Difference in Opinion

With each Playstation that has been released, there has been a game that comes along early in the system’s life that defines what the system is about. For the original Playstation it was Final Fantasy VII. For Playstation 2 it was Grand Theft Auto III. Now with the Playstation 3 almost 2 years old, Metal Gear Solid 4 is released. Just as Final Fantasy VII and Grand Theft Auto III raised the bar for video games, Metal Gear Solid 4 has raised the bar again. Metal Gear Solid 4 finishes a franchise that reaches all the way back to 1987, brought major change to the gaming universe every time a new installment was added, and has grown to be one of the top video game franchises of all time. As the father of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima set out to deliver a game experience in Metal Gear Solid 4 that was worthy of an ending to his franchise that is loved by millions.

Visuals:

The first thing that you will notice about Metal Gear Solid 4 are the amazing graphics of the cinematic. It really does look like you are watching a movie, except you have a controller in your hands rather than popcorn. A major problem that I have with video games are that the cinematics during a game look so much better than the actual game play, that it leaves me wanting more. That does not happen in Metal Gear Solid 4, the game play looks just as good as the cinematics. During game play you can watch and see the hair on top of Snake’s head move in the breeze, sweat beads roll down his forehead and watch his clothes get dirty as you move over the ground. When you give Snake a cigarette, the smoke moves with the wind, it look like actual smoke, not some pre-rendered image that just repeats. I remember when Gears Of War came out for the Xbox 360 and the commotion that it created based on its graphics. I will agree that Gears Of War looked very good, but it just didn’t seem like it actually portrayed real life, it looked too computerized and shiny. That is where Metal Gear Solid 4 shines, it is dirty enough to give that real life look, something that a lot of games try for, but end up falling short. I could sit here all day giving you examples of how amazing this games looks, and it still won’t do it justice. The visuals alone should be enough to make this the greatest game ever, but the visuals are just the beginning of the triumph that is Metal Gear Solid 4.

Sound:

Each Metal Gear Solid game is known for the deep and emotional music that is playing through the game. Metal Gear Solid 4 keeps the level of quality that we have come to know from the series, and then blows it out of the water. Almost all of the songs that you will hear throughout the game are of original work using an entire orchestra. You will remember a lot of the songs from the past Metal Gear Solid games, all of the original music makes an appearance in the game, or in the iPod that you can use during game play. There are a plethora of games that use whole orchestras to create original pieces for a game, but they always seem to not fit the feel of the story. Metal Gear Solid 4 breaks that trend and gives players songs that adds to the suspense of the game. With so much time spent on making the background music as good as possible, there wouldn’t be any time left to make the sound effects top notch, right? Wrong. Along with the breath taking background music, the sound effects are just as good. Everything sounds exactly as it should be. With over 60 different weapons in the game, all with their own unique sound, shows just how much time Kojima’s team spent on making this the best game ever. No two guns sound the same. If you listen closely enough to the game, you can even hear birds chirping. Something as little as a bird chip in the background makes the game come to life so much more. It is the little noises that we hear in our every day life that when put together in the game gives a sense of reality that is hard to find in other titles.

Gameplay:

Metal Gear Solid is known for its stealthy game play. It was the first game to introduce the art of hiding from the enemy using buildings, walls and cardboard boxes. Each installment of Metal Gear Solid has offered a new and exciting addition to the art of stealth game play. Just as Kojima has done before, he introduces a new form of hiding that gives a whole new dimension to the game. The Octocamo suit gives Snake the ability to blend in with any background. The implementation of the Octocamo suit is seamless, just make Snake lay down by holding in the X button or go up against a wall and press triangle and the suit will automatically change to match the ground or wall. If you find a design that you really love, there is even an option in the camouflage menu to save the look so you can put it back on when ever you feel like it.

Even though Metal Gear Solid 4 is a stealth game at heart, there is nothing stopping the player from becoming Rambo and plowing down the enemy with the big machine guns. In fact there are places that you will find where it is easier to get through if you go at it with guns blazing rather than trying to sneak through.

The truly remarkable thing about Metal Gear Solid 4’s game play is that even if you do choose to run in like Rambo, shooting everything that moves, the game is allows for you to do just that. Unlike all the other stealth games out there, you are rewarded with killing the enemy. In Metal Gear Solid 4 you are rewarded for killing the enemy by being able to pick up the gun they were using. So kill all you want.

Story:

One thing that has always been an exciting element of Metal Gear Solid are the stories that Kojima creates. As Metal Gear Solid 4 is the last of Snake’s adventures, this story had to be something that was worthy of ending the saga for such a loved character. The story in Metal Gear Solid 4 is astounding. Even some of the best writers in Hollywood could not think of the stuff that is found within this game. Lying, deceit, love, hate and friendship are just a few of the themes found in the story. All of the questions that are surrounding Metal Gear Solid have been answered by the end of the game. Besides just having the main plot of the Guns of the Patriots, there are smaller (but equally important) stories woven into the main storyline. You are pulled into Kojima’s alternate world right from the start of the game. With a tale of such magnitude, the actors behind the voices of the characters had to be just as good, which they delivered on. The amazing voice acting pulls you even deeper into the story. You feel exactly what the characters are feeling. I hate to admit it, but there was a part in the game where the characters where crying, and it actually made my eyes water. I have never been that drawn into a game before, and it is something that I can not forget. I have never really followed the story lines of games, but for some reason, Metal Gear Solid 4 pulled me in and I could not stop it.

Overall:

After spending many hours playing Metal Gear Solid 4, I can safely say that it is perfection in every way. From the opening cinematic to the ending credits, you are drawn to the screen and can not look away. Kojima has created a game that has truly raised the bar for video games. I could go on for weeks about how amazing this game is. If you own a Playstation 3 and you don’t own this game… shame on you. If you don’t own a Playstation 3, go buy it and get Metal Gear Solid 4. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Click here to buy Metal Gear Solid 4.

I will just come out and say it, expect a different type of M. Night movie. Don’t get me wrong, there is still that signature Shyamalan edginess throughout the movie as well as some extremely chilling parts that make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. The name Shyamalan jogs people’s memories of Sixth Sense, Signs and The Village which were huge hits in the box office and considered his best films out to date. He has earned the reputation which warrants the hype his movies get, but sets himself up for disappointment if they are not jaw-droppingly good.

The Happening has a great cast of underrated, overlooked or forgotten about excellent actors and actresses, similar to his other films. He seems to recognize the potential of people and place them in fitting roles in his films. Mark Wahlberg who is just starting to get interesting roles and recognition (Gangs of New York, Shooter, etc.) plays the lead character in The Happening, Elliot Moore. His wife, Alma Moore, is played by the beautiful Zooey Deschanel (who I love in Elf and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy). Other notable people in the cast include John Leguizamo, Betty Buckley and Alan Ruck. Betty Buckly does a great job with one of the most chilling and interesting character in the whole film.

A horrible incident happens in Central Park causing people to willingly kill themselves. At first it is chalked up to a isolated terrorist chemical attack. Soon after there are reports that the same thing is happening in other parks in the northeastern United States. As the viewer, you follow a married couple, Elliot and Alma, as they react to the events and try to prevent it from happening to themselves. The movie has an uneasy feeling with everyone in the movie both scared of the threat while equally curious about what is causing it.

I like to make my own opinions on movies. It seemed The Happening had mixed early reviews, with people either praising or punishing it. I found myself more pleased than disappointed with this latest Shyamalan movie. He is all about breaking the rules of movies and film making. It seems like he intentionally broke some of the patterns in his own films with The Happening which brings with it good and mad outcomes. Sure, being original and going outside the box (even your own box) is great, but when people come to expect something from you and look for that then they may get disappointed. While I was let down some by the movie, I do have an appreciation for it and did enjoy it for the most part. I HIGHLY recommend you see it for yourself and make up your own mind.

Click here to buy the soundtrack for The Happening.

Let’s call it Hulk 2.0! Although I was never one of those people that minded the first Hulk movie, this one is sure to please any who were disappointed with the franchise. It is a GREAT year for superhero movies. Just like Iron Man did, and The Dark Knight will, The Incredible Hulk has raised the bar for superhero flicks. Visuals and nostalgia no longer is enough, people want to see a good and believable (as much as it can be) movie that they want to watch over and over again. Having Louis Leterrier direct the film was obviously a great choice. Leterrier is no stranger to action movies having directed Unleashed and Transporter 2, and been the art director for the first Transporter. Action comes easy to him, but he also did a great job with the entire film, even when there weren’t any helicopters being thrown about.

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“They’re good girls.” “They’re zombies!” “No, they’re strippers.” “They’re zombie strippers!” *cocks shotgun*

Zombie Strippers opened in select theaters this past weekend and I was able to go and see it on opening night. With stars such at Robert Englund and Jenna Jameson, there is no way that the movie can’t live up to the hilarious mockery grindhouse that the trailer made it out to be. How do you screw up a movie that is trying to be so bad that it is funny and enjoyable? The worst it is, the better. I guess the only way they could screw it up is if they took themselves seriously.

This movie follows the same stereotypical zombie path: genetic testing to make super soldier gone wrong. A solider sent in to eradicate and neutralize the virus and those infected gets infected himself. This is where Zombie Strippers goes off the beaten path of zombie movies. The soldier stumbled into an underground strip club that was struggling with business. The zombie virus which is carried on the X chromosome is more prone to infect females to stay pure. It isn’t long before one of the strippers gets bitten. Not only does this give her a lust for flesh, but a new-found style and energy in her stage moves. As the possessed dancers grow in number, so does the business and money.

Jenna Jameson brings a very confident presence to the movie. She does a great job of playing a stripper (wonder why…) and a wicked zombie. It is hard to still look sexy and seductive as a zombie, but she easily pulls it off. The other girls are equally sexy and scary when they need to be. Part of the humor in the movie is that each stripper has a stereotypical personality: the veteran, the jealous one, the gothic one, the one with morals, and the new country girl. Robert Englund does a great job of playing the loony and money-hungry club owner. His maniacal laugh is so appropriate for his character and the tone of the movie.

Anyone interested in seeing this movie should be fore-warned that is has a LOT of nudity and pole dancing as well as some graphic dismembering. Who are we kidding though, what good zombie movie doesn’t show a limb or two getting misplaced from their owner? If you are in the mood and can enjoy the movie for what it is supposed to be, then I would HIGHLY recommend going and seeing it when you can. Some people in the theater I was in must have expected another Resident Evil or something since they were taking things way to seriously. Kick back, grab a soda and some Ju Ju B’s and have a good laugh.

EA just released their much anticipated Army of Two game not too long ago and it is definitely creating some buzz. The game was announced in May of 2006 with a release date of sometime in 2007. In July of 2007 the game was slated to release on November 15 of that year. Finally the game was released in March 2008. Although it may alter the blood pressure of gamers everywhere, I think it is almost always better delay and polish than rush a game to meet a deadline. A great example of a good game that was rushed recently is Blacksite: Area 51. Although the game was decent to play through and we gave it a pretty solid score, it could have been so much better if it was left in the incubator a bit longer. Army of Two serves as a good example of delaying enough to polish things up, but not too long to annoy the hell out of those waiting in anticipation.

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The demo released on Xbox Live Marketplace for did an amazing job of showing off the great aspects of the full game and building excitement for it’s release. Burnout has always been a solid franchise and each game is always extremely entertaining. Not to break that streak, Burnout Paradise takes all the great elements of its ancestors and adds in a lot of next-gen spice and online play.

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Perhaps the most virally marketed film (or any entertainment title) in the past year, Cloverfield had everyone guessing what the movie was about and what monster was terrorizing New York City up until sitting down and watching it for themselves. Scorned by some and praised by most, anyone is sure to enjoy the movie for it’s originality.

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The rumors and whispers are true. The Coen Brothers did an amazing job with another of their movies. Although No Country For Old Men may be their darkest and least humorous, it is perhaps their best movie to date.

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Tim Burton goes back to his darker routes with his newest Johnny Depp collaboration, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Already nominated for many awards, loved by some, hated by others, Sweeney Todd is sure to invoke some emotion from you in one way or another.

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Oh how the years have changed Need For Speed. Starting with the original police chasers to a more free roam Midnight Club style street racer to a competition based, more traditional racer. It really is interesting to see the various changed that have happened to NFS over the years. Prostreet is no different, really changing up the formula from the titles that it follows. See how it stacks up to the other NFS titles.

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