When I picked up a copy of Beyond: Two Souls I believed I was picking up a GOTY candidate. Based on the concepts, graphics, and celebrity personalities involved in the game I figured the resources spent on the project would result in one of the better games of the past ten years. What I got was a game that failed to find its identity and took on a bipolar personality. Parts of the game feel like classic video game moments whereas other moments feel bland, boring, or even worthless. What this creates is a game that is impossible to put down, yet impossible to feel satisfied with.
Story
Over the course of video game history, the industry has produced a wide range of stories. Some games capture their stories well as they properly utilize themes to draw users in emotionally. Creating emotional attachment to video game characters is something that is very hard to pull off--and few games do it well. When this attachment is successful, we are introduced to characters like Tidus from Final Fantasy X. When it isn't, games fall apart at the seams. In Beyond: Two Souls, it is nearly impossible to not feel an emotional attachment to Jodie and her counterpart Aiden--a paranormal being who has been attached to her since birth. Jodie's life is defined by her personal struggle of being "different" as many of us often feel. Due to Aiden's presence in Jodie's life, Jodie is mocked, ridiculed, and even used for scientific experiments and military operations. The struggle in Jodie's life is constant in every scene as she struggles to build relationships and control her emotions throughout the game. She is often distant, angry, and even confused by why she can never be like other "normal" girls.
Without spoiling the story too much, I'll say that the game is often defined by its darker moments. For example, Jodie--based on the decisions you make in the game--is sexually assaulted multiple times only to be saved by Aiden. Most of these dark moments occur when Jodie attempts to take control of her own life and separate herself from Aiden--though sometimes they occur when she attempts to take revenge on the individuals that have betrayed or used her. The story does carry its positive moments, but the deepest connections are made in the moments where Jodie is at her breaking point--which she reaches multiple times. We all feel lost and alone at times in life, and Jodie provides an avenue that we can connect with.
Game play
The game play in Beyond: Two Souls is what gives the game its bipolar feel. The structure of the game follows that of games like Fable and Mass Effect. Decisions can be made by the user to create or guide Jodie's personality--and in this game the decisions are DARK. This model is great for games with a great story, so the pairing of the game play and the story is great. However, the model for in-scene decisions and actions is pretty terrible. Buttons appear on the screen that lead to actions. The consequence for failing these actions is "oh well, try again immediately." This model--at least in my experience--created a situation where the user could never fail. No matter how good or bad your decisions were--or how good or bad your reaction time is--the game and story press on.
A form of media where you follow a story with characters and your actions don't matter is called a movie, not a video game. While the story was enough to keep pressing on, the game play was boring and incredibly frustrating, because there is never a sense of being challenged. The environment interaction--especially on CIA missions--is fun and makes for a good time, but without the possibility for failure there is little sense of enjoyment in actually beating the game. Completing the game feels like the end of a really good movie rather than beating a classic video game. This is enough of a flaw to automatically take the game out of Game of the Year running on its own.
Conclusion
While the story and graphics in this game are stellar, the lack of any difficulty in game play really puts a damper on the experience. I wanted so badly for this to be a GOTY candidate--and at the beginning of 2013 I pegged this as my GOTY pick--but it just wasn't. The connection that is made between the user and Jodie/Aiden is very strong, and it's hard not to be touched by many of the moments in the game. However, video games need to come with a sense of difficulty to be good, let alone great.
We had a good stretch there, with Prisoner, Rush, and Captain Phillips, but I'm afraid the ride is over. Ender's Game is not good. The book is fantastic, and I would highly recommend it (buy a used copy, Orson Scott Card doesn't deserve your money), but the movie isn't just a poor adaptation; it sucks.
Ender is a genius child who is selected to attend military school with the hope of him developing into the next Caesar, humanity's greatest commander and best hope against the Formics (you'll know them as 'buggers' in the books), an alien race that was previously defeated in an assault on earth, and that could return at any time. Presumably.
Story: 2/5 - I can't support this adaptation based on the pacing. Having to condense a novel is not an excuse; if it can't be done, don't do the movie. Alternatively, Peter Jackson seems to be doing just fine. We absolutely fly through the book, hitting a few highlights, and hey, Ender is at the climax of the film. Also, don't expect to find out why we call him Ender or the significance of the nickname, he's just Andrew Ender Wiggin. Worse, a number of the scenes that were adapted from the novel were turned on their head and stripped of significance. In one fight scene, where Ender reveals part of his character by being particularly violent in the novel, in the movie the opponent just kind of falls and dies, so Ender's emotional turmoil is kind of meaningless.
Writing: 1/5 - You can't just take portions of the dialogue from the book, there have to be changes; especially because the book is so sparse on dialogue. Nothing is original or creative, there are no jokes, and everything is so ham-handed. Don't have each character tell me what they're feeling.
Acting: 3/5 - I really wanted to give this a 1/5. Asa Butterfield (Ender) is hot and cold, and Harrison Ford (mentor Colonel Graff (by the way, the relationship between Ender and Graff is totally ignored)) is bordering on senility. Does he need the money this badly? Still, both Butterfield and Ford showed their chops at some points in the movie, and I look forward to Butterfield's career, and hope that Ford can get one more decent role. Hailee Standield (True Grit) is only a minor character, but we already know how good she is.
Aesthetics: 2/5 - There are a few neat shots, but everything is brief, with insufficient setup. These scenes are sprawling and confusing, and the way they are shot makes them impossibly devoid of connection or suspense.
The highlight of the movie, by the way, is a confrontation between Graff and Ender in which you can clearly see a large crumb or smudge of something on Harrison Ford's lip. I can't believe a film gets made with this little attention.
To start, I will put it plainly: Captain Phillips is a very good movie; but not a great one. The film has generated Oscar buzz, not entirely undeserved, and it has something close to a 100% rating on RottenTomatoes, but the film is quite one-dimensional and if it weren't for one actor and a couple of scenes, the movie would be entirely forgettable.
Tom Hanks is merchant Captain Richard Phillips, the real-life hero of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijaking. That's really all you need to know about the plot.
Story: 4/5 - The story was good, and according to Richard Phillips himself, very accurate. The film suffers a couple of drawbacks: due to the nature of the tale, we have to jump right in, with very little setup. Director Paul Greengrass (Bourne series, United 93) does a good job of giving us everything we need (here's Captain Phillips wiping his shoes before entering the ship, here he is inspecting the boarding cages, here he is accosting his crew for taking too long on coffee break, here are some Somali pirate headlines) before jumping in head first. The other drawback is that we know how the story ends. I won't take that away from the filmmakers, but this is where we can get creative with the narrative, and writer Billy Ray (The Hunger Games) doesn't even really try.
Writing: 5/5 - The writing was entirely natural, and really serves to put you in the movie. This is what these people would say. This is a movie that leans hard on one actor, but nobody in the cast is left out to dry with this script. Even when Hanks is daring enough to talk to the pirates (and when you think, 'Why would anybody be talking?!'), he does so cautiously, with believable comments. It's very immersive, and frankly refreshing.
Acting: 5/5 - Tom Hanks absolutely deserves an Academy Award for this role. As the film wound down, I found myself underwhelmed and disappointed after all of the reviews. The payoff comes after Hanks is rescued and is being evaluated by doctors. I don't think I've ever seen utter shock conveyed so well on-screen. The last movie I saw before this was Escape Plan, in which approximately 2000 men were killed. As a result, it can be difficult to make us care when a couple of pirates are shot. In this day and age of cinema, you almost expect Hanks to do a fist pump and utter a quip. But his reaction in the last ten minutes of the movie really makes you believe that he has been through a harrowing ordeal that should not be made light. Some of the pirates are generating Oscar talk, but I didn't consider anybody but Hanks deserving of mention.
Aesthetics: 3/5 - Where was Oliver Wood? Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd had a few shining moments, but I felt oddly free and un-claustrophobic for a movie that takes place either in the halls of a ship or in an enclosed lifeboat.
Aegon Targaryen landed on a hill in -2 AL. He came with his two sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya, their three dragons, Balerion, Meraxes, and Vhagar, and less than 1600 men to the mouth of Blackwater Rush. Aegon had chosen to come to Westeros rather than answer a call from the Free Cities of Essos. After the Doom of Valyria, the Free Cities fell into years of blood and war, and Aegon rejected their plea for his help in uniting them into a new freehold. At the time of Aegon’s landing, Westeros was still divided into the Seven Kingdoms. The rulers of each kingdom were:
Torrhen Stark, King in the North
Ronnel Arryn, King of the Vale, a boy of six
Harren Hoare, King of the Iron Islands and Riverlands
Loren I Lannister, King of the Westerlands
Mern IX Gardner, King of the Reach
Argilac Durrendon, King of the Stormlands
Mariya Martell, Princess of Dorne
Rhaenys, Aegon, and Visenya
Argilac Durrendon was the first to attempt peace with Aegon. Before the war even began, Harren Hoare finished construction on his huge keep, Harrenhal. Argilac had heard of Harren’s hopes of bigger conquests, so he sent an alliance offer to Aegon in order to create a buffer zone between himself and Harren. Argilac offered his daughter Argella’s hand in marriage and dowry lands, which actually belonged to Harren. Aegon declined Argilac’s offer, but made a counter-offer: Argella would marry Aegon’s best friend and rumored bastard brother, Orys Baratheon. Argilac was insulted and cut off the hands of Aegon’s messenger. The hands were sent back with a note, informing Aegon that these hands were the only ones he would be receiving. This act prompted Aegon to move quicker than expected; he called his banners and his sisters and sent ravens to all the great kings of Westeros. These ravens bore the message, “There will only be one king.” If they bent the knee, they would get to keep their lands and titles. If they did not, they would be destroyed.
Since Ronnel Arryn was only 6 years old, his mother Sharra Arryn acted as Queen Regent. Sharra was the next to attempt to negotiate with Aegon, offering her own hand in marriage and an alliance if Aegon made Ronnel his heir. Mariya Martell offered an alliance against Argilac, but she would not swear fealty to Aegon. Both offers were rejected. Before invading, Aegon allegedly visited the largest keeps of Westeros, investigating their strengths and their lords and kings. He then built the Painted Table, a table cut in the shape of Westeros. He considered the Seven Kingdoms to be one land split into different regions, rather than seven regions on the same land.
Beachhead
The Targaryens landed on three hills at the mouth of Blackwater Rush. On the highest point of the highest hill, Aegon built a wooden fort, to act as his first claim to Westeros. Visenya gave him as crown and Rhaenys hailed him as the true king. The two sisters were then sent on their dragons to subdue the local lords. Rhaenys took Rosby without any bloodshed, as did Visenya with Stokeworth. Duskendale and Maidenpool attempted to fight back, but were easily beaten. Aegon had conquered the area where King’s Landing now stands.
Battle of Gulltown
Daemon Velaryon took Aegon’s fleet to Gulltown, quickly followed by Visenya, riding upon Vhagar. The Arryn fleet came out from Gulltown and defeated the Targaryen fleet, killing Lord Daemon in the process. Vhagar then burned the Arryn fleet in response, so although the Targaryens lost the battle, they were able to destroy a part of the Vale’s strength. The Sistermen of the Three Sisters, a group of small isles at the top of the Vale, revolted against the Eyrie out of anger of the destroyed fleet.
Conquest of the Riverlands and Iron Islands
Harren Hoare ruled both the Iron Islands and Riverlands from Harrenhal, on the mainland of Westeros, slightly south of the Vale. Harrenhal was the greatest keep that Westeros had ever known,
Fall of Harrenhal
considered impregnable to siege or storm. But not to dragons. Harren refused to surrender to Aegon and he and his sons hid inside Kingspyre Tower. Aegon rode Balerion through Harrenhal’s defenses and burned Harren and his sons alive inside the tower, earning it it’s name. The remaining ironborn fled the burned castle and raced back to the Iron Islands, with Aegon trailing them. The Riverlords had sworn fealty to Aegon when Harrenhal was ruined and helped him trail the ironborn. Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke was elected as their leader and Aegon demanded their fealty. This made the Tullys and Greyjoys the first major houses to bend the knee to Aegon. The Tullys were made overlords of the Riverlands because of this and the rest of the Riverlords had to swear fealty to them.
The Submission of Crackclaw Point
Visenya Targaryen was sent to Crackclaw Point after Harren Hoare’s death to demand fealty from their lords. The lords knew they had no chance, so they yielded upon VIsenya’s arrival. She took them as their own men and promised they would not owe any fealty but to the Iron Throne. Crackclaw Point became a direct vassal of the Targaryens without any fighting and have been known as some of the biggest Targaryen loyalists since.
The Last Storm
Aegon sent Orys Baratheon and Rhaenys riding Meraxes to attack Storm’s End. Argilac’s men were still loyal despite the stories they had heard about what Aegon did at Harrenhal. Argilac brought his army forth to meet Orys’, refusing to meet the same fate as Harren Hoare. Rhaenys tracked Argilac’s movements through a huge storm, the storm that gave the battle its name. The mud created by the storm slowed Argilac’s men and broke out only to come face to face with Rhaenys and Meraxes. In
Orys and Argella
the confusion and terror, Argilac fell from his horse and met Orys in single combat. Both men came out wounded, but only Orys survived. Argilac’s death ended the battle and his daughter Argella barred Storm’s End, declaring herself Storm Queen. Her army revolted, afraid of facing the same fate of the men at Harrenhal. Argella was delivered to Orys, chained and naked. Orys gave her food and his cloak, removing the chains gently. Orys then married Argella and took House Durrendon’s sigil and words as his own. House Baratheon was then formed and made Lord Paramount of the Storm Lands.
Field of Fire
King Loren of the Westerlands and King Mern of the Reach decided that their best chance against Aegon was to join forces. The two kings had a total of around 55,000 men, 5000 of them mounted knights, while Aegon had only a fifth of that number. The two armies met in a dry field in the Reach, with Jon Mooton of Maidenpool commanding the Targaryen host. The Reachmen and Westermen charged and began to break the Targaryen lines. For the first and only time, all three Targaryen dragons battled together. Balerion, Meraxes, and Vhagar all took to the air and set the field on fire. Jon Mooton moved upwind and the fires raged downwind. The Targaryens only lost 100 men, but Visenya took an arrow the shoulder. Mooton directed the Targaryen host away from the flaming field while the allied forces burned alive. Four thousand allied men died, including King Mern. House Gardner was ended and Aegon won another victory. Loren gave up his claim and became Warden of the West under Aegon. Harlen Tyrell surrendered Mern’s host to Aegon and was rewarded by becoming Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South, as House Tyrell now had dominion over the Reach.
Conquest of the North
Torrhen Stark marched a host south toward the Riverlands, meeting Aegon along the Trident. All of Aegon’s force was there, as well as the three dragons. Originally, Torrhen had intended to fight Aegon, but realized that would be a huge mistake upon seeing what Aegon had brought with him. Torrhen bent the knee and Aegon named him Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell. An inn was built on the site of Torrhen’s submission, named the Inn of the Kneeling Man.
Conquest of the Vale
Sharra Arryn sent a huge army to the Bloody Gate in her Son, Ronnel’s, name. Visenya simply rode Vhagar into the courtyard of the Eyrie. Ronnel begged her for a ride on the dragon and his mother found him outside on Vhagar’s back. Sharra acknowledged Aegon as king and Ronnel got his ride. So basically, the Vale wimped out and submitted with no fighting.
Battle with Dorne
Dorne was not one of the Seven Kingdoms, but Aegon sent Rhaenys to invade them anyway, in hopes of uniting everyone. The Dornishmen had learned of the mistakes on the Field of Fire and at Harrenhal, so instead of giving Aegon open battle, they cut and engaged in guerilla warfare while Rhaenys came through the Red Mountains. The Dornishmen stayed on the move so the dragons could not find them. Rhaenys could only capture empty castles, so she flew straight to Sunspear, the Dornish capital. Princess Mariya refused to surrender and told Rhaenys that she was not wanted in Dorne and should return at her peril. Rhaenys replied that she would return with fire and blood. Mariya then recited her house’s words: “Unbowed. Unbent. Unbroken.” Rhaenys returned to Aegon, who decided that the country could not be taken and Dorne should remain an independent nation.
Conquest of Oldtown
The High Septon in Oldtown prayed for seven days and seven nights in the Starry Sept upon hearing of Aegon’s landing. The Crone showed him that opposition to the Targaryens would end with Oldtown aflame in dragon fire. Lord Hightower of Oldtown left his force in the city when Aegon came and the gates were opened freely. The High Septon anointed Aegon as the King of Westeros.
Aegon began to build a new castle near his landing spot, the Red Keep. It was built in the new capital city of King’s Landing. Aegon melted all the swords of his opposers into an throne, the Iron Throne. Aegon devoted the rest of his life and reign to the consolidation of the realm.
Since the middle of the 1990's, Game Freak and Nintendo have been bringing the Pokemon franchise to adventurous gamers around the world. While their work has extended into things such as Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Coliseum and even hit movies, the core of the franchise has been their line of handheld games. In the beginning--and I'm sure we all remember--you roam the Kanto region with your trusty Bulbasaur/Charmander/Squirtle/Pikachu as you level up Pokemon, defeat Team Rocket, and collect the region's eight gym badges as you pursue victory over the Elite Four and the region's Champion.
A lot has changed since that original version--including the games evolving into an international competition that requires heavy investment and strategy beyond the main story line. While many positive--and admittedly negative--aspects have been added to the franchise in what is now nearly two decades, the games between the first and fifth generations remained unchanged enough to have the same general feel. They feature poor graphics, two-dimensional movement, and images of Pokemon that would produce lazily-developed attacks.
With the sixth generation, the franchise all but hit the reset button as it undertook its own evolution.
Introducing Pokemon X/Y
The first and most obvious change here is the change in the way the games are titled. For the first time since the original Red and Green were released in Japan, the franchise abandoned colors to use for names--and yes Pearl, Diamond, and Platinum are colors. As insignificant as this may seem, the change in title scheme matches how drastically the games have changed.
Environment/Graphics
Welcome to the third dimension, Pokemon. Since the games are on the Nintendo 3DS--an investment I suggest if you are a big fan of gaming--the franchise made the obvious move to introduce a third dimension to all aspects of the game. Buildings and landscape have been in 3D--thanks to shadowing--for a while, but now they have more depth, and you can physically see the back sides of some buildings. More importantly the game has added another dimension to movement--so no more strict x/y coordinate movement--and a third dimension was added to Pokemon battles and moves as seen in the video below:
The Three Starters
Outside of the Legendary Pokemon, each generation is most easily defined by its starters--like Cyndaquil, Chikorita, and Totodile from the 2nd generation.
The starters--listed from left right--are Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie. If you're new to the series and reading this out of interest, the types are grass, fire, and water--obvious to anyone who has played the series before. In their most basic forms, these are somewhat creative--especially Chespin as it is the first non-reptilian/alien grass starter. While a fire fox (Vulpix) has been done before, Fennekin brings a refreshing look to fire types--which have been getting increasingly negative reviews since the days of Torchic in the 3rd generation. Froakie comes across as perhaps the most intriguing option--especially since a frog waited behind a turtle, alligator, swamp alien, penguin, and otter to be the base for a water starter. At first glance, these starters are great.
***SPOILER ALERT: NEXT PARAGRAPH COVERS FURTHER EVOLUTIONARY STAGES***
Where this group of starters is made/broken is in their latter stages of evolution. I'll start with the one I first chose: Froakie.
The first two stages of Froakie's evolutionary path are fairly simple: a water frog that goes from small to slightly bigger and more menacing. The type doesn't change from first to second stage, and the moves are pretty typical--basic offensive water moves paired in with random stat boosters/diminishers. Where Froakie's evolutionary path becomes frustratingly annoying is in the last stage: Greninja. As a concept, Greninja is fascinating--a ninja frog sounds like a great concept for Pokemon--especially on the basis of moves unique to the Pokemon. Outside of a rapid, multi-hit move known as Water Shuriken Greninja's base of moves is very lackluster. Frogardier--the second stage--gains the dark type when it evolves into Greninja and gains very little from it. Greninja learns moves you might expect from a ninja-based Pokemon: substitute, double-team, haze, etc. While these moves are interesting and useful in strategy, none of them are powerful enough outside of the standard Hydro Pump--and maybe night slash which it doesn't learn until level 70.
If you think Fennekin will follow the same kind of standard path that Vulpix followed in the first generation, you are dead wrong. The creators were more creative when they had Fennekin's second stage--Braixen--evolve into a Fire/Psychic type--Delphox. With the introduction of a wand in the second stage, this evolutionary chain is fun to use in combat. Better yet, Fire/Psychic is a very unique paring in the realm of Pokemon. With moves like Psychic, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, and Sunny Day Delphox is a powerhouse when it comes to special attacks. The only problem with Fennekin is that fire types are not uncommon in this generation--in fact they are frequent early on. Picking Fennekin as a starter makes building a more well-balanced party more difficult.
Chespin is the best starter to start out with and here's why: grass types are few and far between in this generation--at least in terms of new Pokemon added in the sixth generation. However, that's not just what makes Chespin great. Chespin's third evolutionary stage--Chesnaught--learns some of the strongest moves in the game: Body Slam, Woodhammer, Hammer Arm, and Giga Impact. It also learns strategy-based moves such as Pain Split and Spiky Shield that make it a terror to deal with in battle. Chesnaught's only problem is that Hammer Arm is the only fighting move it learns--which comes with the downside of lowering the user's speed. As a result, the type addition to Chesnaught becomes nothing but a negative until level 60.
A splendid surprise
**SPOILER ALERT***
One of the best aspects of Pokemon X/Y is that the game turns back to its original roots in that it is littered with throwbacks to the first generation of the game. The first of which comes just about an hour into the game when you fight the Pokemon Professor. His party includes a Bulbasaur, a Charmander, and a Squirtle. After you win the battle--which you might not if you haven't done a good job of adding Pokemon--you get to choose to take one of the three along with you! This basically makes it so you have two starters: one from the sixth generation and one from the first generation. The game also has many more throwbacks--a Snorlax blocking a route, the ability to extract an Aerodactyl from an Old Amber, etc--and these keep things increasingly interesting and fresh.
***END SPOILER***
Party Selection
Another A+ move from the creators of this game is that the Pokedex is far more expansive than it has been in other games. There are Pokemon from all six generations present, and it's really easy to assemble a party that is exceptional for use. While there are many different combinations, I'll introduce you to the combination that I found to be best for use on my second play through.
X/Y Gen Starter: Chespin
1st Gen Starter: Squirtle
I mentioned before that grass types are rare, but good water types aren't exactly common, either. To me that makes the decision to pick these two really easy, but I digress. Since you already know these two, here's the rest of the party I developed:
Meet Fletchinder, the Kalos region's most common bird Pokemon--other than Pidgey, of course. Fletchinder is a great addition to a party because it evolves into a Flying/Fire combination of destruction and death. Fletchinder's third evolutionary stage is Talonflame, a Pokemon based in speed and attack that learns moves such as Steel Wing, Flame Charge, and Brave Bird.
I linked to the third evolutionary stage because--like with most bug Pokemon--evolution occurs at early stages and a huge portion of the Pokemon's levels happen when it is Vivillon. Usually I stay away from bug Pokemon, but I figured I'd give Scatterbug a shot. I was glad I did, and you probably will be, too. Armed with Bug Buzz and Hurricane in its later stages, it is a powerful and unexpected addition--after all, the game still isn't good at preparing for the user to use bug Pokemon.
After waiting years, we finally get a Pokemon based on the dinosaur many of us associate with...well....dinosaurs! Tyrunt and its later evolution Tyrantrum are based on Tyrannosaurus Rex--the dino that has been most prevalent in Western society's cinema. As a Rock/Dragon type, Tyrantrum poses a big problem, especially when it learns Head Smash, Rock Slide, and Giga Impact at later levels.
And for now I'll break, as the last Pokemon in my ideal party will be discussed later. For now, let's get back to some of the new traits in the game.
Mega Evolution
At long last, a fourth evolutionary stage has been brought to the Pokemon franchise. Actually--if I'm brutally honest--it isn't really another evolutionary stage. First off, you have to have a special ring and stone to make a particular Pokemon Mega Evolve. Second, the evolution only happens in battles and is more like a power up. Essentially, Pokemon can now go "beast mode" for a short time in battle--which serves as an easy way to zip through tough battles later in the game. If you wish, you can look up some of the Mega Evolutions online--and as a reference, all three first-generation starters can mega evolve in their last stages of evolution.
Fairy Types
Introducing the Pokemon type that has officially turned the game on its own head. Like chess, the types--pieces--have been established in Pokemon for a while. After dark and steel were introduced in the second generation, the only major change in battle strategy was interesting combinations--like Spiritomb, a dark/ghost combo that has no weaknesses. As a result, Dragon types reigned supreme as their only weaknesses--ice and other dragons--were extremely uncommon. Fairy types--quite frankly--don't give a shit about Dragon types and have changed battles forever. Imagine this:
Meet Flabebe--an accent on each "e"--the first Fairy type you meet. This Pokemon has a few unique traits when it comes to battle. Most noticeably, it has only two weaknesses--Poison and Steel--both rare. More significantly, Dragon types are WORTHLESS against Flabebe as Dragon moves have to effect on Fairy types. In the meantime, Flabebe is also resistant to Bug, Fighting, and Dark types. When a Fairy move is used, it is super effective against Fighting, Dragon, and Dark types--though it is weak against Fire, Poison, and Steel. So there you go--Fairy types have dynamically changed the game.
*Note: as a result, Poison types are that much better and Dragon types are not as rare or powerful.
Legendary Pokemon
Xerneaus and Yveltal are the two legendary Pokemon from this generation. The former is a Fairy type and the latter is Dark/Flying. Both are powerful, but only one actually impacted how I chose/played the games. I chose Pokemon X because Xerneaus is a beast and is a Fairy type. Its weaknesses are rare, it learns a vast array of attacks, and it looks really cool--if you ask me. Quite honestly, Yvetlal is a very disappointing legendary Pokemon, but Xerneaus makes up for it by being in line with the originals.
Speaking of which, Mewtwo is back and can Mega Evolve into different forms based on the version of the game you pick. The only other legendary--other than the traveling Legendary birds from the first generation--is Zygarde, which is a hopelessly ugly Pokemon with no real appeal to me personally.
Story
No spoilers here, because I don't want to get too in depth with the story as I think everyone should experience it on their own. All I'll say is that it's the deepest story any Pokemon game has seen, and it actually adds juuuuuuust enough to the experience to make it matter--something not necessarily true with other games. The ending feels a lot like the third generation--which is a good thing.
Conclusion
I really am not kidding when I say that these games are GOTY candidates. This generation has evolved an old franchise so much that it's almost like the franchise is starting over. Most of the Pokemon through history are present, things like Exp. Share make the beginning of the game go much faster--which means more time spent with cool moves at higher levels--and the addition of Fairy types makes combat much more complex. Add in the third dimension to game play and picking up one of these games is a real no-brainer. Whether you haven't played since the first generation or just finished White 2 and Black 2, this is something worth picking up.
Now hopefully they do the right thing and use this model to remake the 3rd Generation.
Rush has earned good reviews, and it is one of the better movies of the year. I was still surprised, however, at how great of a film it actually was. Ron Howard is a master filmmaker, and for some reason I need constant reminders of this. After Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon, A Beautiful Mind, and Cinderella Man you would think I'd get the point, but I have no problem saying that Rush is every bit as good as any of his previous films.
The movie is about Formula 1 racers James Hunt, Niki Lauda, and their rivalry, which climaxed in the 1976 season. Now, I don't know anything about F1, or particularly care about the sport, but this is not a sports movie, it is a movie - you don't need to know how the Millennium Falcon works to enjoy Star Wars.
Story: 4/5 - Every time during the movie where I felt something was going wrong, the film would correct itself immediately. If the pace was derailed, it was because something needed to be addressed. If I thought they were getting away from the relationship between Hunt and Lauda, they would have another interaction. The film built relentlessly to a crescendo, and the payoff was very sweet. It reminded me a bit of Walk the Line in the way that it managed to balance the fascinating professional lives of the star characters with their necessary and revealing personal lives. A couple of small qualms: the filmmakers could have at some point explained how the points system worked, or at least how each driver had to place going into the last race. I found myself wondering up until they explained it shortly before the winner was announced. Also, it would have been nice if the other drivers were more present. There are a few scenes with other drivers, but only Lauda's teammate Clay Regazzoni got more than a throwaway line.
Writing: 4/5 - The writing was simple but effective, and felt very organic - you could see these people reacting in the way they all did, saying the things they did. Each line of dialogue had a purpose, and they contributed masterfully to the construction of the characters.
Acting: 5/5 - The casting for this movie was absolutely perfect. Chris Hemsworth, always fun, is the freewheeling, reckless Hunt, and pulls off the handsome, charismatic superstar athlete. Daniel Bruhl is the star of the film as Lauda, the arrogant, brilliant misanthrope with a permanent chip on his shoulder. There isn't any awards buzz about him, but of the films I've seen in 2013, I would probably give him the Oscar. Even supporting actors like Olivia Wilde (Hunt's sultry, distant wife, Suzy Miller) pull their weight and create a full world of characters. The only problem with Hemsworth was his intensity as the film ramps up. He's an excellent playboy, but only a solid inspired man.
Aesthetics: 5/5 - I talk all the time about cinematographer Roger Deakins, and extolled his work in Prisoners last weekend, but he is outdone by Oscar-winning Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Dredd) here. The shots are creative, powerful, and immersive. The sound engineers and editors did a great job of putting everything together as well. It's not an art show like Deakins puts on, but it is gritty, aggressive, and it results in pure spectacle.
I will start by saying that Prisoners is one of the better thrillers I've seen in recent years - maybe since Michael Caine's Sleuth. It should also be noted that while this movie definitely succeeds as a thriller, it does not succeed as much as a film.
Hugh Jackman is one of two fathers who lose their daughters, when they were allowed to play outside after Thanksgiving dinner. Jackman eventually abducts a local simpleton (Paul Dano) who he suspects is involved, and is forced into a very trying situation. Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhaal is the lead detective on the case, who must deal with both the girls' kidnapping, and Jackman's behaviour.
Plot: 4/5 - This movie succeeds as a thriller because the story is fantastic. It is easy to identify with each one of the characters, and understand everybody's motive. The issues were all too real, making the film almost uncomfortable to watch, but the plot was thick and engaging. The pacing was not an issue, but the eventual runtime (2.5 hours) may be a turnoff for some. I was aware of the passing time while watching the movie, but writer Aaron Guzikowski and director Denis Villenueve needed it all to tell the story they did. We get to see the characters make tough choices, and the overlying theme (we are all prisoners, everybody is forced into equally horrible situations) was none too heavy-handed.
Writing: 3/5 - This, to me, was probably the main weak point of the film. There is not a single laugh in the movie - and this is not to say that there should be (it is about an abduction), but rather that there are no real highs or lows - the tone stays much the same throughout, and the dialogue is very predictable: "Shut up! Shut up!" "Where the fuck is she?!" I only gave this a 3 because the dialogue was believable - I can see real people saying these things - and not really corny, but it doesn't really add to the film.
Acting: 4/5 - I'm on the record as an enormous Hugh Jackman fan. I don't think he's the best actor working, but he is very good, and he is a born entertainer (watch Real Steel). Everything he does is worth watching (except Australia). Paul Dano, also, is a favourite of mine. Nobody does pitiable better than he, and he is at his pitiable best in Prisoners. For much of the movie, it is the suspected child killer that you feel most sorry for.
Aesthetics: 3/5 - I started to write that the camerawork was very good, then decided to check on who was the cinematographer. Of course, it was Roger Deakins, probably the greatest cinematographer who ever lived. The dark tones and close shots will keep you queasy for the entire movie, and he does a masterful job of setting the tone in each scene, and throughout the movie. You can actually watch a Deakins movie for the sheer visual spectacle. The music went with the film very well, too. Master of minimalism Johann Johansson put together the perfect score - consisting basically of silence and low, flat tones that make what is happening on the screen absolutely riveting. I was not a fan of the editing - some of the sound effects sounded silly, there were too many fade-to-black scene endings (read: every scene), but it was OK.
