Saints Row IV - Games - 3.5 Stars

A fun Infamous/Prototype clone mixed with the Matrix series.

 

        Wow,....Saints Row is back and this time around it doesn't really feel like the Saints Row I know and love. I've always been a fan of Saint's Row. From the very beginning, It always felt like a lighter-hearted Grand Theft Auto and I appreciated that. Now however, It feels more like the Matrix on Colorado or Washington approved medicinal herbs! It's just all kind of, well, I don't know, weird!?! There are Matrix easter eggs all over the place. Not to mention the absolute clonage of all things Prototype-ish. Yeah I just did that. 

        I'm not saying I don't like this game in any way. Because I really do. It's just so much more over the top then ever before. More over the top than Hulk-smash gloves that make people explode on face punch, or any of the other ridiculous things that the Saints have convinced you to do. So, there is that. At the very least though it's still insane. Not to mention you get to be the President that saves humanity from an alien invasion,...with his fists!!! 

       Overall I enjoy the take on this title. Volition took all the components of many good titles and squashed them into one. Creating a not so perfect storm of  video-gaming unruliness. It is nice to see all the Saints return in one way or another. Even some of the old enemies make guest appearances.  Plus all of the old side quests/events have returned or have been tweaked in some way to fit this go round. 

       It's hard to tell you to much about the game without spoiling it and sadly, I can't say run out and drop 60 bucks on this one. So, my suggestion is to Redbox or Gamefly this one first, even if you are a Saints Row fan. Especially with the release of GTA right around the corner, this is just a harder sell this time around. To be honest, I am surprised that they set the release so close to GTA's, especially considering just how similar the two titles have always been. Although the two games started to switch gears and go in somewhat different directions with Saints Row: The Third and the last GTA, they will always be compared to each other and GTA will always be the winner of said comparison.  GTA will almost always be a 4 or 5 star game,...always. I mean I know you remember San friggin Andreas!!!! GANGSTER! Even the sound track to San Andreas was GANGSTER!!!

        SR4 is definatley it's own beast and has a lot of good, fun qualities. The open world makes for a ADD nightmare! There's always something going on to distract you from the given task. from side quests to the main missions. Customization is a biggie in this title, as it has always been. You can even unlock items from the previous installments. 

       However I must say that it is in no way child friendly. If your child is playing this game and is below the age of 16 or 17, your not doing it right! Doing what right Real? Well, how about PARENTING!!!! Games have ratings for a reason. The first parent to complain about this game needs to have someone complain about how the complainer is parenting their children. Because Saints Row has never and will never be for children. It's 2013 and people need to relize that just because it's a video game does not mean it's for kids! Jeez!!!  I really hope that offended someone! 

      So 3.5 stars is what I give it. Not to bad. However had they used any of their own ideas, it would have been rated higher. Enjoy!!!

It's A Disaster - Netflix - 3 Stars

It's A Disaster (2012) - NetFlix - 3 Stars

A dark, off-beat comedy worth the watch on your Flix account!

 

      So, my wife says, "Let's watch a movie on Netflix." I'm all like, "Sure, why not." Then she's like, "I get to pick the movie though." Which I guess I'm okay with because what that translates into is, no action or sci-fi movies. I can live with that. So we fall upon this movie, which at first glance looks a little dumb. However once you read the cast you can't help but be like, "Wow! That's one hell of a powerhouse group of actors!"

Starring America Ferrera, Julia Stiles, Kevin Brennen and many others. Directed by Todd Berger and released by Oscilloscope Laboratories.

      Set in current times, a group of friends gather to have a "couples brunch", filled with lots of awkward moments and is anything but a relaxing afternoon brunch with friends. Only after attempting to watch a UT football game, do they notice that lines of communication with the outside world have been severed. After the declaration of possible disaster things quickly spiral into chaos.

       I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. The plot, especially in this day and age, was along with their individual reactions very believable. The all-star cast really helps pull it off though. I think I especially liked America Ferrara's character the most, as she being a very highly educated person immediately knows the worst case scenario they may face.

       Overall, I give this movie 3 stars for being entertaining and a nice Netflix surprise. On a side note, this movie won an award for having one of the best Promotional posters,....in history!

Army of Two - The Devils Cartel - Games - 3 Stars

               So here we are with the first game on deck. Army of Two - The Devils Cartel

                                             (http://www.ea.com/army-of-two-devils-cartel),

              Developed by Visceral Media and released by EA Games in early March of 2013. This is the third game of this series. The first, Army of Two, with the second being Army of Two - The 40th Day. This incarnation, as with the previous two, is a 3rd person shooter.
             This time around we follow the escapades of  Alpha and Bravo,  two ops recently recruited by the mercenary organization, T.W.O(Tactical Worldwide Operations). Set in the present and located in and around Mexico. The main baddies of this game come from,.......you guessed it, a Mexican cartel. La Guadaña, aptly named meaning "the scythe".
             So with the ground work laid for all the basic info on the game, lets talk about it for real! I was a big fan of the first Army of Two, especially with all the weapon customization and character interaction dynamics(Paper, Rock, Scissors BITCHES!!!). However, the 40th Day completely lost me and I mean lost like the sorcerers stone lost.
            This time around though, I'm glad to say that overall, I really enjoyed this game. It had decent writing, good voice acting and on par graphics. The campaign is broke down into location levels with intermittent check points that allow you to access and augment your gear and weapon load out to better fit whatever situation you may find yourself in.
           Speaking of gear and weapon load outs. As you progress thru the game you are paid for the, "services", you've rendered and in turn can use those funds to purchase weapons and gear. Character masks and gear are interesting as well. For me, I really liked all the different masks, which included 2 special masks from Dead Space. One designed to look like the predator alien and a "Lets make some licensing money on the side" mask designed by Skull Candy. The games arsenal is all based on actual firearms but sadly, it must have cost a little too much to buy the licensing rights for the actual names. However, there is no mistaking any of the weapons and what real life firearms they are based on. Any game fan is going to know what gun a 50 cal. "Falcon" is based on.
           On a side note at point your guns and gear get forcefully taken from you. Now, I don't know about you or about how you may or may not choose to take offense by someones actions,......that's your call. However, I put in a LOT of money into my weapons and gear,....A LOT. It became a matter of personal disrespect on a purely spiritual level to regain possession of my "belongings". As for the game villain that took said weapons and gear,...I killed him. I mean really killed him. I mean like, reloaded the game once he was dead to kill him again killed him. Then played thru that level on a higher difficulty level to drive home the fact that he had made a rather substantial mistake in his decision to take my STUFF. Just Sayin.   
           Ultimately, this game is well worth a play thru(Especially once I reconnoitered my STUFF). Can it compare to MW3, Black Ops or for that matter Halo or G.O.W? No, or rather, HELL NO! Come on let's be serious, this game doesn't have a zombie mode!?! How about Battlefield, Big Real, is it better than Battlefield? Seriously did you see that games production budget!?! So,...NO. It just isn't. Yet and still it is worthwhile fun. But if you only play the best, expect the best and won't settle for less without complaining, Modern Warfare Ghost is right around the corner.