Tag Archive: ray carsillo


Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc HD Remake Coming

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November 29, 2011

THE BUZZ: Ubisoft has announced today, right on the heels of their recent Rayman: Origins release, that Spring of 2012 will see a HD remake of Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc released onto XBLA and PSN. Ubisoft also mentioned the game will run at a full 60 frames per second and that they estimate there should be 15 to 20 hours worth of game play in the download.

EGM’s TAKE: The big question that comes up with this announcement is of course going to be price. To release a full game of that length, I wouldn’t be surprised if this pushed into the $20 range, which is a lot for a download. But considering I’m sure the game was more than twice that in its original release back in 2003 on Xbox, PS2, and PC, it’ll still be a worthwhile deal if they include some new features. If it’s just a straight HD port though, this may seem like too much of a quick cash dash trying to capitalize on the remake trend lately and nostalgia for folks who played the original. Interesting though that Ubisoft chose Rayman 3 to remake when, and I know I speak for many on the EGM crew, Rayman 2 is widely considered the pinnacle of the series.

What do you folks think of this announcement? What is your favorite chapter in the Rayman series? Are you fans of all these remake releases lately (Resident Evil, ICO/Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, and Halo just to name a few)? Is making this a downloadable title the way to go? Let us know your thoughts with comments below!

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EGM Review: WWE ’12

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If you smell what the WWE is cookin’

After a decade-long brand divide, the WWE’s recently made strides to show unity with their RAW and SmackDown shows and pay-per-views. In response, their yearly videogame’s dropped the annual SmackDown vs. RAW title to hammer home this brand solidarity—but that’s not all that’s changed in THQ’s annual wrestling sim. WWE ’12 finds a way to take the great customization and storyline strides that last year’s game made and refines them to provide the most authentic wrestling simulation to date.

Of course, what’s the first thing any player does with a typical WWE game? Check out the Create-a-Superstar feature! Even non-wrestling fans get caught up in the fun of creating a grappler from the ground up, and this mode sees much of the detail of previous versions return, along with new logos, designs, and physical-feature models to hit an even wider range of possibilities. But WWE ’12 also adds the new Create-an-Arena mode. Not only can you whip up your own wrestler from scratch, but you can also dedicate a squared circle to your grappler—or any of your real life-favorites. Hulkamania can run wild again with a ring drenched in red and gold, or you can show off your Macho Madness with a rainbow electronic ticker in honor of the dearly departed Randy Savage—and this is just scratching the surface of a mode I poured several hours into alone. And you can once again create logos, finishers, movesets, and even your own intro videos for the Titantron—and it’s all shareable via the WWE Creations online feature.

Another key to making this the most authentic WWE experience yet? The WWE Universe and Road to WrestleMania options. Now featuring stories that more closely mimic those you might actually see each week on RAW or SmackDown, these modes make every match and decision truly count. Maybe you’ll try to bring Sheamus back into the limelight of the WWE Title chase or push your created character to the top of the ranks and make him a legend in his own right. The Road to WrestleMania’s been trimmed, though—instead of choosing from one of five superstar storylines, you simply press play and begin the near-endless simulations of what you might see from varied wrestlers’ points of view.

But the action in the ring’s where you might see the biggest step up. The controls now feature a more casual-friendly A-button grapple prompt instead of the second analog stick, which actually gives the game a bit more of an arcadey feel, as you’ll find yourself button-mashing a bit more than you’re used to—the experience almost hearkens back to the No Mercy and WWF Attitude days in some ways. This might bother some people, but it isn’t striking enough that you won’t be able to adjust. The in-ring action’s further augmented by improvements like “wake-up taunts” to help set up finishers, better movement on the ring ropes, and an onscreen presentation that more closely mimics the actual WWE TV shows.

One element that’s definitely been criticized in past iterations, though—and it crops up again here, unfortunately—is the collision system. You’ll still see the occasional “quicksand” glitch where a wrestler’s suddenly waist deep in the mat, while an Irish whip against the steel steps can have you or your foe quivering and quaking for several seconds. Still, these moments happen more rarely than I’ve seen in any previous version of the game.

WWE ’12 is strong coat of polish on last year’s game, and when you combine that with even more customization and creation features and a beefed-up roster of several dozen wrestlers (including old standbys and never-before-digitized legends, like one of my personal favorites, the man they call Vader), and you’ve got by far the best WWE wrestling simulation we’ve seen to date—one that’ll layeth the smacketh down upon any and all wrestling haters.

SUMMARY: Some control improvements and fleshed out game play modes highlight the deepest WWE videogame experience yet.

  • THE GOOD: The most realistic WWE experience yet
  • THE BAD: Some collision and control issues remain
  • THE UGLY: Some of the created characters already uploaded to the servers

SCORE: 9.0

WWE ‘ 12 is available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii. Primary version reviewed was on the Xbox 360.

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The Pullbox – Issue #14

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A mild week for DC made it difficult to pick two that rose above the hoi polloi, while Marvel provided the exact opposite problem as there were more than a handful of worthy contenders to choose from this week. No surprise on the Indie side though as more pretty pesky poltergeists fall to everyone’s favorite guys in gray as they spearhead this week’s Pullbox!

1) IDW – Ghostbusters #3: The agents of Gozer continue to plot ways to bring their master back as the Ghostbusters see a spike in paranormal activity because of it. Old nemesis Walter Peck makes his presence felt as a new threat, loosely termed “The Terror Bear”, as the primary threat on Wall St. Sorry occupiers. I think Ghostbusters is easily the best independent monthly we’ve seen in a really long time as it adds onto the canon that is beloved by so many in ways that make perfect sense. Full of the same humor and dynamic we loved in the movies and video game along with some awesome “case files” on all the new ghouls they face at the end of the book makes this book a joyous read from cover to cover. I only wish it came out more often than once a month as there is no book out now that I enjoy reading more. Hopefully IDW understands the gold mine they have here and backs this for a long and prosperous run.

2) Marvel – Fear Itself #7.3 – Iron Man: Even though Marvel has already moved on and are three issues deep into The Fearless, the aftermath of the Fear Itself event, they pushed out three secondary aftermath issues detailing with what happened to those most affected by Fear Itself: Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man. And each issue has gotten better and better. From the rumors of Bucky’s death being greatly exaggerated, to how Asgard deals with the death of Thor, and now to Iron Man dealing with one of his and Thor’s classic villains, The Gray Gargoyle, and what he did when he had one of the hammers, petrifying all of Paris. I don’t understand why Iron Man is sad, it’s only Paris. Anyway, as Iron Man contemplates what to do with The Gray Gargoyle and works to undo his damage, you really see why Tony Stark may be Marvel’s best character because more than anyone else, he has a tremendous amount of layers. From falling back down to the bottom of the bottle, to cursing all the gods, especially Odin, this is a great read into Tony’s mind and is worth picking up as a one-shot.

3) Marvel – Incredible Hulk #2: As Bruce Banner continues struggling with the fact that part of him is missing with the Hulk, the Hulk continues to let everyone know that he just doesn’t give a damn what Banner is doing without him. Let the world worry about the mutant sharks and warthogs he is creating trying turn him back into a Hulk. Unfortunately for him, Banner, even in this crazed state, is still smarter and more underhanded than the Hulk ever could be. Probably the next best Marvel Universe character, this new issue is slowly building up to what could be a crazy confrontation between Banner and Hulk. Of course, we all know somehow, someway that they will come back together because they need each other so much, but until then, it is really interesting to see them working apart. And whatever does bring them back together, you know it is going to be an event epic enough to be worthy of the Hulk and probably have lots of smashing involved.

4) DC – Batman #3: As Bruce Wayne is forced to do a bit more detective work than normal to draw out these new cultish enemies that worship owls, Batman takes this newly acquired information to finally track down their lair and begin unraveling this cult’s past. But the Owls have eyes everywhere and they are more than aware that Batman is on their trail. A bit of a slow start for this new Batman story as DC is really focusing on expanding his rogues gallery, things definitely picked up this issue as Gotham’s past begins to point Batman on the proper path of these new enemies. Hopefully things will really amp up now, but if you’re looking to know what’s going on, this issue is clearly key to the story arc. Helping to expand on the unsung character of Batman that is Gotham City and this issue should be more than enough to satisfy any and all Batman fans as DC continues its New 52 campaign.

5) DC – Green Lantern Corps #3: Guy Gardner and John Stewart have to call in some Lantern back-up as these new willpower based enemies called The Ring Slayers are proving to be too much for the small lantern scout party that Garnder and Stewart are leading. Once help arrives, although the Slayers are pushed back, not all the Lanterns can escape and now are left to the mercy of this new and unknown enemy as the perimeter defense collapses. With this New 52 from DC, they seem to really be pushing the idea of new foes for some familiar faces and the idea of a new enemy to be based on the same power of the Green Lantern rings is an interesting twist. Could this lead to an unusual alliance down the line? How about the even more emotionless than normal Guardians, how will they decide to handle this unknown force? And more importantly, where do they come from? When a comic has that many questions pop up, you know its something you should be reading as they are basic enough that they have to be answered in future issues.

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ADMIT ONE – Movie Previews for Weekend of Nov. 18th, 2011

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No surprise to see that Immortals was the one to take down Puss in Boots as the number one movie as it grossed $32 million, but I was surprised to see it slip to third and that Adam Sandler’s latest comedy, Jack and Jill just squeezed on by into the number two spot with a strong $25 million opening weekend. I guess guys in drag is still funny to most people. Of course, this is all going to change this coming weekend.

1) Twilight: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 – A vampire knocks up a human chick and ticks off a bunch of wussie werewolves.

For the same reason that comic book movies do so well during their run, so do these teenie bopper suck fests (pun intended). Because their target audience is so enamored with the characters, that they’ll see the movie multiple times. Every girl between 13 and 30 this weekend will likely see this movie a half dozen times and think it’s the greatest thing ever. I would rather shoot myself in the face. But no matter what my silent protest would do, this movie will still claim the number one spot with ease. I’m sorry, I was raised to be afraid of vampires and werewolves.

 

2) Happy Feet Two – The dancing penguins from the first movie return and look to help a little penguin find his groove while also protecting their frozen home from a new threat.

Being a kid’s movie, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was able to steal the number two spot because another key movie audience, little kids and dragged along parents, will see this over the teen angst vampire garbage above. An all-star voice cast featuring Elijah Wood and Robin Williams highlights a movie that fans of the first will likely enjoy just as much. Don’t expect me dancing my way out of the theatre though. Although I’d still see this sooner than Twilight.

 

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Fallout: New Vegas Graphic Novel Available via Dark Horse Digital

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THE BUZZ: Bethesda Softworks and Dark Horse Comics announced today that their original graphic novel All Roads, originally released in the Fallout: New Vegas collector’s edition is now available for purchase via Dark Horse Digital for $2.99.

Serving as a prequel to the events of New Vegas, All Roads was written by creative director Chris Avellone and features art from Jean Diaz, Geof Darrow, and Wellinton Aves and is 48 pages long.

For more information on the comic or to purchase it yourself for iTunes or on your iOS, click here.

EGM’S TAKE: As more and more games begin having their own special comic runs, either branching events between games or offering more back story, it’s no surprise to see one moving from paper to the more appropriate digital distribution realm.

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EGM Review: Saints Row: The Third

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Giant strippers, manapults, and luchadores…

You’d be hard-pressed to find a game that matches the debauchery and excess of Saints Row: The Third. Pushing its own boundaries and depravity to the limit, this sandbox action-adventure goes to great lengths to parody anything and everything in gaming and pop culture—even itself—all in the name of entertainment. Whether you’re driving around with a tiger in the passenger seat to prove your bravery, participating in Professor Genki’s Super Ethical Reality Climax Japanese-style game show to earn big bucks, or then using said Professor’s manapult to suck up unsuspecting NPCs into a giant cannon and using their carcasses as projectiles, this game doesn’t exactly get the meaning of “overkill.” But all that wouldn’t mean a thing if the game weren’t fun—and, thankfully, it’s an absolute blast.

Saints Row: The Third picks up shortly after the end of the second game. The Saints, the street gang from the first two entries, aren’t persecuted or hunted like you might think—far from it. Instead, they’re treated like celebrities—or even superheroes. So when they go to rob a bank in their hometown of Stilwater, it’s more like a day at the office. But things quickly go awry when more police than the Saints have ever seen drop in on them, and they realize this bank robbery isn’t quite what they had in mind when it came to putting in some overtime. It seems a new crime organization called the Syndicate’s moved into town and after some action sequences that would put Nathan Drake to shame, the Saints find themselves having to rebuild in the sleepy harbor town of Steelport where they’ll reclaim their criminal empire before taking revenge on those who have wronged them.

Unlike in the previous Saints Row games, The Third’s designed to be more of an open-ended experience, with multiple paths that affect the ending. You’ve still got three rival gangs to deal with, but now they’re all working together to form the Syndicate: the Luchadores, a Mexican-wrestling-themed gang led by a masked man named Killbane, the cyberterrorist Deckers, and the gun-running and human-trafficking Eurogang known as Morningstar. But instead of picking these gangs off one by one like in previous installments, you’ll often have to deal with them on certain missions at the same time as you pursue the larger goal of conquering Steelport. And your gang wars will erupt to the point that later on, a fourth threat will make itself known—a special military unit, STAG, designed specifically to put you down.

As great as the campaign is, it’s still got its share of problems. Considering the scale of the world, you can forgive some glitches that crop up from time to time in the game, but some definitely irritate—and there’s nothing more frustrating than having to start a mission over because your cover mechanics glitch or your car suddenly hits an invisible pothole.

Competitive multiplayer, a staple of the first two entries, has been removed in favor of an emphasis on co-op. The campaign co-op does play very smoothly and isn’t really affected by friends dropping in and out of your “gang” over the course of the game, but honestly, I’d still just rather play by myself, since most of my friends and I aren’t on the same gaming level.

To make up for the lack of the multiplayer, The Third offers another co-op option aptly dubbed “Whored Mode.” And, just like that certain-sounding mode from that other game that revolves around wave after wave of enemies, Whored Mode’s best played with friends, where you can enjoy the absurdity together as you take down giant strippers, midgets in hot-dog costumes, or zombies—just because everyone loves killing zombies. If I had to choose, though, I’d still pick the competitive multiplayer aspect over Whored Mode, no matter how funny it may be—it just doesn’t provide the challenge of taking on a human opponent.

Despite my gripes with the multiplayer options, the 10-to-12-hour campaign’s still very much worth the price of admission, and it needs to be seen to be believed—trust me, this game’s done more than enough to earn its “M” rating from the ESRB.

SUMMARY: Not perfect by any means—but still a fun, off-the-wall sandbox that’s more than worth the price of admission.

  • THE GOOD: As over-the-top a game as you’ll ever play
  • THE BAD: Glitches sometimes get in the way of gameplay
  • THE UGLY: The zany enemies you’ll find in the new Whored Mode

SCORE: 8.0

Saints Row: The Third is available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Primary version reviewed was on the Xbox 360.

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EGM Review: Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest

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No skin, lots of bones, and a little bit of heart

It’s rare that you see a game revolving around motion controls that also attempts to feature a deep, fleshed-out story like Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest. Unfortunately, you all too often see these types of games fall into the same gameplay traps that this one falls into as well—missteps that take away from the overall experience.

Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest is set in a fictional medieval kingdom where a boy named Edmund lives in the castle. Although he’s an orphan, Edmund’s built up an almost King Arthur–esque mystique, and he’s now destined for great things—including inheriting the crown. But for now, Edmund’s still too young and is simply tasked with guarding a mysterious, powerful stone that contains mystical powers. Guided by the ghost of a past king, the castle chef, and several other allies, Edmund’s well on his way to being a just, beloved ruler. That is, until a nefarious necromancer attacks the castle with an army of undead skeletons. Claiming the mysterious stone and its power for his own, the necromancer curses the kingdom and adds them to his skeletal army. But Edmund’s fortuitously protected by a magical stone pendant, so although his flesh melts away, his mind’s free from the necromancer’s control. Jokingly renaming himself “Deadmund,” he sets off on a quest to save his future subjects—and himself—from the dastardly deeds of this depraved demon.

I’ll admit that some aspects of Deadmund’s Quest flat-out impressed me for a motion-controlled game. The cartoony graphics work well with the lighthearted  writing—and when you couple that with some surprisingly competent voice acting by all involved, this game’s definitely aurally and visually pleasing.

That’s why it’s such a shame that, just like many other motion-controlled adventures, Deadmund’s Quest ends up being held back by the very technology that allegedly empowers it. The most disappointing part? It’s designed almost like a pseudo action-dventure game but instead comes off like an on-rails Legend of Zelda. This is almost an oxymoron—you can’t explore your surroundings or talk to townsfolk, and you must always engage enemies head-on. You’re simply herded forward to area after area, where you slash away at more of the necromancer’s skeleton horde with your sword or fire away with your arrows. The lack of gameplay diversity makes progression a dull grind almost immediately—you just won’t find the same variety as in Zelda or other more robust fantasy experiences.

And the tedious grind’s only compounded by major control problems, as too many different actions are assigned to various Move motions. Pointing up lets you drink milk to restore health, pointing down pulls out a grappling hook for jumping over walls, pulling back brings up your shield, and swinging away unsheathes your sword. But since you need to attack some enemies vertically or horizontally, you’ll often find yourself suddenly drinking milk in the middle of battle when you don’t want to, dropping your shield when trying to defend yourself, or hacking away when trying to pull out the grappling hook.

Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest has a wonderful concept, but like so many motion-controlled games before it, this one’s subject to a poorly implemented gimmick—it would’ve been much more enjoyable with both a regular controller and an open world instead.

SUMMARY: A fun, lighthearted medieval adventure held back by Move technology and on-rails design.

  • THE GOOD: Humorous characters and an entertaining plot
  • THE BAD: On-rails action and epic adventure really don’t mix
  • THE UGLY: Undead skeleton monsters everywhere!

SCORE: 6.0

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EGM Review: Carnival Island

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Carnies—now in videogame form!

When it comes to motion-controlled games, the experiences geared at casual audiences usually end up as the most polished, user-friendly products. Of course, you’ve also got the games you typically tire of quickly and don’t pull out again unless you’ve got company over and are looking to goof off—and Carnival Island is a perfect example.

This carnival-midway simulator sees you take control of a male or female avatar tasked with bringing color and life back to long-forgotten Carnival Island. As you play classic carnival and boardwalk offerings like skee-ball, coin toss, and ring toss, you’ll unlock various variations on these classic games. If you do well enough in each variation of the eight carnival contests—over 35 technically different games in all—around the island, you’ll succeed in bringing happiness and joy back to this carny paradise. OK, so the backstory isn’t the freshest idea—though, hey, how many games involving carnies have you ever seen?—but it works as an excuse to play these games without actually having to go to a carnival or boardwalk and drop hard-earned cash on rigged games that you’ll never win. Plus, each stuffed animal you win in Carnival Island will come to life and serve as a cheerleading sidekick. Try winning something like that down at the Jersey Shore!

But even though this one’s clearly targeted at a very casual audience, Carnival Island actually offers a surprising amount of polish. The anime-inspired cutscenes that play as you unlock various sections of the island are actually very pretty—and almost enough to keep you playing once the gimmick of the cheesy carnival games wears off, just so you can see the next one…almost. But, fittingly in a game clearly geared toward the casual audience and children, the bright colors and themes really shine through.

And although the controls are probably the simplest you’ll find in even most casual of casual titles—most of these carnival showdowns are all about flicking your wrist or moving one arm around—they do their job well enough. I mean, who ever broke a sweat playing ring toss? Still, it feels good when you start racking up 100 points per ball in skee-ball or flipping the coin in the cup perfectly each time in coin toss.

The big flaw of Carnival Island—like many of these minigame-based, motion-controlled, gimmick-driven, budget, soon-to-be-bargain-bin titles—is the fact there just isn’t enough replay value. In order to try to appeal to the lowest common denominator, the difficulty’s set to preschool levels, and the rewards are few and far between. So, after a few hours of skee-ball, you’re ready to either hang up your Move controller or move on to a real game. Hey, maybe that’s why the Move is so aptly named—because, after playing most of the games that require it, you want to MOVE on to regular games.

Carnival Island certainly isn’t a bad game, but it’s just not something you’ll end up devoting a ton of time to in the long run, especially if you’re a hardcore gamer. If you’ve got a kid or a niece or nephew who really likes casual games—or maybe a grandparent on the opposite end of the spectrum—well, they probably have a Wii. But if they do, for some reason, have a PS3 and a Move, this might be more their speed.

SUMMARY: This carny simulator’s as simple as can be—but it’s surprisingly fun and definitely helps bolster the Move’s casual appeal.

  • THE GOOD: Responsive controls and fun games
  • THE BAD: Simple—and can get tiresome quickly
  • THE UGLY: The handlebar mustaches of the carniefolk

SCORE: 7.0

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EGM Review: Assassin’s Creed: Revelations

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Back to the past

Assassin’s Creed may well be the greatest videogame history-based epic we’ve ever seen. Each chapter finds a way to add nuance and layers to some of history’s most intriguing moments. Full of rich, vibrant characters outshined only by the detailed re-created and authentic historic cityscapes, Assassin’s Creed has become a favorite of gamers and history buffs everywhere due to its intriguing plot and stellar gameplay. So, how does the fourth chapter in this landmark franchise stand up overall?

Revelations picks up shortly after the end of Brotherhood. Modern-day protagonist Desmond Miles’ extended use of the Animus has left him in a coma; trapped inside the program, he must continue experiencing his ancestors’ memories in hopes of finding a way out of the machine to which he’s been tethered. As all this unfolds, Desmond experiences an Ezio adventure from later in his life that will see his Florentine ancestor travel to Ottoman Constantinople in the hopes of finding five keys to unlock a long hidden Altaïr library. In the process, Ezio has his own Desmond-like experience, as he uses these artifacts to relieve key moments in the Syrian assassin’s life—and begins to unravel the mystery that’s come together over the first three games of the series.

Though the narrative’s ostensibly always revolved around Desmond as he tries to learn what his ancestors knew, these games have always really been about the characters you play as in the past—so this is still primarily Ezio’s story. Revelations wraps up his tale beautifully—but, in true Assassin’s Creed fashion, it still leaves the door open for so many more potential twists down the line. Not to mention that by revisiting Altaïr as Ezio, we really get a sense of how all the characters are interconnected—and can now appreciate Ezio and Altaïr for their stark differences: Altaïr’s quicker on his feet, while Ezio feels heavier and more powerful.

Assassin’s Creed isn’t just about the story, though—it’s also about the amazing simulations of historical locales. Revelations doesn’t falter on this end: Constantinople looks straight out of a history book, and you can even pick out spices in the marketplace while clearly seeing just how unkind age has been to dear old Ezio. This is a testament to how long Ubisoft’s been working with their engine; they can now get every drop of juice out of it to provide a trio of tremendously different settings. Whether it’s Altaïr’s 13th-century Masyaf, Ezio’s warm, vibrant 1500s Constantinople, or a TRON-like VR world that Desmond works his way through, Revelations delivers the visual goods.

But one other key addition just doesn’t jibe with me. In Brotherhood, Ezio had to conquer Templar towers in order to help quash the Order’s presence in various areas. That element’s returned, but there’s a new wrinkle in Revelations: Templars can now retake the areas they lose. Ezio, taking on more of a commanding-general role, guides various types of assassins around rooftops and barricades streets to subdue advancing enemy waves. A good idea in theory, but it’s implemented via a tower-defense mechanic—which works in Flash-based games, but not so much in Assassin’s Creed. Though the conceit makes sense in the context of Revelations—after all, Ezio’s getting up there in years and can’t risk taking on 20 Templars at once—it still feels like the developers tried to cram in too many different elements at once. Aside from this odd addition, the rest of the game stays relatively similar for Ezio, aside from the hookblade providing zipline assassinations—which never get old—and a variety of new bombs that provide some interesting effects depending on how they’re utilized.

Revelations’ multiplayer definitely takes a step forward for the franchise, though, and it’s one of the more novel online experiences available. You’ll play dual roles as both a killer and as a detective trying to sniff out enemies—that, combined with new play modes, will keep this game in your system for quite some time. In the end, Revelations gets the Assassin’s Creed formula as right as any entry before it—a compelling story tempered by familiar, entertaining gameplay makes this the latest and greatest chapter in this ongoing gaming epic.

SUMMARY: Ezio’s tale wraps up beautifully in this final chapter of his trilogy, but elements like a tower-defense minigame seem out of place.

  • THE GOOD: An epic, fitting conclusion to Ezio’s trilogy
  • THE BAD: New tower-defense element works but feels out of place
  • THE UGLY: The salt-and-pepper look isn’t very flattering on Ezio

SCORE: 9.0

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations is available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Primary version reviewed was on the Xbox 360.

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The Pullbox – Issue #13

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It’s kind of sad that a lot of the big events that are going on in Marvel really aren’t the best stories going on right now. DC on the other hand is starting to show some of the grit and interesting storytelling that the New 52 was supposed to signify. Meanwhile, in the Indies, there are a bevy of interesting stories going on with some monthlies, but I find myself still gravitating towards the game related ones. So here is this week’s Pullbox!

1) DC – Deathstroke #3: Deathstroke is ticked off. This isn’t news as this is his normal state of being. But as a bunch of hot shot up and coming assassins think they can make a name for themselves by offing the best in the business, they have another thing coming and the latest on this laundry list of newbies is a guy named Legacy. Deathstroke decides to amp up the difficulty though and see if he can take out this rookie and a new target all at the same time. Deathstroke is actually starting to work in a story behind all the glorious senseless violence that permeates nearly every page of this book so far through its first three issues. I was hesitant when I heard that Deathstroke was getting his own monthly, but if the book continues to evolve along this path, this could start to become something special. The only question now becomes just what exactly was in the briefcase in the first issue that is still rubbing him the wrong way.

2) DC – Green Lantern #3: Hal Jordan and Sinestro come to an agreement that will enlist Hal into helping Sinestro free his home planet from the clutches of his former Yellow Lanterns and in exchange Hal gets his Green Lantern ring back. But can Hal’s most nefarious enemy be trusted? Let’s just say Sinestro’s brilliantly laid out plan backfires when for once, it is Sinestro who lets his emotions get the best of him. This story takes an amazing twist at the end as the build up of the first two issues finally starts to come to a head. The relationship between Hal and Sinestro is still weird to watch unravel, but now that they both have a common goal in mind, it is interesting to watch them work together as Hal is still guided by his emotions and Sinestro just berates him at every turn for it. If you haven’t been getting this book, now would be the time to jump on board.

3) Marvel – New Avengers #18: Norman Osborn has been busted free and the heads of the largest terrorist organizations in the world look to instill him at the head. Hydra, AIM, and the remnant of HAMMER loyal to Osborn are all pooling their resources and the first thing Osborn wishes to do is reform a new group of Dark Avengers. Calling on the likes of Billy Bastion, Hawkeye’s brother with skill equal to him, Skaar, son of Hulk, and Toxic Doxie to serve as his Scarlet Witch, Osborn looks to bring the pain, and soon. The most interesting books Marvel has put out in recent memory all revolved around Osborn and his Dark Avengers so to see them going back to that and pulling together a hodgepodge of lesser known character to do so pleases me to no end. Now what will Osborn do though to get some body armor and become Iron Patriot again? If you haven’t been reading this book, get it NOW.

4) Marvel – X-Men Legacy #258: Even though the characters that the most recent Legacy story arc have revolved around are already back on Earth and interacting with the X-Men, the actual arc that got them back home doesn’t actually wrap up until this issue. You have to love Marvel’s lack of concerns for continuity. Besides this obvious time and release mismanagement by Marvel, this is a great issue as you see Magneto, Rogue, Havoc, Gambit, Polaris, and Marvel Girl really come together and pull a rabbit out of their hat that could only be done in comics to get back home and defeat a new enemy known as “Friendless”. As the space station the X-Men are trapped on begins to fall faster and faster towards a distant sun, they must overcome Friendless’s mental barrage one more time before trying to pull out of the decaying orbit that threatens to turn them all into cinders. Not the best Legacy arc I’ve ever read, but you should pick it up just to see where it goes from here as the next issue will intertwine with the Regenesis event.

5) Archie – Mega Man #7: Mega Man finally finds the hideout of Dr. Wily and where he is holding the kidnapped Roll, but with the original six robot masters back under Wily’s thumb, can Mega Man hope to overcome them along with the likes of Time Man and Oil Man? I’m really enjoying the dynamic that you are seeing with Mega Man and the other characters around him, reminding me almost a bit of the old cartoon show from the early-mid 90s. Add in these new robot masters teamed with the originals, to make it eight evil robot masters and keep with the theme you would see in the later video games, and I think anyone who is a fan of the Blue Bomber will be enamored with this monthly comic run and just where Archie comics had been going with it. I can’t wait not only to see how Mega Man overcomes these stacked odds against him, but also to see just who he will have to face in the issues beyond that as fan favorites like Snake Man or Air Man can’t be far behind.

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