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Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 22, 2013 in Design, Hobbies and Collections 
Jason Allemann has been making some crazy stuff – and all out of LEGO. His latest piece combines cool looks along with some clever functionality: a Steampunk Walking Ship, a boat made for land. Using a remote control and LEGO motors, it crawls its way across the ground ready to deliver or unload cargo. Jason says it’s inspired by Theo Jansen’s Strandbeest, and I can definitely see the resemblance. In the YouTube video, he also provides instructions on how to make the contraption yourself – provided you have the right parts. Check it out below! Read more…
Tags: Lego
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 22, 2013 in Videogames 
It seems like Valve’s Team Fortress 2 characters will jump into any and every game they can. Every other week there’s a new cross-promotion or new hat in TF2, all to promote new games on Steam. I can appreciate Valve throwing their weight around for smaller games that need attention. Surgeon Simulator, on the other hand, has plenty of attention, but this is just a match made in heaven. You can now play as the Medic operating on the Heavy in a new update for the game, and struggle to fit his new heart into his chest cavity. Much crossover fanart and YouTube videos have lead to this point, and it is beautiful. Check out the trailer below. Read more…
Tags: Surgeon Simulator 2013, Team Fortress
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 21, 2013 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Hold your tears, Marvel fans, Robert Downey Jr. has signed a new contract with Disney to continue playing Iron Man. The big twist? He’s only signing on for Avengers 2 and 3. Two films, that’s it. So Iron Man 4 will, for now, remain absent of RDJ. Perhaps War Machine will become the focus there? At the very least we’ll see the original Iron Man in the next two team-up films, and perhaps there are some secret cameos signed in there (but we won’t hear about those, obviously). So you’ll have Iron Man around until 2018. How does that sound? Read more…
Tags: Marvel, The Avengers
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 21, 2013 in Cinema 
The long and lengthy development time for the LEGO Movie at first seemed to spell trouble, but then we received a flurry of casting news and it seemed the whole project fell into place. Now, the first trailer for the film has arrived. Taking advantage of Warner Bros. large catalog of licenses, Batman, TMNT, and more all show up in the movie. Liam Neeson, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Chris Pratt, Allison Brie, Nick Offerman, and Will Arnett as freaking Batman are just some of the names that show up here. It looks like a solid family movie, and best of all? It’s made with CGI, stop-motion LEGOs, and digital manipulation. And it visually, it looks stunning. Check the trailer out below. Read more…
Tags: Lego, The LEGO Movie
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 20, 2013 in Videogames 
As much as Microsoft tried to impress with the Xbox One at last week’s E3, they and all the developers working on games for the system couldn’t shake one thing: the shadow of the console’s DRM and online policies. Microsoft hoped to steer the conversation away after Sony showed them up with their support of used games and no online requirements, but very little they said was positive in the eyes of gamers. It’s likely that shareholders also weren’t happy with Microsoft’s stock dropping while Sony’s rose. Microsoft’s narrative even suffered after Jimmy Fallon got a big applause from his audience for mentioning that the PS4 supported used games. Well, it’s finally happened. After all that, Microsoft has blinked. Read more…
Tags: Microsoft, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 20, 2013 in Dr. Who, Television 
Christmas may have come early for fans of classic Doctor Who. In the 70s, the BBC began a shortsighted policy of wiping old tapes for new use. Since all of the serials featuring the First and Second Doctors were in black-and-white, which was considered to have little potential for sales now that color TV was ubiquitous (and a home video market didn’t exist), they were some of the first episodes on the chopping block. (Even some Third Doctor material was wiped, though missing episodes were recovered, even if some were only found in black-and-white.) As a result, these early episodes are only extant thanks to private collectors or copies sent to other countries; anything not found has been reconstructed by fans based on telesnaps, fan-recorded audio, and other materials. Experts like Ian Levine believe that there will never be less than 106 missing episodes, mainly centered on the Second Doctor. And yet, there are now rumors that a whopping 90 episodes have been recovered. Read more…
Tags: BBC, Doctor Who
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 19, 2013 in Videogames 
Capcom’s Ace Attorney series has supposedly seen diminishing returns in the West, with the sequel to Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth never getting a translation. The series jumps to 3DS for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, and it’s getting an English localization, so that’s good news for fans. However, the trade-off is that it will be a digital-only release, a move that will help meet an exact level of demand and cut costs for physical copies and distribution. But according to Capcom’s Christian Svensson, a physical release is still possible, with enough fan support. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Capcom, Phoenix Wright
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 19, 2013 in Animation 
It might not be the next Disney Renaissance, but after a new dark age in the 00s, Disney has been putting out several solid films in a row. The Princess and the Frog, Winnie the Pooh, Tangled, and Wreck-It Ralph have all done well, so it’s natural to anticipate Disney’s adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen, which they’re calling Frozen. The original title suggests a dark fairy tale, and even the changed name conjures up images of frozen wastelands and endless snow. And then, Disney puts out this teaser. Read more…
Tags: Disney
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 18, 2013 in Videogames 
HD remasters of Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 are due out on the PS3 and PS Vita this fall. In typical fashion, Square Enix is taking forever to finish them — an HD remaster of two Kingdom Hearts games was announced and will release before these two — but the results look promising. Since they look so good, what are the chances of the PS2’s other single-player FF game, Final Fantasy XII, getting an HD remaster? Actually, it could happen. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, PS3
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 18, 2013 in Fandom, Videogames 
Announcing new characters in a Super Smash Bros. game is a strange mix of excitement, nostalgia, and a touch of self-mockery. 2008’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl had a very successful website called the Super Smash Bros. Dojo that gave out daily updates on the game, and some of those updates echoed through gaming communities — “Diddy Kong confirmed for Brawl” or “Sonic confirmed for Brawl.” When Nintendo announced some new characters for the upcoming Wii U/3DS entry, they started a new style of character announcements that many fans have already adopted for their favorite or joke characters. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Super Smash Bros., Wii U
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 17, 2013 in Hobbies and Collections 
It seems like every other week LEGO is upping the ante and revealing a huge new model. This time around is a gorgeous rendition of the Sydney Opera House. It’s nearly a foot tall, 25 inches wide and 15 inches deep, and features 2,989 pieces. They did a good job capturing the sloped and curved shape of the whole building, and their press release even brags about having a bunch of new colored pieces and baseplates. I suppose if you’re a die-hard collector that matters! If you want it though, you’ll have to wait until September when it releases for $320. Check out more images and a creator video below! Read more…
Tags: Lego
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 17, 2013 in Cinema 
I’m so glad this film is almost here, because I don’t know how much longer I would be able to wait. It got booed at Cannes, which, aside from being incredibly immature, is a great sign, as many wonderful films got booed there. I realize this kind of film isn’t for everyone, but I hope people will at least give it a chance. Try watching Drive in the meantime – and enjoy the silence. Anyway, God Only Forgives arrives July 19th in theaters and VOD. Check out the three new posters and trailer below. Read more…
Tags: Nicolas Winding Refn, Only God Forgives
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 16, 2013 in Videogames
This sweet little indie game was featured in Sony’s E3 press conference last week, but I want to make sure it didn’t get passed over! Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a sequel to the indie hit Octodad, in which you play as a wonderful loving father and husband living in suburbia… who happens to be an octopus. And no one has noticed. Yet. So your task is simple: control Octodad as he maintains the illusions, and struggle to do the simplest of tasks. It’s a virtual slapstick comedy, and it’s looking fantastic. It’s arriving on PC and PS4 in late 2013 or early 2014. Check out the trailer below! Read more…
Tags: Octodad, PS4, Steam
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 16, 2013 in Cinema 
Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.
Arnold Schwarzenegger will be returning to play the Terminator again in a new film. It’ll start filming in January, and so far there are no other details on the project. I hope you all are happy with what you’ve wrought. Actually, who knows, maybe it’ll be great, hammy fun – but I have very serious doubts about that. Man, I am just a bountiful fountain of positivity about film reboots and franchises this week. Let’s change that: I can’t freaking wait to see Arnold stumbled around his lines while explosions go off everywhere. It’s going to be hilarious! Read more…
Tags: Terminator
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 15, 2013 in Cinema 
If you’re like me, you’ve been clamoring for new details about Neill Blomkamp’s latest topical sci-fi film, Elysium. Starring Matt Damon as a man trying to escape Earth to reach the floating, luxurious sanctuary called Elysium. Of course, he’s stopped at every opportunity by Jodie Foster and Sharlto Copley. It looks incredible so far, but if you’re looking for more details about the movie, this trailer certainly offers them up. Beware: it may offer up a few too many details. Watch at your own risk! The trailer is embedded below. Read more…
Tags: Elysium
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 15, 2013 in Star Wars 
While this is listed as a rumor, I think we can all agree that this is more just a matter of time. Rumors are flying around that Disney is planning a major expansion for Disney World in Orlando, Florida, in the near future of 2018. This would include a Cars Land (based off the Pixar series), and of course, a Star Wars Land. While this has been rumored for just about every Disney park worldwide, I’m certain that this is a huge priority for Disney and will happen at one of them eventually. They’ve probably been talking about this for a while and sooner or later we’ll hear something legit. The real question is: what kind of rides or attractions would you want at this supposed Star Wars Land? Read more…
Tags: Disney World, Disneyland
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 14, 2013 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Calm down people, I know you’re excited. Everyone has been clamoring for a 300 sequel for ages, and despite the studio not wanting to ruin the artistic integrity of the first film, they finally caved to fans’ demands… ok. I’m sorry, this is rude of me. I’m sure there are 300 fans out there. This is the first trailer for 300: Rise of an Empire, and sadly I cannot seem to get excited or interested in it. It seems like more Spartans battling without armor against Xerxes. If that’s what people want though, I guess it’ll be here soon. Check out the trailer below. Read more…
Tags: 300, Frank Miller
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 14, 2013 in Videogames 
Have you ever wondered how journalists make it in between all the huge E3 conferences? Hooking up video feeds, running cable, getting everywhere on time, and making sure people have the latest news is complicated work. Giant Bomb’s Drew Scanlon has put together a nearly hour-long video covering day one of E3 2013 from the perspective of him and Vinny Caravella, the video crew. It’s more of a documentary than a news video – we already know all the E3 news. But seeing the behind-the-scenes look at all the conferences and the effort that goes into getting video content rolling is great (it also has a brilliant ending). Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and check out this great video. Read more…
Tags: documentary, E3 2013
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 13, 2013 in Videogames 
While WayForward is busy remaking the NES’s DuckTales with Capcom, Sega is also reviving a classic Disney game: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse. E3 brings us the first footage of the remake, and it’s looking sharp. There may be a few more fans of Magical Quest on SNES, but this HD remake seems like a fun romp through a dark children’s fantasy world. My only question is whether or not the original game will be included as well; I always think that’s a nice touch. Read more…
Tags: Disney, Mickey Mouse, PS3, Sega, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 13, 2013 in Videogames 
Since Team Ninja’s Tomonobu Itagaki left Tecmo Koei, his baby Ninja Gaiden has been going through a rough patch. Ninja Gaiden 3 was critically panned, and while a Wii U version fixed some things, it still didn’t match up to the first game in the revived series that had justified two updated versions since its original Xbox release. Enter Keiji Inafune, creator of Mega Man, who has left Capcom and is now working on new projects, including Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. Read more…
Tags: Koei Tecmo, Ninja, Ninja Gaiden, PS3, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 12, 2013 in Videogames 
One of the most impressive tech demos of the week was Quantic Dream’s The Dark Sorcerer on PS4. It’s not supposed to be a game, but it could be expanded sometime in the future. In the demo, the titular dark sorcerer tries to summon a demon using dark magic while his goblin helper looks on. Soon it is revealed that the scene is being directed (with partial green screen in the background) and the characters are acting, though the goblin is really a goblin. Only a few stunning minutes were shown at Sony’s E3 press conference, but now the entire 12-minute demo is available to watch, and it’s pretty stunning. Read more…
Tags: PS4
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 12, 2013 in Videogames 
With all of the major press conferences out of the way (thanks for nothing, Square Enix), E3 is starting to stabilize as journalists get their hands-on impressions. But there are still some announcements trickling out, especially for games that may have been a bit too small to trumpet from the heavens (er, stage). One such game is Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millenium Girl, a 3DS remake of the first Etrian Odyssey game. Atlus made and published the game in Japan, but not every game makes it over. However, since the series does rather well for Atlus USA, they’ve announced that they will be publishing The Millenium Girl in the US this fall. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Atlus, RPG
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 11, 2013 in Videogames 
Both Microsoft and Sony announced a lot of major exclusives yesterday, which leaves Nintendo in a catch-up position with its already underperforming Wii U. With the 3DS finally taking off, what did Nintendo have to show during its first online-only E3 press conference? Click to find out! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct, Pokémon, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 11, 2013 in Videogames 
This was briefly covered in Sony’s press conference, but the footage has now surfaced online. After years of waiting and many empty promises, Square Enix has finally revealed a full trailer for Final Fantasy Versus XIII, with new cutscenes, new graphics, and lots of gameplay showing its completely revamped combat system. Furthermore, the game is now known as Final Fantasy XV; it’s no longer a spin-off, but the next installment of the long-running series. The online excitement right now is palpable, as people are practically cheering in the streets. The game has so far been revealed for PS4, with no word of an Xbox One or PC release. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, PS4, square enix
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