Author: Josh Jackson

Josh is a long time video game, anime and wrestling fan. As a proud XboxWii60 gamer and beyond, there's not a gaming subject that he shies away from. Follow him on Twitter @InuJoshua for your fill of opinionated goodness!

‘Bravely Second: End Layer’ Highlights Its Changes With Its Prologue Demo

by Josh Jackson

Bravely Second: End Layer is right around the corner, and what that means for 3DS owners and RPG fans alike is that we’ll surely be sinking dozens of hours into Square Enix’s next big adventure. What made the original game stand out so much was its unique spin on the old school turn based JRPG, combining familiar elements like the Job System with the Brave and Default systems, which let you use turns in advance or store them for future use. While we anxiously anticipate what the future holds for the sequel, we held ourselves over with The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers, the demo / prologue for the upcoming sequel. Here’s what works, (and what doesn’t,) based on the preview build of the game.

Bravely Second Screen 2

Starting off as the three cavaliers led by Yew, (get it!?), their town guide, Magnolia, eventually rounds out the party to make it four. Instructed by the Wind Vestal, Agnes, from the original game, the team is sent out to accomplish various tasks as they travel through the game world, all while introducing you to these characters in a way the main game won’t feature. What surprised us was the appearance of some of the prominent enemies from the first game, each of which unlocks more asterisks, which in turn grant access to more jobs. Featuring a decent variety to get a taste of what the main game will offer, the party can be customized to become sword masters, performers, valkyries, black mages, white mages and red mages to name a few of the jobs offered. Fighting monsters will both level up the characters and the jobs, granting access to a wider array of abilities.

Everything so far sounds pretty routine, (if not ambitious for a demo,) but combat is where the game becomes anything but. As mentioned, the Brave and Default systems were a big draw previously, and that aspect continues in the demo for Bravely Second. By defending, each party member will store that turn for future use, allowing you to use up to four turns at once to unleash a flurry of attacks. Doing so without enough turns to spare can lead to a quick victory, but if that turn doesn’t end with your victory, you’ll be stuck for up to four turns without any actions. It’s a high risk / high reward style that made the original so appealing.

Bravely Second Screen 3

As if to sweeten the pot even further, the sequel has added a type of gambling system into its battle system. If you can win in one round of turns, you’ll be given the option to start another fight with the promise of extra EXP, JP, (for job leveling,) and Gil. Of course, your status, including your turn count, will be the same as it was at the end of that battle, so eventually, you’ll find yourself at a turn deficit and become stuck without being able to move. While this can lead to disastrous results, it can also mean the difference between leveling up rapidly vs. fighting a serious of mundane one off battles for the sake of grinding. Not only does this add an extra layer of risk to consider heading into battles, but it rewards efficient players with a faster way to get stronger.

You’ll find these multipliers to be a godsend when you realize how much levels will skew battle into the enemy’s favor, which was my only real complaint. Playing on normal difficulty, walking into new dungeons where my equipment was up to par and my level was within the recommended range often led to me getting killed in a few turns regardless. These dungeons and bosses would eventually be conquered after many cure spells, potions, and trips to the Inn, but unless I’m playing on hard, my expectation when properly leveled would be to be able to at least get through most of the dungeon without getting completely decimated within a few fights. That’s traditional JRPG difficulty for you!

Bravely Second Screen 1

Regardless, I’m loving what I’ve played so far, and can’t wait to get the full version in my 3DS when it releases on April 15th. What are your impressions with Bravely Second so far? Sound off below!

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Ratchet & Clank’

by Josh Jackson

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 14 years since the first Ratchet & Clank game released on the PS2. What was even harder to believe at the time was what a legendary series it would become. In what was a golden age for its genre, Ratchet has endured long after mascots like Jak and Daxter and Sly Cooper bowed out of the spotlight, (although the latter has attempted a comeback in recent years.) After over a dozen sequels and spinoffs across four different platforms, Sony and developer Insomniac have decided that it was time to revisit the duo’s roots. In conjunction with the upcoming film based on the franchise, Ratchet & Clank comes to the PS4 as a complete reboot of the original title, making some modern adjustments to go with its new take on the story. While a reboot felt unnecessary to me at first, the series’ PS4 debut serves as more than a simple do over. What we get is a love letter to the fans who have stuck through this decades plus journey while reintroducing the Lombax and his robot pal to new eyes, creating what ends up being one of the best 3D platformers in years.

Ratchet & Clank Screen 4

Can a simple mechanic save the galaxy?

Told through Captain Quark’s perspective in a scenario that’s different from the film, the square jawed hero takes us back to the days before the titular duo were an inseparable pair. Ratchet is a simple mechanic with big dreams of joining the Galactic Rangers, a team of interstellar heroes who protect the galaxy from any threat that may rise. When tryouts come to Ratchet’s home planet, he takes the chance to become something greater, (or at least to try and impress Quark, his hero and leader of the team.) Meanwhile, a defective Warbot who would go on to be known as Clank overhears his creators discuss their intentions to invade the Rangers’ home planet and take them out so their plan to destroy planets will go unchecked. Since the tiny robot failed to inherit the malicious intent of his brethren, (as well as their height,) he escapes the factory in an attempt to warn the Rangers of what was coming to them. After crash landing on Ratchet’s planet, the pair team up to save the galaxy from some of the most nefarious criminals in the system, all while impressing the Rangers in the process.

As great as the original Ratchet & Clank was, its control scheme has not aged well, leading future games to adopt a more traditional third person shooter method that revolves around strafing. No remake worth its bolts would keep these flaws unchecked, which is why the first thing you’ll notice with this latest game is how easy it is to move around. As a platformer/shooter hybrid, attacking waves of enemies and swapping weapons with a tap of the control pad while jumping out of the way of danger is as seamless as its ever been. As more weapons are unlocked, your quick select options can be customized so you can have easy access to any four weapons at any given time. When ammo is running low however, a solid swing from Ratchet’s trademark Omniwrench still does the trick. One of the most rewarding aspects of Ratchet & Clank is how accustomed you’ll become with each type of weapon and movement, especially as more options become available to you.

Speaking of options, the series has become synonymous with its over the top weapons over the years, and this reboot is no exception. Acting as a “best of” list for longtime fans, the weapons available span the entire series, with a few new weapons to boot. Staples of the PS3 games such as the pistol-like Combuster, the Groovitron, a disco ball that forces enemies near it to dance uncontrollably, and the trash talking battle companion, Mr. Zurkon, join PS2 classics like the Glove of Doom, a bomb that summons self destructing robots, and the Sheepinator, a beam that turns any enemy it hits into a sheep. New weapons like the Pixelator, a shotgun-esque weapon that gives enemies an 8-bit makeover, round out one of the most exciting weapons lineups in the series to date. Encouraging players to switch up which weapons they use, the level up system from past games returns, making it so each weapon gets stronger as you destroy more enemies with them. In addition, extra boosts can be purchased with Raritanium, where you’ll pay to fill in a board where each space adds a perk, such as extra damage or ammo. When these perks surround a hidden boost, buying all the ones around it will unlock extra surprises, making them even stronger. The would-be rangers are further complimented by gadgets such as the jet pack from Into The Nexus, and the 02 mask from the original, so you can explore both the air and sea, so there’s never a shortage on new tools to try out.

Ratchet & Clank Screen 5

You’ll have to get creative with your gear to take out the worst of Drek’s army.

Thankfully, there is plenty to explore with all your tools. More so than any other game in the series thus far, Insomniac makes the most out of the series’ PS4 debut with some of the richest environments in the series to date, each one littered with enemies and hidden areas with only occasional slowdown. Featuring a mixture of the original planets from the series’ PS2 debut to brand new areas original to the film and game, even repeated areas are either partially, or fully rebuilt. Each planet is so different from the last, that they’re always a joy to visit, which is emphasized by the game’s gorgeous visuals. Flying up as high as I could and surveying the landscape was one of my favorite things to do on the planets that allowed it, really giving you a sense of how big the game really is. When taking the character models, which rival their CG film counterparts on occasion, and you have what’s easily one of the best looking games on the PS4.

One feat that I found particularly admirable was how the game’s script made it look easy to mix in the right amount of nostalgia with new content, making it feel familiar without ever feeling like a retread. The top notch voice acting and witty script continues to impress after all these years, with Quark’s charming stupidity once again taking center stage. New characters bring in some Hollywood talent to join James Arnold Taylor’s Ratchet and David Kaye’s Clank, including Bella Thorn, John Goodman, Rosario Dawson and Sylvester Stallone. In fact, franchise purists can rest assured that aside from the game’s main bad guy, Chairman Drek, who is now voiced by Paul Giamatti, all the returning characters have kept their actors in both the games and films, while the new voices fit right in with the characters we’ve come to love.

Ratchet & Clank Screen 6

Ratchet rarely takes itself seriously, and it’s better off for it.

If the story content isn’t enough of a callback for you, (on top of the handful of Resistance references for the hardcore Insomniac fan,) unlockable trading cards can be found throughout the game, each of which contain details on both this, and past games. Collecting all the cards in a series provides extra boosts like bolt, card and Raritanium increases, as well as access to stronger versions of your weapons, so even if a walk down memory lane isn’t your thing, at least there’s that extra incentive to find them. To make finding them easier, five duplicates can be traded for the card of your choice, so you’ll want to remain on the lookout for as long as possible.

It’s easy to see that the developers know that there’s plenty we’ve come to love with this series, much of which returns to tickle our nostalgia. Certain scenes, characters and interactions will remind you of some of the charm of 2002 while making you forget that you’ve visited these worlds years before until these callbacks pop up. And yet, for every reminder of the originals, like the plumber you meet in your first full world or the hoverboard races which are even more thrilling now as they were back then, you’ll come across new battles like dog fights in space and a city defense mission where you’ll use magnets to hurl enemy robots back at their ships. It’s moments like these that really make it feel like the series has been fully realized for the current generation.

Ratchet & Clank Screen 1

Fights can get pretty intense.

Still, it can’t be all action all the time, which is where Clank’s solo missions take center stage. These puzzle inspired areas ask players to transform helpful robots in the area either into generators, bridges or springs in order to power nearby doors and open the exits. Simple on the surface, yet more complex as the game progresses, these distractions are challenging enough without becoming overbearing, only popping up a few times throughout the game’s story. That’s not to say Clank can’t handle himself in a fight, since some of the most visually impressive moments in an already gorgeous game come from when he must outwit the Warbot commander, Stallone’s Victor Von Ion. These short, but sweet sequences have Clank running towards the camera as Ion slices apart the corridors they’re running through in order to destroy the defect with his beam blade. Everything from the sparks, laser effects and fire looks so good while being fun to play, that you’ll be disappointed that these sequences aren’t featured more often.

Thankfully, disappointments are few and far between with this reboot, although one aspect that might come off as divisive is the changes to the story. Surprisingly acting as an origin story for more than just Ratchet and Clank, the big twist at the end is twofold this time around, introducing characters that originally debuted later in the series’ timeline. Unfortunately, that comes with concessions to what would become my favorite character arc throughout the games, fundamentally changing what would go on to happen in the sequels. That puts the game in a strange position because if this reboot is a one and done game to coincide with the movie’s release, then the story works better to a degree, setting up story elements for the future of the franchise. If it isn’t a one off and the whole series will begin branching out again from here, I don’t see it playing out on the track its on without completely invalidating the second game and part of the third. Considering how much I enjoyed this take on the series, knowing that the changes to the story closes off some of the best parts of potential future installments isn’t ideal, although this is more of a nitpick than a damning flaw. Still, I enjoyed the way the twist was handled in the original more so than in the reboot. You know, minus the whole Ratchet being a jerk to Clank part, which was thankfully omitted.

Outside of these story nitpicks, the only real flaws I encountered were technical issues such as “falling” off of a cliff when stuck between boxes, landing on certain mountains that were programmed like lava, and some poorly placed checkpoints that will force you to replay large fights, all because you missed that one guy stuck in the corner at the end of the third wave. While length might be an issue for anyone who is looking to only complete the story, I got a good 12-ish hours out of it on a hard mode run where I found half of the 28 Golden Bolts and leveled up all the weapons, which is pretty good for a platformer. When you consider I still had numerous collectables to find and side missions to complete, a 100% run was still hours away. For those who want the full experience however, a type of new game plus called “Challenge Mode” asks players to run through the game again while getting hit as little as possible. The more enemies you kill without taking damage, the higher your bolt multiplier, which you’ll need to take full advantage of if you want to buy the Omega versions of your weapons, which can be upgraded even further for maximum destruction. While playing the same game multiple times isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, Insomniac provided plenty of content for those who enjoy exploring every nook and cranny of the game’s world. As mentioned earlier, there’s plenty to explore.

Ratchet & Clank Screen 3

Just so we’re clear, this game is gorgeous.

Ratchet and Clank has been advertised as “the game, based on the movie, based on the game!”, but it’s so much more than that. On one hand, it might be the best “game adaptation” of a film to date, although that might not be fair to compare since it has almost 15 years of games worth of experience to build on. But what is fair to say, is that this release is not only one of the highlights of a growing PS4 library, but possibly the best game in Insomniac’s long history with the franchise. This game could have been a quick nostalgia trip that capitalized on the movie. What it ended up being was a nod to new and old fans alike as a shining example of what a reboot should be. I might be slightly nervous on the narrative direction the game is headed in, the formula is admittedly feeling a little samey despite its many upgrades, and small technical glitches hurt a near perfect package, but fans of platformers, fans of shooters, fans of the series… heck, fans of gaming can’t go wrong with picking up Ratchet and Clank, and have a chance to rescue the galaxy all over again.

tl;dr

+ Ratchet and Clank are back with plenty of new content to go with a dash of nostalgia.

+ The platforming is as fluid as ever, with both new and old weapons to keep combat interesting.

+ Plenty of worlds to explore, each with huge areas, waves of enemies and secrets to uncover.

+ Side missions like Clank’s puzzle stages and dog fights keep the game feeling fresh.

+ A new game plus mode that will more than double the standard length.

– Some story changes make us nervous for the future.

– Small technical issues pop up from time to time.

– Though offset by the Challenge Mode, those looking for a one and done game will be done with the story in a weekend.

– While great, the formula is feeling a little familiar.

Final Score: 4.5/5

Maya Fey Channels Our Inner Fanboy With Her Return In ‘Ace Attorney 6’

by Josh Jackson

As the Ace Attorney series drifted back towards a focus on Phoenix in the fifth entry in the popular text adventure series, it was only a matter of time before his friends started filtering back in as well. This felt even more inevitable when it was confirmed that the upcoming sequel, Ace Attorney 6, would heavily focus on spirit channeling, allowing the Wright Anything Agency to relive the final moments of the victim’s lives. If you were expecting to see the return of the famed Fey family, then you were right! Phoenix’s old assistant from the original trilogy, Maya Fey, will make her comeback in the upcoming sequel.

Despite making recent appearances in a wide variety of spinoffs, including Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, and most recently, Project X Zone 2, the noodle burger loving head of the Fey family hasn’t had an appearance in the main series since Trials and Tribulations back in 2007. With Phoenix firmly taking center stage in the fifth game, it was strange not to have an appearance from someone so close to him considering the violent events that took place throughout the story. Apparently this time around, the call of spirit channeling was too much for Ms. Fey to ignore, showing that her penchant for assisting Nick during trials, (and almost becoming a victim herself,) is still in effect.

That’s not to say Apollo and Athena will be ignored. On the contrary, the two proteges are left to defend the agency in Japan while Phoenix is dealing with his problems in Kurain Country. Does this mean that the two will finally get to stand on their own and outside of Phoenix’s shadow? As a big fan of Apollo and wanting to see his story that started in the fourth game resolved, I can’t object to that!

Check out the trailer below and see Ms. Fey in all of her non-aging glory. Wait… shouldn’t she be 27-ish in this game? Why does she still look like a teenager!? Ehm… anyway, let us know your thoughts, and be sure to check back with us as more information surfaces on a Western release date.

‘Fable Legends’ Cancelled As Lionhead Studios May Be Shut Down

by Josh Jackson

After being in development for well over two years, Microsoft has decided to pull the plug on the free to play Fable Legends, with apparent plans to shut down Lionhead Studios altogether.

In a statement, Microsoft Europe General Manager Hanno Lemke discussed their plans going forward for the legendary studio once helmed by the controversial Peter Molyneux, as well as their planned closure of Press Play Studios, the folks behind the Wii, (and eventual multiplatform,) favorite, Max and the Magic Marker.

“After much consideration we have decided to cease development on Fable Legends, and are in discussions with employees about the proposed closure of Lionhead Studios in the UK,”… “Additionally, we will close Press Play Studios in Denmark, and sunset development on Project Knoxville.”

Lemke went on to say,

“We have nothing but heart-felt thanks for the members of Lionhead and Press Play for their contributions to Xbox and gaming. We are committed to working closely with those affected by today’s news to find them new opportunities at Xbox, or partnering with the broader development community to help place them in jobs elsewhere in the games industry should they desire.”

This news is very unfortunate, especially because both studios have had a hand in some incredible games over the years. Especially in Lionhead’s case, it’s hard to believe that the studio behind some of the biggest games of the Xbox and Xbox 360 generations would end up in this position. Yet, once you consider that Fable Legends was taking such a drastic turn compared to its predecessors, as well as the somewhat tarnished reputation earned by their former head’s habit of over promising while under delivering, the idea of the studio fading away isn’t completely unheard of. Still, Legends looked pretty much done a year and a half ago when we saw it at Comic Con, so there must have been some real trouble behind the scenes for it to get cancelled after so long.

Here’s to hoping for the best for anyone who’s affected by the news.

Source: IGN.com

Could ‘Finding Dory’, ‘Alice In Wonderland’ and more ‘Star Wars’ Be Coming To ‘Disney Infinity 3.0’?

by Josh Jackson

During Disney’s first Disney Infinity NEXT presentation, the official news came to no surprise to most of us, since the new Marvel and Baloo figures were leaked last month. Despite the excitement of the reveal, (or disappointment over being spoiled,) the most newsworthy news was hinted at towards the closing moments of the video.

Alluding to us taking a trip to the sea and walking “through the looking glass,” this could only mean that Finding Dory and Alice in Wonderland will be making their Toys To Life debut sometime this year. Why Finding Dory and not The Little Mermaid, Atlantis, or any other Disney property that takes us underwater? Earlier in the presentation, it was confirmed that 2016 will get one Pixar, Disney, Marvel AND Star Wars expansion, hinting at the possibility that 3.0 will be further built on rather than releasing a 4.0. Since Alice is getting a movie later this year and was clearly teased, that leaves Finding Dory as our best bet.

But what’s even more exciting is the confirmation of more Star Wars content. While it likely will be based around this year’s Rogue One, I would love Rebels to get the full campaign treatment after releasing so many figures inspired by the animated series.

What do you want to see when it comes to the future of Disney Infinity? Sound off in the comments, and check out all the new figures in action for yourself in the presentation below!

Not Quite ‘Tekken’ And Not Quite ‘Pokemon’, ‘Pokken Tournament’ Is A Completely Different Monster

by Josh Jackson

Gamers such as myself have been patiently waiting for the release of Pokken Tournament since it was first revealed in 2013. While Super Smash Bros. is great and all, the idea of a fighting game dedicated to Pokemon designed by the the team behind the Tekken series seemed like the greatest thing I never knew I wanted. Luckily for us, we didn’t have to wait until the March 11th release date to get our first taste of how our favorite monsters fare in the fighting arena, as we found ourselves at the Pokken Tournament preview event to give the game a spin. Whatever it was that I was expecting, that all went out the window when I picked up the Game Pad and played a couple of rounds, because it was unlike any fighter I’ve played to date.

Pokken Tournament Screen 2

More specifically, what makes Pokken Tournament so unique is its Shift Change mechanic. Fights start off in a 3D diagonal perspective reminiscent of the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm games where each fighter will have full range of motion within the circular arena. That’s when some of your favorite Pokemon like Charizard, Lucario, Machamp and Pikachu among others will vie for positioning by confusing opponents with their projectile, homing and quick attacks. However, when specific hits are landed either as a one off or in a combo, the perspective shifts to a 2D plane, changing the way the fight is approached with the change in conditions. Of course, hitting certain attacks in 2D will shift the battle back to 3D, so if you or your character is better in 3D, you’ll want to switch back as fast as possible.

Making matters more interesting are the assist characters that can jump in during a match. By choosing a predetermined pair before the fight, each round asks players to choose which one of the two they want to bring out as their partner. Some like Emolga and Frogadier are straight attackers, while Pokemon like Eevee will give stat boosts for an extra advantage in battle. In Pokken Tournament, it’s not just enough to fight well, because synergy with your support character will be the difference between two evenly matched combatants.

Pokken Tournament Screen 1

Managing your supports, laying in your standard attacks, knowing when to unleash your Mega Evolution, (and the super move that comes with it), and utilizing guard breaking throws are just some of what you’ll find yourself mastering in the retail version of the game, and that’s on top of the many counter mechanics I’ve yet to fully explore! Feeling much deeper than what you would expect from a Pokemon spinoff while being friendly enough to pick up and play without much trouble, I expect that fans new and old will love their time in the arena when Pokken Tournament is in our hands. Look out for our full review in the coming days, but one thing’s for sure from our short time with the game; it’s nothing like you’ve played before.

Nintendo Direct: ‘Monster Hunter Generations’ Has Been Announced, And Is Right Around The Corner!

by Josh Jackson

The latest Nintendo Direct had plenty of great first party news for Wii U and 3DS owners, but that didn’t mean third party announcements would get left in the dust. Perhaps the biggest announcement of the entire presentation, Capcom and Nintendo unveiled the latest Monster Hunter title, which will arrive on our 3DS handhelds a lot sooner that we thought.

Coming Summer 2016 and no longer titled Monster Hunter X, Monster Hunter Generations looks to bring even more mobility and attack options for our custom hunters to take advantage of when battling these towering beasts. Guns are seemingly getting a big overhaul, allowing gunners to leap above monsters and shoot them from the air, alongside some new air based sword attacks. My only concern is that MH4 was significantly easier thanks to its added attack options combined with many of the early monsters failing to adapt with the game play. If Generations’ early screens are anything to go by however, both new and returning monsters should be even more vicious, hopefully keeping up better with our new tricks.

Not to be outdone in the DLC department, Generations is already following up on MH4U’s massive amount of free costumes by revealing Marth’s gear from Fire Emblem being available for the title. You know why that’s awesome? Because the prince’s androgynous appearance would work for both men AND women!

Monster Hunter Generations Marth

Want more details on Monster Hunter Generations? Take a gander at our screenshot gallery below, and re-watch the trailer to your heart’s content.

What are you looking the most forward to as you embark on your next hunting quest? Sound off in the comments, and be sure to share your friend codes so we can give MH4U a proper send off!

 

 

The First Hit Is Free. ‘Nintendo Badge Arcade’ Is Giving Two Free Plays All Week!

by Josh Jackson

If you’ve never played Nintendo Badge Arcade, you’re better off for it. The free to play digital crane game gives players a chance to catch badges, icons of all of your favorite Nintendo characters that you can use to decorate your 3DS home screen. Often teasing you by dangling hard to reach badges outside of your grasp, requiring you to use multiple attempts to grab the ones you want, you’ll usually have to pay a dollar here or there to grab your favorites. Except… the game often finds new and frustrating ways to screw you over, asking you to cough up just one more dollar as that shifty pink bunny eggs you on.

With the latest update however, the game announced that it has reached one million suckers customers! To celebrate, every day until March 9th, every player who logs in will be given two free plays. On top of the bonus you may or may not get from playing the daily practice catcher, you’re likely to have a minimum of three plays every day. You might have a shot at getting something decent for free for once!

If you’ve never played, now’s the perfect chance to get addicted. I mean, the right choice is probably to say no, but c’mon! Live a little!

What are your thoughts on the Badge Arcade? Do you have any stories of how the game has screwed you over in spectacular fashion, (like the time the crane threw my Master Sword badge back onto the board after carrying it over the hatch?) Or would this be your first foray into Nintendo’s free to play effort? Let us know in the comments!

 

Watch Marvel’s Finest Brawl It Out In The ‘Disney Infinity 3.0’ ‘Marvel Battlegrounds’ Launch Trailer

by Josh Jackson

Disney Infinity has tackled a variety of genres across its three games, but by bringing their Marvel line of figures back with some new additions, it’s time the Toys To Life franchise throws its hat into the fighting ring!

Enter Marvel Battlegrounds, the upcoming Marvel Play Set that pits our favorite heroes and villains against each other in a 3D fighting system that looks most reminiscent to the cult classic Power Stone. Allowing us to bring our favorite heroes from 2.0 into the fight, each set will come bundled with Captain America: The First Avenger, a new variant of Cap based on his Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances. If the over two dozen characters from previous versions aren’t enough, Vision, Black Panther and Ant Man were officially revealed as well, adding more muscle to an already crowded fight. Not that we’re complaining though, the more characters the better! Especially when old characters are said to be reworked for their brawler debut.

Watch these new characters in action as they square off against Ultron and Loki’s clones of each other in the set’s launch trailer! For Infinity owners, you’ll be able to get your hands on the latest Marvel expansion on March 15th. Check back for our full impressions on the set, the new characters, and any news to come for any new Play Sets that Disney will tease in the future.

‘Samurai Warriors’ Invades ‘Dead Or Alive 5: Last Round’. Naotora Li Joins The Fight!

by Josh Jackson

The Dead Or Alive series has been no stranger to crossover characters. When a Spartan from Halo joined the roster back in Dead Or Alive 4, that opened the floodgates to allow guest characters to throw down in Team Ninja’s flagship fighter. Since then, Ninja Gaiden, Virtua Fighter, Tatsunoko themed costumes, and even Metroid characters have made an appearance. Now, it’s time for Koei Tecmo’s own Warriors series to get its time in the spotlight in the form of Naotora Li.

The popular general from the Samurai Warriors series steps up just in time for the launch of Samurai Warriors 4 Empires, with battle skills that are sure to be unlike anything the mostly ninja based cast of DOA has seen before. Available for purchase for $5.99 individually alongside the popular, (and free,) Azuchi stage from DOA 3, buyers of the third season pass will get Li at no extra charge.

Get all the details with the press release below, including news on an extra batch of costumes, then check back with us for our full review of Naotora’s game, Samurai Warriors 4 Empires, in the coming days. Will you give the samurai a try, or will you stick with your long established main? Let us know below!

Burlingame, Calif.—February 25, 2016—In anticipation of the upcoming launch of strategy epic Samurai Warriors 4 Empires on March 15, KOEI TECMO America and Team Ninja are thrilled to announce a set of exciting new additions headed to DEAD OR ALIVE 5 Last Round this March! Fan-favorite Samurai Warriors 4 character Naotora Ii joins the battle alongside the triumphant (and completely free) return of the Azuchi castle stage from DEAD OR ALIVE 3 on March 17, and a brand new set of Samurai Warriors-inspired DLC costumes will become available for purchase on March 29. Fans who purchased the game’s Season Pass 3 will automatically receive all of the Samurai Warriors-inspired content.

 

Dragged into a mysterious portal by-way-of a M.I.S.T. time-travelling experiment, the ruler of Japan’s Warring States era Ii Clan, Naotora Ii, emerges in present-day next to a competitor of the DEAD OR ALIVE fighting tournament. Given no other choice but to fight for her life, and keeping her family motto of ‘once on the battlefield, one must face the enemy head on’ in mind, a determined Naotora sets out to emerge victorious from this strange new challenge. Specializing in kick-based attacks, Naotora developed her signature ‘Ii Style Leg Strikes’ fighting style after serving under Yoshimoto Imagawa, who based his techniques on his mastery of the traditional Japanese ball game “kemari.” The quick and powerful strikes from her long legs make her a formidable rival to anyone who steps into the ring!

 

Naotora Ii will be available to download for $5.99. Fans can purchase her debut costume pack for $7.99, or alternatively as a bundle including new character Naotora Ii for $11.99 on March 17 for DEAD OR ALIVE 5 Last Round on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One, and on March 29 for PC via Steam. To whet players’ appetites in the meantime, Team Ninja has shared a variety of images and screenshots of Naotora Ii in action.

 

March 17 will also see the release of a returning stage that players of DEAD OR ALIVE 5 Last Round can enjoy on PlayStation®4 and Xbox One free of charge. Not seen since DEAD OR ALIVE Dimensions, the beautiful Azuchi stage makes its triumphant return looking better than ever! Dropping competitors into the great hall of Oda Nobunaga’s famous residence, players can break through the walls and continue brawling on its rooftops beneath a full moon. In this three-tier stage the fight can also lead to the ground, where a gorgeous cherry blossom tree overlooks the traditional building lit by torchlight.

 

Finally, on March 29, Team Ninja will release a collection of outfits inspired by KOEI TECMO’s celebrated Samurai Warriors series for PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

Activision And Autism Speaks Partner Up With Special Edition ‘Skylanders Superchargers’ Blue Figures

by Josh Jackson

As part of the “Light it up Blue” campaign to spread autism awareness, Activision and Autism Speaks have collaborated to release new blue and white variants of popular Skylanders Superchargers characters Splat, and Trigger Happy, alongside their vehicles, Splatter Splasher and Gold Launcher. Available now throughout the United States, and on April 1st in Canada, a day before the official day acknowledging Light it up Blue, these characters will show up as blue in game, giving those who own the Splat line an extra reason to pick up this new version from a game play standpoint. Regarding Trigger Happy, this set is the first time his new version and car will be available, slightly ahead of his standard versions, so your impatience will be rewarded with a special version this time around.

Skylanders Superchargers Light It Up Blue

Alongside the recent releases of the Spring versions of Thrillipede and Dive Bomber, Superchargers is still giving us plenty to collect. In this case however, these special editions are supporting a great cause, which will expand to other events throughout the year.

For all the details, check out the press release below.

SKYLANDERS AND AUTISM SPEAKS PARTNER FOR AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH WITH LIMITED-EDITION SKYLANDERSSUPERCHARGERS TOYS
 
Leading into World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, 
Collaboration Brings Attention to Important Cause
that Supports Affected Kids and Families around the World
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – February 29, 2016 – To support the millions of families affected by autism, Skylanders®, the beloved kids videogame franchise, and Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to autism science and advocacy, invite fans to “Light it up Blue” with one-of-a-kind toys. Through this creative collaboration for April’s Autism Awareness Month, Skylanders and Autism Speaks are raising awareness for an important cause — and in true Skylanders fashion, are having fun while doing it.
“Autism affects one in every 42 boys and one in 68 children in the U.S. We’re proud to work with Skylanders, an iconic franchise that’s known for bringing joy and magic to kids and families,” said Peter Morton, vice president of Corporate Development at Autism Speaks. “This year’s Light it up Blue campaign for World Autism Awareness Day marks our first alliance with a videogame and toy, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
The new series of Skylanders SuperChargers toys are blue and white to reflect Autism Speaks’ official colors.  The “Power Blue” Skylanders SuperChargers feature Splat and Trigger Happy, as well as their SuperCharged vehicles Splatter Splasher and Gold Rusher — all of which appear in-game as their special colors. The toys are on store shelves now at participating retailers in the U.S. and Europe and will be available starting April 1 in Canada.
“When my son was diagnosed with autism, I felt very alone. From my first Autism Speaks Walk, I felt the power of community, and this partnership with Skylanderswill bring awareness and belonging to kids and families in a unique way,” said Matt Asner, director of Corporate Development, Autism Speaks.
“Since the debut of the franchise, we’ve heard from parents that Skylanders plays a special role in the lives of their kids on the autism spectrum,” says Josh Taub, senior vice president of Skylanders Product Management, Activision. “The entireSkylanders team was deeply committed and proud to bring these special toys to life. If they can put a smile on a child’s face, then we know we’ve done our job right.”
In addition to creating the Power Blue Skylanders SuperChargers and bringing them to life in game, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is launching employee education and employee-donation matching programs in connection with Autism Awareness Month.  Additionally, in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day, employees will have the opportunity to participate in the Autism Speaks Walk on April 2 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.  Activision is also making donations to non-profits that are making a difference in the autism community.

Geekscape Movie Reviews ‘The Boy And The Beast’

by Josh Jackson

As Mamoru Hosoda’s reputation has grown, so have the inevitable comparisons to Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary films. After The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children captured the hearts of audiences, showing that the reach of his work expanded farther than the typical anime fan. With The Boy And The Beast, Hosoda brings his unique brand of storytelling to a coming of age tale that takes us to the mystical land of the beasts, one where humans are never to step foot. But when an orphan from the human world meets an outcast from the beast realm, we are left with a touching story of how the connections we form have the ability to fill the holes in our hearts.

The Boy and The Beast

The Boy and the Beast introduces us to Ren, a young boy who resigns to a life on the streets after his mother passes away. With no contact with his estranged father and growing resentment in his heart, Ren finds an unlikely home at the side of Kumatetsu, a hot headed bear like beast who declares that the boy will be his new apprentice. Kumatetsu is one of two candidates to become the next lord of his kingdom, but his bad attitude has caused his peers to look down on him while favoring his rival, Iozen. In the hopes that taking in an apprentice will motivate him to work harder and break his bad habits, both Kumatetsu and Ren, (renamed Kyuta by his new master,) fill a void for each other despite their tumultuous relationship. But bringing a human into the Beast Kingdom has its own set of consequences, one that tests their already shaky bond in unimaginable ways.

Throughout the film, it’s this relationship that takes center stage. While neither character is the most likable when we first meet them, (a very intentional choice as you witness their growth in character,) it’s impossible not to root for them regardless when you consider the background each one comes from. We literally have every reason to cheer for Iozen over Kumatetsu considering the former is humble, and level headed despite his power, while Kumatetsu is an arrogant loudmouth who uses his bad attitude to hide the feeling that the lack of support that he gets from his peers really does get to him. As he builds a father/son bond through training Ren as his apprentice however, and watching the two characters emerge from their lonliness side by side is the true highlight of the film.

The Boy and The Beast

Yet, once the film gets to about the halfway point, the story takes a sudden turn, one that I felt wasn’t built up to nearly enough to justify the events taking place. Feeling as if there was a need to create a rift between the two protagonists when the first half of the film had so thoroughly built up their bond, I had a hard time believing that the characters could make the choices they did so easily. Once the story does get back on track during the climactic final battle between Iozen and Kumatetsu, the crap really hits the fan, but in the best way possible. This leads to the quick resolution to most of what was foreshadowed at the beginning of the story, but takes such a sudden shift in tone that it’s a bit jarring. Couple that with an abrupt, unsatisfying ending, and we’re left with a second act that’s hard to justify, and a third act that picks up on the action while feeling somewhat disjointed from the type of story it told up to that point. With that said, the final moments leading up to the sudden ending had me completely invested, rewarding me for the emotional investment that I had built with these characters over the short two hours since I had been introduced to them.

The Boy and The Beast

Naturally, it’s easier to get engrossed when this world of beasts comes to life through top notch visuals. Shown through some vividly produced animations that are easy to become engrossed in, taking in what you see on the screen is easy thanks to how well the 2D animation flows. This movie serves as a reminder of how not every movie needs to be full of 3D effects for it to be impressive, especially when the film suffers a bit during the handful of moments when 3D is used. Moving at a slower, less fluid pace, these few sections took me out of the story, reminding me of how much better those scenes could have been if the animators had stuck to 2D. Fortunately, the top notch English voice acting and emotional score more than make up for it, leaving the presentation on a high note.

The Boy and The Beast

As the credits rolled and I left the theater, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed The Boy and the Beast. Not knowing what to expect when I walked in, I walked out with a strong impression of the characters, their connections with each other, and their ultimate fates. The character growth and development takes center stage, even when the overall narrative takes some unrealistic turns given the little time these scenes had to develop, and the abrupt ending put a damper on the finale. Despite this, The Boy and the Beast stands up well against any of Hosoda’s other works, to the point where anime and non-anime fans alike will find something to love about this movie. If you’re a fan of all things Japan, if you want a sweet story to experience with the family, or you want to see some well animated action in between all the mushy stuff, then a weekend with Ren and Kumatetsu is a weekend well spent.

Final Score: 3.5/5

‘Death Note’ Makes Its Blu-Ray Debut Today With Two New Sets!

by Josh Jackson

One of the greatest anime series of all time is finally making the jump to Blu-Ray!

Death Note, the supernatural thriller revolving around a note book that has the power to kill any person who’s name is written within its pages, is getting a re-release in the form of two new sets! The standard Blu-Ray release will contain the full 37 episode series on five discs, allowing us to relive the struggle between Light Yagami, the genius who takes it upon himself to be judge, jury and executioner as he uses the Death Note to punish criminals throughout the world, and L, the enigmatic detective who will stop at nothing to bring Light to justice. Once you see the story to its conclusion, the set also includes three hours of bonus content, including interviews, commentary and behind the scenes footage with the show’s creators.

For the fan who needs all things Death Note, the Omega Edition comes with 6 discs, including all of the above listed content, in addition to the two animated films that summarize the series, and a 64 page booklet which includes the pilot manga that launched the series. On top of all that, both sets come in some incredibly designed boxes.

Next to InuYasha, Death Note has to be my favorite anime of all time hands down. The intense battle of wits between the two protagonists is just as exciting as any action anime, if not more so, with plenty of twists, turns and heartbreak along the way. If you haven’t seen it before, there’s no reason why this set shouldn’t serve as your gateway into one of the best stories I’ve ever watched.

Retailing at $69.99 for the Omega Edition, and $54.97 for the Standard Edition, there’s no reason why Death Note shouldn’t be added to your collection.

 

Death Note Blue Ray

Death Note Blu Ray

Celebrate Pokemon Day With These Special Events!

by Josh Jackson

Pokemon Day is here! 20 years ago today, Nintendo and Game Freak released two games that would go on to become a worldwide phenomenon. To celebrate two decades of the redefining handheld games, Nintendo has set up a variety of events for Pokefans across the country to enjoy.

First, various GameStop stores are hosting a Pokken Tournament… tournament! As we reported earlier this week, select locations will be hosting a tournament and demo event for the upcoming fighter from the team behind Tekken. Considering that I’m writing this as I wait to play, expect a full preview later today!

While you’re there, or even if you can’t it, make sure to pick up your special 20th anniversary poster at all GameStop’s nationwide with any purchase. Featuring 20 years of Mythical Pokemon on one side, with the Pokemon 20 logo on the other, it’s a great giveaway for any Poke-Fan. Toys R’ Us on the other hand, will be distributing special foil cards to celebrate the Generations card game expansion, along with an exclusive binder available for purchase.

PokePoster

Though if you happen to be in New York, the Nintendo World Store will be hosting its own event, filled with activities and photo ops for those braving the cold and long lines. Los Angeles on the other hand, will welcome back the Pokemon Boutique at Japan LA, for those of us who need some themed clothing or $1000 ruby encrusted Pokeball necklaces!

If sunlight isn’t your thing, you can enjoy the festivities from the comfort of your own home via Twitch! Promising a massive event featuring Pokemon themed activities, discussions, and an animation marathon, the event will run from 10 AM PT, with the marathon ending at 6 PM on Sunday. If that gets old, you can pass the time with your Pokemon selfies in the Pokemon Photo Booth app, making sure your fandom never stops. Or… just keep it simple and download Red, Blue and Yellow, which are available now!

As you can tell, there’s no shortage of ways to welcome 20 years of Pokemon. How will you be celebrating? Let us know in the comments!

The Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow 3DS eShop Releases Will Support Pokemon Bank!

by Josh Jackson

During today’s Pokemon Nintendo Direct, the big news was the official confirmation of Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, an announcement that would have surely had a bigger impact if it wasn’t leaked yesterday. While this is exciting news for sure, the shock of the announcement being eliminated if you were anywhere near an Internet connection, combined with a lack of footage or details outside of a 2016 release window, left me craving a groundbreaking surprise.

Well, we got one! In the closing moments, we were reminded of how we were never able to transfer our Game Boy and Game Boy Color monsters over to the Game Boy Advance, which would go on to be transferable all the way up to the 3DS. That changes with the release of tomorrow’s Red, Blue, and Yellow remakes, because the eShop titles will fully support Pokemon Bank, where your favorite nostalgia monsters can be stored, and eventually transferred into Sun and Moon when they are released.

One of the major questions floating around once the eShop ports were announced was whether or not those Pokemon would be able to be transferred to the new games. The silence regarding the matter made us think that these characters would be confined to their native generation once again, especially since the mechanics have drastically changed since 1996. Fortunately for us, this is clearly not the case.

But with this answer comes new questions. Only Sun and Moon were mentioned as compatible games, so does that mean we can’t move them into other Pokemon Bank compatible games like X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire? What’s going to happen if we transfer one of the glitched level 300 Pokemon? With unlimited EV points in Gen 1, how will that affect their use in future games? And will they be assigned natures once they make the move? We have no way of knowing for now, but if nothing else, here’s to hoping we’ll FINALLY get to play the Surfing Pikachu mini game in the West, and eventually transfer the freak of nature into our new games. Now I just need to figure out how to move that truck so I can finally get Mew…

All I know for sure is that $5 a year for Bank is more than worth it. What are you most excited about from this morning’s presentation? Are you hoping your MissingNo. will materialize in 3D? And are you dreaming of dominating the tournament scene with your overpowered pocketed monstrosities for Gen 1? Share your thoughts in the comments, and continue to check back with us for more Pokemon news as we approach its 20 year anniversary!

Woo Your Waifu With These ‘Hyperdimension Neptunia’ Valentine’s Cards!

by Josh Jackson

Have you been having a hard time finding a way to show your waifu how much she means to you? Or maybe you want to surprise your husbando with some thoughtful words, but can’t manage to put sentences together after days of texting in acronyms? Well, Idea Factory has our backs with these Hyperdimension Neptunia Valentine’s Day cards courtesy of their Facebook page.

Featuring the four main CPU’s, IF, Compa, Warechu, the sadomasochistic Iris Heart, dandy Umio, and the newest CPU introduced in the recently released Megadimension Neptunia VII, Uzume Tennouboshi, these cards are sure to warm your cold, weeaboo heart better than any body pillow ever could. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go on an all night raid? We are talking Four Goddesses Online, right? Sadly, the CPU Candidates are nowhere to be found, but promoting underage love might not be what the company is going for… This year.

Check out the cards below and tell us what your favorites are! While your at it, let us know your your waifu or husbando is on this day of love! We’ll only accept the best of the best girls and boys, so choose well!

Give Warm Fuzzies To That Special Someone With These Nintendo Themed Valentine’s Cards!

by Josh Jackson

It’s February 14th, which means love is in the air for some of us. For others, it’s a sad reminder that you still haven’t found someone who’s willing to put up with your uniqueness. However, if you’re in the hunt, Nintendo has released some gaming themed Valentine’s Day cards for that special gamer in your life.

Are your potential love a Mario person? Or maybe they’re more into that mushroom love with Captain Toad? Link may have collected many heart pieces throughout the years, but the only one he’ll want is yours! Those are just to name a few, so check out the rest of the set below, and let us know what your favorites are. They’re cute, funny, and most importantly, free! Even better, let us know if you use one and share the results with us in the comments! Good luck, and happy Valentine’s Day!

 

‘Splatoon’ Meets ‘Pokemon’! Team Red Vs. Team Blue Is The Next Splatfest!

by Josh Jackson

Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have been pulling out all the stops when it comes to celebrating #Pokemon20, the year long celebration of the 20th anniversary of the revolutionary RPG. After announcing that 2016 would be full of events, including the re-release of Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow, a mobile game that brings Pokemon to life, and even a Super Bowl commercial, how do you top airing a spot during the biggest sporting event of the year?

Well, the only thing bigger than the Super Bowl is a Splatfest, of course! Getting in on the festivities, Splatoon‘s next Splatfest asks us what our favorite Pokemon game is between Red and Blue. Voting has started now, with the event running from February 19 at 10:00 PM PT to February 20 at 10:00 PM PT. As a first for the semi-monthly events, this Pokemon Splatfest will be a worldwide affair, with Europe getting the same contest and Japan getting theirs slightly adjusted with Red vs. Green. Unfortunately, each region will be restricted to playing against participants in their own area as usual, despite all three events starting on the same day with the same theme. We’re so close to worldwide squid unity!

With Callie firmly on Team Red while Marie reps Team Blue, which side will you choose? As someone who’s first Pokemon journey started because of my love for Squirtle, I’ve picked up the second version in almost every case, so you know where my loyalty lies. Who will you choose when it’s time to paint the town red, (or blue?) Let us know in the comments, and share your Nintendo ID’s so we can get some practice runs in before the big showdown!

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Gravity Rush Remastered’

by Josh Jackson

Despite the Playstation Vita essentially becoming a blip on the radar when it came to its longevity and popularity, that didn’t mean that its library wasn’t filled with numerous bright spots among its many dry spells. As far as I’m concerned, Gravity Rush stood above the rest as the real crown jewel for Sony’s PSP successor, using the handheld’s build in motion and touch features in ways that hadn’t been seen before. Essentially a game about falling, this open world title built by Sony’s Japan Studio and Keiichiro Toyama, (the creator of the original Silent Hill,) changed the way we thought about movement in games, allowing Kat, the game’s protagonist, to change the direction of her gravitational pull at will.

Gravity Rush Remastered Screen 1

The only problem? Nobody played it outside of the passionate fans who had their Vitas near launch. Now, with a much larger install base on the Playstation 4, and Bluepoint Games at the helm, (the good folks behind most of Sony’s most recent remastered games,) Gravity Rush Remastered gives Kat a second chance at a first impression, bringing over the handheld game to consoles with improved graphics and controls along the way. After enjoying everything Kat’s adventure has to offer for a second time, not only does the game feel as breathtaking as it did the first time around, but its improvements make it one of the best games you’ll find exclusively on the PS4.

Essentially a superhero origin story, Kat wakes up with no memory of who she is or how she found herself in Heksville, a mysterious city that’s become broken apart and drifting away from itself. With Dusty, her magical space cat that gives her the power to control gravity, Kat fights to help restore the land to its original state, hold off the mysterious Nevi, a race of monsters that has begun to attack the citizens, and re-discover her lost memories.

As mentioned, Gravity Rush is an open world game, one that doesn’t exactly fit any one genre. Part action, part adventure, part platformer, without any strong leanings towards any of them, the real draw of the game is being able to fly around at your leisure as you explore the beautifully rendered comic book inspired world. Though you’re supposed to be spending your time seeking out and competing story and challenge missions to help the townsfolk, it won’t be long before you find yourself taking in the sights as you fly through every inch of the city. Free roaming around Heksville is addicting on its own, which is as easy as a tap of the R1 button to make Kat float or fall in the direction she’s facing. Allowing her to walk on walls, soar through the air and even explore the bottom of the land as you discover the Precious Gems needed for upgrades, movement is anything you want it to be, (as long as you have enough energy to maintain changed gravity.) That level of freedom alone makes Gravity Rush such a unique take on anything I’ve played, creating an environment where the simple act of traveling from point to point is exciting.

Gravity Rush Remastered Screen 2

No matter how great the movement is though, it would come off as a one trick pony if that’s all there was to it. With that considered, it’s fortunate that you’ll have plenty of Nevi to square off with. Now, don’t come into Gravity Rush expecting as many combat options as a game like Devil May Cry, because that’s not what this is about. Still, by maximizing what you can do with Kat’s abilities, taking out enemies by using levitation to throw items it them, activating a powerful special attack that can wipe out waves of enemies at once, and pinpointing an enemy’s weakness before using your gravity powers from meters away to pull yourself into them with a devastating kick, all find a way to be highly rewarding despite their simplicity. All’s not well with Kat’s fighting prowess however, because when the fight is taken to the ground, her standard kicks devolve into mindless button mashing while her jump kick is needlessly hard to hit with. Chances are you’ll want to stick to the air as much as possible. Even then, even though the lock on for the Gravity Kick seems to have been improved compared to the Vita version, with far fewer unexplainable misses, Kat seems to whiff too many of her attacks late game when most of the enemies are larger with multiple weak points.

What seemed like the biggest complaint that the original suffered from was its forced motion and touch controls, which oftentimes felt unintuitive at best, and forced into the game for the sake of showing off the Vita’s features at worst. Fortunately, unlike the targeting which seemed to be partially improved, Bluepoint managed to completely fix this control issue, to the point where the game feels almost too easy at points. As if the original Vita version was trying to compensate for what they new were awkward controls, the times to beat in challenge missions seemed tough to complete. Now, I managed to finish movement based challenges with half a minute to spare on my first try on many occasions, changing what used to be a frustrating mission into some easy upgrade points. Some of the challenges will still give you trouble, especially the ones with limited gravity energy or the ones that focus on combat, but there are still noticible improvements across the board that stand out even more during these stagse. The Gravity Slide in particular, a technique where Kat uses gravity to speed and drift along the ground, is so much better that it’s hard to imagine playing any other way. Imagine on the Vita, having to hold both thumbs on the corner of the touch screen to slide, then steer with oversensitive motion controls that would send you veering into walls more often than not. Then, imagine holding the L2 and R2 buttons and steering with the stick. It’s like night and day.

But with the good comes the bad, which in this case,  a problem unique to the PS4 version. In the Vita release, dodging was triggered by swiping the touch screen in the direction you want to move. The two sticks are so far away from the screen in this case, that accidentally tapping it was never an issue. That changes with the PS4, since all of the touch controls are relegated to the touch pad right above the analog sticks. In fights where you’re trying to move the camera while moving at the same time, there were so many times where I accidentally dodged into an attack and needlessly took damage because my finger grazed the pad. And unlike the motion controls, which can have their sensitivity adjusted to the point where they can be completely turned off, there’s no way that I could find to get rid of the touch dodging.

Gravity Rush Remastered Screen 4

Unfortunately, seeing as this is a port, there’s only so much Bluepoint could change. This means that the game’s strange story is still intact, which is only seen as a negative because of how much potential it brings, only to do nothing with it. When you bring out a game in a world that’s literally floating apart from itself, a raven haired rival that wants to kill you for reasons unknown, a master thief who becomes obsessed with defeating you, and God masquerading as a homeless drifter with a penchant for flashing, you would think the game would have some crazy places to go by the time the credits roll. Yet somehow, when it’s all over with, very few of these plotlines are wrapped up, and Kat’s amnesia doesn’t go much farther than where it started outside of some hints. As someone who was really in to the mysteries the game presents, I feel that Gravity Rush often came off as a tease towards a whole lot of future events without much resolution to them in the present. It was frustrating in 2012, and it’s frustrating now, especially when the story can be completed relatively quickly. A few more hours worth of missions could have been added to flesh out the story and the length.

Though the stories that are addressed are the DLC bonus missions, all of which come packaged with Gravity Rush Remastered out of the box. Adding a bit of character and three new costumes to Kat’s story, each set of two missions helps us dive in to side stories that help us get to know the citizens of Heksville better. Some even feature missions that have unique objectives compared to the main game, such as finding scattered pages and racing while opponents actively block you. These missions won’t appear until you reach the chronological point in the story where they take place, but finishing them helps boost your town rank faster, giving you access to a higher tier of upgrades sooner than you would in the regular game. And you’ll need them, since each DLC pack comes with two additional challenge maps, each of which are significantly more difficult than the ones the main game offers.

Gravity Rush Remastered Screen 3

It’s not perfect, but Gravity Rush Remastered deserves all the credit we can give it for not only feeling so fresh despite being a re-release, but especially because it managed to engross us almost entirely on the merits of its game play. Surviving the aging process so well is rare enough, but there are very few games that I would enjoy playing all over again. This is one of them, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s beautiful. It’s creative. It has that rare quality where it changes the way we think about games. And it’s an improvement over its Vita counterpart in almost every way. The ground combat and lock on still needs some work, the story is still a glaring weak point, and the unfortunate placement of the touch pad creates a brand new issue, but none of this gets in the way of Gravity Rush transitioning from one of the best Vita games, to one of the best PS4 ones. Whether digitally or physically, (exclusively through Amazon,) do yourself a favor and add Kat’s adventure to your collection. Now, bring on Gravity Rush 2!

Final Score: 4.5/5

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4’

by Josh Jackson

In 2006, the first Naruto video game came to the West alongside the anime’s localized debut with the GameCube’s Naruto: Clash of Ninja. Over the years, countless sequels, spinoffs, and alternate series from a wide variety of developers and publishers would be released, with the definitive experience finally settling on the Ultimate Ninja Storm series. The Playstation exclusive branch of the wildly popular franchise has wowed us for years with its incredible graphics, mind blowing boss battles that oftentimes surpass the source material, and a huge roster that’s grown significantly over each iteration.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Screen 3

With the manga’s conclusion in 2014, it was a matter of time before the games would reach the finale as well, eventually being forced to take its bow as one of the most consistent anime to video game adaptations in both quality and faithfulness. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is said to be the last game in the Storm series, wrapping up the story of Naruto and his friends with its current console generation debut, upping the wow factor in ways that will definitely leave an impression. Yet, for all the things that it does right, nagging issues from previous entries still keep the game from being a premiere fighter. Still, Storm 4 goes above and beyond to give fans of the series the sendoff they deserve.

If you’ve played a Storm game before, the basic set up of the 3D fighter is the same now as it has always been. Set with a diagonal, behind the back camera perspective, each fighter has sets of land and air combos, special moves, (ninjutsu,) and super moves, (secret techniques,) the latter two of which can be customized in nearly every mode. When you consider that the cast is made up of over 100 different ninja, that becomes a whole lot of content to discover, which is exciting every time you pull off a new attack thanks to the amazing anime inspired graphics that bring it all to life, (but more on that in a bit.) As with Storm 3, countering with your substitution jutsu has its own bar rather than subtracting from your chakra, allowing a maximum of four successive counters before you’ll find yourself stuck in a combo without a way to escape. Adding an extra layer of strategy to the fights, it’s important to avoid getting caught in situations where you have to draw on your counters before you find yourself taking a pummeling. Once you’re on the brink of defeat, overcharging your meter activates your temporary Awakening Mode, which can range from a boost in power, to a full on transformation, changing your character to a gigantic beast, which can turn the tide of battle while acting as a mind blowing display of how good CyberConnect2 has gotten at bringing the show to life.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Screen 7

In addition to other techniques such as maintaining and charging your chakra to pull off special moves and stronger versions of standard attacks such as throwing shuriken, dashing towards your opponent, and performing double team attacks with one of your two potential partners, Storm 4 mixes up the formula with some new combat options to keep even the best ninja on their toes. Most noticeably, the new tag mechanics change counter attack lets you push back any attack when an overzealous opponent is charging at you. With a simple tap of the shuriken button while guarding, you’ll pay a quarter of your chakra bar, (as in a quarter of the bar temporarily disappears, and cannot be charged for a certain amount of time,) to keep yourself in an advantageous position.

Once you’ve mastered the art of combat, there’s nothing left to get in your way when it’s time to jump into the Story Mode, which is where most of the game’s visuals shine through. No longer broken up by the standard free roaming mode, (which would be kind of hard considering most of the world is destroyed at the start of the game,) the story starts off with a bang thanks to the ancient conflict between The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the current big bad, Madara Uchiha. After a boss battle that looks and feels so grand, you would think it’s the game’s last fight instead of its first, it flashes forward to right where Storm 3 left off, right before the masked man’s identity is revealed in his first fight with Naruto. Here, the action slows down a bit in favor of mostly standard fights, although we occasionally get rail shooter and beat em up inspired stages to give us something special in between battles.

Most fights are bookmarked by long cutscenes that move the story along at a decent pace. Yet, these scenes constantly kept me enthralled rather than take me out of the experience, partially because of the fact that this game is the first time that the finale of the series has been animated and voiced. Then again, I use “animated” loosely, since the majority of the scenes are just still shots from the anime with voice overs over them. Ironically, the anime’s overabundance of fillers worked in the game’s favor eventually, since all the scenes that take place after the anime’s current storyline are fully animated with the in game models. For anyone who is worried about how well the ending plays out, fear not. Everything is here, from the end of the war, to a SNES-era Final Fantasy level ass pull with Kaguya’s debut, all the way up to the fateful fight between the two leads. Aside from a small amount of censorship, everything from the animations to the voice acting and the over elaborate quick time events that blows away the action of both the manga and anime, serving as a satisfying conclusion to Naruto and Sasuke’s tale.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Screen 2

Although the story sticks close to its source material, sometimes, this isn’t for the better. As if trying to emulate the anime itself, there are a TON of flashbacks, to the point where even when I was really into the story, I was getting tired of the big finale being largely relegated to a glorified slide show. While I do appreciate that each chapter has a time estimate for how long you’re going to be watching, it made me miss the free roaming sections that broke up the action in previous story modes. For better or for worse, free roaming has been separated into its own adventure mode which takes place immediately after the final battle. As Naruto, Sakura and Hinata, the three ninja travel to iconic locations throughout the series on various missions that trigger flashbacks of some of the Hidden Leaf Village’s greatest battles. Here’s where you finally get an excuse to play as those characters who you completely forgot about in between all of the Infinite Tsukuyomi nonsense. I’m talking Chiyo vs. Sasori, young Naruto vs. Young Gaara during the Chunin Exams, and so many “memories” as the game calls them, essentially serving as a Naruto retrospective as the finale settles in. Of course, you can also play the Adventure Mode before finishing the story, but why would you do that?

However, like the Story Mode feeling tired with no breaks, Adventure Mode falls even harder in this sense. The free roaming content was never particularly good in past games, with very little interactivity with your surroundings, but at least you had the story to will you forward. What can only be described as constant filler content, there are no real stakes involved to keep you enthralled when it comes to getting absorbed in the world you’re exploring, leaving you with shallow feeling side missions to fill time. If only CyberConnect2 would not have stagnated in this sense and eventually gave us something more akin to Ubisoft’s highly underrated Xbox 360 exclusive Naruto games in terms of exploration, then Storm 4 would have been the perfect package. Sadly, free roaming failed to evolve like the rest of the series has.

Naruto UNS 4 E3 Screen 1 - Copy

Thankfully, the Online Mode is where the game feels like it has grown the most, which is fantastic since the Vs. modes are where the meat of any fighting game lies. Aside from your typical Vs. and Survival Modes, which offer various modifiers that can either help or hinder the player, the online play is the best it’s ever been. Not only does the mode allow all of your customized fighters carry over like in previous games in certain match types, but the overall experience feels much more fleshed out with various incentives to play. Including special events that come with bonuses when you play during certain times, or daily log in bonuses for extra money and Ninja Treasures that can be exchanged to unlock one of the near countless items to earn, you’ll always have a reason to log on outside of beating down other ninjas from around the world. On that note, the online play itself seems leaps and bounds better this time around, which is a huge step up for a series that’s always been marred with crippling lag. In my case, (as the Geekscape Games listeners can attest to,) I have horrible connection speeds. Yet, every match I fought was either as seamless as if I were playing on the couch, or with barely noticeable input lag that I couldn’t blame my losses on. Despite it taking so long, I’m glad the final Storm game finally got it right.

As commendable as these improvements may be, Storm‘s biggest hurdle from the beginning is that its fighting mechanics are shallow. Yes, the tag and counter features add more to an admittedly improved package, but it’s not enough for it to stand out as anything more than a really good anime fighter. All Jinchuriki, (tailed beast hosts such as Naruto,) will have a giant transformation. Almost all Sharingan users, (like most of Sasuke’s seven versions,) have a Susano’o form. Aside from puppet users, (who each feel similar as well,) every character feels relatively similar to one another, despite the 100 + character cast outside of their standard ninjutsu and animations. Even then, roughly 20% of the roster are just alternate forms of the same person. So here’s to hoping you really like Naruto, Sasuke, Obito and Kakashi, because they could make a fighting game with just the different versions of those four and have a roster that rivals the total character count of other games in the genre. Unfortunately, its game play doesn’t measure up in the same way. What’s worse is that some of this repetition could have been alleviated by the extra team attacks and characters that are locked behind the DLC paywall, but alas, it’s 2016. DLC is expected at this point, although locking away attacks for sets of characters that are on the standard roster feels a bit low.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Review Screen 1

As my time with Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 drew to a close, the amount of content to play though both by yourself and with friends, the cinematics and graphics that often left me in awe as it wrapped up this eight year tale in satisfying fashion, and the highly entertaining combat, (despite its shallowness), are all more than enough of a reason to pick this up. While its flaws with the sameness of its cast, overuse of still frames to tell its story, the separation of the free roaming and campaign segments, and locking content that’s already in the game behind a pay wall are all apparent, its refinement of what works while vastly improving its online component make this final Storm game the best by a long shot. Non-fans will get a kick out of its incredible presentation, while long time Naruto followers will find the sendoff that the franchise deserves, riding into the sunset on top. So take a bow, CyberConnect2, because Storm 4 has set a new benchmark for what games based on anime should be.

Final Score: 4.25/5

‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ Invades The Super Bowl With A New Trailer!

by Josh Jackson

Welcome to Earth!

The Super Bowl ad for Independence Day: Resurgence quickly shows that despite today being the day of the big game, the aliens aren’t playing this time around. Despite some key cast members missing in the sequel, the nostalgia when seeing the ships dog fighting through the air and the amazing special effects is off the charts, especially when returning characters such as Jeff Goldblum’s David Levinson hits the screen.

Coming to theaters on June 24th, nearly twenty years after the original Independence Day blew us away so long ago, this teaser footage has definitely caught our attention. But more importantly, what do you think? Check out the trailer for yourself below and share your thoughts with us in the comments!

‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out Of The Shadows’ Shows Off Krang, The Turtle Van, And Sheamus!

by Josh Jackson

As one of the many Super Bowl commercials that have graced our screens during the big game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out Of The Shadows gave us glimpses of what’s in store for Leo, Mikey, Don and Raph, and I have to be honest; it’s looking pretty great!

As a follow up to the controversial 2014 film produced by Michael Bay, this upcoming film looks to introduce elements of the Turtles lore that haven’t been explored as deeply, (or at all,) across its many live action iterations. Seeing WWE Superstar, Sheamus, as Rocksteady pre-Rhino transformation, the return of Shredder, and the Turtle Van speeding through New York are sure to stand out as crowd pleasing moments, it’s Krang’s film debut that really stands out, with a great looking human suit to boot.

I’m someone who usually can’t stand Bay’s recent work, but seeing Krang in action, and knowing that Arrow star, Stephen Amell, will be playing the hockey mask wearing vigillante, Casey Jones, and my attention is starting to turn. Watch the trailer for yourself and let us know if you’re looking forward to the next installment in the Bay-verse Turtle series, and share your thoughts in the comments!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 will rise from the shadows on June 3rd.

Choose Your Side With The ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Super Bowl Ad!

by Josh Jackson

During the Super Bowl (the annual event where fans across the country gather around their TV sets and watch all of the latest, greatest ways that companies can sell them products), a new teaser for Captain America: Civil War gave us some insight on what we can expect when Cap and Iron Man come to blows on May 6th.

The spot expands the details on the conflict between the former teammates over The Winter Soldier, and also features other prominent characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe such as Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Vision and Black Panther (YES!). The short teaser squeezes in as much action as they possibly can in less than a minute; so many explosions; so much awesome so many hashtags…

Check out the trailer below, then let us know what side you’ll be one when the film kicks off the Summer movie season. As always, make sure to check back with us as more news rolls in!

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Megadimension Neptunia VII’

by Josh Jackson

Despite half a dozen remakes and spinoffs over the last year and a half giving the impression that there was plenty of Gamindistri goodness to go around, it’s been nearly four years since we Nep’ed up some bad guys in the last mainline Hyperdimension Neptunia game. Gaining a following based on its lighthearted take on the game industry while wrapping itself in magical girl anime tropes, its characters often overshadowed its addicting combat, which had admittedly grown stale after remaining mostly unchanged since the second game. Knowing this, making the jump to the PlayStation 4 in its current gen debut is the perfect opportunity to create a new first impression.  Thanks to some much needed changes to the battle system and larger dungeons to go with the series’ trademark humor, this is a goal that Megadimension Neptunia VII largely succeeds at.

Megadimension Neptunia VII_20151110142359

Neptune is back in action.

For the uninitiated gamer who couldn’t tell the difference between a Dogoo and a Pixelvader, Neptunia revolves around the four goddesses of Gamindustri. Neptune of Planeptune, Noire of Lastation, Blanc of Lowee and Vert of Leanbox each rule over their own nation, (analogous of Sega, Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft respectively,) while maintaining a friendly rivalry for share energy, a manifestation of the public’s adoration and the source of their power. the girls have since each of which represents a different nation. As the protagonist, (which she’ll be sure to constantly remind you of throughout her fourth wall breaking escapades), Neptune steps aside a bit this time to share the spotlight with the rest of the cast. Split into three smaller stories that eventually converge into one large conflict, this is very much Uzume Tennouboshi’s tale. As the last living CPU of an alternate version of a post apocalyptic Gamindustri, Neptune and her little sister, Nepgear, find themselves transported to this world through a console that’s totally not a Sega Dreamcast. In an adventure that introduces plenty of new characters, multiple worlds and non-linear progression that shines the spotlight on all four main CPU’s, VII proves early on that it’s a huge departure from its prequels thanks to its narrative.

If you’re worried that the game sounds too doom and gloom in the same way the second game was, then fear not. Despite the the dark tone of the first few dungeons, this game finds a balance between making us laugh with its lighthearted and tongue in cheek script while creating a sense of urgency within the scenarios in a way that improves on the games before it. So if you know anything about Neptune and her world, that means plenty of winks to the audience with its parodies of video games, gaming characters, and even the business practices that occupy this hobby we all love so much. New characters like Gold Third, a group of humans who represent Capcom, Bandai Namco, Square Enix and Konami respectively, add even more depth to an already great cast, (especially nods to their company history, like Square’s S-Sha having two personalities after fusing with her former enemy, based on Enix), and the villains manage to be both hilarious and menacing when they need to be. While the fanservice is relatively tame this time around, what other game are you going to find two robot villains who are obsessed with busty blondes, only for one of them to go through an identity crisis after falling in love with the flat chested Uni?

Megadimension Neptunia VII_20151110153013

Meet Umio, the know-it-all fish man who resembles a certain Dreamcast star.

The gameplay has always been one of my favorite parts of the Neptunia series, which is easily the high point of VII. Making sure that the story and cast wasn’t the only part of the game changed, a host of new mechanics debut to turn the game’s conventions on its head. Doing away with its Guard Break system that’s been a staple of the series for years, positioning is more important than its ever been. Bringing back the full range turn based gameplay that debuted in the second game, each character you control can be moved freely within a certain range, with their attacks allowing you to hit multiple opponents at once if positioned right. Enemies now have parts that boost their defense, which will have to be broken off with the new Parts Break system. Standing in the right position, using the right elemental attacks, or flat out overwhelming bulky foes lets you deal even more damage, serving as the only way to beat some especially tough baddies.

To maximize your turns, you’ll have to prepare your combos ahead of time, bringing more strategy into the mix. Each weapon has a starting attack, where up to three additional moves can be mapped to fit different situations. Broken down into Rush Attacks, Power Attacks and Standard Attacks, each fits a different purpose when you’re grinding out those extra levels. Rush sacrifices damage for more individual hits, building up the team’s shared EXE Meter, (which lets the party unleash their most powerful attacks), Power does more damage, but fewer hits, and Standard is a happy medium. Beyond these categories, each individual attack will usually have some kind of perk that boosts its properties as long as certain requirements are met in that turn. For example, one attack might do more damage if your previous attack was a Rush Attack, whereas another will get a boost if you haven’t used a Power Attack yet. In addition to varying areas of attack, individual weapons also have different amounts of total attacks and unique starting attacks, making certain weapons better in the long run, even if they’re not the most powerful. The game makes sure to give you plenty to think about when heading into battle.

Megadimension Neptunia VII Screen 6

But the most impressive change that the battle system has brought is its use of team attacks, allowing your group of four to deliver huge amounts of damage with the right partners. Aside from the SP attacks, essentially your magic skills that pull from a character’s SP Meter, and the EXE Attacks mentioned above, these team ups further show how much the game has grown since its last entry. While team attacks have been in previous games, you could just unleash them anywhere on the map as long as you had the right amount of meter. This time, your whole team has to be positioned around their target in a certain way for them to work. Three member moves usually ask them to stand in a triangle formation that encloses the enemy monster for example, while full party four person attacks asks to create a square. Seeing that field placement so important this time around makes it apparent that the AI has also been improved, to the point where they’ll usually avoid grouping together or move right outside your range. It’s frustrating at times, (in a good way), but it’s good to see that the game is willing to make you work for your wins this time.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of what the battle system has to offer, Giant Battles force you to put those formations to work. As a new type of combat, these fights only allow you to use SP or EXE attacks as you gang up on a towering opponent, surrounding it by jumping from various platforms around the stage. Forcing your team to split up across the field, your priorities will change compared to regular battles since you won’t be able to be near your teammates to heal them without giving up the potential to unleash your most powerful team attacks. Moving at a much slower pace, these fights ask you to become more methodical with how you approach them, which is a nice change of pace compared to the waves of enemies you’ll be used to defeating. Slowing down the combat could eventually wear thin, which is probably why you’ll only encounter these special scenarios a handful of times.

Megadimension Neptunia VII_20151110153022

Some of the special moves look ridiculously cool.

Just when you think you’ve seen all there is to see, the content continues to grow about half way through. In addition to Disc Development, (allowing you to customize equipment to grant various benefits), a few new customization aspects lets you dive deeper into the inner workings of each nation. Saving up money will let you develop your shops, weapon development or publicity, which makes new items available for your group to purchase. Ranging from extra powerful gear to help you do more damage, unlocking unique items that can only be obtained through this method, or raising a nation’s shares to strengthen your CPU’s from each area, there are plenty of rewards to come if you invest in each country. Throwing in the ability to hire NPC’s to scout for secret dungeons and items, their traits that grant certain advantages and disadvantages to being in the dungeon with them, and using cash to build new paths through Route Building, even series veterans will be surprised with how much has changed since the last game.

Oddly enough, the only real flaws that the game has are when it goes half way with the improvements, which becomes painfully obvious due to how tedious these moments are. For one, the map has a bit more life to it since your main character now travels from point to point along the map, rather than just selecting a location from a list. Yet, when you move between dungeons, random battles make their series debut by popping up between areas. One of the better aspects about these games was that it gave you control over whether or not you wanted to battle by placing the enemies on the map, while allowing you to hit them for a pre-fight advantage. When you take that away, you’re adding in one of the more generic, outdated genre mechanics that the game would be better off without. I’m also in favor of the game eliminating auto healing when you leave dungeons and replacing it with having to move to specific headquarters in each area to recover, but coupling this with the random battles means you might get caught off guard.

Megadimension Neptunia VII Screen 1

The four CPU’s in their new NEXT forms.

Moving on to brand new Neplunker mini-game, the overall package would have been better off without it. Simulating the Spelunker exploration games of days past, Neptune and her team will travel through a cave with difficulty that increases as you descend. Using the same combat system for fights, the focus is more centered around exploration, platforming and eventual survival. Except… Neptune was never meant to be a platforming star, which is obvious as soon as you start trying to traverse these stages. Her awkward jumps and clunky movement is perfectly fine when playing the normal game, but when you throw in precision jumping and avoiding traps, it becomes a nightmare to play. To make matters worse, losing all three lives, (which are unique to this mode), results in a game over for the entire game. So if you forgot to save before falling into that pit, tough luck! The post game unlocks make it more bearable, but when you feel like you’d be better off avoiding a feature until after the story is finished, that’s obviously a problem.

Unfortunately, the game’s biggest issue is one of the most persistent ones throughout the series. Each game has had a bad habit of re-using dungeons, which becomes more and more inexcusable as the games continue to grow. As another half measure, VII does not repeat any of the maps from its prequels, but does re-do the dungeons IN VII! It’s hard to be too upset though, since each one features brand new, much larger areas to explore, complete with hidden paths and breakable items that hide better treasure. Surprisingly, the size increase doesn’t slow down the game at all. Registering at a smooth 60 frames per second throughout nearly the entire game, (aside from a few maps with a lot going on in the background), the game is the most technically sound yet. The character models are still fairly basic, but the visual upgrade is strong enough that it will make it harder to go back to the older games in comparison. Rounding out the areas with an updated soundtrack that contains almost all new songs, it makes it that much more noticeable when the enemies, maps and even bosses are eventually recycled. It’s a step in the right direction, but I’m hoping that future games will go all the way with creating a completely original campaign, especially as they continue to get more and more popular.

Megadimension Neptunia VII_20151110152058

Did I mention the transformations look amazing this time?

While not without its annoyances, Megadimension Neptunia VII is everything a sequel should be. Neptune’s fourth game provides a lenghty adventure that vastly improves combat, exploration and enemy AI, all while maintaining its laugh out loud humor for great effect. Some of the new features feel either out of place, don’t go far enough, or feel cheapened thanks to the continued re-using of assets, but these points are neglegable when you see how this game took everything that could be improved upon and made an attempt at it while staying true to the core concepts that kept fans happy over the last few years. So whether or not you’re a longtime Gamindustri supporter, a JRPG fan who wants to try something new, or even someone who wants some self referential humor to replace all the self doubt and hurt feelings that the genre is associated with, you’d do well to give Neptune a shot.

Final Score: 4.5/5

Celebrate The Success Of ‘Splatoon’ With A Real Life Squid Sisters Concert!

by Josh Jackson

To celebrate over one million copies of Splatoon sold, Nintendo announced a few weeks back that Callie and Marie, (known collectively as the Squid Sisters,) would hold a concert in Japan. Taking place over the weekend, Niconico live streamed the event for those who aren’t fortunate to live in the land of virtual pop stars. As expected, the results were as bizarre as they were incredible.

Performing most of the game’s soundtrack, (which I’m just learning is sung by the sisters themselves,) watch in amazement as real people rock out with their purple and green glow sticks to our Splatfest overlords. Clocking in at about 25 minutes, watch the show for yourselves, enjoying your favorite songs from Nintendo’s runaway Wii U hit before they fade away to presumably hang out with Hatsune Miku and 2Pac.

Want to learn why the Squid Sisters are so awesome? Check out our waifu list and fall in love like we have! And again, make sure you share your Nintendo ID’s with us in the comments so we can get some turf wars going!

Geekscape Games Presents: The Top 16 Games Of (The First Half Of) 2016

by Josh Jackson

I thought Christmas was supposed to be in December! Yet, as we wrap up January and head into February, you would think it was the end of the year considering how many amazing games are hitting the shelves. From high profile sequels to remakes, spinoffs and new IP’s that have demanded our attention, it won’t be hard to find a game or three to play in what’s typically supposed to be the slow winter and spring months. With so many to choose from, where do we start!? In no particular order, here are the 16 games of (the first half) of 2016 that we’re the most excited about.

 

Honorable Mention: Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow

Date: February 27th

For: Nintendo 3DS

Pokemon Red Blue Yellow 3DS Banner

It’s rare that people get so excited for a Virtual Console re-release, but c’mon, this is Pokemon! While not a full release, (and thus, being excluded from the proper list,) we’re too thrilled not to mention these titles! With Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow hitting our 3DS handhelds via the eShop in about a month, these ports will let us connect via built in wireless to rebuild our classic Pokedex’s with ease, all while poking at our nostalgia. It’ll be good to see what Missingno. has been up to after all these years!

 

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Date: April 26th

For: Playstation 4

Uncharted4

As one of the many games that was delayed in 2015, it’s easy to see why we’re anxious to go on one more adventure with Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. With rumors of this being Drake’s last adventure, with some hoping that Naughty Dog focuses more on expanding on The Last Of Us going forward, this very well could be the last time we travel the world with the charismatic adventurer. While it may sound crazy to drop such a popular franchise, it’s not like Naughty Dog hasn’t done it before with series’ like Crash, (which was admittedly out of their hands,) and Jak, and suddenly, it’s not so unheard of. Are you ready to say goodbye?

 

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4

Date: February 8th

For: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Screen 3

While we’re talking about goodbye’s, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is being touted as the final Storm game. If this is true, it will signal an end of an era for the franchise, which brought incredible visuals, intense boss fights, and a giant roster to the popular series. Oftentimes surpassing its source material when it came to showing off how crazy Naruto and his friends can be when in a fight, it’s appropriate that the fourth game plans on wrapping up the story ahead of even the anime. As the final fights come to a close, we’re hoping we’re left with a game that’s fun enough to carry our fandom for a long time to come.

 

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

Date: March 4th

For: Wii U

Zelda Twilight Princess Wii U HD Banner

 

For those who listen to the Geekscape Games podcast, (thanks, Jeremy!), you’ll know that I’m generally against HD remakes, especially when they feel largely unnecessary. As with most poor life choices that I’ve made over the last year though, amiibo have changed the way I think. Coming bundled with a sweet Wolf Link amiibo at a standard MSRP of $59.99, the figure unlocks a brand new dungeon, alongside support with other Zelda amiibo to change the game in various ways.

Quantum Break

Date: April 5th

For: Xbox One

Quantum Break Gamescom Banner

As the first game from Remedy since 2010’s excellent Alan Wake, Quantum Break looks to continue the developer’s penchant for innovative action game play to go with its stellar story telling that originated with Max Payne. Starring Shawn Ashmore, the cinematic style from their previous games is still going to be a heavy focus, but unlike many games these days, it doesn’t seem like the game play will be compromised because of it. Promising solid action-adventure elements with puzzle solving areas, we’re looking forward to finally getting Quantum Break in our hands.

Trillion: God Of Destruction

Date: Spring 2016

For: Playstation Vita

Trillion Screen 1

This Vita exclusive from the publishers and developers behind the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, (which we’ll get to soon,) Trillion: God Of Destruction has you amass an underworld army designed to take down a seemingly unbeatable god with a TRILLION HP! As you chip away at it over time, you’ll get stronger by training in secret and building relationships with your potential underworld waifus. Because we all need a little love in between fighting an indestructible monster.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Out now!

For: Nintendo 3DS

Mario and Luigi Paper Jam Screen 1

The Mario and Luigi and Paper Mario RPGs have been one of Nintendo’s best kept secrets for years now, providing laugh out loud comedy to go with its interactive turn based combat. But what happens when you combine both into one game? Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam looks to find out, bringing Paper Mario into a new world for a brand new team up. With new abilities, jokes abound, (usually at Luigi’s expense,) and rewarding game play, what’s not to love?

Note: Keep an eye out for our upcoming review!

Final Fantasy Explorers

Out now!

For: Nintendo 3DS

Final Fantasy Explorers Screen 1

Described as Final Fantasy meets hunting and crafting games like Monster Hunter and Fantasy Life, Final Fantasy Explorers lets players team up in parties of up to four and fight some of the franchise’s most infamous monsters in their pursuit to complete quests. As they’re completed, characters can make new equipment, experiment with various jobs, and even temporarily take the forms of some of the greatest heroes in Final Fantasy history, including Cloud, Squall, Lightning and Yuna! Already adventuring? Share your friend codes with us in the comments and let’s get exploring!

Digimon Cyber Sleuth

Date: February 2nd

For: Playstation 4, Playstation Vita

Digimon Cyber Sleuth Screen 6

As the first Digimon game to hit the current generation, as well as the first RPG to release in forever, Digimon Cyber Sleuth features hundreds of champions to collect and fuse as you and your team save the real and digital world from a new threat. Developed by Media.Vision, the RPG masterminds behind the Wild Arms series, and it’s safe to assume that the other beloved monster collecting franchise is in good hands.

 

Star Fox Zero

Date: April 22nd

For: Wii U

Star Fox Zero Screen 1

Speaking of being in good hands, the long awaited Star Fox follow up seems like a match made in heaven, (assuming the Lylat System believes in such a concept.) As a collaboration between Nintendo and Platinum Games, what we’ve played of Star Fox Zero with its free range, on rails and on land game play has had us desperate for more. Which made it all the more heartbreaking when it ended up like Uncharted and got delayed from 2015 to this year. Still, it’s looking like it’ll be more than worth the wait, and it will be great to gear up with the old team again.

Project X Zone 2

Date: February 16th

For: Nintendo 3DS

Project X Zone 2 Screen 15

If Star Fox represents a strong team, then Project X Zone 2  is on a whole different level. Not only will Namco Bandai, Sega and Capcom team up for a second round of action packed turn based strategy, but Nintendo is getting in on the fun as well, with Chrom and Lucina from Fire Emblem and Fiora and Metal Face from Xenoblade Chronicles all appearing in the game. As one of the biggest surprises of 2013 for me, I can’t wait to get my hands on this crossover extravaganza once again.

Fire Emblem Fates

Date: February 19th

For: Nintendo 3DS

Fire Emblem Fates Banner

After Fire Emblem Awakening blew away all expectations in terms of both sales and popularity, the 3DS release served as a type of arrival for the strategy franchise, allowing it to take its place as one of Nintendo’s premiere IP’s. Capitalizing on this, Fire Emblem Fates will release with two versions with two different story perspectives. Featuring solid strategy game play, light dating sim elements and a custom character to lead the cast with, Nintendo is banking on Fates being just as popular, especially with special bundles, 3DS models, and even a downloadable third story on the way.

 

Megadimension Neptunia VII

Date: February 2nd

For: Playstation 4

Megadimension Neptunia VII_20151110143937
Despite it seeming like Neptunia refuses to take a break with so many spinoffs, remakes, and sequels for the remakes, Megadimension Neptunia VII is the first sequel to the core franchise since 2012’s Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory. Now that everyone *should* have caught up after being bombarded with so many mostly solid games over the last year and a half, (assuming you have a Vita or Steam,) it’s time to take Gamindustri to the NEXT level! Featuring multiple stories, new characters, updated transformations and some much needed changes to the combat, and it’s looking like Neptune’s current gen debut might be one of the highlights of the year.

 

Gravity Rush HD Remaster

Date: February 2nd

For: Playstation 4

Gravity Rush HD Banner

For my money, Gravity Rush is still the best game to release on the Vita. It’s breathtaking visuals, innovative game play and exciting exploration using the manipulation of gravity was too good to be ignored. Which is why I’m *really* pulling for Gravity Rush HD Remaster to shine in front of a bigger audience on the PS4. With reworked game play controls to work better on a Dual Shock 4, updated visuals, and all of the DLC included for $29.99, there’s no excuse not to get. Except for the fact that it’s mostly digital only if you’re already out of hard drive space…

If that’s the case, be like me and get the physical version which is exclusive to Amazon, and fall in love with Kat all over again!

 

Pokken Tournament

Date: March 18th

For: Wii U

Pokken Tournament Banner

Pokken was a long time coming, then all of a sudden, it was right around the corner! This collaboration between the team behind the Tekken series and The Pokemon Company brings together some interesting choices from the Pokemon roster to do battle in a 1-on-1 3D fighting game setting. Most importantly however, is that Pokken is looking to open the floodgates with the series’ first amiibo Card, coming packaged with Shadow Mewtwo. I hope you all have that second mortgage ready to go!

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst

Date: May 24th

For: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC

Mirror's Edge Catalyst Banner

Another game that felt like it would never see the light of day. After years of hoping until finally being confirmed back in 2013, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst will finally be in our hands in a few short months! Serving as a prequel that explores Faith’s background, we’re counting on the innovative first person platformer to wow us again. If DICE can pull off the same magic that they did the first time around, then we have nothing to worry about!

Street Fighter V

Date: February 16th

For: Playstation 4, PC

Street Fighter V E3 Screen 1

Unlike most of the games on this list, the time it took from announcement to release was relatively short. Not that we’re complaining, because a new iteration of Street Fighter is always something to get excited about! With four new characters to accompany a wide variety of reworked veterans from Super Street Fighter II to Street Fighter Alpha 3, the new V system that’s looking to mix up the rules of battle, and an expanded story mode that looks to bridge the gap between the original cast and Street Fighter III, why wouldn’t we be frothing at the mouth to play this?

 

As you can see, we’re going to have a busy time throughout the year. What games are you most looking forward to, and are there any that we missed? Let us know in the comments, and check back for the latest news, previews and reviews on the games listed, and everything else in between!

These ‘Breaker Of Shadows’ Cards Have Changed The ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ Landscape

by Josh Jackson

Every time a new Yu-Gi-Oh booster set is released, all of the new cards, archtypes and boosts to old decks that they can provide always creates the possibility of reshaping the game. Yet, very few sets have had as big as an impact as the most recent set, Breaker of Shadows, has had. Highlighted by the return of the  “Solemn” trap card, new Performapals that make Pendulum Summoning an even bigger threat, and the return of prominence for Cyber Dragons and the Atlantean/Mermail combo, and we’re left with one of the most comprehensive sets in a very long time.

 

YuGiOh Solemn Strike

Once a staple in nearly every deck, Solemn Judgment was a trap that let you sacrifice half of your life points to negate anything. Having since been banned from competitive play, Solemn Warning would take its place, costing 2000 LP to negate any card effect that would special summon a monster. Now that this card has also been hit with a limited restriction of one per deck, and newer cards that can summon en mass, Warning would eventually fade as well, With Solemn Strike however, the card’s ability to stop monster effects as well as special summons for 1500 LP gives it more flexibility. Since the card is brand new and hasn’t been affected by ban lists, this card is setting the dueling world on fire while three can still be packed in the deck.

YuGiOh Cyber Dragon Infinity

On the subject of negating, Cyber Dragon Nova is the card you want when you want to shut down effects. Bringing the GX era Cyber Dragon set back into prominence, this XYZ monster can continuously attach an attack position monster to it as material once per turn, allowing it to continuously boost its attack while storing material. When an opponent tries to set up a troubling effect, using up one of Nova’s Xyz material lets it negate the activation during either player’s turn. It’s almost having near unlimited access to a Solemn card attached to a 2100 Attack monster, who’s strength only grows as its material accumulates.

YuGiOh Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer

As with most of the recent sets, Performapal Pendulum monsters are prominent within the set, but BOSH seems to take it to another level. Headlined by the much sought after Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer, which gives you some incredible searching power with the right card combinations. Before you know it, you’ll essentially be able to choose your cards at will, reaching maximum effectiveness with your deck and dominating the field. This Secret Rare card is further complimented by Performapal Monkeyboard and Performapal Guitartle. Monkeyboard can change its Pendulum Scale to 4 when paired with a non-Performapal monster in the opposite zone, and can search for one level 4 Performapal monster once per turn, (including Sorcerer.) Guitartle on the other hand, will let you draw a card while in the Pendulum Zone every time the effect of the card in your other Zone is activated. In other words, Monkeyboard could search cards while Guitartle can let you draw a card each time, resulting in two bonus draws per turn while setting up a 1-6 scale for a wide variety of summoning possibilities. With the option to draw Sorcerer on top of that? You’re looking at a devastating combo.

Oh, and by the way; I was lucky enough to pull all three cards in my review packs that Konami so graciously provided, so if you see someone tearing up your LA locals, it’s probably me. Or not… I kind of suck.

YuGiOh Neptabyss

Lastly, we can’t talk about new cards without one that’s bringing back Mermail and Atlanteans in a big way. Neptabyss, The Atlantean Prince, allows you to move other Atlanteans to the graveyard and hand. When Neptabyss is used to activate other card effects, (like many cards of the two archtypes mentioned do,) you can then special summon one of those Graveyard cards with no further cost, potentially setting up big combos in very little time. Combined with cards from the Realm Of The Sea Emperor structure deck and Mermail cards from various sets, and this card has brought both types back to prominence all on its own. Plus, look how sexy it is!

In addition, Breaker of Shadows has additional support for Buster Blader‘s. Red Eyes B. Dragon‘s, and many other card sets. More than any other since I’ve started reviewing these sets, if you were planning on buying a box of cards, this is the set to do it with. With so many cards to help countless decks, and with these amazing abilities that have yet to be hit by the ban hammer, and it’s clear that now’s the time to boost your competitive presence. It’s only a matter of time before Konami catches onto us!

‘Odin Sphere Leifthrasir’ Launches On June 7th! Here’s What Comes With The Collector’s Edition!

by Josh Jackson

Fans of 2D hack and slash games were thrilled to learn that Odin Sphiere Leifthrasir, a remake of the late PS2 classic that put Vanillaware on the map, would be coming to Playstation platforms in 2016. Courtesy of Atlas, now we know when we’ll be able to play it!

Launching on June 7th for the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita, Leifthrasir puts us in control of five different characters in a Norse inspired setting as their stories intertwine to reveal an ancient conflict. Featuring gorgeous 2D visuals, challenging combat, and a memorable soundtrack, it’s great to see this gem get a second look.

With every first print copy of the game, Leifthrasir will come packaged with a 64 page softcover art book, showing off those fancy character designs we were just talking about. If you’re a PS4 owner who adores the game as much as I do, then a special “Storybook Edition” will launch exclusively for that platform, coming with the game and a hardcover version of the art book, alongside a potion recipe t-shirt, a mystery art print, and a metal slipcase and premium packaging for the game.

Odin Sphere Remake Collector's Edition

Odin Sphere Remake Art Book

Along with this information on all the bonus goodies comes a new batch of screenshots for you to feast your eyes on. Want more information on everything Odin Sphere? Check out the newly launched web site for the game, and keep an eye on updates from us as they’re released!

Celebrate 10 Years Of ‘High School Musical’ With The Top 10 Songs In The Series

by Josh Jackson

Ten years ago when High School Musical premiered, what should have been a throwaway made for TV Disney Channel movie ended up becoming a phenomenon among tweens and tweens at heart. As the latter, at the ripe old age of mid 20’s, a trip to Amoeba Music saw me walk out with a cheap Blu Ray copy of High School Musical 2 out of curiosity. From that point on, I was hooked, consuming everything I could as long as it had to do with the East High Wildcats. Because while the idea seems crazy now that we live in a world with such films as Big Hero 6, Wreck It Ralph and Frozen, there was a time when Disney was having a hard time recapturing the magic that many of us grew up with. For many of us however, HSM came the closest in years to replicate those whimsical musicals I grew up with, effectively becoming its own renaissance for a new generation. Without our obsession with East High, there might not have been a Glee, or this renewed interest in the arts in schools, which is an amazing achievement in itself.

This is huge praise, I know. But before you roll your eyes too hard, know that there’s a reason why the ten year anniversary of the first film is being lauded so much. As the franchise that launched the careers of superstars like Zac Efron, and… Zac Efron, these modest musicals have left an undeniable impact on those who fell in love with Troy, Gabriella, Chad, Taylor, Ryan and Sharpay so long ago, mostly thanks to the music featured in the films.  To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of its debut, we compiled the top 10 songs from the franchise! But first…

Honorable Mentions:

Before we show 0ur East High pride with our main list, two songs that didn’t make the original cuts of the first two movies deserve a shout out. One for being one of the most vocally impressive songs on the entire soundtrack, and the other one for being completely embarrassing, which is quite a feat when you’re a grown man watching HSM.

I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You

This bonus track on the first movie’s soundtrack is one of my favorite songs in the entire series for the the fact that it really shows off how well Lucas Grabeel, (Ryan Evans,) can belt out a tune. Despite Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens and the melded hybrid of Zac Efron and alternate Troy voice, Drew Seeley are typically the main focus, it was great to hear Lucas shine in this underrated track.

Humuhumunukunukuapua’a

The one song on the entire soundtrack that could simultaneously make you question your taste in entertainment while annoying the crap out of everyone around you. For this reason, Humuhumu is endearing in a strange way. It’s a dumb song, but try not to laugh at yourself while singing along with Sharpay as Ryan’s frustration continues to boil over. Seriously, try it!

Now, on to the celebration! After painstakingly drilling the soundtrack into my ears and pouring dozens of minutes into deep deliberation, here is the definitive High School Musical song list on Geekscape!

10. Stick To The Status Quo

As the song that sets the tone for the rest of the films going forward, Stick To The Status Quo gives the majority of the secondary cast their only time to show off their vocal prowess while making the main characters look REALLY judgemental. In addition to introducing us to Martha, the pop and locking nerd, and Zeke, the jock who loves to bake, it gave us the stoner kid playing the air cello! As one of the big mysteries surrounding HSM, he was never to be seen again. I guess we really aren’t all in this together, especially if you fail a drug test.

9. Now Or Never

One of HSM‘s trademarks is its awesome basketball themed musical numbers. Benefiting from the much higher production budget of the theatrically released High School Musical 3, Now Or Never is like Get Your Head In The Game on steroids. Serving as a high energy introduction leading to the final movie while showing off a badass Troy casually walking through a crowded court while no-look passing, the introduction of the new main character, Jimmy Zara, and Gabriella willing her man out of an asthma attack through the power of song, and you get one of the most memorable scenes in the franchise.

8. I Just Want To Be With You

Naturally, considering all three films are essentially love stories, you can expect duet after duet between the two leads. But while HSM 3 excelled with some incredible ballads between Troy and Gabriella with songs like Right Here, Right Now, and Can I Have This Dance, I Just Want To Be With You had the benefit of hitting an emotional high as the last time we saw the Romeo and Juliet of East High, (minus the suicide,) share a stage together. And did they sure make it count, with simple, yet strong choreography that made you feel like they only had eyes for each other. I mean, I’m sure the fact that Hudgens and Efron were dating at the time didn’t hurt.

7. What I’ve Been Looking For

An often overlooked track in the original film, this song was the how we were introduced to Sharpay and Ryan Evans, the mean girl, (and boy,) of East High. In this alternate universe where the theater majors were the most popular kids in the school, they immediately show why they’re at the top of the ladder with a fast paced, vocally strong track that’s over way too soon. Troy and Gabriella get their own rendition right after, but to anyone with ears, (which apparently excludes Ms. Darbus, the drama teacher,) the Evans kids blew them out of the water this time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q5B8FzRKYU&list=RD7Q5B8FzRKYU

6. Start Of Something New

As the most appropriately named song in the series, Start of Something New is what launched the phenomenon, when an innocent karaoke session turned into the love story of our time. With instant chemistry between Efron and Hudgens, it was impossible not to get sucked into this scene, ignoring certain peculiarities as to how Troy suddenly knew the lyrics half way through despite being glued to the lyrics screen at first, or how this teenage New Year’s party didn’t have a drop of alcohol in sight. Easily one of the most iconic moments across all three films, I can’t think of a better way to hook the audience in. Considering we’re still talking about the movies 10 years later, it did an amazing job, regardless of whether or not it was actually Zac singing.

5. Gotta Go My Own Way

I wasn’t a huge fan of Gabriella’s other solo songs, but MY GOD does this song send you into a downward spiral of sadness. Gotta Go My Own Way accomplishes two things; it further proves that Efron and Hudgens have amazing on screen chemistry through their singing, as well as their acting. I mean Zac alone has this way of showing 1000 different emotions with one longing stare, that’s enough to make our hearts melt when we’re not throwing our underwear at the screen. It’s kind of silly when you realize this song is really just Gabriella quitting her job and going home as opposed to an actual break up song, but that doesn’t make it any less sad when you watch it.

4. Work This Out

Easily my favorite ensemble track, Work This Out has an infectious type of energy that’s only matched by its addicting choreography. I know I can’t be the only one who memorized the steps to this work anthem, one which serves so many purposes. Need an awesome work out song? Bust out the moves at the squat rack and become the envy of the gym! Need a pick me up when life isn’t going your way? Let Troy and company convince you that you can push through it. Do you hate your job? Use Work This Out as a way to convince yourself to just deal with it, no matter how miserable you are! I mean, if the infinitely happy East High kids can get hate work and get through it, then what’s your excuse?

3. Bet On It

The song that made me consider paying for golf just to prance around on the greens, Bet On It gets credit for being awesome in spite of itself. Some of the most flamboyant dance moves you’ll ever see accompany over dramatic angst and awful special effects while exclaiming that Troy won’t lose himself in his pursuit of his basketball dreams. Yet, between every aggressive camera point and grain of sand thrown, it somehow manages to be amazing despite its cheesiness, with one of Efron’s most addicting performances to date. I mean, how can you hate a song that gave us this?

HSM Bet On It 2

Or this?

HSM BEt On It 1

How about this?

HSM Bet On It 3

An unsubstantiated rumor says this scene took all day to shoot and ate up most of High School Musical 2‘s budget. I say it was money well spent.

2. Breaking Free

Out of the numerous duets throughout the films, Breaking Free is easily the standout between all of them. Foiling the plans of their rivals in the Evans twins and even their own friends who were selfishly trying to keep them away from singing to focus on basketball and math… stuff, Troy and Gabriella blow the songs up to that point out of the water with a breathtaking performance that includes such feats as Efron’s pants soaking moonwalk, or Gabriella’s mysteriously disappearing lab coat. I mean, even Troy’s hard ass dad can’t help but be impressed. If Start of Something New was what got our foot in the door, Breaking Free kicked it down, capturing the magic that helped the series become a phenomenon.

1. Scream

Yet, above all else, Scream captures everything there is to love about High School Musical. Effeminate dance moves, a rain storm of basketballs, Zac Efron with his shirt off… I mean, what isn’t there to like? If that wasn’t enough, spinning rooms, punching balls, banging on lockers, a sudden thunder storm and faster stair walking than I could ever hope to achieve help create the closest we ever got to an aggressive version of Troy. Thanks again to the expanded budget of a theatrical film, this High School Musical 3 standout resonated with me in a big way, as the East High star was forced to decide between his lifelong love of basketball and his newfound love of theater. Of course, with Gabriella moving away to college, this number would lead to Troy making his ultimate decision, one that would see these characters off into the sunset, as we would soon after say goodbye to these characters as they moved on to college without us.

https://youtu.be/UTSqRVIwjBs

So from the screams, to the status quo and everything in between, those are our top 10 High School Musical songs. Was there anything we missed, or something we were completely off base with? What are your favorite memories as a Wildcat? Share them with us in the comments, and make sure to tweet your thoughts @geekscapedotnet and @InuJoshua!

As always, what team!? Wildcats! Get your head in the game!

‘Star Wars Rebels’ Season 2 Mid-Season Premiere Teases Ezra’s Call To The Dark Side, Asohka’s Ultimate Fate, And Ties To ‘The Force Awakens’

by Josh Jackson

I’ll be honest. When Star Wars Rebels debuted, it bugged me more than it should have. After all, The Clone Wars being abruptly cancelled before its story could resolve left a ton of loose ends untied, creating various inconsistencies with what we were told in the movies. Adding more potential Jedi and Sith between episodes III and IV that we never heard about for some reason, on top of everything left over from the first animated series, could only serve to make this mess even more convoluted.

The latest trailer for the second half of season two has changed my mind. With the promise of tying Rebels to the original series as a bridge between the prequels, the original films, and even The Force Awakens, things are getting exciting for Ezra, Kanan, and the rest of the crew as they struggle against the newly formed Empire. With the Dark Side pulling towards the young Jedi in training, meetings with Leia, Yoda, a being known as the Old Master, (who shares a resemblance with the still unaccounted for Darth Maul,) and even a crossguard Lightsaber resembling Kylo Ren’s, and I’m finding myself getting insanely excited for the return of the show.

But what really gave me chills was seeing Asohka come face to face with her former master, dueling against him after so many years have passed since she left the Jedi Order in the middle of the Clone Wars. Since her character was introduced, knowing that there was never a mention of Anakin’s padawan or any living Jedi outside of Obi Wan and Yoda after Episode III, and it became a matter of time as to when she would eventually be killed. As she squares off with Vader, will it be time to say goodbye to Asohka?

Watch the trailer for yourself and let us know what catches your eye. Will you be glued to your TV screen when Star Wars Rebels wraps up its second season? Sound off below!