Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Thursday, Aug 12 2010

Pictures and videos make this look much more attractive, head over to SFX-360.com for the uncut review of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

When you’re a suave ladykiller playing bass in a band with your best friends then you’ve got it made right? What could possibly through a wrench in the smooth machine that you call life? Well when you fall for that hot babe and inadvertently become entangled in a fight to the death against her “7 Evil Exes” then let’s just say that your life needs a little maintenance. It’s a great thing that you happen to be Scott Pilgrim and you come “tailor made” to deliver well deserved ass kickings wherever they’re called for. This is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Based on a series of comic books written by Bryan Lee O’Mally, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World presents the story of Scott Pilgrim a 22 year old bassist in the band Sex Bob-omb. After a grueling break up months before the start of the movie Scott is now healing his heart with the attention of a 17 year Chinese schoolgirl by the name of Knives Chau. However, his world is flipped upside down when he sees the girl of his dreams (literally) Ramona Flowers, but he soon realizes that winning her heart will not be the easiest task he’s ever undertaken. In order to win the heart of Ramona Flowers and to preserve the right to date her he must fight AND defeat her 7 evil exes.

Ready…Fight!

The main allure of Scott Pilgrim vs the World lies in it’s over the top presentation. It’s a hyper active, schizophrenic, chaotic experience from start to finish. From the minute the movie starts you realize that the world of Scott Pilgrim is a videogame brought to life. Words and sounds spring to life in vibrant colors and textures throwing subtlety into the face of the unprepared. Everything about this movie is excessive, designed to incite laughter with its inane and often slapstick humor. But at the same time it all holds together extremely well. It is genuinely funny without feeling worn out over the course of the story and this is a big feat considering its taken six digest sized comics (each about 160 pages) and truncated them into about a two hour movie. This movie would have been a complete shock to my system had it been a videogame movie, but fortunately (or unfortunately if you wanted the shock) it’s actually based on a comic series which actively parodies videogames.

One of the major highlights from the movie comes from the fights that Scott must undergo with Ramona’s evil exes. The fights themselves are just extremely random and really show off the comic book/videogame style that makes the movie so animated. It also makes you wonder why everyone who dates this girl seems to have some form of super power or skill. During the very first battle Scott is caught off guard by Ramona’s very first ex, but instead of this being an awkward encounter strewn with confused stares and unprepared banter, he rises to the challenge and greets his first opponent with a forearm block and a punch to the face! All accentuated by an awesome videogame-esque perspective and animation.

One thing I learned while watching this movie; Vegans are just better than everyone else.

Outside of all of the action and comedy strewn seamlessly throughout the movie there is also a rather interesting romantic element that runs beneath it all. It’s not so pervasive that the movie becomes a love story, but it really adds perspective and gives the main characters a little more personality beyond the, “I must defeat this person for the sake of” type of personality. As a result a lot of the characters seem a lot more relatable. The hot chick that you would fight to keep, the crazy girl who stalks you wherever you go, the best friends that seem a little off but are always there for you, and the crazy vegetarian guy who can put wholes in the moon and knock highlights out of people’s hair. It really runs the gamut of character types and successfully flushes them out adding some layers to what would otherwise be hollow, stock characters.

All in all, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is an amazing adventure. It’s a story of love held together by a lot of action, comedy, and awesome artistic approach. Its probably more relevant to the younger crowds, I’m sure all of the videogame references would fluster a more “mature” person, but at the same time it has more than enough redeemable qualities to keep it entertaining for everyone. This is a must see at any time in any crowd because if it doesn’t cause excessive laughter for its entirety, then its awesome fights and romantic tale will keep you entertained for the rest of the time. Maybe this is the movie that will finally get Michael Cera out of those teen drama movies that he keeps getting cast for. But I digress. It’s out in theaters now! Go watch it!

KO!

(And for reviewing sake this movie gets 5 out of 5 stars and a 94 out of 100, it’s just that good)

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PSP Splitting Seconds This Holiday Wednesday, Jul 7 2010

All the racing fans out there can look forward to a little portable racing fun this holiday season when Disney Interactive’s Split/Second is released on Sony’s PSP. So look forward to some of the most intense havoc-wreaking racers on the consoles to make its way to the handhelds, but how is the transition going to affect this blockbuster HD title? According to developers not so much, but we are realistic, right? What we do know is that there is no planned online multiplayer in the future of this handheld. Instead it is being replaced by a significantly less impressive 4-player ad-hoc feature. But then again, being able to control a car careening down a city street, avoiding obstacles, and destroying fellow racers in the back seat of your own car sounds pretty good too.

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Once you go black…you go white? Wednesday, Jul 7 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idNews=4118

Once you go black…you go white?

The Japanese are always one step ahead when it comes to optimizing the PS3. So it should come as no surprise when I tell you that they will be the first to get the PS3 in its newest configuration. On July 29^th, Japan will officially stop selling the 120 GB and 250 GB PS3 systems and begin selling their new 160 GB and 320 GB units. These new units will be marketed in two color schemes, the current black color and what they are calling “classic white”.

Currently the price point for this system has been set at such that “the 160GB model will cost ¥29,980 (USD$340), while the 320GB version will retail for ¥34,980 (USD$400).” Will this new color and HDD be gracing the shores of North America and Europe anytime soon? Honestly your guess is as good as mine but all in all Sony will be the ones with the last word in the matter.

-Source: www.Kotaku.com

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What’s New in Dead Space 2? Wednesday, Jul 7 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idNews=4115

Dead Space 2 is being released on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on January 25^th of next year. But EA has plenty of mind games to keep players on their toes until the release of the game. Like this one.

DeadSpaceHiddenImage.jpg

EA posted this picture on their facebook page and stated that “If you look closely you might find that there’s a hint hidden in here about a big announcement we’ll be making this week”. So what could EA be showing us in this picture? A new character, some new enemies, Co-op!? Take a look and see if you can unravel the mystery.

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3D Dot Game Heroes Wednesday, May 19 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idReview=468

There is a saying that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I personally think that there is a point that we have to stop and question the motives of a person/thing that wants to be exactly like another. Individuality sets us apart from one another and establishes greatness as more than a superficial visage of people who have preceded; it becomes a mirror of one’s self. This is my main gripe with 3D Dot Game Heroes.

3D Dot Heroes is probably the single most unoriginal game I have ever played, by no means am I saying that it’s bad, but at the same time this game is clearly impersonating Zelda: A Link to the Past. From the story told before gameplay, to the premise, to enemies, and even the overworld; everything chimes with the feeling of the Legend of Zelda. It cannot be disputed that A Link to the Past is probably one of the greatest games ever made, but to completely mock its existence by making a clone by another name, is in a way not showing the game the respect it deserves. Over the course of the game it becomes evident that 3D Dot Game Heroes may actually be some sort of parody of the Legend of Zelda action style but again, its blatant rip of the franchise is a little extreme.

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Lost Planet 2 Wednesday, May 19 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idReview=469

Loneliness has been such a prevailing element in so many games to incite that sense of fear and desperation in players. Perhaps the misconception that this idea brings about is that loneliness is reserved for the survival horror genre, but that’s not necessarily the case. In the original Lost Planet the player controlled Wayne, a young snow pirate who, after being attacked by an enormous alien creature known as an Akrid, is frozen solid in a block of ice for 30 years. When he is thawed by another band of snow pirates they realize that Wayne has no memory of his past except for a few jarring memories of his father, his name, and the Akrid that caused the destruction of his last team, the Green Eye. The most notable part about Lost Planet was its overbearing sense of loneliness. Though Wayne made contact with others over the course of the game, the enormous levels took him through massive snow covered terrains filled with enemies and little else to lighten the atmosphere. This made the players sympathize with Wayne; he had witnessed a horribly traumatic experience that wiped out his only family and he didn’t even have the memory to consolidate that fact. It was a lonely road he traveled on. This sense of fear and desperation is made ever the more potent by the fact that everyone that Wayne crossed was an enemy as well as the fact that some of Wayne’s adversaries measured stories high and could, in the most literal since, swallow him whole. But the fight continued.

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Zatacka 360 Wednesday, May 12 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idReview=464

This Review will also be located in the Review Section

It’s funny how advancement seems to take us full circle. We were once at a point where the greatest desire of any developer was captivating his audience with enthralling graphics and gameplay that were not only unique but advanced and superior to anything that came before (That’s what developers wanted us to believe anyway). But time makes fools of us all. Where we once thought that style and flash would pave the way to the future, we are now enthralled and captivated by the antiquated and retro. Games have sprung forth from the abyss, but instead of flashing their new mechanics they are flaunting their old school aesthetics and gameplay. But we like it; we accept the updated Pac-man game, the new Galaga, and even the new Super Metroid (though we preferred to call it Shadow Complex). They don’t carry that staleness that you would expect from games that predate our parents, they are fresh, new, and dare I say…fun. Bring on the Retro-revolution!

Zatacka 360 is a remake of a classic DOS computer game by the name of Achtung Die Kurve or, for everyone else, it is more familiarly referred to as Zatacka. Zatacka is a basic game in all its rights. It does nothing too exceptional and at its core is a bare bones experience that offers as much enjoyment as you are willing to take from it. Juxtapose it to games like Tetris and Centipede and you realize that you need to want to have fun in order to feel the joy behind Zatacka 360. But rest assured, if you’re looking for it you’ll find it in no time.

The game has a meager start screen with all the components you would expect from any Xbox Live Indie Game. We get a “Start Game”, “Help”, and various other menus that can be accessed from the start before going any further into the game. One of the primary lures of the game is that it is completely multiplayer (The game allows upwards of 6 players, I still don’t quite understand how). It cannot be played single player so in the case that you only have one controller or that you are an introvert and dislike hanging out with others, then this is not the game for you; don’t waste the 80 Microsoft points in change. However, if you are a party animal and love to throw your friends into random fits of gaming goodness then be my guest, its an experience that you can get into with the right mind set. One noticeable problem is the fact that there is no CPU for the game. Maybe it would take a little bit of the personality from the game but at the same time it would definitely add a bit more accessibility to those that don’t have 4 friends on the ready whenever this game springs into mind. I only had a friend ready because I stay in college dorms and my roommate was lounging about. Its just a thought in case an update ever decides to intrude into this game, I would definitely appreciate being able to outsmart a CPU just as well as I can my friends.

The objective of Zatacka 360 varies with the mode that the player is currently on. One game mode involves players trying to trap each other with elaborate designs that they create with their “snakelike” trail that they carve along the playing field. The players can control their trails with the left and right triggers which allow them to move left and right respectively throughout the playing field creating very long and rather random figures, unless of course they have an artistic eye, which does not serve them at all in the long run. Another game mode has the player attempt to capture the most squares of the playing field while attempting to avoid and trap their enemy at the same time.

Alongside the different gameplay modes the player also has access to a variety of different options that augment gameplay. Some of the modifiers increase the number of characters allowed, some increase the speed of the trails created, some increase the speed of item generation. Oh, but how can I forget about items. There are several items throughout the course of any given match, many of which are designed to achieve nefarious goals and torment your friends resulting in them flinging curses at you as you elegantly trail your “snake” to victory; the crowd goes wild…though possibly with anger at this point. These power-ups do things like cause you and your opponents to switch places, cause you to speed up, cause your opponents to stop in their tracks, and various maladies that really make the game pretty fun, especially when you take advantage of larger parties to play with.

Most of the game really is a matter of personal preference. If you are more into the new and robust style of games today then the presentation of Zatacka 360 will grind your nerves rather quickly. There really isn’t much to look at. Everything is pretty static, the colors may stand out, especially when the character moves from square to square causing them to highlight, but for the most part they do little to make the game look really spectacular. The sound is repetitive as we have come to expect from retro games but at the same time it would have been a little bit more welcoming had they added a little more of a soundtrack for the players to work with.

In the end Zatacka 360 is just standard fare. It’s nothing that’s going to make you gasp in utter amazement or shudder with delight. It is a game that can provide endless hours of enjoyment or a game that is repetitive and monotonous. It’s all about the mindset. If you like this type of game then its 80 point price tag isn’t going to make anyone cry in anguish. I recommend it for the lovers of the retro, and multiply this recommendation times the number of friends that you have on the ready. It’s just a matter of taste. Though a little bland, it just requires your own personal seasoning.

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“Taking Care of Business”, Mafia 2 Style Wednesday, May 12 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idNews=3639

A little bit of persuasion never hurt anyone. Well, at least not anyone who didn’t deserve it right? The life of a Mafia man has never been chivalrous, timid, or lighthearted. It’s a dark dank world that they just know how to take advantage of. That’s where the player Vito Scalletta comes in. With your arsenal of guns, cars, and brute strength you can “persuade” people to pay up, “tempt” them to give in, or just club’em and dispose of them in the truck of your car. This newest DevDiary (#2) shows players some of the tricks and tools of the trade. In order to be a wise guy you gotta get wise to the world around you and that means that you can’t always be the nice guy. Check out Mafia 2, they’ll show ya how it’s done.

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Medically Insane Quartet: Team Up for Fragile Alliance Wednesday, May 12 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idNews=3638

Kane and Lynch are creeping up on us with their newest title Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days, but surprises are for the more medically sane and stable. For these two, its all the more fun to take the front door, and that’s what it’s all about in this newest trailer for the game’s multiplayer mode “fragile alliance”. In this game mode you have to cooperate with your teammates to break into a vault, steal 4 million big ones, and make it out alive in 4 minutes. The stakes are high as you bust in while avoiding the cops, grab the cash, and dash, before time runs out. It sounds like its going to be one intense romp, but it also sounds like teamwork is the key to victory. This game emphasizes the importance of sticking together and completing objectives, so if you like to betray your friends then this is not the game for you. For starters if you betray someone you’re actually marked as a target (bonus points) by all other players. Their serious about this! It’s a game of all for one and one for all, and with four players it’s sure to keep everyone on their toes.

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Rapture Returns to the Ball, and She Brought Treats Wednesday, May 12 2010

http://sfx-360.com/index.php?idNews=3637

Has Rapture become tinged in that stale color that we call boredom? Have you scraped the sea floor in search of Adam? Have you returned to the surface over and over again? It seems that even the life of the big daddy, the gargantuan guardians of those Adam sucking girlies called little sisters, begins to where thin with age.

But Fret not because 2K has not left your side in your time of need. Consider this that courtesy gift you get for saving all of those little sisters (unless you’re a jerk that did nothing but harvest their poor defenseless little bodies, shame on you). For their second installment of DLC, 2K offers up its Rapture Metro Pack.

This pack costs 800 Microsoft Points ($9.99 PSN) and gives players access to several added levels to the multiplayer experience, 6 maps to be exact. This add-on also gives players access to a higher level cap, level 50, and gives players the ability of a “rebirth” feature (many of us are more familiar with its COD name, prestige) that allows the player to return to level 1 at which point they receive a “special mask”. The Add-on also gives players access to 3 more multiplayer achievements/trophies.

In addition to this, 2K has also created two more DLC’s to be released at the same time (Available now). The first is the Kill’em Kindly DLC, which will be a free download for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, and will add a new multiplayer mode of the same name. This mode will be a completely melee driven experience that will allow players to combat one another with golf clubs to determine a winner.

And finally, the last update may be a little more familiar to players of the Bioshock 2 multiplayer. This update, called simply Character Pack give the player access to the two characters Zigo and Blanche, once only available by pre-ordering the game from Gamestop. However, unlike the wonderful freeness of the Kill’em Kindly DLC this one is going to cost you 160 points ($1.99 PSN). Hey if you wanna play, you gotta pay.

Either way, 2K is looking to keep you wrapped up in their enchanted world for as long as it takes them to make another, or get you hooked on their next work of art. At least while you are out their traversing the undersea world of Rapture, beating in the skulls of splicers and stealing poor little sisters from their daddies, you have a nice bit of scenery to take in. Ahhh, smell that undersea air and feel the water rushing in between your toes…wait, what!

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