The Noobist

The Noobist publishes headline news on technology, entertainment, and gaming, as well as op-eds, interviews, reviews, and fan fiction. Every story is served with a heaping spoonful of nerdy.

[thenoobist]

D23 2017

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D23 2017

D23 2017 kicks off in a huge way giving more detailed information of games to come in the next few years.

It kicks off with the announcement that it will be a bridge to Rouge One. It will also have a female protagonist by the name of Iden and how she deals with the fall of the empire. She’s spend her whole life building up to be a warrior for the dark side.

There was an announcement of an AR headset developed with Lenovo! You can find out more on the Lenovo Youtube Page.

Insomniac Games discuss the challenges of making a SpiderMan Game, taking inspiration from the Spiderman comics. We get a brand new trailer with new story elements, with reassurance that the web slinging that they have the motion down for it. Enduring that the flow of movement is smooth and consistent. That there is no obstacle too big for Spiderman to overcome.

We have a new armer from Spiderman Homecoming.

Marvel Power United VR

So it’ll be a VR experience for the Oculus Rift. There will be a full roster of charters and there will be a  demo available and you can see a trailer here. Markiplier played it, and I’m so jealous!

We start off with the older trailer for Kingdom Hearts that was shown at E3 this year. Raging most of us, as we all know Namura likes to mess with us. But, we do get a new world to see this time around at this D23. Realising a new Toy Story world, it is easily one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen.

With the best thing of all.

Kingdom Hearts, will be released 2018.

Excuse me while I blow up Twitter till I get the Disk in my hand.

[thenoobist]

E3 2017 - EA Press Conference

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E3 2017 - EA Press Conference

E3 2017

Ah, E3 2017. Gaming’s version of Christmas. Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 for short) is an annual conference where all walks of life from the video games come together to discuss what’s coming up in the industry this year. Everyone attends: from software developers to retailers and everyone in between. A lot of hype happens around this conference as the big names in industry showcase what they have to offer for 2017.

Madden 18 Longshot

This year’s E3 lineup starts out strong with a gripping introduction to the campaign mode of Madden 18 Longshot. If you’ve been following any of my work for long, you’ll know I’m not into sports games. They just don’t do it for me. However, I have to say, that the story mode of going through the drama of what it would be life to be an American Football Star had me engrossed. House of Cards engrossed. Hook. Line. And Sinker. Well done, Madden, well done. You can check out the trailer yourself and let me know what you think about it in the comments below.

Star Wars Battlefront 2

Moving onto Star Wars Battlefront 2, you have to give credit where credit is due. CEO, Andrew Wilson admits from the get-go that they had a lot to learn from Star Wars Battlefront.

Two years ago we launched Star Wars Battlefront and we got a lot of feedback. A lot of it positive and a bunch of it constructive. That’s a uphamism for not as positive.

You know what? I respect that. I appreciate the fact that he can admit that there were a lot of frustrated fans and players from the rather hollow experience that Star Wars Battlefront was. Time will tell as to whether or not they have indeed learned their lessons from the first Battlefront and what will change in this iteration of the franchise.

While microtransactions are still a thing, there is a lot to be said for the studio electing to not have any paid DLC with Battlefront 2. They’re aware the goodwill they built up vanished when they charged what they did for what was essentially four maps. Let them try and earn it back I’d say. They’re aware the game will sell, but they will be under more pressure now to not take the mickey with it.

Battlefield 1

It’s always reassuring to know that Battlefield 1 will not be left out of the E3 love this year. As Andrew Gulotta, Producer of Battlefield 1 talks through the success of the franchise so far. Though, it did give way to some of the most awkward montages of games live streaming/YouTube experiences of playing BattleField 1 that I’ve ever seen.

It illustrates the power and where the influence for games are going these days (to the players and influencers). It hit home to me at that moment two equally powerful things. 1): They’re paying attention to the movement of gaming and where the hubs are. This is good. 2): They’re taking streamers and YouTubers content to present at E3. Yikes.

The reason why I say Yikes is because it makes me very self-conscious about how young the industry is, and yes, these moments are crucial to a gamers life. I don’t know why, but it showcased this way felt invasive in a way I can’t describe. Communities are built around these things, and generally, it’s not for the benefit of the publication of these communities.

Not that I feel that showing these communities to a wider audience isn’t useful or beneficial – but my fear is for the larger audiences of these conferences that it may just perpetuate the stereotypes of what we face already as gamers. I think that’s what I’m the most uncomfortable with. That and the lack of diversity in that clip. Those who were talking about the engagement in their communities were predominantly white men. I only saw one female, and I know a lot of women who play Battlefield, so this made me feel uneasy.

In the name of Tsar is the latest expansion coming to Battlefield one and it will contain eight new maps all based around the Russian Army around World War 1. There will also be a new competitive battlefield experience, based on the feedback that they’ve received from fans. Patrick Söderlund talks through what to expect in this update.

Later this year we are going to give you a new competitive Battelfield experience. We’ve heard you. You want a smaller, tighter experience focused on teamplay.

We can look forward to hearing more about it at Gamescom later on this year.

FIFA 18

FIFA is FIFA is FIFA. I know next to nothing about it, except that Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (no not that one) is on the cover of it and contributed his data to the game to help it be more realistic. For those in the eSports world of FIFA,  you’ll be pleased to know that EA is heavily investing in the scene and that more championships and leagues will be coming to your monitors soon.

Need for Speed: Payback

A bit of Burnout mixed in with some Horizon style open world with the regular additions of the Need for Speed franchise. So, what’s not to like? We’ll find out more about it soon in due time.

A Way Out

A Way Out is probably EA’s most exciting new title for this year’s E3. From the Studio that did Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. This Prison breakout game is one that should interest the wider community, giving some Last of Us/Uncharted vibes. Lots to be excited about given how stellar Brothers was. I’d be cautiously optimistic about what comes next for this studio!

There is a lot to digest from this E3 2017 presentation from EA. It shows a different side of the company, one that is painfully aware of itself and the market. Yet, hasn’t really hit the nail on the head in terms of tone and approach. That being said, there is a lot to be looking forward to in the next year with an impressive lineup of old and new titles.

[thenoobist]

Noobist Roundup! GOTY 2016

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Noobist Roundup! GOTY 2016

This has been a busy year for the Noobist in Gaming! We’ve had plenty of new writers join the Noobist gaming team this year, and had a tremendous content being produced. I’m very proud of what the team has curated this year and we hope to continue developing and growing together in 2017. In light of this, I felt it was appropriate to create a GOTY Noobist Roundup for all of our best bits!  – Specious (Editor-in-Chief Noobist) 

Final Fantasy XV by specious

If you had asked me at the start of this year if I would have considered Final Fantasy XV to be a contender to For my Game of the Year, I would have laughed. I was openly sceptical about the game. It had changes substantially from its origins as FF Versus XIII, and it’s change from it’s beta Duscae to its demo of Platnium (Carbunkle is the best, and I fill fight anyone who says otherwise!) I was uncertain about it straying too far from its roots but was none the less was impressed by its Kingdom Hearts esque battle system. So, I figured I’d chip in and see what it was all about. However, I didn’t expect to love as much as I do, as much as I still do a month later.

The main reason why I love it is for the one reason I didn’t expect to. I am invested in the journey of the four boys wandering around, enjoying the journey that they’re on. The banter between the group is as good as, if not better, the banter in Dragon Age Inquisition! Don’t misunderstand me, it’s a game with flaws. Many flaws. Luna is completely under-utilised (I personally would pay for there to be a Tales of Xilia option where at the end of your first game you go back and play it again from her side to complete the narrative) which is a shame, considering the impact she has on the narrative. Nothing would have happened without her intervention – contrary to popular opinion – without her Noctus wouldn’t have been motivated to do anything else. It’s very reminiscent of Lord of the Rings and Aragon’s rise. There are major characters whos motivations are not fleshed out. The game, quite literally, changes half way through, its very confusing!

What continues to draw me back to the game is the group dynamics of the four guys. It is the heart and soul of the game, and because of that sincerity – wins me over.

A Nostalgic Hug from 2016: Ratchet and Clank by Mishka

Looking back on 2016, I knew it wouldn’t be difficult choosing a worthy game for Game of the Year. Released on April 12, 2016, Insomniac Games developed Ratchet and Clank for new and old fans exclusively for the PlayStation 4. My fondest gaming memories stem from playing hours and hours of Ratchet and Clank for the PlayStation 2, so when I heard news of a remake I knew I had to prepare myself for a walk down memory lane. A couple of months before Ratchet and Clank’s release date, I bought the Ratchet and Clank Collection for PlayStation 3 to compare the classic against the remake in terms of gameplay, graphics, and story. Replaying Ratchet and Clank brought me back to my 12 year old days with nostalgia that was almost palpable. I was surprised by how much I remembered a lot of the secret areas in levels and was curious if some of those areas could still be discovered in the remake. After finishing the classic Ratchet and Clank, I was more than ready to sink into the remake. Firstly, I was blown away by the graphics and cinematic quality of the cut scenes. The design quality is largely reminiscent of a Pixar film. While progressing through the levels, I was surprised that a lot of the secret areas still carried over into the remake. Secondly, the controls felt fluid and made playing the game on Hard extremely fun. These new controls actually make it difficult to play the older Ratchet and Clank games, because the older controls are clunky to say the least. Lastly, the story was altered from the original to make Ratchet’s motives make sense and to ultimately have a concise, action packed story that ensured the player never felt lost or bored.

Pokken Tournament by Jordan Baxter

Much like last year’s Super Mario Maker, Pokken Tournament is an excellent concept that shows off Nintendo’s plucky willingness in recent years to take its long-running franchises onto interesting tangents. Developed by Bandai Namco, Pokken Tournament is a one-on-one arena fighter pitting all your favourite creatures in battles against each other. Seeing 16 of the most fit-for-a-fighting-game Pokemon rendered in pretty 3D graphics will already be a treat for fans, but the game looks like more than just a quick-and-easy spinoff. Rather than mimicking Tekken’s combat mechanics, battles take place in a large round arena which you can run around freely and change the field into a 2D angle by hitting the opponent with a hard enough attack. This makes for a unique new style of fighting, as you can dodge between traps laid down by your enemy, try to outflank them and hit them from another angle, and generally battle in the fast, free way you’d imagine real wild animals with superpowers actually would.The charming pastel graphics are embellished by spectacular explosions as Pikachu summons a lightning bolt or Charizard goes in a fiery rampage, alongside many visual flourishes when laying down heavy multi-hit combos.Just like how splatoon made players rethink how they play the shooter genre because the mainstay for the last decade had been first-person games based primarily around kills.Pokken Tournament also provides this great sense of freshness and fun when playing online because of how different everyone can use the same pokemon.The arcade version already has a burgeoning eSports scene around it, and it looks like this could finally be the start of a Nintendo fighting franchise aimed at more hardcore players. Only major question around this brilliantly self-explanatory game is just, ‘what took Nintendo so long?’

  Stardew Valley by EB

The 21st century has blessed us with many things – Driverless cars, Bluetooth, a robot that won Jeopardy, but one of the greatest gifts has been the ability to play simulation video games.  It’s a true miracle to have a yearning for creating a civilization, or building a roller coaster, or going outside and being able to satisfy those yearnings from the safety of your desk chair.  Stardew Valley is one of the greatest outlets for these yearnings.

Beginning in an office space with little motivation, energy, or purpose, your character is given the deed to its grandfather’s farm.  After relocating to Middle-Of-Nowheresville (Stardew Valley), you are given the task of revitalizing the dying farm your grandfather had created.

Mastering the art of growing crops isn’t all Stardew Valley offers; you are also challenged with being the first newcomer to a small town after many years.  Everyone knows everyone, already has their connections and friends.  Stardew Valley challenges your ability to multitask; while learning the growing patterns of your vegetables and what berries can make wine, you must also conquer being socially awkward.

The game is brilliantly crafted in a way that allows role-playing within such a simple game.  There are about 30 other characters in the game, each with their own personalities, dialogues, and purposes to you.  You must choose how you treat them, and thus how you are perceived in the town.

The graphics are reminiscent of Super Mario and have a seasonally crafter soundtrack to lull you into tilling.  This is a game that will have you confused why you are so eager to virtually farm, fish, and adventure.  So open that deed of yours and hop on the next bus to Stardew Valley!

[thenoobist]

Why the Game of Thrones Concert Will Be Even Better than the Show!

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Why the Game of Thrones Concert Will Be Even Better than the Show!

A few days ago, we learned that despite the 7th Season starting mid-summer, we will have something to sate our Game of Thrones desires through the late Winter and into Spring. The Game of Thrones Concert Experience boasts that “state of the art technology” will be used to take a music and fantasy lover through an amazing experience, and of this I have not the slightest inkling of doubt.

For those of you who do not know, the man behind the music in Game of Thrones is Ramin Djawadi, who has scored every single episode out of the sixty, as well as films like Pacific Rim and Warcraft.

I think it’s safe to say anyone remotely interested in HBO or Game of Thrones has heard some piece of his work, but of course one of the most remembered is the Title Song. This alone is a feat, as millions of people have fallen in love with the show alongside its opening scene, weekly featuring something Ramin created. It’s no doubt his music has a lasting impact on the audience, but it really steps things up to the next level when you sit down and think about it.

Most viewers of Game of Thrones tune in for betrayal, bloodshed, and the occasional brutality, but once you take a good hard listen to the score in your favorite scenes you understand just why the Game of Thrones Concert Experience will be an even greater watch than you could imagine.

Let’s examine some of my favorite scenes to illustrate this point.

The first scene happens at the end of Season 1 and really solidified my love for the score quickly. Rob Stark has just found out his father Eddard, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, has been taken captive at the Capital. He knows nothing about why, but knows everything about hatred and revenge, the same feelings that led Starks to their doom at King’s Landing in past generations. All of these emotions need to be captured in the scene, and while Richard Madden does a fine job doing it, it’s nothing without the score supporting it.

Trying to imagine the scene without the music is the best way to gauge its impact. There are many situations in Game of Thrones that contain nothing but silence in the background, but once you listen to the piece featured in this scene titled The Stark Theme, you begin to understand why this scene and so many others allowed us to fall in love with a family that would eventually fall to such a grim fate.

Next up let’s examine something much more recent. The Season Finale for Season 6 was breathtaking for multiple reasons, but I don’t think anyone who watched it will ever forget its amazing opening sequence. The episode starts with a gentle back and forward of characters preparing for Cersei Lannister’s trial to decide her guilt by seven Septons of the Faith of the Seven. All the prominent members of the King’s court are present, as well as the heads of the religion.

The character Cersei engineers an amazing power play, but she should be breaking the fourth wall screaming with appreciation to Ramin, who once again makes the entirety of the scene doubly as memorable. The piece used at the start of the episode that climaxes along with it is known as The Light of the Seven. A good spot of irony when you realize the Light of the Seven now has a rather green hue to it, but what’s even more ironic is that every single one of you reading this already knows the name of this song. Honestly, think to yourself. You, and a million others, immediately went to the internet to learn the name of the song and everything about it. It was THAT powerful. So much so, the scene feels like the secondary when side by side.

That right there is the power of music. The eyes and the ears work in blissful harmony to create an emotion. You may see something beautiful, but without sounds associated with it, it is only half of its true self.

This is why the Game of Thrones Concert Experience will be worth the price of admission 10 times over, and will be even better than watching any single episode of the show.

The goal is a total Westeros experience overlayed to its music, so expect strong visuals, intense light work, and of course a full Orchestra and Choir giving it their all. Anyone who doesn’t leave satisfied should not call themselves a fan of the series.

28 cities will be visited, and unfortunately not everyone will have a feasible opportunity to be a part of this. I myself do not know if I can attend either location somewhat near me, but I urge anyone who is on the fence about this to go and share your experiences with us at [email protected]

Tickets go on sale August 13th, so be sure to start planning your trips and calling off work to see the once in a life time Game of Thrones Concert Experience!

[thenoobist]

Best and Worst Things about Pokemon GO So Far!

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Best and Worst Things about Pokemon GO So Far!

Pokemon GO is approaching one month of being a thing and it already breaking all kinds of records. It seems like anywhere you go you can find some one staring at their phone next to a Pokestop, or if you live in an area large enough you’ll see people stampeding across streets to find rare Pokemon.

A large part of its success weighs heavily on both nostalgia of the past and the intrigue of the future. 20 years ago in February, Pokemon was first published and it took almost no time for it either to become a household name. But back then, there were no smart phones or blogs. People found out about it in a much slower fashion, and yet it still took the world by storm.

Many people playing Pokemon GO right now are reliving those amazing memories, as even though Pokemon has never stopped, its the first time they have cared about it since. Why is that? Because the presence of Augmented Reality and the technologies that come with it loom large on our every day life. “Smart” phones are slowing becoming “Genius” phones, making the person holding them look like some one living in the middle ages. At this rate, the technology in our hand has grown so exponentially that 20 years ago when you were playing a Game Boy it seemed impossible to EVER fathom that Pokemon GO could be a feasible reality.

Despite this, it is indeed a reality, and realities are not always what you expect. Pokemon GO has been acclaimed by many, but it is a mixed bag for me, some one who has played Pokemon since day one and consistently over the last 5 years.

The Best Things about Pokemon GO

Augmented Reality makes you feel like you are really a Pokemon Collector. There are some really cool pictures out there of people catching Pokemon in funny ways. Its worth a look if you are interested, and always makes me smile at the creativity of both Nintendo and the players.

Nintendo finally gets the break it deserves. Speaking of Nintendo, they were really struggling these last years. With their systems’ being outpaced by PC gaming and advanced GPUs it seemed like Nintendo’s heyday was complete. There is only so much Mario, Link, and Pikachu can do for a company right? WRONG! On top of Mario Maker, Pokemon GO has single handedly restored their relevance if not their financial stability.

Exercise while playing games!? This is a huge step forward for the gaming community, even if people don’t fully understand why. Of course Pokemon GO is pushing the VR/AR market too, but its also helping break down a stigma that is REALLY hurting the gaming landscape. You would be surprised how many people STILL look at gamers as out of shape nerds who have no ambition or desire to be out there under the sun. Even though most of those people are hypocrites, there is nothing the gaming industry could do to counter that with any strength. But now, Pokemon to save the day! The amount of people just I know that are out walking around their towns instead of sitting in front of the monitor is really astounding. I’m excited to see what comes next honestly. Another amazing thing is how this exercise has gotten me to see parts of the map that I’ve lived next to for years but never knew existed!

The Worst Things About Pokemon GO

The dream they sold us was a lie. Don’t get me wrong, I actually LOVE the Pokemon GO approach to this, but am also really really disappointed with what Pokemon has been reduced to. Battling is a complete joke, and basically everything you know about stats, evolution, and rarity is non existent in this game. It makes me wonder “what if,” but I know if the game were anything but collecting it wouldn’t make the splash that it has so far.

Only Generation 1. Hopefully they have some BIG plans for expansions for this game, because if not I am very disappointed. Once again, I also LOVE the idea of them sticking to gen1 for this release because as I previously mentioned, there is so much nostalgia driven in this. But its about the time where I caught my 30th pidgey and my 50th Doduo that I realize why I don’t like gen 1. There is far too little diversity and even though there are still 140~ pokemon present in this game, you find yourself with the same ones WAYYYY too often.

Prioritization of populated areas. This is a HUGE issue for me, and sadly is the reason I have had to stop playing the game. When it came out, I was on my way to a trip to the beach so I was extremely excited. When I got there, it was day 2 the game was out, and the hype was real. I caught all kinds of water types, walked the boardwalk so much I wracked up 600k steps in the 5 days we were there, and caught dozens of pokemon, often times just in my Hotel. Then I came back home to my little town and boy was I in for a disappointment. Most times I turn Pokemon Go on, there isn’t a single pokemon in the nearby window on the bottom right, and the only pokestop on either side of me is a post office that would be a 10-15 minute walk down the road and an abandoned church 10-15 minutes the opposite direction. To me, this is them dropping the ball considerably. In the Pokemon Universe, Pokemon themselves love rural areas. You don’t find Doduo in the middle of Saffron City, you find them in the tall grass in the woods. But in this real world, I would have to spend hours walking just to find a single pokemon, and when I do its rarely anything worth catching. Meanwhile you see populated cities with Pokestops on every corner and people stampeding across central park to catch Vaporeon.

So while I’ve loved Pokemon GO and respect the massive influence it has on gaming and AR in general, I am really disappointed at what a bastardization of actual Pokemon it is. Its almost like they used Pokemon as a way to make this a hit, and I for one have mixed feelings on the topic.

[thenoobist]

Rating Every Death in Season 6 of Game of Thrones

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Rating Every Death in Season 6 of Game of Thrones

Season 6 of Game of Thrones has come and gone and now we must wait another 8 months. But for a lot of actors, this show will no longer be a source of employment for them. Many on this list only joined for Season 6, but for the ones who have been here for multiple, our many thanks go out! This show wouldn’t be the same without its terrific cast.

What is dead may never die! Because there is always hope the White Walkers will raise you for a cameo!

Deaths in Northern Storylines:

Ramsay Bolton: Death by Dogs is perfect for him. He was such a Bastard in more ways than one. 10/10.

Roose Bolton: Son’s betrayal seems fitting. Was a treasonous oathbreaker as well, so I can’t say I will miss him. 9/10.

Rickon Stark: Never spoke a word after not appearing in multiple seasons. SHOULD HAVE ZIGZAGGED 1/10.

Osha the Wildling: Clearly just wrapping up lose ends here. 1/10.

Walda Bolton: Liked this actress a lot, R.I.P. fat Walda! Good foreshadowing towards Ramsay’s death too! 5/10.

Harald Karstark: Not seen dead, but was not present at Winterfell so assuming he is dead. 1/10.

Smalljon Umber: Was a badass, but much preferred his father’s actor. Would have preferred a true single combat death too. 3/10.

Othell Yawick and Bowen Marsh: You know, the dudes who also stabbed Jon during what seems like an eternity ago? I’m glad they included them, they were both in the show for a long time. 5/10.

Alliser Thorne: Awesome actor, awesome closing speech. For the Watch! 7/10.

Olly: I hate you. Seeing his purple face hang was justice. One of my favorite parts of Season 6. 10/10.

Wun Wun: Giants are so awesome. Seeing him fight through all that pain was tear-jerking. So glad they went that route. 9/10.

Deaths in Brandon’s Storyline:

Hodor: No matter how good the ending of this season was, I’ll never forget the amazing twist with Hodor’s ending. I actually cried at this. 10/10. Hope to see him get a cameo as a Wight.

Brynden Rivers AKA Three-Eyed Raven: Max von Sydow was someone I was looking forward to the whole off-season. His death was very anticlimactic, but his spot on the show was so cool. 8/10.

Leaf: Very cool twist with the Children as well. Her sacrifice was just and cool, but did little to stop the army of the dead. 6/10.

Deaths in King’s Landing Storylines:

Tommen Baratheon: Weak character who dies in the ultimate weak way. Am I the only one who couldn’t help but notice his crown did NOT fit his head? 5/10.

Margaery Tyrell: Felt sour losing a 4 season battle with the Lannisters because she trusted the Sparrow and his foolishness got her killed. She was great since season 2. 8/10.

Loras Tyrell: Was disappointed he gave in so easily. He was a great fighter at one point, and its always sad to see those types of characters lose like this. 2/10.

Mace Tyrell: Was doubly-sad to see him go, his whole family was taken from him before his own life was as well. 5/10.

The High Sparrow: Jonathon Price was brilliant, but I HATED this character. I was preying to the Seven that the crazy theories about him were true, but it looks like he was just another roadblock on the way to the War of Ice and Fire. 8/10.

Lancel Lannister: Came a long way from clueless squire bullied by a king. Another actor that was in since season 1! That stab wound must have been poisoned though or something righttttt? 6/10.

Kevan Lannister: Also cool to see some one from season 1 make it through season 6. Would have much preferred his book death though. It was even slightly set up! 5/10.

Grand Maester Pycelle: He got Kevan’s book death sort of. I was glad to see him die, but I would have MUCH preferred if it was via the Mountain. 7/10.

Septa Unella: Assuming she is not going to last THAT long. Very cool revenge for Cersei as well as getting to see Gregor without the mask. 9/10.

Deaths in Arya’s Storylines:

The Waif: The girl assassin, never actually called that by Arya in the show, to my knowledge. Stupid character and off screen death. Ruined the whole plot for me. 1/10.

Lady Crane: Cool character, was hoping something more than just a simple death. 2/10.

Black Walder Rivers and Lothar Frey: Offscreen zzzz. 1/10.

Walder Frey: Very cool to see her first real kill as a free woman. The Starks send their pies! 9/10. If only Cat was around to see it…

Deaths in Daenery’s Storylines:

Daario Naharis: I’m saying that scene was his final one on the show. Was a proper send-off for a confused character. 6/10.

Jorah Mormont: Since there is no known cure for Greyscale, I would assume he too is gone, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he found one somewhere. If this was his last scene, it was also very emotional for me. 9/10.

Razdal Mo Eras (Wise Master of Yunkai): I really like seeing old actors return on this show. It makes it feel like a persistent universe. 6/10.

Belicho Paenymion of Volantis: Wish we got to see more from Volantis, it’s a really cool city. Pointless character though, really. 2/10.

Khal Moro and other Khals: Was one of the coolest scenes of Season 6. His death was sort of lame, though. He could have done something other than just stand there and die, but I’m glad it went that way. 6/10.

Deaths in Other Storylines:

Brother Ray: Ian McShane could have done so much more, but the scenes themselves were magical. His death was foreshadowing something that didn’t happen either, so I’m torn. 7/10.

Lem Lemoncloak: Again, this made it seem like they were doing Lady Stoneheart. But they didn’t. Hate how he tried to beg too at the last moment. What a clown. 1/10.

Brynden Tully aka the Blackfish: What a freaking joke. This was a true low point for Season 6, and an embarrassment for all book readers. One of the last veterans of the Rebellions, he dies OFF-SCREEN? And then they have the nerve to say he was killed by a common foot soldier in episode 10? The only thing I can think is Clive Russell was woefully inept at sword fighting, and that’s why they kept making those jokes, because that was pathetic. ZERO/10.

Balon Greyjoy: Finally. Took way too long for this story to develop. Never liked him. 5/10.

Doran Martell: Another ridiculous plot with seemingly no direction, at least until episode 10. 2/10.

Trystane Martell: Would have liked to see him fight. Seemed like he had a decent shot. 3/10.

Aero Hotah: Another incredibly big insult for fans of the universe. Aero Hotah is an amazing warrior and one to be feared in the books. Like the Blackfish in many ways. He dies without ever swinging his weapon in the show. Pathetic. ZERO/10.

So that’s 40 named character deaths in a single season of Game of Thrones. Pretty nuts. Thanks again to all the actors and actresses who participated in Season 6. What is dead may never die!

Did I miss any? Let me know below!

[thenoobist]

Game of Thrones Season 6 - Character Predictions

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Game of Thrones Season 6 - Character Predictions

The new season of Game of Thrones is so close I can almost smell the sadness, so today we will take a look back at (almost) every single character involved in some meaningful way going into season 6, to act first as a recap and then predict their motives and direction. Look back at this in 3 months to see how hilariously wrong 90 percent of them are! -> Spoiler Free. All future discussion is prediction purely. Nothing book related. Arya left out for that reason. 

The Wall: 

Jon Snow/Kit Harington: 

Last seen stabbed to death by Olly and his other Night’s Watch brethren. Confirmed dead on a slab in multiple trailers. He will return and lead the Stark loyalists against the Boltons to make the North a bastion against the army of the dead. Mel will finally get her first rez in episode 3, titled Oathbreaker where Jon will return as a Stark.

  Sam Tarly/John Bradley: Last seen heading to Oldtown before Jon gets betrayed. Confirmed in a boat with his new girlfrend. He will have some interaction with his estranged family, although I can’t devise how. Horn Hill isn’t that far from Oldtown, but not en-route by boat. Likely some plot detour. Season 6 has introduced his entire family if you aren’t aware!

  Melisandre/Carice Van Houten:  Last seen arriving at the wall. Will rez Jon in exchange for her own life.

  Ser Davos/Liam Cunningham: Last seen at the Wall. Confirmed mounted with the Starks, and travel to Bear Island among other places to recruit for their army. I can see Season 6 being his last.

  Allister Thorne/Owen Teale: Last seen stabbing Jonny boy to death. Confirmed leading men to take Jon’s body by force and burn it. Will die by fighting Ser Davos, with Ghost dealing the final blow.

  Olly/Brenock O’Connor: Last seen ruining his popular opinion. Will die. If I have to kill him myself.

  Dolorous Edd/Ben Crompton: Absent from the Jon circumstance. Last seen with the wildlings at the wall. Will ascend to Lord Commander now that Pyp and Grenn are dead, and Sam is gone.

  Gilly/Hannah Murray: Last seen leaving for Oldtown with Sammy. Pregnant with Sam’s child. Will die in child birth thanks to Sam’s brother Dickon.

  Tormund/Kristofe Hivju: Last seen surviving the fight with the dead. Will die for the Northern cause.

The North: 

Ramsay Bolton/Iwan Rheon: Last seen finishing off Stannis’s army. Will lose to Jon in single combat, attempt to surrender trick him, and Jon will slay him. Or crushed by giant.

  Roose Bolton/Michael McElhatton: Last seen at Winterfell. Will leave Winterfell to attend the Frey wedding and avoid the fight, which he will disagree with Ramsay’s decision on. On the fence if he dies or is also an engineer of the deal with Walder/Baelish.

  Sansa Stark/Sophie Turner: Last seen leap of faith mode. Will head to Karhold to find Rickon and Last Hearth to enlist the Smalljon into her rally.

  Petyr Baelish/Aidan Gillen: Last seen discussing Vale and Crown tactics. Will engineer the Frey triple cross and make a play to marry Sansa once Ramsay is dead.

  Theon Greyjoy/Alfie Allen: Last seen casting Spook on him and Sansa. Will return to the Iron Islands after a while with Sansa. The events there are one of the plots that are in the book, but Theon is not included in them.

The Last Greenseer Storyline:

Bran/Isaac Hempstead Wright: Last seen 6 years ago. Did some off screen training. Visions will lead Bran to realize the truth about The Three Eyed Raven. Read below.

  Meera Reed/Ellie Kendrick: Last seen watching her brother get blown up. Will find Benjen Stark and work towards Bran’s goals.

  The Three Eyed Raven/Max Von Sydow: Last seen as a different actor. Will reveal his true identity after a series of flashbacks, including of the Mad King’s death and events. Will eventually reveal himself to be chaotic good – working against both the realms of men and the White Walkers. Will die to Bran and his party when they realize this. No way he’s surviving season 6. Max is too big of an actor.

The Riverlands: 

Walder Frey/David Bradley: Will take another wife, last seen not caring about his previous. Will triple cross the Bolton/Lannisters. As seen in trailer, red wedding 2.0 engineered by the same person who engineered the first one… PETYR BAELISH

  Brynden Blackfish Tully/Clive Russel: Last seen fleeing the Red Wedding 1.0. Protected Riverrun, now will organize a play with Baelish to secure his lands.

The Crown Storylines:

Jaime Lannister/Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: Last seen sailing with his dead daughter. Will return to his old ways, attempting to right the Lannister ship by commanding the seige at Riverrun. Will die at the Red Wedding 2.0 after attempting to ensure alliances with the Tyrells and Freys.

  Cersei Lannister/Lena Headey: Last seen naked (body double jk) Will use her new zombie Robert Strong to push back at the religious tensions and Dornish betrayal. Will be challenged to Trial by Combat at the end of Season 6.

  The High Sparrow/Jonathan Price:  Last seen seeing Lena’s body double naked. Will condemn Margery, respond to the Tyrell advance and will offer up a resurrected Sandor Clegane (long story) as his champion in the Trial by Combat against Cersei.

  Brienne/Gwendoline Christie: Last seen killing Stannis. Return to Jaime’s company at Riverrun. Will contribute to “Oathbreaker” episode 3 events by pursuing her own interests instead of her duty.

  Podrick Payne/Daniel Portman: Last seen discovering the Dragonstone Army. Seen being grabbed by Bronn in a trailer clip. Could mean he’s at the Frey wedding, or for some reason is being separated from Brienne. Can’t find a prediction here other than him or her dying, which I can’t see.

  Trystane Martell/Toby Sebastian: Last seen on a ship with the dying Myrcella. Will be executed by Cersei and Robert Strong while taking the false blame for Myrcella’s death, igniting proper war.

  Tyrells:  Assuming not much will happen outside of the kids still in prison and Mace leading an army to free them as seen in the trailer. At most, Loras fights for their freedom in Trial by Combat, but I can’t see it.

Essos Storylines:

Daenerys Targaryen:

Last seen captured by a new Khal, expected to be Jhaqo. Will be forced to wed Jhaqo, in which she will feel helpless. Eventually her dragons will save her and she will gain the now reunited Khalasar as part of her army. HOPEFULLY will start playing towards the war of Ice and Fire in Season 6. If she doesn’t I’m going to be really disappointed. Might be another year still though.

  Jorah Mormont/Iain Glen:  Last seen chasing after his love with another man who also loves her. What could go wrong!? Reckless now that he has greyscale, and will do anything to rescue Dany who doesn’t end up needing their help. I’m calling them both dying in the process.

  Tyrion Lannister/Warwick Davis: Last seen drinking and knowing things. Will drink more and know more. And let the dragons out that will eventually destroy the city and help Dany. HOPEFULLY will also contribute towards getting Dany back to Westeros.

  Varys/Conleth Hill:  Last seen randomly appearing in Meereen in the middle of a massive political upheaval… Will be revealed to be the “harpy.” Continues to organize the unrest to force Dany out of the Slave cities and back to where she belongs – The war of Ice and Fire!

  Shae: I just have this weird feeling. My prediction is that she has a twin that was with Tywin the whole time. He had the real Shae go with Tyrion to keep watch on him, but she actually loved him. Tyrion killed the twin, and the real Shae will show up at Meereen with help from the Spider.

  Everyone else:  I can’t decide if Grey Worm and everyone else has a part to play. What do you think? I personally would like to see Dany and Tyrion just go to Westeros and everyone else get left behind. I’m ready for the end game tbh.

  That’s every character (that was in a previous season) that doesn’t already have a predestined role like Arya’s book story for season 6. Anyone not included, I simply don’t feel will impact the over all story.  To me, the flash backs and situation in the North will be the main plots, along with Dany’s struggles. I expect Max Von Sydow to be the best part of season 6 though. They don’t get top actors like that if they aren’t going to be incredibly important and short lived. I look forward to the final episodes leading towards the Wall coming down and a proper invasion of the North by the White Walkers and the army of the dead. 

Feel free to leave your opinions or months from now laugh at these predictions! 

[thenoobist]

Star Wars Rebels: The Mystery of Chopper Base Recap and Review

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Star Wars Rebels: The Mystery of Chopper Base Recap and Review

The Ghost and the rest of Phoenix squadron are still making way for their new base location in this week’s Star Wars Rebels. On the way, Kanan and Ezra are training up their lightsabers skills against one another to prepare for the next time they run into the Inquisitors. Kanan is trying to teach Ezra that killing an Inquisitor doesn’t mean you win, surviving does. Now strap in and watch out for asteroids (spoilers) Star Wars Rebels is going into hyperspace.

Trouble at the Base

Arriving on the planet safely, everything is quickly ruined when Rex puts a jinx on the crew when he mentions that nothing is trying to kill them. A rebel pilot quickly finds trouble when a large spider looking creature takes her out. The search is on when Sabine and Rex find themselves outnumbered against this creature, and their blasters don’t appear to work against its shell. Rex is carried off, while Sabine can only look on. She finally manages to find a weak spot (their eyes) when help arrives in the form of the rest of the crew driving the creatures off.  The search for Rex is on as the whole crew, minus Chopper, go exploring the caverns of this creature, with the group splitting up. Ezra tries to use his beast control ability, but it doesn’t quite work out so well. Hera, Sabine and Zeb end up finding Rex in a room full of eggs. Rescuing Rex seems to set them off and the group makes a run for it, only to be boxed in until Kanan and Ezra show up. Reaching the ship doesn’t do them any good with the spider creature using their webbing to keep the Ghost grounded. Teamwork and a bit of luck, get the group out of this one, but it was a close call.

  There is an underlying tension throughout the episode with the cloud of Kanan and Ezra leaving hanging over them. Ezra seems worries and anxious and seeks out Zeb early on to spend time with his friend. Hera obviously has a problem with the duo leaving, and it takes Sabine to point it out to Kanan. Kanan and Hera talk, but at the same time they don’t. Hera wants to stick together for Kanan’s mission, but he doesn’t even seem to acknowledge it as all he wants to do is keep her safe. A tender moment between them gives you a Tatooine moment. Not a bad episode, but the show spends a bit too much time fighting these creatures instead of focusing on Kanan and Ezra leaving. The tension is there, but it should have had a stronger focus.

[thenoobist]

Star Wars Rebels: The Forgotten Droid Recap and Review

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Star Wars Rebels: The Forgotten Droid Recap and Review

The second season of Star Wars Rebels has done a good job at showing how underfunded the Rebellion is. Just a few episodes later after finding a fuel depot they are again on the search for fuel that will enable them to reach a new base away from the Empire’s all consuming gaze. Now strap in and watch out for asteroids (spoilers) Star Wars Rebels is going hyperspace.

Slapstick Droids

The Ghost crew arrived on a fairly well secured planet in the hopes of attaining more fuel for the fleet. Unfortunately for Chopper, he was off ship trying to attain a matching leg, while the crew stole the fuel and escaped the planet under fire. Forced to improvise, Chopper steals the leg and manages to find himself a stowaway on an Imperial vessel. Another unfortunate set of events for Chopper is the introduction of AP-5, an under appreciated imperial droid that likes to follow the letter of the law. Oddly enough, Chopper and the imperial droid bond over war stories, both having served in the battle of Ryloth. Despite the restraining bolt, he is able to lie to his commander, allowing Chopper to remove the restraining bolt setting him free.

Droids to the Rescue

Hilarity ensues when Chopper lays out the Captain and then tricks the stormtroopers into following him, thus trapping them all in a room. Chopper and AP-5 then debate on who is the Captain of their new ship while they race to the bridge. The show then switches over to the Ghost crew where they are alerted by an under-duress Commander Sato, alerting them that they are under attack. The Imperials are quick to pick up on why the Rebel fleet hasn’t left and quickly target the Ghost in hopes of destroying the fuel. Things quickly are going wrong for the Rebel fleet when Chopper gets in touch with Hera and his new friend informs them of the trap laying in wait. New coordinates, a sacrifice and the Rebels newest member saved the day.

A very fun episode that helps bring Chopper to life more than ever. The introduction of AP-5 just works. It only seems right that Chopper has a companion along with setting us up for Rogue One later this year. Word has it that Alan Tudyk is set to play a former imperial droid that now works for the Rebellion, and introducing that it isn’t the first time to happen in Star Wars Rebels is a smart move by Disney.

[thenoobist]

Noobist Podcast Episode 11: Daredevil, Tantalizing TV & Representation

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Noobist Podcast Episode 11: Daredevil, Tantalizing TV & Representation

For our 11th episode of the Noobist Podcast, this week’s host Eric is joined by new editor and staff-writer Lyndsey, new staff-writer Andreaa and guest Kevin. This week we talk about:

Our initial (non-spoilery) thoughts on Daredevil season 2

What other TV shows have us hooked (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Better Call Saul, Fresh Off The Boat, Vikings, House of Cards etc.)

What shows we’re looking forward to returning (12 Monkeys, Game of Thrones etc.)

Changing the race/gender etc. of a character from the original source material

The issue of representation of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality etc. on television

http://noobist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Podcast11with-intro-outro.mp3

Intro/Outro – Contour Purplheart

[thenoobist]

Nintendo's NX Controller Images Leak (Rumor)

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Nintendo's NX Controller Images Leak (Rumor)

It’s no secret that Nintendo have been working on a new console. Well, most of us hope it’s a console, but let’s be fair. It’s Nintendo, it could be anything. It appears that someone has managed to leak some pictures of the new controller.

    Nintendo did actually file a patent for a controller that looked incredibly similar, back in December 2015, which does seem to give the rumour some credibility. But until we see it in either Reggie or Miyamoto’s hands, I would take everything with a pinch of a salt.

    Personally, I don’t think the controller looks that bad. It’s not as a big as the dinner tray you need to use for the Wii U, which is the biggest positive I could give it. My biggest concern is the lack of physical buttons. Touch screen buttons I’ve never been a fan of, any actual games that aren’t designed for mobile, have always become incredibly awkward to play (looking at you Final Fantasy Tactics) especially if you aren’t playing on a tablet. The smaller the device, the more awkward it’s going to be. It does, however, seem to have physical shoulder buttons, but they look more like the scroll wheel of a 90’s mouse. Let’s just hope they last a bit longer.  And it also looks like a new PS Vita. With all that said though, I’ll be withholding any actual judgement until we get some legitimate information on the console, assuming of course, this isn’t just another prototype that will be changed like the boomerang PS3 Controller, or that it’s even real at all.

[thenoobist]

Daredevil Season 2 Episode 3 "New York's Finest" Review

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Daredevil Season 2 Episode 3 "New York's Finest" Review

*Spoiler Alert*

Wow, holy sh*t. I remember in my last Daredevil review I predicted things would go “balls to the wall” soon… Well, here we are. If fans wanted more of last season’s “Cut man” episode, they won’t be disappointed.

This episode opens with a bizarre dream like sequence, with Matt being treated for his wounds by a mysterious nun (comic book readers probably know who that is). Soon it cuts to Daredevil chained to a brick post on a rooftop. Frank Castle greets Matt as he assembles his military hardware. Matt attempts to learn more about the motives of Castle and reason with him, much to Castle’s annoyance. From here, we’re treated with great dialogue exchanges from the two. Castle reaffirms what he’s doing is the only logical action, while Matt fiercely condemns the former’s brand of justice. Frank believes simply putting away criminals is a short term solution at best, only adding to a cycle of endless violence. Matt counters that no one has the right to judge who lives or who dies. Frank tells Matt “I think you’re a half measure…you’re one bad day away from being me”. Frank eventually forces Matt to put his ideology in practice. He tapes a revolver with a single bullet in the chamber to Matt’s hand, drags a captured Grotto, and beats him mercilessly until he confesses he had killed an innocent old lady. Castle gives Matt a choice: either he shoots Frank in the head or Castle will simply shoot Grotto. Unable to betray his moral convictions, Matt opts to shoot off his chains and tackle Frank. However, not before Frank shoots Grotto in the chest, killing him.

“I hope you’re into BDSM”

Later, Foggy attempts to find Matt by talking to Claire at the hospital. The ER is packed with victims of the Punisher, so crowded that a fight nearly erupts between two rival gang members. Luckily, Foggy’s silver tongue manages to reason with them before anyone more people get hurt. Meanwhile, Karen is doing everything she can to save the Nelson & Murdock law firm. In the process, she begins to unravel more about the back-story of the Punisher.

High speed, low drag

This episode ramped up the tension and pace to 11. Easily the highlights of this episode are the exchanges between Matt and Frank, Foggy talking down the two gang members, and the final apartment complex fight. We really get to learn more about the Punisher character’s motives and personality this time around. What’s great about this conversation is the fact the viewers could easily get behind either character. Matt could be seen as the one being reasonable, since he advocates for second chances and not losing one’s humanity. Frank sees justice as black and white. You stop the threat quickly and permanently so that there won’t be a chance anyone else can get hurt again. It’s a classic case of warring superhero ideologies, but done in a very convincing manner. And this is made all the more better by the fact this scene is a direct adaptation from Garth Ennis’ Welcome Back, Frank Punisher story arc. Some changes were made of course, but the overall message was still intact. 

The simpler times

Once again, Foggy proves his courage to stand up for others by his words not his fists. I appreciate that this scene wasn’t some sappy and unrealistic “feel good” moment. Foggy didn’t stand there and somehow magically convince these two felons to change their criminal ways. He simply used common sense and spoke to their need of self-preservation. If only all lawyers were as pure of heart like Mr. Nelson.

And now comes the main course of the episode… Charlie Cox had described this scene to be the hallway fight from “Cut man” but on steroids, and good lord was he right. The viewers get to experience a seemingly one shot take of Daredevil fighting an entire apartment stairwell’s worth of angry biker gang members, all while Matt has an empty revolver duct taped to his right hand and a chain wrapped in the other. The whole time, the fight choreography is impressively convincing. Matt tries his best to keep each combatant in a single file, so not as to be surrounded and overwhelmed (basically what you’re supposed to do in a multiple attacker scenario). At the same time, he is forced to adapt and use his current handicap as fighting tools. For instance, we see him using his chain to grapple enemies at long distances and break lights as well as using his “gun hand” to smash faces in with. Generally speaking, much like the hallway fight last season, none of the techniques look overly “flashy” or “clean”. What I mean by that is, often times in fight scenes, the moves executed look far too perfect, as if the characters are under no stress at all and can fight at tip top shape, despite the overwhelming odds facing them. Also, often incredibly impractical techniques such as the overused spinning kicks are implemented. It’s simply not believable. Instead, in Daredevil we can clearly see our hero becoming steadily more exhausted throughout the fight. He uses more close-ranged boxing, head-butting, and only executes a spinning kick to finish off an opponent. In many ways, Daredevil’s fighting ability could mimic a real life, well-trained martial artist.

“GET OVER HERE!”

On a side note, an observant eye could probably spot when the camera cuts throughout the fight. Using the same techniques used in the acclaimed Birdman film, the cinematography is set up so as to give the illusion of a one shot. In reality the editors and cameramen are using cleverly placed moments in between takes and splicing them together to appear seamless. At any rate, it still looks amazing.

Conclusion

This was easily the best episode so far. The episode contained top notch fight sequences, intriguing dialogue, and further character development. Aside from a minor continuity issue on the rooftop (when Matt is chained up with the gun taped to his hand, in one instance, the gun suddenly disappears), this was superbly shot. “New York’s Finest” is the sort of episode that threatens to drag viewers into the abyss of binge-watching.

Watch the trailer for Season 2 here

[thenoobist]

Daredevil Season 2 Ep 2 "Dogs to a Gunfight" Review

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Daredevil Season 2 Ep 2 "Dogs to a Gunfight" Review

*Spoiler Alert*

Things are really starting to get interesting on Daredevil…

From this episode’s ending, as a comic book reader, I have an idea of where this is going. If you could see my face right now, you’d see a big, stupid grin. Starting where the last episode left off, we see the police setting up a crime-scene at the hospital where Frank attempted to execute Grotto. Meanwhile, Foggy finds Matt unconscious with a bullet in his mask. As expected, he continues to express his disapproval of Matt’s late night antics of bringing fists to a gunfight. Later, Foggy and Karen meet with Grotto in order to discuss witness protection.

The two are unfortunately greeted by Samantha Reyes (Michelle Hur), a hard-ass, no-nonsense, District Attorney. Reyes attempts to coerce Foggy into having Grotto meet her without legal representation, but Mr. Nelson is having none of that shit. Just as in season one, Foggy calls out the B.S. on people and retaliates in a satisfying fashion. Meanwhile, Matt is suffering the symptoms of something called “being shot in the forehead at point-blank range.” It would seem a foreign object breaking the sound barrier and impacting your skull would have a detrimental effect on you. This is made evident by Matt’s remaining four senses going out of whack. A concerned Karen checks in on Matt, expressing not-so-subtle romantic feelings for him, while simultaneously discussing the moral repercussions of Daredevil’s and Punisher’s vigilantism.

“Look at me… I am the attorney now”

The episode concludes with Grotto going undercover for the police. By getting one of his drug dealing associates to incriminate himself, Grotto would be put under the protection of the feds. However, the DA evidently had other plans. Grotto is pulled aside as a SWAT team sets up an ambush for The Punisher. A truck plows through the area, and the police light it up like a Christmas tree. It is soon discovered that the truck was a diversion for Castle to set up a sniping position, aimed at Grotto. But just as before, Daredevil attacks Castle at the last second, ensuing another brawl on the rooftops. This time however, with the full attention of the NYPD. Eventually, Matt’s weakened state allows for Frank to gain the upper hand, ending the episode with the disappearance of both men.

One bad hangover

More character building

This episode overall is pretty slow paced, which is by no means a bad thing. We get to see more character relationships form and the development of their personalities. Some notable stand-outs are Foggy and Castle. As mentioned before, Foggy confronting the pompous DA with a threat to contact the US Attorney’s Office was pure gold. It was made even better by the fact we could see Karen quietly cheering behind him. Foggy may not be as traditionally courageous as Matt, but you can be damn sure he’ll stand up for people.

Frank once again receives little screen time, but when he is present, it’s guaranteed to be intense. We get a hint of what makes Castle tick in the brief pawn shop scene. After Frank purchases a special police radio and other items, the store owner attempts to entice him with child pornography videos. Frank quietly switches the store’s ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’. He then calmly picks up an aluminium baseball bat, and smashes the store owner’s head in off-screen. To anyone who isn’t familiar with The Punisher character, this scene alone expresses volumes of his personality. In the eyes of Castle, justice is swift and brutal. No compromise, no mercy.

“I just wanna talk man”

Karen and Matt’s conversation is also worth noting. Aside from the obvious romantic tension between the two, I enjoyed how Matt, at some level, was attempting to consult with Karen in order to reaffirm his vigilante activities. Karen is conflicted with both Daredevil’s and Punisher’s brand of justice, as she believes that the former may have given rise to the latter. She describes The Punisher as someone who “could be any of us”. Matt however wants to believe that Daredevil’s actions make the city a safer place. When he defends his alter-ego by claiming “Daredevil never killed anyone”, Karen simply replies “that we know of”. Perhaps the broader message here is that no one is really a saint, or at least they never remain one for long.

On a side note, I greatly appreciate the fact that the writers don’t treat the audience like idiots by expecting us to accept Karen would be naive enough to believe all the excuses Foggy and Matt come up with. Of course she wouldn’t start assuming her blind friend is secretly a superhero, however she’s clearly suspicious of him.

Inconsistencies

Some minor plot holes and general inconsistencies do exist in this episode. For one, I found myself asking, how did the NYPD know Castle would be arriving in that exact spot an that exact time? Even more puzzling, why is the SWAT team openly firing without attempting an arrest? I may be incorrect, but I’m fairly certain police officers (even SWAT) cannot legally use lethal force on a suspect. The only exception being if their lives or the lives of others, are in immediate danger. Usually, they must demand the suspect surrender peacefully. In this particular scenario, I expected the cops to use a deployable road spike to disable the incoming truck’s tires. Then for the SWAT team to surround the vehicle, demanding Castle comply. However, what I saw was a militarized hit squad attempt to murder a suspect instead of taking him in to be tried for his crimes. Yeah, I realize cops today are overly aggressive and trigger happy as hell, but this was just unprofessional. Especially when considering it was under the direct orders of a DA.

My next complaint has more to do with nit-picking on the technical aspects of that scene. When Matt and Castle are fighting for the second time on that roof, the police once again open fire. In the process, I was able to spot a SWAT sniper with a bolt action rifle, shooting in semi-auto. For those who don’t know, a bolt action firearm requires the operator to cycle each round after pulling the trigger by manually pulling back the bolt. Semi-auto firing rates basically means the gun shoots a bullet each time you pull the trigger, with no hindrance. Like I said, this is super nit-picking, but for a high production show such as this, I expected these details to be spot on.

Just like how we did it in boyscouts

Conclusion

“Dogs to a Gunfight” brings us more exciting character moments and further advances the plot. With all the buzz surrounding the next episode, I’d say the first two have done their jobs admirably, building towards the future. Despite minor faults, episode two of Daredevil remains enjoyable.

Watch the trailer for Season 2 here

[thenoobist]

Daredevil Season 2 Episode 1 "Bang" Review

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Daredevil Season 2 Episode 1 "Bang" Review

*Spoiler Alert*

Ah yes, March 18th, the day we’ve all been waiting for! Or at least anyone who’s seen the first season of Marvel’s excellent Netflix series, Daredevil. If you were to ask my friends to describe me, they’d most likely tell you two things: one, I post too many memes, and two, I love Daredevil. So needless to say, my expectations for this season are unreasonably high.

Right off the bat, the first episode of season two begins with a “bang”. Viewers are greeted with Matt (Charlie Cox) in his fully suited costume taking down four armed robbers in the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, Batman-style. Soon after, it is revealed that while Matt’s relationship with Foggy (Elden Henson) and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) are generally stable, the harsh realities of their city is indeed catching up to them. Foggy still has his concerns regarding Matt’s vigilante activities and the entire law firm is facing financial problems due to their lack of real monetary payments from their less fortunate clients (cookies and fruit pies don’t exactly pay the bills). Being a hero has its burdens, it would seem. In other parts of Hell’s Kitchen, various criminal elements are seeking to fill in the power vacuum left behind by Wilson Fisk’s arrest. However, a mysterious killer (Frank Castle played by Jon Bernthal) is exterminating gangs one by one with military precision, without any clear motive….

Familiar, but still superb

If this first episode is any indication for the rest of the season, then fans are in for a hell of a ride. Everything that made the first season great is still in effect here. The character interactions between Matt, Foggy, and Karen are still as witty and relatable as ever. The dialogue remains strong and doesn’t dabble in “filler” territory for too long. Rather each scene serves a purpose in either propelling the story forward or developing a relationship. We’re even given a particular noteworthy performance by Deborah Ann Woll when she reaffirms her convictions to stand by the Irish mobster murder witness at the hospital.

Being blind has its perks after all

Also making a welcome return are the amazing action sequences. Season one’s “Cutman” alone set the bar high for the series, with its riveting choreography and one shot take. While this episode doesn’t quite reach that level of quality, I believe we’ll be getting extreme balls-to-the-wall action sequences in the near future. That being said, the fight scenes in “Bang” are still quite stellar. Aside from Matt’s usual beat downs of hapless street thugs, his brawl with Frank Castle on the roof was appropriately intense and brutal. As with any well done action sequence, the camera goes wide enough to see our characters’ movements and shoots with longer takes. We’re able to witness Daredevil’s usual arsenal of acrobatic Taekwondo and Wushu style flip kicks as well as his close quarters boxing. Castle, a character known for his military training, uses very simple strikes and “dirty” fighting techniques (headbutts and grappling). I appreciated how each character was constantly on the move, whether it be Castle continuously shifting the angle of his body and arms in order to get off a shot with his firearms or Matt uses a varied display of counter strikes. Once again, Daredevil reminds TV shows and films everywhere how an action sequence is done.

“Let’s hug it out!”

More things to come

Speaking of Frank Castle, fans everywhere will be delighted to see a modern adaptation of the famous Punisher character, not seen in live action form since 2008’s horrendous Punisher: War Zone. Despite the character given literally one word of dialogue, the introduction of Castle is built up extremely well. Similar to the manner in which Jessica Jones introduced its main villain, Kilgrave, Daredevil chooses to simply use the impact of the character’s actions tell the story. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, great storytelling comes from a writer’s ability to “show” and not “tell”. The gruesome murders of various criminals by Castle displays his remorseless nature, and the overwhelming force in which he executes his attacks conveys just how dangerous this man is. For instance, every cop and criminal in Hell’s Kitchen is convinced the shootings of the gang members in the area were conducted by a well-trained paramilitary group. However, it is later revealed to be the actions of one man with a killer instinct and apparently far too much free time. Right away, we as viewers understand that Frank Castle is a literal one man army. From this small snippet alone, I can trust that the character had been done justice.

“I got your medicine right here…”

My only minor complaint thus far is the scene in which Castle attempts to murder the Grotto, the Irish mobster witness, in the hospital. Karen and Grotto are attempting to flee the building as Frank shoots away with a pistol grip pump action shotgun. The Punisher I know from the comics would never endanger the lives of innocents. Yes, he is primarily known for his extreme ability to kill, but he is also known for his nearly flawless precision in which he carries out his murders. As such, to witness Castle using a completely imprecise firearm in a crowded hospital is a bit baffling. Especially considering how close he came to peppering Karen with 12 gauge pellets. However, I have read fan speculation that this may have been done on purpose in order to draw out Grotto into an open area for a sniper shot. This could very well be the case. At any rate, I will reserve final judgement until the finale.

Conclusion

“Bang” is a solid reintroduction into the series and hits all the right beats. Everything you loved about the first season is still here and this episode does an excellent job in building towards future plot points. The devil is back and I couldn’t be happier.

[thenoobist]

Playstation VR : What we know!

New Post has been published on http://noobist.com/gaming/playstation-vr-what-we-know/

Playstation VR : What we know!

GDC 2016

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you may have known that Sony’s VR conference was last night and with that, we got more details about the highly anticipated Playstation VR!

So with that, let’s run down what we know about Sony’s entry into the Virtual Reality Market.

Playstation VR in detail

Technical specification

Display method: OLED Panel size: 5.7 inches Panel resolution: 1920 x RGB x 1080 (960 x RGB x 1080 per eye) Refresh rate: 120Hz, 90Hz Field of view: Approximately 100 degrees Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope Connection interface: HDMI, USB

source Sony

What about the games?

Right now there is a short roster of games for the Playstation VR due to how early the product is, however there are some exciting games in the launch line up that are a definite source of excitement.

EVE : Valkyrie

Until Dawn : Rush of Blood

RIGS Mechanised Combat League

Battlezone

What’s the catch?

There isn’t much of a catch, as long as you have a PS4 and the Playstation Camera, you are good to go. There are other accessories that could be required like the controllers, but right now those aren’t deemed essential to the experience (at time of writing). So at most, the set up should only cost you the price of the devise €399.99 and the price of the Playstation Camera if you didn’t have it already(€59.99)

[thenoobist]

Star Wars Rebels: Shroud of Darkness Recap and Review

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Star Wars Rebels: Shroud of Darkness Recap and Review

Star Wars Rebels starts out big this week when the show opens with a 2 on 2 lightsaber duel between Ezra and Kanan against the 2 Inquisitors. Things aren’t going so well for the good guys when it appears they are at the mercy of the seventh sister and the fifth brother. Now strap in, and punch it, but watch out for asteroids (spoilers), it is time for Star Wars Rebels.

Visions

Kanan holds onto Ezra, leaving himself open to an inquisitors attack, but some quick thinking from Ezra allows him and Kanan to narrowly escape and leave them behind. It sounds like that as of late the inquisitors keep arriving every where they go. The Phantom meets up with the Ghost but away from the fleet. Ahsoka Tano is waiting for them, after a brief discussion between the three, they go in search for answers. Apparently there has been a hidden Jedi temple on Lothal and that’s where our three force wielding good guys head to commune with Yoda. A meditation circle ensues, and Kanan is the first to see something when a door way only he sees, appears. His path leads him to a temple guard who learns that Kanan’s failure will lead to Ezra falling to the dark side. Kanan disagrees and a duel begins.

    Back on the outside of the temple, Chopper spits some trouble in the form of Inquisitors and makes a run for it. Back inside, Ahsoka and Ezra talk about Master Yoda when Ezra just appears to vanish in front of Ahsoka, only to reappear before Yoda in some sense. Kanan is struggling in his battle when the show jumps back to Ahsoka. She is struggling as she hears the voice of Anakin Skywalker and gets an image of Darth Vader. Master Yoda shares his wisdom with Ezra even revealing that it took him a lifetime to be able to control his fear, not allowing it to become anger. It’s a good scene that gives some insight into Yoda’s thoughts on the Clone Wars, and how it was a mistake to join the war so readily. Kanan in his vision quickly realizes that he can protect Ezra only so much, and that ultimately is up to Ezra in what his fate will be. The temple guard, in his vision, knights him for his choice and it is revealed that the Grand Inquisitor from season one was most definitely a Jedi knight before the fall of the republic.

    The visions allow enough of a distraction for Kanan, Ezra and Ashoka to escape with the clue of Malachor and Star Wars Rebels ends with the arrival of Darth Vader to Lothal. One of the best episodes yet that helps set up Star Wars Rebels going forward, and answers a few lingering questions. The only real big gripe is the design of Yoda, but overall Shroud of Darkness was a very good episode that connects a larger world.

[thenoobist]

Marvel's Agent Carter: Hollywood Ending Recap and Review

New Post has been published on http://noobist.com/reviews/marvels-agent-carter-hollywood-ending-recap-and-review/

Marvel's Agent Carter: Hollywood Ending Recap and Review

Marvel’s Agent Carter picks up where last week left off. Wilkes expelling of the zero matter caused an explosion before Thompson can set off the bomb, and while getting the stuff out of his body seemed to have saved Wilkes, it allowed Whitney Frost to absorb the rest of the zero matter. The timely arrival of Jarvis and Howard Stark causes a bit enough distraction to allowing our group of heroes to escape, before Frost could discover how powerful she truly has become.

The Plan

The good guys regroup at the SSR, and Wilkes finally gives a description of what the zero matter does. According to him, it is like a cancer and is searching for a way to Earth from wherever it is, in order to absorb everything. Things are not going as smoothly for the bad guys with Frost. She is so focused on her work, trying to create a permanent portal to draw zero matter in that her gangster friend Joseph starts to question what happened to the woman he fell in love with. He talks to his grandmother and she offer him some advice. Advice that quickly shows us that he knows Howard Stark and is willing to work with the good guys to help Whitney.

The plan they come up with involves Joseph distracting Frost, enabling Peggy and Sousa to sneak into the room to steal the equation Frost has been working on, to permanently open the rift. The distraction involves beating the crap out of his one of his guys while Peggy and Sousa take pictures of the equation she has been working on, and sharing a small moment. Once again at the SSR, the three geniuses quickly solve her equation and are arguing over naming rights for the zero matter dimension. Now it is just a matter of building the device to take the zero matter from Frost and sending it back to the other dimension. They decide to test the weapon down at Stark studios after giving everyone the day off and it works but also alerts Whitney Frost to the rift being open.

Battle for Zero Matter

While the group sets up and waits for Frost to arrive, Stark works on his golf game and Carter and Thompson straighten things out between them. In the mean time, Frost arrives at the studio, drawn to the rift like a moth to the flame. The weapon appears to have worked and they take Frost into custody, but the rift isn’t closing. Stark, Carter, Jarvis and Wilkes are busy volunteering themselves as the sacrifice to turn the machine off when Sousa takes things into his own hands. Things aren’t looking good for our group of heroes with Sousa nearly being sucked in and only Peggy, Howard, Thompson and Wilkes keeping him from disappearing. Jarvis comes back just in time and with the use of his car and part of the weapon manage to close the rift.

Things appear to be settling back down for the good guys with Wilkes even joining Stark’s company. Anna Jarvis finally arrives back home and all is well. Or as well as can be with Frost being locked up and seemingly still missing her mind, talking to people who aren’t there. Jarvis does his best to talk Peggy into staying in Los Angeles. It appears to have worked as we see Carter and Sousa finally giving into the feelings, engaging in a passionate kiss. Marvel’s Agent Carter ends on bit of a downer, leaving the possibility of another season open when Chief Thompson is shot and left for dead. Despite the lower ratings, season 2 finished strong while still leaving many things up in the air.