Comic Book Review: Civil War II

Hello Enthusiasts,

Marvel's comic book event Civil War was a wonderful, accessible story for readers. It brought up a point that, at the time, hadn't been explored too heavily in any major Marvel or DC events, where the government decides to force all super-powered beings to work as agents. It was creative but so obvious, because of course the government would do something like that. The event went over so well that it became the plot behind the third Captain America movie in the MCU (kind of) and Marvel decided to put together a sequel. Today, I will review Civil War II and there will be some Spoilers Below, though I will try to keep them at a minimum.

This event follows two teams of heroes, with their figureheads being Iron Man and Captain Marvel. The point of contention between these groups is a new Inhuman that has the power to see events that have yet to occur. This Inhuman, Ulysses, was actually just a regular student that ended up being exposed to Terrigen Mist, which changed him. Ulysses sees a horrific future in his first vision, an apocalyptic type of future, and eventually approaches the heroes about it. Some of his smaller, more short term visions end up coming true, and Captain Marvel's team is able to prevent some tragedies because of that. However, not everyone is on board with following this new early-warning system that the heroes have. Iron Man in particular is opposed to this idea, because the future isn't set and the predictions could end up causing more harm than good. The two sides fight it out, there are losses on each side, and there's a pretty clean wrap-up of the whole event right within the pages of this story.

There are some things that do work very well in this story. For starters, the art is clean and enjoyable. I really enjoy the work of David Marquez, and he has a history of working with Brian Michael Bendis and conveying these stories well through his illustration. I also love when these events include a lot of different heroes and series that I enjoy, since some of the other Marvel events end up having a smaller scope of heroes (Original Sin, Siege, Secret War). This event also made an effort to lay some groundwork for major changes in the Marvel universe moving forward, even though not all of them stuck. I also enjoyed a bit of the character building in this story, especially Captain Marvel. It can seem like she's being hard-headed about this whole thing and not willing to listen to any opposition on the topic, but she's taking a similar stance to Iron Man's in the first Civil War. She knows that there's some moral ambiguity with what she's doing, and she doesn't enjoy arresting the heroes that have done so much good in the past, but she feels that she is doing what's best for the world. She sees these visions coming true and takes a risk based on their previous accuracy. There are other characters who have deeper plots like this one, but I can't really go into them without spoiling major plots of the story.

While there are some positives for this limited series, there are some drawbacks that I need to rant about a bit. First of all, this was not nearly as fresh of an idea as the first Civil War. Acting on predictions from the future, arresting people that haven't committed any crimes yet, having a group that is adamantly opposed to the actions, these are ideas and plots that have been explored numerous times in the past. All Marvel adds to the worn plot is superheroes, and it's still not as strong of a story a the film Minority Report. Don't get me wrong, the writing is strong, as all of Bendis' work is, but Marvel just didn't have enough to add to this kind of story to make it feel worthwhile. It's also frustrating that some many of the threads from this book end up going nowhere in the larger universe. Sure, some of them play out for a bit, like Iron Man being put out of commission near the end of the book, which set up for Iron Heart's short series, but he's back in the game before long.

I also have a significant gripe about Iron Man's side in this. I know that a character can grow and change over time, and there are events early in this book that are impactful to Iron Man and his perception of using Ulysses power. However, Tony Stark was arresting heroes who were out risking their lives for people because they wouldn't sign up to work for the government in the first Civil War series. He locked up friends, allies that he had for years, and said that it was all worth it. Even after Captain America was killed while in custody after the events of that series, Tony still moved forward with the Avengers Initiative and spearheaded the team of government heroes. To say that he would be opposed to something preventing major tragedies because there's some grey area around whether or not the visions can be trusted feels like a bit of a stretch. He mentions that he has an understanding of time, that it is always changing and that there's an ebb and flow to it, which helps swallow the pill of his opposition a bit, but it really feels like his stance is just so we can have a powerful figurehead to oppose Captain Marvel.

Overall, this comic isn't bad, but I wouldn't call it a priority read. Yes the art is excellent and the writing is solid, but the story that Bendis was told to write for isn't as strong as it could have been. It feels less like this was an event that we were building to and more as a set up for future lines of comics. Feel free to pick it up, it's certainly not the worst book in my collection, but I can certainly recommend others before this one.

I give Marvel's Civil War II a 5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: The Walking Dead (Seasons 3 and 4)

Hello Enthusiasts,

A while back I reviewed seasons 1 and 2 of the Telltale Games series The Walking Dead, which you can find here. Telltale Games has closed down since then, but the series was finished with two final seasons. Today I will be reviewing the final two seasons of the series, and know that you are in for Some Spoilers, though I will keep them at a minimum.

The third game, titled A New Frontier, switches away from being a completely Clementine focused story. The main character in this game is Javi, a former baseball player that is traveling around with a few select members of his family. He meets up with Clementine pretty early on, they find a large settlement of survivors to join, and drama ensues. It's not too long before everything goes south, and Javi must work with Clementine to survive and save those that they care about. The plot does feel pretty similar to other Walking Dead stories that can be found in the TV shows, comics, and other games, but the it's the characters that make this game enjoyable. Clementine is aggressive and understandably damaged by the world that she has grown up in. She's protecting an infant, AJ, and she could not care less about anyone else at the start of the game. She's not necessarily mean, but she is very wary of others. Javi has a deep history with his family as well, though he didn't live a perfect life before the rise of the walkers. Together they work through a difficult situation and really make the player want the best for the both of them.

The forth season, simply titled The Final Season, ran into some issues while in production. The first two episodes were released like normal, and then Telltale Games shut down with little-to-no warning for those working on the game. It looked as though it would end there, but several members of the team that had worked at Telltale Games decided to push forward with the last two episodes. These folks, who had moved on to Skybound Games, worked with their new employer to finish the final season and get it out to the fans. With all of this drama, it would make sense that the last season would be sub-par to the rest, but the final season of this series is potentially the best one in the series. It's deep, emotional, and compelling all the way through. The season follows Clementine as she raises a young AJ with the intention to help him grow into the best possible version of himself. This is wildly difficult in this kind of world that has seen so much death and destruction. It puts Clementine into a role similar to that which Lee had in the first season. They do find another compound, which is run entirely by children, and it seems like a better place for them than anything else they've found so far. Again, drama ensues, but I won't spoil anything else for the story as this is the end of the entire run.

It is difficult to convey how well these stories are told. It's gotten to the point where it feels like I have a direct connection with Clementine through these games, and that cannot happen without the wonderfully gripping storytelling that happens in this series, these two games especially. I know that I've already gone over it a bit, but these games are nothing without an interesting story, so much of their success is built on getting the player invested in the situations and having them care about the characters, and this game gets it so right. I also don't want to discount how good of a character Javi is, because it can get easy to just focus on Clementine, but Javi was great. His story was deep, a past riddled with a bit of betrayal and blame for the deaths of loved ones. I only had one game with this character, but I would have pushed for him to live above others even if I was playing as someone else. Outside of the stories and characters though, the game still has a lot of positive stuff to stand on. I didn't run into any technical issues with these two entries, though I would still die from time to time as some of the quick time events require...well...very quick timing. The final game also introduced an additional combat element where you can stun a walker by kicking out its leg. This is faster than going for the kill right away, which is needed when facing down an entire horde. I also enjoyed the added element in the final season of collectables, which made exploring the areas seem worthwhile, even if the objective in the area was obvious.

My only complaint with these two entries into the series is the same as I had previously; some of the  events and outcomes are completely locked in regardless of your choices. This isn't apparent unless you play through the game more than once or watch videos online, but it can take away some of the tension in a situation when you know that. Now some choices do greatly impact the game, so still treat all of them in such a way, but I would have appreciated some radically different outcomes based on choices.

At the end of the day, these games aren't for everyone. I know there are a lot of people who prefer the high-octane thrill of a first-person shooter like Call of Duty or the frustrating grind of a game like Dark Souls, and that's completely fine. For anyone looking to play a great story that doesn't offer as much in regards to fast-paced action, this is an absolute recommend. This whole series has been fantastic, and these final two games bring it to the next level. They're emotional, engaging, and entertaining for anyone that enjoys these types of games.

I give seasons 3 and 4 of The Walking Dead a 9.5 out of 10.

Overall, I give the entire series a 9 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Jurassic World Evolution

Hello Enthusiasts,

My favorite computer game when I was younger was Sim Theme Park. I would spend hours building a park, managing the budget, making sure the guests were satisfied, reading their comments on what could be better, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I've been trying to find an up-to-date version of that game that is just as satisfying, but nothing seems to live up to that. The Roller Coaster Tycoon games are fun, but they seemed to be missing something, some missing ingredient that brought Sim Theme Park to the next level . So when I heard that there was a new theme park builder available with a Jurassic Park theme to it (but not the mobile game), I decided to give it a go. Today, I will be reviewing Jurassic World Evolution. 

The game has you traveling to the same grouping of islands that we've seen in the movies, which are called the Muertes Archipelago in game. You go from one island to another to either build a park from scratch or expand the few existing facilities to create a successful Jurassic Park. You're in charge of security, you'll pay for teams to dig up fossils that can be used to rebuild the genomes of more dinosaurs, you have to ensure the welfare of the dinos, as well as a ton of other tasks. To guide you through these tasks, you have a team of advisors that will chime in and offer you objectives that will help lead you in the right direction to build your park. Some of these people are new faces, while others are recurring characters from the films, including Dr. Ian Malcom who is voiced in-game by Jeff Goldblum. As you build one park up and increase its overall rating, the other islands will slowly open up to you, all of which come with their own obstacles to overcome. When you do unlock the original island, Isla Nublar, you will be treated to a sandbox experience where you can use any research from your other islands, and you have unlimited funds to build with. It's only with getting parks to a full five star rating and completing tasks for the various teams that you unlock all of the content in this game, so it does incentives the player to keep going after all five islands have been opened up.

I found that a lot worked with the game. It does allow you to do a lot on your own without directly following the missions, but the missions are mostly helpful in advancing the park. I loved keeping track of everything and building my own paddocks for the dinosaurs, as well as ensuring that I was keeping certain dinosaurs separate unless I was looking for them to fight. The management system for the stores and restaurants in the park is more than I expected, allowing me to control what food is served and what price to charge, keeping in mind that guests won't pay ridiculous prices. The game also has you place viewing areas for the dinosaurs, and a paddock with a poorly planning viewing area won't bring in as many guests as one where they can see most of the area where the creatures roam. The game also incorporates a decent bit of detail in regard to caring for the dinosaurs. They all have specific needs in regard to what food they eat, having access to water, and how much space and foliage they require to be comfortable. If the dinosaurs aren't kept comfortable, they will become aggressive and break through their fences. If this happens, your guests will being in danger and you'll need to have a team tranquilize the creature. The dinosaurs can also get sick and need to have a ranger team medicate them in order for them to survive. It's all of this extra detail that keeps the game interesting as you build your parks and increase your revenue, because there are always possible issues that can arise.

While I don't have a lot to complain about here, there are some things that bug me with this game. One of my biggest problems is not being able to transfer funds from one park to another. At one point I had a park that was making over $800,000 a minute, but I couldn't send any of that over to my park that kept getting hit with storms and needed the cash to make repairs. I also feel like the terrain adjustment tool could use a bit more detail. An easy fix would be something that lets me know the actual elevation of an area so I can try to match it with other nearby areas for building purposes instead of having me try to eyeball it. That has been a bit of a recurring frustration as I've been playing through these islands. Also, a small complaint, but there's no way to change the color of the buildings in the game. There's an entire system of researching different DNA sequences so you can have different colored dinosaurs of the same species, yet I don't have the option to paint any of my buildings a different color. I know it's petty, but it feels like a simple mechanic that could have been included and would have added another layer of enjoyment for me.

With all of that being said, this is a great theme park builder. It incorporates some of my favorite elements from other builders, plus it has the added fun of maintaining dinosaurs. It does have some issues, but it is overall a solid recommend from me if you enjoy these types of games at all.

I give Jurassic World: Evolution an 8.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: The Witness

Hello Enthusiasts,

Today, I will be reviewing a game that I would not have played at all if it wasn't free on PS Plus this month. Today, I will be reviewing the puzzle game The Witness. I'm not sure if anything I will say will qualify for this, but note that there may be some very mild Spoilers Below.

The game follows your unnamed character as they walk around and solve a plethora of puzzles. You'll travel from location to location, with each one offering slightly different types of puzzle and/or puzzles of varying difficulty. Once you solve all of the puzzles in a location, a laser will rise from the area and fire a beam at a fixed location on top of the mountain. Once all of the locations have been completed, the final area at the top of the mountain opens up to be solved. It's a short synopsis, but the game really doesn't offer much in terms of a story.

I will say that some of the puzzles in this game do offer a challenge. There were times where I would roam around for 10 or 15 minutes trying to figure out how to solve a single one. Some of them are pretty straightforward, while other require a bit more creativity to solve, such as the puzzles that require that the player view them from behind a tree to see the solution. I also have to compliment the art in the game, which is wonderful. Everything is bright, colorful, and somewhat stylized. There's a lot of attention to detail, from the trees to the dilapidated buildings and even the weird states that you'll find around the island. I also appreciated the soundtrack, which was fitting for each environment and seemed to change seamlessly.

My biggest issue with the game is the assumption that everything can be intuitive. There are absolutely no instructions in the game, nothing to let you know what your doing. It doesn't even prompt you that this is a puzzle game when you start, you're just standing there and walk over to a puzzle. The game tries to introduce you to new types of puzzles by having easier areas, but without a map being available and not being given much in terms of a sense of direction, it's very easy to breeze right past those areas. I am all for treating your players with some respect and not hand-holding them through everything, but this game takes it a bit too far. In that same vein, I also think the game could have benefitted from a hint system for the more difficult areas. Nothing that gives too much away, I still enjoyed figured the puzzles out on my own, but something that can at least point the player in the right direction.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this game. It does have its flaws, primarily its stance that it doesn't need to offer the player any information, but it was satisfying to complete the puzzles in here. If you're not one . who enjoys difficult puzzles that may take a while to finish, this isn't the game for you. However, if you do like that kind of thing, this game offers a challenge that may just scratch that itch.

I give The Witness a 6.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Retro Game Review: Star Wars - The Force Unleashed

Hello Enthusiasts,

Star Wars games don't have the best history. Most of these games are either debatably good or downright terrible. There are a few exceptions to this, and today I look at one that is often put into this category, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. As always, there may be some Spoilers Below. 

The game starts off strong, as the prologue has the player learn basic controls by playing as Darth Vader. After slaughtering endless waves of Wookiees, Vader finds the Jedi he was looking for (to murder), as well as a force-sensitive child. Vader takes on this child as his apprentice, and he becomes our protagonist for the duration of the game. Known only as Starkiller, Vader's apprentice trains to the point of being able to hunt down the few Jedi left in the galaxy since the Clone Wars. We find out that Vader's ultimate goal is to use Starkiller to kill Emperor Palpatine. Is that all there is to it though? The game throws some low-levels twists into the story that, while apparent from a mile away, do add enough variety to justify the story's end.

More than any other Star Wars game I've played, this game uses force powers very well. As the story progresses Starkiller gains access to more and more powers. He can use a force push, a force grip, force lighting, create a lighting shield, a shockwave called force repulse, and throw his lightsaber using the force. All of these attacks would drain Starkiller's force energy, though it refills relatively quickly. Having multiple ways to defeat enemies without ever engaging them in combat grants a feeling of real force mastery. The block button also allows Starkiller to deflect most laser fire, and after upgrading the ability he can block one or two blasts at a time without even having to press block. The levels take place on a variety of different worlds, which are all pretty well built out, and the game is rich with Star Wars lore. I also enjoyed some of the different collectable pieces in the game. There are a variety of different colors for the lightsaber, as well as compressed and unstable versions of each color. On top of that, there are different power crystals for the lightsaber as well, which allow the saber some different abilities (added damage, electrical damage, force powers costing less force energy, etc). Having such variety for the lightsaber and having to only pick one made for some difficult decisions on what to sacrifice, though the game allows the player to change them freely. Each level also has Starkiller in a different costume, which can be changed to any of the ones that he had worn previously (though changing the costume causes the player to start the entire level over, so it's better to make that decision earlier on on).

Not everything for this game is fantastic though. The graphics are certainly dated, especially in the cutscenes. The melee combat is also frustrating, as a number of the enemies won't have any slowdown when hit with the lightsaber and can just hit you as you're slashing them. This is especially frustrating when you're trying to fight three or four of these enemies simultaneously.  Some of the platforming in the game is also irritating, as the movement controls aren't perfectly designed and some of the sections require precision. There are some other small issues, such as a few bugs with the enemies and some lag, but my biggest complaint lies with the loading times. Levels will take a while to load, and levels are broken up into two or three sections. I had to wait for over a minute for some of levels to load just their second section, and it gets annoying after a while. This could be overlooked, but even the pause screen and the upgrade screen have extended wait times. It could take fifteen or twenty seconds just to get to the upgrade screen, which is only two button clicks away from playing the game. It's bad enough that I was completely aware of the wait times throughout the duration of the game, I never got used to it. Little things like that, just a few added seconds for everything, can take away a great deal of the immersion that the game often does so well.

Despite any of my complaints, this is a good Star Wars game at the end of the day. There was certainly room for improvement, but it's not hard to see why this game is remembered so fondly. If you're a fan of the series and have a compatible system to play on, this game is certainly a good buy. You may get frustrated with some things, but you'll likely enjoy the experience overall.

I give Star Wars: The Force Unleashed a 7.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review - Stardew Valley

Hello Enthusiasts,

Sometimes we all feel like we need to get away from the hustle of the 9 - 5 job. Some of us play games, others watch TV, some will jump into a book, and others will quit their job and move to their old family farm to grow crops and have an adventure. Today's game is all about that last one, as I will be reviewing Stardew Valley. Keep in mind, as always, that there may be some Spoilers Below. 

The game begins with your character receiving a letter from their grandfather, who says not to open it until the time is right to make a change. Cut to years later, your character is a desk jockey that seems miserable, like they've just had enough. It's at this point that they reach into the drawer and pull out the letter, which allows them to move to the old plot of land that their family owns in Stardew Valley. From here, you control the character as they start a farm/fish/get to know the towns people/explore dungeons and kill monsters. The goal of the game is to get rich, run the farm, maybe get married and have children, whatever you want really.

This game is surprisingly fun. Everything is fairly intuitive and I ended up enjoying a lot of it. From the farming to the fighting, everything so far has felt perfectly put together. The graphics are simple but enjoyable, and the different music is wonderfully suited to the different scenarios that trigger it. Every accomplishment feels like it carries a real sense of achievement, making it one of those "just five more minutes" types of games. The more I would learn and discover within the game, the more I wanted to play. I was also impressed with the depth of the stories in the game. Everything feels pretty shallow near the start, with one-dimensional characters that speak to you one sentence at a time. However, the more you get to know the townspeople, the more complex they seem. Shane, who works at the gigantic supermarket that recently moved into town, is an alcoholic that is fighting depression. Kent, a character that comes back from the military in the second in-game year, struggles with PTSD and just returning to civilian life in general. You get closer to these characters by speaking with them often and giving them gifts. You can even romance any of the single characters in the game, which can blossom into marriage with children. There's so much to this game that I have to work to keep myself from rambling about everything that I love.

With all of those great things to say, surely there must be some rough parts to the game, right? Well, outside of some frustration that comes with missing opportunities within the game and some slight monotony with crops near the beginning. Also, while most of the aspects of the game are pretty intuitive, there are a few hard lessons to learn, like all of your spring crops dying right on the first day of summer. These are small complaints compared to the overall positives though, and I don't think it takes away much from my ability to recommend this game. If you haven't seen or played it before, you should jump in, even if it isn't normally your type of game.

I give Stardew Valley a 9 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

First Impressions Game Review: The Surge

Hello Enthusiasts,

Some people enjoy easy games that they can stroll through mostly for the story and some breezy gameplay. Others enjoy games that pose a challenge, but eventually see the player become an insane force to be reckoned with. There's also a group that laves a game that will beat them down and make them scream at their screen. Today I will be reviewing one such game, a game that is in the same vein as Dark Souls and Bloodborne in that regard. Today, I give my first impressions review The Surge. I'm not going to wait to beat the game and give a full review of the game just yet, as it is likely going  to be some time before I'll be finishing this one up. Of course, be ready for some Spoilers Below. 

The game takes place in the not-to-distant future and follows our main character, Warren. He's a wheelchair bound man on his way to CREO, a gigantic tech conglomerate that augments their employees so they can keep up with their mechanical co-workers. From the start, the player is able to choose a smaller, weaker, and faster build or a larger, stronger, slower build. From here, Warren is put into an automated surgery, which neglects to give him any anesthetic for the procedure, leading to a scene of him being in extreme agony. He wakes up to find that nearly all of the other augmented workers have become insane killers and most of the technology in the facility is out to kill him. He is guided by one executive, Sally, as he fights through the enemies and tries to uncover what exactly happened.

While not the greatest tale ever told, it's a decent enough story that has enough mystery to keep your attention.

As I mentioned up top, this is not a game for those looking for an easy time. None of the enemies in the game are very easy to read, and even one slip-up against a random enemy could mean losing a chunk of health. It's a game that keeps you on your toes and demands your focus. For every enemy that is defeated, you collect some scrap metal and random parts that can be used to upgrade your rig and craft new parts. I enjoyed this element, because it caused me some debate when I would head out on whether I should risk damage by fighting every enemy to get some scrap, or if I should try to surpass some of them and save my health. I enjoyed the combat, which allows you target specific parts of enemies to increase your chances of getting a certain part. The different weapons all have slightly different feels, with some being slow and powerful, while others are very quick and land weaker hits. I personally found that I did best with one of the more middle-of-the-road weapons that I spent my time and resources upgrading. Which, by the way, I really appreciated the upgrade system. Upgrading the weapons and armor that you craft is a great way to get an edge, but upgrading your rig improves your overall stats, and when you reach milestones in the upgrade process you can add additional abilities.

I also wanted to point out two specific features that I consider improvements over other games like this one. First of all, there is a pause screen in this game, which is a life-saver. As much I understand that other games really wanted to push the difficulty of the game by not having a pause screen available, it was something I always hated, because it meant that I couldn't grab a drink, use the restroom, or do anything else when playing the game. The added pause screen is a huge plus. The other solid addition come in the form of more paths back to a safe point. In other games, it could be a very long time before you found another way back to the point where you could save and store what had been collected. This game only has one safe point per map, but they offer a new way to get there and to skip ahead in the level far more frequently. With this one, I can be more understanding of people saying that it takes away from the difficulty, because it does mean that the player can heal up more frequently. However, the stress of the game is still there, and for someone like me this system puts the game just within the realm of not being too discouraging.

So I've ranted a bit about what works in this game, but where does it fall short? Well, some of the things I mentioned earlier do get annoying. While the game does add difficulty by making enemies harder to read, it does go too far sometimes with having little-to-no signs to let you know an attack is coming. Add on top that the dodging can be a little slow and uses the same energy as attacking does, and it can lead to some frustrating damage being received. The heavy weapons are also pretty useless. The smaller/faster weapons and the more balanced weapons are really the only viable options, because most of your enemies will not take their time in attacking you, so a slow swing is wildly inefficient. Even though other games have including a similar weapon range of fast and weak vs. slow and powerful, there were ways to effectively use each weapon against the enemies based on your play style. Also, while I am still playing through the game, it seems like more could have been done with having a mech suit. The scope of possibilities seems limited to just a few things, which I hope would be improved in a potential sequel.

Overall, I really enjoy this game. It's stressful, it has heard some choice words from me, but it is also satisfying. It certainly isn't everyone's thing, and it isn't a must-have game, but I found it enjoyable. If you feel like you want a bit of a challenge in your next game, I recommend adding this one to your queue of games to play.

While I have not yet finished the game, I currently give The Surge a 6 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Retro Game Review: The Godfather II

Hello Enthusiasts,

I'm a big fan of the first two Godfather movies, they're some of the best movies of all time in regards to story and character development. I am, of course, not alone in this thought, as these movies are loved by the majority of filmgoers. So with all of this excitement behind a decades-old series of movies, Paramount Pictures and EA Games decided to cash in and create some games. Now I reviewed the first game already, which you can find here, so today I'm going to take a look at the second entry into the series, The Godfather II. Does it follow the footsteps of the movie and live up to, perhaps even surpass, its predecessor? Let's take a look.

So this game doesn't follow the story of the movie as closely as the first game did. In this game, you play Dominic, a made man for the Corleone family who has just been given his own sub-family to run. From here you take over the businesses of the rival families while managing your own. There are some beats from the movie, like Michael Corleone going to court because of his ties to organized crime and the revolution in Cuba. There are also familiar characters here in the form of Fredo, Hyman Roth, Frank Pentangeli, and others, but the game is mostly a focus on your character. Your goal is to take over all of the available businesses in New York and Florida, as well as do some additional work in Cuba. As you take over businesses and eliminate other families, your own family begins to grow, and you have more resources at your disposal.

This game has a decent amount going for it. The controls all work well, and the gunplay is mostly solid. I enjoyed managing my family, as each member will has one or a few skills that they can use to infiltrate business and compounds, as well as during combat. However, not every member of your family could go around with you, so you end up having to decide who you want to travel with and who can help you defend what you already own. The game also gives bonuses for holding all of a type of business, such as extended ammo clips, kevlar vests, faster rebuild time if one of your businesses gets bombed, etc. The upgrade system for you and your family is basic, but I appreciate that they did put one in there. One of the biggest improvements I felt from the previous game was the driving, which was pretty weak in the last entry. This game's driving isn't perfect, but I could drift around corners at high speed more efficiently than in the last game.

Despite all of the positive, this game is far from perfect. The character models are certainly flawed, even with the main characters. If I saw Michael Corleone on the street in this game without any indication that it was him, I would think it's just another random citizen. The world also seems a lot less populated than the last game. I walked around New York for a solid five minutes and saw only six cars drive by me, whereas the last game had a much more dense population. Also, not only is it less populated, but the game feels smaller. Yes, there are three separate maps in this game, but each one feels as large as one of the five burrows from the last game. Plus, by making them separate like this, you have to get on a plane and wait through a loading screen. There are far fewer business to take over, and it feels like they tried to make up for that by having each one be vulnerable to being taken over again by other families. Ultimately, it just feels like less effort was put into this game than the last title.

So while I certainly wouldn't call this a bad game, there is certainly something left to be desired. It could have been a natural progression from the first game, improving on shortcomings and keeping up with the ever-advancing technology, but it instead feels like a cash-grab. Play it if you have the appropriate system and find it cheap somewhere, but otherwise you can likely find a better game of this type.

I give The Godfather II a 5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Dragon Ball Fighterz

Hello Enthusiasts,

Confession time: I am not very good at fighting games. This has always been the case for me, despite any practice I put in. I really enjoyed the Injustice games, and I put a lot of hours into them, but I was still losing nearly every fight when I would go head-to-head with another player. Up until now, there has only been one exception to that with the Super Smash Brothers games, but that changed fairly recently with Dragon Ball Fighterz. Does that make it a good game? I'll review the title below, but don't worry about spoilers, I promise I won't spoil anything big about this game.

This game's setup is similar to the setup of the Marvel Vs. Capcom series in that you have three fighters to use, though you can only fight with one at a time. This means that you will strategically call back and put out fighters as they're needed. The fight controls are pretty basic: There's a light attack, medium attack, smash attack, and Ki attack. There's also the ability to fly at the enemy, which can help close distance, there's a rush attack that can break guards, and there are, of course, special attacks. You can call in your other fighters for a short assist without actually changing them out, but that does put them in harm's way for a moment.

So those are the basics, but what works in this game? To start, the basic combos are very simple to pull off, even for me, so it can be easy to look good while you play this game and really rack up some damage on the enemy. I also love that the longer a combo goes, the less damage each consecutive hit will cause, which means that getting caught in a good player's combo doesn't mean the end for that fighter (most of the time). On the most basic level though, the fighting is just fun. It's designed in a way that can really get the adrenaline going, and these matches can often come down to who can land the final hit on either side. The art is perfect for this game, some of the dialogue and cutscenes are fun, and each fighter really does have their own play styles (though some vary more than others).

Now it may sound like the perfect fighting game, but not every aspect of the game is a hit. First of all, the story mode is a mess. It's not very intriguing, it doesn't actually let you play as all of the characters that the game has, and it takes a while to get through. On top of all of that, you have to go through all three of the story arcs in order to unlock one of the new fighter, Android 21, unless you're willing to just pay for her. The other issue has to due with the character's included in the game. Now don't get me wrong, they did include a good number of characters, but some of their choices seem a little strange. Not including any DLC characters, there are two different versions of Gohan and Vegeta, and three different versions of Goku (if you include Goku Black). When you take into account the possible DLC that can be bought, both Goku and Vegeta have any additional version of themselves, plus you can buy Vegito, and the Dragon Ball GT version of Goku is being released soon. This wouldn't bother me so much, but they have all of these versions of characters while they leave out so many others. Even taking into account the DLC characters, we can't play as Raditz, Kefla, Auta Magetta, Master Roshi, Turles, Janemba, Lord Slug, Android 19, or countless others. I know a lot of those are minor characters, but it's still strange to have so many versions of Goku when you're leaving out other potential fighters. Now, more of these characters could become playable in the future with additional DLC, but it is an issue I have with the game right now.

It may seem like I had a lot more negative things to say than positives, but I do enjoy this game every time I play it. It has room for improvement, but I consider it to be one of the best fighting games out there, especially for a player like me. If you enjoy fighting games or the Dragon Ball franchise, this is a definite recommend from me.

I give Dragon Ball Fighterz an 8 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

TV Review: The Umbrella Academy

Hello Enthusiasts,

I usually stick to comic books, video games, and books for my reviews, but every once in a while I do like to venture into the world of television. This isn't as common for me because there are so many hours of content involved with a show, as well as the weekly format of TV, but streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have certainly made it a lot easier to do so. With that in mind, today I will be reviewing the Netflix television series The Umbrella Academy, which premiered earlier in 2019. Keep in mind that there will be some Spoilers Below. 

The show follows six adults that were born and raised under unusual circumstances. Their mothers gave birth to them at the exact same time, after exhibiting no signs of pregnancy at all. They were then adopted by an eccentric billionaire, Reginald Hargreeves. He suspects that these newborns will exhibit superpowers, and he is not disappointed, as six of the seven children that he adopts do grow into some powers. Reginald trains these children to be a team of young crime fighters called The Umbrella Academy, but all is not as awesome as it seems. Reginald is not exactly "Dad of the Year" material. He is cold and distant with the children, only interacting with them when it is relevant to their training or missions. He builds a robot mother to care for them rather than doing any of the work himself, and the training that he puts the children through ranges from uncomfortable to downright cruel. However, the show actually starts with the death of Reginald, and children (now adults) coming together for the first time in years to mourn his death. They don't all get along, but it turns out that they will need to band together from here to stop a terrible event, which I won't give away any further.

Quick plot summery highlights: There are six children left, there are super-powers, they're all a little messed up psychologically due to their upbringing, and they have to save the world.

So what works in this show? The actors all do a great job with their roles, some of which are a emotionally heavy parts. The effects were mostly on point, although some of them did miss the mark a little. The dialogue was very natural, despite some of the hyper-realized aspects of the show.  However, one of my favorite parts of the show has to do with the tone of the series. You would expect a show like this to mostly be a dark/serious series, and there is definitely a good bit of that, but there are some moments of genuine levity as well. Just one early example in the show has five of the Umbrella academy members in different rooms of the mansion after a large disagreement. One of them, Luthor, puts on a record that can be heard throughout the house, although he doesn't seem to realize it. Slowly, all five of the characters in the house start to dance to the music without realizing anyone else is. It shows all of them dancing (terribly) room by room, until the camera pans out to show the house in a doll-house like view so you can see everyone enjoying the music for a moment. It's a small scene that doesn't last long, but it was enough to bring a smile to my face in a show that deals with a lot of heavier moments.

Despite my praise though, the show is not perfect. Even though I did like the story, a lot of the twists can be seen from a mile away, including the big one at the end. The show does kinda breeze over a few things that could have been explained a bit more, though I did appreciate that it didn't feel like they were holding my hand the entire time. It could be that they were saving a bit of that content for the second season that they were recently renewed for, but I do have questions that need to be answered. There were also a few story beats that the show hit on very frequently. Easy example: one of the Umbrella members, Diego, has taken his crime-fighting habit into adulthood as a vigilante. His ex-girlfriend is a detective with the police, they speak multiple times about how Diego wants her to do things his way and she wants him to do things her way. There are a couple things like that, things that just get old after a bit.

With all of that being said, how's the show overall? It's very good, a recommend from me for sure. Yeah, it has issues and content that was obviously being saved for season two that could have really been in this first one, but it's still an enjoyable watch. If you need a comic-book based show that isn't one of the Marvel or DC based ones, this is a solid choice. I am looking forward to getting a second season of this, it's another bit of content from Netflix that they seem to have gotten right.

I give The Umbrella Academy an 8 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Ranking the Nintendo Consoles

Hello Enthusiasts,

I love Nintendo. They're a great developer that have built a decent track record over the years. There have been highs and lows, but the one thing that they always seems to do is innovate. Whether their new product is amazing or lackluster, they generally seem to be very different from what had been tried last. So today, I would like to rank the main Nintendo consoles. I am going to do my best to avoid factoring my nostalgia for certain consoles here, but I can't say that won't trickle in at all. I'm also only going over the main consoles, so you won't see any of the gameboys or any of Nintendo's strange side projects. My criteria for these rankings will be as follows: how well they did commercially, how good was the game library, and how innovative the technology was for the console.

7. WiiU

So this one is kind of obvious based on sales alone, as it remains the worst selling Nintendo console to date. While they did try to innovate with the second screen on the controller, it was a bit too bulky and it wasn't very fluid to keep looking from the TV to your handheld while playing. The WiiU didn't have too many games due to very few third party developers being involved, but some of the games it had were outstanding. Here are just some of the highlights: Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros WiiU, Bayonetta 2, Super Mario Maker, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, Super Mario Bros U, and Captain Toad Treasure Tracker. It was a console that didn't live up to its potential, and it remains one of Nintendo's biggest misses, but at least there were some great games to play.

6. Gamecube

So this system wasn't very innovative when compared with the others (Nintendo was playing catch up with Sony in regards to using disks for their games), but it may have been the most durable system on the market. I had a terrible set up for my Gamecube where it sat about four feet off the ground and we played on wired controllers, so that thing took some falls, but it did not break. It sold moderately well, and there were so many good games on this system. Here are just some of the highlights: Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Brothers: Melee, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Pikmin, Mario Kart: Double Dash, Metroid Prime, Super Mario Sunshine, and Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. While the Gamecube itself may not have been a huge success for Nintendo, it did have one of the best and most versatile libraries of any of their consoles

5. SNES

The Super Nintendo was the follow-up to the wildly successful NES, and while a lot of people are wildly nostalgic for this system, it doesn't get higher on this list based on my criteria. While the graphics were a huge step up, jumping from 8 bits to 16, the console itself didn't innovate too much from the NES. Also, the Sega Genesis was doing similar work, so Nintendo didn't do anything graphically that the Sega couldn't do. The SNES did sell very well though, and the library for this system was well stocked with timeless classics. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario World, Super Metroid, Wario's Woods, Super Mario Kart, Starfox, Super Bomberman, Earthbound, and Yoshi's Island. There was a lot of the word "Super" going around in case you missed it. For a lot of people that I've spoken with, this was their first system, and remains one of their favorites.

4. N64

So if you want to talk about trying to innovate video game hardware, look at the controller for the Nintendo 64. It did have a weird shape, but it also had the first analog stick to be used in a home console. The console itself revolutionized gaming with it's 3D graphics, and the system was a major financial success for Nintendo. While some of the games have not aged well since this was the very beginning of 3D gaming, the system still had some amazing games. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, Goldeneye 007, Super Smash Brothers, Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Pokemon Snap, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Pokemon Stadium, and Doom 64. This is another system that is remembered more than fondly, with many people attributing their current love of video games to the time they spent with their N64.

3. NES

The Nintendo Entertainment System had to be high on this list, it checks off all of the boxes I have in quite a fashion. It sold very well, to the point of it being the staple of gaming at the time. Sure, there were other consoles, but none of them had that Nintendo Power! It was innovative in a number of ways, especially with the controller being so simple and intuitive. In a time where the competition was the Sega Master System and the Atari 7800, nobody could touch the NES. It's game library has also created long lasting characters and memorable experiences. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3, Contra, Mega Man 2, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania, Excite Bike, Kirby's Adventure, Ghosts and Goblins, and Tetris. It is the definition of a classic video game console, and one that I still have hooked up to my TV.

2. Wii

The Nintendo Wii is still the best selling Nintendo console of all time, and that comes in no small part from it being insanely innovative. It was the first console to effectively use motion controls (debatably the only console to effectively use motion controls), and Nintendo did not waste any time capitalizing on this. The system released with a simple motion-controlled game called Wii Sports, which ended up being a massive hit with the fans. Nintendo also introduced the Mii, and cartoon avatar that a player could create that could play in some games, including Wii Sports. The controller was well thought out, with an additional attachment for games that needed an analog stick and additional buttons. Plus, this system didn't skip out on an outstanding library of games. Here are just some of the highlights: Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii, Rhythm Heaven Fever, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Wii Fit, Super Mario Bros Wii, Metroid: Other M, Animal Crossing: City Folk, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The Wii was the perfect system to get released when it did, and Nintendo obviously put a lot of time and effort into this console. There's only one console that I would put above this one...

1. Switch

The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo's current console, and it is a massive success. It is the fastest selling console Nintendo has ever released, and it was the best selling console on the market in both 2017 and 2018. It is wildly innovative, allowing the console to be played on a TV or on the go, with detachable "Joycon" controllers available in either mode. The system can be played without separating the Joycons so it's more like a single piece, or players can buy more standard controllers. While many of the games on the Switch are ports from other systems, the first party library is nothing to mock. Here are just some of the highlights: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Pokemon: Let's Go, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, Mario Tennis Aces, Kirby: Star Allies, Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and Super Mario Party. Plus, with this being the current console, there are plenty of other games that are queued up for release, such as Yoshi's Crafted World, a new Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Maker 2, and a new generation of Pokemon games (Sword and Shield). Nintendo has also opened up some of their classic NES library for those who pay for the online service, and they continue to add games to that library every month. The Nintendo Switch may be the newest console and one that I don't have any nostalgic ties to, but I consider the Switch to be the most exciting project Nintendo has ever taken on.


So that's my ranking of the major Nintendo consoles. What did you think? Would you change some things around? Let me know by leaving a comment or messaging me on my twitter @BoredEnthusiast.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Super Mario Odyssey

Hello Enthusiasts,

Mario is one of, if not the, most recognizable characters in video games. People who may have never played a game before would likely recognize out Italian superstar. Nintendo has an outstanding record when it comes to their most popular character's main games, and today I will be reviewing the most recent addition to the franchise, Super Mario Odyssey. There isn't too much that I could give away with this game, but please be warned that there may be some Spoiler's Below.

So the main story itself isn't too surprising. King Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach with the intention of marrying her. This time though, he has the help of a sentient hat that allows him to defeat Mario in battle. This leaves Mario stranded in a strange new land, where he befriends his own headwear companion, Cappy. Together, they will work to save the Princess from claws of Bowser. To do this, Mario uses Cappy as a boomerang-like throwing object, and Cappy is able to possess other characters, by basically placing Mario inside these other creatures to control them directly. This allows Mario to do things and reach places that he would never be able to otherwise. This on its own wouldn't be enough to catch Bowser though, so they will use these abilities to find Power Moons, which are used to power Mario's new flying ship, the Odyssey (which looks like a giant red top hat with a giant balloon coming out of the top).

This game follows in the footsteps of its predecessors in being an amazing entry into the series. The new mechanics are a ton of fun, the controls quickly become second nature, and there is a ridiculous amount of content. There are over 800 power moons that can be found (though you don't need nearly that many to beat the game) and obtaining them ranges from super easy to frustratingly difficult, though I never felt like I was being cheated by the game. On top of that, the game is insanely smooth, I didn't experience any drag throughout the entire game. The art is often very interesting, and the soundtrack is perfect for each world the songs are attributed to. This title has so much going for it, it's hard to even mention it all without sounding longwinded. It's honestly easier to just go over the very few drawbacks, so I'll do that from here.

Really, I have only two complaints about this game. The first one involves the lack of consistency in regards to the depth of the worlds. Some of the worlds in this game are deep, amazing, and an absolute joy to play through. Others are more on the alright side, and a couple are just built for a boss battle, which makes going back to hunt the few remaining Power Moons there kind of boring. While I can't expect that every level would be as enjoyable as the Metro Kingdom (my absolute favorite), there are some real highs and lows. My only other complaint involves the difficulty. Not including the content after beating the main game, this is the easiest Mario game in the series. I didn't really feel challenged during the main story, and the only reason I didn't knock out the whole thing over a few days was because of the large amount of content in the game (which is not a complaint). Again, some of the content after beating the main story is significantly more difficult (especially the Darker Side of the Moon), so Nintendo did do something to cater to those of us who did want more of a challenge, but in such a great game, I needed to address any issues that I had.

Overall, this game is still one of the best on the Nintendo Switch. It's a bunch of fun, with hours of content to keep you entertained. I think even newer players to the series will find a lot to enjoy here. If you have a Switch and you haven't picked up this title, you're doing something wrong.

I give Super Mario Odyssey a 9 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Book to Movie: Ready Player One

Hello Enthusiasts,

Ready Player One is a story involving a border-line dystopian future where society hasn't crumbled, but the world is much worse than we have it now. Over-crowding and pollution have become rampant issues, and most of the people in the world have decided to distract themselves from these issues by diving into a wonderfully immersive VR experience called The Oasis. The Oasis has become so big over the years that it is the most lucrative business in the world. However, the creator/owner has recently passed away, leaving his fortune and the rights to the The Oasis up for grabs. Rather than leaving them to a trusted friend or family member (because he apparently didn't have either of those things), his last wish was to have the people in The Oasis participate in an elaborate easter egg hunt to decide who gets it all. Those who primarily participate in this are professional egg hunters, such as our main character, Wade Watts (or Parzival as he's known in The Oasis), and a big corporation called IOI.

Here are the basic highlights: There's an endless VR world with too many references to count (mostly from the 80's), some heavy-handed commentary on society, and a big evil CEO.

The novel was written by Ernest Clines, and it was later adapted into a film that was directed by Steven Spielberg. The book and movie may have the same basic plot, but nearly all of the details were changed for the film. Did one do it better than the other? For many, the immediate answer is yes, the book was much better than the movie (as you get with every adaptation), but I think this is more debatable than people often think. This starts with something that is leaned on very heavily for both adaptations, references to 80's pop culture. Due to the nature of the easter egg hunt, many people have become infatuated with content from the 1980's, so there are a ton of references throughout the story. By the very nature of the mediums that the audience experiences the story through, this is going to be a lot smoother in film. The book will have an entire page or two just describing all of the references Wade encounters in a room, while the movie can take two or three seconds to show us the room and move on. This means that the movie can reference more content in a shorter period of time and move forward with the story, rather than having to explain everything in painstaking detail.

Moving on, the easter egg hunt involves several challenges that need to be completed in The Oasis, and the challenges vary greatly between the different adaptations. I actually appreciate this, because it made the movie-going experience more interesting since I hadn't seen these challenges before. However, the book did do the challenges more justice. The movie's challenges felt like they could have been completed by anyone, where the challenges in the book were not as straight forward. In the movie, everyone knows where the first challenge is, it's a racetrack that nobody can beat. In the book, the first challenge is sealed away in a hidden cave on the school world, which is the only world that Wade really has any access to because he's poor and it costs money to travel from world to world. This adds an additional element to the story and makes it more believable that hard-core easter egg hunters hadn't been able to beat the challenge in the first few years of the hunt. Again, I appreciated that there were changes for the movie, but I feel like the book did these challenges better.

One difference between the two that I hadn't landed on either side of is the timeframe for the story. This story in the book happens over a long period of time, with months at a time being summarized until the next big event. The movie keeps the whole thing within the span of a week or so. While I appreciate that the movie pushes the idea that this easter egg hunt is a mad race once people get past the first challenge, I also really enjoyed the idea that each clue and challenge were so difficult and well thought out that nobody could get it right away. If I had to choose a side on this one, I think I would make it the book, if for nothing else than we get to see Wade grow up a bit as time goes on. The book version of Wade is definitely given more time to develop as a character than the movie allows.

There are several other changes and comparisons to make, but I can boil it down for you. Is the book better than the movie? Yes, but not by that big of a margin. The movie gets a lot of things right, and I think credit is due, even if it wasn't exactly a phenomenal film. However, if you haven't read the book or seen the movie, the best experience comes from doing them in that order. Enjoy the book for what it is, and enjoy the film for what it is. You'll enjoy the similarities and, if you allow yourself to keep an open mind, you may enjoy some of the differences as well.

Or you can hate them both, it's your call.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Retro Game Review: Luigi's Mansion

Hello Enthusiasts,

I love Luigi to a fault, he is by far my favorite Nintendo character and potentially my favorite in all of gaming. He's kinda shy, realistically terrified of all the crazy stuff happening around him, and super nice. He's usually given back seat to his more famous brother, but every once in a while he gets to shine on his own. Today I'll be reviewing what is probably his most well-known solo adventure, Luigi's Mansion for the Nintendo Gamecube. As always, there will likely be some Spoilers Below.

The game begins with Luigi following directions to a creepy mansion, which he enters tentatively. As it turns out, this home is infested with restless spirits, which begin to assault our hero in the green hat. He's saved by Professor E. Gadd, who is wielding his ghost-catching backpack, the Poltergust 3000. He brings Luigi back to his lab, where we learn that Luigi won this mansion as part of a contest that he never entered, and that the mansion popped up out of nowhere a few days ago. We also find out that Mario stopped by the mansion a few days prior and hasn't been seen since. So it's up to Luigi to capture the ghosts and find his older brother with the help of E. Gadd and his wacky equipment. I don't want to give away more of the story if you haven't played this one yet, but it is a good one.

As is the case with a lot of the older mainline Nintendo games, this title still holds up today. While the graphics are dated, Nintendo hasn't ever taken the super-realistic approach to their visuals, so even the dated games still don't look that bad. The controls could do with some improving, but they are mostly solid and straightforward. The game isn't as easy as one might think, as there are a lot of details to pay attention to between capturing the boss ghosts and checking the map before you try to enter a door to ensure that it's not a false door that will hurt you. Some of the boss battles are a lot of fun, and the actual mechanics of catching ghosts is one that I still enjoy to this day and it surprisingly doesn't get monotonous. Other abilities are acquired as you progress, such as shooting fire or ice from the Poltergust, and these are used to find and defeat some ghosts, as well as for problem solving.

My biggest complaint with this game has to do with the health system that's in place. If Luigi gets hurt, there isn't always a good way to recover without hunting around for hearts in the furniture. This can get especially frustrating when you defeat a difficult boss and then have to walk down hallways that are still infested with hostile spirits. I understand not making it too easy to heal, and I wouldn't be opposed to the system of finding hearts if there were more readily available after some of the more difficult battles. Also, while I don't find catching the ghosts to be dull, there are small ghosts such as mice and bats that get annoying. They take no work to catch, but there are so many of them that it can be annoying. Plus, if they even touch you they cause damage, so you'll often have to walk through some hallways with your Poltergust constantly on to suck them up before they touch you. It can take away the feeling that there might be something about to pop out at you and replaces it with the feeling that there are constant annoyances.

Overall, this is still a solid title that has provided me with several hours of entertainment. While I would love to get more Luigi-focused games, I'm okay with only having one series for the character since this is it. While it isn't flawless, you could do a whole lot worse. It's a game that I would recommend to almost anyone, and I can't wait for the newest installment to come out later this year.

I give Luigi's Mansion an 8.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Just Cause 4

Hello Enthusiasts,

There are a few video game series' that I have been a fan of for some years now. Mario, Splinter Cell, the Arkham games, just to name a few. One such series has been the Just Cause games by Square Enix, a fairly mindless series that I've enjoyed since the second game was released (after which I went back and played the original). So today, I will be reviewing the newest entry into this series, Just Cause 4. Is this the best game in the series? Read below with the knowledge that there may be some Spoilers Ahead.

Also, if you would like to refresh your memory regarding my thoughts about the previous title in this series, Just Cause 3, you can find that review at https://boredenthusiast.blogspot.com/2016/11/game-review-just-cause-3.html.

The very fact that I mentioned that there may be spoilers undermines everything that I love about this series, and it's a knock on this game that I cannot wait to mention. The forth installment in the series takes a lot of time going into the story of the game, something which none of the other games have done. This could be one of the worst moves possible, because these games have always been the video game equivalent of an over-the-top 80's action movie. The story has always been bare-bones so the player can get right to the action. But okay, maybe the team came up with a story that is so compelling and driven that we needed it, right?

The game follows our returning character, Rico Rodriguez, as he gets to another island, Solis, with another government that needs overthrowing. Armed with his grappling hook, endless parachute, and wingsuit, he attempts to overtake the weather-controlling weapon that has subdued the people of the island. Rico finds that he is severely overwhelmed and has to take down the government strategically rather than with a head on attack. To do this, he has to take down smaller stations and raise an "Army of Chaos". Sounds a lot like the previous games, but there are a few added twists. It turns out that Rico's father was one of the scientists who created this weapon, along with the uncle of one of Rico's  friends in the game, Mira. It also turns out that the mercenary group that has been plaguing Rico across some of his previous adventures, the Black Hand, is based out of this same island. The leader of the Black Hand, Oscar Espinosa, is the same person who controls the island, the weather machine, and was the person that had Rico's father killed. Also, it turns out the the Espinosa family has been working for generations to erase the rich history of the island, and one of the strong side stories is to uncover the true history of Solis, which may shed some negative light on the Espinosa family.
Also, The Agency (the government group that Rico worked for in the first two games) may have been behind some of this shady stuff, which brings Rico's old friend/enemy Sheldon back into the picture.

Look, it's a jumbled mess of a story that isn't as compelling as the short story of the third game (overthrow that dictator, who was the person that sold you to The Agency when you were a child).

Okay, so take out the story, what are the best parts of this game? Well, the diverse weather across the island is awesome, with twisters and sandstorms adding a lot of variety to the formula. The gunplay is as solid as it had been previously, with some new weapons added in to change things up. The game controls well overall and the environment is vast. There are also some fun additions to Rico's arsenal outside of new guns, such as balloons that can be used to lift up objects and added variety to some of the other gadgets that Rico has used in the past. There are some really fun side missions, both new as well as some that have carried over from prior entries. I personally have always loved the little side missions that don't take long, but add in some diversity to the game. And, of course, there are plenty of explosions to be had all over Solis, with more ways than ever to make things go "boom".

However, the story is not where my problems with this game ends. The graphics are a real downgrade from the third game, especially during the cutscenes. I mean, the characters in the cutscenes wouldn't look out of place in a PS2 game. Plus, several of these characters are wildly annoying, so having to hear them speak while they looked terrible was a bad experience all around. The driving feels kind of sloppy, more so than it had previously. Despite liking the addition of the balloons, I did not like the set up they had for the gadgets. Basically, you have to choose what your grapple does at any given time (it can connect things to reel together, it can add balloons, or it can add jet boosters to a surface). I feel like these would have worked better if they had all been mapped on the controller instead of having to choose what you're currently using, and to what extent. It was a good idea to add the variety, but it wasn't very well executed. I also wasn't a fan of the changes they made to Sheldon, who they basically just prettied up from the previous games.

There's also a problem that I can't seem to put my finger on the cause of, but it has to do with the overall feeling of the game. The third game felt so grand, everything felt so important and worthwhile, while this game just feels less important. I don't know, the stakes were still pretty high in the story of the game, but I just didn't feel as invested as I did during the third game.

So, how does this game compare with the others? I think it's mostly better than the first and second, but it falls short of the third game. It's not a terrible experience, but it was a disappointment after the third game blew me away the way that it did. The fact that I know this series can do so much better made me feel a lot worse about this game. There are better games that you can buy, including Just Cause 3, and I'm hoping that Just Cause 5 will continue the upward climb in quality that we were getting from this series prior to this entry.

I give Just Cause 4 a 5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Comic Book Review: All-Star Superman

Hello Enthusiasts,

For today's review I get to look at a nice, mostly self-contained story by one of the most prolific writers in comics. Not only that, but it's a story about the most famous superhero of all time, Superman! Today's review is of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's All-Star Superman. Of course, you can expect some big Spoilers Below.

It's a story that starts pretty standard for the Man of Steel. Some scientists got themselves stuck in the sun, and Superman is rescuing them. It shouldn't be a big deal, as Superman's powers are actually powered by the solar radiation that he absorbs from our yellow sun anyway, but that doesn't end up being the case. Superman has absorbed too much solar radiation, and the overwhelming power is going to be too much for his body.

Superman is going to die before too long.

What follows is a series of stories where Superman tries to make the best of the situation. While he is fast-approaching death, the energy that's killing his is also making him exponentially stronger. He is able to easily pull off feats that even he would have struggled to complete before his overexposure.
It's a story of Superman trying to leave the world in a position where it can survive without him around, while he also works to wrap up the loose ends of his personal life. It's the age-old dilemma of "what would you do if you knew you only had one week to live" with the added twist of "you can basically do anything".

I'll just come right out and say it, this series is, to me, the greatest Superman story ever told. I loved every page and every beat of the graphic novel. It is more light-hearted and optimistic than a lot of DC stories, but it fits Superman perfectly. This is a story about why we care about the mythology of Superman, about why he's an idealized version of what we can be. It's a heart-warming tale, and one that could have easily been a whole lot worse if not in the capable hands of Grant Morrison. It's simultaneously thought-provoking and a feel-good story in perfect balance. Plus, it is a visual treat thanks to the work of Frank Quitely, who's art matches the tone of the story flawlessly. Everything about this series is something else to rave about. It's an important addition to the Superman mythos on several levels, from furthering his relationship with Lois Lane to having him overcome a Herculean gauntlet of feats. It even makes Jimmy Olson okay, though I can't say that he's not annoying, but that's just his character.

I have nothing bad to say about this series. If you haven't read it, you are doing yourself a disservice. I don't care if you don't regularly read Superman stories, or if you normally prefer the darker tales. Go into this and read it for what it is, and even if it doesn't become your favorite comic book, I'm nearly certain that you'll still enjoy the time you spent with it.

I give All-Star Superman a 10 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Red Dead Redemption 2

Hello Enthusiasts,

Rockstar Games sure knows how to make a game that people get excited for. The company behind GTA isn't a one-trick pony, as they also have a series set in the old west. Today, we look at the newest entry into that series, Red Dead Redemption 2. Now, I don't do a lot of online gaming, so I am going to just be reviewing the single-player game. As always, there will be some Spoilers Below.

This game is a prequel to the previous title, Red Dead Redemption. In this game we play through the story as Arthur Morgan, an outlaw who runs with a gang led by Dutch Van Der Linde. The game picks up after a job that went very, very wrong, and the gang has fled from the law by traveling into a snowstorm on a mountain. This is where the tutorial takes place, as Arthur practices his hunting, horse riding, fighting, and shooting in order to keep the gang alive in this deadly wilderness. Eventually, everyone is able to leave the mountain and head to a more traditional old-west setting. From here the game does become more of an open-world game. I won't give away too much of the story, as it is far more compelling than I would have ever imagined it could be and I would hate to spoil it all. Just know that this is far from the weaker story-telling that can come from the single player campaign in GTA. I also loved that parts of the story were told from the perspective of Arthur's journal, as it added some additional back story and allowed us to see his character grow.

Let's take a look at the pros first. To start, this game is beautiful on just about every scale imaginable. The characters are incredibly lifelike, the landscape is vast and breathtaking, and the objects in the world are insanely detailed. Honestly, an alternate name for this game could have "Attention to Detail: The Game", as everything seems to have been thought of. Arthur's clothes will get dirty and muddy based on what he's been doing, the snow will get caught in his beard if you choose to grow one, and blood from wounds will stain his clothing. The detail doesn't stop with the visuals either, the sound in this game is phenomenally well done. The soundtrack is perfectly fit for a western, and the in-game dialogue is recorded in multiple ways to match what your character is doing (for example, the characters will yell if they are riding their horses with a bit of distance between each other versus if they are riding closer together). The sounds of nature are incredible too, with different animals having distinct sounds that can be identified without even seeing them. The actual gameplay is wonderfully executed as well, with outstanding gunplay, realistic movements, etc.

Long story short, if you are looking for a game that obviously had a lot of attention and care from the designers and developers, you found it here.

However, the game is not perfect. The biggest problem is the travel, as you are going to spend literal HOURS just riding your horse from location to location. I understand that there was a whole lot of effort put into the horse riding, and you will end up caring a lot about your main horse, but it ends up getting real monotonous. I feel like a better system would have been one like what some other games have done, where you have to ride to a location to discover it, but then make fast travel available. The game does offer a "Cinematic Mode" where you don't actually have to control the horse as you ride to your destination, but it takes just as much time, and you can't walk away or anything because you can still get attacked by bandits and the like while in this mode. My other issue is with the in-game money. I enjoyed this system at the beginning, as I would hunt and rob for a dollar or two (which is more than it sounds like in the old west), and slowly start to accumulate cash. I had to think about the things I would buy and how much work went into each cent. Then, around halfway through the game, one of the main story line missions basically eliminates the need to worry about your money and you can almost spend as you please. It wasn't a huge thing, but it did slightly impact my enjoyment of the game.

Basically, this game is awesome, though not entirely perfect. The main story is compelling, the side quests are fun, and you'll likely have a good time for a lot of hours. If you really aren't a fan of open-world games overall this is not for you, because it is very open world, but otherwise I think everyone can get something out of this title.

I give Red Dead Redemption 2 a 9.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast