Month: April 2017

‘Halo Wars: Definitive Edition’ Is Getting A Standalone Release Next Week!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: While it began as a sweet, sweet bonus for fans who purchased the Ultimate Edition of Halo Wars 2, as expected, it won’t be long now before the enhanced edition of the Xbox 360 classic becomes available to anyone with an Xbox One or Windows computer.

Brian Jarrard, Community Manager at 343 Industries revealed today via Xbox Wire that the title will become available on April 20 for Xbox, Windows 10 PC and Steam, reminding us that this version runs natively on Xbox One and Windows, featuring improved graphics, additional Achievements and includes all of the DLC created for the classic real-time strategy game.

As someone who has never played Halo Wars in any capacity at this point, for the cool $19.99 asking price of this Definitive Edition, I certainly can’t wait to give it a shot. The game is also a Play Anywhere title, meaning that a digital purchase of the game on either platform will provide the other version at no additional cost.

You can watch the Halo Wars: Definitive Edition trailer below, and let us know if you plan to play!

Watch The Launch Trailer For Telltale’s ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: It feels like it’s been forever since this thing was announced, and we’re finally just hours away from the first episode of Telltale’s sure-to-be-hilarious Guardians of the Galaxy adventure series.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series is a brand new story of the universe’s unlikeliest Super Heroes: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot. In the wake of an epic battle, the Guardians discover an artifact of unspeakable power. Each of them has a reason to desire this relic, as does a ruthless enemy who is the last of her kind, and who will stop at nothing to tear it from their hands.

From Earth to the Milano to Knowhere and beyond, and set to the beat of awesome music, you wear the rocket-powered boots of Star-Lord in an original Guardians adventure, where your decisions and actions drive the story you experience.

The game looks to retain the same addictive humour as the film did, and should surely drive a ton of excitement for next month’s Vol. 2.

The first episode launches tomorrow on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows/MacOS, iOS, and Android! For now, watch the game’s launch trailer below, and let us know if you’re excited!

James Gunn Confirms He Will Write & Direct ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3″

by Courtney Dossett

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hasn’t even hit theatres yet , and James Gunn has already confirmed that he will be writing and directing Volume 3. In a Facebook post, Gunn said

 

“In the end, my love for Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Star-Lord, Yondu, Mantis, Drax, and Nebula – and some of the other forthcoming heroes – goes deeper than you guys can possibly imagine, and I feel they have more adventures to go on and things to learn about themselves and the wonderful and sometimes terrifying universe we all inhabit. And, like in both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, we will work on creating the story that goes beyond what you expect.”

 

The passion and dedication Gunn shows towards this project is why I believe the first movie did so well, and I’m excited to see how well Gunn lives up to the high expectations set forth by fans.

 

We also got a sneak peek at when the next Guardians installment will fit into the Marvel timeline:

 

“Much of what’s happened in the MCU for the past ten or so years has been leading, in a big way, to the Avengers’ Infinity War. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will happen after all that. It will conclude the story of this iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and help catapult both old and new Marvel characters into the next ten years and beyond. I will be working side-by-side with Kevin Feige and the gang to help design where these stories go, and make sure the future of the Marvel Cosmic Universe is as special and authentic and magical as what we have created so far.”

 

More Marvel storylines? The next ten years? Yes please!
What are your thoughts on James Gunn continuing his take on Guardians of the Galaxy? Let us know!

Geekscape Tech Review: Epson EX9200 Pro Wireless WUXGA 3LCD Projector

by GadgetMan

Okay, here’s the deal. I do a lot of reviews here, and I was quite excited about this one, and I hope it shows. Of course, the number one reason that I was excited about reviewing the EX9200 Pro Wireless WUXGA 3LCD Projector is because it is a projector. Sure, that is obvious, but if you have a blank wall, then you might as well get yourself a projector so you can make it a television or a secondary monitor.

So What Does the Epson EX9200 Come With?

The answer is: enough. You can see from the featured illustration how sleek and black that it is, which makes it look pretty technologically sexy. Okay, I got that praise out of the way, so let’s about what it comes with with the computer cable (VGA) and USB cable. For setup, it is really all that you need.

Also, it comes with a carrying case that isn’t hard, and gives you mild protection. There is a handle there, but it isn’t very big. Its more designed for carrying it room to room rather than on an airplane.

The remote control is all set up to go, complete with batteries, ready to hear input from the moment you plug the EX9200 in.

So How is the EX9200 Resolution?

Now, I am told that this is in 1080p, and it looks like it on my wall. I will have to say with the lights off, it feels like you have another TV in your room, and if that is what you want, this has it.

I’m told that it has 3X Higher Color Brightness, and I am going to just agree with that. Right now, I’m looking at my computer, and looking at a mirrored projection on my wall, and the projection looks a whole lot brighter. Brighter might be the operative word as it has with 3200 lumens.

I’m going to talk about the sound now. I had it connected to my computer, and I couldn’t hear a thing. Of course, I have to unplug my headphones, and then I reconnected it. I had to admit that the volume was loud on a setting of “1”, and when I had it set for louder, I had a little feedback, but it was set to my computer running a 1990s show, so that could be the issue.

Was the Epson EX9200 Simple To Use?

I am by no means a “projector virgin”. Most of the time, I use the VGA computer cable, but this one had ports for all kinds of things including one for the USB. All I did was insert the USB cable into my computer and then into the project and I had my computer projection before I knew it.

Now, I was told that I could just hook up my smartphone or tablet to this thing and I would get content from my mobile device onto whatever I was projecting. That didn’t really happen, but my phone is the HTC 10, and it didn’t look like the projector recognized it.

Also, it is possible to link content to the projector wirelessly, but this wasn’t as easy as it said it would be. Apparently, I was supposed to scan a QR code, but I couldn’t quite get it to work. At least, not in the few minutes or whatever.

Final Evaluation of the Epson

So yeah, perhaps not so easy to use, but this is for the more advanced features. I will have to say that you might want to whitewash your walls for this to get the full effect, and perhaps connect it to a stereo. I would rate it at 4 out of 5 stars for use in business or pleasure.

It is available on the Epson site for about $799.99.

Horror Movie Night Episode 90: Critters 2 (1988)

by Saintmort

We here at Horror Movie Night believe in the sanctity of religion, so on this extra special Easter episode, we want to discuss the holy cycle of death and rebirth by watching a guy in a bunny suit get eaten crotch-first by monster hedgehogs and then crash through a church’s stained glass window as parishioners in their Easter best scream in terror. That’s right, we’re talking about Critters 2 from 1988! What better way to celebrate the end of Lenten fasting than by gorging yourself on humans and the occasional frozen hamburger pile as you and your bros combine to form a gigantic ball of fuzzy murder teeth? Maybe the topless shapeshifting bounty hunter that looks like a Playoy model and has a very phallic-looking laser gun (if you’re into that sort of thing). Rejoice, as Crites have risen on this holy day, or (Horror Movie) night, I guess?

Feel free to join in discussion at on our Facebook Group or in the comments below.

Do you have a movie suggestion for us or just want to tell us stories about your experiences with the movies we’ve watched? Send them to us at HMNPodcast@gmail.com

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The Trailer For ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Is Finally Here!

by The_acz

After months and months of painful and agonizing waiting, we’ve finally gotten the trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi! The teaser mostly echoes The Force Awakens teaser where you see a brief scene of something happening before the camera flashes to something else. Even though they do go pretty quickly, there are some really cool shots such as Rey running towards someone head on with her Lightsaber and some more space battles (which Episode 7 was sorely lacking). What do you think? Tell us your thoughts on the trailer below!

 

Nintendo Discontinues NES Classic?!

by Shane O'Hare

Probably the biggest business blunder this year, behind United Airline’s new deplaning policy, Nintendo announced today that they are halting production of the insanely popular NES Classic.

Nintendo of America provided this statement to IGN:

Throughout April, NOA territories will receive the last shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for this year. We encourage anyone interested in obtaining this system to check with retail outlets regarding availability. We understand that it has been difficult for many consumers to find a system, and for that we apologize. We have paid close attention to consumer feedback, and we greatly appreciate the incredible level of consumer interest and support for this product

Their plans for the NES Classic were, apparently, always short term. After the HUGE success of their first run, they did a second manufacturing.

I’m not sure WHY they want to discontinue such a money maker, but Nintendo does what Nintendo pleases.

So gobble ’em up if you see em, just don’t pull a “Shades” and start scalping them.

Here Are The Highlights From Today’s Nintendo Direct!

by Natalie Kipper

This afternoon, a good portion of the gaming community tuned in to the latest Nintendo Direct presentation. For just a second shy of 11 and a half minutes, Nintendo bombarded fans with news of upcoming games for both the Switch and the 3DS. On the off chance you missed it, perhaps you had adult things to do or were napping, you can find the entire Nintendo Direct just below this sentence.

https://youtu.be/b0eA0AKk6wY

 

The video covered a ton of content so rather than go through it piece by piece, let’s take a look at the heavy hitters!

The headliners were ARMS and Splatoon 2. In the ARMS segment of the video (that I think kind of dragged on a bit), viewers were introduced to a new combatant, the Eastern culture-flavored Minmin. Along with Minmin, fans got a glimpse at different fighting strategies, such as equipping two different weapon types, as well as additional modes of play, like the 2-versus-2 matches. More information was also released about what makes each fighter different. Minmin, for example, can deflect projectiles with a timed kick as well as make use of a powered-up dragon arm to unleash extra damage. ARMS has a release date of June 16.

Out of all the games shown, I think Splatoon 2 is the one likely to produce the most buzz. The game’s segment showcased new gameplay mechanics, like reviving a teammate. The new mode shown was called Salmon Rush and focused on acquiring orbs dropped by enemies upon defeat. It looks like the big boss baddies yield the orbs needed to complete the main objective for the level. Splatoon 2 will ship on July 21 on the Nintendo Switch with an additional Direct leading up to the game’s release.

The Pikmin series makes its inaugural voyage to the Nintendo 3DS in Hey! PIKMIN. Players can expect the same alien-tossing and puzzle-solving they love but in a side-scrolling format. And for those amiibo maniacs out there (we are looking at you, Jonathan!), a special Pikmin amiibo will be sold the same day as the game’s release, July 28.

Speaking of amiibo, twelve additional figures are scheduled to be released this summer. First, The Legend of Zelda gets three more versions of Link on June 23. Those versions are Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword. And on July 21, there are amiibo for the three Super Smash Bros. fighters, Cloud, Corrin, and Bayonetta. There will be two versions of each of those three characters. Also coming in July are three Splatoon 2 amiibo, featuring an Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, and you guessed it, an Inkling Squid.

One game I am particularly excited about is Ever Oasis, heading to the Nintendo 3DS on June 23. It is an Action-RPG by Koichi Ichii, the brain behind the Mana series. Nintendo will reveal more about this title as we get closer to June.

What announcements got your blood pumping? Let us know in the comments!

Charmander Plush Gets A Restock At Build-A-Bear

by Natalie Kipper

Back in December of last year, the Build-a-Bear Workshop released the third build-your-own plush in their Pokémon line, Charmander. And like its predecessors, Pikachu and Eevee, the Kanto starter is making an encore appearance, both in-stores and online!

Just like Charmander’s initial release, you can purchase the standalone Charmander plush for $28 in-store. The Great Ball Hoodie, shown above, can be purchased separately in-store at the price of $12.50.

If you want to shop online, the single Charmander listing is the Online Exclusive Charmander Set. Costing $61, this special package not only includes the Charmander plush and Great Ball Hoodie but also a Charmander soundbox (stuffed within the plush) and a Lucario Hoodie.

If this bundle isn’t your thing, you can search for a store near you here.

No matter where you buy it, the Charmander plush is accompanied by an exclusive card for the  Pokémon trading card game.

If you missed out on your chance to scoop this guy up last round, I would not sit on it this time. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your Pokéballs and head to the Build-a-Bear Workshop!

Seven Of Wine – Episode 005: ‘Shattered’ / “Face Tattoo McNiceHair”

by Seven of Wine

Chakotay gets his day in the sun as Jacqueline Lopez and Jennifer Zhang break open a bottle on the hull of the Chakota-centric Star Trek: Voyager episode, “Shattered.”

What happens when the U.S.S. Voyager is fractured into different timelines and our favorite first Commanding officer has to traverse the past, present and future to save the day — armed with nothing but his wits, his loyalty to his Captain, and his crazy, crazy face tat?

Ohh! Chakota-no we didn’t!

Oh. We definitely did. And you should really tell us how you feel about that: engage@sevenofwine.com

Be Part Of Our Federation. We Have Wine.

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‘Arms’ And ‘Splatoon 2’ Headline Upcoming April Nintendo Direct This Week!

by The_acz

With just 2 months until E3, Nintendo has announced that they’ll be holding a Nintendo Direct this week on Wednesday, April 12th. The direct will air at 3PM PST and focus mainly on Splatoon 2 and ARMS with a couple of surprises thrown throughout the presentation. Hopefully we get some details on their E3 plans as well during this direct as they’ve remained pretty quiet on that front. Which game are you more excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Teaser Trailer Introduces The Hulk And Other Surprises

by Natalie Kipper

This is a story all about how Thor’s life got twist-turned upside down. All joking aside, the teaser trailer for the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok looks fabulous. Take a gander below and we will discuss after. Don’t worry; I can wait.

Wow, right? For starters, despite the darker tone (not counting the bright color scheme in some of the costumes) the humor we expect from Marvel superhero movies seems to remain intact. So surprise numero uno would be Thor’s loss of his mighty hammer, Mjölnir. The inclusion of The Incredible Hulk was also a bit of a shocker given that this was not an Avengers film. Who else can we expect to see, I wonder?

I am curious about how they are going to explain the presence of the film’s baddie, Hela (also known as Hel in some Norse works). According to Norse myhtology, she is a daughter of Loki. Will they alter that piece of her background in the film?

This trailer has raised plenty of questions and certainly has piqued my interest in the film. What was your impression?

[header image source: GQ]

90s TV Hour Episode 8 – Nicktoons! With Joey Tedesco

by Rifferella

We now have a Facebook group for you to get involved and help us build the show! Search for 90s TV Hour Addicts and join in on the fun!

We welcome Joey Tedesco, host of Cartoon Palooza and author of Khalil Book 1, as the guest on our first cartoon episode! Will Tommy and Chuckie escape the Toy Palace on Rugrats? Will we ever get over Lockjaw’s journey in Hey Arnold?

Watch Cartoon Palooza on YouTube

Lego Batman Review

Rugrats Movie Review

Follow Joey on Twitter: @JoeyTCartoonP

Buy Joey’s comic, Khalil Book 1 on Amazon!

https://soundcloud.com/90s-tv-hour/episode-8-nicktoons-finaloutput

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Theme song: Pond5 “Heavy Electric Guitar Riff”

Don’t forget to have a great night!

Horror Movie Night Episode 89 – Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan (Live at the Brickwall Tavern)

by Saintmort

If there’s one thing the world of horror needs, it’s a movie where an undead killer stalks teenagers on a boat that can teleport from a closed lake to the open ocean. Really, there MUST be a market for that, right? To the people clambering for such a film, we bestow upon you this live discussion of Friday the 13th VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989), taped at the Brickwall Tavern in Burlington, New Jersey – that’s close enough to NYC, right? Matt and Scott are joined by punk rock supervillain Johnny Neutrino, whose last name Matt battles the entire episode. If you missed the HMN crew at Monster Mania 36, here’s your chance to get in on that strangely bloodless teen-killing massacre of a weekend. You’re at a bar with friends and weirdos are on stage making somewhat inappropriate jokes, better make it a double for this week’s (live) episode of Horror Movie Night!

Feel free to join in discussion at on our Facebook Group or in the comments below.

Do you have a movie suggestion for us or just want to tell us stories about your experiences with the movies we’ve watched? Send them to us at HMNPodcast@gmail.com

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Crowdfund This: Loading Crew Crafts’ RPG Jelly Plush

by Natalie Kipper

Loading Crew Crafts previous Kickstarter campaign Jelly Realms may not have succeeded but out of its ashes, the RPG Jelly Plush were born. Based on characters created for the original Kickstarter’s game, these underwater warriors belong to several traditional role-playing game job classes, like rogue and bard.

Each of the plushes was designed with love. They will be made with minky fabric and measure about 14 inches long. I have personally played with two plushes from the previous Kickstarter campaign and I can vouch for the quality of these cuties. They are not only well-made but also very soft and huggable!

Kohath the Paladin, Nomura the Rogue, and Fanta the Mage are the main three that will be available if the campaign hits its goal of $7,500. Want to see these guys in action? Check out the video at the top of the Kickstarter page!

Besides Kohath, Nomura, and Fanta, there are two additional plushes that can be unlocked by reaching stretch goals. Help raise $14,000 and for your efforts, you will be able to purchase Fergus the Narwhal Warlock. You can see him in all his plushy glory in that video I mentioned earlier. Blast through to $20,000 pledged and Pipe the Bard will be unlocked.

Loading Crew Crafts’ RPG Jelly Plush Kickstarter campaign must receive at least $7,500 in pledges by Wednesday, April 26 at 9 PM Pacific to be funded. That means we only have another 19 days to bring this dream to life. So what are you waiting for? Head on over and take a look!

Geekscape Unboxes: The Loot Anime March 2017 Crate!

by Natalie Kipper

Loot Crate’s Loot Anime subscription explores the possibilities of tomorrow with March’s “Future” crate. The concept of the future has inspired many different anime and manga series and this month celebrates four of them: Clockwork Planet,  Psycho-Pass, Kiznaiver, and Ghost in the Shell: Arise.

This month’s cyberpunk-flavored art poster was illustrated by Lim Wei Lin and Collateral Damage Studios. Flip the picture over to get an overview of what can be found in this month’s crate. This time, every item included is exclusive to the subscription service.

Loot Anime loves to turn their boxes into clever props that are relevant to the month’s theme. This month is a futuristic-looking laptop. I noticed the little chat going between Yume and her friend Akane on the bottom of the “screen.” Cute touch.

Clockwork Planet, a manga by the creator of No Game No Life, was the monthly book this time. The book itself is not exclusive to the Loot Anime however subscribers are treated to a special alternate cover. The volume is relatively thick, with 209 pages.

The one item I had a some issues with the USB drive themed to the weapons found in Psycho-Pass. Problem number one should be obvious. The thing looks like a gun. Kids have gotten shot for having squirt guns. How does this seem like a good idea? Let’s say that isn’t something you are concerned about. There is still problem number two. The drive’s capacity is 2 gigabytes. That is nothing in today’s technological world. Not very futuristic. Minor by comparison is problem number three. To open and close the compartments that allow access to the drive’s plug there is a hinge that is incredibly hard to open and close. It took me so long the first time that I had my doubts as to whether that was the correct way to open it. Closing it is even worse. The device just won’t stay closed for very long. I don’t know if it is just mine that has this issue but it definitely is not user-friendly.

The anime Kiznaiver is represented by a standard mousepad. The art is lovely and as far as mousepads go it is of a decent size. Being a laptop user, I have no use for this however. What a shame.

The “wearable” for this month was a t-shirt featuring Major Kusanagi Motoko from Ghost in the Shell: Arise. I was actually impressed by how soft the shirt felt. The printing on it isn’t terribly thick but it looks and feels like it should survive a run through the washing machine.

The final item was the ever-popular phone charm. This month’s sort of baffled me though. Usually the charm draws inspiration from that month’s poster. And while Yume can be seen in both the charm and the poster in the same outfit, the feel is totally different. It isn’t like Loot Anime has done non-cutesy phone charms before. The “Demi-Human” and “Blade” crates both had charms that were better suited to their themes. I don’t understand what happened here.

March 2017’s Loot Anime crate wasn’t my least favorite but it definitely felt like the most confusing. The choices made were ones I would not have thought would work and in truth, I don’t think that they did work all that well.

Next month’s crate is “Humanity” and will feature items from Attack on Titan, Black Lagoon, and School-Live! 

If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.

[This unboxing was based on a sample provided by Loot Crate. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 108 – ‘My Face Is Tired’

by GeekscapeStaff

Join Adam, Carlos, Courtney and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

We talk about the recent controversy over the Mass Effect: Andromeda animations. Atlus censoring Persona 5 lets plays. Yooka Layle scores. Ghost in The Shell movie and the racial issues surrounding the film. Mondo vinyl records.

Mission Objective:

“What game did NOT live up to the hype for you, and what is the most wrong with it?”

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You Can’t Go Back Part 4: A Goofy Musing

by Saintmort

A video was circulating of a man cosplaying as Powerline at Wondercon last week. I shared it on my Facebook wall which lead to a friend sending me the following video.

This reminded me of another video I saw of someone re-enacting the opening scene from A Goofy Movie. It made me realize that every time I met someone who liked Goofy Movie we’d both get excited and geek out that we both knew it existed.

Here’s the weird thing about it though… almost everyone I know has seen and loved this movie. I’ve noticed the same situation come up with the movie Heavyweights (which is also great). It seems that every person between the ages of 22 and 35 saw A Goofy Movie and thought that they were the only person to see it. As if we all collectively discovered a secret Disney film.

Maybe because we were ashamed to admit how much we loved Disney movies back then. Which is dumb of us because I don’t care who you are, part of you will always love Disney movies.

This past week I’ve been listening to Disney music in my car. It’s been a mixed bag of emotions. One of the weirder parts about being an overly sensitive and emotional person with anxiety and depression is your ability to smile, laugh and cry simultaneously.

On one hand Disney makes me smile. It makes me think of my vacations to DisneyWorld. The most recent one was in this past October with my family. It was one of the best vacations I ever had. I probably was to proud to say that to anyone in my family, but it really was. Just spending time with the people I loved the most, surrounded in a place filled with so much joy … it’s all the things vacations are made to be.

Disney trips are difficult. They’re long and more work than relaxing. But when you’re standing next to the greatest people in the world watching those fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle it’s impossible to not love the place, even for just a second.

The time prior to that was my senior class trip. It was just a few weeks before graduation and very few of my friends attended the trip. I ended up making friendships with classmates I never spoke to. They are now among my closest friends in the world. Another example of the power of Disney.


This is footage from my class memory tape edited by me

So why the sadness?

Because previous to these two trips… my Aunt Lisa had been with us on every trip to Disney. She loved Disney. When I was in college my aunt was diagnosed with cancer. She was given a year and she made it six. None of us said it on our family trip this October, but she was missed.

It’s not easy continuing to live life when someone who was a part of it is no longer in it. There is forever a part of you missing when that person is gone. This is why I find myself crying my way through singing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in my car on a Thursday. I probably watched Mary Poppins with my aunt more than any other movie.

It’s sad and it’s unfair. It’s always awful when someone is taken from us too soon. I was in 10th grade when my grandfather died. At the time, he was my best friend. How is that fair? How is it fair to expect a 16 year old kid to have to deal with not just his grandfather dying… but his best friend? It’s not fair that my grandmother had to bury her daughter. It’s not fair that my dad had to say goodbye to his only sibling. It’s not fair… but to quote one of the greatest movies ever made… ‘Life’s not fair princess, anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something’.

When someone is ripped from your life it leaves a painful void and you can fill that void with one of two things. You can fill it with anger and sadness and bitterness. You can curse this world for being so cruel and so unfair. Or…

Or, you can live life harder than ever to make up for the life they can’t live.

That’s the option I prefer. So I went to Disney with my family. I rode the Haunted Mansion for her. I ate at Downtown Disney and saved her a seat in my mind. I walked around Animal Kingdom with her in my heart. When I screamed on Tower of Terror I screamed extra loud for her. When I’m singing along to Beauty and the Beast in my car, I’m singing it for her.

My family is already planning another trip to Disney. I can’t wait. I can’t wait to walk through Magic Kingdom’s gates, hear that music and feel her smiling with us. My Grandfather too and countless others that I carry in my heart every single day.

Miss ‘NBA Jam’? Check Out ‘NBA Playgrounds’!!

by The_acz

It seems like within the past couple of years that sports games have become more popular.

While there are still fun sports games like the NBA 2K series and FIFA, it all but seems like the more light hearted days of arcade sports games like NBA Jam and NFL Blitz. There was a brief resurgence of these games in the early 2010’s, but they were more toned down from their original versions (except NBA Jam for Wii. That was pretty faithful.) Enter NBA Playgrounds. What seems a pseudo spiritual successor to the jam series. There’s not much to the trailer, but the game will be launching in May for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC for $20. Check out the trailer below and tell us in the comments what your favorite arcade style sports game is!

Geekscape Reviews: ‘Boruto: Naruto Next Generations’ Vol.1

by Natalie Kipper

Can’t get enough Naruto? His story may have ended but its success spawned the sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, staring the now-adult ninja’s son named – you guessed it – Boruto. This series also features children of many of other characters from the original series.

In truth, I did not keep up with Naruto, but thankfully this manga has little side-notes about which children belong to which couples. As a relative newbie to the series, I greatly appreciated this feature. Without giving to much away, expect the offspring of pretty much every character you can imagine. It was fun to the teenagers from the first series as adults living peaceful, domestic lives. I imagine fans of Naruto will get an even bigger kick out of it than I did.

BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS © 2016 by Masashi Kishimoto, Ukyo Kodachi, Mikio Ikemoto/SHUEISHA Inc.
The first volume centers around three key plot threads. The most prevalent of which is Boruto’s rocky relationship with his father. It looks as though, while Naruto may be a great ninja, he sucks at being an involved parent. Boruto’s dislike for his dad drives him to make several choices that I think he normally would be ambivalent about.

BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS © 2016 by Masashi Kishimoto, Ukyo Kodachi, Mikio Ikemoto/SHUEISHA Inc.
Which leads us to the second thread: the Chunin Exam, a ninja certification test. Originally planning to sit it out, a series of events coaxes Boruto into participating. A good portion of the volume is dedicated to the trials of the Exam. This part felt a little boring. I realize that the whole “heroes facing a trial” trope is prevalent in shonen manga but it just wasn’t something I cared about. To the story’s credit, the characters did make use of some clever solutions to their tests and I imagine that fans of this genre will be wowed.

The third and final thread follows Orochimaru’s children and the odd relationship they share with him. This sequence takes place at the end of the book so I don’t want to spoil too much but there it is safe to say that a) Orochimaru is a weirdo and b) there is a twist at the end.

BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS © 2016 by Masashi Kishimoto, Ukyo Kodachi, Mikio Ikemoto/SHUEISHA Inc.
As I said before, I didn’t have a ton of experience with the original Naruto manga to build on when I read this. All the same, it was somewhat enjoyable. I don’t think this is something that I would purchase nor continue to read on my own but I can imagine why readers who dig this type of story would be interested. It isn’t very often that fans get a chance to revisit beloved characters and see how their lives have progressed (fan fiction not included). That merit alone should warrant it a read for Naruto lovers.

Volume One of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations earns a 3 out of 5 in my book. If you are a fan of the first series, that score would probably be closer to a 5 out of 5. I can see this sequel caters to fans and that is awesome but it also makes it harder for those initiated to jump into the story.

[This review is based on a sample provided by VIZ Media. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Tech Review: UAG ICE case for the MacBook Pro 15″ with Touch Bar

by GadgetMan

We have the opportunity to review another UAG (Urban Armor Gear) product. Our reviews in the past have mostly been protective phone cases. Urban Armor Gear isn’t limited to protecting cell phones, though. The product we’re reviewing today will protect your MacBook Pro 15″ with Touch Bar.

The sturdy UAG Case for the MacBook Pro 15-inch reminds me of the cases for the phones. The clear design allows you to see the design of the MacBook- including the light-up Apple logo. There are ventilation holes for the back of the MacBook to allow for free air flow, and non-skid, rubberized feet.

As with all of UAG products, the case is tested under a rating MIL-STD 810, a US Military certification applied to equipment that can withstand tough conditions(like dropping it). You don’t have to worry about dropping your MacBook when it is covered in this case. It does add almost a pound of additional weight to your computer, and you have to remove all dongles out of the USB ports when you close it for transport, but the hassle could be worth it when you are carrying it around and don’t want to worry about dings and dents in your MacBook.

This case is available for purchase on the UAG site for $79.95.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Zookeeper’s Wife

by MCDave

Ever since her near-Oscar win for the role of CIA Operative Maya in Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, Jessica Chastain has built a career portraying strong female characters in the films she’s tackled. This trend continues in Niki Caro’s World War II drama, The Zookeeper’s Wife. But even with the feature’s amazing true story and its formidable lead actress, Caro’s work lands as an early-year release and not an Oscar-season contender for a reason.

As Nazi Germany begins its invasion of Warsaw, Poland in 1939, Zoo-owners Antonina and Jan Zabinski (Chastain and Johna Heldenbergh, respectively) lose many of their animals due to the bombing of their facilities. And as the Nazi occupants begin rounding up Jewish residents and relocating them to an enclosed ghetto, the Zabinskis devise a creative plan to help these persecuted individuals escape from the ghetto and take refuge in their Zoo. But under the watchful eye of German soldier Lutz Heck (Daniel Bruhl), the Zabinski family finds themselves taking an enormous risk.

Considering the film’s heavy-handed source material, The Zookeeper’s Wife sadly elicits only artificial emotion that feels expected rather than earned. Perhaps this vital flaw emerges because the audience never truly believes that the Zabinski family is at risk of being exposed. This unforgivable omission of necessary conflict leads to a flat dramatization filled with weakly developed characters that ultimately fails to break ground on the often highlighted World War II era. Thankfully, though, The Zookeeper’s Wife manages to tell a fascinating story that deeply examines the methods of the Zoo-owner’s harboring. Jessica Chastain delivers another fine performance, but one that seems very unlikely to linger deep into the awards season run. Niki Caro adapts an exceptional true story in a very mediocre and sluggish way, leaving plenty to be desired with The Zookeeper’s Wife.

GRADE: 2.5/5

For more reviews, trailers and movie lists, visit MCDave’s host site

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Discovery

by MCDave

Non-traditional film studios have carved a niche in the movie industry as both Amazon Studios and Netflix earned Oscar wins this past year. One of Netflix’s most recent purchases includes the Sundance selection, The Discovery, which releases globally on the streaming platform this weekend. After a snubbed performance for his elite portrayal of American author, David Foster Wallace, in The End of the Tour, Jason Segel continues his dramatic push in Charlie McDowell’s fascinating examination of the afterlife.

Set in the near future Segel stars as Will, son of the famed Dr. Thomas Harbor (Robert Redford) who proves that our consciousness travels to a different plane of existence after we die. Once news spreads of a definitive afterlife, suicide skyrocket by individuals looking for “a fresh start”. And when Will disrupts a young woman’s (Rooney Mara) attempt at suicide, they travel together to Dr. Harbor’s research compound where they discover the truth behind where our consciousness goes.

Ambitious and artsy almost to a fault, The Discovery ponders bold ideas and stirs the imagination with a thought-provoking finale that explodes with possibility. However, Charlie McDowell decides to spend the wide majority of the film developing a slow-burning story of love and loss that merely uses this cerebral conclusion as an afterthought. Rooney Mara grips the audience with a nuanced performance. Her onscreen prowess is further complemented by Jesse Plemons’ energetic supporting work. Sadly, lead star Jason Segel, whom I have defended and supported in the past with all my might, provides a monotonous turn that constantly strikes the same chord over and over again. The Discovery isn’t the most entertaining or exciting watch, but once everything finally pieces together, there’s a satisfying bit of beauty to this somewhat muddled and arduous affair.

GRADE: 3/5

For other reviews, trailers and movie lists visit MCDave’s host site

Prepare For DOOM! Invader Zim Is Officially Returning For A TV Movie!

by The_acz

After many fake-outs, false rumors, and broken dreams, it’s time to sound the alarms because Invader Zim is officially coming back in the form of a TV Movie!

Even up to this morning, original creator Jhonen Vasquez denied the existence of the series revival, but in retrospect, it was probably just him playfully harassing his fans while trying out his best Donald Trump impersonation. There’s no date for the movie (fingers crossed for this year.), but Nick did announce that the original voice cast will indeed be returning to voice their respected roles. Take a look at this brief audio teaser and get excited!

Geekscape Tech Review: Stealth 350VR Gaming Headphones

by GadgetMan

Our first review of a product from Turtle Beach will be a great pair of gaming headphones called Stealth 350VR.

Why the 350 is in the name, we are unsure, but the VR should tip you off to the system that these headphones are designed for. Stealth 350VR has an ergonomic VR design to allow for VR headband and cables from systems like the PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive.

The Turtle Beach Stealth 350VR has 50mm Neodymium speakers contained in over-the-ear cushions that provides a live sound to fully complete your VR experience. The variable bass boost will enhance the low sounds to make you feel even more a part of the virtual reality around you.

The microphone is a great feature of the headset, also. It is noise cancelling to allow you to chat with others without them hearing all the background noises in your house. It also has mic monitoring so you aren’t yelling to hear yourself talk over the game action.

The battery life on these lasts quite a long time- 30 hours- before needing to be recharged.Its interchangeable cables allow you to use it on multiple VR systems.

If these headphones are something you need to add to your VR gaming experience, you can purchase it on the Turtle Beach website for $79.95.

Tribeca Film Festival Adds Game Festival Featuring Metal Gear’s Hideo Kojima

by AllieHanley

Tribeca Film Festival has added a 2 day gaming event to their film festival schedule April 28-29. The event entitled “Tribeca Games” is partnering with Kill Screen to launch the inaugural Tribeca Games Festival in New York City which is featuring a keynote by respected Metal Gear creator, Hideo Kojima.

Tribeca Games Festival has set up a schedule and panels with topics that will explore the storytelling medium, examine game history past and future, as well as offer behind-the-scenes looks at some of the most fascinating games of the past year.

In addition to Kojima’s keynote, Tribeca Games Festival will also feature conversations with industry luminaries like Ken Levine (director/writer of the BioShock series) and Sam Lake (creator Max Payne, Alan Wake, Quantum Break) plus an extensive set of talks and programming.

The festival will also include a panel discussion on the Virtual Realty themed movie “The Lawnmower Man” which is celebrating it’s 25th Anniversary and host filmmaker Brett Leonard. Game panels set to include topics on the extremely popular “Overwatch” game as well as new games like “The Banner,” and lots more.

For more info and tickets: www.tribecafilm.com/games.

 

Here Is What We Know About Pandora – The World Of Avatar At Walt Disney World

by Natalie Kipper

May 27 marks the grand opening of a new “land” in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World: Pandora – The World of Avatar. Yes, it has been nearly ten years since James Cameron’s film, Avatar, which served as inspiration for the area, hit theaters but Disney is ready breath new life into the title and the movie’s world, Pandora. Loaded with two new attractions along with a variety of dining and shopping options, Pandora looks to be a something that sci-fi fans have dreamt of.

As you would expect from Disney, entering Pandora is an immersive experience. It is designed to make guests feel as though they truly have entered an alien planet. Pandora is “set” long after the conflict seen in the movie and the Na’vi and humans live in are now living in peace. Guests can look forward to seeing the world’s floating mountains (complete with waterfalls) and bioluminescent flora as they explore.

I know you want to hear more about the attraction so we will touch on those first. Also, I want to note that FastPass+ is available for booking for both of these attractions, provided you are visiting on or after May 27.

What I imagine to be the “E-ticket” attraction is the Avatar Flight of Passage. The thrill ride employs 3D and other special effects to give guests the feeling of riding their very own mountain banshee over the terrain of Pandora.

Pandora’s second attraction, Na’vi River Journey, can be seen in this article’s header image. The slow-moving boat ride provides up-close views of some the planet’s flora and fauna. The ride reaches its climax as the Na’vi Shaman of Songs performs a ceremony. This Audio-Animatronic figure is to scale with “real” Na’vi and measures over ten feet tall from a standing position.

Exploring Pandora is sure to build up an appetite. That is where the Satu’li Canteen located in the Valley of Mo’ara. Seeing as how you are in an alien territory, the food is certain to look a little different than what you might be used to and trust me, it does.

You can check out the full menu here but expect plenty of steamed buns (there is even a deconstructed cheeseburger one) and boba in places it has no business being. There are also several rice bowls and for the picky eaters, a less adventurous children’s menu. If all you want is a sip of something, you should check out Pongu Pongu, a specialty drink location.

So you rode rides, you ate food, what else is there? Well, shopping, of course! At Windtraders, guests will have the opportunity to view and hopefully purchase Avatar-themed products. Pandora will be the only place to buy these items. A nifty detail reported by WDW News Today is that unlike the rest of the property, Pandora will not have Disney Parks brands on their receipts and bags so as to maintain the feeling of being somewhere foreign. These items will instead carry the logo of Alpha Centauri Expeditions.

It looks as though this policy also carries over to their new merchandise. A quick look at the packaging for the new Na’vi Translator displays the Alpha Centauri Expeditions (or A.C.E.) logo in the upper right corner. We will be seeing many more of items with that image in the near future.

Disney will be churning out several new items that will interact with the world of Pandora. Remember how the landscape is bioluminescent? Imagine special shoes, and faux weapons (think spears and staves) that react to their environment. I am particularly intrigued the activity called “Banshee Connect,” in which guests can be matched to and bond with a robotic plush of the mountain banshees found in the Flight of Passage attraction. There will also be 3-D printing service called D-Tech “Avatar Me” that transforms guests into their Avatar counterparts and then prints out the result as a three-dimensional statuette.

What part of Pandora are you most excited to experience?

[sources: WDW News Today, Disney Parks Blog]