Entertainment
WWE 2K16 review
WWE’s highly anticipated annual game, WWE 2K16 released today, and I’ve had an opportunity to play through this year’s edition. It’s refreshing to say that 2K and WWE didn’t eliminate much, if anything from last year’s title, something 2K15 couldn’t say. The additions, however, are noticeable. Although it isn’t without flaws, WWE 2K16 is a major leap forward for wrestling fans everywhere.
Before The Match
Right out of the gate, there were some unfortunate things that caught my attention. The audio on this game left plenty to be desired. In-ring commentary has never been good on a pro wrestling game, so that was no surprise. However, the ring announcing by Lillian Garcia was chopped up, and didn’t go together well as it should have been. That, coupled with the fact that the audience pops aren’t where they should be for entrances, it takes away from the experience before your character even gets in the ring.
Inside the ring
Once inside the ring, there were improvements and setbacks. I’m all for a simulation, based game, but the pace in which 2K has set for WWE 2K16 is incredibly slow, maybe the slowest of any pro wrestling game ever. I was glad to see that they seemed to increase the size of the ring, after reducing it last year.
Some of the movements are a little weird, and simple things like stomps can sometimes take too long, but an addition I really liked was that of the usage of the ropes. Wrestlers back one another into the ropes out of headlocks, lock ups, and things of that nature. You can choose whether or not you want to make a clean break, as well. Also, characters pull their opponents back towards the ropes before using an Irish whip, which was something I never knew I’d wanted in a game until WWE 2K16.
The referees are slow in this game. Really, really slow. Frustratingly slow. It sometimes takes three seconds for the ref to get on the ground to make the three count. It’s also pretty hard upon first play, for me at least, but I don’t consider that a negative in any way, shape or form, even though it did take me five tries to beat Sami Zayn with Seth Rollins, and he kicked out of three Pedigrees. I digress. The reversal system is a welcome change, as you now have a set number of reversals (you can earn more), and matches aren’t just an endless chain of reversal, reversal, reversal. There are also small things, like characters remaining in a seated position to sell after a kickout that really helps and adds a realistic nature to the game. Top rope moves also land with more fluidity than past incarnations.
The roster speaks for itself, the largest ever. This was something that had to be done after 2K peeved a lot of fans last year with the lackluster roster. Still, the exclusion of Bayley, Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch is inexcusable. Regardless of the weak reasons 2K offered fans for this, they have tons of NXT talent in the game. Fortunately there are 100 created wrestler slots, so I’m sure someone will make spot-on versions of these women to download.
I’m a big fan of having as many moves as possible in a video game (Fire Pro Wrestling Returns, y’all), and WWE 2K16 did an excellent job of adding that. Although moves like the piledriver have been banned from WWE TV, they remain in the games, and the Curb Stomp got the same treatment, which was nice. Many of the missing match types from last year have returned as well, giving the game a much more complete feel.
Customization and Career
Customization is a really cool part of WWE 2K16. If you want to throw a mask on Sami Zayn and make him relive his indy days, go for it. If you’d like to create your own supershow, have at it. Create-a-title is also back in the game, as well as create-a-diva. Create-a-finisher has not returned, but that mode had so many issues with it, there probably wasn’t much worth saving. You can also build your own arenas that compliment your custom shows, and use logos that fit them. The creation suite is worth checking this game out in itself.
The Steve Austin mode is fun. I won’t spoil anything, but you play through the story of Stone Cold Steve Austin all the way from his WCW days right up until today. Nothing has matched WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain’s story mode (which had infinite flexibility due to it being text based, without commentary holding it back), but this is a pretty cool mode and worth playing through.
WWE Universe mode doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere, and a not a whole lot has changed with it. Fans have clamored for the return of GM mode, as well as the aforementioned Here Comes The Pain career mode, but it appears that WWE Universe mode will have to do for now. There’s nothing wrong with it, it just turns into an endless cycle fairly quickly.
My Career mode is a giant improvement, but that isn’t saying a lot, as last year’s edition (and the game as a whole) was one of the worst ever put forth by WWE. This year, you won’t work and work and work, only to have your game abruptly ended after reaching your goal. There’s plenty of improvements to be made, but it’s a way better experience this year.
One of the most infuriating things about WWE 2K16 is microtransactions. After you pay 63 bucks for the game, 2K asks you to spend upwards of 30 dollars more for additional characters, moves, features and things of the like. That’s just the way things are these days, but $100 for a complete game is a little too much to ask.
Closing Thoughts
All in all, there were significant improvements and fixes to this game. Last year’s edition was an all-time bad pro wrestling game, and WWE 2K16 is more than solid choice. I enjoy the realism of the game, but sometimes the gameplay gets too slow due to selling, which may end up being a good thing, since you can’t spam German Suplexes anymore. I’d recommend this purchase, even if you were jaded by last year’s terrible output.
Graphics- 8.5
Replayability- 7.5
Audio- 7
In-Ring- 8.5
Online- 8.5
OVERALL- 8/10
follow me on twitter @julianexcalibur
From Dusk till Dawn: “There Will Be Blood”
By Steven Biscotti
“There Will Be Blood” – 10/20/2015 – five stars
Written by Matt Morgan & Ian Sobel
Directed by Joe Menendez
In the second to last episode of El Rey’s second season of From Dusk Till Dawn, “there will be blood.” It’s not just the title of the episode, but also a running motif of sorts throughout the Matt Morgan and Ian Sobel penned episode. For those that have been watching the series, you will be familiar with the dark, twisty, and violent subject matter that nearly guarantees a high body count, action, and blood! Yes, plenty of blood! For those that still haven’t tuned in (and what are you waiting for?) it is of no stretch of words that you are missing out on one of television’s cleverest, most stylized, and theatrical of shows. And, yes, there will be blood.
Episode 208 features two memorable guest stars – Gary Busey and Demi Lovato. Gary Busey, the wild and eccentric father of From Dusk Till Dawn series regular, Jake Busey, is featured in a small, but rather important role that starts off the episode. Director Joe Menendez opens “There Will Be Blood” in 1912. We see a group of weather beaten and over worked men digging in Texas. It’s not quite certain what they’re looking for, but they soon realize that they are in over their heads as their work soon unearths the “future.” Gary Busey discovers a well of blood that soon infects a cut on his arm with a snake like blood creature. Later that night, Busey walks up to his compatriots and kills them in a gruesome, but stylized fashion befitting of Robert Rodriguez’s El Rey Network.
Demi Lovato stars as Maia. She’s the right hand woman and muscle to Wilmer Valderrama’s Carlos Madrigal. We saw her appear briefly and cloaked in last week’s episode, “The Last Temptation of Richard Gecko.” She’s finally unveiled in “There Will Be Blood” and it’s well worth the nearly 40 minute wait. While she still doesn’t have all that much to do it’s almost a guarantee that she’ll have a smackdown with Eiza Gonzalez’ Santanico in the season finale next week, “Santa Sangre.” Lovato, all intensity and confidence, is remarkably good and is one of the best additions to the From Dusk Till Dawn series.
Robert Rodriguez has managed a terrific amount of talented individuals who exude creativity and imagination. From Dusk Till Dawn is a wildly entertaining ride through the Mesoamamerican Macabre Mythology! It’s also a shining beacon for the giant hub that is everything El Rey. “There Will Be Blood” continues to tease the series concept of El Rey which Lord Mulvado (Esai Morales) is desperately trying to get to. We’re told it’s “a place where you can walk in the sun” and we are teased ever so briefly of it after Mulvado his his villainous way with Santanico. There’s a rich mythology for the series based in real research into the Mesoamerican culture and it adds another contextual layer to not just the original film, but the whole brand. From Dusk Till Dawn is a fountain of creative blood bubbling at the well. The cast and crew have managed to interestingly re-approach the vampire iconography and they’ve done it devilishly well.
“There Will Be Blood” spends time with Kate Fuller (Madison Davenport) and Richard Gecko (Zane Holtz) while they make their way out of the frying pan and into the furnace. After having escaped Lord Mulvado, Kate and Richie begin to understand each other even more after Richie had looked into her soul, courtesy of a nifty ability certain culebras (vampires) have. Madison Davenport gets to have one of the bests scenes in the episode when she scolds Richie about not having “another Gecko boy push [her] to the curb.” We also learn just how much Seth (DJ Cotrona) missed his brother in the time spent away from him during the beginning part of season two. The level of care both actors give to their characters is impressive and some serious acting is done here. Davenport as Kate also gets to continue the role of her father, played by Robert Patrick in season one, as a sort of moral compass. She’s also feisty and written as strong as the other female characters such as Santanico. That’s another trend on the series, similar to the Tarantino trait, of developing each female as a fully developed character.
From Dusk Till Dawn is a series unlike any other. That’s one of the reasons it’s so perfectly suited for El Rey and eventually Netflix. It’s nearly an anything goes kind of show and we have three major deaths within “There Will Be Blood.” We won’t spoil who doesn’t make it to the season two finale, but we will say that faces get burned off, arms get ripped off, there’s a lot of culebra ash, and there will be blood.
From Dusk Till Dawn airs on the El Rey Network, Tuesday nights at 9 pm ET. The season two finale airs next week.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE WARNER BROS. WATER TOWER GETS A MAKEOVER
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE WARNER BROS.
WATER TOWER GETS A MAKEOVER
DCTV SUPER HERO TAKEOVER INCLUDING ARROW, THE FLASH,
GOTHAM’S DETECTIVE GORDON AND SUPERGIRL
UNVEILED ON ICONIC STRUCTURE
Super Team of Studio Artisans, Engineers and Artists Collaborate on
Installation Celebrating Shows Based on DC Comics Characters
Twitter Pitch: For first time ever, the WB water tower gets a Super Hero makeover: http://bit.ly/WATRTWR#WBDCTV #Arrow #TheFlash #Gotham #Supergirl
BURBANK, Calif. (October 20, 2015) — For the first time ever, the iconic Warner Bros. water tower is receiving a Super Hero makeover, with the unveiling of giant renderings of Arrow, The Flash, Gotham’s Detective Gordon and Supergirl on the iconic structure which rises 100 feet high above the Warner Bros. Studios lot. A super team featuring dozens of Studio artisans, engineers and artists collaborated on this first-of-its-kind installation celebrating four Warner Bros. Television series based on characters from DC Comics.
ABOUT THE DCTV SUPER HERO TAKEOVER
The characters from Arrow, The Flash, Gothamand Supergirl are displayed on giant aluminum panels measuring 22 feet by 20 feet in size, with each one weighing more than 5,000 pounds.
Dozens of craftspeople were involved in the design and production of the panels, with representatives from a number of Studio departments including scenic design, special effects, lighting, signs and graphics, the metal shop, electrical, rigging and engineering.
The panels will be on display for 90 days and were unveiled in a ceremony on Monday night, October 19.
They were installed using a specially devised custom-pulley system during the October 17–18 weekend. The cables for the reveal of the panels were held down by 8,000 pounds of cement.
Attendees at the unveiling included Supergirlstar Melissa Benoist, Gotham stars Erin Richards and Cory Michael Smith, and executive producers Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl), Ali Adler (Supergirl), Marc Guggenheim (Arrow), and Bruno Heller, Danny Cannon & John Stephens (Gotham).
Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW and The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW. Gotham airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX, with Supergirl debuting Monday, October 26, at 8:30/7:30c on CBS, before moving to its Mondays 8/7c CBS time period on November 2.
ABOUT THE WATER TOWER
The Warner Bros. water tower was built in 1927 and has since been declared an historical landmark.
Standing 100 feet tall, the water tower contains a 100,000-gallon tank — although it currently holds no water.
Previously located next to the Warner Bros. Fire Department, it was moved following the Long Beach earthquake in 1933, when the Warners realized that if the tower had fallen and damaged the Fire Department, the Fire Department would not have been able to provide emergency assistance.
The water tower was once home to the animated stars of Animaniacs (Yakko, Wacko and Dot) from the 1930s until they escaped in the 1990s.
CLASS IS NOW IN SESSION WITH THE BIG BANG THEORY’S SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT AT UCLA
CLASS IS NOW IN SESSION WITHTHE BIG BANG THEORY’S
SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT AT UCLA
THE INAUGURAL 20 SCHOLARS FOR THE 2015-16 ACADEMIC YEAR MET
WITH THE SHOW’S STARS AND PRODUCERS ON THE SET, ALONG
WITH UCLA REPRESENTATIVES AND OTHER BENEFACTORS
The Historic UCLA Scholarship Endowment Provides Support For
Undergraduate STEM Students in Need of Financial Aid
BURBANK, Calif. (October 16, 2015) — Launching The Big Bang Theory Scholarship Endowment, the inaugural 20 UCLA scholars were announced Thursday, October 15, on Stage 25 at Warner Bros. Studios, the set of the hit comedy series. Joining the scholars were the show’s stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch, alongside executive producers Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and Steven Molaro, and representatives from UCLA, CBS, Warner Bros. Television and select benefactors.
Previously announced in May, The Big Bang TheoryScholarship Endowment, the first-ever UCLA scholarship created by and named for a television series, was established to support undergraduate students in need of financial aid who are pursuing their higher education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at UCLA.
With an initial donation from the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation combined with gifts from nearly 50 individuals associated with The Big Bang Theory — including series stars, producers and crew — plus partners such as Warner Bros. Television and CBS, as well as contributions from other industry leaders, The Big Bang Theory Scholarship and Endowment has raised more than $4 million to date.
Information on The Big Bang Theory Scholarship Endowment:
Twenty (20) Big Bang Theory scholars have been selected for the 2015–16 academic year to receive financial assistance, with an additional five scholars to be added in each future academic year — in perpetuity. The Big Bang Theory Scholarships is awarded based on financial need to low-income students who have earned admission to UCLA on their own academic merit but need additional support to bridge the gap between typical levels of financial aid and the cost of attendance.
For the 2015-16 academic year, there are seven female and 13 male Big Bang Theory scholars pursuing degrees in a wide variety of majors, including physics; astrophysics; chemistry; applied mathematics; biology; marine biology; molecular, cell and developmental biology; integrative biology and physiology; bioengineering; neuroscience; computer science; aerospace engineering; chemical engineering; civil engineering; electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.
In addition to centering many of its episodes in the worlds of science and technology, The Big Bang Theory enjoys a healthy appreciation and support from the scientific community at large. And the show’s connection to UCLA extends beyond the scholarship fund: Series star Mayim Bialik earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA, while professor of physics and astronomy David Saltzberg, Ph.D., serves as the show’s science consultant.
At UCLA, 52 percent of all students receive need-based scholarships, grants or other aid. That includes approximately 36 percent of undergraduates who receive Pell Grants, federal aid for students from low-income families. Almost one-third of UCLA graduates have parents who didn’t graduate from a four-year college or university.
About The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch. Created by Chuck Lorre & Bill Prady, the series is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and is executive produced by Lorre, Prady and showrunner Steven Molaro. Now in its ninth season, The Big Bang Theory airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS, and five nights a week in national syndication. On November 5, the series returns to its regular timeslot – Thursdays at 8/7c on CBS.
About UCLA
UCLA is California’s largest university, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The UCLA College and the university’s 11 professional schools feature renowned faculty and offer 128 undergraduate majors, 88 master’s programs and 110 doctoral and professional programs. UCLA is a national and international leader in the breadth and quality of its academic, research, health care, cultural, continuing education and athletic programs. Seven alumni and six faculty have been awarded the Nobel Prize.
The Queen of Halloween Elvira Promotes Halloween ComicFest!
On Saturday, October 31st (Halloween) anyone who goes to a participating comic shop can get FREE comic books and participate in fun events such as costume contests, games, raffles, store-wide sales, meet and greets with comic book writers and artists and more! Anyone who receives one of the 21 free designated Halloween ComicFest comics can then enter “The Greatest Halloween Costume Contest Ever” for a chance to win a $500 or $100 shopping spree to their comic shop or gain the most votes to win for their costume category. To see the free comics that will be available, learn about the costume contest and find a participating comic shop, visitwww.halloweencomicfest.com.
don’t forget to follow Halloween ComicFest on social media for updates, giveaways, photos and more!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halloweencomicfests
Twitter: https://twitter.com/halloweencomic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/halloweencomicfest/
From Dusk Till Dawn Episode 208 Review
“The Last Temptation of Richard Gecko” – 10/13/2015 – ***** stars
Written by Alvaro Rodriguez & Marcel Rodriguez
Directed by Eduardo Sanchez
*The following review contains spoilers.
From Dusk Till Dawn by El Rey Network was one of our highlight’s at this year’s New York Comic Con. Not only were we able to participate in a fun and informative roundtable, stay tuned for the videos, but we also sat in on the panel held at the Empire Stage on Saturday, October 10th. El Rey Network is the creation of the gifted, imaginative, and visionary writer/director Robert Rodriguez. Last year he gave us a television series based on him and Quentin Tarantino’s cult-classic film From Dusk Till Dawn and now, a year later, we have season two. For those that have been watching the crime/horror series, you’ll know how wild, how uncensored, and how stylish the series is. For those that haven’t, you’ve probably spent too much time in your wooden coffin. We’re three episodes away from the season finale and episode eight brings us even closer to the dawn of a new age of television.
“The Last Temptation of Richard Gecko” is a magnificent play on the Nikos Kazantzakis novel and Martin Scorsese film of the same name (and one of my favorites)! Throughout the arc of season one and two, we’ve seen Richie (Zane Holtz) troubled with his delusions, visions, hauntings, and eventual descent into vampirism. It’s a radical shift in the character Quentin Tarantino famously played in the original film and, in many ways, works even better than the original portrayal. Despite Richie’s penchant for violence, he still has a soul and he’s still drawn to Santanico Pandemonium (Eiza Gonzalez). Psst, during the NYCCFrom Dusk Till Dawn roundtable, Robert Rodriguez revealed that the vampiric femme fatale was originally envisioned as a possible character for Madonna to play, but ultimately went to Salma Hayek. “The Last Temptation of Richard Gecko” sees the Gecko Brothers heist go awry and Richie eventually led astray by the vampiric devil himself, Lord Malvado (Esai Morales). While the Gecko Brothers, along with Santanico, believe they can rob Malvado blind, he has plans of his own. It’s revealed that Malvado wants to get into El Rey so during the heist he’s able to get into Richie’s head and convince him that Santanico is calling for him. Richie falls for it and manages to make his way to Santanico who’s really Malvado. It’s here that he’s given this vision and temptation to take the Head of the Nine Lords seat because of Malvado’s journey to El Rey. He tells Richie about “the dusk of one age and the dawn of another” which is really one of the first times that the title is ever used outside of the now destroyed Twister. He believes that this is his proper and only path and takes his place among the Nine Lords.
The script by Alvaro Rodriguez and Marcel Rodriguez is peppered with wit, violence, and intriguing twists. Season one was interesting to watch in that as closely as it resembled the screenplay of the film, it managed to weave in and out of the classic moments we know such as the Benny’s World of Liquor shoot-out. Season Two, while initially troubling in the sense that the material was truly original and that character arcs were now uncharted, it grew on me. Season two is a proper second season and follow up to a fantastic series. There’s a clear direction and plot for the characters that make up the world of From Dusk Till Dawn. We’ve seen tremendous character growth in Kate Fuller (Madison Davenport), and in the relationship/partnership between Seth Gecko (DJ Cotrona) and Sonja Lam (Briana Evigan). After Seth began to doubt his alliance with Sonja in the previous episode, it becomes clear to him that Sonja has an agenda all her own. Despite her “easy peasey” score of $32 million, he realizes that she can’t be trusted and shoots her.
From Dusk Till Dawn is reliably entertaining and is one of the best shows that more people should be talking about. It’s also consistently one of the most excitingly stylish of shows, but then that should be of no surprise considering it comes from Robert Rodriguez. There’s only two more episodes left of this season and they should not be missed. If you like the genres of crime and horror, it’d be hard for you to not enjoy this series.
From Dusk Till Dawn airs Tuesday nights at 9 pm ET on the El Rey Network. Check your local listings.
Outfit7 Limited’s Famed Talking Tom and Friends Franchise Crosses 3 Billion Downloads – Cinching Top Mobile Milestone
THREE BILLION CHEERS FOR THREE BILLION DOWNLOADS
Outfit7 Limited’s Famed Talking Tom and Friends Franchise
Cinches Top Mobile Milestone
LONDON, UK: OCTOBER 13 – Three billion, three thousand million, or 3,000,000,000 – no matter how it is written, in which hemisphere or in what language – the number is astronomical. Today, Outfit7 Limited announced that it clocked in at just that – three billion downloads of its juggernaut Talking Tom and Friends app franchise.
In just over five years, and one year after crossing two billion downloads, Outfit7’s Talking Tom and Friendsapps have set a new precedence for family entertainment in the digital space. Since the launch of the first Talking Tom app in June 2010, Outfit7 has built an entertainment brand encompassing over 15 apps under the Talking Tom and Friend umbrella, that continues to deliver fun and relevant content to its global fan base. Two of the most recent launches, My Talking Angela and My Talking Tom, both earned more than 10 million downloads within days of launch, while scooping the #1 games spot in over 135 countries.
Monthly, the apps collectively generate 250 million active users in over 230 countries and territories worldwide.
“It’s an amazing accomplishment to reach three billion downloads, but even more of an honor to know Talking Tom and Friends have entertained and delighted so many across the globe,” said Samo Login, Outfit7 Limited co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Thanks to our incredible team who work tirelessly to raise the bar in creative content and technology and continually deliver an entertaining and engaging experience, we’ve been able to reach this significant milestone.”
The app download stats tell just part of the digital whirlwind. Combined, the franchise has also amassed a whopping 3.5 billion views of its various content on YouTube, while Talking Tom and Friends: The Animated Series has cemented a rock solid audience accruing close to 100 million views since its launch on YouTube and the YouTube Kids app in late Spring . The 52×11-minute episode series features an all-star voice cast led by Golden Globe® and Emmy®-nominee Colin Hanks (“Fargo”) and Tom Kenny (“SpongeBob SquarePants.”) New episodes return beginning October 8th.
In addition, a feature film is in development, while the company’s global licensing and merchandising program continues to flourish.
The Talking Tom and Friends apps are free to download on all major app stores globally. For more information, or to download an app, please visithttp://outfit7.com/our-work/.
ADD THE ULTIMATE DEVIL MAY CRY™ ART BOOK TO YOUR COLLECTION!
DEVIL MAY CRY™ 3142: GRAPHIC ARTS art book now in stores
Toronto, ON – Oct 13, 2015 – In stores now, it’s the ultimate art tome for Capcom’s iconic Devil May Cry™ video game franchise – DEVIL MAY CRY™ 3142: GRAPHIC ARTS! This 224-page artwork archive collects material from all four classic Devil May Cry games as well as the Devil May Cry anime series.
Inside you’ll find character models, weapon designs, creatures, locations, rough concepts, and exclusive tribute illustrations. Also included are over 25 pages of exclusive interviews with the developers and artists behind the long-running series, as they discuss character origins, difficulties, their favorite series moments, and much more. The book also features detailed creator commentary and rough sketch notes throughout every chapter, where you’ll get the real scoop on the creation of Vergil, Nero, Trish, all your favorite enemies, and the legendary devil hunter himself – Dante.
Whether you’ve been a fan of the Devil May Cry series since its launch on the PlayStation 2 or just joined the fandom with the recent release of Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, this gorgeous art book will take you deeper into the world of Devil May Cry than ever before.