Uncategorized – Page 36

The Bay

Hey kids, do you remember the found footage craze? Of course there was Paranormal Activity which led the charge with it’s imitators such as the Gallows, The Last Exorcism , and that god awful abomination The Devil Inside . But of course, Cloverfield and Diary of the dead and the ludicrous The Chernobyl Diaries showed the subgenre wasn’t exclusive to ghosts. This movie literally was invisible on my radar until I saw a good review for it that made me reconsider, so was it worth uncovering?

We begin with survivor and former TV anchor, Donna Thompson as she discusses the outbreak that decimated the bayside town of Claridge, Maryland. Through recovered footage, she narrates the mysterious events that killed over a thousand people in a weekend. Boils, lesions, missing tongues, and bodies seemingly rotting from within? But why? Questions unfold as the origin of the slaughter is a aquatic parasite and the origins develop, but can they be stopped before the whole town meets a gruesome end?

I basically knew nothing about this movie going in and honestly I was pleasantly surprised. The concept is pretty cool, and isn’t a zombie or ghost take. While there are jump scares, they aren’t cheap; I’m not ashamed to admit this movie got me at one point. The effects and gore are pretty convincing. Some of the stories I was pretty invested in and the story I was interested all the way through. My issue is how it’s presented at times. Sometimes the narration gets annoying, but at least it’s warranted here and the freeform nature of the movie is a bit disorientating at first but you do get used to it. In the end, this is a surprisingly cool found footage horror movie I’d say is worth checking out. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Rick and Morty season 4

Rick and Morty, the Adult Swim cartoon turned international sensation, has returned after Rick and Morty season 3 ended with some interesting threads left untied. With the Smith family reunited, life looks back to as much normal as the drunken, mad scientist and his naïve, simple minded grandson can expect: dragon soul orgies, time warping, a story train, a fabled toilet, and a huge revelation at the season finale. The dynamic duo was back…and I’m disappointed. This season has a good opening and a pretty good end, but everything in between is pretty hit and miss. If it was any other sitcom I’d be more lenient but when a few episodes out of your 10 episode season are duds it hurts. There aren’t many times I had the feels during this season, and the humor was blah most of the time. Admittedly the overabundance of swearing got old quick. My favorite episode was the season finale, where we at least we get some plot resolutions and a badass fight. In the end, I can’t say it was damn right terrible but it wasn’t worth the wait. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

HORRORSTOR

Haven’t we all found ourselves in the clenches of a soul ravaging dead end job? Amy, like many of us, finds herself deep into a tedious life as a ORSK partner, employee of one of the largest furniture chains in the US. With dreams of a well paying desk job, away from ORSK and her hardass boss Basil, her mom’s trailer, and her roommates she can’t afford to pay. One day Basil pulls her into the office one day, and rather than fire Amy, he makes her a offer: stay with him and another partner overnight to catch a vandal messing with the store before a huge corporate visit. Easy cash, right? It turns out the answer behind the mischief may or not be partners wanting to stage a ghost hunting show, a random homeless dude, or something more sinister from the past.

This is a really strange read in a sense. Being a longtime retail slave I feel Amy’s pain here. The characters are alright and while the story takes awhile to build, the pay off is interesting enough. While the horror and comedy aspects aren’t great, the story is entertaining and familiar because of the retail experience. My favorite part is the beginning of each chapter with a old school ads that go to a dark place as the story continues. While its not for everybody, its a alright read that isn’t too long. In the end, it’s a alright book that’s checking out.

Rage 2

Full Disclaimer: I never played the first game but I’ve known many that played the first and really enjoyed it. Many have said the first was Bethesda’s attempt at a Borderlands clone. I can’t say they are totally wrong. Also, I can tell you the plot and the characters are lost on me. It’s the standard gear punk apocalypse and you acquire the armor of a fallen Ranger, one of the last traces of law and order, and you have to help save the wastes. As you can tell, I can checked out really early on the plot.

When Rage 2 excels is it’s combat and it’s weapons. This game is also a product of ID, makers of Doom and Wolfenstein, and the weapons kick major ass. They all handle great and have genuine omph to them, my favorites being the shotgun and rocket launcher; nothing ever beats a well done classic after all. Combat is a blast, having to utilize your weapons and your Ranger armor’s abilities. Finding a new Ark in the wastes, which grants you a new weapon or ability becomes your highest priority really quick. There is a good amount of different enemies to slay including raiders, mutants, and these cyber ninja guys from the DLC that provide their own challenges. Upgrading feels odd and is a pain but adds to the need to explore and to get the most out of this game, it pays to explore. The worst thing about this game is the driving; Rage 2 may have the worst motorcycle driving I’ve ever experienced in a game before. Unlocking the Icarus, the hover bike, is key to perfect exploration; going by regular means is tedious and the steering is unpleasantly clunky. In the end, Rage 2 is a fun brainless shooter I recommend to just have fun with. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Pokémon like Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Shiny Miltank and more now appearing more frequently in the wild as part of the Johto Celebration event in Pokémon GO

Niantic is continuing to reveal and host new events for the millions of Pokémon GO players out there. Read on below to learn more: Shiny Miltank, Event-Themed Raids, and More in Pokémon GO’s Johto Celebration There’s lots to do during this special event, including Johto-themed raids and an opportunity to evolve certain Pokémon to learn exclusive attacks. […]
Pokémon like Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Shiny Miltank and more now appearing more frequently in the wild as part of the Johto Celebration event in Pokémon GO

The Outsider

How many crimes are truly perfect? How many times are things exactly as they seem? What happens when the answer is something unexplainable, and its the only answer?

Terry Maitland was a beloved citizen of Flint City, teacher, little league coach, and family man. That is until multiple witnesses and various scientific evidences point to Maitland as the heinous murder and sexual assault of a young boy. Detective Ralph Anderson makes a public arrest, shaming Maitland in front of the whole town. The case looks open and shut, but an outstanding mount of evidence proves Terry’s innocence; how can a man be two places at once? Is Terry Maitland a criminal mastermind or is there something supernatural at play?

Stephen King, the legend, still has it. The Outsider isn’t one of his best but it’s a damn good book. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, where it’s a pretty well done detective story that’s pretty fascinating. While I was kinda bummed at the turn the story took, it was filled with interesting characters and good interactions between them. The book flows well and doesn’t feel too light or bloated, bloated being a common King complaint. If you are a King veteran, especially with the Bill Hodges trilogy, you’ll find some cool connections here. My only real complaint was the shift between thriller and horror and the Outsider goes down like a total bitch which makes the end a bit anti-climatic. In the end it’s a damn good read I recommend for King fans. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Godzilla vs Kong trailer

So I may have found my most anticipated movie of 2021. Holy crap, adult Kong is a absolute badass. I love watching Godzilla sneak attack Kong from the water. Visually I think this movie is going to blow us all away. Savior and I are pumped. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

On YouTube: Haunting Ground // Peekaboo… I see you… NOW RUN! Part 12

Hey y’all! Today I’m playing Haunting Ground PART 12! Daniella was VERY active this episode, but we managed to solve a couple of puzzles and make some *confusing* progress. If you’d like to vote on YouTube videos, blog posts, & more you can support me on Patreon by becoming a member of the Geeky Gang. […]
On YouTube: Haunting Ground // Peekaboo… I see you… NOW RUN! Part 12

Star Wars Episode 1 Racer

Star Wars Episode 1:The Phantom Menace may have started the decline of Star Wars in the eyes of many but some good did come: one of which being one of my favorite racing games. Racing through a host of different maps across different worlds, you have to beat the competition while trying to survive the intense speeds.

For a N64 game, this game does one hell of a job immersing you in the dangerous thrill of pod racing. Averaging speeds of around 400 mph and having to worry about the integrity of your racer. Repairing your racer requires you slowing down while boosting drastically increases your chances of death. There are a good array of maps, each with there series of dangers you either find annoying or in some cases, epic for passing through. The controls flow nicely and are easy to pick up. The graphics, well not outstanding, hold up fair enough for such a console gap. The only honest issue I have is how easily you die and the quirks to boost. Pro tip: don’t boost useless you really have to. While the I like the danger of boosting, it caused most of my deaths. In the end, I enjoy this game more than most other racing games and I highly recommend it for racing fans as well as Star Wars fans. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Wonder Woman: 1984

Wonder Woman was quite honestly a superhero movie I think did not only DC a service but superhero movies in general. It had good characters, was serious but broke the mold of edgy DC films, and had a unique and beautiful color pallet. I had concerns over the sequel; I think we all did. Cheetah looked funky, the comparison to the MCU vibes were getting heavy, and early reviews weren’t really kind to say the least. So I wondered what was in store for me…oh boy.

It’s 1984 and Diana Prince is kicking ass as a curator for the Smithsonian while being Wonder Woman in her spare time. She’s mourned over Steve Trevor since WWI and the pain lingers beneath her caring smile. During a routine mall robbery, an artifact is discovered. To help uncover the artifact is Barbara Minerva, a hapless nerd who quickly befriends Diana and envies her outer beauty and the life she perceives. With this artifact comes Maxwell Lord, a failing con man who desires riches, wealth, and success.. Lord understands the relic grants wishes and wishes to become the embodiment of it. Barbara wishes to be like Diana, surprised at her newfound strength, speed, and agility. And suddenly Diana is reunited with Steve, but at what cost are these wishes coming?

Ok, I’m pretty at odds here. First of all, I give the cast credit because they gave it there all; that I can say for sure. The cinematography looks great and I appreciate the color of the film. Hans Zimmer adds a solid score that sadly maybe his weakest but still more solid than most. And the final fight with Cheetah was pretty cool as was the end credit cameo. And that’s the good; the rest of this movie is a fucking mess. The CGI looks goofy and a lot of the movie feels painfully retro in a bad way. I got a cheese vibe circa the classic Wonder Woman show, some of the action scenes, especially the flying scenes felt like modern Chris Reeves Superman, and the humor felt like runoffs trying to copy Thor: Ragnarok which comes off harsh. The ending falls flat and the action scenes aren’t too impressive or believable. In the end, I don’t hate this movie but I sure don’t recommend it unless you want to laugh and have a cheesy superhero romp. May the gaming gods bring you glory.