Facts about Ace

What is your favorite word?

Percolator

What is your least favorite word?

No

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Those rare moments when I can sit down and stare at a wall and relax for a second and then it starts all over again

What turns you off?

Rage and hatred

What is your favorite curse word?

There are so many, but I do love ‘Da fuck?’ But you have to say it as a question.

What sound or noise do you love?

Laugher

What sound or noise do you hate?

The sound of when you leave your keys in the car and the door is open. Shut up damn it! I know the keys are in there.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

A college history teacher, I don’t think I could teach high school.

What profession would you not like to do?

Bomb tester

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Well I thought you would be taller. 

Who is your favorite actor?

Favorite live action actor is Liam Neeson. The man is a bad ass.

Favorite voice over actor is Kevin Conroy. He’s Batman!

Who is your favorite actress?

Laura Linney

What is your favorite color?

Red and Black

Batman is my favorite superhero. I think it’s because he’s human, unlike the rest of them.

I love Stars Wars and almost anything that deals with it.

I have all the Harry Potter books.

Every rarely get alone with women. Most of my friends are men.

I read comic books unlike most women.

Big fan of video games

I've been known to hold grudges, although I try not to

If I had the chance to start again, I would do almost everything differently

I think about my mistakes

I feel short compared to most people, even though I'm probably not

I've never been cool. I kind of go my own way, which is un-cool, apparently.

I have a problem with procrastination

I don't believe in love at first sight

People who make me laugh fascinate me. Especially when it’s a sarcastic or caustic remark that does it

I hate weddings. They're boring and stressful.

I love mac and cheese

I am pro-choice

I cannot keep my room clean.

I have a dog called Bayley, I also call her monkey

I don't know if I will ever have children

If my sisters and I weren't sisters, we probably wouldn't be friends

I miss old friends sometimes but realise our parting was probably for the best

If I were an animal, I'd want to be a bat or a wolf.

I'm passionate about music and have a pretty diverse taste

I wonder if I'll ever go home.

Fallout: New Vegas Review

Fallout: New Vegas

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks (US, UK, JP), Namco Bandai (EU, AU, NZ), & 1C/Cenega (PL, RU, CZ)

Release Date: October 19, 2010

Genre: Role-playing Ga,e

Engine: Gamebryo

Modes: Single Player

Platforms: Xbox, PS3, Windows

Media: Blu-Ray Disc, DVD, Download

Fallout: New Vegas is a role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks. While New Vegas is not a direct sequel, it uses the same engine and style as Fallout 3. It was developed by a few of the employees who worked on previous Fallout games at Black Isle Studios, along with a larger number of new employees. It is set in a post-apocalyptic Nevada.

The game was released on October 19, 2010 in North America, October 22, 2010 in Europe, and November 4, 2010 in Asia. It is available on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

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Development History

Fallout New Vegas was announced on April 20, 2009 at Bethesda’s London showcase. While the first information was released in PC Gamer’s February 2010 issue. A cinematic teaser trailer can be seen below.

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Setting

The game is set in and around a post-apocalyptic retro-futuristic Las Vegas, following the Great War between the U.S., China as a conventional and nuclear war that occurred on October 22 - October 23, 2077, and lasted less than two hours, despite causing colossal damage and destruction. Before the Great War was the Resource Wars, during which the United Nations disbanded, a plague rendered the United States paranoid, and Canada was annexed. The city of Las Vegas itself wasn't hit as hard as most of the other districts, with most buildings being left intact as a result. The Hoover Dam supplies free electricity and water to those who control it.

New Vegas concept art

Story

The story has taken some parts from the Fallout and Fallout 2 stories, and is for the most part unrelated to its predecessor, Fallout 3.

Fallout: New Vegas takes place in 2281, four years after the events of Fallout 3, and thirty-nine years after Fallout 2. The New California Republic plays a major part in the game's story, being in a three-way struggle amongst the Caesar's Legion slavers, and the mysterious Mr. House.

The player's character, The Courier, was meant to deliver a package from Primm to New Vegas. However, the Courier is intercepted by the Great Khans lead by a mysterious man, who shoots him and takes the package, leaving the Courier for dead in a shallow grave. The Courier is later found by a robot named Victor, and is sent to the settlement of Goodsprings, where Doctor Mitchell saves his life. After the Courier is given some medical tests, the player is pushed back into the open world, and the quest, Ain't That a Kick in the Head, begins. Fallout: New Vegas has a definitive ending, unlike Fallout 3.

Endings for Fallout: New Vegas, are dependent on what actions the player took via quests during the game, with separate endings being shown for each major location, political faction, and recruit able companion.

Main Screen

Gameplay

The gameplay system is similar to Fallout 3 gameplay, although some changes have been made, one being changes to the combat system to make it feel more like a first-person shooter, including the ability to use weapon iron sights.

Hardcore Mode

Hardcore mode is an optional setting which makes the game more realistic, with gameplay elements such as dehydration, and non-instantaneous healing. If you choose against playing the game mode, it can be turned back on mid-game. Either a trophy or achievement is awarded for completing Fallout: New Vegas on Hardcore mode, however, in order to earn it, the entire game must be played in Hardcore, from the point first prompted until the endgame sequence, without ever turning the setting off. The Casual/Hardcore mode distinction is independent of difficulty settings.

Character System

The SPECIAL system returns, and directly influences speech options and quests. Unlike Fallout 3, traits are available for taking, and perks are gained every two levels instead of every one, a move made by the developers to avoid creating overpowered Couriers. Now with the DLCs added to me it feels like the Courier is OPed, hardcore. Not even kidding, with all of the DLCs added your level goes up to 50. Now as I was walking through a train yard I pulled out a pistol and took out two Deathclaws, one bullet each. So I believe that the player becomes OPed in the DLCs, any level higher than say 30 in the main area you are going to end everyone.

Combat

The Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, or V.A.T.S., is an active pause combat system implemented in the game, just like in Fallout 3. While using V.A.T.S., the otherwise real-time combat is paused. V.A.T.S. also allows the gory deaths in the game to be shown in slow motion and great detail. Attacks in V.A.T.S. cost Action Points, and the player can target specific body areas for attacks to inflict specific injuries…. Come on you should know this… Moving on.

Man's Best Friend, Rex

Karma and Reputation

Basically it’s a mix of the reputation system in Fallout 2 and Fallout 3. Karma is back, incorporated alongside a reputation system similar to Fallout 2. Reputation is a form of tracking relationships within the many factions and towns of Fallout: New Vegas, such as the NCR or Goodsprings. A high reputation with a faction or town may give certain benefits, such as gifts from the people of that town, while a low reputation may lead to hits being taken out against you. Karma in New Vegas has little effect compared to Fallout 3; reputation is the primary factor as to how people will react to you.

Weapon Modding

A modding feature allows you to modify your gun by adding scopes, extended magazines, silencers, and more. Weapons can have a maximum of three attached mods, and they cannot be removed once placed. At one point I didn’t do much modding, I didn’t feel the need too. But once I got the hang of it, it was pretty neat to use.

In game shot of the Hoover Dam

Unique Weapons

There will be unique versions of weapons, a feature introduced in Fallout 3. Unique weapons have different textures, and some may even have unique models. Unique weapons cannot be modified, but their built-in abilities and higher damage output often make up for it.

Companion Wheel

A new companion wheel has been added to quickly and easily give companions commands such as 'Talk', 'Use Ranged Weapons' and 'Wait Here'. It also makes it easier to swap health and equipment. The companions also have their likes and dislikes; giving a sniper companion a shotgun, for example, will result in a nasty remark and decreased effectiveness. This makes handling your companions so much easier. I really do think this is one of the best new features to this game. It’s so very helpful.

Gambling

The city of New Vegas, as well as other smaller settlements in the game, has a variety of colorful casinos or other forms of gambling to explore. In Fallout: New Vegas, several gambling mini-games have been added, including blackjack, roulette, and slots. Outside the casinos, many people across the Mojave play Caravan, a card game designed by Obsidian specifically for New Vegas. Luck is a considerable factor when it comes to gambling. You get money for winning, and floor managers will congratulate you with food or drink and maybe a VIP stay at the hotel. Winning too much money after that, however, will make the managers come down, give you the customary "tap on the shoulder", and tell you to leave the casino on suspicions of cheating.

Hoover Dam concept art

Now that I have gone over everything, I have a few things to say. Fallout 3 is what going me into the Fallout games. With its mix of action and heartfelt story, I mean come on Liam Neeson is your dad in 3. He’s bad ass. Now as I played Fallout 3 on my PC I had to pick up New Vegas on the PC as well. Which I did. Let me say, I never heard of Steam before this and I wasn’t happy the night it came out. I thought I an hour I would be playing the game like everyone else. No. I had to download and install Steam and then wait to 2 am to use my code to download New Vegas, it then took 14 hours to download. What a mood killer.

One of the very first things that I notice is damn thing crashes every five fucking minutes. I mean come on, I opened a fucking door, let’s go. At one point the damn game was so buggy I couldn’t play it. I had to wait till Bethesda released updates, which took forever. Then had to wait for Steam updates. I think at one point I only had 5 hours in it. And because of the start and stop playing I did and I couldn’t get into it. I didn’t seem to care about the story. I had no idea what the main goal was and what my purpose was. Mind you this is before the DLCs came out. Even with them out, I still have no idea.

Fallout New Vegas is worth your time if you’re willing to give it up. For a long time I was very bitter about this game and it made me miss Fallout 3. While it was a whole new area and different people than the Capital Wasteland, I felt this game was a cheap copy of Fallout 3. I even made a comment to a friend at school saying that the game looked like Fallout 3 if someone turned the lights on.

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Ace gives Fallout: New Vegas

3 bat hounds out of 5

…and yes I’m still bitter

Zero Punctuation Review by Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw 

Other videos can be found here: Fallout Bethsoft Videos

Now as this is New Vegas we're talking about there are casinos and there are hookers. So not kidding.

NSFW

DC Universe Animated Original Movies Part Six

DC Universe Animated Original Movies Part Six

All-Star Superman

All-Star Superman is an adaptation of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's 2005–2008 comic book All-Star Superman. It was written by writer Dwayne McDuffie and directed by Sam Liu. Now this was one of the last things that Dwayne McDuffie worked on before he passed away. It took me a long time to sit down and watch this one. Mr. McDuffie was a great writer and I still miss his work.

Alright, plot summary, All-Star Superman, like I said is based off Morrison and Guitely’s book. From what I remember of the comic it’s pretty close. Now while saving the crew of the first ever mission to the sun, Superman is poisoned by the solar radiation. Well that sucks. Now he’s dying he decides to fulfill his lifelong dreams, while saving the Earth from various threats. Wow, the bad guys will not leave the dying man alone. When Lex Luthor reveals his latest plot to control the world, Superman must remaining strength to stop him. Superman can’t get a damn break. 

Cast:

James Denton as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman

Christina Hendricks as Lois Lane / Superwoman

Anthony LaPaglia as Lex Luthor

Edward Asner as Perry White

Obba Babatundé as Judge, Bibliobot (uncredited)

Steven Blum as Atlas, General Sam Lane (uncredited)

Linda Cardellini as Nasthalthia "Nasty" Luthor

Cathy Cavadini as Floral, Cat Grant (uncredited)

Frances Conroy as Martha Kent

Chris Cox as Lead Agent

Alexis Denisof as Dr. Leo Quintum

John DiMaggio as Samson, Ultra-Sphinx (uncredited)

Robin Atkin Downes as Solaris

Michael Gough as Parasite

Matthew Gray Gubler as Jimmy Olsen

Finola Hughes as Lilo

Kevin Michael Richardson as Steve Lombard

Fred Tatasciore as Krull

Arnold Vosloo as Bar-El

Release Date: February 22, 2011

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Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, similar to Batman: Gotham Knight, is an anthology film that tells a series of stories featuring various members of the Green Lantern Corps, including Abin Sur, Sinestro, Kilowog, and Mogo. While not a direct sequel to First Flight, the film uses the same character designs and includes a cameo by Ch'p, who had a speaking role in the previous film. Now there are six parts to this movie, like Batman: Gotham Knight, and seeing as I’m not a huge Lantern fan I was be doing a short summary for each. Summaries contains spoilers.

The summary for the main plot line is as follows: As the home planet of the Green Lantern Corps faces a battle with an ancient enemy, Hal Jordan prepares new recruit Arisia for the coming conflict by relating stories of the first Green Lantern and several of Hal's comrades.

The First Lantern

Now with that being said Hal starts to tell Arisia the story of the Green Lantern, a scribe to the Guardians, is chosen by one of the first four power ring despite having no skill as a warrior, Avra. After the death of one the Lanterns Avra uses his imagination and willpower as a writer to continue a battle. Thanks to that Avra the Lantern’s win a war. Avra rises in prestige among the Green Lantern Corps, and after his death his ring is passed down until it eventually becomes Abin Sur’s and then Hal Jordan’s.

Kilowog

Sgt. Deegan trains a rookie Kilowog and others by removing their power rings and putting them in deadly settings. Kilowog confronts Deegan and accuses him of a reckless training method and having no value for the lives of his trainees. Sgt. Deegan is then called to act with his recruits when a nearby planet comes under attack. Deegan purposefully drops Kilowog’s ring before departing with the other recruits. In the battle Deegan orders the rookies to protect the refugees as he deals with the invaders. As Kilowog catches up, Sgt. Deegan is mortally wounded. Kilowog destroys the army and goes to Deegan's side. Deegan tells Kilowog he never would have let his rookies die and that he did what was best for their training. He passes superiority to Kilowog who then takes up completing the mission.

Laira

Once a princess, Laira is sent on her first solo mission to her homeworld to deal with charges that her people are attacking other nations unprovoked. Standing in her way, Laira quickly defeats her father's mistress and her belittling brother. But when she faces her father she is saddened to learn that the recent war crimes were his own decision. He has been driven into rage by the loss of honor that Laira's ring chose her and not him. Laira is ultimately able to defeat her father who admits she has truly earned her adulthood. He then commits ritual suicide to maintain his honor.

Mogo Doesn't Socialize

Bolphunga the Unrelenting seeks to fight and destroy all the most powerful warriors in the universe and is told he will never defeat the Green Lantern Mogo. Bolphunga’s computer contains no information on Mogo but tracks his whereabouts to a mysterious green planet. There Bolphunga spends weeks tracking Mogo's power signatures but never finds the elusive Lantern. Bolphunga sets explosives all over the planet to flush Mogo out but is horrified when the planet extinguishes all the bombs and Mogo is revealed to be the entire planet.

Abin Sur

Hal Jordan's predecessor Abin Sur fights Atrocitus, alien criminal speaking dark prophecies. Abin Sur is assisted by Sinestro in capturing the alien. Sinestro and Abin Sur then have a conversation relating to the warnings that Atrocitus spoke and Sinestro insists that he does not believe in destiny. Parting ways, Abin Sur takes the criminal to a prison planet where Atrocitus again speaks on Abin Sur's imminent death. He also warns Abin that Sinestro will rise against the Green Lantern Corps and create his own lantern corps built on the power of fear. Abin Sur however refuses to believe his friend would betray his Green Lantern duties.

Emerald Knights

Krona finally arrives from the Oa Sun. All the Green Lanterns fight swarms of Shadow Demons as Krona, an enormous figure, rises from the sun. Many Green Lanterns are killed and all others fall back. It is Arisia who devises a plan: if Krona is made of anti-matter then an equal or greater amount of matter will destroy him on contact. The Green Lanterns fall behind the planet Oa and push it at Krona. Krona uses Shadow Demons to push back and the Corps finds itself stymied while taking casualties. However, Mogo the Living Planet arrives and uses its own mass and Lantern Power to assist his comrades. Oa and Krona are forced into the sun and both are annihilated. The prophecy of Oa's destruction is fulfilled, but Krona is destroyed and the Corps is saved.

Cast:

Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan

Jason Isaacs as Sinestro

Elisabeth Moss as Arisia Rrab

Henry Rollins as Kilowog

Arnold Vosloo as Abin Sur

Kelly Hu as Laira

Tony Amendola as Kentor, Appa Ali Apsa (uncredited)

Steven Blum as Kloba Vud, Palaqua (uncredited), Ranakar (uncredited), G'Hu (uncredited), Additional Voices

Grey DeLisle as Ree'Yu, Ardakian Trawl (uncredited), Boodikka (uncredited)

Michael Jackson as Ganthet

Peter Jessop as Salaak

David Kaufman as Rubyn

Sunil Malhotra as Bolphunga's Ship

Roddy Piper as Bolphunga

Andrea Romano as Abin Sur's Ring, Deegan's Ring (uncredited)

Jane Singer as Wachet

James Arnold Taylor as Tomar-Re

Bruce Thomas as Atrocitus

Mitchell Whitfield as Avra

Wade Williams as Deegan

Gwendoline Yeo as Blu

Bruce Timm as Galius Zed (uncredited)

Release Date: June 8, 2011

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So yeah, I’m behind in posting. That’s my bad. Next is Batman: Year One and Justice League: Doom.

I’ll be starting my review for Fallout: New Vegas and the DLCs soon.

Maybe even do a top list for the video games for 2011

Take it easy,

Ace