Straight Outta Compton

By: Robert Murphy

You would expect a movie about one of the most rowdy rap group the world has ever known to be crazy from start to finish but Straight Outta Compton is about more than just the groups rise to fame and what they did with it, it's also about their falling out. The first half of the movie does well to show how N.W.A got their start and how their harsh reality led them to create incredible music about their struggles in life. Compton was a hard place to grow up in and what's worse was this was a time period of intense police brutality and prejudice against people of color. But, this wouldn't bond Ice Cube, Eazy-E and Dr. Dre forever and eventually this most influential rap group would go down some even harsher paths.

As I said earlier, the first half of the movie is exactly what you would come to expect from a story about N.W.A. Each member of the rap super group has their own struggles with growing up in Compton and each of them had their own talent to bring to the group as it formed. Ice Cube (played by Ice Cube's actual son, O'Shea Jackson Jr.) and Dr. Dre (Cory Hawkins) were already trying their hardest to have their music be heard as Dre worked the turn table and Ice Cube wrote lyrics and sang vocals. Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) doesn't come into the picture until the two are at their wits end and are looking to start their own record label, a factor that Eazy-E played a key part in since he supplied the money to have the groups first song with sales from his time as a drug runner. This is where the group finds their voice but also is the point of their ultimate downfall as well as they head out on tour and party like classic rockstars. Girls, guns and booze begin to flow and the team has the time of their lives until the tour comes to an unfortunate end.

The reason behind this being Eazy-E and his dealings with the man who put N.W.A on the map Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti). Eazy was the first to meet Jerry and founded the bands record label under the banner of Ruthless Records which is initially a wonderful thing until Ice Cube realizes he hasn't been paid for any of the music or sold out concerts that the band has been playing the entire time. Their is an equally shady scene to go along with this once the tour is over and Jerry tries to have everyone in the band sign their contracts after the initial success of the first tour. This proves to be a point that the movie brings up time and time again and that point being that Eazy is the one responsible for getting the group involved with a sketchy guy like Jerry Heller and the downward spiral for the group is centered around that moment. It feels like Eazy-E is left to bare much of the blame throughout the entire movie because of this but in a way you understand why Eazy defends his relationship with Jerry time and time again. He is the man who believed in these kids from Compton and gave them a shot but the rest of the group didn't get the same benefits Eazy did for most of the story.

It's at this point that Straight Outta Compton becomes less of a story about N.W.A and becomes a "Where are they now?" style feature where Ice Cube and Dr. Dre can do no wrong. Ice Cube sets off on his own as soon as the first tour ends and begins his solo rap career that today we know was a huge success but he also goes on to become a writer of his very own movie (Friday) and go on to have a successful acting profession as well. Dr. Dre would be the next to leave the clutches of Jerry Heller once he meets up with a ruthless business enforcer Suge Knight (R. Marcus Taylor). This starts his very profitable career as a record producer as he signs many famous future rap stars such as Snoop Dogg and Tupac before he eventually strikes out on his own official with the label Aftermath and selling his Beats by Dre headphones to Apple. 

While there is nothing wrong with this part of the story, as it is all true, it more or less felt like a statement about Ice Cube and Dre being right to leave Jerry and Eazy-E behind because they both achieved great success. Eazy-E and the rest of N.W.A (DJ Yella and MC Ren) quickly fell out of the spotlight and fell on tough times without the two around and eventually Eazy-E would find out all of the hidden truths that Jerry was keeping from him regarding his debt and relationship with him. What makes the finger pointing feel even more obvious are the portions of the movie where Ice Cube and Dr. Dre are shown doing their own screw ups that lead to no real punishment or issues for the two. Ice Cube at one point completely trashes his producers office for not being able to pay for his records success and Dre is seen late in the film driving his Lamborghini at break neck speeds from the cops only to be seen one scene later poolside with his beautiful girlfriend. 

Straight Outta Compton starts out on an extremely high note as it depicts the lives and struggles that the most dangerous rap group in the world went through growing up. It also sends a powerful message on police brutality and harassment that occurred against them but everyone around them as well. This is a factor that is still an issue to this day and serves as a good correlation for the events in today's world. The last hour or so of the movie however is where things start to feel like a grind as it shows the success of two of the groups stars without showing too much of the negative aspects of their careers. But, despite this overlong aspect to the movie, it has been quite some time since I've seen a biopic that has captured my attention like this and I was pleased with my N.W.A experience. 

Good:

- Incredible music performances throughout the movie

- Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Easy-E were all brilliant

- The enlightening look into police brutality during this era

Bad:

- Ice Cube and Dr. Dre seemingly could do no wrong

- The slower paced and overlong second half

Scully Rating: 7.0 out of 10

Wolf Children

Zach Goodier

Wolf Children is an anime feature film that follows the story of a young woman named Hana, who is a student in a university when she meets a mysterious young man, who turned out to secretly be a wolf capable of changing form into a human. They fell in love, and had 2 children. They were happy together until his untimely death, which left Hana alone with her part-wolf children, facing uncertainty and fear as she struggles to protect them and find a way to raise her unique children.

So when a daddy wolf and a mommy human get together...

This movies themes revolve around motherhood and the struggles that mothers face. While this movie obviously takes it to an extreme with the wolf children, but many of the themes carry over to any children, as the young mother struggles on her own to raise these children, unable to rely on anyone but herself to figure things out. It is a touching story that tugs at the heart strings throughout. It’s a wonderful story that caught me by surprise, generally being more into action-driven movies, but there’s still a lot of excitement in films like these when they are done properly, and this one most certainly is.

Yuki is an exuberant girl, while Ame is a quiet and reserved young boy, but as they grow they go through many changes.

All of the characters felt well imagined and as lifelike as any out there. Hana is a mother who spends most of the movie uncertain, afraid, and desperate, with her loving nature, gives a realistic duality to her as she tries to give her children the life they deserve while keeping them from danger. Yuki and Ame are always growing and developing as babies and children, and the movie ends with both of them starting to mature and strive out on their own to face the world. One of the great parts is the paths each of the children walk, as they struggle between their human and animal sides.

This is a story about family more than anything else, so action junkies better just stay away.

It’s how the themes are carried forward and how the movie follows this story through to a bittersweet and well written end that makes this movie so brilliant. By the end, as anyone would expect, the children are growing older and taking the first steps into adulthood, which is bittersweet because Hana has to begin the process of letting the children she put so much time and care into go out and experience the world without her. That’s what makes this such a well-written work: the real feelings that we get as the audience mimic Hana’s as we’ve followed her journey from meeting her love, to losing him and carrying on alone, to letting Yuki and Ame gradually leave home and start their own lives, it’s a very real sensation that is felt by both the characters involved and us as the audience.

This movie has some amazing visuals that rival classic Miyazaki films

In short, this is a brilliant movie. It might not satisfy the action itch, if that’s what you’re into, but it makes up for it with brilliant characters and an emotional story that tells us what struggles parents go through as they raise their children and eventually have to let go so those children can go out into the world. The animation is all beautifully done and almost every frame looks like it’s own piece of art. Real time and care went into every aspect of this movie, and it really pays off. So go get lost in this story, and experience it all for yourself.

Good:

-Great characters all around

-Excellent animation and visuals all around.

-Very real themes and messages that anyone can relate to on some level.

Bad:

-This isn’t a real mark against it, since it isn’t an action flick, but it can be a little lacking in the action and excitement department. This is a character drama, so don’t come looking for the Michael Bay experience.

Scully Rating: 10 out of 10

Bleach 640: Baby, Hold Your Hand 3

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/640

Just as Pernida is devoured by Kurotsuchi's new modified bankai, he shoots his way out with a bow, reminding the mad scientist that he is in fact a Quincy, and can use a bow to kill his enemies. He then proceeds to create bows at the ends of each of his fingers, and begins firing on Kurotsuchi, who notes the arrows are actually attached to more nerves, making the arrows deadly if they hit. After severing a pierced arm, and soon realizes that the nerves on the ground can redirect the arrows, too late to evade the arrow coming at him from behind. However, Nemu blocks the attack by sacrificing her own arm, which she quickly severs to avoid being killed. Kurotsuchi then saves her from falling on the nerves and scolds her for her reckless action, using her full name, and telling her to never die unless he orders her to.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

By: Robert Murphy

Spy movies have always been a dime a dozen over the years and why shouldn't it be when it provides the perfect box office bait for willing fans to see attractive woman, crazy explosions and sinister plots. I always felt that the Mission: Impossible movies hit their marks though as a series that has some pretty crazy doomsday level threats, Bond era bad guys and some out there but believable gadgets. Rogue Nation continues with this style of story as Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the rest of his team at the IMF continue their world wide efforts in stopping terrorism and global threats with the slightest chances of success. 

The story wastes no time with it's ramping up the action right out of the gates, we see Benji (Simon Pegg), William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and former Mission: Impossible star Luther (Ving Rhames) attempting to stop a terrorist group from escaping with dangerous nerve gas missiles to an unknown source. Just a usual day for the IMF but it also sets the stage for the new level of exceedingly perilous stunts that you will see come up throughout the entire story. You thought the Kremlin mission was insane in the last film? Well, the series of new stunts will blow you away. But, this brings up the critical point that the story tries to bring across for Rogue Nation's story and that is, are these missions worth undertaking when they have such a low success rate? It appears many high ranking officials believe this and despite being a legend at the IMF, Ethan's string of success could be misconstrued as nothing more than blind luck.

This is certainly the view of CIA Director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) who has a brilliant but small role to play in Ethan's plans but he is a welcomed addition nonetheless especially if he ends up in any future films. For the moment though he has effectively brought an end to the IMF and all their further actions but Ethan isn't one to leave a mission half complete and he sets out to put an end to the shadow organization known as the Syndicate. This group is basically the anti-IMF and Ethan has been chasing them down for the past couple of years with no luck at finding out who they're or what they're after. What he does know is that they have been manipulating world and geopolitical aspect for years by way of assassinations and other small attacks that go under the radar but actually have a huge ripple affect. This brings into question Ethan's sanity however as people question whether or not an organization like this could exist without anyone other than Ethan knowing about it and maybe this is all just in his head. 

This was an interesting factor to bring up as most people that meet Ethan are probably perplexed by the actions he takes and all the insane stunts he tries to pull. People like Benji and Luther know who the real Ethan is but to an outsider his antics could be misconstrued as the exploits of an adrenaline junkie who can't survive in a world without danger or an enemy to face. It's a nice idea but you never truly question that factor as you watch Rogue Nation because if you've watched the series up until this point then you know who Ethan is just as well as Benji or anyone else. You never once question his motives or the fact that Ethan will not succeed in his attempts to take down the Syndicate. 

Of course, the Syndicate never proves to be much of a challenge to begin with once you start to get to know them more and more. The regular agents of this group amount to nothing more than the nameless thugs that Ethan and the IMF have taken on countless times before, they aren't an anti-IMF when you get down to it because they don't have the skills that the IMF has. They do however have their own Ethan Hunt and she is one of the only real treats to come out of the Syndicate. Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) is a virtual unknown for most of the film as she appears to be on the side of the Syndicate but helps Ethan at every turn as well. She matches him in fight sequences as well as the heavy action moments though and her inclusion in the story really becomes the driving factor for the whole thing. The Syndicate's leader certainly doesn't pull that off as Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) doesn't make a full appearance until the films almost finished and by then what's the point? He is calm, cool and menacing but no level of performance can make up for the Syndicates poor showing for the majority of the story. 

If you were looking for a successor to the previous Mission: Impossible film then I don't believe Rogue Nation fits the bill but it does continue to provide the same level of action that I come to expect from the series and really, what more could you ask for? The show still belongs to Ethan in many ways as Benji, Brandt and Luther take to their side roles but hey, the shows always belonged to Ethan anyways and they all still play their parts exceedingly well. If it weren't for the Syndicate proving to have a poor showing then I would have loved Rogue Nation all the way through as it kept to what I have come to love from the entire series thus far. 

Good:

- Out of this world stunts

- Ethan/Tom Cruise hit his high note yet again

- Wonderful supporting cast of characters especially new comer Rebecca Ferguson

Bad:

- The Syndicate was a weak group of enemies to face

- The unbelievable aspect of Ethan going rogue and possibly crazy too

Scully Rating: 7.0 out of 10

Fairy Tail 449: Mavis & Zeref

Sean Dibble

Mavis & Zeref

So, if you have not read Fairy Tail Zero then you most likely don't know that Mavis and Zeref knew each other before Fairy Tail was ever created. This chapter tells the story of when Mavis was young and how she used an incomplete dark magic spell to save her friends and the town of Magnolia. This spell cursed her the same way Zeref was cursed. Now, unable to grow or die, Mavis and Zeref are linked.

Not much more was done during this chapter, we saw Mavis use her strategic mind in some battles during the Second Trade War but other than that the only thing we've learned is that the First guild master of Fairy Tail never actually died. I believe the reason she is encased within the crystal of Lumin Histore is because she ended up killing a close friend due to the curse and to prevent that from ever happening again she froze her body away under the guild hall. Why Zeref wants her though is still a mystery and maybe we will find out next week.

Tales from the Borderlands: Episode Four - Escape Plan Bravo

By: Robert Murphy

Borderlands initially was a game that I had no real interest in when I first saw screenshots and gameplay for the very first game, I thought it was too cartoony for a shooter but that has all drastically changed over the years and the franchise has become one of my favorite games of all time. With Tales from the Borderlands this love has been drastically enhanced due to it's focus on the character aspect and showing what it is like for normal people to try and survive in the wastelands of Pandora. This human level aspect has never been more apparent than with the release of the latest episode "Escape Plan Bravo."

Up until this point the Tales from the Borderlands series has always been driving forward at full speed with the constant action and exploits of Rhys, Fiona and their always growing larger group. Things in this most recent chapter however don't see nearly as much high stakes action as their has been but this is not a bad thing and it sets the ground work for what appears to be an incredible concluding chapter. After the events of the last episode, our team appears soundly defeated by the group of bandits that have been chasing after them but hey they put up a much better struggle to this messed up world than most. Now they're on a mission to head back to Hyperion HQ to gain the last piece of Gortys and get access to the Vault of the Traveler. This is what it has all been leading up to since the get go and now that Gortys is almost complete, she will be able to hold the Vault in one place so they can get their huge pay day. They just have to break into the most secure facility in the universe and then find away to dupe their wood be captures.

Things for Rhys and Fiona have reached a crucial tipping point in terms of their individual futures. With Handsome Jack constantly getting more accustomed to his new form, Rhys finds himself closer than ever to his goal of finally running Hyperion and being a huge big shot. It is hard not to be extremely weary of what Handsome Jack may do if you choose to go to the beat of his drum but at the same time it is insanely appealing. Jack also returns with some classic one liners but also some excellent guidance for Rhys and what it would be like if the two of them worked together to rule over Pandora. I felt the dark side calling my name the entire episode. I also particularly enjoyed when he taught you how to punch the lights out of a Psycho after they all were tired out from a flesh pizza frenzy, don't ask. But, the important question remains and that is, what will you do when you are sat on the throne?

Fiona however is on a different sort of path since the events of the last episode and her dealing with Athena. The prospects of becoming a Vault Hunter are now weighing in her mind but that could lead to some emotional struggles as Athena's relationship with her girlfriend Springs points out. Springs knows that Athena wasn't on a delivery mission and in order to get her help with your rocket powered car you either have to tell her the truth or lie to her. This is the kind of emotional trouble you expect to experience with almost all of Fiona's story this time around, her and Sasha reminds you of why they want the riches of the vault but also an unexpected turn with a Borderlands veteran leads to some deeply emotional scenes. I, of course, am referring to Scooter who plays a much bigger role than you would ever expect to see from him and the fact that he is always such a welcomed delight makes the events of this latest episode even more gut wrenching. 

The slower pacing for "Escape Plan Bravo" does have some trade offs in terms of the gravity of the situations. While this whole incredible plan is being hatched you would think that there would be some grueling issues for players to deal with this time around but there isn't much in the way of tough decisions until the final moments of the story. There were some particularly dull moments for the chapter including an optional close changing scene that brings back my issues with the money collecting for the entire series. Or whether or not you choose to lie to Springs ends up making very little difference as either way she will end up helping you so the story will continue. Overall, these points didn't hit me too hard as the slow pace left opening for some great dialogue and references to the Borderlands lore which include a tender moment with Handsome Jack about his daughter Angel and a split decision for Fiona that may lead you to shoot a familiar diamond encrusted "statue" by the name of Butt Stallion. 

Episode four of Tales from the Borderlands certainly features a slower pace than the ones we have seen so far but it is hard to notice in the wake of all the comedic gems spread throughout the episode. Between a giant shootout with finger guns by high ranking Hyperion employees, an Armageddon slow motion walk sequences and a triumphant performance by the long time favorite, Scooter, I found myself loving every moment. The dull moments of decision making are present but there was plenty of great ground work laid throughout this latest episode and I cannot wait to see how Telltale plans to send us off. 

Good:

- Hilarious amounts of one liners and Borderlands references

- Characters are running on all cylinders and their develops are getting even more interesting

- Gut wrenching emotional scene

Bad:

- Dull decision making this time around

- Some fluffed up story moments that, in the end, didn't effect the progression

Scully Rating: 8.8 out of 10

Bleach 639: Hold Your Hand 2

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/639

Kurotsuchi faces a powerful counterattack, as Pernida's severed finger spawns another hand, and joins in the assault. It is then that Kurotsuchi revels in realizing that Pernida is the Soul King's "Hand of Advancing," that can create new flesh for itself and multiply in combat, as opposed to the right hand of "Stopping," that can halt the advancement of conditions like illnesses. Realizing his chance, Kurotsuchi unveils his new "altered" bankai, that has 70,000 nerve layers, making it in constant pain, but unable to be controlled by Pernida. And, like Pernida, this new bankai can spawn new versions of itself. It quickly begins to devour Pernida, with Kurotsuchi calmly stating that if Pernida can penetrate all 70,000 nerve layers, he might be able to escape. As Pernida disappears, is this the end of the fight, or is there more to this bizarre and dangerous foe?

Fallout Shelter

By: Robert Murphy

You have to hand it to Vault-Tec for seeing the coming nuclear apocalypse and making the safe havens for mankind to survive into the future which are known as vaults. Unfortunately, every Overseer of these testaments to the company's foresight seems to get a big head on their shoulders or runs their vault into the ground in some way which makes me think that, "Hey, I could do way better than this guy." Well now you can have the chance to prove what kind of leader you would be as an Overseer to your very own vault. You will be tasked with the survival of your vault dwellers and you must make the right decisions in order to keep them alive. This means feeding them, giving them power and arming them against anything that may threaten their safety in the crazy Fallout universe.

Things in Fallout Shelter start out just like most strategy/builder games where players begin with a small amount of resources and people and then gradually you build into your glorious empire or rather your glorious hole type bunker thing in the side of a mountain. Players start of with whatever vault number they decide upon and are given a few caps along with some vault dwellers to begin creating your underground sanctuary. You will need things such as food, water and electricity in order to survive and keep your dwellers happy and healthy. The amount you need of each of these resources is kept track of at the top of the screen by progression bars. A full bar is not mandatory in order to survive but it sure doesn't hurt either, the amount you will need is indicated by a line through either one of the bars and will change depending on the number of vault dwellers, amount of rooms needing power and so on.

While not all of the rooms you will be able to build have a dire purpose in order to keep your vault going, they do all serve a purpose and some of them are quite fun. The more dwellers you get in your vault through giving birth or getting them to randomly come to your vault from the wastes will unlock new rooms to build. The Nuka Cola Factory and Radio Station were among my favorites and the station is great for not only improving the mood of all your people but it also brings more survivors to the doors of your vault. There are also rooms later on that will help train your vault dwellers in the various skills such as strength, endurance and charisma. This in turn will greatly increase the production from that person once you put them in an assigned room, it is also beneficial to keep an eye on dwellers skills and assign them to a room they would work best in.

As you start to build up a hefty supply of caps you will be able to upgrade the various rooms in your vault by selecting on the room. This feature is another great way to increase the productivity for that specific room and then later expanding the rooms individual size. You can do this by placing the same room type right next to the one that is already built. If the rooms are already the same upgrade level then they will combine and add new little features as they go. In the Radio Stations case, the more you expanded you would end up with a sound booth, a record selection area and quite the impressive mixing station too.

Things are not always so simple though as Fallout Shelter has some features for keeping you on your toes. Raider, Radroach, Mole rat and the recent addition of Deathclaw attacks can occur randomly throughout your playthrough. I have to say that seeing a heard of Deathclaws charge at your vault doors is something terrifying and you better hope that your vault dwellers are well armed for the experience. Players will need to drag their characters to the main entry way for Raider and Deathclaw attacks or they will spread throughout your vault as an alarm rings across the screen. Radroach and Mole rat attacks however appear randomly just like room fires in various rooms as they crawl through a borough hole to attack those inside the room. Most of the time things will be resolved easily if your dwellers are equipped with weapons so there isn't much to despair about if you keep a cool head. Weapon and clothing collecting is another feature for your dwellers to do by sending them out into the wastes, hopefully armed and with a pocket full of stimpacks.

Where the whole experience begins to slow down however is when your vault reaches critical mass. Like most games of this type players manage to create an amazing castle or fortification for the people they rule over and the same goes for Fallout Shelter. I was thoroughly impressed with my vault once I reached about 125 or so vault dwellers and experienced many pleasing references to the Fallout lore but there was nowhere to go once I got there. The last featured room players are able to construct is the Nuka Cola Factory and while you can continue to build the other rooms and expand further downward with your vault, I just didn't see a reason for it. 

There is plenty of more room for a game like Fallout Shelter to expand outward with the Fallout universe. I'd like to imagine that future updates could feature trading with caravans or possibly creating your own to buy and sell things. Even without this though the game is very solid and unlike other games of this type the micro-transactions do not feel necessary in order to create a vault you would be proud of. Things are toughest for players early on but that's how it goes in most Fallout games where you have to dig deep in order to survive.

Good:

- References to Fallout lore

- Easy to pick up and play

- In-app purchases are not required but are reasonable and available

Bad:

- Not much long term appeal

- Adversities that the game throw at you become easy later on

Scully Rating: 7.0 out of 10

Metro 2033 Redux

Zach Goodier

Metro 2033 is an FPS set in a post-apocalyptic Moscow where the survivors of a nuclear war live their lives in the metro stations under the city. Between the radiation above, and the mutated beasts roaming both above ground and within the dark tunnels, there is no shortage of threats to those who persist. You play as Artyom, a young man who has spent most of his live living in a metro station with other survivors. However, one day a Spartan ranger comes to the station, and soon the station falls under attack by mutant creatures, and a mysterious race called “the Dark Ones.” Artyom must embark on a mission to save not only his station, but the entirety of the Metro from devastation at the hands of this new threat.

The Metro is dark, and while the threats hide in the dark, so can you.

The story is very well done, immersing you in a desperate and divided world where everyone is finding their own way, resulting in factions, like the Stalinist Red Line and the Fourth Reich, who have gone to war over the remains of civilization within the tunnels. The Rangers are a neutral party devoted to keeping what outside threats they can at bay, such as the mutated animals, and eventually the Dark Ones. You meet interesting characters along the way who help make the dark tunnels feel less lonely, and they come to help you out along the way in finding your path.

Both environments and weapons all look and feel like piles of junk.

The game-play is excellent, with many weapons looking and feeling like the homemade patchwork guns they often are. Lots of guns are left over from the old world, but many have been fashioned from scraps and shoot metal balls or fashioned arrows, and tools like the re-charger make you have to stop to charge up the batteries on things like your flashlight, which use up juice. The game gives off a solid survival/horror vibe, with bits of fallout worked in here and there, like the currency, which is in military-grade ammo, which can be used to buy things, or used to give your weapons a huge damage boost, something I never even wanted to try.

All sorts of unpleasant creatures add to the tension, along with raiders and the Nazi/Communist war.

You can run-and-gun, but you often find it better to play it at least semi-stealthy so you can scout out enemies before committing to an attack. Gunfights are always exciting, and the lack of health bar means you have to gauge how hurt you are by the screen and breathing, which becomes more desperate as your injuries add up. Depending on the difficulty you choose, ammo can be very hard to come by, which supports the themes of survival and makes you seriously consider your approach to every encounter, and save ammo whenever possible.

The Dark Ones are a new and mysterious presence that makes the Metro even more perilous than usual.

Overall, this is an excellent game. The only real faults are that the game is very linear, with the ability to explore detours to find extra ammo here and there, so if you want an open game, don’t look here. Also, the cinematic nature of the game, with the cut-scenes, can sometimes rob the player of control to force you into a situation, which can break the immersion, and remind you that you’re playing someone else’s story, and that, to a certain extent, you are along for the ride. This doesn’t ruin the game at all, but for an RPG fan, it can feel difficult to have little influence on Artyom’s choices throughout the game. There are decisions you can make along the way that can open up an extra ending, but it still feels somewhat constricting and does limit the replay value. Still, If you want a world you can get lost in for hours, and a compelling story of survival and mystery, then look no further, the Metro is calling.

Good:

-Immersive world.

-Awesome weapons, both military and survivor-made.

-Great story of survival and mystery.

Bad:

-Linear, which limits exploration.

-Can be too cinematic at times, taking away control from the player at key moments to have a cut-scene that makes your decisions for you, and reminding you what little influence you have on the story.

Scully Rating: 8.0 out of 10

Rocket League EP 1

Battle Buddies

Hey Scully Nerd Review fans we have a youtube channel and today we posted a video of the battle buddies playing Rocket League!!!! Do Murphy and Dibble have what it takes to deal with the physics of this game? Also head over to SNR Gaming on YouTube to see our other videos.

INK

By: Robert Murphy

Platform gaming has been a genre that has stood the test of time over the years and even today people still can have a blast with the simple mechanics of these games. What is amazing however is how much the genre has evolved from simply making your way through various levels of difficulty by hopping on ledges, enemies or whatever the game has in store for you. INK is a game that proves that platformers still have some tricks up their sleeves by introducing something new and delightfully fun. Levels start out as a blank canvas and your little white square must make it's way to the rainbow colored goal in order to move forward. The trick is that until you start moving and splattering paint from your body you won't be able to see any of the obstacles that lay before you. By the end of most levels you are left with a ink splattered tapestry of your own creation.

At first glance things seemed a bit perplexing as you starred at the empty black void that most levels begin as but by the end you have an entire hidden world laid out before your eyes, a world that you brought to life. There is no way of knowing just what awaits you in each level of the game until you use your little white cubes abilities to unravel it. By moving in any direction you will leave a Gary the Snail style trail of colors that seep into the structures around you to let you see the shape of the structures you find yourself on. You also have a jump and a double jump which splatters paint from your wobbly body in all different directions. This is the most important feature as it sends paint flying everywhere to allow you to gauge what could possibly be waiting to explode your entire body into tiny paint blobs. Yes, even death has it's benefits, although the games achievements mock you slightly for dying, death also gives you insight into what dangers each level features by spreading paint in all directions just as your double jump does. 

It isn't half as frightening as it sounds to go through the levels with no idea what may be waiting for you as you will begin to gain expectations for the level layouts the more you play along with your Super Meat Boy-esque character. INK is not without it's tricks and various ideas though as the levels begin to evolve the more you begin to get use to your environment. Spikes, enemy paint beings and other obstacles such as moving platforms shake up the dynamic and ratchet up the puzzle solving element. I cannot tell you how freaked out I was when I jumped into a moving platform level where an enemy was shooting triangle blasts at me, all the while I never knew where my next safe platform would be. It can be quite panic inducing to be honest but that's what makes platformers so much fun to begin with, the sweat and relief you get from a particularly difficult level layout.

That being said, INK does have it's fair share of iffy controls that make death feel a little undeserved. Patience is key with these types of games but even the most seasoned gamer will get fed up with a level once they've tried it over and over again and so they begin to rush into levels hoping to get through them quicker. This is a problem for this game though as countless times I have rushed into a level and had my double jump already go off and I end up falling of the ledge to an immediate death. This can be chocked up to my own impatience but the games controls do feel quite slidey when often times you need precise movements for a platforming game. Use of a controller was something that I found to help with the controls and my repeated sliding movements but they still occurred from time to time and that did not help my rage meter in the least.

Despite this issue, INK is a delightfully creative game that has made it's way onto my Steam shelf. There is something deeply enjoyable about starting each new level, you have a completely blank canvas before you and you bring it to life by jumping, sliding and exploding your way through it. The movements may take some getting use to but this simple and innovative game capture my imagination from start to finish. 

Good:

- Innovative platform game

- Creating your very own unique levels through appealing color pallets

- Unique levels to explore and create with your tiny square paint brush

Bad:

- Character movement could use some work, movements tend to be very slidey

Scully Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Fairy Tail Chapter 448: Fight the Power

By: Sean Dibble

Fight the Power

Fairy Tail is back after a week off and this week Makarov finally returns home. The guild parties like nothing has ever happened, they all are happy and why shouldn't they be? Erza quits as guildmaster and hands the reigns back over to Makarov who is now the 8th guildmaster while also being the 3rd and 6th. During the party however Makarov feels it is necessary to apologize to his family for leaving them which they all agree was not necessary and then Makarov adds that they are up for a fight like none they have ever known. To which Natsu decides to uplift everyone with a very heart felt monologue that inspires them all for the upcoming battles. Toward the end of the chapter we see First again and she is about to tell us the history of Fairy Heart, aka Lumin history. 

Well guys we're in for something special, we are going to see next chapter the link between Zeref and Mavis. This is big not only are these two connected by magic but because Fairy Heart is Mavis herself and we don't know Zerefs endgame. Does he want to kidnap Mavis and keep her to himself? Or does she posses something so outrageous that he can use to win this war he is waging against humans and achnologia? Only time will tell and I cant wait for next weeks chapter. 

Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’

By: Robert Murphy

Dragon Ball Z has wasted no time with its comeback to the world as a second movie has made its way to theaters fresh off the heels of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. This latest movie brings back a time old favorite and the original evil mastermind to the first few season of the original show. That’s right, Frieza the galactic dictator has been brought back to life and he is all too eager to repair his damaged pride after being beaten by not just one but two Super Saiyans before finally being laid to rest in Earths hell. This charming little fact is something that has made his rage far more infinite considering the grueling torture he was put through and by grueling torture I mean being strung up like a piñata and sung to day and night by pixies and their magical stuffed animal friends.

Our story picks up a couple of odd years after the events of the last DBZ movie, no doubt the new series Dragon Ball Z Super is going to fill in that down time but for now let’s stick with what we know. Frieza’s former empire is having a tough go of it since he has been killed and the remaining forces could sure use his legendary strength once again and as it just so happens they have been looking high and low for the dragon balls so they can. Finally giving up, Frieza’s forces turn to Earth and wish him back to life with Earth’s dragon balls without the Z Warriors being any the wiser. Once he is revived he reveals a bit of a secret about himself and that is that he has never trained a single day in his life. Frieza was always the strongest being that the universe had ever known right from the get go and so no one ever was able to challenge his awesome power, until Goku that is. So with new resolve Frieza sets out to train and raise his power level to a height that Goku could never dream of reaching.

This made Frieza feel like an even better choice in villain than it ever had before, we already know how ruthless and terrifying he already was and now that he is actually trying and not underestimating his opponent, things will definitely get interesting. This is coupled with the fact that any fan of the series knows who Frieza is so there was no need to introduce him as a whole new character to get to know. I know that it felt insanely good to here Frieza call Goku and Vegeta monkeys all over again and return to his classic arrogant nature.

The humor in fact has never been stronger for a Dragon Ball Z film. Movies for the series have been quite serious in the past and involved Goku and everyone fighting some new terrifying enemy that has appeared and that was basically it. Battle of Gods though introduced a much more appealing dynamic to the films with its introduction of Beerus the terrible God of Destruction and Whis his faithful…butler…alien…person. I found myself laughing hysterically over the jokes spread throughout the film but at the same time there were some incredible action scenes between Goku and this new foe. Resurrection ‘F’ proved to keep this new style of DBZ movie going as it spent plenty of time poking fun at all of the characters. The banter between Vegeta and Goku during their training being the height of it all as it finally points out what fans have been saying for years about the twos abilities.

However, the one thing that didn’t seem to transfer over as well as it did with the previous film was the action. Don’t get me wrong, there are some phenomenal fights between all the Z Warriors as well as the main attraction of Goku versus Frieza. All the characters get their shot to show their moves as they take out Frieza’s grunts who are basically just pushovers for our seasoned fighters. Master Roshi can even beat these guys and that’s saying something.

Even our new character Jaco, a Galactic Patrolman, can take out these low level fights and he is just an alien with no ability to fly or shoot energy blasts. He is a welcomed edition to the group though as he further adds to the level of humor for Resurrection ‘F’. Despite his title, Jaco is a rather cowardly sort and has come to Earth only to warn Bulma and her father of Frieza’s return to Earth and only stays do to some nagging on Bulma’s part. The character is actually a member from a short manga series called Jaco the Galactic Patrolman and he is charged with the section of the galaxy that Earth resides in. The story is brief but during its span Jaco crashed on Earth and a young Bulma fixed his spaceship for him.

The overall problem to the fighting though was the fact that we know how far Goku and now even Vegeta have come since their last meeting with Frieza. Even though he has reached a superior level of power and a brand new form, Goku has gained the powers of a God pretty much. He isn’t as strong as Beerus but he is getting to be at that level and this makes for tension issues in the fighting. There is never any feeling that Frieza may actually win even when he transforms into his new form, love how it looks by the way, and Goku more or less toys with him. Goku has also reached an even further level since his fight with Beerus on top of all this, it also looks pretty awesome too, but where does that leave the momentum for the action?

This factor becomes even more apparent as Goku and Vegeta fight to take turns against Frieza and you realize that Vegeta is just standing on the side lines, fresh faced and ready to go when it’s his time to shine. I was insanely happy to see that Vegeta also was able to go toe to toe with Frieza and that there was every intention of including some amazing moments for his fight. My hopes were dashed however when you realize just how weak Frieza was at this point of the story and even his moment of glory he still doesn’t get to stand proud. To avoid any further spoilers I’ve left that previous statement intentionally vague but needless to say that there is a exceedingly weak cop out at the end of the story and Vegeta fans will be tearing their hair out.

Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ proved to have a truly promising start when it began, it had plenty of the laughs, action and even a brand new character to love. Things however take a sour turn at the halfway marker when Goku and Vegeta arrive on the scene and the final battle begins. The final portions of the film had no tension to them and even the humor of our two most powerful Saiyans fighting over who gets to fight Frieza proved to further weaken the already failing sense of danger. While I did enjoy my experience with Frieza and other aspects of the film there is no denying that there were definite flaws with the return of one of my favorite DBZ villains.

Good:

- Plenty of laughs

- Frieza is still an amazing DBZ villain

- Action scenes still look great and everyone gets their moment

Bad:

- Film falls downhill at the halfway mark

- Total lack of tension between Goku and Frieza

- Dialogue comes to a halt at the end along with an insanely weak cop out

Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10