Watch Dogs

+Ubisoft the studio that brought us the highly acclaimed +Assassin's Creed franchise.  Has another title due to arrive later this year called "Watch Dogs".  This game has a lot of the things that made Assassins Creed work so well, with the free-run system, multiple side missions, and a light dusting of GTA style carjacking.  What makes this game really stand out and already a fan favorite amongst most of my geek friends, is the ability to hack any device connected to the M.A.N (Metropolitan Area Network) or the city wide electrical power grid.  Players can cause power outages, use the police departments own city wide defenses, traffic cams, vehicles, just to name a few items.  The game also allows for players to seamlessly jump into another players game and hack them for intel.  +Ubisoft released a 14 minute game demo displaying a lot of the features we'll find once the game has been released.   The video can be found at a number of different sites however, I'm a fan of +GameTrailers and they have it as well.  The nice people at +GameTrailers were even kind enough to supply a link to the video for streaming.  

Watch Dogs

     It's a 14-minute gameplay demo showing you what you're able to do in the game.  In the video you learn that the game takes place in Chicago.  A new computer system ctOS, has been put in place to assist the city in well, just about everything.  From surveillance to traffic cams this new technology has access to everything and that means you as the player do as well.  Watch Dogs will be available on Playstation 3, XBOX 360 as well as the next-gen systems, XBOX One, Playstation 4,  and possibly the Wii-U.  This is one of the games on my personal wish-list and I'm gearing up to get this on one of the next-gen systems.  The release date has been set for November 19, 2013.  You can pre-order the game at either GameStop, BestBuy, or Amazon.  There are a few other places to pre-order however, I only trust one of the three I named.  There is also a limited edition version of the game that include exclusives such as a statue of the main character, soundtrack, art-book, and other game related elite swag. 

You can venture over to the official site for the game here Watch Dogs Official Site.  Thus far from everything I've seen, this is going to be a fairly good game.  I just hope it lives up to the hype and as this could be the next big thing in video games.

Batman: Arkham Origins

"Riddle me this, Riddle me that, Who's afraid of the big black bat?" - Riddler

     In my last blog I touched on the "Affleck Riots" or the uproar of people being really, really mad that Ben "Daredevil" Affleck was chosen to be Batman.  While I don't share the same maddening anger and involuntary urges to throw darts at the closest Affleck poster. As I think there are quite enough people doing that already.  I am however going to write about something that I think all Batman and superhero fans alike can rejoice in.  The upcoming release of the new +Batman: Arkham Origins video game.  I'm a big Batman fan and I've played all of the +Batman:Arkham Games.  The last game released was +Batman: Arkham City, which had a lot of the DLC updates that provided tons of extra content.  The new +Batman: Arkham Origins video game, according to recent news is coming with a ton of DLC content on the release date.

Deathstroke The Terminator

     I go to +GameTrailers for most of my video game news and updates.  For the most part the news is the same on +Giant Bomb and +IGN.  With a new "uneven multiplayer" feature, pitting two heroes against a group of four or five thugs.  This looks to be the most ambitious Batman game in the Arkham video game franchise.  What's known so far about this new game is that it's a prequel to the first two games.  One of the main points is that Batman is being introduced to the villains that he'll be fighting, repeatedly, over his crime fighting career.

     One of the highlighted villians is "+Deathstroke  the Terminator".  Not many people outside of the comic book kingdom, are aware that Deathstroke at one point and time was called "The Terminator", and I don't mean the one govenator +Arnold Schwarzenegger played back in his youth.  He is only one of ten assassins gunning for The Batman during a one night fight for his life.  I don't want to give away too many details of the storyline just in case you've been trying to avoid any big spoilers.  What I expect is a good look at the early renditions of classic Batman characters.  I will say that I expect the Christopher Nolan movies to have an influence in the design of the characters.  Actually to be perfectly honest I expect it, with the release of the Bane character design for the game.  You can see the influence of the Bane design from The Dark Knight Rises movie.  However, there are some elements like the Batplane that are influenced by real world design.  I'm sure we'll get to see more as the official release date gets closer.  Recently the collectors edition of the game has been announced and comes with a lot of the usual goodies that you'd expect.  A statue, art book, and soundtrack amongst additional skins and playable characters such as Deathstroke.  While it's a different division of the same company that's working on this title.  Which many have speculated is only due to the actual original division of Rocksteady Studios that worked on the other Arkham titles is currently working on the next sequel to Arkham City.  Either way I'm sure it'll be a good edition to the already impressive line of games released for such an awesome superhero.

Hopefully, this will help people adjust to the idea that Ben Affleck will be the next Batman.  Many argue that he won't do a good job, but Ben tends to differ...

Batman: Arkham Origins Official Page

The Affleck Riots Expanded

In the most recent news there was an announcement for the new "Worlds Finest" movie, as some of us fans are calling it.  Or to the folks familiar with the movie and entertainment business "The Unnamed Zack Snyder Super Hero Movie" or just simply the Superman/ Batman movie.  In response to this one of my FaceBook friends,   +Whitney Barber, put up a post simply called "The Affleck Riots".  Many people chimed in on this topic and some even stated in very colorful terms how disappointed they were in this choice.  Now most people remember all of the many Hollywood actors to play the role of The Batman.  For most naming an actor that has donned the cowl of the bat is more so in the aspect of whom they feel did the worst job.  I try my best to avoid these types of conversations.  In my opinion the whole franchise went south the moment Tim Burton stop making them.  Of course that does not include the Nolan trilogy or some of the other animated feature films.


For a lot of us fans we all have who we think would make a good Caped Crusader.  I didn't think that +Christian Bale would have been a good Bruce Wayne.  Now I say this specifically since the key, in my humble opinion, is that to be Batman you have to be not just a good, but believable Bruce Wayne.  Since anyone can put on a cowl and a cape with some spandex and go beat up bad guys.  Becoming the part in total and not just taking favor to one part of the role over the other.  There are people whom have posted that now they cannot imagine anyone else playing the role of the Dark Knight.  Furthermore, I personally didn't think that Heath Ledger would have been a good Joker in the Dark Knight.  I even went on a rant and actually argued down a few people explaining why he would suck.  But, just as many other people did, I ate a crap load of crow when I watched "The Dark Knight".  I wasn't just blown away by his performance, he in fact did such an awesome job that now I can't see the role being done by someone either just as good or better.  When I say better I mean, they had better be completely awesome or it'll be a total fail.  But, it's just that type of attitude that has caused all of this up roar about someone else taking on the mantle of such an iconic role.

   

 I personally will give Ben the opportunity to either wow me or disappoint equally.   I know many fans are quick to jump on the whole well look at what Ben did in "Daredevil".  I saw the movie and I lay most of the blame on the studio.  Yes, he wasn't all that grand in the role and there are many debates that I have witnessed on why.  For me personally what it all comes down to is whether or not if he'll deliver the goods on "this" role.  It's been a few years since he did Daredevil and I'm sure he's grown as an actor.  I have yet to see Argo, but I've heard only good things about it.  Also, since then Ben has been directing movies as well, so perhaps this will give him some better insight as how to approach the role.  I would love to hear from anyone that comes across my humble posting on the subject at hand.

I guess in the end we'll just have to follow what Bane has suggested:

Besides I'm sure there are a few actors out there looking to take on being Batman, for the second or third time.  Just in case if Ben sucks and he goes down faster than the Titanic.

My First Post

My First Post (Well not really)

     As I stop and look back on my life, even on the short term I find myself wondering… wondering why the moon continues to follow me.  Well, not really, I'm fully aware as to why the moon "appears to be following me".  No, it's not that I'm the center of the universe and everything revolves around me.  I created this blog to post my thoughts, concerns, and wonderment on any new stuff I find out about.  The goal at the moment is to post something here once a month at least.  Perhaps I'll do more that just share my insights on my life as a parent and husband.  This isn't the first blog I've created, but this is the first blog I've decided to be serious about posting to on a regular basis.  For those of you that follow this blog, my thoughts tend to be rather random at times, "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!".  Well, until next time, later.

- Errol