PlayStation 4 will have disc drive, or pancake holder
Over the years the gaming industry has evolved a lot, it’s undeniable. With each new generation of consoles comes advancements that, for the most part, improve the gaming experience, but what’s next?
Even though the PlayStation 4 still hasn’t been officially announced by Sony, there have been rumours about it for months and the latest comes from the Wall Street Journal. In their article they claim that the upcoming console was almost created without a disc drive. This would mean that games would have to be downloaded rather than bought physically in shops. Though the article says that ‘Sony Corp. considered but ultimately rejected a download-only scheme for its next videogame console, people familiar with the matter said, opting to include optical disk drives rather than break with a decades-old model in the industry’.
Breaking away from the model that people have come to know is one thing, but imagine the effect this move would have had on game shops. Removing the ability to buy discs would completely destroy those, already struggling, shops. Plus, there are some people that don’t have access to credit cards and therefore can’t download games, won’t somebody please think of the children. Let us not forget about those, myself included, that like having the physical copy of the game, which can never been taken away by virus’s (though they can be stud on and lost). Another incentive to maintain the use of a disc drive is the collectors additions, which often come with posters or other physical extras on top of the added bonuses in the game.
Though the report says that disc drives will be included in the next PlayStation, it almost wasn’t which means that companies like Sony believe that the disc is on its way out and with movie and television series all available to be downloaded online it isn’t hard to see where they’re coming from. Still, it appears that the digital take over isn’t going to be happening in the near future as the PS4 will come with its very own disc drive, which you can store pancakes in if you’d rather download all your games.
What do you think? Would you like to see a move away from discs? Do you prefer to download games or buy them in a shop? What other things could you store in a disc drive, besides discs and pancakes? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe and click the like button, if you liked this post.
Men in Black 3 Review
For a while it didn’t really look like there was going to be a third Men in Black film, but after a ten year absence Agents J and K have returned to the big screen.
Regardless of how you felt about the second film, if you enjoyed the first, you should give this sequel a shot. The story picks up years after the events of the second film with an old foe of K’s escaping from an alien prison. When word spreads J, seeing K is hiding something, begins to tire of the seemingly emotionless relationship the two have. Then, with a simple alteration to the timeline, Agent K disappears from the present having now been killed in 1969. J, being the only one who remembers the original timeline, must travel back in time to prevent the change.
Originally the plot seemed like a way to deprive MIB fans of Tommy Lee Jones, who plays the role of K brilliantly, but it quickly became clear that although Jones is physically absence from a large part of the film he is there in spirit, as Josh Brolin has clearly done his research and emulates Jones perfectly. Brolin’s version of K is more open than his older counterpart, which is because an event that causes him to become emotionally distant hasn’t happened yet. His enables J, played by Will Smith, to get to know his partner a little better. Also, despite Brolin in reality being 44, a year older than Will Smith, his character is 29 making him the younger agent. This adds a new interesting twist to their relationship, similar to K discovering the changes that had happened during his absence when he returned in number two.
The plot was interesting and funny, which was somewhat of a surprise as I had prepared myself for 106 minutes of boredom. Though it’s never really clear about why Agent J can remember K in the present, it does give a vague reason, but I’ll let it go because the rest of the plot was interesting and really enjoyable. Seeing MIB in 1969 was like watching an old sci-fi movie, even the aliens were made to look like the ones that would appear in those kinds of films. Time travel is always a really interesting plot device, but it’s also so easy to do wrong. If it’s too complex then you lost most of the audience and you risk making mistakes, if it’s too simplistic then it just won’t feel real. MIB 3 probably would have been close to the too simple side were it not for Griffin, played by Michael Stuhlbarg. Griffin is similar to Doctor Manhattan from Watchmen, except he’s funny and generally a nice guy.
The biggest let down of the film is that Frank, the talking Pug, isn’t in it. Frank appeared in both previous MIB movies, receiving a larger role in the second instalment because of how much audience’s loved his character in the first film. It seems like a strange choice not to give him a part, considering he’s a fan favourite. I guess in a world were Tommy Lee Jones doesn’t even get to appear in the full film, no one is safe. All things considered, Men in Black 3 is a fun, clever and interesting movie that deserves to be given a chance.
Did you like the film? How do you think it compares to the previous two instalments? Which MIB film is your favourite? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe and, if you liked this post, click the like button.
Anchorman 2 announced
It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight years since Anchorman: the Legend of Ron Burgundy hit cinemas and now, just as the near constant quoting was getting old, a sequel is announced.
Will Ferrell made a surprise appearance on the Conan O’Brien show, as Ron Burgundy, where he announced that the long awaited sequel was finally on its way. Over the years, Ferrell has expressed interest in making a sequel to the hit comedy, but he didn’t own the rights and was unable to get the studio to agree, until now.
However, this may not be a good thing. Fans have been waiting for this ever since the credits rolled on number one, so expectations are going to be pretty high. Some of the best films around are great because they were allowed to stand alone, a sequel would have ruined them. That’s not to say all sequels are bad, and this one could be great, but knowing when to stop is a trait that far few people in Hollywood seem to have.
As someone that enjoyed the first movie and has been listening to quotes from it for years, I do hope, particularly for the people who really love this film, that the sequel lives up to their, undoubtedly high, expectation.
What do you think? Are you happy they are finally making the sequel? Do you think that it will live up to the original? Do you annoy your friends by quoting the movie at least once an hour? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow and click the like button, if you like the blog and this post.
South Park RPG Screenshots
Screenshots from the upcoming South Park RPG have been released and show a remarkable resemblance to the TV series.
Though not the first South Park game that’s been made, this one is by far the most noteworthy, including another that isn’t even out yet. Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of South Park, approached, game developing company, Obsidian Entertainment, who have previously made games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Fallout: New Vegas and Dungeon Siege III, to create the RPG. Stone and Parker, having been criticised for making previous game characters 3D, specified that they wanted to maintain the look of the show and they’ve succeeded.
Stone and Parker are writing the script as well as doing the voices and overseeing the project, which hopefully means that it will not only look like an episode of South Park but will feel like it too. The main characters from the show, Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman, will all appear in the game, as will a large amount of the townspeople. However, the player will not control any of the pre-existing characters, but will instead play as a new, silent, character that will be fully customisable.
Players must meet and befriend South Park citizens as well as go on a, no doubt crazy, quest with the main characters. To check how you are progressing with the people of South Park your character can go to a Facebook like site on their phone. The site will show them which characters they have made friends with.
Like other RPGs, the game will use a class system, which contains five different classes Fighter, Mage, Thief, Cleric and, a class that Cartman makes up for you, Jew. The Jew class is like a Paladin or Monk who will be able to do more powerful attacks the less health he has. The player will travel as part of a group and the game uses a turn based combat system for battles.
The game will be released on the PS3, the Xbox360 and the PC and is set to hit shelves in the second half of 2012. With Stone and Parker being so heavily involved in the game, having complete control of the story, it’s hard not to get excited by these screenshots, maybe this means that, after a string of games you’ve probably never even heard of, we will finally be getting a South Park game that’s good.
What do you think? Do you like South Park? Have you ever heard of the previous South Park games? Are you excited for this one? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below, also don’t forget to subscribe/follow, click the like button and then head over to Twitter and follow me there.
New Two and a Half Men Poster
By now most fans know that Ashton Kutcher is replacing Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men and now we have a poster to prove it.
Let me just start by saying that a poster with three, presumably, naked male actors on it will not draw in the same people that watched the show before Sheen’s departure. The idea was clearly to capitalise on the sex appeal of the new star, which will completely isolate existing fans who are predominantly older males.
Having spoken to many people about Kutcher being cast, I know that there was already doubt as to whether or not he would be able to maintain the same audience as Sheen. However, Kutcher may bring in a different type of audience, a younger generation. Obtaining in a younger audience could be just what the show needs, but the dynamic of the show will change completely, which could very well get rid of the things that made it funny in the first place.
What do you think? Do you like the poster? Are you going to watch the show? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also don’t forget to subscribe and click the like button.
PlayStation 4?
The PSN is now returning to Japan, meaning that it will be officially restored worldwide. So what’s the last thing PlayStation users want to hear? Your console is outdated.
Yes that’s right the PlayStation 4 is on it’s way, or at least that’s what the internet rumours would have you believe. However, Sony has previously stated that they have a 10 year plan for the PS3 making news of a PS4, coming out as early as 2012, a little hard to swallow, though it does sound like it would be a good console.
According to rumours, the new PlayStation will have a built in movement sensor like the Kinect and will be assembled by the same companies that make the PS3, Foxconn and Pegatron Technology. The PS4 will, supposedly, be ready to distribute in 2012, with a minimum of 20 units being shipped that year.
As unlikely as it may sound, Sony does have reason to make a new console, after all the Wii U and Xbox Kinect have brought some great new features to gaming. Sony’s 10 year plan may not be holding up to the advances in technology. For now we can only speculate as to whether or not the rumours are true, but hopefully Sony will release a statement soon.
What do you think? Do you love or hate the idea of a new PlayStation? Would you buy it? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also don’t forget to subscribe and if you like this video click the like button it doesn’t bit, well actually it does but it gives you super liking abilities.
Red Lunar Eclipse
Lunar eclipses aren’t that rare, at least one happens every year, but the moon isn’t always completely eclipsed. When this happens, it’s because the earth is directly in between the sun and the moon, thus preventing the suns light from reflecting off the moon. This is called totality and it has another cool effect, it causes the moon to appear red after it comes out from the eclipse. The reason for this is that the rays of light, coming from the sun, pass through our atmosphere and the particles in the atmosphere make it look as though the moon is red. Ancient civilisations have feared the red moon believing it was a bad omen, in actual fact the same process, light passing through our atmosphere, is the reason the sky is blue.
In four years there will be another red lunar eclipse, but last night one happened right above Ireland. People all over the country occasionally peaked out their windows indifferently, each one wondering if they would see something amazing. Most were disappointed, briefly, because they couldn’t see anything. The reason for this is that the moon eclipsed while rising so it literally rose into the eclipse. This meant that only people with a clear view of the horizon got to actually see the eclipse.
Living in the city I couldn’t see it, but I did try my best, even going as far as standing looking out the window in my attic. From there I could see people walking outside from time to time, taking a look up, making sure no one saw them stargazing and then walk back inside. It would have been interesting to see it, but remember that the international space station should be visible for the next few weeks so keep an eye out, especially if you’re in the UK or Ireland.
What do you think? Did you see the red lunar eclipse? Have you ever seen one? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also don’t forget to subscribe and if you like this post show it by clicking the like button.
Breaking Dawn Trailer Review
Some say that vampires shouldn’t sparkle in the sunlight; others say that they shouldn’t be overly protective, possessive and display signs of obsessive stalking, but those people should simply be happy that the series is coming to an end. However, there are millions of Twilight fans and they’re facing the end of the series, well actually the last film was split in two so there’s still a while left. Part one comes out on the 18th of November 2011 and part two will be released on the 16th of November 2012.
Today, fans were given a glimpse of the film as the first full length trailer was released. The trailer really pushes the romantic side to the story, basically excluding the darker themes and focusing mainly on the wedding and the guests getting there invitations, plus Bella and Edward having sex in various locations, wonder if they’ll be able to keep a PG-13 rating, which results in Bella becoming pregnant. I think it goes without saying that this will be one of the least ‘boyfriend friendly’ movies in the Twilight series.
If you’re familiar with the book you may be wondering where the split will be. It has been said by both Wyck Godrey, producer, and Melissa Rosenberg, the screenwriter, that it will probably be one movie were Bella is human and one with her as a vampire, though the decision is ultimately up to Bill Condon, the director. Godrey had the idea of shooting the second one, with vampire Bella, in 3D to differentiate between human and vampire. Though 3D has become an annoying trend in Hollywood, it’s nice to see it being used to actually aid in the telling of a story.
Fan’s will most likely love the trailer, but it is very one sided. The more romantic elements are shown, the wedding and the jealous Jacob love triangle, where as the darker mythological part, a woman being impregnated by a vampire, is only briefly hinted at, despite the pregnancy playing such a large role in the book. Though the actually movie will be more balanced, it seems that the trailer was made to give the audience and over romantic view, thus drawing in the girls and striking fear into the hearts of the boyfriends.
What do you think? Will Breaking Dawn be rated above PG-13? Is the trailer boy friendly? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also don’t forget to subscribe.
Unusual behaviour on the set of Criminal Minds (more firing and rehiring)
Normally, when you fire two of your lead actresses and bring in a replacement, two actresses leave the show and a new one comes on. However, things work a little differently over on the set of Criminal Minds.
After firing AJ Cook and Paget Brewster, the producers hired Rachel Nichols as a replacement. Recently, news that Cook would be returning surfaced and it was said that the same would be true for Brewster if the pilot she was working on was not picked up. The pilot wasn’t bought and now it has been confirmed that Brewster will also be coming back, so where does this leave, their replacement, Rachel Nichols. Unfortunately, the actress has been let go, which basically means that they’ve come completely full circle.
Nichols character was introduced shortly after AJ Cook departed, at this time Paget Brewster’s character, Emily Prentiss, was still on the show. Prentiss was given a much bigger send off, her story arc spanning the majority of the season. Fans showed how much they cared for both Cook and Brewster by making a petition that got over 60,000 signatures. It’s doubtful, but perhaps Nichols will also be rehired in the future. For now the new mystery is whether or not Thomas Gibson, Hotch, will be returning next season.
What do you think? Are you sick of not knowing who will be in the next season of Criminal Minds? Are you happy Paget Brewster is returning? Do you feel sad that Rachel Nichols is leaving the show? Let me know by voting and leaving a comment below. Also don’t forget to subscribe.
The Muppets First Trailer Review
It starts with one man forgetting his anniversary and ends with a Muppet adventure. That’s right I’m talking about the Muppets movie again. Why? Because they released a trailer.
The trailer is actually disguised as a melodramatic romance movie and then it’s revealed to be a trailer for The Muppets. Making the fake trailer was a really clever idea; it kind of taps into some of the fun of the film. Near the end we do get to see some of the actually footage and it looks impressive. The tone matches with earlier Muppet movies and that’s really the most important thing.
It’s clear from the trailer that there will be some musical numbers, which isn’t surprising if you’ve ever watched The Muppets before. The new songs will be written by Flight of the Concords star Bret McKenzie, but some of the classics will also be making an appearance too. Among these classic songs is the hit Rainbow Connection.
So far I’m impressed by what I’ve seen, not that I was expecting otherwise. The people working on the project really care about it and it’s great to see that. It would be a complete shock to me if this film didn’t end up being a hit.
What do you think? Are you impressed by the trailer? Did you like how it started with fake footage? Let me know by voting and commenting below. Also don’t forget to subscribe.
