NERF 2 Coming Armed with All New Gun

Nerf 2: N-Strike Elite is set come loaded with an all new snazzy gun. The 'NERF Switch Shot EX-3' comes loaded with a built in decoder "which reveals hidden elements when the screen is viewed through its ruby-red lens".

New options for your in-game gun also come loaded with your copy and co-op is supposedly been upgraded.

I may be a little old for these types of games, but I totally want to try it out. I never got to play the first NERF game for the Wii, but these games give me the greatest nostalgia of playing Duckhunt for the NES as a kid. Hopefully I get a chance to try this baby sometime.

NERF 2: N-Strike Elite should release sometime this autumn.

[Source: Kotaku]

Alan Wake: Possibly Timed Xbox 360 Exclusive?

According to a post by a Dev working on the upcoming hit game, Alan Wake, PC gamers might have to wait to get their hands on their copy Alan Wake. The user says, "Unfortunately all I can say at this point is that we're focusing all our efforts on the 360 version and will be making comments in regards to the PC at a later in time." In a nutshell, it seems that they're working on getting the Xbox 360 version of the game done first. This seems to be clear indicator that Xbox 360 owners will get Alan Wake first, leaving PC gamers in the dust.

There isn't a confirmed release date as to when Alan Wake will hit shelves but a rough guess-timation would put it around spring of next year (2010).

[Source: Joystiq]

Preorder 'Left 4 Dead 2', Get Early Demo Access

According to Joystiq.com, Valve is planning on giving an incentive to gamers who pre-order the sequel to the 2008 massacre of the zombies, Left 4 Dead. Every gamer who reserves a copy of Left 4 Dead 2 will receive a code to download the demo earlier than everybody else. You may get the code by pre-ordering from a retail store such as Gamestop or by ordering through Steam. No details as to when the demo will start or for how long we get early access.

Left 4 Dead 2 will release on both the Xbox 360 & the PC on November 17th.

Public Enemies Review

Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp released this past Wednesday and I got a chance to view it earlier this week.

Public Enemies, directed by acclaimed director Michael Mann, focuses on the story of John Dillinger. An American real life gangster, Dillinger was notorious for robbing banks throughout the midwestern United States. According to him the police were "not tough enough,smart enough, or fast enough" to catch him. He was glorified by the public and was hated by the Chicago police. He was virtually uncatchable until July of 1934 where he met his demise in front of the Biograph theater in Chicago.

The plot for Public Enemies is certainly an interesting one. Melvin Purvis (Bale) heads the FBI team in charge of hunting down Dillinger's gang who never seem to be in the right place at the right time. Dillinger escapes capture for more than two years even while keeping his 'daytime job' and wooing a girl (Cotillard).

Johnny Depp certainly has some acting chops. His portrayal of the gangster Dillinger was outstanding, top notch. The look, the expressions, the wittiness was all above expectations. He blew me away. He had this 'flare' about him that told me he was John Dillinger.

Christian Bale disappointed me however. He played the lead FBI agent, Melvin Purvis, who had a strong southern accent. Nothing seemed to flow about him and his character. The dialogue seemed forced and out of place. His accent felt as if he was doing a MadTV skit. With Depp, I felt I was watching Dillinger. With Bale, I felt as if I was just watching Christian Bale trying to be someone he wasn't. I know he can act, but this wasn't the right role for him.

Marion Cotillard played the girl of Dillinger's affection, Billie Frechette. She may not be a household name, but she held her place. It never felt as if she was being overpowered by Depp's presence. From the trailer, Frechette seems like a helpless girl, caught up in Dillinger's world. By the end of the movie, Cotillard had me believing she was the real person. She brought toughness to her character by the end of the movie. She surprised me the most of all the performances in this film.

There are some things I have to complain about. The running time was a bit too long. Some scenes were just too drawn out. The action filled scenes will Dillinger and his crew robbing banks seemed dwarfed by scenes involving Purvis and his team trying to catch him. I wanted more Depp and guns and less Bale. Please Mr. Mann.

There was no characterization anywhere in this. This kind of stuff isn't the fault of the actors however but it falls on the shoulders of the screenwriters. We never see Dillinger before he becomes a bank robber, we never know why he wants to do this. He just tells Billy that there are places he wants to go. The same thing happened with Bale. It seemed like starting a TV show 15 minutes in and stopping before it ends. We never learned motivations for any of the characters' actions and we never know what they felt about each one. Dillinger > Robs banks and goes home. Takes his money and sleeps... Purvis > He shows up to stop Dillinger. That's it. We don't see Purvis's personal life, nothing.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Public Enemies. It was great seeing Depp take a more conventional approach to his character. The plot was great, I was never bored. There were some major and minor flaws present but it's easy to look past them while gazing at the beautiful shots of Michael Mann's offspring. My rating: B+

I'm Back :)

Happy 4th of July everyone!



Well, I came to post here to say that I'm bringing this blog back. Hopefully we will get this train running full speed in no time. Any requests for stories or movies to review is always helpful too.

(Yeah, I know short post haha)

Bye!

Call of Duty 5 Beta Released

Activision has officially announced that select Xbox 360 gamers can now access the multiplayer beta for Call of Duty: World at War, with word that the PC beta is coming soon.

Those who preorder the upcoming shooter from GameStop will receive a key to download the beta, which will run for a few weeks. Unable to preorder? You can try your luck at the game’s official website.

For those who got in, the beta features four playable factions – US Marines, German Wehrmacht, Japanese Imperial Army and the Russian Red Army. It also offers four game types – Team DM, Free-for-all, CTF and War – and three maps.

The full game will be released on PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii on November 11.

[Source: DigitalBattle.com]