The Lone Gamer

Fast Tube by Casper
Centurion? Or perhaps… Imperial?

Even though Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V Skryim has certainly proven to be a worldwide, multi-media sensation, we haven’t really heard any rumblings of a possible game-to-film translation of adventures in the Nord homeland… well, aside from that live-action trailer made for the game posted during release. Perhaps it’s best that the fantasy realm of Tamriel remain in gamers’ minds rather than be watered-down and rationalized by some small-minded director and equally small budget. But then, apart from the many fan flicks and shorts released online and such, perhaps there’s already some existing films, which given some tweaking, may actually pass for a ‘Skyrim’ movie.

One such film, I realized tonight while watching cable, is Centurion (2010), starring Michael Fassbender (Magneto from X-Men: First Class). The action-thriller, set during the Roman occupation of the lands of the barbarian Picts (Scotland), relates the harrowing tale of several Roman legionnaires trying to reach safety as they are pursued by a vengeful force of bloodthirty barbarian hunters. Of course, we can easily consider the protagonists as Imperial Legionnaires, while their adversaries may be either extra-savage Nords or perhaps Forsworn (the more savage tribal faction of NPCs in Skyrim’s Reach region); head baddie Etain (Olga Kurylenko) certainly looks and fights like a Forsworn Ravager, complete with Dual Wielding.

Perhaps some enterprising film editor can splice together some clips and edit a bit of dialogue to include more Skyrim-ish terms and dialogue, and set the whole thing to music from the mega-hit RPG. Just a thought. Well, of course the flick could use a bit more magic, and really- with Quick Travel, would such travails be really necessary? Ah well, the pleasures of Skyrim. On the gaming side, I recently just actually finished playing through the Civil War and Main Quests for the first time EVER (yeah I know, funny), which means I actually have finally finished a game after a good long while. I still plan on playing Skyrim still indefinitely, and with more mods and Dawnguard on the way, I don’t think I’ll be taking the game off my laptop anytime soon (if ever). Heheh. Yeah, even with Diablo III’s impending release. What can I say? Best RPG ever. Really. So if you haven’t tried it yet (where were you, man?), give Skyrim a try. And to start yourself off, watch Centurion. Or not.

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Light on sights but heavy on promise.

The latest stuff from Bethesda isn’t about the upcoming Dawnguard DLC for Skyrim… but about the just-announced MMO based on the Elder Scrolls world, The Elder Scrolls Online. Details are limited as yet, but this shindig will be set about a millennium before the events in the Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, but will apparently span the whole realm of Tamriel (Cyrodiil, Skyrim, Morrowind, etc.). Players take part in various factions and will war for control of the strife-ridden land. The trailer itself isn’t anything spectacular, just a logo and a voiceover. But then, heck… the first teaser trailer for Skyrim wasn’t that exciting but see how that turned out (Best RPG Ever!). Still, I’m not putting too much into this- I’m really not an MMO guy, and this seems to reek of trying to become another WOW. I’ll most probably check it out, but color me not that into it… I’ll wait for the next chapter in the proper, main Single Player RPG Elder Scrolls, thank you very much… I AM after all, the Lone Gamer.

UPDATE: False alarm, folks…. apparently the pics are just from TTT2, not from TxSF. Apparently Michael Murray was messing around with Tekken Tag 2′s customization mode (Arcade debug) and sent those pics to Harada. Well, that’s good in a way. Another nice little bit is that when I asked Mike if the Customization mode on the console will be improved from the Arcade version, he said ‘Yes.’ No details of course, but I guess that’s something. We’ll see then as we work our way to September.

Tekken team member Michael Murray (mkeryu@Twitter) posted some intriguing pics recently, which some are assuming are from the in-development crossover fighter, Tekken X Streetfighter. The pics aren’t exactly on the polished side, showing off what appears to be Ganryu dressed up as Ryu, Bob as Ken and Heihachi as Akuma. Does this point to some sort of costume-swapping feature in the final game? Anyway, to view the pics posted, head on over to this article by Tekken-Nation, where all the images have been conveniently posted.

I am looking forward to this game, although that excitement IS tempered by the knowledge that we won’t be seeing TxSF anytime soon. As of now, Harada is concentrating on TTT2 Console, which releases in September. That means we’ll be playing TxSF perhaps sometime in mid-to-late 2013… assuming the Apocalypse doesn’t happen. Aren’t we all so optimistic?

More as we get it then!

More adventures are set to rise in Skyrim!

Bethesda’s blog just got updated with the intriguing visual above, and some cryptic words. Dawnguard, whatever it is- is set for release on Xbox360 this summer. Other than that… nothing else save that more info will be coming at this year’s E3. I assume that this expansion or whatever it is will eventually come to other platforms. Till then, I’ll be playing the PC version and loving it. So what could Dawnguard be all about? Will it involve the Mythic Dawn and Mehrunes Dagon (again?)? The town of Dawnstar? The Daedric artifact, Dawnbreaker? Or is it something altogether totally new?
I’m sure a lot of Dovahkiin have shaped Skyrim to some degree by now… it will be very interesting to see how this new adventure or questline fits into the greater scheme of things. Will it have bearing on the existing quests? Will it affect the status of the land as you made it? We’ll see. Man, this is exciting. I’ve never been invested into an RPG and world like Skyrim… I relish the ability to continue playing and living in it even more with Dawnguard (as if I needed any more content, really). To E3 then!

Fast Tube by Casper
May 15 can’t come soon enough.

Here’s the smokin’ new TV spot for the just-around-the-corner Diablo III that Blizzard has been hyping up over the weekend. The spot was slated to air after the latest episode of Family Guy, but the ad’s been posted online as well. The 30-second ad was supposed to contain some never-before-seen bits of cinematics, and I guess this includes our first-time looks at an Angel, perhaps Tyrael himself, back in the fight, as well as a look at the Flamin’ Lord of Terror as well. As usual, the cutscenes look spectacular… this game is going to rock. May 15, on PC and Mac. It’s finally going to happen. Awesome!

Avengers Assemble!!!

Comic Book Fans, rejoice. Nah, scratch that… Movie Fans in General, rejoice. The Avengers, one of the most ambitious film ventures taken- the climax anticipated and setup by at least five other major movies based on Marvel Comics’ titles- is the Real Deal. It just simply IS.
THIS is what we all wish a comic book movie can be, overcoming quite a few anticipated film pitfalls and mistakes in the past to come up with an epic two hour plus EPIC that’s smart, thrilling, engaging, dramatic, badass, inspiring AND freakin’ hilarious all in one sitting. Director Joss Whedon, co-writer Zak Penn, and their all-star cast knocks this one out of the park to bring us one of the BEST superhero films and easily THE BEST Superhero Team Film yet seen. Oh, and it’s one kick-ass action-scifi-fantasy Epic and Sure-Blockbuster. Ka-Ching!

Loki (played once again with charming yet conflicted gusto by Tom Hiddleston), the exiled Asgardian god of trickery, has allied himself with the Alien Chitauri- In return for giving him command of their forces, Loki will acquire for them the Tessaract- that Cosmic Cube-esque object of immense power first seen in the events of the Captain America movie. To counter this threat, Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) realizes that the only hope humanity has now lies in the hands of a few, powerful but diverse individuals who must come together as a team to save the world- the Avengers.

Where can I begin? Let me say first that The Avengers straight up gives all the previous superhero movies a right cross. After five or six movies of buildup, this climactic finale (or is it a beginning?) hits the ground running. Whereas some superhero movies are top-heavy with too much dialogue and too-little action, The Avengers has action (and really good action) scattered throughout it’s length… and when there aren’t super-powered beings or super-skilled fighters tussling onscreen, there’s verbal sparring of high order as we get the customary Whedon-esque dialogue and character moments that will flesh out comic book archetypes into real, whole, believable characters or which will just straight up make you laugh out loud. That’s where this movie works and keeps working- it’s great at throwing punches, lines AND punchlines.

You’d think with a team of big names, there would be clashes on who’s the real/biggest star… well, yes and no. Yes, in the way that it’s intended to be that way, and no in the sense that thankfully ALL the heroes get their moments, their parts to shine (and even the Villain, of course, as he should) and even if you may have your favorite, it’s a Team Thing this time. But here it’s even better realized than in any previous team flick- yes, any and all the X-mens and Fantastic Fours. DC Justice League… you have your work cut out for you, if you ever happen.

Yes, Iron Man AKA Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is still his endearingly fast-talking self with some juicy, funny lines and scenes, but that just thankfully enriches the characters he butts heads with- most directly his polar opposite, straightshooting war hero/super-soldier Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, still awesome). Anyone knowing the history between these two (well, really Cap and Tony’s dad) will just appreciate the emotions behind their interactions.
Meanwhile, ever-suave thunder-god Thor (Chris Hemsworth, also still darn awesome) doesn’t take a back seat to his two new comrades, getting quite a few pay-off scenes and moments (I heartily recommend watching the Thor movie beforehand) and nicely gets scenes that show the quiet, cool humanity within this god-among-men. Oh, and he gets one of the freakin’ funniest lines in the flick.
Watching these three, It really dawns on me how perfect and fortuitous the casting for the Marvel films have been, to score these guys in these starring roles.

Mark Ruffalo, who takes over the role of Bruce Banner AKA The Hulk from Edward Norton, was riding on a two-edged sword going into this flick. On the one hand, he didn’t have his own movie to prelude his character and comes in relatively cold. On the other hand, if he bats this right, he takes a huge bite of the flick’s bad-assery as the movie’s pay-off Butt-Kicker. To his credit, Ruffalo delivers as a very likable, earnest and fresh Banner, and he’s quietly dangerous and compelling until The Other Guy breaks out. And then… Oh My.
The HULK. The Freakin’ HULK. It took them long enough, but they got him. They NAIL the Hulk- finally show WHY he is so awesome… in this one. Perfect. SMASH. SMASH. SMASH. He’s the green gamma ray-powered non-nuclear deterrent. So, enemy worlds, take note- you may have armies greater than ours, but we have a Hulk.

Rounding off the team are the less-than-super-powered members; Natasha Romanoff AKA The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is SHIELD’s best assassin and agent, and even if she’s not as strong as the big boys she’s in fine form and NEVER a damsel in distress- testament to Whedon for keeping this lady badass AND smoldering hot at the same time. Give this girl her own flick.
Then there’s Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) who made his debut in Thor. He has to contend with being sidelined as a baddie for most of the film, but when he’s good… he’s REALLY good.

Bringing up support is SHIELD- the ‘good guy’ secret army headed by Fury and captained by the always-reliable Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg, reprising his longtime role) and Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), who makes her debut from the comics onto the screen. Also making its debut is a longtime SHIELD ‘accessory’ that finally um, surfaces in fine form.

So, it it all so perfect? Are there any big flaws or noticeable hiccups? Well, a couple I guess. I wish the music was more epic, and more pronounced like the score was in, say, Thor. The movie deserves that. As it is right now, the music is okay. I wish the Chitauri- Loki’s alien flunkies- were a wee bit scarier. I also wish a certain event in the film didn’t happen because I really like the character. Oh, and lastly- the 3D didn’t do a thing for me. Eeeh… this flick shines even without it.

Regadless… at about two and a half hours, The Avengers starts off with an action-packed setup even before we get to any of the actual superheroes, then liberally sprinkles action and badass fights throughout until the even more action-packed finale. But it isn’t just about action and tons of CG slickery- this film will keep you engaged even during the quiet moments, and some scenes of amazing emotion- specifically that one scene in Germany, where a man stands up to a god. Magnificent.

It’s also the simple consistency and continuity (payoffs all around for those who’ve seen all the other films in the series), the way the characters spar with each other (physically or verbally) thanks to the clever and sharp script. Amazingly, pretty much EVERYONE gets their chance to shine, to be badass when they need to be, to be heroic when they have to be, and freakin’ funny because they just are. Order the small soda so you don’t miss anything. Seriously.

This movie OutStars, OutFights, OutWits, OutFunnies and basically OutClasses all comic book movies that have come before. The bar has been raised, and we can only hope they keep shooting for the stars. They certainly shot for the stars to make this movie, and by the fates, they scored a bull’s eye.
What comes after this one? Only time will tell, but things bode well. Here’s to The Avengers continuing the fight someday, but till then THIS is here and now and goddamn that’s all we can ever ask for.

The Lone Gamer gives The Avengers 6 Marvelous Stars out of 5 (because there are 6 Avengers, after all!).

Go watch this with your friends, so you can do a Team Pose afterwards.

Fast Tube by Casper]
Christie and Bayman report for duty.

As tweeted earlier this week by Team Ninja/Tecmo-KOEI’s Twitter, two more fighters have just been revealed for the upcoming Dead or Alive 5. So now, joining the four ninja already confirmed, we’ve got… two assassins. How’s that for variety? Heh…

Anyways, I’m pretty glad to see the hot, hot, hot Christie back and dressed in her tighty-whities, while Russian wetworks expert Bayman returns looking like he jumped in from a Call of Duty game. Also debuting in the latest DOA5 vid is a new stage- a battlefield that looks like one of those bullet-riddled flashpoints from MGS4, complete with helicopters and things blowing up. All that and STILL no one ever gets KO’ed… man, Team Ninja, incorporate REAL knockout animations, dammit!
Also in, 4Gamer.Net just posted an article with the latest additions, lotsa screenshots and character art/renders from the game. Check them all out here.

Still smokin’ hot and all snake-fisty.

Well, the game is surely looking amazing regardless, and a ton of fun with all the crap flying around. I’m hoping though that not every freakin’ stage is a funhouse of wacky explosions and non-bloody physical comedy routines. We’ll see as more stuff is revealed as we head on towards release later this year.

Fast Tube by Casper
X-play. Comedy and gaming… good times.

For most of my gaming life, ever since we first got cable TV, when I saw game reviews and content, it was from TechTV’s X-Play. Yeah, back when it was still called TechTV’s X-Play or Extended Play, I watched the reviews and chuckled at the cheap but entertaining skits.
Years passed and TechTV turned into G4TV, and X-Play continued to evolve, getting more snazzy intros, getting a slicker stage and so forth. But for the most part one aspect remained constant and comforting- the funny and always-entertaining video reviews… and Adam Sessler. I didn’t always agree with the reviews, but I loved watching them, and I totally appreciated the game-based skits and comedic segments that just found my gaming funnybone like no other… and of course, the voice and antics of the Sess were always the best of them.

Well, I guess all good things come to an end, and in the same way that X-Play seems to be minimizing comedy in recent times, they’ve apparently also cut ties with The Sess. According to this article by Kotaku, the host has left G4TV and will be pursuing his own path, though hopefully still within the gaming industry.
I’ve no doubt that Adam will make something cool and game-based on his new direction. Hoping it’s still something gamers can watch and be entertained/informed/enlightened by as always. But wherever you go, Sessman, I wish you luck.

For now, I have my memories (and an iPod full of classic X-play vids) to cherish and revisit. Later, dude.

More info on the upcoming console port.

In fighting games, there are two types of gamers- ones who like and care about the story/background of all the fighting and are excited about where the action is going… and then there are those who don’t give a shit and just want to beat up the other guy for the hell of it. Well, I’m of the former,; I love Story Modes and ending cinematics so THIS is news for me. Tekken has had endings for its characters from the first console port of the original Tekken, down into all the games up to Tekken 6. How bout Tekken Tag Tournament 2 then?

Fast Tube by Casper
Here’s the CG ending for Unknown in Tekken Tag Tournament (PS2).

If we’re basing solely from the arcade version, we already know there are some in-game cutscenes that tell a bit of narrative- you get one for defeating Heihachi and Jinpachi, an intro each for True Ogre and Jun Kazama, and a final cinematic showing Unknown’s defeat and apparent demise running into the credits.
But these common cutscenes aside, we haven’t seen any individual character resolutions for TTT2. Well, as usually is the case, the console version will have the goods.

According to a recent tweet from Katsuhiro Harada, TTT2 will have Story Ending movies/cinematics for EACH character that will range in length from a minute and a half to two and a half minutes long. With over 50 characters in the final game, that’s a LOT of Story content to unlock and watch. Here’s the original tweet:

Harada_Tekken: We’ve 1min30sec to 2min30sec story movie for a each character(much longer than 6). Over 50 char RT

I guess the details will have to wait a bit- whether these cutscenes will be pre-rendered CG or be realtime cinematics using the game engine (the original TTT used realtime, with only the final boss ending pre-rendered).. and how silly/badass/funny each will be. I assume though that there may be some common elements to each one… such as Unknown’s defeat and such… but this really sounds promising. It certainly sounds like the Tekken devs are pulling out all the stops to make TTT2 console an exceptional release. I’ll be on this like a freakin’ hawk as we creep up towards September.

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Who’d have thought we’d be able to play THIS on a phone?

Darn, it truly IS the greatest time to be a gamer. It’s that day when we can have console-quality fun on devices once thought limited to just calling and texting. Yeah, I knew smartphones were supposed to be cool- and yeah, years ago I could play some PSOne classics on my Windows smartphone… but this! Arcade classic and 2D madhouse of Capcom-powered crazy brawling action, Marvel VS Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, is now available (or will be later today) on the iOS platform. Yes, THAT Marvel VS Capcom 2… the one with the 54-strong roster that includes Ruby Heart, Son-Son, effin’ CABLE, Blackheart and so forth. All playable, with supposedly no cutbacks- super combos, super attacks, special techniques, hidden characters… the works! Even better, this is a Universal release, meaning it’s made for both iPhones/iPod Touch AND iPads. Some bad news though- iPhone 3GS and original iPad owners, as well as those owning iPod Touch 3rd Gen and lower are out of luck… you’re going to need the more advanced iDevices to play.

That said, this is looking freakin’ amazing. I was never really a big MvC fan, but man- just the sheer ability to have this on my iPad (and yes, thankfully I have the new iPad) is amazing and just a MUST for a beat ‘em up fan. I’ll be sure to grab this from the appstore once it appears (hopefully sometime tomorrow night). At an opening sale of $2.99, this seems as inexpensive as it is awesome.

Man, if this is possible, what other fighting games may we see on our Apple devices someday? Streetfighter III? Third Strike? Darkstalkers? GIMME A TEKKEN iOS, PLEASE!