"Siege" Is Coming...

The Siege is coming...

Since the events of Civil War, Secret Invasion, and the still ongoing Dark Reign, Marvel has been chalking up the crossovers like there's no tomorrow. The Marvel Universe hasn't been the same since Captain America died, and in the aftermath of the Skrull Invasion, Norman Osborn has taken over the world (literally) and booted out Tony Stark from S.H.I.E.L.D, converting it into the new organization known as H.A.M.M.E.R. However, the tide is slowly turning back to the heroes favor, with the Avengers reassembling once more and Steve Rogers' return coming to fruition. Still, the bad guys aren't gonna go down without a fight, and Norman's sowing the seeds of conflict that will signal his bid to take over Asgard, the home of the Mighty Thor. This is what "Siege" is all about... the latest conflict that will either bring Osborn and his allies to their knees, or signal the end of the Marvel Heroes as we know them.

With the new event/ crossover still due on January, Newsarama shares a picture from Marvel.com showcasing a new Siege teaser image that could add a new layer of twist to the saga to come.

Ah yes... Cap and Iron Man face to face after such a long time. Yet, with Steve's fresh return and the recent troubles and brain drain Tony has been facing, will this meeting happen, or does this image signify a major change in the Avenger status quo? Only time can tell for sure. Now, we can only speculate and wait...

Remember, Remember, The 5th Of November...

On this glorious rainy day, I was reminded by a friend of mine how memorable this day was to those standing in the popculture shadow. It's not everyday you remember a certain graphic novel work by writing extraordinaire Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd, and on this Thursday, we begin to commemorate all the voices and people involved in this epic story that showed us the true cost of attaining victory!

Ah yes... Today is the 5th, so I'll probably indulge in some V later if time permits me to do so. The film version, while not having Moore's involvement, was quite receptive to the public upon its release in 2005, and it had quintessential talents like Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman involved. Do yourselves a favor by celebrating the 5th by reading the book or watching the film, and always remember... FREEDOM FOREVER!XD

The Community "TDK" Halloween Spoof...

I haven't been watching too much TV lately, but thanks to the folks at You Tube, I get to see a couple of clips and bits from some of the newest shows making a buzz in the west. One of these shows, a comedy called "Community", deals with a lawyer named Jeff Winger (played by Joel McHale) who was suspended from practice and forced to return to college. Soon, he meets diverse personalities within his study group that have their own share of complexities, and this causes Jeff more than the usual headaches of going through school all over again. That just summarizes what the show is all about. Since All Hallow's Eve was celebrated just this past week, the show also decided to bring the Halloween A-Game up by spoofing one "memorable scene" from the uber fantastic Batman movie "The Dark Knight". Check the video below and see for yourselves what I mean:

Community "The Dark Knight" Halloween Spoof
After watching this, it appears we have to give thanks once again to Chris Nolan for directing one of the greatest superhero movies of all time, as well as Christian Bale, for providing one of the most "iconic voices" of all time. Time for me to don a mask and do my Batman voice *Growls*.

Videogame Review: Tekken 6

It's been a while since I've talked about a videogame in detail, but now that one of my favorite fighting game franchises is out already in home consoles, I feel the time is ripe for another gaming review. Without further delay, let's give a proper welcome to "The King Of Iron Fist Tournament 6".XD

Tekken 6
Publisher: Bandai Namco Games
Developer: Namco
Released: October 27, 2009 (PS3 and Xbox 360), November 24, 2009 (PSP)

Finally, Tekken 6 is here, and for the past week since its release, I've been officially hooked to it like bread and butter. I've had many memorable moments with the franchise, playing all of its installments, updates, and even getting to meet the creators of the game in a local tournament held in the mall a few months ago! Yes, Tekken has really made an impact with me, and now after some time in the arcades, the latest chapter of the Iron Fist saga has made it to next generation systems, and it's causing quite a stir in regards to replay value and the fighting itself. As we go along with this review, I'll be tackling the positive and negative aspects of the console version, and what other extras Bandai Namco has incorporated to add diversity to the gameplay. Rest assured, it's still Tekken... but it's not "your daddy's Tekken", if you get what I'm saying.

At the end of The King Of Iron Fist Tournament 5, Jin Kazama emerged victorious and defeated his great grandfather, Jinpachi Mishima. Instead of putting an end to things, he became the new CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu and used its vast resources and military strength to wage war against several nations, bringing out widespread chaos and panic. Out of the ashes, the Zaibatsu rose to power, and claimed absolute rule over the entire globe. Challenging their authority however is G Corporation, led by Jin's father, Kazuya Mishima. Seen as civilization's only hope and savior, Kazuya sets out to have Jin's head by offering a generous bounty to the person who captures him alive. Having anticipated this, Jin announces the King Of Iron Fist Tournament 6 to draw out his enemies and put an end to them once and for all. The stage is set, and fighters around the world have gathered seeking money, power, glory, and personal retribution.

Alright, now that the story's fleshed out, let's get down to the basics. If we're going to talk about Tekken, let it be said right here and now that this is STRICTLY a 3D fighting game, pure and simple. That means two people duke it out with two characters of their choice, and based on the number of rounds involved (usually a best of two or three), the one with the most wins claims victory. Unlike other fighting games, Tekken prides itself by subscribing to a four button layout, each representing the corresponding limb it is attached to (i.e - Left top button = Left Punch and Right low button = Right Kick). Using a combination of those buttons and timed movements, players can pull off special moves and link them together to create juggles and combos that deal devastating damage. Once a character's lifebar reaches zero, he or she loses that round. It's literally a fight to the finish, so knowing your character and reading your opponent's moves is crucial to victory all the time.

Over the years, the Tekken series has evolved and enriched itself with a diverse roster of characters that players could pick and choose to bring the hurt to their opponents. This game tops them all by bringing that count to 40 playable characters, each with his or her own unique fighting style. Every fighter plays differently, and in conjunction with their fighting style, it's a no brainer that you have to learn their moves wisely to become a top contender in the game. Guys like Heihachi and Jin make use of basic "Street Fighter like" move sets that naturally adept fighters can get used to in no time. Technical fighters like King and Yoshimitsu though require a little more time in the practice ring to become more acquainted with. New to this installment are Bob, Leo, Zafina, Miguel, Lars, and Alissa, and each of them have their own techniques that the player has to master and hone. Players can play offline, online, or test themselves in basic Arcade play by fighting and reaching the final boss, Azazel. Bottomline, it's all about preference, and as the old saying goes - "practice makes perfect".

Next to the new characters, there's a couple of new features to the Tekken system people will have to watch out for. As I said earlier, it's not your daddy's Tekken, and I was referring to the changes made to the feel and execution of techniques and the fight itself. Combos have become much more painful thanks to the incorporation of the "Bounce", a motion where opponents grounded after a juggle raise their feet and are open to more hits, allowing players to link more combos and deal more damage. Next, if a player reaches 1/4 of their life, the "Rage System" will automatically start up and amplify the player's moves to deal twice the damage to their opponents. This is signified by the flashing red aura surrounding the character and his/ her lifebar, so take advantage of the comeback wisely. Above all else, basic techniques have been given new priority and new moves have been added to all of the characters. It's Tekken, but it's a whole new ballgame to learn about as well.

Obviously, since Tekken 6 is a new game, it demands more attention and collaboration to make it one of the best fighting game experiences ever. What people have seen in the arcade version and its update, Bloodline Rebellion, has made the proverbial "smooth transition" to home consoles, but this has hit a few snags on the road of course. Some may find it disappointing to find out that the game needs to be installed into the consoles hard drive in order to run in "optimum speed". This means that things will run as slow as hell if you choose not to, which was a similar problem that plagued Namco's other 3D fighter, Soul Caliber IV. The installation is justifed though, as there's a lot of juicy graphics, customization options, and motion blurs to witness and enjoy if you appreciate next gen technology like I do. Secondly, this is the first console Tekken game to incorporate actual online play, which is a major requirement for fighters of this generation. Unfortunately, that too suffers from major setbacks, and the result is a lag experience that varies and switches from tolerable to excruciating depending on who you're up against. A patch is being worked on to correct this problem, so here's hoping that combos will hit and no slowdowns happen in future matches.

Besides the fighting, Tekken 6 brings back the story mode and Tekken Force beat 'em up minigame many have enjoyed in past installments. However, all these features have been combined into a single mode - Scenario Mode, which basically depicts the adventures of Lars and Alissa as they trot around the Tekken Universe via a mini map that opens new points as you progress. Players can play this solo or let a friend join in to play through the campaign, which slowly fleshes out the King Of Iron Fist Tournament 6 from Lars and Alissa's perspective. In addition, you can swap either of the two with other fighters you unlock as you progress through the mode, but it does not change the outcome of the main story altogether. To play and get each character's unique opening and ending, players must enter "Arena" in the mini map and use the characters they've unlocked in Scenario Mode there. It's back to one on one fighting at this point, and depending on which character you choose, the opponents and outcome will always be different. It may seem a bit inaccessible at first if you just want to play your character's favorite story, but a little patience and easy gameplay will get you to where you want in no time. Besides, this mode allows you to get more money and items to use in customizing your favorite characters, so there's hardly any reason to complain... save for the brainless A.I opponents.

After all is said and done, Tekken 6 is another smash hit brawler that fans of the series may want to pick up and check out. The gameplay is brutal, the graphics are breathtaking, and the sound and music will take you straight into the squared (or no wall) circle. A few flaws present themselves in the form of replay value, online play, and regrettably Scenario Mode, but the game is definitely a fighting game full of potential, and there are several ways to enjoy it that will have people coming back more and more to beat out the competition.Right now, I'm waiting for the PSP version, so I can take the fight with me and play on the go as I please. So to cap all this off, let me ask you this - "What do you fight for?" You be the judge and figure it out. Get ready for the next battle.

Graphics - 10/10
Sound - 10/10
Gameplay - 8/10
Replay Value - 8/10

Score - 9/10

"Rise Up" To The Astonishing X-men Motion Comic!

I liked Astonishing X-men. It redefined the merry mutant superheroes in a new way. Besides bringing Scott and the gang back to their superhero roots and spandex made outfits, it was the story that gave rise to new conflicts and issues within the mutant community, especially between Charles Xavier and his students. Also, Colossus returned, and was reunited with his old sweetheart Kitty Pryde, only to have their roles reversed with Kitty seemingly giving her life to save the world from destruction. Written by Buffy scribe Josh Whedon and illustrated by the talented John Cassaday, Astonishing was truly a signature series worth the price of admission, and if you're an X-men fan, you definitely have to take time and read this baby. In fact, a new opportunity has presented itself, and those tech savvy may want check this out.

For those who haven't heard, Whedon and Cassaday's seminal work will be making waves again via a rebirth in Motion Comics, which you can buy and download in iTunes! Just like Spider-Woman before it, the classic mutant storyline gets the new technology treatment, and Marvel.com has the full scoop on the story. Everyone who remembers the "Gifted" storyline may want to check out Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, and the gang kick it up a notch again, as they are reintroduced via juicy and remastered animated comic panels! Also, as part of the new release's promotion, Marvel presents a music video with some animated sequences from the new Motion Comic, and it's called "Rise Up". Check out the video by clicking the link below!

Astonishing X-men "Rise Up" Music Video
Astonished? Then go and check out the new "Astonishing X-men: Gifted" Motion Comic from Marvel.com now!

Doom Cover Artist Don Ivan Punchatz Passes Away...

Sad news was posted in gaming site Kotaku, as Don Ivan Punchatz, the man responsible for drawing the legendary cover art to the first Doom game, passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 73. Anyone who's associated themselves with games all their life can't deny that it's one of those iconic images that moved people to play the game in the 90's, as well as and help bring the gaming industry to where it is today. Besides contributing to id Software, Punchatz also did artwork for several other successful brands such as TIME Magazine and Playboy. The full story surrounding his death can be read at the link above. Another legend has passed, and we will truly miss him.

The Future Begins On November!

It's the start of November, and while everyone's still reeling from the Trick or Treating, there's some time to give to pay our respects to the patron saints and our dearly departed. At the same time, it's a new month to look forward to, with so much coming up and only a few weeks more til Christmas arrives! Well, for those who happen to be in the market for some blockbuster movie goodness, Xmas just came early, and now two of 2009's blockbuster films are available in official record and video stores - namely Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen and JJ Abrams epic relaunch film of the Trek franchise, Star Trek! Having dropped by the mall today, I went to check out these eye candy treats at the shelves. As expected, the usual one disc and two disc sets were available, but something else REALLY caught my eye that totally made the Trekkie fanboy in me jump like crazy! What is it? Take a look at this!

Hoozah! A Star Trek Limited Ed Enterprise DVD set! No regular versions were available, and instead this pretty little box set was there, and it happened to be the last piece too. There's a good reason why it's limited... namely because the DVD case is a 6" replica of the latest movie incarnation of the Starship Enterprise! As brilliant way to make things presentable, the guys who made this limited edition release designed the hull of the ship ro house the discs, thereby making the infamous vessel more than just a toy to display. It's got it's own stand too, and after assembling this baby, you'll feel pretty proud of yourself like an officer of Starfleet would. Truly, it's the perfect way to own the movie, especially if you're a Trekkie and enjoyed the wonderfully done movie by JJ Abrams. It's too early to review this baby, but I tested it out, and so far I'm liking the design and presentation Paramount Pictures and co. have done to give the fans the ultimate Trek experience. So far I've seen the gag reel and 'New Vision' special features, and their pretty awesome segments that will make you realize how exhilarating and intriguing the whole movie making process was for the entire cast and filmmaking crew involved. I'm glad I got this set, and it's a good way to usher in November. To use one of Captain James T. Kirk's infamous quotations - "It's time for Warp Speed, Mr. Sulu!". Engage!