vote for harms way!!

Hey all, A few months ago I had the opportunity to interview a fellow in a competition. To make it short, he is a finalist in a game competition called unlock xbox. The contest ends in a few days...but I just want to help him out by asking you all to vote!!!
go to your xbox dashboard, click on unlock xbox, and download and vote for harms way. Thanks all!! :)

Review: Mary and Max

Friendship is truly a beautiful thing. If there is one thing Mary and Max communicates, it is this.

As you could have guessed, this film centers around two people; Mary and Max. Mary Daisy Dinkle (voiced by Toni Collette) is an eight year old girl living in Australia. Her eyes are the color of muddy puddles and her birthmark is the color of poo, as the brilliant narrator tells us. She has an alcoholic neglectful mother, an insane taxidermist dad, and no friends. That is, until she decides to mail a letter to a random person in America. That random person is Max Jerry Horovitz(played masterfully by Philip Seymour Hoffman) , a lonely, obese forty-something ex-Jew living in New York. He, like Mary, has no friends and finds people to be very confusing. He spends his days collecting cigarette butts, attending "over-eaters anonymous" meetings, and eating chocolate hot dogs right after said meetings. At first he is puzzled when he receives the letter from Daisy, but he eventually responds. From there, they continue to mail each other and they become the best of friends. hat is truly beautiful to see is how these small letters effect the other person's life. They make a bigger difference than I think they thought the did. Max becomes almost a mentor for Mary, and Mary becomes an escape for Max. But both become friends. The letters they send over the years truly strengthen each other and make them better people. A lot happens from A to B in this movie, and I want to try and spoil the least I can because this film is truly an experience.

Now there is one thing I didn't mention about this film; It is entirely claymation. And boy is it beautiful. This is the most well done claymation film I have ever seen in all my days of film criticism. The world is so amazingly crafted, that its really hard not to fall completely in love with the world and its characters. While a good portion of the characters are what could be called ugly, there is a certain charm about it all that really pulls you in and allows you to enjoy it. Although this is indeed an animated film, it is no Disney movie. I mean that both literally and figuratively. For one it was produced by Melodrama Pictures and secondly this really isn't a kids movie. It deals with mature themes such as mental illness and suicide. But it looks at these subjects with a light heart, and it doesn't get too sad. That is, until the end which will probably have you in tears.

The voices lent by both the main characters and the supporting cast are simply amazing. My personal favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman even further shows his talent with the character of Max. The character has a very monotone, deep voice and never before have I heard such a voice with so much personality. He really adds depth to Max and its my opinion that the character wouldn't have been half of what he was without Hoffman at the helm.

In short, this is a beautiful film. It is funny, sad, touching, and sweet. The claymation and the acting are both astounding. You will be moved by this extrordinary tale of friendship.
5/5

Stuff Part 4: The revenge!

Hey all, its been a while since Ive come to write so I figure its time to write again. First off, homecoming was amazing! I really like the girl I went with, so I had a really fun time. Anyway, I saw a pretty sweet movie today. It was called Sword of The Stranger. Ill write a full review soon, but I have to say it was pretty awesome. Lots of fighting.
In other news, My Chemical Romance is coming out with a new album! I am a bit of a fanboy, so I am very excited. It is called Danger Days: The True Lives of The Fabulous Killjoys. Kind of a random title, I know. But I am excited.
Anyway, thats all I have for now. Ill have a full review for that animated movie soon! :)

Homecoming, Space RPGs, and Jim Henson!

If my lack of organized film reviews haven't been enough of a hint, it is rather obvious that I haven't made a trip to the cinema in quite some time to see a film. In my boredom, I have been writing these 'recent happenings' articles to compensate for a lack of film reviews. This just happens to be another one of those articles.

Anyway, at the conclusion of my previous post I mentioned that I got Mass Effect 2. I haven't been able to play it much thanks to the over abundance of homework but so far it is a fairly decent game. The story is great and very interactive, the combat is fun and its just all around exciting. I will post a full review to the site at a later date when I have had adequate time to play the thing. But, I am a sucker for RPGs so I'm sure it will end up having a great score.

In other news, I will (hopefully) be attending my high school's homecoming dance this year. The reason I so carefully stuck hopefully in that sentence is because I have not received an official answer from the leading lady I asked yet. Although it strikes me as odd that she would take an entire weekend to tell me no, you never know what could happen. So now we play the ever-popular waiting game. While not many things seem to get me down, I would in fact be bothered and a little sad if she did in fact shoot me down. But that's just life I guess. In all honesty, it has been quite a stretch for me to do this whole "homecoming" thing this year so I hope its all worth the trouble. I think it will be. Considering the person I asked. Shes pretty great. Anyway, I will update you on that and tell you all how it goes.

I've been thinking a lot about the Muppets lately. I love the Muppets. There is just something about....well, them that I just love. That is why I worship the very ground the Muppet Movie treads. That movie is most of the reason for my existence. I also cant help thinking about how incredibly awesome the creator Jim Henson is. I worship that man as well. I think I admire him so much because he lived his life doing what he wanted to do most. He was happy. One great thing about him was that he shared that happiness with others. I just think that's interesting. The man had almost a drive to share happiness with other people. I think that's pretty cool.

Anyway, that's whats been happening with me. Now I need to head over to the theaters so I can review something and not drone on about my life!

Mass Effect and Some Recent Ramblings about Recent Happenings

I need to write here more. I figure I could write about more than JUST film. Although I love to write about film. I don't see enough movies to constantly write here. So I need to generate more content.

Anyway, nothing much has been going on with me lately. I have stated school again, and I am very busy. I don't think its anything that I wont be able to handle but I am busy none the less. I had the opportunity to take yearbook class this year, and I am enjoying it. They had "auditions" if you will for one of the five slots of yearbook photographer. I love taking pictures, so I decided to give it a shot. I sent in about 14 of my best pictures and waited. And waited. (and waited.) It took them a while to get back to all of us who had applied, and I was disappointed to discover that I didn't make it and would not be a photographer that year. Although I was disheartened by the news, I wasn't as sad as I thought I would be. Perhaps it was seeing other peoples reactions when they discovered they were going to be a photographer.

One fellow in particular stood out to me. He seemed so happy when he read his name off of the list. It struck me as odd, it was only a photography position after all. But then I realized that this meant much more to him than it did to me, and giving me the position and not him would have been a waste. Something told me he worked hard to get where he was today, because he put forth child-like excitement upon receiving the news. It wasn't the kind of excitement where you shout, and jump around. It was the kind of excitement where you say nothing, because you are shouting on the inside. It is my opinion that someone who displays the latter is more excited than someone who doesn't. That's the kind of celebration you give when you have worked hard for something; when one of your dreams have been realized. The words he shared with me further prove my theory about all of this. When he discovered that my name wasn't on the list he turned to me and said
"I'm so sorry. Just don't give up. If its your passion,something you love, just keep on going for it. I have failed many times. Its OK. Keep trying. That struck me as rather interesting. I'm not quite sure why, but those words diminished my disappointment. I realized that I could either feel sad and continue in misery and attempt to enact revenge on those who were responsible for my misfortune. Or, I could pick myself up and try again. I think I am going to do that. I have found that it's all about how you view things. Bad situations can be made good, and good bad. You just need to have a positive outlook on things.
So if you find yourself fallen down, pick yourself up and keep trying. Because it will pay off one day.
In other news, I am getting Mass Effect 2 today! YESSSSS!!!
haha
Have a good weekend everyone.

Movie Review: Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Edgar Wright is a funny man. His works include Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. If any of you are familiar with these films then you know they are very humorous and full of energy. His newest work, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (based on the popular comic) is really no different.

The film stars Michael Cera who plays Scott Pilgrim, a socially awkward 22 year old who has some serious girl troubles. For one thing he has a crazy, 17 year old Asian girl friend. He also has a crazy ex-girlfriend who happens to be a rock star. But those are the least of his problems. Enter Ramona Flowers, the girl from Scott’s dreams. She has the face of an angel, rides roller skates everywhere and her hair even changes colors every week and a half. Scott knows he has to have her. But there is a little something blocking his path. (Seven little somethings actually)

These “somethings” are her seven “Evil ex boyfriends”, all of whom have been hurt by Ramona in the past and want vengeance. Scott soon learns that to win Ramona’s love he must defeat all seven of these evil, evil people. Thus the story of Scott Pilgrim kicks off. I give it points here for its pacing, and its originality. Since the originality speaks for itself, let’s talk about the pacing.

It is my belief that everyone inhaled as much caffeine as they could before making this film. At least that’s what it feels like. But don’t worry, because in this situation this is a very good thing. The film is very quick, witty and fun. It changes its subject of attention very frequently and that’s what makes it funny. The characters are just so lovably random. You will be laughing almost nonstop throughout the film. The good thing about the humor is that it is witty and different each time. They rarely repeat a joke and while a few lines may be too corny to laugh at…the good far outweighs the bad. This film will have you laughing out loud and maybe even have you crying silently. (Yes there are some touching parts. But it’s touching in a good way.)

Michael Cera does an excellent job as Scott Pilgrim. I am the first person to admit that I am not a big fan of this actor, mainly because he plays the same awkward lovable character in every film. He reprises this role yet again, but it works this time. You will laugh more at Cera than you ever thought possible. His witty dialogue and loveable-awkward self are perfect for the role of a boy looking to win a girls love by any means necessary. Other notable performances include Jason Bateman as Gideon, one of the evil ex boyfriends and Kieran Culkin as Scott’s gay roommate. While I only mentioned a few, there are many other notable performances. Each actor lends his or her own personal touch to this imaginative, vibrant and hilarious world.

Like I just mentioned above, the world this film takes place in is very stylish and imaginative. But that is speaking modestly. This is the best and most creative take on a comic book I have ever seen in a film. While Sin City was almost a shot-for-shot remake of the comic, this one does it better than Sin City did. The onomatopoeia come on screen when things happen just like in a comic book, the enemies turn into coins when defeated, and the fight scenes look like something out of Dragon Ball Z. The combat sequences are heavily influenced by Anime. Lets just put it this way: if a comic book and a video game had a baby, and that baby somehow grew into a movie…this would be the film. There are elements from both video games and comic books everywhere. They literally make up the feel and essence of the film. So, if you are a person that is a fan of comic book s and video games you will enjoy taking a trip to the Scott Pilgrim universe. The fight scenes are over the top and crazy and the overall look and feel of the world is happy, energetic and fun.

This is truly the film for the 21st century nerd. If you grew up with comics and video games, you will completely love this film. It is packed full of video game and comic references. It has a very witty and sometimes juvenile sense of humor and it has loveable characters. If you are a person who hasn’t ever picked up a video game or a comic, then this film wont mean as much to you, but you will still enjoy it. If you are a person who loves video games and comics then you will totally love this film. It is designed from the ground up for a longtime gamer and comic fan and it is the most realistic comic to film adaptation of all time.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a very well done feature that is just a lot of fun.

It looks as though you have won your epic battle vs. the world, Scott. Well done.

5/5 – Must See

Movie Review: Charlie St. Cloud

I was in a rather cheery mood when I noticed the armies of teenage girls lining up to see Charlie St. Cloud. “This will be a perfect place to meet women,” I thought to myself. But then I realized I was there and I had a job to do, so I turned my attention to the movie screen. That was a bad idea.
Let’s start off with the story. Charlie St. Cloud is a golden boy played by Zac Efron who is very good at one thing; sailing. He also has a very close relationship with his brother Sam. One night, they are in a car wreck and young Sam kicks the bucket. Charlie is very sad about this, so he runs away and pouts in the woods. Between his sobbing, he stumbles upon the spirit of his younger brother Sam. He then remembers his promise he made to the young boy that he would play baseball with him for one hour every day until he leaves for college. So he does this…for five years. Then, our main character meets the female known as “Tess” played by Amanda Crew. From there conflicts arise, and things happen. But I don’t want to go into that. It really isn’t worth any of our time

I really don’t blame Efron for the failure of this film. At the end of the day, he really isn’t that bad of an actor. He has gone a long way since his High School Musical days, and I commend him for that. Honestly I am not really sure who to blame. The film just doesn’t work. The core issues lie with the dialogue and the pacing. Like I said earlier Efron (or really anyone in the film for that matter) is not a terrible actor. He just isn’t given much to work with here. As far as the pacing goes, the film just feels clunky and out of place. You have a car crash, and then minutes later he stumbles across the ghost of his dead brother. Just like that. No explanations, no character development. We are just rushed into this story and expected to go along with all of what’s happening. This same thing happens with the films “plot twist”, if you will call it that. The reason for me saying this is because (just like before) they just kind of throw it on you. There is no tension, and hardly any foreshadowing to what actually ends up happening. It is almost like the film makers just decided what would happen last minute. A lot of the film makes it seem that way. Now don’t get me wrong, there are many scenes in this film that are touching: like some of the scenes with Charlie and his brother and Charlie with Tess. There are also some funny side characters. Unfortunately the good weighs out the bad in this situation. Although there is some good.

Let’s go some more into the acting. Efron and Amanda Crew have some great on-screen chemistry. Like I mentioned earlier, they don’t have a lot to work with but they do indeed work with it. They are one of the few couples in movies that you actually like to see on screen together. Much more could have been done on the part of Charlie Tahan, Charlie’s little brother. But again, I do not blame anyone here. 9/10 child actors cannot act, and the remaining one usually grows up.
I see what they were trying to do with Charlie St. Cloud. I have seen this type of movie before, only it worked. There was a lot of room for improvement here, especially since they had people that could act. I was not writing this review with resentment, but with understanding. But, if you want a cheesy romance that involves a shirtless Zac Efron then this one is for you. I don’t want to be as merciless as to give it a 1/5, because some people might enjoy it. A little bit.
But, at the end of the day, it truly deserves a 1/5 rating.

Movie Review: Salt

Salt is a film that suffers from a thing I like to call “Cinematic over Marketing Disorder.” This is when a film is so over promoted and so shoved-in-everyone’s face for such a long time that people end up hating the movie before they even see this. Salt, staring Angelina Jolie, had a very severe case of this disorder. In all honesty, I cannot think of a reason why I saw this film. If there was some kind of reason it is defiantly not related to “pure enjoyment” or anything like that. I had planned to go and see it, and then spend the next four months mocking it. I had planned to do that.

What I found was a film that wholly entertaining and very fun, despite being bogged down by this horrible marketing plague.

Salt centers around a girl with the last name of “Salt.” What a horrible fate that must be. Anyway, Mrs. Salt gets told early on in the film by a Russian man that she is a Russian spy. Of course she doesn’t think she is, but everyone else around her does. So she runs. While my writing and the trailers for the film make that sound like that is all that happens in Salt, it is not. I am afraid I cannot type more, because I would then start to spoil the film.

While the above text is in fact a basic (very basic) plot outline I can’t and won’t even begin to describe what happens next. For one thing, it is far too complicated and it will spoil the movie viewing experience for you. I don’t want to do that. So to summarize the plot in a few words; exciting and unexpected.

If Salt does anything right (which it does) it nails the action sequences. This film is very exciting and fast paced. There is punching, kicking, shooting, stabbing, explosions, ect… It’s all there, and it is all awesome. A lot of times, films can’t use action sequences as their main crutch to pull them through. This one does that, not entirely though. Like I said earlier the plot is strong so both elements complement each other very nicely. It’s very well paced thanks to the writing, and the action sequences and the interrogation scene at the start are well directed by Phillip Noyce.

As far as the acting goes, it is solid on all sides. Jolie does a very good job convincing us of certain things at certain times, and fooling us about certain things at certain times. There aren’t any standout performances by some of her co-stars but they do their job and do it well.Liev Schreiber doesn’t have a whole lot to work with, nor does Chiwetel Ejiofor, becaused, understandably, the focus is all on Angelina Jolie and as I’ve already said – she delivers.

There really isn’t anything that stands out to me from the score, but again it does its job providing tense music during appropriate times.

In short, Salt is a very entertaining film that got me by surprise. In all honesty the trailers and promotions did it no justice and it is a film you should go see. It is a hands down excellent action film.

4/5

Classics Reveiw: Pulp Ficiton

There exist few films that are like Pulp Fiction. Now that I think of it, there are none like it at all. It is completely original. Some might think calling a film that came out in 1994 a classic a bold statement, but those people haven't seen this film. Those who have seen it will agree that it is in fact a classic and very worthy of such recognitions.

Pulp Fiction centers around the lives of several individuals. Jules And Vincent, played Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta, are two of these people. They are both hit-men working for a man Marcellus Wallace. They are after a special briefcase. On one mission Jules is saved by what he thinks is divine inspiration. So he then tries to quit taking, and start giving. While this isn't the films main plot, it is one of the many stories that are told in the film. Another is the story of a champion boxer played by Bruce Willis who wins a fight he was supposed to throw. He then is on the run from none other than Marcellus Wallace. Again, both of these stories aren't even the half of what happens in this film.
Of all of the many characters and stories, they are all linked and connected by one thing or another. Now the characters don't have one big reunion or anything, but almost everyone runs into everyone.
The unique thing about this film is that it doesn't play in chronological order. As a matter of fact, the opening scenes are right before the "ending" of things (chronologically speaking.) This is a very interesting way to view the film, and it could have easily turned out horrible. But it doesn't. It is fun to see who is alive and when, when they are killed, and what you know they are about to go and do.
It just makes the movie watching experience all the more enjoyable.

The acting in this film is amazing. The highlight performance has to be from Samuel L Jackson. He does an amazing job supplying dark humor and a human side to the eccentric hit-man Jules. All of the other characters do a great job. Heck, even Uma Thurman was good in this movie. And that's saying a lot.

This film has a certain charm to it that is unmistakable. Now, I use the word "charm" lightly. I mean when you have characters yelling the F word as loud as they can and blowing each others heads to bits,you really cant say that is "charming". But, when you hear Jule's rant on "Big Kahuna Burgers", or Butch's famous line to his girlfriend "Its not a motorcycle baby, its a chopper" you cant help but smile. Now I could go on for days, because almost every single moment in this movie is pure gold. It is packed full of funny dialogue and memorable moments. This is one of those movies that is quoted (and misquoted) again and again and again.

Quentin Tarantino has to be one of the most talented directors in Hollywood today. His ability to make almost anything he touches turn to cinematic gold. This ability is as uncanny as it is amazing. He has a style that is nothing like anything we have seen before. Pulp Fiction best showcases this style and is therefore his best work.
Pulp Fiction is one of those films that you see and you don't forget. It is truly a cinematic experience, and you really get what you take out of it. But everyone gets something, I assure you that.

With solid performances and dialogue, Pulp Fiction is a must see. This is one of those movies that puts the viewer through a journey that they probably haven't been on before. A journey of Hit Men, and champion boxers. A journey of 1950's dancing and greed. Oh yeah, almost forgot. A journey with tasty burgers. Unfortunately no amount of praise can truly do this movie justice. It is truly an original that you need to experience to fully understand what I mean.
However after saying all of that, I will simply say that Pulp Fiction is one of the greatest movies of our time.

Movie Review: Inception

Inception is one of those movies that you have to see to really get what everyone means when they say "Dude, you have to see it!! Using that statement I guess you could say this entire review is obsolete. I still encourage you to read it anyway, because you love me. Anyway, lets get back to the review.

The movie centers around a man named "Cobb". Cobb is what they call an extractor. Basically what Cobb does is he enters peoples minds via dreams to extract information from their heads. He is very good at doing this. The best, actually. Cobb also has some problems that go along with this talent. One problem is, is that he lost almost everything he ever had doing this (i.e. the ability to see his family). But, he discovers a way to get it all back. His way back is called "Inception." What is this Inception I speak of? Well, it is going into someones mind and planting an idea, rather than taking one. Of course when they get there everything goes crazy and things aren't what we expected.
There are a lot of things this film does right. I don't think I will mention all of them, because there are a lot of things to mention. But, I shall mention some.
First off, the acting is solid. I wasnt really a Dicaprio fan until I saw him in Shutter Island. Now I cant get enough of the guy. He does a wonderful job playing the troubled protagonist. He adds a certain level of mystery to the role. Overall, he ends up being likable and you want him to get back to his family. Juno's Ellen Paige plays a young apprentice of Cobb's. Her character is smart and resourceful. Not to mention a little clever. Paige pulls this off well. Joseph-Gordon Levitt plays Cobb's partner in crime Arthur, who really doesn't say much. This kind of character is perfect for Levitt. The character has that same melancholy, "semi-depressed but happy at the same time" thing going for him that he had in 500 Days of Summer.

The storyline of Inception is rather confusing. It will jump far ahead of you waiting to catch up, so be ready. This film is one that you will need to see again. Not to fully understand it per se but to see things you may have not seen before. It is much easier to solve a puzzle one you have all the pieces. This movie seems to know something you don't know, and has a lot more going on than you think it does. As I mentioned earlier, this film stays several steps ahead of you. You will not be able to guess the ending, so the climax of this film is intense.

The action scenes and CGI are also very cool. Even though this thing has basically everything that is standard to today's action films (chase scenes, gunfights) they make them engaging and interesting. I'm not saying that scenes like these are bad, but to some people they can get old. They aren't in this one. You will be rooting (and worrying) for the hero's all the way through. The plot, characters, and action stay fresh all the way through.

As for the CGI, it complements the story unlike some films we have seen. Nolan doesn't add too many effects, but just enough in my opinion. They really add an extra effect of "coolness" on to this film. One of my favorite sequences in the movie is the zero gravity battle sequence in the hotel.

Overall, Inception is a very smart action film. It is cleverly done, and it will have you thinking even after it is over. The acting is great, the action exciting, and the plot complicated (in a good way). If you want to see something completely original, see this film. I assure you that you will want experience "Inception" more than once.
5/5 Stars

The Star Wars Retrospective: Episode I

When it comes to Star Wars, I guess you could say I am a bit of a fanboy. I have hundreds of action figures and other memorabilia, and I was a member of the offical fan club for about six years. I knew I was getting ripped off when I recieved a letter in the mail that read
"There is a disturbance in the force, your subscription has run out! I then knew it was time for a chage in the balance of my force. har har har...

Anyway, I am at my Grandparents house for a week. For whatever reason, they happen to own all six of the Star Wars movies on DVD. Plus they have a very large television. And surround sound. Yes. So guess what Im doing all week? Thats right; super Star Wars marathon extravaganza! As I watch each of the films, I have decided to do kind of a retrospective review thingy on each one. I wont give them an offical rating as much as I will discuss them and leave it open for talk in the comments. I watched Episode I first, so I shall write about that one. Anyway, here goes.

There are alot of things I could say about Episdoe I. I could say that the acting seems terribly forced by Anikan Skywalker. I could say Jar Jar Binks is the most annoying thing to ever exist. Ever. I could say that every time I see Mace Window now I think he looks better with a Jerhi Curl like in Pulp Fiction than he does bald. I could say all of these things and be correct. I guess what Im trying to say is...you can say a lot about this movie. Love it or hate it, it is...different. I really dont want to take a definate side here, but out of all the films this has to be the "worst". That being said I do not entirely hate the film, as I mentioned earlier I am in fact a fanboy; so I kind of like all the films. There are several issues with this movie. One being the acting and the other being the CGI. The acting is rather stale at parts and its like, 90% CGI. Wow. Take that Avatar. While it does have its mishaps, I still enjoy watching it. Ray Park does a pretty good job with stunts as Darth Maul. I will give him that. And Liam Nesson does a fair job as Qui Gon Jinn,a fairly pointless character but a good one to have around. The lightsaber battles are pretty cool, to say the least. The thing that gets me the most is how out of character Anikan Skywalker is. I just felt he should have been more angry than he was. He is like that in later prequel films, and I would have like to seen a little bit of it here. He is rather chipper for a man to later kill hundreds. Luckily we see a more angry Anikan in the other two prequels. But, it is intresting to learn where all of these people come from. It is also fun to see all the cameos like Jabba The Hutt that appear in the film.

I guess all that Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace is, is a filler film. It is neccessary to the plot but isnt as good as the old ones. It is still good, though. At the same time, maybe it isnt quite fair to compare it to the originals. They really captured lighting in a bottle with that one and it is really hard to replicate what they did there. But, it is what it is. Of course the other two prequels were somewhat better than this one. But we will get to that in another post.
Well, Im off now. Ill be back tomorrow, or something.
May the force be with all of you.
-Toad Sage

Recent happenings of The Toad Sage

Hello readers(if you are out there). Welcome to another post by The Toad Sage. I haven't come across any new media lately so I thought it would ramble for a bit in this post. Lets see...what have I been up to lately?
Well, last night I was up until 2-ish reading the complete history of the Sith. That's Star Wars stuff, for those of you who don't know. I cannot decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing. But I think its a bad thing. Its not that I care, I have pretty much embraced this whole "dork" thing and I am quite proud of it.

I really want school to start. I have been missing it! Summer is fine for the first few weeks but it kind of loses its point after a while. Oh well. It seems I must wait like everyone else.


In other news, I am filming a documentary! What is it about? Nothing, really. I have just been prancing around my school and surrounding areas filming everything I come across with my best friends. It is pretty cool. I am rather new to the whole video editing thing so it isnt turning out exactly how I want it. But I will get better. Part of the problem is the program im using. I am using the default program that came with my camera (its a Flip) and it really isnt made for movie making. I think it is made more for mashing clips. I will do what I can with it!

Im not sure what movie I will see next but stay tuned for more reviews!
This is The Toad Sage, signing off.
Stay Gold, everyone.

Transformers: War for Cybertron

Since I am in fact something of a mega-dork I have a strong passion for the Transformers. I grew up as most of my generation did playing with the toys and watching the cartoons. In 2007 Michale Bay brought us his take on the franchise which wasn't half bad. Last year he tried it again and it was...well it was very bad. Fast forward to 2010 and you see the release of Transformers: War for Cybertron, a game promising to be a solid Transformers experience. Is this game lame, or is there more than meets the eye? (yeah, Im that lame.)

The game takes place way, way before any of what we have seen with the Transformers Universe. A couple million years, in fact. The war between the Autobots and the Decepticons is in full swing, and things aren't looking so good for the Autobots. The
Decepticon leader Megatron has tons of new followers ready to do his bidding and the brave Autobot leader Zeta Prime has fallen in battle. So, its time for our hero Optimus Prime to step up and save the day. The game contains two campaigns; an Autobot campaign and a Decepticon campaign. Each has their own individual story and is quite lengthy. While there isnt a whole lot wrong with the story itself, I could have liked to have seen a richer story line. The game kind of presents itself how it is and events unfold before your eyes. While this isnt bad, I am sure they could have done a little better with it.

The gameplay is top notch using the Unreal Engine that powered games such as Gears of War. War for Cybertron is essentially a 3rd person shooter. It is what it is and it does it well. Expect tons of action and a TON of explosions. The combat is very, very fast paced and can get very confusing at times, so be ready for almost anything. Your character can carry two weapons at a time and has a melee attack that can be accessed by the right stick. The left stick is used for transformations which are very, very cool and slick. Transformation from robot to vehicle in combat has never been so awesome. Yet another thing they have done right this time around.

The graphics in the game are good. Not perfect though. There are some issues with the screen rippling when the camera is panning, but then again that might just be my TV. The amount of lag is next to none. This is amazing considering all of the hectic action that is happening on screen. One aspect that really stood out to me is the look of the Transformers and their world. All of the bots are extremely classic. They are a mix of "generation 1" and Michale Bay's new take on them. Luckily we get more "generation 1" in the mix so the hardcore fans will be pleased. All of the voice acting in the game is very well don with the original Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen, reprising his role.

In short, Transformers: War for Cybertron is a big love letter to the fans. It has all of the look and feel that IS Transformers. Hopefully we see a sequel where are of the small bumps are smoothed out. While it isn't perfect, this really is the Transformers game that we have been waiting for.
I give it a 9/10.

E3 2010: The good, the bad, and the 'are you serious?'

Hello again all of you. There is a lot I could have written about E3, but I decided to write about what each of the big three (sony, microsoft and nintendo) had to offer. Enjoy!

Microsoft Motion Control

Microsoft shed new light on their motion based controls they call “Kinect.” It is kind of like the Wii, but without the controller. When it was first announced, it looked pretty cool. People seemed to receive it well and excitement was buzzing. Then they showed us a demo. While you will have to watch some of the videos for yourself I will say that they are horrible. The Kinect does not look fun to play…at all.

A prime example is “Kinect Adventures.” The demo we saw for this game was river rafting. If you looked on the screen you see two animated characters racing down a river in a raft. No problems with that. The actual human participation was the issue. If you looked at the people all you saw was two women leaning to the right and leaning to the left pretending to have fun. Oh, and I forgot that they would occasionally hop when they wanted to jump their raft. While the game does encourage participation and does this well, it is just not that exciting. It doesn’t look like the kind of thing that will keep someone playing.

Another game was “Kintect Sports” where the player commands a mighty running back running down a foot ball field. Now, you don’t really even run. Or steer the football player. All you do is perform correct movement to dodge the defense (jump, duck ect…) and that’s it. Again, not very exciting.

The real issue Kinect is facing is that the Wii has already done this and done it well. This thing is months from launch and it is performing like this? Not good. Its not like this is Microsoft’s first time they struggled at launch. Even the Xbox 360 was a failure when it came out. Consoles were breaking all over the place. So will they be able to rise out of the dust? I do not know. The only thing this technology is going to be good for in the future is more of a natural user interface when navigating menus. All of the menus are commanded by voice and touch movements. This is ingenious and probably the best part about Kinect. I am sure this type of interface will catch on in the future.

Maybe once more people get to play this thing it will end up being better than we thought. The tech it uses is nothing short of amazing. I mean, no one has done controller free gameplay before. While it sounds as if I am condemning it I will leave it open to the possibility of it being fun. I really, really want Microsoft to prove me wrong with this one because what we have seen so far isn’t so great. In short: Tech= awesome. Game play and functionality= not awesome.

Sony Motion Control

Sony also announced a motion control system. The “Playstaion Move” is taking more of a Ninento Wii approach with a controller. This one looks much better. Not only does it look more enjoyable, it is an all around better product. I guess you could say it is the Wii, but with real games. The games they are coming out with aren’t just “Playstation Move Sports” or “Playstation Move Adventure” they are normal games, albeit with motion controls. That means we will see shooters, platformers and the like. This is brilliant, because that is mainly what their audience plays. They saw their audience, and they acted. Microsoft should have done that.

They also announced that some already existing games for the PS3 will have a software update that will allow Move compatibility. While this is awesome, I am not sure that motion capability will make some of these games worth giving a second look. The move controller will be priced at $50 with some of the other accessories being slightly over priced. If the Move is as awesome as it looks, then price really shouldn’t be a problem. They also announced 3D capability that is coming to the PS3 system. The great thing about this is that all they will need to do is send out a software update. The Playstaion 3 system already has 3D capability.

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo got off to a real rocky start with their presentations. They couldn’t even get the Wiimote to work during one of their demonstrations. Nice.

Then they showcased the “Nintendo 3DS” and people stopped laughing and were captivated. Essentially what the 3DS is, is a Nintendo DS system that is entirely 3D. You don’t even need any kind of glasses. Now, everyone was a skeptic, even me. Then they busted out this baby and let people try it. The reviews have almost all been full of “this thing is amazing”, and “wow, it really works.”

I am not alone in saying I will surely be buying one of these. Usually anything can impress the casual gamer. It takes a pot of gold and a rainbow to even make a hardcore gamer smile a little bit. But this is making them act like a bunch of giddy school girls. I am excited to see if it is really as good as everyone is saying.

It isn’t only the handheld itself that is stirring excitement, but the game library. A good set of games is going to be released with this thing. And another thing: the graphics are stunning. They took it to a whole new level of visuals with this one.

My favorite thing about Nintendo has to be how humble and quiet they are for this. Microsoft has been talking about their little motion project for quite a while now. The amount of hype was almost as much as the total letdown gamers received. Not a whole lot was known about the 3DS until they busted it out at E3. They had a trump card and they used it at the perfect time: game, set, match. Now we are just going to have to wait for the release to see if this thing catches on.

Summary

Out of all the companies, I have to say that Nintendo stole the show by far. If you haven’t noticed, Nintendo has become something of trend setter in the gaming world as if late: first motion controls with the Wii, now 3D on a handheld. Not to mention the monopoly they have on the handheld market with the DS. While the other game makers presented good technology Nintendo already has their ideas simplified and ready to ship. Well done Nintendo, well done.

There's a snake in my boot!!- - -for the last time.

Now I know our friend Brandon Prows already covered this one on his blog, but I really wanted to write about this. So here we go! On to the review!


Well folks, it’s finally here. Toy Story 3. It has been a very long wait for all of us; especially those of us who grew up with Woody and Buzz and saw them as comrades. Pixar realizes this and they made their film accordingly. Now I could write about this film for hours, but I will keep it short.

In the third installment, Woody and the gang are at the end of their rope. What do I mean? I mean Andy is off to college. For the toys that means they will most likely get thrown away and neglected. Then the toys discover something magical; donation. After some wacky misadventures, the toys end up and Sunnyside Day Care Center. When they arrive, everything seems awesome. There are tons of children and day spas and everything a toy could dream of having. Only Woody is skeptical; and rightly so. I won’t go into detail but let’s just say everything and everyone are not what they seem.

This film does a lot of things well, but what they did well the most was make this movie with heart. Yes it is indeed animated and yes it is indeed about toys but that doesn’t stop Pixar. They recognize that most of their audience is in their teens and early twenties; they grew up with this stuff. They knew the fans expected nothing more than a movie full of heart and meaning. After all, we really do care about these characters; and so does Pixar. The animation in the film is top notch, and it is very funny. There are jokes that kids will appreciate, and there are jokes that the older folk will appreciate. It really is a movie for everyone.
I would advise you to bring some tissues because the finale of this film is horribly sad. While touching and heartfelt it is very sad. You will cry (or get very close) I promise you this.
Overall, Toy Story 3 is a real masterpiece. You will laugh, and you will sure as heck cry. The movie’s animation is beautiful and everything is what we have come to expect form Pixar. They did a good job on this one, and they did not let the fans down. It is the perfect ending to the perfect saga about a boy and his favorite toys. Pixar really gave us the sendoff we wanted and needed. Well done Pixar, well done.
5/5

E3 2010

Well, I have to say I am happy with this year's E3. There was tons of new tech showcased, but I have to say Nintendo really stole the show with their 3DS. Everyone that has tried it says it is simply amazing. I am really looking forward to trying it out. We also saw some new footage for Gears of War 3 which looks great.
We got TONS of new trailers which were pretty awesome. Anyway, kind of a short post I know. I might post a longer E3 feedback post which I already wrote for my online magazine. We shall see.
Good night all!

Merrry Men in Da Hood. (with no tights)

Robin Hood is probably one of my favorite fictional characters. I mean you have a jolly guy in tights helping the poor and fighting off the rich. Don’t forget the band of Merry Men (also in tights). So, as you can all imagine, I was fairly excited when I heard the news of a new Robin Hood film staring Russell Crowe.

The film was directed with Ridley Scott at the helm, which I was rather pleased with because he is experienced when it comes to medieval and war films. The film treats the origin of the Robin Hood story we know and love. Crowe stars as Robin Longstride, an archer in the army of King Richard the Lion heart. After the death of the King, Robin and his comrades (soon-to-be the Merry Men) run away from the military in an attempt to get home. While heading home, he learns of more invading forces heading for his home town. The plot gets more complex from there. Overall the story is very clunky and doesn’t flow well. It can sometimes be very confusing and it just doesn’t catch your attention like the plot of a movie should. While the movie’s climax is exciting and fun, the rest of the film is hard to watch.

Robin HoodRussell Crowe and Cate Blanchett once again do a great job in both of their roles, and surprisingly work very well together on screen. They have a certain chemistry that is fun to watch and is believable. The rest of the characters do a fine job in their respective roles. The acting is convincing and what we have come to expect from actors and actresses such as these. The film’s style is conveys authenticity. The battles are exciting, the weapons devastating and the castles mighty. He who is a fan of the medieval times will not be disappointed with its design.

One problem I had with this movie is that to me, it didn’t really feel like a Robin Hood film. There were no jolly men in tights and Robin Hood himself really doesn’t appear until the last minutes of the film. Now Robin Longstride is in the film, but not the character we are used to. Maybe we will the more familiar manifestation of the character in the sequels that are inevitably coming.

Overall, Robin Hood is a good (not great) movie full of medieval battle sequences and genuine adventure that really anyone can enjoy. Ridley Scott shows us yet again that he paid attention in history class, with everything really feeling like the middle ages. One silly issue. The film takes place in 1199. They say it is the turn of the 12th century...but in fact that is the turn of the 13th. Anyway, moving on. The only problem is, it really doesn’t feel like a Robin Hood film. However, it is still a film that will entertain you. I am interested to see what they will put in the sequel (some merry men in tights, maybe?).

I give it 3/5 Stars.

Movie Review: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

Now this movie came out a while ago, but I'd thought I would tell you about it anyway. Why, you ask? Because chances are you never saw it. This reminds me a lot of how Fantastic Mr. Fox was treated. It was over shadowed by bigger releases and most people thought it looked stupid. The actual movie was amazing, one of my favorite actually. The same goes with The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. This is Heath Ledgers last film that nobody really saw.

The film is about a traveling band of people who, along with the wise Dr. Parnassus, essentially advertise passage into a "dream world" that is run by the Dr.'s mind. While they are doing this, we learn that the Dr. is thousands of years old and on the raw end of a deal with Satan himself. On her 16th birthday, he is going to have to give is only daughter to The Devil. Along their way they find Tony (Ledger) hanging from a bridge. He doesn't know who he is, but his motives are indeed questionable. From there the adventure begins, and it gets weirder and weirder. In a good way, of course.

The film is brilliantly acted by all of the main characters. Valentina, the Dr.'s daughter is played by the Beautiful Lilly Cole while Christopher Plummer does a great job as Dr. Parnassus himself. Ledger does yet again a very good job playing the shady Tony adding a certain charm to the role that not many other actors could pull off. The film is exciting, with the best scenes being when they are in the "dream world." Really anything can happen, and it gets a little odd. The films music is great but forgettable, but it does its job.

Overall, this film is an offbeat movie that is very entertaining to watch. Once you have watched it fully and understand its primary themes and messages you will love it even more. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is an offbeat film that you can really sink your teeth into and enjoy.
I give it 4/5 Stars

The Animal Crossing Retrospective

Animal Crossing, Animal Crossing. We love you so. Not only have you brought endless joy to children with no friends, you have brought joy and tears to the eyes of adults who maybe had friends and just liked your game. This article is more of a review, but since I am talking about the Animal Crossing series as a whole (the last new game came out in 2008) I decided to call it a retrospective. Because after all; that is what it really is.

Story: You start off your adventure in a vehicle (it varies in every one of the three games) where you are interviewed by a strange animal inside. Your answers to the questions shape what your character’s gender and overall looks are. But where are we going on this mystery vehicle ride? We are going to a town (which you get to name yourself) inhabited with animals who talk and behave like normal humans do. Now for the sake of the article we will refer to it as “Animal Town.” You are the new guy in town, and actually the only human there. You are introduced to the town shop owner Tom Nook, a cheapskate raccoon, who immediately puts you to work for him. After doing pretty much whatever he wants for a little bit, you are basically set free to do whatever you would like. This game is a “free roamer” meaning you can pretty much go anywhere in the entire Animal Town whenever you want to with no real restrictions. So, it is safe to say that this game really has no set story line. The rest is essentially what you write yourself.

Game play: The game play of the Animal Crossing series is really what sets it apart from other video games. Once you have gone through the required mumbo jumbo that I mentioned above you are pretty much set free. Each player owns a house and they can decorate it as they wish. You can buy items at Tom Nook’s local shop. This game is excellent for anyone that enjoys collecting things because there are hundreds of fun items to use to decorate your living space. Some of the things they have are very creative and fun. You can also go fishing and bug catching, with tournaments for both taking place almost every weekend. You can mail letters and socialize with a variety of eccentric animals including an egotistical tortoise and a pigeon who serves some of the most expensive coffee in the world. The main currency in the game are “bells”, which are earned by selling your existing items or selling fruit that can be found on trees everywhere around the town. One interesting feature of the town is that it allows you to set the time in the town. The game runs entirely on real time, even including the seasons and their holidays. If you set it to your time it is September when it is really September, it is dark when it is really dark, and it even snows in the winter time.

Other Elements: This game looks like a box of crayons threw up on the Hogle Zoo. There is a ton of color in this game. Almost everyone and everything in the town is chalked full of smiles and vibrant colors. This makes for a very welcoming and happy environment. The humans look like they came straight out of a Japanese anime with exaggerated features and bright colored clothes. Overall the music is very catchy and really fits whatever situation you are at in the game. There are a ton of music tracks; one for almost every hour of the day.

Summary: Overall, I‘d have to say Animal Crossing is one of those games that is simple and fun. It just puts a smile on your face. The three animal crossing games are out for the Nintendo 64 and Game Cube, the Nintendo DS and the Wii. All of the versions are essentially the same, but the DS and Wii versions are the most recent, so I recommend picking up one of those. This is a game that is great for gamers of every age. It is designed in such a way so that anyone can pick it up and just play. I give the entire Animal Crossing series an overall score of 8.5/10.

Movie Review: How to Train Your Dragon

Walt Disney may be about to turn over in his grave. DreamWorks has started making animated movies that are actually worth something. How to Train Your Dragon, Dreamworks’ latest, is perhaps its best effort yet.

The movie centers around a boy named Hiccup who is a misfit Viking. Why is he a misfit? Well, he is about 400 pounds lighter than all of them, has no facial hair, and he can’t kill a dragon. For those of you who don’t know, dragons are as common as cats and dogs to these Viking people, except the dragons are super deadly and eat their livestock as well as citizens. Can your dog do that? I didn’t think so. Anyway, killing a dragon is essentially the way to earn your respect/manhood, and pretty much everyone can kill one except our young hero, Hiccup.

One day while out trying to kill one of these monsters he ends up accidentally detaining one of the feared “night furies,” who are the biggest, scariest, meanest dragons in town. When he eventually finds the creature, he discovers that the dragon isn’t as evil as previously thought and the two form a special bond. He trains the dragon, and after that the misadventures the two have are even enough to make me giddy. Once the stage is set the story really unfolds and we are given a plot that is simply a treat. It is exciting, funny, witty and overall a joy.

The film does very well in the effects department. The characters look simply amazing and the high-flying dragon battles are very intense and gripping. This is not commonly seen in a kid’s movie, but it is most certainly a good change. The action scenes were amazing, and I didn’t even see it in 3-D, which I agree with Roger Ebert is “Nothing but the opportunity to pay more to see a distracting and unnecessary additional dimension.”

The voice cast is lead by Jay Baruchel who does an excellent job providing wit and satire to the main character Hiccup. Gerard Butler also lends his voice playing Hiccup’s Viking father. Butler adds a certain unique element to the roll, kind of like he did in the film 300. He is a vicious, manly-man character, who isn’t afraid to crack a joke here and there. While good-spirited and fun, the voice acting is also extremely witty. I guarantee you will be shocked at some of the jokes – in a good way, of course. The film’s soundtrack includes vocals and composed pieces which add very well to the mood.

How to Train Your Dragon is a great film for the kids, the old folks, the grownups, and anyone really. It provides enough doses of satire, action, and adventure that anyone can sit in the theater with a smile on their face enjoying the movie. I recommend this film to any and everyone who just wants to see a good movie. Your move, Disney.

I give it 4/5 stars.

Pokemon Soul Silver is Pure Gold

I’m sure I can speak for my entire generation by saying at one point in time (late 90’s early 2000’s) Pokémon seemed just plain awesome to every single one of us. Of course most of us are trying to forget about the dark days of huddling in front of the tv and wearing our hats backwards while playing our Gameboy colors.

But, the folks from Japan just won’t let us forget. Thus we see the release of Pokémon: Heart Gold and Pokémon: Soul Silver for the Nintendo DS. These two games are remakes of the classics Pokémon: Gold and Silver that were released back in 2000 for the Gameboy color. Now Silver was one of my first and favorite video games, so I almost had some kind of obligation to pick up the remake and see how it was. Is this game still good after ten years or has the desire to “Catch ‘em all” been diminished?

(Important note: Pokémon Heart Gold and Pokémon Soul Silver are essentially the same game, with a few differences in the available Pokémon. I bought Soul Silver, but my review is applicable to both versions.)

Story: The game takes place in a fictional world filled with odd animal-like beings called “Pokémon”. Pokémon come in all shapes and sizes and are primarily used for a pastime among humans. What is the pastime you ask? Fighting.

Now, I’m not sure why this is even legal, but that is not the point here. You start out as a young kid looking to make his way in the Pokémon world. Since this is an RPG, you get to name the character yourself. Once you get up and running and name the little guy, you go immediately to the Pokémon laboratory where you get to chose from one of three super rare, ultra cool looking Pokémon. Each of them is extremely different so it’s important you choose the one that you like the best.

Once you do that, you get sent on a quest to beat all of the “gym leaders” in the area and become the best Pokémon trainer around town. Gym leaders are basically the champion Pokémon fighter in the area.

Having accomplished this, you are let loose in an expansive world to battle other Pokémon and their trainers while battling an evil organization along the way. The story is essentially the one you write after that.

Of course, there is a linear path to follow if you actually want to finish the game. I suggest you jump on that one. The story isn’t amazing and in depth filled with plot twists and the lot, but it is in fact a Pokémon game. It is just your classic story of boy (or girl) leaves home and goes on an adventure while making friends along the way.

Game Play: The combat traditionally runs on a turn based system. Most of the battles are random encounters unless they have something to do with the plot, then they are forced encounters.

The random encounters are annoying as ever. Sometimes, you can’t take a step without running into something. Once you enter a battle, you have a choice to summon one of the Pokémon that you have captured and trained. From there you and the opposing Pokémon do battle by taking turns choosing attacks until one of you loses all of your health. It sounds simple, and quite frankly it is. But there is more strategy to it than you may think and depending on who’s playing the combat can be very fun and expansive.

When you aren’t fighting other Pokémon you are usually walking around visiting different towns. Each town is different and really has its own feel—especially in this remake version of the game since the colors and graphics have been totally redone. You will meet new people, battle gym leaders, pick up items and run into some odd Pokémon.

For a single player small time game they really make the world feel huge. There are so many places to go and different people to meet that it is really surprising that you are the only real person playing the game. Of course, online modes are available via Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. I haven’t had the opportunity to play yet, but basically what you can do is hook up with a friend to battle and trade Pokémon.

Coming from a guy that played the original, I have to say I’m quite impressed with the changes that they have made to the game and how fun the game play is, even after ten years. Some of the games changes are major and some are very small. For one, you have the ability to sprint early on in the game so you don’t have to walk at a ridiculously slow pace like you had to in the first one. Also one of your Pokémon can follow you around at all times, similar to Pokémon Yellow. There is even a whole other section of the game after you have completed the main quest. There are several other changes and add-ons to the game, but I’ll get to those in our next segment.

Other elements: These are where most of the drastic changes to the game have been made. First off, the graphics have been totally redone and they look great. All of the environments are in 3D and the colors are extremely vibrant. The Pokémon look as awesome as ever and the animations for their attacks are also very neat. The soundtrack has gotten a huge makeover, with the music tracks actually sounding like…well…music tracks. If you can remember, any and all sounds on the GameBoy color were about as 8-bit as you can get. The sounds that didn’t get a makeover this time around were the sounds the Pokémon make. I find this odd, because they sound horrible and I know that the DS has the capabilities to fix this.

Summary: In all, Pokémon Soul Silver is as solid of an RPG as the original was. You will be getting the bang for your buck on this one, especially since you will end up playing through it more than once. It did everything a remake needs to do: add new content, and keep up with the original.

Long time Poke-fan? I’m sure you already own this. Never liked Pokémon? Forget everything you know about it and give this game a try. Former fan like myself? This game is defiantly something that makes the franchise worth giving a second look. Somehow, in a world with Halo, Modern Warfare, God of War and the lot I can still sit down and have hours of fun with a Pokémon video game. Why is this so? Well, you are going to have to find that out yourself. After all is said and done, I give this legend in gaming a 9/10.

MAG earns its name.

Of all the silly military-themed acronyms MAG could stand for, it simply stands for “Massive Action Game.” Now, I find this funny because it is actually quite literal. Its massive in the sense that it can hold up to a whopping 256 players in one online match, and as far as action goes there is plenty of shooting. Oh and it’s a video game, that too. But does this PS3 exclusive go beyond having a semi-cool title? Read on to find out.

Story: Since the game is entirely online play, there is no story mode. This is good because we see games that are primarily online (cough –Modern Warfare-cough) that have a completely lame and irrelevant story line (cough-Modern Warfare-cough). People just want to cut to the chase, and in this day and age the chase happens to be online play. Nobody is going to buy these games for the story. They want online play, and that is what MAG is good at.

With no story mode, the only thing we can piece together as a story is the following: your character (the one you create) enters into one of three private military companies. Raven, a high tech richie-rich organization with all of the newest gear and tactics; Valor, your typical G.I. Joe U.S. army type group; and finally S.V.E.R. the resistance fighter militia-type guys.

Once you choose your team, you are stuck with them for a really long time. So this does a good job to keep you loyal to your specific faction. It’s not like one faction is better than the other, so you should choose which one that feels and looks right to you. The only things that are really affected are how your bases, clothes and weapons look. The one thing that effects how you play in each faction is the players on your team.

From what I’ve noticed the people that are really good at first person shooters like Call of Duty join Valor, so naturally valor is pretty good. People who are pro at Halo or any other sci-fi games play on Raven and they aren’t so good. But, by far the best team in the game right now is S.V.E.R. They have won the most matches in most of the game modes. I’m not really sure why they always win, but I guess that it’s the players that really make up the team.

Game Play: The game play in MAG is truly massive. MAG plays like a traditional war-time first person shooter. You have your primary weapons, secondary weapons, grenades and a few other things. As far as the game play goes, it’s pretty much just running around and shooting people. That’s not too difficult at all.

Where this game really shines is its capacity an incredible amount of players online at once. The most there can be is 256, but this isn’t all the time. There are several game modes you can play—each with its own number of players and objectives. The 256 player mode called Domination has players capture a number of control points in the enemy base. This mode, plainly put, is crazy. There are over two hundred people shooting at each other. The maps for these modes are large and complex and you probably won’t get through them by the time the game is over. There is a lot going on, but they make it work.

I have never had to wait more than two minutes for a match and have suffered absolutely NO lag at any time during the game. This is simply an amazing feat, and they pulled it off. The character creation at the beginning of the game is pretty solid. You can customize everything down to the clothes and voice of your character. Instead of choosing a class for your character to play like most games, the game assigns you a class by what you do the most on the battle field. If all you do is heal all day, you are going to be marked as a medic. If you spend your time in battle using the sniper rifle then you will be a sniper. The game has talent trees that you can use to upgrade whichever class you would like, with points toward this upgrade unlocked at each new level. Overall, when it comes to the game play of MAG the only thing I can say about it is that it is simply awesome.

Other Elements: The graphics are good, but at the same time nothing to remember or give praise to. I mean don’t get me wrong, the epic battles on an HD TV look pretty cool, but there is better out on the market today. The music tracks are interesting with hardcore rock music playing at random times. There is little voice acting, but again it is good, not best.

Now, I could sit here all day like most big time critics and rip apart the game with all of its little flaws and give it a bad score because of said flaws. But If I was to score MAG on how fun it is to play, which is what you care about, I would give it a 10/10 for just being plain fun. Make sure if you own a PS3, to pick this one up.

Top 10 best video games of the decade

In the last ten years, the video game market has skyrocketed. We have witnessed some seriously revolutionary video gaming systems, things we never even thought possible. Well today I’m talking about the actual games that we played on these systems; the best, most revolutionary games in the last ten years. The best of the best, the ones that change the way we game…forever.

#10-Fallout 3-(2008)
Released in 2008, Fallout 3 was a gem in on the shelf on RPGs. To many, it had seemed like the concept of the game had been done before. The end result of the game shocked millions with its open world environment and unique game play. The game took place in the distant future where you, the “lone wanderer”, went on a search for your runaway father. After nuclear war has torn apart the world, you are mostly alone on your quest. The environments are absolutely stunning, and the game play was amazing. You could go anywhere, and do anything while meeting some of the most memorable characters in video game history; such as, an eccentric fast talking radio DJ, and a man named Dave who has set up a “kingdom” of about 10 people.
#9-The Sims-(2000)
The Sims was a game that, at the time of its release, was a one of a kind. To date it is one of the best selling PC games of all time. So what makes it so popular and revolutionary? Well, it was one of the first games that was a “life simulation.” And that’s what made it so successful. You could really do anything you want with your character that you made. This is one game that has attracted casual and hardcore gamers alike. Anyone can play.
#8-Burnout 3 Takedown-(2004)
Out of all the Burnout games, this one by far has to be the best. What was so great about it was that it was one of the first racing games that utilized combat while racing. One major goal of the game was to take out other players by ramming them thus blowing up their cars. Most of the racing games up to 2004 were just driving around a set course, none having the objective of taking out other racers.
#7-Guitar Hero-(2005)
There is no doubt that guitar hero would make this list. Even though we had music games prior to its release, Guitar Hero is the first of its kind. The object of the game is to play to music using a plastic guitar, which differs from playing the real thing. The key to this game’s success was the fact that it is a common dream among the general public to be a rock star. Everyone wants to be a rock star. With this game, your dream can come true. After the release of Guitar Hero in 2005 handfuls of other music games were spawned and the market for music games exploded. This game started it all.
#6-Kingdom Hearts-(2002)
What looked like another Japanese RPG had a major twist element. Alongside the big eyed, big haired youngsters were classic Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse and Goofy. Although this sounds very weird (which it is) the game was done very well and received positive reviews all around. This twist made this game one of the most successful game franchises of all time. The pure originality of the subject matter made this game a must have. One other thing it did very well was introduce a younger generation of fans to the Final Fantasy Franchise which was also very successful.
#5-Portal (2007)
Portal is a puzzle game which changed puzzle games. The game is played in first person style which you the player uses a “portal gun”. The player had to shoot orange and blue portals though walls to advance through the level, with different challenges and puzzles along the way. No other puzzle game was played like this one was. It was a real original title, in a time where original titles where nonexistent. Portal at times was extremely hard and forced the player to actually think through what they were doing. There was no game like this before it, and there hasn’t been one like it since.
#4- God of War-(2005)
A game truly ahead of its time, God of War was a game that was based on Greek mythology. One major reason this game was to be remembered was for the graphics. It was one of the few games of its time that looked as good as it did. What they had created was a true epic of a game that really deserves to be remembered.
#3-Wii Motion titles-(2006)
The Wii is an amazing feat in gaming. It brought motion gaming to life with its creative game play and motion control system. I know that this category covers several games, but it wouldn’t be fair if I just mentioned one game on the list. A few of these games are Wii fit and Wii sports. There is no doubt that these titles along with the motion control technology were milestones in gaming this past decade. This completely original concept was brought to the console and the games are still being played today.
#2-World of Warcraft-(2004)
I’m sure by now you have heard of the multiplayer giant that is World of Warcraft. Now with millions of users, this game really set the standard for online gaming. The game has an extremely expansive world, with lots to explore and do. Blizzard Entertainment really hit a big one with this game, and im sure it will be remembered as one of the greatest games ever made in years to come. Even if you don’t like this game, you cannot deny that it didn’t permanently leave an impact on gaming around the world.
#1 Halo: Combat Evlolved-(2001)
The number one game on my list is Halo. At the time of Halo’s release it was an instant classic, being one of the pioneers of first person shooters on consoles. But halo will be remembered for more than just this. Its sequel, Halo 2, really revolutionized online console game play as we know it today. The multiplayer was done differently than it had before, being a huge hit. From the success of the Halo games has come a huge success of Xbox Live and eventually the Xbox 360. The Halo franchise will always be remembered as a video gaming legend. It brought things to the table that fans had never seen before, providing them with great gaming experiences. Halo: Combat Evolved is the best game we have seen in the last ten years.