I'd really love to give this nod to Despicable Me 3 or Baby Driver, but there was just no beating Wonder Woman in June... The latter especially would've grabbed this spot had it of been released in any other month but that's just not the case here. I've already done a mini-review on Wonder Woman so I don't have much else to say but I we'll just leave it at it was a great ride for any comic book movie fan.
Best Rental Film:
The Lego Batman Movie
Really wanted to give this prize to John Wick but with Marvel sweeping both movie categories last month (Guardians and Logan) it seemed only fair that DC does this month especially considering the high quality film that was The Lego Batman Movie. Again I've done a mini-review on it so not much more to say than watch it... Regardless of age.
Best Album:
All Time Low - Last Young Renegade
This basically was a two horse race... Did I prefer Broadside's Paradise, an arguably more complete entry than All Time Low's Last Young Renegade, the other option which soars higher at points but lower at others. In the end the preference was that I'd rather listen to Renegade than Paradise but don't be surprised in the future if the latter becomes the favourite in time. The singles haven't been the greatest choices but All Time Low continues to mature and put out great music.
Best Graphic Novel:
Star-Lord: Grounded, by Chip Zdarsky and Kris Anka
Galaxy-traveling hero Peter Quill is trapped on Earth along with the rest of the team, but he’s not going to let that get him down: he’s going straight to work. As a bartender. And, of course, he immediately finds himself in trouble with the law, a sticky situation made stickier by the arrival of lawyer Matt Murdoch, aka Daredevil. Even with the brash hero trapped on Earth, Zdarsky and Anka capture everything that’s fun about Star-Lord—including an impossible number of ripped shirts.
May was pretty good for movies overall as it normally is but this year one stood above the rest and that's the Guardians of the frickin' Galaxy (except he didn't say frickin'). It was fun, it was action packed, it was funny when it needed to be, and heart wrenching just to make you cry (you bastards!). Likely one of the best films of the year so far so you won't want to miss out on this one.
Best Rental Film:
Logan
I usually don't like putting films that have previously won "Best Theatrical Film" category in the rental film category but with May there was only 2 really good Movies, Logan and Resident Evil 5, although I could've given the nod to RE5 that just didn't seem right since Logan is the better film so against my best wishes I rolled with Logan but feel free to grab both when you go and rent movies at a Family Video near you.
Best Album:
blink-182 - California (Deluxe)
Sorry Paramore, I expected you to take this spot but after a few listens I'm just not into it as much as I thought I'd be and with blink debuting California before this column was a thing I felt it was appropriate to give California the nod it deserves for reminding us that blink still makes proper pop-punk records.
Best Graphic Novel:
Jessica Jones, Vol. 1: Uncaged!, by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos
Bendis and Gaydos, the creators behind Jessica’s original iconic series (on which the Netflix show is largely based), return to the character after a decade. A lot’s changed for the character and for the larger Marvel U, but Jessica is back behind the desk of Alias Investigations. She comes into possession of some potentially very damaging information about other Marvel heroes while facing down a killer with cannibalistic tendencies.
My fiance's choices largely dominated what I got to see in March, and sorry people going crazy over Beauty And The Beast... It just wasn't that great. The other choice for this spot was CHiPs which was better than expected but nowhere near as good as Logan was, which was the perfect swan song for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.
Best Rental Film:
Moana
Fear not Disneyphiles, I won't shut out the company completely since Moana is by far the best film to hit movie rental shelves last month. Sing was another great Family option, if you're looking for something more adult I'd suggest the horror Incarnate or one of the many Oscar films to hit the shelves (Fences, Jackie, Passengers) along with a slew of big budget films that came out around Christmas that I mostly missed (Why Him?, Fantastic Beasts, Assasin's Creed).
Best album:
Raekwon - The Wild
Raekwon’s stamp on rap comes from his one-of-a-kind writing style, and his pen is still sharp on The Wild, more than 20 years into his career. His novelist-like attention to detail and his linguistic mastery are still one of a kind.
Best Graphic Novel:
Batgirl, Vol. 1: Beyond Burnside (Rebirth), by Hope Larson and Rafael Albuquerque
Batgirl’s reinvention as a younger, hipper hero began prior to DC’s latest reboot, and writer Hope Larson continues that here in a volume that’s simultaneously a good starting point for new readers and a continuation of the things that have been working so well for the character over the last few years. As the title implies, she’s stepping out of Gotham’s trendy Burnside neighborhood to train with some of the world’s greatest fighters in the far east. Of course, she finds enemies all along the way.
New segment here. We're going to look at some of the best media from January 2017 so let's do it!!
Best Theatrical Film:
Underworld: Blood Wars
Now as of this writing I've only seen 2, this and Monster Trucks. Underworld was definitely the better of the 2 but everyone and their mother seems to enjoy Split while The Founder and Patriots Day seem to be the most loved by critics despite the lack of Box Office receipts for both. And of course if you like Underworld odds are you're going to enjoy the 6th and final chapter in the Resident Evil saga.
Best Rental Film:
Jack Reacher 2: Never Go Back
Tough call between this and The Accountant but you really can't go wrong with either action/thriller however being a fan of the original Jack Reacher I went with the sequel given that you can binge watch the far superior original before diving into the sequel. Prefer a drama? How about Queen of Katwe from Disney. If you want something a little more kid friendly there's Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life or the wrestling/penguin mash-up Surf's Up: Wavemania.
Best Album:
As It Is - Okay
No contest here. Sure there is The Early November Acoustic album Fifteen Years which is a great flashback of nostalgia but As It Is ruled January.
Best Graphic Novel:
Injustice: Year Two The Complete Collection, by Tom Taylor
It may sound like faint praise to say that Injustice is probably the best video game spin-off comic ever, but the book is still going strong almost four years after the release of the game that spawned it. In this collection, from the second year of the series, Batman and Superman are still at odds in a dystopian version of the DCU in which Superman’s loved ones were killed by the Joker, setting him off on an authoritarian rampage. The Green Lantern Corps is coming to put an end to Superman’s wrongdoing, but they won’t have an easy time of it.
Hello everyone! This week I finally got a PS4 and although I currently only have 2 games for it (MLB 15 The Show; Yu-Gi-Oh!) I decided to take a peak at what other people recommend which cause me to dig in depth so here my friends are the top 10 critically acclaimed PS4 games as of this writing (Friday September 18, 2015). Which games would you recommend? As always hit me up at twitter @DonnyForTheWin or in the comments below!
10. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remastered
Rating (8.4)
Summary: Two RPGs - Now in High Definition. Over 200 hours of gameplay, including the International version content never before released in North America. Relive the fateful journey with fully remastered HD visuals and rearranged music.
Praise: Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is already great way to play these classic RPGs on the PS3 and Vita, and the even prettier PlayStation 4 version comes with the visual improvements you’d expect for the new-generation platform.
9. Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition
Rating (8.4)
Summary: The definitive edition of this action game arrives with enhanced 1080p graphics at 60fps, new features and all the original DLC included. Chain together stylish combos with up to 8 unique weapons. Traverse the demonic world of Limbo as you join Dante and Vergil in the legendary rebirth of the Devil May Cry franchise.
Praise: The Definitive Edition is an already fantastic game perfected and shined up brighter for an audience that didn't come in nearly the droves that it demanded the first time. DmC walked the walk and talked the talk of an envelope-pushing experience on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. On the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it's the chaotic, anarchic Devil May Cry the new generation needs and deserves.
8. Axiom Verge
Rating (8.4)
Summary: A failed scientist dies in an accident, only to awaken in a mysterious, alien world. Where is he? How did he get here? And why do the fundamental laws of reality appear broken? Life. Afterlife. Real. Virtual. Dream. Nightmare. It's a thin line. It's Axiom Verge
Praise: Its story is simple, yet subverts convention with its attitude. The exploration loop is incredibly satisfying, and combat feels both tight and adaptable, like a complex dance where the partners both accentuate each others strengths, allowing any weak points to fade into the background. I could go on, but honestly, the next sentence sums everything I need to say up quite nicely. You really, REALLY, should play Axiom Verge.
7. OlliOlli2: Welcome To Olliwood
Rating: (8.5)
Summary: OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood plucks the iconic skater from the street and dropping him squarely in the middle of the Big Screen’s most bodacious cinematic locations.
Praise: OlliOlli2 is what happens when a developer takes in feedback and does its best to employ the best of said feedback. There isn’t one aspect of the original OlliOlli that wasn’t improved in some way, shape or form in OlliOlli2. The new visual style is incredible, the mechanics are as close to perfect as you can get, the soundtrack is packed with amazing songs and artists that complement the gameplay and there’s exact parity between the PS4 and PS Vita versions of the game. In short, OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood is nothing short of a masterpiece.
6. Dark Souls II: Scholar Of The First Sin
Rating (8.7)
Summary: Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin includes the 3 previously released DLC packs - Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the ivory King - along with additional features. All versions of the game include the following features (Existing Dark Souls II owners will receive a patch to implement these elements): Additional NPCs added for an enhanced story experience. Parameter adjustments for improved game balance. Augmented item descriptions. Improved online matchmaking functionality.
Praise: Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin certainly comes off as a definitive version worth checking out. The changes in enemy placement can be a bit jarring at first, but I think you’ll agree that these changes keep the overall game feeling fresh, regardless of how many hours you devoted to the original game. And if you’re coming off of Bloodborne, and wanting more From Software goodness, than Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin certainly fits the bill.
5. Batman: Arkham Knight
Rating (8.7)
Summary: Batman confronts the ultimate threat against the city he has been sworn to protect. The Scarecrow returns to congeal an imposing array of super villains, including The Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn, to summarily destroy The Dark Knight. The game introduces Rocksteady's uniquely-designed imagining of the Batmobile drivable for the first time in the franchise. Batman: Arkham Knight offers gamers a complete Batman experience as they rip through the streets and soar across the skyline of the iconic Gotham City.
Praise: The Bat could not have hoped for a better send off. Graphically astounding, narratively compelling, and featuring two utility belts full of new gadgets. This is bat-time very, very well spent.
4. Bastion
Rating (8.9)
Summary: The goal of the game is to construct a safe haven in the wake of the Calamity, a cataclysmic event that shattered the world into a series of floating islands. As players journey into the wild unknown in search of survivors and supplies, they will confront strange beasts, forge an array of customizable weapons, and gain new powers from specially-brewed spirits. The entire play experience of Bastion is dynamically narrated, gradually revealing a rich backstory as the narrator reacts to the player's actions in real time.
Praise: When the credits first rolled all those years ago, I simply sat in my chair, completely blown away at what I had just experienced. While it may have taken a few years to find its way onto the Sony platform, Bastion still stands as proof to what a small team of creative and passionate individuals can accomplish, and that video games as a medium have an infinite amount of potential. Hopefully, we can all stick around long enough to see what comes next.
3. Shovel Knight
Rating (9.1)
Summary: Shovel Knight is a sweeping classic action adventure game with awesome gameplay, memorable characters, and an 8-bit retro aesthetic. It's a hot mashup of new and old! You play as the eponymous Shovel Knight, a small knight with a huge quest. Shovel Knight has come to this land with two goals: to defeat the evil Enchantress and quest for his lost beloved. He wields a Shovel Blade: a multipurpose weapon whose techniques have now been lost to the ages. Always honest and helpful, Shovel Knight is a shining example of the code of Shovelry: Slash Mercilessly and Dig Tirelessly! But, between Shovel Knight and his beloved stands a cadre of villainous knights. These terrible foes, known as The Order of No Quarter, have been dispatched to prevent Shovel Knight from reaching the Enchantress, and will pursue their mission at any cost. If you love games with perfect platforming, beautiful art, infectious music, crazy bosses, humor and levity, and real heart... Shovel Knight is for you!
Praise: Luckily Shovel Knight is generous with its placement of checkpoints, allowing a measure of modernity where it could have easily opted for the old school Nintendo-hard approach. Likewise, the only real consequence to dying is the loss of some of your treasure which, taking a page from the Souls games, can be recovered upon returning to the spot you died at previously, provided you don’t die again that is. In fact this idea of recovering your own gold can potentially add more to the game, as it encourages revisiting the often precarious situation that killed you in the first place for the opportunity to gain back your hard earned treasure. Unfortunately, there were occasions where the treasure I dropped ended up in a place that made it impossible to recover (such as the point-of-no-return in a bottomless pit) which detracts from an otherwise smart take on dying in a platformer that doesn’t rely on lives and 1-Ups.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Rating (9.2)
Summary: With the Empire attacking the Kingdoms of the North and the Wild Hunt, a cavalcade of ghastly riders, breathing down your neck, the only way to survive is to fight back. As Geralt of Rivia, a master swordsman and monster hunter, leave none of your enemies standing. Explore a gigantic open world, slay beasts and decide the fates of whole communities with your actions, all in a genuine next generation format. Also known as "The Witcher III: Wild Hunt"
Praise: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sets a new standard for open world RPGs. Its shockingly cohesive world is as beautiful as it is demanding, and it's packed full of mature content that throws you from one emotional response to the next. Its storytelling is superb, its combat is grippingly refined, and its often unforgiving nature only lends itself to a brilliantly rewarding experience. In an industry that's flooded with so many by-the-book open world titles, Wild Hunt stands out as a true labour of love from a developer that's uncompromisingly passionate about its creative freedom. Geralt's incredible adventure is nothing short of a masterpiece.
1. Bloodborne
Rating (9.2)
Summary: Bloodborne is an action RPG in which you hunt for answers in the ancient city of Yharnam, now cursed with a strange endemic illness spreading through the streets like a disease. Peril, death and madness infest this dark world, and you're tasked with uncovering its darkest secrets which will be necessary for you to survive. Armed with a singular arsenal of weaponry, including guns and saw cleavers, you'll require wits, strategy and reflexes to dispatch the agile and intelligent enemies that guard the city's underbelly. You will utility holy chalices to access an array of vast underground ruins, chock full of traps, beasts, and rewards, to explore and conquer on your own or with other people.
Praise: Bloodborne may not be a Souls game and it doesn't fall into the horror genre, but it captures everything that makes the series so satisfying, so terrifying and so magical.
I want to keep playing, I want to discover its secrets, I want to fight every monster, try every weapon, discuss theories and explore as many of the community dungeons as possible. To put it bluntly, I want to bleed the game dry.
Praise: Bloodborne may not be a Souls game and it doesn't fall into the horror genre, but it captures everything that makes the series so satisfying, so terrifying and so magical. I want to keep playing, I want to discover it's secrets, I want to fight every monster, try every weapon, discuss theories and explore as many of the community dungeons as possible. To put it bluntly, I want to bleed the game dry.
Best Graphic Novel:
