True Reviews, Updates and Common Sense Opinions
A lot of information was shared regarding the upcoming release of the PlayStation 5. Viewers finally saw the body of the console and found out about custom abilities that come with the console including an all digital version or a console with a hard drive.
Continue reading “Best Trailers from PlayStation 5 Reveal”
This week news broke that Sony and Kevin Fiege, the producer behind the MCU as we know it, could not come to a mutual agreement regarding the direction for Spider-Man. As a result, the parties split and Sony resumed full rights of the property.
That’s your headline, Sony is now fully responsible for the next Spidey movie.
Let that sink in.
I recently wrote a post that included praising Sony and Marvel Studios for recreating Spider-Man during a time where reboots and remakes are ofter underwhelming and oversaturated. You can click here for that post. But now, I wonder if this split will remove some or all of that magic.
All of the moments in the MCU, the character building, the crossovers, and the potential are all wiped away.
In a statement released by Sony, Polygon reported that the reason for the split between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures was due to Disney giving Kevin Fiege more responsibilities that don’t allow him to produce another Spider-Man film.
Much of today’s news about Spider-Man has mischaracterized recent discussions about Kevin Feige’s involvement in the franchise. We are disappointed, but respect Disney’s decision not to have him continue as a lead producer of our next live action Spider-Man film. We hope this might change in the future, but understand that the many new responsibilities that Disney has given him — including all their newly added Marvel properties — do not allow time for him to work on IP they do not own. Kevin is terrific and we are grateful for his help and guidance and appreciate the path he has helped put us on, which we will continue. “
Sony has created the Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield iterations of Spider-Man and they gave up without fully finishing the arcs. Tom Holland’s version of Spider-Man gave a fresh, youthful take of the character. It allowed a new generation to get to know him through beloved characters in the MCU like Happy, Captain America, and most of all Tony Stark.
By removing Peter Parker from the components that built him up in the MCU, he’ll rapidly lose his appeal and his universe will have plot holes as well. Especially since Spider-Man: Far From Home was all about Peter Parker accepting Tony Starks legacy.
Sure stand-alone Spider-Man films exist but integrating Peter into the MCU made the property significantly better.
The removal of Peter Parker also harms the MCU. I’ve talked to a lot of my friends since the news broke and we all agree that MCU phase four just got a lot less interesting.
A lot of phase four seems to be geared to space adventures. Black Panther, Ant-Man, and Spider-Man are the only earthlings left. Everyone else will most likely have space odyssey themes.
Where is the human element going to live?
No offense to Star-Lord, but he lives in space and has spaceman problems.
Lastly, the separation of Spider-Man from the MCU makes Sony look like a total heel. That’s wrestling speak for a bad guy. Why would you ruin such a great piece of entertainment for the fans?
To quote one of my great friends, “the MCU Spider-Man was the only one to break bank”. It is the most successful Spider-Man ever, partially because of the storyline but also because of Tom Holland. People love the innocence and naivety of his version of Peter Parker. That’s what made his addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe so special.
My advice is for Sony and Disney to hash out their problems at a work retreat so they can stop letting business get in the way of something great and entertaining for the fans. Check the twitter hashtag for Sony and you’ll see all of the fans that have been left with a sour taste in their mouths about this corporate decision. What’s best for business isn’t always what’s best for business.
And even with Jon Watts returning to direct the next two Spider-Man films, without the possibility of crossing over with his fellow superheroes, some of what made this version of Spider-Man so special may be gone for good.
Do you remember the days of the PlayStation? Can you hear the very first boot up sound that the original PlayStation one made playing in your head? Can you feel the nostalgia?
Same.
The other day I was having a chat with my cousin about some of our favorite games from the PS one days. Please trust me when I say there are a lot of them. But, we harped on one game in particular.
Bust a Groove!
I have fond memories of playing Bust a Groove 1 and 2 on my living room floor. Hearing the 9-8-9 Studios introduction and tone that lead to an amazing dance montage video.
Playing Bust a Groove meant seeing a whole group of diverse characters with different dance styles. It meant experiencing an original soundtrack with songs and level designs specific to each individual character. It meant adapting to levels of difficulty with complex dance combos as you scaled the computer competition. Plus, you had to fend off dance rival attacks, whether you were playing against the computer or person over your house, while still keeping the rhythm!
Super hype!
I remember the day I “got good” enough to unlock the hidden characters. That was Robo-Z in Bust a Groove 1 and Panda in Bust a Groove 2. Both of those levels were the most challenging experience in the game and required attention to detail that, as an 8-year-olds, I really worked hard for.
Why am I bringing all of this up?
Because I think Bust a Groove needs to come back. We need a new opportunity to experience this type of creativity.
How could this game be brought forward? I hear you asking.
Think about this. What if we had the same uniqueness that this game exhibited in 1998 but with some added features of today? Think Jump Force but dancing. Keep the standard campaign mode and expand the player vs. player option online. There could be a tag team mode, character customization and ranked leader boards.
As you can see, I’ve thought about this. So Square Enix, formerly known as Enix, and Namco let me know how I can help!
-AM
A lot of anticipated games were shown at E3. And it’s expected for people to be excited about them. But, beyond the critically acclaimed franchises, there were some gems announced as well. I’ve listed a few games that have piqued my interest beyond the main titles that have been showcased.
Twelve Minutes:
Twelve Minutes was shown off at the Microsoft Xbox E3 conference. It has such an intriguing concept. You have 12 minutes to figure out how to not die while you’re stuck in a time loop. The trailer gives off this psycho-thriller vibe. While trying to figure out how to change the events predetermined in the game, I expect to have an intense experience filled with absolute concentration and frustration.
Another exciting thought about Twelve Minutes surrounds the distractions and roadblocks in the game. How will the game respond when the player almost figures out a way out of the loop?
Developer: Luis Antonio /Publisher: Annapurna Interactive / Platforms: Xbox One, PC
GhostWire: Tokyo
The GhostWire: Tokyo trailer debuted at the Bethesda E3 Conference. It was actually one of the most interesting upcoming games mentioned during the conference. It had a brand new feel without any preconceived hype. Planting its feet firmly in the horror genre, GhostWire: Tokyo looks like it will rival The Evil Within which was created by the same developer.
Players will roam a ghostly version of Tokyo after mysterious happenings force you to uncover the reason and purge the city of evil. This sounds like a great opportunity for those of us who faithful play Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and even Parasite Eve.
Developer: Tango Gameworks /Publisher: Bethesda
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Wolfenstein: Youngblood has the potential to be the best Wolfenstein of the franchise. Why? Because you are able to play in online co-op with a partner. It’s the first Wolfenstein with co-op. If this set up works well, I can’t see co-op not being an option in future Wolfenstein titles.
Another reason why this game is on the list is due to the release date. It comes out on July 26, so it’s an option for some summertime entertainment.
Developer: Arkane Studios, MachineGames /Publisher: Bethesda / Platform: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation
Death Loop
Death Loop seems cool. It’s two assassins going head to head to see who can get the kill first. The premise of the game is that you are at a constant loop to kill the other assassins while evading other enemies as well. I may have missed this in the presentation, but the trailer does not mention if this is a co-op experience. If it had a co-op mode, that would most likely be the highlight of the game.
Develper: Arkane Lyon, Studios / Publisher: Bethesda / Platform:
My Friend Pedro
My Friend Pedro is the most unorthodox game that I’ve seen so far in E3. Not only did Devolver Digital have the most memorable showcase, but this game developed by DeadToast Entertainment also stood out among everything else. It reminded me of Super Hot. If you recall Super Hot, you’ll remember its a game where you can slow down time to shoot your enemies. Well, this game reminded me of that, but on a train with parkour.
Developer: DeadToast Entertainment / Publisher: Devolver Digital / Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
Which games stuck out to you?
