Star Wars Battlefront

By: Robert Murphy

Ever wondered what it was like to be on the front lines of Endor or were you ever curious about what it looked like to stare out into the frozen wasteland of Hoth and see Imperial Walkers heading towards you? Well Star Wars Battlefront is perhaps the closest players will come to experience all of that and more first hand. 

If this particular Battlefront saga were to take place in any particular timeline it would be during the original Star Wars films, no prequel nonsense here, and tells players of the struggle between the Empire and the rebellion across a variety of online game modes. It's also simple for anyone out there who is not familiar with the massive following or lore to pick up. This is great considering a whole new generation of Star Wars fans is being spawned with the anticipated new film coming out in due time. Players will simply pick whichever game mode they would like and be placed on either side of the battlefield and armed with a blaster, some grenades and their skill.

It really is that simple when it boils down to it since the online mechanics are not that complex compared to any other heavily based multiplayer game on the market at the moment. Games like Call of Duty and the like have come so far that their multiplayer experience involves hours of tweaking to your particular class skills, weapons and abilities but Battlefront boils down to a simple assortment of blasters and grenades that all work in similar fashion to one another. Once you're in the game no blaster or weapon is particularly different they all have the same odd firing mechanic, shots going every which direction at times (no wonder the empire couldn't hit anything), but it's all very refreshing and fair when it comes to gameplay. Player cards and limited character customization making earning points through matches worth the effort, I particular oozed enjoyment when I finally got my jetpack and soared through battlefields like a Dark Trooper from the original Battlefront games.

That being said things can be fairly basic because of all this. Since the game is so accessible for anyone who would like to play it, it doesn't delve too deeply into the Star Wars lore. All of the major vehicles, characters and iconic landmarks are present but there is no real voice to the game that lends more in-depth development for those hardcore fans or those looking for something more. This may partially have to do with the games lack of a single player story experience. The game offers a week solo experience that boils down to nothing more than Training Missions or fighting waves of enemies in a Survival mode against AI. So bottom line is there really is no sense in buying the game if you won't play it online but for a series with such a rich universe this is a sad statement.

Getting back to the good stuff, there is a variety of different experiences to be had for whatever players might have been missing from the golden days of the first two Battlefront games. It's hard to beat the classic game modes such as team deathmatch, hero hunt or even capture the flag (which is capture the cargo in this case) which are spread across thirteen different maps set on four planets, Hoth, Endore, Tatooine and Sullust. Each of which is highly detailed and balanced well for any game mode that you plan to choose from while allowing you enough time to both shoot your enemies and enjoy the fact that you are in an insanely well adapted Star Wars environment. 

What really puts things in perspective though are the heavier game modes that take things to a whole new level with massive battle scenarios such as Walker Assault, Fighter Squadron and Supremacy. These game types are insane and filled with nonstop chaos coming at players in every direction you can possibly think of. Massive walkers stomp across the battlefield while Rebel X-Wing's try to ensnare them with hooks and tiny soldiers drudge across the battlefield taking one another out until you see Lord Vader come in and chuck a few in different directions. It's amazing and that's where Battlefront gains back some of it's replay factor, by simply pushing your nostalgia for the Star Wars series to the limit. Between flying the Millennium Falcon across a sky filled with enemy combatants to reenacting the triumphant victory over the Empire on Endor, your inner fandom self will be screaming outward. 

It's long been said that video games don't do well when they're adapted from TV shows or movies, Star Wars Battlefront is one of those game series that has stood out as being one of the exceptions. While no other game series out there can do more for offering up such a rich and immersing experience into it's lore, there is still something to be desired here. There is plenty brought forth here for any fan to love but it does miss an underline voice to it's narrative and something truly compelling to drive everything it has home for it. But, where it is succeeds is in recreating some of the fondest memories from my childhood and will hopefully inspire newcomers as it did for plenty of hardcore fans.

Good:

- An easy to jump into multiplayer experience for all game modes

- A true to form Star Wars recreation

- Big battles such as Supremacy, Walker Assault and Fighter Squadron

Bad:

- A poor single player experience

- Lacks a certain drive that prevents too much replayability

Scully Rating: 7.5 out of 10

The Seven Deadly Sins

Zach Goodier

Seven Deadly Sins is an action anime that centers around the adventures of Meliodas and Elizabeth as they seek to find the Seven Deadly Sins, a group of elite Holy Knights, the warriors that seek to preserve order in the realm. Elizabeth, a princess, seeks to find these warriors to halt increasing corruption and discontent within the realm, and within the holy knights themselves. What ensues is an action-adventure anime with plenty of humor, awesome abilities, and a story that takes our growing band of heroes across the realm as they eventually face a conspiracy that could bring the world to ruin.

Meliodas is the now typical "pervert with a heart of gold... who happens to be a badass."

The story overall is pretty straightforward. The first few episodes focus on introducing the characters and setting up some villains, but then things start to pick up as the main arc unfolds. There’s a few twists and turns along the way, but nothing particularly mind-blowing. This show focuses more on the action and humor, which are both done exceptionally well.

I can't find a better picture to sum up the feel of this series.

The overall look and style of this show might seems a little too shonen for some, so be warned if you’re into a more mature and detailed style of characters, because it might prove difficult to deal with, especially with such a heavy sounding title as Seven Deadly Sins might imply. Still, the animation is all fairly well done, with increasingly epic destruction as the series moves forward.

Ban, or "Greed," has the ability to heal from virtually any injury, even if it should be fatal.

The characters are similarly straightforward, with Meliodas being one of the main protagonists, as well as the Dragon Sin: Wrath. Once again, if you want a heavy, deep character, then you’d better not watch this show. Meliodas is actually a nice guy who uses abilities that allow him to turn his opponents attacks back on them. Most of the Sins work this way, with abilities that somehow relate to the “sins” they carry, often relating to their back-stories. Sins like Envy and Greed prove to be great sidekicks to the group, adding a lot of humor and action as more fights occur.

King, or "Sloth," has a beef with Ban that goes into both their tragic pasts. The sins don't always see eye-to-eye on things.

Overall, this is a light-hearted, fun series that will likely entertain you for a while. However, this doesn’t have the weight or depth that gives it longevity, and will likely be a passing fancy before moving on to bigger and better things. Still, the ride is enjoyable while it lasts, and some moments might stick with you. Sure, it does some things well, but it’s basically all the things that tons of other shows have done, and done well, for years now, so this doesn’t break any new ground.

Good:

-Great action.

-Fun characters.

Bad:

-Not very memorable.

Scully Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Bleach 653: The Theatre Suicide Scene 7

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/653/

Another glimpse into the past reveals more of the relationship between Kyoraku and his relatives. However, back in the present, Nanao is feelings the stress of her battle, with the imposing Borro staring her down. However, Kyoraku arrives in time to help steady her nerves before facing her opponent. As Borro prepares to unleash a devastating attack, she shields herself. However, as the attack bears down on her, it is Borro who bears the injury, as he realizes that his godly power was reflected back at him. He then begins to break apart; is this the end of Borro?

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3

By: Robert Murphy

The original Black Ops was a corner stone for the Call of Duty series as it not only took steps to tell it's own mind bending story with tales of espionage and mystery. As for Black Ops 2, the game offered up an enhanced multiplayer experience rich with some of the first in depth customization players could make to their characters. With all this in mind, I made the leap to see if the third iteration to the series would prove to have some memorable ear mark to it's gameplay just as it's predecessors have had before it.

Starting out with the fan favorite, Black Ops 3's multiplayer experience takes off in a few new directions when it comes to making your own unique character. The same solid customization styling is present and it allows you to upgrade your weapons, perks and other gadgets to your preferred play style. Now however, players can select from a variety of super soldier characters that come with their own abilities to help you gain the edge in multiplayer. Through regular leveling you will be able to unlock more of these characters but are granted a few available characters at the start. It's almost like choosing a hero in League of Legends and with some characters having abilities such as explosive arrows or access to intense kinetic power armor it creates a whole new avenue for players to watch out for. The system of choosing which soldier and switching in between them is quick and simple which helps when changing between various game types that might be better suited to someone else's abilities.

This sense of exploration though is fairly limited as the variety of characters are few and far in between. Each of the base soldiers has two options to choose from such as the Battery who has the choice of either a grenade launcher or the kinetic armor ability that I previously mentioned. This is great because the nine base soldiers become eighteen given that they each have two choices to decide upon but that later unlocks come on so slowly that I felt little need to try them out. I personally found myself ignoring my characters ability half the time and was more focused on the good old running and gunning aspects I've come to know so in the end it just felt like dead weight. The same goes for the final score screen that depicted who came in first, second and third and making a grand show of it, I felt like screaming "get me to my next match, please!"

The maps players will be battling it out on are just as unique as the new characters players will be using. Each map feels balanced with multiple layers to it as well as a variety of ways to travel from point A to point B. One map in particular, Hunted, had had an underwater tunnel leading from inside of it's tropical bungalow to the outside and I hadn't even known it was there until I ran after an enemy inside of it. Popping in and out of the water or jumping over a waterfall onto a nearby bridge was the most exhilarating experience I've had with a map in quite some time. The new wall running functionality is also taken advantage of in each map, lunging to a nearby edge and unleashing bullets while running is a first for my Call of Duty experience and while it isn't wholly new it is incorporated well with the maps you have to choose from here.

Of course, traditional multiplayer isn't the only way to play matches with friends or strangers in Call of Duty these recent years and the classic Zombies mode makes it's comeback. Classic may actually be the term for the zombie horde mission this time around as you and three other members will fight your way through the streets of some sort of noire style crime solving venture called Shadows of Evil. The four characters playing through this escapade being voiced by Jeff Goldblum, Ron Perlman, Heather Graham and Neal McDonough all fight through back alley streets dressed and playing their parts to the "T" but things are not as simple as they once were in previous zombies stories.

There has always been an underline hidden story or objective to be accomplished in the zombie game modes of the past and now it is no different but with the added twist of a few new curve balls thrown into the mix. There is a bit of a learning curve when things first out as you start crammed into a small space trying to figure out what this or that does, I spent about five minutes starring at the new bizarre plant that looked like something out of Little Shop of Horrors. There were also new transformations, automatic player perks and item drops that are hidden throughout the map to unlock the gumball function in the Zombie main menu. After a few matches things start to become more clear and while it is initially confusing, it is a worthwhile experience considering the deranged nature of this now revamped game mode. 

As an added bonus to Black Ops 3's story mode, zombies has made it's way into the story by having it's own zombie mode to playthrough. Once players have beaten the game they're treated to an alternate storyline where instead of a global terror threat there has been a zombie outbreak. The story is paced completely different from the original story but made the chore of going through the main campaign worth the few hours of gameplay.

After a brief attempt at customization the main campaign drags it's way through the usual amount of dog fights and mow down sequences of it's past but not before ripping off every single one of your limbs in a gruesome torture scene. Yes, the first few moments of the campaign are fairly bleak and make a point to mark out how dangerous moving forward into a world of massive communication and robotics could one day become, a message I somehow dug up from the mundane experience I had with this story. The characters, including yourself, are all linear from the get go and never strike out as worth while characters to be spending an entire game chasing after. In attempt to use the success built on the success of Advanced Warfare Christopher Meloni lends his voice and appearance to an in game character but never warrants any attention or provides any memorable narrative like Kevin Spacey before him.

Moments where I was enthralled by the campaign came from the full benefits of cybernetic upgrades. With the simple push of a button players will be able to hack into just about anything their hearts desired and being that the game is based on a future where everything is connected, it covers a lot of ground. Depending on your selected cybernetic load out players will be able to hack into enemy robots, hack their cybernetics, turn their turrets against them or blow up small squadron of drones in an instant. The upgrades were a small joy to behold in sea of sub par enemy encounters and challenges that were presented here.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 makes multiple strides toward trying new things for a series that has seen so many titles over the years and is one that people often may question picking up title after title each year. It's a symptom that many series are currently suffering from and while not everything panned out smoothly, there are glimmers of potential strewn throughout the game that with a little work could prove to be fantastic new additions to the future of the series.

Good:

- Specialist offer a brief but enjoyable aspect to multiplayer

- Multiplayer maps are balanced and beautiful

- Zombies goes in a bizarre yet compelling new direction

Bad:

- Campaign is a chore

- Multiple new ideas are clearly tried here and there but do not pan out

- Multiplayer has little lasting appeal

Scully Rating: 7.0 out of 10

Game of Thrones: Episode 6 - The Ice Dragon

By: Robert Murphy

Often times it's easy to think by the end of the story that the good guy wins and all of the bad guys will be soundly defeated. Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin has been one of those voices in the world to drastically change that opinion though and this is something that Telltale has taken to heart throughout it's entire Game of Thrones adaptation and so it's climactic conclusion should prove to be no different. The Ice Dragon has placed all the members of the Forrester house in key positions for the upcoming battle but now the weight of all your previous decisions may prove to come back and haunt you.

It's easy to disregard certain minor choices that you have made in a video game because they are just that, they're minor, and even Telltale has chosen to view them as that, or at least that's what I thought. The first few moments with each of the remaining Forrester house members set the town for how perilous your entire playing experience will be for this chapter. Did you choose to place your family first above everything else and not played it safe with the relationships you were forming around you. Were you brash and defiant to those who are in power or did you play it safe and bind your time? The game will certainly let you feel all of it if that is the case.

Rodrick/Asher and House Forrester have found themselves starring down their greatest enemies, The Whitehills, and their entire massive force which now sits outside of their gates. Both have their own major plans and schemes that you will see unfold (depending on your choice last episode) but in the end it really ends the same. This isn't to say I didn't deeply enjoy carving out some much due vengeance against my enemies but it felt rather fruitless by the end due to the promise of something more. Yes, it appears that there will another season to the Telltale Game of Thrones experience and while the thought of another game does sound good, it left much to be desired by some of the conclusions, especially with Rodrick/Asher. The battle unfolds and despite your best efforts everything ends the same and you are left to question how you could possibly save your house, nothing feels concluded here and it's a big let down for all the efforts up until this point to do something about the upcoming threat.

Another criticism to be had with these events is that they bore a little too closely to some of the series more famous source material. Not much of what I was experiencing felt all that new to me and the added parts weren't that exceptional but rather they were thrown in to add to the shock and bloodshed that is strewn throughout this final chapter. I sincerely doubt that Telltale wanted to make such a striking similarity to what has already been done before them but it still felt stilted in the end.

As for the rest of House Forrester things fair in much the same fashion as the fate of their doomed house seemed all the more certain. Mira Forrester finds the snake that has been coiling around her grow increasingly tighter after events with a certain Lannister guard put her in serious danger. Her exploits up until this point have been nothing short of amazing though as a little handmaiden she has effectively usurped people who have been playing at the games of The Red Keep for far longer than her. Her story has been one of the constant highlights for the series and this fact makes her constant defeated choices this chapter feel all the more painful. No matter what I felt that there was a no win scenario for Mira in this last chapter, no choice I could make and no deal I could forge to save me which confused me since I had made so many friendships. It was one of the moments where I felt the choice system failed me and that I should have been able to get out of the situation I found myself in.

Far north of The Wall things for Gared and his dwindling party of friends were no better off. Gared's story has been a steady stream of inconsistency and this doesn't change for this last chapter, even though he finally finds The North Grove. Aside from it's inhabitants possessing some interesting powers there really is nothing grand about the place. The two new mystery characters hint and the potential power that his hidden away here but never explain exactly what it is. There were plenty of heebie jeebie moments to be had here but outside of that everything is once again a big let down for Gared's story and just like with things back at the Forrester's home, we are left on another cliff hanger for the potential next season. 

As I've said before, nothing in the Game of Thrones universe ends happily ever after because this fairy tale isn't like the ones from your childhood. The conclusion to the first season of Telltale's Game of Thrones does have everything you would come to expect, a bloody conclusion to end out the torment of House Forrester. If only it were truly the end of things however, plenty of what is done for this last episode serves as nothing more than a segway to later things. So rather than leaving players with a tremendous last note everything feels open ended and dragged out when it could of ended quick and clean like a sword on the executioners block in true Martin fashion.

Good:

- Asher/Rodrik's much needed vengeance

- Impossible choices

Bad:

- Lacks a worthy conclusion for any of the characters

- Still don't know what The North Grove is

- Mira's upsetting story

- Cuts closely to the source material

Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10

Fallout 4

Zach Goodier

Fallout 4 is the latest installment in the classic franchise, and it places us in the shoes of a pre-war vault-dweller who, on the eve of nuclear war, signs up for a place in vault 111 for their family. Just as the news alerts the local area to the nuclear attacks, the people all flee. It is a moment of panic and fear as people desperately try to escape the impending apocalypse. Your character makes it to the vault at the last moment, along with their spouse and infant son. Just when it seems that they have reached safety, they are lured into cryogenic pods, and frozen without their consent. 200 years later, you awaken to a mercenary escorting a scientist, as they awaken the occupants and steal your son away and kill your spouse. What ensues is a great quest to track down your missing child, exploring the ruins of the Commonwealth in the wake of nuclear war.

"Deathclaw, meet minigun. Minigun... Deathclaw."

If you’ve played Fallout games before, then you know what the general tone of these games is, and that hasn’t really changed much. You’ll explore ruins, fight ghouls, raiders, and many other threats. As you explore the ruins and search for your son, you’ll meet up with multiple factions, like the Minutemen: a group of militia that seeks to protect the peaceful inhabitants trying to rebuild civilization. Other groups include the Institute: a group of elite pre-war scientists whose descendants are looking to use technology to rule/secure the Commonwealth, The Railroad: a group of people seeking to save the synthetic humans the Institute creates/enslaves to try to dominate, and the always popular Brotherhood of Steel returns, looking to eradicate the Institute and all its creations, innocent “synths” included.

The Minutemen are old-fashioned guardians of the Commonwealth. They even use laser muskets... true story.

The story is fairly decent, by Fallout standards. That is to say, you will probably feel the story is similar to previous installments (mainly 3), so it won’t blow you away. There are a couple of nice twists here and there, but it’s the atmosphere and exploration and side-quests that hooked me. There are so many stories to uncover, and experiences to be had. Old subway tunnels feel eerie and are often crawling with feral ghouls, while the surface is home to raiders and super mutants, all looking to attack anyone who comes near. It probably took some cues from Mad Max in polishing the already “Mad Max” feel to this world, but you certainly feel more ruthlessness and desperation in this than previous titles.

You can even mod power armor, including mixing and matching pieces from different sets to create your own custom armor.

One of the best ways of doing this is by having settlements. If you help the Minutemen, one of your primary tasks is to secure potential areas for resettlement. By doing this, you can build and place structures in order to feed, protect, and put settlers to work. This can yield things like caps, travelling merchants to trade with, or simply a safe-house for when you need to stop and rest. Special abilities for each faction can be unlocked as you earn trust with them. Minutemen unlock cannons for settlement structures, which let you use smoke grenades to call in artillery when enemies are dug in too tight. You can also use flares to call Minutemen troops to aid you. Similar abilities exist for the other factions, like the Brotherhood of Steel allowing you to call in a vertibird transport to travel between locations.

And yes, one of those upgrade IS a jetpack. I know you were about to ask.

Visuals are better than any previous game, but once again, you have to know and love Fallout to understand exactly what I mean. If you nit-pick, then you will see plenty of reused textures and a lack of definition to a lot of walls and such, but this isn’t a game that tries to flash you the highest resolution textures on the market, it’s a game meant to be experienced through its vast world and fantastic gameplay. So if you are one of those that look at graphics above all, then you might not see this game as impressive.

Institute "Synths" are artificial humans created to serve the Institutes will. Some want to liberate them, others want to exterminate them as abominations of science. New models are almost indistinguishable from humans.

There are several endings (so minor SPOILERS on the this paragraph), which correspond to what faction you side with. You can even side with any of the 4 main factions, but two will be destroyed in the process of ending the main story. I’ll leave it to you to discover, because it can be a mess trying to explain the gist of it all if you haven’t already gotten at least half way into the game. There are moral impacts to each, making you prioritize between order, freedom for the Commonwealth, freedom for synths, and/or your family. Like the factions themselves, there is no perfect choice, only the belief that certain ideals are more important than others.

Brotherhood of Steel fans will appreciate how much the group has grown over the years. They're a force to be reckoned with now, with fleets of vertibirds and even a massive airship that serves as they're HQ in the Commonwealth.

This game is a masterpiece, plain and simple. The ability to modify gear and build settlements makes it feel like we’ve graduated from simply surviving the wastelands to actually mastering it. It makes you more involved in the world, and while you are out exploring and resettling, you also get to build your customized arsenal that truly feels unique. The main story isn’t all that original or deep, but the world is what you’ll be most interested in, anyways. It’s the most beautiful Fallout by a mile, and with both new and familiar groups, there’s never been a better time to explore the wastelands.

Good:

-Beautiful open world that will have you looking under every rock and climbing every hill.

-Settlements are a brilliant way to add depth to the world.

-Combination of old and new groups really help players to understand the desperation and moral conflict of life in this world.

Bad:

-Main story isn’t as original as some might be hoping.

Scully Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Bleach 652: The Theatre Suicide 6

Zach Goodier

Nanao attacks a confident Barro, and we glimpse once more into the tragic history of Kyoraku and Nanao as we see their past. Nanao had shadowed Kyoraku since her academy days, when she felt drawn to him due to his women's haori and hairpin that he wore, both reminding her of her mother. It was only later that she recognized him as the man who her mother had entrusted with the Ise family blade. She was never able to bond with an asauchi, so she never actually possessed a zanpakuto, but her talent with kido was unmatched by her peers, so she was taken into squad 8. Back in the present, Nanao lands a strike on Borro; however, it only takes off his arm, and he realizes the power the sword possesses, and vows to not let her land another strike. Just as Nanao had given up hope, Kyoraku appears to protect her. Will the two be able to finish the mighty "Messenger of God?"

Assassin's Creed Syndicate

By: Robert Murphy

Assassin's Creed as a franchise has cornered the market on the alternate history formula over the past decade or so as the g an invisible war of Templars and Assassins. Key moments in history take on a drastically different perspective as players discover that they were all influences by these force. Assassin's Creed Syndicate however takes a far lighter approach to the history lessons we've seen in the past as you play the role of twin assassins Evie and Jacob Frye as they attempt to save Victorian England from the grips of the Templars who control it. 

The Industrial Revolution was a fantastic time in history, humanity made huge leaps forward with the introduction of all manner of machinery and devices that connected us all. However, it is easy to forget the darker sides of this time of poor working conditions, child labor and ruthless captains of industry who sought to make their fortune off the exploitation of others. Syndicate does not forget these facts though and decides that the tyrants of this time would make apt additions to the Templar order as they seek to dominate all of England for themselves. Hearing about these tragedies is what leads your assassin's to head for the streets of London in order to put an end to the Templar threat with the help of some important names along the way.

Jacob and Evie both bring a unique perceptive to the game and while their have been other assassin's to share ideals with in the past never have two assassin's been as close as these two. Both were appealing characters to play as and I never found myself wanting to play as one over the other and I purposely created different play styles for each of them to make things far more interesting. In any case, Jacob is the more brutish member of the duo and sees more importance in taking down Templars than he does in the history or the artifacts known as the Pieces of Eden. And, of course, Evie is the exact opposite of her brother. Evie relishes in Assassin history and knowing about their esteemed heritage, she also places huge importance on locating any of Pieces in Templar hands for she knows how powerful they can be. The two's bickering throughout the story makes for some enjoyable dialogue while also giving great perspectives on each side of what it is to be a Templar and leaving it up to you to decide for yourself by allowing you to freely choose between who you play as. Certain missions will put you in the shoes of Evie or Jacob but usually the two are not far from one another, just listen for the yelling and constant arguing.

The focus of the story this time around remains mainly fixed on the events of the Frye siblings, as it should. Too many time have Assassin's Creed game attempted to juggle the Assassin story and a modern world story that revolves around the person whose ancestor players are currently controlling. Many of the plot lines feel rather shallow in that regard, doomsday plots to destroy the world and some ancient "alien" beings from way before humanity began. There is still a brief modern story presented this time around as well but it is thankfully glossed over for the greater part of the gameplay but it frankly should have just been completely omitted as it does nothing for the game.

Like previous Assassin's Creed games, your character and your entire world can be upgraded and changed as players influence the world around you. Victorian England is a hustling and bustling city with life beaming from every corner of it so it makes sense that you would be able to use all that to your advantage. Outside of upgrading Evie and Jacob's outfits and weaponry you can also upgrade your gang of men you created to combat the Templar threat, a group known as the Rooks. Spending in game cash that players earn through various jobs and missions will allow you to add higher ranks to their men, give them pistols, higher men with specific skills and plenty more. Players can also put that money towards weakening the enemy Templar gang known as the Blighters or even use it to get more money to their in-game safe on board of a mobile train base (Wild Wild West style!). There are also upgrades that can be made to the city itself by adding things such as more cargo shipments to allow hanging barrels to be perched throughout the city that can be used to take down large groups of enemies.

Exploring this thriving metropolis is another delightful experience and even though it can appear quite massive, Syndicate has developed a number of easy ways to maneuver across it's landscape without it feeling like a nuisance. One of the prominent names that graces the game is Alexander Graham Bell who takes on the role of Assassin inventor and makes most of the interesting gadgets that players will be given. One such gadget is the rope launcher which works a lot like the Batman series zip launcher and can be used to hook onto high ledges and connect to adjacent buildings making for some quick and easy traveling throughout the city. I was initially skeptical of the device as one of the best parts of the Assassin's Creed games has been reaching those beautiful high points in the games and for London it is no different but cutting out some of the pain in the butt middle math was actually really great.

Syndicate also features a fast travel system that will allow you to travel to any one of the unlocked synchronize points spread throughout the boroughs but where's the fun in that especially when you have the rope launcher and carriages. As I said, London is a thriving city so there is no shortage of buggies and other modes of transport to steal to get from point A to point B. Stealing some of these carriages plays into some of the games side quests as well which leads to some interesting combat maneuvering. Players will be able to hop into the back of moving cars in order to fight pesky Blighters hitching a ride with a seamless transition from driving to riding. 

This free movement however doesn't completely transfer over to the regular gameplay elements for players characters. Free flowing attacks are an ear mark for Assassin's Creed and continue hear for combat and most other regular movements but when it comes to climbing and traversing certain obstacles things get bogged down. Countless times I would be in the middle of a chase or trying to do a specific movement on top of a roof or along a cat walk only to find my character not responding to my controls. Syndicate has made it so moving from low points requires players to switch from free run and press a different button to move downward. It also pops up in situations involving the River Thames where I would attempt to move from boat to boat or other objects and I came to a grinding halt. While these problems aren't enough to ruin the game but did lead to some screaming matches with my TV screen.  

The story itself is fluid and works well as you move in between all the random side quests and optional missions that come across your path. I often found myself moving throughout the streets on my way to a destination when a job to assassinate a gang member arrives. I throw caution to the wind and take care of the task and then I was back on my way, it's delightful and highly addictive as I accomplished multiple tasks on my to doing the original one I set out to do. This fluidity though comes to grinding halt once you come face to face with the game's final boss. Rather than a unique and triumphant battle sequences players are left to juggle a few obstacles and then are met with a brief quick time event to end out your session. It's a bit of a let down after so much lead up, it's just one of those moments where you expect so much more after all that has come before. 

There has always been a thriving world present in everyone of the Assassin's Creed games that have come and gone but Syndicate has brought the living breathing city of London to it's peek. You can almost feel the grinding gears of industry seep from the game as you swing across the cities skyline with whichever assassin you choose to play as at the time. And just like this Era would suggest, there is plenty of rich opportunity out there to be taken advantage of and I for one was eager to grab hold of it for myself.

Good:

- Victorian England is a living breathing playground

- Story is fun and focuses on what's important, the Assassins

- Customizing your gang as well as your character

- Evie and Jacob are both great characters

Bad:

- Disappointing ending

- Character movements can be imprecise

- The modern day story was dull as usual

Scully Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Bleach 651: The Theatre Suicide Scene 5

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/651/?ref=email

Kyoraku remembers the past as he returns one of his zanpakuto to Nanao, the zanpakuto's original owner. Nanao's mother, Kyoraku's sister-in-law, was of the Ise clan. The Ise clan was a clan of all women, who were cursed to have their husbands die young. Kyoraku's brother married Nanao's mother, who cut ties with the clan hoping to avoid the curse. However, it turns out there is no escaping it, and to try to protect Nanao from the curse, her mother asked Kyorako to hold onto the only zanpakuto in the family: Hakkyouken. In exchange for the sacrifice of the husbands who marry into the family, the zanpakuto has the power to "scatter heavenly beings." With this new weapon, can Nanao bring down the divine messenger?

Spectre

By: Robert Murphy

Much like the main villain for the latest installment to the James Bond series, Spectre moves about with hushed tones. This will be the last Bond film to feature star Daniel Craig as it's leading man and while this last film connects any lose ends from the previous films it never quite stands on it's own. That being said the efforts to create a great connecting story to all the recent additions made for some interesting developments for the story and takes the story in a new/revamped direction that later films would do well to take advantage of down the line.

Long are the days where James Bond would enter into a ridiculous situation filled with bad dialogue, ridiculous gadgets and super villains seated in rooms of minions bent on world domination, or is it? Spectre captures much of what made the original Bond films incredibly cheesy but made them less of a spectacle and more of a serious affair. This I believe is what the film makers have been doing slowly up until this point as they've brought back time old character such as Miss Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw). Now though we are in full on Bond mode with the introduction of the mastermind to all of Bond's misfortunes, the leader of the criminal organization known as Spectre. 

Yes the much hyped leader of the evil organization, Franz Oberhauser (Christopher Waltz) or the Pale King as he is called, has finally been tracked down and brought out of the shadows thanks to a parting gift by the previous M (Judi Dench). He and Bond go face to face in a number of situations as it is revealed that he has a deep connection to Bond's past as well as some of the treacherous occurrences in his present. Where all the other villains to come to pass have been impeccable on their own it would seem that they were just puppets on a string to the Franz Oberhauser and his grand organization. But sadly he does not share in the same splendor as the previous films villains even as he sits firmly in control for most of the movie, he does not take charge and stand out as the grand leader of the menacing organization that has plagued the world all these years. 

This is also extends to Spectre as an organization as well and while I praised the film for it's inclusion of classic Bond tropes it is also a double edged sword. It appears you can't take all of the good that the previous Bond movies have done without taking the bad with it as some of the goofier exploits seeped over into the story. This in particular begins when Bond sets out to find Spectre only to find a grieving widow in need of protection, there is horrible cheesy dialogue that somehow turns sex into a formal interrogation for information. Fast forward to the introduction of the Pale King and you meet the hulking henchman who plagues Bond like Jason Statham in the reason Fast and the Furious film. Played by Guardians of the Galaxy's Hinx (Dave Bautista) pops up in whatever corner of the globe Bond ends up in this film (there are SO many) and he makes his introduction by pulling some classic snapping your neck style shenanigans. That ridiculousness aside the character shares the same qualities as Waltz where there is no real flaw with the character, he's just not strong enough to see over and over again.

As the story retraces some off it's roots however stable footing is found with it's characters. Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) returns to shed some light once again on the organization that he has spent his entire life working with, where you once thought he aided Le Chiffre, he actually was aiding Dominic Greene and so on and so forth. While his character has seen better days he nonetheless gives some helpful advice and a chilling performance for his brief time on screen. The same goes for the leading lady that he sends Bond after, Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux), who returns the tradition of making all other Bond style leads to shame just as Vesper did in Casino Royale. The attraction between the two is almost instantaneous and watching the two dance around each other in a world of espionage was spectacular. Both of them being raised in the shadows and knowing how to handle themselves but at the same time they share a similar damaged quality that befits one another. 

Things with the diverging story is very par for the course as well, the new M (Ralph Fiennes) and the other members of MI6 have their own issues to deal with after the move to remove the double O program is about to be done away with to make way for a new electronically monitored future filled with drones, surveillance and basically everything that got the NSA in trouble with the United States. Heading up the initiative for this program is a man dubbed by Bond as C (Sherlock's Andrew Scott) and he and M share some short but heated stare down situations with another that leads nowhere good. Q himself gets his hands dirty too and has a chance to stand out more as a character which after Skyfall was well earned and the same goes for Moneypenny who plays secret squirrel to Bond for most of the story and continuing her charming role alongside Q.

Spectre has plenty of the guns, car chases and that classic male bravado that makes a Bond film what it needs to be but it just never pops out as a grand conclusion to everything that we've seen so far. Everything ties up neatly in a bow by the closing credits and leaves just enough breadcrumbs to be picked up by the next Bond star to contend with but all the build up was far too low key. The final send off for a Bond character leaves much more to be desired and while I did not hate how things end up I would have liked there to be more left to stand on than what was presented here. 

Good:

- Bringing more of the classic Bond style tropes from old films

- Ties together all of the events of previous films

- Side characters such as Q, Moneypenny and newcomer Madeline Swann

Bad:

- Spectre as an organization is a little too old school

- Lacks a powerful send off for a conclusion of Craig as Bond

- Disappointing villain 

Scully Rating: 6.0 out of 10