treats her like a buddy/errand girl rather than someone he actually notices. This translates over well in a number of scenarios throughout the first half of the story where McCarthy’s not the standard spy appearance takes a bit of a hit. Her fellow agents in the field get glamorous cars and gadgets disguised as pens of regular items where Cooper gets a grab bag of items disguised as items a middle aged woman would have in her bag. Items like stool softeners and hemorrhoid wipes get thrown into the mix but what’s worse is probably her not so appealing alter egos who included an ageing cat mommy and a divorced mother of three from Iowa. There is definitely no fancy tuxedo suits here as Cooper suffers the indignity of a old lady wig and sweater with a cat on it but she takes it all in stride.   

The dynamic changes up for her though near the halfway mark for the film as she must improvise her way out of ridiculous situations that were mostly caused by the rogue Rick Ford (Jason Statham) but it helps her finally gain some back bone. Cooper’s new persona is more of the badass spy character that she always dreamed of and it was secretly locked away inside her all along. This is where the action scenes start to pick up and it is wonderfully balanced with the scripts many comedic aspects. Cooper gets involved in a high speed chase but it is less impressive on a scooter and also gets into an impressively choreographed scene in a kitchen where she wields a frying pan in a knife fight. She even gets her very own eyes and ears as her friend Nancy (Miranda Hart) tries to lend a hand through her spy situations but ends up acting like a giddy house wife over the glitz and glamour which leaves Cooper completely exasperated. It is however a nice twist to the situation and really adds to the rich comedy gold present throughout Spy.

McCarthy doesn’t take all the credit, while she truly brings to life all of the jokes at her expense and the ridiculous action scenes she is also accompanied by some great supporting characters. Statham who I mentioned earlier is a completely ridiculous character this time around. He would normally make the perfect spy and has certainly proven his worth as an action hero countless times before but now his character has more bark than bite. His character doesn’t think that Cooper is up to the task and will screw everything up but she ends up saving him on countless occasions as he makes a mess of every situation he is put in. We then have Aldo (Peter Serafinowicz) who is a fellow agent that is stationed in Europe to help Cooper out in her mission but ends up being a ridiculous womanizer. He is constantly going on about how attractive Cooper is, even in her old lady and divorced mother disguises. The two have hilarious go betweens including a scene where he attempts to free her from her hands from rope by biting at them and ending up in a bizarre position with Cooper.

Things do start to become a grind though with all the stunts and exploits for the film. There are countless action throwbacks at nods to the audience that make a point to show that this is a spy film. Events like a private plane shoot out that leads to the plane spiraling out of control or a big club scene that features 50 Cent which aren't bad moments for the story but after awhile it bogs things down and there are plenty of scenes like it. I appreciated all of the moments that make Spy feel like the classic spy movies that I’ve scene over the years but one or two moments like that will do the trick not four or five.

Melissa McCarthy takes everything that is thrown at her and keeps on going in Spy. Her character Cooper plays a shy pencil pusher one minute and then completely transforms into a tough CIA operative with a mouth the next. McCarthy also is accompanied by some incredible supporting actors and actresses that add to this spy comedy experience. In the end, espionage has never looked quite so ridiculous but that’s certainly a good thing.

Good:

- Melissa McCarthy continues her comedic hot streak

- A great supporting cast

- Fast paced action mixed perfectly with quick witted comedy

Bad:

- A bit bogged down with the amount of spy references

Scully Rating: 8.0 out of 10  

Fractured Space (Alpha)

Zach Goodier

Fractured Space is a multiplayer-only game that pits two teams of 5 against each other in an attempt to secure resources and upgrade their ships, with the end goal of muscling past the other team and capturing their main base. As a player, you can use various ship types: support, attack, flagship, etc. These ships allow players to fill a type of role in the team, and help work towards final victory. All ships are large, and movement might seem very slow to some, but this is a game that emphasizes strategy and making calculated moves, not reckless ones.

There is no real story at this time, so consider I’ll move right on to the fundamentals of how you play and progress in the game. You have 3 starter ships of the heavy, middle, and light variety. As you would likely expect, light ships are more agile than heavier ships, but are also more vulnerable. You can unlock new ships via XP and credits, which you earn by playing matches. Most ships have upgrades you can purchase the same way, which allow you to make many of your ships better by giving them enhanced weapons, armor, or abilities. Each ship has unique abilities that fit its role in the fleet, like repair drones on a support vessel, or energy shields on an attack ship. These make each ship function in a unique way, so even ships of the same class will feel different from each other.

When you play the game itself, there is a lot to get used to as you learn how to play. The controls take some getting used to, since this game allows you to move in 3 dimensions, not just 2. This can make maneuvering tricky to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can focus on where and how you should be moving your ships to make best use of your abilities. Some ships should be near the front, attacking and/or soaking up damage (tanking, in other terms), while others are repair/support vessels and heavy-hitting ships. Often, it pays to see what ships your team is using, and try to select a ship that can work well with the other vessels in your fleet. Teamwork is essential to excelling in this game, since no single ship can realistically take on multiple enemy ships without some form of support.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is the use of respawn times. This seems like a ridiculous thing to focus on, but it complete changes the attitude you need to have in order to excel in this game. Where FPS games like to keep the pacing fast and furious, Fractured Space will up the respawn times each time you die, up to over  a minute.  This means that often the best strategy is to travel with at least one other ship, and when you feel you’ve lost the initiative or are at a disadvantage, you’ll want to try to retreat. The trade-off here is that you need to let your drive charge up before you can jump to another location. Furthermore, while charging, you are extremely vulnerable to enemy attacks. This means that you will have to be vigilant, and try not to put yourself in a situation where you can’t escape.

This game has been a blast, especially considering it’s still an alpha release. The ship models all look amazing, and my games generally stayed nice and smooth throughout. There are some things on the HUD that don’t have an assigned function yet, and various ships and upgrades are still waiting for release. Still, this is a great game to pick up if you like the space setting, and always wanted to have awesome space battles between warships. The only drawbacks are a lack of game modes (only conquest so far), and some ship upgrades are visible, but unavailable. However, these will likely be fixed in updates. In the meantime, the respawn system is fantastic, making you seriously consider the pros and cons of a strategy, because all it takes is the team being short 2 or 3 guys for a minute to lose the entire match, so leave that COD “run and gun” mentality planetside.

Good:

-Beautiful ship models

-Respawn system silently pushes players to strategize and cooperate rather than rush if they want to succeed.

-Ship store and upgrades tempts you to push forward to see what that next ship will allow you to do.

Bad:

-No other game modes available just yet.

-Some ship upgrades are visible, but unavailable presently.

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Assassination Classroom

By: Robert Murphy

I think every student knows the fear and loathing that goes into a new school year and the challenges that come with it. However, E-Class or “End Class” as they’re privately referred to as has a whole different set of issues when they discover that their new teacher is a bizarre yellow squid creature that is responsible for destroying 70% of the moon. Koro Sensei, as he eventually becomes referred to as, has come to teach this group of misfits for unknown reasons but it has given the entire world one year to kill him before he makes good on his claim to cause further destruction by destroying the Earth. Armed with anti-koro BB guns and other assassin tools these kids will have to get close enough to stop him before he does this and the student who does gets 10 billion yen. But, Koro Sensei will not go down easily as he has the capability to travel at Mach 20 speeds among other terrifying abilities such as his vast intellect and other technologically designed superiority.

Despite its dangerous premise Assassination Classroom takes a lighthearted and funny approach to the word “assassinate.” The students are not armed with any dangerous weaponry to anyone except their target which just so happens to be their teacher and while it may be easy to look at something/someone like Koro Sensei and think about destroying him that just doesn’t become the case. Koro Sensei would turn out to be a dream come true to these students who have pretty much given up on enjoying the rest of their days at Kunugigaoka High School. This is because the E-Class is looked down upon with shame by every other student at the school because they earn the lowest grades and even attend school on a separate campus. They are all used as a tool to motivate the other students to get even better grades and tests scores than their school is already known for and are also picked on mercilessly by the other students who snub them for their status. Koro Sensei though changes all of this by being the greatest teacher the world will probably ever know. For a creepy looking tentacle creature Koro Sensei is a compassionate sort of being who cares about each and every on of his students despite their goal to kill him and he takes the time to make sure each of them gets the education and nurturing they deserve.

The whole thing makes the plot an interesting one to follow as the students aren’t bad in anyway, well except maybe Karma, these students just don’t fit in with their schools definition of good. This in turn makes a pretty good commentary of Japanese schools in general which in anime are always portrayed as being strict and focused on the grades the students get. You cannot be a slacker when you attend one of these schools and if you’re then you better be the main character because your future will be bleak. All the students here though are frankly good kids who just unfortunately either aren’t great at certain subjects or experience some sort of duress and ended up here at the bottom. This made me enjoy all of the students as characters for the most part, they’re underdogs who have been mistreated for all the wrong reasons and thankfully they have someone like Koro Sensei to help them reach their potential and not mock them.

Nagisa and his fellow friends all have their own individual strengths and abilities that add to the story but not all of the characters start out insanely likable. Nagisa is arguably the main character when it comes to the students but he is sort of a bland character when the show starts out. He is very shy at first and spends most of his time writing notes on Koro Sensei that he finds relevant to his eventual assassination. The other students prove to be just as sub-par as the story touches base with a few of them but become stronger once they all start to blossom from Koro Sensei’s lessons. He brings out the best in each of them throughout the story and eventually they all gain some confidence again in their own abilities. Nagisa turns out to be the biggest shock during the story as his small and meek looking appearance houses some potential for a great assassin. This proves to be the other strong point in the development of each of the character when they not only decide that they’re going to excel in school but also in taking out their teacher. By the end, I loved each character large or small in their appearances on screen they all are great character to watch once they realized their own self worth and stopped believing they were the low rung students that everyone else called them.

The assassination aspect to the show proves to be just an added bonus to the wit and humor you’re watching. Yes there is a very serious situation at hand here as Karasuma, the assistant teacher/government agent, points out during the classes training but you can’t help but feel that all of that is background noise for what you’re watching. Koro Sensei is one of my favorite anime characters by far as he is all around ridiculous in nature with his twist smirk and chuckle that he presents at every opportunity. His face also changes depending on his mood such as when he is feeling cocky his face gets some green stripes across it or when he is thoroughly without words his face turns a grayish white with a pencil drawn expression. He also dawns insane disguises that are very obvious to his students but other people just simply ignore as he uses them to buy various junk food items that he loves to eat. Then there’s the students themselves, the odd humor comes from them as they attempt to stab or shoot him during various touching moments throughout the show. He will be casually reading or assisting a student and while they appear to be listening they silently try to stab a rubber knife towards him. It is utterly ridiculous and a bit dark to think about but it works.

I did not know what to expect when I first heard about Assassination Classroom, a few odd images of a yellow tentacle creature and a classroom full of gun wielding kids had me a bit at odds with the show. These expectations though were pleasantly altered once I began to watch the show and found out that it wasn’t about a group of kids trying to hurt each other or go around killing people. It’s a very fun natured type of show despite its overall premise and with these students first semester ending, I’m excited to see what the next will bring.

Good:

- Refreshingly original story

- Koro Sensei is a great main character and teacher

- Interesting commentary on Japanese school life

Bad:

- The students take some time to hit their stride as characters

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Bleach 631: Friend

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/631/?ref=email

Bazz-B and his old friend Jugo face off, and ass they start to fight, we are shown glimpses of the past, when Jugo Hashwald was an inept quincy, and Bazz was a skilled hunter who vows vengeance against Juha Bach when he conquers their village, killing everyone in his way. However, Jugo doesn't bear any real animosity towards Juha Bach, but follows Bazz's plan anyways. They decide to get close to Juha Bach, in order to get close to him so they can wait for the chance to undermine him. The story also shows when Juha Bach had successfully conquered the human world, and decided to set his sights on the Soul Society.

I saw this coming last week, with a lot of backstory for characters most of us have little, if any, investment in. On the positive side, they focused on the story, rather than quickly tagging 3 or 4 different groups, meaning we see them, but with only a couple pages each, they can hardly get anything done. So the pacing felt much improved this chapter, but I hardly feel any deeper connection between these two, just the added knowledge that there are other quincy who seem intent on fighting Juha Bach.

Life is Strange: Episode 3 - Chaos Theory

By: Robert Murphy

I knew that one day Max Caulfield’s rewind ability would fall short but never in a million years would I have expected it to be in such a tragic way. Episode 3 of Life is Strange begins on a very somber note after the events of the last and luckily the game has a wonderful way of immersing you into the world and letting you know that things have not only affected you but everyone around you. People show their support and positivity with you in a game like this whether it is a kind gesture or a simple text message you feel that people have your back. Much of the beginning of episode 3 gives you plenty of time to breathe and some much needed time with your friends to sort out all that is going on in your life. Whether that involves your new found powers, the possible incoming storm that threatens all of Arcadia Bay or just your regular day to day life, things definitely start to feel less stressful. Right up until the end that is.

One of the most enjoyable aspects to “Chaos Theory” is Max finally feels more at peace with her abilities this time around. In previous episodes Max has struggled to understand her gifts and what the extent of her powers might be and even spent a good portion of episode two testing them out to see what she can do. Now though she appears to be a seasoned pro with the abilities that she currently knows about. The puzzles and problems that you’re presented with this time around appear to less stressful for Max and you to deal with because you now know what exactly you can pull off. Having a conversation with a character you need to get information from and learning a piece of information about them to rewind and use against them is basically child’s play at this point. That isn’t to say that it is any less fun or interesting. Characters in Life is Strange are proving to become more compelling as time goes on and I find myself wanting to talk to just about everyone I see just because the world has become so rich. Some of the unfortunate slang still gets in the way of it from time to time but I’ve come to embrace that it’s not going away any time soon.

Your relationship with Chloe is honestly what shines the most for episode 3. Max and Chloe have gradually begun to get closer again with one another despite Chloe’s attitude about you leaving and her nasty habit of going off on people. There is more tender moment between the two though as you both decide to break into Blackwell Academy after dark to get information on what exactly the principal is hiding about the goings on at the school. This is a fun endeavor for a number of reasons besides the obvious joy I had in making my very own pipe bomb with the help of Warren, but there was also the time you get to spend reconnecting with Chloe in the schools pool. The two finally feel like good friends again and their relationship is one that I deeply enjoy experiencing as I play.

By the end of things though it felt fitting that all this should happen once Max finally starts to feel some relief and get a handle on her powers which unknown to her are about to take a huge leap forward.

The big reveal for “Chaos Theory” comes at the end of the episode once again as Max reverses time further than she ever has before and in affect goes backwards in time to a point she never thought possible. There had already been quite a phenomenal bombshell at the end of the last episode and yet somehow the developers have managed to outdo themselves once again. Max goes back with the intent of effectively changing things for the better as so many people have often done before but I’ve learned anything from time travel show and movies it’s that you have to constantly worry about the ripple effect that your actions will create. Max awakes from this experience in an entirely different world which was shaped by what she had done and now she is more lost than ever before. The whole experience of a new world to explore and whether or not my abilities can have any effect anymore in the world I’ve created has me insanely enthralled for the beginning of the next episode.

Episode 3 of Life is Strange starts out with a relaxed sense to it after the events of the previous episode but it does not falter in its ability to create new and interesting aspects for the story. Max’s new power was a big step forward and makes me wonder what exactly she will be able to do with this new ability and what issues they’ve already created for her next time. The characters we see are also becoming deeply engaging as things progressed this time around, I learned new facts about people I never thought I’d like and things about those I did like that I was better off not ever knowing. One thing is certain though and that’s that I am exceedingly excited for what lies around the corner for our main heroine Max. I certainly hope she is prepared.

Good:

- New time travel ability

- The bond between Max and Chloe

- Enjoyable puzzles and problems for the episode

- The big story altering decision

Bad:

- Usual dialogue issues

Scully Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage 8 - The Real Thing

By: Robert Murphy

Credit to llYametall at Deviantart.com

Chapter 8

It would appear that the long awaited question has finale been answered and Sarada now knows that her mother really is Karin, one of Sasuke's old team members and not Sakura. The web of mysteries surrounding Sarada and her upbringing are still missing some details though so hopefully once this is all over Sasuke and Sakura can explain it better, for Sarada's sake. Obviously, this is an insanely emotional chapter as Naruto was waiting right outside the room once Sarada found out the truth. Hopefully he can use some of his classic Naruto attitude to help her out and turn the situation around until he can smack around Sasuke for a little while but Sasuke will prove to pull a surprising amount of emotion out of this chapter as well, in his own way. The action looks as though it is about to kick back into action by the end of this week so I am certainly amped up to see what's coming up next. 

Jurassic World

By: Robert Murphy

I would be hard pressed to find one kid out in the world today who hasn’t thought how amazing it would be to see dinosaurs once again roam the Earth. These monolithic beasts were rulers of the land, sea and air making it very hard to believe that homosapiens would end up being the dominate life forms today. 22 years ago Steven Spielberg brought these creatures back to life with the first Jurassic Park movie where John Hammond sought to bring every child’s dream to life of seeing a real life dinosaur for themselves. It, of course, ended in tragedy as the park failed and the animals escaped from their habitats causing people to lose their lives. Now though it would appear the vision that Hammond set out to create all those years ago has come true and the new Jurassic World is a fully functioning attraction which brings people from all around the world to it. People no longer fear being eaten; they ride on dinosaurs backs, pet them like in a regular petting zoo and even get front row seats to being splashed in a giant wave by one of these gigantic killing machines that died out all those years ago. But, that lack of fear and excitement may turn out to be the downfall of this newest park as the pressure to amp up the wow factor will lead to things that should not be tampered with.

Despite the many disasters that have come from the experimentation and work of InGen over the years Jurassic World still became a reality, proving that money can make just about anything go away. InGen and the park are now separate but slightly connected entities in this latest film as InGen has moved to more militaristic work and the park has been taken over by a new eccentric billionaire Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) who shared Hammond’s dream of a park that would bring fun and happiness to people and not just the extremely wealthy. This would definitely appear to be achieved as you see kids get wowed at the sight of a Tyrannosaurus Rex digging into a goat (one of the less but equally enjoyable throwbacks the film makes) and others explore out into the park to see the creatures in their natural habitats in wonderful gyroscopic creations. However, you can only wow someone for so long as Jurassic World expertly points out that people, especially teens, need something new to keep them coming back to the park and make them actually get invested in the amazing things that they are experiencing. Well, returning lead scientist Dr. Henry Wu (B.D. Wong) is prepared to make sure that the next attraction will be the biggest of them all as his team of scientist genetically create a terrifying creature, the Indominus Rex. This, of course, would prove to be a terrible idea as the creature gets out and begins a park wide massacre of not only the other dinosaurs but the innocent people in the park.

For the most part our resident showrunner dino is a pretty believable creature. It was created with the soul intent to frighten and impress everyone who came to see it and what little glimpses you receive of it early on certainly inspires that reaction. It has the large body of a super predator like the Spinosaurus in Jurassic Park 3, the physical build of a T-Rex, terrifyingly long claws and would end up being the largest dinosaur ever created, oh and it is an albino white color. The more unbelievable bits are kept a secret up until the point where you find out just how this beast escapes from it’s captivity but for the most part I did not spend too much time eye rolling at the creature and actual spent more time with my jaw on the floor as everything fell into chaos the minute it gets out.

This factor is what is great about a movie like Jurassic World because you aren’t going out on a limb with too many of the concepts that you’re presenting to your audience. This even includes Owen (Chris Pratt) driving a motorcycle to a dense forest with highly trained Raptors at his side. An idea which peaked my interest immediately but would most definitely be something to normally gawk at but this isn’t the case once you witness the connection he builds with the animals before hand and realize he’s worked with them for years to get to that point. Even while it’s happening he still doesn’t fully trust the situation or agree with it so it isn’t just for show. Pratt does a brilliant job as the sarcastic but strong character that presence most of the voice of reason for the film and knows just how intelligent they can be. A fact that leading lady and head of the park Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) seems to ignore as she is more of the control freak business woman and less of touchy feely type that would get emotionally invested with the animals at the park or even her two nephews that are their visiting at the time of the break out.

Claire does change the most throughout the story though as much of the turmoil surrounding her makes her see things in a new light. The turning point for her is probably when she first realizes she hasn’t checked on her nephews in forever and now has to save them. That along with the touching scene where she and Owen come across a field of dead dinosaurs that the Indominus killed for nothing other than pure sport also changed her quite a bit. It makes her more aware of just what these creatures are and what they are like, it grounds her character more and Owen also brings her down as well. The two are that classic mismatched pair and it inspired sort of an Australia romance where Owen is the gruff muscle man who you would not expect to end up with the uptight and cultured Claire but it somehow works. Their ever growing romance doesn’t feel forced at any point and I was totally on board with it up until the cheesy line at the end but it was far too late for me to not enjoy what the two had together for the entirety of the film.

What did feel frankly subpar was with Claire’s two nephews and some of the other secondary character you will see. Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins) do both of their parts fairly well and have a good bond with one another that shows when they end up being stranded in the original films decaying park and try to escape certain death at the hands of our main dinosaur. Zach also does a great job of displaying the type of teenager that just isn’t impressed by most of the things that are going on in the park and that he’s more interested in the girls walking around than anything else. There is a weak subplot though where it is revealed their parents are getting divorced and it feels entirely unnecessary to the story along with including the odd suffering relationship between Claire and her sister. We then have the overly eager Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio) who represents the current InGen and wants to unleash some of the dinosaurs as weapons to fulfill their government contracts. You get the sinking feeling that he is up to far more than he’s telling you throughout the story and later on he makes a mess of what was a seemingly smooth plot up until that point.

That being said Jurassic World doesn’t lose too much momentum as it moves forward with its new ideas and revisiting some old nostalgic pieces. Old call backs and appearances made me smile and were clearly meant to bring back touching moments for those who loved the original. Then you have the new gritty action scenes which weren’t afraid to punctuate on some human casualties but not to a degree that made it into a Hollywood bloodbath of shock and awe. Things were clearly in the right hands as the ideas and vision of the first film return but are finally brought to life in ways that I never thought possible.  

Good:

- Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were a great pair

- Just the right amount of nostalgia trickled throughout the story

- The Indominus Rex and all the action and chaos that followed with it

Bad:

- Subplots and the secondary characters

- The new InGen and their evil schemes

Scully Rating: 8.0 out of 10

Arrow (Season One)

Zach Goodier

Arrow is a CW show centered around the exploits of Oliver Queen, known in comic-land as the Green Arrow. The show starts us with his return from the dead, having been believed lost at sea for 5 years. As he secretly begins to take on his new persona and fight crime in Starling City, we are gradually given glimpses into his experiences over the last 5 years, starting with him being shipwrecked on a island whose only inhabitants are ruthless mercenaries and an old man trying to survive on his own. What follows is a story of Oliver’s return to society, as he struggles to right the wrongs of his father, and atone for his own past in the process.

Meet Oliver Queen, AKA "The Vigiliante," or "The Green Arrow."

From the get-go, this show takes on a somewhat darker tone that most comic-fans might be used to in the TV adaptation. Oliver’s hero is called the “the Vigilante” among the media and by the city’s inhabitants, and the name “Green Arrow” is quickly laughed off, for humor and as an attempt to make this show feel more mature than the comic it is based off of, apparently. This hero has no issue with killing people, as he quickly stacks up a body count of thugs and villains who are plaguing the city.

Flashbacks throughout the episodes give glimpses into how Oliver became the hardened, scarred man he is in the present. 

The story is a little melodramatic for my liking, with a lot of drama being drudged up through Oliver and his family drama, including a bratty little sister named Thea, and his mother,  Moira. While it is obviously an emotion first couple of episodes as everyone adjusts to Oliver’s return, it quickly turns into an overdramatic cycle of people confronting Oliver about keeping secrets (because hooded vigilantes can’t stay in every night), which spawns a repetitive cycle of his family grilling him about his absence from home and social functions, and not telling them about his experiences on the island. From there, the drama finds new ways to pop back up, making me wish they could find new ways of moving things forward.

Oliver tries to find others who can help him save the city, but not everyone shares his enthusiasm.

On the up side, Dark Archer is the main villain of the story arch, even if he doesn’t appear until later in the season. He does a great job of capturing a great anti-villain feel, and has a charismatic aura that makes him a character you hate to love. His ruthless dedication and advanced skills make him a dangerous opponent for our Vigilante. The fights between these two are amazing and really make it hard to tear yourself away.

Dark Archer is trained by the League of Shadows, and has plans for the future of Starling City.

There are appearances by other comic characters, and they help add some depth to the series, but they often spawn more drama as they become involved in Oliver’s life, both as a hero, and as a person. This always finds a way to impact his family and/or friends in a way that spawns more drama as they argue over whatever reasons the writers managed to dig up to make things tense. Characters like Laurel and Tommy provide some side-story and give Oliver friends, but they also tend to add to the drama by creating a love-triangle, the likes of which you’d expect from a teen anime.

There's a lot of foreshadowing for the main villain of season 2.

Overall, this show is great when it gets down to business and has the showdowns between skillful and dangerous characters, and a few supporting characters really carry their weight well throughout the season. However, there is also a lot holding this show down, like overusing drama to add tension, making things feel too much like a soap-opera, and some poorly written characters that just annoyed me… Still, very much like a soap-opera. Perhaps some of the writers only have experience on soaps, because whenever Oliver isn’t wearing his quiver, that’s the general feel this show gives off sometimes. It’s not like Game of Thrones, which is a character-driven dramatic story, this feels like a series with drama-driven characters, who are almost forced via writing, to find reasons to keep secrets and betray each other’s trust, and then resent each other for it.

Good:

- Quality action.

- Dark Archer is well-written and a worthy arch-villain.

- Elements of back-story are slowly revealed as they are relevant to the current plot.

Bad:

- SO. MUCH. DRAMA.

Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10