Movie News and Stuff, from April 28th!

Happy Monday, fellow people! April 28 it is today, and I bring you movie news which you may or may not already know! Hey I'm just trying to cover all the bases here. Getting right into it, regarding the picture above, it has come to light that following the upcoming Batman/Superman movie, to be directed by Zack Snyder, the next instalment after will in fact be a full blown Justice League movie! This is excellent news! Finally, after multiple casting news with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and recently Ray Fisher as Cyborg, it's looking like a plan is quickly being formed. Snyder is believed to direct it, while Henry Cavill is expected to return as Superman, as well as (while hundreds of fanboys cried for no good reason) Ben Affleck as Batman, following his premiere in the Batman/Superman movie to be released in May of 2016. Personally, I've been leery of any developments since Man of Steel, but it's hard for me not to get at least a little excited at the thought that Warner Bros. is finally getting a Justice League movie together, not that it wasn't unexpected. Besides, it's still a good ways away, so for now it looks like the closest we'll come to see how it might shape up is in the (still tentatively tilted) Batman/Superman team-up.

Related to that, I'd just like to quickly say that there is a Flash TV series in production as well, following the success of CW's Arrow which focuses on Green Arrow. It would be cool to see some interconnection between the shows and the upcoming movies, also considering how the Flash actually looks like the Flash from the promotional pictures.

On a decidedly less joyful topic, Bryan Singer, the director of the first two X-Men films, as well as the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past (to be released on May 23), has been accused of sexual abuse, along with several others in the business, for instances dating back to the late 90's. Michael Egan, the aspiring actor who filed the case, alleges that Singer and others lured him into an expansive sex ring with the promise of auditions or roles in upcoming films, and forced him to participate in grotesque acts and subjected him to drugs and alcohol with threats. Singer has denied these claims, which as of now, are still being investigated.

Right, moving on, it seems that, and I can't believe this, there is going to be a Friday The 13th televisions series. Yes. Really. I don't know what to say about this, since I'm more baffled than informed right now. It's...well it's Jason, coming to a television near you on a weekly basis! How many times will he die? How many sequels will the TV series get? Only time will tell. Honestly this is just bizarre, but hey, it's bizarre enough that I'm vaguely interested to see just what the hell they're going to do. The site I linked to mentioned "multiple time periods" which could mean one of two things if you ask me. Likely scenario? It's over a couple decades or so, showing Jason as a kid, or the camp counsellors themselves. What would be REALLY strange but cool? "Multiple time periods" meaning different centuries. It's not unheard of, I mean come on, there's Jason X, which was in freaking space. Like think about that for a second, through some supernatural will, Jason is sent to different centuries to be all hacky-and-slashy to the local denizens. The Old West Jason with a cowboy hat and his mask? Or what about Victorian London...Or you know what? What if HE was the actual Jack the Ripper? Vat a twist! Time Travel Jason, man! Frightening, and ridiculously crazy!

So from machete-wielding psychopath, we come to beloved children's book. Yes, if you recognize the picture above, chances are you read Roald Dahl's The BFG. I don't remember it so well, so BFG to me means a completely different thing. ANYWAYS on topic, Steven Spielberg is set to direct a live-action adaptation of the favoured book, courtesy of DreamWorks! No casting has as of yet been announced, but the film is aiming for a 2016 release. I apologize to anybody who loves the book that I don't really have much to say about it. Like I said, it's not a book that I remember well, but for those of you who do, you have this to look forward to!

And in closing, probably a big pill to swallow for those of you who are into the Star Wars Expanded Universe. It was recently announced that Lucasfilm has decreed the entire Expanded Universe non-canon. What that means is essentially all previously written books, graphic novels, various video games, and other associate material, but not counting The Clone Wars and upcoming Rebels (pictured above) animated TV shows, is no longer considered part of the true Star Wars narrative. The new and upcoming Star Wars movies will instead feature a new story with new characters that have never been seen or mentioned in any other material, save for perhaps, the upcoming official Star Wars novels, as part of the New Expanded Universe. These four announced novels include Star Wars: A New Dawn, which serves as a prequel to the events of the TV series Star Wars: Rebels, as well as Lords of the Sith, detailing events with Vader and Palpatine, Heir to the Jedi dealing with Luke Skywalker after Episode VI, and a really interesting-looking one, Tarkin, which will tell the story of the Grand Moff himself before his time in Episode IV. I'm not sure how much this should affect people who have read the books and such thoroughly, but I can understand a bit of frustration. Granted, the canon nature of the Expanded Universe has always been up for debate, so I'm not completely surprised Lucasfilm decided the way it did. However, the non-canon books will not go away. Because of demand and nature, previously written and future books will be published under the banner of Star Wars: Legends, so they're still going to be around, and still going to be made. And to clarify, elements of the previous Expanded Universe can (and will) still be used in some ways. Writers and developers for both canon and non-canon have the entire Expanded Universe to draw from, and already some elements from the EU will be seen in Star Wars: Rebels. Speaking of which, looking ahead, I'm personally really looking forward to Rebels, which is airing later this year in the Fall on Disney XD. Star Wars: Episode VII is due for a 2015 release. An official statement about the Expanded Universe can also be found here.

Donlevy Reviews Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance!

[Donlevy Note: After a couple-week hiatus, I'm back! *Cue fanfare* Seriously though, I will TRY to keep the Emporium updated as on-schedule as possible. On that note, if anyone reading this has ANY REQUESTS for me to "Review/Overview" (or something else) send them my way! Not that I'm out of ideas, I'm not, but it'd be swell to have some different viewpoints and ideas!]

Revengeance.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

No, it's probably not a word, but it might as well be one now. Revengeance. Oooooh. I love it! The nature of such a word might give you a hint as to what the newest entry in the Metal Gear series is all about. I love me some Metal Gear (like, a LOT), and I think many people are familiar with the Metal Gear Solid line of games popular on the PlayStation systems. A look at the Metal Gear series as a whole will come at some point soon, but for now, know that the series has mostly been known for it's stealth/action gameplay, and it's balls-out and sometimes over-the-top cutscenes and stories. Which is all awesome.

With Rising, however, a distinct change in pace and gameplay makes it stand out from the stealth-heavy aspects of previous Solid games, while still retaining a narrative and also amping up the craziness that made the series what it is. So it's a different beast, but Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is unique and innovative in it's own way, making itself a fast-paced extravaganza with more than enough content for the price. And it's just so damn fun.

Raiden has come a long way since his humble beginnings in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. After his psychological mindf**k, followed by his transformation into a cyborg in the fourth game, Guns of the Patriots, Raiden now works for a para-military security company that operates in the aftermath of the events concluded in MGS4. Raiden, real name Jack, is a former child soldier who was so vicious in combat that he was given the nickname of Jack the Ripper for his atrocities.

Haunted by his past, Raiden attempts to keep it in check with his work, but the Ripper soon shows itself after he encounters a rogue military organization involved in terrorism and trafficking. Raiden goes down the rabbit hole to stop them in the name of justice... and revengeance. Oh yeah. Revengeance. The story isn't as, shall we say, in-depth (a nicer way of saying convoluted) as previous Metal Gear games, but it doesn't shy away from the long winded yet analytical philosophy and political ideal extremes that the series is so (in)famously known for.

The Codec returns from previous entries, and you can call up your Maverick associates to save the game, receive combat tips, or to really expand on what's happened post-Patriots. The story's overall pretty decent, with some fair twists and very Metal Gear-esque moments of crazy. It does kind of get a bit full of itself near the end though, and there's kind of an unusual uncertainty in it's thematic commitment of justice, politics, philosophy, etc. when people start changing their mind.

Okay, yes, that last sentence was, ironically, a bit full of itself as well. Just know it works in some ways, and doesn't in others. The characters though, are varied and great. Some are more memorable than others of course, but everyone has their own little quirks, and the translation is quite good. Jetstream Sam, man. This gives the already excellent fights with the bosses a bit more substance and character.

And what fights they are indeed! A stellar and visceral combat system makes not only the bosses, but the entire levels up to them memorable affairs. Revengeance is, to be clear, not like previous Metal Gear games. It's fast-paced, action heavy, and very much over-the-top in it's gameplay. If you're familiar with previous games by the astounding Platinum Games, like MadWorld, Bayonetta, and Vanquish then you may already have a general idea of not only how exaggerated, but also how polished the gameplay is.

The game runs at a mainly consistent 60 frames per second, with slowdown occurring primarily after multiple-piece over-explosions. You'll be running and cutting anything and everything in your path with your High-Frequency Blade almost immediately. As a cyborg-ninja, Raiden is quick, nimble, and powerful. Using the trigger on the controller, Raiden can run under and over obstacles and deflect bullets via the Ninja Run, which is all done automatically. It's a good system that's only problem is in corners and edges. You may fall off an edge or two if you're not careful.

Taking a page from similar combo-centric games like God of War and Devil May Cry, Revengeance utilizes a combo system involving basic light and heavy attacks. Different combinations of light and heavy attack buttons result in varying attacks, and you ramp up a number of hits against the enemy before you yourself is hit by an attack. You also have rudimentary blocking and countering in the form of pressing the light attack button in the direction of the enemies attack at the right time. Unfortunately, it's an imperfect system that is needlessly complicated and frustrating to time right, particularly in boss fights when it's sometimes hard to see what can and can't be blocked.

You have "sub weapons" consisting of rocket launchers, grenades, and the familiar Cardboard Box (a staple of all Metal Gear games) which you may also use, but defeating certain bosses also grant you their signature weapons to use in tandem with your sword. Each of these weapons replaces the normal heavy attack with it's own unique moveset and upgrades, and the result is a great variety of moves and attacks to perform overall.

But by and large the most unique feature of the combat is what's called "Blade Mode," a feature that, when activated, allows you to, with the right thumbstick on the controller, manually cut up and dismember any object or cyborg that is vulnerable. Blade Mode serves a purpose other than brutally severing a robot's head, however. Every enemy has a small, red hit box that when sliced through reveals the enemies robotic membrane of electronics and artificial fluid...or, you know, a cyborg spine. Taking this heals Raiden, recovers his fuel gauge (which allows him to perform Blade Mode) and adds to his score, in the form of BP (which is used to purchase upgrades). Combat is ultimately excellent and engaging, despite the annoying blocking, and a multitude of weapons and attacks keep combat fresh and exciting.

Also something to mention: the soundtrack is killer. Heavy rock with a hint of metal, and it sounds great in the context of the game. It's sort of dynamic in how it plays during fights, particularly with the bosses, and it really pumps you up for the fights, which in the case of the bosses, require a good amount of dexterity and patience. Thus, the music is actually a clever way of keeping you invested in a fight if you're stuck or unsure of what to do.

There's also an underplayed stealth-component to Revengeance that hearkens back to previous entries, which works by having Raiden quickly and silently take out any enemy as long as you haven't been spotted. These parts are entirely optional, but they feel fun and rewarding to complete properly, even though they also contribute to the sometimes uneven pace of the levels.

The main story missions take place in different parts of the world offering a variety of locations to feature the levels, themselves ranging in length from single boss fights, to city treks. The longer missions unfortunately suffer from rough patches of pace and flow in the progression. It's mostly a linear game in this regard; you have a set area of which you may find some hidden power-ups or whatnot, and then you proceed through a corridor or room and sometimes are unable to turn back. This is fine in itself, since combat is used to junction the sections, but the longer levels can incorporate some frustratingly odd gimmicks or side-events that put a damper on the flow, and hurt further replays of the level.

Saving civilians is optional, but the process to due so can bog down the game when you're constantly restarting the area because of a missed stealth kill, or something silly like a rogue grenade. Further instances actually hinder you either with an unnecessary fight or handicapping of movement (the latter case involving a stealth section). It does need to be said that all in all, these sections are not long individually, and given the rest of the level design, can mostly be overlooked.

What can't be overlooked though are certain egregious difficulty spikes that, on higher difficulties and without most upgrades, are simply infuriating. Do not tell me to "git gud" or some silly nonsense like that. Some sections of the game (*cough* final boss *cough*) are simply just too demanding given the preceding areas. Even with appropriate damage and health upgrades, it can be a nuisance.

But the most heinous of these can be found in the downloadable story missions and the VR Missions. The two DLC missions, which are now free and I still recommend regardless of what I'm about to say, don't have the same method of upgrading the main story utilizes, and as such, can feel overwhelming at times when you are already limited to what you can do. The VR Missions, which are expansive challenges offered to you outside the main game (when you unlock them), can get excruciatingly frustrating since DLC or not, you are heavily limited with what you can do. Perhaps there is a purposeful challenge factor, but there is also just too damn much. I WILL say however, that when (or IF) you complete one of those godforsaken challenges (with a medal), oh you are on top of the freaking world baby.

All that said, the VR Missions along with the DLC and, well, general gameplay, make Revengeance a highly replayable game that continually offers enjoyment even when you complete the story. A normal run of the main missions can take anywhere from 4-6 hours, depending on difficulty, but the game offers repeated runs for not only a score ranking you receive at the end of each mission, but also data storage units and hand chips, among other things, that offer concept art, titles, and stuff of that nature when found. You can get a lot out of this game if you are willing.

Little backstory before I wrap this up: the production of Revengeance was actually fraught with peril from the beginning. Originally known as Metal Gear Solid: Rising way back in 2009 and developed exclusively by Kojima Productions, Rising would have served as an interquel between MGS 2 and MGS 4. Faced with problems working the game around the cutting element, Kojima gave the project to Platinum Games in 2011, and they formulated the game that it is now, while dropping Solid from the name (heh heh) and adding that lovely word Revengeance. I'd say it turned out damn fine.

Revengeance is not the most recent Metal Gear game; it's been out for a little over a year on consoles and was released last January on PC, with the most recent in fact being the prequel to Metal Gear Solid V (called The Phantom Pain, and due out in the future), called Ground Zeroes. But for extended reasons, all of which result in the statement "because I can," I had to share why Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance kicks the ass it does. Time will tell whether or not Revengeance will be as fondly remembered as the other Metal Gear games, but damned if I don't have a say in the matter.

It's fast, fun, ridiculous, action-filled, and packed with content and replayability. And it's gone down in price too, so whether it's Xbox 360, PS3, or PC, Donlevy says you should check it out if you're into Metal Gear games, combo-heavy action games, or just ridiculousness in general.

YAY

• Visceral, fast-paced, and just a lot of fun.
• Crazy over-the-top action with an excellent visual flair.
• Epic boss fights that feel challenging and satisfying.
• Soundtrack really pumps you up. Great sound design.
• Frantic story with some decent twists.
• Cutting mechanic is so cool.
• Highly replayable, with plenty of upgrades, VR Missions, concept art, and other bonuses to unlock.

NAY

• Frustrating blocking/countering system that takes time to get used to.
• Some ridiculous difficulty spikes, particularly in the downloadable story missions, but especially in the VR missions. Feels downright unfair at times.
• Thematic inconsistencies near the end hamper the story.
• Doesn't quite get the pacing right in terms of level progression, where parts of certain levels feel uneven and questionably timed.

Donlevy Reviews Captain America: The Winter Soldier!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has come a long way since the original Iron Man six years ago. Now boasting an expansive micro and macro narrative over the course of nine movies, Captain America: The Winter Soldier continues after the events of both The Avengers and the original Captain America: The First Avenger, but also features the biggest shake-up the Marvel movies have yet seen. Fans of the Marvel series will find much to love here, with strong actors and memorable characters, as well as huge narrative events that those familiar with the previous Marvel movies will surely enjoy. Easily the smartest of the Marvel movies so far, The Winter Soldier also stands as a very solid spy-thriller and action movie in it's own right.

After the events of The Avengers, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) i.e. Captain America, has still not yet fully re-integrated into society following his 70 year deep-freeze in The First Avenger. While acclimatizing, he continues to take part in various high-risk and dangerous special ops for the agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., a staple of all the Marvel movies prior. Accompanying him is Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), also known as Black Widow, and the two make up a team reporting to the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who as of late has begun preparations on Project Insight with fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford). Project Insight is a set of enormous Helicarriers to be used to combat threats preemptively in the wake of previous Marvel events (you know, aliens and gods that like to destroy things). This angers Rogers, who sees it as barely above terrorism, and he voices his discontent to Fury. As the Project ramps up, various members of S.H.I.E.L.D come under attack from a mysterious and powerful assassin: The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), who is rumoured to have conducted high-profile hits over the course of the last century. In danger, Rogers seeks the help of his friend Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), an aerial soldier with the name Falcon, who also happens to have an awesome combat suit of which you could guess the nature of. That is all the plot summary you're going to get, I'm afraid, because any more in super spoiler territory. Really, a great deal of this movie's draw and pace is the nature of the narrative, which ultimately acts out like an espionage or spy film. It's a very carefully detailed and linked story that is best experienced rather than told. That being said however, it isn't just plot twists and tension. The film is also an incredibly competent action movie, with some seriously strong fight scenes and pace.

The film hosts a number of exciting and excellently choreographed action and fight scenes. Cap is quick and strong, and despite how completely outrageous the physics are when he throws his shield, the effect and outcome is simply too awesome for there to be any real problem. Indeed; this is a superhero movie first and foremost, so the action is understandably quite elaborate and ever so slightly over-the-top. Even so, neither the action nor narrative ever steps past it's comic counterparts and tries to outdo itself. That doesn't mean the film plays it "safe" though. The action, flying shield included, hits every note possible in the respective scenes, and it's a good thing since the action is more spread out then previous outings. It makes each action beat strong and memorable on their own, and together add up to excellent pacing. There's never a moment that feels shoe-horned in or irrelevant, and the scenes that bring a lighter side with some humour and affection feel natural and fun. And of course, outside the larger action pieces are in-depth looks at S.H.I.E.L.D and its agents, and The Winter Soldier himself, that really affect the tone of the movie and the larger Marvel narrative at play. Friend and foe become blurred fairly early on, and tensions rise as secrets are revealed at every turn, revealing an elaborate set of events that have huge implications. These scenes play out well, and like the action, don't feel out of place. They're meaningful, and when made as a whole, they make an (ultimately) cohesive and exciting story backed by strong action. There is, however, one annoying and glaring caveat to all of this. The fact of the matter is that your enjoyment and how invested you are in the narrative and twists is almost wholly dependent on your experience with the previous Marvel movies, and the Universe as a whole. Granted, if you're seeing Winter Soldier odds are you have more likely than not, lets be honest, seen or have been interested in previous Marvel outings, so it is kind of expected.

Chris Evans is and always has been an optimal choice for Rogers/Captain America, and he fits into the role perfectly. Rogers is compassionate, strong willed, as well as incredibly selfless and noble. He is, after all, named Captain America, but Evans just makes the performance dance. Rogers is 70 years out of his element, so the logical progression of new-age patriotism is met at the forefront, as well as keeping that self-aware and self-referential notion from The First Avenger a key part of how Rogers interacts with the world, and vice versa. It's that dynamic which makes Rogers an incredibly compelling and likeable character, and also how he affects the other members of S.H.I.E.L.D. Johannson portrays Romanoff with a reasonable air of both mystery and uncertainty. It's well enough that even Cap is unsure if she's trustworthy, and her style and elegance both in and out of the action makes her a strong character, and a more than admirable companion to Rogers. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury is, in all honesty, as badass and awesome as you'd expect. In fact, this is easily the best Jackson has been as Fury, and he even gets a few surprise scenes to really show off just how capable Fury really is. Robert Redford also gives a decidedly sly and fixated performance as Pierce, and he has an added effect of being an interesting counterpart to Fury on a few occasions. Cobie Smulders returns as Maria Hill from The Avengers, and much like Fury, has a few particular scenes where she shines, but is ultimately a little underused. Similarly, it feels like there could have been a few additional scenes with Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson/Falcon, mainly near the end, and this is mostly because of how great Mackie is in the roll. Seriously, he fits right into the rest of the all-star cast flawlessly, and is a guaranteed returner for future instalments. When he dons his Falcon suit, things get really cool, but it's a bummer that there weren't more scenes to portray how sweet the equipment is. Still, I'm very much looking forward to seeing Mackie's Falcon in the coming movies.

Lastly of course, we have the Winter Soldier portrayed by Sebastian Stan. Completely menacing and powerful, the Winter Soldier is a fierce opponent to Cap, and basically the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. More of his face is gradually revealed as the movie progresses, so I won't spoil much, but suffice to say it's a good build up. Much of how the Soldier is portrayed is through movement and stance, rather than dialogue and facial expression (at least early on), so there is a lot of swift and effortless dodging and attacking particularly when in close combat. There's a certain musical cue (leitmotif) that plays every time the Soldier comes into play, and it's a startling and fierce cue that's also just a teeny bit creepy. A lot of effort was put into making the Soldier a force to be reckoned with, and these earlier scenes, along with the later ones, of which I'm not spoiling, definitely succeed in that regard.

If it sounds like I have nothing hugely negative to say about Winter Soldier, it's because I don't. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a damn good movie, and probably the best non-Avengers Marvel movie yet. It's smart, fast-paced, well acted, and succeeds as both a spy thriller and an action movie, while also not throwing itself into nonsensical obscurity, even despite the incredible revelations it has on the entire Marvel Universe. That's...that's the sum of it, yeah. Go see it!


YAY

• Intricate spy-thriller story and narrative, with twists that redefine the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big way.
• Excellent acting on all fronts. Chris Evans continues to be a stellar Cap.
• Fantastic and substantial action that matches the pace of the film.
• The Winter Soldier!
• Smartest Marvel movie yet that also doesn't overstep its comic book roots.

NAY

• Usual conceit with this type of film that its overall effect is determined by how invested you are in prior content in the MCU.
• Some characters feel underused.

Donlevy Reviews Shadow Warrior!

The original Shadow Warrior was developed by 3D Realms in 1997 the year after their latest release: Duke Nukem 3D, a game done in a similar style and one that I've mentioned before. Both games are tongue-in-cheek first person shooters with an emphasis on over-the-top gore and humour, with Shadow Warrior having a more Eastern style of level and weapon design and a more stereotypical humour base when compared to the western pop-culture mocking of DN3D. If you want an idea of what kind of humour is present in Shadow Warrior, the name of the main character is Lo Wang. Yeah. Wang, much like Duke Nukem, is also keen on many one-liners that I'm sure you can probably guess in nature. Shadow Warrior was, and perhaps still is, not as fondly remembered as it's older brother Duke Nukem 3D, despite being a solid game.

Now, however, development studio Flying Wild Hog has rebooted the game for a modern day, with new elements fit for the current age, as well as serving many nods to the original game while also keeping with it a throwback style that seeks to honour traditional FPS's of the day. In the wake of similar games that attempted this like the infamous Duke Nukem Forever, the result of Shadow Warrior is a rather stunning and remarkable achievement in how to best approach rebooting the feel of classic PC first person shooters, and stands as it's own as a fun and overall great game in it's own right.

The "story" of the original Shadow Warrior, for what it mattered, was fairly straightforward and simple. As Lo Wang, a former bodyguard to Master Zilla, your job is to fight through the hordes of demons summoned by Zilla as you try to locate and stop Zilla himself. For the rebooted Shadow Warrior, the story has been greatly expanded upon. You are still Lo Wang, the fast-talking comic book collector and overall badass who works for Orochi Zilla, and Wang is tasked with locating and retrieving an ancient and powerful sword known as the Nobitsura Kage. However, shit quickly hits the fan when in the process, hordes of demons from what's known as the Shadow Realm are released onto Earth. As Wang escapes, he encounters a demon by the name of Hoji, who was banished to Earth centuries prior for reasons he does not remember, and the duo team up to locate the famed sword, which is in fact three different swords of the same name that, when fused together, become the demon-killing Nobitsura Kage in it's fullest capacity.

For a game of this nature, the story ends up being surprisingly enjoyable and competent. The progression is paced well and logically, and the characters that make up it are notable, and at the very least somewhat interesting. Lo Wang himself has some great lines, and develops from being, in his own words, "once an asshole," into...well still an asshole, but a more heroic and selfless asshole. Hoji is full of sarcastic and humorous wisdom, and the best lines are when the two of them are talking together as you go through the levels. The rest of the cast largely only make appearances at certain events, key among these the demons known as the Ancients, a family of demons of whom much the story is centred around. There are three bosses that each impart a memory of one of several Ancients and these memories are told through stylized and impressive animated cutscenes. Other characters are present for much smaller periods of time, and largely serve to simply progress the story, or add an objective to a level (which Wang usually comments unfavourably on). The voice acting on the parts of the main characters is solid, and are able to establish both humour and drama at different parts of the story. The soundtrack is also great, with an Eastern-style sound mixed in with a hint of rock metal, and the sound effects are equally impressive with strong-sounding gun and sword sounds, as well as some really mushy and messy blood gushing sound effects.

The levels themselves are large and have a great amount of detail and appealing visuals. There are only a handful of sections where the game feels really linear, and it's usually meant as an advance to a boss area. The levels are full of crates and cabinets that house ammo and money, as well as plenty of secrets to find and collect if you put in the effort. Various statues can be found that aid in your end-of-level score (also known as a metascore) and these can be found in little areas off the beaten path or precariously under some otherwise unremarkable boxes. You can also find fortune cookies that not only heal you slightly, but provide a cheeky "fortune" for you (for example, one I encountered said: "You will find a fortune cookie"). In some levels, both can be found in special secret areas that appear identical to ones from the original game; pixels and all. The levels do an admirable job of showing off the style of graphics the game employs, ranging from cherry-blossom pagoda's, to suburbs, to high-tech facilities. Apart from some disappearing textures, I didn't encounter any noticeable graphical bugs. The one issue I did have with the level design though is that the length of the levels can be it's own undoing. A couple later levels in particular have certain areas that feel almost identical to a previous part of the level, and the confusion caused me some unwarranted backtracking. It is, however, not a truly glaring issue, although perhaps a mini-map might have been nice.

Gameplay is where Shadow Warrior really triumphs though, and it's execution is a lesson to developers of shooters both new and throwback-style. Combat is bloody, messy, and ultimately an over-the-top gong-show of visceral mayhem. It's a hell of a lot of fun, and I never found it to get repetitive; a truly astonishing feat in the genre by and large. There are numerous types of enemies that are introduced as you progress, and a few require some serious maneuvering and precision. You have at your disposal over the course of the game weapons including a magnum-style pistol, a crossbow, an SMG you can later dual-wield, and more. Each weapon is unique, and able to be upgraded in three different ways, with one upgrade guaranteed to add a secondary fire method. However, perhaps the most useful weapon will be the katana you carry the length of the game. The katana is capable of slicing demons up in any which way possible, and through the use of "Karma" you can learn new moves that make the katana an even more devastating and useful weapon, along with other passive upgrades like increased health or overall damage.

Karma is earned through finding fountains of blood hidden throughout the levels, or by achieving a high ranking after each bout of fighting. Each encounter ends when all enemies in the area are defeated, and you will receive a ranking out of five that will determine the boost to Karma you get along with the amount you got from the enemies. How your rank is determined is based on how much HP you lose, and the variety of weapons and powers you use, including your Ki powers. There are four Ki powers you can learn: Healing, Protection, Push and Shockwave. Depending on your playstyle and the difficulty you play on, some may be used more than others, particularly the Healing power. The Ki powers, much like the Katana special attacks, are hard to pull off by default (as they involve double-tapping the movement keys), but unlike the Katana moves, the Ki powers aren't as widely useful. The upgrades don't make as much difference as perhaps they should, and I found myself unsuccessfully trying to balance them into my combat style. Despite this, combat is still fast-paced and frantic. The level areas are usually large and offer multiple directions of attack and defence, and it really is just incredibly satisfying to bust out the katana and annihilate a legion of demonic entities with a few well-placed swipes.

Shadow Warrior is truly impressive in how it handles an old IP with finesse and quality. It's arguably one of the best throwback shooters around, and it would still be a competent and highly enjoyable game even without it's predecessors name. It's also surprisingly longer than you might at first believe, myself clocking in around 10-15 hours over the course of the games 17 Chapters, playing on the harder difficulty while also searching for secrets. Not to mention, there's also a survival mode of sorts, as well as an "EX Mode." Without a doubt, you're getting your money's worth for this game. If you are a fan of classic shooters like Doom or Duke Nukem 3D, (or of course the original Shadow Warrior), or also if you like modern over-the-top shooters like Serious Sam, I highly recommend giving this game a go. It can be found on Steam and GOG.com, and you can also try out a demo for it on Steam. Definitely don't miss this one.



YAY

• Exciting and visceral combat, with variety in the upgradeable weapons and powers.
• Smart and impressive level design that rewards exploration.
• Very pretty artistic style.
• Surprisingly competent and decent story, with a great sense of humour and wit.
• Longer than you might expect.
• The shining example of how to do classic throwback first person shooters!

NAY 

• Length of some areas makes the locations, and their secrets, a bit repetitive. 
• Frustrating falling and jumping mechanic that works against you.
• Notable difficulty spikes in the later half of the game.
• Ki Powers don't complement all playstyles, and are unintuitive to pull off.

Marvel's Cinematic Universe at a Glance

This weekend, Captain America: The Winter Soldier opens in North America, and already reviews are pinning it as one of the best Marvel movies around, so hey, I thought it's as good a time as any to look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole (and maybe possibly a Donlevy Review for Cap in the future). The MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a collection of movies and television shows (and other supplementary material) that make up one large inhabited setting and universe within the Marvel Comics continuity. Well, parts of the Marvel continuity. Mainly due to licensing reasons, some of the other big Marvel franchises, like X-Men and Spider-Man, are not included within this shared universe. It gets a bit strained when looking at what specifically can't be a part of the MCU, but suffice to say, the following movies with Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, and many, many others, most assuredly are. The movies that have been released, as well as those that are in the making, make up one of (as of now) three "Phases," with each phase culminating in an ensemble film. It's been a tremendous process years in the making, but Marvel has successfully crafted a huge connected world that continues to get larger and more entwined with every movie. So, from the beginning, here's a little overview of where the MCU stands with it's films and characters, and what's to come in the near future.

In the beginning, there was Iron Man. Released on May 2, 2008, Iron Man stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, a wealthy, extravagant, playboy and mechanical genius who runs Stark Industries, the producer of high quality militaristic weapons and devices. After a life-altering event in which Stark has a change-of-heart in his technological pursuit, he shuts down the weapon manufacturing development of Stark Industries, and focuses his time and money into a suit that is powered from his life-saving energy device now in his heart. Tony Stark becomes Iron Man, and uses his self-powered suit to help those who are being assaulted by terror cells that use the weapons he helped create. Stark initially hides his work from his assistant Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow) and his friend Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Terrence Howard), but is continually pressured into revealing his work from his father's friend and Stark Industries manager Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges).

Iron Man was a critical and commercial success, and was not only a boon for Marvel, whose plans now formulated around the film, but also to Robert Downey Jr., who received a re-invigoration of his career thanks to his fantastic and memorable portrayal as Tony Stark. Iron Man also introduced us to Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division) who is interested in Stark's work and resolve. Coulson would become a fan favourite, and a mainstay in nearly every Marvel movie to come, and even currently leads a show of his own in the form of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. As well as Coulson, the character of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) was also introduced as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., who brought to Stark's attention the Avengers Initiative...which we'll get to shortly. Also, the manner in which he was introduced was part of new Marvel mainstay in the form of the famous post-credits scene.

Not to be confused with Ang Lee's Hulk from 2003, The Incredible Hulk is something of a reboot for the character(s) of Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Released a month after Iron Man on June 13, TIH starred Edward Norton as Banner, a brilliant scientist specializing in gamma radiation who, after an experiment designed around weaponization, is afflicted with a condition wherein he transforms into the...uh...hulking green giant (hehe...green giant on steroids) that you are most likely familiar with. The Hulk. The Hulk is big. The Hulk is green. The Hulk smashes. And the Hulk smashes some more. In TIH, he grows at odds with his girlfriend Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), who is fearful of his condition, and her father General "Thunderbolt" Ross, who sees The Hulk as an out-of-control weapon of mass destruction. Also after Banner is Emil Blonsky, a soldier who yearns for the destructive power of The Hulk, and who later in the movie becomes famed Hulk villain The Abomination.

In terms of the MCU, The Incredible Hulk features probably the least amount of overarching continuity, save for a few names that are referenced here and after, as well as the main events that future characters associate Banner with (and of course, THE HULK). Edward Norton also didn't reprise his role as Banner in The Avengers, which instead was given to Mark Ruffalo, who is looking to reprise his role for future instalments in the MCU.

Two years after the success of Iron Man, it's sequel Iron Man 2 was released on May 7, 2010. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark, who after revealing himself as Iron Man at the end of the previous movie, begins to associate himself and the suit directly as one entity, becoming a world-wide peacekeeper but also continually hounded by the military for the technology of the suit, of which Stark refuses to divulge out of fear of weaponization. Pepper Pots returns as Stark's assistant, friend, and burgeoning love interest, and introduces Natasha Romanoff, a S.H.I.E.L.D agent otherwise known as Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson. James Rhodes also returns, but this time played by Don Cheadle, replacing Terrance Howard from the first film. New this time around though is Ivan Vanko, a Russian physicist whose family was once scientific partners with the Stark family. Vanko swears revenge onto Tony Stark, and produces his own version of Stark's personal energy reactor to take him out, and becomes the character of Whiplash (though he is never actually called by this in the film itself). Aided in his endeavour is disgruntled rival weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer, who aims to bring down Stark Industries in it's entirety. 

There's a decent amount of more action in this film compared to it's predecessor, with significantly more flashy scenes early on and a particularly explosive finale, where Rhodey even gets to don a militarized version of the Iron Man suit and becomes War Machine, next to Tony's newly upgraded suit. Iron Man 2 also shows off Romanoff's skill-set as an elite operative, as well as more of the character of Happy Hogan, Stark's friend and bodyguard/chauffeur from the first movie played by Iron Man 1 & 2 director Jon Favreau. Like Iron Man before it, Iron Man 2 has many of it's best scenes with the focus on Tony's ingenuity and discovery (or rediscovery), with RBJ continually at his prime. Even so, however, Iron Man 2 is often looked at as the weaker entry in the MCU, but I still hold it's by no means a bad movie.

Things got interesting when Thor was released on May 6, 2011. Now having enough success and momentum with them, Marvel brought Asgard and the demigod himself to the big screen as production ramped up for the upcoming Avengers movie. Thor introduced the titular hero, played by Chris Hemsworth, as the brash and egotistical heir to the throne of Asgard, which is held by the powerful and legendary Odin, Thor's father. After a poorly handled confrontation involving the Frost Giants on Jotunheim, with his friend Sif and The Warriors Three, along with his notorious brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor is cast out of Asgard by Odin, who banishes Thor and his powerful hammer Mjolnir to Midgard, also known as Earth. On Earth, Thor meets scientist Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who helps Thor realize his own humility and humanity, all while together helping defend Earth from sinister forces hailing from Jotunheim and Asgard. 
Thor is quite significant in the MCU in that it brought modern audiences far into the outreaches of Marvel's continuity with characters that inhabit other worlds, a feat that is to soon be repeated again with Guardians of the Galaxy (down below). Thor is also a primary catalyst for future MCU material, particularly The Avengers, where events occurring in Thor have enormous repercussions throughout the movies. Thor also happens to be a damn good movie, and also one of the shortest films of the MCU, not overstaying it's welcome, but delivering a lot of info and cool scenes in a compressed form. Also of note is the first appearance of famed sharpshooter Clint Barton, or Hawkeye, played by Jeremy Renner.
Thor also attracted some pretty silly controversy in the form of, you're not going to believe this, the badass character of Heimdall, here played by the awesome Idris Elba. Why was this controversial? Because Heimdall was black, where in the comics, he is mostly portrayed as white. Yeah. I shit you not that's what caused people to get mad.

And two months after Thor came Captain America: The First Avenger on July 22. The film stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, a sickly and feeble, yet impassioned and determined soldier during World War II, who undergoes an experimental chemical procedure that transforms him into a super soldier with uncanny and visceral strength, vitality and reflexes. Donning a patriotic outfit and the moniker Captain America to inspire his fellow troops, Rogers undergoes operations to stop the Nazi-affiliated HYDRA led by Johann Schmidt, who is revealed as villain Red Skull, played by the memorable Hugo Weaving. HYDRA is in possession of a powerful and mystical blue cube known as the Tesseract, an item that is originally referenced in Thor, and plays an increasingly larger part in the MCU over the course of the following movies. Along with Rogers is Colonel Chester Phillips, played by Tommy Lee Jones, and officer Peggy Carter, played by Hayley Atwell, who both train Rogers as he develops the persona of Captain America. Also of note is his friend Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan, who aides Rogers on the battlefield throughout the movie.

Captain America: TFA is definitely a more unique Marvel film than what may be readily apparent. Taking place during WWII, likely to the surprise of audiences, the film has a decidedly more sinister and violent tone than previous Marvel outings, largely due to the presence of the Nazis. On top of that, the portrayal of Captain America is highly self-referential and has almost a tongue-in-cheek feel about it that, in the context of the film (and later movies) works really well in establishing the persona of both Captain America, and Rogers who inhabits it. There's also some noted references and relations to Tony Stark in the presence of his father, Howard Stark, who works with Rogers over the course of the film. Cap also serves as a near direct lead in to the next Marvel outing, as Rogers is left in a cryogenic state, and reawakens 70 years later, his legacy remembered and also renewed.

And now we come to The Avengers, released on May 4, 2012, and the final movie in Marvel's "Phase One" of film collections, featuring an ensemble cast of Iron Man, The Hulk (now played by Mark Ruffalo), Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, as well as plenty of S.H.I.E.L.D personnel like Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, and Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill. Also featured is Thor character Loki, once more played by the great Tom Hiddleston, as the primary villain. When Loki emerges from the depths of space with an alien army of Chitauri, hell-bent on enslaving the human race, Nick Fury calls together the ultimate defence: The Avengers. Now, tasked with working together to stop Loki's campaign, the Avengers must contend with not only each other over ideological differences, but with an increasingly paranoid S.H.I.E.L.D. that seeks more powerful and destructive methods to combat external threats. 

And it's awesome. 

What we get is an incredible and satisfying showcase of the best of the best in Marvel's Universe up to the point of the The Avengers. It's a movie where the odds were always against it. The Avengers is a film that, by all accounts, should never have worked. But it does. And it does so superbly, with multiple crowd-pleasing moments, thrilling action, and a fantastic pace that makes it an entirely enjoyable and memorable film of which all future ensemble superhero movies will now have to match. There were plenty of moments when it could have all gone wrong, but The Avengers beat expectations and came out showing a bright future ahead for the MCU, and assured movie-goers everywhere that Marvel had the superhero movie formula down to a science.

So how do you follow up something like The Avengers? Well, by featuring the man who started it all come to grips with the aftermath. Iron Man 3 was released on May 3, 2013, one year after The Avengers, beginning Marvel's "Phase Two," and returned to the life of Tony Stark as he tries to come to grips with his traumatic experience in Avengers, all while being haunted by a past mistake involving the Extremis program, as well as a new threat in the form of the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), a mysterious bomber who angers Stark to the point of obsession. Suffering from PTSD after New York, Tony becomes irrational and frustrated, and his careless calling out of the Mandarin results in catastrophe that sends Stark far from California, where he must piece together not only his suit, but the mystery surrounding the Mandarin, Extremis, and it's creator Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) while he is believed to be dead back home.

Iron Man 3 also features returning characters Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) now assuming the mantle of the Iron Patriot in the wake of Stark's presumed death. It's a pretty crazy film, and is waaaay more in-depth than it's predecessor Iron Man 2, and also boasting some memorable, and surprising, twists that might throw even the most stalwart of comic readers off. If you were turned off by Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3 is Tony Stark's redemption.

The most recent Marvel film, as of this writing, Thor: The Dark World is the obvious direct sequel to Thor, and like Iron Man 3 before it, also a pseudo-sequel to The Avengers, and was released on November 8, 2013. This movie was actually my first "review," of sorts, so I'm going to shamelessly plug it by saying you can find Here! TDW follows Thor and his comrades Sif with the Warriors Three as they tend to the chaos in the Nine Realms around Asgard that has resulted from the destruction of the rainbow-like portal Bifröst at the end of the original Thor. Loki is imprisoned from his actions in Avengers, and peace is slowly returning to the realms with Odin and Thor's guidance. However, on Earth Dr. Jane Foster discovers a strange portal that leads her to an ancient weapon called the Aether, which infects her and alerts the Asgardians. The Aether is a weapon of universal destruction planned to be used by the Dark Elves, old enemies of Asgard. With the Aether activated, the Asgardians realize that something called the Convergence has begun, of which could result in universal annihilation. Thor journeys to Earth to take Jane to Asgard, where she may be helped. This causes a chain of events that awaken the Dark Elf Malekith, played by the fantastic Christopher Eccleston, and causes Thor to release Loki to help combat the threat.

Thor: The Dark World continues the trend from the first Thor of continually expanding the MCU outside of Earth, with a specific scene of the film involving Thor and Odin making a passing reference to what is sure to be a huge part of films farther down the line, involving the origins and nature of the Aether and Tesseract, the blue cube seen in the past movies (what will later be known as Infinity Stones). TDW also brings a lot more action to Asgard than the previous film, and it makes for some exciting scenes that give a hint to what kind of out-world design that is going to prominent in Guardians of the Galaxy. Speaking of which, look out for a mid-credits scene involving Benicio Del Toro as the Collector, a character next to be seen in GotG!

And now the movie releasing in just a few short days on April 4, 2014, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Starring Chris Evans once again as Steve Rogers/Captain America, the focus this time around, compared to something like Thor, is much more internal involving the workings and secrets of S.H.I.E.L.D. first alluded to in The Avengers. Returning once more is Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Joansson as Nick Fury and Natasha Romanoff respectively, and also featuring new character Alexander Pierce, played by the legendary Robert Redford. The action in this movie looks heightened and drastic, and Winter Soldier is looking to be another strong hit for Marvel, with critical praise, and some really cool trailers. Check it out this weekend!

Due later this year on August 1, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy is likely going to be the most obscure and far-out Marvel movie yet. I mean, there's a talking raccoon named Rocket. Yes. Rocket Raccoon. Voiced by Bradley Cooper. Talking raccoon named Rocket. And you know what? This movie looks freaking awesome! Just look at this trailer:

I KNOW RIGHT? A fantastic trailer and premise has me quite excited. With Chris Pratt (from the recent Lego Movie!) as Starlord, real name Peter Quill, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Vin Diesel as Groot, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, along with previously mentioned Bradley Cooper as Rocket, the misfits all make up the group known as the Guardians of the Galaxy. What's interesting about Guardians is that the film will be the ultimate test of seeing how far Marvel can keep the interest in the grand continuity in modern audiences with a movie based on source material that most people aren't familiar with. I will say that so far, the trailer enough has me interested, and from what I understand, I'm not the only one who's excited!

Also of note is Karen Gillan as the warrior Nebula, who you can see in the trailer with the blue complexion! Her character is a soldier for Thanos, and that's a name Marvel movie-goers will get familiar with in no time. Thanos appeared in a mid post-credits scene in The Avengers, by the way. Yeah, that weird dude with the sinister smile? That's Thanos. And he's a bad mofo.

And last, but not least, the end for "Phase Two" comes in Avengers: Age of Ultron. There's not a lot of assured info yet that I can really say, apart from the the introduction of the two mutants Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. This is REALLY weird, considering that Quicksilver is appearing outside the MCU in X-Men: Days of Future Past, with another actor and everything. Figure that out.
Ultron is an A.I (artificial intelligence) that aims to control Earth through a means not yet revealed, and will be played by James Spader. Apart from that, expect the return of the original cast of Avengers, as well as maybe some cameos from the Guardians.

There was also short teaser that was released recently:

And....that's that! I hope you liked this little overview of the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Future plans for "Phase Three" involve Ant-Man, a rumoured Doctor Strange movie with Johnny Depp, and of course, a major Avengers movie involving Thanos. So there's some killer stuff coming soon! And until then, we've got some awesome movies to see as well. It's a good time to be a Marvel fan!