Marvel has been consistently dominating the box office since The Avenger’s hit theaters in 2012, but why has that been? How have the kept the franchise going so strong? There are two large factors for that: Building Narrative and Style.
The Record setting Team-up that would change movie franchises forever. Image Source: http://collider.com/marvel-avengers-assembled-blu-ray-delayed/
We all know how The Dark Knight blew the world away with its take on a superhero movie, but Marvel was able to do something no one thought possible before. They created a Universe. Everyone knows how it was done. Establish individual heroes and then create a team-up. But how has the hype continued? How has the interest kept going?
While Thor The Dark World may not have been as amazing as people hoped, its still entertaining and will affect the future events. Image Source: http://www.joeydevilla.com/2013/08/03/too-close-for-comfort-the-iron-man-3-and-thor-the-dark-world-posters/
The reason is that Marvel focused on making each installment an important chapter, one that always builds. Each “Phase” has a number of movies for individual hero or hero teams that leads to another large-scale Avengers. But even the movies in-between show the after effects of each big event and the crucial steps to the next. This makes each film feel like its own event. But each film does well to nod at what happened before. Marvel makes it so you can enjoy Age of Ultron without seeing Winter Soldier, but the narrative will be far more rewarding if you do. And it feels less like a chore because of their consistent quality. Leading to the Second Point:
A complaint I often hear is that Marvel movies are too similar. That’s fair, many have a similar structure, and it isn’t hard to find a hero who’s snarky. However, I believe that though they may be similar, it makes their world more authentic. While Doctor Strange and Ant Man may have ingredients as to what made Iron Man such a treat, they still have their own identity.
Ant Man is nearly a straight heist film, Doctor Strange is a surreal and and imaginative character journey, and Guardians is a Space Opera with a retro swing.
Marvel film’s style often reflects the light tone, but films like
Many studios are trying to make their own universe to…less than great results. Image Source: http://www.impawards.com/2017/mummy_ver3.html
Civil War and Winter Soldier show the harsh effects of debates without a clear right and wrong. They ask: security or freedom? Appeasement of the public or the saving of many?
Marvel knows how to walk the line with these questions, but doesn’t try to take itself too seriously. It knows the weight and doesn’t try to make it seem heavier. Now every other studio is trying to make a consistent universe, from Kong Skull Island to The Mummy. The Marvel movies are by no means perfect, but with Avengers 4 coming, I don’t see the Marvel train losing steam anytime soon.
The next week and a half of video games is on the slower side, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to check out. Here’s the stuff coming out that I think will be worth checking out. Take a look!
Patapon Remastered
Patapon is a beloved series of rhythm games that released on the on the PSP starting in 2008. So, if you happened to miss out on the PSP era now is your chance to make up for it. In Patapon you control a tribe of small, black creatures that are mostly eyes, called Patapon. You charge the small Patapon into battle while they rhythmically and menacingly chant past any other tribes that get in their way. This remaster only has the first game in the series and you can get the game digitally starting today for $14.99 on Ps4
Tacoma
Tacoma is Fullbright’s highly anticipated second game, the first being Gone Home. Tacoma is a narrative based sci-fi adventure set in a space station in the year 2088. If it’s anything like their previous work, Tacoma will probably focus on the more personal and human side of being in space rather than the sci-fi aspect of it. The review embargo lifted today and the game will be out on Steam and Xbox One starting on August 2nd for $19.99.
LawBreakers
LawBreakers is the first game made by Cliff Bleszinski’s new studio Boss Key Productions. It’s a first person arena shooter made in the style of games like Unreal Tournament while mixing it with modern shooter abilities and mobility options. This game has seen a lot of iteration through many closed and open beta sessions and seeing the final product is something I’m excited for. You can get it starting August 8th for $29.99
Funimation and Sony Pictures TV have signed an agreement that would see the majority of the anime distributor bought out by Sony. Funimation’s CEO, Gen Fukunaga, will remain CEO of the company. This could mean that anime produced by Aniplex and A-1, two studios that Sony owns, as well as anime that Funimation has rights to distribute, may see more releases in the United States.
Bandai Namco announced the limited edition run of the set this week. The Dark Souls LPs will be available sometime this fall, as a limited edition 2000-copy run. Not only does each game get its own set of LPs, but there will be 9 total vinyl in the box set. The announcement trailer shows that Dark Souls 2 will be spread out on four vinyl, while Dark Souls and Dark Souls 3 are only on two each.
To go and play Pyre was something exciting. Here’s a band of exiles, and they value you because you know how to read. We think of it as such an innocuous thing, but in the Downside, where Pyre takes place, it’s invaluable. I won’t deny that I teared up a bit out of joy when I began the game. I’m still excited about it.
PlayerUnknown posted a developer update on the game’s Steam page detailing new feautres coming to Battlegrounds. In the patch update, we’re expected to see bug fixes for doors, using items while reloading, and spectator mode. In addition, PlayerUnknown detailed the one thing we’re all really in it for: cosmetic items.
The hit cooking-frenzy game comes to the Nintendo eShop next week. Overcooked, released last year for PS4, PC, and Xbox gets a special edition package as it graces Nintendo’s newest console. The special edition includes both DLC for the game. Overcooked will also feature support for the Switch’s HD rumble feature.
Niantic planned to host a big Pokemon Go-themed bash for the game’s first birthday, but instead, the event flopped. Fans looked forward to playing the game among others who liked it. Upon attempting to participate in the festivities, fans soon found that they were unable to connect to the servers, for starters. Problems continued with frequent technical difficulties, server unresponsiveness, and shoddy excuses from Niantic themselves.
Runescape isn’t the only classic game that received a mobile re-release in recent years. The most recent is Roller Coaster Tycoon, released late in 2016 for iOS and Android. Looking ahead, we’re still expecting Animal Crossing mobile some time in the fall.
WARNING: If you don’t want spoilers for any matches in top 8/grand finals because you haven’t watched EVO yet, I’d advise NOT reading this article.
Evolution 2017 concluded a little under a week ago, and every single game had a ton of hype behind it. Whether it be Guilty Gear, Melee, Street Fighter, King of Fighters, or any others, every game had at least a few moments that made you go “Damn, I love this game!” Every time EVO comes around, you know it’s time to get hype. Because EVO is more than the biggest fighting game tournament in the world. EVO is a celebration of fighting games as a whole! So join me in celebrating how amazing these games we love get, and let’s count down the top 5 most hype moments of Evolution 2017.
(starts at 12:45)
Tekken 7 is a game full of a lot of various, small hype things that come together to make the game exciting, rather than a game that has a few hype things that just tend to happen frequently. Generally this means it only truly gets hype when you have players who know how to abuse these small hype things to their greatest potential. One of these small hype things is called a “low parry”, where if you press down-forward on your controls, you parry a low hit and can capitalize with a combo after. On an unseeable sliver of health, JDCR low parries Jeondding’s about-to-be-game-winning low, and lands a combo with just enough damage to take the match, and the set.
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Smash 4 is a mixed bag for me. Sets are either really fun, or really lame. EVO top 8 definitely showed that. But luckily, the game that lasted the longest wasn’t boring at all: ZeRo vs. Salem in grand finals. Both players were playing out of their mind, and game 10 was one of the most intense moments I’ve seen in Smash 4. Bayonetta down a stock AND in kill range only after taking Diddy’s first stock. And while Bayonetta is a character known for her 0-to-deaths, this is also ZeRo we’re talking about. Salem won, game 10, tournament point for both players.
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The White Lion of Japan showing that Leo is more than you think. Every time he lands a hit, the crowd freaks out. Outside of top 8, T4M7 left a path of destruction behind him, most notably sending Ogawa, EVO 2015 world champion, into losers through a double perfect. This monster made it all the way to grand finals, where he finally lost to Omito. And while T4M7 was definitely a monster throughout all of top 8, I think that his double perfect against Ogawa — The former EVO 2015 champion and arguably the best Zato in the world — really goes to show that he was the star of the show throughout all of EVO.
(Highlight at 25:34)
I typically don’t watch BlazBlue, but I always make the exception for EVO, because it’s where it gets the most hype. Every year it’s been a main game, something amazing happens, and this year is no different. This time, we got to see Ryusei decimate all of top 8 with his incredible Carl Clover, and Fenritti (Fenrich) also decimate top 8 with his incredible Jin Kisaragi. The point of maximum hype came when both of these players ended up against each other in grand finals. Both players played out of their mind in every set they were against each other. Each match was a total slugfest, and even though I was rooting for Ryusei to take it all (which he did), I also couldn’t help cheering for Fenritti as well. As amazing as Ryusei’s pressure and offense was, I really have to give it up for Fenritti’s impeccable defense while taking Ryusei’s onslaught of attacks, as well. This is the outcome you get when you take two players who are masters at their character.
By far, the most hype moment in all of EVO this year was grand finals in Street Fighter V. Punk has taken SFV by storm these past few months, taking tournament after tournament. And at the young age of 18, he’s pretty much become the prodigal son of the community. Tokido has been a part of the FGC since before Punk was even alive. The flavor of this set was amazing. Who would win it? The rising star, or the old grandmaster? Everything was on the line for both of these players.
Punk cracked under pressure, and Tokido took full advantage of it, winning the set. He had won a ton of tournaments before, but EVO is different. I’m sure the entire time he was playing he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. Normally I’d share this video at a specific time to give an example of how good the play was, but this is a moment best enjoyed as a whole. This is why people watch fighting games: the emotion that comes with them, and the stories that they create. At the end of the set, both players were on the verge of tears for two completely different reasons.
In the first trailer for Pacific Rim: Uprising, fans of the Portal series may have heard a familiar voice. Ellen McLain makes a return appearance in the trailer as the voice of the jaeger AI. Her role in the first movie was short but sweet: she was only in one scene at the beginning of the movie, before the Gipsy Danger is destroyed.