tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58124478057605371862024-03-04T21:34:10.457-08:00Meekin On MoviesMeekin on Movies, Games, TV, Politics, and Sports.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-40860870828803991492014-06-22T19:19:00.000-07:002014-06-22T19:19:07.655-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....Wolfenstein: The New Order<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEMGgbjF5Zsf2LBm1CHaL5dQxlLXcubTKad9sHL1A_-3Xx6LiEB1-HGJOAlE2paSLNalyism-fz2_WSEqIOcI9Hco0RUnSv3zfbHgm-JpR4LB-33G7NbDb22OgsJ6RWGfoHt6ESQcdN7S/s1600/Wolfenstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEMGgbjF5Zsf2LBm1CHaL5dQxlLXcubTKad9sHL1A_-3Xx6LiEB1-HGJOAlE2paSLNalyism-fz2_WSEqIOcI9Hco0RUnSv3zfbHgm-JpR4LB-33G7NbDb22OgsJ6RWGfoHt6ESQcdN7S/s1600/Wolfenstein.jpg" height="360" width="640"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Game:</b> Wolfenstein: The New Order</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Platform: </b>Xbox One (Also available on PS4, Xbox 360, PS3, and PC)</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Price: </b>59.99</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Did I Pay For It: </b>No. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Wolfenstein: The New Order out Duke Nukem Foreveres Duke Nukem Forever. No offense to the developer, but this game had <i>zero</i> buzz before release. Then it came out roughly the same time as Watch_Dogs, and the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Why?</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Because Wolfenstein: The New Order wildly exceeds low expectations. The graphics are pretty, the story is coherent and creative, the controls are tight, and while pretty standard, the first person shooter gameplay has a couple of tricks up it sleeve to keep things fresh. But beyond that, New Order takes what was a typically one-note franchise and expanded it in a way that doesn't betray it roots. While Duke felt stuck in the past, Wolfenstein: The New Order, feels a little ahead of its time.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/06/meekinonmovies-onwolfenstein-new-order.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-13671443038548970882014-06-22T17:04:00.001-07:002014-06-22T17:09:22.923-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....Worms Battlegrounds<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAvXxoFvaeWecOE5BEorsgDaEDlMpPFPZia-aXBPTpQ_r1uL7rew6sfaHFTKhMfRAFKtb3O80UAtmtmWtlnXVbzCcAWAl0B9nKjzEAfEgwPjaeSuoYfqcGI1nP330kDbqQLSH3tGyr91Q/s1600/Worms.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAvXxoFvaeWecOE5BEorsgDaEDlMpPFPZia-aXBPTpQ_r1uL7rew6sfaHFTKhMfRAFKtb3O80UAtmtmWtlnXVbzCcAWAl0B9nKjzEAfEgwPjaeSuoYfqcGI1nP330kDbqQLSH3tGyr91Q/s1600/Worms.png" height="276" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Game: </b>Worms Battlegrounds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Developer:</b> Team 17</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Platform: </b>PS4, Xbox One (Played on Xbox One)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Price: </b>24.99</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Did I pay for it:</b> No. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Since
1995 there have been over twenty Worms games across at least half a
dozen platforms, ranging from PC to console to mobile to Facebook. This doesn't
include the spin-offs and ports, of which there are countless more. The franchise is nothing if not omnipresent. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Worms adds to that omnipresence, debuting on next gen consoles with Worms Battlegrounds, a noble entry in the series that sets out to deliver tried-and-true turn-based warfare with a side of silly on The PS4 and Xbox One. And at that goal it succeeds - delivering a Worms games with the most weapons in franchise history, Smart Glass stat tracking, and other refinements like worms not all being the same size, without any annoying buzzwords like 'evolved' 'redefined' or 'for a new generation' to falsely gin up interest. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, as they say. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">For the uninformed, Worms is a turn-based strategy game that pits your team of heavily customized (and heavily armed) worms against another team in a fight to the death. You attack your enemy by selecting a weapon, an arc for that weapon, and adjusting the amount of power you want to put on it, almost like firing a bow. The weapons are often times ribald and silly, featuring exploding sheep and holy grenades shaped like the Pope's hat, as well as rocket launchers, grenades, automatic rifles, dynamite, in-map crates with various utilities and way, way, more. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv50V1cooyTRJ6ranomsn6g7oxlK5zx_tEWUl93kYxaCoRUoYMm_ebyQF1GlJMTS0D3eQF2CuHYlJ52yOySe7nuZvVc6tnCQTSQrYNPKG4T5KlyMUHRz5p9M0xlnd1MWTOWTEOwzPrNoJW/s1600/worms-battlegrounds-1400528619206_1920x1080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv50V1cooyTRJ6ranomsn6g7oxlK5zx_tEWUl93kYxaCoRUoYMm_ebyQF1GlJMTS0D3eQF2CuHYlJ52yOySe7nuZvVc6tnCQTSQrYNPKG4T5KlyMUHRz5p9M0xlnd1MWTOWTEOwzPrNoJW/s1600/worms-battlegrounds-1400528619206_1920x1080.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The way, way, more includes a litany of customization options, from changeable dialects and worm names, to hats, to accessories, to what your grave stone will look like when you lose a worm. Oddly, the trickiest thing to figure out was how to rename your entire team. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The game's single player campaign is serviceable, narrated by a British lass who makes jokes that she thinks are funnier than they really are. These missions introduce a variety of scenarios and objectives that <i>aren't</i> kill all the enemies, and is perfectly fun in a pinch, but in reality Worms has always been a multiplayer focused game. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">With good reason, of course. Engaging in a round of Worms Battlegrounds with a friend who wants to win just as badly as you is chaotic, intense, and occasionally awe inspiring as an errant shot explodes a nearby fire barrel and a cascading series of events occurs, leaving all players dumbfounded, and many worms dead or wounded. Worms Battlegrounds' gameplay is as serious as its presentation is joyful. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwQbf3JXaZTeXg8N1n2pHZSJvDzkIypaaYx5WRtO-n-SVc_aqj_vSo2FnnqasV-XdB8qAG3S0Iisnt_mn7tVbvZAmHG6S_eRMECB-LfJREZ3WhNZ3g92zdKnJvbxW5RMp5c5YrpzpOgHE/s1600/worms-battlegrounds-1400528631165_1920x1080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwQbf3JXaZTeXg8N1n2pHZSJvDzkIypaaYx5WRtO-n-SVc_aqj_vSo2FnnqasV-XdB8qAG3S0Iisnt_mn7tVbvZAmHG6S_eRMECB-LfJREZ3WhNZ3g92zdKnJvbxW5RMp5c5YrpzpOgHE/s1600/worms-battlegrounds-1400528631165_1920x1080.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Unfortunately controlling that joyfully intense gameplay can be a
bit cumbersome at first, especially if you're trying to coerce friends
into playing. Selecting weapons and items with the B button without
apparent tool tips results in a lot of trial and error as you're not
sure if what you selected is the teleporter or something else.
Eventually these kinks work themselves out, and then you really only
have to worry about confusing the X button and the A button, as A uses
your selected item and X jumps, whereas pretty much every video game in
the history of the medium has used the A button for jumping. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This
is a confusion that dissipates, but if you go play another game and
come back to Worms Battlegrounds, you'll occasionally activate an item
you
didn't mean to and blow yourself up. These problems multiply ten
fold when in the hands of someone who isn't knowledgeable about Worms
games. On one hand this makes for another layer of thoroughly enjoyable chaos, but on the other, screwing up what you wanted to do because you forgot what button to hit, feels a bit unfair, if not oddly realistic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This does little to stymy the joy of the game, though. The franchise is just as charming as ever, even if literally every element feels familiar. The worms talk like high pitched chipmunks, saying all manner of silly things depending on the situation, and the graphics are colorful and bright. Seeing the game on a 'true' HD console is pretty as all heck, and there's no noticeable slowdown or other graphical errors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Look, if you're one of the many people who caught onto Worms at just the right age, you can't help but have positive
feelings toward the franchise. The Worms games have been so good at doing what they do for so long,
that gamers with even a tangential relationship with Team 17's omnipresent franchise greet
new entries with a smile and wistful sigh. It's like a new Tom Cruise
movie, you're probably <i>not</i> going to see it because you've had your fill already, but you're glad he's out there, kicking ass and taking names well into his 60s anyway.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I got my fill of Worms in Summer of 2008, on my back porch, with a new laptop, a few
friends, crap beer, and mayhem with a side of adorable. My worms were
named after characters in a script I was writing, while my friends chose
band members and TV show characters. My worms talked in movie titles,
my friends went with Irish and German accents. We even dove into the map editor - something that rarely happens in my particular circle of friends. But like noted philosopher Brad Paisley says, the problem
with up is that there's always a down. All good things must come to an
end, and this era of my life ended. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">See, the reason you won't be seeing Tom Cruise's new flick, and don't find yourself frothing for another Worms game is because the franchise is a lot like cold water. You dive in, you're in, and then once you're out, it's hard to jump back in, which is another way of saying the experience of playing Worms the first time is so great that it's hard to recapture the magic on subsequent attempts. By
yourself, the campaign serves only to remind you of the fond memories of
matches gone by. Online the experience is castrated by a lack of
in-person interaction. You need real human bodies, in your personal space, to truly appreciate the breadth of what Worms Battlegrounds has to offer.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Whether or not you want Worms Battlegrounds depends on your situation. If you're looking for the Worms game that makes playing by yourself an enthralling experience, or changes the game so significantly everything old is new again, this version will not scratch that itch. If you have friends you want to introduce to the franchise - and you'll think they'll actually enjoy it, then by all means have at it, just be aware the worst way to get anyone to like anything is to force them to play it with you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And if, by chance, you're someone who has never played a Worms game in their entire life? Prepare to be blown away, literally and figuratively, because there's nothing else like it out there, save for the 20 other games with the same name...that are just like it...that you somehow never heard of. Weirdo. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It is literally impossible to go wrong with a Worms game. They are flat out fun, and always great to have around for a party, social gathering, or any time you simply want to fly a superhuman sheep around a 2D map and make it explode. Because really, where else can you get that? </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Rating: </span></b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm79oFNwDGVd4NvV7BGSGqBtjsFihEgxy6KsFeN2wJ2n201jgop58a74BdbMDPyaJxSDSgvmCFk17bRXZzuhXbsg2npX1k7eJBMnT6Wc6mAk87c5W8Qpd_UImMt-fPX7RVVHbJIN42XhI/s1600/ThisRocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm79oFNwDGVd4NvV7BGSGqBtjsFihEgxy6KsFeN2wJ2n201jgop58a74BdbMDPyaJxSDSgvmCFk17bRXZzuhXbsg2npX1k7eJBMnT6Wc6mAk87c5W8Qpd_UImMt-fPX7RVVHbJIN42XhI/s1600/ThisRocks.jpg" height="292" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-45313779255933351712014-06-22T13:09:00.001-07:002014-06-22T17:05:45.520-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....1001 Spikes<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNLRB2qVZ-Y1xIq-LzRpvlOkawLoYybI9nB30xHE6wqw9KkCx_79p_1ydhmQ_MwvwXlUGJmOfE-riC-eoXr80s-cEmIx9ERrN3u-FMO78xIc6gQx96CDpAr_rsKC7wAxCZOXBAt0ekSzp/s1600/1001-Spikes-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNLRB2qVZ-Y1xIq-LzRpvlOkawLoYybI9nB30xHE6wqw9KkCx_79p_1ydhmQ_MwvwXlUGJmOfE-riC-eoXr80s-cEmIx9ERrN3u-FMO78xIc6gQx96CDpAr_rsKC7wAxCZOXBAt0ekSzp/s1600/1001-Spikes-1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Game:</b> 1001 Spikes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Platform:</b> Xbox One (also available on PS4, Vita, PS3, Wii U, Steam) </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Did I pay for it:</b> No. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Price:</b> 14.99</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Like a
stern high school teacher looking over your shoulder during a test and
coughing in your ear when your answer to the essay question is only two
sentences long, 1001 Spikes guilts you into bettering yourself. You
cannot come lightly to it, else perish on a forgotten trap or die
jumping directly into an arrow you really should have known was coming.<i> </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Taking
a retro 2D platforming art style, offering same-screen multiplayer, and
hundreds of levels, 1001 Spikes will conjur up ghosts of the first
Spelunky, but outside of the visual style and genre and requiring keys
to progress to the next level, the games aren't that much alike. Yes,
there are traps and spikes and enemies, but Spelunky encouraged speedy
and skillful play and 1001 Spikes demands focus and patience. It's the
difference between The Fast & The Furious, and Drive - both movies
features cars and violence, but they could not be more different.
Additionally 1001 Spikes is a bit more streamlined. You have a jump
button, and attack button, and that's it - whereas Spelunky involved
item shops and all sorts of goodies and nicknacks to aid you on your
journey. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Though
by the end of 1001 Spikes fifth level you may be secretly rooting
around the level for some cyanide to end your suffering. When people say
Golf is a bad way to ruin a good walk, they're essentially saying the
intense challenge and frustration of Golf results in a stressful, but
ideally rewarding experience. 1001 Spikes is the same way. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWni-lNbpFcKuAtlVntFxoZsg7OBt6hU3EAm-AzdqjP00tlhW8L03u8ABpHQFvhIgjEoniNaWEf7SCE1CAM6YpkCUm3rH4xjJfiowOM5f9JXAM7C7ElPTQDGux2zycIG2LrdUEJSO_o4Q/s1600/th.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWni-lNbpFcKuAtlVntFxoZsg7OBt6hU3EAm-AzdqjP00tlhW8L03u8ABpHQFvhIgjEoniNaWEf7SCE1CAM6YpkCUm3rH4xjJfiowOM5f9JXAM7C7ElPTQDGux2zycIG2LrdUEJSO_o4Q/s1600/th.jpg" /></a>Namely
because 1001 Spikes does a wonderful job of setting the rules. You know
what a given level is going to entail, you just need to be prepared and
maintain focus long enough to succeed - It's like taking that
aforementioned test, if you're prepared, it's not nearly as scary as it
seems. There are few 'gotchyha!' moments, and despite using 200 of the
1001 lives you're given at the start of the game, I never felt cheated
or unfairly punished. Instead I turned the rage inward, blaming myself
because I either took a shortcut I shouldn't have, or miss-timed a jump I
made a dozen times before out of frustration with my own skill.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">1001
Spikes is from Nicalis, the creators
of the excellent Cave Story, and they share similarities in their zen
like nature. They require peace of mind. With
distractions, slamming doors, people talking in your ear, or worries
about what tomorrow will bring, 1001 Spikes will eat your lunch all day
long. But in a meditative state of concentration, the progress you make
is as rewarding as it is enthralling - it's acing a test you studied
for. It's getting a birdie on a par 4 hole. It's asking the cute
girl from the movie theater out on a date while maintaining eye contact
and not stumbling over your words. You find yourself surprised by what
you're capable of. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Which
is to say that in its best moments, 1001 Spikes helps you transcend
your
own perceived limitations. There will be frustration and seemingly
impossible challenges, and you will fail way more often than you
succeed. But because the failure is your own fault, victory is your own
doing too, and all the more sweet because of it. To paraphrase Taylor
Mali, 1001 Spikes makes you work harder than you ever could, coughing in
your ear that you better not <i>dare</i> waste its time with anything less than your very best.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Rating: </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-183638504740354622014-06-03T12:32:00.001-07:002014-06-03T12:32:15.161-07:00Freebie Alert: Dark Souls costs 0 dollars with Xbox Live GoldGood News! Dark Souls - the super hard, insanely obtuse, wonderfully in-depth, totally beloved action-RPG fondly referred to as "Grown up Zelda" Is available for free if you have an Xbox 360 and live Xbox Live Gold account. <br />
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Dark Souls is probably the most popular game that's come to the service that's trying to rival PSN+'s instant game collection, and is hopefully a sign of things to come.<br />
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Also available this month will be Charlie Murder on the 360, and Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, and Halo: Spartan Assault on the Xbox One. Additionally a version of Street Fighter IV is being offered as a one-year anniversary of the service. <br />
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<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-ondark-souls-ii.html">Check out my review of Dark Souls II here</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://whatculture.com/gaming/10-gaming-franchises-suffer-extreme-complication.php/7">And my thoughts on the Dark Souls as a whole here</a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-91708802567217423662014-06-01T18:51:00.001-07:002014-06-01T18:53:22.172-07:00MeekinOnMovies On A Million Ways To Die In The West<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmzMQ854rOSNLoXMiR0GgNsw8-D5F4p1DhyAM9RU2jNVCMLxbn4JCHS9IHyHuaw2JEDbA_l6BulOndiBpovxEHyNavV2VYApTIfnZkJ3M0qSXExnlKWyNXBjEZ8nAGsOEBIek5tDibXHS/s1600/dieinthewestbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmzMQ854rOSNLoXMiR0GgNsw8-D5F4p1DhyAM9RU2jNVCMLxbn4JCHS9IHyHuaw2JEDbA_l6BulOndiBpovxEHyNavV2VYApTIfnZkJ3M0qSXExnlKWyNXBjEZ8nAGsOEBIek5tDibXHS/s1600/dieinthewestbw.jpg" height="426" width="640"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">When Kevin Smith got all butthurt about the reception for Cop Out and started bitching to movie critics about how his little action-comedy wasn't trying to hurt no-one and he didn't understand the criticism, it felt like a filmmaker lashing out because folks didn't like his movie (and he probably didn't either). After seeing Seth MacFarlane's "A Million Ways to Die in The West" and the general reception to the guy from critics, gossip sites, and various internet comment boards, I get where Silent Bob was coming from.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I don't <i>get</i> why Seth MacFarlane is so polarizing and why his movies are either met with enthusiasm or rabid vitriol, especially since his directorial efforts 'Ted" and "A Million Ways to Die in The West" are in reality pretty sweet movies with a surprising amount of heart.</span><br>
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<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/06/meekinonmovies-on-million-ways-to-die.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-5116504904161555372014-06-01T09:52:00.003-07:002014-06-01T09:56:55.018-07:00MeekinOnMoviesOn....Ted<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7N-Mu_UajcLRyPzvmF4gWOiCSm8k8dNNEo3Z1Cy3FlvX2kDHDNVTkTT2mT5elkknwxU8pPYOiE6PGIdCKk2ppmKSGUd17FM6o9uVqJyaVQ8z-AoYkDBSC3Emfw27NZYIRz_fY1pvGvfF4/s1600/TedBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7N-Mu_UajcLRyPzvmF4gWOiCSm8k8dNNEo3Z1Cy3FlvX2kDHDNVTkTT2mT5elkknwxU8pPYOiE6PGIdCKk2ppmKSGUd17FM6o9uVqJyaVQ8z-AoYkDBSC3Emfw27NZYIRz_fY1pvGvfF4/s1600/TedBW.jpg"></a></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Ted follows the exploits of John (Mark Whaaahllberg) and his talking Teddy Bear, Ted (Seth MacFarlane). Things become complicated when John’s girlfriend, Lori (Mila Kunis) starts to think that Ted is a negative influence on John’s life, as surely smoking that much pot, and watching that many cartoons, can’t be good for a fully (some would say over) grown 35 year old man. I know that premise sounds a bit “Script writing 101” but that’s actually pretty okay.<br><br>Why? Because Ted's ultimate take away is this: Seth MacFarlane is fluent in cliche. it’s pretty clear that there really isn’t an original thought or idea in his head when it comes to the actual direction of this movie. Every shot, every scene, seemingly every musical sting harkens back to another movie, tv show, song, or fondly remembered gag from decades ago. There are about a half dozen scenes within Ted that show MacFarlane communicates almost exclusively in references to other media.</span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/06/meekinonmoviesonted.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-82981291027564009292014-05-26T05:16:00.000-07:002014-05-26T05:17:21.827-07:00MeekinOnMovies On...Godzilla (2014)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://superclashgaming.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/godzilla-2014-movie-wide.jpg?w=1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://superclashgaming.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/godzilla-2014-movie-wide.jpg?w=1200" height="250" width="400"></a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Godzilla</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Directed By: </b>Gareth Edwards, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Starring: </b>Godzilla, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, and Aaron Tyler Johnson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Between the Roland Emmerich comedy...thing, and the Japanese movies that haven't aged well, for a time Godzilla was most valuable as an idea. We saw movies that aped Godzilla's genre for low-fi horror movies like Cloverfield, or big budget, tonally bizarre flicks like Pacific Rim. Even watching "Godzilla 2000" requires accepting it as a cheesefest and not so much as an actual movie made with dramatic intent.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">However, thanks in part to director Gareth Edwards and some deft directional choices, it's clear the King of Monsters is back, and anyone who wants to take his crown better bring their "A" game. </span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-ongodzilla-2014.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-10812611631631037572014-05-25T18:40:00.000-07:002014-05-25T18:40:07.994-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Now Available On Demand!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QM6QPPZiNtd9dm7RRCaOBlkw-mGXKqRRD-itWnOGNo9RlrATU6x0mHmtpfCXFFIsQRteStRC2tg16rTIjCDHhxxY4Qqul5G7F_fp6Xc9Lsvu3kBoBrPzDqkMQdPXyTIeSzcMCGZ527Hl/s1600/The+Secret+World+of+Walter+Mitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QM6QPPZiNtd9dm7RRCaOBlkw-mGXKqRRD-itWnOGNo9RlrATU6x0mHmtpfCXFFIsQRteStRC2tg16rTIjCDHhxxY4Qqul5G7F_fp6Xc9Lsvu3kBoBrPzDqkMQdPXyTIeSzcMCGZ527Hl/s1600/The+Secret+World+of+Walter+Mitty.jpg" height="310" width="640"></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was a short story about a man with an oppressive wife who constantly has flights of fancy in order to escape her meandering omnipresence. Due to its popularity and name recognition, a movie about the short story kicked around Hollywood for awhile, getting attached to names like Jim Carey, eventually finding its way into the hands of Ben Stiller, who stars and directs the very loose adaptation. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Stiller's a great choice as he's an actor who built almost his entire resume on willingly embarrassing himself in front of Robert DeNiro, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and most recently Eddie Murphy. In Meet The Parents he was brilliant at generating palpable uncomfortable silences that made the audience erupt with laughter. In Tropic Thunder he directed Robert Downey Jr to an Oscar Nomination <i>for a comedy</i>. Heck, the only reason Zoolander succeeded is because he played the titular character with such a serious earnestness you legitmately felt bad for the guy. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">These are wonderful clubs to have in the bag if you're making a light hearted drama about a guy who thinks too much. And boy oh boy, does he come out swinging.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onthe-secret-life-of.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-68597430730391456422014-05-25T11:49:00.001-07:002014-05-25T12:41:31.485-07:00MeekinOnMovies On...Retro City Rampage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfzV0B4zxdjo408T-7wNQ9ERh5D7CLCWUjApmmQjAUfEIzYPREhX3xMMI_H1APGJuwf0WhusUzjATvoCrLY2PPt9o5XJwbZvr0Tar3G4buuiazy1IQ3H5qXVYFuftlKtnJF63mEFvmHJu/s1600/rcrbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfzV0B4zxdjo408T-7wNQ9ERh5D7CLCWUjApmmQjAUfEIzYPREhX3xMMI_H1APGJuwf0WhusUzjATvoCrLY2PPt9o5XJwbZvr0Tar3G4buuiazy1IQ3H5qXVYFuftlKtnJF63mEFvmHJu/s1600/rcrbw.jpg" height="360" width="640"></a></div>
<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> <i><b>Retro City Rampage</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i><b>Did I Pay For It: </b>No<b> </b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i><b>Platforms: </b>PSN / Vita / Windows / Xbox 360 / WiiWare / 3DS<b><br></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I’ve been gaming for two and a half decades. If I think about it, I haven’t even been potty trained that long. I played games before I rode a bike, kissed my first girl, danced my first jig, or wrote my first word. A controller is as familiar to my hands as a rifle to a rifleman. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Because of this, I’m intimately acquainted with video game lore; the princess being in another castle, that guard in “Metal Gear” who “feels asleep”, the hollow and oddly chilling whisper of the “Mario Brothers 3” warp whistle (and accompanying tornado), and the nearly limitless list goes on and on. “Retro City Rampage” — a thoroughly enjoyable top-down open-world sandbox game using 8-bit NES style graphics — is fluent in game lore from the 8-bit era.<br><br>And I mean fluent. Sure, using a retro graphical style is nothing new these days. Besides “Retro City Rampage”, “Fez”, “Megaman 9” (and 10), “Cave Story” and the so-pretentious-I-shopped-at-whole-foods-for-a-week-after-playing-it “Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP”, all used sprite-based graphics to varying degrees of success. However, “Retro City Rampage” does things a bit differently, drawing (more or less) from the same 64-color palette that the NES had, which is really quite neat for the geekiest game fans among us.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onretro-city-rampage.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-5717785269188357962014-05-25T09:53:00.000-07:002014-05-25T10:07:15.826-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....Smooth Operators: Call Center Chaos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHCpSoxDYQ9lF4q7gcXmmT8KeXPWfMukLqHO3pL57J2eAd0dKtRutLTJUAGpL1kiwMXdckwg6lhl0z04xGSuWqFa5bIeG0no_aIQ7Fagv_JeZUcUF2zhrdicZnxGq2bOt4EIqRVue1S15/s1600/operatorsbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHCpSoxDYQ9lF4q7gcXmmT8KeXPWfMukLqHO3pL57J2eAd0dKtRutLTJUAGpL1kiwMXdckwg6lhl0z04xGSuWqFa5bIeG0no_aIQ7Fagv_JeZUcUF2zhrdicZnxGq2bOt4EIqRVue1S15/s1600/operatorsbw.jpg"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span id="intelliText"><b>Smooth Operators: Call Center Chaos</b></span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><b>Platforms:</b> XBLA, iOS</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span id="intelliText"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Did I pay for it? </b>Yes (XBLA) No (iOS)</span> </span></span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span id="intelliText"><span style="font-size: 12px;">When’s the last
time your job was the focus of a novel? What about a movie? TV Show? How
about a video game? Lets face it, unless you’re living the incredibly
exciting life of a cop, drug dealer, vampire, teenage mother, surgeon,
space Marine, work in a restaurant of some kind, or are Mark Cuban, your
career is probably underrepresented in terms of representation in media - “Pro-Bono Video Game Critic 2014” isn’t happening
anytime soon folks. </span></span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span id="intelliText"><span style="font-size: 12px;">But that tide is changing. Farming
simulators, truck driving simulators, and even robot vacuum simulators
(seriously) are gaining word-of-mouth buzz, and some
critical praise too. It seems finding the joy in the mundane is what’s
hot in gaming right now, a “new wave” of interactive experiences that
ditches the laser guns and damsels in distress for something a little
closer to home. </span></span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span id="intelliText"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Case-and-point: “Smooth Operators”, a charming-as-hell
call center management simulator, that for iOS. </span></span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span id="intelliText"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span></span></span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onsmooth-operators-call.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-41046582233643683502014-05-24T13:42:00.001-07:002014-05-24T13:42:01.572-07:00MeekinOnMovies on: XCom: The Bureau<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVL9PUBON_veWv63Iga_1osIak31FPCMfUModDMkFVM3OwLBlYLOhWbPKbnDJLrjzrFEWBGzwC4ObjvoZD9kd76H_s4MJZaL-cDbJhFRAnyL6-laFpBUPA9vgKBeFGl_VC1Pkzm4c3rXM/s1600/Xcomnbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVL9PUBON_veWv63Iga_1osIak31FPCMfUModDMkFVM3OwLBlYLOhWbPKbnDJLrjzrFEWBGzwC4ObjvoZD9kd76H_s4MJZaL-cDbJhFRAnyL6-laFpBUPA9vgKBeFGl_VC1Pkzm4c3rXM/s1600/Xcomnbw.jpg" height="360" width="640"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The Bureau: XCom Declassified started out as a game no one wanted made and is now a game we're surprised to see. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In 2010, 2K games endeavored to turn one of the most atmospheric strategy games of all time into a first person shooter, which sat about as well with longtime gamers as a fat guy on an upside down bar stool. Eventually 2K came to their senses and drafted Firaxis to make a proper strategy game after a reasoned and well organized response from gamers across the globe. I’m kidding, gamers lost their shit as they always do. Firaxis released last year’s Xcom: Enemy Unknown to many accolades and positive reviews. It was a blast.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But what of all the work done on that XCom branded First Person Shooter everyone hated? Seemingly everyone thought it disappeared into the vaporware black hole that long ago engulfed StarCraft Ghost, Duke Nukem Forever, The Phantom, and countless other hardware and software titles that were never officially canceled but seemingly disappeared.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Welp, thanks to hard work, a bloated budget, and maybe even a hint of good will brought on by Enemy Unknown, it morphed into The Bureau: XCom Declassified, a strategic third person shooter, with a lot of style and a lot of problems.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-on-xcom-bureau.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-51963823995135972142014-05-24T09:51:00.000-07:002014-05-24T09:51:23.812-07:00MeekinOnMovies On...Super Meat Boy<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSf80ra9reGyvAtBvci_uLo1gmlF9_qFeUTmrYV7tJg0wII12BZJJCT06PiHrEraxRJfFmsrnEt33e0FIJC_sqqhXbMLfSxC1BgyBmlVJ_8uR84Mfg5-wKuY7wW9BaMJy7s02E7GW1Ouvf/s1600/MeatBoyBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSf80ra9reGyvAtBvci_uLo1gmlF9_qFeUTmrYV7tJg0wII12BZJJCT06PiHrEraxRJfFmsrnEt33e0FIJC_sqqhXbMLfSxC1BgyBmlVJ_8uR84Mfg5-wKuY7wW9BaMJy7s02E7GW1Ouvf/s1600/MeatBoyBW.jpg" height="428" width="640"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My relationship with “Super Meat Boy” isn’t unlike an early 90’s romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan. Despite spending years in my peripheral vision, and being told over and over and over again how great of a guy “Super Meat Boy” was (Yes, I’m Meg Ryan in this scenario), I didn’t have the special kind of feelings a lass needs to warrant a commitment. You can’t blame me, right girls? I mean, by design “Super Meat Boy” is the very definition of a high maintenance relationship. It’s a flabby, 2D, sprite-based side-scroller in a world of sexy 3D beach-body graphics and man-scaped polygons. It prides itself on its socially awkward high difficulty level and trial-and-error gameplay.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It was also $15.99 at the time of release, and, if we’re being honest here, who needs the cow when you can get the milk for free; “Super Meat Boy”’s less super predecessor, “Meat Boy” is available completely free, completely legally, in a variety of locations across the world wide web.<br></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Simply put, In today’s day and age, “Super Meat Boy” is no woman’s idea of a man. </span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onsuper-meat-boy.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-3272286020608203802014-05-24T07:59:00.000-07:002014-05-24T07:59:15.808-07:00MeekinOnMovies on...Ducktales: Remastered (multiplatform) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVd_z5aUBzT5CvnIAYyk-b5ysFx2P8e_6UY1dGwzi-7JeOSGHCnhMwlJd45_l2wSe5ivXj42TC5aXnEqTfGIs0rqgABicgfgYPGX0G5YxQCsCvHWETO84AYcEDV3YcKkdQoay1M0Skkvw/s1600/DucktalesBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVd_z5aUBzT5CvnIAYyk-b5ysFx2P8e_6UY1dGwzi-7JeOSGHCnhMwlJd45_l2wSe5ivXj42TC5aXnEqTfGIs0rqgABicgfgYPGX0G5YxQCsCvHWETO84AYcEDV3YcKkdQoay1M0Skkvw/s1600/DucktalesBW.jpg" height="400" width="288"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Ducktales for the NES was one of these ‘underrated’ classics you probably heard about once the internet and nostalgia gaming became a thing. Sure, many gamers probably had the same experience I did: expecting a game based on the “Ducktales” series to suck, then being pleasantly surprised by it being a competent platformer with a neat pogo-stick-y kinda gimmick. It was a good time. Of course, I was…7 years old when that game came out, and if there’s one thing retro gaming has taught me, it’s that pleasant surprises are worse the second time around.</span><br>
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<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onducktales-remastered.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-37607786622319997692014-05-24T07:34:00.000-07:002014-05-24T07:34:00.133-07:00MeekinOnMovies on....Splinter Cell: Blacklist<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGoFe1wEeEiuNHqTkL5bdfkF9djZYqZX3iZZacewpm-e-0SN9GZoVV5RNYTNlTr9ure4aB1pMFl68TXbchd5u9zCYMfxmCbPau4j4-aNgxIvLXKJ-37M1eD5DsAmyCJWn8G7tQgUHKAvm/s1600/SCBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGoFe1wEeEiuNHqTkL5bdfkF9djZYqZX3iZZacewpm-e-0SN9GZoVV5RNYTNlTr9ure4aB1pMFl68TXbchd5u9zCYMfxmCbPau4j4-aNgxIvLXKJ-37M1eD5DsAmyCJWn8G7tQgUHKAvm/s1600/SCBW.jpg" height="360" width="640"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A part of me likes thinking that somewhere in the Middle East, an
American like Sam Fisher is prowling. Clear and present danger abound,
mind racing with a dozen different ways the next few seconds could play
out. A guard wanders close to his hiding place. Does he take them out
with a silenced bullet to the head? Show mercy and knock them out - or
simply let him walk by?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">America’s security rides on these so-called patriot games, this man’s
ability to make the brutal choices correctly, and without remorse. For
this man, at this moment, there is no geneva convention, and are
politics as far away from his mind as Bradley Manning, a Quarterback for
one of those <span class="caps">NFL</span> football teams he doesn’t
have the time to care about. In a world of gray, his mission is as black
and white as it gets. This is about us vs. them, and he wouldn’t have
it any other way.</span></div>
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<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onsplinter-cell-blacklist.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-87286100194904269972014-05-23T06:53:00.000-07:002014-05-24T07:23:07.576-07:00Freebie Alert: Card Hunter is everything you never knew you wanted. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5_2qcSw3uQbxmnOQWhE6Zey7bAWDeZC74ZASInocK9k9-yez7HhEWl9i3xZgfrw0bQT7V1QFrnuFph8VTscs8cH5RwzMExriGVmV_hBqY20n8Ms1IPui_ME9S2s87FcksL95dJSHAS8o/s1600/CardHunterBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5_2qcSw3uQbxmnOQWhE6Zey7bAWDeZC74ZASInocK9k9-yez7HhEWl9i3xZgfrw0bQT7V1QFrnuFph8VTscs8cH5RwzMExriGVmV_hBqY20n8Ms1IPui_ME9S2s87FcksL95dJSHAS8o/s1600/CardHunterBW.jpg" height="364" width="640"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br><span style="background-color: white;">As a tween, I would bound into my local “Scholars” collectibles store, owned by a guy who I’m pretty sure was Sonny Bono, and ponder the tabletop RPGs. It was daunting in the coolest way. Crazy elaborate terrain setups, paint kits, and magnifying lenses, all for a board game. I would marvel at the pewter Ogres and Dwarves and Warriors, wondering what sort of life I could inject into their little tin hearts. But it was not for me. There were video games to play, you see, and somehow fifty dollars for a game I could play by myself felt better than fifty dollars for tiny creatures I’d need a cohort to enjoy. But still, I wondered.</span><br><br><span style="background-color: white;">So upon discovering “Card Hunter” on Youtube personality </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/Alzorath" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" title="Alzorath">Alzorath's</a><span style="background-color: white;"> channel, I kind of fell in love. My precious creatures, sight-lines, and complicated terrains had come to life, little pewter hearts transformed to digital paper stand-ups that had me wondering why my tween self never thought of that. Sure, I had played tactical RPGs before but “Card Hunter” wasn’t just a tactical RPG, it was a Tabletop Tactical RPG with a mainline to my childhood that was free to boot.</span></span><br>
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<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/freebie-alert-card-hunter-is-everything.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-30191023318525229732014-05-22T14:18:00.001-07:002014-05-24T07:24:06.512-07:0010 Thoughts From The First 3 Hours of Watch_Dogs<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mw4BWA0ibtPidIWL2z6FtxzWllPZcQN2TCKSSXufHCR9ny6nQAAsB3CWKX5IdjV1C3pzeY7VogxIVjwCugqXk7QuhDisSrWMsLJxMR3qMFrn-ns9svMvXEc90m77CmPe2X2sOav6nllG/s1600/Watch_Dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mw4BWA0ibtPidIWL2z6FtxzWllPZcQN2TCKSSXufHCR9ny6nQAAsB3CWKX5IdjV1C3pzeY7VogxIVjwCugqXk7QuhDisSrWMsLJxMR3qMFrn-ns9svMvXEc90m77CmPe2X2sOav6nllG/s1600/Watch_Dogs.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Watch_Dogs is in house, and while I'm not technically allowed to 'review' it until the 27th of May when the game comes (plus I want to test out multiplayer and various app-related functions), I CAN give some impressions from my time so far. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Feel free to comment with questions and I'll try my best to answer. </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1. Hacking is cool and there's a bunch of bells and whistles that play into the system to make it worthwhile - for example I accidently set off a big-mouth Billy Bass in a clothing store and made a Rabbid toy make a funny noise. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2. Chicago feels authentic despite some bizarre geographical changes. Wrigleyville has been moved west and various copyrighted names have been changed, but there are tons of cool tidbits to pick up from 'checking in' at various in-game landmarks. Thus far is there is no Hot Dougs, or Billy Goat Tavern</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. Guns are a part of the game but thus far the game hasn't become a cover shooter. Stealth and forward thinking is the name of the game.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4. There's a bullet-time mechanic; focus, that allows you pull off all sorts of crazy stuff while driving. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">5. The story makes a pretty good first impression, and characters seem to relate to each other with genuine personality, save Aiden, who's all gruff and mysterious and strange. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">6. The multiplayer components seem like a lot of fun, though there's no one to play with online currently. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">7. Driving handles well as does shooting, and it feels like a happy marriage of Splinter Cell-style stealth and Grand Theft Auto-style mass chaos. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">8. Graphicially the game is impressive in scope, there's nothing incredibly mind blowing about the character models or animation, but the way light casts dynamic shadows, how streetlights cast a yellow glow, and one neat touch where standing in front of a projector projected its image onto Aiden makes the whole presentation feel 'next gen'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">9. The prognostications of this game being 'bad' have been greatly exaggerated. This is a quality product from a quality studio. Some of the action stuff is samey, sure - but if you like Assassin's Creed, or Grand Theft Auto, or Splinter Cell, or Sleeping Dogs - rest assured this title is up-to-snuff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">10. Coolest moment so far: Escaping from the cops, triggering a bridge to raise up, driving over the bridge landing on the other side, and being rewarding for my escape.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The opening involving a baseball game and a daring escape is pretty wonderful too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Questions? Tweet @MeekinonMovies, or comment here, and I'll answer any questions you may have. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-40065503170715681102014-05-20T20:49:00.000-07:002014-05-22T10:23:14.244-07:00Freebie Alert: Pixel People Pleases Passively<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xfn_CYgru2c4Tu838PNmAWbs4su3-gBA3-3ssvbicjX66VXK7_eYsGaOSO5QXB6cZ9Y7zqt9lx8sVa6qKtQFXvRm7aVnx1BJ-N0KtpEmr5POyMz7aAOz-iX4wuWXidwmPwvz3jCBc5Qn/s1600/pixelbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xfn_CYgru2c4Tu838PNmAWbs4su3-gBA3-3ssvbicjX66VXK7_eYsGaOSO5QXB6cZ9Y7zqt9lx8sVa6qKtQFXvRm7aVnx1BJ-N0KtpEmr5POyMz7aAOz-iX4wuWXidwmPwvz3jCBc5Qn/s1600/pixelbw.jpg" height="398" width="640"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></a></h2>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Pixel People</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">What happens when you combine the
city building of “Sim City”, the art-style of “Pocket Planes” and the
pointless, but still somehow fascinating Commodore 64 game, “Little
Computer People”? Well, despite a fairly hard-bitten premise involving
the destruction of the world as we know it, and the daunting task of
rebuilding it via <a class="kLink" href="http://hollywoodchicago.com/news/21309/video-game-review-pixel-people-pleases-passively#" id="KonaLink1" style="font-size: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static; text-decoration: underline ! important;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="color: orange ! important; font-size: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: relative;">cloning</span></span></a>
and splicing of human genetics, you get “Pixel People,” a new
free-to-play city-building iOS game that’s adorable as it is compelling.</span><br>
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<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/freebie-alert-pixel-people-pleases.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-46480893505311973112014-05-20T18:38:00.000-07:002014-05-20T20:04:04.770-07:00MeekinOnMovies On.....Dark Souls II<br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhyzbBElGllEtb1oy6WsNHajj9r9KqjUuAlpcZson2q-JIjSdkEJsPXAnywiGz_DGX1utHrBCPSFbeYFd-pBphcA7cDUxsqGsrXFTiDHAqvZQuQjh-S30wc6uvH3x4mgXcWT2FbZGvbH3/s1600/DarkSoulsBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhyzbBElGllEtb1oy6WsNHajj9r9KqjUuAlpcZson2q-JIjSdkEJsPXAnywiGz_DGX1utHrBCPSFbeYFd-pBphcA7cDUxsqGsrXFTiDHAqvZQuQjh-S30wc6uvH3x4mgXcWT2FbZGvbH3/s1600/DarkSoulsBW.jpg" height="360" width="640"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Dark Souls II</span></b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Developer: From Software</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Platform: Xbox 360 (reviewed)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Did I beat it: No</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Did I pay for it: No </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So I guess I owe the world a Dark Souls II review after developer From Software was gracious enough to bestow upon me a copy of the game, (and a hopefully ironically intentioned skull shaped stress-ball.) </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But after dozens of deaths and giving over forty hours of my life to Dark Souls II, our relationship has yet to solidify. While I respect everything Dark Souls II is trying to be, and is - it's fairly apparent Dark Souls II wasn't made with the kind of gamer I am, in mind.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And what kind of gamer am I? An enthusiast. I'm excited to play anything I can get my hands on, and truly beefy experiences like Dark Souls II are often right in my wheel house. I like games that challenge and entertain and try to do new things. Dark Souls II, on paper, is this. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">While I fully expected to have my ass handed to me - it has a reputation for difficulty to live up too, after all - the real peril came from my war with everything else. </span><br>
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<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-ondark-souls-ii.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-35955506890334324452014-05-20T13:27:00.001-07:002014-05-20T13:27:06.045-07:00Freebie: Galaxy on Fire 2 HD for iPhone and iPads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I’m a Trekkie, tried and true.
While not as obsessed as some, I enjoy the sciencey bits, the
theoretical discussions between space and time, and the way “Star Trek:
The Next Generation” employs real scientific consultants to fact check
all sorts of <a class="itxtnewhook itxthook" href="http://hollywoodchicago.com/news/21402/video-game-review-galaxy-on-fire-2-in-case-you-missed-it#" id="itxthook0" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border: 0px none transparent; display: inline; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap" id="itxthook0p"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" id="itxthook0w" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: transparent transparent rgb(0, 204, 0); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #009900; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px 0px 1px ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;">data</span><img class="itxtrst itxtrstimg itxthookicon" id="itxthook0icon" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png" style="margin-bottom: 0px!important; margin-left: 0px!important; margin-right: 0px!important; margin-top: 0px!important; padding-bottom: 0px!important; padding-left: 4px!important; padding-right: 0px!important; padding-top: 0px!important; vertical-align: baseline!important;"></span></a>
and concepts that were subtly inserted into the show. So as a kid I was
always a Jean-Luc Picard kind of guy in a Han Solo world. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Of course, it
became a tough choice as time went on. Classic space games like “Elite
2” and “X3: Reunion” with almost-limitless-as-space depth whisked
past my peripheral vision - too obtuse to truly dive into. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Which brings us to the completely free “Galaxy On Fire 2”, the first game in the space
pirate/trader genre that I’ve truly sunk my teeth into since the Sega
Genesis’s “WarpSpeed”, and I’ve enjoyed it quite a great deal. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/freebie-galaxy-on-fire-2-hd-for-iphone.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-49037000020989767792014-05-20T12:00:00.000-07:002014-05-20T13:01:00.103-07:00Freebie: You Don't Know Jack (Mobile / Facebook) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFKXftUdkZ6yOm517FFZXHHsyvS9YWy6bpAmJZ5731QfMDUTPWuXS2IggULr8OlnTBCFkjHXb1dsJhhZavENSaeT5HGAFK3MNP3-fAbrTuU5PNK1lSC-WVPELY62VlK0RcHD7iFfeqfS8/s1600/ydkjbw.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFKXftUdkZ6yOm517FFZXHHsyvS9YWy6bpAmJZ5731QfMDUTPWuXS2IggULr8OlnTBCFkjHXb1dsJhhZavENSaeT5HGAFK3MNP3-fAbrTuU5PNK1lSC-WVPELY62VlK0RcHD7iFfeqfS8/s1600/ydkjbw.png" height="400" width="640"></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></span>In this world, there are few places for B-type personalities to massage their egos. You can write a
13,000 word diatribe defending the “Star Wars” Prequels, get a PHD,
get a writing gig, kick-start that graphic novel you’ve been kicking
around, but the ability to have an honest-to-goodness pissing
contest is the privilege of the macho. So we play
trivia. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But once people know you’re good at
it, they don’t want to play with you any more. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Until...you meet a pretty girl. Well, pretty is a disservice. Imagine if you took Rolf the Muppet’s personality and curly hair and put it
into a sexy possibly Latina chick. I wooed her with a trip to the giant
Dave & Buster’s trivia machine, the sly
maneuver of giving my prize tickets away to a kid (after getting her an
adorable stuffed penguin - Gerald), and not much else. Trivia came up again, and I mentioned
owning “You Don’t Know Jack”. Her eyes lit up, and I was suddenly
inviting a girl back to my place to play video games. She was
serious about this too. That competitive spirit that had eluded all my
friends and most of my acquaintances, was present in this angel of a
woman. I needed to win, and she did too and that was freaking sexy.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This is why I fondly refer to the 'old' You Don't Know Jack as the game that got me laid.</span></span></div>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/freebie-you-dont-know-jack-mobile.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-52613989858718449472014-05-20T11:12:00.001-07:002014-05-20T11:32:13.867-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....Grand Theft Auto V<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmiGM3TZmrBGKBrKdrahsJNDpxSXLu2bnWjJsodmQ6P7IDNijYpRV6m3DnwNDBW5d8WV_tbBDDytU7BZfvDAAqlMYJ4F9wH3DqyNfAsZmoqlSNNxz7yBc1zmmet2J0PRMZUZdzRuR_zM6/s1600/GTAVBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmiGM3TZmrBGKBrKdrahsJNDpxSXLu2bnWjJsodmQ6P7IDNijYpRV6m3DnwNDBW5d8WV_tbBDDytU7BZfvDAAqlMYJ4F9wH3DqyNfAsZmoqlSNNxz7yBc1zmmet2J0PRMZUZdzRuR_zM6/s1600/GTAVBW.jpg" height="409" width="640"></a></div>
<br>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Despite being a massive game, the best parts of “Grand Theft Auto V”
are the little details: The way whiskey sloshes around in a glass, how
characters show up to cut scenes in their custom saved cars, how
surfboards litter the beaches, the numerous dynamic touches like the
radio updating you on a given happening you had a hand in, as well as
little narrative details that hint at “<span class="caps">GTA</span> V” being about something a little bigger than it lets on.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-ongrand-theft-auto-v.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-78877005461072220572014-05-19T15:04:00.002-07:002014-05-20T20:04:25.053-07:00Games With Gold Impressions: Dust: An Elysian Tail (is so God Darn Pretty). <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApwgSvUPDD4nsKtxnumXnJfuXU20WLuAgDpaPaM_6uHo5HqM6O_o0FvLZF8obojmAJ1R-OHdnEkLhyphenhyphenf40soumDNrbcOH1VnsL0FjKnjlMqg3M0qUtPpx2XHkqKPFafKR-p66GSc0RPgpM/s1600/dustbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApwgSvUPDD4nsKtxnumXnJfuXU20WLuAgDpaPaM_6uHo5HqM6O_o0FvLZF8obojmAJ1R-OHdnEkLhyphenhyphenf40soumDNrbcOH1VnsL0FjKnjlMqg3M0qUtPpx2XHkqKPFafKR-p66GSc0RPgpM/s1600/dustbw.jpg" height="360" width="640"></a> </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">If you have an Xbox 360, Xbox Live Gold, and anything resembling a noggin' in your head, stop reading this and go download <i>Dust: An Elysian Tail </i><b>right now</b><i>. </i></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">For the next 11 days it's free, and it's worth every penny. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Functionally, Dust is a hack-n-slash platformer with light RPG elements,
telling a surprisingly well-acted story about a mythical sword, a
nebulous mystery, and a group of heroes that are possibly trying to save
the world. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And on paper that all seems nice, but we've all been here before, right? Metroid, Castlevania, and countless (and I do mean countless) games have come and gone that delivered an iteration of a formula without really transcending it. Of course they said that about 'Avatar' on paper, too. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Like Avatar you need to experience 'Dust: An Elysian Tail' to 'get' it. What is there to get? Only the best 2D animation in the history of gaming. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Really. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Yes, even better than Dragon Quest.</span><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span></div>
<br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/games-with-gold-impressions-dust.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-58455476042580275722014-05-19T14:09:00.000-07:002014-05-20T20:05:19.061-07:00MeekinOnMovies on....Trials Fusion (Xbox One)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJ00oc_du57P9afbgyts5M42-KleJG3MQD9Dddig_NlVGduq9i6vLtv0a60rE2tqbyGzVG8kOHJoFBEh7UZwpFVHDTRM8XER83Zg17PuVgpLh_lVHTzDPStRgVQ39Ha0b4PX4Rmjug0DC/s1600/Trialsbw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJ00oc_du57P9afbgyts5M42-KleJG3MQD9Dddig_NlVGduq9i6vLtv0a60rE2tqbyGzVG8kOHJoFBEh7UZwpFVHDTRM8XER83Zg17PuVgpLh_lVHTzDPStRgVQ39Ha0b4PX4Rmjug0DC/s1600/Trialsbw.jpg" height="360" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trials Fusion is available on the PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, and was reviewed on an Xbox One</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></b></div>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Trials Fusion </span></b></h2>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Trials
Fusion is an unholy marriage of Sonic The Hedgehog and Tony Hawk's Pro
Skater. While masquerading as an over-the-top motorcycle racing game, in
reality it's a tough-as-nails platformer. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Seriously.
Between the flips, jumps, spikes, flame pits, loop-d-loops and bounce
pads, I half expected Doctor Robotnic to swing a giant wrecking ball at
me at the end of the first world.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It's also a game
I'd never buy. When the kind folks at Ubisoft graciously gave me a
review code thanks to this blog's surprisingly pungent demographic, I
figured I'd see if the title was worth a go for people who wouldn't
normally seek this kind of thing out. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In a word? No. </span><br>
<br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-ontrials-fusion-xbox-one.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-9855178658439215332014-05-18T13:12:00.002-07:002014-05-18T13:13:32.444-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....The Bridge (XBLA)<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-1757faf8-10f1-ed71-4458-d2a9e88d4ca2" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="http://www.gizorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Bridge-2-590x331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gizorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Bridge-2-590x331.jpg" height="222" width="400"></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The Bridge - Ty Taylor & Mario Castañeda / Midnight City</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-1757faf8-10f1-ed71-4458-d2a9e88d4ca2" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-1757faf8-10f1-ed71-4458-d2a9e88d4ca2" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For some reason I equate a good indie puzzler with a bowl of Campbell's Chunky Stew. The best are hearty and filling, warming your soul with the beef broth of triumph after solving a particularly mind-bending scenario. Whatever the gimmick may be - time bending, perspective shifting, shadow / light mechanics - whatever, serves as the meat, if the meat’s spoiled, no one’s eating anything. The graphical presentation are your veggies. Your potatoes, carrots, dumplings, onions, spices - it is here a good game becomes great, and a great game becomes timeless. </span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br>
</div><a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onthe-bridge-xbla.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5812447805760537186.post-34298602038350774452014-05-18T11:47:00.001-07:002014-05-18T11:49:32.944-07:00MeekinOnMovies On....The Amazing Spider-man 2<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static2.hypable.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/amazing-spider-man-2-kid-photo-hd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://static2.hypable.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/amazing-spider-man-2-kid-photo-hd.jpg" height="266" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i> "I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us
strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even
though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the
most. Even our dreams."</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i>- Aunt May ("Spider-Man 2" 2004) </i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">There's a scene about halfway through The Amazing Spider-man 2 where a nerdy 9-year-old kid being bullied is saved when Spidey swings in, scares the bullies, fixes the nerdy kid's science project with a little webbing, tells him he's a super smart kid, and walks him home. </span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span></span>
<br>
<a href="http://meekinonmovies.blogspot.com/2014/05/meekinonmovies-onthe-amazing-spider-man.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0