Post E3 2011 Impressions...

E3's over, the show has rapped, and I've got a list of games I'm looking forward to.

Just click over to my Giant Bomb profile HERE to peep what those games are, and why I'm excited about each.

It's going to be a pretty awesome two years of video games. Hope you're excited as me.

i-Rix Review: Mortal Kombat

My personal experiences with Mortal Kombat are far from what most would consider the "golden age". At the end of the day, although I'm sure some have fond memories of Armageddon and MK vs. DC (yes, I'm sure they exist), they don't really put me in the Mortal Kombat "butter-zone". When people started talking about the new MK and how it reminded them of the good old days, I personally couldn't relate. I didn't know what a classic Mortal Kombat experience was like.

I'm still not sure if I know what that's like, but I DO know that the new Mortal Kombat is as good as any fighting game on the market, and though it's not without its flaws, it advances the genres in many simple ways.

STORY

Surprisingly, Mortal Kombat is a fighting game with a full-fledged story attached to it. Mortal Kombat starts at the very end of the MK universe during Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Everybody's dead, and Raiden himself is on the brink of biting the big one at the hands of uber-baddie, Shao Kahn. However, in desperation, Raiden uses the remainder of his powers to send a telepathic message to his past self in hopes of averting this disastrous faith. What follows is Raiden and his allies' path through the first three games in the Mortal Kombat franchise. However, with Raiden possessing new memories and characters being around who once weren't, the events flesh out much differently, to the point that even those familiar with the MK mythos might be surprised. It's cheesey, and it's not the deepest story, but the way it unfolds is always entertaining.

CONTENT

Where Mortal Kombat first shines through as something special is with the amount of content it puts forth. Not only are the number of modes in MK pretty impressive for a fighting game, but just in terms of video games period. Aside from the natural Arcade ladder, Versus modes, and an impressive number of tutorial modes, MK also brings a pair of uniquely awesome modes in the form of its Story mode and its Challenge Tower. The Story mode, naturally, has you traversing the story I just laid out, and this'll take you about 6 hours. The Challenge Tower, on the other hand, is 300 individual tasks you must take on in order which range from simple fights, to mini-games like Test Your Might, to wholly more ridiculous missions. I'm a month into the game, and I'm nowhere near completing all the challenges, so I can't even gauge how long this thing is. Rounding out the package is a huge roster, a full multiplayer suite with lobbies, ranked matches, etc., and several tag battle features that permeate most modes throughout the game.

In short. This game is stacked.

GAMEPLAY

MK is a traditional 2D fighting game, and as such, there are things you likely can expect. However, unlike Street Fighter, MK typically takes a more offensive-minded approach to its fighting. Juggles and big combos are key, and even blocking won't do you much good for long as chip damage is dealt out for each and every move. It's still important to know each fighter's capabilities and to exploit fighting game strategies like zoning out, turtling up, etc. Luckily, there's a good tutorial here for new players, and the early goings of things like the Challenge Tower certainly favor new players. Tag battles also do a good job of mixing up this basic formula by throwing in even more madness with assists and quick tags, and even throws in the ability to have four live players going at it in a single match. It's not the most balanced or refined fighting system, but Mortal Kombat is always fun to play.

Of course, fighting games in this generation require a solid online foundation, and it's only here that MK falters. The amount of modes and ways to play online are certainly there, but the netcode is shaky at best. Too often are you dealing with lag or noticeable latency. It's playable, and getting together with a buddy with a solid connection makes it nearly perfect, but playing randoms is a bummer. If NetherRealm Studios, the dudes behind MK, can't get fix this up with future patches, I fear the game's true potential will never be reached.

PRESENTATION

Mortal Kombat certainly impresses visually. Whether it's the character models themselves or the nauseatingly detail on the blood and gore, MK is a good looking game. The highlight is certainly the uber-detailed stages, which feature multiple moving elements, distractingly huge scale, and some neat lighting. The soundtrack, though not necessarily as memorable as other fighting games, does have a retro feel that fits in with the game's tone and setting. Lastly, the voice-actors, though hammy, all do a good job. You'll never doubt that these competitors are going to rip each other apart.

THE FINAL VERDICT

There is just so much in Mortal Kombat to love, and even more that I feel I can't cover in a simple text review. Fans of fighting games can't overlook this entry, and anybody looking into the genre has their best chance right here. It may be a bit disappointing that the online isn't more solid, but the amount of content available for just the single-player experience itself is worth the price of admission.

Mortal Kombat easily gets 4.5 stars out of 5. Grab some friends and start dismembering each other. You'll be glad you did

Questionable Review: Bridesmaids

I'm not sure what the reason is, but there seems a terrible detriment of comedies powered by a predominately female cast (good ones, anyway). Whether this is due to some Hollywood politics or whatever is beyond me, but out of the void to fill this... er... void comes Bridesmaids.

Can it shatter preconceived notions?

WHAT'S THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

Bridesmaids centers around Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig), a woman whose own mid-life troubles are compounded when her best friend Lilian (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged. Floundering in her own life, Annie tries desperately to earn her keep as Maid of Honor, usually resulting in her just making things much worse. Throw in one terrible relationship (with an uncredited John Hamm), a pair of horrendous roommates, and a rivalry with one of Lilian new, and extremely wealthy friends (Rose Byrne), and Annie's life looks to be headed downward at an alarming clip. Of course, this being a comedy, Annie's implosion is as entertaining as it is distressing.

WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

Bridesmaids has almost unbearably long segments of unstoppable funny. Where many comedies tend to build up to a single big laugh in any given set piece, Bridesmaids had me rolling in the aisle as each one of the movies many train-wreck-like scenes went down. This is thanks to an amazing ensemble cast, specifically Kristen Wiig leading. She's likeable, relateable, but still indescribably funny. Melissa McCarthy also provides a breakout performance as Lilian's sister-in-law to be, Megan. Those train-wrecks I was talking about are typically anchored by her during their build-up, and even as solid as the rest of the supporting cast is, she tends to regularly eclipse them.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

All those incredibly long comedy bits inflate Bridesmaids to the point that, when it is time for the serious narrative bits, the points at which we see things really go to shit for Wiig's characters, the audience is so mentally exhausted that they seem tiresome. That's partially because this kind of sentimentality is a bit cliche' and we KNOW things are going to end up alright for all our ladies. This makes the last bit of the movie leading up to our finale drag a bit, but it's nothing too terrible.

ANYTHING ELSE?

I credit this movie with inventing my new favorite term... calling any and all sub sandwiches "big ol' bear sandwiches".

WHAT'S THE FINAL VERDICT?

Bridesmaids is a film that's difficult to describe and to rate in a traditional sense. This is just a hilarious movie with great performances from top to bottom. It has some bits and some segments that are sure to surprise most, and delight even more. If you're looking to laugh (and why wouldn't you be) Bridesmaids should be your first choice if headed to the theater. It's a movie that needs to succeed.

Check out my other recent movie reviews:

The Hangover: Part II

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Thor

Black Swan

Questionable Review: The Hangover: Part II

2009's The Hangover was undoubtedly a funny film. That might be one of the most noncommittal statements one could put in a movie review, but it's really the only thing I can say for sure about it. It was one of those movies that combined so many unique elements that shouldn't have worked, and yet somehow did. It avoided being too cliche' while being wholly familiar. When a sequel was announced, I wondered how the writers, director, and cast could continue to evolve the series into new horizons.

After watching Hangover: Part II, it's obvious they didn't ponder that same question. Does that make this Hangover any less funny?

WHAT'S THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

The Hangover: Part II takes place two years after the soul branding trials the Wolf Pack of Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) went through in Las Vegas. Now, it's Stu's turn to get married and attempt to settle down, but first he must survive the pre-wedding nuptials that have proven the bane of him and his comrades. This time, the venue has changed to Thailand, but the predicament remains the same. The boys wake up, lose someone with a trail of destruction and debauchery as the only clues to what happened, and must make things right before their friend gets married. If that sounds identical to the events of the prior film, that's only because it is.

WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

Once again, the film is driven by its characters and the performances behind them. Cooper anchors the cast with his half douche/half straight man Phil. Ed Helms provides the unstable wild-card who you cannot help but relate to when he begins freaking out about the revelations the group makes. Of course, more than anything, though, The Hangover is Zach Galifianakis' show, and he does yet another phenomenal job here. His character is innocent, yet sociopathic, and Galifianakis plays it so convincingly that he mesmerizes whenever he does anything on-screen. Paul Giamatti also does a great job in a very limited, but very intense role that he's given. It also must be credited how well The Hangover: Part II is filmed and scored, especially for what is essentially fodder for dumb teenagers. The licensed music juxtaposes perfectly with the movie's ridiculous situations, and there is some surprisingly avant garde direction going on.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

Many sequels suffer from being too similar to the movie that came before. The Hangover: Part II does not avoid this. Although it doesn't commit such grave sins as something like Austin Powers II, in which the same exact jokes and dialog are shoved awkwardly and lazily into the film as if to say, "HEY, REMEMBER THIS?", it still makes the movie feel a little more than tired in certain parts.

As I said, so many things shouldn't have worked in The Hangover, but somehow managed to come out successful overall. Here, those parts don't come together quite so well. Bits seem more aimed at straight shock rather than shockingly funny, and the flow and pacing is much more sporadic this time. The Hangover was not a realistic or a serious film in the least, but the amount of deus ex machina that the movie tries to get away with and drag the audience along with are a bit much. Also, a couple of performances that are meant to hinge the movie, Mason Lee's Teddy and Ken Jeong's Mr. Chow, are just sub-par. Lee is just not a strong enough actor, and Jeon isn't as likeable as he was in the first film (probably because of over-utilization).

ANYTHING ELSE?

I know I'm not the only one who heard that when the plot of this movie would revolve around Ed Helms' character getting married, they instantly thought he'd be getting married to Heather Graham's character from the first. And just what DID become of her character and that inconclusive plot thread? NEVER EXPLAINED!

WHAT'S THE FINAL VERDICT?

The Hangover: Part II is not a bad film by any stretch. It attempts to replicate the feeling and plot arc of the first and, for the most part, succeeds. The problem is that it re-treads a road that its previous installment only barely escaped unscathed. This time, the polish has come off, and what we're left with is a good, if not underwhelming comedy movie that is not only eclipsed by the first, but has already been thoroughly bested by other movies in theatres right now.

Check out my other recent movie reviews:

Bridesmaids

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Thor

Black Swan

i-Rix Review: L.A. Noire

The case that makes ya... and the case that breaks ya...

Rockstar Games doesn't miss. When it comes to creating games based around characters and the worlds they inhabit, no developer does it better. Although pure gameplay has never been the draw of these games, the developer usually does enough creatively or content-wise to make up for this sleight. In the case of L.A. Noire, the story elements are more greatly realized than ever. While this would logically make it Rockstar's greatest effort, the gameplay elements sag so far as to make it questionable as a proper game sometimes. The fact that, then, L.A. Noire still manages to be entertaining is a testament unto itself.

Story

The story of L.A. Noire takes place in the burgeoning Los Angeles of the post-WWII 1940s. You'll take on the role of Cole Phelps, a supposed war hero who works his way up the ranks of the LAPD. Los Angeles at this time is not only dangerous, giving Detective Phelps plenty of wrongs to right, but it is also irreparably corrupt. The corruption digs so far at the heart of the city that each case that Phelps takes has an overwhelming dread that the straight-laced cop is just a bit too honest for his health. Of course, this being a Rockstar game, the characters and their extremely human portrayal drive the story and, despite the occasional lull into repetition, it is truly the driving for of the game itself as Phelps takes on murderers, crooks, and swindlers. The full scope of the over-arching story isn't revealed until the game's closing hours, but if you're able to piece together the tapestry Rockstar has created here, L.A. Noire just might be the most well-constructed and satisfyingly pessimistic story effort in the developers long history.

Content

Although part of a long lineage, where L.A. Noire really starts to deviate (and not for the better) from its open-world brethren is with content. Noire isn't a short game by any measure, but outside of the main line of cases Phelps undertakes, there just isn't much there. After an introductory "Patrol" set of missions, Phelps will take on the responsibility of four desks throughout his LAPD career. Each desk has around four cases to take on, and while some are lengthier than others, they tend to even out at a few hours per desk for a total of about 12 hours of gameplay.

Of course there are side activities, but these are reserved to a series of 40 "Petty Crime" calls you can answer whilst driving 'round the city. There are also a bunch of hidden cars to unlock and city landmarks to spy, all of which give you more XP towards your overall detective rank, but hunting for these seems overly superficial and gamey. Yes, you're a detective with a job to do, so I wasn't expecting to be doing favors for anyone or to be able to amuse myself with wanton destruction, but is looking for random garages with non-standard police vehicles hidden inside of them REALLY a more convincing side activity? I don't think so. And I don't think it's fun.

Gameplay

Sadly, that feeling of shaky quality transcends onto the gameplay. At its heart, L.A. Noire is an adventure game in the vein of the Ace Attorney series with action sequences thrown in. Each case proceeds in a similar fashion; you'll receive a case and jet over to the crime scene to investigate. You'll usually question a witness, then head off to another location and repeat the process. If you fail to get accurate information either from your shoddy investigatory skills or your inability to read the witnesses' lies, the case will change dynamically, and this will often lead you as Phelps to pursue it at a different angle than had you done your job correctly. This all plays into your case rating once you've got your suspect behind bars.

While this whole "M-rated" Phoenix Wright has amazing potential, and at times Noire's blending of interrogation, investigation, and shooter...gation(?) feels perfect, it all becomes a little bit too linear after a while. When you first step onto a crime scene, survey the grizzly evidence and cut through the deception to the truth, using your keen observation of the facts and the human face, there's nothing quite like it. However, once you're introduced to the Homicide desk, and the cases cease to contain any level of variety, you start seeing the limitedness of the systems. To put it bluntly, unless you PURPOSELY do so... it's nearly impossible to do poorly in the investigation portion of the game.

This is because, not only are most of the clues hardly, if ever, concealed, but the game actually cues you with music if there are still clues to find. Music still playing? Keep looking. This skews the value of the gameplay inexorably on your interrogation skills. And just like the Ace Attorney series it is so much like, this means lots of leaps in logic, lots of trial and error, and lots of frustration. The final third of this gameplay triangle, the shooting and action sequences, are serviceable. As I stated before, this Rockstar games aren't necessarily driven by their action mechanics, but when the redundancy sets in during your detective duties, you can take some solace in the fact these segments are at least solid. Too bad they can get just as repetitive as everything else.

Presentation

At least the majority of L.A Noire's presentation is stellar. If you've read thus far, you probably wanna know what I think of the face motion capture. In short: IT'S INSANE. The level of detail the game captures is one thing, but the intangible human quality that its characters's have is something that can't be described. This is, of course, also due to a stellar cast. Yes, this video game has a proper cast, with actors who deliver a performance with both their voice and their face. They're bolstered by an appropriately period-looking Los Angeles which sports a similar meticulousness in its design. Topping it all off is a soundtrack with licensed 40s music and fantastic original music included. In short, this is a good looking game.

Final Verdict

In the end, L.A. Noire is a fine experience. It's got interesting takes on various game genres that are boosted up by a stellar story and presentation. However, similar to games like Metal Gear Solid prior to it, too often did I find more pleasure in watching exposition the game had set forth for me than in the actual act of playing it. That isn't to say its gameplay is devoid of fun, and if played in a more spread out/ less deliberate fashion, its repetition can be greatly lessened. The point remains that Rockstar has achieved a fantastic feat in electronic media. They just haven't created the funnest game.

L.A. Noire gets 4 stars out of 5...

COMICS!! Review: X-23 #10

Heart to Heart

Thanks to some intervention from Daken, I've found myself finally completely on board with the X-23 series. After such a big event, you'd figure that Laura would need some time to decompress. Not so. Even as Laura moves towards finding atonement for her past sins, she finds herself opening old wounds.

X-23 #10 has Laura and Gambit in Paris. Remy tries to console a chronically depressed X, even attempting a birthday celebration for her. However, the knowledge she gained from her trip to Madripoor has forced Laura to retreat back within herself and the memories of her time as a living weapon. Deeply troubled by (and almost killed because of) Laura's current state, Gambit gives a call to Wolverine to come talk to his surrogate. But when Wolverine brings along Jubilee, who herself has recently gone through drastic changes, it forces Laura's own introspection into even more dangerous places.

The Power of the Soul

Seeing as Collision just finished up week or so ago, I truly expected this issue to take on the role of filler; as a way to set-up a future arc for X-23 whilst not providing much validity on its own. For all intents and purposes, #10 does seem to be the start of a transitional arc, but the level of character interaction is phenomenal. I once questioned Gambit's purpose for being in this book at all, but Marjorie Liu's writing in this issue reaffirms his purpose. Gambit here is just as much, if not more, of a father figure to Laura than Wolverine. While Wolvie attempts to lead by example, and let Laura find her way as he once did, Gambit is there to nurture, and there are really a lot of touching moments in this issue. Combined with the beautiful and ethereal artwork of Sana Takeda, this start down yet another dark road in X-23's is one that readers who enjoy comics that play on emotion will love.

Strangely, though, the one thing I find fault in is the appearance of the force that'll probably drive this arc, Jubilee. It made complete sense that Wolverine would show up and (in vain) try to get through to Laura. Heck, I even liked Gambit's questioning Logan for taking Jubilee so quickly under his wing and leaving Laura to fend for herself. Jubilee's appearance, however, seems forced. Liu doesn't give her much to say and the only reason she seems to be in the issue is for the final page suspense splash.

A No Brainer

That's a small gripe, however. It's also one I'll probably be proven to be way off-base with when ish #11 comes out. This is an emotionally charged story with one of the more humanly interesting characters in Marvel. The series will live and die by Liu's writing, but she's truly in her element here. Bolstered by great artwork, anyone with a passing interest in the character should pick this up.

X-23 #10 gets 4 stars out of 5.

Check out my most recent COMICS!! reviews:

Daken: Dark Wolverine #9 HERE

Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters HERE

Questionable Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

I'm gonna provide full disclosure. I'm a big Pirates of the Caribbean fan. While I don't think anybody will begrudge me being a fan of Curse of the Black Pearl, it being a wholly fun and self-contained bit of swashbuckling cinema and a pretty good film to boot, I have a hard time defending my support of the last two films of the trilogy. With On Stranger Tides, Pirates has a rare opportunity; to start anew with a fresh adventure for Captain Jack Sparrow to sink his gilded teeth into.

Is it rough tides or smooth sailing?

WHAT IS THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

Following the events of At World's End, Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) has since abandoned his quest to the Fountain of Youth and gone aground once more. However, when someone in London is using his good (or shall we say, bad) name to recruit a crew and a ship, Sparrow cannot help but be pulled into another piratical adventure. Forcibly employed by the fierce Captain Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and the captain's illegitimate daughter, Angelica (Penelope Cruz), Jack must use his special brand of cunning to stay alive and, if he's lucky, profit. Throw in the dogged Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) pursuing Blackbeard and his crew, vicious man-eating mermaids, and miles of treacherous jungle, the path to the Fountain of Youth promises to be an eventful one.

WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

Stripped of the weighty melodrama of the previous two (as well as most of the peripheral characters) this is a leaner Pirates movie that re-focuses the scope of the series on the fun. At the center of that, as always, is Johnny Depp as Sparrow. With the plot no longer hinging on his own motivations, Depp is allowed to do what he does best; become an absolute torrent of energy and silliness. It helps that he's bolstered by a dynamite cast.

McShane shines as Blackbeard. His utter callousness and coldness both contrasts with and puts him shoulder to shoulder with the memorable baddies of the Pirates franchise. Cruz also provides an interesting new dynamic, taking on the strong female presence of the film. However, as a hardened pirate herself, she doesn't contain the same naivety of the Elizabeth Swan character, and her past with Sparrow gives new situations for Depp to bounce off of. Speaking of actors with good chemistry, Geoffrey Rush is perhaps the most fun to watch here than ever before, and when his Barbossa and Depp's Sparrow cross paths, they are an absolute riot.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

As much fun as I found many of the action sequences in this, I can't help but feel director Rob Marshall wasn't quite sure how much attention to give each of them. As such, while I did truly enjoy early sequences involving a carriage chase and a lengthy sword fight between Jack Sparrow and his doppelganger, they seemed like overlong padding following the film's lengthy runtime. Fighting mermaids and pilfering Spanish camps provide for great action fodder, but is it really necessary to insert "action" scenes into every possible space? As such, the pacing of film is affected, and even Pirate fans may find themselves finding Jack's adventure a tad too long.

Speaking of mermaids (and the superfluous), the romance between the missionary Philip and the mermaid Syrena isn't a worthwhile sub-plot. Though both characters are fine in their supporting roles, too much time is given to just the two of them and, again, this leads to bloated scenes where not much progress is made. This is a better paced and leaner Pirates adventure, to be sure, but it could have been even MORE so if some of the fat had been trimmed.

ANYTHING ELSE?

It's my understanding there are going to be more Pirates films. If they go the route of Tides, being wholly self-contained adventures for Jack Sparrow, I'm in full support. Still, given the ending of this film, hell if I know where the franchise is headed. Maybe that's the fun part...

WHAT IS THE FINAL VERDICT?

If you're not a fan of the Pirates franchise, or fell out of love with series after Curse of the Black Pearl, this is probably your best chance to get back into the spirit of piracy since that first fantastic film. On Stranger Tides is flawed, yes, but it's also a lot of fun. Good action and set-pieces are bolstered by an undeniably talented cast. Don't expect On Stranger Tides to be the stuff of legends, but its got enough memorable moments to make it worthy of a trip to Tortuga (or the theatre).

Check out my latest reviews:

THOR

BLACK SWAN